Affordable

Discovering New Beauty Brands in 2016

- Vicki 3 Comments
Trying New Beauty Brands

For me 2016 was the year of trying out brands and products I’d never used before. I was not only introduced to brands I had never heard of before but also given the chance to test out products that had been on my wish list for a while.

A few didn’t live up to expectations but I’m pleased to say most of them have become firm favourites. I thought I would share some of the ones that stood out to me. I am very much looking forward to trying more new brands this year and have a few on my radar already.

Pureology Haircare

Pureology Haircare

I had wanted to try this brand for the longest time as I’d only heard positive reviews from bloggers whose opinions I really trust. I was thrilled that the FULFYL haircare system that I tried out lived up to my expectations and my Mum even went out and purchased it for herself too. This particular range is formulated for colour treated hair and it protects your colour from fading whilst keeping your hair strong, nourished and looking super glossy. I am obsessed with it and the hair colour I used on my hair this year stayed vibrant for the longest time, I 100% put it down to using this trio.

NIOD Skincare

NIOD

Again I was excited to try this brand and I have to say its one of my favourite skincare discoveries of 2016. NIOD are a relatively new brand to the market but don’t overlook them on that count, they’re a brand that are pushing the envelope of ingredients and producing products that are fuss free, effective and pretty damn cool. Everything from their production & packaging right down to the products themselves are progressive. I have tried out a couple of their offerings this year but this Mud Mask has changed my life – well my skin. It has restored my skins radiance and I’ve certainly had fewer blemishes which pleases me greatly. I will be purchasing a lot more from them in 2017 and also trying a few products from their sister company The Ordinary.

Mac Palette Dupe

W7 Summer Nights Eyeshadow Palette

This is a budget brand that has always intrigued me, they are quite renowned for producing dupes and when I saw this MAC Burgundy Times Nine Palette dupe on MissMakeupMagpie blog I knew I had to try it. I love neutral palettes and this 9 pan palette has become a firm favourite. I’ve used it so much these past few months and if you are able to track it down (its like gold dust) then I urge you to snap it up. Its super pigmented, wearable and affordable, what more do you want!?

BRYT Skincare

BRYT Skincare 

This was a new British skincare company that I was introduced to this year but they mainly cater for younger skin and I’m certainly not in that bracket anymore. Nevertheless their skincare is gentle and although rich its not greasy or too heavy. I did enjoy trying out these three products, but I need something that offers more lift, tightening and hydration. BRYT seem to be ticking all the boxes when is comes to delivering affordable, ethical and botanical premium skincare. So if you’re under 25 then make sure you check them out. How cute and bright is their packaging too!

Skin Chemist Snail Serum Skincare

skinChemists Skincare 

This is quite a luxury brand which has a very modern minimal feel to its branding and packaging. I have enjoyed the products I have tried from them, especially the snail eye cream which I thought was very gentle and nourishing. It was very lightweight and felt cooling around my eye area, also my concealer applied so well over this. I have been using a few products from their Caviar range too but It’s still early days, so keep an eye out for a full review soon.

Ooh! Oils Cacay Facial Oil

Ooh! Oils of Heaven 

I adore using facial oils and love how versatile they are, these two from Ooh! have been a pleasure to use. The Cacay Oil was my favourite of the two and I mostly use this as part of my evening skincare routine but I do mix a little with my serum during the day of my skin is looking lacklustre. It helps to keep my skin looking radiant and hydrated and is great at reducing scaring and uneven skint one. This particular Oil has a high content of vitamin A, vitamin E and Linoleic Acid (omega-6) which have effective results in skincare.

Blank Canvas Cosmetics Eyeshadow Palette-One-

Blank Canvas Cosmetics

Another brand I had never heard of before trying this palette but I have learnt that they have a huge following, especially in Ireland which is where this brand is from. They produce high quality makeup brushes and also a range of makeup products. The eyeshadow palette didn’t completely WOW me but I did like quite a few of the shades and think they are a brand to keep an eye on. The double ended brush that came with the palette was incredible quality and Its made me want to try a few more from their huge range.

What brands did you try for the first time in 2016, any firm favourites that you would recommend?

Aldi Lacura Caviar Skincare

- Vicki 5 Comments
Aldi Lacura Caviar Skincare

Aldi Lacura Caviar Skincare

When Aldi first released its eagerly awaited Caviar skincare range it sold out almost immediately which isn’t surprising after all the rave reviews it received, from the likes of Good Housekeeping to the Guardian. I have tried a few skincare products from budget-friendly supermarket Aldi and I have to say they have always impressed me. I love to find purse friendly alternatives that work.

So the Lacura Caviar range has ingredients that you expect to find in more expensive brands but Aldi are known for bringing affordable alternatives to the masses and they hit the headlines with this range. The key ingredients that everyone’s talking about are

Caviar – This ingredient is known to revitalise and promote regeneration and collagen production. As well as protecting skin from environmental aggressors.

Snow Algae – This ingredient is known to help restore your skins natural glow and increase hydration

Affordable Aldi Caviar Skincare

Lacura Caviar Illumination Day Cream SPF15* £6.99

This moisturiser isn’t lightweight as I hoped but it doesn’t feel greasy on the skin, I like to take a minute to massage it into my skin and I don’t use too much product. It has a generic cream scent which isn’t unpleasant or overpowering. The cream feels very hydrating and leaves my skin soft. I like that it contains SPF15 UVA & UVB protection as well as Hyaluronic Acid which has become such a popular and sought-after ingredient in skincare because of it ability to help skin retain moisture, it’s also good at protecting skin from environmental aggressors. It contains the two ingredients mentioned above, Caviar & Snow Algae so for a very affordable price you’re getting an ingredient rich moisturiser. I can see why this flies off the shelves and has become so popular.

Alsi Caviar Moisturising Day Cream

Lacura Caviar Illumination Night Cream* £6.99

This has a similar texture and scent to the day cream, it’s slightly creamier in colour. This has been a really lovely night cream and it leaves your skin feeling supple, hydrated and smooth by morning. It contains mostly the same key ingredients as the Caviar day cream but it also has Pro-Vitamin B5 which helps soothe and repair skin, so by morning your skin is looking and feeling a little better. Again this night cream contains that sought-after Caviar, Snow Algae and Hyaluronic Acid so if you use both the day & night cream in your routine you’re giving your skin a real boost of hydration and nourish your skin so it looks more radiant.

Aldi Lacura Caviar Night Cream

The packaging of both products feel luxurious, the pots are glass which is quite weighty with silver plastic lids. The design looks simple and a lot more expensive than they are. Yes, I’m very impressed with this range, I wasn’t expecting much but they’re as good as many of my more expensive products. I will be recommending it to my mum, I think she will really like the night cream especially.

I think this duo is pretty fantastic and the price point just makes it all the more incredible. People with oil-prone skin may find the day cream a little heavy but I would recommend trying these out and for the price, I think you will be surprised at the positive results.

Let me know what your favourite affordable skincare products are.

Lacura Caviar Skincare is available in Aldi stores nationwide.

*PR Sample

Ted Baker – Sugar Sweet Collection

- Vicki 3 Comments
Ted Baker Body Spray & Body Wash

Ted Baker Body Spray & Body Wash

Ted Baker has given their indulgent bath and body collection a Spring makeover and also introduced a few new editions with the gorgeous Sugar Sweet Collection. This collection depicts one of Ted Bakers most iconic floral prints which is set against a backdrop of soft mint or pretty pink. Both collections look luxurious but true to Ted Baker they’re affordable and ideal for everyday use.

I have two of the Soft Floral Pink products from the Sugar Sweet Collection and I’ve been testing them out for a couple of weeks. Ted Baker describes it as,

Entwines the soft floral notes of jasmine & neroli, while the base of patchouli, sandalwood and musk completes the scent. 

