Out With The Old & In With The New: Beauty Edition

If you hadn't guessed by now decluttering is something that I've made a big effort to do over the past year. And it's not because those things don't give me joy because they do but I just don't want so much 'stuff'. Beauty products aren't something that last forever and they do eventually go off so now I've got really good at making sure that I'm using everything instead of just my dedicated favourites. So here is what I've used up recently and some new things that I'm giving a try.

THE OLD

BEAUTY

BAREMINERALS BARESKIN COMPLETE COVERAGE CONCEALER*: This was the product that really changed my mind about concealers. Before I had never found much joy in them as they were just there to cover up something you weren't all that thrilled about having on your face. This is very much full coverage but it's a serum almost gel consistency so it's very forgiving on the complexion and can be used either under the eyes or on blemishes and it covers everything with ease. It doesn't crease or cake up which is something I really struggle with when it comes to concealer. For a long time, I didn't think you needed to spend more on your concealer and there are some awesome budget ones out there but this is a high-end option that doesn't disappoint.

TOO FACED BETTER THAN SEX MASCARA*: We all know this is a firm favourite of mine, it's something that I've spoken about a lot in the past and initially, it wasn't something that I liked at all. It's a product that has to dry out a little bit before it works for me which is irritating considering it's an expensive mascara but once it is that little drier it works wonders. It adds some serious volume and length but also gives a lot of separation and no matter how much I add it never seems to clump. Something else this is so amazing for is that it doesn't smudge at all which isn't something I have any time for and my lids are quite bad for it especially if I forget to powder them. This is a product that has so much hype surrounding it and it's easy to think it's just hysteria and not all that good but it really is fantastic despite the awful name.

ORIGINS ZERO OIL TONER*: One of the products that I use up the most is an exfoliating toner, we know this and they've become such a big part of my skincare routine. The Origins Zero Oil Toner contains salicylic acid which is a well-known spot fighter as well as other awesome ingredients like aloe vera and glycerin which help to calm and soothe the skin and keep things balanced. I did really like this toner and it worked beautifully with my skin to keep it clear and maintain a balance but I'm unsure if it was special enough for me to use it again.

CLINIQUE TURNAROUND REVITALIZING TREATMENT OIL: Oils are something I either use religiously or don't find myself reaching for at all. This was getting to the end of its time in my stash so it was about time I'd used it up. For the price point, this is without a doubt one of the best oils I've ever used and it worked so well with my skin. I have combination skin meaning sometimes it can lean a little more oily or a little drier and even though I don't fear oils there is, of course, the worry that it might cause a disruption. This oil aims to add moisture, refine skin texture as well as help the skin stay plump and soft which is exactly what it did for me. The consistency is a little bit more of a dry oil compared to other options out there that can often be very thick and that traditional slippy oil feeling.

ORIGINS MEGAMUSHROOM SERUM: Another product I'd had in my stash for a long time. The mask from this line was something that I absolutely adored and used every single time I had a breakout as it calmed redness so well. But upon first use of this serum, I wasn't all that impressed and it's definitely something that is a slow burner on the skin. It's not something that you're going to use and instantly see results from you have to make this a consistent part of your routine to notice a difference. Over time it slowly gets rid of redness from scarring, I have no idea how this might work if you suffer from skin conditions such as rosacea but on scarring it did work. It contains sea buckthorn which is the ingredient that aims to help to repair the skin which isn't something that I've ever really heard anything about but it did work. Again, this isn't something I'd find myself reaching for again but I did enjoy using it but for the price, there are far superior serums on the market.

PESTLE & MORTAR ERASE & RENEW CLEANSING DUO*: A brand that I've always really enjoyed is Pestle & Mortar, they make what I believe is one of the best hyaluronic acids on the market. Their cleansing duo was an exciting release as it contains a traditional balm cleanser to remove your makeup and then a gel to oil cleanser to renew the skin. I didn't really get along with the balm cleanser, it did remove makeup but afterwards, it made me feel like I'd rubbed Vaseline in my eyes which isn't an enjoyable feeling at all. The Renew side of this duo is something that I really loved and I'm so happy to see it being sold separately. It felt like a real treat when massaged into the skin and did a pretty dapper job at removing any remnants of makeup and brightened up the skin wonderfully due to its very inviting ingredient list. It's very similar to the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel which I would say I probably prefer to be honest.

