Erborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask

When moving from one season to the next, or indeed with the Great British weather, one day to the next, my skin can often decide it is having one of those off days where it can be greasy, dry, flaky and just look generally dull and grey. It is at this point that I know my skin need a good exfoliation and a lot of hydration. When the Bamboo Waterlock Mask from Erborian landed on my doorstep, I couldn't wait to give it a try and given the colour of the packaging, it isn't a product that you are going to miss spotting within your stash!

I am a huge fan of Erborian skincare, anything that is a French/Korean hybrid is always going to wow me and something that promises to instantly and deeply hydrate, give an instant plumping effect and a feeling of freshness upon application is just something I need right now.

The tube within which The Erborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask sits is sturdy enough and designed so you can put it down on any surface, once the lid is off, you can scoop out a little of the gel mask and apply without dropping it, dripping it or knocking it over. The mask is referred to as a hydro-gel mask, put simply, that means it is water based facial product that has a gel crossed with a jelly like texture, something quite a few brands are now using, so it isn't overly runny, but it isn't too thick either, it is sort of bouncy under your fingertips when you prod it. Once applied to the skin, there is an instant cooling feeling which I find quite refreshing, more so if it has been in the fridge and it is so incredibly lightweight, you cannot even feel it as it absorbs. The main ingredient used is the Bamboo both in sap which contain minerals and amino acids to help hydrate the skin, while the Bamboo fibers contain proteins and lipids to help maintain skin's natural moisture retention, something you need when your skin just feels in need of hydration. There is also Disospyros kaki, which you might know better as Sharon Fruit, is also an ingredient which is known for its astringent and illuminating properties, helping to keep skin supple and toned with its pore tightening effect.

This Erborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask can be used two ways. If you are wanted a quick fix then you simply apply a light layer to clean cleansed skin and leave for up to 10 minutes and rinse off or you can apply a layer and leave for as long as it takes for your skin to fully absorb the mask, which depending on how dry and thirsty your skin is, could be anything from ten minutes to half an hour. Whenever I use this mask, my skin literally sucks it up almost immediately and I am currently using it twice a week - once over the weekend and once mid-week.

The Erborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask retails at £44 for a 100ml and as far as I am concerned, it is well worth investing in, particularly right now when the weather is hard to predict and your skin is in need of some extra TLC

Makeup Revolution 9 Piece Amazing Brush Collection

If there is one thing I cannot do without, it is my Makeup Brushes and I am in the process of throwing out the ones which are well past their sell-by date or have ceased to become any use and replace them with new ones. 

If I told you that you could buy an entire set of makeup brushes for £20 would you believe me? Well, it is true you can. The people over at Makeup Revolution (who never seem to run out of ideas) have put together this amazing 9 piece brush collection and as suggested, it costs just £20. Now before you wrinkle your nose and think £20 isn't a lot of money, so the brushes cannot be all that, remember it is Makeup Revolution and they have a habit of proving you just wrong!

So inside the box we have:

Pro F101 Foundation Brush - This helps to ensure that you have the perfect base. It can be used with cream or liquid foundation and, like all other Makeup Revolution brushes they are all made from the finest synthetic hair, super soft, and very animal-friendly. What I like about this brush is the handle as it is easy to grip and isn't too weighted. This brush can be bought separately for £3.99.

Pro F103 Stippling Brush - As you would expect, this Stippling Brush is a flat-topped, full circular brush and is to be used for lightweight application and blending of any foundations. Again super soft bristles and a nice sized handle to make it easy to hold and use. This brush can be bought separately for £3.49.

Pro F104 Powder Brush - I have been needing a new powder brush for a while now and this one is great at what it does. I use it for powder foundation and it works well with powder blush and bronzer too. It is a lovely big brush which is easy to grip on to and again, I find it easy to work with because the handle is so well made. This brush can be bought separately for just £3.99 which again is an absolute bargain.

Pro F105 Contour Brush - Designed to help create a natural or intense contour. The brush is shaped to fit the cheekbones and is perfect for use with bronzer, powder blushes, cream blushes and I have used it with my new Sleek Highlighter palette.

Pro F102 Concealer Brush - This brush is brilliant and is used for applying and blending your concealer to build and ensure perfect coverage. The bristles on the brush are incredibly soft and it sits under the eye with no irritation and it does an amazing job at helping to blend concealer. This brush can be bought separately for £1.99 which is such good value for money.

Pro E101 Eyeshadow Brush - This brush can be used with both powder and cream eyeshadows and you can use it when creating that smokey eye to apply colour to your lower lash line. A cute little brush with short, soft bristles and it retails for just £1.99 is bought on its own.

