So a couple of weeks ago I was sent two lipsticks from the Clarins “Joli Rouge” range to try, along with some gorgeous natural coloured lipliners. I was super excited to try these out because I know that the quality is really good – I wore one of these lippies on my wedding day!
Joli Rouge Lipsticks
First up is this beautiful light pink colour 715 Candy Rose which as you can see is the perfect shade of pink with a light shimmer to it. I love this pink and have wore it endlessly since I got it as it’s a perfect daytime colour and it looks really lovely on.
Next is the amazingly fab 742 Jolie Rouge which is the ultimate in luxurious red lippies! I LOVED this one, apart from the fact that it’s so comfortable to wear (I’ll get to that more in a bit) it really packs a punch and I love how it looks on.
In the whole collection there are a whopping 25 shades to choose from so you are bound to find the right colour for you. These lipsticks are so easy to wear, they glide on effortlessly for quick easy application and you get maximum colour with just the one swipe. Plus they are super moisturising so feel really comfortable on and have the shiny finish of a gloss rather than a lipstick which I love. They lasted well on me, they don’t claim to be a long lasting lipstick so you do have to top up but I found myself doing that through the day anyway as they felt so nice on. Plus they smell really fruity, like berries! I always want my lip products to smell good so that’s a bonus! 🙂 Oh and I’m also loving the shiny gold packaging which makes them look really stylish in your makeup bag 😉
They are available for €22 in all Clarins outlets including larger Boots stores and although that may seem pricey, they are well worth it. As I said, I wore one of these lipsticks for my wedding and they are just perfect for that!
Lipliner Pencils
Now, while we’re here, can we also talk about these fab lipliners from the same range which are actually designed to match your own skintone rather than the actual colour of the lipstick you are wearing, how clever is that?!
It makes total sense to match your natural lip colour rather than your lipstick as you’ll get the most natural result and you can even slightly overdraw your own lipline for a fuller lip without looking like Kylie Jenner gone wrong!
There are 4 shades in total and they are designed to go with any lipstick shade you choose so you just buy the one that suits you. The formulation on these are super smooth and blendable and they don’t drag or bleed and look really natural. I totally love these and have been using them a lot on my clients with all colours of lipsticks and they’re worked brilliant. These are priced at €17.50 and again available from all Clarins outlets including larger Boots stores.
What do you think of these? Will you be trying them out? Let me know 🙂
So if you follow my Facebook page you’ll know I recently did a 9 day cleanse called Clean 9 from Forever Living. It’s basically a complete cleanse/detox that consists of:
2 one litre tubs of Aloe Gel, for cleansing your system – Aloe has a lot of health benefits as well as a rich source of nutrients, it also aids digestion so works well as a detoxifying cleanse.
1 pk Forever Lite Protein powder – I ordered the Vanilla as it’s easy to add fruit and make a smoothie to jazz it up a little
Forever Garcinia Tablets – these help the body burn fat and are a natural appetite suppressant
Forever Therm Tablets – support your weight loss by increasing your metabolism and your energy levels
Fibre Sachets – help keep you full and also keep you regular!
1 cool little shaker cup for your protein shake
1 measuring tape
Your book that explains everything and tells you what to take when as well as gives you recipes for your meals after day 2
I have to admit I was a bit skeptical of this, I’d seen the results from other people posted online and I really wondered whether it was possible to lose a large amount of weight over such a short period of time and expect it to stay off?…….
Snacks: Selected fruit & veg from your “free” list
Exercise: Min 30mins low intensity exercise (walking, swimming etc.)
On my way to Bootcamp!
So I started the first 2 days with just the above, doesn’t look very appetising does it?! Luckily, I was also allowed some food from a free list of fruit & veg including apples, strawberries, red grapes and lots of salad veggies so mid morning I had a small bit of fruit cut up in a bowl then at Dinner I had a small mixed leaf salad with onion, tomato & cucumber with a teaspoon of Balsamic Vinegar. I actually looked forward to this even though it wasn’t much but it made the 2 days a lot more bareable!
How I felt: In a nutshell – Hangry! These were the hardest days by far, I craved something tasty, I hated the Aloe Gel and I questioned whether I could actually continue! As it turned out I got through it, my Forever distributor Jenny was a great source of help and encouragement and she gave me a tip to add a tiny drop of diluted juice to the Gel to make it easier to take and that did the job nicely. I have to say though, whenever I felt hungry, I could fill up (within reason) on fruit and veg from my free list so for that reason this was more bareable than I thought.
