Cult Beauty Brand of the Month – Hourglass

Every single month, Cult Beauty have a different brand as their ‘Brand of the Month‘ where they focus on one particular brand for the whole month. For the month of August, Cult Beauty is focusing on Hourglass. Cult Beauty says that Hourglass is worshipped for incandescent powders, butter-soft blushers and a game-changing range of complexion perfectors, Hourglass combines science, luxury and beauty to create the most magnificent makeup. Blending ground-breaking active ingredients with innovative technology, the products make for surreal skin – and the sleek, chic packaging.

It might surprise you to learn that as a Beauty Blogger there is a whole list of brands I have not yet tried - Tarte, Glossier, Chantecallie and Hourglass. That isn't to say I don't hanker after the products and don't want to try them, I absolutely do and for Hourglass, this is my wishlist.

Girl Lip Stylo (£26) - With its vibrant colour pay off and lipstick, it features a rich, nourishing blend of shea butter, jojoba, mimosa and sunflower seed oils to replenish moisture and minimise dryness for a silky, soft and plumped finish. There is over 20 shades to choose from and ive got my eye on Activist, Inventor and Seeker!

Caution Extreme Lash Mascara (£12) - I am a bit of a mascara fiend and given this is just £12 there is no chance I am not going to be buying this. Described as being the Mascara which gives enviable length, extreme volume and eye-opening definition for your most explosive lash look ever. It is infused with moisturising panthenol, the formula conditions the lashes in order to leave them soft and non-stiff. 

No.28 Primer Serum (£24 travel size). Described as being a primer and serum in one, it is infused with 28 beneficial ingredients which are made up of 14 essential oils (including rose, lavender and lemon), 10 lipid-rich plant oils to hydrate skin’s deeper layers (including hazelnut and rose hip) and four nourishing vitamins to condition the complexion (A, B5, C and E). Coming together they all work to nourish skin and prepare it perfectly for make up application.

Ambient Lighting Bronzer (£45) - I am definitely more of a bronzer girl than a blusher girl and there is something about the Hourglass bronzers which have that wow factor.  I adore the look of Luminous Bronzer light which is described as being ideal for fair, light complexions, which is most definitely me. Said to have buildable bronze pigments, the bronzer is also enhanced with ‘Photoluminescent Technology’ to maintain vibrancy, depth and dimension.

Veil Translucent Setting Powder (£14 travel size) - Suitable for all skin tones, this finely milled and weightless, this flawless powder features soft-focus light-reflecting particles, which instantly blur imperfections and minimise the appearance of pores, fine lines and wrinkles.  I love the look of the innovative signature Hourglass sifter which is said to ensure you can use this mess-free powder anywhere.

I would love to know what your favourite Hourglass products are and what you feel I need in my life!

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

ASOS Travel Essentials Box

I do love a good Beauty Box and this time for me ASOS have an amazing value for money offering with this Travel Essentials Box which costs just £12.

Photo Credit - ASOS

Described as being an extremely useful travel buddy, within this box are 4 of my favourite brands and for me, if there is anything you want to try, then boxes like this can be more than worth their weight in gold.

The Travel Essentials box contains:

• Too Faced better than sex mascara: 4.8g
• Rodial dragon's blood hyaluronic tonic: 50ml
• Ouai rose hair and body oil: 9.2ml
• Emma Hardie brilliance facial oil: 5ml
• glamglow thirstymud hydrating treatment: 15g
• Touch In Sol no poreblem primer

If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you will have no doubt heard of Touch in Sol from whom I have reviewed many products from such as Rouge Fondue Lipsticks, No Poreblem, Metallist Eyeshadows, StretchX Mascara and Beauty Aid Cream to name just a few. 

I have also reviewed the Rose Hair and Body Oil from Ouai (here) which I just adore. Ouai Rose Hair & Body Oil is enriched with Absinthium, Shea and rosehip oils which work to nourish and protect your hair, lock in moisture and impart a radiant glow on your skin and hair. Also present is Ouai's signature blend of Rose, Bergamot, Lychee and White Musk which make this one incredible scented product which lingers on both your skin and hair for hours after application.

Add to both Touch In Sol and Ouai you have the brilliant Emma Hardie whom I just adore and the facial oil is one product I am yet to try. Described as being a light-weight, multi-active everyday facial oil complex, it contains 9 essential oils and 5 plant oils which together help to condition, hydrate and smooth the skin's texture.  Then comes GlamGlow Thirstymud which is another product I have yet to try and the final product which needs no introduction is Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara - quite a bold claim for a product and whether or not it is better than Sex I will let you decide!

So for £12 (here) you get 6 fabulous products that are great for travelling with, great as an introduction to 6 fabulous brands and perfect for having in your bag!

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

Too Faced Primed and Peachy Cooling Matte Perfecting Primer

There is no doubting that the Too Faced Peaches and Cream collection is amazing and I did a brief overview of the collection here on my blog last week and if you are a fan of Too Faced, then you will love everything they have to offer.

