5 Of The Best From 2018 So Far...
Although I'm trying my best not to make the obvious statement. I'm going to, seriously, how is this year going by so fast? January seemed to last forever and the following months have whizzed by ever since and here we are in scorching July. As I generally only write about products that I enjoy I have covered a lot of my favourites already in the past 7 months. But here are 5 of the products that have stood out to me in 2018 and immediately spring to mind when I think of my most loved items.
jo malone poppy & barley Cologne*
This was a limited edition collection from the brand earlier in the year and it's possibly my favourite limited edition release that they've ever done. Poppy & Barley is a beautiful scent, it doesn't feel like it's too far away from some existing Jo Malone scents though which is a good thing. Notes consist of; poppy, violet, blackcurrant, barley, bran and finally white musk. It's a fresh and punchy fragrance but with the combination of barley and the white musk gives it that comforting touch as well as being a little less sharp. Although I'm not sure if you can still get your hands on it, if you can then I highly recommend giving it a sniff and it's a shame that it's not been made part of the permanent line. It stays on the skin all day and wears so well once it makes a bond with the skin. And finally, the packaging is absolutely lovely, a soft powder pink with a grey mauve is utterly stunning sat on my dresser and a lovely twist on the classic Jo Malone packaging.
stila all over shimmer duo*
This came into my beauty stash last year but I didn't find myself using it regularly until the beginning of this year. Although it's not marketed towards using it as an eyeshadow that is how I've been using it and it's the perfect champagne duo for me. Of course, this would work beautifully on the skin as a highlighter and I have used it for that but do prefer it on the eyes. The formulation is absolutely superb, buttery soft, rich in pigment but stays put all day and it never falls down on the skin. You can either mix these two shadows together to create more of a dimensional look or use them separately which is what I tend to do. They're ideal shades for every day when you want a little something on the eye but nothing too overwhelming and having it in a little duo makes it super handy for travel.
cover fx illuminating setting spray*
I can't remember why I originally picked up this setting spray from Cover FX but I'm so glad that I did. There are the odd days that even my most loved and trusted foundations can look a little crappy, which is more than likely down to my skin being lacklustre than the foundation misbehaving. Anyway, whenever my skin is either looking a little bedraggled or my foundation isn't sitting right then I like to spritz my skin with this to freshen things up. It adds a good amount of glow to the complexion but it doesn't make it look wet or greasy. Not only do I like this product for when my skin is looking a little 'ugh' but it's also great if you're going out later on in the day and your makeup is looking a little worn and tired. Items like this certainly are princess products and not a necessity at all but they are useful to have around.
burt's bees almond & Milk Hand Cream*
Hand cream is something that I've always had a deep love for, I'm not sure why but I really fear having dry hands. Ironically I've not been using this thick and buttery cream for my hands, although it does the job perfectly I prefer to use this on my feet. Wearing sandals isn't the kindest to the soles of my feet, neither is the amount of walking I do often in impractical footwear so I need a good cream to restore things. The Soap & Glory Heel Genius is great for keeping things supple in general but for the really tough bits of skin, something more heavy duty is required. Enter this cream from Burt's Bees, it's incredibly rich and thick but it doesn't make the area feel greasy. All I need to do is apply this, pop up on some socks and my feet are completely fine and no dead skin in sight! And it smells absolutely incredible, there is nothing quite like the smell of almonds for me.
kiehl's creme de corps*
Ok, I've spoken about this body cream quite a lot recently due to the weather being warmer and needing to get my limbs out so I've been slathering moisturiser on like there is no tomorrow. But this is so good, there is a reason why so many beauty addicts stand by this item when there are so many other body creams on offer and are more affordable too. It's like a yoghurt in consistency and also smells like one but it's a brilliant item. Helps my skin stay hydrated for a good 24 hours but it sinks in incredibly quickly meaning that you can use this AM or PM. It is expensive but if you've got the money then I cannot recommend this enough. If not then budget moisturisers that are wonderful always come from Garnier for me, they have a huge range and they're absolutely fantastic.
ysl touche eclat blur primer*
If you hate anything that feels slippery on the skin and is more than likely laden with silicones then you will not like this product from YSL. And granted, it does look like an absolute dream in the bottle with the flecks of gold running throughout the product and of course, the golden packaging but seriously steer clear if you don't like those two things. This is the first primer I've liked that is this consistency, usually, they turn my skin into a greasy mess but this one is fine and really helps to perfect the complexion. It glides over any imperfections and creates a hydrated and even canvas for anything you want to apply over the top. Although this does feel silicone-y on the skin I don't find it leads to blocked pores or anything like that. And do not fear, those pretty gold flecks do not transfer on the skin in the slightest, no glittery face over here thank you. The biggest downside is that I do find that I've got my way through it quite quickly even though you only need a small amount.
