Over the last few weeks or so I've been having a bit of a sort out - Thanks to Facebook Marketplace I finally got my hands on an IKEA Malm Dressing Table! IKEA in their wisdom discontinued all of the Malm range in the birch / beech finish so I'd pretty much given up on ever finding one that matched the rest of my bedroom furniture. The best things as they say though, come to those who wait, and my patience paid eventually paid off!
One of the plus points of the IKEA Malm Dressing Table, is the huge storage drawer, so I'm in the process of reorganising my makeup storage, and finding places for all of my bits and bobs. As well as weeding out the odd broken powder and crayon smelling lipstick, sorting out my make up collection has also given me the opportunity to both distinguish my most used products, and to rediscover lots of old favourites.
This post is the first in what I guess will be an occasional mini series, I've had a good sort through my lip collection, and I want to share some of my favourite products with you. I've got a review of a kit coming up, and a few collective posts but I thought I'd start off by talking about one of my favourite 'happy' lip colours.
Putting some of her personal opinions aside, you have to hand it to Kat Von D, her make up collection is on point. Like so many US based brands, it took a while for the range to make it across the Atlantic, but thanks to a globetrotting bestie, I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette before the range launched in the UK, and it was love at first swatch, so when the brand launched into Debenhams in 2016, I immediately ordered a few bits including this lipstick, which rapidly became a firm favourite in my collection.
Now as well as being famous, or should I say infamous for her vegan and cruelty free stance, Kat Von D really became famous through her work as a tattoo artist, and she's most definitely carried that artistic flare though into her make up line. All of the packaging has a dark, almost Gothic vibe, and her lipstick tubes in particular have an almost sculptural feel. What came first the packaging or the name? I don't know but what I do know is that the name of her lipstick range Studded Kiss is reflected perfectly in the black plastic, raised stud design lipstick tube. This packaging is totally unique and it doesn't just look striking, it's also immensely practical, I sometimes have tremors and pains in my hands and the textured tube is really easy to hold, and grip even on my worst days.
As striking as it is, it isn't all about the packaging, the lipstick inside is pretty special too. There are around 40 shades of Studded Kiss lipstick to choose from ranging from your regular pinks, reds and nudes, to more daring fashion lead shades, like purple and green. For my first purchase I played it relatively safe and went for Backstage Bambi, a vivid hot pink in Kat Von D's satin matte formulation.
Embossed with KVD logo, this lipstick like rest of the Kat Von D range, is both vegan and cruelty and it's also free from parabens and mineral oils. All of the lipsticks in this range have a high pigment content and contain nourishing and moisturising ingredients.
As you can see from this swatch the pigmentation is excellent. Given the satin matte formulation, it isn't the creamiest lipstick I've ever used but neither is it the most drying. It feels pretty comfortable on the lips and it wears incredibly well, like so many lipsticks now it almost fades down to a stain, so you don't need to constantly reapply. I used to be quite scared of colours like this, because I don't particularly like drawing attention to my uneven lips, but the older I get, the braver I get, so the brighter and more vivid the pink, the better!
I can honestly say that there isn't a thing that I dislike about this lipstick. I love the packaging, I love the colour, I love the wear time and I love the sweet vanilla scent and taste. I took the product photos quite a while ago now and it's probably just as well, because my Backstage Bambi doesn't look quite a beautiful as it once did, to say it's well used it an understatement! If Backstage Bambi isn't for you there are at least 39 other shades to choose from in the Kat Von D Studded Kiss range, so you're bound to find a colour to suit you. I'm definitely going to buying a back up in the near future, and next time I fancy a new lipstick I think Kat Von D may be my first port of call x Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipsticks have a recommended retail price of £17 / $20 and are available in the UK from the Debenhams website, selected Debenhams stores, and directly from Kat Von D. Have you tried anything from Kat Von D? Let me know your recommendations in the comments below x
I know blog posts have been a bit thin on the ground generally, recently but nails of the day posts in particular have been practically non existent - I'm not going to lie to you my nails at the moment are appalling their very, very short and they look dry and not very Instagram worthy. I'm dousing them in treatments and oils, and praying that some day soon I'll have nails that are worthy of all of the pretty polishes in my collection. In the meantime though I've got a couple of nails of the day posts coming up for you that I managed to shoot pre dryness, and pre breakage, one is a reshot post featuring an amazing shade that if you're a real nail buff you'll probably have seen before, and in today's post I'm introducing you to a new (to me at least!) and exciting nail polish brand.
