 |
| Anything marked with a * was kindly gifted to me, without obligation. |
As with my other 2023 favourites posts, I've decided to narrow my discoveries down to my top ten but there are easily twenty or more! Given that it's New Year's Eve, I'm assuming you'll want to do something other than read a LOOOONG blog post at midnight so brevity will prevail! I have a mixture of fragrance, hair care, skincare and body care products.....
 |
| Anything marked with a * was kindly gifted to me, without obligation. |
Just as I did with my skincare of the year post, I'm narrowing this category down to my top ten products because I'm adore makeup and it would go on forever otherwise! So let's do this!
 |
| Anything marked with a * was kindly gifted to me, without obligation. |
Every year I like to do a roundup of my favourite products from the year - I generally only use products that I truly love, so we're talking top ten here because otherwise this would be a book rather than a blog post! Today, I'm focusing on skincare....
 |
| Anything marked with a & was kindly gifted to me. |
I think that most of us take it up a notch when it comes to our makeup at Christmas, whether we're going out partying or just visiting friends and family (or even just staying at home - why not add some sparkle?!). I don't party much these days but still like to go a bit more glam than my everyday makeup for at least some of the days over the festive period. Here are my top picks (I'd love to hear yours!).....
I have dry skin so I have to moisturise my body daily but I really have to up the ante in Winter because my skin feels tight and sometimes itchy if I don't use an adequate body cream or lotion. I use oils too, but not when I have initially tanned as they will just break the tan down and make it disappear quickly, so I tend to keep those for the few days before I know I will be applying a fresh layer. I like to use moisturisers that will absorb quickly, nourish my skin and leave it feeling moisturised (but not greasy) for hours after application. Here are some of my top picks...
Last month I posted about 10 very hyped beauty products and whether I thought they were worthy of that hype. See the post here. There are so many more that I can think of so I decided to make this into a series, with part two happening today.
 |
| Both of these products were kindly gifted to me. |
Regular readers will know that I'm a huge fan of Dermalogica and have used the brand for 20 years at this stage. I'm also lucky enough to be part of their #skinfluencer progranne, which means I am sometimes sent some of their new releases. A few months ago I received the two products in the Phyto Nature Firming range - a serum and a moisturiser. The serum has been around for a few years but the moisturiser is new. I was delighted to receive the products because I loved the serum when I used it first time around. Recently, my skin was feeling very dry, which I put down to the change in weather and the central heating being on and I knew that I needed to bring out the big guns to get my skin back on track. Read on for my thoughts...
I'll be honest, I've had festive fragrances going in the house for a few weeks at this stage and even burnt a Christmas candle back in July (to be fair, the weather was like December anyway!), but I know that most people will wait until December to start with the festive scents. I wanted to share my favourite candles and diffusers with you today because they make perfect gifts, but also really set the mood for the coming weeks. I will say in advance that I don't like the usual clove/cinnamon/nutmeg festive scents. I like that smell coming from the oven when I'm baking or when I make mulled wine (I don't eat or drink any of those), however I find they catch in my throat when they're in candle form, so all of these are based around other festive scents.
 |
| For complete transparency, both of these products were kindly gifted to me without obligation. |
I don't know about you but I get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Black Friday emails that are in my inbox! Most are of no interest to me as they're similar to what is offered throughout the year but I had to share the codes in today's post with you because they are actually an increase on the usual discounts and both products are splurges but worth the money. CurrentBody have been kind enough to increase my discount from 15% to 20% on their CurrentBody Skin products (the LED mask worked absolute wonders on my hyperpigmentation, as you'll see below) and 20% discount on ZIIP products. These codes are valid until November 30th, at which point they will return to 15% and 10% respectively. The codes you need at checkout are LYMINCB for the CurrentBody Skin products and LYMINZIIP for the ZIIP products. Read on for why I think they are worth the investment...
