The best bronzers

Fake Bake Beauty Bronzer, glo-minerals Bronze, Sleek Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette, KIKO Essential Bronzer, KIKO Rock Attraction Bronzer, Liz Earle Natural Glow Bronzer, KIKO Colour Splash Multi-tone Bronzer, KIKO Loud Night Bronzer

Being naturally pale - even a week in the Mediterranean didn't touch me - means that in general, I find wearing bronzer a challenge. Last year, I was a complete novice. I watched countless amounts of YouTube videos in the hope that I'd perfect the sought after "contouring technique." But I had no luck. More recently though, particularly this summer, I haven't been able to step away from the stuff. Whether it's contouring, adding a glow or dusting all over my skin, I'm constantly using the product. Here are my favourites.    

Best brand:

When it comes to choosing a bronzer, the brand I always look to first is KIKO. Half the bronzers chosen for this post are from the Italian brand and it's easy to see why. The KIKO Rock Attraction Bronzer in Loud Tan* (currently on offer for £6.00) is the bronzer that I tend to use on a day-to-day basis. Despite being a powder formula, it's creamy to the touch and exceptionally easy to blend. It's completely matte so is perfect for contouring, and it's very hard to overdo this bronzer. Next up is the KIKO Essential Bronzer in Warm Melange* (currently on offer for £11.80) which is a two-tone bronzer. The pan is absolutely huge so I use this with a big fluffy brush and dust it all over my skin. The KIKO Loud Night Bronzer in Supple Satin Honey is up there in my top three. It's perfect for my pale skin tone and can be used matte to contour, or with subtle shimmer to add a glow. And finally the KIKO Colour Splash Multi-tone Bronzer in Jovial Tan comes with three different shades that are perfect for bronzing up the complexion.

Best highlight:

As a brand, I find glo-minerals underrated. Their products are of such an exceptional quality yet they're rarely raved about on blogs. The glo-minerals Bronze in Sunkiss* (£31.50) is an absolute gem. One side contains a matte bronzer and the other a beautiful golden highlight. The two shades can be swirled together or used separately and I constantly find myself reaching for the highlight side. It's stunning and makes the complexion glow. 

Best glow:

The Fake Bake Beauty Bronzer is wonderful for adding an all over glow to the skin. It's quite dark and pigmented so I tend to use this when I've tanned my skin. A light hand a big brush works best when applying this bronzer. Sadly, I can't seem to find this online anywhere. Does anyone know what's happened to Fake Bake's make up range?

Best all-rounder:

The Sleek Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette in Medium* (£9.99) comes with everything you need to truly bronze up your skin. The contour, highlight and blush-shade work together to create the most beautiful golden goddess look. Of course, the three shades can be used separately but I find them stunning when used altogether to create a bronzed look. 

Best natural:  

Liz Earle Natural Glow Bronzer - £19.50

As you can tell from the image above, this bronzer is exceptionally well loved. It has a hint of shimmer running through it but it's not over the top and still manages to look natural. There isn't a lot of pigment in this bronzer so it's perfect for pale skins to contour or use all over the skin.

I'm always on the look out to try out and find new bronzers. Let me know your favourites in the comments below.
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Holiday packing: skin care

This time next week, I'll be going on my first cruise. I'm incredibly excited as I haven't been on holiday for a while, and also there are eight other family members going. For me, the best part about going on holiday is picking up miniature beauty products. They look adorable, and you get the chance to try out new things. So although I have another week before I go away, I have already packed my beauty bits (minus fragrance and make up) so I thought I would show you.

Cleansers

Clean & Clear Truly Gentle 3-in-1 Facial Wipes - £3.05

I'm not someone who uses face wipes often as I'm a big believer in the double cleanse, but they are useful and definitely come in handy. These face wipes are my favourite. They remove make up incredibly well and leave the skin feeling hydrated and refreshed.

Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser* - full size £29 (from the Elemis Summer Set Glow collection* - £49.50)

I haven't tried this cleanser before but I'm incredibly excited to. I've heard wonderful things about it and I'll be using this as my pre-cleanse/make up remover each night. It's to be used like the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish - massage it into skin, and remove with a flannel.

Korres White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser* - full size £15 (from the Best of Korres Gift Set* - currently £12.67)

I haven't tried this face wash before but I trust Korres as it's a lovely brand. I'll be using this morning and evening to clean my skin and rid it of any impurities. It's also supposed to brighten, moisturise and nourish the skin which is a definite bonus.

