Beauty Report | May Edit 1/2

May has been amazing and super busy as we took some time off from our regular work and went to Spain during mid of the month. Our house renovations are still going on as we are the laziest people in this world. If its sunny, we would rather relax and enjoy some sunshine and not worry about 1,999 tasks on our task list. Enough ramblings, I just wanted to document my most reached for products during past two months. I didn’t do last month’s faves post as there were very few items to share so I thought I would share them all together.

• La Roche Posay SPF Mist*| £14 (currently on offer)

Dear hubby and I are already a big fan of LRP Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50+ but just before our holiday, Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50+’s sibling was launched in the UK and this was in the mist form. This is also SPF 50+ and claims to be Anti-shine as well as Invisible. High SPF in a mist form was already music to my ears and if it is anti-shine and invisible, it has to be bonus.

British weather was not best to test when I received this so I took this along to Spain along with my beloved Ultra Light Fluid. Surprise..Surprise!! This was the one that was most used as it was so easy to spray it all over when we wanted to top up our sunscreen instead of applying lotions when we are out in the sun. This is non-sticky and also helped me stay shine-free in Spain’s hot weather. This was the best test for this mist on my combination skin and hubby’s dry skin. This mist is targeted for oily skin peeps but this works well on all skin types really. I recommend picking this up before your next holiday or for your handbag.

• The Bodyshop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil | £12 for 200ml

Everyone loves this emulsifying oil based makeup remover and cleanser. There is no denying the fact that this is one of the most effective and affordable good quality makeup remover available out there. This is all-in-one oil cleanser that will quickly remove all impurities and even waterproof makeup in one simple step and will give you clean and nourished skin. This is suitable for sensitive skin and for contact lens wearers like myself. The only problem I face with this is its packaging is not travel friendly. The pump tends to leak if the bottle is not kept in standing position but you can transfer this to a travel friendly packaging to avoid spillage. I really hope the brand changes this oil’s packaging soon. I will still be repurchasing this again and again as its so good!

• Janina Ultra white whitening Tooth paste* | £11.50 & teeth whitening foam* | £13

I was kindly sent two of the products from the brand for National Smile Month and I was excited to use them. One of which is Teeth whitening foam | £13 which helps in maintaining the whiteness. This comes in a bottle with a dispenser. The consistency is liquidy and as soon as it dispenses the product, it turns into foam which is super convenient. However, I was not able to control the amount of product that comes out from the dispenser. So I really like the clever idea of product but this may not be for me just because of the wastage of product. There is however no sensitivity experienced with this product and regular use is expected to maintain whiteness of teeth (please note this product doesn’t whiten teeth but it will help in maintaining them so its more gentle than regular whitening products)

Secondly I got to try the Ultrawhite extra strength toothpaste | £11.50 which I really liked. You need to use this as a regular toothpaste but it is recommended to not to rinse mouth after using this to increase the effectiveness. Also, it is recommended to not to eat anything for sometime after brushing your teeth with this toothpaste. This is slightly strong and you can feel it working but there is no sensitivity in teeth afterwards which is really a big hit for me. My teeth are few shades lighter with regular use of this one. I will definitely continue using this.

• Loreal Elvive Extraordinary hair oil | £9.99 (currently on offer)

I do not use tonnes of hair products. I have dry scalp and frizzy as well as naturally wavy hair. So, I do not like to experiment much when it comes to my hair. I do use heat on my hair when I am going out but also like to let them dry naturally after wash unless its too cold. I also like to straighten my hair before any special event to make them look more presentable. Whatever I do, one thing I always make sure is to apply this oil on lengths of towel dried hair after every wash. This makes my hair look soft and nourished, doesn’t give me unnecessary flyaways or frizzyness.

I also use this on dry hair just before hair straightening. This oil protects hair and prevents damage from heat upto 230 degrees. This gives a beautiful shine to my hair. This is my 2nd bottle and I will keep repurchasing this.

