3 Estee Lauder Skincare Heroes

The first ever Estee Lauder skincare product I bought was their Advanced Night Repair Serum, after The Anna Edit’s rave reviews. It’s been a staple in my skincare collection since and I’ve recently added some more products into my routine from the brand.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye

This is a sample size of the ANR Eye, Estee Lauder products aren’t cheap so this was a great way to try the product. It’s a smooth gel consistency which is very light on the skin. This is perfect for the eye area as it doesn’t feel heavy. The product kept my skin feeling hydrated and plumped, it made the perfect base for under eye concealer.

The Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye is £42 for 15ml, you do only need a small amount but the price tag isn’t for everyone. I do enjoy using the eye product but I want to try out different brands and formulas before committing to this one.

Estee Lauder Mirco Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion

I noticed Western brands adding essences to their skincare repertoire as K Beauty became more popular. An essence is to be used after cleansing, it’s a light weight water which holds skincare ingredients. I dispense a few drops into my hands and then pat gently over the surface of the skin. It’s an instant hit of lightweight moisture and leaves the skin ready for serums, oils and moisturisers.

This is £48 for 75ml or £68 for 150ml, the product is watery in nature, so you might want to skip on buying this and invest in a serum instead. However, I will be investing as my skin felt instantly comforted after cleansing when using this.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum

This skincare product is in Sali Hughes hall of fame for beauty products in her latest book, ‘Pretty Iconic’. It’s definitely an iconic product for me, and I will always repurchase. This serum is so well balanced, it doesn’t leave my skin feeling over saturated or sensitive like some heavy-duty serums do. It’s a ‘suits all’ serum which will benefit any skin type. I use it to help repair the scarring I have from acne, but this product also helps to soak up any other product you apply after. So, if you have dehydrated skin, ANR will help the moisturiser you apply to be more effective.

After I have tried a few of Estee Lauder’s skincare products, I can tell they are built to suit most skin types. They don’t leave your skin stripped or ladened with product, they are well balanced and effective. I have a lot of skincare in my beauty drawers, but if I was to lose it all and have to replace my favourites, these products would be included even though they are pricey.

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Designer Handbag Dupes You MUST Buy This Pay Day #2

I'd love a room filled with designer handbags, but unless I win the lottery, I'll have to stick with affordable dupes of the handbags I dream of. I wrote up a designer handbag dupe post a few months ago and it went down really well, some of the bags are still available if you want to take a look.

Photo by atelierdore.com

Since then I have found an excellent dupe for the Chloe Nile handbag which Lydia Millen and Fleur de Force both own, which I reviewed and taken photos of. I have also discovered an amazing dupe for the Dior Tribal earrings that Suzie from Hello October and Lydia Millen wear very frequently.

I'm now on the hunt for more designer dupes, I thought I would round up my favourites and share them with you. I really want to get my hands on the £10.50 pink Gucci dupe and the £35.99 J W Anderson Pierce bag dupe.

I'd love to know if you would buy a dupe handbag? If you are a fan of replicas, I'd love to know where you have purchased your favourites from.

*Affiliate links

Affordable Glitter for Eye Makeup Looks - NYX Glitter Primer and Face & Body Glitter Review

I really enjoy doing my makeup before a night out, it's an excuse to use glitter! I would usually try and pack on glittery eyeshadows for an eye catching night out makeup look, but I recently invested in the NYX Glitter Primer and the NYX Face & Body Glitter in 08, a gold shade.

I put the primer to the test over my normal eyeshadow, as I wanted to see if it creased the shadow underneath. I dotted a tiny of the primer onto my ring finger and patted it over my lid. It didn't feel sticky, it was more like a thin cream consistency and it didn't crease at all. 

The Face & Body Glitter comes in a tiny tub which has a few holes in the top, I find it easiest to tap some of the glitter into the lid. I then used a flat, dense brush to pat the glitter over the lid.

The glitter adhered to the primer really well and it was easy to build up the intensity. I didn't have any issues with uneven pigment over the lid and it had minimal fallout. The glitter isn't too chunky and catches the light beautifully, as you can see in this photo from my Instagram.

There are 12 shade options in the glitter range, the gold I choose was the most neutral in the selection, I do want to purchase the copper shade next. Festival goers will love their bright pink and teal shades, you could use the primer on the body to create glittery designs.

As they are so affordable I would highly recommend both the NYX Glitter Primer, £8 and the Face & Body Glitter, £5.50.

