Thursday 31 December 2015

Top Beauty Products of 2015

*
So here we are! We have reached the end of 2015, so that means that it is time to discuss what beauty products have impressed us the most this year.

As I did last year, I have compiled a list of products that I have throughout the year and have loved. They may not have been originally released this year, but they were tested and written about on the blog over the course of 2015.

It's been a difficult list to come up with as there are so many stand outs for me, but I've managed to whittle it down into a list of 9 products (including 1 Children's product) for your viewing pleasure.

Don't forget to get down to the end of the list to see what my ultimate top product of 2015 is and to let me know what your favourites are too!

So without any further delay, let's take a look at the list.

Sunday 20 December 2015

Have a fantastic Christmas everybody!

Hey guys!

Today's post is just a notifier to let you all know that I now won't be posting until after Christmas. I'll be back before the new year though with my Top Beauty Products of 2015 post, so keep your eyes peeled for that one!

For now though, I hope that you all have an incredible Christmas and thank you all once again for your continued support. It really means a lot to me to have such an amazing collection of readers from all over the world, and I look forward to bringing you more exciting posts after the holidays.

Make sure that you all have an amazing time over the festive period, and I will be back soon.

Much love,
Zoe. @Beautifinous

Thursday 17 December 2015

Avon Perfectly Matte Lipstick review & swatches

In the lipstick world, MAC pretty much have it covered. Their matte lipsticks are rather amazing and provide a fantastically matte finish that a lot of other companies simply can’t reproduce, so for a company to boldly stand up and claim that their new lipstick is more matte than MAC deserves a bit of attention.

Avon Perfectly Matte Lipstick

This is exactly what Avon are claiming with their brand new True Colour Perfectly Matte Lipstick. The whole advertising campaign appears to be based around being “more matte than MAC”, stating that they have ran tests and that the results are on their side. They are also only a fraction of the price, with MAC selling for £15-£15.50 and these will be starting off at £5.50 (and then increasing to £8).

Naturally then, I had to put this to the test. Today I have every shade from the new Avon Perfectly Matte Lipstick collection to show you (there are 15 in all) and I also have a matte finish MAC Lipstick in the shade Sin for comparison purposes. Are these lipsticks really more matte than MAC? Let’s find out.

MAC Lipstick in Sin and Avon's Perfectly Matte Lipstick

Friday 11 December 2015

Skin & Co Sicilian Body Gel review

During the colder months, it can be nice sometimes to daydream about a holiday in some warmer climate. Instead though, you can always bring the essence of a beautiful Mediterranean country to your bathroom.

Skin & Co Sicilian Body Gel

The Sicilian Body Gel is a luxurious, natural body wash from the family-run business Skin & Co that are from Umbria, Italy. 

It contains organic olive extract to smooth and soften the skin as well as Sicilian orange extract that has antioxidant properties to restore balance to the skin and to promote youthful skin.

It is free of parabens, mineral oils, sulphates, propylene glycol and parrafins.

I received a small bottle of this Body Gel in my December Birchbox/bag (yep, second product from the bag that I'm reviewing this week! This month's is a good one, you should really check it out!), so the packaging isn't bang on the same, but there is only a slight difference. 

Monday 7 December 2015

ModelCo Party Proof Lipstick review and swatches

It's that time of year again - Christmas time! As well as the big day itself, there are usually a whole host of events happening in the run up and afterwards too, making it party season! Therefore, it's time to pull out your party proof makeup. Luckily, today I have an item to review that claims to be just that. It's the name of the product and everything!

Model Co Party Proof Lipstick

ModelCo's Party Proof Lipstick claims to be an ultra long-lasting lipstick that provides a super vibrant, semi-matte finish colour. It comes in a range of 17 shades that promise not only to be party proof, but drink proof and kiss proof (pucker up!).

Today I have the shade Smitten to show you, which arrived in my December Birchbag (sign up to Birchbox here! This months comes with a pretty, sparkly clutch bag!). It is a beautiful, dark, cranberry red shade.

This particular one that I have comes packaged in a sleek, black tube which is the limited edition packaging rather than the usual white, rectangular tube.


Friday 4 December 2015

Lord & Berry Magic Brow review

If you were only able to wear one makeup product at a time, what would it be? Usually I’d say concealer or foundation, but eyebrow pencil is actually a great answer. Even if you have nothing else on your face, filling in your eyebrows can make an instant change that makes you look more polished.

Lord and Berry Magic Brow eyebrow pencil

The Lord and Berry Magic Brow eyebrow pencil is a slightly different type of eyebrow pencil as it actually contains three colours to create a marbleised effect for a more natural colour. The trio of colours comes with a dark shade, a mid-shade and light shade. They’re a bit like those funky rainbow pencils that everyone had as kids for creating awesome rainbow lines, but without all the bright fun colours and more browns, blondes and blacks.

I have the shade Wonderful which contains white, mid-brown and very dark brown. It also comes in the shades Blondie and Brunette.

In addition, the pencil also has a brush at the end to tidy those brows up and help to blend the pencil at the end.


Friday 27 November 2015

Yves Rocher Botanical Color Eye Pencil review & swatches

*
Before I get into this post, yes I do know that this is the second eyeliner based post this week. However, this little Botanical Color Eye Pencil by Yves Rocher arrived in the post this week and I simply had to discuss it with you all!


The Yves Rocher Botanical Eye Pencils are a range of highly-pigmented eyeliners that comes in a range of 13 shades inspired by botanicals. They can be used alone or together to create "ultra intense eyes".

The shades range from your typical black, brown and grey to some more vivid shades of yellow and orange.

The formula contains 100% botanical origin Carnuba Wax to help to provide a smooth and creamy application.

Today I have the shade Eucalyptus to show you which is a dark, shimmery green.

Monday 23 November 2015

Avon's Glimmerstick Eyeliner Reformulation review

You know the saying: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Sometimes though, people decide to fix it anyway. Now and again this doesn’t turn out for the better, so when it comes to a product that you love, it can make you a little uneasy. Is it going to be worse? Will I no longer love it as much as I do now? It’s totally understandable. That’s why I wanted to get my hands on a this particular reformulation of a popular product.

Avon Glimmerstick Eyeliner in Saturn Grey and Khaki

Glimmerstick Eyeliners are one of Avon’s top selling products. They come in an entire range of shades (including limited edition collections), don't need sharpeners and are waterproof. From Campaign 3 in the UK, Avon will be selling their new, reformulated version of the Glimmerstick Eyeliner. It promises longer wear, a higher level of pigmentation, a creamier base making for smoother application and greater definition. Just like the old Glimmersticks, they are also waterproof.

I got myself two of the new shades, Khaki and Saturn Grey, to provide some opinions on the new formula.

Thursday 19 November 2015

Shavata Brow Strengthener review

*
It’s amazing how your eyebrows can change your look. Even if you have no time to put on a full face of makeup, simply spending a moment on your brows can make you look put together in an instant. Sometimes it may get tiring or dull, but dedicating some time and love to your eyebrows can make a huge difference in the long run.

Shavata Brow Strengthener

Shavata are a brand who dedicate themselves to eyebrows. The founder, Shavata Singh is a trusted figure in the beauty industry who has 25 years of experience to boast of. The Shavata brand is a fast growing one who has studios in Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Debenhams and House of Fraser nationwide. Each Shavata product is made to high quality to enable you to groom your brows at home for the perfect eyebrows every time.

The Shavata Brow Strengthener is one of these products targeted at those who are after thicker brows over sparse ones. It is said to stimulate hair growth, making it perfect for over-plucked eyebrows. In addition, it also takes care of the hairs from the root, letting them grow in thicker and conditioned. It claims to provide results within three weeks.

It only contains one ingredient, and that is castor oil. 100% natural and organic, cold pressed castor oil that contains omega 9 fatty acids that are known to be highly nourishing on the hairs and the follicles. Cold-pressed castor oil is said to be the highest quality oil as the first pressing releases the highest quantity of the castor beans' essential fatty acids, nutrients and minerals. 

When the castor oil is applied to the skin, it absorbs easily into the skin and down to the root of the hairs to condition them.

It comes packaged in a transparent tube with a rollerball applicator that acts as a massager, enabling the oil to absorb quickly into the skin.

Monday 16 November 2015

Balance Me Radiance Face Oil review

*
We all need a hero in our lives, which is why it is pretty lucky that I happen to have myself a little bottle of one to show you all today.


Dubbed a "skincare hero" and "radiance in a bottle", the Balance Me Radiance Face Oil is a 100% natural, award-winning facial oil that is designed to rescue dull, lifeless, dehydrated skin and provide it with a rejuvenated, radiant glow. If that wasn't enough, it also helps to reduce redness and the visible signs of ageing and scarring as well as evening out the skin tone.

It combines eight different oil extracts, including rosehip oil, buruti nut, camelia, chamomile, yarrow and benzoin to make a soothing and plumping facial treatment.

It comes packaged in a translucent glass bottle with a dropper lid that holds either 10ml or 30ml of product. The oil itself is a deep, honey orange-yellow shade. The packaging is gorgeous. It feels sleek as well as luxurious, and it looks great on the shelf.

Thursday 12 November 2015

InstaNatural Dead Sea Mud Mask, Eye Gel and Spot Treatment reviews

*
Recently I've been trying out a whole bunch of InstaNatural products, but today I have not one, not two, but THREE InstaNatural products to share with you (woohoo!).

InstaNatural Eye Gel, Dead Sea Mud Mask and Spot Treatment

Today I have three facial skincare products, the InstaNatural Dead Sea Mud Mask, Eye Gel and Skin Clearing Spot Treatment.

I've spent some time testing them all out to give you some feedback, so I'll break it all down and go through each product one by one, starting with the Dead Sea Mud Mask.

Monday 9 November 2015

Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid review

*
One thing that can get really annoying - especially at this time of year - is dry lips. Nobody enjoys it and it can cause all sorts of other issues too, such as cracked, painful lips or the entirely cosmetic issue of flaky lipstick. Well, thankfully, there is a cure.


The Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid is a multi-award-winning, 99% natural, ultra rich and creamy lanolin lip treatment that contains organic lemon oil to naturally exfoliate. It also contains over 70% of Ultra Medical Grade Lanolin, exclusive to Lanolips, which also adds a glossiness with a hint of shimmer. The overall finished result is moist and soft lips.

It comes packaged in a small, clear plastic squeezy tube that holds 12.5g of product with a gold screw cap lid. The product itself is a thick, pale yellow balm that smells of lemon (of course).

Thursday 5 November 2015

The Ultimate Nail Care Guide: How to Have Healthy & Beautiful Nails (Guest Post)


A common saying in dermatological circles is that fingernails are the window to your health. Strong and smooth nails provide the clues to your overall health. From the vitamin efficiency to a lung, or heart disease down to systematic diseases, such as lupus, or anaemia, your nails are a sign of any problem in your body.

Finally, the importance of aesthetics is not to be undermined either. Beautiful nails build your confidence and confidence makes you even more beautiful and attractive.

Monday 2 November 2015

Humble Hand Wash & Hand Lotion reviews

"I've looked everywhere for a range of products that are natural and biodegradable, but, just as importantly, look, smell and feel wonderful to use. I drew a blank so I decided to develop a range of products myself. It's been a challenge but I am delighted to now be launching the Humble Natural Beauty Range. I wanted to give people the chance to spoil themselves without spoiling the environment" - Kate Humble. Founder, Humble

I was trying to think of a way to start this post when I read the above quote by writer and broadcaster Kate Humble. I think that it is a great little intro into the ideas behind the brand that I'm writing about today and what to expect from them.

With that said, I do in fact have two products from the range to discuss with you today.

Humble Hand Wash and Hand Lotion

The Humble Hand Wash and Hand Lotion, just like the rest of the range, are eco-friendly and come free of SLS and parabens and all ingredients are sustainably sourced and selected to minimise the impact on waterways wherever possible. They come in two different scents, Sweet Pea and Verbena and Rose and Frankincense. 

I have bottles from the Sweet Pea and Verbena scent collection that I have been testing out to give you all some feedback today!

Friday 30 October 2015

Yves Rocher Temptation Days Special!

*
Hey guys! Today I have some really exciting news from Yves Rocher to share with you!


Whilst a lot of people will be getting into the middle of the nitty gritty on November 27th, queuing up outside stores at midnight, there are loads of great bargains to be found without needing to even leave your house (my favourite type of bargains!).

From the 23rd of November until the 30th, Yves Rocher are offering 44 of their best selling products at 60% off (wahey!). In addition to this, they are also going to be making 170 people very happy with up to £10,000 worth of gifts to be won.

UPDATE: In light of the atrocities in Paris, Yves Rocher have changed the name of the event to "Temptation Days".

Click read more for more info!

Thursday 29 October 2015

Nail Art Designs With MoYou's Tropical Plate No.12

*
Hey guys! For this post, I decided to do something a little different. I haven't done any nail art in a while, so I got playing with my new MoYou Tropical Plate No.12 and new O.P.I Nail Polishes* to create two designs to show you today!

MoYou Tropical No.12 Nail Stamping Plate

It's worth noting from the offset that even though I've wanted to try them for a long time, I've never actually used a stamping set before this one. So come and take a look at how I got on and what you can achieve yourself!

I'll start off explaining how to use the stamper, then show you the two looks that I tried.

Monday 26 October 2015

Childs Farm Top-to-Toe Cleaning Kit for Kids review

*
Kids bath time. Some love it, some hate it, but one thing is for certain - what they are using on their skin is important, especially those that are prone to eczema.


Childs Farm is an award-winning British brand that provide skincare and haircare products for babies (newborn and up) and children, even those with sensitive and eczema prone skin (they even have their own cartoon on Cartoonito!). Their products contain natural and organic ingredients and are free of SLSs, parabens, mineral oils and artificial colours.

I've written about two of their products in the past (the Caked in Mud Body Wash and Hand & Body Lotion), but today I have a great little collection called the Top-to-Toe Cleaning Kit, a three-piece set that contains three of their top selling products to clean your little ones from head to toe, all of which are no sting/tears formulas.

It contains a 100ml Childs Farm Bubble Bath, 100ml Shampoo & 100ml Conditioner in a re-usable transparent bag that can come in handy for travelling or swimming amongst other things.


Being big fan of the products that I've tried from Childs Farm so far, we got to testing the Top-to-Toe set to give you all some feedback!

Tuesday 20 October 2015

100% Pure Lip Glaze in Daiquiri review and swatches

There's a couple of things that I really love in the beauty world (well, lots more than just a couple, but shh) and that's natural products and a good lip colour.

100% Pure Lip Glaze in Daiquiri

100% Pure's Lip Glaze is a sheer but moisturising lip colour that is made up with fruit pigments on a base of cocoa and avocado butters. At the same time as proving a wash of colour to the lips, it nourishes them with antioxidants and vitamins.

It comes in a range of 21 shades ranging from neutrals, pinks and reds.

Today I have the shade Daiquiri to show you which is a bright and happy pink shade. I received mine as part of my October Birchbox (if you'd like to subscribe to Birchbox, you can do so here and receive £5 worth of points to spend!) and instantly wanted to discuss it with you all!

It comes packaged in a silver bullet like tube and then packaged again inside a cardboard tube. The packaging is fantstic! I genuinely really love it, it's the perfect blend of quirky and high-end, if you get what I mean?

Friday 16 October 2015

Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream review

I don't know about you, but now the days are turning colder, my hands tend to get incredibly dry. Particularly around the knuckles. In fact, this year they have been particularly bad.

Step up then, Balance Me's Super Moisturising Hand Cream!

Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream

Balance Me's Super Moisturising Hand Cream is a 98.8% natural, incredibly rich cream that is designed to replenish the hands. It is super soothing to those with dry, sensitive skin and it also contains anti-ageing benefits.

It contains a blend of "renowned ancient skin conditioners" including benzoin and yarrow essential oils, kukui nut oil, shea butter and lanolin.

As well as being used on your hands, it can also be used on other dry areas of the body, such as elbows, knees and the heels of your feet.

Tuesday 13 October 2015

InstaNatural Retinol Serum and Retinol Moisturiser reviews

*
I’ve been testing a few InstaNatural products lately (and loved them all!), but so far they have all been either hair or body related. Today however, I have two face products to talk to you about!

InstaNatural’s Retinol Serum and Retinol Moisturiser are primarily both designed to work together and do the same thing: help to fight against the signs of ageing. That’s not all they can do though.

InstaNatural Retinol Serum and Retinol Moisturiser

The Age-Defying Retinol Serum contains 2.5% retinol to fight deep wrinkles, dark circles, fine lines, hyper pigmentation and sun damage as well as antioxidants such as Vitamin C, E and green tea to repair skin damage around the face, eyes and neck. Salicylic Acid in combination with the green tea help to soften blemishes, clean pores and remove dirt whilst Hyaluronic Acid provides necessary hydration.

The Advanced Action Retinol Moisturiser also contains 2.5% retinol, Vitamin C, green tea and Hyaluronic Acid as well as jojoba oil and shea butter to deeply moisturise the skin. It also has AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) which can increase sun damage so make sure it is followed up with SPF.

The Retinol Serum comes packaged in a 30ml bottle with a pipette to help disperse the serum. The Retinol Moisturiser comes in an air tight pump bottle that holds 100ml of product.

Saturday 10 October 2015

Benefit Air Patrol BB Eyelid Primer review

Hi guys! I don't usually post on a Saturday, but I've had a couple of tech issues that have delayed this post. I didn't really want to delay it any further as I have other posts on the way too, so I decided that on a Saturday it would be. Anyway, on with the review!

Benefit Air Patrol BB Eyelid Primer

Benefit’s Air Patrol is described as a BB cream eyelid primer. As well as being an eyelid primer, it colour corrects and helps to protect the lids from smoke, pollutants and sun thanks to its EnviroDefend complex and SPF 20. It also has a CushionCalm tip that is made of silicone and claims to be softer than your pinkie.

So basically, it’s kind of like a combination of their other two eyelid primers, Lemon Aid and Stay Don’t Stray with some extra benefits. Lemon Aid is a colour correcting primer that comes in a creamy compact whereas Stay Don’t Stray is a creamy liquid formula, tinted eye primer. Being a big fan of both of those products, my excitement to try Air Patrol was at a high level. I recently acquired a sample of it and that is what I will be discussing with you today.

Monday 5 October 2015

Avon 3D Plumping Lip Gloss in Pink Pout review and swatches

Back In August I wrote about Avon’s newly released 3D Plumping Lipstick range. Well, for those who enjoyed the collection or for those who prefer lip gloss, there is good news! 3D Plumping Lip Glosses are on the way!


The shade selection is incredibly limited in comparison to the lipsticks, but due to there being two clear glosses (one pearlised and one simply clear) you could always use them over the top of your fave 3D Plumping Lipstick shade.

In addition to the clear glosses, the 3D Plumping Gloss will be arriving in a pink tinted pearly shade called Pink Pout that I have to show you today, nude and mauve.

The formulas are described as being high-shine and hydrating thanks to the inclusion of vitamins A, C and E and they "boost lips to maximum fullness”.

The glosses come packaged in Avon’s regular, clear, plastic lip gloss tubes. The brochure advertises the applicator as being sponge, but it is actually a brush.

Friday 2 October 2015

Avon Glimmerstick Flick in Sky review and swatches

When it comes to eyeliner, winged eyeliner (or flicked/cat eye) is a key look. However, they can be a tad tricky to master. Because of this, there are thankfully a range of products available to help you out.

One of these is the re-release of Avon's Glimmerstick Flick. Originally part of their Hollywood collection and only in the shade black, Avon are bringing them back with a range of shades.

Avon Glimmerstick Flick Eyeliner in Sky

The colour palette is made up of jewel tones, including purple, blue and green as well as brown, black and grey.

I ordered myself the shade Sky, which is a dark blue colour (think along the lines of Urban Decay Mainline).

It comes packaged in the same plastic packaging of their Glimmerstick Eyeliners (which are soon to be re-branded and be sold with a new formula), but instead of being round like a regular eyeliner nib, it is rectangular and angled. It has a twist bottom that reveals more eyeliner when needed.

Monday 28 September 2015

The Jojoba Company 100% Natural Australian Jojoba review

*
I've spent a lot of time discussing argan oil on my blog recently, but there is another fab oil that I think deserves some attention: Jojoba oil.

The Jojoba Company 100% Natural Australian Jojoba review

Jojoba oil is close in molecular structure to sebum, the oily matter that is created in the sebaceous glands in our skin to "lubricate and waterproof" hair and skin. A large chunk of sebum is made up of wax esters, but as we age, we produce less of it, meaning that we lose more moisture from the skin. Jojoba oil is the only oil that is known to also contain wax esters, meaning that it acts as a great moisturiser for both skin and hair as well as helping to restore youthfulness to the skin.

In addition, Jojoba naturally contains powerful antioxidants, Vitamins A, D and E and Omega 6 & 9 fatty acids as well as as being hypoallergenic.

The Jojoba Company is an Australian company that produces jojoba based products, but they also sell pure, 100% Australian Jojoba Oil, which I'm going to be discussing with you all today.

Just like argan oil, jojoba is incredibly multi-functional. Therefore, like in my InstaNatural Argan Oil review, I'm going to list the ways that I tested it out and what results I've had.

Thursday 24 September 2015

InstaNatural Argan Oil Hair Treatment & Elixir and Argan Oil Hair Mask reviews

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may have seen that I have reviewed a couple of InstaNatural products recently and I have been loving them! Well, today I am quite excited to discuss not one, but TWO InstaNatural hair products for you all!

InstaNatural Argan Oil Hair Treatment & Elixir and Argan Oil Hair Mask

First up we have the Argan Oil Hair Treatment & Elixir, a blend of argan oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil and shea butter to revitalise limp and lifeless hair. The 100% plant oil formula also helps to add long-lasting shine to the hair and also tame frizziness. Shea butter adds volume and pathenol strengthens hair shafts by filling in cracks. It’s a multi-functional hair blessing!

It can be used as an overnight treatment, a quick 10 minute treatment, 2 hour treatment and even a serum on dry hair.

Next up we also have the Argan Oil Hair Mask, a deep conditioning hair treatment for dry, damaged hair. It includes a collection of natural and organic ingredients such as argan oil, coconut oil, Vitamin B5, shea butter, jojoba oil, avocado oil, amino acid complex and more.

It aims to fix up dry or damaged hair as well as making hair more manageable, smooth and shiny with more volume.

Both products are safe for coloured hair and also help to protect the hair during heat styling.

I’m going to start off by discussing my results with the oil, then follow up with the conditioner.

Monday 21 September 2015

Korres Wild Rose Eye Cream review

Dark circles around the eyes can be annoying. However, they're not really avoidable as they tend to be caused by our genes (thanks, genes!) amongst similar reasons, such as getting older (thanks, ageing!), but there are ways that we can help to reduce their appearance.

Korres Wild Rose Eye Cream

Korres' Wild Rose Eye Cream is an 81.5% natural eye cream that aims to reduce the appearance of fine lines and dark circles (and it is also SPF15). It contains wild rose oil which is high in Vitamin C that helps to repair fine lines and pigmentation issues. It also contains linoleic acid and linolenic acid that helps moisturise, heal and soften. There is also the added benefit of it adding a protective film on the skin to help cell regeneration as well as to improve texture of the skin. So, not much, eh!?

In contrast to what it does contain, it importantly doesn't contain any mineral oil, PEG, SLES, ALES, silicones, parabens, petrolatum/paraffin wax, retinol, polycylic musks, synthetic dye, propylene glycol, ethanolamines, phthlates or any animal by-products.

Monday 14 September 2015

Stop Losing Your Hair Now - Guest Post by Molly Garner

Are you losing your hair? If you are, you are not alone, but you certainly want to stop it from happening. Thankfully, what you eat can have a major impact on your hair's ability to grow and your hair's strength and health.

It is critical that you incorporate certain foods into your daily diet so that your hair has the nutrients that it needs for health. 

These foods are ones that you surely already eat, but you want to eat more of them to fully reap the benefits and get the right amount of nutrients.

In addition to having healthier hair that grows, you will also improve the health of your skin and your total body with these foods. 

Check out the infographic below to learn more about these foods. Make it a point to start working them into your diet on a daily basis.

Thursday 10 September 2015

AA Skincare Lavender & Tea Tree Moisturising Face Lotion review

*
When we look for new skincare products, we want something that works, and works hard. However, working hard doesn't have to mean being harsh. 

AA Skincare's Lavender & Tea Tree Moisturising Face Lotion is a lightweight, naturally antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antiseptic moisturising lotion, meaning that it is perfect for those who suffer with blemishes or other facial skin conditions. In addition to moisturising, it also helps to tone and restore the skin. 

AA Skincare Lavender & Tea Tree Moisturising Face Lotion

With 30 years of experience in making skincare products, sourcing only the best essential oils for the job, AA Skincare promise that this is a calming and soothing lotion - without all the harsh ingredients.

In addition to lavender and tea tree, it also contains rosehip oil (which is high in Vitamin C), grapeseed oil, panthenol (derived from Vitamin B produced by plants), glycerin and sunflower oil (which is high in Vitamin E).

Monday 7 September 2015

InstaNatural Argan Oil review

*
If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will probably have seen the fabulous guest post by Amy Goldsmith about the uses of argan oil for skin (and if you haven’t, I highly recommend that you do give it a read!). Argan oil is a great multi-purpose product that can be used for a number of things. It can be used on the skin, on the hair, for nails or even for healing purposes.

One of the brands who sell this wonder oil is InstaNatural. Their Argan Oil is a 100% pure, cold-pressed, organic, unrefined, Grade I oil that is Ecocert certified.
 

 It comes in a fairly large 120ml/4fl oz bottle with a screw cap that can be replaced with a pump cap (included).

I decided to go through Amy’s tips from her article to give it a proper test in a variety of areas to let you know how well it works.

Thursday 3 September 2015

Balance Me Super Moisturising Body Wash review

Recently I went on a break from the blog whilst I was moving house. During this time, I missed my June Birchbox review. However, I did receive it, and inside there were a couple of things that I wanted to talk about. One of those items is the Balance Me Super Moisturising Body Wash.

Balance Me Super Moisturising Body Wash

Balance Me's Super Moisturising Body Wash is an award-winning, sulphate free, 99% natural body wash that helps to replenish, cleanse and protect dry and/or irritated skin.

It is rich in shea butter, patchouli, benzoin oil and yarrow to keep skin so soft that you can skip on moisturiser afterwards if you're in a rush.

It comes packaged in a bright yellow squeezy bottle that holds 200ml of product (the one that I have from Birchbox is half the size) with a translucent screw cap. The product itself is a clear but golden tinted gel. It has a strong scent that primarily smells of the benzoin and patchouli oil to my nose.

Monday 31 August 2015

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Instant Retouch Pressed Powder review

Do you ever have those days where your skin is just looking pretty tired and unhappy? Those kind of days where you wish that you had some sort of real life photoshop power all over your face? Well yeah, there's products that you can buy for those days (hoorah!), and one of those magic powder products is this nifty one by Soap and Glory.

Soap and Glory’s Kick Ass Instant Retouch Pressed Powder is a lightweight, translucent, imperfection blurring powder that is designed to perfect your face. It contains “vision-boggling Superblur technology” and Camouflawge 3D to leave the skin looking and feeling silky smooth and retouched. 
Soap and Glory Kick Ass Instant Retouch Pressed Powder

The powder itself is tinted yellow with no shimmer and can be worn alone or over makeup as a setting powder.

It comes packaged in a black compact that does include a mirror, but no applicator (so if you don’t have one already, you will need to purchase one).

Thursday 27 August 2015

Benefits of Argan Oil for Skin - Guest post

Benefits of Argan Oil on Skin - Guest Post by Amy Goldsmith

Argan oil is produced in Morocco where it has been used for centuries by Moroccan women in their beautification rituals. This nectar of beauty is in so many ways special, and its traditional preparation is just one of them. The nuts are hand-picked and squeezed with a stone, then ground into a thick paste. The paste is then drained to get the oil. The final product is this almost perfect cosmetic product which is used to nourish skin and hair, for wound healing and to treat skin rash. High levels of essential fatty acids make argan oil a powerful skin moisturizer. In addition to the essential fatty acids, this precious oil is rich in vitamins, especially vitamin E, which successfully fights free radicals. At the same time it stimulates microcirculation and provides maximum nutrition to skin cells. On top of all that, it is so easy to use, as it requires no additives other than plain water.

Here are but a few benefits of this liquid gold, as Moroccans call it:

Tuesday 25 August 2015

Zoya Aggie Nail Polish (Autumn 2015 Flair Collection) review and swatches

It's that time of year again when we begin to see the transition from summer to autumn in the beauty world, and that means new shades to wear!

Zoya have just released their Focus and Flair collections for Autumn 2015 which are two ranges of five jewel-tone cream shades and five jewel-tone metallics.

Zoya Aggie Flair Collection Autumn 2015

Today I have the shade Aggie to show you, a metallic, duochrome gold and green/bronze polish from the Flair half of the collection.

As with all other Zoya nail polishes, the formula is five-free, meaning that it doesn't contain Formaldehyde, Camphor, DBP, Formaldehyde Resin or Toluene.

Friday 21 August 2015

Cattier Fleur d’Émulsion Mattifying Day Care Moisturiser review

Oily or combination skin can be a pain to deal with. There are some mattifying moisturisers out there that can make oily skin appear worse after a while or even some that do nothing at all, but one of the things I personally look for is a moisturiser that simply balances the skin. Something that doesn't necessarily make your skin matte and dull, but something that just regulates excess oil without going a step too far.

Cattier Fleur d'Émulsion Mattifying Day Care Moisturiser for Oily or Combination Skin

Cattier's Fleur d’Émulsion Mattifying Day Care for oily to combination skin claims to do just that. It has a powdery texture and it moisturises whilst rebalancing the epidermis. It's a natural product that contains organic anti-oxidant hazelnut oil, organic shea butter, masterwort flower extract, Phycosaccharide (brown alga extract) and organic aloe vera to intensely moisturise as well as mattify (along with the help of Silica).

It is also non-comedongenic which means that it doesn't clog up the pores.

Monday 17 August 2015

Green People Intensive Repair Conditioner review

Dry or colour damaged hair? Gone a bit overboard with your hot hair tools? We've all been there, but nobody wants to be. Hello then, Green People's Intensive Repair Conditioner!


Green People's Intensive Repair Conditioner is a natural and 91% organic conditioner that is perfect for rejuvenating dry and/or damaged hair. It doesn't contain any SLS/SLES, parabens, alcohol (ethyl alcohol, ethanol), gluten, harsh foaming agents, colourants, DEA, TEA or PEGs, petrochemicals, lanolin, propylene glycol, PABA-sunscreen, synthetic fragrances, irritating emulsifiers or phthalates. On top of that, 10% of their net profit is donated to charity!



It helps to boost shine whilst nourishing the scalp and hair shaft and preventing dryness and loss of natural hair oils.

It can be used as a regular conditioner as well as a hot-towel hair treatment.

Friday 14 August 2015

Huygens Exfoliating Cream review

I don’t know about you, but I find exfoliators to be a very important element in my skincare regime. Balancing the right level of exfoliating with gentle cleansing can be tricky though as some exfoliators tend to fall on one side or the other - really rough and harsh on the skin or cleansing but not even slightly exfoliating. Step up: Huygens Exfoliating Cream.

Huygens Exfoliating Cream

The Huygens Exfoliating Cream is a 98.9% natural facial scrub that contains rice powder particles as an exfoliator. It also includes nourishing sesame oil and the antioxidant green tea. 72.9% of the ingredients are also produce of organic farming. It claims to leave the skin looking illuminated, healthy, fresh and feeling soft.

I received my 10ml miniature in my August Birchbox and as I stated on my box review I had too much to say about this Exfoliating Cream to fit into a small section in that post, resulting in this full-length review.

Tuesday 11 August 2015

Birchbox #BeautyJunkie August 2015 box review

Birchbox is a monthly beauty box that includes 5-6 deluxe samples of beauty and lifestyle products that are tailored to you.

You get to discover new products and test them out in the comfort of your own home with no pressure to buy the full product if you don’t like it! However, if you do enjoy it, you can purchase the full sizes from the Birchbox store with the most recent month’s brands being available with free delivery (min. £10 spend)!

Birchbox #BeautyJunkie August 2015 box

The theme for this month is Beauty Junkies. I think that the theme is perfect! Let’s be honest, all people who are subscribed to beauty boxes are likely to love (and when I say that, I mean LOVE) beauty products (and more than likely those of you who are reading this review of it right now!), so this theme resonates in all of us. However, basing a box on the theme Beauty Junkies does add a certain amount of pressure to get this box right. So have Birchbox done that with this box? Let’s take a look!

Here is what I received in my box this month:

Sunday 2 August 2015

Avon 3D Plumping Lipstick reviews & swatches

Avon are soon to be releasing a new range of lip-plumping lipsticks - the Ultra Colour 3D Plumping Lipsticks. They contain a dual-plumping formula with a Retinol Colour Complex that boosts retinol and collagen.

It will come in a range of 10 satin-finish shades, ranging from nude shades to pinks, red and purple, and in this post I have swatches of every single shade to show you!

Avon Ultra Colour 3D Plumping Lipstick

Click Read More to view swatches of every shade!

Monday 27 July 2015

AA Skincare Lemongrass & Lavender Deodorant review

*
AA Skincare is a new, natural cosmetics range by Amphora Aromatics. They produce skincare products that are suitable for different ages and skin types that contain top quality essential oils. Also, because they cut back on their advertising budget, they can sell high-quality products that don't cost the Earth.

One of the products they have to offer is the AA Skincare Deodorant. It is made up of pure, naturally deodorising essential oils and natural extracts to create a roll-on that is provides day-long freshness, is non-irritating and doesn't block pores, allowing the skin to breathe. They are also free of alcohol, aluminium and artificial fragrances (which can cause clogs in the skin, leading to spots and boils).

AA Skincare Deodorant Lemongrass and Lavender

It comes in a range of three different scents; Lemongrass and Lavender for freshness, Bergamot and Chamomile for sensitive skin and Grapefruit and Cedarwood for men. I have a bottle of the Lemongrass and Lavender Deodorant that I have been using recently to discuss with you today!

Friday 24 July 2015

Korres Bergamot Pear Showergel review

If you are a regular reader of my blog then you may remember that recently I fell in love with Korres' Bergamot Pear Body Milk. It's such a beautifully scented, lightweight moisturiser, and it was only a matter of time before I bagged myself the accompanying body wash.


The Korres Bergamot Pear Showergel is an 87% natural product that is free of silicones, mineral oil, parabens, alcohol and more (see below), is also suitable for vegans and vegetarians and is not tested on animals. It is rich in Vitamin E, Vitamin C, zinc and antioxidant enzymes and also contains Active Aloe, an ingredient that has the "ability to stimulate collagen and elastin synthesis," helping to reduce the visible signs of skin ageing. It also claims to help boost the skins immune system.

It comes packaged in a dark red/brown bottle (with the product information sticker wrapped around it) with a white flip cap that holds 250ml of product. The wash itself is a cloudy white colour with the same beautiful scent of the Body Milk.

Monday 20 July 2015

InstaNatural Stretch Mark & Scar Cream review

*
Stretch marks - we all have them! Whether you loathe them or tolerate them, some people want to get rid of them for good. Whilst removing them would cost a lot in money and time in laser removal or surgical removal, some people are content with simply reducing their appearance with lotions and potions. Enter: InstaNatural.

InstaNatural’s Stretch Mark and Scar cream is an all natural, powerful cream that helps to reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks.


It contains aloe vera, Vitamin C, Rosehip Oil, Cocoa Butter, Evening Primrose Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Vitamin E and Mango Butter amongst other essential oils and other ingredients.

It comes in a white, screw cap pot that has a green label around the centre with the product information and that holds 120ml of product. The cream itself has the consistency of and looks a little like yoghurt. It also has a nice smell to it that lasts throughout the day (the ingredients label it as “Tranquil Sea Fragrance” - oooerr!).

Thursday 16 July 2015

Birchbox Make A Splash July 2015 Box review

Birchbox is a monthly beauty box that includes 5-6 deluxe samples of beauty and lifestyle products that are tailored to you.

You get to discover new products and test them out in the comfort of your own home with no pressure to buy the full product if you don’t like it! However, if you do enjoy it, you can purchase the full sizes from the Birchbox store with the most recent month’s brands being available with free delivery (min. £10 spend)!


Birchbox Make a Splash July 2015

This months theme is Make A Splash, inspired by summer holidays. For this month only, Birchbox have swapped out their regular boxes for Birchbags, small clutch bags that come in a range of four colours. Each colour is inspired by a different holidaying location. There is a beautiful green for the island of Hydra in Greece, bright pink for Ibiza, orange for St Tropez and yellow for (check).

Here is what I received in my Birchbox (bag) this month:

Friday 10 July 2015

Australian Bodycare Tea Tree Oil Blemish Stick review

*
The Australian Bodycare Tea Tree Oil Blemish Stick is an easy to use, non-greasy, antiseptic Tea Tree Oil and Witch Hazel formula gel that aims to quickly reduce the appearance and redness of spots. It fights the blemish causing bacteria and instantly cools and calms the area to reduce irritation.

Australian Bodycare Tea Tree Oil Blemish Stick

It comes in a small, glass stick that holds 10ml of product with a handy rollerball tip for precise application directly onto the spot. 

