Summary for 2015 - Cosmetics

<this post has been written on my mobile and will be formatted better when I get to my PC>

I love make up.  I enjoy playing with colours and the way it makes me feel good.  Last year, I tried to make more ethical choices with my cosmetics.  With a tight budget it was difficult to choose what to try as nowhere locally stocks these products to see before you buy.  

JANE IREDALE 

Thanks to Skin Maze I was able to buy samples of the products to see what I though before buying a full size.  I haven't been disappointed by anything I have tried.  

I have tried: 

* Glow Time BB cream (shade 1 & 3) 

* Pure Pressed Bare Mineral (shade Ivory) 

* Just Kissed Cheek & Lip stain (shade Forever Pink, Forever Peach, Forever Red)

* Honey Bronze 

Glow Time is my main foundation now.  Sometimes I use a little as concealer or a full face.  I did find my shade is right between 1 & 3 but they don't do a number 2 so I mix them both together in an old Lily Lolo foundation pot.  

I love the lip & cheek stain.  I was looking for something to replace my Benefit Benetint and this is even better.  This stain is hydrating, lasts well (no reapplying) and gives a gorgeous soft shade that is unique to you.  Peach is my favourite and once I've bought more ill do a full review on all three shades.  

LILY LOLO

Lily Lolo was the first mineral foundation I bought and first natural cosmetic brand.  

I have tried: 

* Mineral Foundation (shade Porecelain) 

* Finishing Powder (shade Flawless Matt)

This brand is so affordable.  The pots have screw top lids so they won't leak when travelling. The pots are reusable.  I've used them to mix my Jane Iredale BB shades, to store a lock of my sons hair and for stashing some hair accessories.  You can buy samples of shades from them direct or from Lucy Rose.  

I'm hoping to try their BB cream as I found the powder a bit drying for me.  The also have two eye shadow pallette stage I've been eyeing up for months.  

ERE PEREZ 

After my terrible experience with BWC I was determind to find a good organic waterproof mascara.  My search took me to Australia.  

I tried: 

* volumizing Waterproof mascara (black) 

* Natural Almond Oil mascara (black)

* Rich Olive Oil lipstick (high tea) 

* Oat Milk foundation (light)

* Oat Milk foundation (medium) 

The waterproof mascara has been great and I use it every week when I go swimming with my son.  It also survived the tears at my Gran's funeral.  I've been using it for 6 months without irritation.  I have found that it can smudge if I'm wearing my BB cream without powder so I usually add a bit of powder around my eyes if I'm wearing that. I wouldn't say I noticed it adding much volume but I bought it more for its underwater effectiveness.  

The other mascara was actually a gift for my best friend who has very sensitive eyes and can't wear mascara.  She was really pleased with it and now wears it for nights out and dates.  

The lipstick was a free sample.  At first I wasn't keen and found it drying as i usually wear balms but I have grown to like it and it's a really good neutral day colour.  

The foundation was a sample I purchased from Flora & Fauna as I loved what I read about it.  However, their idea of light was too dark for me. So, I didn't even need to try medium.  

ZOYA 

I wanted to try an organic nail varnish and this brand had good reviews and was a reasonable price.

I have tried:

* Nail Polish (shade Elodie) 

I was impressed how nice this looked and lasted without a base or top coat.  It didn't chip for about 3 days.  

I'm encouraged to try more natural polishes as they are just as good as conventional polishes but without the nasties.  I bought mine from Naturismo.

I have Sparituals protein basecoat and some shades on my Lucy Rose wish list.

100 PERCENT PURE

I took advantage of its Black Friday deal to get two lip and cheek tints for just £7.  I liked the idea of the products using fruit extracts but couldn't find many reviews.  

I tried: 

* lip & cheek stain (cranberry glow) 

* lip & cheek stain (pink grapefruit) 

I kept the cranberry one and gifted the grapefruit to a friend.  

The chubby stick is too big to apply directly to your lips so I ended up rubbing it onto my finger and then onto my lips.  My cheeks I applied it to directly and then smudged with my finger.  The product lasted a good while and wasn't too drying.  

