New In :: Cruelty Free Beauty Products

This month i have been trying out lots of new beauty products. I always seem to dabble more with beauty potions and lotions in the summer month and less makeup and then vice versa come winter (i am ALL about eh makeup come winter!) I guess that speaks volumes about my mentality in each season. But enough about the psychologies of my beauty habits, lets get on to the good stuff shall we. The question is, have i found anything worth buying again/ will become part of my beauty favourites?

Yes and definitely yes.. in-fact, spoilers, i think its fair to say i pretty much loved all these products but more details shall commence!

Seascape Island Apothecary

 Seascape Island apothecary was probably my favourote find this month. A gorgeous cruelty free, responsible brand that offers divinity in a pot. Their products ooze luxury and smell and work extremely well.
The Unwind Body Lotion is possibly my favourite, the fragrance is strong, which i love, and has scented with jersey lavender and ylang ylang. I have this beside my bed and use some at night on my arms and legs as, not only does my skin drink it up and feel soft in the morning, but the scent is wonderful for relaxing and aiding sleep (something i've been very happy with of late after a number of sleepless nights!)
The Seasalt scrub & Soothe Body wash make an excellent shower duo and leave me feeling squeaky clean and extremely relaxed.
Lastly my other absolute favourite is the Peppermint Lip Balm, now to me this is both scrub and balm in one. Its gritty, which i didnt expect, however, i have been on the hunt for a good lip exfoliator as i wear a lot of bright lipstick and they often leave a residue or i need a good clear base to put them on. This provides an excellent scrub to the lips without feeling harsh. I wondered also if the peppermint would be tingly, which I'm not a fan of, but it isn't, its extremely long lasting balm and comfy to wear on the lips. Again i like to put this on at night time for my lips to really relish in the moisture. For £10 this is an absolute bargain also and something i will most definitely repurchase (however a little goes a long way and the pot is very deep and filled to the top so i don't think i'll have to repurchase anytime soon!)
The last thing i want to say about seascape is the packaging, oh my word the packaging.. its simply beautiful and honestly i know i would absolutely love to receive these as gifts and would definitely buy friends and family them too.

Weleda

 Another new brand to me but one i believe has been around a really long time is Weleda.
I received some gorgeous testers and this full size body wash in my lucky things meet up goodie bag. The Almond Skin Wash is the most delicate body wash i've ever used. This is absolutely perfect for those with extra sensitive skin, and for ahem.. delicate parts.. (tmi? Well y'know me well enough now, i'll only ever speak the truth 😁).
The Evening Primrose concentrate is for ageing skin and is full of goodness to help with elasticity and fullness of the skin. I haven't used this much yet but i am about to start as its never to early to help your skin out a bit!
I have to say i am super impressed with Weleda and will be purchasing products from their website for sure

Simply Scrub

100% organic and natural Simply Scrub  is basically whole goodness in a pot. You actually couldn't get more natural. The scrubs are amazing. I have the Rose Scrub which is the most delectable fragrance, and you are actually scrubbing your legs with petals and florals.. I'd actually never experienced anything like it and was blown away with the potency of the gorgeous scrub and how it left my legs feeling so soft afterwards. The Chocolate scrub is amazing for ridding fake tan. I had a build up of gradual tanner on my legs and i used this with a flannel and it banished all the tan residue wonderfully. The only thing i will say is that as it is natural and you are literally scrubbing with rose petals and such, then it can get a bit messy. I do mine in the bath but it did scatter through out. I didn't mind one iota though as it left my bathroom smelling so so pretty and washed away very easily.

I highly recommend this if you like natural products and like me love to exfoliate your legs, espeically after fake tan! It really works a treat and there are no nasty chemicals or damages to the environment... win win!!

Embryolisse Eye Cream

 I love the feel of this on my eyes, it feels thick and moisturising. I struggle with eye cream as my eyes are getting crinklier by the day but yet nothing seems to help. I'm not sure if this is actually doing anything or not just yet, but it does feel nice. Do you have any eye cream recommendations?

A little bit of Hair
 Biolage RAW Shampoo & Conditioner and Bardou Finishing Spray

The new Biolage RAW range is incredible hair food. My hair literally laps it up. Now these aren't particularly cheap (I caught my husband using it and i freaked out on him.. hes bald btw.. he says he likes how it makes his head feel 😂😂😂 I asked him to refrain from using my special shampoo as its reserved solely for me lol!), but if you like to treat your locks to a really nice shampoo that leaves your tresses feeling like you've just stepped out of the salon, well these products are definitely for you. I have the Nourish range, and nourish it most definitely does.

Also on the hair front, a product so good its worth mentioning again is the Bardou Finishing mist.
This is my most favourite setting spray... ever! Its fine enough to not leave your hair feeling like hard and sticky but also holds your style and banishes frizz, which with this mop of hair, is vital. I'm so sad that i've just run out, but will be repurchasing for sure. I think i suddenly realised again how good it is when i resorted to a store bought normal hairspray that left my hair looking frizzy and unclean straight after styling. So yes, return to Bardou i shall!

Etern'l Night Cream via Harmony Life

After being super impressed with Harmony Life and their hair growth products I decided to give their beauty products a go. I needed a new night cream and heard excellent things of the Etern'l range which has won numerous awards in France, and if its good enough for those french chicks, well then it sure as hell good enough for me. And actually, i really love it, like really love it. The viscosity is thick and i love that in a nuit creme (that's the extent of my french folks, and that's just from reading the label😂), i lather a lot on just before bed and let it sink in slowly. I wake up and my skin feels refreshed and the texture feels renewed if that makes sense, like there's some elasticity back. I really like this product and have definitely seen some benefits to my skin since using.

Dr PawPaw Lip Balm

 This is the perfect handbag lipbalm, i had this in my gorgeous Social Brunch Club meet up goodie bag and i'm so pleased to have this little beauty. Perfect lipbalm for on the go that delivers a real hit of moisture, and its perfect barrier balm too


So there we have it, quite the extensive amount of beauty goodies.

Have you tried any new products this month that you would recommend?

Beauty: Base Layer Favourites

When people see photos of my big ol' mug, they will comment on how good my skin is and go on to enquire as to what i use. But here's the thing.. I don't have good skin, at all.

Its very oily with lots of exposed pores and with a large amount of red undertone and general mottled texture. Its not great.

But over the years I've come to live with it with the help of finding and using great products.

I thought now would be a great time to share the products I use to create flawless(ish) looking skin, : 

The Base Layer

This is the most important when wearing makeup, as if i get the foundation right, the rest of my makeup will sit well making me a very happy gal.

 First up Moisture & Pore control

Ok so I've cleansed and toned and I'm ready to start with the first layer. 

I like a mat finish(because as an oily girl i create enough of my own shiny glow, thank you very much ;). I don't like a heavy moisturiser in the morning as i find it makes my foundation go on claggy (technical term) and appears cakey. So a light mat moisturisers is imperative.

I've been using the Embryolisse Hydra-Mat and it is a delight. It's matt yet feels nourishing and is the perfect first step. My foundation sits perfectly on top of it too.

Secondly, to rid those exposed pores i use the W7 Porefection. It does exactly what it says on the tube and is well worth its tiny price tag (Just under £7.00!).

It gives a blur effect to pores just enough to make them look less pronounced.

I use a pea sized amount and use just across my nose and cheeks where it is needed. I don't spread this across my face, I just use it in the aforementioned targeted areas. 

When using both of these products at the very start of my routine, my makeup lasts a damn site longer.

Next Up Coverage

I have my 3 favourite products here ( which are all Cruelty Free) and they range in coverage. These are tried and tested and absolutely loved. I think I've mentioned before but i have tried a lot of foundations and these have made it in to the high accolade of my Foundation Hall of Fame.

First up 

Green People Tinted Moisturiser(Far Left) 

Spf 15 this is a very very light coverage moisturiser (as the name suggests). This is perfect for those days at home, when you want to just wear a little something to even out skin tone and with a light SPF. I apply this with my finger tips as it is just like a moisturiser and adapts to the colour of your skin tone.

Second

Embryolisse CC Cream (Middle)

My current favourite and what I will wear all spring summer. Come the warmer months I always opt for a lighter coverage and this is the perfect amount of coverage without feeling cakey or full foundation. I apply this with the below light stippling blush, but can easily be applied with fingers and/or a beauty blender sponge. The application is creamy and easy and the coverage, for a CC cream, is shockingly amazing. I have been wearing this everyday of late and i am in love with it once again (i wore it all last Spring too and am still surprised how much i love this product).

This product isn't necessarily cheap BUT it's so worth it. I can't imagine not having it to use daily now.

Third

ELF Flawless Finish Foundation (right)

When I'm in need of some Full coverage it has to be my ELF Flawless Finish Foundation, I've waxed lyrical about this enough times for you to know i love it, and actually prefer it to the Chanel foundations too. Its build-able coverage, great colour tone and longevity gives this foundation its place in my makeup bag. Through summer I opt to go without it as I love to leave my skin through summer, but if i have a wedding or event, then this will be my go to foundation. I'm on my second bottle and will be repurchasing again when needed.

And finally a couple of additional finishing products

Two lightening products and a bit of extra coverage.
I use the ELF under eye lightener as just that, to disguise the grey bags under these poor sleep deprived peepers. Its not a heavy coverage, which is great as i can find heavier options can settle in my ever increasing wrinkles, but it works as more of a light reflecting lightener.
I also use the Collection Illuminating Touch as concealer. To be honest, I don't find it that illuminating, but it does work as an excellent cover for any problem areas.
And the brush is by Eco Tools and is a stippling brush, i picked up a couple of months ago and love how it lightly applies the base layer.


So there we have it friends, the all important base layer. Get this right and you're on to a winning face.
I know i feel so much better when my skin looks good and these products definitely help me with that.

What base layers are you favouring lately?

March Beauty Favourites

Ooo it's been a fun month on the beauty front. As much as i'm very settled in my day to day makeup and beauty regime, I'm always open to new products that are going to make this mug look better. For me when my makeup is good i feel like i can take on anything, and that my friends is a good feeling. Are you ready for this? There's quite a lot and i can talk the ears off a donkey when it comes to beauty products;)

So here are the products that are helping to make me feel fabulous lately*

 Ok first up are some amazing makeup pieces from a favourite brand of mine (and my step daughters too) W7 Makeup. You guys if you haven't tried anything from W7 you have to, in-fact go right now and try something. If you like products that are on trend, a bit funky that last well, have great colour pay off and carry a smaller price tag then a bunch of flowers then W7 is what you need.

The majority of my makeup bag is now infact W7. 

W7 are a fab British company that are Cruelty free and have many Vegan products in their ranges.

This month i have been besotted with the Strobe Time palette . This quad palette is a mere £7.99 and really brings a beautiful, subtle shimmer to the face. I've been using this constantly. I love to use it on my cheekbones above my blusher (more on blush in a moment) on my eyebrow arch and a touch on my cupids bow. Its a super pretty way to bring light to the face.

My next favourite product from them this month is the Matte Me Blush, i have the shades 'On The Edge' and 'Going Out' and they are both perfect. I don't like any shimmer in my blush(if i want shimmer i like to add it myself), so as soon as i saw that these were Matt i knew i'd love them.. And of course i do. The colour pay off is great, they are build-able, so subtle or as strong as you require.

Other worthy mentions are the Metal Pout metallic lips , my step daughter is OBSESSED with these, me i love the Tinted Kiss Lip Oils, which smell and taste sublime. The Absolute Lashes  is a lovely day wear mascara and finally the bronzer .. oh the bronzer. 

At £5.99 the Honolulu Bronzer is amazing, Matt (just how i like my everything it would seem), it is super similar to a very very famous, but far more expensive brand (ahem Hoola cough cough) and bronzes as well (if not better!) I'm so pleased to have this for Spring, it warms the complexion up perfectly without making me look like an oompa loompa. A little goes a long way, so use on a loose large brush and tap off the excess. This little box will last a long time i reckon.

