What I loved in March

Usually, when I'm writing these posts, I'll have notes that I'll have written throughout the month, but this hasn't been an easy month. Watching the news every day has weighed very heavily on me (as I'm sure it has with all of you too), watching what is happening in Ukraine, seeing the maternity and children's hospital targeted is beyond evil. Seeing bodies of people shot during what was supposed to be a safe passage - how low can Putin sink? Like all of you I'm sure, I feel so helpless even though I've made several donations and sent a mountain of boxes to the Polish border. I wish we could offer rooms to some refugees, but with my very poor health, I can't (I actually got Covid AGAIN this month!). But, what has lifted my spirits is seeing the good in humanity - so much money raised, supplies sent, homes opened and more. Plus, I cannot explain my admiration for the people of Ukraine enough. They are fantastic, despite the circumstances, and display all of the qualities that people need to get through tough times. In my niece's class, there is a Ukranian girl, and everyone has been so kind and welcoming to her, which really warms my heart. There was an Irish university student trying to find a safe passage home, but it was proving very difficult, and two men from Scotland drove over to rescue her and her small group of fellow students. How amazing is that? Good will always triumph in the end - we have to believe that.  Here are the few good things that I have loved in March, because when life is dark, we always have to look for the light....

Natasha Denona Glam Face & Eye Palette: Light Review & Swatches

 

I have to say that I didn't really plan on buying this palette, as I have a few all in one face palettes, plus I find that Natasha Denona cheek products can be a bit hit & miss, however it was on sale, and from the swatches I saw online, I thought that I'd use all of them, plus it's perfect to take on nights away or holidays, as both eyes and cheeks are covered. But, is the Natasha Denona Glam Face & Eye Palette a hit or a miss?

NARS Light Reflecting Foundation Review

 

It's a few years since I bought a foundation from Nars. I used to wear Sheer Glow a lot (although I never understood the name, as it's neither sheer nor glowy!), and I really liked their Natural Radiant Long Wear Foundation, so when I heard about their new Light Reflecting Foundation, I decided to give it a whirl.

Biossance Squalane and Amino Aloe Gentle Cleanser Review

 

Biossance is a brand that I have only tried a small number of products from, but have loved everything I've tried, so when I saw that they had released their new Squalane and Amino Aloe Gentle Cleanser, I couldn't resist buying it (even though I have a lot of cleansers to get though!). I thought that it might be perfect as we change seasons. I love that their products contain squalane, as it is super hydrating, and really suits my dry skin. It also saves 2 million sharks every year, because it's sugar-cane derived, rather than coming from the livers of sharks. I'm not particularly into the whole "clean" beauty movement (or it's more a case of brands saying that their products are clean, as opposed to other 'dirty' brands - I think it's a little unnecessary, but each to their own), however this is definitely better for the planet. So, how has the cleanser been working for me?

Kérastase Chroma Absolu Soin Acid Chroma Gloss VS L'Oreal Elvive Wonder Water Colour Protect

L'Oreal Elvive Wonder Water Colour Protect was kindly gifted to me, without obligation.

I first discovered Kérastase K-Water in 2020, and was instantly hooked. I had never used a product like it before (review here), and loved how I could get a mirror-like shine on my hair from a product that worked quickly. That being said, it was hard to get hold of, and quite expensive, so I was delighted when L'Oreal Elvive brought out their own version (review here). It wasn't an absolute dupe, but for the price difference, it was definitely a product worth using. Fast forward to this year, and Kérastase have a new version: Chroma Absolu Soin Acid Chroma Gloss, and so do L'Oreal Elvive: Wonder Water Colour Protect*. I've been putting both to the test, to see if they live up to their claims, and if one justifies being more than triple the price of the other.....

NEW IN: Filorga Skincare

 

These products were kindly sent to me, without obligation.

