Award Winning Facial Serum

Since graduating from University back in 2010, I have been lucky enough to get to work alongside a number of beauty editors and directors from magazines such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. This exposed me to a large number of products that I'd never heard of before and Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex was just one of them.

This innovative product is sworn by beauty directors all around the world and has won many awards throughout the years, including Cosmopolitan Beauty and Fragrance Awards 2012 - Best Age Defying Serum, InStyle Award Winner 2011 and Stylist Skincare Awards 2011 Winner.

Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex is a facial serum designed to reduce the visible signs of ageing, whilst protecting the skin from any future damage. It also hydrates and smooths out uneven skin tone.

Of course, as the beauty addict I am, I had to try it out for myself. In order to apply the serum, squeeze 4-5 drops into the palm of your hand using the pipette provided, then smooth onto face and neck before your nightly moisturiser.

After using it, I found that my skin was extremely hydrated and left feeling smooth, soft and generally looking much healthier.

On the other hand, I did find that Clinique's Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector was a slightly better product for evening out skin tone and getting rid of dark spots and skin stresses. http://love-life-lipstick.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/disappearing-dark-marks.html

Having said that, I'm only in my twenties, so have fairly young skin (I usually get mistaken for being 5 years younger than I actually am!) Therefore, I'm only using it for preventative reasons at the moment.

Despite all this, it's a product that I will continuously use throughout my life, as it has been proven to work on skin as it ages. The results and popularity says it all; so I know I'll always make sure I have a bottle in the house!

Luscious Lips

As you are all probably well aware by now, I have a slight obsession with lip products (apart from lip gloss) and I had been dying to try out Clinique's Chubby Sticks for ages.

I was luckily enough to receive one for my birthday this year and having read many reviews on how great a product it is, I was extremely happy that it lived up to expectations.

Clinique's Chubby Sticks were the first product of its kind and are designed as a Moisturising Lip Colour Balm. Chubby Sticks are brilliant for a number of reasons, but what draws me to them the most is pretty much because they do exactly what it says on the tin; they give your lips a gorgeous, subtle colour whilst also moisturising them. They are in essence a mixture between a lip tint and lip balm, however, unlike some lip tints, they will not dry out your lips. Unfortunately, the down side is that they will only last around 2-3 hours without eating or drinking and will need to applied at various times during the day.

In addition, although they are moisturising, they aren't too glossy or sticky, which are the main reasons why I dislike lip gloss so much. Also, despite my love of brightly coloured lip products, I find that you can only wear them at certain times and events, so in my opinion, Chubby Sticks have the perfect amount of pigment in order to be used all day, every day.

What's also great about Chubby Sticks is that there is no need to sharpen them, all you do is twist the silver base and it pushes the product up. Easy and simple!

05 Chunky Cherry

Hair Rescue Remedy

As I have extremely fine hair, I am usually quite sceptical about using hair oils and serums, as they tend to weigh it down and make my freshly washed hair look greasy and unkempt.

I had already heard about the original Moroccanoil treatment, an ingenious product used by celebrities and raved about worldwide, but I knew that it wouldn't be right for my hair. So when I heard about Moroccanoil Light (treatment for fine and light coloured hair), I was intrigued about whether it would be the answer to all those previous hair problems.

I knew from the very first time I tried Moroccanoil Light that it was a revolutionary product and all those with fine hair wouldn't have to be worried about using hair oil ever again.

After applying the oil from the mids to the ends of my hair, it made it feel extremely light, soft and smooth. It also made styling easier, leaving my blow-dried hair frizz and tangle free, with a beautiful shine and gorgeous smell!

The key ingredient in this product is Argan oil, which originally comes from the kernels of the Argan tree in Morocco. This oil is extremely moisturising and nourishing, as well as having supposed medicinal properties.

Although it's rather pricey, at roughly £30 a bottle, you only need one pump per use; therefore it does turn out to be very economical. I've had my bottle for over 6 months and I've used less than a quarter, despite it being a must have product every time I wash my hair...

