I’ve been using Il Makiage’s foundation and concealer for over a year so I decided to treat myself and purchase the rest of the set – including the foundation brush.
It’s £38, so it’s a premium brush, up there with others such as IT Cosmetics (Heavenly Luxe is £36), Bobbie Brown Brush (full coverage, £36) and a few from MAC (190 foundation, and 196 flat top both £28). I know it seems like quite an expense, but if you think of how much you use it – for me, it’s a few times a week, which means regular washing, I need it to last so I need a high quality brush.
I’ve used cheap brushes in the past which are fine for a few months but then the brushes turn hard and nasty, so I don’t mind spending £38 for a brush that’ll last literally years.
It’s a dome-shape with soft and dense bristles, perfect for liquid or cream foundation. It says it’s perfect for a ‘high to medium’ coverage but I tend to go with a lighter finish and it does the job perfectly for me.
How easily does the brush apply foundation?
I personally use a brush or sometimes a beauty blender if I can be bothered. This brush allows me to really pad the foundation into my skin, giving me a really nice deep finish, but it doesn’t feel harsh because the brush is so soft.
I clean it after I use it with ISOClean, which is 1-3 times per week. There isn’t any signs of wear or tear so far, and I’ve had it for 8 months. Check out my ISOClean blog here. It’s basically liquid you spray on to your brushes, rub them, which cleans within a minute – and drys within 30-50 seconds too depending on the brush size. It gets rid of germs and all nasties and there’s no rinse required, so you can have a dirty brush one minute, and clean ready to use the next!
What’s your final review?
I love the 100 brush. I even use it for blending in concealer if I’ve got a bigger area, like the spots on my chin in the above pics. It’s quite a big expense at £38 but (hopefully) it’ll last years and years, even with constant cleaning.
Buy it from Il Makiage’s website for £38 – don’t forget to use the code welcome10 for 10% off!
UPDATE: 11 June 2023 I’ve been using for a while now and cleaning at least once a week – no signs of wear or tear. Continues to be my favourite brush. I’ve even started to use it after foundation to apply bronzer.
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After using Sand and Sky’s Australian pink clay for some time (which is around £36 per 60ml – see my blog here) I decided to give this a try after spotting it in Aldi for £2.99 for 60ml.
I’ve recently been suffering with fungal acne (I think – not properly diagnosed) on my forehead and lots of spots around my chin, so I’ve been very careful about what I’ve been using on my skin as I don’t want to irritate it. I’ve reduced the number of products I’m using down to 5 in total (not all on the same day either) so after buying, I checked the ingredients online – it was an impulse purchase but not an expensive one!
Ingredients – what’s in it?
I use https://folliculitisscout.com to check the ingredients of beauty products. It’s really easy – you simply copy and paste the list of ingredients into the website, and it says whether or not it contains fungal-acne triggers.
I’m not sure why but the list of ingredients isn’t on the Aldi website. I found it on a random website, https://incidecoder.com. It shows that none ingredients are a fungal acne trigger:
I also use another website, not just for fungal-acne: skincarisma.com checks against a load of things including alcohol, paraben, sulfate, silicone etc.
It shows Lacura Pink Clay mask is good for as it contains:
Dry skin (glycerin, Butylene Glycol)
Anti-aging (Citric Acid)
Sensitive skin (Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder)
But bad for:
Dry skin (contains alcohol)
Allergins (Limonene – perfume)
Is it cruelty-free and vegan?
It says it’s cruelty-free on the Aldi website. Nothing about it being vegan unfortunately.
I decided to go ahead with it, even though it contains a few naughties (alcohol for one). My main concern was fungal-acne triggers, and as it doesn’t have any, I went ahead.
When I was in the store, I read the box which states:
draws out impurities…. refines pores, contains witch hazel
according to the box
I really wanted a mask to clear my skin – to give it a really deep down gentle cleanse.
As you can see from this photo, my forehead has a very uneven skin tone plus several bumps (which I think is fungal acne). I also get lots of black heads on my nose and chin I want to clear out.
How long do you leave it on for and how do you remove?
The box advises you to leave it on for 10 minutes then rinse off with a warm flannel. I did as instructed. Compared to the expensive Sand & Sky mask, it was a lot harder to remove. With Sand & Sky, I used to remove it in the shower and it took less than 30 seconds with warm water. This took me around 5 minutes. It was hard to remove and stubborn, so it took me longer as I was being extra gentle with my skin.
This was my skin the day after – it’s bright, slightly red on my nose but my skin is SO much clearer. I’ve always got red on the sides of my nose, so don’t let that put you off.
The mask has massively reduced the bumps on my forehead and it looks much less oily:
What’s your review? Would you use the Lacura mask again?
Yes I would absolutely use it again. It cleared out my skin and got rid of my congested areas. It hasn’t made the bumps on my forehead any worse. I’m 100% going to use this as part of my routine, probably using once a week.
The pot looks like it’ll last 6-8 times so for £2.99 it’s extremely cost-effective. I’ve reviewed Sand & Sky’s mask (retails around £36 for 60ml and also the pink clay mask by T Zone)
If you’re unsure, check out the reviews on the Aldi website – there are currently 75 reviews with an average of 4.8/5!
How much is it?
It’s £2.99 from Aldi for 60ml. You can get it from the Aldi website + £2.95 delivery.
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I recently decided to try a new makeup remover from my usual Body Shop camomile cleansing butter – Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm.
A nourishing cleansing balm that melts away makeup, daily pollutants and impurities for a soft and glowing complexion.
I’m extremely wary of new products like this, especially ones where reviewers describe them as ‘melts in your fingers’ as I have very oily skin, so the last thing my skin needs is more oil.
With a face full of makeup, I went in. I used about a large-pea sized amount then rubbed it together before gently rubbing it all over my face. I always start with my skin first, then move to the heavier makeup areas, such as my eyes. I don’t want to rub mascara all over my face if I scrubbed my eyes before my skin.
The smell is gorgeous – I’ve been to spas that use Elemis and it completely took me back to that calm, tranquil state. It’s a beautiful smell but not overpowering – I don’t like strong smells in face products.
How much does the Elemis balm cost?
I bought it from Elemis.com for £15 for 50ml. This price is £12 down from the usual £27 (yes I was ‘forced’ into purchasing by a tiktok video).
Is the balm cruelty-free and vegan?
Nope to both questions unfortunately, so I won’t be repurchasing.
Honest review?
I love it – really impressed. It took off my waterproof mascara and heavy foundation easily, left my skin feeling super smooth, smelling gorgeous, and the next day I didn’t notice a change in my skin’s oiliness or acne.
UPDATE 26 March 2023 – had to stop using the balm!
I originally bought this and started using it in October. In December on my holidays, my skin turned for the worst:
My skin turned sore and very spotty. This was on holiday. I did a lot of research and found out that I probably had (undiagnosed but 99% sure I’ve got it) fungal acne.
Ingredients – so much oil!
I won’t include the ingredients list (as it’s really long and will make my blog huge) but I’ve copied them into a website I’ve been using since December, called folliculitisscout.com. You copy and paste the ingredients into the website, and a checker tells you if any are bad for fungal acne. Find the full ingredients list here: https://uk.elemis.com/pro-collagen-cleansing-balm-50g.html
Elemis balm has 13 triggers of fungal acne. This is not good news. The below screenshot shows 13 ingredients are a trigger for fungal acne, starting with Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis on the left (in red).
I’m still using it on my eyes to get mascara off, but not putting it anywhere near my skin and it’s improved SO MUCH.
I’ve also started doing skin cycling which has helped my skin routine by simplifying the products I’m using, and restricting how often I’m using them.
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My hair is really thick and is therefore a nightmare to brush when wet but also in a morning. If I use a normal brush, it pulls my hair so much it causes me pain on my scalp, so now I use my Tangle Teezer before I use the normal brush. It gets out any knots quickly and easily, without any of the horrible pulling on my hair or head.
As a side note, it’s reduced hair loss as my hair now isn’t snapping from being pulled so hard.
