It’s been a very long while since I wrote about products that I’m using or indeed did a review. So I have put together a list of the new discoveries I have made so far this year and I’ll attempt to give a little mini review on each.
Firstly, having been a Bi-Facil user for many years I decided it was time to branch out and find a less expensive but just as effective replacement! I’m thrilled t say that I did so in the form of Bourjois Express Eye Make-up Remover. A hefty 200ml for £4.99 from Boots, it’s a great deal better value for money per ml than most others I’ve found. It sweeps effortlessly through e heavy eye make-up and doesn’t leave an oily residue or sting the eye. My only gripe is the lid and the nozzle. The hole doesn’t have a raised lip which would help to aim the product in one direction when poured out onto a cotton pad. This does tend to spurt out everywhere if you’re not controlling it.
At the end of January, I decided to treat myself to a facial and I chose to go and see the Decleor counter in Brent Cross as I knew the therapist there and trusted her to be careful with my temperamental skin. The facial itself was to die for and the clever Caroline also twigged from my back treatment that I was pregnant ( I was literally 4 weeks along!). I left there with a new Decleor Gel Cleanser and I picked up the special sale size which is 400ml for £21. Considering the 200ml is usually approx. £16 I think? I was and still am very happy with it. That’s 3 months ago and I’m only half way through it.
Since my pregnancy has progressed I have noticed some changes in my skin. Only really in these last 3 weeks but the difference is very noticeable, to me at least. My usually super oily skin has all of a sudden become normal. In fact, so much so that I’m almost bordering on sometimes feeling dry! All very new to me… But up until this revelation, I was really enjoying using the Clarins Toning Lotion with Iris. It really freshened up my skin without leaving it feeling tight. It also helped to control my oiliness throughout the day.
Another product I took with me from my facial is the Decleor Ylang Ylang Purifying Night Balm. I’m still using this even though my oiliness has gone (albeit I’m sure temporarily) but I still have congestion issues. This is a lovely balm which I’m using on a nightly basis to help draw out any impurities.
Now I used Laura Mercier foundations for many years and I still rate them very highly, I do love it when I find something else that suits my skin type and tone. This latest discovery is Lancôme Teint Idole Silky Matte in Shade 010. When I was still suffering from extreme oiliness, I set this with a powder. Now, I don’t need to but I still like the smooth matte finish it gives me. Light to medium coverage, I can build this up pretty easily if I need to. I lightly sweep this on with a domed synthetic Sephora foundation brush.
For those of you that follow the fabulous Pixiwoo ladies Sam and Nic will have no doubt at one point seen Nic using the Bourjois Mineral Radiance Pressed Powder more than once! I did and thought it looked so gorgeous on her, I wanted in! I an a good 2-3 shades at least lighter than Nic so I went for shade 04 Beige Medium. It doesn’t work for me as a blusher which is what I wanted it for. However, I have been using it as a very light bronzer, contour and also to warm up my neck which is a shade bluer than the rest of my body! Really sheer and easy to apply without streaking.
In my need to replace another Laura Mercier Blusher, I stumbled across this L’Oreal True Match Blusher on one of my frequent trips to Boots. It has been one of my best finds, not only of the year so far but overall. Amazing pigment, great shade and matte! Woohoo! Shade 120 Sandalwood Pink is just a beautiful shade of peachy pink and brightens up my lacklustre winter complexion nicely. It comes with a nifty mirror inside, along with a brush that I wouldn’t use in a million years but hey. It has come in useful as a keyboard de fluffer!
Another hugely talked about product in the blogging/YouTube community is the Suqqu Eyebrow Liquid Pen. I have use mine to the very end and I’m currently waiting on my nest Selfridges trip where I’m going to stock up. It’s brilliant for me as it’s waterproof. Not that I swim in make-up, but I have such sparse brows with so many completely bare patches that I need something that’s going to fare well when only having skin to adhere to rather than hair. Shade wise, I use 01 which is called Green. Very misleading but what it does mean is that, with it;s very slightly green/grey undertone it completely cuts out the chances of it kicking out any redness which I hate in brows. A super fine tipped pen, it helps create the illusion of hair rather than a block of colour. I use this alongside my RMK brow pencil. Love it!
Sometimes you find a product that you think, how come not ALL products are as good as this? Avon Supershock Gel Liner is one of those. I cannot fathom Avon can retail this at £6 and other brands can charge anything up to £20 for a liner than it no where near a patch on this? The most highly pigmented Black liner I’ve ever used. Excellent for the waterline as it’s so long lasting. This is one of those products I’ve bought back ups of, both for myself and for my kit. There are other shades available, I just haven’t tried them yet.
On one of my many Boots jaunts, I found myself looking for a pink Lip Pencil. After swatching my hands to oblivion, I feel for the Rimmel Exaggerate Automatic Lip Liner in East end Snob. Of which I am neither. But this has the longevity of a tattoo! I’m currently enjoying using this all over my lips and then slicking on some lip balm. (Apology for the lack of photo and the use of stock photos on all the others, I’m currently sans camera which is a bit lame)
Lastly, my hair loves.
If you have never seen a photo of my, I have super curly, dry hair. Over a year ago, I discovered the joys of a system called No-Poo. It sounds rather rude but it in fact means that I no longer use Shampoo in my hair. Shampoo often contains drying detergent-like ingredients which for curly hair are a real no no. So I have switched to using solely products that are SLF and Silicon Free. By removing Silicon from the equation, I have no product build up in my hair. Therefore, I have nothing that requires shampoo to remove.
My conditioner is the Naked Hydrating Conditioner for Normal to dry hair. I simply wet my hair and take this through with a wide tooth comb, leave for 3 minutes and rinse. I also do a ‘Co-wash’ with this which means I use a small amount and massage through as if it were shampoo, rinse and then use it again to condition. They do also have a Curly hair shampoo and conditioner range but I can never find it in my beloved Boots?!
My styling product is the Naked Gorgeous Curls Taming Cream that I mix in with one pump of Naked Extra Shiny Finishing Serum. These 2 products combined give me a better curl and finish than my old love Frizz-ease. Plus they last 5 times as long and are almost always on some kind of offer.
Phew. This has been one looong post! Thank-you for reading it to the end!
Any questions or comments, please feel free.
Until next time
Katy xx
d skincare.
Katy is an internationally traveled make-up artist who has worked with some of the biggest names in the beauty industry, most recently as the International Make-up Artist with Laura Mercier. 
