For Those Chapped Lipped People Out there....

I will keep this pretty short and sweet as I know there is already a hell of a lot of love out there for this little product, but as it's something I literally cannot live without (a tad dramatic, I know) I thought I should just add my two cents.

Before this product, I seemed to have perpetually dry lips and I could never find a lip balm that actually fixed the problem.
I don't like anything containing petroleum as in the long run it actually makes your lips dryer, hence the cycle never ends.
I discovered this last November, and I have been totally hooked since.
This is my second tub of the stuff, I panicked the moment it ran out and immediately repurchased.
This has to be in my life, its kinda non negotiable.

This is a thick, matte, lemony scented balm that lasts for hours on the lips.
I have never tried anything that actually moisturizes my lips in the long run, its not just comforting when its on, even when it has worn off, my lips still feel smooth and supple.
I use this morning and night and sometimes in between and this little tub still lasted me a good 4 months.
I will be forever repurchasing this.

If you suffer from sore/dry/chapped lips, please try this.
Believe the hype.

To me, this is one of the most valuable items in my collection, I actually worry if I forget it take it away with me!

It's love.

Get it here 

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Something To Add To The Summer Wishlist...

This barely left my cheeks last summer so I thought it was time to dig it out again! I'm nearly hitting pan so I thought I should do a review before it becomes a bit too unsightly.

This is the Liz Earle Radiant Glow Bronzer.

I believe it was limited addition last year but it's back again!

Although I'm not sure whether it's permanent, it tends to hang around for quite some time.

This bronzer features a quartet of different shades, varying from a lighter almost peachy/champagne shade to the deepest which has a bit more earthiness/terracotta to it- but it is not too dark and there is no orange in sight.

I swirl my brush around all for shades and dust over the high points of my face for a gorgeous sun kissed glow. It is quite hard to over do and even though all the shades are shimmery, somehow you don't end up looking like a disco ball.

I don't know how- but trust me! Even in sunlight, it is forgiving.

The one thing I would say though is that on the website they say you can use the darker shade for a subtle contour, which is something I personally wouldn't do, due to the high sheen of the product, it could look a bit obvious/unnatural.

Indoors

Sunlight

The swatches above show the lightest to darker shades, so you can see a decent level of variation.

I have never been disappointed when it comes down to a Liz Earle cheek products and in this compact you get a decent 10g, so I think it is well worth the money.

I have also just used the lightest shade as a highlighter and it looks so natural, a product that can be a bronzer and a highlighter at the same time gets two thumbs up from me.

I love to keep things simple and just get some tinted moistruizer on, mascara and brows and then swirl a big brush around this compact and then boom, a fresh summery bronzey look. 

Next time you hit up boots, give it a swatch, I just couldn't walk away...it had to be mine.

Have you tried anything from the Liz Earle Make Up line?

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Benefit: They're Real!

You may have gathered from last weeks post , that I wasn't having much luck in the mascara department. 

Six hyped up mascaras left me pretty cold, so I was kinda under the impression this mascara would do the same. 

However, I decided to purchase Benefits 'They're Real!' and I am SO pleased to report back that I really like it! Yay! Mascara is good again!

This mascara features a plastic brush, which isn't always my brush of choice as I tend to prefer bristles, but this does a lovely job at catching and (more importantly) gripping your lashes from root to tip.

The formula is ultra black, but it's not super wet which I like as I often find them very messy to work with.

I'm the poster girl for layering up as much mascara as possible- I want as much in the lash department as can feasibly be achieved.

I'm not super into natural looking mascaras....I'm sure I will go through that phase, but I enjoy a full on black, dramatic lash. I never wear falsies, so I need my mascara to deliver.

This does, it layers very well - it holds a curl all day which was such a shock to me as it's not waterproof.

Another bonus- it doesn't flake.

The first layer looks good, evenly coated and fairly natural, but then the volume and drama just increases the more you add.

I really rate this product and I am so glad it has redeemed my faith in mascara.

It's not the easiest thing to remove, my holy grail Body Shop Camomile cleanser doesn't quite cut it, I need a micellar boost before hand, but to me, that's not a deal breaker, it just shows how well this mascara lasts.

Be careful in the removal process though as it acts quire like a waterproof mascara, it does cling on for dear life and can crumble into your eyes- I'm aware that sounds gross but I add so many coats so it's kind of inevitable, but it doesn't actually bother me as its the end of the day so all my make up is being removed, but if that's something that could bother you- it's worth noting!

I am a convert. I'm so glad there is a mascara out there that I know works for me, so when I run out, even if I was curious and wanting to try other things, I now know this is in Boots waiting for me.

I'm definitely team They're Real. The formula is brilliant, volume,length, drama and longevity, plus it doesn't transfer onto my brow bone like Roller Lash does. 

Have you tried any Benefit mascaras?

03/06/2015 Update : I have had this mascara for just over 4 weeks now and it has really dried out.
I can still just about use it, but if I apply a lot it gets quite heavy so it doesn't hold a curl as well as it used to.
Just thought I should update you!

