NEW IN: Ecotools 5 piece brush set

I started buying lots and lots of makeup brushes lately and this new travel set arrived 2 days ago.
I bought it, because I needed a travel set that I can keep in my bag for applying powder and blusher when I am out and about. The set includes:
Mineral powder brush - for applying powder or mineral foundation
Concealer brush- for applying concealer- duh! :)
Eye shading brush - this brush applies and blends powder eye shadows effortlessly.
Baby kabuki - buff powder over areas that need more coverage or use to apply bronzer.
Cosmetic bag is made from 55% hemp linen and 45% cotton.

The bristles are very soft and I quite like using the brushes.You can get the set from Boots here for £19.99.

LIZ EARLE COLOUR review: Natural Finish Loose Powder, Powder brush and Perfect Fix Concealer

I can't describe my excitement about this post! I love Liz Earle Skincare and I was counting the days before the launch of Liz Earle Colour collection. It is finally here and we can all enjoy it! I wrote a review of Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint before and you can find it here. Today I am reviewing three products from the new collection: Perfect Fix Concealer in shade 02 fair, Natural Finish Loose Powder in shade 01 Natural Ivory and a Powder Brush. I love all of them and I can honestly say, that the Liz Earle Colour Collection was worth the wait.

 

Natural Finish Loose Powder 01 natural ivory 12g* £19.50 link

INFO:Our velvety soft, lightweight formula is a revolution in powder technology. Containing four types of powder and many different sized particles to help smooth and even out the appearance of your skin, leaving it with a natural finish. Enriched with our own blend of natural source of vitamin E, borage and avocado oils.Available in three shades

MY OPINION: This powder feels feather light on my skin, but gives beautiful coverage and a natural looking finish at the same time. Shade 01 natural ivory is perfect for me, it blends into my skin tone perfectly, leaving my complexion looking flawless. I used the Liz Earle powder brush to apply it over Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint and this combination works perfectly for me.

If I apply it in the morning it stays on my face for over 6 hours, after that a quick touch up will make it stay on for the rest of the day.

The packaging is very sturdy and you need to unscrew the lid and twist a protective cover inside to get the powder. I really like this design, it prevents making a mess, something that loose powders are known for, so you can put it in your handbag without worrying.

 

Powder brush* £20.00 link

INFO:Our full and rounded brush head has a feather-light feel. It allows you to effortlessly apply and blend your powders and bronzers for a smooth, even finish.The cut and shape of our brushes have been uniquely designed by our make up artists to help you achieve truly professional results. Each hair is both individual in length and cut to help pick up and apply just the right amount of your product. Our two-tone brush head is made from 100% man-made fibres so is animal-friendly, and the clear acrylic handle gives the brush a clean, stylish design.

MY OPINION: I really like it. I love the simple, yet stylish design and the way it feels in my hand.It helps to achieve a flawless finish, I use it for applying loose powders and mineral bronzers and blushers. I love the fact that it is animal friendly!

 

Perfect Fix Concealer 02 Fair 2g* £13.50 link

INFO: No make up bag should be without our highly-pigmented, lightweight concealer to disguise blemishes, minor skin imperfections and dark circles. Our creamy formula blends easily, without dragging the delicate under-eye area. Enriched with a derivative of natural source vitamin E.

Available in seven shades.

MY OPINION: I don't own many concealers, but I really needed to get a good quality one to reduce the appearance of dark circles, small imperfections and redness around my nose. This concealer is exactly what I was looking for: a very creamy formula that glides onto the skin and feels very very light. It is perfect for camouflaging dark circles and it does a great job at hiding redness and blemishes I have got on my face.

The packaging is absolutely beautiful and looks very luxurious. The price is very affordable and if you are looking for a good concealer you should try this one.

 

Here is my FOTD with Liz Earle Colour.

FACE: Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint in shade 02 Beige*, Liz Earle Natural Finish Loose Powder in shade 01 ivory*, Liz Earle Perfect Fix concealer in shade 02 Fair*, NYR Mineral Bronzer in shade Golden Bronze*, NYR Mineral Blusher in shade Peony*, LIPS: NYR lipgloss in shade Goji Berry*, EYES: NYR mineral pressed eyeshadow in shade Silver Birch*, Urban Decay Naked 2-bootycall, Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara, Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama gel eyeliner

  

*PR Samples

Late Night Nail Art

I just love nail art!!! I am becoming slightly obsessed with it :)
I thought I will share some of my new creations with you. What design do you like the most?

I used: Revlon Emerald City, Barry M Silver foil effect, Deborah Lippmann Mermaid's Dream

Simple Pleasures Scented nail polish set review.

I got a few requests and questions about the scented nail polish set I bought from TKmaxx.
I need to disappoint you- It is totally rubbish! The nail polishes are meant to be scented with melon, mint, cherry, mango and pineapple... They don't smell of anything except a strong nail varnish odour. Once applied and dry I still couldn't smell anything at all! Weird...
Another problem- one of the bottles was damaged, I was going to open it and the neck of the bottle snapped! I am not Incredible Hulk and I didn't break a glass bottle with my fingers. It must have been broken already, as there was some dried up nail polish on the bottle. I was all excited about the melon scent etc... just to find out it doesn't exist...
All the colours are lovely, especially mint and pink, the formula is ok, but the wow factor is missing.
I bought this set for £3.99, I found it online here for $12.
Have you ever tried scented nail polish? What was your experience?

Green and turquoise glitter nails: Catrice ACid/DC + Essence Edward

I love the names of both nail polishes I used today! I love when nail polishes have got quirky, funny, interesting names. It makes me want to buy them more. Today I am wearing Catrice ACid/DC no 810 and Essence Edward-06- a glitter topper from a twin set. The Catrice nail lacquer glides on beautifully and smoothly! I love the formula and I only needed one coat to get a nice opaque colour. I can't wait to try more polishes form Catrice.
I got both of them from Ana in my swap package, if you want to have a look, here is a link to my swap post. Again, if you have got an opportunity to swap with somebody from another country, go for it! :) It is  a great experience.

Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask Review

Hello ladies,
Another amazing Liz Earle product arrived at my doorstep. It is the Brightening Treatment Mask. It quickly became my favourite face mask! It works really fast and you can see the effects right away. I love to pamper my skin with face masks, I find it very relaxing.

LIZ EARLE Brightening Treatment Mask 50ml pump starter kit* £14.25 link

INFO: Problem: dull, lacklustre skin.Solution: our fast-acting mask instantly revitalises. Containing stimulating camphor oil and toning witch hazel to help give your skin a natural-looking radiance.

Use in the morning or whenever a quick fix is needed.Naturally active ingredients include aloe vera to help cool and soothe, toning witch hazel and purifying white clay.Not suitable for sensitive skin.

Use whenever your skin needs a quick fix to leave it radiant and revitalised.
Apply to clean, dry skin. Leave for between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Soak the pure muslin cloth in hand-hot water and gently wipe away residue.Follow with Instant Boost Skin Tonic and your choice of Liz Earle moisturiser.You will experience a slight tingling sensation. This is normal. However, as a common sense precaution, do not use on sensitive skin and avoid the lip and eye area.

MY OPINION: This mask quickly became my favourite and it is my go-to mask at the moment, if I am looking for an instant boost of radiance. I received the starter kit including 50ml pump(very convenient) a muslin cloth and a handy storage bag.
I love the fact that the mask works quickly, you only need to have it on for 30sec to 2 minutes to benefit from all the natural ingredients, including aloe vera, witch hazel and white clay. Sometimes I leave it on for 5 minutes, just to enjoy the smell and the feeling :) The texture is light and creamy and it smells amazing!
If you don't like masks that need to stay on your face for a long time, this is a perfect mask for you.
It gives my skin a healthy glow and can be used every day or once a week, it is totally up to you. I use it about 3 times a week, sometimes instead of Cleanse & Polish in the morning and the effects are great. Use the muslin cloth to wipe it off and it will also gently exfoliate your skin leaving it fresh and radiant. I can assure you that you will notice the difference right away. It also helps to reduce the appearance of blemishes and dark circles.
The mask is not suitable for sensitive skin, although I read many reviews saying that it doesn't irritate sensitive skin at all. Again- I am very impressed with Liz Earle skincare range. It deserves all the awards under the sun!

