Perricone MD No Highlighter Highlighter

Perricone MD is the range of skin care and make up created by dermatologist and nutritionalist Dr Perricone, focusing on reducing skin inflammation which can lead to premature ageing. The brand's cosmetics are also infused with skin benefitting ingredients and present a very simplistic, natural take on make up with a limited range of products and shades.

The No Highlighter Highlighter (all the brand's cosmetic items are named this way) is the first product I've tried from Perricone MD. Although sometimes I do favour an intense look, I find heavily pearlised, powder highlights can often be too much for daytime, especially when paired with a lighter, glowier tinted moisturiser which typically what I go for in Spring. This liquid highlight offers a more natural sheen and meshes seamlessly with my base to deliver a lit from within glow - minus any shimmer. The perfect product to create a beautiful strobed effect, I love to dot this over the cheekbones, nose, cupids bow and have even been using it to subtly highlight the centre of my lips - it's an extremely versatile product! Although the formula looks a pearlescent pink, this tint isn't visible on the skin and I think it would suit a huge variety of skin tones due to it's natural finish. The product doesn't drag or disrupt my foundation on application and lasts as long as my base does. I can't say much for any skin care benefits due to the area of application being so small, however I really love the ethos of Perricone MD and the idea of fusing cosmetics and skin care to create a beautiful, healthy finish. The No Lipstick Lipstick and No Blush Blush are next on my wish list, as well as trying some of the brands actual skin care line! Have you tried anything from Perricone MD or have any recommendations? Let me know!

Bedside Beauty

Despite most of my beauty routine taking place in my bathroom, there are a few bits I keep on my bedside table so that they are within easy reach when I'm unwinding in the evening, or struggling to wake up in the morning. The first is the Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Candle, a warm, dark, fruity fragrance that really helps me relax before bed. Although rich, the scent isn't overwhelming and although this is definitely a Winter favourite, I love it all year round. Jo Malone candles are always great quality and the scent lasts for hours after I put it out.

I'm absolutely terrible at remembering to moisturise my hands and body, so I like to keep a moisturiser right by my bed so it's impossible to forget. My all time favourite is the Antipodes Joyful Hand & Body Cream. It's creamy and hydrating enough to soothe and soften my skin, yet not too thick that it's uncomfortable to apply right before bed which is the problem I have with most thicker formulas. This also smells absolutely incredible and reminds me slightly of the Diptyque Baies Candle I spoke about in my last post.

Lastly is the The Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist,  a hydrating facial spritz containing orange blossom, rose, sage and apple pectin. Sometimes I wake up to my skin feeling uncomfortably tight and this provides instant relief and hydration, as well as helping me to feel awake and refreshed. The mist has a gorgeous, spa like scent however definitely isn't the most affordable option. I have since found the Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist which provides comfort and hydration to the skin at a cheaper price point. What are your bedside essentials? Let me know in the comments!

Diptyque Baies Candle

Diptyque Paris is inarguably one of my favourite candle and fragrance brands, from the quality and uniqueness of the scents, to the beautiful monochrome packaging. Each candle is a mixture of up to eight or nine mineral waxes and each scent is blended to reach the right melting temperature, which is apparent in the strong fragrance that fills the room when one of these candles is burning. Baies is described as "a bouquet of blackcurrant leaves and Bulgarian rose" and finds a beautiful balance between fruity and floral. There is a sharp edge to the scent and to me, it smells summery, fresh and green.

The candle burns beautifully and is very strongly scented, but in a way that is never overpowering. I was praying that Diptyque made a perfume with the same scent and apparently L'Ombre Dans L'Eau is the fragrance equivalent of Baies, so I will have to give that a try soon as it would make the perfect Summer scent! What are your Diptyque recommendations? 

