I'm not dead... I promise!

Well, I've been a bad blogger, haven't I? Sorry I haven't posted, it's been a mixture of not physically being able to submit anything through Blogger, moving back home and being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of beauty products I've accumulated!! I only have one face after all.

Update 1: I got my hair did! Considering that I've never been a fan of the poker straight look, I have been known to avoid the hairdressers for fear of being burned. But this time, I came out with a short bob and curled it loosely to give that messy tousled look.It probably didn't help that I'd been out in the wind and rain before I took this, it looks like I've been pulled through a hedge...

Update 2: My new makeup routine consists of mixing Revlon Colorstay in toast with YSL's Le Teint Touche Eclat, which seems to have solved the problem of using them individually. On its own, Colorstay gives full coverage,is very matte and this particular shade made my complexion look muddy. On the flipside, YSL's latest offering is very sheer and gives a dewy finish which doesn't last long on my skin. The shade B60 is my closest match despite it being too light for me (it leans more yellow than my skintone) so this compromise gives a more natural semi-matte finish. On my lips is MAC Syrup lipstick, which has become my new go-to nude.

EDIT: I forgot to mention what brush I used for my base as applying the Revlon Colorstay can be a bit tricky and it dries quickly on the face! I apply my foundation with the Real Techniques Stippling Brush as the duofibres allow you to work quickly whilst stippling the product onto your skin. Everyone's been raving about these brushes so I don't think another glowing review is necessarily needed, but before I bought this, I would use a standard foundarion brush and end up using too much product. The Stippling brush gives an even lightweight application without compromising on the coverage.

Update 3: There is SO much I forgot I had! After moving back into a box room, I've had to move everything into storage and it hasn't been easy. A vast amount of it is skincare from different parts of my skin journey, and makeup that I've tried, thought was so-so and cannot bring myself to throw it out. I'm trying to phase out buying so much by just using what I have, but the lack of funds hasn't stopped me compiling a list as long as my arm! Things forgotten include the Revlon Colourstay, SEVERAL nail polishes and my favourite perfume of all time Flight of Fancy by Anna Sui.

I was reminded by another favourite over at The Sunday Girl blog where the mere mention of the Bath and Bodyworks hand sanitisers made my start looking for my own collection. I have 3: Linen, Warm Vanilla Sugar and Fresh Lemon. I'll show you the Lemon one as it's the least battered of them all.

I love these as they're very dinky and handbag friendly without the horrible alcohol scent! Considering I went to America a year or two ago, it's a wonder I have any left at all...

Update 4: After umming and ahhing I decided to visit the BeautyMart at Harvey Nichols to eye up the skincare section and hoard lots of Bioderma. Unfortunately for me, they were sold out of the big bottles, so had to resort to getting the tiny one to test it out... so far so good. I was fairly restrained despite them having Weleda, Balance Me and other organic goodies in stock. As aforementioned I have more than enough skincare (but of course that doesn't stop me wanting to try more, sigh) so I only walked out with Bioderma and yet another polish. FYI, the samples you get are amazing, mine included an oil cleanser.

Whilst in there, I was complemented on my nails, do you like? The green polish is Going Incognito by Essie (pre-diffusion line) and the glittery one is a very pared down Edinburgh Gate by Nails Inc. This glitter polish is so chunky it can be passed off as a sequin mani if you layer it enough, but the combination of silver, green and red particles make it very versatile.

I have a few things planned, such as my Nails Inc Polish Collection, what's in my make-up bag and other fun stuff. Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to see.

Empties #1

This should become a regular thing, as I started taking my skincare more seriously around April/May and am trying to finish the half-finished items I own before investing in any more. If you go back to my first post, I have had hyperpigmentation issues and major scarring, which has massively reduced since I began a proper regimen. My skincare overhaul included using natural products whilst avoiding things with sulphates and parabens, a feat which French brands always manage to excel at without breaking the bank. Many of these things have seriously helped to even out my complexion and prevent acne. Another post is coming on what I currently use, but these are my empties over the last few months.

Vichy Normaderm Solution Micellaire for Acne-Prone Skin -£10.50
After all the buzz over micellar waters I popped into Boots and gave this a whirl. At the time of purchase, I was wearing full coverage foundations and this made it effortless to remove. As the solution is essentially oil suspended in water, I was surprised to find it mattifying with no extra residue. Unfortunately I did find it a touch too drying around the eyes, especially when removing mascara. I am looking to purchase some bottles from other brands to see how they compare, but the Vichy range definitely deserves more attention.

L'Occitane Cleansing Gel with Organic Angelica Water and Essential Oil - £4 Travel Size
Before this, I would often be using whatever cleanser that was lurking in the family bathroom (often Simple or Neutragena Grapefruit Face wash)  without paying attention to parabens, silicones or any other nasties. This travel size bottle came free with the June issue of Glamour and having lasted 5months, I have since picked up another. L'Occitane is a well-known natural brand and this my first foray into their vast skincare range. This has really made a difference to my skin - it's now brighter and surprisingly less dry.  The essential oils in this cleanser help to maintain moisture in the skin, whilst the peppermint oil helps to ward off any breakouts.


