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Beauty

My 6 Cruelty Free Autumn Beauty Must-Haves

September 28, 2015 by Zoe-Lee Skelton

Autumn brings with it a whole new set of skincare and hair problems. Cooler temperatures means heaters come back on once more, drying out both your hair and skin.

Here are my top six cruelty free beauty must-haves for autumn.

1. Amphora Aromatics Skincare Grapefruit & Cedarwood Deoderant

I’ve been on the lookout for a cruelty free deodorant  for a long time. So I was pleased when Amphora Aromatics got in touch and asked me to review their Grapefruit and Cedarwood natural roll on.

The smokiness of the cedarwood with the fruity notes of grapefruit make this deodorant a perfect autumn fragrance. One that you can actually smell on yourself. However, if you do any form of activity, you’ll need to wash and reapply as it doesn’t always work under stress of exertion or sustained activities. But don’t let that put you off as it will keep you fresh for a couple of hours and the scent is amazing.  Plus the ingredients are made up of essential oils and natural fungi solutions that inhibit natural deodorising properties. So if you’re concerned about the number of chemicals included in many of the High Street products, consider a natural alternative which is aluminium and parfum free.

2. Richard Ward Keratin Bulking Spray

Since I’ve had my hair styled, bulking it up and maintaining volume throughout the day is now a key priority. This root-boosting spray by Richard Ward uses keratin (your “hair’s natural protein”) as a way to restore it’s natural fiber. My hair has taken quite a battering over the years from permanent colouring to bleaching and now with the heaters coming back on, my hair really deserves a moisture injection.

The spray can be used on both damp and dry hair between washes and I’ve found that both ways have given my hair a lot more bounce. If you have fine hair like mine, it’s definitely worth a try.

3. Faith in Nature Chocolate Conditioner

Thank Jebus I found this product – the shampoo too. This all vegan conditioner smells phenomenal and has a little extra in it’s arsenal; it boosts your colour between dying. Specifically for dark hair, after every wash my hair colour looks revitalisied, as if I’ve just re-dyed it. As your hair grows your roots show, but this makes the regrowth less obvious and means I can wait a couple of extra weeks in-between colouring than I normally would, which is great because I hate the boring and arduous task of dying my own hair. So long.

4. Faith in Nature Chocolate Shampoo

Again this is cruelty free and works even better when used with the conditioner. It’s consistency is like liquid chocolate and does a perfect job of washing my hair but not weighing it down with product build up.

It’s also price friendly too. I was given these two samples to review from Discount Supplements and together they cost just over £10 – that’s cheaper than the majority of the mid-range haircare brands like Aussie Hair who test on animals and also don’t have the added benefit of boosting your colour. I cannot recommend these two products enough!

5. Neal’s Yard Geranium & Orange Body Lotion

I’ve always loved Neal’s Yard but the price has always put me off – luckily I got this body lotion free with a magazine so I was able to test it out before committing to buying an expensive produce I might not like.

I mainly use this on my hands as cycling to work really dries them out due to the cold air. My hands feel softer and smooth, probably thanks to the pumpkin seed oils which is an incredibly seasonal scent what with Halloween just around the corner. If you have the budget, why not try this moisturiser if your skin is prone to drying.

6. Naked Style Little Miracle Leave-In Conditioner

As I’m on a crusade to repair years’ worth of damage to my hair, I regularly use this leave in conditioner. As I have fine hair I need a conditioner that doesn’t weigh it down but also nourishes and provides ongoing moisture – luckily this fulfills both needs!

I’ve had more compliments about how much better condition my hair has been in since using this on a regular basis so this is my secret.

What are your beauty must-haves? Have you tried any of those I’ve featured before? I’d love to know which cruelty free products you recommend.

 

*I was gifted the Amphora Aromatics deodorant and Faith in Nature products, however all opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Beauty

4 Summer Essentials From Lush

June 14, 2015 by Zoe-Lee Skelton

A couple of Fridays back I was invited to Lush Luton to take a look at their summer beauty range.

I plan on going abroad for the first time in over ten years this year, and being a pale kid, I was particularly interested in their range of sun protection, and what would work for me in warmer climates.

I’ll also be attending a few outdoor festivals and hope to go camping, so I was keen to see what they had in the way of festival must-haves. You know, the kind that make you feel a little bit better about yourself after you haven’t had wash for a few days…

As usual, the lovely Lush ladies were on hand to help.

Here are my top four summer essentials from Lush.

Toothy Tabs

toothy tabs

If you’re heading to a festival this year, these “Dirty Toothy Tabs” will save your life – or your teeth from furring up, whichever means more to you at the time.

One little white tab will clean your teeth just as well as your standard tooth paste you use at home. Simply pop a tab in your mouth, crunch is up and then take a little water from a bottle or a tap and brush your teeth as normal. Leaving less mess and eliminates the gooey toothpaste you evidently find at the bottom of your festie rucksack.

The Sunblock Bar

sunblock bar

Sun screen or sun block? What’s the difference. Many people use the two interchangeably but they are totally different things. Sunscreen, the more commonly used type of sun protectant, filters or screens the suns UV rays — keeping most rays out, but letting some in. On the other hand, sunblock physically reflects the suns rays from the skin, blocking the rays from penetrating the skin. Lush’s sunblock comes in the form of a bar which can be applied to your skin by lathering it up in water in your morning shower and applying it to your skin like a bar of soap.

sunscreen massage bar demo

Just don’t harshly dry yourself with a towel afterwards otherwise you won’t be protected from the sun. Plus the bar is a moisturiser too so you want to let it soak into your skin.

With a high SPF of 30, it’s perfect for people who have fairer skin. And a third of the bar will protect your whole body from the sun’s rays. However it is advised that you reapply your sun protection every 2 hours.

What I like about this is that you can make protecting yourself against the sun part of your morning routine. Most of the time I apply my sun protection once I’m dressed which means I usually manage to smear it all over my clothes which doesn’t look cool.

This has also scored big points with people who have tattoos as the sun inevitably fades colours so using a sunblock is a must if you want to keep your tattoos vibrant.

It smells of sesame  and rose too which is always a bonus!

Powdered Sunshine

sunscreen powder

Yes. That’s right, powder. I was a little skeptical about this but it’s pretty smart.

It’s an SPF 15 light sun powder that you sprinkle onto your skin. This new form of sun care is easy to carry around with you, and very handy for topping up your sun protection throughout the day.

This will be popular with those of you who hate the greasiness of typical sun screen lotions.  The powder is enriched with calamine – which is rich in the natural sunscreen zinc oxide – sesame oil, lemon, lime and patchouli oils giving it a fresh, zingy fragrance.

This isn’t something that I would use on my face as I need something in a higher SPF in this area, but it would be perfect to apply to arms and legs during the day.

British Nanny Face Cream

This is my favourite of them all: The British Nanny SPF 30 Face Cream.

British Nanny Lush Face Cream

It’s thick and creamy formula spreads evenly on my skin and doesn’t immediately dry, filing me with confidence that I’m protected against the sun. Not only is it a sun care product but it’s also enriched with almond, hibiscus and plenty of vitamin C and E so it works really hard to keep those wrinkles at bay too! It means you don’t have to use your usual face cream with it either.

I like to use powder to keep my face from looking too shiny and luckily this passed the powder dusting test. Sometimes sun creams can be too thick and powder just clings to areas of your face in streaks. But not this one. Here’s what my skin looks like after I’ve applied British Nanny with powder on top.

sun screen with powder

Do you have any summer essentials? Let me know if you have any recommendations for pale skin in the comments.

Filed Under: Beauty

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara Review

March 30, 2015 by Zoe-Lee Skelton

I’ve always been a massive fan of Urban Decay. Their stance against animal testing falls in line with my ethics and I’ve forever been in love with their eye shadow colour palette. They’re bright, bold and uncompromising. Something that I’ve always considered my style to be.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara – Out of the Box Review

Today, I’m not reviewing their eye shadows; I’m reviewing their mascara from the new “Perversion” range, priced at £17.50. It’s a little more expensive than most mascaras out there, so I’m expecting a quality product.

Aside from having a slightly creepy name, the mascara promises to be “BIGGER, BLACKER, BADDER”. I like to think of myself as a ‘baddass’ so I’ll allow it.

Let’s see how the mascara looks on.

Here’s my left eye without any makeup. No nothing.

Optimized-eye before mascara (1)

I kind of look like a blind horse, right?

