Bath Time with The Beauty Vine #4 | The Beauty Icon | Clarins

You guessed it! Bath time with Lou again! Part four of this series features the ionic beauty brand Clarins, known and loved by women all over the world for decades. I can remember my first Clarins products, gifted to me by my gorgeous Mother-In-Law for Christmas about 14 years ago. It was a Christmas set featuring Eau Dynamisante, which included the fragrance and the moisturising body lotion. I don't know about you, but I always connect fragrances to events and memories. The distinct fragrance of Clarins Eau Dynamissante swiftly transports me back to my mid-twenties, recently married, young and in-love, with endless trips to IKEA with my beautiful sister Lara, in the vain attempt to decorate our newly purchased home. They are cherished memories.

Clarins Eau Dynamisante Moisturising Body Lotion is one of the three beautiful products that were gifted to me from the Australian Beauty website Recreate Yourself, which stock a huge number of brands to cover all of your possible beauty needs, from skincare and makeup, to haircare and hair tools. Today, however, is all about Clarins.

These three gorgeous products can be easily translated into a pampering session in your shower, if, for some horribly unfortunate reason you do not have a bath ( come and borrow mine ).

If you have been following this series, you know the drill by now. Lights off...candle glowing, clean PJ's and towel laid out, cup of tea or glass of wine at the ready, and loads of gloriously hot water streaming into the bath...

Clarins Tonic Bath & Shower Concentrate   RRP $38.00 AUD
Clarins Exfoliating Body Scrub   RRP $45.00 AUD

Clarins Tonic Bath & Shower Concentrate is an uplifting, moisturising cleansing gel that is equally beautiful in the bath or the shower. As you can see from my photograph above, I have been enjoying this one! Poured under running bath water it makes a nice amount of bubbles to soak in, and the fragrance is spa-like and refreshing, combining rosemary, mint and rose geranium essential oils. I find these types of scents both uplifting and relaxing at the same time. Used straight onto the skin in the shower, it has a lovely thick texture, and the fragrance is of course amplified in the smaller space... perfect for a morning shower to wake you up! Love. 

Clarins Exfoliating Body Scrub is a gorgeous, creamy, skin nourishing body scrub that leaves your skin glowing and perfectly soft without being too abrasive. It contains very fine, natural bamboo powders to exfoliate the skin, and is enriched with shea butter to lock in moisture. Packaged in a 200ml tube makes for easy and mess free dispensing, making it ideal for either the bath or the shower. It has a beautiful scent, a little difficult to dissect... the only way I can describe it is to say that it smells like Clarins! I know that will make sense to Clarins fans anyway! It rinses away easily, and leaves your skin soft and fragrant. Sound good? 

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I like to spend a few more minutes soaking after a good scrub, and try to quiet my mind, focus on some deep breathing.... and have a sip of wine of course...

Clarins Eau Dynamisante Moisturising Body Lotion   RRP $60.00 AUD

Out of the bath, feeling relaxed and smelling lovely, I pat my skin dry. As mentioned in the beginning of the post, I have a lots of lovely memories associated with Clarins Eau Dynamisante. It is not a shy fragrance at all, she is fresh and zingy, with rosemary, white thyme and citrus oils, and the grounding, earthy notes of patchouli. Clarins describe it as "Invigorating"... The scent lingers forever on my skin, and on your PJ's for that matter. I adore it. The lotion itself is lightweight, melts quickly into the skin, and is enriched with honey and ginseng extracts to moisturise and stimulate the skin. All sorts of loveliness... I am very pleased to have this in my beauty cupboard again all these years later.

You can find Recreate Yourself ( known as R.Y. ) here.

They stock an absolute plethora of well known, and highly regarded Australian and International beauty brands,  and have frequent special offers. At the time of publishing this post, all of the products I have mentioned ( and many more ) have free shipping! Well worth spending some time browsing the site! 

International shipping is also available, and calculated based on the weight of your package.

Do you have any favourite Clarins products that I might need to know about? I have the Golden Glow Booster on my list, and the new Lip Perfector balms as well! Do leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you as always! And don't forget to put aside some time just for you!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Disclaimer: Products were provided for trial and review. This post is not sponsored. There are no affiliate links present. All opinions, thoughts and ramblings are my own. Cheers xo

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Indeed Labs Fillume | Review

The Fillume range from Indeed Labs was launched earlier this year, and I have spent the last few months incorporating both the serum and the moisturiser into my skincare routine.

Being the skincare junkie that I am, I always love trying new products, and if I feel they are worth mentioning, they will land right here on the blog. Both of these products were sent to me for trial and consideration, and I have really been enjoying them. To date, there are not many Indeed Labs products that have failed to impress me, and I continue to enjoy the fragrance free, well formulated and effective skincare products in their range.

 Indeed Labs fillume is a range designed to " put the bloom back in you skin ". 

Indeed Labs claim that fillume is "designed to work with the skin's matrix, and help improve the visual signs of ageing including loss of firmness, moisture and elasticity, and by helping to visibly plump furrow lines, nasal labial creases and crow's feet".

I certainly have all of those trouble spots, however I have not yet started to notice volume loss, or any sagging of my facial skin, thank goodness... one thing at a time thanks!

If you would like to hear my thoughts and experience, please keep reading!

Indeed Laboratories fillume volumizing serum  30ml  rrp $34.99 AUD.

Indeed Labs fillume volumising serum is a lightweight, hydrating serum that feels fresh and light on the skin, and absorbs quickly. It does contain some silicones, which contribute to it's velvety feel, but it does not feel silicone "heavy" in my opinion. The hero anti-ageing ingredients of this serum are Peptides. Indeed Labs state that this unique formula contains five peptides to help improve skin firmness, restore facial contours, improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, increase the skin's hydration level and stimulate skin renewal, and finally improve the tone and texture of the skin.

Applied topically to the skin over a period of time, it is believed that the peptides stimulate collagen production, thus aiming to restore some of the suppleness and plumpness of youthful skin. Peptides are often considered part of the "cell communicating " group of ingredients for that reason. It is this stimulation of the production of Collagen that is believed to assist in producing the anti-ageing results listed above. Collagen is known as one of the main proteins, or 'building blocks' with the skin's structure.

This serum also contains the water holding and preserving ingredients Glycerin and Hyaluronic acid to keep the skin hydrated, and help protect from moisture loss.

I have been enjoying using a pea sized amount of the serum in the mornings, after cleansing and then following with the Indeed Labs fillume moisturiser...

Indeed Laboratories fillume volumising moisturiser  30ml  rrp $39.99 AUD.

You may be able to tell from my photographs above that I am almost at the end of this moisturiser. I really like it. The pump mechanism makes dispensing the product easy and hygienic, which a lot of people will appreciate. One pump provides plenty of product to smooth over the face, neck, and décolletage. I would describe the texture as a gel/cream, very lightweight and refreshing, and absorbs quickly to leave a matte/natural finish on the skin. It feels hydrating without being too emollient, which my combo/oily/acne prone skin loves. I like to wait a minute or two prior to applying my makeup, and find that it makes a really nice base for my foundation. 

The fillume moisturiser reminds me of the texture, finish and results I saw when using Estee Lauder's Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging  moisturiser, which retails for a significantly higher price point. In my extremely humble opinion, try Indeed Labs fillume first, and save yourself a bit of hard earned money.

Worthy of note, there are three types of alcohol in the ingredient list, however, they are not to be confused with the more damaging alcohols, such as denatured alcohol or SD alcohol. The alcohols present in this moisturiser are actually thickening, softening agents, often derived from coconut, or other oils, or manufactured synthetically, and are not damaging to the skin.

If I could use one word to describe how these two products make my skin feel, it would be Plump. I could notice a difference in my skin in the first week of trialing. It had a definite plumpness, and bounce. Over the next few weeks I could definitely see my fines lines and the wrinkles on my forehead becoming softer and less noticeable. My skin just looked generally healthier. As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, I don't really suffer from loss of volume, or thin, sagging skin, so I cannot comment on the claim of the restoration of facial contours.

Now correct me if I wrong, but I believe that results, particularly with peptides are best seen over a reasonable length of time, several months or more, and you need to be using them fairly consistently as well. This is true of many skincare ingredients.... we are often so eager and impatient, wanting immediate, visible results. Sometimes, you just need to be patient and consistent. ( I'm old, and I am allowed to say that! ). I am also of the belief that there are many great anti-ageing skincare ingredients out there, but protecting your skin everyday with a broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF is well known to be the most effective anti-ageing step you can incorporate into your skincare routine.

