Vichy Idealia Moisturiser Review

Vichy Idealia Moisturiser £29.99 available from Boots 

Vichy is a brand that I am slowly that I am getting to know and there are a couple of products that have really stood out so far for me. The Vichy Idealia Smoothing and Illuminating cream has been my go to day time moisturiser for a few weeks now, in a bid to help inject a little bit of radiance back into my skin. They enlisted the help of hundreds of women across four countries, of various ages and ethnicities, to which they identified that there was a loss of 'ideal skin'. This 'ideal skin' doesn't just include wrinkles and loss of firmness but also the challenge we face to maintain an even, smooth complexion whilst also keeping a youthful glow. So using this information Vichy created their Idealia skincare products aiming to restore  healthy looking skin that is more even, refined, youthful and radiant. I have certainly noticed a difference in my own skin after 8 weeks of using it, my skin is slowly becoming smoother, more radiant and even. It has a lovely refreshing feel to it, the cream itself is quite thick but somehow has the lightness of a gel, melting into my skin leaving no residue behind but still injecting moisture. Enriched with Vichy thermal spa water helping the skin to fortify and regenerate itself  whilst soothing even sensitive skin. The immediate effect is a soft radiance that creates a natural glow, there is something about this moisturiser that feels like it is bringing my skin back to life. I have been wearing more BB and CC creams recently and pairing them with Vichy Idealia, they seem to be a perfect partner both working to create a dewy even finish. 

Vichy Idealia has new DRM Bright and LHA technology which is the first formula to act on each layers to help reduce blemishes and visible redness. Having been tried and tested under dermatological conditions, the range is Hypoallergenic, Noncomedogenic and Paraben free so no matter what type of skin you have, dry, sensitive or slightly oily you will see results. it has been proven safe for even the most sensitive of skin. 

Obviously I can't comment on the claims of youthful, plumped skin and a reduction in the appearance of wrinkles as I don't have any of those problems yet. However as I said above my skin is certainly more refined with my pores appearing reduced, my uneven skin tone is slowly becoming more even and the biggest improvement I have noticed is the overall look of my skin being healthy and radiant. 

I definitely recommend anyone looking for a new moisturiser, serum or BB cream to check out the Vichy Idealia range as it has become a permanent fixture in my morning routine. Let me know if you have tried anything from the Idealia range? 

Decleor Aroma Cleanse Eye Make-up Remover Review

Decleor Aroma Cleanse Eye Make-up Remover £21.00 available from Decleor

Decleor for me is one of those brands that just feels like I'm adding a touch of luxury to my routine when I use one of their products. Decleor has years of experience in creating great products that give you a luxurious spa experience in the comfort of your own home.  The newest addition to the Decleor make-up removal family is a biphased formula, the  Cornflower water mixed with the Carnellia oil easily melts through even the best waterproof mascara. Eye make-up remover is something I run out of very quickly, I'm always looking for that perfect formula that isn't greasy (I hate the feeling of my eyes being coated after using an oily cleanser), that also feels refreshing but that can remove all my makeup with ease. This is so quick to use just shake up the bottle and soak a cotton wool pad, gently press it onto your eye for a few seconds (longer if you have on eyeliner, false lashes etc) and then wipe away. If you are having trouble removing your makeup with ease just let the cotton wool soak in a little longer, so you aren't tugging at your eye over and over. Overall I am loving the results from this and haven't used another product for months, although I do wince at spending £21.00 each time I buy a bottle I am quickly reassured that I know it will quickly remove my makeup whilst keeping my eyes refreshed.

Are you a Decleor fan? Have you tried the new Aroma Cleanse Eye Make-up Remover yet?

March Favourites 2013

Origins Drink It Up Intensive overnight mask does a brilliant job at quenching skins thirst if you are suffering from dry or dehydrated skin. Simply pop on just before you go to bed and when you wake up your skin will be plumped, soft and nourished. This has been a staple in my skincare routine for over a year now, it is a really simple way to keep my skin moistured. 

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Recently my my legs have been very dry and I have been slapping on this soothing repairing balm a new launch from La Roche-Posy and it is fab. The multipurpose balm is suitable for even the dryest of skins, it can be used pretty much every where from cracked lips, as a face cream, your body or on minor grazes and burns. It provides relief to dry itchy skin and will leave your skin feeling thoroughly moistured all day.

