To Hydraluron or not to Hydraluron....

A couple of weeks ago I confessed to purchasing a rather expensive new product called Hydraluron by Indeed Labs, and at the time I promised a review.

The reason I haven't yet posted a review is because, to be perfectly honest, I haven't formed a cast iron opinion yet on this product.

One thing I can confirm hands down is that the product makes your skin softer to the touch.  This is a definite.  As soon as your moisturiser soaks in, your skin will feel dreamy soft.

I also think my foundation is easier to apply and even has better staying power.  I wouldn't say these effects are particularly pronounced, it was more something I started to notice over time.  My foundation spreads more evenly, blends in easier, and definitely stays better.  I suspect this is because the product is meant to prevent my skin "drinking" the water out of my foundation, and I can see some evidence of this.

But the product generally..?  I'm not sure.  It may be because I bought this expecting a wonder product.  I thought a couple of weeks down the line and I would literally be flawless and glowing.  Flawless and glowing I definitely am not.  But then the product does not claim to do this in fairness.  I still have red blemises; one of which has literally today just popped up into an angry, hot, red spot.  I also haven't noticed much difference in my pore size.  I suffer from large pores especially on my cheeks, and the product did claim to combat this.  Maybe it will be a more long-term effect.....

Something I found a bit weird was that the first night I used it, I woke up and my skin felt very tight and dehydrated...more so than normal.  So that morning I put more moisturiser on than normal.  I did the same that night.  I experienced this tightness for the first few mornings.  I did wonder if this was the product working...it does say that it encourages your skin to absorb and hold water, so maybe my skin was just so dehydrated to begin with that the product caused mass absorption!  I don't get the tightness anymore, and have gone back to using a normal amount of moisturiser.

The texture of my skin is definitely improved though - there's something more 'refined' about it.  It does seem a tad more 'glowy' but I think that is more down to a couple of cheeky sunbeds I naughtily indulged in (never again!)

Overall I can't decide about this product, but something tells me it is the type of product where I will notice the difference if I stop using it.  There is improvement, I just can't put my finger on what it is.  The proof of the pudding will come when I run out.  At £24.99 it is going to be a big decision as to whether I repurchase.  When it runs out I may not repurchase for a few weeks and see if I notice any difference.

I'll keep you posted.......

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UPDATE:

So, my Hydraluron has finally run out, which means it has lasted for 17 weeks of applying twice a day.  This works out at about 10p per application ... not too bad?

So it is crunch time ... am I going to buy again?  I was originally in two minds about whether I would re-purchase this, but now I have shifted to a definite yes.  There are two main things that contributed to this shift. 

Firstly, I was away at the weekend and forgot to take the product with me.  I didn't notice any drastic difference in my skin, but it did feel less 'well-behaved'.  One of the most noticeable differences was that my foundation literally melted into my skin within a few hours.  So on a review basis, I can definitely say that Hydraluron makes my make-up last considerably longer.  I guess this is because it creates some form of barrier which prevents my skin absorbing the foundation.  For information, I was using primer at the weekend as well, and my foundation still disappeared.  So the Hydraluron is doing something more than a primer.

Secondly, my skin is having a bit of a nightmare generally.  I think it is due to the change in the weather as I tend to get this every year.  My eczema is playing up, my skin is dry, I'm itchy and I've got lots of angry red patches on my arms and legs.  Noticeably though, I haven't had any problems with my face.  I'm putting this down to my new power partnership of Hydraluron and Body Shop Hemp Face Protector.  My skin is notoriously difficult in this weather, so the fact my face is coping well this year means Hydraluron must be packing some kind of punch in the hydration department.  Now all I need is a similar product for my body.....

Escape to the Countryside

I've just returned from a mini-escape down to Devon.  I haven't travelled down to this part of England since I was too young to appreciate it, and wow, what an amazing place.

We stayed at a hotel called The Three Crowns in Chagford on the edge of Dartmoor and I couldn't recommend it enough.  The perfect blend of rustic comfort and stylish class, with friendly staff and a chef who cooks up the tastiest of cuisine.

We spent four blissful days trekking the moors, climbing up waterfalls in our wellies, driving down narrow country lanes and having cream tea by the sea in Salcombe.  We were lucky with the weather..crisp cold air and brilliant sunshine. 

You just can't beat a break away in the English countryside; all you need is good company and a trusty cagoul and wellies in the car boot...

Obsessing about Essie

My local Boots has recently started to stock Essie nailvarnish.

I've seen Essie before on blogs etc, but it has never been on my radar enough to prompt online purchase.  Plus I am a bit of a die-hard OPI fan.

But the Essie display looked so inviting, and I have been looking for a pastel lilac nailvarnish and Essie had one right there on the shelf.

At £7.99 it is expensive for a nail varnish, and therefore takes itself into OPI territory.  So I went in sceptical.

But I must say, after my first application, I love it!  The colour is exactly what I wanted and I found it so easy to apply.  I find pastel nail varnishes can be tricky to get an even 'block' of colour without ending up with a thick gloopy mess.  But two normal layers of this Essie varnish was plenty enough.  I put my cheap Miss Sporty clear nail varnish as a base coat and top coat.  Generally the varnish dried quickly, it has stayed shiny, hasn't chipped yet and the colour is so pretty.

Problem is I now want more.  I've seen a dark red, a dark purple AND a mink colour I want already.  At least with OPI I have to order online so the effort needed tends to curb my purchasing...but we could be entering a danger area here.  Expect many more Essie posts to come!

This is the colour I bought.  It is called 'lilacism'.  Please note these are not my nails (mine are horrible and short) but it is a good representation of the colour, quality and shine.

H&M A/W drop

I arrived home from work yesterday to be greeted by H&M's catalogue detailing their Autumn/Winter offerings.  Muchos excitement.

I'm a bit of an H&M addict.  A combination of good pricing, small sizing and a decent sized store in my home town are all contributory factors to my H&M love affair.

A couple of items caught my eye in the catalogue....

I haven't seen this jumper in store yet, so cannot vouch for the quality and fit etc. But it is a NICE looking classic jumper.  The deep neckline is reminiscent of a Zara jumper that I coveted for most of the Spring/Summer.  The colour looks like a nice fresh cream as well, which is always a welcome addition to my drab winter wardrobe.  At £19.99 it's the upper end of what I would spend on H&M, but it looks like the makings of a classic "wear-every-year" jumper.  Now here's a dilemma...do I wait for it to come in store so I can check quality and fit?  Or do I order online now whilst they have my size (and in case it doesn't come instore).  I'm undecided...

LOVE this.  To start with, it is in this season's dark berry shade (tick), it comes with a belt to define the waist (tick) and it looks so warm (double tick).  But it starts at a size 8 so I doubt I'll purchase it.  My shoulders are where I am my tiniest, which means jackets that are slightly too big just look stupid on me.  Especially when I know how good this could look if it fitted well.  It's such a versatile piece though, it would go with boots, pumps and heels.  You could literally wear it with jeans, dresses, skirts or shorts.  It could easily be dressed up to look polished and classy, or dressed down to look stylish but warm.  It would look cute with a black hat as well, and so nice with a pair of black leather gloves.  A perfect way to get this season's colouring into your wardrobe as well.  Oh H&M why must you tease me!

Putting my faith in Hydraluron

I was having a wander round Boots the other day (as you do) and stumbled across the newest offering from Indeed Labs - "Hydraluron Moisture Booster".

I'd heard of Indeed Labs before, from the buzz surrounding their Nanoblur product.  Although I haven't tried Nanoblur, it did cause the kind of stir in the skincare world that is reminiscent of genuinely effective products.

My skin is extremely dry; it drinks anything I put on it, including moisturiser, foundation etc.  I have tried drinking more water, but I'll be honest, I'm rubbish at keeping to it.

This product has been hailed as "a drink for the skin".  Containing the purest form of hyaluronic acid, it is meant to create a "water reservoir" under your skin.  You are meant to apply it under your normal moisturiser, and it is a product that should actually improve your skin over time.

Sounds good. 

I tried a bit on the back of my hand and, I can't deny it, my hand felt SO smooth.  So it ignited a bit of excitement in me...always dangerous.

