New In Garnier Shower treats.

Hello, my name is Beatrice and I'm a self-confessed shower gel hoarder on the mend. For ages I've been guilty of constantly purchasing new ones and shamelessly beginning fresh bottles, leaving behind a trail of sad looking, half-empty left overs. That was until I decided as a New Year resolution to put myself on a bath products ban and work my way through the pitiful, dusty pile and de-clutter my cabinet before it got out of hand. As it turns out, my timing was absolutely perfect and when I heard that Garnier was about to release a new range of heavenly scented shower gels, my freshly de-cluttered shower shelf and I were ready to give them a whirl.

Garnier have just launched a bunch of exciting additions to the Ultimate blends body line, in the form of 6 shower gels and two moisturizers, enriched with natural, cold-pressed ingredients to fulfill different skin needs. They all leave a delicate lingering scent on the skin and leave it silky soft and hydrated in no time, although I can assure you'll be tempted to make your shower last forever with these.

The shower gels have a dreamy, gentle formula that works up a nice lather and lightly cleanses without stripping or leaving the skin feeling tight or itchy. Scent wise, the selection is seriously fabulous and picking up just one favourite is going to be tough business.

Marvelous Oils* is the one I've been constantly reaching for in the morning to kick start the day, as the stunning mix of camellia extract and argan oil feels incredibly energizing and turns your shower into aromatherapy heaven - this one is highly recommended after yoga or a workout.
The one that feels the most unisex of the bunch is Mythic Olive* with its musky notes and lots of olive oil to nourish and repair the skin. This fragrance is truly beautiful and unlike anything I've ever smelt before; it's a walk in an olive groove on a sunny day. I adore it.

If you have a sweet tooth, you'll love the Honey Treasure* number, it's so creamy and delicious, and smells like a jar of peaches soaked in honey. It's unbelievably yummy, trust me on this one.

Finally, my personal favourite is Delicate Oat* - I really can't resist the combination of almond, vanilla and oat milk. This feels wonderful on my sensitive skin and it's perfect in the evening, right before bed.

A lemon and elder flower option that sounds lovely, and one enriched with rose oils complete the lineup.

The oat range is supposed to be the dehydrated skin hero, and the two moisturizing options for sure don't disappoint. The Ultra Blends Delicate Oat Soothing Balm (£5.99)* is a multi-purpose gem that makes quick work of rough patches on elbows, knees and heels. I feel like this will be amazing during the colder months, when my skin gets uber flakey and dry, but it's also a good one to use now before fake tanning, to keep everything streak free. The Soothing Hydrating Lotion (£4.49)* is equally effective but with a slightly lighter texture. This one has been living on my night stand for the past two weeks, as a little goes a long way and sinks in quickly, so it's the perfect last step to keep my limbs soft and moisturized before jumping into bed.

Have you tried the Ultimate Blends range before? What's your favourite scent?

*Press Samples

**Post in collaboration with Garnier Italy

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The Spring base.

Hello. It's me. Yup, still alive.

I've been feeling a bit under the weather lately and as a result my blogger mojo seems to have disappeared along with my inspiration and will to sit down and tap something on my keyboard. Anyhow, I'm back now and there's nothing better than a little foundation talk to ease back into the swing of things. I do love my base products after all.

The secret is out! Foundations are my weakness - a flawless base gets me excited like nothing else. I try so many on a regular basis, mixing and matching, and creating endless different combinations with primers, concealers and powders all the time, so coming across a mix that finds a permanent place in my routine doesn't happen very often. This combo has been a staple for me for months now and has been the perfect choice to transition into spring and face the fickle weather of the past weeks.

I've never been a massive primer person - foundations tend to last really well on me anyways, and I'd gladly skip the extra layer any day if it means a more natural, skin-like finish; on the other hand though, I'd do pretty much anything for the extra glow and that's where the Becca Backlight Priming Filter (£32) comes in. This primer is expensive skin in a bottle, it gives a beautiful dewy finish without any detectable shimmer or weird metallic glow. Like an instant facial, it makes your skin look tight, plump and incredibly refreshed, and I love how the lit-from-within glow subtly shines through the base. Such a great quick fix for dry and dull skin.

With the L'Oreal True Match Foundation (£9.99) has been love at first use - I was already a huge fan of the original, but the new True Match is even better and works like a dream on my normal to dry complexion, as it's slightly more moisturizing than it used to be. It's the perfect compromise between beautiful coverage and luminous finish, with quite a long lasting formula that always feels comfortable no matter how long you wear it. Also, it's easy to build for a flawless finish or sheer out for relaxed days, so it's very versatile.

A product that definitely deserves the holy grail status is the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (£22.50), which might just be my most repurchased makeup item ever. I really can't be without this concealer. This dreamy product covers everything from redness to uneven tone and spots, but it's especially good for dark circles, as it's so creamy and keeps the under-eye area soft and hydrated while giving instant lift and brightness to the skin. I adore it.

