iS Clinical Review

A few months ago I was lucky enough to be invited to a coffee meeting with some of the girls from Octane PR to have a chat about iS Clinical and their products.'The iS Clinical range is a prescriptive range of products and treatments that aims to be results oriented. Developed by an elite panel of leading pharmacologists, doctors and experts in molecular biology and biochemistry the range is foundered on the highest level of integrity using the purest pharma-grade and botanical quality ingredients.'

I was very lucky to get a sample of the Cleansing Complex, Hydracool serum, Active Serum Super Serum Advance and the SPF 30. So I put the products to the test over the course of a couple of months, to make sure that I could give you a true analysis of what I thought - I find that it takes a while for my skin to truly see a difference when using a new product.

Over the past few months I have been using these products as advised, mixed with the skincare routine I had previously been loving. Although I have noticed no dramatic difference in my skin, I have noticed a huge difference if I don't use the products for a day or two. The serum's in particular work amazingly and I really do feel a difference with the texture and overall appearance of my skin. The cleansing complex is also lovely. I normally use this at night after taking my make up off as it's quite a thick formula that I find works best with clean skin.

Overall I'm really impressed with iS Clinical and their products! This was a brand I'd never heard of before, however I definitely think I would like to look further into some more of their products and the especially the treatments that they offer!

REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial

Recently I've felt my skin has been quite dull and I seem to be getting some really sore spots and breakouts that leave me with quite bad scars. I've reduced the amount of make up I'm wearing and try to keep my skin make up free as much as possible but nothing seems to be working. Until I tried out the REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial Mask. 

This stuff is truly amazing! In just the first use I was immediately hooked! I've heard some really good reviews about this but am always sceptical when it comes to masks whether they really do work miracles. This one definitely didn't disappoint! 

I used this in the morning and noticed an immediate difference. My skin looked and felt brighter and a lot more smooth. My spots and scars seem to look a little reduced and not so angry, almost as if a veil had been placed over them.  Just overall, my face looked a lot brighter and more radiant meaning that my make up looked a little better through the day and I didn't really feel I needed to put as much on.

The only thing I didn't really like about this was the smell. I am really sensitive to scents though and I love the product so much I can definitely forgive this one little thing! This is the first product I've tried from REN and I'm definitely going to have to try a few more!

Have you tried anything from REN I should look for?

Soap and Glory Skincare Series - 5 - The Fab Pore 2-in-1 Pore Purifying Mask and Peel

Even just reading the name of these Soap and Glory products I feel slightly tongue tied! Today is the fifth instalment of a little series I'm doing every month looking at a product that I've tried from the Soap and Glory Skincare Range which I absolutely love!

This past month or so I've been trying out the 'Fab Pore 2-in-1 Pore Purifying Facial Mask and Peel'. This is a mask that you leave on for 15 minutes and claims to battle breakouts, minimise large pores and exfoliate the skin.

This mask is a light green colour sort of paste which goes on quite thick. I apply quite a good layer over my whole face really focusing on my T-zone and over the tops of my cheeks where I seem to get quite large pores. I then leave it on for the 15 minutes and use a soft cloth to wipe it off with warm water.

Using this mask I think has definitely helped pep up my skin a bit! After using it I notice that my skin is a bit brighter, a lot smoother and it has been helping me control my breakouts a bit (seeing as I've been having so many of them lately!) It has small micro-beads in as well which really help exfoliate. The scent of this isn't too strong and it just leaves my skin feeling nice and fresh!

Have you tried any good masks lately?

Soap and Glory Skincare Series - 4 - Puffy Eye Attack Turbo-Boost Hydragel

My fourth product I've looked at this past month or so as part of my Soap and Glory Skincare review series is the 'Puffy Eye Attack Turbo-Boost Hydragel'. This is an eye cream that is supposed to help with dark circles under the eyes and puffiness. 

With first use, I found that this made my eyes sting slightly but I seem to have found that with first use of a lot of the Soap and Glory products and that it goes away by the second use. I noticed results however almost immediately! Within a couple of days I did see a slight difference in brightness and a slight reduce in the puffiness under my eyes! (I'm not great at sleeping so my under eye circles are quite bad!)

I use this both in the morning and evening after I apply my moisturiser and dab a tiny amount in all under my eye up to the inner corner and all the way to the bottom of my dark circles with my ring finger - this is the best finger to use as it doesn't pull on the skin at all! I also found that this was nice and moisturising for under my eyes when putting on concealer. Before using this I found that under my eyes was really dry and my concealer didn't sit so well and this has really helped to stop that!

I've used this for over a month now and really like it! I skipped using it a couple of evenings to see if I could notice any difference and again it was almost immediate! The next morning my dark circles were a lot worse and I struggled to cover them!

The tub for this is 14ml so it's really nice and compact and you only use a tiny dab so this will definitely last ages and I definitely recommend it a try! 

Have you tried any new skincare products lately you've loved?

(Also if anyone has any recommendations I'd love to hear them, I seem to be having a tough time with my skin at the moment - breakouts, make up not lasting, pigmentation issues - so I'd love to know if anyone's tried anything they would recommend for a girl with combination skin!)

Winter Wish List

I really enjoyed making my Autumn wish lists (linked here and here) and looking back to see what I have actually got or what I'm carrying over. So I thought I would do one for Winter as well! Even thought the weather hasn't changed as much as it does from Summer to Autumn, I still find that with it getting a lot colder I need to change both my beauty/skincare routine and my wardrobe. Here's just a few things I'm going to be looking out for this Winter...

(Going clockwise from top left)

1. Knee high boots
 I've become slightly shoe obsessed in previous months and have decided the next thing I'd like which I don't have in my collection are a pair of knee high boots. These ones are from Duo and I've been eyeing them up for ages now (possibly a early Christmas present for myself? I wish!)

2. MAC 'Ruby Woo' Lipstick
I've seen so many people raving about this one lately saying that it's a staple item and I definitely think I've been convinced! Such a perfect colour for this time of year and possibly the perfect red shade!

3. The 'Boyfriend' Coat
 I absolutely love this style of coat and think it looks so chic but really easy to wear! I've been looking for one all last season but can't get one that isn't too long/doesn't look like I'm wearing my Dad's coat so I'll definitely be on the hunt for one like this!

4. New Look Tartan Reversible Scarf 
New Look have brought out a few colours of these scarves and I honestly can't decide which one is my favourite! I love that you can almost get two scarves out of one or wrap it round and get the different sides together!

5. Una Brennan Superfacialist 'Salicylic Acid Anti Blemish Pore Purifying Clay Mask'
 I've been meaning to try this out for ages and have been really been getting into using face masks more as a little pamper session in the evenings. I love the idea that this hopefully absorbs oil and helps with blemishes!

6. Body Shop 'Glazed Apple' Collection
I think this is a limited edition scent for Christmas and I'm really hoping they bring it in to their full range! It's such a fresh scent (I almost want to eat it!) and I'm going to try and stock up before it leaves stores!

7. Elegant Touch Press On Nails 
I've been trying out a set of these nails recently and am really impressed! The current pair I'm wearing have only been on for a couple of days but they're really comfortable and didn't take me too long to apply seeing as I normally get someone else to do them. I love the glitter and Christmas versions they have out though and will definitely be picking some up for parties this time of year!

What's on your wish list at the moment?

Soap and Glory Skincare Series - 3 - Instant Radiance Energy Boost Balm

In my third edition to my skincare review series of Soap and Glory products I've been trying out the 'Bright Here Bright Now Instant Radiance Energy Boost Balm' (bit of a tongue tangler!). This is a skin-perfecting cream which claims to lift, energise, tighten and brighten the skin and give a super-radiant glow! My skin has been lacking recently and I feel I quite often go through stages with my skin where it just seems a bit dull and doesn't react well to my make up, so thought I would try this out and see if it helped at all.

 

At first try of this one, as with many of the other Soap and Glory products, it did tingle slightly whilst it soaked in, but by the second go I didn't even notice it was on my skin! It has a bit of a strong scent when you initially pop it onto the skin which I didn't like too much, but doesn't smell at all once rubbed in and soaks in really easily. The formula is pretty much that of a light moisturiser, which is how I like to use it, or it can be mixed in with your foundation/base products. 

I've noticed a slight difference with this, using it in the morning and letting it soak in before doing my make up. I've definitely noticed a bit of a skin-perfecting element (I don't expect it to do much without actual concealer added in as I do have quite bad scaring) and think that it just adds a bit of life to the skin with a bit of a radiance. It's not too brightening that you glow (I have combination skin so was slightly weary but I don't get any more oily in my t-zone than before using it) and it just adds a little highlight where needed! I think it would be really nice to use strategically as a subtle highlighter if you wanted!

I'm definitely going to be trying this out mixed in with tinted moisturiser next!

Have you tried any skincare products recently you've loved?

Marks and Spencer Christmas Event

This past Wednesday, I had the pleasure of being invited along to The Mall Cribbs Causeway's Marks and Spencer store for their first Christmas Blogger Event. They had transformed their Espresso bar into a 'Winter Wonderland' showcasing some of their best pieces for this season, along with lots of lovely nibbles, a beautiful Christmas tree and nail bar!

They had some beautiful rails out, full of this seasons must haves and faves! I spotted a few items which I will definitely be popping in to look at more for Christmas parties including gorgeous skirts, blouses and a coat which I may just have my eye on now! Their Christmas jumpers were also probably the best I have seen this year, along with their hats and scarves which I will definitely be donning this Christmas season! 

