4 Product Skincare Routine | Beauty

What is this you see? A beauty post on my blog after I said I wasn't going to do beauty stuff anymore? Escandalo! The thing is, I do still love beauty but I have found in the 11 months I haven't been blogging and buying unnecessary products for my blog I have stripped my skincare regime right back and have only been buying 4 products, yes you read that correctly only 4 products I use to keep my skin happy! There are lots of skincare specialists out there that will tell us we need more and we need different things for morning and night and that we need different steps for different skin types which I am sure is true but I know my skin and I know that for me less is more. 

A bit of short background, I used to have horrific acne for years went on a high dose of roaccutane and it change my life! Skin cleared up, I was left with a few scars but it was so much better, however I did realise that all the products that tell you they are good for clearing skin etc is all a load of marketing bullsh*t and can do more damage than good! Ever since then, I have been paranoid with what goes on my face and use very little products, then I started to blog again which lead to me buying loads of new products and then I decided to go cruelty free which meant I needed even more products then I stopped blogging and it all calmed down. I made a conscious decision  to use all the stuff I had and then only buy things I absolutely needed which started with cleanser, I had so many different types which were all fine but I wasn't in love with any of them. I tried The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil which I liked the idea of but it was a bit of a faff, you had to put it on your face then wet your face then wipe it off and I just wanted something easy but equally as gentle which is when I picked up from the same range the Camomile Cleansing Butter which was a game changer, take a little bit, warm it up on your face to it melts into an oil and boom wipe off! So simple, so gentle, so easy! With this cleanser I have no desire to find another and without beauty blogging I didn't find the need to try something new at all! 

Moving onto a brand I have dabble in for a while now which is The Ordinary, I have tried both of their foundations and they were both awful on my skin so never went back to their make up, their skincare on the otherhand is amazing! It started with The Peeling Solution which has been written about by loads of people but I picked it up because it was a great price and I wanted something that would reduce some of my scarring. It's a little 10 minute mask that I use once a week sometimes once every 2 weeks, It makes my skin look and feel so much smoother. It is quite strong stuff so be mindful when using it. The next product is one that I definitely bought on a whim, I was reading a commuter magazine (either the Stylist or ES mag) and someone (I didn't even know them) in the mag recommended Plant Derived Squalane which is a plant base product which is great at keeping skin and even hair hydrated. Think of this product as an oil, that doesn't leave a greasy residue on your skin, it just absorbs and leaves your skin feeling fresh and it's gentle enough to use every day and I tend to use this after I have cleansed in the evening! 

The next and final product left in my entire collection (for the face, I do still have body products) is the delightful Drops of Youth, Youth Cream this is actually a product I bought a while ago but then I tried something else and just didn't love it! This cream is fantastic because its so fresh and cooling, I use it in the morning under my make up and it creates such a lovely base. I doubt it is making me look youthful, much to my disappointment, but it is a really fantastic product! 

I think whether you are in the "less is more camp" or the "more is more camp", it feel so good when you find products that just work for you because when you feel like you skin looks good you immediately feel much better about everything else!  

Barry M Flawless Concealer | Beauty

I have never really been someone to wear a lot of concealer, a little while ago I thought I would give the Collection 2000 one ago again and then I quickly remembered why I had stopped using it! Love the product cannot stand the packaging, mine always seems to leak everywhere and I can't stand mess. The other week I go caught shirt because I had a mammoth spot and had a big meeting so I ran to Boots and the only (cruelty free) concealer I could find was Barry M Flawless Concealer. 

They only had about 4 different shades with this concealer and I was very lucky to see that my shade was in stock! To be honest I didn't really know much about it other that was written on the bottle which states that it is light reflecting - not exactly what I wanted but I thought it would do the job. Upon researching it's actually a lightweight concealer which has been infused with cucumber and aloe to soothe and it's great for under eyes...yeah...not for spots so now it kind of makes sense. I though the colour match was good for me and it's a very easy product to work with but I have to admit it isn't great for covering spots, you have to keep building up and blending out to try and get a higher coverage. 

The wand of the Flawless Concealer is so underwhelming and I would go as far to say that it is completely useless! I can get on board with brush wands for concealers but this one is so thin I struggled to apply the product to the areas I needed to. I even used the product for it's real purpose which is under the eyes and I just couldn't get enough product on the wand to get it under my eyes. When I eventually did manage to get some on my skin, I did really like it! It blends out easily and it does have a light reflecting quality about it, but it's worth noting that I don't have very dark circles under my eyes.

The Flawless Concealer, is a very lightweight concealer and it's gonna struggle to cover any huge spots but if you are looking for something that brings a bit of light into your face and that isn't too cakey then this little fellow might be for you! 

What are your favourite concealers  

Drops of Youth Eye Concentrate | Beauty

Another Body Shop product, I can almost SEE your eyes start to roll, you guys have to know that I really think The Body Shop has some incredible skincare ranges and I am obsessed with the Resurfacing Liquid Peel  and the Youth Cream but I have been honest about my opinion regarding their beauty products such as the CC Cream which was a massive disappointment. I just kinda have a problem with the The Body Shop in the sense that I cannot walk out of there with just one thing so I end up buying a few! 

You guys already know that I am paranoid about my ever aging face so was on the look out of a little eye cream when I spotted (with my saggy eyes) The Drops of Youth Eye Concentrate, I just saw the words "youth" and "eyes" and knew I had to have it! Like the Drops of Youth Cream  this product also has plant stem cells such a Edelweiss, Sea Holly and Criste Marine. 

It's an unusual little contraption isn't it? Basically it's a pump and applicator all in one! You press down on the little black part which deposits the eye cream around the silver roller ball and then, as instructed by the packaging, you massage the cream around both eyes in a figure 8 motion and then you simply pat it in with your fingers until it is completely absorbed. I'm not gonna lie to you guys but this took me a little while to even remember to keep using, for some reason I really struggled to work it into my skincare routine but I eventually did. 

The Youth Eye Concentrate is a really lovely product because it's so fresh and light, it also has a cooling quality to it which is helped by the roller ball. I definitely noticed that this product made the skin around my eyes appear more lighter and brighter but I am lucky in the sense that I have quite pale under eyes anyway so don't often have "bags" as such! I have read the reviews online and many people have said that it reduces fine lines which personally I haven't noticed, for me this product is more of a hydrating cream than a cream to reduce wrinkles which I actually wanted. 

It is a lovely product but I think I want to go for something that is a little more tightening and wrinkle reducing as opposed to birghtening so I won't buy this product again but that's not to say it isn't a great product because it is, I just need something a little stronger to tackle my aging eyes! 

What eye creams do you recommend? 

Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil | Beauty

I know what you're thinking, "another bloody cleanser" on the blog and I get that, I definitely think this year I have been open to trying lots of different products because I really want to have a good skincare routine, I don't wanna age!!! Whilst I think there is no ONE cleanser that is perfect I definitely want to use products I truly love. I have heard SO many incredible things about the Camomile range from The Body Shop but more about the cleansing butter but as I have a lot of creamy type of cleansers I wanted to try out the Silky Cleansing Oil. 

I have mentioned in a few posts that I wanted to try more oils on my skin and I thought that this cleansing oil would be a good match! I also really wanted a cleanser that would be really quick and easy to use because sometimes, at night, I can be a bit lazy with my routine. When I bought the Silky Cleansing Oil, I thought I would just whack it on a cotton pad a few swipes on my face and I will be done with it...I was wrong. When I first used it the product just sank into the pad and I couldn't get anything on my face and when i read the back there aren't actually any instructions which made the whole thing a bloody big faff! I had to go on the website to find out how to use the damn thing! 

This product should be used on a dry face first, applied with your fingers/hands and really work it into the face, then you wet your hands and rub them over your face again which then changes the consistency of the product a little and then you wipe off with a muslin cloth or whatever. So it is super easy but it's not as lazy as I had hoped, that said I bloody love this product. My skin feels SO smooth after using it and I had noticed that the smooth feeling lasts far longer than it usually does with other cleansers which makes me question whether my face leans more on the dry side these days because the oil is really making a difference. It's an aggressive pump so be prepared to try and catch the oil in your hands, it also worth noting that a little goes a long way, I literally use one pump but the first couple of times i used two and totally didn't need to!

The Silky Cleansing Oil is also vegan, suitable for sensitive skin and removes water proof mascara - it really is a wonder product! I have noticed I got a couple of spots since using this product but that is typical of my skin when trying anything new and they're hardly anything too dramatic. 

What cleansing products are you lovin' right now?

Burt's Bees Deep Cleansing Cream | Beauty

You guys know I love a bit of Burt's Bees, I have written about the Orange Essence Cleanser  which I was a little unsure about, I love the scent of the product but wasn't obsessed with it, after several months I do like it but I am looking for another cleanser which is where this little fella comes in. I have to be honest and say that personally I do think Burt's Bees skincare is expensive, for what it is, so I tend to purchase when there is a discount. I picked up the Deep Cleansing Cream in my local Sainsbury's because it was like £3 off making it £7 however I know that Boots always have a discount on Burt's Bees. 

I miss using a cream cleanser and I was looking for something that would be thicker than the orange essence cleanser. From the moment I first used this deep cleansing cream I was obsessed with the smell, it smells like sherberts, this zingy sweet scent, like Love Hearts or Refreshers or something, I just wanted to eat it. Also, this cream is incredibly thick, you can easily end up using too much of the product which I did a lot to start off with. You have to apply it to a wet face and it's unusual in the sense that when you apply it on your skin it doesn't really do anything, it doesn't foam up, it doesn't melt in, it just kind sits on the surface. When you use too much you kinda realise tat it isn't doing anything but when you use just a smidge less you can work it into your skin a little easier and it actually feels better. 

Overall, I like this cream for the scent alone but I think that the orange essence cream actually leaves my skin looking a little fresher than the Deep Cleansing Cream! 

I like Burt's Bees as a brand because the bees wax is responsibly sourced and made in a sustainable way, not only that but they also sponsor the British Beekeepers Association's adopt a beehive which helps Honey Bees thrive. I feel like we could all be doing more to help the bees, so any company that does this I definitely want to get more products from. Also it's worth noting that the various products that they sell contain no petrochemicals, phthalates, parabens or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). 

What are your favourite cleansers? 

Barry M Illuminating Strobe Cream | Beauty

Today I thought I would have a little chat about the Barry M Illuminating Strobe Cream which I picked up as a free gift several weeks ago. Now, I love a bit of highlight in fact there is rarely a day go by that I don't  wear highlight on the ol' cheek bones and I have written about the NYX Cosmetics Strobe Of Genius palette which is just so beautiful so you know I like a powdered highlight. This Barry M product on the otherhand isn't powder it is obviously a cream highlight that I have never tried before so considering it was on offer in Superdrug I thought I would give it a go. 

I opted for the Ice Bronze colour which is less bronze and more iced because it's the kind of warm shimmer that I personally prefer. I have very pale skin and often don't want to wear make up that highlights my cool tone, so I like to bring warmth to my face with highlight and contour which is why I went for this one. When I first started using it I didn't really know how to apply it, in fact I found it really hard to get product from the stick to my face because it was very hard and found that if I applied it directly to my face it just drags my foundation so obviously that's not how you're supposed to apply this thing. After I tried rubbing my fingers over it to warm up the cream a little in the hope it would become easier to use, it did actually work a little. I then tapped it on the tops of my cheekbones and found that not a lot of product actually transferred to my face. Like guys, this is a lot of work for someone who needs to apply their make up fairly quickly in the morning. 

Don't get me wrong, once you get the damn thing on your face it does look nice, it's a very light sheen to the skin it probably looks a lot more natural than my powder highlights which definitely serves a purpose. It lasted quite well but again because it's so natural it just kind of worn off my face as the day went on. As you can see in the picture, it's not that pigmented at all, admittedly the picture colour is a bit crappy but you can see that my skin tone almost matches this product. 

I think that cream highlights just aren't for me, it is a gorgeous shade, it does work but it's hard work and I prefer the ease of dipping my brush into my palette and a couple of swipes and I'm done! 

Do you prefer cream or powder highlighters? 

Barry M Crushed Jewel Cream Eyeshadow | Beauty

I'm one of those people who actually really likes wearing eyeshadow but kind of struggles to find time to apply it, so when I spy a product that looks like it can give me a gorgeous shimmery eye with ease then you know I'm gonna try it out! I spotted the Barry M Crushed Jewel eyeshadows in vlog I think, I can't remember which vlog but it must have been a PO Box Haul kinda thang and thought I should check them out instore. 

I found the Crushed Jewel Cream Eyeshadows in my local Superdrug as Boots didn't have them and they were actually running an offer of "buy two products and receive a FREE Illuminating Strobe Stick" so I went with the intention of only buying one and ended up with two. These cream eyeshadows actually remind me of the Rimmel Scandaleyes cream eye shadow sticks which I actually really loved back in the day. I was torn between the shade range because there were so many gorgeous ones to pick from but in the end I opted for Blissful and Pillow Talk . At first glance look really similar but you'll see in the swatch below that Blissful is far more pink than Pillow Talk. 

The cream eyeshadows have a doe foot applicator which makes it really easy to place on the lid but you're gonna need a brush to help put it in place and blend out. When I applied Pillow Talk I only applied a small amount and then left the house however  noticed that this creased really bad into my eyes, like you're gonna need a primer if you have slightly oily eye lids. I was a little underwhelmed when I first tried it because it just didn't seem to have impact I was hoping for. However, I wore it again but this time I applied a first layer, let it dry and then packed on again a little more and it lasted a lot longer and looked exactly how I wanted it to. 

These sell for £4.99 which I think is a fantastic price for what they are, plus they are small and easy to pop into your make up bag. If you like a shimmery look then this is a really easy way to create that look, it won't last for a crazy amount of hours but it will last an look good if you take your time with it. 

Have you tried any of the Crushed Jewel eyeshdows? 

