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

NEW | Loreal Pro-Contour Palette

Charlotte Tilbury is a brand much coveted and no product more so than the Filmstar Bronze and Glow Palette*. Despite it's hefty price tag, which can be forgiven for the uber luxe packaging, it appears on many holy grail and beauty wishlist. When I was offered the chance to pick some products from the Charlotte Tilbury link I had to try it for myself.

As I said in my initial review, and despite using on an almost daily basis since I'm still slightly underwhelmed. Whilst compiling my shopping list for my recent trip to America I added the new L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Contour Palette so I could see how it compared.

The first difference between both palettes is of course the packaging, which slightly differs to the UK version that's appearing online now. The L'Oreal version is more basic, but then the price is significantly smaller than Charlotte Tilbury so can be forgiven. It's inoffensive and study but what is stranger to me is the there is only one pan which houses one half contour, one half highlighter and of course significantly smaller offerings.

L'Oreal do a offer a brush which I've used and whilst the shape works surprisingly well you do have to be cautious of not leaving a shape as it doesn't blend out as well as I'd like, or certainly as well as I can use.

On first use I noticed immediately my current contour brush of choice from Make Up Revolution was too large for the small pan size, even just the triangular shape makes things awkward. As I mentioned above I have tried the brush that is included and that too is almost too large and even my Real Techniques contour brush was a struggle.

This is not added by the texture of the palette being very stiff and despite using the shade medium it is difficult to build up a colour. I've complained that the Charlotte Tilbury contour shade is a little too natural but this doesn't even seem to have any pigmentation at all. For this is something of a negative but if you're scared of contouring this could be a product to start with, particularly if you somewhat heavy handed.

Drugstore contour shades often appear too orange or with a sparkle in them and this is warm but not orange and matte as you'd like. The highlighter shade for me is also a little too subtle. Again I wouldn't say I have too light a hand but I'm just seeing the products on the face.

It would appear that in the UK we have a slightly different looking palette and shade offering. In the US it is Light, Medium and Dark whereas in the UK it's Light/Medium and Medium/Dark so it's possible that the quality and appearance may differ. Also the pan looks like it could be a better shape to work with.

I am disappointed with this palette overall as I was expecting better things. I'll persevere for another week or so but otherwise it looks like my lacklustre attitude to the Filmstar Bronze & Glow will need adjustment.

*this post contains press samples.

November Beauty Favourites

Once again I feel the need to 'apologise' for my late November favourites despite the fact I'm still wading through similar videos and blog post as I battle the Blog and Vlogmas numbers piling through my subscription boxes.

Anyway let's talk about the products, all make up this month and first is the Lorac Pro Palette, famous in blogger circles not least because it's unavailable in the UK. I was lucky enough to receive the palette for my birthday way back in April from a friend who moved to the US. After my initial euphoria at finally owning the much lusted for palette for one reason and another it ended up in the back of the make up drawer. I do seem to love an eyeshadow palette these days but it's only recently I have had the confidence to dive in and experiment, with successful results. As I've mentioned before as a working blogger, and by that I mean my day job is very much outside the beauty and blogging communities, my make up is applied bleary eyed in the mornings before jumping on the train to work. Yes you heard that right I'm managing to put my make up on before I get on the underground. Application must be quick and I'm not looking for dramatic smokey eyes, just a pleasing result and any mistakes would have to be seen in public or at best result in running late for work as I remove and start again.

I can't offer any new information on the Lorac Pro Palette than you might already know. The packaging is slim cardboard which isn't to everyone's tastes but I think it's faired quite well for being thrown around if not a little grubby. I think the magnetic closure is pretty impressive and I've travelled with this palette without any damage to speak off.

There's something about the colour offering in this palette that balances a choice of neutrals without being bland. Sixteen shade, half mattes, half shimmers it's hard to go wrong. Champagne and Taupe seem to be my most used although I've dipped into most colours at some point or another. White doesn't get much love and Black and Expresso are used more for lining purposes. As I plan for my trip to Florida in the new year this is definitely a palette I'm considering coming along with me.

I realise as I continue with my next product, Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Plum Rose that this is a rather 'US' centred favourites. Not intention but possibly subliminally thinking ahead to my US wishlist. Milani is another brand that we do not find in the UK. Whilst I know that some US brands are finding there way to UK shores and/or are available to buy online I still prefer to shop in store whilst on holiday. So many US imports are on the local high street now I almost miss the days when you could buy something that 'no one else had' in the UK.

