
I have a packed post full of beauty favourites from March. I know it’s halfway through April now, but I won’t do another one until end of May/start June. As always, you can see even more recent things i’m loving and discovering over on my Instagram. I’m also now Contributing Beauty Editor at POLO & Lifestyle Magazine so do keep an eye on the new Beauty & Wellness section there too!
***This post contains press samples, but all opinions are my own.
Givenchy Irresistible Eau de Parfum*** – £52 from Boots
This new fragrance from Givenchy is a rose-based scent (as always with me!) but it has interesting wood and fruity notes that give it so many dimensions and stop it being too ‘grown-up’ a fragrance. It’s a light fragrance that puts a bit of pep in your step and gets you excited about spring. It’s a lovely every day scent that’s noticeable but not in any way overpowering. Jimmy Choo I Want Choo Eau de Parfum*** – £85 from Look Fantastic
This has been the fragrance that i’ve been reaching for the most as it’s just delightful and a bit more intense than the Givenchy. It has a sophisticated, expensive air about it, but is also fruity and playful too. It’s a moody floral scent with a hint of juicy peach, sparkling citrus and sweet vanilla; making it really unique. Red Spider Lily and Jasmine Sambac sit at the heart, with base notes of Benzoin, Vanilla and Resinoid, and top notes of Mandarin Juice and Velvet Peach.
Fenty Skin Flash Nap Instant Revival Eye Gel Cream*** – £28 from Boots
This new launch from Fenty Skin is a light eye gel cream, so ultra hydrating, cooling and de-puffing; with Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin and Niacinamide. It’s especially effective if you use the little metal roller tool that comes with it. It gives you all-day hydration, plumps fine lines and wrinkles and also brightens and firms the skin under the eyes. It has the most gorgeous tropical scent too. It’s not at all greasy and works really well as a primer for under-eye concealer. The texture is so refreshing, especially if you keep the tube in the fridge.Decree Skincare Peptide Emolient Veil Plus Rich Moisturiser*** – £115 from Decree Skincare
I am already a big fan of Decree’s original Peptide Emolient Veil, but I absolutely adore the heavier Peptide Emolient Veil+. I’ve been using this as night as a night cream over retinol and it has really kept my skin looking soft, plump and smooth. This formulation is extra hydrating and great for anyone who is often exposed to environmental agressors, strong skincare actives or late nights. It’s a simple, soothing cream that moisturises and calms the skin, plus stimulates collagen production to keep your skin firm and plump. There’s norusihing botanicals, soothing rice bran, conditioning apricot kernal oil, squalane and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and resveratrol antioxidants to protect and brighten.Glow Recipe Niacinamide Dew Drops*** – £31 from Cult Beauty
This has probably been my favourite new skincare release recently and i’ve been using it every morning on the days where I don’t wear any makeup. It makes my skin look so awake and dewy for those morning Zooms! If you go after the ‘glass skin’ look, this is a product you need to try out as it’s beautiful. It’s a gel formulation that hydrates and leaves skin with a glossy finish, whilst also working to improve skin texture. It leaves skin looking so plump and healthy and I don’t think i’ll be able to ever not have it in my routine now.
Glossier Super Bounce Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin B5 Serum – £24 from Glossier
This is a great hydrating serum to have in your stash as it’s super effective and not sticky. It’s my go-to Hyaluronic Acid serum at the moment and is great for layering with other more active serums to keep skin looking and feeling comfortable and moisturised. It’s a multi-molecular Hyaluronic Acid, so that moisture is penetrating into different layers of the skin. The addition of Pro-Vitamin B5 supports long-term skin hydration as it absorbs moisture from the air into your skin. This leaves my skin feeling so soft, supple and hydrated and it’s really affordable too!Volition Strawberry-C Brightening Serum – £36 from Cult Beauty
This is definitely my favourite Vitamin C serum of all time so far! It doesn’t have that really harsh citrus scent of so many Vitamin C serums and nor does it sting or tingle when you apply it. It’s very gentle and soothing, but also very effective. It contains two very potent sources of vitamin C – strawberry and kadaku plum – to brighten the skin, boost luminosity, reduce the appearance of lines and diminish dark spots and pigmentation. There’s also plumping, hydrating Hyaluronic Acid and calming cucumber water in there too. This really is a delight to use and if you don’t really love most vitamin C serums you’ve tried, this one will definitely change your mind on the ingredient.
Patchology FlashPatch Hydrating Lip Gel Mask – £3 from Cult Beauty
Most of the lip gels you see on the market are more novelty items rather than actual effective skincare, but this one from Patchology really works. As well as hydrating ingredients such as glycerin, there’s also soothing and protecting honey and niacinamide too. I love to use one a few nights per week before bed (and before applying an overnight lip mask) to really boost my lip’s hydration and plump them. If my lips are particularly chapped and sore (as they are often prone to being), this is a duo that saves them by morning. An example of a great overnight lip mask is below!MILK Makeup Melatonin Overnight Lip Mask*** – £20 from Cult Beauty
This overnight lip mask is just dreamy. Not only is the formula beautifully thick, moisturising and soothing, but it also has a relaxing lavender scent and contains melatonin – effectively, a natural sleep hormone. Whether having it in a lip balm is beneficial to how we sleep is debateable, but my own sleep has definitely improved since I started using this and it’s now firmly a part of my bedtime routine. An amazing blend of four different berries give your lips antioxidant protection whilst you sleep, Hyaluronic Acid deeply hydrates and a lavender chamomile blend soothes irritated skin and eases the mind as you inhale.NuFACE Trinity Facial Trainer Kit*** – £310 from Current Body
This skincare device uses microcurrents to tighten and firm the skin, accelerate collagen production and enhance facial contours. You don’t feel anything as it works and you can complete a daily treatment of your whole face in just 5 minutes. With this device, you need to make sure you have a generous layer of a conductive gel on your face/neck for the device to be able to work and penetrate the muscles under the skin. You need that wet slip for it to work. I’ve been using this for a few months now and my skin definitely feels plumper, firmer and has more defined contours. It’s great for sagging jaw lines and for more defined cheek cushions – these are the areas i’ve noticed the most difference. It’s a pricey gadget, so i’m not going to say that it’s something you need in your life, but if you have particular issues with your face and neck’s elasticity and firmness, this is definitely something to consider.Champo Kapha Balancing Shampoo & Conditioner*** – £18.50 & £20.50 from Champo
When you visit the Champo site, you take a free quiz about your hair condition and needs and it recommends you which of their products are best. I was recommended the Kapha range, which is for oily hair or thick hair that needs balanced and tamed. My hair falls into the oily category and this shampoo and conditioner balances, adds shine, smoothes the hair and makes it more manageable. This duo has really helped my hair to last longer between washes and has given it a really sleek and glossy texture; meaning that I don’t have to use my L’Oreal 8-Second Wonder Water with every wash (as that stuff goes FAST!). The Champo aesthetic is so chic and these look great in the bathroom. If you need your hair balanced and/or tamed, this is definitely a range to try. It’s Vegan, 98% natural and you really don’t need to use much.Charlotte Tilbury Hyaluronic Happikiss in Pillow Talk & Everlasting Kiss*** – £25 each from Charlotte Tilbury
The formulation of the new lip launch from Charlotte Tilbury is just incredible! It’s a glossy balm that is really pigmented, so you get the colour of a lipstick, with the nourishment and hydration of a lip balm and the shine of a lip gloss. It’s so unique and dreamy to apply. It comes in the iconic Charlotte Tilbury shade Pillow Talk, and I also love the pale pink Everlasting Kiss. It makes even the driest of lips look plump, hydrated and perfected and is definitely going to be my main lip product of the spring and summer.
Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Babydoll*** £23 from Space NK
Finally, another lip product i’ve been loving is this very pale pink with irridescent shimmer lip gloss from Laura Mercier. It gives your lips incredible mirror shine and really makes them look as plump and juicy as they can get. There’s not a lot of colour pay-off with this so it’s great for using on top of lipsticks or for people who aren’t huge makeup wearers / who can’t wear makeup at work. It’s so pretty and the formula isn’t sticky, so really comfortable to wear.
You can see more of what i’m loving, and what i’m doing, over on my Instagram.