The Ordinary Serum Foundation | Beauty

Ok guys, I feel like I have failed you all because I simply cannot stand this foundation! You may have read my Coverage Foundation review which I couldn't get on with but I put it down to never really wearing full coverage foundations anyway so I thought that would be it! The Ordinary have so many bloggers raving about the Serum Foundation that I thought I should give that a go as it's a lighter weight foundation which I am more used to. 

This foundation is a low viscosity formula which means it's definitely runnier than the Coverage foundation and other ones I use but I expected it to be. I tried applying this with my RT buffing brush and my beauty blender and it just doesn't work with my skin, the coverage isn't great which is to be expected but again it blends out in a really odd way. I don't know why but it clings to odd places on my face that other foundations simply don't and throughout the day it just doesn't wear well and I was wearing a setting spay with it. I have tried different tools, different primers, different creams and nothing works for me and this range of foundations. 

I think the shade range of the foundations are phenominal, I love that The Ordinary not only caters of other skintones but also different undertones. The foundation just don't work for me, but their skincare is something I can get excited about. It's a short and sweet review because I just didn't like it and I left a more in depth review about the Coverage Foundation which I treated in the same way. 

What foundations do you recommend?

The Body Shop Roots of Strength Serum | Beauty

So I have this thing with The Body Shop, I mean I can't seem to control myself lately every time I go in I end up buying too much and this time I walked away with The Roots Of Strength Firming Shaping Serum which at £32 is very much a "considered purchase". To be honest, I'm 30 next year and I feel this blind panic to really try and do something with my skin and whilst I have always had a little dabble I really want to find some hero products this year. I was reading Hayley Hall's blog and she mentioned this serum in her Four Fab Skincare Gems she was honest but saying she hadn't noticed a huge difference but it does leave her skin feeling good and it is a product that she likes using so I thought, "that's good enough for me" 

Roots of Strength range is inspired by traditional Chinese medicine and infused with 3 root extracts which are ginger, ginseng and rucus root so these products pack a mighty scent so if you don't like strong gingery scents this probably isn't for you my dear. I went for the serum over the face cream simply because I already have a face cream that I am loving right now which is TBS Drops of Youth facial cream so I thought I would use something a little richer and targeted beforehand. I have been using this product for about 7/8 weeks now and I have to be honest that whilst I haven't noticed my skin that much firmer, I have noticed that it looks fresher. I actually started using this product at the same time I started using The Ordinary Peeling Solution so it's hard to pinpoint what it making my skin fee so good right now but I do believe this had contributed to some of it. 

When I first started using it, I was using it every day and I must admit I don't think my skin liked it too much, my skin is a bit fussy and it doesn't really like to have multiple different products on it. I noticed that my skin felt a little clogged after a couple of weeks so I dropped down to using it every other day and that works a lot better for me. 

Roots of Strength Firming Shaping Serum is a really nice product, it's great to apply and melts into the skin beautifully, I'm still not sure whether it's something I would buy all the time but we'll see how I feel when I run out. 

What facial serums do you love right now? 

The Ordinary Peeling Solution | Beauty

Ah The Ordinary has really reached cult status hasn't it? It one of those brands that offers a lot of variety but for a fantastic price but if you have read my blog recently then you'll know my disappointment for the Coverage foundation, I mean I just hated that product! But my opinion on the make up aside I still wanted to try out a little something from this brand and take a little leap into the world of facial acids which is why I wanted to try out the AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. 

In the past I have tried glycolic acid face pads and I frickin' loved them but I haven't really tried anything harsher than that so I had a look at the QUEEN of skincare Caroline Hirons blog post on Affordable Acids where she mentions that it's a good and cheap acid and but it's not a daily acid as it is strong. After researching it does suggest it should be used by people who know how to use acids/who's skin is used to acids so I was taking a little risk but I figure that providing I follow the instructions and stop if I don't like it I would be fine. 

I have been using it once a week for about 6 weeks now and I must admit I am quite impressed because it is powerful and instantly you can see a difference in the skin texture. I have used a lot of different products that might leave my skin looking good and fresh but this Peeling Solution actually leaves my skin shiny and smooth. The first time I tried it, I only left it on my face for 5 minutes just to be sure that I was going to be OK to use the product. Then after that I have used it for the full 10 minute each time. I love my skin when I wash the product off and then the next day my make up goes on perfectly but one thing I have noticed is that during the day my cheeks can get really red and hot. I don't know whether that is as a result of using this product but I feel like it is, however the days after that are completely fine. 

I have noticed that the texture of my skin is starting to look overall a lot smoother than before and sometimes when I wake up my skin actually looks really fresh, I'm actually starting to see and feel the improvement, I just love it! I haven't noticed any dryness or peeling, which I was worried about as it is an exfoliating product. 

