My 2015 Beauty Favourites - Ishy

 Hi everybody, Happy (Belated) New Year! 

Hoping you're all well and settling into the new year.

Due to a crazy christmas holiday and lots of uni work I haven't had the chance to blog in a while. 

Anyways Im back now with my 2015 beauty favourites.

  

Foundation ♡

Chanel - Les Beiges (No.30)

I use this powder for mostly long days and occasions, I love the way it doesn't make my skin look too matte or settle into creases like other powders I have tried.

Nars - ADLW (Barcelona)

When I first purchased this foundation it was great in every way, colour, finish and texture. BUT, after a week abroad in Egypt the shade was just too light for my tanned skin :(

Everyone that knows me, knows that I always mix and match my foundations so...

I did just that, and made the perfect foundation for my skin - perfect shade and coverage.

By mixing a drop or two of F&B with ADLW I managed to achieve the long lasting finish of ADLW and the light and dewy consistency of F&B.

Mac - Face & Body (C5) 

I have been using F&B for a few years now however last year I reached out for it the most. I found that it gives the best dewy finish without looking too cakey for everyday wear.

Highlighter ♡

Superdry - Blush Stick (Coral Reef) Direct Link

I was introduced to this creamy blush stick by my cousin Lisa while she was doing my makeup. 

After seeing it against my complexion I just had to get it. 

The creamy texture blends so well without dragging the foundation and leaving streaks. 

Also just to let all you girls know although it's marketed as a blusher, I prefer to use it as a cream highlighter. On my skin it leaves a nice coral/pink glow with golden shimmers.

Mac - Lightscapade

I have been using Lightscapade as a everyday highlighter to enhance my brow bone, bridge of my nose and cupids bow as it gives a light glow and looks natural.

Palettes ♡

Anastasia Beverly Hills - Contour Kit (Light To Medium

Chads was always raving about this kit, so obviously I had to cave in and buy it. besides this is definitely a must have, it helps me to create a defined look without looking muddy.

Makeup Revolution - Ultra Blush Palette (Sugar & Spice) Direct Link

Ok girls, I can't rave about this enough. This is a blusher palette that every girl needs in her makeup

collection! The palettes are sold in two different colours

 'Hot spice' (peach and orange tones) & 'Sugar & spice' (mauve and pink tones). 

Both palettes include two highlighters which is another plus!

For only £6, this palette is good quality, highly pigmented and last all day.

Mascara ♡

Benefit - They're Real (Black)

I have received many compliments on my lashes when using this product, I love how it simply enhances and adds length to my lashes without using a lot of product. 

Eyebrows ♡

ABH - Dipbrow Pomade (Ash Brown)

This is definitely a must have for me, I'm very particular about my eyebrows and I will always re-purchase this product!

Lips ♡

Mac - Ravishing

Mac - Twig (My Holy Grail)

MUA - Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer (Tranquility)

Beauty Blender ♡

Another Chads enabled purchase, but I'll let her off because I love it.

Skincare ♡

Aveeno - Daily Moisturising Lotion

Body Shop - Vitamin E Face Mist 

I love this product, not only does it set my makeup, it also leaves my skin feeling

 refreshed and with a splash of Vitamin E goodness.

Oils ♡

Moroccan Argon Oil  Direct Link

I always apply this to the ends of my hair after a shower to control dry and frizzy ends.

Almond Oil Direct Link

Who needs moisturiser when they've got almond oil?

Sorry for the delay, but better late then never right?

- Love Ishy x

January 2016: Collective Beauty Haul - Chads

In the spirit of the new year, I decided to take a break from my shopping ban and take advantage of all the sales & offers which are currently on. I ordered most of these products on-line and bought a few in-store over the past few weeks. So here's my collective beauty haul for the month!

I popped into Boots last week to buy some toiletries and ended up with these in my shopping basket:

Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Eye Liner - £5.29

Boots - direct link

This was a repurchase, and also one of my favourite liquid liners. The brush has a thin tip so I can get a precise and easy cat-eye with this. Plus, its lasting power is also very good.

Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen - £6.00

Boots - direct link

I have been meaning to buy this eyeliner for the longest time ever, but always seem to forget about it every time I'm shopping. I have read so many positive reviews about this pen so I obviously had to try it out. From first impressions, the tip of the pen looks very precise and the colour pay off intense and pigmented.

