Trimming My Stash And Life Lately - April 2018 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

Well. well, well the last few weeks have been fun in my world haven't they! Thankfully it eventually appears as though we're starting to turn the corner. On Tuesday I celebrated my 40th birthday, obviously given the events of the last few weeks, the celebrations were majorly scaled back but I had a fabulous day, and I was well and truly spoilt as per usual by my amazing family and some very special friends x I got some lovely pressies some of which I'll be sharing with you on Instagram but the biggest and best pressie of all was having my mam home. She was discharged on Tuesday afternoon and whilst she has an outpatient appointment next week, hopefully she's well on the way to a full recovery.

This year seems to have been very stop, start when it comes to blogging but hopefully with things returning back to normal at home, and a change in my own mindset and outlook I'm hopefully going to able to get some of those posts and videos up that I've been planning and promising for what feels like an eternity. First though I'm going to take a very late look back at April's beauty empties.

Primark PS Cuticle Oil - 10ml
Philip Kingsley Moisture Balancing Conditioner - 20ml
Lavera Fine Loose Mineral Powder - Transparent - 8g
Dawin Miller Joy White Jasmine And Cranberry Body Wash - 120ml
AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Conditioner - 250ml

Total - 5 Items 

Well despite all of the trials and tribulations that April had to offer I still managed to finish 5 beauty products. Although I didn't manage to finish any facial skincare items this time round, I did manage to finish a make up item, so I'm classing April as a trimming my stash win!

1. Primark PS Cuticle Oil - 10ml

I've talked about this product a few times now, and to be honest I can't praise it enough. I've used a lot of cuticle oils over the years, and this is without a doubt one of the best that I've used and it's also the cheapest. Crammed full of avocado oil, this oil is easy to apply, and it absorbs super quickly, and at just £1 a bottle you can afford to slather it on. This is now one of my beauty must haves and it's something that I'm going to continue to stock up on and use regularly.

2. Philip Kingsley Moisture Balancing Conditioner - 20ml*

This travel sized product came in a set that I was sent to review way back in 2015 (You can read my review here). I've no idea why I didn't finish this sooner but here we are. I'm a big fan of the Philip Kingsley brand and this was another nice product. It was a nice lightweight conditioner that was ideal of fine hair, or if you wash your hair on a daily basis. If your hair is very dry this might not be enough for you, but you could team it up with Philip Kingsley's famous Elasticizer if your needs a bit of extra boost.

3. Lavera Fine Loose Mineral Powder - Transparent - 8g*

At last a make up item! and this one was another press sample, and this time one from natural beauty store My Pure. Having quite an oil prone skin I love face powder, and I'm a particular fan of loose powder and if you are as well, this one was a good one. Yes, like all loose powders it was a touch messy, and you did get a bit of fallout, but it wasn't too chalky, and it really did take down the shine especially on my t-zone. If you're looking for a cruelty free, loose powder from a natural and eco friendly brand then this could be a one to try. You can read a full review here. 

4.  Dawin Miller Joy White Jasmine And Cranberry Body Wash - 120ml

While sorting through my beauty stash a few months ago now I discovered a Christmas gift set from a toiletry brand that I hadn't heard of, Dawin Miller. Joy definitely isn't a festive type fragrance in the traditional sense and it's something that you could easily use all year around, it's definitely more of a floral, than a fruity scent, and the heady scent of the jasmine really did dominate with just a hint of the tart berries. I love the scent of jasmine and white flowers so I really enjoyed using this lovely foaming shower gel. I can't find any trace of this brand or any information about it so I don't honestly think that it's something that I'm going to be able to repurchase it but I do have a hand and body lotion, and some body cream to use up, so I can go on enjoying the scent for a little bit longer.

5. AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Conditioner - 250ml

Argh ! I have no idea what happened the picture here but I can assure you that I definitely did finish this bottle of conditioner. This is without a doubt one of the nicest hair conditioners that I have used in a long, long time. With a very similar scent to the accompanying shampoo that I talked about in March's trimming my stash post (read my thoughts here), this creamy condition probably has a touch more of the peppermint scent to it, which gives a cooling and refreshing hit. Also containing bamboo, keratin and arginine, this stuff leaves my hair feeling silky, smooth and very hydrated and shiny. Like with the shampoo I'm not sure it made too much different to my hair loss but since I've started using both the shampoo and the conditioner from this range I've noticed a definite improvement in the condition and the appearance of my hair. I've already repurchased this product and it something that I'm going to keep buying

So they were my very late April empties, if you have any questions on any of the products that I've mentioned than please don't hesitate to leave me a comment below, or contact me via email or twitter, Thanks for reading and thanks again for keeping me sane over the last few weeks xx

*Press Samples

Lavera Self Tanning Lotion - A Review For My Pure*

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. 

*Sample

Lavera Illuminating Eyeshadow - Vibrant Gold*

All good things must come to an end, and over the next few days I'll be reviewing my final two products for online natural beauty store, My Pure. I've really appreciated all your feedback, questions and recommendations, and I've loved trying out so many new natural  products and new to me, brands. I thought I'd finish off by reviewing two products from one of my most recent and best discoveries, German brand, Lavera.

For those of you who aren't in the know, Lavera are one of the longest standing brands in natural beauty. They were founded in Germany over 25 years and they produce a large range of natural cosmetics, skin care products and toiletries. They only use natural ingredients, and ones that are certified organic whenever possible. All of the products are also formulated without synthetic preservatives, colourings or fragrances and their range is also cruelty free.

I've tried a few of their make up products now and for one of my final My Pure reviews I decided to try out one of their eyeshadows, they have a few different shadows to choose from but I went for one of the Lavera Illuminating Eyeshadow.

This is a baked eyeshadow that is suitable for contact lens wearers and vegans. It's a mineral based shadow that's crammed full of natural mineral pigments, and moisturising ingredients. Packaged in a basic clear and black plastic compact, this is a domed, baked shadow. There were 4 shades to choose from and the colour I went for was Vibrant Gold.

In the pan this is much more of a soft yellow gold tone , rather than an out and out metallic gold.

I'm usually a sucker for a baked eyeshadow but unfortunately this one just isn't that great. The pigmentation and the pay off just isn't strong enough. Instead of the solid yellow gold that I was hoping for, this shadow just gives you a subtle wash of gold with a touch of sparkle.

Liked all baked eyeshadows this one can be used both wet and dry and although I haven't managed to take any pictures of it wet, it does improve both the pigmentation and the vibrancy.

This shadows wears well both wet and dry and if you want a subtle wash of colour, then this could be for you,especially if your looking for something that is cruelty free, unfortunately though for the price, I would have like a bit more pigmentation and a bit more vibrancy from this shadow. Lavera Illuminating Eyeshadow comes in a 1.5g compact, it comes in 4 shades and retails at £11.50 from My Pure. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions please leave me a comment x

*Sample

A Very Late May Beauty Favourites Video

I'm late again but I've just uploaded my May beauty favourites video and I'd love it you'd take a look, either by watching the video below or by clicking on this link.

Products Mentioned 

Gatineau Tan Accelerating Lotion For Face And Body 

Lavera Fine Loose Mineral Powder - Transparent*

(Read my review here x)

Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate**

Kiehls Rare Earth Pore Minimizing Lotion

Flat Top Face Brushes - Various Ebay Sellers

Jewellery From Ebay Seller - MandyMax1971

I hope you enjoyed this video and / or you found it useful, If you did please subscribe and if you have any questions on anything that I talked about then please leave me a comment x Thanks for reading and hopefully watching x 

*Press Sample

**On Counter Sample 

Lavera Soft Glowing Highlighter - 02 Shining Pearl - A Review For My Pure*

Hi Guys x I hope you've all had a lovely, sunny weekend, I've had a couple of busy days but I'm back now with another My Pure review for you and  it's another one from German, natural beauty brand Lavera.

