Indeed Lovin’

There’s a new capsule brand that’s appeared on the shelves of Boots this year that is getting rather a lot of hype. After it was brought to my attention by the skin care Queen that is Caroline Hirons (if you don’t know who she is, I suggest you learn who she is asap) I naturally ran to Boots in my lunch break to get my fix of this new kid on the block to see what all the fuss was about. It turns out all the fuss was for very good reason…

I’m talking Indeed Labs.

Indeed’s primary objective is to eliminate all marketing hype and overpricing, and instead deliver real results cost effectively. They don’t package their products in fancy gold jars with a matching spoon nor do they make up magical claims and stick them on the front of glossy advertising. They are about factual science, practical packaging and honest prices. What’s not to fuss over? If that’s not enough for you, they are also completely paraben free – something that has never particularly bothered me… a lot of fuss over nothing. They don’t give you cancer. And relax. They are also fragrance free making them suitable for all skin types including sensitive.

The 3 hall of fame products from Indeed:

HYDRALURON, £24.99 – a Holy Grail of the beauty world. I have spoken about this before in previous posts so I wont delve into it too deeply, but I can’t keep a totally zipped mouth…I’m obsessed after all.

• a hydrating serum rich in Hyaluronic acid which can hold up to 1000 times it’s weight in water
• plumps the skin and instantly hydrates
• restores radiance to the skin
• keeps skin smooth and soft
• for use before your regular moisturiser – NOT a substitue for your moisturiser

I don’t know how I thought my skin was properly hydrated before this stuff came along. Like 99% of people, I suffer from dehydrated skin. Hydraluron has completely turned that around, keeping my skin hydrated, healthy, and therefore more efficient. Fine lines, tightness and peeling all completely gone. It’s even helped to keep blemishes at bay for my combination skin. Win. I cannot sing it’s praises highly enough. 10/10 in all aspects. All hail Hydraluron.

PEPTA-BRIGHT, £29.99 – a product which I featured in my July Favourites post. As someone that suffered with acne most of my teenage years, thus being left with scarring *punches wall* I’ve forever been on the hunt for serums and treatments which claim to fade hyperpigmentation. Here it is. An intense brightening treatment that:

• evens skin tone
• lightens and reduces pigmentation
• diminishes and prevents dark spots
• restores radiance to skin
• maintains hydration

Yes, yes and YES to all of the above. This cream textured serum has literally changed my face. It’s given me new skin! Laugh all you want but it’s true. It’s ‘intensive brightening treatment’ name and the content of 7 powerful actives may sound a little Harley Street, but it’s very nourishing and soothing on the skin. I’ve been using this for about 3 months now and the scarring on my cheeks has almost completely disappeared. It is astounding. I will never be without this. Bulk buying begins…

EYESILIX, £24.99 – a newbie for me. I’d been on the hunt for a good all round eye cream for a while when I saw the 3 for 2 across the Indeed range at Boots… obviously it got the better of me and this was thrown into the basket.

• 10 active peptides
• lifting effect
• reduces signs of puffiness and fatigue
• enhances elasticity
• nourishes and hydrates

This essentially has everything that all the £200 eye creams contain plus added active peptides (proven anti aging fighters) for a fraction of the price. It’s smooth, non greasy and actually works. An eye contour treatment that I’ve been using morning and night for the last 3 – 4 weeks and have been very impressed with. As I’m only 21 I don’t have issues with crows feet or settled lines, so I can’t speak for those issues, but I do have dark circles and fine lines right underneath the lashes. I can definitely say these have improved a lot, particularly the fine lines which are almost undetectable. Because it’s nice and light it’s a good base for concealer too.

An ode to Indeed Labs. A small capsule brand that’s making a big stamp on the beauty world. Subdued in appearance but packing an almighty punch. They are simply amazing. All hail Indeed…

The Natural Lip Lacquers

I’m the first to admit that when it comes to trying new things I’m not all that spontaneous. The most daring I ever get with my makeup is trying a slightly different shade of brown on the eyes or a peachier pop on the cheeks than I’m used to. Somebody stop me. And this is certainly no different when it comes to lipstick. No matter what makeup look I’m sporting, the one thing I know I’ll be wearing is a natural lip. The whole ‘my lips but better’ look is something I opt for every makeup application time. As a result, I’ve tried and tested a fair few natural lacquers, so here are the three that reign supreme…

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine, 54 ‘Boy’ £24. My favourite. Light, sheeny pinky goodness. Possibly my first ever Chanel makeup purchase, it’s permanently in my makeup bag. It’s incredibly smooth in texture so feels rather luxurious when applied (it is Chanel afterall). Now this is not a long wearing lipstick – it’s more of a tinted lip balm kind of thing, but it wears beautifully and is very hydrating so it’s comfortable to wear. The perfect ‘your lips with a touch of pink’.

MAC Lipstick ‘Patisserie’ £15. One that I have mentioned before in a monthly favourites and for good reason. A warmer toned neutral than Chanel’s offering, it has a soft gold shimmer running through it with more peachy undertones. Being one of MAC’s Lustre formulas, it’s sheer and smooth yet it’s very buildable. Like the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine, it doesn’t possess immense staying power, but because it’s such a natural shade, reapplying through the day is easy.

Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Colour ‘Bobbi’ £19. Appropriately named. The latest addition to the natural pucker club. At first glance, this colour looks a little suspect. An almost grey toned latte brown. Sounds lovely. However, it is incredibly deceptive. Rumour has it Bobbi created this for herself so she could have ‘her perfect natural nude’. And it is just that. Silky and smooth, it blends seamlessly with your natural lip colour, leaving behind a gorgeous sheen. The perfect ‘sophisticated nude’.

My top three natural lip lacquers. The makeup items I know I’ll be layering on whether I’m feeling daring or not. Easy and flattering to wear with no risk of lipstick teeth. So pucker up ladies, natural is nice…

July Beauty Favourites 2013

It’s that time of the month again… a delve into the products that I’ve been favouring throughout the month of July. With the glorious heatwave we experienced in the UK last month (as I currently write this it is raining however…a lot) most of the following products have that summer vibe thing going on…

Bioderma Photoderm AKN Mat SPF 30 £14. I have been using this facial SPF every day without fail in July. It’s light, non sticky, non greasy, and hasn’t caused my skin to react in the form of pesky breakouts. A massive thumbs up. My face can burn quite easily, (and so can everyone’s, your face is super sensitive to the sun…check out my post on facial SPF’s for the best protection) especially my nose and under eye area, but this has obviously give me great protection as I have remained burn free through this heatwave. Because this is light and non greasy, makeup still sits well on top of this. Result.

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning for Face £18. When I had a black tie 21st party a few weeks ago and realised I was rocking a casper the friendly ghost kind of look, I thought “hmm I may need to get my bronze on”. I’d had my eye on this for a while and good reviews and general temptation finally got the better of me. A lightweight, milky lotion that gives a gorgeous sun kissed glow to the skin. Every other night, a squeeze of this onto a cotton pad and swept all over the face (avoiding the eyebrows and hair line) has given me an incredibly natural and even looking tan. It’s super easy to use too so you don’t have to worry about waking up to a patchy face. It dries quickly and leaves no biscuity smell either. Having skin that is prone to blemishes, my primary concern was if it was going to break me out. NOTHING. This stuff is seriously amazing. I think I’ve found a new Holy Grail product…

Indeed Labs Pepta Bright £24.99. Indeed Labs is quickly becoming a cult skin care brand. Their trump card Hydraluron is guaranteed to be in every beauty bloggers stash, including mine. Simple and fuss free packaging, their products are to the point and effective, as I’ve discovered with this serum. This is a cream texture serum that claims to improve skin clarity whilst diminishing the appearance of hyperpigmentation. It’s ultra concentrated with 7 powerful actives so may sound a little intense, but because it’s a cream texture it feels nourishing to the skin and doesn’t irritate it whatsoever. My teenage acne years left me with quite a lot of hyperpigmentation on my cheeks which I thought would never clear, but this has made a dramatic difference. I would honestly go as far as saying that some of my scars have completely disappeared. I worship this stuff and will continue to do so for many years to come.

NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eye Base £19. I’ve had this since December when I went a little crazy in a Sephora in New York (first time in NY…multiple Sephora visits are a given) and threw this into my basket after reading rave reviews. I tried it, didn’t think that much of it in all honesty, and forgot about it. Eyeshadow usually lasts well on me, with one exception being  MAC shadows. For some reason these crease and fade on me like crazy. Having been in a bit of a MAC neutrals frenzy, I stumbled across this again when sorting through my makeup and decided to give it another try. I’m now a convert, this is very good. The mistake I had been making before was simply applying too much – you need the tiniest amount of this or you completely overload the lid meaning it can’t grip on to anything. Worked in with your finger it mattifies the lid and creates a smooth base for shadow, ensuring it stays put all day.

MAC Nylon Eyeshadow £12.50. If you follow beauty bloggers and YouTube gurus, then you’ll have heard Tanya Burr raving about this eyeshadow for a long time. A super shimmery, yellow toned pale gold colour that she only ever uses for one specific thing: inner corner/tear duct highlighting. After seeing how illuminating it looked in some of her videos I was eager to try it for myself. The dangers of having a MAC store round the corner from work. If you don’t tend to wear a lot of eye makeup then you may find this a bit full on, but as a finishing touch to a makeup look (especially with a summer tan) it looks divine. The tiniest amount on a pencil style brush dotted lightly in the inner corners completely brightens the eyes and makes them look that bit bigger too.

Jo Malone Lime, Basil & Mandarin Cologne 30ml £39. My favourite summer scent. I absolutely adore Jo Malone fragrances and one of the most exciting things about summer for me is wearing this perfume. Is that sad? It sounds like a strange combination, but the result is heavenly. The basil gives a peppery twist to the fresh lime and the mandarin gives a subtle sweet hit into the scent. Fresh, clean and sophisticated, it’s their signature scent, and one that I always repurchase when empty because I literally adore it. It screams holiday. The 30ml size is handy for keeping in your handbag too for when a freshen up is needed.

There you have my July favourites. Products firmly keeping me within the summer vibes and ones that I will no doubt continue to use throughout August. Now all I need is this rain to go away and for the sun to get his hat on again.