Posts tagged Cosmetics

Hard Candy Cosmetics

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I was recently given the opportunity, by an online discount make up store called Xtras, to choose some Hard Candy products to review.  I’d seen Hard Candy online before and had been wanting to try them out, mainly because their nail polishes come with a cute little ring, so I made my selection and everything arrived within a day or two, which is extremely quick service these days!

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I received four Hard Candy items in total; Split Personality Cream Eyeshadow Duo in ‘Psycho’, Just Nails Nail Polish in ‘Mr Right’, Just Nails Matte Top Coat, and World Balmination Tinted Lip Balm in ‘Good Girl’.  I must admit, as a nail polish hoarder I was extremely tempted to only order nail products, but I thought I’d give some of the rest of the range a go too, and I’m pleased I did.

Just Nails Nail Polish in ‘Mr Right’ and Just Nails Matte Top Coat

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‘Mr Right’ is a gorgeous deep blue shade with a delicate shimmer finish, that looks really elegant on the nails.  Though the brush is a bit smaller than I’d like, the polish still applies easily and evenly, and gives completely opaque coverage in two coats.  My only real issue with it is that it takes a while to dry, so I managed to smudge it whilst impatiently applying the matte top coat too early, but at least I’ve learnt for next time.  The ring that comes with the polish is a fab little bonus too.  I was half expecting it to be too small for me and not very good quality, but it’s actually nice and chunky and fits well.

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I’d been looking for an affordable matte top coat for ages so choosing this one was a no brainer for me.  Unfortunately there’s no ring with it, but the product inside the bottle makes up for that.  It applies smoothly with very little streaking, dries a lot quicker than the polish, and as you’d hope, gives a matte finish.  Luckily, the formula is fairly thin too, so it doesn’t look or feel too thick.  I only applied it on my ring finger as an accent nail so you can see the difference.

At £1.99 each, Hard Candy’s nail products are a real bargain, and I’d definitely recommend them if you’re willing to wait a few extra minutes for your nails to dry!

World Balmination Lip Balm in ‘Good Girl’

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Hard Candy’s World Balmination Lip Balm comes packaged in a basic twist up tube, but the packaging is really pretty, so it stands out from the abundance of blacks and silvers in my make up drawer.  I do have one little problem with the packaging, though.  For some reason, quite a lot of the product sticks out over the top of the tube, even before it has been twisted up (as you can see in the picture), so it’s hard to get the lid on without damaging the balm, unless you have a really steady hand.  Not ideal!

The first thing I noticed when I opened the balm was its scent.  It smells like a mixture of vanilla and lemon, and even tastes sweet, so if you’re a fan of scented lip products as I am, then this is definitely for you.  The balm applies nicely, and a has a creamy texture that isn’t greasy, so it feels nice on the lips and has a long-lasting moisturising effect.  I applied it this morning, and even after my Sunday lunch my lips still felt lovely!  It’s also very slightly tinted with a light peachy pink shade, and though it doesn’t add much colour to the lips, it does emphasise your natural lip colour.

At £1.99 it’s a definite thumbs up from me.

Split Personality Cream Eyeshadow Duo in ‘Psycho’

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I don’t tend to wear eyeshadow that often (I’m more of a thick black eyeliner kinda girl), but when I spotted this I thought I’d give it a go as one of the shadows in the duo is, you guessed it, black!  The other is white, and both have a bit of shimmer to them.

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The duo has a cream eyeshadow at either end of the stick, which sits in the screw lid that covers each applicator.   The applicators themselves are soft and spongy, and seem to be loaded on a spring, so they move and mould to the shape of your eyelid nicely, making application smooth and easy.  The two colours compliment each other well, and make for an impressive smoky eye that’s quick to do.

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If these shades aren’t for you, there are plenty of other colours to choose from, and they cost £1.99 each, which is £3.00 cheaper than the RRP.

To view the full range of Hard Candy products that Xtras have to offer, visit their site here.

Naomi x

*These Hard Candy cosmetics were sent to me by Xtras for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Blog Sale: UPDATE!

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Hi everyone,

I hope you’re all enjoying the weekend.

This is just a quick update to let you know that I have just added some new items to my blog sale, mostly clothes, and reduced the prices of almost everything else!  If you want to see what I have for sale, click here, or visit the ‘Blog Sale’ tab above.  If anything takes your fancy you can either comment on the post or email .

Thanks!

Naomi x

Cosmetics and Toiletries Blog Sale

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Evening everyone!

