Origins Plantscription Foundation

Again with the Origins loving! I want to share my absolute adoration for their new Plantscription foundation.

I am a Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum girl through and through, but this has quickly scooted up the ranks and sits on a par! The foundation is a light to medium coverage, but buildable and leaves the skin looking very natural and light. The finish I would call satin. It's not so dewy as to make oily-skinned babes shriek in horror, and not matt and cakey. I would say all skin types except perhaps the very dry can wear it and for me the wear looks fantastic all day long.

Working in artificial lighting really puts foundation to the test for me (you can see EVERY imperfection.) This looks lovely and natural and definitely gets two thumbs up. I also adore that the formula features anti-aging superhero Anogeissus extract.

With about 11 or 12 shades to choose from, the range is pretty average. I am lucky in that shade 05 Light/Medium (Warm) matches perfectly, but very fair or dark skin may struggle. At £28 for your standard 30ml sized tube it is definitely on the pricey side, but considering how lovely the finish is and how great the ingredients are, I would say it is worth it. I truly believe if there is one make-up item spending money on, it is your base!

Can be found here.

Origins Clear Improvement Face Mask

I am here today to rave to you all about this wonderful little gem from Origins.

The Clear Improvement Mask contains charcoal and white china clay to cling to and draw out impurities in the pores once sidekick lecithin has dissolved them and made them a bit easier to remove. This is a hardening mask, so apply to areas that need a deep clean (I focus on the T-zone) and leave on for 10-15 minutes until the mask has set. You will feel a slight tingling sensation as the skin saviours work their way down to purify the pores but boy, oh boy, will you be forever grateful for it!

I use this once-twice a week and I have noticed my pores shrinking. The skin is left looking clear and feeling clean. With regular use this can help control blackheads, large pores and tackle the likes of milia and decongestion - what a beauty! I think that £20 is really reasonable for the mask; you get 100 ml and only need a smallish dollop to cover the T-zone so I can see this lasting at least 6 months. Can be found here. At the moment Origins are holding a 'Superstar Giveaway' meaning 3 free samples with any skincare purchase! Get in there!

Origins GinZing Brightening Cream Eyeshadows

As some of you may know, the Origins make-up collection came out at the start of the month. Part of this collection is a lovely selection of cream and powder eyeshadows. Being Origins, the main colour palette is that of neutral shades to subtly emphasise the eyes, but there are a few brighter shades thrown in too.

I adore cream eyeshadows for their ease of use. With the right shade, one little pot can make you look completely put together in seconds and lasts all day. I am a fan of the MAC Paint Pots, however find that some tend to crease on me if I don't use a primer underneath - a bit of a pain!

I didn't set my expectations too high with these Origins cream shadows, so as not to be disappointed. However, the two I've tried have been exceptional and I am super pleased! I have the shades 02 GingerZing and 09 Khaki Kick. I have worn them both by themselves and with shadows on top and there has been zero creasing! They are easy to blend across the lid and crease with either a brush or fingers (I prefer fingers for their warmth) but once they set they will not budge until a good eye make-up remover is swiped over.

The swatch photo doesn't really do them justice and I really encourage you to go see them in person if you get the chance! You wont be disappointed. At £16 each they are on the costly side, but for me it is worth it for such a long-wearing, quality product. Go have a browse here.

A Few Origins Goodies...

I have been an Origins girl for a good few years now. I believe their products to be of fantastic quality, they smell great and do what they say on the tin. I ordered a couple of my staples and thought I would share with you guys! I initially hopped onto their website to replenish my VitaZing moisturiser and Pinch Your Cheeks cheek tint stocks, but noticed a great deal on a little limited edition kit!

Right now you can order the limited edition Brightening Musts kit for just £26 (the cost of VitaZing alone!) The kit contains a full-sized 50ml VitaZing moisturiser, a 30ml Modern Friction gentle dermabrasion facial cleanser and a mini 5ml GinZing eye cream pot! Such a great deal! I adore Modern Friction, it smells light and fresh and citrusy and gently exfoliates the skin. GinZing I have yet to try, but I know it is a popular seller from Origins. Included was a sample of the popular Plantscription anti-aging serum. Excited to try!

