Beautifinous.: 2014

Tuesday, 30 December 2014

The Best of Birchbox - Second Half of 2014

Back in June I wrote a post discussing what products I thought were the best of Birchbox

from the first half of 2014. As I explained back then, the second half was on its way at the end of the year - and now here it is!

As with the first half of 2014, choosing which products to include in this post was pretty difficult, but I've managed to get there!

Following on from the first "best of Birchbox" post, I have selected the samples as if they were in a Birchbox - six beauty samples and one lifestyle extra (admittedly the first post was five beauty samples, but this was a teeny bit harder so I went with six, which Birchbox do sometimes!).

If you're not too sure what Birchbox is, then check out my 'Beauty Boxes' page for more information.

So without further ado, here is my Best of Birchbox - Second Half of 2014 list!

The Beautifinous Top Beauty Products of 2014

As we’re getting ready to say goodbye to 2014, I thought that I would take a look back at some of my favourite beauty finds from throughout the year.

Whilst not every product is a 2014 release, they are all products that I have personally tried out for the first time this year. You may have seen a bit about each product on the blog already if you are a regular reader and you may have tried some of them yourself. If you haven’t tried them out though then this list can also be seen as my top recommendations from this year.

I must say though, this list has been pretty difficult to compile. There have been so many great products that I have come by this year that trying to narrow it down to a select few was one heck of a challenge! Some products only narrowly missed being included, but I have given some of them an honourable mention at the end of the post.

Speaking of the end of the post, I have also saved the best product until last. The end of the post details my top overall product from 2014, so make sure you get down to the end to see what is my most highly recommended product!

As well as including primarily adult-beauty products, I have also included my top baby toiletry product of the year for other parents out there.

Feel free to leave a comment at the end of the post discussing your top products, too!

So here we have it: The Beautifinous Top Beauty Products of 2014.

Merry Christmas everybody!

Hello everyone!

This post is just a quick one to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year!

I hope that you all have a brilliant time over the festive period and that you enjoy every extra moment with your loved ones.

I also want to take this chance to say thank you to everybody who has ever read a post (or all of them!) for making my first year blogging an enjoyable and successful one. Without you all there wouldn't be Beautifinous, so thank you so much.

I'm posting this two days early as usual posts will now temporarily be on hold until after Christmas when I have a couple to post before the new year.

Have a good one!

Zoe. @Beautifinous

Monday, 22 December 2014

Naturally European Verbena Luxury Shower Gel review

Naturally European Verbena Luxury Shower Gel is a natural body wash made in England that contains Spanish Lemon Verbena oil. It doesn’t contain SLS or parabens and the fragrance is natural.

Along with verbena, it also contains orange extract, lemon extract and May Chang oil.

The Naturally European Range is made by The Somerset Toiletry Co. who "design, manufacture and distribute luxury toiletries across the world with [their] focus always being on innovative design, quality and affordability." [Source: Somerset Toiletry Co.]

Each shower gel in the range is inspired by Europe's landscapes and scents. Other scents include lavender, sage, ginger and lime, rose petal and milk.

Birchbox with Sophia Webster - December 2014 review

Birchbox is a monthly beauty box that includes 5-6 deluxe samples of beauty and lifestyle products that are tailored to you.

You get to discover new products and test them out in the comfort of your own home with no pressure to buy the full product if you don’t like it! However, if you do enjoy it, you can purchase the full sizes from the Birchbox store with the most recent month’s brands being available with free delivery (min. £10 spend)!

For the December box, Birchbox teamed up with shoe designer Sophia Webster. The box design is based on her Suri shoe, so it is covered with pictures of jewels.

Inside the box there is a discount card to receive 20% off Sophia Webster shoes if you spend £300.

Here is what I received in my box this month:

ORS Olive Oil Heat Protection Serum review

ORS Olive Oil Heat Protection Serum is a product that helps to straighten the hair whilst protecting it from heat damage caused by hot hair tools. It contains coconut oil and and olive oil to add shine and moisture and leaves the hair looking soft and smooth as well as straight.

This post is actually going to be a collaboration between myself and my sister. The ORS Olive Oil Heat Protection Serum is a product that my sister loves and she really wanted me to write about it, so we have teamed up to provide you with a review!

The product comes packaged in a clear, plastic tube that holds 177ml (this bottle states that it now comes with 50% free extra product) with a rounded red, flip-cap lid. The product itself is clear and has the consistency of water. It also has a really nice to smell to it.

Treating Perioral Dermatitis

Perioral Dermatitis is a facial rash that can occur around the mouth and nose, yet can also spread up as far as the eyes. Another name for it is ‘muzzle rash.’

It consists of small spots and dry patches of skin that appear around the nostrils and in a ring around the mouth. If the rash spreads up to the eyes then it tends to be close to them, underneath or in the corners.

The rash itself isn’t usually itchy, but can feel irritated or as if it is sore or burning.

Here are some images of perioral dermatitis. As you can see, it can come in a mild form as well as being more severe.

What causes perioral dermatitis?

There aren’t really any definite answers as to what can cause perioral dermatitis, but there are a few speculations. It has been linked to excessive cosmetic use (mainly due to SLS), hormonal imbalance, steroid cream use, strong winds and UV light, toothpaste that contains fluoride, the oral contraceptive pill and yeasts. [Information source: Patient.co.uk]

So why am I discussing this on my blog? Well, to be perfectly honest, this is something that I had never heard anything about until fairly recently. That is until I started to see a bizarre rash forming on my own face. Then, after some research, I found out that it is quite a common problem - especially in women between the ages of 20 and 45 years. This, along with the link between it and the use of cosmetics, I figured that a beauty blog could be the right place to give this a mention. Even if you aren't or haven't suffered from it, the information could still be handy to know.

Weleda Oat Replenishing Conditioner review

The Weleda Oat Replenishing Conditioner is a part of an award-winning haircare range. It is a natural conditioner targeted to those with dry, damaged hair that is made with organic coconut and jojoba oils and extracts of oat and white mallow. It claims to add moisture, restore suppleness and smooth hair.

It is free of synthetic fragrances, colourants and preservatives as well as SLS's, silicones and raw materials derived from mineral oils.

It is the only conditioner in Weleda’s natural haircare range and it is designed to compliment all of their shampoos, even though the bottle states "for dry, damaged hair".

It comes packaged in a bright yellow squeeze tube that holds 200ml of product.

Avon Ultra Colour Indulgence Lipstick in Red Dahlia review

Avon are soon launching their new Ultra Colour Indulgence Lipstick range which is formulated with hydrating gels rather than wax for a lavish, intense colour finish.

It comes in a range of 15 shades (see below), but I grabbed myself the shade Red Dahlia, which is a mid-dark red.

It comes packaged in a sleek black tube with Avon written around the lid on a silver band, which then comes packaged in a simple black box.

Avon Gel Finish Nail Enamel in Parfait Pink review

Avon’s Gel Finish Nail Enamel is a 3-in1 nail polish that claims to act as a base coat, nail colour and top coat all in one. It also provides a high-shine, gel-like finish to your manicure.

It comes in a large range of shades and because of its 3-in-1 claim, there is no need to apply a base coat or top coat along with the polish. However, you obviously can if you still wish to.

I have previously reviewed two other shades of Avon’s Gel Finish Nail Enamel in the colours Creme Brûlée and Royal Vendetta. I am now going to show you the shade Parfait Pink, which is a bright pink shade with a subtle hint of shimmer that runs throughout.

Max Factor Colour Corrector Stick in Green review

The Max Factor Colour Corrector Sticks are handy little pens to help correct different flaws. From redness to undereye circles, there is a pen for everything.

There are five shades in total.

Here is a guide as to which colour corrects what issue:

Green: The reducer - to combat redness
Purple: The revitaliser - to combat dullness/yellow undertones
Pink: The balancer - to help reduce the look of dark spots on lighter skin tones
Yellow: The brightener - to help reduce the look of dark circles/purple undertones
Peach: The illuminator - to highlight

L'Oréal True Match Blush in Peach review

L'Oréal True Match Blush in Peach is a blush that is designed to "brighten your complexion and sculpt your features in one stroke."

Each True Match Blush is supposed to enhance your natural skin tone and provide radiance.

