Bunny Friendly Beauty Tag

After seeing this tag on Morag's blog I thought it'd make for a nice little post on my own blog as my two year cruelty free cosmetics anniversary is coming up in October – yippee!

brows | a change in routine

mua tinted brow mascara: £2 | collection eye definer: £2.79 | e.l.f. eyelash & brow wand

lush | 'cupcake' fresh face mask

'cupcake' fresh face mask 75g: £6.50

palmer's | 'dark chocolate & peppermint' lip butter

palmer's 'dark chocolate & peppermint' lip butter: £2.99

carino | argan oil treatment

 carino argan oil treatment: £2.99

wet n wild | 'cashmere' silk finish lipstick

 wet n wild silk finish lipstick in 'cashmere': $1.99

primark | p.s. love 'strong nails'

primark p.s. love strong nails: £1

superdrug | coconut oil for brow growth

superdrug coconut oil 125ml: £2.29

makeup revolution | £1 lipsticks

make up revolution amazing lipstick & vamp collection lipsticks: £1
left to right: rebel with cause, fusion, 100% vamp 

lush | 'no drought' dry shampoo

lush no drought 50g: £3.95

soap and glory | 'thick & fast' mascara

soap and glory thick & fast mascara: £10

oops, i did it again

'don't knock it until you've tried it' they say, and now i've tried it i'm well and truly knocking life without a fringe. i've been debating going for the snip since before christmas, and last week i finally took the plunge and went ahead with cutting off the 8 months worth of growth and had my trusty fringe put back in, and i don't regret it at all (let's see if i'm still saying that in the summer when it's no doubt sweaty and sticking to my face...)

i opted for quite a messy, soft fringe as opposed to the super straight cut fringe i used to have simply because i wanted something that was going to be easy to manage and part if i wanted to, and i'm really pleased with my decision. to say i've not had a fringe for around 8 months, it's weird how 'me' i feel now i have one once again. fringe, i left you once, but i'll never leave you again. 

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the body shop | 'mango' eau de toilette

the body shop mango eau de toilette 30ml: £8.50

after harping on about the difficulty of finding cruelty free fragrances for what felt like a lifetime, my mum quite clearly became aware of my struggles and thoughtfully bought me this mango eau de toilette for christmas to try out. i'm a big fan of the body shop's various scented body butters and shower gels, so i was curious to see how i'd get on with one of their famous fruity scents in the form of an everyday fragrance. 

mango isn't at the top of my list when asked what my favourite body shop scents are, however it's pleasantly surprised me. i tend to be a lover of sickly sweet scents (ie britney spears' fantasy) which i find people tend to either love or hate, so i was surprised at just how much i've been enjoying using this product as it isn't nearly as sweet as some of my previous favourite fragrances. i'm terrible at describing scents so i'm not going to embarrass myself by attempting to describe this product's scent, however i will say that it's fruity rather than sweet and in turn i think it smells a bit more mature than my usual scents of choice.

my only slight niggle with the product is the fact that it's an eau de toilette as opposed to a perfume so it doesn't linger for as long as i'd like it to, meaning that it makes a perfect fragrance for throughout the day, but you might want to find something with a little bit more of a kick to it for a fragrance that would see you through the day and into the night. or, if you're like me, you can just simply top this product up as and when you desire to stay smelling delicious all day and night. 

for £8.50 i really don't think this is a bad little fragrance. i've been using this product daily since christmas now and i'm about a third of a way down it, and i've already been considering heading back to the body shop to pick up a vanilla and strawberry scented fragrance for when this one eventually runs out. the body shop's scents might not be the greatest cruelty free option out there, but they're certainly bridging a gap for me while i'm finding my bearings in the world of cruelty free fragrance. 

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urban decay | naked 'on the run' palette

urban decay naked on the run palette: £37

while browsing debenhams just before christmas with my dad, he asked if there was anything i'd like to pick up as a gift because he was intending on mainly giving me money for christmas, so i jumped at the chance to try out some high end make up i wouldn't normally pay for myself and headed straight to the urban decay counter. after a bit of deliberation, i put down the naked 3 palette and walked away with their naked on the run palette as i figured that it'd give me the chance to try out a variety of their products as opposed to just one. so, how have i been getting on with it? 

| perversion mascara | 

retailing at £17 for the full version, this isn't something i'd be happy to buy on a whim for fear of being bitterly disappointed, so i was excited to give this a go. it creates fanned out, fluttery lashes that look relatively natural as they don't clump together. i personally love bold, thick lashes so this mascara didn't blow me away, however it does make me wonder what your lashes would look like if you teamed this with their subversion lash primer. unfortunately i don't think i'll ever find out though as £17 is a little bit too pricey for me to ever consider paying for a mascara when i know there are perfectly good budget options available on the high street.

| 24/7 glide-on eye pencil | 

i haven't purchased an eyeliner pencil for longer than i care to remember now as i'm an eyeliner pen convert, but i thought i'd give this a try regardless. i used it to create a somewhat smoky cat eye, applying the pencil roughly and then blending it out. the pencil is creamy, meaning it doesn't drag when applied and is easy to blend out, and is also really highly pigmented, meaning it'd be pretty easy to build up for a more dramatic look. i've found it's also handy for lining your tight line as it doesn't transfer onto your waterline, which is always good. 

