Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub

Do you ever take off a bold lipstick because your lips look too dry with it on? Do you love a matte lipstick and then suffer at bedtime with peeling, sore, cracked lips? I think I have a solution for you.

Good old Lush sugar scrubs. They have a plethora of lip scrubs in various sweetie shop/ice cream parlour flavours. My hands down favourite is Mint Julips. Once I have removed my make up, I scoop out a pea sized amount of this scrub and get to work on that dry skin. It gently buffs off the dead skin and when you rinse (I prefer to remove it with a flannel) it leaves your lips extremely soft. 

Have I mentioned how good these smell (and taste)? As I said, Mint Julips is my chosen favourite - it tastes of mint choc chip ice cream. Delicious. In a weird way I like that it is minty because it then doesn't compete with my minty toothpaste at bedtime. Weird? Yeah, I thought so. 

Admittedly at £5.50 a pot for what is essentially a sugar scrub is a bit excessive. However, it means that you don't make a mess in your kitchen with sugar and honey. If you're like me then you get the measurements wrong and end up dissolving the sugar in too much honey when you try to be clever and make some extra to store.

If you are a lover of a bold lip, then I think that these pots are well worth the £5.50, particularly as we approach autumn and our skin starts to take beating from the elements. 

Have you tried Lush lip scrubs before? Which flavour do you like?

Inika Pure Primer

The trend for natural and organic beauty seems to be gaining momentum. More and more niche brands are appearing and are trying to compete with the mainstream beauty industry. While I tend to admire the notion, I do feel that sometimes this type of brand don't quite compete. I decided to buy a starter kit from the brand Inika to give some of their products a try (I bought this kit). After using the trial sizes I ended up purchasing a few full sizes.

The Pure Primer was a product which I was pleasantly surprised with. The presumptuous side of me was expecting something with the texture and consistency of aloe vera gel. In fact, this primer is a velvety smooth balm which leaves the the perfect canvas for your foundation. It blends into the skin beautifully and I felt that my skin texture looked more refined and even before application of any other product. 

This primer is also enriched with hyaluronic acid which  helps the skin to retain moisture and drip feeds the skin throughout the day. I do notice when using this primer that my skin looks more plump and hydrated, so the hyaluronic acid is obviously doing it's job well. Also in the mix are a variety of different essential oils all designed to calm irritated skin and provide nourishment and protection.

All in, this is a very effective primer, I can't say I see a difference in wear when compared to other primers, however it is very hydrating and soothes the skin. If you are wanting to branch out into more natural makeup then this is a great primer to add to your makeup bag!

Have you tried Inika products yet? Is there anything that you would recommend? 

Lush Oxford Street Exclusive - Lovely Blusher

I have written about my love for Lush makeup products in the past (see here). While I love Lush skincare and body products I have always thought that their makeup range was pretty under-rated. With a great liquid lipstick formula with a large colour choice, skin tints and great cream eyeshadows. Yet, I have always willed them to extend their range into non liquid/cream products. Enter Oxford Street. 

For those of you who don't know, while Lush always has that fun, sweetie-shop vibe to it, their Oxford Street flagship store is most definitely the chocolate factory to the sweetie-shop. Admittedly, if you are not a 'Lushie' the store may be overwhelming, but if you know your way around a Lush store then you'll want to pay them (and their 3 floors) a visit. 

With a large number of products which are exclusive to the Oxford Street store mixed in with the longstanding favourites it is difficult to go in and not fill a basket. I knew exactly what I was heading in for because Lush have a whole makeup range exclusive to the store and it is all in either solid or powdered form! 

One of my favourite purchases was the powder blusher in the shade 'Lovely'. You get 15g of product (I don't remember the price, I think it was around £10?) which is suitable for vegans as Lush are trying to create more vegan-friendly options across their product range.

The colour is a great rose-toned pink for paler or cooler skin tones. To use it, I like to tip a little product into the inside of the lid (where it states that the packaging is 100% recycled) and swirl a blusher brush to pick up product. Before applying to the cheeks I tap off the excess as the product is quite strong in pigment so I like to start small and build to my desired colour. You can always add more, but removing too much is difficult!

I so hope that the extended makeup range does well in the Oxford Street store for them to then roll it out across the UK. I love the blusher and the solid lipsticks are spot on (keep an eye, I'll be posting those soon!).

Have you tried Lush makeup? What did you think? 

Thea Skincare*

A few weeks ago a lovely little package from Thea Skincare arrived through my letterbox, I eagerly opened it up to find three products to trial along with a lovely letter explaining the background of the company, which you can find out all about on Thea's website. In a nutshell, Thea is all about organically enriched skincare, natural ingredients found in Africa and Asia are put together to make beautiful products which are a dream to use. 

In my little package I had Super Nourish Nutrition Face Creme, Super Nourish Moisture Rich Facial Cleaner and Super Nourish Face Exfoliant.

I can honestly say that all three products are beautiful. They feel very luxurious and are gentle on the skin. The face creme was lightweight yet still felt nourishing on the skin, making the skin feel very comfortable in these colder months. It also absorbed quickly which meant that applying makeup afterwards was no issue and left a lovely radiance to the skin. The cleanser was great for keeping the skin feeling hydrated, none of that 'I NEED moisturiser on my face' feeling the second you have finished rinsing the product off. My favourite of the trio however, was the exfoliator. It had a satisfying amount of scrub to it without being overly scratchy. Like the other products it left the skin feeling comfortable yet it still did a good job and removing the dead skin from the face.

All in, I was very impressed with Thea. If you are on the market for some new skincare I would definitely check the website out and give a few products a go - you'll love them!

Lush Toner Water

I love Lush. I spoke about their amazing makeup range last week here but my product collection does not stop there. I have been using both the Tea Tree Water and Eau Roma Water for a couple of months and love them both. I'll reach for one or the other after cleansing my skin before applying moisturiser in the morning or evening and which one I choose is purely dependent on how my skin is, or my mood. 

The Tea Tree Water is so refreshing, this was the one which I chose to take on holiday with me as I used it to spritz my face on the flight and it was so calming and soothing at the end of a long and hot day spent at theme parks. Aside from the refreshment this product is great for the fact it is highly anti-bacterial making it great for fighting and preventing breakouts. 

As for Eau Roma Water, I reach for this when my mood needs lifted or calmed. This has such a comforting scent and helps me to relax. To be fair, this does mean that the product is doing it's job as it is described as an aromatherapy water as well as a toner water. The rose water and lavender in this water work together to combat redness, soften and hydrate the skin. This product is so gentle on the skin, unlike some other toners that sting as you apply them. You know that your skin is loving this toner.

I like to have the choice after cleansing as to whether I need Tee Tree or Eau Roma, they both work so well at what they are designed for and having the choice means that you can combat whatever your skin worries are day by day. 

Do you prefer one of these products over the other?    

Glowing Summer Skin for Pale People

You can still have a summer-time glow even if you are pale like me. You know that I love being pale, I hid under big hats, kimonos and factor 50 for near enough the full two weeks while in Florida in a bid not to get a tan (I think everyone else who was with us thought I was a nutter - what can I say?!). Since arriving back home, I have been smothering myself in sun cream before leaving the house because for some bizarre reason Glasgow seems to be getting some summer weather - I know, I'm just as shocked as you are. Now despite wanting to remain pale, I do like to have a slight summer glow. Allow me to introduce you to my glowing dream team.

I have been starting out by applying my SPF 50 all over my face and neck and waiting around 15 minutes for it to fully absorb, after this I apply a layer of Lush's Enzymion which is a new favourite of mine. This has lemon juice and papaya in it which makes it smell so summery and it really uplifts you when you open the pot and apply it. These ingredients also help to brighten the skin and leave you with a lovely matte base. After this I have been applying Jackie Oates with the Complexion Blending Brush from the EcoTools Fresh and Flawless kit to even out my skin tone. This gives a great natural finish and also contains titanium dioxide which helps to block out the sun on the skin, bonus! To finish off the glowing skin, I take the Full Powder Brush from the same EcoTools kit and run the Physicians Formula 100% Natural Origin Bronzer (I have the light shade) across my forehead, cheeks and nose. 

When all added together, these work together to give a natural, light sunkissed glow which looks great alone or can easily be a base for a full makeup look. These three products were my staples while on holiday as they were quick and made gave me a healthy glow. 

What are your 'go-to' summer glow products?

Lush Makeup

I adore Lush. I know so many people who say that the smells gives them a headache but if I am totally honest, I could spend all day, everyday in there inhaling that beautiful smell. I do use a large amount of products from Lush (in fact I have recently switched my skincare to pretty much all Lush products and my skin hasn't looked so good in a long time - keep an eye out for details in a post soon!) but I have particular love for a few of their makeup products.

You may have spied some of these in my What's in My Suitcase? post.

Starting out with the complexion products, I use Jackie Oates and Emotional Brilliance  almost every day now. With Jackie Oates I can build the coverage as high as I need and for days that I don't want or need much I mix it in with my moisturiser. Emotional Brilliance reminds me of Bourjois Java Rice Powder (see my review here). The powder is super-fine and blends into the skin with ease leaving a velvety soft texture with a hint of a glow - what more do you want?

