REN HYDRA-CALM CLEANSING MILK

If you saw in my Evening Skincare Routine post, you'll have found out that I've slightly fallen for this baby, that is the REN Hydra-Calm Cleansing Milk. Before this, I'd never used a cleansing milk, balms, creams, water, you name it - I've tried it, but milks were a category I wasn't well acquainted with.

It feels very lotion-like until you massage this into your skin and the warmth turns it milky. Not until you look like you're sat under a cows udder, don't worry, but more like when I balm turns oily. It's incredibly soothing - there's nothing I like more than giving my face a good ol' massage and making sure all the hydrating goodness gets soaked in. It removes makeup effortlessly and very gently - usually, I can really feel when a cleanser is removing everything, but with this it was more of a "is it actually taking anything away?!" situation.
I like to remove it with a flannel and afterwards my skin feels very soft, supple and super clean but in no way 'squeeky clean' which I love. It just feels hydrated and fresh.

The scent leaves something to be desired, but having sensitive skin this is something I'm not unfamiliar with, at the end of the day, if it does the job, that's what matters!

What do you think to REN Hydra-Calm? Are you a bit clueless when it comes to milks and balms? Let me know!


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EVENING SKINCARE ROUTINE

When the evening begun and my eyes began to droop, the last thing I ever wanted to do was give myself a facial to remove the days wear, so more often than not I'd reach for the baby wipes and scrub my skin red and be done with it. But over the last few months my skincare collection has grown and improved, baby wipes out the window and the quest for healthy looking skin is in full force.

Let me just start by saying I have dehydrated, combination skin which is fairly sensitive and currently rather blemish prone. These products might not work for you, but I think they're all pretty fantastic.

If I'm wearing something heavy duty on the eyes, I don't hesitate to reach for my Estee Lauder Gentle Eye Makeup Remover which melts away any grime effortlessly and efficiently. On the more natural days my Bioderma works just fine, which I then use to remove the main bulk off of my face.
Next in the spotlight comes the REN Hydra-Calm Cleansing Milk - a new addition to the stash but I can see it lurking there for a long, long time. Removing any last traces of makeup and dirt it leaves my skin feeling clean, fresh and silky soft whilst being incredibly gentle. If my skin is a little more blemish-y and dry I'll go for my Lush Ultrabland balm cleanser, massage it into my skin and leave it for a few minutes before buffing it off with a flannel. I'll use a quick swipe of my Origins United States toner to balance my skin if it's having a good day, if it's a bit more oily I'll go for the Zero Oil version. I think it's so important to listen to your skin and change up products if you need too. Toners are a step that is yet to be perfected, Hirons, I'm coming for you!

I love using an oil to add a moisture boost however for me, less is definitely more and I've been using the Superdrug Vitamin E Oil for a while. I find it so easy to use too much which can leave my skin feeling incredibly heavy and like I need to cleanse again, which is the last thing you want. I'll warm a couple of drops between my palms and kind of press it onto my skin - I'm not sure why, but I saw it somewhere and I cannot stop doing it like this! Finally I'll warm some of my Simple Rich Moisturiser up in my palms and massage it into my face and neck and I'm ready for bed feeling clean, refreshed and totally relaxed...


What's your skincare routine like? Get the baby wipes thrown out, you don't need them ;). Send me links to your posts/videos!

You can find Hayley Loves on BLOGLOVIN' and TWITTER

RMK CREAMY FOUNDATION - POTENTIAL HOLY GRAIL?

When it comes to foundations, I'm constantly on the hunt for the perfect one. I'll fall in love with one and then around 2 weeks down the line it'll just start to look horrid on me or not give me what I need. I've been using the Creamy Foundation from RMK* for probably around a month now and I really, really love it.

Let's first mention the colour match, that swatch looks crazy dark and if I was offered that shade it would more than likely be a no-go. But what this little pot of lovin' does is blend so seemlessly and flawlessly into the skin that you barely notice that it's not an exact match. It offers a glow that I've never seen from a foundation with such a high coverage. Many tend to be quite powdery, sit on the skin and often go quite patchy and obvious through the day but I find this really melts into my skin giving me a healthy, second skin like finish. Another plus is how pigmented this is, you only need the smallest amount too cover your noggin'.

In terms of longevity, you can't beat it - 7 hours later and my skin is still sporting a healthy glow with a fresh complexion. With my skin being more miss than hit lately, I've found myself applying it straight from the pot however it mixes really nicely with a moisturiser for a lighter coverage.

As I was going for a fuss free look, I paired this with a neutral eye and good lashing of mascara. I kept the cheeks low-key to let the glow be the focus and brushed a bit of the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer onto my cheeks, pushing a little more into my contours and finishing up with a slick of the Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple.

We'll have to see how I carry on with this, but so far it's looking good - touch wood! Are you interested in trying it out? What's your current go-to foundation?

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THE MASK LOW DOWN

Until about 4 months ago, I didn't do masks. I've no idea why, they just didn't seem necessary and I didn't really know what I was looking for. But I sat myself down and did my research and after a while testing and trying products, I've narrowed it down to these three being the only masks you'll need.  (*Note, I said need.. but let's be honest, we all need just one more pair of shoes, or one more nail varnish, so go crazy!)

There's three things I need to happen to my skin and that's a deep cleanse, a good exfoliation and a good dose of hydration. We've all heard everyone and their mother talk about the Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask by Origins, and for me, it really lives up to it's status. The charcoal works like a magnet to scoop up all that dirt and grime that gets trapped in our skin and gives it a really deep clean. I have quite sensitive skin, but I don't find this irritates me too much at all, but if you're a bit weary, definitely do your research to find a more gentle mask. A cheaper alternative that I've heard many good things about is the Una Brennan Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask (mouthful or what..).