As obsessed as I am with the big nail polish brands I love discovering new brands, new formulations and new colours, and believe their are a lot of lesser known and cult brands out their that are doing amazing things when it comes to nail polish.
If you've ever watched any of the videos on my You Tube channel you will know that I'm partial to the odd unboxing video. Although I don't get anywhere near as many beauty subscription boxes as I used to, you can still regular Glossybox, and Pink Parcel unboxings. I know that these boxes have their critics and to some they don't always represent good value for money but personally I love them. Yes in some cases you are taking a bit of a risk but the amount of amazing products that I've discovered, for me makes it a risk worth taking.
Pink Parcel is definitely one of my favourites, it's basically a period subscription box, that contains sanitary products and some beauty and lifestyle products specially selected to make that time of the month just that little bit easier (You can find out more about Pink Parcel here). In a recent box I was really excited to receive a bottle of nail polish from a brand that was brand new to me, Maggie Anne (You can watch my unboxing video here).
Like a lot of brands in Pink Parcel Maggie Anne are a UK based company. They produce a wide range of ultra glossy, streak free, nail polishes in just about every colour that you can think of from basic reds, to blues and greens. They also produce a large range of specialist polishes including chromes, holographic sparkles (NEED!), and metallics, as well as nail accessories, top coats and polish removers.
As well as being a UK brand and having an amazing array of polishes, Maggie Anne is also a vegan, cruelty free and toxin free nail brand. All of their polishes are free from the 6 chemicals that you will find in a lot of nail polishes on the high street, and as a result their polishes are ideal for people with sensitivities and allergies, and perfect for pregnant women and people undergoing cancer treatments, so if you've experienced nail polish allergies or irritations in the past this could be a brand to try.
Without The Flash
With The Flash
The polish that I received in my Pink Parcel, was a metallic shade called Carmella, now I can't currently find this on the official Maggie Anne site but if you like the look of it then you can still buy it on Nail Polish Direct.
Without The Flash
Packaged in a square bottle, that's very reminiscent of a certain brand that begins with the letter C, it has the same type of lid, the chunky, glossy black, square lid pulls off easily to reveal an easy to hold brush cap style lid, and a short but wide brush.
With The Flash
Carmella is decscribed as a "bronzed, gold shimmer" but for me it more of gold shimmer with a hint of metallic khaki, or golden olive. I've taken a few pictures in different lighting conditions, both with and without the flash to give you an idea of how it almost seems to morph between several shades. Without the flash it looks a little bit more green where as the flash almost seems to highlight the metallic, gold shimmer element. It's a very unusual shade and I'm not sure I've quite done it justice here.
The Maggie Anne polishes are described as having a gel like formulation and as a result I did find this polish to be quite thick, and a little slow to dry. I did find that this was one of those shades that needed pretty A1 application, some metallics and chromes have a way of highlighting every application error and this was one of them, so a steady hand was definitely needed. The first coat was quite sheer but two coats was enough on most nails for full coverage, smooth, glossy and sparkly nails.
With The Flash
I managed about 4 days wear without a top coat which is pretty decent for me and considering the slightly thicker nature of the polish.
Without The Flash
As I say I love being introduced to new brands and I can definitely see myself picking some more Maggie Anne polishes in the future, the Holographic Sparkles range in particular is calling my name. Maggie Anne Nail Polishes come in a 10ml bottle and have an RRP of around £10.50, and they are available from the Maggie Anne website, and from various retailers including Nail Polish Direct and Love Lula. Have you tried any of Maggie Anne's polishes before? Let me know below and let me know what you think about this shade x
Now I'm not the most social of creatures by any means, but last week I went to a party! Alas there was no jelly and ice cream or pass the parcel, but there was enough glitter to shake a stick it and that certainly makes it a party in my eyes.
Myself, and a small group of my fellow North East bloggers were invited along to celebrate the re-opening of the Lush Gateshead store in Intu Metrocentre, alongside the Lush staff and their families.
Since I became bathless, I've got to be honest and say that I don't go into Lush as often as I used to, the pain that I can't buy bath ballistics anymore is real! When I go into store though, the Metrocentre store is my local, and although the staff have changed over the years, I can never praise the staff enough they are always super friendly and helpful and they always have a smile on their face.
The Intu Metrocentre store staff though, now have even more reason to be happy than most, why? well they have a shiny new and renovated store to work in. Still located in Upper Red Mall, the store has undergone a real transformation, the layout has completely changed, and it seems more spacious than it used but of course you can still buy all of your old favourites including haircare, skincare, fragrance, make up and of course bath and body products.