Alongside treating spots, the Blemish Stick can be used to treat insect bites or other minor skin irritations.

Friday 12 June 2015

Moving House! - Beautifinous Will Be Back Shortly

Hello everybody!

Today I have some really exciting news to finally share with you all - we're moving house!

As you can imagine, moving house can be an incredibly busy time. It also comes with a whole range of issues regarding getting everything sorted and back into place. It's because of this that I wanted to inform you all that I will be taking a break from the blog for anywhere between 2-4 weeks.

Another issue that I will be having is that of tomorrow I will temporarily have no Internet connection. Therefore, Tweets from my Twitter account will also slow down for a short while.

I wanted to make sure that you were all aware of the situation so that nobody thinks that I have vanished from the blogging world - I can assure you that I haven't!

I'll be back soon, and until then, I hope that you all stay well!

Zoe. @Beautifinous

Thursday 11 June 2015

Dr. Paw Paw Original Balm review

*
The Dr. Paw Paw Original Balm is a multi-functional balm that is made up of a blend of natural ingredients, including fermented paw paw which is the fruit of the plant Carica Papaya that has been found to contain numerous natural healing qualities. 

Dr Paw Paw Original Balm

Today I have myself a tube of the original clear balm to show you! The Dr. Paw Paw Balm also comes in a tinted peach shade as well as a tinted red shade. (UPDATE: I now have reviews and swatches of both the Dr.PawPaw tinted shades of the balm online)

The balm itself is translucent and is sort of like a paste texture. It comes packaged in a small, bright yellow tube that comes in a range of sizes.

Friday 5 June 2015

Lush Let The Good Times Roll review

Let The Good Times Roll by Lush is an exfoliating face and body cleanser that contains polenta, maize flour, cinnamon powder, corn oil and popcorn. It is also vegan friendly.

Whilst the polenta and maize flour exfoliate, cinnamon powder revives and stimulates. The final result is fresh, soft and glowing skin.

Lush Let The Good Times Roll

It comes packaged in a typical black, Lush branded pot with a screw cap lid that holds 100g or 250g of cleanser. As with other Lush products, if you take back five Lush pots or tubes to any of their stores then you will receive a free Fresh mask.

Thursday 28 May 2015

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Pillow Plump XXL review & swatches

Soap & Glory’s Sexy Mother Pucker Pillow Plump XXL lip gloss is a hydrating, ultra-glossy, lip-plumping colour. It contains LIPSWELL natural oil infusion and 3XL-PEPTIDE PLUMP that has been shown in tests to support fat cells, boost the levels of hyaluronic acid and to provide a cushioning lip-plumping effect.

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Pillow Plump XXL

It comes in a range of five shades, including one clear gloss. I picked myself up the shade Cherry Up which is a nice, bold pinky-red with a hint of sparkle.

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Pillow Plump XXL Cherry Up

I understand that lately there is a big thing about plumped up lips (thanks to Kylie Jenner who has even admitted that her lips are the way they are due to injections). However, I don't want the fact that I am reviewing a plumping lip gloss to come across as if I am endorsing a trend in which people are hurting themselves for bigger lips. Whether you have big lips or small lips, you are beautiful and you do not need the latest trend to dictate whether you are or not. Stay safe, kids, and don't be stupid!

Friday 22 May 2015

The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Range

The Body Shop are soon to be releasing a new, limited edition range for the summer. The refreshing Virgin Mojito collection will feature four different skincare products, a fragrance and three gift sets.

The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Collection
"We’ve created this range to smell like the real deal. The refreshing scent of crisp, fresh mint is blended with a twist of freshly squeezed lime to invigorate your senses. This zingy body cocktail is perfectly complimented by crisp and cooling textures. Serving up everything from frosty body sorbets to cool body splashes, this Limited Edition range is sure to inject hot summer days with an icy blast of invigoration, and will leave skin feeling summer-ready long after the sun goes down.” (Source: The Body Shop Press Release)
Click read more to check out the collection!

Wednesday 20 May 2015

KWENA Crocodile Oil Balm review

*
Crocodiles the strongest immune system in the world. It's because of this that the KWENA Crocodile Oil Balm was created as a healing product as well as a beauty product. It contains oil that is obtained from crocodile fat (more on this in a moment) along with either lavender or tea tree oil, grapeseed oil and real beeswax to create a 100% natural, easy to apply balm that claims to heal a whole array of different conditions from burns to acne. In addition to this, it can also be used as a moisturiser and also on babies and dogs. So, pretty multifunctional then!?
  
Let's take a look at it in more detail.

Friday 15 May 2015

Mirenesse Mattfinity Lip Rouge in Sydney review & swatches

The Mirenesse Mattfinity Lip Rouge is a matte lip colour that includes Gel-Lite technology and a Lip Hug applicator. It has a mousse-like texture that helps to fill in lines and to make lips look fuller, and thanks to its inbuilt stain it has incredible lasting power too. It also claims not to feather or fade meaning that no lip liner is necessary, and it also contains vitamin E and organic beeswax to help keep lips hydrated.

Mirenesse Mattfinity Lip Rouge

It comes in a range of ten shades that are all named after famous cities from around the world. Each colour has a plush, velvet finish.

I received my miniature tube of Mirenesse’s Mattfinity Lip Rouge in my Free Your Mind May Birchbox in the shade Sydney, which is a bright and bold pink-red colour. I said in my May Birchbox post that I was going to write a full-length review, so without further ado, here it is!