Climbing down from my soapbox the Milani Colour Statement Lipsticks are a product I had clearly heard talked about from American YouTubers and found across many a Pinterest dupes board. Milani Plum Rose is a dupe of Mac Craving. On one of my last trips I know I had a long list of cheaper Mac dupes that I decided to buy by way of trying the US drugstore brands whilst experimenting with colours I might want to purchase in the higher end Mac versions.

As it happened in most cases I was more than happy with the dupes and whilst I've not said goodbye to a lipstick in many years I'm slightly concerned to notice the Plum Rose bullet diminishing rather rapidly and maybe it's time to stock up.

Plum Rose is as the name suggests is the perfect Autumn/Winter berry shade. It's a wearable colour and makes a nice transition to the season and a change from my usual reds. I think I wore this all last Autumn and have done again the past months. It's a non drying, creamy formula which reminds of a more heavily pigmented Mac Creamsheen. Many are not a fan but I love the heavy Watermelon scent

I'm sure if I found this on the UK high street I'd turn my nose up at its cheap and tacky gold packaging but as they say, never judge a book by it's cover.

Continuing with the US drugstore purchases is the Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles. This kept popping up both by way of an excellent under eye concealer and much talk about the Brightening and Neutralising versions only available in the US - in the UK we only see two versions, Nude and Light. My overwhelmed state at seeing all the products on offer and everything I wanted I ended up coming home with the Eraser Dark Circles in a colour I could've picked up in Boots. So it was a fail on the exclusive shopping front but when I finally decided to try something other than my favoured Fit Me Concealer also by Maybelline I was impressed. And dare I say this might almost, almost be better than the Fit Me?

Everyone moans about the sponge applicator and the hygiene benefits but overlooking the state I leave my brushes in on occasion as I'm not actually using this on blemishes, my skin/hands have been cleaned before I dive in with concealers it's not something I'm concerned with. And if you're really worried apparently Maybelline have added some effort to ensure this is antibacterial ingredient. I've managed to keep it as 'clean' as can be with no complaints.

As an under eye concealer this is the dream. As I hurtle towards the end of my thirties anything that doesn't settle into the fine lines that are starting to appear gets a massive thumbs up from me. And those sleepless nights, you would believe I've slept like a baby when I use this.

I realise this post is getting rather long so I'll try to rapidly whip thought my final two items; Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Foundation* and NYX Blusher* in Mocha. The foundation I've talked about in detail here and my grumbles aside I've been reaching for this on an almost daily basis. May I  also take some pride in this almost flawless Instagram Selfie #nofiler when wearing this foundation.

Mocha blush, unlike you would expect is a dusky pink matte blush that is a strong competitor for my favourite Mac Peaches & Cream from the Osbourne collection. This gives a subtle colour to the cheeks which makes a great shade to wear whether by day or night when stronger lip colours or smokey eyes are at play.

If you made it to the end of this post thank you, do share your recent favourites.

*this post contains press samples

Compress your clutch with Sure!‏

I'm sure there are certain products that I talk about so regularly you get bored of hearing about them. Sure is one of those brands whether it's Sure Maximum Protection or Sure Compressed* which I'm talking about today.

Sure Compressed have recently had a 'compress your clutch' campaign to highlight their cans size and Sure Motionsense technology which makes it perfect for those nights out on the town. Even better the Sure Compressed 125ml can will last just as long as your regular 250ml size so you can just throw it into your clutch without having to worry about running out.

My clutch* is from Tesco and their F&F range. I love a clutch bag and pleased that the recent trend is for those slightly larger sizes and especially those with a slogan of sorts. This is the perfect size at not too big and not too small and a cute little wristlet and I'm ready to go with just one or two extras.

First of course my Sure Compressed can. Now on one hand it's not really necessary to take this with me. Yes of course it's smaller size (containing full size of product) which its perfectly in my clutch but it's Motionsense technology actually works with movement so perfect for those Christmas Parties and nights out on the dancefloor.

I don't go anywhere without Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder  as it can fix any manner of imperfections that occur on a night out. Another holy grail item for 2015. Any outfit is perfected with a red lipstick. As I a regular user of reds I go for something different for special nights out, in this case So Marilyn from Charlotte Tilbury's Kissing Range. 

Another product I threw into the photo of aesthetic reasons and so I could mention it is the Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold. Ben kindly brought this for me for Christmas a couple of years ago and I hear rumours that it is back for this Christmas although I can't find any details online. If you can get hold of one, do. It's an amazing highlighter and another of my party favourites.

So there's some essentials I keep in my clutch, what are yours? 

*this post contains press samples

Charlotte Tilbury launches at John Lewis

Charlotte Tilbury launched way back in 2013 and I jumped straight onto the band wagon and armed my BFF Ben with a Christmas list of products from the range I would like. He battled the crowds to make some purchases for me, and still to this day he says he can't believe how much money he spent on make up!. The good news is that unlike Ben there is no need for anyone to fight the festive hoards as Charlotte Tilbury has now launched online at John Lewis.

In celebration of the brand online launch as well as being available in John Lewis stores  I was invited down to their Oxford Street branch to have a 'Tilbury Transformation'. I know many people don't enjoy in store make overs but I like to take the opportunity to try something different and picked the Vintage Vamp look which you might have seen on Instagram here. Well if you're going to have a Tilbury Transformation let's make it a good one. Funnier still was I had this applied at lunchtime and returned to the office looking very different than I'd left.

Following my visit John Lewis also allowed me to choose four products from the range to try for myself at home and let me tell you picking 'just four' items from the range is more difficult than it sounds - yes first world problems right there.

Before diving in to discuss the products I chose and how I found them I must admit that my previous picks from Charlotte Tilbury had left mixed feelings. So Marilyn from the KISSING lipstick line is my go to for nights out but The Glamour Muse Eyeshadow Palette was a disappointment. As was the Full Fat Lashes Mascara which had dreadful fall out for me but the Limited Edition Gold Bar Highlighter, which is making a comeback this year , is another favourite and go to for nights out.

So how did my new picks fair you want to know, well let's start with Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation* in shade 4.5. This foundation has been five years in the making due to Charlotte's tenacity to ensure her products are the best they can be. Dubbed a 'miracle in a bottle' that claims to work for pretty much anyone whatever the age, skin condition or type. At £29.50 and with an impressive 15 shades it is comparable in pricing to Nars, Estee Lauder and the like.

There is no question Charlotte Tilbury packaging is gorgeous and I could buy most products for that alone, although I do feel that the Magic Foundation bottle is a little bit disappointing. Yes there's a glass bottle and the gorgeous rose gold lid but the white lettering and pump make it appear a little cheaper than I would like. That said unlike Nars for the same price your pump is included and I'd rather keep the price point down than wasted on packaging and it's still aesthetically pleasing to look at and sits nicely on my dressing table.

Onto the Magic Foundation itself. You have a thick, medium to full coverage foundation that does not feel heavy when applied and blends nicely onto skin. It reminds me of Make Up Forever HD Foundation (the original formula), which I love, in terms of formula and finish but will flatten your face out, or certainly does in my case, to give you a blank canvas to work from. I tend to use lighter formulas day to day but I've found myself wearing this flawless and long lasting formula almost daily since I've had it. Minimal concealing is required when using the Magic Foundation, even for my dark circles although contouring/warmth needs to be put back in my face. It's not a complete matte finish but certainly not

My only complaint is that it contains SPF as I would happily use this as my 'evening' foundation but there is the fear of the dreaded flashback. Not that that will stop me I'm sure. If you too are looking for a lighter, fuller coverage foundation I'd recommend picking up a sample.

Next I chose the famous Filmstar Bronze & Glow Palette*, swooned over by many bloggers across the country and one I have often looked at and admired from afar. At £49 this is certainly not the cheapest of products but one look at the gorgeous packaging and using my famous trick of dividing the cost of the products contained, £24.50 for the bronzer and the same for the highlighter makes the price appear more palatable.

I'm still undecided how I feel about the Filmstar Bronze & Glow. It hasn't wowed me but that might be a mix of my make up skills and using alongside the Magic Foundation which requires more effort from my limited contouring skills. Both products are finely milled and I find them luminous without being too shimmering and they create a radiant look. In fact the problem is me and that this duo blends so nicely to give a subtle contour and natural appearance that I think throws me into thinking I'm not even wearing make up. If you have friends who, unlike us bloggers, stick to just one product this would be the perfect gift for Christmas to cover their needs for a radiant complexion.



Finally I decided to try another two of the eye shadow palettes, The Dolce Vita* and The Rock Chick*. The principle behind the gorgeous Charlotte Tilbury quads is Prime, Enhance, Smoke and Pop with each giving you the ability to take your look from desk to disco. Firstly I can say that both these quads were a bigger hit than my previous purchase and surprisingly it's The Rock Chick quad which I am absolutely in love with. Usually I prefer shades of brown on my eyes and it's a been many years since I played with greys and black rimmed eyes but The Rock Chick gives a look that I've been returning to daily. The Dolce Vita which I know is a popular choice is lovely and has been worn a lot since I received it but I do find it less exciting but maybe more because it's my usual choice and I have similar colours and options in other palettes.  All the shadows have great pigmentation and allow you to smoke up the look you want as appropriate. I wear with my Lorac or Urban Decay eye primers and find that they will last way beyond office hours. I can't wait to wear these over the festive period and use the glittery pop.

To sum up I'm pleased to have had another opportunity to try more products from the brand with pleasing results and whilst some are more loved than others they're all great additions to my make up collection and I can see why people are such a fan of the brand. The only problem is now I want to add The Rebel to my collection.

*This post contains press samples

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream And a High Street Dupe

I was lucky enough to come home with a sample pot of Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream after a makeover at John Lewis and my first thought on using it was how similar it was to another product I was currently testing, SKINeffect Active Day Face Cream* which can be picked up in your local Lloyds Pharmacy.

The enigmatically named 'Magic Cream' is the stuff of beauty folklore, Charlotte would whip up her magic cream backstage and skin would be 'magically transformed' no matter how hungover or jetlagged and now for a mere £70 we too can take home our own pot of magic. 

What you have is a very thick moisturiser which it's claimed will do all manner 'of magic' but essentially will transfer very dry stressed skin into looking plump and wide awake, much like the SKINeffect Active Day Face Cream.

At £7.99 the more affordable SKINeffect cream had been added to my skincare line up and reached for on days when my skin was very dry or looking very dehydrated the morning after the night before. In fact SKINeffect cream is claimed to increase hydration in your skin by 15% in just 30 minutes with its patented three in one Hydramatrix, including of course that favourite for rehydration in the skin, hyaluronic acid. 

A mere amateur I may be I see very little difference in both these creams, aside from price and packaging of course. Both are thick creams which if you're over zealous with your application can result in a face of white cream that does require working in and both leave skin feeling supple when it's needed but cautiously if my skin isn't that thirsty things can great a little greasy looking. 

SKINeffects may not be as pretty on the outside but it's inside that counts and it really does hold it's own against Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream. It was lovely to try this much talked about product and I do enjoy having my little pot of magic but for now I think I'll stick to my high street alternative which is available online from Lloyds Pharmacy. 

Would you pay £70 for a moisturiser?

*This post contains press samples

Products that don't work for me #3

As we continue to go through my beauty stash and clear out the products that don't work for me here is the next instalment.

Barry M Glamour Puss Shadow & Blush Palette* link
When I use an eyeshadow palette I want to be able to create a look using it, not picking and choosing one colour from it which is the case with this. I don't feel like any of the colours necessarily compliment one another, all have sparkle and minimal pigmentation (the swatches above have been applied heavily) . I've attempted to use this on numerous occasions but always gone for something else. I appreciate Glamour Puss would translate to evening but I have other products that work for this purpose I would pick over this. Likewise the blush is a blue toned pink which doesn't suit me and certainly would be too heavy if I were to use any of the eye colours here.

Philip Kingsley One More Day* link
I don't seem to have much luck with Philip Kingsley products. The famous Elasticizer does nothing for me and nor does One More Day. A typical dry shampoo which sadly despite smelling amazing is too chalky for my dark hair - I don't need any help with looking like I'm going grey.

Barry M Lipstick, 160* link
I have tried numerous dark berry tones and they do not suit me at all. Time to let go of the nudes and dark shades and accept it's pinks and reds for my lips.

Trevor Sorbie Volume Big Hair Powder* link
I reviewed this big hair powder many moons ago in this post so I'll let that cover the full explanation of why it did not work for me. I still kept hold of it hoping that it would come in handy for up do's but that hasn't been the case so it's time to clear the way for something new.

Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes Mascara link
It pains me to feature a Charlotte Tilbury product in those that do not work for me but the Full Fat Lashes Mascara does not. I had heard many great things about this mascara but for me it creates the dreaded panda eyes from fall out that I cannot rely on wearing it in public.

Kiehls Ultimate Strength Hand Salve link
We all know how picky I am about my hand creams and Kiehls hand salve does not make the cut. It reminded me of L'Occitane's Immortelle Brightening Hand Cream I featured here in that on applying my hands felt drier and it almost evaporates taking any moisture with it.

