It's the end of the month and so that can only mean one thing round these parts - another round of my monthly favourites/wishlist hybrid, 'Loves and Lusts'! Can you believe we're now halfway through this year's editions? Crazy. If you're new round 'ere then I'll link up my other five posts of this style I've done so far here so you can get a feel for how things work. But for now let's do round six - June...
What I've Loved:
Aussie Dual Personality Styling Anti-Frizz + Conditioning Milk - Now this is not a new discovery by any means - more of a rediscovery - but I still have love love loved using it this month. Aussie I can pretty much always trust to come up trumps when it comes to haircare and this is no exception. As the name would suggest, this helps to condition my hair after washing and before blow-drying and too aids any frizz there may be lurking - which in my case, is a fair bit. I find this weights my hair down just enough to do those two things without things getting a little too full of product. Also, like all of the Aussie range - it smells good enough to eat (always a bonus).
OGX Weightless Hydration Coconut Water Haircare Range (Shampoo, Conditioner and Hydrating Oil) - More haircare bits 'n' bobs, this time though an actual proper new discovery and love from a brand which I'd never heard or sampled much from before. I've actually already done a brief outline of this range in this post so I'll try to keep that section shorter and focus on the review side of things. This range was mentioned by Zoe (a.k.a. Zoella) in one of her recent favourites videos and I was intrigued. It supposedly hydrates dry and damaged hair without leaving it feeling 'over nourished' to the point where it feels dirty like some others do. I picked it up sometime later in Boots as my other Shampoo/Conditioner duo was about to bite the dust along with the Oil to qualify for the 3-for-2 offer and so far I am really liking them. The Shampoo and Conditioner really do leave your hair feeling and looking super-soft and nourished but in all honesty it's the Weightless Oil I'm really impressed with. Before blow-drying I spritzed some of this in my locks and oh. my. word. it transformed them. It made my hair even more soft and supple than it was after simply using the Shampoo and Conditioner and it added a gorgeous sleek, glossy (but importantly not greasy) look to my hair like I'd just stepped out of a salon. Could I have possibly found my new favourite hair combo? I think so.
L'Oreal True Match Foundation in 'N2 Vanilla' - I've finally moved on from my beloved Rimmel 24 Hour Nude Foundation at last. Now that's not by any means meant to suggest I do not love it anymore (I really, really do) but like the beauty addict I am, it was only natural for me to become steadily curious over time as to whether the grass really is greener over the other side of the makeup fence. Again, I've already done a more detailed summary here if you fancy a looksie. In summary - it kinda is. I picked up L'Oreal's offering as literally everyone and their dog has been going on about this foundation for what feels like forever, some every implying it a good dupe for a rather more pricey alternative. I finally got round to trying it and I do like it. I find it does take a little more time and care than the Rimmel one (which I can practically smear on my face in record time and it still look presentable), but once I have paid it some good attention I really like the overall finish. It's not too dewy nor too matte, akin to the 24 Hour Nude, but it does provide a slightly heavier coverage, which despite the warmer weather I don't actually mind that much as it still feels very breathable and lightweight on my skin. I do find I like it much more though when I use fingers to apply it rather than a brush. I find it goes on far better this way with the heat from the fingers to really work it into the skin and gel the two together much better.
OGX Weightless Hydration Coconut Water Haircare Range (Shampoo, Conditioner and Hydrating Oil) - More haircare bits 'n' bobs, this time though an actual proper new discovery and love from a brand which I'd never heard or sampled much from before. I've actually already done a brief outline of this range in this post so I'll try to keep that section shorter and focus on the review side of things. This range was mentioned by Zoe (a.k.a. Zoella) in one of her recent favourites videos and I was intrigued. It supposedly hydrates dry and damaged hair without leaving it feeling 'over nourished' to the point where it feels dirty like some others do. I picked it up sometime later in Boots as my other Shampoo/Conditioner duo was about to bite the dust along with the Oil to qualify for the 3-for-2 offer and so far I am really liking them. The Shampoo and Conditioner really do leave your hair feeling and looking super-soft and nourished but in all honesty it's the Weightless Oil I'm really impressed with. Before blow-drying I spritzed some of this in my locks and oh. my. word. it transformed them. It made my hair even more soft and supple than it was after simply using the Shampoo and Conditioner and it added a gorgeous sleek, glossy (but importantly not greasy) look to my hair like I'd just stepped out of a salon. Could I have possibly found my new favourite hair combo? I think so.
