Essence What The Fake Mascara

One of my favourite high street brand of cosmetics has to Essence, my local Wilko isn't the best advertisement for the brand as the stand always looks as though it has been ransacked and it never has any products that haven't been opened and swatched, for you to purchase.  However, there are plenty of places online, such as Feelunique, to get your hands on the brand - thankfully.

Lash Princess is possibly one of the most talked-about products from Essence, but today I am talking about What The Fake! Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara which retails for just £3.49 and it is an absolute steal. I am so picky when it comes to using mascara, I do have fairly long eyelashes and I wear glasses, so I find that any mascara which has an overly wet formula is simply not going to work for me as I always feel as though my lashes are being dragged down. So, formula aside, I am also picky when it comes to the mascara wand because I don't want a wand that is too thick, I just cannot work with them and find they aid clumping. 

What The Fake! is described as being a mascara that 'reaches all eyelashes in just two strokes thanks to its almond-shaped, ergonomic brush' Well the wand I actually really do like, the shape just works really well with my lashes, it doesn't overload the product and it is easy enough to wiggle through your lashes, even those tiny ones in the corners. The formula uses special nylon fibres which provide the lashes with that look of being lengthened and given volume, for me, what makes this mascara different to others which use fibres, is that again, the formula isn't weighted down with them, which then transfers to the lashes making you blink excessively, which is really annoying.

I have just come to the end of this mascara, even though I am working from home, I do still wear mascara, it is almost like a habit to just apply it when I get dressed and do my skincare, the tube lasts really well, doesn't dry out before you need to dispose of it and because it actually coats all the lashes, rather than most of them, for £3.49 from Feelunique it is one I would purchase again!

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

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Oil-Free Matte with SPF 40

A brand I see on my social feed all the time is IT Cosmetics, people raving about the CC Cream and the Bye Bye Under Eye Cream. Until now, it isn't a brand that I knew a lot about, but the opportunity to be colour matched was too good a chance to miss and a chat with one of the girls from the brand who could recommend some products just for me.

I have combination oily skin, so it was suggested that I opt for the Your Skin But Better CC+ Oil-Free Matte which also has an SPF 40 and I wasn't surprised to find that I was one of the lightest shades available - fair light.

This multitasking, complexion-perfecting foundation instantly reduces the appearance of skin imperfections including redness, and reduces the appearance of pores without creasing or cracking, helping to reduce shine and control oil.

I really don't like the feel of thick heavy foundation coverage, it makes me feel a little suffocated if truth be told and also, my skin doesn't need it, I am lucky enough that my only issue, apart from the slight reddening of one cheek (why!) when I am stressed, is combination-oily skin which leaves me with dry patches and an afternoon shine most days. So for me, this CC cream is ticking a lot of boxes from the description alone.

On the skin, whilst I apply using a foundation brush and I really like how it feels on my skin, it isn't as thick I was expecting it to be having read quite a few reviews and nor is it gloopy so it doesn't feel as though it has been applied using a trowel. I found it easy to apply and blend, just as I had been shown in-store and for me, it gives medium coverage which is buildable. So to cover the redness on my cheek, if I feel the need to apply more CC Cream, then I can

This CC Creme is Infused with charcoal to detoxify, colloidal clay and Moroccan lava clay which are known for their oil-absorbing effects, tea tree extract, known to combat blemishes plus hydrolyzed collagen, peptides, niacin, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants and vitamins. All ingredients that my skin absolutely loves and reacts really well with. What drew me to this CC cream was the list of key benefits which include:

Key Benefits

• Your full-coverage matte foundation, it's hydrating, anti-ageing, and with SPF 40 - in one step!
• Delivers flawless looking coverage with a matte-looking finish - won't crease or crack
• Helps to reduce shine and control oil
• Works to improve the look of skin concerns include redness and dark circles

There is no doubt that I have become quite a big fan of this CC+ more so because it is oil-free and does have a really good SPF coverage, something you sometimes find amiss with brands and their face products. 

Priced at £32 via ItCosmetics, CultBeauty and Boots.

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

Summer Beauty Edit from QVC

The Summer Beauty Edit from QVC is on sale right now and it is one you do not want to miss because you can get your hands on it for one day only!  Packaged inside the most amazing two-tone purple bag you will find six full-sized products with a combined value of £221.50 but is on sale right now for less than £50!

Inside you will find a whole host of brands who have a home at QVC and some of them might be more familiar to you than others, but what you get is a brilliant cross-section of beauty products to try.

The Bag Contents

Now an edit from QVC would not be complete without the inclusion of one of my favourite brands - Alpha-H.  Included within the Summer Beauty Edit is the cult hero product from the brand which is Liquid Gold.

