Tag: Make up

My Top 10 Favourite Things About Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Foundation

Il Makiage woke up like this foundation review

Imagine a foundation that not only flawlessly matches your skin tone but also delivers long-lasting coverage and a natural matte finish. EVEN on oily and acne-prone skin (like mine). I’ve tried and tested Il Makiage’s Woke Up Like This foundation so you don’t have to.

From its cruelty-free and vegan formula to its skin-friendly ingredients, here are my top 10 reasons why this foundation has earned a place in my makeup bag.

il Makiage woke up like this foundation skincare make up review — The left side shows just how much a few pumps manages to cover. My dark circles, redness, hyperpigmentation are covered

Lightweight and Buildable Coverage: This foundation has a lightweight texture that feels comfortable on my skin. It offers buildable coverage, which lets me customise the level of coverage I want, from light to medium or even heavy. I don’t normally go heavy but have done for nights out and it stays in place until I take it off (especially if I prep my skin with primer)
Natural Matte Finish: I like the natural matte finish that Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation provides. It gives my skin a flawless, uniform look without looking overly matte or dry.
Long-Lasting Formula: Even after wearing the foundation for 17+ hours (see below pics), it stayed in place and maintained its coverage. I no longer have to worry about my makeup fading or melting away throughout the day.
Accurate Shade Matcher: The Shade Matcher tool called “PowerMatch” on the Il Makiage website is incredibly accurate. Answering a few questions helped me find my perfect shade (#35), and it turned out to be a spot-on recommendation.
Suitable for Combination Skin: I have combination skin (and a very oily forehead) so I was worried it’d make my skin worse or flare up with acne. It didn’t exacerbate my oily areas or dry out the sensitive parts of my face. I wasn’t itching to get it off after a long day like I normally would be and it didn’t make my spots break out.
Skin-Friendly Ingredients: Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation is enriched with Vitamin E for anti-aging benefits. It also includes hyaluronic acid for hydration, protection, and filling in wrinkles. These ingredients contribute to the overall health and appearance of my skin.
Dewy, Yet Non-Greasy Finish: Despite having a matte finish, this foundation gives my skin a dewy glow without making it look greasy. It strikes the perfect balance, making my skin look fresh and radiant but not greasy.
Resistant to Sweat and Workout: I was pleasantly surprised to find that this foundation stayed intact even after a sweaty workout. It didn’t clump, melt, or become patchy, maintaining its coverage and longevity.
Cruelty-Free and Vegan: One of the top reasons I love Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation is that it is cruelty-free and vegan. I can feel good about using a product that aligns with my values.
Excellent Customer Service: Whenever I had questions or needed assistance, the Il Makiage customer service team was prompt, polite, and helpful. Their dedication to customer satisfaction enhances my overall experience with the brand. I got in touch via their Facebook page.

How I use the foundation on Tiktok!

@ahoybeauty
my full @IL MAKIAGE ‘woke up like this’ foundation make up routine. I’m shade 35 & was matched using their powermatch quiz #makeuproutine #ilmakiage #ilmakiagefoundation #ilmakiagereview
♬ ALMOST HOME – Mad Adix, Marc Steinmeier

Here’s my Tiktok on how I use the foundation

My honest summary

In conclusion, Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation has become one of my favourite make-up products. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high-quality foundation that is good for oily skin.

If you want to try it yourself, go through PowerMatch, the shade matcher. If you decide to return the foundation, you get a longer returns window if you go through PowerMatch so I’d suggest doing it! It only takes a few minutes.

How much is Woke Up Like This?

It’s £39. It’s free delivery over £50. Signing up for a delivery subscription every 4 months costs £35.10 so a 10% discount. Use the discount code welcome10 for 10% off.

Look at the Woke Up Like This foundation here or go straight and get your perfect shade with PowerMatch.

