Let's have a sneak peek at what beauty products were in my LookFantastic shopping basket this August. Running low on some trusty makeup staples that I love, I ordered a simple restock of a few products for my Professional makeup kit, a little sun protection and a few from my wish list.
Hair
I keep seeing this hair oil popping up on YouTube shorts, so I randomly added it to my basket to give it a go.
Last year I had a relapse with my Graves disease and started medication. My medication changed my hormone levels too quickly and resulted in quite substantial hair loss. It was quite worrying as I lost large handfuls every time I brushed or washed my hair. I have been trying to be kind to myself and working to get my locks back in shape ever since. Finally, I have new growth and am looking for a way to protect and help encourage it to grow longer and healthier, so I added this oil straight into my basket.
I love the fresh scent of rosemary and mint. I am very much a herbalist. If I can find a more natural way or use herbal ingredients to find a solution or a cure, I will give it my best shot. It also contains biotin. I was unable to use some vitamins that include biotin recently due to creating false readings for my thyroid tests. However, if it works by being massaged into the scalp, I am interested to find out.
Skin
I am part of a growing hair and makeup academy and have been constantly seeing this product coming up on my Facebook feed from time to time as a highly recommended product. My medication and hormone levels affected my skin as well as my hair. So my skin was left dry, easily irritated by products and sensitive. I needed to switch up my skincare routine and add a little something extra to my kit.
I wanted to find an exfoliator that wasn't too "scratchy" on the skin. My skin was left very sensitive after my relapse and hormone changes, so I had to strip back with my skincare and start with the bases. Now that my health has improved, I am trying to reintroduce products back into my life. I didn't want a beaded exfoliant but just an acid/toner that would give my skin a deeper cleanse without the physical scrubbing. Pixi Glow tonic contains Glycolic Acid, an exfoliating ingredient that will leave your skin feeling fresher and brighter as it helps lift off dead skin cells and impurities. It's great for anti-ageing acne and brightening dark areas of the skin. I need all the help I can get with my ageing process... Do we have to get older?
SPF
I have been using this product for years and have alternated using various products from the Bioderma skincare range over the years.
SPF hasn't always been my friend. I suffer from the sun every summer I have an outbreak of prickly heat or a reaction to sun protection on my face. Firstly I don't like the greasy residue that some sun protection products leave behind and the feeling that I am walking around looking like a human oil slick. Secondly, my skin reacts to sunscreen.
I will get lots of tiny bumps (not prickly heat) all over my forehead. I am unsure if the pores are clogged, if the sunscreen is too heavy or if it is a mild allergic reaction. I end up with my face feeling itchy, spotty and a sweaty mess for the rest of the summer, which is not the look I aspire to have on my holidays.
This suncream does NOT do that!!!! Yay! It is a lightweight product even though it is a factor of 50 spf!!! It feels great on my skin, it is mattifying and doesn't leave me feeling greasy! I can easily apply foundation over the top without a reaction, pilling, or my face getting too oily. I love it! It is always in my 'personal' skincare bag for my daily use. I highly recommend it for sensitive skin that is easily agitated or left angry by sunscreen, or even if you suffer from prickly heat or just fancy a lightweight product, add this to your basket.
Face
Foundation
One of my favourite brands of foundation is the Armani luminous silk foundation. I will pretty much use this for the majority of my brides. I just needed to do a simple restock of my number 2. Shade 2 is the lightest shade I stock in my kit as well as my most used shade. Not because everyone is a natural 'English rose', but because I mix almost every application with this. It is a great basic to have in anyone's makeup kit, whether you are a professional makeup artist or if you have it in your makeup bag.
Brows Anastasia brow Wiz.
I haven't yet found a brow pencil that I love as much as I love this pencil. I even misplaced part of my makeup kit in April earlier this year! Absolute horror! A professional makeup artist's worst nightmare!!!!!!!!
I wasn't quite prepared to go out and replace the entire kit, and I wasn't sure if or when. I was going to get my makeup kit back, so I wasn't quite ready to go and spend thousands to replace it! I hit the shops as I needed stuff urgently and without any time or availability to be home to receive an online order. I did try some cheaper brands and drugstore selections of brow and eye pencils, Which were good, but not quite Anastasia standard. As soon as I was reunited with my kit a month later, I don't quite know how I got through work without it, but come the wedding days, I was able to switch back to my fave brow pencil so that everyone was Anastasia brow happy again.
Finish
Lastly, we can finish this blog with my favourite trusty setting spray. the UD all NIghter Setting Spray I have used this product since 2018.
The first time I used this setting spray was back in 2018 for my birthday, I had got home and thought I would sit on my bed for a minute then I'd go wash my face and get changed, but that was as far as I got. I woke up in the morning, full face of makeup and fully dressed ready to go again. I looked just as fresh-faced and amazing as when I had left the house the evening before! Let's say I have never sat down before taking my makeup off again (in case I fall asleep). It comes straight off as soon as I am home after a long day, and needless to say, this has been a permanent product in my kit ever since.
So that was my quick restock of the reliable products that I use time and time again and a few off my wish list.
Disclosure: Some of the Links included may contain affiliate links. When you click on those links, I may receive a small commission for your purchase. It will not affect your order in anyway. I am a NVQ 2 Hair Stylist with over 15 qualifications in the hair & beauty industry. I only promote products that I have used or think are great.
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