Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF50

There once was a small Clinique pot filled with Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF50:

And then it was empty and I was sad. But then I made a visit to Selfridges and purchased a full size one and all was right with the world.

Ok so the tale didn't happen quite that way. First of all I did some research, which is always a great place to start with any proposed purchase. As you are aware from my rant about sun cream, me and the sticky white stuff aren't the best of friends, so I did a bit of Googling and blog reading - it was a hardship but I slogged it out ;0)

Then, after reading some really good things about this product I wanted to take my research to the next level - clinical trial, otherwise known as getting a tester and trying it on my mush. So I hotfooted it down to the Kiehl's counter at Manchester Selfridges and the lovely, and I mean LOVELY, lady on the counter gave me a tester. Now you may be wondering why my tester was in a Clinique pot. This was because the lady didn't have any normal testers of this product (normally they have pre-packaged testers) and she also didn't have any empty tester pots, so she asked the Clinique counter for one. You know what I call that?! Going above and beyond! Its what great customer service is made of. And you know what else?! Once I tried this product I found out that I loved it! Which resulted in me going back to the same Kiehl's counter at the same Selfridges to buy it. The moral of this story - brilliant customer service breeds loyalty, and also happy customers - just saying. Just a side note, the second lady I spoke to at the counter was just as lovely as the first.

So why do I like Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF50? Well its factor 50 first of all. Which I do believe is the highest factor on the market. Remember the SPF is the UVB filter only. However this baby also has PA+++ which is also the highest PA rating (thats one of the ratings used for the UVA protection). So its safe to say that when wearing this I am pretty well protected. Aside from this, the consistency of this product is quite nice compared with other sun creams. Its not oil-slick central like some (I'm looking at you Benefit Dream Screen) and not too heavy like you've left a face masque on all day, which is as much as I can hope for with a sun cream. I mean it doesn't feel as nice as just wearing a moisturiser, but then I have to remind my self that I am not just wearing a moisturiser and if I want this kind of protection there has to be some compromise. So what else do I like about this product? Well the packaging is nice. Its sleek and minimalist cool, so it would look good on both boys and girls shelves. Sun protection aint just for the ladies you know! Also the packaging feels nice in my hands. Its smooth and a bit squishy. Also did I mention the customer service?!

And the cost? Well...its not the cheapest thing I've ever bought, £35 for a 60ml tube, but its worth it to get some serious skin protection and not feel absolutely minging all day. So there you have it, a bit of nice sun screen. Who would have thought it ?!

Stacey x x

Ciate nail polishes

Check these babies out! This is my Ciate nail polish collection (In the front, the back are OPI). Straight from the 2013 Ciate advent calendar. Now I know when first reviewing this calendar I said that I probably wouldn't pay full price for it and I probably wouldn't buy it again next year. Well...I might have had a small change of heart. I love these nail polishes! The formula is great, goes on easy and smooth, and east to take off. No chipping. The colours are lovely and it must be the only time that I would buy the mini size over the full size. Every other brand where I have tried the mini size I have hated them, finding that they have dried out too quickly and the lid (where the brush is) hasn't been easy to use - which means messy application. These do not have any of those faults. Also they look like they were made to fit my shelves and I can't tell you how much that makes me happy. Soooo I'm thinking about buying the Ciate calendar again this year. You know if it's on the cheap, or maybe even if it's not. You will have to wait and see.

Foundation for pale faces

L-R: Urban Decay, Cover FX, Illamasqua skin base, Bare Minerals, Illamasqua powder foundation. 

As I'm sure you know by now I am distinctly lacking in the colour department when it comes to skin tone. And because of this I also struggle in the foundation department. You see even though it rains 90% of the time in the UK and the other 10% of the time its over cast, the foundations on offer do not accommodate pale ladies like my self. So I have had to hunt, and I'm still hunting actually, to find foundations in a whiter shade of pale.