The Peach shade that I chose is more of an orange type peach rather than pink-peach, but the photographs do look slightly more pink.

It comes packaged in a small, square compact with rounded corners. The edges of the packaging are silver and mirror like, but the top of the lid is transparent which enables you to see the product inside. This is also where the product name is displayed. It also comes packaged with a small brush and a mirror inside and on the bottom of the compact.

No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Chic review

No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Chic is a moisturising, hypo-allergenic, fragrance free lipstick in a dark pink-brown/neutral shade that also includes SPF15.

It has a long-lasting, semi-satin finish that can also be mattified by blotting on a tissue.

It comes packaged in the standard black and shiny No7 lipstick tube, with the No7 logo engraved on the lid. The Moisture Drench range can be identified by their tubes that are wider at the bottom as well as at the top of their lids, unlike the other ranges that are just wider at the top of the lid.

Also, it is part of their core Moisture Drench colour range and not their Match Made service collection.

Discovery Club Classics Edition 2014 review

The Discovery Club by The Fragrance Shop is a UK based beauty box that is usually made up of five perfume samples and one or two aftershave samples (this can vary from box to box).

Included within the box is also an information booklet that provides info on each of the fragrances and also contains money off vouchers for each of the perfumes included if you decide to purchase a full size bottle. You usually receive £5 off each fragrance but occasionally you receive a £10 off voucher!

Discovery Club Classics Collection - The Fragrance Shop

It is delivered each quarter and only costs £5 per box, £10 for a 2 box, 6 month subscription or £20 for the year.

This latest Discovery Club box has been boosted with a total of ten samples for the festive season, seven for women and three for men, as well as a miniature perfume to celebrate two years of the Discovery Club!

The 2014 Winter box is also themed around the classics.

Weleda Millet Nourishing Shampoo review

Weleda’s Millet Nourishing Shampoo for normal hair is an award winning, mild shampoo that contains extracts of organic millet husks and organic macadamia nut oil to gently cleanse the hair whilst maintaining its natural shine.

The use of millet helps to prevent the hair from becoming dry due to its mild, conditioning abilities. It also helps to maintain the nutrient levels of the hair. Weldea’s Millet Nourishing Shampoo also contains extracts of peppermint, grapefruit and woody amyris.

Birchbox November 2014 - Cosy at Home review

The theme of this box is 'Cosy at Home,' which is precisely what we all crave around this time of year. I also think that they've pretty much got the products spot on for the theme, so kudos to Birchbox!

Along with this, this box contains two full-size products, so it really feels like a treat. For example, for £12 (the price of the box + delivery), I received a full-size product worth £32 and another worth £11.95.

Top 6 Facial Washes for Oily, Blemish-Prone Skin

Oily & blemish-prone skin can be a total nightmare to have to live with. You constantly try out different skincare products such as face washes, toners and moisturiers to find your holy grail product, but you may find that time after time you aren’t getting anywhere. Also, when you have less time to spend on things such as makeup to disguise particular skin conditions, clearing up your skin can turn into a real timesaver.

Over the years, I have reached my own conclusion regarding skincare for blemish prone skin: what works brilliantly for one may only work out as ‘so-so' for another, and vice versa. I've also learnt that that's okay, but it can take time to discover your personal holy grail product.

I have tried out more face washes and treatments than I dare to count. Whilst I found some of them to do virtually nothing for my skin, there were a few that showed some results. These are the products that I have compiled into a list just for you, hoping that you may find your perfect face wash to finally help you get clearer skin!

You might have tried some of them, loved them or despised them, but I do think that they are worth a try if you haven't already given them a go. You may find a new favourite, or maybe even your new miracle wash!

So here we have it: the Top 6 Facial Washes for Oily, Blemish-Prone Skin.

Rimmel GlamEyes Liquid Eyeliner review

Rimmel’s GlamEyes Liquid Eyeliner is an eyeliner that claims to be smudge resistant and long lasting. It also contains an ultra fine brush for precision lines.

The brush can be used to create thicker lines as well as thin lines, meaning that you can create whatever style of eyeliner you prefer.

