Urban Decay Naked Skin Colour Correcting Fluid

If there is one thing missing from my makeup bag, stash or whatever you want to call it is, is a concealer. I don't own a single one! In the absence of this, I do have and love colour correcting products and my current obsession are part of the Naked Skin Collection and they are the Urban Decay Naked Skin Colour Correcting Fluid collection and they are brilliant.

There are five different shades of these - Green, Peach, Pink, Lavender and Yellow and they have a formula which is not only lightweight so that it doesn't feel cakey or chalky on the skin and each shade, as you might expect has its own purpose to target everything from dark circles and veins to redness and sallowness. So, depending on your issue, there is a shade to correct it.

• Lavender balances out sallowness and helps neutralize skin with a yellow undertone. 
• Green counteracts spot redness, including blemishes and broken blood vessels. For overall redness, mix with primer for subtle correction.
• Peach works great for dark circles, dark spots, veins and deep discoloration. It’s ideal for blue-hued dark circles, typically seen in deeper skin tones.
• Pink disguises dark circles, particularly on fair skin tones. Also works well as a highlighter and creates a lifted appearance.
• Yellow is perfect for concealing purple-hued dark circles or brightening lackluster complexions.

I have in my time used quite a few different branded colour corrector collections and this is one, is one of the best that I have used.

I love how effortless they are to apply, how weightless the formula is and how quickly and easy they are to blend thanks to the modern flocked applicator which picks up and lays down just the right amount of product. If you are a fan of the Naked Skin Concealer, then the formula for these products has been based upon that. The pigment technology used for these colour correctors is quite incredible and within the formula are subtle pearlescent pigments which diffuse light to perfect the skin, the use of antioxidant-rich vitamin C and E to condition and protect the skin, so not only are you perfecting those imperfections, but you are also looking after your skin too.

Priced at just £19 you can find these Naked Skin Colour Correcting Fluids at stores such as John Lewis, House of Fraser and Debenhams

Have you tried these or any other colour correcting products?

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Styling tips for the Man in your life

Most people have now caught on to the fact I am married to Beautykinguk, if you didn't know well ta da, yes he is my other half and he often appears on my blog with a view on things from his point of view.

When it comes to clothing, styling him is pretty much my department whatever the occasion, especially because he is colour blind and well there have been a few moments when I have turned into my Father uttering the line "You are NOT going out dressed like that" and have promptly chosen another outfit for him to wear. 

So to that end, I have shopped in many different stores, I like the classic retro look with items such as skinny jeans being worn with a smart shirt and blazer, an outfit which is smart casual but works really well for most occasions. When it comes to a more formal affair then I opt for trousers and chinos which again work well with shirts and blazers.  

The same can be said for my Dad, he also likes to keep things trendy but comfortable so men's trousers from Chums pretty much cover everything he needs from going out to staying in.  As a fisherman in his spare time, cargo trousers are an absolute must, the pockets coming in handy for all kinds of different 'stuff' that he needs and must have.

I love this graphic that Chums have put together and it raises some really interesting points which can apply to absolutely everyone and the Style Tips are something I had never really given thought too, the mister is around 6ft and has a long torso, so the button option is definitely something to have in mind the next time I order something new for him to wear and admittedly I have never thought to match socks with ties but odd socks are most definitely a no-no, I cannot cope with it.  #styleistimeless

With all of this advice, hint and a few tips, are you the person who dresses and clothes your mister? 

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Lola James Harper Perfume - 26 Together Is Always Better

Lola James Harper is not a brand I am familiar with, but it is a fragrance and lifestyle brand founded by Rami Mekdachi who is not only a Photographer and Musician but the Creative Director for major luxury brands including Hotel Costes, Chloé, Lacoste, and Roger Vivier. With such a portfolio to the name, it comes as no surprise that the fragrance I have in my hands - 26 Together Is Always Better is not only exquisite in every way, but it has the most incredible scent.

