It’s that time again for me to share some things I’ve been obsessed with over the last few months! I’m trying so much new stuff at the moment (so many new launches!) but these are things that might not be new, even not new to me…but I’ve been using them an absolute tonne recently!
First up the Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer* their 2 in 1 moisturiser/ primer hybrid. I love the texture of it! Texture wise it reminds me a lot of an even thinner formula version of the Kat Von D Lock It Hydrating Primer (UK* / IE*), which is another of my all time favourite primers.
It’s lightweight, doesn’t feel grease ball on and sinks in really quickly so you’re good to go with your makeup in seconds without the fear of it balling up or makeup slide! Makeup applies evenly over the top, looks really fresh and stays on all day. I’ve tried it with a good few different foundation formulas too and it seems to be a good all-rounder and performs well/ consistently across the board. It keeps my skin looking and feeling hydrated but still controls oil…makeup looks smoother and oil breakthrough is minimal compared to other primers especially with it being a more hydrating formula!
The Primerizer contains 2 of my most loved, skin loving ingredients…Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide. I’ve worn this on no makeup days too to hydrate and even tone and it works a treat!
The Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer from Rihanna’s brand Fenty Beauty is one of those products that everyone needs to own in my opinion! Even if you’re not normally a lipgloss fan (I’m not really, having long hair to potentially stick to it for one and I’m generally more of a lip balm or matte lip kinda gal) I’d be surprised if you didn’t take a liking to this one!
When Gloss Bomb was first launched, I was a bit hmmm about the ‘universal shade’ which in my experience never truly is universal…but I haven’t seen it look less than great on anyone! Fenty describe the rosy nude shade as ‘the unicorn of nudes that looks good on everyone’…truth!
It’s not too sparkly/ doesn’t have shimmer, just a lush high gloss that feels as good to apply as it feels to wear. The peach-vanilla scent isn’t overpowering, but addictive…that with the plumped up hydrated feel it gives makes it a treat to reapply!
I’m a fan of a lot of the Fenty line, but if you’re yet to try anything…I’d recommend starting by picking this up for sure!
So I wasn’t sure if I was going to include this one as it’s pretty much sold out everywhere bar Sephora at the time I’m writing this, but I haven’t put it down since it arrived and it definitely is an obsession!
I have a whole dedicated blogpost to the Anastasia Beverly Hills highlighter collab with super influencer Amra Olević or Amrezy as she’s more commonly known by her followers, you can read more about it here…so I won’t go on about it too much. It’s just so beautiful! Even on my fair skin it’s the perfect glossy/ wet look glow without being too gold or so dark it looks muddy. Like I said earlier, it’s unfortunately sold out most places and I believe limited edition…if you do see it in store at Sephora or are thinking of ordering online, don’t hang about or beware the FOMO! This was the highlight I took away on my travels with me recently and I’ve been wearing it non stop…I hope it either comes back or ABH launch more shades in this formula. It’s one of those things that I should have bought 2 of!!
There’s 2 eyeshadow palettes that I’ve been obsessed with for the last few months, but while on the subject of ABH I’ll mention theirs first…the Soft Glam Palette*. It’s been my go to everyday palette recently and also the one I took to Barcelona with me. It has everything you need to create pretty much any eye look, from quick and natural to smoked up grunge and everything in between. Similar to the highlight, I do have a whole Soft Glam blogpost with full swatches…check it out!
ABH shadows are one of my favourite formulas out there anyway and unlike some other brands, I don’t feel like the ready put together palette shadows differ in quality to the single pans which is amazing! Smooth, highly pigmented and they blend like a dream.
I love their cult Modern Renaissance Palette* and thought I might not reach for the Soft Glam as much, but I’m really in to it’s mixture of the warm reddy tones I love with more neutral everyday shades and the inclusion of a black was a smart move by ABH and will no doubt secure the Soft Glam’s cult status too!
The second eyeshadow palette I’ve been obsessed with…Lime Crime’s Venus XL Palette*. I mean did you ever see a palette that was more me?? Warm red toned grunge is absolutely my jam! The XL is packed full of these most used by me shades as well as having a good selection of necessary neutrals and some shades that I maybe wouldn’t go for normally (the pinks and corals) which is kind of cool as a little bit of something like that can really add to a look, I like having that option there!
