L'Oreal Infallible Sexy Balm

Hi everyone! I know my last post was also on a L'Oreal product however I also have another face mask post coming out soon and I didn't want to do two face mask posts in a row, so I decided on a post centering around the L'Oreal Infallible Sexy Balms. I picked up two of these from Boots, mostly because I'd seen them around online and they sounded like my ideal products! I'm not into matte lips at all, I own hardly any matte products just because the finish really isn't for me. So any creamy lip products are absolutely perfect for me, especially as Autumn is approaching and my lips tend to be a lot more dry around this time of year. 

These are described as a 'moisturising gel balm with a weightless velvet texture and vibrant pigments for a true kick of colour'. What I love about these is that there is also two finishes you can choose from, sheer or bold and they have different colours for each finish. I actually chose two from the sheer selection, just because I really love subtle lip shades, I basically never wear a bold lip shade, for me I just love the 'my lips but better' look so if you're like me then I think you'll love these! There isn't the biggest shade range however which isn't the best, but I feel like with the shades they do offer there is something for everyone. 

One of my issues with this product, and to be honest it's probably the only thing I don't like about it, is the packaging. I feel like it just looks cheap, these are a really affordable product at £4.99 each but I feel like L'Oreal usually has nicer packaging than this, it just doesn't really match the rest of the brand for me. The applicator also isn't my favourite, as you can see it kind of reminds me of a felt tip style applicator kind of like a chubby stick, which just isn't as nice to use as the standard applicator you would find with a regular lipstick. You twist these up from the bottom similar to a lipstick and you actually do get a lot of product so don't be deceived by first impressions! To be honest though I can look past the packaging and the applicator because I absolutely LOVE the formula of these!

102 Gossip, 103 As If

The shades I chose were 102 Gossip and 103 As If, probably the most neutral out of all the shades which is so typical of me but I'm all for playing it safe! The reason I love these so much is because for a product which is essentially a tinted lip balm, for me it performs much more like a lipstick, they remind me of a cremesheen finish lipstick but a lot more balmy and moisturising. For a lip balm the colour pay off is so nice, you can see in the swatch picture that while they are quite sheer they still apply colour really nicely and they look so pretty on the lips. I would say both the shades I got are pinky nudes, with 102 Gossip being a bit lighter and a lot more on the baby pink side but not too light so that it washes you out and 103 As If is slightly more mauvey, definitely a 'my lips but better shade'. If I had to pick a favourite it would probably be 103 As If, but I really do love them both and would recommend either of them to anyone who loves subtle lip shades. In terms of staying power it was kind of what I expected from a lip balm, it lasts really well when just sitting on the lips but doesn't really stand a chance if you're eating or drinking a lot. 

I really think these are going to be one of my go to lip products towards the end of the year, especially as it starts to get colder because these are so moisturising and leave your lips feeling so soft! These really are such pretty shades as well, perfect for anyone who loves neutral lips like me, plus they're so affordable for £4.99 each. Let me know in the comments if you've tried these and what you think!

L'Oreal Pure Clay Glow Mask

Hi everyone! I have really been on a major skincare kick recently because my skin at the minute is probably the worst it has ever been in years, I don't know if it's because I've been feeling really stressed but I've been breaking out constantly which never really happens to me, and my skin is so dull and tired looking all the time. If anyone has any good skincare recommendations please let me know in the comments because I'm on the hunt to find new products that will work for me! Having such an issue with my skin at the minute has led to me changing my skincare routine around and I've started using more face masks, I actually really enjoy using face masks, I feel like it's less of a chore than your nightly skincare routine and they always feel like a nice treat. I'd seen that L'Oreal had released three pure clay face masks targeted at different skin issues, they have a purity mask to mattify the skin, a detox mask to clarify the skin and finally the one I have which is the glow mask that brightens and exfoliates the skin. I definitely need to work on my skin's glow at the minute, it's severely lacking which is why I choose this one, however I would also like to try the detox mask which has charcoal in it as I love charcoal masks and they've always worked for me in the past.

I had seen these online quite a lot before I actually went into Boots and bought one but I found that they are so much bigger in real life than how they look in pictures, the box says you will get 10 applications out of this and there is 50ml of product but after using it a few times I definitely think I will get more than 10 applications out of this! This mask is created of three pure clays which are koalin, known to absorb impurities and excess sebum, montmorillonite, recognised for helping to eliminate imperfections and ghassoul, renowned to help clarify the complexion combined with red algae extract which is known for it's brightening properties, the packaging claims that the "beaded creamy texture illuminates tone by exfoliating the skin's surface without drying it out". I'm really into exfoliating products at the minute because of how dull my skin is, however my skin is also dry so I do need to be careful that it won't be too drying.

I actually love the packaging of this, it's in quite a heavy glass pot with a little cover inside the lid to keep the product fresh, it doesn't come with any form of applicator though so I just use my fingers to apply. 

The claims that this mask has a beaded creamy texture is definitely 100% accurate, I've never actually tried a product like this before for a face mask I feel like it's so different. When I first applied it I was a bit worried it would be drying on me as I could tell at the same time it would be really exfoliating. You leave the product on for 5-10 minutes and then remove with a wet towel or warm water, what I found was that it is very creamy and doesn't dry like other face masks which will crack after about 10 minutes. You actually look a little bit crazy when it's on, it looks like you've put some really dodgy fake tan on but that really doesn't bother me! One really good thing about this product is that it was really easy to take off, I absolutely hate when a face mask doesn't want to budge and then it ends up all over your towels and in your hair while you've been trying to scrub it off! After I had taken it off my skin definitely did feel a lot smoother and cleaner, thankfully it didn't dry my skin out either. It definitely didn't hydrate my skin at all but didn't make it feel any drier so I think it's great to use this and then apply a moisturiser straight after so it will sink really nicely into the skin.

