Beautifinous.: 2020

Monday, 21 December 2020

Ella Mae Snail Slime Shampoo and Snail Slime Regenerating Hair Mask reviews

-This post contains gifted products and affiliate links.-

Hey guys! Snail slime isn't a new beauty trend, but it is one that definitely hasn't vanished off the beauty radar. Whilst it may sound pretty weird and off putting from the name alone, the benefits of snail slime in both skincare and hair care have been well researched. I'll dive into that more in a moment, but allow me a moment to introduce today's snail slime-based review focus: the Ella Mae Snail Slime Shampoo and Snail Slime Regenerating Mask.

Ella Mae Snail Slime Shampoo and Snail Slime Regenerating Mask

Ella Mae is a natural and vegan cosmetic brand from France. They currently focus their attention on natural hair care and also natural snail slime skincare. I've been sent the Ella Mae Snail Slime Shampoo and Snail Slime Regenerating Mask to review here on the blog and therefore will be discussing them here with you today!

So what are the benefits of snail slime in cosmetics? Well, snail slime happens to be full of beneficial proteins (including collagen and elastin, among many others) that help to moisturise, nourish, exfoliate, purify, heal, regenerate and that even have antioxidant effects. In relation to hair care, the moisturising compounds of snail slime help to seal the hair which helps to moisturise both the hair and the scalp. It nourishes, soothes and promotes healthy hair growth.

The Ella Mae Snail Slime Shampoo and Snail Slime Regenerating Mask are designed for scalp and hair regeneration. They are sulfate and paraben free, suitable for vegans and natural. They're suitable for all hair types, including curly, oily/itchy and damaged/dry. They helps to seal the hair and protect it from damage, detangle, nourish the scalp and promote healthy hair growth.

The Snail Slime Shampoo comes packaged in a shiny, white, plastic bottle with a sleek gold and black font design alongside the pink Ella Mae logo. It holds 250ml of product and has a push cap to dispense the shampoo, which itself is like a thick, clear gel consistency with a subtle clean, fresh fragrance.

The Snail Slime Regenerating Mask comes in a shiny, white, screw cap, plastic jar that holds 250ml of product. The mask itself is a thick, white consistency and also has a subtle, clean and fresh fragrance.

Naturecan CBD Skincare range review

- This post contains gifted products and affiliate links. -

Hi guys! CBD has been incorporating itself into the beauty world a lot lately and you're beginning to see it in every type of product from lip balm to shampoo. Today we're going to talk a little bit about why it is such a big beauty ingredient right now and also review a range of CBD skincare products from a UK based CBD brand - Naturecan.

Also, if you'd like to receive a promo code for 30% off your first order at Naturecan, keep reading!

Naturecan CBD Beauty Range

This post is going to feature a collection of six Naturecan CBD beauty products: the Naturecan Nourish Multi-Use Balm, Hydrate Moisturiser, Restore Hand Cream, Lip Balm, Lavender Massage Oil and the Purify Clay Mask. Each of the products contains CBD along with a range of other beneficial, natural ingredients which vary by product.

For those of you who don't yet know too much about what CBD is or how it can help with our skin, I'll do a quick explanation of what it is and how it helps and also provide links for you to read more about it.

CBD is short for cannabidiol which is an extract of the cannabis plant. The oil is extracted and filtered so that the remaining oil is free of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol - the psychoactive part of cannabis that causes the 'high') meaning that it is non-addictive and has zero psychoactive effects. This allows you to receive all of the benefits of the CBD with no THC effects.

CBD has many positive effects when ingested (pain relief, good for anxiety and so on - read here for more on this), but for the sake of this post we're going to focus in on the benefits of its inclusion in skincare products.

