PHP's Beloved Beauty Bits (May)

What's up chica's?  April's 'Beloved Beauty Bits' went rather well, so here's the products I've loved using throughout May.  I didn't have so many items this time, but it'll go like that sometimes. I'd rather use this post to tell you my absolute favourites, than add things in just to make up the numbers!

Milani Powder Blush in 06 Mango Tango:  In April I loved bright pink cheeks and in May things got even brighter.  I've found my DSLR isn't keen on picking up bold colour, so you'll have to take my word for it, that this is 'bright-as'!  As the name suggests it is a bold mango colour (think coral-pink) with a strong hint of almost neon (really)!  It's really pigmented, super-scary in the pan and a very unique colour.  On the cheeks though it's a perfect flush of coral, yes it's bright, but really pretty.  I think Milani discontinued this a couple of years back and it was hard to find anything Milani in the UK anyway (you do find the odd thing nowadays), so I don't have any good news on where to buy it!  I've had mine for years and it shows no signs of coming even close to being used up, so I'm thankful I've got it for a good while yet.

Pout Rouge in Berry Babe:  Another in-your-face blush I loved using last month was Pout's 'Berry Babe'.  It's a reddish coral and you just need a tiny amount for a fabulous bright, pop of colour to your cheeks.  Again this was purchased years ago and the brand is no-more, so it's harder to find these days.  I have tonnes of their powder blush and go through phases of ignoring them, then rediscovering them and wondering how I lived without them!

Clarins Multi-Active Day & Night Cream:  I'd been using sample sizes of these moisturisers during early May and as I already mentioned in another post, was so impressed that I purchased full-sizes.  I was already a fan of the MA range but wanted to trial them now to see if my skin would react badly to them.  I hate having to forsake anti-ageing to deal with my blemish-prone skin as there's very few ranges dedicated to dealing with both. Thankfully (touch wood), no problems thus far with these.  I love the old-fashioned scent of Multi-Active but unfortunately the night cream has been reformulated and lost that (it's still a nice herbal-ish scent that is growing on me), but the day-cream smells the same.  I'd like to do a more thorough review of these once I've used them a bit longer.  

Percy & Reed No-Fuss Flawlessness Dry Conditioner:  I'm a big fan of dry shampoo, but never really saw the point of 'dry conditioner'.  I used this once months ago (just to try it), felt it left my hair a little lank and never used it again.  My obsession throughout April with dry-shampoo took it's toll on my hair though.  Spraying it in every day for added oomph left my hair looking great but feeling dry and brittle.  I wondered what I could be using that was making my hair appear so damaged and after realising it was the dry-shampoo, a light-bulb appeared above my head (!) and I suddenly realised what dry conditioner was all about!  You use it much the same as you would the shampoo, just spray it in paying particular attention to the dry areas and it leaves your hair feeling like 'hair' again, silky smooth!  FYI I'm using my dry shampoo in moderation now!

Soap & Glory Heel Genius:  After falling in love with their hand-cream (among many other products) I tried the S&G foot lotion years ago.  I'm now never without a tube or two!  What I love is that it doesn't have that medicinal, herbal feel to it like most other foot creams.  It doesn't make you wince when you smell it, it's actually very pleasant and girly!  It's a bright turquoise lotion (not too thick or too runny) and I pop some on before getting into bed (have it sitting on my bedside table) so I never have dry or hard skin on my feet.  In the winter I pop some cotton socks (Soap & Glory ones) on with them for added benefits (my feet are amazingly soft by morning), but it's been great to use during the little bout of hot weather in May.  I hate after a hot day when my ankles feel like they'll explode and my legs and feet are throbbing.  This cools and refreshes, perfect!

Too Faced LashGASM Mascara:  Mascara goes through trends (like anything else) and it seems the current one is for skinny, almost bristle-less brushes.  I'm no fan of big brushes, but I don't like super-slim either.  I tend to poke my eye with them and they're usually so laden in mascara that my little lashes are saturated and clumpy after one swipe.  I kinda felt this way when I first tried this mascara, but last month I gave it more of a shot and actually found myself reaching for it every day.  I'm not saying it's my favourite ever mascara and I do still have the odd day when it doesn't perform so well; but on good days, it really opens my eye with clump-free, pretty, long lashes.  I don't apply too much (or I fear it would go clumpy) and the brush can be a little scratchy too close to the lashline, but it's definitely worth trying and fyi I haven't poked my eye out yet!

Lancome Vernis In Love (407N Gris Angora):  I'm not usually in the habit of spending a lot of money on any one nail polish, but I'd spotted these new colours on the Lancome counter a couple of months ago and purchased this one online when there was an offer on.  I own a few greys already but I like that this one is very girly with it's strong lilac tone rather than the more industrial looking, darker greys.  It applied well and lasted a reasonable length of time.

Lancome Ombre Absolue Quad in G10 Intemporel Smoky:  I got this (full size) quad in the special holiday-vanity-case offer a year past Christmas.  It's one that I've found myself reaching for a lot lately.  I love me a wee smokey eye and you can't really go wrong with this palette.  My camera was refusing to photograph all four shadows in focus (naughty, naughty), but you get a pale silver bordering on white, a slightly darker silvery grey, an even darker but still mid-tone silver-grey, then a black to use as a liner.  The three silvery shades are super shimmery and glittery and I find I can achieve loads of different looks depending on which colours I pick and where I put them.  It's very versatile and maybe not entirely un-dupeable but an asset for smokey eye lovers.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector (03 Nude Shimmer):  I have a plethora of lip products, so was surprised that I fell for this balm...hard! I'm not much of a balm girl at the best of times, I like colour on my lips so don't ever need a balm (don't even get started on the fact I wear lipgloss in bed!).  This one is so freakin' fabulous though that I can't stop raving about it.  I got a mini of the nude shade in my Clarins order and from the first application was completely hooked.  It's super hydrating, feels gloriously smooth and light and the scent is divine, heavenly even!  I'm crap at deciphering smells and even googling this it seems nobody can agree on whether it's vanilla, toffee, frosting, cake mixture, cookie dough...etc!  It's gorgeous whatever it is and it's that alone that has 90% of my love, because it just makes me feel so good.  It just shows you how powerful a scent or taste can be in a product! I've bought the pink one (01 Rose Shimmer) just an alternative to the nude, although can see myself buying full-size of that when it runs out and probably the apricot one too.  I also bought the No7 'inspired' ones this week, so will be keen to see how they fare, although seriously doubt they'll be better or as good as this.  

No7 SPF50 Anti-Ageing Anti-Dark Spot Facial Sun Protection and Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Sunscreen SPF15:  Phew, doubt you could ask for that No7 product in a hurry could you?  We had maybe a week of sweltering heat in May, a weekend actually that was super hot.  It's probably the only summer we're going to get, but anyhoo.  I'm big on sunscreens, in fact when I worked after-school on the beauty counter of a local chemist, I did a wee exam in suncare!  Interesting fact for you all!  I was the go-to girl for recommendations about which SPF to buy and the (mostly) middle-aged, American men who were spending entire days along the Links Golf Course (sea breeze and all that) were not keen to take my advice on high SPF's!  They wanted to tan and didn't want to entirely block out the sun...oh how I want to laugh at them, but the risks they took are no laughing matter.  We've all been guilty of being burnt at least once in our lifetime (yes I was the bright red girl on the Tube in London, with horrendous white strap marks that everybody laughed and pointed at, that couldn't wear a bra for a week after a day in sunny Bournemouth 10 years ago-it was painful and I had reapplied sunscreen several times), anyway I've never been tanned or burned since (unless it was fake).  So this little GWP of SPF50 which is lovely and shimmery was a God-send for me that weekend.  I had a fear of getting burnt as there was no shade and my little sister and I were applying this like crazy.  I also like one specifically made for the face in the hope it doesn't break me out.  I'd also been using the Estee Lauder one (another one with bronze-shimmer) on my bare legs and arms (when I'm out for 5 minutes on my walk).

So that's it, have you tried any of these items, would you like to now?  I highly recommend everyone get the Clarins balm!!