Beauty | Weekly Roundup

Another week has flown by and it's really starting to feel like autumn outside! I'm sitting here with my slippers on, cup of tea in hand and a bottle of Olbas Oil at my side because, alas, I've gone and caught a cold. That hasn't stopped me from getting outside and enjoying the colder weather though! This morning Chris and I had a hearty full English breakfast at O'Neils followed by a brisk walk through the park on the way home, where we spotted some deer and snapped a few pictures of the autumn leaves. I love how crisp the air feels! 

This week I've been focusing on cultivating a good base for the colder months, testing out primers and reaching for skin brightening highlighters. Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer (£6.99) has been my go-to, with its creamy and not at all plastic-y texture being suited perfectly to the colder weather. It definitely helps anchor foundation and concealer, although it doesn't quite have the staying power of my trusty Revlon primer. Keep your peepers peeled for my primer comparison post, coming soon! Seventeen Skin Wow! 3 Way Highlighter (£5.99) (review here) has been my brightening tool of choice this week. I dab a little highlighter fluid across my cheek bones and brow bones before blending gently with my fingers, and the lovely white-silver tone picks up the light beautifully. The frosty finish reminds me of Christmas, which really isn't that far away now! Beauty Christmas lists at the ready!

Due to my cold I haven't been sleeping much at night, so an industrial strength concealer has been top of my makeup requirements! Another beauty bargain, I've been seriously impressed with Seventeen Phwoarr Paint Heavy Duty Under Eye Concealer (£5.49) which has the same thick yet blendable texture as Benefit Boi-ing concealer, my all-time favourite for covering dark circles. Phwoarr Paint is a truly brilliant dupe and I'd even go so far as to say I prefer it to Benefit overall due to the purse friendly price! It also works wonders at covering spots and blemishes and the formula doesn't melt or slide, which is more than can be said for my MAC Studio Finish Concealer, unfortunately. I'm really intrigued by Seventeen's other recent primer and concealer releases, as I bet they're just as impressive. 

I've been favouring a quick and easy neutral eye, reaching for Topshop 'Sable' Kohl Pencil (£4) and Maybelline the Rocket Volum' Express Mascara (£7.99). The texture of Topshop's liner is extremely soft and so easy to blend, and it's a beautiful rich dark brown shade which I tend to prefer to lighter, redder browns. It's great for adding definition when smudged with my ELF blending brush, or with a cotton brush if I'm at Chris's without all of my tools! I picked up Maybelline's the Rocket on a bit of a whim as I've been trying to find my perfect mascara, and after my bridal hair & makeup trial last Saturday I've realised I've been applying mascara incorrectly for a long, long time! No wonder I've always been so fussy! I apply this one looking down, as in not looking in the mirror at all, which sounds slightly dangerous but the results are so much better! I no longer suffer from transfer on my eyelids, and Maybelline the Rocket gives incredible volume with intense black colour. I'm hooked! I've also invested in a pair of Superdrug Eyelash Curlers (£1.99) which are brilliant at opening up eyes and adding some shape to lashes before sweeping on mascara. 

As for lips, I've been crushing hard on the new Rimmel Colour Rush Balm (£5.99) range. Pictured is 'Keep Mauving', a gorgeous autumnal deep berry shade that I can't get enough of. I've used this every day since purchasing and I can't recommend it enough, from the gorgeous berry colour to the sweet vanilla scent and truly long lasting colour and shine. My lips feel moisturised and soft, essential when battling a cold! Alongside the Soap & Glory Gloss Stick range these are my favourite lip crayons. I also picked up a brighter red shade which I'll be reviewing soon. Just gorgeous!

In terms of skincare I've been working hard at balancing my crazy skin's needs, what with the sudden drop in temperature and turning on of central heating. Face wise, I've been using La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (£13) after reading rave reviews, and it really does seem to be helping calm blemishes without drying my skin. In the mornings I use this before applying primer, skipping moisturiser as I find it moisturising enough by itself. It gives a comfortable matte finish, a perfect base for makeup. In the evenings I let it sink in before applying a light layer of moisturiser for added hydration. While I wouldn't call it a miracle cure, Effaclar Duo is working well at maintaining balance and soothing inflammation, especially around my troublesome chin area. 

Body wise, autumn and winter inevitably see me reaching for Jergen's Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Body Moisturiser (£5.99), which my Mum discovered on a trip to Michigan a few years ago. She came home with a huge bottle shortly before the launch of Jergens lotions in the UK, and when we saw that their Ultra Healing lotion was on sale here we stocked up! This handy little travel size tube actually came free with a magazine many months ago but I've got a big bottle with a pump dispenser in the bathroom, ready to be slathered on post-bath. Lightly scented with a balm like texture and fast drying formula, this lotion is the ultimate in winter comfort as it gives long lasting moisturisation and isn't at all sticky or tacky, which is essential when pulling on tights or skinny jeans! 

I hope you've had a wonderful week and are having an enjoyable, relaxing Sunday. Which products have you been reaching for over the past seven days or so? I'd love to hear your recommendations!

Baci e abbracci, 

         

Bloglovin' | Twitter | Instagram 

A spot of pampering with Superdrug's Vitamin E All Over Body Cream

I've sort of had to force myself to blog today. For various reasons I'm having a bit of an anxiety driven day and I'd quite like to go back to bed and do absolutely nothing... But I know that won't make me feel better so I'm trying to motivate myself to get some blog posts done and then work on some tarot readings for friends and family. I'm trying to be quite gentle with myself and work my way slowly through my to-do list while making sure I spend some time pampering myself and looking after myself. I've found that self-care through touch, for example having a relaxing bath or smoothing on a nice body cream, is a great way of soothing myself when I'm feeling really anxious, and so I thought I'd review one of my all time favourite pampering treats: Superdrug Vitamin E All Over Body Cream. 

