Wishful Skincare: First Impressions

Huda Beauty is a well established brand and I know people who swear by it, the diversity and pigments in her shades are very inclusive which is so great to see. Although I've become slightly less interested in makeup, when Huda Kattan launched her skincare line Wishful Skincare it did piquet my interest. My sister and I decided to purchase a few bits a couple of weeks back so I thought I would present my first impressions!

I specifically purchased a gift set containing three products, two were sample sized and one was full sized (the Rose Oil). I got this from Cult Beauty, however they don't sell that particular one anymore! It was really cute to see colourful, fun packaging and honestly i think it is eye catching. I think skincare nowadays has moved into feeling quite clinical - perhaps to persuade us that it is effective? What is great about these products is that the key ingredients are labelled on the side or back or the packaging, highlighting that there is nothing to hide. The only thing that I didn't enjoy about the packaging is that there is a silver strip on the lip of each product and on the samples this rubs off and you do get glitter on your hands and face - however I've observed this is just with the samples and not the full size!

WishFul Yo Glow Enzyme Scrub (£18.00/40ml)

I think this might be the most used product in Wishful Skincare. Honestly I wasn't sure what to expect, this product comes out like a creamy gel with a slight fragrance. Once applied and worked into to dry skin, it begins to gather dead skin cells in little balls so you can actually see it. It's really cool. I remove the dead skin with a warm flannel and I notice that my skin just feels softer and brighter after. The Yo Glow Enzyme Scrub has Pineapple and Papaya Enzyme'a, AHA's and BHA's which work to exfoliate your skin. I think this is a really great, seemingly low maintenance scrub, however does really work. I use this once to twice a week at most. I would definitely purchase this again. 

Wishful Honey Balm Jelly Moisturiser (£43.00/55g) 

I had never actually heard of this moisturiser prior to purchasing it, and I think this product is one of the best products I have tried in the last few months. It's a nourishing moisturiser enriched with honey and  Niacinamide, the latter being one of the few proven anti-aging ingredients. Turmeric Root Extract helps to fade dark spots and even the complexion. As the product is also infused with Lavender Oil this becomes the perfect night time moisturiser, you can also use this in the day, but will need to follow with a SPF on top. 

The product itself is a gel to balm texture, really nice and lightweight on the skin, despite the nourishing ingredients. The product has a slight shimmer, which does not show up on the skin at all. 

My initial concern was that this product is on the pricier side, however with the amount of active ingredients in this moisturiser, it becomes slightly like a treatment too. You only require a small amount of product with each use, and I am surprised that I haven't used this up already!  I would really love to buy this product again!

Wishful Get Even Rose Oil (£55.00/30ml)

I love a good oil, even though I have oily skin, I find that certain oils help to retain moisture in my skin. I was excited to see what the hype was with this Rose Oil. The packaging is great if you press the lid the pipette retains some product for you to smooth over the face which is less fiddly than other oils I have tried. This is an oil when you apply it onto the skin, however it does also sink in more than a traditional oil - so you could also wear this in the day. 

We have to talk about the smell. I don't personally mind fragrance in products, however this product smells really herbal and it is a sharp and distinguishable smell. If you apply it on your skin, after a while you won't notice, however sometimes you might get a whiff of it, so if someone comes up close to you, I think they would be able to notice. This might be because of the ingredients, you don't want to add another fragrance or add another ingredient to dampen the smell, so I get the reasoning behind this, but I think some people will be put off which is why I wanted to mention it. 

The product itself does help to brighten the skin as it contains Rose, Carrot Seed, Rosehip and Baobab. The focus is on improving the appearance of dark spots, clarifying the complexion, evening skin texture and tone. Again Wishful is creating a product that specifically helps to target uneven complexion, however it does also come with a hefty price tag. You can get traditional Rosehip Oils for less than £25, however it is not just one ingredient that is being used. I personally need to use this product some more to say whether it is effective or not. I think for anyone who is specifically looking for a product to help them achieve an even skin texture and tone, this product is one to try! 

First Impressions:

I think Wishful Skincare is creating something that isn't really in the market, I really think it's great that all her products are focused on evening skin texture and tone as this is a problem area for many different types of people. I think her range is aimed for a diverse demographic and as an Asian, I have suffered with hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone and texture so it's great to see products now aimed for that. However this also does come with a price tag, but I think this is due to the range of ingredients Wishful has sourced to create products that were not currently in the market. 

I would actually love to try more Wishful Products, as it's exciting to see how skincare has become more targeted and effective. 

Have you tried Wishful Skincare? I would love to know your thoughts, so please comment below and let me know what you have tried!

The Ordinary Serum Foundation

During the start of Lockdown 3, I ran out of my foundation. I was using the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation for the last few years and absolutely loved it, however did want to try something else. Ordinarily a quick nip to the shops could avoid any disasters, however that option was not available and I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a shade that I wasn't 100% sure on. This led me to The Ordinary Serum Foundation which I thought I would review for you all. 

The Ordinary Serum Foundation  (£5.50/30ml) is affordable and amazing value for money, retailing at £5.50 for 30ml. What is surprising is how great the product looks in it's packaging, it doesn't feel like a foundation under £6, it looks as great as The Ordinary Skincare, designed to be used effectively and efficiently.  

A 'serum' foundation is the best term to describe this foundation, it has a watery, blend-able consistency that sinks into the skin rather than on top of the skin, like skincare. With a solid medium coverage too, this foundation actually leaves the skin looking like skin, which is honestly really great to see. It evens out the complexion effectively the way foundations are designed to do. Once you apply the rest of your makeup, you honestly cannot even tell you are wearing a foundation that costs under £6. This foundation lasts the test of time too, still looking great on my skin over 12 hours later which is hard to find with even luxury foundations! 

