We Were Raised By Wolves: worth the hype

Showing posts with label worth the hype. Show all posts

Bring Sunshine To Your Bathroom with Sol de Janeiro | Bom Dia Bright, Brazillian 4-Play & Coco Cabana Body Washes review

Monday, 6 March 2023

The weather may be horrible outside, but you can beat the winter blues with these sunny delights from Sol de Janeiro. Bursting with summery, uplifting fragrances, you can daydream of your next holiday in the sunshine whilst you're in the shower!

Everywhere I look on my socials, there's always someone mentioning Sol de Janeiro lately, and truth be told, I hadn't really explored much from the brand until now. I've used their bestselling Brazillian Bum Bum Cream on and off for years and have enjoyed that gorgeous signature scent (which you really must try if you haven't already) so it was definitely time to see what else was on offer.

Although Sol de Janeiro isn't an entirely natural brand, they are cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, and have a transparent 'clean philosophy' which means that they have banned over 100 'nasties' from all of its formulas. These include parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, phthalates, microplastics, aluminum salts, talc, and oxybenzone to name just a few.

In addition, all of their sunscreens are certified reef safe, they don't use cyclic silicones (the ones linked to buildup on the hair and in our water systems), and the preservative phenoxyethanol is only present in clinically safe amounts (less than 1% of total formula). You can read more about their clean philosophy here.

Sol De Janeiro | Bom Dia Bright, Brazillian 4-Play & Coco Cabana Body Washes review

With this in mind, I was keen to try some of their bestselling Body Washes which a friend recently raved about to me, and with their delicious summery scents, I couldn't say no. I picked up the smaller travel-size bottles as they were on offer when I was in Boots but larger sizes are available. They are pricey but mighty!

Sol de Janeiro Bom Dia Bright Clarifying AHA BHA Body Wash

Bom Dia Bright is a newbie to the Sol de Janeiro range and is a clarifying Coconut based sulfate-free body wash that's packed full of fruit-derived AHAs, vegan Lactic Acid, and Salicyclic Acid. This combination packs a punch when it comes to gently exfoliating your body, visibly brightening and smoothing it. If you suffer from ingrown hairs, this is perfect as it'll get rid of any congested lumps and bumps. Bom Dia Bright is delicately scented with the sunny Cheirosa 40 fragrance which is wonderfully warm, energizing, and floral. Best used 2-3 times a week.

Sol de Janeiro Brazillian 4-Play Moisturising Shower Cream-Gel

If you love the scent of Sol's bestselling Brazillian Bum Bum Cream, then you'll automatically love this cheekily named Brazillian 4-Play Shower Cream as it has the same iconic fragrance with notes of Pistachio, Jasmine, and Salted Caramel. The product itself has an interesting shower cream-gel texture which lathers up beautifully and feels so silky and rich on the skin thanks to moisturising ingredients such Coconut Oil, Cupuaçu Butter, and Açaí Oil.

Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Moisturising Body Cream-Cleanser

For an even more moisturising shower experience, dry skin will drink up the delectable Coco Cabana Moisturising Body Cream-Cleanser. Super luxurious and even richer in texture than the Brazillian 4-Play, Coco Cabana shares many of the same skin-friendly ingredients as the above but is enriched further with a unique CocoSugar blend of nourishing Coconut Oil and fermented Sugar that helps to draw more moisture to your skin. And the scent of course is coconut heaven! Think juicy, creamy young Coconuts mixed with tropical Orchids and toasted Praline; a pure sunny paradise fragrance.

Sol de Janeiro Body Washes come in various sizes with refills available for the bigger bottles. Travel sizes, 90ml, are around £10 each. Available from various stockists including Boots and Look Fantastic.

Which one sounds the best to you?

Tuesday, 18 January 2022

The consumer quest for more sustainable and eco-friendly everyday products is never-ending, and today I wanted to share a quick post about Waken Mouthwash as they have been popping up in my social feeds a lot lately. Are they worth the hype?

It may seem odd to be reading (or in my case, writing) an entire blog post about just one particular mouthwash, yet Waken has been causing quite the stir online since they launched here in the UK two years ago.

A celebrity favourite, Waken has a luxury range of sustainable products which include mouthwash, toothpaste, lip balms, and associated eco-friendly accessories. The brand is the brainchild of Simon Duffy (founder of the famous Bulldog skincare company) and promises gentle and effective everyday products that also tread lightly on our planet earth.

But is Waken worth the hype? I tried out one of their 'hero' products, the Apple & Mint Mouthwash to find out.

Packaging

For an eco-friendly brand, you might be wondering why their signature mouthwashes are packaged in plastic, right? Well, this is a pretty interesting discussion point because Waken's mouthwashes were originally packaged in aluminum bottles before the brand decided to make the switch to plastic last year.