L'Oreal True Match Foundation in 'N2 Vanilla' - I've finally moved on from my beloved Rimmel 24 Hour Nude Foundation at last. Now that's not by any means meant to suggest I do not love it anymore (I really, really do) but like the beauty addict I am, it was only natural for me to become steadily curious over time as to whether the grass really is greener over the other side of the makeup fence. Again, I've already done a more detailed summary here if you fancy a looksie. In summary - it kinda is. I picked up L'Oreal's offering as literally everyone and their dog has been going on about this foundation for what feels like forever, some every implying it a good dupe for a rather more pricey alternative. I finally got round to trying it and I do like it. I find it does take a little more time and care than the Rimmel one (which I can practically smear on my face in record time and it still look presentable), but once I have paid it some good attention I really like the overall finish. It's not too dewy nor too matte, akin to the 24 Hour Nude, but it does provide a slightly heavier coverage, which despite the warmer weather I don't actually mind that much as it still feels very breathable and lightweight on my skin. I do find I like it much more though when I use fingers to apply it rather than a brush. I find it goes on far better this way with the heat from the fingers to really work it into the skin and gel the two together much better.
L'Oreal True Match Concealer in 'Vanilla' - To go alongside the new foundation find, I of course picked up the matching concealer to give a whirl - which you can also hear more about in the post I linked above. I desperately needed a new concealer to replace my nearly-empty tube of my HG Lasting Perfection (which I hear conflicting reports about as to just when/if it'll be making it's way back onto the shelves. Some say it's being simply being reformulated, others suggest it's being discontinued altogether - MASSIVE BOO!). Anyway, back onto the L'Oreal one. I picked up this as its *hopefully* temporary replacement and all in all I'm feeling it. It has a slight yellow-y undertone to it which makes it fab for under the eyes and also cancelling out redness on the face and the formula is slightly wetter than Collection's one, but in a way this just makes it even more blendable and light-feeling on the skin. I do find it to perhaps not be as buildable as my Lasting Perfection and again, like the foundation, you do have to spend that little more time on it - but all in all, this ain't too bad - especially when you consider what it's up against.
Maybelline Master Sculpt Contouring Kit in 'Medium/Dark' - A new release came this month from Maybelline and like many of their counterparts they've too jumped on the 'Contour Crazy' bandwagon and have come out with their own offerings to bring to the already-quite-saturated table. Again, I have already featured this in my 'New In At The Drugstore' post so you can check that out if you're looking for more in-depth detail. Basically, you get one round pan separated into a larger 'Contour' section and a smaller 'Highlight'. Out of the two shades I picked up the darker one (I know - shock horror) as despite the lighter one indeed being a tad softer, it also to me came across as having a slight orangey undertone compared to the darker one which came off more ashy.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara - This mascara has been getting it's fair bit of press these past few months, with reviews-a-plenty popping up here, there and everywhere. Having spotted that the majority appeared to swing in favour, I picked it up right at the end of last month and have been trialling it all the way throughout June. If you fancy more of an in-depth review, I actually did this post a couple of weeks ago when I felt I'd given it enough of a go to report back on, so I will try to not ramble this time. In short - once you bypass the just slightly bizarre choice of name, it really is all kinds of awesome and manages to encompass just about everything I look for in my lash offerings. It lengthens, volumises and really lifts my lashes and thickens too without everything getting a little 'Clump Central'. I LOVE it.
