Origins GinZing Cleanser

I really wasn't in the market for a new cleanser. I had settled down with my Clinique "Take the Day Off" Balm and we were in a very happy relationship. But then I was wandering down the aisles of Boots (as you do) and I can't explain this any other way than it was a complete impulse buy. I am devoted to my GinZing moisturiser and I can't be without it so I thought that the cleanser would be a good step to add to my skincare. I have tried to justify this by using it purely as my morning cleanser, and saving my cleansing balm for the night, and I have found it to work really well. 

Like the moisturiser, it has a very citrus scent which is lovely and refreshing- absolutely perfect for the early mornings to wake you up. The one thing that I was a bit apprehensive about with this cleanser is that it has exfoliating beads in it. I was worried that it would be too harsh on my skin for everyday- I recently tried the Nip & Fab exfoliating pads and they did my skin no favors so I was worried that this would give my skin a similar reaction as I thought it would be too much for everyday. But once I tried it, I realised that the beads are not as harsh as some of the more traditional manual exfoliators. Since the beads are suspended in a gel, it makes it a little bit kinder for your skin. A little of this really goes a long way, and I find it to be a great way of giving your skin a light exfoliation without stripping your skin of its natural oils. After using this everyday for awhile I have noticed that my skin has been looking alot healthier, it doesn't look as dry, my foundation has been going on smoother and its just a really nice product to use first thing in the morning paired with the moisturiser. 

It is definitely on the pricer side of cleansers so if you are thinking of investing I would recommend you check it out in store first to see if the beads are for you and if you like the smell. But if you want to throw caution to the wind and buy it anyway it is available to buy online here.

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L'oreal Infallible 24hr Matte Foundation

 

Now you all know that I am not one to reach for the matte foundations, but lately after a browse of the stands in Boots I spotted this new release from L'oreal. I had heard good reviews of the original Infallible foundation but never tried it, but for some reason I decided to pick up the Matte version. I have been coming to the end of my beloved Sheer Glow and just wanted to try some alternatives from the "drugstore" to see what was on offer. The L'oreal stand was on 2 for €18 so I decided to pick up this and the True Match foundation (which I can also do a review on if you'd like)

After trialing this out I have come to the conclusion that the name is not the best description of it. I straight away thought of a very matte, powdery finish but I actually don't find it to be completely matte on the skin at all. I would say it gives a natural look to the skin, I still need to powder this to keep it in place and to get rid of excess shine. I picked mine up in the shade Natural Rose - normally any foundation with the word Rose in the shade name would have me running for the hills but this one seems to have quite a  neutral undertone and doesn't leave me looking overly pink. I have been using this as my go too foundation for the past couple of days especially and have found it to last really well throughout the day. My history with drugstore foundations has never been good when it comes to lasting power. I normally find that they wear off in the t-zone very quickly which is one of the reasons I love Nars Sheer Glow so much-because it does last on me all day. I have gotten a good 8hrs with this foundation without any touch-ups throughout the day. 

I would say that this foundation is definitely on the heavier side of coverage. I don't need to apply much concealer with this, only just under the eyes to hide the dark circles! I use my Real Techniques Buffing Brush to apply this, (surprise surprise!) once applied it does look a little heavy on my skin at first but once it settles in after a few minutes it just seems to adapt to my skin a little better and it just looks lovely and gives a very natural look to the skin. I love the fact that it comes in a tube too, that way you can really get every last drop from it!

This is available from Boots so if you like the sound of it I recommend you give it a go! Its not available online yet but check out your local stands to see if it has reached them yet!

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Moroccan Oil

  
Lately I have been starting to take better care of my hair. I have spent so long trying to grow it and now that I finally have it at a length that I am happy with, I want to keep it as healthy as possible and maintain the length. My hair has a tendency to be a little on the dry side. I do use alot of heat products such as hair dryers, hair straighteners etc on a daily basis. I have been trying really hard to cut back on alot of that- allowing my hair to air-dry when possible and just tying my hair up instead of straightening it when I don't really have any reason to. I always use a heat-defence spray everytime I wash my hair just to make sure it is as protected as possible, just in case I do decide to blowdry or straighten it. One of the hair products I have been thinking in investing in for a long time has been the Moroccan Oil. I have read so many rave reviews about it over the years, and after my last payday I decided to give it a go and I ended up purchasing the small bottle of it from Feel Unique. 

