New In Beauty: Creating My Perfect Colour Palette with Tropic

Hands up if you love the convenience of makeup palettes, but find that there's always at least one or two shades that you just never reach for? Say farewell to those unloved pans of product and build your own perfect makeup palette with the latest launch from Tropic.

There's no point denying it; there's a massive amount of waste in the beauty industry and as consumers, much of the problem lies directly with us and the frightening number of products that we throw away unused every year. Not only is this terrible for our bank balances, but it's not good for the Environment either, with many of our plastic toiletries and makeup bottles ending up in the oceans or adding to the landfill problem if they're not properly recycled. 

Customisable makeup palettes are nothing new, many brands have been offering them for years, but I think what has changed is the consumer mindset towards products that are more eco-friendly, sustainable, vegan and cruelty-free. For these reasons, there couldn't be a better time to streamline your makeup collection, and this is why Tropic's new Colour Palette has attracted so much attention recently.

With 50 product options and a mind-boggling 734 million combinations, Tropic has launched a refillable makeup system that allows you to create your bespoke dream palette - the one that you'll use every day and take everywhere with you. When you've used up a certain shade, you can simply recycle the aluminium pan and purchase a refill, or try a completely new product in its place. All of Tropic's makeup is proudly made in Britain, certified vegan and cruelty-free, and they are a carbon neutral and Good Shopping Guide Ethical Company to boot.

Where To Start?

First, pick your Tropic Colour Palette* (£16 or free if you purchase your makeup products at the same time). There are four different configurations of the palettes available, so have a good think about the products that you'll use the most often. I chose Combination C which features two small trays, two medium trays and one large tray, and this is perfect for me.

The palette itself is smaller than most smartphones these days (for reference, it's slightly smaller than an iPhone 7 and about the same width) which makes it compact for travelling, but still large enough to use on a daily basis. It's made from smooth white plastic with recyclable aluminium trays and a large mirror in the reverse of the lid. I think it's very chic!

Building My Perfect Colour Palette

Now comes the fun part! Once you've decided which combination of palette to go for, you can then choose all of the products to fill it with. For the small pans, there are two types of brow products (a pomade and a powder), and two eye products (pressed shadows and wax liners). The medium pan has a wider choice with a mix of creams and powders (concealers, blushers, bronzers, contours and highlighters), and finally, the large pan can hold cream blush or concealer, powder blush or bronzer, or a setting powder.

For my palette, I chose the following:-

[Small pan] Brow Boss Defining Powder in Carob* (1.5g, £8): Available in three shades, this pigmented powder makes it easy to define your brows and contains Coconut Oil to condition them. Also doubles up as an eyeliner and eyeshadow.

[Small pan] Eyes On You Pressed Shadow in Pebble* (1.5g, £8): With thirteen shade of eyeshadow to choose from, I ended up picking Pebble which is a beautiful light shimmery taupe with brown and purple undertones. 

[Medium pan] Way To Glow Pressed Highlighter in Rose Gold* (3g, £16): I knew that I wanted a blush shade in the palette, but when I saw Rose Gold from the Pressed Highlighters range, I decided to opt for the best of both worlds as this colour can be used to create such a pretty pinky, shimmery glow to the cheeks. I love it!

[Medium pan] Jet Set Pressed Bronzer in Bali Bronze* (3g, £16): No palette could be complete for me without a bronzer and there are three shades that Tropic offers. I picked Bali Bronze which looks like the lightest colour and it delivers a stunning sunkissed finish.

[Large pan] Make It Matte Setting Powder* (5g, £20): As I have a notoriously oily T-Zone, a matte setting powder was a must and I've been enjoying using this translucent finely milled pressed powder to keep my makeup looking its best for longer.

My Perfect Tropic Colour Palette

I'm absolutely smitten with my Tropic Colour Palette and love everything about it, from the high-performance results and colour payoff of the products themselves, to the beautiful design of the palette and how easy it fits into my handbag, it's just perfect! The magnetic pans make it super easy to mix and match products so that you can swap them in and out as often as you please. It's incredibly versatile and I know that I'll be still using this palette for many years to come!

I was also treated to some of Tropic's new makeup brushes which I highly recommend picking up:-

Tropic Eco Artist Precision Face Brush* (£18)

Dual-ended makeup brushes are fantastic for travelling with and they make the ideal accompaniments to a palette like this. The Eco Artist Precision Face Brush features a pointed head which can be used to apply contour and highlighter, and a rounded, domed head to blend foundation and base products. Both ends are made from silky soft, synthetic fibres that are cruelty-free and vegan-friendly, and they can be used with any kind of cream, liquid and powder makeup.