I bought mine from Amazon for just under £15. Yes it’s pretty dear when you see the alternatives that are <£10, but trust me, buying the quality product is well worth it.
I use my Tangle Teezer before I use my normal brush. I use the normal brush when straightening my hair (I use the brush to pull my hair through the straighteners as using my hand just doesn’t make it as neat) but before I do, I make sure I’ve used the Tangle Teezer to get out any tangles. I also use it straight out of the shower before I put on any hair oils. It allows for a good distribution of any oils I put on my ends.
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What are the shades available from Il Makiage and how do you pick the right one for you? I got matched to 035 after completing their tool called POWERMATCH. 035 is for lighter skin tones – I put it to the test on my acne-prone skin, dark circles, oily forehead and hyperpigmentation!
They have over 50 shades to choose from, and you can return it if you don’t like the colour within 30 or 60 days depending on whether you’ve used the quiz or not.
If you aren’t sure (as I wasn’t) when I first purchased but their returns policy is amazing – try risk free and return it if you’re not happy. This gave me a lot of confidence I’ll get my money back if it’s the wrong shade (or if I just don’t like it) as it’s risky buying something like this online.
I personally never expect to get the right shade first time.
Shade 35 is under the ‘light’ skin tone with ‘pink’ undertones. I don’t think this is accurate; I’m definitely more yellow than pink.
How much foundation do you need to use?
It’s buildable so you can either go for a light coverage (like I normally do – pictured above) or a heavier if you want that fuller coverage.
On the photo above, I’ve got 2 pumps on which doesn’t feel heavy. If I was to want to cover my blemishes and hyperpigmentation fully, I’d need more pumps but it still wouldn’t feel heavy on my skin. One of the reasons why I don’t often wear foundation is the weight of it and how it feels after a few hours of wearing foundation. I’ve got really oily skin so I always notice whenever I’ve got foundation on, but Il Makiage ‘woke up like this’ lasts all day and I’m not desperate to take it off at the end of the day.
Buy it from the Il Makiage website: ilmakiage.com. The foundation is £36, my shade above is 35. You have to spend over £50 to get free delivery, otherwise it’s £3.95. Use the voucher code ‘welcome10’ to get 10% off 🙂 you’re welcome!
If you’re unsure on your foundation shade, use powermatch to help you find your shade – I used it and it was perfect (I’m 35). If you buy both, you’ll get free delivery.
Il Makiage’s Returns Policy
Il Makiage have a really great returns policy. If you answer the questions in their POWERMATCH which helps you find your colour, they offer a 60-day returns policy (normally 30 days).
In general, any product purchased through our shade-matching quiz(s) is eligible for a sixty-day return period.
I’ve made another blog recently using both foundation and concealer, using the Il Makiage blender brush 100 and concealer brush 140. I haven’t put the full blog up yet; just the concealer one. Anyways some of the photos are ready, so I’ll post them below, as it shows more lighting.
Whether I go for a 15minute walk, or hour or 2, I want a bag that’s comfortable, small, but big enough for my essentials.
My essentials include:
water bottle
keys
phone
small purse
tissues
dog poo bags
dog water bowl
It also needs to be easy to access – I don’t want to keep taking it off every time I want something, like a tissue (hay fever argh) or to get my phone to take a photo.
Quick access and accessible
This bag is perfect for quick access – whether you decide to carry it on your front, or back, it’s extremely quick and accessible to grab something or put something away.
Watch my Youtube video for full review
Inside pockets and space
There is (surprisingly) several sections within the bag which helps when separating out your items.
The main compartment includes space for a large water bottle, plus includes a key strap, a zipped area, and a smaller area behind a flap.
There’s a front section, behind a zip you can see on my photo above – I use it to keep my phone, poo bags and tissues in for very quick access.
There’s also an additional water bottle holder to the side (to the left; shown below).
I’ve never used one before, but the key strap is very handy for finding my keys quickly. It sounds obvious but I’ve never seen the benefit before using this bag. The strap hangs down the side, so you can tuck it away instead of the keys hanging in the way.
