Lush Birthday Haul

Hi guys! I’m back with my first post as a 30 year old!

Turning 30 wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be! I ended up getting 3 birthday cakes and it turns out cake really does make everything better!

Don’t get me wrong, I was a bit emotional leaving my 20s behind but I’ve made it. Maybe I’ll start acting my age…? Nah, don’t count on it!

My brother and sister-in-law very kindly gave me some lovely treats from Lush and they also gave me a gift card to pick out some bits and bobs too so I thought I would share the goodies I got with you!

Also, I didn’t know this option was available but you can order through the website, get it delivered as a gift but the recipient can get updates on when their order will be delivered if you pop in their mobile number which was super handy for me! And it doesn’t give away what your order is, only that it is from Lush. It was a nice surprise getting the text to say I was getting an order!

So first up I’ll show you what was picked for me:

Cosmetic Warrior Fresh Face Mask

I love a face mask! I think they are the easiest self care item around.

This is for cleansing and cooling the skin as well as for fighting breakouts so it’s definitely something I need in my life as my skin hates me just now!

It does smell a wee bit weird but it has garlic in it so I think that’s what I can smell – it’s definitely not too over powering and I know I could sit with it on my face for the 10 minutes it suggests!

Creamy Candy Bubble Bar

This is such a cute thing! And it looks almost good enough to eat!

This smells amazing! Just like candy floss! I can’t wait to have a bath with it! I could do with the perk up and my skin is in much need of a moisture boost!

Candy Bubble Brush

This smells just as amazing as the bubble bar and I’m really quite happy about the fact I can paint my bubbles in the bath! Clearly never too old for this stuff 🤣.

Sleepy Shower Bomb

This is one I plan to use for my next nighttime shower! It’s filled with essential oils to help put you into a sleepy state. My sleep has been suffering recently so really hope it works! 🤞

Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds Bath Bomb

This one I’ve used – or I cut it in half and used half of it anyway!

I had a lovely relaxing bath reading my book with this one. It made my bathroom smell amazing!

New + Marilyn Hot Oil Treatments

I got two hot oil treatments too. I’ve used one of these before and got so many uses out of it.

They don’t weigh my hair down like some products do and make my hair feel so soft!

And these are the products I picked up:

Seanik Shampoo Bar

I’ve never tried a shampoo bar before but really liked the idea of them. I picked this one because the seaweed, sea salt and lemon are supposed to give my hair shine and volume which it’s seriously lacking in at the moment!

Chirpy Chirpy Hop Hop

I couldn’t decide what else to get so I went with a gift set so I could get a little selection.

This comes in the cutest/creepiest double sided knot wrap! They aren’t something I would normally wear but I’ll probably find a use for it my making it into a dog bandana!

Inside, I got four products.

Carrot Cake Lip Scrub

I’ve used the Lush lip scrubs before and I love them. They really help to get rid of any dry skin and they taste good too!

This one is extra good because who doesn’t love the taste of carrot cake?!

Golden Egg Bath Bomb Melt

This has covered me, my phone, my table, even my dog in gold! And that is before I’ve put it anywhere near water 🤣.

I’m not looking forward to cleaning the bath after this one!

Cream Egg Bubbleroon

I love the colours of this one and it looks and smells like something I should be eating rather than putting in my bath! 🤤

Cocoa Sugar Scrub

How cute does this little bunny look? It’s a shame I’m going to have to break him up to use him! I love a good scrub! 💜

I’ll never forget my visit to Lush where the girl said “I love shaving my legs in the bath and using a scrub, it makes you so smooth you flop about like a dolphin!” 🤣

All the products I’ve mentioned are obviously cruelty free and most of them are vegan as well. Which is one of the reasons I love Lush products!

I’m really grateful for these (and for all my birthday pressies!) because they aren’t things I would normally buy myself. I tend to buy the same products because I’m a creature of habit so it gives me a way to try out new products and hopefully find some new favourites too!

I got a really good selection of products and I’m really excited to try them all out. If you’ve tried any here let me know what you thought or have I missed something that you think I need to try? Let me know in the comments below ⤵️.

As always, thanks so much for reading and we’ll speak soon!!

Claudia xxx

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Tammi X Revolution Tropical Carnival Palette

Hi guys! So I’m back with another eyeshadow palette review (shock! 😮).

I placed a Revolution order when I was feeling ill – almost spent £120 in my feeling sorry for myself state but I whittled my order down to a measly £24!

I knew as soon as I saw it that I had to have it in my collection – the new Tammi X Revolution Tropical Carnival palette!

Just look at those colours! How could I not? This palette is only £10 (you can get it slightly cheaper if you have a quick Google for discount codes) and has 18 bright and bold shades.

There are 7 shimmer shades and 11 mattes.

