SBC NEW Cinnamon & Chai Collection

Hiya Darlins

The timing of this collection couldn't have been any more perfect. The 3 piece range is perfectly placed for this chilly season, and what a stunning Christmas gift these would make.

Firstly just looking at the products are enough to give you a warm winter glowy feeling. The Cinnamon fragrance is strong so if you don't like Cinnamon this is best avoided. I do have to say I had mixed feelings about the fragrance, while I love the taste of Cinnamon I am not keen on the smell, and used these products with trepidation.  It is in fact beautiful, really warming and soothing and you don't walk around all day smelling like a Cinnamon bun the fragrance is only powerful while using the products.  That said,  I was inclined to keep sniffing my hands after the hand wash lol.

SBC NEW Cinnamon & Chai Collection

SBC NEW Cinnamon & Chai Collection

SBC Simply Beautiful Cinnamon & Chai Body Polish 450g

This generous size tub will last literally ages.  Remove the lid and you are presented with the most glorious coloured gel packed full of Chai seeds, although the consistency is gel like the product applies like a dream and scrubs without being at all harsh or abrasive, once you have tried this there is a danger you may become a little obsessed with body scrubbing as you will notice that your skin has never looked so fresh, dead skin cells are removed leaving you with fresh clean glowing skin. I particularly liked this on my shins where I do suffer with dryness in the winter.  Follow up with......

SBC NEW Cinnamon & Chai Collection

SBC Simply Beautiful Cinnamon & Chai Glimmer Skincare Gel 250ml

This product is nothing less than outstanding, when I first saw it I had a feeling it was going to leave the skin oily and glittery, in fact it was the complete opposite, applied to the skin the gel melts in leaving your skin with a virtually undetectable shimmer, what it does do is give you a glow that is magically subtle and you don't end up looking like something that has fallen off the Christmas Tree!  The result is gorgeous, the perfect product to liven up dull Winter skin in fact I would love to see this in a Summer range as it is a real pleasure to use.

SBC NEW Cinnamon & Chai Collection

SBC Simply Beautiful Cinnamon & Chai Hand Wash 750ml

Nobody could accuse SBC of not being generous in their product sizes, this is huge and will last forever!  I have placed this huge pump in my kitchen as it fills the room with a beautiful Christmassy fragrance while at the same time leaving my hands super moisturised. I get double benefits from this Hand Wash as every time a family member uses it I get to experience the fragrance.



Lyn x


Post contains gifted brand/agency samples unless stated, No affiliate links. 

Morphe 12 Piece EYE-CREDIBLE Set

Hi My Loves

I guess at this time of year we shouldn't really be buying ourselves presents, I do know you definitely shouldn't be saying you like anything if you are not 100% about it as sure enough you will end up with it :)  

This whole Black Friday/Cyber Monday thing that we have inherited from the US has made being restrained REALLY hard, even the most determined of us (not to spend) women struggled. ( I did)  anyway while this frenzy was going on of course I spent hours lurking on every cosmetic website known to man, but I was so good it was painful, Beauty Bay got some pennies and Morphe got some more pennies I think that was about it, which just goes to show I do have a tiny bit of willpower :)

My Morphe purchase funnily enough wasn't a Black Friday deal, those of you that like makeup will understand the urge that you get when you absolutely know you don't need anymore brushes to add to your collection of tons, however............I had a bee in my bonnet about Morphe brushes, so I clicked add to cart and here we are.  This 12 piece collection was ridiculous value at £25.00 I'm no math genius but at £2.00 per brush with a free brush case that's pretty good value by any standards.

Morphe 12 Piece EYE-CREDIBLE Set

Concealer Brush - 6 1/2" (Bristles: synthetic)
Flat Liner Brush - 6 1/2" (Bristles: synthetic)
Angled Brow/Spoolie Brush - 6 1/8" (Bristles: synthetic)
Pointed Crease Brush - 6 5/8" (Bristles: synthetic)
Detail Crease Brush - 6 1/8" (Bristles: synthetic)
Detail Liner Brush - 6 3/8" (Bristles: synthetic)
Pointed Blender Brush - 7" (Bristles: goat)
Large Shadow Fluff Brush - 7" (Bristles: goat)
Blender Brush - 7" (Bristles: goat)
Firm Blending Fluff Brush - 6 3/4" (Bristles: goat)
Small Chisel Fluff - 6 1/2" (Bristles: goat)
Smudge Brush - 6 3/8" (Bristles: goat)
Faux Leather Zipper Bag - 9"x 5 1

Morphe 12 Piece EYE-CREDIBLE Set

I would have been rude not to, they are gorgeous the kit includes everything you could possibly need and more for a complete eye look, be it simple or OTT glam, the quality of these brushes are fabulous, and they are a dream to use.  I can't yet tell you how they hold up to regular washing but I have cleaned then already with Elf daily brush cleaner and it worked a dream.

What are your favourite brushes? I would love to know.

Lyn x 

Heyland & Whittle

Hiya Loves


I know it's Winter now and I really should be talking about all things Wintry but when I was asked by Heyland & Whittle what my favourite home fragrance was I had to say Linen, I am literally obsess by the smell of clean washing and anything fresh and clean. I think it comes with my love of Summer and the idea of washing blowing on a line in a warm breeze.  The company very kindly sent me 2 products that seriously made me smile.  One being a Fresh Linen Reed Diffuser and the other which really is perfect for this time of year a Clementine  Prosecco Candle.

Heyland & Whittle

Heyland & Whittle Fresh Linen Reed Diffuser 100ml

As you will of course know not all Reed Diffusers are created equal, some you can pay a fortune for only to be incredibly disappointed, some will just go on forever delivering the same amount of fragrance from the very first day, Heyland & Whittle have managed to do this with this gorgeous fresh fragrance. I don't know if it's the right thing to do, but I turn my reeds daily to give an extra boost everyday, with Heyland & Whittle you can buy additional reeds and fragrance refills which include free reeds.  Recently as you will know from my Instagram the Mr surprised me with a package from the White Company which pleased me no end, what hasn't pleased me is that the Reed Diffuser lasted no longer than 4 weeks, at £26.00 it really wasn't value for money in my book and therefore didn't reach the blog.  Like I said earlier they are not all created equal and my Fresh Linen has been going strong now for weeks with no signs of running out for a long while yet. 

Heyland & Whittle

Heyland & Whittle Clementine Prosecco Candle 230g

This generous sized natural soy wax candle is from the Gold Classic range that features a beautiful etched glass jar and stunning gold leaf detail packaging. Hand made & poured the fragrance from this candle fills the room with a delightful citrus sweetness that lasts long after the candle is blown out,  in fact you can smell the fragrance when you walk into the room the next morning! it has the perfect even melt down so non of the wax is wasted, there is nothing more annoying than having a candle end and the sides of the jar are still full of wax.  There are a range of fragrances in this collection that would make the perfect gift at Christmas or in fact any time of year.  There are also smaller version if you are looking for a stocking filler or table gift.


Check out Heyland & Whittle Here


Lyn x 


Post contains gifted brand/agency samples unless stated. No affiliate links. 

NAILBUFF APP

Hello Gorgeous Face

Every now and again something comes along that has you thinking Ohhhhhhhh why has this never been done before?  of course when it comes to Phone Apps and gizmo's there are a lot of gimmicks out there that are pretty much a five minute wonder.  This gorgeous piece of newness really grabbed my attention. 

 How often have you gone to get your nails done and when the technician says choose your shade, you stand there like a complete twonk staring at a wall of colour feeling totally overwhelmed and end up panic choosing a shade?  I have done it many many many times.  Or you have needed a nail colour to go with a particular outfit and never quite found the perfect one? If you are a complete nail polish addict whats the betting you have bought the same colour twice by accident?

NAILBUFF APP

All of these problems are solved in one simple but brilliant little FREE App. 

Nailbuff App lets you scan a shade on your phone of anything you like and the app will find the perfect nail polish shade for you,  how brilliant to have the app search for you and find the exact shade of your outfit. You can search hundreds of shades and even search the shades your favourite nail bar currently has available. once you have selected your shades you can build up a library of your favourites so you never buy the same shade twice, you can select your shade before you even leave home for the nail bar, so no more wall staring! 




Brands that have already joined the App include Candy Coat, IZ Beauty LDN, Kure Bazzar which I wrote about recently here   and London Grace.

To download the APP for free simply search the AppStore iTunes.apple.com/app/id1279209586

Android is currently under development.


Check out the website at https://nail-buff.com/


Lyn x 


Post contains gifted brand/agency samples unless stated. No affiliate links.

Lacura Aloha Bronzer

Hiya Darlins

I'm back again with another Aldi Lacura Dupe, This time it's Aloha Bronzer which looks surprisingly similar to a certain Hoola Bronzer.

I have discussed my thoughts on the whole dupe situation on my last Lacura post here Snapshot Primer  so we don't need to go into all of that again. This time around I have compared both of these bronzers side by side and have to be honest and say I found very little difference in shade or in fact usability.  Both bronzers worked, although the Lacura didn't last as long as Hoola but to be fair you wouldn't really expect it to at the price.  

Lacura Aloha Bronzer

Hoola

Wrist Lacura, nearest elbow Hoola

I do think if you are looking for a bronzer in a cute package at a cheap price you wont go far wrong with this.  My issue with these dupes is that Aldi Lacura Quality actually stands out on it's own as being really good,  I have had some great experiences with the skincare, so I don't honestly understand the need to do these obvious copies unless it's just hype?  Aldi Lacura really should be confident enough in it's own products, unless the thinking behind these is fun ????  I honestly don't know or really see the point other than marketing hype as we are certainly all talking about them, be it good or bad.

One thing I do know for sure, is that Aldi Luxury Gold Christmas pudding cannot be beaten!


Lyn x 


Post contains products purchased by me.

Zoeva Eye See Eyeshadow  Palette

Hi Loves

There are so many eyeshadow palettes on the market it really is mind blowing and to be honest often quite overwhelming. How many times have you bought something either based on how it looks in the shop or on an online store without even testing it, often to be disappointed by either pigment or how the product blends?   On a personal note I often get carried away with looking at eyeshadows applied on the fabulous makeup artists on Instagram and Pinterest and completely forget that these are applied on super smooth, firm young skin, and of course won't look like that on me! Gutted but a fact of life.  I won't stop me admiring them though.

When I received this Zoeva Palette I kind of had half a mind that it was going to be one of those for Young Beautiful things only, I mean just look at it!  it's stunning.  Housed in a golden card palette (great for recycling) this 10 pan palette has enough variation in shades for you to create lots of different looks at an incredibly reasonable price.  To my mind this is high end with just a fraction over drugstore prices.

Zoeva Eye See Eyeshadow  Palette

I have really enjoyed this palette and have to say the formula's are butter soft with very little fall out, the pigments are such that you only need to be gentle in your application to achieve the desired shade.  With a mixture of one transition and mainly shimmers  I feel this is the perfect going Out Out Palette and especially at this time of year with all the Christmas events and parties.

Zoeva Eye See Eyeshadow  Palette

Zoeva Eye See Eyeshadow  Palette

Top Row 

• Unforgettable Contrast (silver iridescent shimmer)
• One Place At A Time (transition matte nude)
• Through The Lens (copper shimmer
• Constant Movement (green iridescent shimmer)
• Habit & Convention (dark navy matte)

• Visual System ( pearl pink shimmer)
• Idealised ( rose pink shimmer)
• Mechanical Eye ( pale rose gold shimmer)
• Triumph Of Imagination ( dark taupe shimmer)
• Images Are Soundless ( shimmer brown)

Perricone MD New  Essential FX Range

Hi Loves

This post has been a while coming although as the title implies the range is New it is not "out this week" new. This new range follows the success of the Cold Plasma range and as always at Dr Perricone the research never stops not even after 20 years!

There are 5 items in this new Essential Fx Acyl-Glutatione range and I have 3 here to show you.

