COLLECTION Dupes

Collection is the make-up brand I first ever used as a teen and as a brand it is one I have fallen back in love with, mainly because of these two products which team up as amazing dupes!

The Collection Gorgeous Glow Bronze Brick which costs just £3.99 is brilliant. There is a great range of shades from a highlighter to a much darker bronzer and they are all highly pigmented, much more so than I would have expected at that price. They are a velvety smooth powder formula which makes them really blendable. Then I have the Bobbi Brown Bronze Shimmer Brick, which I have duped before and whilst it is an incredible product, highly pigmented shades and as blendable as you want it to be, it costs £32.50.

If I had to choose a favourite, Collection edges it for me with this Glow Gorgeous palette because it highlights as well as bronzes and the shades are much more workable.

The Collection Speedy Highlighter, which is priced at £2.66 in Superdrug. As a Crayon it makes the job of adding some highlights to your face an absolute breeze and it is perfect for on the go. Then there is the Boots No.7 Instant Radiance Highlighter for which the Collection Speedy Highlighter is the perfect dupe and again I have duped this before. I love this No.7 Highlighter, it is has an amazing formula which dried incredibly quickly and creates an amazing highlighting effect and it costs just £9.95 but the Collection version is almost a third of the price!

Again this Collection offering is incredible, I absolutely love it and have already bought a back up in case I should run out.  It is so similar to the Boots No.7 version it is impossible not to love both, but the highlight that comes from Collection, as you can see below, is amazing and for me it is the winner of the two.

So these are the two current dupes that I am loving right now!  What do you think? Have you found any decent dupes lately?

LookFantastic 1st Birthday Beauty Box

The Lookfantasic Beauty Box has reached a huge milestone as beauty boxes go and the September Box is the 1st Birthday Box which is packed full of products to test an try out, 8 in total.

The first item is from Bliss with the Fabulous Foaming Face Wash. This is a 30ml travel size, which is not too bad a size to test something out and take away for a long weekend. It is described as being a gentle yet effective 2-in-1 cleanser and exfoliator, it carefully buffs away dead skin cells with the round exfoliating beads, as well as removing make-up, dirt and impurities. Enriched with rose hips, chamomile and passion flower, it calms and soothes your skin to leave it wonderfully clean and clear. A Bliss best-seller, it's the perfect multi-tasker. This has an rrp £3.50.

Next there is Tanworx Tan Maintainer which arrives in a 60ml tube. Made by Monu, a brand I really like, it is said to help maintain your tan for longer the tan maintainer is formulated with carrot oil, coconut oil and sunflower oil to moisturise the skin, plus Hyaluronic Acid and Seaweed. Perfect for avoiding steaks, the formula will help you to maintain your golden glow.  Now all I need is a spray tan or some sun injection to give this a try, otherwise it will be cupboard bound till 2016. This has an rrp £7.

Phyto is a brand I have heard of but never used and in my box I have Phytokeratin Extreme Creme which whilst it doesn't explain what it is, I managed to find out that it is infact a leave-in cream to nourish and repair hair. Provides thermal protection up to 220ºC to prevent further breakage and split ends and shields from humidity so you can experience frizz-free, silky smooth locks. It has been specially formulated with keratin plant, an ingredient that delivers essential amino acids, whilst sapote butter and baobab oil soften hair and restore the intercellular cement in the hair fibres. Infused with pink peony petals, the luxurious cream moisturises hair to leave you with hydrated, healthy-looking and manageable locks. This bottle has a value of around £9.

Next I have a Sebastian Shampoo and Conditoner in 50ml bottles. I used to love Potion 9 as a teen and used it religiously on my hair but as I got older and my hair changed, it became less effective. In this box I have the Penetraitt which is described as being a rescue formula dedicated to strengthening and repairing over processed, chemically treated hair. Guarding from every day stresses and deeply penetrating to remove debris and product build up, the rich concoction with colour safe Active Rescue System will reconstruct the hair follicles and effectively cleanse for revitalised, strong and soft results. Each bottle has a value of around £3.

I was chuffed to see Caudalie make an appearance within this box and instead of getting one product, I have two from the Vinosource range. Starting with moisturising sorbet creme is designed to Calm irritated and stressed skin with the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet. This gel-cream formula has immediate soothing properties and leaves skin refreshed and comfortable. It uses organic grape water to hydrate and calming chamomile. Ideal for any skin type that experiences reactionary sensitivity, this nourishing formula leaves skin clear, smooth and soft. The second produce is Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum which is said to provide intense, long-lasting hydration to skin that needs it most. Enriched with soothing organic grape water, plumping hyaluronic acid, and packed with antioxidants, it reveals a radiant, dewy look to any complexion. Together they have a value of around £14.

The final item in the box is by Codage, another brand I have only heard of recently but not yet used. It is a French brand and the Scrubbing Cream which is in my box is described as being a rich and soothing emulsion made from fine rice particles which enables optimal facial exfoliation. Respectful of even the most sensitive skin types, this scrubbing cream eliminates impurities and dead skin cells, while stimulating elasticity and cellular renewal. The complexion is smooth, even and glowing. The product contains no parabens, no essential oils, is not tested on animals and nor is there any phtalates. This 25ml tube has an approximate value of £17!

For a celebratory box, I think this is one that shows off the products you can purchase on Lookfantastic amazingly well and I am really chuffed with it.  I haven't tried a single product within the box until it arrived, but each one has fascinated me and I cannot wait to give them all a try, especially Codage, which I am totally intrigued with and the whole range looks amazing!

What do you think to this box?

Foreo Luna Mini Skincare Device

Looking after my skin is really important to me which you might have guessed by now. Over the last year, I have been lucky enough to try out a few cleansing brushes, something I really love being able to do. One item I was really excited to try was the Foreo Luna Mini** which is quite unlike anything else I have ever used and the principle idea is one that is so simple, I am left wondering why I hadn't tried it until now.

I have the Magenta coloured Foreo Luna Mini and it is to all intents and purpose a silicone device which has been designed to gently but deeply clean my skin and as I am prone to blemishes, I need something that not only leaves my skin looking healthier and brighter but I also want something that will leave my skin feeling doubly clean. Living here in London, the air isn't as clean as you might expect and some nights I get home and just want to spend hours slapping lotions and potions on to ride my skin of pollutants, dirt and grim. The Foreo has gone almost all the way there to prevent me doing that! 

I have never tried any other of the Luna devices and this one, as the name suggests, is mini versions of the larger device and both of them fit perfectly into the palm of your hand and are easy to grip hold of and it is the perfect size for travelling with because it has its own protective case, which I have kept, and it fits neatly into my weekend bag.

The 'brush' for want of a better description is actually small silicone nodules which feel soft to the touch.  It is those nodules which gently massage and cleanse the skin but they are two sided with one side used for regular cleansing and the other for that much needed deeper clean.  On the top of the brush are small nodules which are really helpful in getting into the smaller crevices of the face such as around the nose to ensure every part can be reached.  There are two different cleansing speeds, one is slightly more intense than the other but astonishingly each one uses up to 8,000 sonic pulses per minute, which sounds absolutely incredible and in all honestly it is.

Foreo recommend that you use the Luna Mini for at least one minute, twice a day.  It is totally waterproof which means it can be used in the shower (hurrah) and even more brilliant is that you never have to replace the brush!  Once changed, using a USB and your computer, it will not need to be charged for at least 300 uses which is yet another impressive statistic and because of its design it is said to be over 35 times more hygienic than your traditional cleansing brushes, which if like me, you sometimes suffer from blemishes, then this will not be another worry for you.

Since using the Luna Mini I have used both creme based and foaming cleanser and it works well with either, though my person preference is a foaming cleanser and I always use the Mini as the second part of my double cleanse, with the first part usually involving a balm cleanser, something which I don't think does work well with the device.

Now I have this device I can't imagine anything else living up to how good it is. My skin really likes it but what I like the most is that feeling of totally clean skin after using, especially after a day of travelling around the capital on public transport.

The Foreo Luna Mini retails at £99 and can be found online from Boots, Feel Unique and Amazon, as well as in store in Selfridges and Harvey Nichols and it is available in an array of different colours.

Have you tried a Luna device before?

The Libbie Club September Box

The September Libbie Club Box has arrived through my door and once again it is a fantastic mix of products. I absolutely love the July and August Boxes which had some amazing products in them (whose offers you can still take advantage of right here). This months box contains one full and two trial size beauty products with a total value of over £50 (all for free!) 

The first item is the Caudalie Instant Detox Mask (£22.00 for 75ml) - Now I am a huge admirer of the brand and have loved the products I have tried to date. This instant Detox Mask is said to purify stressed skin and is a 99.3% natural clay formula which sweeps away impurities and toxins leaving your skin looking and feeling refined, your pores are tightened and your complexion is even. It is advised that you apply a thin layer to the face twice a week, leave for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse with water.  This month The Libbie Club are offering 20% OFF Caudalie Instant Detox Mask (75ml) which makes it just £17.60.

Next we have Teez Desert Metals Mascara in Midnight Sky (£17.00).  I have to admit that I am not that up to speed with this brand, though I have heard of it. The Mascara is a Volume Mascara which includes silk proteins to help protect and nourish your lashes all day and all night long. It is also a water-based formula and can easily be rinsed off. It claims to give fuller, flirtier lashes and not only is it long lasting, but also smudge-proof. I am a huge fan of mascara and I am looking forward to putting this one to the test.  The Libbie Club offer for this item is 25% OFF Teeez Desert Metals Mascara Midnight Skinny Dip which makes it just £12.75 and definitely worth trying.

The final item in the September box is from Mio Skincare and it is The Activist Firming Active Oil (£29.50 for 120ml). This product is described as being the best multi-purpose antioxidant body oil you will ever use which is quite a claim! It states to give daily nourishing for dry stressed skin and work wonders on scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. The Activist is free from parabens, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance and colourants, xenoestrogens, PEGs, glycols and pthalates. It is also packed full of powerful Omegas, Vitamins and Antioxidants that help to keep your skin firm, smooth, resilient and strong. The Libbie club offer this month is 20% off The Activist Firming Active Oil plus a free 50ml Double Buff Enzyme Exfoliator worth £23.60

Being lucky enough to be part of The Libbie Club means that I have had the honour of trying and testing some amazing products and finding some new favourites which I am then able to offer to you, with a discount. It is that offer and discount which sets this beauty box apart from any other I have tried and just a reminder, those offers are:

• 20% OFF Caudalie Instant Detox Mask (75ml) – £17.60
• 25% OFF Teeez Desert Metals Mascara Midnight Skinny Dip – £12.75
• 20% OFF Mio Skincare The Activist Firming Active Oil (120ml) + FREE Exfoliator (50ml) – £23.60

These exclusive offers run for a limited time and there is a limited amount of stock, so to take advantage, visit my Libbie Club profile page. All offers end on Wednesday 30th September!

Have you heard of The Libbie Club? 

What are your thoughts on this month’s products?