Pixi Glow Tonic Exfoliant Toner

There is soooo so so much hype around this product. So much. I knew it'd be good, because how can so many people be wrong about it? And since when is Caroline Hirons wrong about skincare? Rarely, if ever. It's supposedly a dupe for P50, an exfoliant toner, with all the added goodness of being oil-free, alcohol-free and packed with wonderful Aloe Vera, which is so amazingly kind to the skin. I have very sensitive skin when it comes to certain products, so I was slightly weary at first; I didn't need to be, at all. This is gentle, but powerful. I noticed a difference the morning after I first used it, and no, I'm not just saying that... I actually did. My skin was a bit brighter, and if you suffer from under the skin-but-not-quite-developed-spots then this is a product that will work wonders for you too. I'm not going to say that it completely got rid of those blemishes, but they are certainly reduced - something that I hope will changed with prolonged use; I want to say bye-bye to those irritating little things. 

As part of my nightly routine, I use it after my double cleanse as a way to make sure that my skin is really clean, deep down before adding my oils and serums, which inject all of the moisture back into my skin. It's only a step that I use in the night, although it is suitable to use in the morning as well, although I would definitely not forget to use an SPF on top of it, otherwise your skin might become damaged very easily (see sun-damage, worsening of fine lines etc), although those are two things that this Pixi Glow Tonic Toner is used to diminish. Just keep your face protected if you use it in the day. That's a very important rule if you're going to use it in the morning and then go about your day, outside of your home. But back to the properties of this tonic; we already know that it has Aloe Vera to soothe, but it also has Ginseng to brighten, as well as witch hazel and horse chestnuts to boost firmness and bloody flow to the skin. It's one of those products that I swipe on with a cotton pad, and then enjoy the feeling of my face being so clean and vibrant; it's a must have. It's also £18 (here), which I think is incredible value for money, as this makes such a difference to my skin, and I would gladly repurchase it again and again, especially as the bottle is 250ml, incredibly durable and long-lasting. I only need a few drops to leave my skin feeling refreshed and healthy. This can be seen as a bit of an investment for those who are just getting into looking after their skin, but trust me, this Pixi Glow Tonic Toner will not let you down.

Have any of you tried this Toner? Are you loving the changes it's making to your skin? 

The Makeup products I keep reaching for.

You would think that reaching for the same makeup products each day, can be quite dull and then you can grow bored very easily... basically, your entire look can become unsatisfying. But for me, there is nothing boring about these products. I can do my face for work in 10 minutes, and know that this look is one that works for me. Glowy skin, bright eyes, peachy pink lips with a hint of bronzer on my skin, to make the whole look less pale, and more 'oooh has she been on holiday somewhere?'; it's pretty much a look I love to wear. There's nothing here that should be overlooked, as each product, for me, can stand up to a lot of others with more expensive price tags, and give an even better finish. Such as Makeup Revolution's Goddess of Love Highlighter, which at £3.99 is one of the most amazing purchases. It's a baked highlighter and one that I use every day as I adore the glow that it gives to my skin. I'm yet to try a soft, pinky-pearl highlighter that performs to the same standard as this one. Actually, the only products here that cost more than £10, are from The Body Shop, Estee Lauder and Mac, three brands that are well trusted for their quality and selection of shades. 

For the base, we have Estee Lauder's Double Wear Light, Maybelline's Eraser Eye Concealer and Collection's Illuminating Touch Concealer, three products that I have found work together wonderfully well, and can give me a glowy, yet not too heavy look, which makes me look healthy and not as if I've just chucked a load of makeup on my face. It's a base that's light and airy, giving everyone else the impression that you've had a good night's sleep, when really you've been staying up until 2am watching Community on Netflix (*cough* well, I've heard that people do that.. *cough*). A dupe product for Estee Lauder's Foundation, would be the new Air Mat Foundation from Bourjois, another glowy offering that is a key product in faking a 'wide awake look'. Another thing that I've found with these three base products, is that they're sturdy enough to cart around with you all day in your makeup bag, and there's no worry of things breaking, or leaking... they're well formulated and well made, perfect for on-the-go touchups. 

