EilidhOnline

After Christmas I decided to treat myself to some Lush products and you'll see everything I got above. It's not the biggest haul as I am trying to watch my pennies and a few of the things I wanted were sold out. I will however try and review each of the items when I've used them.

First I would like to say I absolutely love Lush which I know I'm not alone in. They use great ingredients with great benefits. They have definitely changed the bath bomb and made it better. I remember when I was younger using my Mum's bath bombs which were usually plain white, had a slight floral sent, fizzed away to nothing and if you were lucky had a little message inside. 

I ordered my lush products online they were delivered in good time and well packaged. Online you have the chance to buy Lush Kitchen products.

Lush Kitchen as far as I have been able to find out is basically a small kitchen where they make new exclusive products daily the products would be made in batches and once they're gone, they're gone! When you add them to you'r basket there's sometimes a message telling you that kitchen products sell out fast and having them in your basket doesn't guarantee they will still be available when you check out. 

So onto my first bath bomb...

The first one I used was Golden Slumbers which is a Lush Kitchen product and the reason I bought it was for the description. It is described as a 'sleeping potion' and is made with lavender oil, chamomile oil and neroli oil which are ingredients to help you relax and to lift your mood.

I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping at nights recently, I can feel tired all day and as soon as my head hits the pillow I am wide awake struggling to settle down. So deciding to try natural ways to help me sleep this caught my eye.

I usually go for sweet smells and some lavender products are really not for me however Lush seem to do it just right this smelled beautiful. Once in the bath it was still a nice strong smell which may be overpowering for some but I felt the balance was just right. 

Once dropped into the bath it fizzes quite a lot, starts off yellow and turns to deep gold.

It looked amazing! There is a lot of glitter in this bath bomb which I know isn't for everyone but it is a very fine glitter which doesn't stick to the skin too much and is easily rinsed off. The glitter just makes the bath so mesmerising and along with the scent after around 5 mins my eyes were feeling very heavy. I would definitely say this helped me get to sleep and I had one of the best sleeps I've had in a while. I really didn't want to get out of the bath and if the water wasn't getting cooler and I wasn't starting to look like a prune I would of stayed in much longer.

Now I don't really have negatives for this but I do wish it was a permanent product or that I'd bought more than one. They may bring it out again sometime so I will keep and eye out for it and I know they have other products that claim to help you relax like the Twilight bath bomb I have yet to try.

The only other thing I can point out which doesn't bother me but I know some people might not like is the glitter left over the bottom of the bath once I emptied the water out. I have a shower head attached to the taps on my bath so it was really easy to rinse away but I have noticed some people don't really like glitter products.

All in all I really like this bath bomb and I would definitely use it again. For me it done exactly what it claimed and helped me relax and I got a great night sleep and woke up feeling fresh. I did have some glitter on my skin but that really doesn't bother me, who doesn't love a bit of shimmer. 

I'd rate it 8/10 

Thanks for Reading

Eilidh x

What it claims: Born This Way is an oil-free foundation that masterfully diffuses the line between makeup and skin. For coverage so undetectable, you can't see the makeup and you can't see the imperfections - all that's left is naturally radiant skin that looks like you were Born This Way.

So I guess I could class this as a 'YouTube Made Me Buy It' everyone seemed to be raving about this foundation and I found it a little difficult at first to find people who feel the same as I do. I'm not saying its all bad I just think this foundation doesn't suit my skin type. My skin is dehydrated however I do get a bit of an oily t-zone which is where the biggest problem seems to be.

I'll start from the beginning (I appologise for the lack of pictures of me wearing the foundation but I will try and take them next time I wear it)

If you are like me and live in the UK you are probably already aware that the availability of Too Faced products is a bit limited especially in stores. I purchased mine from Debenhams so I could have a look at the shades but there was no one working at the counter and I'm not an expert so I just took a guess. The first one I purchased was the shade 'Vanilla' I found it was the closest to my skin tone but when applying a full face at home I noticed it a tad too warm for my pale skin but once all my make-up was complete it blended ok. I used the foundation for about a month then gave up on it. I recently decided to give it another go but went and bought the lighter shade 'Ivory' which it turns out is a bit too yellow for me but I thought I could mix the two shades together and it looks ok(ish)

I know over is the US there are a lot more shades so I know there is probably one out there for me but I don't want to just guess online.