As far as the eyes are concerned, Eyes Right mascara is my go to mascara for quick coverage on days where I am not wearing much makeup. You get good coverage and volume from this mascara, but the best part is the lash loving ingredients which don't cause the mascara to crisp up and cause your lashes to break and in fact boost your lashes growth make this a perfect treat for my eyes.

I recently picked up the Liquid Liner in Control. After reading the Sunday Girl's review here I new I needed to get my hands on it, and boy am I glad I did. As you well know I normally sport black cat liner, but for the days I don't feel like that, I reach for this. It adds a little hint of colour to the eye without being too in your face. The brush is super fine and means that you can get a precise line in a few seconds.

One of my American haul products was the Cream Eyeshadow in Happiness which is so pigmented it can be worn alone and give a very glamorous look but can be used as a base for other shadows to create a more dramatic look. It lasts very well, I first tested this in the 33c degree heat of a very humid Florida and it didn't budge.

Finally, what is a makeup bag without red lipstick? I have two gorgeous shades from the Lush collection, the first in my collection was Ambition which is a blue-toned, power red. You don't wear this shade if you want to fade into the sidelines, you get noticed with this on. Second was another product that I picked up stateside and that is the shade Decisive this is quite a bit darker but looks very glamorous on. Both of these lipsticks are in liquid form and they are extremely pigmented, I have found that applying once, blotting and then applying again makes them stay all day long without needing topped up. Even eating, drinking, talking (as I do all day!) they stay put until you take them off.

Have you tried any Lush makeup? What is your favourite?

Best Makeup Brushes

Brushes make your makeup work harder. You can spend hundreds upon hundreds of pounds on designer, all singing and all dancing makeup products, but it you apply it with poor makeup brushes it certainly won't look that way once you have finished.

I have quite a collection of makeup brushes. I grudge throwing any that are in good condition away as 'you never know when I might need it...' but there are a few which I find myself using everyday and find myself lost without if I have forgotten to take them away with me.

Going from left to right across the above picture we start off with Real Techniques Blush Brush 1407 (£9.99) which, as far as I know is the best blush brush. Ever. It is so ridiculously soft (no risk of scratchiness on your cheeks) and it follows the shape of your cheekbones perfectly. It creates a natural flush without that racing-stripe that you can end up sporting with a smaller brush. Not the best of looks.

Next, we have the Real Techniques Multi-Tasking Brush (From Sam's Picks Brush Set) (£29.99 for set) which I use for powder. It is fluffy yet still has a slight density to it making targeting areas which need a little more powder a lot easier. Again, this is super-soft and feels so lovely on your face.

I love the Real Techniques Blending Eye Brush (From Starter Set) (£21.99 for set). I use it to do a final blend on my eye makeup to help smoke it out a little bit more. Like all the Real Techniques brushes, this is super-soft and is great quality. It really is fab for smoothing out harsh lines and perfecting eyeshadow.

The next two bushes are both from the EcoTools Bamboo 6 Piece Eye Brush Set (£14.99 for set). Firstly we have the 'blend' brush which I use to apply my base colour all across the eye. I love this as the brush it quite big and makes applying your neutralising shade so easy as it only takes a couple of stokes to get it perfect. The other brush from this set that I use almost everyday is the 'crease' brush. As you might expect this is the brush that I pick up to define the crease of my eye, it is perfectly sized and perfectly shaped for the job, and it lays shadow well on the eye.

I received a collection of brushes from e.l.f. as a free gift with purchase before Christmas, which is where the next two brushes come from. Unfortunately they don't seem to have the same collection anymore and seem to have stopped the spoolie brush altogether. I use that to tame my eyebrows and to help blend and brow powder that I might apply. I prefer this to the disposable ones as it doesn't feel as flimsy, but the disposable ones work just as well. The other brush from the collection that I use daily is the Small Precision Brush (£3.95) which is perfect for applying concealer to blemishes as it doesn't cover the surrounding area with product, it hits it spot on (ha!) and makes the blemish blend (almost) seamlessly.

For applying my base product I always reach for the Real Techniques Buffing Brush from the Core Collection (£21.99 for set). This makes quick work of buffing foundation on to the skin and leaves such a natural finish from any liquid base product. Up until getting this I always use my fingers to apply foundation as I never found a brush that gave a finish that I liked. I now feel lost without this one, it is fab.

Last up I have the EcoTools Bamboo Domed Bronzer Brush (£9.99) which I use for applying my brightening face powder over the top of my makeup. Whether it be the Bourjois Java Rice Powder or a bareMinerals all over face colour that I use to give my complexion a boost, I always apply it with this brush. In truth it is probably to stiff to use for that purpose, bit I love the buffed finish that it gives and have never had any issues so it is my 'go-to' tool for that.

Do you use any of these brushes? Which are your 'go-to' tools everyday?