Bali Balm – A Cruelty Free, Vegan Lip Balm that is Caring for the Planet

19th September 2018

As a vegan, I never realised how difficult it was to find a good, natural lip balm which is made without beeswax! So when Bali Balm contacted me to try their natural, vegan and cruelty free lip product – of course I seized the opportunity!

The Packaging

The first thing I noticed when I received my lip balm was the gorgeous packaging. The lip balm arrives in a lovely little box packed with tissue paper. This is definitely the most luxuriously packaged lip product I have ever seen! The tube itself is also gorgeous, and feels expensive and sturdy.

The Product

I was sent their lip balm in the Bergamot and Grapefruit flavour, which I was unsure of at first as I’m not usually a lover of strong citrus smells, but this smells fresh and clean! The bergamot and grapefruit go perfectly to give a fresh fragrance that isn’t too strong. It contains 100% natural ingredients such as coconut oil, kukui nut oil and candellila wax to help soften and nourish your lips.

The Brand

Bali Balm make their products with 100% natural ingredients which are sustainable for the planet. With the bee population rapidly declining over the past few years, they do not use any beeswax or honey, or any other animal ingredients! Bali Balm never test their products on animals – win!

My Verdict

I do believe when it comes to beauty products, natural is always best. It certainly shows with Bali Balm – using high quality natural essential oils, my lips feel nourished from the moment I apply the lip balm and remain soft and moisturised all day long. I suffer with dry lips year round and Bali Balm has quickly become my favourite lip balm.

To check out more about Bali Balm and to shop their products, visit their website here.

So, will you be checking out Bali Balm? Have you been neglecting your lips and are ready to try a new lip care product? Let me know in the comments below!

Have a magical day,

What’s in my makeup bag?

16th January 2018

As much as I’d love to be able to carry all of my makeup collection around with me whenever I go away, that simply isn’t possible. I have a problem. Drawers full. So condensing that into a few products that will fit into a make up bag is pretty difficult. These are some of the lucky products which made the cut and I carry around with me whenever I’m off on my travels, and here’s why!

it Cosmetics CC+ Cream

This is my favourite base product at the moment and I think everyone should have this in their make up bag! It’s SPF 50, gives amazing coverage and feels so hydrating and light weight and it’s colour correcting. I like to blend this with a damp beauty blender for a flawless finish. This is definitely going to be a staple product for me, which is why it’s the perfect addition to my on the go makeup collection!

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

This is definitely one of my all time favourite drug store products. I always rave about this product, I’ve blogged about it before here. I love this concealer because not only is it super affordable, but it performs better than most high end concealers I’ve tried. It works amazing at covering blemishes and dark circles, it blends like a dream and doesn’t break the bank! What’s not to love?

Ofra Cosmetics Beverly Hills Highlighter

Okay so I have a weakness for highlighters, I just can’t stop buying them. But this one is a game changer. The Ofra Beverly Hills highlighter is not just one highlighter but 5. You can use them all together or separately or as eyeshadows, all in one compact, which makes them perfect for travel. The quality of this highlighter is so good, it is buttery soft and even the smallest amount gives the most intense glowy highlight. I am obsessed!

Tarte Coloured Clay Bronzer Blush in Park Ave Princess

Another favourite of mine, which I used in this post here. This Blush/Bronzer is so wearable, mix all the colours together on the apples of your cheeks for a gorgeous blush or use the bronze colours alone to contour. You can even use them for eyeshadow. As you can see I have had a lot of wear out of this! It is definitely one for the makeup bag.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Abu Dhabi

It’s very rare you’ll catch me without a nude lip. Of the many nude lipsticks I own, this has to be my top! It’s super wearable and doesn’t dry my lips out like other matte lipsticks so it’s the perfect everyday shade!

Tartlette Tease Palette

My Tarte eyeshadow palette collection is ever growing, their shadows are just soo amazing I wanna collect them all! Of course I can’t bring all my eyeshadows with me on the go, which is why this Tartelette Tease mini palette is perfect for my makeup bag! These compact, pigmented every day shades are everything I need to create the perfect eye makeup look.

NYX Tinted Brow Mascara

This is one product I can’t live without! Especially when I’m on the go, I want a brow product that’s quick and effective. The NYX Tinted Brow Mascara helps tame my brows and keep them in place all day.

