Top 5 High Street Brands (Skincare)

       

When deciding what brands I was going to feature in this post, I really had to sit and think of what people defined as high street. I remember a while ago it meant only the products you could pick up in your local Superdrug or Boots but as time passes by, the definition of high street is definitely expanding and changing with every new product and brand launch.

 It took me a while to decide how I was going to define it but I've decided to go for brands that can be found in Superdrug, Boots and Marks And Spencers with the highest price range being between £20-£25. And even after that I found it hard to choose the brands I really wanted to talk about as there are just so many high street brands that are killing it. I have separated this post into skincare first and then later on I'll do a make up post just to make it easy on streamlining the brands I want to talk about.

                          

Garnier
Garnier is a staple on the shelves of Boots and Superdrug and has been for years. It's not the most inexpensive brand on the market but it's also not extortionate and you know that whatever you buy from them will actually work with your skin. They cater for every skin type and every age with each and every product being upfront about what to expect from them, you'll find no bold, ridiculous claims from them, just honest, proven results that you won't be disappointed with. Their ingredients aren't the most cutting edge or on trend but they work and personally from a predominately facial skincare based brand that's what's matter more than being on trend or being seeing in a magazine. I've never had any issues with Garnier products and that's saying something considering how sensitive and reactive my skin can be. I have a whole host of favourite products but my top three most used and most repurchased would have to be the Moisture Bomb Tissue Masks, Miracle Sleeping Cream and Oil Infused Micellar Wipes.

                           

Loreal
Loreal again is another staple brand seen on many a skincare shelf. For years I didn't believe the hype in their products and with some ranges they sell, I still don't. Yet the products I've tried from them have worked wonders for me and again even being on the higher end of the budget scale, they are worth every penny with visible results. They have a wide range of products that cater to meet all skin types and all ages. They use ingredients you can understand and whilst a few of their higher priced products have claims I just don't quite believe, the majority of their products claim to give you results that you'll actually see as you use said product. Apart from having breakouts with their micellar waters which happens in every brand with me, I've never had any issues with using Loreal products on my skin. Quite a few are used in my daily routine including their Loreal Extraordinary Cleansing Oil and the Hydra Genius Liquid Moisturiser with the Pure Clay Masks and Smooth Sugar Scrubs being my most reached for scrub/mask combination.

                              

Nip And Fab
To most of in the beauty community, Nip and Fab are a staple brand that never fail to smash expectations when they release new products. However I think they sometimes get overlooked when seen in stores. But they really shouldn't be as they make fantastic quality skincare that actually works. Sure they cost that little bit more but the results are visible almost immediately and the products work wonders on every skin type and every age, with several different ranges available to mix and match to meet your exact skin needs. Not all their products can be used on a daily basis but the ones I find myself reaching for more often than not is their 6% Glycolic Extreme Liquid Glow, their range of sheet masks and their range of pre soaked treatment pads, especially their Glycolic Extreme Fix Night Pads.

                               

Pixi
Pixi has slowly become a cult brand over the last few years and when you try their product, you completely understand why. They have an amazing range of products from cleansers to toners, pre soaked pads to face masks and facial mists to facial oils. Each product has been perfectly curated and collected to be as beneficial to skin as possible. They're on the higher end of the budget spectrum but are worth every penny because their products work and continue to work even after a good three/four months down the line. I happily pay for their products because the results are so worthwhile and after adding several of their products into my existing routines, my skin looks the best it ever has. Pixi couldn't be mentioned without mentioning their bestselling cult product Glow Tonic. It's followed by their Glow Mud Cleanser and Glow Mud Mask, both staples in my skincare collection. And one of their newer releases in the form of Peel and Polish has well and truly cemented it's place in my skincare collection and will be there for the foreseeable future, even ever alongside the rest of Pixi's amazing skincare range.

                             

Soap And Glory 
And the last brand I adore on the high street is Soap and Glory. How can you not love Soap and Glory. They make divine bath products, amazing make up and exemplary skincare. The products in the range can easily be mixed and matched to curate a individual routine for your particular skin needs. There's every thing from make up removers and cleansers to face masks, SPF's and serums. Their latest releases in the form of their sheet masks have to possibly be some of my favourite products from them as a brand. I don't really enjoy how they don't disclose a lot of the ingredients in certain products but if you're used to reading an ingredients key then you're able to deduce if the product is for you. It's not so bad in their newer releases but some of their older products are a little harder to get a read on. Apart from that little bug bear, I adore the brand and can happily say that their products ares one I easily repurchase time and time again. Their Peaches and Clean Cleansing Milk is up there in my top three cleansers with their Scrub Your Nose In It AHA Scrub topping the facial scrub list. Their The Fab Pore Mask is a fantastic once a fortnight treatment for skin but in all honesty I kind of forgot about it when their released their range of sheet masks and under eye patches. Hands down some of my favourite sheet masks but still can't knock the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Masks off the top spot.

