Minimal morning skincare routine.

 

If at night I don't mind the extra time to take good care of my skin - you can take a look at my evening skincare line-up here -, in the morning I like to keep things easy and quick, for it's really hard for me to get going before breakfast and I can only do so much on autopilot with little to no thinking involved.

I start off by cleansing with the REN Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk (£16), a creamy offering that feels moisturizing and soothing and doesn't leave my skin feeling stripped at all, which is the main issue I've had with a lot of cleansers I've tried in the past. The Evercalm range is aimed at sensitive and redness-prone complexions like mine and this cleanser is excellent to get rid of any residue from my overnight treatments in the morning and refresh the skin, keeping it balanced as well.

For serum, I'm currently giving a whirl to the Resultime Skin Perfecting Serum Vitamin C (£46)*, a smoothing serum that addresses uneven skin tone and enlarged pores and improves the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid for healthier skin. It's lightweight and sinks in right away leaving the skin plump and firm and it's almost like using a primer that feels really silky and soft. My skin just loves this stuff and I feel as though it's been behaving so much better since I started using this.

All the angels in the high heavens are singing right now because I've finally been reunited with my favourite eye cream of all time, the Filorga Time-filler Eyes Absolute Eye Correction Cream (£44). This gorgeous balm has a lovely texture, really rich but not heavy, that doesn't make your makeup slide around - in fact, I find my concealer sits so much better on top of it and lasts much longer without looking cakey or dry -. Cooling and seriously moisturizing, it gets rid of those annoying dehydration lines in a matter of seconds and is a true must-try for anyone with dry or aging skin, trust me.

I'm a massive fan of everything customized - don't even get me started on monogrammed mugs - so every time I look at my little bottle of Ioma Ma Crème Jour (£110)* I get insanely excited. It's the result of a thorough skincare consultation that comes in the shape of a lightweight base for the day, enriched with serums and active ingredients and it's exactly what my skin needs, nothing more, nothing less - this one, uniquely formulated for me, tackles redness, clogged pores, dullness and loss of elasticity and I'm glad to report it checks all the boxes -. It costs an absolute bomb but it's an amazing treat and there's something oddly satisfying in knowing that I own something that nobody else can have and it's only and truly mine.

What are your morning skincare essentials?

*Press Samples

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Five foundations for spring & summer.

With summer just around the corner and the days getting warmer and warmer, it's definitely time to edit our makeup bags to suit and embrace more season appropriate textures. Being a foundation maniac, on awfully hot days I might consider giving up on the rest of my makeup but I hardly ever ditch some kind of a base. That said, I went through my collection and picked up my top five spring/summer-friendly bases of the moment that will hopefully see me through the warmer months without any major melting issues.

A couple of new finds have made their way into the list. First up is the BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream (£26), a tinted moisturizer-like formula that feels like 8 glasses of water for the skin. It's light and breathable but easy to build to roughly medium coverage and doesn't quite look like makeup. This base is perfect to perk up dull skin with its radiant but non-greasy finish, the gel formula should be more forgiving even on oilier complexions and I love the cooling effect you get when you start blending it in - I bet is gonna be brilliant in the super hot days yet to come! -.

Not as glowy but just as light on the skin is the Lancome Miracle Cushion Fluid Foundation (£29.50). This one I love for easy makeup days because application literally takes a handful of seconds and the finish looks absolutely natural. The liquid formula is so thin it truly melts into the skin and it allows its natural texture to shine through for an even but no makeup-makeup kind of look. It can be layered, and layered, and layered, even after a few hours, and it's therefore ideal for touch-ups during the day. The poor range of shades is a huge drawback but it's a really lovely product, pretty great for everyday wear.

The MAC Face & Body Foundation (£21.50) has been a firm favourite of mine for many years. If you're on the market for a base that's pretty much undetectable on the skin, this one is for you. Although it doesn't have any oil-control properties - I recommend pairing it with a primer and a light dusting of setting powder if needed -, the waterproof formula makes it ideal for summertime,. The coverage is sheer to begin with, but it's easy to build up to medium and it provides a gorgeous 'your skin but better' kind of finish. Looove it.

Finally we have two amazing drugstore options that are just as good as their high end mates. For a natural matte finish I love the L'Oreal Infallible 24H Matte Foundation (£7.99), which is the most long-lasting of the bunch. If you favour a long-wearing formula that controls shine but doesn't look like a mask, a semi-matte finish with a soft lit-from-within glow and full yet easy to adjust coverage, this is one tube you definitely want you get your mitts on. I've recently wrote a post on this little gem so I won't blabber too much about it but you can check out my full review here.

Lastly, the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation (£10.99) is an old favourite I insist everyone tries out. Its finish can only be described as 'healthy glow', so the name it's quite spot on, and with a subtle yellow undertone it's perfect to wave redness goodbye. In truth I wouldn't say it lives up to the promise of 16 hours wear but it's a beautiful and affordable base for someone looking for a pick me-up, instant lift and extra radiance.

Have you tried any of these? What's your favourite light base for the warmer months?

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Loving lately.

Things have been a little quiet around here lately and I'm sorry for that. I've been so busy with work and personal stuff in the past few weeks and I've missed a few regular appointments on the blog. Hopefully I'll be able to get back into blogging with something that vaguely resembles a schedule very soon. In the mean time, enter a few products that have been seeing regular love from me.

