How to buy luxury skincare for less!

Skincare is my thing and I don't mind spending on products that are effective. I get my love of skincare from my mother who has looks a lot younger than her 60+ years and she has had many compliments on how young her skin looks over the years. I don't think that you necessarily 'need' to use luxury skincare brands because a high price tag doesn't automatically mean that a product will work well or suit your skin, however I do find that luxury skincare brands tend to suit my skin very well in terms of effectiveness and with less irritation than some budget brands (due to less filler ingredients and more active ingredients). That being said, I do love a bargain or any kind of saving to be honest and I rarely pay full price for any skincare so I want to share my tips on how to buy luxury skincare for less with you today! This post is not sponsored - these are sites I use and also just what I do when I need to buy some skincare.

My Jo Malone collection

If ever there was a brand that screams luxury, it's Jo Malone. I adore the classic cream and black packaging that is featured on the bottles, bags and boxes and the scent combinations make the brand unique and special. I am lucky enough to have built up quite a collection (thanks to my generous husband and savings in Duty Free!) and I wanted to share it with you today!

I need your product recommendations!

The main reason that I started my blog (apart from it being a distraction from my illness), was to start a conversation about beauty. I love that my friend Anne from Linda Libra Loca got a product recommendation in the comments section of one of my posts, which she went on to buy. As shallow as it may sound to some, talking about beauty products is one of my favourite things to do but I also like to listen and that's how today's post has come about! I need some product recommendations and would love if you would leave a comment below - even if you have never commented before, I'd love to hear from you now!

GIVEAWAY & REVIEW! Laura Geller new releases have me swooning!

As I've mentioned before on the blog, Laura Geller is a brand that I grow to love more with every product that I try! Therefore you can imagine how thrilled I was to receive a parcel of the latest releases from the brand! There are new face palettes, lipsticks, lip glosses, liquid highlighters and blur sticks - all so beautiful that I didn't know where to start! Luckily, I was sent two of the face palettes so I'm delighted to be able to do a giveaway with the second one because, believe me, you will want it in your life! Stay reading to the end of the post for details on how to win!

My favourite overnight skincare products

Beauty sleep is not just a myth - night time is when our skin renews and repairs, so what we put on it is important! There is no SPF or makeup to compete with so the products we use can really get to work. Being the skincare junkie that I am, I have a number of products that I love to use and I want to share them with you today. For reference, I have dry skin with some areas of texture that is prone to being dull if I don't keep on top of my skincare routine!

A palette that covers all bases? Clarins Travel Essentials Palette

I think we've established at this stage that one of my favourite things about going on holiday, is getting to have a browse and shop in Duty Free! I love that there are savings to be had on everyday essentials but also that there are some duty free exclusives that can't be bought elsewhere! Even if you aren't travelling yourself but know somebody who is, you can avail of the discount prices by using the Reserve & Collect option, whereby you browse the site, reserve your products and then the person who is travelling can collect the order and pay on the date selected. The brilliant thing about this option (which I only recently discovered) is that even if your local airport doesn't stock a particular brand, if you reserve in advance, you can choose from any of the brands stocked in World Duty Free. Who doesn't want to make a saving on Fresh, Diptyque or Jo Malone, for example? I'll definitely be taking advantage of that next time I fly! Today's post is all about a World Duty Free Exclusive: Clarins Travel Essentials Palette; a palette that has eye, lip and cheek options!

Setting sprays to add glow, lock in makeup or refresh the skin

Because I have dry skin, I tend to favour setting sprays over powders to set my makeup and sometimes to add some luminosity or up the glow! Sometimes, I just want to refresh my makeup and a setting spray is ideal for that too. Ever the minimalist, I have six in my collection that I want to share my thoughts on with you today!

Celebrate National Smile Month with Janina!

Did you know that National Smile Month runs from May 14th to June 14th? As the song goes 'You're never fully dressed without a smile' and for me, this is so true. A smile can cross so many barriers and will instantly endear me to a person. Just last week, I noticed a hen party in Dublin airport - they all looked amazing - immaculate hair and makeup, stunning clothes, preened to within an inch of their lives but not one of them had a smile on their face and it was the one thing that wouldn't cost them any time or money but would have made a huge difference! For me, a smile makes everyone much more attractive so when I was asked if I wanted to celebrate National Smile Month with Janina, I jumped at the chance!

Three to try from Lime Crime - Cult Beauty Brand Of The Month!

Vegan and cruelty-free brand, Lime Crime is Cult Beauty's Brand Of The Month for May, which means that there is free international shipping on all products until the end of the month. Known for their pigmented shadows and long-wearing lip products, this brand is no stranger to controversy (don't ask me for details though because I can never keep up with online dramas!) yet despite this they have stood the test of time due to their innovative and quality products. Today, I want to share three that I recommend trying from the brand, including their latest palette release: Venus III. Prepare to drool!

Nars Narsissist Lip Pencil Set

I don't know about you, but one of my favourite things about going on holiday is having a stroll around World Duty Free to see what bargains are to be had and what new brands they are stocking! In fact, I did just that on Monday after spending the long weekend with my In-Laws and I was seriously impressed by the range of brands available. Even if you aren't flying yourself but know someone who is, you can avail of the Reserve & Collect option whereby you can browse the site then reserve the products you want and pay in store (or ask whoever is flying to collect & pay for you!). I personally love having a look at the travel exclusives and limited edition sets because anything that you can't buy on the high street, makes it that extra bit special. One such set is this Nars NARSissist Lip Pencil Set.

My top picks from MAC & an amazing Gift With Purchase from Debenhams!

MAC was one of the first high end brands that I tried - maybe not as high end as YSL, Dior etc, but definitely a step up from the budget brands that I had previously used and all these years later, I still have a real soft spot for the brand! There is something about a MAC lipstick that gets me every time and I have quite a few in my collection. Today, I want to share some of my favourite products from the brand and also let you know about an amazing gift with purchase available from Debenhams when you spend £60 or more on MAC. 

Design.ME haircare review

Design.ME is a brand that is new to our shores but has been in North America for a while. It's a professional brand that is available to buy from Sally Beauty and I was lucky enough to be sent three of the four products available. I've been using them for the last few weeks and want to share my thoughts on them with you today!

Non-powder contouring options!

Although this post is about contouring, its actually gentle definition that I go for these days as I find a full-on razor sharp contour a little aging. Because I have dry skin, I tend to favour products that are in liquid or cream form because they just work better with my skin and today I want to share those with you.

GIVEAWAY: Summer body products bundle featuring Sol De Janeiro, Omorovicza and more!

Last week I share with you the products that I am using to prep my body for summer (post here) and Cult Beauty very kindly sent me some of the products to do a giveaway so that one of you lucky readers can try them for yourself! 

3 fantastic budget foundations

I've pretty much only worn budget foundations recently and I've had so many compliments on my skin when wearing them. I am absolutely delighted to have found some affordable foundations that I love because for years, I have spent a fortune on high end ones and now I don't have to. I'm not saying that I'll never buy a luxury foundation again but at the moment, these three have me covered!