Mum on the run? How to maintain your champagne skincare routine (on a lemonade timescale)

 

I’m perennially rushing around to get a gazillion tasks done in the
morning, and I would love to have a great 10-step skincare routine.
However, I barely have ten seconds to breathe, let alone lovingly pat my face with the essence of a million roses, and gently massage a cream that has the whisper of a dozen unicorns…

So here I am rushing about trying to get my kids dressed, breakfasts ready, fed and cleared. Not to mention try to get myself to look halfway human. My A.M routine is pared down and also in bits and pieces. Does this seem familiar?

Ok, here it is, warts (metaphorical of course 😉 ) and all.

1) Alarm goes off, I wake up, shut off the alarm, hoping it is Saturday (no such luck), hop out of bed and wash my face with a cream cleanser. (Like the No 7 beautiful cleansing balm from Boots £9.50 but always on offer and use those coupons, The Glossier Milky Jelly cleanser £15 ,or my new favourite: the Aldi Lacura Hot cloth cleanser £3.99, this is…how do I say this the identical twin to a famous cleanse and polish brand which set off the trend of using muslin cloths; even though said cleanser was not the first in the market to use a muslin cloth system…Clue: the brand rhymes with ~Miss Pearl)

I brush my teeth for two minutes, whilst my face dries.

2) Then I use a Glycolic toning pad (for ease of use, Nip& Fab are great(£6.45 currently here but I’ve always seen an offer on these, and the new Aldi Lacura glycolic pads £2.49 which look nothing like the Nip+Fab pads 😉 (I use this every other day, if unsure start once a week and build it up)

Glycolic acid works to exfoliate the face by using a chemical liquid to gently slough off the dead top layers of skin, giving you, glowing brighter skin. (Please let me know in comments, if you want me to talk about Glycolic acid and I’ll ensure that I write about this later) I use one side of the pad for one side of the face, and the second side for the other half of the face in a quick swipe. Whatever is left, goes down the neck and to the décolletage. As Caroline Hirons says…take it to the tits.

3) It’s at this time that I go downstairs, get the kids’ cereal sorted and let the Glycolic sink in. (takes about ten minutes, in the middle of which they’d have a massive fight resulting in tears, uh, oh) I holler at the kids to finish their Weetabix…put the kettle on and soak two teabags in an attempt to make a massive mug of tea. I gently remind, (ok, yell at the warring twins about hurrying up and getting changed). All the while running up and madly trying to mist my face with either Superdrug’s B range Hyaluronic Acid spritz( currently £3.95 – check for BOGOF offers as these keep popping up, this one is also great for the handbag) or Superdrug’s Vitamin E mist (£2.99 currently and there’s always offers). I do this so that I can give my dehydrated face a moisture sandwich. Only to rush back downstairs as I’ve remembered that I have yet to make the actual lunchbox sandwiches.

(Note to self- do it the night before) (Another note to self, make sure you take heed of previous note and not ignore it like you have done for the last five years)

4) In between all this malarkey, I’m manically trying to put on my work clothes, whilst attempting to put on my Vitamic C serum( some of which, inevitably gets rubbed onto my shirt collar…Great! Now I’ve to use a face wipe to get this off; only reason to ever use wipes to be honest, this or wiping the sink. I’m using this one Vitamin C spheres 23% by the Ordinary £4.90 which requires a bit of massaging to dissolve the vitamin c granules, this is gritty and you need to leave it for a few minutes, or alternatively use this oil; Balance cosmetics Active formula £.2.99 on Amazon.  The time this cream/oil takes to sink in fully (5-7minutes tops) is enough for me to frantically pop my head out of the bedroom door…gently remind ( cough…alright yell, ear splittingly at ) the kids to make sure they haven’t forgotten to brush their teeth, wash their faces, make their beds, worn t

5) I pop back to my vanity and then depending on how my skin is behaving that day, I’ll go for a light Hydrating serum (Superdrug Pure range does a great hydrating one is nearly always on offer and even if its not, the full priced version is about £3.99 and is highly raved about by Sali Hughes, its either this or HadaLabo Gokujyun premium Hyaluronic Acid serum between £10.33-£10.39; its a massive bottle which will last me till I’m 90 I’m sure! Yes… saying the name of the serum takes longer than the time it takes for this serum to penetrate your skin.)This usually takes about a few seconds, unfortunately wrangling with my tights doesn’t.