Pro E102 Eyeshadow Contour Brush - This brush is an angled flat-topped brush which makes it perfect for blending, contouring and smudging. Sleek design, easy to hold and costs just £1.99.

Pro E103 Eyeshadow Blending Brush - This is one brush I have never owned and I am now wondering why not. Designed to work with both powder and cream shadows, it makes blending an absolutely doddle to do and even more so if you get the powder shadows with a lot of fall out, it somehow manages to ensure it doesn't drop all over your outfit or freshly made face, but stays within the bristles of the brush. Priced at just £1.99.

Pro E104 Eyebrow Brush - This brush can be used with powder, liquid or cream eyebrow products to help define those brows. It has a nice long handle which I find makes sorting my brows much easier and the brush is small enough, that if you make a mistake, it is easy to correct with no fuss. Again it costs just £1.99 if bought separately.

Again, even if like me, you are not a Make-up Artist nor a pro at applying everything, these brushes are so worthy of investing in and really do take on some of the major high street brands.  There has been no hair shedding, they are easy to clean and quick to dry, in the photos in this review, I have used all of the brushes with make-up and have cleaned them, so you can see they are looking pretty amazing, more so when you consider the price they retail for.

Once again, Makeup Revolution as a brand manages to wow me and proves that yet again, you should never judge a brand by its pricing!

Kiehls Turmeric and Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque

There are a number of brands that I have wanted to try for ages now and when I was given the chance to try Kiehls, I jumped at the chance. In my entire lifetime, I have only ever used one Kiehl's products (here) and yet everyone raves about them. This time it was the turn of the Turmeric and Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque 75ml. Described by Kiehls as being an ‘instant facial’, the Turmeric and Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque works to brighten and energise the look of dull, fatigued skin whilst helping it to regain its natural, healthy appearance.

To look at, the mask is quite yellow looking and as Tumeric is one of the ingredients, this didn't surprise me at all. It is also quite a thick consistency, almost like a mud mask and one I find easier to apply with an old concealer brush than with my fingers, to ensure I get an equal covering on my face. Add to Tumeric, as the name suggests is Cranberry and it is this ingredient which adds the 'scrub' to the mask. Together, the cranberry and turmeric work to help visibly even the look of your skin tone whilst the crushed cranberry seeds gently exfoliate, giving that smoother, brighter, illuminated-looking skin.

The scent of this mask is what intrigued me the most, more so because Tumeric is an ingredient I associate with a good curry!  It doesn't smell like a Chicken Balti I am pleased to say, but there is a hint of spice with the cranberries that I find really quite pleasant.

As I apply the mask using an old concealer brush, I find it really easy to stand in front of the mirror and slap it on. You only need to apply a thin layer and remember that when doing so, be careful not too apply too much pressure because the cranberry seeds are there to exfoliate. Once on the face, the mask dries incredibly quickly and I like to leave it to work its magic for up to ten minutes, so again, perfect for use if you are a busy bee like me. After those ten minutes are up, you need a warm flannel/muslin cloth and then in circular movements, gently massage your face and let those cranberry seeds work their magic to gently buff the skin, removing surface dirt, grime and dead skin cells.

Once removed, the mask leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft and smooth as well as hydrated, moisturised and I am glad to say there is no hint or sign of irritation or redness. For me this mask is such an amazing treat and it is one that works as well on its own or as part of your multi-masking pampering.

If you find your skin looks a tad dull and lacklustre, dry in parts and in need of a good exfoliation and cleansing, then at £28 this is an absolute steal and is worth hunting down to give a try!  As a first face mask that I have used from Kiehls, I am eager to work my way right through the entire collection, that is how impressed I am.

Laura Geller Ballerina Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator

A few days ago I posted about the Laura Geller Sweetest Things box of products and today I have the  Laura Geller Ballerina Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator.

Now first things first, this illuminator is just stunning to look at, work with and wear. It is described as having a hybrid texture because it applies like a sheer powder but actually feels more like a cream and when swatched it does just that, as you swipe your finger across the swirls the powder like texture turns to a cream which makes it really easy to work with. The swirls are 3D and stand right out and is described as capturing the look of your favorite Italian dessert, and lasts until the very last application.

The shade, Ballerina, is just stunning and is best described as being a candlit rosy copper gold shade and once applied to the skin it gives a wash of colour. Lightweight in texture, the glow it gives is quite soft, but it is a product that is 
buildable depending on which look you are going for.

Priced at £21.50 from Lookfantastic, it is a worthy investment to have and is also available in shade Gilded Honey which is an effervescent caramel honey shade