Spring Makeup & Skincare Haul

| Spring Makeup & Skincare Haul! |

Recently, I ran out of a few skincare products around the same time so I took that as an excuse to treat myself to some new skincare items. I hadn't bought anything in a while so I also decided to treat myself to some new makeup while I was at it, you only live once as they say! One thing lead to another and I got a bit carried away *insert monkey with his hands over his eyes emoji*, but I thought I'd share what I got in a blog post as the nosey trait in me loves to read posts like this...

I've been using the same few powders for the last few months so I thought it was time to try something new. I decided to give the Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural a go as it's a classic in the beauty community and lots of people rave about it. I've really been enjoying this powder, it looks natural on the skin and doesn't cling to dry patches. However, I need to use it light-handed because one day it did look cakey under the eyes so I probably applied too much. I also got Select Cover Up which I've heard great things about. I've not tried it out properly yet so I'll share my thoughts in a future post.

Since I wear glasses full time it's important for my eye makeup to look bright and I like to choose shades that compliment my brown glasses. My most worn makeup look is a soft brown smokey eye with a pop of a light shimmer shade on the lid. I need this shade shimmer shade to stand out so it doesn't get washed away behind my glasses, so cream shadows and pigments work best. I decided to pick up the Mac Vanilla pigment which looks very white and frosty in the pot but when applied it's more of a shimmery champagne colour that packs a punch.

When my favourite Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish ran out, I decided to repurchase an old favourite: La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser. It's a simple fuss-free milk cleanser that doesn't do anything other than the simple task of removing impurities or leftover makeup after your first cleanse. I love the Cleanse & Polish but sometimes I just want a simple, fragrance-free cleanser that will simply cleanse the skin, in order to allow my serums, treatments, masks etc to target any skin concerns I have. The cleanser is hypoallergenic so it's great for sensitive or blemish-prone skin as it doesn't cause irritation and it soothes inflamed breakouts. 

I also picked up the Toleriane Ultra based on Leanne's recommendation and it's made it onto my very small list of favourite moisturisers. I'm really fussy when it comes to moisturiser and unfortunately, I've tried more bad than good. But similarly, to the cleanser in the range, this moisturiser is simple and fuss-free but effective. It's a lightweight cream that sinks in fairly quickly and doesn't leave any residue, making it ideal for morning use prior to makeup application.

The last item I purchased was actually a repurchase. I tried the Garnier Moisture Bomb mask a few weeks ago and I was thoroughly impressed so I got another one to give my skin the hydration it's always craving. Tissue masks are the way forward as they provide way more hydration and long-lasting results than a regular hydrating mask in a tube. I usually need to use a hydrating mask 2-3 times a week, otherwise, my makeup would cling to dry patches but with this mask, I only need to use it once and my skin is ready for a week of makeup application.

I wanted to try out a new foundation and I had initially planned on the Too Faced Born This Way or one of the Urban Decay foundations as I have a €10 voucher for Debenhams. However, rewind to a few weeks ago, the day Charlotte Tilbury launched on Feel Unique and the renowned Bronze & Glow palette was discounted to €36 from €65! I stared at the screen utterly dumbfounded but I quickly grabbed my wallet because I couldn't let that bargain slip through my fingers. I also decided to get the Nars Luminous Weightless foundation while I was at it because it was €5 cheaper than the regular price and I get a further 10% off all Nars products as I'm a member of My Feel Unique Platinum. It was safe to say I had no money left for my planned Debenhams splurge - Ah well, at least the voucher can wait! 

I had been wanting to try some Pixi products for quite a while and after the buzz of their new collaborative products, I decided to finally to get some. The first product that made its way into my basket was the illustrious Glow Tonic and people weren't exaggerating about this stuff. It really is the bees-knees! The morning after I first used it I noticed immediate results - my skin seemed a lot brighter and my blemishes were less inflamed. This was my first ever time to use Glycolic Acid so I decided to incorporate it into my routine gradually, using it twice a week as my skin can be quite sensitive. However, the product hasn't caused any form of irritation thus far. I've been using it for two weeks now and my blemish scars have slowly started to reduce, I'd say they'd need another 3 or 4 weeks to completely heal so I'll keep you updated on this product, but so far so good!

Another Pixi product that has received a lot of hype recently is the Hydrating Milky Mist which as the name suggests, is a hydrating spray. It can be used as a part of your skincare routine - I usually use it after cleansing and toning - or on top of makeup for a refresh during the day. It contains lots of skin-loving ingredients like Linoleic Acid, various B-group vitamins, Pro-vitamin A and one of my all-time favourite ingredients Hyaluronic Acid. 

The last Pixi product I bought was one of their collaborative products; The Aspyn Ovard Glow-y Powder Highlighter in London Lustre, a gorgeous off-white icy shade that's perfect for my pale Irish skin. The highlighter has good pigmentation and it provides a gorgeous luminous glow.

The final product I got was The Ordinary Niacinamide and Zinc as my La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo ran out. Effaclar Duo is also a niacinamide and zinc cream so it works to help eliminate blemishes and reduces congestion. I get on really well with the LRP version but The Ordinary serum is much cheaper and has a higher concentration of the two nutrients so I thought it would be more effective for a cheaper price. When I first used this I experienced a bad purging phase similarly to the LRP offering but now that has subsided and I'm starting to see results. Hopefully, in a few weeks, I'll notice a bigger difference! 

Have you bought any new beauty products recently?

Love,

Cliona xx

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