Forgotten Favourites #3

Well, I did say I would post more often.  Here are a few things I have rediscovered over the last few weeks. A few were buried in favour of other alternatives, others have become more necessary as the days get warmer, but there were definite moments when I wondered how I forgot about these gems...

Nars Sheer Glow in Tahoe- £30.50

This foundation has sat unloved for quite some time, as its medium to full coverage became unnecessary when my skin got better this year. After snubbing it for YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat in the winter, I crawled back when the colour match seemed more summer appropriate. I will say, that using the Real Techniques Stippling brush has made the world of difference as I can get that dewy glow whilst using less product - and it sits better on my skin compared to using a buffing brush.


Avene Hydrance Optimale Moisturiser with SPF 20 - £14.50

I have used this consistently last summer, but during the winter I used cleansers and moisturisers that sought to block environmental damage, like the Murad Essential C Cleanser and Ren Hydracalm Day Cream. Obviously as the sun started to make an appearance, I shopped around for alternative Spfs and had a nightmarish consultation where I walked out white as a sheet! Needless to say, if it ain't broke, why fix it? Having to wash my face in a public toilet is not a good look. This Avene moisturiser delivers on the spf protection without the chalk face or scrimping on the hydration. It caters to those with dehydrated skin, so for under £15 it's a steal. Get thee to Boots!

Elasta QP Olive Oil and Mango Butter Moisturiser - £3.99

For the last 2 or 3 months I had been exclusively using oils on my hair. Even though they are natural and moisturising, you can overdo it. I found over time that between washes applying oil became less effective and the buildup makes the hair less manageable. Enter Elasta QP. This sherbert-smelling moisturiser leaves hair managable and non-greasy. It works with curls instead of weighing them down and is useful in moisturising the scalp.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo - £13

I know I previously spoke of this product here, but it's not actually finished, surprisingly! I think at that time I was slathering it over my face instead of pinpointing the areas that need it most. This won't necessarily banish a spot overnight, but after a breakout there is still a significant difference as the blemishes reduce in size. This helped a lot during my stressful phase, but I wouldn't recommend it for sensitive skins at all.

Hope you enjoyed this, as I am just getting back in the swing of things. Over and out.

May Update

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I have been buried by work and general tiredness. This summer I'm hoping to achieve a few milestones, the obvious one is graduating this summer. The others involve gaining confidence, losing at least one dress size and jumpstarting the career I want so watch this space! The last few months have been beyond stressful, and I have already begun rewarding myself with little goodies that will be shared soon enough!

My skin has improved so much over the last year, but other things that I would have previously shrugged off, like the efect of foaming cleansers and the advantages of oils I have now taken  on board. Exam period has brought on some spots, but thanks to a few tweaks to my routine, it hasn't been as bad compared to recent years and the scars are fading faster. 

Expect more posts as I actually feel more confident about my blog and sharing my opinions on things. Let me know if theres anything in particular you want me to address, as I have been avoiding certain subjects like hair even though mine is actually in good condition. I have been in a negative headspace over many months, which probably has reflected on previous entries. So please consider this a fresh start as I look forward to what comes next!

Thanks for reading x

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion Review

I have always been picky about using skincare with natural ingredients but I haven't really shared much about body lotion yet. Mainly this is down to me suffering with eczema during the winter, but this product has pretty much cleared that up. I've been using more body creams to prep my skin for summer, but judging from today's flutter of snow it's not too late to start now!

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion has been an absolute godsend during the dry months, as its active ingredients help to keep skin hydrated and the fragrance free formula doesn't irritate my skin. It is a thick cream which easily absorbs into the skin and leaves no residue. Unlike other products, its 24 hour claim is accurate, no dry patches were to be found and my skin did improve after 2 weeks. After using this regularly for a week, I stopped experiencing any flare-ups or dry patches so this really helped me during the winter.

I hope this helps, as I did struggle a bit to find lotions that were fairly inexpensive but didn't irritate the skin. At the moment, the whole Aveeno range is on offer at Boots and you can get this lotion for just over a fiver! Are there any other ranges you'd recommend for sensitive skin?

