elf No Budge Shadow Stick

I am a huge fan of the ByTerry Ombre Blackstar eyeshadow crayons, as well as the M&S Rosie for Autograph Cream Eyeshadows, so when the No Budge Shadow Sticks from ELF arrived, I was keen to see how well they stood their ground, particularly when the saving is between £7 and £24 compared to M&S and ByTerry

I am a huge fan of Eyeshadow sticks, they are like the lazy girl version to skincare, easy to apply, blend and to create the look you want, especially on the go. Described as being a no budge, metallic cream eyeshadow stick which features a long-lasting formula, which when applied helps avoid smudging, smearing, and creasing.

I have three shades within my collection - Perfect Pearl, Metallic Mocha and Bronze Metal, but I do believe there is a fourth shade which is Rose Gold. The Crayon features a convenient twist up feature and within the base, there is also a sharpener to help you create that perfect shaped nib.  As well as being used as an eyeshadow, these crayons can also be applied as an eyeliner, which is what I used Bronze Metal for.

These crayons have an incredible formula and they glide across the eyelid with ease, easier than the M&S Rosie Autograph version in my opinion. Depending on how you use them, you can blend with your finger or a brush, but they are quite pigmented, so in some cases, less is definitely more.

The swatches above show the shades as they are, no filtering or changing of the colour to highlight them. Perfect Pearl is as you can see, a slight hint of gold to it, but most definitely pearl.  Metallic Mocha is a really beautiful deep metallic bronze which has a slight shade of deep purple almost running through it. Finally Bronze Metal is a beautiful bronze shade, my favourite of the three and the one that I have used the most.

For me, these No Budge Shadow Sticks more than justify the £5 that they cost, they definitely rival M&S for me and come very close to being as good as ByTerry where the formula is just slightly better.

The e.l.f. No Budge Shadow Stick retails for £5 each and is available from Superdrug, Feelunique* or the official e.l.f. UK website here, where you can grab them for just £2.50 each.

Pixi Beauty Retinol Collection

One of the words that you can't escape with skincare is 'Retinol' and I was kindly gifted the Pixi Retinol Collection a while back and I have really enjoyed getting to grips with it. Packaged inside the beautiful travel bag are 6 products from the collection.

As always with Pixi there is a Tonic. Glow Tonic is the cult hero product for Pixi as a brand and with each new release, a Tonic is added to the family.  The Retinol Tonic is described as being a potent youth-preserving tonic features a unique time-release Retinol to help rejuvenate the skin for a natural glow. 

This Tonic also uses powerful antioxidants and botanicals such as Jasmine Flower to replenish the skin for a smoother, softer appearance while soothing sensitive skin. As a product that you use a cotton pad on to wipe across your skin, im not too sure how well the Retinol works with the skin. In every other product, I have applied it to the skin and not used anything that wipes it away, but it doesn't irritate my skin or bring about any redness and with prices starting at £10 it is a nice product.

The next product is the Pixi Jasmine Cleanser and this is quite possibly my favourite cleanser from Pixi that I have used. Luxuriously creamy, what I love is that it doesn't strip the skin.

Using vitamin A (retinol), antioxidants and ceramides which all work together to remove all impurities to leave the skin feeling smoother, firmer and more radiant-looking. Also used within this cleanser is Jasmine Oil which is known to have nourishing and brightening properties. Putting all these ingredients together, what you get is a cleanser which rejuvenated and locks in moisture without stripping. Priced at £18 for 135ml.

The third product is the Pixi Retinol Jasmine Lotion and I was really surprised at how lightweight this was to use but at the same time incredibly moisturising.

As with the rest of the products within this collection, the lotion is formulated with vitamin A, jasmine oil and peptides which together work to renew, smooth and deeply nourish the skin. Designed to be used daily, I tend to use this in a morning after cleansing and before the oil, which is listed below. I love how it feels on my skin and this is a product I really would recommend trying if you like lightweight moisturising creams. Priced at £24 for 50ml.

There is always an eye cream within my skincare routine and I was delighted to see one from Pixi within this collection. The Pixi Retinol Eye Cream has been formulated to improve elasticity as well as to smooth and protect the delicate skin around the eye.

Said to be suitable for all skin types, as well as the retinol for smoothing and refining and then we have the inclusion of caffeine which helps to depuff and energise before peptides work to firm and revitalise the skin around the eyes. I have found this eye cream to be really moisturising, it doesn't make my eyes water or sting when I use it and it does a pretty good job at depuffing the eye area, which from someone who suffers from insomnia is quite the comment. Priced at £22 for 22ml.

I am a huge convert to using oils within my skincare routine. For years I wrongly assumed that having combination-oily skin, using an oil would only exacerbate the issue rather than help. Within this Pixi collection, there are two oils - The Jasmine Oil Blend and the Overnight Retinol Oil.

The Pixi Jasmine Oil Blend is described as being an exquisite oil blend which has been designed to be effective in helping the skin to recover from the loss of moisture and dullness.  What I love about this oil is that it isn't greasy, it isn't tacky and your skin doesn't feel as though it has been rubbed over a block of lard.

Using jasmine flower extract, evening primrose and grapeseed oil, making it rich in omegas, antioxidants and vitamins to nourish and protect the skin. It can be used alone morning or night and it can also be added into your moisturiser to give an extra boost of hydration. This is one of my favourite oil blends and my favourite product of the collection, one I wouldn't hesitate to buy. Priced at £26 for 30ml.

The final product and another oil, which is the Pixi Overnight Retinol Oil and its job is to help to restore plumpness and improve the appearance of fine lines and pores.

