Top 5 Cleansers - From Budget To Splurge.

Now I know I have been a way for a while (find out why HERE)  but I am finally back and what a great way to start with 'My Top 5 Cleansers'. I have picked 5 cleansers that are my all time favourites and products that I continue to go back to. Some of the cleansers are budget friendly and others no so much, there really is something for everyone. They are in no particular order, I like them all just as much! Click on the cleanser names to view where to buy.

 

 

 

1) Organic Surge Gentle Cleansing Lotion 200ml - This is one of the best Organic cleansers that I have ever tried. It removes every trace of makeup and dirt, even the most stubborn of waterproof mascara. It leaves the skin feeling very clean, refreshed and hydrated. I love how gentle it is on the skin and it contains Chamomile so if you have any sore red blemishes it soothes and helps to take any redness/inflammation away. It also contains organic rosemary and lemon essential oils which gives the lotion a very nice citrus scent. I notice a great difference in the condition of my skin after using this, it generally feels fresher, brighter and hydrated. It also helps to keep any blemishes away which is a big plus for me. This is currently for sale at £5.99 from the Organic Surge Website.

 

2) Olay Gentle Cleansing Conditioning Milk 200ml - This is a great budget cleanser that is kind enough to the skin to be used on a daily basis. It is a cleansing milk rather than a lotion, therefore it is thin is consistency so doesn't leave any residue behind. You also only need a small amount due to the thin consistency. It is specifically designed to remove excess oil, makeup and dirt from the face. This cleanser is brilliant for my combination skin and when I use this I do notice a reduction in the amount of oil my skin produces in the day. It is also great at removing all traces of makeup and not much work is required to remove even waterproof makeup. It leaves the skin feeling clean and soft. It is currently for sale at Superdrug for £2.99 (it is also currently included in a BOGOF promotion!)

 

3) Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - This cleanser is gentle enough to use day and night each day yet it is concentrated enough to remove stubborn makeup and all impurities from the skin. It has been formulated to be used on any skin type which is great if you want to share with a sister, friend or mother. Because it is a hot cloth cleanser it encourages you to wash your face afterwards which is brilliant. The main reason I like using a cleansing lotion or milk is because you have to wash your face after use, meaning no impurities or dead skin cells stay on the skin or clog up your pores. I particularly like leaving the hot muslin cloth over my face for a couple of minutes to open my pores even more and give myself a kind of 'steam treatment'. You only require a small amount of this cleanser so it lasts for ages. It removes all makeup, even stubborn makeup and leaves your skin feeling super clean, refreshed and smooth. I use this cleanser as a treat for my skin as it is very luxurious and rich, leaving your skin feeling like you've had a facial! I notice a huge difference in the condition of my skin and the amount of blemishes I get when using this. It contains Eucalyptus and Cocoa Butter to smooth and calm the skin. This cleanser also doesn't contain any mineral oils and it completely plant based. When you buy the Cleanse & Polish you also receive the muslin cloths to use. Liz Earle currently do all different sizes of this product, ranging from £3.25 for the smallest and £14.75 for the largest size. Click HERE.

 

4) Garnier Clean & Soft Complete Cleansing Milk 200ml - This cleanser smells amazing! It contains rose extract so it is a very floral scent but it is lovely. It gently removes all makeup, dirt and impurities and leaves the skin feels clean, soft and very fresh. It is thin in consistency so not much is required meaning one bottle lasts for ages. It is also gentle enough to use on a daily basis. It removes even stubborn makeup without much effort at all. I found that it also has a soothing and calming effect on any red areas. Like I have stated above, I have combination skin and I also found that this cleanser helped with oil control if used in the morning before applying any makeup. This is currently for sale in Superdrug for £2.03 which is a saving of £1.02 - Click HERE. 

 

5) No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser 200ml - Just like the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish this is a luxurious, indulgent cleanser that leaves your skin feeling like you have had a day in the spa. The only difference is that the muslin cloth included with this cleanser is used to gently exfoliate the skin and stimulate circulation. It removes all makeup and impurities with ease and leaves the skin feeling revived, fresh and very clean. It doesn't leave any residue behind after using. It does have a soothing effect to the skin and when I use this I do feel like my skin is in much better condition and much more hydrated. I usually alternate this with the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish and use it as a weekly treat when I apply a face mask and give myself a facial. You can find this in Boots for £9.95, click HERE. currently selected No7 products are in a 3 for 2 offer and this is included.  

 

Have you tried any of these cleansers? What is your favourite cleanser? Can you recommend any more hot cloth ones I could try?

 

 

My Current Top 4 Drugstore Blushers

Hey Guys,

 

Today, I thought I would share with you my top 4 Drugstore Blushers that I am using at the moment. 

 

All of the Blushers vary in price but I think they are all great value for money and great all round Blushers. I have included an Elizabeth Arden Blusher which I would class as being Mid Range but it was bought from the Drugstore! They are in no particular order.

From L to R - L'Oreal Project Runway, Rimmel Lasting Finish, MUA Blusher, Elizabeth Arden Colour Intrigue.




1) L'Oreal Project Runway Super Blendable Blush In Shade Charming Cockatoo's Blush (425) - This Blusher is unfortunately limited edition and they have now stopped selling it in Drugstores. However... I have found it on Ebay, priced at £3.79 (Click HERE) It is also available in the USA on Ebay for $9.99 (HERE) - It is available in 3 other shade too which are also available on Ebay. This Blusher is a rich warm rosy shade with a slight hint of shimmer, it is a very 'natural' shade which looks beautiful on the apples of the cheeks. It does what all good Blushers should do and adds a natural 'blush' without making you look like you have tons of Blusher on! It is pigmented enough to transfer colour to the cheeks easily but it is not so pigmented that you have to be light handed. I am generally quite heavy handed when it comes to products like this so this is perfect for me. The colour can be built up and it is very easy to blend. The texture of the blush is quite powdery but I found that this didn't transfer to the cheeks. Overall, this is a brilliant product and I would highly recommend it!

 

 

 

2) Rimmel Lasting Finish Soft Colour Blush In Shade Santa Rose (010) - This is another 'natural' warm rose shade. This Blusher looks even more 'natural' on the cheeks as it doesn't contain as much shimmer as the L'Oreal. It is very soft in texture and easy to work with, it blends lovely on the cheeks and can be built up to the look you want to achieve. As with the L'Oreal, it is pigmented enough to get enough colour on the cheeks but you don't need to be careful applying. The finish is sheer yet flawless once applied to the cheeks and the wear time is amazing! Rimmel state that it is long lasting and smudge free, I agree totally! I can usually go all day without having to reapply this Blusher once (I have combination skin.) The only thing I am disappointed about with this product is the size of it! You don't seem to get an awful lot of Blush. It is only £3.99 though and it is great quality which I would personally rather have! Rimmel do other shades in this range which I am yet to try as I love this shade so much! This Blusher and the other shades can be found in most Drugstores, it is currently priced at £3.99 in Superdrug (Click HERE)

 

3) MUA Blusher In Shade 1 - I love this Blusher! I use this when I want to wear a light pinky bubble-gum shade rather than a natural looking rose. It is such a gorgeous pink and looks lovely on my fair skin. I would imagine that it would look great on any skin tone though. This Blusher is very highly pigmented so you do have to be a little bit careful when applying. The best thing about this Blusher is the price. It is only £1 on the MUA website - £1 is brilliant value for such a great blusher! It doesn't last as well as some of the other Blushers and it can be quite powdery when it is first applied. I have found that the powdery finish soon disappears after about 10 minutes of it being on the cheeks. And who cares... it is £1!!! Unfortunately, MUA @ Superdrug have now released 6 new blushers and stopped selling these exact ones - they have even given the new shades names! You can still get this Blusher from the MUA website HERE for £1 (you can also get all of the other old shades from the website too!). The closest match to the shade in MUA @ Superdrug is Bubble-gum and that can be found HERE, also for £1. The other shades in the new range can also be found at Superdrug! So if you fancy introducing a pop of colour to your face take a look at the MUA Blushers.

