Mary-Lou Manizer | The Balm

I just love a good highlighter, I practically bathe in the stuff till I emit a near radioactive glow. I don't know why I'm so obsessed, they're just so sparkly and pretty and add that extra bit of depth and oomph to your makeup look. 

Initially I ignored the hype about The Balm's Mary-Lou Manizer, this went on for months as I was pretty content with my Film Star Bronze and Glow. Recently however I gave into the hype, and boy oh boy am I glad I did!

The packaging itself is super cute, with a vintage style picture on top of the lid. The powder is contained in a sturdy but sleek, flip lid, plastic case. It also contains an internal mirror, perfect for quick on the go application. Another plus is that the lid fits tight, I carry this around in my handbag all the time and it has yet to open by itself - making it totally-travel friendly!

The highlighting powder itself is a gorgeous shimmery champagne shade. It is so pigmented, a little bit of this goes an incredibly long way. Use with caution: you only need tiniest bit for a nice amount of shimmer, but it is easily buildable for a Beyonce-esque diva like shine, if thats what you prefer. 

The formulation, despite it being a powder is so soft and creamy (almost buttery), it is so finely milled it blends like a dream into the skin giving an instant healthy glow. The shimmer in the product is very fine and dense giving the over all glowy appearance rather than obvious lumps of glitter as is with some other highlighters. In addition I find it does not cling to or emphasise my pores. Fabulous! 

For me this is the perfect highlighter for nights out, it leaves a stunning golden goddess like sheen to areas of the face where applied once the light hits it. I generally use this on the tops of my cheekbones, the inner corners of my eye, my cupids bow and just under my brow bone. This is a multi-use product and could also be used as an opulent shimmery eyeshadow, to brighten up and lift the eye area.

I still reach for my Film Star Bronze and Glow during the day as I prefer a more subtle, natural makeup look during the day. If I was to wear this for the day however, I would have to be incredibly sparing with it so as not to overdo it.

In my opinion those with oily skin may want to test this product out first, as they may well find it only exacerbates their oily skin, making them appear more shiny- which is no ones favourite look.

I am totally besotted with this product. If you are looking to add to the highlighter department of your makeup collection this is a must! I think this would complement most skin tones, from the lightest to the darkest. It is priced at a reasonable £17.50 (between drugstore and high end prices) here. The balm also have a Manizer Sisters Palette if you want to try out all three shades in the range! Stunning stuff 

*If you're a student don't forget your 10% discount code for ASOS (Thank me later)*

Let me know what highlighter you use, or if you've tried this product!

Love, Katie X

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blusher | Review

Being super pale I rely hugely on blusher to add a bit of life to my cheeks, I find its hard to find one which just adds a bit of glow rather than just adding a huge amount of colour. And then then Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic blusher came into my life. How could I say no to a product which promises to "Enliven dull skin with a swish and a pop"?  I chose the blush in the shade Ecstasy.  

The Packaging, like the rest of Charlotte's Products follows the gorgeous art deco style. Each blush comes in a lightweight mirrored compact and is made up of two complementary colours. An outer ring comprised of a lighter shade and in the middle a bolder centre colour. Charlotte advises to "Swirl" your brush into the outer shade and "swish" onto the cheekbones to add a delicate shimmer and subtle colour and the dab the brush into the stronger centre colour, applying to the apples of your cheeks to add a vibrant "pop" of colour to them. One can also 'wash' the two shades together for another blush effect. Gorgeous. 

Each of the six blushes in the collection has a very slight shimmer to it, perfect for adding another dimension to your makeup. However those who prefer a matte look to their skin may want to avoid this blush and just stick to their shimmery highlight instead. If Applied as directed, the product gives a healthy looking, radiant flush to the skin.

Ecstasy consists of an external "swish" shade which is a warm, orangey coral with an almost frosted finish, and the internal "pop" shade which is a pink-coral with faint gold shimmer. This shade is incredibly versatile in my view due to the pigmentation which is pretty impressive, one can create a sheer, delicate wash of colour when I'm my natural pale self or alternatively layer it up to give a more intense strong wash of colour when tanned in the summer. Perfect!

Moving onto the formulation of the product. The powder is so finely milled it is almost buttery and blends instantly into the skin, giving a deliciously even glow, if it didn't the two step application could be problematic. I think the texture of this product was my favourite thing about it, and other blushes I have used since have been too drying and patchy... This product is the one! The blushes are also fragrance free and therefore unlikely to cause reactions with sensitive skin. As I said previously there are only six shades in the range, which doesn't sound like much, surprisingly there is one to suit every skin tone, from pretty, pale peach shades to beautiful, bold, bronzy tones.

At £30 it is definitely at the more expensive end of the spectrum, but you get what you pay for with this product. Considering I purchased this product back in February and as it is now my go to blusher I use it most days it looks virtually untouched. I would without question recommend checking this out if you do find yourself at a Charlotte Tilbury counter. It is available online here.

I've got my eye on the shade First Love next! Have you tried any of Charlotte's products, if so did you think they lived up to the hype?

Lots of love,
Katie X

Worth the Hype? | Good Genes, Sunday Riley

Its hard to believe that any 30ml product is worth £85. I mean for that you could have a spending spree in Topshop right? On seeing all the hype surrounding Sunday Riley's Good Genes, I decided it was an investment I was willing to make... Who doesn't want to fool the rest of the world into thinking they have naturally 'Good Genes'?

This is the first product that I tried from the brand. Good Genes is a leave-on serum treatment which is "formulated with key ingredients which will plump fine lines, reveal brighter, newer skin, and improve circulation for a smooth, vibrant complexion. Long term use will help restore damaged skin, reduce hyperpigmentation and scars, reduce the depth and number of line and wrinkles, even out skin tone, and increase epidermal thickness and firmness.”

Once applied I find it tingly, for me this is a plus as I feel like the product is really getting to work (apparently this is the lactic acid doing its thing!) I would suggest testing before you buy though especially if your skin is super sensitive, the acid in it could easily cause a reaction and be a waste of quite a bit of your precious money. However if your skin is hardy enough to tolerate chemical exfoliants go for it. Its seriously like an 'instant facial' in a bottle.

As I'm a student this was an incredibly naughty purchase, and as a result I cant use it all the time as I really cannot afford to. However I wouldn't want to use it every night as it is pretty strong. When I do use it I only need a tiny pea sized amount before bed- once a week. When I wake up my skin feels all glowy and soft. Perfect. 

Despite no longer being a teenager I still (sadly) have rather spot prone skin. And my skin takes forever to heal, by forever I mean weeks- but this has definitely helped cut down this healing time. I have found it has also drastically helped to decrease my pore size, especially around my nose area. My skin feels altogether brighter and smoother. This product also works fantastically with older skin. My mum, after using my bottle once went out the next day and bought her own as it works fabulously at plumping and giving the appearance of a younger, dewier more radiant skin.

Packaging wise I love how simple and clean all the products in Sunday Riley's range look, perfect for any dressing table. My boyfriend cannot stand the smell of this product, he claims it smells like dried lemons (is that a thing?) I later found out its heavy scent is a result of the Lemongrass oil. Personally I don't mind it as I know how fantastic this product is and what a difference it makes to my skin. But if you aren't one for heavily scented products this might not be for you.

This stuff is amazing, and a HUGE thumbs up from me. I know this is a pretty big investment, but in my opinion, your skin is so important - you need a good base to apply makeup to and good skin can do wonders for your confidence so its okay to spend a bit of money on it... treat yourself! However make sure you do test it out first because its strong stuff, and the smell could definitely put some people off. You'll thank me later though!
It's available here.

Love Katie x

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

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