Current Beauty Favourites | 2022

I don't usually write beauty posts due to being rather loyal to my products I use, but it looks I've strayed a little recently so I thought I'd share my new found favourites!

Body Shop Fresh Nude Tinted BB Cream

I picked up Body Shop Fresh Nude Tinted BB Cream just before Christmas and I've really taken to it. It provides a good coverage that still looks natural, giving you that your skin but better look, as well as providing 24 hydration and SPF 30 protection from the sun. 

Being an oily skinned girl I was a little dubious about how it would sit on my skin but the consistency is non greasy and doesn't transfer, nor does it break me out either. This'll definitely be staying in my makeup bag, especially for spring summer when you don't want full coverage. Love!

Revolution Reloaded Newtrals Palette

Another new addition to my makeup bag is this palette from Revolution. Having seen makeup trends becoming more warm neutrals, I knew I wanted to add some of these shades into my life and for £5 this palette was an absolute steal! 

I particularly love the shade on the first row, 3 in from the left and the shade on the second row, 2 in from the left for my eyes and I've also been using the shade on the first row, 2 from the left as a blush colour. To keep it contemporary, I've also been washing the colour across my nose slightly; a tip I picked up from Lisa Eldridge in this video here.

Clinique Smart SPF 15 Custom Repair Moisturizer

I was gifted some of this magic cream for my birthday as part of a Clinique set and it's safe to say I'm obsessed. Having been a firm lover of the Body Shop's seaweed mattifying cream for well over 12 years, I was again a little dubious of trying something new but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that this moisturiser can be bought for various skin types, including for oily and combination skin like mine! Having had almost a month of being ill with colds and a chest infection in February, this moisturiser saved my skin from becoming chapped, dry and lack lustre thanks to it's skin rebuilding properties. 

It's also saved my skin when venturing out on walks in the cold; being hit with harsh winds and even hail! You'd never know that my skin had been through the ringer thanks to this product. I love the consistency; being somewhat thick, making it feel like a real treat to your skin. I would highly recommend!

Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate

I've touched on some of the drops of youth eye products in previous posts, such as The Shift Worker Skincare Routine, but this time around I've treated myself to the concentrate for the rest of my skin. I've found this to be so refreshing on my skin and sinks in really easily and is perfect under my other night time creams. 

Being a serum, it's a gel like texture and leaves your skin feeling plump and hydrated. As the name would suggest this product contains ingredients to leave you fresh faced with youthful skin, with ingredients such as Edelwess- known to repair itself and Moringa seed oil which is rich in omega 9. My skin has definitely seen an improvement since using it and is far more refreshed when I wake up of a morning- a true beauty sleep is had!

And that's your lot! Like I say I don't tend to steer too far from my firm favourites often which is why I rarely write beauty posts but when it's been mentioned, you'll know I think a lot of it.

What are you loving right now?

The Shift Worker Skincare Routine

Many of you won't know that I started shift work at the beginning of the year and with that I've been conscious of the fact that night shifts will take a toll on my skin...

For me, I'd describe working night shifts like being on a plane followed by jet lag. My skin also seems to behave as if it's one a plane- drying out over the duration of the flight (shift) whilst also presenting some lovely spotty friends which is something I don't usually suffer with annoyingly.

With that in mind, the first thing I've done is reduce my make-up wear.

Light Make-up

Wearing a foundation for long periods of time doesn't usually bother my skin but come a night shift it reacts very differently so I've taken to eradicating it altogether. Instead I use my usual moisturiser - the Body Shop Seaweed Oil-Control Lotion. The oil control lotion is a godsend to anyone like me who has an oily complexion. Being oil free you can ensure you're still getting your mositure boost without adding to the spot situation. Into the oil contorl lotion I add some Rimmel Sunshimmer Instant Tan to give me a bit of a glow and colour to my pasty night shift face.  Teamed with a light brow and some mascara, I'm good to go on the make-up front and my skin is happily moisturised, glowing and can breathe!

Post night shift skin care

After a night shift my skin is confused. What day is it? Where am I and what am I meant to be doing? I think this explains why its dull, tired and just generally p*ssed off but since discovering The Ordinary Retinol, it's perked up no end and gives it it's glow back.

