Category Archives: beauty products

We’ve spent years learning which brushes are for blush and which are foundation, what works best for contouring and what’s the ultimate for all-over glow. With all that effort, we’re definitely committed to putting in the time to keep them in perfect condition. But is anyone else totally tired of breaking the bank on brush cleansers!? Especially since experts recommend you clean them once every week. We thought: there MUST be DIY brush-cleaning methods that are just as (or more!) effective than store-bought brush cleaners, right!? Since we’re total suckers for DIY, we did some investigating & found a few methods using products already in our bathroom & kitchen cabinets!

Our ultimate clean-brush approach uses coconut oil (we are SO on the coconut oil train: hello, ultra-soft hair!) to gently, and naturally, clean your brushes. You simply melt about 2 tbsp of coconut oil in the microwave (appx. 30 seconds) and then gently swirl your brush around in it. Once the brush has been fully coated in the oil, blot on a paper towel to remove product. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of product that comes off—if you use your brushes as much as we do, it’s normal! Once you’re done blotting, run under lukewarm water until the oil has completely washed off. If you’re having trouble getting all of the coconut oil off with just water, lightly run the bristles over a bar of soap.  Once the coconut oil is completely rinsed out of the brush, reshape and lay flat on a paper towel to dry.

It will take a few hours for your brushes to dry, so make sure you do this AFTER applying your makeup for the day! It’s also important to be careful not to get the handle of the brush wet, because it can cause it to expand and loosen the bristles. You can also substitute coconut oil for a simple bar of soap, or baby shampoo mixed with warm water.

So, are you planning on breaking up with your brush cleanser, too?

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Some gorgeous, soothing moisturisers for skin that’s on the dry or sensitive side or that’s beginning to feel the effects of the slightly cooler weather. All of the face creams and lotions above are very calming, I find, and though they each vary in their density and richness, the final results are the same; happy, moisturised skin that feels fully guarded against the Autumn chill. They are brilliant moisturisers all year round, of course, it’s just that a couple are a little too rich for my summertime skin and so I’ve been waiting for October so that I could write about them with renewed experience and full enthusiasm and vigour! If you have sensitive, dry, flaky skin that simply won’t behave, these are all your friend, all of the time. I tend to use them (as I don’t have particularly dry or sensitive skin) when I’ve been doing a makeup shoot and my skin is feeling raw and irritated; makeup off, a quick spritz of something lovely, just for the soul (usually it’s Queen of Hungary Mist or the Spray-On Moisture from This Works) and on with a big layer of soothing moisturiser. I leave that on overnight – obviously you don’t have to go overboard with the application, you don’t want to end up with more on your pillow than you have on your face!

Pai’s Chamomile & Rosehip Calming Day Cream is a dream product for sensitive skin. Pai specialise in creating skin care that can be used by the most temperamental and needy of faces; they list every tiny ingredient so that you can spot anything your skin might not agree with (not that it’s likely,  with everything so very nicely formulated) and they have quite comprehensive product guides and interesting blog posts to help you find the right routine. Their Calming Day Cream does exactly that; the rosehip helps to repair and the chamomile and other ingredients help to reduce redness and irritation. It’s nourishing and hydrating without sitting too heavily on the skin, there’s no residue and very little in the way of scent. £32 at Pai Skincare.

More skincare for sensitive skin….

MV Organic Skincare’s Rose Soothing Protective Moisturiser is an interesting one; it feels very light in comparison to the others – it doesn’t have that “plumptious” kind of feel – but it’s very effective as a moisturiser and it’s a joy to use. High quality organic oils together with Vitamin E make this a great skin healer if you feel you’ve overdone it with your exfoliating regime or your skin is wind-battered and sore. I find that this one is the best choice for my combination skin – it’s not at all rich – but you could mix it with one of MV’s Boosters if you wanted extra moisturising power. Ironically, it’s the one best suited for my own needs but it also happens to be the priciest! It’s £70 at Cult Beauty, but you do get a whopping 70ml, so the cost for comparison would be £50 for 50ml (genius, me) and you can also get a little 15ml travel size for £22.