 

4) Elizabeth Arden Colour Intrigue In Shade Pink Glow (04) - Before I start telling you how wonderful this Blusher is I will just let you know that I can no longer find this exact shade anywhere on the internet! I originally bought mine from Boots for £24 - Although I cannot find this exact shade there is currently a choice of three shades available on the Fragrance Direct website for £4.50 - Nearly a £20 discount! (Click HERE) - Because I cannot find the shade I won't talk too much about it but I will just say that if you can get your hands on the shade Pink Glow then you will love it! It is quite different to the other Blushers that I have as it is a rosy shade yet it also has a pink tone to it. The formula of this Blusher is also amazing. It isn't powdery at all and once it is applied to your cheeks it will stay there for the whole day! As with the L'Oreal and Rimmel, it is pigmented enough to transfer the colour to your cheeks but not so heavily pigmented you end up looking like a Clown! It can be built up easily and it blends really well, it takes very little effort to blend into a natural looking 'blush' look. It also comes with a little brush and a mirror inside the compact which is great for taking out with you. The packaging also feels very hardwearing to me so you can put it in your handbag and not worry about your blusher crumbling into a 1000 tiny pieces! The shade Peach Sorbet would be my next choice as it looks like a lovely peachy/rose shade - that can be bought from Fragrance Direct for £4.50 HERE. I think £4.50 is an absolute steel for this Blusher!  

 

Let me know if you have found any of these Blushers cheaper or if you can find the EA in shade Pink Glow!

 

What are your favourite Drugstore Blushers? Do you share the same ones as me?

 

Laura

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MUA - My Favourite Products From The Brand

Hi Guys,

 

Since I have been buying a lot of MUA products recently to try out (because they are so cheap!) I thought I would do a blog post on my favourite products from the MUA brand! I have done reviews on a few of these products already but this is a summary. I have linked all of the products so you can click on them to have a look :-)

 

 

 

1) Cover & Conceal Wand - This has to be one of my favourite MUA products at the moment. I use this on a daily basis to cover blemishes and dark circles under my eyes. I have the shade fair but it does also come it two other shades - natural & almond. The formula is very lightweight yet it covers any flaws completely whilst still looking natural! It is long lasting and doesn't crease whilst wearing. I would not be without this product! It is one of the best concealers I have ever used and at just £1.50 its a steal!

 

 

 

 

2) Matte Perfect Loose Translucent Powder (Click HERE for full review) - This is a good shine control loose powder! I don't use this on a daily basis but I do use it for the days where my skin is extra shiny. I have combination skin so day to day my skin varies. As long as you apply just the right amount and not too much then this product is brilliant! It does state that it keeps the shine away for the whole day but since I suffer with quite oily skin at times I found that I did have to reapply a few times throughout the day. It sets your foundation, eliminating any oil whilst still letting just enough of a dewy glow shine through. It is very finely milled which means that it disappears and absorbs all oil/shine so you can't tell you have a powder on. This costs £2.30 on the MUA website.

 

 

3) Trio Of Eyeshadows In Shade Innocence - This eye trio is amazing! The eyeshadows are super super pigmented, so easy to work with and easy to blend. You would not think that this eyeshadow was from a drugstore brand. The staying power is unbelievable! I don't have to wear an eye primer as it lasts all day without smudging or creasing. This trio has three neutral shades - Cream, light brown & dark brown meaning it is great for creating a neutral smoky eye! All from the same trio! These are the colours that I tend to wear on a daily basis and at the moment the trio is in the sale for £1.25 - that's £1.25 for 3.. yes 3 eyeshadows!! Even at full price this product is amazing value.

 

 

 

 

4) Fashionista Double Take Lipstick - I have this lipstick in shade 3 - Babydoll Pink. It is just as it sounds and is a baby pink colour. The colour makes me feel very happy when I look at it. The lipstick is very pigmented, creamy on application and very hydrating on the lips, however, the finish is matte! I didn't know this when I bought the product as I don't usually like matte lipsticks but this has changed my views completely. This is not drying to the lips at all! It still manages to feel hydrating and creamy whilst being completely matte! There are 10 shades in this range, so if baby pink isn't your thing there are others to choose. This has being hugely discounted on the MUA website. It was originally £7, then it was reduced to £3 and now it is only a mere £1.50! What a bargain!  

 

 

5) Lipstick (Full review can be found HERE ) - I have a variety of shades in this product range. My favourites are; Shade 5, Shade 7 & Shade 14. Altogether, they have 16 shades in this collection and I am sure by the end of the year I will have accumulated all 16. Once again, these lipsticks are super pigmented and I love applying it, It is so creamy and feels amazing on the lips! The smell of the product is very sweet and vanillary, it is quite a nice scent! They do stay on the lips for a decent amount of time, a lot longer than I expected them to. The finish is very glossy but the amount of product needed depends on the colour of the lipstick and the finish you want to achieve. You can pick these lipsticks up for £1 each. What an absolute bargain! (The picture shows Shade 5)

 

 

6) Single Pearl Eyeshadow - I have quite a few different shades in this range but my favourites are; Shade 3, Shade 14 & Shade 24. These shadows are super pigmented  and the colour payoff is amazing! They come in a large pan and I am yet to reach pan on any of the shadows I have even when I use them every day. Application is smooth and the shadows are very workable, they are very easy to blend and I haven't experienced any fall out whilst using them. All of the shades I have are exceptionally long lasting without any smudging or creasing, even when a primer isn't used. When wearing these, my shadow looks the same when I go to take my makeup off as when I applied it. I particularly like shade 24 and I quite often wear this in the day time. The beauty of these shadows is that they are perfect for either night or day, they can be built up to achieve the look you want. There is also a matte range but I don't like this as much as the pearl range as they aren't as pigmented and easy to work with. These shadows are £1 - perfect, if you like experimenting! (The picture shows Shade 14).

 

 

Please let me know if you have enjoyed this post and if you would like me to do more brand favourites!

 

To view the MUA website please click the MUA logo below. If you want to view the range they have at Superdrug, please click the Superdrug logo.

 

Laura

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No7 Triple Protection Tinted Moisturiser Review

Hi Guys!

 

I thought I would review one of my summer staple products for you today :-)

This is the No7 Triple Protection Tinted Moisturiser and it is suitable for all skin types. It comes in three colour selections; fair, medium and tint fair/medium. I am very fair skinned but the shade I use is the tint fair/medium and the colour is a perfect match.

 

 

 

It is called 'Triple Protection' as it has the unique sun protective power of:

 

1) 5* UVA Technology

2) SPF 15

3) The No7 Patent Approved Antioxidant Complex

 

This unique formula helps to protect your skin from the ageing effects of the sun and the environment. On top of providing excellent sun protection, this Tinted Moisturiser also contains Hyaluronic Acid which provides 24hr skin hydration, Vitamins A&E and optical blurrers which keep you skin looking radiant and feeling well hydrated for the whole day.

 

When I first purchased this product I wasn't sure whether I would like it or not. I have tried a number of different Tinted Moisturisers and I have never really found them to be all that brilliant. Some of the ones I have tried in the past have also badly broken me out! That's why I was extremely surprised when I tried this and it didn't break me out, it left my skin feeling hydrated, smooth and added a hint of colour instantly! I really didn't expect it to have any coverage at all but this product does! It is very lightweight and sheer but it provides a light coverage - it does cover any minor blemishes and with a bit of concealer I find it provides just the right amount of coverage for those hot summer days. 

 

The main reason I love this product is because as you all know by now, I am lazy :-) It is so easy to apply, I just dot it all over my face like I would a normal moisturiser and rub it in using my hands. It really is that simple. It blends beautifully so there is no need to buff it in with a brush. The finish is lovely, it doesn't feel sticky, cakey or heavy on the face and it doesn't leave you with an oily residue - looking really shiny! You can use a powder on top of this but I found that I didn't really need to use one until I had been out in the sun and then my T-zone was slightly shiny. I have combination skin so my skin can be oily at times but I haven't noticed much oil whilst using this Tinted Moisturiser.The hydrated, smooth feeling lasts all day which pleasantly surprised me as I really didn't expect it to. It really does feel as though you are wearing a high quality moisturiser.

 

The main thing that sold this product to me was the sun protection! During summer it is very important to me that my makeup contains an SPF - as mentioned before, I am very fair skinned and I burn very easily! The SPF in this product works very well. So far I haven't noticed any burning!

 

 

It is currently priced at £11.50 at Boots but it is on a special offer. If you buy one No7 product you get another one half price! I will definitely be stocking up whilst its on offer :-)

 

If you want to have a look at the current offer then please click the logo above ^ or the underlined text at the beginning of the post :-)

 

Have you used this product or do you use another Tinted Moisturiser? Let me know your thoughts :-) I love hearing from you and will reply when I can :-)

 

Laura

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Jemma Kidd Mannequin Skin Complexion Enhancer Review

 Hi Guys,

 

It has taken me a few months to review the JK Mannequin Skin Complexion Enhancer. This is mainly to do with the fact that I needed to find the best way to use the product for me. There are quite a few different ways in which this product can be used and the way that is best for me is not necessarily best for you.

 

JK Mannequin Skin Complexion Enhancer claims to 'Illuminate & perfect whilst minimising any flaws and provide an instant super model complexion' - I 110% agree with this statement and I feel that this is one of the best products I have used in a long time. It comes in one shade only which is 'Canvas' so this product is perfect for any skin tone.

 

 

As stated above, the product can be used in various ways.

It can be:

• Used as a primer before putting foundation on
• Mixed in with foundation/tinted moisturiser/BB cream
• Used on its own
• Used as a liquid highlighter

I personally feel that the best way to use this product is as a primer. It brightens, perfects, and minimise any flaws which also shows through any foundation that is applied afterwards, meaning that you have the instant supermodel complexion as described above. The product is very easy to apply and is ultra light meaning that it is easy to blend. (I use my fingers to apply and blend the product.) It is not cakey/heavy at all and doesn't feel as though you have applied any product to the face. I found that once I had applied the JK Mannequin Skin Complexion Enhancer, my foundation was a lot easier to blend and work with. I would highly recommend this product as a primer alone as my foundation lasted twice as long as it normally would and stayed looking the same all day as when I applied it - no other primer has ever achieved this! On top of using it as a base primer under my foundation, I also used it as an eye primer and once again my eye makeup lasted twice as long as it normally would and stayed looking the same all day. The results afterwards are just... WOW - the skin looks gorgeous! It provides a nice dewy finish without looking shiny - I have combination skin so this can be very difficult to achieve - this product provided just the right amount of glow! Another thing I noticed is that my skin looked amazing in photographs - it really does provide a supermodel complexion!

 

 

 

I have tried this product on its own and if you have good skin then you can definitely get away with using the product like this. I was very pleased with the results as it does minimise any flaws and instantly brighten the skin to give a healthy glow all year round. Adding a foundation on top just perfects things even more.

 

I also tried the product as a liquid highlighter. I don't know if its because I don't like liquid highlighters anyway but I really didn't get on with using the product in this way. There was nothing wrong with the way the product applied, I just didn't like the finish.

 

I am yet to try mixing the product in with my Foundation/Tinted Moisturiser/BB Cream but I feel as though this would minimise the effects of the product - such as, not perfecting the skin as much and possibly dulling the brightening/illuminating aspect.

 

The only downside to this product in my eyes is the smell. Other people have commented and said how they love the smell but to me it just smells of fake tan!! Very much like digestive biscuits!! Because of the WOW factor this product has and the noticeable difference I notice in my complexion every time I wear it, I can ignore the smell and it doesn't last very long anyway :-)  

 

Overall, I would definitely recommend the JK Mannequin Skin Complexion Enhancer and I will be repurchasing in the future.

 

You can find JK Mannequin Skin Complexion Enhancer online at ASOS.com for £14 :-)

 

Laura

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