I love the layout of this palette! The shimmers are the first 7 shades starting from the top left and the mattes are laid out in such a way that you can see immediately which colours will work!

The shades are really blendable and work so well together, especially if you use colours that are close together.

That’s not to say you can’t mix it up a bit; however, some of the colours can look a little muddy when mixed and not as intense.

There is a crap-ton of fallout from the darker mattes – Navy (the dark blue) in particular is probably the worst shadow I’ve ever encountered for fallout!

If you are using the darker colours, I’d suggest doing your base after your eyes as dusting away with a fluffy brush still leaves you with a cast of colour.

The shimmers are pretty intense even on a dry brush but are at their best if you apply them using your finger. I’ve just started doing this for shimmer shadows recently and the difference is amazing!

The black in this palette is actually a grey which I’m pretty disappointed about. I love a good matte black and I feel the grey doesn’t really work with all the intense colours. It’s a shame as Revolution normally do great blacks!

The palette itself is really pretty. I love the design and the splash of colours. The gold foiled logo makes it instantly recognisable.

It is quite big but it’s not too heavy and has a massive mirror so perfect for travelling.

You do get a little sheet of the shade names but I don’t think anyone keeps that but they have also included the names on the back of the palette and the box itself.

It is also vegan and cruelty free which is perfect as nothing should be suffering for our looks!

I think Tammi had done a really good job with this palette and as she explains on her YouTube channel, she wanted to show some of her culture with the shade names, most of which link back to her roots in the Carribbean.

I would recommend this palette to anyone that needs a bit of colour in their collection – let’s face it, that’s everyone!

Don’t get me wrong, the fallout is a definite negative as it is really bad and if you would never wear bright colours, it’s maybe not for you but for only £10, there’s really no reason not to pick it up!

So that’s that! Let me know if you will be picking this palette up and if not, why not!? Tell me what your favourite colours are for eyeshadow and I will do a look just for you!

As always, thanks for reading and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a post! Speak soon!

Claudia xxx

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BH Cosmetics Zodiac Palette

Sorry I missed an upload, guys! I’ve not been feeling the best recently so I used my day off to try and recover! Hope you don’t mind!

Still not feeling great unfortunately but I really wanted to show you another one of the palettes I got from J for Christmas.

I’m pretty sure I have an eyeshadow palette addiction! I have so many and always on the lookout for more! Playing around with different shadows is one of my favourite things. I love that brands are coming up with new formulas and products all the time!

I’ve included some more eyeshadow looks I’ve created using this palette. Would love to say my makeup or photography skills are getting better but no can do I’m afraid!

I’ve seen a lot of people talking about BH Cosmetics over on Instagram and thought I would give them a go!

They seem to be quite an affordable brand and they are cruelty free. A lot of their products are vegan but this particular product isn’t although it is gluten free.

I picked this palette up from Beauty Bay to avoid shipping from the US but you can buy direct from them too.

I really like the design of this palette but it is quite big so probably not the best for travelling. It does have a decent sized mirror if that is something you would need.

Like I said, they are fairly affordable and this palette only cost me £22.00! For your money you get 12 baked shimmers, 12 mates and a baked highlighter. That’s less than £1.00 a shadow!

The baked highlighter is smack bang in the middle of the palette with the ring of mattes round that and then a ring of shimmers names after the zodiac signs on the outside ring.

You get a decent range of colours and they are laid out really nicely with corresponding colours quite close together to give you inspiration.

I love this purples in this palette! For some reason purple seems to be a hard colour to get right but these are probably my favourite to apply!

There is a ton of kickback from the matte shades in the pan but I didn’t notice much fallout on my face. They also blend really nicely and are well pigmented.

I did notice that the mattes went a bit patchy on my left eye in the crease but I think this might be down to my skin at the moment as they have been going on completely fine on my other eye (does anyone else have a “bad” eye – nothing ever looks as good on my left eye!!).

The shimmers are also really pigmented and but definitely apply best using your finger rather than a brush!

Because the shimmers are baked, you almost have to break the outer crust to get the best out of them. They are a little bit crumbly in the pan but they don’t feel dry when you apply them.

The downside to the shimmers is the crap-ton of fallout you get on your face! It’s easily wiped away with a brush but I’d say these shades might be one of the worst for fallout I’ve come across recently.

I don’t use highlighter on my face (😮 I know!) so I’ve been using the highlighter on my inner corner and it gives a really nice glow so I imagine it would look good if you did use it for the way it was intended!

The shadows do crease slightly through the day but they don’t fade or look dull and they are easily removed with cleanser or a makeup wipe.

