Two Affordable Makeup Products For Glowing Skin

Glowing skin is something a lot of us strive for, but it can be tricky to achieve in the depths of a cold and gloomy winter. Often, January is also a month when we haven't got a lot of money to throw around on beauty products, but luckily the drugstore is on hand to help us out on both counts! My skin has been behaving itself pretty well lately, but something about this dull, stormy weather we've been having has made me crave a little more brightness. So, I did a spot of online shopping at Boots, and managed to find two affordable makeup products that have helped me to achieve glowing skin, even in the midst of this spectacularly dull January!

Makeup Products For Glowing Skin - The Illuminating Primer

I've been wanting to try an illuminating primer for a while. Although I do usually have a slightly oily t-zone, my skin has been very balanced lately, and it has never had that much of what you might call natural radiance, so I wasn't particularly worried about it looking too dewy. I opted for the Collection Illuminating Touch Liquid Radiance Highlighter, which set me back a very reasonable £5.99.

In a simple glass bottle with practical pump dispenser, the product looks almost white, with a distinct sparkle to it when you hold it up to the light. I presume this is due to the "gold illuminating pearl" with which it's infused. It's weightless to apply, and melts into the skin leaving behind the subtlest sheen and definitely no trace of glitter. I find that my foundation glides effortlessly over this and that the finish is smoother and more flawless. I've been using Chanel Les Beiges almost every day for a while now, and the Illuminating Touch primer complements it very nicely, lending a touch more impact to the "natural glow" this foundation has. It is also, in my opinion, still perfectly wearable for everyday and not in the least over the top.

Makeup Products For Glowing Skin - The Liquid Highlighter

I have long been a fan of both powder and cream highlighters (you can take a look at my highlighter collection if you like), but the Collection Finishing Touch Highlighter is my first in liquid form. I opted for the lighter shade, Gleam, as opposed to the darker and warmer Radiant, although both look very wearable to me. This was also an affordable £5.99.

Like the primer, the highlighter is light as a feather and a little goes a very long way. You could quite easily build up a "see it from space" look with this product if you wanted to, although blending a small amount into the skin gives a more subtle result. I tend to dab a little across my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose and my cupid's bow, and find it gives a beautiful pearlescent sheen.

Left - Primer, Right - Highlighter

These two products have definitely brightened up my January - and my skin! Best of all, they didn't break the bank either. What are your favourite makeup products for glowing skin?

Kate x

Some links may be affiliate links. This poses no extra cost to you, the customer. All opinions, as always, are my own.

New Year, New Me, With A Little Help From TK Maxx

A lot of people aren't too fond of January, and I can understand why. All the festive sparkle of Christmas is over, yet we still have to deal with the long, cold dreary days and even longer dark, dreary nights. But I must confess, I kind of like this time of year. It's a time for new beginnings, for looking back at the achievements of the past twelve months and setting goals for the twelve to come. And I'm pretty much addicted to setting goals! I get a real buzz from that "New Year, New Me" feeling, and this year is definitely no exception - especially as I've had a little help from TK Maxx.

For me, the New Year is all about re-evaluating where I'm headed with my blog, and having started my YouTube channel at the end of 2017, I could not be feeling more motivated. I really want to grow on both platforms this year, and that means buckling down, getting focused, and creating as much inspiring and exciting content as I possibly can. With that in mind, I popped into my local TK Maxx the other day and picked up one or two little treats that should help to make my work space a much more appealing place to be. After all, a beautiful, well-organised desk is bound to foster more productivity than a messy one, no?!

I have an obsession with notebooks, and get through them at the speed of light. Whether I'm making lists, planning blog posts or working out my strategy for world domination, my favourite tools for the task are always a cute notebook and pen. I managed to pick up a gorgeous notebook*, complete with inspiring quote on the front cover, for just £4.99, which is a fabulous price - you'd be looking at three times that in a fancy stationery shop - as well as a pack of super pretty gold pens* for £7.99.

This pack of desk essentials* really caught my eye. Containing a couple of smaller notebooks - you can never have too many! - plus some pretty stickers to brighten up their pages, handy little clips and more, it's packed full of useful bits and pieces and was a real bargain at £6.99. Likewise, this desk tidy* (£4.99) is sure to come in handy to keep my desk free from clutter and is really decorative too.

The finishing touches were a couple of scented candles* to help create an inviting atmosphere to work in, and a faux succulent planter* to make my desk look pretty. I opted for a pink grapefruit scented candle to help me feel energised, as well as a lilac and wild jasmine one, which I chose because I love floral fragrances. They set me back a very reasonable £6.99 and £7.99 respectively, while the faux succulents were £6.99.

In total, I spent just under £50, and think I did very well for the money! I was spoilt for choice too, and if you fancy picking up some similar items, I'm sure you'll find something you like if you have a browse at TK Maxx's stationery, candles and faux flowers.

Of course, not everyone's New Year goals are the same, but no matter what direction yours take, I'm still willing to bet that TK Maxx will have something you need to help them along. Lots of people love to set fitness related goals, and if that's you, you'll find a huge range of active wear to choose from. If you've decided that 2018 is the year you get into meditation and mindfulness, you'll find yoga mats, adult colouring books and of course scented candles. And if you just fancy pepping up your wardrobe, makeup drawer or living room... well, I don't think you need me to tell you that TK Maxx has a vast array of fashion, beauty and homeware, now do you? 

