The Perfect Nude Lip Duo: Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude & Lipstick in Nude Kate

Another day, another nude lip combo to fall in love with. My most recent pairing consists of Charlotte Tilbury's Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude and her K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Nude Kate. Charlotte's Lip Cheat's are among my favourite lip pencils of all time, with my last obsession being the shade Pillow Talk. Iconic Nude is more of a true nude in comparison to Pillow Talk but still has a muted rosy undertone which is flattering on my skin tone. The Lipstick in Nude Kate (named after Kate Moss - of course) is a shade I've owned for a while but the combination of these two together is gorgeous, proving to be the perfect toned nude for me at the moment. Nude Kate is more of a honey beige but due to the moisturising texture and slight sheen I think this colour could be wearable on most skin tones. I love the formula of both of these products and they work wonderfully together - the Lip Cheat pencil's really increase the longevity of the lip colour and help it last for hours while still feeling hydrating and comfortable to wear. What are your all time favourite nude lip combinations?

Pixi Skincare Round Up

Being the skincare obsessive that I am, I'm always trialling new things and one brand that really stood out to me in 2015 was Pixi. Their full Skintreats range launched on Cult Beauty last year, with the brands main focus being on creating glowing, radiant skin. This is a little round up/mini review of the bits that I've tried so far.

Unless you've been in hibernation for most of last year, I'm sure you'll have heard all about their Glow Tonic - an acid exfoliant containing 5% Glycolic Acid thats gentle enough for use every day. Glycolic Acid loosens the bond between the skin and the dead skin cells that cling to its surface, revealing brighter, softer and more even skin. I discovered this at the beginning of last year and its been a regular part of my skincare routine ever since.

One step up from the Glow Tonic is the Overnight Glow Serum. Containing double the strength of Glycolic Acid, I tend to use this 2/3 nights a week in the place of Glow Tonic to give my skin an extra boost. This is one of those products that you can really feel working and the results are clear the next morning - this noticeably brightens skin and you wake up looking radiant and fresh.

On to the first of the facial mists that I've tried from the brand: the Glow Mist. I generally use this spritz once I've finished applying my make up if I want to create a dewy finish, instead of as part of my skin care. It has a gorgeous scent and feels nice on the skin, but if over applied this can be on the oily side.

The other facial mist in the Skintreats line up is the Hydrating Milky Mist. Containing Hyaluronic Acid, this spritz offers far more hydration than the Glow Mist and has become a regular part of both my morning and evening routine. It feels refreshing and soothing on the skin and I seem to be getting through this at quite an alarming rate as I can't stop misting myself throughout the day! This would definitely be my pick over the Glow Mist as it still does a great job at refreshing make up but offers extra hydration without any oiliness.

For such high quality skin care, I think Pixi is placed at a really great price point. While not a budget brand by any means, their products are effective but not totally unaffordable, making them a great choice for anyone starting to experiment with skin care or fully fledged obsessives like myself. I'm sure I'll be trying out more of their products soon, I've definitely got my eye on the Glow Mud Cleanser and the 24k Eye Elixir, but if you have any other recommendations then let me know in the comments as I'd love to hear them! 

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Miracle Eye Wand

One of the curses of having very pale skin is that I have really prominent dark circles under my eyes. I need my under eye products to give me some pretty good coverage to get the darkness under control and for this reason I never normally stray far from my trusty Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. As were right in the middle of Winter at the moment, my skin has become really dehydrated and I've found my Collection concealer just isn't sitting right under my eyes. As no product of Charlotte Tilbury's has failed me yet I decided to give this a go - the Mini Miracle Eye Wand. 