What I Read: May

                         

Today I'm back with another What I Read to end the month. I did really well this month, I flew through three books before we'd even hit the middle of the month. But I haven't picked up a book since which makes me overdo it at the beginning of the month or if the book I've started isn't as good as I'm trying to make myself believe. 

                         

The Girl On The Train- Paula Hawkins 

The first book I sailed through was the best selling novel The Girl On The Train. I'd watched the film last year but was quite intrigued to see how the book differed from it. It centres around Rachel, a divorced alcoholic who spends her daily train journeys imagining the lives of others that she sees. When one of the women she's dreamt an imaginary life for goes missing, she tries to help but ends up being more of a hindrance. And that's all I'm going to say without spoiling it but I thoroughly enjoyed every page. Even though I had an idea of how it ended, I was still sitting up until the small hours to see if it would plan out as I thought it would. And as I said this has been made into a film which usually deviates a lot from the original book but this pretty much played out as I remember the film playing out. I highly recommend checking both out if you like a good mystery/thriller. 

                        

The Caller- Chris Carter 

This next book I finished in about three days even though it had a hundred plus chapters. I was hooked. The Caller is actually the eighth book in a series but can easily be read without reading the previous seven. It centres around a detective called Robert Hunter and his work in the Violent Crimes Department of the LAPD. The case that unfolds throughout the book revolves around a psycho who video calls the family/friends of their intended victim and forces them to play a game to see if they can save their loved one. However get a question wrong and it can all end badly very suddenly. It was highly addictive, gruesome and nail biting all at once. I couldn't put it down, I was so desperate to see who the culprit was and boy was I shocked when it was revealed. I'll definitely be going back to read the first seven in the series but I've got nothing good things to say about this book that I picked up on the off chance in Sainsburys for £1.99. 

                          

Unfiltered. No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me- Lily Collins 

And the last book I read this month is one I've been dying to read for the longest time. Lily Collins memoir Unfiltered is exactly as its described. She goes into depth about growing up, eating disorders, abusive relationships and learning to love yourself in this eye opening and humbling book. I devoured this book quicker than any other book I've ever read. Because she was so honest and upfront about her experiences in life, I found myself relating to them, having found myself in a couple myself. And as I read her no bullshit outlook on everything, I found myself understanding not only my own actions during these times but also those of the others involved. I finished this book with a lighter heart and am now aiming to live everyday to the fullest, including loving all my little quirks and differences that make me uniquely me. I highly recommend giving it a read, it's a brilliant way to start looking at things without those rose tinted glasses a lot of love to wear. 

Monthly Favourites: May

                         

Welcome back to another monthly favourites. May has been a weird month. I've not really tried out a lot of new products after my reaction last month but it does mean I've managed to rediscover a few old products that I've fallen in love with all over again.

                         

The first thing I rediscovered this month was the Nivea Creme Care Cleansing Wash. I remember buying this a little while ago and not really thinking much of it. But back at the beginning of the month when I did my massive beauty clear out, I rediscovered it and gave it one last chance. And I'm so glad I did. It's the perfect morning or second cleanse. It's lightweight, cleanses skin without stripping and it hasn't broken me out even with it's slight hint of fragrance. I've loved this for the days when I'm not wearing make up as it refreshes as it cleanses and leaves my skin feeling soft and supple to the touch. Plus it smells absolutely divine, think that classic Nivea Creme scent and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

                                                  The second rediscovery of the month again comes from my beauty declutter. I remember absolutely adoring the Gosh Foundation Drops when I first tried them but for some reason I had put them aside to gather dust. Well not anymore. The majority of the month this has been my go to base product and I can remember why I loved these so much the first time around. It's a very light texture foundation that can be built up from sheer to full coverage by just adding more drops. It matches my complexion perfectly and doesn't oxidise or break up on my face as I wear it. It almost gives skin an airbrushed finish whilst still looking like skin as contradictory as that sounds. It's definitely in my top three Summer bases.