The Dry / Dehydrated Skin Edit

 

 I've spoken in recent posts about the terrible state my skin got in recently, the cause of which I'm still trying to work out. I have suspicions that a few products are to blame however I'm hoping it was just the change in weather as I really don't want to have to stop using them! I've always had dehydrated skin that is slightly on the sensitive side but recently it has become unbearably tight and uncomfortable, with some pretty sore and unsightly dry patches that only get worse when make up is applied on top. I've had to make changes to my skincare routine to deal with the problem and these four products are what I've added into my routine to heal my skin and ensure it gets all the hydration it needs.

EXFOLIATOR

I always make sure to include some AHA's in my evening routine to keep my skin looking smooth, radiant and even. I switched to the Alpha H Liquid Gold Rejuvenating Cream when I found my usual favourites to be too harsh for the delicate state of my skin and were making the problem worse. I did a full post on this cream a few weeks ago so won't go into too much detail, but the combination of moisture and exfoliation that this product gives was exactly what my skin needed at the time, resurfacing and smoothing my complexion without irritating and still providing a dose of moisture.

SERUM 

The next change I made was to add a hydrating serum to my routine in order to squeeze in as much moisture as possible. Vichy's Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Serum feels refreshingly lightweight when applied and provides instant relief to dehydrated, sore skin. I have been using this before my moisturiser both morning and evening and have noticed that my skin no longer feels tight when I wake up or after removing my make up and looks smoother and plumper too. What I love the most is how soothing this serum is and how you can instantly feel the effects on your face.

OIL

I also switched to the most hydrating oil that I've tried - The Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil. The texture is thicker than some other oils, but sinks into the skin quickly, leaving behind a radiant glow and a soothed, hydrated complexion. On days when I was working at home I would reapply this throughout the day and thoroughly massage it in (almost like a mini treatment) and noticed such a change in the plumpness and radiance of my skin.

BALM

Lastly, I needed a product to actually heal those dry, sore areas and after some research picked up a tube of the La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5. This French Pharmacy skincare line is known for it's simple yet effective, problem targeting formulas and gentle products so is perfect to look in to if your looking for a solution to any specific skin issue. Described as a 'soothing repairing balm', this compensating formula targets chapped, intensely dry skin with it's active ingredients of panthenol, madecassoside, copper, zinc and manganese working to boost collagen, repair skin and reduce inflammation. The texture is very thick and is definitely a targeted product instead of an all over facial cream but this little miracle has cured the dry patches around my eyes, nose and cheeks and will be wonderful to have on hand for any similar situations in the future.

The combination of these lovely products have not only managed to get rid of the dry patches and return my skin to normal, but have also helped manage my usual dehydration. Have you tried any of these products or have any recommendations for managing dry or dehydrated skin? Let me know!

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look In A Palette

As you may have guessed from previous posts, I am a huge fan of Charlotte Tilbury's make up line. I haven't yet tried a product I don't like and so when I saw she was releasing a full face palette it was pretty much a given that I would be ordering one (although I successfully managed to hold off for two whole days). Aiming to create the perfect everyday look in five minutes, the Instant Look In A Palette contains three shadows, the bronze and highlight duo from her famous Filmstar Bronze & Glow and two blushes - designed to be applied using the same 'swish & pop' method as her usual blush line.

I am absolutely terrible at travelling light when it comes to make up and am very guilty of stuffing a huge wash bag full of every product I think I might possibly need. As someone that travels between uni and home most weekends (although not too far), overpacking is definitely not the most practical habit. However, so far this week I've found myself only reaching for this as for me, it contains the perfect selection of shades for every day. The eyeshadows included are a brightening pale pink, lovely champagne shimmer and a warm, matte medium brown which makes a perfect crease shade. It's really nice to see some matte shadows from Charlotte Tilbury as although a few of her eye palettes do contain mattes, the ones I own are very shimmer based which isn't always great for creating a full eye look. The shadows are all have great pigmentation and blend really easily over the eye. I must say I get the least use out of the pale pink however it does make a nice inner corner/brow highlight or could be used with the brown for a fully matte eye.

