3.21.2015

Orange Lips for Pale Chicks - Lippy Girl Review


I've only recently got in to bold lip colours. I'm not a red person as I prefer deep fushias and purples. Recently however, I've been experimenting with orange shades. Oranges tend to be hard to work with when you're as pale as me but good news guys... I've found the one. Son of a Brick* - from Canadian makeup brand, Lippy Girl - is a beautiful deep, burnt orange. It may look a little intimidating in the bullet (and swatched on the hand), but when layered over a little lip balm on the lips, it's a definite winner.

I'll start by admitting that my first foray in to Lippy Girl wasn't the best. I was originally sent the shade Abraca-BAM, but unfortunately, something was a little off with the formula and I found it to be dry, dragging and very patchy. Son of a Brick however is a big step up and I find it to be smooth and deliciously opaque in but a couple swipes. It took a few experiments for me to make this very unique shade wearable but as mentioned above, it works wonderfully when layered over lip balm. The burnt colour is paled out a little, making it perfect for my light complexion. This method also thankfully leaves your lips feeling moisturised without forfeiting any staying power. It lasts a good six hours and it also seems to behave when it comes to eating and drinking. I'm finding that I'm reaching for this shade more and more as we move in to spring, and I love to wear it with bare eyes and just a touch of peachy red blush.

The ingredients are also super impressive being 100% vegan and dye-free. It can be hard to find interesting lipstick shades without the addition of synthetic dyes but Lippy Girl seem to be doing a brilliant job bridging the gap. I also really enjoy the sleek black metal packaging, however, mine seems to have got damaged in my bag and now makes a strange rattling noise...

I will definitely be trying some more shades from Lippy Girl in the future (namely, Boss Lady) and you can take a gander yourself at Botanical Brands, where they retail for an affordable £12.50.



3.08.2015

Belated Blogiversary Giveaway! - Win Three Zoyas of Your Choice! (INTERNATIONAL)


So it's finally giveaway time! This is a real long time coming because my 'blogiversary' was actually at the start of February... I find it really hard to think of good prizes, but I definitely prefer when the winner can pick something that they would 100% enjoy. So... lo and behold here we are! And don't you worry, this giveaway will be international. To get around overseas shipping, I shall be ordering the prize directly to the winner, from a local retailer. So basically, as long as Zoya polishes are available in your country, you can enter! Yay!

I absolutely love Zoya nail polishes as they are five-free, cruelty-free and suitable for vegans. And when I say three of your choice... I mean it. Go mad!!

There aren't really any rules except the following:

  • If you are under 18, make sure you have permission.
  • Enter via the Rafflecopter below.
Good luck!





3.07.2015

Supplements and Stuff


Ever since I was sent some wonderful products by Viridian (more on the other bits later), I've been wanting to do a post on supplementation, or more specifically, my optimal supplementation routine (when I'm being good and remembering). If you saw my beauty goals post, you would remember that in 2015, I wanted to get better at taking my supplements. Well, we're not quite there yet, but I thought that making another supplement-centric post might help me on my journey. My supplement 'collection' if you will is split in to three categories which I feel, are most important for my own specific needs. Remember, I'm not a doctor and this is what works for me. It might not necessary work for anyone else. We have the 'general' supplement, the skin-doctor, and the bone-helper

Now, before we begin, I would like to point out that I am very much an advocate of getting your vital bits and pieces from food & water intake alone. However, sometimes this is not possible e.g. illness, travel, three-day Netflix marathon. These are the times when I refer back to a good general supplement that just ensures that I can get through the days without falling asleep or getting ill. I know, it sounds bad but the truth is, you really can't get all your nutrients from beans on toast. At the minute I'm using the Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw One for Women. Three things drew me to this brand: it's completely raw, made from vegan food sources; you only have to take one a day; and you don't have to keep them in the fridge. Really, they're perfect for when you're feeling especially lazy. Price-wise they're not too bad either and I picked up this sizeable 75-capsule container for around £25 off Amazon. They do smell a little funky, but you really can't beat raw food supplements. This brand contains everything that you'll need for the daily grind including at least the rec. daily value of all major vitamins, and lots of lovely minerals such as zinc, iron and selenium.

An additional 'bone-helper' isn't really a must for everyone, but if you're like me and unfortunately still on hormonal birth control (more specifically the depo shot), I would really suggest investing in a good source of calcium. Even more so, if you can sometimes be a particularly lazy vegan like myself. Getting a supplement including the addition of magnesium and zinc would be extra-great as calcium needs these guys to help it be effectively absorbed. I try to take two caplets every single day, and have done so ever since I uncovered some slightly worrying research about the long-term effects of Depo Provera. I won't go in to too much detail, but I am looking to come off of it pretty soon. Personally, I use just a generic H&B own brand supplement and I find that this works pretty well (I hope).

Finally, we have the shining star of this post. The Viridian Clear Skin Complex*. I'd heard a lot about these supplements from fellow bloggers and frankly I was both excited and intrigued when I was given the chance to try them. At first I was definitely skeptical and struggled to see any real difference. But, I really noticed the change when I briefly stopped taking them for a week or so. Unfortunately, I'm still struggling to take them regularly but I feel strongly enough about them that I'm considering purchasing another bottle to really put them to the test with regular dosages. I really like Viridian as a company because all their supplements are available with vegetarian capsules and their packaging is wonderfully eco-friendly. In fact, you can return an empty supplement bottle to any Viridian retailer for recycling and receive a 25p refund. Further to that, every bottle sold helps generate funds for a selection of charities. That really is dedication to the cause! The Clear Skin Complex contains 100% active vegan ingredients that are also gluten-free, salt-free and without added sugar, yeast, preservatives or artificial colourings. The only downside that I can see to these supplements is that they are rather pricey. A 60-capsule bottle to last you roughly a month will set you back around £20. However, I really do feel that they bring results and I'm looking forward to showing you some more of their great products in the future. You can find out more details about their full range on their website.

3.02.2015

Review: Lovea Argan Detangling & Conditioning Hair Spray


We'll start this review with a fun fact: detangling spray has been one of my last beauty items to go green. I have really knotty, thick hair and I rely on a good detangler to make brushing my hair both effective and bearable. Considering how much I love my Lovea sun lotion, I thought that I should give their haircare a try in the form of their Argan Detangling and Conditioning Hair Spray*.

It's no joke that argan oil is fantastic for your hair. For a while now, I've been polishing off my hair routine with a few drops of the widely-proclaimed 'liquid gold'. This product claims to harness this wondrous oil, to leave your hair super smooth and tangle-free. Unfortunately, I'm not 100% sure whether I can agree. I started out believing that I LOVED this product. However, after a few more uses I came to realise that I was just being blinded by its pretty damn delicious scent. The simple packaging is great and the spray mechanism is spot-on, but I'm just not that sold on the formula within.

The product appears as a clear water-like liquid which is to be sprayed on to wet hair before drying. This is absolutely fine, however after drying my hair can sometimes feel a little sticky or gritty, almost as if I've sprayed it with a good amount of hairspray. As you can imagine, this doesn't help too much with the detangling. On the upside, spraying a little while dry, leaves my hair smooth, super shiny and with just enough texture for a little curl-scrunching action. 

Despite this being a definite bargain product (coming in at a little over £5), I can't help but feel a little disappointed with its performance. Saying this though, I only wash my hair once a week or so, so my opinions may change after a couple more uses. Maybe I'm using a bit too much? Who knows. If you'd like to give this a try (or try Lovea's awesome sun lotion), the brand is available on MyPure with free UK delivery.