The cranberry gives that flushed cherry colour you get when you've just been kissed or come in from outdoors after a brisk walk on a cold winters day.  

I wasn't in love with this product enough to purchase again at full price but the brand is good quality and I'd be interested in trying more.  They have beauty sets where you can get a lot of products to create a look at a subsidised price.  

FIGS & ROUGE

I discovered this brand when hunting for a good hand cream for my dry winter hands.  On Naturismo, I spotted their lip balm on sale.  I bought the hand cream from Feel Unique. 

I tried: 

* Tinted lip balm (mocha orange) 

* hand cream (vanilla) 

The lip balm squeezes out the tube like a gel tooth paste.  You can't apply it directly to your lips.  You need to use your finger to smudge it in which then leaves you with a sticky finger.  It does have a lovely subtle orange taste and sparkle.  

The hand cream is very moisturising.  It feels like my skin is drinking water.  It's refreshing but not wet.  It dries quickly but doesn't dry out my skin.  The product is amazing.  My only gripe is that the scent is too sweet.  I love vanilla but this is too sweet like ice cream and makes me crazy hungry.  

Performance wise both products have rescued my dry hands and lips from the cold and made my winter much more enjoyable.  I will buy both again but I'll try a different scent...

PIXI

This is not an organic brand and I bought it believing it was - whoops, I strayed. 

I have tried: 

* concealing concerntrate (shade Adaptable Beige) 

*. Mesmerising mineral pallette (shade Emerald Gold)

* endless silly eye pen (shade black noir)

* tinted brilliance balm (shade rosy red, unique pink) 

I bought the pallette and rosy red balm myself but the other products were a free gift from either Cult Beauty or Beauty Bay.  

The eye shadows are perfect colours for redheads.  The unique pink was a gorgeous colour that was individual to each person but sadly no longer appears on their website.  The concealer was too orange for my pale skin.  I love the eye liner, it was so soft and creamy.  The rosy red was a lovely bright red, not a natural shade.  

BEAUTY WITHOUT CRUELTY 

I ordered this brand because I was looking for a waterproof mascara and a concealer.  The make up was very affordable and I purchased it from Animal Aid so got to support a good cause too.  

I tried:

* waterproof mascara (black)

* liquid foundation (sheer)

NOT IN STOCK:

* concealer - chubby pencil (fair)

Sadly, the chubby pencil was out of stock but Animal Aid had excellent communication and customer service and my money was promptly refunded.  

The mascara was in a cellophane wrapper and I had to break the seal to open it so I could tell it had not been opened before.  Unfortunately the fluid had dried up and it was like applying crumbly dust to my lashes.  I was so disappointed.  My much didn't improve with the foundation - the shade sheer lived up to its name.  It should be called tinted moisturiser because it had no effect at all at evening my skin tone - it looked as if I was wearing nothing and not in a beautifully natural flawless way. 

Since my dissappointing experience with this brand I have not bought any more product from them and have no wish to do so. 

VERDICT

At first organic products seemed like a gamble because there is no way to test them out but I've found some helpful online companies that have helped me identify the products that are right for me.  I shall do a post soon reviewing the online shops I have used.  

At first I thought the change would be expensive but I've replaced things gradually and done my research and mostly I've been impressed with what I've found.  

Here comes the long lust list for cosmetics for 2016:

This year, I hope to try more Jane Iredale and have my eye on their spf face powder and facial mists.  I really would like to get some organic eye shadows and like the look of both the Lily Lolo palletes and their shade witchypoo.  I like the Bellapiere palletes on Naturismo too. I have long list of products I want by brand Pacifica - I may have to get one of their collections but currently they only seem to be available on their American website.  I will probably start with their waterproof mascara and eyeliner and see if it beats importing Ere Perez (it's a long wait to be shipped in from Australia). I need to get better at doing my nails so I'm desperate to buy the Sparitual protein top & base coat and some pretty polish colours but I struggle to choose shades. I also liked Kure but they are very expensive so keeping my eye out for a sale.  RMS illuminzer is £30 so it's always in my basket but never makes it to checkout because I that's my whole budget gone on one item.  I've tried lots of Vapour samples and never been disappointed - their primer, foundationd and concealer were a close second to Jane Iredales BB Cream.  Ilia has some lovely looking kits for lips and eyes that I'm hoping to treat myself to, one day...

<this post has been written on my mobile and will be formatted better when I get to my PC>

Lyonsleaf

I hit upon this brand by accident whilst browsing an online store and decided to google them to find out more.  I was really pleased they offered an affordable tester.  Everyone's skin is unique so although reviews can help, nothing beats trying it out for yourself.  

It also ticked all my boxes: 

* all natural 

* cruelty free 

* affordable 

* british (it's nice to support a local business, plus my product doesn't travel as far so there's less pollution) 

The last test was whether it is good quality.  Affordable and quality don't often go hand in hand - you tend to get what you paid for.  For just £1.99 it sounded like an invitation to try it out for myself.  

I was interested in the cleansing balm but decided to purchase all the samples.  I got:

* cleansing balm = £1.99 

* moisturising cream = £1.99 

* body butter = £1.99 

Postage and packaging was £1.15 

My order arrived promptly.  I really liked the travel friendly mini tins.  These would be perfect for holiday and look adorable. The lids are easy to get off and seem to stay on well too.  

They also sent a leaflet all about how their product is sourced and why all natural is better value for money than organic products that often contain a high percentage of water.  

CLEANSING BALM 

I massaged this onto my skin and then used a hot flannel to remove it.  There is no need to moisturise afterwards.  The product looked hard but was actually very soft and easy to apply. 

CONS:  I felt odd not using a moisturiser so applied the cream afterwards.  

PROS:  It didn't dry out my skin or cause new breakouts.  The scent isn't very strong.  

The sample lasted about 3 weeks so would be ideal for holidays.  

VERDICT:  This is a good quality affordable product.  You can't lose.  I would buy again.  

CALENDULA CREAM 

I applied this to my face, neck and de collage after cleansing. I also applied it to dry spots and those pesky hormonal breakouts.  I rubbed my finger over the solid product and it turns into an oil that's easy to run in.  

The product has a multiple of uses - an everything cream.  It has claimed to help skin conditions like psorasis and eczema.

CONS:  If it gets in you hair, your hair looks oily.  

PROS:  Helped heal spots faster.  Good at keeping dry skin hydrated.  Gentle scent.  I rubbed leftover product into my hands - my nails and cuticles love it.  

VERDICT:  my favourite out of the free. I would buy this again but waiting for my sample to run out.  

The sample is the perfect handbag size.  

BODY BUTTER 

This has a very similar consistency to the others but was the hardest out of the three. I scraped the product out and warmed it my hands before rubbing on my body.  I used it everywhere but my face.  

CONS:  it takes ages to apply to your body because you can only scrap a little out at a time.  

PROS:  My skin wasn't irritated by it and it was moisturising.  Same gentle smell.  

VERDICT:  I wouldn't by the butter again. It took me too long to apply after my bath/shower - I get cold quickly so need a fast application.  It works but it's not for me.  

OVERALL 

These samples were very impressive.  They are beautifully packaged and you can tell the brand take pride in producing a product that is ethical, green and works.  

These are perfect for travel, as well as testing, you get a decent amount in the tins.   

Give them a go, you won't be disappointed and it won't break the bank.  

CHRISTMAS

They'd also make cute stocking fillers for a natural beauty lover.  In addition, they do gift sets where you can buy their products at a discounted price.  

Tarte vs Jane Iredale

I've been lusting after Tarte cosmetics for a while but they are difficult to buy in the UK.  In addition, Tarte Cosmetics official website does not ship to the UK (USA, PR and Canada only).  The only option appeared to be QVC. 

QVC don't do samples and had a limited choice of shades (none of the pale shades).  I found a seller on eBay who sold 2ml samples for £3.90.  I ordered the shade Fair Sand.  I feel its a tad too dark and yellow for me.  I planned to order Fair Beige or Ivory come pay day.  

Whilst waiting, I discovered Rose Beauty Store.  This store is online, the office is located in the USA but  supply a UK distributor that uses DHL (so you don't pay import fees).  They charge £1.49 per sample and £2.00 shipping.  One sample would cost £3.49 and two samples would be just £4.98.  Www.rosebeautystore.com is worth checking out. Their prices are reasonable and they have an excellent range of some difficult to get products.  

At the same time as ordering from ebay, I ordered a sample of Jane Iredales Glowtime BB cream in shade Fair BB1 from Skin Maze.  This is an award winning salon in Dorset that you can visit for treatments.  They stock the full Jane Iredale range and offer a sample service. This sample cost £2.50 and free shipping.  The sample arrived with a generous amount of product.  I have used it to do a full face and thought it looked great and felt good on. 

Sample Jane Iredale Glowtime in Fair BB1 purchaser from Skin Maze.  Sample Tarte Foundation in Fair Sand purchaser from eBay but similar can be purchased from Rose Beauty Store for less money.

The BB cream feels more moisturising and smooth.  Tarte felt thicker and drier but not in a nasty way. 

Top is Jane Iredale BB cream and bottom is Tarte Foundation.  The BB cream is lighter and has a pink tone.  Tarte is darker and has a yellow tone.  

The both deliver a good full coverage and blend reasonably well.  When I applied the BB to my face, I used my blender sponge and it looked smoother.  They both seemed to melt into my skin as they warned up.  

TARTE FOUNDATION VERDICT (£36.99 at Roses Beauty Store)

This shade is to yellow for me.  I might order Ivory or Fair Beige to see if they are better matches as I love the fact this is made from clay from the Amazon rain forest that has been untouched by pollution.  Doesn't that sound beautiful?  I do like how the product feels on my skin.  The product has an spf 15.  

JANE IREDALE BB VERDICT (£32.50 at Skin Maze) 

I honestly thought this would be too dark - like nearly everything that claims to be light.  When I first put it on, it was too light.  However, give it a few seconds to adjust and it looks perfect.  It feels so good on my skin - it gives that feeling that your skin will be better for wearing it which is the result of a good BB cream.  

It has an SPF 25 which is great protection for skin that easily burns. Seven of the Jane Iredale products have won the Skin Cancer Foundation seal of approval and this is one of those award winners.  I've had my eye on their "powder me spf dry sunscreen".  If I couldn't find a good foundation with spf I was going to buy the sunscreen as a finishing powder to give me the protection I need.  

It claims it can also be used as a concealer but I'm not yet convinced - i think if I had a bad blemish, I'd still want the reassurance of a strong concealer.  

This BB cream is everything I could wish for.  I'm not sure I can wait until pay day.  This is the winner of everything I've tested and I don't feel the need to test anymore.  

I shall do a post on where to get samples for different brands so you can do your own trials if you wish. Xxx

Vapour Organic

I was going to order samples of Vapour organic from Naturismo.  Then, I noticed on Vapour's company website that they offer a free Shade Consultation.  You answer a few questions and upload a picture of yourself.  A few days later you get an email recommending your ideal shade.  

My email came back recommending Atmosphere luminous Foundation in 090.  

Everywhere, I have seen Vapour foundation for sale has started with shade s100.  At first I thought the advisor had gone crazy, didn't know her product or was trying to tell me I am too pale to even register on their charts.  

However, on their website, there is in fact an s090 for the true/really pale beauties. 

Vapour offer a sample service where you can order 5 samples for $15, plus $5 shipping.  This is over £13 just for a few samples with enough product to try once or twice.  Seems a bit steep for me. 

I started searching the web and found a fantastic store in London who stock shade 090 and do a sample service.  

