There are times when all of us want/need to create a quick, radiant makeup look with minimal effort. We don’t have time to go the whole hog with a full face of slap, but still want to look good! As my youngest child has just started school, I now have two little ones to get out early in the morning, which leaves little time for pampering. These are the products I’ve been turning to lately for fast, effective results when I need to look alert and presentable pronto!
I’ve raved about Alpha-H products often enough for you to know how much I love them - and these two recent launches are no exception.
Alpha H Tinted Moisturiser is everything that many BB balms claim to be, no fancy labels required and comes in 3 shades: light, medium or dark. It has SPF, light coverage, illuminating and hydrating properties, Vitamin E and a host of skin wonders including Organic Sunflower Sprout Extract and plumping Lipto-Peptides. One tip, squeeze verrry gently as it comes out of the tube super fast & you need very little! While this works well on its own, I love it most when combined with the another little beauty….
Liquid Gold Perfecting Daywear is a new daily perfecting serum, rich in hydrating and plumping hero, hyaluronic acid. Described as a complexion enhancer, it illuminates, smooths and resurfaces via Glycolic Acid and Peptides. And if all that’s not enough, micro bronzing spheres burst on application, giving the sheerest hint of glow to the skin - not a tan - just a not-deathly-pale finish. It can be worn alone, under or over moisturiser.
Please don’t hate me for this, but these two products worn together = a magical combination. I’ll show you some swatches to illustrate…
Swatches
Alpha-H Tinted Moisturiser in Light and Liquid Gold Perfecting Daywear*, above. Can you see the teensy dark specs? Those are the ‘bronzing spheres’! The gold dots are light reflecting particles!
Above, the two are swatched separately.
And together… See?! Can you see how the smooth finish from the tinted moisturiser and the radiance from the Perfecting Daywear work so well together? I guess they could be blended together, but I’ve been using the Tinted Moisturiser on top.
Coming into wilder weather, it’s not quite enough coverage for my personal preference, as I suffer Rudolph nose and white/purple/blue cheeks in Winter, so tend to up the coverage, but right now, it’s just gorgeous - and for those of you blessed with reasonably even toned skin will love it! Both products actually look lovely patted on top of any other foundation, just to add a little radiance across cheekbones etc, like you would with a highlighter.
Here I am, supposed to be telling you about a quick fix and I’m rambling on getting all excited about these products, but they’re worth getting excited about, honestly! If I had to choose just one, I’d choose the Perfecting Daywear, but if you’re in the market for a tinted moisturiser, the Alpha-H is hard to beat. Because they both offer such extensive skincare benefits and are essentially treatments, they don’t come cheap (price below) but they will last me a long time as only the smallest amount of both is required.
Lips & Eyes
In the morning I really don’t have time to do full eye makeup - I’m winning if I get as far as mascara (and if it’s sunny, I pop on some sunglasses & save that extra minute!).
NATorigin Mascara is one of the best I’ve tried recently. I love a brown mascara as I find black too harsh and this is the loveliest chocolatey shade. It leaves my lashes looking long and well defined - and just like its much more expensive counterparts - feeling soft! It doesn’t irritate my eyes at all, which is great as mine are so sensitive and is easy to remove.
NATorigin lipstick in Lychee #52, another multiple award winning product by this cruelty-free organic brand, is a My-Lips-But-Better natural pinky brown. I barely look like I’m wearing any lipstick at all in this, yet my lips look healthy, well moisturised and ‘finished’. It’s packed with goodness and incredibly moisturising; not the longest lasting as a result, but that’s ok - it makes me look alive in the mornings and that’s all I ask of it!
Cheeks
The final item in my quick fix face is Revolution Organics Beauty Balm in Sunkissed, which I reviewed in full recently {here}. I can dab this on the apples of my cheeks and pat it in with my fingers for an instant completion of that faux healthy glow.
All of this genuinely does take five minutes max and is generally done while the kids get their coats & bags on….
1. A layer of Perfecting Daywear & TInted Moisturiser
2. NATorigin mascara & lipstick while the above ‘settle’
3. Beauty Balm on the cheeks
As for my hair, forget it - I just twist it into a topknot and race out the door!
Prices & Product Links
Alpha-H Tinted Moisturiser (light, medium or dark), £34.95 here
Alpha-H Liquid Gold Perfecting Daywear, £39.95 here
NATorigin Lengthening Mascara (black, brown, blue or green), £13.50 here
NATorigin Lipstick in Lychee #52, £15.50 here
Revolution Organics Beauty Balm in Sunkissed, £21 here
How long do you spend on your morning face?
