Burt's Bees Lipstick - The Lipstick that Loves you back!

It is fair to say that I am a huge Burt's Bees fan, whether it is the skincare or the makeup, I love it and I am yet to feel disappointed by anything I have tried.  Imagine my delight to learn there was to be a brand new launch featuring 18 lipsticks - yes EIGHTEEN!!

Burt's Bees New 100% Natural Lipstick collection deliver luscious, bold colour which moisturises your lips thanks to the use of Beeswax, Moringa Oil, Mimosa Flower Wax and Raspberry Seed Oil. So a lipstick that cares for your lips as you wear it.

What I love about these lipsticks is their texture, not only do they feel more like a balm than a lipstick, they are incredibly creamy and just hug your lips but at the same time are so lightweight you don't even know that you are wearing anything on your lips. 

Fully pigmented with a satin finish, these lipsticks are broken down into different colour groups and given the wide variety of shades, there is definitely something for everyone.  

So with the Pinks and Corals, there is five to choose from:

• Iced Iris - If you like your creamy bubble gum pink shade then this is the one for you.
• Doused Rose - For me, this is a deep rose shade that has slight hints of mauve. 
• Fuschia Flood - A medium light Purple Pink shade 
• Magenta Rush - A medium reddy fuchsia shade
• Sunset Cruise - This is a really pretty medium coral shade.

Then we have the nude family and here you have a choice of three different shades to choose from and they are:

• Nile Nude - A light beige nude almost reminds me of the Kim Kardashian nude!
• Blush Basin - This has a peachy-pinkish sheen to it and is stunning.
• Suede Splash - A shade I didn't think I would like but do. It is a medium brownish mauve, the perfect daily nude.

The red family come next and no lipstick collection would be complete with a red, though in this case there is four to choose from and they are:

• Scarlet Soaked - This is a medium red shade with Coral undertones.
• Crimson Coast - This is a deep ruby red shade but it has hints of purple
• Ruby Ripple - No doubting it, this one if your classic medium dark Red
• Russet River - This one if a dark almost vampy brownish red

Sadly I don't have Scarlet Soaked, in my box, there are two Ruby Ripple shades.

Which means the final six lipsticks belong to my favourite Plums and Berries and the choices here include:

• Tulip Tide - This one is a cool pink’ish nude.
• Wine Wave - I adore this shade and it is a deep, warm plum
• Lily Lake - This one is a medium brownish mauve and one I have worn more than any of the other shades during the daytime
• Brimming Berry - This one is a warm berry pink shade
• Juniper Water - The kind of shade everyone needs in their stash. This is a vampy oxblood, burgundy-red shade
• Orchid Ocean - This is an intense shade of purple

I am sure you will agree that this is one impressive release of lipsticks and choosing a favourite colour is quite hard. What I am most impressed with is how long the lipstick lasts once applied and without question these are one of the longest lasting lipsticks, colour wise, that I own and you do get at least 7 hours wear, during that time I have never felt the need to re-apply or even add lip balm which is a slight worry for a lip balm addict with an ever increasing stash. Priced at £9.99 each, these Burt's Bees lipsticks are made with recyclable packaging and are free of parabens, phthalates, petrolatum and SLS.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

The Spring Edit by Sheerluxe with Latest in Beauty

Image Credit Sheerluxe

Latest In Beauty have had some incredible boxes lately and this Spring Edit in collaboration with Sheerluxe is really impressive. With 13 full-sized beauty treats inside the box from incredible brands, including my absolute favourite Aquis Towel, it has a value of over £260 but is selling for just £69 - HERE!

AQUIS Lisse Luxe Hair Turban (worth £30) I have done a review of this (here) but this towel will not only dry your hair naturally and quickly it also helps to de-frizz, so those annoying flyaway strands of hair stop ruining your day.

This Works Stress Check Breathe In (worth £16) - This is a roll-on rescue remedy chock-full of natural oils to invigorate, soothe and relax.

Living Proof Healthy Hair Night Cap Overnight Perfector (worth £30). With this product, you apply to hair before bed and prepare to wake up to smooth enviably glossy locks – and the effects last for up to five hair washes.

Scentered Love Candle (worth £16) - Scentered is a really lovely brand and again I have reviewed some of their products before on this blog (here). The description with this candle is to 'Harmonise the mind and body with this comforting aromatherapy blend'.

Soigné Nail Polish Crème Au Beurre (worth £11) - Everyone needs a nude shade of nail polish and this one is described as being a 'sophisticated nude shade which is easy to wear and always on trend'. 

The Konjac Sponge (worth £8.99) - The original, multi-award winning 100% pure Konjac Sponge with added pink clay.

Browtician Minimalist Square Tip Tweezer (worth £7.99) - These high-grade stainless steel tweezers are a must-have for polished brows and the handy travel case makes on-the-go grooming a breeze.

100 Acres Bubble Bath (worth £14) I absolutely love the sound of this and so will anyone else who adores the fresh scent of Lavender - 'A heavenly blend of rose and lavender to leave mind and body restored and relaxed'.

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips (worth £12) - Everybody needs this beauty in their stash, it is my absolutely favourite go-to product, it is just brilliant and again I reviewed it here.

Smith & Cult Above It All Top Coat (worth £19) - These are the most incredible nail polishes from packaging to actual product. This top coat is said to need one application only.

Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream (worth £14.50) - This hand cream uses both shea butter and lanolin to protect and soothe even the driest of hands, it’s no wonder this cream is quickly gaining cult status.

Perricone MD Photo Plasma Broad Spectrum SPF30 (worth £30) - This is moisturiser has a lightweight texture which glides on skin smoothly and evenly, leaving it soft, hydrated and radiant.

Institut Esthederm Gentle Deep Pore Cleanser (worth £26.50) - This is a soft and rich cleanser that delves deep into pores to remove impurities for a refreshed, glowing complexion.

Finally there is a SheerLuxe Luxe Slogan T-Shirt (worth £30), whether or not you would ever pay £30 for a white t-shirt with a logo on it I don't know, but that is its price.

For a box with a value of over £260, for those of you wanting the exact price it is £265.98, then for £69 I am sure you will agree it is an absolute bargain and a chance to try some amazing brands, all from one box and it is here.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Gerard Cosmetics - the lip products

I was lucky enough to get my hands on some Gerard Cosmetics at the Beauty Bay Carnival towards the end of last year and since then it has been a bit of a love affair with the brand. The description of the brand is as follows: "Gerard Cosmetics was created with a true passion and clear vision to offer a solution to the everyday makeup blunders of women. This is a cosmetics brand created for women by women who empower each other and strive to offer products that are luxurious, accessible and endlessly chic.

So I was really lucky to be given an in-depth look into the brand and swatch and use so many products in one afternoon. Given the choice to choose a favourite product was so much harder than I had imagined, so with a little help, I now have Merlot and Berry Smoothie lipsticks and Ruby Slipper and 1995 Hydra matte liquid lipsticks and I just totally and utterly love each one and am determined to add to my stash.

Merlot and Berry Smoothie look incredible. The gold lipstick bullets are sleek, elegant and stand out amongst the crowd. Once in your handbag there is little chance you are going to miss this looking back at you, it calls to your inner magpie for being oh so shiny. The lids click on really securely and click into place, so thankfully there is little chance of them coming apart in your bag.

Berry Smoothie: This is described as being a neutral pink brown shade. It is opaque, giving full coverage and the pigmentation is really quite something. It glides on to the lips and has quite a creamy and once applied it dries down to a semi-matte finish with a really nice sheen. At just £6.90 this lipstick is such a bargain.

Merlot is quite a striking to look at. It has notes of a red and berry blend to create what has been described as a 'full bodied vampy hue'. It is not only Matte but is also packed with pigment and was created as an alternative to your classic blue based red. It glides on to the lips with its creamy almost buttery texture and is not at all drying. Priced at £11.50 this is a shade for your stash without question.

So I am really impressed with the lipsticks and given my obsession with liquid lipsticks, I was really excited to give Ruby Slipper and 1995 a try, the latter being incredibly popular amongst bloggers in America. Encased inside a slightly frosted looking tube, the gold lid is quite classy looking and again appeals to my inner magpie. 

Ruby Slipper is not a shade I would usually ever opt for, but there is something about it I just adore.  It takes on the classic dark red shade, applies like a liquid and dries down to become a dark matte red but it has an infusion of sparkling glitter which makes for a truly unique and dazzling effect.

It is a product you need to layer on a few times to get the full on vampy effect, but beautiful it definitely is. It doesn't budge once on the lips and as the colour begins to fade some 8 hours later, it still looks incredible.  Priced at £11.50 it is amazing value for money.

1995: This is the Gerard Cosmetics all-time best-seller and was inspired by the neutral hues of the 90's. A liquid to a matte formula that is long-wearing but comfortable. It has a Mauve and rose tone which flatter all skin tones and this is my favourite of all the Gerard Cosmetic products in this post, I just love it.

Again, once it has been applied it doesn't budge but does fade after around 6-7 hours and during that time I have never felt the need to re-apply. Priced at £11.50 this is the one nude you need in your stash.

Both of the Hydra Matte liquid lipsticks obviously are matte, but the texture is not at all drying when on the lips. Lightweight with no transfer, they last for such a long time once applied it is almost effortless to wear them.

This was my first venture into the world of Gerard Cosmetics and I have loved what I have used so far and they are a cruelty-free brand.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Sleek MakeUP Matte Me New Shades

I am a big fan of Sleek and their lip products, so when these beautiful shades came through my letterbox I was incredibly excited to give them a try because, well just look how pretty they are.

The three shades are Pastel Mattes and whilst they are not the normal shade that I would wear, they scream 'Spring' at me. Matte Me lipsticks are a matte finish liquid lipstick that is designed to glide onto the lips in one smooth application, with no need for a second coat.

The three shades from left to right are Crushed Lavender, Apricot Blooms and French Fancy. What I love about these shades is that the swatch is just one coat from the applicator and no more, they are just so pigmented.

As you can see Crushed Lavender is everything you expect it to be, it is a light lilac shade which is fully pigmented and would definitely see you stand out in the crowd.

Apricot Blooms is a beautiful peach shade which again is fully pigmented and quite different to anything else I own.

French Fancy is a beautiful shade of pink, it isn't bright Barbie Pink, it has a depth to it and is my favourite shade of the three.

As with the rest of this collection, these retail for just £4.99 and you can find them right here at Boots and here from Superdrug

*this post contains PR samples/Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise