Liberty London Beauty Advent Calendar 2019

Despite being a long term lover of Liberty London and an even longer lover of all things skincare, I never dreamed that I would own their infamous beauty advent calendar due to years of it selling out before I could get my hands on it. Nevertheless, here we are and I'm so excited to talk to you today about my very first Liberty London Advent Calendar!

Each year the Liberty London Advent Calendar holds its place as one of the best luxury beauty advent calendars you can get, forming one of the fastest selling luxury calendars on the market. This year, they made 46% more to prolong the stock lists and avoid that release-day stress which worked quite effectively. Throughout the month of November the calendar was still in stock until its eventual sell out at the end of the month.

The Liberty London Beauty Advent Calendar is made using a sturdy, recyclable box that displays the iconic Liberty London advent calendar print on front with the beautiful 'Strawberry Thief' print from the Liberty Classics collection throughout the interior. I don't know about you, but I definitely think this is beautiful enough to keep and reuse for years to come!

Overall, the products included (in opening order) are:

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré

Hello everyone! Today I am very excited to be reviewing something I've been lusting over for years, but for some reason never got around to purchasing until a few months back - Embryolisse's 'Lait-Crème Concentré'. Loved by make-up artists for decades, Embryolisse describes this highly praised product as a 'Multi-function nourishing moisturiser'. At first I was a little confused as to what that meant exactly, but after a few months of daily use I've come to discover what a wonderfully versatile 'moisturiser' this truly is. I'm going to structure this review a little differently to my others and talk about my thoughts in relation to its different uses, rather than a general overview. I'm hoping that this way you can get a feel for just how truly fabulous this little beauty is to have as part of your skincare stash!

Moisturiser
What I purchased the Lait-Crème Concentré for - it's moisturising properties are actually quite surprising. For some reason I assumed this to possess a really thick, creamy texture (something which just sounds all too inviting for dehydrated skin), but it's actually quite runny in consistency! If you're like me and you often associate thickness with higher nourishment, then I wouldn't be put off by this at all. In fact, I've found many benefits to using a moisturiser that has a lighter, more milky consistency, the main of which being its spreadability and short absorption time. A little truly does go a long way and can be built up on any areas where you may perhaps need the extra help. I have been applying this after cleansing with my rediscovered Elemis cleanser (review here) and have found that within a minute I'm left with a gorgeously smooth, fresh face with no grease or moisturiser residue left over...

Elemis Biotec Skin Energising Cleanser

Over the past few years I have been introduced to a vast variety of brands that I'd of course previously heard about, but had never really had the chance to try out before. One of those brands was Elemis and oh my goodness I can't even express how happy I am that I was introduced to the Elemis world!! Whilst there are a few products I have tried, tested and loved; the one that stood out to me the most was the 'Skin Energising' cleanser from the 'Biotec' range that launched back in 2016. Elemis very kindly gifted me some PR samples, and as I worked my way through those I just knew that I needed to go and stock up on another one of these beauties before it ran out. Now that I've had the opportunity to use the Elemis 'Biotec Skin Energising Cleanser' over quite a prolonged period of time, I felt it time to write a review outlining why it remains to be one of my all-time favourite cleansers to use.

I always associated Elemis as being that which possess a price tag I'm not usually accustomed to spending on skincare. Nevertheless, I actually found with the 'Biotec Skin Energising Cleanser' that the quality is so superior to other cleansers I'd previously tried that it proved to be a lot more cost-per-use effective in comparison.  Two small pumps of this gorgeous cleanser is enough to fully cover my face and neck with ease, and considering it's a hefty 200ml for £40.00, I think that that's pretty impressive. Two pumps and a splash of water later, you're faced with (excuse the pun) a luxuriously nourishing, thick lather which really does feel as though you're treating yourself to a facial each and every time you use it. Not only does it cleanse the skin both beautifully and gently; but it has helped to inject some glow back into my usually sensitive, dull-looking skin - something I wouldn't normally expect from something that doesn't spend all too long on your face in comparison to other, more concentrated products designed for that purpose. 

The Beauty Expert Collection - The Rose Edition

Beauty Expert is one of my favourite places to online shop all things skincare and beauty. Not only do they stock an amazing range of brands and products, but they often host quite frequent discount offers which I've found to prove a lot more enticing than it's competitors. What is even more exciting however is that Beauty Expert have now launched their own collection series, 'The Beauty Expert Collection', whereby each collection that's released will contain selected products that tie in with a particular theme. For the collections launch, Beauty Expert decided to go with a rose theme, meaning all the products contained within will have some relation to rose, which personally I think is a perfect choice for these summer months as rose is one of those skincare saviours perfect for soothing irritated, perhaps sensitive skin that can sometimes arise at this time of year from sun exposure.

As you can see, the collection comes in a lovely little vanity case which feels of superb quality, making this particular collection a nice change from a usual cardboard box. I really feel that this simple touch makes the whole experience of uncovering the secrets within all that more exciting, and it really does help to add that luxury feel to the experience...

The Puffin in Bloom Collection

I have to admit, I was a little nervous about what to pick up for Mothers Day this year. That is, until I discovered these beautiful little gems. The Puffin in Bloom collection contains some childhood classics that, personally, I feel should be on everybody's bookshelf. The set of four includes: 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott; 'A Little Princess' by Frances Hodgson Burnett; 'Anne of Green Gables' by Lucy Maud Montgomery; and lastly, 'Heidi' by Johanna Spyri. Not only does it possess a beautiful collection of literature, but the gorgeously vibrant cover art has been especially designed by Anna Bond, Rifle Paper Co.'s principal artist and my oh my... I know we ought not to judge a book by its cover, but how could you not when holding this collection in your hands? 

The collection itself comes in a fittingly designed display box, which shares that same minimalistic foliage design that Anna Bond has become so well known for. Each of the four books in the collection are hardback, which I think really adds to the special feel of this collection, and gives it that extra quality needed if they are to potentially be passed down through generations in the family. I personally don't like canvas as I think they get grubby quite easily, so I was pleased to see that the Puffin in Bloom collection featured smooth, yet still vibrant covers. Additionally, they're quite a bit shorter than the average paperback book, which makes them so very easy to hold, or perhaps to carry on you if you enjoy a cheeky relaxing read during your morning commute like I do. Lastly, what I think I love most about the design of this collection in particular, is that each of the rear covers feature a proudly framed quote, giving some inclination as to what secrets may lay inside.

Lush Butterbear Bath Bomb

I know, I knoooooow. Oh deary me. I think it's safe to say that I got a litttttttle (ok, a lot) behind on publishing my Blogmas posts but never fear! I aim to have fully caught up by the end of the week, so stay tuned for lots of new updates over the next few coming days! Life, health, uni deadlines and social life all got in the way - blimey, December is a bit of a busy one isn't it?! Either way, as I've shared numerous times before here on Hannah Delacour, I find there's nothing better to help you relax in the evenings than to have a nice, warm (aka burning hot) bath - especially now that we've moved into the winter months! I'd never tried many things from the Lush Christmas range before so I was super excited to pick up quite a few goodies this year, and the first I had to try just haaaad to be this cute lil' bath bomb named 'Butterbear'. 

Lush Mask of Magnaminty Review

When I have weeks full of uni deadlines alongside work commitments, it's so easy to keep getting myself wound up - so I always try to ensure to take some 'me time' out in the evening before bed, just to make sure I'm as calm and relaxed as I can possibly be before I go to sleep. I'm sure many a people do that too, but if you don't - please don't let other people or work stresses completely demolish your day and the start of the next. Your mental health and emotional clarity is far more important (easier said than done, I know). One of the methods I find most helpful in relaxing my mood is to use a face mask and today, I will be talking about an all time favourite of mine - the Mask of Magnaminty by Lush. (link)

For the longest time, I was always deterred from buying one of the all-famous Fresh Face Masks by Lush due to their short life span. What's absolutely fabulous now however is that Lush responded to this wide deterrent and produced a 'self-preserving' adaptation of the highly raved about mask, so that's shelf life is extended to approximately three months. Still not perfect, but it definitely provides a more realistic time span to get through it in my opinion!

Lush boldly label this mask as a 'multi-purpose' saviour: seeking to clean, calm and clear the skin. From past experience, I have usually found that a 'multi-purpose' mask is only truly good at one of the properties it so adopts. Nevertheless, I really have found that regular use (once a week) of the Mask of Magnaminty mask has contributed greatly to the clearing and calming of my skin. Despite this, I'd recommend that anyone who suffers particularly sensitive skin to try out a sample first, as it's prominent ingredient of peppermint oil - intended to 'stimulate the skin' - may stimulate a little too much for your liking. I have found at times that if my skin is feeling especially sensitive, Mask of Magnaminty can spark a burning feeling which feels very harsh on the skin. Whilst this is the case on occasion, my overall experience whilst using this mask has proved to be quite an enjoyable, beneficial one!

Lush also highlights

Lush 'Santa's Belly' Shower Jelly

If you follow me on either Instagram and/or Twitter, you will know that I have developed somewhat of an 'aggressive' obsession with Lush shall we say. I haven't spent my money on anything else apart from food, transport, and Lush stuff recently which I think says a lot in itself, haha! I had actually managed to finish almost all of my skincare supplies at the same time a few weeks ago, and whilst picking up another batch of my long loved gems I decided it only fair to step outside my comfort zone a little and really explore the extent of Lush's vast product range. Safe to say - I'm so happy that I did! Today I thought I would review the item that was most outside of my comfort zone: 'Santa's Belly Shower Jelly'.

