Lancome L'Absolu Nu, Shade 302 Voile de Rose

I’m a bit of floozie when it comes to my lipsticks.

I flit from brand to brand on almost a daily basis and never really classed any particular lipstick brand or shade as ‘my favourite’.

That all changed last December when I opened a door on my Selfridges advent calendar and out popped  a mini Lancome L’Absolu Nu Lippie.

I’ll admit, it was love at first sight.

L’Absolu Nu in shade 302 Voile de Rose (£22) is a stunning, pink lippie.

Lightweight and moisturising, this lipstick allows you to slick it on for a barely there look, or build it for a more dramatic, bolder look.

I love how moisturising it feels on my lips, not at all drying, and the pinky sheen flatters my super pale skin tone perfectly!

While my floozie days are not yet quite behind me, I do still love to dabble, my heart will forever be loyal to Lancome’s  L’Absolu Nu Voile de Rose lippie.

Benefit Fake Up: Review

Like me, you probably thought Benefit already had it covered when it came to concealers.

What with Boi-ing, Erase Paste, Ooh La Lift and Stay don’t stray to name but a few, did Benefit really need to add another one to their extensive range?

Well actually, yes!

Fake up is the newest bad boy on the block, but what does this one offer that the others don’t?

The answer? Hydrating crease control.

A Vitamin E and apple seed extract rich hydrating outer ring offers immediate hydration and moisture to your skin.

The concealing core helps to banish dark shadows, smooth the skin and diffuse light to offer a brighter, crinkle free eye area.

Available in three shades, Fake up is designed to be swept under the eye area and blended lightly with your fingers.

I must admit, I don’t know how such a concealer wasn’t developed sooner, as I have always found that while one may work great on areas on my face such as my chin and cheek, it doesn’t have the same effect on my eye area.

It’s as if my under eyes drink up all the moisture in the concealer and very quickly end up looking cakey, dry and riddled with crinkles!

I suffer with a fair few crows feet around the corners of my eyes and these often end up looking worse when I apply concealer, but I’m happy to admit that with Fake Up, they actually really did look much better!

The only negative thing I’d say is that the concealer is pretty light in texture and pigment- it took a fair few swipes to get enough coverage to hide my bags, but then my bags are pretty bad!

I loved how soft it left my eye area feeling and when you think about it, if you use an eye cream and a moisturiser, it does make sense to use a concealer and a concealer especially for the eyes, no?

Benefit’s Fake Up is available now and costs £18.50.

Clarins New BB Skin Perfecting Cream

This spring see’s the launch of a new product from Clarins.

Clarins new BB Skin Perfecting Cream (£28) is said to offer 3D Radiance thanks to its 3 in one properties;

The ability to even skin tone, revitalise tired skin and protect from harmful UV rays.

Unlike many BB creams which lack one really important component, protection from the sun’s rays, this cream boasts SPF 25.

Extracts of organic kiwi offer vitality and radiance while an exclusive combination of katafray and hyaluronic acid help to restore the skin's water reserves for additional softness and comfort.

Available in three shades (Light, Medium and Dark), it’s a gorgeous cream packed into a fabulously coloured red and gold tube and for once, while it may not look it initially, the ‘Light’ is actually light enough for my pale, pasty skin.

Yay!

It feels thick and luxurious, without leaving my skin feeling weighed down by it.

It offers a fuller coverage than many of the other BB cream’s I’ve tried, which for someone with problem skin is a god send!

It blended and absorbed into my skin really quickly leaving a fresh, matte, non- greasy finish.

 

My skin was left feeling wonderfully soft and I really appreciated the extra coverage but without having to resort to foundation, so for spring and summer it’ll be just perfect!

Clarins BB Skin Perfecting Cream (£28) isn’t available just yet, you'll need to wait until April 28th  but you’re going to want to get your hands on this when its out!

St Ives Natural Beauty

For as long as I can remember I’ve been using St Ives Apricot Scrubs.

You can read my post about two products from the range here. 

With 100% natural ingredients, St. Ives scrubs are proven to reveal more radiant, healthy looking skin and what comes with healthy looking skin?

Confidence, and specifically, confidence in your own natural beauty.

I love cosmetics, don’t get me wrong, but it’s wonderful being able to enjoy the feeling of the sun beating down on your bare skin and the fresh air on your cheeks.

To celebrate natural beauty, St Ives asked me to capture an image of my own interpretation of natural beauty.

I chose to photograph my sister.

She is blessed with beautiful skin, long lashes and luscious lips, all without the need of heavy make up, so I decided that she would be the perfect subject for my interpretation and shot.

Pictured holding a bunch of pretty, white flowers and with her hair lightly dancing in the breeze, I feel this is the perfect interpretation of my idea of ‘natural beauty’.

Nothing artificial, nothing ‘made up’.

To me, this is natural beauty.