May Favourites (2019)

Disclaimer: Some PR Sample and Affiliate links – I have not been paid for this feature.

May was a mega beauty month for me, with lots of new favourite slotting into my routine, as well as the rediscovery of some older stars, which is why this’ll probably be quite a long post!

Kicking off with skincare, the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser (£15) has been in my collection for a while, but it’s only recently that I’ve started using it so regularly, and the reason for that is because I saw a very cool Dermatologist before I went on holiday who recommended that I try and limit the amount of balms I use on my skin – more on that in another post – so this Glossier number is a lighter cleanser that’s a pleasure to use, leaving skin feeling thoroughly cleaned without any dryness.

If you’re a regular reader then you’ll know that I’m a die-hard Obagi fan, and my routine is pretty strict.  At the moment, I’m trying to strike a balance between my hardcore Obagi days (introducing a higher level of retinol at the mo) and trying to keep a bit of colour, so I was having one day Obagi, one day off, now I’m having two Obagi days and one day off; the off day involves a gentle cleanse followed by a misting of the Ezitan Hydro Tanning Mist (currently £8.99) which is honestly just the best product for incredibly easy facial tanning – I originally featured this in a sponsored post and it’s become a firm favourite in my routine.

After a quick spritz of the Ezitan mentioned above, I let it settle in for as long as I can (usually about half an hour) and then follow with three drops of the gorgeous Beuti Beauty Sleep Elixir (£47) – if you’ve unconvinced over the transformative effects of really good skincare, just give yourself a good cleanse, use an acid toner and follow with this and you will be blown away.  I fell in love with this gorgeous oil years ago, and it was only recently when I was seeking a quick boost of hydration that I turned to it again, and it really is fantastic; after a single use expect to wake with skin that’s noticeably calmer, plumper and more dewy.

The Aveda Texture Tonic (£9 for travel size) is one of my recent revisits.  I remember using it when it first launched and thinking it was brilliant, then recently I decided to spray it in my hair, tie my hair up and go to bed and I awoke to shiny, loose curls that I struggle to achieve with the very best styling tools, so I’ve been doing that pretty much ever since! This is a great product for adding texture to the hair without any residue or tackiness.

The L’Oreal Paris Unlimited Pro Volume Bendable Mascara (£10.99) not only has a name that rolls off the tongue so effortlessly (…) it also provides lashes with a fantastic hit of both volume and length for seriously impressive lashes.  I actually picked up the waterproof version to take on holiday with me (before not bothering with make-up at all during the day, because why would you) because I was so impressed with this.  The only downside is that it did dry out pretty quickly, but I think there are very few good mascaras that don’t do that, so it’s a small price I’m willing to pay.

I was mesmerised by the Smashbox Cover Shot Crystalized Palette (£26) as soon as it arrived, and I think it’s because it’s just a real breath of fresh air from all the ultra warm toasted/heat type shades that are around at the moment, as this is a little edit of the prettiest shades that all offer something a bit different.  I’m completely obsessed with the taupey/grey second from the right (or second from the top in the picture above) as it’s the most perfect contour shade for adding depth to any kind of eye look.  This is a palette that really simplifies eye make-up and I really love the packaging too.

I wrote about my recent Mac Haul here, which included the Mac Shape and Shade Brow Tint (£19.50) which I’m still using lots as it’s one of those products that lets you achieve a really tidy brow with very little effort – I’ve always had to work at getting a good brow (I watch those Instagram videos of people who go from no brows to perfection in about 20 seconds and think “HOW?!”) so I’m always seeking products and tools that will make this a little more achievable, and this one from Mac is definitely a favourite.

God I love Chantecaille.  They’re just one of those infuriatingly charismatic brands that leave me wanting absolutely everything they’ve ever created.  Their Cheek Gelee (£39) in Happy is one of those shades that just instantly lifts your entire complexion, so it’s particularly great if you’re looking especially knackered as both the formula and colour put life back into sallow skin.  This is also one of those products that doesn’t need much else to make it work – on holiday I would wear this with a tinted moisturiser, a lip of mascara and that’s about it.

My love for creamy blush formulas knows no limits at the mo, and a firm budget favourite is the Burt’s Bees All Aglow Lip and Cheek Sticks (£13 approximately, depending on retailer) which are just so easy to use and provide a really subtle and flattering wash of colour that’s dewy and extremely pretty.  I have three shades that I’ve reviewed here and I honestly love them all – I’ll grab whichever one I see first without checking the colour as they really are gorgeous.

Finally, the Revlon Photoready Candid Antioxidant Concealer (£6.99) but I will be giving a full review soon, and I think it’s safe to say that you would struggle to find a concealer as good as this for less than £7 – I’ve been reaching for this everyday since it arrived, as not only is it beautifully creamy and easy to apply, it blends with skin so perfectly that you wouldn’t think there was any make-up there, and it works equally well under the eyes as it does on blemishes too.  I can’t wait to show you the full review!