April 2014 Favourites

This past month, it has really started to fell like spring. The nights are getting lighter, the days longer and not to the mention to ever so slight warmth in the air. Today a bring you my select few products that have really stood out to me over the recent weeks...

I love my Clarisonic month in, month out, but this month I switched the basic head for the Deep Pore Brush Head and that is when things changed. I did go through a mini 'purging' phase but it only lasted a week or two, however since then my skin looks much clearer and brighter and I have noticed a difference in the size of my pores. This is a pricey investment, but I wouldn't want to be without it.

Every month a new Essie polish steals my heart. April's Essie Polish Award goes to Lilacism - the perfect spring shade. Soft, feminine and oh so cute.

Illuminating powders are now my thing. Once upon a time I wouldn't give them the time of day but they are now a firm fixture in my makeup routine. I go through stages of which I love the most, and this month the crown definitely goes to the Bourjois Java Rice Powder. A translucent powder that gives your skin a photo-shopped effect.

Newest to the skin care line up is the infamous Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum. I have been using this most evenings lately and although it is too early to say about any definite results, I love how it makes my skin feel. I wake up with clear, plump and just generally happy skin. 

Not technically a beauty product, but it is a beautiful product in my eyes is the Jo Malone Sweet Almond & Macaroon Candle. Easily the most delicious, 'good enough to eat', candle I have ever come across. If you like cherry bakewell and all things sweet, then you will like this.

What have you been loving this month?

Weekly Loves #16 & #17

I hold my hands up. I've been a bad blogger. Lack of motivation had me a little down about most things including my little old blog, but I'm back and hopefully in full swing. After a week off work, I have discovered a few new favourite products and one of which I am very surprised about...

I'll start with the oldest of the bunch, the Clarins Graphic Expression Face & Blush Powder. The perfect hue for that natural peachy flush which goes with every single makeup look from natural to the most extreme. I have been wearing this every day for the past couple of weeks for that spring-time glow, despite the wet weather.

Essie Peach Daiquiri just screams summer. A vibrant pink/orange/red, it's a bit hard to describe but it is beautiful and it looks just as great on your fingers as it does your toes. 

Clarins Daily Energizer Cream is my current moisturizer of choice for the AM. A thick textured cream with a zesty orange scent. This provides just the right amount of hydration for my normal/combination skin, leaving it smooth and plump for the day ahead. 

Now for the one that surprised me... the Bourjois CC Cream. Originally purchased for my up and coming holiday, I have completely fallen for this product to the point where I now pick it above my beloved Double Wear and Silk Creme foundations for everyday wear. Usually an avid full-coverage kind of girl this evens out my complexion perfectly whilst adding a glow to my complexion. 

What products have surprised you lately? 

Weekly Loves #15

The weeks are just flying by at the minute. There still aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done, but the lighter evenings are putting me in better spirits. This week, I bring you mostly new favourites, with one staple product for good measure...

After having a quick peep through my stash earlier in the week a discovered an unused tube of Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion and thought I had better test it out. This is a super nourishing and hydrating cream, not too thick in consistency so a little can go a long way but thick enough that you really notice a difference. It is so lightly scented that it is almost non-existent which is a nice change to my usual sweet and fruity taste. 

A recent shopping trip saw the purchase of the REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask. A clay mask, my favourite,  that aims to purify and deep clean the skin whilst promoting cell renewal and decreasing the size of pores. Now, it is far too early to say for sure... but I'm pretty sure this is going to be a winner. 

On said shopping trip I also picked up the Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil, something which I have been meaning to buy for a while now. I have only used this a handful of times, but the difference in my nails and cuticles already is amazing. Subtly scented and easy to use, this has become a firm fixture in my beauty regime. 

As for the old favourite... This week I have really fallen in love with my MAC brow palette. Although this holds Omega, I always reach for Charcoal Brown to fill in, define and shape my brows. I would really recommend these eyeshadows, in particular these shades, if you have light - medium brown hair. It is so easy to apply using an angled brush as you have full control, a mix of both shades also looks great.

