Spotlight On...

Antioxidants

In many ways antioxidants are like the super heroes of the skin care world. They kick (neutralize) free radical ass, those wrinkle-causing bad guys produced by sunlight, stress, air pollution and other environmental factors. Think of what a cut apple looks like after being left out for a few minutes. 

Antioxidants act like a squeeze of lemon juice.

If you think that 90% of ageing is caused by Antioxidants you get the gist of their importance.

They are heralded in the industry for both their preventative and reparative powers. We are encouraged to slather them on both our skin and salads. The ultimate skin food.

Some researchers have even suggested that Antioxidant-based products are more important than SPFs in fighting ageing and cancer. Vitamins A, C and E are earning their stripes as the skin care big guns.

While there’s no shortage of research and results illustrating the benefits of Antioxidants the issue is more problematic than it seems. Scientists are arguing that for Antioxidants oxygen is their kryptonite. According to some the moment you open your jar of moisturiser or pump your cleanser and the product comes into contact with air the potency of the ingredients are lost.

Revolutionary new skincare range Radical also argue that multiple Antioxidants are required to fight the numerous types of free radicals. According to them there are five types of Free Radicals and using the one or two Antioxidants present in most products is simply not enough. Furthermore, they claim that when Antioxidants are combined with reparative ingredients in skincare they break down and lose their power, rendering them mere humans when it comes to protecting your skin from Free radical assault. Radical have pioneered a new technology named Trylacel™ which effectively encapsulates the Antioxidants preserving their potency. Radical products are jam packed with 15 Antioxidants. Their hero Peptide Infused Antioxidant Serum was tested by a USDA lab and was proven to be 300% more potent in antioxidant protection than leading brands. Its effects on sun damage certainly make it worthy of a cape and a sidekick. However, the moisturizers are in jars- not exactly air tight (they say that the Trylacel protects the antioxidants so they don't need air tight packaging).

For the time being all of this is still speculation. The exact details are still being argued out by the masterminds (scientists). In the mean-time by all means carrying on using your products but don’t put your skin’s life in the hands of these creams. Be skin care savvy. A very common myth skincare companies have spread is that Retin-A makes skin more susceptible to sunlight. The truth is Retin-A degrades in the sun- making the product ineffective. That is why they are not recommended for daytime use.

Companies would have to jump many a hurdle to rebrand their products into airless packaging- watch out and applaud the ones who do. Don’t give up on proper sun care; it is your best hope for long reigning happy skin. And remember, beauty does come from within- even if their effectiveness in skincare is being questioned antioxidants are still essential – satisfy your snack attack and keep your skin healthy in one, eat them.

And if you can afford the purse crippling prices give Radical products a go they are Ah-mazing.

Available from Space NK.

Bargain Beauties

Maybelline 24 hr Colour Tattoo

After yesterday's ode to the opulence that is By Terry, I thought today I would share with you a little cheaper choice.

Maybelline's Colour Tattoos are pots of cream/gel goodness.

The colours really do pack a punch and are pretty fool proof to apply. The thick and creamy consistency is long wearing and doesn't crease. 

I wear my personal favourite, On and On Bronze, on a daily basis, to add a little polish to my otherwise just rolled out of bed look.

Simply buff into the lid with your finger. The Lazy Girl's guide to makeup.

I recently also picked up Pomegranate Punk and Timeless Black.

Now, I'm not normally one to go for a black smokey eye, I prefer me some bronzey, brown hues. I use Timeless Black as a base for my powder shadows, and boy does it amp up the volume, helping add a vibrancy to other colours. However, if you are a fan of a dark, dramatic smokey eye this could be right up your street! It is worth noting that this colour does apply a little patchy, which was fine for me as I tend to use it as a base, but if not it can take a little time to build up the colour and I would suggest using a brush not your pinkies for this one. 

Pomegranate Punk is a metallic plum/crimson colour that looks amazing underneath a few of the shades in the Urban Decay Naked Palettes, YDK, Toasted and Hustle I'm looking at you. I am tres excited (how sad am I) to get more use of this come Autumn/Winter. If you have green or blue eyes you need this in your life! 

Whilst they are the creme de creme of highstreet cream eyeshadows they are not quite as sophisticated (or special) as By Terry's offerings. 

Whilst the three I own sure have surpassed my expectations with flying colours I'm not going to lie some of the other colours look quite scary and I've heard the ease of application and level of pigmentation depends on the shade. 

