Review: Lush Aqua Mirabilis

Just a quick review whilst it is still fresh in my mind. I was bought this Aqua Mirabilis from Lush a while back but have only just found it in the back of the cupboard still in the packaging, the main reason being I'm not a huge fan of Lush products.

I wasn't entirely sure what to do with it so I had a guess and took it in the bath with me. I scrubbed it all over my arms and legs and body. It didn't lather up so I was concerned that maybe it wasn't to be used on wet skin? It sort of went on like a really thick cream bar. It had lots of gritty bits in sort of the consistency of sand which I'm assuming is for exfoliation but the whole experience was a bit confusing as it didn't make me feel clean, just like I had been scratched. After getting out the bath, it was still on my skin and ws a bit sticky. I'm thinking if I leave it, it will soak in like a body butter and be very moisturising as my skin does feel quite soft. And if you are wondering, it has a strange sort of biscuity-herby smell which you will either love or hate. As it goes I actually don't mind it although it is a bit strong for me as I prefer things to be very subtle. At £5.50 for 95g I don't think I will be re-buying this unless someone tells me its purpose?

Alyssa

Avon Review

I remember when I was little my mum was an Avon lady for a short time. I loved the fact she gave me all her little sample lipsticks and perfumes. (I once drunk a perfume sample, but like I say I was little!) When I was older Avon seemed to fall out of popularity and had the reputation as a brand for old ladies. I tried a couple of things in my early teens but I reacted quite badly so decided that they weren't for me. Anyway, I have noticed recently that more and more young people are going back to Avon. I recently got a book through the door and my mum and I spent at least an hour pouring over the pages mesmerised by the great deals and the innovative products. I was wary of trying them as my sensitive skin had reacted in the past but I thought I ought to give it a go and here are a couple of reviews of things:

1. Avon Supershock Mascara in Black Waterproof

When I first tried this I was amazed at this product, It had been recommended to me. It was a very rich black and the brush coated your lashes evenly. It also didn't seem to smudge off. However, after a week or so, it seemed to get a bit gloopy and now ended up in a load of lumps which is disappointing.

2. Avon Supershock Mascara in Intense Violet

This is the range if colours of the Supershock mascara. I got the intense violet as I love purple but was gutted when I opened it to discover it wasn't lilac at all but grey! I actually use this mascara on a daily basis now as its great for work as it just separates the lashes and isn't too dark like the black. BUT it shouldn't be advertised as Violet. If you have tried any other colours please let me know!

3. Avon Ultra Color Rich Extra Plump Lipstick

 This product is Ok, I think I just picked the wrong colour for me. I picked shimmering apricot and it wasn't what I was after really. It smooth to apply, makes your lips feel soft but the tingling sensation is horrendous! I think it is the lip plumping ingredient getting to work but it feels too weird for me.

4. Avon Colour Trend Lip Colour Duo

I picked this as I thought it was quite fun, Colour Trend I think is more teenager type products but it was cheap. It has a small lipstick at one end, then a wand with gloss at the other end which I thought was the perfect design so you can have mat or shiny lips. The product itself is fine but the taste was so chemically and bad that I had to get rid of it.

5. Avon Planet Spa Face Masks

I actually really love this product. You can purchase the full size bottles of the facemasks but I decided to go for this set which has4 single-use sachets of 3 different Planet Spa face masks: Japanese Sake and Rice Smoothing Face Mask, Dead Sea Minerals Facial Mud Mask and Mediterranean Olive Oil Hydrating Face Mask. I can't quite decide which is my favourite one but I love the smell of the Japanese Saki and rice one! The sachets are very generous and the mask glides on really smoothly. It dries a little whist its on so you feel it is working and when you rinse it off you feel so clean. I recommend these to anyone

I have a few other products to share with you but I will save that for next time! Not sure how often I will be on here as I am in the process of buying a house but I will try my best to keep you updated!

Alyssa xx

Beauty Review: Benefit b.right

Recently I have had quite problematic skin, my T-zone has been very oily and I became very blemished. I knew it was time for a skin detox, however my usual Clinique 3-step didn't seem to be doing it's job. Sometimes your skin can get used to a certain product and it stops having an effect so I decided it was time to have a break and try something new. I have started using the Benefit b.right skincare range which is supposed to give you radiance. I have used it twice a day for 4 days and I know it doesn't sound a long time but I have already noticed quite a difference so here are my my first impressions:

1. The packaging looks fantastic, the cork effect lids and the textured glass bottles look great on display in the bathroom, however I have found it quite difficult to get the product out and I'm sure it will be even trickier once I get to the bottom of the bottles.

2. All the products are quite stongly fragranced, I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is but it is a very sweet floral smell which is I actaully really like. I am not sure if it will be suitable for people who have sensitive skin who prefer to use unfragranced lotions.

3. The prices are quite high, as with all Benefit products and this might put a lot of people off. I'm also not sure how much different it is to lower priced skincare. I have seen it on sale in a few places but it is always exactly the same price.


THE PRODUCTS:

Foamingly Clean Facial Wash 150ml £16.50
I have used this every day, morning and night. It lathers up really well and feels quite light. My skin feels very clean after using it, it even has a sort of pearlised effect as it comes out of the tube which is nice.

Refined Finish Facial Polish 150ml £17.50
I use this after the facial wash, it is a very very gentle exfoliator and is designed to brighten your skin. It does feel nice to use and my skin feels fresh afterwards.

Moisture Prep Toning Lotion 175ml £23.50
This seems quite expensive for what it is, its just like another toning lotion but it seems quite greasy to me which is unlike any other toner I have used. I havn't used this every time either as I'm not sure what its purpose is, it claims to prepare your skin for moisturiser. I'm glad I only got a sample of it.

