Saturday 30 December 2017

Avon mark. Epic Lip Lipstick review & swatches

Hi guys! If you follow me on Instagram (and if you don't, why not?!), you may have seen this post being teased a couple of times over the last few weeks. If not, then today I'm going to be bringing you something pretty different for Avon, but something exciting for makeup fans.

Avon mark. Epic Lip Lipstick in Blue Suede
Avon mark. Epic Lip Lipstick in Blue Suede

Avon will soon be launching the mark. Epic Lip Lipstick collection, which is a two in one primer and lipstick hybrid that comes in 22 shades, including two online exclusive shades. Not only does this new range stick to the traditional shades, but they actually step out of the box this time and include some blues and a grey, which is definitely something that I didn't see coming from Avon. They also come in a range of finishes, from solid creams to shimmers and even a subtle chrome shade.

The formula is described as creamy and it promises to leave an airbrushed finish with colour that lasts and lasts. Each lipstick comes packaged in a sleek, black, rectangular tube with the mark. logo repeated over the lid.

So how do they wear? Let's get into the details.

Friday 22 December 2017

Top Beauty Tips for 2018

Hi guys! Today is the last post before Christmas, so I wanted to make it special for you all. I also wanted to look ahead a little, so even though we’re just a few days away from the merriest day of the year, today I’m looking forward to the next big event: the new year. 

New years resolutions are something that we all come up with (and usually fail on), so today I’m here to give you some beauty related tips to go forth into the new year with (and hopefully not fail on)! Now not only have I got some tips, but I’ve been in touch with some fabulous beauty insiders to bring you some ah-mazing tips. Louise Galvin, Crabtree & Evelyn, Australian Bodycare, Billion Dollar Brows and Micro Cell Nail Repair alongside myself and even you beautiful lot from the Twittersphere have shared their top beauty tips to go forth into the new year. Isn’t that amazing?!

So without further ado, let’s check them out. Any uncredited tip is contributed by myself.

Friday 15 December 2017

Monu Skin Hydrating Mask review

Hi everyone! I've focused a few posts now on winter essentials to help us all get through the colder days, and today I'll be taking a look at one more item. This one is probably best for those who suffer with dry skin whose skin may be in desperate need of hydration and moisture, but it can be used by all skin types. So even the oily skinned folks out there (like myself) can still find something they may like within this review.

Monu Skin Hydrating Mask
Monu Skin Hydrating Mask

The Monu Skin Hydrating Mask is a creamy, non-setting mask that is designed to hydrate even the driest of skin. It contains a blend of evening primrose oil, royal jelly, geranium essential oil, kaolin clay and horsetail extract to soothe, hydrate, retain moisture, cleanse, firm, tighten and aids in the healing of broken skin. Oof, that's a lot, huh!? It also sounds exactly like the type of thing we all need during this time of year.

Monu Skin recommend using this between 1-3 times a week depending on skin type. It can also be used on the hands as a nourishing, hydrating way to replenish super dry hands.

It comes packaged in a 100ml, white and pink tube and the mask itself is white and creamy in texture with a light floral scent.

Friday 8 December 2017

AA Skincare Twilight Shampoo Bar review

Over the last few posts I've been discussing some winter essentials, and today I'll be focusing on fixing up the issues that winter can cause to your hair and scalp. Dry hair and a flaky scalp can be aggravated by the cold weather, so checking out products that can help to counter these problems are generally a good idea at this time of year.

AA Skincare Twilight Shampoo Bar
AA Skincare Twilight Shampoo Bar

AA Skincare is a brand I've reviewed on the blog before (see AA Skincare posts), but today I shall be discussing one of their many Shampoo Bars, the AA Skincare Twilight Shampoo Bar. The bar is designed to "soothe dry scalps and strengthen hair". Like all other AA Skincare products, it is natural and free from animal testing. It contains peppermint oil to soothe, nettle extract to strengthen and coconut oil to moisturise. In addition, it contains clove and cinnamon oils to promote healthy hair growth. They also add a lovely, warming, winter scent to the bar which just makes it even more perfect for this time of year.

The bar itself is bright pink in colour and round in shape and is designed to last far longer than a regular bottle of shampoo would last. The bar then comes packaged in a small, off white coloured box that is handy to keep hold of to transport it in if you plan on taking your bar away to places with you.

Friday 1 December 2017

Weleda Skin Food review

Heeeey guys! Over the last couple of posts I've been focusing on winter essentials, and the product I'm looking at today is probably the one that best fits that theme for sure. What's the one thing that really drives everyone mad in winter? Dry, cracked skin. I was originally going to be posting about something else today, but last night I was talking to my boyfriend about how amazing this cream is and I realised that I hadn’t even reviewed it yet and I was so amazed because, like I just said, it fits the bill so perfectly. Today I'm rectifying that.

Weleda Skin Food
Weleda Skin Food

If you haven't heard of it, Weleda's Skin Food cream is a certified natural moisturiser that is designed to soothe and heal dry skin all over the body. Your face, elbows, hands, everywhere. It contains calendula, chamomile and viola tricolour extracts within a blend of beeswax and nourishing oils such as sweet almond and sunflower oils. On top of that, it also contains lanolin which is a wonder ingredient that I took a more in depth look at in the first winter essentials post by featuring the Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips.

It comes packaged in a green squeezy tube with a white screw cap lid and comes in two different sizes: 30ml and 75ml. The product itself is a thick, off white cream with a strong, herby shampoo type of smell to it.

