The Body Shop Vitamin E Eye cream | Review

As part of my long list of New Years resolutions I wanted to add an eye cream into my skincare routine. Apparently I should have done that 3 years ago.. Better late than never I suppose!

Now I don't suffer from particularly puffy eyes or dark circles thankfully. What I do have is quite dull, almost lifeless eyes when I wake up. That's not to say I'm not a morning person because for the most part I am (we all have our days). I may not actually be tired but I most certainly look it. The joys of being naturally pale eh?

I wanted a cream as opposed to gel formula as I felt it would soak in and my makeup would sit better on top of it. After doing my research I settled on The Body Shop's Vitamin E eye cream.

 It is common knowledge that Vitamin E is good for the skin. It is an antioxidant, antioxidants neutralize free radicals and prevent cellular damage. And vitamin E is one of the most powerful of them. Not only that but it helps penetrate moisture into the skin, reducing transepidermal water-loss. Along with Vitamin A and C, Vitamin E is vital in the production of Collagen which keeps the skin looking youthful. Collagen around the eye area is particularly important as the skin in that area is so thin, it makes disguising fine lines and wrinkles quite difficult. At only 21, I have fine lines around my eyes! 

I've been using the Vitamin E eye cream since February. Have I noticed a difference? Yes and No! My skin does look brighter, around my eye area seems to be almost illuminated. People have even commented that I look 'Chirpier' in the mornings which it most certainly an improvement. Will it help me look 10 years younger? No it won't, nor would I want it too. My fine lines haven't gotten any deeper from what I can see over the past few months.. This eye cream is definitely the prevention rather than the cure. 

I apply it twice daily, morning and night and will continue to do so. I am now of the opinion that next to sun cream, eye cream should be applied religiously - a complete convert! 

Eye cream should be applied to the orbital bone - the bone around the eye socket, along the cheekbone and up to your brow bone. Not on the lid as that can cause irritation, eye cream naturally migrates inwards towards the eye on its own.

 If you're in the market for an eye cream for dark circles I'd definitely recommend giving this one a go. It's reasonably priced at €12 per 15ml tube which is the standard size of an eyecream. A little goes a long way with it too.. You only need a small amount approximately the size of a grain of rice is enough per application. Like I said I've been using it twice daily since February and I'm still not finished the tube!

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter | Review

Late last year I was toying with the idea of investing in the Elemis Pro-collagen cleansing balm, however the thought of spending €57 to find that I didn't like the end result and leaving me with a substantial hole in my pocket was off putting to say the least. 

Eager to try a cleansing balm I took to twitter and the recommendations flooded in. One in particular peaked my interest and it was from none other than The Body Shop. Affordable and from a brand I rate really highly. 

I picked it up shortly after and have been using it ever since. 

Basically it is a 'synthetic wax' balm designed to remove all traces of your makeup, everything - including waterproof mascara. It is semi-solid in the tin. You simply scoop out a teeny, tiny bit (a little goes a really long way), warm it in your hands, massage it into your face and watch your makeup melt away effortlessly without tugging at the skin.

It says you can apply it and just rinse it off. However due to the oily consistency I would recommend using a muslin cloth or like me, a cleanse off mitt to ensure no residue is left behind. Especially those of you with particularly oily skin, I think you're just asking for trouble and it may be advisable to use it as a pre-cleanse or to remove the heavy make up. 

I have dry skin primarily, my t-zone can get quite oily and I would go as far as saying it is acne prone. I did fear that using a cleansing balm would break my skin out more than normal but to my surprise and delight it hasn't, in fact I would go so far as to say it has had the opposite effect. I think my skin has improved since I started using it, down to the fact that it removes all remnants of my makeup. 

Camomile is known for its calming properties, and camomile tea is recommended for those who struggle to sleep. I think the same can be said about the scent of this cleanser. It is such a nice scent to prep your skin for bed; light, fresh and really relaxing. It is also quite soothing and great to use on sore/irritated skin. 

I have toyed again recently with trying a higher end balm but as the saying goes.. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! It is priced at €15, substantially cheaper than its higher end competitors. This cleansing butter has become a skincare staple for me, I have had it for the bones of 4 months and I'm not even half way through my tin (90mls). If that isn't value for money, I really don't know what is..

It is available from The Body Shop Nationwide or you can pick it up online here.

Have you tried any cleansing balms before? What do you think of them? 

Cleanse off Mitt | Review*

As a beauty blogger I am lucky enough to get the opportunity to try lots of new and exciting things. Most of which I to pay for myself but some are sent to me as PR samples. Today's review is of the 'Cleanse off Mitt'. I was sent this to try out before it launches later this month.

I have to say it is one of the products that I was and still am very excited to receive. I have very temperamental skin at the best of times. It is dry, acne prone and of late it has a tendency to get quite oily in my T-zone. (some of us just have all the luck don't we?)

As I mentioned in previous posts I am not massively concerned about what goes on my body however as my face is so sensitive I am a little more cautious with what I use on it and wipes are a big no, no!

For many face wipes are a beauty essential. While they may be convenient, these moist cloths are chemically-laden and so they have to be to last up to 18 months on the shelf. This requires ingredients such as Propylene Glycol and Phenoxyethanol. Both of which are skin irritants. As well as being irritating, high levels of alcohol and anti-bacterial agents can cause extreme dryness and PREMATURE AGING of the skin. Moral of the story? Wipes are bad!

The 'Cleanse off Mitt' however is different. It is a microfiber mitt designed to remove any and all traces of makeup and day to day grime without the need to use a cleanser. Just add warm water and wipe clean.

The microfibers are so teeny tiny that they can work even the heaviest of makeup (including mascara) off without irritating the skin making it especially good for those off us with sensitive skin. The tiny microfibers also make the mitt really soft - I'd urge anyone who uses a muslin or flannel to try the Cleanse off Mitt. It's softer!

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how well this little blue beauty worked. Without anything only water it took off all of my makeup including gel eyeliner and mascara. My skin felt fresh and clean afterwards, it wasn't red and irritated nor did it feel tight like it does after using some products.

On days where I am not wearing makeup I tend to be more laxidaisy about my skincare routine. I wash it morning and night but don't pay much attention to what i'm cleaning. The cleanse off mitt left nothing to my imagination and I could see the mitt was slightly discoloured from grime my face had picked up throughout the day. My skin looked brighter afterwards, radiant if you will. As a result, my bad skin days didn't seem so bad!

I could go on all day listing the pro's of this product but I'm pretty sure I'd bore you all to death so here are a quick few:

• The Cleanse off Mitt is chemical free
• It is reusable. It has a lifespan of 3-6 months.
• It is ideal for travelling - perfect for freshening up on the plane (and no liquid restriction with it)
• It won't irritate sensitive skin or those suffering from psoriasis, acne, rosecea etc.
• It is cost effective (see below for my an example of my crazy maths skills)
• It is perfect for people on the go, moms especially!!
• Perfect for wipe users. It is as quick and gives a better cleanse
• It is cheaper than its market competitor which is priced at €22 (Cleanse off Mitt is €5)
• It can be used along side your favourite cleanser

Cost Efficiency:

The Mitt lasts on average 3-6months. So say your mitt lasts for 3 months, I got my thinking cap on and did some maths out of curiosity. How much on average could you save by binning the wipes?

  Say you have 3 x 30 day months. You use 2 wipes a day. That’s 60 wipes a month. A total of 180 wipes in the 3 months.  The most popular face wipe brands; Nivea, simple, garnier etc. are priced on average at €4 per packet of 25.

180/25 = 7.2 (round that down) Say you use 7 packets of wipes in the 3 month period.

At €4 per packet that totals €28.

The Cleanse off mitt costs €5 and is available from Beauty Emporium and will be available in pharmacies and shops in the coming weeks.

So by binning the wipes you will save on average €23 in 3 months. I can think of plenty better things to spend it on that wipes. Can you? 

Cocoa Brown Chocolate Whip Body Moisturiser | Review

Well hello there 2014!!

We've survived Christmas and New Years and here we are in January all bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to take on the world! Resolutions are in full swing for everyone, myself included. One of those being to give my lovely little blog some TLC. My bloglovin account especially as I have completely neglected it. It's so handy and I use it all the time to keep up to date with the blogs I read myself as all the blogs are in one place. Here is the link to my account and I'd love for you to click the little follow button!

Anyway, enough about all that. I come to you today with a little review and surprise, surprise it's a Cocoa Brown related one. As some of you may know, late last year the Cocoa Brown Empire released a brand new product. An oil-free moisturiser designed to be used in conjunction to your tanning. Both in prepping your skin for your tan application and in prolonging the lifespan of your tan. 

I didn't know what to expect when I heard it was called "Chocolate Whip", I presumed it would smell like Cocoa Butter which I personally am not a fan of. It doesn't. Instead it has the 'typical' Cocoa Brown scent -Tahitian Gardenia with just a hint of chocolatey goodness. The second surprise was the colour of the moisturiser, its brown. I can remember thinking "Is this tinted?". It isn't, but you'd never know whats in the pipeline..

The product itself feels so luxurious and I have to say it has been an absolute godsend throughout the festive season. I have spent the month of December applying and reapplying tan for one event or another and we all know how cold it has been. Nobody wants to sit around in the cold waiting for their moisturiser to soak in so they can get dressed. This stuff sinks right in and doesn't leave you feeling greasy or sticky under your clothes. 

It left my skin feeling soft and supple and because there is no oil in it, you can moisturise to your hearts content without having to worry about your tan breaking down. There was a noticeable difference in the longevity of my tan - another bonus in this cold weather! The Vitamin E and Panthenol are like a skin care dream team. Panthenol makes the moisturiser suitable for even the most acne prone skin, while the Vitamin E works wonders at reducing the appearance of scars and stretchmarks, it also protects the skin from the damaging environment elements. 

Call me biased but it's another winner for me. Don't believe me? Try it out for yourself. It's available in Penneys for a mere €7 or internationally on feelunique.com with FREE shipping!

The Cocoa Brown Empire are set to release 3 new products in 2014. I cannot wait to see what Marissa  and the Cocoa Brown team have in store for us all. They are literally taking the tanning world by storm!

December favourites

So it's that time again.. Monthly favourites time! To say December has been hectic is an understatement.. Between last minute Christmas shopping, family reunions (my aunts return from Oz) and Christmas itself. It has been a whirlwind of fun, food and festivities. 

Santa was extremely generous this year and I received some beauty bits that I have been lusting after with quite some time. Undoubtedly many of these will make an appearance in my January favourites if they haven't been reviewed in the mean time. I cannot wait to delve into them all! 

But for now. Here are a few bits I have been absolutely loving throughout the month of December.

The Body Shop 'Ginger Sparkle' Collection - €18.99 (for the set)

I have never been one for the typical spicy/cinnamon winter scents. But this? This caught my attention immediately. I mean.. How cute is the tin? Not only is the tin cute but the products themselves smell ah-mazing! Such a comforting scent. There really is nothing better than lathering on the body butter after a hot shower, putting on some cozy Jammie's and curling up in front of the fire with a good book and a tin of sweets - sheer perfection! I could see myself using this collection all year round.

MUA Cosmetics - Undress your skin foundation in the shade 'Beige' - €6.02

Now I know I have only reviewed this foundation recently but I couldn't not include it my monthly favourites as it has been my go-to foundation all month long and In all honesty it has hardly left my face. For something so ridiculously cheap it has been such an investment buy! I'm in L-O-V-E!! You can read my full review here. 

MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer in 'Reckless' - €3.61

Continuing on with the same brand and another product I have reached for at every given opportunity is this little beauty. It is two of my favourite things combined. The classic red lip, mattified. I have worn it to all my Christmas parties and have even rocked it around the house in my pjs. I also picked it up in the shade 'atomic' an orangey red colour. I have a feeling I'll be going back for the rest of them. Reviewed here or check out my Instagram for some snaps of it on.

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush - €10.50

THIS!! Omg this brush. If it was humanly possible to be in love with an inanimate object, then it would be mad, passionate, hopeless love. It has knocked my Sigma, Mac and Laura Mercier out of the ball park. The combination of this and my Undress Your Skin Foundation, or any foundation for that matter work flawlessly together. I'm so obsessed that I'm seriously considering investing in a second one. The brush is only €10.50 but my god is it hard to get a hold of. If you do spot it when you are out and about I urge you to pick it up. You won't be disappointed!!

 

Rimmel Color Rush Balm in 'Drive me Nude' - €7.99

Now as much as I love my matte red lips, they aren't the most wearable. I think I'd get more than one strange look if I was rocking it in my local Supervalu picking up the messages. So this has been my alternative. It is Rimmels take on the chubby stick, all of the high street brands have brought them out of late and I have been on the hunt for a day to day nude shade that isn't drying. This has been perfect! Although I'm not a fan of a glossy finish normally, this isn't sticky at all and it is extremely moisturising which is exactly what we all need with the weather we're having at the moment.

Cocoa Brown's Chocolate Whip Oil-free Moisturiser - €7

Well here's a suprise. NOT! Cocoa Brown's Chocolate Whip Oil-free Moisturiser is next up on my list of favourites this month. Early in December I headed to Dublin to Celebrate the first birthday of the brand and I was not leaving Dublin without it. I had searched high and low here in Cork to get my hands on it and it was like gold dust. It has been a beauty staple for the month of december as I have been tanning more or less constantly throughout December and it really does extend the life span of your tan. It smells divine, edible almost. It is really thick and so luxurious to apply and soaks in almost instantly which is a must with the cold weather as after showering these days you really cannot get dressed fast enough. Full review to come.

