April Favourites

April has been a refreshing start to the Spring months, finally catching some sun rays, although perhaps scarcely, and occasionally ditching the winter layers if I'm feeling brave. These are five of my skincare and make-up favourites that I have been enjoying this month. . .

1. John Frieda Beach Blonde Shampoo & Conditioner | Superdrug £5.99 each

I knew these were going to be in my favourites this month even before I bought them as I'd heard many positive things about them. They were discontinued by John Frieda a while ago, but they've made a comeback recently and are firmly back on the shelves. I'm finding that this is a similar theme in hair products - the old Herbal Essences shampoos came back a few years ago after being replaced by some jazzy new bottles, which just goes to show that the old stuff is usually the best. Anyway, I absolutely love the smell of these, it's quite unusual for a hair product to be so minty (I'm used to fruit-smelling-hair) but it's really fresh and different. Also, the nozzle the shampoo and conditioner comes out of is a lot smaller than most bottles (a slightly strange feature to appreciate) but it means you can control how much you use a lot easier, as I always forget that you really don't need a lot of shampoo to cover your entire hair, even if it's long. The bottles really brighten up your bathroom and are just very pretty to look at. The beachy, salt-laden effect that a beach-related product should produce definitely materializes when my hair dries, even if it is not so appropriate in day-to-day life and much more suited for the seaside. A tiny bit expensive for high-street hair products but I would definitely buy again - if you can get them on offer (I got mine from Superdrug for half price) then give them a go.

2. Avene Eau Thermale Water Spray | Boots £3.50

I bought this at a time when I was in the mind-set of desperately wanting to try the Avene range but also slightly strapped for cash (thank goodness it's the end of the month..) - hence the very small bottle. Also, since this is just essentially a tin of water, I couldn't really justify spending double on the full-size one. Yet, despite its very simple nature, I cannot stop using it - I am becoming very attached to this little product. I think it really comes into its own when you have irritated, perhaps sunburnt or sensitive skin, but my skin is none of that at the moment but I love it just the same. I use it mostly after I've applied my make-up, but sometimes I find myself wanting to spray it just in the middle of the day at a completely unnecessary time. I think it does set make-up well, it never makes it run or move out of place, but I like it just to refresh and cool my skin. So maybe it is not an entirely useful part of my skincare routine at the moment, but I am really excited to take this with me when I travel in summer as it will be heavenly in a hot and sweaty climate.

3. High Lights by Technic Highlighter | Amazon £2.31 (and free delivery..!)

I am sure I've probably reviewed this highlighter somewhere on my blog before, as I've had it for a long time, but I don't think this highlighter always gets the recognition it deserves. First of all, it is insanely cheap in comparison to its high-end counterpart, and you get a lot of product for your money (12ml). I bought it as an add-on item initially, but since testing it out I have been using it as a staple in my make-up bag ever since. You only need to dab a tiny bit on your skin and blend, and it leaves a lovely glow which lasts for a surprisingly long time throughout the day. I mainly use it on my cheekbones before I apply blusher or bronzer, and even when I apply these over the top the shine still comes through. I really love the glowing, dewy skin look at the moment and this is the perfect highlighter to achieve that effect.

4. Korres Wild Rose Instant Brightening Mask | Feel Unique £7.00

 Korres is a brand that I love to browse as I constantly read great reviews of the products and I absolutely love the packaging, so when I caved and finally ordered something I went for the Instant Brightening Mask as it was one of the cheaper products that they sell. I had my reservations as I'd seen comments that it was an extremely small product, and at only 15ml you don't get too much for your money. Although this is true, it's the only negative that I can think of regarding the mask. It comes in a pretty white box (toothpaste-style), and the product itself is a thin, white cream that you apply all over your face. I usually only apply it in areas that I need it e.g. T zone, to try and make the tube last as long as possible, but luckily a little bit goes a long way. After use, my skin feels a lot softer and brighter - I think it works really well to hydrate dry skin. Korres products are all made using natural ingredients which makes them even better. I'm also really interested in trying the make-up products by the brand which are equally as pleasing on the eye.

5. Maybelline Colour Drama in 630 Nude Perfection | Superdrug £4.99

After seeing this lipstick pretty much everywhere lately I decided to test the hype myself. I wanted a colour that I could wear during the day, and many of the shades are quite dramatic - Nude Perfection was the one I went for. It was quite hard to find, being sold out in many of the high-street shops I looked in (always a sign of a good product), but I finally picked up the last one in a local Superdrug. The shade is a little darker than I expected, but it is a really lovely deep nude that it just subtle enough for day-wear. I also love the design of these lipsticks, as the pencil-esque style means you don't have to search around for a matching lip liner - it is essentially built in for you. The formula is just about okay to wear without a lip-balm underneath, but I usually do anyway to prevent it from going dry and flaky. For under a fiver it is really good value, if I'm brave enough I might try some of the darker shades to wear on a night out.

The photographs are taken on the beautiful pages of the Spring 2015 issue of Porter magazine and are all my own pictures.