I actually feel that over the past year or two (maybe longer), I've developed beauty fatigue and by that I mean that I'm a bit over new release upon new release, day after day. It takes a lot to pique my interest these days because a lot of brands seem to just churn out products. Some go viral and then disappear, others retain their hype - but are they worth the hype? Today, I'm choosing 10 very hyped beauty products and telling you whether I think they deserve that status. This may become a series! I would really love to hear your thoughts on the products too...
I think that we can tend to overlook the products that we use daily as they're just taken for granted and not seen as exciting or new enough to blog about, but it's the consistent use of these products that keeps things from getting out of control. I'm not going to include any facial skincare products because you know the building blocks of my routine and the products vary, depending on what I'm currently testing/wanting to use up etc. However, there are other products that I use daily without even thinking about it, but if I didn't, I would see a huge difference and not in a good way! SPF and deodorants are a given so I haven't mentioned those, but take a look at what are non-negotiable for me...
 |
| These products were kindly gifted to me, without obligation, however I buy as much, if not more than, I receive. |
It's no secret here on the blog that I'm a HUGE fan of L'Occitane - bodycare, fragrance, skincare and more! I've been using the brand since 2006, where the love affair started with the Verbena range. If you are new to the brand, I would highly recommend buying one of their Advent Calendars because you get such a variety of products in there and the sizes are generous enough for you to figure out what really works for you. I have gone on to recommend the brand to so many people (who are also now massive fans), and love not just the products, but their ethos. They are committed to fair trade and sustainability. All of the fragranced products instantly transport me to another time because they smell so authentic and I spent so much time with my Granda in his garden when I was growing up. He was a landscape gardener by trade and his garden encompassed between 3 and 4 acres, and he really did have the gift of green fingers and because scent is the sense that is strongest for me, I can relive my childhood and early adult years through the brand. I've posted previously about the Immortelle range, which is harvested in Corsica and the products are then distilled in Provence. It's through this distillation process that the unique super extract is extracted, which is used in the products. The Immortelle Divine moisturiser has been recently updated to be even more effective in terms of brightening the skin, collagen production and anti-oxidant protection. New products have also been added to the line. I want to share my thoughts with you today...
 |
| This was kindly gifted to me, without obligation. |
This post has been a long time coming, purely because my pigmentation gets worse in summer so I wanted to take a photo of my worst patch in Spring and another when Autumn was kicking in to give a full picture of the changes. I have seen a lot of people use the CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Face Mask on Instastories and what always appealed to me was the shape. Some LED masks are very structured whereas this fits around your face and accommodates all face shapes and sizes, so when I was given the opportunity to try it, I jumped at the chance! This was very kindly gifted to me, but as with all of my reviews, my opinion is entirely honest and you will see the results in the photos. If you want to buy this or any of the CurrentBody products, I have a 15% discount code for you - enter LYMINCB at the checkout to avail of this (I have my eye on a few other products for the eyes, hands and neck and with expensive products, it's always great to have a discount!).
 |
| Anything marked with a * was kindly gifted to me, without obligation. I am part of the Dermalogica #skinfluencer programme and receive products as part of that. |
I change my skincare seasonally to adjust to whatever my skin needs. I don't necessarily change everything at once but I do find myself gradually introducing new items as the weather gets cooler and the heating is turned on. As I write this, the weather is unseasonably warm but I have made some changes over the past 5/6 weeks and will continue to do so as I'm also testing other products. So, let's get into it...
It's a little while since I bought new makeup but a few things caught my eye recently so I placed a few orders - nothing like my 'hauls' back in the day because I did eventually figure out that I only have one face (plus pretty much ran out of storage space!). I tend not to jump on hyped up products these days and want all of the latest releases, but I'm happy with the products that I bought and thought I'd share them with you today....
It felt like Autumn began in July, where it rained so hard most days that the leaves began to fall off the tress, then came a mixed August and a mini heatwave at the beginning of September, but I think it's time to accept that Autumn is finally here. I'm not one of those people who loves Autumn - don't get me wrong, I count each day as a blessing but I'm more of a Spring person (I would say Summer but we rarely get more than a few warm days in Ireland and it drives me mad when people moan about it being too hot when we do get those few warm days!), however despite the dark mornings and evenings, I do appreciate the beautiful colours that nature provides and I love apple crumble - two things that I definitely associate with Autumn. In terms of beauty, there are a few items that I can't be without and I want to share them with you today.
Sorry (again!) that I've been MIA! I've had Covid again and was pretty much wiped out and the recovery is slow because whilst I'm testing negative, the symptoms are hanging around. Moving on, I've switched up my wardrobe for Autumn (although the weather hasn't fully caught up yet!) and began rotating some makeup and whilst I will introduce a berry lip, my go-to is always a nude lip. I have more lipsticks from Charlotte Tilbury than any other brand, so I thought that before sharing my Autumn beauty essentials, I'd share with you my top ten nude lipsticks from the brand. I know that some people will think it's excessive but I actually have more nudes from other brands too! I just find it so easy to wear and it will go with every look. So, on to my addiction collection.
 |
| These products were kindly gifted to me, without obligation. |
This review has been a looooong time coming! This range was actually released in April and I was kindly gifted the four products, which comprise the entire line, but at the time I had a rash and could only use a cream that was specially made for me by my GP/local pharmacy. I also had some other skincare products to review before I could get stuck into these and my posting schedule has been a bit all over the place due to illness, but now that they are almost empty, I am finally ready to share my thoughts on one of the most hyped skincare releases of the year: the No7 Future Renew range.
I really hope that you're experiencing sunny weather wherever you are (if you like it, that is!) - since the beginning of July, we seems to have had rain pretty much every day, however it's still quite muggy so my makeup picks are ones that are quite lightweight, easy to touch up and let my skin be seen. I'm sharing my most reached for products today, which also made packing my makeup bag for my holiday this weekend very quick & easy!
 |
| I am part of the Skinluencer programme and am sent some products from the brand, however I buy a lot of products myself too. |
Dermalogica is a brand that I have been using for 20 years (maybe a little more!). Before blogs, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, magazines were our go-to for beauty advice and I remember that Daily Microfoliant popped up in almost every issue. I was influenced and then hooked (and my husband is now hooked too!). Ever since then I have always had some Dermalogica products in my routine and exclusively used them and had their facials for 6 months before our wedding. I could easily pick my top 20 products from the brand, but decided to be really strict and narrow it down to my top five to share with you today. If you haven't tried the brand, I really urge you to and it would be a great idea to start with a face-mapping facial.
It will come as no surprise to regular readers that I love cleansing balms. I adore the texture but also the motion of massaging into my skin and breaking down my makeup/spf, or just to treat my skin to a massage and deep cleanse. The ritual is relaxing and a nice way to unwind at the end of the day. The first balm that probably springs to most minds is Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm, which I like to call an experience rather than a cleanser but I wanted to share five other balm cleansers that I highly rate with you today. I'd also love to hear your suggestions and favourites too!
I couldn't resist placing a Charlotte Tilbury order recently - it was some much needed retail therapy when I was feeling rotten, prompted by a discount code and some new releases! Here's what I got and my thoughts so far!
Since discovering Olaplex No. 3, I have tried every product that they have ever released so it goes without saying that I bought their recently released No. 4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo. I wash my hair once weekly so dry shampoo is an essential part of my hair product collection. This one offers a lot in the name but it's also pretty pricey and I have two that I adore so it really did have stiff competition, but I just couldn't not try it!
