Two New The Porefessional Releases from Benefit Cosmetics!

If you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen that earlier last week I went to meet the Benebabes for breakfast and whilst tucking in to an amazing Avocado and poached egg on sourdough toast, drinking fresh coffee and fresh juices, I was introduced to two of Benefit Cosmetic's latest Porefessional products.

The first of the new products is the Porefessional Instant Wipeout Masks, which come in this really cute little briefcase, which inside contains eight super clearing sheet masks.  These masks, which look a bit like a batman logo,  can be used on your forehead, chin or across your nose and cheeks to eradicate large and congested pores - Wow! However, the most exciting part of this mask is that it comes with a little press button that once pressed releases liquid into the sheet mask and I honestly cannot tell you how satisfying it is to press that button, Benefit should market it as duel product for skincare and stress relief because I could honestly sit here and press those buttons all day, it is like a prettier version of bubblewrap and we all know what fun that brings!

The Instant Wipeout Masks contain mushroom extract which seems to be appearing in quite a few skincare products at the minute.  It is known to help clear pores and has a menthol smell to it, so if something has that clean smell, I have high hopes it will work. One side of the mask is smooth whilst the other side is designed to help exfoliate. I applied the mask to my nose, which for me is always a problem area with being clogged up.  I used mine whilst laying in the bath, in hope the steam would open my pores and allow the mask to work its magic, and do that it did. After the ten minutes of being on my nose, I removed the mask and wiped off any excess liquid, flipped over the mask and gently rubbed my nose and cheeks to remove any debris that had been brought to the surface.  Once I had patted my skin dry, there was no redness and my nose felt and looked less clogged and visibly cleaner.  So these are a hit with me.

The second new release from Benefit is the Porefessional Matte Rescue primer and I absolutely love the original Porefessional primer, so I had high hopes for this one.  Matte Rescue is a lightweight, water based gel primer which has been designed to absorb surface oil and shine as well as blur imperfections and pores, it doesn't say hide them, eradicate them or minimise them, it is to blur them. I have combination skin which leaves me with an oily tzone, so come lunch time, I tend to be reaching for my Blot Stick to remove excess oil from my face, with this primer, it is much later in the day when I am having to do that, almost time for me to leave my office and either head home or go out, so I am impressed with that.   

As a primer, if you love Porefessional, then you will love this, though I do feel Matt Rescue is much lighter in texture and feel when applied than it's big sister.  It doesn't have that silicone feel to it that Porefessional has and I find this one sinks into the skin instead of sitting just on the surface, so when it comes to applying your foundation, which for me is either By Terry or Hello Flawless, it gives a great base and helps my foundation last pretty much all day, I only tend to touch up if I have an evening function, otherwise it is home and make-up off.

I am absolutely loving both of these products, the primer is just brilliant and will now replace the original within my stash and the masks are also lovely and you should buy them just to feel the pleasure of pressing the button, honestly it is such a great stress reliever! Both products have launched and you can find them right here.

The Melt Crowd

I am a huge fan of candles and melts, there is always something burning when I am at home and I love discovering new scents.  The Melt Crowd subscription box is one of those products everyone needs to try, especially, if like me you love candles and melts.

At just £10 per box, for which you will get 8 melts and an oil burner in your first box to get you on your way, this is an amazing opportunity to try something new.   These melts are hand poured and have a burn time for up to 30 hours, which in itself is quite impressive.  To compare their size, they are the same size as my lens cap for my Canon DLSR.

The January box arrived through my door a few days ago and I just love each scent that was included within the box and upon opening it, the combination of those 8 scents was just amazing and this is what I found.

Coconut - I absolutely love anything coconut.  Food, drinks and the scent.  This melt fuels that love with its fresh scent and if you love coconut bites, then you'll love this.

Crystal Mountain Water - This is such a light scent that it takes a few seconds to get used to and then once you do, it is a lovely fresh scent that is perfect for a cold dark gloomy day.

Orange and Lemongrass - This is one of those scents that comes with a punch and smells every bit as the name would suggest, the scent of lemongrass being slightly more dominant it is one amazing smell.

Cinnamon and Mandarin - This is Christmas in a melt.  The Mandarin manages to calm down the scent of cinnamon which I often find too over-baring, but this is just lovely and again, perfect for winding down.

Strawberry Jam - This is perhaps my least favourite of the 8 melts, whilst it does smell of strawberries, I am not too sure it gives the same fresh scent the other melts have but it does remind me of Strawberry Laces which I rather like eating.

Pink Denim - Powdery fresh with a hint of florals this is the perfect spring scent and one which I adore.

Baby Powder - If you love the scent of Johnson's Talcum powder, then you will love this scent because to me it is identical.  I love scents like this which are clean and it more than reminds me of my childhood.

Whisky - I dont think ive ever seen a scent like this nor smelt one like it.  It smells exactly as I thought it would and reminds me of a coffee my grandma used to make which had a hint of whisky in it. It isn't over-powering but the scent of whisky is most definitely present.

I am thoroughly enjoying my first Melt Crowd Box, it is a joy to discover some new scents and I think the idea is just brilliant.  Now only is it a nice treat for yourself, but it would make a great gift for a friend, relative and even just because you want to gift someone.  Each box has an RRP£18.95 and the cost to you is just £10 which is an absolute bargain and I love that your first box includes an oil burner, which means, if you don't have one, the box isn't wasted.