Maybelline Master Sculpt Contouring Kit in 'Medium/Dark' - A new release came this month from Maybelline and like many of their counterparts they've too jumped on the 'Contour Crazy' bandwagon and have come out with their own offerings to bring to the already-quite-saturated table. Again, I have already featured this in my 'New In At The Drugstore' post so you can check that out if you're looking for more in-depth detail. Basically, you get one round pan separated into a larger 'Contour' section and a smaller 'Highlight'. Out of the two shades I picked up the darker one (I know - shock horror) as despite the lighter one indeed being a tad softer, it also to me came across as having a slight orangey undertone compared to the darker one which came off more ashy.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara - This mascara has been getting it's fair bit of press these past few months, with reviews-a-plenty popping up here, there and everywhere. Having spotted that the majority appeared to swing in favour, I picked it up right at the end of last month and have been trialling it all the way throughout June. If you fancy more of an in-depth review, I actually did this post a couple of weeks ago when I felt I'd given it enough of a go to report back on, so I will try to not ramble this time. In short - once you bypass the just slightly bizarre choice of name, it really is all kinds of awesome and manages to encompass just about everything I look for in my lash offerings. It lengthens, volumises and really lifts my lashes and thickens too without everything getting a little 'Clump Central'. I LOVE it.
Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish in 'Coral Craze' - I have to admit to spending the majority of the past month completely lacquer-less on my nails. I'd say it was mainly due to being fairly busy with other, more important matters on my mind (#ALevelProblems) so nail polish kinda had to take a back seat for a bit. However, once exams were finally done and dusted with, I was all ready to welcome the stuff back into my life and this was my lacquer of choice. This is actually a newbie I picked up as part of my last Boots trip to source out the new additions to the drugstore market for this post, and while I remain unsure as to whether this is actually new or not - it doesn't make it any less of a beaut of a shade. As the name would correctly imply, this is a gorgeous coral colour that to me just screams out 'Summer'. I love how it doesn't sit too far on the pastel side of things like some brands like to cater their nail offerings for the warmer months towards and just perks things up in a very flattering way. I've actually done a Polish Pick post for this shade here if you fancy a closer looksie.
Maybelline Dr Rescue SOS Nail Balm - Another nail-related fave for June and one which I am so glad to finally have in my life (a bold statement, but true nonetheless). I've been on the lookout for a product to tend to my cuticle area for what seems like forever. I discuss this more in this post, but as a summary - my cuticles get quite long, meaning I always have to push them back and trim them, which can leave them looking rather raggedy. I wanted to pick something up that helped them look more smooth and clean again, and the in my last Boots trip I spotted this and in my basket it went. It's packaged up sort of like a lip balm would be, and the formula is pretty similar to that of one too. It goes on very easily and as you apply almost melts into the nails, so you really do not need to use very much at all. It can be used for the whole nail area in general too, so I like to rub what's left over my entire nail to provide some well-deserved nourishment and I've really been enjoying it.
Real Techniques Sculpting Brush - Finally, a tool that I've been enjoying using these past few weeks... and of course it is made by Real Techniques. Will I ever buy a brush not from their vast range? Doubt it. Anyway, I bought the Limited Edition Sculpting Set (including this brush plus a set-exclusive Fan Brush and the Setting Brush which I already own separately and use all the time) from them a few months ago now when it was first released and while I did use the new brushes back when I first bought them, it's only this month that I've really been getting into this one especially. I don't know whether it's down to my purchase of the Maybelline Master Sculpt or simply that now with a tad more time on my hands in the mornings I can give it a fair chance at last, but whatever way, I love it for 'contouring' - or at least adding a some more warmth and depth to my face.