Before I first tried the IT Cosmetics CC Cream, I really wondered what the hype was about because any BB or CC products that I had tried previously had only disappointed me, whether due to lack of coverage, oxidising, being too shiny and unnatural looking - basically, I didn't get the hype! This was when we couldn't get this brand on this side of the Atlantic so I wasn't going to spend a fortune in shipping to try a product that I didn't think I'd like. Then I was in New York in 2018 and I saw it in Sephora, tested a little on my hand and realised that it offered a lot more coverage than I thought and I liked the finish so I bought my first tube..... the first of many!
 |
| None of these products were gifted to me. |
There are so many celebrity skincare and makeup brands on the market and most of them don't interest me, however when I received some samples from Rare Beauty with a Sephora order last year, I knew that I wanted to try more. Once the brand launched on this side of the Atlantic, it sold out so quickly that it was virtually impossible to get your hands on any products, so I just put it out of my mind........ until a few weeks ago when I had a little splurge and I want to share my thoughts with you today!
 |
| Any product marked with a * was kindly gifted to me, without obligation. |
I'm very fortunate that I get some products sent to me (without obligation) to use and share my thoughts with my lovely readers. It's not something that I take for granted and I very much appreciate it. I also like to buy products myself as I personally find blogs/Instagram/TikTok boring if the person only uses products that were gifted to them (even worse when they don't declare them!). Today, I'm sharing a mix of both products I've purchased and others that have been sent to me (marked with a *).
It started with the new Hypnotising Pop Shots Pillow Talk Ultra Violet eyeshadow and then kinda snowballed into a little haul! I just love a purple eyeshadow on my green eyes but it's a colour that is very difficult to get right, so I had to buy it and then the Magic Body Cream intrigued me and I had early access, which lured me in...
 |
| This product was kindly sent to me, without obligation. |
It's a while since I last did a 'The hype is real' post but when I started to use Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream*, I knew that this would be the first product in the comeback of this series! This has been around since 2006 however it was recently revamped and I really believe that this cult product will be around forever. It's the ultimate in hydrating creams, yet it's surprisingly lightweight so I think that this will suit a lot of skin types and conditions.
Despite decluttering regularly, I still have a pretty vast makeup collection. However, I find myself reaching for the same foundations on repeat in the past few months. Maybe I need to a mega declutter again, but the thing is I love the makeup that I have, especially eyeshadows, but I know that if I got rid of all of my other foundations, I would be happy with the five in this post (and yes, I know that's excessive). For reference, I have dry skin so if you do too, you may find this post helpful.
When Victoria Beckham Beauty first launched, I was a little overwhelmed and didn't know what to buy. the products are expensive, so I didn't want to make a (pricey) mistake! I now know that the quality explains the price tag and it's a brand that I gradually want to add more products from to my collection. If, like me, you often toy with the idea of buying something but are overwhelmed, I would suggest starting with the Lid Lustres!
Since Olaplex first burst onto the scene, there have been a number of haircare ranges released, all with the aim of strengthening and repairing the hair, rather than just making it look good temporarily. When the hair is strong and elasticized, it looks good in terms of colour and bounce. My hairdresser used the new Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate products on my hair last year and I immediately purchased. I loved how soft and lightweight my hair felt, but it also looked as though my hair had been cut because it was so bouncy. I bought the 4 step bundle, which includes a pre-wash treatment, shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in treatment, all of which are full size. They are currently reduced on Look Fantastic and using my code BEAUTYLYMIN will save you some more money.
I've raved about Drunk Elephant skincare on the blog previously, but I've never done a dedicated post to their body care range. To be honest, I don't always spend a lot on body products, however I noticed in recent times, after having the flu and then Covid again, that my skin was looking lacklustre and was dry and just showed signs of how run down I was, so I decided to invest in my body care, instead of just spending on my facial skincare products. I guess I just wanted a treat, and to use some products that I had previously (the glycolic body lotion and almond milk scrub), but also some other products that were new to me. If you want to try any of the products mentioned, it's worth keeping an eye on Look Fantastic, as they sometimes have 3 for 2 on this brand (not sponsored, I bought everything myself!).
