Rant or Rave?

Winter Wonder

Origins Drink Up Mask review 

The word dehydrated is not often found chilling in the same sentence as my name. I have such an acute fear of the d word that I have most likely drowned my 2 liters by lunch time, with the tally racking up to 4 going on 5 by bed time. 

Me and my best friend have coined the phrase 'the point of no return'. The somewhat apocalyptic sentiment refers to the feeling of utmost thirst that no amount of water can quench. This highly stressful corner of the world is somewhere I do my most to avoid. 

So cutting to the chase dehydrated skin is not typically one of my (many, many, many) concerns. However. I have just returned from a weekend skiing in France (picture Bambi on skis, a drunk Bambi on skis- who also fears heights and speed- and enjoy the mental image of me tackling the mountains) where I was fighting wars on several fronts. Frankie vs the slopes, Frankie vs crazy fast Europeans, Frankie vs fitness (or lack of), and Frankie vs dry, dehydrated skin.

My normally obsessive water consumption literally fell by the wayside. Breakfast water was replaced by coffee (I needed all the energy I could get), lunch time by hot chocolate (who can resist a steaming cuppa warmth in sub zero temperatures) and dinner by coke (it was a holiday after all). Needless to say the freezing cold weather combined with mine and waters time apart could have ended in catastrophe. 

Whilst I may not have won Frankie vs the slopes, the crazy fast Europeans, or fitness, and I have the aching bruised body to show for it, I did kick the butt of dry, dehydrated skin.

This was mainly thanks to having Origins Drink Up mask fighting firmly in my corner. The mask is designed to be used when skin 'faces a marathon of dehydrating circumstances' and fluid levels are running low- sounds exactly like my predicament non?

Forget all you can eat. This is all you can drink. Nature's very own cocktail quenches even the thirstiest of skins, leaving skin hydrated, soft and supple. You are meant to apply the mask to clean dry skin, leave on for 10 minutes then wash or rinse off. I applied the mask every night whilst I was battling the elements and washed off in the morning. By that time there was not a speck left on my face, my skin had literally lapped it up over night. In the past I have been weary of moisturizing creams, fearing a pore clogging breakout inducing mess. But for once that was not the case. 

I may not have won all my ski related battles but I won the war against dry skin. 

As I have said I am not a frequent flyer to the land of dry skin, but this mask gets a gloved thumbs up from me. Whilst this mask is ideal for those drier skin types I think anyone and everyone could and should use it. Your skin can always do with a little extra moisture, especially this time of year- seriously there was basically no difference in snow levels between the French mountains and London's streets! I plan on using it once a week now I am home and don't need such intense moisturizing- but it will work well to counteract any dryness from my gang of acne busters.

If you are suffering any pesky dry patches all you need is a gulp of Origins Drink Up mask to wipe the floor with winter skin.

Origins Drink Up Mask is £20 and available from John Lewis, larger Boots stores and online

What do you use to combat winter skin woes?

Rant or Rave?

A new lick of paint

Hourglass Film Noir Lacquer Review

Hot on the heels of meye (geddit!) last mascara themed post is a review of Hourglass' Film Noir Lash Lacquer.

Hourglass is relatively new to the UK but is fast becoming my brand of choice, I am slowly but surely working my way through their whole line and no complaints thus far! 

The lacquer looks a lot like a lipgloss for the lashes (try saying that fast!). First off points for innovation, I have not come across anything else remotely like this on the market. 

It is meant to work as a top coat for your mascara, adding length, volume and shine.

The brush does take quite a bit of getting used to. I find the best way to apply it is to brush the lashes up and down whilst blinking my lashes, but each to their own. It is designed to be worn on top of mascara and the formula is specifically designed to be clump free.

I have road tested this a few times and not a clump in sight! It adds a whole another dimension to your standard mascara look. Glossy, inky, wetlook. To me it conjures up an image of black squid ink, someone watches wayyy too many cooking programmes! Or maybe wetlook leggings for your lashes?

Now whilst this is not something you need for a day to day basis, for those night outs it can take you look to the next level. It fans out each individual lash to sensational proportions, colours them a deep dark black, and pumps up the volume. A great little product to keep in your 'work' makeup bag for an instant day to night transformation.

Not for the light hearted this lacquer really packs a punch.

The left eye has just mascara, the right mascara and lacquer

I cannot lap up this latex enough

Relatively easy to use, smudge and clump free, false lash effect without the spider leg feeling, really what else could you ask for?

Lets do some makeup maths. Dior's serum + Hourglass' Lacquer = SHOWSTOPPING peepers

Hourglass Lash Lacquer is available for £25 from Space NK

Rant or Rave?

Malin and Goetz Detox Face Mask Review

£29.00 from Space NK

What They Say: Detox Face Mask is a five minute foaming gel mask. Its combination of oxygenating cleansing agents lift dirt, oil and makeup up, deeply cleansing the pores without irritation, drying or using harsh detergents, whilst creating a physical barrier to seal hydration. Containing amino acids and natural almond extract the mask effectively cleanses, purifies and soothes whilst Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Soy Protein help firm the skin, helping prevent ageing.

For deep cleansing and hydration, a thick layer of gel applied for 5 minutes in place of cleanser, one to two times per week. Oilier skin may use a thin layer daily for night-time deep cleansing and oil control. Remove with warm wash cloth and water upon oxygenation.

What I Say: First off I LOVE the smell of this product. It reminds me of marzipan and I could literally spend all day just sniffing my bottle. I probably need to get out more. 

You get quite a lot of product for your money, 118ml to be precise. I've had mine for about 3 months now and the bottle still feels full. You only need one pump to cover your entire face.

I love love love applying this mask. It comes out as white, thick, gloopy gloop. My old English Teacher would be turning in his grave at my excellent descriptive skills right now. But gloopy really is the most apt word! You apply a thick layer to your face, if you are using it as a mask but more on that later, and wait for the oxygenation. Oxygenation basically means the mask foams up and turns all lovely and bubbly. You can hear and feel in puffing up, I find the tingling sensation really enjoyable, I like to feel products working on my skin. Once the product has oxygenated your face will look as frothy as a Cappuccino, do I get a point for my sneaky little simile there? 

When your skin looks a face full of cotton candy, I'm on a roll, you can either wash or tissue the mask off. A really nice thing about this mask is that it doesn't leave a tight feeling afterwards. It doesn't work its magic and then hop foot it out the door. It leaves your skin feeling soft, supple, and hydrated. All Malin and Goetz products work really well for sensitive skin types. Now I don't have particularly sensitive skin at all but with all those other harsh acne ass kicking acids I use it is nice to have something more gentle to use, and this mask really does feel like a hug for your face. 

This does leave your skin super super super clean. And you can use a thin layer of it every night as a face wash if you wish. I like this multi-fuctional aspect of the mask, once you've wash it off your good to go, you don't have to cleanse again. It only takes five minutes to work its magic. So you can apply it in the morning or evening, and by the time you've brushed your teeth and faffed around in the bathroom like we all love to do it's ready to be washed off!

Now this mask is no match for the big guns. Those angry red lumps and bumps are quite indifferent to it, at least mine are. My spots are a bit like nice try mate but we aint budging. Whilst I have loved how this mask felt on my skin for the past couple months I haven't been raving about it. It made my skin feel soft and clean  but it didn't seem to be doing anything to shout and scream about.

HOWEVER I have had quite a few blackheads on my cheeks the past week or so. I may have huge pores but they are normally quite clear pores. Alas for some reason this all went tits up. I popped this one twice a week and the blackheads were completely gone. I kept inspecting my face in one of those, they make you want to kill yourself because they are so up close, magnifying mirrors because I just didn't believe they had gone so quickly. But they had. The crater sized pores are still there but these craters are blissfully empty. 

It won't clear acne, dry or shrink your spots. BUT IT WILL CLEAR YOUR PORES. I have tried sooooo many masks that claim to do this and all of them have failed horribly. But not this little sweet treat. If your skin's congestion makes commuters during rush hour think they don't really have it that bad give this mask a go and you won't be disappointed!

Malin and Goetz's whole range is unisex and perfect for all skin types.

Have you tried this mask before, what do you think? What are your favourite masks?

Hair Care Hero

3''' more inches

Sorry boys it won't work on that!

So I've mentioned a few times on my blog how much my hair has grown in the past few years. Before Uni it would not grow further than my shoulders no matter how many products I saturated it with. This all changed when I went to Manchester. I joke that although all the greasy food and alcohol wreaked havoc on not just my waistline but my whole entire body, freshers fifteen more like freshers thirty(!) it did wonders for my hair. 

Whilst binge drinking and eating may not have been the root cause (geddit ha! At least I make myself laugh) of my hair growth something was. And that something was......

Michael Van Clarke's 3''' More Inches

£29 from Space NK

So the Science bit....The idea is that once hair is out of the scalp it is no longer living and therefore cannot repair itself. From here it starts to suffer the wear and tear of everyday life. This causes the molecular bonds in your hair to break, and your hair is less able to hold moisture, meaning it becomes more brittle. This accelerates the loss of further bonds and thus begins a cycle of doom! The unique blend of ingredients in the 3''' more inches system is meant to penetrate deep into the hair shaft; repairing broken bonds and helping to protect the hair from further disintegration.

The system consists of a Pre Wash Treatment, Shampoo and Conditioner. I only purchased the Pre Wash Treatment.

What They Say: Most people have healthy hair at the roots but can’t grow healthy hair to the length they want. Modern lifestyles; heat styling, colouring, sun, sea - all damage and age the hair shaft. This wonder treatment with a unique cashmere protein and amino acid blend, slows the aging process and helps your hair grow longer faster. 

They recommend to apply this product to dry hair from root to tip, leaving to soak for an hour and then rinsing. For best results use this treatment every second wash.

What I Say: For me this product deserves Holy Grail Status. 

You get quite a lot of bang for your buck; 500ml for £29. However, how quickly you motor through it depends on the length of your hair. I need about 3 pumps to cover my hair from root to tip. I'm not the best at remembering to use products religiously. However I did use this about twice a week for three or four months. Sometimes I would shove it on on a lazy day and then shampoo it out, but more frequently I left it on over night, when products allow the extra time frame I always like to make the most of it! 

The consistency of this is much more fluid than other pre-shampoo treatments I have used, for example Philip Kingsley's Elasticizier (another Holy Grail). It is fragrance free, which is good for those with a sensitive nose. I wouldn't say this product was particularly moistursing, It didn't leave my hair super soft like my Elasticizier does. I wouldn't recommend it as a replacement to any deep moisturizing treatment, but then that is not what it purports to do.

It claim to fame is to make your hair grow 3 more inches and that it does! My hair is stronger then it has ever been, longer, and overall a lot healthier. I have noticed less split ends, I am moulting less into my hairbrush and shower drain, and my hair no longer has the triangular tip shape. It also dries much nicer. This is quite an expensive product BUT if you are desperately trying to grow your hair this is a MIRACLE PRODUCT. It doesn't work overnight, you do have to stick with it and give it some time to work its magic. I can't really pinpoint a time frame where I was like wow my hair has started to grow. It's like growing in height or losing weight, you can't really notice small differences, only dramatic ones. 

The last time I used this product frequently was about six months ago. It is not a product you have to buy again and again for upkeep. One bottle shall do the trick. I still have quite a bit left of my bottle, you could start using it again after excessive heat styling or dyeing. 

Before my hair would not grow past my shoulder. It looked weak, brittle, and you could clearly see a lot of breakage.                  

After using the treatment for a few months my hair has never been as strong or long. It has weathered dip dyeing well with minimal breakage.    

I cannot recommend this product enough for those looking to grow their hair, or those seeking to strengthen their hair. 

What do you think? Have you used any Michael Van Clarke products before? What do you use to make your hair grow?                                                                                

Rant or Rave?

Easy, Breezy, Beautiful?

GHD Air Hairdryer Review

£99 from http://www.ghdhair.com/hair-dryers/ghd-air

They Say: Its 2,100W motor makes it much more powerful than a normal hairdryer, while the body itself is shaped to give you a faster blow-dry. The ghd air ™ doesn’t just dry your hair, it uses advanced ionic technology to lock in moisture for softer, shinier results that last for longer, with far less frizzing. Variable power and temperature controls, plus the choice of two nozzles, allow you to tailor your blow-dry to your hair type, while a cool shot button helps you set your style in place with a blast of cold air. The ghd air™ is also a breeze to use thanks to an ergonomic design that makes it comfortable to hold for both left and right-handed users, and a 3m long power cable that gives total flexibility as you dry. 

It’s not just hot air, it’s a breath of fresh air.

