3 Lesser-known beauty brands to get excited about

LONG TIME NO BLOG: a phrase that has never been more appropriate. The last couple of months have been mad, and have included a trip to Costa Rica and being very busy with work and other things, which has meant my blog has been pushed to the side a little. I'm going to make much more of an effort in coming weeks to get back on the blogging hype, and am starting right here! So ANYWAY... the following are 3 really great beauty brands that are either fairly new or not as well-known as the big players which get a lot of hype from beauty bloggers and journalists: 

1. Smith & Cult: The brand that has all the key ingredients: a stunning product, interesting, luxe packaging and an incredibly passionate & savvy brand ethos. The ladies behind Smith & Cult are friendly, creative and have history in the beauty world, and more specifically in nails. Remember Hard Candy? Well, one of the creators is now a co-founder of Smith & Cult, meaning you can be sure she knows what she's doing. Perfect for christmas presents due to their lovely appearance, these polishes ensure a shiny finish and come in a range of beautiful colours. My favourites are Lovers Creep and Vegas Post Apocalyptic. 

2. Frank Body: Originating in Australia, this new body brand offers products which are all coffee-based (coffee addicts rejoice - it's no longer just for drinking). The owner of the brand owned a coffee shop, and was surprised to find many women came in asking for cups of ground coffee beans. He discovered they had been using the beans on their skin, due to their many benefits on acne, cellulite and other numerous issues; this is when he started his own brand. The coffee scrubs, which come in a range of flavours (with cocao being my ultimate fave - it's literally like rubbing coffee and chocolate into your bod) leave skin seriously soft, and the effects are amplified even more by the gorgeously-scented body lotions and balms to use afterwards. 

3. Oskia: Loved by many bloggers, and yet still fairly unknown to the "outside" world, Oskia is a skincare brand worth its salt. Its hero product is of course the renaissance cleansing gel, but I also love the Get up and glow serum, which I use as a part of my morning routine. My favourite thing about Oskia is its brand integrity. Speaking to those who know the brand well, I've learnt so much more about good and bad ingredients used in skincare brands, and truly believe Oskia cares about its customers and the safety and condition of their skin, and uses the very best ingredients with the very best benefits. 
What are your fave lesser-known brands?

The Big Skincare post

Skincare...it's a big deal. It's pretty much the only thing aside from bases that I would consider worth spending (semi) big bucks on. I also agree however that solving problem skin is not always about throwing lots of money at it and that finding a regime that works for you can include budget buys and brands you may never have even heard of. Finding a regime that works is completely and utterly unique to each and every person; that's the main thing I've learnt from beauty blogging. You can be recommended a product by your favourite beauty blogger and they may tell you it's the best thing in the world you can slather on your face but when you get it home it just doesn't do its reviews justice. That being said, the only way you can find the perfect products for you is to really do the leg-work. Give everything a try, get as many samples as you can and experiment until you find the ones you love. 

My skin is normal/combination and a little on the oily side, so take that into consideration when reading about my favourite skincare bits here!  

Cleansers: At night I like to use a balm cleanser, which is something Caroline Hirons and other skincare gurus advise. It's the most effective at removing makeup, and the Emma Hardie amazing face moringa cleansing balm has been voted as the best one out there countless times. In the morning, I either use the Ren clay cleanser or the Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing gel.  

Toners: A step which many skip, toning is actually pretty worthwhile and I have tested out a fair few. Kiehl's Ultra facial oil-free toner, Liz Earle instant boost skin tonic and Caudalie beauty elixir are my top three. Go for the Kiehl's if you have oily skin, the Caudalie if you want an extra fresh feel, and the Liz Earle if you want an UNBELIEVABLY nice-smelling product. 

Serums and oils: This is another step which I'd never really dabbled with until this year. I think my favourite would have to be the Balance me radiance face oil, which can be used in the morning or the evening. It adds extra hydration and leaves a luxurious feeling. Hydraluron is a do-it-all, simple serum which will suit everyone, especially those with slightly dehydrated skin. For the evening, the Estee Lauder Advanced Night repair is perfect, and helps with tired skin the next morning. Serums and oils are usually used after your cleanser and toner and before your moisturiser.

Moisturisers: Effaclar Mat and Effaclar Duo by La Roche Posay have been talked about by every beauty blogger and their Mum, and for good reason. Effaclar Duo is great for problem skin, whilst Effaclar Mat can help with any oil or grease. Clinique dramatically different moisturizing gel (not cream) is also good for oily skin, but my all time favourite (so far) has to be Origins GinZing moisturiser; it always sorts out my skin. 