Have you tried The Melt Crowd?

Top 5 Lipsticks of 2015

A post about my five favourite lipsticks of 2015 is not a post I ever thought I would be writing, but lipstick has become a huge part of my make up routine and it is something I wear every single day, unless I am at home doing very little.

Over the past year, I have managed to try quite a few different lipsticks and these are the five that I have used and loved the most.

As you can see there is an amazing mixture of brands with the inclusion of Dior and Chanel, plus the well known and much loved MAC, Highstreet favourite Topshop and a brand I haven't seen much about, but it is one I really like and that is RMK.

With lipstick, it has taken me an age to move away from my trusted nude pink shade. I am not quite ready to branch out into red, I simply don't think it is the shade for me at all, but I am hoping some of these might surprise you.

Dior Addict Fashion Night was an instant love for me. Nestled inside a stunning silver case with Dior clearly visible, this lipstick it is described as being a visibly soft but medium-dark berry pink with a mixture of a lighter fuchsia and violet pearl. It has semi-sheer color coverage. It boasts of using a hydra-gel core with a top coat effect for sensational mirror shine. The lipstick isn't at all drying on the lips and glides on effortlessly and it lasts a good 4 hours before the need to re-apply.  Priced at £26.50, I think it is worth every penny.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick - I have shade 62 which is Monte Carlo and I have to say the outer packaging is much more exciting than that which cases the lipstick. I know it is Chanel, but surely they could make it a little more attractive! Described as being a semi-sheer, pinked red with subtle pink shimmer lipstick, this is as close as I get to something being a red lipstick on my lips. The colour is stunning as is the formula which is so incredibly hydrating on the lips because it is enriched with Meadowfoam Oil derivative to protect and maintain hydration for up to 8 hours.  As you might expect, when applied  it glides effortlessly on the lips, where it remains for around three hours before I feel the need to re-apply.

RMK Deep Rose - RMK is a Japanese brand that I came to love via a makeover in Selfridges last year.  They have so many amazing products just waiting to be discovered and this lipstick has been one of my best finds. Packaged inside a silver bulky case, which is really light, this lipstick is described as being a deep rose shade, much like its name. It isn't quite purple, but is on the route to being there and is perfect for those people who are wanting to move away from the pinks and onto purple lips.  It applies really easily onto the lips and stays there for a good 4 hours before you need to apply. It is moisturising and it does give a real pop of colour and it costs just £19.50.

MAC Lipstick - I do love a good MAC lipstick and having become a tad bored with Creme Cup and Fanfare, I decided I needed something new in my life and when bored at St Pancras waiting for your family to get off the Eurostar accidents happen and I found myself in MAC.  The shade I went for is one that is totally out of my comfort zone but one I adore and that Amorous. A satin finish lipstick, Amorous is again moving towards the purples, but is more of a mauve/plum shade. It applies smoothly and gives more than a pop of colour to the lips and it is not at all glossy and nor is it matte, for me it is just right. Priced at £15.50 I think this is an absolute bargain and it is my new favourite MAC.

The final lipstick in my most loved 5 of 2015 is from Topshop.  I am quite new to the Topshop make up range, but do love a good old stroll around BeautyMart touching and swatching everything, it is the bright lights of the sign which draw me in.  I love the simpleness of the packaging and the fact it is such good value for money. The lipstick I chose is Lovestruck, not a shade I had intended on buying, but I loved it.  Described as having a creamy finish, Lovestuck is again a pinky/rose shade which is really pretty and once applied it lasts for around 4 hours, which seems to be the norm for me and lipsticks these days.  It is hydrating and doesn't leave the lips feeling dry, but if you do have dry lips then it does cling to them, so always exfoliate before applying.  For just £8 this is an absolute bargain and well worth the money.

Having seen all of these lipsticks this is how they look swatched and the top photo is with the flash and the bottom without.  Starting from Left to Right we have Dior, Chanel, RMK, Mac and then Topshop and I am sure you won't be surprised to find that the two which stand out the most for their pop of colour is MAC and Topshop, though I love them all.

Do you have a favourite lipstick of 2015?  Are there any brands you think I should be looking at?

MaxFactor Colour Corrector Stick Primark Dupe!

I am a huge fan of Colour Correcting products and adore the Makeup Revolution palette, upon which ive just hit pan on green *cries*. I find they work well with my skin to correct and conceal, more so with the redness I have on my cheeks, for which I do need the green. It took me a long time to accept that putting something green on my face would not leave me looking like Grotbags (remember her) and infact it would work.

The idea of using green to correct redness is a blessing as it neutralises redness whether that is blemishes, blochiness and in some cases a broken vein. You simply apply it to the area you want to correct, gently blend, add more if required and then finish off your make-up. 

Primark often has some hidden little gems and I was surprised to find they did colour correcting sticks, even better they had been massively reduced, so I bought one of each and this is what they look like - notice the similarity?

Yes, to me, they are the exact same colour corrector stick that is sold by MaxFactor, only the Primark versions are a whole £8.50 cheaper, should they work!  The swatches show the Primark crayon at the top and MaxFactor at the bottom, even colour wise they are similar, the only real difference is the formula and for me, the Primark crayon is much softer, though both blend like an absolute dream.

Do they work? Yes, I find it hard to choose who wins between them, both do an amazing job at concealing the redness but given the difference in price, then I would opt for Primark every time, purely to save £8.50.