‘Less is more’ make up update

As promised, today’s post is an update on my ‘less is more’ test make up part. Original post is here. I picked 4 non-comedogenic / mildly comedogenic products to use on my skin (in addition to 4 skincare products) to see if I can prevent blemishes that way as I felt  I was using everything and anything on my skin and it was getting very confused.

I wrote a post about my progress with the skincare products yesterday and told you that I added some and also started using benzoyl peroxide a bit more frequently again which has dried out my skin and made it a little red. So what happened with the original 4 make up products?

Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation with SPF35 is still being used as a concealer and is great for covering that redness because of yellow undertones.

Clinique Anti Blemish BB Cream SPF40 started catching on dry patches and just doesn’t sit right on my skin anymore. It is great for oily skin with some signs of dehydration to cover blemishes but moisturise at the same time, however like any liquid foundation it will catch on dry patches so it had to be stored away in my make up drawer for now. I replaced it with what I knew would work (this is the only foundation I could use when I was using benzoyl peroxide previously) and it is no other than bareMinerals MATTE SPF15 foundation in fair. As this foundation is loose powder I no longer need setting powder so Make Up Forever HD Powder is in the drawer with Clinique BB cream as well (it only comes out then I want a bit of ‘highlighter effect’ as I don’t get on with pencil / cream highlighters and this powder seems to do the job). bareMinerals MATTE foundations is clear of comedogenic ingredients and is probably the best and safest foundation for acne prone skin.

Balance Me Balancing Face Moisturiser which I was using as primer also got replaced because I find that the only primer that works with bareMinerals MATTE foundation is bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer (Original). This sort of proves my theory that primer has to often be from the same brand as foundation as they were probably developed to work together.

NYX Studio Perfect Primer in Green is another primer I use to cover the redness as green shade reduces the appearance of red tones. It is also non-comodegenic and slides on like silk even over dry patches.

bareMinerals MATTE SPF15 foundation; NYX Photo Loving Primer in Green; bareMinerals Prime Time foundation primer ORIGINAL (travel size); Make Up For Ever HD Powder (travel size); Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation

I will update you again next weekend but promise I won’t bore you with my acne journey anymore after that. I do however hope some of you find these posts useful.

Love,

Mari xx

 

Hormones, acne & non-comedogenic ingredients

Hello on the first day of spring!

I should have picked more cheerful topic but today’s post is about acne again. It will be a slightly different take from my previous acne post. I also have to apologise if some of you think I misuse word ‘acne’ as mine is (or was) very mild so maybe I should say breakouts or blemishes as I know acne can be so much worse than what I have to deal with. However, this post has come about because my blemishes/breakouts have got much much worse recently. I have been off my contraceptive pill for over 3 months and I really really wanted to not go back to it but seeing what my skin is doing – I am not so sure I will be able to stay off it.

Some background information (you can just skip to the next paragraph but it would be useful if you read this): I have suffered from acne (mild to moderate) since I was 14 or 15 but I always kept it at bay with some sort of skincare & having a few spots as a teenager was fine. When I was 19 I went on my first ever contraceptive pill and was also prescribed benzoyl peroxide and Lymecycline because I complained that my breakouts aren’t going away and I was nearly 20 (little did I know that acne can follow you into your adulthood). I stayed on Lymecycline for way longer than I should’ve done and used benzoyl peroxide until last year so for good 5 years ! Once I stopped Lymecycline I realised that actually the pill and benzoyl peroxide are treating my acne not the antibiotics. My acne was almost non-existent for those 4-5 years and I thought I had grown out of it. Then it started returning once I changed my pill (they pre-warn you about this but you always hope for the best), however benzoyl peroxide still kept it at bay. I then ran out of my acne.org benzoyl peroxide 2.5% treatment and wanted to see what happens if I stop using it, I also came off my pill to see the full picture. Contraceptive pill is a great birth control method but I didn’t want to depend on it for the rest of my life. That’s when things slowly but surely went downhill for my skin. 

I have to admit I change my skincare like socks. This is not just beauty blogger thing as I don’t class myself as real beauty blogger and don’t get sent stuff, this is because my skin changes all the time and I think a lot of it is down to hormones, weather and how it reacts to different treatments. In my ‘Living with acne’ post I talked about products I use daily/weekly to keep my acne at bay and they are tried and tested so I would still recommend every one of them. But it also got me thinking – am I putting too much on my skin? I have over 20 different acne products in my ‘collection’. I don’t use them every day and some of them are for my body acne, some are vitamins, some are ‘once a week’ scrubs and peels. Yet is my skin getting stripped off it’s natural oils and nutrients and has too much to handle?

I will say that my skin is pretty bad at the moment and contrarily to my Living with acne post where I talked about more natural methods, if what I am about to try for the next couple of weeks doesn’t work I will probably have to go back on my pill and maybe even get a prescription from my GP. Acne is depressing and if the only way to fight it is medication it will have to be that. I am 26 this year for heaven’s sake! I can’t go to work with a spotty face.

So now onto my test for the next 2 weeks or so. I decided to strip my bathroom cabinets from all my samples, products sent to me in beauty boxes etc and keep selected 4. Same with make up. I want to see if my skin prefers less. The selection I have made had 2 rules:

• It had to include moisturiser and serum because my skin is very dehydrated at the moment
• Ingredients in these products had to be non-comedogenic or mildly comedogenic (grade 1-2)

My selected 4 skincare products are:

1. Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Wash – 1 acne causing ingredient Butylene Glycol which is mildly comedogenic (or grade 1, on scale 1-5) so it’s all good. Butylene glycol is a chemical compound —a colorless organic alcohol used in the following ways: as a solvent (helps other products dissolve in water), as a viscosity-decreasing agent (to thin creams and gels so they’re easier to use), and as a conditioning agent.
2. Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief – No acne causing ingredients found. Boom!
3. Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum – 1 acne causing ingredient Dimethicone which is mildly comedogenic (or grade 1). Dimetchicone is used variously in the cosmetic and consumer product industry as well,  dimethicone is used widely in skin-moisturizing lotions where it is listed as an active ingredient whose purpose is skin protection.
4. On-the-Spot® Acne Treatment – this is benzoyl peroxide which not only I am trying to stay away from but I also have recently been having reactions to it, however this particular on-the-spot treatment is great as I only use it on the spot and not all over my face. This has no acne causing ingredients (as you’d expect).

5th product in the picture is La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo[+] which I have been using quite a lot but when I checked the ingredients I was shocked (bearing in mind it is acne treatment, they also claim that product is paraben-free and non-comedogenic). The truth is it has 4 acne causing ingredients: Dimethicone which is mildly comedogenic (as above, this is ok); Glyceryl Stearate Se which is highly comedogenic (grade 3) – Glyceryl Stearate acts as a lubricant on the skin’s surface, which gives the skin a soft and smooth appearance. It also slows the loss of water from the skin by forming a barrier on the skin’s surface. Isocetyl Stearate which again is highly comedogenic (GRADE 5!!) – is an oily liquid. Stearate esters act primarily as lubricants on the skin’s surface, which gives the skin a soft and smooth appearance. Isopropyl Stearate dries to form a thin coating on the skin. Isocetyl Stearate can also be used to dissolve other substances, usually liquids; and Myristyl Myristate which is also highly comedogenic (GRADE 5!) – Myristic Acid, also called tetradecanoic acid, occurs naturally in vegetable or animal fats and oils with relatively high levels found in nutmeg, palm oil, coconut oil and butter. Often used as hair conditioning agent and binder. So I won’t be using this again and don’t recommend the brand for lying even if you are not great believer in non-comedogenic ingredients.

4 selected make up items (not including eye make up, lipstics etc of course):

1. Balance Me Balancing Face Moisturiser – this is not make up but I like applying this particulair moisturiser before doing my make up as it gives really matte surface to work on and sometimes I can avoid using primer (I hate primers). It has 2 acne causing ingredients but both mildly comedogenic. Cetearyl Alcohol which is grade 2 – Works as an emulsifier or thickener and carrying agent for other ingredients contained in a cosmetic solution. It keeps the oil and water parts of an emulsion from separating, and gives products good spreadability. Despite the fact that the CIR Expert Panel recognizes this ingredient as non-irritating, many dermatologists recommend that individuals with sensitive/irritated skin avoid it so this one is for yourselves to decide on. Glyceryl Stearate unlike Glyceryl Stearate SE (Self-emulsifying) is only grade 1.
2. Clinique Anti Blemish BB Cream SPF40 – Annoyingly Clinique do not publish their ingredients online! Unbelievable in this day and age if you ask me. Anyway I checked about 50% of them manually and they all come up as grade 0-2 so I will trust that this product is non-comedogenic to mildly comedogenic. I will email Clinique for full list though.
3. Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation with SPF35 – I use this as concealer and it has no acne causing ingredients.
4. Make Up Forever HD Powder – 2 acne causing ingredients. Dimethicone is mildly comedogenic, Zinc Stearate is also mildly comedogenic (it is fine, white powder with a slight fatty odor, generally used for their lubricating properties.

I also wanted to add this to my selection and use instead of primer because it smells and feels amazing but I won’t be. Olay Regenerist Luminous Skin Tone Perfecting Day Cream – 3 acne causing ingredients, 2 of them we are familiar with (Butylene Glycol and Dimethicone – mildly comedogenic) and unfortunately Laureth-4 which is highly comedogenic (grade 5) – clear, colorless liquid, used in cosmetics and personal care products also used in cuticle softeners, deodorants and moisturizing products.

Also remember to wash your brushes! Acne LOVES bacteria.

To my surprise Benefit The POREfessional only has one mildly comedogenic ingrredient –  Dimethicone. I don’t generally like primers but this one has been working for me. Unfortunately, I felt like it was clogging my pores but now I know it isn’t I can use it with confidence.

I will let you know how I get on with these 7-8 products.

P.S. I use acnemantra for long lists of ingredients and sageskincare for individual ingredients.

Love,

Mari x

BIRCHBOX FEBRUARY 2016

My first Birchbox, and what are my thoughts ?

• Box – pretty but rather small? Still nice though. Reassured me that full size shampoo / body lotion etc would not fit inside this box which suggests Birchbox doesn’t include items bigger than 100ml or so. I could be wrong and maybe boxes vary in size month to month? Someone enlighten me!
• Delivery – had no issues, box was delivered on the date promised
• Price – reasonable (£10 per month + £2.95 for delivery)
• Contents – judging by February box only – very similar to Glossybox, probably slightly better brand choice (i.e. no cheap high street brands that are available in Superdrug etc) & no nail polishes !! But this might just be a lucky dip!

 

Inside February’s Birchbox: 

1. LOC One & Done Shadow Stick in Perfect Cents (£8.00 on birchbox.co.uk) – this is Birchbox’s own brand and stands for Love of Color. Clever! According to Birchbox brand LOC this Shadow Stick removes the need for multiple brushes, blenders, and primers to deliver up to 11 hours of creaseless, waterproof colour in just one swipe. My verdict is that it does all the above but the shade is a little bit 90s. It’s silvery bronze, very metallic. I would be keen to try the other shade (Champagne Problems) to see if I prefer it. This product has 180 reviews on birchbox.co.uk and all are pretty solid 4-5 stars so I think it’s just me disliking the shade! SCORE: 9/10 for quality; 5/10 for the shade.
2. Cochine White Jasmine & Gardenia Hand & Body Lotion (full size £19.00 on birchbox.co.uk) – this is a no for me because of the scent. Smells like fancy restaurant loos. I think this lotion is what hotels / bars would purchase for their fancy toilets and that’s great! I would use it if it was by their sink. I am not a fan of Yasmin scent anyway and I prefer sweet vanilla / coconut scents when it comes to body lotions and shower creams. Lotion itself leaves skin feeling silky smooth and is absorbed quickly but it is all about the scent unfortunately. I would consider other Cochine scents but I am not sure I would pick any of them as I don’t mix home fragrances with body lotions. If I had a fancy guest toilet I would repurchase. SCORE: 4/10 for the scent; 9/10 for quality
3. Number 4 Lumiere d’Hiver Super Comb Prep & Protect (full size £20.00 on birchbox.co.uk) – I loved this product and have used it up already! ‘Strengthening, repairing, de-tangling, great at taming flyway ends as well as nourishing and protecting, it’s a brilliant all-rounder.’ Yup – tick, tick, tick, tick. It does what it says. And I love the scent, can’t describe it but it has a hint of vanilla (I think). I have rather oily roots and this product is perfect as it conditions my hair without leaving it greasy. If that’s not enough it is also 100% Vegan, gluten-free, sulphate-free and paraben-free. Will repurchase eventually, not now as the price is a bit steep and I am on ‘no shopping’ mission for 30 days. SCORE: 10/10 
4. Doux Me Comforting Scrub Mask (full size £18.00 on birchbox.co.uk) – I didn’t love this because I like my skincare to leave my face feeling fresh and I love masks that pull my skin and I can really feel them working, while this mask is kind of sweet (it does contain Apricot oil, Roman chamomile and marshmallow extracts after all!). It left my face feeling almost sugary. It is a nice product but not for me. I will use the travel size product but won’t be repurchasing. Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel is my solution to dead skin cells. SCORE: 6/10
5. Spectrum Collections Tulip Powder Brush (£10.00 on birchbox.co.uk) – I think this is the brush I received but I am struggling to tell because mine isn’t numbered!! Anyway – I am 99.9% sure it is. Other Spectrum brushes are available on birchbox.co.uk. I am a sucker for brushes, I have lots of them, including MAC, bareMinerals and some Real Techniques but I have 2-3 favourites and I struggle to give them up and replace. I tried this brush for my contouring needs the other day and it’s nice. I am looking forward to taking it out in my clutch bag on Saturday because it is so pretty I think it might get some compliments! I won’t be using as my main contouring brush I don’t think as I prefer angled contour brushes. SCORE: 8/10 

What I really love about Birchbox is that all full size products can be purchased on thier website. It makes it easy for everyone but especially for beauty bloggers who spend so much time looking for best prices, availability etc to include links in their posts. Some items I have received in Glossyboxes in the past aren’t even available in the UK which is annoying. I also love Birchbox’s website, it is just so 2016!

I have unsubscribed while I am trialing out different beauty box subscriptions (can’t afford them all!) but I might come back in the future because I like what I see and I see what I like!

Love,

Mari x

GLOSSYBOX FEBRUARY 2016

Hi All & Happy Nearly Weekend!

First of all, I wanted to say that I am aware of many Glossybox reviews / unboxing videos and posts etc and I am also aware that many of you will scroll over my post and won’t read it. I can’t really help it because I also ignore most Glossybox/Birchbox reviews and read one or maybe two each month: a) to see if I agree with the reviews; b) for some inspiration (yes, I don’t always think of everything myself and reading other blogs helps, it doesn’t mean I copy paste). I also only read posts / reviews that have some more information than just ‘I am yet to try this but it looks gorgeous’. What I like to read is what other bloggers think are better alternatives or what the item may replace in their beauty collections. I also like to know if they think they will repurchase and how long products last. When it comes to Glossybox reviews I don’t always look for this information as I have the same products and can judge for myself but if I wasn’t a subscriber I would want to know more than just ‘it looks nice’. I would also want to see the emphasis on products and not the box because I may only want to buy one of the products.

So I hope my post lives to my own high expectations. All of the above is also reason I review things 3-4 weeks after receiving them, it gives me a chance to see the real pros and cons and long term benefits. I am very impatient with some things but most of the time I will wait, it is easy to write something on the spur of the moment & I have done it before – it isn’t always the full or true picture though and very rarely product is so amazing I can tell immediately!

February’s Glossybox was my 12th Glossybox and it was going to be my last one. Now, this is where I have to make a confession and admit that I re-subscribed yesterday and will be receiving my March box next week. No panic because ‘no shopping’ challenge still stands. I did say I will be receiving one beauty box this month however this box from Look Incredible isn’t arriving this month as they sold out (I am very disappointed btw!) so I decided to substitute with my good old favourite. Maybe I am just not meant to leave Glossybox club EVER! Anyway.. Back to February edition – it was a great Valantine Day’s themed box and I won’t go on about the box itself because it’s not like you can get the box now if you wanted to. You can however get the 5 products that were in February’s box if you like what you see.

 

1. Wilkinsons Sword Intuition (£6.49 in Boots but currently half price) – I have never used Wilkinson and have been Gillette Venus kinda girl since I can remember (i.e. since started shaving, i.e. 12 years ago or so!). BUT, I am a convert & will be purchasing some blades! Razor is a razor, I don’t care about moisturising bar, convenient to hold etc. I mean they are great extras but there is something about those blades!! My legs have never been so smooth. That is all. Bye Gillette! Will be repurchasing and stocking up on blades! SCORE: 10/10

2. Naobay Protective Hair Mask Volume Conditioner (in the UK available from sellers on eBay) – this is my 3rd Naobay product (all 3 came from Glossybox). And unfortunately – is my least favourite. I loved the calming face toner and loved the moisturising peeling milk but this hair mask just doesn’t do it for me. It smells ok, kinda citrusy which is not my cup of tea. My favourite hair mask (also introduced to me via Glossybox) is Maria Nila Luminous Colour Masque (£8.99). Naobay mask in my opinion simply doesn’t do anything, it works as a conditioner I guess but it doesn’t leave my hair soft and smooth which is what I want from a conditioner / hair mask. It does give my hair some volume but I don’t need volume, I have naturally thick bouncy hair. If I loved the scent (which I don’t) I would use it but I think this one is going to friends/family/who-wants-it box. Not going to repurchase. SCORE: 6/10

3. The Vintage Cosmetic Company Floral Slanted Tweezers (£8.00 0n feelunique.com) – these are really pretty tweezers but they are a bit chunky and stiff. I actually plucked my eyelid skin with them the other day. I have a good mirror, 5 x magnification, LED lights and I am not clumsy. These tweezers are just too chunky for me. Also I am VERY careful not to over pluck my eyebrows and love very precise tweezers for that reason. I think they are not bad but it’s what you are used to and my other tweezers are much slimmer so I am not used to holding these. The tips are sharp and slanted and they are stainless steel but are they worth £8? Not in my opinion. Will keep these is my make up bag but won’t repurchase. My favourite precision tweezers are ones that came with Benefit Brow Zings eyebrow shaping kit. SCORE: 7/10

4. NICKA K NEW YORK 24H Waterproof Eyeliner in Dark Brown – I reviewed this in one or two other posts (for various reasons) and didn’t wait 4 weeks but an eyeliner for me is a yes or a no after 1 use. Simple. This one is a yes. It came in dark brown which I have fallen in love with, black has always been too much for my light green eyes. It has built in sharpener and smudger which is great because I love the smokey eye look and not the precise line. It stays in place for maybe not 24 hours but at least 10 from when I leave the house in the morning (8:30ish) until I get back home (6ish). Will repurchase if I can find somewhere to buy it in the UK. I usually struggle with eyeliners staying in place for more than an hour so I really hope I do find this one on Amazon or ebay as it is the only pencil eyeliner that stays put. SCORE: 9/10

5. MUA Power Pout Glaze Low Voltage Gloss in Hush (£3.50 on muastore.co.uk) – again I reviewed this in my other post and lipstick/lipgloss too is a yes or a no after 1-2 uses. This one is a maybe. It gives a fairly natural but sexy pout and isn’t too sticky. But a little bit sticky. I am not a fan of lipglosses in general so I don’t want to be too judgemental as it is a decent lipgloss as far ad they go. I won’t be repurchasing but I also won’t be giving away and will use now and then. It’s a handy shade to have. I don’t have a favourite lipgloss but if you want that sexy pout / shine I recommend Bourjois Effet 3D Lipgloss Top Coat. SCORE: 7/10

Overall, February’s Glossybox was not the best nor the worst. I think all 5 were good quality products but not all were to my taste. I have found 2 gems and will be keeping the lipgloss. Tweezers might save me one day when they are the only ones to hand and Naobay hair mask / conditioner will find a good home I’m sure. For £10 I think this box was worth it, as they usually are. As I said I don’t want to keep going on about the box as they are no longer available (March box is though and if you are not a Glossy yet you can subscribe here) but I definitely recommend Wilkinson Sword Intuition Razor and Nicka K Waterproof Eyeliner if you can find it online.

 

Love,

Mari xx

FAVOURITE 5 FOR UNDER £10

Some of you might know that this month I am not buying anything new so it is all about wish lists and beauty on a budget for me right now. Timing has been pretty bad because I have ran out of some of my favourites including Talika Photo Hydra Day Cream and Glamglow Supermud Face Mask. However, in the past I have often discovered cheaper alternatives when I couldn’t afford to replace the more expensive items so it might be good timing after all. To be honest, I am enjoying no shopping challenge A LOT so ‘under £10’ type of posts is something you might see more often in the future. I am not saying I will give  up shopping forever because I do like to treat myself but an annual ‘cleanse’ / ‘detox’ is something I really recommend! And I am learning that seeing more money (i.e. any money at all 2 days after payday) in my bank account feels almost as good as walking out of MAC with a nice little black bag or receiving a cheeky parcel from lookfantastic.com in post.

