Harrods Beauty – Suqqu, SK II, Laura Mercier, Marc Jacobs, Sisley Review and Swatches

The Harrods Beauty Hall can only be described as paradise for a beauty addict with the many amazing beauty counters scattered around for your every makeup and skincare need. If you’ve never had the pleasure of visiting the Harrods Beauty Hall, they luckily have a comprehensive range of brands on their website so you can still get your beauty fix from the comfort of your own home.

I know it shouldn’t matter but I always love placing orders on the Harrods site as the boxes their deliveries arrive in are emblazoned with the Harrods logo and are sent directly from their incredible Knightsbridge store. Harrods have an extensive range of brands both instore and online and I have been trialing a selection of products over the course of December and through Christmas from a range of their brands including; Suqqu, SK II, Laura Mercier, Marc Jacobs, Sisley, Sensai, Chantecaille and more so I could record my thoughts here on my blog.

The Laura Mercier Candleglow Soft Luminous Foundation £35 is the newest foundation from Laura Mercier and is described as a sheer to medium coverage foundation with an hydrating and lightweight formula which delivers a soft luminous finish, and is suitable for all skin types.

“Our blend of micro-fine Radiant-Pearl Mica helps even skin tone and soften the appearance of lines, wrinkles, pores, and other imperfections. Stay-true colour blends into skin to flatter your natural complexion without masking it. Provides a refreshing double boost of hydration with both immediate and long-lasting moisturizers.“

The foundation is packaged within a frosted, clear glass bottle with a pump which feels luxurious and weighty in the hand but I do worry about dropping the bottle as it is a glass bottle. I have three of the 24 shades available; Linen (light with neutral undertones), Dune (light to medium with cool undertones) and Vanillé (fair to light with neutral undertones) which are all too dark for me to use straight from the bottle but I think Shell or Creme might suit me a little better. I am now able to use shades which are slightly too dark for me thanks to the NYX White Pro Foundation Mixer and I find Vanillé to be the best to use tone wise for my cool undertones.

The consistency of the Candleglow Soft Luminous Foundation is quite thick which I didn’t expect from a sheer to medium coverage foundation, but even though it is a little thick it still definitely offers a sheerer coverage. I generally like a more medium to full coverage but this is a beautiful foundation which leaves your skin looking like skin, allowing my freckles to shine through but I do have to use a fuller coverage concealer to conceal my imperfections.

I think this particular foundation would be ideal for Spring and Summer as it’s such a weightless foundation which feels akin to a BB Cream rather than a foundation as it sits so beautifully on the skin. I’m really surprised I’ve not heard more about this foundation on YouTube or on blogs as it’s such a lovely, easy to wear foundation which is extremely flattering as it doesn’t cling to dry patches or emphasise pores.

Next up I have the Giorgio Armani UV Master Primer SPF40 £40 is a ‘protective wonder for the skin’ available in three shades; Pink, Beige and Mauve and I have the Beige shade. The UV Master Primer SPF40 blends high UV protection and antioxidant action, concentrating these two properties within a transparent, extremely fine texture which can worn alone or under makeup for all skin types, even the most sensitive of skins.

The primer has a gel-cream consistency which blends into the skin easily and I first used it on my hand and I couldn’t see any difference and carried on with my day, but a few hours later I caught sight of the back of my hand and was taken aback by how smooth and perfected the skin looked and I realised it was where I’d applied the primer.

From the description of the primer, it would appear that it’s marketed as more of a skincare product than a makeup product but it really does have a noticeable smoothing effect on the skin making it ideal for under your makeup as a perfecting base. It makes my skin look luminous and smooth and I have really enjoyed using it ever since, and I particularly like that it contains an SPF of 40 for additional peace of mind for UV skin protection.

Sisley is my next Harrods Beauty brand and a brand I’d never tried before but it had been on my beauty brand wishlist for a long, long time. The Sisley Eye Contour Mask 30ml £81.50 is one of the items I was most looking forward to trying from the selection as I’ve never tried an eye mask before, and it sounded incredible from the description. The Eye Contour Mask is an express smoothing mask used to reduce under-eye puffiness, and is specifically formulated for the fragile skin of the eye contour.

With its unique combination of plant-based active ingredients (Ginkgo biloba, Arnica, Horse Chestnut, Linden blossom), vitamins (Provitamin B5 and Vitamin E Acetate), and oligo-elements (Malachite and Chlorella), it works within 10 minutes to hydrate and reduce signs of fatigue: fine lines around the eye are visibly smoothed, puffiness and dark circles are visibly reduced and the eye contour’s natural defenses are reinforced.

To use the mask, Sisley recommend applying a thick layer around the eye contour and leave it on for ten minutes and then gently wipe away with a tissue without rinsing, and the mask will continue to work even when removed. I know it’s not a very nice thing to mention but my beautiful little Westie dog Daisy had to be put down last week and I’ve spent a lot of time crying which has been the perfect oppurtunity to try the mask as my eyes have been understandably puffy and sore.