Soap & Glory Massage Glove - currently £5.67

Boots - direct link

Okay, so the first thought in my head when I saw this was what a remarkable resemblance it had to the 'Sigma Spa Brush Cleansing Glove'! The Sigma glove isn't readily available in the UK and is also much pricier - but it's a popular favourite amongst many beauty bloggers & Youtubers for cleaning their make-up brushes. For only a fraction of the price, the S&G glove is such an affordable dupe. I'll be using this glove to clean my brushes soon - anyone interested in a review? Oh, and I forgot to mention, I actually bought it for only £3.99 from Boots in Westfield.

KIKO Mixing Solution - currently £1.90

KIKO - direct link

I really want to start experimenting more with different eyeshadow looks this year, especially glitter, so I bought this mixing solution from KIKO. I did a glitter eye look recently, using loose silver glitter and the DUO lash glue - it did the trick and I had no fall out but..my days was it hard to remove! Hopefully, I won't be having that problem with this.

KIKO CC Cream Cushion System - currently £11.10

KIKO - direct link

Normally retailing at £15.90, this foundation is currently on offer (in-store and on-line). I can't explain to you how excited I was to buy this. Recently, I have been super obsessed with South Korean beauty & make-up and  cushion compacts have been around for a few years in S.Korea, but only recently in the West. Lancome came out with one last year and KIKO shortly after. To put it simply, the compacts come with a sponge which is soaked in a liquid foundation or CC/BB cream, and another sponge applicator which can be used to pat/dab the formula (from the soaked sponge) onto your face. The formula is paraben free, non-comedogenic and contains SPF 25.

I have been using this for a few days and I realllly love it. I've even convinced 2 friends to buy it. I was expecting it to have very light coverage, but surprisingly it has a more medium to buildable coverage, yet looks like skin. I love that it is also travel friendly for touch ups. I will be testing this out for another week and write a review on it soon :)

KIKO 208 Water Eyeshadow - £8.90

KIKO - direct link

After a year of searching for this, I am still in disbelief that I finally have it. I have read countless reviews on this eyeshadow/highlighter and can see why it has such glowing reviews. It's a gorgeous gold which can be used dry or wet (for a more intense colour pay off) and if you Google it, you can see it's a dupe to many high-end gold highlighters, such as Estee Lauder 'Heatwave' and MAC 'Whisper of Gilt', but at a much lower price.

Glamglow Supermud Face Mask - RRP £40.00

ZestBeauty - direct link

Another blogger enabled purchase..I just had to.

I've been on the look out for new face masks to try out, other than Lush ones and the Glamglow Supermud face mask always seems to come up as a favourite. You can purchase this from various websites, including FeelUnique, Space.NK, CultBeauty and LookFantastic. The mask is currently on offer on many of these sites but I purchased mine from ZestBeauty.com, simply because I couldn't decide between the orignal 'Supermud' or the 'Youthmud' face mask, and they're currently giving away free travel size Glamglow Youthmud (worth £12.99) when you purchase the 'Supermud' mask. Plus, they do free delivery in the UK when you spend more than £15.

The mask is a gentle exfoliating mud mask, with many benefiting factors such as:

un-clogging and tightening pores, improving skin texture, help fight against breakouts, aid healing of scars and help pigmentation issues.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre - 

FeelUnique - direct link

FeelUnique had an offer going on a few skincare brands, including Embryolisse, and on top of that, a 10% off everything promo (including sale items). Code: LASTCALL.

Anyways, back on track. With the current colder and harsher weather conditions, my skin needed a more intense and hydrating moisturiser to use at night and days where my skin needs a pick-me up. I am yet to test this out but I have high hopes for it.

The cream is also multi-functional; it can be used as a moisturiser, primer and make-up remover!

It claims moisturise, nourish and repair the skin and disappear signs of dryness. 

TONYMOLY I'm Real Mask Sheets

Amazon - direct link

Continuing on with my new found obsession with Korean beauty - I was super excited to see CultBeauty stocking TonyMoly products (along with other Korean brands)! 

The 'I'm Real' face mask sheets are sold on Cult Beauty for £6 each..and I was very close to purchasing a few of them from there!

However, you can get them for much cheaper from Amazon - I got a pack of 11 (as shown above) for just £5.19.

