Malin + Goetz Sulfur Paste

With the recent weather change my skin has has decided to have a colossal breakout, and whilst we all long for younger looking skin, I'm not sure a teenage breakout is what we all have in mind. Whether you have actually broken out, have clogged up pores, blackheads or just oily skin, this handy little sulfur paste may just be your new best friend. 

First things first, don't make the same mistake I did and open the pot thinking this is a paste. This is a liquid; if you do not open this carefully you will have it everywhere, and this does stain. Warnings done this is an amazing skin care product. My oily T-Zone now has healthy normal skin, and while my spots have not completely gone yet, I have not got any more since using this. 

As you can see this dries your skin so it is not a great idea to use this everyday. I use this every other day, and I still moisturise; the aim is not to dehydrate your skin, this just kills the bacteria reducing excess oil and spots forming. 

This costs £16.50 for 14ml and can be bought in SpaceNK (buy online). I apply this with a cotton bud on to my skin, this keeps the unused product clean and is very easy to apply to a blemish alone or to a larger area. For best results leave on over night and wash off with water in the morning. Apply it after cleansing fully, and moisturise as normal in the morning to prevent dry skin. 

Obviously if you have dry skin or dry patches this is not one for you, but if you are someone that has suffered with excess oil and breakouts then reducing bacteria is key. This used to be known as a treatment for acne, now I think it is important to not rely solely on a product. Healthy lifestyle, sleep, keeping hydrated will also keep your skin looking great, but for a little extra help in keeping blemishes at bay, Malin + Goetz have got it spot on. 

Ciao

  xxx

Lush: Popcorn Lip Scrub

Hello lovelies,

While I'd love to follow the crowd and swoon over all Lush Cosmetics products, having not owned a bath for 4 years and being a firm lover of showers has meant that the shop tends to get sidetracked whilst on my spending sprees. That said I have a couple of Lush product reviews coming your way so lets start things off with their impulsive till point purchase; the Lip Scrubs.

The Scrubs come in 3 different flavours; Popcorn, Mint Julips and Bubblegum and retail for £5.50 buy here. There is also a christmas edition Santa's Lip Scrub if you are feeling a little more festive.

The Good Bits: Well most importantly, it actually works. My lips always feel perfectly exfoliated, smooth and healthy looking after using the scrub. This product is great if you too like wearing mate lipsticks. I always use a balm on my lips after using this to make the benefits last longer. My choice of balm is The Body Shop Vitamin E lip care; this nourishes your lips even in the coldest of weathers. Together they make the perfect dream team against chapped lips.

The Bad Bits: This tastes horrific, I haven't been sat here eating it I can assure you but of course rubbing this on your lips you do get a little taste and ergh! I have started using this before brushing my teeth that way I counteract the taste with some mint. This does smell amazing but keep your lips firm shut when scrubbing.

The other thing I think could easily be improved, is that it seams to have a little too much sugar and not much scrub. There is very little oil or balm holding the sugar together so it tends to go everywhere. 

While I am am very happy with the results the product gives, there are a few tweaks that could be improved before I would make another purchase.

Let me know what you think of this product, and if you are using a better lip scrub please share your finds! 

Ciao

  xxx

Yes To Cucumber Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Wipes

Hello ladies,
I realise wipes are a bit of a love hate in the beauty world, and although we all know a little wipe does not amount to a skincare routine, these lazy girl favourite do have their uses so we may as well use the good'ns.

Im such a sucker for packaging, a cute message always makes my day but on with the stuff that matters...

Price: £3.99 for 30 wipes Buy here

Smell: Well as you would expect, the cucumber wipes smell of just that. There are no nasty surprises just a lovely fresh scent.

Quality: The wipes themselves are not as soft or quilted as most other brands, however, they are far from rough. The feel as though they are good at getting the muck off your face. They are relatively large wipes so you can do your full face without having to use a dirty section of the wipe. 

I personally do not use these to take off my make up, they will not cleanse your face fully. If you are in a rush in the morning and have cleansed your face fully the night before then these do a good job at making your face feel cleansed. As they are oil free it also feels as though they have some toning qualities. 

If you were on the hunt for drug store make up wipes for on the go I would suggest Garnier Skin Naturals cleansing wipes as they are quilted and take off more of the make up. However, if you are looking for wipes just to freshen up in the day then these are perfect.

Range: There are four different wipes available in the range, all for different purposes including

-Yes To Blueberries Cleansing Facial Wipes 

-Yes To Grapefruit Brightening Facial Wipes  

-Yes To Carrots Gentle Fragrance Free Cleansing Wipes

The standard size packs are all sold in Boots. There is also a Yes To Cucumbers On The Go Facial Wipes that contains 10 wipes, however, I am not sure where stocks this pack.

Let me know if your have tried these wipes and which are your favourites, also check out the Yes to website to to see full product details.

Ciao

  xxx

Yves Saint Laurent Fusion Ink Foundation

Hello Beauties,

I know you are probably used to seeing the trusted Touche Éclat foundation round these parts, but Yves Saint Laurent have stepped up their game and created this little beauty. So let me tell you why Fusion Ink, or Le Teint Encre De Peau for all you mademoiselles, should be on your wishlists...

Starting with the packaging, before opening the bottle I was a little disappointed that there was no pump, but don't fear ladies, YSL has added their signature shaped wand to the inside of the lid. The wand makes layering this foundation so much easier. No more pouring out too much product; which is super helpful with this foundation because a little really does go a long way. 

The Foundation itself I really couldn't flaw. With my combination skin I often find other foundations drying out my skin or making my skin look oily. This seams to sidetrack all the things you don't like creating beautifully flawless looking skin that stays put all day. It has a velvet like touch and look to it, but it does not feel heavy on the skin at all. 

I have found this foundation to be best without adding powder, I do still wear bronzer and blush but somehow they have made the liquid foundation feel like a powdered matte foundation but still keeping a natural glow.

At £30.50 it is hardly the cheapest product on the market but if good natural looking skin is what you are after then I haven't tried better than this. 

The reason this foundation is so perfect for all skin types is that the formula contains a combination of sensorial and volatile oils. The texture of the foundation changes from a regular liquid foundation to a velvet type texture once blended on to the skin. They say the oils evaporate once blended, and while I can't understand the science behind it, I can confirm both the dry and oily areas of my skin looked like normal healthy skin throughout the day. 

The only downfall I can see is that she shade range is much smaller than other YSL foundations. There are still 16  shades but there are very few available for darker skin tones. Hopefully they will come out with more shades but for now, most of the lighter shades do correspond with those of the Touche Éclat.

This may not be buildable to full coverage but it is a good medium and it looks so natural, provided you get the perfect match I'm sure a few people will be fooled into thinking you were born flawless.

Ciao

  xxx

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Yves Saint Laurent Fusion Ink Foundation

Review: Topshop Bronzer in Mohawk

Hello Beauties,

I have finally taken the plunge and purchased my first product from Topshop Cosmetics. I have always been a little sceptical about them having beauty products with them being more well known for their fashion, however, I have read a lot of great reviews on their beauty bits so it had to be worth a try.

Topshop have 4 powder bronzers but I would say Mohawk is the most wearable out of the 4. In fact I would say this is a pretty good doop for Benefits Hoola bronzer and it is a fraction of the price. At just £9 I would struggle to justify Hoola's £23.50 price tag.

The shade is a little darker than benefit's Hoola but I think this makes this a mover versatile product. Where Hoola can look a little orange when used as a contour, Mohawk has a more earthy tone to it so looks great as a contour or a bronzer. I also really like using this as an eyeshadow, it looks great as a crease or transition colour as it is perfectly matte.

As regards to the texture there is very little difference. Benefit's Hoola feels velvet like and the powder is chalky; it is very easy to apply too much of this product. Topshops Bronzer has the same chalkiness but is slightly less velvet like in texture. If they were both put in the same packaging I don't think most people would know which is which.

The brushes I use to apply this are the Real Techniques Multi Task Brush; for when I apply this as a bronzer, and the Lancome 25 Cheek and Contour brush (review) for when I apply it as a contour. Like I say this is a chalky powder so you have to tap off excess product off the brush before you apply.

I am so happy with this bronzer, I highly recommend this to everyone. It is rare that you find such a high quality product with such a little price tag, it is definitely one of the best bronzers on the high street! I am also very happy I no longer have to spend £23.50 on Hoola, that means I can buy some more Topshop goodies right? 

Ciao

  xxx

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Topshop Mohawk £9

Benefit Hoola £23.50

Lancome Cheeck and Contour Brush £28

Real Techniques Multi Task Brush £29.99 (for set of 6 brushes)

What's in my handbag makeup bag

Hello there ladies,

If you didn't already know I'm nosey parker and love all 'what's in' posts so with the assumption/hope that I'm not the only nosey one round these parts heres a sneaky peak at the beauty bits I use on the go...

Now if like me you would love a kitchen sink in your bag you will probably have learnt the don't pack light, pack miniature technique. I have managed to cut my makeup bag down to this little Ted Baker pencil case. I love the whole Ted Baker wash bag range so click here to see this seasons picks.

Laura Mercier Travel Cheek Colour Brush

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lift and Firm Concealer

Jouer Lip Sheer; St Tropez

No7 Lash Brow Brush

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Lancome La Vie Est Belle Eau De Parfum

Jouer Face Compact and Jouer Moisturising Lip Gloss; Cherish. Both from Blushing Beauty Collection (review)

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint sample in shade pearl (review) 

All my miniatures I usually find at the till in Boots, samples I tend to collect from online orders, I know they want you to try new things, I just pick my faves so that I don't have to lug around the full size products. 

In my bag I also like to keep some hygiene bits, and if I am only using a small bag I would rather take these bits than my make up bag.

Soap & Glory Hand Maid Antibacterial Gel

Hello Kitty Antibacterial Wipes 

Femfresh Intimate Wipes

James Brown Har Revive Dry Shampoo

Dove Go Fresh Anti-perspirant- pomegranate and lemon verbena scent

I realise I don't need all this stuff in my bag but I tend to have 8 hour days so it's nice if you can feel fresh throughout. If you would like to nosey at my What's in your bag post click here.

Let me know if you have done one of these posts and pop the link in the comments. Is this an excessive amount of stuff or am I fairly normal? I don't know, but I can't see me down sizing anytime soon.

Ciao

  xxx

College/ University Makeup Look

Hello beauties,

Time I did another make up look, as always the products are linked if you want to go and buy them but this is really just about a speedy application so if you have products you love that you are more familiar with, mix it up.

Foundation: Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Foundation

I think you all know by now this is my favourite medium coverage foundation. It gives a lovely my skin but better look. (review)

Powder foundation: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Powder Makeup 
This adds a little extra coverage and blots the foundation slightly. This can be skipped if you have dry skin, but as mine is combination I use a little on my tee zone and on my chin where a little more coverage is needed. (review)

Eye Shadow: Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette 
This is the perfect palette for A/W, as I went for a bold eyeliner I just used a little of shades Strange on my lid and Limit in to my crease. I then went all over my lids with shade Burnout using a big fluffy crease brush, just to add a little bit of shimmer. (review)

Eye Liner: L'Oreal Superliner Perfect Slim Black Intense  
I have such sensitive eyes and this is one of the few non gel liners I can wear without it making my eyes feel really dry. I go over this with MAC Fix+ on an eyeliner brush to prevent any smudging throughout the day (review).

Mascara: Clinique High Impact Mascara

This is actually just a sample size I am trying to use up, I do like it but if you want to see my top  3 mascaras read my last post here.

Lipstick: MAC Angel & Jouer Lip Sheer Capri 
I get a little of each lipstick on to my ring finger and dab on to my lips. Throughout the day I would probably just apply the jouer lipstick as this is incredibly buttery and moisturising, but I like to start of the day with a hint of pink but very natural looking lips.

I haven't used any bronzer, contour, highlight or blusher here. Because I used a medium coverage foundation I like to let my natural blush come through. This makes the overall look more subtle and, more importantly, faster to apply for the early morning lessons.

Let me know what you think of this look and please comment with your links if you have done a look post recently.

Ciao
  xxx

The Best Of... Mascara

Hello beauties,

While mascara looks different on everyone dependant on their natural lashes I have tried to pick three I think should work well regardless of lash type. I would say though lashes are something a lot of us neglect, ensure to always remove mascara fully in the evening and apply a little oil to the lashes to moisturise them from time to time. 

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara

Here I have the waterproof version, if I am honest I prefer the regular black version of this as the formula is better at giving maximum volume. They also do a dark brown shade of this mascara so if you have light hair then this may be more suited to you. The False Lash Effect range has been a firm favorite of mine for years, the brush is just great at gripping on to your lashes, it coats them in just the right amount of mascara creating perfect non-clumpy volume, while lengthening  and curling too. This mascara is also a steal at just £10.99, do we need anything else? Well let me introduce you to the rest of my dream team.

