Where's Mollie?...Paris!

I had a lovely weekend in Paris with my Mummy to celebrate the end of my A levels. I was most excited about going to the pharmacies and discovering the French skincare brands. It is no exaggeration to say that there is a pharmacy everywhere you look but I had heard that a very popular one was CityPharma on Rue Du Four. We went in our fair share of different pharmacies around Paris and can definitely say that this one was the cheapest and had the largest variety of brands. I was warned by other bloggers that it was going to be busy but I can safely say that I have never had a shopping experience like it! If you do not suffer with claustrophobia and can cope with squishing into the into the tiny aisles with about a hundred other people bashing you with their shopping baskets, then I would say it is definitely worth it! I ended up making almost all of my skincare purchases here and have been trying them out for around 5 weeks so I thought that it was about time that I review them.

28 Rue du Four, 75006 Paris, France

Right at the top of my shopping list was Serozinc by La Roche-Posay (it is now available in the UK but is cheaper in France). I picked up two because I had heard the likes of Caroline Hirons (Click here to view!) and Amelia Liana (Click here to view!) raving about it so thought it had to be good. They actually didn't have it in CityPharma but nearly every other pharmacy stocked La Roche-Posay. It is a zinc sulphate facial spritzer that claims to be a cleansing and soothing toner for oily problem skin. I have incorporated it into my  evening skincare routine as a step after acid toning. I like using spritzers for layering moisture and refreshing the skin. I especially enjoyed using it when I recently went on holiday to Spain as a clarifying and hydrating to make my skin feel extra clean and refreshed before bed. Although I haven't necessarily noticed a reduction in the amount of blemishes I get, I have seen that they don't look as raw and heal a lot quicker.

Another French pharmacy essential that I just had to try is the Bioderma Crealine H20. I would never use this as an all-over cleanser because I feel that an oil or a cream cleanser is better for my skin and a lot more effective at removing make-up. One thing that I did notice about the French pharmacy brands was that they are very hot on foaming cleansers which dry your skin out and are especially not good for spot-prone skin. I did find the odd cleansing milk but none that really convinced me. Anyway, this micellare water is lovely and gentle and great for removing eye-makeup. The small bottle is also really cute and perfect for travel!

 

 
I had run out of my eye-cream and fancied trying a French one. I had never heard of A-DERMA but figured that French skincare is renowned for being some of the best in the world so I couldn't go too wrong. I was drawn in by the words 'soothing', 'decongesting' and 'delicate'. I have quite sensitive eyes so I wanted something that would be gentle and soothing but would still be effective at making my under eyes look healthier. This is super soothing yet really nourishing. The texture under my eyes is more even and hydrated. I will definitely be stocking up next time I go to Paris!

I was so excited to go to Sephora on the Champs-Elysees! It's heavenly for a beauty lover but has quite premium brands that were out of my budget. My mum and I ended up buying eye masks to do in our hotel room. I got the Honey eye mask and my mum got the Green Tea one (Click here to buy!).

They are made by Sephora and we weren't expecting much but they were actually really nice. They were completely saturated in product and after leaving them on for 15 minutes, you massage the remaining product into your skin. They made our under eyes feel amazing!!! They were a perfect treat after a tiring day shopping in Paris.

Another Bioderma pick was this Hydrabio Riche Moisturising Cream. This is one high-tech moisturiser that claims to do wonders so I thought I had to give it a go. It is fast becoming one of the best moisturisers I have ever tried. It is right up there with the Clinique Moisture Surge. I definitely much prefer the packaging of this one because it is a really neat and compact tube with a pump. Besides the packaging, my skin drinks it up and just makes my skin feel and look a million dollars. It is really hydrating without being too rich and I am totally in love!

I couldn't resist this cute little hand sanitizer. I am unashamedly a hand sanitizer addict and just thought this would be perfect for my handbag and I could decant some of my bigger tubes of gel into it once I have used it up. It smells yummy too and not too strong like some others. A bit of an impulse purchase but I love it!

26 Rue de la Constitution, 50300 Avranches, France

We spent every waking moment shopping in Paris and if a shopping holiday is your idea of bliss then I would definitely recommend visiting Galleries Lafayette. There's every luxury, designer brand under one rather spectacular glass roof. We just were in awe of the beautiful interior and  the huge price tags! There's also champagne and macaroon bars but we ended up having a drink in MacDonalds on the top floor!!!  