Sleek Makeup Blusher in 'Suede' - €5.49

I know, two months in a row and two different Sleek Blushers. This month I have been absolutely loving 'Suede'. It is a light matte brown which I have previously used as a contour powder if I'm not sporting any fake tan. This month however I've been using it for its intended purpose, a blusher. I've been keeping my face and lips quite neutral over the past few weeks while rocking a smoky eye and this blush colour is works a treat. I'm naturally ghostly white and I do not fake tan my face so this colour is perfect. it adds warmth to the face without you looking flushed. I have reviewed it here previously.

So there you have just a few of my favourites for the month of December. I have really gotten into skin care this past month and have a few bits to share with you so I've decided to dedicate a separate post entirely to that. It includes a very exciting new product which will be on sale early in 2014! 

Last but by no means least I'd just like to wish you all a very happy and healthy 2014! And just a thank you for all your continued support with the blog from the start. I can't believe I'm heading for 600 Facebook likes. 2014 can only bring bigger and better things with it!

Just a reminder to myself to blog more.. Ryan Gosling is reading ;)

MUA Undress your skin Foundation | Review

Hello Lovelies,

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and Santa brought you all you wished for. He was very kind this year and brought loads of goodies including the Naked 3 palette from Urban Decay. He had to traipse the streets of London including about a dozen Debenhams stores, eventually picking it up in Westfields, London - I must have been a very good girl this year ;) 

Today I come to you with a review of a foundation that I have fallen for. Head over heels. In LOVE. It is from MUA or Makeup Academy, a brand that I have known about for a while but never bothered to try out myself until recently. I took the plunge and made a sneaky order both for myself and I also picked up a few stocking stuffers for my two younger sisters. MUA is cheap, ridiculously cheap. I filled my basket with bits (17 things to be precise) and including delivery priced at €5.92 it totaled €50.49. Not bad eh? 

Anyway the foundation itself is from their 'Undress Your Skin' range. Double points for anyone who can tell me what they are duping here!? 

Thats right.. Its the Urban Decay 'Naked' Collection. 

What it claims:  

"Covers imperfections and blemishes whilst maintaining your skins natural glow with light-diffusing particles of shimmer that creates instant radiance."

What you get: 

A lightweight, medium coverage foundation that leaves you with a really subtle, healthy glow. When I heard 'shimmer' I was a bit put off as I know from experience a lot of the "drugstore"/ chemist brands tend to take 'shimmer' to the extreme and you can end up looking like a disco ball. Not the case with this foundation at all. It really is light-diffusing.

 I have tried the UD Naked Skin BB myself and found that like a lot of other BB creams it clung onto the dry patches on my face. This is not the case here, it glides over the dry skin and does not flake away throughout the day either. As for oily skin? Shimmer? I know its not normally recommended and that a matte finish tends to suit oily skin better. Well if you follow me on twitter you will know that of late, I don't know how or why but my normally uber dry skin is quite oily in places. My T-zone, my forehead in particular. I just pat on some of my Maybelline 'Fit Me' pressed powder and it does not budge. 

It is normally priced at €5.98 but is actually on offer at the moment for €3.59 and is available here . How do I know this? I may or may not be in the process of placing another order. You do need to take shipping at almost €6 into consideration when ordering, however realistically it still works out cheaper than a lot of your chemist brands like Maybelline and L'oreal and a damn sight cheaper than the "REAL DEAL".

The packaging isn't anything to write home about, it comes in a basic squeezy tube, its stripped back to save on costs with isn't a bad thing as those savings are then passed onto you. And you don't have to pay €5 for a pump for a bottle of foundation you just paid €30 either - added bonus!

My one and only qualm, if you'd even call it that is the lack of shades, it comes in 3. Porcelain, Beige and Golden. I picked up the shade 'Beige' and it is perfect for me when I'm without fake tan. I was in complete shock as I can only imagine how light porcelain is if I'm Beige. So its not even a complaint on my part, its about time the fair skinned ladies were seen after if you ask me! 

Also I'd like to mention the speedy shipping. I received my order in 4 working days, which I might add is a hell of a lot quicker than other companies I have ordered from in the past especially considering they are coming from the UK.

Anyway ladies, dinner is calling. The one and only time you won't hear me complaining about leftovers. I hope you all have a great St. Stephens night and if you're headed out don't forget your jacket and your brolli and your rain poncho and your wellies its meant to be a bad one! 

Have you tried any MUA products before?