Still, a perfect purse-friendly purchase to perk up those peepers. Oh alliteration how I love thee.

£4.99 Available from Boots and Superdrug 

Luxe Love

By Terry Ombre Blackstar Review

'All night long, all night, all night, all night long'

Trust me, you won't be able to stop yourself waxing (or singing) lyrical about today's little beauties.

By Terry is one of my favourite French Fancies. The brand oozes opulence. Terry de Gunzburg launched By Terry in 1998 after 15 years as Yves St Laurent’s makeup designer (it was she who designed the eponymous Touche Eclat). Oh la la. 

Cream eye shadows in stick form that last all night. Seriously, they'll out last anyone one of you in the party stakes. The longest wearing cream shadow I have ever tried, you get the gist. 

As easy as 1,2,3...twist up the bullet, swipe and blend and you're good to go. I do love me some effortless beauty. 

Buttery soft, check

Blends like a dream, check

Pigmented, check

(Did I mention long lasting? Anyway that too is a check)

Forget finding the man of your dreams, this is the shadow stick of your dreams. It glides on the lids, not pulling or tugging. It can be used all over either as an intense colour or soft sheen and can also be worn as a liner. 

I have three colours; Beyond Gold, Velvet Orchid and Misty Rock

Beyond Gold is exactly what it says on the tin, a beauts gold foil-like colour

Velvet Orchid is a deep, dark, delectable plum colour

Misty Rock is a pinky/purpley mauvey colour with a GORGEous metallic finish

I have blue/green eyes and all three of these colours make my pupils pop. But Terry's treasure trove of shadows will have your back whatever your eye colour.

Can anyone say swoon?

These sticks are definately worth the splurge, I for one can't stop serenading these babies, so why not treat your lids to a bit of luxury. 

At £27.50 a pop let your eyes flash the cash.

Effortless beauty 101 complete.

Available exclusively from Space NK

Spotlight On

Hope

One of the things I love about the beauty industry is its power to empower women. Sometimes all you need is a slick of red lipstick to make you feel like you can conquer the world.

Cosmetics can make us feel beautiful and confident, yes, but they can also make a bigger difference. With a simple act you can transform your daily beauty routine into a ritual that empowers others lives.

Project hope (healing through opportunities to pursue enterprise) is a social enterprise project which works with women who have suffered at the hands of trafficking. They want to make the worlds first sustainable safe house.

Empowering women in the best sense of the word.

Hope have released a range of body care products focusing on ingredients made by those affected by poverty in Africa.

The innovative students behind Hope set up a Shea Butter Cooperative in Nigeria. The Shea Butter they make is shipped back to the UK to use in the products.

The Shea Butter is roasted and boiled and an optimum point- a discovery by one of the engineers behind the products, making it one of the finest grade Shea available on the market.

Shea Butter is a superfood for the skin. The Shea tree is considered sacred because of the bounty of goodness it can do for your skin. hair, beauty and health.

Shea Butter is deeply moisturizing, strengthening and protecting the skin as well as hydrating it. It stimulates collagen production, making the skin more supple and younger looking. Rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory it can help decrease the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and scars. Plus it smells amazing.



Neroli and Vanilla Lip Balm £4



Vanilla Body Butter £11



Coconut and Shea Sugar Scrub £8

The Whole set is available for £20

The Hope range will be sold at Spitalfields Market tomorrow for the one off Unipopshop event. All proceeds go straight back into the project to help further fund a sustainable safe house for victims of human trafficking.

A purchase of these little beauties will leave you not only looking good but feeling good too.

Follow them on Twitter @sifehope

What cosmetics do you use to empower you? #BeautyEmpowers

Holy Grail

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer

I've decided to add a new section to this blog- Holy Grail, my cherry picks of them gems of the beauty industry that no bathroom cabinet, dressing table, or makeup bag should be without. My own personal Beauty Hall of Fame if you like. 

First up may just be my all time favourite product. And trust me that is really saying something. I can be somewhat of a flooze with products, flirting between different brands and cheating on my long loved favourites with the hot new thing on the market.

Hello my name is Frankie and I am a product commitment-phobe

However, I may have just entered a long term relationship with Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. I have previously courted Laura Mercier, Nars, Tarte, and Dr Brandt. Dr Brandt used to be my man of the moment but I must admit to more than one 'one night stand' with other products. 

