Chanel Perfection Lumiere

Perfection Lumiere - £36 - Boots

I really do seem to start every bloody review with "I HAD HIGH HOPES FOR THIS FOUNDATION"... but I really really do! This was the new offering from Chanel last year, after they discontinued Pro Lumiere, which was supposed to be really good, but I never got to try it personally! I'd read quite a few raves about this foundation, and so I bought it when passing through Heathrow last year when I had a massive Chanel binge.  To be honest, I was disappointed with 3 out of the 5 products I bought, and it has made me think that maybe, Chanel is over-rated. Blasphemy I know, and I love the bronzer and the lipliner... but the other 3... they were shite if I'm honest!

Back to the review. I was so disappointed by this foundation. I picked it up in 40 Beige, which was the shade I'd wear when fake-tanned. Initially, I really liked it, its one of those foundations that tricks you in the beginning and looks amazing, but after a few hours of wear basically makes you look like a hot mess!

I have combo skin, for reference, I just found it to be patchy and made me look so blotchy! I would go as far as to say that its one of the worst foundations I've ever used! Steep claim I know, but it was just rubbish! It slid off my face and just looked so bad on me, was just patchy and awful! Staying power was horrendous and I was just thoroughly disappointed!

Hopefully this is the most negative review I'll ever have to write, as who likes to read such a whiny post, but I had to be honest! Saying that though, I really want to pick up Vitalumiere Aqua as I tried a sample and loved it! So I'll keep you updated!

Have you tried the foundation? What did you think?

Lancôme Teint Miracle

Lancôme Teint Miracle - £27

I love love LOVE this foundation. I'd been looking for a dewy foundation for a while, and I think I hit the jackpot with this one! (excuse the cliche!). It is a lovely finish, and as I generally only work 8 hour days and live 5 minutes from where I work, I don't need one that is seriously long-wearing, and this fits the part.

I was matched to the shade 01, which I was really hesitant about at first because I generally like to use a medium-tan coloured foundation, and this was a lot lighter in colour and finish than I was used to, but I surprised myself in that I really liked it. I generally wear a heavier coverage foundation, and I'd say this is medium at the maximum, but it gives such a lovely finish that I don't mind.

It is natural, and my dad even said to me the other day "You've toned your make up down have you? It looks a lot better" - which is ridiculous as he never notices things like that, so it must be good! My boyfriend prefers it too, and although I normally scoff at their opinion (they're men, men NEVER get it), they might be right this time!

100% recommend this foundation, its not my "HG", but for a work day one its brilliant! I know I will be repurchasing time after time!

Clinique Chubby Stick - Grandest Grape

I had seen these all over the shop but they never really appealed to me, I'm not sure why. I think I just saw it as a massive crayon that would be useless to be honest, and just another fad! I think the price put me off too, I thought £16 for a massive crayon was a bit too much for my current budget!

I have no idea why I thought this, as I'll happily pay £34 ish for a foundation but not £16 for a lipstick?? Anyway onto my thoughts!

I had this is a present from my boyfriend's mother for my birthday. She LOVES them as has 4 or 5 but i'd never really been tempted as i'm more of a MAC lipstick girl! Upon application, I found that it was surprisingly moisturising, and lasted well on my lips, despite my low expectations!

I am really impressed with this, and I would repurchase myself in a different shade for those days when I just want to chuck on a moisturising balm and can't be bothered with a lipstick!

Have you tried these? Any other recommendations?

Avon Anew Vitale Day Cream

Avon Anew Vitale Day Cream - on offer for £9.99 at the moment, usually £19.50

I tend to find one moisturizer I like, and then stick with it. I'd been loyal to the Clinique dramatically different lotion, which I liked until I tried the gel version, and found it was much better for my skin, despite that I have dry combination and it is marketed for oily skin, which was weird. As much as I love that Dramatically Different Gel, I've been looking for a more budget moisturizer, as I am super poor trying to pay off my credit cards at the moment, as so as much as I love it I cannot afford to spluge £30 right now! Boring talk over.

I have been trying out quite a lot of Avon products at the moment, despite having no previous experience with the brand, and I have to say I am impressed so far! I tried one lipstick which was crap, being a MAC girl through and through the formula just didn't live up to my expectations, but I have been pleasantly surprised with Avon's skincare.

This is part of the "Vitale" range, which caters for ages 25+, and I've been really pleased with it so far. Its not too heavy and its an ideal day moisturizer, but its almost "tacky" enough to be a great base for my make-up, and I've found that paired with my Hydraluron serum, they both have made a dramatic difference to my skin.

I'd highly recommend this and I'd say its a good match for my combination skin! I've got my eye on the night cream next, and I hope its as good as this!

In other news, I'm currently trying to to learn the lyrics to Azealia Bank's "212" (late to the party, I know) because its probably the rudest song I've ever heard bar this (personal favourite, I know every single word), and I have a massive potty mouth so I think it would be a nice treat for parties! All jokes aside, its HELL OF A TUNE as my chavvy friends would say, and so catchy!

Hope everyone's having a nice week! 

Hydraluron

Hydraluron - £24.99 from Boots

I first became aware of this after seeing it on Anna & Caroline's blogs, who both raved about it. I've got to be honest, when I first started using it I was like "what the hell is all the fuss about this is doing sweet FA to my dry, dehydrated skin". I started using this the same time as I started to use my Clarisonic, and I've no idea how the two are related but since I've stopped using my Clarisonic and started to use this in a "regime" (hate that word!!!!), I've noticed a MASSIVE difference!

My skin is basically dry/combination, depending on the season. I have an oily T-zone and eyelids, but awful dry patches on my cheeks during winter that make my face look awful. I've noticed that since using this, the dry patches on my cheeks that were basically pretty big have almost disappeared, and my skin is so much more plumped and hydrated!

I've no idea how using it with or without the Clarisonic could make such a difference to my skin, but it really really has! For someone who was used to paying £50+ for an Estee Lauder serum, at the moment whilst I'm super poor I'll happily settle for hydraluron, and I can definitely see me continuing to buy it in the future!

Massive thumbs up, and I think £25 is reasonable! GO AND BUY.

Liz Earle instant boost skin tonic

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic - £12.50 for 200ml

Sorry for the rubbish image quality, I am trying to get back into the habit of using my DSLR but its dark when I get home from work so I'm just using my iPhone camera at the moment! #badblogger

I'd been meaning to try this product for a while, when my boyfriend's mum kindly gave it to me for my birthday this month. (I'M24NOWWHATTHEACTUALFUCK). I was excited to start using this as my skin had been in some serious need of TLC after christmas and the post-Clarisonic damage!

I've actually been really good at the moment and I've been doing a proper skincare routine, which I haven't done in months! I've noticed a real change in my skin in the past few weeks after incorporating this into my routine, and I'm not sure if its a combination of this and hydraluron, but they are a team that I do NAT want to be without as a result! It smells really nice, almost floral, and I find it really refreshing to use and it definitely wakes my skin up in the mornings!

I was worried about going back to Liz Earle after my Cleanse & Polish massacre, but I was pleasantly surprised by this, and I'm now looking at the Brightening Treatment Mask, despite the fact that it says "not suitable for sensitive skin"... awk.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - £34 - Selfridges

Once again, this was a product that I really wanted to love after hearing brilliant reviews and reading raves on blogs such as Amelia (love her!). I think I paid £40 altogether for this foundation, including postage from Selfridges (vomit) so I really really wanted to love it! I have it in the shade 6.5, which I'd originally bought thinking that it would be really dark, but its actually too light for the days where I'm wearing fake tan!