The gel has a nice thick texture which feels extremely cooling when applied to the skin and it feels a little strange at first as it feels quite ‘wet’ but within a minute or so you can’t feel it on the skin any longer. After the ten minutes (I’ve been leaving it upto twenty minutes for maximum effect) I simply use a tissue to gently remove the excess gel and it’s such a ‘wow’ product. The price tag of this mask is very high but I can’t believe the results I’ve seen.

After I’ve removed the gel, my puffiness has diminished completely and my eyes look a lot more rejuvenated, less tired and so much more hydrated. I’ve found that I only need to apply a pea sized amount split between both eyes so I imagine this 30ml tube will last for a long time depending on how many times a week you use it. The Sisley Eye Contour Mask is one of their cult favourite products and I can absolutely see why as it literally transforms the eye contour within ten minutes and would be great if you suffer with allergies, or puffy eyes or want a product to tighten and hydrate the skin.

Marc Jacobs launched at Harrods in 2016 and I for one are very excited as I’d only been able to purchase their products via the Sephora website which always proved quite costly. I have the Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Crème in the shade Miss Scarlett £24. I already own a couple of the Marc Jacobs Lipsticks are they truly are beautiful with a stunning black and silver metal casing which is magnetic and each of the shades of the lipsticks are named after women which have inspired Marc Jacobs himself.

The Le Marc Lip Crème Lipsticks have a ten hour revolutionary formula which offer creamy, buttery, vibrant colour in one pigmented swipe. The shades are made from concentrated colour-boost pigments that are triple-milled and steeped in hydrating ingredients to offer long lasting colour and moisture for the lips.

The Miss Scarlett shade is the ultimate deep and intense red which Marc Jacobs call a ‘deep ruby’. I find that Miss Scarlett leans a little warmer than what I’d usually go for but I really love the shade on the lips and it’s insanely pigmented for a red, with this swatch being just one single swipe with no skipping or pulling whatsoever.

Normally I would never wear a red lipstick without using a lipliner beforehand but the bullet has a nice, rounded and precise shape which is tapered towards the top which offers a precise application. I think this might have become my ultimate red as the formula is just perfect and it doesn’t leave my lips feeling dry and depleted of moisture.

The Sensai Mascara 38°C £23 is a product I’ve never heard of before, but it’s a non-smudge mascara which “shows how optimum product performance is possible without being detrimental to the skin”. This mascara claims to resist sweat, tears and humidity and can be washed off with water at 38°C gently separating, conditioning and lengthening the lashes for big and beautiful eyes. The Sensai Mascara is said to contain ‘dramatic fibre’ to achieve long, natural-looking lashes containing Koishimaru silk extract and Phyto-Squalane (derived from olive seed oil) give a soft texture.

The brush of the mascara really surprised me as it’s exceptionally small with a spiral like design which is amazing for the bottom lashes in particular as it allows you to coat every lash without coating the skin in product. I couldn’t see any fibres in the mascara at all when looking at the brush and tube but they’re definitely there and they help to give incredible length to the lashes without leaving them feeling crispy and brittle and the fibres don’t fall in my eyes either which is a major positive.

I really didn’t expect very much from this little unassuming tube of mascara but it’s easily one of the best I’ve ever used, and I love being able to remove it entirely with water when using my cleanser – I can’t quite believe that it removes with just water, especially as it contains fibres but it does. I really need to look into the Sensai brand more as this mascara is fantastic.

Chantecaille is another beauty brand I’ve not had the pleasure of trying before, so I was delighted to try the Chantecaille Fruit and Flower Acids Mask £74. Starting off this mask is so exquisitely packaged within a frosted glass jar which is very heavy with a white lid, inside a pastel pink cardboard box. I’ve tried a fair few masks within glass jars but this is the definitely the heaviest mask I’ve tried; it feels super luxurious which is should considering it’s £74 for 50ml.

The Fruit and Flower Acids Mask is described as a gentle but active re-texturiser that works to dissolve skin’s keratin and eliminate dead cells to reveal smooth, clear and radiant skin. Exfoliating and soothing, grapefruit and papaya acids brighten skin tone and reduce the appearance of fine lines.

“Glycolic acid extracted from sugar cane gently dissolves the skin’s keratin and eliminates damaged and dead cells, whilst caprylol glycol targets the bacteria specific to acne, improving the appearance of acne-prone skin. Also contains sodium hyaluronate instantly to boost moisture levels, and narcissus, jasmine and mimosa flower waxes to help restore skin’s elasticity and tone.“

The claims of the mask are amazing with promises to improve the appearance of acne-prone skin, soothing, protecting and hydrating the skin whilst restoring elasticity, tone and radiance. The first time I used the mask I was a little apprehensive as sometimes I find acid based masks to be too strong for my sensitive skin but I was reassured that the mask contained 73.99% natural ingredients as well as a healing base of pure rosewater.

To use the mask you simply apply to the face and leave it for upto 15 minutes before rinsing to leave skin looking revived and refreshed. When it comes to removal, I use a hot muslin cloth and you can genuinely see the remnants of your dead skin cells on the cloth which grosses me out yet reassures me that it’s actually working.

