Fresh Beauty Picks: Lip Love and Skincare Wins

* AD - products mentioned in this post were gifted to me for a review by notion.co.uk

As much as I love sticking to my go-to brands, I can’t resist the thrill of exploring new beauty horizons. This time, my curiosity led me to a skincare brand from Boston called Fresh. Although I’ve known about this brand for years, I never even snagged a sample, so I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into. All I knew was that they sell high-end products wrapped in gorgeous packaging. Honestly, I don’t think they’re big on marketing since I haven’t seen TikTok influencers raving about them—so, I was diving in with zero opinions and zero expectations.

Sugar Lip Treatment

When I decided to give Fresh a whirl, I knew I had to try a tinted balm from their Sugar Lip Treatment collection. I vividly remember drooling over all the colors in New York last year, trying to be a responsible adult and not blow my entire budget on every single shade. This time, I managed to stay grounded and picked just one—Petal. I think it’s a perfect match for my complexion, a lovely pink with a subtle hint of purple.

This tinted balm strikes the perfect balance between a lipstick and a balm. It’s hydrating but not greasy, so you don’t have to worry about the pigment migrating all over your face. The color tints my lips beautifully while keeping them looking natural. Overall, I am on board. Now, if you’re after deep lip hydration and nourishment, this isn’t your holy grail (spoiler alert: no tinted balm is), but if you’re looking for everyday lip maintenance with a pop of color, this could be your jackpot.

Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask

I’m going to be honest—I’m not the most consistent when it comes to facial masks, especially the kind that comes in a tube or tub. But since I got pregnant and my skin started acting up (thank you, hormones!), I’ve been much better at sticking to my face mask routine. Seriously, some days my skin thinks I’m back in high school with breakouts, and the next day I’m dealing with dry patches galore. It’s a wild ride, and my “eat or be eaten” diet isn’t helping. But the Black Tea Mask? It’s been a game-changer for my sanity, if nothing else. My skin feels calmer, firmer, and in between the exhaustion, stress, and constant nausea, those few minutes with the mask give me a much-needed moment of zen.

The mask comes in a 30ml tub, and the formula is super light and gel-like, even though it looks matte. You can either apply it for 15 minutes and rinse it off, or leave the mask on overnight—both methods work wonders. As I mentioned, my skin feels firmer and softer every time I use it. Plus, it gives my face a little healthy glow, which is a lifesaver after one of those morning-turns-into-all-day sickness sessions. Oh, and did I mention it smells divine? Because it totally does!

Yves Saint Laurent Beauty Hits: Loveshine Lipstick and Touche Éclat Illuminating Pen

AD - Please note the products mentioned in this post were gifted to me for a review

We’re no strangers to Yves Saint Laurent beauty here on the blog. Over the past few years, I’ve consistently reviewed their makeup and perfumes. While I’ve always admired Saint Laurent’s fashion, their beauty range was never my first choice (don’t get me wrong, I liked their products, but I had other favorites in the same price range). However, that all changed with the arrival of the iconic Lash Clash mascara—a game-changer that I’ve repurchased several times, making it my ultimate favorite. Since then, every YSL product I try seems to be a hit! That includes the two I’m reviewing today.

Loveshine High Shine Lipstick

Even though YSL has long been known for its shiny, oily, glossy lipsticks, it seems the beauty world only recently discovered the magic of the Loveshine lippies. They’ve taken social media by storm! I guess this shiny, glossy miracle wasn’t exactly on-trend back in 2016, during the era of extreme coverage. But now, with trends shifting, the Loveshine lippies are finally having their moment.

There are plenty of shades to choose from, but I predictably gravitated towards a nude—shade 201. The formula is stunning. The lipstick glides on smoothly, melting into your lips like butter. The oily texture stays put, keeping my lips glossy and hydrated for hours. I’ve tried a few dupes before committing to YSL’s pricier option, and for once, I think the original is worth the splurge. The dupes I tried tended to dry out my lips and get patchy, but the Loveshine lipstick stays smooth and even. For a more precise look, I recommend pairing it with a lip liner. This lipstick also makes one of the perfect gifts for sisters who love a bit of luxury in their beauty routine.

Touche Éclat Illuminating Pen

Despite finding my holy grail concealer with Hourglass, I couldn’t resist trying out another YSL classic—the Touche Éclat Illuminating Pen. It’s known for being incredibly natural while still offering full coverage (?). The main selling point is that the formula is much more mature skin-friendly (I’m turning 30 in a couple of weeks, and trust me, I feel every bit of it, lol).

The question mark next to “coverage” is because this pen doesn’t work by layering on lots of pigment. Instead, it brightens the under-eye area, effectively erasing dark circles. And honestly, it looks pretty good—especially on no-makeup days when I don’t want to go full glam but still need to hide the fact that I only slept two hours (thank you, insomnia). The pen’s lightweight, serum-like formula doesn’t dry out the skin. In fact, it feels more like applying targeted eye skincare.

The applicator is a bit unusual, and I could honestly do without it since I prefer blending the product with a brush or my fingers. The click-push system isn’t my favorite either, but it does control the amount of product dispensed, so I don’t overdo it. I suppose it gets the job done, even if I’m a bit set in my ways.

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The only downside of this concealer pen is the volume. It holds just 2.5ml, which isn’t the best value. On the bright side, a little goes a long way, so it will probably last me a good few months.

Discovering Redken: My Haircare Adventure

AD - Following products were gifted to ne for a review.

Every now and then, I like to shake things up and try new haircare products, even though I have my trusty favorites. Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about Redken, especially their acidic bonding collection. So, I decided to give it a shot and see what all the fuss is about.

I treated myself to a lovely haircare treat that included both the shampoo and conditioner (full sizes, no less!). Here’s how it went:

The Shampoo Experience

The Redken acidic bonding shampoo promises to strengthen and fortify your hair, making it a great choice for colored hair and even helping to prevent hair loss. Since I have very soft hair, I was a bit concerned that it might be too heavy. Thankfully, I was wrong!

This shampoo deeply cleanses my scalp without drying it out, and I can go several days without washing my hair. The formula is quite concentrated, so a little goes a long way. After using it for a month, my hair feels silkier, healthier, and surprisingly lighter. I’m thrilled with the results and will definitely add this to my list of go-to shampoos.

The Conditioner Conundrum

Now, onto the conditioner. It’s not bad, but it didn’t blow me away either. The formula is thick and heavy, yet it doesn’t feel like it nourishes my hair as much as I’d like. It does a good job detangling, but that’s about it.

If you have incredibly fine hair and find most conditioners too greasy, this might be a perfect match for you. Dyson Airwrap users will also appreciate that it doesn’t weigh your hair down. Personally, I prefer conditioners that provide more hydration and nourishment, but this one pairs nicely with a hair mask on those pampering days.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m quite impressed with Redken and totally get the hype around their shampoo. What about you? What’s your go-to shampoo or conditioner? Let me know – I’m always on the lookout for new recommendations!

Celebrating the Amazing Men in My Life

AD - mentioned products were gifted to me for a review

June is a month packed with celebrations for the amazing men in my life – it's my husband’s birthday, Father’s Day, and my dad’s name day (for those not familiar, a name day is a tradition where each name has an associated date, and people with that name are celebrated). And this year, to top it all off, my little brother graduated in June too! So, naturally, I find myself brainstorming gift ideas for men every June.

This year, I stumbled upon the perfect gift for all the important men in your life. Well, it depends on how lighthearted your relationship is with them haha. The Calm Balls set from Angry Beards is an ideal collection of goodies that every man will appreciate. It includes Balls lubricant called Antistick (the name says it all), Antisweat cream, and the best pouch I've ever seen. It’s funny, it’s on theme, and it’s the perfect size. I’d be lying if I said the pouch wasn’t the main reason this set caught my eye.

Obviously, I can’t speak from personal experience, but all the important men in my life swear by Angry Beards and their products. It’s pretty cool to see a brand that caters to men’s needs, even if it’s somewhat of a taboo topic for some reason. 

Despite being geared toward a male audience, I appreciate their product called Antirub. It’s a godsend for anyone dealing with thigh chafing in this incredible heat. 

May and June: The Season of Gifting Galore!

AD - This post was written in collaboration with Notino.co.uk

Is it just me, or do May and June feel like a gift-giving marathon? Birthdays, Mother's Day, anniversaries—you name it, my calendar is packed with celebrations. Naturally, I'm always on the hunt for the perfect present around this time of year. This year, I'm revisiting an old favorite: beauty boxes.

Once upon a time, I was obsessed with subscription boxes. They were like a treasure trove of beauty goodies at a bargain price, perfect for anyone with a love for makeup. However, as I've grown older (and maybe a tad wiser), the thrill of surprise has lost some of its shine. Now, I'm all about sustainability and thoughtful choices. I don't want to end up with a box of products that I'll never use, no matter how great the deal.

I still love a good bargain, but now I want to know exactly what I'm getting. Enter Notino. They totally get it. Their beauty boxes, which they refresh regularly, cater to every budget and taste. I'm a fan of their boxes full of luxury samples, filled with miniatures of high-end products. These are perfect for travel and let me try new things without splurging on full-sized items that might not work for me.

After a tough job transition recently, I decided to treat myself. I picked up a luxury beauty box featuring miniatures of Prada La Femme perfume, Lash Idole Mascara, and L'Absolu Rouge Intimatte lipstick from Lancôme. With some travel on the horizon and my commitment to low-budget, light packing (hello, handbag-only low budget travel), these miniatures are a dream.

The Prada perfume? Absolutely gorgeous and delightfully feminine. It's right in line with my usual scents like Burberry London and Lalique's Soleil. I've reviewed the mascara before, so check out my thoughts on that in an earlier post. The lipstick, while a bit out of my usual color range, is Lancome, and I'm excited to give it a whirl.

So, if you're like me and navigating a season of celebrations, consider a beauty box. It's a fun, thoughtful gift that’s sure to delight any beauty lover in your life (including yourself!).

Korean Skincare: The best moisturisers and SPFs

AD - this post was written in collaboration with Notino.co.uk

As a self-proclaimed beauty enthusiast, it took me longer than expected to dive into the world of Korean skincare that everyone raves about. Maybe I was initially put off by the hype around certain products that everyone seemed to love but I ended up despising. Eventually, I got there, and I discovered some holy grail products that I'll repurchase until the day I die (or until they get discontinued, which is pretty much the same thing).

When I think about my favorite Korean skincare brands, three come to mind: Mizon, Beauty of Joseon, and iUnik. These brands have truly transformed my skincare routine.

Mizon: My Gateway to Korean Skincare Mizon was the brand that sucked me into the K-beauty world. Despite my general lack of enthusiasm for face masks, Mizon's Strawberry Sheet Mask is an exception. While I typically struggle to use face masks consistently, this one is different. Whenever I have it at home, I use it within 48 hours. It's super affordable and leaves my skin smooth, radiant, and refreshed.

Beauty of Joseon: A Routine Staple Beauty of Joseon is the brand I have the most experience with. I've had a full skincare routine composed of their products, but there are two standouts that I keep repurchasing: the iconic Dynasty Cream and the Rice Sunscreen.

• Dynasty Cream: This cream is very similar, if not identical, to Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream but at half the price. After testing them back-to-back, I couldn’t tell the difference. The Dynasty Cream is light, refreshing, and incredibly moisturizing. It’s perfect for those with dry, dehydrated skin who dislike heavy, oily products. Plus, it’s unscented, which is a huge bonus as I've started gravitating towards simpler, unscented skincare products.

  

• Rice Sunscreen SPF50: This is hands down the best sunscreen I’ve tried so far. It’s light, absorbs quickly, and doesn’t leave a white cast. My skin doesn’t feel clogged or greasy, and it lacks that typical sunscreen smell. The only thing missing is a version that comes as a clear over-makeup spray!

  
  
  

iUnik: A Close Contender The iUnik Beta-Glucan Daily Moisture Cream is nearly as good as my beloved Dynasty Cream. It comes in a tube, has a thicker consistency, but still feels light on the skin. It’s not as refreshing, but it provides all the moisture and hydration my skin needs without feeling heavy or greasy. Plus, it’s unscented and very affordable. A win on all fronts if you ask me.

I’m still exploring the world of Korean beauty and would love to hear your recommendations! Please share your favorites in the comments. Let's discover the next must-have products together!

The only Lip liner I have ever repurchased

AD - This product was gifted to me for a review

Who would have thought that in 2024, my go-to product would be a lip liner? I've reached a point where I'd choose a lip liner over mascara any day. If you've known me for a while, you'd understand the significance of this statement.

I've experimented with various lip liners in the past – some excellent, others not so much. Interestingly, lip liners defy the notion that higher price equals better quality. I've discovered fantastic lip liners for as little as £2, while some priced at £20 were disappointingly terrible. It's one of those rare product categories where price isn't a reliable indicator of quality.

While I'm a huge fan of very affordable Catrice’s Plumping Lip Liner, my absolute favorite comes from MAC Cosmetics. It's the only lip liner I've repurchased in the same shade. A few months back, social media went crazy over the Lip Pencil in the shade Whirl. It felt validating because I'd been using this liner for about a year by that point.The hype surrounding it is justified. 

The liner offers a universally flattering deep nude shade that complements any skin tone and a wide range of lipstick shades. My preferred method of application is pairing it with a lip gloss. Filling in my lips with the pencil and topping it off with a clear or deep nude lip gloss creates the perfect combination for my lips. Surprisingly, my favorite lip gloss to pair it with is Juicy Bomb from Essence. It's a steal, in my opinion, and the shade Pretty Plum matches my skin tone perfectly. As for lipstick, I keep gravitating towards one of my favorites: Powematte from NARS in the shade Sweet Disposition.

The pencil is richly pigmented (yet not overly so that it leaves crumbs around my lips). It's blendable, but once it sets, it stays put for hours, even through drinks and meals. Of course, it may need a touch-up throughout the day, but thanks to its forgiving shade, you'll manage just fine even if you forget your lip liner at home.