Five things I’m loving this week: 13th February

I’ve been having a fairly quiet week after a resurgence of this weird virus, but I’m definitely on the mend now. Probably. Anyway, I’ve been taking it easy and having a little bit of TLC which is reflected in this latest roundup of thrifty treats and handy finds.

First up we have my review of Makeup Revolution London’s Conceal & Define Full Coverage Conceal and Contour. Yes! This stuff really is as good as the hype says it is: a high coverage, great quality concealer in a choice of 18 different shades. If you can find a shade that fits your skin tone, you’ll get a long lasting concealer that covers red marks, small scars and other blemishes with medium to full coverage and performs as well as a pricey high end product. You can use it on dark circles under the eye too, but like all concealers of this type there will be some drifting into fine lines, although my personal preference is to use a light reflective product here rather than an opaque one.

I found a great colour match for my medium-fair skin in shade C2, which is their second-lightest shade with a slightly warm undertone. If you’re extra fair with cool undertones you might not be so lucky, but most fair-to-light and darker shades are catered for. It blends nicely, sets quickly to give an opaque finish and it lasts well, especially if you set it with a tiny amount of finishing powder. You get 3.4ml in a clear tube with a doe foot wand, and it’s an absolute bargain at only £4.00 a pop.

You can buy a limited range of shades in store at Superdrug, or find the full range at Superdrug online, or at the manufacturer, Tam Beauty. Some of the colours have been going in and out of stock due to popularity, but be patient because they’ll be restocking soon enough.

My next beauty find is a product that came out a few weeks back and I can’t work out why it didn’t get more of a fuss at the time. It’s NYX Lid Lingerie Matt Eye Tint, which costs £6.00 and is available from Boots and NYX UK. Again, this handles like a good quality designer liquid/cream eyeshadow, with a nice level of pigmentation, very easy blendability, and an attractive range of 12 shades. There’s a rumour that these contain the same main ingredients as the Armani liquid eye colours, and I can believe it.

I have this in the shade ‘Revel’, which is a soft, subtle light nude colour that’s perfect for everyday work-appropriate looks. It dries to a soft matte finish, doesn’t crack or slip or fade, and I got a full 12 hours of wear out of it without even using a primer. This is holy grail stuff for someone whose eyelids practically eat makeup, and you can rest assured I will be going back for some of the darker and brighter colours come payday.

For a little bit of ultra low cost TLC, I’ve also been using Essence Nail Caring Oil which is £2.00 at Wilko for a generous 8ml bottle. This has apricot oil in it, handy for repairing ragged cuticles that have been affected by the cold weather and a bout of illness, and I’ve been using it a few times a day.

If you have a cough or a sore throat and you’re fed up of menthol / eucalyptus cough sweets, you might like to try the softer, floral flavour of Ricola Sugar Free Elderflower Swiss Herbal Sweets. These are on offer for £1.00 at Sainsbury’s this week and they’re a welcome change from the stronger cough drops as well as being kinder for teeth.

And finally, I’ve rediscovered an oldie but a goodie: Yogi Tea Classic cinnamon and ginger tea bags, are a caffeine free way to make a soothing spicy chai for the cold weather. These are £2.35 a box at Holland & Barrett, and I’ve just started making them with almond milk for an evening drink that doesn’t keep you awake.

So that’s a few hottt reviews and low-cost rediscovered favourites for you from the Haus of Germs, the residence formerly known as Golightly Gardens. Have you tried any of these goodies yet yourself?