March Beauty Favourites.

One: Olay Advanced Cleansing System
 I've been wanting to try a brush cleansing system for a while now, but spending $200 on a Clarisonic just wasn't going to happen. I bought this at Priceline for only $40 after hearing it's a pretty decent dupe for the Clarisonic and have been using it for three weeks now. When I first used it, I was quite impressed. Not only does it really clear out your pores, leaving your skin super smooth, but I find it also keeps my make-up on longer! It did make my skin purge slightly during the first week, but I stuck it out and I'm so glad I did. Now not only do I have a noticeable glow to my face, but I have no pimples except for the hormonal ones (yay for being a girl) and my scars are fading and all those little bumps along my hairline are gone. It comes with a small cleanser/exfoliant that you're suppose to use it with but I haven't tried that yet, I just use my normal cleanser. The bristles of the brush are quite soft but I can imagine it's easy to over exfoliate so I'll use it every second night.


Two: Lush Feeling Younger Skin Tint
I've not had much luck with highlighting products, but I'm so very glad I bought this! I was a bit hesitant at first, because a tiny 20g pot (downside: it comes in a pot) costs a massive $18 but after using this, I see that the pot will last me a very long time as a little goes a long way. The consistency is quite thick and very creamy, but once blended out with warm fingers, it feels nice and light on the skin and not sticky at all. The colour is beautiful; a  metallic white with pinky-gold shimmer, almost like fairy dust. I've mixed it into my foundation for an all over glow (just be warned, there's some subtle shimmer so go easy) and I've also applied it to the tops of the cheekbones and the bridge of my nose after my foundation and it works wonderfully either way. Unfortunately, when used alone, it doesn't blend too well, and can really sink into your pores, but either under or over foundation works wonderfully.

Three: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel
Remember when I received a sample of this stuff in my February BellaBox? That time I said I didn't have high hopes because Neutrogena has really messed with my skin in the past? Well, ignore everything past Christie said because she's a damn fool. I've been trying this for the past month and I'm in love! The temperature here's really dropped off, so I've been needing a whole lot of moisture on my face lately. I reached for this tube on a particularly dry morning because it claimed to continuously release moisture throughout the day. I was worried it may go too far and leave my skin looking oily and blegh but that hasn't been the case. The gel has such a light, non-sticky texture and my skin's been slurping it right up. My dry patches have been getting the nourishment they need and my skin looks nothing but supple when I wear it under my foundation. There's a downside, though.. It does have a scent, one that actually reminds me of jellybeans, so there's some definite added perfume, but it's not reacted negatively with my sensitive skin, and I actually like the smell so that's not bothered me at all. I've been using a sample tube, but the full-sized product comes in a pot, which has actually put me off buying it.

Four: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer
This is an old favourite that I practically forgot about until I compared it to Maybelline's Fit Me concealer in this post. Ever since that day, it's risen back to the top of my list as all-time favourite concealer. The formula is thick enough to cover the under eye area but also smooth enough to blend out nicely, filling in fine lines without settling into them or creasing, while still not accentuating my dry skin. It has such great staying power, covering those under eye bags and blemishes all day! The only thing I don't necessarily love is the applicator. On one hand, it's a wind-up, meaning you can basically get every last drop from the tube, but on the other, I it has a huge sponge nib applicator and although I've gotten used to it now, it's still impossible to clean and is quite large, making it difficult to get the product into the smaller parts of the eye. honestly, it really is worth taking the time to get used to the application for dat all-day matte coverage, yo.


Five: Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
I can't remember how I was convinced to buy 'expensive bottled water' to remove my make-up, but I'm so glad I was. I use it after I've had a shower, just before bed to get rid of anything my cleanser has missed (you'd be surprised). If I'm omitting the shower, I feel like I need at least 2 cotton pads to do a thorough job of it. It's great at removing dirt and make-up at the end of the day without leaving that sticky-feeling residue.. you don't even need to rinse it off after using it. Admittedly, it's not the best at removing mascara, particularly waterproof mascara, but it does work. I like to use it on a cotton bud to get at the mascara and eyeliner close to my lashes and even then, it doesn't hurt my eyes at all. I just love the super gentle feel it has on the skin, and it doesn't feel like it's stripping and drying at all. I've heard good things about a French brand, Corine de Farme, so I'll be giving that a go once I've used this up if I can get it in Australia.


What are your latest beauty favourites?