Friday 24 November 2017

Peachy Fox Dead Sea Mud Mask with Jojoba review

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Winter can bring along a whole bunch of skincare annoyances with it, and if you’re one of those who end up suffering a great blend of everything from blemishes, dry patches, over oily patches, general fatigue, then the mask featured in todays post could be worth taking a look at.

Peachy Fox Dead Sea Mud Mask with Jojoba
Peachy Fox Dead Sea Mud Mask with Jojoba

The Peachy Fox Dead Sea Mud Mask with Jojoba is a natural and organic mask made in the UK. It contains a blend of nourishing and deep cleansing ingredients that help to prevent breakouts, diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and to deeply moisturise and hydrate. 

It contains a range of beneficial essential oils that help with a whole bunch of different skin related issues. Lemon oil is great at brightening the skin and controlling excess oil, and it works great with the Vitamin E with helping to reduce blemish related redness or dryness as it’s also naturally exfoliating (just like in the Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid). In regards to blemishes though, the tea tree oil also helps to banish those alongside the lemon oil, and the peppermint oil also helps with oil control as well as refreshing the skin with a lovely cooling effect.

It comes packaged in a white screw cap jar. The mask itself is grey in colour and quite thick.

Friday 17 November 2017

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips review

If you follow me on Twitter (and if you don't, why not!?), you may have seen my tweet talking about how the next few posts will be taking a look at some winter essentials. So to start off, I'm going to discuss something that you may have heard of already: the Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips.

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips
Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips

If you've never heard of this product before then you may be wondering why on earth this product name contains the word nipple, but I'll explain. Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips was originally created for nursing mothers to use on cracked and dry nipples. However, it soon caught on as having plenty of other uses to help soothe sore and dry areas all over the body, including the lips. 

It contains one wonder ingredient: medical grade lanolin. Lanolin, which is like a wax that is secreted from wool-baring animals, is fantastic to use on dry skin. There are other uses for this product as well though, so that makes it a great multitasker. As well as on lips (or nipples), the Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips can be used on nails/dry cuticles, sunburn and sore patches on the body, or even in your makeup routine for glossy eyelids, as a highlighter or on the eyebrows. 

It comes packaged in a small, dark, shimmering grey tube that holds 15ml of product with a silver screw cap lid. This tube then comes packaged in a white, illustrated box.

Friday 3 November 2017

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara review

Whilst I absolutely love reviewing new products and getting the word out there for brands you may not yet have heard of, sometimes it is also great to take a look at a product that already has a great reputation to see if the hype is worth it. So today, I’m going to be discussing a product that already has a lot of praise and rave reviews as well as a loyal following: the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

Better Than Sex is described as being a mascara that is so amazing, it is better than sex (and partners everywhere are probably giving it that "oh really?" type of face, just like my boyfriend did).  It has an hourglass shaped brush and a long-wearing, smudgeproof, collagen-fuelled formula that promises to provide thick, long, dramatic lashes.

It comes packaged in a metallic rose tube and holds 8ml of product.

This mascara is the number one selling prestige mascara in America and is so loved and raved about (just give it a quick Google to see), when I got one for myself it was part excitement and part nerves. Was it going to be as amazing as everyone says, or was I about to feel really let down? It's time to find out, though. So let’s try it out.

Friday 27 October 2017

Avon mark. Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte Shimmer Shades review & swatches

So if there is any one thing that I’ve learned since I began blogging, it’s that you guys love checking out new lipsticks coming from Avon. It’s all good, I get excited about lipstick too, so that’s why today I’m going to be showing you the three new Avon mark. Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte Shimmer Shades!

Avon mark. Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte Shimmer Shades in Rock Star, Kissy Face and Mystique
Avon mark. Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte Shimmer Shades in Rock Star, Kissy Face and Mystique

I wrote about the Avon mark. Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte & Shine shades a short while ago, and it hasn’t taken Avon long to add some new additions to the collection. This time they are only adding three new shades, but they are rather pretty and they are definitely different to the original shades as they are matte shimmers/metallics. 

There is no difference to the packaging or descriptions so I won’t go into too much depth here. Instead I will link you to the original post again for you to read about the collection, formulas etc to save me having to repeat myself. 

What I will do is jump right on in to the swatches and then I will discuss any differences of how well they work etc in comparison to the originals afterwards. I do apologies for my slightly dry lips in the following swatches, I currently have a cold so not much I could do sadly!

Let’s take a look!

Tuesday 17 October 2017

Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil and Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap reviews

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Hi guys! I'm back! I'll start off briefly with an apology for taking longer than I expected to be posting again. I've been writing this post up but then as I was about to post - bam - sickness bug. It's that time of year, isn't it? It hits autumn, kids go back to school and then everyone is catching everything. It leaves me longing for those happy and lazy summer evenings again, so it's only fitting that the products I'm going to be chatting about today make me think of just that.

Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap and Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil
Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap and Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil

The Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil and the Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap are two of their newer products that I've been testing out whilst on break from posting.

The Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil is one of those multi-tasking products that I love trying out. It can be used on the face, body or hair to moisturise, hydrate, soften and to add a beautiful scent to the skin and/or hair. It contains notes of pomegranate, orange, sweet fig, black pepper and ginger, so you could almost see this as a fragrance as well as a skincare product.

The Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap is a naturally deodorising, vegetable-based soap bar that contains Shea Butter and Apricot Kernel Oil to hydrate and soften and rosewater, spicy peppercorn, patchouli and akigalawood to fragrance.

I'll begin by looking more in depth at the Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil and then the Rosewater and Pink Peppercorn Soap. Info on where to purchase both of the items can be found at the end of the post.

Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil

Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil
Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil

I've written about a number of multi-tasking oils - specifically argan oil - in the past. This one, however, is slightly different from those. Out of all the oils I have written about, I would say it is closest in product type to The Body Shop Beautifying Oils, but with one fantastic difference: the sprayer.

This oil comes packaged in a glass bottle with a metal spray cap. This means there is no pouring out of the oil onto the hands to massage it into the skin, and instead you can spray it onto the body or hair with a light mist, applying more if necessary rather than applying too much and not being able to do anything about it. If you are a fan of the spray bottle Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse oil, then this is likely to be right up your street.

As explained in the intro, this can be used in different ways. It can be used on the body, on the face or hair. However, as my hair goes greasy very easily and my skin is incredibly oily (even though oil on oily skin isn't necessarily a bad thing!), I have been sticking to using this as a body oil and boy, do I love it.

Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil
Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil

When using on the body, I find that it's best to use on damp skin straight out of the bath/shower. This means that the oil spreads easier over the skin and in turn you can use less product at a time. It also absorbs a little easier too.

So straight out of the bath/shower you spray this on and massage in, and the first thing you will notice is that beeaaaautiful smell. And you know what? The smell lasts. For example, I have put this on before bed and I have woken up with the scent still going strong on my skin. This type of thing excites me because it opens up so many potentials for scent layering with your favourite perfumes, or it can even be used to fragrance the skin without the need for perfume if you prefer.

Hydration wise, I find that this oil does a great job at keeping the skin soft and smooth with a subtle glow. If you prefer more of a glow on the skin, you can apply more oil to build it up, but if you prefer just a slight glow, you can do that too! If you have super dry skin you will likely be layering this with a stronger body lotion on top, or you can always apply extra oil throughout the day to keep the skin feeling moisturised.

Another bonus with this oil is that is doesn't leave the skin feeling greasy. It absorbs quickly and you're left with no greasiness on the skin at all.

Overall, I am adoring this oil. A serious amount. It's so easy to simply spray on post bath/shower, massage in and go. Not only that, but the scent is so easy to wear. It isn't heavy, it's inoffensive and, like Crabtree & Evelyn say on the packaging, it takes you back to those happy and lazy summer evenings. Perfect.


Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap

Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap
Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap

The Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap is described by Crabtree & Evelyn as a hand soap, but to test it out I also used it as a body wash. I did this because the packaging states that it leaves the skin with a natural and dewy glow, but this seems like something you'd be more expecting to see on the body rather than the hands. Either way, it confused me a tad, so I went along with hey, soap is soap. Let's try both.

As with the oil, and all other Crabtree & Evelyn products, the first thing that you notice with this soap is the gorgeous fragrance that it carries. Actually, that was a lie. If it is the first time that you use it then the first thing you notice is that super pretty packaging. Just look how cute it is!

Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap
Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap

Moving on though, this soap lathers up so easily, so you won't need to be using too much at a time with it. It spreads easily across the skin and leaves it feeling incredibly clean yet not dried out, which is good news if you suffer from dry skin.

I find that it leaves the skin smelling nice for quite a while after use, so that makes it quite good to use as a bodywash if you want to. Crabtree & Evelyn actually recommend using this as part of a three-step hand care routine, beginning with their Hand Recovery scrub to exfoliate the hands, then the soap, and then follow it up with some of their Hand Therapy cream to moisturise. I have previously reviewed their La Source Hand Recovery and Hand Therapy products, so I tried out this routine myself.

The three-step routine does indeed leave your hands feeling possibly the softest they have ever felt, so I really do recommend trying it out if you like to keep your hands feeling soft and smooth.

Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap
Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap

Overall, I do like this soap. It leaves the skin feeling clean and nicely fragranced without leaving it dry after use, and that is the most important thing when trying out any new bar of soap in my opinion. It ticks the boxes and it works great as part of the three-step routine with other Crabtree & Evelyn products.

I think that they're both great new additions to the Crabtree family of products, and out of the two I would highly recommend checking out the Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil. I am seriously in love with it!

You can purchase both products from Crabtree & Evelyn.

What are your thoughts on the Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate & Argan Oil Nutri-Oil and Rosewater & Pink Peppercorn Soap? What Crabtree & Evelyn product is your fave?
Let me know in the comments below!

Zoe. @Beautifinous

*These products were sent to me as review considerationsHowever, this hasn't in any way affected my review with all thoughts and feelings about the products being 100% my own.

Wednesday 27 September 2017

Quick Update - Brief Break

Hi all!

I tried to put off having to go down this route, but I'm going to be taking a couple of weeks away from posting on the blog.

I've had a very, very busy time recently, but the fact that I've barely had a moment has caused problems with my migraines again. Therefore, I have decided that a couple of weeks off to simply recharge and catch myself back up would be more beneficial for the blog.

My next post is already underway, and I will be taking time to write when I can over the next couple of weeks, and hopefully this will mean that when I'm back that I can keep my posts up to the usual standard of quality that they are normally. I'd rather not let a migraine cause a lower quality post when taking a breather can do the world of good.

I promise that I haven't gone anywhere and I'll be back with an array of posts, especially coming up to Christmas!

Meanwhile, I hope that you all have an amazing couple of weeks before I post again, and I will be Tweeting when I can too, so you can keep up with me there!

Love you all and thanks to everyone for your support of the blog!

Zoe. @Beautifinous

Friday 15 September 2017

Polaar Icy Magic Instant Eye Contour Energiser review

No one likes mornings. Well, actually, that's a lie. Some people like mornings, but I'm definitely not one of them. I hate being tired and my eyes always get super puffy and dark circles appear too. If you're like this too, then today's post is for you.

Polaar Icy Magic Instant Eye Contour Energiser roll on
Polaar Icy Magic Instant Eye Contour Energiser roll on

My recent Birchbox provided me with the opportunity to try out the Polaar Icy Magic Instant Eye Contour Energiser eye roll on which promises to help you look instantly rested and refreshed. In addition, it also helps to stimulate eyelash growth, claiming to provide at least 30% added natural volume of the eyelashes after 15 days of daily use. The cooling roller ball applicator is designed to help to drain the eye contour area and reduce puffiness, the look of tired eyes and dark circles.

I was really excited as the previous two Polaar products I've tried out have been fab (see my review of the Polaar Polar Night Cream). 

As a side note, if you landed on this page from looking up reviews of the September Birchbox samples, I do have a couple of in depth reviews on the Dr.PAWPAW balms that were also featured in this box.

The Icy Magic eye roll on that I have comes in a metallic silver squeeze tube with a rollerball applicator and it holds 10ml of product. I looked it up on the Polaar website and the packaging for the sellable product appears to be different, but it states that it also holds 10ml of product. To make matters more confusing, when you view the product on the Birchbox website, the packaging is different again (but still holds 10ml). Therefore, I'm not 100% sure on which is the correct packaging, but the consensus between all of the designs seems to be that you will receive 10ml. If anyone can confirm or correct me on this, please do let me know!

Wednesday 30 August 2017

Philip Kingsley Flaky/Itchy Scalp Shampoo review

Let's be honest - no one likes an itchy, flaky scalp. I hate it, I'm sure you hate it, but it can be a pain to fix. This seems to be particularly true if you prefer to avoid certain ingredients in your haircare, such as silicones or SLS. Most mainstream and popular options contain them and for some of us that can cause more bad than it can good. 


I've had the issue of an itchy, flaky scalp over the last year or so, and I've (rather literally) been scratching my head wondering if I'll ever find the perfect solution that works best for me. Today I'm going to be writing about a product that I feel is worth giving a thorough discussion about: the Philip Kingsley Flaky/Itchy Scalp Shampoo

Chances are that you have probably heard of Philip Kingsley products already. After all, the company is famous for products such as the Elasticizer, and if you're a beauty box fan then you're likely to have received at least one sample of their products at least once. Therefore, it was a natural option to find myself putting my trust in the hands of the renown haircare company led by the "world's leading expert on hair and scalp care" to try to solve my problem as soon as I discovered that the Flaky/Itchy Scalp Shampoo is free of the majority of ingredients I usually avoid (it is free of SLS and silicones, but does contain fragrance. Full ingredients list further on in the post).

It is a mild formula that promises to clarify and gently cleanse the hair and scalp of flakes and irritation. It is a multi-award winning formula and it doesn't dry out the hair or strip colour. 

It comes packaged in a sleek, fat white bottle with a curved flip cap lid. It comes in a range of sizes which makes it great for travelling, salons or if you just prefer buying a massive bottle of shampoo over smaller ones all of the time. 

The shampoo itself is like a clear gel, no colours added.

Thursday 17 August 2017

Avon mark. Liquid Lip Lacquer Matte and Shine swatches and reviews

There are two loves in the lipstick world right now: matte lipstick and liquid lipstick. Today, I have a mixture of both to show you. Matte liquid lipstick and liquid lip lacquer with a shine finish.

Avon mark. Liquid Lip Lacquer
Avon mark. Liquid Lip Lacquer

Yep, that's right. Enter Avon's new mark. Liquid Lip Lacquer's that come in both a matte and a shine finish. The shades are pretty much the same on both sides (with a couple of exceptions), just different finishes. There are 12 matte shades and 12 shine, bringing us to 24 in total.

The matte shades promise to leave a velvet finish and the shine shades a moisturising vinyl finish, but both of them claim to be long-wearing and to never bleed or feather.

Sadly I wasn't able to get my hands on every single shade this time, but I have got the majority of the matte shades.

Each of the lipsticks come packaged in a small, transparent, rectangle plastic tube with a wand applicator hidden in the screw cap lid. The applicator is diamond shape that claims to provide full and precise coverage in one sweep. 

So let's jump on in and check out the shades that I have to show you today, and there is info on how to get hold of them at the end.

Tuesday 8 August 2017

Sacred Soul Holistic Essential Oils reviews

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Hi guys! I just wanted to start off by apologising for my absence over the last couple of weeks or so. I had some really huge things that I had to deal with, and I just wanted to thank you all for your patience. We’re getting back on track here now though, so I’ll jump straight into the post.

Sacred Soul Holistics Essential Oils: Eucalyptus, Lavender, Peppermint, Ylang-Ylang and Tea Tree
Sacred Soul Holistics Essential Oils: Eucalyptus, Lavender, Peppermint, Ylang-Ylang and Tea Tree

I've written in depth about essential oils in the past and even posted some DIY Beauty posts that use them, but today I’m going to be showing you a range of oils from a brand called Sacred Soul Holistics. They’re a brand with an interesting story, which I’ll get to in a moment, and today I have one of each of the essential oils that they have available: Tea Tree, Lavender, Ylang-Ylang, Eucalyptus and Peppermint.

Each of their oils are certified organic and 100% pure. They are steam extracted and contain no extra chemicals like silicones or parabens. For an oil to be truly effective, they need to be pure, so this is an important thing to keep in mind when purchasing oils and these ones tick the boxes. 

From the get go, one of the things I love about Sacred Soul Holistics is their no nonsense, truth telling attitude. On their About Us page you won't be finding any claims to be this or that, but instead you fill find an honest account of how the company came to be: two life-long friends who somehow ended up with a passion for natural living. They took this passion and turned it into a business selling essential oils. No years of experience or fancy job titles to boot, just a passion for the products they sell. And that's great.

From this passion came lots of research and introducing natural remedies to friends and family. I know this is something myself and I'm sure lots of you reading this article have done too. From their research they discovered what I'm sure many of us have encountered; sometimes oils work for one person, but not for another. What they continued to discover, however, was that some oils available on the market are actually full of chemicals, and this is a possible reason for why they don't work. As consumers, this didn't make them happy. This is why they set up Sacred Soul Holistics, for others with an interest in natural remedies to have access to oils that have more chance of success by being pure. No chemical filler, just like the lack of boasting filler on their About Us page.

Don't think that this means that there aren't any experts involved though. Scott and Kristan made sure to seek out expert advice too, and through the combined effort they have created the range that include the five oils that I have to show you all today (the rest of their range is made up of Ear Candles).

So as I mentioned above, today I’m going to be showing you their range of oils. So let’s check them out.

Friday 14 July 2017

Leather and Stench: The Grasse Roots of French Perfume

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Grasse, France. I'm sure you've heard of it, particularly if you're a fragrance fan. Considered by many as the capital of perfume, which also then allowed iconic scents from numerous French perfume houses to see the light of day (Gabrielle Chanel is even said to have created Chanel No.5 in Grasse). But how did Grasse become the birthplace of French perfume, and of modern day fragrances as we know it? 

Grasse - Parfumerie 3
Grasse Parfumerie By Christophe.Finot (Own work (own photography)) via Wikimedia Commons

Grasse wasn't always famous for perfume. Originally, it was a place full of tanneries that made leather. So how did this transition occur? And how did leather production play a role in modern day perfume? It's actually a fascinating story, so as a break from reviewing items, today I'm going to be sitting in my storytelling chair to tell you about the history of the relationship between leather and perfume, and how this relationship transformed Grasse and the world of fragrance forever. 

Tuesday 4 July 2017

Zenmed AHA/BHA Refining Scrub and Facial Cleansing Gel reviews

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Last week I posted the first half of my Zenmed skincare post that featured the AHA/BHA Complex, Renewing Microdermabraison Complex and the Derma Cleanse Acne Mask & Spot Treatment. The products together focus on helping to banish acne or blemishes and reduce the appearance of red marks and the production of excess oil on the skin. 

Zenmed AHA/BHA Refining Scrub, Renewing Microdermabraison Complex, Facial Cleansing Gel, Derma Cleanse Acne Mask & Spot Treatment and AHA/BHA Complex
Zenmed AHA/BHA Refining Scrub, Renewing Microdermabraison Complex, Facial Cleansing Gel, Derma Cleanse Acne Mask & Spot Treatment and AHA/BHA Complex

Today I am back with the promised second half of the post that is going to be featuring the AHA/BHA Refining Scrub and the Facial Cleansing Gel
.

As I did with the first post, I'm going to explain each product within their designated sections as to not clutter up the intro and to cause any confusion. I'm also not going to repeat anything that I said in part one, so for a more in depth intro I will direct you to the original post and instead just dive right on into discussing the products.

Info on where to purchase the products can be found at the end of the post.

Thursday 29 June 2017

Zenmed AHA/BHA Complex, Renewing Microdermabrasion Complex and Derma Cleanse Acne Mask & Spot Treatment reviews

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Acne, spots, blemishes, zits, pimples, oily skin. Whatever words you choose to describe what's going on with your skin, there's one thing we can all agree on: it can be a pain in the bum to sort out. Not to fear though, today I have another range to show you all with the goals of clearing up your skin, no matter the issues. This post is also another feature within the "perfecting your base" theme that I've been focusing on recently (other posts include the Omorovicza Refining Facial Polish, Pixi Glow Tonic and my guide on getting rid of shaving rash/irritation)

Zenmed AHA/BHA Refining Scrub, Renewing Microdermabrasion Complex, Facial Cleansing Gel, Derma Cleanse Acne Mask & Spot Treatment and AHA/BHA Complex
Zenmed AHA/BHA Refining Scrub, Renewing Microdermabrasion Complex, Facial Cleansing Gel, Derma Cleanse Acne Mask & Spot Treatment and AHA/BHA Complex

Zenmed is a brand that focus on merging medicinal and natural ingredients to create products that actually deliver on their promises. I have a range of their items to show you (as you can see in the photo above), but as I have a fair amount to discuss with you about them I have decided to split this post up into two halves, reviewing some of the items in this post and the rest will be reviewed next week in part 2.

Within this post I am going to be showing you the AHA/BHA Complex, the Renewing Microdermabrasion Complex and the Derma Cleanse Acne Mask & Spot Treatment. I'll describe each of the items and review them within their own sections as to not clutter up the post and to keep it as clear as possible.

Next weeks post will discuss the AHA/BHA Refining Scrub and the Facial Cleansing Gel.

There will be a part at the end to direct you to where to purchase the collection if you are intrigued to try it!

So let's take a look, shall we?

Tuesday 20 June 2017

Crabtree & Evelyn Florentine Freesia Body Lotion and Moroccan Myrrh Cologne reviews

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Everyone! It's hot in the UK! Isn't that fantastic!? I really hope that you're all staying hydrated. Today's post though isn't going to be focusing on that though, but it will be focusing on keeping your skin hydrated. In addition, there was a wee holiday that happened over the weekend (Father's Day, I'm looking at you), and there is an item I was hoping to review for you in time for it. Alas, it didn't arrive on time, but I'm still going to be reviewing it for the men out there or for the men in your life anyway (if you fancy treating them)!

Crabtree & Evelyn Florentine Freesia Body Lotion
Crabtree & Evelyn Florentine Freesia Body Lotion

I recently reviewed the La Source collection by Crabtree & Evelyn that is perfect for summer, and today I bring you two more items that are also great for summer. The Florentine Freesia Body Lotion and the Moroccan Myrrh Cologne for men are two different but equally exciting items. I'll begin by explaining them briefly and then I'll jump into more depth afterwards. Info on where to purchase both items is at the end of the post.

The Florentine Freesia Body Lotion is a limited edition body lotion from the Heritage collection. The Heritage collection is based around three different flowers: Freesia, Violet and Jasmine. Each flower has a number of products that are scented with their corresponding flower. The Florentine Freesia items are scented with freesia, orange, pear and amber and come as the Body Lotion we're looking at today as well as the Bath and Shower Gel, Hand Therapy, Flower Water and Body Cream.

The Moroccan Myrrh Cologne is a fresh yet spicy composition for men that comes in a 100ml bottle size only. I can only describe it as being perfect for summer if you're the type of guy/your recipient is the type of guy who likes a bit of spice and zest.

Wednesday 14 June 2017

Pixi Glow Tonic review

I've recently posted a couple of posts about helping to perfect your base (check out my posts about hair removal and clearing up shaving irritation and on the Omorovicza Refining Facial Polish). Think clearer skin, even skin tone, brighter, smoother skin, and so on. Whilst we had a couple of lipstick posts in between, today I'm back with what can only be described as a cult classic item to discuss with you all and I'm sure it needs no real introduction.

Pixi Glow Tonic
Pixi Glow Tonic

The Pixi Glow Tonic is an exfoliating toner that promises to remove dead skin cells, tone, brighten and firm the skin. It contains Glycolic Acid to exfoliate, Aloe Vera to soothe and ginseng to energise. It also contains Witch Hazel which is a great ingredient to help with blemishes too. It's suitable for all skin types, is alcohol free, not tested on animals and is hypoallergenic. 

A lot of folks have had great results with the Pixi Glow Tonic in regards to reducing the appearance of acne/blemish marks, evening out the skin tone, diminishing blackheads and creating a healthy glow. 

It comes bottled in a transparent orange bottle with both a green label and screw cap lid and the bottle holds either 100ml or 250ml of product. The toner itself is clear in colour, but if you've either seen or used this product in the past you may be aware that it used to be orange in colour. The Glow Tonic has gone through a minor re-formulation a couple of years back, and if you would like to know more about it I do recommend this fantastic post that goes into a lot of detail regarding the differences.

Tuesday 6 June 2017

Avon mark. The Bold Lipstick swatches and review

As I promised in my last post (featuring the Avon True Colour Perfectly Matte Lipstick Blushed Shades and the new Supreme Nourishing Lipstick shades), I'm back again today with the second half of my Avon Lipstick swatch-a-thon! Today I'm bringing you the mark. The Bold Lipstick swatches, which if I am not mistaken is a rebrand of the old Ultra Colour Bold Lipsticks. Even still, I have the range here in swatch format to show you all of the shades.

Avon mark. The Bold Lipstick
Avon mark. The Bold Lipstick

The Avon mark. The Bold Lipsticks are marketed as being Avon's most pigmented lipstick ever. It comes in a range of 12 shades and each one is made up of a rich, moisturising formula and contain SPF15. They also promise vivid colour in just one application and that they will stay put for hours.

Each of them come packaged in the new Avon mark. style packaging, but the one that I received did come in the old Ultra Colour Bold packaging. This means that whilst the tube of the lipstick in the above photo looks different to the one in the book, the shades in the swatches are still the same.

Let's take a look!

Thursday 1 June 2017

Avon True Colour Perfectly Matte Lipstick Blushed Shades and new Supreme Nourishing Lipstick shade swatches

There's a lot going on over at Avon recently. You may have already seen my posts about their new mark. range and the new 3D Plumping Lipstick shades, but I have another bunch of goodies to show you today and in a follow up post. Whew!

Avon True Colour Supreme Nourishing Lipstick in Crimson Dream
Avon True Colour Supreme Nourishing Lipstick in Crimson Dream

Avon are currently releasing numerous new shades to prior collections as well as releasing new lines under their new mark. collection, so there really is a lot of activity going on over in the Avon camp right now for me to update you all on.

This post is going to be looking at the new Blushed Shades of the True Colour Perfectly Matte Lipstick and the new True Colour Supreme Nourishing Lipstick shades, but I do have another post incoming soon to show you swatches of the new mark. lipstick line too. 

If you are interested in the new 3D Plumping Lipstick shades, I have already swatched them and they can be found on the blog. Lots and lots of lipsticks; lipstick everywhere!

So without further ado, let's get into the new shades of the present collections.

Wednesday 24 May 2017

Omorovicza Refining Facial Polish review

During the summer, there are certain things that you just don't want to do. Heavy makeup is one of those things. It's just too much, but sometimes some people may feel more insecure about the condition of their skin. Because of that, I'm going to focus some posts on my own personal beauty motto: perfect the base and the rest will follow. It also continues on with the same sort of theme of my last post about eradicating shaving rash and ingrown hairs to help reduce insecurity, but in this post we're going to be looking at the face and creating the bright, clear, fresh base to help you feel more comfortable and confident to strip back the makeup.

Omorovicza Refining Facial Polish
Omorovicza Refining Facial Polish

When it comes to facial exfoliators, there are two types: a scrub and a liquid, chemical exfoliator. The Omorovicza Refining Facial Polish is a gentle face scrub that is also a peel. It’s like the best of both worlds, but at the same time it is also the texture of a cream. It contains Hungarian Moor Mud from a thermal lake just outside Budapest which is rich in minerals, as well as lava stone to remove dead skin cells, but as it is so gentle it is suitable to use even on sensitive skin. It also contains Lactobionic Acid which acts like glycolic acid, minus the irritation, and Exotic Fruit acids to plump the skin for a more youthful appearance. 

If that wasn’t enough, it is also enriched with Hungarian Thermal Water,  Omorovicza’s patented Hydro Mineral Transference delivery system (which helps the thermal water to be absorbed into the skin to maximise its benefits), micro-algae for radiance and Cooper Gluconate as an astringent and to control sebum. So, a bit of a hard worker, then!?

The scrub itself is dark green in colour and it comes bottled in a white and transparent tube that holds 100ml of product (I have a smaller sized 30ml tube). It also has a nice, earthy type of smell to it.

Monday 15 May 2017

Hair Removal - No More Irritation/Shaving Rash!

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The warmer weather is finally coming, which means it's time to ditch the jeans and pull out the shorts and skirts. You might even be jetting off with a suitcase full of bikinis instead of outfits. All great for most, but for some of us it can cause a bit of a worry. Sensitive skin and hair removal are two things that don't always get on very well, leaving some people feeling either self conscious or low. Today's post is for those who are looking for tips or product recommendations to help soothe this irritation so that you too can have smooth legs, underarms or bikini line with no irritation, ingrown hairs or shaving rash to show off during the summer.

Pfft, unachievable perfect legs

Let's be blunt from the start though - hair removal isn't a necessity. It's okay to go natural if you want to go natural. This post is not about telling you to conform to any certain beauty standards, that goes against what I believe in here on Beautifinous. This post is for those that simply just prefer to remove hair out of personal choice and would like to achieve it without the rash, itching, ingrown hairs or discomfort that can come with it. 

It has taken me a long time to find the right products that actually help with shaving irritation, so I hope that for those of you are still searching for a solution manage to find something within this post that may help. Also, if you have any more tips or tricks, please feel free to share them in the comments!

I've split this post into sections to discuss each stage of the process in more detail: pre-hair removal, hair removal and post-hair removal. During each section I'll mention a few of my favourite products, but to make it easier and clearer I will add a list of the mentioned products from each section at the end of said section for you to purchase them if you wish.

Let's dive on in.

Thursday 4 May 2017

The Organic Pharmacy Lip and Eye Cream review

Now and then a certain product can come along and you fall in love with it so much that you end up stockpiling it out of fear of ever being without it. It's very rare that I actually start my posts off by declaring my love for a product before I actually launch into the review itself, but this is one of those occasions. Today's post is going to be about one of those products that I'm in love with and can't imagine myself without.

The Organic Pharmacy Lip and Eye Cream
The Organic Pharmacy Lip and Eye Cream

The Organic Pharmacy Lip and Eye Cream is a highly nourishing cream for both the eye and lip area. It is designed to reduce the appearance of fine lines, puffiness and dark circles under the eyes and to smooth and hydrate dry lips. It can be used around the eyes and lips, as well as on the lips as an intensive lip balm.

The Lip and Eye Cream contains a blend of Shea Butter, Eye Bright, Rosehip Oil, Aloe, Fennel, Frankincense, Evening Primrose Oil, Neroli and Bilberry to reduce the signs of ageing and to make the skin look smoother and lips look plumper. Overall it is 70.6% organic. 

It comes packaged in a small white tube holding 10ml of product. The tube then comes in a small white box. The cream itself is rather thick and bright white. 

Thursday 27 April 2017

Avon mark. Be Blushed Stick & Big Colour Eye Pencil reviews & swatches

Hi all! So as promised, todays post is a continuation of my previous post discussing the new Avon mark. range. For the low-down on what the mark. range is, I recommend giving it a quick read first as this post is going to be focusing more on what else is new and what has been rebranded under the mark. umbrella.

Avon mark. Be Blushed Stick and Big Colour Eye Pencil
Avon mark. Be Blushed Stick and Big Colour Eye Pencil

I will be taking a more in depth look at a couple of the items from the range, the Be Blushed Stick and the Big Colour Eye Pencil (also listed as the Big Colour Shadow Stick). I also have a few videos to show you some extra sneak peeks at some of the other items in the mark. range that I will be posting over on my Twitter, along with a couple at the end of this post too along with a link to my Avon store where you can purchase anything you fancy from the new collection.

So moving into the review element of this post, I'll be looking at the Be Blushed Stick first and then the Big Colour Eye Pencil afterwards.

Tuesday 18 April 2017

Avon mark. 3D Plumping Lipsticks review and swatches

Calling all Avon makeup fans! Today I have some exciting news to share with you all. Avon are continuing their makeup rebranding and have now launched their new mark. range! 

With the new packaging and new range ethos ("Your face is the canvas: you are the artist. The mark. range has everything you need to create your work of art"), it can be easy to assume that everything in the mark. range is new. It can also be easy to assume that some of your old favourite Avon makeup products have disappeared (such as the Ultra Colour items). Neither are the case here. The majority of the items within this collection are simply rebranded products; your old favourites in new packaging. Some new items appear, but the bulk of the new-ness is coming from new shades added to old lineups, and that is what todays post is going to be showcasing today.