                         

Whilst we're talking make up, a powder I've been loving this month comes from MUA. Their Ultra Fine Loose Setting Powder has really changed the longevity of my make up. It's lightweight on the skin, doesn't cake or gather in pores or lines and has stopped me turning into a sweaty looking mess as the weather's turned warmer. I love applying this both under the eye as well as anywhere else it's needed with a damp beauty blender. It not only helps keep everything in place longer but it also stops it from gathering and making it look like your base products are breaking apart on your skin. Plus it makes it a lot easier to touch up as you don't need to worry about it weighing skin down.

                         

The only lip product I've been loving this month comes from Maybelline. It's another shade of their SuperStay Matte Inks, possibly one of my favourite lip formulas on the market at the moment. The shade is Seductress and it's a nude that would look almost like I was wearing concealer on my lips but there's a hidden warmth that you don't see until you apply it that stops it from looking like that. And that warmth means it suits my fairer complexion well but I can imagine it looking beautiful on medium to deeper skin tones as well. It has matte in the title but doesn't dry down to the standard powder matte texture. It keeps an almost tacky feeling but it doesn't transfer or dry the lips while still keeping a highly pigmented, saturated colour.

                         

A hair product I've been loving this month comes from the new Loreal Dream Lengths range. Their No Haircut Cream has really helped how the lengths and ends of my hair look and feel. It contains a range of ingredients including Caster Oil to help smooth, strengthen and nourish the look of the lengths and ends of my hair. It also claims to help with the appearence of split ends but I still believe a good hair cut is the only way to deal with those. However it's changed how my hair looks and feels which in turn has helped when it's come to styling it and for that I'm grateful as I was getting ready to just chop it all off but now whilst I still need a trim, I don't want to go for a drastic chop that I'd ultimately regret.

At the beginning of the month I went to watch what was possibly my favourite film of the year so far. Avengers Infinity War was finally released and I couldn't wait to see it. However I did not comprehend how shook I was going to be when I left the cinema and I don't use that term lightly. I was that shook that the bag of snacks I had with me went uneaten as I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. I'm not going to go into vivid detail as I know pretty much everyone has seen the movie but I am going to say from the get go I was on the edge of my seat, covering my face with whatever was closest, sweatshirt, hand, even my best friends hand. We were shocked by what we'd watched and both can't wait to see what Avengers 4 has to offer when it's released next year. What I will say though is that I've never known a cinema screen so quiet as the film finished and we waited for the important post credit scenes.

 And my last favourite is one I never expected to like but now I'm hooked. During the last weeks of April and the beginning of May I tried several different milk options to go in with my coffee to see if it would help stop me getting headaches whenever I drank it. However both oat milk and soya milk didn't agree with me so I thought I'd just have to stick with dairy and limit myself to the amount I drank. Until I was watching an Allana Davison vlog and she was drinking this very delicious looking dairy free coffee. And it was the Califia XX Espresson Cold Brew Coffee With Almond Milk. I thought why not give it a go and I'm so glad I did. Not only does this not upset my stomach but it tastes delicious, gives me a good old caffeine boost but without the headaches. Sure it's a little pricey for coffee but it's worth it when I drink it two/three days in a row and now get a pounding headache afterwards. The mocha variation is just as delicious as well and I currently have two bottles chilling in my fridge.

Recipe: Nutella Cupcakes

       

At the weekend I attempted to make Nutella Marshmallow Fudge and it failed on an epic scale. But I had two hundred grams of melted Nutella to use and whilst it was tempting to just eat, I tried something different in hopes of it working. And by golly didn't it work. These cupcakes are light, moist, full flavoured and just melt in the mouth. 

Ingredients 

- 200g Nutella, melted 

- 100g Caster Sugar

- 100g Butter/Stork 

- 100g Self Raising Flour 

- 2 Eggs 

Method

1- Pre heat your oven to 180C. Line a 12 hole muffin/cupcake tin with paper cases. 

2- Melt the Nutella in a Bain-Marie over a low heat. It always sounds tempting to turn the temperature up to get your Nutella/Chocolate to melt quicker but in fact it's only increasing its likeliness to burn. When it comes to melting ingredients, slow and steady is the best way to go. 

3- Once it's completely melted, refrain from eating it and leave to one side to cool to room temperature. 

4- Into your mixing bowl place the sugar and the butter and beat until creamy and pale. 

5- Then add in one egg at a time alongside a spoonful of flour and beat until completely combined. I always advise having a rubber/silicone spatula to hand to scrape around the sides, ensuring everything is completely combined into the mix. 

