The Review | Nuxe Creme Prodigieuse DD Creme

I'm always a bit sceptical of alphabet creams - BB, CC, now DD? Is there an EE yet that I just haven't seen? Anyway, while I was in France this summer I wanted to try some Nuxe products and decided to pick up their new DD cream. But what does a DD cream actually do?

The How To | A Glowing Base

For someone who deals with oily skin on a regular basis I usually have to put up with either having an incredibly shiny face or a very matte face due to products I'm using to combat the oil. As much as I do like have a matte face I've always wanted to be able to achieve a nice glowy complexion - one that doesn't make me look oily or sweaty. I think I've finally found the perfect duo to do this.

It's a complete mix of higher end and drugstore (which I love) but they work together so beautifully to create such a nice glowy complexion and they are the perfect product for oilier skinned gals like myself. The Seventeen Skin Wow Primer is basically a highlighting primer, you can use it under your foundation, on top of it on your cheek bones to lighten or mix it with your foundation (clever little thing isn't it). I've used it all three of these way but the way I want to talk about today is mixing it with my foundation. I basically squeeze a little blob on this onto the back of my hand, then I squeeze a little blob of foundation - in this case the Benefit Hello Flawless foundation - on the back of my hand next to it. I then take my Real Techniques Buffing Brush, mix them together on the back of my hand (like a paint palette obvs) and the buff into my face. By the time I put it on my face I do usually have another primer already in place ready so this goes on top of my primer, in the middle of my base sandwich.

The effect I've found is that not only does my foundation stay in place longer thanks to it's priming properties, but it adds an extra healthy glow to my face that doesn't look horrible and shiny and oily - just plain healthy and lovely. Even when I complete my base sandwich by adding transluscent powder (not illuminating powder) I still have a lovely glow. I'm in love with this combo. The Benefit foundation is basically made with oily skin in mind so it's perfect at keeping the oil at bay whilst the Wow Primer is busy making me look like I've had multiple days of sleep. Beaut.

Just FYI, the other products I use in terms of primer and powder for this is currently Kiehls Micro Blur Skin Perfector (primer) and Collection Sheer Loose Powder. If you don't want to go for a more pricey foundation then the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation also works amazingly for this if you have oily skin like me.

How do you achieve your perfect glowing base?

Make Up | Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation

BENEFIT HELLO FLAWLESS OXYGEN WOW IN IVORY BELIEVE IN ME £25.50*

After being invited to one of Benefit's Stay Flawless event in May, I was lucky enough to be gifted one of their Hello Flawless foundations. A few months ago I used a trial of this from my local Debenhams and really enjoyed using it, however was put off buying by the price tag - for me I just couldn't justify it at that moment in time. So when I found out we were getting one each I was super excited.

The colour is perfect for my tone. It's the pink toned version of their ivory and suits my skin tone to a tee, it's one of the closest matches I've ever found, if not the most perfect. It's incredibly light weight but gives a good, even, natural coverage. Enough to cover any annoying blemishes, but perfect for the summer. It's very easy to apply and blend in and as I said, looks very natural.

For me it's great as it's an oil free foundation, as a oily skinned person it's exactly what I need. It doesn't aggravate my oily skin. I am really finding it hard to pick out something bad about this product - apart from the price. But for me, right now it feels like it's worth the price as it is probably the best foundation I have ever used, for me. Plus it has a pump - high five for pumped foundations! (I cannot be the only one people)

Have you ever tried Hello Flawless? What's your favourite foundation?