Brand Focus: First Aid Beauty Skincare

Brand focus / Spotlight on a brand

F.A.B Skincare - First Aid Beauty

Lilli Gordon launched this skincare company in 2009 when she felt that products that worked felt like medicine or smelled great but irritated her skin. 
It is an american brand but is readily available at feelunique, lookfantastic and beautybay.

I get the feeling that at "First Aid Beauty" simplicity is a part of their ethos. Packaging is kept minimal and the products clearly state what they do, along with the ingredients list.

Their products are free from known irritants, harsh chemicals, parabens, phalates, fragrance, alcohol and artificial dyes.

Even suitable for sensitive skin types such as acnes and eczema.

Face Cleanser

This is a lovely gentle and mild creamy cleanser. Removes dirt and make-up from the skin without stripping it or making it feel tight or reddened.

Contains ingredients such as:

Feverfew, Licorice and Aloe to help clam irritation and redness

Glycerin to help protect and moisturise

Infused with antioxidants to scavenger those free radicals from the day.

I love how gentle this cleanser is on the skin, feels very soothing to use both morning and night. If I'm honest, not a huge fan of the scent - it's not overpowering or perfumed just more of a natural scent. This cleanser does such a good job that I am willing to overlook. I basically just breath through my mouth for a minute or two!
 I apply this to my dry face, then with a warm flannel the cleanser transforms into a milky consistancy. Leaves my face lovely and smoothe and freshly cleansed.

Facial Radiance Pads

When Caroline Hirons recommended these I knew I would end up getting them!

They are handy pads that contain both glycolic and lactic acid to keep your face .. well ... radiant.

Cucmber and Indian Goosberry tone the skin, helping to reduce visible pores.

Lemon peel and licorice root help to brighten and leave the skin glowing.

I use these after cleansing my face, usually in the evening as that's when I use a lot of my treatment skincare. Although it does say you can use both morning and night.

The tub has a screw top lid to keep the pads moist and fresh, the pad is so handy as it has just the right amount of product to swipe on my face. One side is embossed for trickier areas such as your chin and nose. The other side is smooth, great for cheeks and forehead.

Ultra Repair Cream

This is a very thick rich emolient cream. Great for those extra dry areas. Can be used on both the face and body. It is a lovely hydrating and soothing moisturiser, that helps to improve the natural barrier function of the skin.

Ingredients include oatmeal, shea butter and soothing eucalyptus oil, as-well as antioxidants to combat free radicals.

I use this as an over night moisture mask when my skin is feeling dry. A really lovely thick moisturiser that leaves your skin feeling smooth not at all greasy or irritated. I also use this on my elbows and any other dry patches that crop up. I find it absorbs easily and doesn't take forever to sink in like some moisturisers do.

Milk Oil Cleanser

I use this cleanser after I have removed my make-up with my bioderma micellar water, I then go in with this lovely 'no-rinse' milky cleanser, sweeping a cotton pad across my face to remove any left over make-up / sunscreen. 

I find this is a very gentle cleanser that at the same time really does help to nourish and hydrate my skin. Leaves it skin feeling supple and soft due to the coconut seed oil, meadowfoam seed oil and avocado oil. I tend not to rinse off although you could if you wanted to. 
This is my I'm feeling lazy 'go-to' face cleanser!

So those are the products I have tried from 'First Aid Beauty' Skincare. I really like how gentle the products are and how attention is paid to the ingredients that go into each skincare item as-well as leaving the harsh chemicals and other nasties out!

Highly recommend their skincare, if like me you have sensitive and easily irritated skin. So often cleansers leave my face feeling tight, stripped and red, these First Aid Beauty cleansers don't do that. Soothe and hydrate as-well.

The radiance pads although contain glycolic and lactic acid are gentle and have really helped my skin, with blemishes, oily t-zone as well as leaving my face feeling fresh without stinging or irritating my sensitive skin. I noticed a difference after my first use, my skin felt so much smoother the next morning! 

Have you tried any skincare products from First Aid Beauty?

Clingy lipstick that looks better in the bullet

When that lipstick looks much better in the bullet than actually on your lips!

You know the ones I mean gorgeous shade but once on, clings to EVERY last bit of dry chapped lips even if you're lips aren't particularly dry!!

I have a lipstick that looks so pretty in the bullet and is a lovely shade but as soon as its on, it seem to cling, highlight and magnify dry lips.

A recent purchase Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Lipstick - 'Pink Pink'. 

It looks such a pretty pink in the bullet. A lovely brightening spring pink. However when I apply it seems to cling to every dry patch on my lips even if they aren't particularly chapped.

