Vichy Ideal Soleil Velvety BB Cream & Body Oil SPF50

The sweet scent of Summer. I have to say I do love the scent of sunscreen - creams, lotions and even aftersun. Around this time of year I start looking at suncare and whilst I do have my definite faves I am always open to suggestion. I was sent the new range from Vichy - Ideal Soleil and am delighted to say I seem to have found another option!

The Ideal Soleil range includes body oils, body milks, 3 different face options and a post sun SOS repair balm.

I was sent the following to review

Ideal Soleil Body Oil SPF50 125ml £16.50 

Vichy say

Expert protection from UVA and UVB rays with a luxurious dry-touch, moisturising satin-finish oil texture and light, fresh floral fragrance.

My thoughts 

I am all in favour of high factor suncare so I was delighted with this factor 50 Body Oil. It has a light, floral scent but sums up Summer perfectly. Delicious, fresh scented skin and the dry touch oil provides a subtle gleam to the skin without feeling oily.

Ideal Soleil Velvety BB Cream SPF50+ 50ml £15.50 

Vichy say 

Designed for all skin types, this velvety tinted BB formula enhances and illuminates with Hyaluronic Acid that melts into the skin and plumps the skin with moisture for a beautiful finish.

My thoughts 

I think I have found my new Summer, no effort base. This BB Cream from Vichy is absolutely fantastic. It smells so good, the consistency is not too thick or too runny. The shade is neither too light or too dark for me. It blends beautifully and provides enough coverage for my skin (you may need a bit of extra concealer for problematic areas) and leaves skin with a gorgeous bright and radiant glow whilst looking really natural. I cannot fault it.

At just over £15 AND with SPF50 it is a great price too.

Below I am wearing it

Vichy is available from Boots stores and online. 

*PR samples

Rimmel London BB Cream Matte Light Review

Rimmel London say 

A fresh take on the 9-in-1 skin perfecting super makeup, in a matte formula.

Minimises the appearance of pores, mattifies and controls shine all day.
Smoothes and soothes skin.
Conceals dark circles and helps prevent blemishes.
Dermatologist Tested. Clinically Tested. Non Comedogenic.
SPF15

Available in shades Light & Medium 

My thoughts 

I was sent this small sample in October's GlossyBox and the shade given was light.

Honestly I wasn't holding out much hope for this bb cream, I seem to (well my skin does) prefer the higher end bases but I was really quite pleasantly surprised.

I am still trying to work out the 9 things that it does but all I can say is that the shade is perfect, the texture and consistency is ideal for blending into the skin and the coverage is simply magnificent.

Pores are covered, skin looks bright and even and redness concealed. It lasts the whole day and true to its word there is no t zone shine. The only little thing that I would say is that I didn't really notice that it was matte, you can achieve a more matte appearance by setting with powder but I am happy with the finish without powder.

For just £6.99 I am incredibly impressed by this BB Cream. A big limitation is that it only comes in two shades - Light and Medium.

Rimmel London BB Cream Matte £6.99

October 2014 Glossybox - Andy Warhol Inspired Pop Art Collector's Edition Box

Ooh I absolutely love the print on this month's GlossyBox! The Andy Warhol Pop Art design is so apt for a beauty blogger and is bright and cheery for this dreary October ... I will have no problems recycling this after I have used the contents.

As ever though, the outer is very nice but do the contents live up to expectation...

What's inside the October Glossybox

Inside my box features no less than 4  full size products, a fairly generous perfume sample and a bonus sample product.

From Left to Right -

Etre Belle Cosmetics Liplift Peel € 12.95 (Full Size)

They say - Get replenished and defined lips in an instant with this moisturising lip exfoliator. The gentle formula removes dead cells, refining the skin's surface for perfectly soft lips.

Out of all the products this is probably the one I am least enthused about getting use from as my lips are in pretty good condition, but you never know with the changing weather this could come in useful.

