Monthly Beauty Favourites | May 2017

I didn't expect to have many favourites this month as I went from enjoying my final days off to starting a new job and wanting to rely on products that I was familiar with but as I glanced around at those that had been reached for repeatedly I found I had a nice selection for you.

First is a product I wish I had stuck with my enjoyment of and avoided the trip to have my eyebrows threaded, Parissa Brow Shaper Mini Wax Strips*. I first tried these strips at the beginning of the year and whilst trying to adopt a thriftier lifestyle. As I shared in my full review of the Parissa range I found these wax strips easy to use and ideal to tidy up brows between threading appointments. Unfortunately in the days before I begun my new job I decided to 'treat myself' to having my brows threaded and the threader was rather overzealous and thinned them out a little too much than I would like. Apparently they were uneven! Now I'm debating whether to return (elsewhere!) for a tidy up and assist with the reshaping or tackling them at home with my Parissa kit.

One of the joys of working my way through my skincare cupboard has been rediscovering old favourites, one of which is the Trilogy Make Up Be Gone Cleansing Balm*. I first tested this product over a year ago and it had fell to the back of my stash in favour of oils, and a slight lax approach to my evening skincare regime. Interestingly during my time off work my evening regime became my favourite and reaching for the Trilogy Cleansing Balm has been a pleasure. I have not used many balm cleansers so I have little to compare this too but I find it removes make up and has a nice slip to move the balm around my face to add a little facial massage which again is not something I've been prone to do. Under £20 this is a balm that I would happily repurchase when the time comes and am pleased with it's make up removal.

Another cleanser that I didn't expect to favour so was Good things Stay Clear Purifying Cleanser* due to it's 'anti blemish' claims and it marketed for younger skin than mine. My skin does become oily in the Summer and I do have the odd hormonal spot at that time of the month but otherwise I'm pretty much in the 'normal' camp. Despite this, if only for the delicious smell it's become a cleanser I'm enjoying using as my morning cleanse and I can't deny this months 'visit' went by without my typical blemishes that would appear. Thanks to extract of mango, blueberry and willow-bark to purify and decongest the skin to manage oiliness it has actually come into its own the past week as I've battled the London Underground on one of the hottest weeks of the year. If oiliness or blemishes are an issue for you I'd recommend giving this affordable cleanser a try.

I reference The Hero Project and their Glow Drops* in my new in post last week and whilst I've not dabbled the past week with adding to my foundations due to the aforementioned Underground commute it's a product I was enjoying before my return to work and especially over the Bank Holiday when I abandoned make up and felt that just wearing the drops gave my skin a fresh radiance that meant make up wasn't necessary.

Two make up favourites were Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder and Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstar Bronze and Glow*, the latter being another product I've never quite fallen in love with and been of the mind I could take or leave it. Starting a new job and again referencing that hot and humid weather and commute I wanted to look my best without piling on too much make up, and of course there were the early mornings when contouring to any degree was the last thing on my mind. Everyone loves the Filmstar Bronze and Glow palette and I've never quite understood the fuss. I won't go so far to say this is a must have but I'm certainly warming up to it. Using the bronze and glow adds enough definition and warmth without overkill and likewise the highlight is suitable enough for wear in the office. As I type I have no desire to swap this duo out any time soon.

Similarly the Coty Airspun powder is a product I picked up on a US trip due to many mentions by Glam Life Guru Tati. Typically I would use my Chanel Les Beiges powder but as you will see in a forthcoming post I need to replace and before I do so I wanted to tackle other products in my collection. Tati uses this to bake under her eyes and I haven't gone so far as that just yet but a dusting to set make up before a spritz of Mac Fix+ is working for me. The packaging is quite cumbersome and it's by no means suitable for anywhere other than the dressing table but it might add some longevity to my future Chanel powders, saving them for on the go.

And finally it's two tanning products I've shared with in their own reviews lately, St Moriz Dry Oil Self Tanning Mist* and Skinny Tan Ultimate Dark Mousse*. Both have found their way into my routines, namely due to how tired I may be feeling of an evening or how much effort I wish to put into my tanning efforts. Skinny Tan Mousse tends to form part of my Sunday evening back to work pamper routine and then adhoc through the week St Moriz mist works as any colour might be fading as I have to shave my legs whenever they will be on show. I was concerned the St Moriz mist might cause streaking from the Skinny Tan but so far I've been lucky and they appear to work in tandom perfectly.

What products have you been loving this month?

