Five Things I Love: August 2016

I’ll join in with the bemusement that everyone appears to be feeling and say: I CANNOT BELIEVE IT’S SEPTEMBER! How did that happen? How is it time to start thinking about Christmas again? Crazy! I thought it was time for a Love List as I haven’t done one for a little while, so here are five things I thoroughly enjoyed using during August.

I’ve mentioned the Skinceuticals Phyto Corrective Gel, which is a lovely light serum that soothes and gently hydrates skin that feels sensitive or irritated.  As it calms skin, it’s great for spot-prone and/or inflamed skin, making it a great choice for those who suffer from several (often conflicting) issues such as spots and dryness. For an oil-free formulation this is incredibly hydrating, and my skin always, always feels better for using it, which is why I’m melting through it as it often gets used both AM and PM.  Years ago, way before I started the blog, I purchased a pack of Dermalogica Daily Resurfacers on eBay and I remember being blown away by how amazing they were then; I started using them again recently and I’m equally impressed as they make such a difference to skin tone and clarity in a very short space of time, they’re great for spots thanks to the inclusion of salicylic acid, but it doesn’t leave skin feeling dry or tight and you really will notice a difference after even a single use, so it’s well worth popping to your local Dermalogica counter to get a sample and see what I mean!  I’ve been using the Colab Active Dry Shampoo both pre and post workout as it does exactly what I need – it stops hair looking greasy from sweat during the workout and it adds lift, bounce and refreshment after a workout when I pin my hair back that leaves it looking flat.  It’s such a good product for such a cheap price – I usually get on better with the pricier dry shampoos, but this one is brilliant – I hope a small version is released for travel so I can carry it around with me.

There are two fabulous palettes that I’ve been reaching for recently, starting with the new Benefit Brow Zing brow palette, which is now available in six shades – I’m shade 2 and the match is perfect, which allows me to add brilliant definition and colour to my brows whilst still looking natural.  I only use the powder – I don’t think I’ve even touched the wax – as I like to finish with a coat of the equally fabulous Gimme Brow.  I also really love the fold-up brush that’s included in this palette, which makes the whole application process a lot less fiddly.  I am really into the redone brow range from Benefit, so if you haven’t had a chance to check it out I really recommend you do – here’s my intro post. The final piece of beauty joy comes from the out-of-this-world Illamasqua Rose Gold Palette, which is just the most stunning collection of vintage colours that make me swoon every time I use them.  There is just something about this collection of 12 shades; they’re kind of like burnt shades of muted nudes – wearable and pretty, yet a little edgy and earthy at the same time.  You can create some fantastic looks with these colours that stray just enough from traditional neutral shades to present with something a little bit different that you can still get away on an everyday basis; if you’re bored stiff of traditional nudes, these will get you going again.

*PR Samples