I had already been eyeing up the Marks and Spencer Christmas gift sets this year, especially the beauty ones! The boxes for most of their sets is a beautiful rose gold colour, perfect as a bit of a luxury present! They have some brilliant gifts as well that are more non-beauty prezzies that are well worth checking out!

Marks and Spencer also have some really great brands in the beauty department including Ren and Diego Dalla Palma; brands which I don't really see around much and am very excited to try out! I was also lucky enough to be given a few mini goodies from these brands which I most definitely will be trying out and letting you know how I get on with them! 

Unfortunately, I had to pop off slightly early, but I would really like to thank the great team that organised this lovely event for inviting me! I'll definitely be looking forward to if they have another one next year!

'No Make Up' Make Up Base

This week for some reason I had a bit of an allergic reaction to something and haven't been able to wear any make up etc around my eyes (except mascara which I pretty much could never leave the house without!) I've been having a lot of these days lately though, trying not to wear too much make up and actually think I prefer it sometimes.

(Excuse the well used bottles, for some reason the writing always rubs off within a day, does anyone else find this?)

I've not been wearing foundation day to day but quite like the lighter, less coverage base that I've been wearing. Of course, it doesn't last all day but with a little bit of topping up of powder half way through I don't really mind that my skin and scars are showing through a bit, actually I'm kind of trying to embrace them! I also have combination skin so do get a fairly shiny T-Zone but have found wearing less sometimes means I don't become so much of a sheeny mess within an hour!

MAC Studio Moisture Tint in 'Medium Plus' - I don't wear this every day but just the days where my skin has a few more dry patches or needs a little bit of a pep up. It's not much coverage but keeps the skin hydrated and does help to even things out a bit!

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 'Warm Medium' - A staple for so many beauty bloggers and definitely one for me! I've used this for years and just find that it gives really good coverage and blends really nicely. I only wish they did more colour options!

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in 'Soft Beige' - Not being able to wear much around my eyes I've found this is the lightest and softest thing to use under my eyes that didn't irritate them so much. I definitely think this is one of the best high street concealers for under eyes you can get!

MAC Studio Fix Powder in 'NW25' - I've only been using this the past couple of weeks but really love the extra coverage it gives. It's a really light texture that doesn't feel at all heavy on the skin and just keeps things in place a little bit longer. You can either use it as a lightly tinted powder or build it up a bit for extra coverage.

Have you been loving any base products lately?

Autumn Beauty Menu

As with most people, when the season changes so does my make up routine. I love all the autumnal colours, all the deep golds, purples, burgandys and berries and love experimenting with the season. So I thought I'd put together a little 'make up and beauty menu' of a few bits I love wearing for Autumn!

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 'On and On Bronze' - Great for just a sweep of colour over the lids, as a primer or built up as a base for a gold smokey eye look!

Sleek Contour Kit in 'Light' - Even though Summer's over I still love a good bronze to keep the tan going a bit longer. I love using this as an eye shadow too!

Maybelline Colour Drama Lip Crayon in ' Keep it Classy' - I absolutely love berry lips and this lip pencil is so great! It's so easy to apply and doesn't feel at all drying on the lips, I'm definitely going to be picking up more colours!

Benefit Rockateur Blush - This is probably one of my favourite blushes of all time, I think it's perfect for this time of year though! Gone are the corals and pinks of Summer, instead this has a slightly darker tone and gives the cheeks a warm natural flush

Max factor Colour Elixir lipstick in 'Burnt Caramel' - This is a great one to wear everyday, it's a bit deeper than a 'your lips but better' colour so great for this season to just add a slight colour!

Deep Red, Plum and Nude Nail Polish - I love darker nail colours a lot of the time and these are great for Autumn. If not then light greys and nudes are my definite go to

Urban Decay Naked Palette - I could probably use this quite easily all year round. The only difference this season is the colours, at the moment I'm loving using the darker colours and really building them up for a slightly more smokey look or sheering them for a more natural look

What products are you loving this Autumn?

October Favourites

I honestly have no idea where this past month has gone! It feels like just yesterday we weren't starting back the college year and now it's only 8 weeks till Christmas (not that I'm counting or anything...although, maybe I am). With the Autumn Season coming to a high and the colder weather coming in, I've changed up my routine slightly this month and been trying out some new bits. These are just a few things I've been loving this month (including a non 'beauty' fave)!

Urban Decay Naked Palette - I got this for Christmas last year and seemed to use only this for months. Then Summer came and with the exception of a little soirée with 'Half Baked' I didn't seem to be reaching for it all that much. This month though, I've regained my love for this beautiful palette, particularly loving using 'Smog' and 'Buck' at the moment!