Now some lipsticks aren't cheap and if you have shelled out good money you want to be able to wear them. 

So here's my guide to making that lipstick work for you!

Lip scrub: Use a lip scrub such as lush's delicious ones, they are basically sugar but do a great job of ex-foliating any dry flaky bits. Use a thick lip balm such as Nuxe Rev de miel before bed to hydrate and nourish your lips over night.

Use a Lip Liner Pencil...

Line and colour all of your lip with a lip pencil, this gives the lipstick a good base to cling to and stops the lipstick from slipping outside your natural lip line. 

I use Mac's Soar Lip Liner Pencil which is a lovely shade on its own.

Before the Lip Liner:
Just Elizabeth Arden Beautiful color in' Pink Pink'

After with Mac's 'Soar' lip-liner as a base and 'Pink Pink' Lipstick on top.

I think adding a lip liner makes a really nice shade, makes it more uniform and really helps it to last on the lips. Never used to even own a lip liner but now I have tried it, I can't seem to put lipstick on without one! Seems I am officially converted to the liner club!

Origins Peace of mind De-stress in a bottle!

Do you ever feel as though your thoughts are getting away from you. Too much going on in your head, need to focus and bring your mind back to the here and now to focus on the present?

Well I do, quite often!

However I have found this little genius from Origins to really help bring my mind to a halt and help me to take a deep breath and concentrate.

When I'm feeling stressed or overwhelmed I apply a dab to my wrists and neck and take several deep breathes and visualise the tension and stress melting away. 

It is essentially a mint scented lotion which gives a slight cooling effect helping to calm and restore you.

I always carry this in my handbag and is one product I will forever repurchase. I bought this over a year ago and it is still going strong so don't be fooled by the small 15ml bottle, you only need to use a small dab or two. 

Highly recommend this, as someone who also suffers from tension headaches, I find this is a lovely way to de-stress and calm my mind.

Garnier New Sleeping Night Cream Moisturiser Review

Anti-ageing & De-Tiring are the two words that caught my eye on this new skincare release from Garnier. 
Not really sure 'De-tiring' is an actual word but I took it to mean rested and well.. not tired!

Promises to:
Rehydrate, revive, illuminate, rejuvenate , firm and smooth.

After first application I was actually surprised how smooth it made my skin feel. But what intrigued me the most was the texture of this cream .... it's a cream but almost a gel consistency almost like really thick custard. 

You can turn the pot upside down and it doesn't budge, believe me I tried!

As for the cream itself, it smells divine. Not over powering at all, (we all know I am very particular about smells). Almost a fruity fresh scent with a hint of lavender. Once applied it's not sticky or greasy and best of all won't end up smeared all over your pillow or hair as it sinks in quite quickly.

So what's in it?

LHA :

This acts a bit like salicylic acid in that it decreases the bacteria concentration within the pores. Great if you suffer from spots.

Adenosine:

Is an anti-inflammatory ingredient

Albizia:

Helps to improve the texture of the skin

Hyaluronic acid:

Adds intense hydration to the skin whilst plumping

Ruscus extract:

Helps to boost the skins circulation

Jojoba oil:

Softens your skin without clogging your pores, as-well as being anti inflammatory

Essential lavender oil: 

Helps to promote sleep and helps with anti-ageing too

The idea of a sleeping cream is the body does its best rejuvenating work at night. Cells get renewed and your body reverses free radical damage caused throughout the day. 

Overall, it is a lovely hydrating night cream that does a great job of moisturising your skin whilst you sleep. I have only been using it for a few weeks now but I like it, hasn't irritated or caused any spot breakouts.

Have you tried this night cream? What did you think?

Elizabeth Arden Lipstick A Swatch and Review

Debenhams had a fabulous offer on a few weeks ago online, Elizabeth Arden's beautiful color moisturizing lipsticks were less than half price reduced from £21 to £10 

(I know spelling - I have written how it is on the box) 

Plus added bonus if you bought two Elizabeth Arden products you got a free primer. Not just a sample but a full size! worth £26!!

Here are my thoughts:

Having never tried any Elizabeth Arden lipsticks before, I was actually pleasantly surprised at how Conditioning and hydrating they were on the lips. Whilst still providing a highly pigmented finish. I was very impressed by the colour pigmentation as-well as their long lasting staying power.

I never would have thought to try elizabeth arden for lipsticks had they not been on offer. Very glad I did though as they are very comfortable to wear.