Veil's silky smooth offering increases the longevity of makeup, entirely negating the need to blot or reapply, smooths over skin, minimises pores and keeps shine at bay. It also neutralizes redness (even rosacea!), softens the look of fine lines and wrinkles, contains broad spectrum SPF15 to shield skin from the sun, and the snazziest trick it has up its sleeve? It is waterproof. Not just that it makes ANY other makeup you apply on top it waterproof too!Hourglass is an LA based brand and those Californian women demand a lot from both their men and makeup. Designed to keep makeup in place in spite of the Californian sun (those poor women sweating in the  sweltering sun all day!) it works just as well in the British rain and gyms. Thanks to this little catch your makeup will stay in place come rain or shine, gym or dance floor induced sweat.

You can see the decreased redness in your skin when you first apply and your base goes on flawlessly afterwards. But it is the oil control power that is second to none. I stopped using it for a few days last week (I couldn't find it and thought Dr Brandt would do) and man could you tell the difference. By  11 o'clock I needed to blot, by 2 o'clock my face looked like an oil rig and by the end of the day my face was a no hope. They say you don't realise what you love until its gone, and just two days away from my new lover was more than enough!

Free of oil, parabens, glutens, sulfates and other nastys this mineral primer doesn't block your pores and allows your skin to breathe.

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer is available from Liberty and Space NK is available in two sizes:

30ml for £52

10ml for £20

They say money can't buy you love. What do they know, they just don't know where to shop! One pump a day and the full size will last you 4 months! You could save this little baby for special occasions when you really need your makeup to last, but when you get into bed with this cheeky number it'll be hard to give up!

It's official I'm in love. 

Top Tip #25

Beauty Bites

#25. When spraying perfume on your wrists do not rub them together. This action brings the alcohol in the perfume to the surface and thus will be the first scent you smell. 

Top Tip #24

Beauty Bites

#24. When covering up under eye bags use concealer only on the shadow, not the bag itself doing so will only highlight the area and make it look worse. Make sure to use a concealer a shade lighter than your skintone, a la Kim Kardashian. Use a very thin brush, angled brushes are ideal, along the shadow line and by the inner corner of your eyes. 

Bath Time Bliss

Radox Ramblings

This is a bit of a weird one but what the hell.

What with me interning and my boyfriend at law school we have very limited funds in our flat at the moment. He has a slightly worrying obsession with baths and as the weather is getting colder and colder I am finding myself immersed in a piping hot bath on an almost nightly basis.

Now when it came to deciding what bubble bath to buy we had quite a little tiff. I was gung ho for philosophy bubble bath. They smell ahhhhmazing. However Mr Sensible was not going to allow us to spend our very limited funds on a £14 bubble bath, so I sulked, it didn't work, he chose a £1 Radox number and we were on our way.

He chose a shea butter and ginger flavour. I can't say it smells particularly gingery but it does have a buttery aroma, it reminds me of those body shop body butters everyone used to have. Now as a bubble bath it does the trick. It's not particularly luxurious and it certainly doesn't entice me to the bath, but it doesn't irritate or dry my skin.

HOWEVER. I was having a lazy day last week and decided to wash my hair in the bath. Something I NEVER do. I have a real problem washing shampoos out of the back of my hair and previously whenever I have washed my hair in a bubble bath the bubble products seem to have worked their way into my hair and left it feeling heavy and unclean. I was expecting this to happen last week but was more than pleasantly surprised. My hair was squeaky clean, no bath product residue has weaseled its way into my locks and they were left super super soft, I literally couldn't stop touching it. I'm not really sure how it worked, if the nourishing formula added extra moisture to my hair, but my hair stayed feeling cashmere like for the next three days until I could be bothered to wash it again. The next time I washed my hair it was in the shower, and the result was just not the same! I have tried my new little trick a few times since then and it really does work wonders! 

I never thought I would be gushing about a £1 product that my boyfriend chose (no one tell him!) but there you go it really does leave my hair feeling incredible! I would totally recommend getting your hands on one of these cheap and cheerful products, there are quite a few different smells, and seeing if they work for you!

Do you have any hair washing tricks?

Top Tip #18

Beauty Bites

#18. Blue based pink or red lip products will make your gnashers look pearly white

B.I.Y.

Beautify It Yourself

I use my hands a lot when applying makeup so I like to keep bottles of anti-bac handy. You can get some really cute products from America but the ones they sell this side of the pond can be somewhat lacking. I have decided to transfer my gel from the ugly little bottle Boots provided me with to a much more attractive soap dispenser. I got mine from Asda, I think?! But there are loads of really pretty options out there to suit all kinds of bedroom styles! The product dispensers out very nicely and ensures to keep those mitts clean, who said functionality couldn't be pretty too?

Zara home do some of my favourite designs, check these out:

http://www.zarahome.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category/zarahomegb/en/zarahomegb/269522/Accessories

Do you have any B.I.Y suggestions?

Top Tip #17

Beauty Bites

#17. Dry and dehydrated skin ARE NOT THE SAME THING.  You can have skin like an oil rig and still be dehydrated. One of the tell tale times is makeup going patchy throughout the day, as certain areas of your skin will suck in the moisture. It is worth investing in a hydrating face mask for use once a week whatever your skin type.

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?

Trials and Tribulations

Week Three

I seriously think I have schizophrenic skin. Last week it looked like it was on a one stop train to clearskinville. But this week has encountered a few hiccups along the way. 

I have still been using my Clarisonic, Eve Lom Cleanser and Alpha H every day and night. I have switched the head on my Clarisonic to sensitive, so I'm not treating my skin too harshly (although it probably deserves it!). My skin feels so so clean after every wash but every morning this week I have woken up to a new lodger on my face.

I have a few little whiteheads setting up shop in my clogged pores, something I have never experienced before. There are no longer any active spots on my jawline, but there are a few on that space between the jaw and top of the neck. I'm not sure if this is because I apply my foundation down onto this area and maybe am not washing it thoroughly enough? Who knows. Another thing I'll have to address next week.

The Eve Lom claims to brighten and tone your skin. That I can't fault it on, my skin definitely looks alive. No lack luster winter skin here. Dullness is not a problem. My skin may look radiant but it is still congested. I'm convinced my skin is suffering a personality split. It just can't make its mind up.

I've been searching the internet in my desperation and came across the Dermalogica face map.

Now I've had my skin mapped by Dermalogica before, and at the Dove spas in Virgin gyms. Both go over your skin with weird sci-fi looking scanner things and tell you the levels of elasticity in your skin, where it is oily or dry, how much sun damage it has suffered and basically inform you of your skin's type. I have always assumed I fit 100% into the oily category, but apparently I have combination skin, so I would definitely recommend getting it done to make sure you are buying the right products for your skin type. They do it for free at the Dermalogica counter in Libertys.

Anyhow ramble over this is what I found online:

The photo seems to by copyrighted so here is the link http://www.flickr.com/photos/22072801@N03/5834136926/

It basically explains why we suffer breakouts in certain areas.

So....

Apparently your forehead is regarded as the sister zone to your bladder, if you frequently suffer breakouts in this area try drinking more water or eating more whole foods.

Breakouts between your eyebrows are related to your liver, so try cutting back on the alcohol and fast food!

Breakouts or unusual hair growth on your jaw line can indicate hormonal imbalance, possibly caused by stress. 

Congestion on the cheeks is most common among smokers.


Well I don't smoke and I hope I don't have a hormonal imbalance but I am extremely stressed at the moment, trying to find a part time job to find my life is not the most relaxing of tasks! That could maybe be an explanation for this weeks blip, but maybe I am just clutching at straws.

VIEWERS BE WARNED THIS DOES NOT MAKE FOR A PRETTY PICTURE!

I'm going power through with my three supposed holy grails and see what state my skin is in next week!



What products do you recommend? Do you agree with Dermalogicas analysis?

Top Tips #7

Beauty Bites

#7. Make sure to brush your hair before you wash it, or else the knots will lead to split ends and damages.

Wish List

Want Folder

So as you may have read in one of my last posts I have slight OCD when it comes to buying makeup. Nothing can be purchased unless it has first graced the insides of my Want folder. Currently top of my lust list are these little beauties.

1. Origins Let It Glow £25 from Selfridges

2. Clarins Lotus Oil £29 from Selfridges

3. Bobbi Brown Corrector £28 from Selfridges

4. Caudalie Beauty Elixir £11 from HQ hair

5. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector £33 from Cult Beauty

6. Origins Mask Marvels £29 from Selfridges

Have you used any of these before? Any recommendations? What are you lusting over at the moment?

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?