Any hits and misses you've tried lately?

*PR Sample 

April Favourites



The month of April was a favourite in itself due to my birthday, parents 40^th wedding anniversary and of course my amazing trip to America, that said it seemed harder than usual to pinpoint one or two favourites for you. You’ll see one or two of my everyday favourites in the multiple empties posts coming up (read part one here) but here are a few others worth a mention.

eBags Large Packing Cubes, 3pc Set  

After watching Miss Glam’s packing video (find it here) when she featured some packing cubes I went straight onto google to hunt down them down for myself. I love packing and due to the clothes need for my trip combined with a desire to do some shopping whilst in the US I knew organisation was required. I hate how clothes arrive at your chosen destination, muddled up no matter how much attention has been given to packing and folding neatly but these three packing cubes made it a dream – and even better when my case was overweight on one leg I simply removed one of these cubes and popped it into my hand luggage. They were also handy for dividing clean and dirty clothing as I moved locations. I’ll never travel without them in the future and will definitely think about adding some varied sizes for other items I usually take with me such as chargers and the like.

Twizzlers 

When I first visited the US many years ago I discussed Twizzlers and my friend will forever remind me of the ridiculous large tub I purchased and how she would wake in the morning to hear my chomping away on a Twizzler. Packs are always brought by myself or as gifts for others who have travelled stateside and of course this month’s trip was no difference. If I’m honest they are possibly falling out of favour to Swedish Fish, another sugary treat but for now Twizzler’s will always have a special place in my heart – even if everyone else I know hates them!

Clarins Bronzing Duo 

In the past bronzers have always been scary things and I tended to avoid using them for fear of that tangoed look. The first bronzer I went to when I decided to dabble was the Clarins Bronzing Duo. it looked complimentary to my skin tone as well as not too orange and I have used it frequently. The past months I’ve become braver with bronzers, tackling contouring (amateurishly) so it had been cast aside until for other products until I was pulling together make up for my trip. I would usually swirl the two colours together and apply for a natural bronzed glow but newfound knowledge led me to realise that I would be able to use the darker side as a contour as well as my usual method. We all know that a two in one product is the best for travelling and it didn’t let me down.

Chanel Le VolumeMascara 

Once again when packing for my trip I opted for the mini sized Chanel Le Volume mascara but there was nothing mini about my lashes when I used this. I will definitely be adding it to the wishlist and thinking about making it my Duty Free purchase when I visit the airport again in September. Available in a waterproof version if that is your preference this macara will not disappoint. It didn’t top my love for Tarte’s Lights Camera Lashes which I featured in my March favourites here but it could very well be my second favourite.

Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold Highlighter 

Highlighters, apart from their neon yellow form as a on the desk staple were something that had not even appear on my radar, even during the peak of the Kardashian hype. Now suddenly there is a highlighter in my life that makes the monthly favourites spot and that is the gorgeous Bar of Gold from Charlotte Tilbury.

Any beauty lover will remember the hype surrounding Charlotte Tilbury’s make up range launch and I managed to show restraint and waited to put some items on my Christmas list. Ben kindly brought some bits and pieces (and never lets me forget his horror at how much make up costs!) including the Bar of Gold highlighter.

Firstly this not a cheap highlighter and even I was shocked at the size of it, cute it may be but it’s definitely on the smaller than I expected size – I mean bars of gold always seem so large in the movies. But all that aside it is a stunning product and one I have reached for more often than not when occasion calls for it. The champagne gold finely milled powder is both subtle yet obvious but not scary it literally does what it says on the tin and as someone who is conscious of highlighting the wrong parts, ie lines and pores this doesn’t cause any problems at all.

Bumble & Bumble Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner 

This Bumble and Bumble duo was among my first beauty products purchased whilst in San Francisco’s branch of Sephora (the rest of the purchases can be found on Instagram here) and only came about by chance due to their far too tempting beauty bars which sits beside the till points. The shampoo I took on my holidays wasn’t one of my favourites so I thought I’d dive straight into using these and once I saw the results anything else was cast aside. Since my return I’m trying to finish the dregs of other products and am definitely missing my thicken shampoo. My hair certainly felt fuller and far more voluminous on my travels which isn’t always the case when battling high heats and humidity. I will definitely be purchasing full sizes of these babies when the time comes.

What did you love during the month of April?