Whilst I was shopping a few days back, I originally went up to a different, very well known brand counter to choose a new eyeliner for my Halloween makeup. However, the assistant actually recommended that I went over to a different shop to purchase a Rimmel eyeliner instead as she thinks that they are better. I won’t drop her in it by naming which brand this was, but it definitely intrigued me enough to take her advice.

Childs Farm Caked in Mud! Hair and Body Wash review

Childs Farm Caked in Mud! Hair and Body Wash is a wash that includes organic sweet orange and argan oils to help gently clean and moisturise even the most sensitive of skin, including eczema prone and new born.

It contains 98% natural ingredients, no parabens, SLS's, artificial colours mineral oils, is pediatrician approved and is not tested on animals.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+ review

La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo+ is a corrective treatment cream that is designed to fight blemishes, unclog pores and to reduce the look of oily skin as well as post-blemish marks. It is also suitable for use on sensitive skin.

It provides a long-lasting mattifying effect on the skin, making it suitable for both morning and/or night use and also as a make-up base. It can be used alone or underneath a moisturiser.

Effaclar Duo+ contains the patented ceramide Procerad (a moisture-capturing lipid) which is the key ingredient for reducing post-blemish marks and salicylic acid which is a popular ingredient to combat spots. It is also paraben free.

Christmas Beauty Gift Ideas 2014

When it comes to Christmas, beauty gifts are a very common choice, and why not? Everybody loves a bit of pampering!

However, it can be overwhelming when trying to choose the perfect beauty gift. There is so much to choose from which in itself can make a decision difficult, but then there may also be restrictions such as skin types, personal preferences and budget restrictions. Will the product be suitable for dry skin? Will somebody who loves gourmand fragrances enjoy this one? Can I afford it?

What starts off as a simple job can simply make you want to bash your head against a wall - why can’t it just be a little simpler?

Well hopefully this post can help you out. I’ve come up with a list of a whole range of Christmas beauty gift ideas just for you! From fragrance to makeup, skincare to body care. I have also included some extra bits for money saving purposes at the end because let’s admit it, who doesn’t like saving some extra pennies? Hopefully somewhere upon this page will be the perfect gift or the spark of inspiration that you need to find it elsewhere.

Let’s make somebody’s Christmas!

Birchbox October 2014 - Work It in association with CoppaFeel review

Birchbox is a monthly beauty box that includes 5-6 deluxe samples of beauty and lifestyle products that are tailored to you.

You get to discover new products and test them out in the comfort of your own home with no pressure to buy the full product if you don’t like it! However, if you do enjoy it, you can purchase the full sizes from the Birchbox store with the most recent month’s brands being available with free delivery (min. £10 spend)!

As October is Breast Cancer awareness month, the theme for this box is “Work It” in association with CoppaFeel.

Birchbox are also running a campaign throughout October where if you post a photograph of yourself "copping a feel" onto Instagram with the hashtag #CoppaBirchbox they will donate £1 to CoppaFeel for every photo posted!

In addition to this, for every new subscriber they receive this month they will donate £1 to CoppaFeel! You can subscribe here*.

Top Avon perfumes that are currently available (UK)

Avon is a brand that releases an entire array of fragrances each year. However, with people primarily purchasing these fragrances via brochures, it can be difficult to truly get an idea about what each of the scents are like. Also, let’s be honest, rubbing your wrist on a page can only take you so far on the journey of experiencing a perfume.

I’ve decided to type up this post as a way of finding out a bit more information about some of the fragrances which I personally think are worth checking out. With such a wide choice to chose from it can be a little overwhelming, so hopefully what is featured here could help you to find a scent that you will enjoy!

If you are interested in purchasing a fragrance from Avon and aren’t keen on “blind buying” or making a decision based upon what limited information can be featured on a page of a brochure, I highly recommend asking a rep for a sample. This enables you to get a feel for your chosen perfume and to make a more informed decision upon whether you really want to buy it.

Discovery Club by The Fragrance Shop Autumn Winter Box 2014 review

The Discovery Club by The Fragrance Shop is a UK based beauty box made up of five perfume samples and two aftershave samples (this can vary from box to box).

Included within the box is also an information booklet that provides info on each of the fragrances and also contains money off vouchers for each of the perfumes included if you decide to purchase a full size bottle. You usually receive £5 off each fragrance but occasionally you receive a £10 off voucher!