L to R:

Wildberry / Pink Pink

Swatched on my lips:

Pink Pink

Wildberry

Visible difference Good Morning Re-texturizing Primer

Oh my! This is such a silky soft primer that just melts into the skin. Once on you can't feel any sort of film or greasy residue, as it is so smooth. It creates a perfect base to then apply your foundation. Has botanical extracts, as-well as vitamin A to help freshen up your skin.

As you can see it is a clear gel, really nice to apply and leaves your face beautifully smooth.

Had I not got this as a part of the gift with purchase, I never would have known to try this primer. I am so glad I did. I have been reaching for this on days where I feel I need a good base and want to make sure my foundation lasts all day. It is so comfortable to wear and really is beautiful to apply, making your skin feel silky smooth.

Have you tried many Elizabeth Arden products, what did you think?

La Roche Posay Serozinc - My skin saviour!

Now available to buy in the UK this blue bottle is very much worth it!

Previously only available to purchase in France... it's finally here!

Dubbed as a toner / facial mist, it also treats your face. Calming and soothing blemishes, sores and other ailments due to the zinc content.

A spritz of this after cleansing and you will see the difference in your skin.

It is a lovely refreshing, hydrating and calming toner. I use this as my second toner to help calm and soothe irritation. More importantly, to treat and prevent any future blemishes.
I have sensitive skin and I find I get on really well with this spray on toner. Doesn't leave my skin feeling tight or stingy and dries quickly to allow you to carry on with your other skincare regime. I have definitely seen a major improvement in my skin. Those pesky breakouts around my chin area have really calmed down and the ones I do get seem to go a lot quicker and don't seem to be as angry!

Contains 0.10% concentration of Zinc Sulfate as-well as 0.75% concentration of Sodium Chloride.
Excess oiliness is eliminated, whilst the skin is soothed and future blemishes are reduced with continued use due to its astringent properties.

Close your eyes and spritz a fine mist all over your face. Feels lovely cooling and refreshing and I can see me using this non stop come the hot summer months!!

Currently on offer 2 for £10 with the usual price being £7.50 its a bargain worth bagging! Escentual.com

Go on give it a try, promise you will love it!

Free Clinique Serum with In-Style Magazine

Just a quick post to give you a heads up to look out for this month's 'In-Style' magazine as it comes with a free sample size of Clinique's Smart Custom Repair Serum.

It is the 10 ml size but is a great way to test it out, see if you like it and is suitable for your skin.

It says it visibly targets lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone as-well as dark spots and helps to tone and give radiance. 

The serum itself is a lovely light texture with a peachy tint to it. This would be great as a morning serum for under your foundation, helping to give that little bit extra glow.

So whilst the serum gets to work on your face why not sit and have a cuppa tea and a quick read of the magazine!

Bourjois Aqua laque liquid lipstick: My thoughts

New in ... Bourjois Rouge Edition Aqua Laque liquid lipstick Review

Having tried and loved their Velvet matte liquid lipstick editions, browsing the aisles of Boots I saw there was now a glossier laquer version released. Thought I'd give a go after all their velvet matte lip offerings are brilliant.

They both have the same 'doe' foot applicator and same sleek packaging. 
The laque versions have a eye catching shiny lid, so are easy to differentiate on the make-up stand.

On first application, it feels very very wet and little sticky to apply. Once applied, it feels a little strange on the lips, almost like a watery film (if that makes sense) it's not quite a gloss but not a lipstick, more of a watered down gloss, giving a wet look with a sort of cool drenched sensation. Not tingly but you are aware of it on your lips. 

On my lips it didn't seem to last very long, seemed to slip off very quickly. Bourjois say it provides 10 hours of hydration, which I disagree with. 

I personally didn't like the feel on my lips and my first instinct was to wipe it off - which I fought to see how long it would last on my lips. 

As for the shade I chose a pretty Rose colour 02 Rose on the rocks, it gave a very subtle look to the lips more of a shiny balm.

   So the aqua laque version of the bourjois liquid lipsticks get a miss from me I'm afraid, I shan't be buying any of the other shades. It's a shame because like I said their velvet matte versions are so long lasting and comfortable to wear and I really liked those.

Have you tried the rouge edition aqua laque's? What did you think?

MAC Craving Lipstick - A Swatch & Review

MAC Craving Lipstick

A Swatch & a raving Review

Having seen a raving review about this lipstick over on the lovely Kimmy's blog 'the beautyisles' 

I knew I needed it in my collection!

Debenhams were having a 10% off beauty event. 

Into my online basket it went. I am so glad I did as it is such a pretty shade.

This is a Amplified Creme lipstick that MAC describe as a "burst of plum". 

