The brand La Roche Posay has been a favorite of mine for quite some time now. Unfortunately the majority of their products are unavailable in the United States- not including ordering online or a limited range of their products at Ulta or CVS, so I’ve been told... On my recent trip to Europe I stocked up on as many La Roche Posay products as I could get my hands on, and would fit into my already stuffed suitcase, and I thought I would give you a recap of my favorites and the ones that didn’t make the cut.

Firstly I’ll begin with my least favorite, the La Roche Posay 24 hour Deodorant. I picked it up with high hopes due to the lack of aluminum chlorohydrate(an ingredient that has been linked to breast cancer and is in almost every deodorant) however when put to the test of walking around ALL day(on walking tours through Rome, up and down numerous staircases, and in over heated crowds of people) it didn’t quite measure up to my plain old Dove, which might I add does contain aluminum chlorohydrate. I’m thinking I will for sure give it a go again on a day when I’m not essentially running a marathon.

Next up is the La Roche Posay Rosaliac UV. This green tinted moisturizer contains spf 15 and is intended to reduce unwanted redness, I really like this product, I’ll try anything to downplay the tomato- like aspect of my face, the only gripe I have is that under certain foundations it can cause the makeup base to sort of come off in little pieces when applying and blending. Under more thick and creamy foundations, like a tinted moisturizer for example, this is no problem, however under a thinner product like Dior Airbrush(the  product combination I had the most difficulty with) the results can be somewhat underwhelming.

It seemed like every advertisement outside each and every pharmacy was an add for the La Roche Posay Hydreane BB cream. As a light coverage base lover I was immediately sold. This stuff reminds me of the Dr. Jart Water Fuse BB cream. You get the feeling that it’s more skincare than foundation- which is all right by me! I really like this for those “no makeup days” but I wouldn’t recommend this as an actual foundation.

These next two products are a complete tie in my book, the La Roche Posay Serozinc and Cicaplast. Serozinc is to be sprayed either directly on the face or via cotton pad after cleansing the skin to calm it down. Not only does it seem to take all of the abrasive- ness of daily facial cleansers, but it’s been keeping all of my budding skin imperfections at bay. Seeing as how this fantastic product is only available in France I’ve been using cotton pads to preserve it for as long as possible *cross fingers* Cicaplast is a gel like moisturizer that I like to use under my makeup as a primer(thank you for the recommendation Lisa Eldridge!) I also like to use this at night when my skin is looking especially dry. It’s good for sensitive skin, it does wonders to help with dry patches while not making my t-zone too oily, and it contains tons of great skin enriching properties.

All in all, after trying a multitude of La Roche Posay products I’m trying to convince my family to take another trip to France- skincare’s a good enough reason to travel 5,000 miles, right?!

So guys.. truth time, I'm a bit of a blush hoarder. You name it- I've tried it. Everything from corals to pinks to plums to reds, all have been on display on the apples of this gals cheeks. So imagine my shock when I stumbled across this little beauty, Estée Lauder Peach Nuance, and had never heard of it before. I literally kept opening it on my way back from the shop just to look at how pretty it was! (mature I know) In the packaging this is hands down the most beautiful blush I own, and on the cheeks it leaves a light and subtle flush that appears totally natural. Trace amounts of shimmer run through it, however this is not noticeable at all on the cheeks and it leans more towards a matte or natural finish.
Word to the wise, be careful not to focus the brush too much on the yellow side as it can come out a bit sallow if not careful, however when swirled properly this gorgeous product will definitely weasel it's way into your everyday makeup collection.
After the fifth or sixth time using this, I started thinking- I have ombré hair, why not blush?!

As a rather round face gal, I'm no novice when it comes to contouring. However until recently I had resigned myself to thinking that this meant looking orangey or having sort of fake, drawn on lines- but then there came the Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder in medium. I put this through my temples and bring it a little bit onto the forehead, through my cheekbones, my jawline, and a tad bit onto the sides of my nose. This powder, my most recent splurge item, is designed to look like a legitimate shadow on the face and is a completely natural contour product -shocking! 

Bumble and Bumble are hair care geniuses, so when my hair stylist recommended this product I'm not ashamed to say that I didn't think twice before saying yes. This is a styling creme that gives hair an effortless tussled look. It provides separation and shine and I have heard that it is wonderful for people with naturally curly or wavy hair. I personally use this after I've curled my hair when I want the "intentionally messy" look. This product does not have a heavy fragrance at all, and the only gripe I have is the heavy price tag of $23.00 for two ounces. But as a special treat, brilliantine leaves my hair- well brilliant!

The Joer Luminizing Moisture tint is in one word, wow. This product is marketed as a tinted moisturizer, however it is more of a buildable light to medium foundation. This truly delivers exactly what it says on the label and is one of the most truly moisturizing, luminizing, and glow inducing face "tints" that I have ever been lucky enough to have grace my face.  Personally I am not a fan of powder as it tends to make me took cakey but with this particular foundation, at least on the nose, it is a bit of a necessity. This product might prove a bit too luminizing in the summer months due to the high amounts of shimmer, yet during the cold frigid days this perfectly combats the dull skinned curse of winter. I have the lightest shade, opal, which is a bit too dark for me. Unfortunately this is not a rare occurrence seeing as how I am often mistaken for a partial albino with my sheet- of- paper white pale skin and pale grey eyes. All in all this product receives a rave review and I will most definitely be enjoying the manufactured natural summer glow this exquisite tint delivers all year round.