It may sound like a backwards move, yet the switch to these new plastic, BPA-free bottles has actually helped to certify the brand as Carbon Neutral due to the aluminum packaging requiring a lot of external packaging during transit to prevent denting. The change to plastic has also helped to bring the price point of these luxury mouthwashes down from a hideously expensive £8, to a much more reasonable £4.50. In addition, this new PCR plastic is made from a blend of recycled old plastic milk bottles and sugar cane plastic which is better for the environment, and the end product is fully recyclable again.

Waken has kept the aluminum lid as it is though as plastic tops are notoriously difficult to recycle due to their smaller size.

Ingredients

Waken's mouthwashes are formulated alcohol-free so they don't have that nasty stinging burn that a lot of mainstream mouthwashes possess, and they are cruelty-free and vegan-friendly. The ingredients are mostly natural with the exception of PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (a synthetic emulsifier/surfactant) and Sodium Fluoride. I know that the Sodium Fluoride debate continues to divide people, yet from my own research I personally don't have a problem using it and I often look for it in more natural dental care products as I believe it's useful to keep teeth strong and healthy. Overall, this is not a 100% natural mouthwash, nor does it market itself as one, so it's worth bearing in mind that the 'sustainable' aspect here is purely focused on the packaging.

Flavour & Performance

There are nine different mint-based flavours to explore in Waken's mouthwash range and the one that caught my eye the most was the Apple & Mint. The flavouring is crafted from natural ingredients and it really does have a refreshing zing to it! I was pleasantly surprised and absolutely love waking up with this in the morning. My mouth feels wonderfully fresh and clean which is exactly what I want a mouthwash to do.

Overall Thoughts

Whilst Waken's mouthwashes are not as natural as many would expect, for those looking for a refreshing mouthwash that works well, comes sustainably packaged, is cruelty-free and vegan, and looks very fancy sitting by your bathroom sink, you'll love it. But if you're after a purely natural and fluoride-free option, this isn't for you.

Waken mouthwashes (£4.50, 500ml) are available from various stockists and online via wakencare.com

Have you tried anything from Waken?

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Thursday, 17 August 2017

Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette - Review & Swatches

Urban Decay are bringing the heat this Summer, quite literally, with their brand new Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette. But is it worth the hype? Let's find out!

Urban Decay's latest eyeshadow palette release was 'hotly' anticipated by many makeup junkies and the brand did some clever marketing to get the beauty world talking about it with a handful of pre-sale events. Being the newest addition to UD's much loved Naked range, the Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette was always going to cause a stir and I have to say that I was immediately drawn to it when I first saw it on Instagram. I'll always be a die-hard neutrals fan at heart, but I've been wanting to push myself outside of my comfort zone and try out some new shades for Summer, so this palette arrived at just the right time!

The packaging for the Naked Heat palette is on point as always with anything from Urban Decay, and I love the fun, almost retro-80s vibe on the lid, complete with embossed text that's super satisfying to run your fingers over. This palette contains 12 brand new shades and it's a sizzling mix of warm toned mattes and shimmers featuring an interesting spectrum of browns, reds, coppers, and bronzes.

As expected, there's a large mirror in the reverse lid and the Naked Heat palette comes with a double-ended eyeshadow brush featuring a flat end for packing on shadow, and a fluffier end for blending it all out. I'm always impressed with the quality of the brushes from Urban Decay as they are by far the best that you can find in a palette like this.

Here's a rundown of all 12 shades and how they perform on the peepers:-

Ounce - Super pale, creamy white ivory shade with a touch of shimmer. Perfect to use as an inner corner highlight to make the eyes look wide awake, or as a subtle under-brow highlight.

Chaser - A classic 'nude' / flesh-toned matte. I've been using this a lot all over the lids for those easy 'no makeup makeup' days when you want to look like you've made an effort, but really can't be bothered!

Sauced - Light brown matte with a reddish undertone. Looks amazing in the crease alongside some neutral shades for a more defined, everyday look.

Low Blow - A medium brown matte with a hint of yellow. Richly pigmented and great as a base for a warm smokey eye.

Lumbre - Stunning metallic rose-gold with a duo-chrome finish. Adds a lot of warmth and the shimmer reflects beautifully when it's caught in sunlight.

He Devil - Burnt red matte. This one wasn't the easiest to work with as it's a little dry and you definitely needs a primer underneath to get the most out of this colour.

Dirty Talk - Bright metallic copper. Beautifully pigmented with a rich gold shimmer running through it. Blends like a dream!

Scorched - A pink toned metallic copper, this is my favourite shade in the palette. It's quite similar to Dirty Talk but that extra pink in there makes it even more wearable for me.

Cayenne - Warm chocolate matte. This is another great shade to use a base for a warm smokey eye and is a really versatile colour.

En Fuego - Dark burgundy matte. A strong shade to use on its own, I've found it works better as a liner colour tucked into the lashline or as a crease shade for a dramatic smokey eye.

Ashes - Dark aubergine brown matte - my least favourite colour as it's quite dry and doesn't blend as well as the other matte shades.

Ember - A beautiful and very unusual deep metallic brown and copper duo-chrome shade. I don't have a colour like this in the whole of my eyeshadow collection and it's absolutely stunning used wet as a liner for the lower waterline!

Overall thoughts?

Although there are one or two shades which either aren't my thing or don't blend as well as the rest, the vast majority of the shadows in the Naked Heat palette are typical of the richly pigmented and high-quality formulas that I've come to expect and love from a brand like Urban Decay. This warm toned colourway won't be for everyone, but if you're looking for a new high-end palette to play with this Summer, Naked Heat will provide a lot of creativity and fun, and it certainly does its job of helping me to break out of my neutral-loving comfort zone!

Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette* retails for £39.50 and is available from various stockists including direct from urbandecay.co.uk

What do you think of the new Naked Heat Palette? Yay or nay?

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Monday, 13 February 2017

It's no secret that I have a penchant for the macabre, and I love gothic style things (my inner 00s emo kid will forever be with me). This theme doesn't come up all that often in the beauty world, but when I locked my eyes onto this hairbrush, it was love at first sight. Thankfully, it's also a pretty damn amazing brush too, and hairbrushes aren't something that I tend to get excited about!

You may have seen the Tangle Angel Brush on numerous blogs and beauty sites before. It had a lot of hype around it last year when Kim K posed with one in her Wonderland magazine spread, but the main reason that people went ga-ga for it is because it's made by Richard Ward - the celebrity hairstylist who does Kate Middleton's hair, and this is the brush that he uses on her to achieve his famous 'Chelsea Blow Dry'.

I'm guessing the Duchess probably has it in pink though...

Aside from its cool angel shaped and moulded wings aesthetics, I've been loving using this brush because it's just so easy to get a flawless looking finish with. So what it makes it different?

Well for starters, its ergonomic shape means that you can get a really good grip on it. The handle is slim, but comfortable to hold without it feeling like it's going to slip out of your hands, and the angel wings part allows you to securely grip it by the body to use it that way. The graduated bristles have a coating on them which makes the brush anti-static so it's goodbye to frizz and flyaways.

Next up, it's heat resistant (the bristles can withstand temperatures from hairdryers up to 115C) so it's the perfect companion for blow drying, and it's also water-resistant so you can use it in the shower or on wet hair to detangle it. In addition, it has anti-bacterial properties which keep the brush safe and hygienic to use, meaning your hair stays cleaner and looks shinier for longer.

Shiny, frizz-free, Princess hair anyone? Erm, yes please!

The Tangle Angel* retails for £14.95 and is available in a variety of colours including Gr8 Graphite shown above. Available direct from tangleangel.com

What's your favourite hairbrush?

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Wednesday, 6 July 2016

Two years ago I saw a lot of American Youtubers rave about something called The Original Makeup Eraser and I've wanted to try one ever since. It's now available in the UK in Boots so I had to give it a go!

Monday, 20 June 2016

Smith & Cult - The Bee Side (Review & Swatches)

Smith & Cult have been on my beauty radar for a while now, so I'm thrilled to finally get the chance to try out one of their coveted luxury nail polishes. Are they worth the hype though, and most importantly the price tag?

Friday, 26 February 2016

PIXI Glow Tonic Exfoliating Toner & Nourishing Cleansing Balm review

Devoted skincare fans and avid followers of guru Caroline Hirons, will be more than familiar with Pixi's Glow Tonic which is a major cult product these days. I've tested it out for just under a month now, along with Pixi's Nourishing Cleansing Balm, to give you my own thoughts on this much-loved brand.

Saturday, 19 December 2015

As it's the very last shopping weekend before Christmas, it's time to get those final orders placed as we count down to the 25th. Here are some last minute luxury stocking filler / small gift ideas from one of my favourite high-end, beauty accessory brands, Tweezerman.

Sunday, 23 August 2015

Oskia Perfect Cleanser, Bedtime Beauty Boost & Renaissance Mask review

Oskia are one of those luxury brands who have successfully managed to gain a strong following in both the green beauty and high-end/mainstream circles. Their products have been mentioned countless times by supermodels, actresses and skincare gurus, so I was very excited to try out this trio of their bestsellers.

Friday, 29 May 2015

REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask review

REN's Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask is one of those face masks that is simply worthy of its skincare classic status. This is a product that I always have to have in my stash.

Saturday, 16 May 2015

Skincare fans the world over seem to have a long love affair with all things French (I suspect many of us are indeed closet Francophiles). Many French skincare products are highly revered, with Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré being touted as one of the best 'budget' buys. But is it worth the hype?

