Beauty: Superdrug B. skincare 7 day beauty swap
Superdrug invited me to take part in a brilliant skincare challenge - for 7 days I would solely use products from the B. range (B. is for beautiful) - to be fair it wasn't a tough challenge as the range includes all of the skincare necessities! During the challenge I think I paid much more attention to my morning and evening routine than I usually would, so my skin has been rather pampered!
I wanted to try all of the B. products I'd been given for the trial, so I divided them up into a new morning and evening skincare routine which looked like this -
Morning
B. Pure Micellar Water
B. Radiant Rejuvenating Serum
B. Vitalised Eye Cream
B. Active Day Cream
Evening
B. Quick 4-in-1 Cleansing Wipes
B. Clean Melting Cleanser or B. Refined Exfoliating Cleanser
B. Radiant Rejuvenating Serum
B. Vitalised Eye Cream
B. Renewed Night Cream
Nothing overly complicated or too time consuming, just a good solid routine which made sure my skin was well cleansed and moisturised with some anti-ageing protection for good measure. The only thing which I felt was missing was any kind of blemish treatment, and I was worried I'd have to bend the rules of the challenge. Actually I didn't have any break-outs, which is a real positive as I thought that could be a typical side-effect of completely changing all of my skincare.
All of the products complemented each other well as I expected, as of course, they're designed to be used together. Maybe I'm just a bit daft, but I hardly ever use skincare all from the same brand - I'm always trying something new and mixing and matching! It felt like I was giving my skin a real treat by having such a structured routine which I followed exactly every morning and evening of the 7 days with no cheating (and I'm still going!). The biggest difference I noticed was how well hydrated my skin feels - I have combination skin, so don't necessarily use products which are moisturising enough for the drier areas of my face, but none of these products felt too heavy or made my skin any oilier, they just hydrated and plumped my skin, and calmed down some of the redness I often get.
My favourite products have been both the B. Clean Melting Gel Cleanser and the B. Refined Exfoliating Cleanser, plus the B. Vitalised Eye Cream and B. Radiant Rejuvinating Serum. I've been taking my makeup of first using the Micellar Water and then alternating between the two cleansers which really got the job done without making my skin feel tight or irritated - the melting gel feels so luxurious to use, so that's been my favourite overall.
I've enjoyed the B. Vitalised Eye Cream and B. Radiant Rejuvenating Serum because they're both so light and quickly absorbed, and the serum in particular makes my skin feel really balanced.
Alongside trying the skincare for 7 days, B. also spoilt me with lots of products from their makeup range and I've been well entertained playing with all the different products and colours.
I'd not tried B. makeup before, so I was excited to explore it all and see what was what. I've been really impressed with all of the lip colours I've tried. Both the B. Rich Intense Colour Lipsticks and the B. Vibrant Lip & Cheek Colours have been in and out of my handbags and following me around wherever I go. My most reached for colours have been the lipstick in Doll's House which is a peachy nude and the Lip & Cheek Colour pencil in Prom which is just the most perfect pink - I've worn this one so much (as evidenced in this instagram snap) that my best friend made a beeline for Superdrug to get it for herself this weekend!
The lipsticks are creamy and moisturising and the lip and cheek colour pencils are so soft - they don't drag like a pencil or leave any harsh lines, they're like a more precise version of a lipstick but with the staying power of a pencil, plus a slightly glossy finish. A genius all-rounder, and you can use them for blush too.
I've also been happily using lots of the B. base products - the B. Prepared Makeup Primer is really excellent and it now has a permanent place on my dressing table as it works well with every foundation I've tried it under so far, and the B. Set Sheer Finish Pressed Powder has been a perfect partner on top. The B. Radiant Illuminating Foundation (030 Beige) isn't a product I'd usually go for as I am a die-hard full coverage fan, but this mixes beautifully with my thicker foundations to give them a bit of a summer appropriate glow. As a full coverage lover, concealer is of course my best friend, and I've been very happy with the results from the B. Flawless Long Lasting Concealer. It's soft and creamy so blends in really well and covers properly with no drying or flaking. I'd forgotten all about the wonders of stick concealers!
And finally the product I thought I'd be least likely to get along with - the B. Precise Gel Eyeliner - gel eyeliners are so tricky for me because I have really oily lids, so some of them just sort of slip around and make a terrible mess! Now I wasn't brave enough to try this by itself, but I paired it with my usual eye primer and managed to get all-day wear with no transferring onto my browbone area - trust me, that's a rarity on my lids!
I couldn't resist a quick swatch to get you up close and personal with all of the gorgeous lip colours. From left to right these are the B. Vibrant Lip & Cheek Colours in Prom, Fandango, Alecia, Orient and Goji. And next to those I've swatched two of the B. Rich Intense Colour Lipsticks in Doll's House and Eton Mess.
All in all, a rather fun 7 days beautywise, and I've found a few new favourites! If you've not tried B. skincare and makeup before, you'll find it exclusively at Superdrug and right now, selected products are on offer at half price, so it's the perfect time to try a few bits out.
B. is the complete makeup and skincare brand that’s easy to use, understand and proven to work. Whether you want flawless skin or inspiring on-trend looks in a few simple steps, we make it easy.
Exclusively at Superdrug
The B. Cosmetics and Skincare range are not tested on animals and support Cruelty-Free international (formerly BUAV). The whole range is dermatologically approved, Paraben Free and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
For more inspiration, advice, the latest looks, tips and news from our experts visit: http://www.superdrug.com/b-is-for-beautiful/b-home/page/b-home
Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Superdrug via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Superdrug.
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