Lancôme Advanced Genifique Serum

Lancôme Advanced Genifique is a highly concentrated serum that uses biotechnology to encourage restoration of the 10 signs of youthful skin. 

Advanced Genifique is packaged in a sleek black jar with a pipette that auto doses. 3 drops is all that is needed! It is a whitish coloured silky serum that feels like heaven to touch, it spreads with ease and is absorbed quickly leaving no oily or greasy residue.

All skincare at Lancôme is enhanced / accelerated by Genifique, so this is their go-to product! 

What does it do? 

Genifique uses bio ingredients to smooth fine lines and deep wrinkles, boosts radiance, clarifies and evens the skin tone, improves the skin's texture, elasticity, firmness and hydration.

Does it actually work though? 

My honest opinion is YES! It does. 

I may only be 30 years old but my skin is showing the first heartbreaking signs of ageing: fine lines, dullness, uneven skintone, sun damage and a soul destroying lack of elasticity! I have noticed a real difference with this product, it's definitely helping with firmness and less visible lines! Plus it feels like absolute heaven after a long day at work! I feel replenished and soothed. 

How do you use it?

I apply 3 drops of this with my fingertips  to freshly cleansed and toned skin (Lancôme Galateis Doucheur and Tonique Doucheur being my cleanser and toner of choice) I then apply Lancôme hydra zen yeux to the eyes, and Lancôme hydra zen neurocalm to the rest of the face. My entire skincare routine takes 5 minutes with Lancôme, and my skin has honestly never looked or felt better! 

94% of Lancôme customers would recommend this product to a friend! There IS a reason why!

Try it out for yourself and see the difference. 

Lancôme Advanced Genifique is available at Tyrers of St. Helens. 30ml is £59. 

Lancôme Douceuer Cleanser & Toner

Lancôme Skincare is simply incredible, it is luxurious, effective and innovative. All of lancome's products are patented so that they cannot be reproduced or imitated by other companies and you really understand why they've gone to the trouble to do that when you try it. They stand alone in terms of innovation! 

I am going to be reviewing Lancôme skincare in a series of blogs, today I am focusing on the very initial part, Cleansing and Toning. 

If you dont know why it is important to cleanse and tone the skin daily, here are just a few good reasons! 

1. It removes impurities.

2. It refines the skin.

3. It unblocks the pores.

4. It exfoliates, removes dead skin cells and and preps the skin. 

Needless to say that nobody's skin ever looks radiant without first being properly cleansed. That goes for makeup wearers too! Your makeup will look so much more flawless if you apply it to properly prepped skin. 

My Lancôme cleanser of choice is called:

GALATEIS DOUCHEUR

This gentle softening cleansing fluid is suitable for the face AND eyes! (No need for a seperate eye makeup remover!!) It is ideal for all skin types, contains papaya and pineapple extracts and helps to keep the skin supple! 

Ideal for taking off your makeup (even waterproof mascara, I've tried it and it did it with ease!) or just freshening up the skin after exposure to daily pollution, this product comes in a generous 200ml size. 

Apply with a cotton pad and wipe away the impurities, your skin will feel exceptionally clean! 

I LOVE this cleanser, I haven't had a single blemish since I've been using it, let alone a pimple! I guarantee your drugstore alternative won't even come close in terms of cleansing power, yet it is so gentle on my sensitive skin I have had no irritation whatsoever!

Some things just ARE worth the money, and a properly cleansed face is one of them! 

The Toner that goes alongside this is:

TONIQUE DOUCEUR

This blue coloured toner is both softening and hydrating but best of all it is alcohol free (so many toners aren't!) it is ideal for normal to combination skin. 

I find this toner fantastic, following up my cleanser with this my skin feels amazing, refined and luminous. A little goes a long way and this product will pick up any last lagging bits of grease or makeup the cleanser missed (and it doesn't miss much believe me!) 

It also rinses the cleanser off your face leaving your skin completely bare and ready to absorb your moisturiser. 

I recommend these products to ladies in their 20's to 40's with normal to combination skin. 

Both Galateis doucheur and tonique doucheur are available at Tyrers of St. Helens RRP £22.50 each for 200ml. 

Go and see the lovely Bev on the Lancôme counter and tell her I sent you! She's a world of knowledge. You won't be disappointed. 

Essie: Fabulous Fingers & Trendy Toes

Vibrant nails are bang on tend for spring and summer 2014 and I can't recommend these Essie polishes highly enough! 

Wether you're looking for fabulous fingernails or trendy toes, Essies line of super bold polishes will have you spoilt for choice! 