I’ve enjoyed using this palette and think it is quite versatile. There are a few shades that I think could have been swapped out – there’s a brown that looks almost purple, for example, and with three other purples in the palette maybe isn’t necessary. I would have loved to have seen a couple of matte greens or blues to go with the cooler shimmer shades.

BH Cosmetics have since released another Zodiac palette called Love Signs which has some blues and oranges so I think I might need to pick that up too to get the full set! It doesn’t cost any more than this one does so maybe check that out to see which one you would prefer!

What are you thoughts on BH Cosmetics? Do you have a favourite product from them? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll pick them up to try!

Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button so you don’t miss a post!

As always, thanks so much for reading. I hope you find these types of reviews useful! Speak soon!

Claudia xxx

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Hairburst – Worth the Hype?

If you follow me on Instagram you would have seen I got an order of Hairburst Hair Vitamins, Shampoo and Conditioner when Holland & Barrett were doing their penny sale.

My hair isn’t the best, I’ve not been to a hairdresser in probably about 10 years, I cut and bleach my hair at home and J shaves the side of my head.

I don’t have much hair, it’s really fine and, as you can imagine, pretty damaged from all the bleach; however, I don’t ever need to straighten it and I rarely blow-dry it since it air drys really quick.

It gets really greasy so I have to wash my hair each day – I dream of being one of those girls that can go a week between washing my hair!

I’ve seen adverts for Hairburst everywhere lately and thought I would try it to see if it made my hair any stronger or grow any quicker.

I started off by trimming the lengths of my hair and got a fresh new side shave just for the occasion!

I got a 30 day supply of the chewable vitamins (I’m utterly terrible at trying to take tablets!) And started my two a day.

The vitamins are the tastiest things! They don’t taste fake sweet and are genuinely enjoyable – I was really tempted to eat the whole bottle in one go!

I managed to refrain from that but there was a couple of times where I forgot to take them (🙄) I was pretty consistent with eating them for the most part.

The vitamins contain Biotin, Selenium, Zinc, B5, B6 and B12 to help you grow long and strong hair. They are strawberry and blackcurrant flavour and apparently Hairburst give away sweets like this with their order sometimes.

The shampoo and conditioner was used every day. A big change for me – I normally only condition my hair once a week because it normally makes my hair look really flat for a few days afterwards! I also stopped using my silver shampoo during my test as that dries my hair out.

I really didn’t think I would like the shampoo and conditioner just because they are avocado and coconut scented. I hate the smell of fake coconut but luckily it wasn’t overpowering at all!

I would occasionally catch a whiff of it through the day too which I liked, and J mentioned on a few occasions that my hair smelled nice.

I only used the conditioner on the ends of my hair and on my side shave just so it wouldn’t bog my hair down. I was pleasantly surprised that I could keep this up and my hair didn’t look the way it normally does with conditioner!

After first use, my hair did feel quite nice but it wasn’t until about 20 days in where I noticed any real difference. My hair felt softer, thicker and I noticed I didn’t have to clean out my hairbrush quite as much so I was shedding way less and my hair wasn’t breaking as much as it usually would!

The vitamins are not suitable for vegetarians as they contain gelatin but the shampoo and conditioner is vegan. They also say they are a cruelty free brand but that is potentially contradictory of the use animal products – just depends on your ethics I guess!

Now the price of these is what puts me off. I got everything for £25.00 but to purchase them again it is £19.99 for a 30 day supply of vitamins and £24.99 for the conditioner and shampoo. both of with are 350ml bottles.

I still have loads of the shampoo and conditioner left, it will probably last me another month easily but are the results really worth the splurge?

I’m not so sure but I’ll let you be the judge of that. As I’ve said before, I’m crap at taking selfies so I apologise for the ridiculous pictures!

Also just want to add, J took the before ones and I forgot to get him to take a front picture to show the length of the side properly. I hope you can see!

Before:

After:

I think my hair looks in better condition now but I don’t really notice any difference with the length of my hair.

What do you think? Do you think it was money well spent or should I give it a miss next time? Have you tried any of these types of products? What were your results like? I’d love it if you could let me know in the comments below!

Thanks, as ever for reading my ramblings! Speak soon!

Claudia xxx

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Testing Kiko Cosmetics

I was out in Edinburgh for a girly day just before Christmas and I noticed Kiko were having a sale so I treated myself to a couple of bits.

I think I had only been in the shop once before but it was so busy I never really got a chance to look at much.

I didn’t really get a chance this time either as it was packed but I grabbed a couple of things that caught my eye anyway.

I can’t remember too much about the prices of each of the products but I do know it was less than £15.00 for everything which I thought was really good.

I also didn’t think it was very clear what I was buying until I checked the label or the sample which is how I managed to pick up two lip products – I swear the lip balm said it was glitter eye shadow or something! The perils of the sales and the Christmas period in general I guess!

