HD Miracle Silicone Shaped Sponge

As soon as I saw the Silicone sponges my interest was pricked. I was until recently the kind of person who used certain brushes to apply certain bits of makeup and never deviated from it. Then came the Beauty Blender which was such a game changer and one I adapted too with relative ease and now this.

The Brushworks HD Miracle Silicone Shaped Sponge retails for £7.99 (here) and is described as being 'The magic new way to get a flawless base" and the one I have is not only tear shaped but contains gold glitter!  Made from the highest quality silicone, it has been designed to give you a fast and flawless base application, so to all intent and purpose, speed up the entire process without compromising how good your base is.

The Silicone sponge which is also ultra-hygienic and allergy free is coated with a unique ultra-smooth (TPU) layer to minimise product wastage; unlike brushes or a blender, a silicone sponge does not absorb your makeup and one of its selling points is that it allows you to save more than half the amount of product compared to regular brushes and sponges which also saves you money. Silicone sponges are also long-lasting and easy to clean which again is another big selling point, as I am sure most people dread the brush/blender washing task.  So as well as having a few plus points, is it easy to use and does it work are possibly the questions everyone wants the answer too.

I'm not going to lie, it does feel weird.  Having expected the sponge to be quite rigid, it actually isn't at all, it is soft, smooth and you can wrap it around your finger to keep a better grip.  To use, you apply your product to the sponge directly, I have tried it with a primer to test out using it, a tinted moisturiser and a liquid foundation, I was surprised that one pump of my foundation was enough to cover my entire face when I would usually use 2-3 with my brush.  Once on the sponge, you spread it in a circular motion and then dab lightly to ensure you have blended in all the lines. Now here is the thing, it took me a good few practices to get to grips with using it, but I managed it and whilst I'm not sure it helps me complete the task of applying my makeup any quicker than it would usually take, it does use less product, it is wipe-clean and it does blend my foundation incredibly well.  I have also used it for applying face masks and again, it is as good as option as using an old makeup brush.

If you have been looking to try one of these sponges and haven't yet, then for me this is the place to start.  Since having it, I have tested the £1 Primark option and it isn't anywhere near as good as this one, in fact, had I used the Primark one first, I would have been totally put off even giving them a go.

The HD Miracle Silicone Shaped Sponge from Brushworks retails for £7.99 and comes with a protective case to keep it clean and free from dirt when not being used.

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

REN Skincare Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium Body Range

A little over a week ago in the beautiful Regent Street Space NK store, I was lucky enough to be treated to an in-depth preview of the new REN skincare range and it is one you definitely need to be looking out for.

The Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium Body Range is one which intrigues me as much as excites me. I adore REN as a brand and this is the one launch that calls out to me.  A rich source of magnesium and antioxidants to help cells detox, which revitalises and re-energises the skin. The benefits of sea kelp and seaweeds have been used in West Ireland for bathing, as well as a restorative food source, for centuries. REN has harnessed the power of this particular seaweed to fight fatigue, stress and pollution within a 21st-century content.

At this point, you might be thinking 'What is she talking about' so let me explain.  By restoring the body's balance of magnesium and other trace elements, as well as supporting cell energy levels, we can ensure the cells release toxins, waste and heavy metals, consequently regaining the energy required for healthy functioning of the body. The ability of these trace elements to flood the cells with oxygen and nutrients has a positive effect on our daily energy.

Magnesium is an antidote to stress and helps our bodies to function between, and it is a mineral that is easily absorbed through the skin. To that end, REN have an entire range which is just incredible and these six products all work on their own as well as together and they include:

Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium:

• Body Wash - Reviving body wash with toning seaweed extracts and cell-energising magnesium
• Body Cream - Enriched with powerful microalgae, this  cream tones and firms fatigued skin, increasing the skin's energy levels
• Hand Wash - gentle, derma-protecting hand cleanser that takes care of delicate skin on our hands with mind-invigorating essential oils - NME THEM
• Hand Lotion - A light fresh and easily absorbed hand and body lotion to keep the skin hydrated, nourished and protected
• Exfoliating Body Scrub - A gentle exfoliator that will renew and moisturise your skin. Balm-like texture, apply to the skin before getting into the shower and simply rinse off... or apply to skin and allow to soak off in the bath, allowing for 20 mins to help soak the tension away
• Bath Oil - Formulated with seaweed oil extract to moisturise and tone the skin, this oil will combat fatigue by detoxifying and relaxing both your body and mind.

What I love about this range is not only how incredible the entire range smells, which in itself is enough to immediately bring about a feeling of calmness, the same feeling I get whenever I go for a massage or a facial.  Added to the scent is how amazing the products work so well with one another and as described above, my favourite way to bath using them is to apply the exfoliating body scrub to my skin and then leave it whilst the bath has run, into which I add the bath oil and then before removing it, get into the bath and just allow everything to soak away.  Ive had a pretty stressful time at work lately and to come home and do this little ritual is an absolute treat.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Iconic Beauty | Erborian

Without question, Erborian is one of my favourite brands and it opened my eyes to a whole new world of beauty products. In 2009 Erborian brought to Europe the first BB Cream, a product I have used for over 2 years and one I repurchase time and time again. Then for me some of my personal favourites from Erborian include the BB Cushion Compact, PP cream, Bamboo Moisture Mask and more recently the Black Cleansing Oil to name just a few products you might have read on this blog.