Tropic Eco Artist 3-in-1 Eye Brush* (£16)

Staying with the overall theme of streamlining and travelling, Tropic also has a clever 3-in-1 Eye Brush up its sleeve! Made from the same soft synthetic fibres as the Precision Face Brush above, this multi-use brush boasts an angled end for applying eyeliner, a small and fluffy head for blending eyeshadow which you can them slip off to reveal a hidden inner spoolie for tidying up your brows. How neat is that?!

Would you like to make your own makeup palette like this?

Special thanks to Tropic for letting me create my perfect Colour Palette* with them! Create your own perfect makeup palette at tropicskincare.com

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New In Beauty: Dr. Hauschka Limited Edition High Spirits Makeup Collection - Review & Swatches + New Eye-Makeup Remover

Dr. Hauschka is one of the leading natural beauty brands throughout Europe, and I've noticed that they are becoming more popular here in the UK. I've tried out many of their luxury skincare and pampering products over the years but hadn't used any of their makeup until now.

When I stumbled upon their latest Limited Edition collection called High Spirits for S/S19, I knew that this was the perfect time for me to pick up some of their cosmetics to test out. This short but sweet range features five brand new products from the German brand and everything is 100% natural, organic, certified to NATRUE standards and cruelty-free, as well as being free from synthetic fragrances, artificial dyes, preservatives, mineral oils, silicones and PEGs.

Below are three products from the High Spirits Collection, plus a notable mention for Dr. Hauschka's brand new, vegan-friendly Eye Makeup Remover.

Dr. Hauschka High Spirits Liquid Lip Colour in 03* (4.5ml, £20.50, link)

The ideal addition to your Summer holiday makeup bag, Dr. Hauschka has released two new exclusive shades of their popular Liquid Lip Colours. I wouldn't say that these are liquid lipsticks in the traditional or mainstream sense of the word as they're more of a sheer, but buildable lip product that offers more coverage than a lipgloss. They have a lovely lightweight and creamy texture that effortlessly glides onto the lips with a nicely shaped doe-foot applicator for a precise pout. 

As these Liquid Lip Colours are formulated with natural ingredients, there's plenty of plant-based nourishment that comes from the likes of Castor Seed Oil, Apricot Oil, Candellia Wax, Mango Butter, Sweet Almond Oil and Beeswax to keep lips soft and moisturised, whilst mineral pigments add a gorgeous pop of colour. I have the shade 03 which is a very pretty, on-trend coral pink with lots of glossy shine. It wears well without being sticky but it does require a touchup after eating and drinking.  

Dr. Hauschka Bronzing Glow Powder* (3.3g, £25, link)

I'm a big fan of using bronzers all year-round, but if you only wear them during the Summer months, Dr. Hauschka's Bronzing Glow Powder will give you a gorgeous sunkissed glow without being orangey, too dark or OTT sparkly. In fact, I highly recommend this for makeup beginners because it is so easy to use! Packaged in a sleek tube, you simply open and twist up to reveal a nifty integrated brush which you can then sweep onto cheekbones, décolleté, arms, legs - basically anywhere that you want to add a subtle bronzed, very fine shimmer finish to. 

In addition to looking good on the skin, it's also good for your skin as it contains medicinal plant extracts such as Witch Hazel and Anthyllis which help to protect and keep the skin soft and supple. The only drawback is that it's only available in one shade meaning that it's better suited for light-medium skin tones, as I don't think it will show up on anyone darker than my light olive complexion as you can judge from the swatch below.

Dr. Hauschka Eye Crayon Duo in 01* (4.8g, £18, link)

Dual colour products like this new Eye Crayon Duo come in so handy for holidays and travelling as they are super easy to just throw into your handbag or clutch to use on the go. Crafted from a blend of natural plant ingredients such as Quince Wax, Shea Butter, Witch Hazel and Anthyllis, I was really impressed by the strong pigment payoff which is mineral-based. It applies smoothly and you can use either colour as an eyeliner or as an eyeshadow all over the lid (if using as the latter, make sure that you apply a good primer/base underneath as I found that it was prone to creasing later on in the day if you have oily lids).

