My Top Five Affordable Makeup Finds for Glowing Skin

top budget buys for glowing skin

I filmed this video before I discovered the Soap & Glory Glow All Out stick, which is very annoying, because it definitely would have been included. Especially as the Topshop one I show is no longer available. Also (multiple errors alert!) the Rosie for Autograph Amazing Radiance Cream I use at the start of the video costs £18, so not really “budget”. I shall try to do better next time.

But anyway; my five top /affordable budget makeup finds for getting beautifully glowing skin. I should really do another one with skincare finds, because the glow really starts with the quality of the skin – anything on top is just the icing on the cake. Frosting, if you like. (If I was pushed for my top (reasonably affordable) skincare buy for glowing skin at this very moment then it would probably be the Pixi Glow Peel Pads which contain 20% glycolic acid for a really thorough, glow-boosting exfoliation session. Review coming soon. At £24 for 60 pads they are by no means the cheapest peel pads on the market, but they perform as well as (even better than) some of the very high-end and expensive versions, so an excellent investment.)

The five top makeup products are listed further down the page, but please do watch the video to see them all in action…

Products Used:

Rosie at M&S Amazing Radiance Cream: sorry, this must have been on offer when I first looked. It’s actually £18, so not really *that* budget. I’ll try and find a cheaper alternative. http://tidd.ly/19f2fd94

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation: http://tidd.ly/ba855b0c

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in Ivory: http://bit.ly/1KX1khE

Topshop Glow in Polish: well this has TOTALLY disappeared from all existence. I’m so sorry. They do have it in “Gleam” though, on FeelUnique – it’s a very pretty Rose Gold version. It actually looks slightly nicer! http://bit.ly/1KX1khE

Also this Soap & Glory one is lovely: http://www.amodelrecommends.com/2016/…

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Nude Mauve: http://tidd.ly/dca79df5

The post My Top Five Affordable Makeup Finds for Glowing Skin appeared first on A Model Recommends.

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The Incredible OM Skincare Giveaway…

om skincare giveaway

I have a rather fabulous worldwide giveaway for you today. I mentioned the gorgeous new OM Skincare in a recent Space NK post – it’s a results-driven brand, using complex formulas and luxurious ingredients, but it very much embraces a “mindful” approach to skincare and beauty. Mindfulness is a bit of a buzzword these days – we’re encouraged to take a step back from our busy, stressful lives and recapture valuable time for ourselves. I interpret it as enjoying moments of calm and peace so that we can take stock of our feelings and thoughts rather than ploughing through the day in a frenzy, leaving ourselves emotionally and mentally wrecked. Correct me if I’m wrong…

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Anyway, whether you’re the sort of person who guffaws at the notion of anything to do with “mind and body” or you’re a fully-fledged yoga-posing energy-channeling guru, there’s no denying that your skin reflects the state of your physical well-being; burn the candle at both ends for a week and you soon see your face falling apart. And so the concept of taking time out to relax, breathe and pamper is at the heart of OM Skincare – it’s science-meets-mindfulness, a dose of Chi Energy mixed with a small (but perfectly formed) range of multi-tasking, skin-adapting  beauty products.

om skincare giveaway

The range includes brilliant little bottles of skin “boosters” packed full of antioxidants, moisturising creams for line-plumping or added radiance and a brilliant invisible finish primer that leaves the skin soft and smooth and perfectly prepped for makeup.

om skincare giveaway

I asked the brains behind the brand, Dr Om Prawarisa, for her top seasonal skincare tips – if you’re wondering what you need to do to keep your skin healthy as we enter the beauty hell-hole of autumn (central heating, cold winds, etc etc) then read on…

  • Throughout the winter months continue to drink plenty of water throughout the day and exercise regularly, enough to bring a flush to the skin by getting your blood circulating and your pulse rate up – we especially love an invigorating Yoga session or a brisk walk in the park.
  • As tempting as it may be to turn up the heat in the bath or shower, avoid going too hot as hot water is dehydrating to the skin. Warm water is skin friendly. Get more moisture-boosting benefits by adding a few drops of bath oil to your bath, or body oil all over skin immediately after bathing.
  • Be mindful – Stress levels can harm your skin all year round- higher levels of hormone such as cortisol raised by stress can lead to collagen and elastin destruction. In addition, when you are stressed, your facial muscles are tensed which could lead to fine lines and wrinkles
  • Sunscreen is a year-round necessity. UV rays will replace your natural glow with discoloration, dryness and eventually wrinkles, sun damage and pigmentation. Even sitting behind your laptop or mobile screen emits blue light that damages and ages skin. Protect skin with a sunscreen every day, even when it’s raining outside.
  • Nutrition plays a critical role in the health of your skin. Load up on plenty of Vitamin C (Guava, Oranges, Kiwis…) and Omega-3 fatty acids (oily fish, walnuts, flaxseed oil…) over the winter as they are vital nutrients for keeping skin in optimal health
  • A boost of Vitamin D via winter ‘sensible’ sun exposure, i.e., exposing your skin to midday sun (between 10 am and 3 pm) for 5-30 minutes twice weekly, may be sufficient to meet vitamin D requirement.

