Kiko Milano “Smart Fusion” Lipstick – Review

As widely publicised on my Instagram, I was on holidays in Italy a few weeks ago. And, we all known that one can’t go to Italy without an hour long trip to the closest Kiko shop. Because we don’t have Kiko stores in Ireland, I got a tad over excited and bought loads of products for myself and my bestie and I have to say, I felt like I was making money when I got to the checkout. Excellent value but one product in particular stood out, the “Smart Fusion” lipstick.

This lipstick retails at €3.99 and I bought the shade “406 Warm Rose”. Before I get to reviewing the formula, I want to address the packaging. Basically, I’m not a fan of the tube. The lid is not magnetic so I’ve found the lipstick opened inside my handbag on more than one occasion. If I paid more than €3.99 for the product, I’d be fuming. However, the formula and shade make up for it.

As you can see, the formula is nicely pigmented. It has a creamy texture and feels soft on the lips. The lipstick isn’t drying. In fact, I’d almost go as far as to say that it’s nourishing. It doesn’t bled outside my lip line, even when I apply it without liner. I’m delighted with it. I’m also loving the shade, which is a beautiful light rose color – it reminds me of spring.

The “Smart Fusion” lipstick is available in 36 shades online. What do you think? If you ask me, they’re a bargain!

Rouge x

McCauley Health and Beauty Pharmacy – My Top 5 Picks

Word on the street is that Sam McCauley Chemists are rebranding to McCauley Health and Beauty Pharmacy. I feel a sense of loyalty to this particular group of pharmacies because as many of you already know, I’m from Cavan. Growing up, McCauley’s was the one stop shop for all my junior disco needs – they always had me covered when it came to beauty buys. Over the years, their selection of brands has only gotten more impressive and their discounts are always fantastic.

To celebrate their re-launch, McCauley Health and Beauty Pharmacy have given me a discount code to share with you all. The code LOVEMCCAULEY15 will get you 15% off everything on the website (with a few exceptions – T&Cs apply). The code is valid from 16th – 19th of May. It’s not an affiliated link/code, it’s just something that I wanted to share with you. I also thought it would be fun to share my top 5 buys – they’re all products that I have already and love and adore.

CeraVe “Moisturising Cream” – €14:

I have been using this body moisturiser for months now and I have to say that, in my opinion, it’s one of the best on the market. It was developed with dermatologists and contains hyaluronic acid so skin feels soothed and hydrated upon application. It’s also a non-greasy moisturiser so it doesn’t have a sticky, slimy residue. There’s nothing I hate more than body lotion that sits on the skin, rather than absorbing. Finally, this product is fragrance free so it’s suitable for sensitive skin. If you’re going to buy one thing, this should be it.

Available here.

He-Shi “Express Liquid Tan” – €17.58:

I’m always pretty vocal about the fact that I’m not a big fan of false tan. I love a golden glow as much as the next person but I find it difficult to apply, messy and I hate the smell. However, I recently discovered this He-Shi formula and I’m sold. It applies smoothly to skin and doesn’t develop with random streaks. It does smell of tan but only while its developing – there’s no smell after it has been rinsed. Best of all, the tan fades evenly so I don’t look like a patchwork quilt a few days after application.

Available here. There’s actually 20% off HeShi at the moment.

BPerfect “Louise McDonnell Master Palette” – €30:

This is probably the best neutral palette that I own. I can’t recommend it highly enough. The “LMD Palette” contains 15 eyeshadows, a highlighter, a blush and a bronzer. It’s the perfect all-rounder. The blush is a beautiful peach shade, the highlighter is golden and provides a gorgeous glow without any sign of heavy glitter and the bronzer is beautiful buildable product. The shadows have a divine buttery texture and apply and blend without any effort. The shades can be used to create both soft and dramatic looks so it’s a great option for travel – it’s my favourite “desk to dinner” product.

Available here.

Trilogy “Certified Organic Rosehip Oil” – €22.95:

My Mam bought this rosehip oil a few weeks ago and I quickly “borrowed” it from her. She hasn’t gotten it back yet. This oil is lightweight and non-greasy. It absorbs into my skin really quickly and gives my face an instant boost. I like to apply this oil before I go to sleep and when I wake up, my skin genuinely looks refreshed.

Available here.

YSL “Mon Paris” EDP – €84:

This beautiful perfume is exactly what I’m going to be purchasing from McCauley’s with the discount this weekend. Shane bought this for me at Christmas and my bottle is almost empty now. “Mon Paris” is a beautiful, feminine fragrance. It has notes of strawberry, raspberry, peony, bergamot and patchouli. The perfume will be a perfect summer scent. You need to try this one, next time you pass a YSL stand. Remember that McCauley Health and Beauty Pharmacy will be offering 15% off all fragrances this weekend – that’s a considerable discount.

Available here.

And there you have it, these are my top 5 picks. If you need an excuse to do some online shopping this weekend, you can say that I twisted your arm. And remember, if you use the code LOVEMCCAULEY15, you will get you 15% off your online order – again, in accordance with T&Cs.

Let me know if you do pick anything up, I would love the shopping inspiration.

Rouge x

Clarins “Skin Illusion” Foundation – Review.

After a few days of sunshine, I’m 100% ready for the summer. This means that I’ve whipped out the false tan and now I’m a few shades darker than ghostly. I don’t wear tan very often so up until now, I haven’t really needed a darker foundation to match. So a few weeks ago, I hunted through my make up drawers and found my Clarins “Skin Illusion” foundation in the shade “107 Beige”. I was very kindly gifted this foundation a few months ago but the shade was too dark for my natural skin tone. I’m absolutely delighted that I’ve found a use for it, because the formula is divine.

This foundation is available in 22 shades which seems to be a pretty extensive range. Clarins advise that the formula is infused with “red jania extract and Light Optimising Complex” which helps to great a radiant glow on the skin. In this case, “a radiant glow” doesn’t mean a greasy look; it’s a very natural radiant effect. There are oils in the formula but they’re hydrating and don’t sit heavily on the skin. A little goes a long way and I find that the dropper allows me to control the exact amount that I apply so very little product is wasted.

As you can see above, the foundation looks very natural. It’s buildable coverage wise but I would say better if you apply a light to medium layer. In my experience, the formula stays put all day without the need for touch ups. I do layer some translucent powder over the foundation on application to keep it in place. I’m really impressed by “Skin Illusion” and will definitely be buying it in a lighter shade to match my natural skin tone. I think this will be my summer foundation this year.

Let me know what you think. Do you wear a darker foundation to match your false tan?

Nicole x