Five Things I’m Loving | September 2020

Hi guys and welcome back to another favourites instalment! These are the products I can’t stop reaching for currently and it’s skincare heavy! But, to start with, I cannot get enough of the Fenty Beauty PRO FILT’R Soft Matte Longwear Foundation! I picked this up a couple of months ago when I was buying the new slip shine lipstick as Boots had 15% off and I had went through a couple of bottles years ago and wanted to try again. It’s a beautiful, full coverage, matte foundation that does a really good job of covering my acne. I find after about 6 hours of wear I do need to powder again as my skin is combo/oily but this doesn’t cause the foundation to wear off! It doesn’t quite beat Estee Lauder Double Wear for me (I don’t think anything will) but it’s a really nice alternative for when I want something different and the finish is beautiful! At £27 it’s not the cheapest but Boots regularly have it on offer and the shade range is impressive too! 

 

Moving onto skincare, I went toner crazy a few months ago and the one I find myself reaching for most often is the I’m From Rice Toner. This is a milky, hydrating toner that contains rice extract to brighten the skin as well as my old favourite niacinamide too! I love using this in the morning as it feels calming and balancing as well as brightening and doesn’t dry my skin out so it feels well prepped for my next skincare steps and makeup. It's £26 and I picked it up from Tonic 15 and they always have a 10 or 15% off discount kicking about too! 

 

Following toner (and facial mist) I have been using the Garden of Wisdom Hyaluronic Acid Serum every day and it has quickly joined the Good Molecules hyaluronic acid in my budget hall of fame (I don’t rate the Ordinary or Inkey List’s hyaluronic acids at all). I love the texture of this, it feels like a very lightweight gel and it spreads easily over my face sinking in quickly. My skin has a tendency to be get dehydrated but since using this I have noticed a big reduction in the patches of dehydration I normally get around my nose and chin and at £10 it won’t break the bank! I recently picked up a few more of GOW’s products as I’ve been so impressed with this one!

 

I’ve also been using the Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Serum* almost daily - this is my second bottle of this serum though first in the new “nothing to hide ingredients list’’ version! Good Molecules have recently updated their packaging to include how much of each ingredient is in their products and I love the transparency! This contains 2% Cetyl Tranexamate Mesylate which works to improve the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation as well as 4% niacinamide to target pores, uneven skin texture and oiliness! I have really been struggling with acne over the last few months and am due to go on Roaccutane within the next month but I have seen such an improvement in my pigmentation, especially on my jawline and chin area, since using this and my skin looks more even overall. It feels very gentle, can be used morning and night and at $12 is a steal!  

Finally, I have to mention the Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream, another old favourite that has been repurchased. I picked this up again earlier in the year but only opened it last month and I still love it as much as ever! This is more of a balm than a standard moisturising cream and never leaves my skin feeling greasy. It’s packed full of ceramides and hyaluronic acid and locks hydration in all day. It also sits really well under makeup, I never bother with primer when I use this as my makeup always sits better with it anyway! It’s pricey but the tube lasts for ages as a little goes a long way!

 

So those are my current favourites! I would love to hear what you thought of these if you have tried them! Most of these will work well for me when I start Roaccutane too which is good but if you have any hydration favourites please let me know those too! 

 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here. 

 

Danielle xx

 

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Current Skincare | Cleansers #3

Welcome back to another instalment of my current skincare rundown and today it’s my cleansers again! I’m on a bit of a kick at the minute of using up my minis before I buy anymore full sizes so as I’ve been rotating these now for a few weeks I’m ready to give my thoughts! 

The First Cleanse 

Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm

I was so excited to try this one as it’s such a cult favourite but sadly the hype may have been too much as I don’t love it quite as much as it seems everyone else does! It feels a little like applying melted toffee to my face and though it does remove makeup well and make my skin feel soft, I have found my eyes to be sensitive to it and it leaves them blurry for a bit after I remove it. The rose scent is pleasant but overall at £44 for the full size (105g) this one isn’t for me! 

Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser 

Firstly, I’m not a fan of this brand as there always seems to be some sort of negative reaction from them whether it be their response to BLM or just general customer criticism but like I said, in the spirit of using things up, this cleanser made it into my rotation. I have been distinctly underwhelmed with every other mini I have tried from this brand but I do have to say this has been my favourite product of theirs I have sampled. It’s a hard balm that softens on contact with the skin and like the Elemis cleanser, makes light work of a full face of makeup but no eye sensitivity with this one, hurray! It also comes with a little sachet (see some of them in the texture pic as I am messy oops) of ultra-fine bamboo and charcoal spheres which can be mixed in for a dose of exfoliation and it’s easy to add more or less depending on how gentle you want this to be! At £29 for the full size 110g (with 3g bamboo booster) I think this is more reasonably priced than some of their other products too but it’s not going to be a repurchase for me!

The Second Cleanse/Morning Cleanse 

Indie Lee Rosehip Cleanser 

I wonder if this has been discontinued as I struggled to find many links for it but aside from that this is a lovely light gel to foam cleanser that left my skin feeling nourished and calmed! It says it removes makeup but I only used this as my second cleanse or morning cleanse so can’t say much for that side of it! It contains rosehip oil which is one of my favourite skincare ingredients as well as seaweed extracts and vitamins A, C and E. Strangely, I do find I get a slight “squeaky clean” feel with this which I don’t normally like but it doesn’t feel stripping at all and I think, due to the ingredients, with long term use I would see more benefits with things like dry patches on my skin so might be more suited to my winter skin! It is £32 for the full size which is 125ml. 

 

Emma Hardie Moringa Light Cleansing Gel 

The EH Moringa Cleansing Balm is one of my favourite cleansers so I couldn’t wait to try the light gel version! They both have the same luxurious citrus scent but obviously the texture is very different! It contains Moringa, sweet almond oil, omega 6, vitamin E and essential fatty acids so it feels super hydrating on the skin as well as making it feel soft. I personally prefer to use this at night as a second cleanse as opposed to my morning cleanse as the feel of the oils acts like extra hydration for me and I don’t need any extra oil on my skin during the day! This was the smallest of my samples so I haven’t quite fallen in love with it as much as the OG balm cleanser which will be my next cleanser repurchase once I get through my mini stash as the scent has reminded me how much I love it! The full size gel retails for £34 for 100ml. 

 

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser 

Finally, we have the Fresh Soy cleanser – a super lightweight cucumber scented gel and probably my favourite of the three second cleansers I have featured here! It’s pH balanced and rich in amino acids to help maintain healthy skin and keep it calm and nourished. This one also claims to remove makeup but again I haven’t tested the theory as I much prefer an oil or balm to do that job! I do find this is my current preferred AM cleanse as it’s so balancing and mattifying without feeling like it’s dried out my skin. Very simple but very soothing and £30 for 150ml! 

 

I am loving using up my stash at the minute so I’m going to try to get some more cleansers into rotation soon as I’m nearly finished all three of the morning cleansers already! If you want to read about my previous cleansers check out the first and second instalments of this series! Let me know if you have tried any of the above or tell your favourite cleansers! 

 

Danielle xx

 

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Product Empties #28

Well everyone, it’s that time again! The old Look Fantastic beauty box I use to house my empties is overflowing so here’s are the latest products I’ve finished up! 

 

Skincare 

Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel*

Absolutely gutted to have finished this up as I love it so much! It’s a watery gel that lathers on contact with water and leaves my skin feeling matte and prepped for my next steps but never stripped! Wrote about it more in this post! Will repurchase 100%! 

 

Dermalogica Active Clay Cleanser*

Another favourite! This one was perfect for my acne prone oily skin this summer and also doubles as a mask. I think I went through this one a bit quicker as my mum was using it too so it has her seal of approval also! Wrote more about it here and will repurchase! 

 

Dermalogica Pre-Cleanse*

This is a really luxurious oil and it removes makeup with ease! It’s got a citrus scent and I did find my eyes could be a little irritated by it so for that reason I wouldn’t repurchase! 