The main components of the whole range are Acyl-Glutathione and Vitamin F blend. before you start shaking your head saying there is no such thing as Vitamin F you are right - It is a term used by Perricone to describe the mixture of Essential fatty acids used in the product.  These fatty acids such as omega 3 & 6 as well as Lin are know for having rich anti inflammatory properties, therefore soothing and restoring the texture to the skin.






The range includes

• Deep Crease Serum
• Intensive Overnight Moisturiser
• Rejuvenating Moisturiser  - shown
• Eyelid Lift Serum - shown
• Smoothing & Brightening Under Eye Cream - shown 

Lacura Snapshot Ready Primer

OK,  let's start by addressing the whole dupe controversy as I am well aware that I will get snarky comments from people that absolutely hate the idea of dupes/copies.  It's something that nowadays seems to be everywhere, from Primark to MakeUp Revolution, W7 and more. 

My feelings on this topic?  are if I'm honest mixed, I do feel incredibly bad for small brands that come up with a fabulous idea and then get it copied at a super cheap price, that said I also feel the quality is never as good and if a person could afford the real thing then I am convinced that would be their first choice.  I also 100% remember a time when putting something for £5.99 in my weekly shop would have been considered a serious luxury and that not everyone has the funds to buy the top of the range, OR are as fortunate as us bloggers who are sent it for free!  I think it's easy to become a snob about something you are not spending your hard earned cash on.

So. For the purpose of my blog I will sometimes buy these products as I want to compare them to the real deal.




Starting with Aldi Lacura Snapshot Ready Primer £5.99 this is quite clearly a copy of Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer £26.00

Both come in Black & White packaging both are 30ml  and both have Dimethicone  and Dimethicone Vinyl in the top 5 ingredients. Dimethicone (also called polymethylsiloxane) is a silicon-based polymer used as a lubricant and conditioning agent this is what makes the primer leave a smooth finish you will also find it in hair conditioners. 




I did a trial of these using one on each side of my face under foundation for a full day and evening.

On application the Smashbox feels drier to the touch and the Lacura more slippery. The application of foundation was pretty similar although I got a more even finish with the Smashbox side, the Lacura side was a little patchy.  The wear test was the interesting one as both held their own right the way through to the evening although the Lacura didn't stand up as well as Smashbox in leaving a flawless finish.

Verdict: For the finished look Smashbox wins hands down, BUT if you had never used Smashbox you would be seriously impressed by Lacura, I used an even amount of product on both sides of the face and feel I could have achieved a better look on the Lacura side had I used more product.


Both Brands are Cruelty Free. Smashbox is owned by Estee Lauder.

Smashbox online here

 

What are your thoughts on Dupes? good or bad? let me know in the comments.


Lyn x


Both products purchased by me. 

Hiya Darlins

How often have you found that when it comes to Nail Polish price and brand name isn't always an indication of quality?  I can't tell you how disappointed I get when I pay serious money for a high end nail polish only to see it chip on day 2. Yes Chanel I am looking at you!

Kure Baazar are a really interesting brand, you could easily just look at these and think - high end, great shades and that's it.  They do have great shades they do look high end but dig a little deeper and you will find them reasonably priced and super natural. In fact 90% natural believe it or not the formula's derive from Corn, Bamboo and Potato!  They are as near to a natural polish as you will find anywhere. The Formula is TEN FREE, meaning that these 10 ingredients usually found in nail polish are not in this brand.

• formaldehyde
• toluene
• synthetic camphor
• TPHP
• dibutyl phthalate
• styrene
• parabens
• benxophenone 1-3
• xylene
• nano colours

 I have tried another brands that are "Free From"  but in all honesty on application you just know something isn't quite right.  With Kure Baazar from the first application you know you have something quality on your nails.  I have found this to last me almost 5 days without base or top coat, when I did a little arty thing for instagram using the Gold Glitter shade "Precious" on the nail tips over the shade "So Vintage"  I managed 6 days, really quite impressive.











Shown here are 

Precious 

One, Two & Three Coats.

One, Two & Three Coats

One, Two & Three Coats Definitely worth keeping an eye out for.  Check them out here www.lovelula.com Lyn x Post contains gifted brand/agency samples unless stated, no affiliate links.