April 2014 Favourites

Muji storage drawers

Acrylic MUJI Drawers Storage

My first favourite has to be my MUJI Storage. Yes, I know its overdone & everyone has it but I love it & I’m happy with the two pieces I bought. I went to the MUJI concession in Selfridges at The Trafford Centre & it took me ages to decide what to get, I still haven’t organised my makeup in them yet but I am working up to it. I have the 2 Drawer Narrow & Wide 5 Drawer 

My favourite makeup and skincare from April 2014

Garnier Micellar Solution – I have been using this for a couple of months now & I’ve not even used half the bottle which is great. You get a whopping 400ml and it seems like it will last a really long time. I managed to buy mine from a shop called Savers for £2.99 so stock up if you have one where you live. I like to use this to take off my eye makeup & then I sweep the cotton pad all over my face to remove a little more of my base before cleansing with my DHC Oil Cleanser or my Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm and that seems to keep my skin really clean and blemish free. I bought a bottle for my mum too and she called me to let me know how much she has been enjoying using it so we both give it the thumbs up.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Anti Shine SPF50* – I’m in love with this facial SPF, I don’t want to say too much because I have a full review coming up on the blog this week. So all I will say is this is the only facial SPF I will be using from this day forward.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara – This mascara is very black and coats each individual lash to make them look so thick & intense. Its a really long wearing mascara with no fall down throughout the day. So no Panda eyes here. I have repurchased this a couple of times now & that is unusual for me as I hardly ever repurchase makeup. Its a seriously great mascara if you have short, sparse lashes.

L’Oreal True Match Foundation in the shade Vanilla – I only bought this at the beginning of March and it is the first ever L’Oreal Foundation I’ve tried, I think I have a shade slightly too dark but I am hoping that will suit me a little better as we get into the warmer months. This is a light to medium coverage, you can still see all my (hundreds) of freckles which I like. It looks natural and wears really well, it doesn’t oxidise on me and my oily skin seems to only start looking shiny after about 6 hours wear & then I lightly dust some powder on. 21

Soap & Glory Solar Powder – This is a purchase totally influenced by the gorgeous Amy from SRSLYLOU. I have been wearing this religiously for a couple of months & all of my other bronzers are crying neglected in the drawer. This is a two-toned bronzer, I like to swirl my brush around both shades, sweep it across my forehead & down on to my cheeks that adds a little colour & glow to my very pale skin. The lighter shade has a little sheen to it & the slightly darker brown is matte. So that’s handy having 2 shades. I think this bronzer gives me a sun-kissed glow & a touch of natural colour.

REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask* sample size – What a mask this is, I won this in the lovely CatherineLoves giveaway & have been savouring each use. It is quite a sticky formula & it smells so good, I apply a small amount to my face and smooth it over my skin & try to relax (generally watching YouTube videos in the bath) for about 20 minutes before taking it off with a warm flannel to reveal soft, smooth refreshed looking skin. This is a gentle but effective exfoliator which has been working wonders. Now I need to purchase the full size of this mask. Hello smooth, bright skin!

Let me know what products you have been loving or if you have tried anything from my lineup.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

One Brand Focus – Origins

Origins was one of the first skincare brands I started using on a regular basis and it was my mum who introduced me to them whilst on holiday in New York 10 years ago & I’ve never looked back. I thought I’d share a few of my favourite Origins products with you.

Selection Origins Skincare

Origins Make a Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment Lotion – This was a lovely toner and I noticed a visible improvement in my skin after using this (so sad that this is now empty). It helped keep my skin soft and looking bright, my dark acne scars look better after using this. They are starting to fade so I will be repurchasing a new bottle and I think they have improved the formula so I am excited to see if its even better. This is a gentle toner and very soothing too.

Origins Clear Improvement Mask – This is such a popular mask. I only use this a couple of times a month, if I feel myself getting a breakout or my skin is a little more oily than normal I will apply this and leave it on for about 15 minutes. I don’t like to let it dry as it makes my skin feel a little tight and dried out so I leave it just long enough and wipe it off with a warm flannel. It is great at giving a really deep clean feeling and drawing out all the dirt and sebum from your pores. My husband likes to use this too especially on his nose.