Masks: For dehydrated skin, I would recommend Origins Drink Up intensive mask, which you slather on before bedtime. Problem skin is helped by Aesop Parsley Seed masque (a clay mask which draws out all the nasties in your pores) and Origins out of trouble. For an extra glow, I would go for Ren's Glycolactic radiance renewal mask. 

What are your top skincare picks? 

B.

Skincare: The Beauty and the B edit

Now, let me just start by saying the reason I am doing this post now is because these items are all recent purchases and collectively have sorted out my skin and made me a VERY happy girl. I have also been drinking LOTS of water recently and making an effort not to touch my face, so that might have something to do with it too. But I just had to blog about these wonder products. I should also point out that I have combination skin, with dry cheeks and an oily T-zone prone to the occasional break-out, so I cannot vouch for whether these products would suit other skin types. Also note that I do not use every product every day, I only use the tea tree oil and mask when I feel my skin really needs a boost or if I've got a pesky blemish that won't back down.

1. Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel: I bought this a couple of weeks ago and so far it has been great for my skin. It leaves me with a super soft face feeling really really clean. It's a different style of cleanser than I am used to; before this I was using the old Clinque foam cleanser. To use, you rub this gel-oil in the palm of your hands then massage into your skin to create an oil which you then rub off. I would really recommend this to anyone with a similar skin type to me, but it does say it is for 'all skin types'. 

2. Bioderma Crealine H2o: Every blogger and their mum uses this, I know. So this is me being a little predictable. I actually don't like this for use on eye makeup, I'm going to go as far as saying it is pretty poor in removing mascara or eyeliner (especially waterproof) and always leaves me with the dreaded panda eyes. But I do like to sweep it over my face before I use the Clarins as it does a beautiful job in removing makeup and making skin feel nice and fresh. Looking forward to this being sold in the UK, but might have to stock up when I go to Paris next month! 

3. Sanctuary 5 minute Thermal Detox Mask: I like to pop a mask on weekly to have a deep cleanse and remove any grime a cleanser just won't get to. My mum actually recommended this one to me (thanks mummy) after reading about how brilliant it was. I have only used it a couple of times but in conjunction with my other products it fits into my regime nicely. It is a clay formula which warms up, so it feels really great on the skin and leaves you with a super clean de-toxified face. 

4. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo: I completely bought in to this cult product, and I am SO happy I listened to all the great reviews and went for it. It is AMAZING. Literally, AMAZING. I am lucky enough not to suffer with severe breakouts, but I do get the occasional time when I get a nasty little area of spots especially when I am tired and have been eating crap. I use it as a moisturiser and it clears any breakouts up and prevents any more. It might not work for everybody but if you suffer from acne or bad skin in any way, please please give it a try because it has the potential to do a lot of good!! 

5. Lush Tea Tree water: I use this as a toner after my Clarins cleanser and before the Effaclar Duo. It is a nice effective toner that won't break the bank and is great for breakouts as tea tree always is. It also smells lovely and refreshing and feels all tingly on the skin. 

6. Tea Tree Oil: I bought this on holiday in Barbados, but of course you can buy straight tea tree oil pretty much everywhere. I just pop this on any particularly nasty blemishes as an extra treatment after my moisturiser if I feel I really need to. I do try to leave spots alone though and just use my usual products. My Mum always told me the most important thing about skin is to keep it clean and avoid using too many products, so this is only for emergencies. 

Have you guys got any other great skincare products to recommend? 

B. 

Benefit Triple Performing facial emulsion SPF15 moisturiser: THE REVIEW

'A moisturiser? From Benefit?' I hear you scream. 

Benefit has always been great for most things, I say as 'Coralista' blush, 'Browzings' brow kit, '10' highlighter and the brand's most recent hit 'They're real' mascara sit in my current everyday make up bag. But moisturiser? 

So I know what you're thinking. It would not be my go-to counter for a new skincare product either. Or at least, it wasn't before I was given a sample of their new(-ISH) facial moisturiser; Triple performing facial emulsion. The stuff is actually a god-send, it really is. When I started using one of my samples (I was generously given three) I'll be honest, my skin was struggling. I had had a few late nights and one too many sugary treats, and therefore I was pretty sceptical that a change of moisturiser would make any difference. But it really did. The consistency is definitely something to write home about for one, as it smooths on to the skin like a dream and is almost gel-like without being greasy. It is not too heavy and smells amazing too. You are told to use the moisturiser in the mornings, but I came to love the stuff so much that I started using it at night too. As well as working wonders for my skin and giving it a certain glow, it has an SPF15, so it's a real win-win product and I will definitely be back to the counter soon to buy a full sized bottle.

Speaking of, the product sells for £19.50 a pop; not cheap, but as I find skincare incredibly important, I would argue it is worth the investment. Go and pick up yours today or swing by and ask the lovely ladies on the counter for a sample if I haven't already convinced you...

B.