BEAUTY BITES : MARCH 2016
BEAUTY BITES : MARCH 2016
Blogposts are few and far between these days [for multifarious reasons], but despite this I still find myself returning to the comforting ritual of the monthly favourites post at the end of each month. Whilst there may be radio silence on the blogging front, behind the scenes I'm still trying, testing, exploring, swatching, and researching, which means that there's always a neverending rotation of beauty odds 'n' ends to be introduced and discussed as each month draws to a close. Without further ado, here are the standouts from March.
When temperatures rise and the sun's rays begin to grace the northern hemisphere with their presence once again, I feel inspired to embrace summer's defining beauty rituals - namely faux tan, bergamot-based fragrances, and tousled waves. Premature, granted, but what is spring if not a season to prepare for summer?? I love having beachy, windblown hair more than anything, but living in Manchester yields a sad, frizzy look for me, sadly. So, since I can't easily go for a dip in the ocean or for a walk by the seaside, I've spent a lot of time trying out surf sprays. Sachajuan's Ocean Mist is the busy-girl's answer to beach spray. You get texture and softness that results in a finish more wavy than curly, and scents hair with a salty take on Sachajuan's signature zesty fragrance. It uses magnesium sulphate to mimic the minerals of the ocean and panthenol and castor oil to condition and soften things up. Whilst it definitely doesn't have as much hold as other sprays I've tried [but neither is it as drying], it does give my hair a more authentic beachy-looking texture. I like to spray it in when my hair is 90% dry, roughly blow-dry and then sleep with a twisted bun for extra wave and bounce.
For the past year I've been seriously fangirling over Eve Lom's Brightening Cream, a rose-scented, skin-brightening, near-magical concoction that somehow delivers instant results. Blemish marks constitute some significant real estate on my face, and with all the exploring and researching that comes with being skincare-obsessed, I've learnt which ingredients do and don't work in pursuit of fading pigmentation. Namely, DermaPep, Eve Lom's patented skin brightening compound - an innovative ingredient which blocks the overproduction of melanin and is 20 times more effective at brightening marks than typical skin lighteners. The serum is truly lightweight, and applies like a cool, silky dream; a little goes along way, and the instant it's absorbed you feel a faint tingle as the ingredients begin to do their magic. I don't know how it works so rapidly but I swear my face looks clearer and more luminous after just one use.
Boardroom is a beautiful cool dusky brown with a hint of plummy-purple - different enough to be eye-catching, but subtle enough that I didn't label it plummy-purple for a reason. It's not the kind of shade I'd typically reach for or wear [it sticks out like a sore thumb in my lipstick collection], but after spotting it during a rummage through a friend's makeup bag [hey, Olivia!], I simply had to purchase, and have worn it almost daily since. I love Topshop's lipsticks for having amazingly smooth, non-chalky wear and a tonne of unique shades at an incredibly affordable price point.
There are numerous things in this world that I indulge in in order to feel luxurious. On that list: red lipstick, designer shoes, manicures, Agent Provocateur lingerie, black velvet, and Byredo hair perfume... Upon receiving the press release for the latest additions to the brand's hair perfume range, I realised that Byredo is one of few perfumers that elicits true excitement within me when new products come out. The attention to detail, the unique inspirations, and the transcendental qualities of each scent make them each unlike anything I've smelt before. Whilst hair perfume is far from being a necessity, if you're prone to dousing all pulse points in perfume, then why not spritz onto your porous scent-hoarding strands? Regular perfumes are too alcohol-heavy and drying for daily use on hair, but hair perfume [which is more than just a scented hairspray, FYI] will mist your hair in hydrating ingredients as well as long-lasting, movement-activated scent. Black Saffron [launching soon] is dark and fruity, with a an exotic warmth that instantly scent my head like a dream-getaway weekend. Among the notes are juniper, saffron, violet, raspberry, and vetiver; exactly what one imagines smelling like when stargazing from a rooftop somewhere near the equator.
I'm typically sceptical of celebrity beauty collections, but beyond the cliché rose-gold packaging, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's capsule lineup for M&S is surprisingly satisfactory. With a focus upon neutral shades, ease of use, subtle enhancement, and universal accessibility, the collection has been easily adapted into my daily routine. By far my favourite product, the Amazing Radiance Cream is a moisturiser-primer hybrid that can be worn alone or layered under makeup. As far as texture goes, it actually feels more like a moisturiser than a primer, but it absorbs really well into my skin and the silicone inclusion [whilst minor] means that makeup applies and adheres beautifully on top. As per the product's claims [instant radiance], the lotion does have a sad-to-glad effect - transforming dull, depleted skin into a luminous, post-holiday version of itself.
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