An Introduction to Sunday Riley: The Power Couple Duo

Sunday Riley is the epitome of luxury skincare - but with quality ingredients and effective products comes a price point that was far too high for me to justify a purchase. However, I recently spied this Power Couple Duo: Total Transformation Kit when browsing the Sephora website, which contains half sizes of two cult favourites - the Good Genes Serum and the Luna Sleeping Night Oil. With the promise of plump, radiant skin in a bottle, Good Genes has been top of my wish list for as long as I can remember, and while Luna isn't a product I would deem necessary in my routine at the moment (it contains retinol, which is primarily an anti ageing ingredient) I've actually been really impressed with the effect it has had on my skin.

GOOD GENES

Good Genes is a lactic acid based serum that claims to brighten, exfoliate and plump the skin. The product is lemon scented (admittedly, slightly floor polish-y) and tingles a little when applied. It sinks into the skin quickly but does leave a slightly sticky residue which is better suited to an evening application. I never tend to use acid based products during the day, so this isn't a problem for me! Lactic acid combats fine lines and wrinkles as well as exfoliating the skin, making it a wonder ingredient for acne sufferers, or ageing skins. I found the results to be exactly as promised, fading scarring and pigmentation while promoting a plump, glowing complexion (yay).

LUNA

Luna is a retinol based, overnight treatment oil that promises to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, as well as correcting damage caused by the sun and pollutants. Retinol is the only ingredient that has actually been proved to reverse signs of ageing, so if you are in your late 20s or early 30s it's definitely something you should be including in your routine. Being only 21, it's not something I need just yet - so I've only been using it occasionally and can't vouch for the anti ageing benefits. I've been using this as a one off treatment when my skin looks really run down as retinol is also wonderfully clarifying and clearing, evening out the complexion while still offering some hydration. Like I said, this potent a product really isn't needed yet, but the set is a great deal and even on my younger skin, the results are undeniable and perfect for combating a case of classic hangover skin. 

If you're looking to introduce yourself to the Sunday Riley range, this set is a great place to start. Both products are really powerful meaning that I only use a little at a time, so I can actually see them lasting me a while - Luna especially. The slight issue is that I'm now hooked (constantly wondering why I even introduce myself to these things) and also keen to try some other products from the brand - the Tidal moisturiser in particular. I'd love to know your recommendations, so let me know down below!

Hourglass Illume Sheer Colour Trio

Space NK has finally opened a store in Winchester, obviously meaning I had to visit - at the eager time of 9am I might add! Typically, I ended up picking up a few things,  one of which was this, the Hourglass Illume Sheer Colour Trio - a trio of bronzer, blush and highlight in a beautifully creamy formula. I'm a huge fan of all Hourglass's powder face products, but this cream palette is equally impressive!

When I swatched the shades in store I fell in love with their glowy finish, but the highlight in particular is stunning. The formula is champagne in tone and gives that really dewy, wet look finish that I much favour over powder alternatives, especially for daytime wear. The natural result reminds me a little of Perricone MD's No Highlighter Highlighter (review of that here) however I find this can easily be built up to a more intense finish if you wish. The blush shade is a brightened rose, that comes up almost peachy on my skin tone - which I adore. I'm glad Hourglass chose to include such a universally wearable shade in this palette, the blush has a lovely brightening effect on the skin, yet isn't too in your face to be worn with any lip/eye combination. The bronzer is nice and neutral toned, which makes it suitable for both warming your complexion or a subtle contour. Because of the easily blendable formula, I think even those with really pale skins could make this work, however it may be too light to be noticeable on a darker skin tone. I was initially worried about the staying power, due to the creaminess of the formula but the wear on these is comparable to most cream products I've tried (typically five hours or so for me). Although the palette is advertised as sheer, I found all of the shades to be really pigmented, but still very easy to sheer out to a barely there finish. I'm loving cream products at the moment so I can see myself using this all Summer long! What are your Hourglass recommendations?

Perricone MD Pre:Empt

If your anything like me, then you might be a little clueless about anti ageing skincare. While i'm definitely too young to start using anything too active or products aimed at 'reversing the signs of ageing', i'm not too young to be taking preventative steps and caring for my skin. Perricone MD's Pre:Empt Series is aimed specifically at women in our category, containing their 'Antioxidant Support Complex' - a powerful blend of antioxidants including turmeric, olive leaf, green tea and cress sprouts to prevent the accelerated ageing of the skin. The range contains a exfoliating pore refiner (acid toner), a skin perfecting serum, brightening eye cream and an oil free hydrating cream. For possibly the first time ever, I've actually been trialling this whole range at once (with the addition of an oil because I can't be without) for the last week and am loving the results on my skin so far, so thought I would share my first impressions!

EXFOLIATING PORE REFINER

Containing fruit extracts and DMAE (an antioxidant membrane stimulator which brightens skin and enhances the effects of other active ingredients - like the Vitamin C Ester in the serum!) this acid toner smoothes and brightens, yet feels very gentle to use. I really like how this toner is essentially prepping the skin for the serum and enhancing the effectiveness of your other skincare. 