One of the main appeals of this to me was the no SPF, for photos, and the fact that it was claimed to be long-lasting with a dewy finish, which is something I am desperate to re-create at the moment! I bought this in around September time, so I've had plenty of time to test it out and puts my thoughts together! I've put off writing this review for quite a while, I'm not sure why, I think mainly because I was on the fence for quite a while; I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either!

After much usage and testing with various tools, I have come to the conclusion that I'm not a massive fan. I think £34 is quite a lot for a foundation, just above the normal £25ish I tend to pay, but as I was desperate to try it I shelled out the £40 this time! I really wanted to love it, like I mentioned, but I just felt that the staying power was average and was blotchy and patchy on my face at the end of the day, and was nowhere near the longevity I was expecting. 

I found that I wasted SO much of the product if I used the Real Techniques buffing brush, and I've also found that I needed about 4 or 5 pumps to cover my face, which meant that I was using it up really quickly! I'd say its a medium coverage, its no way sheer but its not as thick as say Double Wear either. Despite my disappointment with this offering from Armani, I am still keen to get my hands on the Maestro foundation!

So all in all, a massive disappointment and I doubt I'd repurchase! The search for the perfection foundation continues! Next on my list are Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua and NARS Sheer Glow. Do you have any long-lasting dewy foundation recommendations? I'd love to hear them! 

Sure Maximum Protect Deodrant

Sure Maximum Protection Deodrant - £5.30 

Like I've mentioned before, I'm really weird when it comes to buying the basics. I hate buying normal things like deodrant, hairspray and toothpaste, I just find it such a chore! Such a lazy git! Deodrant especially, I tended just to buy the one that was on offer at the time, but thinking about it, it generally was Sure products, I'm not sure why!

I'm not a stinky person, I don't have a BO problem and I do regularly wash, but I can sweat a lot in the day, as I find that my office is bloody boiling and so in the winter its a massive shock to go from sub temperatures to a bloody oven, so I tend to sweat. Not stinky sweat, just a bit, but I was always paranoid that it would smell and would be rushing to the toilets to check my pits! LUSH image for you there, sorry readers!

Sure Maximum Protection claims to have 48 hours of under arm protection. You apply this at night before you go to bed and then it should last you all of the next day, and beyond. Obviously I haven't tried the two day claim but I think it would be excellent for festivals or camping trips! I have to say, it does last all day with no under arm wetness or odour. Generally, I apply it in the mornings because I forget to apply it at night (who applies deodrant before bed??) but I did do the overnight test once and I did notice that it still worked! 

The formula is a creamy twist up stick, which almost feels like a lotion when applied and dries to a powder. I don't tend to use these sorts of formulas as I prefer spray, but this one has changed my conceptions completely!! 

I have actually been using this product since the summer, and I found it to be a really really good product, I didn't have to worry at all about my deodrant, and basically, I wouldn't be without it! I think it is one of the strongest antiperspirants I've ever tried out and I really do like it and think that it is worth the extra few quid, and if you have issues with your underarms like me then this would 100% recommended! Love love LOVE.

No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser - Review

No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser - £9.95

I am super super poor at the moment so I was on the lookout for a cheap but decent cleanser, and armed with a £5 off Skincare voucher from No7, I decided to go and have a look at what they had on offer. I think £9.95 is a really reasonable price, compared to the £25+ I've paid in the past for cleansers, which essentially, do the same job. I've documented my journey with the new Liz Earle formulation of the Cleanse & Polish, which makes me react like a bitch, and Emma Hardie was over-hyped and smelt too strong for my tastes. I love the Lancome one,but I thought I'd give the high street a go!

I am pleasantly surprised by this, being a make-up snob and having no experience with No7, I really wasn't sure what to expect. I associate the brand with my mum and her lipsticks, so had no clue what the skincare was like at all. Its a generous 200ml tube, and it gets all of my make-up off in one go, even the majority of my eyelash glue too (fist pump). The texture is pretty thick, it actually reminds me of Sudocrem, it looks identical?! Smell is fine, I wasn't hit with a smack in the nostrils, and I don't have to do a second cleanse because the first one didn't get it all off!

