That Natural Glow...

I LOVE this brand and its practical packaging. Lily Lolo have a Black Friday sale on and I had my eyes on the Bronzer suitable for medium skintones and a deeper blush.  I also managed get a free makeup bag which is so cute and a bonus of course :) Bronzer The bronzer I got is suitable for medium skintones, called 'Montego Bay'. Its a very warm red/orange toned bronzer with a slight sheen. I was looking for a bronzer that wouldn't make my skin look muddy or dull. The warmth to this bronzer is perfect for giving me a soft healthy holiday glow. I swipe it across my cheeks and forehead, and it warms up my look perfectly. This is my first proper bronzer as for some reason I thought medium or Asian skintones don't need bronzers as we are already pretty glowy and sunkissed! Oh how wrong was I, it just warms/softens/blends/frames the face perfectly. This shade in particular is perfect and deep enough for asian/golden skintones. You can gradually build it up to how mu...

So I brought this the same time I got the serum foundation. I think I prefer the full coverage foundation because it gives that extra coverage and doesn't feel too heavy on the skin, I only use a light layer. I have read that some people find it abit cakey, I think it would be if you layer it on a few times, but one layer is sufficient for me.  I have the shade 2.1Y, like the serum foundation it is a tad deep in shade for me, the right tone, but just alittle bit dark for me. I also notice it does oxidise abit and as its super pigmented it can start to look abit darker during the day.  Overall it feels light on the skin, coverage is smooth, I think if I had the right shade I could make it work, the fact that its so pigmented is amazing. They do claim that if your guessing your shade and your 1 or 2 shades out it can still work for you, but I disagree as it is SO pigmented it is better to make sure you get the right shade. you can make it work I guess using a lighter conc...

  So I'm in my early 30's and now have a good few couple of greys! I've had highlights in the past, a few different hair colours, some worked some haven't. I have decided to let my hair grow and get abit healthy and just leave it a shade that's similar to my own but abit lighter. I have very dark brown Asian hair, but not black. I did originally use Naturigin hair dye which gave my hair a lovely brown shade, covered greys well, but their lighter shades seemed warm toned and it was hard to get access to as only a few Lloyds Pharmacies had it in my area and it wasn't local to me. So anyway my sister recommended Naturtint, its similar to Naturigin as in less chemicals, low PHD levels etc so hopefully less harm and damage to the scalp and hair compared to dyes you get at the drugstore. The good thing about Naturtint dyes, is they are easily available at Hollands and Barretts, and the shades range from G- golden shades, A - ash tones, N - Neutral/Natural...

I was looking for a foundation that has abit more of a fuller or 'put together' coverage for those days I didn't want to use my natural products. I've never tried any of Clinique's products before probably down to no being interested however there foundations seem to have good reviews and are a tad bit less expensive than the luxury brands which usually start at £28 and over. I went to my local Boots and asked the assistant which foundation would suit me, I wanted something abit matte, natural looking but with at least medium coverage. She pointed me in the direction of the Superbalanced foundation. Most of the shades do look alot pink overall in most of their shades, and at the time she did match and swatch me to Silk Bamboo, which would suit me when I'm abit tanner probably. Although I went home, watched some youtube videos did my research and guessed that I'd best suit with Silk Sahara. I think its a perfect yellow/golden tone for light-medium and me...

So since trying Inika's loose mineral blushers I really wanted to try some other colours. I actually came across Elemental Beauty to look at mineral foundations which I did try samples of but that will be another review altogether! Anyway, I came across there blusher minerals and ordered a full size. the shade 'Fudge' which is suitable for medium skin tones is a lovely shade described as a Pinkish-Brown shade'. It does also look more pink than brown in the pot however swiped across my cheeks it looks like a natural peachy/coral flush, not what I was expecting but it looks lovely and natural. It really warms up my face making it look healthy and radiant. Its a perfect everyday shade, if you don't want anything to pink or want to look like you have blush on, this looks like a natural flush for medium skin tones.  Its very pigmented and a little goes along away so the jar will be lasting me a very long time! I think it was only £5.99 or something which is a bargai...

I came across this brand on Instagram when it came up on my explorer page. Their make-up and packaging looks cute not to mention natural and pure! I have nearly finished my huge jar of Earthnicity Mineral foundation that I use on top of the Inika Liquid Foundation, so I thought I'd try another brand out. As I get shiny and most mineral foundations melt and disappear on me I was glad to see that Uoga Uoga Mineral foundation has Kaolin Clay in it to absorb oils and it also has Amber as one of the ingredients which is found in Lithuania and well known for.  Apparently Amber has regenerating and healing properties in it so its a bonus to have in the foundation. Mineral Powder - Amber Sand Uoga Uoga don't have a variety of shades and seem to have more lighter shades which I'm not surprised as I'm just guessing majority of Lithuanian customers have lighter skin tones however I managed to find my shade in 'Amber Sand' which is a medium warm shade with yell...

So this range is called the 'volumising hair therapy' range.  I read some pretty decent reviews on Dr Organic so I thought I'd give this range a try as its so easily available at Holland and Barretts. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and would buy this range again as its volumising and thickening but softening at the same time. I have used both Shampoo and Conditioners until they are empty, I have a variety left over products on my bathtub shelf but always picked these up when washing my hair, usually I don't get through a bottle unless I like it, so I defo recommend these! Most shampoos wow me on the first wash and give false hope...I'm sure we've all felt that way? Then the 2nd or 3rd wash was just ok, hair feels its usual flat self again. Well not with this range, it delivered right until the last drop. I though it would be drying on my thick hair but after using other natural brands, that stripped my hair; felt it feeling dry, rough and ...

First impressions of The Ordinary Serum Foundation in 2.1Y I didn't originally go on the waiting list for this but once it was released I gave in and ordered both the serum and full coverage foundation. The serum foundation recently came in the post after ordering it a month and a half ago..so guess they are still very behind in their orders! I won't go too deep into introducing the brand or colour range as I'm sure you probably have done your research and know about Deciem so let's get straight into it. Packaging Practical light and cute. Perfect for travelling. Thought it looked a little small but it still is one fluid ounce. Consistency/ Coverage This foundation is quite watery and runny on the hand. I thought it would have a dewy serum like finish like Mac Face and Body, but its much more pigmented and dries to a semi matte finish, not dewy at all. I used one pump and it feels really light on the face, I think it would be buildable but defeats the...

So I came across this brand on instagram, read some reviews and thought I'd give it a try. I liked the fact it has low PPD levels and some oils in it to let hair shine and protect whilst colouring it. I was using henna to dye my hair which was perfect, but its temporary and sort of washes and fades after a few weeks as its a semi dye. So I thought once in a while I'll try use a Permanent hair dye. You still get a good tone or shade in the hair with henna but my greys were coming back with henna - not too badly but I think even with henna they covered it for a few weeks which was impressive. I thought I'd try permanent hair dye but a brand thats not a high street one with alot of chemicals in it. This brand has the lowest PPD levels according to other hair dyes, along with no ammonia, hydrogen peroxide. I wasn't expecting bleach in this anyway as its a darker colour.  There were alot of good reviews on how it covered greys, I only have a few on my crown randomly sca...

  I picked this up from Boots, they have a few different ranges, but as charcoal is meant to be a really good cleanser I picked this one up. The price is really good for what you get, also that it has no nasties in it. It has tiny bits in it to exfoliate the face, I think it does a good clean, takes away makeup, but as the exfoliation bits are not that small you don't get a deep cleanse that wipes away dry or dead skin as other scrubs do, but it works well to take away surface dirt from the day and leaves face feeling clean and refreshed. My Final Thought A good buy, will try their other ranges, glad Boots is stocking some natural and non toxic alternatives now, saves having to hunt for stuff online!    

  This is the perfect practical, easy, go-to eyeshadow palette and natural of course so I don't feel bad piling it on my eyes. The colours are quite pigmented, so impressed with that as most natural products don't have the colour pay off. I use it without a primer and and only alittle bit of my concealer on my eyelids to correct my dark circles and these colours show up beautifully.  The lightest cream shade (on the right) is perfect as a highlight and for the inner corners to open up and brighten the eyes and under the eyebrow. The neutral light-medium brown shade (bottom shade) is perfect as an overall natural base shade and a transitioning shade to blend the other shades in.  Cool toned brown (top shade) which I love using over my whole eyelid and bottom rim to give a smokey effect. Warm toned brown (left shade), another perfect shade to use all over or to create definition on the outer corner of the eye following the eyelid. My final Though...

  I got this from a local health shop. Not tried Lavera products before, I actually went to swatch the foundations but the Lipgloss section and eyeshadow caught my eye! I liked this 'Sweet Melon' as I was looking for a pretty but natural shade for spring when I don't want to wear heavy lipsticks or want more of a sheer look. Really impressed with this product, it feels So comfort on the lips. It's not tacky or sticky, the gloss is not too overly shiny but  gives a lovely shine. It's perfect for the handbag. It's the perfect light to medium soft pink shade. It's not sheer has enough pigment in it to give a pink shade. I may try there darker shades as this feels lovely and smooth on the lips.   My Final Thought It's such a pretty colour, they also had a peach toned Lipgloss however I found that more sheer so their formulas might be abit different. Will certainly buy more shades as its affordable and natural! sweet Melon gives a lovely n...

  I'm really liking Maybelline's Coloursensational range. Everyone loves NYX's matte lip creams, so do I! I think out of all the matte lipsticks/creams out there they feel the best - however I was pleasantly surprised by Maybelline's Vivid Matte Lipstick/cream it's not at all drying and feels great on the lips, I don't end up with a really dramatic dry ring of product round the inside of my lips which most matte's cause, its super pigmented and really suits my complexion. Perfect for the day look, work etc. Which they would come out with more nude shades, I think they have a brown toned one which looked really pretty but again I've experimented with brown nudes and they just dull out my complexion unless there's some pink or coral in there! My Final Thought Another perfect nude shade to keep in your handbag. Only negative about this is the applicator its really weird like a spatula with a furry tip, however it deposits product on the lips ...

  As the title says, this is the perfect pinky dusky rose shade. Brown or beige nudes don't suit my complexion so I prefer going for the more pinkier shades which brighten up my complexion alot more. To tell you the truth I'm kind of over the matte lipstick phase now, have so many colours and even though they give a natural look, sometimes they can look really drying and fine lines in your lips can appear, making you look rather dehydrated than healthy! Anyways, the texture on this is really nice, its creamy soft and smooth, doesnt feel cakey or dry on the lips. It's perfect for day time, and work which I use it for, infact keep it in my bag. It does dry out for me half way during the day but most lipsticks do after drinks, lunches etc so not to bothered. My Final Thought If your looking for a perfect soft pink natural nude then this is perfect for medium to tan skintones, I think it would look really flattering on lighter complexions too.  

  I received this oil it in my LoveLula monthly subscription beauty box. I'm halfway through the bottle now and I quite like it. I've not heard of Baobab Oil before or what its benefits are, so I was interested to try this when I found out its rich in quite a few vitamins and omega 3,6,9 fatty acids which is great for skin. The Ohh company has several other face oils each having different benefits for the face, this oil is for rejuvenating. I quite impressed with this oil, its gentle on my skin, and even when I have a few breakouts around my chin area I've rubbed this oil onto my face as usual and its never made my breakouts worse or been overly greasy for my face.   I don't use these face oils during the day under makeup as most of my makeup is natural or oil/plant based anyway so I don't need this. However after a good face cleanse and scrub at night I do like to use a face oil to bring moisture back into my skin, so this is perfect for that. I lightl...

I think I prefer gel eye treatments rather than cream based ones. I got a sample of PHB's brightening eye gel. This lasted me a few days depending on how much you use. I feel gel treatments absorb better into the sensitive skin around the eye area rather than sit on top like cream based ones. PHB's eye gel in particular felt nice around the eye, it felt hydrated and moisturised, my skin gleamed and had a slight sheen so I think this helps give a brightening effect to the eye. Over time I think this will help keep the eye area hydrated and refreshed. On the sample it says that 'PHB'S Brightening Eye Treatmentis made with a blend of stimulating Organic extracts which help visibly reduce dark circles and puffiness' .  In terms of dark circles you would need more than I sample to see the full benefits, however due to its refreshing ingredients I think it would really help those with puffy eye bags. I think its great to use under makeup, the sheen/glow it gives a...