Yves Rocher France Quelques Notes D'Amour 5ml sample (Full Size £33 for 30ml)

They say - This scent encapsulates the feeling of falling in love through fusing notes of Damascus Rose , Guaiac Wood and Patchouli.

I like perfume samples and this is handy to pop into my weekend bag. This scent is lovely too, a bit like a delicious Turkish Delight.

So Susan Cosmetics Flutter Mascara £14.95 (Full Size)

They say - An intense carbon-black mascara formulated with hyaluronic spheres to help you achieve the darkest, curviest lashes possible.

I am always up for trying new mascaras and this sounds good, watch this space for my review!

Nuxe Creme Fraiche de Beaute Mask £19.50 (Full Size)

They say - A 24hr moisturising mask which hydrates and soothes the skin, instantly reducing discomfort or redness. Skin is left looking radiant and relaxed.

I am a big fan of Nuxe products so I am looking forward to trying out this mask which sounds ideal for the Winter months.

Ciate London Paint Pot £9 (Full Size)

I received Talent Scout a purple creme shade that be dressed up or down.

Bonus product - Rimmel London BB Cream Matte (sample size)

They say - This mulitasking 9 in 1 skin perfecting makeup cream with a natural formula contains kaolin, witch hazel and salicyclic acid for a flawless matte look.

I haven't tried this BB Cream so I will be interested to see how I get on with it, watch this space for the review..fingers crossed it is shade perfect!!

Final thoughts

This month's box represents outstanding value and with a great mix of products enclosed.

Thumbs up.

*PR Sample

Poolside Glamour

Three items on my recent holiday helped keep me up there in the glamour stakes by the pool. Now I am not talking about false lashes, heavy foundation and some thick gloopy pale gloss but more subtle tricks that meant that I looked alive whilst sat by the pool and they had the added advantage of containing SPF and being good for my skin!

The first product I popped on after my suncare was the Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream . I have waxed lyrical about this product both in a blog post and on twitter and I still think the same.. it is fabulous. A light product that hides imperfections, evens out skin tone and makes skin look so much better and yet so natural, PLUS it contains an SPF30 for additional protection.

The second product was the new(ish) Smashbox Full Exposure Waterproof Mascara, lashes look long and luscious, it comes in a nice rich black and does a great job after a dip in the pool. There were no panda eyes here!

Finally, the third product I used by day was the Lanolips Lip Ointment With Colour SPF15 in shade Apples This conditioned my lips leaving them beautifully soft, protected them from the Sun with the SPF15 and provided a pretty and subtle red glossy hue to my lips. What is there not to love.

Estee Lauder Double Wear All Day Glow BB Moisture Makeup SPF 30 Review

Continuing in my quest for a new base for Summer, and with me loving Estee Lauder's iconic Double Wear Foundation, it was only natural that I headed to the Estee Lauder counter to pick up a sample of their latest offering... Double Wear All Day Glow BB Moisture Makeup SPF30 

I would have had a sample earlier but the counter assistant told me that the coverage was even lighter than their original BB Cream which put me off as I need medium/full coverage. However, as I found out with the Elizabeth Arden Foundation I need to try these products for myself and make my own judgement..so I headed back to get matched up.

I was given shade Intensity 2 to try

Swatch of EL Double Wear All Day Glow BB Intensity 2

EL Double Wear All Day Glow BB Intensity 2 blended

Estee Lauder say

Benefits -Refresh. Hydrate. Glow.

Coverage -Sheer

Finish -Luminous

The first luminous, long-wear BB from Estée Lauder.

Now you have hours to glow. The BB Makeup that brightens, perfects and evens. Lightweight, oil-free, moisture-fresh. Protects with high-level SPF 30.

Instantly perfects skintone and vibrancy. Soft optics impart clear, bright tone and lustre to skin for a flawless, healthy glow. Provides Vitamin E and Vitamin C anti-oxidant protection.