One new addition that is bound to make life easier for both the customers and the staff, is the introduction of new demonstration stations, which are fully equipped with sinks and hot and cold running water. Instead of having to grab a bowl of water, staff can now demonstrate how products work in a real setting, so you can try ballistics, and rinse off cleansers, body conditioners and shower foams until your heart is content, and your senses are tingling.
To celebrate the re-opening Lush, have made Lush Gateshead one of the first stores in the UK to launch their new Christmas and Halloween products, and we were given a sneaky peek as to what is on offer.
With every year that passes, Halloween in the UK gets bigger and bigger, When I was wee, Halloween involved a carved turnip, a black bin liner, and a witches hat but now there are decorations, costumes, cakes, sweets and even Lush goodies. You can buy pumpkin gift sets, black cat knot wraps, and a wide variety of soaps, bubble bars, bath ballistics, and even lip products (more on that later) to help you celebrate the witching hour. The bath envy is real with this one and if I had one I would definitely have picked a black cat shaped, Bewitched Bubble Bar.
At the risk of offending half of the population, I'm actually not that fussed about Halloween, it means one thing to me and that is Christmas is getting nearer, and you can't argue that the one thing that Lush do incredibly well is Christmas.
Think of Lush and Christmas and I can guarantee that one product will spring to mind and that is Snow Fairy, and the good news is that it is back for Christmas 2017. The original sweet, and fruity shower gel makes a reappearance this year but it isn't the only way to get your Snow Fairy fix. This year there are more Snow Fairy fragranced products than ever before, you can try out the new Jelly Bombs or you could pick up a Cold Pressed Soap, or even a versatile bar of Fun for the bath or shower. If body moisturising is more your thing, or if you want to layer all of that Snow Fairy sweetness, then you can try the new Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar, which is a combination of body shimmer, and a moisturising massage bar or you can try the Snow Fairy Body Conditioner which comes in both in a pot and as a naked product, which you can either use in the shower for a super moisturising treat or you can use a small amount as a body moisturiser.
Lush have always been one of the most innovative brands on the high street, and it goes without saying that they operate under a strong ethical standpoint. More of their products than ever before are suitable for vegans and a lot of their products are becoming more and more eco friendly in fact you can now buy a lot of products in their naked form. It sounds strange but cutting down on unnecessary packaging has always been the Lush way, and following on from the success of their solid shampoos, now they've introduced a wide range of products without packaging. You can now buy solid lip tints, solid lip scrubs, solid body lotions, solid shower gels and solid body conditioners, so say you want to buy some Snow Fairy Shower Gel, you can now buy it as you always did in a plastic bottle or you can buy the Naked version, which is a solid block that lathers up in the shower.
If Snow Fairy isn't for you (if it isn't, what is wrong with you?) then Lush have plenty of other festive products to tickle your fancy including Shower Gels and Jelly's, Soaps, Body Conditioners, and Body Creams, Bubble Bars and Bath Ballistics, and even lip products, with some new Lip Scrubs and Lip Tints, and the new Glittery Lip Block which is perfect for the party season.
I've already made myself a list of the shower things that I want and I'm definitely going to pick up my favourite Santa's Belly Shower Jelly, some Bubbly Shower Gel, the Bucks Fizz Body Conditioner and of course some more Snow Fairy but I couldn't resist buying a few thing on the night
I I ended up buying a couple of lip things I got the yummy tasting Sugar Plum Fairy Lip Scrub which retails at £5.95 and I also ended up getting the fabulous Black Rose Lipstick / Lip Tint from the Halloween range which retails at £6.50; it looks pretty scary, aka black in the tube but it alters with the PH of your skin and it lasts for ages on the lips.
I also picked up one of the new(ish) Jelly Face Masks in Just To Clarify (I'll be reviewing in a future post) which was £6.95 it wouldn't be a seasonal Lush haul without Snow Fairy so I picked up the also newish, Snow Fairy Body Conditioner which you can use as both a luxurious shower cream or as a light and sparkly body moisturiser and it retails at £8.50 for the 100g size.
The people at Lush Gateshead were also kind enough to gift us a few of the Christmas products to try, and our goodies came beautifully packaged in one of Lush's signature, eco friendly Knot Wraps. I am a bit in love with knot wraps and they make any product look gift worthy in minutes. This is one of the many Christmas designs that they have on offer, but each store also has a wide variety of different designs to choose from and sometimes they even have vintage scarves which they can use as well.
My knot wrap contained two bath products, which I'm passing on to my bestie, a Christmas Sweater Bath Ballistic which contains a warming blend of mustard, clove, ginger, coriander, and Sicilian Lemon, and retails at £4.50, and a My Two Front Teeth Bubble Bar which contains lavender, vanilla, tonka bean and neroli and retails at £3.95.
It also contained a Berry Berry Christmas Naked Shower Gel which retails at £11.75 and contains a combination of cranberry, blueberry, bergamot, sweet wild orange oil, and olive leaf absolute and a piece of Shooting Stars Soap, which contains a fresh citrus mix of lemon, lime and bergamot and retails at £4.95. Make sure your following me on all of my social media channel to find out what I think about these two products.
I filmed a little video on the night, to showcase some of new releases and of course the re-opening party and the newly refurbished Gateshead store that you can see below or via this link.
If you are from the North East I can't recommend heading down to the new Gateshead store enough, the staff are really helpful and there are loads of new things to look at, and try. If you aren't lucky enough to live up North then the Halloween and Christmas ranges will be in all stores soon and of course you can have a look online x There really is something for everyone at Lush, there are loads of individual products for every skin type and every need, and there are plenty of gift sets to choose from for both Halloween and Christmas. Are you a fan of Lush's Christmas products? Let me know in the comments
Many moons ago now when I first started using make up, I wasn't too bothered about what I used to apply it. I used to use a combination of my fingers, cotton buds, and cheap scratchy make up brushes, and then I used to wonder why I was so bad at applying make up!
With age comes experience though, and now I know that you need good tools to achieve that professional look and finish. Yes, I still use my fingers every now and then but I've now binned all of my scratchy and plasticy brushes, and I've managed to accumulate a nice selection of make up brushes from all different price points, that actually do the job that they're supposed to. Based on my experience I don't think that price is a factor when you're buying make up brushes, yes you can pay a lot of money for a good make up brush, but here's the thing, you don't have to!
One of the newest brush brands that I've came across is L.A.B. 2. Under the tag line "Live And Breathe Beauty", L.A.B. 2 produce a wide range of "Luxe For Less" individual brushes, brush sets and make up applicators, that are both hypoallergenic and 100% cruelty free.
Embracing some of the most cutting edge technology available to them, all of their products are made to the highest quality standards available. Each brush consists of a titanium plated ferrule which is non corrosive, and double crimped to prevent wear and tear, and hair loss. Attached to the ferrule is a matte black rubberised handle which is easy to grip, looks good and is easy to clean.
Where these brushes come into their own though, is with the brush hairs and the heads themselves. Every brush from L.A.B. 2 contains their unique Fibre Luxe Technology. All of their brush heads are created from the best quality synthetics fibres, which are specially designed to mimic the cuticles and feel of real hair. They are also designed not to lose the shape, and they're designed to last.
A little while ago now I was sent two brushes from the range to try out for you, and they've been a staple in my beauty routine ever since.
L.A.B. 2 Beyond A Shadow Of A Doubt Brush
This quirkly named brush is one of L.A.B.2's eyeshadow brushes, and at just £4.99, it's one of the cheapest brushes in their line.
With a shiny black ferrule, and a matte black rubberised handle with the name and use clearly printed on it, this is a typical slightly stubby, dome shaped eyeshadow brush.
The hairs are very smooth and soft but they're very densely packed, which gives you a nice and firm, and easy to control brush head. The brush is perfectly shaped and it has the perfect texture to pick up any type of product, be it a cream, a pressed powder, or a loose powder, with ease
The brush head is probably a little bit too big for detailed work, but it's perfect for applying eyeshadow all over the lid, and for blending.
L.A.B. 2 Don't Get Mad, Get Even Foundation Brush
I was also lucky enough to be sent L.A.B. 2's classic foundation brush. and I have to say that I've really enjoyed using it. Like so many people I've been experimenting with different brushes, and blending sponges but sometimes you need to revisit the classics.
I say classic but other than the shape of this brush, there is nothing classic about this brush. With the rubberised, easy grip handle, and the synthetic brush hairs. This brush is an updated version of the classic foundation brush that we all know and love.
With a flat head and a slightly tapered edge, this brush is perfect for applying both liquid and cream foundations, and for getting into those tricky areas around the nose and mouth.
Because these brushes are synthetic, you can use them with creams and liquids without damaging the brush. I've washed the foundation brush a couple of times already, and with just a bit of detergent and a bit of water, and a little bit of pressure, it comes up as good as new and I didn't lose a single hair in the process - result! This brush is a little bit more expensive at around £9.99 but in my opinion, it's still excellent value for money.
Although I've only tried a couple of the brushes from the L.A.B. 2 line I have to say I'm impressed. The brush quality is excellent, and I particularly love the rubberised handles, and the synthetic bristles, These brushes are both hypoallergenic and cruelty free and they retail at a really competitive, purse friendly price point. Prices start at around £4.99 for an eyeshadow brush and only go up to around £19.99 for a full brush set. You can find out more about L.A.B. 2 via their own website and you can also buy the brushes from various retailers including Asda, Ocado / Waitrose, Amazon and Superdrug. Have you tried L.A.B. 2 brushes? Let me know your thoughts x
In the UK, there are 3 ways to get a tan , Number 1 - Go abroad! Number 2 - slather yourself in tan accelerator and sit in the garden on one of the 7 ish sunny days that we get in a year or there is option Number 3, which is probably the easiest and cheapest - fake it!
I'm not gonna lie we have had a few sunny days this year, and thanks to a combination of using good SPF's and tan accelerators I have managed to get a little bit of colour but in the wider scheme of things my natural tan is probably someone elses pale and pasty look!
I have to be honest and say I really don't mind embracing the pale, I'm not one of those people that slaps on the fake tan all year around, in fact I don't actually use it that often, but sometimes you just feel as though you need a bit of colour in your life and on your legs.
I've been feeling a bit mehh lately and in my weird mind a tan was just what I needed to make myself feel a bit better and look a bit thinner so instead of using up one of the self tans that I already have , I decided to try something new from My Pure.
Traditionally fake tans are crammed full of chemicals, they might have the odd natural ingredient but they aren't always the most eco friendly product on the market. Throw in the fact that they aren't always cruelty free and they can be quite drying on the skin and it makes you wonder why we even bother. Thankfully though there are now a few more natural fake tanning options out there, and over the last month I've been using trying out the Lavera Self Tanning Lotion.
If anyone can make a natural and cruelty free fake tan then it's probably German brand Lavera. Like all of the products in their range, this NaTrue certified self tanning lotion is made from both natural and predominantly organic ingredients.It is suitable for vegans and it is free from parabens, sulphates, petrochemicals, silicone's, and artificial colourings and fragrances.
Packaged in a recyclable plastic, squeezy tube, it contains a wide variety of moisturising ingredients including organic sunflower oil, soybean oil, macadamia oil, and shea butter. It also contains
calendula extract, aloe vera, beta carotene and Vitamin E.
When I first squeezed some of the product out I have to say I wasn't expecting a lot, the majority of fake tans out there have a guide colour but this is just an off white, creamy lotion. To be honest it looks more like a body lotion or a body cream and it certainly smells more like a luxury body cream than a self tan. It has a really pleasant lavender, aromatherapy citrus scent that lingers on the skin.
Application is like most other fake tans out there, it's best to exfoliate first, and then you apply it on to clean, dry skin, avoiding the knees and elbows. It's very, very creamy and a little goes a long way, I definitely used too much at first but if you just keep massaging it in until it's absorbed. Obviously there is no guide colour so you just have to apply it as evenly as possible. You could just use a mitt I guess but because of the cream like texture it's just as easy to use your hands but remember to give them a good wash afterwards.
My skin did feel a tiny bit tacky for a few minutes so I'd avoid getting dressed or sitting on any fabrics for a few minutes. Once it sunk in though my skin just felt really smooth and as though is had been covered in a deliciously scented body cream. Lavera advise that you leave it for around 5 hours to see the full results and as per usual with fake tans I did the one leg challenge so I'm going to let the photographs speak for themselves
Before
After
Before
After
After - Close Up
I really can't describe how much this product surprised me, when I first saw the white creamy lotion, I'll admit I wasn't hopeful but despite the lack of guide colour, and more gradual tan appearance, within 5 hours I had a natural looking, golden tan, and super soft skin with only the tiniest hint of digestive biscuit aroma. It is quite a natural colour but you can reapply it every day or so for a deeper colour.
What can I say, I'm a fan! The texture and the scent made it a pleasure to apply, and despite the lack of guide colour I managed achieve a pretty even, natural golden tan, without any of the dryness or nasty smells that you normally associate with self tan. I still don't think I'm ever going to be one of those permanently fake tanned people, but I'm definitely going to be using this regularly and enjoying both the smooth skin and the healthy glow. Lavera Self Tanning Lotion retails at £13.50 for 150ml tube from My Pure. Are you a fake tan fan? or do you embrace the pale? Let me know your thoughts.