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Urban Decay : Rapture : Lipstick and New Afterglow Blush

Here we have one new release from Urban Decay; the Afterglow Blush in Rapture, and the not so new Revolution Lipstick, also in the shade Rapture. I have had the lipstick for quite a while now and I love it, so when I saw they had released a blush in the same shade, it was a no brainer. 

Lets talk blush first.

It is a plummy/mauvey colour with a slight pearl to it which doesn't translate as shimmery on the skin.

If you are familiar with the Urban Decay eye shadows, then you will aware of their smooth. buttery consistency- which is really what I have come to expect from Urban Decay.

The moment I swatched this blush I immediately knew UD had managed to translate that beautiful, silky buttery formula into a blush.

Also this works well as the formula is of a more creamy nature so you don't end up with excess powder flying about when you swirl your brush about, which I also appreciate. 

Even though UD claims this formula to be quite sheer, I found when I went in with my Charlotte Tilbury blush brush that it was quite easy to pick up a bit too much product and hence it took some time to blend out, so I would recommend using a duo fibre brush, at least until you can work out how much product you actually need.

I don't know what it is though...the formula is lovely and I like the colour...but I'm still trying to work out how much I like it. At the moment I am still on the fence so I am going to keep trying it and then I will report back.

It's a good blusher, but so far I am not overwhelmed, but I can imagine soon enough that when I get to grips with it, it could be a fave...but right now I think I need more play time. 

I will keep you updated.

Onto  the Revolution Lipstick.

This is a fave of mine. I have a couple of UD lipsticks and I really rate their formula- check it out if you can. They are £15 which is obviously more than high street prices, but they perform just as well as lipsticks that are ten to fifteen pounds more.

I find all shades to be pretty consistent- easy to apply, waxy in consistency- but in the best way which means it manages to hit the middle ground of being moisturizing, long lasting and towards the end of wear it is never drying. 

It doesn't feel like it should last as well as it does. 

I just love this shade so much, purple based lipsticks have been my vice for some time now.

L-R: Blush and Lipstick

I think these blushes are worth looking into, I need to try some other shades. I am glad I bought the Afterglow blush, but I am determined to love it. Give me time and I will try to do a follow up if things change!

I reckon it could be a lovely eye shadow shade, which I would also wear on cheeks and lips because purples give me life.

Have any of you tried these new blushes? Any other shades I should look in to?

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Clarins Does Summer : Aquatic Treasures

Here we have the new Clarins Ombre Iridescent Aquatic Cream to Powder Shadows in Aquatic Rose and Aquatic Grey.

These are brand new and limited edition, so if you like the look of these- you need to pick them up sooner rather than later!

I have seen a third shade online called Aquatic Green- but I didn't see it in boots and as I have the new Charlotte Tilbury cream shadow in Cleopatra I don't feel I have missed out too much!

These two little pots are gorgeous and due to their cream to powder texture, they are unlike the creams I already have and also very easy to work with. 

A finger or a flat shader brush (like a Mac 239) will both perform the same job well. 

First, we have Aquatic Rose :

This is so not normally something I would be interested in, its undeniably pretty, but I tend to go for slightly deeper, warmer colours, but it was love at first swatch.

It is a beautiful pale rose gold and it's just so fresh and clean looking. 

I wore this all over the lid, but it also looks lovely on the inner corners.

Here it is all over the lid:

I only have a touch on here, but you can see it can be worn as a sheer wash of colour that's very day time appropriate. 

It can be built up more, it is pigmented but it's never going to be in your face.

I know I will get a lot of use out of this and the texture is smooth and dreamy.

Aquatic Grey : 

This is a iridescent grey shade with a blue tinge.

I also love this shade, but what I love most about these two shades is that they are different to what one tends to expect to see from summer collections.

It becomes the norm to expect a lot of bronzey/gold/warm shades, which I do enjoy but it all gets a bit samey, I really welcome the inclusion of these cooler shades.

I wore the rose shade all over the lid and the grey blended out into the crease and it looked so fresh and young whilst managing to still look summery!

Having warmer bronzed skin and cooler eyes is such a beautiful combination.

These blend very well together and due to their cream to powder formula, you don't have that worry of furiously blending out the shadow in the fear it will set too fast and look blotchy. 

Bottom Line : I really like these. 

If you are interested in getting a couple of bits from the summer collection, I would definitely give these a swatch and see what you think.

They blend very well and I do think it is an interesting combination that is rarely seen this time of year.

Something about the combo just works...I wore the grey all over the lid as well without the rose and I did like it, but I prefer adding the rose. It's just more unique.

When I added the grey to my lower lash line it did add a nice faint glimmer of blue and it's so pretty!

I have mostly normal lids but I always wear an eye primer and I did have good wear out of these.
These are very long lasting- they didn't fade on me at all, but by the 8 hour mark there was minor, minor creasing.

If you like the look of these- they are limited edition so get them before they're gone!

They are £19 each, get them here 

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If You Treat Yourself To One Thing This Month...

You may have seen I very briefly touched on this here, so I thought it was time for the full review.

If you want to treat yourself to one high end product this month, make it this.

This is Charlotte Tilburys swish and pop cheek to chic blusher in Love Glow.

I have a few of her blushes but I just can't get enough of this one at the moment.