Monday, 16 February 2015

Invisibobble Sweetheart Collection review

Invisibobbles have taken the blogosphere by storm and there's rarely a day that goes past when I don't see one pop up on one of my social media feeds. But are they worth the hype?

Thursday, 8 January 2015

Fans of covetable French skincare products have been rejoicing recently as La Roche-Posay's much talked about Serozinc finally becomes readily available in the UK via Escentual.com. But is it worth the hype?

Wednesday, 3 September 2014

A picture of L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara review

Late to the party with this one, but I did have some reservations about picking it up after reading a lot of mixed reviews on it. Needless to say, curiosity always gets the better of me in the end!

Wednesday, 13 August 2014

A picture of La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+]

When the original Effaclar Duo by La Roche Posay was being talked about on the blogosphere, I thought it would be the answer to all of my blemish problems. Sadly it did nothing for me, but after reading several rave reviews and a personal recommendation from a friend about the new and improved [+] formula, I decided to give it another go.

Monday, 20 May 2013

Neom Enchantment Limited Edition Home Candle* (380g 3 wick candle, £42)

If you're into candles, chances are you've heard of Neom and either A: absolutely love them, or B: have them on your immediate gift wishlist. I was in the B category for a very long time, but in the past two years, I've been incredibly lucky enough to receive some as presents from friends and family. It's safe to say that I adore Neom candles (and everything else Neom do for that matter!), so it felt like my birthday had come early when the brand new Enchanment Limited Edition Candle arrived at my door.

Thursday, 25 April 2013

Laura Mercier Creme Lip Colour in Bing Cherry* (4g, £18.50, link)

I've lost track of how long I've wanted to try out one of these much loved Laura Mercier lipsticks, but it's been a very long time. I was incredibly lucky to have been sent one of these recently and literally whooped with joy when it arrived. Does it live up to my expectations and all the hype? Absolutely!

Tuesday, 19 February 2013

Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer* (9g, £37, link)

I've lost count of the amount of times that this concealer has been recommended to me, so when the opportunity arose to finally try out this cult product for myself, I jumped at it. Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer is described as 'not your typical concealer', which sums it up perfectly.

This multi-tasking, unconventional concealer comes packaged in a luxe glass bottle with a pump that dispenses the right amount of product every time. It promises to camouflage imperfections, dark circles and brighten the eye area, whilst also protecting it with a broad spectrum mineral-based, non-chemical SPF 35. So does it live up to the hype?

Well, mostly, yes! I found the formula to be beautifully lightweight and non-greasy which I wasn't expecting at all when I first applied it because it's thicker than most liquid foundations I've tried. Somehow, it just manages to blend seamlessly into the under eye area for an easy and natural, 'I'm not wearing any make-up' look. It also lasted on me all day without creasing (a big positive for me as I have quite a few lines under my eyes) and didn't dry out or go cakey either. Very impressive!

Perhaps the only minor downside for me was that I found this more useful as a corrector for my dark circles, rather than a complete concealer. This is probably because my dark circles are quite severe, so if yours aren't, I imagine this would be perfect for most people as an all-in-one product. If they are, then I'd recommend applying just a small amount of your usual concealer over the top to completely cover them up. It would also be good if this came in a few other shades for those with very fair and darker skintones, but overall, I'd say it lives up to the hype!

Have you tried Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer?

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Friday, 8 February 2013

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer (5.5ml, £5.99 each, link)

Apocalips, Apocalips, Apocalips.. I hope you're not all bored of reading about these amazing, creamy, super pigmented lipstick/gloss hybrids yet, because here's another post about them!

I instantly loved the look of the Apocalips Lip Lacquers the minute I set my beady eyes on them and I was even ready to break my spending ban just to pick some up. Luckily I had a ton of Boots points on my card left over from xmas, so the hard part was simply deciding which ones to get.

I played it safe and picked up two of the most everyday, wearable shades, Celestial and Luna, plus the token nude, Nude Eclipse, to try out.

Nude Eclipse

Like all nude shades, Nude Eclipse will be a love it or hate it thing for most people. I'm still on the fence as to whether it suits me or not, but regardless, I'm sure it's one that will quickly grow on me the more times I wear it.

Luna

Luna on the other hand was love at first sight. This beautiful warm peach shade works like magic for instantly brightening up my complexion, and it's a perfect colour for the upcoming Spring season.

Celestial

Celestial has proven itself to be one of the most popular shades on the blogosphere and I certainly see why! This blue-toned, dusky-esque pink is so easy to wear and you can make it look brighter (as above) by applying just a little, or darker by adding an extra coat (like the swatch).

I'm a big fan of these and find them long lasting, non-sticky and moisturising. I would recommend exfoliating your lips before applying them though, because they will show up any dryness, but other that, they're pretty amazing and well worth the hype!

Have you picked up any Apocalips yet?

Which ones are your favourite shades?

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