Review: Maybelline Expert Wear Blush in Rose

This blush is so lovely. It's very pale, which is great for my complexion. This is a light pink shade with some radiance to it but it's definitely not frosty or overly shimmery. It doesn't have a lot of payoff and quite frankly I really like that about it. It means it's easy to use and even heavy handed application won't cause too much damage.

Conclusion: I would really recommend it for everyone looking for a very pale, delicate blush.

Those with slightly darker complexions (MAC NC20 and over) will probably find this too light and pretty pointless probably.

Maybelline Expert Wear Blush, £5.19. 

Concealers: great and not so great ones

I have very pale skin - as in Mac NC15-but-wishing-there-was-NC10 pale. This means that every little blemish or discolouration is very visible and the skin under the eye is almost translucent. Most of these concealers can be used under the eyes although success vary from one to the next.. :)

Collection (nee Collection 2000) Lasting Perfection in Fair (£4.19)

This one hardly requires an introduction. Great coverage, sometimes it can look slightly dry when used under the eye so eye cream or serum beforehand is recommended. Nonetheless, this is a  brilliant option. It can be used on blemishes and under the eyes.  

Garnier Roll-On in Very Fair (£10.49)

I only gave it a go because Ruth from AModelRecommends really liked it and featured it in her videos few times. But this really is a great concealer; the coverage is medium and it has a very nice satin finish. It's really good for under the eyes because it doesn't crease.

Soap&Glory Kick Ass in Light (£10)

I was very disappointed with this one. The coverage seems good and the powder that comes with it is quite fine. But the consistency isn't great and the concealer doesn't blend very well. Every so often I give it another try, but I just don't seem to find a way to make it work. 

The Balm Time Balm in Lighter than Light (£12)

Despite its name this most certainly isn't a very fair concealer. It's ok but I do wish it was a little lighter. The coverage is good and it blends well but the lasting power isn't the best.

Mac Studio Finish in NW15 (£14.50)

One of my favourite concealers. The coverage is very good and the shade selection impressive. If used under the eyes it does require setting with powder. It's also great for covering blemishes or discoloured areas. 

Mac Pro Longwear Concealer in NC15 (£14.50)

This one is very long lasting, with good coverage. Again, it can be a little dry but overall I do love it. 

Current skin care

Let me start by saying I have a combination skin - my t-zone, especially my forehead does get quite oily during the day but at the same time my skin is also quite dehydrated.
Dehydration is a skin concern that is finally receiving enough attention; both from beauty columnists, bloggers and experts but also from brands that come up with solutions.

If you are unsure of the type of skin you might have there are several options available. You can try and observe how your skin behaves without any skin care/make up; you can try various different online questionnaires or you can have it tested. Despite being quite sure what my diagnosis was, I have booked an appointment with one of the skin care specialists in a Boots store. With the help of sophisticated equipment they 'scan' your skin and read its state. I went to one of the largest Boots stores in London - the one in Oxford street but I know some others also offer this service in the UK.

So, my skin care routine is aimed at improving hydration but without overloading it with heavy or oil-rich products.

For a cleanser, I use Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish (£13.25) and I have used it long before YouTube beauty bloggers have discovered it. Sam Chapman from Pixiwoo has mentioned it over three years ago and I have fallen in love with it back then. Although the hype has its advantages -before it was only available online or at John Lewis, but now finally Boots also stock it. It has beautiful, smooth, creamy texture and invigorating, fresh, green scent. This is one of the mildest, most gentle cleansers you will find. I use this morning and night.
I usually follow with a toner, at the moment I really enjoy the L'Oreal Vitalift.
In the evening, as a make up remover I generally use Bioderma. Sometimes - read when I got a little mascara happy - I use any affordable make up remover, currently its the Garnier Fresh Essentials Eye Make up remover (£3.15).
When needed or every few days I use St Ives Daily Microdermabrasion (£4.99) as a scrub (full review here). I have blogged about this product already - I love it. It leaves your skin very smooth, soft and supple and prepares it beautifully for make up.
Every now and again I use Liz Earle Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask (£14), but only when my skin is feeling dry. Another tlc product I don't use on daily basis is Embryolisse moisturiser (30ml is £10.50) - it's very rich so I reserve it's use for when it's really necessary.
To moisturise in the morning I generally use Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturiser (review here) and at night I currently have Boots Botanics All Bright Hydrating night cream.
Last but not least, the serum. I wouldn't normally consider Superdug's own branded skin care but the Aqua Hydrating Serum has been mentioned by Sali Hughes in her Guardian beauty column. Since at the time I was looking for an affordable hydrating serum, I immediately recognized the brilliance of this suggestion and I rushed to Superdrug to get it. Not only I have found it - I found when it was in half price sale (Superdrug does half price promotions for their products more often than not), which meant I got it for less than £3. Unfortunately, Superdrug doesn't seem to have all their products available online so you can't find it their website but it is sold in larger Superdrugs. The serum itself it great though - it's has a light texture, sinks in very quickly and it leaves skin feeling soft and comfortable.

The above combination is working very well for me. Three products in particular: hydrating serum, Vitalift toner and Botanics night cream. I have bought all three simply because they all contain hyaluronic acid. Especially ever since I got hold of the hydrating serum (Sali Hughes recommended it precisely because it has hyaluronic acid) my skin has not felt any dryness or tightness. Targeting dehydrated skin coupled with regular exfoliation is definitely working out very well for me right now.