Face of The Day

Elf foundation in Natural ( wrote about that here)

Bardot eyebrows

W7 Eyeliner, Mascara, blusher and Highlighter, finished with their Lip Oil

 Next up, after many many recommendations I've picked up the Pixi Glow Tonic. I have no glow, like literally the dullest skin ever. My pores are enlarged of late(ick..sorry, tmi?) too and i just hate that i don't have an even skin tone.
The reviews are amazing for this product, I've only just started using it, but i love the fresh taught feeling it gives to my skin. Shall keep you posted on long term skin results next month!
Have you ever used it? Would love to know your thoughts?

Another miracle product for me here. Bardou Booster Brow is INSANE. So we all know by now that i'm severely eyebrow challenged yes? Yes. So a product that stays on all day and in to the night is always what i'm after (If i could afford microblading i would, but y'know those damn kids need feeding constantly 😁). Bardo Booster brow is like a brow paint. You literally paint it on, i use a small detailing brush instead of the applicator wand as i feel i get a little more control, and then i paint it on and create the shape i want. I love the fullness it brings, the colour it is and the longevity. Highly recommend if you too like full brows but aren't blessed in the brow department. Well worth the money as a little goes a long way and i reckon it will last a while as the amount is generous in the bottle.

Lastly some final favourites Organic Shop Shampoo and deep conditioner. I've noticed my local Tesco is stocking 3 new organic Vegan and cruelty free shampoo ranges. This is the first one i've tried as its really purse friendly (£2.50each). Great to see new cruelty free and vegan brands coming in to the mainstream, making it much easy to shop.

Trusty old Batiste, but new with conditioner added, I'm all up for added condition as my hairs a little dry right now from all the dying, which is why I've also been using Lee Stafford Argan Oil , which i also found out is Vegan and Cruelty free, which makes me super happy.

And lastly Forever Living Aloe eye cream. Super soothing as i've had really sore eyes lately. I put this on a couple of times a day as its cooling and feels beautiful on  my bags ;)

What beauty products have you been loving this past month? 
Any great recommendations to share?

* Its good to note that feeling fabulous without products is also highly recommended.

W7 Makeup Review (Cruelty Free & Vegan Beauty!)

 I love to play around with make-up, I'd actually go as far as to say putting on makeup, for me, is one of life's little pleasure. I just thoroughly enjoy the process. And even though I'm not overly adventurous with my daily face, I love to find great products that work well, sit well and feel good.
Since turning Vegan, my choices are more limiting as I've previously mentioned. But when you find cruelty free, Vegan products then it makes me love the company all the more.

W7 Cosmetics are a fully Cruelty Free company which also have many Vegan products.

I recently got to test run a whole load of their products, and man oh man are they good!

W7 may not be a brand you're familiar with. Funnily enough, the week that i received the products my step daughter also came home from a shopping trip with a few of their items. Possibly aimed at the younger market (ahem.. oldie alert here), but don't let the branding put you off as the products really are very good, plus those youngsters know a good product when they buy one!
Again the price point is also very low and extremely reasonable for the amount of product you get and also the quality.
The palette below is priced around £9.95, when you consider other palettes are triple that, it really does seem good value for money.

I thought i'd share a couple of my favourites today and I have to say their 'Prep Work Products' are some of the best I've used.
Below we have
The Cover It for dull eyes and Colour corrector anti redness
Lemon meringue Eye primer
The Porefection primer pore minimiser.

The fist product I used was the pink coloured stick which is the Cover It for dull eyes, I was so shocked at how good it was I ran and shoved it in my Step Daughters face and told her to tryitasitssoflippin'good. Of which she then agreed.
It brings the undereye colour back from a dull grey to a normal face colour and hides the tiredness of too many late nights. Its not a reflecting lightener, its not meant to be. Its a perfect base though and really works well with foundation to give you an even complexion-even under the eyes.

My other two favourites are the Eye Primer which I've been wearing non stop, even on its own as it gives the eye lids such a lovely natural colour, but also helps maintain eyeshadow through the day. I still had a bit of creasing later on in the day, but I have some oily eye lids so i've come to expect that anyway and am yet to find any product, regardless of cost, that counters this.
And also the Porefection primer, which works just as well for me as the Benefit Porefessional, but at a fraction of the price. I have quite obvious pores unfortunately and the cream silky substance adds a slight blur to them, making them less pronounced. I also find that when using this, my foundation lasts the majority of the day.