Hair oils are something that I have always enjoyed using, I have used ones from Primark, Vo5, John Frieda and a couple others. I did feel at the time that they made a difference to my hair but once I stopped using them I noticed that my hair went right back to the condition it was before and that it didn't make a lasting difference. They add a silky feel to my hair and make it look alot healthier but if I strayed away from them I really would notice that I hadn't used them. I have been using the Moroccan Oil since the beginning of January and in the couple of weeks I have noticed a difference in the quality of my hair. 

One of the first things that I noticed about the oil was that it was alot lighter and thinner in consistency than some of the other hair oils that I have used in the past. This made me a little skeptical about how it was going to work and if it would be as effective. Since using it I found that this is one of the main things I like about the oil. Since it is so light, it doesn't way my hair down and leave it feeling overly oily. I only put the smallest amount through the ends of my hair. I just focus on the ends as I feel that that is where I need the most conditioning. I have been using this consistently over the past couple of weeks and have found that my ends have looked and felt alot healthier. But there has been days where I have washed my hair, that I didn't use the oil, My hair still looked and felt as good as it would have if I did use it. It smells really nice too which is always a bonus!

I think I will be repurchasing this in the bigger size once I run out of this. It has become a staple in my haircare routine and a step I couldn't be without. Have you tried the Morroccan Oil? What are your thoughts about it and how it compares to the cheaper alternatives?

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Urban Decay NAKED Basics 2 Palette

I feel like there is a lot of palette loving going on recently on my blog. You all know I was massive fan of the original NAKED Basics Palette. I have gone through two of them since it came out, I hit pan on so many of the colours and it had been constantly in my make-up bag. I loved it so much that when the NAKED Basics 2 came out I totally dismissed it. It couldn't possibly be as good as the original and I would never stray from my beloved. But then Feel Unique emailed me saying there was an offer on, and..well what can I say, I'm weak. I ordered it the day before Christmas Eve and received it next week. (Major points for quick delivery Feel Unique!) 

As you can see from the pictures, the palette is predominantly cool toned which as you all know is what I do tend to go for. So a cool toned, matte palette. To be honest it is like my dream palette! The shades, like the original are amazingly pigmented and are of beautiful quality. They are all very everyday wearable shades and you really can't go wrong with them. For my go-to look lately I have been using "Skimp" all over my lid, with a mixture of "Frisk" and "Primal" applied into the crease. If I want a more defined eye then I will use "Undone" as an eyeliner smoked out.  

I always love the quality of the Urban Decay eyeshadows, at the end of the day they always look as good as when I first applied them. If you are starting off with eyeshadows, I think that these palettes would definitely be the way to go! They are so easy to work with, they are a perfect range of colours and they are good value for money! So after being so reluctant to try this palette at the start, I think it has swayed me and I actually prefer it to the original! 

Have you tried either of the Basics palettes from Urban Decay? Let me know which is your favourite!

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The Balm | Frat Boy Blush

Blusher is something I am always on the hunt for. I think it can really change up a look and really brightens up your complexion. I do tend to fliter between blushes and different shades and finishes, so I do find it loyal to stick with one. But when I seen swatches of the Frat Boy blush online I knew I needed it in my life! It is only in the past couple of months that I have discovered the brand The Balm on Cloud10Beauty, I recently purchased the Mary Lou-manizer and I have not stopped using it since I got it. I knew that the quality of the brand was brilliant so I had no doubts about that when I made the purchase.

Even though it is not a very seasonal choice, I have been wearing this pretty much everyday since I got it. Frat Boy is a matte peachy-pink which just seems to brighten up my whole face when I apply it. It is ridiculously pigmented so I have been using my Zoeva Sheer Cheek brush with it which applies just the right amount of colour to my cheeks. It is the perfect everyday colour, which seems to compliment any look. The only look I wouldn't pair it with is if I was wearing a red lip because that might not be the best match in the world. But apart from that I think it is the best blush to have in your make-up bag for those days when you don't know what to put on.