Additional base products are the gloooorious Makeup Revolution Highlighter, Bourjois Aqua Blush and The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer which add to that 'I look alive and well, but inside I'm full of cold and just want pizza' disguise - something which I think I'm close to mastering after years of being unwell, and mainly just wanting to curl up and watch movies, with pizza, as opposed to doing anything productive outside of my house. The Goddess of Love Highlighter is so so finely milled that it looks so incredibly natural and wonderful, that you get that 'glow from within' without a great deal of effort... because some days, you just can't be bothered at all. The Bourjois Aqua Blush wasn't something that appealed to me when it first hit the shops, but after umming and ahhing about it for a few weeks, I bought it for my holiday, with the view that it wouldn't be sweated off too easily in the heat: and the consistency is so light and creamy, it's a shame I didn't buy it immediately, as I would have professed my love for it, much like numerous bloggers out there. With a handy little pump to dispense as much or as little as you want, this hard wearing Blush is a brilliant buy from the French brand. Lastly for this section, we have the much raved about, universally loved Body Shop Honey Bronzer which I've had for what feels like ages, and I've still barely made a dent in it, despite me wearing it almost everyday. Light, blendable and made for layering, this Bronzer is the thing of dreams. 

Two eye products that I adore are from Mac in the shade Bare Study and L'Oreal's Volume Million Lashes Mascara, the former a wonderful Cream Paint Pot, and the other my new favourite mascara. The cream eyeshadow is soft and super blendable, one of those products that I apply and blend with my fingers, nothing fancy and not a product that requires an eyeshadow brush. Naaa, it's a gorgeous champagne shade, lighter and a bit less pink than my other favourite Mac Paint Pot, Vintage Selection, but nonetheless still super brightening when applied to the eyelids, and it stays put all day without wear or smudging. The same can be said for the mascara, except I do get a little bit of smudging on my undereyes, but I would say that it's more due to my oily skin, than the product. Last, but not least, is Bourjois' Rouge Edition Matte Velvet Lipstick in Peach Club, a bright peachy pink that instantly lifts the look and makes everything look brighter, which ties wonderfully in with glowy skin and highlighted cheekbones. 

What products have become your go-to's and what are you reaching for everyday? Let me know xx

Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion Body Spray

This was my only Duty Free purchase on my last holiday. Shock, I know. Gatwick Duty Free and I come away with only one bodyspray? Yes, that's right. But not any ordinary body spray, it's diviiiine. Coconut and Vanilla goodness all wrapped up in a wonderful 250ml bottle. There were so many bottles to choose from, and I was especially drawn to the Christmas scents; I really regret not picking any more up, as they were gorgeously scented. Maybe I'll book a last minute holiday, or make a trip to London at some point... because we all know that there's an amazing Victoria's Secret Store there, one that I've always wanted to go to. 

Victoria's Secret is usually associated with underwear (obvs) but their beauty section seemed so overwhelmingly beautiful, and I really do wish that I had selected more.. but that's a lesson I must learn for next time. I don't think it'll be the last time I fly from Gatwick, or mooch around the Duty Free whilst my boyfriend is asleep in a comfortable chair after a McDonald's Breakfast. To be fair, it was 4am, and those pancakes would make anyone in their right mind sleepy, but I was far too excited at the idea of looking around, plus there were so many brands to look at. Laura Mercier, Chanel, Dior... the list goes on and on, but I knew that I wanted something that I couldn't get anywhere else, or something that would be incredibly difficult to get - hence why this purchase was the best choice. Coconut and Vanilla are two of my favourite scents, and when combined, I knew that it'd be something that I would be drawn to the most. 

I love wearing this combined with my Pineapple Perfume from The Library of Fragrance, as it gives that sweet, Summery scent that I just don't want to give up. I know Winter is mostly for heavier fragrances, i.e. Opium by YSL but I don't want to cross over into the realm of those until I really have to (or it gets reaaaally cold, and I'd need a scent that smells quite warm and spicy). But until then, I'm going to keep spritzing myself with this gorgeous scent. It's perfect for warmer months, so yes, i bought it when it's out of season, but it's so wonderful, that I'll be spraying it regardless. 

Esteé Lauder's Clear Difference Purifying Exfoliating Mask

Immersing myself back into skincare (one of my loves) today, and it's this Esteé Lauder Clear Difference Purifying Exfoliating Mask * which I recently took on holiday with me as a solution to my skin, which always gets a bit blemish-y, due to all the sun, sea, sand and sangria - so I always find that a good mask is an essential to take away with me. I wrap it up, nice and safe, hide it within my clothes and pray that it makes it to the other end in one piece; the wonderful about this little tub, is that's it's very, very sturdy, so there's almost no way that it's going to get pierced or start oozing anything, unless it's takes a very heavy knock. But hopefully that'll never happen (*knocks on wood*). Anyway, this mask wasn't even something that I knew Esteé Lauder did, so receiving this Clear Difference product in the post was a wonderful surprise! I'm a huge, huge, huuuuge fan of the EL ranges of skincare, so expanding my product knowledge is always something that I love doing, especially when this particular mask is clay based; for me, clay looooves to draw out all the oil and impurities from my skin, and as I have an oily/combination complexion, this pot is always handy to have around. Plus I love looking at the little 'Esteé Lauder' inscribed on the polished gold lid, making it look so fancy and expensive, when it's no where near as expensive as other clay masks/cleansers on the market. 

