Christmas Gift Ideas (Books)

I love books and they make fantastic presents for all ages. Whether you are going to stay with someone and need to take something or are posting something to a niece or nephew, hopefully I've got it covered.

Agatha Christie - you know I'm a huge Agatha Christie fan and there are three gorgeous new editions out this Christmas. The ABC Murders, 4.50 from Paddington (my favourite of the three) and The Mystery of the Blue Train - all great reads and I really love the new colours. How I wish I could have them.

Blind Date with a Book Club - this is such a fantastic idea - choose the genre's and every month for 6 months you get a book sent to you or you can choose one book based on it's five line sentence. I personally love the sound of the Last Christmas selection.

Blue Bowl - not only my favourite place for presents in general but a great selection of unusual books for grown-ups and children. My eldest (6) loves Smart about Sharks and I'm going to get the middle one Bonkers about Beetles (his nickname is Beetle) and I love the Dahlov Ipcar books too. For grown-up's this is Florence's latest pick.

The Home Bar - a great book (dare I say it?) for men. My husband really loves this book and it looks beautiful.

The Nancy Mitford Collection - from Heywood Hill (where she once worked) this is a beautiful collection of five Nancy Mitford paperbacks in a beautiful box.

Penguin Classics - Waterstones are doing beautiful hardback editions. You can get someone their favourite book or if you have a baby why not get the A Christmas Carol - we got one (in not such a beaut edition) for Ned for his first Christmas and we read it to him at this time every year and it's so lovely.

Small Print Books - a really fantastic independent book shop that has an incredible selection of unusual books for children.

Timeless; A Century of Iconic Looks - Louise Young is the make-up artist when it comes to historical accuracy and I'm so happy to have this book with me when I go on shoots. Not only is it great for make-up artists but a wonderful read for those interested in cosmetics and hair through the ages.

How to apply the LimeLife Perfect Foundation

Finally, the pro foundation I've used in my kit for years is now available to buy individually. But how do you apply it? I hear you ask. Well let me show you how.

If you haven't already then please subscribe to my channel and if you want to join my Facebook Group just look for Corinna Harrod Beauty Inside & Out.

LimeLife Perfect Foundation
LimeLife Blenderful
Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Christmas Gift Ideas (non-beauty)

Of course there is a beauty guide on it's way but for all those non-beauty bits there's this. Everything is in alphabetical order except for the first one because it's the most important.

Choose Love - buy things for people who have been forced to flee their homes with nothing. From children's coats, blankets and nappies, to hot meals, hot showers and tents. The Mother & Baby bundle is a food, clothes and hygiene pack for a mother raising her baby in a refugee camp. You can even get someone medical care. I often get cross with people who make me feel that what I do is a frivolous thing for women with no brains (it isn't) but compared to what these people are going through it is even having a bath is a total luxury. I'm thinking about every little thing I buy this year and where I can, I'm cutting back to get from here instead.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Children

This one was really popular last year - kids are hard to buy for especially if you are trying to avoid the plastic tat route! If you have godchildren, nieces and nephews or any littlies to buy for that aren't yours it can be hard to know where to start. Well you can start here...

Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2018

I hate that we have this in the UK as we don't celebrate Thanksgiving BUT I also don't want you, dear reader, to miss out on some great deals that may really help with your Christmas shopping so here are my picks from the Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals.

Grown Up Glitter

The festive season is bearing down upon us and party season is nearly here. But what to do if you want to be festive just not that festive. If you have a job and/or kids that don't allow for a 3 hour glamathon or that you're just a bit too old to have a full face of glitter? Well, cheat is the answer to that.

Everything below can take as little or as long as you have and will be a lot of wow and actually not a lot of fuss.

Teen Skincare

One thing I get asked a lot in the Facebook group is my recommendations for teenage skin. I have to say it's a question I always rather dread giving an answer to. Skin is so individual and hard to advise on without being seen and teenage skin is 100 times trickier. How hormones and puberty affect someones skin is completely unique and can change almost overnight.

One thing we usually associate with teenage skin is spots and these can be caused by a number of things but one thing that can definitely help is making sure the skin is clean. Many products can go too far and overly strip the skin causing further damage and in some cases increased sebum (oil) production. A good cleanser will keep the skin clean without taking away too much oil or messing with the natural balance of the bacteria on the skin. A good cleanser is important because it will help to keep the pores clear from oil and dirt therefore helping to prevent spots and blackheads. If your teenager has acne you will need more than a cleanser.

Tips for Hooded Lids

Some of us are born with them some have hooded lids thrust upon them with age - you are not alone, we are many. My lids are dropping as I get old, not even at the same rate, which is rude, and it's changing the way I put my make-up on. But I'm lucky, as a pro make-up artist I've dealt with a lot of hooded lids but I know that for many it can be really depressing and difficult. But fear not, there are loads of stunning celebrities in the hooded eye gang (Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Hudson, Gwen Stefani) and I"m here to help with my tips for hooded lids.

How to do your own bridal make-up - base

One of the lovely ladies in my FB group is planning on doing her own make-up for her wedding next year so I said I would do a series of videos on bridal make-up and how to apply it for her. I thought I would start with skin as for me this is the most important thing to get right on your wedding day and it may take a bit of practise.

I've listed a lot of products below and have put a * next to products I've used in the video - everything else is just an alternative suggestion that I would substitute in if needed.

The key to great bridal base make-up is building up thin layers of product rather than fewer thicker ones. This will keep everything blended and fresh and make it last longer and move less.

I don't make it clear at the end but if you apply your make-up a while before your wedding and want to freshen it up then sprtizing it with a setting spray is a great idea. Any questions please feel free to ask and, if you haven't already, subscribe to my channel.

*Bobbi Brown Face Base SPF50
Heliocare 360 Face Fluid SPF50
Heliocare 360 Face Fluid Oil Free
*Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
LimeLife First Base Primer (Travel size)
*NIOD Photography Fluid
LimeLife Perfect Foundation 
*MAC Face & Body
*Pixi Correction Concentrate
*Clarins Instant Concealer
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
*Trinny London Starlight
Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel
*Illamasqua Hollow Cream Pigment
NYX Wonderstick 
*Veil Cosmetics Complexion Fix
*Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Rose Glow
*Daniel Sandler Invisible Blotting Powder 
*Louise Young Mini Puff
*LimeLife Blusher in Possible
Louise Young Cosmetics Blusher in (Mae & Dolly)
*Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light
*Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray (travel size)
LimeLife Time Setter Setting Spray
LimeLife Oil Strike Setting Spray for Oily Skin (travel size) 

Come and join in the conversation on Facebook at the Corinna Harrod Beauty Group - just send me a request and I'll add you.

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Revitalash

God lash serums can be expensive. I tried a cheaper version by Marvala and it did nothing except make my lashes nice for mascara application the next day. I've dithered over whether to buy Revitalash or LiLash for years just not quite being OK with the outlay but then I found some Revitalash for £40 on Approved Foods (I have no idea what it was doing on there) and thought it was a sign that I should take the plunge.

I bought it at the beginning of July and used it sporadically for the first four weeks. I was so disappointed that I didn't look like Bambi. Then I realised it was me being lazy that was the problem so i started to use it properly, every night and in the last couple of weeks I've really seen a difference. It bloody works!

Fabled - Top Picks

I was suspicious of Fabled when it first appeared which was during a rather dubious time for beauty shopping on the Internet. However it is a lovely website, a really good idea to affiliate with a magazine and for those of us who shop with Ocado it's pretty life-changing to be able to get some incredible brands delivered for free with your weekly shop.

