Another year around the sun has passed us, and lets be honest 2021 wasn’t the best of years (ngl 2020 was still the worst). But in the beauty world it was a different story. I discovered so many new golden products throughout the year and there were loads of new launches as well that caught my eye.
I have put myself on a spending ban this month so I am getting through it by reminicsing my 2021 purchases …. and no it isn’t working before you ask!
Fenty Skin
If you have read my review about Fenty Skin then you will know how highly I rank these products! They are gentle on the skin, smell dreamy and all in all …amazing! My number one from the range has to be the Total Cleans’r, I genuinely can’t live without it!
Freshly Baked London Tan
This was one of those Insta purchases after falling down their TikTok rabbit hole … and it has now become my number one tan of choice! The 1 hour rapid tan in the scent baby powder is my current obsession because it gives me the most natural glow in literally an hour, but without the traditional ‘I smell like I am wearing tan’ stage. It is a small independent business too which is even better. So if you are looking for a new tan … look no further!
Caroline Hirons – SkinCare
I don’t want to sound dramatic… but this book Changed my skins life!
Now I know that my blog is heavily beauty based, as is all of my socials, so I was shocked when I realised how little I knew about skin and specifically what to do with it (weird sentence I know but roll with me). I have literally read this book cover to cover and feel like a changed person and boy does my skin thank me. I cannot rave about this book enough so if you haven’t bought it … there is no excuse!
I also just found out that there is a ‘SkinCare: The Edit’ that has just been released, so you best believe that will be my first purchase on the 1st of February!
Lottie Ldn Skin Tint
Something that has changed during the pandemic is my love of lightweight base products … enter the Lottie LDN Skin Tint. This product is a under a tenner, but is one of the best base products I have EVER tried! It is so light you can barely feel it, but yet makes my skin look flawless … and to top it all off I ran multiple 10k’s this year for Endometriosis UK and this product did not budge!
Need I say more!?
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
This one was an oldie but a goodie that found itself back in my life during the pandemic and I don’t know how I lived my life without it to be honest. I will say though, that back in the original Zoella hype of Lasting perfection concealer … my teen skin really did not get on with Collection product. However since the concealers revamp, colour extension and new vegan formulation … I finally get the hype from the YouTube of yesteryear … and I am obsessed.
FYI it is only £4.49!
Lip/Cheek Tints
I am starting to see a trend with the type of products that are in this round up post … It all seems to be products that pre pandemic/lockdown I wouldn’t really have gone near, and lip/cheek tints is definitely one of those products. However, lockdown has changed me and now I stan tints in a big way. My favourites for 2021 were by Benefit Cosmetics, specifically their latest offerings ‘love tint’ and ‘play tint’ which give the most stunning flush of colour to the cheek with ‘love tint’ being a lovely red shade and ‘play tint’ the perfect summer peachy pink flush that I am truly obsessed with and are now just staples in my makeup routine.
I would love to know what your favourite products of 2021 are and if any of the products in this post are on your list.
See you soon!
Disclaimer: some of the links in the post are affiliated meaning I will make a small commission if you purchase from the link
So I know I’m kind of late to the Pro Filt’r party (ok … I’m very late), but I have finally got my hands on one of the most hyped up foundations of the past few years, thanks to a very cheeky Black Friday deal (£9 for a foundation … I nearly fell off my chair).
But boy was it worth the wait!
What I got & First Impressions
Seeing as there was such a good offer on the Fenty Beauty website during the Black Friday sale … it would have been rude to just buy one item. Seeing as I now frequent fake tan a lot more I thought it would be wise to buy a few options in shades for when I’m tanned vs me looking like a piece of A4 paper. I’m not going to lie I am the worst when it comes to guessing my shade, so I used the trusted Findation.com (a must have for online foundation shoppers) and ordered the shade 140 for my natural colouring and 210 for when I’m tanned. I also threw in a mini Total Cleans’r for good measure, because I was running out and I needed a few more pounds to hit free shipping.
I had never ordered from the official Fenty site before so I didn’t really know what to expect or how long it would take. But to my surprise, five days after I ordered the foundations arrived at my door! What was also nice was how well packaged everything was and that paper was used instead of plastic so everything could be recycled (Yes RiRi!)
Testing Time
I know that a lot of people aren’t really into the squeeze tube vibe for foundations, but I think its pretty cool (especially for someone clumsy like me who can very easily smash a glass bottle), its also very easy to travel with to, just as an FYI. The packaging says to massage the tube well before use to get rid of any air bubbles.
As a side note to those who are interested, this particular product is vegan, however not all of the Fenty Beauty range is so I would always double check the ingredient lists before purchasing. Fenty Beauty also say they are cruelty free on the website.
