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!).

I'm dreaming of a John Lewis Christmas

A whole Winter wonderland wardrobe; tables festooned with Christmas decorations; apple crumble cocktails served in vintage-look jam jars, and lots of gorgeous beauty exclusives from Nars and Origins. What a lovely way to spend a Wednesday night.

On Wednesday I was invited to the John Lewis Cardiff Press Event which was held in 'Peppermint', just down the road from the store. The team from John Lewis had transformed the upstairs of the venue into my idea of a perfect Christmas: lots of stylish party looks; fabulous accessories; quirky Christmas decorations, and oodles of beauty loveliness. Oh, and not to mention the 'Pick and Mix your own Christmas' stand, where we were invited to choose whatever we wanted: a selection of Christmas decorations; chocolates; candy canes, and candles, to name just a few of the items.

The womenswear team had chosen a great selection of pieces from a range of the brands stocked instore, including Kurt Geiger; Warehouse; Bertie and REISS. I was particularly drawn to this gorgeous pair of shoes from Kurt Geiger, and these jumpers from Warehouse, which are perhaps a more stylish alternative to the usual 'Christmas Jumper' concept.

When it comes to Christmas decorations, John Lewis are offering three looks: 'Jazz' ("vibrant brights and lights"); 'Pearl White' ("winter white with sparkling frost"), and 'Established' ("a traditional Christmas"). My favourite was the 'Jazz' collection, which was really colourful and had a retro feel to it. Anyone for a cocktail?

On the beauty front, Jodie from Origins and Guy from Nars were there to show what their brands are offering this season. My particular favourites were the limited edition 'Famous Favourites' set from Origins; the Nars 'Arabian Nights' trio eye-shadow, and the Nars Votive Set.

My eye was also caught by a giant bottle of Guerlain's new release, Shalimar Parfum Initial. I have been wanting to try this ever since I watched BBC4's 'Perfume' documentary. Apparently I'm not the only person who is enthusiastic about this new release, as at the moment it's the store's sixth biggest selling fragrance. I'll write another post about it to let you know more of my thoughts about the fragrance.

I really enjoyed the event, and it has firmly put me in the Christmas (and wishlist-compiling!) frame of mind:

• Origins 'Famous Favourites' Limited Edition set
• Nars 'Arabian Nights' Limited Edition Trio Eyeshadow
• Nars Votive Set
• Warehouse 'Christmas Jumper'
• Origins 'Incredible Spreadable' Ginger Body Smoother

......... and that's just for starters!

My Current Routine - Part I: Skincare

I originally wrote this list a few months ago after reading a couple of posts where bloggers detailed what they used. At the time I thought it would be interesting for myself to note exactly which products of the many that I own that I was actually using, and which ones were taking up valuable bathroom space with no beauty benefits gained! Previously, the products that I was using tended to be a combination of gifts, special offers and habit. Since then, thanks to my new discoveries via Twitter and other blogs, this list has changed quite a bit. Whilst I think I’ve now found a few Holy Grail items, I am quite sure that this list will keep evolving, as my skin changes, beauty trends move on, and well, as a beauty lover I never really need a reason to try new products! As the list is quite long I've split it into a couple of posts.

Cleanser – Origins Checks & Balances, used with a Konjac Sponge. If you haven’t already tried the Konjac sponge then I urge you to give it a go. I discovered them via a post on the fabulous Get Lippie blog. They are such a simple and good value product which helps leave my skin beautifully smooth after cleansing.

Toner – I am not currently using a toner, but having read a few posts promoting the virtues of a good toner, this is about to change.

Make-up Remover – I have been using a Bourjois make-up remover after reading about it on a blog. However it didn't live up to my expectations as it's quite greasy, so I am on the hunt for a new one. All recommendations welcome!

Moisturiser

Day: La Roche-Posay Effaclar M/Effaclar Duo/Effaclar K . I first heard of this brand a while ago but it was only when I read rave reviews on Twitter that I decided to give it a go and ordered some from www.escentual.com  who have some great value packs of La Roche-Posay. I am so glad that I did. The Effaclar range is designed for oily skin with imperfections. I mix and match these 3 different lotions according to my skin's requirements. I find that the Effaclar M really helps to mattify my skin without drying it out. The Duo and K are great when I have got a breakout or my skin is looking a bit congested.

Night: Dr Nick Lowe Night Recovery Cream - I was lucky enough to win this as part of a set in a Twitter giveaway from @DrNickLoweSkin . I had previously only used products from Dr Nick Lowe’s Anti-Blemish range. However, I have found that this night cream really helps with the appearance of my skin overnight, leaving it feeling softer and smoother.

Primer/Radiance booster – Clarins Beauty Flash Balm – I LOVE this product. This product is a classic, so when I was lucky enough to get it free in a Grazia Beauty event goodie bag, I was one very happy lady. This product does exactly what it says on the tube: brightens and firms. I apply this to my skin using the technique shown by Lisa Eldridge and instantly my skin looks better.

Eye-cream – Clinique All about Eyes

Exfoliator – Origins Modern Friction

Face mask – I have yet to find a face mask that I really love, so I have been alternating between Soap & Glory The Fab Pore which I was given as part of a set, and the hydrating Origins Drink Up, depending on the condition of my skin.