The Body Shop

The Body Shop Vegan Makeup Brushes

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The Body Shop Vegan Brushes

The Body Shop Vegan Brushes

The Body Shop are very well known for being a great quality, affordable Cruelty Free brand and I am excited to say, they’ve recently added a fantastic range of 9 Vegan Makeup Bushes to their range. I’ve been trying them out for a couple of months now and have a few favourites I would like to tell you about.

All the brushes I’ve tried from this range are so soft and the synthetic bristles wash up beautifully. Their dark handles are made from sustainably sourced FSC wood, which is great to hear. The look and feel luxurious and like they’ve been made well. I didn’t experience any major shedding, just the odd bristle here and there but that is too be expected. My only gripe with the aesthetics of the brushes is that the name of the brush isn’t printed on them anywhere. So I’m not 100% sure if I’m getting their names correct in this post but I will do my best to identify them.

Slanted Blusher Brush

This is quite a long bristled angled blusher brush, it is quite dense but there is still enough flexibility and movement to allow you to apply your blusher with a light hand with accuracy. It doesn’t pick up too much product and I like that it isn’t too big so its soft angled bristles sweep the colour across your cheek giving you colour where you need it. I didn’t think using angled brush to apply my blusher, bronzer and highlight would make such a difference but the shape it perfect for the job!

Buffing Brush

I do like a makeup sponge to apply my foundation when I am going for a fuller coverage but for everyday my goto is a buffing brush. I like that this is a small dense brush and I also like the way you can get an even, flawless but natural coverage and it is small enough to apply product around your nose and under your eye too. I have used this brush almost daily and I love it.

Flat Shader Brush 

This is a really great brush to have in your collection. It has very short dense bristles and I use it to smudge shadow / liner on both my upper and lower lash line and also pack colour on to my lid. It is a useful brush and one I get a lot of use from.

The Body Shop Vegan Makeup Brushes

Eyeshadow Crease Brush 

You can never own too many eyeshadow brushes, that is my motto. This is a lovely soft, flexible brush that allows you to apply and bland out your crease colour. It fits nicely in the crease of your eye and its soft bristles do a fantastic job softening out your eyeshadow and giving you that nicely blended look. 100% a brush you need to have in your collection.

Point Highlighter Brush

When it comes to applying highlighter for me the fear is that I go OTT and end up with a DISCO Ball effect on my cheek bone. What I found with this tapered brush is that it allows you to place the product accurately and also blend it out with ease. It is also fluffy and soft so you don’t pick up too much product and it is easy to sweep across the cheek. I have heard people say that it is also good for contouring, especially nose contouring.

New Vegan Friendly Makeup Brushes

Fan Brush

Not a brush I would say your NEED in your collection but if you like your highlighter to be more on the subtle side then this brush is for you. It looks pretty and fancy but it is also practical.

Contouring Brush

I must admit I’m not overly into contouring not because I don’t like it but more for the fact I’m terrible at doing it. That said, I do appreciate that this trend can really slim down the face and give definition and the illusion of cheekbones. I have been upping my contour game since this contouring brush came into my life. It has short dense bristles that are angled in a way that allows you to apply your contour fuss free and quite precisely. It is also good at blending so you don’t get that dreaded stipe effect and it works very well with both powder and liquid products.

Vegan Makeup Brushes From The Body Shop

Eye Liner Brush 

Out of the selection of brushes I have this is the brush I have used the least, that is only because I don’t have a gel liner in my collection at the moment. This brush is very fine and feels like it would give you great precision, applying the product close to the lash line. I do like my eyeliner to be winged and neat and over the years I have come to realise that using a brush can be the best way to achieve this. I am looking forward to using it when I can.

I hope The Body Shop add more brushes to this Vegan collection as there are a few brushes that it is missing. Overall I am very impressed with the quality of these brushes and I know I will get a lot of use from them.

What are your most used makeup brushes in your collection & will you be treating yourself to any brushes in this new Vegan range?

*This post contains PR Samples

Favourite Summer Products 2015

- Vicki 3 Comments

Four Summer Favourites

Clinique Super City Block SPF40 £18.00

As many of you will know I use a facial SPF on a daily basis and have a couple that I really like (La Roche Posay Anthlios & Balance Me) but I have wanted to try this City Block from Clinique for such a long time. This gives your skin a high level of protection against UVA & UVB rays as well as being oil free, so it is ticking all the boxes for me. Its also a great primer for your makeup because its oil free and won’t slide off your face in the heat and my makeup sits so well on top. The cream does have a tint to it but once applied to the skin its adapts to your skin tone and makes your skin look and feel hydrated. Its not just an effective broad spectrum SPF but it also has many antioxidants which protect your skin from environmental damage and help boost sun protection.

I like that its not heavy or greasy but it does give the skin a dewy finish. If this isn’t your thing you can lightly powder after you have finished your makeup & it will help it look less dewy (which is what I have been doing most days). I have been using it daily and haven’t had a reaction to it or a breakout which is good. I think one of the things that most impressed me about this product was the price, at £18.00 I think it is a bargain, you get 40ml of product which is going to last you a good few months. I have been recommending this to friends and family and really think its one of my favourite discoveries of 2015.

