SO ME Beauty Brow Shaping Kit

If I could give my teenage self one bit of beauty advice I would shout "Do not tweeze them brows", fair to say it was once acceptable to have a barely there brow but fast forward some ten years and Cara Delvigne sports her bushy brow and I sigh in acceptance that I am just never going to have brows like that.

I have over the years learnt to deal with the brows I have, they grow at a snails pace but they grow and the urge to pick up the tweezers has all but left my mind.  There is a now a market saturated with products which promise to give you amazing brows, wow brows and even the best brows ever and today I am sharing with you the So Me Brow shaping kit which is designed to scuplt, shape and fill your brows from one handy little compact.

The So Me brow kit is available in three shades - Mocha, Caramel and Espesso. I opted for Caramel as it is an inbetween shade and I have brows that are neither light or dark. Inside the gloriously coloured compant is a mirror, two powders, some stensils and two brow tools - An Angled brush and a Rounded brush.

Inside the kit is also an easy to follow set of instructions which explains how best to use the kit.  The stencils give you an option as to how you want those brows to look - Sexy, Chic or Sublime and the one closest to my own brow shape is Sexy, though I haven't yet used the stencils as I don't feel I need to.  

Using the angled brush, you define the brow using the powder and slowly build up the coverage until you are happy with how your brow looks.  The pigmentation within the powder is enough that you can build it up easy or if you are not yet ready for a bold brow, you will find you don't need as much.  Once you are happy with how your brows look you then use the rounded brush with the iridescent highlighter beneth the brow to enhance the look.  I really like the highlighter and have used it for more than my brows. It works perfectly in the corner of your eyes and cupids bow.

I have really enjoyed using this kit, though I do think that given there is space iin the palette for a third tool, a small pair of tweezers would have been a nice touch, it would also stop the brushes rattling around and clanging against one another.

Priced at £24 this is an expensive eyebrow kit when pitted against others on the highstreet. Purchase the range online at so-me.me or in Superdrug and Sainsbury’s stores.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Frank Body | The Original Coffee Scrub

 Frank Body is one of the first brands I came across when my love of coffee scrubs started to grow. A company which started back in 2013 has grown considerably and with a range of products now boasting everything for the body, face and

Coconut coffee scrub which smells insanely good offers to Turn your shower into a nudie beach with with this nut-free, natural and smells just like a beach holiday scrub which admittedly comes minus the sand in your pants. Packed in a brown bag, this scrub is insane for removing dead and dry skin. The instructions ask that you use two handfuls, but I have only ever used one per session. Now it is messy but if you prepare beforehand it is much easier. 

As it is designed to scrub the skin, I find it works better if the skin is wet before application, so whether you want to hop in and out of the shower, turn your water on or off or not is entirely down to you. I grab my handful of scrub and place it into an old Lush tub and then add a few drops of water to make it into a paste. Then once in the shower, depending on how my skin is, I either apply the scrub to the parts which need it the most, or I cover my entire body with said scrub. 

As a coffee scrub this naturally smells like freshly brewed coffee with a hint of coconut plus there is some grape seed oil and Vitamin E. Priced at £13.95 for a 200g bag, this scrub is worth every last penny.

If a coffee scrub isn't exciting enough then I have been using three other products from the Frank Body range and they are a lip scrub, a body lotion and a creamy face scrub - I am literally almost like a walking talking cup of your finest Americano!

The Creamy face scrub is incredible and it takes the amazing body scrub and gives it a slight twist to create a face scrub. With this scrub you take a small blob and apply it to your face, again, I prefer a slightly damp face so the scrub has something to stick too. Then as you apply it, ensure that you massage in circular motions to help aid the removal of dirt, grime, dead and dry skin. 

However, before washing it off, the advice is to leave it on your skin for three further minutes and then rinse. The scrub is quite gritty and it uses a combination of amazing ingredients such as White clay which has a long history of detoxifying and removing dead skin cells. Rosehip Oil which brightens dull skin and smoothes over your battle scars. There is also coconut, grapeseed and sweet almond oils which moisturise and hydrate the skin plus Vitamins A, E and D hydrate your skin without blocking pores.  This scrub is priced at £15.95.

The Body Cream promises you'll be the icing on the cake and given how lovely, thick and luxurious the cream is, it is hard to not want to smother yourself in it. 

A delicious blend of Shea and Cocoa Butters which are intensely hydrating alongside coffee seed extract which helps to firm and tone, Pomegranate which feeds your skin to make it stronger & healthier, Green Tea which helps flush out toxins from the skin, helps heal blemishes and soothes the complexion.  If you have ever been a fan of Palmers Cocoa Butter from a tub, then this is a slightly smoother version and it leaves your skin feeling just absolutely incredible.  This cream is priced at £17.95.

Finally the lip duo which consists of a scrub and a balm are design to tackle dry, flaky lips and leave behind smooth soft ones in it place.  

Using a combination of Coffee, coconut, macadamia and grapeseed oils alongside ethically sourced beeswax and raw sugar you get two products which work so incredibly well together and not only does the scrub effectively remove any dry skin, it doesn't scratch and is not overly abrasive.  I tend to use my scrub twice a week to ensure that my lips are not dry, chapped or have any dead skin hanging around and I am a lip balm addict in any case, so it is never without question that I use a lot of it.  This little duo is priced at £12.95.

I have found Frank Body products to be an absolute delight to use and if you love the scent of coffee then this is a match made in heaven for you.  You can find all of these products online via sites such as ASOS.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

L’Occitane Pivoine Mask Pods

I love a pod mask, there are quite a few brand who have them and they are great for multi masking, taking on holiday and treating yourself too. So when these two beauties from L'Occitane landed through my door I couldn't wait to give them a try. They come sealed inside a 6ml sized pod which means they are great for travelling with.

From the Pivoine range there are three masks within the range - Purifying Minute Mask, Flash Moisture Mask and the Overnight Perfecting Mask. I have the Flash Moisture Mask and the Overnight Perfecting Mask, or did have because I couldn't wait to give them a try and as a face mask addict, it was too good an opportunity to not try them.

The first mask is the Pivoine Sublime Overnight Perfecting Mask. If there is one product that I adore, it is something that works on your skin whilst you sleep. This mask has is not only non-oily, but it has an incredibly light texture which doesn't make your skin feel clogged.

The gel like texture is a dream to apply and whilst you sleep, your skin is said to be at its most receptive to skincare. The mask, which contains smoothing, refining and hydrating Peony Extract and softening Myristic Acid, helps to reduce the appearance of fatigue soyou wake up to skin that feels fresh and looks radiant as if revitalised. The complexion looks luminous, the face rested. This is also a great mask for using on an overnight flight.

The second mask is the Pivoine Sublime Flash Moisture Mask. This mask has a rich, creamy texture which immediately quenches skin’s thirst and infuses it with moisture. Skin feels nourished, plumped and beautifully supple. The complexion looks velvety and radiant, with a sparkling glow.

This mask contains smoothing, refining and hydrating Peony Extract and Glycerin and is again ideal for travelling or using as an indulgent treat to nourish your skin.

At just £6 per pod, these masks are incredible value for money, a great introduction to an amazing skincare range and above all else, my skin absolutely loves both of them. I am determined to purchase both mask pods and include the one I haven't yet tried to see how the task of multi-masking works.

Are you a fan of Pod Masks?

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

FILORGA NCTF-ESSENCE

Inspired by Asian beauty innovation, the new FILORGA NCTF-ESSENCE this is one product I was really looking forward to using. I am obsessed with Asian beauty and the rituals that come with them and this is my first introduction to Filgora.

Described as being a lightweight lotion which preps and primes the skin, it offers supreme hydration prior to applying your serum or moisturiser thus ensuring the product absorbs deep into the skin for maximum results. My skincare routine in a morning consists of double cleansing, toning, adding a serum and then a moisturiser which has an SPF, so adding an extra step into my routine, if it gave the results it promised, then it would be a step worth having.

This Filorga Essence smells just incredible. It has a light floral scent which you can immediately detect and to use you can either apply using your fingers or by using a cotton pad. I opt for dropping just a few drops into the palm of my hand and then use my fingers to apply it all over my face and massage it in, much as I do with my serum. The end result is soft, silky skin which feels hydrated and moisturised.

This Essence uses what is called AQUA-MX technology (water sensor + moisturising sage extract) which work to deeply hydrate the skin, add to that, an anti-pollution polysaccharide to detoxify and protect, I can see not only why this is such a luxurious product but just what a difference it makes to my skin when using it.

Price: £50.00, available NOW from feelunqiue.com

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise