My October Additions

I've had three weeks to get to know this months new products so here's a quick round up of what's new & what I'm loving. 

MAC Pro Longwear Foundation, if you've read my review you'll know this was an instant hit. I'm completely & utterly obsessed with this & have not touched another foundation for a fortnight! 

L'Oreal Revitalift Eye Cream, promises visible results from first use. I'm not convinced it lived up to this claim but my eyes are looking firmer & my fine lines are less noticeable after 8 days. This is definitely worth sticking with as I'm encouraged by the results so far.

Lord & Berry Ultimate Lipstick Pencils. I got these super cheap on eBay in my quest for a nude lip colour I like on me! I knew absolutely nothing about the brand except seeing the name in In Style Magazine's A to Z of High Street Beauty. Probably more suited to lining the lips than a stand alone colour,the formula feels quite dry on the lips. They last quite well but I'm not overly sold on the shades I chose (nude & egg plant). I have a feeling they may have been discontinued as I can't find them anywhere other than on eBay. Not too disappointed as I wouldn't buy another.

Shu Uemura Pore Clarifying gentle cleansing oil. It's taken some time to get used to using an oil but it's definitely been worth persevering. It does a fab job of melting make up, eye liner & mascara, it feels a bit unusual in that it's not actually all that oily in a greasy sense. It takes some washing off but my skin feels so fresh & squeaky clean afterwards & looks really bright. I like that it doesn't really have a fragrance & that you emulsify it with water & rinse off, as I never feel really clean when I cleanse without water. I'll definitely repurchase this oil, yes it's fairly pricey but a little goes a long way & I think it really has made a difference to my skin.

Jergens Hand & Cuticle cream. I've been using this daily for nearly 2 weeks & I'm yet to notice any difference. My cuticles are still dry & I've had to supplement with another hand cream. This was fairly cheap from Sainsbury's but I'd heard good things about the brand so am a little disappointed. I think I'll repurchase my beloved Arran Aromatics After The Rain Hand & Nail Cream & retire this to my locker at work for emergency use only, bit of a shame as I expected more from it. 

Revlon Photoready Cream Blusher. Loving pinched it's perfect for 'no make up' looks & a healthy everyday glow. These have turned out to be really good investments as I've already used them both loads. I love the look of vitality they give my skin & the weightless texture is amazing. Just wish the shade range was a bit more extensive as I'd like some more!

Shiseido Body Creator Aromatic Energizing Spray. Have developed an addiction to this spray! It claims to be a moisturising mist that gives the body a toned appearance when used on areas prone to puffiness. It has a 'sense stimulating, invigorating scent' to promote feelings of optimism. Well, I've been using it whenever I need a bit of a boost during the day & it definitely leaves me up lifted and more positive. The Shiseido website (http://www.shiseido.co.uk/#/body-care/body-creator/sculpting/aromatic-energizing-spray) describes a cooling sensation but I find it gives me a warm tingle that lasts about 10 minutes after I've used it. Not sure it's all that moisturising but if my legs are tired or I'm feeling a bit lack lustre, it certainly picks me up. It has a heady, spicy fragrance which I like but it doesn't last too long and I've not notice it competing with my Vivienne Westwood Let It Rock. It is pretty pricey at almost £40 but the magic of eBay allowed me to snatch one up at £10. If you need something to kick you up the bum and motivate you through the winter blues, this is for you! My favourite purchase of the month by far.

Review; Revlon Photoready Cream Blush

After a brief and poorly executed experiment with a horrendous cream blusher many moons ago I've always preferred a powder. Happily my application skills & knowledge are some what greater these days, so in my quest for radiance I decided it was time to try again. I was pleased to discover the greasy stage paint style formula's of my youth are a thing of the past.