I Say: I don't blow dry my hair that often. I personally believe it's neigh impossible to have healthy long hair. And as I want locks as long as Rapunzel I generally steer clear of any heated tools that are going to hinder my road to riches. I also actually prefer the way my hair dries naturally. 

I wouldn't say this hairdresser dried my hair any quicker than any other I've used.  Saying that my mum swears it dries her hair 10x quicker, and as she blow dries her hair like there's no tomorrow maybe, just maybe, her opinion is more valued here! However, what it lacks in speed it makes for in other areas! 

Its ability to control frizz is UNBERRRRLIEVABLE! I don't have majorly frizzy hair by any means (one of the FEW graces God has given me), but I have a lot of fly aways. At time my hair has been known to look like someone just rubbed my head with a balloon. Hello static. 

I dried my hair form wet with this little wonder and the finish was amazing. My hair was soft, straight, and there was no frizz in sight! It really did look professionally done, even if I do say so myself! I have also used the hairdryer on dry hair. I had washed my hair in the morning and let it dry naturally, by the time I had got home from work it did look a bit like a frizz bomb. So I whipped out my ghd Air, blasted and brushed, and voila no more frizz! The Air kept my hair frizz free all day, and was a breeze at fixing any existing frizz I had accumulated. It not only eliminates any frizz It does make hair look shinier. I have quite matte looking hair. It is not naturally glossy *sigh* and I get major hair envy whenever a L'Oreal advert comes on. BUT using this did make a noticeable difference to my hair, Cheryl Cole watch out!

It was easy to use, but I don't really find any hairdryer difficult to use, it's not really brain science to operate a hairdryer! I like the different temperature controls, this enables me to use a lower heat setting, hopefully doing minimal damage to my hair!

I really enjoyed using this product, and the results in terms of frizz and shininess are like nothing I've ever seen before. BUT. £99 is a hefty price tag. If you blow dry your hair more than Kate Middleton and suffer frizz a la Monica in THAT friends episode (and have very deep pockets) definitely give this a go. It is an amazing hairdryer but I'm not fully convinced the price point is justifiable, but then I am no huge lover of hairdryers, and would happily fork out over £100 on skincare.

What do you think? Have you tried this product before? How much would you be willing to pay to tame your tresses?

High Street Haul Part 2

Continued....

I didn't want to do an uber long post so I thought it best to divide my purchases into two.

Note: These newbies have not featured in my Wants Folder so by my rules I should not have bought them! But everyone can make exceptions once in a while right?

Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo £4.99

They Say: Dare to wear NEW Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel eyeshadow. With up to 24HR staying power. Popping colour that glides on. Get inked!

I Say: The Formula is very thick and creamy. It is very easy to apply and blend. I'm not sure about the 24hr claim, but NOONE should be wearing their makeup for that long anyway! I just showered and mine didn't budge of my eyes, so they are waterproof and like to stick around! The colours are very pigmented but not too intense, they can be easily built up to achieve the look you desire. They can be used alone, as an eye shadow base, or as an eyeliner, a great multi-functional product!

Immortal Charcoal:

I'm not one for the smokey eye, I prefer more bronzey shades, my Naked palettes are a godsend! But sometimes it is nice to go for a more dark and dangerous look. The thing that has always put me off a traditional smokey eye is the difficult factor, you can easily go wrong, so very wrong, with the look. This little pot really takes the fear factor down a notch. 

I have really small eye lids, so I found it hard to apply this colour with my fingers. I used a normal eye shadow brush to swipe it on my eyes. The colour works really well on its own, add some eyeliner, a few lashings of mascara and bam night time glam! The other thing these pots work well as is primers. Used underneath powder shadows they can add to the intensity and help the colour stick around longer.

On and On Bronze:

As this colour is not so deep I could use my fingers to apply, it was easy to blend out my heavy handedness without any tell tale darkness. I really wanted this to use in the daytime. It is so easy to just swipe over your eyes, looking like you much MORE more effort into looking groomed than you actually did. It is a really beautiful bronze colour, that again works well on it's own, or could, and will be used under my beloved Naked Palette.

These eyeshadows really are fool proof to apply, stick around all day, and are incredibly cheap and cheerful! I would consider them dupes for Benefit, Mac, and Chanel cream eyeshadows in terms of quality.

A tattoo you will not regret indulging in!

Maybelline Colorsensational Lip Liner £3.99

They Say: New from Maybelline Color Sensational, budge-proof and long lasting lip liners. Mirror like colour with our reflective shine formula. Creamy feel, enriched with honey nectar.

 I Say: Now I have always thought of lip liners a relic of the 90s that should stay firmly put there. They just remind me of my Nan. You know the overly lined lip look I'm talking about. See here

But when used correctly lip liners are great products. They can be worn to add shape and definiton to your lips, to stop your lipstick from feathering and bleeding, to keep the colour around longer, or worn on their own. I got the colour Velvet Beige. It is a really pretty dark pink, light plum colour that is just slightly darker than the natural colour of my lips. The pencil was really soft and easy to apply, it didn't feel like I was drawing on myself with a lead pencil! I added some lip balm on the top for a shiny finish, but the colour can be worn alone for a matte look. 

I'm not sure how long the pencil will last, I have a feeling it will need to be sharpened quite a lot. But the colour is gorgeous it was a pleasure to apply, and most importantly it was dirt cheap!

There are 7 colours in total and I'm have been convinced enough to get them all! Sorry bank balance!

Have you used any other Maybelline products, what are your favourites?

Highstreet Haul Part 1

Supermarket Sweep

So I didn't actually get these from the supermarket, I got them from Boots and Superdrug, but I'm pretty sure Tesco stocks them! Anyhoo I'm a sucker for alliteration and you get the gist.

With my non existent funds ever decreasing I'm finding myself turning more and more to the high street for my makeup. Shock horror for me I know. Whilst I'm still not convinced the high street can serve my skincare or foundation needs I am willing to try out some other goodies.

First Up

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer £5.99: I have my heart set on By Terry Touche Veloutee, but the £35 price tag is deterring me slightly. I am one of those people who always looks tired, even if i had 12 hours sleep I am still going to have bags under my eyes. And I really need to stop going to my internship looking like I haven't slept for days. The Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation has had such rave reviews I thought I'd give the concealer a try. 

They Say: Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer is our first full coverage concealer that visibly reawakens and illuminates under the eyes. Completely conceals spots and other blemishes. Instant anti-fatigue effect. With Peptides and a Vitamin Moisturising complex

No concealer on the Left, Concealer on the Right

I Say: This isn't a miracle product by any means, but that is not to say I am not rather enjoying it.

 The applicator is a small angled sponge wand. I have been using this to blop the concealer under my eyes and using my fingers to blend out. I find it easier to work with like this as you can really press the product into your skin.

The formula is quite watery, it is not thick and creamy, but this does mean you can build it up for extra coverage quite easily. I wouldn't say it aced the covering up dark circles exam, for the time being I will carry on using my Laura Mercier Secret Camoflauge for that, but I will use this on top. In terms of lifting the eye area and leaving you with the bright eyed bushy tail look it is top of the class. Often matte concealers can be too heavy around the eye, settling into the fine lines and looking cakey. I use this concealer in a triangle shape under my eyes so I can illuminate a significant section of my face. I won't be using this to concealer blemishes as I don't think it's pigmented enough, at least not for me, but if you want to get up and glow in the morning give it a try!

Note: The colour range of these products is limited to say the least. I got mine in Soft Beige but without a trained sales assistant to help colour match it was literally guessing blind!

Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch £3.99: After I saw these reviewed on one of my favourite beauty blogs, Liana Beauty, I just had to go out and buy them.

They Say: Give an instant boost of shimmering radiance. The lightweight mousse formula is ultra-blendable and gives a long-lasting, natural-looking flush of colour.

On the Rimmel website there seems to be 5 shades available, but these were the only two I found in Boots and Superdrug.

Shimmering Sand:

Shimmering Sand is nude champagne colour. I used this one as a highlighter, along my cheekbones, the centre of my nose, and my cupids bow.

Radiant Rose: 

Radiant Rose is a light pastel pink shade. I used it as a blush on the apples of my cheeks, blending with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush.

The swatches on my hand look VERY glittery but some reason that amount of glitter doesn't transfer to your face. Which is a good thing. The product is quite thick and creamy, my Nars Illuminator feels very watery in comparison. It was very easy to blend and a little goes a long way. The Radiant Rose is more pigmented but both give a good colour payoff. For a more intense colour Radiant Rose could be used underneath or on top of a pink powder blush. 

The staying power isn't the longest but for the price tag I'm happy to reapply throughout the day! I have very oily skin and the shimmer makes me look healthy, not shiny, so I'd say these could be used on all skin types!

