Danielle's Beauty Blog

It feels like it’s been no time at all since my beauty spend report but here we are again! To be honest, this really doesn’t bode well for me for the latter half of the year which is always the worst for me spending wise anyway because of my birthday and Christmas but we’ll roll with it and try not to go overboard! 

My first purchase this month was the Mabel + Meg Lumilixir Serum and I ended up buying the saver bundle with two bottles and I have no idea why because I have a surplus of both hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C in my stash right now lol. Anyway they had 30% off and though I haven’t had this in a couple of years (see, I told you I was in surplus of HA) it did use to be one of my absolute favourites so I am hoping I still feel the same! I first got this in 2017 from Cult Beauty – though I thought it was way before that! - but they have since stopped stocking it (along with all my old Indie brand favourites *rolls eyes*) and I think the only place you can get it is directly from the website now. Singularly the 30ml is £39 but the bundle was £70 and I got it for £49 (with £4 shipping – I despise paying shipping lol). I feel like this use to be an Instagram/blogger favourite and I literally never hear about it or see anyone feature it anymore but I am excited to try it again! 

Then, after a particularly frustrating Friday at work, I decided to treat myself with an order on the Sunday of something I have wanted for ages! The Tonic 15 Build Your Own Skincare Kit. I picked the blush pink travel bag plus the mini Aromatica Reviving Rose Infusion Treatment Toner and I’m From Fig Boosting Essence which I have been eyeing up forever, as well the I’m From Rice Toner which I have already been through a full size of and loved! As this was in a bundle sadly there was no added discount (believe me I tried multiple codes :P) so this came to £39. 

Like I said, I ordered this on the Sunday as the website says items will usually be dispatched the next working day and arrive in 2-5 working days, and I had a trip away planned for the following Saturday. Unfortunately for me this still hadn’t been dispatched by Thursday and when I emailed to enquire if it had gone out of stock I was told it would be dispatched by end of day Friday and they would add in a sheet mask for my patience. Their customer service is nice and I know they are a smaller business but I was really disappointed with the lack of speed and explanation on why it took so long to dispatch never mind not actually getting to use it for my trip! A frustration purchase turned into a frustrating order! Hey at least it looks cute I guess. 

Over the bank holiday weekend, Look Fantastic are known for their offers and I took advantage and grabbed the ColorWow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray (normally £26, I got for £18.72) which is meant to be amazing for frizzy hair that’s affected by humidity and my hair has been shocking recently! I asked about this on Instagram too and so many people in my DM’s encouraged me to get it! I haven’t tried it yet but I’ll let you know if it’s any good! It's silicone free and meant to last up to 72 hours! I then picked up the OUAI Hair Refresh Kit (worth £44, usually £28 and I got for £22.40) containing the Super Dry Shampoo and Detox Shampoo. I love the OUAI products but haven’t tried the Dry Shampoo before but I know this formula gets great reviews so I am looking forward to being a bit boujier with my dry shampoo this time over my normal £2 buys! The detox shampoo just because like I said, I use dry shampoo a lot so this will help make sure I get rid of any build up! 

So that’s that for my August purchases! Overall, I spent £133.12 which without savings would have been £167. Did you have a good month spending wise or a blow out? I already have my eye on the new Cult Beauty Edit and signed up to the waitlist as I think it’s such a good deal and I want to try a good few of the products so I know I will be making at least one purchase this month! Check out last month’s Beauty Spend Report here!

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

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It’s been a couple of months since I did one of these and I have a few products I can’t get enough of recently so time for another favourites!

I am almost finished the Fenty Beauty PRO FILT’R Hydrating foundation RRP £27 (shade 150) and had to give it another mention before it becomes an empty! I was already a fan of the matte version (and it featured in a similar post back in September here) but picked this one up late last year when I was on accutane as my normally oily/combo skin became more dry/normal. This is a medium to full coverage foundation and it really brings the glow! I would hate this if my skin was oily as even when I powder it, it doesn’t completely set and there is still a serious amount of dewiness! With my skin still being “normal” this lasts all day on me and makes me look so healthy with the glow it gives. I don’t find it settles into fine lines and it doesn’t wear off throughout the day but it can transfer a little. Like I said, if you have oily skin I don’t think this would be such a hit and similarly I have read quite mixed reviews of it for dry skin but I am glad I picked it up, there is just something about it I love and it’s worked well for me! Boots regularly have 20% off it too!

I featured the Elemental Herbology Zest Bath and Body Oil* RRP £30 a few weeks ago in a bodycare post but I love it so much I want to talk about it again! I love having a body oil in my routine and this one is particularly luxurious. It’s a deep citrus scent and includes orange (to energise), rosemary (to stimulate the mind and work as an inflammatory) and marjoram (to boost energy). While it can be used in a hot bath, I tend to use it at night as a body oil and I wake up to hydrated, supple, nourished skin! It’s thicker than the likes of the Biossance Squalane oil but doesn’t feel heavy or sticky at all and the scent is beautiful – not too overpowering and very uplifting! It seems to have gone up in price by a couple of pounds since my last post but honestly I think it’s worth it, and there are numerous 15-20% off codes floating about making the deal a little sweeter! 

Next up, the Hello Skin Co Eyes So Bright Hydrogel Eye Masks* RRP £10 have been a welcome addition to my routine this summer. They contain caffeine and collagen as well as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide and have been a god send particularly on days I have been struggling with hay fever! They come in a pack of 60, feel so cooling on application and really help soothe my eyes and decrease puffiness! At £10 they are so affordable too and I am told this brand will be in Boots soon! They come in a handy tub with a lid that keeps the moisture in and a spatula to separate them and keep things hygienic and look at how juicy they are! A really nice extra in my routine! 

Finally, a little double act I have been loving in the Pixi + Promise Shapeshifter Palette* RRP £20 and Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush RRP £35. I wasn’t expecting to love this palette so much as I don’t tend to contour anymore nor have I bought a face palette in years. However, I do bronze every day and this palette contains a great mix of warm and cooler shades so I have found myself reaching for it every day since I got it to properly try it out and I am so impressed. The formula is smooth and just the right amount of pigmentation that I can see it but it doesn’t create an obvious line across my cheek. It lasts all day with no fading on my skin and while it’s a face palette, the shades lend themselves well to my favourite type of eyeshadow shades and work on my brows too so I can fully get on board with this one! I’m not one for highlight so the middle top two rows haven’t been used but the rest of the shades are matte and as well as contour/bronzer shades there is a brightening translucent powder and a banana powder too which all get use from me! Its currently on offer at Boots with 1/3 off and 20% off on Look Fantastic! Check out my review of the Pixi On the Glow Blushes here too! 

unedited swatches - 1-3 are 1st row, 4-6 are 2nd row, 7-9 are 3rd row

So that’s my current favourites – let me know if you have tried any of them and what you thought!

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

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I’m back with another current skincare post and this time I’ve branched out from cleansers and toners to serums and SPF’s!  Now, this isn’t quite all the serums I’m using at the minute but it’s the three I am using most consistently and the only SPF’s I have open. It’s probably going to be a ramble so let’s get to it!

As a huge fan of Dermalogica products I was super excited about trying the Dermalogica Powerbright Dark Spot Serum* RRP £89 out especially as I received it right towards the end of my Roaccutane treatment. As a reminder, you can’t use retinol or acids while on the drug as it makes your skin so sensitive and those ingredients are normally my go to’s when trying to fade dark spots so I was excited to use this. It has an impressive name and impressive claims to start fading spots in a week and help them diminish over time while brightening and boosting skins luminosity. While I enjoy the lightweight formula of this serum, unfortunately I have not seen huge changes in my pigmentation since using it and considering the claims and price, I was expecting more! My skin does look brighter and more even overall with use but I was really hoping this would help target some dark spots I have from leftover acne and they just haven’t shifted. One of the serums main ingredients is niacinamide which usually works wonders for me but not this time! Like I said, a nice formulation overall and a good one for sensitive skin (though be aware of citrus oils in there too) but at this price the payoff is not good enough for my expectations! 