Formula facts

• Long-wear - Up to 8 hours
• Oil-free
• Dermatologist-tested
• Ophthalmologist-tested
• Fragrance-free
• Non-acnegenic


My thoughts 

I was pleasantly surprised with the coverage of this BB, although Estee Lauder say it is sheer I am pretty happy that it covers all my bad bits (rosacea) but evens out and perfects my skin and gives a nice, bright glow without looking like an oil slick. I was interested to note that the product feels thicker than many BB Creams I have tried but blends to be invisible on the skin, leaving me with healthy, natural looking skin. I love the fact that it has an SPF30 which is perfect for the Summer months, it feels light on the skin and best of all, it lasts all day.

Tip - you can wear it under your foundation for extra coverage if necessary.

Super product, I can see this being a best seller.

Look how it looks in photos... flawless!

Wearing EL Double Wear All Day Glow BB Moisture Makeup SPF30 

Estee Lauder Double Wear All Day Glow BB Moisture Makeup SPF 30 costs £29 for 30ml and is available in 8 shades.

BB Creams and Foundations That Were Not For Me

For me my base, whether it be a Tinted Moisturiser, BB Cream, CC Cream or Foundation is the most important part of my makeup look. If my base is right, everything else follows. Of course skincare is key, but some things cannot be helped and I like to enhance the great bits and hide the less so great things...

So what do I look for in a base -

Personally I tend to look for bases that hide pores, smooths lines, masks the redness of rosacea on the cheeks and a product that lasts a good 6+ hours without the need for a retouch. Naturally I want something that is not mask like and looks as natural as possible..

For various reasons which I am going to outline below, the BB Creams and Foundations pictured above were not right for me ...

From L-R

Kiko Sunproof BB Cream SPF 30 in Light £9.90 for 30ml

Kiko say 

Radiant finish foundation-treatment with light coverage and SPF 30.

A perfect combination of make-up and skin protection. A veritable multibenefit treatment that guarantees even colour and protection from the sun. The light coverage colour takes on a natural second skin effect to perfectly match the tones of your complexion. Imperfections are covered and signs of fatigue are minimized.

The light, smoothing formula ensures an even, long lasting finish.

My thoughts 

I love most products from Kiko so I had high hopes for this BB Cream. It has a high SPF which is a huge bonus in the Summer months. Unfortunately the shade (Light) is just too dark for me (it comes in 4 shades, with the lightest being called Very Light). I love the thin tube that dispenses the BB Cream as it is easy to control the amount that comes out. It does provide a lovely glow but for me the coverage is far too light which means all my flaws are visible and not all are able to be hidden with a concealer!

Simple Kind To Skin+ Perfecting BB Beauty Balm Universal Shade SPF15 £8.99 for 50ml

Simple say 

For natural flawless looking skin...

You are craving picture-perfect, flawless skin in a instant. Discover our Perfecting Beauty Balm: it moisturises, evens out skin tone, blurs imperfections & fine lines, and even protects your skin from UVA and UVB (SPF-15), all in one go!

Our unique blend of multi-vitamins, skin-loving ingredients with naturally derived minerals and illuminating particles instantly give you natural flawless looking skin. Perfect even for sensitive skin.
Simple goodness...
3 vitamins Pro-vitamins B3, Vitamin E, Vitamin A Palmitate,4 skin loving ingredients -

Bisabolol, Ginger Root Extract, Sweet Almond Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, no artificial perfume or colour and no harsh chemicals so it won't upset your skin.

My thoughts 

Unfortunately I could barely give this a review as the Universal shade is just so dark and I am not that pale! It really did make me look far too orange and Oompa Loompa like which is a great shame as I really liked its texture. It is soft and creamy and easy to blend.

SEVENTEEN On The Spot Foundation SPF15 in Natural £6.99 for 30ml

SEVENTEEN say

Flawless full coverage AND clearer skin in 4 weeks!