But with so many online beauty shops to choose from why go to Fabled? Well I've found that there's not one site that sells all my regular brands so I tend to go to each for different things but this site has a lot of what I like and is generally a really nice, easy shopping experience. I can't be the only one who can get overwhelmed with the online beauty superstores can I? The delivery is free when you spend over £15 and because it's done through Ocado you get allocated a 1hr delivery slot - no more hanging around for the whole day wondering when the driver is going to turn up.

Fabled has lots of interesting brands - Institut Esthederm, Ilia, delilah - the Marie Claire edit and very interestingly, a tab on the menu for just looking through the vegan products. It's really easy to navigate and they often do sales and discounts. I feel like it's the small brand of the online beauty giants and I'd like to support it. So what would be my picks from their brands?

1. Urban Decay Naked Palette
Soon to be discontinued and still my favourite palette I've bought a couple of these for my spares drawer. It's currently the cheapest I've seen it anywhere, here at £29.50.

Quick & Easy Make-up Video

Wow it's good to be back from my unintentional break! This has been my go-to make-up for the past couple of weeks. It's quick to do, looks simple and effective and seems to work in this weird early Autumn weather.

Links to all products below, if you haven't already then subscribe to my channel and come and join the Facebook group - Corinna Harrod's Beauty Inside & Out.

NYX HD Eye Base
Urban Decay Naked Palette
LimeLife Perfect Liner
MAC Eye Kohl in Smoulder
LimeLife Mascara
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
Daniel Sandler Sun Glow
LimeLife Perfect Foundation
Collection Lasting Perfection
Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Rose Glow
LimeLife Blusher in Possible
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light
Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in  Super Cindy
LimeLife Lip Gloss in Grace

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Garden of Wisdom Vitamin C 23% Serum & Ferulic Acid

Not a very catchy title but the serum itself is wonderful, as is the whole Garden of Wisdom brand, but more on them another time. This Vitamin C is the strongest you will find, is combined with ferulic acid which will improve it's stability and is the real deal for those wanting help with skin tone, antioxidant benefits and pigmentation.

You can read all about Vitamin C here and Ferulic Acid here - I'd don't want to repeat myself too much but there are very few product featuring either of these ingredients that has really impressed me and this has.

Behind the Blog: 25 Random Facts About Me

It's been a bit quiet on here recently. There have been holidays (Provence, amazing), illnesses (me, gut related, very dull), school starting (Ned Year 1), nursery starting (Jack in baby room) and Jim has moved into pre-school. So I thought I would ease myself back into the swing of it by telling you 25 totally random facts about me. If I can think of 25.

Azelaic Acid

One ingredient that even I only came to hear about over the past year is Azelaic Acid but it's already become one of my most recommended products and incredibly popular in my Facebook group.

What is it?
It is a gentle exfoliating acid that you leave on the skin to unclog pores and improve skin tone and texture. The thing that drew it to me was it can improve skin sensitivity which very few ingredients do successfully. It is also an antioxidant and you know how I feel about those (if you don't you can read how I feel about them here).

Invisalign - The First Four Weeks

So getting ready for your Invisalign is a little bit of a faff. Lots of those horrible teeth casts to be done and some rather unattractive photographs. These go off to be put in the computer (along with some hilarious x-rays if, like me, you refuse to remove all your piercings) and then you go back to have a look at what can be done and find out how long you will need to wear the trays for - and therefore how many trays you will be getting. In my case it will be 45 weeks (this is the aim - it could be that we need to readjust slightly after the 45 weeks) so 45 trays.

Zoeva Brushes

I'm late to the party on these. Zoeva have been around a while and I have deliberately completely ignored them. Do you know why? Well firstly because when everyone else raves about something I go in the other direction (not always a great idea), and secondly because I assumed they were in some way related to Zoella. I don't have anything against her but I just don't think her products would be my jam.

I was wrong. I got to have a fondle of some Zoeva brushes in a friends kit and they are really nice. So nice that I immediately ordered some when I got home and will probably order more when I need them.