I do find the mask makes my skin tingle slightly but not uncomfortably so, but you can definitely feel it ‘working’ on the skin as it sloughs away dead skin cells. I’m not normally a fan of using skincare in pots like this as it’s not very hygienic so I ensure I use a spatula to scoop the product out onto the back of my hand and then apply to the face to reduce the possibility of germs as much as possible.

I like to apply around a £2 coin sized amount of the mask to my face but you could apply more, but I want to make it last for as long as possible. When I remove the mask my skin is instantly improved with any dry patches being either removed completely or minimised considerably and my skin looks extremely radiant and clear. I feel as if it offers similar results to the GLAMGLOW Youthmud but longer lasting results which are more noticeable too.

I think I’ll use this mask as a concentrated ‘spot’ treatment and use it on the areas of my face I need it the most such as my cheeks and chin where my skin is usually the most congested and uneven but I’m very impressed and I really didn’t want to be as it’s such a pricey skincare product.

The last of the skincare products I’ve been trialing from Harrods Beauty is the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence 150ml £115 which is a product I’ve heard SO much about but I was yet to try. Described as SK-II’s signature product, the much-loved and most awarded bestseller, Facial Treatment Essence has over 90% Pitera and contains an irreplaceable formula which gently exfoliates the face and helps moderate the skin surface renewal cycle. I’d never heard of Pitera before but it’s supposedly full of vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids that work together to allow the skin’s natural surface rejuvenation process to function at its prime. The SK-II Facial Treatment Essence helps to;

‘Improve the appearance of 5 dimensions of beautiful, crystal clear skin: age spots are less visible, appearance of wrinkles is reduced, skin texture is more refined, firmness is improved, and radiance is beautifully elevated. Skin becomes breathtakingly crystal clear’.

To use the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence the directions recommend soaking a cotton pad and gently smoothing it over the face for one minute and then turn the cotton pad over and gently pat onto your face and neck for another minute both morning and night after cleansing and toning.

I’ve been using a couple of ‘essence’ products recently and I’ve really been enjoying the additional skip within my skincare routine but none of them compare to this one; it really is fantastic. The essence is packaged within a tall frosted glass bottle with a plastic cover over the top to reduce the amount of product which comes out allowing you to shake it over a cotton pad without worrying about wastage.

I can’t detect any fragrance at all within the essence and I’ve been replacing my acid toners within my routine for this essence as I didn’t want to exacerbate my sensitivity but my skin has been loving the Facial Treatment Essence. It feels so hydrating and instantly softening on the skin almost as if I’ve applied an hydrating face mask or serum. I cannot not mention the extremely high price tag but I’ve been surprised by how little you need with only six to eight drops being sufficient for my face and neck so I’d like to think this bottle will last for a good six months – maybe more, with daily use.

My biggest testament was I had an annoying headless spot under the skin for at least three weeks before trying this Essence and I assumed that by using the Essence it would bring the spot to the surface but it disappeared completely which never happens and I’m so surprised that something SO gentle can be SO effective. I find it to be exfoliating, hydrating, softening, brightening and toning and I’m so happy that I’ve finally been able to try a product I’ve been coveting for a long time.

The final product I have to share is the Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow Quad 04 £45 which is Suqqu’s highly acclaimed four-in-one palette with innovative silicon-coated powder and amino acid coated pigments to keep the colours fresh and vibrant for hours and each shade smoothly applies and blends to enable a perfect, effortless gradation.

The palette comes in a little velvet pouch, with the palette itself being a black plastic rectangular compact with a mirror within the lid as well as a dual ended eyeshadow brush and a dual ended eyeshadow sponge applicator. The shades within this quad include a pale cool toned silver shimmer, a cool toned champagne shimmer, a cool toned intense dark brown matte and a matte white – with the shades all being cool toned.

I’d never tried any products from Suqqu before but I’ve heard Lisa Eldridge mention the brand on many occasions but I didn’t have any expectations for the shadows but I couldn’t believe how silky smooth all four were with zero fall out, and amazing pigmentation. Each of the pans feel very smooth and soft almost like a cream and the shadows adhere to the skin with very little effort.

I used to use black and silver eyeshadow all the time in my early teens but I can’t say it’s a look I’ve worn a lot in my twenties but this quad creates such a soft smokey eye which doesn’t look too stark but you have the option of using just the mattes, just the shimmers, or a combination of both. I love that I don’t own anything like this in my collection and I have loved every look I’ve ever created with the palette and the mini dual ended brush is actually pretty good too. I have zero complaints with this quad and I really like how luxurious it feels, and how easy it is to apply and blend.

I’d love to know if you’ve ever tried any of these products, and if you’re a fan of Harrods Beauty haul too?

All products featured on Gemma Etc. are PR samples or gifted items, unless otherwise indicated. This post may contain affiliate links. If you wish to find out more, please see my Disclaimer within my navigation bar.