Current Favourite | Nuxe Crème Fraîche® de Beauté Enrichie

My Holy Grail Moisturiser

In the last year I have really tried to kick up my skincare routine. Last winter, I was constantly suffering with patches of dry skin these were at times sore, and my skin makeup caked up and clung to these patches - Not a good look!

One of the lovely ladies at my local branch of Space NK recommended this for my patchy, dehydrated and sensitive skin. This was back in February, I am so in love with this product I'm still using it now eight months on! It has worked absolute wonders for my skin, and I think this will be forever a part of my skincare routine, I'm OBSESSED!

The formulation of this product is exactly how it sounds in the name, it's a light yet refreshing cream which sinks surprisingly quickly and with ease into the skin. Nuxe has aimed this product towards those with sensitive skin, it contains only natural products as a result it is incredibly soothing and gentle on the skin- perfect for those who often react to heavier, rich, chemically filled products. It is the first moisturiser I have come across which works this well under makeup, and acts as a lovely smooth base- I sometimes use this as a replacement for my primer on days I choose to wear less makeup. It is not greasy, nor heavily scented- it has a subtle orange flower smell which I adore. Nuxe claims this gives 24 hour hydration, I agree it feels long lasting, maybe not 24 hours though, however, throughout the day my skin feels moisturised and soft.

I use this product everyday, twice a day, in the morning after cleansing and as part of my evening routine before bed. In the past few months it has honestly changed the way my skin looks and feels, it is far more supple and luminous. I have almost finished my first pot and already purchased a second for when I do run out!

A 50ml pot costs £25 and is available here.

Have you tried this or any other Nuxe products? If so let me know what you thought of them!

Love Katie x

L'oreal Colour Riche | 'The Perfect Nudes' Review

I'm such a sucker for a nude lipstick, they're like a Little black dress- every girl should own one and I'm always trying to find the perfect your lips but better shade, as a result my collection is larger than I'd like to admit... 

Last week, popping into Superdrug for some toothpaste I got sidetracked (as usual) and ended up looking at the makeup stands. The L'Oreal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Nude's caught my eye. They are a range of six sumptuous nude lippies inspired by L'Oreal's multi ethnic spokeswomen, aiming to give you the perfect nude, natural lip colour to complement any complexion.

They are also incredibly affordable, priced at £6.99 each and were on a 3 for 2 offer, I could hardly say no, could I? 

 My naughty purchase consisted of the shades: Eva, Julianne and J'Lo

The shade Eva 'barely golden' inspired by Actress Eva Longoria is a stunning peach toned nude. This was personally my favourite of the three that I'd chosen.

The shade Julianne 'barely peach' is a delicate rose petal pink colour.

The shade JLo 'barely greige' is a sheer light beige toned nude.

Each of them has the classic Colour Riche vanilla-esque scent which I adore so this is a plus for me, however this may not be a favourite for someone who prefers scentless products.

Before I get onto the lipstick itself let us lust at the luxurious casing. The matte black packaging is sleek, looking almost high end, (I find these are incredibly similar to the Nars Satin lipstick casing, but for only a fraction of the price?) I feel like L'Oreal have really outdone themselves with this. In comparison to other more garish drugstore lipsticks they are both understated and classy. (have no fear the lids are well fitted, no more annoying spillages in your makeup bag!)

Swatches (Top-Bottom) JLo, Eva, Julianne

In the bullet themselves the colours look far bolder and more vibrant than they do on the lip, this can be seen in the above swatches. Formulation wise, they are both fairly sheer, incredibly hydrating, and natural looking. Sadly, the wear time of these lipsticks aren't incredibly long, only maybe 2-3 hours, but as they are so lightweight they can be easily reapplied on the go without a mirror unlike some bolder colours which require mirror usage, so this isn't too much of an issue just a bit annoying if you plan on wearing them all day. My favourite thing about these lipsticks are how incredibly versatile and wearable they are. I feel these shades would work with most skin types and could easily be worn as part of a very natural looking, daytime look, or alternatively these lip colours would look gorgeous paired with a deep smokey eye.

To sum these products up, together they provide a lovely nude tone for every complexion and need, being fairly sheer they are not overly pigmented. So despite not making a bold statement, they are perfect for simply enhancing and adding a subtle flush of colour of your lips making them extremely wearable all year round. If you are someone who prefers a heavier, fuller lip colour, this might not be for you. I can't say these are the favourite lipstick I've ever tried before, however, in my opinion, as they only cost £6.99, for a good quality product, you cannot really go wrong, they are available online here.