Amelia Liana filmed a brilliant video on her French Pharmacy Favourites (Click here to watch!). She had high praise for the Dermophil lip balms so I picked up a double pack for my mum and I to try. My mum is a frequent lip balm user whereas I am hopeless at remembering to apply it throughout the day. She really loves it and it has become a staple in her handbag. It is a lovely smooth balmy texture that feels really lovely on your lips. I am not a big fan of the smell but I certainly understand why Amelia loves it so much; it is very medicinal and very effective at curing extremely dry lips.

We had a wonderful long weekend in Paris and I hope this was useful for any of you who are looking to visit this beautiful city. Thanks so much for reading!

 

The Body Shop Skincare Reviews

There are several 'The Body Shop' products in my skincare routine at the moment so I thought that I would review them. I think 'The Body Shop' is a great skincare brand as it seems slightly more luxurious than the chemist/pharmacy brands but is still affordable. I also love their 'green' ethos and the good ingredients that they use.

This is my second bottle of the Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil (Click here to buy!) and it has fast become my staple cleanser. It removes make-up really effectively; I have recently been trying the Benefit They're Real mascara (Click here to buy!) and was told that it was really difficult to remove, but this does it effortlessly. It is really gentle around the eyes and on sensitive skin but still feels as though your skin is being nourished. It is £10 but you only need two pumps if you are wearing eye make-up and one pump if you are not and it lasted me about 8 months. The camomile smell is really luxurious and relaxing and would be perfect for a pamper night with a cheeky little facial massage! I also think that it is a great alternative for the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm (Click here to buy!)

Another reason that I love 'The Body Shop' is because they have regular promotional offers. I got this Vitamin E Moisture Serum (Click here to buy!) on a 3 for 2 offer. It is a really nice prep product for pre-moisturising (wow, that's a lot of p's!). One pump is plenty and spreads across the whole face, smoothing out imperfections ready for a moisture boost. I find that it helps my moisturiser go further and makes it work better. I would recommend it but it is £12 and I think that when I have finished it, I will search for something a slightly cheaper.
 

I

 instantly wanted to try this out when I read Caroline Hirons' review of it on her blog (Click here to view!). I have recently started cleansing my skin in the morning as well as the evening. I used to skip a morning skincare routine out of laziness but I have seen a massive difference in my skin and how my make-up applies. All I do is massage this Softening Cleansing Gel Oil (I can't seem to find it on their website!) onto dry skin and remove with warm water and a muslin cloth. I then use a daily moisturiser and this gives me a 'good skin start'! I really like using the product; the formula is a gel and then as you massage it in, it turns into an oil. Although I love balm/oil cleansers for the evening, I thought that I would prefer something lighter and more refreshing for the morning! Hypothetically I would have turned to a foaming cleanser which wouldn't have done my skin any favours. It's not a heavy greasy balm/oil and has a nice fresh scent. It is so so effective at softening the skin which makes make-up application a lot quicker and easier. It also gets a big thumbs up from me because it is part of 'The Body Shop' Nutriganics range which means it has no parabens or silicones. I have really enjoyed using this and I have seen a big difference in the condition of my skin since I have started cleansing in the morning. 

 

I

 have one really watery eye and last summer I had it operated on. Years of rubbing my right eye has caused the under-eye area to be really sensitive. It has a lot of discoloration and I was on the hunt for an eye cream that wasn't 'anti-age' or claim to 'reduce the appearance of fine lines'...quite a mean feat! I finally came across this Aloe Eye Defence (Click here to buy!) which claimed to reduce the signs of sensitive skin...BINGO! I see a difference as soon as I apply it; my under eyes look healthier and less damaged. It is great at calming the irritated skin and I have been really enjoying using it. It also claims that it acts as a shield, preventing any further damage. I do have really sensitive eyes and worry about the effect of dabbing them with a tissue all the time, so this is great...if it works! I noticed that the website had some negative reviews, saying that the consistency had changed and that it is now too thin and slimy.  It is a very thin consistency but I found that the best way to use it was to apply it and then leave it to sink in before trying to blend it in.

 

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you found it helpful!



Milo and the Chubby Stick!

 

 

Once upon a time there was a beautiful pussy cat called Milo and a shiny pink lip product...!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And they all lived happily ever after... i.e. the Chubby Stick stopped rolling and Milo became disinterested and jumped off the table! 

