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Showing posts from May, 2018

Dior Addict Hydra Gel Core Mirror Shine - the perfect summer lip product!

My other half usually gives me a Sephora voucher for my birthday but this year he went it alone and I woke up to a little Sephora haul. Two of the products were these Dior Addict lipsticks, admittedly products I would be unlikely to buy for myself but surprisingly, ones that I've worn most days since and have really been enjoying. They aren't new, I believe they've been out for a couple of years but I don't see anyone talking about them and they should be talked about. If you read this blog regularly or watch my IG stories you know I'm a bit of a lipstick fanatic. Nudes are my poison, but deeper berry tones and reds are also favourites. However, now that summer is starting here in France it's just too damn hot for bright shades - I really don't like wearing typical lipsticks in 30 degree heat, I feel as though they are melting on my lips and am always worried about bleeding and smudging. I normally go for a sparkly gloss or a manageable nude, but most

BalanceMe Tinted Wonder Eye Cream

I'm a bit rubbish when it comes to eye creams - I don't often buy them. While the 'insides' of my eyes can be sensitive if I get certain cleansers in them, the area around my eyes isn't so I use my acid toner and serum around them. A lot of eye creams are expensive, so if you can't afford one think about using your serum around your eyes. Currently I'm using Clarins Double Serum and experience no irritation when I use it on the eye area. I got this eye cream in Februarys Prescription Lab box, so I've had it for over three months. It went missing some time in March and I just found it in a box at the beginning of May. I've been using it every day since so I'm ready to tell you what I think! BalanceMe is a British brand that was founded by sisters Claire and Rebecca Hopkins who aim to provide botanically active formulations made in the UK. Their ethos is to find a work-life balance and incorporate natural skincare alternatives. If you w

Exfoliation - The Lancer Method on a budget?

A brand of skincare I'm dying to try yet can't afford is Lancer. Dr. Harold Lancer is a Beverly Hills based dermatologist who boasts a clientele featuring names such as Kim Kardashian and Michelle Williams, both of whom have beautiful, smooth and glowing skin. While some of this can certainly be attributed to laser treatments, I'd imagine his skincare line is also a factor. When he was a child he suffered an accident in which he suffered 10% burns to his body after an accident and this no doubt fuelled his interest in skin. I would love to try some of his products, but with prices so high (think almost €70 for a polish €50 for a cleanser and €80 plus for masks) it's just not within my budget at the moment...! While they do ship from the US (beware customs taxes!) and are available on some EU skincare sites, I've had to try out his method on a budget. We do realise you're lasered to the heavens though, Kim - you need more than a scrub for skin like that...!

Cien Q10 Nightcream - reviewed by a skincare snob

Cien Q10 Night Cream  Cien is the beauty brand sold by budget supermarket Lidl. Over the last few years I've seen increasing amounts of people in the UK and Ireland raving about their products, from the moisturisers to the cleansers and hair products. I was suspicious of this raving as I felt that a lot of this was either bandwagoning after a few bloggers had said they liked the products, or really just based on the incredibly low price point - I love a bargain as much as anyone else, but I'm not going to convince myself I love a product because it's cheap and purse-friendly. My only prior experience with the brand was a body moisturiser which was quite honestly rubbish and not in the least moisturising as well as smelling extremely cheap, their conditioner which I love and still buy and their micellar water - which I dislike because I'm not a huge fan of them in general, and it stung my eyes and dried out my skin. I do however love the packaging - it's one of thos

Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser

You KNOW how I feel about foaming cleansers - I don't use them. Or at least most of them, as they contain SLS or forms of it and it's an ingredient I don't like. It's harsh, cheap and can be irritating. I'm even starting to move away from it in shampoos, as it seems like it's further irritating my scalp issues. For the last month I've been using my Rose and Geranium soap from Simply Soaps that is SLS and artificial ingredients free and I'm noticing a reduction in itchiness and discomfort. If you have a similar problem, check out my review  here So you may be surpsied that this cleanser has made it to the blog, the name considered. However, this is not your typical foaming cleanser and it is SLS free - so I was happy enough to have received it in Aprils  Prescription Lab box. I'm not a regular Caudalie user, I've had a couple of products in the past and I like them well enough but I often lean towards brands that have more active in

Simply Soaps Geranium Rose Balancing Soap

This is the second part of my review on the two products sent to me by Simply Soaps for review - the first part, the Rosa Passionata Facial Serum, is  here if you're interested in reading! A small confession here - I'm not someone who goes in for fancy soap. My bathroom and kitchen sinks are stocked with either Savon de Marseille or Lidl soap in pump bottles. And I'm not someone who buys bars of fancy soaps, unless as a gift for someone else, as I feel like they are less hygienic than liquid soap. This, however, isn't a soap I'd use on my hands - of course you can, but that's not how I've tested it. Having read that this soap is mentioned in the Beauty Bible (which I have not yet read, but it's on my list!) as possibly being good for psoriasis, I decided to take it into the shower with me. I have a stubborn patch of psoriasis on the back of my scalp that flared up after my daughter was born and nothing but cortisone drops shift it, and even then

Simply Soaps Rosa Passionata Facial Serum

Hi Everyone! Two products were sent to me by Simply Soaps for review, and after testing them out for two weeks I have some thoughts. As you know, my reviews can be a bit long as I want to give you as much information as possible so I've split it into two parts - this is part one, the facial serum. A little bit about the brand - Simply Soaps is a UK brand that specializes in 100% organic and natural products. Their products do not contain any of the following (many of which are common in soap products) Phatalates Parabens Sodium lauryl sulphate Sodium laureth sulphate DEA, TEA, MEA Formaldehyde On top of that, their packaging is 100% compostable and the ingredients are all bio-degradable. While they do use palm oil, it comes from a supplier who is a member of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palmoil - it is both sustainable and ethically sourced. They also have a focus on the environment, and say that their buildings and manufacturing process are powered by solar pan