Nighttime Beauty Routine

I know the importance of skincare and having a good routine but if I’m honest all of the products, oils, serums and acids confuse me! My skin tends to be on the drier side, I don’t get a lot of acne which I am thankful for and ultimately I don’t like to use too many products and keep things simple. Over the past 3-4 months my skin has been pretty good and I put that down to my current combination of products.

In this post I talk you through what I’m loving for my skin and also mention what I use to keep my lips and hands in tip top condition.

Cleanser:

Clinique Take the Day Off Balm – I won this cleansing balm in a giveaway 18 months ago and I’ve barely made a dent in it! Granted I don’t use this every time I remove makeup but I have started using it more regularly lately and I find it gets makeup off my face so easily and doesn’t leave my face feeling greasy afterwards. The texture changes from a balm to an oil when it is applied to the skin and you can use as little or as much as you like. The product is not scented and doesn’t irritate my skin. For all you sensitive skinned beauties out there I urge you to try this.

Masks:

The Body Shop Honey & Oat 3 in 1 Scrub Mask – This mask I use 2-3 times a week and it is very gentle on the skin. It’s also great if you want a quick mask, the tub recommends leaving it on for 5-10 minutes. The mask contains bits of oat but they don’t feel scratchy on the skin when the mask is applied. The scent of this is very natural and a little goes a long way.

Natio Face Mask Purifier – I have used this face mask for a while now and I’m currently on my second tube. A 100g tube will last me a couple of years. I tend to use this 1-2 times a week depending on how oily my skin is and how often I’ve worn makeup. This is a clay mask and contains kaolin but the mask doesn’t feel too drying. This mask is also unscented which is good if you’re sensitive to smell.

Moisturiser:

Palmer’s Moisture Rich Night Cream – I picked this moisturiser up on Feel Unique in late 2017 and started using it in March 2018. It comes in a 75g glass jar (which would be a little heavy for travel) but for the price I paid that’s a generous size – I paid $14 (NZD) from memory. I love the scent of this, it’s a cross between cocoa butter and shea. If you’re sensitive to smell the scent doesn’t linger. It is recommended to only use this at night as Retinol is listed as one of the ingredients and it can make your skin more sensitive to the sun which is why using a day moisturiser with SPF is encouraged.

Facial oil:

Trilogy Sensitive Very Gentle Restoring Oil – A couple of months ago I was trying to decide whether to try a facial oil or a serum. I settled on an oil as the texture is more lightweight and soaks into the skin easier. Ever since I started using this oil I have noticed the biggest difference, my skin feels softer, my skin is less dry and foundation and concealer don’t settle into lines around my nose as much. I use roughly 4 drops of this oil every night and apply it after moisturiser. The oil is unscented and contains maqui berry, apricot, and sea buckthorn. It’s rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants.

Lip Treatments:

Clarins Lip Comfort Oil in Honey –  I am not the biggest fan of honey scents but this lip oil smells good! I tend to use this if my lips feel extra dry or to protect them in the cold weather. The oil feels tacky upon application but soon loses that sticky feeling. The applicator picks up a generous amount and I normally do two lighter coats on each lip rather than one.

Vaseline Cocoa Butter – I try to apply lip balm most nights before bed to keep my lips soft and supple and this lip balm is lovely. The little pot is the cutest and it will last ages! The Cocoa Butter scent smells good enough to eat and this works just as well as normal Vaseline in a jar, plus it’s easier to tote around.

Hand cream:

The Body Shop Frosted Plum – I have finished up numerous tubes of hand cream from The  Body Shop in various scents. Currently I am using Frosted Plum which I picked up last December as it was one of the festive scents. The smell is like a floral plum and whilst it is ok it’s not my favourite. The hand cream is moisturising though and comes in a fetching metallic purple tube! Hand cream is the final step in my evening routine before lights out.

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What products are essential to your nighttime routine?

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September Favourites 2017

September is the first month into my library job and work wise I’ve been less stressed and happier. Health wise I have been sick all month. I have always had trouble with my nose and my sinuses have been giving me grief. I got antibiotics but after I finished them the problem came back so I tried a sinus rinse which has been helping a lot. As a result of being sick I have felt lethargic and haven’t felt like doing much. Fingers crossed I’m better soon!

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. Shane Filan – Love Always – I have mentioned Shane Filan a number of times on the blog. He has one of the best voices and is one of my favourites to listen to. He released his third studio album, Love Always, in August and I have had it on repeat the past couple of weeks. My signed copy arrived a fortnight ago and the album is better than I thought it would be. The majority of songs are covers of famous love songs and I was in two minds about buying the album originally as I’m not the biggest fan of cover albums but Shane puts his own spin on each track and the album is cohesive. Standout Tracks: Don’t Dream It’s Over, Beautiful In White, Completely, Unbreakable and I Can’t Make You Love Me.

2. Vaseline Cocoa Butter Lip Butter – Being sick my lips have been cracked and dry and this has been my saviour! I bought this lip butter last year and it is perfect when my lips need extra care. It smells like chocolate and smells very similar to my Cocoa Butter body butter from The Body Shop. The little pot is the cutest!

3. Navy Blue Fluffy Jumper – This is my favourite cosy jumper and I seem to have worn it a lot this month. The jumper is very warm and I love the colour, it goes so well with my hair. I wear this jumper casually and to work and it always gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling when I do.

4. Revlon – Beginner’s Luck – I had a makeup declutter and almost gave this nail polish away. I had a pile of shades I wasn’t sure about and swatched them on paper. I wasn’t convinced enough to give this shade away and couldn’t wait to try it on again. I am glad I kept it. It is a subtle, shimmery shade that is great for everyday and the formula is dreamy.

5. Reading – At the start of the month I mentioned I would be starting a new blogging series: What I’ve Been Reading. Working at the library it only seems appropriate I make an active effort to read more and I’m slowly working through a small pile of books. I have been pretty busy this month and haven’t had much time to read but I have been enjoying the moments I have been able to. I love getting lost in a good story. Sadly, I haven’t been hitting my one book a week quota so far.

September’s Spotify Playlist:

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What were your favourite things in September?

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The Lip Product Tag

Two weeks ago Lauren tagged me to do The Lip Product Tag. Lipsticks and lip products are without a doubt my favourite makeup items to purchase and to apply so I’m more than happy to do a tag all about them! Also, make sure you check out the seasonal makeup collaboration Lauren and I did last week. CLICK HERE to read Lauren’s post and CLICK HERE to read mine.

What is your favourite lip balm or treatment?

I have two. Nivea’s Pearly Shine lip balm is really nice for those days when your lips aren’t looking their best and you want to wear something to keep them hydrated and nourished. If my lips get really dry and horrible, popping on some Vaseline before bed works wonders.

What is your favourite eye-catching red?

I don’t know about you but I always feel fierce when I’m rocking a red lip! If I could only pick one red lipstick to wear for the rest of my life it would be Ruby Woo by MAC. It’s a true, blue toned red which helps to make your teeth look whiter and the colour lasts all day (or night).

Best luxury and drugstore product? Also, best MAC lipstick?

I don’t own any luxury lipsticks partly because the price tag would be astronomical. It costs me $40 NZD for a MAC lipstick and if that’s not ‘luxury’ I don’t know what is!

When it comes to the drugstore, I really like Revlon’s Lip Butters. They come in lots of different colours and are so comfortable to wear. The colour can be worn lightly as a stain or built up with a few layers.

MAC lipstick wise my favourite is Syrup. Syrup is such a pretty, everyday colour that would suit just about everyone. This colour is still nude but not your usual brown-toned nude. I also think this would be a pretty lipstick to wear on a first date.

Most disappointing lip product?

BYS Pretty Little Thing. It pains me to say this as my favourite lipstick of all time is made by the same brand but they can’t all be perfect. It’s not the colour I have an issue with but when I apply this to my lips it applies patchy and doesn’t coat my lips properly. I have barely worn this lipstick as a result.

Lip liner: yes or no?

Not for me. I see the point of it but I haven’t ever felt like I need to wear it. Sometimes it’s too obvious when someone is wearing lip liner and it doesn’t look natural.

Favourite lipgloss?

In all honesty I haven’t tried a lot of lipglosses but at the moment I’m loving Rimmel’s Oh My Gloss! in the shade Glossaholic. It lasts well when I wear it to work and is a pretty, pink, everyday shade. The pink colour is more prominent in the tube than on the lips but it still looks lovely.

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I’m going to leave this tag open to anyone who wants to do it as I know there are a lot of lipstick lovers out there! Thanks for reading!

August Favourites

Hello everyone! It is absolutely crazy how fast August has gone and I’ve felt like this month has been a busy one due to the sheer speed at which it’s passed. It’s been all go and I haven’t just got beauty favourites to share, I’ve got a TV show and some tracks I’ve been listening to on heavy rotation which I’ve put into a wee Spotify playlist for your convenience.

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. Juicy Couture – Viva La Juicy – At the beginning of August I went to a huge discount beauty and makeup sale and surprisingly this perfume was the only thing I ended up purchasing. I’ve loved this scent for years but the price tag was always putting me off. I was super excited when I saw the 100ml size on sale for $79 and I thought, bargain! This perfume is so beautiful, the scent is not overpowering and lingers for hours. I’m glad I got the 100ml bottle because I’ve worn it just about everyday this month.

“The perfume opens with notes of wild berries and juicy mandarin. The heart encompasses a floral blend of honeysuckle, gardenia and jasmine, while the base notes await us with a gourmet rhapsody of amber, caramel, vanilla, sandalwood and pralines.” (Source: Fragrantica).

2. Blue canvas shoes – I’ve had these shoes for a few years now and they are so comfortable. They are perfect for casual outfits and look especially nice with jeans and leggings. I can wear these for a day shopping and my feet don’t get sore or tired. I have been wearing these a bit lately as the weather has been in between hot and cold and I’m not ready to let go of winter yet.

3. Vaseline – This might seem odd but there is a purpose for this being here! I mentioned in the intro I thought I was getting sick and I went to the doctor who mentioned putting vaseline on the cracked skin around my nose to help it heal. When I get sick it’s my nose that gives me the most grief and I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of this before. That was the only useful thing the doctor told me, but the less said about that the better!

4. Revlon Lip Butters – I feel guilty, I mentioned buying these last month and I still haven’t got around to showing them to you, next month I promise! I won’t talk about these too much but I will say they are lovely and I was surprised how opaque they are, lots of reviews I read talked about their sheerness. Must be my super pale lips making things pigmented again.

5. Pinterest – I mentioned in my I’m Back! Pt. 2 post that I had joined Pinterest and I’m pleased to say I’m still loving it! It’s much easier to use than I imagined and this is a very rare case of me preferring the app to using my laptop. The app is so simple and quick for scrolling through everyone’s pins. If you haven’t followed me yet, what are you waiting for: pinterest.com/chanellehayley.

6. Take Me Out – Cheesy jokes, check. (Some) good looking boys, check. Hilarious host, check. I know this show is pretty popular in The UK and I’d heard of it but never seen it until a couple of months ago. I decided to include it this month as it was the series finale on Friday. *sob* For those of you who haven’t seen Take Me Out a single man tries to get a date with one of 30 single women. Each woman has a light which can be turned off at any point through a series of introduction and skill rounds. If after round three there are more than two lights still on, the single man has to get it down to two. Finally, he poses a question to the remaining girls before deciding which one he wants to take out.

August Spotify Playlist

That’s all for this month, be sure to let me know what you’ve been loving! ❤