Lottie London Slay All Day Liquid Lipstick

If you’ve read my previous blog posts, you’ll know I’ve tested out a fair few lipsticks since becoming cruelty free, in the hope of finding one which matches up to the quality and colour lasting power of MAC lipsticks. I think I’ve found on which is pretty close!

After loving the Lottie London Shimmer Palette (see post down below), and their Tan Time bronzer, I thought I’d check their lip products out. On display in Superdrug they had the Slay All Day lip kits, and had a picture of a model wearing one of the colours which was really helpful. I usually stand there for ages undecided, wondering what a colour will actually look like when I get it home. I bought my lip kit in the colour ‘ Werk It ‘ and they sell this colour as a singular lipstick or as a lip kit (lip liner included).

Sadly, the liner broke as soon as I began applying it. I don’t know if it had been dropped before I bought it, but it’s now half the size from all the sharpening! Aside from this, the liner is a really nice consistency, quite creamy! And as you’d imagine, it’s the exact same colour as the lipstick. The liner really helps when applying the liquid lip, and generally defines the lips better than using the lipstick alone! However, after trying the lipstick alone I can confirm it works great on its own too, for more of a day time look.

The actual liquid lipstick is quite similar to the NYX ones, in terms of texture and colour, however it’s more moisturising than those. I often find liquid lipsticks drying on the lips, but this has a nice consistency. I immediately loved the colour, it reminds me of Velvet Teddy by mac! The staying power was also impressive and only it needed topping up once throughout the day.

This product is £8.95, or you can buy the liquid lip separately for £5.99 from Superdrug or ASOS!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

“We can confirm that we have a strict policy against animal testing and we’re pleased to say that we are a PETA accredited cruelty-free brand (and can be found on their list of cruelty-free companies). We do not sell our products in China and no animal testing is performed on our products/ingredients on our behalf.”

https://lottie.london/pages/faqs

Astonish Hand Wash

Just a quick post to talk about these great hand soaps I’ve recently found! The whole range of hand washes are cruelty-free and vegan eeeeek! I found these soaps in The Range, and also Poundworld, so as you can imagine they were all only £1.

It’s so rare to find both vegan and cruelty-free products, especially on the cheap, so I stocked up and bought one of each scent. Even the Milk & Honey one is vegan! The soaps have a really nice smell to them and are moisturising. With a price like this, there’s really no need to buy hand wash which has been tested on animals.

 

After a look on their website, I found they have a whole range of other scents like ‘Rhubarb and Raspberry’ mmm! They also sell a whole range of cleaning products which I want to try, as I often forget that the majority of cleaning/laundry detergents are tested on animals. I can see myself doing a haul at some point, as I know they sell their products in Savers!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

We’re proud to be approved by Cruelty Free International and the Vegetarian Society as well as being Vegan Society registered. Look out for the logos on pack.

http://www.astonishcleaners.co.uk/cruelty-free/

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

This cleanser has been one of my favourites for over two years now, so I thought it was about time to write a post about it!

When you purchase this cleanser, it comes in a travel bag (very handy) with two muslin cloths. This method of cleansing is like no other I’ve tried before. For anyone who hasn’t used it, you basically apply the cream textured cleanser to the face, as you would any other face wash. You then run one of the cloths under ‘hand hot’ water and use the cloth to remove the cleanser. It’s amazing at removing all make-up (it even removes mascara properly!) After this you splash your face with cold water and you’re done!

The main reason I love this cleanser is the way it leaves my face feeling. It’s gentle on the skin yet so effective. It smooths out the texture of my skin without exfoliation, which I didn’t think was possible. Another thing I love is the fresh smell. The combination of ingredients leaves a lovely scent, which kind of reminds me of baby products.

I must admit, I can be quite lazy with my skincare routine, and often just reach for the micellar water (currently using one from the B range at Superdrug). So I tend to use the Cleanse & Polish twice a week, which makes it feel like a treat and I notice the effects of it!

As you’ll know if you read my posts, I have oily skin. This cleanser is rare in the way its suitable for all skin types. It helps to even out my dry patches, such as on my chin, but isn’t too rich to make my skin shiny.

I’m on my second bottle of this now, and I know it’s one I’ll always re-buy. I bought this from feel unique for £14.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Animal testing

We never do it and are certified under the Humane Cosmetic Standard by Cruelty Free International (previously known as the BUAV).

http://uk.lizearle.com/our-principles

Yes To: Blueberries Smooth & Shine Shampoo and Conditioner

Whilst having a cheeky browse on Beauty Bay (woops), I came across the Yes To range. If you haven’t heard of Yes To, they offer a range of beauty products which are made from natural ingredients (at least 95% to be exact). The range is also obviously cruelty-free and free from parabens. They also use recyclable materials. I’d never used any of the Yes To products before, but loved their ethos.

Both the shampoo and conditioner have a nice smell to them. The smell is pretty subtle though, so doesn’t overpower any shower gel or perfume that I might use, very handy for nights out. The shampoo claims to ‘promote glamorous natural shine’ whilst the conditioner claims to ‘intensely moisturise’. I can agree with the shampoo claim, as my hair is looking healthy and shinier since I’ve been using this for the past two weeks. However I wouldn’t say the conditioner ‘intensely’ moisturises, I’d say its more of a middle-weight conditioner. I’m not complaining about this however, as its great for my oily prone hair.