I need an excuse to get dressed up again 💃🏻 #selfie #makeup #cameorose #newlook #newlookdress #nightout #falselashes #makeupaddict #makeupjunkie #charlottetilbury #lippie #lipstick #instabeauty #igbeauty #bbloggers #beauty #beautyreview #makeupoftheday #makeupofinstagram #lbloggers #fblogger #instastyle #instafashion #fashion #katvond #nyx

A post shared by Kathryn Williams (@cherriesbeauty) on Jul 17, 2017 at 11:56am PDT

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Boscia Luminizing Black Peel Off Mask Review

We’ve all seen those videos of people using black peeling face masks to remove blackheads, which are both gross and satisfying to watch.

I’ve always suffered from blackheads on my nose since I was a teenager, thankfully they aren’t overly noticeable with makeup on. The only thing that removes them is the Biore Pore Strips, however, you don’t get many in a pack.

I was tempted to buy the black face masks that people have been using from eBay but some look painful to remove and there have been reports of them damaging the skin and containing glue. While in America, I noticed Boscia had their own equivalent called the Luminizing Black Peel Off Mask. I figured this would be better regularised than products from eBay.

I haven’t tried the eBay black masks but I imagine they work very similarly to the Boscia Luminizing Black Mask. All you need to do is apply a thin but opaque layer of the gloopy product and wait until it’s completely dry before peeling off. It took around 15 minutes for mine to dry, although the packet suggests it might be more like 25 minutes. It is important that you completely avoid the eye area with this product as it is much more delicate than the other skin on your face.

When it came to peeling it off, I had to use my nails to grab the edges and slowly peel it off starting at my chin and working around the sides of my face. It does slightly pull at the skin but nothing that is overly painful.

Okay, now to the gross bit, when I pulled the black mask off my nose area, I inspected it (don’t tell me you wouldn’t too), to see if there were any blackheads on the surface – nothing! I am used to seeing a few when I peel off the Biore Pore Strips, so this was a little disappointing.

I did think my skin looked slightly clearer after removing the mask, I put this down to the charcoal ingredients, however, I wouldn’t say my skin was ‘luminized’ afterwards.

The Boscia Luminizing Peel Off Black Mask seems like a bit of a novelty to me, I would much rather use my Origins Clear Improvement Mask teamed with the Biore Pore Strips for a gross but satisfying clear out on my skin. 

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BB vs CC - IT Cosmetics CC Cream and DiorSkin Nude BB Creme Review and Comparison

Ever since my Roaccutane treatment, I have been able to experiment more with foundations. My skin is less oily and I have no active acne so I can swap my old heavy coverage bases for something a little lighter. I'd heard amazing things about both the IT Cosmetic CC Cream and the DiorSkin Nude BB Creme so I put them both to the test in the name of a good review!

The IT Cosmetics and Dior bases both have the very travel-friendly and hygienic pump tube packaging, which I love. When they are close to being empty, you can really squeeze the last bit of product out and even cut the tube open to use up the product left on the sides. So it's a draw packing wise.

For shade range, the IT Cosmetics CC Cream has 7 shades ranging from very fair to deep. Dior only has 4 and they are all within the light to medium spectrum. I purchased the shade 001 in the Dior product, which is a little too dark for me and I have the shade Fair in the CC Cream, which suits my skin perfectly. As you can see the IT Cosmetics swatch is more yellow based and the Dior one is more warm toned.

The DiorSkin Nude BB Creme has a slightly heavier coverage than the IT Cosmetics, but it also provides a more matte finish. The IT Cosmetics CC Cream, has a lighter feel on the skin and gives a luminous glow. The CC Cream is flattering on the skin as the glow deflects the light, whereas the Dior BB has a more smoothing, higher coverage, so is more flattering for more intense makeup looks.

I use the Beauty Blender to apply both usually, I do have the IT Cosmetics Heavenly Skin CC Cream Perfecting Brush but it creates a streaky application. I add a very light dusting of powder over the CC Cream, especially if it's a hot day, however, I can leave the BB without and it has longevity.

I do feel the foundations do have different results, and both can stay in my collection without the guilt of them being too similar.

Have you tried either of these base products?

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Powders on Rotation - Vichy, NYX, Laura Mercier, Maybelline and Hourglass

I loved writing up mini reviews of the mascaras I have in rotation, so I thought I would share the face powders from my collection. I have combination to oily skin so I usually use a light dusting of powder in my T-zone to prevent any shine throughout the day. Each powder has a slightly different effect on the skin, so there is one for every skin type and concern in my selection.

