Lace Dress

I love a lace dress and the Embroidered Mesh dress from Asos is really lovely (£35).

I really like the double layer, with the more grey than black lace, and the frilled hem is really flattering too.

A lovely dress for any occasion.

Sunday Riley Artemis

Yes Sunday Riley strikes a winner again! I am a HUGE fan of Sunday Riley having been converted after using Luna and Juno and seeing excellent results.

In the past year my skin has changed (probably age and hormones) and I find it is needing a bit of help to stop minor breakouts. Enter Artemis (£60). Artemis is good for skin that is just a bit all over the place, helping to give balance whilst adding glow.

This smells a bit weird, lemony but weird but I will be honest I don’t care! Sunday Riley focuses on what works not what smells good and that’s why it gets results.

I used this morning and night for the first 2-3 weeks after which my skin was completely settled so I reduced it to morning or evening. It is quite a thick oil that needs a bit of massaging to absorb. After that I do not find it greasy and my makeup goes on very smoothly.

I think if you are suffering from major breakouts the new UFO range (ultra clarifying) may be better, but for confused skin that just needs a bit of calming, Artemis is your friend!

Shea Moisture: Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Gel Soufflé

Superdrug have started stocking this lovely brand called Shea Moisture. It is a family brand with lovely values:

“To make better-for-you beauty,hair and skin care products with certified organic and natural ingredients, to always be eco-friendly, cruelty-free and fair trade and to give back the goodness by supporting chartiable organizations and women in underserved communities, both globally and in our community.”

I decided to start by trying the Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Gel Soufflé (£10.99).

As you can see this has a really thick, gel-like consistency. It is very potent and a really small amount goes a very long way! Now this is for thick, curly frizzy hair like mine, I don’t think this would work at all on normal or fine hair as it is very thick.

Also the smell is quite strong but doesn’t linger, so I don’t mind that. I love that this is just full of natural ingredients :

“Coconut Oil – hydrates and protects while reducing frizz. Agave Nectar – delivers soft hold and body with a smooth after-feel. Flax Seed Oil – rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids. Flax Seed Oil promotes strength while imparting shine.”

I used this just after I washed my hair and again after it was air dry. It definitely added shine and my looks soft and mostly frizz free.

I am so impressed with this brand and having just finished my current shampoo and conditioner I am going to order the Black Castor Oil Shampoo and Conditioner to try next! Will keep you posted on those!

 

Embellishments

I do love a bit of bling, and these super cute brooches from H&M (£9.99) are just the thing. They are perfect for my denim jacket, giving it an instant uplift!

Embellishing denim jackets with iron on patches is very on trend but too permanent for my liking, so these are a great alternative.

L’Oreal Paris Clay Mask Trio

The phenomenon of multi-masking is real, and L’Oreal have well and truly jumped on the bandwagon with their latest release of three clay masks, each containing a blend of three clays -Koalin, Montmorillonite and Ghassoul, to target three common skin concerns

Purity Clay Mask with Eucalyptus works deep into the pores to purify and mattify oily, shiny skin.

Glow Clay Mask with Red Algae exfoliates the skin to illuminate dull, uneven skin tone.

Detox Clay Mask with Charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out impurities and clarify normal, congested skin.

These were on offer when they first launched for £5 each but would normally by £7.99, so well priced.

So the idea is that rather than using one mask at a time you use two or three to tackle different concerns on different parts of your face! So the Purity mask on your t-zone, the Glow mask on your cheeks and the Detox mask on your chin or forehead. I have to say I am super impressed with the idea (although I may well have been even more excited by all three in one larger pot?!). I have used them just as described and I do really enjoy that. The masks are good quality and definitely do not dry out your skin.

 

My favourite is the Purity mask as it left my skin feeling so soft. The Glow masks has apricot seeds to exfoliate, and as I am not a fan of physical exfoliants this slightly put me off but I used it gently and didn’t massage it on or off so it worked OK. The Detox mask is also good, and again isn’t drying which is a nice change for high street clay masks.

Overall I do really like these masks and enjoy mixing and matching them to my skin’s needs every time I use them. A little goes a long way so they should last well and given the price that’s quite impressive!

 

Bare Minerals Invisible Light Translucent Powder Duo

I had seen a few positive Instagram posts on this new Bare Minerals Invisible Light Translucent Powder Duo (£28) so of course I was immediately off to my nearest counter to see for myself!

The idea is that you have a matte and a luminous powder in one compact meeting all your everyday needs to reduce shine and add glow! The powders are in the “white setting powder” finish, so it suits all skin tones. It is impossible to photograph this on the skin as it is so subtle, but you can see from the palette below how fine the powders are and how muted the shades are.

I have to say I am quite impressed with the idea but less impressed with the formulation. In principle this is genius, many of us have the dilemma of an oily t-zone but still wanting that highlight on fleek! Well this should solve both, but for me it doesn’t deliver. The matte powder is not very matte, and in fact if used too heavily does leave a white cast which isn’t on fleek in any way. The glow powder is not very glowy, the finish has more blue undertones which aren’t that flattering for me but mainly just don’t give me enough glow! I was seriously hoping for an Hourglass Luminous Powder type of finish – maybe expecting too much?!

I don’t regret buying this as it works fine, its just not the sort of product that will become a desert island necessity, which to be honest it had the potential to be..

As a bonafide beauty junkie, I am happy this is in my stash, hoping Houglass will steal the concept and deliver the kick ass version soon!

 

Bare Minerals Clay Chameleon Transforming Purifying Cleanser

When I was purchasing the Bare Minerals Invisible Light Translucent Powder Duo I happened to spot their new skincare products. Two caught my eye – the Clay Chameleon Transforming Purifying Cleanser (£18) and the Skin Longevity Vital Power Infusion (£45). I got a ten day tester for the serum (so still trying that) but decided I would get the cleanser as it was so unusual! I wouldn’t normally associate clay with cleansing – more with a face mask, but I liked the idea of it.

 

So this is a “clay to cream” cleanser with Brazilian red clay (to purify) and “mineral-rich Sea Salts”. You apply this to dry skin and massage it in – I have used this to remove makeup but it does sting your eyes so beware. I find this better for your second cleanse and I tend to them leave it on for a bit like a cleaner-mask combination.

 

It smells lovely and is very soft and gentle. It is not drying at all and definitely feels like a cream cleanser should! I am really enjoying this but I don’t think I would repurchase this as it is a bit pricey for a cleanser that stings my eyes!

 

I am very intrigued by Bare Minerals as a range now and will no doubt be trying more of their products.

 

The Pyjama Top

I love this trend but couldn’t find a top that I really loved until this one from H&M £29.99. I adore the colours (yes still loving the blush pinks) and of course the tropical/palm print.

It’s a really lovely light material that drapes well. It looks great with jeans of course but I have been trying to make it work wear too by pairing it with smarter skinny trousers.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Cushion Stick

I am a huge fan of the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation ( see here) so was super excited when they launched the Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup. This is a portable on-the-go solution to refreshing your foundation! It is GENIUS and it works!

What I love about this is that you use your usual shade of the Double Wear (great news for me as I am a perfect match for 5W2 Rich Caramel), which eliminates the need to work out your shade match or whether you like the consistency, finish, lasting power etc. etc. because if you are a Double Wear (and there are millions of us) then you know what you are getting!

The clever bit is that your favourite foundation is delivered in a beautiful small tube with a perfect little sponge applicator at one end. You cimply twist gently until enough product appears and blend onto your skin, topping up any areas that have faded. This is of course perfect for those of us that go straight from work to nights out, but it is of course also great for touch ups during the day. Also perfect for flights! The sponge can be easily removed and cleaned which is of course very handy.

I LOVE this and it has been a permanent fixture of my makeup bag since I got it. I love a good bit of innovation – something that you didn’t know you needed but now that its here its an absolute must have! Only downside – it cannot be refilled. I get the reason why this is but…

Stripes and Gold

As usual Zara get it right, honestly just popped in for a quick look and ended up with this combination of stripes and gold – a winner!

Cropped Striped Flowing Trousers (£19.99) worn with the Shimmer Thread T-shirt in gold (also comes in silver) (£15.99).

The t-shirt has batwing sleeves that add something unique.