Toners

Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner* - full size £22 (from the Elemis Summer Set Glow collection* - £49.50)

Once again, another product I haven't tried but this smells delicious. It's quite big for a travel sized toner, but who am I to complain? Elemis claim that this toner soothes the skin to give it a radiant appearance and also say that it's perfect for sensitive, delicate and hormonal skin.

Pur Minerals Miracle Mist Hydrate & Set* - full size $19

For some reason, I can't find this listed anywhere in the UK. I was contemplating whether or not to take this with me but a quick spritz on the face and it was instantly packed in my bag. It's very refreshing and cooling, so it's perfect for the heat.

Treatments/Serums

Soap & Glory Sunshield Superfluid SPF50+ - £15

This is my facial sunscreen of choice as the packaging for it is perfect. It's really small and compact, which makes it a must-have for travelling. The sunscreen itself feels lightweight on the skin, doesn't leave behind a white cast and is SPF50. Perfection.

Freshskin By Elemis Face Mask Duo Pack* - £15 for 6 sachets

I decided to take a face mask for a bit of a mid-week treat. I'm taking the Deep Clean Purifying Mask from this set as it's a great way to draw out impurities, balance the skin and reduce pore size. I also get around four uses from this sachet so I'm sure all the ladies in our party will also be trying it out.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+]* - full size £15.50

I've tried the original Effaclar Duo before but not the new version. This one claims to be a lot stronger on scarring, which is perfect for my skin, especially because the sun is deadly when it comes to hyperpigmentation. 

La Roche-Posay Effaclar A.I. Targeted Breakout Corrector - £9.50

I really do like this spot treatment as it's gentle and non-drying yet fast working and hard hitting when it comes to blemishes. I'm going to be taking this just in case my skin reacts to any new products, or even to the weather. You can never be too prepared!

Moisturisers

For me, deciding which moisturiser to take proved to be a pain. My skin is combination, which means that sometimes it can be incredibly dry, and other times exceptionally oily. So I decided to take three different moisturisers which will hopefully help with each skin condition. 

The first is the Korres Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturising and Brightening Cream* - full size £20 (from the Best of Korres Gift Set* - currently £12.67) which I'll be using if my skin is particularly dry and also at night time. I've used this before and I love it. The next two are for when my skin is more on the oily side. Both the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ - full size £17 and the Clarins Daily Energizer Cream - full size £21 (from the Clarins Daily Energizer Kit - £15) are wonderful lightweight moisturisers. They sink into the skin instantly yet leave it feeling hydrating.

Extras

Liz Earle Daily Eye Repair* - £7.75

I chose this eye cream because my two everyday eye creams are quite bulky. This one is great as it hydrates the eye area and helps diminish dark circles. It also contains SPF 10 which in warm weather is a definite bonus. 

Piz Buin in Sun Lipstick SPF 30 - currently £3

And finally, SPF for the lips. This one tastes and smells incredible but sadly, it doesn't add any moisture or hydration to the lips. It does, however protect them from the damaging sun, without interfering with any make up.

#1 Holiday Packing: Skin Care

#2 Holiday Packing: Body Care

#3 Holiday Packing: Hair Care

Are you going on holiday this year? What beauty products will you be packing?
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The high end foundation face-off

Following the success of my "high street foundation face-off" (which is still one of my most read posts to date!) I thought it was about time I flipped it and focused on the high end foundations. There's no denying my love for foundation. When you have skin like mine, base products quickly become your favourite - and it was foundation that started off my love for make up. I promise I'll do an updated high street foundation face-off soon because I've tried so many more since the original post over a year ago. But for now, here are the high end contenders...

Vichy Idealia BB Cream* - £21.00

Coverage: This is a BB Cream, so coverage was never going to be outstanding. However, for a BB Cream, it's definitely higher than most. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.

Longevity: Stood the test of time last summer! I'd recommend using a primer beforehand though.

Finish: Soft and natural. Demi-matte.

Formula: Lightweight, blends into the skin beautifully and hydrating.

Overall: I love using this in summer or on days when my skin is looking good.

Would I recommend it? Yes.

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation - £25.00

Coverage: Medium-full. This covers most things but my deeper scars need extra help.