The full dedicated post with swatches is here…check it out and I bet you can’t resist picking it up, it’s a thing of beauty! Lime Crime have another of my most loved eyeshadow formulas and as well as the OG Venus and Venus 2…there’s a Venus 3 on the horizon coming our way soon, so keep those eyes peeled!
Next up, I actually picked this drugstore cult classic up while I was away in Barcelona and haven’t stopped using it since…the Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer Murumuru Butter Bronzer in Light. It’s available in 4 shades and this, surprise surprise, is the lightest. It’s almost part bronzer, part skincare! It’s a bronzing powder but it has a really creamy smooth application and melts on to your skin. It’s designed to smooth, hydrate and condition your skin while giving you the most gorgeous lit from within bronzed glow which it delivers! It’s oil free and non pore blocking too, definitely something I’d have to look for from such a moisture giving formula with my oily/ combo skin.
The one downside to this bronzer…it’s slightly bulky packaging, although I don’t hate it and it’s to house it’s built in mirror and applicator. The applicator is a weird sponge brush thing which does work with the creamy formula and great if you’re in a pinch but personally…I’d always use a fluffy brush instead. Can we also take a sec to appreciate the scent…I’m not massively in to heavily scented products as a general rule, but this being a bronzer and smelling of holiday (coconut holiday goodness…think Hawaiian Tropic SPF) I’m not mad at it. It smells great when you apply first apply it and you can smell it on your brush, but it’s not a scent that’s going to be offensive on the nostrils all day. Light, fresh and believable holiday bronze in a compact…cruelty free and affordable, what’s not to love?!
I’ve been obsessed with this for the longest time after first trying a little sample vial that came free with a magazine, but after a longer than it should have been hiatus (through no fault of the product itself, I ran out and then just had so much other similar stuff to test!), I recently rediscovered the Percy & Reed Smoothed & Sensational Volumising No Oil Oil For Fine Hair and remembered why I shouldn’t be without it…ever! Even if I’m trialing/ enjoying using something else too, I’ll now always have a bottle of this magic multitasker on standby!
I have a lot of hair, but it’s pretty fine and I sometimes struggle to get any kind of volume in to it unless I air dry it which can make it volumised in the wrong kind of way if humidity’s involved (Monica from Friends on holiday esq, but fortunately to a slightly lesser extent!). The No Oil Oil nourishes, smooths and creates shine without grease, boosts hairs resistance to said frizz creating humidity AND gives hold and free moving volume…it does everything I need and more! I even carry the travel size with me for on the go hair fixing.
I work a few drops from root to tip before drying and then if my hair needs it, an extra drop smoothed over my finished hair to give a mirror like shine and tame any fly aways. I like to wash my hair pretty much every day (hairdressers everywhere harbouring hatred right there, but sorry not sorry…I just like my hair freshly washed) and this minimises heat damage and if I do decide to leave it an extra day, stops it feeling lank and flat. I actually have no idea how this stuff works, just know it does and that’s why I’m obsessed!
The Cleanse Off Mitt created by ‘The Skin Nerd’ founder Jennifer Rock, an award winning, Irish skin expert also accompanied me on my travels. I always take dual phase eye makeup remover and a micellar water anyway ( check out Superdrug’s own brands for some great cruelty free options!) but sometimes only a proper wash with actual water will do. The advantage with the Cleanse Off Mitt is that you then don’t have to carry rinse off cleanser/ face wash with you too. They recommend you change your mitt every 3 months (at around a fiver a pop, so affordable too) but it is completely reusable and needs nothing but warm water to remove all traces of makeup and daily grime leaving you fresh faced and makeup free, even mascara! I’ve been using the mitt as a pre cleanse too day to day before my regular cleaning routine. LOVE!
Pretty short and sweet, but hopefully with all these upcoming new launches…I’ll hopefully be finding more obsessions to share! What have you been loving and using a tonne recently??
Lyd x
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I’m now based in Cork, Ireland. Although I do still take select bookings for North Wales/ Cheshire and Dublin (get in touch for more info) and am available to travel country wide…I’m mainly taking makeup bookings for Cork City and surrounding areas.
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