This is a great face toner in spray form. I use it especially after doing my makeup and using it as a setting spray. I use powder minerals alot and it helps bring hydration back into the skin and making my makeup look more natural and skin like instead of the powder minerals just sitting on my face. Only thing is after using this spray for a while the actual spray bottle's spritz bit either gets blocked or doesn't work properly so you end up having uneven spray on the face. I prefer a soft even spray like you get from the Urban Decay makeup setting spray range. So the only negative is the way the product comes out of the bottle. Otherwise its a really good hydrating natural spray. As it has a hydrating affect it can enhance your look and make your face appear more healthy and glowy looking.  I have a small bottle which I got in my LoveLula beauty box however it has lasted me ages.  My Final Thought Cute packaging, simple and pink, love it! Love the Organic Ro...

So this 'cream' which I guess is another word for cleanser claims that it takes off makeup. Well, I've come across other cleaners that pretty much scrub your face clean, but when I use this I have to use another cleanser as this doesn't full take off my makeup at the end of the day. In fact my mascara and eyeliner is still smeared around my eyes and cheeks, it also feels like the rest of my makeup hasn't fully come off but just smeared. The thing is this stuff seems quite strong, in terms of it has the right ingredients for cleansing, although it just didn't work for me. I liked that it had a cooling affect, however its not very gentle for the eyes due to the cooling affect so its hard tor emove makeup around the eye area as it could sting.  I think this is good to use on a clean face like first thing in the morning, but not on a face which has had product on it. My Final thought Great size product, great brand, their other products are amazing but...

Madara Brightening AHA Peel Mask Review Been seeing alot of raves for this product. I actually received a sample of it in my LoveLula box. I was excited to try it because its natural and peel masks are fun lol. However I'm not sure how I was supposed to apply this as it didn't work for me. I used the peel mask on a cleansed dry face and also on a damp face, both times it didn't peel off very well, and I literally had to try peel and rub off little sections from my face which took ages and eventually just used water. I also tried using a thick layer and a thin layer, both times - failed. I've not tried Madara products before so wasn't impressed with this one. My skin felt abit softer however it did not visibly look any different or brighter as it claims so I feel it didn't benefit me. Maybe the sample size I got was a bit dodgy or the product in general is like that :/ My final Thought Love the idea of a peel mask but don't think I'd ...

Lippie Girl Vegocentric Lipstick in Schmoopy So glad I got this lipstick. Alot of natural/organic brands have lipsticks with 'Carmine' in it, which I had no idea what it was, until I googled it and realised it's the colouring and pigment they use from crushed beetles..that totally put me off...as much as I love organic - not THAT organic thank you! So this range I came across on Instagram, I asked the owner what shade would best suit me, I wanted a natural pink shade for everyday use, work and day time wear etc and she said that Schmoopy would be the best shade which is also their bestseller. Apparently its pretty complimenting on all skintones, and from what I can see on their instagram page it definetely suits lighter or paler complexions, looking like a dusky pink shade. I have to say, on medium skintones it would also look flattering, like a sweet natural pink shade, which is how it looks on me. very natural and subtle like my lips but better. With natural ...

BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel in Spice 08 Review & Swatch   Quite impressed with this, although the shade I was matched to is just alittle bit dark, however, it's workable and gives me a sunkissed glow,  I'd probably get one shade up from this next time. I have the shade Spice 08 which looks like a toffee or fudge shade equivelent! For a hydrating tinted cream the pigment is quite good, most gel creams sort of give no cover at all, but this gives good natural light coverage. It doesn't cover my eyebags or dark pigmented skin but once you have your whole makeup on it looks really nice for a natural day look, not flawless or perfect but naturally pretty.  It certainly is very hydrating, feels nice on the skin, dries quite quick but is blend-able.  When I want more coverage I use my mineral powders with this and it looked really good, so it works really well if you want to set it with a powder or use minerals on top.  ...