Personally I think The Ordinary's Peeling Solution is a great, but it is strong so if you are considering using this you need to be cautious and aware. It's also a fantastic price at £6.30 it's worth trying. 

Have you tried facial acids? 

Neom Essential De-Stress Kit | Beauty

Last year I only just started to discover essential oils, I got really into my Monoibody oil but I also discovered the Feather & Down pillow spray which to this day I am still obsessed with. I recently stumbled across this gorgeous little Neom Essential De-Stress Kit and I am so glad I did. I'll be honest with you I have never tried anything from Neom before but have heard great things and I was in my local Homesense and spied this among a range of candles and I literally gasped when I saw it because I knew it was a good brand. 

Homesense had only two options one was the Essential De-Stress Kit and the other was Essential Energy Boosting kit and I nearly bought them but until I realised I was being a little impulsive so I opted for the De-stress Kit. I still have a lot going on with the new job and the house (or lack there of) so my sleep is very fragmented lately so I thought when I go to bed before I start reading this would be a great way to just unwind a little. Another bonus is this was only £12 in Home Sense when they normally retail for around £20. 

The thing I love about this little set is that it's an easy 3 step process, which only take like 5 mins which is not time at all, everyone has at least 5 minutes in their day free. The first little spray is for fabric so you can give a little spritz to something underneath or near your head like  cushion. The second step is a little roller ball that you apply to the pulse points on your wrists, temples and behind your ears. Then finally you have the "on the go" mist that you spray above your head whilst talking a few slow deep breathes. You can either use the set in this format or mix it up a little, you might want to keep the roller ball in your bag so during the day you can try and steal  moment of calm. 

The essential oils in this kit are predominantly are lavender, jasmine and Brazillian rosewood and I must say that if you dislike lavender then this is not a scent for you because it is quite intense. I have been using this product for a little while now and I must admit I quite enjoy the routine of doing this before I start reading at night, it does make me feel quite relaxed and calm. I do think it's a lovely product, but I feel like it's a little pricey to be something I buy frequently, I think its great as a gift or a treat! I'm definitely going to continue exploring more essential oils though because I think they are fab! 

Do you use scents to help you de-stress or unwind? 

Burt's Bees Lipstick | Beauty

I am a fan of Burt's Bees but usually stick to their skincare and lip balm products but I know last year they released some make up items sticking mainly to lip products. I was browsing in my local Boots and they just happened to have an entire stand of Burt's Bees Lipsticks and Lip Crayons, I have to admit it was a bit of an impulse buy because the queue was going down and I was stuck between two choices to I went with Blush Basin - bit of an odd name I must admit but It seemed like a good nude shade. 

If you have read my blog before you will know I am all about the nude lip, I don't think there will ever be a time where I rock a red shade, it's just not me. As you can see this is a lovely nude shade with slightly orange undertones, I must admit when I applied it it does bring out those undertones a little more than what I would like but that said, I can definitely work with this shade. 

Burt's Bees Lipstick is a slightly thinner stick which means you can apply it more precise than other lipsticks and I found that it was actually super moisturising which I wasn't expecting as I have been wearing a lot of matte shades and I'm kind used to them being a little drying. This lipstick is not a matte lippy, it's more of a satin finish which means you do have to reapply this frequently because as we all eat and drink through the day this lipstick does disappear but because I always go for neutrals you can get away with a delayed application. I have to mention the packaging because I really bloody love it, the design is lovely and gives a nod toward the bee hive but it also feels quite premium and sleek which is a massive thumbs up from me. 

This lipstick is made from 100% natural ingredients which include raspberry seed oils and moringa and apparently the packaging is made of 60% recycled materials which I think is really bloody good!  

Have you tried and Burt's Bees products?

Drops Of Youth | Beauty

I know, I know ANOTHER Body Shop post, seriously I don't know what's happened but recently all I have to do is walk in for like 3 minutes and I walk out with a whole bunch of stuff. More recently this Drops of Youth, Youth Cream is something I walked out with but you know what I am bloody glad I did! 

I used to be obsessed with the Olay Essentials Day Cream (old post alert!) genuinely it was a really fantastic product and was the only thing that would help my dry skin when I was on roaccutane but since the switch to cruelty free products it's meant I have had to find something else. I recently used the Superdrug B Confident Day Cream, which I did like, it was quite a rich cream but it  definitely wasn't a replacement for my Olay, so when I ran out I thought I would try out something new. I love the layout of the skincare ranges in The Body Shop, I love how they are all grouped together and obviously getting a bit paranoid about my ever aging face I was drawn to the Drops of Youth range. The first thing that drew me to the Youth Cream was the scent, it's very light and fresh so you know it's not going to be overpowering when you apply it. Then I put a tiny bit on the back of my hand and this stuff just melts into the skin so of course I bloody bought it! 