Sticking with Dermalogica, their Smart Response Serum* RRP £130 has impressed me much more! This is a smart serum that responds to your skins changing needs to hydrate, firm, brighten and soothe depending on what it feels you require. It really is a joy to use from the heavyweight bottle to the rich (but never greasy) serum! It almost doesn’t feel like you even need to follow with moisturiser and it instantly calms skin. With consistent use twice a day my skin has felt hydrated, brighter, soft and plump and my fine lines look less noticeable. Ingredients wise, it contains glycerin (hydration), niacinamide and hydrolyzed wheat flour (brightening), japanese cornelia cherry (soothes and reduces redness) and mannose-6-phosphate (smooths and firms). The price is eye watering but Look Fantastic’s many 20% off codes work on it and I think if you are streamlining your routine or want to cut out a few steps with multiple serums this is a one stop shop and well worth it!

Sticking with serums, though this is more a bi-phase oil hybrid, the Lumene Nordic-C Arctic Berry Oil-Cocktail* RRP £29.90 (for a 30m full size) is a great little hydrating product! I always err on the side of caution with oils as they are usually strictly an overnight product for me but with my skin being more normal rather than oily these days and this being very lightweight it’s been working well for me. Shake before use and the Arctic cloudberry, Nordic cranberry and fatty acids make my skin glow while keeping it bright and hydrated all day long. It sits well under moisturiser and doesn’t make my foundation disintegrate despite being an oil and I can see anyone with drier skin than me loving this too! 

Moving onto SPF now and the Vichy Capital Soleil UV-Age Daily SPF 50* RRP £21 has quickly moved to the top of my SPF list with its lightweight fluid texture! This is an SPF 50 offering UVA and UVB protection that corrects photo-ageing signs such as wrinkles and dark spots caused by daily UV exposure. It's formulated with 1% Vitamin E, 4% peptides complex, 2% niacinamide, and 10% Vichy volcanic mineralizing water and probiotic fractions and really has been a dream to use! I was concerned on reading the full ingredients list as alcohol denat is high up there and I previously haven’t got on with SPF’s containing high amounts (though I get on with it in my overnight acids) but apart from a slight “active” feeling on application which soon disappears it hasn’t been a problem for me! If you have *very* sensitive skin it might not be the one for you though. Aside from that, this has no white cast (I have pale skin for reference), it absorbs easily and sits very well under makeup with no pilling in sight – hallelujah! I used this when I was dog sitting recently too and put it on for my early morning dog walks where it didn’t melt off into my eyes or sting them either! As it’s a French pharmacy item its usually on a nice little offer too! Can’t recommend this enough! I'm annoyed at myself for losing the cap of this, it's in my tiny bedroom somewhere but I can't find it!

Finally, the Hello Sunday The Everyday One Face Moisturiser SPF 30 RRP £15 and I really wanted to love this one but it’s fallen short for me unfortunately. Like the Vichy, this protects against UVA and UVB rays and they also have an SPF 50 version. It contains hyaluronic acid, panthenol and allantoin and is hydrating enough that you don’t need to use a separate moisturiser underneath! It’s a very lightweight cream and leaves no white cast for me either but takes a little more rubbing in that the Vichy. The issue I have with this is that 9 times out of 10 I will get some pilling either while rubbing it in or when I am blending my foundation on top. Pilling is my number one pet peeve in skincare and it’s been a while since a product has done this on me! On the occasions this hasn’t pilled it’s a nice product but I just don’t trust it now. I am not sure what it’s reacting with and it is better when I simplify my routine (and I mean literally toner, serum and this) but I like some extra layers sometimes. I’m not a fan of the pump either, it can sometimes squirt out way further than intended and is a pain! Overall, though I have heard some great things about the other products in Hello Sunday’s SPF line up this was a miss for me!

I’d love to know if you have tried any of the above products and what you thought! Let me know what your favourite serum or SPF is at the minute!