Triple Performing Facial Emulsion SPF 15 £19.50
This was recommended to me by the assistant at the counter as I have oily t-zone and this is an oil-free moisturiser. I have been testing it and found it is quite light and non-greasy but it is quite sticky which is probably why it is called an emulsion. I imagine it is quite good for applying make-up over the top as it will stick to it well. I will continue to use this though as I have been looking for an alternative to Clinique's Moisture Surge.

Total Moisture Facial Cream 60ml £26.50
I only got a sample of this full moisturising cream but the sample is actaully quite big so will last me about a month or so I imagine. I have been especially careful not to apply this to the oily parts of my skin as it is very thick and creamy. Personally I think it will be more suited to dry skin but I havn't noticed any adverse effects from using it a couple of times.

Its Potent Eye Cream 15ml £23.50
Another reccommendation from the counter as I have dark under eye circles. Apparently if you don't notice any visible results in 28 days you can return it for a refund which is quite reassuring. I have used this religiously twice a day as I really want to find something that brightens my eyes. I get tonnes of sleep and eat healthily but apparently dark circles are genetic. I have noticed it stays quite shiny for ages, not sure if thats supposed to happen but I have still been applying concealor over the top.


To summarise, I am relatively impressed so far as my skin has cleared up. I went to the Benefit counter at the weekend covered in blemishes and looking in a bit of a state, even the lady that served me said I was being brave leaving the house without make-up on but needs must. I'm not sure every product in the range is suitable for my skin, similarly not everything will be suitable for those with dry skin either but it is worth trying to blag some free samples and trialing it for a few weeks.

Have you tried it out yet? let me know what you think...

Alyssa xx

Beauty Review

I really don't wear much make up and try to keep my look as natural as possible however I do have a few favourites I wear everyday. I have quite dark circles under my eyes so I never go out without covering them, also despite having quite long eyelashes I still like to wear mascara to feel like I have made an effort. Generally I wear a bit of bronzer, natural eyeshadow and lipstick as well but I find mascara and concealer the two most important items in my make up bag!

I have tried out various products so I thought I would share my opinions and give a little review of them. Focusing mainly on black mascaras:

Max Factor Masterpiece Waterproof

I found this mascara to be a good day to day mascara, it went on easily and wasn't clumpy at all, it wasn't brilliantly waterproof as I did occasionally have smudges. At £8.99 it is one of the cheaper ones but it actually lasted ages so it was good value for money. A better than average 7/10

Max Factor False Lash Effect

As I quite liked the other Max Factor mascara I decided to try the false lash effect one when it came out, expecting it to be similar but create a more dramatic effect. I actually found it quite thick and clumpy and it rubbed off really easily. At £10.99 its a bit more expensive but I think its worse. I have scored it a poor 4/10

Clinique High Impact Macara

 As a fan of Clinique skincare I had high expectations of their make up. I have a couple of eye shadows and blushes which I like but the mascara was very disappointing. It didn't really look like I was wearing any after I put it on, made no different to length or thickness and it came off far too easily, I ended up with panda eyes at the end of the day, nothing more to say except I wouldn't spend £15 to buy it again. A disappointing score 3/10

Diorshow Iconic

I was given Diorshow Iconic, normally I wouldn't pay £22 for a mascara but I was glad I tried it. I found it made my lashes look really separated and didn't make them clumpy. Its was very natural looking and I didn't notice it smudge too much either. I will give it a well deserved 9/10

Loreal Double Extension

Finally, Loreal Double Extension is the mascara I am currently using. I was dubious at first with it being a double ended mascara. You apply the white layer which helps to separate and lengthen lashes then apply black over the top. I am actually really impressed with it so far. It stays put all day and makes my lashes look thick and long. It can go clumpy if you try putting too much on at once so its best to apply it lightly. At £11.29 its quite a good price and I think it would score a 8.5/10. I would love to give it a 9 but I don't think its quite as good as Diorshow.


Now onto concealers...

I havn't tried many  and these are the only ones I have used in the past couple of years but I will give the pros and cons of each.

Benefit IT Stick

 First up is the Benefit IT Stick. I had one of those make-overs at the Benefit counter as was very unimpressed with the products, they look pretty in the packaging but I didn't find anything suitable for my skin. I was given an IT stick as a gift so I thought I would try it out. It comes in one colour which is a weird pale orange so it looks really obvious even after blending it in and its like applying a crayon to your face so its thick and not really suitable for covering dark circles just minor blemishes. I keep is an emergency in my handbag but I rarely use it, also at around £15 it is quite pricey, so I will have to rate it a 5/10. I don't believe the hype!

Clinique Airbrush Concealor

I always used to use this concealer as I like Clinique products and found that the colour matched my skin tone rather well and it applies really easily with the brush. It is quite expensive at £15 and doesn't last too long ( I always seemed to be running out) but it is a nice product and deserves a 7/10 as its nice but not good value for money.

Garnier Caffeine Anti-dark Circles

I then started using the Garnier Caffeine Anti Dark Circles tinted eye roll on, this comes in fair, medium and just recently extra fair. I really like this as the roll on is really cool and feels nice when you apply it. I put it on in dots then blend it in with my finger rather than roll on but I use it all round my eyes even on my lids. I don't like thick concealers as I don't wear foundation and want it to look natural and this is perfect for wearing on its own so I don't think it will be good for those who want lots of coverage. Its priced at £9.99 but you can find it cheaper at Wilko's and supermarkets etc. so its worthwhile buying. I think it deserves an excellent 9.5/10

So there you have my review for today, I might do another one with some other products i like, although will probably heavily feature Clinique! Til next time...

Alyssa xx