 

' Pinch Your Cheeks' is my go-to cheek tint. It comes in Rasberry or Coralberry. The above photo is a swatch of coralberry. It blends out to give a gorgeous orangy-red tint to the cheeks - great on any skin tone! At £13 for only 3ml you may think it is crazy, but just to give you an idea...I have had my current one for about a year or more and use it most days! You need the tiniest amount.

My Skincare Routine!

Hello! Thank you to those that wished me well in my recovery, I am definitely on my way back to a normal self :D. I thought I would post some skincare recommendations based on my routine, and what has worked for me.

To begin, I have normal-dry skin. It is hard to put anyone's skin into any one category, because our skin varies throughout the seasons and throughout the month, but this is a rough idea. I used to have very oily skin, but took Accutane to cure my acne about 3 years ago, and ever since then my skin has been on the dry side. So this is what I use to keep my skin healthy and glowy, even throughout the winter! You will notice a lot of LUSH products. I don't think enough people look into and try out LUSH skincare products, but they truly are amazing value for money.

CLEANSER:
Angels on Bare Skin (LUSH) £5.95:

I would describe the consistency as a scrubby putty, with lavender and rose chunks in it - ha! In case you're not familiar with LUSH, every product has a sticker posted on the packaging with an expiry date on it. The length for this cleanser is roughly 3 months - the exact length of time it takes me to use a pot up. I use this at night to exfoliate. It is very gentle, and recommended especially if you have sensitive skin. 


Daily Care Face Wash (Organic Surge) £4.99:

Organic Surge is a great line! Pure skincare, great price. The full range used to be sold in Boots, though I can never seem to find them these days and have to order direct off their website. I use this in the morning to rid my skin of any oils that may have set in overnight, and it leaves my skin clean but not tight. 

Toner: 
Breath of Fresh Air (LUSH) £3.75/100g:

Amazing toner! I spray a couple spritzes onto my face after I cleanse either morning or night and gently pat into the skin. You can also use on a cotton pad to remove excess make-up if you like. It instantly refreshes and reduces redness, and smells DIVINE - like you are at the beach :). Lasts just over a year before expiry.

Moisturiser:
Natural Repair Face Cream (Oilatum) £7.65:

Now, I change up my moisturisers depending on if I need SPF, what my mood is etc, but this one is always a staple. It gives me long-lasting moisture that I desperately need when my skin is dehydrated and lacking juice! Natural ingredients, great price, very uninvasive and great for dry and sensitive skin types. 

Celestial (LUSH) £11.50: 

This is also advertised for sensitive skin, with soothing vanilla and almond milk it smells incredible and provides beautiful moisture for the skin, helping to rid any irritation. It isn't very thick, so would work for any skin type I think, as long as you aren't either extremely oily or dry. Expiry is 12-15 months after purchase.

Vita-Zing (Origins) £25:

Now, this little beastie is rather on the pricey side as far as moisturisers go, like all Origins products, BUT I heard an unbelievable amount of hype about this product so gave in around February and got one. Boy am I not disappointed! The product comes out a greyish-white colour, and once in contact with the skin changes to your skintone to even out the skin and provide a light coverage. I would say it is similar to a tinted moisturiser, but perhaps with a little less coverage? I don't know.. its a unique product, and really makes my skin look dewy and healthy. I am lucky in that my skin is pretty clear and even, so I don't really need foundation, but when I just want a little evening and sun protection then this is a great option. 

Extras:
To remove make-up at night, I usually use Simple Face Wipes. When I want a treat, I usually go for a LUSH face mask or one from Montagne-Jeunesse. DID YOU KNOW: If you save 5 black pots when you have used up the LUSH product inside, you can take them into store and get a free face mask!
 
Let me know what you use! And if you have any recommendations :D.

Mega Love xx