Filorga is a brand that I feel deserves a lot more hype. I have yet to try any product from the brand that I haven't absolutely loved (moisturisers, an essence, and sheet masks are some that I have used every last drop of).  It's a French brand, created by an aesthetic doctor, who wanted to make products that would make a noticeable difference to skin within 7 days. I can tell you that everything I have tried makes my skin look and feel better instantly, but obviously it's with consistent use that best results will be seen. Today, I want to share my thoughts on two of the brand's latest releases: Crème Universelle and Skin-Unify Radiance Illuminating Perfecting Fluid.

IT Cosmetics Hello Lashes + Lash-Loving Volumising Mascara Review

 

This was kindly gifted to me, without obligation.

IT Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara is one of my all time favourite mascaras, so I was naturally very excited to try their latest release, which is called Hello Lashes + Lash-Loving Volumizing Mascara (they obviously like lengthy names!). I am extremely fussy when it comes to mascaras - I like them to be very black, non-flaky, not to smudge, not to turn my lashes crispy, but also to last well on my oily lid/watery eye combo! Not asking for much then! 

Spring Lips & Tips 2022

 

It's well established at this stage that I love Spring, so I thought that I'd share my favourite nail polishes and lip products for the season, rather than my entire makeup run down, or we'd be here all day!

Recent beauty purchases....

 

I really haven't bought many beauty products this year (well, compared to other years!), although I'm sure you're looking at the photo above and saying "yeah, sure!", but most of these products are necessary replacements. I am still working my way through products from my Advent Calendar, plus I'm really trying to be more focused and mindful with my purchases this year, as I have basically more beauty products than I could ever need! That said, I've bought a few things. The only beauty product that I bought in January is Charlotte Tilbury's Beautiful Skin Foundation, which I reviewed here. Although there have been A LOT of offers this first quarter, I have resisted a lot of them, and just bought the following products!

Is K18 Leave In Molecular Repair Mask worth the hype?

When a new product gets huge hype (or any product, for that matter!), it can sometimes just put me off immediately, which I know is a bit unfair, but sometimes the hype just isn't real! I have my hair routine pretty much sorted and thought that I didn't need to try anything new, but K18 just intrigued me too much to resist giving it a go. So, is it worth the hype?

Let's get Spring ready!

 

Ok, I know you probably think that I'm getting ahead of myself here, given that we've had around 5/6 storms already this year, and it isn't unknown to have snow in March, I'm choosing to think positively and think back to Spring 2020, when Covid arrived, and a few weeks later, we had the most glorious weather! I'm hoping that we might just get a repeat of that, so instead of waiting for good weather to arrive, I like to prep my body and skin in advance, so that it's looking good when it comes out of hibernation, and the layers come off! Today, I'm going to share the products that I'm using, which might inspire you to peel off the layers for a pamper! Anything marked with a * was kindly gifted to me, without obligation (but are pretty much all products that I have myself previously!).

Five fragrances that are perfect for Spring!

Anything that was kindly gifted to me, was done without obligation to post, and will be marked with a *

As I have said any times before, Spring is my favourite season. I'm seeing buds appearing, as well as some beautiful snowdrops and narcissi - this is something that always gives me hope and God knows, the world needs hope right now. Today, I thought I'd share my top five fragrances for Spring this year. My sense of smell is intermittent right now (hoping it will come back fully very soon!), but I know these fragrances like the back of my hand and can describe them easily. I'd love to hear your favourite Spring fragrance (if you rotate them each season)?

Testing, testing! New skincare on rotation including Erborian, Emma Lewisham, Kiehl's and more!

Anything marked with a * was kindly gifted to me.

As you know, I'm a skincare lover, and I'm lucky enough to be sent some fabulous products, as well as purchase them. Over the past few months, I have been sent some amazing products from a range of brands, which I have been gradually introducing into my routine, and I want to share my thoughts with you today. They won't be full reviews, as some I've been using for longer than others (with a break in between with some), so some will be mini reviews, and others will be my overall thoughts. Anything marked with a * was kindly gifted to me, but without any obligation to post.