ColourPop Sale Haul

When a deal is too good to be true, it is worth taking advantage of and to be honest, I saw quite a few people making their ColourPop orders and then sharing it on their Instagram Stories, I wanted in, the feeling of Fomo well and truly taking over. At the time of my order, Colourpop offered free international shipping on $50+ orders, 40% off sitewide and if that wasn't enough to sway me, there was also a free gift offer. So, a few minutes later I had a cart full of products and my order was placed.

The one product I had already tried from Colourpop was the Lipstix and when I saw the Lippie To Go set in Toss 'N' Turn, there was no escaping my basket. Featuring 5 nude shades in Cookie, Brink, Cami, Aftershock and Ziggie there is something for everyone right here.  If you have never tried anything from Colourpop, then this is a good a place to start as any and more so if you are a fan of lipstick!

Palettes - The free gift on offer when I placed my ColourPop sale haul was the Chasing Rainbows Pressed Powder Palette which is $20 on its own, so I was always going to get it, even though it isn't a palette I would normally purchase, but it will end up at a good home!  I then bought the Give It To Me Straight Palette which features an incredible mix of warm coppers and rich, romantic mauves and it is one I have had my eye on for some time, even though I don't really need any more eyeshadow palettes, this one was an absolute bargain.

Lipsticks - I have seen the Creme Lux Colourpop Lipsticks on quite a few Instagram accounts and I really wanted to give them a try, the only issue being, I couldn't decide which shade I wanted and I was determined not to buy them all. So I choose Scorpio Moon which is described as being a plummy rose shade and it is absolutely stunning.

I am a huge Disney Fan and of course I wasn't going to leave my basket empty of the Disney Collection was I now? Initially, I wanted the Belle Collection but it was showing as out of stock, so I got the lipstick and the shade is just a beautiful and best described as being a berry rose shade.

Lip Pencil - There is always one item of makeup I never ever seem to purchase and that is a lip pencil, but I was drawn to the Colourpop Lippie Pencils and in particular, the shade Bumble Pencil which is described as being a warm rose shade. Priced at just $5 it was too much of a bargain not to purchase.

Liquid Lipsticks - The final item within my haul comes from the liquid lipstick section and I bought the Trifecta Liquid Lip Bundle. Featuring three nude shades in My Jam, Knotty and Reign, I cannot wait to show you the swatches! 

I honestly cannot believe that I got all of this for just over $50 which includes the shipping and taxes, all of which are added on at the checkout so there are no customs to pay when it arrives.  Even more impressive is that my package was shipped and delivered within 5 working days and I am sure you have seen a sneak peek on my Instagram stories as to just how well everything is packaged.  I am so impressed that I have already been adding more products to my basket for next time!

Have you ever bought and tried products from Colourpop?

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

Milk Makeup - An Introduction

As soon as I saw that Milk Makeup was coming to Cult Beauty, I signed up (here) to be given as much notice as possible when it lands.  Over the past few years I have managed to pick up a few bits of makeup and skincare from the brand and when I saw a few bits had landed in TK Maxx, I didn't leave the store without them.

Based in New York, all of their products are cruelty-free, they do not test products or ingredients on animals and do not retail in any country that requires animal testing. A phrase you will hear quite a lot is Milk Melt Technology and to Milk Makeup, this is their secret weapon formula and it is made up of a unique blend of coconut waxes that melt into the skin on contact with body heat. That means your makeup blends seamlessly into your skin, rather than sitting on top of it.

What I love about Milk Makeup is that everything about the packaging is minimalist, it looks good on the outside as it does on the inside.  The three products I managed to grab are the Charcoal Cleanser, Urban Defence Mask and Micellar Gel Makeup Remover and they were all priced between £4.99 and £7.99.

The Charcoal Cleanser is described as being a daily cleanser to detoxify, cleanse and smooth and it does it all without being overcomplicated. My skin loves charcoal products and living in London, there are often days when a day of travelling around on public transport can leave you feeling just incredibly filthy that you want to scrape a layer of skin off just to get rid of the dirt and grime.

Inside this cleanser, which I tend to use as a second cleanse depending on how my skin feels, you will find three main ingredients that are worthy of a mention:

• Charcoal – In this case, the charcoal comes from ubame oak trees and its one job is to absorb excess oil and draw out impurities and toxins that can cause breakouts.
• Marine Water – Filled with many minerals, such as Magnesium, which help to not only soothe and heal the skin but help it to retain moisture.
• Vitamin E – This antioxidant-rich ingredient fights free radicals and provides major nourishment.

On the skin, this cleanser feels incredibly smooth, it glides on and off relatively easily, but it is a cleanser, not a makeup remover, which for me is why it works better as a second cleanse, usually after a balm. I apply this cleanser all over my face, whilst avoiding around my eyes and give it a few minutes before removing with a damp muslin cloth.  Afterwards, I have soft to the touch skin, it isn't dry or taut and oddly, there is a wonderfully fresh scent to this cleanser rather than something chemical and I really like it.

The Urban Defence Mask is described as being a mask which helps to defend the skin against the daily toxins that leave skin dry, tired, and red.   I love that this mask is everything I expected it not to be and so much more.  Inside the pot is a clear gel-like formula rather than a cream and it applies like an absolute dream, isn't as messy as I expected it to be and is very much the case that a little goes a long way.

This mask is formulated using Vitamin E, Jojoba and Grape Seed Oils which collectively work to hydrate and nourish the skin. You apply this mask generously to clean, dry skin and leave for between 3 and 5 minutes and then using warm water, splash the face before using circular movements to loosen the mask, which slowly begins to turn from a gel to a milky lotion which you can then rinse off using water or cotton wool pads.  Afterwards, my skin does feel soft and smooth to the touch, but it wasn't my favourite product to use and I can't quite put my finger on why but it just feels like an extra step of skincare that I really don't need.

The final product I have used is the Micellar Gel Makeup Remover is the product which intrigued me the most because I've made no secret that I am not a fan of Micellar water in general when I double cleanse, but a Gel? Well, it caught my attention.

As with Micellar water, this gel uses non-ionic micellar action to entrap and lift both oil- and water-based impurities from the skin. Infused with extracts of Chamomile, Green Tea, Coconut, Cucumber, Papaya and Aloe Vera, it is, as you can imagine incredibly gentle on the skin as well as being nourishing and hydrating too.  To use, again no difference from a Micellar water in that you grab a cotton wool pad, use one pump of the lotion from the dispenser and wipe away dirt, makeup and any other nasty lurking on the skin.  What I prefer about this to water is the texture, slightly thicker as it is gel-like, it is soothing on the skin and works really well at removing everything in its path and it smells clean, think a combination of Aloe and Green Tea for the scent.  Afterwards, there is no sticky or tackiness to the skin, just a soft, smooth feeling.

Milk Makeup use only good cruelty-free and 100% Vegan ingredients, so I have no doubt that when it does land on Cult Beauty, it is going to be incredibly popular because it ticks all of the boxes for being on trend right now. With everything from Skincare to Makeup and a few pieces in between, I am excited to see what will be on offer, but in the meantime, I am happy enough what I have tried and definitely want to try more.

Have you ever tried anything from Milk Makeup?

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

Slip Silk Pillowcase

Having that perfect pillow is something I am still looking for, perhaps something I will always be looking for and whilst on that journey, I have tried quite a lot of extra products in an effort to find comfort as I drift off to sleep.  I have ice cold gel inserts to try and regulate the temperature of my pillow because as soon as it gets too hot, I wake up.  Did you know that your pillow could actually be causing you a few other issues though?

I have read rave reviews of how amazing silk pillowcases are and admittedly, I am always one who wants to jump onto the bandwagon to give something a try to see what all the fuss is about.  I was kindly given a Slip Pure Silk Pillowcase in Pink in Queen (of course) to try.  Priced at £79, the Slip Pure Silk Pillowcase is available in four different sizes. a choice of how you want the closure to be as well as the choice of pattern or 13 different colour options, so you should be able to find something to fit your own pillows and match your bedroom decor with relative ease.   It comes beautifully boxed with everything you need to know about your pillow clearly visible.

This pillowcase comes with a huge celebrity backing as to how wonderful it is and whilst that wouldn't usually sway how I feel about a product, honestly, even if it did absolutely nothing it promised, I can still see why people rave about it.  But what are its selling points?

Anti-Aging, Anti Sleep Crease, Anti Bedhead

Slip Silk are aware of many other products available on the market but for them, the slipsilk™ difference is the big selling point. Slipsilk™ is specially-commissioned and made to our exacting standards, developed and re­fined over ten years to provide the ultimate combination of shine, thickness, softness and durability. They use the highest grade (6A) long ­fiber mulberry silk, with a thickness of 22 momme and enforce the strictest quality guidelines, including non-toxic dyes.  To the honest, this is the smoothest, silkiest product I have ever laid my head on, it is pure delight.

The term anti-ageing usually raises someone hackles, but in this case, it isn't about slapping on a cream for a few days and seeing a remarkable difference, it goes much deeper.  It is said that we spend around a third of our lives in bed (I suspect for me that is much more) and the reason Silk have chosen specific fibres is because they are  signi­ficantly less absorbent than many other ­fibers, so they can help keep your skin’s moisture and expensive face and hair products where they belong, on your face and hair. Slipsilk™ can help to reduce friction, which can reduce stretching and tugging on delicate facial skin.

The term anti sleep crease has been the one I've come to associate with Silk pillowcases and this one is no different.  I am sure we have all woken up with the sleep crease, where your pillowcase has twisted whilst you have slept and it has left creases, known as the sleep crease on your face? We all know that as we age and as our skin ages, it loses elasticity and sleep creases can become more pronounced and longer-lasting. While the creases usually go away later that day, it is said that they can be gradually ‘ironed in’ over the years. Slipsilk™ can help to reduce friction, allowing the skin to glide along the pillow while reducing extra pressure on creased skin.  Since having my own Slip Pure Silk Pillow Case, I have not had a single sleep crease, my pillow hasn't become creased either.

Finally, we have anti bed head, something which really intrigued me with regards to a pillowcase and whether having one made of silk really would make a difference.  Ordinary pillowcases can cause your hair to pull, tangle and cause friction which leads to the dreaded 'Bed Head'. A silk pillowcase helps to reduce friction and frizz and I can totally see why the world’s most renowned hairstylists and beauty experts have long recommended sleeping on gentle, hair friendly silk to help preserve your blow out.

Until the Slip Pure Silk Pillowcase came into my life, I had always bought cotton pillowcases, assuming that they would be among the best fabrics I could buy, now I can't ever see me going back.  Having a silk pillowcase has been life changing for me, remember at the beginning of the post I mentioned the hot pillow syndrome which wakes me up? Well, having something silk to sleep on has changed all of that because the temperature is now regulated and my pillow always feels cool to the touch, so whilst I wake less during the night, I now just need to find the perfect pillow for comfort.

Alongside pillowcases, Slip has a whole host of products that I am really keen to try, everything from Hair Scrunchies and Sleep Masks to their very own cleaning solutions to keep your Silk products in the best possible condition.  Slip Silk products can be found on the highstreet or online via sites such as Lookfantastic, Feelunique and Cult Beauty to name just a few.

Have you ever tried a Silk Pillowcase? 

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

OPI Nutcracker Nail Polish Collection Review and Swatches

Just a few months ago I streamlined my nail polish collection from over 200 bottles down to just 20 and that drawer in my storage had started to look a bit empty, then this incredible package from OPI Nails arrived and it couldn't have been more timely. To celebrate the launch of the Disney The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, OPI has collaborated with Disney for an OPI Nutcracker Nail Polish Collection to bring shades of royalty to your nails.

