Tag: beauty review

Beauty and Skin Care, Lifestyle

Beauty Finds: Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Tinted Moisturizer

by natjtanLeave a Comment on Beauty Finds: Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Tinted Moisturizer

Welcome back to another Beauty Finds with a difference! Rather than review several products at once, from now on single product reviews starting with Colourpop Hyaluronic Tinted Moisturizer.

I have a few requirements when it comes to cosmetics and skin care: cruelty free, natural, clean, vegan better. I do my best to avoid the nasty ingredients such as SLSs, parabens, PEGs, silicones, etc. Petrochemicals are the sneakiest with so many derivatives and aliases. I also avoid palm oil and it’s derivatives as I prefer orangutans. Coconut oil marketed as the good oil I’m also cutting down on as it can be just a damaging crop as palm oil. If I do get products with these ingredients in I try to get organic or sustainably sourced. With make up it’s a little harder so I go for cruelty free brands. I prefer products with less plastic and thankfully more brands are aware consumers don’t want unnecessary plastic (or governments are telling them less plastic). My skin type’s oily sensitive, acne prone and now wrinkles. I know nothing stops those lines, but if I can delay them then….

Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Tinted Moisturizer I picked up on holiday at Ulta in the USA. I knew about the brand but never looked into thinking I couldn’t get it in Spain. While there are silicones listed I like the ingredient list as compared to other BBC creams, tinted moisturisers, foundations the list is kinda minimal. 

Pretty Fresh hyaluronic tinted moisturizer. A hydrating tinted moisturizer with skin-perfecting, lightweight coverage for fresh healthy looking skin.

I prefer BBC creams as they give a nice glow, provide coverage without looked caked and are light weight. Most Korean BB creams are too pale for me and western BB creams are more like tinted moisturisers which do nothing for me. Provide hardly any coverage. Colourpop’s is more like a BB cream, it covers amazingly, doesn’t settle in fine lines or wrinkles and does’t clog my skin too much. It never looks caked on yet provides lightweight medium coverage. It stays on on hot humid days and is almost waterproof after dip in the sea. With a face mask depending on how long you wear it for it doesn’t rub off too much.  It’s easy to apply with a beauty sponge (I use Tarte Babassu foundcealer multi tasking sponge from Sephora Espana). Bonus it gives you a glow while looking natural no makeup. Perfect!!!

I was concerned about the hyaluronic acid source as I’d read that it’s obtained via animals. I contacted Colourpop customer service who kindly said they’d check and get back to me. Good news, they hyaluronic acid isn’t obtained from any animal source! The coconut water I overlooked. I’m not perfect throwing out all of what I said about what I look for in products. Bad Nat.

Continue reading “Beauty Finds: Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Tinted Moisturizer” →
Beauty and Skin Care, Lifestyle

Beauty Finds: Mists, Toners, Masks and Eyeshadow. Kora Organics, Freshly Cosmetics and Honest Beauty.

by natjtan1 Comment on Beauty Finds: Mists, Toners, Masks and Eyeshadow. Kora Organics, Freshly Cosmetics and Honest Beauty.

Welcome back to another Beauty Finds! As always all products are cruelty free, natural as possible with my honest thoughts. So grab cup of tea and let’s begin!

There are a few requirements I look for in beauty products: cruelty free, natural, vegan better (I’m vegan but I eat honey. Beeswax depending on the brand I’m okay with. I know bad vegan. I haven’t eaten meat in almost 20 years. The honey I try to make sure is local or national from a good source). No snail slime. I try to avoid palm oil and it’s derivatives as I prefer orangutans. Nasty ingredients such as SLS, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals etc and their derivatives are out. I opt for clean ingredients although what’s clean can also be petrochemical derived. I’m not perfect, some slip through. I find it annoying purchasing online the list of ingredients isn’t inclusive when reading them on the packaging. Maybe I sped read. I usually put them back spotting an ingredient I don’t like. I’m sure I drive shop assistances crazy while I check ingredients online. Make up, it’s more tricky so I go for cruelty free brands opting for those with containing less petrochemicals. Silicones I try only to use in BB creams and concealers as they love clogging my skin. If lotions and moisturisers contain silicones, I don’t go near them! 

Products that are clean, natural, cruelty free and Korean, well, there goes the money! My love of Korean products might be waning but it’s still there. My skin type’s, oily, combo, sensitive, acne prone, at times dry and now anti ageing. Those lines are coming through fast.  

I’ve always said, beauty products are one of my biggest plastic consumption as I reduce the amount of plastic I use. More brands are awaking to being less plastic both in packaging and ingredients which I appreciate! I try if possible opt for the lesser plastic packaging. It’s hard though. Okay Nat, less beauty products! Some of these products I tested last summer through to winter. I like to use them of a while to see if they work. Some products you know straight away work or don’t, some you have to give time, others you have to see through the hype to see if they do or don’t. 

Kora Organics Sleeping Mask

A lightweight bouncy gel treatment mask that boosts hydration to deliver smoother, plumper looking skin. Wake up with your skin super soft and glowing. Thanks To: Certified Organic Silver Ear Mushroom, Coconut Milk, Caviar Lime and Kadadu Plum for boosting hydration to deliver super soft, plumper looking, glowing skin.

I was keen to try this as a friend introduced me to Kora Organics and that sleeping masks are huge in Korea. Kora Organics (Australian, not Korean) is perhaps one of the most famous internationally available organic, cleanest, natural skincare lines. It’s not cheap, products last a long time. A long time. A little goes a long way. Ingredients you can tell are high quality. While I can’t get this in Spain, my friend who introduced my to Kora Organics kindly bought me back one from Australia (paid her back of course!) and P also got me one from the USA last year. Continue reading “Beauty Finds: Mists, Toners, Masks and Eyeshadow. Kora Organics, Freshly Cosmetics and Honest Beauty.” →

Beauty and Skin Care, Lifestyle

Beauty Finds: The Cleansing Trio

by natjtan1 Comment on Beauty Finds: The Cleansing Trio

Today I’m sharing my current go to cleansing products. All are cruelty free, vegan and natural ingredients!

My love for Korean skincare products might be waning. Gasp! There are some Aussie products that have caught my eye that I might prefer. However when it comes to cleansing, removing makeup, making my face feel clean Korean products win. All products reviewed are cruelty free, contain no nasty ingredients, vegan, mostly palm oil free as I prefer orangutans (1 ingredient is a derivative). While my skin type is combination to oily all products are aimed for all skin types. It took a few frogs over the past 1.5 years to find this trio. And yes I know. All plastic packaging while I’m wanting to reduce my plastic. Skincare and beauty are one of the areas I’m finding this hardest.

When it comes to cleansing my face, I follow the double cleansing routine. Firstly an oil cleanser to remove excess sebum, sunscreen, silicones and oil based makeup makeup followed by a foam cleanser Continue reading “Beauty Finds: The Cleansing Trio” →

Beauty and Skin Care, Lifestyle

Beauty Finds: BB Creams, Lightweight Foundation and a Primer

by natjtanLeave a Comment on Beauty Finds: BB Creams, Lightweight Foundation and a Primer

It took a few years, about 15 to realise my skin is better with cushion compacts. Last year however I wanted to try to find a less plastic packaging alternate. I kissed a lot of foundation, cushion compact and BB cream frogs. Thankfully I’ve found cushion compact that works well for now, MeloMELI which I’ll share in a later post. Today I’m sharing the frogs that weren’t for me. And sadly all the unused products and plastic containers.

As usual I have a few requirements when it comes to cosmetics and all things beauty. Be cruelty free world wide. No saying we don’t test on animas in Europe but test on animals in other parts of the world. Contain no animals ingredients I know of. Honey I’m okay with as being a bad vegan I eat honey (yes, every vegan has to let you know they’re vegan). Snail slime, royal jelly, birds nest spit, crushed cochineal bugs no thank you. I prefer products not to contain petroleum derived ingredients, parabens, SLS, phthalates etc. With skincare this is easier. Makeup it’s harder to find makeup that hasn’t got a few nasty ingredients in so they’re the exception to the rule as below. It’s easier to go for cruelty free makeup and keep the nasty ingredients to a minimum. I also avoid if I can products containing palm oil. I prefer orangutans living happy in a rainforest, not in a sanctuary due to their habitat being cut down for palm oil plantations. I’m also reducing my coconut use too for a similar reason. Deforestation for plantations. My skin type is oily combination, concerns ageing, acne and acne scar reduction. 

Nude By Nature Sheer Glow BB Cream 02 Soft Sand, 03 Nude Beige

The Sheer Glow BB Cream instantly enhances the complexion, providing light coverage to even out skin tone, minimise the appearance of fine lines and imperfections for a natural, luminous finish with SPF8 protection. 

The all-in-one formula helps fight visible signs of ageing with active natural ingredients, including native Australian Kadadu Plum known for it’s abundant Vitamin C content, Quandong and Desert Lime. The lightweight, non-greasy texture is enriched with moisturising Aloe Vera, Phytomoist and Desert Date Oil to benefit the skin and perfect the complexion. 

I discovered Nude by Nature while visiting my Mum and Dad back in the UK last year. I was so excited to find brand that didn’t have too much crap in. And in Debenhams of all places! Light weight and silicone free! I knew a lot of Australian brands are more natural so I was game to try. Continue reading “Beauty Finds: BB Creams, Lightweight Foundation and a Primer” →

Beauty and Skin Care, Thought

My First and Probably My Last Time Shopping At Lush

by natjtan8 Comments on My First and Probably My Last Time Shopping At Lush

Being vegan you’d probably think that Lush and The Body Shop are 2 places I shop at for things beauty related. They’re cruelty free, campaign for countries to ban animal testing and promote the use of natural ingredients. Those aspects I like. The actual products I don’t like so much. Both brands contain some not so great ingredients. Both I feel are overpriced for what they are. Lush, I’ve never really liked even way back in London though I like their stance on not using synthetic to no preservatives, supporting local community from who they purchase ingredients and helping environmental organisations. Both however I feel are more hype than they are about the actual products. However I was bored last month and popped into Lush.

I ignored the alarm bells of hygienie, the overpowering perfume wafting everywhere and ended up being swayed by the bright colours and boredom. I was looking for a new face exfoliator and am always on the look out for non palm oil body soaps to try. The first display I saw as I walked in was Continue reading “My First and Probably My Last Time Shopping At Lush” →