Beauty ¦ The skincare routine

I'm pretty sure I've never actually done a skincare routine on my blog as I've never really stuck to a routine ever. However in the past couple of months I've been religiously using skincare and I've found it has made a massive difference to my skin. So today I thought I'd show you the products I've really been loving and using religiously.

Cleanser - Una Brennan Vitamin C cleansing oil.

This is my second bottle of this stuff and I am definitely going to buy a new bottle when I am finished with this one. I am a religious wearer of Benefit They're real and this takes it off no problem. I absolutely love the scent however the one thing I hate is the packaging. This is no way travel friendly packaging as it leaks everywhere other than that though I really love it.

Exfoliating - Nip and Fab Glycolic fix daily cleansing pads.

My skin is usually pretty good with everything however it really hates actual physical exfoliators they make my skin red raw. However I do feel that my skin needs a little exfoliation. I am honestly 100% converted to chemical exfoliators these pads make my skin look so glowy and leave it feeling very clean but not stripped. These are also super affordable considering what you can end up paying for chemical exfoliators (I'm looking at you Liquid gold)

Toning - Liz Earle Instant boost skin tonic spritz.

This one is probably a little bit of an unnecessary step in my routine however I just love giving my face a quick spritz. This has a really lovely scent and feels really lovely and cooling on the skin.

Treatment - La roche posay Effaclar duo.

I have no idea why it took me so long to try this. Everyone says how brilliant it is for clearing up acne and acne scaring and I can honestly say that it has worked wonders for me. I had very heavy acne scaring on my cheeks and chin and it has really helped to fade it massively. I've also found that since starting using it I haven't had a proper breakout and overall my skin has just been much clearer.

Moisturiser -  Embroyolisse Lait creme concentrate.

I gave this a go as Pixiwoo are always talking about it and I completely see why. It's an incredibly hydrating moisturiser without being heavy. It works so beautifully under makeup but I also love using it at night. It also doesn't irritate my eczema which a lot of moisturisers do.

Oil - Perricone MD Chia serum.

Oh my lord this little bottle is pricey but so lovely at the same time. I must admit I've had this bottle since way before Christmas and it's still got about 1/3 of the product left. I feel like this is the other product that has made the most obvious difference to my skin. It is such a beautiful oil which has not only helped with my dehydrated skin but I've also found that it has really helped with reducing breakouts.


I'd love to know what skincare products you guys love!



Beauty ¦ Skincare saviours

 

Recently I've had a little bit of a skincare overhaul and it's done my skin the world of good so today I thought I would share with you the two products that I have been absolutely loving in this past month.

 

I was using the Alpha H liquid gold however I found it was a little bit to harsh for my skin and it was leaving it a little red so I decided to give the Nip and fab Glycolic fix daily pads and I have found that they are much less harsh on the skin and I've found that they have been leaving my skin really glowy and I thing the have definitely contributed to reducing the amount of blemishes I have.

 

The other product is the La Roche posay effaclar duo +, this was something that I've been meaning to try for months and months as it's something that so many people talk about. I wasn't sure wether it would dry my skin out as I find a lot of blemish treatments can leave my already dry skin even drier however I've found that not only does this help reduce my blemishes but I've also found it was hydrating enough not to massivly dry out my skin.

 

 

So that is my current favourite skincare products. I'd love to know what skincare products you have been using recently.



Beauty ¦ Maple holistics skincare

When I was contacted by the lovely people over at maple holistics I was super excited to be offered some of their skincare to try. I've been loving skincare at the moment so I was very excited to give these a go!

The first product I received was the Ancient clay facial mask*, which is a mixture of three different types if clay. French green clay, Bentonite clay and Fullers earth. Each of these add different properties to the mask. The French green clay is meant remove impurities and stimulate blood flow. The Bentonite clay has oil absorbing properties and is said to remove acne inducing toxins and finally the Fullers earth helps to reduce acne scars, blemishes and blackheads.