The Calendula & Rose Damask Moisturiser from Elemental Herbology is just ever so slightly on the rich side for my skin on a normal day, but I slather it on if I’ve been travelling or my skin is feeling particularly dry. I’m careful with it because it contains shea butter, and every now and then shea butter makes my skin produce monstrous spots, but it’s a gorgeous cream. Heavier than both options above and containing patented ingredient complexes to help with redness and sensitive skin protection. You can add it to your ASOS order here – it’s £37 for 50ml.

More moisturiser reviews….

Finally, the Coconut & Roses Face Cream from Suti. Suti’s skincare is based around the idea of energy healing; the ingredients are selected for their energetic qualities as well as their skin-enhancing ones. In this case Rose, Queen of Flowers, has been selected not only for skincare benefits but for the “power to refresh soul, mind and spirit”; then there’s Coconut to protect the skin and Date Seed Extract for its anti-wrinkle and antioxidant effects. The idea behind the cream is honour; to honour the “divine feminine within”. Not everyone’s cup of tea, the more holistic side of things, but this is a thoughtfully put together cream and out of all of the four, it’s the richest if you have very dry skin. £47 at sutiskincare.com

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So, here we are again! For anyone new to the BBB Dream Boxes with Latest In Beauty, they happen twice a year, with a minimum of 15 full and sample sized products for you to try. Part of the pleasure of being a beauty blogger is that I get to try and test so many products and if I find something I really love, I try and ensure that it’s included in a box so that everyone else can see if they like it as much as I do. The aim of the Dream Boxes is to give the best possible value within the box (it’s over £110 value this time), as well as offers from the brands included, with a mix of luxury and great budget performers. The box is £21.95 including postage. The link is at the bottom of the post.

Last time, the Dream Box crashed my site and then crashed the Latest In Beauty site, so we’re going for an early start on this one and hoping that it might stagger traffic a little.

Salon Science Reglosse Smoothing Serum Full Size: When I first tried the Salon Science range last year, I was so impressed with it, I immediately wanted it for the box! I use this serum all the time now for its ability to soften and relax the hair without weighing it down or leaving an oily feel. Value: £18. #BBBDreambox3 Offer: 20% off all products with BBB code.

Scottish Fine Soaps Luxury Soap Full Size: I love proper bars of soaps, and these are soft, lathery and gorgeously scented, Portable tins that mean you never need face a bland hotel soap again. And, the 40 year old family run business is from Scotland, like me, so it’s a pleasure to present a quality brand from my home. There are two varieties: Au Lait (a sweet, milky scent) and Sea Kelp (a fresh, green scent). Value: £4.95. #BBBDreambox3 Offer: 15% off all products with BBB code.

Vita Liberata Luxury Tan 20ml: This brand is a long-time favourite of mine for self-tanning. In fact, if at all possible, I don’t use anything else. When I first came across it, Vita Liberata wasn’t as readily available as it is now and I used to stalk every single branch of Boots I passed to stock up! It gives a warm, natural looking tan that lasts and lasts (this is the 2-3 week last formula) without drying out the skin. There’s also a mini-mitt included and you can use it on face and body. Value: £9. #BBBDreambox3 Offer: 1/3 off the Phenomenal collection with BBB code.

Orelia Gold Tattoos: I absolutely adore gold temporary tattoos and wear them frequently through winter and summer as an accessory (I love bracelet effects best of all). Orelia’s temporary tattoos are reflective of the brand’s jewellery – innovative, beautiful and exciting and it’s a natural fit with Vita Liberata for golden skin with a flash of metallic. There’s a mix of 9 different styles so which one you get will be a surprise. Value: £5. #BBBDreambox3 Offer: 20% off everything with the BBB code.