The outer packaging is quite plain, simple and straightforward, nothing stands out particularly and this is because I think everything you need to see is hidden inside the box. Wrapped around the bottle is a piece of paper which is almost like a thank you note from the Lola James Harper team, a special touch which I really liked and the part which stood out for me is the following:

The most important thing to keep in mind is to wear your Eau de Toilette during moments you cherish, with the people you love, to add to Lola James Harper fragrances your own memories and state of mind.

For me perfume is just one of those items that for me always signify something special and remind me of events, celebrations and so on. The bottle itself brings about the phrase 'less is always more' and I just love the elongated design which leads itself to a heavy glass bottle that is sturdy and very chic.

This scent, 26 Together Is Always Better by Lola James Harper is a Aromatic Green fragrance for women and men. With notes of Green Tea, Jasmine, Rosemary, Violet , Gaiac Wood and Cinnamon. From those notes you get a lovely earthy green freshness from Green Tea, Jasmine, Rosemary and then comes the scent of Violet which offers a touch of sweetness with the scent of violets before the notes of Cinnamon and Gaiac Wood come through to add some warmth to the scent.  From the first spritz this scent is just beautiful, like that perfect Spring day in a bottle as the scent of flowers, grass, freshly dug earth and I absolutely adore it in case you hadn't guessed and it is one I am not sharing.

A 100ml bottle of 26 Together Is Always Better is priced at £100 right here from Selfridges and if you are looking for an extra special gift, this is most definitely it.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Kiehls Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate

Kiehls Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate is a product I knew very little about until it landed in my lap and having read very little about it, I had no idea whether or not it was any good, lived up to any claims it made or something else. For once, it was exciting to use a product that I only new about thanks to the information on the box.

With a price tag of £41 it needed to be superb for me to give it the thumbs up and whenever you read a skincare review on this blog, I will have used or have been using that product for weeks, sometimes months before putting fingers to keyboard. It is rare that anything will appear if I have never used it. 

The description:

“Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate helps to refine the feel of rough texture, revealing newly radiant, refreshed skin. Clinically-demonstrated to help accelerate surface skin cell turnover*, this facial serum freshens and smooths the skin for a youthful radiance, visibly refining skin tone and texture over time.”

So with claims to restore radiance and soften skin within one week of use, as well as to visibly refine texture and even skin-tone within a week of use whilst renewing the skin without irritation is quite a bold claim and one that I found quite exciting, because my past experience with Kiehls has only ever been amazing.

So what is it and how do you use it? This product is a leave-on serum which has the description said, has been formulated to accelerate the skin cell turnover process to reveal fresher, smoother, younger-looking skin. To do this it is enriched with sustainably-sourced quinoa husk extract from which, its powerful exfoliating properties help release dull surface skin while visibly evening skin tone and refining the feel of rough texture over time. Impressively still, each bottle contains a concentrated extract of 2,000 Quinoa husks sustainably-sourced from Bolivia.

With an oil like consistency, the accompanying pipette helps making the dispensing of the oil a very easy and not so messy process. I find that I only need two-three drops for my entire face and neck. 

To use the concentrate, it is recommended by Kiehls to use it after cleansing and toning but before you apply your serum and any further moisturising and night creams.  Once on the skin, it is not an oil that absorbs immediately into the skin, it takes a bit of massaging to absorb the majority of it and there is a slight tackiness feel to the skin which isn't too unpleasant and it is something you do get used too and something I am willing to put up with owing to much I love this oil.

Having used this on my skin and again, nothing ever appears on this blog without being used for some weeks, usually 4-6 sometimes longer, I love the effect it is having. There is the inclusion of AHA there has been no irritation, my skin isn't tingling or sore. Instead my skin has become smoother to the touch, the dryness on my cheek has all but been eradicated without the need to use something much more abrasive and the redness that I occasionally suffer with is seemingly a lot less red than usual.  So far Kiehls it is a massive thumbs up from me.

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*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise