Review: Garnier Moisture match for dry/very dry skin

So after four weeks of using the same moisturiser, this morning my tube of Garnier moisture match became impossible to squeeze any more product out of and so in beauty blogger land what better time to pop up a quick review?

Firstly a quick bit of blurb

Garnier have quite recently released a range of five moisturisers with different formulations which are tailor made to suit each individual skin type/complaint, they are...

'Goodbye dry' (the one I have)

for dry to very dry skin

'Protect and glow'

for normal skin

'Start afresh'

for normal/dry skin

'Wake me up'

for dull skin

'Shine be gone'

combination/oily skin

 I stumbled across this range while I was on the lookout for a new high street moisturiser (the only one I have ever really liked is the oilatum dry skin repair) to try out and immediately thought how this was a great little niche for the high street, the packaging looked bright and fresh and it was the sort of thing that draws me straight in! 

I picked up 'Goodbye dry' even though my skin for the most part is normal to dry, last month I really felt like I wanted to give myself an extra moisture boost! The first thing I noticed was that it didn't disappoint in being lusciously rich and creamy in texture, however it glides onto the skin and absorbs perfectly quick enough to make a fantastic base for foundation. 

Another thing to point out is the smell...mmmmmm...smells like fresh apples!!

Initially, being an impulsive shopper I picked up two out of the range the 'Goodbye dry' and the 'Wake me up' (gel formula) which I did end up putting back, but I will definitely be grabbing a tube to try when I tootle off to Superdrug for a repurchase of this!

Yes after four weeks of daily use I can safely say that I am most definitely in love with this moisturiser, it didn't break the bank at £4.99 for a 50ml tube, it didn't break me out once and my skin has felt like a ripe peach all month long, I even included it in my February favourites video <3 

When I clicked on the Garnier website to check out the range I noticed that they are giving out free samples click here to get yours

Have you tried any of these moisturisers?
I'd love to know how well the other formula's perform!

xxx

Skincare for dry skin

Just lately my skin has really been on it's best behaviour, (touch wood) I haven't had a single patch of dry skin for over a month which is the only real problem that I get with my skin and it drives me crazy as my foundation will inevitably end up gathered on the dryness and it doesn't look pretty!
I thought I would share my latest skin care routine that I believe has helped me loads with you lovelies.


Cleanser
I was very kindly sent the Liz Earle cleanse and polish to try out around 2 months ago now I have been using it twice daily and am so pleased with it. What I love the most about this cleanser is the thickness of the formulation that actually makes it feel moisturising which is something that you don't always find with cleansers, and something I really appreciate with having a dry skin type. Also it removes make-up so easily and leaves skin feeling so super clean.This product definitely deserves it's cult status in my opinion.

Exfoliator
2-3 times a week for the past month I have been using the Vie skin sparkle system (of course the name suckered me in!) Its a 2 step system the first being the vitamin C crystal polish which you massage into the skin gently for a minute, secondly the activating serum is applied and left on for 2-3 minutes before rinsing off. I haven't always gotten along with exfoliators as they tend to cause a flare up of dry skin after I use them, which is so weird as they are supposed to remove dry skin?!?! But this one has never caused that to happen so it is definitely a winner.

Moisturiser
Moisturising is my favourite part of my skincare routine as I love the feeling of a freshly moisturised face so much! Nivea soft moisturising cream for face body and hands has been my go to moisturiser ever since I ran out of my Oilatum face repair about 2 months ago, and I actually think its so similar to the Oilatum and leaves my skin feeling just as hydrated that I wont have to go splashing out the £8 on that again any time soon.The smell of this moisturiser is so addictive as it has the same smell as Nivea sun cream and reminds me of holidays! Aside from the smell I also love how quickly this absorbs into the skin and makes a fantastic base for make-up.

So there are my 3 miracle products that have most definitely kept dry skin at bay and my skin feeling the best it has in a long time, I would really recommend trying them out if you also suffer with the dreaded dry patches. The only thing I am missing is a decent face mask,I cant seem to find one that I really love at the moment "/ Does anyone have any recommendations?

what are you loving skincare wise at the moment?

Review: Chanel Pro Lumiere Foundation

Hey Girls

I have a few reviews that I have been meaning to do,but felt it better to Use the products for a little while first to be able to give them a fair review.

So first up is Chanel Pro Lumiere Foundation.

I purchased this around 3 weeks ago and have worn it and used it most days.

I also used this on the last photoshoot I did.

My first impression of Pro Lumiere was good, I swatched the shade and picked it over YSL teint miracle foundation as the luminosity was a little more apparent (under the shop lighting) and that is my preference in foundations at the moment.

After wearing this product for both day and night looks,I do still like it,but do I like it as much as when I swatched it at the counter, No. The only reason for this is that I find the formulation to be heavier on my face than what I was hoping for, it feels like it sits in the middle between MAC face and body and studio fix,and I was hoping for a face and body finish with more luminosity.It also attaches itself to any dry patches that I have on my face,which is a real bugbear of mine when it comes to foundation.

The formulation is pretty fluid it does run quite quick while still being concentrated.

That's the negativity out of the way,I have to say this foundation would be amazing on skin that isn't prone to patchy dryness,and anyone wishing for that perfect middle ground coverage with a luminous finish.

One pump swatched and blended slightly

Swatch completely blended you can see a little goes a long way

I will continue to wear this foundation, mainly in the evening and when my skin is having a no flake day,but I do wish I had purchased Vitalumiere or Vitalumiere aqua after watching pixiwoo's guide to Chanel foundations, as I much prefer the lighter dewier finish compared to Pro's slightly heavier finish and formulation,and believe this to be a better option for dry skin types.

I have however just purchased NARS sheer glow (amongst a couple of other bits) and am (im)patiently waiting for the postie to drop it on my doormat,so I will let you know what I think of that in the next couple of weeks..fingers crossed the search for my HG foundation will soon be over.

I'd love to know what everyone's HG foundations are, let me know below or tweet me.

What are your experiences with Chanel foundations?

Brand New City,Brand New Haul...

Hey Girls and Boys!!

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend,If you follow my Tweets you will know that I took my son to see 'Horrible Histories' In York on Friday night,and we decided to make a weekend of it as York is such a beautiful town with Loads of quaint and quirky little shops.

Sooooooooo,here's a few pictures of the weekend and a little haul from Ye olde York town! 

How pretty are these shops??

I had to ask 3 members of staff if I could take pictures in this AMAZING little shop,It was chokka with Make-up,perfume,false nails,Nail polishes and accessories from floor to ceiling and all at really LOW prices!! It was like Heaven!
I'm really annoyed with myself for not remembering the name,and also for getting claustraphobic when it got busy, and leaving without having a really good rummage.

And onto the haul...

So whats in the swag bag?!

• Oilatum Natural face repair cream- For anyone that hasn't heard this mentioned by Pixiwoo, I have to say this is an amazing cream for anyone with skin that is prone to dryness,I haven't stopped applying it since I picked it up yesterday, and from first use I can really see and feel the moisture that has been injected into my face LOVE IT!! Luckily York has 3 Boots and unluckily  it took me until the third to find it!
• Stargazer Nail Polishes- I got the Pink chrome which i'm not sure i'm 100% sold on as it kind of reminds me of a pearlised pink my Nan used to wear,it's definitely gonna be a Marmite polish is this one!
•  I also picked up polish number 306 there is no colour on this,but its a fab black/grey glitter I have it on now over Barry M Black and I'm Loving it!
• Cosmpolitan Eyelash curlers-I love these sooo much! They have proper handles,so no more putting your fingers into uncomfortable metal holes and squeezing until you have big red dents on them! I have been using the cult shu uemura curlers for about 3 years and the cosmo ones have now officially replaced them!
• W7 Cheeky cherry and ravishing raspberry lip balms-Cute little slide open tins with vintage pin up girls on the front...once again I was suckered in by the packaging!!! 
• The Pink Cow 'Vanilla biscuit bath&shower gel' and 'Coconut creme body scrub'- The whole 'pink cow' range was on offer in Boots everything only £2 So I picked these up mainly because 'Vanilla biscuit' caught my eye and Vanilla is my favourite smell ever!! 
• Maybelline 'one by one' mascara-The one with the 'lash catcher' brush,I have used this twice now and have to say it has given me seperated lashes and a good bit of length to boot,I will do a full review of this once I have used it a few more times.
• Loreal 'Sublime bronze' face tan-I was going to pick up St.tropez but remember a friend raving about sublime bronze and thought I'd give it a go.When I have used it a couple of times I'll add a review.
• Nivea soft Hand,face and body moisturiser-Actually I find this pretty similar to the Oilatum face repair,Just gorgeously (<so surprised spell check didn't pull me on that!!) hydrating and I love that it's multi purpose.
• A Cosmopolitan vent brush-Nothing exciting it was just really cheap in TKMAXX! FYI York has a rubbish TKMAXX I was v.disappointed! And while I'm on a bit of a rant It doesn't have a Primark!!! That is the only thing wrong with York in my opinion.
• Good things 5 minute facial mask-I'm not sure why exactly I bought this,I think the intention was to go back and relax and have a pampering session (It didn't really work out like that!) But my boyfriend used it and said his skin felt great so thumbs up so far!

I know its a pretty small one especially considering that I was surrounded by really cute shops,but it was really busy and the shops were all pretty small and seriously jammed with people, so it made for a somewhat stressful shopping experience.

 I'd like to go back on a weekday or a Sunday when its maybe less crowded and I'm able to hear myself think!

What are your favourite cities for shopping? 

Sunday bath,pamper session and a Naked hair mask

My boyfriend has had to work this evening,so instead of monging on the sofa watching films with him I took the opportunity to indulge in a long (well 15mins,as I get bored!!) bath, and a pamper sesh with all my favourite products and a few new ones that I hadn't got around to trying out.

I love blue water so much!!!!
 It reminds me of the sea!!!!

Currently using VIE Hydrotherapy spa range
which smells divine and leaves my skin feeling super clean and energised!!!!

Products from L-R 

Invigorating Bath and shower scrub...

which contains Dead sea salt, Red seaweed and Volcanic sand particles and is infused with Swiss glacial water and spirulina(?) I love this especially before a St.Moriz tan sesh! which I need to do tomorrow morning coz me n the boyf are off to see Mickey Flanagan eek exciting!

Hydrotherapy exfoliator-very green and scrubby!! 

Detoxing Body treatment...

Which contains deep cleansing China clay and again spirulina! You apply this on damp skin 5-10 mins before a bath or shower,which annoys me a bit as i have to shower before having a bath to put it on grr!
But it spreads over the skin really nicely when it is damp as opposed to dry,which i first did and thought 'this is crap' as the product dragged the skin and I ended up using loads more product than neccessary oops!! It is a great product though,its like a face mask for the body and leaves the skin super soft! I don't use this all the time for the reason mentioned above can be a time taker but its a lovely treat when you have time to spare!

Detoxing body treatment-a little goes a long way unless you are like me and don't read instructions!! "/

Hydrotherapy spa detoxifying mineral bath soak

which also contains spirulina (I checked my VIE book it's a blue algae!) and Swiss glacial water.This is the most exciting for me as you can literally smell the toxins that it has drawn out of your body after your bath!!(Gross I know!)
But at least you know that it has done something positive for your body,even if your bathroom ends up smelling of booze/cigarettes/insert own vice here!! for a few hours after. Call me weird but this is the reason I purchased these even though I didn't really need any bath salts.

So onto the hair...

I recently purchased the 'Diamond Dreams' shampoo and conditioner from TIGI's S factor range as I had heard really great things about it and the fact that it is infused with Champagne,cashmere,and pearls swayed me just a bit too...mmmm...posh hair!!!!
This stuff is really expensive retailing at around £15 each!! but I purchased full sized (250ml) shampoo and conditioner from a store on ebay which is apparently TIGI approved for £18.00 with P&P

So far I have only used it twice but I'm already loving it it smells good enough to eat!!!!

and the hair mask...

naked rescue,repairing hair treatment

I mentioned the hair mask last week in the Boots advantage card post,and it has sat on my dresser ever since,I'm usually pretty busy and like to get in and out of the shower/bath with as little fuss as possible wash,shave underarms wash hair and out!!! But Im trying to learn to relax and take a little more care of the important things so I relaxed in the bath with the mask on my hair and my hair now feels crazily soft and smells so lush!!! also FYI this was a MEGA Bargain just £1 from Boots!!!

Skincare

I have never really had a skin care routine as such,I would usually wipe a face wipe over my face,and then apply whichever moisturiser I had picked up that month from Boots.I have been lucky with my skin in the past but have been getting the odd couple of blemishes and patches of dry skin that I would prefer not to have I decided to pick up some skincare at the last VIE party I hosted and I am very glad I did as I have noticed a huge difference in the appearance of my skin and am no longer having the dreaded 'chin breakouts' also my dry patches have calmed down a hell of a lot!!

From L-R 

Skin sparkle system

I'm usually not a big fan of any facial exfoliators as for some reason,each and every one I have ever used has resulted in me having dry patchy skin after..I know it's bizzare as they are supposed to slough of dead skin!! 

So I nearly didn't buy this,but my friend demo'd it on the back of my hand at my VIE party last month and it really did make my skin sparkle so I was suckered in,and so far so good!!

The exfoliator is packed with Vitamin C and feels no different to any other exfoliator, the only difference with this one is that it comes with an activating serum which you apply on top of it and creates a lovely warming sensation,it also doesn't make me feel like I am just scrubbing away at my skin and leaves it feeling beautifully soft.

Second skin restorative cleansing oil

I like using this because it is an oil which is great for my dry patches,it can be used alone or with water to turn it into a cleansing milk and works great with the soap and glory facial mini mitt (review here)

Pure delight beautifying skin tonic

I sometimes use this after the cleansing oil if I have been wearing alot of make-up that day because it works like a toner and completely removes any traces of make-up that has been left behind!

Chanel Hydramax + moisturiser

I was given a sample of this when I purchased Pro-lumiere foundation from the Chanel counter last Sunday,and part of me wishes I hadn't been as It's going to have to be a re-purchase and i've not even dared to check the price!!!!! But it is fantastic,smells amazing and leaves my skin feeling uber smooth!! I love it!!!

I think that's about all for my Sunday pamper session,I can't tell you how refreshed and cozy I feel now i'm in my PJ's watching the Kardashians!! I feel like I've been at a spa all weekend!!!!

(well what I'd imagine as I haven't actually ever been to a spa!)

Have a fab evening girls! Ooh and don't forget to leave a comment let me know what skin/bath products you are using at the moment! I'm nosey ;) 

Love Nat xxx