OUTFIT | Checkered Shirt & Knee High Boots

Outfit Details:

T Shirt | H&M

Shirt | Topshop Petite

Jeans | Topshop Petite

Boots | River Island

Jacket | River Island

Bag | Ted Baker
Gloves | Topshop

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concerntrate

Since facial oils became a big thing on the beauty market, I've always stayed well away from them. Having skin that produces ridiculous amounts of excess oil leading to clogged pores and pesky blemishes, adding more oil to my skin was the last thing I wanted to do. However, on my quest to try different products lately, I decided to give Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate a whirl. It claims to replenish the skin with moisture and help recover radiance by the morning. I've never really trusted the hype around 'overnight difference' products but after reading so many positive reviews I had high hopes for the little blue bottle.

Housed in a teeny blue glass bottle with a pipette inside the lid. You push down on the lid which in turn contracts the product into the pipette, and another push releases the product; pretty nifty. Although it's £36 price tag can seem a little scary, you only need to use the smallest amount. I find 2-3 drops is enough for my whole face. I'm on my first bottle so I can't estimate how long this will last, but with everyday use over the past month it's hardly gone down at all, fab. The oil contains ingredients such as squalane, omega-6 fatty acids, evening primrose oil and lavender. Kiehl's are well known for their use of natural ingredients in their products making them suitable for even the most sensitive of skin.

I apply mine every evening after make-up removal and a thorough cleanse. I dispense the product onto my finger tips and then press it into the skin. The oil is extremely runny and thin which makes it great for all skin types as it won't sit too heavy on your skin and clog your pores. It appears super shiny and oily when first applied but shortly after it skins into the skin well and by the morning it's pretty much invisible. Using a moisturiser after is completely optional, I find I don't need to use one as I already have very oily skin so the product alone is hydrating enough for me.

I've noticed a huge difference in my skin over the past month. In the mornings, my skin appears more even, less oily and I wake up with less break outs. I love it when I find a product that actually works. It's made my night time routine a lot more quicker too and this is always a massive bonus when I come back after a night shift and just want to take my make-up off and hop into bed. My skin overall has become more radiant and calmer, it tends to react less to harsh weather conditions, stressful periods and lazy times when I just don't keep my skincare regime up to scratch. I swear by this stuff, really is a miracle worker, If you're new to the facial oils, give this one a try first, you won't be disappointed!

Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer

Foundation is one of those products I don't like to switch up a lot and try new things. If I find something I like and it works for me, if it's not broken why fix it right? However about 6 months ago when my beloved Anti Blemish Solutions Make-Up Foundation had come to an end, I fancied a change. At the time Clinique had just released a new product into its family of foundations: Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer. As my skin has cleared up fantastic amounts over the past couple of years I decided it was time to focus on a more flawless complexion as opposed to a high coverage. On recommendation I decided to give it and try, and I've never looked back since.

Beyond Perfecting is targeted to all skin types and leaves the skin feeling well moisturised throughout the day. It provides a moderate-full coverage and a little bit goes a very long way, it's taken me 6 months to almost come to the end of my first bottle, I don't think I've ever had a foundation last this long! It comes in 22 different shades, the selection was fewer before but upon request they have expanded it, which is a blessing for paler girls who struggle with the lightest shades on offer at times.

It comes in a glass bottle with a plastic screw lid, inside said lid is a doe foot sponge applicator. This makes it super easy to spot apply to areas of your face or the back of your hand so that you can then apply to the face. This means you save a hell of a lot of foundation compared to pump or pour bottles where you end up wasting half the product. I use my Clinique Foundation Brush to apply, it comes in a slow-dry formula which means you have plenty of time to work with the product to create a seamless coverage. It leaves you with a natural-matte finish so you only need to powder in your oily areas to leave a natural finish to the face.

I do still use concealer on pesky blemishes and under my eyes but if I'm in a rush, I can get away with missing it out and my face still looks pretty flawless so top trumps on the whole purpose of the foundation there Clinique! It's one of the only foundations I've used which still looks great after a long shift at work even under the test of my super oily skin. It doesn't dry cakey and feels light and hydrating on the skin. Being oil-free, it keeps my complexion nice and clear too which is a massive bonus. It doesn't oxidise like most foundations, the colour stays true throughout the day.