There are two new colourways to choose from and I opted for 01 as it has a dark turquoise/peacock blue on one end (which looks amazing on all eye colours but especially on dark brown eyes like mine), and a smouldering, metallic taupey-bronze on the other. Both shades are simply stunning!

Swatches! Dr. Haushka Limited Edition High Spirits - Bronzing Glow Powder, Eye Crayon Duo in 01 and Liquid Lip Colour in 03

Dr. Hauschka Eye Makeup Remover* (75ml, £25, link)

Whilst I was checking out the High Spirits Collection, I spotted that Dr. Hauschka had also released a brand new Eye Makeup Remover which I was immediately curious to try. Specially developed for sensitive skin, this eye makeup remover is ultra gentle and has a dual-phase water and oil composition that you shake up to combine the two elements before using. This allows the formula to quickly get to work removing all traces of makeup, including stubborn waterproof and long-wearing formulas, without the need for being harsh or abrasive on the delicate eye area.

Key ingredients include Sesame Seed Oil, Glycerin, Rose Flower Water, Sunflower Seed Oil, Castor Oil and Fennel Seed extract. There's also plant-based Alcohol and Fragrance (derived from essential oils) included, but I didn't experience any problems with these on my sensitive eye area, though I would always recommend carrying out a patch test on your own skin first if you have any concerns. The Eye Makeup Remover is packaged in glass too so it's a winner for anyone who is currently looking for a plastic-free alternative!

Have you tried any makeup from Dr. Hauschka?

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High-End Makeup: 3 Products To Try From RMS Beauty - Buruti Bronzer, Eye Polish in Magnetic and Luminizer in Champagne Rosé - Review & Swatches

For the ultimate clean and organic makeup treat, you can't wrong with anything from the luxury brand RMS Beauty. Curious to find out more? Here are three products you should definitely try out from RMS Beauty.

RMS Beauty holds a special pride of place in my makeup collection and I'm in good company, as the brand is incredibly popular with a whole list of Hollywood actresses and supermodels. Developed by the revered celebrity make-up artist Rose-Marie Swift, RMS Beauty makes cruelty-free cosmetics for those who are seeking out clean, raw, organic and natural ingredients in their makeup with skincare benefits, all without compromising colour or performance. 

Yes, ladies (and gents), it's 2019 and we really can have it all!

I've reviewed several RMS Beauty products over the years (you can check those out here), and I was lucky enough to acquire three new additions to my growing collection just before Christmas. 

Each one is housed in the classic frosted glass pots with white lids packaging that RMS Beauty has become famous for (I don't know why but they are so satisfying to hold in your hands!), and I love that underneath you can clearly see the name and shade of the product. For this reason, I usually store them upside down in this manner so that I can quickly find them in my vanity table drawers.

These cream formulas are also fantastic for the Winter months when skin tends to be drier, so if you're new to RMS Beauty or just want to treat yourself to some luxury makeup, here are three products to try out.

 RMS Beauty Buruti Bronzer* (5.6g, £26, link)

If your skin is anything like mine, you may have noticed that it looks a little duller during Winter, but you can easily cheat your way to a more sunkissed looking complexion with this beauty, the Buruti Bronzer. Formulated with RMS' famous wildcrafted Buruti Oil, this ultra-sheer cream bronzer is a delight to work with, especially if you have dry or mature skin (oilier skin types can set this with a little translucent powder to lengthen the staying power). 

The colour is a nice warm bronze shade that's very flattering on, and although it has a healthy golden sheen to it, there's no crazy glitter in here. Instead, you can layer and build up to the colour to suit your skin tone, and it's easy to blend out for the perfect finish. Darker skin tones can use this a gorgeous highlighter shade, whilst paler complexions can adapt it to use as a warming contour shade. 

RMS Beauty Eye Polish in Magnetic* (£26, 4.2g, link)

When I'm in a rush, nothing beats a quick swipe of cream eyeshadow all over the lids with just your finger, and this is perhaps one of the reasons why I love the RMS Eye Polish pots so much. They are the ultimate, fuss-free, low-maintenance makeup products! There are several sheer metallic shades to choose from, and each one contains a unique blend of raw mineral pigments which have been mixed with skin-friendly ingredients such as Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Jojoba Seed Oil and Cocoa Butter, to hydrate and nourish the often dry and delicate eye area.

This shade Magnetic is the brand's bestseller and it's easy to see why. It's a super pretty everyday taupe colour that has just a hint of silver and mauve to keep it interesting. On the lids, they go on creamy with a gorgeous glossy finish that's very wearable and on-trend. As they are so moisturising, I do have to use these with an eyeshadow primer underneath to prevent any creasing as my lids are naturally oily, so I'd recommend doing the same if you want to increase its longevity on the eyes.

RMS Beauty Luminizer in Champagne Rosé* (£36, 4.8g, link)

Only want to try one product from RMS Beauty? Make it one of their luminizers! These creamy highlighter pots of dewy, brightening goodness are the most covetable from the brand, and they have something of a cult following amongst makeup artists and customers alike. Featured regularly in the top beauty editors favourites lists every year, RMS' Luminizers come in a range of different shades to suit and flatter all skin tones.

If you're struggling to pick one, the Champagne Rosé Luminizer is universally popular and is described as a 'blushed pink champagne'. On my light olive/medium skin tone, it delivers a glossy opalescent sheen which draws attention to the high points of the face, and it can transform any look into one that's instantly fresher and more youthful with just one easy swipe.

I feel that it's important to point out that the RMS Beauty Luminizers are not the bling-tastic/OTT highlighters that you constantly see on YouTube and Instagram. These are much more subtle and delicate for an overall understated, sophisticated and chic look. They're particularly great for makeup beginners and newbies to play with as you simply can't go wrong with them!

Swatches! From L-R: RMS Beauty Eye Polish in Magnetic, Luminizer in Champagne Rosé and Buruti Bronzer

What are your favourite products from RMS Beauty?

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Budget Beauty: 3 Makeup Essentials From E.L.F - Review & Swatches

Heads up makeup fans! Everyone's favourite affordable, cruelty-free and vegan makeup brand, e.l.f, just launched on Feel Unique - yay! If you haven't tried e.l.f yet or are looking to pick up some new makeup for school/college/Uni etc, here are three essentials from them that you shouldn't miss.

e.l.f stands for Eyes, Lips, Face and they were actually one of the very first makeup brands that I reviewed when I started blogging because they're so cheap and cheerful. I used a lot of their products when I was a cash-strapped student at college many years ago, and now that I'm a cash-strapped Uni student, they're still a brand that appeals to me! I also love that their whole range is cruelty-free and vegan-friendly. 

They have an enormous array of products and are constantly coming out with new stuff, so below are just three essentials that I'd recommend checking out.

 e.l.f Beautifully Bare Natural Glow Lotion* (25ml, £9, link)

Gorgeous glowy skin will always be on-trend, but if your complexion needs a helping hand, this Beautifully Bare Natural Glow Lotion is a quick and easy way to get your glow on without looking OTT or like an extra from Twilight. Instead, this product feels more like a facial moisturiser-meets-primer as it's light and easily absorbed without any greasy or stickiness.  The lotion is infused with Micro-Shimmering Pearls, Vitamin E, Orange, Lemon and Grape extracts, and feels hydrating on so it makes a particularly great base for dry skin. 

Once rubbed in, your skin is transformed with a subtle glowy finish that brightens and illuminates a dull complexion within seconds. I love reaching for this for nights out, and it's also perfect for the day after if you know what I mean! You can also use this Natural Glow Lotion on the décolletage, arms and shoulders, as well as on bare legs for a little sexy shimmer, wherever you want to draw some attention to.

 e.l.f Aqua Beauty Molten Liquid Eyeshadow in Rose Gold* (2.6g, £5, link)

One of the biggest makeup trends this year has been metallic liquid eyeshadows and this new generation of formulas are much lighter than anything that you may have tried in the past. If you haven't experimented with this trend yet, e.l.f have three beautiful metallic shades in their Aqua Beauty Molten Liquid Eyeshadow range and this one in Rose Gold is an absolute stunner as you can see above.

They have a doe-foot applicator and are super easy to apply, blend out and generally work with. The pigmentation is fantastic and although the formula is infused with purified water, they have a decent amount of staying power, especially when applied over an eyeshadow primer. Depending on which shade you go for, these could easily double up as super pretty liquid highlighters too.

e.l.f Matte Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder in Fiji* (8.4g, £5, link)

For the ultimate 2-in-1 makeup bag essential, you absolutely have to pick up e.l.f's bestselling Matte Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder duo. This sleek black compact comes with a mirror for easy touch-ups on the go and features two large pans of product; a beautiful dusky rose blusher on the left and a sunkissed bronzer that would work well for light-medium skin tones on the right. 