Next up I have a couple of face product favourites
The Candy Blush
 The Contour stick

 The pigment in the Candy Blush is incredible, a little really does go a long way and can be blended beautifully in to the cheeks. They are really true to form colours, in that they come out exactly like they look in the sweet and cute packaging.
Now the contour stick was something I was hesitant to try. Call me crazy but drawing lines on to my face with a giant crayon is really not my style.
BUT, I'll totally admit I was wrong. The crayon like format makes it extremely easy to use and apply. The butter like consistency makes it easy to blend and it dries quickly without feeling tacky or pulling on your foundation. I found it blended in a lot and I actually went in and applied a little more, which i was happy to do as I'd prefer to air on the side of caution with dark brown crayons😂
I loved that it warmed my face up a little also, so when I have my foundation in place this is perfect for adding some dimension.

And finally a few lip products to give a try

Full Time Lip Colour
 Magic Matt Lipstick
Nude Kiss Lipsticks

I tried the Full Time Lipstick first which is in a beautiul natural, but better lip colour, which is really flattering. The idea is you apply the colour, leave to dry, then apply the top coat gloss and it will alst all day. I've worn it a few times and it really does stick like nothing else. I once had a balm on as well and it ended up a tad crumbly, but other times I've worn it and it was great and when it did fade, ti faded naturally and gradually over a long period of time.

The Matt lips are my absolute Favorite. The pigmentation is phenomenal, giving a gorgeous red lip, that isn't drying or crumbly. It stays for hours too and feels great on the lip

I have to say I am SO impressed with the W7 cosmetics I've tried and will definitely look to purchase more from the brand when i'm in the market for new makeup.

Have you tried anything from W7?
(I think they would also make the perfect stocking fillers!)

5 Cruelty Free & Vegan Deodorants Tried & Tested

Not a glamours topic I admit, but a vital part of every women's daily hygiene and cosmetics routine is of course a deodorant. When I first started on my Vegan, Cruelty Free journey one of the first things i switched over was my deodorant. Now, I'll be totally honest (and slightly gross) with you: I am quite a sweaty person. Yup, i just wanted to put that out there. I am generally a very sweaty person and perspire quite a lot. Always have, i'm sure i always will. So it goes without saying that a good deodorant is very important to me. I have tried SO many products over the years, but this time I'm trying out vegan, cruelty free and some all natural products to see if any of these will actually work on this sweaty Betty.

Glamours this may not be, but practical (and very honest!!) it is!

 So lets get started...

5 Vegan, Cruelty Free Deodrants:

1. Salt of the Earth Pure Aura natural Deodorant
Starting with one of the best, this deodorant is quite simply fantastic.
The spray application gives a liberal spritz, which can be quite wet at first, but does dry quite quickly. The scent of lavender and vanilla is strong and a nice presence without being over powering.
Durability of this deodorant is what I really liked. It works really, really well. I used this recently when i went on a huge zip wire and to say i was a little bit sweaty would be an understatement. Extreme sports will do that to you. But what a test to put this deodorant under. I left that day still feeling and smelling fresh.

2. Marks & Spencer Nature's Ingredients Peach & Almond Antiperspirant 

At just £1.50 this carries the smallest price tag out of all the deodorizers and is in the roll on format that is fairly common.

Again, an absolute brilliant little product, it smells beautiful ( I actually went on to buy the matching body spray as well as they had a buy one get one half price, making them both a mere few pound!), but it also works tremendously well. I wore this through the hot days of summer and by the end of each day I would still be fairly fresh and not whiffy. 

The roll on applicator is great if you're in a hurry, it dries quickly and doesn't leave any white marks. The only downside is when left for a day or so, even with the lid on, the roller ball dries up and you have to shake it vigorously and rub it quite hard to activate the ball again. 