Flushed

I chose Revlon Photoready as I'm a fan of the other products in the range. I picked up Pinched which is a golden peachy hue & Flushed, a deep fuchsia pink. There is a third shade, Coral Reef which is a bright coral orangey colour which looks really bright but definitely isn't for me! For around £8 you about 8g of product. This seems fairly good value as mine don't look touched after a week of everyday use.

Pinched

Both are quite vibrant in the pan but swatch very subtly. The texture is so light & silky smooth, it feels beautiful on skin and blend so easily. This allows you to really build the colour without feeling caked in product. This is a good job because to achieve the vibrancy of colour displayed in the pan, you'll need to build it. The colour lasts well, 5+ hours of non strenuous wear, unpowdered.
I've become a bit addicted to Pinched for work day wear as it gives an incredibly natural glow to the skin. Flushed is better suited to casual Girly looks in my opinion, it's pretty & fun with a slightly better colour pay off than Pinched but still glowing and natural. Pinched can also be built to a more intense colour for a strong look.

As with the rest of the Photoready range, these blushes are good quality, affordable and reliable. The shade range is limited at just three which is a shame because these are lovely products that I can see me using regular for a good long while. 

Wish List For October

Every month on Payday I treat myself to a little haul of beauty goodies. On the wish list, amongst the usual eye colours and lotions & potions, this month are cream blushers, nude lips and concealers. I'd love recommendations and suggestions so please leave a comment and I'll let you know how I get on. 

On the look out for skin care.

I'm currently intrigued by cleansing oils. Having slightly oily skin I've always steered clear of anything oily on my face but having read so interesting reviews lately I'm currently after Shu Uemura Fresh Pore Clarifying Oil or High Performance Balancing Beauty Oil. I think I'd follow up with an old favourite Bioderma Ceraline H2O used as a toner so I feel squeaky clean. I used the Bioderma obsessively for months until I kind of forgot about it but I think I'm going to dig out the dregs of a bottle that's lingering in the back of the cupboard and reignite my love for it. 
I'm also keen to try Clinique's Take Off the Day cleansing balm. I'm a big fan of the Boots Botanics Organic Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm. I love a hot cloth, I always feel really deeply clean afterwards particularly if I've worn heavy foundation. I've not heard much about the Clinique one but if I can find one on eBay I think it'll be worth a try.
Finally, inspired by an article in the current Glamour magazine, I'm hoping to try some products for combination skin, namely, Decleor Cleanse Fresh Purifying Gel and Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil.

I Hide it Well.

Concealers are on my radar this month as I come to the end of yet another pot of Boi-ing. Having read hundreds of reviews of the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage I think that's going to be top of the list but I'm also going to try the Collection/Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection as it seems to be doing well in the reviews and its cheapy cheap, cheap. If I happen to be in the MAC store I may take a look at the Studio Finish which I've always shied away from because I don't get on very well with MAC foundations. If all else fails i may return to the Vichy Dermablend as I've used it in the past with pretty good results.

The Naked Lip

Finally, I'm going to spend some time on nude lips. Now when I think nude lips I usually reach for a balm, tinted balm or subtle gloss. When it comes to nude colour I always get it wrong. Its either too brown, too pale or too pink. I'm going to start by investing in a No7 Perfect Lips Pencil in Nude and brandish it like a weapon as I scour the counters for a matching lipstick, perhaps something like MAC Blankety or Hue or Revlon Matte Lipstick in Nude Attitude. 
Also looking forward to trying the Collection 2000 Cream Puff Lip cream in Angel Delight & Fairy Cake. With Winter on the way I'll be keeping my eyes open for balms and salve as well.

A Rosy Glow

I've never really taken to cream blusher but with the colder weather by dry patches will surely expand so I think its time I properly experimented with a creamy texture that will hopefully add a healthy dewy glow as well as a bit of colour.. I'll probably start with a Max Factor Miracle Touch as I like the foundation and the colours I've swatched have been lovely, especially Soft Murano. Also like the look of Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush in Pinched.

So there end's my shopping list for this month, now all I've got to do is count the days to payday!!