Longevity: Lasts pretty well but my t-zone starts to get shiny throughout the day.

Finish: Pretty much full on matte.

Formula: I struggle to blend this and I find it to be quite heavy.

Overall: It provides nice coverage, an okay finish but I don't like the formula. I do have a very old tube of the stuff though, so that could be why.

Would I recommend it? No.

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint* - £21.00

Coverage: Almost non-existent. This is a tinted moisturiser. 

Longevity: There's barely any coverage but the glow lasts a while with a primer.

Finish: Glowing. I have to powder with this as it's almost on the verge of oily.

Formula: Nice to blend but I find that this feels heavy on the skin, despite being a tinted moisturiser.

Overall: I'm not a fan. I need my coverage (plus Vichy's DERMABLEND is much higher coverage and much lighter).

Would I recommend it? No.

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation - £34.00

Coverage: Perfection. Very pigmented and you only need a tiny amount to get amazing coverage over your entire face. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.

Longevity: Lasts well with a primer and powder. Never tried it on its own.

Finish: Stunning. Very natural looking and glowing. It's hard to find a high coverage foundation that doesn't leave the skin matte.

Formula: Very easy to blend and feels lightweight. Ends up leaving the skin sticky for a while before it's "set."

Overall: I love this. It's a shame it's such a high price because at the moment, my shade is too light for me. Sigh.

Would I recommend it? Yes.

Liz Earle Signature Foundation* - £21.00

Coverage: I find that this adds a tint to my skin, but doesn't seem to cover much. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.

Longevity: Lasts all day on the skin with a primer.

Finish: Looks natural, demi-matte.

Formula: This is an absolute pain to blend. I end up with streaks/patches all over my skin.

Overall: I used to love this foundation (as you can tell from the glowing review) but I really don't get on with it any more. Maybe it's because the bottle's old and it's oxidised, who knows?!

Would I recommend it? No.

Vichy DERMABLEND Corrective Foundation - £15.50

Coverage: As high coverage as you're ever going to get. I don't even need concealer with this. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.

Longevity: Once it's on the skin, it isn't going anywhere.

Finish: Not full on matte but not glowing either. Somehow it lets your natural skin shine through.

Formula: A dream to blend and surprisingly, the most lightweight foundation on this list.

Overall: I love this. It's a bargain and is my favourite foundation of the bunch.

Would I recommend it? Yes.

Cargo HD Picture Perfect CC Cream* - £26.00

Coverage: Very subtle, if any.

Longevity:  Because there is little coverage, I can't tell how long it lasts. But the glow is there all day.

Finish: The finish is very radiant. Despite the lack of coverage, your skin does look perfected.

Formula: This CC Cream starts out white and then adapts to match your skin tone perfectly. It's oil-free too.

Overall: This sadly isn't launched until the 17th of March.

Would I recommend it? I need more coverage. But for those of you with near perfect skin, you'd love this.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - £27.50

Coverage: Medium-full and can be built up nice and easily.

Longevity: Lasts all day long. You don't even need a primer or powder to set this. It doesn't budge one bit.

Finish: Like Vichy's DERMABLEND except that this does mask the skin.

Formula: Lovely to blend (although some people have issues with this) and I find it lightweight and almost undetectable. 

Overall: I've loved this foundation for 6 years now and repurchased it numerous times. It's a classic.

Would I recommend it? Yes.

What's your favourite high end foundation? Have you tried out any of the above?
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What I wore on my face

I don't think I've done a "what I wore on my face" post in a really long time. Either that or I've never done one. So on Saturday before heading off out, I decided to photograph the products that I'd used on my face and posted it on Instagram. I received an incredible amount of "likes" so I thought I'd do a little write up about which products I used, how I used them and why I love them.

Face

On my face I started off by using Seventeen's Photo Flawless skin primer. I really like this primer and I've gone through two bottles of it since first trying it. It prolongs my make up a little bit and it really smooths out the skin and preps it for foundation. I then went onto use Vichy's Dermablend foundation* which is one of my all time favourites. It gives perfect coverage, looks invisible and is really easy to blend and use. It also lasts all day long on the skin too which was perfect for me as I was out in the raining photographing a Zombie Run. For concealer, I've been using Rimmel's Wake Me Up underneath my eyes. I used to love this concealer but it got thrown aside a while back so I'm glad to have it back in my life. And of course on blemishes I used the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer which is my all-time favourite. I then powdered the skin with Purminerals Pressed Mineral Make Up.* I love this powder as it's a foundation so it adds extra coverage to the skin whilst mattifying it down and ensuring make up stays put all day long. As I've been fake tanning recently, I used the Liz Earle Natural Glow Bronzer* to warm up my complexion and add a little bit of a glow and then followed using the Nars Deepthroat Blush which really perks the skin up.