I absolutely loved the shake, it was really tasty and I looked forward to having it! I made mine with Almond milk and it gave it a lovely taste, I also added in some strawberries, raspberries or blueberries and whizzed it up in my smoothie maker for variety and that was gorgeous and very filling.
On the second day I did a really intense exercise class and I was really surprised at the level of energy I had! I thought I’d be really low on energy and tired but no, that wasn’t the case at all, I felt fantastic!
Tip:I couldn’t wait to get started on the cleanse as soon as it was delivered to me, but I didn’t realise that it’s actually recommended that you begin taking the Aloe Gel 4 – 5 days prior to beginning, just to get used to the taste (it really does take some getting used to, there’s no denying it!) so I really wish I had done that and it may have eased me in better.
Temptation was EVERYWHERE! But I kept going 🙂
Days 3 – 9
Breakfast: 120ml Aloe Vera Gel, 2 Garcinia tablets, 1 Therm tablet, 1 scoop Forever Lite Ultra made with 300ml water or Almond/rice milk
Mid Morning: Fibre sachet dissolved in water
Lunch: 2 Garcinia tablets, 1 Therm tablet, 1 scoop Forever Lite Ultra made with 300ml water or Almond/rice milk
Dinner: 2 Garcinia tablets, 1 Therm tablet, 1 600 calorie meal – 800 cals for men
Evening: 2 Garcinia tablets
Snacks: Selected fruit & veg from your “free” list
Exercise: Min 30mins moderate intensity exercise (Jogging, Aerobics etc.)
I was super excited about day 3 because it included a full meal, yay! There were great suggestions on what to have included in the book but most days I had some salmon or a chicken breast, a side salad with olive oil & balsamic vinegar and a small portion of brown rice. At this stage, it was the nicest meal I ever tasted, no joke! 🙂
On day 4 I had a bit of a setback, my baby daughter was unexpectedly taken into hospital, nothing serious thank god, just a kidney infection but she was in for 4 days which, as you can imagine, really threw me out of my routine! I was with her most of the time so it was tough to keep going but then again, I didn’t have to think about what to have, I just had my shakes at breakfast and lunch and then bought a salad in the hospital shop for dinner. I was totally preoccupied with my poor sick baby which obviously kept my mind off food and eating. Of course, I couldn’t exercise though which was a pain. I was surprised how well I stuck to it though everything considered.
On the last day, day 9, you are allowed to have a 300 cal meal for lunch as well as your 600 cal meal so that helped to ease me back into healthy eating.
How I felt: Great! The Aloe Gel was easier to take, especially since it was just the once, in the morning, and somehow the taste wasn’t as bad. It really is one of those things you get used to after a while and the health benefits are worth it. Also I never felt hungry, the shakes were so filling and the weather was so warm, I was drinking loads of water so that helped too. A bonus of being stuck in hospital was that there were no temptations to eat anything other than what I had. I was still able to snack on some fruit so I’d have an apple mid-morning and a pear mid-afternoon to ease any hunger pangs.
My stomach felt flatter and I definitely felt trimmer and just healthier in general so it was well worth sticking to it. But more importantly…..
The Results: After the 9 days I weighed and measured myself and I had lost 8lbs and 5 inches all over which I was delighted with! I think not being able to exercise put me at a bit of a disadvantage but still just over half a stone wasn’t a bad result at all! More than the weightloss though, I felt great. My skin was clear and bright, my digestive system was in top form again – I suffer with IBS so it’s always great to do a good cleanse every now and then. Also my sugar cravings were gone, it was like pressing the reset button on my whole system which was really the result I wanted.
If you’re thinking of doing it, I would highly recommend it. Yes, it’s quite expensive as far as detoxes go and some might argue, if you eat so little. you’d still lose the weight, but I do think it’s worth it because with all the supplements you take, you are nutritionally supported through your cleanse and you don’t feel hungry or lacking in vitamins and you have tons of energy. I’ve done a juice detox before and I had absolutely zero energy doing it and just felt drained and ravenously hungry, so in comparison I’d go with the C9 every time as you get the same, if not better results and you can actually EAT!
Would Clean 9 be for you?