One thing I would say though, is that the "cloth" you get with it is absolute shite and I'm definitely going to be sticking to my Liz Earle ones! For £4.95, this is brilliant, and I will definitely repurchase and wouldn't hesitate in paying full price! Well done Boots!

I've now got my eye on their new fake clarisonic  electrical cleanser, as its a snip at £25 and I won't mind so much if I hate it! I have to say, since sending my Clarisonic back and getting refund, I don't miss it at all, and my skin is improving ever day!! As always, I can't find a link for the new Boots one but I'm sure we will be sick of hearing about it soon enough when every single bloody beauty blog out there is raving / slating it!

In other news I'm gutted to be back at work, christmas flew by FAR too quickly and I'm still struggling to get out of bed in the mornings! I went out for my birthday last friday, and whilst I spent Saturday hungover on the sofa watching crap TV, my boyfriend ran a marathon! Lazy girl and bad girlfriend points to the max. Awk. Hope you're all having a nice week, and woohoooooooooooooo for the weekend, I'll be spending it on a train, long-distance is so standard now after four years!

Over and out.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - £12.25

After seeing all the blogging hype around this product within the last year or so, I finally caved and bought it, as my hair needs some serious TLC at the moment (hence all the hair-related posts!). I paid £12.25 through Feel Unique, and although I think this is quite a lot for a hair mask, I did see the difference after use, and I will hopefully use it as weekly thing.

I have really long hair, not as long as Anna, but I'd say at least nipple length, so I found that I almost had to use half a tube to get it all the way through my hair. I saw a quote from one hairstylist who said "You only need a 50p sized amount"; and to her I say, LIAR. There is no way I would get that through the ends of my hair, let alone the rest of it! I'm going to hopefully use less of next time and try to work more through the hair, as £12.25 is quite a lot for only two uses!

I tend to apply just a bit further up from where I would apply conditioner, but not directly to my roots at all because I have really oily roots, and I don't think that this would help at all.

Generally, when something is massively hyped and I jump on the bandwagon, I am massively disappointed, but I'm pleased to (finally) that this wasn't the case with this product! My hair was so smooth and silky, and noticed a massive difference.

I will definitely be repurchasing this, and its a massive thumbs up from me!

(Sorry for the crap quality of these photos, I will use my DSLR again after the next couple of posts, promise!)

Kerastase Bain Divalent

Kerastase - Bain Divalent £14.05 from Feel Unique

Hair wise, I'm generally one of those girls that relies heavily on good old Head & Shoulders, as I suffer with the dreaded dandruff, but also a really sensitive, itchy scalp so I find the aloe vera version to be excellent for my hair. I was reading through the InStyle Best Beauty Buys app, and saw that this was recommended by a top hairdresser for people with oily roots yet dry ends, and this is exactly what I suffer with, so I thought I'd give it a whirl! Initially, I thought £14 was quite a lot for a shampoo, as I am one of those girls that hates paying over £6 for shampoo in Boots but will happily splurge £30 on a foundation... what is up with that?? Anyway, I had high hopes as I'd always wanted to try Kerastase, so I popped it into my basket and I was excited for it to arrive.

I did have very high expectations for this shampoo, mainly because it was highly recommended and I was desperate for a product to extend the time between washes, which for me is generally 3 days, with dry shampoo in between, probably the day after I wash it.

After the first few uses, I didn't notice a marked difference at all, and I think my ends are exactly the same, just as dry as before. I think it extended the time between washes a bit, but not enough to impress me and to warrant a crazy, discovery reaction. My problem (amongst others) is that I suffer from a really sensitive scalp, so after the first day I noticed that my scalp started to itch, which usually happens when I use heavily scented products such as Herbal Essences.

