The Beauty Edit | New Products I'm Trying

So let's talk all things make-up.

It feels like quite a while since I did a post purely focused on the new products which are rocking my world, and there's a few things I've been trying lately that I've really enjoyed and come to rely on.

As a mum of two, I'm short on time but still quite fussy, so I tend to like products that offer multiple benefits in one hit.

Getting my glam on has always been a part of my identity and motherhood hasn't changed that. I still love to make new discoveries when it comes to skincare, hair and makeup but equally, I know what I like.

Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer

I'd love to be more creative with hair, but in truth, the only thing I really know how to do well (and quickly!) is being a basic bitch and running the old GHDs through it!

When you rely on straighteners as much as I do, a good heat protective spray is an absolute must to stop your tresses getting completely fried.

Two things that have made a big difference for me are switching to a Dyson hairdryer, which relies more on air flow than heat to dry the hair, and using coconut oil as an intensive conditioning mask once a week.

Layering this spray primer into the mix has also helped my parched hair to recover a little. It's packed full of conditioning agents and forms a protective barrier on the hair shaft which defends against breakage and dehydration.

I've definitely noticed it keeping frizz at bay as well, and I like that it helps to prevent UV damage as well as from heat.

Vichy Dermablend Colour Corrector

Having two children under four may be good for some things (hostage negotiation, getting to go on teacup rides at theme parks, becoming an absolute ninja at laundry…) but one thing it isn't so good for is your under-eye situation.

I've had more than three years of pretty much constant broken nights, and boy, does it show. Bags, dark circles, fine lines, puffy lids…you  name it, I've got it.

Consequently, I'm very interested in concealers and I'm always trialling new ones to find the best combination. One thing which does help the situation enormously is using a peach toned colour corrector to cancel out those dark shadows.

There is a whole new elaborate technique to apply concealer when you're disguising serious eyebags and it requires a matte formula to go on the actual bag itself, so this creamy peach cover-up is ideal for that.

Dermablend is renowned for it's super high coverage and this doesn't disappoint. It's also nice and hydrating so it doesn't show up any lines. A great purchase if your eye bags are the bane of your life!

Vita Liberata Body Blur Sunless Glow Self Tanning HD Skin Finish

Having wanted to try this product for a long time after one of my friends absolutely raved about it, I finally took the plunge.

Despite my makeup addiction, I'm quite a novice when it comes to tanners and have only really started using them at all in the last couple of years (I was a wannabe emo sort of teenager and fake tan, like box fresh trainers, was not the done thing in my world).

This hybrid of tan and instant body makeup is pretty special though. It hides things like thread veins and the constant bruises I seem to have on my legs from crawling around after a toddler. It's in no way orange, which is pretty much my main concern.

With blurring agents (which I'm low-key obsessed with), it gives your skin that perfected appearance and a nice bronze tint, while a lasting tan develops underneath, and it's the perfect lazy girl product.

At this point, I feel like I haven't seen the sun for a very long time, so this is a complete saviour.

EOS Shimmer Sphere Lip Balm

It's that time of year when your lips get flakier than the Brexit negotiations, so a good moisturising balm is needed.

I also require something I can swipe on one handed while running out the door with a pram, so statement lips are hard, but a sheer, glowy balm is very do-able.

This gives a slight hint of pink colour and a flattering shimmer, while also delivering a hit of Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil and antioxidant Vitamin C. It also sits well on top of other lip shades on the rare occasion I get my shit together and put on lipstick.

Plus, the Eos packaging is always great.

Figs & Rouge Soft Focus Pore Perfect HD Matte Veil

Meet my new favourite primer. This stuff actually delivers on its promises, which are many, although at £35.00 for 30ml it's definitely on the spendy side. I kind of love it though, which is unfortunate for my bank balance.

It's a completely weightless, mattifying serum which smooths out the skin, hides pores and fine lines and gives you that slightly airbrushed look I live for.

If you like your products soft focus, this baby will call your name. It also has an anti-blemish formulation which reduces impurities and helps prevent breakouts.

I'm never sure whether to put my faith in products which promise so much, but I have to say, I am impressed with this and the tightening effect it gives to my tired skin.

Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Water

The second tanning product I've been loving recently, which is definitely unlike me! Firstly because it's super easy to use - spray, swipe and go - but also because it gives a lovely, subtle colour which appeals to me, as a timid tanner.

Packed with organic tanning actives it's a light mist which hydrates your body and contains colour corrector to even out the skin tone.

Even a newbie like me can get a streak-free, natural looking glow with it and I think it's going to be a staple product for me during these sunless months (and even after, seeing as I'm a total SPF freak).

Fearne McCann Estella Lashes and Soft Smooch Nails

So although I've never watched TOWIE, and the idea of looking like one of those filler-pumped, orange ladies with a head full of nylon hair isn't really the look I'm going for, I have to admit that I quite like these products - and amazingly, I discovered them when I was on a cleaning product run in Poundland!

There's a whole range of lashes which run from a natural look to the full on tarantula legs deal, but the ‘Estella’ style is definitely my vibe.

They are a really good dupe for my favourite strip lashes, the Eylure Luxe in ‘Solitaire’ and give a light, fluffy finish that balances perfectly between subtle and impact.

Best of all each pair is only £1 and they're robust enough to wear a few times.

And while I haven't worn nails like this for literally years, the fact that I don't have the opportunity to go to the nail salon EVER and my natural nails are just crumbly and crap means a quick way to get a mani in a hurry for the odd special occasion is very welcome.

The soft taupe shade of these are super pretty, and in all this range has been a really good find.

NYX Lid Lingerie Palette

NYX are definitely one of the leading drugstore brands for quality, and their Lingerie line is all about wearable, creamy mattes in a range of flattering flesh tones.

I already like the liquid lipsticks in the line, and this palette has quickly become a go-to for a quick eye look, from a low key daytime eye to a full on smoked out look.

The shadows blend like a dream, are full of depth and richness and really help you to contour and sculpt the eye for that ‘I just rolled out of an extremely sexy bed like this’ look.

Hylamide Photography Foundation

What really interests me about makeup is the power of transformation and the visual trickery.

My YouTube feed is stuffed with those ‘transformation’ videos where some hapless person takes themselves ‘from a zero to a ten’ using the contents of their local Boots. It's like an illness.

Any product which promises to do some kind of high tech visual magic instantly has my attention, plus I have big love for Deciem, so Hylamide’s Photography Fluid has long been on my wishlist.

Here comes the science: nano-fractions of silica based prisms take away the look of lines and pores and define facial features using light technology. Prismatic camera hue yellow-red correctors remove unwanted colour tones from the skin and Prismatic gold technology creates a radiant finish. Phew!

Basically it's all aimed at creating this filtered effect in real life. It is very sheer, so I'd be more likely to mix it with another foundation, but if I was going to a very photographed occasion like a BIG party or a wedding this would definitely be a go to product.

Agent Provocateur Petale Noir

It's extremely rare that I try a new perfume. I've basically rotated between about three for years and years, and I'm quite hard to please when it comes to scents, especially as I'm not a fan of anything too sweet or fruity and every other perfume out there seems to be this kind of toffee apple nonsense at the moment (looking at you, Miss Dior) .

So I'll admit it was a little unusual for me to branch out. Like my all-time favourite, Coco Mademoiselle, this is an oriental floral but in a much deeper, darker way.

With notes of lotus, magnolia, violet leaf, hyacinth and bergamot mixed with heliotrope, leather, vetiver pepper and amber, it's a 'love-it-or-hate-it' perfume.

It's quite a complicated fragrance - almost old fashioned and romantic when it opens but with notes developing that I can only describe as ‘dirty’ but in a good way.

It's intense and probably not for everybody - a bit like Lady Gaga ‘Fame’ which is actually another of my favourites. It's a complex, sexy fragrance. Like a wedding bouquet smashed into a nightclub floor.There's a story there and I kind of like that, although I definitely think it's too much for daytime.

I do love the bottle, which is pure sex - a hand grenade shaped glass vial adorned with a whisper light floral pattern and a chain collar which stops it accidentally spraying out in your bag.

If you're a fan of unconventional scents, give it a try.

Too Faced Glow Job Radiance Boosting Face Mask

A face mask in my ritual, candle lit bath on a Sunday is what I live for, and this radiance boosting formula housed in a peel off glitter (similar to my beloved GlamGlow Glitter Mask) appealed to me.

There are oils to promote a healthy glow along with mild exfoliating agents to lift away dull, tired skin. There are a couple of different variants and some are infused with real gold.

If you're looking for something to give tired skin an intensive boost, this does the job nicely.

PS Alice In Wonderland Mini Lipstick Trio

So I'm not normally into Disney things (I'll leave that to the kids) but Alice Through The Looking Glass has always been one of my favourite books, and I did love the film when I was little, so this mini lipstick set was too much to resist.

Featuring three wearable warm neutrals with the Alice silhouette on the packaging, I just couldn't leave it!

I find Primark makeup quite underrated and there are a few products I've had from there that I really liked, like the Velvet Matte Lip Crayons.

There was also a palette in the Alice range that I managed to leave on the shelves but it did look good!

Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Mini Celebrity Lipstick Charms

There must have been some special appeal about mini lipsticks for me because as well as the Alice trio, I also got this little set from my favourite beauty brand, Charlotte Tilbury.

I thought it was a great way to try out some more of the shades and also the minis are ideal for taking away on holiday or slipping into a clutch bag.

The shades are Kim K-W, a pink beige nude, Secret Salma, a deep rose plum and Carina’s Love, a classic red. They come in the beautiful signature rose gold metal packaging.

The formula of Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks is gorgeous - they have light diffusing particles to give a plumped up finish and a protective UV shield. The three shades are each gorgeous and this is super little kit.

Those are the latest things I'm loving - what have you discovered lately?