I've started off using the 1% in squalene initially whilst my skin gets used to the retinol. It's known to irritate skin until it builds up a tolerance but over time the benefits of reducing fine lines and skin aging are totally worth it! The Ordinary Retinol does contain oil, however I've found this has really helped my skin in this instance, albeit oily by nature as it reduces the irritation and peeling effects from occuring. I'm planning to work my way up to the 0.5% retinol and then the 1% after once my skin has built up a tolerance but I've definitely noticed the difference it has brought to my skin. It's glowy, youthful and healthy even after a 15 hour night shift!

As I'm now in my thirties, I'm conscious of my eye area beginning to age, especially now I work nights! Working shift can take a real toll on your body and one of the places I really don't want it to show is around my eyes.

With that, I've taken to using the Drops of Youth Under Eye Mask in between night shifts. With cucumber extract in, I find this under eye mask incredibly soothing and helps to reduce post night puffy eyes- the tell tale signs of any night shift. I've also noticed it's helped to reduce the dark circles under my eyes and helps to make my eyes feel revived and refreshed!

So these are just a few things I've implemented into my skincare routine now that I work shifts. If you have any products, tips or tricks that you've adopted as a shift worker, I'd love to know what they are!

The Best but Most Underrated Mascara- Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara

It's not often that you find me blogging about make-up as it's just not my "jam". That is until a product comes along that my enthusiasm oozes for- so much so I can't not talk about it and today that is the Max Factor 2000 Calorie mascara.

I've actually been using it for a couple of years now but I've never seen anyone rave about it and I can't help but wonder why? So this has led me to want to champion it and be like oi! This stuff is good!! So why is no one else raving about it? Perhaps it's because its not new and fandangled, the packaging isn't fancy and it's not claiming to give you brand new eyeballs? either way it's not a mascara to take for granted...

When wearing this mascara in the past I've been asked the following:

Are you wearing individual false lashes?

Are your eye lashes real?

How do you have the patience with false lashes every morning!?

If these questions don't tell you that this mascara is good then I don't know what does but I shit you not, those are genuine questions I've been asked!

*TOP TIP: With an angled liner brush, line the base of your lashes with black eye shadow to make them appear fuller and thicker at the root.

I think in essence it's a combination of the formula and the brush that make this mascara the tits. The wand has a bristle brush that coast the lashes with the perfect amount of product to give you full, voluminous lashes without them clumping or looking like spiders legs. The consistency is also amazing from the word go, unlike other mascaras which can take a while to warm to the formula or you're waiting for it to go off a bit first. Nope- none of that rubbish with the 2000 calorie!

So, there is one draw back to this mascara in that it's not a waterproof consistency but honestly I've never really been that fussed anyway and rest assure once it's applied, it stays put. There's none of this flaking off in the day nonsense and if you have a tendency to tear up over a rom com or an advert like I do- don't worry! It stays put and doesn't stream like the rivers of Babylon unless of course you rub your eyes...

Another HUGE plus to this mascara is the price point! Coming in at just £7.99 the cost is flipping amazing and for me that's just a bonus. I'd have been happy to pay £12 easily so that's just another brucey bonus to this mascara.

I think overall I have to reiterate that this mascara is SO UNDERRATED! I think nowadays everyone is looking for the next best thing that is bigger and better than but actually the mascara you're looking for is right under your nose and at a fab price point. If it's not broke, why fix it ye know? Plus it's been on the market for years and it's still here so that just proves its an oldie but goodie!

Have you tried Max Factor 2000 Calorie?

The Brow Wiz dupe- NYX Micro Brow Pencil

I’ve not always been the biggest fan of NYX products up until now. You may have read my post a couple of years ago called “Is NYX a Fix?” This was my first experience of NYX products and unfortunately it was a negative one, having bought two of the lip crèmes that seemed to be the exact same colour. Nevertheless I thought I’d give them the benefit of the doubt, after so many of my friends having a good experience with their products.

I thought I’d try the Micro Brow Pencil out for size and ohhh mama this has redeemed NYX for me! It is the perfect dupe for the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz and just a fraction of the cost.