Both of these powders are soft, finely milled, and apply like a dream. The matte textures allow you to sculpt and contour with the bronzer, whilst the blusher gives a really natural looking flush of colour to the cheeks that brightens up the whole face. I love this duo so much and often reach for it over some of my high-end products because the quality is so good. It's a steal at just £5!

Shop the full range of e.l.f cosmetics at FeelUnique.com

Have you tried anything from e.l.f?

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Currently Loving: Bali Body Bronzing Lotion review

As much I love the results of fake tan, sometimes the whole routine of prepping, exfoliating and developing the colour for several hours can be way too time-consuming, so what's a girl to do when she wants a sunkissed look in a hurry? Reach for the Bronzing Lotion, that's what!

You may have already spotted Bali Body on your Instagram feed lately as they've been constantly popping up on mine. The Aussie brand is famed for their tanning oils and lotions, and I was instantly won over by their cute square-ish packaging which is not only easy to hold, but also slim enough to pop into beach bags and suitcases without taking up too much space.

I took a closer look at Bali Body online and was pleased to discover that they're cruelty-free and vegan-friendly, and that their products are made mostly with natural ingredients (some have a few organic ingredients in there too so check the INCIs if you're interested). With this in mind, I was intrigued to try out their popular Bronzing Lotion to see what all the fuss is about!

The best way for me to describe the Bali Body Bronzing Lotion is that it's like a BB cream, but for your body. It's packed full of nourishing ingredients such as Aloe Vera, Camellia Seed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Argan Oil and Jojoba Oil, and has a thickish body lotion type of texture. With so many oils in it, I was expecting it to be a little on the greasy side, but was pleasantly surprised by how easily absorbed it is, without any stickiness or heaviness. A lot of products like this can be quite drying on the skin, so I've been loving how hydrating this one is instead.

As you can see below, the lotion has a rich chocolate brown colour which looks rather scary and dark, but once rubbed in, it gives the most beautiful subtle bronzed tint to the skin (second photo), thanks to Organic Caramel extract that's blended into the formula. If you want a slightly darker colour, you can also layer it, so I imagine it would work well for most light to medium skin tones. 

This sunkissed glow is instant so it's great to use when you're short on time and perfect for applying before an impromptu night out with the girls! It also has a lovely, slightly coconutty fragrance and will stay on the skin until you wash it off the next day.      

Bali Body Bronzing Lotion* (150ml, £22.95, link)

Are you a fan of instant bronzing lotions?

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Currently Loving: Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look In A Palette in Seductive Beauty - Review & Swatches

On my beauty wishlist, you'll find a lot of Charlotte Tilbury products, such is my obsession with her makeup. The insanely popular Instant Look In A Palettes have been on my radar ever since they launched about two years ago, and now I finally have one!

The story of how this came into my possession is a straightforward one; after one too many glasses of Rioja on a cold, rainy evening last month, I found myself browsing the Charlotte Tilbury website after seeing an offer on Instagram from an online friend who sent me a £15 off voucher code. Bizarrely, I've never ordered directly from the site before, despite having an arsenal of Charlotte Tilbury makeup in my beauty drawers, so I was determined to make good use of this first customer discount.

The wine gave me the courage to splurge and splurge I did. To be fair, I had been on a no-buy for three months prior so it wasn't too bad for my bank balance. I added to my basket an online-only lip liner and lipstick duo and then my attention was drawn back to the gorgeous Instant Look In A Palettes. I'm a sucker for a pretty palette as many of my regular readers will know, and with three colourways to choose from, I did a little online swatch checking and decided to go for Seductive Beauty which I'm absolutely smitten with. 

It arrived promptly with the rest of my order and to say it was love at first sight, is an understatement. 

The Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look In A Palettes have all been cleverly designed so that you have the majority of your makeup curated together in one palette hence the 'instant look' name. The idea behind it is that you can do your makeup quickly and easily, simply by following the numbers in order - perfect for beginners and those who are unsure of what colours go with what - it's super convenient and you only need to add your foundation, mascara and a lippie, and you're good to go!

The palettes are beautifully packaged as you'd expect from Charlotte Tilbury. The outside is kept minimal and classy with her signature logo, and inside there's a huge mirror which is a firm selling point for me as you can just (carefully) throw this into your bag without worrying about packing much else. Overall, it feels luxurious, sturdy, is a relatively compact size (great for travel), and there are no annoying brushes taking up valuable makeup space, so you get excellent sized pans of product, compared to most palettes from other brands.

As you can see, Seductive Beauty is the palette to go for if you love your neutrals!

The top row of Seductive Beauty features three shimmery eyeshadow shades:

• Eye Brighten - a light, peachy-beige with an almost frosty, but fine golden shimmer. Ideal for the inner corner to make your eyes look more awake.
• Eye Enhance -  this is one of those gorgeous medium-taupey browns that looks amazing as an all-over the lid shade and again, it has a hint of fine golden shimmer. 
• Eye Smoke - richly pigmented, this is a killer medium-dark brown to smoke out your eyes with and it has a little golden shimmer for good measure.

All of the eyeshadows apply smoothly without any fallout issues. They blend easily and can be layered up for a more intense look if desired, but are equally as pretty for softer, everyday looks as well. I always wear an eyeshadow primer underneath as I have oily lids, though I have tested them on my sister who never wears a primer and they lasted on her well throughout the day without creasing.

For the second row, we have four pans:

• Face Bronze - this is darker than the bronzer in Charlotte Tilbury's Bronze and Glow palette and actually suits my light olive skin tone a lot more, as it's a medium shade with slightly reddish undertones and a little fine golden shimmer. Blends so nicely on the skin without ever looking muddy, but is quite soft and pigmented, so you need to tap off the excess from your brush before applying.
• Cheek Swish - a warm, light-medium pinky blush with a bright coral quality to it. Has some lovely golden shimmer running through it which gives the cheeks an instant glow.
• Cheek Pop - this is a more medium rosy pink that compliments the Cheek Swish shade well, but can easily be worn on its own of course. Both of these blusher shades are so easy to work with and blend out effortlessly.
• Highlight - a pale golden shimmer with a warm peachy undertone. Incredibly pretty for a more natural glow to the face - it's not going to give you a highlight that you can see from a million miles away!

Overall thoughts? 

I've seen some mixed reviews of the Instant Look In A Palettes, with most of the negativity being directed at the quality not being the same as Charlotte's stand-alone products, an issue that often comes up for many brands who make palettes like this. To be honest though, I can't see a huge difference between them, other than perhaps the powders in this palette being a fraction less pigmented and perhaps a little bit drier than the stand-alone bronzers, highlighters and blushers. Even if that's the case, it's still a beautifully put together palette with products that are easy and enjoyable to work with. 

If you want some Charlotte Tilbury in your life, but don't necessarily have the cash to splash on all the separate products, I think the palettes are a great way to try a lot of shades out and they are amazing for travel too. Neutral lovers definitely need to pick up Seductive Beauty!

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look In A Palette in Seductive Beauty* (£49) from charlottetilbury.com

Have you tried out any of these palettes?

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Introducing: SportFX - Sweatproof, Gym-Friendly Makeup & Skincare

Whether you wear makeup to the Gym or are just looking for a long-wearing makeup range to last you through a busy day at work, SportFX is a brand worth looking into.

I recently read a magazine article where they polled 100 female gym goers and found that at least half of them regularly wear makeup to the gym. The main reason given was because they said makeup helped to give them a confidence boost, which I can totally understand. Sweating it out during a session of Hot Yoga or Weight Training can leave you looking like you've just run a marathon, so if wearing makeup to the gym gets more women into doing regular exercise, then I'm all for it!

Surprisingly though, whilst many makeup brands now offer longer lasting foundations, there aren't many around who have a full range of gym-friendly, sweatproof products which is why I was so curious to try out SportFX. Their entire range is described as 'active makeup and skincare' with innovative long-wearing, sweatproof formulas. Best of all though, their products are very affordable (think high street/drugstore prices) so I couldn't wait to put some of their bestsellers to the test.

 SportFX Cool Down Primer & Recovery Gel* (30ml, £9.99)

If you want your makeup to stay put, applying a primer is one of the easiest steps that you can take to ensuring that it looks good for longer. This gel-based Cool Down Primer promises to be high endurance and contains Aloe Vera Gel, Vitamins C, E & F and the anti-inflammatory Panthenol, to instantly soothe and calm down any redness. It feels really nice and cooling on the skin and provides a lovely smooth base for applying makeup. I put it through its paces during a sweaty cardio session and it really does help to keep everything in place, plus my face looked a lot less flushed and red too - win win! This would be a great primer to use during the Summer months as well. 