om skincare giveaway

To help you along on your merry skincare way, I have one amazing FULL RANGE of OM to give away, including:

Pure Glow Cleanser – worth £35
Daily Radiance Moisturiser  – worth £58.50
No-Lines Nourishing Cream  – worth £55
Miracle Serum – worth £68.50
Invisible Finish Primer – worth £42.50
Konjac Sponge – worth £8
Beauty Booster Serenity – worth £22.50, available only at Space NK
Beauty Booster Revitalising – worth £22.50, available only at Space NK

om skincare giveaway

I then have FOUR runner up prizes of the Daily Radiance Moisturiserworth £58.50 each! Five chances to get your mitts on some utterly gorgeous skincare.

This giveaway is open to all readers internationally – all you need to do is leave a comment below before noon on Friday 21st October 2016, making sure that you leave your email address in the form where prompted. I’ll announce the winners in the following Sunday Tittle Tattle. Good luck – and if you have any questions for Dr Om then you can find her on Twitter here and Instagram here.

All products, if you want to get further details, are available at www.omskincare.co.uk and spacenk.com.

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© 2016 A Model Recommends®: all opinions are my own and any sponsored or paid posts will always be very clearly marked. I accept press samples and receive product and services to review as part of my job. Outward links to retailers will usually be affiliate links. Please see here for full “about” section and disclaimer.  A Model Recommends and Ruth Crilly are registered trademarks.

 

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Sunday Tittle Tattle: Tired Eyes and Kissy-Face Lips

ysl kiss and love lipstick

I know that this lipstick has been Instagrammed to death recently, but it is a bit of a gem. The YSL Kiss & Love lipstick in Le Orange is the most brilliantly bright shade for winter and the bullet is embossed with lip motifs. So you might not even want to use it, but the option’s there… Personally I’ve adopted a “life’s too short” policy when it comes to makeup special editions and have cracked open quite a few gorgeous palettes recently. The first brushstroke is the hardest, but after that it’s easy to get stuck in and mess things up! Anyway, the Kiss & Love lipsticks are out in a week or so – I’ll photograph this one and the nude for you, they’re true classics.

luxury eye creams

I found this photo just after I’d posted my Space NK post on Friday; a brilliant eye cream that was a suggestion for “things to try”. I’ve mentioned the Eye Elixir before, but it definitely deserves a bit of consideration if you’re wondering what to buy to get your £15 off! The Eye Elixir from Elemental Herbology has quite a lightweight feel but is one of the richest eye creams I’ve used and the effects are really long-lasting. It’s here at Space NK. Excellent for tired, overworked eyes – soothing, smoothing, I have it in my makeup bag that’s tucked into the bottom of Baby AMR’s bedside crib! You can get £15 off if you spend £60 at Space NK until midnight tonight – the code is AMR15.

Space NK

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Sunday Tittle Tattle: Home Visits and Cat Cuddling

blow ltd app

1) My run of “beauty at home” experiences continues: first was the home pregnancy massage from Home Spa London (read that post here) and then came a little visit from the fast blow-dry girls at Blow Ltd. Blow have a new “Fast Beauty To Go” app that allows you to quickly book a beauty appointment (blow-dry, makeup, nails) at your own home or in the office. It’s available to anyone in London Zones 1 and 2, or you can use the app to book an appointment at one of the flagship beauty bars in Covent Garden or Canary Wharf.

blow ltd menu

There’s a really handy “menu” of looks to choose from (I particularly like the fact that I can ask to “look like myself” as I modelled for the menu last year!) and appointments can take as little as 2 mins. You can find the app by searching “Blow Ltd” at the app store.

Blow Ltd

british shorthair cream cat

2) I found this photo that my Mum took a few weeks ago and it made me really want to see Mr Bear again! I miss him loads. He’s such a cuddly little chap and I think he would have enjoyed curling up on top of my baby bump. Though he’s probably a bit too heavy for that – I’d get instant heartburn. I might be popping up to visit him again in the next few days so I’ll be sure to take a load of new pictures.

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