I was greeted by a lovely guy wearing the best eye makeup I think I’d ever seen! He also asked if I needed help but since I didn’t know what I was looking for, I thought it was best to do it alone.

First up I found Gold Waves lipstick in the shade Mystical Wine (I love the name!). I think it was the only colour of this particular one available as I didn’t see any other shades.

The packaging is gorgeous! It’s also magnetic so no chance of your lippie losing the lid when it’s in your bag!

I like how it sits flush in the handle and the shape make it really easy to apply.

It’s a nice formula. It’s not too creamy but not drying on your lips either. It’s almost matte which makes it last a fair while too.

I wouldn’t say it’s the most pigmented lipstick I’ve ever tried but with the shade it’s quite hard to tell. I’m not sure if darker shades would have more of a colour pay off or not.

This is the Smart Cult eyeshadow palette in Matte Revolution.

I remember that there was a choice of two of these palettes. This one and a more neutral toned shimmer palette. Of course I went for the bright colours!

You get 12 matte eyeshadows in this palette. I think this might be one of the few only matte palettes I’ve ever bought as I’m not normally drawn towards them too often.

There is a pretty wide mix of colours here and you could use the rows as a guide to build up a look.

The shadows themselves are quite powdery and you do get a lot of kickback in the pan bit luckily not too much fallout on your face!

They blend quite easily but I found it really hard to actually build the colour up and when blended together they looked a little muddy.

The packaging is plastic and you get a decent sized magnifying mirror (at least I hope my face isn’t that big! 🤣). The palette is a good size for travelling as it doesn’t take up much room. I just wish it had a shimmer or two to spice it up a little!

My accidental purchase! I’m sure this was under £2.00 so I’m definitely not complaining. You can never go wrong with another lip balm!

Again, the packaging looks really sleek and it sits flush with the lid so you don’t have to worry about messing up the product when your closing it.

It’s easy to apply and provides just enough colour. This is in the shade Blueberry buy I’m sure there were others available.

It is really hydrating and I find myself reaching for this through the day quite a lot just now – my skin and lips are taking an utter battering just now with the cold weather it’s and just the kind of pick me up I need at the minute!

I really want to try more from Kiko – especially their mascara and foundation but I found it really hard to try and get a match for my pasty skin in the Edinburgh store!

Have you tried Kiko before? Let me know what you would recommend in the comments below and I will try and see if I can pick it up next time I’m visiting.

Don’t forget, you can subscribe to make sure you don’t miss a post or follow me on my other channels to see what I’m maybe testing next!

Speak soon!

Claudia xxx

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Urban Decay Naked 4Some Vault – The Palettes!

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Urban Decay Naked 4Some Vault – The Palettes!

Hi guys! I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and got lots of pretty things!

I got a couple of new palettes that I’ve had my eye on for a while (of course I’ll be popping them on here once thoroughly tested!) and some SFX makeup to get myself ready for next Halloween 🤣

But, as promised, this is part 2 of my Urban Decay Naked 4Some Vault review – all about the palettes themselves. If you’ve missed the first part you can find it here!

*Please note* my swatches never do a product justice but in this case I think I done ok. Because of my paleness, some of the shades don’t really show up too well but I have included all of them anyway.

I’d say the mattes don’t really swatch great but that’s pretty normal and doesn’t actually say anything about how the apply on the eyelid. The shimmers are beautiful but there is fallout from them when you apply them so something to be aware of 😊*

Let’s get into it shall we?

Naked

So the palette that started it all off!

This palette has a wide range of shades to choose from and has completely changed my viewpoint about these palettes almost singlehandedly!

You have your “safe” everyday colours to give your lids a wash of colour but you have pinks, dark browns and blue/greys to liven up the look to make it more glam!

There are only two matte colours and while I maybe wish I had a darker matte, the two satins and eight shimmers make the palette versatile enough for me.

The shimmers in this palette are gorgeous and could be used as a highlight for your face too! The shade Half Baked may the most stunning champagne shade I have ever seen!

Naked 2

The Naked 2 is where things become a bit more cohesive, you can really see the colour gradient and how each colour would perfectly compliment any other in the palette.

These colours are classed as “Taupe- hued neutrals” according to the Urban Decay website.

There are three mattes including a matte black (yes!) and nine shimmer shades – no satins this time but that is not a downside.

I love that this palette has a matte black! Perfect for making any look more dramatic and smokey (this might be my inner goth speaking!).

Half Baked makes another appearance in this palette and I think they have even improved the formula as it’s even brighter than before!

Naked 3

The pink one! Definitely a go to for anyone that loves rose-hued neutral tones.

We are back to two mattes in this palette, a shade classed as a “satin-matte” (never heard of this before!), three satins and six shimmer shades.

This is probably my least favourite out of the four but that’s only because I’m not really a pink person. The colours themselves are beautiful but I just don’t see me reaching for this like the others.

I feel this is the least versatile palette and you can’t really go from day to night as the deeper colours just aren’t as cohesive with the light pink shades.

The shadows themselves do blend beautifully and you can build up the colours easily to create a really pretty everyday look.

Naked Heat

As the name suggests, this is the warm palette! The shades are classed as “amber-hued neutrals” but maybe it’s just me, I just don’t really see anything neutral about this palette!

It is full of beautiful warm tones which seems to be the go-to for most beauty people at the moment!

With seven mattes and only five shimmer shades, this palette is completely different than all the those that came before.

I really like the fact there is more mattes in this one as you can really add dimension to your overall look.

I think I’ve reached for this palette the most so far as I really love the darker shades to create a smokey warm eye look.

I think the pigmentation in this palette is pretty insane! You get a massive amount of colour pay off from the tiniest amount! Compared to the others it just seems so much brighter but I know that’s just down to the less subtle colours in the palette.

Verdict

Like I’ve said before, I almost found these palettes to be, dare I say it, boring! They were never really on my radar even though I love Urban Decay.

The more I’ve thought about it and used them, the more I’ve realised the palettes are really versatile and you can do quite a lot with each one.

I definitely think there is a Naked palette for everyone – especially with the Smokey, Cherry (definitely be purchasing this one!) and Petite ranges.

I don’t think you can really go wrong with Urban Decay – their colours are always amazing, the quality of their shadows are excellent the only downside is the price but any palette will last you for a long time so if you can afford to splurge every now and again, why not go for it?

I have my fingers crossed that they will do a purple or blue toned Naked palette in the future as I need some cool toned palettes in my collection!

What is your favourite Urban Decay palette? What would you like to see next? Did you get any Urban Decay for Christmas? Let me know in the comments below!

I can’t believe the next time I post, it will be 2019! Where has the year gone?? I have some ideas for where I want to take this blog into the new year but I would love to hear any suggestions from my readers too! I want to be producing content that you want to see so any feedback, positive or negative, please let me know!

Thanks so much for all your support this year! Have a great new year and I’ll see you on the other side!

Claudia xxx

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Spectrum Collections – Perfect Blend Eye Set

With winter fully here, I’m finding it so difficult to even want to get out of bed never mind test out new products and try to get pictures…I’m not alone right?

I have managed to overcome this week though to bring you a post! I’m testing a brand that I’ve coveted for so long – Spectrum!

I first tried a Spectrum brush in one of first Birchbox deliveries and I’ve followed the brand on Instagram ever since!

I love that they are cruelty free and vegan and their designs are always so beautiful! I don’t think I’ve ever hated any of their designs – I would quite happily have any of them on my dressing table!

Their Disney’s The Little Mermaid collection is to die for and I wish I could justify the expense but as I only use brushes for my powder and eyes then I don’t see the point in shelling out for a collection that I can’t get full use of.

I came across the Perfect Blend – 8 piece Eye Set when I was Christmas shopping on the Boots website during their Black Friday event and I thought I would treat myself too!

The set was £29.99 – which seems like a lot but I’m expecting to use these for quite a long time!

The brushes, as I mentioned, are really pretty. The blue to purple bristles compliment the pink and black handle really well. Each brush also has the Spectrum logo and brush number on it which I guess you wouldn’t need once you get used to which brushes you want to use but it is a nice touch!

The first time I used them I panicked a little as I really didn’t like them as much as I thought they would and was very disappointed.

I started off by using the instructions on the back on the pack – having never used a numbered brush set before, I was looking for a bit of guidance – but quickly realised I preferred using the brushes differently than the pack suggested.

The suggested guidance is to use the large shaders A07, A08 and C06 to lay down a base colour and then use B04 and B06 to blend the colour out. You’d then use A12 and A16 to add depth and be more precise with your colour. Finally, A13 can be used for your lower lash line.

I’m definitely not a makeup artist so I am probably using everything wrong but I do have my own way of doing my makeup and I’m fussy when it comes to my blending brush!

I prefer to use B06 or B04 to start with as I find they are dense enough to provide a nice even sweep of colour. I then use A06 to blend – it is denser but I think it blends out the colour really well.

A12 and A13 are perfect for packing colour onto your lid and in your outer and inner corners. I feel they pick up a lot of colour and they’re not so big that it’s hard to place the colour down.

Lastly, I use A16 on my lower lash line as it’s just the right size for me to lay the colour down and blend it out.

The brushes themselves are really soft and there’s no harsh bristles which you can get with some synthetic brushes.

I know this will depend on the eyeshadow formula but I’ve tried these out with the Achelois Goddess Collection, Urban Decay palettes and Sophdoesnails Extra Spice and had no problems blending out any of the colours at all.

My biggest issue with brushes is shedding so I’m always on the lookout for this and I’m happy to report I’ve had no shedding on any of the brushes even after cleaning and a wee bit of rough handling to be doubly sure!

Spectrum recommend you clean your brushes once a week and they also have a vegan shampoo you can use to do that. I’ll be honest, I don’t clean my brushes nearly enough but this has never caused me any problems so it’s likely I won’t be changing my routine any time soon!

I think a set of good brushes can definitely be seen as an investment as your going to be using them any time you put your makeup on. Using tools that are good quality will make applying your makeup much easier and quicker so would definitely recommend you do this. I’m sad I didn’t buy these before now!

What is your favourite Spectrum Collection? Or do you favour another brand?

With the new year approaching fast, what would you like to see coming up? Any products you’re really looking forward to or that you want me to try? Let me know in the comments below!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram if you want to see what I might have up and coming and for general daily updates! I don’t have a perfectly curated feed (obviously I’m not organised enough for that!) But I’d like to think it’s entertaining all the same!

I have some time off work soon so I will hopefully have my posting schedule back to normal soon, thanks for being so patient with me!

Claudia xxx

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Kalon Kosmetics Achelois X Goddess Collection

This may not mean very much to some but this is a super exciting post for me to be making!

You might remember I posted a few months ago about my giveaway win from Kalon Kosmetics? Well that blossomed into something special and I was part of the PR list for their new collection!

***Disclaimer***these products were sent to me to review but this does not mean I won’t be my usual honest self and all my opinions are my own.

This palette is dedicated to the warriors battling with autoimmune related diseases and all sales from this collection go to helping the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association which looks to raise awareness and education people on these types of diseases.

My parcel was unfortunately held by customs for about a week but I finally managed to get it and after seeing everyone else’s pictures it was great to be able to see it in the flesh!

The packaging is very pretty and although it’s cardboard, it feels pretty sturdy and has a magnetic closure.

It feels fancy but due to the size of it, it’s probably not the best to travel with, although it does have a decent sized mirror inside.

However, you can remove the pans so I’d assume that’s to put into a magnetic palette or something? The shades are names so I can’t really imagine taking them out for any other reason (maybe if they start selling singles of individual shades?).

The shade names are in keeping with the “Goddess” theme – all the names are inspired by the healing Goddess Achelois as the palette name suggests. There are some names I don’t quite see the connection but they sound pretty nonetheless.

So in the palette you get 5 matte shades (Wisteria, Oak, Eucalyptus, Soothe, Oracle), 3 frosts (Siren, Ivy, Lunar), 1 satin (Chime), 1 shimmer (Silver Fox) and 2 metallic shades (Healer, Divine). All of the colours are inspired by the different autoimmune disease awareness ribbons.

The colours are cool toned which I really like as they suit a pale girl like me and it’s perfect for autumn/winter looks! It’s also nice to see something different to the usual warm toned palettes you see everywhere just now!

I did do some swatches of these colours but the only shades that swatched well were the shimmer and metallic shades, the others didn’t really do much.

I don’t think swatches mean too much, it’s how the shadows actually perform on the eye that matters right?

I’ve used these a couple of times now and I really like them. I’ve found them to be blendable and they are not so pigmented that you need to be too careful. You can build the colour up if you want more intensity.

I didn’t really notice any fallout at all from any of the colours which I’m really pleasantly surprised by!

I did think the palette was missing a lighter transition shade but that’s just personal preference – being pale means Oak is just a bit dark to start with!

The stars of the show are definitely Silver Fox and Healer. These are gorgeously intense and would be perfect for a halo eye (if I really knew what I was doing with that 🤣).

There isn’t any colours I dislike, but I do feel like Eucalyptus, Ivy and Chime seem to be pretty similar and maybe a darker grey or metallic green would have been a nice addition to the palette.

I don’t normally show my eyelooks as I feel my makeup and photography skills never actually show how good the colour actually look and I don’t think I do the brand enough justice but I thought I would give it a go!

So I used Oak, Oracle, Wisteria and Silver Fox here with Lunar in my inner corner (which isn’t picked up in this photo). Silver Fox and Lunar looked so much more intense on my actual eye than what they do in the picture!

This was Oak, Chime, Divine and Healer. You can see Healer is pretty intense and again it looks much better and even brighter in person!

And that’s all of my rubbish makeup skills you will see today 🤣.

I found the colours did last all day and didn’t crease – I have wrinkles on my eyelids so I mean it doesn’t sink into the creases and make them look even more obvious than they are in general!

It’s all easy to take off, quick bit of cleanser and off it comes!

