Spending 4 weeks of summer on the Vogue Intensive course at Conde Nast meant that my summer passed by in my teen dream whirlwind. It was tough doing my day job at night when the Vogue-ing was done, not to mention squeezing in mummy duties at the same time, but now September is well and truly here and, with Valentina back to school, I am looking forward to stepping into a new season and getting back into a (somewhat) normal routine!
Autumn means burnt colours & crispy leaves; it also brings us the 24th season of FASHIONWEEK (which I am SUPER excited for this year - keep your eyes peeled as our make up partner is the incredible Illamasqua, which I will write about in the coming weeks….)
But for now, let me tell you about a fantastic parcel which arrived one morning this week, after I’d worked past 2AM and woke early, so the drab grey day was the perfect reflection of my sleep-deprived complexion. It was a chic black box, expertly packed from Cloud10beauty.com which was filled with products prescribed almost perfectly for my lacklustre and sleep deprived skin.
First up was the Pixie Rose Caviar Essence (£26), I was immediately drawn to this product with its luxurious clear gel that is speckled with pink capsules of rose oil (I am told that the rose oil is encapsulated to keep the ingredients fresh). When I tried this product the first thing I noticed was the gorgeous rose scent, which gently tantalises your senses without being overpowering. Now rose is a scent I used to find slightly nauseating, I’ll admit, but it is a mature aroma and one which I have grown to love as I have got older….
The gel formula felt very slightly sticky when first applied, but it quickly melted into a liquid as I worked it into my skin with the rose oil capsules bursting delicately on contact. And even though there is the presence of rose oil in the gel, it did not leave my skin greasy as you might expect, but did leave my skin feeling SUPER hydrated. My face was noticeably softer immediately after use and the mulberry extract brightened my complexion – quickly diminishing the sleep-deprived dullness on my skin with a little help from the faint pink tint of the rose oil beads - and what is not to love about that?
The second product was the Rose Flash Balm (£24) and it is AMAZING! This stuff literally perks you up quicker than you can say “pick-me-up”. Oil-free and packed with antioxidants, the rose balm is perfect for days when skin just needs a little lovin’. What I also love about this product is that you can use it several different ways – as a moisturiser, a mask or as a primer, so I spent this week trying all three.
First up, I applied it instead of my day cream and I can honestly say that my skin instantly felt moisturised and refreshed - it absorbs immediately which is great as you can apply make up straight away – perfect for busy mums, workaholics or gym bunnies on the run. Admittedly I don’t always prime as my sometimes chaotic morning routine doesn’t leave much time for beauty preparations, but when I had the chance to use it as a primer on an already moisturised face going out last night, I noticed that my makeup remained fixed and lasted longer than usual.
Then later this week I used it in its third capacity, as a mask, leaving it on for more than the recommended 5 minutes (20 for me!) before a quick damp cloth over the top to gently remove it. Again, my skin appeared brighter and felt silky smooth - and continued to do so up until (and including today) - meaning that even though I was sleep deprived my skin was bearing no real evidence, YAY!
I have started carrying this in my handbag to use as a ‘pick-me-up’ on the go, applying it when my skin needs a little boost - and I have to say it really does work, it has deservedly joined the ranks of my ultimate beauty must-haves – yes, it is that good!
One extra thing that the Cloud10 beauty ladies sent me to try was the DOSE of colour Lit It Up matte lipstick which comes in a bullet shape with gorgeous rose gold packaging. A nude lip is definitely my signature style, so the hopscotch shade was perfect, but there are 10 fabulously flattering shades to choose from.
I find that a matte lipstick can sometimes be quite heavy and although the finish was more matte than a traditional creamy lipstick, it glided on smoothly and left my lips feeling moisturised. I didn’t try it myself, because I loved the product on its own despite worries about a matte finish, but I imagine a swipe of gloss would enhance the colour and give a glossy look if that was the desired overall effect.
The unique shape of the lipstick makes it amazingly easy to get a defined edge when you apply so you don’t need lip liner – although I like my lip liner a shade darker to really define the lips so I did apply it, but that is just personal preference.
The colour is perfect for everyday wear and I have been reaching for it all week. Compared to normal lipsticks I found it to be long lasting and when it did wear off it tended to fade rather than become patchy. I think I will try the Fudge shade next…
Until next time,
Cathy x
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