6) Anyway somehow tights are on, and I’ve managed to wipe the Vitamin c stains off my shirt, and I’m onto my next step of the routine…the moisturiser. But of course my kids sense that I’ve been gone a while.( 5 minutes is a millennium in their heads obviously ) and decide to murder each other, all I can hear is shouts of Mummmmmmmmmyyyy. Do I ignore them and pamper myself, or break up the fight? Urm choices, choices…anyway I decide to step in…one hand dipped in in moisturiser, which I end up smearing all over my battling kids. This breaks that up immediately…hmm moisturiser should be standard regulation weapons issued to the riot control police.

If I’m feeling dryer than usual, I go for Weleda skin food, (£6 at the time of checking) which is an absolute skin saviour. Thick, unctuous and sinks in quick. If I’m not feeling as dry, I love the Aldi Lacura Day Cream( it’s meant to the be a dupe of the La Prarie cream and is cheap as chips at £3.99) Any and all moisturisers from my previous post will do the trick here.

7) I take this stolen moment to do a quick face massage (upward motions remember!) and then throw on a sunscreen ( previous blogpost) and a lip balm ( I’m loving the Aldi Miracle cream £3.99 which is a fantastic dupe of the iconic 8 hour cream) I give this a few minutes to sink in. Wave at my face frantically and probably futilely, hoping for it to dry before I move on to my makeup routine, and/or I get a call from social services.

I hear no sounds from downstairs, and now I’m seriously worried that ‘Thing 1’ might have done some serious damage to ‘Thing 2’…I rush downstairs, only to find them doing some colouring (on a piece of paper, not my walls thankfully!)  also, I discover that the cup of tea…still languishing sadly in its water, which is now manky and cold and probably strong enough to grow hairs on my chest…Ah! the life of a mum, cold cups of tea and playing the referee, in between attempts to perfect a winged liner. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Love Elle xx

(For routines, I do not invent any of my own, I recommend that you read Caroline Hirons “Routines cheat sheets”, as it is futile to better something done so well. They are the Rolls Royce of routines. All I’ve done is added my two pennies, using affordable options.)

(Ps: All the products have been rigorously tested on me and I also love a champagne lifestyle but have  a lemonade budget this is why I’ve been using budget skincare for the last month, thanks to my friend JP( xxx) . And guess what? It’s just as good.( if not better).  I’ll just leave this little beauty by Aldi here.)

Note of disclaimer: All opinions are my own, I have no affiliations with any company, there are no affiliate links on this post and all products are purchased with my own money. If this was to change at any point, I will disclose this and it will not affect my opinion. Please check ingredients list of all products that you buy, in case you have allergies to any of the products that I have mentioned. Please do not copy, publish any photos on this blog or contents in its entirety or otherwise without my express permission.

PPS: Life got in the way of the blog, I promise to get more regular with my posts.

 

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Unmasking my mask drawer- the DUPE EDITION: Part Uné

If 2016 was about strobing, 2017 was all about the mask. We had sheet masks, clay masks, bubble masks, Gold masks, dry masks, silicone masks, rubber masks…you name it, and you could have it. Some as little as 40p going all the way to, wait for it…take a deep breath, £230!

Now this is my humble opinion, I personally wouldn’t spend more than £20 (at a stretch… for something that lasts for only 20 minutes on my face once a week) I’d rather invest that money in a good serum, where the results are more beneficial as it’s used more regularly, given more time to penetrate and hence more effective.(My two pennies, you can disagree…respectfully please!) And don’t get me started on brands that have exorbitantly priced clay masks. Clay is one of the cheapest ingredients out there. Save your pennies for a product that contains real luxury ingredients.

