Favourite non-foundation bases

As much as I am both thrilled and intrigued by the plethora of foundations on the market, the truth is I don't really wear foundation that often.

I generally like my skin to look natural (except red lips, obviously) and glowing, so most of the time when I go out in public I reach for a base that offers some coverage, but isn't quite a foundation. BB Creams, Tinted Moisturisers and pigment-blurring potions are my friends and I use them all year round. They are just nice, low maintenance alternatives to full-blown foundations and every single one that I'm about to talk about blends away easily using just fingertips, so they're handbag-perfect and especially handy when you're in a rush.

BareMinerals Complexion Rescue*

I love pretty much everything about Complexion Rescue. From the mousse like texture through to the cooling effect on the skin, this is one seriously good skincare/makeup hybrid. The coverage of Complexion Rescue is definitely sheer- it just adds a bit of a tint to the skin and evens out skin tone for a nice natural finish. I wear shade Buttercream which is slightly yellow toned and gives my face a lovely glow throughout all four seasons- I just add a bit of bronzer in summer and it does the trick nicely. SPF 30.

MAC Prep + Prime Beauty Balm

I bought the Prep + Prime Beauty balm after using the Prep + Prime BB compact  and, whilst being impressed overall, felt the need for a little more hydration. Designed to be used as a primer or on its own, Prep + Prime creates a nice, even base that covers blemishes, pigmentation and dark circles without making you look too 'made up'. The coverage is heavier than Complexion Rescue and can leave me looking a tiny bit ghostly so I rarely use it completely on its own- for me, a pop of blush or bronzer is best. It's a thick, creamy texture that blends seamlessly and is a perfect foundation replacement on days when you don't feel like wearing a full face or simply can't be arsed. SPF 35. 

Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturising Balm

This citrus-scented pot of tinted hydration is my absolute favourite when the weather is really, really cold. I think I initially became interested in it because I'm irrationally drawn to any beauty product with the word 'balm' in the title. It's ridiculous, I know. The Tinted Moisturising Balm is one of my 'precious' products, which is probably due to the £35.50 price tag as well as the fact that it just feels so darn luxurious. Ultra rich, the emollient formula of the tinted moisturiser makes it very good for dry skins and not so great for oily complexions, which is why I only really use it when it's cold. In terms of coverage, this is in a similar league to complexion rescue- it just enhances and evens out the complexion rather than masks anything. If you live in a super freezing climate, have dry skin, or spend a lot of time in the alps, you need this in your makeup bag, stat. SPF 25.

Dermalogica Sheer Tint*

This one is extra special to me- it's the only base I took with me to Sardinia for my 30th last September. Not only did the Dermalogica Sheer Tint preserve my skin and stop me from getting horribly sunburnt, it made my skin look pretty good at the same time. I'm not a fan of wearing traditional sun cream on my face so this was a very good alternative that also gave my face a nice tint. I have the Sheer Tint in both Light and Medium shades so I can wear it all year round. The blend-ability of this one is particularly impressive, to the point that I could put it on while sitting on the beach using my phone camera as a mirror without looking weirdly patchy and not a tell tale tideline in sight. Success. SPF 20

What's your go-to non-foundation base? Let me know!

True Organic of Sweden - All You Need is Me

I hadn't heard of True Organic of Sweden until my sister gave me a tube of All You Need is Me for Christmas. It's essentially a multi-tasking balm - one of those products that's handy to just have in your handbag- and is designed to be used on or around pretty much everything.

The True Organic of Sweden website says:
'Works great on cracked and dry cuticles, heels, elbows and lips. Can be used as a nourishing scalp and hair mask. Perfect as a lip gloss. Mosquito and insect bites, poison ivy, eczema, mild sunburn, red baby bottoms and rough dry gardening hands.' 

So, you can put this stuff on anything then. 
I know, we've heard it all before - there are plenty of products out there that you can use for everything from grooming your brows and moisturising your lips to soothing insect bites, but the major thing that stands out about All You Need is Me is that it's not petroleum or lanolin based. In fact, it's completely natural and 95% of the ingredients are organic - even the tube is made out of sugar cane and not plastic. If you like your beauty products as minimalist as possible then it's worth noting that All You Need is Me only actually contains 6 ingredients:

• Castor Oil
• Beeswax
• Olive Oil
• Shea Butter
• Vitamin E
• Blueberry Oil

As you would probably imagine, All You Need is Me is quite oily and 'balmy' in texture and melts into the skin beautifully. I've used it quite a lot on my hands for the past month or so and it feels incredibly soothing and even makes my nails feel stronger in the same way that my favourite Clarins hand cream does. The cream has a very gentle, inoffensive scent that's totally unisex, making it ideal for blokes too - I imagine it would be quite nice on a dry, itchy beard and soothing on shaving rash.

I have no idea where my sister bought it but you can find All You Need is Me at www.trueorganicofsweden.co.uk

5 Winter Lip Products Perfect for Cold Weather

It's almost a fact - winter wreaks havoc on our lips. Cold winds, indoor heating and lack of moisture in the air all contribute to drying out lips, often leaving them cracked, flaky or just a bit on the rough side. Like a lot of people I have lip products on my desk, next to the bed and at the bottom of my handbag so I can get a bit of moisture into my lips whenever I feel the need. Here, I've picked five lip products I have on rotation lately that are perfect for winter and all year round.