I have been using this Youth Cream for just over a month now and surprisingly I have noticed a difference! Now let's not get crazy here, this product does not make me look 10 years younger (woe is me) but lets focus on then things the product does do such as leave my skin looking smoother and more full of life, even, dare I say it, more plump!  As mentioned before I said this product melts into your skin but this also means that it sits really well under make up! The cream has 3 plant stem cells, Edelwiess from Italian Apls, Sea Holly and Criste Marine from the Brittany Coast and I think these ingredients are what make the product feel so fresh and light, it almost has a cooling sensation on your skin so I would imagine that people with sensitive skin may like this product.  

What skincare products are you loving right now?

Barry M Brow Wow! | Beauty

If you are a regular reader of my blog you'll know I'm not much of a brow girl. Like don't get me wrong I get mine waxed regular and I fill them in often but I'm not one of the girls who goes to town on her brows. I think it's because my brows are actually blonde and I don't like drawing on dark eyebrows because they just don't suit my skin tone or hair colour. That said I do still need to fill them in a bit just so people can actually see them ya know! 

I have been using the Benefit Brow Wiz that I got a free sample of a while ago and whilst it's a good product the brand ain't cruelty free so when I finally ran out of it I was happy because it meant I could discover a wonderful new cruelty free product and I thought I would go with the safest option which was Barry M. To be honest my Superdrug didn't have the biggest shade range of the Brow Wow Pencil  but I went for this light brown shade, if they would have had a blonder shade I would have purchased that but I thought that this one had a sandiness that might work for my blonde hair. 

I frickin' love it when a brow product has a little spooly on the end, not only is it great for just taming your brow hairs when they get a bit long but I actually use it to buff and blend the product into my eyebrow! I do have to be gentle with this product because if I forget myself I just end up with really dark eyebrows which are slightly wonky (eyebrows just aren't my thang OK?) I would say that Brow Wow is a pretty damn good brow pencil, it's a little low key because it doesn't claim to be super fancy, it comes out and does the job ya know? 

It's a fantastic price considering it's on £3.99, Soap and Glory Archery is £8.50 and the Benefit Brow Wiz is £20 so you are making a huge saving with Barry M, the pencil might not be as precise as the latter two but if you keep this pencil sharpened then it's fine. I think in terms of the actual product there really isn't much difference between them and I'm always happy with the end result of my eyebrows. 

What's your fave brow product right now? 

Current Skin Care Routine | Beauty

Today I thought I would share with you my current evening skincare routine and what products I am currently loving I have written about my skincare quite a few times before but I think my last post on my Holy Grail Skincare early this year and things have changed since then. For skincare and make up I only use cruelty free products and whilst before I generally used a lot of these products, now I make an active decision not to buy anything that isn't cruelty free. The great thing about this is I have had to discover a lot of new (to me) products to find something that would work for me. 

When I got my products out I was actually quite surprised at how many Body Shop products I have, considering it's wasn't a brand I really used that often until a few months ago. In fact I have been quite vocal about my disappointment with some of their products *cough* Instaglow CC Cream *cough* but these ones I have included here are genuinely products I adore and believe they have made a difference to my skin appearance, anyway enough blabbering on lets get started with...

The Burt's Bees Orange Essence Cleanser, I have already written about this cleanser and how much I love it but I tend to use this as a first step to get rid of all my make up before really doing a deeper clean. I love how zesty it smells and it definitely leaves my skin looking fresh but it's not enough on it's own it gets rid of the day to day grime but you need a little something extra which is where the Resurfacing Liquid Peel comes in. I have gone into more detail about this liquid peel before because it's so bloody unusual, it forms these clumps on your skin, it's so grim but I just love it! I do have acne scars and I don't think this has smoothed them out much but it leaves my skin looking so bright and feels incredible. 

The newbie to my skincare routine is the Body Shop's Monoi Oil which is NOT a facial oil and doesn't claim to be, in fact I use this oil on my body and I'm obsessed with the stuff. I don't know what possessed me to add it to my face after the first two steps but I am glad I did, I literally added 2 or 3 drops to my face, just a teeny tiny amount but I just feel that it adds a bit of radiance to my face, I love it! I must admit I want to try out some other actual facial oils because I really like the way this makes my skin look. I then go to bed and let that skin in overnight so in the morning my skin is looking all plump and fresh. I then follow up with my final step in the morning with another new addition which is Drops of Youth, Youth Cream because basically I'm getting old now guys, I look 108 already and I need anything to help slow it down. It's a lovely light cream that almost melts into a cool gel like texture without the stickiness. I tend to play close attention to applying the cream around the eye area and after about 3 weeks of using it every morning I have noticed a difference to my skin it looks more supple and overall smoother than before. 

