The last month has seen me trial and test an array of fabulous new products, so although technically – a ‘March’ edition would mean I’ve been using them in that specific month, they’re actually my current favourites and those I’ll continue to use throughout the remainder. I’m a big beauty and skincare hoarder, so I have a LOT of products. I believe it’s really important to have a few firm staples in your routine – which you know work for you and then chop and change the rest up as you go, as this means your skin doesn’t have a chance to settle – and the fabulous effects are longer lasting rather than temporary.
Herbalife Skincare | Assorted Prices | Link
First up is the Herbalife Skin selection, which compromises of a Daily Glow Moisturiser, a Citrus Cleanser, a Purifying Mint Clay Mask and an Energising Herbal Toner. Used in conjunction with one another, they promise gorgeous glowing skin – which is always a rather enticing element. Packaged in chic white and silver tubs, I really love how every product compliments the next. I think it’s very difficult to get yourself into a ‘skincare’ routine if you’ve never had a specific regime before, so this makes things 10 times easier.
You may know Herbalife as a nutrition company – as they offer a range of supplements and nutritional products, however their skincare launch is a rather recent one and seeing as nutrition and skincare work together, you know you’re in great hands. The products have a firm focus on natural ingredients, with Aloe Vera and Vitamins C & E featuring heavily – however rather than being boring and non scented, they all smell incredible! My personal favourite is the Energising Herbal Toner, which is housed in a really handy spray tube. I find the usual bottles a little tricky (as you have to tap them a few times to get things going – and then it all comes pouring out at once) so this is a welcome addition and has helped me keep up the routine – even when I’m feeling super lazy in the evenings. I noticed a considerable difference in how soft my skin felt after using each of the products – so I’ll definitely be keeping things up!
Satinique Shine Spray | £14.50 | Link
Unfortunately, due to the fine and rather dry texture of my natural hair – I cannot get away without using a leave-in product before blow drying – otherwise, it all ends in disastrous frizz. However, the products I tend to use – which do keep frizz at bay, can be a little too heavy for my fine hair, weighing it down and making it greasy within a short period of time. The Satinique Shine Spray is a unique blend of lightweight Argan Oil and shine enhancing ingredients which provides all the properties of your usual leave-in products without the weighty after effects. I’ve been using this for a couple of weeks now (throughout LFW too if you’d like to see some pictures of how it turned out) and I couldn’t be happier. It’s a fabulous product with a lovely ‘salon blow dry’ scent and plenty of shine enhancement. Even if you spritz a bit too much by accident, you’re not at risky of leaving the house looking greasy or too flat!
Amway Artistry Eye Shadow Palette | Link
If you prefer neutral eye shadows but want to experiment with something a little more adventurous for the winter-spring transition, Amway’s Artistry Palette in LITTLE BLACK DRESS is a great place to start! With a range of browns, greys and deep plum hues, the shades can be used in conjunction with one another for a really pretty smokey eye look that doesn’t involve too much hassle. My particular favourite is ‘Candlelight’ – a smokey, golden and glittering brown which can be worn on its own during the day or built up for a dramatic evening look. Crease and crinkle free, I was impressed by how long lasting the shadows are – and the soft brush it comes with far surpasses any of the usual cotton pad brushes which can very quickly build up colour too much in places and too little in others. I love this – it’s a fab palette and small enough to fit in your handbag when travelling too!
Straight ‘N’ Go | £9.99 | Link
This popped through the post a couple of weeks ago and it hasn’t left my hand since. Well, slight exaggeration but I suppose you now know how vital this is in my hair routine! Although my fine hair doesn’t take long to dry, the time spent remedying the frizz overtakes any time I have to do my make-up in the mornings, which usually means I have to choose between one or the other. The cold horrible weather means my hair wins – and I am left facing ‘you look rather tired’ comments all morning long. However, when this nifty little device came into my life – that all changed. I don’t normally do ‘bristles’ but this has changed my mind completely. With a tight grip on hair for optimum hold and little spaces for the hot air of the hairdryer to get through – this magical straightens your hair without the need for any other appliances. And the best thing of all? This one arrived with my name on it too! I’m so un-observant that I didn’t actually notice this until I’d be using it a couple of days but how lovely is that?!
When it comes to masking and improving the look of stretch marks, I’ve played between several different products. Although they’ve helped somewhat, I will admit that I find it very hard to keep up with a routine if it involves too much hassle – or fiddling around with runny oils and lotions which take ages to sink in and mean I can’t get dressed immediately after application. Phyta Lotion is a relatively new product which has the same fabulous properties (although with added Rosehip extract – which speeds things up) but as the name suggests – it’s in a lotion form – which sinks in far quicker and is much easier to use. It smells incredible (reminiscent of a spa/essential oils) and I love how softening it is on hard or dry skin. Available very easily online, if you are looking for an easier prevention and treatment of stretch marks, this is the one for you!
Often when a product is advertised as ‘anti-aging skincare’, immediately, I switch off. Although I have got a fair few forehead lines, which were inherited (thanks dad), I’m 21 and so preventing lines isn’t at the forefront of my agenda. I’m not saying that it’s not a good idea to prevent rather than cure, but it’s just not something I generally concern myself with – so when products use this in their marketing, I’m often a little vague or disinterested about wanting to try it out. However, more recently – while trying to tackle a few skin issues of my own – predominantly dry skin, I went looking for some solutions of my own.
A recommended product was a cleansing balm which you’d sleep in and use to take off your make-up, however it was completely out of my price range. Then, I came across the Face Matters 24/7 balm, essentially a pot of lard (although it smells gorgeous, so it’s not lard) which you smear over very dry skin and leave for as long as you desire before gently removing with a muslin cloth (included). My skin is ridiculously dry – and this is the only thing that has kept it hydrated for longer than an hour – so if you’re in the market for repairing dry skin, please don’t toss aside those marketed for anti-aging. Usually, this just means it’s more gentle and contains more moisture for better and faster hydration – certainly something I wouldn’t give a miss!
What are your favourite beauty bits this month?