I've never gotten around to picking up the Filmstar Bronze & Glow although I've only heard good things about it. The brown shade is definitely more of a bronzer than a contour on me but isn't too warm that you can't get away with applying under the cheekbones to add a bit of shape to the face. I don't like my highlight to be too intense in the day time so was pleased to find the one included provides a lovely natural glow without being too in your face. The blushes are beautifully brightening pinks, a darker rose shade (Swish) and an uplifting pale pink (Pop). The packaging is sleek and gorgeous, as per from Charlotte Tilbury and I love the fact it's been kept really slim, unlike palettes from other brands that are just too chunky to fit in a make up bag. Although obviously still a luxury purchase, I think the price point is actually really good for the amount of product you get in this and none of the pans are so small you can't easily dip your brush in.

Surprise surprise, I absolutely love this and it's inevitably earned a permanent place in my make up bag (which no doubt will still be overflowing, but I really just can't pack light). However if I was just staying overnight or wanted to bring something out with me, this palette has the perfect selection of shades to really be all you need for every day.  Have you tried the Instant Look In A Palette?

Alpha H Liquid Gold Rejuvenating Cream

Alpha H's Liquid Gold Rejuvenating Cream is a nourishing moisturiser containing a magical combination of Argan Stem Cells, Vitamin C and Glycolic Acid, working to increase the production of Hyaluronic Acid, boost radiance and reduce hyper pigmentation. As a long term fan of the original Liquid Gold overnight treatment, I pretty much knew from the start that this would be for me. 

My skin is usually dehydrated, but thanks to a recent cold combined with crazy uni deadline stress I've developed some very sore patches on the skin around my eyes, nose and chin. All of my usual exfoliating favourites have helped to get rid of any dry patches, however seemed to harsh for the sensitive state of my skin and left it feeling stripped and dry. The hydrating, creamy formula of this moisturiser feels beautiful when applied and manages to exfoliate and smooth, while replenishing the skin. I use this in the same place of my routine as I would my acid toner, after cleansing and before any serum, moisturiser or oil. 

The pot has a press dispenser in the lid, a packaging feature I love as not only is it very satisfying, it keeps the product more sanitary and prevents any air from ruining the effectiveness of any active ingredients. It's unique multi tasking qualities mean I don't actually own anything else similar and have found myself reaching for this as a more hydrating way to exfoliate my skin. Have you tried the Alpha H Liquid Gold Rejuvenating Cream?

Dior Hydra Life BB Creme

 Following on from a recent post here about a fresh, light foundation routine for Spring - I have a new base obsession in the form of Dior's Hydra Life BB Creme. I first picked up a sample of this last Summer and loved it, but when I went back to purchase accidentally ended up leaving with the Dior Skin Nude BB Cream (which is also lovely). When I realised my mistake, I also realised that this is actually super pricey compared to the Nude BB so forgot about it until recently when Escentual were running their 25% off promotion.

Described as an 'Enhancing moisturiser for immediate beauty' you wouldn't expect this to be very covering (one of the reasons I've never paid much attention to BB Creams) however I found it to be easily buildable, offering a light/medium coverage. Available in three shades: Luminous Beige, Golden Peach and Sunny Amber, all of which seem to be warm in undertone, the smooth cream feels very hydrating when applied to the skin. The moisturising formula has been an absolute godsend as since being ill recently, my skin has become seriously dehydrated, with dry patches around my nose and eyes. This manages to smooth over these imperfections without clinging to them and making them more apparent, as well as feeling comfortable to wear without that horrible tight feeling throughout the day. The finish is really lovely, not overly dewy but leaves the skin looking naturally radiant and perfected - the perfect base for 'no make up make up' days. For such a light, hydrating formula I have been impressed by the lasting power, sticking around all day with just a touch of my usual Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light dusted on top. An added bonus is the inclusion of SPF 30, meaning I don't have to worry about using a separate SPF underneath my make up making this perfect for quick Summer mornings. It's the best quick, easy everyday base and I can see myself loving this throughout the warmer months. Have you tried the Dior Hydra Life BB Creme?