Il makiage review - using woke up like this foundation — Shade 35 – see below for how this looked after 17hrs

Il makiage woke up like this review - using woke up like this foundation — After a 17hr day including walking in the rain and sweating! My chin spots are visible but still not too obvious

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Make up

Il Makiage Concealer Shade 2.5 and Blending Brush 140 Review

Using Il Makiage's concealer with 140 blender brush

I’ve been using Il Makiage for nearly 2 years now and still keep going back to it. I’ve tried a few other concealers, including Estee Lauder ‘stay in place’ and Mac ‘Pro longwear’, but I still go back to Il Makiage.

On the Il Makiage website, the ‘F**K I’m Flawless concealer‘ is described as:

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.
Il Makiage website at time of writing

I have to agree – I use it for dark circles under eye bags, hyperpigmentation on my forehead and sides of my face, and of course – spots! It’s very light, which sinks into my skin really well and it’s buildable on those days when I’ve had a crap sleep and need extra under my eyes.

Il Makiage FCUK I'm Flawless concealer - my review with blender brush 140 — Using Il Makiage’s concealer with 140 blender brush

Table of contents:

Prepping your skin
What are the benefits?
How long does it last?
How much are the concealer & brushes?

Prepping your skin

The lotions, potions and make up only stay on your skin as well as you look after your skin! To make sure my skin is prepped for makeup, I do the following:

I dermaplane every 2 weeks (basically shaving your face, but it takes off the top layer revealing soft skin underneath. Don’t do over spots though)
Cleanse, tone and moisturise, giving at least 10 minutes time before applying make up to allow the lotions to sink in
Use a primer after moisturiser – I use the Il Makiage primer, but sometimes the Embryolisse “lait-crème concentré” if my skin is in need of a good hydration

What are the benefits?

The biggest pluses for me are that it comes in over 30 shades, giving us a big choice. This can sometimes be tricky if you are unsure – I actually emailed them my picture when deciding on the foundation, so I’m sure you could do this too.

Here’s a link to the concealer on Il Makiage’s website.

Il Makiage FCUK I'm Flawless concealer - shades — My shade 2.5 is LIGHT and ORANGE although I didn’t pick this as I’m clueless. They have over 30 shades to choose from.

Otherwise they have a 100-day returns policy so you can literally, return for your money back.

My shade is 2.5 which is skin-tone ‘light’ and undertone ‘orange’.

It’s cruelty-free, vegan, oil-free and paraben-free – so no nasties and no nasty treatment to animals – winner!

It’s buildable, but also light enough to wear with just one layer. I tend to use more layers on spots, and only one on my under eye area as it’s quite thin and make up can sit in my fine lines (I am mid-30’s you know).

How long does it last?

It lasts all day, over 12 hours at least.

Il Makiage 100 Foundation Blending brush review — This is me after a 17 hour day – including sweating and walking in the rain! The spots on my chin are more noticeable but after a long day, it’s understandable, plus they’re not too badly showing

How much are the concealer & brushes?

The concealer is £27 for 7ml which is pretty standard. You can buy it from Il Makiage’s website here. 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 going for the concealer, I would personally try the ‘woke up like this’ foundation. I’ve been using both for nearly 2 years, and they go really well together. I often use both if I’m out for several hours – neither fades much by the end of a long day.

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 035). If you buy both, you’ll get free delivery.

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Make up

Il Makiage Foundation Blending Brush #100 – my full review

Il Makiage 100 Foundation Blending brush review

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.

Buy it from Il Makiage’s website for £38 – don’t forget to use the code welcome10 for 10% off.

What’s the shape and style?

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.

It’s £38 and is available on ilmakiage.com (‘welcome10’ for 10% off!)

I’ve been using the Il Makiage ‘woke up like this’ foundation for over a year now. I’m shade 35. Take a look at my thorough foundation blog here.

How do you clean the brush?

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!

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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Skincare

Look Fantastic Beauty Box – March 2019

What’s in the box?

6 products
Elle magazine
Beauty magazine detailing the products in the box

As usual there are some amazing products in this months box; only some cruelty-free/vegan which I list below. I got this box as part of a 6-monthly package I bought with Look Fantastic. I pay £13.75 per month and the box is delivered at the start of each month.

Rituals of Sakura hand balm, 70ml

A great size, it smells absolutely gorgeous. It’s a big size which will keep me going for months! Can’t quite believe I got this from Look Fantastic just because I only paid £13.75 for the whole box & this alone is worth £9.50.

Look Fantastic Beauty Box March 2019 - Rituals of Sakura Hand Balm

I can’t find anything regarding if the brand is cruelty-free or vegan on their website, and they don’t come up on Peta’s cruelty-free list so unfortunately I can only presume they are NOT cruelty-free.

Omorovicza Cleansing Foam

This foam has great reviews – it’s good for removing makeup and impurities. It’s vegan! They aren’t on either Peta or Leaping Bunny for being cruelty-free though.

Morphe High Impact Highlighter

Look Fantastic Beauty Box March 2019 - Morphe Highlighter

Feels expensive, even the case feels solid! I’ll definitely be using this. It glides on my skin. I might even see how it is as an eye shadow. Watch this space.

Unable to find out anything on their website regarding their cruelty-free/vegan stance, but Crueltyfreekitty.com [https://www.crueltyfreekitty.com/news/is-morphe-cruelty-free/] asked them to confirm which they did – they are cruelty-free! Hey guys, add this to your website. It’ll probably increase sales.

EOS Lip Balm

I’m not keen on this! I hate being negative but I really don’t like the smell or the packaging. Not practical for carrying with me in particular on a night out when my bag space is limited. I haven’t found anything online about them being either cruelty-free or vegan.

The Ordinary – Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5

Look Fantastic Beauty Box March 2019 - The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid B5

For the quality of the product I still can’t get over products from The Ordinary are. To buy, this is £5.90. I can’t quite find out exactly what it does for skin – something about surface hydration? Either way, the reviews speak for themselves.

Vegan and cruelty-free (confirmed on their website) hurrah!! [https://theordinary.com/product/rdn-hyaluronic-acid-2pct-b5-30ml]

Madara Smart Anti-Pollution Charcoal and Mud

After using this my skin felt itchy but I think I left it on a few minutes too long. That night, my skin glowed!

Look Fantastic Beauty Box March 2019 - Madara Smart Charcoal Mud Repair Mask

The company IS cruelty-free! Some of their products are vegan including (from what I can tell in their FAQs) this one. [https://www.madaracosmetics.com/en/faq]

Where to buy & discounts

If you decide to buy, feel free to use my ‘friends and family’ code for £5 off (if you’re a new customer) I get £5 off too. Here is my referral link: https://www.lookfantastic.com/referrals.list?applyCode=RACHAEL-RBAF

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Tags Acid, Beauty, Charcoal, Cleansing Foam, cruelty-free, Hand Balm, Highlighter, Look Fantastic, Make up, Oil, The Ordinary, vegan

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What is the difference between vegan and cruelty-free makeup?

There’s a difference in Vegan and Cruelty-Free products:

Vegan is when a product doesn’t contain any animal ingredients
Cruelty-free is when the product hasn’t been tested on animals

Facts about China

With the amazing efforts of the Humaine Society International, China changed their laws in 2014 to the following:

Foreign imported ordinary cosmetics – still require animal testing

Domestically produced ordinary* cosmetics – animal testing no longer an absolute requirement

Both foreign imported and domestically produced ‘special use’** cosmetics – still require animal testing

Domestically produced ordinary cosmetics for foreign export only – have never required animal testing

Any cosmetic bought in China via a foreign e-commerce website – has never required animal testing.

*‘Ordinary’ cosmetics include make-up, fragrances, skin, hair and nail care products.
** ‘Special-use’ cosmetics include hair dyes, perms and hair growth products, deodorants, sunscreens, skin-whitening creams, and other products that make a functional claim on the label.

Read the full article on hsi.org.

This means if a brand who is cruelty-free in the UK starts selling and importing products to sell in China, they are then tested on animals so the company is no longer Cruelty-Free. This happened to the brand Nars.

Brands who test on animals

This list is from the Peta website dated 16.05.2018. It includes big brands such as:

Air Wick
Arm & Hammer
Aussie
Aveeno
Avon Products
Balenciaga
Benefit Cosmetics
Bobbi Brown
Braun
Burberry
Calgon
Calvin Klein
Caudalie
Chloe
Clearasil
Clinique
Diesel
Dior
~~Dove~~ now cruelty-free!
Durex
Elizabeth Ardon
Estee Lauder
Febreeze
Fendi
Garnier
GLAMGLOW
Galo
Hugo Boss
Johnson & Johnson
Kiehl’s
L’Oreal
Lancome
Listerine
MAC Cosmetics
Max Factor
Maybelline
Michael Kors
Miu miu
Nars Cosmetics (they used to be Cruelty-Free but started selling in China)
Neutrogena
Nice and Easy
Nivea
Olay
Oomph!
Origins
Pampers
Pantene
Revlon
Schwarzkopf
St. Ives
Tresemme
Vaseline
Veet
Viktor & Rolf
Wella

The list goes on. For the full list, check out Peta’s website. Do the right thing and don’t buy from these brands. There’s no reason good enough for putting animals through harm and suffering.

Check which brands you use are Cruelty-Free on the Leaping Bunny website.

Brands who DO NOT test on animals (hurrah!)

I’m chuffed to say this list is a LOT bigger than the previous one. Here are a few popular brands featured on the PETA website, but you can see the full list here.

Acure
Adaline & Co
Anastasia Beverly Hills
BareFace Cosmetics
Barefaced Beauty
Basic Bitch Cosmetics (gorgeous Lucy from Made in Chelsea!)
Bath Bomb Babes
The Bodyshop
Botanical Skin Works
Burt’s Bees
Chi Chi Cosmetics
Dermalogica
Dove – new! hurrah! See their statement here
Dr Roebuck’s
Dr PAWPAW
Iconic London
Illamasqua
LUSH Cosmetics
Mabel & Meg
Makeup Geek
ModelCo
MUA Makeup Academy
Ted Baker
The Honest Company
The Organic Skin Co
The Ordinary

High-Street Vegan and Cruelty-Free makeup

The Body Shop – Vegan and they do NOT test on animals. Everything ‘beauty’ you can think of including make-up, moisturisers, perfume.
B. Cosmetics (look in Superdrug) – Makeup including concealers, foundation, bronzer, primer, brows, blush, mascara, etc.
Barry M – the majority of their products are Vegan. A small number contain beeswax. They do NOT test on animals. Look in Superdrug – they sell a range of makeup including highlighter, foundation, concealer, mascara, primer, eyeshadow, nail varnish, etc.
HUDA Beauty – Most products are vegan. They do NOT test on animals. Products include mascara, eyeshadow, lipsticks, makeup brushes, etc.
GOSH – Some products are vegan and the list is here. They do NOT test on animals.
Dove – cruelty-free – can’t find info relating to if they are vegan
Kat Von D – Vegan and they do NOT test on animals
Optimum – Eye and face creams – check out their products on Superdrug
Revolution Beauty / I Heart Revolution – Cruelty-Free. Not all products are vegan but some are – check out the Vegan section on their website for a full list
Solaite – Sun creams are vegan, see Superdrug’s website for details
Superdrug’s own branding has several vegan products (see their website filter here) – such as body spray, toothpaste, cleansing wipes, hair conditioner, shampoo, beard oil, pre-shampoo treatment, facial spritz and deodorant.
Too Faced – Cruelty-Free. Not all products are vegan but some are – see their vegan-friendly range here which includes the very popular ‘Born This Way’ foundation, mascara, bronzer, eyeliner, primer, etc.
Urban Decay – Vegan and they do NOT test on animals – see their cruelty-free makeup here which includes setting spray, foundation, concealer, mascara, lip gloss, etc.