 

Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream*

A really simple but effective moisturiser, my skin drank this up! It’s creamy but lightweight and kept my skin hydrated all day and sat really well under makeup too! Would repurchase! 

 

Dermalogica Biolumin-C Eye Serum*

This is a gorgeous lightweight serum that really helped with fine lines and firmness, I don’t have bad dark circles but my undereyes were definitely brighter using this! It’s pricey but with daily use I got about six months use out of it so would repurchase! Read more thoughts on it here! 

 

Versed Baby Cheeks All in One Hydrating Milk

Really enjoyed this toner and it’s packaging! It was hydrating and calming and left my skin soft and prepped. I moved onto the infamous I’m From Rice Toner after this and though its early days I *think* I prefer it so probably wouldn’t repurchase this one! I have a post on it here! 

 

The Inkey List Retinol 

This is one of my favourite Inkey List products! I think it is a great introduction to Retinol as it feels so gentle (sorry, percentages and types of retinol are not my forte so do correct me if I’m wrong!) It’s quite liquidy and I always wake up to bright, plump skin after using! I used about ¾ of the bottle before switching to the next one I will talk about but I finished this on my neck! Already have a backup but I might give it to my mum as I want something stronger! Read more about it in my budget skincare picks here! 

 

Verso Super Facial Serum

I love this, it felt more potent to me than the Inkey List retinol and I saw a marked improvement in my skin overall – especially my elevens and fine lines on my forehead as well as pigmentation on my lower cheeks and jawline. I was also impressed with how long this tiny sample lasted me! The only negative is that it is £110 for 30mls so it won’t be a repurchase for me right now as I want to try Medik8’s crystal retinal offering but I can see me coming back to this even with the price tag if that doesn’t compare! 

 

Amorepacific The Essential Crème Fluid

This was a very nice hydrating fluid that felt smoothing and I really enjoyed the scent too but for the price it’s not worth it for me so won’t be a repurchase! 

Bodycare

Vaseline Essential Healing Body Lotion

Another empties another Vaseline body lotion! You can’t beat this cheap and cheerful moisturiser! I love the fresh scent and find the lotion itself is lightweight but nourishing and dries in quickly! Have already repurchased! 

 

Soap and Glory Pulp Friction Body Scrub

My favourite body scrub! This isn’t my favourite scent but the scrub itself is amazing! It lathers up quickly and the “vitaminballs” don’t feel abrasive at all. This and a scrubbing mitt are a dream team for stubborn fake tan! I have a few other scrubs to get through then I will repurchase though knowing Soap and Glory they will have discontinued it by then as it's one of my faves! 

 

Hawaiian Tropic Air Soft After Sun Lotion

I picked this up as I wanted some nostalgia as I didn’t get on holiday this year ha. I then realised it was the SPF I had previously not the after sun so it didn’t generate any feelings of being on holiday but I did enjoy the cooling feeling of it and its pretty swirly pattern in the bottle! Would repurchase but not any time soon. 

 

Soaper Duper Creamy Deluxe Shea Butter Body Wash in Vanilla Pod 

This was a very liquidy body wash and though I don’t normally love vanilla I was very impressed with how realistic the scent was! Not my normal jam so wouldn’t go out of my way to repurchase but I did enjoy it! 

 

Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Cream 

A much more subtle scent that its sister Bum Bum Cream and a lovely thick hydrating body cream. I do prefer the Bum Bum scent so I won’t repurchase this one! 

Haircare 

V05 Refresh Dry Shampoo 

My favourite dry shampoo that I cannot find anywhere except artisan grocery shops! What gives V05? This smells amazing, leaves no white cast and is only a few pounds so super affordable! I wish it was more easily available but if I see it again I will of course be repurchasing! 

 

OUAI Leave In Conditioner 

My favourite leave in product, this is smoothing, detangling and protective all while not weighing my hair down and smelling amazing! Read more about how much I love it here! Already repurchased!