My only problem with this blush is the packaging. It is housed in a cardboard compact which I feel will get really grubby really quickly if I leave it in my make-up bag too long. It came with a cover sleeve so I have just left that on for the past while until I come up with a better alternative.

This blusher has jumped into my top five favorite blushers and I can tell it is going to be housed in my make-up bag for a good while! Let me know if you have any other The Balm product recommendations because I really do love the brand and would love to try some of their other products!

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Lorac Pro Palette

Can we just take a moment to appreciate the beauty of this palette? One of my amazing friends was recently in New York and I had asked her to pick up the Lorac Pro Palette and she traipsed around New York looking for it because it is not the easiest thing to find at the moment. So a big big thank you to Ciara! You are amazing!! I can't get over how much I love and have used this palette since I got it. The range of colours are so perfect for someone like me who loves a good neutral eye look but likes to go abit more smokey for  special occasions. The shades are all very wearable and I don't think there is one shade that I wouldn't use. I like how it has the little pop of colour in the Garnet and Deep Purple shades but you can make them slightly more wearable with the neutral shades. So far the shades that I have been loving are Champagne, Taupe, Espresso and Pewter. I am gearing myself up to wear Garnet- I'm not quite there yet but when I do you will know about it! It looks stunning in the pan and swatched so I just need to get brave enough to wear it!

I will admit the first time time I used the palette I ended up looking like I got punched in the eye because I slightly under-estimated how pigmented the shadows were. They are literally like cream. They are so pigmented that you really only need one dab of the brush and you will still need to tap off the excess. Once you get used to the pigmentation, these shadows are an absolute dream to use. You can use them as they are but I have seen people use them wet for a more intense colour- this is something I haven't tried myself yet (because I'm afraid to ruin it!) but I think doing this with the black would make a fantastic eyeliner! I love how you have everything from a highlight shade -both shimmer and matte- to the Deep Purple which is perfect for a dark smokey eye.

As you can see from the swatches, that was only one swipe and you get so much colour and pigment. The shades are all so perfectly pigmented - there is not one dodgy shadow in the palette. I have completely brushed aside my NAKED palettes, this is the new "all rounder" for me. Because the palette itself is so slim, it is perfect for travelling and so handy for bringing with you. It fits perfectly in my make-up bag.

If you can get your hands on this palette, I thoroughly recommend you do! Have you tried any Lorac products or even this palette? What are your thoughts?

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Real Techniques Bold Metals Collection | 301 Flat Contour

I'm sure that you have all heard at this stage that Real Techniques have released a new line of brushes. Still sold in Boots but they are a more luxury line compared to the originals. More luxurious also means more expensive. There is a dramatic price difference in this line with some brushes going up as far as €32 for one, compared to €29.99 for four originals. But as soon as I laid eyes on the flat contour brush I knew I needed it in my life, plus it's rose gold- you all know I love a bit of rose gold in my life! 

I have nothing like this brush in my collection, but I have seen similar ones and have been interested in trying them. I love contouring my cheekbones and up until this I have just been using my MAC 109 brush. The bristles on this brush are synthetic like the original which makes it perfect for using with both cream and powder products. I have only used it with powder so far because I am obsessed with using the NYX Blush in "Taupe" for a natural contour. 

On first impressions I found this brush to be ridiculously soft. Possibly one of the softest brushes I own, it was also a lot more dense than I had thought it would be. The barrel of the brush is slightly weighted which makes it all the nicer to hold and to use. It also has little edges down the barrel so that if you leave it on a table it won't roll off - I love little details like that. Plus stating the obvious but it is a gorgeous rose gold colour. Beautiful! Since first using it, I found that since the bristles are so soft it is slightly harder to pick up powder product on them. I'd imagine that cream is a lot easier to pick up but it just takes a little bit more work to get the powder to get onto the brush. Also since the brush is really dense I have found it difficult to blend the product as much as I would like. Those are my two main problems with this brush but despite that I am still really glad I purchased it and find it really handy to have in my collection.

I have since bought the powder brush, I feel that this could be a dangerous addiction! I have actually just ordered the Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt brush so if you would like to hear my thoughts on that just let me know!

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