I bought this from Boots for £7.99 which I think is a very good price considering how much usage I will get out of it, it didn't change the whole texture of my skin so I wouldn't go round saying this was a miracle mask or the best mask I've ever used, but it did make my skin a lot smoother and help to exfoliate but I personally feel like it didn't leave my skin any brighter. I do like this mask and will use it up and it does perform well but it didn't leave me massively raving about it however for the price I'd still recommend you trying it and seeing if it works for you. Let me know in the comments your favourite face masks as I'm on the hunt to try more!

L'Oreal Paris Nude Magique Cushion Foundation

Hi everyone! I absolutely love writing these foundations posts as I actually think you can never have enough foundation, and I love mixing them up for whatever mood I'm in or what season it is, so when I see a new one come out I like the look of I get so excited. I'd been really interested in cushion foundations for a while now, I'm such a sucker for anything that looks cool and is a bit different so when I saw a few brands with these cushion foundations I really wanted one. I had seen the Lancome Miracle Cushion foundation which I'd wanted to try but £30 was a bit too pricey when I wasn't even sure if it would work for me, so when I'd seen that L'Oreal were releasing their own cushion foundation I had to get it when it was released. I was so confused actually because I'd seen lots of American vloggers talking about the L'Oreal Lumi Cushion and then in the UK when it had apparently been released I couldn't find it anywhere, but I guess that it has a different name in the UK which is the Nude Magique Cushion foundation, I don't know if it's the exact same product but this is the only cushion foundation from L'Oreal that is on sale in the UK at the minute.

The whole concept of the cushion foundations is that it's a liquid foundation which has been saturated into a cushion, so you get the product from the cushion by tapping on it, and you can build the coverage you want. I know some people probably will think this is a bit pointless when you can just get it in a bottle but I actually love the application, I'll talk a bit more about that below. The packaging is so nice, it's really pretty and girly and it actually isn't too bulky. when I was seeing pictures of it I was worried it would be unnecessarily big and take up lots of room but I think it's nice and compact. One thing that bugs me though is it actually doesn't state how many ml of liquid is saturated, I'm assuming it's the standard 30ml but I can't find it online and it isn't on the packaging so I'm really not sure. 

Inside the compact you get a mirror, which is actually a good mirror for a drugstore product I think, this is another bonus of this product as opposed to a bottle foundation, you get a mirror as well so it's really good when you're on the go. It comes with an applicator inside, the website advises you to use this and tap the applicator on the cushion sponge, then tap on the skin to build coverage. I don't use this, I really like using a flat top buffing brush and just tapping that onto the cushion then applying straight to my skin, you could also use a Beauty Blender or any make up sponge and tap the cushion then apply to the skin, I don't really want to use the applicator that comes with the product as I just don't think it would work for me.

The cushion is sealed tight under a little plastic lid so it doesn't dry out, and you can see in the pictures how the liquid foundation is saturated into it. When it comes to the whole cushion aspect I was unsure on how I'd feel, I didn't know if it would be a bit pointless to me when you can just buy a regular foundation in a bottle but I seriously love this! I wish I could get all my foundations like this because I think it's so much easier. I don't have to worry about it spilling or leaking and I find that when I'm applying my make up it's just a lot less messy. Plus I think it's so good for travelling because it's nice and compact, you don't have to worry about any glass bottles potentially breaking and it has a mirror inside. I feel like it makes applying my foundation a bit quicker, especially with a buffing brush that you can just tap into the cushion and apply straight to your face. 

The actual formula of the foundation is claimed to be a dewy glow finish with sheer to medium coverage depending about how much you build it up. It definitely does give a glowy finish however I personally think it isn't massively dewy. It's definitely not matte by any means but I would say a luminous glow rather than dewy, I know a lot of people will love this because they aren't into a full dewy look but I would prefer if it was a bit more dewy. As well I also find that the coverage isn't as light as I would like it, in the summer when I'm after a glowy finish I quite like very sheer coverage as my skin is always a bit bitter, but this is a bit heavier. Again a lot of people will love this it's just my personal preference, I just feel like you feel like you are wearing this, whereas I love a foundation in summer that feels like I don't have anything on my skin, I definitely can feel that this is a bit heavier. I do still love the finish though don't get me wrong, I just wouldn't say it would be my go to summer foundation, it's really lovely and glowy but I'm just after something a bit lighter, I will definitely keep using this as I do like it but like I said it won't be my go to this summer. 

I have this in the lightest shade which is Porcelain, there is only seven shades and usually I would never go for the lightest one, I am fair but typically I will be the second or third lightest shade, however due to the small range I got the lightest and I'm glad I did as it does match. I will say though if you are really really fair you might struggle to get a match in this so definitely test it out first if you are thinking of buying it. I bought this when it was on an introductory offer at Boots for £9.99 but it's regular price is £14.99 so it isn't the cheapest drugstore foundation. Whilst I do really like the formula it isn't my favourite that I've used, but if you like a nice glowy finish then you should still try it because you might absolutely love it, my favourite part about this product though is definitely the cushion aspect, I seriously do love this and wish I could get my favourite foundations in this form. Let me know in the comments if you've tried this and what you think!