April Favourites.

I can't believe we're almost finished the third day of May already! What a farce. Anyway, here are a few of my favourites from last month.

♥ Garnier Summer Body: I have never understood why people spend so much money on St. Tropez and Fake Bake when there are gradual tanners like this which give you such an amazing glow. One application of this makes me the perfect golden colour, no streaks, no orange hue. Just a lovely tan. I've never tried anything expensive to be honest, and I have no plans to. I hate the orange tinge and looking fake! I really recommend this product, you can't go wrong with it.

♥ Rimmel 60 Second Nail Polish in Rose Libertine: This is the perfect colour of pink! I am completely in love with this, what a beautiful shade. It's slightly coral, and just such a lovely colour. I never really buy anything from Rimmel but I couldn't resist! I've been wearing this so much recently. You can probably tell from the second picture that my nails are awful, I hate painting my nails. I'm really impatient so if it doesn't dry in 2 seconds, I'll ruin it by trying to do ten things at once. Sadly, nail care is just not for me. But this colour is too gorgeous to pass up.

♥ Sigma Flat-Top Kabuki brush: This kabuki brush, which I mentioned here, has become my favourite brush recently for putting on powder (my powder of choice is my MAC MSF natural in light medium). It works really well to buff in the powder to set my makeup. I personally don't see the point in wearing foundation if you're not going to wear powder, it really sets your face and lasts so much longer & as well as keeping the shine under control so we don't look like Lauren from TOWIE.

♥ MAC Fluidline in Backtrack: I recently mentioned that I couldn't do eyeliner flicks (I will never be perfect, it makes it even harder that we were blessed with two eyes, which means we have to do TWO eyeliner flicks & they have to match) but using this product with my MAC 209SE brush makes it so much easier. I'm still getting the hang of it, and I find it harder to correct any mistakes (which I guess is a sign that it lasts longer!) but it is a really good product. Hopefully with some practice, I will become a massive fan of it.

♥ Garnier Youthful Radiance Day & Night Cream; I recently invested in two good moisturisers. These are probably meant for "First Signs of Ageing" skin which isn't quite me yet (I'm 20) but I don't think you can really start too early on these things. The night cream is lovely and thick and my skin has already improved from using a night cream. The day cream is a little less viscous, which makes it easier to apply & absorb. Both really great products, which will hopefully improve my overall complexion.

♥ Body Shop Vitamin E Cleanser & Toner; I got these the other day when it was 20% off for card holders and I've used them every night ever since. My skin feels so clean after use, and I really feel like they remove every last trace of my makeup whilst leaving it feeling soft and refreshed.

There are a few other products which I have been loving recently but they deserve their own post! Stay tuned.

The Body Shop Warming Mineral Mask & NOTD.

A week or so ago I bought this Body Shop Warming Mineral Mask, and I said I'd do a full review on it. I've been using it once or twice a week, and I think it's worth sharing how good it is. I'm a fan of clay masks, I think Kaolin Clay is great for drawing out all the impurities, and is especially good for oily skin as its very absorbent. I'm also a massive fan of warming masks, I love the way they feel on my skin and it really helps to open up pores for optimum cleaning. It also contains "ginger and cinnamon oils to invigorate and algae to purify and condition". 

I love using natural, mineral ingredients. I always try (and mostly, fail) to use natural ingredients on my skin because I don't believe theres any need for anything synthetic. 

The mask is quite thick, and warms when rubbed in to the skin which opens the pores. I use a mask after exfoliating, so my skin is cleared of dead cells and the mask can cleanse deeper. I try and not leave it on for too long either because apparently it can starve the cells of oxygen (possibly an urban myth!) but sometimes I've watched all of Take Me Out before I realise that I still have my face mask on... 

The product leaves my face so soft, cleansed and refreshed. I get a few blemishes afterwards because the clay draws out all the bad stuff, but after a while it clears up so it's worth it in the long run. 

It also gives my skin a bit more of a matte appearance, especially as sometimes my t-zone can be a tiny bit oily. Kaolin clay isn't usually recommended for dry skin, but the mask does state it's suitable for all skin types. I'd definitely recommend this for anyone who needs a deep cleanse, especially if you wear a lot of makeup and need to give your skin a rest and clear out pores. 

I think I will repurchase this, as I can't fault it. 

Last night, out of sheer boredom, I did a little nail art. Which is impressive for me as I'm the most impatient person in the world! My hands are so shaky as well, what is with that? My left hand is a farce, which is why it's a bit bare (I'll pretend it was meant to be like that). 

I used Models Own Top Turquoise and Coral Reef polishes. I think it turned out quite well considering I am in no way artistic! I used Gem Fatale's tape nail tip as well, which was an absolute winner so you should definitely check it out.