The mascara wand itself comes out of the tube coated in plenty of mascara. However the wand is shapeless and just straight. A little unusual as many mascara wands are shaped to ensure you pick up every lash when you apply, but not this one. I’m not put off, more so intrigued to see if this will make for even coverage.

Optimized-close up urban decay perversion mascara wand

The mascara itself goes onto my eyelashes easily without clumping. Like many brand new mascaras fresh out of the packaging, I find that I have to do a lot of coats to get my eyelashes to look “blacker and thicker”. It might just be personal preference, but I tend to go overboard with how many coats I put on. One friend called me a cartoon ostrich because of how long my eyelashes are, but I’m not phased – cartoon ostriches have sick eyelashes, right 🙂

Here’s what my eyes look like after a dozen coats on each eye. I also apply two coats to the bottom lashes. That’s just something I’ve always done.

Optimized-wearing mascara

I’m pretty impressed with this new mascara. I used to be a firm advocate of Urban Decay’s Big Fatty Mascara and I would argue that this is better. My eyelashes are less spidery and more natural looking, whilst still being long and thick.

I wouldn’t say my lashes are necessarily “blacker” but the wand managed to achieve an even coverage which can make your eyelashes look a lot darker.

Optimized-eyes shut (2)

Verdict: 9/10

I think the higher price tag is well worth it. And you can feel safe in the knowledge that Bugs Bunny or Grumpy Cat hasn’t been hurt in the process of making it.

So what do you think? Do you think the mascara lived up to it’s promise of being “Bigger, Blacker, Badder”?

I’d love to hear about your favourite Urban Decay products in the comments.

Filed Under: Beauty

Valentine’s Day Blogger Event At Lush Luton

February 8, 2015 by Zoe-Lee Skelton

Main blog image

So last Wednesday I attended my first ever blogger event at Lush in Luton. The theme was obviously Valentine’s Day given the time of year and I had the best time!

As an advocate of brands who don’t test on animals and a long time lover of Lush products I was completely in my element. The event was after hours so I was able to browse at ease and we were given one-on-one demonstrations of some amazing Valentine’s Day products. Here are some of the highlights.

Love Locket Bath Bomb Demo

The first demo was for the Love Locket Bath Bomb, aptly named for the romantic season.

Love LocketThey showed us how to “pop” the bomb open and to simply place it into a warm bath so that the sweet aroma is released. It smells amazing and the bomb tints the water an alluring pinky colour with teeny tiny confetti hearts swirling through the haze:

Love Locket Water

I’d be more than happy with this for a special Valentine’s Day soak.

Flower Bath Bomb Demo

Flower Bath Bomb

If anything can make bath time more exciting it’s the famous flower bath bomb. It smells gorgeous and creates a magical foaming rainbow when you plop it in the bath:

Flower Bath Bomb Foam

But the night wasn’t all about smooshie Valentine’s Day; I had a god ol’ look at some other products I’ll definitely be buying next pay day. Here are a few that got my attention.

Solid toothpaste

Solid Tooth Paste

Sold as packets of thirty tabs, you simply put one of these in your mouth, swig some water and brush your teeth as normal. It’s ideal for festivals and they’re available in a variety of flavours as well as whitening options.

Lonely Heart Bubble Bar

OK, so this isn’t technically on my wish list; I already bought it and used it the other night, whoopsie.

lonely heart bubble bar

I loooove the lonely heart bubble bar so much. It smells yummy (thanks to the lemongrass and ylang ylang) and it made my skin feel so soft. It’s almost a shame that it’s only around for Valentine’s Day. Oh well, at least it will be back next year.

Gorilla Perfume

Gorilla Perfume Lush

How hard is it to find quality perfume that isn’t tested on animals? The answer is too hard. But once again thanks to Lush you can buy a dreamy scent that matches your ethics. I particularly like Sikkim Girls because it has a bit of a kick to it due to the jasmine, but still has a sweet undertone with the help of the frangipani. I’m definitely making this my new scent.

If you think I’ve missed anything off of my Lush wishlist do let me know in the comments.

Thanks,

Zoe-Lee

Filed Under: Beauty

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Hi, I’m Zoe-Lee

Zoe-Lee

Welcome to my creative lifestyle blog showcasing my art and fashion, discussing interior design ideas and style as well as cruelty-free beauty.

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