6- Once both eggs are beaten in, add the rest of the flour and fold gently into the mixture. Again take your spatula intermittently and scrape around the edges so everything is combined and nothing is clinging to the sides of the bowl. 

7- When everything is completely combined take your now cooled Nutella and pour into the mixture. Then beat until it's completely incorporated and the mixture is a lovely chocolately brown shade. 

8- Spoon into paper cases. I find using a ice cream scoop is perfect for getting an even amount of mixture in each case. This mixture can also make more than your standard dozen so have a spare cupcake tin ready if you still have mixture left over. 

9- Pop into the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 

10- Once cooked, leave them in the tin to cool for five minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. I do advise enjoying them warm though as the Nutella comes through even more and they just melt in the mouth.  

Let's Talk: Acid Toners

                         

Using a toner isn't the most important part of a skincare routine but it can be very beneficial to your skin. Most toners are designed to balance out your skin's PH level as well as help to alleviate any tight, dry or irritated feeling skin may have after cleansing. Now you may think all toners work the same and to a degree they do but when you include an acid into the ingredients, it completely changes the way a toner acts on your skin.

Most acid toners are AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) based and work to not only balance skin but to also retexturise, refresh and revitalise skin to leave it looking brighter and feeling softer and smoother to the touch. They're the most commonly found acid based toners on the market with the two most commonly found AHA's being Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid. Both of these AHA's work to loosen the bond between dead skin cells and new skin cells so that when you exfoliate with a face scrub they come away easier and reveal healthy, glowing skin. 

Now you may think that only certain skin types can use an acid based toner but in fact all skin types can use them. A lot of brands have either different variations of toner or focus on producing one AHA based toned that is catered to be more effective for a particular skin type but also works with other skin types as well. And yes I'm even talking about those of you with sensitive skin types. 

The trick if you have sensitive skin is to start with a low percentage of acid in your toner. It's less likely to cause irritation and is an easy way to see if skin agrees with acid based products. A low percentage acid is around two percent and the highest you can find in most brands is five percent but occasionally a few brands will go up to a maximum of ten percent. And the best way to see if your skin agrees with acid based products is to start with something with a two/low percent acid and slowly build your way up to five percent or higher if your skin doesn't flare up or breakout. 

Glycolic Acid is the most commonly found acid in acid based toners but again it doesn't agree with everyone. Especially those with sensitive skin which is where Lactic Acid comes into play. Lactic Acid works exactly the same way as Glycolic Acid but tends to be slightly gentler and is less irritating for those with sensitive/reactive skins. It's slightly harder to find a Lactic Acid based toner and you may find you have to pay a bit more but it'll be worth it when your skin is glowing, smooth and breakout free. 

Top Tips

- Start low and work your way up, giving your skin a chance to get used to the AHA's.

- Wear SPF. Both Lactic Acid and Glycolic Acid can make skin more sensitive to the sun so SPF is a must. I recommend a minimum of a SPF30 to protect skin. 

- Try budget friendly version first and if they work then purchase a higher end toner. 

- Sensitive skins are more likely to agree with Lactic Acid whilst others are more likely to agree with Glycolic Acid. 

- Start off using a toner two to three times a week to let skin get used to it. If your skin agrees with the toner then build it up to once a day or every other day. 

- Acid toners are a type of exfoliant so overdoing it can cause irritation. Don't use a scrub and an acid toner in conjunction with each other. Try a gentler toner or a face mist after using a scrub to nourish/hydrate skin. 

                        

Product Recommendations 

- Naturally Radiant 5% Glycolic Toner £5.99- Perfect starter toner. 5% Glycolic Acid. Infused with Kiwi Extract and Horse Chestnut aswell. Suitable for sensitive skins. Suitable for everyday use. 

- Nip & Fab 6% Glycolic Liquid Glow £19.95- Mainly suitable for those who are used to acid based toners. Higher percentage of Glycolic Acid. Not advised for those with extremely sensitive skins. Advised to be used two to three times a week. But can be used everyday if skin is used to high percentages of AHA's. 

