A Perfume I'm enjoying: Liz Earle Botanical Essence No15

Yep girlies I'm still here, I've been lost somewhere between work, family issues and the gym and just haven't felt like blogging for a while but oh how I've missed it.

So I love my perfumes, I have around four at the moment all of which I like using in rotation, I'll be blogging about all of them eventually. One of them is Liz Earle's Eau De Parfum Botanical Essence No15 which I kindly got sent to me sometime last year.

Some Facts:
-It's described as ..' a fresh spicy oriental scent. This clean, sexy and addictive eau de parfum is synonymous with feeling seductive and elegant.'

- 90% of the ingredients comes from sustainably sourced natural ingredients which is always great to hear.
- 50ml for £47.00
- Some of the 15 notes are Bergamot, Virginian Cederwood and Patchouli.

What do I think of it? (and my mum!)
I literally just sprayed some before I wrote this blog, my mum came upstairs and in the hallway mentioned how gorgeous something smells. She actually stole it off me as she loved the smell, I guess we kinda share it now.
It's definitely a strong scent (which you can smell for quiet sometime after spraying) it has a fresh undertone along with the spicy oriental notes.
It's different to anything I own, I normally go for either fresh and sometimes citrus scents or something sweet, fruity and floral but having said that I do enjoy this perfume I feel like it's my more 'mature' smell.
The packaging is really nice too, something very different to other perfumes, the front has pictures of all the different notes and on the inside it also tells you a lot about the perfume and the names of the notes that are in it.
Overall I like it and would suggest getting a sample or trying it out at the store, I think it would make a great mothers day present too!

What's your favourite perfume?

Liz Earle Prince's Trust Special Edition Hot Cloth Cleanser with Rose & Lavender

Just thought I'd give you lovely people a heads up about the Liz Earle Special Edition Hot Cloth Cleanser with Rose & Lavender. It's existence comes about because of 'The Tomorrow Campaign' which was created to inspire the next generation and so six Prince's Trust supported young people have had iconic mentors working with them to create a product where a contribution of the price will go to The Prince's trust. Liz had worked with a young entrepreneur called Rebecca Taylor and together they have come up with this very relaxing and calming sounding hot cloth cleanser. A donation of £2.00 will be made to the trust which helps young people into jobs and training. A great cause right?!
You can get your hands on it from the 6th of September. I'm personally a huge supporter of products that contribute money to a charity and think this is great.
There is also free P&P on the Liz Earle site until the 31st of August which is celebrating the CoolBrands award they have received! Happy Shopping :)
<3

Liz Earle Lash Definition Smudgeproof Mascara Review

As many may already know Liz Earle branched out into make-up 'Liz Earle Colour' not long ago offering blusher, mascaras, eye-liners and many other products. In general I really enjoy their skincare range so was pleased and excited when I found out about the new addition of make-up.
Now I finally have one of those items to try, the Liz Earle Lash Definition Smudgeproof Mascara RRP £14.50 for 8ml.

The packaging is sleek and simple, I really like the two tone shimmery tube the mascara is in. There is also a little note about the mascara and how to apply, tips and suggestions.

This mascara is said to be lightweight, water resistant, long lasting and defining. The brush is designed to help even the shortest of lashes and contains Vitamin E for nourishment.
I got the mascara in 01 Black, it comes in two shades with the other being Brown.

I thought I'd test out the mascara on bare lashes without curling them first and here's how it looked..(FYI I have naturally long eyelashes which you can't really see in the 'Before' picture.)

Application..
You know how with some mascaras when you apply it and there's too much product and it go's clumpy? This was the opposite I had to work in that mascara! I applied the first coat waited a few minutes and then applied the second coat. It's recommended to use on curled lashes which I would have done if I could find my curlers, they tend to really open up your eyes and make your lashes look longer in my opinion.

Verdict...
If you are used to a more intense/dramatic look you may be disappointed as you would have to use at least three or more coats and even then it would lengthen more than volumise.
I really like that this mascara gives more of a natural look, it's s the perfect mascara to separate, elongate and yes 'define' your eyelashes with and give you that wide eyed look without any clumps. As you can see from the pictures it did lift my lashes too. I would suggest this mascara if you want a buildable natural look.
I wore it to work and had no problems with this mascara, I don't touch my eyes much so there was no smudging despite the humidity.

Liz Earle Shampoo, treatment and conditioner.

I tend to wash my hair once to twice a week as I feel that's enough for my hair. I have accumulated alot of shampoos that I need to use up so I have not used these products long enough to give a full review but so far I am really enjoying them.
My hair at the moment is er...boob length and super thick and unfortunately frizzy, I don't use a lot of heat but I think thick hair is prone to frizz and split ends? sigh.

I have the Botanical shine shampoo for all hair types RRP £8.00 200ml
This contains natural Vitamin E, aloe vera, shea butter and apple and orange extracts.

Botanical Shine conditioner for dry or damaged hair RRP £8.00 200ml
This contains shea butter, blue seakale, Kenyan yangu oil, apple and orange extracts

Lastly Liz Earle have recently added a Botanical Shine treatment to their collection which is aimed at frozzy, coarse or very dry hair....so basically it's made for me.£14.00 150ml

Liz Earle's Shine treatment...a nice thick consistency.

My thoughts...
The tubes are not the biggest and having thick and long hair I need to use a little more product but having said that it states on the shampoo that 'a little go's a long way...if needed add more water for more lather' therefore it will last longer than I first assumed. 

The shampoo left my hair feeling squeaky clean which makes me feel like it's really cleansed my hair of all the dirt and oils.
The combination of the three products left me with hair that felt soft and upon drying it did feel more smoother than usual but not totally frizz free which I expected and it was shiny.

All three products have a orangey smell which I personally love, it's very refreshing and especially nice in the morning and lingers for a while after using them.

I feel like I could get away with using the treatment as a conditioner soon as I don't wash my hair too frequently as it's very conditioning. I'm a fan of these as they don't contain a ton of nasty chemicals like a lot of products do... no silicones either!

If you want to try the conditioner and shampoo they are actually currently on buyapowa here and if enough people join in you can get the pair for £11.... bargain!

Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator Review

 Ever since I discovered Liz Earle, the products have quickly become some of my favourites. I have been using this exfoliator since July and I thought I'd share my thoughts on this particular product.

It contains Eucalyptus, cocoa butter and fine jojoba beads, comes in a 70ml pump tube and is not suitable for sensitive skin. It states on the back to use it after cleanse and polish but so far I've been using one or the other.

Gosh my hands look wrinkley!

 The texture is thick and creamy, in the picture I have put a pump's worth on my hand but I'd normally use a little less than that.

I personally love this exfoliator. I know many people can be put off them with the thought of beads scrubbing against their skin but like the tube states, it's gentle. The beads are small and with the mixture of ingredients it's a pleasant experience using it.
Unlike many exfoliators I have used in the past where I feel the need to slather my face with moisturiser straight after cleaning my face this one does not leave my skin feeling dry and thirsty for moisturiser which is a huge huge plus for me. I guess that thanks where the cocoa butter kicks in.

FYI I have Combination skin at the moment with oily and dry parts. I would definitely recommend this exfoliator, it costs £13 pounds and I personally think it will go along way till I need to repurchase it again!

A look at Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint :Update.

I have been a big fan of Liz Earle products ever since I bought the Cleanse, Polish and Moisturise products so when the absolutely lovely PR team sent me this product to try out I must admit I was excited to do so as I'm a big fan of skin tints. I was impressed with the customer service in store which I spoke about here but even online everyone is so lovely and helpful, it makes me love Liz Earle even more!

The packaging is classic and easy to use, you can control how much comes out the tub as it's a squeezable bottle.

This Skin tint will be the first product of their new make-up range called 'Liz Earle Colour' which they have finally decided to launch (yay!) and this specific product will hit the shelves on September 15th at the cost of £21 for 40ml.
It has been described as something that suits all skin types and is like a foundation but is still lightweight. It has mineral UV protection SP15 but is also packed with natural vitamin E, avocado and borage so it's still has all the good stuff Liz Earle products tend to have making it a more unique skin tint.
It leaves a dewy, even and radiant finish and comes in 3 shades which are Bare, Beige and Beach. I got beach which is the darkest one and if it helps anyone I'm a mac NC44.

