Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter

I have always loved Charlotte Tilbury’s makeup and skincare and have written numerous posts about them (see here, here, here, here, here, here !!!). This time it was the much hyped Hollywood Flawless Filter (£30) – a sheer highlighter/skin tint/light foundation multi use product! I went for shade 6 based on the recommendation on her website. It was the perfect match. This is a very very interesting product. At first you may not understand the purpose or what it is doing for you. Believe me in time, you will and then you will wonder how you ever did your makeup without it! Ok a bit dramatic but true!

It is a very light fluid that comes in a lovely glass bottle with a large doe foot applicator. This is actually a really effective way of dispensing the right amount exactly where you want it. I use it most as a highlighter (without shimmer or glitter) on my cheekbones.. I dot this under my eyes and blend with my fingers and the result is a glowing highlighted awake appearance. I also use this as a base on my minimal makeup days. I am planning on taking this on holiday when I hope that after I have had a bit of sun, this will just add the right amount of glow without needing to wear much else. Yes Charlotte Tilbury is pricey but I find always worth it. I am obsessed with this and would definitely repurchase.

I Heart Revolution Bronzer

My daughter bought me a bronzer/blusher that I am obsessed with for my birthday from a brand called I Heart Revolution. Its called Summer of Love and it’s a triple baked bronzer (£4.99). I sadly dropped it so it broke but that hasn’t stopped me from loving this!

As you can see it is a lovely mix of bronze tones, shot with coral and best of all gold! For my skin tone it is the perfect summer glowy bronzing blusher! I cannot tell you how much I love this – is very heavily pigmented and really does give my skin a beautiful glow. I have also used this on my eyes, on my lips, on the bridge of my nose, décolletage..everywhere! They do a range of blushers and bronzers which I would recommend checking out – such good value for money and great quality!

 

 

 

 

Shimmering Khaki Green Eyeshadow Stick @ H&M

I have long been a fan of H&M Beauty (see here) and this Eyeshadow Pencil in Treasure Hunt (£3.99) is another amazing addition to my collection.

This is a creamy long lasting eye pencil  in a gorgeous shimmery golden khaki green (very similar to Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Jungle).

It is very flattering and so easy to apply and lasts all day. Love this!

Hourglass Strobe Lighting Powder in Brilliant

As you may have worked out Hourglass is fast becoming a favourite makeup brand! This gorgeous Strobe Lighting Powder in Brilliant is just another amazing product (£34).

Brilliant is a golden powder that just leaves my skin looking glowing and illuminated. It is very fine and so goes on so smoothly and can be built up for more impact or subtly if needed.

I love this new addition to my Hourglass collection!

 

 

Brush Cleansing Palette

I really wanted a brush cleansing glove but they are so expensive (about £30) I decided too get the Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette (£12.99) and I am so impressed! I hate washing my brushes but this just makes it so easy and almost fun!

One side has all these different sized nodules to clean your brushes and the other side is a strap to keep it in place while you are washing your brushes.

So I generally lather up my brushes using a gentle cleanser (I am using a Dr Bronner cleanser here). I then swish the brush on the palette a few times until the bubbles are clean and clear. Then I rinse them off (always making sure the brush is facing down so water doesn’t run up into the handle).

I then lay them on a towel to dry usually slightly elevated again to stop water entering the handle which can ruin the brush.

 

 

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!

 

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…

Becca x Jacklyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette

I was so proud of myself for resisting the Becca x Jacklyn Hill collaboration, telling myself I had more than enough highlighters. Then I saw a tweet from Space NK saying the Champagne  Collection Face Palette was back in stock (limited stock!), and suddenly I was running down to the Winchester Space NK (the best new shop in Winchester!).

There it was on the till all ready for me to part with £48, which I promptly did! To be fair, it is the best value of the whole range so far as you get two full size highlighters and three fairly large blushers. The highlighters on their own are £32 and the highlighter blush duos are also £32, so £48 really is good value!!

The palette is beautifully packaged, all creamy white and golden bubbles..sigh. Inside is a huge mirror (thank you!) which makes this so easy to use and take with you as your main on the go mirror. It is large but not too big for travel or for your (my) day to day makeup bag.

So inside there are two highlighters, the very famous Champagne Pop and the new(ish) Prosecco Pop, my top two drinks of choice too!!
Champagne Pop has already been reviewed to death – warm peachy pink glow, super intense, liquid metal like. Prosecco Pop is more of a intense gold and a slightly cooler tone, still gorgeous. If I had to choose it would be Champagne Pop for my skin tone, as it gives me a lovely glow that actually isn’t too crazy! Both are very finely milled and easy to apply and last really well.

The blushers are also stunning. There are three Rose Spritz, Amaretto and Pamplemousse. Rose Spritz is the most shimmery of the three – a soft pink that looks more subtle when applied than what you expect. Amaretto is a lovely matte pink brown, very flattering and perfect for everyday. My favourite is Pamplemousse, it looks like quite a intense a hot pink that shouldn’t work, but on my skin it is a lovely flush of pink that gives me that healthy, post exercise glow!

I am super impressed with this palette, even more so as every shade suits my skin which I wasn’t expecting.  Below I am wearing Champagne Pop and Pamplemousse.

In the picture below I am wearing Amaretto and Prosecco Pop

I have taken this with me on holiday as my only blush/highlighter and never felt like I should have brought something else.

If you can get hold of this do, it is worth it!

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo

Ever since Space NK opened in Winchester, my bank balance has been suffering! I love that place so much and am always in there “browsing”. One of those times, I stumbled upon the Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo (£24). Hourglass is just such a gorgeous makeup brand I keep coming back for more (see here , here and here)!

The first thing that drew me in was the packaging – it is divine, so sleek and chic!

The colours are all nude as the name suggests and most are too light for my skin tone but Nude #5 a shimmering golden peach, worked perfectly for me layered over other lipsticks to add a lovely shimmer. This is the “only shade with soft luminosity which adds a warm golden hue”.

I am really pleased I got this and have used this non-stop, especially on holiday. Another winner from Hourglass!

 

Dior Glow Maximiser & Lip Maximiser

Two classics from Dior. The (I heard) soon to be discontinued Glow Maximiser (£29) and the Lip Maximiser (£23.50)

The Glow Maximiser is a radiance boosting primer. You can use this under your makeup or mixed with your foundation or as I have done layered over to highlight the face.

This is a really gorgeous product that leave my skin glowing in the right way!

The Lip Maximiser is a gloss that adds volume and shine to your lips. It has a slight tingly sensation at first and it just leaves lips looking smooth and plump. I love this on its own as above or layered under or over lipsticks.

Both are worth the money and definitely worth a try!