Avon mark. 3D Plumping Lipsticks
Avon mark. 3D Plumping Lipsticks

The mark. 3D Plumping Lipstick is the old Avon Ultra Colour 3D Plumping Lipsticks that have simply been re-packaged and the shades have all been given new names also. Since I last spoke about this range, there are five new shades which are what we shall be taking a look at in this post.

These lipstick shades aren't the only mark. goodies that I have to show you, however. If you want to check out a couple more items from the range, make sure that you keep your eyes peeled for my next post which will feature the mark. Be Blushed Stick and mark. Big Colour Eye Pencil. I had originally intended on keeping it as one full post, but it was a bit over-full. Two posts it is then!

I'm not going to spend this post going into too much detail about the 3D Plumping Lipsticks as I have already posted about them before (click above for those swatches). For those of you who don't know anything about them though, they are a range of lipsticks that are designed to not only add bold and creamy colour to the lips, but thanks to their Retinol Colour Complex and Collagen, you can have bigger, fuller looking lips too.

Friday 7 April 2017

Korebeauty Anti-Ageing Hydrogel Facial Mask review

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Sheet masks are having a bit of a thing right now, and for good reason. They're cleaner to use than a regular mask, easier to remove and the sheet helps the product to penetrate the skin for better results. So can it get any better? Step up, hydrogel!

Korebeauty Anti-Ageing Hydrogel Facial Mask
Korebeauty Anti-Ageing Hydrogel Facial Mask

Korebeauty is a new brand set up by TK Gilbert with the aim to provide a mask that gives better results than a regular sheet mask by utilising the benefits of hydrogel. Instead of cotton or pulp that can slip off, the hydrogel mask does a better job at preventing any mask dripping or sliding off the face. In addition, it also allows the essence to penetrate the skin better due to the gel forming closer contact to the skin without any drying or irritation.

It's not all about the hydrogel though. The hydrogel is what helps the mask to penetrate the skin, and we haven't yet taken a look at what is contained within it.

So far the mask is available in an Anti-Ageing variety (which we will be talking about today), but soon there will also be Radiance and Vitality options available as well. 

The Anti-Ageing mask contains a range of ingredients to help reduce the appearance off fine lines and wrinkles as well as to even out skin tone: Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol. 

The masks come in a box of five and each individual mask comes packaged in a sleek white and gold sachet. The sachets are then packaged in a box with the same design as the sachet. I would have taken a photo of the box, but the postman really dented mine as it was squished through the letterbox! Thanks, postman!

Tuesday 4 April 2017

The English Soap Company Rich Shea Butter Soap review

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Soap. We all use it, we all need it, but who said it has to be boring? It doesn't, and in today's post we're going to be looking at some beautifully fragranced soap bars that will seriously amp up your daily washing routine.

The English Soap Company Honey & Camomile and Green Tea Rich Shea Butter Soaps
The English Soap Company Honey & Camomile and Green Tea Rich Shea Butter Soaps

The English Soap Company is a brand that focuses on creating luxurious, perfumed soaps that are made using shea butter and vegetable oils. Each carry their own heavy amount of fragrance that is specifically designed by a top perfumer to make sure that they last from first use to last. This also makes each of the soaps by the brand unique in comparison to other companies. Each of the soaps also come wrapped in vintage Italian sheets of paper for that extra dash of luxury, too. 

As far as founding stories go, The English Soap Company certainly has a slightly different yet interesting one. The company was founded twelve years ago when the founders, Bob and Juliet, came across some old fashioned soap moulds in a machinery workshop farm in Kent. From there they set out on a journey to learn how to create the type of soaps that they remembered from childhood.

They spent years perfecting the art of blending the perfect, smooth and silky soap bars that they sell today. Each of them are triple blended to guarantee the smoothest formula before they are pressed. They are also cruelty free.

They come in a wide range of gorgeously packaged and delightfully scented options, from Bluebell to Autumn Fruits. Today I am going to be discussing two of their classic scents: Green Tea and Honey and Camomile. 

Both of them come packaged in their own unique and extremely pretty packaging and are packed as 200g bars. The actual soap itself is just off white in colour with "Pure Vegetable Soap Made In England" pressed into the top. 

Tuesday 28 March 2017

So Eco Rose Gold Stippling Brush and Look Good Feel Better Blush Brush reviews

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So spring is officially here! Hurrah! Now whilst spring may be all about flowers blooming and the birds a-chirping, it can also mean spring cleaning. That spring cleaning can also refer to our makeup collections, including brushes. Don't worry though! Today I'll be telling you all about a couple of brushes that I've been trialling recently for you all.

Look Good Feel Better Blush Brush and So Eco Stippling Brush
Look Good Feel Better Blush Brush and So Eco Stippling Brush

So Eco have released a new range of rose gold makeup brushes and I have myself here their Stippling Brush to show you all today. In addition, I also have a Blush Brush from the fantastic charity Look Good Feel Better

Look Good Feel Better is a worldwide charity that aims to help women undergoing treatment for any type of cancer by trying to raise their self-esteem levels by providing makeup workshops, in turn helping them through what can otherwise be a terrifyingly daunting and sad time. This month I lost my own father to cancer, so I know how badly it can effect a persons confidence and how it can completely turn life up on its head. Therefore I am truly honoured to be writing about a charity today that can help others in need (details of how to donate if you wish to do so are at the end of the post).

Don't think that means that the other brush in this post isn't doing some good though! So Eco base their entire line around being 100% Eco-friendly and cruelty free. Today is just a good post all round.

I'll focus on the brushes one at a time and will go into more detail with each below.