This Month's Beauty Favs | May 2015

Another month, another monthly beauty favourites post composed mainly of The Body Shop products, ha. With exams approaching rapidly, and my revision picking up the heat I've been dialing back my make up wear and going out with a (relatively) bare face. I've been loving the flawless base that The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost and The Body Shop All-In-One Instablur give when combined: the first brightens up the skin and leaves a smooth and even base, whilst the Instablur minimises the pores along my nose, and gives my under eyes a more forgiving look without the need for concealer. 

I've just been adding two layers of the Yves Rocher's Volume Elixir Mascara which has become my favourite mascara as it provides both length and volume without looking clunky for long, pretty lashes. It also contains Hibiscus peptides which is meant to reinforce and repair lashes, and I can honestly say that after using this regularly over the past couple of months I have noticed a difference (though I think it also helps to use an eye makeup remover that is gentle on the lashes). For that, I have been really loving the Garnier Express 2-in-1 Eye Make-Up Remover because it's less oily than some of the make up removers out there, doesn't sting my eyes and does the job.

To add a bit more colour to my cheeks, I've been loving the Makeup Revolution Blush Palette - All About Cream. You get eight fabulous shades which means you can switch up your make up routine without really switching up your make up routine. They're highly pigmented and glide on effortlessly, especially when you have a smooth base thanks to products like Skin Boost or The Instablur. I tend to use the first two darker shades the most as they're more complementary to my skintone but I have been known to go for the light pink, on the tops of my cheeks as a subtle highlighter.

I'm still more of a shower person than a bath person, but The Body Shop Smoky Poppy Bath Bombs have won me over (full review here) - they smell amazing and are perfect for those evening when you want to relax but you don't necessarily want to go to be straight after because you still have things to do. I've also been really enjoying the Ciaté Speed Coat Top Coat - I doubt anywhere near as fast as something like the Seche Vite, but it does try whilst leaving a nice shiny finish that helps my nails last at least five days, which is great since I'm struggling to find time to just sit and do my nails.

What products have you been loving this month?

Lazy Make Up Removal w/ Garnier

Currently in the middle of preparing for upcoming exams, attending the last of my classes and sorting out student finance related admin, as well as trying to stay on top of blog, exercise regularly, see my family, participate more in my local community and find some time to actually - you know - breathe, at the end of the day, things like make up removal go right out of the window. 

I'm a massive fan of cleansing balms and oils such as the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish and The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil, but when I'm stood in the bathroom at the end of a long day, staring at my cleansers, all I want to do is go straight to bed, make up removal be damned. That's where these two Garnier products have saved the day. Two products and two cotton pads later, I'm make up free enough to slap on some moisturiser and go to bed. 

First I use is the Garnier Express 2-in-1 Eye Make Up Remover, which I initially picked up because it claimed to be suitable for contact lens wearers, so I assumed that it would be less likely to irritate my eyes all the while doing a decent job since it claims to be 'ultra-efficient'. So far, my assumption has been correct. Unless I'm really tired and get a little too product heavy on the cotton pad (there is such a thing as too much eye make up remover), this removes all of my eye make up for the day in a couple of gentle swipes without irritating them or leaving an uncomfortable oily residue. I've yet to wake up with panda eyes from this which is always a good sign.

I then go in with the Garnier Micellar Water Combination & Sensitive Skin (400ml) to remove makeup from the rest of my face. I'd heard so much about the Garnier Micellar waters and intended to pick up the one with the pink top, but when I saw that this was aimed in particular at those with sensitive combination-to-oily skin, I had to have it. It doesn't completely cleanse my face as a face wash or cleansing oil would, but for my lazy post-revision "it's been a long day" make up removal it works just fine, meaning that at least I don't go to bed with an full face of make up. 

Do you have any go-to make up removal products for those days when you just can't be bothered?