And finally below is how it looks blended in....

My thought's...
The consistency is creamy and I used my fingers to put it on (as instructed) and it blended into my skin very well and easily.
I have been using it  for a while now and I personally love it, the cover is very sheer. I didn't expect it to cover up scars and my dark under eye circles but it left me with a gorgeous dewy and light finish. I think this is perfect for good skin days, hot days and also if you don't tend to use heavy coverage like myself. I have been after a product with some SPF in it as well so that added bonus is perfect. I felt as though it gave my skin a lovely glow and would more than certainly repurchase it.
The only downside to me is the lack of different shades, more of a range would be nice as there's not really a shade for people with darker skin.
Update: I have been given some fabulous news that there will be more of a range of shades in the future so more people can enjoy this product!

Also as many of you may know, Liz Earle are eco-friendly and have numerous projects in aid of being green and one of them is providing customers who order this Sheer Skin Tint by mail 3 samples of each of the colours. The reason behind this is to allow you to choose which is the best shade for you rather than trying a full sized product and then realising it's not right for you. They want to avoid unnecessary landfill of good and unused products and I think this is a fantastic way of doing so!
You can sign up here to get a notification of when it's on sale.
Is anyone else planning on trying this skin tint?
xx

June Favourites

 First of all I hope everyone's enjoying the lovely weather. It's about time it's sunny, fingers crossed it lasts.

01 Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic. 'Revatalises soothes and tones for instant radiance' - I know a lot of people don't see the point in 'toner' type products, but I personally love this, although they say it's apparently not classed as a toner but just something to prep your skin before you moisturise. It smells lovely and it's amazingly refreshing especially in warmer days like it has been recently (where I personally tend to get 'myfaceismelting' sundrome) but also on a morning. 'Organic aloe vera, calendula, rose scented granium, cucumber and natural vitamin E' it's clearly packed with a ton of good stuff too!

02 St Ives Apricot Scrub, Blemish and Blackhead control - I love this scrub and have been using it for months. It's for oily and acne prone skin, my skins not really acne prone but it does get oily and again especially during the summer. I tend to use this in the shower, it has little beady type things in it to help exfoliate and remove those dead skin cells, dirt and oil which will clog pores. I think this has either been repackaged since I bought it or I got it in the US, I'm not sure. I'm almost out of it and I will more than certainly be repurchasing, although not so long ago I saw a clean and clear scrub which I used tons when I was living in the USA in stock in the UK (yay!) so I may just have to get that.

03 Tangle Teezer - Where has this been all my life?! At first I was reluctant to buy it as I read reviews saying it's useless for thick hair but I recently started getting fed up of combing my tangled mess after showers so decided to just go for it. I find that it works just fine on my thick hair and it just makes life so much easier when I'm trying to get rid of tangles and it also takes less time than it did when I used a comb.

04 Sigma Flat Top Kubuki F80- This brush has to be one of the softest brushes I have ever used, I couldn't stop touching it when I first got it. It's rather dense and I basically find it a pleasant joy to put my foundation on with, it's great to buff and blend it all in for a flawless finish. I really want to get a brush set by Sigma, maybe when I get a Job!

05 Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish - Now I'm sure everyone has this! It's a much talked about product and I really like that it's so gentle and leaves my skin soft and moisturised. When I bought it I was told that it may break me out at first (this made me a bit weary) but to just stick through it, but I thankfully didn't break out.

06 Bioderma Crealine H2O Solution - I first heard about this make up remover/cleanser when I watched this Lisa Eldridge video. It looks like water, has the constancy of water and there is no smell. It's so SO gentle and perfect for sensitive skin and takes off my make up efficiently without leaving an oily residue. I have pretty much been using this everyday since I got it last week (my lovely friend in Paris mailed me it!) but you can find it online. I feel like it's going to last me a long time and it's pretty cheap, a definite keeper and will also be repurchased.
                                                 Happy 4th of July to my lovely American readers!
                                                 
                                                                               <3