The foundation is a medium coverage but Im pretty sure you can get it to a full if you built it up. I have put a before and after below so you can see the difference after just one pump of foundation on my skin. I was amazed that it gave such a smooth and flawless application and worked really well with my Bare Minerals primer. While it did say it was long wearing, I did apply some of my trusted Glossier setting powder in my oily sections and also where my mask would be during work, and I have to say, despite it being a hydrating formula it has a pretty good staying power. The shades I picked were a perfect match (which never happens for me) and I didn’t notice any oxidising throughout the day too so another win for the foundation.
Final Thoughts
I have to say I was very impressed with the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Hydrating foundation, but I wouldn’t say that I was surprised. Fenty has really changed the game with complexion products since they launched back in 2017, not only with the quality of their products, but the inclusivity that they keep building on. No wonder I needed help to find my right match because there were so many options to choose from. A lot of brands really need to look at what Fenty have achieved in the past four years and rethink their own ranges.
If you are looking for a new long wearing and hydrating foundation that doesn’t feel heavy, this one is the best I’ve tried and I would probably say it will become my go to in the future.
Let me know if you’ve tried this foundation or any of the other products from Fenty Beauty.
I feel like everyone, and their nan knows about Fenty Beauty by now…and let’s be real it deserves all the hype and love because their products are genuinely amazing something that (being honest) isn’t normally the case for celeb owned brands; and I don’t know about you but I trust RiRi. That’s why I got so overexcited when she announced she was brining out a skincare line! Who doesn’t want skin like Rihanna? Skincare however is a tricky one due to everyone having different needs from their skincare, so a month after I purchased it I thought I would share my thoughts and whether I feel like this is worth the same hype as her makeup line.I feel like everyone and their nan knows about Fenty Beauty by now…and lets be real it deserves all the hype and love because their products are genuinely amazing something that (being honest) isn’t normally the case for celeb owned brands; and I don’t know about you but I trust RiRi. Thats why I got so overexcited when she announced she was brining out a skincare line! Who doesn’t want skin like Rihanna. Skincare however is a tricky one due to everyone having different needs from their skincare, so a month after I purchased it I thought I would share my thoughts and whether I feel like this is worth the same hype as her makeup line.
Listened to the experts!
Just as a disclaimer, I’m not a skincare expert in any way shape or form and being honest I only really started properly looking after my skin around the first lockdown in 2020. This being said, I wanted to make sure that I was buying this skincare because it would work for me and not because it has Rihanna all over it… So like everyone I turned to the Queen of Skin … Caroline Hirons. We all have probably read her book from cover to cover by now, but for those who don’t know, she knows it all about skin and I someone I genuinely trust. She posted an IG Live all about Fenty skin right before it launched and she spoke very highly of the range so that was me sold
Waiting to be stocked + what I got
The first roadblock was the fact that at the time of first launch; Fenty skin was only being stocked in the US, and I’m not being funny furlough doesn’t really cover the international shipping and customs it would take to get it, so I was patient and waited for Boots to bring it to the UK and thank god for my bank account it did.
I’m not going to lie I was a little apprehensive about purchasing the full size items just because of the (what if it doesn’t work) question. Luckily for me … They released a mini trial set for £32! It was meant to be! Personally, I love it when brands (especially skincare) release mini versions with the main launch because we’ve all been there and spent X amount of money on products that either do nothing or break us out! (No Bueno). The Start’r Set came with the Total Cleans’r (45ml), Fat water toner (50ml) and the Hydra Visor moisturiser (30ml) and was £32 for all three compared to £32 for the full sized version of the cleanser. The thing I noticed first was the amount of product you get compared to not only the full sized versions but to other minis on the market so already getting good value for money.
Total Cleans’r
I’m going to put it out there straight away that this might be my favourite product from the line! The scent is a beautiful cherry/coconut but isn’t overpowering so if you are sensitive to smells I think you will be fine with this. It is described as a 2 in 1 cleanser and makeup remover; however I still prefer to use a cleansing balm when I’m removing makeup. The cleanser lathers up really easily and a little bit goes a long way which makes it a good value for money. Since using this I have noticed a difference in my skin texture and it feels a lot softer; I’m not sure if it is due to the cleanser alone or a combination off all the products, either way I am not complaining.
Total Cleans’r is suitable for all skin types, oil free, noncomedogenic, vegan and gluten free.
Fat Water
I’m normally not the biggest fan of toners because I can feel my skin being stripped every time I use them, so I was a bit apprehensive about the Fat Water, but with the reviews being so good I gave it a try … and I am so glad I did. It is unlike any toner I have tried before as it is described as a 2 in 1 toner and serum, meaning it doesn’t have that drying feeling that other toners do! The claims of the Fat water is that it helps improve the appearance of pores and general skin texture, helps improve the look of dark circles. Because it has serum as well it adds hydration to the skin and claims to leave your skin looking plumper, smoother and replenished – which I definitely feel is a must in the winter. After using this for the past month my skins texture is definitely improved and I feel as though my pores are not as visible as they were which is a win for me. Also my skin has this lovely glow to it which I do think is down to this toner.
Fat water is alcohol free, Oil free, Noncomedogenc, For all skin types, vegan and gluten-free. I also feel like you get better results if you apply with your hands instead of a cotton pad; and just like the cleanser a little bit goes a long way
Hydra Visor
So the moisturiser is the only product where I’m still unsure how I feel about it. Nothing to do with the product itself (which I will talk more about in a second), but more so personal preference. Despite the fact that I have combination skin, I do prefer a thicker feeling moisturiser than the Hydra Visor and have sworn by Benefit Cosmetics Total Moisture for years. But at the same time, my skin has improved so much since starting this routine that I am beginning to think that the richness of my old moisturiser could have contributed to my breakouts (any skincare specialists please help me in the comments). What I do love about this product is that it is a sunscreen combined with a moisturiser and that there is a real emphasis on the fact that no matter how deep your skin is this moisturiser will be invisible and cause no chalkiness! Amazing! It is also made without oxybenzone or octinoxate; meaning there is no harm to coral reefs! The moisturiser is lightweight and has a lovely melon scent (which again isn’t overpowering) as well as an SPF of 30. it claims to help brighten the skin and over time reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines that I will have to keep you posted on as, again, I’m not sure if my skin improvements are down to the moisturiser, toner, or cleanser.
Like the other products in the line, the Hydra Visor is oil free, Noncomedogenic, For all skin types, vegan, and gluten-free. Another cool thing to note is that the full size version has refillable cartridges which helps the environment and saves us money! Bargain!
Whats the B Word?
Even though I haven’t finished all of the products yet, I do believe that Fenty Skin is worth the hype it is receiving. From the inclusivity of the line down to it being good for the environment. Everything about it makes sense and is cohesive, it doesn’t feel like a celebrity just slapping their name on a cleanser and calling it a day (I’m not mentioning any names … Kylie Jenner). The packaging is beautiful and sleek and what’s more important is that the product inside is just as amazing. Ive had sh*t skin since I was a teenager with hormones and acne really denting my confidence, but after solely using Fenty skin for the past month I have seen real improvements. I will definitely be going on to purchase the full sized versions; but might try the new night cream they released to see if I prefer using the combination of the two.
Have you tried Fenty skin yet? Let me know in the comments! I hope you enjoyed this post and look forward to seeing you in the next blog!
Hey lil B’s, and welcome to another post. This is an exciting one for me, but I’m not going to lie … I am bricking it! I am going to be running in an official 10k at the end of July in London Town. I don’t feel prepared. HELP!
For those of you that don’t know, I took part in the Endometriosis 10k challenge in March, and fell in love with running to the point where I wanted to do it properly. And yes, by properly I meant where I can get a medal. I will be honest with you, before the pandemic I had NEVER run before, and really wanted nothing to do with it. When I saw people running, they never looked happy and kind of always looked in pain … and that was not the life I wanted. However, as soon as I did my first run, I caught the bug and I have been doing it ever since. Am I any good … No, but I am enjoying myself so what does it matter.
The most important thing about this 10k is that I am doing it with Endometriosis UK to raise money and awareness for this illness. I will go in to detail about Endo to any new readers in a later post, but synopsis … Its shit and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Any money I raise for this run will be going straight to Endometriosis UK so that they can help make a difference from the millions who suffer from this hell and hopefully make things better for the future.
If you would like to donate to this run I will attach a link here. Please don’t feel like you have to, to be honest any support will be much appreciated and will get me through my run. Also if you have any questions or need advice on anything endo related don’t hesitate to ask, information can be hard to find and from my experience getting advice and help from others in a similar situation is best.
P.S I really hope isn’t doesn’t rain … that would not be fun for me!
If you are new here, I’m Belle and this is my new venture in the blogosphere … The B Word. Some of you might be familiar with my old sight “BelleBlogs” and a wondering to yourself, why have you started from the beginning again when you already had a good following? Well in all honesty … I fell out of love with blogging and what I had built on the internet and the only way I saw myself finding that spark again was by starting completely from scratch. Also, in my mind “BelleBlogs” wasn’t me anymore. I have changed so much since lil 19 year old me starting blogging and to be honest I grew out of my previous blog, thus welcoming “The B Word”.
“The B Word” is going to be my way to express myself and life milestones as a 25 year old still trying to find herself in the craziness of social media, however a lot of the topics from “BelleBlogs” will still come with me (believe me I’ve still got lots to talk about).
We will be exploring all things to do with beauty, living life in your mid twenties and navigating my way through endometriosis, so if any of that sounds interesting to you, feel free to grab a cuppa and stick around.
The B Word 