Recent Beauty Favourites

Usually I have real trouble when it comes to beauty favourites, trying to narrow down my new purchases, but I have to say I've not really bought too many new things over the last few months, so it was pretty easy to select just a few new products I've been enjoying recently.

My Favourite Drugstore Face Masks

Whilst I do like to splash out on the odd skincare item now & again. it's always great when you can find something from the drugstore that works well for you too, and means you can save those spare pounds for other things. I've tried quite a few different face masks from the drugstore in recent years, with varying results, but here are three I would most definitely recommend buying, all of which are £10 or less.

Exciting New Beauty Releases

I guess I could call this a bit of a wishlist too, as I'm actually excited about every single release I'm writing about! I feel like the beauty world has absolutely exploded with new launches over the last few weeks - why is this happening when I'm trying to save money for my maternity leave?! I may treat myself to a couple of things here, but I thought I'd share the lot with you nonetheless, so here are the beauty launches I'm most excited about at the moment.

*CLOSED* Beauty Blog Sale

As our spare room is currently being turned into a nursery, and my beauty setup has had to find a new home within our house, I decided it was the right time to have a huge clearout. I have way too many beauty products, I was just never going to get through them all in time before they became really gross! So, I've decided to put just a few (yes, this is not everything!) of the bits I'm getting rid of up for sale so you guys can grab yourselves a bargain!

Most Used Products Of 2016

I don't think I really made too many new beauty discoveries in 2016, certainly not compared to previous years anyway. For me, my priorities changed and I'd much rather have gone out and bought clothes & essentials for my unborn child, or more practical items, than lots of treats for myself (that's not to say I didn't every now & again!). For me, 2016 was more about discovering what worked for me beauty wise and then sticking with that, so there aren't many new launches as such within this post, though a few were new to me personally this year. So here's my run down of my most reached for products throughout 2016.

The Star Gift For Skincare Lovers

Everyone seems to be going nuts about the half price Soap & Glory gift set this week but, whilst I have to admit it does look pretty good, there was another star gift that caught my eye in Boots this week. Since introducing Liz Earle into my skincare routine at the start of the year, I've fallen in love with her products, so when I saw The Botanist's Cabinet reduced from £60 to £30 I had to grab it as a pre-Christmas treat to myself!

Origins Clear Improvement Mask

My skin has been playing up quite a bit recently. Having lived with very dry skin for years now, it's been quite a shock to have a forehead resembling a bumpy oil slick at the end of the day. I've got an idea why this is happening, but that's a whole other blog post. I've needed to do something about it, and remembered I had this mask from an Origins gift set I received, so thought I'd give it a go as it was already in my stash.

Quick Fix Facial Calming Clay Mask

I love a good face mask, so I'm always scouring the shelves of Boots & Superdrug looking for something new to try. My skin has been dry ever since I left my teenage years behind, and it's always prone to redness, particularly around my cheeks and nose, so after spotting this mask which promises to calm the skin and reduce redness, I was keen to give it a go, especially as it was so cheap at just £4.99 for quite a large 100ml tube.

My Current Skincare Routine

Right now I'd say I've got enough skincare products stashed away to last me through 2016, after receiving a lot of new products from Christmas, then buying even more in the sale (no idea why I bought so many!). It's been a while since I posted anything about my skincare, and now that I have some new products to mix in with some old favourites, I thought I'd share with you my new skincare routine.

My Winter Beauty Saviours

Winter is a time that can really wreak havoc on our skin. I suffer from dry skin the majority of the time, but winter can be a bit of a nightmare, and I really have to step up my skincare routine and make sure I'm always moisturised - otherwise it can get pretty uncomfortable. As you can imagine, because of this I've tried quite a large number of beauty products that promise to keep my skin in top condition, with varying results. Here are my all time favourite products for keeping my skin hydrating during winter.

The Best Of Budget Skincare

When it comes to skincare, so often we read that we should be investing our money in the best brands, and quite frankly it's not always possible to spend an absolute fortune on the latest must have, miracle working moisturiser, and more often than not, the cheaper products work just as well anyway! Whilst I do like to splash out on the odd product, the majority of my skincare is bought from the drugstore, and here are my favourite finds at a more reasonable price.

Skyn Iceland Skin Hangover Kit

It's at that time of year again where the festive parties are in full swing, and for some of us that can mean overindulging and overdoing things just a little, and our skin really doesn't thank us for it. With the Christmas parties tends to come the Christmas hangovers, and our skin can sometimes be left dull and puffy. I'd seen this Skyn Iceland Hangover Kit in Marks & Spencers a few times whilst I've been having a browse around, and it seemed like a handy little kit to have this time of year, So I've been putting it to the test recently.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum

Vichy is a brand that has never disappointed for me whenever I've tried their products, especially their serums, so when I saw reviews popping up of their new Aqualia Thermal Serum, ideal for dry/dehydrated skin, then I had to give it a go. The reviews I'd seen had all been really positive, and with Vichy being a brand I trust, I was expecting great things from this serum.

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue

I'd seen a lot of positive reviews about this product when it was launched a few months ago, so I knew this would be heading straight into my basket when I went on my birthday shopping trip this month. I'm a huge fan of light bases during the summer months, especially for day to day wear, as I don't want to feel like I've got a tonne of product on my face. And I think I've now found my new favourite summer base.

Mini Lush Haul

I love Lush! I love the smells and the cute products they have. I really cannot wait to get a place with a bathtub so that I can buy more of their stuff - I'm kind of limited at the moment and I'm really missing their Comforter bubble bar! I did however pop in recently and pick up a few bits that I can use at the moment, no bathtub required.

Disappointing Products

It's not often I'm disappointed by a product, I usually do a lot of research before making a new purchase, particularly when they're quite pricey, so see if it's going to be worth my money or not. But there's always that odd occasion when a really hyped up product just doesn't seem to work for me, or doesn't meet my expectations. Sometimes I'll include a full review of them on my blog, but here are five that didn't quite make it into a post of their own.

Skincare Favourites - Origins

I'd be surprised if you hadn't heard of the brand Origins - it's probably one of the most talked about skincare brands within the beauty blogging world. And there's a very good reason for all the hype, their products really do produce great results. I hadn't tried too much from them until I purchased a gift set for myself last year, and now their products feature heavily in my regular skincare routine.

The Pre Christmas Pamper

I love a good old pamper session at any time, but that one just before Christmas just feels that extra special, with all the festive scents and colours. The pre Christmas pamper has become routine in my build up to the big day in recent years, and I usually carry it out just before I go to be on Christmas Eve. Here's a rundown of some of the products I'll be using this year.

Dr Jart+ V7 Relief Vita Drop

Dr Jart+ is a brand I've heard a lot about but not really tested out that much. I bought one of their BB creams last year and absolutely loved it - it become my go-to base last summer, but as far as their products go, that was it, so I was really happy to receive the V7 Relief Vita Drop in my November Birchbox and began testing it the same day.

Masque Bar Pore Refining Creme Mask

One brand I've seen quite a lot of since it launched in UK stores recently is Korean made Masque Bar. They have a range of four different masks - a brightening sheet mask, anti-blemish mud mask, pore refining creme mask, and an anti-wrinkle sheet mask. After seeing them very strategically placed by the tills at my local Boots, I got sucked in and decided to give their Pore Refining Creme Mask a go.