Olivine Atelier Love + Roses Beauty Mist £12.95

I have the smaller 2oz bottle & its just so cute! It is a glass bottle and the design is so sleek and pretty. This Beauty Mist has a really pretty floral scent which is refreshing and uplifting, its so nice to have sat on your desk to use when you feel a little tired or in need of a boost of hydration. This isn’t just a run of the mill face spray Olivine Atelier have included lots of ingredients that will help hydrate, soothe and combat the signs of aging. Its quite incredible & includes,

  • Rosa Damascena Flower Water & Rosa Damascena Flower Oil: known to refine and renew skin at the cellular level, with powerful anti-inflammatory action
  • Cassia Augustifolia Seed Polysaccharide: mimics hyaluronic acid to retain water on the surface of the skin and hair
  • Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract: a powerhouse adaptogenic herb that protects skin and hair from environmental damage, minimises fine lines and wrinkles, and assists with stress and fatigue management
  • Moringa Seed Extract: a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that promotes collagen production, supports skin firmness, and boosts the immune system
  • Andean Orchid Flower essence promotes youthful vitality and cellular regeneration
  • Rose Quartz essence + other precious gems: for soul-affirming aromatherapy, the revitalising and uplifting powers of self-love, confidence, grace, beauty and self-esteem

I’ve had my bottle for almost 4 months now and Its almost empty, although I’ve been using it most days so I think It has lasted a good amount of time but in future I will be buying the larger 8oz size because its now a staple in my beauty routine & I think I need a bigger bottle!

The Body Shop Italian Fig Fragrance Mist £8.50

This is part of a new collection from The Body Shop and I love it, the scent is so fresh and for a body mist it has very good staying power, I can smell it for hours after I’ve sprayed it. For me Fig is just such a unique scent and it smells sophisticated and complex. Its quite a strong scent and I like that, its not for everyone but for me its just such a refreshing and pretty scent.

I have tried quite a few of The Body Shop Mists & they’re amazing quality for the price. I would love to try the EDT from the same range. What are your favourite products from The Body Shop?

& Other Stories Fig Fiction Body Lotion £7.00

The scent of this body lotion is so good & much like The Body Shop Italian Fig range but a little sweeter. This is my 3rd bottle and I will continue to repurchase over and over.Its a great size and the pump makes it so easy to get the product out. It smells luxurious and the cream makes my skin feel smooth and hydrated. I often use it as a hand cream too because its so hydrating and not at all greasy. I really like the simple packaging style, its one of the reasons I like & Other Stories products so much.

3 Morning Must Have Products

- Vicki 8 Comments
My Morning Must Have Products

My Morning Must Have Products

The Body Shop Vitamin E Toner 

I like using a toner and it is a skincare step I rarely miss. I find using a toner helps hydrate my skin and just ensures you’ve removed every trace of dirt after cleansing. The Vitamin E range from The Body Shop is one of my favourites & one that I have used for years on and off. It’s a range that refreshes the skin and keeps it hydrated. The Toner lasts for ages and I use it morning and night, it never leaves my skin feeling tight or stripped but makes it feel smooth, clean and soft.

Batiste Strength & Shine Dry Shampoo

I use this on 3rd-day hair so I can stretch out for another day & this absorbs the oil and leaves my hair looking clean and feeling lightweight and fresh. It can leave a white cast but I do blow dry my hair after I use it so that tends to get rid of the powder residue. I need hardly any of this & a bottle lasts me at least 5 weeks. I’m not sure this adds shine to my hair but it stops it looking greasy & that’s good enough for me. I love my hair to look a little lived in (my mum would say scruffy) and dry shampoo creates that textured messy look & it also helps add volume too. Let me know what your favourite dry shampoo is.

Origins No Puffery Cooling Roll on for Puffy Eyes*

Oh, this is a godsend for those early mornings, I love applying this to my tired eyes. It feels refreshing, cooling and hydrating and helps you look more awake by de-puffing and soothing your under eye bags. It has a handy metal roller ball applicator that helps the gel glide on & if you keep this in the fridge the metal is cold against your skin. It helps cool and massages your under eyes, getting the blood flowing to get rid of those pesky bags. I apply this before my eye cream & let is work its magic for a couple of minutes and it leaves the area smooth and looking fresh. I’m not the only fan of this as it recently won Best Eye De-Puffer at the Instyle Best Beauty Buys 2015.

Let me know what products you can’t live without in the morning.

Products that are marked with a * 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.

The Body Shop Expert Brush Collection

- Vicki 7 Comments

The Body Shop Brushes

I was lucky enough to win this Expert Brush Collection on the lovely Carrie’s blog. I have tried a couple of brushes from The Body Shop in the past and been impressed by the quality of them, no shedding, they wash nicely and they are very soft. This set of brushes are very soft too and I’m so happy that there is a Foundation Brush in there as my beloved Real Techniques Stippling Brush broke a few weeks ago & I have been struggling to find a brush that applies foundation as well. So I’m going to put this brush to the test & hope it gives me a flawless look, I like to really buff my foundation in.

The Body Shop Makeup Brushes

This Expert Brush Collection has 5 brushes & they are Concealer, Eyeshadow, Foundation , Blusher and Face & Body Brush. So they have everything covered (apart from a brow/eyeliner brush). These are all brushes I will use in my routines and think the Foundation & Blusher Brush will be getting a lot of use.

Let me know if you have used any makeup brushes from The Body Shop & if so what would you recommend.