Wish-list: Cult Beauty

I find myself browsing the beauty emporium that is Cult Beauty most weeknights whilst watching re-runs of Ugly Betty! With brands such as Tammy Fender and Rodin, the site does stock higher end products that are often quite difficult to find. I have wrapped up my current beauty must-haves and with a little dip into my birthday money these products may find there way into my beauty bag very soon...

Epi Peel by Tammy Fender

This will be the perfect deep cleansing mask to give my skin a good ol' clean after a sweaty Summers day!

Rodin Oil Lusso

Cult Beauty describe this as a "wheat-grass shot for the skin" - hopefully it will help the create the dewy skin look that I have always coveted...

Sea Scrub by Fig & Arrow

A sea scrub for summer is a perfect fit and a great prep pre-shave. 

Safari Chic Bronzer Brush

The animal print trend will be a HUGE this A/W '13/14 and of course my make up brushes need to get in on the action too! 

NouNou Nourishing Repair Mask

I'm a sucker for products with minimalist packaging and a celebrity clientele (yes, I am that person) making this product an essential in my life..even if I don't actually need it!

Must-have: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

Nars is my go-to brand for everything make up related -  I stocked up on 3 tinted moisturisers during an ASOS beauty flash sale and I am often making sneaky purchases from their design collabo's (I have been eyeing up the Pierre Hardy nail polishes for a while....). They stock a wide range of shades and the formulations work spot-on with my skin tone and type. My latest purchase is the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer and I have to say it is now made it to the coveted morning make-up routine spot!

A little goes a long way with this highly pigmented concealer and a tab or two with the wand style brush will cover up any blemishes or under-eye circles. For anyone with sensitive skin, this product is water based so it will not irritate/cause any breakouts along with this it gives off a great luminous finish - ticking all the boxes!

Now the ultimate question -"Is it crease proof?" I really wanted to test this product for a few weeks before answering this question. I apply the concealer on top of my Nars Tinted Moisturiser at 7am, my skin then has to endure the grimy London pollution and the harsh air-con at work (not good for dry skin!). When I return home at 6pm I can definitely say that the smooth formula works well to create a crease proof look! However,  I don't think that the creamy formulation will work as well with oily skin.On warmer days when my skin is a tad more oily - it does tend to slide off by the end of the day but a little top-up during lunch should sort that out. 

The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer does lean toward the pricey side at £21 but with the amount of coverage you get from the with one sweep of this product,  it really is good value - hands down another Nars winner for me!

Gym Kit: Skincare Essentials

Being back at home means my gym routine is non-existent and my love for sugary treats is at it's peak – also with it being my birthday week cupcakes for breakfast is becoming the norm.

With my trip coming to an end, my mind is firmly set on how I am going to shift myself back into gym mode.  When working out “how I look” isn't a priority (my normal gear is an ASOS menswear t-shirt, a pair of leggings finished off with my old-school P.E. trainers - hardly fashion forward) but my skin has to be fresh, clean and 100% make-up free! For some the thought of going make-up free is not even on the menu but for me, I can’t stand the thought of my tinted moisturiser running down my face and clogging my pores!

My skincare routine for the gym is super quick and only requires two products: Simple Make-up Wipes and Korres Milk Proteins Foaming Cream. This combo works great for my eczema prone skin and removes face and eye-make-up without dehydrating my skin which is exactly what I need for the gym – I promise you there is no overpowering smell or tightness of the skin after using these products! Finish off with a moisturiser of your choice; I would go for the Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream. 

Post workout I get out my more serious skincare products - if you work-out in the morning make sure that your skin is prepped well for your day make-up and if you prefer to work-out in the evening make sure that you apply a good night-cream after cleansing.

Now I think it’s time to polish off this last bit of cake and prepare my workout routine for next week!