Top 5 | French Skincare

The skincare world can be a baffling one to navigate at the best of times, from trying to figure out what your skin type is and finding the products to target that type, within your price range but still provides great quality results? Yeah. Mind boggling.

Luckily, this little roundup from French skincare brands should hopefully help you if you're in a pickle, especially as most of the brands offer varying products for different skin types.

Giveaway & Thank you || CLOSED

Yesterday I did a little post on transitional nails - featuring Essie's 'Bikini So Teeny' - a favourite of mine year round and I've got one to giveaway today... Plus a few other pieces I've been buying & collecting for all that follow my blog. 

September Favourites

It's that time of the month again; a little roundup of products that have pleased me during the month of September. I hasten to add I haven't worn much makeup, in fact my priorities this month have been hair and skin since I'm not at work and I've really only been using two products if I really must put make up on.

First up then is the Maybelline Fit Me concealer (review here) - non drying, good medium coverage, this has been a god send for me as of late. I had a reaction to something (it's one of two things,) and I erupted in little under the skin spots. Not very painful, but  quite annoying. If I had to go out anywhere that wasn't Lidl, then I plopped some of this on to make my skin somewhat presentable. 

To give my pale skin a bit of life on bad (ill) days - I also added the Soap and Glory Cheekmate (review here) to my lips and cheeks. It just gives the right amount of rosy glow and only a tiny amount is needed. Definitely one to look out for next time you're in Boots!

The John Frieda Luxurious Volume Shampoo* and Conditioner* (review here) have really been keeping my hair at it's best, providing a decent amount of volume whilst keeping hair light. I've also taken a shine to the Blow-Dry Root Booster Lotion* which sprayed on towel dried hair has given the crown of my hair serious lift! 

I've spoken of my love for Vichy products quite briefly, but one product that I always go back to is the Vichy Purete Thermal Hydra Soothing Toner. It's hydrating, soothing and doesn't tighten the skin. I recently broke out and picked up a new bottle of this and it's really helped calm the skin down completely. I should also mention that I've already had four bottles of this and one bottle of the Hydra Perfecting toner - which is really good too but aimed at oily/combination skin. So yes, it's a really great toner.

Another skincare godsend is the Super Facialist Calming Creamy Cleanser from the Rose Hydrate range. This is a thick cream that smells of roses (and not artificial smelling either,) and just does a marvelous job of cleansing the skin yet keeping it calm as possible. I should have known it was going to be great since I adore the moisture mask from the same range. 

Last but not least was a cheeky Origins purchase - the Super Spot Remover. I wasn't kidding when I said I had broken out like crazy - all around the chin area. It was bumpy, almost like a spotty stubble (sexy description, right?) and whilst I'm glad they weren't the huge under skin spots that tend to be very painful, they were sore for the first few days. This has helped reduced the redness significantly and the spots are now on their way out (pale skin, spot 'scars' tend to hang around a lot easier on me) and this also came with a Gift With Purchase, which is always an incentive to buy!

So that was my round up of favourites for this month, I'd love to know what yours are! 

Peace!

Vichy Aqualia Thermal

I'm a right floozy when it comes to moisturizers. I tend to switch up what I'm using depending what my skin needs that day, and I very rarely go back to the same moisturiser, although it's happened a few times (Avene, La Roche Posay, Hydreane and Hydrance respectively,) but because I'm a floozy, I picked up a new day moisturiser from Escentual; Vichy Aqualia Thermal.

It claims to pack 48 hour hydration - well it's just as hydrating as my Avene Hydrance Optimale (Rich), but slightly thicker in consistancy, but not quite as much as La Roche Posay Hydreane (Rich) which I use as a night cream or for particularly pesty dry patches. This then, sits comfortably in the middle - packing all the hydration and right consistancy that is perfect for autumn and then onto winter. The scent is good too, just a slight whiff of something and then nothing - it goes away. I kind of hate it when day creams smell of anything for too long, is that just me? 

My verdict? I now have my perfect in between product - one that will do for autumn and onto winter (possibly paired with Hydreane, as mentioned) that doesn't aggravate my skin, packs a punch of hydration and sits well under make up. Score.

It is also worth mentioning that like Avene and La Roche Posay - Vichy also carry a light version of this which is more suitable for oily/combination/sensitive - so everyone is covered.

Have you tried the Vichy Aqualia Thermal range?

Peace!

Empties #3

It's been a while that I've done an empties post - it's just usually the hatred of having any empties lying around for a certain amount of time when they should be in recycling... 

These past few months (and I mean only a few, otherwise this post wouldn't of happened at all due to impatience and no where to store empty bottles and tubes,) however I actually used a fair bit up and keep the empties for this little show and tell.

First is the Dove Colour Radiance shampoo and conditioner - I really loved this combination and so far it's been adding a healthy amount of radiance to my coloured hair. I always have a problem making colour stay in (I dye mine a copper/red/orange combination,) and it's nice when a shampoo and conditioner actually do their job for coloured hair. I did notice although these products aren't sulfate free, they are lower in sulfates than a standard shampoo/conditioner - which is always good to know.

The Toni & Guy Sea Salt Spray has been a long term favourite - I've tried a few on the market (not the bumble and bumble, that's next on the list,) but this one just adds that perfect beachy texture and volume. I prefer to add this on damp hair before I go to sleep so I wake up with insane hair. The beach bed head. ;)

A while ago people raved about the Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser - and it was something that appealed and luckily for me there was a sample in a magazine so I gave it a go and fell in love, then promptly bought a tube of it. I'm now on the second bottle of it. What I will say is that I personally still need a light lotion after this, but I'm sure for people who don't have dry skin this could be a time saver during the week when you're in a rush.