Toothpaste

The Co-operative sell their own-branded toothpaste – both Vegan and Cruelty-Free
Sainsburys and Tesco sell their own branded Vegan toothpaste (unable to find info if it’s Cruelty-Free too)
Advanced Pro have some toothpaste Vegan and Cruelty-Free

Products I’d recommend

The Body Shop fresh nude foundation
It stays on all day (even on my forehead which is oily) It isn’t heavy but can be if you apply a few coats.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Reviver
I use as a primer before I put my makeup on. It helps my skin look more awake.

Dermalogica clay cleanser (for oily skin)
I use as a facemask but also as a 2/3 times-weekly to give my skin a good clean.

Mabel + Meg Lumilixir Serum
I can’t rate this product highly enough. The company is Vegan & Cruelty-Free. Check out my article where I share the benefits I’ve found

The Ordinary
I bought these 3 beauties from LookFantastic for a HUGE grand total of…. £17.60. Seriously, I paid £17.60 for 3 bottles, all 30ml each. Absolute bargain. I use the Lactic Acid twice a week; and the other 2 I use 1 or 2 drops each before bed. My skin has never looked so fresh or plump.

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 30ml – “a powerful resurfacing treatment that acts as a ten-minute exfoliating facial to revitalise and tone.”
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% Superficial Peeling Formulation 30ml “offers mild exfoliation that transforms the complexion.”
The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane 30ml – “the botanical lipid Squalane is a saturated and stable hydrocarbon that delivers exceptional moisture retention properties and can help prevent transdermal moisture loss”

Thank you to Michelle at BeautyEditor for her awesome review which helped me decide what to buy.

Need to check a brand/product?

First, try finding the company on Peta’s list. If you don’t get any joy, visit the brands’ website or do a Google search “Brand vegan” and I’m sure you’ll get the answer.

Check which brands you use are Cruelty-Free on the Leaping Bunny website.

Making the change

It can be hard changing over to Vegan/Cruelty-free products. It feels like a minefield at first especially if you have certain products you’ve used forever and absolutely love.

Hopefully, this list has helped you understand there’s still a lot to do, and knowledge to share to make more people aware of what they’re putting on their skin.

What should you do if you’ve got products to use up?

My advice would be to use up everything you have. Use this time wisely to get to know the products you’ll replace them with.

Update: 17th February 2020

I’ve been using Aurelia products and absolutely love them. They are of course cruelty-free and some are vegan. One of the products I’ve been using is their botanical cream deodorant which is vegan (hurrah). See the vegetarian/vegan confirmation on the Aurelia website.

Dove are now cruelty-free! Hurrah! I have updated the lists above.

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Tags advice, Beauty, costs, cruelty-free, Make up, Moisturiser, review, The Body Shop, The Ordinary, Tips, vegan

Skincare

How does Birchbox Beauty Box work?

I decided to start trialing Birchbox beauty box after using Look Fantastic’s beauty box for a little while. I was getting fed up of receiving moisturisers and face oils when I hadn’t even used up the ones from the previous month.

There are loads of beauty boxes around but Birchbox has an awesome looking website and that’s why I decided to go with them.

Personalised

They ask for your details when you sign up, such as your skin type, so they can help tailor the products they send you. This is a BIG winner for me – I don’t want moisturiser for sensitive skin because I don’t have it – nor do I want frizz ease hair product because I don’t have frizzy hair. I want products tailored to me.

How does it work?