Content allow you to request 4 samples of any product they sell (there are a few restrictions) for the amazing price of £3 and free shipping!  I was chuffed. I ordered the concealer in s000 and both foundations in s090 and the skin perfector from www.beingcontent.com 

It was east identifying which shade of concealer to order based on my foundation shade using their guide. 

My order arrived quickly and I could tell instantly that they were lighter than others.  I was excited that finally if found a true pale shade match. 

The samples were in similar pots to those I am accustomed to from Naturismo and the amounts given are good.  

I was invited on a night out and tried the concealer with my Lily Lolo foundation and it looked great.  That's why it looks used in the picture. 

Here is a search on my wrist.  It's hard to see because the match is so good.  

From left to right, illusionist concealer, luminous foundation, soft focus foundation.

After a bad experience with Bobbi Brown's stick foundation (very dry and streaky), I was swaying towards the liquid pump foundation despite being recommended the stick.  After trying both, I actually do prefer the stick.  It felt smooth and creamy.  I absolutely love  the concealer.  

ATMOSPHERE LUMINOUS FOUNDATION (£37 at Content) 

Suitable for normal, dry and mature skin. Moisturises and gives a light to medium, dewy finnish.

ATMOSPHERE SOFT FOCUS FOUNDATION (£43 at Content) 

Suitable for combination to oily skin.  Medium to full coverage with a satin finish.  

ILLUSIONIST CONCEALER (£22 at Content) 

This is a highly pigmented concealer to hide flaws and brighten under eye.  It's moisturising and has anti inflammatory ingredients.  It is easily blended with your finger.  

VERDICT 

Come pay day, I will be ordering this concealer.  

I was super close to having the luminous foundation on my must have list.  The product feels great and the colour melts into my skin but... During my next review you will learn what topped it.

I will review the Straus Soft Focus Instant Skin Perfector s902 another day.   

Kjaer Weis vs Luxsit

Two other samples I bought from Amazingy were: 

* Kjaer Weis cream foundation - Porcelain 

* Luxsit BB cream - fair opal (spf 15)

The full size Kjaer Weis products are in posh silver cases that can be refilled.  It looks glamorous and economical.

I had never heard of Luxsit before visiting Amazingy. As I'm looking to replace my current BB cream with something organic this seemed like a good option.  I also like that it has spf protection - very positive for a redhead.  

This thing I notice is that both products are a darker shade than my other samples.  As far as I am aware, this is currently the lightest shade they stock.  

The Kjaer Weis (top) was very thick.  The Luxsit was oil and separated when I samples some on my skin. 

The Kjaer Weis is clearly too dark for my pale skin. It looks like it gives a full coverage so if you can get the right shade for you then you could easily give the illusion of flawless skin.  If you are Loly White like me then you'll look like an Oompa Loompa with this on your face.  

The Luxsit disappear into my skin and felt nice.  I guess the oil helps it melt in but I'm concerned it would be too sheer for me.  It is full of benefits (a one for all style product). 

VERDICTS 

Kjaer Weis is good quality but too dark.  "Like Porcelain" is nothing like porcelain.  Being able to buy refills will save you money and the environment.  The case is so pretty I wanted this to be the one.  

Luxsit is full of benefits (a one for all style product) but I don't think it will have deep enough coverage for me. I do like that it includes spf protection.  

Sadly, I'm not sold by either so won't be investing in a full size versions.  The hunt for the perfect organic base for pale skin continues.  

Hiro Cosmetics

I had not heard of Hiro cosmetics until I saw them on Amazingly's website.  I really liked the sound of the space balm and requested a sample.  Amazingly felt I should consider Hiro mineral powder so threw a sample pot of that into my order along with the balm sample. 

I got:

* Hiro Space Balm -#02 Altaira 

* Hiro Mineral Foundation - #01 Porcelain 

The balm was tricky to get out the bag to try.  It had a sticky texture and was thick.  

The powder was easy to get out the pot and dust into my arm.  It did have some sparkles in it.  

The balm is slightly darker than the powder.  It has a matt look whereas the powder has a shimmer look. 