I got this Peter Thomas Roth mask (a part of a set as a present) and don’t get me wrong, I cannot diss it. I love it. Love, love, love it. But it’s pricey, like… I need me a sugar daddy pricey, and the cost per wear is £££. But then I  randomly bought this Andalou mask, and then I realised OMG this was a dupe for the Peter Thomas Roth Mask!

Ingredients comparison between the Peter Thomas Roth and Andalou Mask:

Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme mask  ingredients: 

Water, Aluminum Oxide, Glycerin, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin), Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Edta Edetate Discodium Dihydrate USP, Methyl Eugenol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol.

Andalou Pumpkin Glycolic Honey mask ingredients: 

Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) puree*, aloe barbadensis juice*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) oil*, vegetable glycerin, manuka honey, ananas sativus (pineapple) juice*, pectin, glycolic acid, sodium hyaluronate, cyamopsis tetragonolobus (guar) gum*, fruit stem cells (malus domestica, solar vitis) and BioActive 8 berry complex*, lecithin, saccharum officinarum (sugar cane) extract*, calophyllum tacamahaca (tamanu) and limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) oils, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (vitamin C), tocopherol (vitamin E), aspalathus linearis (rooibos) extract*†, phenethyl alcohol, ethylhexylglycerin, cinnamomum cassia (cinnamon), myristica fragrans (nutmeg) and eugenia caryophyllus (clove) powders*. * Certified Organic. † Fair Trade.

I think, the fact that pumpkin was the first ingredient in the Andalou Pumpkin mask tells me that the active ingredients* in the Andalou mask is further up in the ingredients list** and this means this mask is pretty powerful ( yet gentle, the slight tingle is normal). Great…So basically ingredient wise, the dupe is has better active ingredients  than the original, but how does it perform? Because let’s be honest, a dupe is only so much fun as its performance, isn’t this true of life in general? Hahaha…

The Andalou mask isn’t as gritty as the Peter Thomas Roth (PTR henceforth,) it slides  on smoother than PTR. It’s less of a physical exfoliant, and more of a chemical one (Glycolic acid is a clue) So if Glycolic acid isn’t your jam( allergies or you get reactions), then maybe you’re better off with the PTR one. If however, if you are okay with Glycolic acid then this baby has got your name all over it. It has a lot of fruit acids, which help slough of the dead layers of skin and give you that elusive “Glow”. (Please don’t let the word acid scare you, skin care guru Caroline Hirons has written a great blogpost on this… long and short, it’s not going to melt your face.)

Image courtesy Holland & Barrett

This is a gentle and effective way of getting  your acid and mask fix. It does what it says on the tin, Which, let’s face it, rarely happens. I feel that calling the Andalou mask a dupe is doing it a disservice… it stands on its own merit.

I’m sat typing this post, wearing this mask and I know that 20 minutes later- voila, smoother, brighter skin! (Both masks give you this effect, but I feel Andalou wins on the brightness front) It’s only mildly gritty which when applied, but I can’t find the compound which causes this in the ingredients list (Chemistry degree FAIL lol) I reckon it’s the fruit compounds. (If you do happen know what it is, please do let me know in comments section below please?) It has Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) and Vitamin E( Tocopherol) too. (Vitamin C is known to brighten the skin and Vitamin E is an antioxidant.)

The PTR mask has Vitamin C,  Vitamin E so it relies on the Vitamin C ,Pumpkin enzymes, AHA’s  as its chemical exfoliant. It contains Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) which is said to brighten the skin. However, in my humble opinion, the Vitamin A ingredient usedis too weak to really work its anti ageing goodness. It’s a physical scrub which I personally can’t get on board with. (minute tears on the skin etc etc. Hey, if that’s the way you like to play, I ain’t gonna judge you) Plus when you wash it away, it feels gritty. I always feel like I need to use a cleanse to clean the grit after this mask (totally defeats the purpose 😦 )

If you are in a rush, this is a great mask as you only need to put it on your face for a maximum of 7 minutes(minimum of 3)

Image courtesy Cult Beauty

What makes Andalou a dupe of the cult fave Peter Thomas Roth mask? Its  The Pumpkin enzyme, which is a fruit enzyme (Exfoliant) and Alpha hydroxy Acids (AHA’s) which gently slough away dead skin cells. And they both smell like pumpkin pie, cinnamon-ey….mmm. Wherein PTR has added Vitamin C , and Vitamin A and has Aluminium Oxide(used in microdermabrasion ) which is what gives it its characteristic grittiness. The Andalou mask is based on all the above (except the Aluminium Oxide) and the added punch of the Glycolic Acid, which is what takes it a notch higher (in my books), And Honey which is said both an emollient and a brightening agent.