*PR SAMPLE

REVIEW: Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream and Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream

I need to admit, I was very excited to try Antipodes products. 

The brand won Best Natural Range in the Natural Health Awards 2012 and is becoming extremely popular in UK. I am not surprised- from my experience I can honestly say that their creams are truly amazing. I am also trying out the Reincarnation Pure Facial Exfoliator and I will be writing a separate review this week.

Antipodes offer a range of certified organic & natural skincare products containing exotic New Zealand plant extracts and premium avocado oil. Antipodes skin and body care products are not tested on animals and don't contain any harsh ingredients.

Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream 60ml* £32.99 link

INFO:Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream with 100% pure avocado oil, manuka honey, marigold flower and sandalwood. Natural Health Best Buy 2011 award winner.There's no better way to resurrect your skin than with the deeply nourishing properties of pure 100% avocado pear oil, containing antioxidants and packed with Vitamins E, A, B1, B2, C and D for superior restorative qualities. Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream also features calendula; oil from the petals of the marigold flower which is highly regarded throughout history for its healing and repairing properties. Manuka honey serves to soothe and moisten your skin and the warm and mystical aroma of sandalwood both purifies and uplifts your skin. Directions for use: Apply Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream at sunset by caressing into your face, neck and cleavage. For a super-restorative effect, use Antipodes Divine Face Oil first.

MY OPINION: This night cream is a very rich formula, quite thick and very creamy. It has an instant soothing effect on my skin. I have got normal/combination skin with some dry areas and when I put this cream on at night time (focusing on dry areas), I wake up with lovely looking skin in the morning.

 If your skin is very oily, I am afraid this cream would be to rich for you. But if like me, you have got normal or dry skin, it would be a perfect deeply nourishing night time cream for you, especially for a/w.

It soothes dry areas and locks all the moisture in. It takes about 20 minutes for it to be fully absorbed.

I like the smell (it includes my favourite ingredient-calendula), it is quite strong, but very pleasant.

I also like the packaging- a thick brown glass jar with a simple black plastic lid.

Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream 60ml* £26.99 link

INFO:Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream with 100% pure avocado oil, macadamia nut, manuka honey and kawakawa. A light but intensive hydrating cream that feels beautifully fresh and alive on your face. Notes of vanilla and citrus marry to form a fragrance that is exotically fresh.

Containing 100% pure avocado pear oil with Vitamins A, B, C, E as well as chlorophyll and Omegas 3, 6 and 9 - all excellent antioxidants - this incredibly moisturising and nourishing Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream will see you through each and every day with radiance. African karite butter glides the creamy texture of Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream on to your skin, and keeps it supple and protected. Plus it's easily absorbed by the skin for maximum hydration thanks to an extract from Spanish olives, squalane; a unique moisturising agent with a high affinity to your skin's own oils.

Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream also includes manuka honey to soothe and nourish skin, and an antioxidant-rich extract from the leaf of the native New Zealand plant kawakawa.

Directions for use:Apply Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream at sunrise by gently massaging across your face, neck and cleavage.

MY OPINION: The Vanilla pod cream is much lighter than Avocado pear night cream. It feels just as creamy, but it is a lighter formula and when I massage it into my face it absorbs quickly. 

Again, I don't think it would be suitable for very oily skin, but it works great on dry, normal/ combination skin.

Surprisingly  it doesn't have a strong vanilla scent :) At first I thought that it had a citrusy scent, but it doesn't :) haha  I was still smelling my citrusy face wash and toner! The cream smells of vanilla and Manuka honey. It is lovely! I use it on clean and toned skin underneath my tinted moisturiser and it works well as a base. I don't use primers at the moment. Unfortunately it doesn't come with SPF, so you will need additional protection, but it is an amazing product.

This hydrating cream leaves my skin feeling smooth and nourished, it is full of amazing natural ingredients and antioxidants. I really wish it came with SPF, it would be 100% perfect. Other than that, I love it! If you are looking for a deeply moisturising day cream, I think you should try Antipodes.

You can buy Antipodes products from Feelunique.

*PR samples

REN Active 7 Radiant Eye Gel and Clearcalm 3 Clarity restoring mask - Review

Hi everyone. Today I am reviewing two lovely skincare products from REN: Active 7 Radiant Eye Gel* and Clearcalm 3 Clarity restoring mask*. I mentioned REN before - in a review of the natural and organic Amarya beauty box and I am happy to report, that their products don't contain parabens and sulfates and are free from harsh ingredients. I also love their clever packaging - it really makes a difference!

Active 7 Radiant Eye Gel 15ml* £20 link

"A light and cooling gel to treat, revive and brighten the delicate eye area, under or over makeup. Cools and refreshes. Reduces the appearance of puffiness and dark circles. The eye contour looks smoother, firmer. Apply a small amount to the skin around the eye, gently massage until absorbed. Reapply as necessary."

I use eye creams religiously, but I prefer them in a gel formula :) I like the feeling of a cool gel on the delicate skin around the eye area. The Active 7 Radiant Eye Gel feels very refreshing and sinks into the skin very quickly. I use it twice a day and I noticed that it really helps with  puffiness. When I was crying my eyes out before and after my sons  operation, I needed something to get rid of the puffiness and redness around my eyes and this gel worked wonders. It gives instant relief and makes my eyes look fresh and less tired. I have been using it for over 2 weeks and I also noticed improvement in the dark circle department.  It is not a dramatic improvement (yet), but the effects are visible and I can use less concealer underneath my eyes now. You only need a small amount of the gel each time, so be careful with the pump to make sure you don't squeeze too much product out. You get 15 ml for £20 so the price is pretty reasonable. I would happily pay this amount of money for an eye gel that actually works. I used many cheaper alternatives before, but they didn't work at all.

this tiny amount was enough for both eyes

ClearCalm 3 Clarity Restoring Mask 50ml* £30 link

"REN's ClearCalm3 system combats the 3 key causes of breakouts and blemishes: excess sebum; build up of dead skin cells; blemish-causing bacteria... without harshness.A treatment mask formulated to combat and help prevent breakouts. It will reduce visible blemishes and leave skin looking clear, calm and even-toned. Absorbs sebum and gently exfoliates to decongest blocked pores. Antimicrobial action combats the spread of breakout-causing bacteria. Reduces the appearance of pore size and redness. Soothes and calms. Lightens the appearance of pigmented scars. For best results, use twice a week. Apply a generous amount of product onto clean skin. Leave on 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water."

Sometimes my skin decides to break out horribly and it is not a nice feeling. It is usually a hormonal issue, so it is very hard to combat those pesky breakouts! The biggest problem I've got is enlarged, clogged pores and congestion. I had very high expectations from this product, as it costs £30 and I heard many good things about it. 

Did it work? Yes! It worked wonders! It really does what it says on there tin. It cleared my pores, helped to reduce redness and congestion and since I stared using it I only had a few small breakouts. It really helped to clear up my skin, so if you suffer from acne or have problems with breakouts it should work for you too.  I apply a generous amount of the mask, focusing on problem areas and a small amount onto the rest of my face. I leave it on for 15 minutes and wash off with a muslin cloth and warm water. The effect is amazing - my skin feels really clear and smooth, my complexion looks more even and the pores are less visible. It is quite pricey, but definitely worth the money. It has a tiny cap to put on the dispenser to stop the mask from drying out- very smart idea. The only thing I wasn't sure about is the scent -it is quite strong, but I can get used to it. I could smell Sulfur and Zinc, but those are the magic ingredients :)

Availlable from https://www.renskincare.com/

*PR samples