At £24.99 though, it's wayy outside my comfort zone with what I spend on skin care.  My moisturiser and eye makeup remover are both under a fiver, mainly because I go through them so quickly.  So this is quite a leap in price for me.  But I did my usual and looked it up on some blogs and it seems to be getting glowing reviews; I didn't manage to find one negative or even mediocre review.

So, I'm breaking my "no-purchase" rule for September and am going to use my hard-saved Boots Advantage card points to buy this.  I can't help being a bit dubious, but also stupidly excited.  I'm purchasing on my lunch break (eek!) so a review will follow in a few days, and hopefully it will be glowing...

Favourite blogs

I love a good blog, especially now when it is so obvious that magazines and the media endorse products for their own benefit.  It means you can't trust them for a genuine review anymore.

The magic of the blog is that it allows you to read the reviews of so many 'normal people' out there.  You can find people with similar skin types, or body shapes, or hair colours and 'borrow' tips and ideas from them. 

I'm not naturally good at putting clothes together to make outfits, so I often get ideas from blogs.  I know it's isn't particularly original, but I don't have natural style so am more than happy to let originality go by the wayside!

The two main sites I use for outfit inspiration is www.pinterest.com and www.lookbook.nu - I particularly like lookbook.nu as it gives you the link to people's blogs, so if you find someone whose style you particularly like, you can then follow their blog.

My two favourite blogs at the moment were both found on lookbook.

The first is http://www.charlottemmartin.blogspot.co.uk/ - a white-blonde-haired fashionista from Newcastle.  She has such a knack of putting clothes together, and a lot of her fashion is from the high street, which just shows you don't have to spend loads to look good. 

My second favourite blog at the moment is http://madamederosa.com - I don't use this one as fashion inspiration quite as much, because her look is so unattainable for me!  I absolutely love the way she styles herself, but I have no hope of ever recreating it.  She rocks an awesome dip-dye in her hair, and she has such a funky boho style.  Plus she currently has 76 pages of style you can lust through.

Colour of Autumn 2012

Burgundy, garnet, wine and dark berry colours look like they are going to be huge this autumn/winter, and personally I couldn't be more excited! 

As someone who wears a lot of black, these dark berry colours offer a softer and more up-to-date alternative.  It's a versatile colour, working well with black, white and all shades of grey, as well as brights such as coral.  I think it makes a look quite polished, and because it is such a rich colour by nature, you can buy cheaper pieces in it.  I've already bought a £9.99 burgundy jumper from H&M which looks a lot more luxe than its price tag suggests.  I bought some burgundy Leigh jeans from Topshop last year which will definitely be coming out this year! 

It is going to be easy to accent outfits with this colour as well - dark wine coloured nails, deep berry lips. These colours are already dominating the autumn/winter clothes that are popping up in the high street shops, and Cheryl Cole has been seen rocking the burgundy/black partnership on several occasions recently.

I think it is a flattering shade for most hair colours as well.  For information, the OPI nail polish in the photo above is "William Tell Me About It".  I bought this shade in the Lena White sale in the summer and love it.  I think it rivals the famous Lincoln Park After Dark as it is a slightly warmer version with more red/berry undertones. 

Mac Studio Fix Fluid - Review

This was my first ever purchase from Mac and prompted a bit of a love affair with the range.  I moved to Norwich for university and they had a Mac store and I had only ever seen the products on blogs etc, so was massively excited to try their stuff out.  I went in and asked for a foundation, and in true Mac style, the girl in the store did my foundation for me.  On subsequent trips to Mac, they have been surprised I was originally given the Studio Fix Fluid as it is traditionally for oily skin.  But I suspect this may be because their ‘hydrating’ foundations weren’t around in those days.

I bought this in NC25 and the colour match is perfect.  I love foundations with a yellow undertone as I find them much more flattering as they cut out the red in my skin. 

The fluid is quite runny, and the bottle isn’t ideal for this as it is a glass bottle which is open at the neck and therefore you have to do a bit of a controlled pour to get the product out.  I understand you can buy a pump separately that can be screwed on.

