Green Beauty: LoveLula Beauty Box - July 2021 review

Featuring excellent value for money every single month, the LoveLula Beauty Boxes are a great way to treat yourself or a loved one to an exciting selection of green beauty goodies. I've been receiving these boxes for a few years now and they still do not disappoint!

Curious to find out more? Check out my previous LoveLula Beauty Box reviews here and below, you'll find a rundown of what's inside this month's box which is worth £58.

Soul Tree Kajal in Pure Black (RRP £14.20)

Made from an Ayurvedic traditional recipe that uses a 3000-year-old process, Soul Tree's Kajal's have a smooth and creamy texture which makes them glide on effortlessly without any dragging or pulling. Cruelty-free and free from a long list of 'nasties', this kajal instead uses natural pigments and ingredients such as Ghee, Camphor, and Organic Almond Oil to deliver a true alternative eyeliner. Amazing! Be sure to follow my Instagram Stories for a quick tutorial on how I use this.

Gallinée Probiotic Eye Contour Cream (RRP £22)

One of the original French natural beauty brands that were at the forefront of probiotic skincare, Gallinée's bestselling Eye Contour Cream has been specially formulated for the most sensitive and reactive eyes. It smoothes, protects, and soothes the delicate eye area and is just what I need after my recent laser eye surgery!

Bloomtown Lemongrass & Peppermint Deodorant Bar (RRP £10)

I featured this recently in my Summer Beauty Favourites so I'm thrilled to see it in this month's LoveLula beauty box as so many of you were asking about it on Instagram! This is one my favourite natural deodorants and has a bicarbonate-free formula that makes it suitable for sensitive pits.

Skin Alchemists Equilibrium Artisan Soap Bar (RRP £10)

Celebrate Plastic Free July with this gorgeous luxury Soap Bar from Skin Alchemists. I've tried one of their soaps before and I loved it so it's great to have another one back in my bathroom. The Equilibrium Bar has a beautifully fragrant blend of Lavender, Lime, Vetiver and Cedarwood and a lovely moisturising formula to keep hands nice and soft.

LoveLula Beauty Box* is a monthly subscription box priced at £13.95 with free postage in the UK. Visit lovelula.com to find out more.

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All About Eyes: Lashes & Liner Faves from Esqido, KISS & Flawless Lashes By Loreta - Try-On Review

For a quick glam fix, you can't beat a good pair of false lashes and a liquid eyeliner! Here are some of my recent faves from Esqido, KISS and Flawless Lashes By Loreta.

 Esqido Unisyn False Lashes in X & O* ($22, link) + Companion Eyelash Glue* (5.5ml, $10, link)

Esqido are more well known over in the US, but I've started to see a lot more British beauty bloggers talking about them lately. When I checked out their website, I fell in love with their lash styles and was particularly fawning over their Unisyn Lashes which are described as the 'world's first premium synthetic false lashes with an ultra-natural look'. I often get emails offering free samples of mink lashes and I always turn them down because it's the same as supporting fur farming - there's absolutely no need to buy mink lashes when you can get synthetic ones that are just as good, if not better and cheaper!

Case in point, the Esqido Unisyn Lashes are a brilliant example of what I'm talking about. Not only are they presented beautifully (you guys know that I'm a sucker for pretty packaging!), but they are absolutely stunning on as you can see below. They're made from ultra-fine synthetic fibres which are handcrafted onto a cotton band, and they feel really soft and flexible.

Esqido Unisyn False Lashes in X & O

I chose the style X & O which features a medium volume lash look that has crisscrossed strands for lots of fluttery drama. You can re-use them multiple times (just make sure that you take care putting them on / taking them off, and remove any residue of lash glue after each wear) and I just love this design!

To accompany the lashes, I tried out Esqido's Companion Eyelash Glue which unsurprisingly, is a bestseller for the brand and frequently sells out on their website. Having tried it for myself, I can certainly see why - it goes on smoothly, turns tacky in a matter of seconds and dries clear for a quick and easy finish. It's also waterproof and free from latex, parabens and formaldehyde, so it's a winner all round, especially if you have sensitive eyes. 

KISS Lash Couture Triple Push Up Lashes in Corset* (£7.99, link)

If you're on a budget or simply prefer to buy your lashes on the high street, I'm a big fan of the KISS range which you can find in Superdrug and Boots. They're a brand that I've featured on this blog many times in gift guides and I think they are amazing quality for the price that you pay.

KISS have a massive range of different lashes and styles on offer, but if you're new to them, I would recommend checking out their Lash Couture Triple Push Up Collection, which is a range that features some of my favourite designs and is cruelty-free/synthetic. 

