Can Serum Really Give Me Super Skin?

I've been skirting around the edge of serums for awhile now… a tester here, a dab on the back of the hand there. To be honest, I didn't really UNDERSTAND them. Now cleansers, toners, day and night creams… I get. I know where I stand with them.

But for me, serums were a bit of a confusing beast…and also, though i'm a little ashamed to admit, something I was *ahem* 'too young to need quite yet'…

This notion came crashing down around my ears at my last visit to the the House of Fraser Lancome counter. The assistant quite literally laughed aloud at my nonchalant "I use daily moisturisers, do I really need MORE?"(Not in a rude way, but still!)

She appeared to take this as a personal challenge to convert me, and gave me a quick notes rundown on serums and what they bring to the table.

Essentially, where creams will sit on the skin and slowly provide moisture, what the serum is able to do is be absorbed instantly - giving an instant boost in skin hydration, along with a whole heap of other benefits.

The serum she was suggesting for my skin type was Lancome Advanced Genefique. Along with the hydration benefits, it also boasts an improvement in skin tone and texture, firming, reduction in fine lines and wrinkles and most importantly - *radiance*. Quite the miracle product!

Handy pipette style applicator means no product waste!

So I was sent packing with a few sample bottles, to see the difference for myself. I've decided to follow the instructions I was given - use before bed, and in the morning UNDER makeup and daily skin care regime. Tonight is my first night!

I'm going to do some before and after shots, to see if there is anything special about 'serums'. Fingers crossed. I'd love to be proven wrong on this one - if they work miracles, I get great skin, and they get to justify the hefty £59 price tag. Win Win.

So - night #1… 

Eek. No makeup :(

My skin tone is pretty uneven - I have a little redness around the t-zone. I also have a couple of pesky blemishes, nothing huge, but annoying nonetheless. There is dryness on my cheeks and around my mouth. 

The serum was a pretty strange consistency... here it is on my hand:

A bit slimey…? 

Slimey-ness aside, I pushed on and applied it to my face and neck - gently massaging as I went. It felt good! It was a very cooling sensation, and I *definitely* got the impression it absorbed immediately. It doesn't give me the feeling of complete hydration I get when I moisturise (my face seems to DRINK night cream when i've had a tough skin day!) … but my skin does feel a little smoother and softer. 

I guess we will see in the morning!

If I look 16 and glowing, we will consider it a success!! (Saying that, I had pretty bad acne at 16…)

Hunting The Perfect 'Bridal' Foundation

So, knowing a little more about me will make this post make more sense…

I got engaged in November last year (2013)… and as MY next question is always 'Show me the ring!', here's mine:

Cushion cut, halo set with shoulder stones (the boy read my MIND!!)

I absolutely love it, and am convinced i'm going to crash my car one day… it sparkles in the street lights at night when I have my hand on the wheel! I do get *quite* distracted…

But anyway, being engaged has added a whole new element to my beauty regime - and my beauty buys. 

I'm trying to find the HOLY GRAIL bridal foundation.

I want the dewy, pore less, even toned fabulousness you see in the wedding magazines (of which there are definitely *not* three currently stashed under my bed…). I'm talking about THIS:

Now I know about airbrushing, so i'm not a fool…but equally, i've seen flesh and blood women with skin this glowing. It exists. And i'm sure the beauty industry has something to do with it!!

I'll post my reviews and adventures on the 'hunt', but please leave a comment with your natural foundation of choice. You never know, it might be the one i'm looking for!

Lancôme 'La Base Pro' - 'The Secret For A Perfect Complexion'?

So Lancome markets this as 'the secret for a perfect complexion' - and at £28.50 for a 20ml bottle, it's a pretty big claim! (For the eagle eyed - my picture is the older packaging, and you got 25ml for the same price. Scandal!)

Lancome goes on to say La Base is 'an ultra-soft, translucent make-up base to smooth skin surface and boost make-up staying power'. 

I've got to say I agree in general with the idea of what they're saying - La Base is a gorgeously soft primer product. It is light weight, as primers go, and seems to glide onto the surface of the skin, and sink in immediately. It has a pump action, and you CAN control how much you pump each time. Which is handy because a little does go a long way. Nice in a premium product!

Premium Packaging -
frosted glass and a metallic pump, that feels good quality

When applied to my hand - putting La Base on one side and leaving the other bare, I could definitely feel a difference in the surface of the skin. It was softer and felt smoother - this is similar when used on the face. It does feel beautiful on.

This in turn makes foundation apply more smoothly - I've found this with both Lancome foundations and other brands. The appearance *is* slightly improved. 