I would not hesitate to warmly recommend Indeed Labs fillume serum and moisturiser if you are noticing some visible signs of ageing, and your skin needs a bit of plumping! I really enjoy them both, and will certainly be keeping these in my skincare rotation.

You can find out more about Indeed Laboratories and their stockists here.

Of course, in Australia, Indeed Labs are available to purchase from Priceline Pharmacy's nationally.

Have you tried fillume? Have you tired any of the other products in the range?

Do leave a comment, or a question below, I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Disclaimer: These products were provided for trial and review. This in no way affects my experience or opinions. This post is not sponsored, and there are no affiliate links present.

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Sephora Australia Exclusive Brands Showcase | Part Two...COVER | FX and NUDESTIX

Part two of my Sephora Exclusive Brands Event will focus on two exciting new brand launches into Sephora Sydney, COVER | FX and NUDESTIX.

COVER | FX,  loved by professional makeup artists around the world, is a Canadian based, cruelty free company that offers healthy formulations designed to match every skin tone, and be safe for even the most sensitive skin. The two products featured at the showcase were the innovative Custom Cover Drops, and the Cream Contour Kit. I was gifted the Contour Kit in the shade Neutral Medium.

NUDESTIX are a very cleverly designed, no-makeup makeup line, created by a Mum, Jenny, and marketed by her two daughters, Ally and Taylor. NUDESTIX are all about enhancing your natural features with easy to use cosmetics all designed in a compact, chubby pencil format. From concealers, contour and highlight shades for the face, to lip and cheek pencils, lip colour pens, and a variety of eyeshadow formulas, all presented in sturdy tin "pencil case" type packaging, NUDESTIX will certainly streamline your makeup bag. The shades are mostly neutral, every day shades that will appeal to many, and application is as easy as a quick swipe of colour, blend and go. I have an Eye Pencil Duo to share with you today.

If you would like to see swatches of the products and hear my thoughts, then please keep reading!

COVER | FX Contour Kits

COVER | FX Custom Cover Drops

COVER | FX is a brand that I am not personally familiar with, but I had a really good chat with the brand rep on the day of the showcase. I was most intrigued by the recently released Custom Cover Drops, which are now available in store. I am hanging out to try these, and have heard many positive reviews on the beauty bloggersphere! I love the idea of being able to create your own custom coverage, using your existing skincare and foundations. These highly pigmented drops are able to be mixed with your favourite primer, moisturiser, tinted moisturiser, or foundation to create your own custom base, I certainly have these on my list next time I visit Sephora! They currently have 25 shades in the range, and that will be extended to a whopping 40 shades in the coming months.

COVER | FX Contour Kit N-Medium RRP $67.00 AUD  $48.00 USD.

COVER | FX Contour Kit  N-Medium

COVER | FX Contour Kit N-Medium From Left  1. N-20   2. Starlight  3. N-60  4. N80

From Left  1. N-20 blended out  2. Starlight  3. N-60   4. N-80 Blended out

The COVER | FX Cream Contour Kits are a palette consisting of three shades of cream foundation, along with an illuminating cream highlighter. The formula of these cream contour shades is exactly the same as the  COVER | FX Total Cover cream foundations. They have simply placed the shades from their range into designated contour palettes, and you choose the palette based on your skintone. There are six contour palettes available, featuring a range of undertones and shades.

The formula is creamy, pigmented, and blends beautiful into the skin. The palette that I have is designed for medium skin tones, slightly deeper than my own skin tone. I like to apply the product with a concealer brush, and then blend it in with either my fingers, a synthetic brush, or a damp beauty blender. I would describe the finish on the skin as satin and very natural.

The highlight shade in the palette, N-20 is designed for brightening areas of the face, is actually quite close to my current normal foundation shade. I patted some of this under my eyes as a concealer the other day and it worked beautifully! For those of you with a medium skin tone, it would certainly be more brightening. The illuminating highlight shade, Starlight, is actually quite pigmented, and offers some coverage as well as a lovely luminosity. It is gorgeous! I have not tried the deepest shade on my skin, simply because it is just too dark, but I have enjoyed warming up the outer perimeters of my face with N-60.

You can certainly adjust the coverage by either sheering out the product, or building it up in thin layers. It works well either way on my skin. Although I adore the finish and look of cream foundations on my skin, they typically don't agree with my acneaic skin, so I just have to be careful not to use them too often. The ease with which these blend is in part due to the waxes present in the formulation, and my oily combo skin seems to like breaking it up after about 4-5 hours of wear. I will keep experimenting with this palette, and certainly keep you updated. I think perhaps normal, and dryer skin types would love this formula.

