January Favourites ft. Clinique, Smashbox, Kiehl's and more

February has already started a few days ago, so I'm a little late with my monthly favourites. The reason is that with my once a week schedule I thought monthly favourites wouldn't fit, but now that I'm starting to post more (twice for now!) I really don't want to skip one of my favourites posts to write.

So, what have I been loving this past month?

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel

I'd been wanting to try this cleanser for the longest time, but for some reason I never ended up getting it. Then a few weeks ago I read a few posts mentioning it, and I decided the time had come. I'm so glad I did! It performs like an oil or balm cleanser but is in the form of a gel (a bit like the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel), that glides smoothly on the skin removing the last traces of makeup as I like to use it mostly at nighttime. It has a gorgeous smell that I find truly relaxing, and it makes me indulge in a little massage before starting to add water to turn it into a milky consistency and rinsing it off. The star ingredient is Marula Oil, that thanks to its content in fatty acids helps to reinforce the skin barrier and improves its moisture. I'm really enjoying using it every night!

Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream

This eye cream claims to make you look wide awake and refreshed in 3 seconds, and I have to say that yes, it's kind of awesome! I have been using this mini size for a little bit more than a couple of weeks and I love it. It's great under makeup as it's not too heavy but it's hydrating enough, and the amazing thing is that it really makes you look more awake really quickly: sometimes I tend to wake up with my eye bags a little bit worse than usual, and in those mornings this really makes a difference. I'm definitely thinking about purchasing the full size as soon as I run out!

Kiehl's Micro-Blur Skin Perfector

This, for me, is the only primer I'll ever need. Sure, I like to try new ones, but as a need this is more than enough for me as it's just perfect. It smoothes the skin like nothing else whilst being super light on the skin, and the added skincare benefits are a really nice plus. It contains a Lipo Hydroxid Acid derived from Salicylic Acid that smoothes the skin and fight imperfections, making it more than a simple primer but something able to improve skin over time. Every foundation looks better over it and I haven't had any of the annoying problems you sometimes get with primers like the Benefit Porefessional, that tend to ball up when something rather silicony is applied over the top. I seriously can't be without this!

Sephora Wonderful Cushion Foundation

Cushion Foundations are starting to be more popular, and this new Sephora release is great. It's really skin like and weightless, but still has good coverage and staying power. It's a great everyday base as it's super quick to apply with the enclosed sponge and I've been wearing it a lot. You can read my full review in this post!

Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Kit

I know I recently reviewed this one too, but I've been loving it too much not to mention it again. It's the perfect contour kit that contains three unbelievably smooth and blendable powders, and I've been wearing it almost everyday for months forgetting about my other contouring products. The contour shade is perfect and never looks patchy, the bronzer is lovely and not too orange and the slightly yellow tint of the mat highlight powder makes it great for adding dimension and setting under-eye concealer too. Here's the full review!

Dior Diorshow Color and Contour in #557 Twig

I love, love, love this from the Dior Spring Glowing Gardens Collection. It's a dual ended eye product with a cream stick eyeshadow on one side and a twist up pencil on the other. The cream eye shadow side is a super shimmery light beige-taupey shade that gives the lid a gorgeous almost wet look, and the pencil side is a mat brown that gives a really soft look to the line. Some might even say that the cool brown liner isn't pigmented enough, but I love it for that reason. Even if it's a really shimmery look I've been really loving it for a quick daytime eye that still involves eyeshadow, and I love the handy packaging! I've seen something similar from Kiko, I need to have a closer look at that too because their stick eyeshadows are great.

Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer Lipstick in Plum Pop

This was a no brainer just like the Smashbox Contour Kit as I've been wearing it almost everyday all month. First, I love the formula. It's incredibly smoothing and pigmented, and it's really comfortable. It wears off leaving a little bit of a stain behind, but lasts a long time before doing so. The shade is incredible: I think the best way to describe it is as a slightly plummy medium pink, and it's that kind of shade that it's a little bit more than a simple pink without being too bold. You can have an idea of what it looks on me from this Instagram picture.

Tell me, have you tried any of these products? What have you been loving this past month? Tell me in the comments!

Bloglovin’ | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Kit Review

There’s a product I’ve been loving that I never see mentioned on blogs, and it’s the Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Kit. If you follow me on Instagram you’ve seen me feature it in almost every single “face of the day” post, and that’s the truth, as I’ve been wearing it nearly everyday for months.

The little compact contains a contour powder, a shimmer free bronzer and a highlight that is matte too. The texture of these powders is incredible: they blend super easily and never look patchy.

I love how the pigmentation is strong enough to show up but not too strong, as it allows me to go for a softer or stronger look with ease. They layer well and they even blend well on not powdered (but allowed to set) foundation if needed.

