Monthly Favourites
April 2016
April was a very quick month for me but I managed to amass a few beauty favourites along the way. I managed to depart from my Jo Malone only perfume collection, I rekindled my love affair for Chanel make-up and resurfaced an old skincare classic.
Liz Earle - Cleanse & Polish, Hot Cloth Cleanser
An oldie, but a goodie. I switch my skincare often because I suffer badly from breakouts. I don't know why I bother, I always revert back to trusty Liz Earle. I started reusing Liz Earle last month and I've noticed a massive improvement in my skin tone and texture. The formulation is rich and creamy and is very sensitive on the skin. It quickly removes make up (even the most stubborn mascara) and leaves my skin feeling very clean. It is very soothing and while it doesn't always heal my breakouts, it doesn't aggravate my skin in anyway which many a cleanser does. The smell of the cleanser isn't overpowering, which I hate in a cleanser. Oh and did I mention it is multi-award winning? It's reasonably priced too. I usually buy through QVC where there are always very good deals. You will usually be around £14 for 100ml.
Chanel - Le Blanc De Chanel, Multi-Use Illuminating Base
Chanel - Les Beiges, Healthy Glow Foundation
I've included these as a duo because I've not used one without the other. Essentially, I love them as a combo. The Multi-Use Illuminating Base is everything you would expect from a primer. I feel it does even my skin tone, gives my complexion a dewy glow and has great staying power. I don't ever look in the mirror after a day of wearing a full face of make-up and think "wow, my face looks oily" when I am wearing this. What more could you want? Of course, a foundation to go with it. The foundation creates a natural healthy glow without compromising on coverage, which has always been the let down factor with Chanel foundations for me. I would put Les Beiges as a buildable medium cover. I wouldn't say it's matt but I wouldn't say it's overly dewy either, it is somewhere in-between. My all time favourite foundation is "Estee Lauder Double Wear" but I think Les Beiges has overtaken it to become my new prized favourite. It's on the higher end of the market but I would say it's worth it. The foundation retails for £36 and the Multi-Use Illuminating Base for £33.
Rosie for Autograph, Eau de Perfum
Now, I admit it, I am the ultimate perfume snob and I didn't want to like an M&S fragrance but I do. The most prominent ingredient is Rose Flower Extract, the fragrance is therefore very floral and very fresh. It wearable both for day and night, albeit there is a specific Rosie night (Nuit) fragrance. I don't know if I'm ready to leave my Jo Malone love affair behind but this is a cheaper alternative to keep my love affair afloat meantime. It is a bargain too, only £14 for 30ml.
I've never really boarded the contour bandwagon, until now that is. This contour stick is the only method of contour I have found that is foolproof. It is surprisingly easy to apply. You can apply it directly from the twist up stick. I apply it under my cheek bones, down the side of my nose, along my jaw line and above the temples on my forehead. It is extremely blendable and it doesn't leave me looking like I've painted combat camouflage stripes on my face (which has been the unfortunate consequence of other contouring methods for me). The shade looks scarily dark if you are fair toned like me but the blendable-ness of the formation actually leaves a subtle contour on the face. It is also reasonably priced, at £15 from M&S.
Overall, my April favourites have been a good mix of beauty. I'd love to hear any suggestions of products you have been loving during the month of April. Please feel free to leave a comment below.