I’ve been having a bit of a clear out lately and have gathered together a few cosmetics and toiletries which I’ve decided to sell, including body lotions, lipstick, nail varnish, aftershave and more.  Almost everything is brand new and unused, and a lot of it is still sealed.  If you’d like to have a look at what I’m selling, click here or visit my ‘Blog Sale’ page via the tab at the top.  All information on postage costs and payment details etc can be found there.

Thanks!

Naomi x

Cargo Cosmetics Launch in the UK

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Last month, Cargo Cosmetics, a highly sought after brand known for its use on TV and film sets worldwide, launched in the UK at Debenhams.  The brand boasts better, easier, smarter products with the latest innovations in beauty, that give a high-definition, flawless finish from all angles.

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Cargo’s range features a wide selection of high quality make up items, including lip gloss, eye shadows, water resistant blushes and bronzer, foundation, liners, mascara, brushes and carefully concocted palettes, sets and quads, all of which look simply slick in Cargo’s award winning silvered packaging.  I was recently sent a few products from the range to try, these being two Eye Shadow Singles in ‘Flint’ and ‘Windsor’, a Water Resistant Bronzer and a Lip Gloss in ‘Route 66′, and I have been nothing but impressed by their quality.  Here are my thoughts on each…

Eye Shadow Singles in ‘Flint’ and ‘Windsor’ – £12.00 each

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Cargo’s Single Eye Shadows come in twelve shades, featuring daring brights and more neutral tones, in either matte or shimmer.  The two shades I was sent are ‘Flint’, an ashy grey, and a pale peachy cream called ‘Windsor’, both of which have a very slight shimmer.  Both shadows have a soft, velvety formula, and they’re not too powdery.  Because of this, I find they apply really smoothly, and give very little fall out so it’s easy to create a sharp look, with hardly any mess.  The pigmentation is also impressive, and it doesn’t take much of the product to get a bold finish.  My favourite thing about the shadows, though, is how long they last.  After morning application, the eye shadow stays put without the use of a primer until you’re ready to remove it, and it barely gathers in the creases at all.

Here’s how the eye shadows look worn together.  I used ‘Flint’ as a base up to the eye crease, and ‘Windsor’ above the crease and in the corner of each eye.  ‘Windsor’ works really well as a highlighter eye shadow, and ‘Flint’ is the perfect shade to create a subtle smokey look.

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If you like the look of Cargo’s Eye Shadow Singles, they are available online here at Debenhams, and cost £12.00 each.

Water Resistant Bronzer – £20.00

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Cargo claim that their Water Resistant Bronzer is a world first, as it contains a silicone-coated talc that adheres firmly to the skin, making it long-lasting even in water.  This makes it perfect for summer, as it gives skin a healthy glow with the appearance of a natural tan, and will survive a dip in the sea or pool, and stay put even through perspiration.

As you’d expect, I decided to put the water resistance of the bronzer to the test, and I’m pleased to report that water just slides right off it – as you can see in the picture above!  Even with some rubbing it takes a while for the colour to fade, but it fades evenly and doesn’t go streaky, which is always good news.  Luckily though, it removes easily with make up remover, so there’s no need to worry about it being stubborn.

In terms of colour, Cargo’s Water Resistant Bronzer gives a fairly subtle bronze shimmer that looks great even on pale skin like mine, but it can be built up to create a bolder look if you prefer.

This wonderful Water Resistant Bronzer has well and truly converted me to the bronzed look, and is available here at Debenhams, for just £20.00.

Lip Gloss in ‘Route 66′ – £7.50

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All of Cargo’s Lip Glosses are clinically proven to last up to six hours, a statement that I can vouch for, and they have a moisturising formula that isn’t sticky and leaves your lips feeling incredibly soft.  The gloss tubes are dinky enough to carry with you at all times, and they come with a just as dinky price tag of just £7.50.  I really like the applicator that comes with the gloss as its flat, rounded shape and soft padding makes for precise application.  However, I’m not a massive fan of how the gloss smells.  I really like sweetly scented glosses, but this one is almost scentless, other than a slight plasticky smell that is slightly off putting.  Thankfully it doesn’t taste horrible though!

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The shade I was sent, Route 66, is a coral pinky red which is packed full of shimmery particles that give the gloss a lovely, long-lasting shine.  The colour applies very subtly for a natural touch of pink, but like all of Cargo’s products that I’ve tried it can be layered to create a deeper colouring.  Here it is after one coat:

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Cargo Cosmetics Lip Glosses come in a wide range of shades (eighteen, in fact), including an unusual but beautiful gold shade, and are available online here.