Eyes

To fill in and shape my eyebrows, I used the KIKO Eyebrow Expert Styling Kit.* I really love this kit as it comes with two different shades of powder, a wax, some tweezers and a brush. It's a really handy kit and sorts out the mess of a job a beautician did to my eyebrows. For my eyes, I went back to my trusty Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. I used Suspect all over the lid, Snakebite on the outer corner, Tease through the crease, Bootycall as a highlight and Half Baked underneath my lashes. I really like this combination as it looks natural but also emphasises my eyes. Half Baked underneath my lashes is my little trick as it makes my eyes look wider, brighter and finishes the look off perfectly. I then finished off with Seventeen's Liquid Liner close to my lash line for definition and used lashings of both Seventeen's Doll'd Up mascara and Barry M's Lash Vegas mascara* which are two of my favourites. Seventeen's Doll'd Up mascara is great for defining and curling the lashes whilst Barry M's Lash Vegas mascara is perfect for both length and volume. Both of them work wonderfully together to give me full but defined dramatic lashes.

Lips

Finally, on my lips I used MAC's Please Me followed by the Korres Lip Butter* to moisturise and add a little tint and gloss to the lips. Please Me is a matte colour which means that it can sometimes be a little bit drying so pairing the Korres Lip Butter over the top really helps to moisturise the lips. I also adore the combination of the two colours together. Please Me is a muted down dusky pink whereas the Korres Mango Lip Butter is a coral colour. Both of them work together to create the most adorable pink on the lips which I love.

So there we have it. The products that I used on my face on Saturday. These are also the products that I tend to wear on a day to day basis however, I usually switch up my eyeshadow a little bit. I always go for the highlight in the corner, light shade on the lid, darker shade on the outer corner, matte brown through the crease and Half Baked underneath the lashes though for some reason. I guess it's just routine. What have you been using on your face recently? Have you tried any of the products that I mentioned above?

xxx
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My pamper day

On Sunday, I had a day off work. And to be honest, I was lost. If you don't know where I work then I shall tell you. I work at Boots. A beauty blogger's heaven. I love going to work every Sunday and spending my entire day surrounded by beauty products. It's bad for my spending habits but great for my mind - I guess. So as I mentioned on my day off, I felt a little bit lost. So lost that I decided to spend the entire day pampering myself. I used a lot of products and I'm not going to talk about them in too much detail considering I've mentioned most at least once on my blog. But I shall link to past reviews of the products.

In the shower I started off with my Charles Worthington Daily Defence Salon Results Shampoo. This shampoo is a great daily shampoo that leaves my hear looking volumised and feeling silky smooth. I then applied my Umberto Giannini Incredible Body Plump Up Volumising Mask for Big Hair* (reviewed here) to the roots of my hair and my Tresemme Keratin Smooth Deep Treatment Masque (reviewed here) to the ends of my hair. Using both of these masques together adds volume at the roots and smooths down my ends - a perfect combination. Whilst waiting for these to work their magic, I went on to use my EOS Vanilla Bliss Shave Cream* (reviewed here). A shaving cream isn't the most glamourous of pampering products however this beautiful shaving cream sure does help. It smells amazing and does a great job. I then went on to use my Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub all over my body to exfoliate. After this - and after washing out the masques in my hair - I used my Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash (reviewed here) all over my skin to cleanse, moisturise and make it smell nice. After getting out of the shower, I used my Superfacialist Rose Miracle Makeover Facial Oil* (reviewed here) to pre-cleanse my skin and get it super clean. I then cleansed my skin with my trusty Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish* (reviewed here). I love this cleanser, it's my favourite but I only use it on special occasions. After this, I applied one of my favourite face masks, the Superfacialist Neroli Lifting Treatment Mask* (reviewed here) and then went on to moisturise my body. I did this using my No7 Cocooning Body Balm* (reviewed here) which smells amazing and leaves the skin incredibly nourished without leaving residue. After removing my face mask, I finished off by moisturising my hands with the beautiful Boux Avenue Pink Taffeta Hand Cream which smells incredible. 

Phew. That's a lot of products. But it definitely was worth it. What products do you use to pamper yourself with?

xxx
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ROUTINE: Updated Skin Care Routine

Since my last skin care routine post, my skin care routine has been simplified. I've stopped using products aimed at oily and blemished prone skin and moved onto products that are more cream based and anti-ageing. I'm now aiming to fade my scars. When I get the odd spot once a month or so, it doesn't bother me. But my scarring does. I should probably also note that I have combination skin - my chin and cheeks can get really dry but my forehead and nose are prone to oilyness. Also, this is just my basic skin care routine. This doesn't include any exfoliators/face masks but I will be doing a post on those later on in the month.

I change between 4 cleansers depending on what I need them for. At night time I use the No7 Beautiful Skin Melting Gel Cleanser for Normal / Dry Skin - £9.00 as it's just perfect. I've only been using it for a week but I'm already in love. It starts off as a gel cleanser and then once massaged into the skin, it changes to an oil cleanser which dissolves make up perfectly. If you keep massaging it into the skin it then changes into a milk cleanser to nourish the skin and leave it feeling perfectly smooth and soft. This also means that there's no nasty oily residue left over afterwards. Secondly, although I don't use it as often as I used to, I couldn't get rid of the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser* - £12.75 altogether so it's still in my skin care routine. I use it once a week when I give my skin a facial as it's such a luxurious skin care product that exfoliates, hydrates and cleanses my skin in a way that a lot of other cleansers can't. If I don't have a lot of make up on - say I've just come back from a lecture and I want to take my make up off - then I'll use the Soap & Glory Peaches And Clean Deep Cleansing Milk - £7.00. I use this as a hot cloth cleanser almost. I massage it into my skin and then remove it with a flannel and it leaves my skin make up free and feeling beautiful. The smell of this is also gorgeous and as the name suggests, it's a lovely fruity fragrance. And finally, I use the No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water for Normal / Oily Skin - £9.00 when I want a quick boost. For example, in the morning I use this to quickly sweep away any dirt and grime from the skin after my sleep. I don't use this as a cleanser for my make up as it doesn't remove it that well but it's great for refreshing the skin.

My spot treatment of choice is the Tretinoin Cream, USP 0.025%* - price varies which I was given when I attended Freedomhealth Clinic on Harley Street last year. It's a great spot treatment as it gets to work instantly and a spot doesn't tend to last longer than a day on my skin. It also isn't drying and it's unnoticeable on the skin. As I mentioned last week, I've changed my skin care routine so that it's anti-ageing and my moisturisers and serum of choice is the No7 Protect & Perfect Night Cream - £23.00, No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Serum - £23.00 and the No7 Protect & Perfect Day Cream - £22.00. Since using these products I've noticed a reduction in my scarring and I believe that these have been working on my hyper-pigmentation and really helping to soothe them and remove them. The skin on the right hand side of my face in particular has really been reduced and I don't even have to wear concealer over those scars any more which is fantastic. If you've ever seen a picture of my bare skin then you know how bad my scars actually are. So for me to not have to wear concealer on one side of my face (unless I have a breakout) is a big deal. I haven't been using anything else other than these three moisturisers that could possibly have had that affect on my skin. So if you're looking for something to reduce scarring and improve the appearance of your skin then I'd highly, highly recommend these. And finally, last but not least, I use the Liz Earle Daily Eye Repair* - £14.25 every day and night underneath my eyes to give them a boost. I find that this reduces the appearance of eye bags and just makes my eyes look more healthy and awake.

What items are in your skin care routine? Do we have any of the same?

xxx

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CHRISTMAS: Sixth 3 Days of the Liz Earle Advent Calender

I'm very, very happy with my latest 3 Liz Earle Christmas Advent Calender* products. First of all, I received the Foot Scrub and the Foot Repair Moisturiser which I've reviewed here. These are the best foot care products that I've ever tried. The scrub is a wonderful consistency that isn't too harsh on the feet but harsh enough to make a difference. The moisturiser sinks into the heels beautifully so you can instantly put your socks and shoes on. It leaves the skin feeling so soft and after about a week or so of continued use, the skin on your feet has been completely transformed! The smell of both the products is also lovely and very minty. The Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion is also another one of my favourite products. I originally reviewed it here and I still stand by that review. It really wakes the eye area up and leaves your eyes looking brighter and clearer, as the name suggests. It's a great every day product and also a lovely pamper product.

xxx

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CHRISTMAS: Fourth 3 Days of the Liz Earle Advent Calender

The past three days have been so exciting for me with my Liz Earle Advent Christmas Calender* as they have contained three of my favourite Liz Earle products!

First of all I opened a 5g pot of the Superbalm which I first reviewed here. This is essentially Vaseline but a lot better and stronger. It can be used anywhere. On the lips, eyelashes, elbows, knees. Anywhere that needs extra moisture. And it's so handy that I now have a smaller pot of it! I also received the Botanical Shine Shampoo and the Botanical Shine Conditioner for normal hair which I first reviewed here. I'm so glad they included the conditioner for normal hair too as it means it's going to suit everyone in one way or another.  I absolutely love the Liz Earle hair care range and it's definitely without a doubt one of my favourites. It's up there with my beloved John Frieda. These will be perfect for my girly night that I'm having away with a few of my friends in London in February!

xxx

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CHRISTMAS: Third 3 Days of the Liz Earle Advent Calender

Sorry that this is a day late but it's better late than never! Also, the picture isn't very good. Sorry about that. I took around 50 pictures and none of them turned out that great due to the packaging of the Superskin Concentrate and unfortunately, this was the best out of a bad bunch. You can see the first three samples here and the second three here. You can also see my Liz Earle Christmas Advent Calender* post here.

But first of all I opened the Superskin Concentrate which although I have and I use regularly, I don't have a review of properly. It's been featured on many skin care posts though. This is a really teeny sample size but as it's a serum, it'll last you as long as the other sample sizes. This is a great product to use during the winter time as it soothes and nourishes the skin. It's really lovely to use and smells beautiful. Next up was a sample of the Botanical Essence™ No.1 which is Liz Earle's first fragrance. I've posted a full review of this product here. It's a nice fragrance but since I've used their newer fragrance, this one has definitely taken a back-seat as their newer one is so much more beautiful and more "my style." And finally, yesterday I opened up the Orange Flower Hand Wash which I never knew existed - I know, I know. I'm a bad fan! I'm super excited to try this out though as my Burt's Bees hand wash is on its last legs so I'll be keeping this one in my bathroom. And if I like it, I'll be buying it in the new year!

xxx

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CHRISTMAS: Second 3 Days of the Liz Earle Advent Calender

Can you believe it's the 6th of December already? This year has flew by and now, December is flying by! I don't know whether I'm happy about it (Christmas is very exciting for me) or sad as it seems like my life is non-existent at the moment with how quickly things are going. But anyway, I have the next 3 items from the Liz Earle Advent Calender* for you. You can see the first 3 here.

Opening this advent calender is still extremely exciting and it's one of the things that manages to wake me up in the morning. I received the Orange Flower Botanical Body Wash which I've reviewed before here. I'm still as much in love with this product now as I was when I first tried it out. It smells so beautiful and delicate and it lathers up like a dream considering it's very natural. I then got the Nourishing Botanical Body Cream which I've never tried out before and I still haven't used it yet but once I have, I'll update you on what it's like. And finally, today I received something which I was extremely, extremely excited about as it's one of my favourite Liz Earle products... Their Gentle Face Exfoliator which I've reviewed before here. As the name suggests, this is very gentle and it's really creamy and luxurious to use. It buffs away dead skin cells and reveals bright, smooth skin. It's definitely a lovely treat!

I will be back in another three days with the next products out of the advent calender!

xxx

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CHRISTMAS: First 3 Days of the Liz Earle Advent Calender

First of all, before I go into this post, I must apologise for how much of a bad blogger I've been this past weekend. It's been completely hectic and this is finally, the first time that I've just been able to sit down and type. So for first post I have for you today is my promised Liz Earle Advent Calender* one...

Let me tell you now before I get into this post... there's nothing more exciting than opening this advent calender every single morning. You get a brand new treat for your skin every single day and it's just incredible. For the first 3 days (and I'll be writing one of these posts every 3 days I decided as it's just easier with all the deadlines I have at the moment) I received the Cleanse and Polish with a Muslin Cloth which unfortunately isn't picture as I've already used it and now it's all a little bit messy, the Instant Skin Boost Tonic and the Skin Repair Moisturiser in Normal/Combination. So already in the calender, I've completed my basic skin care routine which I think is a lovely idea. 