Maybelline Matte Maker Mattifying Powder
I have been through many Rimmel Stay Matte Powders since I started wearing makeup and I hadn't yet tried the Maybelline equivalent until this year. During warmer weather, or when I need a more full coverage base, I reach for the Maybelline Matte Maker Mattifying Powder. It's a little heavier than a loose setting powder but it has longevity on the skin, perfect for oily skinned people.

Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder*
This is the loose powder has the same mattifying effect as the Maybelline powder but it doesn't have any colour and is a loose powder pot format. Be careful when applying, if you use too much you end up with a white cast to the face.

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
If I want a little bit more of a softer finish to my makeup, I will use the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. It gives a diffused finish and a subtle sheen to the skin, preventing it from looking too flat or cakey.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light
This is a mini of the Ambient Lighting Powder, which I picked up in my USA Sephora haul. I reach for this if I have used a heavy coverage foundation to cover redness or acne, but still want a glow on my skin. It's very finely milled and gives a 'lit from within' glow.

NYX HD Finishing Powder in Banana
I had seen plenty of YouTubers using the Ben Nye Banana Powder under their eyes but I opted for the NYX one as it was easier to find and more affordable. It is a heavier powder, so use a large fluffy brush to apply and make sure the edges.

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Nourish Kale 3D Cleanse Review

There are so many cleansers on the market, I think it's hard for skincare brands to wow consumers with their versions and formulas. Whether it's an oil, balm, gel, foaming or non-foaming, etc, I like my cleansers to refresh my skin and avoid leaving my face feeling tight or dry.

The Nourish Kale 3D Cleanse is unlike any other cleanser I have tried before, it's colour changing! I'm all for a novelty, so when I saw this claim, I couldn't wait to try it out. The directions suggest you apply the cleanser to damp skin and massage in until the product's colour changes to green.

When you pump the cleanser into your hand, it's a pearly light green colour, which when massaged into the skin, the green shade intensives. Noticeable changes in products are very satisfying as its a signal it's working.

I found I took longer massaging this in to see the colour change, rather than rushing as I normally do with a cleanser. So I took more time to cleanse and appreciate it's hard work to remove traces of makeup and dirt.

The Nourish Kale 3D Cleanse contains hylauronic acid, probiotics and oxygenating extracts, so it doesn't leave the skin feeling stripped after cleansing. My skin felt soft and refreshed after use and I enjoyed using it and choose it over my other cleansers.

Another great thing about the Nourish Cleanse is that it contains 70% organic ingredients, is crutely-free and suitable for vegans. It's a guilt-free skincare product. As I love the cleanser so much, I've been researching their other products. I now currently have the starter kits on my wishlist to try more from the brand.

If you are a cleanser lover like me, I would highly recommend the Nourish Kale 3D Cleanse, £25 for 100ml.

*This post contains a PR sample

The £17 Chloe Nile Handbag Dupe

After I saw both Fleur de Force and Lydia Millen bag the beige/nude Chloe Nile handbag, I was in love! There is no way I could actually afford the real deal, priced at £1,150, so I hunted high and low for a dupe.

I did find one on Jessica Buuurman's website, but that was still priced at $119. I suspect that they buy from eBay and then put the price up, so always shop around.

After a few hours of searching through eBay, I came across this Chloe Nile dupe which was just £16.97 and it also had free postage and packing. I know items like this can take a while to arrive as they usually come from China, however, this one can within a week of ordering.

I haven't see the original Chloe Nile in real life but from YouTube videos, it's more of a mid tone nude, where as this affordable dupe is more on the browny beige side.

The copy has the same gold hoop and riveting detail around the sides of the bag. It also comes with a strap you can add to the bag to make it fit across the body. It's quite small inside but can fit the essentials like your iPhone, small purse and some makeup.

I imagine that the Chloe version has buttery soft leather and incredibly neat stitching, the eBay dupe is made from plastic and does have obvious stitching but I wouldn't say it's bad quality for the price.

They also have black, pink and cream versions of the Chloe Nile Dupe. The beige/nude one I have keeps going in and out of stock so keep checking the links below...

Chloe Nile Dupe Stockist Option 1

Chloe Nile Dupe Stockist Option 2

Chloe Nile Dupe Stockist Option 3