Monthly favourites: August

Woo hoo, the end of the first month of running this blog. Time to update my favourites - there may not be a post like this every month but this month there have been plenty of new things I've been loving and using/wearing/listening to all the time. I genuinely look forward to the end of a month/start of a new one purely for favourites videos/blog posts.

Also - I feel I need to mention the new theme. It's still being edited/I'll fiddle more in the weekend when I have time but I'm liking it a lot so far! I wanted something a bit more personal so I purchased one off Etsy.

Right - on with the favourites. 

• Frank body scrub - this one is a no brainer, especially if you've been on my blog any other time this month. Vegan, cruelty free, perfectly scrubby. Frank smells amazing, gives you glowing skin and is gentle enough to use on your face. If you're interested in more info I have another post about it here. Frank is definitely going to be a regular part of my body/skin care routine. 
• NARS Radiant Tinted Moisturiser - SPF is becoming more of a priority for me, especially now I've found a few products with SPF that my skin actually agrees with. This moisturiser kills two birds with one stone - good coverage and sun protection. For a low maintenance look in the summer this will be my go to..even more so than it is now.  
• NARS creamy concealer - this plus the radiant tinted moisturiser...well, if I ever have a relationship as good as these two do I'll be a happy camper. Amazing coverage, especially under the eyes Feels weightless and non-sticky. Can't go wrong with this one. 
• Harraw! lip balm - I use Hurraw dawn till dusk, it keeps your lips in tip top condition with a range of flavours/scents. I especially love the Moon Balm and the SPF version. 
• Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence. I love Lana anyway but her latest CD is especially amazing. I listened to it twice all the way through whilst driving home late at night and can safely say there are several new favourites on this CD. My top picks are Cruel World, Sad Girl and Brooklyn Baby. 
• Chrysolite Opal earrings from ChicCrystalBijoux . These stunning little earrings are made by a very talented jeweler in Sydney. I found her shop on Etsy and had been meaning to buy these for a while. They're a beautiful colour, perfect fit and add a little bit of sparkle without being over the top. I've got my eye on a few other pieces by her already. I took a closer picture too as the one above doesn't do them justice.

Love seeing what other people put in their favourites too - I often end up trying new products based on other people's recommendations from them. That's all for this month - there's a few new things I have my eye on/am currently trying out so we'll see how they fare come the end of September! 

Claire x

Morning Skin Care Routine

My morning routine is pretty simple but it includes a few products not a lot of people seem to be using. I'm trying not to incorporate more "natural" products when I can whilst also making sure I have some SPF too. I think this is especially important in the New Zealand sun!

 

To start with, I use a cream based cleanser - Lush 9 to 5 is my go to as it removes anything your skin has purged in your sleep but doesn't leave a greasy finish. I use a ten cent coin sized amount and smooth it all over my face and then wipe off with a hot face cloth. It's a very reasonably priced product - around the $20 dollar mark in New Zealand and lasts such a long time. It's also vegan for those of you so inclined! 

The next step is my moisturiser. I use Trilogy Line Smoothing Day cream - yes it's sort of anti-aging but the main thing in it to make it such is hyaluronic acid which helps your skin absorb up to ten times the amount of water it normally would - filling in the fine lines around your mouth/forehead etc. Aside from this it's not sticky, smells beautiful and  goes on a dream. I smooth it all over my face and neck.

After this I usually go have breakfast, then come back and start my makeup. Strictly the final product in my morning routine is my tinted moisturiser but I listed it because it has an SPF in it, which is important year round but particularly in summer. Again, this get mushed all over my face and neck to protect it. Less sun damage means less wrinkles and discolouration in the long run so a well worth it step!

NARS must haves

It's only been this year that I have fallen in love with the all amazing NARS (mostly because this is the first year I've had the income for it...) so I thought I'd make a master list of all the products I feel are absolute makeup wonders.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation
This is the first foundation I've honestly been truly satisfied with, now I can't imagine using anything else. The consistency is smooth, and goes on like a moisturiser more than anything else. I blend it on with my fingers then buff in with a flat top foundation brush like the xobeauty flat top for a super flawless finish. It dries in no time to a semi-matte finish, I'd say it's not terribly "glowy" but looks and feels like skin, which is more than can be said for a lot of foundations that often leave me feeling a bit sticky and cake-faced. It's a medium coverage which I like - in my mind if I'm wearing a foundation I like it to be medium - full, if I wanted light I'd use a tinted moisturiser. Which brings me to my next NARS love.

Nars Radiant Tinted Moisturiser
This is the first tinted moisturiser/SPF I've ever actually liked, well, loved. It's got the finish you'd expect from the sheer glow foundation. It's not quite light coverage, but not heavy enough to me as full as the foundation counterpart. For everyday wear, it's just right. It feels light, lasts all day and doesn't feel greasy or thick which a lot of SPF creams tend to feel.
Disclaimer: although it's SPF 30 in Europe/the US it's not rated high enough for Aus/NZ ladies. However, for me, it's better than the SPF I was wearing before - which was nothing eeek.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer
This baby is the perfect partner to the tinted moisturiser for those days you need just that little extra coverage. It's amazingly long lasting, covers blemishes and dark circles beautifully and most importantly, it doesn't crease. The only wear I see from my makeup is after it's been on for 9+ hours and been through a tough session at the gym. I use colour medium1 in custard.

Nars - The Multiple
This little wonder will be my best friend when I'm travelling next year. I have it in the shade Anguilla which is a lovely shade for both cheeks and lips. It's a matte finish and blends like a dream. Getting two products/uses from one = enough said.

Nars Lip Pencils
I found my dream pink lip colour in Nars satin lip pencils. Her name is Stourhead and she's a beautiful lilac/pale pink colour. She's also limited edition (wahh, considering stocking up...). I love the satin finish as sometimes matte can be a little drying. This is creamy, long wearing (especially for a creamy consistency) and has great colour payoff.

I'm sure more will be added to my Nars collection in the coming months - I have my eye on the illuminator and primer already...