Origins Mega Bright Dark Circle Minimizer Eye Cream* This little pot has lasted me since January and I use it at least 6 times a week. Although it’s quite a thick eye cream my concealer sits on top of it well, no slipping about or too much creasing so thats a thumbs up. It is very hydrating and makes my under eye area feel plump, moisturised and bright. I have noticed my under eyes are looking less dull since using this so I would say it works at brigtening too. It is ticking all the boxes for me.

Favourite Origins Products

Origins Brighter By Nature High-potency Brightening Peel Pads – These are like my secret weapon in the fight against dull skin. I love products that promise to give me radiant skin and these peel pads are damn good. The fruit acids exfoliate your skin and remove all the dead skin to keep your skin looking healthy. The pads are a little textured, but I don’t press too hard when using them so its not abrasive on my skin. I use the cotton pad front and back, I use them once a week as I find using them more often than that a little too harsh for me. So if you want brighter, glowing skin these pads will be right up your street.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask – This is another product with a cult following, I do like using this overnight mask when I know I have to get up early or If I have an important day where I need to look my best as this just gives my skin a boost of hydration and helps it look plumped, more youthful and my fine lines are less dehydrated & are less visible. It smells incredible too. I’ve been through a number of tubes and always repurchase.

Origins Super Spot Remover – I resisted buying this for so long, as I thought it was such a small pot & how good can it actually be?! Well pretty damn good, let me tell you. This treatment gel is instantly cooling and you can feel it working right away. It can sting a little but that only lasts a few seconds, this is a targeted treatment so you only need to put it on the area where you feel a blemish coming or if you have a blemish thats already erupted. I don’t suffer too badly with breakouts but when I do I pop this on anytime of day and it helps calm and treat the area. It stops blemishes from becoming too sore & angry and helps them clear up much faster too.  This bottle might be small but the contents are pretty mighty & I don’t know how I’ve lived without it. I am so pleased I finally took the plunge & bought it. I can see why it is a firm favourite of so many people. Its also a handy sized little bottle to travel with as that is when I tend to get breakouts.

I don’t have any on the go at the moment but I love the Origins Mega Mushroom range and tend to buy this during the winter months as it is very hydrating and good at calming the redness in my skin. I tend to get more redness when Its cold & from using the central heating. That really dries my skin out so I like to treat myself to a few items from the Mega Mushroom range so they get an honourable mention too.

I’d love to know what Origins products you’re using & what you couldn’t live without.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

 

Avene Skincare

Aven1

Avene

Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum

I like using a serum and enjoy this step in my skincare routine, I use one morning and night after cleansing but before moisturising, I think being in my mid thirties it is a step my skin really benefits from. I’ve used quite a few over the years and have a few favourites I call upon when needed. This Avene one came at the right time for me as I was told about 6 weeks ago that my skin was quite dehydrated, so I have been using products this past month or so to try and hydrate my skin. It has worked a treat. I was excited to try this Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum* as I have heard lots of positive reviews of this brand and also of French Skincare in general.

Avene use their Thermal Spring Water in each product which is clinically proven to be naturally soothing and have a calming effect on the skin so with this added benefit this serum is perfect for sensitive skin as it is gentle, calming and protects the skin. I used it in the morning before applying the rest of my skincare, The serum is very lightweight and it felt cooling on my skin. I would apply it before my moisturiser and let is absorb in to the skin for a good few minutes, then apply the rest of my lotions & potions.

‘The thermal water is carried by lipsomes in a patented system to ensure an optimum long lasting diffusion of moisture  in the upper layer of the skin. The glycerine improves the skin hydration, suppleness and comfort. Thanks to the delicate formula of the Soothing Hydrating Serum the skin is silky smooth and rebalanced.’

I found after a few weeks my skin looked brighter, smoother and generally healthier. I do suffer from quite noticeable redness, from some broken capillaries so this wouldn’t stop that but I will say that it helped calm redness around a few angry blemishes I had and helped my skin heal a little quicker after the blemish had gone.

