Autumn Skincare Routine: Discovering Burt's Bees

I absolutely love the season change between summer and autumn. I get all excited just thinking about cosy nights, woolly blankets, comfy pjs, snuggly slippers and yummy hot chocolates. The change of season means a change in lifestyle, and that includes skincare.

In the summer, I like to keep things light. I have oily skin, which is a nightmare in hot weather. When the leaves start to fall and the air becomes cooler, my skin really appreciates richer products.

I’ve never used any Burt’s Bees products before, but these two products grabbed my attention as I saw they were over 99% natural.

The first is the Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream. Chamomile is known to help you to relax, which was perfect for me while settling down into a new job. And as it happens, soap bark is just a fancy name for shea butter, which is great for protecting your skin from the environment.

When applying this for the first time, I was initially wowed by the scent. It smells like a cross between Palma Violets, Love Hearts and Fizzers - three of my favourite childhood sweets! The second thing I loved was its creamy texture. It’s moisturising, but also fresh due to the scent.

In the evening, I usually take my makeup off with some wipes before applying the cleanser and leaving it on for around fifteen minutes. This gives it time to really soak into the skin. When leaving it on for longer, it feels cooling and does tingle slightly. Then after washing it off I can immediately see that it de-puffs my face, leaving it bright and radiant.

The second product I purchased was the Burt’s Bees Radiance Day Cream. Like I mentioned earlier, I do have oily skin so I tend to find night creams too heavy for me. Therefore, I use a day cream as a moisturiser, night and day. I went for the radiance cream as I wanted my skin to continue to look healthy going into autumn/winter, when it’s not as easy to eat fruit all day.  

The cream’s main ingredient is royal jelly, which is said to normalise the fat secretion of skin glands to reduce oiliness. It also helps with anti-aging. I apply this morning and night after I’ve cleansed, and love how it moisturises my face without overloading it with oils. My skin seems to drink up and then perk up!

Have you switched up your skincare routine for autumn?

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Life Changer #3 - Fudge Clean Blonde Violet Toning Shampoo

Blondies listen up! This one is a blooming good one! I'm pretty sure that most blondes, natural and dyed, struggle with killing the brassiness. I've been colouring my hair blonde for 8 years (let's forget about the year of the redhead that did not suit me at all), and only since I found this product I can say I have completely banished the brass.

Fudge Clean Blonde - £11-£13.90 on Amazon

Trying to get my hair back to a true blonde from red has taken two years. The last time I visited the hairdressers, I came out thinking the highlights were still too dark and I was desperate to be blonder for the summer. As it had only just been bleached, I didn't want to put any more harmful chemicals on my hair so I decided to try a purple shampoo. I first thought of Lee Stafford's Bleach Blonde's Shampoo which I had used about a year before but found it way too drying for my locks. So after researching other purple shampoos on the market and reading tonnes of reviews, I bit the bullet and bought Fudge's Clean Blonde Violet Toning Shampoo from Amazon. 

I was so intrigued by the product stating that it smoothes and hydrates hair daily because my dry hair can often be a frizzy disaster. I was also quite nervous trying it out for the first time because the shampoo is the colour of the bottle! So I just wacked it on to my scalp and washed it off within a few minutes. The first thing that amazed me was the scent, yummy vanilla. The second was how it turns the water a deep purple so that you feel like a mermaid for the minute it takes to wash out. The third was how soft my hair felt after using it. It already felt like I had used conditioner. 

After drying my hair, I could see it made a huge difference. My colour looked way more natural and it had left my hair feeling silky and smelling divine. The more you use the product the lighter your hair will get so I recommend using once a week to maintain the colour. But don't forget to wash off within 5 minutes or you'll get a purple tinge. Also be aware that this does stain, so use an old towel and move the bath mat out of the way. If you do get a few splashes about the bathroom, it will come off easily if you use a surface wipe or spray quickly. 

Overall this product has become a need not a want and I recommend it to every blonde out there!

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Life Changer #2 - Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

Today I have another life changing product to show you. It's Real Technique's Miracle Complexion Sponge. I am already a fan of Real Techniques make-up brushes and was on the lookout for a drugstore dupe of the over-priced £16 sponge called the Beauty Blender.

Like the Beauty Blender, this sponge is a foundation and concealer applicator that you can pick up from Boots for just £5.99. You just dot your base on your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin and then use the sponge to dab it in. 

It has a rounded body used for big areas such as the forehead and cheeks, a pointed tip for covering any acne or hyper-pigmentation and a flat side to get in the grooves around the nose and eyes.

The sponge blends flawlessly. I haven't experienced any sliding foundation or pore seeping concealer whilst using this. My base now appears more natural with all the tell-tale signs of harsh lines gone. It has really changed the way my complexion looks every day.

So there it is- my second make-up bag staple of the year so far!

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Life Changer! - Topshop's Glow

I'm back with a bang! (and an amazing product). After watching Becca Rose talk about this on YouTube, I had to buy it and see for myself. It's Topshop's Glow- a lovely pearlescent highlighter.

Topshop Glow - £9

I popped into the Cardiff store not once, not twice but three times to get my hands on Glow- but no luck. I was extremely disappointed to be going on holiday to Cornwall without being able to try it out. But funnily enough, whilst I was checking out Truro (what an adorable little city!) I walked into the most teeny tiny Topshop I'd ever seen and there it was! The product comes in two shades- 'Polished' and 'Gleam'. I purchased the shade 'Polished' which is the lightest of the two.

I was so excited to try it, I cracked it open as soon as I got back to the car. My first impression when I looked in the little car mirror was pretty much an 'ooooooo'. The product was creamy and went on top of my foundation like a dream. The champagne colour with pearly pink reflects was perfect for my pale skin. I applied it to the top of my cheek bones, down my nose and above my cupid's bow and it definitely gave my face a glow.  

The downside to the product is that it does separate, but I feel this is due to my slightly oily skin. Once I began to apply the highlighter underneath my trusty Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder rather than on top, the product lasted all day without melting away into my pores. It is a bit on the pricey side at £9 but compared to Benefit's High Beam at £19.50- it's a winner. 

It has definitely changed the way my face looks. And used in conjunction with Benefit's Hoola bronzer I've managed to fake cheekbones! So there you have it, what an amazing find and definitely a new make-up bag staple. 

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