The blueberry Shampoo and Conditioner were actually reduced, so costed £4 and £4.80 each, which is great for the amount that you get (280ml in each). I bought these from Beautybay.com, where you can get free delivery over a £15 spend.

Overall I would definitely buy this duo again, and I’m keen to try out more from the Yes To range.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Our products are tested on YES TO employees, friends and family, but never (ever) on animals. We are against animal testing and ensure our manufacturers adhere to this same principle.

http://yesto.co.uk/faq.html

 

NYX Doll Eye Mascara

I’ve recently been on the lookout for a cruelty-free mascara. I used to absolutely love Roller Lash by Benefit, but decided not to buy from them again after finding out they aren’t cruelty free. I then tried Liz Earle’s Lash Definiton mascara, but wasn’t impressed as it left my lashes clumpy. I love NYX’s products in general, so thought I’d give this a go!

When opening the mascara, I instantly liked the look of the wand, as this kind usually gives great volume. Sadly, this wasn’t the case! The product came out clumpy onto the brush, which made it hard to apply! Once I had finally applied a few layers, my lashes looked the exact same! The mascara has no curling ability. I naturally have quite long eyelashes, so need a mascara to lift them as well as define them.

This mascara is a big no no for my top lashes because it gives no volume, however I have found a use for it. I now use the product just on my bottom lashes, and it works really well for that! I’ve noticed it separates them out where a volumising mascara couldn’t. 

This mascara is £8 and I bought it from Boots!

Rating: ♥♥

NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP IS CERTIFIED AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS PETA, AS A CRUELTY-FREE BRAND. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PRODUCING 100% CRUELTY-FREE COSMETICS. WE DO NOT TEST ANY OF OUR PRODUCTS ON ANIMALS.

http://www.nyxcosmetics.com/faqs.html

The Body Shop Seaweed Skincare

As you will know if you’ve read my previous blog posts, I have oily skin. The seaweed skincare range from the Body Shop claimed to be oil controlling, so I thought I’d give it a go! As a first impression, I love the packaging, and think the blue tone makes the range look really clean and fresh.

I’d never used a toner before this one, but I know a lot of people do, so went ahead and used a cotton wool pad to apply after cleansing. It was really refreshing, and my skin instantly felt more matte. I think this will be really handy in the summer when it’s hotter, for keeping my face less shiny.

I also bought the gel cream, and overnight gel. I absolutely love the gel texture, and it dries almost instantly which is so handy for when you’re in a rush. The  downside to these is that they have a slightly strange smell, obviously I know the name would suggest this, but I didn’t think it would be as obvious a scent. However, luckily the smell quickly disappears after a few minutes.

The main thing I noticed when trying out this range was how even my skin tone became. I have quite red skin naturally, and this really reduces that. It also leaves my skin feeling smooth, almost like a primer, so it’s great to apply before doing make-up!

Overall, if you have oily skin like me, you’ll get on with this. I will say I wouldn’t use this everyday because I sometimes like to use a nourishing moisturiser. If you have dry/normal skin you’ll probably find it too drying. The toner is: £7.50, the gel cream is £13 and the overnight gel is £14.

Rating: ♥♥♥

We have always believed in beauty without cruelty and in campaigning for change. That’s why together with Cruelty Free International, we were the first global cosmetics company to campaign against animal testing

https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/commitment/against-animal-testing

Body Shop Favourites and Why the Leaping Bunny Isn’t on Some Products

Morninga Hand Cream

I often find the scents of some Body Shop products overpowering, such as mango or strawberry, so I thought I’d try out the Morninga scent. I love it! It’s a really fresh smell that doesn’t overpower at all. The cream is moisturising, but light so it soaks into the skin quickly.

This is a travel size mini, of 30ml and was £4.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Peppermint Cooling Foot Spray

Okay, so this is a slightly random product. But this foot spray is so refreshing and cooling on your feet! It’s especially good to use after a long day or after a night out if your feet are sore. I find that if I use this before bed, it’s really relaxing and helps me to sleep better. I absolutely love the smell and have been using this for years.

This spray is £6.50

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Matte Liquid Lipstick

As you can probably tell, I’m a big fan of liquid lipsticks. So when I went into the Body Shop last week and noticed their range, I thought I’d try one out. I was really impressed! Although this has a matte finish, it’s really moisturising, and doesn’t crack at all on the lips. I would usually have to apply a lip balm before a liquid lipstick, but you just don’t need to with this.

I recently wore this to a party, and only had to reapply once throughout the night, so it’s really long lasting. I’ll definitely be going back to buy a few more colours!

This was £6 which is really good value.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

The Leaping Bunny Sign

The Body Shop are famously known for being cruelty-free. After recently going through all of my beauty products to check for the Leaping Bunny sign, I noticed that the majority of their products don’t actually have the logo on the packaging. This confused me, so decided to do some research.

The Body Shop were actually the very first company to be approved by the Leaping Bunny association, way back in 1997! For anyone that doesn’t know, the Leaping Bunny logo on a product ensures that the product itself, and none if its ingredients, have been tested on animals. They were the first global beauty brand to campaign against animal testing.

After visiting the FAQ’s page on the Body Shop website, they say:

We sell our products in many different countries, requiring a multitude of languages on the packaging, which leaves little space for anything other than legal and regulatory requirements. In order to add the Leaping Bunny to our packaging we would need to ensure there was space on pack on all of our products to do this. At the moment there simply isn’t room for it on many products.

All of the Body Shop’s products are vegetarian, and 100% cruelty free!