Current Skincare Essentials

My skin has been hating on me recently. God only knows why, I mean, ok do drink a lot of coffee and snack on a bit of crap when I'm bored but that's always been the case. Anyhow, I decided it was time to take my skin care more seriously again as I'd realised my routine had completely slacked! And while it hasn't been able to stop those hormonal chin outbreaks (mmm sexy) it has made my skin feel a lot fresher, less clogged and look more glowy and healthy. 

Colbert MD Tone Control Facial Discs - Seen as I don't use manual exfoliators this is the closest thing I do to buff away dead skin. I love that the box comes with 20 individually packaged facial discs as they are handy for travelling. While the packet says you can use twice a day I only use one once a week. Firstly, because I think that for my slightly sensitive skin that would be way to harsh and secondly because at £65 a box I don't have that kind of money to throw around. I simply rub the disc on my face in a circular motion for about a minute and then look at it in disgust. Even when I've double cleansed it never fails to surprise me how much dirt comes of on it. I'm about half way through the box and have definitely noticed that my hyper-pigmentation and spot scarring has lessened.

REN Wake Up Wonderful Night-Time Facial -  After my beloved Origins Drink Up Intensive overnight mask finished a while back I didn't rush to try a new one but when this bad boy landed on my desk I was so excited to try it - I love REN. This is more like a leave on mask/serum so it's nice and light and you can pop it on by itself or under your night cream.

bliss fabulous drench 'n' quench cream to water lock in moisturiser - I have been on the look out for a good day moisturiser for so long. I was using a Simple one but it took too long to sink in. This bliss offering literally sinks in immediately and leaves your skin feeling super smooth before applying make-up.

Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins - Origins is probably my all-round favourite skincare brand. I love how there is a product for every skin type and every skin concern and this night cream is the perfect dry skin quencher.

* ALSO * Shout out to my cleanser... Clinique Take the Day Off

Amazing for removing make-up but isn't harsh and leaves the skin feeling so soft afterwards!

June Make-up Favourites

So normally I do these as a video (or I try to anyway!) but as I only have a handful of new faves this month, of which are mainly beauty-related I figured it could be nice to just do a lil' roundup.

Trilogy Hydrating Mist Toner - A lovely toner. I spritz this on after cleansing my face morning and evening and you can really feel it hydrate your skin. I would always look at toner as being a bit of an unnecessary step before I tried this and I'd always thought that the formulas for toner were too astringent for my combination skin. This however,  is lovely and gentle with a calming rose scent (real natural y'all).

W7 Ebony Blush - I've never tried anything by W7 before but I was in the market for a nice understated blush that I could wear with a bold lip - which was actually seriously hard to find - and stumbled across this gem. Excellent colour pay off, not too sparkly and long-lasting (tested in the sweaty summer sun).

Bioderma Sensibio Tolerance - My skin was freakin' out the other day, like properly freakin' so I needed something the perk it back up and gave this a whirl as it was sent into the office. The Sensibio range by Bioderma is formulated specifically for sensitive skin and this product aims to neutralise hypersensitivity. the dry patches on my face where getting rather flaky but my t-zone was even more oilier so I found myself needing to constantly powder - powder over dry patches = scaly mess. However this product has helped relieved the dry tightness and made my skin like new again. Whoop!

bareMinerals Pop of Passion Lip Oil-Balm in Plumberry Pop - Right now this is my go-to subtle bright lip. It feels like more of a tinted balm because it's so darn moisturising but the colour payoff is excellent and when it wears away it leaves a gorgeous tint to the lips. Literally can't rave about this formula enough. I may have to purchase the entire range...

NARS Eyeshadow Duo - The shades of these shadows are so not special but that is totally what I love about them, they are understated but add a gorgeous subtle shimmer to the eye - I've loved sweeping the lighter, peachier shade all over the lid and adding the darker shade to the outer corner and finishing the look with a sweep of eyeliner.

Antipodes Joyful Hand & Body Cream - This smells like actual heaven. It's so fragrant but beyond that the formula is so moisturising yet sinks in uber quickly. It's like a little spa for your hands.

beautyblender PRO - Makeup sponges have never been on my agenda - I'm much more of a brush girl, but I've always been intrigued by the beautyblender. The tutorials I've seen with them on YouTube always look super flawless so I thought 'why not give it a go?' And I'm literally so pleased I did - it makes your makeup look actually airbrushed but not in a super weird way like those apps - look at this pic, ok the expression isn't great but my skin looks good and it isn't even a little bit filtered whatsover - thanks beautyblender!

Clinique Superbalanced Makeup - I'd be fibbing if I said I needed more foundation. I have plenty and they all work perfectly, catering to my different needs but this enticed me in with it's frosted glass bottle and promise of balancing my skin and controlling oil. It provides medium coverage and feels light and breathable on the skin. I'm obsessed.

6 tips to keep your make-up looking flawless all night!

It’s party season (how many times have you heard that already this week?) and the festivities are about to kick in – office parties, meals with friends, New Year’s Eve etc, which means we’ll be expecting our make up to stand the test of time. Here are some tips on helping your make-up stand the test of time…

1. Let that sink in…

A great foundation is all well and good but if you haven’t got the stuff underneath down pat then it’s pretty much useless. In order to ensure your foundation doesn’t slip and side throughout the night make sure you allow your moisturiser to sink in before you start applying any make-up.

2. Prime time

A decent primer will seriously keep your make-up glued to your face, but not in a gross way. I personally love the Clinique Superprimers, especially the universal one. When applying, don’t rub it in, but smooth it on. It’s supposed to be a light layered on top of your moisturiser, not mixed in with it.

3. Ace the base

Once you’ve gotten the pre make-up faff out of the way, choose your base wisely. If you’re in for a long night, as much as you want to look natural - do you know what the worst possible foundation choice you could make for an all nighter? A dewy finish. Don't even go there unless you want to shine like a beacon a couple of hours in. Opt for a matte or Demi-matte finish. If you feel like matte foundation flattens your face, you can always add shape with subtle highlighting and contouring.

4. Lashes on lashes

Now I'm not one for fake lashes. I'm way too self-conscious that one of them is making a break for it and is half dangling off of my eye while I party on, blissfully unaware. But if you love your falsies then the one tip I'd give is to carry your lash adhesive in your clutch to avoid any going AWOL.

5. Lip service

The best bet for a long-lasting lip would be a stain. However, I’m super-allergic to one of the ingredients in pretty much all stains available so I have to opt of the next best thing. Applying a lip liner all over the lips is great because it has awesome staying power and allows you to define the lips at the same time.

6. Pow wow powder!

If you want to set your makeup before you head out or touch up while you’re there, I recommend translucent powder as no matter how many times you touch up it won’t cake, whereas normal, skin-coloured powder layered on foundation can tend to look cakey. Just powder down the centre of the face when you start to look a lil’ shiny.

And make sure you have a fab night, ladies!

Love Keeks xo

Culling Crayons...

I used to love drawing with chunky crayons when I was little. Nothing got a three year old Keeks more excited than a big blank page and a packet of fresh Crayola’s (except maybe my Barbie dream house), so of course when beauty haulin’ I naturally gravitate towards these bad boys.

For me lip crayons are the ideal hybrid of a lipstick and a lip pencil - easy and foolproof for even the biggest makeup novice. I’ve tried many over the years but these four have stuck in my collection, all serving different purposes...

My initial foray in the lip crayon game was with the Clinique Chubby Stick, which was probably many people’s first. This crayon is the balmiest I own and what I slick on for a tint of colour and a hint of moisture. The original formulation comes in 18 shades, the Intense range, which offers a stronger colour pay off, comes in 10 and they’ve recently brought out the Baby Tint, which is less colour and more moisture. They aren’t cheap at £17 but they are kind of the crème de la crème of the lip crayon word and, if you have the dollar, they are worth the splurge.

For a statement matte lip (but seriously matte) I reach for my Topshop lip crayon. A more precise hand is required for this one but once you have the application down, it’s a great matte blue-toned red – I think the one I have has been discontinued but the lip bullet in wine gum is a pretty good match . My other matte crayon is from Bite and I picked it up from Sephora in Miami. I hadn’t heard about the brand because it’ not available in the UK (unless, of course you order it from Sephora) but it was the packaging that had me. I wanted everything. No joke. For me this is a fab semi-matte and the colour (rhubarb) works great as a nude lip for me.

Me final crayon is a real good’un. The Soap & Glory sexy motherpucker gloss stick is unlike any other, because, well, it’s glossy. The colour I have is Raplumsel and is a deep plummy raspberry. It possesses the ability to make a face look ‘done’ with a swipe on the lips. The formula is creamy rather than sticky and so avoids the whole lipgloss in hair sitch. J’adore.

Love Keeks xo

Love Makeup - Some Current Faves...

I feel that ever since I started working within the realm of beauty journalism, I have become such a floozie when it comes to makeup. I literally have draws and draws of the stuff, some still unopened – and that’s still while giving loads to my besties, mum and sisters.

For instance, I used to have two foundations; my trusty M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid and my YSL Le Teint Touché Eclat; now I have 8 in total. It’s getting ridiculous, I just want to try and buy everything, so I thought it would be a good idea to actually look at some of the products that I’ve been reaching for the most lately.

