As mentioned in my March Favourites, I've been trying to save money instead of spending as I simply do not need another shimmery taupe eyeshadow when I have five very similar shades already in my stash. However there are times when I'm weak and cannot resist with today being an exception. I think I was relatively calm on the spending front if I'm honest although I technically didn't need it all, I wanted it instead ;)
Considering that today was the day that No7 brought out their contouring palettes, it seemed only fair that I bought both shades; Light/Medium and Medium/Dark. I've only really played about with these both in store and at home so I haven't had the chance to put them to the test properly so I will have a review of both coming up in the next few days. Speaking of contouring, I couldn't resist picking up the Sleek Cream Contour Kit in Light after seeing quite a few YouTubers using it in their videos. I'm hoping that this will take my contouring to the next level and completely change the way that I contour altogether. Fingers crossed!
As all of No7 was on a three-for-two deal, it seemed only fair that I picked up my trusty No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter to have in back up. This is a beautiful candlelit champagne colour that gives that radiant lit from within glow that looks very natural on the skin but can be built up to get more of a strobed effect. I use this every time I apply makeup so I simply cannot live without it!
I've had my eyes on the Le Couvent des Minimes range ever since they launched in Boots but I've never wanted to buy any of the products due to how expensive they were. On a recent visit to my local store, I noticed that majority of the range was reduced in price which is because I'm assuming they'll be getting rid of it altogether so it seemed only fair I picked up the pieces that I've had my eyes on for quite a while! The Gardener's Hand Healer Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser is something that I've wanted to try out for ages as it's very similar to my beloved Sanctuary Radiance Exfoliator except for the hands! I also had to get the matching Ultra Cleansing Foam to use alongside it for days when my hands are feeling really dry. Lastly, I got the Hiker's Foot Healer which I'm hoping will help with my dry feet as it seems that anything I apply doesn't help even the slightest.
I've had quite the love affair with leave-in conditioners over the years and seem to stick to one for a few bottles before moving onto a new product and doing the exact same. It's a vicious cycle that seems to happen whenever I find something that works brilliantly the first bottle or so but after that, it no longer seems to impress me as much as it first did. Recently, I've found myself breaking that habit and instead of sticking to the same product every time I finish a bottle, I've been switching it up and using a new product altogether each time which has been working wonders for my hair. Recently, I've been reaching for the It's A 10 Miracle Leave-in Product which has been quite literally the saviour.
The It's A 10 Miracle Leave-in Product (£11.75+) is an American product that has slowly been making it's way across the waters and finding itself on UK soil. It's a spray on product that does ten things instantly including preparing dry and damaged hair; adding shine; detangling hair; controlling frizz; sealing and protecting colour; preventing split ends; stops hair breakage; creates silkiness; enhances natural body and can double up as a heat protection spray.
Whilst I have had this in my stash since America, it's only been recently that I've been reaching for it to give my hair an extra shot of conditioning after washing my hair. Since I've been using it, I've noticed that my hair has definitely appeared shiner and silkier to the touch and I haven't suffered with a lot of breakage too. Despite the fact that I do straighten my hair on the regular basis, it hasn't helped a lot with the split end situation but it definitely has helped transform my dry locks completely. I don't necessarily agree with it's claim of being used as a heat protection spray as it doesn't state which temperature it protects your hair up to however after straightening, I do like to spritz it in generously and then brush it out. Whilst it may be slightly pricey for a leave in conditioner, I do definitely think that it's worth it especially when you have coloured treated and heat damaged hair that needs a little something to bring it back to life.
I love nothing more than having a dewy, radiant base as it just makes you look more awake even when you haven't had the best nights sleep. Whilst I do tend to stick with radiant foundations, I find that they are simply not radiant enough for my liking so I often add a little something into the mix whether that be a liquid highlighter, skin illuminator or even another radiant foundation. I recently finished up a few of my skin illuminators so I decided to treat myself to the No7 Skin Illuminator which has not long been repackaged and relaunched.
The No7 Skin Illuminator (£12.50) contains light reflecting particles that not only enhance your complexion but gives naturally gorgeous radiant skin. It comes in the shade nude that is a one shade suits all kind of deal that every skin tone can get away with wearing. It can be used in a multiple of ways including as a primer before applying your foundation, used lightly as a highlighter on the tops of your cheek and brow bones and mixed in with your foundation to add some luminosity.
As I have naturally dry skin, I find that if I don't apply a lot of primer then my skin will literally drink up my foundation so I like to apply this after my normal primer to help create a more luminous finish that looks natural on the skin. As it is the same consistency as a regular cream based primer, it does take a little while to blend it all in but the results are definitely worth it! I also mix it in generously with my foundation before applying it with a damp beauty blender which just adds even more radiance to the skin. There has been a few occasions where I have gone in afterwards and just applied it directly to the tops of my cheek bones as a subtle highlighter if I'm not happy with how radiant my base is. Overall as much as I like the Revlon Photoready Skinlights Face Illuminators, I much prefer this as it looks more natural on the skin due to the added light reflecting particles.
I'm pretty sure that everyone at some stage of their life has used a variety of Aussie's products before as they're forever on some sort of offer wherever you look and have a wider range of products to suit anyone and everyone. I used to be obsessed with their 3 Minute Miracles in particular their Reconstructor, Shine and Take The Heat offerings which are quite literally the bomb! However recently, I've had a huge overhaul on what I use on my hair so sadly, I've had to stop using their products altogether. So instead, I've been reaching for the Carino Moisture Deep Conditioning Treatment which is from Aldi from time to time which is practically the same but just a fraction of the price!
The Carino Moisture Deep Conditioning Treatment (£2.49) is targeted towards dry/damaged as it contains Australian Jojoba Oil and Mint Extract that promises to leave your hair silky soft and shine as well as being completely manageable with results in as little in three minutes. It helps to deeply condition your hair whilst leaving it looking healthy and full of life which I'm sure is definitely what we all want from a conditioner!
I tend to use this mainly when my hair is feeling a little worse for wear which is normally on a Sunday night after a week's worth of heat styling so I tend to dispense a generous amount and massage it into my hair before leaving it in for a lot longer than the recommended three minutes before washing it out entirely. Once washed out, it reveals beautifully soft hair that feels nourished and is manageable once dry. Whilst it may not smell like it's more expensive counterparts, I much prefer the scent of this as it smells more sweet almost like bubblegum. Overall, I do much prefer the Carino offering over Aussie's purely because of the fact that it comes housed in a squeeze tube and smells slightly better however it's only downfall is not offering enough varieties to suit a number of needs which is something that Aussie do cater for.
