April Beauty Favourites 2020

I haven't done a favourites post in quite a while, and seeing as I have been home a lot more recently, I have been trying out and loving lots of new products along with older releases. Here are my April Beauty Favourites 2020.

Starting with haircare, I received the Garnier Ultimate Blends Nourishing Hair Food Banana & Coconut Shampoo & Conditioner (£6.00 each) in the Latest In Beauty x Times Style Awards Beauty Box which I bought. I love anything banana or coconut, and so the two together is a dream for me, and I love the Garnier Ultimate Blends products. Along with my skin, my hair has been really dry lately and so this pairing which is suitable for dry hair, was the perfect duo. It smells incredible and you get 350ml in each bottle, so you are getting plenty of uses from it - I am still using mine now. I have found that this duo has really helped with nourishing my hair and transforming it from a dry, straw-like texture to softer, smoother and healthier hair. The Hair Food products contain 98% natural origin ingredients and has a vegan formula. You can find it online at Boots here.

My other haircare product is the Ouai Dry Texture Foam (£24.00 for 165g), as I haven't been blowdrying my hair as much with me being at home all the time. This Dry Texture Foam helps to create tousled waves without having to use a curling iron. It has a weightless and nourishing formula that is formulated with a strengthening blend of Rice and Wheat Proteins, and the styling foam adds hold to the hair for undone styles that last all day long. This product is suitable for all hair types - I have quite fine hair and have found that this doesn't weigh my hair down, nor does it feel sticky or greasy once applied. You can find it online at retailers such as Look Fantastic here.

I received the Escentric Molecules Escentric 05 Fragrance (£36.00 for 30ml) as a gift with purchase from Harvey Nichols and it has been my go-to fragrance this month. It comes in funky packaging and is a very wearable scent for every day. Escentric 05 contains top notes of Fig, Bergamot, Orange, Laurel, Rosemary, Basil and Juniper, with heart notes of Hedione, Cypress and Deconstructed Florals of Freesia, Iris and Jasmine, with a base of Cashmeran, Cistus, Labdanum, Musc, Ambroxan, Mastic and Iso E Super. I wouldn't say it is a specific seasonal fragrance - but it does kind of remind me of an English beach - not tropical like one abroad, but kind of woody and slightly salty. You can find it online at Escentric Molecules here.

On to skincare, and my holy grail exfoliator ran out in March, so I re-ordered the MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator (£23.00 for 100ml). My first tube lasted me a VERY long time, as you only need the smallest amount as it spreads out quite far, and it is only something I use once a week - although you can use it up to three times a week. The Exfoliator is suitable for all skin types and is a dual-purpose cleansing and exfoliating scrub that blends natural volcanic ash (yes, it is black) with fine sugar crystals. I find this a highly effective exfoliator and the formula refines and unclogs the skin whilst adding instant moisture and my skin feels so soft and super smooth every time I use it. Remember, that it is important to rid the skin of dead skin cells to get the best out of your makeup. You can find it online at MAC here.

Another item I received in my Harvey Nichols gift with purchase is the Lucia Magnani Refreshing Energizing (American spelling) Tonic (£90.00 for 150ml). Yes, £90.00! The packaging is beautiful with a tortoiseshell lid and this Tonic is formulated with antioxidants to preserve the appearance of the skin. It contains CoQ10, Vitamin E, Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Vitamin C for an exceptional formula which helps fortify, bolster and regulate the natural metabolism of skin cells. I have loved using this Tonic - it has really helped to rejuvenate my skin, however, unless I had quite a bit of money, it isn't something I would be able to afford to repurchase, but as I have loved it so much this month, I had to include it in this post. It really has helped my skin out, which was getting super dry and uneven. You can find it online at Harvey Nichols here.

My sleeping pattern has been horrid these past couple of months, and my eyes are feeling it! I tried the Sarah Chapman Skinesis Platinum Stem Cell Eye Mask (£25.00) last week and it worked wonders for my eye area. At £25.00 a go, it isn't something I could personally afford to use every week, but if you can afford to, or fancy a one-off treat, I would highly recommend giving this a go. The treatment within the mask combines structure with science for a full focus on the eye contour. Each eye mask is infused with potent scientific actives to target concerns throughout the entire eye including furrowed brows, slackening lids and under-eye fatigue. The treatment is to be left on the eye area for 15-20 minutes and I found my eyes felt much more invigorated and rejuvenated. You can find the mask online at Sarah Chapman here.

Just as with my hair and skin, my lips have also been super dry lately, so I have been using the Fenty Beauty Pro Kiss'r Lip-Loving Scrubstick (£15.00). This is a lip scrub which comes in a twist-up stick, like a lipstick and contains apricot seed scrubbers to gently exfoliate and nourish the lips to leave them instantly smooth. The formula is lightweight and non-greasy, and you aren't left with particles after use, which you do get with some lip scrubs, and which I personally don't like, so I have found that this is much better for me. I also love that it is in a stick form so I don't have to put my fingers into a tub and get all messy. You can find it online at Boots here.