They are a company deeply committed to charity - especially helping women who have suffered domestic violence. They are a cruelty-free brand though they do use goat hair which is combed or shaved at no harm to the animal - for some this may be a bit of a grey area.

Summer Holiday Make-up

This is what the summer holidays looks like in my house

Cruelty Free Brands

Something I've been thinking about for a while but haven't got around to doing is make-up printables. Not that you are required to print them and so I got rather smug and thought that today's post would be announcing the launch of my printables page. But it's not because I'm not the technical wizard I thought I was.

But the first one I will put up is a list of my regularly used or discussed brands and which are cruelty-free and which are not. This is by no means a full list but it's the one that works for me and I thought it might be useful for you.

Hopefully I will be able to update you with joyous news of my printables page soon but for now I hope this is useful - it's an animal testing minefield out there so it's helpful to know what's what. Cruelty Free Kitty is my go-to place to check whether a brand is cruelty-free or not.

LimeLife by Alcone Perfect Mascara Quick Review

So this is the first Quick Review I've done for a LimeLife product and in fact I think it's the quickest Quick Review I've done. Let me know if you'd like more info on any of the LimeLife products. This mascara is great.

You can buy the mascara through me here

Come and join in the conversation on Facebook at the Corinna Harrod Beauty Group - just send me a request and I'll add you. 

If you aren't on Facebook then find me on YouTube

Heliocare 360 Fluid SPF 50 Review

This is one of those products that has really grown on me. The day after I ordered it online I tried my mother's Dermalogica Sport SPF50 and loved it and wished I'd bought that instead. So poor old Heliocare was already playing catch-up before it had even arrived.

I'd also bought it on the spur of the moment, possibly after some wine (come on I'm not the only one), and I thought it was a tinted moisturiser. It's not. It looks like it is when you squeeze it out but it just sort of blurs some imperfections without giving any colour.

I grudgingly took it on holiday to Mallorca, I needed something that fitted in my hand luggage, wouldn't get confiscated and would work with just concealer if I wanted it to. 4 days later and I was converted! I really love this now and it's a recurring feature in my Bespoke Beauty Boxes I make for my clients.

Top Cleansers for Dry Skin

Let's not limit ourselves, these cleansers would work for all but oily skins, but dry skin recommendations I get asked for a lot so that's where I thought I would start. All three of these I use myself regularly, I have dry, sensitive, often reactive skin. This is not in order though possibly it accidentally is.

1. Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Balm
I love this though I can't exactly pinpoint why. Full of antioxidants, brightening but not astringent, easy to use. Good value for money, cruelty free. I'm 90% sure this would also work on oily skins but I haven't tried it on a client with oily skin so I can't confirm. Good enough for make-up and grime removal I mostly use this in the morning to prep my skin with antioxidants and because it has never caused a reaction and works well under make-up. £31

2. The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter 
When people finally want to move away from a foam cleanser (step away from the foam cleanser people) this is the place I send them. It's affordable, easy to find and use and feels great on the skin. Once they have tried this there's no turning back. I've yet to find someone who doesn't love this. Use morning and evening I like to use as my PM cleanser as it's sooo easy and not too expensive so I can wearily slap it on without being too frugal. £10

3. Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm
This used to be my number 1 and I still love it but of late Oskia has slightly edged it out of the running. A tub of this will last you a long time. It feels incredible on the skin and gets all the make-up off. But this has made my skin react when it is at it's most sensitive, not irrevocably, I carried on using it once a day and it is, for me, the original balm cleanser. The one that really changed my skin and made me realise that what you use on your skin really can make a difference.

What's your skin type?

Empties 2

My second empties video of 2018 and a bit of YouTube housekeeping.