| naked lipgloss |

lipgloss is something that i haven't owned since early high school, so i was definitely curious to see how a high end option would fare when compared to the gross, sticky selection young teenage me once owned. much to my surprise, the lipgloss wasn't overly sticky on your lips and added a lovely, subtle sheen of colour. another bonus is that it smells wonderful, so any bits of hair that may get stuck to your lips on a windy day could perhaps be forgiven. 

| eyeshadows | 

as i was contemplating picking up this or the much coveted naked 3 palette, i was definitely interested to see how their eyeshadows fared, and i certainly wasn't disappointed. for me these eyeshadows are the best thing about the palette as they're extremely pigmented, long wearing and don't have any fall out; what more could you want from eyeshadows?! if i ever happen to have £40 lying around that i don't particularly need, i would definitely considered splurging and treating myself to the naked 3 palette.

| naked flushed palette | 

lately i'm big on contouring and highlighting, so i was keen to see how this trio fared, and unfortunately i was a bit disappointed. the highlighter didn't really seem to do much on my skin, but i don't know if it's because i currently use a MUA highlighter which is extremely shimmery, and as pictured, this highlighter doesn't have that much shimmer to it at all. as for the contour, i found it to be too orange for my skin tone, and the blusher really wasn't any greater than the sleek blushers i currently own, so i probably wouldn't ever find myself paying the £22 that this product retails for.

altogether, i was pretty damn impressed by the array of urban decay products that this palette offers you, and i think i made a good decision in opting for this over the naked 3 palette, even if i do still find myself lusting after it every now and again. urban decay as a brand has always intrigued me, however i've been reluctant to throw so much money at a brand that i didn't know would be worth it. now i've had a bit of experience with the brand, i've got my sights set on an eyshadow palette and a couple of lipsticks, but time will only tell if i ever decide to splurge out and treat myself to some of them...

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lush | 'light pink' colour supplement

lush 'light pink' colour supplement: £9.50 

after the christmas festivities that were (for me) mostly eating myself into a coma, my skin decided to misbehave for a long while afterwards so i decided to take action in the form of purchasing a new foundation. while i was out treating myself to some sale bargains i decided to pick up a lush colour supplement after toying around with the idea of buying one whilst in store for months previously, and i opted for the shade light pink, obviously because i'm a fairly pale gal and my skin tends to be pink in tone. 

i'd describe the product as being light to medium coverage, and as you can see from the before and after picture above it does a pretty good job of evening out your skin tone and masking subtle imperfections, however it doesn't quite cover up more aggressive blemishes, but that's fine for me because i'm not a fan of heavy duty foundations anyway and much prefer to combat pesky blemishes with concealer instead. the product itself is almost gel like in consistency and sets pretty quickly, so i like to apply it by dotting it onto my face section by section (chin, cheeks, forehead) and blending as i go to ensure an even finish as it can dry a little patchy if you don't work it in quickly enough. i apply the product in circular motions with elf's small stipple brush, and it has made its way firmly into my everyday makeup routine even now that my skin's cleared up again simply because it's so lightweight and natural looking that i forget that i'm even wearing a foundation, and that's just how i like it.

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collection | blush in 'trouble'

collection blush in 'trouble': £2.99 

previous to picking up this blush, the only other blushers i owned were the ones within the sleek 'pumpkin' blush by 3 palette. while all three of the sleek blushers are still going strong now almost a year after purchase, i'd exhausted them and their vibrancy and was looking for something a little more subtle to combine with the more dramatic eye looks i've been opting for as of late, and i found my solution in collection's 'trouble' blush.

for £2.99, this really isn't a bad little blusher. it isn't quite as pigmented as the sleek ones i own and as such requires a heavier hand when you're collecting the colour onto your blusher brush, but the end result is stunning. 'trouble' is a neutral, dusky pink colour that gives your cheeks a slight flush without overpowering the rest of your makeup, and as such would suit pretty much any look you'd desire to create on the day, meaning it's been a very welcome addition into my makeup bag and my daily makeup routine.

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lush | a well deserved bubble bath

creamy candy bubble bar: £2.75  |  snow fairy shower gel  |  space girl bath bomb £2.35

since my assessment last tuesday i'd been promising myself a well deserved indulgent bath with some of the lush products i'd bought recently, however i didn't end up getting around to it until the sunday just passed, which actually worked out perfectly in the end after spending the entirety of friday and saturday and then the morning of sunday feeling pretty ill. i don't tend to get ill all that often, so when illness does strike i end up acting really self pitying and pathetic (lame, i know,) so to give myself an hour to run a bath, have a soak and unwind was the perfect pick me up that i needed to pull me out out of my state of self pity. 

i picked up the bubble bar over christmas, and after using it once on its own i was a little underwhelmed, so i decided i was going to team it with a bath bomb for my next lush bath, and space girl was my bath bomb of choice after being taken in by its subtle shimmer and its delicious scent that reminded me somewhat of parma violets (ie, my favourite sweets ever.) the combination of the bubble bar and bath bomb meant that my water ended up a fantastic magenta colour while providing my skin with a well needed silky, moisturising, nourishing rinse. i did find that the bubble bar left a bit of residue on my skin, but nothing too uncomfortable, and i'm definitely looking forward to the next time i decide to indulge in lush and pick up some more bath bombs to give a try. lush baths, you've won me over.