If all of this doesn’t sway you, the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask is £55 for 50 ml at Cult Beauty. Whereas the Andalou Pumpkin Glycolic enzyme mask is £9.99 for 50g from Holland & Barrett ( there is shipping involved, so just buy two and throw in a lip balm and a few other bits and bobs too 🙂 and this way you save on shipping. See? I’m a maths genius :).  Both claim to be cruelty free, though neither are vegan.

I have another dupe coming up… and I could’ve stuck it in this post, but it was getting so long and science-y (sorry about both) that I decided to break this up as I don’t want to bore you lovely, lovely readers. Besides, absence doth make the heart grow fonder 😉

Love Elle xx

*( the ingredients that cause physical changes in skin)

**( the further up an ingredient is on the ingredients list on a product, the higher its concentration is)

Note of disclaimer: All opinions are my own, I have no affiliations with any company, there are no affiliate links on this post and all products are purchased with my own money . Please check ingredients list of all products that you buy, in case you have allergies to any of the products that I mentioned. If you are particularly sensitive or even if you’re not, allergies can happen suddenly, even with products that you have used for years. If unsure, please do a patch test on your elbow, and wait 48 hours before using any of the products I’ve suggested. Please do not copy, publish any photos on this blog or contents in its entirety or otherwise without my express permission.

 

 

 

 

Unmasking my mask drawer- the DUPE EDITION: Part Uné

If 2016 was about strobing, 2017 was all about the mask. We had sheet masks, clay masks, bubble masks, Gold masks, dry masks, silicone masks, rubber masks…you name it, and you could have it. Some as little as 40p going all the way to, wait for it…take a deep breath, £230!

Now this is my humble opinion, I personally wouldn’t spend more than £20 (at a stretch… for something that lasts for only 20 minutes on my face once a week) I’d rather invest that money in a good serum, where the results are more beneficial as it’s used more regularly, given more time to penetrate and hence more effective.(My two pennies, you can disagree…respectfully please!) And don’t get me started on brands that have exorbitantly priced clay masks. Clay is one of the cheapest ingredients out there. Save your pennies for a product that contains real luxury ingredients.

I got this Peter Thomas Roth mask (a part of a set as a present) and don’t get me wrong, I cannot diss it. I love it. Love, love, love it. But it’s pricey, like… I need me a sugar daddy pricey, and the cost per wear is £££. But then I  randomly bought this Andalou mask, and then I realised OMG this was a dupe for the Peter Thomas Roth Mask!

Ingredients comparison between the Peter Thomas Roth and Andalou Mask:

Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme mask  ingredients: 

Water, Aluminum Oxide, Glycerin, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin), Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Edta Edetate Discodium Dihydrate USP, Methyl Eugenol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol.

Andalou Pumpkin Glycolic Honey mask ingredients: 

Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) puree*, aloe barbadensis juice*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) oil*, vegetable glycerin, manuka honey, ananas sativus (pineapple) juice*, pectin, glycolic acid, sodium hyaluronate, cyamopsis tetragonolobus (guar) gum*, fruit stem cells (malus domestica, solar vitis) and BioActive 8 berry complex*, lecithin, saccharum officinarum (sugar cane) extract*, calophyllum tacamahaca (tamanu) and limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) oils, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (vitamin C), tocopherol (vitamin E), aspalathus linearis (rooibos) extract*†, phenethyl alcohol, ethylhexylglycerin, cinnamomum cassia (cinnamon), myristica fragrans (nutmeg) and eugenia caryophyllus (clove) powders*. * Certified Organic. † Fair Trade.

I think, the fact that pumpkin was the first ingredient in the Andalou Pumpkin mask tells me that the active ingredients* in the Andalou mask is further up in the ingredients list** and this means this mask is pretty powerful ( yet gentle, the slight tingle is normal). Great…So basically ingredient wise, the dupe is has better active ingredients  than the original, but how does it perform? Because let’s be honest, a dupe is only so much fun as its performance, isn’t this true of life in general? Hahaha…

The Andalou mask isn’t as gritty as the Peter Thomas Roth (PTR henceforth,) it slides  on smoother than PTR. It’s less of a physical exfoliant, and more of a chemical one (Glycolic acid is a clue) So if Glycolic acid isn’t your jam( allergies or you get reactions), then maybe you’re better off with the PTR one. If however, if you are okay with Glycolic acid then this baby has got your name all over it. It has a lot of fruit acids, which help slough of the dead layers of skin and give you that elusive “Glow”. (Please don’t let the word acid scare you, skin care guru Caroline Hirons has written a great blogpost on this… long and short, it’s not going to melt your face.)

Image courtesy Holland & Barrett

This is a gentle and effective way of getting  your acid and mask fix. It does what it says on the tin, Which, let’s face it, rarely happens. I feel that calling the Andalou mask a dupe is doing it a disservice… it stands on its own merit.

I’m sat typing this post, wearing this mask and I know that 20 minutes later- voila, smoother, brighter skin! (Both masks give you this effect, but I feel Andalou wins on the brightness front) It’s only mildly gritty which when applied, but I can’t find the compound which causes this in the ingredients list (Chemistry degree FAIL lol) I reckon it’s the fruit compounds. (If you do happen know what it is, please do let me know in comments section below please?) It has Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) and Vitamin E( Tocopherol) too. (Vitamin C is known to brighten the skin and Vitamin E is an antioxidant.)

The PTR mask has Vitamin C,  Vitamin E so it relies on the Vitamin C ,Pumpkin enzymes, AHA’s  as its chemical exfoliant. It contains Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) which is said to brighten the skin. However, in my humble opinion, the Vitamin A ingredient usedis too weak to really work its anti ageing goodness. It’s a physical scrub which I personally can’t get on board with. (minute tears on the skin etc etc. Hey, if that’s the way you like to play, I ain’t gonna judge you) Plus when you wash it away, it feels gritty. I always feel like I need to use a cleanse to clean the grit after this mask (totally defeats the purpose 😦 )

If you are in a rush, this is a great mask as you only need to put it on your face for a maximum of 7 minutes(minimum of 3)

Image courtesy Cult Beauty

What makes Andalou a dupe of the cult fave Peter Thomas Roth mask? Its  The Pumpkin enzyme, which is a fruit enzyme (Exfoliant) and Alpha hydroxy Acids (AHA’s) which gently slough away dead skin cells. And they both smell like pumpkin pie, cinnamon-ey….mmm. Wherein PTR has added Vitamin C , and Vitamin A and has Aluminium Oxide(used in microdermabrasion ) which is what gives it its characteristic grittiness. The Andalou mask is based on all the above (except the Aluminium Oxide) and the added punch of the Glycolic Acid, which is what takes it a notch higher (in my books), And Honey which is said both an emollient and a brightening agent.

If all of this doesn’t sway you, the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask is £55 for 50 ml at Cult Beauty. Whereas the Andalou Pumpkin Glycolic enzyme mask is £9.99 for 50g from Holland & Barrett ( there is shipping involved, so just buy two and throw in a lip balm and a few other bits and bobs too 🙂 and this way you save on shipping. See? I’m a maths genius :).  Both claim to be cruelty free, though neither are vegan.

