Review - Simple Moisture Boost Hydro Mist

When it comes to facial spritzes, nothing comes even remotely close to my beloved Caudalie Beauty Elixir, but I thought I'd try and branch out in an attempt to find a cheaper alternative. I came across this one back before I went off on holiday when I wanted a small facial spray that wasn't in an aerosol and therefore aeroplane friendly. It's the Simple Kind To Skin Moisture Boost Hydro Mist. 

So how is it? Pretty good actually, especially considering the price. It feels nice and refreshing on the skin, perks it up, adds a bit of radiance and dewiness and stops makeup from looking too cakey. Another thing I like about it is that it doesn't have too strong a scent, so it's great for anytime of day. I usually carry it around in my handbag for when I need a quick spritz. 

Will I buy it again? Possibly, it's certainly no Caudalie Beauty Elixir though! That one wins hands down every time!

Have you tried any facial mists?

Review - Clarins HydraQuench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase

I'm a bit of a newbee when it comes to skin serums, I haven't tried very many, but that doesn't mean I haven't come across 1 or 2 that I like!

Clarins HydraQuench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase is one of them, it's perfect for mornings because it's super moisturising but doesn't leave the skin looking at all oily or greasy (thanks to the Hyaluronic Acid and Omega 3s). It just sinks straight in and doesn't look like you put anything on while still keeping your skin moisturised all day. It's a Bi-Phase serum so it separates into two layers in the bottle and you need to give it a good shake first. I then use either one or two pumps, depending on how dry my skin is feeling and massage it in before moisturiser. You can use it at night as well if you want too but I prefer to use something richer like an oil. 

Clarins describes it as 'An intensive light yet deeply comforting bi-phase serum with the power to rescue seriously dehydrated skin.', and I think I'd have to agree with them on that, in the colder months my skin starts to get very dry and sensitive and a few pesky patches of eczema aren't unheard of, this really does keep them at bay.

Mine is a mini sized version that came as a free gift with purchase, but at 41.00 for the full sized bottle, it certainly isn't cheap. If you have pretty normal or slightly dry skin, you don't really need this, but if you do suffer from dry skin and hate the super oily finish that all dry/sensitive products leave you with, then I would definitely recommend this. I would definitely buy this again, but maybe use it just when I need it rather than everyday so that it lasts a bit longer!

Have you tried any skin serums before? What are your favourites?

Project Art by Nest Fragrances Candles

There are a few things that I find really warming and cozy on  miserable autumn evenings, hot chocolate, knitted blankets, jumpers, TV and of course candles! I'm really loving these ones at the moment, they're the Project Art by Nest Fragrances candles in Pineapple Mango and Orange Kumquat. Their scents, as you can imagine,  are really fruity and burning one for a mere 20 minutes fills the entire house with their amazing scent that lingers for hours afterwards. They are also absolutely huge and contain an amazing 250 hours of burning time! These were unfortunately limited edition a while ago so they are quite difficult to get hold of, but if you can find one on Ebay, they're definitely worth snapping up. Mine were from TK Maxx so I'm always on the look out for more of them in there! I hear there's a Mint Leaves and Lime one!

What are your favourite candles?

The Many Uses of Coconut Oil

Oils may be relatively new in the beauty industry over here, but in India women have been using good old fashioned coconut oil in their beauty routines for centuries. If you have really sensitive, reactive skin coconut oil is a really great alternative to products laden with chemicals. As well as that it's a great alternative if you're on a budget as a lot of cheaper brands are full of nasties like mineral oil. 

Hair

I thought I'd start with hair as that's what most people use it for. It's great as a treatment, massage a generous amount into the scalp and through the hair section by section and leave it in as long as you can, overnight if possible. Then wash it out in the morning, you may need to shampoo twice depending on your shampoo but I can guarantee it's definitely worth it. I try to do it as often as possible, almost every time I wash it as my hair is currently in a terrible state from dying, blowdrying and straightening! I really moisturises dry hair and strengthens weak, brittle hair that's prone to breaking. 

Face 

Want to try one of those expensive oil cleansers but can't bare to part with the cash? Coconut oil is your answer, it works amazingly well and costs hardly anything. Massage a 10p sized blob into your dry, fully made up face and the oil completely breaks down all makeup and grime, including waterproof mascara! Then run a flannel under hot water, wring it out and wipe it all off. It leaves your skin feeling amazingly soft and is so much better for your skin than anything that foams. A couple of drops massaged into skin last thing at night works well as an overnight facial oil treatment. You wake up to super plumped up, soft skin in the morning.

Body

In terms of body, it's a great multi use product. Put it onto any dry skin or dry patches but just remember that a little goes a long way, you don't want to be sliding all over the place! 

I put my coconut oil into a bottle with a pump and leave it by the sink, that way it stays liquid from the warmth and it makes it really convenient to use and saves lots of time. I even sometimes add in a few drops of essential oil like lavender to scent it. 

You can get regular coconut oil here, or if you fancy a special treat you can get organic coconut oil here!

Are there any other uses that you can think of?

Review - Marc Jacobs Lola

It dawned on me the other day that I haven't done a full fragrance review yet so I though it was about time! It's quite surprising really because I'm a real perfume lover and I have quite the little collection!

I'm quite fickle when it come to fragrance, I definitely don't have a signature scent as such, but I do have some favourites that I'll always buy again when they run out. I think life is too short to wear the same fragrance everyday! I generally like floral scents particularly anything with peony, rose and jasmine . In the summer I like ones with a touch of something citrusy, like bergamot or mandarin, and in the winter warmer musks and amber. I realise that's quite a few ingredients so I usually go for fragrances that combine them in different ways. 


Lola by Marc Jacobs is one of my favourites, I usually wear it in the evenings if I'm going out, its a floral with warm musky undertones yet it manages to be completely contemporary. Here's what's in it;


The Top Notes: Pink Peppercorn, Pear, Ruby Red Grapefruit

The Heart Notes: Rose, Fuschia Peony, Geranium

The Base Notes: Vanilla, Warm Tonka Bean, Creamy Musk


It has a combination of florals, citrus and musk, which must be why I like it so much! This is definitely one of the ones I'll be buying again! The bottle is really interesting too, it's made of heavy glass with a huge multicoloured rubber flower as a lid, it really does take centre stage on the dressing table but it doesn't travel very well, but then, you can't have it both ways!


Lola by Marc Jacobs Eau De Parfum is available in 3 sizes, 30ml, 50ml  and 100ml.


What is your favourite fragrance?

Autumn Wishlist

      

 

           

Cream Jumper - Asos

Everyone needs a neutral jumper you can wear with everything come autumn and this cream one from asos is the perfect balance between fitted and slouchy.

Knitted Cushion - Next

This knitted cushion just says cosy all over! Perfect for chilly nights cozying up in front of the telly (anyone else excited for the new season of Downton Abbey and New Girl?)

Diptyque Baies Scented Candle 

Scented with red berries and rose, this one is another cosy night in must have!

Barts Jasmine Scarf in Grey 

A lot of warm scarves look very much the same but I love the fun tassels on this one. They are a nice detail but the colour means you can throw it on over any outfit.

Nars Ride Up To The Moon Palette

There are quite a few new eyeshadow palettes that have come out recently but this one is definitely at the top of my list! The colours are all very wearable and the rusty golds are perfect for this time of year.

Love Cup and Saucer - Next 

These super cute shabby chic cups and saucers are great for steamy cups of tea and hot chocolate. 

Caudalie Divine Oil

I did a full review of this amazing stuff yesterday which you can check out here. NOTHING leaves skin feeling softer than this so it's perfect for dry autumn/winter skin. Plus it smells really nice!

Starbucks Caramel Syrup

For caramel hot chocolates of course! Just add whipped cream and marshmallows, yummy!

What's on your Autumn Wishlist?

 

Review - Caudalie Divine Oil

If you thought all oils were made equal, you'd be wrong. I though oils from high end brands just smelt nicer and came in fancy bottles, then I met Caudalie Divine Oil, completely in a league of it's own. 

It comes in a convenient, mess free, spray top bottle and sinks straight into the skin leaving it feeling amazingly silky but not the slightest bit greasy. It also gives the skin a glowy radiant look that looks completely natural. As if that isn't enough, it's also a multi use product, spritz it onto your face, body, hair or nails for instant hydration and radiance. 

As with all Caudalie products, this one starts of life as a grape. The amazingly high quality grape oil contains naturally occurring Vitamin E, which is an ingredient well know for its scar fading and skin plumping abilities. 

I'm afraid I may be becoming as addicted to this one as I am to my Caudalie Beauty Elixir, Caudalie are certainly a brand that know how to bring it! 

Review - Clinique Even Better Concealer

Clinique Even Better Concealer is more than just a concealer, it also has added skincare benefits. The concealer itself works really well, it's creamy, extremely blendable and doesn't crease into lines. The shape of the pot makes it a bit difficult to dip your finger in, especially if you have long nails, but I use a brush anyway. Something like the Real Techniques Shading Brush works really well. I dab the brush into the pot picking up a small amount and then dab the excess off onto the lid, it's pretty high coverage so you only need the tiniest bit.

I then dab it on wherever I need it and blend it into the skin, mostly under the eyes (it covers dark circles amazingly well) and onto any blemishes. At the moment I've just been using it under my eyes as the shade I have (honeycomb) is slightly on the light side for me as I've tanned a lot this summer, but I know come winter it will be the perfect shade! 

This concealer is part of Clinique's Even Better range, a range designed to target uneven skintone in the form of pigmentation from acne scars as well as sun damage while also preventing any new hyperpigmentation from forming. As I said I've only really been using this under my eyes so far, so I can't really comment on these claims yet, once my skin is back to it's 'winter shade' (or if I cave and buy the darker shade) I will be sure to give you an update of the progress! In the mean time all I can say is it's a brilliant concealer and even if it doesn't fade any marks I'll still repurchase it. Not that I'll need to anytime soon because a little goes a long way!

Have you tried any of the products from Clinique's Even Better Range? What did you think of them?