Valentines Day gift guide: Part 1

Some people celebrate Valentine’s day, and others don’t, it is a personal preference. If you are looking to get your special someone a gift, I have put together a few ideas.

Bodycare

mad beauty bath fizzers

Mad beauty bath fizzers

£6.99

www.madbeauty.com

I LOVE Mad beauty, they have such an amazing range of gifts, not just for Valentine’s! The bath fizzers are a great gift, for anyone that loves to pamper themselves (I am a massive bath bomb fan!). I love the packaging for this range as it is multicoloured hearts and it is just such a lovely gift.

ren moroccan rose body wash

Ren Moroccan rose body wash

£32

The Ren moroccan rose range has got to be one of my favourite body ranges out there. I love the scent and have used the body lotion and oil before and just adore them.

Ren have teamed up with McQueens florists for this limited edition body wash. It is a great size(500ml) and I just love the design on the label.

jurlique rose body oil

Jurlique rose body oil
£38

I love the whole of the Jurlique rose range, the formulas, the scent, how gentle it is to your skin and how simple but beautiful the packaging is.

I have used a Jurlique facial oil before to help my acne and really helped. Even though the rose body oil is only 100ml it literally will last forever!

The oil is so luxurious and lovely to use after a relaxing bath, you don’t need to put it all over, you can use it wherever you like and it really is moisturising. It sinks in quickly so doesn’t leave you feeling oily which is a bonus 🙂

Amphora aromatics

Amphora Aromatics – Love it gift box
£11.95

This beautiful set contains a bath oil, massage oil and a body lotion. The bottles are a good size and this is really great value.

The bath oil smells so amazing, it contains lots of great oils that are good for your skin and the bottle contains enough for up to 8 baths. The massage oil can be used either on yourself or your partner and I like that is isn’t too oily if that makes sense. The body lotion is very hydrating and leaves your skin so soft and leaves you smelling divine!

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Makeup

urban decay vice lipsticks

Urban Decay vice lipsticks

£15 each

www.urbandecay.co.uk

I have been a massive fan of the vice range since it was first released, I have recently added the above three to my collection and wanted to add them into my gift guide as I think they would make great gifts.

The lipsticks are so pigmented and easy to apply, they last ages and come in a range of what seems like a gazillion colours.

From top to bottom:

Tryst

Obsessed

Morning After

I think the names in the range are great too 🙂

blank canvas brushes

Blank Canvas dimension series brushes
www.blankcanvascosmetics.com
Prices range from £6.50 to £14.50

These brushes are every mermaid/unicorn wannabees dream (including mine!). The colour is just beautiful. Why wouldn’t you be attracted to something so shiny and pretty and champagne pink?!

I am lucky to have got my hands on the F08 dome buffing brush and F06 bevelled foundation/contour brush. They are both such great quality and so lovely to use. A good brush really does make a difference and to your make up routine.

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Perfume

how to marry a millionaire perfume

How to marry a millionaire perfume
£20
Can be purchased from most major perfume retailers.

One of the coolest perfume bottles I have a seen, a massive diamond ring!
This perfume is inspired by the film starring Marilyn Monroe and smells really sweet.

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Skincare

Jurlique rose moisturising cream mask

Jurlique rose moisturising cream mask
£32.50

I have used the rose water balancing mist and face cream before so to add this cream mask into my beauty regime was really exciting. You can either use it as a mask for ten minutes or if your skin really needs saving, you can leave it on overnight.

It has so many great natural ingredients in and leaves your skin super hydrated and looking fresh and far more awake!

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Nail/Handcare

deborah lippmann nail set

Deborah Lippmann nail varnish set
£28
Available from February 2017 online at Harrods / Lookfantastic / Feelunique / Selfridges

This set contains 6 beautiful rosy nudes and wold be great for any nail polish fan or even someone that prefers natural looking nails as the colours are all very neutral.

I have always been a fan of this brand as they are easy to apply and seem to last ages. The packaging is gorgeous and I just love the names of them: life is rosy, the look of love and a trail of petals to name a few.

mad beauty hand cream

Mad beauty hand cream

£4.99

www.madbeauty.com

Another one from mad beauty.  This hand cream is also within the same eye catching packaging. It is the perfect size tube to carry around with you and I mean, you can’t have enough hand cream can you?!

Jurlique rose hand cream

Jurlique rose hand cream
£18

I have been using Jurlique hand creams for a few years now, a couple of Christmas’s ago I got a set of four different scents and instantly fell in love. Keeping in the theme of rose I wanted to include the rose hand cream.

