Desert Island Products - March 2015

I haven't reviewed any products on here for a long time. I get a little tired of the colossal amount of bloggers writing about beauty who have no actual experience with makeup or skincare other than the experience of putting it on their own face. It turns me off reading, and writing about it too! I do, however, absolutely love taking pictures of my makeup collection - the colours and textures make me so happy.

So I thought I would update you on what my desert island favourite products are right now. These are products I am using on myself. I tend to go a little more luxe on myself than I do for my kit!

Eyes - Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Mirage

This has a creamy mousse texture which makes it delightful to apply with your finger. It blends out really easily and is a perfect colour to give your eyes definition in one go. 

Cheeks - Nars Orgasm Blush

This colour really does suit most complexions. It is a cult product for a reason and it often sneaks its way into my kit as I know there is a 99% chance it will suit the model I am working on.

Lips - Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Stoned Rose

This comes close to being my all time favourite lip colour ever. Mac's Cosmo beats it by a nose but this one is pretty perfect for both day and night. The texture is great - nice and creamy yet long lasting.

Face - By Terry Terribly Densiliss Foundation

It's no secret that my skin hasn't been behaving itself very well lately and this has been the main product i've been using to camouflage my hormonal breakouts. It is a serum foundation so the texture is sheer and blendable. I apply it with my hands at first, then after blending with my fingers I go over it with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to make sure it is all buffed in properly. 

Next week - Desert Island Kit Favourites. What i'm loving and using a lot in my kit on shoots right now.

Sweet Samples

Beauty samples can be great or they can be difficult to access and annoying to use. I have uncovered a cache of very lovely beauty product samples in my makeup area. I have the tendency to hoard the good ones. I'm not talking about your usual vial of perfume here, but mini sample sized top shelf beauty products. Here are some of the best which I have vowed to use up in the coming weeks. 

I'm sorry I didn't photograph this before tearing it open and trying it out but such was my love for it. This came included in my online Sephora order and it is the YSL Vernis A Levres Rebel Nudes sample pack containing three beautiful colours and a mini lip brush. These lip stains are lovely and have gone straight to the top of my duty free wish-list. Ten points to YSL for the inclusion of the lip brush.

By Terry Nutri-Regenerating Firming Lift-Oil - how cute is this little bottle? This is a clear example of a skin sample which I will definitely use. I have almost been too scared to try the By Terry skincare. I love there makeup so much that trying their skincare can only lead to many purchases on the horizon. Watch this space.

By Terry Terrybly Densiliss Foundation. I was lucky enough to be given this sample in the exact match to my skintone by the makeup artist in the By Terry store in Paris. In fact, she gave me two of them. So handy for when you are travelling light and don't want to take entire bottles of product with you. I'm off to Paris in April and these will certainly be coming with me.

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Bath & Shower Oil. Once again a magical, easy to open bottle of goodness that is just begging to be used up. Perfect to throw in your bag for a weekend away. 

Revlon Colour Burst Matte & Laquer Balms

Welcome to Revlon Kissable Balm Stains version 2.0. Regular readers of my blog will already know how much I love the originals. The colours Honey and Crush are my particular favourites. Suffering from constant dry lips, I have never been a huge fan of matte lip products but in the spirit of keeping with the times (and the fact that my lips are now in good shape thanks to my By Terry Baume de Rose), I wanted to give them a try.

The Boots 3 for 2 deal gets me every time ....

I went for the colours Elusive, a soft pink and Striking which is an orange-based red. Of the two, I actually prefer Striking as it works well to give a bit of a kick to my usual Winter uniform of black and grey clothing. Elusive will come into it's own in Spring I think.

Top: Striking,  Bottom: Elusive

They all have the zingy mint feel that the original balm stains have. It reminds me of Blistex. 

Boots released these with a 3 for 2 deal so I also purchased the Laquer Balm in the colour Demure. I don't need this but it was basically free. Enough said. The colour of the Laquer Balms is very sheer and better suited to the warmer months for me. 

I don't feel that they have the same staying power of the Kissable Balm Stains which is a shame. If you like drawing your lipstick on using a crayon format, then you will enjoy using these. Priced at only £7.99 here they are a good budget alternative to other products out there but I must say that I do prefer the formula of the Kissable Balm Stains over the Matte and Lacquer versions.

My Obsession: By Terry, Baume de Rose

I now refer to my life in two parts - life before I purchased By Terry's Baume de Rose, and life after I purchased By Terry's Baume de Rose. You know that feeling of finding something that you love so much you just can't imagine what you did without it? Well that is me and this lip product. I was amazed to find that this product is 10 years old. What the? How have I not known about this sooner?