Crabtree & Evelyn Pear & Magnolia Body Lotion 50ml: I love the scent of pears, and in this travel sized body lotion, it’s predominant with a gentle backdrop of magnolia. Once it quickly sinks into the skin, you’re left with instant softness and a gentle trail of fragrance. The body lotion feels far more luxurious than the price would suggest. Value: £5. #BBBDreambox3 Offer: 20% off all Crabtree & Evelyn with BBB Code.

essence Nail Polish Full Size: I’ve got two little essence polishes for this box in two wearable colours (each box contains both), so that you can see how budget nail varnish should be done! The formulas are strong and reliable – even outperforming much, much pricier brands in terms of wear. The shades are split into a nude and a pastel so you can experience different textures for clean, spring looks. Value £3.60.

Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser 15ml: I can remember being so impressed when I first discovered this product! It’s such an unusual texture, being part gel and part balm, and I used the entire full size pot down to the very last drop. It leaves skin gorgeously soft and properly cleansed. Value £3.05. #BBBDreambox3 Offer: Free African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser with 2 products purchased with code.

Eye Of Horus Charcoal Obsidian Goddess Pencil Full Size: One of the softest, most blendable eye liners I’ve ever discovered – an absolute beauty if you love to smoke up your eyes. I use mine on both inner and outer rims – it’s rather addictive! We have a big split of colours from smoky black to the brightest of blues so that you can start experimenting straight away. Value: £17.99. #BBBDreambox3 Offer: 20% off the entire Eye of Horus range with BBB code.

Benefit They’re Real Mascara Remover 7.5ml: This is a miracle formula that makes even tough mascara glide away from your lashes without pulling or tugging. It even works on waterproof mascara and it’s fine for sensitive eyes or contact lense wearers, too. Value: £2.18. #BBBDreambox3 Offer: Free in-store makeup lesson.

Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier 1.5ml: Fleur de Figuier is the freshest burst of summer, full of fruity notes in a light juice that instantly gives your senses a lift. This fragrance range has a special place in my heart (and has been in previous BBB Boxes) – behind the brand is an amazing team who truly have a passion for what they create. Value: £1.26

Bourjois Rouge Velvet Full Size : These beautiful velvet textured lip shades are such a deserved success for Bourjois. They’re easily outperforming luxury competitors by giving strong pigment and last with a soft finish every single time. We have two stunning shades; Nude-ist or Don’t Pink Of It, for nude lips with attitude! Value: £8.99.

Deciem Hand Chemistry 30ml: If you’re a regular reader of BBB, you’ll know this is my favourite ever hand cream. Put it to the ten day test and see the results for yourself – Hand Chemistry has put its money where its mouth is using a high percentage of active ingredients, and the formulation is transformational for needy hands. Deciem is brand to keep your eyes on – they’re adventurous, exciting and deliver on claims. Value: £8. #BBBDreambox3 Offer: 20% off Hand Chemistry lines with BBB code.

Nuxe Masque Crème Fraiche Full Size: Nuxe is the most requested product for my beauty boxes from BBB readers, and at last, it’s here! This is a wonderfully soothing and rehydrating mask that left my skin looking more vibrant and much smoother. It’s an absolute skin treat that I’m so happy to be able to share with you. Value: £18.50. #BBBDreambox3 Offer: 15% off your first order with BBB code.

Dr Organic Lip Balm Full Size: I was so taken with these balms when I tested them out earlier in the year that I knew I had to include them in the next box! We’ve got three variants; Cherry, Mint and Argan, each with SPF15, for smooth and noticeably softer lips. Value: £3.40.

MakeUp Revolution The One Fluid Blush: I’ve included this lightweight and fluid textured blush because it’s really one to try for the beautiful, real-skin sheerness that it gives. If you haven’t used a fluid blush before (there aren’t many around), my advice is to put a couple of drops into the palm of your hand, swirl a brush over it and blend over the cheeks until it’s seamless. Makeup Revolution is storming the budget beauty market with their affordable and quality products. Value: £3. #BBBDreambox3 Offer: 25% off all MUR with BBB code.