Mixed into the clay, are some small exfoliating beads, which aren't abrasive or harsh on the skin, no matter how sensitive you are, and I only find myself using it as an exfoliating when I remove the mask with a soft flannel. For me, it's a brilliant mix of purifying clay, which always leaves my skin with a lovely glow, and tiny beads, which buff away all the impurities and dead skin cells which the mask has drawn out. Another main element of this mask for me, is that fact that it didn't strip my skin or leave it feeling dry (that's always a bad sign, because you know all the natural oils and goodness have been taken away), but this doesn't surprise me, as Esteé Lauder know how to make good skincare, and their Clear Difference range is no different. 

The last time I repurchased my Advanced Night Repair Serum, I received a little tester of the Clear Difference Serum (£45, here), which is aimed at congested and oily skin i.e. my skin, so I was very excited to start trying it out, as soon as my skin got back into it's routine with ANR. Not only do their testers last ages, but I got so much use out of it, that by using the two serums together (ANR every other night, and Clear Difference under my makeup and every other night) my skin loved the combination, and with the use of the mask, started to get itself under control, even during my extremely hormonal phases. I do suffer with a lot of under the skin blemishes on forehead, but these serums really do combat the issues, and the Clear Difference Mask really helps to buff away the build up of skin when I use it twice a week. I've also been using the serum and mask combined with the oil free moisturiser, which is actually more like a mattifying gel, and if you get shiny skin by midday, this is a product for you! It will be getting it's own individual review post, but Esteé Lauder's Clear Difference Oil Control/Mattifying Hydrating Gel * (£42, here) has been a moisturiser I've been reaching for a lot the past few weeks, and it's been sitting really well under my makeup, keeping everything plump and moisturised, but matte for as long as possible, before my natural oils come out to play and start to make me look really glowy. 

The texture of the mask feels luxurious on the skin, and the packaging is nothing less than I would expect from Esteé Lauder; they've always been one of those super sleek, classic, sat on your dressing table kinda brands for me, and I'm sure they'll stay that way for decades to come. It sells for £35 for 75ml (here), and considering that I've used this 10+ times, the amount really doesn't seem to be going down anytime soon - which makes it such a brilliant investment if you're looking for a clay based mask to draw out all of the impurities and blemishes from your skin, as well as something which can also be used to buff away at the skin, making your appearance brighter. I love a good clay mask, and this is a very welcome addition to my stash, and something that I reach for weekly when my skin feels flustered and heavy. I would gladly repurchase this after it runs out, although I don't see that happening for a while. That's another amazing thing about Esteé Lauder, their products just seem to go on and on... and hopefully, on and on. 

My post-Holiday Tale: Travelling, anxiety and sickness.

I've always been one for travel sickness, as far as I can remember. Packing is all excitement and organisation, as is the trip to the airport/ferry port etc, but when I get there... that's when the anxiety comes in. The sweaty palms, the nausea, the hyperventilating ... I don't know why it happens, it just does. I know when I get to my destination, I'll feel fine. There'll be no illness to speak of... it'll just be the beforehand that I have to deal with. It's horrible, because I never thought that it was anxiety, but perhaps just nerves? But surely nervousness would go away after flying a few times? I don't know, I'm still undecided about what exactly this is... It feels like a kind of bubbling, doubt-filled mood... where you feel sick and kinda don't want to go anywhere? Like I'd take a sleeping pill and wake up when I get there. But let me tell you this, my flight to Menorca was two hours long. Two hours! That is nothing at all in flight length, but I still felt like I couldn't do it. Earlier in the year, my flight to Turkey was about four and a half hours long, and that seemed fine... from what I can remember (my boyfriend may have a different story to tell) and on the flight back, I just remember thinking that I couldn't wait for the flight to end, and to get home to bed. I think I was actually quite relaxed about the whole thing... I even remember breaking out my really intricate colouring book, so it could pass the time quicker. It did, if you're ever looking to pass the time somewhere - colouring is the option for you. I remember flying to Egypt once, with my family, and I was so nervous and anxious beforehand, that I actually vomited... close to the duty free... not a good look. Maybe it's because it's just me and my boyfriend? Or maybe just the unknown? Why does anxiety happen, is like one of those unanswerable questions, to me. I just don't know why it happens to me.