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makeup of the moment

collection bronze glow mosaic: £2.99
soap & glory fabulipstick in 'super nude': £9
ted baker london iii kit

as much as the term 'heroin chic' makes me cringe, i must admit that i've been loving donning the look at the moment; dark, tired eyes, a strong contour and a nude lip are easy enough to throw on and suit my current state of "oh my god i have so much work to do where is my time to sleep??" admittedly i'm pretty good at fitting my 8 hours a night in, so this look helps to give off the overworked vibe i'm currently feelin' at the moment, regardless of whether or not my sleeping pattern reflects that. girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do (and i just gotta get my 8 hours, man.)

i got this little ted baker eyeshadow kit as a gift for my birthday, and after finding out that ted baker was indeed cruelty free i was more than eager to give the middle colour a go. after a bit of playing around with it it became my eyeshadow of choice, with a little bit of the darkest colour to its right along my upper lashline to give off the impression of thicker lashes. i've trawled the internet for places that sell this product to no avail, so i'm thinking that when this palette's had its time (which will be a while, admittedly,) i'll have to find myself a dupe from somewhere to carry on the lazy, somewhat trashy but still put together look that i've welcomed into my daily routine with open arms.

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lush | mask of magnaminty

lush mask of magnaminty: £5.50

when my body shop seaweed face mask ran out around a month ago, my first thoughts for replacing it was to head straight to lush after hearing so many good things about their face masks. after a quick chat with a member of staff and testing some products, i settled on the mask of magnaminty face mask because it reminded me most of the seaweed face mask which i already knew worked well on my skin, but also because it's a self preserving mask and lasts a hell of a lot longer than lush's fresh face masks.

so, let's start with the most important aspects of a lush product: the scent. as the description states, the mask has a peppermint scent which i imagine people will either love or hate, and i personally love it because it smells so fresh and awakening, making it perfect for applying on a morning to help you wake up properly! i tend to use face masks around once a week – sometimes more if i've been drinking – just to give my skin a little bit of a boost and hopefully restore any moisture it may have lost throughout the week. the mask claims to help combat 'eruptions and outbreaks', and after two weeks of using the product, i can't honestly say i think it's worked all too well with helping to tackle spots, but i wouldn't like to say for definite just yet because my diet's been dire these last couple of weeks due to my birthday celebrations anyway. after using the mask my face feels baby soft and hydrated, so i'm more than happy to continue using the product over the next couple of months before making my mind up on it for good.

overall, lush's mask of magnaminty has had a positive reception from me, and for £5.50 i think it's definitely a face mask that's worth a try, particularly if you're partial to minty scents. lush's fresh face masks are definitely products that intrigue me, i'm just reluctant to splash out on an item with such a short life span! if you've used lush face masks in the past, i'd love to know what your favourites are!

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a quick look at my nudes...

collection volume sensation lipstick in 13 'satin bow': £2.99  |  soap & glory fabulipstick in 'super nude': £9

makeup revolution lipstick in 'the one': £1  |  primark matte long last lipstick: £1.50

collection  |  soap & glory

 makeup revolution  |  primark

as i mentioned a couple of weeks back in my everyday autumn makeup post, nowadays i'm a massive fan of a nude lip, so i thought i'd pop by this wednesday to share with you my collection of nudes (pun intended, sorry guys!) the entirety of my collection is bought from the highstreet, so while the prices of each lipstick vary, i think all four of them are definitely at least affordable for the average student. 

first up is the collection volume sensation lipstick, and as the name suggests, this lipstick tingles a little on your lips when applied and in turn gives them a slightly plumper look. this was the first nude lipstick i ever bought, and it's definitely the pinkest of the four. it has a really lovely, creamy consistency which applies easily and leaves your lips feeling moisturised.

next is the soap & glory fabulipstick which is my most recent nude purchase, and i think that for me this is a great 'my lips but better' colour. it's warm toned and is the peachiest of the four colours, and with its matte finish it helps to add a little bit of something to your lips when you're wanting a bit of colour, but nothing too bold. 

thirdly is the makeup revolution lipstick, which is the palest of the four colours. it's cool toned as opposed to the soap and glory offering, and because of this i think it's a true nude for my skin tone. like to the collection offering, it has a very creamy consistency which applies easily and leaves your lips feeling moisturised. 

lastly is the primark matte long last lipstick, and this is more of a mauve, vintage pink colour which i think is great for achieving the 90s nude lip that is all the rage at the moment. the formula of this product is a little odd as it has a slight shimmer through it, and while you can't see it on the lips, it does mean that it can often feel a little bit gritty on them. i've found that the more i've worn the lipstick the less gritty it feels however, so i assume it's just a case of wearing down the top layer of the bullet!

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