I loved Bioderma for getting rid of my make up but for some reason if I used more than two days running it was breaking me out (so disappointed,) so I was on the hunt for a make up remover/cleanser that would be suitable for dry and sensitive skin. Enter the Nuxe Reve de Miel cleansing gel. It's super gentle, smells amazing and gets rid of make up very well (even pesky eyeliner and mascara,) obviously when paired with a flannel or muslin cloth. I have nothing bad to say about this product and will be repurchasing when my Avene Cold Cream gel cleanser runs out.

The Palmers Cocoa Body Scrub is perfect for winter, I'd say as it is quite rich so definitely feels nourishing whilst obviously exfoliating as well. I've gone through about four tubs of this stuff and love it. I've just picked up a different scrub that doesn't feel half as nourishing as this, but I will use it up and then probably repurchase this one. Definitely a must for dry skin in particular.

Last but not least is one of my favourite toners, ever. The Vichy Purete Thermale Hydra-Perfecting toner is my favourite hydrating toners around (I use the pink version as I have dry/sensitive skin but the blue version is just as good which is meant for normal/combination skin - I've used that too,) as its free from parabens, alcohol and is hypoallergenic. It leaves skin feeling soft and supple so you're ready for serum afterwards. It just helps my skin feel much more plumper too. I'm currently using the Avene Gentle Toner which is just as good, so I'm in a pickle as to which one to repurchase! 

So that's it for a while, and I'm pretty pleased that all of these products have been rather nice - it's not to say I don't end up with rubbish products of course, but at the moment I've been doing pretty good with my purchases. Score.

Peace!

Haulin' - Fragrance Direct & Escentual

Pay day came, and now it is long gone and now I must wait until the next one (oops,) but I did manage to make a killer saving on some things I actually needed to replace...

First up from Escentual I re-purchased my fourth (!) bottle of the Vichy Purete Thermale Hydra-Perfecting Toner. I simply love it, it doesn't feel tight or dry out my skin. Perfecto! Secondly I picked up a new moisturiser from Avene. It's the Hydrance Optimale Rich Protective SPF 20. Let me just say, Hydrance is the right word. Oh dayumn! It's so hydrating, yet light. I'm pleased I got the 'Rich' version because the 'Light' might of been a tad too light. If you have combination skin you might want to try it out though! They also sent out a nail file, which is nice. I always like when companies add that little touch - it's just thoughtful!

So from Fragrance Direct I picked up A LOT of nail related paraphernalia, if you couldn't tell! I bought a cheap pair of nail scissors and they broke after the first week - not great, and when I saw that FD had a pretty large discount on Sally Hansen and Essie (£1.99 for a bottle of Essie? Not bad, right?) so I scooped up some much needed supplies. I'm looking forward to my back getting better, so I can actually bend down to do my feet a pretty pedicure.

A little note though; the colour for Waltz looks more lilac/greige on the website but it is a pure white - which isn't a bad thing, I've got plans for this one!

Have you got any deals shopping recently?

Peace!

Skincare | Vichy

Vichy Normaderm Nuit, Vichy Purete Thermale.

It's pretty much a well known fact; the French have skincare down. With brands like Vichy, Avene, Bioderma and Caudalie - how could the ever so chic French go wrong?

The two products I am mentioining today are from the brand Vichy. First up is the Normaderm Nuit - a product that is hugely beneficial to oily/problematic skin - but I have this beauty on stand by for when I get break outs, which tend to happen around the center of my face. The Mr even tried it out and it visible reduced some dark marks/spots, and usually he's a skeptic. He's been converted. It feels quite grainy when applied and definitely mattifys the skin - hence why I don't use it every night. It does what it says it's going to do on the tube - and that can be difficult to find these days.

Secondly, the toner Purete Thermale has two variations - Hydra Perfecting which is apparently better suited for normal to combination skin (I can't verify this, as it's not my skin type, sorry!) and Hydra Soothing - which is formulated for dry skin, and one of my favourite toners. Ever. It wipes away any remaining traces of make up that may have been left after cleansing (handy after a drinking session/night out,) and leaves skin feeling so so clean, and what's more there's no tightening sensation that I loathe - It makes me want to pile on double the amount of moisturiser. In comparison to other toners I've tried - it comes up top along with Caudalie's Beauty Elixir - but I prefer using that after applying make up now, to sort out any powdery issues.

I seriously recommend giving these two a go, because together they are so much better. :)

What's your favourite french skincare brand?

Peace!

fashion/home/beauty

1//2//3//4//5//6

Hello lovelies! I really cannot believe we are already half way through February! Before I know it, it will be Christmas again. ;)

This week I'll be bringing some reviews onto the blog, reading frantically for my uni course and working as per - it is the mans birthday this week though, which shall be lovely. 

Peace!

Updated Skincare Routine

 Skincare extras; Boots cucumber eye remover gel, Tri-Peptox Scrub, Witch Blemish stick, Superdrug Natural High facial wash, simple wet wipes.

 Morning Routine; No7 Hot cloth cleanser, Caudalie Beauty Elixir, Vichy eye roll on, Superdrug Simply Pure moisturiser.

Evening Routine; No7 Hot cloth cleanser, No7 toner, Boots Cold Cream, No7 night eye cream.

After what seemed like months of being in a rut, it seems I have found an-ideal-for-me-right-now skin care routine. Which is always great, you know?

I tend to stick to the same morning/evening routine but if something ain't working I'll switch it up with the extras to give me a little boost.

I'm on the look out for a good serum. I've tried the Caudalie, No7 and L'Oreal serums to date - all from different price ranges as you can see... But let me know if you have any recommendations. 

Have you got your ideal routine down pat?

Peace!