These shadows don’t have any parabens or talc and they are cruelty free which is definitely a plus. Genuinely don’t understand why any makeup can’t be cruelty free nowadays! I wish more brands followed this ethic!

This palette retails at $38.00 – works out at about £30.00 – which does make it a bit more higher end than I would normally buy.

If you are in the UK, you might also get hit with customs which was about £16.00 so it is something to think about when buying products from the US.

If you are in the US, it’s definitely a brand I would recommend if your budget allows. The few products I’ve had the chance of trying have been great and I will be getting more – especially with their up and coming liquid lipstick collection! 💜

Thank you so much to Kalon for sending me this package! Not too many brands would take a chance on such a newbie blogger!

Have you tried any products from Kalon Kosmetics? When are you going to place an order? Let me know in the comments below!

As always, thanks for reading this far. Let me know if there’s anything you would like me to try out as I’m always on the look out for new brands and products to discover!

Claudia xxx

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Urban Decay: All Nighter Vs Naked Skin

In case you’re new here and weren’t aware, I love Urban Decay. If my bank balance would allow I would probably have every product they sell but it doesn’t so I have to supplement my makeup addiction with affordable brands for the most part.

If you follow me on Instagram you’ll notice I’ve been posting a lot about my Urban Decay products recently.

They’re mainly products that I don’t think have been on sale for years but I keep them because they’re just so damn pretty!

I’ve had the All Nighter foundation for quite a while and recently my friend has let me borrow Naked Skin as I’d never tried it before so I thought I would do a bit of a comparison review on which one you should be popping into your shopping basket!

Contenders, ready? FIGHT!

All Nighter

The All Nighter packaging is just 😍! It’s absolutely beautiful compared to any other foundation I own. It looks and feels like what I think a high end product should!

This is a thick foundation and a little definitely goes a long, long way. Even using a tiny amount, you get a massive amount of coverage so you don’t really have to build it up.

My skin is quite dry in places and I do find this is quite a powdery foundation so it does cling to dry patches. Applying moisturiser and primer definitely helps to combat this but as the day goes on it does seem to break down in these areas and makes my dry skin all the more noticeable.

The plus side of this is I only need to powder my nose and I wouldn’t say that’s completely necessary, I just happen to have an oily nose.

I’m not the best with cream contour but I found that this didn’t work with this foundation. It didn’t blend out very nicely and again I think this is because it’s a “drier” formula.

I have the shade 1.5 and on initial application this is the perfect colour for me. The problem is this oxidises a hell of a lot and it does go quite a bit darker. I can get away with it in the summer months but I wish I had bought a lighter shade!

I’ve not worn my makeup all night for a long time – I’m too much of a lightweight for that now! – but this does last for at least regular wear and it has lasted on my face during shows where I have been running around like a headless chicken and dancing in front of an audience!

A bottle of this will set you back £29.50 but it will last you a long time since you don’t have to use too much of it. And I’ve not found anything which compares to the coverage you get with this either!

Naked Skin

The packaging of Naked Skin just doesn’t really scream at me but it does feel nice and looks relatively sleek!

The consistency of this foundation is much, much thinner but you still don’t need a lot of product to cover your entire face!

I don’t have any problems with this clinging to parts of my skin, the world doesn’t end if I forget to use primer! It also feels really lightweight which makes it ideal for wearing to work or general daily wear.

You can build this up to full coverage but after one application it is more of a medium coverage. It’s also quite dewy so I do tend to powder this to set it in place.

I’ve been using the shade 2.0 which seems to suit me at the moment. There is a bit of oxidation but not too much that it becomes really noticeable. I could probably get away with using a lighter shade in winter since I become a lovely shade of “translucent blue”!

It seems to last as long as I need it to, with the biggest breakdown happening around my oily bits and where my glasses sit but that’s not unusual for most foundations for me.

I’ve never used cream contouring with this but any powder products I apply in top seem to sit nice and blend just as easily as my other foundations so no problems there!

A bottle of this is slightly cheaper at £28.50 and again it does last for ages so although it’s high end, you do get a lot of uses for your money.

Verdict

These are both very good foundations but they are marketed for different needs.

I love Naked Skin for everyday wear. I just don’t feel like I need full coverage for my work makeup; however, for a night out or something a bit more intense I’d recommend All Nighter all the way but it does require a bit more prep work so it looks good and I think it’s good to be aware of that as otherwise you might just think it’s a bit crap!

I hope you’ve found this relatively helpful and you have more of an idea of the differences between the too formulas so that you can pick the one you need!

Let me know what you think in the comments below and if there’s anything you’d like to see next?

Don’t forget, my giveaway is still live and you got to be in it to win it so make sure you’ve entered!

Speak soon!

Claudia xxx

Testing Nip + Fab

You know when your just scrolling through your newsfeed, minding you own business, when a post pops up about a sale and you just can’t help yourself from clicking the link and entering your card details?

Yeah, same!

This is how I ended up buying a few items from Nip + Fab at 1am in the morning. They had a lot of products for only £5 and as I’ve been wanting to try their stuff for a while I thought I can’t really go wrong, right?

I didn’t really buy too much, some of the items I looked at were waay more than a fiver, just some essentials!

I picked up an eyeshadow palette, liquid lipstick (are you shocked?! 🤣) and a moisturiser for £15 with free delivery. I also got some Glycolic Fix pads for free with my order too.

I was glad to find out they they don’t test any of their products on animals, only a small range of their products aren’t vegan and there’s a handy list on their website too if you’re worried.

So let’s have a look at the products, shall we?

Kale Fix Moisturiser

I needed a moisturiser and every one goes on about the benefits of kale so I thought this would be a nice one to try.

It also contains Aloe Vera, Shea butter, almond oil and watercress which, to be honest, doesn’t give it the nicest smell in the world but it doesn’t smell really bad either.

This absorbs into the skin in no time at all, it just melts right in! Making it super handy if you’re in a rush to get your makeup on. I’m normally in a permanent state of lateness so I love this!

It doesn’t leave your skin greasy or oily but does give your skin a bit of tack so I’ve been using this and not applying primer before my makeup and it seems to hold it well.

My skin feels really soft since starting to use this and my dry forehead doesn’t look as bad at the end of the day if I’ve applied this in the morning!

This is still only £5 and I think it’s really good. It was originally £19.95 which I definitely couldn’t justify but would recommend it for someone like me who has combination skin.

Jewelled Eyeshadow Palette

The colours in this palette just called to me. I love anything with a pop of colour and the greens in this palette are gorgeous!

There’s a really good mix of colours in this palette for you to create a warm or cool look.

There are 7 mattes and 5 shimmer shadows. I find the combination slightly strange as both the greens are shimmer and all the shimmers are dark so nothing for your inner corners and if you only put lighters colours in the centre of your eye, you’ll be a bit stumped. No spotlight eyes in this palette!

I clearly forgot to take my watch off last night!

The pigmentation in this palette is really disappointing. Even with building up the colour you don’t get a very strong colour pay off.

The shadows are so blendable, it takes zero effort to blend them out and I think that contributes to why the colours are so muted, you really can blend away to nothing! I just wish their was an option to build the colour up again!

There is a bit of kickback in the pan and I did notice a tiny bit of fallout on my cheeks as well but that never really bothers me as you can just wipe it away with a fluffy brush.

I think this palette would be ok as an everyday palette if you’re looking for something understated for your work day but I’d definitely give it a wide berth if I was looking for a more glam look!

At £12.95, I’d not buy this at full price just because I have palettes that cost a lot less with so much more pigmentation!

Matte Liquid Lipstick

I picked this up in the shade Spice which looks like a nice pinky-nude going from the colour swatch on the website and described as a burgundy red shade.

I’d describe it as neither. It’s a lot darker than I was expecting and because of my pale skin it almost looks vampy.

I think I would describe it as a dark brown which was not what I was wanting but it is still a really nice colour. Just not as an everyday colour like I was going for.

The formula is great, it dries down to matte relatively quickly and doesn’t leave your lips feeling dry like some other formulas do.

I would almost say it is comparable to the Smashbox liquid lipsticks but without the hefty price tag! It doesn’t last quite as long though, and I found I had to touch it up a bit more often.

Glycolic Fix Pads

I only got 5 of these pads as a sample so I’m not sure how they work with long term use.

They contain glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid and blue daisy which I know there is a big push for all the acid stuff at the moment but I have no real idea how this is meant to help your face.

The scientist in me thinks this will mess with your skin’s natural pH and I’m not sure if this is a good thing or not!

I tried the pads anyway and the only difference I noticed is my face got red. They don’t feel exfoliating and my face looked more bumpy after use.

Sometimes my skin does go a bit funny when using a new product so if I used them for longer they might have some benefit but from a few days use I’m really struggling to see why I would want to buy more. If someone could enlighten me, that would be great!

And that’s that! I would love to add more of their lipsticks to my collection but I think I need to go into Boots to have a look at the different colours in the flesh before purchasing any more. I would also try more of their Kale Fix range as I’m really liking the moisturiser.

Have you tried Nip + Fab? What did you think?

Remember, my giveaway is still running until the end of October so don’t forget to enter and let your friends know if they might be interested. You can check out my Instagram for some sneak peeks of what’s in store for the winner!

Thanks for reading and I’ll speak to you all again soon!

Claudia xxx

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