• Verso Reviving Eye mask* | £45 for 4 * 3gms

I was already impressed with the hydrogel facemask and also featured it in my Top 5 luxury masks post (here) so I thought of trying eye mask next and boy oh boy..it was time to say bye to puffiness, tiredness, dullness and dryness. This mask plumps up the fine lines and lifts up to make them look more awake.

My under eye area was well hydrated and looked more brighter. Makeup applied smoothly afterwards and the effect of mask remained for good few days. I would be buying this for special occasions when I don’t want to take chance with my makeup. I know when my under eyes are well hydrated, my concealer applies better. There’s less chance of creasing concealer under eyes or concealer settling in the fine lines. If you use retinol eye creams or have sleep deprived eyes, I highly recommend trying this mask.

• Nip & Fab Blush Palette* | £8.95 

I have been reaching for the Nip & Fab blush palette most of the May. Firstly the clear packaging wants me to reach for these blushes often. The pan size is large that gives enough room for my brush bristles. Secondly all shades are beautiful and I always mix two or three to make a custom shade. These blushes are very velvety and suede like on skin and are very pigmented. These last all day on skin and are travel friendly too. I highly recommend trying these out. For swatches and more Nip & Fab goodness, check out my blog post here.

• Sleek Matte Me Metallic* | £4.99

The newest lip creams that were launched at the end of May have proudly acquired spot in my faves this month. Sleek launched three new matte shades on 31st May but this time its about metallics. I was lucky enough to get my hands on these few weeks before the launch and I got to try them enough to give my opinion. These lip cremes are so comfortable and long lasting on lips that you will not want to spend your hard earned money on high-end metallic lipsticks. Sleek have nailed their formula and I really hope they do bring more shades in the metallic range. I am in love with shade Roman Copper as it gives bronze tones and rose gold effect on lips. These can be worn alone or as a lip topper over your favourite lipsticks. These won’t break a bank either if you just want to try metallic lip trend. Check out my post here for swatches.

• Nudestix Magnetic Matte lip color*

Nudestix does amazing makeup to enhance natural beauty. Recently they launched a #Babeboss Faves kit | $59 in collaboration with some amazing Babes. This set contains 6 lip and cheek products and the shade Burgundy from the set became one of my favourite lip crayon. The shade is just perfect for all skin tones from light to dark. These set on lips so you need not worry about feathering or longevity of these lipsticks. These are very comfortable to wear and also comes with a sharpener in a tin box with a mirror. You can check my post here for swatches and to read more about these. This set is available in limited quantity for limited time only. Please feel free to use my code MS_TANTRUM10  to get 10% off if you buy this set from my link.

Nudestix is also available on Cult Beauty, SpaceNK and Look Fantastic websites in case you want to try their other products.

• Murad Skincare Bespoke Facial*

At the end of May, I had a bespoke Murad Skincare Facial at my nearest John Lewis Beauty Spa and it was one of the best facials I’ve ever had. First of all, all my skincare concerns and lifestyle bits were documented. My skincare routines and products I use on daily basis with their concentrations were also noted. My Facialist was very experienced and talented. She gave me bespoke facial tailored to my skin needs and keeping in mind the kind of products I use in my skincare routine. My concern was dull and uneven complexion and my skin can get congested at times. I have combination to dry skin in general and I also use Retinol (not prescription only retail as part of this blogging job) every other day. I use chemical exfoliation and she did ask about the concentration of acids I use in my routines which I really appreciated. She decided to give me radiance facial keeping my hydration levels in mind. The products she used were targeted towards moisturization and Radiance. She also prescribed some new products for my skin including AHA/BHA cleanser for congestion, Radiance Peel for the glow and radiance as well as Blackhead & Pore Clearing Duo for my Nose area. I look forward to using these in my routines and get my skin sorted.

You can find your nearest Murad Facial Spa here.

To be continued…

Ash xo

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Products marked with * were kindly sent to me as PR gift but my opinions are genuine and unbiased.