Bright Here Bright Now Review

I've had Soap and Glory Bright Here Bright Now for a good few months but it's only recently I've discovered how amazing it is. It's one of those products that takes a while to get you used to but when you do it's amazing. Bright Here Bright Now is an instant radiance energy balm that can be used in place of a moisturiser or mixed in with a foundation. If you have oily skin then you should properly steer clear 'cause this is all about the bright dewy finish. Think Mac Strobe Cream but golden and you're on track.

                                       

I have tried using this as a moisturiser and whilst it does help brighten up tired skin the effects aren't too noticeable. For me it isn't moisturising enough during winter but in Summer time it will be perfect. It makes my skin feel super soft but as I'm only seventeen I can't comment on if it did firm my face.

The best way to use this is by mixing it in with foundation. It instantly makes a dull matte foundation have a healthy dewy finish. For example Estee Lauder Double Wear is a heavy matte foundation but when mixed in with Bright Here Bright Now it becomes a creamy full coverage dewy foundation. Perfect for people who like to mix between matte and dewy foundation but can't afford lots of different foundations. It has completely given my double wear a new lease of life and I now wear it so much more. It also stops the foundation sticking to dry patches and instantly brightens up tired skin. No one has to know how little sleep you had the night before. As for mixing the energy balm with a already dewy foundations I wasn't so in love. Mixed with the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum it was far too dewy for my taste but some people may like that.

I absolutely love this product. At only £10.50 it is worth it because it has revamped old foundations so I don't have to by more. Soap and Glory skin care is yet to let me down!

Have you tried this? What do you think about S&G skincare?

❄ An Early January Favourites ❄

It's nearly the end of the month and I decided to join the monthly favourites band waggon.  I have lots of new things from Christmas to talk about so this is the perfect time to start. Also can we all take a moment to appreciate the fact I am early with this. Early! I annoy all my friends because I'm so late so you should feel honoured.

Maybelline Baby Lips
I know you must be sick of my rambling on about these but they are just perfect. The three shades I have are Pink Punch, Cherry Me Red and Grape Vine. When I first applied the colour I was surprised at how noticeable the colour is and it lasts for a couple of hours too. They smell so good I have been shoving them in my friends face and getting them to smell it.

Naked 2 Palette
I bought this as a late Christmas present  for myself after lusting after it for so long. I've been using it every day for a month and it's still amazing with every use. Worth the hype and then some! All the colours are gorgeous but Half Baked, Verve and Snake Bite are my favourites.

Vera Wang Princess Eau De Toilette
I got this in the sale for £22 after loving a sample size. It is described as having waterlilly, apple, mandarin meringue (?!), golden apricot skin, dark chocolate, amber, musk and vanilla. What a list! I normally don't like musky scents but this has the perfect hint of musky-ness. It lasts a good few hours on the skin so it has become my new everyday perfume.

Soap and Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser
Skin care doesn't really float my boat. I  normally just can't get excited over moisturisers and cleansers but this is an exception. Since the first week of using it I noticed my skin looked so much brighter and it feels so soft. I have also noticed I've been getting less break outs and the break outs I have been getting are much smaller. The only thing not good about it is the herbal smell which I wasn't expecting from Soap and Glory. The benefits are so worth putting up with the smell for though.

Nivea Rich Regenerating Night Cream
Surprisingly another skin care item! As you may know I love the day cream version of this so as I was in desperate need of a new night cream I decided to give this a go. It has such a thick buttery texture which makes it feel luxurious to apply. It is seriously moisturising and makes my skin feel so soft. Best of all it doesn't cause me to break out! I've tried Simple, Organics, Superdrug Own and so many more night creams but Nivea night cream is the only one not to make my face look like a darts board. Everything about it is perfect and I highly recommend fellow dry skin suffers pick it up. The only thing I don't like about the brand is the fact everything comes in a cardboard box which is so wasteful.

Have you tried any of these? What have you been loving this month?

S&G You Won't Believe Your Eyes Serum Review

I've been on the hunt for a new eye cream for a while now so when I saw this in a Soap and Glory gift set I was excited to give it a try. In general I love Soap and Glory skincare and this was no exception.

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When I first opened the lid I was surprised to see the applicator. It does look pretty scary! However it works amazingly well. The metal balls feel cool and refreshing in the morning which really helps to make me feel more awake. It feels so soothing and surprisingly gentle to apply. A little squeeze tube makes a tiny bit of product come onto the balls which is all you need. After rolling it onto the eye it does need to be patted in slightly. You should always use your ring finger because the eye area is very delicate and your ring finger is the weakest. The consistency of the  product  is very thin because it is a serum rather than a cream which is personally what I prefer. My under eyes have never felt so plump and soft! It is hard to say if it does brighten dark circles because the darkness depends on the amount of sleep I had the night before. If you're on the hunt for a new eye cream that hydrates, plumps and awakens tired eyes I highly recommend this. I prefer it to the samples of the Benefit and Balance Me eye creams that I used to love.

What's your favourite eye cream? Have you tried Soap and Glory skincare?

 Thanks for reading!x

♡Collective Haul♡

I've picked up quite a few make up bits and some skincare recently so here is a collective haul to show you all the pretty things I treated myself to and some gifts too!

Sephora Full Effects Mascara, Sephora Miami Pink Lip Gloss,
Sephora  Purple Glitter Eye Liner

We don't have Sephora in the UK so my very lovely American Aunt and cousin sent me over a few little bits for my birthday. One day I really want to do a make up swap with someone from across the pond! I love the lip gloss because it reminds me of being a kid- pink & glitter! (Swatch further down). Plus the formulation isn't too sticky and the wand is a really cool shape. The purple eye liner is packed full of amazing multi-coloured glitter too. Sprinkle Of Glitter would be oh so proud! I haven't tried any of the other products yet but if there is anything you would like a full review on let

me know.

Nail Rock Designer Nail Wraps £6.65, Batiste Wild Dry Shampoo £2.50 

The other day my Mum went to the opening of a new Simply Be shop in Manchester Arndale. She got a great goody bag and gave me these bits from it! Batiste is a brand I have tried before and I know many people love it but I don't seem to get along with it. I find the scents  unpleasantly powdery and the white powder on the hair can be difficult to brush out. Since I got it free I'll give it another try! Once again late on the craze, I actually have never tried nail wraps before. I love leopard print so I am excited to use these very soon.

  

MUA Cream Blush in Bitter Sweet £2, MUA Blush in Shade 2 £1

Swatches from left to right: MUA Powder Blush, MUA Cream Blush
and Sephora Miami Pink Lip Gloss

MUA is a brand I have talked about before. If you're selective you can find some great products so it''s fantastic for people on a budget! The blushes are soft and blend-able although the powder blush is much more pigmented than the cream blush. If you want to read a full review on the new cream blushes click here to see what AThriftyMrs says.

Good Things Fresh Start Cleanser £4.99, Good Things Five  Minute Facial Mask £5.99
( When full price)

I bought this face mask and face wash after hearing Zoe, Cole's Mum, talk about them on youtube. She said that her daughter gets under the skin spots (sort of like little colourless spots) and another skin care blogger recommend that she tries out Good Things products. It is an affordable brand especially for teenagers which is exactly what I need! And they are currently half price in Sainsburys so I had to buy them. Apparently they have been effective for Zoe's daughter so I am looking forward to giving them a go. Both the mask and face wash smell gorgeously fruity!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Ivory Nude £27.50,
MAC pump £3.50

Expensive I know but I can justify it! I have very pale skin with yellow undertones and anyone who is the in the same boat will agree it is very difficult to find a foundation to match. I got sick of using the wrong colour foundation because it is after all the base so you need to get it right. After a bit of thought, I figured it would end up more economical to splash out on a high end foundation than keep buying lots of high street foundations that aren't right. The woman at the Estee Lauder counter was very lovely and matched me up to the shade Ivory Nude. I did a lot of research before buying it and one of the reasons I chose it is for the wide colour range which makes it more likely to get a better colour match. I really like it so far but I haven't used it enough yet to give any fair opinions so expect a full review in the not too distant future!

Thanks for reading! x