Welcome back! It’s been a while but I’m home for a bit and I’ve missed talking about beauty so I’m keen to blog and Instagram again while I have more time! First up, I have some products I have been loving this summer I want to talk about!
I got this on the recommendation of both a friend and my beautician in Canada. Coming into summer I was in the market for a good SPF and having tried a mini of the original non matte version of this the year before I knew this wouldn’t disappoint! It has done a great job this summer of protecting my face and it also works amazingly under foundation! Win win!
I am on my third bottle of each of these as I use them together and they are brilliant at what they do! I use a drop of each of these most mornings together and they work so well to reduce my pigmentation, congestion and the look of my blemishes! They are a long time staple in my skincare routine and they also have a crazy good price point! See me wax lyrical about them in this post too: best beauty discoveries of 2016!
I went on a bit of a bronzer mission a few months ago and picked up a few different ones and while I love them all, this is the one I stuck in my makeup bag for a pretty big road trip this summer! It is the most perfect matte shade for my skin and gives a gorgeous wash of colour, the powder is soft and easily blendable and the packaging is gorgeous!
Another repeat purchase and one I always have in my handbag! This is billed as a lip treatment but I use it as more of a gloss throughout the day. It is super long lasting, non-sticky and it keeps my lips hydrated! Its amazing!
Have you tried any of these products before? Let me know what you've been loving this summer!
Danielle xx
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I’m finally back with a new empties post after putting a few mini
versions up on Instagram and it feels good! Here’s what I’ve finished up
recently!
Bodycare
Nivea Smooth Body Lotion
I love
this – it really does make my skin feel smooth, it smells so fresh and it comes
in a massive container! I also get it when it’s on special in Shoppers as it
can be expensive otherwise! Will repurchase!
Nivea Waterlily and Oil Body Wash
Another
favourite and one that I’ve repurchased quite a lot since being in Canada as I
love the scent and again, its affordable! Have already repurchased!
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
I got
this mini in a GWP from Cult Beauty a few months ago and I’ll admit I didn’t love
the scent at first though people seem to go crazy over it! I have grown to like
it though and I recently got another bigger sample! It does make my skin feel
super soft but I don’t love the glitter/sparkle that it gives off! Probably wouldn’t
repurchase.
Soap and Glory Hand Maid
An old
favourite and one that I didn’t want to finish because I can’t get it over
here! It’s the best smelling hand sanitiser there is and it doesn’t dry my
hands out at all! Will repurchase when I am home!
Haircare
Herbal Essences Dry Shampoo
I can’t
find my usual dry shampoos – Klorane and VO5 - in Canada so I’ve been trying a
few different ones, the first being this offering form Herbal Essences. I
really like the scent but it unfortunately leaves a white cast in my hair so I
won’t repurchase.
TRESemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo
Fortunately
I got on much better with this one! Again, I love the scent and it rubs in
really well leaving my hair feeling much fresher so I have repurchased a few
times! It’s also super affordable when on offer at around $4!
Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil
I got
this in a build your own beauty box a few months ago and enjoyed using it over
summer. It never made my hair feel oily or greasy and it always looked smoother
when I used it! I would consider a repurchase in the future but at the minute I
have a few other products I want to use up!
Skincare
Nivea Lotion
This
is probably my most repurchased skin product ever! I’ve talked about it loads
on the blog but most recently here. Its my absolute favourite for a first cleanse as it’s so creamy and gentle and
it does a great job of removing the bulk of my makeup while not breaking me out
of casing a reaction. Forever repurchased!
Aurelia Miracle Cleanser
From
one of my favourite first cleanses to a few of my favourite second cleansers!
The Miracle Cleanser is so gentle yet effective at removing the last of my
makeup and it smells so refreshing! I’ve never bought a full size as it’s so
expensive but the minis last ages! Will always repurchase!
Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish
I find
this to be really similar to the Aurelia cleanser in scent and how well it
cleanses. The Liz Earle one is a little thicker in consistency but it’s a lot
more affordable so I will repurchase the full size again in the future!
Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser
I
enjoyed using this for the most part except when it got into my eyes where it
burnt! It looks like a clay but is very oily and effective at removing makeup however
I wouldn’t repurchase as it’s not gentle over eyes! Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion I love this, its so gentle and cooling and perfect as a morning eye makeup remover. The little bottle has lasted me ages and I will repurchase in the future!
January Labs Daily Brightening Tonic
Another
mini from a GWP! I wanted to love this because the brands Restorative Tonic
Mist is one of my favourite skincare products but sadly I just didn’t notice it
doing much for my skin. It’s not a big enough sample to test properly and while
I don’t hate it, I just don’t love it therefore wouldn’t repurchase.
Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist
I got
this in the subscription box I mentioned earlier and I enjoyed the scent and cooling
sensation it gave but I have other facial mists I much prefer so I wouldn’t repurchase
this one!
Makeup
Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation
The
Mac Daddy of foundation for me, I love this stuff! It gives amazing coverage and
looks better the longer you have it on! I have already repurchased because I
cannot be without it!
Revlon ColourStay foundation
My favourite
budget foundation – and a great option if you don’t want to fork out for Estee
Lauder! Again it gives great coverage and lasts all day and I have repurchased!
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown
I’ve
used up a mini of the Brow Wiz before and liked it apart from the colour match
but this time the colour match was perfect It’s a super soft pencil and makes filling
in your eyebrows so simple! I definitely want to grab a full size at some
point!
Fenty Beauty primer and foundation in 150
A
little sample I wanted to include – I can’t really say much for the primer
because I never really notice anything with primers but I was super impressed
with the foundation! Obviously I only got one days use out of it but it lasted
all day and gave me really good coverage so I’ve been weighing up whether to
buy or not! I would love to hear your thoughts on the foundation if you’ve tried
it!
So that’s
my first empties in quite a while and it felt good! The pictures are awful
quality because I’m back to using my iPhone but we’ll roll with it! Let me know
your thoughts on any of the products here!
Danielle xx
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on
Hello! Is anyone still there? After a longer than intended break from blogging I'm going to try and kick my arse into gear and get back into the habit of posting semi regularly on here! I moved last week - same town just a different place with my own room so I think I can keep it up a bit more - I don't know why I hate people knowing I blog but I do so I just stopped. The beauty buying on the other hand hasn't stopped and there is lots I want to talk about but first up, following on from my Current Skincare | Cleansers post, I’m here with my toners today! This is a prewritten post from when I
was still at home but I will do an updated version at some point too here in
Canada!
Toners
are a very underrated product in my opinion and they are actually one of my favourite
steps in my skincare routine. I love how they get any leftover residue from
cleansers off my face as well as preparing my skin for the next
treatment/moisturising steps in my routine. The only thing I really look for
when picking a toner is that its alcohol free so here are my current picks!
It wouldn’t
be a toner roundup without this cult favourite! I have gone through so many
bottles of this over the years and it’s a constant in my routine! It contains
5% glycolic acid and is a super gentle but effective exfoliating toner that helps
to dissolve dead skin cells revealing the newer cells underneath! It also
diminishes signs of sun damage, fine lines and scarring and is just all round
bloody brilliant at doing all of these! This really helps smooth my uneven
texture and just overall refines my skin! Its £18 for 250ml and a bottle lasts
me ages with daily use!
It’s
formulated for normal, dry and combination skin and contains Sodium PCA which
attracts water molecules to the skin to help maintain hydration as well as
Cypress tree bark extract, a natural astringent that leaves skin feeling fresh.
This works
perfectly at removing any leftover makeup or dirt from my face after cleansing and
feels really refreshing. It doesn’t leave any residue behind and my skin feels
soft and ready for the next step in my routine. It’s different to any other
toner packaging I have as it comes in a spray bottle and I find that 6-7 sprays
onto a cotton pad is perfect for me! You can also spray this onto your face
during the day too if you wish – the mist is very fine and sprays evenly so it’s
brilliant if you want a refresh! I do detect a light fragrance with this which
I personally love but bare that in mind if you like fragrance free products and
its $30!
The Hydrating One – Bio-Essence Hydra Tri-Action Aqua
Refreshing Toner
Bio-Essence
is a Singaporean brand and I got this bottle from Cult Beauty though this product
doesn’t seem to be stocked there anymore *cries*. The tri action that’s referred
to in the title is the hydrating, nourishing and protecting formula. It
contains two types of hyaluronic acid - power nano hyaluronic acid and hyaluronic
acid. These help the toner to absorb into the skin quickly providing long
lasting hydration and keeping the skin firm and plumped up. It’s also enriched
with Cranberry Extract and Olive Oil which again keep the skin hydrated and are
rich in antioxidants to fight free radicals.
My
skin feels so refreshed and – you guessed it - hydrated after using this, I
love it! It has a really light scent that doesn’t bother me and I’m gutted I can’t
find it online anymore though it was £14 when I bought it before Christmas! The
only bad thing about this is that it’s not travel friendly at all – the glass
bottle is so heavy and it can be quite hard to get the product out of the tiny
hole in the top! The effort is 100% worth it though because it’s such a beautiful
product!
That’s
the toners I’ve been using at home! Since I've been in Canada my toner collection has expanded so I will do an update soon but let me know if
you have any other alcohol free recommendations!
