ELF High Definition Powder

I always have to use a powder to set my foundation as I do have oily skin and I prefer a matte look. This ELF High Definition Powder pretty much instantly mattifies my skin and I love that I can use it throughout the day without it being cakey. It's a very finely milled white powder which I find gives a "soft focus" effect to my skin. You do have to apply it with a light hand, or you risk ending up with a white face - not a good look! I've also heard that it can sometimes give a "ghost face" appearance when used in flash photography, but I haven't found that at all.

The one negative thing that I have found with this product is the packaging. It's bulky and messy. It comes with a powder puff but I prefer to apply it with ELF Studio Powder Brush so that I can better control how much product I'm using.

If you're looking for a powder to set your make-up, provide a soft-focus finish and mattify without cakiness - this is it. ELF's prices are super affordable, this costs £6 but since the tiniest bit of product goes a long way, I think it's great value for money. It also comes in a shimmer variety and a corrective yellow powder.

ELF are currently having a huge 50% off everything with the code INDEMAND50 for orders over £30 and with most products being between £1.50 and £3, I'd get stocking up now and take advantage of this great offer!

What's your favourite setting powder? Are you a fan of the ELF make-up range?

June Favourites!

L-R, top to bottom: Bioderma Crealine solution, L'Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream, ELF HD powder, Caudalie Beauty Elixir, Benefit Sugarbomb blush, Benefit Porefessional, Essie Fiji, Topshop Lip Stick in Powder Room

Firstly, I can't believe it's July already! This year is just disappearing for me! I thought I'd do a post rounding up my favourite beauty products from June. A couple are skincare products, and the rest are make-up products.

1. Bioderma Crealine H2O Cleansing Solution - if you haven't already heard of this product, where have you been?! I finally bought this cleanser after reading so many rave reviews online, and I'm so glad I did. I got mine on eBay and it was about £12 including P&P, which is very reasonable consdering it's a huge 500ml bottle. It's a micellar solution and it basically breaks down the make-up, meaning you can just wipe it off! I use a small squirt of this on a couple of cotton pads, and ALL my make-up, including stubborn mascara, is gone within a minute. Perfect for us lazy girls!

2. L'Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream - I previously mentioned this in my LIB box post (which you can find here) so I'm not going to say too much about it. It's £29 for 50ml, and I have a 15ml sample pot. I have oily skin, but I also have dry patches around my nose so I like to use a moisturiser which is really nourishing but not too heavy. This is perfect for that! I only use it at night and my skin is always so soft and replenished by morning. Smells gorgeous, too!

3. ELF High Definition Powder - I use this once I've finished doing my make-up, and it adds a lovely soft-focus, matte but not chalky finish. I just love it. I've read some reviews saying that it can give a ghost-face effect in flash photography, but that hasn't happened to me yet. You have to be quite light-handed with it, and the packaging is quite messy but the actual product is great, and it's so affordable! It costs £6, and is also available in a corrective yellow colour, and a shimmer colour.

4. Caudalie Beauty Elixir - this is another seriously hyped up product, and I was worried it would disappoint me. But it definitely hasn't! I bought the 30ml size which cost £8.80 from LookFantastic. I've only had it for a few days and I've already used about a quarter of the bottle.. whoops! I love the scent, it's very herbal and almost medicinal, but it's so refreshing. I spritz it after using toner, and then throughout the day to freshen up my make-up.

5. Benefit Sugarbomb Blush - this is my favourite blush I've ever owned so far. It's not highly pigmented, so I do use quite a lot to get a good colour, but I love how subtle it is. It gives such a gorgeous glow, and even if I use this alone without foundation, concealer or anything else, it instantly perks me up and makes me look healthier. It retails at £23.50 which I find quite expensive for a blush, but I've used it daily since I got it and it looks like it'll last me a long time. It has 4 colours (a dusky pink, light pink, lilac and peach) and you swirl all of them together, or you can even use them on their own. It smells amazing, too!

6. Benefit The Porefessional - I received this sample size tube in Glamour magazine last month and was really excited by it as I've heard great things! This instantly helps to minimize the pores on my nose, slightly blur any imperfections and provides a great, smooth base for my foundation. It has a slight beige tint and a really creamy consistency so it blends like a dream. It retails at £23.50 and I can definitely see myself repurchasing this once I've used up my sample. 

7. Essie Nail Polish in Fiji - AAAH! This is definitely my favourite nail polish I've ever owned. The colour is the lightest, barely-there opaque baby pink. It applies beautifully, I love the fan brush and it's completely opaque in 2 coats. The colour just looks so sophisticated and dainty, and if you can't already tell, I am in love. I can't help gushing about it. The only problem is that because it's such a light colour, any little mistakes are really noticeable. I'm not the best at applying nail polish YET, but I'm sure I can find the time to practice!

8. Topshop Lip Stick in Powder Room - I literally just bought this yesterday, and it's already a firm staple in my handbag. It costs £7 from Topshop, and it's basically a lip crayon. Full review here.

So, that's my June favourites! Have you tried any of these products? What have been your June essentials?