Origins VitaZing Moisturiser

When it comes to my daily make-up routine, I tend to opt for a full coverage base, as I have blemish-prone skin, with uneven skin tone. I am currently using Estee Lauder DoubleWear, which is a Holy Grail product for many a beauty blogger. However, on my recent trip to Italy, I thought that a full face of make-up was slightly OTT for everyday wear, but still felt that my skin needed a bit of a helping hand. Step forward, Origins VitaZing .

I am generally not a massive fan of tinted moisturisers, as I never feel that they give enough coverage for me. However, VitaZing has definitely secured a place on my ‘go-to’ list of products. When you apply this product to your skin, it looks like a normal moisturiser, but as you blend it, you can see the tint appear, to match your skin tone. I have absolutely no idea about how it does it, but frankly I don’t care! With this my skin felt soft and looked even and radiant. It also contains a SPF of 15, which ticks another box on the ‘multi-tasking product’ checklist. If I have any particular blemishes or extra dark circles under my eyes then I use a little bit of concealer in those areas.

I can confirm that this product is also fantastic for those ‘morning after the night before’ moments when you might be looking less than radiant!  A friend recently asked me if I could recommend a product to give her skin a boost before she embarks on the daily school run, and this was the first product that I thought of.

I bought mine as part of a 'Brightening' gift set in the Summer, but you can purchase it by itself for £27. However, at the moment Origins have some fantastic gift sets, which bring together some of their best-selling products, e.g. the 'Morning to Midnight' skincare set, which contains the following products: High-Potency Night-A-Mins™ Mineral-Enriched Cream (50ml); Drink Up™ Intensive Mask (50ml); VitaZing™ SPF15 (50ml) and GinZing™ Eye Cream (15ml), all for £39 (3 extra products for an extra £12!).

Bobbi Brown Beauty Masterclass

A few weeks ago I was invited to a Bobbi Brown 'Christmas Beauty' masterclass being led by the company's Head of Artistry in the U.K., Paul Herrington. The event took place in John Lewis' Cardiff store.

Paul and the other lovely ladies and gents from 'Bobbi Brown' had taken over the Espresso Bar, where we were invited to relax with a glass of something fizzy and a mince pie. Perfect to get us in the festive mood! There was a real range of ladies at the event, from teenagers to grandmothers, and that reflects the approach that the brand has.

Paul talked us through his 10 key products from Bobbi Brown, which he thinks are essentials. Unfortunately, I lost my notebook which had my notes from the evening, so I haven't got all the details of the products. But I have been really impressed with the products that I bought on the evening, so I still wanted to post about the event.

I really enjoyed the format of the evening. Firstly, Paul demonstrated the products on members of the group on stage and took questions from the floor. The second part of the evening was where we were invited to sit at tables named after Hollywood stars and to have small-group consultations with one of the makeup artists, where we could ask more individual questions and get our hands on the products to try them

Here are some of the key products that Paul talked about over the course of the evening:

• Hydrating Face Cream - Bobbi believes that the most important skincare step is ensuring hydration, and this product is designed to provide hydration throughout the day. 

• Foundation Stick - this is one of Bobbi Brown's most well-known and award-winning products, which is designed for all skin types except really oily skin. This is great for giving easy coverage on the go.

• Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner - this is another one of Bobbi's products which has won many awards, including an 'InStyle Best Beauty Buys' award. This long-lasting and water-resistant product gives the look of a liquid liner, but with a gel feel. This is definitely going on my 'to-buy' list.

• Long-Wear Cream Eye Shadow

• Metallic Long-Wear Cream Eye Shadow - this still gives the long-lasting coverage of the original cream eyeshadow, but with an added sparkle

• Pastel Sugar Sparkle Eye Quad - this is part of the brand's Christmas Collection. The sparkly, sheer texture of these shadows means that they are great for layering over neutral shades such as 'Long-Wear Cream Eye Shadow' in 'Bone', to take you from a day to an evening look.

• Shimmer Brick - This is perhaps one of Bobbi's most iconic products, and it is fair to say that there were more than a few fans of the product in the room. The shimmer bricks have 5 different bars of colour, which work together to give the skin a glow. The product can be used as a highlighter and shimmer eye shadow. There are 5 options: the original Bronze Shimmer; Pink Quartz Shimmer; Nectar Shimmer; Rose Shimmer and Beige Shimmer. 

• Pot Rouge - This fantastic cream-based blush comes in five different shades. Paul recommended 'Powder Pink' as being suitable for my colouring, so I added it to my shopping list. I have been using this nearly everyday since, and I love it! It gives a really natural flush to the skin, and can also be used on the lips. It also transpires that it is the blush used by my good friend Liz, whose blusher I always love. It was obviously meant to be!

I also purchased one of Bobbi's new high shimmer lipglosses in 'Bellini' (a nude pink and silver pearl). I really like this product as it gives a subtle shimmer effect, and without the sticky finish that so many glosses can leave. 

Have you tried any of the products on the list? How did you find them?

Guest post: What's in your make-up bag?

My final guest blogger is the lovely Gemma. Gemma blogs at not one, but two different (but equally as great) websites: Fat Frocks and Where are my knees? In her guest post today, Gemma reveals the contents of her make-up bag for my readers:

I’m always curious what people have in their makeup bags. I’m pretty curious about what people are carrying around in general (I love those ‘what’s in my bag’ blog posts) but I really want to know what make up they use. I always want to know what products other ladies can’t live without. Is there an amazing mascara that you rave about to your friends? What about a concealer that makes those pesky blemishes disappear? True girlfriends don’t hold out on information like that. So, from my makeup bag to yours, here are my top three products I wouldn’t last a day without.

I’m a big fan of liquid liners: no pencil gives the same intense line that doesn’t smudge. Trouble is, it takes quite a bit of patience and skill to apply them. Thankfully Lancôme’s Artliner is idiot proof and anyone can instantly get that 50s flick. I love the sponge applicator which isn’t too long so you get a lot of control. I also love that Artliner is very black. I hate buying black eyeliner only to find it is a wishy washy grey colour once applied. The lady at the Lancôme counter told me that Marilyn Monroe wore Artliner which means I feel at least rather glamorous when I wear it. 

My next must have product is Yves Saint Laurent Perfect Touch Foundation which has a built in brush. The foundation gives great coverage and you get flawless application. I'm always rushing around getting ready for work in the morning and sometimes end up applying my make up on the train, the built in brush means I don't get into work with orange hands or patchy areas. You get a nice smooth and even application which I haven't had with any other foundations. How did I manage before I found this product?!

My third and final essential item is the Midnight Cowboy shade of Urban Decay lipstick.
I’m a sucker for fancy packaging and this lipstick doesn’t disappoint in that department but it’s also a great go-to lipstick for women who don’t usually wear lipstick. Midnight Cowboy is a great subtle and understated shade with a hint of sparkle and a little nude colour. It’s also super moisturizing and filled with vitamins and works well as a stand-alone shade or layered over other colours.

Have you ever tried any of these products? What are you make up bag essentials?

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LouLou says: Thanks Gemma. Am loving the sound of everything you've mentioned so will definitely be making a few purchases (not like me I know!)