Grace Notes: September 2019
WORKING AS A BEAUTY WRITER PRACTICALLY REQUIRES ME TO TURN UP AT WORK WEARING AS LITTLE PRODUCT AS POSSIBLE – A BLANK CANVAS IF YOU WILL – TO BE SMOTHERED AND SWATCHED IN POTIONS AND PIGMENTS FROM 8 ‘TILL 5. AS IT'S MY JOB TO SWATCH AND SNIFF MY WAY THROUGH THE LATEST AND GREATEST BEAUTY LAUNCHES, EACH MONTH I DEBRIEF ON THE ONES WORTH WRITING HOME ABOUT.
H&M Santalum Perfume Oil
While shopping for jeans recently on H&M’s website, I made the fortuitous decision to throw this rollerball into my basket (I’ll do anything for free delivery). I know what you’re thinking: H&M perfume from a girl who usually wears Byredo, but hear me out. Budget perfumes from clothing stores are really hit or miss - and more often than not, miss - but while this is one of the most affordable fragrances I’ve ever purchased, it’s also one of the best smelling. In fact, it smells just like Le Labo’s Santal 33. Rich, aromatic, woody, spicy, and only £8.99. Plus, the slim rollerball packaging means I can throw it in my bag for on-the-go top-ups.
Soapbrows
Over the past year I’ve been sub-consciously shrinking down my everyday makeup routine - one element in particular that’s taken a hit is brows. Where I used to use upwards of three products to style them on a daily basis, I now use one. I rely on bi-weekly at-home tinting sessions to add colour, so I no longer need a powder/pomade/pencil, and when it comes to adding shape and definition I’ve been using clear brow gels. Until I discovered Soapbrows, that is. Drawing upon a hack long since employed by makeup artists, the contents of this little tin is a black of solid plain soap. A wet spool brush loaded up with soap and applied to brows provides endless styling options, from slick and styled to fashionably fluffy. Crucial tip: Back comb the soap through your brows first before styling - this coats all of the hairs in product and makes them much easier to manoeuvre.
Paulas Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
As long-term readers of this blog will know, acne and post-acne pigmentation has been the bane of my existence. I have suffered with breakouts since my early teens and it doesn’t help that every single spot I’ve ever had has taken months to disappear from my skin. I’ve used some great products over the years that have really helped with fading pigmentation or with preventing future breakouts, but very few that accomplish both. Reader, I am halfway through this bottle and my skin hasn’t been this clear since the early days of high school. Salicylic acid is a feature in so many products I use - mainly cleansers, spot treatments, and masks, but given the results I’ve seen from this, I really think it’s most effective in toner form. The texture is so lightweight and fast-absorbing that it truly gets to work as soon as it’s on.
Glossier Stretch Concealer in G11
Now that my skin is (relatively) clear - thanks to the above - I’m weaning myself off foundation for my everyday makeup and onto just concealer instead. Last month I was using the Milani Coverage Concealer, but when it ran out I decided to replace it with something even more low-key. If you love coverage but hate heavy makeup - hi, that’s me - this will be right up your street. The solid balm texture melts onto skin and blends subtly - offering just enough coverage to tone down redness without looking like I have any makeup on.
NUXE Reve de Miel Melting Honey Body Oil Balm
My skin knows winter is coming even before it starts because as soon as the leaves begin to turn, my skin turns dry. I notice it more on my body than my face (i’m religious about twice daily moisturising above my neck but can get lax when it comes to below). This arrived on my desk earlier in the month (right on time) so I instantly elevated it to my bathroom shelf. I love NUXE’s Reve de Miel All Purpose Balm and Lip Balm so knew this would be a winner, but wasn’t prepared for quite how impressed I’d be. Rich and comforting, the texture sits somewhere between a cream and a balm, but melts into a dry oil texture once on skin. It soothes and nourishes my skin like nothing else, and while the product absorbs instantly (no greasy patches!), the mouth-wateringly good scent lingers all day.