 KISS Lash Couture Triple Push Up Lashes in Corset

The Lash Couture Triple Push Up Lashes feature 'three lash designs in one strip with a dimensional lift' so you get lots of volume, length and curl all at the same time. I love this style Corset which has a fuller volume on a knot-free band and crisscrossed layers of lashes that are different lengths to give a lovely fluttery finish.

KISS Lash Couture Triple Push Up Lashes in Corset

Corset is a great style to wear on an evening or night out, as they're very glam, but not OTT in my opinion. They're super comfortable to wear and easy to apply too. Being a cheaper highstreet lash, I find that I can only really get about two uses out of them before the band starts to warp, so I tend to stock up when they're on offer!

Flawless Lashes By Loreta Flawless Eyeliner* (0.8ml, £14.95, link)

With this recent hot weather, I haven't been wearing a lot of makeup, but whenever I do wear false lashes, I always pair them with a black liquid eyeliner to complete the look. This newbie from Flawless Lashes By Loreta popped through my letterbox about a month ago and I've been enjoying using it because it doesn't immediately melt off when the mercury rises! 

The slim pen style applicator has an ultra fine fibre tip that's firm but flexible enough to get a precise flick if desired. It's not the blackest liquid eyeliner that I own, though it delivers a nice smooth amount of pigment and can be layered for a more intense look. I've tested it in both 20C and 27C weather and found that it held up pretty well, with some fading only becoming apparent later on in the evening when it's been particularly hot earlier on. A good one to try if you don't want to give up your liquid eyeliner for the rest of the Summer. 

What are your favourite lashes and eyeliners?

If false eyelashes aren't your thing you can always go for clinically tested lash serums like Borboleta which promotes eyelash growth in just 4 weeks.

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Unboxing: LoveLula Beauty Box - December 2017 review

December's LoveLula Beauty box arrived last week, and although it's not Christmas themed like a lot of the other boxes around at the moment, it does have a nice mix of Winter-friendly skincare and party-ready makeup in it!

This month's box boasts three full-size products and is worth a whopping £58, so shall we see what's inside?

Madara SOS Instant Moisture + Radiance Mask (full size, RRP £35)

Madara are a regular feature in the LoveLula beauty boxes and they're one of my favourite natural and organic skincare brands. For December's box, they've included a full-size SOS Instant Moisture + Radiance Mask which is absolutely perfect for the colder Winter months. This hydrating mask has been scientifically proven to rehydrate skin and can be used by all skin types whenever your complexion needs a moisture boost. You can leave it on for 20 minutes and wipe it off, or for a more intensive treatment (which is especially useful if you have dry skin), you can leave it on overnight. I've used this mask in the past and it always makes my skin feel amazing; so soft and plumped up every time! 

PHB Natural & Organic Lip Crayon in Peach (full size, RRP £8.95)

Makeup fans will love the fact that there's not one, but two makeup products in this month's box, both of which are from PHB. The first one that I tried out was the Lip Crayon which comes in the shade Peach. It's a much brighter shade than what I expected for this time of the year, but if you're not into the typical reds and berry colours of the season, Peach is a lovely alternative. I've worn it twice since it arrived and I quite like it - it works best when applied all over the lips as it has a little bit of golden shimmer to it. Goes on smoothly and feels very comfortable on the lips which is a must during Winter. 

Mossa Skin Perfector 5-in1 BB in Soft Beige (sample)

There's been a big buzz around Mossa (Madara's little sister company who are also more affordable - yay!) in the green beauty world lately, so I was very pleased to see a sample of their Skin Perfector BB cream. I haven't used a BB since Summer, but I felt compelled to try this over the weekend and I really like it! It has a typical sheer/very light tinted coverage with a mattifying finish, and it looks very natural - like your skin, but better. It did oxidise a little on me though, so I'm going to pick up a few more samples to test it out further to see if it still does this with a primer underneath or not.

Dr. Hauschka Hydrating Cream Mask (sample)

Next up, I found another sample, this time from Dr. Hauschka and their newly reformulated Hydrating Cream Mask. I haven't tried the original formula so I can't compare this new one against that I'm afraid, but I can say that my skin loved this mask. It gives the skin a serious hydration boost in just 20 minutes and is easily removed with a warm face cloth/flannel afterwards. I'll definitely be looking into the buying the full-size of this at some point!

PHB Natural Liquid Eye Liner in Black (full-size, RRP £12.95)

This is the first time that I've tried a 100% natural liquid eyeliner and I have to admit that this one from PHB is very hit and miss. Starting with the positives though, I like the packaging as the skinny flexible applicator makes it easy to draw a precise thin line, and the formula is neither too thin or thick in consistency - it's just right. It's suitable for vegans and doesn't contain any of the potential 'nasties' that can irritate sensitive eyes, so if your eyes water or go red whenever you use mainstream eyeliners, this is definitely one to try. The liner is also incredibly easy to remove and doesn't require heavy duty eye makeup removers to take it off at the end of the day. 

The not so good points then? Well, the pigmentation isn't the best and although it's in the shade called 'True Black', it's not as richly pigmented and black as most of my other non-natural eyeliners are. This means that you need to layer it if you want to achieve a thicker line or a bolder look. It also takes forever to fully dry - I'm talking a good 5 minutes or so of not blinking/moving/doing anything else, unless you set it with a little black eyeshadow powder which is what I've had to resort to doing to make this workable. And that waterproof claim? Absolutely not - I got caught in the rain with this on at the weekend and immediately turned into a panda - not a good look! That said, some of the pros definitely outweigh the cons, and if my eyes are feeling sensitive, I'll probably still reach for this, but I'll definitely make sure to set it with eyeshadow (and check the weather forecast first!).

Urban Veda Skincare (samples)

The final items that I discovered at the bottom of the box were three skincare samples from Urban Veda; Reviving Facial Oil, Purifying Protecting Night Cream and Reviving Day Cream. Only the Purifying one is for my skin type, unfortunately, so I'll be passing the others onto my mum to try out instead. 

LoveLula Beauty Box* is a monthly subscription box priced at £13.95 with free postage in the UK. Visit lovelula.com to find out more.

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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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Beauty Box: Love Me Beauty - February 2017 review

After seeing a couple of spoilers on Instagram for the Love Me Beauty makeup bag this month, I was looking forward to mine arriving as I can't get enough of cute designs like this!

If you're new to Love Me Beauty, they're a beauty subscription box with two main differences. Firstly, you get to choose the products that you want each month from an online 'Edit' with 'credits', and you can purchase additional credits if you want more products, and secondly, you receive your products in a makeup bag instead of a box which usually means that it'll fit through your letterbox. My friend Sophie gifted me a six-month subscription with them for Christmas, and I've been enjoying it so far as they have a lot of brands in their Edits which I love (this month's had NUXE, Kat Von D, Aromatherapy Associates, Makeup Forever and Charlotte Tilbury to give you an idea). 

From February's Love Me Beauty Edit, I chose the following:-

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Or in Golden Shimmer (10ml travel size)

If you haven't smelt the classic Nuxe Prodigieuse fragrance, then you need to - it's one of my favourite scents and I always have to have a bottle of the original oil in my beauty stash because it's so versatile. This is the Golden Shimmer version which is infused with lots of light reflecting shimmer in that fantastic multi-purpose oil base. You can use it anywhere on the face, body and hair, and I tend to save it for the summer months to use on my arms and legs when I've got a tan on holiday because it adds such a lovely, healthy looking glow. One for the holiday bag for sure!

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper (0.2ml travel size)

This is a seriously amazing liquid eyeliner with a nifty fine tip for getting that coveted cat eye flick nailed down. It's richly pigmented, waterproof and long-lasting - what more could you want from a liquid eyeliner?!

Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Mercy (1.2g travel size)

I seem to be collecting mini lipsticks at the moment, but I just couldn't pass up on this beauty. I have another one of these in the shade Magick which I swatched here a while back, and I absolutely loved the formula so I was keen to try out more. This shade Mercy is a stunning deep berry, plum colour on the lips with some violet shimmer to make it stand out. I don't have anything like this in my makeup collection - it's quite different and surprisingly wearable for a vampy evening look. 

NUXE Reve de Miel Lip Balm (15ml full size - RRP £9.50)

Regular readers will know about my love for this lip balm and I'm happy to be reunited with it once more! I've gone through my fair share of these pots of honey infused balmy goodness and it's still very high up in my best lip balms on the planet list. If you're a lip balm addict and you haven't yet tried this, you must!

For more info on Love Me Beauty, check them out here.

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High End Beauty: Trying Out Dolce & Gabbana Makeup - Review & Swatches

When you think of the luxury, high-end brands who have make-up ranges, names like Tom Ford, Dior and Chanel instantly spring to mind. But did you know that Dolce & Gabbana has a cosmetics line too? I didn't until recently, so I've been playing around with a few of their pieces to see if they're worth splurging on.

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