Soap and Glory Sexy Motherpucker Gloss Stick in 'Plum Jam' - With last months mention of this lipstick in 'Nudist' I sparked my own interest to pick them all out again and remember what great colours they are for Autumn, particularly this one! I just pat this in my lips day to day, or build it up for a little more colour and more of a dramatic look!

Burgundy Top - I purchased this top from New Look a few weeks back now and have just got so much wear out of it! It's great as a 'day to night' piece that I wear for any occasion, dressing it up with heels and black jeans or blue jeans and boots for the day. I love this colour for Autumn as well!

The Righteous Butter Body Lotion - I'm a huge lover of all Soap and Glory products, I've never found anything I didn't like really and don't think I ever will. I've always used their body butters, but wanted to try this one seeing as it was a lotion so hopefully quicker to use (which it was) and liked that it had a pump rather than a tub. Definitely will be repurchasing this one!

The Maze Runner Trilogy - I started reading these books when I went on holiday late September and have just been hooked! I'm just starting the third one now but wanted to finish the first one before seeing the film and cannot put them down! They're packed with action but a great mysterious back story which you find bits out about throughout. I both can't wait to finish this and also don't want to at the same time!

What have you been loving this month?

Love Hope xxx

Soap and Glory Skincare Series - 2 - The Fab Pore Moisture Lotion

The second edition to my little Soap and Glory skincare review series sees me trying out the 'Fab Pore Moisturiser'. Such as with the facial wash, I've been trying this for a little while now, incorporating it into my daily skincare routine. 

I picked this moisturiser as I have combination skin and wanted to see if it would work to minimise pores and control that troublesome t-zone and I'm glad to say I definitely noticed a difference! 

Within the first few weeks of using it, my skin did feel a bit better. My skin was more soft and even a bit brighter. I noticed when I swapped it for a tinted moisturiser in the mornings that I was having a lot more breakouts and getting dry patches, but as soon as I switched back it was a lot more manageable. I'm not sure it controls the oils in my t-zone as such, but it has helped minimise pores slightly.

As the weather's getting colder, it's still keeping up its duties, although I am finding that the change in the weather is meaning that I have a lot more troublesome dry patches so I may need to start using something a bit stronger overnight, but I'll definitely be keeping this one in the routine in the morning!

Do you have any skincare recommendations I should try out?

Love Hope xxx

Review - MAC Studio Moisture Tint

Recently I have been trying not to wear foundation except on special occasions in hope that my skin would clear up a bit. I'd been using the Nivea Tinted Moisturiser but found it wasn't quite doing as great a job as I'd have liked, so I popped to my local MAC counter to see what they had to offer.

I picked up the Studio Moisture Tint in the shade 'Medium Plus'. It's described as a 'light tinted moisturiser' that's easy to use and provides just enough to coverage to even out skin tone and I definitely think it does the job here! I have combination skin and despite this not necessarily staying put all day on my face, I do like the finish, and just use a bit of concealer to touch up any blemishes or troublesome patches.

I'd definitely repurchase this one again, however I do think I'd quite like something with a bit more coverage at the moment and maybe a bit more of a matte finish for this colder season. I'm thinking of trying the Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser next? Anyone know if it's any good?

Have you used a tinted moisturiser you think I should try?

Love Hope xxx

Soap and Glory Skincare Series - Facial Wash

So recently I decided to start a little series for my blog of a brand that I absolutely love! I have always had quite troublesome skin (as many teenagers find) and am extremely strict with myself when it comes to skincare. No matter what, I will always remove all my make up at night, cleanse my face (not with a facial wipe either) and moisturise without fail. However, like many people, I still strive for that perfect, blemish free skin and am always eager to try new things. 

Soap and Glory has become one of my favourite make up and body and bath brands over the years and from the get go of them being in Boots I fell in love with pretty much everything they bring out.  Quite conveniently a couple months ago, I was just coming to the end of my facial wash and wanted a new one, so popped into Boots and picked up this 'Face Soap and Clarity 3-IN-1 Daily Detox Vitamin C Facial Wash'.

This facial wash is really lovely, it feels and smells really fresh and does leave your skin feeling really clear even when you've had a full face of make up on all day. It has tiny 'scrub beads' which gently exfoliate and get rid of any dead skin. The first time I used this it did feel slightly odd as I had used the Liz Earle Hot Cloth cleanse and polish for a while, however for only £8.00 (and also normally either on 3 for 2 or special offer) you can't really go wrong. The 150ml bottle has also lasted me about a month or more using it both morning and evening every day so well worth the price and more!

I'd always rather spend a bit extra on skincare as in the long run it means you would hopefully not have to wear as much make up. I'd definitely recommend giving this a go if you want a bit of a change up in your skincare routine (as long as you check it fits your skin type which it should hopefully do most) and want to try something new!

Let me know if you like this little series or if you have any skincare products you really like?

Love Hope xxx