I think these are great little products to add a touch a radiance to winter skin and very user friendly! Furthermore they do exactly what they say on the tin!

Have you used any Rimmel product before? What do you think of them? What are your best high street beauty buys?

Rant or Rave?

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheek

One of the biggest trends on the A/W 12 runways was weather-whipped hair, skin and cheeks. Think long walk in the country on a cold day. One of the easiest ways to work the look is an outdoorsy flush blush.

The look should be vibrant and healthy so a cream blush works better than a matte powder.

£18.00 from Selfridges

The colour here is Rose

They Say: Our best-selling, multi-tasking cream colour just got even better. It's now in a mirrored flip-top compact for on-the-spot application. Blend it on the apples of your cheeks for a just-pinched look. Blot it on your lips for a soft, stained finish. For drier skins, be sure to moisturize skin first

Rose: Looks red in the pan but is in fact a a very warm pink shade. It's a very natural shade that would work well on a variety on skintones. 

I Say: Although this product claims to be dual purpose I find it a little too drying on the lips. I think multi-functional products are always better at one thing, you know what they say about stretching yourself too thin!

What in lacks as a lip colour it more than makes up for as a blusher. The product is very easy to apply and the colour is extremely buildable. It is very sheer so you can control the depth of colour. I like to apply with my fingers but the Real Techniques Stippling brush works equally well. To achieve that desired country ruddiness only apply the product to the apples of your cheeks and just below the cheek bones.

The finish isn't shiny or greasy but dewy and natural. It is great for achieving a really healthy natural looking glow, and especially good for adding a dose of radiance to lack luster winter skin. 

Have you tried any cream blushers before, what do you think of them?

Rant or Rave?

Bobbi Brown SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free Review

£28.00 from Selfridges

Tinted Moisturizer are typically the remit of the summer months, when it's too hot to bother will a full face of foundation light weight tinted moisturizers really come into their own. However I love mine year round.

I got this last year with the intention of using it skiing. Whilst the early starts and sweaty sessions didn't entice me to apply much makeup the social side of lunch did warrant some effort in the face department. 

They Say: Created for women with oily skin who want light moisture, sheer coverage and sun protection in one, Bobbi's new gel-based formula is the perfect alternative to foundation. Light and refreshing, it glides on smoothly, blends easily and provides a hint of coverage for soft, even and natural-looking skin. Vitamins C and E protect skin from free radical damage, while SPF 15 helps prevent sun damage.

I Say: The added SPF is a bonus. Not gonna lie the word SPF doesn't get me all hot under the collar.  I'm the person who slathers up on oil to hurry my tan along and only applies suncream on holiday, if it's a million degree, once first thing in the morning, only if I remember. However I know how important SPF is, so the inclusion of it, and the free radical fighting vitamins, do make me feel better about myself. The makeup equivalent of eating my greens. 

I like the coverage. It is very sheer, it is not going to cover any of those spots invading your face, but nor does it claim to. I agree it provides a soft, even, natural looking effect. I've been using this a lot lately. With my skin playing up I don't want to subject it to heavy duty coverage. It's like a circle of doom. Your skin's bad so you apply more makeup to hide bad skin, layers and layers of makeup don't agree with angry skin, said skin just gets worse! This moisturizer really wakes the skin up. It evens out the skin tone by making your face all one colour. And the colour is very flattering. I still have to do spot cover ups with my concealer, but the overall feel of my makeup is much lighter and fresher, like I'm not wearing anything at all. Naked from the head up.

However. It does not glide on smoothly. At all. I find this one of the hardest products to blend. Doing it with my fingers is almost impossible, it just tries to quickly. I apply with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush, and do my face one section at a time. This works okayyy, but it is not a pleasant application by any stretch of the imagination.

The product is oil free, so your skin is not left shiny. I like the finish, you look like you had a good nights sleep, not like you spent all night watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians, ooops. It doesn't feel tight on my skin or drying, but I still always apply real moisturizer first. Tinted Moisturizers just don't contain enough hydration, even for me and I don't have particularly dry skin.

A good staple for those lazy days when you don't want to try that hard. I just wish they'd change the formula.

Just wearing the tinted moisturizer

What's your favourite tinted moisturizer? Has anyone tried Laura Mericer or Chantecaille?