Makeup

Revlon ColourStay Foundation (Combo/Oily) in Buff and Sand Beige 

My OG favourite affordable foundation! This stuff is full coverage and long lasting on my oily skin! Buff matches me when I have no tan on and Sand Beige is for when I do have fake tan on! I find Sand Beige does oxidise slightly but I have no problems with Buff and have already repurchased! Read more about my love for it here! 

Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in 1 Fair 

Another affordable makeup love! This gives really good coverage without drying out my problem areas and I have already repurchased!  

 

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Champagne 

Love the Bite lip masks, they are super thick so perfect for overnight hydration! I didn’t love the Champagne shade but it wasn’t a big deal as I just use it at night, already have a backup! 

Miscellaneous

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Accumax 120 capsules 

I’ve talked about these a few times in my empties and unfortunately I haven’t seen much difference with them which was disappointing for me as I know some people swear by them! They are a pricey option so this time I haven’t repurchased. Let’s just hope my skin doesn’t get any worse haha but I’ve been off them for about 2 weeks now and no change. I’ve actually made an appointment with a dermatologist for the end of the month to discuss going back on Roaccutane so wish me luck! 

Congratulations if you made it to the end of that! Let me know if you have tried any of the above products or what you are working on finishing at the minute! 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.

 

Danielle xx

 

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Current Skincare | Facemasks #1

I don’t know about you but I have been upping my masking lately and I thought today I would take the chance to talk about some facemasks in my rotation - the skincare kind that is! Three of these are constant, repurchased favourites and two are new to my collection over the last month!

First up, my Origins mask trinity – I have lost count of how many tubes of each of these I have went through at this stage. They are my go to when my skin needs help with texture, breakouts and hydration. The Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask is a Holy Grail product for me, it’s cooling, soothing and hydrating but doesn’t feel greasy at all. Every morning after I use this, my skin feels so plump, soft and moisturised, I love it!

When I’m having issues with texture on my skin I always go back to the Original Skin Retexturizing mask with rose clay. It’s a dual clay mask and exfoliator that my oily/combo skin really agrees with! The rose clay feels gentle and the jojoba beads do a great job of exfoliating my skin leaving it smooth, supple and clear.

The Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask rounds off this trio – it contains bamboo charcoal and white china clay and is one I like to use when I am breaking out as it’s calming and helps with oil control while drawing clogged pores to the surface. These three masks are £22 each for 75ml but it is worth shopping around for a discount or a gift with purchase to get the most for your money!

A mask I’ve had for a while but only opened recently is the Summer Fridays R + R mask which I received in a GWP. This brand is super hyped and an Instagram favourite but this is the only product of theirs I have tried and I don’t know, it’s just left me feeling a bit meh especially for the price! The mask is filled with oils to hydrate and soothe skin as well as flower powder to exfoliate (which I find quite harsh) and is lightly rose scented. I leave it on for about 10 minutes then use a damp wash cloth to remove but rub in any excess oil leftover. I just feel a bit underwhelmed with it overall especially when its £46 for 64g!

Lastly, the Dermalogica Hydro Masque Exfoliant* also promises hydration and exfoliation but this is one I can actually feel working! It contains snow mushroom for hydration and bamboo to exfoliate as well as cucumber extract (which it smells like) to soothe and I love it! I’ve included a picture of the texture so you can see the spheres which are filled with the bamboo powder and you move these over your face to wherever you feel needs exfoliating (for me it’s my forehead, nose and chin) and they burst to release the powder (it feels like an even more finely milled version of the daily microfoliant)! You only need to leave it on for 5 minutes to feel instantly refreshed, hydrated and exfoliated!

I also need to take a minute to mention the packaging as it’s so innovative! Instead of squeezing the tube you push the soft top down and it dispenses the perfect amount of product! You can also see how much product is left down the side which brings me to my only negative – it’s £55 for 50ml. Even though it’s only recommended for use 1-2 times per week I do think this is steep and which it was at a lower price point!

Have you tried any of these masks? Let me know your favourites in the comments!

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

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