When January comes around, a lot of us are still feeling the pinch a little after all the Christmas spending, and the fact that TK Maxx offer great quality and big brand products at up to 60% off the RRP is another great reason to shop there. There's also no need to rush to catch the end of the January sales, as they simply don't do them. Instead, they offer amazing prices all year round - in store and online.

Have you set any goals for the New Year?

Kate x

*Gifted item. This post was sponsored by TK Maxx. All opinions, as always, are my own.

Brand Focus - Rosie For Autograph

Happy New Year! I'm a little late getting back to the blog this year, but I do have a new video up on my YouTube channel if you fancy checking it out. Producing regular content for both platforms is something I'm going to have to get used to, particularly as I already feel like I ought to be posting more on my blog as it is. Not quite sure how I'm going to work that one out, but we'll have to see how it goes!

For my first post of 2018, I thought I would do a mini brand focus on a brand that's very close to my heart - Rosie For Autograph. Anyone who's been reading my blog for a while will know that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a bit of a girl crush of mine, and that I'm a huge fan of her products. From the silky pyjamas to the luxurious lingerie to the beautifully packaged makeup range - I love it all. I have briefly reviewed one or two things on here before, but I thought it was about time I wrote a whole post dedicated to the brand! This is in no way sponsored - just me writing about a brand I love.

About The Brand

A collaboration between British high street institution Marks & Spencer and the model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Rosie For Autograph has been going since 2012. It started as a lingerie line and over the years has expanded to include sleepwear, lounge wear, active wear and a makeup range. It's available in Marks & Spencer stores and online, although international shipping is somewhat limited, from what I can see.

Aesthetic

Like Rosie herself, everything about the brand is incredibly feminine, but in a sophisticated rather than girly way. The lingerie sets are made from silk and French lace, cashmere features heavily in the lounge wear pieces and the makeup is housed in very Instagram-worthy rose gold packaging. In my opinion, it's some of the best that Marks & Spencer has to offer, and I wouldn't dream of visiting the store without checking out the latest offerings. I'm a little bit obsessed, I must admit!

Price Point 

This might not be the cheapest brand in the world, but it's not prohibitively expensive either. A typical lingerie set will set you back about £40, with a pair of pyjamas costing around the same price or a little less. The pure cashmere range is more expensive (£199 for a pure cashmere full length dressing gown, for example), but I love the fact that they also offer cashmere mix pieces at a more affordable price point, making it an accessible luxury for everyone.

The makeup is a little bit cheaper than what you would pay in Mac, with a lipstick costing around £14 and a foundation around £20. Rosie's signature perfume comes in at £28 for 75 ml. I find the quality to be excellent across the whole brand and overall, I think that the prices are very reasonable considering what you are getting for your money.

Lingerie, Nightwear And Lounge Wear

My first introduction to Rosie For Autograph was through the lingerie sets, which I fell in love with due to their winning combination of being attractive yet practical to wear under clothing. While that doesn't sound particularly ground-breaking, I often find that underwear tends to fall into one of two categories. Either it will sit nicely under your outfit and give you a decent silhouette, in which case it tends to be boring and frumpy looking, or it's for display purposes only (if you catch my drift, nudge nudge, wink wink.) With Rosie for Autograph lingerie, you get gorgeous, smooth silky fabrics in rich colours or delicate prints, with cleverly placed lace trims, so it actually functions as underwear, but you never feel as though you are compromising on style. I've had quite a few sets over the years and have always found them to be very wearable under almost anything.

It's a similar story with the nightwear. A few years ago, I used to struggle to find anything that wasn't covered in cartoon characters (I'm not 14), made of flanneling (I'm not 92) or... well, for display purposes only. Nowadays, I think that more brands have cottoned on to the fact that there's a call for a more sophisticated option, but Rosie For Autograph was one of the first - at least as far as I'm aware - to offer it. It's still one of my favourite places to buy nightwear to this day. My latest  is this beautiful silky pyjama set, although I must admit I would also love to add some of the cashmere lounge wear to my collection.

Beauty

 
It's taken me a while to get around to trying any of the beauty products - goodness knows why. The most recent addition to my collection is the perfume, which I am completely obsessed with - I am sitting at my desk spritzing more and more of it over myself as I write this! It's made with the oil of handpicked French roses, which makes me feel like a princess just thinking about it, and rose is at the heart of the fragrance itself. It's floral, romantic and very feminine, has a freshness to it on first application and eventually wears away to a warm sandalwood, vanilla and musk base. It really is beautiful and I love the heavy glass, vintage style bottle almost as much as the perfume itself.

I have also been seriously impressed with both the eyeshadow sticks and the lipstick which I purchased last year. The shades of the eyeshadows (I have Almond Eyes - the pale gold colour - and Movie Star Crush) are just stunning, and the formulas contain just the right amount of sparkle. The lipstick (Lady Rose) is the perfect pinky nude for me and I'm a huge fan of the creamy, pigmented finish and smooth application. Plus, the magnetic closure on the tube is a really nice touch. I'm wearing it in the photos below, together with the Almond Eyes eyeshadow stick.

Shop My Favourites

There's something about the Rosie For Autograph brand that really appeals to me, and no doubt you will be seeing more of it from me in the future! Is anyone else a fan?

Kate x 

Some links may be affiliate links. This poses no extra cost to you, the customer. All opinions, as always, are my own.