Worth noting is that this formula is free from parabens, fragrance, gluten, mineral oil and talc, and is also vegan.

You can find out more about COVER | FX here.

NUDESTIX Eye Shadow Pencil Duo  RRP $31.00 AUD Left - Magnetic Eye Colour Pencil in ANGEL
Right - Sheer Eye Pencil in BRONZE 

NUDESTIX  Magnetic Eye Colour in Angel ( Swatch on the left ) is a beautiful, peach toned champagne shade that really brightens up your eyes. The Magnetic formula is designed to be long wearing, and I find this to be mostly accurate. If I place too much product near the crease of my eye, I find it does start to shift a little after about 6 hours, which is still pretty good for my oily eyelids. This shade looks just beautiful right behind your lash line , accompanied by lashings of mascara! I rarely place a highlighting shade near my inner corner, as it will typically migrate within about 30 mins on me, however this formula lasts beautifully, and this shade is so brightening for the inner corner! Love.

NUDESTIX Sheer Eye Colour in Bronze is an even creamier, softer formula than the Magnetic Eye Colour. It glides onto the eyes with ease, and is designed to be blended out for a very natural, sheer wash of colour on the lids. The pencil is doubled ended, with a sponge tip on the other end to blend the pencil if you desire. The photograph above shows quite a heavy swatch of this satin finish, deep brown/bronze shade. You can build up the intensity if you wish, however the colour does sheer out a lot if you do blend it. For me personally, this works best as a base for a powder eyeshadow, as alone, it did not last very long before creasing and fading on me. If you are blessed with eye lids that do not pump out ridiculous amounts of oil like mine, I am sure you would find the longevity to be much improved. 

The kit comes with a separate sharpener, which sharpens these pencils like a boss. Best sharpener I've ever used! The lid of the sturdy little matte black tin also contains a good size mirror. I think you might be able to fit four or five of these pencils in each tin. Perfect for travel!

I am keen to try out the Lip and Cheek pencils next... they have some beautiful shades!

You can find out more about NUDESTIX here.

Have you tried any COVER | FX  or  NUDESTIX products? Do leave a comment below, or any questions you might like to ask!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

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Sephora Australia Exclusive Brands Showcase | Part One | Make Up For Ever

In April this year I was invited to attend the Sephora Exclusive Brands Showcase held in Sydney. Picture a very large exhibition room full of gorgeous make up and skincare, brand representatives, lots of famous bloggers and vloggers, and little old me... 

Rather than wallow in my old, mumsy self deprecation, I decided to make the most of it and really enjoyed it! I had an absolutely lovely time walking around the event and speaking to all the representatives, getting all the beauty news to share with you!

As we were leaving the event, we were gifted with a very large bag full of goodies. I have been thinking about how best to show you what I received, and rather than a very long post just showing you photographs of a lot of products, I wanted to have a short amount of time to have play with the products and give you some thoughts and reviews.

Part one today will look at Make Up For Ever.

MAKE UP FOR EVER - SEPHORA AUSTRALIA EXCLUSIVE BRANDS SHOWCASE APRIL 2015

MAKE UP FOR EVER - SEPHORA AUSTRALIA EXCLUSIVE BRANDS SHOWCASE APRIL 2015

MAKE UP FOR EVER AQUA COLLECTION WATERPROOF GLIDE ON EYESHADOW

MAKE UP FOR EVER AQUA COLLECTION GLIDE ON EYESHADOW

MAKE UP FOR EVER AQUA ROUGE WATERPROOF LIQUID LIP COLOUR

MAKE UP FOR EVER AQUA MATIC EYESHADOW  L-R  S-52,  D-12,  I-90,  I-30
AQUAROUGE WATERPROOF LIP COLOR L-R 21, 23

Make Up For Ever's Aqua Collection is their recently released summer collection, consisting of 15 shades of waterproof eyeshadow pencils and two new shades of the Aqua Rouge Waterproof lip colours. Available in a variety of shades, ranging from neutrals to brights, and with a waterproof, ultra long-lasting formula, they claim to blend easily, and to resist transfer to the upper lid. 