I think I used to be an okay traveller when I was younger. I remember long driving holidays to the Lake District, and not feeling anything but sleepy... mainly because I was small, and those drives were always so long. So I don't know where this...fear(?) came from? Is it the unknown or just the uncomfortable idea of things changing? I'm not the biggest lover of change, but sometimes I do feel like it's called for - like I really feel the need for it. I could really do with a new job and a move to a bigger city, but I think there's also some subconscious anxiety that makes me mess up job interviews, and shut out anything productive or appealing I could say to an Interviwer. Yes, I can do the job, I would give it everything I have... but can I get that across to the person? Nope. I get horrendous;y nervous... basically so nervous I'll be close to being sick, and then I'll just be this sweet, almost vapid person with nothing interesting to say, but a notebook that says 'Pugs not Drugs'. I don't know what's wrong with me. I can do these jobs that I apply for, but it seems that I'm my own worst enemy; I think I need to overcome some serious doubts about myself. About what I'm capable of, and of who I am. I think I'm okay at writing, photography and the many areas that come with blogging, certainly not the best at it, and i'm good at my job. But trying to sell myself to someone who doesn't know me for me, is incredibly difficult.

I'm not sure why I'm writing this on here, but a blog, aside from all the skincare and makeup, is basically an online diary, yes? Perhaps it's also a way of saying things that would usually take a lot more effort and gumption to say in real life? Perhaps it's also a way of saying something, without actually having to say it out loud? Maybe I'm still afraid. I wrote a blog post about fear back in August, and although I've given it a lot of thought, I think it's going to take a lot more than a few months to knock myself out of it. I don't think fear is necessarily is a bad thing, it reminds us of the fact that we're human, but I don't want it to control my life. That's something I need to work on. 

Design your own Wellies with Joules and win!

This morning I received an email which I thought was so fun, I wanted to share it with you lovelies! Since then, I've been playing around with various styles and it's super fun! I think a hot pink with blue stags was my favourite style, but there are so many options! Let me know what you come up with :) It's super easy to enter, and if your design is chosen, the winning design will be put into production! I for one wish that my pink/blue combination will win, as I would totally wear those bad boys <3 the link for the competition can be found here (http://getcreative.joules.com/) and not only would your design be in production, but all of the funds from the sales with go to their Charity: Charitably Joules.

Here's some extras about what you lovelies can win! A luxury break worth £5000, 3 wonderful nights in a Golden Oak Treehouse Cabin and even if you don't win, there's the chance for 10 runners up to win £250 gift cards! It's super fun to enter, so what have you got to lose? The winning design will go on sale on Joules.com. Let me know which design you choose, and definitely let me know if you win!

*Post in collaboration with Joules. 

Current Makeup Bag Favourites

I love talking about makeup. I talk about it on my lunch break with the girls in work, on Twitter with my followers/those that I follow, my family, friends and also brands/pr's, because makeup is a huuuuge part of life for me. It's not so much about hiding, as it used to be when I was younger; at the age of 12/13 when most girls wore makeup, and you were made fun for your skin/hair/weight/intelligence level/where you lived/what bag you used/where you sat... so I basically wanted to blend in, with clean hair and as much makeup as I could get on my face, with my minimal pocket money's worth of products. I remember shopping with my mum and begging her to buy me this and that, saying that I needed it. I didn't need it. I just wanted it, so much, so I could fit in and go through school unscathed. I didn't get through five years of secondary school unscathed, but who does/did, right? So yeah, makeup used to be about, basically shovelling it on my face... but now, many years later, many tutorials watched and many products tried, I'm familiar with my face and what works on it.

My skin can wear a lot of bases, regardless of coverage, it's always the concealer I need to focus on and three products that I love to use are Estee Lauder's Double Wear Light Foundation (£29.50, here), Maybelline's Eraser Eye Concealer (£7.99, here) and Rimmel's Lasting Finish Concealer (£5.49, here). These three cover all manner of sins and blemishes, whilst still creating a light enough base that it still doesn't look too heavy. The foundation from Estee Lauder looks like more of a Summer/warmer weather choice, but I wear it regardless as it gives such a wonderfully glowy light/medium coverage. The two concealers are basically for any time of year in my opinion, and I'm all about concealer (keep your eyes on the blog to see a post dedicated to concealer). Continuing onwards, three products that I would have touched a year ago are three of my hero products; Charlotte Tilbury's Bronze and Glow Palette (£49, here), Too Faced's Chocolate Soliel Bronzer (£25, here) and The Body Shop's Honeycomb Bronzer (£13, here) - all three represent the evolution of my makeup choices and how with experience and influence, these three have become such an important part of my makeup routine. Yes, two out of three are a bit expensive, but with the quality, I use them everyday and they don't let me down. Charlotte Tilbury's Palette is a mixture of contour and highlight, a delightful pairing that complement each other so well, and give that added pop of 'wow' to the face (as you can tell, 'Sculpt' has more of a dent than 'Highlight', as I think the highlighter is a bit too sparkly for everyday usage). The quality is superb, as is the Bronzer from The Body Shop, which at only £13, is a bargain for how amazing it is - I have the shade 02 and it's perfect for when my pale skin has a touch of tan, but even in the dead of Winter, I'll still be using this to perk my skin up. The last offering from this section, is from Too Faced, and to be honest, it wasn't something that I was impressed with at first. I loved the smell, but the colour seemed a big blergh. Since I've reused it, I officially love it - perhaps I was too heavy with the brush I use it with, or simply wasn't used to it, but now it adds definition to my cheekbones and looks gorgeous on my skin. 

