Hi, I'm Rachael, the owner of this site! I hope you're finding my articles useful. Let me know by email at rachael@ahoybeauty.co.uk.
I'm a normal 35yo makeup-obsessed gal just trying to find the right products for my oily and acne-prone skin. I'm always on the look-out for new products - I've recently succumb to several from tiktok.
This is my 3rd time getting dermal fillers for my puffy under eye bag area. Since my late 20s (I’m mid 30s) I’ve tried SO MANY products to help reduce the puffiness – absolutely nothing worked, and it’s since visiting my consultant that I know why.
She pressed her finger on my eyelid, which bulged out the fat from my under eye – this shows I have fat rather than water causing my puffy bag, which unlike fat, water can sometimes be helped with the use of gua sha (using a flat tool to massage your face).
Dermal fillers and botox – what’s the difference?
Botox is usually used for fine lines and wrinkles – dermal fillers are for the deeper set folds around the eyes/mouth. Other than this, I have no more information but Google is your friend to find out more – or speak to whoever you’re thinking of booking in with for advice. I haven’t had botox, yet – only dermal fillers for my under eye area.
my before photo – sorry, almost forgot to take a pic – taken just before my appointment in my car
and again
What’s the process?
The lady who does my tear troughs is a qualified nurse, so I have absolute trust she knows what she’s doing. She can also dissolve the liquid if things don’t go well (not always the case – check who you book with).
She first disinfects my skin, then injects 1 entry point per side (so total of 2), which numbs my skin. This is the part that hurts. It’s a painful prick that lasts about 5 seconds. She then inserts a cannula under my skin to the area she wants to put the dermal filler, and slowly starts to release the liquid whilst moving the tip to distribute the liquid evenly. This doesn’t hurt; it’s just uncomfortable and feels strange.
Once finished, he took another look at my tear troughs to make sure they’re even. My right side must have needed some more, so she injected my actual under eye area with a needle this time round, to inject more, which was unpleasant but didn’t hurt. It didn’t bruise either. She didn’t use a cannula for this (it didn’t even bruise).
Cannulas are generally used instead of lots of small injections to reduce brusing/swelling. I’ve never had either; only small spots where she injected me.
The whole process takes around 20 minutes.
If in a few weeks I’d like a top up, I simply get in touch with her and she’ll do this for free.
Pic taken as soon as I got home. At the bottom you can see the injection site which looks like a slight bump with a spot inside
Pic taken as soon as I got home. You can see she’s filled this side more – you can actually see the liquid in my bag area, and the injection site further down
Does it hurt?
Yes as mentioned above, it hurt when she injected me to numb the entry points. Each side was painful and lasted around 5 seconds, each. After this, there was no pain – just uncomfortable during the rest of the process.
How much does it cost?
In total it cost £350 for both eyes. I’m not sure how much ML she puts in each side.
How long does it last?
It lasts anywhere from 6 months to a year. Before covid, I got mine done each year but even when I had my annual appointment, I wasn’t feeling desperate to get it done. This time round, I haven’t had it done for 2 years so they are deeper than ever.
the left has been slightly less filled than the right
Post-care
It breaks down over time, so it makes sense to leave the fillers alone as much as possible. This means being extra careful when touching your under eye area – putting on makeup, removing makeup, applying products etc. I’m extremely careful, for no other reason than wanting the filler to last as long as possible!
a few days after without any make up – huge improvement – no bag at all, just slight darkness
a few days after – looking down
a few days after – another angle
Why do you get it done?
My under eye bags have always upset me. I always look tired even if I’m not. I’ve always been conscious of them, even though other people I mention them to say, ‘oh I’d have never noticed if you hadn’t said anything’.
The money I’ve spent, and time I’ve wasted trying out new products, from coffee to eye masks, cold spoons in the freezer to expensive makeup – nothing has worked effectively at making me feel better than this treatment.
I would whole-heartedly recommend it. I’ll continue with it, probably forever.
Update: top up, 3 weeks later
I asked for a top up a few weeks after, as my left eye wasn’t quite as full as my right. She did this for me free of charge.
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The Body Shop camomile cleansing butter - my honest review
I’ve been using this for years to remove stubborn waterproof mascara easily, and pre-lockdown, when I actually left the house wearing foundation/concealer & blush.
For £11, you get 90ml – a flat inch about the size of your hand. It’s big and it lasts months and months – even years.
They sell out fast so I usually buy in bulk
The Body Shop – who are they?
I absolutely love The Body Shop. From when I was younger loving White Musk sneaking into the local shop, having a spray then leaving thinking I was cool, to being obsessed with the body butters, to now, it’s where I go to buy makeup brushes, the occasional hair mask/shampoo and conditioner, plus this beauty – camomile cleansing butter.
The body shop camomile cleansing butter – It’s vegan and cruelty-free!
The Body Shop are are cruelty-free sustainable beauty brand, who focus on selling ethical, quality beauty products. They have a refill programme for hair products; they have Body Shop at home where people can work for them to host parties where they sell products as a self-employed employee; and half of the products are vegan.
I truly believe they are a wonderful company and will continue to support them by buying their products. Even visiting a shop, they have the most wonderful, friendly staff (big up to the Macclesfield branch).
Camomile cleansing butter – what is it and what does it do?
It’s for removing makeup and impurities from the skin. I use it to remove waterproof mascara each evening before bed, but it gets off everything – foundation, lipstick, blusher, eyebrow pencil – the lot. I personally use it with my Face Halo pad but you could use your fingers and a towel, or a flannel.
It’s thick and creamy so won’t drip initially, but it changes texture when you smooth it between your fingers and goes quite wet and oily so it’s easier to apply and rub in gently to your face. I’d almost say it melts into your skin and afterwards, it feels extremely clean and fresh.
This purifying cleanser also helps to stop those hidden nasties from clogging up your pores, and used on the reg will keep skin feeling refreshed and nourished. A lover for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers. Camomile extract from Norfolk, England. Cleanses your skin for that fresh-faced feeling. Gets rid of all that stubborn makeup and grime
From The Body Shop Camomile product page, at time of writing
I have sensitive / oily skin – will it be okay for me?
I have a very oily T zone and use it to take makeup off but sparingly – I wouldn’t use anything bigger than a pea-sized amount for my skin, excluding my eyes, to get makeup off. This amount would take off a medium layer of foundation, concealer and blush, then I’d use a bit more for my eye makeup.
It doesn’t cause any problems at all for my sensitive skin on either side of my nose.
They sell it in a 20ml so I’d try this size first to make sure you like it.
I have acne – will it be okay for me?
I’d go for the smaller pot first – 20ml for £5, until you decide if you like it or not. I have acne on my oily forehead around my period but I haven’t noticed this making any difference or making it worse. I tend to use tiny amounts anyway so you’d probably need to do the same and build up slowly.
How do you use it?
I use The Body Shop camomile cleansing butter with Face Halo to take off my makeup at night
I use it with my Face Halo, which is a very soft reusable pad. When I take off my makeup, I rub the camomile into my skin, then eyes, then starting with my face, I rub in circles very softly to remove my foundation etc, then I use the other side of my Face Halo to take off my eye make up. Again, I do this very softly as the skin around the eyes is very thin and sensitive.
Following this I use cleanser to ensure every last bit of makeup is off my skin (I use CeraVe Foaming Cleanser – blog coming soon).
I use slightly less than this amount on my whole face including my eyes when I’ve got mascara on
The texture changes when you rub it in – it’s oily and smooth – it smells lovely
Not a great pic I know, I was shattered – when rubbed into your skin, the camomile looks oily and starts to stir even the hardest of waterproof mascaras
They normally run lots of discount codes throughout the year. Before buying, I’d suggest looking at their social medias or signing up to the newsletter to see what codes are live. Here are a couple I’ve used in the past:
11859
21393 for £10 off £45+ spend
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I’ve never been one for primers – it’s just something else to add on my face which if you’ve read any other of my blogs, you’ll know I try to limit the number as much as possible. I’ve always thought they were a bit of a gimmick, but after reading the reviews I decided to put this to the test and see whether or not it makes my makeup last even longer than normal.
I’ve been super impressed with both the Il Makiage foundation and concealer recently, so I thought I’d give this a go, as it’s my favourite beauty brand at the moment.
Il Makiage primer on the right is a chunky fella
The Il Makiage one isn’t the standard shape. I kinda like it – it’s different but feels nice quality.
The bottle is chunky in comparison to my other primers. It’s not the usual shape of a primer either. It has a pump nozzle, so you press down and away you go. One pump does the whole of my face.
It’s not something you could take with you in your bag unless you’ve got a big bag!
Description from Il Makiage:
Our silky, weightless bestselling primer blurs pores, fine lines & wrinkles, instantly smooths skin & maximizes foundation wear time. The lightweight texture & silky formula creates a soft, long-lasting photoshopped effect. You’re welcome, overflowing social calendar.
Il Makiage “No filter” Primer is cruelty-free – hurrah!
As with all primers, it goes on smooth and feels silky. I’m very particular about what I put on my skin, as it’s sensitive in places but mostly oily. Primer to me, is a definite ‘extra’ and one that isn’t always needed. If I know I want my makeup to last extra long (longer day at work for example) then I’ll definitely use a primer.
First up I’m sorry for these close-up photos. It’s the only way to show you before/after and how primer actually helps fill in the pores…
Close-up of my face before applyingIt needs to dry here but you can see it’s filled in my pores, helping foundation stay on for longer and look smoother.
I didn’t have great light to show you BUT you can see the difference in my pores. The primer fills them and smoothes the skin. Once dry, you can then apply your foundation which looks better and stays on for longer.
I don’t use a primer if I’m not wearing foundation. I tend to wear foundation if I’m going to work, which is a 10hr+ day including several hours in a car. When I get home, the foundation doesn’t have the same coverage as the morning (understandable), but it still gives some coverage. When I use my FaceHalo make-up pad to remove the makeup, I can see the foundation coming off.
How does it blend and look throughout the day?
I’ve tested it with concealer (Il Makiage F*k I’m Flawless). Working from home, I just want my bags hidden rather than wearing a full face of make-up. I smoothed in the primer to just one side of my face where I plan to put concealer – around/under my eye bag area.
I’ve taken photos during the day, to see the difference in how it stayed. I finished eye makeup whilst waiting for it to dry/sink in as this takes 5-10mins
I put this much primer on one side – all around my eye area
I’ve added the same amount of concealer to both sides, but instantly the primer side looks brighter and smoother.
Putting concealer on after using the primer (& waiting for it to set)
Both eyes with concealer – one with primer – taken just as I’d put it on
During the day you can see both sides look covered but there’s definitely more brightening on the primer side. It smoothes on so much easier with the primer and seems to mix/glide well over my skin.
Mid-morning concealer with primer
Lunchtime concealer with primer
In the evening – the eye that has primer has retained more concealer
By the end of the day, concealer is still visible on my eye with the primer. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve never been a fan of using primer but judging by this, I’ll be using it from now on if I’m in for a long day.
Although it has faded, it’s faded evenly and hasn’t crusted around the sides of my eye which often happens. My eye bags cause me a lot of anguish, so I’m glad to have found this to help cover my darkness for as long as possible.
What’s the price?
It’s £36 (25ml), available from Il Makiage (10% discount at the bottom).
Primer Discounts
If you want to try it, buy it from Il Makiage for £36 (plus £4 postage unless you fill your boots and spend over £40).
After trying the foundation and loving it I wanted to try Il Makiage’s other products. Next up is the F*ck I’m Flawless concealer.
Not only does it have great reviews, it’s an average price: £27; in range of other popular concealers:
NARS Cosmetics Radiant Creamy Concealer £24
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Liquid Concealer £24
Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Concealer £25
Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Concealer £25
it’s a pretty chunky tube, larger than my other concealers but still fine to carry in a small handbag – the weight is average too
Comparing the size with my about-to-be-replaced Estee Lauder concealer
Description from Il Makiage:
F*ck I’m Flawless is a long-wear, lightweight concealer that instantly covers under-eye circles, blemishes, dark spots & hyperpigmentation with an advanced vegan, cruelty-free, oil-free & paraben-free formula. Available in 30 diverse shades for all skin tones.
Il Makiage F*ck Me I’m Flawless is vegan and cruelty-free – hurrah!
Not only is it vegan and cruelty-free, it’s oil and paraben-free. Paraben’s are (in a nutshell) harmful chemicals. It’s also oil-free which great for us already oily folk. Oil clogs pores which can cause no end of issues.
Here’s my Youtube video where I detail how I apply the concealer using a sponge:
Shades available:
over 30 shades to choose from
choose out of 5 skin tones
choose out of 5 undertones
The shades come in a variety of colours depending on if you have pink, orange, neutral or yellow undertones. I went with 2.5 which is classed as a light orange colour.
Benefits of the concealer:
long lasting
light-weight
medium-to-full buildable coverage
hydrating and moisturising
hide spots and brighten the under eye area
screenshot taken from their website – send it back if it’s not for you! (I haven’t tried this but seems legit)
One thing I’m not a fan of
I really don’t like it when companies call their products making reference to rude things. I don’t see the need. I’m not a prude but I probably sound like I am! ‘Better than sex’, ‘f**k’, ‘orgasm’ – why? No need! Rant over.
Comparing my current concealer
I’ve about to run out of my current concealer, Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place, so thought I’d compare it to my new Il Makiage. Estee Lauder isn’t vegan or cruelty-free so I’ve been looking to leave this brand for a while now.
Il Makiage has a softer, peach/warm colour; Estee Lauder is more neutral/yellow tone. Il Makiage 100% fits my skin tone better as you can see from my face pics below.
Estee Lauder is thicker with 1 brush swipe. This has often been a problem for me as too much goes on and I struggle blending it
Il Makiage has a softer/warm colour; Estee Lauder is more neutral/yellow.
Il Makiage sinks in quicker, is easy to blend in and is a better shade for me.
Combination skin – oily T zone
My skin is oily in my T zone, normal on my cheeks, and very dry to the sides of my nose and around the top of my mouth. I’m 34, so I don’t like to add too much concealer; just enough to cover the black in my eye corners and eye bags.
Concerns and ‘must-haves’ from a concealer (I’m not asking much)
doesn’t dry too quickly and is easy to blend
stays on as long as possible
when it does fade, it to fade evenly
no flakiness or creasing
colour that matches my skin obvs and doesn’t change throughout the day
I can basically tick all of the above off my list with Il Makiage.
