A SUMMER FAUX GLOW

As much as I would love naturally radiant skin, it is often pretty dull and the only sheen I get is when I haven't powdered my face for hours and things are getting a little oily. That's why I seek the companionship of many products in order to amp up the glow in the summer.

Upon purchase, I was never really a fan of the Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Shimmer Touches, but occasionally I like Radiant Rose on the cheeks as a pink hint of shimmery tint, or Shimmering Sand mixed in with foundation for some serious glow. These don't get used often, but they definitely don't go unnoticed.

A luminous primer was lacking in my makeup collection until I got the Bourjois Luminous Serum Primer a while back. There is no shimmer in this, but it just seems to add a glow without it, and I had a patch of forgetting about this guy but every time I reach for it again I start to use it again and realise why I loved it to begin with.

It's not just makeup that can help your glow out, it all starts with the skincare you use. I have managed to find a duo that gives me the glow without endless steps and more of an overnight glow-giver. The Balance Me Radiance Face Oil* is one I like to slap on in the evening, leave to soak in and  wake up in the morning with a complexion that looks radiant and blurred in tow and literally took me a minute to achieve.
In the same way the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask is another one step overnight fix that leaves you with plumped, glowing skin and the peach/apricot scent makes me literally want to eat it (Don't worry, I won't).

I look forward to finding more radiance enhancing gems in the drugstore in the upcoming months, and leave you recommendations in the comments too...

MARIE CLAIRE - AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATES SKINCARE GIFT

I have an obsession with magazines, but I get even more excited when I find a magazine with an interesting free gift. When my mum came in with Marie Claire's June Issue in tow, and I spotted the Aromatherapy Associates logo I jumped for joy (and ran to grab the camera).

The magazine itself is actually £2.50 which isn't bad at all and you get 3 adorable minis alongside from the Hydrating Rose range. The one I haven't tried yet is the 15ml Hydrating Rose Face Mask, which is a surprisingly thin, clear gel mask so I am intrigued to give this a go. Just a heads up, if you aren't a massive fan of rose these may not be for you, but speaking as someone who doesn't worship overly floral fragrances it isn't unbearable.

The 10ml Hydrating Renewing Rose Cleanser is actually really nice, its a lot thinner than a general cream cleanser, but a little goes a long way and it leaves me feeling nourished as well as cleansed. On first impressions I also enjoyed the 5ml Hydrating Triple Rose Renewing Moisturiser, which was hydrating enough for night time but also didn't overload my face when I used it the following under makeup.

So not only do I have a good magazine to flick through I also have some awesome samples to try out, and I would say that this is worth picking up if you like to trial new skincare, or are off anywhere over the bank holiday..

PAMPER EVENING ESSENTIALS

I'm sure nearly all of us love to pamper ourselves, but a lot of us also don't have time to go for the full whammy on a regular basis. I like to dedicate my Sunday evenings to pampering myself, but it isn't a regime that takes hours away from you.

The first thing I do is paint my nails so they are ready for the week ahead (or the first half of it perhaps), and I do this in the late afternoon early evening so that they are dried before I have a bath/shower - trust me I have made the mistake before and they didn't look too great. I have currently been loving Greenberry from the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine range.

Having a bath is the next step, but if you want to shower (I often do when I'm washing my hair), use a nice shower gel so you feel like you are still being pampered - Soap & Glory rule for this. But, when you're bathing, Lush offer the best items, from bath bombs to bubble bars. I still have some of my Christmas Eve Bubble Bar left from when I got a bunch of products in the sale, so I'm using that up. For something a little more interesting, I love the FUN Range.

After a bath or shower, using a body butter is the best way to make your skin love you. My current favourite is the Soap & Glory Righteous Butter, but I also like to use the Sugar Crush offering. The Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Cream is also something I enjoy using, as my feet often go unloved (I hate feet, writing this is making me feel a little uncomfortable), but seriously this is a thick balm which massages in like a cream/oil - I love it.

Finally, what is a pamper evening without a face mask. For something cleansing, and the one featured in the image, I reach for the Super Facialist by Una Brennan Tea Flower Deep Clean Mask which really helps my skin and the difference is noticeable for me. Another one not shown is the Origins Drink Up 10 Minute Mask which hydrates my skin so well and allows it to look plump in the morning.

So, once I press 'publish' on this post, I think my evening will be dedicated to having a pamper...

ORIGINS CLEAR IMPROVEMENT MASK

I'm sure you all get tired of me complaining about how my skin is rather bad, but it seems that here we are again. But, I know most of you have heard the story (main characters: my face, and a ton of spots), sI ove I will just get onto the product that I have found to help me out a fair bit.

I love face masks, and when one promises clear skin, I'm all ears. The Origins Clear Improvement Mask has been on my wishlist for quite some time now, and when I got it in a trio last Christmas, I knew it would be love.

At first, I thought this would be a clay like mask, but when you squeeze it out and start applying the mask, it is like a thick gel, but then hardens after some minutes of waiting, but you don't get that cracking, clay effect which I actually like. I'm not sure whether this is meant to happen, or that my imagination has just run wild, but it almost feels a little warming on the skin once it is applied - correct me if I am wrong (I probably am).

The morning after using this, I feel like my skin looks much clearer. If you know me in person, you will know (Megan knows the best), that my skin looks much worse because I have awful scarring, and when you actually touch my face there are barely and bumps which is an annoyance. But this seems to reduce redness and the size of any spots I have and then any new scars (I have finally gotten over the fact that my old scars won't be going anywhere any time soon) and faded slightly too.

I think once I have finished this bottle, I will have to buy another, because using this weekly on Sundays just seems to get my skin ready for the upcoming week...

A'KIN SKINCARE BOLT-ONS

A'kin is a brand which is pretty new to me, but my skincare cupboard is always open to new housemates. When these products dropped through my door, I almost squealed.

First up is the Rose and Geranium Pure Facial Creamy Cleanser & Toner*, a thick, hot cloth esc. cream cleanser, which not only cleanses well and feels glorious on the skin, it removes makeup fairly well too. This has been getting almost daily use from me since I got it, so that proves it's a good'un.

Then, I'm sure this has made an appearance in a few of my posts, but this is the Kaolin Clay & Activated Carbon Express Purifying Facial Masque*. This is pretty much a breakout buster, because it really drags out every sing impurity that could possibly in your skin. It does get a little tight after you remove it, but a good coating of the next product and you're good to go.

So, for that moisture boost, I have been loving the Chamomile Unscented 24HR Pure Moisture Cream*, which is light enough for day wear, but then can be applied more liberally at night and still moisturise enough.

It's safe to say that I am a little bit of an eye cream junkie, being blessed with the biggest, puffiest, rings under my eyes, I'm always on the hunt for something to help me out. The Brightening and Tightening Eye Day Cream* has been getting quite a lot of use from me recently, and although it isn't de-puffing all that much, it definitely moisturises and soothes any dry or irritated areas on my eyes, and wears rather well under concealers too.

Oh, A'kin, you are good. Perhaps one day I will get my hands on their Rosehip oil which I am desperate to try...

 

SUPER FACIALIST BY UNA BRENNAN TEA FLOWER DEEP CLEAN MASK

I am on a mission. A skincare mission, to achieve a clearer, less spotty/blemish consumed face. I have been shopping around, and buying some skincare from... the higher end of the drugstore? The La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo arrived on my doorstep today, so we'll see how that works out, but for now, let's focus on this mask.

This doesn't directly claim to help blemishes, but instead to purify, unclog pores, and basically, is like 'a home detox in a bottle'. At first I was skeptical, you only leave this on for five minutes, but boy, does it get tight on the skin when it is working it's magic, but slather on the night cream when you're done, and you are fine.

 I use this twice a week, and I can see some difference, my cheeks look more radiant and the blemishes and scarring fades by a small amount, I think this paired with the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo could work for me - ill let you know how it goes. 

The smell? I can't put my finger on it, but it is...weird. It isn't anything I can't bear at all, nor something I would choose over the smell of sweets, but let's be realistic and have some futility.

If you want a pick me up for your skin, this is something to consider, and for £8.99 it is worth the try before you go for the higher end stuff because, it's not going to break any banks.

Lauren x