Long story short, here are my favourite 5 items for under £10.

 

1. L’Oreal Paris Nude Magique BB Powder in Light (£6.99 on boots.com) – I’ve never been too fussed about setting powders, I don’t see a point in spending a lot of money on them because they all seem to do the same thing. I’ve tried MAC, Bobbi Brown, MaxFactor, Clinique and now Loreal powders and so far this one is as good as others. It is very lightweight and in light it is perfect for pale skin.
2. Sainsbury’s Vitamin E SPF 15 Day Cream 50ml (£2.00 in Sainsbury’s) – kind of replacing my Talika Photo Hydra Day Cream at the moment. And yes, it costs £2.00! I picked this up during my weekly food shop some time ago because I had read about benefits of vitamin E but never got round using it. This cream is non-greasy, lightweight and smells lovely. I mean it is Sainsbury’s – they don’t specialise in skincare so I am not going to fully convert to Sainsbuty’s for my beauty needs but this cream is pretty amazing.
3. Revlon ColorStay™ Makeup For Combination/Oily Skin (currently £6.49 on boots.com) – this foundation comes in a glass bottle therefore it’s difficult to ‘fish it out’ but it gives great coverage, it’s not cakey yet buildable. Stays in place all day and stays matte! It may currently be under £10 (normally £12.95) but it’s better than many expensive foundations I’ve tried. It’s maybe even better than Estée Lauder Double Wear. Actually I think it is. Yup, sort out the packaging Revlon and I am in!
4. Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Charcoal Face Mask (£3.59 on boots.com) – this is a real bargain if you ask me. I ran out of my Glamglow Supermud and as I promised myself to use up my beauty stash I thought this mask was the closest thing to the £35 Glamglow mud mask. It contains antibacterial Tea Tree Oil and skin calming Witch Hazel in conjunction with activated Charcoal to keep your skin clear and healthy and after 2 uses I am impressed. It really works and leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh! It is more lightweight than Glamglow Supermud and of course the ingredient list is different but it is the result I care about the most so for 1/10th of the cost I might re-consider Glamglow Supermud. I still love it but I could buy 10 Boots Charcoal masks for the cost of 1 Supermud.. What do you think?
5. NYX Make up setting spray – matte finish/long lasting (£7.00 on boots.com) – this is my first/only setting spray and has been in my make up box for a while. I don’t normally use it but the few times I have used it it has done the job. Revlon foundation is pretty matte anyway but this setting spray keeps all the make up in place. It is light and fragrance free, not sticky and comfortable while working hard to make sure your make up stays put.

What are your favourite beauty products under £10?

Love,

Mari

NOTHING NEW FOR A MONTH

Evening beautiful people!

We all know blogging can become a little addictive and a little expensive especially when it’s just a hobby and not a career. I have been spoilt with a Christmas beauty hamper which is still on the go and I haven’t even tried half of the stuff but I have also had a few months of buying lots of new things and subscribing to different beauty boxes so I am sampled out and my drawers and storage boxes are full of things to try and review. I have therefore decided to buy absolutely nothing new for the next 30 days. Starting today. There are a few essentials on my list that I am allowed to buy if I run out but nothing over £5. No new make up, no new accessories, no shoes or clothes either, nothing new for the flat, no magazines (this way I can’t substitute beauty products with other nice things). I am currently subscribed to Look Incredible beauty box which will be the only £18.99 I spend in March. I am keeping this subscription because as part of this challenge / experiment I also want to see if it’s possible to only live off one beauty box per month and nothing else (bear in mind this beauty box guarantees 5 full size products), so be it a shampoo or a mascara, I want to see if I can only spend £18.99 per month on beauty.

On my list of essentials that I’m allowed to buy are: toothpaste, wet wipes, nail polish remover, shower gel, deodorant. You get the gist! Absolute essentials that don’t normally come in beauty boxes / gift hampers. No shampoos even because I have a few to try, no face washes, moisturisers or mascaras! Nothing. I hope to save a bit of money and will report on the outcome on 23rd March.

I have to mention that I am going to be attending Glamour Beauty Feastival on 12th March but the goodie bag and any other freebies I receive will remain unopened until 23rd because otherwise I am cheating on ‘only one beauty box per month’ part of the experiment. It will be difficult to not be able to buy anything at the festival but on the other hand – bloody good timing because I could’ve potentially ended up spending a lot of money!!

To keep my blog going and keep you lot entertained I will be reviewing the below items plus many more that are either unopened and waiting to be used or some of my favourites that I haven’t mentioned yet.

I love shopping & have never not bought anything for a month so wish me luck!

Are you giving anything up for lent?

FOUNDATION FOR EVERY OCCASION

I don’t think it is possible to have one foundation. I might have my favourite and go through stages of using the same foundation every day for weeks or even months but I must have a back up in case my skin decides to be oily or dry or both that day! And in summer I have to have at least 3 different shades for when I catch some sun and for when my tan fades (usually within couple of days). Luckily, I recently discovered The Bodyshop Shade Adjusting Drops (£10.00 each) so I can now save myself some money – they are truly genius! Same theory applies to brushes / sponges and most of my other make up really, I have to have a few different things on the go. Currently I am a HUGE fan of blending sponges and wish I tried them years ago! There are many foundation brushes on the market and blending sponges, over past years, have gained a bad name. Make up artists hardly ever recommend using a blending sponge & I am not sure why. I know they absorb more product and I know they can get dirty and soak up all the bacteria but so do make up brushes and if you don’t clean either you will probably end up with breakouts. I recently ordered Deprettilicious Pro Makeup Blender Sponge 5-Shape Set (currently £10.80) and WOW the things you can do with a blending sponge! Check out deprettilicious website for loads of tips and tricks on using them and tell me that doesn’t excite you. Available in the UK from Amazon.

Back to foundations now. My current every-day foundation is Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place (£30.00) and after getting used to a bit more coverage than usual it has been pretty amazing. It does stay in place all day and my shade ‘cool bone’ is the most perfect shade which makes this foundation appear so natural. I reviewed it here if you want to read more and see some before and after photos. SCORE:9/10

My long-time favourite foundation is bareMinerals Matte Powder Foundation (£26.00) currently in Fairly Light but usually in Fair. I call this my ‘good skin days foundation’. Despite it being powder it gives incredible coverage and is perfect for summer or when you want a super-natural look. I didn’t think I could ever only use powder foundation on my blemish prone skin but it covers everything without it looking cakey. We all know that sometimes thick coverage can make spots look worse. I am actually currently having ‘good skin days’ (thanks to my many anti-blemish products you can read about here) and the only reason I currently use Estee Lauder Double Wear over this is because I accidentally picked the wrong shade which has yellow undertones and doesn’t look great when applied all over my pinky skin. But it wasn’t cheap and too late to return now so I am mixing the two using Double Wear on my t-zone and covering the redness while bareMinerals Matte goes on as powder. It sounds complicated and confusing but this just proves my point – you need several foundations. I apply this with Bare Minerals Full Flawless Application Face Brush (£21.60) which is a chunky brush and works great by covering large areas when tapping all over my face. SCORE: 9/10

Another foundation tried and tested all year round is Make Up Forever Face & Body Liquid (£27.00), I currently have this is 02 Porcelain which is a bit darker than my skin tone but I used it a lot on my legs, chest and back on holiday last year so it worked great, I am usually 20 Ivory. This foundation is waterproof and was used in Baywatch filming. Using a foundation on my body isn’t something I do often but it gives an amazing airbrush effect. I use this on holiday in the evenings to cover redness after being in the sun all day and when I go to a formal evening do. Evening gowns can be quite revealing on your arms, chest and back and unlike a night out on town the lights in the dining room or daylight (if it’s a wedding/christening) can be anything but flattering. I like this foundation on my face too because it has light and fresh gel texture, it evens out the complexion and leaves a thin layer of powder on the skin, for a very natural finish. This is my summer favourite because it is waterproof and doesn’t melt off. Funnily enough, Makeup Forever actually recommend applying this with a sponge (one of their own – Ellipse Sponge). SCORE: 9/10

The darkest (3rd from the top) is Makeup Forever Face&Body Liquid – as you can see it is very ‘wet’ and light when fresh out of the bottle making it very buildable and blendable.

Another foundation that has won a place in my make up bag is Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation (£18.00) which is currently my concealer and my ‘bad skin days’ foundation (evenings only!). In shade 15 Opal it is a bit on the yellow side but not too noticeable and works on red spots really well. It gives total coverage (much fuller than most foundations) and I wouldn’t dare wearing it in daylight as it is a little cakey in my opinion. The reason I have this is because I had a breakout after Christmas and I was looking for a foundation for acne-prone skin. I don’t often need this much coverage so I think it will last me forever. I might repurchase in the future because being so thick it is a great concealer! SCORE: 5/1o as foundation; 9/10 as concealer

Latest addition (also on my wishlist a few days ago) is Revlon ColorStay™ Makeup For Combination/Oily Skin (currently £6.49) – in shade 220 Natural Beige this is my only ‘budget’ foundation and I have only used this twice so far (once in the evening, once during the day). The only dislike is the Heinz Ketchup style glass bottle meaning either too much comes out or I have to scoop it out with a cotton bud. I like the shade, it is pinky which is perfect for me and the texture is very buildable.  I think this will become another one of my everyday foundations for when I want less coverage than Estee Lauder Double Wear and more than bareMinerals Matte Powder. It passed the ‘night out’ test by staying matte for hours which is a winner! SCORE: 8/10 so far

GLOSSYBOX 1 YEAR ON

Sorry if you’re bored of hearing about Glossybox but Glossybox is my first love in the world of beauty and I will forever be talking about it like a smitten schoolgirl.

Glossybox lead me to many discoveries. It was my first ever subscription box and I have to thank Glossybox for teaching me so many things about my skincare routine and make up. Those of you out there who are beauty box subscription virgins I recommend you subscribe to one of many beauty box services promptly because it is a world full of discoveries and magic you are missing out on. You may think you already have your all time favourite products and know everything you need to know about them. You may think you have all the make up you need (said no one ever by the way). You may think you’re not that interested in beauty (don’t think you would be reading my blog though). You may just be fussy and think that a beauty box full of items picked by someone else isn’t for you. Well, you may be right but you may be wrong.