I usually only contour my cheeks, and this trio is perfect for that. I apply the contour shade right on and slightly under my cheekbone, blending upwards. Then I follow with the bronze shade, right above the contour, and then apply the highlight shade on the top of my cheekbone. It’s perfect for a shimmer free highlight and sometimes I use it under my eyes too, as if anything it has a slight yellow tint that looks wonderfully brightening. I then follow with blush (creams pair well with this trio too) and, if I want, a shimmery highlighter too.

I forgot to photograph it, but the palette comes with an amazing angled brush that I use for all the shades, and you can see it on their website here (I've just seen they feature a dark shade too if you're interested).

Since I started using this I haven’t felt the urge to take out of the drawer any other contour powder, let alone buying new ones. It’s pure love. A trio of shimmer free super smooth powders that are foolproof to apply, with the perfect brush included? I really don’t need to look any further.

Have you tried this Smashbox Contour Kit? What is your favourite contour product?

Bloglovin’ | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Testing Samples | Smashbox Liquid Halo Foundation

When I ordered my Smashbox Cherry Smoke Palette (it's in my October favourites!) I selected the Liquid Halo foundation as a sample, since trying new foundations is one of my favourite makeup related things to do. In case you need proof, here's my last "Testing Samples" post, all about foundations! ;)

This foundation claims to contain 100% Liquid Light Technology that completely evens out the skin for a totally natural and luminous finish.
Let's talk about this straight away: the luminous finish is definitely there. It looks luminous in a natural, non glittery way, and looks really nice!
I can't say the same about the ability of completely even out the skin, as I could still see some redness on my cheeks: I'd say it's got light to medium coverage - which to be fair it's what they say too! -, but I've used lighter bases with more coverage.

It's meant to be long wearing and moisturizing at the same time, and I can agree: it's been comfortable all day when worn without powder on my normal dry-combination skin.

From what I can see the shade selection is pretty good: I used shade #4 which is a lovely light to medium warm base, and the other ones look beautiful too.

As I mentioned I've been wearing it without powder as most of my bases lately, and I find the best way to do it is to slightly blot the skin a couple of minutes after application with a tissue. It removes the excess product and lasts all day looking more natural, so I've been doing it a lot lately!

I think this is a really lovely foundation for someone after an everyday base that doesn't require lots of coverage or a mat finish: it's not something I would personally purchase as I have bases I love more (the Dior Diorskin Star for example! Isn't it clear that I'm still loving it a lot?), but I can't say a bad thing about it! Definitely grab a sample if you can. :)

Have you tried this foundation? Do you have any Smashbox recommendations for me?

Bloglovin’ | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

October Favourites

After a really full week that made it impossible for me to post anything (sorry!), I'm back with my monthly favourites.
I've got a lot of lovely new things to show you, so let's begin!

Smashbox Cherry Smoke Photo Op Eye Shadow Palette
A versatile palette with gorgeous fall shades but also a set of cooler ones making it perfect for every look and every season. The two bigger shades are gorgeous and the pinky mat one makes the perfect base for a smooth application of the other shades!
These eyeshadows are all buttery soft, they almost feel creamy and the pay off is amazing with no fallout. A total winner!
You can see it on me in this instagram picture.

Dior Diorskin Star Concealer
Here it is, my new favourite concealer. It covers amazingly looking absolutely natural and is so hydrating for the under eye area without creasing. You can read my review here, where I talk about the Star Foundation too alongside a new Rouge Dior Baume.

YSL Black Opium
Vanilla and coffee.
It's pretty much all I have to say about this gorgeous fragrance that made me fall in love at first sniff: the coffee is pretty strong at first, but stays there even when the fragrance dries down to the most sofisticate vanilla scent. My new favourite!

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate
I was given a sample of this a couple of months ago, and I started using it every night. When the sample run out (after an impressive amount of uses!), I managed to resist only a couple of days without running to the store.
It so pleasant to apply as the dry oil consistency feels amazing on the skin and the lavender smell is so relaxing, but what sold me on this is my skin in the morning: soft, hydrated, luminous... It's the perfect nigh time treat!

Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturizer SPF 50+
This is the product I was less excited about when I picked up the Alpha-H Discovery Collection from Cult Beauty - you can read my haul and first impressions in this post! -.
What's so amazing about this product is that it dries mat in spite of the really high spf but isn't runny like most of similar products from other brands. I like that has a really creamy consistency as it manages to hydrate my skin but the mat finish makes it a great base for makeup... And I've got my face spf sorted! I cannot recommend it enough.

Have you tried any of these products? What have you been loving this month?

Bloglovin’ | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest