Monday, July 31, 2017

Monthly Beauty Favourites | June & July 2017


It's extremely cliched at the end of each month to exclaim 'where did this month go' but really, where did July go? It was only as I was sitting last weekend thinking I really must sit down and hit publish on my June favourites when I realised that people were sharing their July favourites so in blogging terms I was definitely behind.

It then occurred to me that the month had moved so quickly that I hadn't even made my usual notes for the coming month of items that would appear the following month and it was still many of these being staples in my everyday routines.

Enough with the excuses and let's have a look at what products have made an impression of late, starting with Imperial Leather Banana Bath Cream. Yes Imperial Leather heard 'my' pleas and brought out the accompanying bath cream for my much loved shower gel. This makes a nice break from either the muskier or zesty scents I often find in my bath room and pairs wonderfully with the Coconut Shower Gel from Aldi if I want to have a little cocktail in the bathroom.

A frustrating hit in recent weeks has been the Lacura Hot Cloth Cleanser, frustrating as it was only available for a limited time and I didn't have the foresight to stock up. I do hear it's back in November so take note if you're looking for an affordable Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish dupe. As I shared when I first tried out this cleanser it's indistinguishable to it's higher end counterpart. I enjoy a creamy cleanser for days when I'm disinterested or too tired in double cleansing and the like and I find them especially nice for a morning cleanse of a weekend when I'm preferring to go make up free.

I wasn't too keen on Urban Beauty United Brush* No 22 (the brand has had a redesign since so products are numbered differently) for make up application and then one evening when I wanted to apply a clay mask I reached for it rather than using my fingers - especially with stiletto nails - and found I much preferred the application method. Using the brush to apply face masks has seen me using less than I need and distribute far evenly. How do you apply your face masks?


Finishing the skincare favourites is La Roche-Posay Anthelios Face Mist*, a new release in the Anthelios line. SPF is really key to your skincare regime but I must confess outside of my holidays I tend to rely on the SPF in my skincare and make up items than applying a separate cream but the new Anthelios Face Mist has changed that. I apply a layer after my moisturiser and only particularly sunny days over make up whilst it's handy size makes it perfect to throw in your handbag for touch ups throughout the day.

Whilst I wouldn't rely on this in sunnier climes for days when I only see the light of day during my commute to work I find it works perfectly. I was skeptical at it's mist name but it really does apply as such and has a nice scent which makes it a pleasure to use and again, how it would sit on top of make up was of concern but it doesn't interfere at all. It's a product I will definitely repurchase and use, even for my trip to Florida later in the year, this will be ideal throughout the day to add more coverage.

Before I would even call myself a 'beauty blogger' I shared my purchase of the Bare Minerals Foundation and it's one I've repurchased often although not used so much in recent years. Again please don't judge me for how old these foundations might be but I recently rediscovered it as I was working my way through decluttering my make up collection and have been using it regularly as skin has been oiler due to the (occasional!) warmer days.

Whilst the Bare Minerals Original Foundation as a loose powder isn't ideal for travelling at home I find it quick and easy to use, and it's allowed me to play with some cream products and change up the way I do my make up which has been fun. Such is my enjoyment of late I have already used up one pot and have started on a second I had in my stash.

When I'm in a hurry in the morning, or just feeling generally lazy about my make up and want to apply and go it's the GOSH Contour'n Strobe Kit* in Light I've reached for. As I shared in my earlier review this palette pairs perfectly with a red lip, another of my lazy day saviours.


When I first received the Nip+Fab Make Up Mascara* I compared it to the YSL and it's certainly proved as much as since I have been using it has dried up in exactly the same way as that would - luckily this is a much cheaper product for repurchasing and it's finish would see me do so without worrying that it does dry out and clump very quickly.

I'm not sure if my final beauty favourite is strictly 'allowed' as I have only used once but I loved it so much I felt it only right to share. Mac Fly By Twilight foiled eyeshadow was part of the Faerie Whispers collection I picked up over a year ago and a few weekends ago as I got ready for a party was the first time I'd used it since buying it.

I tend to pick bronze and browns for my eye make up but I liked the change with some silver and this eyeshadow applied wonderfully. A spray of fix plus gave more pigment and sparkle but it was thick enough to not cause a bad finish on 'older eyelids'. It's definitely one I'll bringing out for party time in the future.

I'm going to end my favourites with something a little different and the website Foxella. It was mere days before I started my new job i saw a Tweet from Jane at BBB tagging Foxella, had a nosey as one does and then fell into a black hole of celebrity gossip and 'blind items'. In short Foxella is a celebrity gossip site that shares gossip about celebrities indirectly but adds the suggested celebrity the gossip refers to in it's post. As I can't bear to add views to the Daily Mail, even for their sidebar of shame, Foxella has filled that void so I can be sure to Keep Up With Khardashians and other such celebrities from the Z to A list. I follow them on Twitter and find it's the simplest way for me to keep 'informed' and will tell anyone who is a fan of such salacious gossip that this is the site to follow. Often I will print screen particularly 'interesting' gossip and sharing with friends creating shock, conversation or denial as we see fit. Predominantly it is American celebrities that feature and some I am not familiar with and will skip over but you find the odd British celebrity featured such as the Beckhams and One Direction members. One such hungover day I actually scrolled through the entries since I'd discovered Foxella and read every one - it was the perfect day. Judge me accordingly but I dare you to dip into the site and not become like me anticipating the next tidbit that appears in your Twitter feed. 

What have you been loving this month, or indeed the past two months?

*this post contains press sample and affiliate links



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