In summary, I doubt I'll be repurchasing as I found that it made my scalp itch and didn't really make a difference. 

I am going to Glastonbury in June where I won't be able to wash my hair for 6 days, and I find that dry shampoo irritates it so much, so I'd really appreciate any hair recommendations that anyone has for a sensitive scalp? Please pop them below! Hope you're all having a good week, I can't believe its only Tuesday, groan!!! 

VO5 Give Me Texture Instant Oomph Powder

VO5 Instant Oomph Powder - £4.07 from Boots, Superdrug etc.

Sorry for my massive lack of posts over the last month or so, but I've got some more coming up so hopefully I will post more regularly... as a massive blog reader myself I know that there's nothing more off-putting that a blogger who hardly / sporadically (thanks Cher) posts!

I am shit at hair. There, I said it. I have no clue and I literally have the same style every single day, a half up-half down beehive that CONSTANTLY gets me Amy Winehouse references. Just so you know, mine is definitely NAT that big. My hair is fine, but there's a lot of it. Does that make sense? Probs not. But you know what I mean. It was the discovery of the century when I found dry shampoo, as I noticed that it not only keeps the grease at bay (oily roots, dry ends, lucky me!) but also gives volume... RESULT.

I am constantly on the quest for massive hair, (for totally hair envy, look at Kelly, HOW DOES SHE DO IT), and I find that this dropped into the roots of my hair, underneath the top layer, makes a massive difference. 

It feels so weird the first time you use it, almost like you're putting sand or grit into your hair, but I am so impressed with the results and surprisingly, a 7g tube lasts a long time, I've had mine for at least 6 months and I've hardly made a dent! Highly recommended if you desire Kelly-style hair like me, and only £4.07, which I think is really reasonable!

Do you have the same hair woes as me? Please share any miracle products below! 

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm

Feel Unique - £27.20 with free delivery

I first became aware of Emma Hardie after reading skincare expert Caroline Hiron's amazing and hilarious blog, and she kept harping on about it so after a while I took the plunge. I wasn't sure what to expect as I've never tried a "balm" cleanser before, and I am basically stuck in a cleanser rut.

I was loyal until Liz Earle changed the formula of Cleanse & Polish (the Liz Earle lady lied to me on the phone and said they haven't changed the formula... they have! Apparently they've removed the almond milk). I digress. But ever since this change my skin had a massive reaction and I can no longer use it. I used the Estee Lauder Take It Away one for a while, which I liked, but when I ran out I fancied a change and I've been using the Lancome Galatéis Douceur gentle softening cleansing fluid which I really, really love and would 100% recommend, especially if you've got sensitive eyes like me.  

As I've nearly run out of that one too I thought I would try another one, and this was my first port of call. First impressions of this? The smell. I know some people love it but I'm really not a fan, it just smells too heavy for me if that makes sense? But I'll get that past that, its not so bad that it puts me off the product, but it is a strong smell. The instructions say to mix with warm water to get a "paste", but obviously I mixed it with too much water and just had runniness the first time I used it, idiot.  But now I've figured it out and I did notice that my skin was smoother, but it also felt so heavy and no matter how many times I cleaned my face with the cloth, I always felt like I had a sort of greasy film left on the surface of my skin after using this.

I also noticed that it didn't take all of my eye-make up off, and I wasn't even using waterproof mascara or anything, just normal MAC fluidline and some cheap mascara! I was really disappointed with this, as it meant I kept fiddling with my eyes trying to get all the remaining make up off, which irritated my eyes massively.

In a nutshell, I know that so many people "adore" this balm and now wouldn't be without it, but for me, I just find it too heavy, leaves a sort of film on my face and doesn't remove all my make up. So a thumbs down from me I'm afraid, I doubt I'll be repurchasing.

(For reference, I've been using mine for almost a month now and I reckon I'm about three quarters of the way through it).