I found the formula to be very smooth, and easy to apply, however they do set very quickly on my skin, not leaving a lot of time to blend. I found the warmth of my finger to be the best, rather than a brush, to blend and smooth the colour onto my eyelids. Now do note, I have ridiculously oily eyelids, and I found after about 4 hours, I was noticing some creasing and transfer of the product. The addition of a primer seams to make the product a little harder to blend. My favourite way to wear these, was as more of an accent, close to the lash line, and away from the crease of my eyelid. The built in sharpener makes it easy to keep the tip of the shadow in a precise point, and I enjoy both the metallic grey, D -12, which has a beautiful gold reflect,  and the purple, I-90 used almost as an eyeliner. 

They retail for $29.00 AUD. Do let me know if you have tried these, and how you like to use them!

The two new shades in the Aqua Rouge Waterproof lip colours are very pretty, and very summer appropriate! Highly pigmented, and very smooth to apply, they feel very comfortable on my lips, and are indeed, very long-lasting! The gloss is smooth, and gel like in consistency, and I didn't find it to be sticky at all. I really like the formula of these, the only thing I noticed was that with both the shades, was that any textural issues you may have with you lips were highlighted, so a good lip scrub and balm prior to application definitely helps. Perhaps this is more noticeable with these two particular shades, I have not tried any of the deeper shades.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Pro Bronze Fusion 20M  RRP $40.00 AUD

Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion 25I RRP $40.00 AUD

MAKE UP FOR EVER Pro Bronze Fusion Powders swatched in natural light
L - 20M  R - 25I 

The Pro Bronze Fusion bronzers really caught my attention at the event. One of the representatives buffed one of the shades onto my arm, and I was immediately taken with the beautiful glow and finish of the product. 

Make Up For Ever says...

" A breakthrough gel-powder formula blends seamlessly for a weightless, 

mistake proof luminous bronze. Skin instantly has a summer glow, with a luminous, 

radiant finish that never looks powdery or unnatural".

Available in six shades to suit most skin tones, these bronzers are just beautiful. I tend to reach for the shade 20M most often, as it has a slighter cooler undertone, and suits my skin tone perfectly. The formula is described as matte/natural, and you can probably see from my swatch in the photograph above, it has a slightly luminosity to it... it is beyootiful on the skin. 25I has a little more warmth, is slightly more iridescent in finish, and gives a lovely warmth to the skin, without looking orange or unnatural. They are both also lovely to buff onto the neck and décolletage and tops of the shoulders  for a gorgeous glow. I warmly recommend these bronzers, absolutely beautiful, and of note, the Australian RRP is actually less than what our US sisters are paying with the current dollar value. You're welcome!

Have you tried any of these products from Make Up For Ever? Do you have any favourite shades or products? Do let me know in the comments! I am new to the brand, and would love any recommendations you might have!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

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VICTORIA BECKHAM VVB NAILS INC Collection and Swatches

Having already shared some pictures on Instagram of my manicures using these stunning polishes, I  wanted to put together a post about them for you, especially seeing as they are limited edition!

Kindly gifted to me to share and review, this stunning duo of polishes are the result of a collaboration between Nails Inc and Victoria Beckham, and the result is two very chic, sophisticated shades of polish that I don't feel will ever go out of style.

"Developed to sit alongside the Victoria Beckham Spring/Summer 2015 collection, the polishes have been inspired by the subtle incorporation of Japanese elements, creating the covetable and collectable duo featuring two new shades, Judo Red and Bamboo White".

This collection of polishes has been obviously meticulously designed. From the presentation in the box, to the heavily weighted matte glass bottles, to the impeccable formula of the polishes themselves. Each of the swatches below were two easy coats, the formula is pretty close to perfect, and the brush is wide with slightly rounded edges to fit neatly against the bed of the nail. I found both of the shades to wear very well on my nails, with minimal tip wear, and no chipping at four days.

Available from Sephora Sydney, and retailing for $60 AUD for the duo, and $35 AUD for a single shade, they are certainly expensive nail polishes. Out of interest, Australian pricing on these polishes are very close to those prices paid by our US sisters, at the current exchange rate.

Overall, this collection is absolutely beautiful, and if you have a weakness for very good quality, limited edition designer nail polish collections then you may just need this in your life!

Nails Inc VVB Victoria Beckham - Bamboo White

Bamboo White is a beautiful off-white with a hint of pink.

Opaque in two easy coats.

Nails Inc VVB Victoria Beckham - Judo Red

Judo Red is an incredibly glossy, tomato red that is very close to 

being opaque in one coat. This picture was taken prior to applying a top coat!

A stunning formula that glides onto the nail...

A little graphic dotti-cure...

Have you considered picking up this collection? Do you own it already? Do leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

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Currently Loving | The Glowy Blush Edit

I have a thing for blush. I love how it instantly brightens my whole face. It is a step in my daily makeup routine that I never miss. Ever. If I did, I'd feel like I had forgotten to put my knickers on.

Having spent the last few months experimenting with contouring and highlighting, and using three different products on my cheeks, I was recently inspired to pair it back to one product... a glowing blush. One sweep, one product, glowing cheeks. Yes please.

I have managed to edit my favourites down to a mere eight ( only eight Lou? ), and thought I would share some swatches with you today. They all have some degree of sheen or shimmer, without being glittery. I have a fairly even mix of both affordable and high end options. Most of these shades have enough depth to also add a little dimension to your cheekbones, and enough glow to negate the need for a separate highlighter. 

A bowl full of blush... heavenly.

Milani Baked Powder Blush   Berry Amore

Swatches from Left - SAVVY by DB Silky Pink,  Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush in Rose,
 Milani Luminoso,  Milani Berry Amore,
Benefit Rockateur,  Nude By Nature Virgin Blush,  NARS Lovejoy,  HOURGLASS Mood Exposure.

Swatches from Left - SAVVY by DB Silky Pink,  Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush in Rose,
 MILANI Luminoso,  MILANI Berry Amore,
Benefit Rockateur,  Nude By Nature Virgin Blush,  NARS Lovejoy,  HOURGLASS Mood Exposure.

SAVVY by DB, available nationally in Priceline Pharmacies, make some really lovely affordable blushes. Silky Pink is a beautiful mauve toned pink, with a subtle gold sheen. Very pigmented and very soft, definitely tap off your brush with this one. Love.

PHYSICIANS FORMULA Happy Booster Glow and Mood Boosting Blush in Rose is a true pink, with a lovely sheen. I can't really comment on the mood boosting claims, all of the blushes in this post boost my mood! This one screams Spring to me. So pretty and youthful! 

MILANI BAKED BLUSH in Luminoso receives accolades from Beauty bloggers and vloggers across the globe. It really is the perfect, glowy peach toned blush. If you don't have it...you need it.

MILANI BAKED BLUSH in Berry Amore is probably in my top five all time favourite blushes. To me, it is a beautiful rosy, warm neutral blush, that has the loveliest finish on the skin. Again, if you don't have it... you need it!

BENEFIT Rockateur is the only Benefit boxed blush that I own. I purchased mine from Adore Beauty last year, and immediately fell in blush-love. The formula is incredibly smooth and silky, it just glides onto the skin, and has very pretty pink reflect. It is in fact, very similar in tone to Milani's Berry Amore, just a touch lighter. I have put each of the shades on my cheeks, and could see very little difference at all... just sayin'...

NUDE BY NATURE Mineral Blush in Virgin Blush is also similar to Benefit Rockateur and Milani Berry Amore, just a touch less pink I feel. Equally as gorgeous, and Aussie to boot. Have a swatch next time you are in Priceline or Target... she is just lovely.

NARS Lovejoy is such a stunning blush that I have previously dedicated an entire post to her. Not one of the NARS blushes that you hear a lot of people talking about, but beautiful none the less. You can see how she differs from the other neutrals to the left, I think with more of an earthy, terracotta undertone, but still rosy, with a beautiful gold reflect. Don't be worried by the rather strong and intimidating heavy swatch, this blush has a sheer, but buildable formula. If you are in the market for a high end blush, I cannot recommend this one enough!

HOURGLASS Ambient Lighting Blush Mood Exposure is probably best captured in the last of my swatch photographs. The perfect neutral, glowy blush. Do forgive me for using a much overused term, but the glow from this blush truly makes your cheeks look "lit from within". Absolutely worth the splurge! I purchased mine from Mecca Maxima last year, and I am itching to add more shades to my collection. If you like neutral blush shades, this is an absolute must have!

What are your favourite go-to blushes? Do you prefer a matte finish, or do you like a little bit of glow like me? Do leave a comment below if you would like to!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings!

Lou xo

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