That being said, it doesn't put me off this product at all, it's a great little buy and I will definitely re purchase (perhaps in the water lillies scent to give that a go)

3. Jason Natural Lavender Deodorant Stick
The first day I wore this, in the height of summer, I was disappointed in its performance. By mid afternoon I no longer felt fresh and like it was working with me. Every body is different and for me it didn't protect me from sweating and smelling at all (delightful, i know.. Just be glad you weren't with me that day)
The smell of lavender is strong, which i like a lot as its a beautiful scent, but the product didn't seem to help me. I've worn it again since and it's been OK, but I don't think i would rely on it. If i have a shower at night time, I will pop some of this on and it seems to keep me fairly fresh when I'm not overly active. Plus the lavender scent is rather lovely.
The application is good. A firm deo-stick, making application easy and no white marks left.

 4. Crystal Stick Body Deodorant
If you've never used one of these before you will at first think it totally bizarre. How can a rock work as a deodorant? Well I'm not 100% sure on how, but I do know that it does!
To apply the Crystal rock you have to run it under a tap to dampen it, you then roll on your under arms as you would a roll on. Its completely smooth and easy enough to do after you've just taken a shower, but not so easy if like me, you often shower the night before. It means standing in the bathroom in your bra with wet armpits for a little bit, BUT it does work. It keeps any scent away for the day. If you are a heavy sweater (like me) then you will notice you may still get a little damp but no smell.
Plus this thing will last you years! I think I've had this over 6 years and it still works as well as they day I bought it. If you're in to minimalism, this would be a great buy.

5. Nature Love Natural Deodrant
I picked this up in TK Maxx as it was a new to me brand (It's an America brand) but liked the idea that it was an all natural deodorant. The scent is Lemongrass, which is not my personal favourite, but not too overpowering thankfully. The product again is a solid stick and is easy to apply. No white marks were left afterwards and it did last well through the day. The scent wore off fairly quickly but the effect still seemed to be there as I worked my way through the day. For an all natural product I would say this offers a real decent amount of protection, but the scent is just not for me (just personal preference)


So there we have it, some absolutely great discoveries for me! I will most certainly be making some re-purchases when the time comes.

What deodorant do you use? 
Would you consider switching to A Cruelty free Vegan variety?

Getting Rid Of My Make-up Collection & New Vegan Beauty Replacements

A couple of weekends ago I took on the mammoth task of sorting through my vast beauty collection which spanned across 3 large drawers in one room and a few more drawers in another. I had TONS of the stuff. Lipstick upon lipstick, many similar shades, mascaras and magic potions that promised the world but didn't ever actually deliver. 

It was well overdue a big sort out; but the reason was two-fold.

1. Eating a Vegan lifestyle means I don't eat any animal products or derivatives. Therefore why would I put them on to my body either? After a lot of research it appeared that SO many big companies (l'oreal, Revlon, Maybelline to name a few) still test on animals and have animal derivatives in their products. It was time I had to say bye-bye to lots of what I owned.

2. When endeavouring on the road of a more minimal lifestyle, my Capsule Wardrobe being my catalyst, it was only natural that this stemmed on to other parts of my life. I was certainly not minimal when it came to my ridiculously large make-up collection, which, if I'm honest, I only ever used a mere 10% of it.

So one Sunday afternoon I pulled out all my stash and went through each piece, placing anything not-used/non vegan in to a big black bag to donate to family and friends (my step daughter had a field day)

It was shocking how much I got rid of.

But now, all I have is one small makeup bag with my everyday makeup in.

It feels liberating!

There are currently a few holes in my make-up armoury, I'm in need of a couple more things and then I'll be pretty much set.

But I thought I'd share some of the pieces I've bought and enjoyed of late.

1. Coconut Micellar Water by Sonoma Naturals
I picked this micellar water up to replace my well used Garnier Micellar water. I can not find this brand anywhere on line, but I found it (alongside some other great vegan/natural products) in TK Maxx for £7.99. It works a treat. It gets off every scrap of makeup (even my Wunderbrow.. which I'll talk about in a mo) and leaves my sking feeling clean, taut(in a good way) and fresh. I use it morning and night, and if i can find it again i will be definitely repurchasing. Completely vegan and free of all the parabens and general nasties, this is a great product.


2. M&S Natures ingredients Peach & Almond Body Spray
Did you know that a lot if the M&S Nature's Ingredients range is vegetarian & Vegan and Cruelty free? I didn't until recently. I was researching Vegan Deodorants (results soon on that!) and good ol' M&S came up.  I bought this as they had a buy on get one half price, making this literally a pound or so. The scent is Peach & Almond. I've never really been one for peachy smells, deeming them a little ,ahem, old for me (I think i'm thinking of my Nana there) but i have to say, the almond really keeps the peach in tow, and makes it less old lady, more refreshing and light.

3. Wunderbrow
Oh this stuff is a God send for an eyebrow challenged person like myself. I've blogged about it before, but I'm mentioning it here because its a. Vegan b. Cruelty Free and c. freakin' amazing. This stuff sticks for days and creates a softer more natural brow then a sold brow-pencil does. I'm on my second stick of it and i shall be buying another without a doubt. It is tricky to get off (hence its great staying power) But Micellar water on a cotton pad and a bit of a light scrub does the trick. Oil based removers also work well.

4. Elf Concealer & Highlighter
In need of some eye baggage coverage I turned to ELF cosmetics. This is a concealer one end and the white cream is a subtle highlighter. The concealer is ok.. not amazing, but ok. The coverage is enough, but I do find it fades through the day (or my greying eye area seeps through the more tired I get). The white highlight cream is pretty and subtle. I place it along the eye socket/higher cheekbone, and lightly dab it in. It has a nice light reflecting element which makes the area look glowy.

5. Organic Surge Eye gel
Love this product for cooling puffy eyes. It really helps in the morning, when i've just gotten up and I'm feeling all sleepy and bleary eyed. The gel acts as a coolant and soothes my sleepy peppers perfectly

6.B. Cosmetics Blush
B. are a Brand my Uk retailer Superdrug. All their range is delightfully cruelty free and vegan. I bought this peachy blush as it seemed an all rounder. Great for day to day wear as it has a subtle colour pay off that makes it natural an easy to wear.


7. Barry M Eyeliner
Having been using the same eye-liner for about 4 years it was a tricky one to replace. So i've been road testing this Barry M eyeliner, and although the application is a little different (the brush/tip is firm rather than flowing) It still produces an inky dark black which is good enough. Longevity with this eye liner is pretty decent and lasts the day, with just my inner eye smudging away, but this is fairly common for me. I've used this every day i've worn makeup of late and the more i use it the more I like it.

8.Green People Mascara
This is a vegetarian mascara (it has bees wax included) and the only mascara i have right now, which is a major step away from how i used to be.. mascaras were my guilty pleasure.. I think I counted up 10 different types when I packed them all up. This Green People mascara is a fantastic product. It lifts, lengthens and seperates without leaving your eyelashes looking sparse or like spider-legs. One of the only mascara's i've worn and had compliments from.

9. Barry M Matte Lip (in shade 3 Dress Rehearsal)
Obsessed with this lip colour for everyday wear. Its the perfect 'your-lips-but-better' shade for me, and goes with pretty much everything. I love how it's also a slight nod to that matt lip/90's shade throw back that's everywhere right now. Its not as brown as that 'in' shade, but it works well for me and that's what's important with lipstick. it doesn't last overly well, and needs reapplying after food and drink, but that's fairly common practice for me and doesn't make me not want to wear it. The fade down when wearing it is fairly even and because of its natural pinky tone, it doesn't look patchy when it does fade.


So these are my current cruelty free/vegan favourites.

Do you have any great recommendations? I'm on the look out for a new mascara, a finishing powder and would quite like a more rose blush!

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Haircare & Cruelty Free Products I Use

Becoming plant based/ vegetarian isn't just about changing what you put in to your body, for me it's also about what you put on your body too.
I don't eat animals and feel their worth so why would I buy from a company that still tests products on animals (which is completely unnecessary in this day and age in my honest opinion).
So i got researching great cruelty free and Vegan products.

Now if you've read this far and you're thinking, well I'm not vegetarian/vegan so why would this bother me?

These products are for everyone. The fact that they have sparred those cute fluffy bunnies or other such animals, then surely that can only be a great thing, right?
Plus I am doing a lot of research to make these products easy to find and tried and tested by yours truly.. instead of a guinea pig testing, you have me doing all the leg work for you.