Clinique Superprimer Universal – It’s lightweight and sinks in so quickly. I like the fact that it’s water-based so I don’t feel like it’s just sitting on my skin.

Smashbox Liquid Halo Foundation – I love the fact that this gives the skin a nice glow while still being quite matte, a God send for us girlies with oily/combination skin.

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer – This is my ‘I need to look less dead’ go-to product. It’s also handy when I’m have a good skin day and don’t want to wear foundation but at the same time my eyes look like I’ve had no sleep.

Revlon Photoready Skinlights – This is my newest love. It’s an illuminator that you can either mix into your foundation or use as a highlighter. I like to use it as a subtle highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones – the shimmer is so subtle, which is great because I hate a highlighter where the glitter is chunky (hello 90s).

Laura Mercier Brow Gel – Before this I had just been using clear mascara to keep my brows in place, but I thought it was time I actually tried a gel specifically for grooming brows! It’s great, I mean, it does what it’s supposed to do. 

Liz Earle Radiant Glow Bronzer – Again, a subtle glow! The shimmer in this is so finely-milled it’s not even shimmer – it’s like you’ve been sun-kissed.

Revlon Lash Potion – I’m not going to lie, it was the packaging that did it for me. I bought this is Miami and I’d never see it over here (you can get it over here though!) so I instantly wanted it but it’s actually a great mascara. I’m not sure if it’s doing anything for my lashes but I like the brush.

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Cheek Rush – I love to put this on top of my primer but under my foundation. It’s a cheek tint with insane staying power and I find that popping it under my foundation (I don’t wear much) gives that ‘blushing from within’ look, which I love because it looks much more natural.

Shu Uemera Eyelash Curlers – Do I even need to say anything about these beauties? Say hello to fluttery lashes.

M.A.C Lip Liner in Hover – Ahhhh *angels descend and the choir sings* I’ve found my peeeeerfect nude lip liner! I wore this everyday with my M.A.C lipstick in Verve for a good month. It’s the dark skin nude lip combo from heaven. I’m going to do a post about it soon.

Clinique Chubby Sticks.

Clinique Chubby Sticks - £16

Hey Lovelies!

The other week I purchased a chubby stick, as did my mum, in Boots on a complete whim. As I said in my Haul video we were tempted into purchasing one each to get the free pouch, which I have no need for!

I chose the shade 05 Chunky Cherry and my mum chose 07 Super Strawberry. Chunky Cherry is more of a hot pink where Super Strawberry is more of a natural pink but is still quite bright.

On the Clinique website chubby sticks are described as follows…

“Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm is a lip treatment with sheer colour that relieves dry, cracked lips and provides immediate moisturisation. The unique pencil-style applicator provides easy to apply sheer soft lip colour and rolls up for ease of use.”

In all honesty, this product is a luxury glorified tinted lip balm! It does kind of provide moisture however it also wears away easily so I feel like I have to constantly reapply, but I tend to do this habitually with any lip product!

The colour pay-off on the lips isn’t very strong but I didn’t expect it to be, with it being a balm.

I think the best thing about the chubby sticks is the pencil-like applicator, it means when applying it on the go, you don’t have to use your fingers, which I personally don’t like having to do, especially on public transport, the germaphobe that I am! Also it means more precision in the cupids bow.

The stick does twist up, so you do have more product in there, but I really don’t think it’s worth £16. It isn’t the worst lip product I’ve ever bought, but it’s not the best, and I won’t be repurchasing it, I think it will just be one that I chuck in my bag to use on the go!

Have any of you tried the Chubby Sticks yet?

Love Keeks xo

A Haul Video!

What I'm Wearing

Top -Topshop // Earrings - Topshop (I definitely shop there too much!) 

Necklace - Accessorize // Watch - Toywatch

Hey Lovlies,

I've done my first haul video! Hope you enjoy it. All the Topshop stuff was in the sale so the items available will differ store to store but all the Primark stuff is available now! Have any of you been sale shopping yet? I might go again tomorrow... yes I have a problem...

Products Mentioned...

Topshop
Spotty Purse
Eyeliner Crayon
Lipstick in Moccasin
Gold Cut Out Ring
Spiked Mixed Metal Necklace
K.I.S.S Ring Set
White Apostrophe Jumper
American Flag Vest
Off-white Sleeveless dress

Primark
Yellowy/green Bandeau top
Zebra Print Pinkback top
Gold Necklace
Pastel Gold rings
Assorted Gold rings

Boots
Clinique Chubby stick in 05 Chunky Cherry

Hope you're having a relaxing weekend!

Love Keeks xo