Tag: beauty reviews

Beauty and Skin Care, Lifestyle

Beauty Finds: Makeup Sponges: Beautyblender vs Fenty Beauty vs Tarte Cosmetics

by natjtanLeave a Comment on Beauty Finds: Makeup Sponges: Beautyblender vs Fenty Beauty vs Tarte Cosmetics

The battle of a few cruelty free makeup sponges!

I’m in no way a full face of makeup girl. I use a makeup sponge to apply BB cream or tinted moisturiser and concealer. Just like all the products I use I try to make sure all the beauty tools I use are also from cruelty free, clean ingredient, vegan if possible brands. I know the last 2 aren’t always possible with cosmetics. I also try to go for the lesser plastic packaging brand to help keep my plastic consumption down. I know I could use my fingers to apply products, it’s best I don’t. Brushes I find I don’t get a smooth blended finish and I’m there all day trying to get it streakless.

Beautyblender

I’d been using a Beautyblender for a few years until last year I started not being happy with it and wanting change. I’m not sure if they changed the formula or me using a different product it wasn’t working the same as before. I use makeup sponges damp and leave to air dry. The last 2 Beautyblenders I used weren’t air drying as quickly. I know that towards the end of a foundation or BB cream it doesn’t apply as well but this was happening mid way through a tube with regular cleaning of the sponge. Usually I could get 3 months use out of one until it needs replacing as it seems damp all the time product doesn’t apply as good. I noticed it needed replacing after 2 months. I also noticed as it wasn’t drying as quickly it got faint dark spots I wasn’t sure if were mould or part of the sponge. Also the first few washes so much pink dye came out! Imagine what that dye does to your face and the water system. It also seemed to eat/absorb a lot of product taking forever to wash out. 

Here you can see the fade after about a month of weekly cleaning

As for application I can’t remember. It was okay but I never liked that I couldn’t always get a smooth finish for undereye coverage. Two other reasons why I wanted to switch were it was getting more expensive in Sephora and the packaging for the original pink version went on steroids. Would I buy again, probably no now I know there are others out there. sephora.es €14.95

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Precision Makeup Sponge

I wanted to try Fenty Beauty Precision Makeup Sponge for one for two reasons. The price, about €2 cheaper than Beautyblender, it has lesser plastic packaging and I was intrigued by its flat side and top. Would it make a different? Yes! It makes applying and blending or tapping product so much easier! 

Continue reading “Beauty Finds: Makeup Sponges: Beautyblender vs Fenty Beauty vs Tarte Cosmetics” →
Beauty and Skin Care, Lifestyle

Beauty Finds: Translucent Loose Powder, Charlotte Tilbury, Nude by Nature, Lily Lola & Honest Beauty

by natjtanLeave a Comment on Beauty Finds: Translucent Loose Powder, Charlotte Tilbury, Nude by Nature, Lily Lola & Honest Beauty

Summer’s here and so is keeping oil slicks at bay. The last 2 summer’s I’ve been trying to finds a translucent talc free, due to talc being possibly carcinogenic, silicone free loose powder to keep the shine at bay. I don’t use primer as I don’t want another product wanting to clog my skin and I want a little shine as I don’t like the all matte look. 

In the winter I skip powder however however when the heat and humidity arrives, forget dewy skin. This girl has a full on oily slick look. I have learnt to work with my oil skin not fight it. Finding the right moisturiser helps as does BB cream or tinted foundation. For the days when I know full oil slick’s inevitable I like a little loose powder on my T zone. Loose cruelty free, petroleum (aka plastic) ingredient powders for some reason are more expensive than pressed power and harder to find. Or maybe I looked in the wrong place. Out of the four I tried, only one is now in use and even then I’m thinking shine is down to the products underneath and keeping hydrated. Excessive shiny oily skin is often down to being dehydrated. I should also point out I don’t bake. Too many lines and I only do BB cream or lightweight foundation.

With all my cosmetics I like cruelty free, vegan if possible, clean ingredients, natural ingredients. No nasty toxic ingredients like petroleum and it’s alias (3rd or 4th generation I sometime use depending on ewg.com), parabens, SLS’s, phthalates,  etc. I try to avoid palm oil as I prefer orangutans having forests. With skincare it’s easier, with make up it’s harder. My skin type is oily, sensitive, acne and yes, now anti ageing as those lines…

Charlotte Tilbury Charlottes Genius Magic Powder Under Eye and Face 1 Fair

Soft focusing light defusing loose powder

A genius, light diffusing loose powder that blurs, visibly reduces dark shadows and boosts radiance. Use all over face, matching skin tone for an enhanced complexion or a lighter shade for under eyes for a brightening effect.

I wanted to try something by Charlotte Tilbury. She’d launched a little earlier in Sephora Spain and I’d been hearing so much on YouTube by beauty YouTuber’s I no longer watch about her line. I wanted a translucent powder but I also wanted to try one of her products. I’d checked out reviews before and should have left it on the shelf. The sales assistant said even though it’s not translucent as the range then didn’t have one (maybe they do now) being ‘fair’, it’s the right shade for me. You know I ignored that little voice that said no.

Continue reading “Beauty Finds: Translucent Loose Powder, Charlotte Tilbury, Nude by Nature, Lily Lola & Honest Beauty” →
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, Lifestyle

Autumn 2018 Beauty Finds

by natjtan2 Comments on Autumn 2018 Beauty Finds

Beauty Finds is back! With the last of lots product reviews. I took the photos and started writing this last year. Since a lot of products bottles are long gone to reshoot in a fewer product review. Anyways, onto the beauty…

I always have an inner battle trying new beauty brands. A feeling of disloyal to products I love, still wanting to use them while incorporating new products. Sometimes a girl has to admit true and tested are products are the way or admit the new kids on the block have won her over. Continue reading “Autumn 2018 Beauty Finds” →

Beauty and Skin Care

January, February And March 2018 Beauty Finds

by natjtan3 Comments on January, February And March 2018 Beauty Finds

Beauty Finds is back!

I’ve been using or have been using these products over the past few months giving them a month or 2 to see how my skin likes them. Some products you know straight away they’re an oh yeah!, or a nah, I pass. Others there’s something about them you give a little more time to shine and then there’s the I really want it to work, the packagings’s so cute, review are great, admitting it’s a does nada product. 

When it comes to my beauty products, skin care and make up there a few things I look for. Cruelty free, no animal testing, no selling Continue reading “January, February And March 2018 Beauty Finds” →