Lush Catastrophe Cosmic Fresh Face Mask

Hi everyone,

You’re probably sick of my banging on about it by now but as my skin is still not back to its usual self, I am continuing my search for products that will help restore it to some sort of half decent condition. I have used one Lush face mask before which was Mask of Magnaminty and loved it (review here) so when I saw Catastrophe Cosmic I knew I had to give it a go.

 

Catastrophe Cosmic is a fresh face mask so it will need to be kept in the fridge and will go out of date sooner than the Mask of Magnaminty which is the only Lush face mask that isn’t a fresh one. I have been put off trying the fresh masks in the past as you have to use them up a bit quicker but so far I have managed to get through it at some speed and there definitely won’t be any left that gets wasted.

The aim of this mask is to reduce redness and irritation whilst cleansing the skin to leave it looking healthy and smooth. It contains blueberries, rose absolute and chamomile blue oil to help achieve this and Lush recommend using the mask as often as possible to help keep skin in check.

The first thing I noticed when I opened the pot was the smell which I can't quite place my finger on but kind of smells like paint. I have to say it isn’t my favourite scent but after a while it also started to remind me of parma violets which I can deal with. I usually leave the mask on for about ten minutes in which time it dries but doesn’t feel tight on the skin. Once I have washed it off with warm water my skin feels lovely and smooth and any redness or blemishes I have do look calmer.

In comparison to Mask of Magnaminty, my skin doesn’t feel quite as soft but I think this is due to the smoother texture of this mask so it doesn’t exfoliate as much. I have to say I was really impressed with how much the redness and blemishes were reduced though and I felt that it really did calm my skin down. As I was happy with the results, I used this mask every day for about a week but I wouldn’t recommend using it that much as my skin did start to feel dry after a few days. I think using it two or three times a week would be plenty and would give you the benefits of using the mask without over doing it.

If you’re struggling with problematic skin at the moment then I would definitely recommend giving this mask a try. I will 100% be repurchasing it when this one runs out and can safely say it has really helped improve the condition of my skin which is no mean feat at the moment.

Have you tried any of the Lush Fresh Face Masks? Which is your favourite?

Thanks for reading,

Hannah xx

Top 5 Concealers

Hi everyone,

My skin has been having a complete nightmare for a while now but over the last couple of weeks in particular I have been having a really bad breakout and my skin just looks so tired and dull. Concealer has become my best friend and I have tried and tested many to find the ones that work best for me, both for covering up any redness and blemishes and for hiding dark circles. As it is a completely necessary product for me at the moment, I thought I would post a rundown of my current top 5 concealers in the hope that maybe it will help some of you if you are struggling with the same problems.

 

5. Revlon PhotoReady Eye Primer and Brightener

I love using a highlighting concealer under my eyes to just brighten and lift my skin tone. The Revlon PhotoReady Eye Primer and Brightener has a slight pink tint to it and makes the under eye area look much smoother and also helps makeup stay in place longer. This one is a little more light weight than others I have used so if you’re looking for something that isn’t too heavy it might be worth giving this one a try.

 

 

4. Rimmel Wake Me Up

This is a very popular concealer amongst bloggers so I won’t go on too much as you’ve probably heard tons about it already. This is another one to use under the eyes rather than on blemishes and is one of the few concealers that I will always have in my makeup drawer. I usually buy it in a shade lighter than I normally would to get that extra brightening effect.

3. Bourjois Radiance Reveal

It took me absolutely ages to find this concealer as it was sold out everywhere and even now I don’t have it in the shade that I really want. I ended up getting shade 2 which does match my skin tone but as I was using it under my eyes again, I really wanted to get shade 1. However, I was too impatient to try it as I’ve seen rave reviews everywhere and just decided to give it a go. So far I have been impressed and it has bumped Rimmel Wake Me Up down my list of favourites. I really like the smooth texture of it and the fact that it gives a bit more coverage than some concealers for those days when I really need it!

2. Estée Lauder Double Wear

I have used this concealer for years alongside my Double Wear foundation and it was my number one go-to concealer for ages. It provides really high coverage and is great for hiding blemishes. The only thing to be careful of is applying too much as it can look cakey if you go in too heavy with it.

 

1. Benefit Boi-ing

This is a recent re-discovery that came about actually out of pure laziness! I was doing my makeup one day and realised that my Double Wear concealer was downstairs and I just really couldn’t be bothered to go and get it. Scrambling round in my makeup drawers I came across my Boi-ing concealer and decided to use that instead. I’m so glad I did as it has been such a huge help when doing my makeup recently. It comes in a pot but I just use my fingers to apply it and it melts really easily onto the skin. I find gently patting it on is the best way to go and it blends so nicely and provides fantastic coverage.

Which concealers do you like to use? Have you tried any of my top 5?

Thanks for reading,

Hannah xx

NOTD Sinful Colours Kylie Jenner Denim and Bling Collection Kosmic

Hi everyone,

I have noticed that the Sinful Colours nail polishes seem to have disappeared from my nearest Boots which I was disappointed about as they are good polishes that are cheap too. I thought maybe they had gone from all stores but when I was in London a couple of weekends ago I was pleased to come across one of the stands in Boots there.

I was immediately drawn to the Kylie Jenner Denim and Bling collection and in particular this glittery polish which is called Kosmic. It reminded me of Teenage Dream from the Katy Perry collection for OPI which I absolutely love but unfortunately mine has dried up (serves me right for going a bit overboard with my nail polish collection) and at £3 this is less than a quarter of the price.

Kosmic is pale pink and glittery but once it dries it seems like it has a sand like effect mixed in with the glitter. I really like this as it tones it down slightly so in real life it's not super sparkly. I have applied three coats to get the coverage I have here but you could use this polish as a top coat over another varnish to add a bit of shimmer as well. Being a glitter polish, it is extremely hard wearing and I have had it on for a week now (on acrylic nails) and have not had a single chip. I may not be as pleased about this when it comes to trying to remove it but for now I’m glad I’ve not had to repaint them throughout the week.

I’m so pleased I came across the Sinful Colours range again and I really love this nail polish. I hope the stand comes back to my nearest Boots store soon as the polishes are such good value for money.

Do you like the Sinful Colours nail polishes? What do you think of this shade?

Thanks for reading,

Hannah xx