I've been trying to stay loyal to the products I use [in attempt both to streamline my collection and to keep my complexion in check], but in the past month beauty has played a bigger role than ever in my life so it's been hard. I've had increasing exposure to and opportunities to try the latest and greatest in beauty launches - a few of which I've debriefed on below.
Read MoreAs spring is well and truly here [evident in the severe case of April showers I endured on my commute this morning], I thought it only fitting to debrief on my favourite of the latest slew of spring makeup collections. First up, Clarins, a brand whose seasonal collections never fail to delight. Instant Glow is less a premature adaptation of high-fashion summer beauty trends [as so many spring collections tend to be], and more an offering of transitional beauty products - dictated by the needs of everyday women, rather than catwalk diktat. Designed to restore a fresh and radiant [but inherently natural] glow to dull post-winter skin; the wearable, flattering shades will assimilate seamlessly within your routine, as suitable for workwear as they are for weekend antics.
Read MoreThere are few beauty concerns that affect every single one of us, but of those, frizzy hair is perhaps the most universally endured. It's a common conundrum - the resultant culmination of the havoc that central-heating, air-conditioning, rain, humidity, and styling tools wreaks upon our locks - manifest in flyaway roots, frizzy lengths, and fluffy ends.
Over the last few weeks, I've been on a quest to find the products [and tools] guaranteed to give me smooth, sleek hair. Some were okay, some really didn't do the trick, and others nailed it. Here are my five favourites.
Read MoreBeauty-wise, February for me is never about extravagant, indulgent beauty purchases - emerging from the rear end of winter with dull skin and frizzy hair calls for products that do exactly what they say they will. The past month has been one of the busiest of my life, and my lifestyle has more than reflected in my beauty picks this month; five products all with one thing in common, the ability to perform at maximum potential with minimal effort required.
Read MoreIn contract to the typically pared back approach I take the rest of the year, there's no time like your birthday to allow one's inner exhibitionist to embrace colour and glitter with full force. And the best thing about a January birthday? After a December’S worth of festive parties and Christmas soirees the glam look is perfected. Ahead of an evening of food, drink, dancing, and laughter with my closest girlfriends, these were the products I reached for.
Read MoreBetween the post-festive slump and January blues, the month may not be everyone’s favourite time of year, but for me January is great for two things: my birthday, and new beauty launches. Whilst not all of the below are hot off the press per se, they’re all new to my routine, and as you’ll see, I’m quite smitten
Read MoreThe best New Year’s resolutions are those that inspire us to step outside of our comfort zone and embrace the unknown and sensational. Rather than prescribe yourself multiple restrictions this January, instead be inspired to try something far from conventional when it comes to your adventures in beauty….
Read MoreFor many years I championed the pale look in lieu of jumping upon the faux tan bandwagon; admittedly, partly from laziness and partly from fear of a category of beauty to which Boots devotes a section larger than that housing toothpaste [an overwhelming enough category as it is]. However, pursuing a career in beauty writing meant that, inevitably, parcels of false tan began to frequent my doorstep, and [after initially surrendering these to the depths of my wardrobe] curiosity eventually got the better of me. I’ve since discovered that, as extensive and overwhelming as the range on offer is, it’s very easy to sort the good from the bad, and admittedly this is a task typically aided by a higher price tag...
Read MoreA new year, a new you, or so the saying goes. Committing to a healthy and holistic lifestyle is one of our most popular New Year’s resolutions, but come January it can be hard to know where to start. Over the next few weeks I’ll be debriefing on the beauty treatments guaranteed to kickstart your good beauty habits, from hair through to skin. After all, there’s no time like the New Year to start afresh, and sometimes all it takes is advice from a professional to inspire a revived commitment to a virtuous beauty routine.
Read MoreDespite my best intentions, a ‘year in beauty’ post didn't quite make it into the works this year. Given the time I could easily have compiled an exhaustive list of brands and products I’ve used and loved this year, but I’ve edited it down to just ten in order to truly set the elite above and apart. These are the best of the best, each 100% guaranteed a repurchase and a permanent home in my makeup drawers/bathroom cabinet/heart. If you’re a long-term reader you’ll undoubtedly recognise these from numerous posts, and my monthly favourites roundups throughout the year.
Read MoreDecember brought with it an explosion of festivity and cheer that couldn't help but inspire me to shake up my beauty regime just a little - see below, a do-it-all primer, a new hue of eyeshadow, and an indulgent in-shower treatment. Similarly, the weather’s effect upon my complexion called for a boost on the hydration front, and if there’s one thing I’ve learnt this year it’s that moisture can [and should] be sought from more than just one’s moisturiser. This month, replacing my makeup remover with a cleansing oil, followed up by a luxe treatment oil has been just the ticket in restoring a much-needed glow.
Read MoreAny trip home for the festive season requires a calculated effort on the packing front. Fitting a week’s worth of loungewear and cosy knits in around carefully wrapped presents and those select pieces of laundry you trust only to your mum’s washing machine [wisdom] leaves little room for anything more than the bare necessities when it comes to beauty. For this reason I cultivate a skincare edit consisted almost entirely of samples and miniatures in order to efficiently accommodate the many requirements for a suitably festive makeup look.
Read MoreLike most people, when the weather shifts to winter mode my skin takes on new characteristics; it demonstrates a difficulty in retaining moisture by not playing well with the makeup I apply, and reacts to anything my body disagrees with with heightened sensitivity. My worst hormonal breakouts have occurred in the winter months, and whilst for nine months of the year my complexion is far from dry, come winter, redness and dry patches make their ritual appearance. These symptoms are from from unusual given the seasonal and environmental stressors at play, but call for a powerhouse skincare routine that features tried, tested, and hydration-oriented products.
Read MoreThis month's standout products are far from exceptionally profound additions to my beauty routine; instead they've assimilated themselves with a quiet subtlety that has rendered them the sorts of staples that go almost unnoticed, despite their efficiency. Meet the five hero products you didn't know you needed...
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