Just
before I left for Canada, a generous skincare package arrived for me from the
lovely people at Purlisse. Having read some rave reviews by some of my
favourite bloggers on the brand, I had no doubts I would enjoy the products and
I have been proved right!
Purlisse
was founded by former actress Jennifer Yen (she was in Power Rangers dontcha
know) as heavy makeup and bright lights affected her complexion. She created
Purlisse – a combination of Asian wisdom and modern philosophy as well as
partnering with chemists in France, Korea, America and beyond to perfect the
skincare line.
Most
of the range I have here is from the Blue Lotus range - Blue Lotus is a powerful
antioxidant known for its anti-inflammatory benefits. All products here are
also free of parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, synthetic colour/fragrance and
animal cruelty! I’ve been using the range for well over a month now so here are
my thoughts!
This
cleansing milk promises to gently cleanse the skin, remove makeup, tone and
soothe
It’s
infused with Soy Milk, Whole Oat and White Tea to gently wash away dirt,
impurities and makeup in one simple step. It’s a soothing multi tasker that
leaves skin pure and clean without stripping it of its natural oils and is
suitable for all skin types. As well as blue lotus, the cleanser also contains White
Tea which helps rejuvenate skin, Soy Milk which is rich in amino acids and
maintains skin elasticity and whole oat to calm and soothe sensitive skin. I
absolutely love how gentle this is. I do prefer it as a morning cleanse rather
than a makeup removing second/evening cleanser as I prefer something more balmy
or oily and this is a runny milk. It doesn’t strip my skin at all and leaves it
clean and ready for the next step in my routine. It also comes in a huge tube and
a little goes a long way!
This promises
to brighten and even skin tone while also reducing dark spots and is suitable
for all skin types including sensitive. Again, as well as containing blue
lotus, it’s also made up of Lupine peptides to improve radiance and promote a
youthful glow, Vitamin C and Alpha Arbutin to brighten and even skin tone, Neem
and prune extracts to fade away dark spots and Avocado oil and natural squalene
to nurture sensitive skin. It’s really lightweight and sinks into my skin
quickly which I love! I’ve been using this morning and night and am so
impressed by how quickly my residual acne marks and scars are fading! My skin
has been breaking out more since I moved away but this range has 100% been
helping to keep it under control and fade the marks that are left over leaving
my skin looking clearer quicker!
This
moisturiser promises hydration, fine line prevention and it’s perfect to use
under makeup for normal, dry and sensitive skin. It’s got white tea included
which offers anti-bacterial and skin soothing abilities, Vitamin E to prevent
premature ageing and improve skin texture and French Marine Plants to help
retain moisture. My skin is more on the oily/combo side of things but this
hasn’t caused me to be any more oily that usual and I actually think my skin
has dried out a little since I’ve been in Canada so this is perfect. It’s a gel
cream hybrid, completely non-greasy and absorbs quickly into my skin like the
serum. It works so well with my foundation like most of the recent
moisturisers I’ve been trying out that my poor primers are taking a backseat
because I just don’t feel like I need them! I haven’t noticed any dry patches
since using this either so can’t recommend enough!
I’m
pretty hard to please when it comes to lip balms (see my disappointing products post here with cult favourite Nuxe Reve de Miel!) but this one I can get on board
with! Quite literally as I took it with me on the plane to Canada – see what I
did there?! It promises to hydrate and nourish, heal and soften and to my
delight is petroleum free! It contains mango seed butter and shea butter which
are highly nourishing and moisturising and also has Vtamins A, C and E. Jojoba oil provides anti-inflammatory
benefits and soothes chapped lips while Rice bran oil hydrates and protects
lips from UV rays and Vitamin E leaves lips supple and youthful. This lasts so
long on my lips which I love! I hate having to reapply after 10 minutes! It
gives a good amount of gloss too without being too much and leaves my lips feeling
moisturised and soothed as well as plump looking!
This
sheet mask promised to be intensely moisturising as well as soothing and
balancing. It contains White Mulberry to brighten and Anise fruit to provide
continuous moisture leaving skin healthy, beautiful and radiant. I’m not an
avid sheet mask user but I can safely say that I have found a favourite in this!
I love the light scent and the mask itself is super saturated. I found it to
fit my face really well and I didn’t want to take it off! I rubbed the remnants
of the mask into my face and it felt so smoothing and hydrating I almost didn’t
bother with a moisturiser. My skin always looks much more radiant and calmer the
next morning!
Overall,
I am so impressed with the Blue Lotus range and Purlisse as a whole! The
products are incredibly gentle yet effective and a joy to use! I highly
recommend if you get a chance to try them!
*denotes
a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full
disclosure here.
Danielle
xx
If
you want to keep up to date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me on