Waitrose Bath Foam
Mane & Tail Conditioner
Shea Moisture 10-in-1 Moisture Shampoo
Cowshed Grumpy Cow Shampoo
Dr Dennis Gross C+Collagen Deep Cream
Origins Make a Difference Plus + Cream
Tresemme Keratin Smooth
The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Origins GinZing Tinted Moisturiser

UVA vs UVB

I feel like everyone knows about UVB but not many people know about it's horrible big brother UVA. And it's really important you know about both. Not because I'm worried about you burning. You know that you need to be in charge of that. But because I'm worried about much worse damage and I am constantly being talked to about premature ageing. Want skin like a baby? Don't put your face in the sun and wear a high SPF all year round (and don't touch booze, but I'm not a crazy lady).

Top Summer Lipsticks

It's officially summer. Even I who am a staunch believe in the 3 month per season rule has to admit that summer is officially here. It's nearly July and it is actually hot in the UK. Now I'm always one for a bright lip but when it gets this hot I sometimes just go for as nude as possible. I also find myself reaching for the pinks rather than reds and more of a luminous than matte finish. Though I have just remembered that Lady Danger exists so I may be wearing that tomorrow.

May-June 2018 Favourites

I asked Instagram what video they wanted and they said 'favourites' so I tried to track down the products I use a lot that maybe I haven't mentioned in a favourites video. Here they are...

Products:
Lush Seanik Shampoo Bar
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Lost Cherry
Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Bitch Perfect
L'Oreal Infallible Gel Liner
Daniel Sandler Sunglow from the Customisable Colour for Cheeks Set
Epoch Mud Mask
Real Techniques Blush Brush
Zoeva 110 Face Shape Brush

Reviews:
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Quick Review
Daniel Sandler Customisable colour for Cheeks
Epoch Mud Mask

Come and join in the conversation on Facebook at the Corinna Harrod Beauty Group - just send me a request and I'll add you.

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

The Best Black Eyeliner Pencils

I thought I should keep this short and sweet. In case you haven't noticed I'm a bit of a black liner aficionado and there are three pencils that I really love. One which I have bought over and over and over and two which are fairly new to me but I will be re-buying when I need to, no questions asked. I get asked about black pencil liners a lot so here they are.

1. MAC Eye Kohl in Smoulder 

You can see from the size of it that it's my ride or die. The one I reach for most mornings whether it's to do a liner or just my waterline. It goes on easily, smudges nicely and lasts a long time. This is not an ink, gel or waterproof liner, it will wear off and it will move which is partly why I like it. But it wears off and moves well. 90s make-up fans take note. £15

2. L'Oreal Infallible Gel Eyeliner Crayon

A panic purchase in the Boots at Euston station causing me to miss my train (which cost me £37 I don't have) but meant I arrived in Liverpool suitably lined. It's hard to find a waterproof liner that will go on the waterline but this does and it stays there. Is now a handbag staple. £4.99

3. Lord & Berry Kajal Stick 

It's big, it's fat, it's slightly tricky to use but it glides on easily and gives a fairly satisfying panda effect. Claudia Winkleman uses it. A little goes a long way. I whack this over the top of a pen liner to give some oomff and rely on the pen to have the longevity. Again this will move and progress around the place during the day but as you know, I'm ok with that. You can read my full review of it here. £14

Come and join in the conversation on Facebook at the Corinna Harrod Beauty Group - just send me a request and I'll add you.

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Quick Review

I really like nearly everything about this lipstick. I forgot to mention how annoying I find some of their names. Why would a grown-up want to buy a lipstick called Lost Cherry? Anyway...

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick

Come and join in the conversation on Facebook at the Corinna Harrod Beauty Group - just send me a request and I'll add you.

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Skin Confidence

It's weird what life throws at you. I'm not superstitious (except for bloody magpies) but every now and again something will happen and I'll wonder if it's the world playing tricks on me. A really lovely friend of mine has seen the return of her cystic acne and I have been talking to her about it, wanting to get further into my skin science diploma to discover what I can to help her. Then, during the most amazing two weeks working at the Trinny London pop-up store in London where I met woman after woman with low skin confidence all of whom has lovely skin. Yes they had problems but around those problems they all had beautiful skin.