- Pixi Glow Tonic £18- 5% Glycolic formula alongside Aloe Vera and Ginseng. Can be used everday. Suitable for sensitive skins. Soothes and brightens as it works. One of the best selling acid based toners. Can be used in conjunction with other acid based products without being too abrasive.
- Optimum Glycolic Cleansing Pads £9.99- Pre soaked pad. Low percentage of Glycolic Acid. Perfect to travel with. Suitable for most skin types. Can be used every day without irritation.
- Nip & Fab Glycolic Fix Extreme Night Pads £14.95- 5% Glycolic Formula. Suitable for all skin types. Sensitive skins are advised to use these a maximum of three times a week. Pre soaked pad. Perfect for travel. Also contains Lactic, Mandelic and Salicylic Acid. Best for those who's skin is used to AHA's.
- Naturally Radiant Glycolic Cleansing Pads £5.99- Pre soaked pad. Perfect for travel. Budget friendly. Contain a low percentage of Glycolic Acid alongside Aloe Vera and Pro Vitamin B5. Good product to get skin used to an AHA. Can be used everyday.

Review: B Vitamin Mist

                         

Face mists are becoming a big part of people's skincare routines. And for good reason too. However finding a decent budget friendly facial mist is harder than you'd expect. There are some really good versions from Botanics, Liz Earle and Pixi but my favourite has to be the latest release from B.

Their Vitamin Mist is packed full of Caffeine, Vitamin C and Cucumber to refresh, awaken, revitalise and soothe the skin. It doesn't contain a lot else apart from Allantonin which helps to soothe and revitalise skin but that's it. It can be used any time of the day as a quick skin pick me up, including over make up to boost your look as well as refresh your skin. It's great if you've got work and then drinks with the girls afterwards without the chance to really touch up your make up. Just a couple of spritzs of this and your skin is good to go without the worry of your foundation breaking down, brows rubbing off or mascara sliding down your cheeks.

I really like to use this as part of my morning routine as it just gives my skin a bit of a wake up effect. It's a fine mist that feels lightweight on the skin so it won't block pores or leave skin feeling weighed down. It sinks into skin quickly and easily works under your serum and moisturiser. However I've also loved spritzing over the top of make up to give it a quick boost after it's been on a few hours. And with a high amount of caffeine in the ingredients, it really helps to reduce the appearance of fatigue and redness without disrupting or ruining your make up. I've nearly gone through a whole bottle already and I'm quite liberal with how much I spray when I use it. One bottle is going to last you a while but at only £7.99 a bottle it's not going to break the bank if you do happen to go through it quicker than expected.

Overall if I was too advise you to try a facial mist this Spring/Summer, I'd advise you to try this one. It's a lot like the Pixi Vitamin Mist but you get more product for a half the price and whilst the Pixi was nice, I never felt like it was doing a lot for my skin. This on the other hand feels like it's actually doing something for my skin, it seems to have lost the tired pallor to it and any signs of fatigue seem to be reduced once I've used this. It all may just be psychological but I still recommend you try this facial mist out when you next see it in your local Superdrug.

Review: Revlon Prep, Set, Refresh Mist

                           

Setting sprays are becoming a popular trend amongst high street brands. The big three (Rimmel, Maybelline and Loreal) have released their own take on the setting spray alongside smaller brands such as Collection and Barry M. So it was about time that Revlon jumped onto the trend and released their own. And like with so many high street setting sprays, this had the potential to be great but unfortunately fell flat. 

Revlon have kept it very simple with no bold claims of being packed full of vitamins or other skincare based ingredients like other brands do. However when you look at it online or in stores, it just doesn't have enough of a description to persuade me as a consumer to buy it. Obviously I did buy it but that was out of curiosity more than anything.The packaging is sleek and minimalistic which is something I've come to expect from Revlon as a brand but it's also lacking that something that a lot of other products have which make them really jump off the shelves and appeal to our ever inquisitive manner.

Advertised as a three in one, do it all micro mist, the Prep, Set, Refresh Mist is supposed to work as your primer, setting spray and refreshing/hydrating mist. Unfortunately it does none of these things for me which is a shame but it seemed like it was a very promising product when I tested it in the shop. What I thought would be a fine evenly distributed mist is in fact a fine mist that shoots where it wants onto your face which can easily disrupt make up and leaves skin feeling sticky to the touch. 

It has potential as a primer because of the tacky finish it leaves behind which would work well to adhere any base products to the skin but that's about it. I tried it as both a setting spray and a refreshing pick me up and it did not end well. I found I had to go back in with a dampened beauty blender to try and blend out the patches where it had disrupted my make up. If you're looking for a spray primer that helps the longevity of your foundation, then this could potentially be right up your street. But if you're looking for a setting spray I'd say give this a miss and go for either the Maybelline SuperStay Setting Spray, the Collection Primed and Ready Make Up Fixing Mist or even the B Vitamin Facial Mist. All three work really well, don't disrupt make up and don't leave skin feeling tacky or uncomfortable.