You buy the box each month and you get 5 products. The products can either be full or a smaller size. For each the products each month, you get these benefits:

10% off full-size products sampled in your current and last months’ boxes (say you get a small size product in your box and use it up, you have time to purchase the full size from their shop and get a discount)
if you buy from their online shop there are usually discounts on other products or freebies to be had – make sure you check the site
if you review each item in your box within a time-frame, you get free delivery on your next box
if you sign up for 6 months you become a VIP which entitles you to more benefits (see below)

For all the benefits, check out here: https://www.birchbox.co.uk/birchbox-benefits

Here’s a photo from the Birchbox website detailing the benefits (there are lots to be had!!)

You get a discount if you review what’s in your box, so the awesomeness of that is because soooo many people have tried the products, there are plenty of reviews to read before you reach for your purse. You can use the site to buy products too even if you aren’t signed up to get the Beauty box.

I’ve had 3 boxes so far and I’ve found a handful of gorgeous products I’d happily buy.

Price

Prices (at time of writing this post) are £10 per month plus £2.95 delivery for each Birchbox. For me this is a no-brainer – you get to try out products you wouldn’t normally; have them delivered to your door; get them tailored to you; get discounts if you find one you love; get other freebies if you review your box. The list of benefits is huge and a big winner as to why I signed up (and stayed) joined up!

I haven’t (unfortunately) been paid or received any goodies for this review. It’s from my own experience so you can believe it’s 100% honest. Whilst that’s 100% true, because I have an account with Birchbox they do ‘recommend a friend’ – sign up using this link and we BOTH get £5 off our box https://www.birchbox.co.uk/invite/5xf1n

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Skincare

Look Fantastic Beauty Box – October 2017

Indulge Me #LFbeautybox

In this month’s beauty box I got 6 products – ranging from ModelCo concealer, firming face oil, to coffee bean body scrub! At only £14.50, it’s an absolute steal… I also got a free handbag-sized Elle magazine, which alone is worth £3-4.

Look Fantastic beauty box - October 2017

In this month’s box…..

Bean Body – coconut coffee body scrub
Ciate wonderwand – mascara
Lancer – the method polish
ModelCo – instant radiance concealer
Monu Skin – firming fiji facial oil
Skimono – beauty mask

Bean Body – coconut coffee body scrub

I’ve used this scrub in the shower (it’s messy) to help reduce my cellulite. It’s made my skin extremely smooth and reduced my cellulite a bit – using it often I hope to massively reduce it.

It’s vegan and cruelty-free as confirmed on their website.

Ciate wonderwand – mascara

Lancer Skincare – the method polish

You use this on your face as a scrub to get rid of dead skin cells. It’s got amazing reviews. I’ve tried it and it’s great for leaving my skin smooth. I unfortunately wouldn’t buy it because it isn’t vegan, as so confirmed on their website (search for “vegan”). They are cruelty-free though (search “cruelty”) in their FAQs.

ModelCo – instant radiance concealer

It’s the wrong colour for me so I was unfortunately unable to test this. I would say it went on my skin smooth and blended well.

I’ve been unable to find it on their website. It does however, say that everything they sell is vegan and cruelty-free.

Monu Skin – firming fiji facial oil

This oil has been amazing for my skin. I don’t use it on my forehead as that’s really oily anyway and I wouldn’t want to make it worse. I put it on overnight and by morning, my skin is super-smooth.

It’s vegan and cruelty-free! Confirmed on their website.

Skimono – beauty mask

Inside the packet was 2 hand masks. They left my hands super smooth. I wouldn’t purchase these as unfortunately I can find no information relating to if they are either vegan or cruelty free on their website, https://skimono.com/pages/faqs.

Where to buy & discounts

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Tags Beauty, concealer, cruelty-free, Look Fantastic, Make up, mascara, mask, Oil, vegan

Skincare

Mabel + Meg Lumilixir Serum review

I first found Mabel + Meg Lumilixir Serum through a beauty blogger on Instagram. She put a few blobs on her makeup brush, along with her foundation, and began sweeping it across her face. It seemed to blend perfectly and gave her a dewy glow. I can’t remember who she was, but she was really happy and posted a fab review (not to mention, a bloody gorgeous selfie).

Now I’m not sure about you, but I always think…. “do you REALLY think that….. or are you being PAID to think that?” so I decided to buy some for myself.

When I looked into and read the reviews, it seems it’s not just a primer. It helps to (from their website):

Plumps and hydrates skin
Smooths complexion
Brightens skin
Paraben free
Oil free & non-comedogenic
Fragrance-free
Absolutely no animal testing (hurrah!)

It’s described as something you can use as part of your morning and evening routine, applied over a cleansed and toned face. You can moisturise beforehand, but you need to wait for it to absorb before applying.

It’s vegan and cruelty-free 😀

Mabel + Meg Lumilixir Serum – How do you use it?

It comes in a bottle with a dropper, so you can control how much you’re using (and it looks really professional). I use 3 drops on my fingers or makeup brush, then rub lightly all over my face. Once done and it’s still slightly wet, I apply my foundation. I use The Body Shop Fresh Nude foundation which glides on amazingly even. I then add concealer & blusher.

What are your results from using it then?

My skin looks fresher and dewy. I have an oily T zone, which has continued to be oily, so it hasn’t helped it (or made worse) It makes my face feel light, clean and brightened. My makeup also stays on all day, which didn’t before using this.

I get spots on my forehead and chin but since started using this, they’ve reduced massively. I still get them, but they’re tiny and not as noticeable. If I do get a breakout of bigger spots, I use this twice a day (once before makeup and once before bed) and the day after, they’re almost nothing.

Let’s get down to brass tax…

The bottles come in 20ml or 30ml, starting from £29 up to £39 for the 30ml. For me this is very expensive – my foundation and concealer comes to £50 so spending this on top makes me think “jeez, is it really worth it?”. So there’s only 1 way to find out…. coughing up £29 for the smaller bottle!

I bought directly from their website, with £4 shipping fees. I’ve since bought it from Cult Beauty where I paid no shipping (over £40 though).

#TipAlert

If you buy from Cult Beauty make sure you first go through Top Cash Back – at the time of writing, “new online customers” can get 8% back. I’ve used it for years and I’ve had thousands back from it. It’s a cashback site – you visit Top Cash Back and find the brand you want to buy from. You click on it and find out what the cash back available is. You usually get a lower % if you’re already an existing customer of that brand. It takes ages to get paid out but you will eventually get it.

This is a screenshot of my Cult Beauty payout of £3.33 in my Top Cash Back account:

#TipAlert

If you choose to buy it from MabelandMeg.com, look out for the popups where you can get 10% off if you sign up for their newsletter.

Is it worth the money??

Honestly….. I’ll continue to buy Mabel + Meg Lumilixir Serum until I need the money elsewhere. £39 is pricey, so I’ll buy as and when – maybe a couple a year. 3 drops a day will last a good month… or 2. I don’t do as per the instructions and apply in the morning and evening – it wouldn’t last as long (unless I have spots, see above!) and I only want it to help glide on makeup. If I wanted it to stretch, I’d go down to 1-2 drops and only use a few times a week, or on nights out.

If you wanted to use it as a moisturiser then applying morning and evenings would be good for improving your complexion quick, even though you’d use it up faster. Even if it lasted a month, a month’s worth of high-quality moisturiser is well worth it.

UPDATE: 9th March 2019

I still use Mabel and Meg to this day. I usually buy in bulk as that’s when you can get the discount. I still use just 2 drops each morning after I’ve moisturised and before my makeup. It keeps my skin looking fresh, helps reduce spots and keeps my makeup on all day. I love it.