*this post contains press samples and affiliate links

Tried & Tested | Skinny Tan

It's hard to go on social media without seeing Skinny Tan* products popping up. It's the new favourite faux tanning brand doing the rounds with bloggers, myself included, and features everything from gradual tanners to your usual mousse as well one or two interesting products such as the Roller Applicator I have my eye on. 

So who are Skinny Tan and how are they different? Skinny Tan is the first of it's kind to combine a natural tanning active with naturally derived skin smoothing actives that will tan, contour and reduce the visible appearance of cellulite. Guranan, a caffeine derivative that you'll usually find in firming and cellulite creams so to find it in a tanning product is revolutionary. 

I did acknowledge the name could be offensive to some but I understand why and whilst I won't say that I typically have my cellulite on show so no real need to improve it's appearance to the public I do feel that a tan flatters me. 

The first step within any tanning regime is exfoliating or as Skinny Tan put it, using their Pre-Tan Primer* and it really puts in you in the holiday mood thanks to is coconut scent. This is a lovely product, the formula is cream based and contains crushed walnut shells but it isn't harsh and it's one of the lighter scrubs I've tried and makes for a somewhat more pampering experience. Contained in a tube makes it easier to dispense the product and less wastage than using a scrub from a tub although you are paying for the privilege. Your Skinny Tan Pre-Tan Primer contains 125ml of product for about £9.99 whereas something like your Soap & Glory Scrubs are £8 for 300ml so it's down to personal preferences and hunting out offers. Superdrug currently has buy one get one half price on the Skinny Tan range for example.

Skinny Tan contacted me whilst I was in St Lucia and once we'd had a chat about my preference for mousse self tanners I bravely decided to give Skinny Tan Self Tan Mousse in Ultimate Dark*. Usually I'll go for the light versions of fake tanners but I thought having a Caribbean tan I'd want to fake as it faded now would be as good a time as any.

Now I am in now way a professional faux tanner. I dabble but it's not something I do regularly and also find the whole process a bit of a faff. Exfoliate, waiting for it to develop, do I risk leg saving, washing up, keeping moisturised it all feels a bit too high maintenance for me, hence a recent love for the St Moriz Dry Oil.

Skinny Tan has somewhat converted me and it's something I've been really impressed with, especially in such a 'dark shade'. It's typical to mousse tanners I've used in the past although much darker in appearance and you can easily see where you are applying. I was quite cautious on my first application but received positive results and a day or two later I bravely applied a more generous layer and now I'm at the stage where I'm not sure, and convinced that this is my natural skin colour as opposed to the help I've received from Skinny Tan.

Wearing the darker shade I find that I can obviously see where applying and once it's developed and apart from some dubious application on my feet (as I say I'm not professional) otherwise I have no streaking and it looks quite 'natural'. It's definitely something that I will and am using frequently and I'm pleased that I'm able to layer without it looking patchy.

The scent of biscuits usually associated with fake tanners is not evident with Skinny Tan and there's a slight tackiness as you would expect but nothing uncomfortable. Whilst my sheets didn't come off completely unscathed I found they actually came off better when I've used lighter tans so that is a definite bonus.

Perhaps one of the reasons other fake tans have no lasted so well on my skin is my lax attitude to body moisturising. It's something I'm much better of at the moment whilst enjoying time at home and I hope that when I return to work next week I'll maintain.

Skinny Tan After Glow Gloss* is designed to help maintain your tan and keep skin hydrated by adding a gloss for a 'model sheen'. The coconut scent is baked and pairs wonderful with Estee Lauders Bronze Goddess, my Summer fragrance.

The gloss should only be applied after the tan has been developed and when I used on my legs on one of the rare warm days in London last week I felt like J-Lo as I admired the sheen. As someone who considers her legs to be their 'weak point' seeing them bronzed and glossy was pleasing. There is slip to the legs and as I sat on the train with my legs crossed it was noticeable but again nothing to be concerned with and dried down soon enough.

My experience with Skinny Tan was very positive and it's definitely a brand I will repurchase and use in the future. If you've seen all the coverage I'd recommend you try it out, whether you want a gradual, one hour or overnight product there's certainly something for you.

You can find Skinny Tan stocked in Superdrug on the high street but you'll also find offers on the Skinny Tan website featuring gift sets which will save you a few pence - and they'll even tell you when it's cheaper to buy in Superdrug!

Have you tried Skinny Tan?

*this post contains press samples and / or affiliate links