June Favourites

It's that time of the month again. This month I rediscovered my love for an old product but more than anything I've been trying out new products and loving them, so I thought I'd tell you about them.

Maxfactor Facefinity 3 in 1 Foundation in Warm Almond
This is my rediscovery of the month. I originally brought this back before Christmas and used it
religiously but then I found my interest turning to other foundations in my stash. However this month I pushed the others to the back of my stash and started using this again. For me it's like a flawless skin day in a bottle. With a buildable medium coverage, this hides all my imperfections in one layer. I do use a moisturiser to sheer out the colour a little bit but it gives a stunning flawless finish to my skin everytime. I've spoken more in depth about this product here.

Maybelline Matte Maker Mattifying Powder in Classic Ivory
This is a product I've been looking at for a while and finally picked up this month. And I'm so glad I did. This powder combined with my Maxfactor foundation gives me what I call ultra porcelain skin. It's a light powder which means it doesn't look cakey on my skin. A light dusting of this goes a long way and makes my make up last longer than normal. I'm sorry to say that as much as I love my Bourjois Healthy Mix, it may be retired to the draw of back ups as this become a firm part of my everyday make up. 

Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream
This became my hero product after the first use. I scoffed when I first saw the advert for this product as I didn't believe that it could change skin overnight but I was wrong. Usually when I wake I have extrememly bad dark circles, redness and the occasional bit of sallowness to my face but that has all completely gone. This cream has changed everything, my skin looks more glowy and feels more hydrated than it ever has. It leaves it in a brilliant condition not only for my morning skincare routine but also for my make up. The cream itself has a bouncy texture and reminds me a lot of the Body Shop's Drops of Youth Bouncy Cream but with a smaller price tag. A little bit goes a long way and whilst the cream is thick there isn't any tackiness on my skin after I've used it. 

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Rapid Moisture Spray Lotion 
Not only have I managed to find the perfect product for my face this month, I've also managed to find the perfect product for the rest of me as well. The Rapid Moisture moisturising spray is so quick and easy to use as well as smelling phenomenal. I spritz my legs and arms with this every morning when I'm getting ready for work. The best thing about this product is that you don't have to wait for it to dry, it's instantaneous so that you can put your clothes on straight away. It leaves my skin feeling ultra soft and refreshed and the coconut scent lingers well after it's soaked into your skin. If you're looking for a more in depth review I popped a post up on monday about it here.

 COLAB Sheer Invisible Dry Shampoo in Monaco
My last beauty favourite of the month is a dry shampoo. There are sometimes when my work is hectic and I don't get time to wash my hair so I chuck some of this in. I've always been a fan of Batiste but not of that slight white cast that it can leave behind. However this beauty from fellow blogger Ruth Crilly leaves no white cast and gives hair that refresh it needs. I have a feeling the Monaco scent is limited edition (I hope not) but has become my favourite because it's such a fresh scent and seems to do more for my hair than the other scents I've tried. I love this so much that I've actually got two back ups and a travel sized one in my stash. 

Operator- War Horse
This month I discovered a band called Operator fronted by the crazy talented Johnny Strong and I was automatically hooked. It's not the kind of music I would normally listen to but I found myself listening to all their albums constantly. My favourite though it their latest called War Horse. I'd call it a mixture of rock and heavy metal which is something I wouldn't usually listen to but there's something about this album that just dragged me in. Strong's voice is amazing and the guitar riffs are insane. War Horse, No More and Idols are definitely my favourites off the album, there's something about them that makes me pay attention to them more when I hear them. If you're looking for a new album to listen to or you're looking for something outside your comfort zone to listen to I hightly recommend you check War Horse out. 

That's it for my monthly favourites. Have you tried any of the mentioned products? If so what do you think? Have you any recommendations for me? If so let me know in the comments.

How I change my make up for the season

  

When it gets to this point of the year where the weather turns warmer and everyone focuses on summer make up looks, I always change up my make up. They're only small changes but I find that as the summer gets hotter they still create a good make up look but without the extra coverage or products.

The first thing I do when it comes to changing my make up is change my base. I put away my higher coverage foundations for lighter bases. A couple of my favourite lighter bases are the Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude in Ivory and the Bourjois CC Cream in shade 31 Ivory. They're both light coverage products but can be built up to a medium coverage if necessary. If you'd prefer more coverage I'd suggest going in with a concealer as they give the same coverage but won't create cake face or make it obvious you're wearing a lot of  make up. I personally like these products because they give my skin a chance to breath but still cover any imperfections I want to cover.