Moroccanoil has also won numerous beauty awards over the last few years and still remains one of the top selling beauty products in the world. It would most certainly be on my list of favourite products and one that I would recommend to anyone whose hair is in need of a little TLC.

Brighten Up Your Skin

Having tried and found Benefit's lip and cheek stain Benetint too dark for my skin tone, I was really intrigued about using their complexion highlighter - High Beam.

I'd heard a lot of good things about High Beam before I purchased the product for myself and many times I discovered that friends had rushed out to buy the latest edition of a magazine, as it came as the free sample.

Once I tried High Beam, I could see exactly why everyone had been raving about it for so long, it was subtle yet effective and gave my skin a dewy, healthy glow.

It is designed to be worn over your usual make-up, in order to accent your cheek and brow bones, whilst enhancing your complexion, giving it a natural, glimmering finish.

In order to apply High Beam, carefully dot it along your cheek and brow lines and gently blend it with your existing make-up.

With this product I find that less is more, as if you use too much, it can detract from the make-up underneath. High Beam is a wonderful finishing product and ensures that your skin looks healthy and lustrous.

If you prefer a darker highlighter or want to add more of a golden sunkissed shimmer to your complexion, Benefit have also created the highlighters Sun Beam and Moon Beam.

The Perfect Foundation

I find that foundation is a very hit or miss product for me and it's quite difficult to find the perfect shade, coverage and consistency.

I have a slight olive tint to my skin, so a lot of foundations make me look an orangey colour, which I really can't stand. Although I do like looking tanned, there is nothing worse than when your face looks a completely different colour to the rest of your body.

For many years I struggled to find the right shade, settling for the lightest shade of tinted moisturiser, (which wasn't even sold in the UK, only the US), as all the foundations I tried were just too dark/orange. I was happy with this for a while and still use it in the summer when my face is tanned or I want stronger SPF in my make-up; but I felt that it was too dark for my skin all year round.

I then went on to use a powder foundation which seemed to suit me very well for a long time. This was until I bought a new one (in exactly the same colour) and found that it was patchy, two-toned (not in a good way) and coming out darker than usual. I'm not sure if it was just a faulty compact, but it really put me off using the foundation again.

On the other hand, when I'm in a rush to get ready, I don't even bother wearing foundation, I just wear concealer in the places that need covering up. I have found the perfect shade of concealer, (No7 Quick Cover Stick in Medium), which gives great coverage but makes my skin look natural, the barely there look. Therefore, I wanted to find a foundation that made me feel the same way.

After years of trial and error and frustration, I have finally found the perfect foundation: MAC Studio Fix, Powder Plus Foundation in NC20.

The thing that I love the most about this particular foundation is that you can't tell the difference between the colour on my face and the rest of my body. Unlike other products, I don't have to extravagantly blend the lines between my face and neck, there are no lines to blend! It's easy to apply, gives great coverage, last for hours and doesn't dry out my skin.

Don't settle for a foundation just because you've worn it for years or you can't be bothered to shop around; keep searching, once you find the perfect shade, you'll feel more confident because of it!

Get A Gorgeous Glow For Summer

I have never been one for using fake tan, I never really have time to wait for it to dry and I dislike the orange colour that some leave you with.

This was until I tried ModelCo - One Night Tan...

As a tanning beginner, I was really surprised about how easy this product is to use! Once you try it, you'll never look back.

In the summer months, my legs usually stay a boring shade of white, so I desperately wanted to be able to give them a lovely glow, as and when the sun comes out, (rare in England I know!) and this product did exactly that.

One Night Tan is a wonderful, light tanning mousse, rather than a cream, which makes application so much easier. It has a silky, smooth texture and literally takes seconds to get an all over, glowing colour.

Also, what's great about this tanning product is that it gives you such an amazing natural colour; it enhances your skin tone and leaves you looking sunkissed. You can also build up colour by applying a further layer once it has dried.

Furthermore, the best part of using this tan is that it's so easy to wash off! All you need is some soap and water and voilà it's gone.