Clarisonic Mia 2 - Review

Clarisonic Mia 2 - £130 from Space NK

I'm not going to go through the in's and out's of how a Clarisonic works, you all know the deal, and frankly I wouldn't be surprised if you're sick of reading about it, but if you're looking for a negative review, you're in luck!

I'd been wanting to try the Clarisonic Mia for over a year, but the ridiculous large price tag had put me off for a while, until I bit the bullet just before Christmas and whacked it on my credit card (I cannot save!).  I was so excited for it to arrive, but also worried because I'd read the awful reviews about how it had wrecked people's skin for months and the purging phases, etc etc. It came with a 90-day money-back guarantee, so I knew I could return it if I wasn't 100% satisfied.

My first reaction, honestly, was that I was totally underwhelmed. I don't know what I expected, but for £130 I was definitely expecting at least a much better travel case, not the rubbish piece of plastic that you get that they claim is a "case", its not, its just plastic! I was disappointed from the start, but still had high hopes of the results.

I was surprised during the first week that I didn't have any major spots. I noticed a few on my chin(s), where I never normally get them, and a few on my cheeks, but not enough to make me be like OH MY GOD CLARISONIC YOU'VE RUINED MY SKIN, so I perservered.
After about a week of using it, I realised that it actually felt quite harsh on my sensitive skin, but only on some days, and if I applied my hydraluron serum straight afterwards, it felt like burning on my skin! I thought this was odd, but put it down to my skin having a rough day. But I noticed that it kept happening, which didn't happen if I applied the serum without using the clarisonic before.

I noticed that the spots on my chin were getting worse and worse, but I put it down to a "purging" phase and carried on. Then I noticed that I was getting red rashes on my cheeks, which I never normally suffer with, so it was not going well. I was hoping for brighter skin and a better all over texture, but I was just getting sore cheeks and a spotty chin. I thought that the spots would start to clear up, but they didn't, and it just started to get worse.
I stopped using this after around 2 months of use, and my cheeks went down immediately. The spots on my chin(s) however, are still there, and despite me leaving them alone and not picking at them, they have scarred. Not what I was hoping for,

I decided to return it to SpaceNK, and I got a full refund.

In hindsight, even though I was using the "sensitive" brush head, my skin is just too sensitive for it to be used daily, or even just a few times a week. I thought about keeping it for just using maybe once a month, when I needed a deeper cleanse, but for me, £130 was just too much for a product that I wouldn't miss using.
My skin isn't even that sensitive, I'm fine with most products, its rare that I get a reaction (apart from Cleanse and Polish, I'm looking at you Liz Earle!!!), so I was really disappointed overall to have to send mine back.
But the spots, rashes and sore cheeks just weren't putting up with!

Have you tried the Clarisonic? How did you find it? I'm gutted it didn't work for me!

NARS Mekong

NARS - Mekong  - £17.00 (space NK)

I was after a NARS eyeshadow to wear to my christmas party and I really wanted a deep, shimmery brown that I could layer on top of a dark smokey eye to add extra depth. I actually only paid £2 for this eyeshadow (MASSIVE WIN) because I had £15 of NDuldge points on my card to spend!

Its a deep, shimmery brown with gold bits and it is so nice on! I tried to do some swatches but they didn't justfiy the colour so have a little look on google image search to find some nice ones!

I'm slowly adding to my NARS eyeshadow collection, and they do not disappoint!

My only grumble with NARS is the packaging, my laguna bronzer looks filthy after a few months in my make up bag! I think my next purchases will be Night Clubbing  and Galapagos! 

(For all you fact geeks, apparently "Mekong" is a river in South East Asia!)

FOTW #2 - Skin Care

 Origins Super Spot Remover,  Lancome Galatéis Douceur, Clarisonic Gel, Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm, Origins VitaZing, Clarisonic Mia 2, Origins GinZing, Hydraluron, Eve Lom Cleanser, Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask

This week I've been trying to focus a lot more on skincare, as my skin is so dull at the moment, which I hate! I've been trying lots of new products, and I've disappointed by so many which just again makes me realise that just because the whole bloody blogosphere is raving about it does NOT mean that I will like it! Serves me right for being a sheep!

Super spot remover I've reviewed in a previous post, but I do think I was too harsh about it, and it is better than I think. 

Lancome Galateis Douceur I LOVE LOVE LOVE and it is such a nice cleanser and I love using it, so would 100% recommend!

Clarisonic Gel Not a fan of this, its too foamy and again I'm not keen on the smell, and I don't think it does anything.

Emma Hardie cleansing balm STINKS and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, but a review will follow in due course.

Origins VitaZing I really like, and I'm sure I'll be purchasing the full size when this sample size runs out.

Clarisonic Mia 2 - I've only been using this for 2 weeks so far so can't give a full insight into what I think yet, but again I will do an update in a couple of months! But so far, the dreaded "purging" phase hasn't been as bad as expected, I've had a few spots in places I would never get them, such as my cheeks, but nothing too horrible thank god!

Origins GinZing I've also reviewed previously, but it is nice but I will look for a more cooling one next time.

Hydraluron is an interesting one. Considering it is supposed to increase the moisturizing properties of your face and make your skin much more moisturised, I've found that it has had the opposite effect on my skin. I've noticed that my dry patches have actually got worse, and I can't use this straight after using my Clarisonic as I find it really painful on my skin! I also didn't like wearing it before foundation, and I've been using it at night time instead. 

Eve Lom Cleanser I had a free sample of this from Space NK when I bought my clarisonic, and I was really intrigued to see what it would be like, as its one of those "cult" products. OH. MY. GOD. I just could not get past the smell, it was so strong and I actually had to breathe through my mouth when using it so I didn't have to inhale the fumes anymore! Very dramatic I know, but I also hated the texture which felt like rubbing sandpaper against my skin! I've tried to show what the texture is like in these photos below, but it was just awful and I would never use it again!

Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask I had a sample size of this, and I really love it. I can see what the fuss is about with this product, as it really does make a different to my skin and I usually use it overnight and I can really see a difference in the morning! I love the smell of this too. Will definitely buy full size when I run out.

Origins Super Spot Remover

Super Spot Remover - £12 

I was really excited to receive this, as I'd read great reviews and I've had some awful breakouts lately which are just disgusting. I know its because of a lack of fruit & veg in my diet but I love to eat junk, so its entirely my fault, but some spots were sticking around and so I decided they needed the extra kick to get rid of.

I had high hopes, but I think they were too high and I was expecting a miracle product. Nothing is going to make my spots magically disappear, but I thought this would do a little more than it did. It is a tiny TINY bottle but a little goes a long way and I can see it lasting me a while.

My spots definitely go down after using this, but only in a small way. I sometimes apply this three times a day if I'm by myself at home (desperate times, desperate measures) and I am slightly disappointed with it. After the rave reviews, I did expect more, but its just average. It helps, but only moderately, probably in the same way that toothpaste does? I'm not sure if I'd repurchase, but I think its worth trying out as its obviously worked wonders for some people.

Laura Mercier Radiance Primer

 On the hand;

 Rubbed in;

 Laura Mercier Radiance Primer - £28

I am constantly searching for the "luminous" look at the moment, so when I saw this on the SpaceNK website, I thought I would give it a go as I love a primer, so a highlighter and primer in one seems like a win!

I really liked the colour when I first put it onto my hand, and although I'd read some reviews that called it pinky toned, I would call it more peach, as you can (sort-of) see from the photo above. I used it like I would use any other primer, after my serum and moisturizer, yet before my foundation. I think you could also use this product on the cheekbone area and the cupid's bow, as it is similar to Benefit's High Beam, but in a thicker consistency. After applying it to my face, I loved the way it looked. My skin was instantly brighter and looked glowing, but in a nice way. It made a small difference underneath my foundation, but I wouldn't say that it was a major change. It definitely made me feel better about my skin after use, and gave me a little boost for that day.

In terms of its highlighting properties, I'd give it a massive thumbs up. But in terms of being a primer and improving the longevity of my make-up, I'm really not impressed at all. I LOVE the smashbox primer, and the MAC one, and this really did not make any different to the wear and tear of my make up. In comparison to my normal primers, in short, it is terrible. Benefit's the Porefessional is a lot better. It highlighted, yes, and made me look more glowy, but seeing as it was designed as a primer, I am disappointed. You get a massive tube, 50ml, and I know it will last me quite a long time, as again you only need a pea sized amount, but in terms of being a good primer, it was, to quote my teenager brother; "a massive fail". Its basically a highlighter, and I think I will try it over my normal primer next time, as a highlighting step.

I actually only own two LM products at the moment, and if I'm honest, I've been disappointed by both! I've heard really good things about the secret camouflage concealer, so I'm hoping to try that after Christmas and hoping that it changes my opinion of the brand, as I feel so let down!

Sorry for the two consectutive negative reviews, but I hate it when people lie about products and I'd rather read an honest review personally! I would probably purchase this again as a highlighter, but as a primer, in short, its pants.

xoxo

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation - £33 

I live nowhere near anywhere that does Laura Mercier so I had to rely on the make-up alley reviews and make up swatches on google to determine my shade, by Medium Ivory is a good match for my NC25 skin.

I really wanted to love this foundation after reading so many rave reviews about it, and to some extent, I agree with what is said. It is definitely highly pigmented, and a little does go a long way.

For me however, using a pea-sized amount just didn't feel right and I used to whack more on, but this was a massive mistake! If I used more than that, it really sunk into the lines around my mouth, and as a 23-year old I don't exactly have noticeable lines! This actually really put me off the foundation, as I noticed that during the day it was settling in to the lines on my face, either underneath my eyes or around the sides of my mouth, and all day long I was constantly rubbing it in.

I wasn't too keen of the finish on my skin; immediately after application it looked lovely, but then 6-7 hours later it just aged my skin and made me look so much older! It really clung to the dry patches on my face (I have combination skin), and I'd never noticed they were there until I started using this foundation. After using it for two weeks, I was concerned. I really wanted to love it and I just wasn't sure.

It didn't seem to work well with my MAC 187 brush either, but I bought the Real Techniques core collection the other day, and it was much better with the buffing brush.

Despite this, I have had loads of compliments on my skin since I've started to use it, so I will use it until it runs out, but I doubt I will repurchase. Wearing the LM Radiance Primer underneath definitely made a difference to the dry patches on my face, they were not as noticeable, but I just wasn't keen on the finish it left on my face.  I would definitely avoid this if you have dry skin, and I realised that after reading a lot of reviews, the people that love it are on the oilier side.

Thumbs down from me!

Origins GinZing Eye Cream

Origins GinZing Eye Cream - £21

I suffer from really sensitive eyes and if I rub them at all I wake up the next day with puffy eyes with loads of gunk in (sick, I know, sorry!). I bought this cream due to the fact that I'd never tried an eye cream before and I was intrigued by its claims of  being a "refreshing eye cream to brighten and depuff", which were basically what I was looking for.

I do like this cream, and I do think it does help on those days where I wake up and my eyes are red and sore. I don't think it is particularly brightening, but I do have unusually dark circles so maybe I'm not the best person to judge.

I find it soothing, refreshing and nice to use, but I think I would go for a more cooling cream next time, as I need something a bit stronger to help my eyes calm down. Its a smaller pot than I was imagining, but you only need a small amount and a little goes a long way. However, this is the first eye cream I've used and I don't have anything to compare it to. I would recommend it if you're new to eye creams like me, and just want a basic one to start. It does help, and does sooth them a small amount, but I'm not blown away by this.