Current Beauty Favourites

Looking at these photos it could be the middle of May, with birds tweeting outside my window and a gentle breeze blowing through my open window. Alas, they were taken on a rare sunny January morning – but we can pretend, can’t we? Anyway, the Christmas stocking is a wonderful thing because it’s the perfect destination for beauty-sized presents that you don’t want to spend the money on yourself but need oh so badly, which is precisely where I got 3/4 of the products featured here from.

Current beauty favourites

I shared some of my current beauty favourites back in September (here), and since it’s a few months down the line and I’ve made plenty new purchases I thought I’d share my new favourites with you! Recently I’ve been exploring autumnal makeup, so there’s a bit of a theme running through the products I’m mentioning today.

Current beauty favourites

If there’s anything I have gained from blogging, it’s an overflowing make up bag and a drawer full of cosmetic products that is getting harder and harder to close! I’ve always paid that little bit extra for skincare and make up because, being cursed with acne prone skin, the more expensive products do make a noticeable difference. But since entering the blogosphere I’ve also become much more accustomed to trying new brands and products that I wouldn’t necessarily have considered using before, and also sharing the products I’ve tried, tested, and approved with you.

This Lush Tea Tree Water toner is the perfect example of a product that I would never have bought had I not seen it worshipped all over the internet. I’ve dabbled with using toners in the past, but having tried brands like Clinique, Lancome and La Roche Posay I just didn’t really notice that much of a difference in the long run. This little beauty, however, has revolutionised my skincare. A little spritz of this post-cleansing in both the morning and evening has left me noticeably more spot-free, and when I’m home for the day I’ve taken to spraying this whenever my face feels a bit oily or in need of freshening up. I’ve not quite been swept up into the Lush revolution yet, but maybe this is how it starts…

I bought my first Kiko product last summer: a brown eyeliner pencil, which I still use and love to this day. Now, I’ve upgraded to trying some of their other eye products, like these Kiko Infinity Eyeshadows, which have brought a whole new meaning to au natural make up for me. I’ve even found these nude and champagne shades add a little something extra to my Naked 3 palette, which is a testament to how lovely the colours are, and the range of shades that Kiko have. They’re incredibly delicate, with a subtle shimmer that catches the light, and also incredibly cheap, which is a pretty good combination.

The brand of the moment for me is Kiehl’s. The hefty prices used to be off-putting, but having tried out a few of their products I’ve come to realise you really do get what you pay for. My love of the Kiehl’s Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream started when my mum brought home a few samples for me, since she caught onto the Kiehl’s hype a while ago. I’d been meaning to dip my toes into the new world of BB creams for a while, so I thought a free sample was the perfect excuse to try; one use and I was hooked. The colour (fair) was an absolute perfect match to my pale complexion. It left my skin looking dewy, and had a great amount of coverage for my blemishes without feeling cakey. The one teenytiny reservation I have about it is that, because it is SPF 50, it does have quite a strong suncreamy smell when you apply it. But if you can get past that it is an absolute winner.

The other great thing about Kiehl’s is the amount of samples they give you. I know this is all a ploy to get you to fall in love with their products and come back to fork out the money for the real thing, but I’ve found that they’re pretty useful to keep for when you’re going away for the odd night, or on holiday. I’ve even gone as far as to convert an old green tea tin that I just couldn’t throw away into a ‘samples tin’, so that when I need a small moisturiser, eye cream, or foundation for a night away I can just grab one and go! Just a little tip for when you find yourself with hundreds of testers (or a nice green tea tin) you’re not quite sure what to do with.

Have you tried any of these products before? I’d love to know what you think of them!

My little secret

From left to right: Louis Vuitton | Coach | Mulberry | DKNY

I know what you’re thinking: what beautiful designer clutch bags, oh but I could never afford them! What if I told you you’re wrong? These aren’t clutch bags at all, they are cosmetics pouches – and you can afford them. A little secret I was let into 2 years ago is that some cosmetics bags are just as stylish, smart and practical as the clutches produced by the same designer but usually for at least half the price, which for a student like me is very useful! I myself am the proud owner of a Mulberry cosmetics pouch (top right above), and it’s my go-to special occasion clutch bag. The labels, styles and quality we lust over are more within our reach than we might think!

Next time you’re on the hunt for an evening clutch, take a wander into the travel accessories section of your favourite designers and I guarantee you’ll be surprised.

Do you have any fashion tips like this one?

Happy first birthday Charlotte Tilbury!

Two days ago, make-up lovers, beauty bloggers and intrigued passers-by were all welcomed to celebrate Charlotte Tilbury’s first birthday!! A recent convert to the vitality of make-up (thanks to my beauty obsessed buddy, Lauren), Lauren and I joined in the festivities for the afternoon and soaked up the buzzing atmosphere around the concession in the heart of Selfridges.

As well as being an opportunity to mingle, shop and gaze in wonder at the beautiful make up, there was a raffle running throughout the event giving each guest the chance to win a coveted Matte Revolution lipstick! It gave us plenty of reason to hang around, as did the cocktails and cake, and though neither of us won we were happy enough to be there amongst the buzz and the glamour. After successfully stalking the cocktail waiters (twice…), everyone watched in awe and hunger as the most impressive cake and cupcake selection were brought out, which, being an amateur baker and lover of all things cupcakey, was the icing on the cake for me!!

Most importantly, we got to meet the the exceptional talent behind the collection! Not forgetting how irritating it must be having iPhones shoved in your face all day, Charlotte Tilbury made the effort to introduce herself and spend some time with us, actually asking for photos rather than being asked. How charming is that?! It was truly a pleasure to speak to her, which makes it even more of a pleasure to wear her make-up! I will definitely be keeping up-to-date with her already incredible cosmetics collections.

For the rest of the afternoon, we hovered among the eager crowd and watched the artist at work. There’s something so hypnotising about watching people have their make up done! We may have left empty-handed, but our bellies were full of cake and enough free alcohol to have us giggling, and we loved getting up close and personal with the exceptional talent behind such a pioneering beauty collection! I personally can’t wait to see how Charlotte Tilbury’s 10th anniversary is going to be celebrated…

Thanks for the extra photos laurenlandonx!