The zipped area is useful for storing anything you want more secure, like a phone. The zip is very smooth & is easy to use. There is the main compartment plus another part behind a small flap (you can see it just below the zipped section).
Buy it for £13.59 on Amazon
I really would recommend this bag. I’ve even used it for my food shop!
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I purchased Age-Balancing Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30 | PA+++ on Murad.com back in September 2021 and have been using it daily ever since. I wanted to wait before reviewing, to give me time to really understand how it’s changed my skin and what I think of it.
It was £65 back in September. It’s now £66 (+1.5%). You get 50ml for this price on Murad.com
I purchased Murad as I wanted a really good moisturiser that also has SPF protection for my 30+yo skin. Honestly, I’ve never been bothered or had SPF in my moisturiser. I only (previously!) wore sun protection on holiday – usually abroad – never in the UK. It’s only now I’ve started to protect my skin daily – I hope it isn’t too late!
So far I’ve tried a few moisturisers claiming to act like moisturiser but have sun protection – unfortunately they’ve either been a horrible consistency that leaves white residue on my skin, or too thick and blocked my pores so bad I’d sweat within 2 minutes of putting it on my face, even if I wasn’t doing anything that caused me to sweat.
The SPF is 30.
I decided to try Murad as they’ve got a lot of credible reviews, everywhere – on Cult Beauty (who only stock brands they believe in), Marks and Spencer, Selfridges – you name it – all the top places sell it. I read a ton of reviews, and they all were excellent, so I decided to give it a go.
£65 was a little hard for me to part with for a moisturiser, but I figured I wear my face every day – it deserves a proper looking after for the first time in my life.
I also got these 3 small samples when buying from Murad.com:
AHA / BHA Exfoliating Cleanser Sample
Vita-C Eyes Dark Circle Corrector Sample
Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum Sample
Significantly improves hydration for youthful suppleness. Leaves skin hydrated, plump and smooth
What’s the consistency like?
It’s like any other moisturiser – thick, but not as thick or oily like normal sun protection lotions. It isn’t so thick you can’t smooth it across your face easily, and it sinks in very quickly which is great for me as I like to do my makeup not long afterwards.
I use a pea-sized amount and this does my whole face plus neck, ears and hands. It feels very smooth and a high-quality product.
It smoothes my fine lines and crows feet, and makes my face look glowy – I look healthy.
There is a very faint smell – not too perfumed though which I really don’t like in products. It’s a ‘clean’ smell – not as in cleaning products (gross!) but a clean smell as in I love the feeling I get after moisturising – I know I’m clean and ready to start my day.
Which skin type is it good for?
According to their website, it’s good for combination, dry and balanced. I’m not too sure what ‘balanced’ means to be honest.
good for combination, dry and balanced skin types
I have an oily T zone, dry patches either side of my nose/upper lip (random I know), and normal everywhere else. I’m happy to say it’s worked a treat on all places – it hasn’t even made my oily forehead worse, which some moisturisers have done.
Rich Yet Fast-Absorbing SPF Moisturiser Replenishes with Long-Lasting Hydration. This moisturiser deeply nourishes dull, dry skin while improving elasticity to renew a youthful glow. Broad spectrum SPF shields skin against UVA and UVB light. Absorbs fast for a non-greasy finish that wears comfortably under makeup.
Murad.com
What’s my verdict?
I’m chuffed with it – not only has it smoothed my fine lines/crows feet, it’s helped reduce the sun spots I had at the top of my forehead. I didn’t unfortunately take before pics so I can’t show you the difference. Previously I used to apply concealer to the top of my forehead, but I don’t now as I don’t feel like I need it.
I feel like I’m really looking after my skin by wearing it. Even though I only use a pea-sized amount, my skin feels smooth and glowy. Having SPF protecting me as well as it feeling so good on my skin is win-win.
Buying it for £65 back in September and still using it now in April is well worth the money. It’s pretty empty now, but I think I can get a few more weeks out of it.
Using as a primer?
