Bobbi Brown Skincare

When I mention 'Bobbi Brown' what pops into your head? The classic Shimmer Brick, or those beautiful neutral eye shades that we all know and love? I bet you it isn't skincare. But this all changed recently when I was invited into the store for a skincare consultation, and within a few minutes of sitting on the makeup artist's chair, I'd fallen in love with the skincare. The oil felt so gentle and luxurious on my skin, the moisturisers seemed to skin in within moments, and the smell? Unlike any skincare that I've ever used before.

Let's start with the Soothing Cleansing Oil. As a somewhat lazy cleanser, preferring to just wipe away the day's makeup with a Micellar water, it takes something seriously special for me to actually bother with water - but the texture, fragrance, and overall luxury experience of using the Bobbi Brown Soothing Oil means that I actually get excited about taking the day's makeup off. I use one or two pumps to remove my makeup, massaging into dry skin before emulsifying with water. I remove with a warm, wet flannel before moving onto the toner.

While many toners leave my skin feeling dry, Bobbi Brown's Hydrating Face Tonic does exactly what is says on the tin, and leaves my skin feeling soft and soothed after application. In the evening my skin is left feeling totally clean, and when I use in the morning my skin is in the perfect condition for applying my next products.

My eyes (or the bags underneath...) need serious attention, but with too little time and too much to do I can't be waiting around for a luxurious eye cream to sink in, so Bobbi Brown's Extra Eye Repair cream is like a saviour in a pot. It sinks in by the the time I've made my morning cup of Green Tea, so I'm ready to apply makeup just moments later.

With combination skin, the Bobbi Brown Hydrating Face Cream feels like it was designed with me in mind. It's a lightweight formula but also provides by skin with the hydration that it needs, as well as nourishing and conditioning areas that need a little attention. It's pricey, yes, but I use about half the amount that I'd normally scoop out of my previous moisturiser, meaning that this little pot should be hanging around for quite some time!

Have you discovered Bobbi Brown skincare yet?

xoxo

How to look after your skin in your Twenties

Hiding the signs of a late night on Tinder, or an even later night with Netflix, wondering when you need to start using anti-agin skincare but still not wanting to fork out on super pricey lotions and potions - skincare in your 20s is a bit of a nomads land. What are our skins needs, and how should you fulfil them?

Well, it's never too early to look after your skin and it's important that you tailor your approach to your skin's needs. In your 20s, your skincare should work to keep your complexion clear while preventing premature aging, and here are my favourite products which do just that.

If you don't cleanse your face at night, start. As in, tonight. That gorgeous mask of makeup, skin oils and dirt (gross, sorry) that end up on your face at the end of a long day lead to far more than just the odd spot - but also premature lines, wrinkles and creepiness due to the free radicals that float in the air ( all those bus exhausts etc ). To get rid of the grime, I love the Clinique Take The Day Off cleansing oil which melts makeup, oil and impurities, and is such a dreamy soft consistency that it's a pleasure to use in the evenings, meaning I'm never tempted to skip my cleanse.

If you're battling with dull skin, enlarged pores and you're noticing that the texture of your skin isn't quite as perky as it used to be, don't panic. You're not alone. These may be the  first signs that your skin isn't going to be as forgiving as it used to be, but don't worry, Origins have got us covered. Their new range is designed for your skin's 'quarter life crisis' and my favourite product is the Original Skin Renewal Serum with willow herb, which helps bring the vibrancy back to your complexion with ingredients such as Persian Silk Tree (to help skin rebound), Chestnut seed extract (to smooth roughness), Willowherb (to bring back the glow) and Algae (to shrink pores). While it doesn't have powerful anti aging properties, the serum is your best bet for keeping skin looking its best while you're skin is not quite ready for anti-aging, but you're already thinking about the future of your skin.

Now this applies to all ages, but by using an SPF every day, your skin can be better protected from aging caused by the sun's UV rays, which can lead to anything from wrinkles to sun spots. The Estee Lauder DayWear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxident & UV Defence SPF 50 not only has the longest name known in the entire history of skincare products, but works wonders on your skin too. The broad spectrum high SPF protects the skin, keeping it looking younger for longer, but it also contains an effective antioxidant which is proven to fight the apprearance of free radical damage - so an essential if you live in a city. It's a gorgeous lightweight formula that you can apply over the top of your moisturiser as the final step in your skincare routine, and it leaves skin feeling smooth and comfortable, and not clogged up like so many SPF lotions can do.

And finally, learn from the mistakes of previous generations and make sure you wear an eye cream every.single.day. The skin around your eyes is incredibly thin and delicate, and even just a few minutes of sun exposure here and there can add up to wrinkles, but so many eye creams mess up your makeup, and we use them for a week, then decide we prefer having concealer under our eyes any way. Enter Bobbi Brown's Hydrating Eye Cream. A lightweight eye cream which plumps and moisturises the under eye area, but it's also super fast absorbing and leaves the skin perfectly prepped for applying concealer. Apply daily with your fingers and gently pat around the eye area , and let Bobbi's blend of Enriched Mineral Water, and Aloe Vera and Witch Hazel hydrate and comfort the eye area.

How do you look after your skin in your twenties?

Carry-On Beauty Essentials!

When you go away for a long weekend, taking only a carry on suitcase, you are pretty restricted when it comes to how many beauty products you can take! No more than ten bottles of 100ml (including suncream, conditioner and after sun!) and space is very limited (especially when most of your tiny case is filled with shoes, like mine!). So, it was pretty tough making the shortlist for beauty products that I'd take away to Seville, #firstworldproblems, but here are the beauty products that made the cut for my Holiday Beauty Bag!

Firstly, to cleanse skin and remove makeup, I packed some Simple Face Wipes (not pictured) as well as my trusty Clarins Water Comfort One Step Cleanser. With space at a premium, it's all about the multi takers and this cleanser really does the trick at removing all my makeup (including the worlds most waterproof mascara, more on that later!) without the need for water. This means you can pop it in your beach bag along with some cotton pads if you do have any poolside panda eye emergencies, or just want to freshen up before heading to lunch. I popped a mini Caudalie Polyphenol Serum in my beauty bag too, which helps skin protect itself from environmental aggressors, as well as plumping and moisturising.

I like to keep my base quite light while on holiday, and needing something hydrating, with some sun protection and some lovely coverage, there was only one option; the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream (SPF 30). I have been wearing this lots on good skin days in the UK, and it was the ideal multi tasking product to give me a fresh, flawless and protected complexion while away. I used the Zoeva 102 Silk Finish brush to buff it in, and in the evenings added a touch of the bareMinerals powder foundation to keep the shine at bay without caking the skin. In the evenings I added a little more colour in the evenings I used the Too Faced Dark Chocolate Soleil bronzer. It has a light chocolate scent and is perfectly matte - they call it tan without the twinkle which is perfect if you want to use it as a contour or all over colour like I did.

For contour and blush I used the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze - one of my my all time favourite multi tasking products. While away I used it to create a little contour shadow, but it can also be used to highlight, or even as eyeshadows. I used my Bobbi Brown blusher brush to apply the powder, and then added a very subtle pop of the Bobbi Brown blush on my cheeks.

An eyeshadow palette which can create the perfect dress up or dress down eye look is Charlotte Tilbury's Sophisticate palette. The smooth shades can be used to create a subtle wash of colour for a day time look, or built up to create a smokey look for evenings - plus it's tiny so ideal for popping in my carry one! To really make my eyes pop, I also took the Charlotte Tilbury Rock n Kohl Liquid Eye Pencil in a nude hue which makes eyes look bigger and brighter.

There was no other option than the Clarins Truly Waterproof mascara - this mascara will not budge! Since discovering it, I've never suffered panda eyes on the beach or by the pool, plus the formula coats lashes and protects them from chlorine and salt water.

Finally lips! As well as a nourishing balm (I took the Elizabeth Arden 8 hour lip balm) I took just two lip products away with me; both coral! For the daytime I chose the Too Faced Melted Lipstick which has ultra long lasting power, and I love the creamy formula which I apply over a balm. In the evenings, my favourite lipstick at the moment (and one which looks beautiful on lightly tanned skin), Charlotte Tilbury's Sexy Sienna. It protects, smooths, hydrates, and the colour is stunning!

What are your holiday beauty essentials?