*AD-GIFT (This post contains gifted/PR items)
As I briefly touched on in my previous post where I discussed my goals six months on, and when July rolls around it always feel like a mid way point to reflect on goals, plans etc. Now, although my blog is slowly moving away from beauty and more into the lifestyle category, I still enjoy sharing with you beauty related products that I have been enjoying and I thought what more of a perfect time than to share my mid year beauty favourites with you!
Continue reading to hear about my mid year beauty favourites…
It’s been quite some time since I shared a beauty favourites style post, mainly because they’re aren’t really my cup of tea anymore. So much so, I have privatised all of my old monthly favourite posts purely because they don’t represent the type of content I want to create anymore. Without sounding negative, I always found them to be my least favourite posts to pull together as they were very forced and not being funny, who buys enough new products to feature new favourites each month?! This is why i’m totally down to do a mid year and end of year beauty favourites, as it’s more ‘real’ for me to produce and put out.
Makeup
Over this last month I have actually treated myself to a few new products, as I typically use the same products and repurchase them when they run out as I have found what products work for me. Having said that, I have wanted to try out a more lightweight but still good coverage foundation for a while, because wearing double wear day in day out was just getting slightly ridiculous. Around a month ago I picked up the Revlon Candid Foundation (£9.99), which is described as a buildable medium coverage foundation. As there is currently no testers out in shops I kind of had to guess when it came to what shade to pick up, and I did try to pick up a shade for when I am more tanned, but still I came home with a pretty pale shade doh! That aside, I have loved using this foundation over the last few weeks. The coverage is just as good as double wear, but I do find it to feel so much lighter on my face throughout the day and although it doesn’t last as well as double wear, for an everyday foundation it does the job of what I essentially wanted out of this product.
Also from Revlon, I picked up the Revlon Skin Lights Face Glow Illuminator (£9.99). When I first saw this, it kind of made me think of that CTilbury product everyone is raving about, but not being funny I am never going to pay the price tag for something that I currently cannot test out, so this was almost like the next best thing! As the name suggests, this is an illuminator that you apply before or mix with your foundation to give your skin that dewy glow, and my god does it do that! I’ve been using this for around a month now on a daily basis and it just makes my foundation look amazing on my skin. It also stops my foundation from drying into my face. Not even sure how, but if you find your foundation makes your skin look extra dull/dry, then you need to try this!
The final makeup item for my mid year beauty favourites of course has to be the Too Faced Gingerbread Eyeshadow Palette (£37.50). Unfortunately this was a limited edition Christmas palette, so it’s not the easiest of products to get hold of, but if you can you honestly won’t be disappointed. I have a few Too Faced palettes and I personally love them. The quality of the eyeshadows are incredible and the pigmentation is as equally incredible. I’ve been loving using both this palette and their Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette (£39) together, mixing the shades to create some pretty yet different eye looks!
Skincare
As you will know if you’re an avid reader of my blog that skincare has become my latest beauty obsession. I’ve shared many reviews and skincare related posts through lockdown, purely because my skincare routine was the only solid routine I stuck to through lockdown. Now, the skincare products that I use chop and change weekly, as my skin concerns change all the time but I thought it wouldn’t be right to not share a few firm favourites within this post, even if I do reach for more than just these products. For cleanser, my current cleanser of choice is the Soap & Glory The Fab Pore Foam Cleanser* (£8), which I’m sure I have spoken about before as it’s great for when your skin is kind of one when it comes to breakouts. Currently my skin is actually in really good condition considering I am now back to work, wearing makeup on a daily and facing more potential stress factors than I was during lockdown, but having said that I have noticed a bit of black heads/congestion on my chin region. I find using a normal cleanser, essentially whatever I fancy on the day and then following up with this and using my facial cleansing brush to properly buff into the skin to be the best combo at the moment for tackling my never ending hormonal breakouts.
Another product that has been a saviour for my skin and blemishes is The Ordinary Peeling Solution (£6.30). I have spoken about this a few times, so I won’t babble on for too long, but it is just an amazing acid solution that just zaps away at your pores and clears spots, blemishes, congestion etc like no other product I have tried. I use this around once a week, applying to the areas of my face that need it, leaving it on for ten minutes (no longer!!) and giving my face a good wash to ensure all the product is removed. I then usually apply a slightly thicker moisturiser to stop any potential dryness overnight and I also ensure that I wear SPF for a few days following. Honestly this product is amazing! Hands down my number one skincare product of this year!
The last skincare product that I wanted to give another little mention to is the Jurlique Moisture Plus Rose Gel Cream* (£35). I did an entire blog post dedicated to this skincare range for hydrated glowy skin, so I won’t go too much into detail again here, but this moisturiser has been such a lovely product to add into my daily skincare routine. The rare rose within this products formula is amazing for sensitive skin, or skin prone to redness as it really helps to calm and soothe any areas of irritation. I typically use this in rotation with another gel based moisturiser, as the gel formula to this is lovely and sinks into your skin pretty much instantly. If like me you don’t leave a lot of time to get ready of a morning, this mosituriser is fab because it doesn’t slow down your rushed morning routine.
Fragrance
The final product category that I couldn’t not mention is of course fragrance, as we all know I love a good perfume or two. Through lockdown I haven’t really been wearing a lot of fragrance, purely because I haven’t left the house all that much and I do like to save my perfumes for more special occasions. Having said that, on the times where I have been out and about, and since going back to work I have been loving wearing fragrance, whilst also discovering new fragrances through Scentful and their fragrance subscription. Scentful* are a fairly new uk designer fragrance subscription service, who essentially send you a couple of travel size bottles of well know designer fragrances for you to try, and to hopefully help you to discover your next favourite fragrance!
The two fragrances that I have been loving wearing are the D&G 3 L’imperatrice Eau de Toilette and also the Emporio Armani Diamonds Eau de Parfum, both of which I don’t think I have tried before but I have really enjoyed trying out both of these fragrances over the last couple of weeks. What is amazing about fragrance subscriptions, is that you can easily pop the fragrances in your handbag and top up your fragrance throughout the day, rather than carrying a bulky perfume bottle that could easily smash! If you’re like me, or you know someone who loves fragrance like I do, this would make a lovely birthday present or monthly treat to yourself and it only costs from £10.95 per month, with a variety of different subscription lengths etc. to suit you, and your budget!
What products have you discovered and loved so far this year?