The Body Shop Skinny Felt Eyeliner

I am convinced this is the best eyeliner on the market. It’s super skinny and doesn’t smudge or run so I can create a precise line that is super black and on fleek at all times! I am not the best at eyeliner but this makes it so easy and I will probably never go back to using liquid or gel!

So there we have it! That’s everything in my on the go make up bag. Which is adorable isn’t it? It’s from Danielle Nicole’s Disney Collection and I’m obsessed!

What are you make up bag must haves? Have you got your eye on anything in mine? Let me know in the comments!

Have a magical day,

The DREAMY Tarteist Pro Amazonian Clay Palette & Brush – Review

13th February 2017

Hello lovelies! I am finally back after nearly 2 months off from blogging. I needed a refresh and a break from it all after feeling uninspired, but I am back and remotivated now with a new theme and a new post for you today!

Tarte has easily become one of my favourite brands in the last few years. I love every product of theirs I’ve managed to get my hands on, my favourite products being their eye shadows. I have both Tartelette Palettes and they are some of my most used shadows. When Tarte announced their Tarteist Pro Palette of course I had to get my hands on it!

The Tartiest Pro Palette comes in a plastic compact, which is similar to the Tartlette palettes but bigger. It features a sleek matte black top with a glossy gold bottom which holds the shadows. Though I love the design of this packaging, it unfortunately is a magnet for dirt and finger prints. The matte black top gets dirty pretty quickly and doesn’t wipe clean like the other Tarte palettes. However this isn’t a huge deal breaker for me, as much as I am a sucker for pretty packaging the product itself is more important!

One of my favourite things about this palette is the huuuge mirror you see when you open up the compact. I love nothing more than an eyeshadow palette with a generous mirror and this one’s big enough to do your whole makeup in, which makes this a great palette to travel in! Especially if you’re in a hotel with limited lighting (which I discovered on my recent trip to Iceland!)

“This 20-piece eyeshadow palette from Tarte features a spectrum of rich, earth-toned shades all infused with Amazonian clay, and comes complete with an eyeshadow brush. Whether you fancy creating a bold smoky eye or something a little more subtle, youve got every shade you could possibly need in this on-trend Tarte palette.”

The Palette itself features 20 new shades. There are 16 Matte shades and 4 Lustre shades, which is a new shadow type for Tarte. The shades are as follows:
Classic (cream), Innocent (soft peach), Whimsy (brick), Smoked (dark brown), Ethereal (bronze), Vintage (ivory), Fierce (cool plum), No Filter (purple mauve), Vamp (deep plum), Glam (champagne), Chic (pale pink), Profesh (taupe), Mod (deep cherry), Drama (maroon), Minx (shimmering mauve), Indie (grey-beige), Bold (light brown), Edgy (chocolate), Punk (black), Trendy (prismatic teal).

I absolutely love the shade selection in this palette. I am a big fan of matte shadows so I knew I would love these colours. Tarte are known for their more neutral shades so I was so pleased to see them bring out more exciting and colourful shadows. This Palette is described as a Pro Palette, however you needn’t worry if you’re not a Make Up Artist. Tarte have made it easy for you and organised the different colours which go together in rows, they even include a cheat sheet of different looks to try to get you started. My favourite rows definitely have to be the 1st and the 3rd row as I love using warmer colours at the moment. However, the cooler shades are also gorgeous and I can’t wait to use that teal shade Trendy!

When ordered through QVC UK, Tarteist Pro Palette comes with this fluffy eyeshadow brush. Like all Tarte brushes, this is really soft and high quality. It would’ve been great to have a double ended brush so you could use one brush to do the whole look, but I love that this brush is gold and matches the palette, and it’s great for blending and building transition shades.

The formula of these shadows varies. The lustre finish shadows are smooth and buttery, and have an intense pigment with different colours as the shadow hits the light. The lighter matte shadows are a gorgeous velvety texture and blend with amazing pigment, whereas the darker matte shades in the 4th column feel slightly dryer and don’t blend as easily, however they still have a good amount of pigment. Also I have to add in that these eyeshadows smell AMAZING. They honestly smell like marshmallows or vanilla syrup or something.