M.A.C Studio Fix Bold Black Lash

Retailing at  £14.50 this is actually fairly cheap for a high end product. Personally I only use this for my bottom lashes, the wand lengthens and defines to perfection and gives a gorgeous 60's vibe. As my top lashes are fairly thin and long I would only use this for a soft romantic look lash, if you are after any volume then this is not the mascara to use. Having said that if you have very thick or very short lashes then this may be your new best friend. see full review

bareMinerals Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara

The pièce de résistance of my little dream team. Have you ever seen such a beautiful applicator? This may be the most expensive of the three at £17 (currently £14.95 at feelunique) but you can  just see a lot of thought went in to designing it and I can assure you it pays for itself. Swirl the wand as you apply and it will grip on to each lash giving an even coat of product while curling and lengthening them. Not only that, due to the shape of the wand if you want to go back in with a second coat, whether the first coat has dried or not, it will not clump or flake, it will simply add the extra volume you intended to create. see full review

So these are my top three which I use every day together or individually. I have trialed my fair share of mascaras and I can confidently say these three will work miracles no matter what your lashes are like naturally. Some combination of the three will give you your desired look.

Ciao
  xxx

The Best Of... Powder Bronzers

Hello lovelies,

Time for a little series of posts me thinks :) The Best Of... can be any product you like so while I do have a few lined up if you have anything in particular you want to know my top picks of please comment below.

As summer has well and truly come to an end I thought I would kick things off with my fave powder bronzers. My top picks for days I choose not to embrace the Snow White look.

These are the products I only use as bronzers, that's on the high points of my face. When looking for a bronzer red/orange undertones are better in order to create a natural looking sunkissed bronzed look. It is also ok to have a little bit of shimmer in there. This would not be the case for a contour product, these need to be slightly more ashy and shimmer is a no no, contouring is all about creating shadows. 

L'Oreal Paris Glam Bronze Monos

At £7.99 this is the cheapest of my picks. This is the lightest shade they do and it is probably a little too dark if your are porcelain, however if you have some warmth in your skin already this may be the one for you. The velvet like powder keeps your base matte and in place all day, for my full review click here.

Jouer Mattifying Powder Bronzer

Jouer is a firm favourite of mine, everything I have used from the brand is excellent quality and very long lasting. Retailing at £22 this is a high end product, but price aside this is a lovely product with the much loved Jouer interlocking packaging. There is only one shade available, so while pale to the darker medium skin tones would look great with this powder, darker skin tones would be better using a brand with a more extensive shade range.

Soap & Glory Solar Powder

Retailing at £11 this will not break the bank and with two shades your really can't go wrong with this product. Okay so the packaging is far from fancy, but the powder itself is perfect for keeping your base in place and giving you the summer glow you long for in the colder months. The paler shade has a subtle shimmer and works great as a soft highlight for darker or more tanned skin tones. The darker shade is fully matte and can be used as a contour if wanted. Personally I love to swirl my brush over both sides and dust a little as a bronzer. I find this gives the perfect shade and finish for my skintone as it  creates a natural healthy glow.

I use a few different brushes for my bronzer but I'd say my most used would have to be the realTechniques Multi-Task brush. I feel this is a great size and shape and the soft long hairs allow for buildable application.

Let me know your fave powder bronzers and what brushes you like to apply it with, I love trying out your suggestions.

Ciao

  xxx

Rimmel Salon Pro Nail Polish

Hello beauties,

It has been a while since my last review so I'll get straight to it and start off with the good bits of this product. 

Price: £4.49 A perfectly reasonable price and there is a great range of shades. To my knowledge there are 20shades in the standard Salon Pro range and a further 18 shades in the Salon Pro By Kate range. The shade I chose is 397 Beige Babe a lovely creamy brown that looks lovely with a tan with a nice glossy finish.

Applicator: The brush is actually really great it is thick and flat, but not too thick that you paint the entirety of your little finger. It is actually the perfect size of my little finger nail

Formula: This is where the problems seem to occur, it takes about 3 coats to reach it's true colour and prevent streaks. I don't know about you ladies but I'm a two coat kinda gal, watching paint dry is not my favourite pass time.

The worst thing about this polish though has to be how much it chips! I had chipping within the hour. Top coats do help, but you have to ask yourself, should you really have to rely on a topcoat for your polish to last the day?

I am definitely going to keep using the polish but even with their extensive shade range and nice looking finish I would not recommend these varnishes.  

This is only my second nail polish review, I recently reviewed the Revlon Parfumerie polishes (read here) and I just wanted to know would you rather I just post reviews of polishes I am not 100% happy with and just include ones I am happy with in favorite posts, or would you like a mixture of positive and negative reviews? Please let me know in the comments.

Ciao

  xxx