I often think that just as I'm feeling uninspired with makeup a surge of new products magically land on my desk to change how I feel and pick me back up again. Ultimately making me remember why I've been a beauty blogger for nearly 8 years now - I bloody love good products!
This happened at the beginning of November with both multiple new beauty and skincare additions to my stash beyond impressing me and making me want to share them with you. Since then these have been in my everyday makeup bag (and by my sink) getting used and tested. So today I felt it was the right time to share these extra special and mainly 'new in' beauty gems with you.
Ciate Go-To Illumination Blusher - Baby Doll
£17.60 HERE
From the day this stunning blusher/highlighter collection from Ciate dropped I knew I would have to try at least one of the shades. Being a total sucker from packaging, but then again who isn't, I totally honed in on this in summer and decided when I was feeling lacklustre about the current blushers in my collection I would treat myself. Fast forward a week of owning this beauty and I've already declared love, yes, because of the packaging... I mean just look at it! But also due to the soft non-powdery formula and the radiance this blusher come illuminator gives to the cheeks. I decided to go for 'Babydoll' (there are 5 shades) as the raspberry hue appealed to me. However, in real life, it's more of a pink raspberry shade that contains a lot of shimmer and truly gives the face a boost when applied. As this is so illuminating I like to apply it to the tops of my cheeks as all over the cheek area may be a little too much. Very glad I picked this up for dull winter days, the festive season and next summer!
Iconic Sculpt & Boost Eyebrow Cushion
£26.99 HERE (plus 15% off currently)
Next up, a totally new and possibly a first for the beauty world! A cushion eyebrow compact! Yes, this definitely looks like it could be a gimmick and I don't expect we will see many other brands giving it a go, but trust me when I say this is a product that totally works and is pretty damn amazing. With almost a double-sided inkwell pot covered with a cushion/sponge, this is a product you simply press your angled eyebrow brush into to saturate and directly apply to the brows. The compact comes with a nifty fold-out double-sided angled eyebrow brush with spoolie, which would be good for travel but for day-to-day, I'm pretty sure your own full size angled brush would trump it in quality. As for how the product applies, I was instantly impressed, with the fluid on both sides being pigmented and covering both gaps in the brows and over the eyebrows hairs without looking in the least bit clumpy. Also due to there being a lighter and darker colour to each compact (it comes in light, medium and dark) gradient brows both natural and full-on couldn't be simpler to achieve. With the lighter colour on an angled brush in brush-like strokes you are able to create a light yet full looking brows to the front, tapering them down with the darker colour for added definition and structure. I should also point out that the formula is also pretty waterproof and smudge proof so once you've done your brows for the day they won't budge. Without a doubt an exciting new launch that I didn't expect to love as much as I do!
NIOD Survival 30
£25.00 HERE
For me, NIOD is one of the best, if not the best, advanced skin care brands around. So when they came out with a range of sun protection fluids (they protect on many more levels, but I'd be here all day) I was eager to give their highest factor a go. Described as a range of four networked protection systems with technologies that help support healthy skin defences against environmental and lifestyle-related assaults the NIOD Survival range is perfect for anyone that wants a good dose of daily protection that works for the skin and not as a non-skincare benefiting standard sunscreen... if that makes sense! Basically, this is the ultimate anti-ageing sun protectant! Light in formula and scent this glides over the skin, instantly soaking in and becoming untraceable which did impress me. But what impresses me even more was that it's a wonderful base for foundation making anyone that buys this much more likely to apply it daily after skincare. Although I will continue to use an SPF 50 (from La Roche Posay) on the hot/sunniest days in summer as I have very fair skin, Survival 30 I can see is already becoming my daily SPF staple and is such an essential for me due to my skin tone and the fact I use chemical exfoliants within my skincare routine. For 30ml of an advanced sun protection product that's miles above anything else I think this is very much worth the spend.
Caolion Pore Triple Action Cleansing Stick - Green Tea
£23.00 HERE
To cleansing now with an interesting and innovative cleansing stick I've been using religiously for a few weeks. Hot from South Korean where they certainly know their skincare, cleansing sticks are fast becoming a staple due to not only being travel-friendly but the ideal 2nd cleanse option. The solid balm cleanser stick is intended to be turned up and applied to a dry face (after removing makeup) as a balm. Then on massaging into the skin it turns into a more fluid oil which melts away any remaining 1st cleanser and makeup residue, along with general grime and excess oil. Then to finish you simply add water, massage to create a nice almost milky lather and then wash off to reveal clean, comfortable skin. There are two variations of this specific cleansing stick - Green Tea and Charcoal, but the green tea formula appealed to me more, due to the scent and it's redness-reducing properties. Personally I find this to be a good 2nd cleanser when double cleansing and an A.M bare skin cleanser done well. It's free from sodium lauryl sulphate and is PH balanced (I'm pretty sure) so it doesn't strip the skin/disrupt the skin barrier while also being effective ts cleaning the skin and pores to keep a clear complexion. My only slight criticism is that it contains real green tea leaves and the odd small seeds which can feel scratchy when applying the cleansing balm directly over the face. This slight exfoliation element just doesn't need to be there in my opinon... although I do have high standards when it comes to cleansers and prefer a cleanser to be a cleanser and not multitask for me! Other than that this is truly a lovely cleanser that all skin types should get on with.
Emile Cordon No.72 White Coconut Cake Cashmere-on Lip Pots
£32.00 HERE
Lastly, I wanted to share an ultra-rich lip treatment that also has a multitude of uses. Yes, this is very much a 'treat' item or one you would ask for at Christmas. I mean you have to love lip balm type products a lot to spend £30+ but if you do then you will adore this range of Cashmere-on Lip Pots! Elegantly packaged along with a spatula for sanitary application this is one indulgent and comforting product. From the creamy coconut/vanilla scent to how it glides over the lips and feels like a luxurious oil as it sinks in. While being a highly moisturising lip treatment especially for winter lips the balm can also be applied to the cuticles, to dry skin patches and apparently under makeup... although you would have to have a very dry skin type to use it in that way. This really does feel like the creme de la creme of lip balms and something I will cherish through the winter months.
Let me know which products you love the look of most here - I'd love to know!
Fee xo.