La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo - £13
Keeping with the French skincare theme, I got this after my skin reacted badly to another product. Perfect for those with oily skin that suffer from breakouts, this is sold as a moisturiser, but could easily double up as a primer as there silicones present in the formula. Personally, I found it more effective to use it on areas prone to breakouts (such as the chin) as it can be too drying.

La Roche Posay Effaclar A.I - £9.19
This formula is more creamy and is meant to target minimal blemishes and imperfections. Effaclar A.I. is more of a corrector for any scarring left after a breakout. For me, it worked best with a hydrating moisturiser underneath as the scars healed faster. I prefer this formula to Effaclar Duo, particularly if you have sensitive skin.

Korres Pomegranate Cleansing Mask - £7 (£5.76 in old packaging from Amazon)
I bought this on a whim on Amazon, as I usually steer clear of clay masks because of the smell. But this one has a slight pomegranate scent and the clay helps to remove impurities. I put it on twice a week after exfoliating and the result is clearer skin, and the appearance of tighter pores. The only thing stopping me from repurchasing is the Origins minis currently on sale for a similar price point. I have yet to try any of their masks so I am curious, but I cannot recommend Korres enough as they are paraben, suphate and sls free.

Garnier CleanDetox Detoxifying Exfoliation Wash - £5.49
This was bought a long long time ago, and despite containing parabens, this is one of my favourite exfoliators. Containing green mint and Vitamin E, it is an invigorating scrub meant to purge the skin of any impurities. It can be a bit abrasive, so it would be best to use on wet skin. The directions on the tube say to use 'a hazelnut size blob', but I'd use much less! A little goes a long way with this one.

Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment - £12
This product has been hyped up to the heavens! Some have used it twice on a spot and it disappeared within a day. I wanted to like this product so much, and despite having good results in terms of combating spots, I wouldn't repurchase this. It stings on application, and since I stopped using it, I have had less scarring on my face. I felt that I had to persevere with it as I didn't get instant results; and I suspect my skin had gotten used to it before the bottle was used up. To conclude this mini-review, don't write it off, it just didn't work for me.

REN Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream - £27 full size
Despite having the smallest of samples, this was the gift that just kept giving as I've been using it on and off for roughly 6 months. It contains an SPF and kept my skin hydrated whilst using the smallest amount. There is just one bad point and that was the texture. I can't put my finger on it, but despite it being a cream, the consistency was... slightly on the greasy side. Saying that, I am in the midst of trying the version for sensitive skins and I prefer it a lot more, the formula seems much creamier without leaving any residue on the face. I'll keep you posted.

So there are my empties over the last few months. Do you own any of the products above? Let me know if there are any similar products you recommend or if you've had a similar reaction

Forgotten Favourites Part 2

Hello again! Time for the second installment of the hidden gems I unearthed this summer. All items are very versatile and can be suited to many skintones. To be fair, most of these items would be worn during A/W season as vampy lips and contoured cheeks are what I turn to the most in the colder months.



Natural Collection Blush in Rosy Glow - £1.99

My first foray into Natural Collection, this blush is perfect to add a dusky glow to your cheeks. For me I tend to find glitterbombs and dolly pink blushes quite jarring, so the brown tones of Rosy Glow are very complementary to the skin. Natural Collection Blushes are quite pigmented, matte, and easily blend down into a natural wearable finish. Dallas for Benefit is similar but with extra shimmer, so if you're looking for a high street dupe of Dallas, then try this.




Benefit Hoola Bronzer- £10 as seen above with the Tan About Town Kit or £23.50 full size

This was the only thing salvaged from the Tan About Town Kit which also had Bad Gal Lash Mascara and Some Kinda Gorgeous Foundation Faker inside. The cool tones are great for sculpting and framing the face without looking harsh. After relying on Sleek's Contour Kit, this was a godsend as  I have yet to make a sizeable dent in it despite its dinky size! The shade may look lighter than my face powder in the pan, but it translates as much darker on the skin, and serves as a fantastic contour powder across many skintones.

MAC Rebel Lipstick - £14

  Rebel was the first MAC lipstick I ever bought! Vampy yet girlie, this raspberry pink shade is the perfect shade for autumn. For those with lighter skintones, it can be the more wearable of the dark lipsticks as it is less in your face. It is a satin finish, so it is non-drying and wears quite well on the lips.

Dior Rouge Hypnotic Lipstick in Hypnotic Red - £25

Let's be frank, this is quite pricey for what it is. I was pretty much obsessed with the Dior Addict scent that coincidentally is carried in these lipsticks. It is a luscious deep berry shade with high shine. Patted on the lips it comes off as almost brown, but slightly layered you can achieve the perfect wine lip. If you don't particularly care for Dior, you can get a similar effect using Revlon's Black Cherry.

L-R: MAC Rebel, Dior Rouge Hypnotic Red and Revlon Black Cherry

 As you can see, the shade is quite similar between thr Dior and the Revlon, only Black Cherry is less sheer and offers a more opaque satin finish. The swatch for the Dior would have been neater if I hadn't broken the bullet in the process. Cue me running around to remember how to fix it with a candle lighter. Despite my heavy-handed ineptitude, the moral of the story remains the same - don't forget to go through your collection every once in a while, as you may find some hidden gems.

Forgotten Favourites Part 1

Firstly, apologies for not uploading any posts for a while. My skin and hot weather do not get on, so I haven't been wearing much make-up over the month of August. But during a much needed clearout, I rediscovered a few old gems from my stash. Some have really helped during the summer to keep the oil at bay whilst wearing a full face of slap, whereas some are more suited to the transition into Winter for those forward thinking lasses out there. Enjoy!

MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC50



Not to be confused with the Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, this powder gives a matte look to the skin over foundation, or worn alone on a good skin day. Ironically, the MAC store in Canada that I visited made this exact mistake when I wanted the Powder Plus on holiday and I got this instead. Let's just call it a lucky accident.



Inside compact (and a glimpse of my camera in the mirror!)

 

The shade NC50 is perfect if you are yellow-toned like me but want to look less orange. I find that NC45 foundations tend to show up incredibly orange on my skin, and as I'm somewhere in the middle between the shades Dark and Deep Dark in MAC's MSF Natural powders, this is a great way to avoid the 'tangoed' look. The powder is very fine and is specially formulated to deal with oily skin as it leaves a very matte finish. The only downside is that it tends to cling to dry areas when used on its own, but on top of a tinted moisturiser it looks incredibly natural and gives a medium coverage. I can't find this on MAC's website, but if they have discontinued this I may have to start using it very sparingly...

Witch Anti-Blemish Skin Clearing Primer- £6.99

I bought this initially when I wasn't sure if primers actually made a real difference to my skin. This was the first one I bought and since then, I have tried out some pricier ones that managed to let my make-up slip faster than usual ( Benefit's The Porefessional, anyone?) Until I dug it up 3 weeks ago, I had genuinely forgotten how soft and moisturising it feels when I apply it. It has the same silicone finish as the Porefessional, but with a creamier consistency and witch hazel to soothe any irritations or spots that may be lurking. I found in the hot weather that it lengthened the wear times of dewy foundations and no touch ups were needed. For oilier skinned girls, this is a must-have in your collection.

Sleek Original Palette - £7.99

Keeping with the "drugstore" theme, this palette contains everything needed for anyone wanting to get adventurous with colour. Mixing neutrals with the colours on the bottom row act as a great combination for daytime to make your eyes pop - supersubtle pink eyeshadow is meant to be a beauty trend this season. For night-time, the top colours are very appropriate for creating an intense smoky eye. There can be some fallout as all the eyeshadows are glittery, but despite this I do see myself using this religiously now I know where it is! The copper and olive tones are my favourite shades.

MUA Eyeliner in Intense Black and Eyeshadow in 01 Black- £1 each 

What I'm going to say next doesn't just apply to these two items from MUA but the majority of the range: The pigmentation and staying power of their products are phenomenal, especially considering the low pice point. I do often tear up when I'm lining my waterline or my tightline, but the Intense Eyeliner still doesn't budge. They also do a range of lipliners and lipsticks for £1 which I also must look ninto as I've heard such great things. I use the two together to create a really intense smoky eye and they blend exceptionally well.

In case there was any doubt, here's a swatch.

Recently I used these two items combined with MAC's duochrome Club eyeshadow (brown/green) patted over it, followed by Embark (matte dark brown) to soften any outside edges. Including the infamous Carbon, this has to be the best matte black I've ever tried. FACT.

Along with a slew of planned posts, I have a part 2 coming up which involves more cheek and lip products, but this just goes to show how many great products eventually get unused and forgotten about. Are you guilty of this? Have you used any of these items when shopping your stash?

 

 Candice xx

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector - Holy Grail Product?

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Travel size in Topaz- £10

Yes, you read correctly, this is easily the best highlighing product I've ever tried - and I've tried a lot! I have heard many established bloggers rave about Becca highlighting products, particularly in the shade Pearl, but I couldn't find any online swatches for Topaz on darker skintones. I took a gamble and ordered the travel size, which for some reason is only available through Zuneta in this shade.

It is the most gorgeous golden shade - subtle yet illuminating. I dot it on the tops of my cheekbones and browbone, creating a C shape around the eye for a more natural highlight. But the Shimmering Skin Pefector has many uses as you could apply it on its own as a base, or mix it with your foundation. It boasts many skin benefits such as spf 20 and is packed with lots of antioxidants, making it suitable as a tinted moisturizer. But if you wanted to get the full size, it has a hefty price tag at £33 for 50ml. The travel size only has 15ml of product and I would probably repurchase the bigger bottle, but frankly how much highlighter does a person need?

Edit: I have since made a comparison to Benefit's Highbeam with better swatches - link here

What are your favourite highlighters? Any recommendations?

Candice xx