This hand cream is the perfect size to carry around with you and with its non greasy formula and beautiful scent you can use it whenever you are in need. Particularly with the cold weather here at the moment hand creams have been a massive savour for me.

Crabtree & Evelyn - hand therapy

Crabtree & Evelyn – hand therapy
£6

I love their range of hand creams.  At only £6 each they are great value and the perfect size to leave in your desk, bag, car, pocket, wherever you may need one. They come in such a variety of scents and would make the perfect gift for any women(or man!).

They smell great and soak in quickly, what more would you want from a hand cream?!

the english soap company

For the one I love soap

£4.95

www.theenglishsoapcompany.com

As I have mentioned before, I love a good bar of soap. A great smelling soap is pretty good gift for anyone at any age.

I love the quality and luxuriousness of the soaps from The English Soap Company, you can really tell they take pride in their products and have put a lot of effort into the scents and delicate packaging.


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Haircare

Crazy Color conditioner for coloured hair

Crazy Color conditioner for coloured hair
£4.95

Products like this are a godsend for coloured hair. I have previously used the shampoo in this range for red hair but now my hair is multicoloured I cant use a specific colour product, so this is meant for any colour 🙂

This would be the perfect gift if your loved one has coloured hair!

Osmo matt salt spray

Osmo matt salt spray
£8.99 in Sallys

This salt spray is great to use to get the beach wave look. This is a great gift for male or female that loves their hair and likes to style it.

It is easy to use and you don’t need much, meaning the spray will last a long time!

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I hope I have inspired you with some of my gift selections 🙂

Keep your eye out for Part 2 tomorrow 🙂

Sarah x


       

Christmas Gift Guide 3 of 8: Make Up

This year I have put together a Christmas gift guide, they could be presents for a family member, a friend or even a treat for yourself!

I have put them into categories the best I can and I have put very short reviews on each product. If you want to know more about any of the products tweet me @sarahtrademark and we can have a chat 🙂


Make up


Disney Alice Make Up Palette

Disney Alice Make Up Palette

Disney Alice Make Up Palette

£7.99

This palette is part of the new Disney range for Mad Beauty. It contains some beautiful brown/gold shades as well as a highlighter and would be great for any make up/Disney lover! It comes with two applicators and is great value for money. 


Earthnicity Tinted Moisturiser

Earthnicity Tinted Moisturiser

£27.50

This tinted moisturiser is mineral based, it is better for your skin than a normal liquid foundation as it is not so heavy. It applies really evenly and smoothly to create a fresh base, without having to wear too much make up.

Earthnicity

Earthnicity

Mineral Foundation

Shades Porcelain/Biscuit

£16.99 each

Mineral Blush

Shade Glamour

£10.99

Mineral Bronzer

Shade Bronze Shimmer

£13.99

Mineral Finishing Powder

Shade Light

£14.99

Mineral Concealer

Shade Ivory

£10.99

Kabuki Brush

£11.99

I love this brand so much right now, the products come in so many shades and I have been using mineral foundation for a while now rather than a liquid full coverage. I find the powders quite pigmented and you can layer them to create the perfect flawless look.

This would be great for anyone that has not tried mineral foundation before and the ‘Starter Kits‘ are really good value!


Jurlique Lip Trio

Jurlique Lip Trio

£26

This set contains:

Rose Love Balm

Hydra Gloss I’m Blushing

Hydra Gloss I’m Neutral

The balm is very hydrating and easy to wear as an everyday product. It is also great as there are two different shades of the gloss included, so depending on your mood you can pick one to suit.

Glitter Lips

Glitter Lips

£12.50

These are pretty cool. You get the glitter bond and the loose glitter to create an amazing sparkly lip that can last up to 8 hours. They last through eating and drinking and something like this can be suitable for such a varied age range! There is a good choice of colours in the range.

Burts Bees Lip Gloss

Burts Bees Lip Gloss

£8.99

These come in a wide variety of colours, aren’t sticky and are natural. What more could you want from a lip gloss?! In this range you will find one to suit everyone and any make up lover knows the pain of sticky lip gloss and will fall in love with these. The pigment is very good in these too.

Fab Brows Contour Kit

Fab Brows Contour Kit

Fab Brows Contour Kit

£20

I have tried several contour kits, still not really got the hang of it, but this one is by far the best if you are still trying to master the contour look. The shades work well together and the brush is really easy to use, you can’t really go wrong! After using this I had a very healthy natural looking glow.

Blank Canvas Cosmetics Palette

Blank Canvas Cosmetics Palette

Blank Canvas Cosmetics Palette

£30

Everyone loves a good eyeshadow palette, to create the perfect smoky eye you need browns/black and often some lighter shades, this has them all. The shades are highly pigmented and the mirror is an ideal size.

Beautiful Brows Set

Beautiful Brows Set
£30

This brow kit helps you create the perfect eyebrow. It comes in various shades and each kit contains:
Eyebrow powder
Three eyebrow shapes
Duo applicator brush
Eyebrow highlighter
Highlighter brush
Soft grip tweezers
Magnifying mirror

It literally contains everything you will need and as there are three different shapes you can pick the best one to suit your face. Some days I prefer a thinner brow and others I want them really thick so it is great you can mix it up a bit.

Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics

Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics

Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics
£38.50

This all matte palette is great for any UD fan. Their naked palettes have always been popular and always contain a great selection of colours. It contains 12 shades that are all new and exclusive to this set and it also has a great brush. It is a must have for any make up fan.

The eyeshadows are highly pigmented and easy to apply, either with the brush provided or with your finger. I love the variety of shades and it can be used to create a really great smokey eye.

Film noir nights

Film noir nights

Charlotte Tilbury
Film noir nights
£35

This kit is great value for money when it comes to a luxury brand. It contains a lipstick and eyeliner in the cute light up box and the lipsticks are usually £23 each and the eyeliners are £19 each. The packaging is so luxurious and I just love the design of the lipsticks. Her products are always a big thumbs up with me! The lipsticks are really pigmented and a great non drying formula and the eyeliners are always so nice and just glide on.

Sarah x


       

Jurlique

I am a massive Jurlique fan, my collection is growing as I fall more and more in love with their range. 

They are bringing out an exclusive offer to anyone that visits their counter at Debenhams Oxford Street. It starts Thursday 22nd(tomorrow!) and will run for 2 weeks.

Jurlique

If you purchase 2 facial skincare products you will receive the following as a FREE gift. I mean, come on, who doesn’t love a good free gift?!

Jurlique

The gift is valued at £65.00 and contains two of their best-selling products:

Rosewater Balancing Mist 50ml

Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum 30ml

There is also a sample of the Activating Water Essence in there!

I personally love the Rosewater balancing mist and use it on a daily basis. It is sat on my desk at work and I have a quick spray if my face starts to get hot throughout the day as it helps to calm and soothe my skin. It leaves your skin so so soft and refreshed 🙂

The Herbal recovery advanced serum is great to use before bed, it soaks in well and you can really see a difference after using it. It leaves my skin looking revitalised and feeling hydrated.

If you live near London and want to treat yourself then it is worth taking advantage of the offer.

I love the skin balancing face oil so give that a go if you are stuck on what to buy 😉

Sarah x


       

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE 2015 : FACE AND BODY

So, I have never done one of these before but with Christmas coming up I decided to put together a gift guide to help give you some ideas if you still have shopping to do! I have split it into sections and will be posting them over the course of the next week so come back everyday this week for a new one 🙂

Starting of with…

Face and body

dermalogica active moist

 

Dermalogica active moist set

£44.60

The set contains the Active Moist moisturiser for normal/oilier skin, a travel sized Dermal Clay Cleanser and a limited edition facial cleansing mitt. It is important to keep your face moisturised even with oily skin. I used to think I didn’t have to but it has actually helped my skin and made it less oily by using something like this. The mitt is also great to help keep your skin clean and remove dead skin cells.

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Ren glow and go set

£14

This cute set consists of 20ml Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial and 20ml Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask. It is a great idea if you haven’t tried something before to buy a set like this as its a cheap way to try something new as the tubes are the perfect size to give you a chance to try them without committing to buying something full size. I love the mask in this set, it really does make a difference to your skin! Ren also have some other great sets on their website, I love their Moroccan rose range.

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Chambers & co carrot tissue foot balm

£8.25

The foot balm is a great product to put on before bed so it works it’s magic and gives you super soft feet when you wake up! The tub is a good size (75ml) and you only need a small amount.

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Chambers & co aloe vera hand balm

 

£7.80

I am a massive aloe vera fan and this hand balm also contains coconut oil (another favourite of mine). This hand balm soaks in fast and smells great. Again, the size of the pot means it will last forever! I think hand creams and things like that are always great as a stocking filler.

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Sukin love your skin set

Available from Holland & Barrett, Whole Foods, and Independent Stockists nationwide.

£19.99

This set includes a foaming facial cleanser, hydrating mist toner and a facial moisturiser. It is a great “try me” set if you haven’t used this brand before. It is all natural and kind to skin. The products leave your face feeling like you have had a really deep clean but without feeling sore or sensitive. Natural products are great for people with sensitive skin.

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Hollyberry eyelash growth serum

£14.70

I have tried this now for a few weeks, I have been a fan of eyelash serums for a while now but after running out of my last one I wanted to find an affordable alternative (most are anywhere from £40+) so to find this and such a great price, I just had to try it. My eyelashes are looking as great as ever and people often comment on them so it must be working 🙂

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Hollyberry Vitamin C serum

£11.99

I also tried a serum by Hollyberry, I only started using serums in the past year but they really are great for your skin. This has really helped me keep my skin moisturised, especially now winter is coming. I find having the heating on really dries out my skin but this brings it back to life!

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Aromatherapy Associates – relax and revive

£18

I am a massive fan of this brand. Having used their bath oils before I wanted to try more of their range. This set contains two oils: deep relax and revive morning. I love the relax one in the evening after a long bath , really helps me to chill out.

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Aromatherapy Associates – the star

£10

This would be great to hang on your tree as a small gift for someone or a secret santa. It is the revive morning and I love oils like this to put in the bath. I usually think of relaxing when I think of bath oils but this is actually one to make you feel more awake after a morning bath. Great if you have to wake up early and want a pick me up in the bath.

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Aromatherapy Associates – nourishing enrich

£52

This set includes the nourishing enrich body oil, polishing natural exfoliating scrub and the nourishing enrich body butter. It is a great set as it includes everything you need to become super soft. The scrub is so lovely to use in the bath and if you then use the oil when you get out, your skin honestly feels amazing. You can use the oil and the body butter together but I find they are so rich you only need one or the other.

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The Refinery face mask

£30

The refinery is a range designed for men, so I let my husband have this range to try. I think it is important for men to look after their skin but I know they often don’t want to use “girly” skincare and would much prefer a range specifically for men. The packaging is also very simple which I think looks good. A face mask is great to use as a pick me up and its important to deep cleanse your skin regularly.

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The Refinery revitalising moisturiser

£43

Nick really liked this moisturiser as he often get a slightly dry face after shaving. It is important to keep your skin hydrated, especially if you shave it daily. This was a big thumbs up!

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The Refinery face wash

£20

This is great as a daily face wash to help keep your skin clean and healthy. As Nick does a lot of outdoor hobbies it is important that he washes his face properly to remove any dirt and he also needs to look after his skin from being exposed to the wind and rain a lot.

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Tazeka aromatherapy

Non stop thoughts

$39.50
These cute roller-balls are designed to help with specific things. There are so many to chose from but for me I needed help to calm down and help my head. The non stop thoughts blend is designed to calm you down and target your mental muscles.You can put it on your wrists, temples and neck and its aim is to chill you out. Being a 24/7 worrier I needed something like this. Whenever I get really stressed I have a sniff of it and apply it. I don’t know how it does it but it chills me out.

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Tazeka aromatherapy

Headache helper

$39.50
This is similar to the one above, it can be applied to the same places as well as being sniffed direct from the roller-ball. I suffer migraines and have to take daily medication for them but recently found that smelling lavender helps. It is one of the ingredients in this and I find if I use this just as I feel a migraine coming on it helps to almost cool my head down and makes it feel slightly better.

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Tazeka aromatherapy

Tension tonic

$44.95
This is great for anyone that suffers with anxiety(I occasionally do, being a worrier and stressing about everything, hating anything that isn’t part of my routine). Sometimes you just need something to calm yourself down and tablets and things like that aren’t always the answer as they have side affects or make you not feel yourself. This is great to just help you calm down a little and you need to just take a little time to sit down and relax with this on your pulse points. I would love to know if any of you have tried products like this before?

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Bee Good – Mix it up lip duo
£9.50
This set contains two lip balms:
Vanilla & Honey
Raspberry & White Chocolate
Both leave your lips feeling extra soft! I get such bad lips in the winter so something like this is great. Bee good are becoming one of my favourite brands because all of their products feel so good to use and they are so good for you! I love things that contain beeswax and natural vitamin E. They are the perfect size to pop in your bag or desk draw so you can keep your lips hydrated all day. My favourite is the Vanilla & Honey one as it smells great and tastes good (not that I ate it, but you know what I mean!)

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Jurlique hand care collection
£56
I have been in love with this brand for over a year now, their products are always so lovely. It is a more expensive brand but definitely worth the money! This set contains 4 different hand creams in a beautiful box. Each hand cream is individually packaged so if you didnt want to give someone a whole set you could split it up and make 4 presents out of it! (The hand creams are usually £18 each). My favourite is the lavender, I absolutely love this one. The tubes are a good size and I always like to have a hand cream on my desk at work, and another at home so this set is great as I can use them all at the same time! They are smell great, not too overpowering, but enough of a scent to linger for a while. The cream soaks in well and doesn’t leave you greasy, just feeling soft and smelling good!