Love Katie x

Pixi Glow Tonic Exfoliating Toner Review

After reading about this much loved, raved about and completely sold out product many times on various beauty blogs including that of skincare goddess Caroline Hirons, I knew that, being the sheep I am I just HAD to jump on the bandwagon and give it ago! So just over a month ago I finally invested in a bottle and have been testing it out since to answer the question all of us want to know, is it really worth all the hype?

I have always struggled with 'gritty' exfoliators, as I often find my skin is too sensitive and they are too abrasive (maybe I just get too carried away with my scrubbing?), leaving it dry and sore. Either way they don't seem to work for me. On the website the product is described as being "Oxygenating. Exfoliating facial glow tonic. It helps tone, firm and tighten the skin. It removes dead skin cells for healthier looking skin. " In short is is an exfoliating toner, assisting with the removal of dead skin.

I was a bit sceptical about using a chemical cleanser having never used one before, and was worried it potentially could be harsh on the skin. However, after having used the tonic for about a month, most nights before bed. After cleansing, and before moisturising, I find it is not harsh on the skin at all. The toner gives an almost instant tingly freshness to the skin. It has a water-like consistency and when dried leaves no irritating, sticky residue behind on the skin. Over the past few weeks I have also noticed a number of longer term effects on my face, it feels noticeably smoother, brighter, pores are less noticeable, I have fewer dry patches and it seems altogether less blemished. As a result of this my makeup seems to blend into and sits on my skin more nicely than before. As a side note it is both oil and alcohol free which is a massive plus for those who suffer with either oily, dry or combination skin. 

It's a yes from me!

Pixi Glow Tonic Exfoliating Toner is priced at £18 a bottle and available online here or in the flagship Carnaby Street store. 

For some £18 may seem expensive, but for a product which works so well for most I think its a good deal. I reckon a bottle of this will last me around five/six months despite using it most nights before bed. For those students (like myself) who can't face shelling out this much for a toner its available on asos here and you can use your 10% student discount on it, score!

Lots of Love 

Katie x

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation Review

Is this foundation really magic? - The answer is yes yes yes and yes!

For the past year since I discovered the wonders of Charlotte Tilbury I have been nothing but impressed with the quality of her products. I was already the proud owner of many of her products, however when an email came into my inbox this August announcing the release of her Magic Foundation I was super excited and could not wait to get my mitts on it!  

When I finally did I immediately fell in love. It promised "full coverage foundation that morphs to your face in a weightless texture, for a perfect looking second skin that lasts all day." And personally having owned and used this foundation for over a month now I have to say that I completely agree, it gives me the "flawless second skin" Charlotte herself promises on her website. It applies so easily, and almost melts into my skin. For me, half a pump goes a long way if you blend it out properly. I apply the foundation with either my Beauty Blender or if I'm in a rush my Real Techniques stippling brush. It works well with both methods. If I'm in a real rush I wont even bother to put on primer or a concealer, as I feel this product alone gives more than enough coverage for a relaxed day to day look. When dried, it gives a soft, glowy,velvety demi-matte finish, meaning if you don't want to you don't have to powder over the top. It covers up both my blemishes as well as my dark under-eye circles and large pores with ease, amazingly it does this without looking heavy or cakey at all. In addition despite containing SPF 15 it photographs well, not leaving you with the 'ghost' like effect some SPF products do when confronted with a flashing camera - MAGIC!

Unblended

Blended with hand

The packaging follows the gorgeous art deco theme all Charlotte's products are packaged in and it looks stunning on my dressing table. In addition the range of fifteen shades with this product means it is accessible to people of all races. I had myself colour matched in the London Selfridges branch, and was matched with shade Medium 4.5 which has a lovely yellow tone perfect for my skin. 

The Dream Team

At £29.50 a pop i'd have to say in my humble opinion, if you, like me like a medium to fuller coverage foundation yet want your skin to be able to breathe this is the one! I know everyone says there is no such thing as one product fits all - but honestly i think I've found it here, this one ticks all the boxes! Thank you Charlotte!

Love Katie x

Beginnings: The birth of yet another beauty blog

Hello world!

I thought I would write a quick blog post just to introduce both myself and my new blog Katie-Iona!

As I'm sure you can tell from the blog's name- my name is Katie. I'm a twenty something university student who is addicted to trying and testing all things beauty. After reading and following other makeup blogs for years and constantly having my friends asking me which products I use I thought it would be a good idea to start my own! So here you will find my take on the world of beauty, including but not limited to: beauty product reviews, what makeup I'm wearing at the moment, what I'm loving and alternatively what I might not be loving so much!

This is my first time blogging so everything is very new to me so i'm learning along the way! I hope you enjoy reading my blog. Don't be afraid to leave comments with what you think, whether you agree or disagree with me! 

For any enquires feel free to contact me on my email katie-iona@hotmail.com.

Happy reading !

Katie x