Five Things I’m Loving | October 2021

 

Time for some recent favourites this week and a little mix of makeup, skincare and bodycare – most of which I have been lucky enough to been sent – which I’ll be honest, makes my recent spending low buy much easier! On to the reviews!

 

The Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush in Love Glow RRP £30 is not new in my collection, in fact I think I’ve had it for almost a year now, but I haven’t put it down over the last couple of weeks so though it deserved a mention! I ummed and ahhed for ages first of all on whether to get one at all as they are expensive and then because I couldn’t decide on a shade! I remember swatching these years ago in Sephora too and leaving empty handed as I just wasn’t completely sold on them. I finally picked one up last year when there was 20% off and have fallen in love! Love Glow is a pearlescent pink – it’s recommend to “swish” the outer shade then “pop” the middle shade on the apples of your cheek but I just mix both and go from there! The result is a beautiful, even, healthy glow that lasts all day on my skin which is normal at the minute! It’s easily buildable which is my favourite type of formula as I can be a bit heavy handed and I’d love to know if you have any other shades and what your recommendations are as I might want to add another one to my collection soon! 

 

Next up, the Cetraben Natural Oatmeal Cream* RRP £8.99 which I have been reaching for intermittently since I got it a few months ago and I know is going to be a staple when we go into winter which is when my skin tends to play up the most. This is perfect for eczema prone skin and works a treat on dry patches I get on my legs! It is so soothing and lasts overnight keeping the area moisturised and stopping me from itching! I am kicking myself for not including this in my post last week about the products I use to repair my skin barrier! I had a reaction a while back to some aloe vera gel I was using with my NuFace which made my skin super red, hot and irritated and after I washed it off I put some of this oatmeal cream on and it instantly calmed it down and was back to normal the next day! Can’t recommend enough if you need a do it all body/face cream for any emergency skin situations! 

 

I recently finished my Bali Body Dark tan and they kindly asked if I wanted a top up so I decided to try the Ultra Dark Self Tanning Mousse* RRP £26.95. So far, I have to say I prefer this to the dark! I find it lasts better throughout the week on me particularly on my neck and chest where most tans fade quickest! It’s super easy to use with the guide colour so staying streak free isn't an issue and I only need one layer. It dries quickly and overnight it develops into a natural looking tan – though if you are new to fake tanning you may want to start with a lighter or gradual tan. I personally stay out of the sun but love having a healthy glow so fake tan is a weekly ritual for me and this makes me feel like I have spent a relaxing week in the sun without any added damage! It also smells pretty fresh for a fake tan! Over the course of the week, it fades very evenly and doesn’t look patchy or mottled at all! I’m going to cheat a little here and also mention a sixth product I am loving – the Luxe Tanning Mitt* RRP £12.95 as the two go hand in hand! It feels so soft and velvety and is so much more luxurious than the foam ones you can get! I love the space for your thumb and find it makes it much easier to be precise with application as I have better grip and it’s streak free every time. It’s definitely worth the higher price tag in my opinion as they last so much longer with proper care and they wash really well too!

 

Good Molecules is one of my favourite affordable skincare brands and they have impressed yet again with their new Glycolic Exfoliating Toner* RRP $14. It’s a 3.5% glycolic concentration so super gentle but somehow manages to still be effective and my skin has been feeling smooth and even with continued use. I love that Good Molecules provide full details of the percentage of ingredients on their outer packaging and this also contains galactomyces ferment which helps retain skin barrier function and moisture level as well as hyaluronic acid and aloe help to hydrate and soothe skin. I haven’t felt the need to use higher percentages of glycolic acid since I’ve been using this one and it could be one to try if you have found sensitivity to other glycolic acid toners!

Finally, I need to mention the Dermalogica Biolumin-C Gel Moisturizer* RRP £59 as it’s been a firm favourite throughout the last couple of months! It’s a lightweight gel moisturiser and my skin looks instantly brighter when I use it. As well as Vitamin C, it contains five types of hyaluronic acid and squalane so keeps my skin hydrated and leaves a glowy finish! I love using this in the morning as my makeup sits so well underneath and it’s got a subtle citrusy scent that doesn’t last on the skin! Love this formula and it’s become one of my favourite Dermalogica products! 