SKIN PERFECTING SERUM

The serum is a milky consistency and feels instantly hydrating on application, however also contains the highest concentration of age preventing antioxidants in the range. My skin looks so bright and glowy after using this, so if your looking for a really active product to add into your routine, this might be the one to try! 

BRIGHTENING EYE CREAM

The brightening eye cream combats dark circles using Caffeine, as well as Peptides and DMAE to prevent fine lines. Eye cream is something I regularly neglect, but after sticking to this one for a week I've seen noticeable improvement in my dark circles and my sensitive under eye area feels fresh and hydrated!

OIL-FREE HYDRATING CREAM

When I heard the term 'oil-free' I expected the cream wouldn't be nourishing enough for my skin. However, containing Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin B5, I actually found this to feel very hydrating and soothing on the skin. I think the test of a good moisturiser is if your skin still feels hydrated the next morning (which mine does when using this!). If it feels tight and uncomfortable, you know your night cream isn't working hard enough. 

I'm really loving the effects of the Pre:Empt Series so far, and I'm sure i'll do an update or feature some of these products again with a more in depth review after I've trialled them long enough to see the full results. The range is available exclusively at John Lewis until September when it will become widely available. Have you tried any of the Pre:Empt Series? This is my first delve into Perricone MD's skincare and I would love to try some more, so if you have any recommendations then please let me know!

Five Favourite Cookbooks

       Cooking is probably my number one hobby - I absolutely love food and trying out new recipes but along with that comes a slight cook book addiction. Although I really enjoy finding recipes online (my Pinterest recipe board is never ending) there is something lovely about buying a book and building up a collection. I thought I would share some of my favourites here - being vegetarian as well as fairly health conscious (despite battling an ongoing bread addiction) these might not be the most varied selection but are the ones I find myself using regularly and that have introduced me to some of my most loved recipes.

DELICIOUSLY ELLA EVERY DAY BY ELLA WOODWARD

Despite enjoying the original, I much prefer Ella Woodward's second book which is aimed towards making eating healthily quick and easy to fit around a busy lifestyle. Being a student, finding things I can cook quickly in the evenings with minimum work and clearing up is really important. The recipes are really simple and as long as you have a few basic spices and some fresh vegetables, most can be cooked with just store cupboard ingredients (tinned tomatoes, lentils etc). The veggie paella is amazing - as is the spicy lentil and aubergine pasta. 

VEGAN RICHA'S INDIAN KITCHEN BY RICHA HINGLE

I love Indian food and there is so much more to traditional Indian cuisine than what is available at your local takeaway which is anything but authentic. Veggie curries or rice dishes can be so quick to make and are are both delicious and filling. Richa's book literally has everything you need to create healthy Indian meals, from simple vegetable dishes to avocado naans (yet to try but wow). My ultimate favourite is the mango tofu curry - although I swap the tofu for cauliflower or some chickpeas as I'm not a fan. 

READY STEADY GLOW BY MADELINE SHAW

Ready Steady Glow features a mixture of quick, easy meals as well as more impressive, time consuming recipes. Although lots of the recipes are meat based, the book also includes several vegetarian options, a vegetarian meal plan and lots of the meat based meals are easily adaptable anyway. Standouts for me are the life changing spicy tomato soup that can be made in just five minutes (honestly), the gluten free raspberry and pistachio brownies or the pea fritters - which can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

MILDREDS - THE COOKBOOK

If you haven't been to Mildreds - go!!! It's a vegetarian restaurant with locations in Soho, Camden and Kings Cross. The cookbook is filled with some favourites from the restaurant as well as lots of other unique recipes, some of which are quick to make and some that are more elaborate. I really like the mixture of a cuisines, including a dreamy Latin chapter filled with burritos, quesadillas and guac or a whole chapter dedicated to veggie burgers. 

PLENTY MORE BY YOTAM OTTOLENGHI

If you have a little more time, Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty More has a middle eastern theme and is perfect if your looking for a really unique recipe to impress with. The recipes I've tried have all been amazing and although some of the ingredients may seem a little strange at first the flavour combinations always surprise me. That said, some of the ingredients can be a little hard to come by, so this isn't really a book you can just pull out to choose what to have for dinner as it requires a little more preparation. If you were having some people over for dinner or a barbecue then this is the book you need! I love the mixed vegetables and yogurt with green chili oil, the aubergine pahi and pretty much all of the interesting salads! 

Diptyque L'ombre Dans L'eau

If you've read my previous posts, you may know my love for Diptyque's Baies candle. Fresh and delicate, L'ombre Dans L'eau is the fragrance equivalent of Baies and is scented of roses and blackcurrant leaves. In a sea of sweet and coconutty (is that a word?) summer scents, I love how refreshingly unique this perfume is. Although I have the eau de toilette, the fragrance really lasts on my skin and develops beautifully throughout the day. The packaging is obviously absolutely beautiful, as with all the candles and scents in Diptyque's range. Have you tried L'ombre Dans L'eau?

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!