Watching Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet is a holiday tradition for many, the posters are up across London and on poster sites across the tube, so this collaboration has been done quite timely. I am an absolute Disnerd and am looking forward to seeing the film as soon as I am released from work for the year and the synopsis sounds just amazing: All Clara wants is a key - a one-of-a-kind key that will unlock a box that holds a priceless gift from her late mother. A golden thread, presented to her at godfather Drosselmeyer's annual holiday party, leads her to the coveted key-which promptly disappears into a strange and mysterious parallel world. It's there that Clara encounters a soldier named Phillip, a gang of mice and the regents who preside over three Realms: Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers, and Land of Sweets. Clara and Phillip must brave the ominous Fourth Realm, home to the tyrant Mother Ginger, to retrieve Clara's key and hopefully return harmony to the unstable world.

The OPI Nutcracker Nail Polish Collection consists of twelve limited edition nail colours as well as three beautiful looking glitter shades that I have my eye on. The polishes are available in the original OPI Nail Lacquer formula and are £13.50 each for 15ml, as well as their Infinite Shine 2 formula which is £14.50 and within the range, you can find the following shades:

OPI Black to Reality – This is my favourite shade within the box and it is one I would happily wear all year round. A beautiful deep red, almost plum shade which looks magnificent with one coat, but even more fabulous with two.

OPI Berry Fairy Fun – This is a metallic purple shimmer which hosts a pinky purple sparkle to it.  It is one of those shades which needs a good 2-3 coats to really get the full effect of the sparkle, but I've found it is one which seems to dry much quicker than some of the other shades within the collection.

OPI Toying With Trouble – If you don't have a pink polish within your stash, then this is the one! Admittedly, I am not a pink polish kind of girl, but this one I absolutely adore.  Best described as being more of a fuchsia pink than a hot Barbie pink, it applies like a dream and looks amazing with just one coat. 

OPI Envy The Adventure – Green isn't usually a shade I would opt for but it really is one of the nicest greens I have come across and it makes a perfect shade for Spring if like me you are not too big a fan of pastel shades.

OPI Candied Kingdom – If you like your bright red polishes then this is the one! It is a beautiful neutral toned red and surprisingly you need just one coat to get that perfect opaque coverage and it doesn't dry streaky which is another tick in the box.

OPI March In Uniform – If a navy shade is more your thing, then this polish wil be calling your name as it really is a stunning deep navy. I had expected this one to be quite streaky, owing to previous experiences with another brand who has a navy shade, but surprisingly it isn't and even with one coat it looks absolutely stunning.

OPI Dreams Need Clara-Fication –  Again, another beautiful shade for spring as it is a really pretty pastel blue shade.  To me, it is a little on the thin side when it comes to the formula which means you need to apply at least two coats, but it is worth it because it is so pretty.

OPI Lavendare to Find Courage – This is a really pretty pastel, white based lilac shade which I have grown to really like and have worn twice since the package arrived. A definite Spring/Summer shade if you prefer a lighter polish but it does need at least two coats. 

OPI Dancing Keeps Me On My Toes – This is a shade which can be worn on its own or over another polish and I absolutely love it. On its own, you need 2/3 coats to get that full glistening white snow white shade which is almost metallic. Over another polish, just the one shade.

OPI Dazzling Dew Drop – This is a yellow gold shade which has a glint of silver sparkle within it. Two coats are needed for full opacity and I didn't expect to like this shade at all, but it is really pretty and perfect for an accent nail!

OPI Ginger’s Revenge – The first shade to catch my attention as I removed them all from the box.  Best described as a deep, dark berry red, it is just absolutely stunning and the perfect shade for this time of the year and you only need one coat!

I have absolutely loved getting to know this collection and having the opportunity to try out some of the shades over the festive season, never have I wanted to change my nail polish colour as often as I have done with these colours.  I love that there are some shades that you can change with the seasons and some that you can wear all year round too. 

Also included within the box is the OPI Start to Finish 3 in 1 which works amazingly well as a base coat to not only protect your nails but you can also use it as a top coat and nail strengthener. Formaldehyde-Free it is infused with Wheat Protein and Calcium, the high-performance treatment can be applied before nail polish to prevent staining of natural nails, after nail varnish for mirror-like shine and protection against chipping, or as a strengthener to promote harder, stronger nails.

Do you have a favourite shade within the OPI Nutcracker Collection?

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