BODY

SOAP & GLORY SCRUB OF YOUR LIFE*: This is the first scrub from S&G that I've actually not liked. It was more of a gel consistency which I didn't like as it felt really difficult to work into the skin and the beads were a little too smooth to get a good buff going. S&G are my go to for exfoliants as they always do such a good job at keeping my limbs silky smooth and scale free but this one was a disappointment.

BURT'S BEES PEPPERMINT FOOT CREAM*: I was so sad to get to the end of this and you better believe that I chopped that tube open and scraped out every last drop. I suffer from swollen legs and feet which isn't a very nice topic to talk about and it's something I do feel quite embarrassed about to be completely candid. But using this has helped so much. It's something that I know I'm going to return to once I've used up some of the other body products I have on offer. It cools down the legs so well although that cooling sensation it gives might be off-putting to some as it can be a little intense but it's not painful at all.

ANTIPODES JOYFUL HAND & BODY CREAM*: If you're a lover of Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay then you will absolutely love this. You can use it as a body cream or hand cream but it is one of those body lotions that does take a while to sink in which does put me off wanting to buy it again but in general, this was a really lovely product and was a pleasure to use. It made my skin not only smell beautiful but it was so supple and soft afterwards. But again for the price, there are better options out there.

THE NEW

BEAUTY

BOURJOIS RADIANCE REVEAL CONCEALER*: I've not used a brightening concealer in years as typically I find they can have a somewhat strange effect. Granted, I don't really enjoy looking like I've lost a fight because the darkness under my eyes is so severe but I also don't like the whole extremely white bright under the eye look as it looks absolutely ridiculous to me. So I want something that helps alleviate the darkness but not be so brightening it has a reverse panda effect. It contains hyaluronic acid which helps to keep the under the eye area nourished and the peachy pigment helps to really counteract the darkness. It wears so comfortably and lasts throughout the day and like the majority of Bourjois concealers smells amazing.

LANCOME MONSIEUR BIG MASCARA*: This is a new release from the brand and I've never tried a Lancome mascara although I've always heard great things about them. Sadly this falls a little flat for me, it promises 12 times the volume of a usual mascara but I don't find that at all. It's not a bad product by any means and I will use it until the end as in combination with something else I can achieve the lash look that I like but on its own, it's just not enough volume for me.

NARS CREAMY CONCEALER*: A couple of years ago the beauty community wouldn't shut up about this concealer and as always when it comes to hyped up products I tend to switch off after a while. This concealer is everything that I wanted the well known and loved Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer to be. It's not all that creamy, to be honest, but I've not found it to be drying at all and it covers everything with ease. I've used this only on blemishes as well as redness and it's worked so well, it's very much like skin when blended in but the coverage is superb. I can imagine if used under the eyes then it might crease slightly but everywhere else it's been fine.

BODY

KHIELS CREME DE CORPS*: This is a product that I've seen scattered amongst many famous people's bathrooms shelves and it's always something that has caught my eye. But is a high-end body lotion really worth it? It smells absolutely wonderful, it's like milk and honey and for everyday use, if I don't want my body lotion to interfere with my perfume choice it's wonderful. Of course, with the price point, this is something that will be for special occasions only but it truly is such a lovely product to use. It's geared towards people with really dry skin but I don't find it to be too buttery that it doesn't sink in or leaves the skin feeling sticky or heavy just nourished.

PENHALIGON'S SAVOY STEAM*: Another cult beauty product added to my perfume arsenal and it's very rare that I fall in love with a perfume so quickly that doesn't come from Jo Malone. It's got a lot of rose notes but it's not rosy at all to me, in fact, I can't quite figure out what this smells like but it's truly something special and it lasts so well on the skin. I wore this when it was over 30 degrees in the UK and I could still detect it which is pretty incredible as things were rather balmy shall we say? But at over £100 for a product you should hope it does amazing things.

CLARINS FIRMING BODY LOTION*: Cellulite creams aren't something that I've ever really found myself being drawn to. Mostly because I don't agree with them to be completely honest, we all have cellulite and I don't think any women should be made to feel like she needs to get rid of something that is so normal. But, I gave this a try and I can't say it's something that has worked for me. It's made my skin feel nice and smooth and does temporarily make my limbs feel a little firmer but it's nothing groundbreaking and for the price, I'm just not so sure it's something women should be buying into.

NUXE SUN FRAGRANT WATER*: It pains me that this doesn't last long on the skin because it's truly a beautiful scent. It's like Summer in a bottle and it's something that I want to douse myself in on a daily basis. It contains orange and coconut and would be the perfect addition to anyone's beach bag to just ease off that real salty scent that we get when we've laid on a beach all day.