" On the surface, CBD delivers a chemical-free way to fight breakouts and inflammation, but it also offers a promising solution to tackling more stubborn, recurring issues. In a study published in the Journal of Dermatological Science, researchers found that when CBD was applied to human skin cells, it actually inhibited the overproduction of keratinocytes (specific skin cells) that are commonly seen in psoriasis. This is further evidence to support CBD working to realign bodily processes that may be adversely affecting the quality of your skin, including its softness, cleanliness, and ability to retain important moisture." - Naturecan

And for those who may be suffering with acne, here is some further good news:

" Based on recent scientific studies, CBD oil may help treat acne due to the anti-inflammatory properties explored earlier, and how this is linked to the body’s ability to reduce sebum production. One test-tube study found that CBD oil prevented sebaceous gland cells from secreting excessive sebum, exerted anti-inflammatory actions and prevented the activation of ‘pro-acne’ agents like inflammatory cytokines.4 This offers some proof to the claim that the CBD found in skin products, dependant on their strength and quality, can not only help maintain the balance your body needs but actually help to reverse life-altering condition such as acne." - Naturecan

As I've got a lot of products to cover in this post, I'm going to keep my reviews of each individual product fairly brief and focus more on the range overall. I'll begin by discussing the common traits of the range before moving onto each product individually and then summarising with my thoughts on the range together at the end.

Naturecan CBD Beauty Range

All of the Naturecan products that are featured in today's post are natural, vegan products. As stated in the intro, they are all guaranteed to be free of THC and are GMO free.

The range is packaged in simple, white, plastic packaging with the Naturecan logo in green and other product info in dark grey.

YOPE Linden Natural Shower Gel, Natural Hand and Body Lotion and Natural Liquid Soap reviews

- This post contains gifted products and affiliate links. -

Hey guys! Regular readers of the blog will likely be aware that I am a huge fan of natural products and those with a special message or purpose behind them. Today I am going to be discussing a new product launch from a brand that does good elsewhere as you purchase, so naturally I'm rather excited to dive into this one with you all.

YOPE Linden Natural Liquid Soap, Natural Shower Gel and Natural Hand and Body Lotion

YOPE is a Polish brand that was set up by a husband-wife team, Karolina and Paweł in 2015. They wanted to have access to a brand of personal care and home related products that were natural, effective and yet affordable. However, with a wide gap in the market for such a range, they decided to provide that need for themselves as well as others who were seeking it. YOPE is the result; a range that cuts out the harsh ingredients that so often effect sensitive skin types and instead focuses on gentle yet effective products that are rich in natural oils, butters and plant extracts and also feature mild cleansers, non-toxic surfactants, natural citric acid and soothing ingredients such as allantoin and glycerine. Many YOPE products are Ecocert certified, none are tested on animals and all packaging is recyclable (they also encourage refilling bottles and provide refill packs).

The range that I will be reviewing today specifically is their new Linden range. The Linden range is a three-part skincare range that includes a floral, herbaceous and uplifting-scented Natural Liquid Soap, Natural Shower Gel and Natural Body Lotion. Each Linden product contains extracts of linden, marigold and chamomile flowers. The purchase of any YOPE Linden product also helps YOPE with their new mission to contribute to the fight to save the bees with #beeYOPE. Part of the profits from the sale of Linden products (at Waitrose stores in the UK) are donated to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, a charity that plant meadows in urban areas, providing homes to pollinators and in turn making a difference to our ecosystem.

Each of the Linden products comes packaged in the style of other YOPE products; a large pump-lidded bottle that boasts beautiful illustrations of animals - a different animal for each YOPE range. The Linden range features a cute little raccoon.

Affordability can be a bit of an issue with natural products, so a brand that includes this as part of their ethos is always a fascinating one to me. I think that making natural products more accessible can only have a positive effect overall, but a hefty price tag isn't going to help on that venture. Let's get into my thoughts on the YOPE Linden range!

For the sake of the review I am going to describe and review each product in turn.

Tweezerfile review

- This post contains gifted products and affiliate links. -

Hey guys! So today’s post is a little shorter than usual, but we’re going to be talking tweezers. They’re great aren’t they? Insanely useful for a ton of things from shaping your eyebrows to plucking stray hairs. You know what isn’t helpful? Blunt tweezers. We need sharp tweezers to keep using them at their best. What do you tend to do in that situation though? Throw them out? Buy new tweezers? How about sharpening your tweezers to make them as good as new?

Today I will be discussing a product from a brand called Tweezerfile. In fact, the product name is explained pretty well within the brand name - Tweezerfile is a file for your tweezers to keep them sharp. A tweezer sharpener that is simple and quick to use and enables you to keep your tweezers in a sharp and effective condition so that you can pluck your eyebrows without extra stress. It could even make a great little Christmas or birthday gift for those beauty fans in your life.

Tweezerfile

The Tweezerfile is a double sided, diamond plated, stainless steel bladed file. It has a plastic handle to grip onto making it easy and convenient to use. It comes in two colours - coral and navy blue - and comes packaged in a light grey blister pack with instructions of how to use on the back.

Scentful Surprise Perfume Subscription Box review

- This post contains gifted products and affiliate links. -

Hey guys! So, it’s been a while, but not to fear - Christmas is nearly here! And what does Christmas bring? Christmas gift idea blog posts of course! But hey, what I’m reviewing today doesn’t necessarily have to be a lovely gift idea for someone you care about, it can be a little monthly treat for you too. Interested? Of course you are! Let’s see what I’m talking about.

Scentful Surprise Perfume Subscription Box

If you’ve been following the blog over the years then it probably comes as no surprise to hear that I am a fan of subscription boxes and I love perfume. So what better thing than to combine those two? Today I’m here to review the Scentful Surprise Perfume Subscription Box which is a subscription box that provides you with two surprise samples of designer fragrances each month.

Each Scentful box contains two 5ml decanted bottles of two different designer fragrances. The 10ml of combined perfume is designed to give you a months worth of perfume. 5ml may not sound like much, but if you add them together you’re getting 10ml of Perfume each month and a 10ml bottle of a designer fragrance can cost more than what you spend on the subscription box. Not only that, but if you think that the smallest bottle size of a perfume is usually 30ml (some only 20ml), it’s becomes fairly decent cost wise.

For further size comparison, a standard sample size bottle is usually 2ml (sometimes 1.5ml), so you’re getting more than double your standard sample size of each selected fragrance.

Scentful currently provide one type of perfume subscription box (the women’s box) but will soon be providing two subscription boxes; one for women and one for men. Obviously any fragrance can be gender fluid, all fragrance is a personal choice that we make based on what we love and feel confident in, but it allows you the choice between those types of fragrances so that you can try something that makes you feel good!

I’m going to focus the post around the idea of the subscription box and the process but I will also write a little bit about each of the fragrances for those who are interested in what they are like.

If you’ve never tried a subscription box of any kind, you may be wondering about the perks or benefits of them. Subscription boxes allow you to basically try before you buy. It can be a nightmare to spend a fortune on something to then not like the product or get on with it and then it eventually it gets thrown out. But let's talk about it from a perfume perspective more specifically.

Yazmae Cosmetics Eyelash Serum review

- This post contains gifted products and affiliate links. -

Hey guys! A couple of posts back I reviewed two beautiful pairs of Yazmae Cosmetics 3D Mink Lashes and within that post I stated that I would be reviewing the Yazmae Eyelash Serum. Today I am here with said review!

Yazmae Eyelash Serum

The Yazmae Cosmetics Eyelash Serum is said to help you to achieve longer, thicker and darker eyelashes in less than 25 days. It contains vitamins to provide your lashes with the exact things that they need in order to grow fuller and longer.

If you have short or sparse lashes, this is targeted at you.

If you prefer to use false lashes to achieve a full, fluttery lash then do check out my review for the Yazmae lashes. If you're after longer and thicker natural lashes then you may lean more towards the Yazmae Eyelash Serum.

It comes packaged in a matte, black tube that has a screw cap lid that contains a long, thin brush for application. Think along the lines of a thin liquid eyeliner brush.

The tube contains 5ml which is enough for 3-4 months if used twice daily.

Avon Power Stay 16 Hour Shadow Stick review and swatches

- This post contains affiliate links. -

Hey guys! Today I’m going to be reviewing an Avon product that has just been released. Avon is a brand that actually features in the majority of my most popular posts here on the blog! In my last post I mentioned that I’d be reviewing the eyeshadow that I was wearing in the photos, but other than that I didn’t explain much as I thought I'd save it all for today.

Avon Power Stay 16 Hour Shadow Stick

The Avon Power Stay 16 Hour Shadow Stick is an eyeshadow stick and eyeliner in one. It promises a creamy, vibrant, waterproof formula that lasts all day. It is described as being easy to apply and blend, yet not transfer or crease during wear. At the time of writing, it has been launched with a range of 6 shades. The shade I have to show you all today is Everyday Beige which is a shimmery beige with blue undertones (and I'm sure I spy some very subtle blue shimmer amongst the silver shimmer).

The eyeshadow comes packaged in a sleek, black pen with a lid and the product info in gold lettering. At the base you can see the shade colour, but inside there is also a hidden sharpener to sharpen the stick if you wish.

So let's jump right into it!

Yazmae Cosmetics Luxury 3D Mink False Eyelashes review

- This post contains gifted products and affiliate links. -

Hey guys! It's been a little while since I reviewed some false lashes, but today I will be sharing two pairs of false eyelashes with you from the brand Yazmae Cosmetics.

Yazmae Cosmetics Luxury 3D Mink Lashes in Dubai and London

Yazmae Cosmetics provide a range of luxury, false mink and silk lashes, Eyelash Serum for lengthening the lashes (review coming soon!) and lash glue. They also offer a generous makeup artist discount of 65%.

I have two pairs of Yazmae Cosmetics luxury 3D mink lashes to show you from their collection in the styles London and Dubai. Each of the pairs comes with adhesive in the box and they can be re-used up to 20 times.

Upon first glance, both the London and Dubai lashes do look quite similar. They are both big, wispy and fluffy, 3D and have black bands, but London has more of an extreme criss-cross and they are more feathery whereas the Dubai lashes have less of an intense criss-cross and are more spiky whilst still being fluttery.

They come packaged in your standard lash case with the lashes attached to the plastic and then the case is covered by a sleeve on one side that contains the brand name.

I’ll begin by talking about things that relate to both sets of lashes, then I’ll split off and discuss each pair individually with some before and after photos of how they look. Before applying them, I applied some eyeshadow (I’ll be reviewing said eyeshadow for my next post - keep your eyes peeled!) and a simple line of liquid eyeliner on the top of the lid and black pencil liner on the waterlines. No wings or bold lines, just liner on the lid to disguise the band and the waterline to create the appearance of a thicker lash base. For contrast, I also took some photos without any eyeliner.

Tips for Keeping Our Mental Health in Balance During the Coronavirus Lockdown

- This post contains affiliate links and contributions from companies - full disclaimer at the end -

Hey guys! Right now the world is facing a global pandemic due to coronavirus (Covid-19). On top of the worry that many people are already facing from this, a lot of us have been put into lockdown. This is understandably going to effect all of us in different ways, including our mental health. Humans are a social species and we’re not built to be cooped up indoors for extended periods of time. Therefore, it’s okay to not be feeling okay right now.

Photo Credit: Miguel A. Padrinan

Today I wanted to acknowledge the effects that the coronavirus pandemic is having on peoples mental health and focus on some tips for keeping yourself in balance. I’ve been in touch with some fantastic people and companies to create a collaborative post that covers a whole range of mental health boosting tips and tricks. From meditation techniques to exercise, new hobbies and recommendations, together we’ve tried to cover everything. I've split the post into two halves which cover looking after ourselves physically and also mentally. So sit back and have a flick through the advice that we have compiled and, most importantly, stay healthy and safe!

UPDATE: Post was updated on 15/04/20 to add extra tips!

Before we dive into the tips and recommendations, I wanted to start by saying that if you are really struggling right now then please do not be put off from reaching out for help. I have included contact information for relevant helplines and websites at the end of the post for anyone who may be in need of them.

Oracle Cards - A Little Hit of Wisdom for March

- This post is not sponsored and all products were purchased by myself -

- This post does contain affiliate links and I may earn a small amount from any purchases made -

Hi guys! So in my previous post I outlined that Beautifinous is now becoming a beauty and wellness blog, so today I wanted to come at you all with something wellness related to kickstart that aspect.

To do that I’ve decided to write up an oracle card post. What are oracle cards? you may be asking. Oracle cards are on the same tangent as tarot cards, which may be a more familiar idea. No, we won’t be going into fortune telling as I don’t personally believe that’s what oracle cards are all about (more on that in a moment), but we will be using them to dig into some of that inner wisdom that we’re all carrying within us and may be struggling to reach.

The Spirit Animal Oracle

But aren’t tarot cards all about telling the future? I guess that depends on your own beliefs. Some people say yes, yet others say no. I’m on the no side for cards (yet I’ll never discredit anyone carrying opposing beliefs to myself), but it doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy or get the most out of tarot or oracle cards. So what else can oracle and tarot cards be used for? As I stated above, I think that oracle and tarot cards are fantastic at digging into your own inner wisdom. Let me explain further.

Each of us carry wisdom, even if we don’t realise it. Admit it - nobody knows you better than you know yourself. If you’re stuck in a problem, somewhere, deep down, you know what you’re supposed to do. Sometimes though we all have a little trouble accessing the answers that we need to hear, whether it be due to feeling low, having a head full of thoughts or even down to simply not wanting to acknowledge them. The best way that I can describe what oracle cards are is that they’re a prompt that we can use to access that wisdom.

How do oracle cards work? How do oracle cards differ to tarot cards? Tarot cards are a deck of 78 cards that include the major arcana (the cards you may be most familiar with) and the minor arcana (more like playing cards, these come in suits). No matter what tarot deck you buy, they will always have the same cards with different illustrations. Oracle cards vary far more and can be based on anything that the creator of them wishes.

Announcement Time - Blog Genre Update

Hey guys! So, it's been a while, right? Well, I am here today and I have some news for you all.

No, I have no forgotten about the blog and neither is the blog coming to an end. I have had some family related things that I have needed to dedicate my time to, but during the time that I have been away I feel like I have evolved as a person in many ways. I have taken up some new hobbies and found new interests, and these involve things that I feel have made me a happier person overall. Because of this, I wanted to bring some of this to the blog alongside what I already write about.

I have therefore decided to open up my blog to become a beauty and wellness blog. I feel that this is a natural extension to the messages that I have already had to bring to the blog as I have always wanted to help others to feel happier and more confident about themselves and I feel that by opening up the blog to including wellness allows me to dive deeper into this aspect and hopefully to bring some additional joy to the world in some form.

Wellness posts will also allow me to partake in more collaborative projects, so if this is something that takes your fancy and you have some ideas about spreading some positivity then do feel free to shoot me an email!

I hope to have a nice balance between beauty related posts and wellness posts, but whilst I settle in to the new topics I may release a few more wellness related posts (author's excitement and all that!).

I really hope that you continue to enjoy the content that I bring to the blog and I thank you all for your patience and love.

Keep on being amazing!

Zoe.
Twitter:@Beautifinous
Instagram: @Beautifinous

Beautifinous.

Pages

Monday, 21 December 2020

Ella Mae Snail Slime Shampoo and Snail Slime Regenerating Hair Mask reviews

Sunday, 29 November 2020

Naturecan CBD Skincare range review

Naturecan CBD Beauty Range

Monday, 23 November 2020

YOPE Linden Natural Shower Gel, Natural Hand and Body Lotion and Natural Liquid Soap reviews

Sunday, 15 November 2020

Tweezerfile review

Sunday, 8 November 2020

Scentful Surprise Perfume Subscription Box review

Wednesday, 20 May 2020

Yazmae Cosmetics Eyelash Serum review

Thursday, 7 May 2020

Avon Power Stay 16 Hour Shadow Stick review and swatches

Thursday, 23 April 2020

Yazmae Cosmetics Luxury 3D Mink False Eyelashes review

Sunday, 12 April 2020

Tips for Keeping Our Mental Health in Balance During the Coronavirus Lockdown

Sunday, 1 March 2020

Oracle Cards - A Little Hit of Wisdom for March

Wednesday, 12 February 2020

Announcement Time - Blog Genre Update

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