I feel like these products are somewhere inbetween when it comes to prices, not too expensive but definitely not cheap however the older I get/look the more I feel like I need to invest in good skincare. These are my fave products right now and my skin is loving this little routine. 

What are your favourite skincare products right now?

The Ordinary Coverage Foundation | Beauty

You guys know my obsession with my Sleek Make up CC Cream, it's been my go to foundation for like the last 3 years! I just love the stuff but the reality is, it's a deliciously light foundation and recently I just felt my skin looked blotchy and lifeless and this foundation doesn't help because it isn't a "coverage" foundation!

I have heard a LOT about The Ordinary foundations and skincare but haven't ever tried anything from the brand until I realised that they do a high coverage foundation. I noticed that House of Fraser has a little concession in their Oxford St store so I thought I would go in and have a little swatch!! I will say The Ordinary have a pretty good shade range in the sense they cater for different undertones like pink, yellow or nude. The shade I opted for was 1.1N because I'm pretty pasty but I'm fortunate in the sense I have a pretty neutral undertone.

The first time I applied this product I actually used two full pumps which definitely was too much and I applied it with my beauty blender. I would say after two hours I noticed it started to cling in odd places on my face like my chin and around my mouth which I hated bit from a distance I did love the colour match and it actually looked like I had foundation on. It's worth noting that I didn't use a primer so there were a few things that kinda didn't work from an application point of view. The next time I tried it I used my Real Techniques and used two small pumps (or one full pump I guess) and I definitely think this applied better much better than the first time! 

I have to admit, I'm not used to a high coverage foundation so it took me a few attempts to really decided whether I liked it or not. I definitely felt that this foundation kinda sunk into my acne scars a little too much which I wasn't thrilled with but this is why I think using a buffing brush works better than a beauty blender because you can really try and buff this out a lot better. Whilst the application is better using the buffing brush, I just still couldn't get this product to work for me at all. I was so gutted because I wanted to love this product, like everyone else does but I just couldn't get it to work for me. Apart from the acne scars the product just went all blotchy and kinda melted off my face in really weird places 

Even though I am disappointed I think it just this type of coverage, because the colour match is really lovely, I am still going to try out the lightweight serum foundation. The price is so good I think it's worth taking the risk and trying the other foundation. 

Which foundation have you struggled to work with? 

Barry M Mist & Fix Setting Spray | Beauty

Guys, I have to let you into a little secret, I've never used a setting spray! I know, but I just thought that setting sprays would on be used on nights out and never for like normal day to day use and almost all of them are matte look and you guys know I am ALL about the dewy/glowy fresh look. That was until I saw this little gem in Boots in Oxford St and thought I would give it ago, it's the Barry M Mist & Fix Dewy Setting Spray. 

Since working in London again I just felt like my make up wasn't lasting like AT ALL by half way through the day i just looked crap quite frankly and it was stressing me out a bit, I tried other foundations which just didn't work for my skin so I was at a loss until I saw this setting spray and thought I have nothing to lose. You have to bear in mind that I put my make up on at 6am, then I have to get a bus, 2 trains and walk 20 mins to the office in the morning, I then sit in an air conditioned office which gets really stuffy and a little stagnant so it's no surprise that by midday my makeup isn't looking fresh. 

Right from the first day I tried it I noticed the difference it made, half way through the day you could still see my highlighter and contour as good as I did it first thing in the morning. Eyeliner no longer run underneath my lower lash line, and my base just looks so good. At times it makes my skin a little shiny but it doesn't look bad, it doesn't make me look sweaty or anything nasty, just gives me a really lovely dewy finish. 

I give myself like 3 squirts, 2 in a criss-cross motion on the lower half of my face and then 1 just towards my forehead. It's important to keep a good distance between you and the product because if you spray too closely you just end up getting really wet which kind of defeats the objective of the product. My only grumble is that I wish this was in a bigger bottle, that said, I have probably used it for at least 4 of the 7 days during the week for just over a month and it hasn't ran out yet so it ain't too bad! 

It's crazy but this little Barry M Setting Spray has made a difference to my confidence with my make up because it allows me to wear the stuff I adore but just keeps it in place for longer and I don't feel like I look crap when I am walking around the office any more. For me, this product was easily the best product of 2017 - hands down! 

Do you use setting sprays for everyday wear?  

Using a Tangle Teezer on Fine Hair | Beauty

I mean, I know what you're thinking Toni is late to the party again blah blah blah but you're right when every blogger was banging on about the Tangle Teezer I was just sitting there with my arms folded saying "It's not for me". This was mainly because I heard so many people with gorgeously thick hair saying it worked so well for them and as I have very fine hair I thought the Tangle Teezer would just rip mine out...I was wrong.