I have another dupe coming up… and I could’ve stuck it in this post, but it was getting so long and science-y (sorry about both) that I decided to break this up as I don’t want to bore you lovely, lovely readers. Besides, absence doth make the heart grow fonder 😉

Love Elle xx

*( the ingredients that cause physical changes in skin)

**( the further up an ingredient is on the ingredients list on a product, the higher its concentration is)

Note of disclaimer: All opinions are my own, I have no affiliations with any company, there are no affiliate links on this post and all products are purchased with my own money . Please check ingredients list of all products that you buy, in case you have allergies to any of the products that I mentioned. If you are particularly sensitive or even if you’re not, allergies can happen suddenly, even with products that you have used for years. If unsure, please do a patch test on your elbow, and wait 48 hours before using any of the products I’ve suggested. Please do not copy, publish any photos on this blog or contents in its entirety or otherwise without my express permission.

 

 

 

 

Glow-mo. Highlighter and the career person- The cream edition.

I have to say this, when it comes to highlighters…I’m late to the party. As in, the guests have left, but the DJ is still playing some ABBA tunes for me to sadly throw some shapes to.

But I have a reason(ok…excuse), I cannot resonate with the Insta Sexy Stripe. You know the one that I’m talking about?That stripe across the cheek that was so popular in the last two years, the cheekbones that scream “Beam me up Scotty”?   If this is you…I respect and admire you immensely. I’m too chicken to pull it off. ( Maybe the blog should’ve been titled, cream highlighters for the chickens amongst us.) I’ve seen plenty of Insta inspired cheekbones walking around and more power to them for owning the shine.

I fail to see how it transcends to your 30’s and or the workplace, (if you’re a career woman)and in general day to day life. I know that in my line of work especially , that extra stripe of sheen would be a tad too much, may look slightly unprofessional and would distract from the job at hand.

So how does one adapt a trend started by the Millennials and made famous on social media to the workplace or even on a 30 something face?

This is how I’ve done it, this is what works for my dry, dehydrated, perennially tired, career mum face…

I’ve realised that just like not all matte red lipsticks are created equal, neither are highlighters. When I’m aiming for that youthful, glowing, fresh-faced look that can look cool in a board meeting as well as a daytime lunch with the girlfriends…I find that I usually reach for one of these. I have to say this that highlighter will highlight whatever skin is underneath, so if you have texture or wrinkles, try dotting just on the high points of your cheekbones using a matte lighter toned concealer or  go for an illuminating cream (post coming up soon…)

 

Application for daytime use ( my way)

(ps- You only really need one, as usual I have far too many, but choice is not a bad thing…sometimes 🙂 )

1. Asos Makeup chubby highlighter stick ( 2 colour options Tenacious ( Rose gold) Flawed (Bronze) £9.00 Asos, Lookfantastic)

I have the chubby stick in bronze and it’s good, albeit with a few chunky glitter particles. So I see it as more a Summer Day Ladies who lunch option. It does blend and can be built up. Be warned, that this is not subtle and is a highlighter that will make its and your presence felt. Which is not a bad thing. But forewarned is forearmed (or light handed in my case.)

  2. Sleek Makeup highlighter palette ( they have two colour ways Summer Solstice, and Cleopatra’s Kiss, I have Cleoptra’s kiss. Both retail for £9.99 in Superdrug )

Sleek, with their stunning packaging have really been changing the drugstore makeup game. I do think that this is rather trend driven, which is why the fact that they are so inexpensive, makes them so covetable. Plus their packaging is stunning. Insta stunning.

This highlighter quad comes with four pans, two cream and two powder. The cream highlighters have surprisingly small glitter particles so they work and blend seamlessly to create a stunning glow, which can be built up to create some serious sexy alien sheen. ( The Cleopatra palette has two cream shades one which has a golden tone and one which has a creamy silvery undertone.) This can be everyday and special occasion.

3. Glossier Haloscope trio (£18 on Glossier, three colour ways – Topaz, Quartz and Moonstone)

Glossier describes this as a fusion between skincare and makeup. The highlighter contains an outer ring of colour, and inner core of moisturiser. And wow this is my my fave of all the ones listed thus far. ( Topaz has a bronze sheen, Quartz is universally flattering with a champagne Sheen, and Moonstone like its name has got a silver sheen)

These give the most natural looking glow  to your cheekbones, and the most grown up one there is. You can literally swipe this in a moving cab, in the dark and not go wrong. A bit of dabbing and off you trot. Which is perfect for multitasking women on the go. I cannot pick a favourite, I’d much rather pick a favourite child.