Never underestimate the power of an own brand product! I've been using Superdrug's Vitamin E range for years and I've got through countless tubs of their Vitamin E All Over Body Cream. I've been loyal through various packaging changes, but luckily the formula has remained consistent throughout. If you're looking for a luxuriously thick, soothing, beautiful smelling body cream then this is the one for you. 

Vitamin E All Over Body Cream, £2.99 for 475ml

Containing natural Vitamin E, the cream claims to 'defend the skin against environmental damage'. It certainly packs a powerful moisturising punch and successfully tackles patches of dry skin. It also contains coconut oil, key to skin hydration, as well as a 'skin conditioning multivitamin complex' consisting of vitamins A, B, F and H combined with horse chesnut extract, which apparently help further care for dry skin. The smell and texture are equally fantastic and it's a total pleasure to smother the cream all over after a relaxing bath or shower. It has quite a thick, satisfying consistency but is easy to rub in and sinks in really quickly. The smell is hard to describe but so, so good! 'Creamy', 'nourishing' and 'cocooning' spring to mind, although I'm aware they're not *technically* smells as such! It isn't fruity or floral, it's more sort of nutty I suppose. I've never come across another range that has quite the same smell; it really is unique and the scent lingers on the skin after applying, which I love. 

The tub is a very generous 475ml and lasts absolutely ages. Plus it only costs £2.99 which is  crazy! Don't let the bargain price put you off; it feels much more expensive and rivals all of The Body Shop creams and body butters I've used in terms of quality.  

I'd highly recommend Vitamin E All Over Body Cream for a spot of pampering, as it feels like a real treat and takes great care of dry skin. I'll be using this after a relaxing hot bath this evening. Sometimes a bit of 'me time' is the best way to recuperate and get back to your very best. 

Browse the Vitamin E range here

A bad reaction to Superdrug's Cucumber Cooling Clay Mask for sensitive skin

I've always known Superdrug's range of own brand products to be excellent quality. I use their Naturally Radiant products every morning and evening along with their Vitamin E hot cloth cleanser and Pro Vitamin range of shampoos and conditioners. So I figured I'd give their range of face mask sachets a go, especially as they were on offer at four for £3 (although I actually picked up five, as I couldn't decide which one to let go!)

As part of my Saturday morning pampering ritual  I decided to use the Cooling Cucumber Clay Mask, containing soothing cucumber extract and dead sea minerals, and labelled as being 'ideal for sensitive skin'. I used to love clay masks when I was younger for unclogging pores, and the added benefit of cucumber seemed like a gentle approach to tackling my crazy sensitive combination skin. 

Cucumber Cooling Clay Mask, 99p, Superdrug

Interestingly under the 'care and advice' section the instructions state 'do not apply to... sensitive skin', which seems to be something of a contradiction. Unfortunately this is something I didn't see until slathering the mask all over my face, based on the reassuring label on the front! Admittedly it does also say to 'test for irritancy first' but again, I didn't see this until after I'd applied it, and as it's a product targeted towards sensitive skin I wouldn't have thought this would be a major necessity. Oops. 

I went ahead and applied the clay mask to cleansed skin. It smells lovely, very refreshing, slightly floral with hints of cucumber. The consistency is thick and creamy, and there's enough in the sachet to stretch to two applications which is great value for money. I noticed that the mask stung slightly around the nose upon first applying, but as I've experienced this with masks before I wasn't too concerned. Perhaps I should have realised that a clay mask, purifying as it is, while excellent for acne areas might be a little strong for sensitive skin... But as the label determined it to be targeted towards sensitive skin I wasn't too concerned. Again, oops. 

There's something truly satisfying about the sensation of a clay mask hardening and cracking as you contort your face into all sorts of expressions (just me?!) You just know that once you've rinsed it off the tightness of the clay will be gone and you'll be left with super soft, refreshed skin.  I waited the full fifteen minutes as stated on the sachet and then rinsed the mask off with the aid of my regular muslin cloth.

My face suddenly felt oddly hot and looking in the mirror I noticed that little red bumps had started to appear across my cheeks and chin. They felt and looked just like the type of rash I get when my sensitive skin has an allergic reaction to a product. Damnit! I'd used the mask with the intention of rescuing my skin, not making it worse! I tried to take a good photo but could only get a slightly blurry close-up of one of my cheeks. Still, it sort of shows what I'm describing:

Ouch. 

I slathered on some Avene Recovery Cream, my go-to for when my skin is going through a crazy phase, and after a couple of hours my face felt a little less hot and the rash was less inflamed. But it's still there and it feels very rough and bumpy, which isn't really the look I was going for. 

I'm really disappointed as although my skin is sensitive and reacts to products on occasion, I didn't really have any indication that this mask wouldn't be suitable for my skin type, what with the 'ideal for sensitive skin' label on the front. The 'do not apply' on 'sensitive skin' warning on the back of the sachet strikes me as odd, and I feel it needs some sort of clarification. I know, I know, I could have done a little patch test beforehand, but generally when using a product specifically designed for and marketed towards sensitive skin I don't, although I will be doing so from now on. While it hasn't totally put me off using the other Superdrug masks I purchased, I will definitely be doing patch tests before use to avoid any similar skin care nightmares. 

As for the rest of my Saturday, I've spent it hiding away make-up free in the hope that my rash will clear up by this evening. While I generally love Superdrug products I'm feeling a little wary and day I say 'sensitive' after using this cucumber concoction. Soothing it ain't! 

Do you always do a skin test before using a mask, or would a sensitive skin label reassure you enough to apply it straight away? I'd love to hear your thoughts.