e.l.f Skin Care Collection

I am sure many of us did a little dance when e.l.f came back to the UK, launching in Superdrug with some amazing products, which I reviewed right here, but did you know they have also launched an entire skin collection too?  Available from Superdrug, e.l.f describe their collection as 'skintertainment' and all of the products are free from Parabens, Sulfates, Phthalates and are Vegan and Cruelty Free.

The entire collection comprises of sixteen products which are not only described as being luxurious and accessible but in listening to their consumers, the products within the collection are designed to give you a spa like experience at home, without annoying your bank manager and what drew me in the most? They K-Beauty inspired!  Over the last few months, I have been using three of the sixteen products and here they are:

Exfoliating Scrub - This exfoliating scrub is really gentle on the skin and uses Walnut Shell to help polish away dead skin cells.  

It is infused with purified water and vitamin E and what I was surprised to find is that rather than stripping the skin after using and making your face feel as though you need to add anything and everything moisture wise, it is instead incredibly hydrated and it leaves skin feeling soft and smooth to the touch. Priced at £5.99.

Illuminating Eye Cream - I always have an eye cream on my bedside table in the hope that I can ward off any lines and wrinkles for as long as I possibly can.  Described as being a nourishing cream which helps hydrate and minimise the appearance of dark circles and puffiness.  

Again it is infused with Purified Water and skin nourishing Jojoba, Vitamin E, and Cucumber which comes together to help soothe and protect the delicate skin area around the eye. This cream is also rich in antioxidants Shea Butter and Green Tea and when used, it is incredibly lightweight and absorbs on contact with the skin Priced at £11.49.

Daily Hydration Moisturiser - Again this cream is infused with Purfied Water and skin-nourishing Jojoba, Aloe, Vitamin E and Cucumber making it lightweight on the skin, hydrating and nourishing.  Then there is the inclusion of Shea Butter, Grape and Orange Peel which are rich in antioxidants. 

This cream is lightly scented and with a scent that I can best describe as slightly fruity, on the skin it is lightweight, absorbs really quickly and I love how it makes my skin feels. Priced at £8.99.

Alongside these three products you will also find a Hydrating Bubble Mask, Pore Refining Brush and Mask Tool, Hydrating Serum, Gentle Peeling Exfoliant, Moisturising Sleep Mask, Hydrating Water Essence, Cleansing Cloths and much more.

Have you tried anything from e.l.f? Is there anything from the skincare range which tempts you?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

Touch In Sol Rouge Fondue Lipsticks

If you follow me on Instagram then you probably noticed that I have been quite excited by a brand called Touch In Sol. Created and founded in Seoul, South Korea and if you are a regular reader of my blog, then you will also know that I am obsessed with Korean Beauty. Said to embrace the spirit of Korean innovation, Touch In Sol is fun, innovative and uses some of the most advanced technologies and everything I have tried so far I have just absolutely loved. Using a whole host of natural, botanical ingredients, Touch In Sol aims to not only brighten up your day with fun products but with products that are functional and serve a purpose. 

I love lipsticks and Touch In Sol have an incredible range called Rouge Fondue which I am sharing with you today. Described as being lusciously nourishing and gorgeously glossy, Rogue Fondue lipsticks are enriched with a formula which includes Mango Seed, Shea and Coconut Butter as well as hyaluronic acid and hydrolysed silk, bringing all of these together you have a formula which both hydrates and cares for the lips.  The formula also features a 5-free formula which means there are no parabens, phenoxyethanol, mineral oil, triethylolamine and no EDTA.

There are seven shades within the Rouge Fondue range and there is definitely something for everyone whether you like a nude lip, something a little pink or something really bold.

• Fondue Hot Pink - As the name suggests, this is a bold hot pink shade 
• Fondue Red - Every lip wardrobe needs a red and this is a beautiful red 
• Fondue Peach - a light shade of peach 
• Fondue Pink - a bubblegum rose 
• Fondue Nude Beige - a peachy pale coral 
• Fondue Coral Beige - a deeper, rosier coral

Melting as soon as it comes into contact with the lips and turning into an almost liquid-like formula, over time, as the lipstick stays on the lips, the colour reacts to the temperature of your lips and continues to develop and deepen and truthfully, it absolute fascinates me. I love how easily the lipstick glides across the lips whether you use a brush or the lipstick itself directly, it doesn't cling to dry skin and it lasts for hours and hours without the need to re-apply.  

I have been loving Fondue Coral Beige, not a shade I ever felt I would be comfortable with, but I love how easy it works for me and from the seven lipsticks that I have from the range, I actually feel comfortable wearing them all.  The swatches shown above are with and without the flash on my camera and have been swatched with just one swipe of the lipstick bullet onto my wrist and arm.  You can see just how pigmented they are.  I have never used a lipstick like this before and I have a lot of lipsticks, they are simply exceptional and a must have.

