Beauty: my recent makeup and skincare buys

It's been a while since I had a good beauty splurge, in fact I can feel another one brewing in my bones but until I get my money priorities straight, these current buys will do me fine and see me right through the year (well, apart from the fresh Lush mask with a sell by date of course). I love it when I purchase a group selection of both makeup and skincare products and not one of them disappoints. It's a job well done.

There's no denying, I'm becoming a bit of a lipstick hoarder. I'm a firm believer in the fact you can never have too many shades. One staple nude? Don't be silly, there's at least 20 more with that extra tinge of differentiated colour. Two drugstore lip products I have picked up recently are the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick in Don't Pink Of It! and Maybelline SuperStay 24hr in Pink Spice. Both are more of a glossy formula with a simple and typical foam swipe applicator but they are more lightweight with a matte finish, taking away the sticky feeling some other glosses may have.

The Bourjois Velvet Lipstick have a range of gorgeous shades and it was quite difficult to choose a favourite in the 3 for 2 Boots' deal but since my style masterclass I've been warming to some softer toned lippies and eventually ventured for this lovely, rich pink colour which can be classed as a lighter nude. I absolutely love the bold appearance once smoothly applied to the lips. It's a highly pigmented liquid and is extremely buildable giving you the opportunity to choose on the subtle to dramatic scale but the great thing is, it doesn't stay super tacky. It drys easily with a soft, velvety texture and if lips are properly exfoliated, it stays swiftly sleek and doesn't cling to patches. The only negative I have to identify from this is the slightly chemical smell it has to it but apart from that, the staying power is incredible without any smudging, it's comfortable and wearable and the intensity of colour stays vibrant throughout the day. The Maybelline SuperStay 24hr has very similar attributes to the Bourjois Velvet. I love the two-step process of this, starting with the gloss end and finishing with the conditioning balm. Pink Spice was the perfect colour choice for me, a gorgeous, versatile browny-nude which is easily transferable and glides on in quick time. As the applicator has a slight point I find it ideal for precising the shape of the lips giving you a fuller appearance. It's definitely one of those long lasting lipsticks. Not quite 24 hours (especially when eating those oily foods), but for a decent duration indeed. The conditioner side fixes the colour in place giving it a shiny effect with a non-heavy yet sturdy finish and no visible crumbling and when it comes to fully removing, it is a tough cling on.

Moving on to the higher end products; Bobbi Brown is a brand I've been dying to try for years now and I thought it was about time I got my hands on the luxuries. Blogging has been a huge influence on me heading towards the higher end in comparison to the drugstore but I've also found my skin disagreeing with the lower end products since discovering high end. It does work out as more pricey, yes, but I also think it's the quality worth paying for as I've found with these two star pieces. I don't think I need to go into detail about the Bobbi Brown Corrector in Extra Light Bisque as I'm sure you've heard all about it but what I will say is, it's a little miracle worker. I don't know how I ever went without it. Without a doubt, my dark circles are horrendous. Thanks to my insomniac sleeping pattern I rock the zombie look every morning but dabbing a fraction of this on top of my foundation and under my concealer has made a hell of a difference. The peachy tones blur out the blue hue and brightens the whole eye area in an instance and to add to the efficacy, it applies smoothly and without that dry, caking appearance. 

I struggled figuring out what shade would match up to my skin tone in the Bobbi Brown Sheer Pressed Powder but with the colour charts, I braved the risk and went for Pale Yellow. Thankfully, it is a suitable shade for me; yellow based but not at all yellow once applied. The sheerness evens out my skin tone and compliments my pale cast by giving a natural finish without the piled on, cakey look and feeling. It did come with an ordinary puff applicator but I prefer to use a powder based brush for that 'you can't even tell I topped my face up with a dust of powder' emergence. I adore how amazingly smooth and silky my face feels after applying this; not only does it mattify, reduce shine and absorb oil, it also rids of the imbalanced dullness and highlights the complexion giving it that fresh glow. I wouldn't suggest it for full coverage as it is a light powder but that's what I love about it. It contains Vitamin C so hasn't irritated my skin or *tries not to jinx it* caused any breakouts AND the beautiful minimal monochrome packaging is a bonus.

On to skincare now. REN is the one brand I can rely on for sorting out my troublesome skin. I own the Clarifying Toner (and it's my holy grail!) but fancied a cleanser to go with it. After reading some reviews, I decided to go with the Clearcalm Clarifying Clay Cleanser and it hasn't let me down. It's a lovely gentle cleanser with a creamy, lightweight texture and a refreshing, herbal scent. You only need a teeny amount for it to lather and cater for the whole of the face which is brilliant. Never have I had my skin feel so revitalized, tingling and purified. It's almost like a treatment for the skin, whilst deeply cleansing at the same time. Since using it, my pores have noticeably minimised and appear less clogged, and any angry redness has certainly calmed. I always feel so renewed after use, it feels as though it rids of all the lurking bacteria without any harsh stripping of the skin. It's the one product that keeps my skin at bay but doesn't dehydrate, dry out and leave my skin feeling tight like other breakout and blemish combating products can do. Not only has it reduced my spots significantly and prevented me from having continuous monster breakouts but my face looks so much more healthier and luminous. 

Finally, a magic face mask from one of my obvious favourite beauty providers. Lush's fresh face masks are something I always reach for to restore the radiance back into my skin but Catastrophe Cosmetic has become a firm favourite. The ingredients included (wholesome blueberries, and the vitamins and minerals) accumulate the most incredible scent and it feels like heaven when layered on to the skin. It's one of those all round face masks which caters for skin in need of TLC. My skin has moments of lacking moisture and energy but this mask instantly soothes, calms and brings back a clearer, more pure complexion. If I may say so myself, the morning after using this my makeup looked absolutely glowing and I'm pretty certain Catastrophe Cosmetic contributed to this rare occasion. 

Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts?

Bridie x

As this Friday marks my 2 year blogging milestone, I've extended my NARS giveaway/celebration an extra week for all my fellow and loyal readers. Don't forget to get your entries in!