If you like the look of any of Cargo’s innovative cosmetics, or you want to find out what else they have to offer, the full range is available to browse and buy online at Debenhams.  Do you think you’ll be giving any of their products a go?

Naomi x

*These Cargo Cosmetics products were sent to me by Debenhams for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Pebble Grey LED Illuminated Cosmetic Mirror

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I recently came across a great little interior design company called Pebble Grey, who specialise in contemporary mirrors and modern bathroom accessories, and they kindly sent me one of their newest products to review – an LED Illuminated Cosmetic Mirror.

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When I first received the mirror, I was instantly struck by how beautiful its packaging is.  The mirror comes presented in a sleek, dark grey presentation box which feels lovely to the touch, and comes with a velvet black pouch to store it in when you’re out and about, to prevent any scratches or scuffs.  It’s obvious that a lot of care and thought has been put in to the packaging, and it gives the product a luxury edge that would make it perfect as a gift idea for a loved one, or even as a treat for yourself.

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The mirror itself is matte grey in colour, and is adorned with the Pebble Grey logo on the front, and a feminine, swirly pattern on the back.  It is elegantly slim, but very well made with a strong hinge, and feels very sturdy, so it won’t break easily like some cheaper pocket mirrors do.

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Inside the compact are two mirrors with 2x magnification, one of which is studded with six powerful LED lights.  The lights are very useful and make for effortless make up application, as they highlight the areas of your face that are often in shadow, meaning you can blend your make up perfectly with no unevenness.  They’re also bright enough so that you can check your face in darker areas with no trouble.  My favourite use for the mirror, however, is for plucking my eyebrows, as the magnification and LED lights make it easy to see any small, stray hairs.

Pebble Grey’s Illuminated Cosmetic Mirror comes everywhere with me, and is extremely handy, and several people have asked me where they can get one.  I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high quality, versatile mirror.  The mirror usually retails for £14.99, but is currently on offer for £9.99 on the Pebble Grey website, so grab yourself a bargain whilst you still can!

Naomi x

*This LED Illuminated Cosmetic Mirror was sent to me be Pebble Grey for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Bad Apple Cosmetics Nail Varnish

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A few weeks ago I entered a competition on Twitter to win some Bad Apple Cosmetics nail varnishes from The Lady Boys of Bangkok, and I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of their winners.  The prize I received consisted of three nail varnish shades from the Bad Apple range, and they are all absolutely gorgeous – thanks @TheLadyBoys!

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Before entering the competition I had never heard of Bad Apple Cosmetics, but according to their Twitter account their products are all made in England and free from nasty chemicals, and they are apparently the first site in the world who will put any picture you send them onto nail wraps!

Since receiving my prize I have tried and tested all three varnishes, and I must say I am rather impressed.  When I first saw them I immediately liked the little apple-shaped bottles, and the Bad Apple logo is pretty cool too.  Each varnish comes with a wide brush which is easy to grip due to the large lid, which means it applies smoothly without any streaks.  The varnish itself has a creamy consistency, but it is fairly sheer so two or three coats are needed for a completely opaque look.  It also dries to the touch very quickly, within a minute or two, so you can create a beautiful smudge-free manicure in no time at all.

One of my favourite things about Bad Apple’s varnishes is that they last a very long time.  I didn’t apply a top coat over any of the shades, and I wore each one for around four days before removing it, and signs of wear were minimal.  At the worst I had a small chip on one or two nails, and that was all.

Here’s a closer look at each varnish… (Excuse the short nails – they were all breaking so I decided to cut them off and start again!)

Misty

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Misty is a stunning dark slate grey which has an intense glossy shine.  It’s a very unusual grey due to its azure undertone, but it’s really versatile as it’s neutral enough to go with anything.

Anna

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Anna is a bright bubblegum pink with a shiny creme finish.  This is my favourite of the three shades and the one I will wear the most, I imagine.  I love how pretty and girly it is.

Akane

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True to its name, Akane is a brilliant red, which has a Gothic feel to it due to its deep colouring, and like the other two varnishes it also has a lovely shine.  This is a classic varnish which is perfect for a glamorous evening look.  Simply beautiful.

Bad Apple’s varnishes cost £9.95 each, which considering their quality is well worth it and I’d be happy to pay that for them.  In fact, I hope to add to my collection in the not too distant future!  You can view the full range of Bad Apple products here, and you can also follow the company on Twitter.

Which of these shades do you like best?

