Review: Clarins Aquatic Treasures Summer Bronzing Compact

Since the first rays of sunshine in 2015 have made London bloom I have started to add a little extra colour to my every day makeup routine. Being naturally super pale I have been having a love affair with the stunning Clarins Aquatic Treasures Summer Bronzing Compact*.

With 4 colour quadrants ranging from light to deep this bronzer is absolutely perfect for this transitional period as I can pick and choose the intensity I need every time I use it! I use the darker shades when I have applied self tanner and stick to the lightest on days when I want to keep it more natural.

While being super pigmented this powder blends beautifully. As it is cool toned and on the matte side it works perfectly for both contouring and bronzing!

The Clarins Aquatic Treasures Summer Bronzing Compact is currently retailing (at 10% off) for £27 here.

Liz Earle Makeup

As you all know I am big fan of Liz Earle skincare, having used the Hot Cloth Cleanser almost every day for years and swearing by their Deep Cleansing Mask to heal blemishes overnight. Over the past few months I have also tried out various products from their new makeup line and have had slightly mixed feelings. This is not to say that the products have been disappointing, but they do give a very natural, effortless look which is great when you want to look naturally flawless, though I prefer a little more 'oomph' on a night out. Personally I reserve these products for more casual days when I want to give my skin a break and ensure it stays looking young, natural and healthy.

The Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint (£21) is a weightless tinted moisturiser that goes on smoothly and makes skin look fresh and radiant. When blended this is almost undetectable with low to medium coverage. It also provides SPF 15 to protect the skin while softening it with Vitamin E, borage and avocado extract.

 

Healthy Glow Powder Blush (£16.50) in Peony is a super pigmented, dusky raspberry pink. It feels extremely smooth and gives the cheeks a flushed, yet matte look without any shimmer or glitter.

Natural Glow Bronzer (£19.50) is a super lightweight and fine bronzer perfect for the lightest skintones to give the most subtle colour to cheeks. This is definitely not a bronzer that you can go overboard with as it is very light, even on my pale skin. It has no shimmer or sparkle, but adds a subtle glow to fair skins. I imagine it could also be used as a setting powder on darker skin tones.

Bronzer (left), Blush (right).

Have you tried any of the Liz Earle line of makeup? Do you have any product recommendations? xxx

Real Techniques Brushes

I always think good makeup starts with good tools, so in this post I wanted to share with you some of my favourite brushes. As you all know I use a lot of MAC brushes as they are great quality and honestly speaking a MAC Pro discount also makes them more affordable. However, as they are mostly made with natural bristles they do have a tendency to shed and need careful cleaning and maintenance. Recently, I have been trying out other brands of synthetic brushes and have to say that Real Techniques are by far my favourite!

Designed by the amazing Sam Chapman of pixiwoo Real Techniques brushes combine high-tech materials with innovative design at an affordable price. They feature taklon bristles which are super soft and smooth, as well as really easy to clean (with no shedding) and quick drying. Plus, since taklon is synthetic these brushes are 100% cruelty-free!

 Left to right: Stippling brush, shading brush, powder brush. 

The stippling brush (£11.99) is perfect for applying liquid foundation or cream blusher. It blends cream or liquid products effortlessly giving a really natural finish. The shading brush (£7.99) can be used for any powder or cream products. It works just as well for eyeshadow as concealers, especially under the eyes or over blemishes as the soft bristles can be used to blend as well as apply colour. The powder brush (£12.99) is amazing for use with setting powders or bronzers as it's super soft and its large size ensures application is speedy and streak free.

I highly recommend you try these brushes out, they really are fantastic and such a great price for quality tools! You can purchase Real Techniques brushes online in the US, as well as in Boots stores and online here in the UK.

L'Occitane Pivoine Delicate

Many moons ago I blogged about the fabulous Pivoine Flora range from L'Occitaine (if you missed it you can check it out here). It was the first peony fragrance I had tried and I fell head over heels on the first spritz. I am so excited that L'Occitane have now extended the range with their beautiful limited edition Pivoine Delicate collection.

The collection includes a mix of fragrance, makeup and hand cream all delicately scented with peony.

All the products come in lovely, pink and girlie packaging with the signature L'Occitane vintage feel.

The Pivoine Delicate eau de toilette (£35ml for 75ml here) is inspired by a rare peony flower found in the Drome region of Provence. For me it is the perfect fragrance for Spring. It's light and fresh, but still sweet, blending the softness of peony and rose petals with the green transparency of lily of the valley in a luminous floral accord with a soft, powdery finish.

 

L'Occitane is perhaps most lauded for its amazing hand creams and the Pivoine Delicate hand cream (£14 for 75ml here) is a fantastic addition to the collection. The cream is beautifully scented and fairly thick, but sinks in quickly without leaving a greasy residue.

I also really like the packaging of this cream and prefer it to the traditional L'Occitane metal tubes. To dispense all you have to do is twist the cap, so there is no chance of losing the lid, or fiddling with caps while your hands are still a bit slippery! Perfect for your handbag and application on the go :).

The Pivoine Delicate Shimmering Powder (£22 here) is a fun product to use as a finishing touch to your look. The bottle is absolutely gorgeous and with its cute retro design it would look very ladylike on any dressing table. Formulated with natural-origin ingredients, the puff releases a fine mist of pink and silver iridescence to beautify the body and hair and leave a silky, satin finish on the skin. One thing I would advice is to make sure you tap it before using it as the powder can get trapped in the nozzle, so one squeeze can lead to...

Yup, I made quite the mess when I was swatching it. Though my sofa has a beautiful sparkle to it now ;). After this incident I have made sure to tap the bottom every time I have used it and it has worked as intended, releasing a light cloud of shimmering, fragrant, finely milled powder.

I love a bit of sparkle. So pretty! I may actually go and have a quick sprinkle before going out tonight... don't judge me ;p.

Have you tried L'Occitane's Pivoine Delicate collection? Are you a fan of peony fragrances? What are your favourite products from this range? xxx

*Products mentioned were sent to me for review consideration*

E.L.F. Complexion Perfection