My sister always says this product reminds her (both smell and texture) of paint.  And it does have that sort of essence about it.  It does have good coverage, and I did use this as my fail-safe foundation for a good year or so.  The problem I find is that it collects in my pores and leaves me with quite a dry mask-like appearance after a few hours of wear.  You can see it sitting on top of my skin - I’d imagine it works better on oilier skins. 

If I use a foundation brush you can see the brush marks and I have to go back and rub these in.  Generally it takes a lot of blending to make it look even.  I’d say it is on the medium to heavy side, you definitely know when you are wearing it.  I still use this foundation but only to touch up areas of my face that need more coverage if I am using a tinted moisturiser-type foundation.  Tinted moisturisers are traditionally dewier in their finish, so I normally apply this on my forehead, chin and around my nose, basically using it a bit like a concealer.  The combination of the tinted moisturiser and matte Mac foundation tend to balance each other out.

But it is more a case that I am using this product up...I don’t think I would readily purchase it again.  It is just too matte and drying, which is a shame because I like the shade and coverage.

You can see my natural skin in the post below.

The coverage isn't too bad but if you look closely around my chin you can see what I mean about the brush marks.  It is definitely very mask-like and collects in my pores really badly.  It does cover my redness but I think that is more because it is a yellow-based foundation.

Mac Studio Sculpt Foundation - Review

When this foundation came out it was hailed as a bit of revolution in the world of make-up.  It is designed to have more of a gel formula which hydrates the skin without being too greasy or dewy.  Sounds perfect...so I purchased.  Again I bought it in NC25 which was a good colour match.  But generally I just cannot make my mind up about this foundation.  When I first bought it, I merrily applied it over my face, and then about 10 minutes later I passed a mirror and was like oh. my. god. (and not in a good way).  The foundation was sitting on top of my skin and had worked into my pores, fine lines, dry patches etc.  It almost looked like the layer of foundation was crumbling on my skin.  I immediately consigned it to my makeup box with a grump.  But it kept coming up on blogs and make-up sites with good reviews.  So I got it back out again and decided maybe it was one of these products where it is all in the application.

To some extent, this is true.  The gel consistency of this means a little goes a long way...a really long way.  I literally use a pea-sized amount to do my whole face, and I rub it in, a lot.  I also tried mixing it with tinted moisturisers or lighter foundations to increase their coverage, and it did sort of work.  But for some reason I just still am not sure about this.  It still looks quite uneven on my face.  Even when I squeeze it out of the tube, the foundation looks a bit like it is starting to separate.  I’ve tried shaking it, but it doesn't seem to make much difference.  I also can feel this foundation on my skin when I am wearing it.  It is the type of foundation where you are too scared to hug anyone as you think you’ll leave a big orange grease patch on them.  I also feel I could scrape it off quite easily, as it feels like it is just sat on your skin.  It is the kind of foundation where it is a joy to wash it off when you go to bed.

I keep persevering with this, mainly because I want to like it because it is Mac and it is highly thought of by other reviewers, but also because I spent a lot of money on it (!). I’m hoping it is all in the application...but I’m not so sure.

Without any make-up you can see my spots and redness especially around my nose.

With the Studio Sculpt foundation and with some powder dusted on top.  You can see it is still quite 'dewy' even with the powder on.  It does a good job of covering the redness but you can still see my spots a bit. 

Diorskin Nude Natural Glow - The Holy Grail of Foundation

I am a self confessed make-up junkie, and have been for years.  I regularly have to put myself on ‘make-up purchase lockdown’ because I can spend a fortune on trying out new products.  And my weakness is definitely foundation.  I think a flawless face forms the base of any make-up look and I am constantly in search of my Holy Grail foundation.

Just to give you a quick 411 on my skin...I have very dry skin.  I suffer from eczema and as a result my skin is sensitive, easily irritated and quite red-based.  I also suffer from large pores on my cheeks and various blemishes which now and again rise up into angry red lumps. 

So, from my foundation I need coverage and hydration. 

I have tried SO many foundations, although that is probably obvious from my numerous foundation posts.  At the moment  though, my go-to foundation is Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Hydrating Make-up by Christian Dior.  In my opinion it is expensive.  At £32 a bottle, it makes my eyes water a little!  But I have struggled to find anything cheaper that rivals it.