A Franco-Korean Brand, Erborian has just launched three incredible complexion products which I have been playing with for the last few weeks and I am sharing them with you today.

The first skincare powder compact bronze hue is an incredible product and for someone with a fair complexion, music to my ears. Copper Glow is described as being an ultra-fine, multi-action compact powder, this product gives the skin a subtle copper glow which is just beautiful. Enriched with Camellia oil, it cares for your skin as well as making you glow and it works to strengthen the skin's barrier to help prevent dehydration. 

As my skin is so fair, some bronzers leave what looks like a dirty mark on my skin because they are slightly too dark and I can end up spending a long time blending everything in to ensure my makeup is something I am happy with. Copper Glow, which comes with its own applicator glides on to the skin and is blendable and

Retailing for £34 you can find Copper Glow right here.

Then we have the Touch Pen which is available in two shades - Dore and Clair. Inspired by Korean women's beauty regime, this Touch Pen is described as being "A multi-tasking, easy-to-use retouch pen, to help correct, even out and sculpt the complexion’s appearance". Its formula is very similar to the BB creme and it is enriched with Centella Asiatica which is known for its smoothing properties, Glycerin which helps with moisturising and Tocopherol which is a powerful Antioxidant, again you have a product which is more than makeup, it also helps to take care of the skin.

On the skin, the Touch Pen delivers, with precision, a sheer coverage to the skin designed to smooth the complexion and it is perfect for concealing blemishes, concealing dark circles, blurring imperfections and it can be used to contour the face. To use you simply click the button at the end of the pen and wait for the product to seep into the nib before applying to the skin.  I have found that one click gives more than enough for what I need.

I love how easy this pen is to use and because I have such a pale complexion Clair is the shade I use from the two more often, though Doré, being slightly darker in shade, also works to add just that little but more of a definition and help to conceal those really dark circles after a long night. Clair is a light shade and Doré is more of a golden shade. Each touch pen retails for £26 and you can find them here.

The swatch below shows how each product looks with no highlight or any other filter applied, one swipe of each colour on my arm shows just how pigmented everything is.

If you are looking for a new brand of makeup and skincare to use, then Erborian always comes highly rated from me.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

You Beauty Box - The Garden Party Edit

This month You Beauty bring to us their Garden Party Edit and again a box I was really chuffed with. Again I have the option of choosing three products from quite an extensive list and this time I chose three products I haven't used before.

Again this months box had two treats and again I attach a loose term to the treats because there is a sachet of Organii Everyday Organic 50SPF sunscreen, a brand I have never come across before and a sachet really didn't even cover both arms, so to judge how good it is I can't say. The blurb, however, states "The Organii Sun Milk SPF50 contains ingredients including Argan and Jojoba which help to nourish the skin whilst Pongamol protects your skin from UVA and UVB rays".   The second sachet comes from We Are Tea and it is one tea bag from the Ginko & Ginseng range and it is a caffeine free blend.

The first of my three choices for this month's box is the AA Skincare Frankincense and Rose Facial Toner which retails for £7.98-.  Described as being rehydrating and balancing. Featuring rejuvenating Frankincense and fragrant Damask Rose, the toner is formulated using 100% natural ingredients to restore and revive all skin types. Designed to prepare skin for moisturising, it can also be used to refresh tired and dry skin throughout the day.

Next up comes the Radox Feel Free Matcha and Green Tea Body Wash. Radox 12H Scent Touch™ is the new body wash range which I was intrigued by because of the description.  From the new body wash range, Radox uses innovative fragrance technology that provides a long-lasting fragrance experience that renews with touch. Feel free is an exotic and happy blend of matcha green tea and coconut water scents which it describes as being a pleasurable freshness which renews and recharges your mood, throughout the day. Priced around £2.99 you can buy this body wash from places such as Boots, Superdrug and Supermarkets.

The final item in my box is the Crabtree & Evelyn Gardeners Hand Therapy. I absolutely love Crabtree & Evelyn hand creams and having tried the hand scrub, I was keen to try the hand therapy. The description reads "After a long day of handling thorny situations, Crabtree & Evelyn’s Gardeners Hand Therapy is just the help you need". It contains a blend of nutrient-rich shea butter, moisturising glycerin, deodorising clover and soothing bisabolol from chamomile all of which come together to nourish and condition work-roughened hands.

I absolutely love this box for June, it is such a great idea for an edit and I think all of the products are fantastically suited to the theme. The You Beauty Box is one of the best around and for just £8.95 which includes P&P you get to make a choice as to which products you want each month and that way you won't be disappointed. More information can be found here.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise