The Weekly Selection

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation  //  Hourglass Rouge Opaque Liquid Lipstick  //  Benefit They're Real Mascara //  By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder

Some weeks, I struggle to find a brand new selection of products that have made their way into my daily routine, as often I find that I am using the same things, bar one or two. But others, I have an absolute plethora of goodies I can't wait to share, and it depends largely on how much I've been beauty shopping of late, or in this case, whether I've recently had a birthday! This year, I was lucky enough to receive lots of beauty-related gifts in honour of the big day - a huge bundle of Benefit treats from the hubby, some long-coveted Space NK products from my mum, and a cheeky couple of items I treated myself to with some money I was kindly gifted by my grandfather.

This is one of those weeks where I feel genuinely excited about all of the products I've selected for this post, and I'm sure it's not difficult to see why.

I recently found myself in need of a new foundation, and during my birthday shopping trip I happened upon a Laura Mercier counter. The Silk Creme foundation (£34) has been on my to-try list since the year dot, but with there being a severe lack of counters in my city I've always had to keep it on the backburner until the opportunity arose. Yes, I know I could have bought it online, but when it comes to foundations I'm simply not willing to take the risk and play a guessing game with the shades. So, this time, I made a beeline for the lovely lady on the counter and she was happy to match me up. I went for the shade Beige Ivory, which turned out to be absolutely perfect ( none of the usual scenario where it looks great in store, but horrifically orange / Casper white once you get out into natural light). This foundation leaves me looking flawless and glowing with health, and is everything I had hoped it would be. Well worth the wait, I'd say, and I'm really pleased with my purchase.

The Benefit They're Real mascara (£19.50) is another product I had long put off trying, albeit for different reasons. I simply couldn't bring myself to fork out so much money for a mascara, especially when I was perfectly happy with my L'oreal Volume Million Lashes at half the price.  But when I cracked open a vintage tin packed with Benefit goodies on my birthday, I was more than happy to find this inside. Nevertheless, I wasn't convinced it would live up to the hype, and I must admit, I was wrong. This lengthens, separates and volumises all in one go, and never before have I tried a mascara that so fantastically defines my lower lashes. Suffice to say, I'm an absolute convert, and I'm dreading the day I reach the end of my tube as I know I'll be opening my purse.

Next are two products I had been dying to get my hands on for an absolute age, but every time I ventured onto the Space NK website I'd leave feeling sorry for myself, unable to bring myself to part with so many pennies for what is essentially a facial powder and a liquid lipstick. Luckily, birthdays are the perfect opportunity to be treated, and when someone else is kind enough to do so then it's only the excitement left to deal with.

The By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder (£42) has been the ultimate dream, but at over £40 for the pot, it's not a decision to be taken lightly when there are so many other powders on the market. Once again, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this one earned me all the compliments I had imagined it might - not because I am fabulous, but because the product itself makes my skin look glowing and flawless. I dust this on over the top of my makeup for nights out, and it really finishes the look, leaving me feeling polished and ready to go.

Last up, it's the Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick (£23), in the vibrant shade Riviera. A bright and punchy, very orange toned red, you apply with the doe foot applicator and leave to dry for a few seconds. This one stays put really well compared to some liquid lipsticks I've tried - Rimmel Apocalips, anyone?( I have, however, recently come across one with even more impressive staying power, which I'll be blogging about soon.) Riviera is an absolutely stunning shade and is perfect for summer. It doesn't leave my lips feeling dry or hydrated, and adds a gorgeous statement to the most pared down of makeup looks.

So all in all, a fabulous week of products. I absolutely adore all four of these, and they are bound to remain staples for a long time. 

Which products have you been loving this week? Have you splashed out on any real treats, and if so, did they live up to the hype?

xx

The Weekly Selection

Helena Rubinstein Color Clone Foundation  //  Topshop Glow Highlighter in Polish  //  Nature's Extracts Indulgent Fig & Orange Oil Moisturising Body Butter

Life has been going a million miles an hour at the moment, but one thing is for certain: This beautiful sunshine we're having is well worth slowing down for! Yesterday, after work, we went and sat outside one of our favourite places on the harbour for a nice cold cider, and being able to actually do something with my evening and enjoy the daylight made me feel so much more alive. Afterwards, we met up with some friends for tapas and a cheeky cocktail or two - not my usual Monday evening, but I have to say, it was a more than welcome start to the week.

I hope you've been able to enjoy the lovely weather, wherever you are.

Anyway, onto the purpose of today's post, which is to share some of my most reached- for products of late. I'm aware that I usually tend to do this towards the end of the week, but hey, who makes the rules? Last week was so hectic that I didn't have the chance, so here we are, on a Tuesday instead. I don't mind if you don't.

After running out of my previous foundation, I stumbled upon Helena Rubinstein's Colour Clone (shade Vanilla), which had been sitting patiently on my beauty shelf since late last year. I picked this one up on my way back from Amsterdam, but it was one of those things where, once you get home, it just doesn't seem to be the right shade. Now that winter is over, however, and I've got a bit more colour in my cheeks, I have fallen head over heels in love with it. Color Clone gives the most unbelievably natural-looking coverage, almost to the point that it looks as though I'm not wearing foundation - only with beautifully flawless skin. It does an amazing job of evening things out, with special colour-cloning pigments which clone the skin's colour structure, and has an incredibly light, barely-there feel on the skin.

There's very little not to love about this, and I am definitely going to be hunting down some of Helena's other creations as soon as I have the chance.

Next up, it's the beautiful Topshop Glow Highlighter in the shade Polish. A light, pearly cream, this looks perfect smoothed onto cheekbones over a pretty cream blush for a natural-looking highlight without the glitter. For a more glamorous look, it can easily be layered up - and if I'm going out, I apply some down my nose, under my brows and across my Cupid's bow for an extra glow.

I can't imagine that I'm alone in my love for fruity scents once the warmer months roll round, and the M&S Nature's Extracts Indulgent Fig & Orange Oil Moisturising Body Butter (whew-can you say that in one breath!?) is just divine. Light, juicy, with a hint of 'green' this one sells really natural and is not at all overpowering or sickly. Smoothing this on after my shower is an absolute pleasure, and it leaves my skin silky soft.

All three of these are bound to remain favourites well into the summer months, although no doubt there will be a few more beauty treats joining them before long.

Which products have you been reaching for this week?

Have you discovered any new or exciting brands?

Enjoy the rest of your week.

XX

The Weekly Selection

I've really been limiting myself when it comes to beauty purchases of late, and it's quite surprising to think how long it's been since I last had a real splurge. I have, however, been picking up the odd 'essential' here and there, and these four treats have most definitely been floating my boat this week.

First up, the Ren Resurfacing AHA Concentrate is back for another slice of the limelight. For those of you who missed it, I'll link my recent review of this skincare must-have at the end of the post - it has made such a huge difference to the feel and texture of my skin, and I can always count on it to revive my complexion, leaving it soft, smooth and radiant.

It took me a while to get into primers - initially I think I saw them as something of a gimmick. The trouble with these 'extra' beauty steps is that once you have a taste and realise they do have a purpose, you keep wanting to go back for more, inevitably upping the cost of your daily face. Until recently, I'd only dabbled, with a couple of swipes of Benefit The Porefessional or Revlon Photo-ready here and there - neither of which had exactly blown me away. But after a recent charity event at my local Boots, I walked away with a goodie bag which just so happened to contain a sample pot of the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. After working it into my routine for a few days and finding myself marveling at how long my makeup was staying put throughout, I was more than ready to part with the pennies and get myself a full-size tube. Of course, what I didn't bargain for was the sheer number of options I was presented with, and in the end I walked away with the Smashbox Photo Finish Luminizing Primer. A peachy, shimmery offering, this sits nicely underneath my Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation, giving off a subtle, radiant glow. This would be a fantastic choice for a night out, as it adds a glamorous edge to any look. However, I wouldn't say it increases the longevity of makeup to quite the extent that the standard Photo Finish does, so I'll be picking one of those up soon to keep in my everyday makeup kit.

I love a good, dark lip in winter, but having seen Topshop Lips in Beguiled on more than one occasion, I wondered if it would perhaps be a step too far for my pale complexion. However, a quick swatch revealed this to be nonsense - applied with a light hand, it translates onto the lips as a gorgeously wearable berry shade, and can be layered up to achieve a darker, more dramatic effect.  It's love.

Fragrance-wise, you'll probably have heard me banging on about the Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne when I reviewed it earlier this week (link below). If you're interested in finding out more about this delightful winter scent then do pop over and have a read - if you like the smell of mulled wine, then you'll love this.

Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne Review

Ren Resurfacing AHA Concentrate Review

What have been your favourite beauty treats this week?

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

XX

The Weekly Selection

If you watched my recent Beauty Haul Video, you'll know that I've made more than just a couple of beauty purchases lately, and choosing my very favourites for this week was a tough call, but I've done my best and I'm thrilled to bits with all of these lovely products.

When roaming Boots the other day in search of a new foundation, the new Liz Earle stand caught my eye, and so excited was I that I almost did a little dance. For most of you, this is probably nothing new, but having been away for quite some time, I wasn't aware that the lovely Liz had now made it into stores. I couldn't not get my hands on the Limited Edition Grapefruit and Patchouli Cleanse and Polish, and I'm so glad I did pick it up, as when I popped in today there were no longer any in sight. It's been a while since C&P was last a part of my skincare routine, but only because, like a typical blogger, I got distracted by other things. This one smells amazing, and seeing how well it gets off all my makeup in one go has made me fall a little bit in love with it all over again.

Not one but two skincare products in this week's favourites, the second of which being the Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Search Relief. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with moisturisers, finding most of them too rich or heavy for my skin. They often seem to do more harm than good, leaving my complexion blemished and a little bit too greasy, so I was really excited to find that this little beaut does none of the above. It's a gel-cream, which sinks instantly into the skin, leaving it feeling smooth and hydrated, with no residue at all. I've just come to the end of the travel-size pot my mum kindly gave me, and I am without a doubt going to be buying the full-size. At £32, it's a bit of a kick in the wallet, but I see moisturiser as an absolute necessity. 

I mentioned the Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Liquid Makeup and Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer earlier in the week, and they are still doing a sterling job, when used together, of smoothing out my complexion and hiding my blemishes. There is nothing not to love about either of these, and I am so glad to have found them.

Last but not least comes the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush, a gorgeous wine-coloured lip balm and stain in one. I'm sure that most of you are no stranger to these little beauts, and neither was I, having been a huge fan on the shades 'Rendezvous' and 'Honey' for some while now. When the weather took a turn for the worse earlier this week, I decided to embrace the dropping temperatures and grey skies and go for more of an autumnal lip, and after picking this up on a whim I am completely hooked.

Have you started changing your routine up for the colder months yet? What products have you been loving the most this week?

xx