Category Archives: Skincare

Best-smelling hand cream

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On a recent trip to New York, my sister and I had really dry hands and decided to try out my new Byredo Bal d’Afrique hand cream (£24).

First off, I love the packaging – it comes in a simple, modern, toothpaste-style tube and slips into one’s handbag with ease! Better still is the scent – it leaves your skin perfumed with a long-lasting lovely smell. It is highly-moisturising but beware – any more than a pea-sized amount makes your hands feel sticky and does feel a bit greasy, despite the description from Liberty. I’d only recommend using this if you have a bit of time to let it absorb, perhaps not so great to use at work. And of course a huge budget for hand creams!!

Exfoliating with Nip + Fab Acid

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Having always used micro-beaded products for exfoliation in the past, acid-based wipes are a total revelation! Firstly, don’t be afraid of the word ‘acid’ – the proportion is too low to harm your skin apparently, (I’m no skin doctor so please don’t take this as gospel) but some of them do make your skin go a little red and itch a bit… 

These ones don’t for me – they seem to be strong enough to exfoliate nicely, and yet gentle enough not to bring my skin up in a rash! Used daily, they reveal clearer, cleaner skin, so I definitely recommend them. I buy them off Amazon, but they do have offers on them in Superdrug & Boots. Otherwise they’re around £13 a pack which lasts around a month if used daily.

Quest to find the best concealer

Posted in Foundation, General, Skincare by

In the last 5 years or so, I seem to have developed clusters of hyper-pigmentation on my cheeks – I’m not talking about cute, tiny freckles here. Oh no… these are larger areas of darker skin and I hate them! I’m frequently told I have smudged make up on my face when, in actual fact, it’s these dark spots… I’ve actually been to a dermatologist already, but to cut a long story short, there’s no cream solution so I’ll have to have them lasered into oblivion. 

Until I pluck up the courage (and take out a new credit card) for such a procedure, I’m on the lookout for the best concealer. 

Cue Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer which I bought a few weeks ago after reading its constant rave reviews. Well, it doesn’t completely conceal my dark spots, however it is actually wonderful for under the eyes if you want light coverage that doesn’t feel thick and heavy on the skin. It definitely has some light-reflecting qualities and really brightens up the under eye area, without sinking into creases. The lip gloss style wand makes it super easy to apply as well. It’s not cheap at £23, but I reckon it’ll last ages! 

That’s my under eyes sorted, now back to hyper-pigmentation cover….

Best eye make up remover (according to Stylist) and its much cheaper alternative that’s just as good…

Posted in Eyes, General, Skincare by

I’d firstly just like to point out that I LOVE Stylist magazine. I must confess that I get very excited leaving work on Tuesday evenings when I can pick it up at Holborn station… So last week I was even more excited because they’d included their “Best Beauty” awards booklet and I just couldn’t wait to get my mitts on the coveted products that the mag I trust claims are the best! Check out the front runners here

Then I saw this:

I was very pleased to see that Clarins picked up the prize for the best eye make up remover – I have known that for years! The oil and water combo is a must for most mascara removal sans panda effect and it smells really nice too. But what I only recently discovered, thanks to my mother no less, is that Nivea’s Daily Essentials Double Effect eye make up remover is just as good AND a fraction of the price at around £3.75 (and often cheaper on sale!)

You’re welcome 😘

Charlotte’s Magic Cream

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On a very hungover Tuesday (yes, Tuesday… don’t judge me, I didn’t have a good start to the week!) I went on a mini online Charlotte Tilbury splurge, buying myself 4 treats. One of which was the Magic Cream which at £70 is slightly on the pricey side, but is almost worth it for the packaging alone! Almost… The adorable box has 2 sides which pull apart to reveal a folded together box-like structure with facial massage advice & tips on it. Great gift material!

The daily moisturiser itself though claims to ‘transform dull skin’, lift complexion and intensely moisturise your skin, whilst making you look like you’ve had 8 hours sleep even if you haven’t! Is it actually magic?! I must say,  on my first application, it has plumped out some unsightly wrinkles, made my skin feel really soft and has given me a glow minus any greasy residue. My skin actually feels super hydrated, even in the heat and I love how well it has sunk into my skin so I don’t have the shiny T-zone going on. The cream itself feels lightweight and has a very light scent and it contains SPF 15 too. Highly recommended from me! Check it out… http://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/charlottes-magic-cream.html

Shu Uemura cleansing oil

I attended a talk by Caroline Hirons (http://www.carolinehirons.com) about a year ago at a Stylist event, where it became apparent that (shock horror!) I haven’t been cleansing my face properly!! Apparently, one is supposed to apply a cleansing balm or oil and then wash it off using a hot flannel…. Now, I don’t know about you but I hadn’t seen a flannel since childhood! Anyway, I thought I’d give it a go and I am now hooked on this routine. Try it!

This pic makes it look crap but Shu Uemura’s oil coats your face as you apply it and does lift off make up and dirt, with the help of the flannel. The plush smell reminds me of having a spa treatment, and because you only need a little oil each day, it lasts for ages. It doesn’t remove much of my eye make up though, so I’d recommend this purely for face cleaning and use a separate eye make up remover. I tend to favour the oil-based ones – I’ll update you on those soon as I have probably tried them all!