Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour

So many people have been raving about Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour, so I decided to run up to Liberty in my lunch hour last week and see if I could find one to suit me - I definitely ran back down Regent Street clutching a little purple bag!

After reading Vivianna's rave reviews (Viviannadoesmakeup) I decided to have a look at Lush Nectarine, however I was informed that they no longer had that in stock - I was very sad! But do not fear, I found a great alternative! Orange Blossom is a really lovely coral pink with an orange/gold aspect to it. I REALLY like it. I'd previously been using Clarins Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colour in soft peach, but this is definitely now my favourite.

This picture doesn't do it justice at all, but you can see the general tone of it; not too pigmented but with enough colour to give you a real peachy glow. I won't put a photograph up of it on me just yet, as I'm saving that for this weekend, when I will do a post on the make up that I wear everyday - this shows you how much I love this blush!

You can buy this blush from Laura Mercier counters in places like Liberty (where I got mine) and I've seen it on the John Lewis website here for £20.50 - slightly expensive for something so tiny (3.8g) but I really do love the colour, and for me it was a good buy!

Have you bought any of the Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colours?

Nails

This is the Estee Lauder pure colour nail varnish in Tempting Melon, was a bit of an impulse buy when I was getting a coral coloured lipstick. I love it!

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24/H

Everyone has that one foundation that they love, one that they know will see them through good and bad skin times - this is mine.

I got a tiny sample of this foundation from the lovely lady at the Lancome counter in Boots, Piccadilly Circus. When she gave it to me and said it would last me a week, I laughed and said "Ha! With the amount of foundation I use, this won't last me a week!"; how wrong I was. You really only need to use a tiny amount of this to get a great result  which is fantastic, as it is a little costly (£27) and I'd like it to last as long as possible!
 If you are normally a tinted moisturiser kind of person, perhaps this isn't for you as it is medium coverage and not a 'dewy, sheer finish' kind of foundation. However if you are looking for something with good coverage, long lasting and a good colour range then you should see if you can get a sample from a Lancome counter. 

I apply this using a Real Techniques Stippling Brush, and it blends so quickly, without leaving horrible streaks and definitely covers up and red patches or blemishes that I have. I need minimal concealer after using this, which is great because I don't want to look like I'm caked in makeup! For me, I need a foundation to last a long time without having to keep touching it up and this is exactly what this does - brilliant! I am out of the house from 6.40am - 7.15pm, and it lasted the whole time. I use shade 045, which is one of the medium shades (I have a medium skintone, slightly yellow) and I find this blends well, without leaving those awful tidemarks! Also, I'd like the stuff I put on my skin to smell nice (another reason why I hate Clinique!) and you'll be pleased to hear that this has a subtle but nice smell.

So, tell me about which foundations you like to use - have you tried this? Do you prefer something else?

Skincare routine

My skin is a bit of a nightmare, without a good skincare routine I'm prone to a little bit of oiliness and blemishes with some random dry patches too - what a mix eh? I've tried a lot of products and I think I've finally got the right ones for me:

L'Oreal Paris Dermo Expertise Gentle Make Up Remover
I think this is just for your eyes, but I use a bit of it all over my face as well as my eyes. It successfully gets rid of all the mascara and eyeliner that I use without making my eyes sting, which is great! It does say on it that it is suitable for sensitive eyes. It is relatively cheap, and I bought two with the two for £4 deal at Tesco. Bargain!

Clarins Cleansing Milk with Gentian - combination or oily skin
Once I've removed all my makeup, I warm some of this in my hands (clean hands!) and pat it on my face, lifting my hands off quickly to create a kind of suction effect. Difficult to explain but the lady on the Clarins counter at John Lewis showed me how to do it and I really like it! Then you can either rinse it off, or use a cotton pad - I usually remove it with a cotton pad.

Clarins Toning Lotion with Iris - combination or oily skin
This smells pretty fantastic for a toner in my opinion, often they just smell of alcohol! This one doesn't contain any alcohol, which is great! I put some on a cotton pad and wipe over my face (you all knew how to do that anyway!)

Clarins Daily Energizer Lotion
After I've used the toner I rub some of this into my face - again it smells lovely. I'd recommend this for most types of skin really, but if your skin is pretty peely and dry then you might want to try something else.

L'Oreal Youth Code Serum
The lady on the Lancome counter told me to put my serum on after my moisuriser to get a 'nice youthful glow'; I do like putting a little on after my moisturiser and leaving it a couple of minutes before I put my makeup on. This serum is pretty good, I feel that my skin is much better now I've been using it regularly so I think it is probably something I'll repurchase.

Now, I know there are some other products in the picture; these are things that I don't necessarily use everyday but I use quite regularly:
Soap and Glory Bright Here Bright Now I tend to mix a bit into my foundation, but only tend to use this if I'm going out and want a dewy finish.

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm - Another product for when your skin is puffy and dull. I put it on before my foundation if I've had a late night.

L'Oreal Youth Code Night Cream - A really moisturising night cream, that leaves me with really nice skin in the morning, can't complain at all!

I realise that most of the products in my skincare routine are Clarins - this is purely because they work for me, and not because I want to stick to one brand! I've tried lots of different brands, including the Clinique 3 step system, which really did not work for me! Just started using the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish (late I know!) so if I like it, I might do a post on it when I've had enough time to decide!

What products do you use in the morning?