Vitamin c skincare saviours

The Vitamin C Cleansing Oil and the Daily Micro Polish Wash from Úna Brennan’s Superfacialist range are definitely among my favourite skincare finds of the year. These two cleansing products have a really luxurious feel for the reasonable price tags of £10.99 for the oil and £9.99 for the daily scrub.

Until now, I have always avoided using any kind of oil on my combination/ oily skin, however this cleansing oil leaves my skin feeling clean without leaving behind any greasy residue. I massage the oil into my dry skin using fingers, and add some warm water to lather it into the skin. I then remove it thoroughly- I find muslin cloths to be great for gently exfoliating without being too harsh. The golden oil has a lovely zesty scent and just a few drops are enough to cleanse the whole face. The only little nitpick I have is the packaging- the lack of pump is a bit of a pain, but it definitely won’t stop me repurchasing.

Moving on to the scrub. Gone are the days when I would scrub my face to death with chemical filled, stripping exfoliators (I’m looking at you, Clearasil). Although I have moved on from this teen habbit, I do like to use an exfoliator of some kind as my combination skin can get very dry on the surface. I find the Úna Brennan Mirco Polish to be gentle, whilst also being able to slough away dead skin as the particles are so so tiny (as the name would suggest). The smell is similarly citrusy to the oil, and when I use these products together, my skin feels truly clean, soft and nourished.

What have been your favourite cleansing products of 2015?

Desk (not so) Essentials

Stationary has always been a love of mine. There's no better way to make me feel motivated and organised than to purchase a brand new pencil case, pens and desk supplies. For as long as I can remember, the main perk of starting a new school year was the obligatory trip to WH Smith to choose the cutest stationary to impress my school pals with. Very little has changed and starting my first real job after graduating from University meant only one thing... A trip to Paperchase for a few desk 'essentials'.

All stationary addicts will know that walking into a stationary store to buy one item is a virtually impossible feat, so, predictably I left the store with more than I required (which was a simple notepad). I opted for a colourful metallic notepad with a magnetic closure (£6), and couldn't resist buying a pineapple printed mechanical pen (£2.50) to match. The Russian Doll highlighters (£3) were impossible to pass by and of course I had to buy a tiny pencil case (£4) to keep them in! Because Paperchase accept student discount cards, I was able to take advantage of the last few months of one of the biggest perks of attending University!

Does anyone else share my love of stationary? Where is your favourite place to buy your desk essentials?

Nars Namesake

When a product has your name on it, it is instantly more special, and receiving NARS Audacious lipstick in Grace as a Birthday present was no exception. Grace is one of forty shades of the Audacious line all named after (mainly obscure) girls’ names, including Lana, Marisa and Brigitte.

The first thing to note about these lipsticks is their beautiful packaging and luxurious feel. The tube is a weighty matte black with a magnetic closure and the NARS logo is embossed on the actual lipstick itself. The matte metal packaging is a preferable alternative to the rubbery packaging of the NARS eyeshadows I own (as this material seems to ask for foundation fingerprints). 

So, what about the product inside the beautiful packaging? My NARS namesake is a beautiful bright coral, which leans more towards red than pink or orange. The shade is very striking and only one stroke is needed to achieve an opaque and dramatic lip. The formula is a satin finish, however it does tend to stick to dry areas, so an exfoliator and moisturiser is needed prior to its use for a flawless application. Because this lipstick is not a matte finish, the longevity isn’t particularly amazing, however the beautiful colour more than makes up for this.

These lipsticks don’t come cheap at £24, however, they make a special gift and if you can find your friend’s name amongst the 40 offerings, then that would be a bonus!

What namesake products do you own?

Avene Hydrance Optimale Light

I had hoped that the Avene Hydrance Optimal Light would mark the end of my quest for a reasonably priced, yet good quality moisturiser. I have been dealt the card of difficult combination skin; which is oily all over, but with dry patches on the surface (weird, I know). Because of these two very different skin types, it is hard to find a moisturiser that will prevent me looking shiny, whilst also giving enough moisture to the dry patches on my nose and forehead. I had read many a rave review on this moisturiser, with bloggers claiming that it was very light in texture, whilst also being moisturising.

However, unfortunately for me, this moisturiser did not provide enough moisture to nourish the dry areas of my skin. The consistency is very light and sinks into the skin almost instantly, so it just didn’t provide adequate moisture on the drier areas of my skin. This cream would be perfect for someone with very oily skin, as it doesn’t feel at all greasy and gives a mattifying finish.

This lotion has a very pleasant, clean scent and is reasonably priced at for 30ml, but unfortunately, I won’t be repurchasing.

What’s your daily moisturiser of choice?

Current Nail Favourite

Since first applying Essie’s Trophy Wife, it has very rarely left my nails. This varnish is one of the few that I find myself reapplying as soon as it starts chipping, as my other polishes seem boring in comparison.

When I first spied this polish on countless beauty blogs, I knew that I had to bag it, as the beautiful ocean blue/ emerald shade is among my all time favourite colours. At this time of year, I usually gravitate to the more spring-like pastel hues, however this shade is a decedent and more striking alternative.

The formula lives up to the usual Essie standards, with the chunky brush and opacity making for an easy and quick application. I apply two coats because of my obsessive strive for the perfect finish, but even after one coat the colour looks beautiful. I personally like to wear dark colours on my fingernails, but for those who prefer more neutral tones, this would be a lovely choice for toenails.

What is your current favourite nail polish?