Well, only you can decide that, but if you want any of the following, I’d say go for it!:
You want to kickstart your weightloss
You have a wedding, holiday or special occasion that you want to look amazing for, or maybe drop a dress size
You need to lose weight quickly for medical reasons
Want to cleanse your whole system out and lose the sweet cravings
You suffer with IBS and want some relief from your symptoms
Would I do it again?
Yes, absolutely! It really wasn’t that bad at all, and the results were so worth it. I’m now one week on from it and I’ve started eating really healthy so I’ve lost a further 2lbs and still feeling good which is great! So in answer to my question above, is it too good to be true and will you just put all the weight back on? No, it seems not – once you don’t go back to old habits and you continue eating healthy. 🙂
Also I had forgotten how good the Aloe Vera is for easing the symptoms of IBS, I used to take it years ago but this stuff is so much better than what you get in the health food shop – if you read the label, that stuff is Aloe JUICE which is different all together – Forever Aloe Gel is way more concentrated and works much better on your whole digestive system.
I may keep taking the Garcinia & Therm tablets as they were really good supplements for weightloss. Also I really liked the shakes so much I would defo repurchase those, especially for mornings when I’m rushing out the door and haven’t got time for breakfast (as is the case for most busy mums!). It would be better to take this with Almond milk and some berries whizzed together than to have nothing and it’s so filling and tasty. It would be great to have before or after a workout too as it’s high in protein.
Would you try this yourself or do you think it’s too extreme? I’d love to know what you think below 🙂
Also, if you’re looking to do Clean 9 yourself and want to order it or have any questions, just drop me an email to kandigloss@gmail.com or send me a message on my Facebook page and I can point you in the right direction 🙂
I’ve been playing with these gorgeous new lippies from Bourjois ever since I got three of them to try out recently. They look like a lipgloss but act like a matte lipstick! You apply directly with the doe foot applicator which helps to give a very precise finish so you don’t need to use a lipliner if you don’t want to.
I found the finish to be creamy on first application but then it dries to a matte finish. Bourjois claims that it doesn’t transfer but I’m not sure about that! I did find that it transferred to my glass when I had a drink, however, it didn’t remove the product completely from my lips. Your lips are left with a long lasting stain which DOESN’T BUDGE! So I would definitely agree that this is a long lasting lip product that needs very little maintenance throughout the day.
The three colours I tried were, 05 Ole Flamingo which is a gorgeous fuschia pink colour. 04 Peach Club which is a really nice understated peach and 01 Personne ne Rouge which is a cherry red colour. I would say that before you apply these, it’s important that your lips are in good condition so give them a good scrub with your toothbrush and slap on some lip balm a while before applying and that’ll give you a nice smooth result 🙂
There are 8 colours in the range, so plenty to choose from. They are available from Boots & Superdrug around mid-April and will cost €12.49.
What do you think? Do you need these in your life?! I know I will be picking up more of these colours, they are absolutely gorgeous and I got so many compliments wearing them 🙂
I had to review this foundation as it really is one of my favourites both for makeup clients and for myself. This is my “going out” foundation of choice. I love so many things about it:
It feels light on the skin but gives flawless coverage and you can wear it sheered out (or mixed with a bit of moisturiser) for lighter coverage or build it up for a full coverage.
It photographs beautifully! This along with my Chanel Vitalumiere is an absolute essential in my kit for my bridal clients or for photoshoots as there is no SPF so it won’t cause flashback and make you look paler than you are.
The finish is not completely matte, it still gives a lovely sheen to the skin.
It does a fantastic job of covering skin imperfections with only minimal need for concealer and skin looks absolutely flawless.
There are 25 shades so you will be well able to find one to suit you.
It is most suited to Oily/Combination skin but if you have some dry patches, you can use it, just be sure to prep the skin well (exfoliate, moisturise and prime with a good primer such as Smashbox Photoready) If you have oilier skin, be sure to set it well with powder, and bring a compact with you for touch-ups as it can appear a little shiny across the T-Zone.
I find it’s best applied a small bit at a time with a stippling or buffing foundation brush rather than a flat one. This gives the most flawless coverage.
If you have very dry skin, I wouldn’t recommend it as it can cling to dehydrated areas. You would be better off using Chanel Vitalumiere as that is great for dry skin.
I did a wedding at the weekend and used the Makeup Forever HD foundation on the bridesmaids so I thought I’d put a pic up of them instead of me since you all must be sick looking at me lol! You can really get a good idea of how the foundation looks from this. I used the shade 127 on Miriam (below) as she was quite dark, it’s similar in colour to MAC NC30.
