Grace Notes: April 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.
SUVA Beauty Hydra FX Liners
Ever since discovering Dior’s DiorShow OnStage Liner in Matte Red last year (it made it into my 2018 favourites), I’ve been obsessed with creating colourful liner looks. I would have purchased every colour of the Dior liner if they didn’t retail at £25 each, so I was thrilled to discover SUVA’s liner pigments (which are a lot more bank account-friendly and come in loads of bang-on-trend neon shades). You activate them with water and the colour is super strong and opaque, and lasts all day. With the right brush, they’re also actually much easier to apply than regular pen liners (which I was not expecting!) - I use a ZOEVA 315 Liner and nail the perfect line and flick, every time.
Up circle Face Scrub Herbal Blend
Physical exfoliants and I have had a rocky relationship - I overused them in my teens in a misguided attempt to rid my skin of acne, before realising that vigorously scrubbing my skin raw on a daily basis was not the way forwards. I swore off them not long after, and actually hadn’t used many (beyond testing for work) until I was sent this. It’s made with upcycled coffee grounds from coffee shops and the packaging is 100% recyclable - which further commends it in my eyes. But back to the scrub itself - as someone with fairly sensitive, acne-prone skin, I can vouch for it as one of the few that (unless overused) will give you the silky smooth skin of your dreams, minus the irritation and redness. I especially love using this in the morning - the coffee weirdly helps me feel more awake, and my makeup applies like a dream since my skin is so smooth.
The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics
This isn’t your regular hyaluronic acid serum - it’s much better. After years of using bottles and bottles of the original Hyaluronic Acid from The Ordinary, I was convinced to cheat on my holy grail - and this one cheating scandal had a happy ending. I now use this every day, twice a day, without fail. Thanks to the marine extracts, it smells a little bit funky, but has a thin, watery texture that layers much better than the original and without pilling or feeling sticky. I also find that it’s way more hydrating - I’ve been using it day and night under my serums and moisturisers and my skin loves it.
Milk Makeup Kush Lip Balm
It’s rare that I get excited about a lip balm, but after years of half-heartedly using and continually losing tubes and tins of the stuff, I’ve finally fallen in love with one that I now use every single day without fail - and keep on my bedside table to avoid misplacing. First of all, it smells of mint - and not the fake, artificial kind. Second, it’s packed with intense hydrators like shea butter, coconut oil, and jojoba oil - resulting in a super hydrating lip treatment which is basically the lip equivalent of an overnight moisturising mask. I use every night before bed to keep my lips in top condition. It works.
Silke London Silk Hair Wrap
Biggest gamechanger of 2019, so far. I admit I was wary of recommending a silk hair wrap when I saw the £50 price tag, but within a week of trying this out I was sending glowing reviews to my friends, colleagues, hairdresser, and strangers on Instagram. I wear it every night and it prevents frizz and knots, protects my hair from breakage, reduces the need for styling, and keeps my hair cleaner for twice as long. A few years ago I was washing my hair every other day and now I only need to wash it once or twice a week, which is nothing short of a miracle in my eyes.