Each different mask sheet has different beneficial properties. I'm especially looking forward to trying out:

Rice Face Mask Sheet - for clear skin
Red Wine Mask Sheet - to tighten pores
Lemon Face Mask Sheet - for glowing skin and pigmentation

Etude House Collagen Eye Patch (pack of 3) - £3.89

Ebay - direct link

I've been very sleep deprived the past few weeks and it's becoming visible. So I ordered these under-eye patches to moisturise, smooth and tighten the skin under my eyes.

Eye patches work similarly to face mask sheets, but are usually more hydrating.

This was a longer post than anticipated but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless.

- Love Chads x

My 2015 Beauty Favourites - Chads

Happy New Years! It's been a while since I last wrote a blog post.. I've just been so busy with work and spending time with friends and family over the holidays. But anyways, I'm back ♥.

I've been meaning to do my 2015 favourites for a while now, and I guess it's better late than never? So here are the beauty products I loved & reached out for the most in 2015 (they aren't in any particular order):

NARS All day Luminious Weightless Foundation:

 I'll admit, when I first bought this foundation from John Lewis (with high expectations) I wasn't really fond of it. The foundation would look flawless for the first 3 hours, but after that I would look extremely oily and I also found that the product really clung to my dry patches.. so I stored it in the back of my makeup drawers for a while. It was only after I really took a good look at my skin care routine and changed it up according to my skin type I realised that the only reason the foundation wasn't working on me was because of lack of skin prep! This foundation honestly looks so beautiful on the skin if you exfoliate and moisturise your skin well. So since I fixed that issue, it's been my most used foundation. It's easy to blend, light weight and has medium to high coverage, without looking cakey.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer:

I was introduced to this concealer by one of my close friends ♥ and I've fallen in love. I really wish I had tried this concealer sooner. The concealer is so pigmented but very light in consistency and blends flawlessly with a damp beauty blender.

 Highlighters:

There was a massive craze over highlighting & strobing in 2015 and I loved every bit of it.

Although so so many good highlighters were released last year, I controlled myself and only bought a few which I pretty much use on most days. My go-to highlighter which I reached out  for most on special occasions or evenings out was The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer highlighter - which I always receive compliments on. I use it mostly on my cheekbones and brow bone. 

Another highlighter which I absolutely love is the Topshop Horizon highlighter. It gives such a soft and glowy finish.

Palettes:

1: Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit: 
I received this as a birthday gift and since then I have pretty much used this everyday other day through summer to winter.
I love using 'Fawn' as a contour shade as it's quite cool in comparison to other contour shades so it's perfect for creating the illusion of 'natural' contours on the face. 'Banana' is also another favourite and I use this most days just to set my concealer and brighten the under eye and high points of my face. 

2: Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette:
The first and original Naked palette was one of my first high-end beauty purchases ever, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I have several other eyeshadow palettes but to date this is my favourite and I always recommend this to others. There's a large variety of colours which can be used to create both subtle everyday looks or dramatic smokey eyes. I love how pigmented the colours are and the fall-out isn't bad either. I've found myself using this palette for so many occasions, especially to weddings and parties. 

Ardell Demi Wispies:

I purchase these lashes online from www.falseeyelashes.co.uk - £10.99 for a pack of 4 + free delivery :)
They are hands down my favourite and most worn lashes as they're perfect for those days where you want to dress up a bit more but still stay pretty casual and effortless. The lashes are easy to apply, look natural and are also comfortable. 

Lip Products:

1: Liquid Lipsticks:
Liquid lipsticks were one of my 2015 obsessions, especially the peachy, mauve and brown shades. My favourites out of the ones I own would definitely be:

a) Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in 'Lolita' - a rosey brown colour.

b) Sleek Matte Me 'Birthday Suit' - this shade is very similar to MACs 'velvet teddy' lipstick. On the lips it's a mauvey dusty rose colour, light enough to be considered a nude lippy, but one which doesn't wash me out or look like I have '"foundation lips".

c) LA Girl Matte Flat Finish Pigment Gloss in 'Fleur' - a neutral peach shade: which looks especially ahh-mazing  if you have yellow/olive/golden undertones in your skin.

I picked these 3 because they last super long, don't dry out my lips, aren't sticky and the colours really compliment my skin tone. 