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Freeman beauty face masks

£1.50 each

Face masks are a great stocking filler and a great way to try different products. They are inexpensive and I often find one sachet is actually enough to share, so two of you can use it. Great for pamper evenings! I am a big fan of clay masks as I feel they give your skin such a good deep clean. My face always feels so good after a face mask.

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Freeman bare foot range
£1.50 each
Freeman also have a great range of foot products, including a variety of scrubs and lotions, which would make a good stocking filler. The sachets are quite big and there is definitely enough for two uses in each one. It is such a great way to try different products 🙂

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Barcelona sublime oil

£39

This oil smells amazing and leaves your skin with a very healthy looking glow along with a shimmer in the light. Body oils are a big thing right now, there are so many you can get and you can use them anywhere on your body and also in your hair. I love this on my arms and legs and also tried a small amount in my hair, it made it look a lot healthier as normally my hair is very dry.

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Luxury spa set

£16.95

This cute set contains soap, bath soaks and a candle, all tuberose and jasmine. You can smell the products as soon as you open the box and this would be a great gift for anyone that appreciates nice toiletries. The soap is handmade and its the kind of thing you want to save for best. The candle has the same scent which would be great to light in the bathroom whilst you were having a relaxing bath. You also get a decent amount of bath soak grains, enough for a few baths 🙂

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Jo Malone English pear and freesia body and hand wash

£28

Since I had my hand and arm massage at the word duty free store I have been in love with Jo Malone. My favourite scent is the English pear and freesia, I have never smelt anything like it before! The hand wash is great, It is one of those products that would make a great gift as you wouldn’t usually buy something like this for yourself, its an extra special treat. You only need a small amount, I kind of want to just keep it as decoration the bottle is so pretty!

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Jo Malone English pear and freesia body creme

£50

This body creme is amazing. I first tried it in store and it left my hands and arms so smooth and all day I kept getting a whiff of the scent. It leaves you amazingly soft and also smelling good for the rest of the day! I love the design of Jo Malone products and it will look great on the side in my newly tiled bathroom!

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I hope you enjoyed reading this and I hope it has helped to inspire you for gift ideas!

Sarah x


       

 

Please note the items featured are a mixture of things I have purchased myself, things I have won(I enter lots of competitions!) and PR samples.

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist

I am a MASSIVE Jurlique fan right now. This brand is very new to me, but you see so many people raving about them online, its crazy. You really have to try their products to understand why! I have recently been using the Rosewater Balancing Mist*, I love the packaging, the smell and how amazing it makes my skin feel.

This product is advertised to help improve skin tone, moisture levels and skin balance. This is exactly what it does. It really helps to hydrate your skin and leaves you feeling very fresh. It is the best time of year to try something like this, especially if you suffer from dry skin or un-even skin tones. I have quite red cheeks, usually worse in the winter but I have seen an improvement after only using this product once a day for the past few weeks.


I have a few other Jurlique products to try and I can’t wait 🙂

Sarah x

Jurlique multi-correcting day cream

As the cold weather is starting and it gets to that time of year where my face becomes extremely dry – due to the cold weather and the heating on at home and work I need a miracle worker!

I use cocoa butter at night but I don’t moisturise in the morning and I know I really should! I have recently been using a day cream* by Jurlique, I thought originally it was quite pricy for a moisturiser but after using it everyday for over two weeks I could really see the benefits. It is really worth investing in and smells lovely. When I first opened it I had to get my mum to smell it too as it was gorgeous. It smells like a bunch of flowers, floraly and fresh but not too overwhelming 🙂

It comes with a lovely little spatula as the last thing you want to do with a pot of cream is dip your fingers in it! The cream itself had a nice soft texture to it and glides gently into the skin. You only need a tiny amount, I imagine the pot will last a very long time 🙂

I much prefer to invest in something of better quality and pay more where you only need a tiny amount rather than something cheaper that you need half a bottle everytime you use it!

I suffer bad in the winter from dry skin on my nose and between my eyebrows/my forehead, sometimes when I apply make up you can see it and it’s very unattractive! Since using this cream in the morning before I apply make up I haven’t had to use primer and I have no more flakey patches on my face, just a lovely soft surface to apply my make up to. Big thumbs up for this cream, although if my mum gets her way I will have to share it so it won’t last as long!

You can buy Jurlique on www.lookfantastic.com

They often offer free gifts if you spend a certain amount or have money off codes at the top of the website so always worth a look! LookFantastic is usually my go to website for Glamglow and Benefit as they always have great deals <3

Sarah x