By Terry Baume de Rose
Baume de Rose must be one of the most ridiculously indulgent lip balms on the market today. And at £39 a pot, it's one of the most ridiculously priced ones too. The thing about Baume de Rose is that it's Just. So. Good. From the gorgeous rose scent to the thick, creamy formula and nourishing feel on the lips, Baume de Rose has got it going on. It doubles as a cuticle treatment too, which might help you justify the price, should you need to. It's £40 at Space NK.

Fresh Sugar Lip Serum
I've written about this little beauty before (which is here if you're interested) and I still love it a little bit. Designed to be applied both day and night, the serum contains sugar to moisturise and soothe, Acmella flowe extract which has apparently been proven to reduce the appearance of deep wrinkles and Kigelia Africana fruit extract to improve elasticity. You only need to use a tiny amount of this at a time because it spreads so easily, so it's lasted me ages. It feels lovely on and does have a sort of 'instant volumising' effect, which is something I'll take any day. Fresh Sugar Lip Serum Advanced Therapy is £29.50 at Space NK.

C.O Bigelow Rose Salve
This amazingly scented balm was in one of the drawers of the Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar and currently lives next to my bed. Strictly speaking, you can use the salve on any dry bits but I only really use it on my lips. It has a really delicious turkish delight/ true rose scent that I can't really get enough of. ETA - I don't think this is available in the UK anymore but Smith's Rosebud Salve is a good alternative.

Yves Rocher Shea Lip Balm
The Yves Rocher Lip Balm is pretty basic but equally as brilliant at protecting lips in dry, windy weather. It has an inoffensive 'lip balmy' scent and no colour, making it perfectly unisex. I bought this last time I went to Paris and I can't remember how much it cost me - unfortunately you can no longer purchase Yves Rocher in the UK.

Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil
Available in two shades-Honey and Raspberry- the lip oil was one of the most popular beauty releases of 2015. I have the raspberry variation of the lip oil and though I've not had it for long, I'm already a bit obsessed with the feeling of the formula on my lips and the sweet scent. The raspberry shade gives the slightest wash of colour to the lips so it's a good one to keep in your handbag and apply sans-mirror. The formula is silky and oily (go figure) but doesn't feel particularly sticky and is infused with Mirabelle oil for comfort and nourishment. The Lip Comfort Oil is often on special at Escentual.

RMS Beauty Raw Coconut Cream

The thing about RMS Raw Coconut Cream is that's it's just solidified coconut oil. Another thing about RMS Raw Coconut Cream is that it's pretty wonderful to use as a cleanser. Now, one could argue that you could just pop down to Tesco (or Waitrose if you want to get fancy) and pick up a tub of coconut oil and start smothering it all over your face, so I've made it my mission to find out what makes the RMS version any different. Also, what about it warrants a £15 price tag?

The major difference between this and just any old coconut oil is that it's yielded using a special heat-free and chemical-free extraction method that doesn't disturb the natural presence of Lauric Acid. If, like me, you are wondering what the heck Lauric Acid is, it's essentially a fatty acid that is said to reduce inflammation. In other words, it's a good acid to have in your skincare products. The Coconut Cream can be used as a cleanser or moisturiser but I've been using it as a cleanser. Smoothed over a full face of makeup, this stuff removes every trace, including Maybelline Lasting Drama Black Shock Gel Liner, which is pretty much like permanent marker in that it does not budge easily. The Coconut Cream leaves my skin feeling wonderfully soft when removed with a flannel and doesn't leave an oily film, which I certainly expected it to. When I use it, I usually just double cleanse with the Coconut Cream and I'm happy, or I follow it up with something like Pixi Glow Mud Cleanser if I want a more 'intense' cleanse.

RMS Coconut Cream is in a solid form and melts on contact with your skin, though it will turn into a liquid in summer/warm climates. You can find it at Look Fantastic.

Lush Jersey Bounce Shampoo Review

I'd already tried (and loved) Lush Big Sea Salt Shampoo, so it was only natural that I was going to be giving its salty sister, Lush Jersey Bounce a round in the shower. I like Jersey Bounce, I really do. I just don't love it and would take Big over this any day. Here's the low down.

Jersey Bounce is a lemony-yellow sea salt based shampoo infused with honey and linseed that promises big, bountiful locks. The addition of fresh organic lemon juice gives the shampoo a tart citrus scent and Fair Trade olive oil brings the shine. 

The sea salt shampoo also contains a bit of free range egg. When I was buying it the other week I asked one of the staff whether I should expect scrambled eggs in my hair. They laughed and said no one's ever asked that before but I thought it was a perfectly reasonable question - hot water plus raw egg usually results in a cooked egg situation, doesn't it? Anyway, I don't really know how but Jersey Bounce does not scramble in your hair, so you can rest easy.

The salt granules in this shampoo are a little finer than the ones in Big and the formula in general is 'wetter'. It does lather up well and a little scoop goes a long way and does the job on my below-shoulder length hair.

Jersey Bounce also does give the hair body, volume and shine- just not quite as much as Big. It's a nice shampoo and I'm sure many people prefer it over Big but the scent of Big makes it the clear winner for me.

Jersey Bounce Sea Salt Shampoo is available from Lush for £15 for 300g and £26 for 600g. ETA* Jersey Bounce no longer contains egg (edited Nov 2019).