Space NK-I heart you!

My London office happens to be right next to Space NK in Knightsbridge.  As in next door.  If I worked from the London office I would actually be bankrupt within a week with Space NK's enticing products practically permeating through the office walls and Harrods a mere 10 steps away.

I've been using this Hans Crescent based store for a few years now-mainly because of it's proximity to Harrods.  There is an awesome girl in there and I apologise for not knowing her name (but it could be Alice....) and she is an Aussie or Kiwi, has red/copper hair and often wears red lipstick.  She is THE person to talk to about all things beauty related.  She is knowledgeable, gives great advice, knows her stuff but is honest enough to say when something isn't suitable.  I love dealing with her and would actively seek her out in the store.  She's a great asset to Space NK.

Space NK haul-Stila, Kevyn Aucoin, Hourglass, Dr Lipp, Nars

Space NK skincare haul-Ren, This Works, Caudalie, Healgel and Malin and Goetz

Yikes where to start!

Ok let's start with the above skincare.

The Ren cleansing balm was a re-purchase.  My review of this cleansing balm is here.  I've recently really gotten into cleansing balms and of the three I have tried over the last couple of months the Ren is my favourite and for the price is excellent value.

The This Works In Transit No Traces cleansing pads were actually the last ones in store when I was there.  I had wanted to try them as an alternative to micellair water for removing my make up on flights.  I tried them on my flight from Heathrow to Dubai and fell in love immediately.  They feel so cool and refreshing on the skin, you feel thoroughly cleansed with no dryness or tightness.  I wouldn't use this in my cleansing routine as I prefer 'proper' cleansers.  But for flights, festivals, make up removal before going to the gym or late nights when it's either this or nothing they are perfect.

Malin and Goetz is a brand new brand to me.  I don't know much about them but what attracted me to this was the 'glycolic acid' on the tub.  If you read my blog you'll know I credit glycolic acid for transforming my acne ridden skin earlier this year-I have been using the Alpha H Liquid Gold and it has literally worked miracles.  This Malin and Goetz product is soaked pads you can sweep onto your skin and contain 10% glycolic acid-Liquid Gold is 5% glycolic acid so I will use these more sparingly although it does say you can use them daily.
Glycolic is great for acne prone, mature or sun damaged skin as it sloughs away dead skin to encourage cell production, clear pores and encourage collagen production.  I'll use these on a couple of times a week when I finish the Liquid Gold.

I bought the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturising Sorbet because I wanted a really light moisturiser as we head into the very sweaty summer in Dubai.  BUT I have just discovered it contains Shea Butter which I am massively averse to so I may end up gifting this to my mum.  I have always associated Shea with being deeply moisturising so I surprised to find it in this light moisturiser.  Serves me right for not checking the ingredients properly and buying on a whim.

Healgel was one of those 'at the till' purchases.  It was in the display stands by the checkout and is a multipurpose healing gel (hence the name!).  I actually have a really bad scar on my leg from December when we were in Thailand and I cut my leg on a yacht.  It's completely healed but I have a large C shaped scar left.  I have read this gel can significantly reduce scarring.  I have also been using it if I sense my skin (face) is irritated and use it more as a prevention than cure.  It's a lovely light gel that is absorbed very quickly and isn't sticky.

I also made some make up purchases (of course)

Kevyn Aucoin Eye Shadow duo in Frosted Jade/Bronze

Last year I bought one of the Kevyn Aucoin Essential Eye palettes that contain 5 shadows-it was my first purchase from the brand and I was seriously unimpressed.  The shadows had little pigmentation and are really chalky and it's been shoved in the back of a drawer somewhere.  This duo eyeshadow however has a completely different formulation-they're softer, more pigmented and have no chalky feel to them at all.  So I purchased one to try and love this green and bronze duo-they feel much softer when swatched and can be used wet or dry.

Stila convertible colour trio

A slightly silly purchase by me because I actually own full size Lillium and Gerbera's BUT the way I justified this purchase was that instead of packing three separate cream blushers when I am travelling this handy palette gives good variation yet is really compact and takes up much less space.  The pink on the left is limited edition and the one I have been using most-in fact I've hit pan already on it.  The Stila cream blushes are stiffer and stickier than some others I have tried but I am a really big fan of them, you just need to wait a few extra seconds before powdering.

I seemed to go a little cream blush crazy in this visit and picked up 3 of the Kevyn Aucoin 'Creamy Glow' blushes.  I definitely wanted Liquifuschia but when I was swatching them was seduced by Tansoleil which I saw here on Jen's 'Daisy Rose Beauty' blog and Isadore

Isadore

Liquifuscia

Tansoleil

Finally in the blush department, these Pierre Hardy limited edition Nars blushes were not on display but I was offered the chance to have a look at them and although I had firmly resolved that I did NOT want either of the blushes I ended up buying 'Boys Dont Cry'.  These blushers are MASSIVE and are the size of the bronzers so I can't see me ever hitting pan especially as it's super pigmented!    It's aesthetically beautiful but the gold etching doesn't last very long as it is only on the top layer of the pan.

Nars Pierre Hardy Boys Dont Cry

Finally I bought another Hourglass Ambient Light powder but this was actually a gift for my friend Dani.  I chose Diffused Light for her as it gives a subtle effect and she's beautiful so doesn't need any heavy coverage and these lighter than air powders just give a subtle glow to the skin.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder in Diffused Light

I'd love it if Space NK launched in Dubai with really knowledgeable staff-the only problem I am finding is that buying from Dubai is SO much more expensive than the UK.   I know I have put a lot of haul posts up recently but I do like to take the opportunity to buy whilst in the UK rather than in Dubai-mainly because of the cost, but also because you have the latest collections much sooner than Dubai and the staff are generally much more knowledgeable.  Now I am back in Dubai and fully stocked up on everything I need I probably won't buy anything in Dubai for a good few months-I find it quite stressful shopping here as the assistants are so pushy.

Good work Hans Crescent Space NK!