As I've said before, I have tried out pretty much the entire Liz Earle range and you find my full, old and embarrassing reviews of these products here. But even two years after I first tried these, I continue to use them. They're such lovely products that are very good for my skin and my skin just loves them. The Cleanse and Polish has become such a staple in my skin care routine and if I was ever to recommend a cleanser to someone, it'd be this one. It's so luxurious to use and it does a fantastic job at removing make up. The Skin Tonic is the most beautiful smelling product in the world. It brightens up my skin and really calms down any blemishes that I may have. And the moisturiser is amazing. It doesn't leave my skin greasy and it also controls any shine throughout the day. None of these product break me out either.

xxx

*PR Sample

CHRISTMAS: Liz Earle Christmas Advent Calender

This is quite possibly the most exciting thing I've ever seen in my life. It's no secret that Liz Earle is my favourite skin care brand. I've tried out (and loved) pretty much every single product that Liz Earle has to offer. The brand is natural, beautiful and my skin absolutely loves it. So when I found out that there was a Liz Earle Christmas Advent Calender* I actually let out a little scream. I was the most excited I've been since getting tickets to see Justin Bieber in concert earlier this year.

Look at all of that beautiful-ness in all of its glory - exciting, right? This advent calender allows you to enjoy a treat every day in the run up to Christmas. I don't know about you guys but winter really does ruin my skin so I'm pretty excited about being able to pamper myself with a new product every single day! Behind each of the 24 doors there's a mini skin care, body care, hair care or fragrance treat! I'm really glad that Liz Earle have included everything (other than make up) as it brings variety and if you're new to the brand, you can try out the best of their products! I do wish that they had included a make up product as their make up is lovely but I guess it'd be hard finding a shade that  appealed to the masses.

I haven't opened my advent calender yet. Which for me, is an achievement. It's currently sitting on my kitchen worktop saying "open me, enjoy me" and taunting me every single second of every single day. But I'm not going to cave in. So unfortunately, I can't tell you what's inside as I've been trying to avoid everything that tells me. But I do know that The Sunday Girl wrote a blog post showing what's inside the advent calender which you can see here if you're curious. Instead of opening and showing you all what's inside now, I've decided that every day once I've opened a door I will post a blog post linking back to a previous review (if I've reviewed it), an updated mini review, pictures and of course, how I've used it to pamper myself that day.

This advent calender doesn't come cheap though, as you've probably guessed. It retails for a whopping £100 but I've come up with a list of ways you can justify the spend...

• It does work out a lot cheaper than buying all of the mini products together. Each of them retails for around £5 each which means that it's worth over £200.
• It's a great way to try out new skin care products that'll benefit you and make you look all beautiful and sexy on Christmas day.
• You deserve it! And it is Christmas after all.

Also, make sure that you keep an eye out on Liz Earle's Pinterest page as each day throughout December Pinterest users will get the chance to receive a full size product which you will find behind each door in the advent calender. Entering is easy; all you need to do is repin Liz Earle's festive pins each day! And if you're on Facebook, you can use Liz Earle's Christmas Wish List creator!

You can find out more about the product and buy it for £100 here.

What do you think about this Advent Calender? Or beauty advent calenders in general?

xxx

*PR Sample



REVIEW: Liz Earle Signature Foundation

Foundations are my obsession. I'm always shopping around for that perfect foundation because I just hate my skin. I must've tried over 50 foundations in the four years that I've been wearing it and the latest edition to my collection is Liz Earle's Signature Foundation* - £21.

 Liz Earle have spent years perfecting this foundation and they believe that it delivers "a flawless yet beautifully natural-looking complexion with a lightweight, blendable and buildable formula that is suitable for all skin types and always comfortable on your skin." If you buy this foundation and you don't love it, you can return it back to Liz Earle for free by post or instore. No questions asked. "Our mission is to make shopping online for the perfect foundation as fuss-free and enjoyable as possible for our customers." The foundation comes in 9 shades and Liz Earle even have a shade selector to help you find your perfect shade.

 Packaging is very important for me when it comes to foundation and this one doesn't disappoint. It is a glass bottle which isn't great for travelling with but if it's something that you're worried about, you can always decant it into another container. It comes with a pump which means that there's little wastage and it's easy to dispense the product. And it fits in with the rest of the Liz Earle make up line. The packaging is simple, beautiful and effective. 

 I've tried out their Sheer Skin Tint before and while I like it because of the finish and the formula, I can't love it because I need coverage on my skin and the Sheer Skin Tint provided more than your typical tinted moisturiser but not enough for me. So I was pretty excited when I heard about this release. As I expected, the formula is beautiful and you can tell a lot of work has gone into this foundation. It blends like a dream and glides over the skin filling in pores and covering up your imperfections. But it doesn't feel that way then it's on the skin. It's virtually undetectable and it doesn't feel heavy and my skin doesn't feel or look caked in make up. It also doesn't cling to any dry patches and it doesn't make my skin look like an oil slick.

As you can see from the picture above, it provides medium coverage but I believe it can be built up and I'd be happy to wear this foundation alone without concealer if I was in a rush. But on nights out, I do use this with concealer because I like my skin to be completely covered and some of my scars do still peek through. My overall opinion on this foundation? I love it. I think it's suitable for everyone because of how good the coverage and formula is. It's not hard to work with and while it covers things up, it doesn't do it in a nasty way. I find myself reaching for this foundation for day and nighttime and it will last me all night and a full work day which is pretty damn good on my combination skin.

Have you tried this foundation before? What's your favourite foundation?

xxx

*PR Sample

FOTN: Pumped Up Kicks

On Wednesday night I went out and I really liked my make up so I thought I'd show you what I did. I've done this Face of the Night different to what I'd usually do. This is because I haven't just listed the products I've sort of explained where/how I used them and why. So if you like this, let me know! 

SKIN: When I'm going out I do use a lot of products on my skin because I don't like the way it looks. I do have scarring and I do sometimes have active breakouts. Luckily, my skin has improved a lot recently but I still love having flaw-free skin when I go out. I start off by priming my skin and for this look I used the L'Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer - £14.29 which I've been loving so much recently. I then went on to use my Skin 79 Super BB Cream - £16.00 as an extra layer of 'foundation' really helps to give a flawless look. For foundation I used my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation - £27.50 as it's one of my favourites and one that I'll always have in my collection. It provides full coverage and it doesn't budge once it's dried onto the skin. For concealer I used my No7 Trio Concealer - £9.50. I'll be doing a review of this product soon but basically I used the pink toned concealer under my eyes and the yellow toned concealer on any redness. I then concealed my scars and blemishes with Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection concealer - £4.19. After this, I powdered my skin with 17's Miracle Matte Pressed Powder - £3.99 and contoured my cheekbones, forehead and nose with Liz Earle's Natural Glow Bronzer* - £19.50. For blusher I used Nars Deepthroat - £21.00 and as it's really glowy I didn't use a highlighter.

EYES: I primed my eyes using Urban Decay's Primer Potion - £14.50 and then used Maybelline's Color 24 HR Tattoo in On and On Bronze - £4.99 as a base to intensify the shadow. I then used Urban Decay's Smog over my lid and Urban Decay's Hustle in the crease. After this I used Urban Decay's Blackout lightly on the outer corners of my eyes to make the eyes a bit darker and smokier. For a highlight I used Urban Decay's Sin. All of these can be found in the Urban Decay Naked palette - £36.00 except for Blackout which is in the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette - £36.00. For eyeliner I used Collection 2000's Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner - £2.99 which is my favourite at the moment as it's so easy to use and nicely pigmented. I then used Lancome's Hypnose Drama Mascara - £20.50 on my lashes which is amazing! I need to buy the full sized version of this as I only have a sample. For my eyebrows I lightly used Liz Earle's Eyebrow Pencil in 02* and then made them stronger with my HD Brow Palette* - £19.96. To set my brows I used the my Collection 2000 Clear Mascara - £2.99.

LIPS: I didn't use a lot on my lips but I did scrub them with Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub - £5.25 and I used my EOS Lemon Drop SPF 15 Lip Balm* - £4.95 to make sure they were soft. I then used No7's Lipstick in Starshell - £9.00 which is a lovely nude colour as my eyes were quite intense.
xxx
*PR Sample