Finally, I couldn't leave the house without a quick swipe of blush. I have a few shades on rotation at the minute, but the Milani Rose Powder Blush in Romantic Rose (£6) is definitely a staple for me. This is a lovely nude pink hue with a natural matte finish that blends like a dream and gives colour and definition to the cheeks without monopolizing the final look. It's a must-have shade, especially if you wear a lot of bold lipsticks or intense smokey looks.

Have you tried any of these products? What are your go-to base picks?

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Valentine's day pamper with Lush.

Happy Valentine's day, ladies! How's your day going?
As far as I'm concerned, since Mr. Charming - the real one - is still MIA, I plan to spend the day with the bottled version, enjoy a lovely pamper, courtesy of Lush, and hang around in my favourite pyjama. Scratch that overpriced bouquet, nothing beats a bag full of gorgeous bath goodies.

A couple of weeks ago I went to Lush to find out more about the Valentine collection and got myself a new man. With the very pink Prince Charming Shower cream (£4.95)* it was love at first sniff, the lad is clearly so popular for a reason. The scent it's very girly and sweet, but not in a sickly way - the vanilla extract is perfectly balanced out by a splash of grapefruit oil and pomegranate juice, that also add a unique musky twist to the mix -, and lingers on the skin for a long time after you've stepped out of the shower. I'm so glad Lush are bringing back old favourites in shower cream form, I think they're some of the best products they do. They have a lovely thick consistency that foams nicely and always leave my limbs so soft and supple, as they're packed with lots of cocoa butter to nourish the skin.

The Roses All The Way Soap (£4.25)* is easily the most adorable product of this mini collection - ok, maybe it's a tie with Unicorn Horn bubble bar. Honestly, how cute is that? - and it's also seriously divine. It has a beautiful clean scent with a hint of rose essence, which is so sooting and cozy and reminds me of the equally lovely Rosy Cheeks fresh face mask. It does linger on the skin slightly after use but it's not overwhelming in any way and shouldn't clash with fragrances and such. Soaps can sometimes be drying but it's not the case with this one, as under the tap it turns into a creamy soft lather that feels silky and moisturizing. Lush sure know how to turn something as simple as washing your hands into an exciting ritual.

Did you get any Lush product for Valentine's day?

*Press samples

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Currently on my radar.

001 Despite my well-known love for luxury beauty items, I've never felt tempted to splurge on the Tom Ford range before - somehow everything seemed too overpriced to me, like I was paying for the packaging and the brand, rather than for the actual product -. This stayed true till the Lips&Boys came out - the struggle is real when it comes to mini sizes, guys - and my eyes fell on the Nude Dip Eye Colour Quad (£64), a limited edition from last year that is now apparently back to stay. The wet and dry formula is next level swoon worthy, buttery soft and far superior to the regular one in my opinion, and the shades are really up my street. Want.

002 I do love my gadgets and I'm always game for a spa treatment experience at home and in my pyjamas, so I can't wait to get my hands on the new Foreo Iris Illuminating Eye Massager (£99). Iris replicates the gentle massage of professional fingers, making quick work of your eye cream whilst reducing the appearance of fine lines, puffiness and dark circles, and hopefully slowing down the aging process in such a delicate area. Sounds amazing, right?

003 There're many foundation launches that caught my eye recently - I've quickly swatched the Armani Maestro glow, which seems lovely, and I really need to check out Becca's Aqua Luminous and the Laura Mercier Candleglow, just to name a few - but the two new offerings I'm really excited about are the Nars Velvet Matte Skin Tint (£30) and the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation (£36). The first is apparently super lightweight, with a natural matte finish and great coverage, while the second sounds a lot like my beloved and now discontinued Pro Lumiere - dewy, highly pigmented but with a skin-like finish -. I'm really looking forward to trying these.

004 Due to their super saturated shadows and gorgeous palettes, Natasha Denona is the makeup brand everyone has been talking about lately, and I'm all over it. Everything looks insanely pigmented and easy to work with, and Natasha's Glowy Skin technique and corresponding products make my heart sing. A little five shades palette is currently on its way to me, but I'm actually dying to try everything from the range, with blushes and highlighters at the top of my list.

005 When Hourglass updates the Ambient lighting range, the wishlist needs to be updated accordingly. The Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders (£34) can be used dry or wet for the perfect transition from day to night and should give a beautiful glow to the skin without any noticeable shimmer. There are four shades available - Incandescent, I believe, is also featured in the Ambient lighting palette, and if so, it's truly lovely and absolutely worth checking out - and I have my eyes on Brilliant, a pale golden champagne that looks different from anything I already own.

What's on your lust list?

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