Although Lavera also produce a large range of skin and body care products, personally I'm all about their natural make up line. Many moons ago the words, natural and make up just didn't go together. If a make up product was ethical, contained no nasties and  was full of good for you ingredients, then the chances were that the quality just wouldn't be that great. Thankfully times have changed though and over 25 years of experience has allowed Lavera to produce a highly regarded make up range, that's cruelty free, predominantly organic and contains no synthetic preservatives, colours, or fragrances.

My Pure has a huge selection of make up products from Lavera, but the one I decided to try this time round was the Lavera Soft Glowing Highlighter in 02 - Shining Pearl.

Like all of the other make up products in their range, this cream highlighter is crammed full of good for you, skincare ingredients including, Castor seed, jojoba, argan, sunflower, rapeseed, coconut and olive oils, and Shea, and cocoa butter. It also includes a variety of natural mineral pigments, and various flower and plant extracts including mallow flower, Rosa centifolia and sea buckthorn.

It comes in a black plastic pot with a twist off lid. The lid contains a clear plastic section so you can see exactly what the product is at a glance.

There are two shades to choose from Golden Shine which looks darker, and more golden bronze toned, and the one I went for Shining Pearl. The swatch on the website isn't the most accurate I have to say, but Shining Pearl in real life is a beautiful, pearlised, creamy champagne colour.

This is a cream highlighter, and probably because of all the lovely oils, and butters it has a lovely creamy consistency, and thanks to the essential oils  and plant extracts, it also has a lovely lavender, type aromatherapy type scent, which lingers on the skin.

All you do is take a small amount of the product (a little goes a long way), and dab it on to your cheekbones, your eyelids, under your brown or anywhere else where you would like a bit of shimmer and a bit of a glow. You can either apply it with your fingertips, or if you have one, a small stippling brush, or even one of the tiny beauty blending type sponges.

It can look a touch cakey at first especially if you're applying it on top of say a face powder but it blends down nicely and gives the skin, a subtle but noticeable shimmer, and glow.

Here I've applied it to my cheekbones, and I've also used it to highlight my brow arch, and I've also used it as a cream shadow and to add a bit of brightness to the inner corners of my eyes, I'm a huge fan of powder, liquid and cream highlighters, and for me this one is a nice addition to my collection. If you want all the shimmer, glitter and sparkle, and you're looking for that disco ball look then this probably isn't the product for you. If on the other hand you just want to add a tiny bit of shimmer and glow here and there then this product could be one to try. The Lavera Soft Glowing Highlighter comes in 2 shades and retails at £9.50 for 4g, from My Pure. Are you a highlighter fan? Let me know your favourites in the comments box x

*Sample

Lavera Fine Loose Mineral Powder - Transparent - A Review For My Pure*

From something that was once a mainstay in many peoples make up routines, in recent years loose powder seems to have got a bit of  a bad press. Look at any You Tube video or magazine article on celebrity make up fails and you're bound to see at least once beautiful woman with a loose powder disaster and a floury, cakey face - not a good look!

Loose powder can be messy, and it can be cakey, drying and ageing but it if you've got an oily skin, it can be a god send. A lot of brands are replacing their loose powders with balms, and silicone mattifiers but for me I'll always be a loose powder girl.

Find a good loose powder and you'll realise why this product has been around as long as it has. The ingredients may have changed a bit over the years but if your skin is prone to oiliness and shine, then you'll know that a quick dusting of powder, both perfects and sets your make up, and takes away all of that oil and shine.

I'm slightly obsessed with face powders, and I always have a few on the go at once - I tend to use pressed powders for touch ups and when I'm on the go but for that first application at home I love the feeling of a loose powder on my skin. I've got one or two in my collection already but since I recently finished one I thought that I pick one up for one of May's My Pure reviews.

I've already spoke a little bit about the ethics and history of German brand Lavera in a previous post but I think it's important to remind you of the significant role they've played in the natural beauty industry.


Lavera as a company are over 25 years old, which surely tells you something about the quality of their products. 25 years in the beauty industry is a long time, and in that time many brands have came and went but Lavera have stayed at the top of the natural beauty market. They produce a wide range of products that only use natural ingredients, which are organic where possible, and that are formulated without synthetic preservatives, colourings or fragrance. The range is also animal friendly, and dermatologically tested to be suitable for even the most sensitive of skins.

