It's been a while since I did a beauty-themed post, so I thought I'd do a quick round-up of a few of my favourite products at the moment.
The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension
I'm big on my skincare, and after using a particular skincare brand for a couple of years that started changing its ingredients and just didn't seem to do the trick anymore, I've really enjoyed trying out some new brands and I'm loving The Ordinary at the moment and this product is like nothing I've used before.
I'm in my mid-30's so Vitamin C is a key ingredient in my skincare routine. If you weren't aware, Vitamin C (also known as L-ascorbic acid) is an antioxidant that provides protection from free radicals, helps to minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, promotes an even skin tone as well as increasing the protection of sun damage.
This Vitamin C Suspension 23% with HA Spheres 2% is a suspension of very fine L-ascorbic acid powder which provides the most direct exposure of extremely high concentrations of Vitamin C topically. On application, the formula feels a little gritty and does tingle for a while so I've been using this every 2-3 days in the evenings as part of my before-bed skincare routine and I absolutely love how it makes my skin feel. I have noticed a huge difference in the look and feel of my skin, my complexion is visibly brighter and for the first time in years, I've been more than happy to leave the house with no makeup, as my skin is in such great condition. It's a definite skincare winner for me, and I'm pretty picky with my skincare!
W7 Taxi 35-piece Shimmering Eyeshadow Palette
During my birthday weekend in Birmingham back in February, I nipped into a little beauty store based in Grand Central Station and picked up this Morphe dupe. The W7 Taxi 35-piece Shimmering Eyeshadow Palette includes a mixture of gorgeous matte and shimmer pans in gorgeous nudes, peaches, and browns.
Now, this ain't no Morphe, I'll admit! Morphe wins hands down for their creamy consistency. But at a fraction of the cost, and I mean a FRACTION... this is a pretty incredible dupe! The pigmentation is great, particularly with the mattes, and they blend really well.
Mila Simone Azzura Essence Vitamin C Serum & Hyaluronic Acid*
I was sent this serum for review about a month ago. As I mentioned before, I'm quite picky with my skincare, but I heard the words Vitamin C & Hyaluronic Acid and thought, 'Let's give this a go!'. The Azzura Essence is a powerful blend of antioxidants that work together to improve the overall appearance and feel of the skin.
I've been using this daily, in the mornings for a few weeks now and really enjoying it. At first, I was slightly put off by the fragrance, as it smelt a little like 'alcohol' but I loved the consistency of the serum, perfect for massaging into the skin. It dries quickly and I absolutely love the way it feels on my skin. Over lockdown, makeup has been at a minimum, and I've been more than happy to go makeup-less for my daily walk or trip to the supermarket. And on a day when I do wear makeup, this serum makes a gorgeous primer, leaving my skin soft and smooth and the perfect base.
One thing you may have noticed, if you know your skincare, is that although a vitamin c serum is meant to be clear, which this was when I first started using it, it has very quickly turned orange / brown, which means the vitamin c has oxidised and therefore the fewer benefits available for my skin. This can happen to vitamin c based products, however, it seems to have oxidised pretty quickly, unfortunately. I'm quite gutted about this as I was really enjoying using it but for the few weeks I did, I really liked it!
Milani Conceal & Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation & Concealer
So I'm an Estee Lauder Double Wear addict, I've been using it for years and years, and even when I stray, I always seem to go back. But over lockdown, on the days I wore makeup (for a team call or something) I begrudged using my faithful DW with its hefty price tag, for the sake of a few hours. So I went in search of something that would still give me my coverage, but a little cheaper. Obviously, the shops were closed so I had to take the risk of ordering online and used a website called Findation to match my shade, which it did PERFECTLY!
Milani Conceal and Perfect is a full coverage, long-lasting, multi-purpose, base product available at around half the price of DW and I AM IN LOVE!! Usually, by now I'm thinking, 'hmm, it's nice but I'll go back to DW next time...' but I ADORE this foundation! It applies seamlessly on to my skin, creating a perfect even finish and is super pigmented so gives great coverage with only one layer. However, if I want to go all out and reach that DW finish I'm used to, a second layer does the job perfectly. It is water-resistant and leaves a matte finish, eliminating the need for a separate concealer.
Honestly, for the price, I was expecting an average foundation, but I got SO much more than average. I'm absolutely loving this foundation and may have found a new favourite!!
Hada Labo Tokyo Anti-Aging Super Hydrator
After asking for recommendations on skincare brands at the beginning of the year, one that came up a few times was Hada Labo. I did a bit of research, watching videos from skincare queens such as Nadine Baggott and Caroline Hirons and ordered a ton of products!! Not one has let me down, I'm on my second pot of night cream, and this little beauty is somehow still going! Maybe I'll do a brand overview of all the products I have used from Hada Labo another time, if you guys are interested.
But back to this. The Hado Labo Anti Ageing Super Hydrator is a facial lotion that helps to hydrate dry and dehydrated skin as well as reducing those pesky fine lines and wrinkles with its incredible combination of 4 types of hyaluronic acid plus retinol and collagen.
I have used this every single day since I purchased it earlier this year and without a doubt be repurchasing as soon as it begins to feel empty. It's an absolute gem! I use it every morning and throughout lockdown, when I haven't been wearing makeup, I have been applying this lotion a few times a day and have really noticed the difference in the feel and appearance of my skin. It's bouncier, softer and I'm definitely noticing a difference in the appearance of my fine lines. My skin has felt healthy, hydrated, and is clearly a fan. I definitely recommend giving it a go!
So, those are 5 beauty products I'm loving right now.What about you? I'd love to know what products you're loving at the moment, in the comments!
*This post contains a PR sample sent to me for review.All opinions are my own.
