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 

Yesterday I received these beauties in the post and was super excited to try them out! Perfect reason for a new blog post.

I first heard about these through peoples videos on YouTube (Nicole Guerriero has been known to love these) and I had to get my hands on them but soon came to realise that they weren't as easy to get in the UK as they are in the States. 

You can imagine my excitement when I found out BeautyBay.com have started stocking them.

Beauty Bay sell them for £14.50 which I think is very reasonable especially when you compare it to other liquid lipsticks like Anastasia Beverly Hills which I believe retails at around £24. They have been very popular and have been selling out quite quickly.. last time I checked there are now only 4 shades available on the site which makes me so glad I got Berry Me 2 when I did but I'm sure Beauty Bay wont take long to restock (I'm hoping they wont anyway).

I only purchased 2 colours to start me off, I was only going to get 1 but it was too hard a decision to make. I've been loving berry tones recently so of course these ones caught my eye. They are very similar colours but Berry Me 2 has a brighter pink tone and to me is a little bit more fun.

Now I must admit I am quite new to the liquid lipstick scene I've been more of a Mac lipstick girl until recently and have only tried a few different makes. I have some of the Too Faced Liquid Lipsticks which I do like but find it a little watery and tends to bleed rather easy. 

Dose of Colors formula is more of a mousse texture is glides on so easy and one coat gives plenty coverage (I do prefer 2 though) I found it so easy to control the application of this too.

I loved these lipsticks straight away, the coverage is great, super easy to apply and they dry quickly meaning they don't smudge or bleed. I did worry they would be a little tight or uncomfortable but because of the formula they felt quite light and I hardly noticed them apart from if I was to rub my lips together. There was also very little transfer from both colours which I'm sure if I'd left them a while longer to dry there would have been none. These have quite a sweet  vanilla scent which I really like, a bit like the Mac lipstick scent but sweeter although once on the lips you don't really notice it.

Now one point I will make which may be a negative for some people is that it is rather difficult to remove. I used a wipe to remove the majority of it but this took some work it just didn't want to budge. I then decided it needed my cleansing balm to break it down but even after that I was left with a stain.

This for me is a positive as I would probably wear this if I was going out or needed something to last all day I hate having to constantly re-apply my lipstick all night and I don't think I would need to at all with this (maybe once after a meal but that's all) I will definitely be putting this to the test soon.

So if your looking for a liquid lipstick to try or are on the fence about these I definitely recommend Dose of Color! I'm definitely looking forward to having a look for more colours when I'm in America later in the year and I'm hoping Beauty Bay will stock more colours on their site.

Thanks for Reading

Eilidh x 

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

So I guess contouring has been an obsession for a lot of women out there this year (probably a lot to do with those Kardashian's) and it was something that took me a while to get into. I have very fair skin so was always worried it would never work for me. Contouring for me consisted of very little Benefit Hula bronzer on my cheekbones then a little bit of Mac soft & gentle to highlight... Very basic and probably not very noticeable. 

Last month I was in debenhams picking up some Too Faced Born This Way foundation and the lady at the counter was opening up boxes with new stock they had just got in so of course I asked if there was anything exciting. She then pulled out this palette and let me have swatch of the colours. It was exactly the kind of this I'd been looking for as a contouring amateur.

The palette cost £32 at debenhams so I decided to treat myself!

In the palette you get 4 different shades and to be honest I only really use the light cocoa and medium cocoa. There is a mirror in the top of the palette, also a cute little contour buki brush which is lovely and soft it also works very well.

The first this I fell in love with was the smell of the powders! Too Faced have used cocoa powder in this palette which they do with a few of there other powder products and it smells amazing. It's a very slight smell of chocolate so not sickly or overpowering and once it's on your face you don't really smell it but I'm a sucker for something a bit different. 

All the shades are soft and silky in texture easy to apply, easy to blend and buildable. 3 of the shades are matte and the pop of light shade has a sparkly finish.

I use the light cocoa shade under my eyes, in the middle of my forehead and down my nose to set my concealer then use the medium cocoa around my hairline and under my cheekbones.

I feel the medium cocoa is a perfect shade for contour as it has a cool tone to it (natural shadows on your face would tend to be cool) however I don't find the dark cocoa much darker in colour I just find it has warmer tones... This shade hasn't worked as a contour for me but I do love it as a bronzer.

As for the pop of light shade.. this shade just doesn't work for me I feel the flakes of glitter in the powder are too large to give a natural highlight. I will be sticking with my Mac Soft & Gentle as it really is a must have for me. But this shade would probably work as a lovely eye shadow colour so I'll make sure to put it to good use.

There is quite a handy guide in with the palette which I think is a great idea, although I think we've probably all seen enough about contouring online these days to be aware of how it's done.

I am really happy with my purchase, this palette may not be suited for everyone and may not be right for those who are experts at the contouring thing but for someone like me who wants it to be straightforward without taking too long this is perfect. 

I love how well the powders apply to my skin and how they feel, they last well and look natural (which was very important to me) I was also impressed with the quality of the brush that came with the palette however I have been using a Real Techniques Bold Metals 300 brush as I find it a lot easier. Also the guide that comes with it is a great touch and I found it helpful. I think I will definitely be replacing this when I run out.

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