MONTHLY MUST HAVES | JAN 2020
Ok, this is a new monthly feature that I've decided should be a thing. It's going to be a post of my absolute FAVOURITE new products of the month. The one's worth spending your hard earned cash on. It's more than likely that these babies will have been featured in my #5faves. However, those videos only last 24hrs on stories, and my archive gives you the top line on why I love them, but this will be the place where I explain why I think these newbies are banging and worth your buck. Let's go!
She's back baby! The Baume Essential was one of my top launches of 2019. It sold out overnight and hasn't been back in stock since, UNTIL NOW! Firstly, let me explain why it's so good. It's a multi-use gloss balm that creates the most incredible glow to your skin. It adds a beautiful glimmer to your complexion which equally enhances bare skin or a full face of glam. The two original shades are Transparent. This is the clear version as the name suggests. And Sculpting (my favourite). This has a glimmer of glitter threaded through it which gives a delicate pearly finish. And now for the new kid on the block, Golden light. This version is a delicate warm, bronze. It adds a healthy glow to the face, as well as the traditional gloss.
I like to pat it on my cheekbones, on the lids, the cupids bow,
and just above the brow bone, (J-lo does that don't you know).
I get so many compliments on my glow, thanks to this beauty.
It's also a kit essential for me. Every model and client I work with get's 'Chanelled' with this beauty.
Dear Dior. I love you. This concealer is incredible. Although I feel the word 'concealer', doesn't really do it justice. It also colour corrects beautifully. Meaning that it helps to cover the likes of dark circles, redness, pigmentation and blemishes. It gives a buildable, medium to heavy coverage. By this I mean that if you layer it, you can create a heavier coverage if that's your thing. However, I love using a fluffy eyeshadow brush like Zoeva's 221 to buff it into the skin. This gives a more 'skin like' finish. However, bear in mind that the formula is slightly heavier than a lot of foundations. It comes in 28 shades. with multiple undertones. I haven't tried the fairest and deepest tones yet, but will feedback when I do to let you know what I think of the shade range. 28 shades is bloody good though compared to a lot of brands.
The doe foot applicator holds the perfect amount of product in the centre. This ensures you get an even application.
The formula is really creamy. The exact type of texture I like in a concealer. This means that it blends beautifully with every tool. Whether your fave, be it fingers, a beauty blender or a brush.
It's gorgeous paired with Dior's Forever skin glow foundation, but equally lovely with any medium to heavy liquid base.
This is the coolest fragrance set I've seen for a while.
I love the removable denim pouches that the perfumes are incased in. You get two different fragrances, Pomelo Paradis and Oolang Infini. Both are 30ml. The standard fragrances usually retail at £65 each, so you're saving a bit of dosh and getting the limited edition packaging. Pomelo is my favourite. It reminds me of walking through the orange tree lined streets of Seville, one of my favourite cities in the World. It has top notes of Pink grapefruit, mandarin and black currant. The middle notes are orange blossom, Bulgarian rose and mint. The base notes are amber and vetiver. It's truly stunning.
Oolang Infini is also dreamy. It's full bodied and smooth. Kinda sexy but fresh. The top notes are Bergamont, neroli and freesia. The middle notes Oolang tea, jasmine and blond leather. The base notes are Tobacco flower, galac wood and musk.
So if you're after a new fragrance, these 2 look and smell beautiful.
Char, babes, you've done it again. This palette is a stunner. As with all the Instant eye palettes, it's easy to use thanks to the numbered perspex that comes with the packaging to show you what order to apply the shadows. The pigment is very good. There's a variety of mattes and shimmers. The colours are buildable, meaning they layer and blend extremely well. It's a palette that will become a staple in your makeup bag.
GUYS, I DID SWATCHES!!!! Are you proud of me?! Ha! Look at these shades people!! Beautiful! I'm unsure if all the shades would work on deeper skin tones. I'm sure Charlotte and her team are working on that as the brand is generally very inclusive. In fact, they've just launched the Pillow talk lipsticks in richer shades which are gorgeous. K bye, I'm off to do a smokey eye.
I love a lip gloss, but what I love more is a lip gloss that's not sticky. And these by BB are just that. Also, side note, why do sticky glosses still exist? I don't know anyone who wants their hair stuck to their top lip. That is not a vibe Karen!
The formula of these is super conditioning thanks to the coffee seed and Kukui nut oils, (which I googled and is a natural moisturiser that's been used for centuries in Hawaii, who knew)?! They come in 12 shades, from nudes to brights. They work beautifully alone or other the top of a lipstick.
Here I'm wearing Rock & red. Look how shiny that baby is!
Below is some dotty swatches of all the shades. Coz, ya know, line swatches get boring. Ha!
Oh boy, this is VERY good. Firstly, Murad is an excellent skincare brand. It's reputation speaks for itself. I've been using this product for 3 weeks and I'm obsessed. It's an overnight treatment that combats the signs of sleep deprivation including fine lines, dryness and lack of radiance. It includes aroma technology which apparently enhances sleep quality, Chronopeptide, an anti-ageing peptide which supports natural repair for renewed skin vibrancy and Tri-enzyme technology, a formula that is purified from red and green micro-algae. These provide potent antioxidant protection and detoxification to reduce visible signs of premature ageing. I think it's fair to say it's a hardworking product.I love it because I haven't had to adjust my routine, I've just added it in. You apply it AFTER your moisturiser. The formula is a serum like gel and it gives an immediate glow to your skin.
I've had a lot of compliments about my skin since I've started using this. So thanks Murad. Another great product for me to smoother on my face.
I know I've already included a concealer in this months edit, but the hype has been REAL over this new Hourglass product. With the ever beautiful Rosie Huntington-Whitley as the face of the campaign and the consistent quality of Hourglass, I was drawn in immediately.
I have to say, I am really impressed. This is a slightly lighter formula than the Dior. It's formula is creamy and lightweight and it blends in incredibly well. It also contains reflective microspherical powders that diffuse across pores and fine line to give an airbrushed finish. And that isn't just some Scientific BS, it actually works.
The applicator is smaller than the Dior which means you can get it right into the inner corner of the eye. This area is one of the darkest parts of the eyes, so it's always good to be able to apply directly from the wand into that area.
This is a close up of my eye with the concealer under the eye and on the lid, no retouching.
So i'd say, if you prefer a heavier base, go for the Dior, if you prefer a natural base, go for the Hourglass.
Either way, you won't be disappointed
I'm still unsure what I think about CBD in skincare. However, I do believe it has calming properties. This cool stick by Wild flower has 300mg of CBD in it. To use it you literally roll it on any sore areas and it helps with the pain. I tend to get sore hips, mainly aches from exercise. This can sometimes be made worse by my endometriosis. This product has been a bit of a saviour. It really does help with aches and pains. It feels strangely cool at first and then it seems to relax the area. Anything that stops me having to take painkillers is a winner in my book.
So that's the end of my first Monthly must have's. I'd love to know what you think, and if you'd like this to be a monthly thing. I always appreciate your feedback.
Until next time,
Love & lipstick,
Lisa xx