What I Got for Christmas!

So it's been over a month since Christmas! The new year has aged! However, it seems that I am clinging onto the festive season by sharing with you what I got for Christmas in FEBRUARY! I was lucky enough to get quite lot of beauty presents so I thought I would give you my first impressions of a few of them.

 



One of my favourite presents was in fact a non-beauty one that I think deserves an honorary mention! These retro light bulb lights are possibly the coolest things I have ever seen; I love anything retro so I think that they are so quirky and look great in my bedroom. (Click here to buy!).

I had been eyeing up this little skincare gem for a while and I was so happy to get this in my stocking. This Weleda Skin Food (Click here to buy!) is a very rich thick texture because it is uber hydrating. Although it is great to use as a moisturiser for combating serious winter skin, I prefer to use it as a hand cream. It smells like essential oils which I absolutely love and I think that it is a great pamper-night product for facial massages, manicures and pedicures and would also be great for an in-flight beauty routine.

I really love the No 7. Extreme Length Waterproof Mascara (Click here to read my review!) so was excited to be given the volume version to try out (Click here to buy!). The natural bristle spiral shaped brush gives a very natural feathery effect to the lashes. The best thing about it is that it does not clump at all and puts an even coating onto the lashes. My preference for a mascara is something with a slightly more gloopy formula to give my lashes some oomph and I don't mind a bit of clumpiness! However, it is a super everyday mascara to add some volume and separation.

I did really well for mascaras this year! I have wanted to try out some Tarte products for ages as I had heard such good things about the brand. I had an inkling that I would get some Tarte make-up as my Mum is addicted to shopping channels and Tarte has recently become available on QVC (Click here to buy!). Firstly, I love the packaging of this Lights, Camera, Lashes ; its so unique and tactile. The formula is more gloopy than the No. 7 one and therefore creates a more dramatic effect. It also has less defined bristles which I find makes my lashes look more voluminous. It is also really good for the bottom lashes because you can control how much product you want to apply. This is great for me as I prefer a more dramatic effect on the top lashes and a more subtle effect on the bottom outer lashes. I like it a lot!  

This was sort of a present to myself! I bought it in exchange for some pyjamas that didn't fit and I am so so so happy with it. I really like bare mineral's ethos of combining good natural make-up with good natural skincare ingredients but am not a fan of mineral make-up. So I was really glad when they bought out a this Bare Skin Serum Foundation (Click here to buy!) One of its base ingredients is coconut alkanes which gives it a lovely lightweight, nourishing texture. When I tried this new released foundation on my hand at the counter I was blown away by the excellent colour-correcting coverage with the light formula. In terms of the accompanying brush, although they are sold separately, I would strongly recommend buying the brush with the foundation as they work so well together. Also, the brush is very unique and I don't think the foundation would work as well with a different brush. It is a really soft brush with a circular dip in the middle. This allows you to apply the foundation really evenly and not use too much product by putting it on the back of your hand. It gives the most beautiful, lit-from-within finish on the skin and makes you look as though you have naturally flawless skin. It has become my No. 1 foundation and although it is more expensive than any of my other foundations, I will be repurchasing it when I run out!  

 

 

I have been a fan of purple lips ever since I tried the Kiko lipstick in 923 (Click here to read my review!). I think that the Clinique Chubby Sticks are such a handbag staple as they are fool proof to apply and just make your lips look nicer! However I do think they are expensive for what they are so I was so happy to receive this Chubby Stick Baby Tint in 04 Flowering Freesia as a gift (Click here to buy!). It is a really sheer tint of purple which is perfect for everyday wear. It is also really smooth to apply and feels lovely and conditioning on the lips. I have been using it during the colder weather because it doesn't draw attention to dry lips but makes it them look a little more like you have made a little bit more of an effort - the chubby sticks are a great low maintenance lip product which suits me! 

 

Last but not least is this really cute mini brush set from Eco Tools! (Click here to buy!). My favourite is the buffing concealer brush (second from the right). It is the perfect shape and size for blending concealer around the nose. I also really like the powder brush (first on the left) for patting powder under the eyes to set my concealer. I absolutely love the packaging and the short handles and I think these would be great for travelling as you have everything you need for make-up application: The powder brush could double up for blusher, highlight or bronzer. The complexion blending brush (second from the left) and the precision foundation brush (middle) are both good for blending foundation and concealer and the flat concealer brush (first on the right) could be used to apply eye shadow also.