In this rather humid weather, the product I've used quite a lot of is the Primed and Peachy Cooling Matte Perfecting Primer (£27). If I have to wear makeup then I want it to look just as good as it does when I am not a sweaty mess and in this weather, it is hard not to be. Described as being a cooling, mattifying primer which blurs, smooths and brightens the complexion. It states that it will control shine for up to 12 hours and will last on the skin for up to sixteen hours.  I am prone to having that afternoon shine and whilst I do have blotting papers in my desk drawer, anything I can do to minimise it is an absolute must do for me.

This primer uses what is referred to as being a comfort matte technology and its formula delivers a mattifying, soft-focused finish with light and comfortable feel. It does have a brightening peach tint to it which works on any skin tone and as you apply it to the skin, namely the forehead, nose, chin and cheeks for me, the peach shade because invisible once it has been properly blended.  What I really liked about the application is that whether you use your fingertips, a brush or even a beauty blender, it applies so well. It doesn't crease, it doesn't slide and it does make an exceptional base.

Infused with the scent of Peach and Sweet Fig Cream which smells just divine and are ingredients known for their hydrating and antioxidant-rich benefits and they also help to keep the skin moisturised, comfortable, and as the collection states 'beautifully matte'. Another huge plus point for this primer is that you can wear it alone or under your foundation and it is so lightweight and easy to wear that you forget it is there.  

Does it work as well as Too Faced claim that it will? Well I can't hand on heart say I ever wear makeup for longer than 12 hours, especially in this weather, but it did last for a good 7-8 hours and it did help to keep my shiny face less shiny, not perfectly oil-free, but much better than it might usually have been, again, in this weather my skin does act and behave much differently, so it is still something I need to put to the test.

The entire collection is available at Debenhams and you will find this primer priced at £27 right here.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

Image Skincare

One thing I love about blogging is finding new products, new brands, new favourites and you know what, it is even fun finding the not so favourites but then rediscovering them and wondering why you didn't love them the first time around.

Image Skincare is a brand I've been getting to know for some months, a brand who describes themselves as being:

a clinical skincare brand, powered by safe, proven ingredients and smart botanicals - for your healthiest skin... ever. Created by an aesthetician, formulated by a plastic surgeon, and represented by a network of 20,000 skincare professionals in over 52 countries worldwide.

Understanding your skin is, in my opinion, important. There is absolutely no point spending hundreds of your hard earned cash on something that isn't going to do anything for you and part of this is learning.  So, ive been using three products from the Image skincare range.

The first product was the i-mask biomolecular hydrating recovery mask which is a really thin hydrogel mask which feels absolutely incredible on the skin, almost like a second skin. Harnessing the very latest in Korean skincare technologies this moisture-rich, the mask contains what is referred to as an advanced concentration of ultra-hydrating ingredients such as Jeju Volcanic Oxygen Water and Onsen Sui Mineral Charges Water, ginseng root extract, amino acids and antioxidants which work to rescue dull, dry skin.

having just had one of the hottest few weeks I can remember, working a lot of overtime at work, coming home to try this mask, of which I purchased a few more, has been just heaven.  Cooling on the skin, there isn't much of a scent to the mask, but after laying down with the mask on your skin for around half an hour, once removed, my skin was so soft, smooth and plump. One of the most hydrating masks I have used for some time.

The second product is the Vital C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum. Described as being a  multi-action, anti-aging facial serum using the new technology of oil-soluble Vitamin C. 

Formulated with Vitamins A, E, as well as highly potent anti-oxidants hyaluronic acid and green tea and meadowsweet which are both anti-inflammatories, this hydrating serum rejuvenates dull, dry, tired skin and minimizes and smooths visible effects of stress and fatigue.  With a pump action bottle, one pump is enough for the entire face and neck and it is not greasy or tacky but it does smell just absolutely incredible of citrus which is a delight to use. The serum, which is more like a cream, disappears into the skin on contact and it is perfect for using after cleansing in a morning. 

The final item from the Image Skincare collection ive been using is the Iluma Intense brightening exfoliating powder which I was really curious about. Described as being a unique but luxurious exfoliating powder which gently cleanses the skin.

I had expected this powder to be quite abrasive, but it is infact quite finely milled, but it still does an incredible job to remove debris and oil from the surface of the skin. Shaking a small amount onto wet palms, it is activated as soon as the hands are rubbed together to create a light foam. At this point, you massage the foam onto the skin, whilst avoiding the eye area.  I also mix it in with my cleanser when I feel my skin needs a little more TLC. Using ingredients such as Coconut Milk Powder which is rich in protein and vitamins, Pumpkin Enzyme which provides gentle exfoliation and is great for buffing away dead skin cells and impurities while at the same time delivering vitamins and nutrients to the skin, licorice extract, which is a natural skin lightener and Green Tea Left Extract which has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Without question, the Iluma Exfoliating Powder is my favourite of the three products and I love how silky smooth my skin is after use and just how good a job it does at removing all kinds of nasties from my skin.

For me, this has been a great introduction to Image skincare, it is worth noting that: 

• None of the products are tested on animals 
• No petrochemicals 
• No chemical preservatives 
• Fragrance composed with 100% essential oils 
• No parabens

So there is something for everyone within each one of these ranges and I love that you can search for a product via your skincare concern.






*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here