My top 3 picks for Spring & Summer are:

Bikini so teeny 

A bright cornflower blue with a slight shimmery undertone, instantly enhances a tan and so fashionable right now! 

Off the shoulder

A Barbie pink that will never go out of fashion, will compliment any summer dress and looks amazing with some silver nail art or a silver accent nail. 

Fear & Desire 

A bright orange shade fit for any BBQ, day at the beach or summer holiday! This show off shade really packs some punch and will have you looking like a fashionista in no time at all! 

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

Clarins beauty flash balm is a staple amongst beauty gurus the world over - but what exactly is it? And why do people rate it so much? 

Well as possibly the only beauty blogger in the world who hadn't tried it, I'm a recent convert! Here I explain why! 

Beauty Flash Balm is a Clarins product, it is a part if their Essential skincare line. It claims to:

- instantly boost the skin's radiance

- firm

- smooth

- energise

- reduce the appearance of lines

How does it work?  

Well beauty flash balm contains an abundance of natural ingredients that heal and revitalise the skin, from  plant extracts to essential oils, olive and witch hazel it leaves no stone unturned in terms of what it can cure, improve and soothe. It doesn't just disguise imperfections like a makeup would, it treats them! 

How can it be used? 

Beauty Flash Balm has a number of different uses which also attribute to it's popularity. It can be used simply as a skin cream, or a mask, or even a makeup primer. I prefer to use it as the latter. 

 

The cream is a peachy nude colour with a classic clarins skin cream scent, it is rich and thick without being oily or greasy and it leaves the skin feeling refreshed and replenished, looking radiant and restored. 

This skin cream is meant to be patted, not rubbed into the skin and can be applied as often as required for an instant refresh on the go. 

As a skin cream it certainly improved the condition of my skin, made it look more balanced, evened out my skintone and perfected it. As a makeup primer it does an excellent job. I cleanse and tone the skin, then apply beauty flash balm. Without allowing it to dry or soak in I then apply my foundation immediately. The balm allows the foundation to glide onto the face without clinging to any dry patches, caking or sinking into fine lines. It also extends the wear time of my makeup considerably. 

I  view clarins beauty flash as THE bb cream. Whilst drugstore brands launched bb creams just a couple of years ago, clarins have been selling this for decades! (BB cream means Beauty Balm) 

For me as a blogger, a good way to measure wether a product is amazing or not is wether it stands the test of time, or wether it launches and disappears just as quickly without leaving a lasting impression on clients, happily for clarins their beauty flash balm has been a staple product for many years, and will be for a long, long time to come! 

I adore products that multitask like this does, as it makes it excellent value for money. A primer, face mask and moisturiser all in one? Now I know why it's so popular, and you won't catch me without it! 

Available from Tyrers of St. Helens 

NEW Clinique CC cream review

This month Clinique launched their new Moisture surge CC cream, a colour correcting product that evens out skin tone, replenishes moisture levels and offers an easier to wear, fuss free alternative to foundation. 

CC and BB creams are perfect, especially those who feel anxious over applying a foundation because you apply this the same way you apply a moisturising cream. No blending with a sponge or painting it on with a brush! simply rub in with the hands and go! 

The product comes in 9 shades from very light to dark, and is fragrance and oil free. 

I decided to apply this product like a moisturiser, using no sponge or brush, I just worked it in with my fingertips. A little goes a really long way and the coverage is very high! 

Upon closer inspection my skin looked amazing! Radiant, illuminated, youthful and dewy. It looked naturally flawless, my skintone looked even and my imperfections were covered. Unbelievable results and I was beyond shocked. It is literally a magic potion!  

I applied the rest of my makeup as normal and here is my finished look: 

This product is perfect for summertime, as not only does it feel lightweight on the skin, it looks radiant and natural, which is the look that is bang on trend for summer 2014! 

It also contains an SPF 30 which is ideal for protecting your face from sun damage on summer days. 

You may not think you could pull off the natural dewy look that is high fashion this season, but I promise you, with this product you can and you will instantly take years off!

For those of you like myself, who like a full coverage foundation and think you would feel 'naked' or 'bare' with this product I urge you to try it, you will be astounded. 

I'd recommend this to ladies with any skin type and of any age, especially those like myself who feel they have an uneven skintone or dull undertones to the skin. 

Update your look this season: 

Apply this cc cream as your base, accent it with a blush like Clinique cheek pops in Peach Pop, some black kohl eyeliner, black lash lengthening mascara like Lancôme hypnose and a coral lipgloss. You will look fresh faced, youthful and summer ready in a flash! 

Clinique moisture surge cc cream is £28 and available at Tyrers of St. Helens. 

Simply Gorgeous Cosmetics An Exclusive Review!