Consistency and texture
Estee Lauder is thicker no doubt about it. I often find blending it difficult as goes on TOO thick, whereas with Il Makiage, I can keep it light and build up which I do when covering my eye bags.
The texture is light and easy to manoeuvre around. It dries quick but not so quick I can’t blend.
Both wands are similar in design, which I like. One side is flat making it easy to smooth on where it needs to go. I only add a few dots under my eye – I’m 34 so I don’t need (or want) much. If I put too much on, it creases. I find a little goes a long way.
Il Makiage didn’t crease at all, at any point throughout the day, even after wearing for 8, 12+ hours. This was a concern of mine because if it’s too thick, it sits in my wrinkles which nobody wants to see.
I only put several dots on as like to keep things light, usually adding more towards the inner eye where I have more dark to cover / no primer used
You can see the clear brighter eye on the left where I’ve added the concealer / no primer used
Does it stay on all day?
It stays on all day but isn’t as obvious at night as in the morning. I’d guess 30% is left on my skin after 12 hours.
I’m not worried about this because for the remaining time of day, I’m at home and not out, so I’m not fussed if I’m wearing makeup or not. Plus I don’t think 30% is too bad at all. By the end of the day, I pretty much expect all of my face makeup to be hanging on my a thread.
It fades evenly too so I don’t get a weird colouring. This is actually really important to me, as previously I’ve had makeup that flakes around weird places, like the sides of my eyes, and on my dry bits like the sides of my nose.
At the end of the day (12 hours later) it’s still on, okay – faded, but it’s faded evenly rather than in patches / no primer used
Further photos in a different light showing some concealer still visible at the end of the day
The inner corners of my eye don’t look as dark as what they do naturally so I can tell some concealer is still on at the end of the day
Does using a primer help?
I’ve used Il Makiage’s primer and have had amazing results. But in the short of it, yes, primer helped my concealer stay on (evenly) for longer.
Final thoughts – would you recommend?
Yes I would. I like the brand plus the products I’ve tried so far are great, including this concealer (see my foundation blog here) and primer. I wanted a vegan and cruelty-free product, and a product that wouldn’t crease and stay on all day (8hours+).
What matters to me in a concealer is a nice texture, fades evenly, still covers darkness, and doesn’t flake.
Estrid Razor review - monthly subscription - my honest review
Sick of buying disposable razors which are horrendous for the environment? I set out to find a good brand that offer a good-priced quality razor that I can trust… with my bits. Hurrah! I found them. They are Estrid:
A couple of points worth mentioning about Estrid that sets them apart from your usual razor brand:
they include vegan coating on the soothing strips
for every purchase, they donate to Women for Women charity
membership – first, you get the razor & some replacement blades. Then you choose how often you need replacement blades.
choose out of 5 (random) colours
My first order was £7.95 which included the razor + 2 blades + suction wall mount. This is literally HALF the price from Boots for a standard razor & spares (looking at you, Venus).
Estrid Starter Kit – in colour Bloom
My first order was £7.95 which included the razor + 2 blades and a wall mount.
so I always open parcels on my carpet when I’m excited
The packaging – it’s recyclable as it’s made from paper, which I like. You get a leaflet which tells you the benefits.
Estrid razor packaging – easily fits through letterbox
Cute lil leaflet adds to the brand!
Why did I choose Estrid?
I’ve been targeted with a few razors on Instagram lately but decided on Estrid due to:
the price – is pretty low and then future orders (just the razors) are a reasonable price and delivered at a time that suits me (every 3 months for example)
cruelty-free and vegan – some razors use animal products to make the strips smooth (did you know that? I didn’t) – not Estrid
I can easily manage my online subscription – I can cancel orders easily, request razors at different times if I need them sooner or want to push back a delivery
a nice-looking razor with a suction wall mount
I wasn’t massively excited by their choice of colours:
not a fan of any as I’m not into pastels – but appreciate they look cute
The colours are all a nice pastel shade and very girly. I went for baby pink, called Bloom. They’ve recently released blue which I’d have definitely gone for if it was out at the time.
UPDATE 12 July’23 – this is now the latest section of colours:
Estrid Razor review – close up in its wall mount
Estrid Razor review – pretty standard size
The razor itself – what’s it like?
The body is steel – it feels extremely well-made and expensive. I’m used to disposable razors which weigh next to nothing so holding this was a bit of a shock – it’s not light.
It has 5 blades and it has a smoothing strip above and below the blades. The light blue part feels very smooth; it reminds me of the floor in a swimming pool – slippery. It helps the razors glide smoothly over your skin. After using it a few times, I can definitely agree with this – it feels very smooth on my skin, there’s no pulling or tugging of hairs and even over my knees (where I usually get cuts) I haven’t cut myself once.
Estrid Razor review – close up of the individual blades
The wall mount
It’s pretty simple but I like it. It’s in the same colour as the razor and feels like its made of the same material – solid steel. It isn’t anything fancy – you wet the plastic part and push it against the wall which helps it grip. It has a small flap so if you need to move it, you can use the flap to bring it off the wall.
Estrid Razor review – close up of the wall mount
Estrid Razor review – close-up of the suction wall mount
I’d say so, yeah – I like it a lot. Considering it cost £7.95 for the razor + 2 blades, then subsequent months it’s £9.99 for 4 blades (I’ve set mine at every 3 months) it’s a lot cheaper than razors such as Venus you can buy from supermarkets. Venus razors on Boots.com range from £7 – £13, and a blade pack of 3 is around £8 – £10.
It’s smooth – as I’ve mentioned, it hasn’t cut my knees which usually happens, no matter how careful I am. It’s also great for getting into smaller, ahem, delicate areas. I trust it unlike the disclosable where I’d draw breath to brace myself before using.
It also lookscool, hanging on the wall, and doesn’t take up any bath-rim space.
I’ve been using it for nearly 2 months now and can honestly say, I really like it. It glides over skin; doesn’t leave me with red bumps and is easy to clean (I take the head off and clean it whilst showering). It isn’t easy to take off the wall holder whilst in the shower – the handle gets slippy when wet so it’s hard to pick it off the holder without the holder also coming off – this is the only negative so far.
UPDATE: 7 June 2023
Still using and loving! I replace the blade every so often but it lasts AGES. I’ve pushed back delivery a few times too, as I don’t need new blades. It’s easy enough to do on their website and they send a reminder email so I don’t feel they’ve been sneaky by not reminding me like so many brands do.
Acure Radically Rejuvenating Whipped Night Cream - this is my review after using for a few weeks
After finding out Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez uses Acure Radically Rejuvenating whipped night cream, I went to quite lengthy er, lengths to find it. I finally found a random website who posts to the UK, called iHerb.
Not a bad size
I used this for a few weeks but unfortunately it didn’t agree with my skin. I now use it on my neck each night which is doing wonders.
I love it when celebrities and the rich use affordable products, especially ones like AOC who seem genuine – it means I can afford to buy it. Her skin is always glowing and plump, which is what I want.
It’s cruelty-free and vegan – hurrah! Leaping Bunny Certified too!
Amazing ingredients
The amount of ‘free-from’ list is almost endless which is utterly fantastic…
100% Vegan
0% Questionable
Paraben Free
Sulfate Free
Phthalate Free
Mineral Oil Free
Petrolatum Free
Silicone Free
Cruelty Free
If that isn’t reason enough to try it, maybe the price is (see below).
Did you like it? Would you recommend it?
I tried it for a few weeks, using a small amount at night. Unfortunately it’s not for me. It made my forehead come out in small red spots which aren’t pop-able, that I get often around my period and if something doesn’t agree with me. It’s called fungal acne and it’s due to the ingredients Cetearyl Olivate, Linoleic acid and Linolenic acid.
I use SkinCarisma.com to check the ingredients. I usually do this before purchasing anything but I didn’t in this instance and it come back to bite me on the bum.
I use SkinCarisma.com to check the ingredients
What’s the price?
Acure Whipped Night Cream cost me £8.53 plus postage, coming to £11.79. In my opinion, it’s an absolute steal for what it is – not a bad size.
I bought Acure from iHerb for a grand total of just under £12 – bargain!
Would you recommend it?
Yes I would 100% recommend it. Even though it didn’t work for me, the ingredients is amazing and it’s free of so many nasties including being vegan and cruelty-free. The price alone is cheap enough for you to try and I don’t regret it. I use it on my neck now before bed, so I’m getting the benefit and my forehead continues to be happy.
Have a look at uk.iHerb.com to buy – it’s actually risen in price to £11.40!
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It is a thick paste that’s a little oily and goes on to look greasy.
already starting to get breakouts when I decided to use it – this is what the product looks like when on your face
After using Fruitizyme, my skin felt amazingly smooth. Creams glided over my face which was a lovely feeling. With breakouts starting, I thought it would be a good time to refresh my skin – but unfortunately it’s made my skin worse.
I’ve got big red spots at the sides of my face and on my forehead which weren’t there prior to using. I’m not sure if this is because the product is oily which has made my already-oily forehead worse, or the product is working by taking off the top layer of skin therefore making my skin worse before it gets better.
The spots haven’t put me off – I’m going to use again in future as the rest of my skin is soft and smooth.
I’ll update again when I re-use the product to see if it again causes acne.
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Sand and Sky Australian Pink Clay Mask is around £36 for 60g, so when I heard there is a much more affordable alternative, I jumped at the chance to buy.
T-Zone 125ml Pink Clay Mask is around £6. I got mine from Superdrug.
It’s also vegan and cruelty-free! Hurrah!
Cheap Alternative to Sand & Sky Clay Mask – T-Zone Pink Clay Mask | £6 gets you 125ml from Superdrug
What does it do for skin?
T-Zone Australian Pink Clay Mask with Kakadu Plum is enriched with brightening Kakadu Plum Extract and Vitamin C, hydrating Aloe, soothing Witch Hazel, skin clearing Rosemary, and nourishing Vitamins A & E, to…
from the Superdrug website
Pretty much the same as Sand and Sky, it’s meant to be used a few times a week to detoxify and brighten the skin. It goes on like a paste and you leave it on for 15 minutes whilst it turns white.
T Zone Pink Clay review – I don’t put it on my dry areas. You can see it’s started to dry here, shown with the whiter patches (ends of nose; bottom part of chin)
How is it different to Sand and Sky?
Apart from the price of course mentioned above.
Personally I’d say you can feel the difference when you put it on your skin. T-Zone’s version doesn’t come with a brush so you need to use your fingers, which gets messy. Even after shaking the tub, the texture of the paste isn’t anywhere as thick as Sand and Sky and doesn’t have the same feel in luxury. It stayed on my face fine though and didn’t run.
T Zone Pink Clay review – it’s pretty runny especially in comparison with its comparison, Sand and Sky
This is Sand & Sky which I’ve also tried – you can see just how much thicker the product is here. It feels more luxurious than T Zone. And it’s £36 for 60g, so a lot dearer.
Results
I have combi-skin. I have an oily forehead and T zone, normal skin over my cheeks, and dry/sensitive skin to the sides of my nose. As you can see, I didn’t put the product on my sensitive bits.
Yes I’d buy it again. It clears my pores and they visibility look cleaned out, and my face looks smooth. My oily forehead is calmed for a few days.
Would I buy this cheaper option from T-Zone if money wasn’t an issue? Naaaah, I’d stick to Sand & Sky.
I wanted to share my thoughts around this clay because it’s one of my staple products I’ve consistently used for years (although I only use a couple of times a month due to the price).
What does sand and sky pink clay mask do?
I bought it because I wanted something to help with my oily skin and to clear out all the rubbish accumulated throughout the day. I also wanted a mask to help (or at least not worsen) my acne.
Detoxifies and brightens the skin
Cruelty-free
Great for clearing oiliness, congestion or pigmentation
Good for acne
This is exactly what S&S does. It detoxes skin by removing dead skin cells, leaving newer skin underneath which makes your skin look brighter. It also helps with acne by reducing inflammation.
from their website at the time of writing – confirmation on what the clay doesn’t include, plus the PETA stamp of approval
from their website at the time of writing – lots of goodies included in the clay
I use https://www.skincarisma.com/ to checkout ingredients in products – it lists everything that might not be suitable (dry/oily skin)
I add ingredients from products into https://www.skincarisma.com which then tells me what that product is good for, and what it’s bad for. As you can see, Sand & Sky Clay ticks lots of boxes, especially the ‘fungal acne’ one which is what I look out for because I suffer with this on my forehead. You’d be surprised at how many acne-fighting products include an ingredient which makes this worse.
How do you use the Sand and Sky clay mask?
You use it like a mask – spreading it thoroughly all over your face with the small brush that comes with it. This is the 60g tub – you’d need to check if it comes with the travel size (I’m not sure it does). Using your fingers is easy too, just a bit messy.
You get the small brush tool in with the price
it goes on shiny pink but within seconds it starts to dry a white colour
Within seconds of it being put on, it starts to dry. It feels really smooth and it’s thick too, so it feels very expensive and you feel hopeful it’s going to do wonders for your face.
excuse the ridiculous face – this is after a few minutes so as you can see, it’s starting to dry thoroughly
my large pores on my nose are visible – this is after around 10 minutes
Excuse the happy face followed by the sad face. I usually clean the bathroom whilst it’s drying hence looking fed-up!
As the pink clay dries, it turns white and tight on your skin. Not too tight it’s unpleasant though. I leave it on for 10-15 minutes then rinse off with cool water. I usually rinse it off in the shower to reduce any mess made but in the sink is easy enough too.
meh bad angle and not the clearest of pics, but as you can see, I’m happy with the result – pores have been completely cleaned out, and reduced in size
What does the clay mask do for skin?
I feel it cleans out the rubbish I’ve accumulated which my other products haven’t picked up.
My pores are clean
blackheads are gone
my skin feels fresh and smooth
any spots are reduced in size/redness
any oiliness is completely removed for a few days (yep, a few days).
I feel 1x or 2x a week is enough for this product, mainly due to the price but as it’s quite a deep clean, my skin might not like it – it’s not good to remove oils from your skin so often because oil is actually healthy for your skin (just not too much of it).
I’d thoroughly recommend this Sand and Sky pink clay mask. It’s a product I’ve used for years, even though it’s expensive (more on that below). I feel like it cleans my skin better than almost anything else.
Should you moisturise after pink clay mask?
Yes! Always after using masks, you need to moisturise afterwards to stop your skin becoming too dry.
Can I leave pink clay mask on overnight?
I personally wouldn’t – the Sand and Sky website says to leave it on for 10 minutes, so this is what I do. It might dry out or irritate skin if left on for too long.
How much does it cost?
It’s around £36.50 depending on where you look for a 60g pot. Several of the usuals have it: Cult Beauty, Beauty Bay. Personally I would visit the Sand & Sky website to see if they’ve got any sales on – at the time of writing this, they’ve got 25% off everything using the code ‘celebrate’.
Failing that, have a nosy around their website then visit YouTube, and a bunch of social media accounts – they might retarget you with an offer.
It’s expensive at £36 now £34 for 60g but worth it – make it last
Unlike the pics above to show what it looks like, I make it last by only putting it sparingly on the bits of my face that need it, such as my oily patches and not putting it on my dry bits (side of nose).
Using it once a week and you’ll get a good 4-6 months out of it. Pretty good going as an average if you ask me!
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After being bombarded with Insta & Facebook ads for months, I finally purchased Il Makiage foundation ‘Woke up like this’ – here’s my full Il Makiage review!
I’ve been looking for a new foundation because I was becoming more and more uncomfortable wearing my current foundation, Estée Lauder Double Wear, because it’s not cruelty-free, unlike Il Makiage who are cruelty-free. I bought it in 2019 so figured I was due an upgrade. I have combination skin & Double Wear leaves my forehead at the end of the day as oily as a frying pan – I’m hoping this new one isn’t the same.
Is Il Makiage cruelty-free and vegan?
Never. We never test products or ingredients on animals, nor do we allow suppliers or affiliates to conduct testing on our behalf. Animals > Everything. Not 100% of our products are vegan, but most are, including our foundation. Contact us for a complete list of our vegan products.
As per their FAQs https://www.ilmakiage.com/uk/faq
Shade matcher POWERMATCH – how does it work?
They have a shade matcher “power match” on their website which I must say, is pretty accurate. After answering several easy questions (2 minutes tops), it suggested 35 for me. I also messaged on Facebook the Il Makiage team, and after sending them my photo, they recommended 40 – right next to 35 in the list so very similar, I ended up going with 35 though and it turns out, the POWERMATCH is spot on because it’s the right shade for me.
It takes 2 minutes to answer questions based on your skin concerns, skin type, preferred coverage & finish etc.
answering a few questions on Il Makiage’s power match quiz gives you a shade recommendation
Il Makiage #35 less yellow-y than my current foundation, Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place, 1W2 Sand. Il Makiage’s 35 is in my opinion a much better colour for my skin. Estee Lauder’s would probably suit me with a tan.
Woke up like this foundation shade 35
the same photo but with different lighting – comparing my current foundation (double wear 1W2) which I’ve never thought matched me properly, to my new Il Makiage #35 – a much better match
My YouTube video shows how I apply the foundation with a sponge: (just had covid so yes, I look rough, which is actually really handy to show you just how much this makeup makes me look less dull!)
I bought a pack of 4 sponges from Amazon for £5 – here’s the link. Don’t forget to dampen the sponge first for the best coverage.
How does it cope with my combination skin?
I have sensitive eyes; my forehead & sides of my nose are oily; around my mouth is sensitive & dry; the rest is normal.
My face has different concerns – I have sensitive eyes; my forehead & sides of my nose are oily; around my mouth is sensitive & dry; the rest is normal. My current Double Wear foundation makes my forehead very oily by the end of the day – so much so when I get in from work (after 10 hours) I’m dying to get it off. It also flakes on my dry patches. I can’t deny it though, Double Wear gives amazing coverage. If you have normal skin, I can imagine it stays on all day and looks amazing, but it’s not cruelty-free so a re-purchase for me is off the cards.
I have high-hopes it won’t leave my skin a flaky greasy mess by the end of the day. I also work out after work, when I’ve got makeup on – this will be interesting.
Here’s what the foundation looks like via my Tiktok!
What’s the coverage like? How much product do I need?
I like a light coverage. I’m 33 so I feel too much makeup looks worse due to the texture/fine lines that are appearing. ‘Woke up like this’ is buildable so I guess you’ll be able to pump as little or as much as you want.
1 pump in all its glory
1 pump; the redness on the side of my nose has been reduced (but not hidden) and you can still see small pumps on my forehead. It’s a nice light coverage though and the colour matches my skin perfectly
One pump gives a lovely finish – not everything is covered as you can see, but on the most part, it’s given my skin a glow and evened it out a lot. The redness either side of my nose has been reduced – but is still visible, as is the bumps on my forehead. It’s also covered small acne scars and uneven skin colouring on my cheeks and forehead.
It goes on very light and melts into my skin. It feels lovely. It isn’t thick, so I’m able to move it around my skin quickly and easily without any pulling of my skin. I buffer it in using circles with a brush, to make sure I get an even coverage. (UPDATE: I now use sponges for foundation (thanks tiktok) £5 for 4 here from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3K4mdai)
2 pumps – a lot better coverage, still feeling light-weight and not oily which is what I wanted – it blends really well
I have 2 pumps on here – plus added blusher. The redness around my nose has 95% been hidden. My skin looks even but it doesn’t look like I’ve got a lot of makeup on.
Primer is recommended
Before I put the foundation on, I moisturised with my Murad which has SPF in it. Then I went in with primer. It says on the Il Makiage website to use a primer to ensure the foundation stays on for as long as possible. That’s fine by me! I used a bit of Revolution Ultra Face Primer. I’ve now purchased Il Makiage’s primer – see blog links below. Obviously with it being the same brand, they work best together (and I can confirm it really is amazing – helps it stays on all day, including the concealer).
UPDATE: Here’s my blog on Il Makiage’s Primer – I’ve recently tried it after repurchasing the foundation. It’s brilliant and they work really well together – as you’d expect.
Post-workout – did the foundation stay on?
I worked out and got sweaty – I don’t know about you but my skin actually looks better. Dewy but not greasy. The foundation also stayed on; it didn’t go clumpy, melt or anything else.
after a sweaty workout – nice dewy skin with foundation still intact!
Okay so this instagram post is pretty convincing. It looks like one swoop covers her skin flawlessly. My personal opinion is for this woman to get full coverage like that in that small area, it would take at least 1 full pump. I used 1 pump to cover my whole face as I like a really light coverage. To get this fuller coverage over the whole face, you’d need at least 3 pumps.
we’ve all seen her!
Final thoughts – love it
this is my skin naturally without anything on – you can see the red patches on my cheek and nose
very happy with the finish & coverage – covers all red patches and 2 pumps, doesn’t feel heavy at all, and stays on throughout the day
the ‘before’ The ‘during’ – Shade 35 in Il Makiage’s woke up like this foundationThe finished result using Il Makiage’s foundation in shade 35This is me after a 17 hour day – including sweating and walking in the rain!
Ok so I didn’t want the world on a stick…. I wanted a foundation that:
didn’t make my oily/dry skin worse
I could wear all day (10hr+)
stays on after a workout or if I get sweaty/rained on
doesn’t break me out in spots
Il Makiage lives up to that above. I’m really pleased (for once) I was targeted on Instagram!
I also wanted a cruelty-free and vegan brand, which I got. Il Makiage products are all cruelty-free and most are vegan – this foundation is one of their vegan products (check out their FAQs).
I would recommend this foundation. It works well on my skin.
Me
Even though they don’t give out free shade testers, the fact I got the suggestion from their customer service team gave me confidence I ordered the right shade – and they were right!
I’m not dying to take my makeup off by the end of the day because it doesn’t worsen my oily skin. After wearing for 10+ hours, my skin still looks fresh with uneven skin tone & imperfections still covered – not as good as the morning but still impressive.
If you want to use a tool to suggest your shade, use their POWERMATCH. I did and it’s perfect! Although if you don’t get a good match they offer an amazing returns policy which gives peace of mind.
Skin prep tip – a must to keep foundation looking its best with dermaplaning
Make sure you dermaplane your skin to smooth it out as much as possible. I do this once every few weeks and it makes SUCH a difference. ‘Dermaplaning’ is basically a fancy way of saying you ‘shave your face’ but it also removes the dead skin cells making your skin super-smooth. I can confirm after years of doing this, hair does NOT return thicker/darker.
Make sure to prep your skin thoroughly and leave enough time in-between for the products to sink in your skin. I moisturise then leave 10 minutes before putting primer on, then another 10 mins before putting makeup on (foundation first then concealer).
How much is the foundation and where can I buy?
It’s £36 + delivery, £3.95.
Delivery is free over £40 which is kinda frustrating as their most popular product is just below the threshold.
UPDATE 27/4/22: Hadn’t seen this at the time of buying, but they offer ‘try it for 60 days’ if you use their POWERMATCH tool to find your shade match; see the promo below. I’ve not known a makeup company offer returns on foundation! This would help massively if you get the wrong shade, you can simply return it, instead of (like me) try to re-sell on eBay for a 1/10 of the price. Link here for their foundation POWERMATCH.
only just seen this promo – try before you buy! returns! never known this to be available for makeup.
Discounts
As mentioned above, use welcome10 for 10% off from their website Il Makiage.
Final tip (and most important)
Don’t drop the bottle on a hard floor or this will happen. *cries*
don’t be a clumsy fool like me ARRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH *cries*
Update: 30 April 2021
I bought the Il Makiage Primer and it’s worked wonders for keeping the foundation on all day without any crustiness around my dry patches. I would recommend (oh I repurchased the foundation!)
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