Natural Makeup for Spring

If you completely ignore the horrifically damp England weather, Spring is actually just a stones throw away. Being an Aries, I'm definitely in to Spring and I love seeing fresh flower buds popping up when the weather begins to get warmer. 

My favourite look recently has been relatively simple, focusing on a glowy complexion and pops of pink. My secret weapon for this postively angelic healthy sheen is the RMS Beauty Living Luminizer. With its creamy balm consistency and glitter-free formula, this little gem can make a serious difference. I may be on a moral fence with this product, but there's no denying that it creates an unbeatable glow. I've been pairing this with the Beauty Without Cruelty Duo Blusher in Pink Blush. This squeaky clean brand cannot go wrong when it comes to morals but honestly, the pigmentation of this blush is a bit lacking. However, I've found that the trick is in the application. I normally use a stippling brush for blush but when switched out for a denser buffing brush, this product actually applies really nicely. It's definitely a shimmer finish so doubles up for some extra highlighting power. Finally, my lips have been loving the Ilia Beauty Lip Pencil in Karma Chameleon. This is the most beautiful bright neon coral which works well toned down as well as with a full on layered application. I've never been a bright lip girl, but Ilia's shades have truly converted me. Unfortunately the lip pencil formula is their only vegan option so you can bet your bottom dollar, I'll be collecting them all!

Review: Pumpkin & Poppy Oak Bark Contouring Powder

Indie makeup is something I'm really starting to get in to. There's something very special about handmade makeup, especially when it's wonderfully natural and vegan. Pumpkin & Poppy is just that. P&P is an Etsy/Artfire store run by the lovely Kristy and it offers 100% vegan cruelty-free mineral makeup that is super affordable! 

The first product I was immediately intrigued by was the Oak Bark Contouring Powder. This mineral powder is a very cool-toned taupe which makes it perfect for paler skins such as mine. It does have a slight shimmer, but nothing that looks too harsh or fake on the skin as this finely milled powder is super easy to blend. I like to use an Eco Tools blush brush to seriously fake out some cheekbones as god only knows I'm lacking. I did attempt a swatch/demo photo but while I'm still using my iPhone to take photos (could you tell?), it's kind of hard! I'm planning on buying a 600D ASAP. I also really enjoy this powder as an eyeshadow as it creates a lovely natural sheen on the lids. As mentioned above, it's super affordable and this contour powder works out at about £5 before shipping.

Keep in mind that if you do make an order, it could take some time for delivery. Indie makeup products are regularly made to order and so please be patient! For comparison, I made my order on 3rd February and received it roughly two and a half weeks later.

I'm extremely impressed with the ingredients in P&P products as they are paraben-free, fragrance-free, without lake-dyes, talc, bismuth, oxychloride or any animal by-products whatsoever. You receive a generous 20g in a sifter jar which has possibly the cutest packaging ever... don't you agree? I'd be lying if I said I didn't have my eye on a good handful of other P&P products, especially Kristy's beautiful cream eye shadows.

Ingredients: Mica, Magnesium Stearate, Silica Microspheres, Iron Oxides.

Review: Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation

Lily Lo-and behold my new HG foundation. I'm such a joker.

I've always been a liquid foundation girl. Well, that's an overstatement, I'm probably more of a tinted moisturiser girl. Okay, I'm a liquid base products girl. Jeez. One thing I had noticed while scouring the depths of the online green beauty community was the lack of a decent vegan liquid foundation. On this side of the pond it's all powders and creams which are positively shunned in the conventional beauty blogging world. For me, liquid formulations were always the quick go-to routines which left me with lovely glowing skin in a matter of seconds. Never before had I considered trying a powder foundation, which in hind-sight seems strange considering how much more suited they are to combination/oily skins.

I'd heard the name Lily Lolo whispered a few times amongst bloggers and I decided to order a few diddy samples from their website. The Lily Lolo Foundation drew me in with its wide shade range and the fact that it's easily accessible being a UK company. It's not too badly priced either at a modest £13.49. The is a pure mineral foundation, being that it 's non-comedogenic and doesn't sit in your pores like regular products. It also contains SPF15.

The first thing that struck me was the fact that for once in my entire life, I wasn't matched to the palest shade available. This means that even the palest girls are likely to find a shade to suit them! I ended up with the shade China Doll which is actually a tad warmer than my skin tone, but I find that the slight step up stops me from looking dead. I'll probably end up purchasing the lightest shade - Porcelain - to allow for some perfect shade mixology. 

I apply this with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush and it provides surprisingly good coverage when used over concealer. However, if you're into full coverage, I'd suggest layering this over a light liquid foundation. I actually really enjoy the finish as it never looks cakey on me and evens out all my redness. I tend to apply a light layer all over my face and then concentrate a second layer over problem areas. The only place I don't like this is under my eyes as it tends to crease a little bit.

Overall, I'm really liking using this foundation and I can see it becoming a firm favourite. I think it's going to be perfect when the weather gets a little warmer! I really suggest you give some samples a try!

This product is natural and suitable for vegans.

Losing My Virginity to Dr Bronner

Today, me and Dr Bronner went all the way. We've dabbled in a bit of hand sanitising business before now, but this morning we got down and dirty. Down and dirty with some makeup brushes.

I recently picked up this baby bottle of Dr Bronners Liquid Castile Soap during my RMS splurge on Cult Beauty. Obviously, I chose the peppermint version because it's possibly my most favourite scent in the world. Boy does it smell goooood. But we aren't here to gush over scents, oh no. We're here to talk about its majestic cleaning powers. In the past I have deep cleaned my brushes with baby shampoo or anything I could really get my mitts on. I never really gave it much thought and then I wondered why my brushes were shredding.

Everyone and their Mum has heard of this stuff and it has taken me so long to finally give it a try. Let's just say that I love it and my brushes love it. I've never seen them so clean! My ritual is a simple one; fill a small bowl with some water, sprinkle in a few drops of soap, give it a whirl and then dip your brushes in to the solution. Next, swirl your brushes around on some kitchen roll until they're clean. Finally, give them a quick rinse and then leave to dry like so. Perfecto.

P.S. I don't know if anyone has ever actually sat down and read the mindless ranting that covers the label but if you're bored, give it a try. Laughs will ensue.