 

I hope you enjoyed seeing what I got for Christmas and I would love to hear what goodies you received in the comments! Thank you so much for reading!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundations Comparison + Nail Favourite

I have been trying out these two foundations for several months now so I thought that I would share my thoughts with you. I think that Rimmel foundations are excellent value; good 'all-rounder' foundations at a reasonable price. I love the Wake Me Up foundation for the summer however it has oxidised in the bottle and is now way too dark for me. I have also loved the Match Perfection one for wearing to school for a natural medium coverage, but it is quickly running out! As these two were buy one get one half price, I thought I would put them up against each other and do a comparison.

So, what are the similarities between the two?
They both claim to be 'sweat, heat, humidity and transfer proof for up to 25 hours' which attracted me to them because I don't know what it is but make-up doesn't seem to last very well on my skin and I do not have a particularly oily skin type for a teen! However, I have seen a big improvement when I have been wearing both of these foundations; it seems as though it is water resistant (which is great for me as I have watery eyes) and lasts really well on the skin. In the evening I use an oil cleanser and a swipe of some micellar water on a cotton pad is effective too.
They also claim to be 'skin perfecting' and I would say that they definitely both give a really lovely even, flawless finish. I think that partly the reason for this is that they both have a slightly yellow undertone which cancels out my red/pink toned skin.
I use one and a half pumps for both foundations and this is plenty to be blended across the whole face and down the neck.   
They both have SPF 20 which I think is great because I like to wear SPF on my face every day all year round!

And what are the differences?

The one with the red lid is labelled as a full coverage foundation and has a 'comfort serum' and the one with the white lid is a medium coverage 'nude' foundation. The one with the red lid is much thicker in consistency and I can feel the serum texture as I apply it to my skin. I don't think that this one would be appropriate for oilier skin as the serum gives it a slightly greasy feel. I think that this is what makes it have more coverage as it doesn't absorb into the skin but sits comfortably on the skin to achieve a more flawless coverage. 

 

  

That is why I think that that you need to either use your fingers or a flat foundation brush for the best result. The one that I use is the Estee Lauder Foundation Brush 1 (Click here to buy!). I have tried applying it with a buffing brush and a stippling brush but it takes ages to blend into the skin and can look a bit streaky. It is also ever so slightly darker in colour than the other even though I got them both in 010 Light Porcelain (Click here to buy!). Light porcelain is the lightest shade that they do and it is perfect for me although the red lid one is a smidgen darker than I would like. I wear this when I am going out in the evening as I really like the high coverage but need to spend some time blending to get it perfect.

I thought that I would prefer the red lid one because I normally gravitate towards higher coverage foundations and prefer the effect it gives on the skin. However, I prefer the 'nude' formula of the white lidded one (Click here to buy!) because it blends so effortlessly into the skin to give a more undetectable coverage that is still flawless. I think that the coverage is slightly lighter and blends better into the skin to look more natural, but that is what I like for an every day foundation. 

I like to apply it with a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush (Click here to buy!). This gives a perfect base really quickly. The lightweight formula also makes the foundation feel a lot more hydrating on the skin and in my opinion feels more comfortable to wear. I will definitely be repurchasing the white lidded one when I run out!

Just as a side note, on my nails I have Big Apple Red by OPI. It is a mini size that I got in the 'Best of the Best' set and I am absolutely in love with it. I sometimes get an urge to whack on some bright red nail varnish but always regret it because I am so pale, it makes my skin look even more alien-like than it actually is. One coat of this makes a lovely deep raspberry red colour that is still red enough to be Christmassy but pink enough to make my hands look normal...sort of! (Click here to buy!) 

And as for this little wonder product, where do I start?! I always hear bloggers raving about the Seche Vite top coat but could never justify spending the money on it. When I saw this Bourjois equivalent appear on the shelves of my local Superdrug, I snapped it up because it was a little cheaper and I thought that it would encourage me to paint my nails more during this festive season (Click here to buy!). Once you have painted the second hand, the next one is dry and there is virtually no drying time! One drop is all you need on each nail straight after you have painted it and...voila! The only negative is that it does give a texture to your nails but this does not detract from the appearance of them! 

Where's Mollie been?
I am sorry that I haven't blogged recently but mock exams and UCAS applications have got in the way! Thank you so much for putting up with me and taking the time to read my posts!