MUFE HD foundation in 127
Also just a note to say that before you buy a foundation, particularly a high end one like this which costs the guts of €40, make sure you get a sample and try it for a few days before you buy it as what suits one person, may not necessarily suit another 🙂
So will you be trying this out or is it already a favourite of yours? Let me know below 🙂
My foundation reviews seem to be going down well with my followers on Facebook & Twitter so here’s another one I love, Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. This is my go-to foundation for everyday wear and for a pharmacy branded foundation, it’s really good I must say. It gives a gorgeous luminosity to your skin and doesn’t make it look matte and lifeless which is what I love about it. This is the kind of coverage that I personally prefer.
It looks fab on dry skin and gives it a lovely healthy glow but I wear it on my combination skin with no problems. If you have very oily skin, you would want to set this well with powder. Because of my oily nose I usually have to powder over to set it down my T-Zone but I leave the rest of my face as it is for a glowing effect and it lasts really well.
I have literally got through bottles of this! It’s around €12 – €14 depending on where you buy it.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that Bourjois actually owns Chanel cosmetics and a lot of their makeup is pretty identical, including their foundations! Now, there are more high grade ingredients in their Chanel foundations so they are not exactly the same as such. But they are made in the same factory using the same production methods so you are still getting good high quality products! 🙂
Have you tried this foundation? What did you think?
I have been loving this foundation lately so thought I’d do a review on it. Revlon Colourstay is a full coverage liquid foundation (so quite heavy on) with a similar feel and coverage to MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid, so if you like that, this would be a good one to try.
It comes in two formulations, one for Oily/Combo skin and one for Normal/Dry skin so be sure to pick the one that suits your skintype best. What I really love about these foundations are that they come in a wide range of colours and there are great pale shades to suit Irish skintones perfectly, not something you get with all cosmetic brands, particularly the “pharmacy” brands.
Below is a before and after of me wearing the foundation, you can really see how it evens out my skintone and hides redness
This gets a big thumbs up from me but I think it is more suited to wearing at the weekend or nights out when you want a heavier coverage that lasts. Once you set this with powder, it doesn’t budge for the day. Also it’s at the higher end of the price scale for a “pharmacy brand” at €18 so you wouldn’t want to be going through too much of it! It’s available from Boots and Superdrug and Superdrug often have it on offer for much cheaper than normal so just look out for that.
Have you tried Revlon Colourstay? If not will you be giving it a go?
So as you might know, I signed up to a Beauty Blogging Challenge with All The Buzz. Last week I told you all about my Skincare Saviours (if you missed that, check it out HERE). This week, we’re talking hair and I’m sharing my Hair Heroes with you!
My hair has been through A LOT in the last couple of years. I was blonde for years until my hair got really thin and brittle and just broke away. Nothing I did made it stronger and it just never grew so I had to admit defeat, give my hair a break from the bleach and go back to my brunette roots! I did a lot to get it back into good condition and now it all seems to have paid off, so I’m going to share the hair products that I think really made a difference.
Microbead Hair Extensions:
As I said, my hair was broken and ravaged from the effects of years of bleaching it so when I heard of a new type of hair extension called Microbeads, I decided to try it out in the hope that I’d have lovely long thick locks again. The hairstylist took tiny individual bunches of hair which were glued together at the top and attached it to a small section of my own hair, securing both together with the “Microbead” which is a tiny round bead which is then clamped onto the hair with a plyers and forms a strong grip. The beads are tiny and you can barely notice them when your hair is down as they are matched to your own hair colour but if you tie your hair up, they can be quite noticeable.
I got up to 4 months each time out of mine and then I had to go back and have them replaced with new hair.
In all, I kept getting them in for 2 years and I just recently got them taken out. I was sooo scared to do this as I had really gotten used to my thicker fuller hair from the extensions but I needn’t have worried as my own hair has been growing well underneath. Although it felt a lot thinner when I got them out, it was much stronger and had grown below shoulder length so I was delighted about that and I really think the Microbead extensions were good for my own hair and protected it while it grew underneath. Unlike extensions that are bonded to your own hair with glue, Microbead Extensions are easy to take out and won’t wreck your own hair provided you look after them and follow the aftercare guide.
Kerastase Hair Treatments
These really transform your hair and I have used them a lot over the years with great results. Last time was just before my wedding when I was still blonde and my hair was really dry and damaged so I got the “Nutritive” pack which included the Shampoo, Conditioner and Intense Treatment Mask which totally revived my hair and made it stronger. You can get this from Peter Marks but I find it much cheaper to buy online so I get mine from www.gorgeousshop.co.uk and they have all types of different packs to suit all hair types.
Orifluido Hair Oil
This is hair oil that you massage into your locks when wet and then blowdry as normal. It’s similar to the Argan Oils that are everywhere at the moment. You can also use it on dry hair to smooth it and tame frizzies. I love the smell of this, it’s so nice and when you apply it, your hair doesn’t become oily or greasy at all. Plus it leaves your hair looking super shiny. Since using this my hair has been in great condition, I use it every single time I blowdry my hair. You can buy this in all good hair salons or on Feelunique.com
Home Treatment: Bay Rum and Olive Oil
If you have very thin hair that won’t grow, this is the home treatment for you. My mother has always sworn by this little concoction and often used it on my hair as a child to thicken it and help it grow long. I also used it after having my daughter when tons of my hair fell out! It really helped it grow back thick & strong. Bay Rum is actually a hair tonic for men with thinning hair that can be bought at pharmacies like Boots, some men also use it as a cologne as it has a very masculine “aftershave” type smell but don’t let that put you off. The kind of Olive Oil you need here is not the one you get in the Supermarket for cooking with, but the Pharmacy brand. You lightly heat the Olive Oil and mix equal parts of that and the Bay Rum together and apply to your hair, particularly your scalp, before bed and then wash the next morning as normal. For extra hair growth/thickness you can pop the Bay Rum into a spray bottle and apply to your roots before bedtime most night. It will dry normally and really help accelerate hair growth.
Schwarzkopf OSIS Dust It Mattifying Powder
A styling product I really swear by to give great volume to your hair and give it a “big hair” look is this fab texturizing powder from Schwarzkopf. You just tap it into the roots of your hair and it gives a backcombed effect that’s great for getting height at the crown or giving texture and volume if you want to attempt your own updo. It does make your hair feel slightly knotted and matted but your hair won’t budge and you can easily wash it out and it doesn’t leave tangles. You can buy this from Salons or Salon service type stores and it’s fantastic stuff all together!
Hask Keratin Protein Shampoo, Conditioner & Treatment
Ok, so some of the products I’ve mentioned above are quite expensive and not everyone has money to spend on this stuff, so if you’d rather save your money, get yourself down to Penneys and pick up these fantastic Shampoo and Conditioners from Hask which nourish your hair and leave it soft and shiny. Plus they are only €2 a bottle! They also have little vials and packs of deep conditioners available and their version of Argan Oil is fantastic and cheap as chips. I always stock up on these.
If you are on Twitter or Facebook and looking to check out the other bloggers participating to see what favourites they have, just search the hashtag #BOBBlogChallenge
Will you be trying any of these? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂
So you may have heard of American makeup brand Wet n Wild? Black Eyed Peas singer, Fergie is their poster girl and they are HUGE in The States, known as one of the leading “Drugstore” brands. All for good reason too, the makeup is brilliant quality and are extremely low priced. Wet n Wild are now branching out and have chosen us lucky Irish girls to be next to buy their fab products! That’s even before the UK get a look in, how fab is that?!
I attended their Irish launch recently and really enjoyed trying out all the products on show and chatting to the Makeup Artists who were there on the night to showcase the brand and demonstrate some amazing looks. We were also treated to some fab cupcakes and Cakepops by Monaco Cupcakes which were only delish!
I was also very kindly given some makeup to try for myself (They were given to me in a Wet n Wild bag which I carried home on the Luas and I got some strange looks I can tell you, the name is a bit cringe in all fairness!) and I also bought a few additional bits which I couldn’t wait to try and review for you 🙂
Coverall Cream Foundation
This cream foundation goes on like a dream! It gives a medium to full coverage with a satin-matte finish and is really long lasting. Cream foundation is fantastic on mature or dry skin but this worked well on my oily/combo skin also and made my skin look really dewy and glowing. It seemed to even out imperfections and I got lots of compliments on my makeup when I wore it. The only things I disliked about this was the smell which isn’t great and the shade range which doesn’t really cover us pale Irish girls, the colour I got was in Light/Medium but I can only really wear it if I’ve been fake tanning. Still, it’s well worth the €4.49 cost and I would highly recommend it.
ColorIcon Bronzer
This was a lovely matte bronzer and looked very natural on and not too orange looking. Lovely for contouring the face or warming up the neck/chest area.
MegaGlo Illuminating Powder
I love this powder illuminater which can be swirled together and swept over the high points of your face for a lovely glow to your skin or the individual colours can be used as a highlighter or eyeshadow. Very versatile product and comes in plenty of different colours.
Eyeshadow Palette
There are numerous Eyeshadow Palettes to choose from and in a wide range of complimentary colours with the instructions printed on the individual pans so even if you’re not a makeup expert, you really can’t go wrong. I tried this one out in the colour “The Naked Truth” and was very impressed with the colour payoff, buttery texture and blendability of the product. I also loved how there were matte shades included in each palette also. They are never going to compare to your MAC’s and Urban Decay’s but they are pretty damn good I have to say. With the price starting €2.49 for a single shadow to a bargaintastic €6.49 for an 8 pan palette you can well afford to pick up a few of these.
XXL Lash Mascara
I wasn’t impressed with this mascara to be honest. It didn’t give me the volume I expected, it did an okay job but didn’t give the “thickened amplified” lashes it claimed.
H2O Proof Liquid Liner
I had heard great things about this liquid liner but it didn’t quite make the cut for me, mainly due to the applicator which was one of those nib types rather than a thin brush which would have been better. I found it impossible to apply and you can see in the pic of the look I did below, I couldn’t get it on evenly at all! Also it seemed to go everywhere it shouldn’t I had to clean up a lot more than I normally would have. Having said that, this stuff didn’t budge! My eyes were watering quite a bit that day which would usually mean goodbye to my perfectly drawn flick but not this time, it stayed perfectly, so it definitely is H2O proof! If I was trying this again, I would probably tip the liquid out onto a palette and use my own brush to apply and I’m sure it would work better that way.
Megalast Lipcolour & Megaslicks Lipstain
Left: Megalast Lipcolour in Mauve Outta Here Right: Megaslicks Lipstain in Rico Mauve
I love both of these lipcolours, they are really fantastic. The Megalast Lipcolours come in a wide range of colours and are great dupes for some more expensive lipsticks and they are really last a long time after applying. I love this colour (left) which is a beautiful mauvey pink and feels really good on too and they only cost €2.99 so pick up as many as possible!
The Megaslicks Lipstain is a similar pinky colour and girls, this doesn’t BUDGE! Long after you think it’s worn off your lips, you’re left with a subtle stain of colour which lasts for most of the day so I am loving these. Again they come in a wide range of colours and cost less than €3 which is a serious bargain.
Here is a look I did with all of the above which will give you an idea of how the makeup looks on, note the messy liner which has transferred all over the place!
Wet n Wild is available from larger Dunnes Stores and range from €1.49 to €6.49 so you can well afford to slip some of these fab products in your weekly shop!
Below pic of myself and the lovely Sam from All The Buzz blog practicing our best Duckfaces in the photobooth that was at the Wet n Wild launch, we got great craic out of it 🙂
So what do you think? Will you be picking up some of these?
So I recently signed up to a “Best of Beauty Blog Challenge” with the lovely Samantha from All The Buzz blog. All the bloggers participating got a range of fantastic topics which we will cover every week for the next 8 weeks with topics such as “Hair Heros” or “Makeup Must-haves”. So I’ll basically be sharing my fave products with you all every week. I’m really looking forward to it 🙂
This weeks topic is “Skincare Saviors” and to be honest, it’s one I could go on and on (and on!) about because I have lots of favourites when it comes to skincare products that really transform my skin but I have managed to whittle them down to my absolute all time faves and here they are:
1. Elizabeth Arden 8 hour Cream
I am never without this fantastic product, I have a tube of it everywhere I go – in my bag, in work, beside my bed, in my makeup kit for my makeup clients. It’s just a wonder product that really saves your skin, particularly in the winter. It has so many uses but here’s what I like to use it for:
As a moisturising lipbalm – just slather on and it will really nourish dry flaky lips. Also use this on your lips and then blot off before applying a dark or very matte lipstick and it will just glide on
As a nail/cuticle nourisher – you just have to massage a tiny bit into the base of each nail and it will help your nails grow strong and take away and hard skin around the nails
On any dry patches on your skin, just rub some of this on regularly, especially on knees and elbows, and you will be smooth and free from hard dry skin.
If your baby has dry skin or cradle cap, pop a bit of this on and it’ll really help clear it up and moisturise the area. Plus it’s fragrance free so won’t irritate.
Dab a tiny bit through your eyebrows (or use on a clean mascara wand) to groom them and give them a healthy natural look
This is a beautiful skin cleanser that feels so gentle and nourishing on your skin and I love using it in the winter-time. It removes every trace of my makeup, including eye makeup and I find that using the Clarins suction method of removal really works and helps take away all the grime your face might collect during the course of the day (not just makeup!) You basically rub the lotion together in your hands, apply to your face and cup your hands over your face and quickly remove them in a “suction” action then remove with damp cotton wool and there you go, clean skin!
3. Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic
I’ve spoken about this gorgeous skin toner on the blog before, I really am in love with it. It’s alcohol free and removes all the last traces of grime from your skin without drying it out and gets it really clean. Fantastic product.
4. Bia Beauty – Moisturiser
Again for winter skin, you can’t beat this moisturiser from natural Irish skincare company Bia Beauty. It’s super nourishing and really feels like it’s protecting your skin. Plus I love the size of the jar – 100mls – which means it lasts ages.
5. Yonka Gommge Exfoliator
Again, if you’re a regular reader here, you will know this is my “wonder product”. I just love what this does to my skin, it exfoliates using AHA’s to gently strip your skin of dead skin cells and other impurities without drying it out. It renews your skin and gives you a fresh smooth base for your moisturiser or serum to really sink in and do it’s work. Plus you look more radiant and have a perfect base for makeup, what’s not to love there?!
6. Body Shop Shea Butter Bodybutter
I love a good body butter and The Body Shop is ahead of the pack when it comes to the range and quality of nourishing body butters it has. They come in all colours and fragrances but my fave by far is the Shea Butter one. It really moisturises your skin with goodness and helps prevent it from drying out. If you use this after exfoliating your body (it does have a matching exfoliator) your skin will be so smooth, soft and amazingly well moistursed. Plus you’ll smell gorgeous 🙂
So there you have it, my Skincare Saviours. These are more geared towards nourishing your skin in winter but can be used all year round too. If you are on Twitter and looking to check out the other bloggers participating to see what favourites they have, just search the hashtag #BOBBlogChallenge
Also don’t forget to check out Samantha’s blog over at All The Buzz, it really is a great read and she covers all manner of topics, not just beauty & makeup so have a look 🙂
Which products are your skincare saviours that you absolutely cannot live without? Let me know in the comments below and see you next week for more 🙂
Hey everyone, sorry I haven’t posted as much as I’d like to have done on here lately, I’ve had a lot on, not least being kept busy trying to organise my daughter to prepare for her Leaving Cert exams as well as College applications. It’s all very stressful – more for me than her, that’s not right is it?!
Anyway, I thought I’d start reviewing more foundations for you, since I have a ton of them in my kit and I know what a pain it can be to find the right one! Up for scrutiny today is L’oreal’s Nude Magique – Eau de Teint Foundation.
L’oreal Eau de Teint
It comes in a small bottle and you just pour out the required amount and apply with your fingers. It’s quite liquidy and runny as you can see from the pic below. You have to give the bottle a good shake before you pour it out too.
However, it does provide amazingly good coverage for such a lightweight liquid product, I applied a second layer to my skin though which I’d advise if you want to build up more coverage. It dries to a powdery finish and doesn’t appear super shiny like I expected it to!
Left: Before Right:After
If you like the natural look and feel of a tinted moisturiser but need a smidgen more coverage, then this is a great foundation for you. It lasted well and I would use this if I was in a hurry or had to run out to the shops or go exercising or something and didn’t want to bother with the whole palaver of applying a thicker foundation, concealer, powder etc. You can also use it as a base for powder foundations, it would work very well for that actually and give it something to “cling” to.
The only thing I disliked about this was the bottle. There’s no pump on it! What the hell L’oreal?? One false move and this is going EVERYWHERE! Also, you really have to be careful pouring it onto your hand (which I’d recommend as opposed to your fingers so you can work in more product) cos it kind of… dribbles down if you don’t scoop it up quickly! Using a sponge is not great either since it’s so liquidy that the sponge just soaks all the product up.
This is available from all large pharmacies and supermarkets and is around €13 so good value. I’d definitely recommend this for your light “no makeup” days or for someone with good skin who just wants to even out their skintone.
Kandigloss Blog 