May Beauty Favourites
A La Carte Cosmetics Stay-Put Intense Liner* - £25
Without a doubt the best eyeliner I have ever used - yes, this has even outdone Eyeko's offering (sorry Alexa). The nib is strong so it doesn't pull at or drag across the skin, and you can hold it really lightly but still get a really defined line. It's incredibly pigmented, and although this makes it a little pesky to remove, I never have to worry about it topping it up - perfect for a day-night transition.
The Body Shop Facial Massager - £6 Another Caroline Hirons induced sell-out, I never thought that something so simple (and so cheap!) could make as much difference to my skin as this has. Once my oils, serums, moisturisers etc are applied I roll this in gentle upward movements over my lower face. It may sound (and look) silly, but a 20 minute face massage with this every night has had near miraculous results on my skin - and the proof is in the pudding. I've noticed a huge difference in the appearance and texture of my skin since using this - it's been working wonders on fading my blemish scars. It's a great way to reap all of the benefits of your evening skincare as it really works the products into your skin and leaves you with a lovely glowy/plumped feeling.
Benefit Hoola Bronzer - £23.50 Another gem from Benefit. Pale gals, I give you the answer to the perfect contour. It's widely known that bronzer is one of the trickier products to get spot-on - too grey/orange/muddy - you've heard it all before. I've been through more than I'd care to reveal but have (for now) found my Holy Grail in Benefit's much hyped offering. It's not too grey, not too orange, and perfect for contouring cheekbones as well as dusting all over for that sun-kissed look that was all over the catwalks this season. For once I actually find the included applicator to be the best way to apply this. I use the Benefit brush to dab it into the hollows of my cheeks, before using my foundation brush to buff it out and blend it in.
Aesop Purifying Facial Exfoliant Paste* - £35 A favourites post without an Aesop inclusion would be weird right? I've raved about this exfoliant paste before but had to include it in this month's favourites as it's been my go-to exfoliant all May. A thick creamy cleanser peppered lightly with fine Quartz exfoliant pieces and a high lactic acid count, this Aesop bestseller provides a deep cleanse and gentle exfoliation, leaving skin feeling soft but polished. Perfect for use pre-mask - and it smells all kinds of fruity goodness.
The Body Shop Raspberry Eau de Toilette* - £8.50 When it comes to fragrance I'm a high-end (read: Chanel) girl, but not wanting to carry my precious bottles about with me I like to keep a mini in my handbag for midday/pre-drinks touch ups. Normally Zara's mini offerings suffice, but ever since this dinky bottle landed on my doorstep I've been oozing all things raspberry. With a light, non-offensive scent, this EDT blends in well with whatever I've been wearing since the AM. It lacks the either 'too alcohol-y', or 'sickly sweet' tendencies of most budget fragrances - and can of course be complimented by the 9876539 other products in The Body Shop's raspberry range (slight exaggeration).
Let me know in the comments below which beauty bits you've had a hankering for this month! You can also read last month's beauty favourites post here, and you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bloglovin for future updates.
*PR sample