DIVYA THOMPSON

Monday, 29 June 2015

Mani Monday - Essie Tart Deco

Yep, another Essie polish, this time in the shade Tart Deco. I've been wearing this one constantly since I got it a couple of months ago, both on my fingers and toes. It's just the perfect summery shade that manages to cheer me up a bit when I look down at my nails. As always with Essie, both the formula and brush are on point. Long lasting, shiny and easy to apply.

What have you been wearing on your nails recently?

Follow me on bloglovin' for more posts!

Video: Skincare Empties

My skincare empties video! All products mentioned are linked in the description box on youtube. Thanks for watching!

Follow me on bloglovin for more posts!

Laura Mercier Face Illuminator - Indiscretion

Considering how much I love highlighters, I really don't have that many. I struggle to find ones that work well on my skintone, they're often too pink, too light or both. So on the rare occasion that I do spot one I like the look of, I snap it up at record speed.

That's exactly what happened with the Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Indiscretion, which is by far the stand out product from their limited edition summer collection. It's warm and golden in tone and is just pigmented enough to give a sheer wash of glow to the skin. The shimmer particles are very fine, not at all chunky and glittery, which is another box ticked of my highlighter criteria checklist!

I already foresee this becoming a summer makeup favourite! I'm currently working on a FOTD post so make sure you check back next week if you want to see it in action!

Follow me on bloglovin' for more posts!

Zelens PHA+ Bio Peel Resurfacing Facial Pads

I love a good chemical exfoliant, I have done ever since I stopped using scrubs a few years ago, they're much gentler on the skin yet still get the job done without damaging any delicate areas. I genuinely think they're better for everyone. That said, they're not all created equal, I've definitely tried some that are better than others. The Zelens PHA+ Bio Peel Resurfacing Facial Pads are up there as one of my favourites, they're great for all skin types, even those who are very sensitive.

So why do I love them so much? Well, because they're so much more than just a exfoliating pad. They also hydrate the skin and contain antioxidants which protect skin from environmental damage. So they leave the skin feeling very comfortable rather than tight and stripped of moisture. They also contain two of my favourite ingredients, Lactic and Salicylic acid, both exfoliating acids that just seem to work very well on my skin. Salicylic acid is particularly good for those who are prone to blocked pores and blackheads and Lactic is great for brightening and fading pigmentation. They also contain PHAs (polyhydroxy acids) which are the next generation of exfoliating acids, which is where the hydrating and antioxidant properties come from.

The directions advise that you use them twice per day but I just use them once or twice per week, I find that's enough for my skin as I tend to also use an exfoliating mask a couple of times a week. Obviously you can tailor how often you use them to your skin's needs, more blemish prone skins would definitely benefit from using them more often, as would those who want to see results a bit quicker.

At £65 for a pot of 50 pads they're not exactly cheap but in my opinion they're definitely worth the splurge. If like me you only use them once or twice a week they'll last you at least 6 months. They're definitely a product I'll repurchase again and again, my skin has definitely been brighter and smoother since I started using them!

What do you use to exfoliate?

Follow me on bloglovin' for more posts!

Sunday Spatime!

I love having a bit of at home spa time on a sunday evening, or on any other evening for that matter! It always involves a lovely smelling bath, sometimes a face mask and a few other bits and bobs depending on how I'm feeling. I thought it would be a good idea to share what I'm using here on the blog and make it a bit of a feature as I always seem to use a different combination of products. Today it's all about relaxing and getting my self set up for a busy week back at work tomorrow. So here's what I'll be using!

Kiehl's Lavender Foaming Relaxing Bath with Sea Salt and Aloe Vera

I adore the scent of lavender and to me, this really captures that true lavender scent. It's so calming and relaxing and it creates lots of lovely bubbles in the bath. That said, the formula does contain sulphates so it isn't the kindest to skin, it can leave it feeling a bit on the dry side but it's nothing a bit of body oil can't solve!

Elemental Herbology Facial Glow

I love a good face mask and this one is a firm favourite for when my skin needs a 'quick fix'. It contains AHAs so it gently exfoliates the skin leaving it feeling soft, clean and bright. It just seems to work every single time, and the best part? You only have to leave it on for 4 minutes!

Caudalie Divine Oil

I've loved this stuff ever since I discovered it a few years ago and I don't think I'll stop using it anytime soon! It truly is an amazing product that I reach for again and again. It's a body oil that glides on really easily and sinks in very quickly. It never leaves a greasy residue on the skin and it smells seriously amazing. I also find it leaves my skin feeling noticeably smoother for a good couple of days after I've used it, which is surprising considering I always moisturise my body everyday anyway.

Nude Pro Genius Oil

What can I say? I love oils! For the face as well as for the body. They may take it little bit of extra time to work into the skin but in my opinion they are well and truly worth it. I've only used this facial oil a few times but so far I absolutely love it, it sinks into the skin really easily and a tiny bit goes a very, very long way. I'll report back with a full review once I've been using it a bit longer!

What beauty products do you use to relax?

Follow me on bloglovin' for more posts!

Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con Palette - The Starlet

So if you watched my recent haul video (see here) you'll know that I bought the Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con Palette in 'The Starlet', it wasn't the cheapest of items but I really am glad I got it. The shades are unlike any other in my collection, the pigmentation and quality of the shadows is excellent and don't even get me started on the packaging!

As I said in the video, I went into Sephora expecting the come out with 'The Lolita' palette but when I saw and swatched it I felt that I already had all of the shades in my collection, it was also a bit cool toned for my liking so I went for this one instead. That warm toned coppery shade is what drew my eye to the palette, but I quickly realised I loved all of the shades.

My favourites from the palette are the copper, the slightly green toned gold, the dark brown and the dark grey. The formulas are really buttery, have amazing colour payoff and best of all they don't fall down onto your face! A real pet hate of mine as I always forget to start with my eyes when using darker shades.

My one criticism of the palette would be that there aren't individual shade names, not that that's particularly important, I guess it would just be helpful for the sake of blogging/youtube! I put together a few of my favourite looks from the palette to show you what they look like on but of course the possibilities are endless. Please excuse my rather frizzy looking hair!