Recently I’ve been on a bit of a mission with my skin. I have dull, congested, oily skin - gross, right? - and like all of us, complain about it but never really actively did anything to fix it. That doesn’t mean I didn’t cleanse, exfoliate and all that jazz I just didn’t put too much effort into choosing products that would really work for skin. For the beginning of my mission I decided to start with Liz Earle as the famous Cleanse & Polish is a product everybody raves about, but I had yet to try. I also like that Liz Earle skin care is fuss free, cruelty free and uses natural ingredients instead of harsh chemicals. 

“Our original, multi award-winning hot cloth cleanser quickly removes 

daily grime and make up to leave skin clean, soft and radiant”

Cleanse & Polish | The Cleanse & Polish hot cloth cleanser is a cult classic and multi-award winning product. To use this product, you massage it into dry skin and rinse off using a muslin cloth and warm water. Firstly, this product is amazing at removing makeup and really does leave your skin soft, as the muslin cloth is slightly abrasive and helps to remove any dead skin. It’s a good all-round cleanser but personally for my congested skin, isn’t quite cleansing enough to shift my stubborn blocked pores. If you have normal skin of any skin type this product would be amazing, and I do enjoy using it I just need something a bit more intense.

“Buffs away dead skin cells and impurities to reveal smoother, radiant skin”

Gentle Face Exfoliator | My favourite product of all three is the Gentle Face Exfoliator. At first I was sceptical as I’m used to using very gritty exfoliators, and although this does have a gritty texture it isn’t as intense as I’m used too. However, it leaves my skin feeling baby soft and radiant and my pores and congested skin look reduced. I also really love the smell of this product. As Liz Earle use natural ingredients in their products they have a very potent, herbal fragrance to them which doesn’t bother me but it isn’t the nicest however the smell of this product is different to the Cleanse & Polish and is actually quite relaxing.

“Wake up and refresh tired, puffy eyes with this gentle, soothing herbal 

lotion which can also be used to remove light eye make up”

Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion | Out of the three products I’ve tried from Liz Earle so far, this is the only one I’ve been left disappointed by. To me, it’s bit of a nothing product. It describes itself as a ‘light’ makeup remover, a soothing lotion and also an eye brightener. For me it didn’t do much in the makeup removing department, even the remnants of makeup after using a different cleanser first. It also didn’t do much in the way of refreshing. Personally, this wouldn’t be a product that I’d repurchase.

What skincare products would you recommend?

~ Jade xx

The L’Oreal True Match Foundation recently had a face lift with a reformulation and new packaging. I’ve been on a bit of a foundation binge recently and this is my current favourite  offering from the high-street. Years ago I tried the original formulation of this foundation but it didn’t agree with my oily skin however the reformulation is another story. 

The colour match for this foundation is one of the best I’ve ever had for any foundation - I wear shade 1W - and the formula is ultra blend-able with a gel-like texture. Coverage is medium, but it can be sheered out with a makeup sponge or built up with two layers without looking cake-y. My favourite thing about this foundation is the finish. It’s luminous without being overly dewy, so it still lasts all day but doesn’t attract to my already oily skin. I do still have to power once or twice throughout the day but that isn't unusual for me and if you have normal/dry skin you wouldn't need to touch up at all. My only problem with the reformulation is that it oxidises slightly however if you got a shade lighter than you would need it wouldn’t be a problem. 

What foundations are you currently loving?

~ Jade xx

Unfortunately for my bank account Space NK, Boots and a Department Store Beauty Hall are all just a few steps from where I work, meaning that sometimes its hard to resist a trip in, ’just to look’. Somehow though I didn’t ‘just look’ and ended up acquiring a few new beauty purchases which I thought I’d share with you all with a mini review of each, though some of these products will have a more in-depth post coming soon. 

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation ~ Deauville | I’m very late to the party with this one, I think everyone and their mum loves this foundation so I decided to pick it up - with the pump, which is a must - to try it out for myself. Despite it having a dewy finish it lasts on my oily skin all day and makes my skin look healthy which earns the approval from me.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer ~ Oil Free | I’ve been on the hunt for a good primer for a while and after hearing lots of good things I decided to pick up this one from Laura Mercier. Whilst my skin still becomes slightly oily throughout the day, my makeup doesn’t slip around like it normally would and a quick blot and powder has my face looking fresh again.

By Terry Ombre Blackstar ~ Bronze Moon* | Having previously picked up Blond Opal and Misty Rock, Bronze Moon is another shade to add to the collection. Washed all over the lid and blended out with lashings of mascara and a red lip, is the perfect effortless glam look for any evening out.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour ~ Rose Gold | I love eyeshadow sticks, they’re so easy and convenient to use and on a recent visit to Space NK I discovered the Laura Mercier version, having not heard much previously. The colour range is extensive but for my first dip I decided on this subtle rose gold shade. Perfect for a bit of something on the lid, or as a base for more intense shimmer, this shade is the perfect rose gold as it isn’t overly pink but is pink enough that it isn’t just gold.

Bobbi Brown Rich Caramel Eye Palette* | Every year around the festive season I pick up a new neutral eyeshadow palette - not that I actually need another. Last year my choice was the Stila In The Light Palette - full post here. This Bobbi Brown palette is great for evening makeup with the shimmer shadow adding the perfect amount of sparkle but can also be used for an everyday wash of light shadow with a warm brown in the crease for a little something extra. Bobbi Brown shadows are beautifully pigmented and bendable too.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser | I most likely need not mention this but recently I’ve wanted to step up my skincare game as having good skin means any makeup you wear will last longer and sit nicer on the skin. Having oily, congested skin I wanted to start of my skincare venture with something simple and something that works. As everyone swears by the Cleanse and Polish, I  thought that would be a good starting point. So far I’m really enjoying this cleanser. My skin is very dull and lacklustre despite being oily and this product is beginning to inject some life back into my skin.

What have you picked up recently?

~ Jade xx