I don’t use this moisturiser as a primer, but I do put it on last in a morning before my makeup. You (apparently) should put SPF on last, so that’s what I do. I add other lotions (usually vitamin c) first, then this Murad Age Balancing moisturiser, then my makeup. I always leave at least 10 minutes after putting it on before applying makeup, to allow time for it to sink in. Don’t forget to take any moisturiser off your lashes before applying mascara – I realised this is why I always get really bad panda eyes!
It’s £66 for 50ml. I bought it in September and have used it once daily – there’s still a few weeks left.
Even if it lasted a few months, it’s well worth the money in my opinion. I’d spend this much money on clothes or bags without a second thought – why would I think about not spending this on my face – something that I see everyday!
Looking at their website (murad.com) they’ve got loads of offers on – 10% (sometimes 20%) for signing up to their newsletter; free gifts when you spend over £120; 25% off gift sets. Well worth checking these out. I’d also have a nosy at their social media accounts to see if they’re promoting anything else.
UPDATE June’22
I haven’t been using it this past week due to the heatwave, and my skin has gone pretty bad with acne – whether it’s from being hot and clammy, or from not using this, I can tell ya I’m 100% happier now I’m back using it.
UPDATE Sept’22
Ordered a new bottle using a £10 off voucher that’s currently running on Murad.com – £56 total with a few samples! Still loving this moisturiser – it’s so thick but soaks in so well. I love it.
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I’ve written blogs on Il Makiage primer, concealer (F**K I’m Flawless) and foundation (Woke up like this). They go together flawlessly and suit my skin. I have combination skin (oily T zone, dry patches) and their makeup isn’t heavy but is buildable, which I love. I can completely tailor my look depending on whether I need a heavier foundation for more coverage or very light coverage.
The only Il Makiage discount promo code I’ve found is ‘welcome10‘ – this gets you 10% off the Il Makiage website. Spend over £40 to get free delivery – otherwise, it’s £3.95.
See above for my personal favourites, but if I had to shout one out, it’d be the foundation brush.
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I’ve never used a cleanser – previously before bed, I’d splash water over my face to ‘clean’ it, or if I’d worn make up during the day, I’d use my Face Halo with Body Shop camomile cleansing butter to get rid of all the crap that had built up. I never realised that dirt built up on my face during the day that would take more than water to remove.
Developed with dermatologists, this non-drying face wash for normal to oily skin deeply cleanses, removes excess oil, and refreshes your skin without disrupting the skin barrier. This gel-based facial cleanser is an effective, yet gentle way to cleanse and care for your normal to oily skin.
From cerave.com
I started seeing ads for CeraVe foaming cleanser and decided to do some research. I have sensitive skin on my face – acne prone, oily T zone, normal and sensitive bits, so I’m always careful what I put on it. I’ve tried lotions including moisturisers for oily skin have completely dried out my skin – or made the oiliness worse.
It’s gel-based that foams when you run it under water.
It’s non-comedogenic so it won’t clog pores and contains niacinamide that’s great for skin – it calms it down (by being the most potent anti-inflammatories in skincare)
Me
How much is it?
I bought the 236ml size for £9.50 from boots.com. It’s a medium size bottle and so far has lasted me since mid-December 2021 (3.5 months) and there’s plenty left too, even after using it at least once a day.
I tend to use it in at night once I’ve washed my face and taken any make up off. I use it as a last defence to make sure I’ve taken off every last bit of dirt. I use it in a morning maybe once or twice a week, when I want an extra clean. I prefer to use it when in the shower, as the constant stream of water helps the increase the amount of foam – using it in the sink, sometimes I really struggle to get a good foam going if I don’t add enough water at the right time (it’s a bit fiddly but it’s probably just me).
Are they an ethical brand?
No – they test on animals as they sell in China where animal testing is required by law. However on their website, they say they don’t test on animals:
No, CeraVe products are not tested on animals and they are cruelty free.
This is in their FAQs but unfortunately they do test when required to by law – e.g. in China
Some of their products are vegan, so they don’t include animal products – but it’s not clear from cerave.com which products are and which aren’t vegan.
Would you recommend?
I will recommend this cleanser as soon as they become a cruelty-free brand. Unfortunately, testing on animals is against everything I stand for, so I won’t be buying this or another CeraVe product until they change this status. In future, I won’t rely simply on the brand’s FAQs and will do thorough research before buying again 🙁
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Ever since my favourite mascara of all time was discontinued – NYX Doll Eye – I’ve been in the market for a new favourite mascara and have been working my way through several – most recently, Glossier Lash Slick and I am very impressed.
I always go for waterproof mascara. I don’t know why – maybe it’s my oily skin or choice of foundation/concealer/moisturiser – but 8/10 mascaras give me panda eyes. After a few hours, I have black smudges underneath my eyes from the mascara running – not a good look.
Glossier – who are they?
Glossier were founded apparently in 2014, however I only got to know them this year when I was targeted on Instagram (story of my life) with this mascara and decided to check them out.
My new favourite since NYX Doll Eye was discontinued
Me
They are a cruelty-free brand and are Leaping Bunny certified (amazing!). For me this is a huge selling point. I only want to buy from brands who are cruelty-free.
Glossier Lash Slick includes beeswax, so it isn’t vegan.
Lash Slick mascara – my review
I want a mascara to last all day, not give me panda eyes, goes on thick (or at least buildable) and makes my lashes look nice and long.
I can safely say Lash Slick is my new favourite.
Me
It goes on smooth, buildable, but most importantly for me, it doesn’t smudge when wet or give me panda eyes throughout the day! I’ve also recently tried Too Faced ‘better than sex’mascara which has given me the worst panda eyes ever – blog coming soon – very disappointed, and the price of this was £14.40 + £3 delivery.
No, it’s ‘water resistant’ instead, which means this according to their website:
It’s water-resistant, not waterproof—that means it stays in place without smudging or flaking for up to 12 hours, but then removes easily with warm water (and without harsh, damaging rubbing) when you’re ready to take it off
From glossier.com at time of writing this article
I’ve gone for waterproof – or water resistant for years now. I don’t know why but I tend to have smudges by the end of the day if I’m not careful. I don’t know whether it’s due to what I put on my face (moisturiser, make up etc) or if I rub my eyes and don’t realise it. It’s very frustrating having to check for this during the work day – I want to put make up on in the morning and not have to worry about it until I want to take it off that night.
What’s it ‘officially’ good for?
Lash Slick’s weightless, flexible formula enhances the look of your natural lashes. The secret’s in teeny-tiny fibers that coat each individual hair from root to tip creating maximum definition and length—think less “your mascara looks good” and more “your lashes look good”
From glossier.com
I really like how it makes my lashes look – not over the top, but easily buildable for those days/nights out when I want my eyes to look fuller and darker.
Dermatologist-tested, Ophthalmologist-tested, Suitable for sensitive eyes/contact lens wearers, Fragrance-Free
From glossier.com
Good to know it’s suitable for sensitive eyes – I’ve struggled in the past with finding mascaras that don’t irritate my eyes. I’ve had problems with Body Shop mascaras causing small bumps under my eye lid before. I haven’t had them with every mascara but I’m conscious of it.
How much is it? (and get 10% off with my code)
It’s £14 from Glossier.com for 8.5g/0.25oz. A pretty standard price for the size.
Delivery is £4 which is quite steep. It’s free over £30. They do all sorts of makeup and skin care – I’ve got my eye on the ‘winter rescue’ kit because my skin is so dry at the min.
Get 10% off your first order – use my friends/fam referral code for 10% off your first order (I get store credit if you use this link) here’s the link – glossier.com >
As mentioned above, after trying Glossier mascara, I tried Too Faced ‘better than sex’ mascara (£14.40+£3 delivery) – I’ll update this article when I’ve written it, but it’s a pretty poor mascara so far for me – it’s given me the worst panda eyes E V E R. I literally look like I’ve been beaten up. Not impressed at all. Although it goes on really dark and think which I love. Massive shame.
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