I feel like swatches of these shadows does no justice (which is why I left them out of this post) The real magic happens when you apply these shades. They have such an intense pigment which blends so well into the eyelid and crease. I found the brush included was great to apply the transition shades, however using your finger to apply the lustre shades gives the best pay off. Without even using an eye shadow primer these shadows last all evening with no creasing or smudging and still look as though they are freshly applied!
Overall, Tarte have really knocked it out the park with this one. The variety of shades in this palette is perfect, there are honestly endless eyeshadow looks to be created. I have already had a play with it and can’t wait to experiment more with these colours.

This really is the palette of my dreams, and one which every make up artist/blogger/collector needs in their collection! It is currently available for £53 from QVC UK. This obviously isn’t a budget purchase, but for the amount of colours you get plus the eye shadow brush I would say it is 100% worth every penny.

Have you managed to try any Tarte products yet? Is the Tarteist Pro Palette on your wish list? Let me know in the comments!

Have a magical day,

Luxury Gift Idea – Skincare From Dr Botanicals

21st December 2016

Any fellow last minute Christmas shoppers out there? I certainly will be doing all mine this week, better late than never, right? Buying gifts this late can be tricky, especially trying to find that extra special present to really treat your loved ones (or yourself!). But never fear, I have the perfect luxury gift idea.
A week or so ago I was thrilled to receive a generous gift from the people at Dr Botanicals – Just in time for Christmas! Dr Botanicals are a Cruelty Free, Vegan Skincare brand and being an ethical beauty blogger I knew I had to try some of their products! They are all organic, plant based, paraben free and made in the UK – right up my street.

My skin this time of year is pretty dire to say the least. Despite having an overall Normal skin type, in the cold weather it becomes a combination of dry, dehydrated patches with horrible breakouts to top it all off! I have got my summer skincare routine down to a T but in Winter it all goes horribly wrong and I am back to square one! So my skin was in need of some TLC. One thing missing from my routine was a good moisturiser and serum combo so I was sent their Bio Vitality Nutrition Oil and Neroli 8-hour Facial Moisturiser to try. Both products are made of a blend of essential oils and promise to re-balance and hydrate the skin, yes please!

Firstly, let’s take a look at the Bio-Vitality Nutrition Oil. I have tried numerous facial oils in the past, some successful and some not so much. They have always left my skin feeling heavy and oily and feel like they can take a lifetime to actually absorb into the skin, which means you can only really use them overnight. This product has none of that, the first thing I noticed is how it doesn’t feel greasy or heavy at all, it feels more like a serum. It is light and absorbed so easily into the skin, leaving no oily residue like oils I have used previously. I have even been able to use this underneath makeup during the day which is a huge win for me! It also has the most refreshing smell, which isn’t too strong or heavy so it isn’t overpowering at all.

The active ingredients in this facial oil are Shea Butter – “a powerful moisturising and hydrating ingredient for smoother, softer hydrated skin”, Olive Oil – “essential to restore skin smoothness and to protect the skin from free radical damage” and Vitamin E – “a powerful antioxidant which protects, nourishes and soothes skin”.

Immediately after using this product I have noticed my skin feeling instantly hydrated, smoother and nourished.

The RRP for Bio-Vitality Nutrition Oil is £97.50 and it is available here.

Next up, let’s take a look at the Neroli 8-Hour Facial Moisturiser. Much like the Bio-Vitality Oil, this Moisturiser feels like lightweight and sinks in like a dream. One thing I noticed is that just a little goes such a long way, I am able to moisturise my whole face with just a teeny amount of product on my fingertip. I can tell this pot of moisturiser is going to last and last. Using the Facial Oil and Moisturiser combined seems to sink in quicker than most of my day creams, which saves whole a lot of time in the mornings. The Neroli 8 Hour Moisturiser aims to balance the skin’s natural PH levels whilst deeply moisturising skin and working to restore and protect cells against oxidative stress, and I have noticed my skin feeling a lot more balanced and moisturised which lasts throughout the day.

The active ingredients in this facial moisturiser are Vitamin E – “to prevent skin damage and protects against oxidative stress, the main cause of the appearance of skin ageing”, Neroli Oil – “nourishes and replenishes skin; whilst restoring elasticity for smoother firmer skin”, Coconut Oil – “deeply hydrates the skin whilst soothing dry itchy or sensitive skin”.

The RRP for Neroli 8-Hour Facial Moisturiser is £91.50 and is available here.