I have been pleasantly surprised by this foundation, initially I bought it to use whilst in lockdown, however I think a lot of people would be happy with the quality and value of this foundation, it's just the right amount of everything, not too high in coverage, not too matte nor too dewy, not too expensive and not too heavy on the skin. I think this is a great foundation for everyone especially as we are now used to wearing less, and I think this foundation really covers all the bases whilst still making me look like myself. 

Have you tried this foundation? If so, what did you think? Comment below to let me know!

My Lancôme Lockdown Purchases

I made a bit of a splurge just before Christmas on some Lancôme skincare products. I mean, my focus should be more on skincare now that I rarely wear makeup due to lockdown, right?  Regardless of the reason, I discovered two firm favourites which I want to talk about...

Lancôme Miel-En-Mousse (£25.00/200ml)

Miel En Mousse is a cleanser, but not like anything that I have ever tried. It has a honey-like consistency coating the skin nicely as you apply this product onto dry skin. The smell of this product is divine - I feel like I am getting a facial - and one to two pumps is enough to thoroughly massage the product into your skin. Although you can use Miel-En-Mousse to take off minimal makeup, I much prefer to use this when I am not wearing makeup, so I can add the massaging element in to make the experience more spa-like. This isn't the right product to take off any stubborn makeup, such as waterproof mascara, so it's best to take off eye makeup with a separate cleanser.

Adding water will change the texture from honey-like to more milky and it's surprisingly easy to rinse off. Due to the product being enriched with Acacia honey, skin feels moisturised and not stripped after rinsing. I love the pump feature, it makes the whole process a lot more efficient and I truly think this is one of the best cleansers I have tried and definitely one I will repurchase!

Lancôme Tonique Confort (£28.00/200ml)

Last year I rediscovered my love for toners. I just think they are a great way of re-hydrating the skin after cleansing. The Lancôme Tonique Confort is slightly thicker than a water consistency and is super soothing on my skin. I find that if my skin is dry, irritated or sensitive at all, this toner really helps to bring things back to normal. I feel like my skin just eats this up. I like the fact that it hasn't got any active ingredients as I use this to give my skin a break and just ensure it's in tip top shape. The product smells like rose which I find really therapeutic as it's just a smell you want to keep inhaling! 

To use this, I apply one to two pea sized amounts to the palms of my hands and pat it firmly onto my skin. I try not to use cotton pads, as they are bad for the environment and also because they will soak up the majority of the product. The product sinks in super fast and your face is primed for the rest of your skincare! This is a product which I feel everyone would get along with, and I can see myself repurchasing it in the future. 

It's been a while since I bought some Lancôme products and I was really pleased with these two purchases. They have just made doing my skincare into more of a peaceful and luxurious space which just helps to book-end my mornings and evenings. 

Are there any products from Lancôme that you love? If so, please share below as I would love to know! Also be sure to follow me on Bloglovin to be the most up to date with my posts!  

Five Free Fitness Apps That I Love

My outlook on fitness and health is something that has changed since the last year. Although I've always known about the importance and managed to get myself to gyms in the past 7 years, I've done what I thought I should be doing, rather than work in more of a smart way. I've found the lockdown period helpful (funnily enough) to finally prioritise a healthy and sustainable lifestyle which I hope to continue with when everything is back to normal. 

In the past year I've tried some fitness apps which honestly have kept me motivated and firmly on the fitness wagon, so I thought I would share what they are and why they've been helpful! 

Couch to 5K

During the first lockdown, I completed the Couch to 5K app, which was a massive achievement. If you run for 30 seconds and get tired, this app is for you. It works, but you have to trust in the system. Hopefully you will stick with it and reap the benefits. I find that I fall in and out of running, I have currently a few 5K's in the last two month, however took a break with running after completing the programme. I don't think you lose what you learn, however consistency is always a good thing. I would definitely recommend this app to beginners, and heck, if I do lose my running ability, even I will go back to it! 

Strava

Strava, if you don't already know, is like Facebook but for activities. It's such a lovely way to track any activities you do, whether that's walking, running or cycling. Strava is even better if you have friends on there, so you can see what everyone is up to activity-wise and it just keeps you thinking about being active which is motivating. It's so great to cheer on your friends and family by liking their content too. I joined Strava halfway through my Couch to 5K programme to help track my distance and share my progress and haven't looked back since!

Workout for Women 

Workout for Women is such a great all round fitness app that I go back to.  I love this app because it is nicely laid out, you can choose between options (such as beginner, no jumping, abs, legs, HIIT etc) and from there can choose workouts based on calories burned and time taken. Even if you only have 5 minutes to spare, you will probably find a mini workout on there. As there are so many categories, you can completely curate your own workout based on what you want to work on which is just ideal for a free app. 

Nike Running App

I've used the Nike Running App on a few occasions before I invested in an Apple Watch. Although Strava is great, the Nike Running App actually tells you how many calories you have burned which is helpful to know. So I think this is also a great app for anyone who exclusively enjoys running!

Pedometer 

We are in an age where I think it's really easy to be sedentary. Watching Netflix, browsing the internet or even reading a book are things we do sitting down. Personally, I like to keep a track of my steps and try to aim for over 10,000 a day. I like to think of this as a target and either try to reach it or get as close as I can to it. I don't think activity should be be guilt-driven, but more a target that will make you feel good when you have done what you set out! My step count was the first thing I focused on when I was trying to steer my habits last Spring and it's still something I focus on now - so if there is one change I would recommend, it would be this one!

I think we are lucky to be in an age in which all these apps are available to us to keep us moving forward. I would love to know if any of you have used these apps, or if there are any that I should be aware of! 

I have a few posts coming soon so if you would like to read more of my content then be sure to follow me on Bloglovin to stay up to date!