The product that I decided to try was the Lavera Fine Loose Mineral Powder which comes in the one shade Transparent. Lavera are firm believers in the fact that make up should be good for your skin, so this product contains a host of good for you ingredients that you probably wouldn't expect to be in a face powder.

Suitable for all skintypes this talc free formulation, contains a wide variety of natural minerals and light reflecting pigments, as well as rice powder, and nourishing, organic oils, butters and plant extracts including, argan, coconut, sunflower, olive and jojoba oils, cocoa and shea butter, and extracts of rosa centifolia, mallow, lime blossom and licorice root.

The powder itself comes packaged in a basic, but practical screw top jar, and features a little insert with holes in so you don't dispense too much product at once.

The pot also comes with a useful, soft velour powder puff. You can apply the powder either with the puff provided but either patting or rolling it onto specific areas of shine, such as the t-zone, or if your skin is just generally oily or if you want to set your make up, you do what I generally do and use a big fluffy brush

The powder itself has a beautiful soft and velvety feel, it is very finely milled and it feels very lightweight on the skin, and no matter how much you apply it never feels cakey or drying. I think that that's probably down to all of the moisturising ingredients and plant oils, that also give a subtle but noticeable aromatherapy type scent.

The shade is called Transparent, and unlike a lot of loose powders that claim to be translucent, and despite the fact that it does seem to have a hint of colour, it doesn't drastically change the colour of your foundation or look obvious or chalky on the skin. My skin is you know, as very pink toned and quite pale, and this shade really worked with my skin, I can't say though how this would work on darker skin, a true translucent but should be okay but that's something that you would need to try for yourself to be sure.

I've been using this powder to set a variety of foundation, and it worked equally well on all of them but perhaps the one that it's performed best with is the Lavera Natural Liquid Foundation in the shade 02 - Ivory Nude. I reviewed this product a little while ago now (read my review here) and whilst there were aspects about it that I liked, the colour was a little bit off, and the creamy formulation meant that it didn't last very long on my skin. When I saw the accompanying powder, I thought would give it a go and see if it made a difference, and believe it or not it did.

Not only did it seem, to calm down the richer colour, but it also took away all of the initial shine, and glow in an instant, and it helped the foundation not only last longer but it also it made a lot more wearable on my oily skin

I've took a few photos below but I don't really think they show the difference that well after all this is a transparent powder so you aren't really supposed to see it. In the before pictures I'm just wearing the Lavera foundation and nothing else, and in the after photos I've just added a dusting of the Lavera Fine Loose Mineral Powder.

Before

After

I know you can't see too much of a difference in these photographs but I think you can see a slight change in the skins texture in the after photographs. What I like about this powder is that it is so light weight, you can barely see it or even feel it on the skin, you skin just looks smoother, and with a more even tone and texture. The oil just seems to disappear in a minute and your skin doesn't feel caked, thick with product or dry and flaky. If you have oily skin and you love natural products than I would definitely recommend this product. As well as using it set your make up, you can also dust this powder onto bare skin and use underneath your make up, to mattify the skin, and to even out your skin tone. Yes it's a little bit messy and you get a bit of fall out here and there but if you want an even toned, matte complication, then this is definitely something to try. The Lavera Fine Loose Mineral Powder in Transparent comes in an 8g pot and retails at £15.90  from My Pure. Are you still a loose powder fan? Let me know below x

*Sample

A Review Of The Lavera Natural Liquid Foundation - 02 Ivory Nude*

Some things in life are just difficult , no I don't mean brain surgery I mean normal everyday things like finding the perfect pair of jeans or finding the perfect foundation. Why is it so hard to find a foundation that you love? My foundation drawer is just about full to bursting point with a lot of foundations that don't really cut the mustard and I know I'm not alone. There are so many factors to consider when you're buying a foundation, including colour, texture and finish, it's not surprising that so many of us get it wrong.

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, I've found a couple of foundations that I love and I know I'll repurchase but I'm not one to rest on my laurels, Manufacturers discontinue products and change shades and formulations all the time, so you can never be sure that your foundation of choice is in it for the long haul. So what do you do? well in my case you keep buying, and trying new products hoping upon hope to find something else that you love just in case. For that reason for one of March's My Pure reviews I decided to try out a foundation from one of the their newer brands, Lavera.

If you know anything about natural beauty then you'll definitely have heard of German brand Lavera. Founded in 1987, they are one of most well known and trusted natural and organic cosmetic brands. Widely used and endorsed by celebrity make up artists, and skincare specialists, they produce a wide range of skincare, body care and make up products, using only plant extracts, and natural minerals. All of there products are certified 100% natural and are made using organic ingredients whenever possible. They contain no synthetic colours, fragrances or preservatives, they're dermatologically tested and they don't test on animals.

There are a few different foundation and base products in the line but the product that I chose to try was the Lavera Natural Liquid Foundation, which comes in 6 shades. Lavera firmly believe that your make up should be as good for your face as skincare, so this foundation is crammed full of moisturising, and nourishing ingredients including olive, coconut, argan and jojoba oils, and Shea and cocoa butters. It's also enriched with vitamins A, C and E, and full of protecting minerals and natural flower and plant extracts including linden blossom, marshmallow, Rosa centifolia and licorice root.

The foundation comes packaged in an air tight pump action bottle, to protect the product from both the air and the light. I did panic a little bit when I saw the bottle as it looks quite yellow but it's just a generic colour and it doesn't coincide with the colour of the product inside

As I say there are 6 shades to choose from but after a lot of deliberation I eventually went for 02 Ivory Nude, which is their second palest shade with just a hint of warmth to it. I have to be honest and say the colour is probably a little bit off for me and on reflection I probably should have gone for 01 Ivory Light but you win some, you lose some.

This foundation looks quite yellow / orange in this swatch but it is pretty accurate. When I first swatched it I really didn't think that it would work on my skin but I gave it a go never the less.  As you can hopefully see it has a lot more warmth in than my natural skin tone but bizarrely enough I think I might just be able to get away with it.

It has a very, very creamy feel and it applies more like a moisturiser than a moderate coverage foundation, In fact it's so full of herbal and flower extracts, and aromatherapy oils that it even smells like an expensive moisturiser.  I had to blend it in really well, especially around my jawline and hairline but I think I just about managed to make it work - see for yourself...

Before

After

In real life it looks touch warmer, and a touch more yellow but I don't think it looks too bad. It almost seems to have colour corrected my complexion - it's certainly toned down the redness in my cheeks, and it seems to have evened out my skin tone.

Wear time was an interesting one, Lavera claim that this is a long wear foundation, and that it should last for up to 10 hours, I have to be honest though and say that wasn't my experience. As I said it has a very, very creamy texture, and it gives an almost dewy finish, perfect if you have a drier skin, not so much if your skin is oily like mine. For me this foundation really needs either a primer or a dusting of face powder every now and then to keep it in place. My mum said the colour and the dewy texture made me look healthy but I just couldn't make it last, after about 6 hours, yes I still managed to remove some foundation, but you just couldn't tell that I was wearing any make up, the shine and the oil had come through, and I just didn't look as polished any more.

Buying foundations even in a bricks and mortar store is hard but buying it online is even harder so take some advice from me and do your research, read reviews, and try and find some swatches before you take the plunge. You still might make a mistake but at least you'll have a better idea about what your buying.

I think it's a shame, despite the the fact that the colour I picked was a bit off,this Lavera product had real potential but on it's own it just doesn't work for me. I'm going to try it with a face powder and a primer to see if it makes a difference and I really hope that it does. For me though this foundation just doesn't work on oily skin, if your skin is drier though and you need that moisture boost then this could be something to try.

The Lavera Natural Liquid Foundation is available in 6 shades, and retails at £12.90 for a 30ml bottle from My Pure x Have you found the one when it comes to foundation? or do you have a drawful of maybes and fails like me? Leave me a comment and let me know x

P.S. I tried this foundation with the Lavera Natural Loose Mineral Powder and it made a big difference - find out how here x

*Sample