I recently went into Boots because I need a compact brush to carry in my bad to and from London every day. I have bought so many small brushes in the past and really hate the little handles on them because they do take up room so I was looking at the Tangle Teezer' s and thought that as a brush this is pretty much exactly what I was looking for. They aren't the cheapest of brushes but this Flamingo print Skinny Dip was actually a couple of £ cheaper than the normal boring ones so I just bought it.

I was a little apprehensive that it would just rip and knot up in my fine hair but actually I was really impressed. As you can see there are different bristle lengths which actually stop the brush from pulling at your scalp which is my biggest problem. As my hair is fine, when it knots up the thicker bristles of my normal brush just pulls and yanks to get them out which in turn tugs at my scalp which basically flippin' hurts. I particularly like using it when I have added waves in my hair as it doesn't straighten them too much. The other week I was out in really high winds and I was bloody dreading brushing my hair because it does get so knotty but I have to admit using this on my hair wasn't actually that bad, it snagged a little, but nowhere near as much as a normal brush would! 

If you have quite fine hair but a lot of it and are considering buying a Tangle Teezer I would definitely recommend it!! They aren't the cheapest brushes but it actually ticks a lot of boxes for me including that it's compact and lightweight to carry around in my bag! 

What are your thoughts on this cult tool? 

Autumn Nails | Beauty

If you have been reading my blog for recently you'll know that I love all things autumn, in fact I might do a little post on the exact things I like and I promise it won't include pumpkin spiced anything! But these Barry M Gelly Hi Shine polishes just scream all kinds of autumn!!

Since moving back from Italy I have been getting shellac on my nails just to cheer myself up really, I love getting beauty treatments done and because I was WFH every day I had a little flexibility to get them done whenever I wanted. However I recently got a job in London again which means that I have to get them done on Saturdays and right now I just can't be bothered to do that so I soaked my last set off and decided to start painting them again. Don't get me wrong this is far less convenient for me because my nails are very thin and weak and I cannot stand chipped nail polish so it means I have to paint them 2 or 3 times a week but it is cheaper and it means I get my weekends to do whatever I want.

This year I have change to cruelty free products only which means that walking into a standard high st store the selections are more limited but I frickin' love Barry M polishes so I don't mind at all!!! Personally, I think every girl should have a light grey nail polish in their collection, It's so simplistic but looks incredible on nails of all lengths. The first colour is called Almond which is odd because to me it looks nothing like an Almond colour. Then I bought this gorgeous orange toned nude that I just love right now because it's so different to what I have worn before and this one is called Peanut Butter... I mean, Barry M are really struggling with the names I think but as you can see it's a really lovely shade.

I opted for the Gelly Hi Shine ones because I heard a lot of good things about them in terms of longevity, however if you have very weak nails these won't last incredibly long, soz guys!

Whilst I have short nails, I actually have quite long nail beds so when I paint them it creates the illusion that my nails are longer than what they actually are. This is why I like to go for these kinds of shades purely because it draws attention to them in a more subtle way.

What nail shades are you loving this Autumn? 

Burt's Bees Orange Essence Cleanser | Beauty

As most of you will know I have recently moved to using Cruelty Free products for my skincare and make up, which means I have to try lots of wonderful new products that I haven't used before! I tried out the Melting Gel Cleanser which i actually really loved because the more you worked it into your skin the more it changed to an oil so felt so good on the skin. That said I was really keen to try out more Burt's Bees products because all I have ever tried is the lip balm which we all know is fantastic! 

I was in Boots recently and just thought I would browse the Burt's Bees skin care range as it was on offer with 1/3 off the whole range so I had a little look at decided to give the Orange Essence Cleanser a go because I do love fresh citrus scents and this cleanser smelled bloody divine! I have to say that I thought I was gonna be buying a cream cleanser, I have no idea why I thought it would be but I was quite surprised that it was a gel cleanser, I just wasn't expecting it to be! Anyway, once I got over that I slapped it all over my face and was kinda expecting it to melt into my skin like my other cleanser but this does not, it stays as that gel like texture. 

I think after my first use, I wasn't that impressed because the Orange Essence just wasn't what I was expecting but that said I still wanted to continue with it! The second time I used it, I definitely liked it more, the scent is incredible because it is very natural, it doesn't have that artificial scent like some others do, this is a lovely zesty scent but also a little earthy! It is a little tacky but once your wipe it off your skin does really look fresh and clean. I have to say that since I have been using this product I have developed a couple of spots, I don't know if this is directly linked to the cleanser, you have to consider diet and periods too but it is a little unusual. 

So my first impressions are positive on this Burt's Bees product but I just wish it melted into your skin more or was a cream cleanser! 

Which Burt's Bees products would you recommend?