 

So that’s my current favourites! I’d love to know if you see any of yours here! Let me know what you’ve been loving recently!

 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

 

Danielle xx

 

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Self Tanning with Bali Body

During lockdown I had been super lazy with tan and wasn’t even bothering with makeup while I was working from home which is unheard of for me but I’ve been back in the office for over two months now so back to making an effort. Fake tan is an instant mood booster for me, it makes me feel and look healthier and as I’m not one for sitting out in the sun (unless I’m on holiday) it’s usually the only way I get a tan! 

As a serial fake tanner I was excited to be contacted by Bali Body to try out their new self-tan remover and of course their self-tanning mousse last month! I’ve been trying them out along with their luxe tanning mitt and exfoliating mitt so here are my thoughts! To give a quick rundown of the company, they originated in Australia where the products are made in Melbourne and they are vegan and cruelty free. Australians know their fake tan so that’s a good start for me but all products are dispatched from the UK so no real wait time for them arriving!  

Before tanning it goes without saying that prep is key and I have a whole other post on what I do to prep my skin in my Tanning 101 post here! The Self Tanning Mousse RRP £25.95* applies really easily and has a guide colour so you are able to see if you have missed any bits making it fool proof. I just apply in circles everywhere I want to tan and it develops really nicely overnight into a very natural looking tan. I was worried as I have previously found mousse formulations to be a little drying on my skin but this one isn’t! It contains coffee seed extract, coconut oil and pomegranate extract giving it antioxidant, rejuvenating and anti-aging properties and it also smells a lot fresher on application than some fake tans I have used in the past! It’s fast drying so I can get into my pyjamas quickly after applying and l leave it on overnight before rinsing off the next morning.

Though a fair layer washes off, it leaves a really good natural shade of tan and over the course of a week this fades very evenly and doesn’t look patchy at all! I find I usually top up my hands a couple of times during the week as I am washing and sanitising them so much more than usual so the tan is fading faster there. The Luxe Tanning Mitt RRP £12.95* feels velvety and is so much more luxurious and softer than the foam ones you can get! I find the space for your thumb makes it much easier to be precise with application and it’s streak free every time. It’s definitely worth the higher price tag in my opinion as they last so much longer with proper care!

The Self Tan Remover RRP £18.95* was the product I was most intrigued about as I always thought products like this were a bit of a novelty so hadn’t tried one before but I can’t believe how impressed I am with this! It contains aloe vera, glycerine, jojoba oil and rose extract so my skin never feels dried out when I use this and the scent is lovely. You just rub it on with your hands to areas that had tan on and let it sit for five minutes before rubbing off in the shower with the Exfoliating Mitt RRP £12.95*. Literally all my tan came off with a quick rub and the exfoliating mitt doesn’t feel rough or scratchy at all! I am super impressed with this combo especially on my feet as I find it so hard to get the tan off round my ankles! The exfoliating mitt seems a little pricey to me but like with the tan mitt, I am happy to pay more for something that will last a long time with good care and the quality feels good but you could definitely get away with some cheaper exfoliating gloves too. 

Overall, I am really impressed with the products I have been sent and if you are on the lookout for a new tan I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Bali Body! I was also impressed with how the tan and self tan remover came packaged as they were sealed and if you have ever had a fake tan bottle leak in transit you will know what I mean! Do you use fake tan? Let me know your favourite tanning brands in the comments! 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here. 

Danielle xx

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Rediscovering Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula

I think at some point or another everyone has had a bottle or a tub of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula in some form in their collection. I know I certainly have so when I was recently contacted to see if I wanted to try a few products I couldn’t wait to rediscover the brand!

One of Palmer’s most well-known products to me is their Natural Bronze Instant Self Tanner* RRP £8.99. I went through a few bottles of the gradual version back in the day when I first got into fake tanning but then moved onto darker lotions so I was excited to see how this compared. First off, the scent of all Palmer’s products is instantly recognisable to me and so nostalgic for all the right reasons!

The first thing I noticed about the self-tanner when I pumped it out was that it has a tint to it which is always helpful! I pop some on a mitt and rub into my skin and then leave overnight – I don’t fully understand why this is called instant because I would expect something darker if it was but overnight this develops into the most beautiful natural looking tan! I personally prefer a darker tan so I will use this two nights in a row and the colour I am left with is perfect for me! It’s a medium tan that’s beautifully even and streak free and lasts all week! As it’s so moisturising it doesn’t dry out my skin at all and it doesn’t look patchy or mottled towards the end of its wear. I’m so impressed with this and it’s all I’ve been wearing since I got it! If you want a moisturising, long-lasting, easily buildable natural tan then you need this in your life! 

I’ve included a few unedited photos of my arm without tan, with one overnight layer and finally with two overnight layers in case you want an idea of the shade it can be built up to!  

Next up is the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil* RRP £9.99 which I have seen crop up on Shireen’s blog a few times now so my interest had already been piqued! This promises to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots, uneven skin tone and ageing skin with my main concerns being fine lines, pigmentation and uneven skin. The oil contains a blend of ten oils (sweet almond, sesame, coconut, macadamia nut, apricot, grapeseed, argan, rosehip, camelina and sunflower oils) to moisturise and smooth the skin, Retinol and Vitamin C to help improve and brighten skin tone and texture and Cocoa Butter so soften and even skin tone. It has a rosehip fragrance and if you’ve read my blog any length of time you’ll know I absolutely love Rosehip oil so I had very high hopes for this and I have not been left disappointed!

Although it’s an oil, it feels lightweight and absorbs quickly into my skin and I love it as the last step in my nightly routine as it’s so moisturising. In the morning my skin feels softer, smoother and my fine lines on my forehead aren’t as pronounced – yay! My skin looks plumper and feels firmer and I’ve noticed my last batch of hormonal acne and residual marks along my jawline healing and fading a lot more quickly with the use of this oil so I will definitely be keeping an eye on that over the next few months!

As there is retinol in this oil it’s recommended to always wear SPF as skin may be more sensitive so bear that in mind and the oil is also hypoalleragenic, non-comedogenic, paraben free, and dermatologist tested. The only negative I can think to say about this is that I find the bottle a little messy and I have it sitting on a piece of tissue paper as no matter how careful I am with it oil somehow always manages to drip down the bottle or get on the tip of the dropper! A small price to pay though for such a wonderful product and I’ve spent £30+ on facial oils before and not seen results with much longer use!

Lastly, I have the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Eventone Suncare SPF 30* RRP £9.99 and unfortunately I haven’t had the opportunity to fully test this just yet as I haven’t had the weather! Needless to say, this will be a staple for me over the summer when I finally get something booked but first impressions of the product itself are good. It’s a sheer spray with no white cast and as with all Palmer’s products it feels super moisturising. The spray comes out as a really fine mist that covers a large area of skin at a time – why have I never used one like this before? Standard sprays take ages and always seem to clog up as they get to the end but I can’t see that happening with this!

It’s formulated to leave a glowing radiant finish on the skin and I can imagine in the sun this will glisten beautifully! It transfers a little but this isn’t something I would mind if I was lying out in the sun! It does smell quite chemically when you first spray though when it settles in is isn’t strong As part of the Eventone range it’s made to prevent the formation of dark spots, uneven skin tone and premature ageing which is exactly what I look for. It’s also waterproof and it’s recommended that you apply 15 minutes before sun exposure and to reapply at least every two hours. As well as SPF 30, it also comes in SPF 50 and talking about it is making me want to go on holiday right now!

So, that’s my rediscovery of Palmer’s and boy am I impressed! As well as these products I’ve just finished their moisturising body oil which had been lost since we got the bathroom done so that will be in my empties next week!

Palmer’s is available from Boots, Superdrug, Feel Unique and most major retailers!

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

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Tanning 101

Self-tanning is a weekly occurrence for me and something I almost do now out of habit. Don’t get me wrong, I still have weeks where I don’t put any on but I often get the “are you sick?” questions or just people stating the obvious “you look very pale”. Add in the fact that most of my foundation is a shade or two darker than my natural colour, tan gives me more options with my makeup and I feel better with a bit more colour.