Indeed labs Hydraluron Moisture Booster seems to be well loved in the beauty community and now I'm a fan too. You need a small amount of the thick clear gel for your face, it is absorbed very fast and gives a nice plump nourished feel to my skin, very very soft in fact. I love the way my skin looks and feels after applying this and has made it a must have everyday for me now. 

Liz Earle Powder Blush in 05 Coral has been my everyday blusher for ages now and it is one of those products you use so much that you forget to actually blog about it. The coral shade is perfect for brightening up my skin and stays in place all day. I am a massive fan of the Liz Earle makeup range, everything I have tried I have loved. 

Liz Earle Perfect Fix Concealer in 04 Medium another great product from Liz Earle, this conceals nicely and doesn't feel cakey, creamy texture that blends in well. Set with a little loose powder and this won't budge. I highly recommend you have a look at the Liz Earle makeup range as there are lots of lovely products to check out.

Topshop Glow in Polished this was my first dabble into Topshops makeup range and I have to say for a fashion brand it is actually really nice. This does give a gorgeous glow, I like to dap a little on my cheek bones, brow and cupids bow to grab the light. I can't say a bad word and has definitely made me want to go back to check out some more from the range. Let me know if you have any suggestions?

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Nectar another staple in my makeup bag. This works beautifully alone as a sheer wash of colour, or on top as a highlighter or over a matte blush to give it some more dimension. 

Revlon Colourburst Lip Butters in 090 Sweet Tart (left) and 095 Crème Brulee (right) I am very late in trying these out, they did sit in my makeup drawer waiting to be tested and I have finally got around to it. I love the creamy testure but still with plenty of colour, with a great selection of shades as well. I have now managed to buy quite a few colours and these two are my top picks, I love Sweet Tart a little more as I am having a bit of a colour moment right now. 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 020 Lovesick Passionnee another product that I have just gotten around to trying this month and another product I have loved using. so easy to apply and pop in my handbag for touch ups. Very moisturising and the colour line up is good. I love this medium-bright pink and on days when I have just wanted some easy to wear I have found myself reaching for this.

Sleek MakeUP Truly Mattely Deeply in Jazz I posted a picture of myself wearing this on Instagram last week as I love the texture and finish to this. The colour is super bright and the matte texture makes it really pop, no need to worry about any transfer here and this staying power is amazing. Make sure you apply some lipbalm before you use this, because it is a matte formula any dry or cracked lips will be noricable.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain in 17 I'm sure you have seen plenty about these but I have to mention it as I have again been reaching for this medium pink shade quite a few times. It's such an easy product (can you see a theme here for easy to wear lip products? Having a lazy makeup month) lipstick, stain and gloss all in one. There are plenty of shades to go for, from nudes to impacting reds, I have amassed quite the collection as I love them for the comfortable glossy finish. Do go have a play at your nearest counter, I highly recommend the Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stains

What have been your faves this month? 

REN Micro Polish Cleanser Review

REN Micro Polish Cleanser £20 available from SpaceNK and REN

Since I became obsessed with all things beauty, I also became obsessed with all things skincare and I always love to try new products. I tend to go for the same products, anything that will help clear, brighten and renew my skins texture. Enter this little gem from REN their Micro Polish Cleanser which is a creamy exfoliating cleanser, that not only thoroughly cleanses my skin but also sloughs off any dead skin cells revealing brighter clearer skin. Formulated with a mix of Papain, Glycolic Acid and Amber Microbeads, with a sweet scent, this not only deeply cleans your skin but it reduces pore size too and helps to minimize fine lines. I use this more as a facial cleanser than a scrub because it is so creamy, it is perfect for use everyday but if you wanted to use it more as a scrub then 2-3 times a week would be fine. Overall this is a lovely product if you are looking to improve your complexion and give it a bit of a boost. My skin has been looking great thanks to this and a few other products that I will be sharing over the next week so stay tuned. 

Are you a REN fan? Let me know which products are your favourites in the comments.

Darphin Age-Defying Dermabrasion Review

Darphin Age-Defying Dermabrasion £50.00 available from SpaceNK

This has pretty much been glued to my bathroom shelf lately, my skin has been suffering due to my ill health and I have been trying to find some products to help sort it out. The Darphin Age-Defying Dermabrasion has been brilliant at rejuvenating my skin and polishing away clogged pores. With natural exfoliants of Silica, Pearl and Lava that give this a creamy feel yet you can still feel it working, something that for me is a must I need to feel an exfoliator working to get deep into my pores. It is still however alright to be used on even sensitive skins. The formulation has been made to help reduce the look of pores, age spots, fade discolouration/pigmentation and smoothing the skin so lines & wrinkles will appear lessened. Simply take a small amount and massage in a circular motion on damp, or dry skin depending on what you prefer, then rinse off with warm water and you reveal new bright skin. I love how my skin feels after using this twice a week, I haven't touched another exfoliator since I started using this as none have given me results like this. If you are looking to try something new and really want to improve your skins texture and appearance, you have to try this out I really can't say a bad word about it.

Do you have a favourite Darphin product, tell me in the comments! Or let me know if you love this too?

By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder Review

By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder £41.00 from SpaceNK

By Terry is one of my favourite brands, though it is an expensive brand, I can't think of a bad thing to say about anything I've tried. The Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder is a new product in the fact the powder is formulated with Hyaluronic Acid and it gives you a flawless soft finish. This finely milled powder is all about perfecting your skin, smoothing, concealing pores, blurring imperfections and all without any feeling of wearing a powder. Impressive. You can use this under makeup as a primer or over to set everything, being formulated with the Hyaluronic Acid means it will help to retain moisture in your skin, keeping your skin flawless. The fact you need such a small amount lets this product go the distance, I apply this using the rolling method with my fingers to areas that I need to blur (pores mainly) and then dust a little over the rest of my face. I would love to see By Terry bring this out in a compact version which would make it easier for travelling, but that's only because my makeup bag is tiny so anything compact is a plus for me.

Don't be put off by the price as this is a truly amazing product that will give your skin a flawless finish, do pop into your nearest By Terry counter to try this out and you won't be disappointed.
What are your thoughts about this new powder, have you tried it out?

My week #1

//1//Testing new products//2//Returning home from another far too long hospital stay//3//My favourite ice cream mint choc chip//4//Loving Sleeks matte lipstick - review this week//5//Enjoying having my BF home after 3 months apart//6//Wrapping up in fur to keep cosy//7//Lunch fave this week of chicken noodle soup & fresh bread//8//New Escada Cherry In The Air perfume is gorgeous//9//Having a pink makeup moment//

Something a little different on the blog today, since I've become obsessed with using Instagram for every photo now I thought at the end of each week I'd share some of my fave snaps or moments from the week. Make sure you follow me too: MakeupLoveerBlog

Lips: Lime Crime and Kelly Brook

I have found myself moving away from colour again and going through a nude lip phase, I have been loving how these two products work together. I have been a fan of Lime Crime for years now, I have quite a few of their lipsticks as they feel great and the pigmentation is insane for such a creamy lipstick. This is 'Coquette' their nude shade, it is one of my favourite nudes as it just seems to look fabulous whether I have a tan or not. As for the lipgloss from the Kelly Brook for New Look collection, I was pleasantly surprised by how this looked on, good pigmentation and the formula isn't sticky. I can't stand an overly sticky lipgloss. Overall the Kelly Brook collection surprised me and i will be showing you some more products from the collection over the next week.

Do you love a nude lip? What products do you reach for?

The Body Shop's New Brand Activist Leona Lewis

We all fell in love with her and her voice on the X Factor back in 2006, going on to win the series and take the world by storm with over twenty million album sales. Teaming up with The Body Shop seemed a natural fit for Leona, who is a long-time vegetarian and animal lover, marrying perfectly with The Body Shops's vision of cruelty-free beauty. Leona will be assisting the brand and NGO Cruelty Free International on their campaign to end the animal testing in the cosmetics industry forever, adding to the ban on cosmetics being tested on animals that will come into place on March 11th this year in the EU. Leona has also collaborated with them to create a cruelty-free make-up and fragrance collection, 'Limited Edition Collection by Leona Lewis', which includes 100% vegetarian cosmetics in the new must have on trend shades. 

What Leona says: “I’m passionate about beauty and I’m all about animal rights. As a result, I’m really conscious of where the products that I use come from. The Body Shop sells cruelty free, ethical products containing amazing Community Fair Trade ingredients. The collaboration is a natural fit!”

The Limited Edition Collection by Leona Lewis is available at selected stores from 26^th March 2013 and to celebrate the partnership, Leona will also be holding an exclusive gig for fans which will be live streamed on March 26^th 2013.  For more information on the gig, follow The Body Shop on Facebook.

 

Quick Product Reviews: SkinCeuticals

Find out more about SkinCeuticals at their website here!

After my recent absence from blogging I was excited to get back to testing new products and I knew exactly where I wanted to start. Having undergone a lot medically in the past few months, sadly my skin and body have taken a hit, so I wanted to find something that would brighten my complexion and give me back my glow. SkinCeuticals have a brilliant line up of products to fight and repair pigmentation, from the three that I have tried I can see why the brand have won so many awards as they have formulated some really amazing products. Keep reading for my quick reviews on each of the above and please let me know in the comments if you are a fan and what products you love.

The Hydrating B5 mask is a beautiful mask, the thick rich texture, full of hyaluronic acid that provides excellent hydration for the skin, it can hold up to 1,000 times it's own weight in moisture and it certainly delivers that into your skin. The added Vitamin B5 in this also provides your skin with extra cellular defenses  promoting healing and general well being of your skin, helping to create a healthier complexion. With most moisture masks I like to wear it overnight, I apply a generous layer onto my skin and after 15 minutes I massage what is left into my skin and then wash it off in the morning. I feel on clean skin you get a better result by doing so overnight and in the morning you wake up to radiant and nourished skin.  This is one of the better intense moisture masks that I have tried, whether you are looking for a quick one off moisture boost or something to add in your routine for a long term solution, I have been loving the nourishing results this mask has been giving my skin every week.

*PIGMENT REGULATOR PHOTO WON'T UPLOAD AT PRESENT - I WILL TRY AGAIN TONIGHT*

"This patent-pending formulation combines precise concentrations of kojic acid and emblica along with a highly efficient exfoliating blend, optimized to work by three modes of action to systematically improve uneven skin tone. Pigment Regulator inactivates tyrosinase to reduce excess melanin production, prevents melanin deposits from reaching the surface, and breaks up melanin clusters on the skin’s surface to diminish existing discoloration." From SkinCeuticals. The Pigment Regulator is a very effective product for those who are in need of help repairing hyperpigmentation, whether it is sun spots, acne scars, dark uneven patches or blotchiness, the refined formula will lighten and reduce the existing pigmentation and protect the skin from any future discolouration. I suffer from acne scarring as well as an uneven skin tone so when I find products that make a difference to my skin I stick with them, this is a new brand to me so at first I was hesitant to try them out and I wish I had got round to them sooner as this, paired with the 'Brightening UV Defence' has really lifted the deep pigmentation and given my skin a brightness I haven't seen in a while. I highly recommend this for anyone suffering from pigmentation problems or dullness, this really works hard to even and brighten your skin.

SkinCeuticals Brightening UV Defense SPF 30 has to be my favorite product of all three, with it's daily dose of hydrating, corrective and protective sunscreen this little tube with even out and brighten skin. Great for those who want to prevent any future pigmentation damage or for  anyone like me who also wants to help fight marks that are already present. This broad-spectrum sunscreen also means it will protect you from the UV rays from the sun that we know to cause the acceleration of ageing and pigmentation, this is a step you want to start young as the damage doesn't show for many years. With the star ingredient 'HyperBright Complex' which targets hyperpigmentation that will reduce pigmentation resulting from UV exposure by 42.9%, whilst also fighting future damage like I said before. SkinCeuticals created a gorgeous lightweight and fragrance free product (suitable for all skin types) that not only gives you a smoother and brighter skin tone - thanks to mint extract- but also provides long lasting 12 hours of hydration. I couldn't be happier with how my skin has been looking since I introduced this into my skincare routine, applied once or twice daily onto the face, however I also apply this to my neck and décolletage as they are the areas exposed. Now all I need is a BB cream and my skin is ready to go, it hasn't looked as good in a long time and I have to attribute that to these three products.