They balm rubbed in well but is noticeable on my skin due to the heavier coverage.  The powder seemed to disappear but left a sparkle which I'm not sure I like for everyday wear. 

VERDICT 

Balm:  I wish I had more product to try.  I will try it on my face but I think it may be a tad to dark for me.  

Mineral powder:  I can't see me using a sparkly face powder for everyday.  I can see my younger self wanting it for nights out on the town but I very rarely get a night out now and can't warrant the expense of an occasional powder.  

I'm really happy with my Lily Lolo mineral powder that I am not considering replacing it. 

Ere Perez foundation

I love Ere Perez waterproof mascara and really wanted to try their Oak Milk Foundation.  Being an Australlian brand I was concerned that their idea of pale would be a more tanned version than the UKs.  

I was really pleased to discover Flora and Fauna online a natural boutique that offer samples of Ere Perez foundation. They charge 5.41 AUD and free shipping.   This is about £2.50.  In addition, for every AUD spent, you earn a loyalty point. 

As it was coming all the way from Australlia it wasn't the quickest order. When it arrived it was in a bubble wrap envelope and came with a handwritten card "Hi Alison, thanks for shopping at Flora and Fauna.  Hope you love the sample foundations, F&F x".  It was a sweet personal touch and my two samples were in neatly labelled screw top pots (I can probably reuse) and packaged in a cotton gift bag.  

There was a small card with the web address and details about Flora & Fauna shop "Natural, cruelty free beauty and skin care.  Over 40 luxurious local and global brand.  seasonal beauty boxes.  Shop, vegan, organic, local".  There was a green theme throughout. 

The Ere Perezfoundation is exactly the texture I was looking for.  It's thick enough to even out your complexion but fluid enough to blend easily.  

I only really wanted to try the shade Light but the shades came as a pair so I had Light/Medium for comparison.  I didn't feel there was much difference in the two shades.  Sadly I felt both shades were too dark for me.  

It's a real shame because I really wanted to like this.  The foundation ticks all my boxes for everything I want but if it is too dark.  I don't want to look like I've been tangoed which is even worse for a redhead (Orange hair, orange face - nooooo!).

I did try it on my wrist so another day I'll try it out on my face and see if that works better.  However, for now... It's top marks to Flora & Fauna and a no to Ere Perez for pale skin.  

LINKS

www.ereperez.com

www.floraandfauna.com.au

Sept Beauty Buys (Antipodes kits)

After spending NO money in August I couldn't wait until pay day.  Sadly my budget hadn't doubled. 

From Amazon I bought: 

* Antipodes Moisture Boost Minis set

* Antipodes Anti-Aging Minis set

ANTI-AGING MINIS SET £13.48 

This set contains 

*  Joyous Protein-Rich Night Replenish Serum 10ml 

*  Avacado Pear Nourishing Night Cream 15ml 

It arrived at the end of August (does that technically fall into the Aug budget?).  

The serum comes in a bottle with a pippet. I dosed two drops onto my fingers and massaged it into my face, neck and de collage.  Then I apply the cream.  I use a generous pea size amount.  

The serum is full of berry oil so I expected a fruity smell and the cream has pear so I thought it would be sweet.  However both of them have a mild earthy smell that is unisex.  

The condition of my skin improved quite quickly.  I'm suffering with less breakouts and less dry patches of skin.  The only downside is that the oil gets in my hair when I sleep and I wake up with unglamorous sleek hair.  

MOISTURE BOOST MINIS SET £11.97 

This set arrived on 1st September and I've used it everyday since.  It contains: 

*  Divine Face Oil Avacado Oil & Rosehip 10ml 

*  Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream 

Again, both products are very lightly fragrances and have a very natural earthy smell.  The vanilla cream has been in my wish list for ages because I love the smell of vanilla so I was a tad disappointed that  it didn't smell like ice cream.  It's still sweet but more subtle. 