What new products are you loving this week?

March 2014 Favourites

Yep, I'm a little late to this last months favourites party. March was a bit hectic and all over the place, hence the quick but effective products that make up this months round-up. I always found myself looking for the simpler option that would cut down the time it took to do my routine so that I could have that extra five minutes of sleep.

The Clinique Take The Day Off Balm has to be my number one product from March. A miracle product that makes taking makeup off a dream, even stubborn mascara. Scentless and hard it texture, this balm melts into an oil which it turn melts off your makeup. 

Talking of stubborn mascara, Benefit They're Real has become a holy grail product of mine. No other mascara gives me lashes like this does. Long, full and blacker than black this mascara has compliments pouring in. I have been popping on a couple coats of this stuff most days and just leaving my eyes at that. This stays all day long, but it can be a pain to remove - unless you have the Clinique balm in your stash that is.

Another no-faff product comes in the form of the Jemma Kidd All Over Radiance Creme. Simply patted onto the tops of my cheeks using my ring finger, this makes for the perfect dewy glow to see in spring. Unfortunately this is no longer available, but I would love to know if there is any dupes out there?

Soap & Glory Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub has been my favourite shower companion this month, not only does this smell delicious, even good enough to eat,  it works amazingly to buff away dead skin, leaving a soft and silk-like feel to your skin.

Anytime that my skin has started to play up over the past year, it has been due to the fact that I have ran out of the REN Clear Calm3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser. A clay based cleanser that I use only in the morning to help keep oil at bay during the day. I find that this really helps to purify my skin and keep it clear, it also works wonders for maintaining good skin. 

Another product that I always reach for when my skin is misbehaving is the Origins Out of Trouble Mask. A 10 minute solution to spots and blemishes, I use this every other night whilst having a breakout or once to twice a week when I'm not. 

Better late than never, eh? What products did you love last month?

Weekly Loves #13 & #14

Life has taken over the past couple of weeks, hence the lack posts (and by 'lack' I mean zero). I haven't had much time to do anything, falling asleep at 7pm most nights hasn't helped either. But with my YouTube subscriptions brimming with new videos to watch and a countless amount of posts to read on Bloglovin', I have finally set aside some down time - just me and my laptop. Oh and a little doggy. 

Vera Wang Princess has been my go to perfume for the past couple of weeks. Vanilla based, this scent also has sweet and fruity notes to it. With quite a distinctive, powerful smell, I find that this lasts for up to eight hours on the skin but it will need topping up if you are going from day to night. This is definitely an everyday scent rather than a evening one but it is perfect if, like me, you like your perfumes sweet and fruity. 

Up until a couple of days ago I didn't really get along with the Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover, it just never lived up to the hype. In a bid to get my moneys worth I tried using it with out a cotton pad and applied with my fingers. Now, I'm still not amazed by it but it definitely worked a lot better at breaking down my eye makeup so that it was easier to remove with a cleanser. 

A product that I amazed by though is the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. I have had this sample for a few months now and on a whim decided to give it a go, I fell in love instantly. It gave the most perfect, satin-like base to apply my makeup, my skin was glowing, my pores were reduced and my makeup looked flawless. I cannot get over what a miracle worker this product is and after seeing the price of the full sized bottle, I just wish I didn't like it as much. 

An old favourite of mine is the Batiste XXL Dry Shampoo. I may have mentioned this before, but I have really been loving this for the volume it gives to my hair. Not to mention the fact I can go two days between washing my hair, because it is becoming quite a chore. 

I found the BECCA Mineral Blush in Flowerchild in the depths of my stash a couple of weeks ago and have been wearing it ever since. Highly pigmented, yet lightweight this blush has been giving my complexion a spring like glow. A coral based pink with a hint of shimmer that immediately brightens up your look whilst still looking natural and lasting throughout the day. 

What have you been loving over the past couple of weeks?