2: MAC Lipsticks: 

2015 was the year I went a bit MAC crazy and started buying MAC lipsticks pretty much every month. My favourite formula's are definitely Satin & Matte finish. The lipstick shades which I used almost every day and are basically almost finished are Twig & Taupe. You can't really go wrong with these two colours and they look good on pretty much all skin tones. 

Beauty Blender:

I never really understood the hype around this tool until I used it. Before, I would always use my real techniques buffing brush or the real techniques 'miracle complexion sponge' but I just can't go back. The beauty blender just effortlessly blends the foundation and concealer on to my skin so flawlessly, especially when damp, and I even use it to bake and set my under eyes.


Clarisonic Mia II:

So, a lot of people probably don't know, but at the start of 2015 my skin went through a terrible hormonal breakout which lasted for over almost a year. After a lot of research I decided to invest in a Clarisonic. I got the Mia 2 model because it was the best option for acne and I am so grateful for purchasing this. After a 2 months of using this religiously every night with my chosen cleanser, my skin cleared up dramatically and it really helped keep my skin clear of cystic acne and white heads. Now I only use it about 2-3 times a week on days I wear heavy makeup, just to make sure my skin has been cleaned thoroughly.

I ordered mine from feelunique.com - they usually have offers where you can get 20-25% off. 

Skincare:

I discovered La Roche-Posay, a French brand, last year. I absolutely love their 
1) Effaclar Duo [+] - which I use every day and most nights. It acts as both primer and moisturiser on my skin. This cream has helped fade most of the blemishes and acne scars on my face, controlled my oily T-zone and kept dry skin at bay. 
2) Serozinc Spray - I use this as a toner before my moisturiser, as a face mist throughout the day to hydrate my face and it also soothes the skin and reduces redness after threading.

Another great brand is Nip + Fab. I use their Glycolic Fix Cleanser and Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads every other day and they have both helped lighten blemishes, brighten my skin and smooth the appearance of my skin.

Almond Oil:

Yes, I know coconut has been all the rage last year, but to be honest I still stuck to my trusty almond oil. I use this stuff as a body moisturiser almost everyday and on my hair at least once a week. I like that it is non-scented and feels pretty light and non-sticky on the skin. Using this long-term, I've noticed that skin has improved in appearance, stretch marks are lighter and my skin is softer also. I don't even bother wasting money on buying all the nice fruity smelling fancy body moisturisers any more as this does the job.

What were your beauty favourites of the year? For 2016, I really want to branch out and try out more different products and brands and try out different makeup looks for myself.. So let me know if you have any recommendations :)

Oh and keep an eye out for Ishy's post, her 2015 favourites will up on the blog soon as well.

- Chads x

My LUSH Favourites - Chads

I absolutely love LUSH  and over the past few years I have purchased and tried many of their products. The products mentioned in this post, are an integral part of my skincare routine and I highly recommend you try them, especially if you have combination or blemish prone skin like me. 

Toner Tab // Grease Lightening // Cosmetic Warrior 

Brazened Honey // Cup O' Coffee // Bubblegum Lip Scrub

1: Bubblegum Lip Scrub: 

This is my 3rd pot and as you can see it's half-way finished. Not only does this stuff smell amazing, but it keeps my lips super soft. Although it's named 'bubblegum' flavour, it smells more like candy floss, but I'm not complaining. 

 I use this lip scrub around 3-4 times a week to keep my lips flake-free and smooth. I find that the use of this scrub provides the perfect base for lipsticks, especially those with a matte formulation. 

2: Cosmetic Warrior Face Mask:

When I first started experiencing acne about a year ago, I decided to try out a fresh face mask with natural products, so LUSH was the first place I went to. I was recommended to try this mask by one of the sales assistants and I used this mask religiously (2 times a week) during my acne break-out. 

This mask was so comforting and soothing to use, especially when used straight out of the fridge. I have to admit that it is not one of the more pleasant smelling masks they have, but it's bearable and so worth trying if you have oily, troublesome skin. 

The mask is made of:

- garlic and tea tree oil, which provides the anti-bacterial properties

- egg whites, which helps tighten skin

-and honey, so you are left with moisturised skin

This product definitely helped me combat my acne, reduce redness and soothe the pain, all without stripping my skin of its essential oils. 

3: Brazened Honey Face Mask:

Now that I have my acne in control, my main issue is the scars they left behind. Along with other products, I have been using this mask for a while now and really feel like it has aided the healing process. The lemon juice in the mask is what really helps lighten blemishes.