I love to try new products and brands, so when I was offered the opportunity to be the first person in England to review a new line of American cosmetics I literally jumped at the chance! 

Simply gorgeous is a brand new range of cosmetics hot out of New York! 

I was sent a package of various items to try out and review. 

Blusher

The first thing I tried was their gorgeous blusher! The packaging is wonderful, it is matte gold and high end looking with a mirror and mini brush applicator included for on the go touch ups. 

The colour I was sent was 'medium rose'

I'd describe it as a brick red or burnt coral, with pink and brown undertones. 

The texture of the blush is perfect, not too powdery or chalky. Very finely milled and highly pigmented. I was also pleased to read it was fragrance free and contains anti oxidants, so it's actually good for your skin! 

It comes in a generous 8.6g size too! excellent value for money! 

Mascara

The simply gorgeous mascara is also in matte gold packaging with metallic accents, it really looks the part! The mascara I was sent is in Black. It has a dainty wand perfect for adding volume and curl as you can really get into the base of the lashes with it. 

It is a very rich and creamy formula that doesn't clump and the pigmentation is excellent, so your lashes look black and bold. It doesn't say it's waterproof but I've had no issues with it running in the rainy British springtime climate! Great product. 

Lipstick

I was sent the lipstick in the shade 'red alert' which is funny because I am obesessed with red lipstick! How did they know?

Red alert is a true red, bold, rich and fearless, I adore it! The formula is silky and very moisturising and it has a satin sheen finish. No gloss needed on top of this beauty! I also noticed that this lipstick stained my lips so reapplications were few and far between. Definitely comparable to a NYX lipstick in terms of colour payoff and quality. Truly excellent lipstick!

Eyeshadow 

The powder eyeshadow I was sent was in Irish Creme, a beautiful beige. Very neutral and would suit any skintone and hair colour. 

I am astounded at it's excellent colour payoff for such a light neutral shade! The formulation is smooth and silky, much like the blush. Very finely milled for easy application and it is a dream to blend. These single eyeshadows are a huge 3g size too! That DOUBLE the size of a MAC eyeshadow for a fraction of the price, and I honestly see no difference in terms of quality! 

Cream eyeshadow 

The cream eyeshadow I was sent was in Pink Opal. It is the most beautiful colour and would work perfectly on anybody with brown or green eyes. 

I find the texture a little greasy and it can feel a little sticky on the eyelid, I'd recommend using this with an eyeshadow primer to maximise it's staying power and to set it with a little translucent powder. what a stunning summer colour!! 

Lipgloss 

The simply gorgeous lipgloss is fantastic! From the packaging to the applicator I cannot fault it at all! 

This one is in the shade Attitude and I LOVE it! What a stunning spring and summer shade! It boasts excellent colour payoff, long lasting wear and a shine that could put some high end brands to shame!  My advice? Order yourself one now!!

Nail polish

Simply gorgeous nail polishes are already uber popular on Instagram and after using one I'm really not surprised. I was sent the coral red shade called 'gorgeous' and my oh my it is gorgeous! 

It applys better than many of the high end polishes I own! It just glides on and  the brush applicator does not shed any hairs or clump at all! 

The colour payoff is awesome and it has a two dimensional tone that gives off a light shimmer. It wears well and does not chip easily at all, I really do sing it's praises! 

In summary

Simply Gorgeous cosmetics are a welcome addition to the cosmetics industry, they are high quality, well made, affordable and have super cute packaging! 

For a new makeup brand I think they have hit it out of the park in terms of the quality of their products, I wish them every success in the future! 

Go support them and get yourselves Simply Gorgeous too! 

Estée Lauder DayWear Moisturiser

Estée Lauder Daywear is a facial moisturising cream with SPF 15. 

This award winning moisturiser combines the latest anti aging technology with Classic Estée Lauder skincare to produce  a rich, non greasy skin defending cream! 

The SPF 15 is essential for preventing ageing and sun damage whilst the anti oxidants diminish the first signs of ageing. 

I find this moisturiser a must have for underneath Estée Lauder doublewear foundation, it allows for truly easy and flawless application, keeps the skin looking healthy and hydrated and protects from environmental damage to the skin like pollution and sun damage. 

It has a light scent of cucumber which is beautifully refreshing and is rich enough to last all day long. 

This is to be applied morning and evening and comes two formulations for  normal & combination or dry skin. I found the normal to combination variety perfect for my normal to dry skin. 

This moisturiser would be ideal for ladies in their late twenties and thirties as their first step in anti ageing skincare as this is a great prevention product, and we all know that prevention is better than cure! 

RRP £40 available from Tyrers St. Helens