I agree it's a lovely plum however leaning more towards a pinkier shade of plum rather than a deeper shade of plum that springs to mind. I can see this being one of my favourite everyday 'go-to' lipsticks. Perfect for both day but equally as gorgeous for a evening too.

Amplified Creme formula is a creamy pigmented lipstick with a sheen slight gloss finish, comfortable and moisturising to wear. Giving a good colour pay-off.

This lipstick also pairs really nicely with my MAC Soar Lip-liner pencil.

Craving & Soar Lining the lips. 

Have you tried Craving? It is such a pretty shade for spring.

April 2015 Favourites Round-up

It's April favourites round-up time. This month I have been using and loving... 

Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream - A lovely night time moisturising. I have been using this at night time after my serum and oils. It is a lovely gel/cream that really helps to hydrate the skin. You wake up the next morning with lovely smooth skin.

Garnier Ultimate Blends The strength restorer Honey Bee Serum

Oh my! This serum leaves my hair so silky soft. So soft I can't help but touch my hair way too much! It is a lovely serum which I use on damp hair after washing but also I have been using on dry hair too. Really helps strengthen the ends of my hair.

Kitsch hair bands

Another hair related product... I picked these up in a boots clearance for the bargain price of £1.50. Really like them as they don't leave a kink in my hair, pretty colours too. 

I love peach bath + shower gel.

I have been using this in the bath, as a bubble bath it smells so good, a lovely peachy fragrance, which also leaves your skin feeling so soft.

   

Lush unicorn horn

Finally got around to using my lush bath bomb. First up was the unicorn horn, (on the right) it is almost too pretty to use. Makes a lovely relaxing bath before bed as it has lavender in. I used about a quarter in each bath so it was great value. Unfortunately was limited edition boo :(

This month I discovered "Spotify" thanks to my daughter who I'm sure now wishes she hadn't told me about it as I have had Hoziers album non stop on repeat, along with other 'mum' embarrassing muscic!!
Think, "Girls just wanna have fun"  Shania Twain "Man I feel like a woman" with Bon jovi, Bryan Adams & Backstreet Boys mixed in for good measure!!
What's on your Spotify playlist??  

A little 1st Lush haul - Sensitive Nose Edition

My first proper lush haul.... yes I know bit of a shocker! 

But walking into Lush I never really know where to start. I tend to get a bit dazed and blinded by the sheer choice

Having only ever tried one bath bomb before, oh and a lip scrub. 

I was passing Lush in Liverpool a few months ago and I popped in. 

Here’s what I chose:

L to R: 

MMMelting Marshmallow Moment

/ Butterball / Unicorn Horn

I took a long time browsing all the bath bombs, picking and smelling practically every single one! 

I am quite sensitive to over-powering scents, as they have a tendency to give me a headache. I chose these 3 bath bombs as they are relatively mild - barring the 'Unicorn' one but the lavender scent is relaxing and used in smaller chunks will be lovely.

Unicorn Horn

Scented with Lavender and Neroli Oil. A quarter is enough for a bath (In my opinion) making this really great value. Can you guess what shade the water will turn? Lavender of course yay! This was a limited edition for Valentines day, I just couldn't resist.

Lavender oil is calming, soothing and balancing. Used traditionally to aid sleep, calm the mind and to realx. Neroli oil however is said to help you feel contented and cheerful as-well as having a toning effect upon your skin.

As I write this blog post I can smell the scent of the 'Unicorn Horn' from my desk, and that is in its sticker sealed packet and in the bag!! so it is somewhat a little overpowering! 

It’s a however a lovely lavender scent, which I will be using pre-bedtime as a relaxing soak for a good nights sleep. But like I said a quarter for a bath is enough for my nose.

MMMelting Marshmallow Bath Melt

Smells of candy floss mixed with dolly mixtures! Delicious! I am certainly looking forward to relaxing in the bath with this.

Contains: marshmallow powder, chamomile powder, almond oil, cocoa butter. 

Did you know that the marshmallow herb was used in traditional medicine on cuts, abrasions and irritations.

This pink bath melt certainly makes a sweet treat for my bath and the smell is so dreamy.

Butterball Bath Ballistic

A soothing bath bomb which contains Cocoa butter and ylang ylang oil.

The Cocoa butter helps to replenish dry, sensitive or irritated skin, leaving a softening film on your body after the bath - a sort of body moisturiser without having to go to the effort of applying it! Win-Win.

The Ylang Ylang oil in this bath bomb is known for helping to relax the nervous system, helping with stress and anxiousness. This one I will be reserving as a nice 'end of the day' treat to help me unwind or when I am feeling worried and need a calming soak.

Have you tried anything from Lush? What is your favourite from there?