So.. HAIRCARE.. I will be completely honest with you, my hair is like my crowning glory. I love my hair, and as much as I've struggled with it over the years for it's bi-polar crazy ways (seriously, frizzy, greasy, a bit straight a bit wavy, there's often no way of knowing what it wants to do), I have finally found a groove that we can both metaphorically dance to.

Starting point for me is cleansing & conditioning

Superdrug has really proven to be a fantastic source for Vegan/Cruelty free products as ALL their own range is cruelty free. So not only are you getting an absolute bargain as the prices are miniscule, but they are morally pleasing items too.
I wash my hair 2-3 times a week, depending on what I'm doing, basically if i can string it out between washes, I always will. Once washed my hair reverts to a frizzy crazy mess, so i need that as little as possible in my life.
The Superdrug Caring Coconut & Almond Shampoo & Conditioner is a very gentle shampoo, very natural and smells wonderful (love me some coconut scents).
Because it is more of a natural product it does feel very different on the hair; first off, it takes a lot to get a good lather, I will often have to add a bit more, or dip my head in under the water to encourage some foam-age. Once rinsed, my hair feels super tangly, but the conditioner works well to counteract that.
As shampoo & conditioner go they are fine. I am nearly through these bottles so i shall be looking at trying Faith in Nature, which I've heard good reviews about.

Next up brushing detangling

Now to me, and possibly the majority of the female population The Tangle Teaser is the best thing since sliced bread. Cutting through knotty tangled hair like a knife to butter, this thing has saved many a crying small child from the agonizing hair brushing ritual. 

My sister has 2 gorgeous little girls. They were both blessed with beautiful but crazy curly hair. The Tangle Teaser is the only thing that tamed those heads of crazy curls without inducing tears. 

Marvel at its wonder..

 Now my hair is shorter I don't have to worry too much about knotty hair, but this just feels so therapeutic when I brush with the Tangle Teaser. My hair becomes silky soft, it also removes any dead hair and leaves my tresses silky soft and knot free. This one is a fab 'on -the-go' size in a rather dashing gold (snazzy, i know. They also have leopard print, insert heart eyed emoji here!) which is perfect for me and the teen step daughter who has hair down to her bottom, and when we are out the pesky wind is our arch nemesis. (Not any more with the Tangle teaser of course). Bloomin' love this thing, and any household that has a female in it should have one :D

ahem.. excuse the literal no makeup look... this is me genuinely getting ready ;)

On to Styling Products

Took me a while to navigate the Cruelty Free Hair product waters.. but with a bit of perseverance I found my new go-to styling products.
Both the Style Expertise Heat Protecting Spray & Anti Frizz Serum are new to me (Superdrug came to the rescue once again!) and both work just as well as the likes of L'oreal or Toni & Guy which i previously used regularly. The scent is pleasant and not overpowering, the product does what is says and reduces both damage and frizz nicely. Super pelased to have found these are they are now staples in my haircare routine.
A favourite look for me is the simply tousled look.. ie lazy girl hair. A texturizing spray is a must for me. I often let my hair dry naturally, and with a generous spritz of The Lee Bancroft texturizing mist, it leaves me with beachy (read:messy-but-in-nice-way) hair. So simple, so easy, and perfect summer hair. I picked this one up in Tesco and have had it a while, I really like the product and plan to repurchase.

Finally: Stylin'

Two day hair styles are my favourite no brainer.. It's been a while since i've done this no-heat curl style, but with it being warm I thought it was perfect for day 1. Firstly all the clean-just washed and naturally dried hair is scooped up and off the neck. It's wrapped around a stretchy circular head band and left that way for the rest of the day. Get on with your biz, sleep on it, do as you please. It's messy but fun and super easy to do.
Let me know if you'd like a hair tutorial on how to do this. Perhaps I could vlog it (eek)?

Then day 2 hair, once the band is removed and the hair is brushed through with my Tangle Teaser, you are left with fabulous, full bodied waves.
So. Flippin'. Easy.
No heat, no damage to the hair and a lovely outcome.. What's not to like?

So there we have it. My hair care: Products & styling!

Is there anything you use as part of your haircare routine that you would highly recommend?

And would you think about buying cruelty free products in future?