*However*... this is not a miracle product - they are all small improvements. Yes, foundation applies more easily and looks that little bit smoother - but would anyone really notice? Probably not. (Apparently not everyone cares about my pores as much as I do..?!)

I also don't put much faith in the claim that the make-up staying power is improved. Yes, it lasts a little longer than foundation alone - but I personally have noticed no difference compared to other, cheaper, primer products.

All in all - it's a nice product, and it feels good on the skin… but the actual benefits don't really live up to the hype. 

As you can see, i've used it (mine is nearly empty!)and I'd buy it again… but only if I couldn't get hold of one of my cheaper alternatives, or it was on offer.

Holy Crap, When Did I Get SO Much Make Up?

I decided a few days ago that I needed a new make up bag… mine was bulging at the seams (OK, they both were bulging at the seams!!). So I started looking around at what might work for my ever-growing collection.

While I was researching make up suitcases, I tripped over hundreds of beauty blogs… reviewing, discussing, sharing amazing products. I wanted to be part of it! I adore trying new make up, so decided to share my thoughts on my HUGE collection with the world.

(Someone, somewhere, might find my particular take on the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact useful?! Right..?)

So my plan, as of right now (it may change), is to do a summary on all the products I currently own. What I like, what I hate, and what I cannot *breathe* without. 

I'll kick it off with a list… and maybe I'll start from the top, maybe from the bottom….or maybe in the middle and work outwards from there. We will see. If anyone is considering buying something on the list (assuming, of course, that anyone is READING it…) please comment, and i'll try and get some useful feedback on that product done. I cannot guarantee it will be useful, but I will try!

Here she is… my makeup broken down:

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact (Bronze)
Clarins HydraQuench Lotion
MAC Powder Blush (Fleur Power)
Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Loose Powder (Pale Yellow 1)
Lancome Hypnose Star
Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Tint/Balm (Nothing But Nude 700)
Lancome Hydra Zen Neurocalm
MAC Zoom Fast Lash (Black)
No7 Beautiful Eyebrow Pencil (Brown)
Benefit High Beam
The Body Shop Sparkle Eyeliner (01)
MAC Studio Fix Fluid (NW20)
Nivea Daily Essentials Light Moisturising Day Cream
MAC Plush Lash (Black)
Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara (Black)
MAC Cremeblend Blush (Lady Blush)
Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive 
Benefit Some Kind-A Gorgeous
MAC Prep+Prime Lash
MAC Fluidline (Blacktrack)
Lancome Bi-Facil Instant Cleanser
MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow (Young Punk)
MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow (Gilt By Association)
No7 Stay Perfect Blemish Cover (Fair)
Benefit The Porefessional 
The Make Up Store Eyedust (Inka)
Bourjois Paris False Eyelash Applicators
Burts Bees Lip Shimmer (Champagne)
Covergirl Smoky Shadowblast 
MaxFactor Kohl Pencil (020 Black)
Lancome Tonique Confort
MAC Bronzing Powder (Golden)
Chapstick Lucky Lips Kit
MAC Paints (Bare Canvas)
Lancome Le Crayon Khol (Noir)
Rimmel Special Eyes Eyeliner Pencil (Black Magic)
Lancome Genifique Serum
Smashbox O-Gloss
MAC Eyeshadow (Bronze)
MAC Eyeshadow (Satin Taupe)
MAC Eyeshadow (Embark)
Bare Minerals Mineral Veil
Dior Rosy Glow (Petal 001)
No7 Perfectly Bronzed Dual Bronzer 
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24Hr (010)
Lancome Dreamtone (Fair 1)
MAC Studio Finish Concealer (NW15)
Limited Collection Kabuki Brush
Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick (Grenadine)
Bare Minerals Original (Fairly Medium C20)
MAC Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow (Brownluxe)
Lancome Teint Miracle (010)
MAC Lipstick Glaze (Phlox)
Lancome Highlighter (001 Rose Etincelle)
Maybelline New York The Colossal Volum Express Mascara (Black)
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner (Black Ink 1)
Lancome La Base Pro 
Smashbox O-Glow
Bare Minerals Faux Tan
Lancome Hypnose Star Eyes (Quartz Taupe ST 211)
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (NW15)
Bare Minerals Ready Foundation (R170)
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer (Hydrating)
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer (Colour Correcting)

Eeek. Now I can tell why my bag is overflowing…especially as I have some duplicate products!! I definitely don't want to price up that list. Terrifying. Although, who can put a price on the hours of fun i've had playing with them all….?

Off to start reviewing...