You don't just have to use this as a full coverage foundation either, the applicator makes it easy to spot conceal instead on those good skin days (if you're brave enough!)  I really do love this foundation and I've just purchased my second bottle, it's just gone up to £25 but with how long my last bottle lived for, I really can't complain about the price tag. It's going to take a wonder product to knock this out of my make-up bag any time soon.

Viktor & Rolf Bonbon

You all know how much I love Flowerbomb right? When that hit the perfume market, every girl and her best friend went nuts for it, and rightly so, it's incredible! When I found out Viktor & Rolf were launching a second fragrance, I can't deny that I got a bit excited. Excuse me for being a bit late to the party, but when an expensive pretty bottle hits the market, I had to make choices and last year My Burberry won. However this year it was Bonbon's time to shine.

The bottle itself is designed on a bow (pretty obviously) however the colour is a gorgeous fuchsia pink with a pale rose gold lid. It's definitely one that'll sit pretty on your dressing table and stand out from your other perfumes. At £69 for 50ml, it isn't on the cheap side, but being a eau de parfum it does tend to linger around a little longer meaning you'll use a little less than it's eau de toilette counterparts.

 

As for the scent; it is super sweet, but I didn't expect any less. If you're a fan of floral or spiced scents then you probably won't like this, but if you're like me and love anything borderline sickly, then this ticks all the right boxes. The density hits on you the first spray with top notes of mandarin, orange and peach; as it begins to settle it's heart notes of caramel, jasmine and orange blossom become apparent. To even out the mixture of sweet notes, the base notes include a combination of cedarwood, guaiac wood, sandalwood and amber.

 

Sweeter perfumes tend to remind me of cheaper scents, however this one is up there on my top spot right now, I actually can't get quite enough sniffs! The only downfall is that I find it doesn't tend to linger quite as much as I hoped it would so I find myself constantly respraying meaning my bottle is taking quite a battering. For something quite pricey that can be a disappointing factor. In true Viktor & Rolf spirit, the price tag will never be enough to stop be repurchasing as usual. The scent will carry through nicely to warmer months as well as being completely wearable throughout winner. My only regret is not getting this sooner.



Face Of The Day #02

I'm very much a basics girl when it comes to make-up, give me a neutral eye and a nude lip any day and I'm good to go. However, over the past few months I've been branching out into deeper tones with my palettes. In the colder seasons, purples become more popular. I've never been one to pull off colour, but having a play around, I came up with this. It's been my go to face of an evening throughout winter and it's dead simple yet make it look like you've put in a bit of effort!

Products That I Used: Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer in 02 Alabaster*, Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer in Light*, Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent, Benefit Hoola Bronzer, MAC Burgundy Times Nine Palette, Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil, L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Feline Mascara, L'oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim Liquid Eye Liner, MAC Rebel Lipstick.

*Colour used will vary due to skin tones and hair colour

I began by applying Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer to my face using the Clinique Foundation Brush. I then went in with my Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer around my nose and under my eyes and buff this in lightly using a Real Techniques Setting Brush. To set this I used the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, applied with the Real Techniques Bold Metals 100 Arched Powder Brush. I then went on to contour my face using Benefit Hoola Bronzer just around the edges of my forehead and under my cheek bones using a Real Techniques Sculpting Brush. For my brows, I followed the natural shape of my brows and then evened them out using a Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil.

For my eyes, I used my MAC Burgundy Times Nine Palette. Taking the colour Honey Lust I applied it opaquely over my lids using a Real Techniques Bold Metals 200 Oval Shadow brush to pack on the pigment. Then I took the colour Star Violet with the Real Techniques Bold Metals 201 Pointed creased brush and applied this to the crease of my lids. With the same brush I took some of the Sketch colour and put this in the outer corner of my lids. I then blended all of this to smooth out any edges with the Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush. I then lined my eyes and created a cat flick effect using the L'oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim Liquid Eye Liner. I finished the look off by using two coats of L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Feline Mascara on my top and bottom lashes; and a sweep of MAC Rebel Lipstick on my lips.