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

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

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I successfully made it through another month with no beauty spend in June so skipping that, here’s what I bought beauty wise in July and I have to say it was very controlled of me! These purchases were both made towards the end of the month so I haven’t had time to test them fully but here are some first impressions!

As a huge OUAI fan, I had been eyeing up the Dean Street Eau de Parfum as soon as they released more of the scents! I already have and love North Bondi and Melrose Place and in the past I have had Mercer Street too. I remember smelling Rue St. Honore in Sephora when it was released first time round and decided against it but Dean Street was completely new to me. It’s the same scent as the body wash and curiosity got the better of me so I ordered blind…and it was a mistake. This scent is not for me unfortunately!

It’s top notes are mandarin, lemon, grapefruit and apricot, heart notes are rose, magnolia, muguet and violet and base notes are amber, linden, blossom and musk. And in all honestly all of that is gobbledegook to me! I am very hard to please when it comes to scents and could name you the ones I like probably on one hand. To me/on me this is just too “green” and citrusy, I wore it twice and it wasn’t bad enough that I wanted to wash it off (been there with other scents before lol) but it just didn’t feel very me and I didn’t enjoy it! I hope I can sell it as it’s barely used and I will repurchase Melrose Place soon as that is my FAVOURITE scent and I am almost out. Which is what I should have done instead of trying a new one but we live and learn! This is normally £46 but Look Fantastic always have a discount code floating about and I got it for £36.80.

Next up from Look Fantastic is the Anastasia Brow Freeze and I have read so many good reviews on this and it was out of stock everywhere at one point too! I am a huge fan of ABH brow products including the Brow Wiz, Dipbrow and Brow Powder Duo so I couldn’t wait to try this. Again, I have been left wanting. Maybe I am off my game with picking new products to try, who knows. I know people use this for creating a laminated of feathered look but I was more drawn in by the residue and flake free formula claims and the fact it can add more volume to brows. I’ve unfortunately been left a little underwhelmed by this so far! It’s quite awkward to use and get the product on my spoolie evenly first of all. After I take the excess off on the inside of the cap I still sometimes get a little too much on the front of my brow and it doesn’t actually set at all. It feels like lightweight Vaseline in my brows and they don’t stay put all day. I should add that I don’t have unruly brows but the hairs on my arches move throughout the day and while it's marginally better it’s not what I was expecting from this product especially with freeze in the name! I prefer the brow gel from ABH but I go through it so quickly. The Brow Freeze is flake free but has a very slight wet look to it and yeah so far I feel a bit meh about it! It’s £24 normally but I got it for £19.20. 

Lastly, I picked up the Feel Unique Beauty Kit and this is a promotion they have been doing for a good while now although within the last week it's changed slightly to the Feel Unique Beauty Box with different pricing options depending on if you pick a subscription or one off sample box. Previously, you picked 5 deluxe samples for £12.95 and £3.95 shipping though I got this on offer at £10.95 plus shipping so slightly better but it’s worth picking out bigger sample sizes or more expensive products to make it worth your money! It comes in a little reusable pouch too and you can use the shipping fee as a voucher against your next order. They have loads of products to choose from though it is mostly in the skincare category so be aware of that! I picked out the Sol de Janeiro Bom Dia Bright cream containing fruit AHA’s and Vitamin C as I love the OG Bum Bum cream and wanted to try this scent and exfoliation action. I know Siobhan loves the AHC Essential Real Eye Cream for Face so I grabbed it too and I loved the Cerave Hydrating cleanser so I am excited to try the Hydrating Cream to Foam version! Lastly, a mini of the Farmacy Green Clean which I have had before and remember liking and the Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Vitamin C serum which I hear so much about and at £145 for the full size 30ml bottle, is the best value of the samples. I realise I won’t see much change with a 4ml but Vitamin C is a tricky formulation for me so that’s what I want to try it! I got mine for £14.90 instead of £16.90. They seem to have changed the little bag too which is a pity as its so handy that it's see through! 

That’s my latest spend report! I got this for £70.90 instead of the full price of £86.90!  I would love to know if you have tried any of the above and what you thought and do let me know if you are on a similar low buy and how it’s going!

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

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

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