Avene Serum

I like to layer up my skincare but I don’t like to feel that I have applied anything to heavy or greasy, and this Avene Serum slotted into my routine well, as I said its lightweight, almost gel like in texture and non greasy so once absorbed it left my skin feeling instantly smooth and ready for my moisturiser. I have dehydrated skin but suffer from a terribly oily t zone and this serum worked well for me. I had no problems with excess oil and it really helped give my skin a boost of hydration and helped make it look plump and less dull.

This serum comes in a nice glass bottle with a good sturdy pump dispenser, this is so handy and hygienic. It dispenses just the right amount of product in two pumps for my face and neck. Only using 2 small pumps a day this bottle will last a fair amount of time. Which is always great, I hate it when skincare lasts all of a month. It never feels like good value for money.

If you’re looking for a serum to hydrate, calm and protect your skin then this Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum would be a good fit for you. Have you tried any French Skincare? Let me know what your must haves are.

Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum 30ml £17.00 available from www.escentual.com 

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Luscious Locks

I don’t have a strict haircare routine, but these are a few of the products I’m currently using to style my hair. Some hits & a few misses.

Current Haircare

TRESemme Argan Oil Salon Sleek Straightening Spray 250ml for £4.99

This spray is meant to tame those stubborn fly away hairs and also to keep your hair straight and looking glossy. I have just got to the end of this and I have to say I really didn’t rate it. I still had so many fly away hairs & frizz. So I wouldn’t recommend it. It didn’t live up to the claims.

TRESemme Tres Two Extra Hold Hairspray

I bought this mini bottle in America as it was quite humid and my hair was BIG. A few sprays of this and it kept the majority of the frizz at bay. I kept it in my handbag incase I needed to tame my mane throughout the day. It gave my hair a good amount of hold too without it feeling crispy or giving me flakey bits. So it gave the perfect combination of hairspray & fighting the humidity. I need to get a full size bottle.

Avon Advance Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil Leave in Treatment 30ml

This is a wonderful budget friendly hair oil. I apply it to wet hair but I’ve also used it on dry hair to add a little more shine and keep my hair looking healthy and nourished. It just adds enough glossiness without looking greasy or weighed down. I like that it has a pump, so you can dispense just enough product without wasting any. I’ve repurchased this 3 times now, so it is safe to say I am a fan. In fact I like this whole range from Avon and think it is well worth trying.

MoroccanOil Treatment*  25ml for £13.45

I do really like this and think it makes my hair look glossy and feel healthy and generally keeps it in great condition. I like to use this on day 2 hair as it makes it look clean and healthy and gives it a little bounce. This oil smells lovely too, always a bonus. It is pricey and after discovering the Avon one not too sure if I would buy this one, as the results on my hair feel the same.

TommyGuns Weather Protect Dew Drops Serum 50ml for £6.50

This is so good at keeping hair looking glossy and fighting frizz. I use this when I wear my hair up, to tame those fly away hairs at the sides that won’t behave. It is also really good on the ends of my hair, to stop them looking dry, I like to apply it throughout the day to keep them looking healthy.

Charles Worthington Balancing Act Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo isn’t something I use very often as I find it makes my hair feel more unclean, if that makes sense. In the event of a day 3 hair emergency I have been using this Charles Worthington Dry Shampoo. It does give a slight white cast to my hair, but if I leave if for a couple of minutes to absorb the oil and I rub away what white powder is still left and that seems to work. This adds volume to my hair which I like as I have quite thick hair which often gets weighed down. I bought this from the Poundshop and it is lasting me a long time. I have found with other dry shampoo’s they are empty after a few uses and that bugs me.

Neal & Wolf Smoothing Blow Dry Balm* 200ml for £12.50

This is a lightweight cream which I use each time I blow dry my hair, I use it before I add my hair oil and i find it doesn’t feel greasy or like I have used too many products. This balm makes sure my hair is nourished and doesn’t dry out. I find a ten pence piece size amount is enough, I apply it from root to tip whilst my hair is damp. My hair is thick and can feel course after using heat but this keeps it glossy, smooth and hydrated. Oh and have I said it smells so good ….. SO good! All Neal & Wolf haircare has the most wonderfully sweet uplifting scent. I can smell it on my hair throughout the day.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.