December Favourites!

Hi All,

As this year draws to a close I thought I'd share with you a few of my favourite Winter products at the moment. I must admit that Winter is not my favourite season as it wreaks havoc with my skin- it's paler, duller, spottier, drier, and all around difficult to manage. Here are a few of the products that have helped me through these tricky Winter months so far!

1. Angels on Bare Skin

The first thing to say about Angels on Bare Skin is that it's a bit of a weird product, and I can definitely see why some people don't like it. It is a LUSH product which means that it is handmade from natural ingredients, and this particular cleanser lists almonds and lavender amongst its ingredients. It comes in a tub as a sort of smelly, grainy lump, and the idea is to mix a little in your palm with water to make a paste which you then rub into your skin as a cleanser.

Is it messy? Yes. Is it pleasant to use? Not particularly. But what Angels on Bare Skin does offer is results (at least in my experience!). It leaves my skin so incredibly soft that I can barely stop touching it, and redness is also significantly reduced. I don't know that I would choose to use this cleanser in Summer when my skin is reasonably healthy, but in Winter I find it gives me just the pick-me-up I need.

2. No.7 Instant Radiance Highlighter

The second item on my list is this lovely highlighter from No.7. I have had my eye on the Watts Up! product from Benefit for a while now but at £9.95 this seemed like a cheaper alternative so I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did! I use this every day now under my foundation to give a subtle radiance, and over foundation as a highlighter on nights out. I find it gives a lovely dewy look to the skin which is just what my skin needs for Winter. I also love the packaging of this product- it is like a shorter, fatter version of a Clinique chubby stick and fits perfectly into any make-up bag. The only negative I have found with this product is that it didn't sit very well with my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation and needed rather a lot of blending. Other than that it has been a Winter triumph in my make-up collection!

3. Quinoderm 5

I mentioned that I often get breakouts during Winter, and this year I even got a bit of mild acne which had never happened to me before and really got me down. This product was an absolute saviour and treated it so quickly and effectively! I need to point out that this product was recommended to me by a pharmacist because I was suffering with mild acne and I would always, always check with your local pharmacist before purchasing for yourself as it contains Benzoyl Peroxide which can be harmful to your skin. I used a tiny bit of this on the affected area twice daily and within a few days it had almost completely cleared. I couldn't believe it as I had tried lots of conventional spot treatments like Clearasil and Freederm with no success, and I would certainly recommend looking into it if you are in the same position.

4. John Frieda Luxurious Volume Range

The final products I would recommend for Winter are the John Frieda Luxurious Volume range. I have been using the Shampoo, Conditioner and Blow Dry Spray to combat lank, Winter locks and I have rarely loved a shampoo more. My hair feels soft from root to tip and it has a lovely healthy bounce and shine to it that I love. I also use a touch of Frizz Ease to keep my hair smooth after straightening and I've been really pleased with the results so far- a definite Winter winner!

So there you have it- a few of my Winter lifesavers. I hope that you enjoyed my post and I promise to be far more disciplined with my blogging in the New Year!

Happy 2014 Everyone!

Rosie x

PS Please note these images are not my own

Today I'm Loving...

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a great weekend! Today I wanted to share with you some of my favourite products at the moment, as they seem to change so often. Some of these products are new and others are not so new, but they are either new discoveries or rediscovered gems that I've been getting a lot of use out of lately.

First up on my list is the Perfection Lumiere foundation from Chanel. I had been dithering over this foundation for ages but finally committed to swallowing the £36 price tag (eek!) and investing. This felt like quite a financial commitment for me and I have been using Chanel samples on and off for weeks now trying to decide whether or not it would be worth it. I had heard mixed reviews about this foundation and I'm aware that it oxidises quite a lot- the first shade I was matched with looked fine at first but turned positively orange as the day went on. In the end I found a shade that suited me well (20 Beige) and I was really impressed with this foundation's staying power- it is one of the few that I've tried that doesn't oil up AT ALL when I wear it. Since purchasing this has become my go-to foundation and I love how lightweight it feels on the skin whilst still giving a good level of coverage. I would thoroughly recommend it to fellow oily-skin sufferers, although one thing I would say is to make sure that you try it out before committing to a purchase!

Another foundation on my list is the bareMinerals Matte foundation in Medium Beige. I am still a newby to mineral foundations having recently discovered the ELF Personal Blend foundation which I LOVE. This one I find is a lighter coverage and certainly doesn't feel heavy on the skin- it is the sort of product that enhances rather than covers. Therefore, I would reserve this foundation maybe for holidays or good skin days, but it is a really hard working product that lasts all day and gives a really natural finish. 

I'm also really excited to have got my hands on my first YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick. This one is from the 'Shine' range in shade 15 (Corail Intuitive). I was a little concerned at first that this would be a bit too bright a lip colour for me but in fact it is a gorgeous light pinky-coral that is really easy to wear and not too in-your-face. As with all of the YSL Rouge Volupte lipsticks it smells divine and feels really moisturising and luxurious on the lips so I am a happy bunny! This is currently one of my favourite lip colours and the packaging definitely makes it feel like a special product- I have been showing it off constantly.

A gorgeous lipstick needs gorgeous lips, so I've also been getting a lot of use from my LUSH lip scrub in Mint Julips. I use lipbalms religiously but I can't seem to stop my lips from occasionally flaking, so this lip scrub is a real lifesaver for me. To be honest I'm not 100% convinced that I couldn't have made it myself at home with a bit of sugar and peppermint oil, but it tastes absolutely yummy (like After Eights!) and does make my lips a lot smoother after use. 

I've also recently rediscovered my love for my Nars blush in Super Orgasm. I received this as a present in a Nars gift set last year and it is a lovely powder blush with a hint of sparkle. Unfortunately the colour has not come out particularly well in the photo but it is similar to Nars' signature 'Orgasm' blush and gives you a really nice, natural flush. I am not usually one for a sparkly blush but this one is very subtle and I can easily wear it for work without worrying that my cheeks are lit up like a Christmas tree.

Finally, I have also been loving my L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Mist for fine hair. For those that follow my blog you may be aware that I ombre'd my hair recently, and the bleach has made my ends really dry. This oil mist has been my saviour, and I've been applying liberally to both wet and dry hair to keep the ends soft. My hair is very fine and the mist works better for me than a standard oil which would weigh my hair down and make it look flat. I happen to also really love the smell of this mist, it is enriched with lotus flower extract and the scent is very subtly floral and just delicious. 

These are my current picks and all of these products have been getting a lot of use in my house recently! If you have tried any of the products mentioned or have any recommendations for me let me know- I love reading all of your comments.

Have a great week all!

Rosie x