Everything about it is extremely similar to the Anastasia version from the pencil size to the spooly and makes doing my brows a sheer treat! I love a pencil personally and find it gives the definition and hair like strokes I desire compared to a powder or pomade. The nib of the pencil is micro like the name suggests and gets into little areas with precision. The pencil also isn’t too soft or waxy so you can apply pressure where you need to for areas needing a bit more filling in and lightly brush in hairs towards the front to look subtle and natural. As you can see, I'm a fan of a natural brow rather than a polished perfectly cut brow.

The fact that its just £8 in Boots blows my mind when compared to £22 for Brow Wiz at places like Cult Beauty and there are plenty of shades to choose from too. I went for taupe but it was god to see a blonde shade in their for fair haired ladies as well as darker ones for you brunette babes. To me it’s a no brainer to go for the NYX version and save myself £14 to use on other products (or towards the ever increasing shoe collection).

What d’you reckon to the Micro Brow Pencil? Are you a fan? And if you’re a NYX lover, I’d love to hear what products you like and would recommend!

Getting glam and #FOREVERAGAINSTANIMALTESTING with The Body Shop

Last week I was invited to The Body Shop in Queensgate, Peterborough for a make-up consultation and to show my support on banning animal testing in cosmetics. Of course I was up for both of these things and headed into store on one of the late night shopping nights- SO handy when you work full time!!

The Body Shop are running an extremely important campaign to ban animal testing. Back in 2013 the collective efforts of The Body Shop and their partner Cruelty Free International led to a European ban but unfortunately there is still a shocking 80% of countries that allow animal testing. The practice of animal testing needs to be banished everywhere and by signing the petition you can help make that happen. You can do so online (click here) or in store.

The Body Shop are so committed to the cause, having never tested any of their ingredients or products on animals and they never will, which is one of the reasons I am such a huge fan of them and have been for many years.

If you’re a long time reader of the blog or subscriber to my YouTube channel you’ll already know how much I love their products. I opted for a make-up consultation whilst in store over a skincare or body consultation as its something different to what I’d usually choose.  I already use a lot of their skincare products and wanted to explore their makeup range. The lovely Michelle was my consultant and she listened to all my make-up needs and concerns such as the fact my face is oily AF and I need powder in my life if I want my face to stay on. She instantly put me at ease and was so easy to talk to and have fun with.

We tried out the Matte Clay Skin Clarifying Foundation first as I thought it would work best for my skin, but surprisingly I wasn’t a fan of the coverage; being a bit too heavy for me personally but if you love a matte full face then boy... that stuff is FULL COVERAGE. I was getting serious Nikkie Tutorials vibes from it. Slightly subtler me ended up going with the Fresh Nude Foundation which was a beautiful medium coverage and felt really light on the skin. For my eye make-up I told Michelle that I prefer natural tones and the same for my lips but by the end of the session she had convinced me to be brave so I said sod it- lets go for a bold lip.

When I had the final reveal I was SO chuffed and could not stop smiling! (It was verging on embarrassing how much I was smiling and staring at myself in the mirror- HA!)

The lip colour reminded me so much of MAC’s Ruby Woo and really set off the rest of the makeup. I was really glad I took Michelle’s advice by choosing a bold colour and I instantly looked refreshed after a long days work. I was also conveniently ready to head to the pub after too- hurrah! The main feature I couldn’t stop staring at was my brows. It’s amazing to see how other people do your makeup and their little twists on it can make you look so different. I had Michelle do a quick brow demo on herself after so that hopefully I can now perfect her brow game on myself.

One of the fab things about all the consulations at The Body Shop is that they’re FREE, making it the perfect opportunity to try out the products you’re curious about. All the products I tried during my makeup consultation were available for me to take home and try as samples so I can see how I get on with them at home. I also took away the some of the new body and skincare samples to try before I buy which is available for everyone that wants to sample a product.

Feeling suitably glam, I then had a little peruse around and picked up two of my Holy Grail products which I’ve written about before on here before. And naturally I had to treat myself to one of the Body Butters which I then realised I could personalise- again for free!! 

 As I’d been into store to learn specifically about the campaign for cruelty free, I had to go with the bunny sticker but there are loads of designs you can choose and would make for a lovely gift too *cough* MOTHERS DAY *cough*

I came away from my getting glam session with a huge grin on my face and a bag full of goodies, feeling very very happy. If you do one thing this week, please make sure you sign the #FOREVERAGAINSTANIMALTESTING petition and if you’re near a Body Shop, go in and have an explore!

Also thank you to the wonderful ladies at The Body Shop in Queensgate for having me- you were the best – especially for taking all my posey photos ;-).

All over, all season, face cream- SteamCream*

These dark nights of late call for bubbles, pampering and Netflix in the bath and I've been loving using this beautiful moisturiser from Steam Cream as part of this ritual.

I recently discovered this whipped beauty from Steamcream and had to share it with you. So what's so special about this cream? Well it's all natural and harnesses the benefits of steam to give you a deeply replenishing and nourishing skin cream. It works on all skin types- even if your skin is of a sensitive disposition! Having oily skin myself I was dubious at first that it would break me out into an oil slick but it works in synergy with my skin and the light consistency makes it airy and easy to wear morning, noon and night. I love to use it under makeup of a morning and then as a relaxing treat in the bath of a night time. The lavender scent is perfect prep for a restful bed time and calming in the manic rush of a morning. 

With its price point at £13.95 I'd say it sits comfortably in the market with the likes of Lush products but the quality to me is very similar to L'Occitane which pleases my inner thrifter greatly! I've been using it for a good couple of months now and it's hardly made a dint in the tin- another big tick. 

I started using Steamcream at the back end of summertime and it worked a treat in the heat. It's transitioned into autumn winter with having plenty of punch to keep my skin hydrated and happy whilst not needing to cake it on to get the benefits. It's an all over, all season wonder and I bloody love it. 

The packaging is one of my favourite parts to purchasing as you can pick your own design! I went for pink and blooms but there are a huge array of ever changing designs to choose from to reflect your personal style. The most recent designs to come out are the Christmas ones which make for a perfect gift to yourself or a loved on too.

Have you tried out Steamcream yet?

Hair Plumage: Feathers

Writing about hair feathers makes it impossible not to break into "her name was Lola, she was a show girl, with yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there...."

That aside, I've always been one to put shit in my hair. When I was younger it was braids and beads, then I moved onto extensions and now it's hair feathers.

I got these from eBay for £7,99 which included the micro beads and made sure they were high grade genuine mixed feather hair extensions. If they're anything else, you're at risk of them frazzling under heat and not lasting anywhere near as long. You'll also want to make sure you get some hair extension pliers (like these) to secure them in place. I personally wouldn't recommend using normal pliers as they can crush and fold the micro rings, making them difficult to remove later on.

The easiest and most effective way to fix the feather extensions into your hair is when it's wet. If your hair is damp and the ends have begun to dry, you'll want to wet them down so the micro bead can easily slide up the hair. Another helpful tip is having someone on standby to help but you can do it yourself too just with a little more swearing involved.

Another thing to note is to use small sections of hair that are all in the same area of your head. If you have a stray hair in there it's going to pull like hell and probably rip out when you brush your barnett next! The smaller the section, the less likely your hair will become tangled and knotted too.

So, you'll want to slide the micro bead up the length of your hair and get it as close to the root as possible. From there you'll want to slide the feather into the loop and crimp it into place with your hair pliers.

You'll also want to think about the placement of your feathers. Will the microbeads show when you have your hair up? What about if you tuck your hair behind your ears? I personally like them to be noticeable but not always obvious and blend in with my hair. I tend to place them around my face and neck.

Once they're in you can style your hair as normal and enjoy the flashes or feathery plumage you have. They last around six months and after that you'll want to take them out so your hair doesn't become dreaded and matted. They're simple to remove, just use your hair pliers to crimp the micro loop open and they'll slide right out.

I'm personally quite obsessed with my hair feathers, having had them three times over the past year. It's an alternative way to mix your hair up without having to dye it and adds some interest to your fro.