December favourites

December has been an odd month beauty wise. I've been so wrapped up with Christmas (no pun intended) that I've hardly found the time to try and test new products. Therefore this months favourites are a little on the slim side.

Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser

Boring this product may be, but every beauty addict needs a brush cleanser in their life. I love how easy this product is to use - just spritz a little on your brush and wipe with kitchen roll to clean. 

I like to clean my everyday brushes at least once a week and then give them a deep, thorough clean with Johnsons Baby Shampoo once a month. Clinique's Makeup Brush Cleanser is great at acting as an interim cleaner but there's nothing more satisfying than thoroughly clean brushes.

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss

I blogged about this product back in September and have been loving it ever since - a fantastic product that accompanied many winter looks throughout December. It's a fantastic lipgloss that stays put much longer than any other I have tried and the colour is just perfect too. You can read the full review here.

You can purchase Clinique Make Brush Cleanser (£13/200ml) from all Clinique in store counters and bareMinerals' Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss (£16) from most bareMinerals in store counters. 

Lastly, just a little update - in November I blogged about the Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance Gel Soapless Cleanser. Since using the cleanser I discovered that I was developing copious amounts of zits that were appearing all over my hairline, chin, forehead and neck. When one lot cleared up, another two, three, four would appear. I actually ended up heading to the doctors and being prescribed an acne lotion but this only acted as an interim solution until the next ones appeared. I stopped using the cleanser over Christmas and low and behold my 'acne' cleared up. As much as I loved the idea of the product, it really didn't agree with my skin type. So I am on the lookout for an alternative. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Four years blogging: My top ten

(Image credit)

I can't believe that I have been blogging for nearly four years!

I first started this blog back in 2010. It was my way of expressing how I felt about beauty products aimed at women my own age. At the time I was writing for a national magazine aimed at women over sixty and although I had access to the latest beauty products, I never had the opportunity to write about them and express my own personal opinion, that was until I set up this blog.

You may be thinking, four years is a long time and you don’t have many followers, well I never started this blog to have ‘followers’. I enjoyed writing for me and although it was great to see that my posts were being read, I never actively promoted it.

So as a celebration of four years, I decided to give you a run down of my favourite top ten posts that I have written over the years:

1: Bare Minerals Prime Time Brightening Primer

Reading back over my early blog posts, I often wrote in non-biased way – I tried not to give too much of an opinion, which as a blogger is key. But I put this down to my journalistic background. However, I have chosen this post because this is where my love for Bare Minerals began and I was totally won over by their fantastic products that I still use them today.

2: Bad beauty habits

I chose to put this in my top ten because it was a really different blog post for me. I often don’t like to write about myself but I actually really enjoyed it in the end. It was interesting to see that I had quite a few bad beauty habits and I loved being able to share them with you all.

3: Garnier 2-in-1 Pure Active Spot Roll-On

The Garnier 2-in-1 Pure Active Spot Roll-On is an odd blog post for me to pick. When I look back over the post, I really dislike it. The images are dreadful and I don’t really delve into too much detail. However, this is my second most read post on my blog so I felt that it deserved a place in my top ten.

4: Bare Minerals Skincare

Again, my love for Bare Minerals grows and they really smashed it out of the park with their first skincare range. I absolutely loved reviewing these products and I actually went on to re-purchase the Pure Transformation Night Treatment.

5: What’s in my handbag

My very first ‘what’s in my...’ and still one of my favourite type of posts to write. I love looking at what other bloggers store in their handbags – it makes me realise that I’m not the only person who carries a lot of crap around with them!

6: My holiday saviour

This post was named ‘My holiday saviour’ because it actually was! I’m quite fair-skinned and can burn quite easily, especially on delicate areas like my nose and ears, so this product came in super handy on a previous trip to Egypt. I still have this product and won’t go anywhere in summer without it.

7: Nail decals

This was a really exciting blog post to write because it was a slight challenge getting the decals to work. If I remember right, it took me quite a few goes to finally get them spot on, and I was so impressed with the outcome. In fact, it has spurred me on to try them again!

8: The Mascara Monologues: An introduction

The Mascara Monologues was an idea that stemmed back when I was writing for living. After speaking to the girls I was working with at the time, we all agreed that we had never come across a mascara that we truly loved. So as a sub-section to the blog, The Mascara Monologues was born.

9: No More White Bits

This is an odd choice to place in my top ten, but the reason is because is that it is actually my most read post to date. Every month I get hit upon hit and I’m never sure why. Maybe a lot of people Google ‘no more white bits’, who knows, but this one is actually about a fake tan brand.

10: The best beauty products for blemishes

I chose to include this post in my top ten because it is includes one of my favourite images that I have ever taken. My lovely boyfriend bought me a new camera for Christmas and I couldn’t wait to give it go and show off the new images on my blog!

I would love to see your top ten posts, leave your links below!