This double ended pen holds an eye cream on one end and a brightening concealer on the other. As with everything from Charlotte's line, the product is packaged beautifully in pink and rose gold tones. When purchasing this, I was apprehensive as I didn't think I'd get much use of of the eye cream side of the wand. However I've actually found it really handy as it makes sure I never skip this step - something I'm often guilty of when I'm in a rush. The extra moisture helps the concealer sit perfectly on skin and brightens up the under eye area nicely. Although I'm used to a higher coverage concealing products, I was surprised to find this offers a nice amount of coverage and really does the job well. It takes care of my dark circles leaving the under eyes looking fresh and awake. I picked shade 2, which is pale and yellow in tone. 

This under eye concealer really took me by surprise as I didn't expect to love it as much as I do. If your looking for a medium coverage, brightening and hydrating under eye concealer then this is definitely one to look into. My only worry is that it won't last very long (as I find with all pen style products) and as its not the cheapest option this could prove not very healthy for my bank account! Have you tried the Mini Miracle Eye Wand, or know of any budget alternatives? Leave a comment to let me know!

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation

The Nars Sheer Glow Foundation has been a blogger favourite for years, so you can definitely consider me late to the party on this one. I did actually try this years and years ago, when I was seriously misguided in shade selection and ended up picking up the shade Barcelona - which of course was completely unusable. Years later and I was looking for a foundation more matte in finish (which despite the name, this is) and decided to give the Sheer Glow another go.

This time I picked up the shade Fiji which is a perfect match. As I am pretty much always fake tanned, I tend to match my foundations to my tanned shade instead of my natural skin tone. Fiji is just slightly lighter than the shade I am after tanning, meaning with bronzer it matches perfectly but also continues to be wearable as my tan fades. The coverage is medium but definitely can be built up to full and while its not typically 'glowy' like the name suggests, it offers a radiant looking, velvety finish. One thing I will say about this foundation is that it does cling slightly to any dry patches, so if your someone that suffers with any flakiness then this may not be the best option for you. Luckily this isn't a problem for me as although my skin is dehydrated, I don't have any patches of rough or dry skin. This foundation provides a good days wear on me with a light dusting of setting powder, although I don't have particularly oily skin so longevity isn't usually a huge issue for me. My one issue is the need to buy a pump for the bottle separately, when this is something that most foundations come with and would be very easy for Nars to provide.

I've been wearing this foundation almost exclusively for the last month and it is up there with my all time favourites (Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk and Loreal True Match). However, both of those offer quite a dewy finish, so i've really been enjoying this more mattefying option for the Winter months. I love trying out different foundations so if you've got any recommendations, leave a comment to let me know!

Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask

I must start this post by addressing just how much this mask looks like a pot of classic 90's hair gel. I have vivid memories of my hair being slicked back by a similar looking product for childhood ballet exams and school shows. This however, is the latest addition to Peter Thomas Roth's mask line up - the Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask. Aiming to reduce fine lines, tighten skin and add brightness and hydration this is marketed as a real multitasker. 

Despite its appearance the mask doesn't feel sticky and actually has a very nice cooling effect on the skin. That, combined with the delicate Rose scent it is a pleasure to use and to leave on for a long period of time. Designed to be used to be used either as a wash off mask or an overnight treatment, I mostly leave this on for about 10 minutes before rinsing. While its not a miracle worker and the effects are subtle, my skin feels fresh, hydrated and smooth. Being 20, I can't vouch for the anti ageing claims,  but I can see how this could have a youthening effect on the skin by adding plumpness and moisture. However, while plant stem cells might have a positive effect on the skin, they are not capable of 'regenerating' human stem cells as this mask suggests, so that marketing claim is something to overlook when considering a purchase. I've seen some reviews claiming that the Rosa Damascena Flower Oil used in this product could possibly cause irritation, but I've had no problems with this, even when leaving the mask on overnight.   

If your looking for a good all round mask that moisturises and brightens your skin or something that just feels lovely when applied and is a treat to use then I would recommend this, but if your looking for a really active mask with a strong anti ageing effect then this might not be for you. Look Fantastic has a 15% off code on site at the moment, so now might be the best time to pick one of these up!

Have you tried any of the Peter Thomas Roth masks? Let me know in the comments! 