Overall I am thoroughly impressed by Dr Botanicals skincare. I have been using these products for over a week now and I have already seen a huge improvement to my skin – I have less dryness and my skin feels smoother and visibly clearer, and I haven’t had any breakouts since using these products which I am over the moon about. I can feel these products working – leaving my skin nourished and revitalised. Dr Botanicals even offer a hotline for expert skincare advice so you can find the perfect products for your skin type. Though these are a luxury beauty item, I really believe skincare is something worth investing in. Whether it’s for yourself, or someone you love these gorgeous plant based skincare products are the perfect gift.

Have you treated someone special to Dr Botanicals skincare this Christmas? Or are you sending this to your bae asap hoping to find this under your tree on the 25th? Let me know down below!

Merry Christmas and Have a Magical Day,

ps. This post contains press samples kindly sent by the team at Dr Botanicals, however this post is entirely my own opinions and views.

Perfect Stocking Fillers: Disney themed Beauty Products from Mad Beauty!

17th December 2016

Christmas is just around the corner, and we are all checking off our shopping lists one by one. But why should kids get all the fun presents this Christmas? These amazing themed beauty products from Mad Beauty are the perfect stocking filler for anyone who loves all things Disney. There are plenty of your childhood favourites to choose from in their Disney range, and I managed to get a hold of a few of their Winnie the Pooh and Alice in Wonderland products.

There are 6 Winnie the Pooh products in the Disney range, and I was fortunate enough to receive 3 of them to try: Bee Prepared Honey Lip Balm, Bee Prepared Bubble Bath and Bee Prepared Body Balm. I absolutely love Winnie the Pooh, he is one of my childhood favourites. All of the Winnie the Pooh products have got this gorgeous dark brown and white packaging featuring beautiful illustrations of Winnie the Pooh with his trusty honey pot and honey bees, with little quotes from the bear himself. I am a sucker for pretty packaging and I think these are perfect for any fans of the hundred acre woods.

The bubble bath and body balm both have a Honey and Orange Blossom fragrance which is described as “A delightfully comforting fragrance that even the most discerning of bears would love”. I love nothing more than a nice long bubble bath in winter so I know that I will get plenty of use out of that and the body balm is sooo light and soft and sinks in quickly leaving you smelling gorgeous and sweet. The lip balm has already become one of my handbag-products as my lips get a little bit dry this time of year so I love to have one close by and this one smells so delicious I can’t help but use it constantly!

If you hadn’t have guessed already, I am a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland, so of course any beauty products which are Alice in Wonderland themed are going to instantly be my faves. The thing that stands out most to me from the Alice In Wonderland collection is the packaging! It’s all gorgeous pastel pinks and blues featuring wonderful illustrations and quotes from the film, I am obsessed!

One of the gifts available in the Alice in Wonderland collection is this set. It features a lip balm, hand cream and pocket mirror all nestled in this handy clear makeup pouch. The lip balm comes in this gorgeous tin with the iconic clock from the Alice in Wonderland tales. The hand cream is ginger pear flavoured and smells wonderful, it features a beautiful kaleidoscopic pattern which if you look closely actually shows Alice and other favourites from the film. Of course my favourite out of all three has to be the pocket mirror. It is a gorgeous pastel pink with “I’m late for an important date!” written on the front in gold lettering. This quote is super relevant to me as I am pretty much late all the time! I know this mirror and all these items are going straight in my handbag, this is a great travel sized set for any Alice in Wonderland lover!

Of course I saved the best until last. This set features 2 travel sized body mists in the ginger pear and tuberose fragrance. They both smell dreamy and are again a fantastic handbag sized product to keep you smelling fresh and lovely throughout the day! They come in this gorgeous cosmetic bag which is to die for. It’s the same pastel pink shade as the other products and features the same quote from the white rabbit in gorgeous gold lettering. It goes so well with the pocket mirror! I can already see myself displaying this bag on my dressing table proudly.

All of the items from Mad Beauty’s Disney range would be a perfect stocking filler for anyone who loves all things Disney, whether they’re a collector or just a fan of the films. I know I would be so pleased to get them under the tree. All the pieces from the range are very affordable starting from as little as £3.99! They can be shopped over at the official mad beauty website here as well as the gift section on ASOS and in Boots!

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Will you be adding these Disney Beauty buys to your wish list? Let me know in the comments!

PS. This post contains press samples, however all opinions are completely honest and my own.

Have a magical day,