Dehydrated Skin

So a while ago on my Facebook group we were talking about dry vs dehydrated skin and it turned out that a lot of people didn't know the difference and didn't know what to do to contact dehydration. I decided to put together my 2 Week Rehydration Bootcamp everything you need to get your skin back on track.

Vitamin C

If you are remotely interested in skincare and beauty the chances are you've seen or heard something about miracle worker Vitamin C. Over the last year it's visibility in shops, magazines and on social media has rocketed and now every brand has it's own version. But is it worth the hype and do you really need it?

I'm here to tell you that yes it is and yes you do. In a world where the beauty industry has boomed and you can spend a fortune on your face I'm often to be found shaking my head as I hear of another 23 year old and her 17 step skincare routine. I think very often we over do it and a few, good products would be a much wiser course for most of us. But Vitamin C is a skincare multi-tasker that can not only improve the way your skin looks now but will ensure it looks fantastic in the future.

Trinny London Eye2Eye Quick Review

I have had a stack of products from Trinny London in my virtual shopping bag since it was released and I'm so excited to be working in her London pop-up as I've been able to try the full range. Here's my thoughts on the Eye2Eye Eye Enhancers - her eye shadow pots.

I was sent this product but the choice to feature it was my own and this is an honest review

Come and join in the conversation on Facebook at the Corinna Harrod Beauty Inside & Out Group - just send me a request and I'll add you.

Avene Cicalfate

This cream is one of my most recommended products and yet I never mention it on the blog. There's no reason for that, I guess it's just not a very 'sexy' product. But it is absolutely bloody fantastic. It was once recommended to me years ago as a skin problem solver and so I bought it, not expecting much. But it really does solve a lot of problems and is a great product to have in your cupboard if you are prone to sensitive flair ups.

The Skincare Bibile by Dr Anjali Mahoto

The skincare industry is booming. There are more products available than ever before, more information and with it more 'experts'. Bloggers doling out skincare advice who aren't qualified and who often have the beautiful skin of an early twenty-something. It's hard to know where to go for genuine knowledge and so The Skincare Bible: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Great Skin by Dr Anjali seems to have come at a wonderful time..

And indeed it is full of some great information. A lot of it is basic, which is great, often skincare advice can get a bit sciencey and then the majority lose interest. A lot of it I have covered in my skin science training but here it's laid out in an understandable and approachable way and some of it was new to me. All of this is great - all bases are covered, there is something for everyone here.

CYO First Impressions

A brand that was huge in the US and moved to the UK to be exclusively sold in Boots at the end of last year. I bought a few things to see what I thought of the products - NYX has been such a huge hit over here second time round it's good to keep an eye out for the next affordable big thing. But is this it?

CYO All Four One Eyeshadow in Counterfeit
CYO Lipstick in Tracklisted
CYO Lipstick in Stage Dive

Come and join in the conversation on Facebook at the Corinna Harrod Beauty Group - just send me a request and I'll add you.

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

emJ Company Make-up Brushes

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you can never have too many make-up brushes. Sometimes I review a product on here and I think 'how many XX do you really need?' but if you use make-up brushes, new ones are always welcome (means you are cleaning less often) and I've been looking forward to these emJ ones for months. It was such a treat to receive some through the post pre-release and I'd like to say that I was sent this as I know the founder not necessarily to review.

I was a little bit anxious. I know how long these have been in the making. It's hard to be critical of something when you know the hard work behind the product but these brushes are absolutely fantastic. Big relief for me. Not ideal for you because you really should get some. I've used all three on myself and clients and they have gone straight onto my recommends list. Everyone I've used them on has asked me the make.