The other option for base product if you don't want to wear foundation everyday is a BB Cream. They're brilliant as they give a sheer hint of coverage as well as providing skin with the same benefits of a moisturiser. There is only two on the market that I've found that I like and they are the B BB Cream and the Garnier BB Cream. Out of all those on the market, these two are perfect for my fair skin and help cover any imperfections I may have whilst giving my skin an extra boost. They also give me that dewy glow I want during the summer without making me look shiny.

Moving on from base products the other major change I make to my summer look is switching out my lip colours. Having fair skin and dark hair I find myself constantly drawn to berry tones and red lipsticks to give my look that bit of wow. Yet in the summer I find my usual colours don't work for me. Last year I dived head first into wearing hot pink shades and I think I will definitely be bringing them out again this year. Some of my favourites are the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets and Revlon Colourburst Matte Balms. I'm not going to go into too much detail about these specific colours as I will be doing a Summer Lip Edit in the next couple of weeks.

However if you aren't as confident wearing such bright shades a good alternative is the Smashbox Be Legendary Matte Lipstick in Punch Drunk. It's a stunning raspberry toned lipstick that still has that wow factor but isn't as bright as some of the other pinks I've mentioned. And if you're not a big fan of pink shades in general, tomato red shades always look gorgeous in the summer. Rimmel, Bourjois, Revlon and MAC all do their own brilliant versions of them in a series of matte and sheen finishes.

And that's all for my summer change ups. I don't wear a lot of make up anyway but these few changes, especially to my base products helps my skin breath more during the hotter months and makes getting ready quicker. If you've got any recommendations for a seasonal make up shake up then please leave them in the comments box, I love hearing about what other people use.

Review: Spray Moisturiers

If there is one thing I always forget or miss when it comes to looking after my skin, it's moisturiser. I always remember to moisturise my face but very rarely do I remember my body. When I do remember it I always make sure I use the right product for the right season. I use body butters in the autumn/winter when my skin needs more moisture.

Now we're in summer though, I found myself looking for something a little bit lighter and easier to apply. That's where Palmer's and Vaseline come in, they've both released products that are exactly what I'm looking for. Both these big brands have recently released their own versions of a spray and go moisturiser that makes getting ready quicker. With these products, the days of digging deep into a tub or waiting for the tackiness to go are gone.

The Vaseline Spray and Go is probably the one most of you have heard of as it's been highly advertised at the moment. It's a brilliant product and comes in a variety of scents. Before I brought the Palmer's one this was my go to moisturiser. It's one of the simplest products to use, just unclick the lid and spray. The mist is fine and a small amount goes a long way. Once rubbed into the skin, it doesn't leave behind a greasy residue, making it a perfect product for people in a rush.

The Palmer's version though is my favourite and it's purely becasue of the smell. The Vaseline one smells nice, especially the cocoa scent but I'm a sucker for anything coconut and Palmer's just nail it. Like the Vaseline one, the Palmer's moisturiser gets it scent from it's ingredients but the coconut scent sticks around longer than the cocoa and is surprisngly refreshing if you catch a whiff. Along the same lines as the Vaseline one, unlock the lid, spray and rub in, this one leaves a slightly tackier finish to the skin but stick to clothes or leave any stains.

Both these products are brilliant if you're looking for a lighter moisturiser this summer or if you're looking for a quick fix on busy days. They've changed the way I look at moisturising and I've not been anywhere near a tub of body butter since I got them. Brillaint scents, easy to use and as I said a quick summer fix, I highly recommend you try these if you're looking for a new summer moisturiser.

Disappointing Products #1

When it comes to beauty and skincare I'm always willing to try new products, whether it's a new release or has recieved mad raves. And 99% of the time I'm pleased with what I try but there is that tiny 1% of me that is let down by certain products. Today I'm going to talk you through a few products that I've tried recently that I wish I hadn't spent on. 

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

This is just one of many micellar waters that I’ve tried that just don’t agree with my skin. Like most of the others I’ve tried this was great at removing any make up or general grime from my face. However after a couple of uses it made my skin break out, prompting me to put it away. I have sensitive skin and what disappointed me was that this claimed to be gentle enough for sensitive skin so I expected it to work. Alas it didn’t but now makes a great alternative brush cleaner if I run out of my usual one.