This foundation has a lovely light texture and doesn't smell to overpowering. the only word I can use to describe it is almost powdery instead of creamy but it is not drying. This foundation I find quite odd in a good and bad way... I do not like how this looks when I first apply it which if your like me really puts a downer on applying the rest of your make up,  however after about half an hour I look in the mirror and it looks beautiful, natural and glowing! Strange right?

And if it would stay looking like that the rest of the day I would wear this all the time. Unfortunately for me this just isn't the case!

Now like I said before this may just be down to my skin type but I need to put in both the pros and the cons. 

I find this foundation is awful for transferring! If I were to lightly touch my face I can see it coming off on my finger. I use the Too Faced Hangover primer, always set my foundation with powder and have tried different setting sprays too. Nothing seems to help after only a few hours whenever I wear this my skin looks awful! You would think I was wearing the make-up from the night before. 

There is never any left on or around my nose it just disappears and I am usually left very patchy around my mouth and cheeks. I just go from healthy glow to oil slick and the only way to correct it would be to remove all the foundation and re-apply. This foundation is oil free which I thought would mean it would be great for oily skin but from my experience I can't help but think someone with oily skin would have no trace of this foundation left by the end of the day.

This foundation cost me £29 here in the UK which is the typical price for a higher end foundation however unless I can find my perfect shade somewhere and find out the best way to wear it I doubt I will be buying it again.

I am really disappointed this doesn't work for me and must admit I am a bit jealous of those who have no problems with it. I really wanted to love this foundation and wish it would stay looking flawless all day. I will keep trying with different product though.. maybe I'll find a way to make it work.

Too Faced is a brand I love and use a few of their products almost every day so if you haven't looked into it yet I definitely recommend it even if all that involves is you walking up to the make up stand and smelling their Chocolate Bar eye-shadow palette. YUM!

Thanks for Reading

Eilidh x 

I can't really believe it is March already I feel like it was only Christmas a few weeks ago! Where is the time going. Anyway I thought I would start this month with my first ever monthly favourites post.

Some of these products I only started using last month and others are ones that have been a favourite for a while now.

I don't really want to ramble on to much in this post so I will just explain why I love the products and I may do a full review at another time.

Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser

So this has been my cleanser of choice the last month and I love it. I suffer from mild acne which just wouldn't budge but after using this I've noticed a huge difference in my skin. I only get a few blemishes now and again which are probably just hormonal my skin feels so much better and looks fresher it also hasn't dried out my skin or made it feel tight or uncomfortable. I only wish I'd bought it sooner.

Indeed Labs Retinol Reface

Ok so I am in the process of a full review for this product with before and after pictures I just want to give it a little longer to show you the full results but this has been a must have in my night time skincare routine throughout February. I had a lot of marks and scars on my face (mainly around my cheeks and jaw) which were really getting me down. I'd heard great things about Sunday Riley's Good Genes but unfortunately it was a little out of my price range so I decided to see what else was out there. I found this in boots and loved it after the first week of using it. My skin is so much smoother a lot of the red marks are gone and I feel the scars have faded quite a bit. I just feel so much better about my skin and have been using less foundation as I don't have as much to cover. 

Love Love Love!!

Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment

Since November last year I have had dry red flaky skin around my eyes which had been very sore and uncomfortable. I had been trying different products all the time but nothing seemed to be helping and a lot of the time would just sting my eyes. Now, I know I probably should of went to see my DR to get something but I was determined there was a product out there I just hadn't found yet and I was right. I purchased this last month and after using it a couple of days my skin was so much better. I use it morning and night every day a thin layer in the morning and a thicker layer at nights. It didn't sting my skin at all and works well under make up. Also a little goes a long way. 

Benefit Roller Lash

I don't think I will need to say much about this mascara because everyone seems to have fallen in love with it but it's a favourite for me so I had to include it. I've been using this since it was first released.. I think I got it as a sample in a magazine before it was released and have been using it ever since. Curls lashes just like it says and its also buildable, I apply 2-3 coats as I love volume as well. Can't imagine using any other mascara now!

Wella SP Luxe Oil

I have been using this every time I wash my hair (unless I forget) since I went blonde last year. I hate trying to brush my hair when its wet and that's with the tangle teaser brush. 2 pumps of this through the ends of my hair and it helps the brush glide though. It makes my hair so soft and the smell is absolutely amazing. If I could find a moisturiser or body spray like this I would use it every day. Its a very sweet smell but not sickly at all. One thing I will recommend is not to apply it to your roots or you will find your hair goes limp and almost greasy quite quickly.

Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion

This has been my favourite scent to use recently. I bought this in Glasgow Airport on the way to Tenerife last November so everytime I use this it reminds me of being on holiday in the sun. I will admit Victoria's secret body sprays aren't the longest lasting and I sometimes have to apply it a few times during the day but I just love the scent. Coconut and Vanilla.. two things I love!

Yankee Candle Strawberry Buttercream

My candle of the month. I feel it's too late to burn winder candles but still too cold for spring/summer scents. This is a candle that I always come back to so repurchased it last month. Sweet without being sickening. I find it quite a girly scent that just lifts my mood.

Mitchum Powder Fresh Deodorant

Yes I know this is a strange thing to have as a favourite but it's something I feel everyone can relate to. I'm never usually excited my deodorant as it's just an essential but I'm never really keen on the smells of them I just buy what's on offer or what sounds good. I decided I wanted to try a new brand and when I saw powder fresh I had to try it. It's such a soft, comforting and feminine scent. A nice change from the floral or cotton fresh smells. I've never noticed any white marks from it and it keeps me feeling dry and confident all day... even all night during a 11 hour shift at work!

After doing a lot of research I finally decided this would be the cleanser I was going to purchase to try and get my spotty skin under control.

I purchased this from cultbeauty.co.uk at £45 for 125ml this can seem quite a pricey cleanser for some people but I am a girl in her 20s who's skin is making her feel like she's 15 years old again. I am willing to pay money for something that will work... after all you only get one face so you might as well look after it. I'd quite easily spend £45 on clothes or a meal without question so why not spend that on my skin.

Tata Harper is a brand I have heard an awful lot about but had never actually tired any of them before. I originally looked at the nourishing oil cleanser until I read what this one claimed to do.

So what does it claim to do then?

Powerfully purifying, this gentle creamy cleanser eliminates every last trace of make up and grime, while counteracting the ravages wrought by everyday exposure to pollutants and the elements. Naturally exfoliating fruit enzymes refine skin’s surface – removing the dead cells which compromise its light-reflective properties – while natural sugars and broccoli extract combine to stimulate and reinvigorate dulled, sluggish skin. Nourishing and hydrating, this unclogs pores and eradicates toxins while balancing oil production to re-establish equilibrium – perfect if your skin is combination/oily. The ultimate ‘second-step’ cleanser, this heavenly-scented formula clarifies and detoxifies without stripping, to leave your face feeling refreshed, protected and glowing.

It was everything I was looking for in a cleanser!

Now even though this cleanser claims to remove make-up I have never actually used it for that purpose. At £45 its far to expensive for me to just wash away foundation! I use this as a morning cleanser or as a second cleanser at night after I have removed my make-up with my Clinique Take The Day Off Balm.

I have loved this product since the first time I used it, it has a lovely cooling refreshing feeling and the sent is lovely. Its almost a citrus, gingery smell which gives you a lovely boost in the morning especially. This cleanser is soap free but does have a slight milky foam but is in no way drying.

You apply this to damp skin, massage gently then rinse thoroughly with warm water...So easy!

I love how my skin feels after using this cleanser, it feels soft and clean with no dryness or tightness.My skin appears so much clearer my spots have reduced very quickly even the redness from previous spots has gone down. 

I would definitely recommend this cleanser if you have oily or problematic skin!

For me it has been worth every penny and I will be buying this again and may even be looking into other products from Tata Harper!

Thanks for Reading

Eilidh x

I picked this mask up at my local boots as the anti-blemish mask I usually use wasn't there. At the moment it is on offer for £7.49 the usual price is £9.99 which I personally think is a great price as you get 3 sachets in a box.

If you have read my review on the anti-blemish mask you'll be aware that I've been having a lot of trouble with my skin breaking out and I really wanted to start treating my skin to a face mask in the hopes of it improving.

What it claims to do: This peel off mask helps to detoxify, purify and deep cleanse. It's deep cleansing ingredients draw out dirt and oil.

I usually use my face masks at night ( I think it's important to make time for myself at least one night a week to relax, have a bath and pamper myself). The directions are pretty straightforward and I had no problem following them. Although please make sure you follow number 2!

So I washed my face as normal, dried my skin and then applied a thick layer as directed. Now the only way I can describe the texture of the mask is a little like shiny gloopy tar, but it's not hard to use and it's not unpleasent. It has a feint smell which I can't really descibe.. I wasn't in love with it but I didn't dislike it either. 

You leave this mask on for 20 to 30 minutes I set a timer for 20 minutes and found some of the thicker patches weren't quite dry so left it for the full 30 then it was time to peel it off....

I started with my forehead at the outer edges and I did find it a bit hard to get it started but once I'd got the outside edges peeled back I was on a roll. I do have to say it was uncomfortable peeling the mask off as it had stuck to all the little fuzz on my face that I wasn't even aware I had until this point. So not only was I getting a deep cleanse I was getting a full face wax too... I was so glad I had followed step 2 and avoided my eyebrows or I would of been missing parts of them.

So after I'd finally managed to bring myself to peel the mask off completely I just washed off what was left with warm water. 

My thoughts: Ok so even though I didn't get on great with peeling this mask off my skin did look better after using it also my skin hadn't felt that soft or smooth in a long time.. (that might be partly to do with some of my hair coming off on the sheet) My skin definitely felt cleaner and it wasn't uncomfortable once the mask was off. I feel like it done a great job of exfoliating my face which is probably something I needed to help unclog a lot of my pores. 

It says to use this mask once or twice a week but I think I will make this a once a month mask for me and will use my anti-blemish mask weekly instead.

Thanks for Reading

Eilidh x

So my first review is going to be on Masque B.A.R Anti-Blemish mud mask as it is on my face right this second (won't be inserting picture of that as I don't want to scare anyone).

What it claims to do: Soothes irritated skin and bumps while helping control excess oil. Non-drying formulation purifies and balances the complexion, leaving skin feeling calm and looking clearer.

I have been having a lot of trouble with my skin over the past couple of months especially around my cheeks and chin, even though I'm not the only person that gets spots I still get down when my skin isn't looking great. So when I was out shopping I wandered into boots to check out some face masks. I have to admit I had never heard of this brand before (maybe I've not been paying enough attention) but they stood out on the shelf and claimed to help with all the issues I was having with my skin and at £7.49 how could I resist... the usual price is £9.99 still not bad.

The box contains 3 sachets and each one has a generous amount. I can apply a thick layer on my face and neck and still have plenty left over. If you were able to find a way to store the rest you could maybe get another use out of it but it does dry quite quick once the air gets to it.

This mask is pretty foolproof really. You will see the instructions on the back along with ingredients and warnings.

I usually use my mask at night. I cleanse my face as normal with my Emma Hardie cleansing balm then apply the mask while my skin is still wet, put a timer on my phone and sit and relax then rinse off with water. It says you can leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes, since my skin has been bad I've kept it on for the full 20 minutes but as it gets better I will just leave it for the 15.

This mask dries to a kind of hard chalky finish which I guess some people might not like the tight dry feeling of but for me its fine. Now I did worry a little that it might be a bit hard to wash off because of experiences with these types of masks in the past but with some warm water and a face cloth it came off really easy.

Then to finish off I use my Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion, Indeed Hydraluron then my Clinique Moisture Surge.

My thoughts: I have been getting on really well with this product over the last few weeks and have really seen a difference in my skin (FINALLY!) It's not completely clear yet but these things take time. I've been using it once a week and my blemishes are gradually disappearing, also the blemishes that I do have are a lot smaller and less painful. My skin feels smoother and just in general looks healthier. I feel this brand will be a new permanent addition in my beauty drawer.

 Please remember that masks like this can be a little drying so always make sure you moisturise after no matter what skin type you have (even oily skin needs to be moisurised).

This brand have masks suited for lots of different skin types so if this one isn't right for you there might be another one that's perfect. I have also used the Luminizing Charcoal peel off mask which I will be reviewing in another post.

Thanks for Reading

Eilidh x