BEAUTY - Fresh faced beauty buys

The arrival of warmer days always reminds me of waking up from hibernation.  No more mornings stumbling around in the dark or trying to wake up with the use of gallons of coffee.  The sun is up and the day has that smell of excitement.  

Instead of avoiding that tedious weekly morning ritual for as long as possible I'm up and dressed in a matter of minutes.  A quick shower and into some form of lightweight dress and I'm done.

As the days warm up skincare quickly takes over from make-up for me.  I've always been a lover of that fresh faced, low maintenance Parisian look rather than a full perfect face.  A good cleanse and moisturise is important all year round, however if you're only planning a sun kissed glow with a dash of mascara it's even more important to find those perfect products.  

I'm a strong believer in a skincare routine not being a hassle and as you get older you discover those forever products that you stock up on time and again.  Several of my go to's have always been from French beauty brand Caudalie.  I have lost track of how many people I have recommended their Beauty Elixir to, always with glowing reviews following.  I have a mini in my handbag at all time.  However there were lots of the brands products that I hadn't tried and until recently were kind of tricky to get hold of.  

Then gorgeous luxury beauty box brand Latest in Beauty launched a huge selection of their products to pop into your build your own boxes!  Fantastic.  Over the past few weeks I've been only using Caudalie for my skincare routine and my face has never looked or smelt so good.

I didn't try anything that I didn't fall in love with.  This is so unusual with a beauty brand who usually have one or two hero products.  Every product smelt divine.  I tried three of their cleansing products which can be mixed together or used alone to remove grime and dirt.  One of my favourite items which I definitely didn't expect to love as much as I did was the Foaming Cleanser.  I ended up keeping this in the shower and a pump or two of this in the morning is so refreshing.  They have a cleanser for everyone with a great micellar water and lightweight hydrating cleansing oil.  You can't beat a micellar water for a speedy routine after a long day.

The other products I fell in love with are the Vine Activ glow activating serum and moisturiser.  I've been feeling under the weather for some time now and this has been reflected in my skin.  These products have plumped and bought life back to my skin.  I am stocking up!

If you haven't come across Latest in Beauty's stunning treats then hop over to their pretty site.  You  choose exactly what you want to try in your box from an inspiring edit of the best beauty products around including from Caudalie.  What better way to test out these skin saviours?

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Latest in Beauty - Beauty Box with Caudalie

BEAUTY - The Ultimate Skincare Regime

Growing up I used to hear people say, 'If I'd have known then what I know now'.  As a twenty something female it never resonated and I shrugged it off as 'old people talk'.  In my thirties there have been multiple times when I thought, I now totally understand.  Whether it be bickering relationships, juggling child care or keeping toys in their original boxes, these revelations keep on  coming.  Yes part of me IS turning into my mother.  

One thing I wish I had known a decade ago is to invest in my skin.  I'm not talking about spending a fortune, just purchasing a few decent products rather than stacking up on glitzy bottles from the beauty aisle.  My lust for beautiful French women has been a life long affair and Vogue Paris is one editorial that is part of my monthly essentials.  This alongside regular trips to France and a property renovation lead me to spend many an hour perroosing pharmacy shelves.  The French are incredible at sampling.  You purchase a product and they always fill your bag with pouches and packets to try out later.  The reason being their products are very good.  The French didn't focus on packaging or branding and most items look like something we would be prescribed for a rash over here but that is definitely part of their charm.  

My daily routine now consists of just a few products all of which I couldn't live without.  My routine is quick and easy as my time is always limited and mornings are mostly spent racing around after a baby whilst getting ready to dash out of the house.  I can't imagine not sharing these products with you so here are my absolute cannot live withouts.

First step is always Bioderma Micella Water.  I have used this for over a decade and I will NEVER stop.  A sensitive cleansing water that gently removes every speck of make-up, dirt and grime with zero effort.  A sweep on a cotton wool pad morning and night leaves skin clear, blemish free and hydrated.  If you buy one product make it this.

Next step for that boost of hydration and to plump the skin add Vichy's Mineral 89 Serum to your routine.  Just a quick smoothing morning and night and within a week your skin will have lost any dryness or sensitivity.  This cold weather was leaving my skin tired and dull and this recent addition has worked miracles.  You get a lot for your money here.

    

I must have tried a thousand moisturisers over the years and I have found two things.  Firstly my skin is completely different between May-October to November-April.  You probably find you need to switch up your products at least once a year too?  Lighter shades of foundation, more hydrating creams? Yep me too.  Secondly, don't be fooled by a pretty bottle or eye catching brand.  My go-to moisturising cream for most of the year is Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre.  Until recently this was impossible to get hold of anywhere other than over the counter in the depths of France but now it is a little easier.  This cream smooths on beautifully, sinks in and leaves a smooth finish more like a primer ideal for make-up application.  I am not sure it can be beaten.  For an in-depth treatment use as a mask.

A French girl favourite, Nuxe Reve de Miel is a highly nourishing lip balm and an essential for handbag and bedside table.  It's honey based formula soothes and repairs chapped dry lips.  For extra hydration use a generous coating as a mask on dry lips when going to bed.

Caudalie has to be my overall favourite beauty brand having never tried anything I didn't love.  Their cult classic Beauty Elixir is basically a facial in a bottle.  A spritz or two of the radiance boosting mist hydrates skin, tightens pores and basically makes you glow!  It smells amazing and wakes you up instantly.  You can even use it throughout the day over your make-up.  I keep a large bottle in my bathroom and a small one in my handbag for a quick shake-and-wake.  The brands Deep Cleansing Exfoliator is ideal for brightening dull skin.  It's micro particles and grape pulp leave skin soft and fresh.

These products are now ALL available in the UK so you don't need to wait until your next trip to France for better skin.  I've added the best places to shop below for you so let me know what you think and how you get on.

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What do I buy him?

How many times are you completely lost for a great present to buy the men in your life? Well beautiful French cosmetics brand L'Occitane may have the answer.  Their Christmas gift sets are filled with best selling products and are great ways to treat friends and family to their favourites. This year their gift sets also include L'Occitanes mens products from both their Cade and L'Occitan Homme scents.  This Elegant L'Occitan box is filled with products in the most delicious distilled Lavender, nutmeg and black pepper fragrance. It includes the EDT, shower gel, shaving foam, shaving balm and pebble soap - everything to keep him smelling scrummy!  By purchasing the products beautifully wrapped in tissue, a gift box and tied with ribbon you save money.  This set costs just £49.50 rather than its full value of £79.  Well that will do nicely.

Elegant L'Occitan Collection £49.50

La Roche-Posay Effaclar for perfect skin

Wind. Air conditioning. Heating. They are all killers for skin.  French beauty brand La Roche-Posay specialises in sensitive skin and has worked with dermatologists all over the world for over 30 years.  All products use a unique thermal spring water as their base which is soothing and filled with antioxidants.  Effaclar Duo is an anti-blemish cream that unclogs pores and refines skin. The delicate cream is ideal as a base for foundation also.  You really do see marks vanish with only a few uses.  This product is best for oily skin and targets shine as well as marks and redness.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo £11.92 via boots.com and Boots stores