UPDATE: 17th February 2020

Yep… still using it. Had a few months off towards the end of 2019 whilst I was using other things (blogs to come; Beauty Pie, Aurelia probiotic to name a few) but I’m back to using this. It really is absolutely amazing at keeping my makeup on all day. I still get spots during my period week (NOTHING has helped with this, argh) but my oily forehead definitely is better after I use this. I still only use 2 small drops per day. I give it 10 mins to settle on my skin before I put make up on. Love this stuff. Don’t forget to find discount codes from my above tips if you decide to buy! Oh one last thing, the price is still the same – no increase!

I haven’t (unfortunately) been paid or received any goodies for this review. It’s from my own experience so you can believe it’s 100% honest.

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Tags acne, Beauty, cruelty-free, Make up, Moisturiser, Oil, primer, review, vegan

Skincare

Look Fantastic Beauty Box – December 2016 #lfxmas

This month’s beauty box cost me £14.50 which is part of a 3-month renewal deal. In the box as well as the products, I got a magazine detailing the benefits of each product and how to use them.

I got 6 items:

Bubble T – “hibiscus & acai berry tea” bath fizzer
Balance Me – daily essentials pure skin face wash
Philip Kingsley – elasticizer
Mellow – ultra matt lipstick
Illamasque – hydra veil hydrating gel
CoQ10 + Caviar – face mask sheet

Bubble T – “hibiscus & acai berry tea” bath fizzer

Balance Me – daily essentials pure skin face wash

Philip Kingsley – elasticizer

Mellow – ultra matt lipstick

Illamasque – hydra veil hydrating gel

CoQ10 + Caviar – face mask sheet

Where to buy & discounts

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Tags beauty box, Illamasque, Look Fantastic, Make up, Pamper, review

Skincare

Patchology Flashpatch Eye Gels for undereye bags review

Patchology comes with 30 pairs of eye patches and a little spoon to help separate them

I’ve been using Patchology Flash Patch eye gels for a while now. They are my morning go-to item for helping me feel and look more awake.

I suffer with undereye bags – the puffy kind. Even though I get enough sleep and don’t drink alcohol, I still wake up looking like a zombie (and a tired one at that). Before I found these Patchology patches, I tried EVERYTHING. Creams, serums, moisturisers, cold tea spoons, tea bags, cucumber – even haemorrhoid cream! Seriously, nothing worked.

I’ve considered surgery but I’m not willing to risk doing that for my sight.

So anyway, on one of my many musings around Instagram, I saw a celeb wearing eye patches and saying how ‘amazing they make me feel and look refreshed, and de-bagged’ so I googled it, and found Patchology.

Patchology comes with 30 pairs of eye patches and a little spoon to help separate them

What’s the price?

Between £40-£50

I know I know, pretty expensive. But these are your EYES, and it’s how it makes you feel. I’ve spent hundreds on shoes and bags, so what’s a few £’s towards something that’s on my FACE? My face is on show 100% of the time, so if I could spend a lot of money on a bag, why not on my face? (Yep… this is my – quite frankly – bloody brilliant justification to myself every month)

How do I use them?

The instructions say to leave them on for 5 minutes. I leave them on for about 15 minutes. I use them in a morning whilst getting ready for work. I wash my face, then pop them on. I keep them in the fridge too; that extra coldness helps to soothe and reduce the size of blood vessels – also helping reduce bags and dark circles.

I carry on about my business with them on; they don’t fall off. After 10 mins the serum has dried, so they are easily peeled off. I wipe my eyes with a wet wipe afterwards, just to remove any leftover serum. I then apply my potions (moisturisers, primier) and makeup, and away I go.

C’mon Rach – Do they work?

YES – absolutely.

They don’t reduce my puffiness – my bags aren’t water which is what these patches help mainly – but they make my eyes feel refreshed and awake. They make me FEEL much better and more confident about myself. I use them every day, and have done for over a year. Unless a magical fairy makes an appearance and waves her magical de-puffing wand, I’ll be using these forever.

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Tags Beauty, Eyes, Make up