Now spring is upon us and summer is fast approaching, it is necessary that we start to prep our skin for some exposure to the sun (Fingers crossed for a sunny 2014!).

This begs the question, is expensive always best? I would like to argue no.

I put three different concealers to the test, the contenders are;
Bobbi Brown, MAC and Collection 2000

I used each concealer over the period of a week and recorded coverage, consistency and overall finish.

Below are my results;

Bobbi Brown- Creamy Concealer
Cost: £18.50
Score: 6/10

MAC- Studio Finish Concealer £15
Cost: £15.00
Score 7/10

Collection 2000 - Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19
Cost: £4.19
Score 10/10

The Collection 2000 Concealer was by far my favourite from the three products I tested. It delivered everything I would expect from a concealer and is so kind to my skin which is very sensitive.
I am fully aware that everyone has their favourites and a lot of the time it is difficult to move away from those, however I would recommend that everyone tried the Collection 2000 concealer. For £4.19 it is so worth every penny, even if you hate it!!!

Flawless Matte Foundation

Garnier have recently launched a new specialist moisturising skin care range, focusing on a variety of skin types, launching a different tailor made moisturiser for different types of skin.

Garnier;

 

I suffer from very dry skin so my initial choice was the 'Goodbye Dry' for dry to very dry skin, however as the weather gets warmer my skin tends to get a little less dry and I would then go for the 'wake me up' for dull skin to give me that fresh glow in the mornings.

I have been using the Goodbye Dry on my skin for over a week now and have noticed the difference, I use it after showering morning and evening. Due to the thick consistency of the cream it acts as a great base for application of my make-up and also doubles up as a great night cream.

For anyone who is in limbo about which moisturiser to use, have a look at Garniers new range. They are offering free samples online at http://www.garnier.co.uk/_en/_gb/moisture-match/home.aspx

I believe there is a moisturiser for everyone in this fab new range.

 

• Contour brush
• Detailer brush
• Pointed foundation brush
• Buffing brush

"Swirl your way to perfect skin in one step! This innovative, triple-swirled helix serum instantly color-corrects, brightens and covers skin imperfections for a flawless face with no fuss."

Stila http://www.stilacosmetics.com/

This Stila product recently caught my eye whilst browsing online for skin illuminating products. The peculiar formation of swirled colours within the tube makes it look very unique compared to any other correctors I have seen in the past.
I decided to read further into the purpose of the coloured swirls and ended up purchasing a bottle!

This Stila bottle contains a skin tone correcting, brightning serum which diminishes the look of fine lines and wrinkles, minimizes pores, hydrates, balances and minimizes oil.

Each colour performs its own unique task when placed onto the skin;

• Green- Minimizes Redness
• Lavender- Counteracts sallow undertones
• Peach- Brightens, Illuminates and helps diminish the appearance of sun spot.

The corrector comes in a pump activated bottle which dispenses an equal amount of all three colours which come out feeling very silky and unbelievebly light when placed on the skin.
The beauty of this product is that it is so light that in can be used all over the face or just on particular problem areas such as blemishes or under the eyes to give them a lift.

This product can be used on its own or used underneath your usual foundation as a base coat/illuminator. You only need to apply a small amount and can see the difference immeidately.

The One Step Corrector comes in a 30ml bottle and retails in the UK for around £24, I found mine on BeautyBay http://www.beautybay.com/ who sell a great range of Stila and other branded products for a marked down price.

 With the winter drawing closer, summer tans fading and work days seeming endless, it can be easy to fall into a routine of piling on make-up to cover up sun deprived skin and sleep deprived eyes.
Looking radiantly beautiful in the winter is effortlessly achievable and Bobbi Browns concealers & correctors range makes this all the much easier.
The correctors and concealers range comes in a variety of tones to suit all skin colours. As this was my first Bobbi purchase I found that shopping on line proved difficult without knowing which tone to buy and the on line tone chart is not a great reflection of the real life colourings. A trip to a Bobbi store was necessary.
I visited the Bobbi Brown concession stand within Selfridges London where at midday there were plenty of people being beautified by the Bobbi make-up artists.



I was quickly approached by a member of the staff who advised me on which products and tone would suit my skin best.
The lady advised me that peachy tones can often be a lot more softening when used as a correcter wheres as paler tones can often leave a dulling grey effect underneath the eye which is the one thing I am trying to eliminate! I was advised that the best tone for my skin tone was 'Peachy Bisque' one of the lighter colours in the range.

The corrrector has a slight sticky feel which spreads evenly and gently onto the skin without creasing. Due to the consistency, the corrector remains firmly on the skin when other make-up is placed over the top which makes it long lasting. Due to the sensitive nature of the skin under the eye the corrector is infused with skin conditioner keeping the skin beautifully healthy underneath.

The corrector retails in the UK at £18 for a 1.4g pot and can be purchased from any Bobbi Brown store, Concession stand or Online.
http://www.bobbibrown.co.uk/