4. Ciate Dewy Stix (£22 from lookfantastic, asos, pictured here is the shade Lustre)

 

This could be described as the creamy version of the famous Iconic London liquid highlighter, it feels like that to me at least. One swipe and you can see your cheekbones from space. Because its creamy, it can be blended a bit, but this is more suited to a day lunch with your mates, or a glitzy day do. If you work in a corporate setting, you don’t want your space age cheekbones to be the topic of conversation in the ladies washroom. It comes in three colour ways, Glow- transparent, Lustre pink iridescent, Gleam gold opal)

5. Nars the multiple ( Luxor, you can see by the wear on the lid how old mine is, plus mine is a travel version…the full size retails at £29 in lookfantastic )

This was one of the first highlighters that I remember buying, more as it was a part of a trio with Malibu and Orgasm cream blushes rather than for its own merit. So its only recently that i discovered this little gem lurking in my drawer. My loss. Its got definite sheen ( more of a presence than the glossier haloscope) but the glitter particles aren’t chunky.  So if its workplace glamour, I might go sparingly or choose the glossier one above. This is great for a girly lunch and I think it would look stunning on every skin tone.

6. Jillian Dempsey Lid Tint ( Dewy £24.50 at Beauty Mart )

This has gotten so much love on insta, amongst influencers and MUA’s alike. I had such high hopes for it…But upon receiving it I couldn’t be more disappointed. I don’t see the hype. This goes on like an oil slick (not far off Vaseline to be honest). At the price it is, its not worth it. I don’t see myself buying it again to be honest. Buy some vaseline instead and save yourself some money.

7. Becca Shimmering skin perfector ( Rose Gold £15 down from the usual £32 on Space NK , look out for flash sales, also available in liquid versions)

Wowzers, I really didn’t think I’d fall in love with the colour as much as I did. This is a soft gold with a deep rose tint, so this solves the issue of blusher and highlighter and does double duty.

The sheen is subtle, the kind that catches the light and creates a glow, and keeps your female colleagues guessing. ( Though I’m all for girl power and I always divulge what I’ve got on…)

A word of caution though, this may not show up on deep ebony or mahogany skin tones. Becca has a range of other pressed highlighters though so don’t give up on the brand entirely if you have a deeper skin tone than cafe au lait.

My Verdict:

The Glossier Haloscopes. Hands down.

(image courtesy hollywoodlife.com)

I think the Topaz would be a great summer colour or to bring warmth to winter pallid skin. I’ve seen it swatched on every skin tone and I love how it manages to suit every skin tone.

Quartz is an amazing champagne silvery colour that manages to stay on the right side of sheen vs shimmer. If there is just one Glossier haloscope your budget can stretch to, I’d say buy this. One cannot go wrong, its a simple swipe, dab and press motion on the cheekbones. You can do it in the dark, blindfolded, one handed and still not have a Bridget Jones’s moment.

Moonstone, this is a cool toned silvery highlight that suits most people but the cool toned amongst us will definitely benefit. It’s still day wear appropriate and will just give that moonbeam glint when it catches the right light.

Other cream highlighters worthy of mention:

MAC cosmetics Hush– which is a more peachy version of the Becca Highlighter mentioned above, Nars the Multiple in Copacabana, a more golden version of the Nars highlighter in Luxor and probably more well known. A drugstore cream highlighter which is Benefit’s Watts Up, a champagne glow highlighter. Hope this helps you make a glow worthy decision…

Do you have a favourite highlighter? Do let me know in comments please~Love Elle xx 

Note of disclaimer: All opinions are my own, I have no affiliations with any company, there are no affiliate links on this post and all products are purchased with my own money . Please check ingredients list of all products that you buy, in case you have allergies to any of the products that I mentioned. If you are particularly sensitive or even if you’re not, allergies can happen suddenly, even with products that you have used for years. If unsure, please do a patch test on your elbow, and wait 48 hours before using any of the products I’ve suggested. Please do not copy, publish any photos on this blog or contents in its entirety or otherwise without my express permission.