Another three additional main face.. products. By main face I mean like, the cheeks/cheekbones etc... basically where you put all your base products. Anyway! I have an obsession with Bourjois' Cream blushes (£7.99, here), especially in the colours Healthy Glow and Rose Tender, which I use basically everyday because they go on like a dream, and can be easily blended should I apply too much. The little round pots pack such a colour punch that I take them on every holiday and weekend away, as they're so simple to use. Brilliant, creamy and long lasting! The last product is from Makeup Revolution, and it's their Goddess of Love highlighter (£4.99, here), a product that I've been in love with since I bought it; it's had it's own blog post dedicated to it, and I've inspired a lot of others to buy this pearly beauty, because it's amazing! Plus the baked highlighter is in the shape of a heart, so what's not to like about that? 

Natural Collection Eyeshadows (£1.99, here) are a reintroduction for me, as I used to use them quite a lot when I was younger, as they were cheap, cheerful and a brilliant formula - fast forward a few years, and after accumulating a lot of eyeshadows, I find myself coming back to this fabulous little pots. The three colours above are (from left to right), Sea Shell, Milk Chocolate and Asteroid, which are a fantastic trio for any base eye look, such as a smokey eye, or even just a defined crease. Whether used separately or together, these three are bargain shadows that I cannot recommend enough to those looking to expand their makeup collection. Another quick addition to the eyeshadow paragraph, is a cream offering from Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot (£16, here) in the shade Bare Study, which is a wonderful glowy nude, i.e. the perfect base for any eyeshadow look. It especially looks gorgeous and illuminating in the corner of the eye. 

Onto some of the most 'fleek-wothy' products such as Anastasia Beverly Hill's Dip Brow Pomade (£15, here), Benefit's Gimme Brow (£18.50, here) and Maxfactor's False Lash Effect Mascara (£10.99, here), the latter a product I tend to get all over my eyelids because of how big the brush is. It's really good, don't get me wrong, but I'm just useless and it goes all over my skin. But with blending, it goes away, so there are no black splodges on my face whatsoever, thank goodness. Combined with a good eyelash curler, my lashes look intensely black and curled, something I struggle with as my eyelashes really struggle to hold curl, even with a waterproof mascara. So yeah, as the hip kids say, 'fleek'. My eyebrows are something that I'm very protective over, and ABH is something that I'm so glad was introduced into my life, not only for the quality, but for the look it goes. Natural but dramatic brows... everything that you could ever want in a creamy pot; I apply it with an angled eyeliner brush, and then I brush through the brows with Benefit's Gimme Brow, just to give them some texture, as they can look quite flat otherwise. I like brows to look like brows, as that's what I prefer. Texturised brow goals? 

The final three products are for the lips. I loooove a good lipstick, and two of my favourite brands right now, are Clinique and Mac, in the shades Poppy Pop, Melon Pop and Crosswires - three shades and two formulas that glide onto the lips, almost effortlessly, giving such a gorgeous look, perfect for any season. Although A/W tends to be more focused around darker colours (holla at me, berries), I do still like to switch it up with a pinky nude or an orange red. Clinique's Lip Pop's (£16, here) are gorgeous and long lasting, as they include a primer in the product, which helps them to stay put for longer than most lipsticks, and as I work in retail which involves a loooot of talking, these lipsticks stand up to their claims. Mac Creamsheen (£15.50, here) wasn't a formula I was really interested in when I got into the brand, but now, after looking for a more wearable, comfortable product from the brand, the shade Crosswires immediately caught my eye, and has immediately become a favourite. Especially when layered over Rimmel's Lip Liner in East End Snob. 

What are your makeup bag favourites right now?