Mojito Loves | Clarins Instant Concealer

When I recently had enough Boots points for a beauty splurge, I decided to give the Clarins Instant Concealer a go after reading good reviews about it. I'm really glad I did - it was love at first use.

Concealer tends to have two very different functions – offering either coverage or brightening effects – and I’ve yet to find one that manages to do both very successfully. All too often, those that offer a decent level of coverage to disguise under-eye luggage or spots can be very drying. Brightening concealers, such as the infamous YSL Touche Eclat, don't provide any coverage at all. 

One of my main complexion issues is dark circles and dryness under the eyes. When combined with pink eyelids, this has the effect of making me look constantly tired. At 35 weeks pregnant, I am constantly tired, but it doesn’t mean I want to look it! I also have red thread veins around the side of my nose and redness on my cheeks and chin, so concealer is one of the products I never leave home without.

Clarins Instant Concealer: Texture and application

With its light texture, a medium buildable coverage, and light-reflecting particles, the Clarins Instant Concealer is pretty much the perfect consistency. Its creamy formula is a dream to apply. A little goes a long way – as you can see in the image above, a small amount covered all of my problem areas. I find it applies best with the ring finger to smooth it on and then pat it in. Best of all, it doesn’t go cakey – even on my dry skin and when reapplied throughout the day.

Clarins Instant Concealer: In action

It’s being marketed specifically as an under-eye concealer and it really does conceal dark circles and brighten this area very well. I’ve also been using it to cover imperfections elsewhere on my face and it does an equally good job there, concealing the thread veins around my nose and the redness on my cheeks and chin, whilst still looking natural. I’m seriously impressed.

Here it is on the right side of my face (the left as you look at it) - under the eyes, on the eyelids, around the nose and on the cheeks and chin - I look so much fresher and all the redness has been well concealed.

Clarins Instant Concealer: Should you buy it?

There are currently only three shades in the range so it’s not ideal if you have very dark skin. I have 01 which is a perfect match for my pale complexion. At £21.00, it’s an investment product but one which really delivers for me. I would definitely purchase it again – even if I don’t have enough Boots points to foot the bill next time!
 
You can buy the Clarins Instant Concealer HERE.

Review | Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector

Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector in Light Matte

A 20p sized blob applied on a tanning mitt created a natural-looking colour.

Before and after: milk bottle legs, be gone with you!

Autumn’s well and truly here and if you’re anything like me, you’ll be rejoicing at the fact that you can finally start wearing the opaque black tights that have been banished to the back of the drawer all summer. But sometimes, even as the temperature drops, black tights don’t look quite right and bare legs have to make an appearance. 

Whilst I try and rock the pale and tragic interesting look most of the time, I have milk bottles where my legs should be and it’s just a fact of life that they look better with a little bit of colour. I’m not averse to a pair of very sheer nude tights with the right outfit, but the ever-increasing baby bump means my existing pairs are currently redundant. Similarly, me and fake tan have a long and chequered history, because frankly, I can’t be arsed with the faff of it. 

That’s why I was intrigued by the promises being made by the Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector* in Light Matte. It’s claim to offer 24 hours of natural looking matte tan which can simply be washed off appealed to my lazy sensibilities. As with most fake tan, good preparation and a bit of patience make all the difference, so exfoliating and moisturising beforehand will create a smooth base. I did this the night before to save time on the day. Although technically a wash-off product, I didn’t trust it enough not to end up with orange palms, so I applied it with a mitt which was far less messy.

My impatience got the better of me the first couple of times I used it and there were some streaks at the back of my calves which didn’t look great. But this time I made sure I spent plenty of time rubbing it in – when I thought I’d blended it enough, I blended some more and it seemed to do the trick: I achieved a natural-looking tan in less than 10 minutes. If you prefer a darker shade, you could easily get a more intense colour by using more product. As it was, a 20p sized blob was enough to do each of my pale legs.

Overall, I was impressed with the Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector. It’s a great value product which is ideal for fake-tan-phobes like myself, or for time-pressed tan fans. I suspect I’ll get quite a bit of use out of it in the Spring and Summer. 

Have you tried it yet? Or are there any other wash-off tans which you can recommend? 

Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector | £6.99
 
*I’m completely ignoring the BB claim as, frankly, I’m not convinced it’s anything other than marketing speak.

Berry Nice: Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour in 08 Grand Cru

7am: Bold lips from the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour in 08 Grand Cru

5pm: Excellent longevity from this matte lip product, albeit with a little bit of dryness in the centre of the lips

I don’t know about you, but with the onset of Autumn I find myself wanting to mix things up in the make-up department. The bright corals and pinks that I’ve worn all summer no longer appeal. I prefer something warmer. Something more, well, autumnal. Enter the berry lip. This one from Bourjois – their Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour in 08 Grand Cru – sure does pack a real punch. Forget the whole subtle “I’ve just been eating cherries and they’ve stained my lips” look. This product offers amazing colour pay-off which is not for the faint-hearted.
 
So what’s good about it?
 
It’s an incredibly pigmented matte product. Generally, I find matte textures too drying but this one fares pretty well, even on my parched lips. 

Now let’s just take a moment to admire the gorgeous colour. The texture may not be up everyone's street but the colour itself is actually very wearable and would suit most skin tones. The two images above were taken at different times of the day - it's showing a little more pink in the lower image when the light wasn't as good, but generally I'd describe it as a red-toned berry shade. It’s perfect for the upcoming season and is a great alternative to classic red for lovers of a bold lip.
 
The best thing about this product for me though is the very impressive staying power. Once applied, give it a minute or so to set then you’re good to go for the rest of the day. I applied just one layer at 7am and it survived a full day at work with back to back meetings, breakfast, lunch and innumerable snacks in between. Normally, I would top-up my lip colour at lunch, but I didn’t on this occasion to give it a really good road-test and it fared very well. You can see in the above image that my lips do look dry by the end of the day, but there’s still a noticeable layer of colour there. I can’t think of many other products that would offer that level of longevity.
 
What’s not so good?
 
I found the application a little tricky to master at first. The doe-foot applicator delivers a slightly uneven amount of colour as it glides over the lip, so you have to be really precise. Because the colour is so pigmented, any mistakes are noticeable. Now, I’m not normally a fan of lip liner but a very fine line around the outer edge of the lip did seem to help resolve this. I applied a thin layer of the Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour in the line, then blended it in with my finger and I think that gave the best effect.
 
Once you’ve practiced this technique a couple of times, it seems to work very well and the pigmentation and longevity are worth the patience and time it requires to achieve a polished look. 

Overall, the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour in 08 Grand Cru gets the thumbs up from me and I’m looking forward to experimenting with the rest of my make-up to really show off the gorgeous colour to its best effect.

I picked up my Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour in 08 Grand Cru from Boots and it was £8.99.

Will you be trying it or do you run a mile from matte lipsticks?

Review | STEAMCREAM

Before we get started with the moisturiser itself, let's just take a moment to appreciate the be-auti-ful packaging of my tin of STEAMCREAM for a second. This was a birthday gift for me recently (I'm an April baby, hence the Aries tin). 

Pretty packaging #1.

Here's the Aquarius version which I bought for my Mum. 

Pretty packaging #2.

Aren't they just gorgeous? 

There are lots of other regular and limited edition designs to choose from which are all equally lovely - from florals to peacock feathers, there's sure to be something that tickles your fancy. Once the cream has run out, they make perfect trinket jars.

STEAMCREAM smells naturally floral, with a predominant scent of lavender. Even if lavender isn't usually your bag, it's not overpowering. STEAMCREAM is billed as a multi-purpose moisturiser for body, hands and face. I like the idea of multi-tasking products, but in reality I'd question its abilities as a body lotion. Personally I prefer something richer and the 75g tin wouldn't last very long if applied all over regularly. It could be handy for weekend trips though. 

All natural ingredients make for a lovely scent.

I occasionally use it as a hand cream, but for me, STEAMCREAM is best when used on the face. It's light in texture and just a small amount leaves my normal/combination skin feeling nourished and moisturised. I find it makes a nice base for make up and is rich enough to be used as a night cream too. If used as a day cream, you'll need to use a separate SPF. 

One of the things I love most about STEAMCREAM is the level of information about each of the ingredients on their website. There's no hiding behind fancy-schmancy, unpronounceable names here. Of the less pronounceable ingredients there's an explanation about why they've been used. It's so refreshing to know exactly what you're putting onto your skin.

Ingredients: Oatmeal Infusion (Avena sativa), Orange Flower Water (Citrus Aurantium amara, Aqua), Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Glycerine, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Lavender Oil (Lavandula augustifolia), Chamomile Blue Oil (Chamomilla recutita), Orange Blossom Absolute (Citrus Aurantium dulcis), Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena), Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara), Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol, *Coumarin, *Geraniol, *Citronellol, * Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

In there we have British oatmeal to brighten and soothe irritated skin, lavender to balance sebum and reduce redness, orange flower water to hydrate, and sweet almond oil to soften and nourish. As the name suggests, they use steam to naturally fuse all the ingredients together, which they claim improves absorption into the epidermis. 

Only a small amount is needed when used as a day or night cream.

So who should try STEAMCREAM?  

For the face I'd say it's best for normal to dry complexions. It may be too rich for very oily skin during the day but as a night cream it should be ok. Very sensitive skins may need to be careful due to the essential oils, but I have sensitive skin and I've not had any problems with it at all. In fact, I've really been enjoying using it and would definitely re-purchase. The gorgeous range of designs and the quality of the product make it a great gift for women of any age too.
  
STEAMCREAM is £12.95 (including free delivery) from www.steamcream.co.uk.

Review | Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation

My journey to finding the perfect base has been a long one and many a mistake has been made along the way. I’ve tried tinted moisturisers, BB creams, stick, compact and liquid foundations at every price point from pretty much every brand on the market. This one trumps them all.



The lightweight, practical packaging is easily transportable and makes for minimal wastage.

Before: Hello blotchy skin and thread veins!

Just a small amount is needed to give flawless coverage.



After: This was taken after applying a small amount of the foundation, before powder or blusher. You can see the luminous finish it gives to the skin. 

Why do I love it so?

• The lightweight, squeezy tube packaging makes it ideal for travelling or carrying around in your handbag, and there’ll be very little wastage when it starts to run out.
• I’ve never really got to grips with fuller coverage foundations before, finding them too heavy and tricky to blend. This one offers medium to full cover which can be built up without ever looking cakey. 
• It’s very densely pigmented, so only the teeniest of blobs is needed to give amazing coverage. Even though it's not cheap this makes it good value for money.
• It blends beautifully and easily - perfect for when you’re in a rush. I find it applies best using the Real Techniques Buffing Brush (from their Core Collection).
• The finish is neither matt nor dewy, but somewhere in between. There's a luminosity to the skin whilst wearing it with not a hint of shimmer or sparkle.
• It doesn’t contain SPF so can be used at night when flash bulbs may be popping. It would make a gorgeous bridal base for the same reason.
• I get a good seven hours wear on my combination skin - even longer when used with a primer, though a dusting of powder doesn't go amiss halfway through the day.
• It would work well on those who need more coverage, and on mature complexions I reckon. It certainly doesn't settle into the fine lines that have started to appear since I hit my thirties. 
• Did I mention the coverage? It even disguises the pesky red thread veins around my nose meaning I can skip concealer. Remarkable given the small quantity I use.

You get the point - I really like this foundation. 

I do have one niggle though: There are ten shades to choose from and my closest match, Rose Ivory, is a tad too warm for my pale skin. Under normal circumstances that would immediately place it on the REJECT pile (you know I have a fear of Orange Face), but because everything else is just so damn good, I was willing to hand over my cash for it after trying a sample.

At a not insubstantial £34.00, that makes it one of the more expensive face products I've bought, but I think the quality, longevity and coverage are worth it overall. In summer, I'm hoping it'll become a perfect match too.

So, not quite the holy grail of foundations for me, but certainly the best one I've tried so far. 

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation | £34.00



Photography outtake

It's impossible to get any work done with this dude around!


Buddy the budding beauty blogger perhaps?

Review | Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation

Sleep is one of my favourite things, so the promise of capturing a perfectly rested face in a £10 bottle of base was too good to resist. The question is though, was it too good to be true?

Bourjois say...

“Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation comes to the rescue when concealing signs of fatigue like dark circles, imperfections in skin tone, and a dull complexion. It is enriched with a high concentration of vitamins and minerals, for revitalised and energised skin.”

Mojito says...

Works well for: This is a great foundation for those who prefer a natural looking, light, dewy base. Matte textures can be very aging, so the light coverage and dewy finish make it ideal for both young and mature skin alike. It works best for normal to dry skin types.

Avoid if: Avoid this foundation if you have oily skin. Same goes for open pores or pock marks - it will only emphasise them. It’s not for you if you prefer a fuller coverage either.

Pre-application, things are looking tired and blotchy. Oh and let's not forget that perfectly placed pimple on the bridge of my nose. 

Packaging: Lightweight and easily transportable, this peachy bottle gets a thumbs up from me. The hygienic pump applicator offers easy control so there’s no wastage. Me likes.

Shades: With a measly five, mainly Caucasian shades to choose from, it's not going to suit everyone. The lightest offering, 71 Abricoté Clair, is the perfect colour match for my pale, neutral skin tone though. A pleasing find.

SPF: For what I consider to be a daytime foundation, it's surprising that it doesn't contain any SPF.

Applying with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush gives more coverage than applying with fingers.

Scent: Despite my preference for unscented facial skincare and make up, I like the floral rose scent. It didn’t aggravate my sensitive skin which is sometimes a problem with fragranced products. 

Texture: Flowing freely out of the pump applicator with a rather runny texture, this is a true liquid foundation. It’s so liquid in fact, that more than one pump has a tendency to run all over my hand as I’m applying it. I now apply one pump at a time and add another as and when I need it.  

Post-foundation, but pre-concealer, powder and blush. Two pumps have given a light, natural looking, dewy finish. Things are looking more even, less blotchy. The pimple is disguised, but alas, not eradicated.

Coverage: Offering a light, natural coverage, the 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation can be built up slightly, but it’s never going to mask any major flaws or imperfections. Using the Real Techniques Buffing Brush to apply gives a slightly higher level of coverage than when applied with fingers, and that’s been my preferred option.

Finish: Given that this is designed as a fatigue busting base, it’s no surprise that the 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation results in a dewy, plump finish. There’s a subtle brightening effect, which I’ve welcomed during these winter months when my skin looks a little lacklustre. 

Longevity: On my combination skin (normal overall, with dryness around my eyes and oiliness on my nose), it lasts around 4 hours before things start to get very shiny. Not great. A primer underneath improved things slightly, but it’s not a particularly long-lasting product. However, the small and light packaging means a mid-day touch-up isn’t too problematic if you're so inclined.

Value for money: At £9.99, this is a well priced foundation. Its lack of staying power reduces its VFM for me a little, but not so much that I wouldn't consider repurchasing it.

Concealer, a light dusting of powder and a pop of blush finish off the look and showcase the glow-giving benefits of the 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation. The pimple has been well disguised by my trusty Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer.

Verdict: Offering a little more coverage than a tinted moisturiser and with the added bonus of skin care benefits, the 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation is a good choice for people who don’t usually like wearing foundation. Its light formulation is easy to apply without ever looking cakey, and the dewy finish is youthful and glow-giving. Things can get a little TOO glowy around the nose, chin and forehead though, so I’d recommend a dusting of loose powder to minimise shine and set the base, even on dryer skin. Overall, it did a reasonable job of evening out my blotchiness but it loses points for its short wear time. Whilst I can’t say it left me looking as if I’d indulged in ten hours of sleep, it can't be expected to work miracles, can it? 

Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation |£9.99 | Widely available