Cleanser, toner, serum, moisturiser... My skincare routine

I've written posts about face creams that I've tried in the past, but I've recently updated my skincare routine to now include a serum and a new face cream that I'm obsessed with so I thought I'd let you know about it! 

Cleanser

I'm still a big fan of a face wash. I find that a good face wash is the only thing that will remove all of my make up and will leave my skin feeling squeaky clean. I've tried a few but my favourite is still La Roche Posay Effaclar foaming face wash.  I use this morning and evening with warm running water and sometimes a flannel to help remove any dead skin. 

Toner

I don't think I've found the perfect toner yet. I recently bought The Sanctuary Pore Refining Toner and it seems to be ok. It smells nice and doesn't leave my skin feeling tight so I guess it's so far so good. I'm also desperate to try Pixi Glow Tonic which I'll be ordering from their website soon as I've heard lots of good things. 

Serum

Serum is a new addition to my skincare routine- I'm still not really sure what it does but as I'm approaching 30, I'm happy to try products that will hopefully keep the wrinkles at bay. I did try a tester of Chanel's Hydra Beauty Serum which of course was lovely but it is quite pricey. I'm a sucker for good advertising so I decided to try No7 Protect and Perfect Advanced serum after hearing all the hype about it. An added bonus was that I had a £5 off skincare voucher and I get 10% off No7 because I'm on the Boots contact lens scheme so it only cost me about £18, bargain! I've been using this serum for about 2 weeks now, morning and evening and I'm not sure that it'll keep me looking 29 forever but it does feel lovely on my skin. It gives a lovely velvety feel and works very well with my moisturiser so I think it was a good buy.

Moisturiser 

I think that this next step in my skincare routine is the most important. I've been using Chanel Hydra Beauty Creme for about a month now and I think it's great. It's quite a light cream but that means it's not greasy, it smells fresh and gives a perfect base for make up. I loved Clarins Multi Active Day moisturiser too but that is slightly heavier than the Chanel cream which resulted in a few breakouts. I paid £55 for the Hydra Beauty Cream but a little goes a very long way and I think it will last a good few months. I think it's a very good investment that I will definitely purchase again. Just remember when you're moisturising to also include your neck and to work in an upward motion to avoid dragging the skin down. 

Eye Cream

I usually just apply eye cream in the evening and I'm still loving Clarins Eye Contour Balm. It's not too heavy and soaks into my skin quickly. A quick tip: use your wedding ring finger to pat in your eye cream as that one gives the lightest touch around the delicate eye area. 

So that's it! It seems like such a lot now I've written it down but I think it is so important to look after your skin and this routine is really working well for me at the moment. If you do have any skincare tips or product recommendations please let me know. I hope you enjoyed this post.

Becky xx

My Updated Evening Make Up

I've recently gone for the chop and because of this and as we are well into Autumn, I've decided to make some changes to my make up. 

This post is about an evening look with dark eyes and berry lips. 

Step 1: After the usual cleanse, tone and moisturise I apply Clarins Beauty Flash Balm as a primer. 

Step 2: Then, using my fingers I blend in Chanel's Aqua Vitalumiere foundation all over my face making sure to blend in at the neck. I'm still loving this foundation, it gives the perfect coverage for me. 

Step 3: I then use No7 Instant Radiance concealer to cover the dark circles under my eyes. I just dab it on and blend in with my fingers. 

Step 4: Next, I use Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer on any lumps, bumps and blemishes again, blending with my fingers. 

Step 4: To set my foundation I apply a thin layer of No7 powder in translucent using a Front Cover Cheek brush. 

Step 5: I then apply the best bronzer in the world ever, Chanel Bronze Universal to the hollows of my cheeks, temples and nose. 

Step 6: I'm still loving the Sleek Brow Kit that I blogged about many moons ago. I fill in any gaps using the wax and set my eyebrows using a small amount of the powder. 

Step 7: I'm still obsessed with my Urban Decay Naked 2 Pallette and I use my Front Cover Fluff and Buff brush to apply Booty Call all over my eye up to my brow bone. I then apply Verve to my lid using the same brush and then using a Front Cover Point + brush I add Pistol to the crease and underneath then eye.

Step 8: My Kiko black eyeliner is the best I've ever used, I never feel like I'm dragging it across my eye as it glides on so easily. I apply this to my upper lids and to the water line.

Step 9: I curl my eyelashes using my No7 curlers then quickly apply a thin layer of Dior Lash Maximizer before applying Dior It- Lash Mascara. 

Step 10: I then apply Mac Powder Blush in Fleur Power using my Real Techniques Blush Brush and Sleek highlighter using a small blusher brush.

Step 11: The final step is the application of No7 High Shine Intense Lip Crayon in Sultry Kiss. It's a lovely berry colour that's perfect for winter and as it's the shape of a crayon is really easy to apply. 

And there you have it, my autumn, smoky evening look. It's not the best photo but let me know what you think! 

Becky xx

It's been sooo long!

Well I'm going to start by saying to anyone that does enjoy reading this blog I'm very sorry for the lack posts. In between moving house and being very busy at work I haven't had much spare time to write anything. But I'm settled and back! 

My post today is all about some favourite products that I've been using over the past month or so. 

The first is a lovely exfoliator called Angels on Bare Skin from Lush. This is basically a putty in a pot, you take a scoop out, add a bit if water and rub over your face. It took a while to get used to as it kind of feels like you're rubbing something from the garden over your face but when you rinse it off you reveal clean, soft and fresh skin. If you fancy an exfoliator that's a bit different and feels good for you then I would recommend this. Oo it smells good too! 

My favourite foundation at the moment is Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua. After running out of Dior Airflash, I decided to give this a go and I'm so glad I did!  I use the colour 3 and it is blummin amazing (even better than Dior!) You need to shake the bottle before application as it's water based and it's quite thin but I've found that a little goes a long way.  I think that the best way to apply it is with my fingers for an even coverage. It's a very light foundation but provides just the right amount of natural coverage for me and paired with my Chanel bronzer (see previous blog post) my skin glows. I love it! 

I was very lucky to receive an Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette for my birthday (thanks Katie) and I have used it everyday since without fail! I absolutely love every single colour in the palette but my favourites are Suspect and Snakebite (beautiful together) and Chopper. I'm using my palette for an evening look tonight so watch this space for a tutorial.  

The final product that I'm recommending in this post is an old favourite that I've re purchased after a couple of years without it. It's Benefit's dandelion face powder and it's lovely. I use this as a very subtle blusher as it's a nice light pink with some very subtle shimmery flecks in it. I find to get the coverage I like I need to apply a few layers to the apples of my cheeks but even after a heavy application, it gives a very natural flush, perfect for everyday. I also quite like the cute little brush that it comes with. 

So that's it for my favourites this week. I'm about to start my make up for this evening which I intend to blog about next. I chopped a good few inches off my hair today eek! so I'm looking forward to experimenting with my make up as I feel new hair warrants an updated look.

Thanks for reading

Becky xx