Jo Loves... Green Orange & Coriander Fragrance Review

Jo Malone London has always been one of my most loved fragrance brands, producing beautiful, unique and non artificial smelling fragrances, candles, home scents and body products. After leaving her role as creative director in 2006, Jo Malone took a break from producing fragrance until 2011 when she introduced her new company - Jo Loves. Her boutique in Belgravia offers the opportunity for a bookable 'fragrance tapas' experience (something I will have to try next time I'm in London) as well as her full fragrance and candle collection. 

I was recently gifted one of her fragrances in Green Orange and Coriander. Described on the website as 'A harmonious blend of bitter green citrus and culinary herbs create an incredibly warm and soulful spicy fragrance.' Being a lover of zesty scents I had a feeling that I would love this and I was absolutely right. It is very citrusy, herbal and has an almost masculine quality to it so I think this would make a great unisex fragrance. Like the description suggests, this zest is matched with Black Pepper and Oakmoss that make up the spicy base notes. The fragrance has wonderful lasting power on the skin and is one of those lovely scents that develops throughout the day, starting off invigorating and fresh before settling down into a warmer, spicier smell. 

Although the high price point of the brand puts Jo Loves products very much in luxury item territory, I feel that it's worth it for the quality and originality of the scents. Unlike cheaper fragrances, I don't feel the need to apply this repeatedly throughout the day, meaning a bottle will last far longer. I'm definitely going to be paying a visit to the London store to try some other scents from the brand and check out the amazing looking Shot Candles. 

Let me know in the comments if you've got any Jo Loves recommendations for me! 

October

It seems October literally went by in a flash and now the run up to Christmas has truly started (in my eyes anyway). For me this means favouring browny, autumnal looks this month and there are some nourishing skin care bits that I have completely fallen in love with. 

Starting with a new lip combination that I think I've worn all month long, MAC's Etcetera Liner & Naturally Transformed Lipstick. I find Naturally Transformed to be a tad too yellowy on my fairly pale skin tone, but paired with the slightly pinker hue of Etcetera they create the perfect beige nude. As much as I love MAC's Matte Lipsticks they tend to be pretty unforgiving, so definitely prep your lips with a balm! 

On the lids this month I've been loving Burberry's Sheer Eyeshadow in Pale Barley. A light, cool toned brown, this is one of those sweep and go shadows thats perfect for every day wear but also looks great for evenings - especially when paired with a orangey red lip! 

On dreary grey days my skin really benefits from some extra glow and theBalm's Mary-Loumanizer definitely delivers. This super pigmented, champagne toned highlight is definitely not as subtle as some others, but dusted lightly over the high points of your face it's still really wearable for daytime and is my favourite highlight for nights out! 

Aesop is one of my most loved skincare brands - if not only for their beautiful, apothecary style packaging, but also for the wonders that their products do for my skin. I've been a fan of the Parsley Seed Mask for years so it comes as no surprise that I love the Serum from the same line. The Serum is packed full of antioxidants, resulting in smooth, plump and nourished skin. When the first ingredient on the list is super moisturising and soothing Aloe Vera, you know it's going to be good! I've been using this morning and night and found a little goes a long way, although you get a huge 100ml of product for £45.00. 

The Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Skin Clay Mask is unlike others of its kind, claiming it 'Lifts, smoothes, brightens and tightens for baby skin'. I was definitely skeptical (especially for the price) but have to say this is unlike any other clay mask I own. My skin feels hydrated, super soft and plump, yet soothed and cleansed at the same time. Its a lovely quick fix for happier skin and a really welcome addition to my routine. 

Finally this month I've been loving a fragrance from Caudalíe. With notes of Rose, Grapefruit, Pink Peppercorn, Vanilla and Musks, Divin de Caudalíe is a warming, woody fragrance which is very relaxing in a spa like way. It shares the same scent as the Divine Oil and Candle, so if you love either of those then this is for you! 

What are your favourites this month?