It is delivered each quarter and only costs £5 per box or £20 for the year.

Weleda Baby Calendula Face Cream review

Weleda’s Baby Calendula Face Cream is a mild and gentle moisturiser that is packed full of beneficial ingredients that are suitable for even the most sensitive of skin. It was made in conjunction with midwives and is 100% natural and 96% organic, free of synthetic fragrances, preservatives and colourants as well as being free of raw materials derived from mineral oils.

The cream contains organic calendula extract, organic almond oil and lanolin to soothe and protect the skin. It also helps to keep the skin feeling velvety soft and helps to prevent it from becoming dried out.

It’s also suitable for adults with sensitive skin.

Neal's Yard Remedies Oily & Combination Skincare Kit/Purifying Palmarosa range review

Neal’s Yard Remedies Discovery Kits are a new way to test out different Neal’s Yard skincare ranges without having to splash out a fortune on a collection of full size products. They have created kits focused around their main skincare collections and one for their award-winners. Each kit contains a collection of miniature/deluxe sample sizes of products from its corresponding range for you to test out and to decide wether you are interested in buying the full-sizes.

This is primarily beneficial because if you find that you don’t get on with a particular product, you won’t need to throw away the rest of the bottle and with it, your money.

Alternatively, they’re fantastic as gifts or for travel.

BeautyBlender & BeautyCleanser Solid review

The BeautyBlender is a small, egg-shaped sponge that is used for applying foundation, tinted moisturiser, BB cream, CC cream and so on. It is designed to provide a flawless finish to your makeup. It comes in three colours; bright pink, black and white.

The egg design helps to provide the perfect blend as it is seam-free. The lack of edges means that it doesn’t leave behind any noticeable streaks or lines on the face. The smaller side is also great for reaching into harder to reach areas such as around the nose or under the eyes and for applying concealer, too.

It was created by top Hollywood makeup artist Rea Ann Silva and it is made of synthetic materials (but it doesn’t contain latex), is non-allergenic and also odour free.

This set also comes with a solid cleanser bar for cleaning the BeautyBlender.

Birchbox September - Happy Days review

The theme for this months box is Happy Days. The in box tips are full of subscriber submitted photos of their own happy days and fun memories to inspire each person receiving the box to keep a smile on their own faces by remembering their own happy days.

Emu Oil Well Baby Wash & Baby Body Lotion reviews

The Emu Oil Well Baby Wash and Baby Body Lotion are two parts to the baby skincare range by the brand.

The products are all advertised as being gentle enough for your little ones skin and they all contain Emu Oil, which Emu Oil Well give a great description of on their website:

"Emu Oil is a naturally healing oil and is a white solid which melts between 18-22C becoming a pale golden liquid. Most people use Emu oil for muscle and joint problems and for nourishing and repairing damaged skin. Many people also use it for regenerating the scalp and hair.

Emu Oil can be used by people of all ages from the youngest to the most elderly. It is gentle enough to use on the most sensitive skin on a daily basis. Emu Oil is non-allergenic. It has been used by millions of people for many decades and no problems arising from its use have been reported."

Paul & Joe Refreshing Skin Toner review

The Refreshing Skin Toner by Paul & Joe is a toner that provides gentle exfoliation to remove dead skin cells and moisture to leave the skin smooth and bright. It also tones the skin to minimise the appearance of pores and has aromatic benefits.

It contains kiwi extract that acts as a moisturiser and lemon and tea extracts that act as astringents.

It comes packaged in a beautiful creamy white bottle that holds 200ml of toner and it also has an antique-style lid. It has a tiny hole on the top of the bottle for the toner to come out of. The whole Paul & Joe skincare and beauty range follows along with this packaging theme and even on its own it honestly looks amazing on anybodies dresser, but the most important part is obviously how well the product inside works.

Neal's Yard Remedies Mothers Balm review

Neal’s Yard Remedies Mothers Balm is a fragrance-free moisturising bump butter made with 100% organic ingredients for your expanding baby bump. It is rich in fatty acids and it claims to help with the skin’s elasticity, helping to soothe the discomfort of your stretching skin and to help prevent stretch marks.

It doesn't contain parabens, synthetic fragrance, silicones, mineral oils, phthlates or any other bad bits, and they also do not test on animals.

The Beautifinous Safe Pregnancy Skincare/Beauty Guide!

When you discover that you are pregnant, it is natural to start asking questions about what we apply to our skin and whether or not they are safe for your unborn baby.

You probably have found yourself searching the Internet for answers, but usually there are different pages discussing different topics. I’ve been there, so I get it. Lots of different pages for lots of different topics can get a little annoying to keep track of. On top of that, during your pregnancy people will always be letting you know tidbits of information about this, that and the other and sometimes they conflict with each other.

For example, I was told by some people that hair dying during pregnancy isn’t allowed. Others tell me that it’s fine. This product isn’t safe some will say, others will tell you the opposite. Let’s be honest, it can be overwhelming to have such a wealth of information continuously being fed to you - especially when so much of it contradicts each other! On top of that, you have far more important things to be focusing on right now - that child inside of your tummy for one.

Because of this, I have tried my very best to do the hard work for you. I have spent a lot of time searching around for information regarding all varieties of skincare and beauty that may be of concern during pregnancy. I’ve tried to cover both sides of the arguments that exist and used lots of sources of information - all of which are linked for further reading if you want to find out more.

Birchbox August 2014 box review

The theme for this month's box is Summer holidays and your holiday toiletries list. It features products that are suitable for warmer weather and are hassle free - prefect for trips away!

An explanation and an apology!

Hello everybody!

This post is going to be a different sort of post to what I usually upload onto my blog, but I feel that I owe my loyal readers an explanation.

You may have noticed recently that I have been posting far less frequently than normal. I just wanted to make you all aware that this is not because I am either losing interest in blogging or becoming a bit of a slacker! Myself and my partner have recently found out that we are expecting baby number 2!

As I am sure you are all aware, one of the symptoms of pregnancy is that fantastic thing that they call "morning sickness." However, this term is actually misleading as sickness can hit you at any time throughout the day. Sometimes this sickness can become so violent and restrictive that you can find yourself struggling severely with your day to day activities.

The Discovery Club by The Fragrance Shop Summer 2014 box review

The Discovery Club by The Fragrance Shop is a UK based beauty box made up of five perfume samples and two aftershave samples (this can vary from box to box).

Included within the box is also an information booklet that provides info on each of the fragrances and also contains money off vouchers for each of the perfumes included if you decide to purchase a full size bottle. You usually receive £5 off each fragrance but occasionally you receive a £10 off voucher!

It is delivered each quarter and only costs £5 per box or £20 for the year.

The Body Shop Seaweed Purifying Facial Cleanser review

The Body Shop's Seaweed Purifying Facial Cleanser is a waterless (non-foaming), rebalancing makeup remover and cleanser for normal to combination skin. It contains bladderwrack seaweed sourced off the coast of Ireland that acts as a skin conditioning agent, providing you with beautifully soft skin. The cleanser also leaves the skin looking matte.

The cleanser doesn't have to be used just as a makeup remover and can be used just to cleanse the skin.

Pages

Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Monday, 29 December 2014

Tuesday, 23 December 2014

Monday, 22 December 2014

Friday, 19 December 2014

Thursday, 18 December 2014

Monday, 15 December 2014

What causes perioral dermatitis?

Tuesday, 9 December 2014

Thursday, 4 December 2014

Monday, 1 December 2014

Thursday, 27 November 2014

Monday, 24 November 2014

Friday, 21 November 2014

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

Sunday, 16 November 2014

Tuesday, 11 November 2014

Thursday, 6 November 2014

Sunday, 2 November 2014

Sunday, 26 October 2014

Friday, 24 October 2014

Sunday, 19 October 2014

Tuesday, 14 October 2014

Thursday, 9 October 2014

Wednesday, 1 October 2014

Friday, 26 September 2014

Sunday, 21 September 2014

Friday, 19 September 2014

Monday, 15 September 2014

Monday, 8 September 2014

Tuesday, 2 September 2014

Thursday, 28 August 2014

Saturday, 23 August 2014

Sunday, 17 August 2014

Tuesday, 12 August 2014

Friday, 8 August 2014

Monday, 4 August 2014

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