Naomi x

Layla Hologram Effect Nail Polish in Ultra Violet

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On my birthday I got quite a few bottles of nail varnish, and the one I chose to wear on the day was this one from my mum – Layla Hologram Effect in Ultra Violet.  I’ve always liked the look of hologram nail varnishes but have never got round to buying one myself, so I was very pleased to see this in my pile of presents, especially as it’s my favourite colour.  Thanks mum!

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Layla isn’t a brand that I’m familiar with, but according to their website they are based in Milan, Italy, and sell a wide range of make up as well as nail products.

This varnish has a fairly thick consistency, but it comes with a decent brush so applies easily and evenly, and despite the glittery look dries smooth to the touch.  However, it does take a little while to dry, and if you attempt to apply the second coat whilst the first is still sticky it can cause some streaking, so it’s best to be patient with application if you want to achieve neat coverage!  It only takes two coats to create an opaque finish, which is always my test of a good quality varnish, and this one passes.

In the bottle, Ultra Violet looks a dusky purple colour with an undertone of grey, but on the nails it looks slightly paler.  However, once you’re in the right light the hologram effect really comes alive, and it’s impressively strong!  The hologram looks 3D and shines a rainbow of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink and purple in both natural and indoor light, and at the same time the glitter shimmers beautifully underneath.  It’s difficult to put into words just how stunning this varnish is, so here are a few pictures of it in different lights to give you an idea…

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No hologram effect.

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Hologram effect without flash.

(It actually looks a lot more colourful than this in reality but it was difficult to capture on camera.)

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Hologram effect with flash.

I have been wearing Ultra Violet for three days now, with a top coat, and it has lasted really well.  The ends have started to chip today so I will probably remove the varnish soon, but other than that the coverage still looks neat and vibrant.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Layla Hologram Effect Nail Polish as it is excellent quality and the hologram effect is powerful and very, very pretty.  A lot better than the Boots 17 hologram varnish I’ve seen in reviews!  The colour is a bit more interesting than the typical silver hologram too.  If you’d like to try this range for yourself, it may be difficult to locate in shops, but Ultra Violet is available on Amazon here, and you can find other shades here.

Do you like the look of this varnish?

Naomi x

Proposed EU Ban on Animal Testing for Cosmetics

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Yesterday evening I received a very exciting email from BUAV to say that, after over twenty years of campaigning, the EU have announced that they will be banning the sale of cosmetics which have been tested on animals.  According to BUAV’s article, “the import and sale of animal tested cosmetic products and ingredients is to be banned in the EU on 11th March 2013″, meaning that any company wishing to sell new cosmetic products within Europe, must not test them on animals anywhere in the world.  The ban will not just affect beauty products, but also toiletries and essentials such as soap and toothpaste.

As I’m sure you will all agree, this is a huge step in the right direction to banning animal testing worldwide, and as BUAV have said, hopefully it will send “a strong message worldwide in support of cruelty free beauty and in particular to countries such as China, who still demand animal testing for cosmetics, to also respond and ban testing on animals”.  I personally couldn’t be happier with this news, and I look forward to seeing what positive changes this will bring to the cosmetics industry.

To read more about the proposed animal testing ban in the EU, you can visit the BUAV article referenced above here.

Naomi x

Zoya and BM Beauty from Lucy Rose

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As a vegetarian with sensitive skin, I am always looking for beauty products and retailers who specialise in products which are suited to my needs, and that means ethical, natural companies with high quality products.  A couple of months ago during one of my searches, I came across a fantastic online organic beauty boutique called Lucy Rose, which stocks only the best organic skin care products and natural cosmetics.  Their range of products is pretty impressive, covering everything from hair and skin to make up and nails, and they feature some brilliant collections too, including Inika, Faith In Nature, Burts Bees, and as mentioned in the title, Zoya and BM Beauty.

A few weeks ago, the lovely folks at Lucy Rose were kind enough to send me two wonderful products from their range, which go together for a festive look like bread and butter – Zoya’s ‘Rina’ Nail Polish, and ‘Emerald Showers’, a stunning mineral eyeshadow from BM Beauty.  After getting to know the products and sampling Lucy Rose’s service for myself, I have decided that they’re too good not to share, so here are my thoughts on Lucy Rose and their products!

Zoya Nail Polish in ‘Rina’

When I first opened my parcel from Lucy Rose and found Zoya’s Rina inside, I literally gasped.  I had been looking for a green glitter polish for a while and this one is just perfect, and so unusual.  The green shade is a rich, bright emerald green, made up of small glitter flecks and bar glitter, some of which has an icy blue holographic undertone, giving it a 3D texture when on the nails.

I applied Rina over a navy blue polish to give it a deeper appearance, and as you can see, it worked incredibly well.  It only took two coats of the Zoya glitter over one coat of the base colour to create a completely opaque glitter look.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that Rina dries VERY quickly.  Within a minute it was dry to the touch, and because it doesn’t need a top coat I could be on my way without worrying about it denting or smudging.

What I love about this glitter is that it doesn’t feel rough like other glitters when on the nails – it has a lovely smooth finish, but it still has incredible depth and catches the light really well for breathtaking sparkle and shine.

Zoya’s Rina is also extremely hardwearing.  I’ve had it on for around three days now and the wear is minimal, but what else would you expect from a range which are said to be ‘the longest wearing natural nail polishes available’?

Rina is ideal for this festive season, and is available from Lucy Rose for just £10.50.  All of Zoya’s polishes are vegan friendly and free of the big three toxins, and Lucy Rose also stock many other shades, which can be found here.

BM Beauty Mineral Eyeshadow in ‘Emerald Showers’

I have used BM Beauty mineral eyeshadows before and have always been impressed by their amazing quality, so when I received this I was a very happy bunny indeed.  BM eyeshadows are oil-free and consist of 100% natural ingredients.  They are also completely cruelty free, and as such are approved by BUAV and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.  Don’t you just love it when you find make up which is ethical AND high quality?  I know I do!

As with all BM Beauty packaging, the eyeshadow comes in a sleek and simple 2g pot, which allows for mess-free, easy application.  The shade I was sent is Emerald Showers, which you can see below.

Emerald Showers is exactly what it says on the tin…  A gorgeous shower of emerald shimmer soft mineral powder.  In the pot it looks quite dark, and it does have a grey undertone to it, but once on the skin it really comes alive with sparkle and bold, deep green colour.  The powder is extremely highly pigmented, so a little goes a long way.  It only takes a little dab and a sweep over the eyelid for a striking shadow look, which is represented in this swatch:

I wanted to try something a little different with Emerald Showers, to see whether it can be used as more than just an eyeshadow, and I was pleased to discover that it can!  All I did was mix a little bit of powder with a few drops of water to create a gel eyeliner, which I then applied above my top lash line with an eye liner brush.  This was the final result…

The gel dried very quickly which meant I had to make up a small batch for each eye, but that didn’t bother me as I only used a tiny bit anyway.  I found it really easy to mix the right consistency, which made it even easier to apply.  It glided straight on like any gel liner, and it went on really neatly as well so it was easy to create a fine flick at the outer corner of each eye!  It didn’t smudge either because of the quick drying time.

I must admit, I was slightly worried that it wouldn’t last that long, but I was proven wrong.  The eyeliner looked just as bold and neat after ten hours as it did when I first applied it, and only when I took my make up off (after fourteen hours of wear and no touch-ups) did I notice any fading.  AMAZING!  Using this as an eyeliner is a great look for the day time when you want a burst of colour, but not a daring shadow look, and I will definitely be trying this again!

You can view Lucy Rose’s full range of BM Beauty mineral eyeshadows here, and they cost £7.00 each, which is great value.  Lucy Rose also stock many other BM Beauty make up products, which can be found on the make up section of their website.

Lucy Rose won the ‘Best Retail Website 2011′ award at the Natural Beauty Awards last year, and I’m inclined to agree that  they really are the best online natural beauty product shop that I have ever come across.  Not only do they sell top quality products, but they also provide outstanding customer service which goes above and beyond what you’d expect.  They love their freebies, and you get great deals left, right and centre on their website!  They offer FREE postage on all UK orders, FREE samples with every order, FREE live help and expert beauty advice, and you can even join their beauty club to earn reward points with each purchase.  I also noticed that they’re currently offering free gifts with some items, and 5% off your first order if you sign up to their newsletter too, which is also a bonus.

If you want to discover Lucy Rose’s wide range of products for yourself and put together a beautiful festive look, you can have a browse of their website here.

Happy Shopping!

Naomi x

*I was sent the above two products by Lucy Rose for review purposes.  All thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own*

BeTrousse to Yourself!

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By now, we are all used to the concept of the beauty box, that little present to yourself – you pay for a subscription, usually costing around £10 per month, and in return you receive a monthly box containing five or six sample products.  If you’re lucky, one of them might even be full-size.  But guess what?  A new and unique beauty box has just landed in the UK, and this one, in my eyes, is bigger and better than any other.  Why?  Because unlike other beauty boxes, everything in this one is full-size!  I am happy to be one of the first to introduce you to BeTrousse.