I am really excited to see big things from Touch In Sol and you can find them at Cult Beauty, ASOS, Indulge Beauty and BeautyMart and Rouge Fondue Lipsticks are priced at £21 each.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

Ark Skincare Pre Cleanse & Make-Up Remover

For me, 2017 has been quite the year for discovering new brands, some of which I am bringing with me into 2018 on this blog.  The one I have to share today is from a brand called Ark Skincare.  Ark is an award winning, British skincare brand, which treats skin by age and by skin concern, using bio active natural ingredients, containing highly effective antioxidants, lipids and vitamins. Split into three key age specific ranges they have Protect for teens & 20s, Defend for 30s & 40s, & Defy for those over 50.   I love that you can shop by age or by concern and from which, you will be given a whole range of products to choose from with descriptions and information on what it does, how to use it and most importantly the ingredients it has within it.

The one product I have just finishing using up is the Pre Cleanse and Make-Up Remover (£30) which is formulated for all ages and is described as being a revolution in skin cleansing. I always ensure that I double cleanse every day. Living in London, a city which is over polluted means my skin can change from week to week and I do change my skincare up and down as I feel I need to, but double cleansing is always a must because there is nothing quite like taking the day off your face.

This cleanser combines Omegas 3, 6 and 9 alongside a Multi-Fruit Lipid blend which lifts literally everything off your face, even that waterproof mascara that is a complete pain to remove and with it comes all the surface dirt and grime which has deposited itself on your skin throughout the day. It always amazes me just how much 'muck' comes off my face, even though my journey too and from work on average is less than an hour! So for me, a pre-cleanse before I cleanse is essential because I want that nastiness off my face to then allow my cleanser to work its magic.

Using a combination of Grape Seed Oil with Avocado and Kiwi Oil which work to nourish and protect against dryness, Margosa Leaf which extracts and destroys bacteria growth alongside the herbal benefits of Zi Cao, an Ayurvedic herb which soothes and comforts sensitive skin.  Combining all of these ingredients together and you have a cleanser which, thanks to its oily texture, grabs hold of everything and removes it so effectively and it leaves your skin feeling absolutely clean, soft and smooth ready for the following cleanse.  To use it, I simply ensure my face is damp and then pouring just a small amount into the palm of one hand, I massage it onto my face using circular movements to ensure that the gunk knows I am coming for it, then once I have finished the massaging, I use a muslin cloth to remove everything that has come loose, look in shock and horror at what has been found, then splash my face with warm water to ensure I have removed absolutely everything I possibly can and then do my second cleanse.

I had no idea what to expect from ARK, I hadn't read any reviews about any of the products or even see this particular one featured anywhere, so it was a nice surprise to find a product which does exactly what it claims it is going to do, is kind to my skin and feel like an absolute treat to use each time I used it.  It does retail for £30 and all of the products available from ARK Skincare are cruelty free and are also free from Parabens, SLS, mineral oil, S.D. Alcohol, Formaldehyde, and Artificial Colours and Fragrance.

Have you ever tried any of ARK skincare products?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

Ancienne Ambiance Bacca Berry Luxury Scented Candle

Not too long ago I wrote a post (here) on the candles I had been burning in the run up to Christmas. There is nothing I love more than being cosy, snug and relaxed and candles burning do just that for me. 

Over the last week there has been another candle that I have fallen in love with and it is the Bacca Berry Luxury Scented Candle from Ancienne Ambiance and honestly, it is just divine. Ancienne Ambiance is a London-based luxury niche brand which was founded back in 2004 and they specialise in creating fine fragrances, home fragrances, body-care, perfumes and natural hand-poured scented candles. Everything you find from Ancienne Ambiance is paraben free, has been created using natural ingredients and has recyclable packaging.

Described as being a sophisticated and vibrant fruity blend of redcurrants, blackcurrants and an array of freshly picked bursting berries. A seasonal staple for early hunter-gatherers for thousands of years, Bacca (Latin used for ‘small round fruit’) were also enjoyed by the Romans, Etruscans and Greeks.   I absolutely love the scent of this candle, it is one that you can smell as you unwrap it and one which doesn't need to even be alight because it scents the entire room within which it sits.  Once alight the fragrance intensifies and because a lot stronger and once it has been burning for a good few hours, the scent intensifies enough to float through the entire house, so if a fruity berry scent with a slight earthy twist is a scent you enjoy, then this candle is one you need.

Each candle is hand poured here in the UK, and it’s a slow burning natural wax with a lead free wick and it comes packaged inside a straight glass jar and because it is a huge 200g sized candle, it has a burn time of around 60-65 hours which is really impressive and it costs just £40.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here