Skin Rehydration Favourites

Skin is a tricky mistress and even something simple like rehydrating dehydrated skin can be tricky. These are my favourites for when I'm doing a skin rehydration bootcamp but too much of a humectant (like hyaluronic acid) can draw moisture from deep in the skin towards the surface so if you have a dry skin type you may want to watch your usage on this.

All products and reviews are listed below. If you want to then come on and join the Facebook group.

Products:
The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter
Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel
Indeed Labs Hydraluron
NIOD Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex
Origins Make A Difference Plus (for dry skin)
Origins Make A Difference Plus (for normal skin)
Origins Make A Difference Plus (for oily skin)
Epoch Glacial Marine Mud Mask
Gold Collagen Hydrogel Mask
Origins GinZing Tinted Moisturiser

Reviews:
The Body Shop Camomile Cleanser
Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel
Origins Make A Difference Plus (for dry skin)
Epoch Glacial Marine Mud Mask
Gold Collagen Heliogel Mask
Origins GinZing Tinted Moisturiser

Epoch Glacial Mud Mask

If you are a member of my Facebook group you may have seen me raving about, and wearing, this new mask that I've been trying. Now in the interests of transparency I am selling this mask. However, I also hope you know that that means I really love it. Otherwise I wouldn't bother selling it. So why do I like it so much?

Masks are everywhere, sheet masks, peel masks, charcoal masks, dry masks. There are so many to choose from some cheaper than a cup of coffee some more expensive than your favourite lipstick. How do you choose? I feel like I want so many different things from a mask I have no idea where to start. I want hydration, I want cleanliness, I want to be able to do stuff without looking like a 90s serial killer. The Epoch Glacial Mud Mask ticks all those boxes. But there's more.

Face of the Day - 27th April 2018

I love a pink eye shadow but I often forget about it until I see someone wearing it and then I have to do it to because it suits everyone and can look very cools. All products are listed below

Seventeen Easy on the Eye Palette in Birthday Suit
H&M Bold Liner
MAC Smoulder
Louise Young Essential Eye Palette
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
Heliocare 360 Fluid
Chanel Vitalumier Aqua
Ilia Illuminator in Sway
Pixi Correction Concentrate
Clarins Instant Concealer
Daniel Sander Watercolour Blush in Rose Glow
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light

Come and join in the conversation on Facebook at the Corinna Harrod Beauty Group - just send me a request and I'll add you.

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Soap & Glory Brow Archery Sculpting Pencil & Gel

Sometime it's like your children hate you. I have particularly, smug-makingly well-behaved children. They are pretty good sleepers. They are funny, polite and not bottom of the class. You see, smug. But sometimes they will do something that convinces me that they have been sent to derail my existence, and that they good behaviour is just to ensure that I not only make plans for them to destroy but will have no idea what to do with them as they set fire to the restaurant we are in.

So it was when I met the lovely PR team who not only represent Soap & Glory but, among others, Hourglass, makers of my beloved Ambient Lighting Powder. Ned must have been about 3 and Jim 9 months. Both well behaved and happy to watch the iPad, eat croissants and hang out. Having laid this stealthy groundwork they came with me to meet the lovely PR's in High Road House somewhere not hugely ok with kids. I batted not an eye lid at the thought of this. My children would be like adorable little bunnies.

Heliocare 360 Fluid Cream Quick Review

Did you know that UVA, the UV light that penetrates most deeply into the skin and is responsible for the signs of ageing, is present in the same amounts all year round? You may want to rethink your SPF.

If you haven't already then please subscribe to my channel, come and say Hi on Instagram and Twitter and join in the conversation at Facebook by sending me a request to join the Corinna Harrod Beauty Group

Antioxidents - What are they and why do we need them in our skincare?

This post is a big one so make a cup of tea and get comfy. I get asked a lot about antioxidants in skincare I'm going to talk about some specifically here and some more in depth in the future. You can also have a look at my What's In Your Products Page. I've tried to keep it the right side of technical. I think it's important to understand the science behind it without needing a chemistry degree (which I don't have... I scraped a C at GCSE). 