What I'd Love To Have:
Superfacialist by Una Brennan Vitamin C Brighten Renew Skin Cleansing Oil - £7.33 - Despite sometimes being wary of new skincare items sheerly due to my often-temperental skin, I am still always up for sampling them once I've sussed what the deal is and just how well it fairs with others' complexions. In this case, I have heard more than enough good things about the Una Brennan range in general to persuade myself to make a purchase - especially her Cleansing Oil. It may just have to happen...
Palmer's Rapid Moisture Coconut Body Lotion - £5.99 - Now I have actually already given this style of body moisturiser a go in the form of the Vaseline one, which was probably the first of its kind to emerge into the UK beauty market. I loved how convinient yet effective it was and would happily repurchase once my body stash has gone down a little. However, I am always up for trying comparable items and Fleur (De Force) talked about this Palmers one in her May Favourites video and gave a real rave review so I may just have to pick this up at some point.
Topshop Nails 'Boy Next Door' - £6.00 - As part of their '5 Years Of Beauty' celebrations, Topshop have launched this new shade as an addition to their already-extensive lacquer line-up. This has ben featured on Anna's (ViviannaDoesMakeup) nails for practically the whole month and each time I've looked at it adoringly and mentally noting the fact I just need to have it in my life. A mint with the pastel elements of a baby blue and brightness of a turquoise - isn't she a beauty?
Essie Summer 2015 Collection - All £7.99 - More nails - I know. These have too been popping up around the bloggersphere and I am totally ok with that. A collection spanning a vast variety of shades from a pastel lime to a denim-like blue - there really is something for everyone in this collection. If I had to pick a particular favourite out of them all, I'd probably go for 'Sunset Sneaks', a perfect bright red with a dash of pink. Now, wasn't that entirely predictable?
Essie Leave No Trace Glitter Polish Remover - £5.99 - Another one I picked up from Anna and if I'm honest I'm surprised this hasn't come onto my radar before. I don't know how new this is of an addition to Essie's nail care range, but out of all these 'Lusts' I feel this is the one I'm pining after the most. Yes, it really isn't glitter nail season right now, but for when that time does roll round again (which at the rate we're going through these posts won't be that long at all) I feel this, if I works as well as I'm hoping, will be an essential. I really struggle with glitter polish - like pretty much every girl. I love the way it looks, but I quite literally dread taking it off. I've adopted one of Lily Pebbles' tips that does help the process somewhat, but something like this would just be so much more convenient and easy.
L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper - £5.99 - Pretty much every makeup tutorial I watch on the 'Tube these days features this brow set - surely that must be a good sign? My brows are kinda my facial nemesis in that most of the time I am never completely happy with them so anything that could help me along my way is always a positive thing in my books. I already own Maybelline's Brow Drama and find it to do the job when I remember/can be bothered to actually use a brow gel, but the wand L'Oreal's looks far slimmer and more precise, so perhaps I may prefer it? There's only one way to find out...
St Tropez In Shower Gradual Tan - £14.50 - Another 'Loves and Lusts', another mention of a St Tropez tanning item - I know, I know. It's just that this month there was a huge buzz around a new release from them - their In Shower Tan - which you supposedly apply in the shower, leave on for a few minutes and then wash off. Even being the tanning noob that I am, this seems pretty fail-safe and easy - although I haven't exactly been hearing rave reviews from those who have tried it as to the quality of tan it produces, so I guess this one could go one of two ways.
Zoella Beauty 'Tutti Fruitti' Range - Prices to be confirmed - This month was a biggie for Zoella and all of her fans as a new #ZoellaBeauty range was announced. Much like her first, original line - it features a range of bath and body products designed to pamper yourself with. This time though, there are a few new items that have been added as replacements for a couple of others and the scent has been changed entirely. The line is being dubbed as 'Tutti Fruitti' and so supposedly has a fruity, fresh scent as opposed to the original, more floral affair. Despite some saying it's marketed exclusively at the younger demographic Zoe has, there are definitely a couple of items which have caught my eye - probably most of all the 'Bath Fizzer', an adaption of the original 'Fizz Bar' which was probably my favourite out of the first line.
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