I am an avid user of lip balms and cannot go to sleep at night unless I have some on my lips. I have tried many in the past, some that were expensive but just meh (Hourglass Lip Oil i'm looking at you), and I was reluctant to spend this type of money in case this wasn't good. When I visited the By Terry store in Paris (which you can read about here), I finally decided to take the plunge and invest. 

So why is it so good? It is quite a solid balm that you have to work up a little to get from the jar on to your fingertip. Due to the fairly solid consistency, you can still feel it on your lips when you wake up in the morning. And for the first time ever, my lips are hydrated enough to wear matte lipsticks without feeling awful. You only use such a small amount that a jar will last a long time. It smells amazing, as all the By Terry products do. 

It is not often I fall for something this hard! You can buy this here if you are in the UK, and here if you are in Australia. Once again, I am totally blown away by the Australian price tag on this compared to the price you pay in the UK. £35 versus $84 just doesn't make sense to me ....

Monthly Favourites - January

Since putting myself through a month long ban on any makeup purchases which I (almost) stuck to, this months favourites are all about skin care. Travelling from one side of the globe to another this past month definitely put a strain on my skin, but luckily I found some amazing products to help with the transition.

Shiseido Benefiance Pure Retinol Instant Treatment Eye Mask

I attended my 20 year school reunion while I was in Sydney and there was no way I was going to that with bags under my eyes. These are so easy to use. You just pop them on for 5-10 minutes while you get dressed and do your hair, and by the time you are ready for makeup you just remove them and delicately massage in any excess. I think they did pep me up a little and gave me a perfect base to go in with my corrector and concealer. £ 59.00 here.

Sanctuary Spa Thermal Detox Mask

I picked this up in a mini travel sized sachet in Boots and took it away with me. I was so impressed with it that I purchased the full size last week while at the Sanctuary Spa. What makes it different from other deep cleansing masks is that it heats up once applied to your skin. The heat feels amazing! It is so reasonably priced and has been really good for my combination skin. A definite thumbs up. £10.20 here.

Kora Organics Hydrating Mask

I have been using this in tandem with the detox mask above. I use this one on my cheeks, forehead and all other areas of my face that are not congested while I use the detox mask around my chin area. Living in London in winter with the dry heating being pumped through the house makes your skin so thirsty and this mask does a good job of replumping the skin. £37 here.

By Terry Or de Rose Blush Prestige

I picked this up for half price while at the By Terry store in Paris in December and have been using it constantly. There are a few ways to use it, but my favourite is to add a pump to your foundation to give your skin a radiant glow. If I have any extra left on my hand, I lightly dab the remainder along my cheekbones for some added highlighting. Did I mention it was half price? 

By Terry Baume de Rose

I finally took the plunge and purchased this late last year. It is so good that I am dedicating an entire post to it so stay tuned. £38.00 here.

Transitioning from Sydney to London, Summer to Winter

Last Friday I flew back to London after my month long holiday in Sydney. These are the ways I transition my makeup from the highest high's of Summer to the deepest depths of Winter, so if you are Sydney based and planning a trip far north - i've got you covered!

It's amazing how everything changes as soon as you step off the plane. The first thing that is noticeably different is the light. The light in Sydney is just so damn bright. London in Winter has a certain, may I say bleakness to it. This means that colours read differently and even something as simple as the shade of foundation you wear may need a rethink as you travel between the hemispheres. After totally living in tinted moisturiser, I am now reaching for something with more coverage, and i'm switching for a more dewy finish to something a little more matt.

Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser - £57.00 / $94

By Terry Terrybly Densiliss  Wrinkle Control Serum Foundation - £75.00 

After spending the past month using a nude lipstick shade, this suddenly looks way too insipid and I find myself reaching for berry shades to give my face some life. 

Paul and Joe Lipstick on Shade 207 - £19.50 (similar shades here)

Kiko Velvet Matt Lipstick in Cherry Red (609) - £6.90

I also tend to shelve the moral coral and neutral blush shades and go for something rosie.

Bourjois Cream Blush in 02 - £7.99

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Rose - £19.00 / $44.00

While you may feel like a goose wearing eyeliner and mascara on the beach, in London it is definitely the way to go so i'm going to go crazy. Lately I have switched it up and have been using a dark brown eyeliner rather than a black which still defines the eye nicely, but looks a little less severe. I am also upping the intensity, moving from a light wash of colour over the lid to something with a little more punch.

Clinique Chubby Stick for Shadown Tint for eyes in Lavish Lilac - £17.00 / $35.00

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Velvet Orchid - £28.00 / $62.00

There are a few things that stay the same no matter my location. I always use a broad spectrum sunscreen, even when it's 4 degrees and raining. My trusty black mascara is also a key product that I am never without.