All day flawless foundation which covers and helps treat for healthier looking skin. Containing our unique Skin Clear Complex with blemish fighting salicylic acid , the foundation gives your clearer skin in 4 weeks.

My thoughts 

First of all I should mention that I love the pump dispenser and packaging of this foundation, especially at the price level that it is at. Natural is also a good match for my skin but unfortunately that is where it ends. I confess that I don't particularly suffer from spots so I am reviewing this from the end of it being a foundation to provide flawless coverage... 

Now I don't know what happened with this foundation but I just could not make it work for me. No matter which moisturiser or primer variation I used, the product would not apply smooth at all, it was really patchy and to this end I could not wear it out. Texture wise as would be expected from a full coverage foundation this was reasonably thick.

Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Flawless Finish Foundation SPF20 010 Ivory £8.99 for 30ml 

Maybelline say

Energising vitamin formula flawless finish foundation. Evens skin tone instantly. Better looking skin in 3 weeks. All day wear. Non transfer.

My thoughts 

*I was sent this sample for a magazine trial

In the same vein as the SEVENTEEN version but it promises better skin a week faster.. One of the newer generation of makeup/skincare fusion lines.

Ivory was a shade or so too dark for me but for the purposes of the trial I persisted with wearing this foundation.

Once again I should stress that my skin is not really prone to spots so I was looking at it from the angle of the coverage and appearance of my skin. 

I quite liked the coverage of this foundation,( particularly on my pores) and if it had been the right shade I would have probably liked it more.. however the major downside to it is that it clung to and highlighted dry patches I never even knew I had. At the same time that I was trialling this product I was suffering from psoriasis on my face and it really showed it up when other foundations I wore hid it perfectly. For that reason the foundation was not for me.

Have you tried these foundations/BB Creams? Would love to know what you thought of them.

*All products were PR Samples unless otherwise stated.

DIY Beauty With The Multi-Tasking STEAMCREAM

STEAMCREAM is well known as a fabulous light and airy moisturiser suitable for use on face, hands and body. It uses ingredients including lavender and oatmeal infusion (now I am not a huge fan of a lavender scent but this is delicate and doesn't linger) It is also known for its tins and their many designs which I personally love!

The team at STEAMCREAM recently contacted me to take part in a Blogger Challenge which would show that not only is STEAMCREAM a great moisturiser but can be used in other ways too. I am not known for making my own beauty products so I was looking forward to giving it a go. STEAMCREAM supplied a DIY Kit consisting of

1 bottle of STEAMCREAM
1 bag of unrefined brown sugar
1 bag of organic jumbo oats
1 empty STEAMCREAM tin 

I know what you are thinking... perfect porridge ingredients, right? I was tempted !!

I enlisted the help of my 5 year old son who was very excited to be helping mummy make some make up! We had a great afternoon of fun and most importantly discovered that STEAMCREAM could indeed be made into 3 other wonderful beauty products that really work. Versatile indeed.

Invigorating Sugar Scrub

Mix a few pumps of steam cream into a small amount of sugar and there you have a fast homemade body scrub. I love this, it smells wonderful and is creamy too. This is a really effective sugar scrub, leaving my skin silky soft and smooth.

The sugar helps to naturally remove dead skin cells. The almond oil, Vitamin A & E strengthen and nourish skin whilst the neroli oil with soften dry, hard skin.

BeautySwot Tip - Mix up as you go along with only the amount you need as it soon melts!

Gentle Exfoliating Face Mask

Mix a few pumps of STEAMCREAM with a small amount of bashed up oats (hence the need for a rolling pin, my little boy had great fun with this!) Dampen face, apply mask to skin and leave for 5 minutes. Remove with warm water.

Another really effective use for STEAMCREAM, when I had removed this homemade mask I was left with skin that positively glowed. It was radiant and incredibly soft.

The oatmeal infusion gentle soothes sensitive, irritated skin and brightens skintone. The added oats work to naturally remove dead skin cells.

Homemade BB Cream 

I took my favourite full coverage foundation Estee Lauder Double Wear SPF10 and mixed it with STEAMCREAM (one part STEAMCREAM to two parts foundation) to make a lighter, more dewier finish foundation with skincare benefits (BB Cream!) This worked really well. Coverage was good, my skin felt good and it lasted.

Simple, easy and effective uses for STEAMCREAM. I have to say I really enjoyed this challenge.

STEAMCREAM costs 12.95 and is available from www.steamcream.co.uk , Selfridges, John Lewis and ASOS.com

*PR Sample

Face Of The Day Featuring Bourjois Blush in LILAS D'OR

I purchased LILAS D'OR blush from Bourjois quite a while ago but have only just got around to using it. My goodness I LOVE it! So pretty, so natural looking and the formula is super smooth meaning it does not leave a powdery finish.

A little bit of trivia from the Bourjois website -

Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush is our iconic and timeless product since 1863.
Bourjois Little Round Pot blush was the first ever dry powder making make-up accessible to all women everyday in the 19th century

I don't use the scratchy teeny tiny brush that comes with it (it also has a mirror in the tiny pot) but it is perfect for scratching the surface to release the product as I find that after a few uses my brush doesn't pick up the blusher. 

Here I am wearing it

I find the shade LILAS D'OR ultra flattering, what do you think? What shades from the range are your favourite?

Bourjois Little Round Pots Blusher are available in 12 shades and cost £7.99 each.

What's Inside My Makeup Bag - A Summer Look

I thought I would share with you a Summer Makeup Look that I have been wearing quite often in this hot sunny weather, all the products fit nicely into the Sew Lomax Sweet Cheeks Blusher Make Up Pouch which is just adorably cute!

The look I have gone for is fresh, flawless and Summery. It features peachy/orange shades and is perfect for everyday. Fast, taking just seconds to apply and simple, I am loving it.

Inside my makeup bag from left to right -

EcoTools Bamboo Blush Brush - Super soft and great for blending.
Max Factor Clump Defy Mascara in Black - I will do a separate review for this with before and after pics.
Sisley Phyto-Blush Eclat in Mango - read my review here - http://www.beautyswot.com/2013/05/sisley-phyto-blush-eclat-in-mango.html

Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream - If you haven't read my rave review (where have you been!), you can read it here -http://www.beautyswot.com/2013/04/ginvera-green-tea-nude-cover-bb-cream.html

Kiko Cosmetics Milano Pearly Eye Base - I like to apply this alone to brighten the eye area but will be testing it out as a primer for shadows in due course.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer - A great matte bronzing powder

Miners Tin o'Tint in Mango - A delicious lip tint in a natural looking orange/coral shade 

My Top 3 Skin Bases/Foundations for Combination Skin

Here are my top 3 foundation choices for combination skin. These are here because I turn to them the most. I would repurchase these in a heartbeat and they absolutely work for me. My criteria for a good foundation - easy to blend, must cover my redness and pores and have staying power. Not much really!

In no particular order -

1. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Makeup SPF10 £27.50 for 30ml

Double Wear has been a favourite of mine for many, many years now. Although this is quite a heavy foundation, coverage is impressive for a true flawless appearance and it is adjustable so it doesn't NEED to look mask like. I don't need to wear a separate concealer or a primer. This is the one foundation that I would apply if I knew I was going to be out all day and evening and didn't want to reapply. It stays put and looks good until the minute you remove it. A fantastic and reliable foundation with cult status and rightly so. Available in 30 shades.

You can read my original review here.

2. YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation £29 for 30ml

Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation really impressed me the first time I wore it and I go back to it time and time again. This is a revelation, it is incredibly light, covers everything I need it to and essentially looks natural and makes my skin look so good. Although its staying power is slightly less than the DW I like how fresh and radiant it makes my face look and it remains so for many hours. Available in 22 shades.

You can read my original review here

3. Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream £26 for 40ml 

I cannot rave enough about this BB Cream. As a base it ticks all the boxes and provides the level of coverage that I require and demand in a product. Ginvera is a moisturising base with skin benefits, provides excellent coverage, a high protection level of SPF30 and it is similar to texture to the YSL foundation. It goes on a little Ash looking in colour but soon melts into the skin disappearing to be virtually undetectable, allowing you to just have fabulous looking skin. This is a perfect Summer base but truth be told I would be happy to wear this all year round.

You can read my original review here

What are you favourite foundations?

Bright & Glowy - Make Up For Summer

The sun's out (at last) and this is one of my favourite looks for daytime. Coral blush awakens the face and is super flattering and bright coral lipstick intensifies and enhances the whites of the eyes. I wear it with a light brightening base ( GINVERA BB Cream is excellent - coverage vs lightness is the best I have tried) and add a cream based highlighter for extra glow. Pair with a bronzer and lashings of jet black mascara and you are set for Summer.

Swatches

L-R

Pur Minerals Beach Bum Gloss Stick - Super glossy hint of colour that works with your own lip colour, bright coral but wearable. I wear this in the mornings for the school run as it is less punchy than a full on lipstick.

Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Coral Reef - This fluoro bright lipstick with a sheen finish is packed with colour, one swipe and you get gorgeously creamy rich, even coverage. Coral Reef is not a colour you would wear if you want to hide away, it is so bright and punchy, instantly awakening the face. I love it. Shades optional.

Liz Earle Healthy Glow Powder Blush in Nectar - Words cannot express how much I love this blusher, unfortunately I dropped it the day I received it so the packaging broke but it's what's inside that really counts.  Nectar is described as a rose pink but I think there is definitely a hint of orange in it. I finger swatched it so you can see just how bright and stunning this is. So complementary to my skin tone, Nectar brightens my cheeks effortlessly with a pop of colour and provides a healthy glow. The formula is sheer but buildable so it looks really natural on the skin and not powdery in the slightest. If you haven't tried the Liz Earle blushes I can highly recommend them.

Benefit Watt's Up Soft Focus Highlighter -  One of my all time faves, this is a champagne toned highlighter that is in stick formula, just glide across the top of the cheekbones and blend. Simple but effective natural looking radiance.

GINVERA Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream - Review

Having raved about the GINVERA Green Tea Marvel Gel the lovely people at GINVERA got in touch and asked me if I would like to review the Green Tea Nude Cover BB (beauty/blemish balm) Cream. I know the world has moved on to CC (colour correcting) creams but to be honest my world was never really ignited by the BB creams due to the fact that I need pretty decent coverage and very few passed muster... Before I agreed, I asked what the coverage was like and the reply was amazing, needless to say I needed to see for myself!

Claims 

For All Skin Types

Enriched with premium Green Tea, Ginseng, Chinese Angelica and Hyaluronic Acid, Green Tea Nude Cover BB cream provides the benefits of blemish free concealing, sun block effects, whitening, moisturising and reduction of lines, providing a long lasting smooth and ultra light feel to nourish and perfect your skin.

Moisture and Nourishment
Brightening and Even Tone Skin
Protection against harmful UV rays SPF30 PA+++

Natural flawless coverage resulting in an even tone and visibly more radiant skin.

GINVERA BB Cream Natural Light Swatches 

My thoughts 

Blown away by the effects is all I can say!

Well actually I can say a lot more -

The BB cream has a grey/ashy tone to it so I wasn't sure it was going to be a good shade match but once the runny fluid hit the skin it melted and disappeared into the skin, creating my own flawless skin. This product covered everything - redness, blemishes and pores - making my skin look so incredibly beautiful, fresh and natural that I fell in love with it instantly. 

My skin was truly flawless but the coverage felt so light, it was invisible. Although my skin looked fresh, it wasn't dewy, the finish was velvety. It also smells rather nice too without being overpowering.

Pleasingly the effects lasted ALL DAY and my skin looked as fresh and as bright as when I had first applied the BB cream.

I liked the nude cover BB cream so much that I have worn nothing else since.. I switched one evening to  my beloved Estee Lauder Double Wear, I could see that DW looked far heavier and wished I had put the BB cream on instead. Unheard of.

Achieving flawless perfection has never been so simple.

To sum up - I absolutely love the Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream and with a high SPF this is one product that I would happily purchase again and again.

The best BB Cream I have tried so far.

Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream costs £18 for 25ml and £26 for 40ml

*PR Sample

Dr.Jart+ BB Creams Reviewed

I was sent these BB Cream samples from Dr.Jart+ after winning a twitter competition. I have been trying them out and am now ready to share my thoughts on them.

I have to say I have pretty much ignored the BB (blemish/beauty balm) Cream craze as I just preferred the coverage from a traditional foundation and with the launch of CC (complexion correcting) creams it would seem that things have moved on..

However I was rather excited to be trying out the Dr.Jart+ brand as it originated in Korea (BB creams started in Asia) and was one of the first ones.

What is a Beauty Balm? - Skincare regimen in one tube - moisturises, protects and corrects. No foundation needed. BB is your  moisturiser, sunscreen and treatment serum while hiding uneven skin tone so well that it minimises the need for foundation or concealer. Skin looks smooth, perfect and natural.

I was sent 3 of the BB creams in the range to try

Dr.Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream SPF25 50ml £18

Ideal for those aged 20-35s with a soft application which gives natural, fresh looking skin and controls sebum production.

My thoughts 

This is very light and natural looking. It did a good job on evening out skin tone and felt really hydrating, I felt that personally I needed more coverage on my redness and it did nothing to cover blemishes. It also got darker after application. That said there was no appearance of the dreaded shine that I always get as the day progressed.  I did need to do a second application to feel happy about leaving the house however all pores were covered but I found that my skin drank up this product so that after a couple of hours my pores were visible again.

Dr.Jart+ Premium BB Cream SPF40 40ml £24

A slightly glossy, low coverage cream which helps fight ageing. Particularly suitable for those over 30.

My thoughts

Initially I liked this, the texture of the Dr.Jart+ BB creams are really nice, they blend beautifully and it did leave a pretty dewy effect but the level of coverage again wasn't enough for my purposes. The tone is ash like on application (as was the water fuse version) but once blended it does work with your skin so looks more natural

Swatches of Water Fuse and Premium 

Dr.Jart+ Regenerating BB Cream SPF30 50ml £21

Provides strong coverage for redness and spots which won't rub off as easily as traditional cosmetics. Skin will look brighter, whilst still suitable for problem and sensitive skin. Particularly suitable for those between 20 and 35.

My thoughts

Unsurprisingly this was my favourite and actually I really liked this that I would consider purchasing it. I love the fact it has a high SPF, it feels so nice and moisturising on the skin with a smoothing velvety finish. Provides almost perfect coverage. I only needed to add a little more over slightly more problematic areas to gain a flawless appearance. It lasted all day and with no shine. A real winner for me.

Swatches of Regenerating Balm

To sum up, I loved the Regenerating BB cream which was perfect for my needs and the ideal time saving product.

Dr.Jart+ BB Creams available from Boots.com and selected Boots stores.

Will you be trying any of these ?

Sample Sachet Sunday - L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Repair 10 BB Cream

I was spending an impromptu  night away from home and in an effort to keep things ultra light AND use up the rather full sachet collection I decided to kill 2 birds with one stone and picked up this sample - L'Oreal Revitalift Repair 10 BB Cream. 

L'Oreal Says 

Our NEW anti-ageing multi-tasker with BB perfection. Available in 2 skin perfecting shades. SPF 20.

Multi-perfecting anti-ageing moisturiser. Targets 10 signs of ageing. Apply each morning. Avoid the eye area.

Sample shade - Medium Tinted

My thoughts

Obviously I cannot comment on the effectiveness of this product as an anti ageing cream as I couldn't possibly know after just one use, however sachets give a a fair idea of whether based on the sample you would go out and purchase a full size bottle...

My sample sachet was in shade medium and I was concerned that it was going to be too dark but in the event it was ok. I wasn't keen on the scent at all. I used this as my moisturiser and instead of a foundation.

Texture wise this was quite thick and it felt like I had to drag it around my skin. It absorbed fast into my skin and felt really dry on my skin. I was hoping to have felt more moisturised and hydrated. This BB Cream calmed down the appearance of the slight redness that I suffer from and evened out my skin tone but I would have liked far more coverage than this provided... You can see from the images above that it is barely detectable on my skin.

After an hour I really did not like just how dry my face felt and it started to feel itchy too, what I really wanted to do was remove it and apply a normal moisturiser but as I didn't have one with me I had to settle for some foundation (YSL) that I found in the bottom of my make up bag applied over it instead!

Not for me.

17 BB Blemish Balm All In One Magic Make Up - Review and Swatches

As part of the 17 Spring Beauty Challenge I was sent the two shades of 17 BB Blemish Balm All In One Magic Make Up.

I have to admit to being somewhat baffled originally as to why I would need a Blemish Balm, in my head it seems just like a tinted moisturiser or primer, or could it be both? See what I mean, I find it confusing. To be perfectly honest I still am not entirely sure..however simply put it is a product that should provide good coverage to provide flawless looking skin, be light enough in texture to look natural and offer skin benefits and protection. Using it over time you should find that your skin improves. Originating in Asia, some Asian brands also offer skin lightening and/or anti wrinkle benefits.

17 BB Blemish Balm claims -

The weightless all in one creamy formula blends seamlessly into skin; moisturising, concealing, smoothing and protecting.

Covers - conceals skin imperfections with full coverage and helps oil control.

Enhances - smooths and evens skin tone for a flawless finish.

Protects - promotes healthy skin with SPF25 protection.

My thoughts - 


I first used this when I had moments to spare before taking the little one to pre-school and it was pretty damn amazing. I used the light version and just a small amount gave me flawless skin. I was pleasantly surprised to be honest at the level of coverage as having never used a BB cream I had no expectation. It feel quite thick and creamy on the fingers, but once on the skin I couldn't feel it at all. My redness was covered and so were my pores. I was entirely happy to leave the house with just a bit of gloss and mascara.

When I returned home, as I was doing the beauty challenge, I applied the 17 Miracle Matte Foundation over the top of it, and the BB cream made an excellent base for a lasting finish.

Since then I have worn it with other foundations and have found it to be a fantastic primer, although if I need to get out in a hurry I use the Blemish Balm on its own and just apply a foundation later if I am going to be out the whole day. The redness is beautifully concealed, my pores are hidden and it keeps shine at bay. My skin looks and feels soft and smooth. Imperfections? What imperfections. If you are looking for a full coverage product, then you cannot go wrong with this.

With the addition of a SPF of 25 this is pretty much perfect, just one thing though. - on my box it says that it is SPF25 but on the Boots website it is stated as being SPF15. I am assured that it is SPF25.

This product really lives up to its claims, it really is Magic Make Up and I love it. So much so it has been added to my beauty essentials page

17 BB Blemish Balm Swatches 

L-R Light and Medium

Although in the swatch the two shades do not appear too far apart in the spectrum, blended in, the medium is a fair bit darker.

17 BB Blemish Balm All In One Magic Make Up costs £6.99 for 30ml and is available from Boots in shades light and medium.