This is the last step of your routine before applying your moisturiser and it includes retinol, peptides and ceramides which come together and work to help restore natural plumpness and elasticity to your skin as well as giving you a glowing and healthy complexion. Again, this is a non-greasy oil when applied and you only need a few drops to apply to the skin, it absorbs really quickly so there is little time needed to wait for it to disappear into the skin before completing your nighttime routine. I have only just started to use this product, so I will update in a few months time. Priced at £26 for 30ml.

I absolutely love this range, if I am honest it has been my favourite collection so far and definitely one I am 

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

Roccabox - July 2020 Edition

Summer has most definitely arrived and just as you pack away the Winter jumpers and duvet, a gust of wind and a torrential downpour also arrives to remind you that Blighty can still mess with your wardrobe! From Roccabox this month, the July Edition definitely has Summer on its mind!

This months box features a mixture of five full-sized skincare and makeup products plus a perfume sample, all products which are designed to give your skin a bit of TLC and a bit of a boost, even if the furthest you are going is Costa-del Sofa!

The Hero product in this months box comes from Perricone MD with the No Makeup Instant Blur. Described as being an invisible priming balm, it works to minimise the appearance of pores, irritation, redness, wrinkles, and imperfections. Used throughout the day, this balm helps to balance excess oil and reduce shine.

I really like the sound of this and have only just started using it, so I will report back with a blog post in a few months time. Priced at £45 this product costs 4 times more than this subscription box!

Not everyone fake tan's, I definitely don't through fear of turning into an Oompa Loompa but within this months box, from MineTan, is the Violet Gradual Tan Foam.

Described as being a gradual self-tan with a violet base for a warm, super-dark brown finish, it has no orange tones to turn you into an Oompa Loompa and nor does it have that fake tan smell. Said to gradually produce its final colour over a few days, you can use daily to intensify the shade. This tan is Vegan and Cruelty-free.

To ensure your tan goes on as smoothly as possible, exfoliation is the key, also in the box from MineTan is this amazing Coffee Scrub, of which I am a fan.

Described as being a gentle body exfoliator which helps to buff away the top layer of dead skin cells to leave behind smooth, soft skin ready for adding your tan. The formula of this scrub is infused with ingredients such as Sweet Almond Oil and Macadamia Oil to ensure the skin remains hydrated and conditioned and of course, freshly ground coffee which helps to target those areas of dryness and flakiness for a softer, more even skin texture.

The fourth product within this box is from Skimono and it is the Intense Nourishment Hand Mask.

Like most people, I haven't had a manicure since long before lockdown and my nails show just how badly I need some TLC. This hand mask is a unique, bio-cellulose glove a unique, bio-cellulose glove created by Skimono. It has been saturated in a unique serum to maximise absorption capacity as well as Shea Butter and Aloe Vera which together provides a boost of nutrients and vitamins, plus the inclusion of Hyaluronic Acid which attracts moisture like a magnet to eradicate dry patches and roughness.

Next from Mudmasky, we have the Leave-me-On Summer Mask, which I really like the sound of and as a brand, Mudmasky is one I've come to know through beauty boxes.

This is a really lightweight product which is so much more than a leave-on-mask, it features 15SPF which I would like to see higher.  This light formula is said to protect, nourish and moisturise the skin without leaving it feeling oily as well as protecting it from UVA and UVB rays and it uses ingredients such as Moroccan Lava Clay and Summer flowers rather than silicone and synthetics.

I love a good fragrance and in my box from Banana Republic, I have the Peony and Peppercorn fragrance. 

This fragrance is a spicy floral with top notes of pink peppercorn and fresh bergamot that moves into a floral heart of pink peony and rose petals and dries down into musk and cashmere wood. Now this most definitely a Summer fragrance and it is one which smells more divine as it settles on the skin.

The July edition of Roccabox is another great box especially if you are looking to try some well-known brands as well as products you might not have tried or even come across. If you like the look of this box and want to give them a try, It is priced at just £10 per month if bought separately, Roccabox is a subscription service and there are further subscription offers available to choose from. However, before you run off, I have a discount code for you to use the code 'BEAUTY20' to grab yourself 20% off a monthly subscription plan. It can only be used once per customer and it means that you can grab your first box for £8 (plus p+p)

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

Latest In Beauty STYLE Summer Essentials Box

If like me, you love your Beauty Boxes, then it won't have escaped your notice that Latest In Beauty has had some cracking boxes of late and their latest launch of the Beauty Style Summer Essentials Box, now on sale for just £48* with the contents actually worth over £230!

Latest in Beauty for me, are known for their collaborative boxes, this being one of them and as far as I am concerned one of the best that they do. This particular box contains no less than 15 products from which you will find makeup, haircare, skincare and suncare and a lot of the products are full size.

This is what you will find included within the Latest in Beauty Style Summer Essentials Box!

Contents

• Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF 30 - Worth £30 on its own
• Dermalogica Prisma Protect SPF 30 - Full Size
• Perricone MD No Makeup Bronzer - Full Size
• The Inkey List Q10 Face Serum - Full Size
• ELF No Budge Shadow Stick – Metallic Mocha - Full Size
• Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II
• Garnier Micellar Rose Water Cleanse & Glow - Full Size
• Neal's Yard Remedies Lavender and Aloe Vera Deodorant - Full Size
• Eucerin Sensitive Protect Sun Spray Transparent Dry Touch SPF 50 - Full Size
• Glamglow MOISTURETRIP™ Omega-Rich Moisturiser 
• bareMinerals Mineralist Lipstick – Courage
• The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi-Protection Lotion SPF 50+ PA+ - Full Size
• Smashbox Superfan Mascara
• COLAB Dry Shampoo Original
• Sleek MakeUP Highlighting Palette – Precious Metals - Full size

If this box has grabbed your attention, then you can find it available right here* alongside some previous boxes. 

Available whilst stocks last.

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