I like to use this mask at least once a week and love how soft and smooth my skin is afterwards.  

4: Cup O' Coffee Mask:

I love using this mask after a long day as it helps me to relax. I currently have this mask on as I'm writing, and my god, does it smell amazing. It literally smells like Starbucks on my face. This is the most recent addition to my lush products and probably my favourite. Like I mentioned before, since I'm dealing with post-acne blemishes, my main focus has been on using products which help brighten my skin and reduce the redness, and that is exactly what this mask does!

5: Tea Tree Toner Tab:

Every now and then I like to steam my face, especially when I feel like my skin is congested or I just need to open my pores for a good cleanse. 

LUSH have a few toner tabs but I always buy the tea tree one because of its antibacterial properties and how refreshing it is.

All you need to do is drop it in a bowl of hot water, drape a towel over your head and hover your face over the bowl so the steam can cleanse and soothe your skin.

Honorary mention: Grease Lightening Spot Treatment:

I rarely use this now, but this was a nightly necessity when I had bad acne. It really helped me control my acne and soothe the redness and pain.

What are your favourite LUSH products? Feel free to comment and let me know :)

- Love, Chads

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My Daily Skincare Routine - Ishy

Hi everyone, hope you're all well, I thought I would start the month off with my 'daily skincare routine'. Below are the products I like to use, as I feel they work best on my combination skin.

Garnier Micellar Water// Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion

Carmex Cherry Lip Balm// St Ives Invigorating Facial Scrub// Neutrogena Cream Wash 

Garnier Micellar Water 

I love this micellar water by Garnier,

 it is inexpensive and best of all removes my makeup effectively 

leaving my skin feeling 'pure'. I go for the 'oily to combination' bottle as 

I have a oily t-zone and some dry areas around my lips.

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion

After several months of switching from one lotion to another, some of which included, 

Elizabeth Arden 'miracle complexion' and Body shop 'vitamin E moisture cream' 

I have finally found the perfect daily moisturising cream which suits me well. Aveeno leaves my skin feeling nourished and tackles dry areas very well, I have also noticed that massaging the lotion into my skin before wearing my makeup leaves my face looking even and healthy. I have been using Aveeno for 4 months now, and I don't see myself switching again, YAAAY!  Another benefit is the formulae of the product, this lotion is a great consistency it spreads across the face smoothly without making it feel too dry or oily. 

I apply lotion in the morning after washing my face, and also once after removing my makeup before bed.

Carmex Cherry Lip Balm

Some of you may find it weird that Carmex is actually a part of my daily skincare routine 

but if I'm being honest, I can't live without it, I love how carmex just soaks into my lips. 

Using carmex prevents my lips from drying and also leaves them appearing smooth when I apply lipstick! :)I feel that carmex is better than vaseline, it smells nice "mmhhm cherry" and protects my lips (Spf 15) 

St Ives Invigorating Facial Scrub

Although I don't use the Apricot scrub daily, I use it often, 2/3 times a week. This product speaks for itself 'UK's No.1', I have been using it for nearly a year now and even till this day It has the same results on my skin, smooth , fresh feeling, and flawless. I like the texture of the scrub against my skin it isn't too harsh, and doesn't leave my skin feeling sore or looking red. St Ives also offer this product to suit individual skin types for example 'combination skin' 'dry skin', for those of you looking to try it. Lastly its a great inexpensive face scrub which can be purchased at Superdrugs/Boots usually combined with 2 for 1 offers :)

Neutrogena Cream Wash

I use Neutrogena's 'Pink Grapefruit Cream Wash' every morning to start my day, I always opt for the cream edition rather than the gel as it cleanses my skin without overdrying it. The formulae is amazing its a slightly pink silky looking cream which smells of delicious grapefruit freshness. I first started using this product last December 2014 before I went to Bangladesh, I had a horrible break out which I had never experienced before.

 I picked up this face wash whilst I was holiday shopping in Superdrugs, and within 1 week of using it my skin looked and felt 'visibly clear'. The cream wash also removes dirt, oil and impurities to help prevent spots and blackheads.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading about my go to skincare products, 

I will be happy to answer any questions related, 

DM us on instagram: ishyxchads 

Email: ishyxchads@hotmail.com 

- Ishy <3

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