Jurlique Rose Silk Finishing Powder

Jurlique are one of my go to brands when my skins needs some TLC and I am obsessed with their Rosewater Balancing Mist which I keep on my desk at work to give my face some extra moisture mid way through the day when I have been sat looking at a computer screen.

In amongst all of their lovely products, this Rose Silk Finishing Powder is one of my all time favourite products from them and it is one I wanted to share on my blog today. 

I have a 'thing' with finishing powders.  I really like them to a mist but getting the hang of using them can become tiresome and annoying, you either add too much or not enough, so trial and error is a huge factor with products like this for me.  Like most Jurlique products, this one comes packed inside a beautifully decorated cardboard box which depicts some beautiful floral decoration along with everyting you need to know about what is inside.  Inside the box is a sleek looking tub which is really luxurious looking.  Lifting the lid on the tub there is a mirror which is a great size and really handy plus a powder puff for application.

The Jurlique Rose Silk Finishing Powder is described as being a "translucent facial powder with precious botanicals designed to minimise oiliness and shine, to help skin feel smooth and look radiant". The finishing powder itself is incredibly finely milled and has a lovely silky feel to it. It also doesn't feel as though you are just covering your face in talcum powder either which is a massive bonus and nor does it leave any hint of it being there on the skin, other than the incredible scent. If you have use any of the Rose products from Jurlique you will be familiar with the scent already, but if not, it smells just incredible of fresh roses.

Application of this finishing powder is quite easily, I use the powder puff to intitially apply the powder and then taking my Real Techniques Bold Metal Arched Powder Brush to ensure I have even coverage and have my t-zone well and truly covered. As I have said the powder is really lightweight so you don't know it is there and what it does do is ensure my skin stays oil and shine free for most of the day with only the need to re-apply if I have an event in the evening.

This is for me an incredible finishing powder and having had this little pot of joy for almost a year, I am sad to find it is coming to an end though it is definitely something I would re-purchase. Costing £26 for 10g it isn't cheap but it is definitely a worthwhile investment.

What is your favourite finishing powder or do you prefer finishing mists?

You Beauty Discovery Box - July Edition

It's that time of the month for another You Beauty Discovery Box and if you read my blog regularly, you will know that I am a huge fan of this box and think it is one of the best out there. For July, the box is centered about Travel and giving some new products a chance.

This month we have three extra treats which I always look forward to, even though I always know what they will be. July's treats are extra amazing with a 50ml St Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower which has been everywhere at the moment and having tried it for the last week (you can read my review HERE), it is brilliant and I am chuffed to have another tube. You also receive a £2 off voucher for this tan from Boots. 

I also got a sample of the Emma Hardie Protect & Prime SPF 30 which is a skin protecting cream with added primer for a soft focus luminous complexion. I am quite looking forward to giving this a try as I am yet to try any products from the Emma Hardie range and so many people rave about them.

The final treat in the box was a packet of Muesli Breaks Oatcakes by Nairns which ive eaten and quite liked, they are great for on the go when you have forgotten to have breakfast or prefer ten more minutes in bed.

The hardest part of this box is choosing two items to try and I always attempt to try something I have either never tried, want to try or have tried and loved. So the two duo's that I have chosen are the Vichy Purete Thermale 3 in 1 & Idealia Life Serum Duo. I have previously tried some Vichy Skincare and really liked them, so I decided to give these ones a try. had to pick these items. 

The Vichy Thermale 3 in 1 cleanses, tones & removes eye makeup all in one! You then, once cleansed, apply the Idealia Life Serum to help improve dull looking skin and give an instantly glowing and fresh looking complexion.

The final items in my box are a duo from Philip Kinglsey, whom most will recognise from the Elasticizer. Well this time, I have the Moisture Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner. They are said to gently cleanse and balance the different needs of the hair, providing more moisture at drier ends, without weighing down the roots. Together they transform dry and damaged hair into super smooth, shiny locks, leaving hair healthy and beautiful.

So there you have it, my £6.95 box of goodies for July from You Beauty Discovery. What do you think to my contents?

St Tropez In Shower Gradual Tan

So fake tan has been one of those products that I want to love and use but... it terrifies the life out of me. I am terrified of turning into this streaky orange Oompa Loompa v's Dale Winton and for that reason have always shied away from trying anything, no matter how much it has promised to not streak, give an even tan and have a light coverage. I am pale skinned, tan but I am never that beautiful bronze shade you see on those adverts. So when I read a few reviews about the new St Tropez In Shower Gradual Tan, I wanted to try it.