Liquid Gold is described as being a powerful firming serum, this works like an 'overnight facial' to tighten and revitalise tired, ageing skin and radically improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, open pores and acne prone skin conditions. Liquorice helps combat acne and hyper-pigmentation, whilst Glycolic Acid (derived from sugar cane), jump-starts the skin's metabolism - refining its texture by dissolving the bonds that hold dead skin cells together, so they're sloughed away with your morning cleanse to reveal a more luminous, glowing complexion.

The second product inside the bag comes from Gatineau with the Perfection Ultime Retexturising Beauty Cream.

Described as being a lightweight daily moisturiser, it works to instantly hydrate and brighten the skin using Hyaluronic Acid and Cotton Extract, alongside protein-rich Caviar Extract and Tripeptide 1 which also work to restore skin health and luminosity. Then we have Geranium Oil which helps to protect the skin from free-radicals and finally, the complexion is smoothed and perfected with the use of Wheat and Soy Proteins.

The third product comes from Korres with the Pure Greek Olive Oil 3 in 1 Nourishing & Anti-Ageing Oil and I already love this product.

Described as being a silky silicone-free treatment that can be used all over the hair, face and body to promote the look of hydrated hair and skin. Using a blend of extra virgin olive oil, hemisqualane, crambe seed oil plus vitamins E, F and fatty acids. What I lvoe about this oil is that it is multi-use - it can be added to your moisturiser, applied to wet skin to add moisture and hydrate, you can use it on the ends of your hair and even on dry skin on the knees, elbows and heels!

Next we have a Powerful Eye Concentrate from SkinSense and as a brand, it is one I have come across, tried a few products from but wasn't wowed. So I am intrigued to see how this works.

Utilising lamellar technology which SkinSense described as being a way to lock ingredients into the skin so that they work longer and better. This formula is described as being unique. Not only does it help to deeply hydrate and nourish the complexion, due to luxuriously nourishing ingredients such as Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Inca Peanut Oil and Shea Butter.

Also in the Summer Beauty Edit is a brand I have never come across until now and that is the M. Asam Resveratrol Premium Essence Of Youth.

Described as being a powerful blend of resveratrol, paracress extract, vitamin E and precious oils, this intensive face serum helps you achieve younger-looking skin with a velvety soft feel. I really like that this doesn't have any strong scent to it and on the skin, it has the same texture as a serum and absorbs really quickly into the skin. So I am looking forward to using this a lot more.

The final product in this bag comes from Perricone MD with the High Potency Classics Nutritive Cleanser.

Described as being a gentle, hydrating facial wash that works to remove dirt, excess oil, makeup and environmental pollution without drying out the skin. it is formulated with alpha-lipoic acid, exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids as well as a unique firming and hydrating copper complex, so not only does this cleanser soften and condition dry, thirsty skin it does so without stripping it of any moisture and what I love is that it comes with a pump-action dispenser in the box to make using it even easier.

So there you have the entire contents of the Summer Beauty Edit from QVC with six full-sized bottles.  It is on sale right now on QVC for less than £50 which is a huge saving!  Have you grabbed one?

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

The Cult Beauty Starter Kit

On my blog yesterday, I shared the Cult Beauty Starter Kit for Men which would make a great gift for Father's Day this weekend (UK) and today see the return of the very popular Cult Beauty Start Kit which costs just £30 and contains some amazing products.

Cult Beauty state that this is an edit of bestsellers as well as the ideal introduction to some of their top-rated skin care and make up essentials. 

Contents of the Box

• A full size Benefit BADgal BANG Mascara (4g) grants massive volume without weighing lashes down – think: extreme volume, length and curl without clumps. 
• Charlotte Tilbury’s Collagen Lip Bath (7.9ml) in ‘Peachy Plump’ is enriched with firming marine collagen and acts as a treatment and a lip gloss, locking in moisture while imparting a light-reflecting sheen. 
• Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour (1g) boasts impressive staying power, high-impact colour payoff and effortless eyeshadow application. With a choice of four mesmer-eyes-ing shades – ‘Rose Gold’, ‘Amethyst’, ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Au Naturel’.
• Herbivore’s Lapis Balancing Facial Oil (8ml) hydrates without clogging pores and is designed to balance and decongest oily and blemish-prone skin,
• Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 30 (15ml) which provides unparalleled UV deflection without suffocating your skin, exacerbating congestion or leaving a greasy, white film.

The box itself has a combined value of over £95 so it is a huge saving on a box which is filled with some amazing products! 

Available to purchase now via Cult Beauty - Buy Here*

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