April Favourites

This is a shout out to you April, thanks for being a bloody awesome month! I hope you all had thoroughly enjoyable past months as well. A definite highlight for me was seeing McBusted, Busted may be gone but they will forever live on in my heart! I had some really good nights out, although my copious vodka and orange  consumption has now led to a mouth ulcer! My Easter Sunday was spent eating curry and watching the Kardashians but its ok I'm pretty sure the Pope doesn't read my blog! And last but definitely not least, my Mum has now completed her chemotherapy and surgery, just radiotherapy to go! 

Now on with the makeup favourites.....

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock 

I pretty much wore this eyeshadow all month long, these Ombre Blackstars are so quick to slap on and blend out, plus the colours are really beautiful. I love how these look by the end of the day, they don't crease at all but they get this almost glossy finish to them, very Kate Moss. A definite must have, I have done a full review and swatch-a-thon here.

£28.00 Space NK

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita

Ooh an oldie but a goodie. When it comes to lips, matte is by far my favourite finish. I would describe Dolce Vita as a soft, muted rose red. It really reminds me of one of the lipsticks Rachel McAdams wears in The Notebook. It has yet to bag me my own Ryan Gosling though (boo).

If you want to see it on, I am wearing it in this Face of the Day post.

£17.50 Look Fantastic

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo +

This stuff is actually amazing! It has honestly worked wonders for me, my skin hasn't been this clear in years. I am also starting to notice it fading my previous marks and scars. This is now my second tube, I panicked when I realised my first tube was running out and had to make an EBT (Emergency Boots Trip). If you are suffering with spots, give this a try!

£15.50 Boots

Origins VitaZing Energy-Boosting Moisturiser

As the Effaclar Duo + has made me and my skin very happy, I have been taking full advantage and wearing much lighter bases. VitaZing is a moisturiser which is a grey/white colour but once blended onto your skin gives you a very slight hint of colour and a really beautiful, healthy glow. The coverage is very light, lighter than a tinted moisturiser but if you just add some concealer where you need it, you are good to go. I have been using this on the weekends when I want to give my skin a break from foundation.

£28.00 Boots

Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder in Candlelight

I love this highlighter so much that I could put it in my favourites every single month. I think this has to be up there in my top 5 beauty discoveries of all time, it is simply the best highlighter I have ever used. It gives your skin a beautiful but natural glow, no gritty glitter or shimmer here! Honestly, I am obsessed with this and have now started keeping it in my bag to touch up. It is ridiculously expensive but you know what, when this runs out I wont hesitate to buy it again. I honestly don't think I could use another highlighter now.

Space NK £35.00

Neal's Yard Rose Facial Wash

My Sister bought me this for my Birthday and I have just used up the last drop :( I love me some natural products, so it makes me happy to see that this is made from all natural, organic ingredients. This removed my makeup a treat, didn't irritate my skin at all and was generally a very nice cleanser to use. I will definitely be exploring more of the Neal's Yard range in the future.

£15.50 John Lewis

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation in B30

Its been a month, so I think I am safe to say I bloody love this foundation. The medium coverage is perfect for me and it is so light it doesn't feel like you are wearing a foundation. This has been my foundation of choice on all those aforementioned nights out! It lasts all evening and the semi-matte finish works really well on my combination skin. Yep, believe the hype on this one!

£33.00 Debenhams 

Finally, I thought I would leave you with a couple of pictures from McBusted! I didn't take many and to be honest they were all of Dougie, but can you blame me? ;)

The Beauty Graveyard

Time for a round up of all the products I have used up lately. If you haven't read one of my Beauty Graveyard posts before *'s indicate how many times a product has featured in previous Beauty Graveyard posts.

Bumble & Bumble Surf Foam Wash Shampoo **

I am a massive fan of the Bumble & Bumble Surf shampoo and conditioner. They leave my hair feeling squeaky clean and bouncy, plus help me achieve the tousled effect I love.

Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray **

This stuff is sickeningly expensive but it works so good I cant be without it! This gives me that tousled bed hair I love without any stickiness. In fact when I use this it doesn't even feel like I have anything in my hair at all. Plus it smells amazing and I always get compliments on my perfume when I use this!

Living Proof Full Discovery Kit

I have used up everything in this kit except the thickening cream. I did a full review on the kit here and I would highly recommend trying it, as its really good value for money. One thing I would add to my original review though, I didn't really rate the shampoo and conditioner but when used in conjunction with the thickening cream and root lifting spray, I really did notice a major difference in the volume of my hair!

Garnier Body Repair Anti-Dryness Restoring Lotion *****

One of my favourite body moisturisers. 

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion*

I really don't like the smell of this moisturiser, I think it must be the oat in it. Its not a bad moisturiser but the bottle is too small I use it up in no time at all. I probably wouldn't buy this again.

Clarins Body Shaping Supplement

I nicked this off my Mum as she wasn't using it. First of all I don't believe that any cream or lotion will shape your body in any way shape or form but as this is an oil you mix in with your normal body lotion, I thought it might be nice to use when your skin is drier in the Winter months. 

I don't have anything good to say about this, of course I noticed no "body shaping" results and it wasn't even particularly hydrating. Don't waste your money!

The Body Shop Deep Sleep Dreamy Pillow and Body Mist

I definitely think these kind of products are used as a placebo but it was quite enjoyable spraying this on my pillow before bed and smelling the calming scent. I am a bit of a sucker at times, so I probably will purchase something similar to this again one day.

Indeed Laboratories Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Masks

I did a full review on these masks in this post but I have to say I wont be repurchasing. In this pack you get 4 masks for £20.00 and I would just rather buy a tube of hydraluron for the money.

Yes to Cucumber Soothing Daily Calming Moisturiser *

You know I love the Yes to range because of their natural ingredients. I have tried all their moisturisers now, Cucumber, Carrot and Tomato. They feel nice and light on my skin, which is good for me as I cant stand heavy moisturisers on my face.

Neal's Yard Rehydrating Rose Toner

I really liked using this toner after cleansing as it left my skin feeling refreshed and hydrated. It didn't feel at all stripping or drying, just very gentle. I would definitely buy this again.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel **

I forgot how much I loved this cleanser. For one reason or another, when I used up my last tube I didn't repurchase it. Then the other month I remembered how much I loved it and since then I have bought 2 tubes! I use this with a muslin cloth, it takes my makeup off so easily and feels really luxurious on the skin.

L'oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation

I really loved this foundation. It gave a light to medium coverage and felt really light on my skin. I would definitely buy another bottle of this. More in depth review here

L'oreal Miss Manga Mascara

This mascara really grew on me the more I used it. I felt like it really lengthened my lashes and gave volume but wasn't at all clumpy. I have done a full review here and again I would definitely repurchase this.

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder

Crappy packaging aside, this is a really good setting powder. It kept my oil at bay for the whole day which is important for me, as apart from lipstick I don't tend to touch up my makeup during the day. You do need to be careful with this though, as if you apply too much it can look a little cakey.

Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip and Cheek Balm *

My all time favourite lip balm. This was in a limited edition peachy shade which they released a few years ago. I wish they would release more of these in different shades. 

This is a staple for me and I will forever be repurchasing it.

Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel **

Another staple, the best brow gel I have found. Not only does this groom your brows and keep them looking natural. It also has amazing hold, I like to brush my brows upwards and this keeps them in place all day.

Taking It All Off

There are just some days where removing your makeup at the end of a long day is the best feeling in the world. In my teenage years and early twenties I was all about the makeup wipes and I very rarely bothered to take my makeup off at night. Now I'm a bit older, a bit wiser (sadly that doesn't apply to important life situations!) and I couldn't even tell you the last time I slept in my makeup. I am religious about it now, even after a night out I have to cleanse my face. No more sleeping in false eye lashes for me!

Skincare is very personal, I am not a skincare expert by any means (actual beauty school drop out here) but these are the products I love to remove my makeup with and that work for me. I have typical combination skin, oily by the end of the day and I am prone to the odd breakout more often than not!

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel and Muslin Cloth - Cleansing balms and muslin cloths were a revelation to me and are what got me off makeup wipes in the first place. They are so easy to use, apply the cleanser of your choice all over, then wet your muslin cloth with warm water and wipe over your whole face. I normally will repeat this twice as I wear makeup everyday. This is my favourite method of removing my makeup as its so quick and you don't need to use a separate makeup remover first, everything just comes off in one go, face makeup, mascara, the lot!

The Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel is one of my favourites as it feels so luxurious on your skin, I also love Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish and Tesco's Pro Formula Radiance Hot Cloth Cleanser. All of these I use with a muslin cloth. 

Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover and Bioderma - If I'm not using a hot cloth cleanser and want to use my Clarisonic, I like to remove my makeup first with a cleanser. This stops your Clarisonic brush getting really dirty and ensures your face is properly clean.

Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover is the best I have found for removing waterproof mascara. For my face makeup, I love using micellar waters as they are quick and easy (can you see a trend?!) I just squirt some on a cotton pad and rub over my face, cant get much more simple than that. I am currently back to using Bioderma as my lovely Sister bought me back two bottles from Paris but L'oreal's Skin Perfection Micellar Water is just as good.

The Clarisonic Plus - My best friends bought me a Clarisonic for my birthday last year. The most simple way for me to describe a Clarisonic, is that its like a giant electric toothbrush for your face. I have always wanted to try one but I was a bit scared to spend that amount of money, so it was amazing to get it as a present. 

I have been using the Clarisonic now for about 3 months and if I'm honest I still don't feel ready to give it a full review. I can say that I love how clean it makes your skin feel and I do enjoy using it, but I don't feel I have noticed a dramatic difference in my skin yet. It feels a lot smoother and softer but in regards to breakouts I haven't noticed this having any effect yet. Having said that I don't use my Clarisonic every day, so maybe it will take longer for me to see a visible difference in my skin.

You can use any cleanser you like with a Clarisonic, although more watery cleansers work better. I am currently using one of the cleansers that came with my Clarisonic and Neal's Yard Rose Facial Wash. 

After cleansing I like to use a toner, I have two toners which both do different jobs. The Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner is a chemical exofilator, sounds scary but its not! I much prefer chemical exfoliators to traditional gritty scrubs as the chemical ones are stronger and you notice a real difference in your skin. I just spray some on a cotton pad and wipe (top tip - pour your toners into a spray bottle as you use so much less product!). If my skin is feeling drier I will use my Neal's Yard Rehydrating Rose Toner, which I love. This just leaves your skin feeling refreshed and clean.

Lastly I moisturise and since discovering beauty oils I haven't looked back. I love using a beauty oil as your skin feels so nourished and hydrated, I also notice that my skin looks so much better in the morning after using these. 

As I have combination skin, I only use beauty oils at night. I apply 2-3 drops all over my face and leave to sink in. I will be honest I don't moisturise my face again in the morning, I find I don't really need to as the oil is hydrating enough and I'm kind of picky about moisturisers. The only one I have found that I really love is the Kate Somerville Goat Milk which I have now used up and as its only available in America I'm just going to have to stick with my beauty oils.

I'm currently using the Josie Maran Argan Oil Light. I wasn't keen on it at first, as its a more greasy oil but I have been using it for a few weeks now and I'm enjoying it. You can buy Josie Maran in the UK from Net A Porter. 

My all time favourite beauty oil is Tarte's Maracuja Oil but I have done a post on my favourite beauty oils which you can read here.

Now I'm off to cleanse my face!

On My Dressing Table

So technically this isn't a dressing table but who cares! I keep some of my most reached for things here and as I shared my favourite makeup brushes with you yesterday, I thought I'd share the rest today.

At the front I have my incense burner which was a present from my Sister all the way from Bali. In the empty Yankee Candle jar I keep my cotton wool pads and next to it all my favourite skincare products:

Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel - I need this close to hand for emergencies!

Tarte Maracuja Oil - My favourite face oil

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cream - The best moisturiser I have every used, perfect for combination/oily skin. I'm going to be devastated when this pot is finished.

Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner - I have decanted this into a spray travel bottle so I use less! This is a toner which contains fruit acids, these act like an exfoliator and get red of dead skin cells leaving my skin looking much brighter and smoother. I love this stuff.

Neal's Yard Rehydrating Rose Toner - A birthday present from my Sister, I like to use this after I have cleansed my skin. I love the rose smell and it feels very refreshing.

Hydraluron - Love this stuff, I apply a blob of this before my moisturiser.

Moroccanoil - I keep my Moroccanoil out as I use it every time I wash my hair. This would definitely be in my top 5, may even top 3 beauty items of all time! (So dramatic aren't I!)

Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover - I have used up all my L'oreal eye makeup remover and have now moved onto this. Although I really like the L'oreal one, its useless at removing waterproof mascara. This on the other hand is amazing and removes waterproof makeup like a dream.

Bioderma - After saying I wouldn't buy Bioderma again as the L'oreal Micellar water is just as good, my Sister bought me back 2 bottles from Paris (woohoo). I still love Bioderma, its just the L'oreal is cheaper and easier to get hold of.

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray - My secret weapon on a night out and in the Summer, keeps your makeup on your sweaty little face!

At the back I have my empty Diptyque candle jar which has all the brushes and tools I use on a daily basis. Behind I have my Tru Blood pint glass with eye brushes and next to that I have a Kellogg's jug with more face brushes. Poking out the back are all my eyeliners and lipliners which don't get as much love since I gave up wearing eyeliner. 

On this shell dish which I got from Zara Home years ago, I keep the jewellery I wear most often. My beloved Great Frog skull ring, Marc Jacobs earrings and Deer Love necklace which I got in America. I also keep a spare hair tie and my favourite perfume, Bobbi Brown Almost Bare.

Lastly I have this Alice in Wonderland tin from Paul & Joe's Disney collection. Inside I keep all my hair bands and clips.

Trust me, it doesn't normally look as tidy as this!