The Mascara Monologues: Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara

So, February’s Glossybox arrived and out jumped this beaut – Maybelline’s Big Eyes Mascara. A mascara that comes with two brushes in one – one for your upper lashes and another for lower lashes.

Upper lash wand 

Lower lash wand

 

Back when I was working as a beauty writer I remember Clinique launching their lower lash mascara and although it wasn’t a massive hit, I remember thinking what a brilliant idea. It seems a shame that this one followed in its footsteps.

Maybelline mascara’s are usually pretty good, most of which live up to their claims, so it seems such a shame that this one left me slightly disappointed. Claiming to push up upper lashes for a wide, volumised effect and magnify lower lashes, I was so gutted that I found it really hard to work with. Don’t get me wrong, the upper lash wand is great but what it really lacks power in, is the amount of product it uses. It barely applies any and three coats later, I was just about fine. The biggest downfall was the lower lash wand. I struggled to apply product to the lashes because it felt like it was just gliding over them rather than actually applying. The ability for it to have a lasting effect is also its downfall. By the end of the day, I might as well of not been wearing any. A shame when I had super high hopes.

Don’t get me wrong, despite my review I will not give up on Maybelline mascara. Other versions have been fantastic – in fact Maybelline Great Lash Mascara was my go-to mascara for years. Needless to say you can buy Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara from most drug stores £8.99/9ml.

Have you tried Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara? How did you find it? Can you recommend any others that are similar?

What's in my make-up bag 2012

Back in 2011, my make-up bag looked like this. Considering we're three months away from 2013, I thought I was due another one and to see how much my make-up routine has changed - apparently not so much. I guess I'm a creature of habit.

First of all my make-up bag is Cath Kidston and was bought as a Christmas gift from my beautiful Sister. It's a lot smaller than the last one I had, so I've had to cut down on a few products, leaving room for just the essentials.

L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream (Light Skin Tone) - My current make-up essential, you won't see me go a day without this product. To read my full review of this product, click here.

L'Oreal True Match Touché Magique Concealer - I have never, ever found an under eye concealer that works so well with my skin tone and hides those pesky dark circles as good as this one. It's a fantastic product and almost a cheaper version of the Yves Saint Laurent's Touché Éclat. Price, £7.19 from Boots.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-in-One BB Cream (Light) - I bought this quite a while back, back when I wanted to try a BB cream that wasn't going to cost me the earth. I loved this as a starter product, but wanted a BB cream that did a little bit more. I still keep this one in my make-up bag for days when I don't feel like wearing too much make-up. Available from Boots at £7.49.

Powder FX (E40) - I was given this at a press show around about a year ago and unfortunately I haven't kept any details on the brand. For the last year I have sworn by bareMinerals, but after running out and realising I had no other foundation, I fell towards this. The lovely gentleman who I spoke to at the time, matched my skin perfectly, which I guess is why I haven't stopped using it. The only problem is it doesn't last that long and by midday, it's worn off. But the consistency is lovely and feels ever so light on the skin.

Benefit 'that gal' Brightening Face Primer - I received this as a sample from a magazine. It smells amazing and feels really light and as a primer itself, I think it's okay. I haven't really used it enough to get a full grasp on it yet. Full sized product cost £21.50.

bareMinerals Prime Time Brightening Pearl Eyelid Primer - I haven't yet used an eyelid primer that trumps this one, but if you have any to rival, let me know. It helps make your eyeshadow pop and won't budge at all. To read my full review, click here. Price, £16 for 3ml.

Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Eyeliner (black) - I believe that every woman should own a liquid eyeliner. It's an essential product for creating a completely different look in one sweep. The great thing about this eyeliner is the size of the wand - it's quite long, as is the brush, which makes application really easy and seamless. A must have product of mine that I have been buying for years. Price £5.29.

Bourjois Eyeliner Pencil (black) - I think this product has been discontinued because I can't seem to find it anywhere. But needless to say, it's pretty much a standard eyeliner pencil. Stays put for most of the day, but tends to bleed under your eyes. Price is unknown.

L'Oreal Volume Million Mascara - I don't often buy a mascara more than once, but this one has been an exception to the rule. In fact, I think I have bought this twice over. What I love about this mascara is the wand and how well it coats all of your lashes.

Barry M Nail Polish (shade NP318) - One of my favourite Barry M nail polish shades, slightly too bright and summery for the Autumn months, so I will be swapping this with a darker navy or deep red shade instead. Price, £2.99 from Boots.

Clinique Instant Life for Brows (soft brown) - Quite possibly one of the best eyebrow crayons I have used, it's really subtle and easy to apply. The highlighter on the other end of the crayon gives a great lift to the brow bone too. Available in three colours, soft blonde, soft brown and deep brown, and available from Clinique for £15.

Benefit Posy Tint - This was a mini sample from a magazine, that I'm still trying to scrape the remnants from. It's a great little product and add a slight pink tone to your cheeks. This is a lip tint too. Price for the original size is £24.50.

Tools

(Unknown brand) eyelash curlers - A must-have for any girls make-up bag. I don't go a day without using these!

Vie at Home Double-Ended Eyeshadow Brush - Unsure of price

bareMinerals Wet/Dry Shadow Brush - £13 from bareMinerals

bareMinerals Flawless Application Face Brush - £19 from bareMinerals

Please link me to your make-up bag posts - I love having a good nosey!

My holiday saviour...

I'd like to think I'm quite savvy when it comes to sun protection, but with fair skin like mine I'm prone to burning on commonly forgotten areas like my head, ears and feet. This year I decided to protect my skin as much as possible and take this tiny, but powerful product away with me.

The Clinique SPF35 Targeted Protection Stick is a clear, sun protection balm that helps protect against UVA and UVB rays. Because it's so small, it's perfect for using on key areas like your ears, nose and feet and has super long-lasting stay - I only applied twice a day.

What I loved about it the most was that it's perfectly safe to use on your lips, an area of the body I almost always forget to protect and one of the most sensitive areas too. It is a little on the expensive side (£15.50) for a product that looks quite small, but I promise you it will last you a lifetime. A truly underestimated product that's an essential for any summer beauty bag.

Clinique summer...

Summer is slowly coming around and ever since we had that sudden heat wave, I've started to store away all my winter make-up and replace it with some lighter, summer alternatives.

You're probably wondering what this has to do with Clinique? But in April they launched their limited edition summer trend which contains a selection of holiday essentials in a cute vibrant bag. Inside the bag comes The Chubby Stick, Limited Edition Almost Bronzer SPF 15, Lash Power Mascara and SPF 35 Targeted Protection Stick.


The Limited Edition Bronzer SPF 15 comes with two separate bronzer shades, one lighter and one slightly darker for a slightly matte, sun-kissed glow. Some bronzers put me off slightly because they contain too much shimmer, which leaves you looking too sparkly in the sunshine. This one has a subtle shimmer in the darker shade, but this barely shows on your skin and gives a perfect matte finish.

For smudge, flake and smear-proof mascara, the Lash Power Mascara Long-Wearing Formula could be right up your street. According to Clinique it comes with a 24 hour water resistant formula and uses an advanced thermal technology to resist humidity. The lovely Camilla at Clinique also said that it's so hard-wearing, only warm water will remove it! I'm yet to try it on my own eyelashes, but I've always been impressed with Clinique mascara in the past that I'm sure this one won't disappoint.

Lastly is the SPF 35 Targeted Protection Stick - the perfect handbag staple for when you get caught short and need to protect your face from burning. Also it's small and safe enough to use on your lips, under your eyes and tops of the ears where we often miss. I absolutely love it and it's stayed in my handbag since.

What I love about Clinique is that SPF is key in a number of their products - apart from the Chubby Stick which would have finished off nicely had it contained an SPF too. It can be hard to come across a lip balm containing an SPF too, so it's a shame they didn't include one.

What do you guys think about new summer trend? Are there other trends you've been impressed with in the past?

Clinique Pretty in Prints

I do love a limited edition collection - they're way prettier and so much more exciting - which is why I was glad to see Clinique were introducing one for Spring. Pretty in Prints is a brand new make-up palette designed by Michelle Smith, designer of women's fashion label Milly.

I haven't managed to get my hands on the palette yet, because it's not available to buy until 1st February. But I have been told it comes with a gorgeous range of eye, lip and cheek colours in shades of subtle pinks and browns.

To buy the palette it will set you back £25, but it does come in a really cute compact with a bag - all of which have been designed with the Milly signature print. You can also get your hands on a Limited Edition Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 (in a warm melon shade) for £14 and High Impact Mascara for £15, all of which are part of the Milly inspired range too.

November favourites...

Image courtesy of weheartit
Every month I want to share with you my five favourite products of the month. I know the end of November has passed, but better late than never...

Firstly, I bought this Barry M nail varnish in Pink Flamingo at the beginning of the month. I know it’s a bit summery for this time of year, but I absolutely love it and have worn it on my toes ever since.


I have blogged about the Clarins Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream this month already, but I can’t get enough of it. My skin has a tendency to go dry and flaky in the winter, so this is perfect for removing dead skin but leaving a soft finish too.


Next is Avon Glimmerstick Eye Liner – it’s got great staying power and the colour isn’t too harsh either. The only negative I have, is that you can’t get a precise line with it because the tip is quite thick. Despite that, it’s great.


Next is another product from Avon, they’re Magix Face Perfector. It’s a great primer and leaves your skin feeling really smooth. I haven’t yet discovered that my make-up lasts longer, but then again I haven’t only tried it twice so far.


Lastly is my favourite of the bunch, Clinique Pore Minimiser. I have quite large pores on my nose and this handy little cream is perfect for disguising them. I can’t get enough of it (I apologise for it being so grubby) and lasts a lot longer than you’d think.


What have your favourite products been this month?