Greetings all! It’s certainly been a while since I posted. I actually hummed and hah’d about whether I should let the blog go altogether but when push came to shove (or the email came in from WordPress about renewing my domain name) I couldn’t quite let it go.
During lockdown I’ve been getting a bit obsessed with make-up and skincare (like I wasn’t before). If there wasn’t at least one package arriving at my house a week then I wasn’t happy so for the first post this year I’ve decided to put up a load of the products I’ve used for the last few months. I’ve managed to get pics of most, not all of these. You’re just going to have to take my word that I have used the products in the stock photos.
All of these were purchased by me – no freebies! But I’ve included the link where I bought them from for ease.
Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Brighten Glow Boost Skin Serum, £16.99
I was happy to jump on the Vitamin C band wagon with everyone else in the last year. Not least because it sounds much better than using an acid on skin (we’ll talk about that another time). I just happened on this one when I was doing one of my (many) orders.
I love it. I love how it feels on my skin and I love the fresh orange smell. My skin seems to like it too. I tend to put serums on in the evening and, after a run-in with hyaluronic acid, I never wear the same serum two nights in a row. I think the price point for this is great because even though it’s a small tube it’s lasted me for months. Would happily buy this again and again.
Kiko Milano Pure Clear Micellar Water Normal to Combination, £4.99
Are all micellar waters created equally? Perhaps. But for me this one did the job a bit better than any other I’ve tried – for eye make up in particular.
Again it’s price well (it’s actually on offer at time of writing), does a good job and doesn’t irritate my skin. I’ve tried a few over the last few months and this is the only one that actually stood out.
Mario Badescu Bee Pollen Night Cream, £18.
I had never used anything by Mario Badescu before so I thought I would give this a try. To be honest I’m not a fan. I found this thick, greasy and with a really odd hospital-like smell. With oily skin it just wasn’t for me but I will say this was pretty good value for money. I used it nightly for abou four months even though the pot was really small. A little goes a lont way.
Rimmel Super Gel Nail Polish Top Coat, £6.99
I’ve been using this stuff for years but I don’t think I’ve ever written about it before. I have really soft nails due to genetics and about 19 years of biting my nails. They break, peel and just about everything else wrong. Nail varnish rarely lasts more than 24 hours on me and the same goes for gel nails which just shreds them too.
But this stuff is amazing and I am absolutely sold on it. Obviously it works best with the corresponding Rimmel Gel nail colour but it works really well as a top coat with other colours too. With this on my manicures are more likely to last up to four days which is unheard of for me. I’m on my fourth or fifth bottle now but I can see many more in my future.
The picture here is of the tester I recieved in a Beauty Box subscription. After it finished I tried to go back to my favourite Benefit Roller Lash Mascara and I just couldn’t. This stuff is head and shoulders above anything I’ve used before. At the end of the day it’s still on my lashes instead of all over my face, it doesn’t irritate my eyes and frankly, it makes my eye lashes look amazing. I tend to keep an eye out for offers on the Eyeko website as they happen often
Make Up Obsession Quick Stick Foundation, £6
I’ve become a big fan of stick foundations in lockdown. They’re vey handy when you have 10 minutes to do your face before a Zoom meeting. To be honest though this always feels greasy on my skin and it doesn’t last very long. There is absolutely no chance of this surviving a session under a mask either, no matter how much primer and setting spray you might used.
Anyway you can expect a few of these as I’ve gone skincare and make up crazy lately. Hopefully a bit more often than previously!
thebelleofbelfast.com 