The St.Tropez In Shower Tanning Lotion comes in a squeezy tube which has a ombre blue colour pattern, the tube itself is easy to keep hold, especially with wet hands. The lotion inside is a cream colour and as it is enriched with Sweet Almond Oil, not only does it leave your skin feels hydrated and moisturised after you use the product, it smells delightful too.

St.Tropez claim that this new product is perfect for the first time tanners out there, people like me essentially. It is described as being a product which takes just 3 minutes of your time as part of your daily shower regime and is a convenient way to build a sunkissed, gradual glow, that provides up to 24 hour moisturisation. So to use, you shower as normal to ensure your skin is fully cleansed and then with the shower off, generously apply in circular motions to wet skin (so don't dry off) to create an even coverage. When I use this, rather than use my hands, I have used a tanning mitt as I find them much easier to use and I don't want stained hands. Once applied, you wait for three minutes and in that time you could apply a hair mask or clean your teeth and then once those three minutes have passed, you get back into the shower and wash off the lotion. Then dry your skin using a patting motion rather than rubbing before getting dressed and continuing your routine as usual

So whilst you are not technically tanning in the shower, well unless you stand in there for those three minutes the water is off, it is a really easy product to use and really easy to apply, more so than I was expecting it to be I have to say. As you do apply it, it does lather slightly and this I found helpful when ensuring I had covered everywhere without leaving anything out.

So what about the results? Well, I have to admit I am a total novice when it comes to fake tan but so far I have enjoyed every minute of using this product. It is easy to use, it hasn't stained my hands, towel or clothes, it doesn't smell like soggy biscuits which is a phrase ive noticed used with a lot of fake tans. Infact it has a really lovely scent to it due to one of the main ingredients being Sweet Almond Oil. I have had no streaks on any part of my body, the only the place I haven't used this is on my face. So, below is a series of pictures taken over the seven days of using it and...

Well as you can see, there is a lot of change in the shade of my skin from day 1 which is the first photo, day 3 which is in the middle and then day 7! Needless to say I am quite chuffed with the shade and if all fake tan could promise me this shade it would become my new obsession.

The St.Tropez In Shower Tanning Lotion comes in a 200ml bottle and retails for around £14.50, so it's not the cheapest tanning product on the market but I do love the concept and how easy it is to use, so for the time being it is a product I will continue to use until I run out, then who knows, I might feel brave enough to try something new.

Benefit - License to Blot

Benefit have had some amazing new releases of late.  They're Real Colour Mascara and Eyeliners which I reviewed HERE and not that long ago the third installment of the POREfessional range, License to Blot!  

BLOT on the spot! This instant oil-blotting stick with tiny invisible blotting spheres mattifies shine for up to 6 hours after application. The specially designed triangular tip targets shiny zones…the sides of your nose, forehead and chin. Oil has finally met its matte!

I was lucky enough to receive a mini handbag sized License to Blot which is so cute and so handy to have.  In essence it is an oil blotting stick, so essentially blotting papers but in a solid format and it mattifies shine for up to six hours after each application. The only slight difference between this mini version and the full size version is that this one is shaped like a lip balm and the full sized one comes in a triangular form which I suspect will fit perfectly around the chin, nose and forehead - the places I tend to use this the most.

Now I do tend to have an oily tzone and I do always have some blotting papers in my desk drawer and some at home in my make-up drawers and I do reach for them quite a lot, more so on hot summer days, so the timing of License to Blots arrival is perfect for testing.  I am a big fan of Porefessional and always ensure I never run out, so I had high hopes for this because I am yet to try Agent Zero Shine.  Unsurprisingly License to Blot is fantastic, so much better than I thought it would be and it is so easy to use.  To apply, you really gently, using short swift strokes, apply it onto your face, paying the most attention to the parts and you should notice that those oily areas because instantly matte, so mess, no fuss and zero shine.

It is also great to use with or without make-up on, even if used whilst wearing make-up, it doesn't remove anything and there is no need for a touch up.  On my skin, License to Blot lasts a good 4-5 hours which is perfect because my skin becomes slightly oiler in the afternoon, which means if I have an event in the evening, I only need to use this product once, whereas with blotting papers, I would be using 2-3 at any one time and then repeating the process before leaving work because they aren't as long lasting as this is, so hurrah, out go the blotting papers and in comes License to Blot.

The Benefit POREfessional: License to Blot retails for £15.50 and in my opinion, is well worth having in your makeup bag, this one is a keeper for me.  Have you tried it?