Moving on to makeup, and I will start with foundation, so I have been enjoying the Cover FX Power Play Foundation (£38.00 for 35ml). The Foundation comes in a plastic bottle with a small opening to release the product and it is available in 40 shades, so there should be a shade to suit all skin colours. I opted for the shade P20, which is for fair to light skin with pink undertones, which suits my skin perfectly. It is suitable for all skin types, but particularly dry skin, in my opinion, as it is a weightless, full coverage foundation that doesn't dry out the skin, yet still gives it a lovely, matte finish without clinging on to dry spots. If you have oily or combination skin, you will find this also works for you as it controls shine throughout the day and the waterproof formula doesn't budge throughout the day. You can find it online at Beauty Bay here.

I have wanted to try out the Iconic London Sheer Blush (£18.00 for 12.5ml) for ages, but every time I went online it was out of stock, so when I noticed it was in stock in the shade I wanted, I decided to treat myself. The shade I chose was Cheeky Coral, a creamy coral pink, and there are four other shades to choose from. I never used to like cream products, but recently I have been preferring them to powder, as they blend into the skin much more seamlessly. This lightweight gel formula transforms into a liquid, releasing vibrant coated pigments that are a dream to build and blend. You only need a very small amount per application, and so this is going to last you ages. I don't know if it is supposed to be worn on the lips, but it also makes for a pretty lip tint too. You can find it online at Iconic London here.

Another product which is often out of stock in my shade is the Dior Diorskin Mineral Nude Bronze Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder in the shade 01 Soft Sunrise. There are six shades available, and this is the lightest as I have fair to light skin during the colder months. The Bronzer arrives in a velvet pouch and has a Dior cushioned metal lid, a mirror on the inside of the lid and then the beautifully patterned bronzer itself. The lettering and the lighter segments have a natural healthy glow to them, whereas the darker sections are matte, so you can swirl them all together to create a beautiful healthy glowy bronzer. This warms up my complexion naturally, and captures the light, enhancing the effects of sun on the skin. It really is a gorgeous product and I think for the brand, Dior, it isn't overpriced. You can find it online at John Lewis here.

My next monthly favourite is another item which isn't a new release, but which I have been loving anyway, and it is the NARS Endless Orgasm Palette (£46.00). This pretty rose gold palette contains six satin cream shades which can be used on the eyes, cheeks and lips. When I first saw this released, I thought it was a powder palette, and with some quite warm shades, I didn't think it would work for me as a highlighter palette, until I discovered it was so much more than that. The shades included are Orgasm Ecstasy - Soft Beige with Gold Pearl, Deep Orgasm - Metallic Mauve, Super Orgasm - Iridescent Pink with Golden Shimmer, Double Orgasm - Iridescent Pink Lilac with Silver Shimmer, Orgasm Fever - Iridescent Copper and Orgasm - Metallic Rose Gold. As much as I love using the lighter shades as soft highlighters, I have loved using the warmer shades for my eyes, and the Orgasm Fever shade works wonders for blue eyes! You can find the Palette online at NARS here.

A lovely mascara I have recently been reaching for a lot is the MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash Mascara (£20.00). The lightweight formula adds dense volume, extends length and creates curl to the lashes, while conditioning for softness and flexibility. It has quite a large brush featuring lots of tiny rubber bristles, which store the optimal amount of mascara that allows maximum application with each stroke, while keeping the lashes from clumping together. I have quite short, fair, straight lashes, and lots of smaller lashes in the corners of my eyes, and I have found that this manages to reach even those lashes so that the overall finish is a much darker, fanned out lash look. I noticed that whilst wearing throughout the day, there was no flakiness or movement from the mascara, which is great for me as I wear contact lenses and sometimes my eyes are quite watery. You can find it online at MAC here.

Whilst exploring my love for cream and liquid products, I have also been trying out and loving the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge For Lips And Cheeks (£22.50) in the shade Fresh Melon. There are five other shades available, but this one had my heart - it is a sweet pink peach shade which works great on my fair to light skin, both on my cheeks and lips. There is a little mirror on the inside of the lid, so you can grab it and go for applications throughout the day. The formula is creamy and smooth without being heavy or greasy, and so it blends into the skin beautifully, although if you do have very dry skin, I would recommend using a moisturising primer beforehand. I love that this is a 2-in-1 product, which makes it great for travel - well, when we can actually go anywhere. You can find it online at Bobbi Brown here.

My final product is quite a new one, and it is the Fenty Beauty What It Dew Makeup Refreshing Spray (£24.00 for 100ml). It has similar packaging to the original foundation, except taller and made from plastic rather than glass. This is a super fine hydrating mist that can be used underneath makeup for foundation prep, or over makeup to instantly revitalise and refresh the skin throughout the day. One of the main reasons I love this spray so much is because of the super fine mist it has - I have tried some makeup setting sprays which have sprayed out in large droplets and that sometimes smudges my makeup before I have even left the house. There is a delicate, refreshing scent to it, but not at all overpowering, so it is not going to aggravate sensitive skin whatsoever. I would definitely say this is suitable for all skin types, and popped in the fridge during the Summer months, this will make a superb cooling spray! You can find it online at Boots here.

All the Loves,

Kathryn xxx