Some of my Glossyboxes. Others are hiding in drawers and cupboards as great storage solution. #upcycle

 

I wasn’t really ‘into’ beauty a year ago the way I am ‘into’ beauty today. I started using make up when I was 14 or 15 and women in my family and their friends were Avon and Mary Kay promoters since I can remember so I did know something about make up and skincare and when I started earning my own money I got more and more into luxury brands. I would buy what’s recommended to me by a sales person at a particular make up counter, sometimes I’d read about a product in a magazine. It was an expensive hobby if you ask me! And being a polite person I would often walk away with half the stuff I didn’t come there for! So I started reading beauty blogs, I started doing my own research and the more I was reading the more I was finding out about brands I had never heard of before and products I had no idea existed. Then a friend of mine told me about Glossybox and the timing was just right I guess, as I was starting to really educate myself about skincare and make up. £10 wasn’t something I had to think about twice so I subscribed last March.

My first ever Glossybox left me gobsmacked because I couldn’t believe that for £10 I could really be getting £50+ worth of beauty products. But you can! Then I slowly but surely got a little bit spoilt and as I became more picky I found some glossyboxes really disappointing. But like with your first real love not everything is sugar-coated (most of it is, of course). One year on I give Glossybox a steady 8/10 which is very very good. Short of excellent because of numerous nail polishes I now possess. And short of exceptional because very few things in my life make the cut.

Products and money aside, Glossybox taught me things that are priceless. Let me just say, I knew what a moisturiser, conditioner, face mask and a toner is before Glossybox. What I didn’t know quite as well is how many different types of these products are on the market. I’m talking variations, ingredients, price ranges and so on. Glossybox always comes with a description of each product inside which means you can learn about main ingredients, how to use it, what it is good for and often about the brand itself. When it comes to make up I used to think I am ok, I know what I like, I know what I should/shouldn’t be using but Glossybox opened doors I didn’t even know were there (you know like platform 9 3/4 in Harry Potter). Recently, I discovered that a brown eyeliner actually looks amazing on me. I also discovered that there are mascaras out there that are as good but cheaper than benefit they’re real which I’ve been using for the last 2 years. I discovered that bronzers work on fair skin too and that primer is actually a must. I never go to a make up store now hoping somebody can help me pick the right foundation or highlighter, I actually know exactly which one I want and I also know which products I won’t be walking away with. Glossybox has given me an opportunity month after month to try so many different things, some that have become my beauty staples or at least inspired me to get something similar and some that have been a complete disaster and have reassured me that I don’t need certain other things. I say ‘things’ because Glossybox isn’t just skincare and make up but you’ll have to subscribe to see for yourself.

It could’ve been any beauty box subscription I suppose. But how would you feel if I told you your first love could’ve been any boy/girl at school?

Glossybox, it is time for me to move on and explore some other beauty box subscriptions out there (unfortunately my funds are limited so I can’t keep them all going) but I will be back to see what else you can surprise me with.

To leave on a positive note, here are my Glossybox March 2015 – February 2016 TOP 5 (in no particular order):

1. Talika Photo Hydra Day Cream (£27.00 – £39.15 on beautybay.com)
2. Maria Nila Luminous Colour Masque (£8.99 on salon-services.com)
3. Naobay Calming Face Toner (£10.50 on birchbox.co.uk)
4. Nicka K Airbrush Blending Sponge (£6.50 on beautycrowd.com)
5. Invisiboble Traceless Hair Rings (£3.75 on boots.com)

Love,

Mari xxx

WISH LIST FEBRUARY 2016

Everybody has a wish list. Most of mine include make up, shoes, pretty things for the flat and a puppy. However, I have carefully selected 4 beauty must haves which I quite frankly MUST HAVE.

1. Loreal Color Riche Collection Exclusive Reds in Blake’s Red (£6.99 in Boots) – I love Blake Lively (yes, I love Gossip Girl too). I always want to look like Blake and I love this shade of red. For £6.99 I can’t possibly go wrong! Packaging reminds me of Louboutin lipsticks a little (far from it really but the vibe is there) and it is 1/10 of the price so I am definitely purchasing this to add to my lipstick collection. Louboutin Lipstick is on my wish list too by the way but let’s not even go there.
2. YSL Touche Eclat Neutraliser  in green, apricot and violet (£25.00 each on yslbeauty.co.uk) – I love YSL Touche Eclat highlighter / concealer and now I am so tempted to buy at least the green Touche Eclat Neutraliser. Colour correcting is not a new concept but I have never been keen on thick, creamy concealers and most colour correctors seem to be thick and creamy. I know that original Touche Eclat is the best concealer out there so I have my trust in these new neutralisers. Violet – Use it to neutralize dull or sallow skin. Apricot – Use it to neutralize dark spots and improve skin uniformity. Green – Use it to neutralize redness on the skin and minimise blemishes.
3. Murad Essential-C Toner (£25.00 on murad.co.uk) – I love my Elemis Apricot Toner but I have also fallen in love with Murad brand and I am feeling a bit adventurous. Not many of my beauty products contain vitamin C but it is so important for maintaining a healthy glow. Murad Essential-C Toner also contains Witch Hazel to help minimise the appearance of pores.
4. Revlon ColorStay™ Makeup For Combination/Oily Skin (£6.49 in Boots) – I will say two things – read the reviews and then check the price! My foundations cost me between £20 and £35 every time, without fail! And I still haven’t found ‘THE ONE’. I am currently loving Estee Lauder Double Wear but no doubt I will find something else to try in couple of months spending another £30.00. So I decided I need to give something on a budget a chance. I don’t know why there’s this stigma around cheap foundations, I always assume they will make me break out but so does MAC and that’s not a cheap brand.
5. Not directly on my wish list but there are 3 beauty boxes I need to try: Look Fantastic beauty box, Cohorted Beauty box and my most recent discovery – Look Incredible beauty box. Lookfantastic.com is a website  that sells every make up brand imaginable so I decided their beauty boxes must be pretty good as they have access to all these brands! It is £15.00 for one month’s subscription (gets cheaper if you subscribe for 3,6 or 12 months) and contents are similar to Birchbox and Glossybox with some travel size and some full size products including some high street as well as luxury brands. Look Incredible Beauty box costs £18.99 per month which is still something I can justify but guarantees 5 FULL SIZE products each month. I am kind of sampled out at the moment so I am excited to see if 5 full size products each month as they could be the only 5 beauty products I need, saving me a lot of money! You can’t choose your products so if you run out of mascara you run out of mascara but I think apart from that it may be a good monthly beauty product supply. Previous boxes look amazing and I think with my expensive taste it might be the one for me! Cohorted beauty box is £35.00 per month which is a bit steep but it is usually worth over £100 and again might be more useful as I do like luxury brands and maybe paying £35 could pay off in a long run. It is also available as quarterly subscription which is a more sensible option, I guess!

My birthday is in September and Christmas is in December (obviously) so looks like I will have to do one of those ‘TO ME, FROM ME’ gifts. It’s all about self-love after all.

Love,

Mari xx

 

TODAY’S LOOK WITH SOME NEWBIES

I experimented a little bit today as I recently purchased a new contour palette and a mattifier.

My today’s look

I used all my current favourites from What’s inside my make up bag? posts with some additions / replacements:

1. Jelly Pong Pong Fairy Lashes CURL Mascara  (£17.95 on jellypongpong.com) – I have had this since last October (courtesy  of Glossybox) and I tried this when it arrived but it ended up going everywhere as I blinked so I wasn’t convinced by this mascara. However, it has outstanding reviews online and apparently it is a sculpting, curling mascara that continually curls lashes throughout the day with a unique synthesis of Moringa Seed resin that dries down and holds the curl of lashes for long-lasting results, so I decided to give it another go. I have naturally long lashes but this mascara makes my lashes longer, more defined and definitely curls them. It is a bit ‘wet’ but if you are careful it will stay where it should, it doesn’t take too long to dry. Jelly Pong Pong cosmetics are cruelty-free which I like. I haven’t decided yet if I would re-purchase at £17.95 but it is long-wearing and there have been no panda-eyes incidents so I am really warming to it. SCORE: 8/10

2. Benefit The Porefessional: Matte Rescue 50ml (currently £19.35 on feelunique.com) – this is Benefit’s latest addition to POREfessional family and is not a moisturiser nor a primer.. It is a mattifier i.e. mattifying gel. This is to be used on top of your moisturiser but before you apply primer. Sounds like a lot to think about but this product might be life-changing. TOP SECRET pore ingredient: diamond powder known for its soft-focus pore-blurring effect, instantly minimizes the look of pores and gives that invisible finish. Today is the first time I used this and no shine so far (I find it hard to believe because my face normally goes shiny within hours). It feels lightweight and even though it is not a primer I think it can replace it for those who don’t like using a primer just to block in that moisturiser and prevent the shine. I use  Benefit POREfessional face primer balm and with my new Matte Rescue I think it’s my future secret weapon! SCORE: 9/10 so far

3. Sleek Face Form Contour Kit in Light (£10.00 on sleekmakeup.com) – I couldn’t decide between this one and Beauty UK contour palette for a long time but I think I made the right decision in the end. It comes in fair, light, medium and dark – simple. This contour palette from Sleek includes a blusher which is handy when you need to fit as much make up as possible in your clutch bag. I used it with my contour brush and it is as good as Smashbox Step by Step Contour Kit (£35.00 in Boots) I had for a very long time. The main difference (apart from the price) is the highlighter which in Smashbox Palette is almost useless, Sleek highlighter is a little bit too shiny for my liking but once blended in with setting powder it works really well. Smashbox palette also comes with a bronzer while Sleek has blusher in their fair and light palettes (bronzers in medium and dark), personally I prefer that option because I don’t use bronzers and my Smashbox one didn’t get used at all, not making it very good value for money. I definitely recommend this ultimate face definition kit in one neat compact designed to suit all skintones. I was also very impressed with Sleek packaging, it feels and looks more expensive than it is. You can also purchase this product on Amazon (Prime delivery available). SCORE: 9/10

4. Nicka K 24h Waterproof Eyeliner in Dark Brown ($5.99 on nicka.com (US only) I think from UK you can buy it here but it may be expensive to get this delivered as it is Amazon US, mine came from February’s Glossybox). I was really disappointed to learn it came in brown and not black at first (I think I shared this opinion with many other glossies too) but I am now grateful for being introduced to brown eyeliners. Being a green-eyed girl black eyeliner can be too much, until a few days ago I simply thought ‘avoid eyeliners’, now I know that brown eyeliner is the answer! Not so sure it would work for liquid eyeliners but when it comes to pencils – definitely. Not sure about it being 24h waterproof but it does last most of the day. SCORE: 8/10

That’s everything for now. I used my old favorites including Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation, YSL Touche Eclat and Beauty UK Eyebrow Kit. Lips – Lord & Berry Matte Lipstick Crayon in Intimacy Pink, of course (in case I haven’t praised this enough?).

Love,

Mari xxx