I have used this so much, but as you can see I have barely scratched the surface.

This is an expensive product at £30, but as you get 8g of product you get almost twice as much as you do in a Nars blush.

This is a beautiful pink shade with a delicate gold sheen. Part of the reason why I love this so much is that it's so easy to use and the golden sheen just makes you look radiant and healthy. It's not at all frosty or fake looking.

As you can from the picture, there is an inner circle of pale pink, and the other circle is more of a peachy pink.

I understand the concept here- one is meant to swirl a brush around the outside shade and use all over the cheek, feathering towards the outer perimeters of the face, and you are meant to use the middle shade for a pop of colour on the apples.

I have to say I don't really do this, I swirl my brush around the entire thing and then gently dust on my cheeks.

I love using either my Charlotte Tilbury blush brush or my Real Techniques duo fibre face brush (which I freaking love btw) and it works so beautifully.

What appeals most to me about this blush, aside from its luminous finish, is that it's near impossible to over do.

I often end up, after applying my blush with a hard block of colour on my face that just looks unnatural.

If this happens to you- try a duo fibre brush as it will pick up less product, but regardless, you can't achieve a harsh look with this blush and hence the main reason why I adore it so.

The first swatch is the outer shade, and the second, the inner. Sorry it was pretty hard to get a good picture of this, but you can see the shades are similar, one is just more peach, and the other, pink.

If you are looking for something beautiful to invest in this May, or you are a blush fiend like me, check this one out, the texture is so buttery smooth you won't believe it.

This will be a favorite for a long time to come.

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Skincare : The Extras

You can see my Morning Routine here and my Evening Routine here, as those are two routines I follow every day without fail.
However, every now and then I add in one or two extras to give my skin an extra boost.

REN Hydra-Calm Cleansing Milk : I believe this is now called the 'Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk'. This is a very gentle cleansing milk, which has been specially formulated for sensitive skin.
It's totally fine for my sensitive skin, but I hasten to add, even though it deliberately doesn't contain a lot of known allergens for example synthetic fragrance, petroleum and silicone- it doesn't mean you definitely wont react to it.
Good to check out if you know it doesn't contain your break out triggers, but people can be allergic to everything, and nothing can promise to be hypoallergenic.

ANYWAY. This is very gentle, however I do prefer to use oils/balms over milks but this does do a lovely job of cleansing the skin without stripping it and for me, I use this when I am in the shower.
I keep this in the shower at all times because if I am in a rush and I just want to get it all over and done with, I cleanse with this as oils don't work if your skin is already wet.

Merumaya Skin Brightening Exfoliating Peel : This is a lovely product that I try to use 1/2 a week after cleansing and before I go in with my facial mist.
On clean, dry skin, I carefully put this all over my face- make sure not to get it too close to my eyes, and I leave it for 7-10 mins before thoroughly rinsing off.
This product is a chemical exfoliant which contains glycolic acid and pomegranate enzymes, which work together to gently peel away and remove the surface layer of dead skin cells.
It can be tingly when you put it on- but don't worry, it just means its working. I find it so satisfying.
Merumaya is a brilliant brand, and affordable. This costs £19.50, which is lot less than a lot of other glycolic products on the market.
It makes my skin smoother and brighter and it helps the serums I put on after absorb a lot better.

Origins Drink Up Intensive : Every now and then, I use this at night instead of my moisturizer...well I did, until I found my Kiehls Ultra Facial Cream, and now other moisturizing products seem a little redundant, but anyway, I use this as an overnight mask.
What I'm trying to say is, I like having this step in my routine, an overnight intensive moisture mask, but the Origins one isn't really doing it for me anymore.
I would love to try the Sisley Black Rose Mask, but at £95, it might have to wait.
If you have dry/dehydrated skin, check the Origins one out, it is good, but I don't love it.
Also, when I have put oils and serums underneath and then this on top, due to its silicone content, sometimes it starts gathering up in little balls.
Which is maddening.
I love this step in my routine, but I want to look into other products. I am nearly out of this one, any suggestions?

Origins Clay Mask : Clay masks can be quite drying on my already fairly dehydrated skin, so I only use this when my skin is looking a bit dull and congested.
This is my second tube of this and it does do a good job at bringing anything under the skin to the surface.
This is an effective clay mask, and for this tube it's quite reasonable, it's about a tenner, but when it runs out, I think I might invest in Glam Glow. I am intrugied to see how it would compare.

Benefit Dream Screen: Just a heads up, this is what it says on the Benefit website: 'A invisible silky-matte broad spectrum SPF 45 suncreen for the face'.
This is still pretty new to me, I've only used it about 4 times and it seems to be going down pretty quickly...
I thought it was about time I invested in a proper facial SPF rather than using body ones which break me out, or just depending on my tinted moisturiser.
As the name would suggest, this is a matte product, and matte products and I don't usually get on, but I still really like this.
It is super light on the skin and it literally disappears when you rub it in. I can't stand the feeling of those greasy SPFs that literally refuse to absorb and leave you feeling shiny and oily all day.
I don't have that problem here, and it provides a good base for make up.
So far Benefit, so good!

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