BeTrousse, a French company, put together monthly themed beauty ‘kits’, each containing five full-size beauty products.  There are currently three boxes available; ‘The Must Haves‘ (£19), ‘Organic & Natural Beauty‘ (£17) and ‘Spring Beauty‘ (£19).  The boxes cost more than the average beauty box, but they are great value money – the products in ‘The Must Haves’ box retail for a whopping £131 in total, for example, saving you £112.  BeTrousse boxes aren’t offered via a subscription, you have to buy them individually, so if you don’t like the look of the products you don’t have to gamble your money on the box – simple!

I was recently gifted a box by BeTrousse to review, and was sent the very luxurious ‘Organic & Natural Beauty’ box.  I was so excited about receiving it, and after a fairly short wait it arrived on Saturday.  As you can see above, the box is quite large, like a shoe box, and rather heavy due to the size of the products, so this one won’t fit through your letter box!  When you open the box, you are greeted with pink tissue paper wrap, like this…

And of course, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, here are the contents of the box!

As you’d expect, each product in the ‘Organic & Natural Beauty’ box is made of natural ingredients with no harsh chemicals, and every single one smells divine!  I’ve tried all but one of them out, so I’ll tell you a little bit about each. I’ll probably do a proper review of the products that I really like when I’ve used them for a bit longer, as part of the point of a full-size box is to use the items for a while so you can see if they suit you :)

Fro Her Aloe and Honey Mist – 75ml – RRP £10.99

This is the only product in the box that isn’t made in France – it’s actually from a company in Cardiff called Evelyn.  The mist is intended for use on dry or afro hair, but it can be used on any hair type to help make it softer.  The bottle says to spray the mist onto your hair and then brush it through to give a sleek look, which I did, and it works!  I tried this out yesterday and my hair looked lovely and shiny for the rest of the day, and it didn’t make my hair greasy.  It smells really sweet and lovely and the scent lingered for a long time – I kept catching whiffs of it all afternoon :)

Forest People Luminous Serum – 14ml – RRP £31

This Forest People Serum contains Borage and Rosehip Oils, and is used on the eyes to minimise puffiness and dark circles, and to contour lip shape.  The bottle says to dab a drop of the oil onto the eyelids and under the eyes, and onto the cupid’s bow of the lips.  The oil smells great and is very moisturising – I used this on my eyes yesterday and though I didn’t see much difference after one use, it made my skin feel very smooth and refreshed.

Lothantique Bath Salt – 600g – RRP £10

I haven’t yet tried these bath salts but they smell very fruity and have an air of luxury about them.  The bottle is absolutely massive and for a French, organic product I’d say this is great value for money.  I’m looking forward to pampering myself one evening with these in a relaxing bath!

*UPDATE* I just had a bath using these bath salts and they are looovely.  They didn’t irritate my skin at all!

Reve De Provence Organic Bar Soap (Olive Oil and Lavender) – 150g – £4.99

When I first opened my box I was hit with the beautiful smell of lavender, and it was coming from this bar of soap, scented with essential oils.  I usually use liquid soap as bars tend to have a drying effect on my skin, but after using this one my hands felt nicely softened.  I can only put this down to the natural ingredients that it contains, and I’ll definitely carry on using it!  The soap box also proudly states that the product isn’t tested on animals, which makes me very happy indeed.

K Pour Karite Hair Mascara (Dark Brown) – 0.52oz – RRP £12.95

This is the only product in the box that I wasn’t taken by.  Hair mascara is a little bit 90s in my eyes, and I think it’s a strange item to put in a beauty box as it’s very specific – not everyone has light roots or grey hairs!  I won’t be using the mascara on myself as I have no need for it, but I tried it on my mum as she has dark brown hair which is going grey.  I managed to get some photos of how well it works…

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After

The colour match isn’t perfect, but it did give fairly good coverage after a quick try at it, and I imagine you could get even better results with a bit of patience.  Still, at £12.95 it seems a bit excessive!

Overall, I am smitten with BeTrousse and I can’t wait to see what the next box brings!  It feels like a real treat when you open the box up and find five impressive full-size products inside.  You benefit from being able to try full-size products at a smidgen of the price as you get to feel the full effect of each one before deciding whether to purchase it again.  Will you be buying BeTrousse?

Naomi x

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