I applied it using the same method I used with the anti-aging set. Again, I've loved the results with my skin.  However, it takes a while to dry and I'm often in a rush so end up applying my BB cream and mascara and the combination results in panda eyes - I know, I need to be more patient.  

ANTIPODES VERDICT:  both kits are great to try out the products.  It's been over 2 weeks and I still have plenty left to use.  I love the result on my skin and have learnt to use less oil.  I really want to buy the full size products but they aren't cheap, with RRP starting at £18 for the serum up to £30 for the night cream.  To buy all four would blow my monthly budget for a few months! 

Beauty Without Cruelty

Currently, I use Bobbi Brown creamy concealer in Porcelain and Kiss Me Make-up mascara.

Bobbi Brown
The great thing about this brand is that the concealer and foundation comes in a wide range of colours.  My shade is Alabaster (the lightest shade) for foundation.  They also have a wide range of formulas so you can find that product that is best for you.  For ages, I didn't try the concealer because the lightest shade was porcelain and we don't have a local counter to test it out.  In the end, I risked it and it turned out to suit me fine.  The pot has a useful little mirror in the lid which I love.

What I don't like about it is that it's quite pricey for the small pot you get - after a month, I can already see the bottom of the pot.  They sell their cosmetics in China (by law they must test their products on animals).   It doesn't appear to be organic (I can't see an ingredient list or bragging that they are natural).  I'm also frequently disappointed by their special offers.  Despite the concealer's five star reviews, I'm not in love with this product.

Kiss Me Make-up mascaras
I go swimming every week and feel invisible without any mascara because my eyelashes are so light.  I need a good reliable waterproof mascara.  As I've got older my eyes have become more sensitive but Kiss Me has not irritated them.  This mascara has been awesome!

I don't think it is organic and believe they sell to China too.  In addition, I have to wait for the product to be shipped to the UK and there have been occasions when it has sold out and I've had to wait for it to become available.  Then, I've had to use inferior waterproof mascaras that leave a smudge under my eyes.

Beauty Without Cruelty
I was really pleased to see that BWC had a concealer and a waterproof mascara. I ordered them both together with their liquid foundation as I currently don't have a liquid foundation and I've always preferred a liquid one.



Concealer pencil
Everywhere I looked for the super cover cream concealer pencil in fair was sold out.  Eventually, I found a store that were stocking it.  However, when it came to dispatch I got an email to say it wasn't in stock and I could have an alternative product or a refund.  Obviously, I wanted a refund.

Waterproof mascara
This arrived sealed in a cellophane wrapper.  However, when I peeled it off the mascara was dry.  My lashes were still strawberry blond after one coat and black flakes speckled my cheeks.  I didn't feel like I could return it because I had used it - so. that was a waste of money.

Liquid Foundation
I got the colour sheer because it was the lightest.  It does appear to be a good shade on me.  However, it is really sheer - maybe I should have guessed from the shade name.  It is lovely that I can see my freckles but I can also see my blemishes and pink tone in my skin (it does not even out my complexion).  I used it twice and then felt the product was pointless.

All in all, my experience of BWC was very disappointing which is a real shame because they are affordable and they don't test on animals.  Sadly, for me, the products just don't work and functionality is very important to me.

It looks as if I will be sticking with Bobbi Brown and Kiss Me for a little while longer.

Redhead using Henna

I choose Henne Colour in Cuivre which is designed to draw out copper highlights in your hair.  There were other shades to choose from.  It is free from oxidizer, ammonia, p-phenylendiamine (PPD), parabens, and bleach.   It cost £7.49 which was less than the version by Lush.  Lush's version has great reviews but appears to be a block whereas Holland & Barratt's is a powder.

As a child, my mum told me horror stories about dying my hair.  It was meant as a deterrence but it left me with fear of turning my hair a hideous shade of green or purple.  Being a naturally shy person, I don't want to stand out.  Ironically, I was born ginger the least wallflower of all colourings.

Over the years, I've grown to love my individuality.  Ironically my colour has slowly dulled as my acceptance has grown.  It's still ginger but nowhere near as vibrant as the little girl who hated it.

I'm still not keen on chemical dye.  All my friends who do seem to live bottle to bottle and a constant dread of roots.  There is also the damage it can cause to hair.  I don't think I have the confidence to carry off being a bald chick.

I started researching henna.

Here are the major selling points for me:

• Natural:  It's natural - you can buy organic which means there are no nasty chemicals.   
• Conditioning:  It's conditioning - Henna is actually good for your hair.  It makes it radiant, smooth and gives volume.  It is good for split, dull, fragile hair.  
• Affordable:  It's not expensive (about £7 to £8) and an application can last 4 to 6 months.  So you only need to treat your hair two to three times a year.

Here were the things that were made me hesitant to try it:

• Messy:  Almost every review I read had a warning about the mess!
• Unpredictable colour:  It affects everybody differently so there is no certainty of what colour you will end up with.  Think of it like you are purchasing a hue.  There is a chart to give you some idea here:  http://www.hennecolor.co.uk/colour-chart.html
• Commitment unclear:  Some people said that the colour fades and others said that they needed to grow it out. 

Armed with the information that I had researched on-line I decided to go for it.

The box says it is suitable for blondes and brunettes.  However, on their website it says their products are suitable for everyone.

The box contradicts itself where it says "Henne Color is a henna-based colouring powder mixed with plant extracts.  Henne Color adds long-lasting highlight to the hair, giving it a personal touch."  then on the next line it says "It has no dying action."  Maybe haircare experts know the difference between dying vs colouring your hair - for me they are the same thing.

I also bought:

• some salad bowls from Pound Land.  I got four plastic orange bowls with a giant plastic fork and spoon (for each one) and all four cost a £1 (25p each).  
• I also got a plastic sheet from pound land.  It is supposed to be to protect your floor from your toddlers high chair - it has animals on it. Obviously cost only £1
• I got an essential kit from Savers for dying your hair - it came in a wash bag and contained two crocodile clips to section your hair and plastic gloves to protect your hands and a brush to apply the dye.

Mixing the Henna was really easy.  I poured the powder into a metal mixing bowl - I worried about dying my 25p bowl at the last minute.  I poured in boiling water and mixed the Henna with the salad spoon.  I kept adding water until I had a paste similar to a mud mask.

I left it too cool and prepared the bathroom.  I taped the sheet to the base of my bath tub to protect the floor. I then stripped off so not to ruin my clothes.  I draped an old towel over my shoulders and applied Vaseline to my ears and hairline and brushed out all my knots.

I then collared my husband into helping me to apply the Henna to my hair.  He wore the gloves and used the clips to move my hair around and the brush to paste it on.  He found applying the Henna very difficult because it thickens quite quickly - next time, I might try making it more runny.  He focussed on applying it to my roots and then down the strand.  Towards the end of the application we started to worry that we would run out of product because my hair is so long.  We only just had enough!

It felt like having a mud pack on my head.  My husband then helped wrap my hair in cling film and then I put a towel over it.  We then watched some TV for two hours before I then rinsed the Henna out over the bath tub.  I then blow dried it and went to bed.  The next morning I took the pic.  I waited because Henna can change as is oxides.

The bath need a serious rinse out when I was done but it wasn't as messy as people made out.  I think it is a too man job though.

As a virgin to colouring my hair I was still shocked even by the subtle change but after looking at myself a few times in the mirror I decided I like it and I would probably do it again.  I went out for Easter Sunday and nobody noticed I'd changed my hair which is perfect.  I didn't want a drastic change.  Henna works with your natural tones and the affect is as individual as you.

My hair feels healthier and looks brighter.  I'm definitely interested in doing it again but we'll see whether it fades or gives me roots...

If you want to try it out,  you will need:

• Henne Color 
• An old towel
• A mess sheet (and tape)
• A bowl and spoon
• Dying essentials kit (plastic gloves, a brush to apply henna with and crocodile clips)
• Cling film (or shower cap)