The product I've added to my haircare routine and I've fallen immediately in love with is the Schwarzkopf Gliss Hyaluron Hair Filler Serum*, which works heavenly for my fine locks. A few drops take away the dryness and stiffness that sometimes come with curling and heavy styling, and give back shine and bounce. I don't usually gravitate toward drugstore products when it comes to my hair, but the whole Hyaluron range is just dreamy and is currently living in my shower.

As far as makeup goes, I had a little rummage in my collection and I really got back into using the Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua Foundation (£33), which is an oldie but a goodie that usually comes out to play this time of the year. It gives a beautiful even finish that still looks like skin and feels light and breathable. A personal favourite among Chanel bases, it's perfect for everyday wear and overall a great foundation to transition into spring and summer.

As predicted in a previous wishlist post, the splurge happened and I got my mitts on the Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette in Color Field (£56). This is such a lovely palette, with the perfect combination of champagne, brown and greens, all designed to work well together. The powders are really soft and buttery, and definitely prone to crumbling if you press the brush too hard onto the pan. The shades are so pigmented I only need to tap my brush once to build full opacity, and blend seamlessly into each other. It's the kind of palette that needs a little bit of extra work and care in order to get the best out of it but it's definitely worth the effort.

I'm having a serious moment with MAC and a lot of their products are back in my routine right now, but two products in particular have reached the staple status for me lately. I have Harry Makes It Up to thank for my renewed love for the MAC 188 Brush (£28), a great all-arounder that blends foundation, concealer and any kind of liquid and cream really, to perfection. Love it!

Another lust-worthy product from the brand is the MAC Studio Sculpt Defining Powder (£22), a sheer, ultra thin powder that is ideal for those who have dry complexions or simply don't like the look of powdered skin but still need to set their makeup. The gorgeous satin finish lifts the skin and really perfects it without looking like makeup.

For lips, I'm a wee bit obsessed with mellow corals and peachy nudes at the minute and NARS Descanso Satin Lip Pencil (£19) is a firm favourite of mine. It works as a liner and a colour at the same time and it's peachy enough to brigthen the face but still nude enough to work with a wide variety of looks. Too bad it was limited edition but Biscayne park is pretty similar albeit a tad lighter.

Finally, I have to mention my love for the Foreo Issa (£149), an electric toothbrush made in silicone that cleans and whitens your teeth without aggravating sensitive gums or scratching the enamel. I've been using this little handy gadget for months now and I can't imagine my life without it anymore: it gives my gums a gorgeous massage, leaves the teeth squeaky clean and ultimately feels a bit like a two minute spa for my mouth. It costs an absolute bomb, but for me it's worth every single penny.

Have you tried any of these?

*Press Sample

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Spring beauty releases wishlist.

For some reason spring gets me in the mood for beauty shopping - not that I really need encouragement on that front - and it's almost impossible not to get excited for all the wonderful beauty launches that have been hitting the shelves lately. If you want to nose about what beauty bits and bobs I have my eyes on at the minute, carry on reading...

001 Apparently I still haven't reached the point where I feel ashamed for the number of foundations I own and I'm currently lusting over yet another base, which - no surprise here - is extra glowy and light on the skin but still manages to give it a perfected look. I'm talking about the new bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream (£26) that seem to be everywhere at the minute and for a good reason. I tried it on the other day and I might have gone a little squeaky in the middle of Sephora for how gorgeous and luminous it looked. Bonus brownie points for the mineral spf and tons of skin-friendly ingredients that make it the perfect candidate for my summer makeup lineup.

002 Another bareMinerals product I couldn't help but fall in love with is the Smoothing Face Brush (£24), a super soft yet dense dual fiber brush that gives an effortless airbrushed finish to the skin. I've tried in store along with the new tinted moisturizer and I was instantly sold as it felt uh-mazing on the skin. Hold me back before I buy every brush on the planet!

003 Contour palettes are popping out everywhere at the moment but the Marc Jacobs #Instamarc Light Filtering Contour Powders are the only ones that have left me hunting for swatches and reviews. I'll be honest with you, I'm so obsessed with the app that if anything claims to work as an instagram filter for the skin, my ears will prick up immediately, but I've also seen the medium shade at work on a fellow pale lady and it looked absolutely gorgeous. Excuse me while I open a new tab to slip Mirage Filter in my shopping cart...

004 My first reaction when I spotted the latest Clinique release was to call for an emergency meeting of the lipsticks hoarders anonymous. Seriously, 16 shades of gloriously pigmented balmy lipsticks that claim to last for hours and keep your lips moisturized at the same time? They had my name written all over them. I only have one main issue with the new Clinique Pop Lip Colour and Primer (£16): which one should I pick first? Melon, Cherry, Poppy, Wow... All of them? I'm open to suggestions.

005 No wishlist is complete without a Jo Malone fragrance. Honestly I can't get enough of their perfumes. Inspired by the Georgian era, Lily of the Valley & Ivy Cologne (£42) is a dreamy blend that brings to mind croquet games and tea parties, romantic novels and British landscapes, thanks to notes of green leaves and water flowers. And how beautiful is that special edition bottle? I need it.

What new releases have caught your eye lately?

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