Antioxidants & Free Radicals
A lot of the antioxidants found in skincare are already present in the body, which naturally produces them, but the amounts will decrease as we age meaning we need to use them in our diet and skincare to give our bodies a boost. We know that a healthy diet should give our bodies antioxidants but very often our skin is the last organ to benefit and, as it is on the outside and we are able to, we should apply things topically. Sometimes our environment, poor lifestyle and diet mean the natural antioxidants get overwhelmed so it is great to give the body, and the skin as much help as we can.

Free radicals (and oxidative stress) are the biggest cause of early signs of ageing and these harmful cells cause lots of damage including attacking collagen cells - collagen makes our skin look plump and healthy. Oxidisation is what you see when an apple or avocado goes brown if left open to the air. This oxidisation is why these fruits have great antioxidant properties, often in their skins, as they've had to naturally develop them to protect themselves from the environment, unlike us they can't move out of the sun when they need to. 

Blog Favourites

My readers are not commenters. Yes I'm talking about you. This is fine. I know you are there and frankly, I'm not a commenter either. But you do send messages and it is so nice to know what products I've recommended that you've bought and loved. I really appreciate this as I find the business of recommending things for people to spend their money on a bit worrying. I mean what if you hate it? Luckily that is yet to happen but I though it might be nice to give a mention to the products that I consistently get messages about. Those products that have made their way into readers routines and stayed there.

These are in no particular order except for the first one. When it comes to feedback the first one in this line-up is the one that I hear most about people loving and repurchasing. This isn't a competition but if it was then entry number 1 would be the winner - by far.

January - April 2018 Favourites

Some of my favourite things that I've been using over the past couple of months. I haven't been trying that many new things recently so would love to hear what you've been loving, or hating.

As I mention in the video I first bought the Clarins Instant Concealer in 2015 and was sent the Travalo in 2011 though it felt like it was longer ago!

All products are listed below and if you haven't already then do go and subscribe to my YouTube channel and come and join my Facebook group.

Heliocare Gel 360 Fluid Cream SPF 50+
Ilia Illuminator in Sway
Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Deep Cream
Clarins Instant Concealer
Burts Bees Vanilla Bean Moisturising Lip Balm
Yunic Floru Nail Varnish
Travalo

Reviews:
Ilia Illuminator
Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Deep Cream
Clarins Instant Concealer
Travalo

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Figs & Rouge Hydra-Activ Vital Moisture Day Cream

Gina is my go-to if I have a question for oily skin, need something testing or in fact just need an honest opinion. You can find her here on Instagram.

Being an oily skin type is exhausting. Forever searching for products that don’t intensify the slick is a never ending process.
For years I believed moisturising would make my excessive oils worse and completely skipped using moisturisers, little did I know, not moisturising was making me oilier than ever and with age it was getting increasingly worse.

Recently I came across Figs & Rouge Vital Moisture Day Cream in a subscription box. I of course tried it straight away. As someone that is constantly looking for products that work for me I immediately LOVED IT because it soaked straight into the skin, leaving no residue or stickiness/oiliness - another issue I find with having oily skin is I don’t want to feel tacky or a slip after applying moisturiser as I battle with textured skin too, I can’t have my foundation sliding around on top of a moisturiser. This one doesn’t leave any residue and leaves the perfect surface to then apply your primer, foundation etc. Another thing it does not do is ball up, you know when you layer products sometimes a moisturiser can kind of pill ? Well it absolutely does not. The skin thoroughly absorbs it. Yay!

Veil Cosmetics Complexion Fix - Quick Review

If you read my review of this last week you'll know I don't love it but as always I think it's best to see something in action so here it is. As always the camera makes everything look better, yes it may add weight but it also often shows make-up to be a lot more flawless than it is. You can read my full review here.