Winter Spring 2016 Not So Beauty Finds

I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while. I’m sure most of you think I like every beauty product I try it’s ‘l love this’, ‘this is fantastic’ ‘this is a little miracle worker’…. That’s not always the case!

I’d like to think I have pretty good intuition or radar for that products will/won’t work. I do my research before I buy. Yes there are some on the spot and whim buys but that’s where my intuition comes into play. If possible I research product reviews, does the brand test on animals, does it say it doesn’t but sells physically in stores in China) etc. The times I’ve gone against reviews  and especially those with similar skin type saying ‘don’t buy!’, I’ve regretted it. Cream and lotions that fall into this category get used up as hand and foot lotion so not to waste them completely. Makeupalley and Paula’s Choice are great review sites with ewg.org skin deep for toxicity levels

As always I have about 4 requirements when it comes to skincare and beauty products; No animal testing, no animal ingredients that I’m aware of (honey and beeswax is okay as I eat honey), no nasty ingredients I’m aware of such as SLS’s parabens, petrochemicals etc and as natural ingredients if possible. With make up, I go with what I can get following the first 3 requirements. Skin type, combination leaning more to oily, fair, pink undertone. I also have at the moment an addiction for Korean make up and skin care. Anyways the past few months dud beauty finds

Mascara Frogs:

Missha, The Style 3D MascaraI had high hopes for this one; full and voluminous lashes? Yes please! Reviews raved it. I got full lashes as it separated, but I didn’t get volume. I liked it initially, but I found it quickly wore off quite quickly and didn’t hold a curl for long. Re touches ended up being flakey with some occasional spider legs. Pretty.

Urban Decay, Perversion

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This has been or was my go to mascara for about 2 years. I had a load of mascara samples to try and was getting bored with it, so I used up the samples for a change. After not being impressed with a few of the other other samples, I went back to Perversion via a sample I was given. Unfortunately it set off almost immediately sinuses issues. It took a few days wear to realise this (research reviews, some others had similar issues). It’s a good thing as the price every time I went to buy it seemed to go up.

Too Faced, Better Than Sex Mascara

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Thankfully this was a sample as it didn’t hold a curl, flaked off, slight raccoon eyes after a workout.

Kiko, Luxurious Lashes Extra Volume Brush MascaraWhile there’s been a store in Barcelona of a while, Kiko recently opened a store on my route. I believe it was just launched in the UK this year and I’ve been hearing some good news, so popped in one day. I must have picked the worst time to go. One minute it was quiet, the next full of teenage girls getting loudly excited over nail polishes and lip glosses with everybody for themselves.

Anyways, the mascara, no luxurious lashes, it clumped spider legs and wore off quickly.

Missha, Signature Tornado Short Curl and Long Curl Cats eyes and Ballerina eyes? Yes please!The short curl/SC separated nicely, however it didn’t hold a curl long neither did I get volume. Out of all the mascara this one is currently in the my outside make up bag for top ups. The wand I like, the formula no.Long curl/LC (no photo). This definitely lengthened, though it would have been nice if it didn’t clump lashes while lengthening. I think the formula works to stretch out lashes. As a result my eyelashes felt plastically and if reapplied clumped. I also noticed the formula on the wand and on the bottle opening looked liked it had tiny filaments on, perhaps the lengthening element that sometimes stuck randomly on lashes which flaked it.

Too Faced Bulletproof Brows, Universal TaupeThe only thing I liked about this was the spoolie. I went 100% against my instinct on this one. I go by the rule light coloured hair, darker eyebrows, dark coloured hair lighter eye brows. I wanted the darker product, less red ( A lot of eyebrow pencils, kits etc are reddish) but I got pounced by the sales assistant who recommended the lighter taupe. I wasn’t convinced so she applied each one to each brow. Still not being convinced I asked 2 more Sephora sales assistants for their opinion. One lady said the lighter as the darker or wrong colour will highlight mistakes. My bad, age doesn’t always equate to wisdom. I went with the taupe, despite a voice saying no! I tried it for a few days but found it wore off quickly and worst of all in photos it matched my hair colour if not more ginger. I found one 1/2 the price by Etude House and am much happier. This one might be sent to my mum to try! 

CremorLab Freshly Styled BB CreamThis brand I remember Michelle Phan raved about and it’s T.E.N: Thermo water therapy, Eco-energy, and Natural nourishment. When Miin got it in, I did my best to resist as I had just started another BB cream but everytime I went in, it said hello until I caved. I love it’s texture, its coverage, however it was way too pale for me and that Korean dewy skin I got, maybe too much with my oily skin. If they got it in the dark shade I’d may be tempted as it didn’t feel like I was wearing any make up. It just sadly too pale and it doesn’t mix well with other BB creams to use it up.

Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Sheet Mask, Bamboo, Pomegranate, Bija, Cucumber, Manuka HoneyInnisfree is a brand I like. I’m conflicted as I’ve found out recently they physically sell in China. This means the products may have been subjected to animal testing even though the website states they don’t and neither contain animal products. If they sell on line only in China, they’re not subjected to animal testing. I kinda wish I hadn’t found out about China as I really do like some of their products.

Anyways, their sheet masks I don’t like so much. I didn’t noticed any plumper skin from being soaked in essence for 20 minutes. I also didn’t like the smell of them so much, astringentish.

Dear Klair’s Rich Moist Soothing Sheet MaskAnother Korean brand I love, however sadly their sheet masks I didn’t feel made much difference to my skin. Some masks you can see straight away the effect, these like the Innisfree ones, I wanted to like, but they just didn’t do what they said on the tin. I also found many of the sheet masks regardless of the brand or type of fabric, I have to tear around the bridge of my nose so they fit snug against the skin.

What’s the recent beauty products you’ve tired that hasn’t lived up to it’s hype?