I had never been drawn to using a shower jelly before as, in all honesty, I wasn't quite sure how to actually use them, and perceived them as far more fuss than my regular shower gel option. Even so, Santa's Belly managed to grab my eye with its gorgeous, deep red attire, hosting cute little fun stars inside. The smell of this in the pot is exactly like freshly cut apples. More precisely: freshly cut pink lady apples. Yum! If you're a little disappointed that the 'So White' shower gel didn't make a return in this year's Christmas collection, I'd definitely give this jelly a second look as it could just be the thing to calm the pain in your shower product-loving void. Once I actually started using this in the shower under a line of warm water, I noticed that the scent of this item began to dramatically change.

'On My Face' | 21st Birthday

Hello everyone! Today I thought it would be a fun idea to make a list of what I wore for my 21st birthday. I have an absolutely terrible memory, so it'll be interesting to look back on, and it's just something that I think would be nice to remember! On birthdays, I always want to feel comfortable, yet still a little bit special - so I decided to opt for some of my long term favourites, as well as some new found loves. I hope you enjoy seeing what I wore, and I'll see you tomorrow! 

1. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 'Ivory' | £6.99
2. Clarins Instant Concealer in 'shade 01' | £21.50
3. Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in 'Transparent' | £3.99
4. Benefit Blusher in 'Bella Bamba' | Discontinued?? 
5. Milani Baked Blush in '03 Berry Amore' (as a highlight) | $8.49 
6. Benefit Bronzing Powder in 'Hoola' | Part of set - full size: £23.50
7. The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in 'shade 02' | £13.00
8. Lancôme  Hypnôse Stay Eyes Palette in 'Gris Fume' | £37.00
9. Tarte Eyeliner | ???
10. DIOR Diorshow Mascara in 'Black' | (sample) - full size: £24.50
11. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant (on lips) | £26.00

- Hannah x

Gemporia: Ratanakiri Zircon 9K Gold Ring Review [AD]

Hello everyone! I hope you had a lovely week! Today I'm very excited to be reviewing this beautiful 0.29ct Ratanakiri Zircon 9k Gold Ring that was very kindly sent to be by the lovely team at Gemporia. Until recently, I had never heard of Gemporia, however I was soon sold by their wide array of styles, gemstones, metals and designs, as well as the encouraging brand ethics behind the sourcing of those materials. Not only does the brand work closely with the communities where the gemstones are sourced, (the stone of this ring being from Cambodia - how cool is that?!) they also work to get actively involved in localised charities that support the health and education of those sourcing the materials. Influenced by this, the brands ethos stresses that "beautiful jewellery shouldn't cost the earth", which I think is a wonderful attitude to have (and is quite a clever slogan!). 

The prices are absolutely amazing for the carat weighting and precious metals used, yet the quality doesn't at all suffer which I think is absolutely admirable as it makes the luxury of fine jewellery a lot more accessible to those of us who would like to treat ourselves to something special, but can't afford to fork out serious dollar. Unfortunately, I'm not able to wear high-street jewellery as the high acidity in my skin means that I'm prone to getting green fingers (eww!), so I'm always on the hunt for good quality precious metals that are budget friendly, which is why I'm so excited that I've now discovered Gemporia and their fabulous range!

Cougar Beauty Products: Perfect Pout Lip Plumper [AD]

Hello everyone! I hope you've had a lovely week thus far! Today I have another product review for you, this time focusing on the 'Perfect Pout Volume and Shape Definition Lip Plumper' by Cougar Beauty Products. Since Kylie Jenner came on the scene I feel as though it's become almost 'trendy' to plump up your lips at least a little. I have to admit, I am definitely not one for lip plumping as it's all too much fuss for me, and I haven't had much success in the past. I always used to hate liquid/gloss methods of lip plumping as I could never deal with the way that type of product would make my lips feel - y'know, all tingly and like they're on fire? Nevertheless, when Cougar Beauty Products contacted me to see how I'd like their lip plumper, I thought I'd give it a try - and oh am I so glad that I did! 

Lush Ultrabland Cleanser

Hey everyone! Today I'll be reviewing one of my all time favourites from Lush Cosmetics: Ultrabland facial cleanser. Described as an 'Ultra-simple and ultra-effective' emulsifying cleanser, Ultrabland's formula is inspired by an Ancient Greek formula for cold cream - possessing a thick, butter-like consistency and texture. Now, I do realise that this doesn't sound all too exciting in comparison to some of the brightly coloured, gorgeously-scented cleansers that Lush has to offer, but trust me - the simplicity of this cleanser is what I'd argue really makes it sing. Overall, Ultrabland facial cleanser possesses a mere ten ingredients... (what?!). Formulated from a variety of natural oils, alongside beeswax and honey which work to grip onto any dirt and make-up on your face, it is so easy to achieve a rich, nourishing cleanse. Due to it's incredible 100% natural ingredients list, you're able to remove even the most stubborn of waterproof mascaras and not suffer from tight and/or stripped skin as other powerful make-up removers can be known to induce. Rather, you're left with clean, plumper, healthier looking skin...