 I’m a fan of the consistency to start with.  It is quite thick, and turns almost a little bit mousse-like after a while, which may not suit everyone.  It starts off a lot more fluid, but thickens up over time.  But I quite like it once it has thickened up a bit as it feels like it covers better but then still feels light on the skin.  It applies very easily, and I find it smoothes my skin texture out.  I will warn that it is quite heavy coverage.  If you are a fan of light coverage foundations then this isn’t for you. 

I am also a fan of the colour range.  Their colour range is labelled as follows: 010, 020, 021, 022, 030, 031, 032 etc.  The middle number denotes how dark the colour is (1 being the lightest – 7 the darkest).  The third number denotes the undertone.  Numbers ending in ‘0’ have a neutral undertone, numbers ending in ‘1’ have a yellow/warm undertone, and numbers ending in ‘2’ have a pink/cool undertone.  I believe their 010 colour is quite dark for it being the lightest one they offer, so this probably is better suited for people with medium skin tones.  I wear 021 in the winter and 031 in the summer, and sometimes I mix them to get an 'in between' shade.  I am NC25 in Mac make-up.

Despite containing a high SPF, this foundation photographs really well as well.  It holds its colour and doesn’t make your face come up too white when photographed with a flash.  I also find it an even base to then apply blushers and bronzers.  Sometimes when I use moisturising foundations, my blusher/bronzer tends to ‘clump’ in certain areas.  This doesn’t happen with Diorskin nude.

But my hands down favourite thing about this product is that it hydrates my skin but still has quite a matte look.  This is so hard to find in moisturising foundations.  The vast majority give a “dewy” complexion, and normally if I even attempt to use a matte based foundation I end up with dry patches and foundation gathered in my fine lines.  This is the only foundation I have found which I can wear all day without getting any dry patches, flaking or fine lines and yet stays reasonably matte. It lasts for ages as well, and once the foundation sinks in a bit, it actually looks very natural for high the coverage is. I rarely top it up when I wear it for a whole day and into the evening.

I apply it with a foundation brush for a heavier look, or with my fingers for a lighter look and I even use it as a concealer if I am wearing a lighter foundation or tinted moisturiser.  You can just pop it on the parts of your skin which need a higher coverage, and it blends so easily.

I will just give you a heads up though....the pump on the foundation regularly breaks.  About 6 or so weeks into using the product, the pump will stick fast and literally will not budge.  If this happens, TAKE IT BACK.  I live in a small town, and even the Dior lady in the Boots there is aware of this problem with the pump.  They quite happily swap it for a new one (if you keep your receipt that’s a bonus).  I have had about 7 of these and every single one has got stuck.  Although it is a hassle having to take them into Boots to swap, you do end up getting a few free foundations out of it!!

The re-designed the packaging in October 2012, and I haven't had the problem with the pump since, but if you do get a sticky one, take it back straight away.  Always a good idea to stash the receipt somewhere safe too, just in case.

I'm not going to lie, the price of this seriously pains me.  When one runs out, I really toy with the idea of trying to use cheaper alternatives (the best I  have found is Maybelline Fit Me) but I just cannot find anything to rival this, and I come back to it time and time again.  I guess the best things in life can't always be free. 

LWD

A little white summer dress should definitely be a staple item in most women's wardrobes.

I struggle with two things with white summer dresses....a) size (surprise surprise) and b) see-through-ness!

I bought this summer dress from H&M (Divded section) when it went on sale at £10.00.  They did it in various colours and now I wish I had bought the pale coral one as well!

I love this dress.  It has detail on the bust area which stops it being boring, and thin (adjustable, yay!)straps so you don't get massive strap marks when the sun does decide to shine.  Major plus side is that the skirt is double layered, so your underwear isn't on show for the world to see.  Plus it gives it a more lux look - people were surprised when I told them it was H&M! 

I got it in a size 8 as they didn't go down to a 6, but it fits brilliantly.  I don't always fit the H&M size 8, but they do have a propensity of making clothes on the small side around the bust, and that is where this dress needs to fit.

I think it is still knocking about in the sale section, so I'd recommend it as a purchase.  It is a classic that won't date.  For a tenner you can't go wrong!