NOTD - Perfectly Nude

Whew, it's been a while since I've done one of these! After years of picking up dirty looking browns, milky tinted lacquers and eventually settling on Essie's Chinchilly even though it's mink hue didn't quit suit me - I may have found the perfect nude nail polish. It's not even from my favourite brand, Nails Inc. either.

Rimmel London 60 Second Nail Polish in Caramel Cupcake - £3.69

This claims to be a one coat nail polish, but with this particular shade it can get streaky so two coats would be best. The thick brush and quick-drying formula makes this a doddle, as the brush covers the whole nail in one stroke. Despite the application being a bit fiddly, the main reason I felt compelled to post is the colour and the fact this is 6 days into the manicure! Long-lasting, flattering to darker skintones and under £4? An absolute bargain.

Unlike a lot of nudes, there is a suitable amount of pink to save the polish from looking muddy. It is considerably darker than most nudes on the market and are also less expensive than the decadent Estee Lauder  polishes I had my eye on. There are more nude polishes in the range, so do have a nosy if this one doesn't quite suit you.

Also, some may notice that my layout has had a bit of a re-jig, I hope you like it!   



First FOTD and March Update

Hey all, I have been buried under a mountain of reading, but I really wanted to show you what I actually use on my face. After my last post about not being brave enough to post pics of myself very often, I decided to bite the bullet. Since then, my skin has improved thanks to rosehip oil (review coming shortly) so I can finally rock the low coverage glowy look. Yes, even though it's snowing right now... *rolls eyes*

I'm always about low maintenance and am in full on study mode, so no blusher, highlighter or contour was used here- I give good cheek. For foundation I used the YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat in BD60 (yes I bought the full size) for a barely there look. This can only be a winter shade for me as you can get a serious glow-face with this and it looked too yellowy on me in the summer. With the Real Techniques Stippling brush this goes on like a dream, it is a bit liquidy in texture but this brush is best for not wasting product and building up the coverage without looking cakey.

L-R: MAC Eyeliner in Teddy, No. 7 Eyeshadow Blend and Contour Brush, NARS Bladerunner Eyesadow Duo, NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Rust, MAC Studiofinish Concealer in NC45, YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat in BD60, Real Techniques Stippling Brush

In my haste, I forgot to photograph the lipstick I have on - it's Syrup by MAC and it's my go to for a neutral look. I tend to stay away from nude lipsticks as my lips are quite pigmented, but this is a perfect 'my lips but better' shade for me. I am in two minds about the StudioFinish Concealer, it can be a bit garish if you don't set it (my MAC Fix powder has mysteriously disappeared, boo) so I just used it under my eyes leaving some dark marks visible. For blemishes, it is amazing, but its thick texture requires more work to warm up the product and blend into the skin - time I just didn't have.

As for eyes, I wanted an easygoing glossy lid, so I opted for the NYX Chubby Eyeshadow pencil in Rust, a warm reddish-brown shade all over the lid with MAC Teddy liner for some subtle definition. I don't particularly think black eyeliner suits me and my teenage grunge days are over, so this is a firm favourite of mine. In the crease, I used the dark maroon shade in the NARS Bladerunner Eyeshadow Duo - sadly discontinued, but definitely worth tracking down. It has a touch more brown than the NYX pencil but still has that red undertone to soften any edges and give definition to my hooded eyelids. For that I use the No. 7 Eyeshadow and Contour Brush - a clear dupe for the MAC 217 brush for under £10.

Also, another thing I didn't photograph was my mascara! I just haven't found a perfect one so Lancome Hypnose Star is currently filling the void. As luxe as and novel as it is, it clumps up my lashes like no other and I wouldn't recommend it. As of now, I've just bought a mini of the Benefit They're Real mascara, so I'll let you know how that goes.

So, I am incredibly low-maintenance and everyone now knows my secret! I am a bit proud that I managed to upload a picture where you can still see acne scars - I know this is a beauty blog, but at the same time, I'm not really aiming to look flawless here. This is my laid-back face, maybe I'll just
surprise you with my going out look some other post!

How do you rate these products, have you used them before?