For me, getting a good glow and healthy look going is essential and for this step, I've been turning to the Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask. Unlike 'manual' exfoliators that can leave your face looking a bit red and sore by being too abrasive, this uses natural fruit acids to chomp away at any dryness that may be lurking. It's also fantastic for scarring and fine lines, but I've never had to battle with these (touch wood!). I honestly do not think I'd be able to live without this, and once my samples are gone, which last for aaaages, I will without a doubt be purchasing. Not recommended for super sensitive skin, but I get along just fine.

If you find the above masks dry your skin a little, you could use an oil to give it a bit of moisture, but I want a full on hose pipe of hydration. I like to slather on a good layer on the cult Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask just before bed. I give it a chance to sink in so I don't end up with it all over my pillow and in the morning I'm still left with residue but my skin is looking plump and supple. And don't worry if you don't have dry skin! Mine is normal/combination but rather dehydrated and this still gives my skin that boost it needs. If you think this could be a little rich for you, turn your eyes to their Drink Up 10 Minute Mask - a quick fix version of this that still does a fantastic job.

Now I must stress, these products work for me. It does NOT mean it will work for you. Do a little research into other similar products and give them a whirl!

What are your favourite masks? Bit of a mask junkie or a mask-o-phobe?

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THE SAMPLE POT

I'm always receiving or picking up samples, it's probably one of my favourite things to do when shopping, sad, I know. But without these fun sized treats, there's so many products I would have never bought or even considered. More often than not, these usually end up sitting in my square glass jar for a while, but I got my backside into gear and had a good look at what I can play with this weekend.

First up the Nars Orgasm illuminator - how do I use this?! Seriously, I've been desperate to give this a whirl for a while now and I just can't figure it out, so do give me a heads up! Something I actually picked up whilst I was in Manchester was the Lush Ultrabland cleanser. I'm a HUGE fan of this, seriously (updated review coming up soon!) and I regretted not taking this away with me, so I picked up a sample whilst there to give my noggin a good cleanse - sorry Lush! Not a sample, but it's small and something I wouldn't use often is the Lush Tea Tree Steamer Tab. You will be getting used this weekend, fear not! Since I had a massive breakout, my skin is going to really appreciate a good tea tree detox.

I love Origins for samples, and I usually pick up their products and my sample of the VitaZing moisturiser is no different, I'm in loooove. My boyfriend picked the Eve Lom and Cane+Austin samples when getting my birthday gift - VERY smart boy, I love a good serum and I've never used a Glycolic Treatment Pad! I keep wanting to use my Dermologica Daily Microfoliant samples, but I'm scared I'm going to love it and it's very pricey! Again, not a sample, but my Superdrug Vitamin E oil fits in here perfect, but I don't love it half as much as my Marula oil from African Botanics. It feels so luxurious and is really hydrating, the smell is something left to be desired though!

Ren, Ren, Ren, I just love you. You NEVER fail to impress me, and I'm going to be buying your Radiance Renewal Mask as soon as I can, because you are perfect. The BB cream
is brilliant - I've never been interested in the whole BB cream hype as I prefer a higher coverage base, but this is just beaaautifull.

So here's a look into my sample pot, but what do you keep stashed away for rainy days? :)

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The Summer Flush

I don't care what anyone says, Summer is coming, and I won't stop sporting my coral cheeks until it does - this could be a bright winter..
Until a few months ago I only had two blushes in my collection, and they were pretty awful to say the least. Then for some reason, I got a bit cheek happy and purchased a new flush whenever I could.

My current go-to shade has got to be the Revlon Photo Ready in Coral Reef. A shade that looks very scary in the pot, it's cream formula blends to be a subtle pinch of red/coral that you can easily build to a more stand-out shade. I would never, ever consider such a bright blush in the past but this really brightens up my complexion leaving me looking awake and glowy.
Another cream blush to enter my collection is the new Bourjois Cream Blush in 02 Healthy Glow (PS, it smells AMAZING). This is a lot more natural than the aforementioned with a very slight shimmer to keep a glow going and avoid looking cakey or matte due to it's cream to powder formula. It's so lovely and peachy, I reckon this would be perfect with a neutral eye and bold lip.

If you saw my Nars Dupe post  you'll know this was a purchase I didn't really want to happen, it didn't need to happen, but it did. This Nars Orgasm is definitely a quick fix blush and the golden shimmer means I don't need to faff around with a highlighter - one swipe with a blush brush and my cheeks are pepped and glowing with a perfect pinky glow.
I went through a phase of loving the Pixi Sheer Cheek Gel (review here) but for some reason it got pushed to the back of my collection. I got this back out just the other day and boy have I been missing out! This creates the most natural flush and is so easy to work with. It's really buildable so you could create a stain but for me, less is more with this product.

I need a bronzer in my life, and this beaut from Bourjois definitely deserves it cult status. It's absolutely perfect for contouring as it's not too dark against my pale skin so it looks fairly natural. Occasionally I quite like to mix things up a little and replace my blush with a little bronzed number and this one looks so gorgeous. It creates a really lovely warmth to the face looking sunkissed and wonderful.
I am constantly on the hunt for the perfect highlighter, and although this one from the MUA Undress Your Skin range isn't quite there, it'll do me fine for now. It's not overly shimmery so you'll never look like a glitterball thankfully, but it has a beautiful pearlescent  sheen to it which is exactly what I look for. I do prefer my highlighters to be a little more champagne-y, but this will fit the bill for now!

What are your thoughts on my cheek choices? More importantly, what are YOU using? Let me know below!

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