Witch Overnight Clearing Serum

This product is seriously disappointing. Not only did it not help with any break out or blemishes I had but it’s actually made my skin worse. I brought this product hoping it would help clear up a couple of breakouts I have and as I have always like the Witch Hazel Range I had high hopes. And yet again this was another product that I was highly disappointed in. When I applied this to my skin it left my skin tacky whereas other products had sunk in and the usual sting you get from breakout clearing products going over an open blemish was missing. The morning after I used this I didn’t see any changes to my blemishes but did notice it had dried out and left a slight texture to my skin. It’s advertised as being suitable for sensitive skin but if you have sensitive skin I recommend you stay away from this.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Concealer

When Rimmel released this product I was excited, it looked like it could be a brilliant dupe for one of Bobbi Brown’s concealers. However after the first use I found myself cursing the product. Unlike other pot concealers I’ve tried this one was hard both in texture and workability. Once I managed to get some out of the pot I found it very hard to apply and blend out and once it was blended it had a tendency to ball and crease under my eye. The coverage it gave was more sheer to medium than full coverage. I’m not a big high end make up girl but think I’m willing to pay a bit more for a concealer like this if it means it’s going to work.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

This is probably the product I’m most disappointed in and I know that I’m probably the only person who dislikes it. The very first time I tried this I was really impressed and preferred it over the Benefit Roller Lash, however it seemed to be just a one trick pony. On the first use it was lengthening and volumising like the advert claimed but ever since it’s done nothing but clump my lashes and smear everywhere. The formula of the mascara itself is disappointing as well, whereas most of my mascaras have gotten drier over time this one just seems to get wetter everytime I it again. I only have to open my eye and it smears all over my eyelids.

Kiko Matte Lipstick

When Kiko first came to my town I was really excited, having heard lots about the brand beforehand. When the shop opened, I was in there straight away, heading straight towards their lipstick selection. I found myself disappointed with them firstly, only a tiny collection of mattes but tons of glosses. However I found a matte shade I loved and I’m not mentioning it here for the shade. The shade is right up my street, think along the lines of Revlon’s Sultry but the formula of this product really let it down. When I applied this to my lips it slid on more like a gloss than a matte and when I went to go over to create a nice opaque coat it actually wiped any existing product off. I continued though and once my lips were completely covered I found that it didn’t sit on the lips like a matte lipstick either. Usually they’re slightly drier on the lips but this felt almost balmy and when I pressed my lips together it left a line where it had touched and hadn’t touched. Beautiful packaging, beautiful shade but unfortunately the formula really let this one down.

MUA Luxe Whipped Velvet Lip Cream

This is another matte lip product that I wish I hadn’t brought. Yet again the shade appealed to me what with summer coming up and all. However it was another product where the formula let it down. I knew it wouldn’t dry matte on the back of my hand when I swatched it but I was really impressed by the colour pay off and purchased it instantly. This is where I wish I’d left it on the shelf. When I went to apply it to my lips, the brilliant colour pay off I saw when I swatched it was nowhere to be seen. It came out almost watery and left a sheer covering on my lips, a far cry from the thick opaque product in the tester. I’ve tried several times with it and every time I see the same results. I think I’ll be sticking to my Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets.

Aussie Miracle Dry Shampoo Mega Instant

I’m a big fan of Batiste but not always a big fan of the white cast it can sometimes leave in my hair. So when I saw that Aussie’s Dry Shampoo was reduced I decided to give it a go. When I sprayed it into the lid to smell it (I have a thing about smells), I was happy to see that there was no white cast in the lid. So when it came to dry shampooing my hair one day I put aside my Batiste and my CoLab and tried it out. Never again will I do that. Sure it left no white cast and smelt alright but it left my hair sticky, nastier than it already was and some parts of my hair actually stuck together afterwards. I like Aussie as I know many people do but their dry shampoo is one product in their range I highly recommend you avoid. If you’re looking for a good dry shampoo that doesn’t leave a white cast try CoLab. It has a brilliant range of scents and leaves hair feeling refreshed and not sticky.

So those were my disappointing products. What are some of yours? Or have you tried any of these and disagree? Let me know in the comments.