 SportFX Balance Boosting BB Cream SPF 20* (30ml, £12.99)

I wasn't expecting much from this Balance Boosting BB Cream as I've tried some similar products from a few other brands in the past, but this one certainly fared better than those. Like the primer, it has a special high-endurance formula which is both fragrance and paraben free. The BB Cream comes in four shades (Medium is pictured above), and is enriched with antioxidants to protect the skin. The formula is quite thick (and best applied with a sponge), but it's sweat-resistant, breathable and matte, and the coverage is what I'd expect from a BB Cream. This held up really well during the sweaty cardio session and was still looking good afterwards. Thanks to the added SPF 20, I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking for a long-lasting, matte, light coverage base for everyday wear, and oily skins will particularly love it.

 SportFX Blend & Go Makeup Blending Sponge* (£4.99)

To apply the BB Cream, I used the Blend & Go Makeup Blending Sponge which has an 8-sided design that can be used with liquids, creams and powders for a flawless finish. The sponge is soft, bouncy and easy to use, with the angled sides allowing you to get into those tricky areas, like around the nose, quickly and effortlessly. I also like using the tip of the sponge on its side for applying concealer underneath the eyes. A clever little makeup tool - well done SportFX!

 SportFX Sport Stamina Mascara* (£9), Shape Up Brow Pencil* (£7.99) & Definition Duo Eyeliner Pencil* (£9.99)

If you're going to wear any kind of eye makeup to the gym, it's a no-brainer that the formulas will need to be waterproof, and all three of these from SportFX proved that they were smudge-proof when I tested them out. The Sport Stamina Mascara is infused with a nourishing and strengthening formula, and contains ingredients such as Sweet Almond Oil, Mango Butter, Carnuba Wax, Coconut Oil and Beeswax. It gives the lashes a good boost of both length and volume, though it did get a little clumpy at the edges, but given its performance, I didn't mind too much.

The Shape Up Brow Pencil comes with an inbuilt spoolie on one end and has an angled pencil tip on the other. It feels a little too dry and waxy for my liking, but if you're prepared to work with warming it up beforehand, it'll happily stay put all day. The Definition Duo Eyeliner Pencil, on the other hand, has a lovely smooth formula that's highly pigmented and is super easy to use. One end features a dark brown and the other a black, so this skinny duo twist-up pencil is a must-have for eyeliner junkies.

 SportFX Performance Powder & Bronzer Compact Duo SPF 15* (13g each, £14.99)

To complete a full face of makeup, this handy Compact Duo features a mattifying powder on the top for a smooth and shine-free finish, and a slide-out bronzer underneath for an all over healthy looking sun-kissed glow. Both of the powder formulas are paraben free and have natural pigments to allow the skin to breathe. I really like both of them - they're finely milled, easy to apply and work with, and the bronzer looks very natural on. The compact has a decent sized mirror in the lid too, making touch-ups before and after the gym a breeze. 

 SportFX Raspberry Rhubarb Recovery Lip Balm SPF 15* (8g, £4.99)

This lip balm was the only product that I tried from SportFX which I was very 'meh' about, simply because it doesn't really do anything that a good quality lip balm does already (the hint of pink tint and the rhubarb custard scent were good though). It feels initially moisturising on the lips thanks to ingredients such as Shea Butter, but I did find that my lips felt dry again after an hour or so, which made me need to reapply it more often than I wanted to. There are so many other amazing lip balms in this price bracket that you can pick up, so I'd give this one a miss. 

 SportFX Time Out Face Mist & Fix* (30ml, £5.99)

For that final step in your makeup routine, a setting spray is an essential helping hand, and this one not only fixes your makeup in place, but it also can be used as a refreshing, hydrating facial spritz whenever you need it. The mineral oil and paraben free formula feels nice and cooling and helps to control shine, so your makeup stays looking fresh for longer. A steal at just £5.99 and the perfect size for tucking into your handbag to use on the go.

SportFX Face Off Duo Eye & Face Makeup Remover Wipes* (20 wipes, £6.99)

When you want to take it all off, these makeup remover wipes do the job effectively and quickly. The box of 20 wipes contains 10 sachets which have a specialised oil-based wipe on the left for removing eye makeup and waterproof mascara, and a micellar water infused wipe on the right for taking off the rest of your makeup. Both of these feel soft on the skin, work incredibly well and removed everything easily! 

Shop the full range of SportFX makeup and skincare at sportfx.com

Do you wear makeup to the gym?

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