Ted Baker Ladies Body Spray

Ted Baker Pink Body Spray* £7

I had to look twice at the price because this is just the most beautifully packaged spring/summer scent. It’s just gorgeous, it has a cream & rose gold lid which had the letter T engraved on the top whilst the pink toned plastic travel-friendly bottle has almost a diamond prism cutout base. So feminine and amazingly affordable. I have been spritzing this since it landed on my doorstep last week. It is a body spray so it is lightweight and won’t be a scent that will last from morning to night but it is ideal for popping in your handbag and spritzing on the go, its the perfect daytime scent. I’m very very impressed.

Ted Baker - Beautiful Packaging

Ted Baker Pink Body Wash* £8

Which comes beautifully packaged in a large pink squeeze tube with a pretty floral print, like the body spray this has rose gold touches with the letter T embossed at the top and a rose gold lid. Its a simple touch but it makes it look so much more luxurious and its why I love Ted Baker products, their attention to detail is spot on and you always feel like you’re getting such a treat. This perfumed body wash is a shower must have & it not only leaves your skin feeling soft & clean but also with a pretty subtle scent of jasmine & patchouli, which have to be two of my favourite scents.

Ted Baker Sugar Sweet Collection

The Sugar Sweet Collection has something for everyone and if you’re looking for an affordable but beautiful gift then make sure you check it out because I think you will be very impressed.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However, if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Essence Cheek Products

- Vicki 8 Comments
Essence Makeup

I’m quite familiar with Essence makeup as I lived in Germany for a number of years, where it is a very popular affordable brand. It has a huge following in Europe and since they first launched a couple of years ago in the UK they have created quite a buzz. Essence are known for having very on trend collections and as I said a very affordable price point. I have written about their UK launch if you’d like to read about it.

I thought I would share with you 3 of my current favourite products.

Essence Makeup

These three powder cheek products from Essence are all gorgeous, I have two blushers and one bronzer to share with you and they’re all perfect for creating Summer makeup looks. Let me know which one is your favourite of the three.

Essence Blush in HeatwaveEssence Blush in Heat Wave

First up is Blush Up in Heat Wave £3.50 which is just the most gorgeous peachy pink, I love that this blusher has a ombre gradient effect and you get 3 different shades going from a stunning orange to a pretty pink. You can either swirl your brush to pick up all three shades or delicately sweep your brush down one shade to pick up that specific colour. I think the colours are pretty either way they’re pigmented and blend nicely too. Not too powdery or chalky and all three colours are matte so no shimmer in this at all.

Essence Blush in Pinky FlowPinky Flow Blusher

Another of the Blush up Blushers in Pinky Flow £3.50 has the same beautiful ombre gradient effect as Heat Wave but this one is a trio of pink shades from a deep pink to a light soft pink. Pinks blushers are always a favourite of mine and this one doesn’t disappoint, this really brightens up my makeup look and gives my skin a gorgeous healthy flush. This lasts about 6 hours on me, so I think a good amount of time & as with the previous blush its easy to blend and nicely pigmented. I am a huge fan of these two blushers & I like the packaging, its clear & simple and the product looks really pretty too.

There is no shimmer in this blush either but the lightest shade of pink does give a highlighting effect on the cheek, which looks really flattering.

Essence Bronzer in Sun GlowEssence Sun Glow Bronzer

Lastly, the All in One Sun Glow Bronzer* gives you that healthy sun kissed illuminating glow. It has such a lovely mix of shades and it also has some shimmer in it too which I like & its not too OTT just a hint. This bronzer gives a subtle warmth to your skin and is the perfect way to pretend you have been on a Summer holiday without leaving the country. I have also used these individual shades as eyeshadows & they work really well, especially for a bronze smokey eye.

Essence can be found online at www.wilko.com & in a selection of their shops.

Let me know if you have tried anything from Essence and have any recommendations for me.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.