May Beauty Favourites

It’s accidentally been a while since I did one of these, so I thought it was time for another monthly favourites roundup – sharing the very best beauty products I’m using and loving right now.

I’m a lifelong beauty lover (I was sneaking into my mother’s dressing table and putting on her lipstick before I could even walk), and obsess over the perfect fragrance, high-tech skincare solutions, and finding the very best versions out there. I’m lucky enough to get sent a lot of products to try, but I buy a lot myself too. Either way, I would never recommend anything on here unless it really passes my (very high) standards. So rather than just telling you about the latest launches or things I’ve just bought and am excited to try (which I’m more likely to share over on my Instagram stories), this is where I share those products I’ve genuinely been using for a while and think are worth shouting about – from my fragrance of the month to the skincare solution I don’t know how I lived before discovering and think you should try too – together with the new favourites that have earned their place in my regular production lineup.

Below, this month’s favourite things that have saved my skin – which I’ll admit was not looking its best after the change of seasons and too many Easter eggs (sugar is my skin’s number one nemesis). And as always, please do let me know if there’s anything specific you want to see or know about – your requests are my favourites!

Sunday Riley Retinol // Fresh Serum // Herbivore Face Oil c/- // Jade Face Roller c/-

1. Sunday Riley A+ Retinol Serum // I’m lucky that my skin is not showing signs of wrinkles as yet, but like most things in life, prevention is the best cure. I only started using retinol last year, after realising that my pores had become more noticeable and breakout scars were taking longer to heal. It took me a few tries to find one I liked (so many were just unworkable with my sensitive skin), but this is my favourite so far. If you’re new to retinol, then I recommend easing in gradually (use once per week and then gradually increase to a few nights a week) or starting with this milder overnight treatment (another favourite of mine) first and then upgrading to this one once your skin has adjusted or you need a little more. As with all retinol, just use it at night under a good layer of moisturiser (to counter the drying effects) and remember to use SPF the next day as your skin will be more photosensitive.

2. Fresh Rose Face Serum // Regular readers will know I’m a longtime Fresh enthusiast; I like just about everything they do, but their rose range is probably my favourite. This serum is so lightweight yet hydrating, is perfect for even the most sensitive skin, and smells like fresh rose petals. It’s probably my favourite daytime serum (I just bought my third bottle) and I use this every day under my moisturiser; and it makes such a difference to how hydrated and balanced my skin stays all day.

3. Herbivore Emerald Face Oil // Since discovering this brand in my local Space.NK last year, I’ve been gradually working my way through the entire range and love every single product I’ve tried so far. My skin was very out of sorts after the change in seasons coupled with a bad reaction to a product I tried last month, so I turned to their new face oil in the hopes it might help. I’ve been using it as my overnight moisturiser several nights a week and I really do wake up with better skin the next day. It’s packed with antioxidants like cannabis sativa seed oil helps to calm sensitivity or inflammation, shiitake mushroom and ashwagandha root to defend against pollution and external damage. It is deeply hydrating yet the texture is very light and absorbent; perfect for sensitive or combination skin, or for summer when you want something a little less rich than in the colder months.

4. Herbivore Jade Face Roller // I have tried a few gua shua face massagers over the last couple of years, but to be honest most of them felt like too much work in my already-fairly-elaborate morning skincare routine, so I’d just do it on days when I was feeling especially puffy or needing to look my best. But this roller version feels so much easier so I’ve been doing it every morning after I put on my face cream. The jade feels cool and helps tighten pores (you can keep it in the fridge to boost the effects), and the massage action helps to push your product deeper into the skin but also aids lymphatic drainage and really tightness and de-puffs your face.

Hourglass Foundation // Goutal Hand Cream // Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow c/-

5. Hourglass Vanish Foundation // The original Vanish stick is my favourite foundation for days when I’m having a bad skin day (it is so pigmented that it will cover even the most stubborn dark circles and breakouts without looking like you’re wearing anything), so I was keen to try this new liquid version and it did not disappoint. It still gives that perfectly natural, airbrushed finish but is lighter than the original, so I’ve been wearing it whenever I don’t need the industrial-strength help. Bonus points for having an inclusive shade range (I wear shade ‘Vanilla’ in both versions in case that is helpful to anyone).

6. Goutal Hand Cream // Obviously a fancy hand cream is a luxury rather than a necessity, but it’s one of my favourite small treats to myself. Goutal is one of my favourite fragrance brands, so I was excited to try their new collection of hand creams. I sleep with my hands by my head so I love slathering this on just before I go to sleep as a bedtime treat. If you’re a fan of Diptyque’s Baies candle, you’ll love this as it has a similar scent profile of blackcurrant, rose, peony and pepper.

7. Charlotte Tilbury ‘Dreamgasm’ Eyeshadow // Charlotte Tilbury is without a doubt one of my favourite makeup brands, and her limited editions are always so gorgeous. Her latest palette is a warmer  version of my favourite Pillow Talk quad, in gorgeous alternative in warm shades of copper and rose gold that will look so good with a summer tan. This will sell out fast!

Sam McKnight Texture Spray c/- // Kerastase Violet Shampoo // Diptyque Hair Mist

8. Sam McKnight ‘Cool Girl’ Texturising Spray // Even though I curl my hair every time I wash it, I don’t like it to look too ‘done’ or perfect. I used to use the Oribe texturising mist, but I think it’s expensive for what it is and this one does the same thing for half the price. Inspired by the ultimate cool girl, Kate Moss (who Sam has styled countless times for Vogue and on the runway), it gives that perfectly tousled day-after-a-blowdry vibe, but leaves no chalky residue. And it smells incredible too!

9. Kerastase Blond Absolu Shampoo // If you’re a blonde or have highlighted hair, then you’ll know the struggle with keeping your highlights fresh. Purple shampoo is a game-changer in keeping your colour cool, but they’re not all created equal – I’ve tried so many brands that stained my hair or ruined my highlights. This new Kerastase range is one of the only ones I’ve tried that keeps my colour just right – it neutralises brassy tones without staining them darker, and lets me push back my colour appointments at least a month.

10. Diptyque Rose Hair Perfume // I know this is another thing that can be filed under ‘unnecessary luxuries’, but I am obsessed with good smells in whatever iteration they come in. I used the orange blossom version all last summer and loved it so much, I bought this rose version for spring. Perfume last longer on your hair than it does your skin, so this is the same scent as the regular perfume but with less alcohol and more nourishing oils so it doesn’t dry out your hair (because sun + the alcohol in regular perfume = parched hair). I still wear my favourite perfume on my skin, but I love the combination of this in my hair as well.

Which products are you loving at the moment? Let me know your recommendations in the comments below and I’ll try them!

Love, Briony xx