Not only this, it dries very quickly, leaves no streaks or patches and won't transfer onto your clothes or other fabrics. This gorgeous product contains a blend of Aloe Vera, Shea Butter and Vitamin E, which keeps your skin hydrated, soft and smooth.

One Night Tan is reasonably priced at £24.00 per bottle and is sold at Boots. Click here

Overall, I'd recommend this product to anyone; it couldn't be easier to get a beautiful, bronzed, sunkissed glow, just in time for summer!

Get Gorgeous Skin With Cover FX

During my recent Beauty adventure, I discovered an amazing makeup range called Cover FX, which I just had to share with you all.

Launched in the UK in 2010, by Lee Graff, a corrective makeup specialist and Jenny Frankel, a chemical engineer; this makeup range has a vast selection of foundations, in a whole array of shades, as well as concealers, primers, bronzers and many other products.

I found that four of their products stood out to me the most; these were Skin Tint (tinted moisturiser), Powder FX (mineral powder foundation), Eye Prep (primer) and Mint Glaze (lip treatment and primer).

After trying them out for myself, I can truly say that they're all must haves for your makeup bag!

The first of the fabulous four that I tried was Skin Tint - £36.00. This tinted moisturiser is a brilliant product to have, especially now that summer is just around the corner, as it contains SPF 30. Not only will this moisturiser protect your delicate skin from the sun's rays, it will also give it a gorgeous, healthy glow. It comes in 6 different shades and is so light that it glides onto your skin. You barely even feel like you're wearing any makeup!

The second amazing product I used was Eye Prep - £42.00. Having always been a fan of eye makeup, finding this product was a godsend! This primer not only helps smooth out lines and wrinkles, it helps reduce puffiness and dark circles under the eye, whilst ensuring your shadow, cream or liner stays put for hours. All I'd say about this product is that you should make sure it dries before you apply your eye makeup, in order to get smooth, even coverage.

Next to be tried was the Powder FX mineral foundation - £31.00. When it comes to foundation, I much prefer using powder, as it gives my skin an amazing matte effect, which liquid foundation rarely does. I find that it gives much better, more even coverage and this particular foundation did all that and more! It’s made from pure minerals and helps reduce the appearance of imperfections. Not only does it give great coverage, it also contains SPF 10 and is suitable for sensitive, oily and acne prone skin, as it's free from parabens, oils, fragrances and waxes. Quick tip when buying this product, be careful about which shade you pick, as there are a huge variety of colours and it's very easy to select a shade too light or dark.

The final must have product I used was Mint Glaze - £22.00, their lip treatment and primer. When it comes to lips, there is nothing worse than a dry, chapped mouth! This wonderful product helps improve, treat and smooth lip lines, whilst preparing them for products. What's great about this glaze is that it's not sticky, it gently sweeps across your lips, leaving them feeling refreshed, hydrated and tingly!

Cover FX is huge in America, but is just starting out in the UK. You will find it on the House of Fraser website - click here and the Harvey Nichols website - click here

I'm sure that this brand will be just as huge here as it is in the States, so try it for yourself before it becomes the next biggest thing!

To Tint Or Not To Tint?

I know that Benefit Benetint is a favourite product for many out there, but I haven’t really felt it’s lived up to expectations...

Personally, I think that there are lots of other products on the market that do a better job than Benetint; but then again that’s just me.

As a lip and cheek stain, it’s designed to give your cheeks a gorgeous glow and a your lips a warm tinge. I must admit, it worked far better on my lips than it did on my cheeks.

In order to use this product on your cheeks, you are told to draw three small stripes onto the apples of your cheeks and blend in circular motions with your fingertips.

After trying this for myself, I found that it made my skin look blotchy and uneven; far from the effect that I was going for. In my opinion, powder or pressed blush are much better products to use in order to get rosy, glowing cheeks.

For lips, the effect is slightly different. I have tried using Benetint in two different ways and one certainly worked better than the other.

Firstly I tried using Benetint on its own. I found that initially it gave me a nice, warm, even colour; however, it wore off extremely quickly, quicker than any lipstick or lip stain I’ve ever used.

Secondly I tried it under lip gloss. This worked extremely well and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to try Benetint for themselves.

Unfortunately, as you may have read in one of my previous blogs, I don’t really like wearing lip gloss. So while it’s fine round the house, I wouldn't want to use this method when venturing outside (especially in windy weather!).

There is a third way to use Benetint on your lips, (which I haven’t tried yet) and that is to use it underneath lipstick. Therefore, when your lipstick wears off, you’ll still have a lovely, warm colour left on your lips.

I think that the third way is probably the best idea, and would be a great way to always have beautifully coloured lips.

However, I have come to the conclusion that Benetint is not an ideal product for me and I very doubt that it will ever feature on my must have list!

If you have a different opinion on Benefit Benetint, feel free to comment below. I’d love to hear your views!

Define Your Eyes

I have wanted to try Gel Eyeliner for so long and had been saving up to buy Bobbi Brown’s award winning Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner; until I saw that Maybelline had also created their own version of this renowned product.

At first, I was extremely sceptical about the Maybelline eyeliner, thinking that it could not possibly live up to the more expensive, legendary Bobbi Brown product. This was until I tried it for myself...

The first thing that attracted me to Maybelline’s Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24h was the fact that it came with its own brush; whereas you have to buy the Bobbi Brown brush separately.

The second reason that made me want to buy this product was the price. This Eyeliner and Brush combo costs a minuscule £7.99, compared to a hefty £16.50 for the Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner and £21.00 for the brush.

These were the fundamental reasons for my decision, so when I tried the product at home, I was even more delighted with the decision I had made.

Having never used Gel Eyeliner before, I was a little bit unsure about how the product was going to work. I was comfortable using kohl, liquid or powdered eyeliner to create definition, so really had no idea how a gel would differ.

After trying it out for myself, I can hand on heart say; it’s the easiest product I have ever come across. It simply glides along your eyelid, creating a wonderful, precise, defining black line.

This amazing eyeliner is also smudge and crease free, can be used on sensitive eyes (including contact lens wearers) and will last up to 24 hours.

You only need to use a very little amount at a time, so this product is fantastic value for money and bound to last you for ages!

The brush is also very easy to clean, as all you need to do is use a dry tissue to wipe off any remaining traces.

I truly recommend this product for an easy, cheap and fuss free way to get stunning, striking eyes.

Does Perfume Go Off?

Perfume is one of my favourite beauty products and I love to have a selection of different scents to wear at any given time.

At the moment, I have around 5 different bottles of perfume open, which always causes me to worry that they will go off if I don’t use them up quickly.

Of course I have my favourites, which I use more often than others, but as my collection broadens, it seems as though I’m using hardly any of some.

I know that the perfume I have now will physically last me for years, but my concern is that they will become unusable, before I have the chance to finish them.

After doing research, I found out that perfume CAN go off after a period of time, HOWEVER, there are certain variables which increase and decrease the lifetime of your scents.

In general, perfume is supposed to last around 3-5 years, but it’s thought that if you store and look after them correctly, they are more likely to last longer.

It is best to keep your perfume in its original box, in a cool, dark place, with a consistent temperature. A place where they aren’t exposed to significant amounts of humidity, oxygen, heat or sunlight (bathrooms are a definite no no!); as these are known factors to cause perfume to go bad.

There are certain signs which enable you to tell whether your perfume has gone off or not. Firstly the smell; if there is an acidic, vinegary smell to it and its original, gorgeous scent has diminished somewhat, it has more than likely gone off. Secondly, if the perfume has become darker, with a thicker consistency, again, chances are it has gone off.

On the other hand, in my opinion, it's best to use your own judgement. If after a number of years your perfume still smells and looks great, don’t throw it away just because you think it might have gone bad!

Also, it's worth keeping in mind, that if you look after your perfume in the right manner and under the correct conditions, they can last up to thirty years! That really is amazing value for money!