This mask is on of the strangest masks I've tried. It's actually a powder which you mix with water to form a paste. I thought this was going to put me off using it however I was so impressed by the results I don't mind it despite the fact that it is a little bit of a pain. I've found that this mask has definitely cleared my skin a little and I've also found that it has reduced the amount of scaring on my face to.  

Next up we have the Vitamin C anti aging serum* obviously I cannot comment on the anti aging properties but I have been really enjoying using this serum. It feels very hydrating on the skin but it's also very lightweight meaning it's perfect for using under makeup as well as at night. I've found that it has also added a little more radiance to my skin and reduced some of my scaring and redness. Overall I think if I had to pick a favourite product out of the three it would be this one.

The final product I received was the Pomegranate natural lip balm* So to start it off this smells absolutely amazing and it tastes pretty great too. The pomegranate scent isn't to synthetic like some lip balm scents can be. I actually really like the lip balm as well. I was a little dubious as since trying Nuxe Reve De Meil I haven't really got on with any other lip balm. This one isn't super hydrating but for day to day use it's perfect. It feels nice and light on the lips and lipstick applies well over it without being changed in terms of texture or finish.

You can purchase maple holistics products from their website, these products  where provide for review purposes however all opinions are my own.

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Beauty ¦ July favourites

So it's the end of July which means one thing! It's monthly favourites time. I'm not going to say how fast time is going but wow! I've got quite a mixed bag this month so I'm going to get on and talk you through each product.

 

Soap and glory heel genius -

 

This isn't one of those products which I would have gone out and picked up from boots however I found it at the bottom of my big box of beauty products after receiving it in the big Soap and glory set at Christmas. However since it's meant to be summer I decided I should probably take a bit more care of my feet. This has made them super soft and it smells like peppermint.

 

Yankee Orange splash -

 

This was a gift off my lovely friend after I did her prom makeup and I absolutely love it. It's not quite as intense as some of Yankee's other fruity scents which I like as I find sometimes when burning them in my bedroom with the door shut it can get a little intense. This is really citrus-y but still lovely and sweet. I urge you all to go and smell it!

 

Maybelline colour tattoo in Permanent taupe -

 

I've actually been using this in my brows this month. I've been finding that some of my brow products seem to be a little too warm for me at the moment. I'm not sure whether this is because my skin is a little more tanned than usual. This is a super cool toned medium brown so I decided to give it a go in my brows and I really like it. They are lighter than I'm used to but the shade matches my hair colour well.

 



 

Topshop lip velvet in Blood orange -

 

This was one of those random no research purchases to make my feel unique order over £10 so I could get free shipping. This is the most amazing orange toned red which dries matte on the lips. In terms of lasting power it's not quite as long lasting as the Bourjois rouge edition velvets however it does last well over the 6 hour mark. The only thing I find is that if you apply a layer that is too thick it can look really strange and it begins to fall into the lines of the lips.

 

Rimmel Rita Ora nail polish in Neon fest -

 

I think this may be one of the brightest nail polishes I own. It's a neon medium pink shade and I absolutely love it. The formula is lovely to paint with and it dries pretty quickly or a normal nail polish. I get around 3 days wear out of it before it starts to chip but for me that's no problem as I change my polish so often.

 

Superfacialists Vitamin C cleansing oil -

 

I am really loving cleansing oils at the moment and this one is no exception. Once again it smells like oranges (I sense a theme in this favourites) It removes makeup really well even stubborn mascara like They're real. It leaves the face feeling clean but not stripped.

 

 

Schwarzkopf got2b Beach matt sat spray -

 

In the past couple of months I've been really embracing my natural wavy mane and this I brilliant on the days when it needs a little help. I find a lot of salt sprays leave the hair sticky or crispy which I'm pretty sure is something no one wants. This bottle has a really fine spray meaning that it doesn't collect in patches in the hair and it dispenses the product really evenly. If you've got crazy wild hair like mine and you want to enhance the natural wave in it I'd highly recommend this.

 

 



Beauty ¦ May favourites

 

 So you know it's the end of may, (incoming blogger cliché) where has this year gone. I've actually got a mixed bunch of favourites this month. My favourites are usually pretty makeup heavy but I've got a bit of everything this month.

 

L'Oreal Ever Riche No sulphates shampoo and conditioner.

 

I'm not usually one to bother about hair care, as long as my hair feels clean and smells nice I'm not overly bothered. However lately I've had a very dry and sore scalp so I've been on the lookout for a shampoo and conditioner that are a little more gentle. These are perfect they are super gentle but they still smell nice and make my hair feel really clean. I've also found since using these there has been a lot less build up in my hair.

 

Quick fix facials Mega moisture mask.

 

I've only used this a couple of times but I am so in love with it. My skin has been so dry at the moment and nothing seems to be fixing it. However I've found this has pumped some serious moisture into my skin. After two uses my skin feels much more hydrated and plumped and for £4.99 there isn't anything bad about this product.

 

Dove Summer glow nourishing lotion.

 

This is something that I use every summer without fail. It gives the most natural looking and subtle tan but if I use it a couple of times a week you can build up a really lovely and intense tan which still looks natural. However I will mention it does smell like fake tan so you can end up smelling like a barrel of biscuits if you aren't careful.

 

Maybelline Super stay 7 days Nail polish - Hot salsa.

 

I have had this polish on my toes all month as it is the most amazing summery colour. I absolutely love the formula of these polishes and on the toes they last a good 1-2 weeks before they need re-doing. This shade is just the perfect shade for summer and I seriously suggest everyone gives it a go!

 

Maybelline Colour sensational lip gloss - Glorious grapefruit

 

I've been wearing my hair up a lot this month so I've been reaching for lip gloss quite a lot. I'm not usually a lip gloss person however I really like these. They are a little stickier than my beloved Clarins Instant light natural lip perfector these are still pretty amazing. They pack a nice punch of colour and they last a really nice amount of time for a gloss. I find I get about 4 hours wear out of them before they have completely gone from the lips.

 

 

L'Oreal Colour riche eyeshadow - Café saint german

 

This was a shadow that so many people talked about last year however I've only just got around to picking it up. It's a really lovely pinky rose gold shade and I've been wearing it alone with lots of mascara for a really lovely pop on the lids. The formula is so creamy and it blends beautifully with other shadows.

 

Bourjois Rouge edition - Pink pong

 

My final favourite is something I am definitely regretting not trying earlier. I had heard so many things about these and I thought that they would be a bit overhyped however now I've tried them I'm so impressed. They are super matte however they don't feel drying. There lasting power is insane and I find it difficult to get them off at the end of the night even with a oil based cleanser. I love this shade and I have a feeling I'm going to wear it a lot more over the summer.

Beauty ¦ Insta-natural eye gel

 Insta Natural Youth express eye gel £16.95* //Here//

Now I'm fully aware I have absolutely no need for an anti aging eye cream but apart from the wrinkles I have all the things this little bottle of amazingness is good for. I've always suffered badly with puffy, sore and dark under eyes (Thanks genes) I've been using this for a couple of weeks and I've seem a massive difference. Due to this product being a gel it's really cooling and helps calm down any redness and refreshes tired eyes. The overall texture is really lovely and I'd happily use this all over my face if I needed it. It's made no massive difference to the overall darkness under my eyes but due to the skin being in much better condition I've found that they have been covering much easier and my concealer is going on much smoother and also creasing less. I've found it to be really nice and hydrating and overall I'm really impressed. 

I like the packaging, when I first opened the package I was a little worried about the pump dispensing too much product however I've found it is just right. I seriously recommend that if you suffer  from sore and puffy under eyes you give this ago. It's also a massive size so the £16.95 is well worth paying as not only is it really effective it's also super inexpensive.