Mineral-based makeup is extremely popular now and is a natural alternative to chemical-based makeup. La Bella Donna hails from the US where the brand was developed by a US mother and daughter team Kathy and Nicole Tracy who wanted to develop a healthy alternative to traditional makeup. Their range of mineral-based products are highly recommended by dermatologists and plastic surgeons and are particularly suitable for those with sensitive, problem or allergy prone skin as well as post-operative coverage.

Products made by La Bella Donna are all mineral-based formulas made from natural elements-mineral-based pigments to provide a natural looking color. They also contain a non-chemical sub block (SPF 20) which is essential for sun protection.

La Bella Donna concealer comes in a small, lightweight, silver plastic 4g pot with a screw on lid and a clear Perspex centre so you can inspect the contents. There are four shades to choose from with 1 being the lightest and 4 the darkest. The consistency is similar to a cream blusher, quite firm to the touch but creamy.

It is waterproof, therefore long lasting so you’ll only need to apply it once a day. It’s also incredibly lightweight and it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing makeup at all. And for those staying out late and too tired to wash off their makeup before bed, don’t worry. It’s perfectly healthy for your skin to leave this makeup on overnight. And it will still be there in the morning!

You have to supply your own brush to apply it, otherwise you can use your fingers. I use a fine, soft makeup brush about half a cm wide which works really well. You need to lightly wipe the brush onto the concealer, then dab it onto the areas you wish to ‘conceal’. You can either use the brush or your ring finger to blend it in. Personally, I find it’s really easy blending using the brush alone.

Using a concealer this way feels like almost makes me feel like a ‘professional makeup artist’. It takes a moment to apply and I use it on most days, often on its own as a quick touch up for under eye circles or the odd blemish.

After using it almost daily for around 10 months, about one quarter used up so it’s exceptionally good value. Products made by La Bella Donna aren’t generally available in shops. Instead they’re more likely to be found in Spa treatment centers, for example beautyworkswest in the UK. Alternatively, you can purchase from labelladonna.com or Amazon - La Bella Donna Mineral Eraser 0.14 oz.

Lancome Teint Miracle

Even without the beautiful face of Julia Roberts adorning their promotional campaigns, Lancome is a well recognized and respected name in premium skincare.  Their expertise stems from over 70 years experience and the combined collaboration of their research centers in the US, France and Japan. With this kind of backing, the launch of Lancome’s Teint Miracle foundation aroused much interest and may well be the foundation women have spent years searching for.

Teint Miracle boasts it is the first to make use of the way skin absorbs the light. It accomplishes this feat with its ‘perfection through light: Aura-Inside technology’ which improves the way skin absorbs and reflects light.

Even without the beautiful face of Julia Roberts adorning their promotional campaigns, Lancome is a well recognized and respected name in premium skincare.  Their expertise stems from over 70 years experience and the combined collaboration of their research centers in the US, France and Japan. With this kind of backing, the launch of Lancome’s Teint Miracle foundation aroused much interest and may well be the foundation women have spent years searching for. Read the entire review here to see how well it fares.

Teint Miracle

Even without the beautiful face of Julia Roberts adorning their promotional campaigns, Lancome is a well recognized and respected name in premium skincare.  Their expertise stems from over 70 years experience and the combined collaboration of their research centers in the US, France and Japan. With this kind of backing, the launch of Lancome’s Teint Miracle foundation aroused much interest and may well be the foundation women have spent years searching for. Read the entire review here to see how well it fares.

Teint Miracle by Lancome, Paris

Amazon US		Amazon UK

It's not that long ago when putting your makeup on in the morning involved applying a bit of moisturizer followed by foundation and maybe powder or blusher.  Now though, we are urged to use more and more products, applying layer upon layer over our facial skin to hide all traces of whatever’s lurking underneath. One of the most recent additions to our cluttered makeup bags is a primer. Revlon have produced a primer as part of their Age Defying skincare range which caters for dry skin as well as normal to combination skin.

Choosing the right foundation can be a hit or miss affair. Countless numbers of women must spend years searching for the holy grail of foundations, the one that really will make your skin appear ‘flawless’.

While this claim is wearing a bit thin now, we can live in hope. Anyway, it's there again, promoting a new addition to the Revlon range with its Beyond Natural skin matching makeup.

17 High Gloss Nail Polish

Purchasing nail polish often involves a great deal of trial and error. If you’re looking for a new nail polish, it can be a mind boggling experience when it comes to choice. There are so many brands all vying for your custom, often with quite large variations in price.

When it comes to buying nail polish, I have three key priorities: color, ease of application and staying power. I discovered the 17 High Gloss polish around a year ago when I began taking care of my nails again after several years of neglect.