January 2018 Favourites

 

Lumene - Invisible Illumination Instant Glow Beauty Serum, Lumene Instant Illuminizer and Brush.

 

This was one of the sets I got for Christmas. I absolutely adore both the glow serum and the illuminizer. The Glow Serum has such light coverage yet it still manages to make my skin look fantastic. And the illuminizer is perhaps my new favourite liquid highlighter. The charcoal infused brush is quite difficult to use as it's quite hard compared to my other face brushes.

 

 

 

Desk Essentials

 

This is the pot of daily essentials I keep close to me on my desk. I use the Apothaka or Vee Beauty Ldn cuticle oil without fail twice a day; the Polaar Lapland hand cream as and when needed. And at night my routine before bed is to use the Eveline lip scrub, followed by the Laneige lip sleeping mask and finally the Vee Beauty Ldn brow and lash oil.

 

 

 

 

Bielenda Dr Medica - Capillaries Serum

 

I've got an issue!! After not really thinking I had any particular skin issues that needed addressing (apart from general aging) I noticed (with some horror) that the broken capillaries on my nose seem to be increasing and on further magnified intense scrutinising, I've realised that I am rather red in places. This has to stop! I immediately googled 'products for broken capillaries' and this one from Polish company caught my eye. It's only £4.99 for a start, secondly, it's my ideal serum consistency and appears to have some impressive instantaneous results. I haven't been using this for more than a month yet so I can't say what any long-term use has done, but I will be reviewing this later to see how it's performed after some more time has passed. Finding this serum, also led me to the rather fantastic website Clamanti and more Bielenda products, which definitely need further attention. Particularly the Bielenda Professional line.

 

 

Kiko Milano Nail Lacquer

The sale is still on in-store, so I was just idling browsing when I came across this gorgeous shiny red for just £1.00! Like all Kiko nail varnishes, this applies really well and lasts quite well too - I've had to do a couple of small top-ups on the ends of my nails (which always seem to disappear after I've been swimming).

 

 

Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadows

 

More Kiko - this time the water eye shadows, which I picked up when there was 30% off in the sale. I absolutely love these and would love to buy more (a lot more!) of this range. My favourite is the gold colour but I've also used the red/gold flip as a blush and a lip topper.

 

 

 

These swatches don't actually show the true richness of these eye shadows.

 

 

And monthly duds!

I don't usually pick any disliked products but I did try/buy a couple of duds in January!

 

 

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Duos (From Latest in Beauty Box)

Loved the colour of Jingle Red Rock (it's probably the nicest metallic red shade I've ever seen). However, both of the duos I picked up were pretty terrible, from application, to drying time and to longevity. I applied in the evening, by the next morning after I had gone swimming and cleaned the bath, the nail varnish was peeling off and chipping terribly. Such a disappointment - especially coming from a brand such as Sally Hansen.

 

 

Aveda Patchouli Oil
Patchouli is one of those evocative scents from my teens - and not necessarily in a good way! It rates alongside The Body Shop White Musk as every Indie/Goth/Alternative kids scent of choice in the late 1980s and the overpowering musky scent of both made for a very heady fug in an overcrowded pub or gig!
Saying that, I have tried some perfumes which include Patchouli recently that definitely made a huge stab at re-inventing the scent for me. Sadly, this Aveda Patchouli body oil does not fall into that bracket - it's full-on, back-to-the-80s Goth nightclub vibes and it's just a bit too much!!