Showing posts with label skincare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skincare. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 19, 2017

L'Oreal Paris Pure Clay Detox Face Mask

I thought I would do a quick  review of the L'Oreal Pure Clay Detox Mask as this range has featured quite heavily in my social media feed over the last few months. I actually received this as part of a Christmas skincare hamper but because I travel so much and haven't really been home, I only got around to trying it out last week.

There are three masks available in the Pure Clay range and each of them contain 3 pure clays + 1 specialised ingredient (red algae, eucalyptus or charcoal).



What masks are available in this range?
Glow mask: brightens + exfoliates.
Purity mask: purifies + mattifies.
Detox mask: detoxifies + clarfies,

What are the benefits of using a clay mask on your skin?
Kaolin + Charcoal (2 of the ingredients in the Detox Mask) are mineral rich and work together to gently absorb impurities to balance and purify your skin.
The clay gently exfoliates and your skin should feel purer and clearer and more luminous after use.

How do you apply it and does it work?
The product comes in a glass jar with a screw top and plastic seal over the clay itself. I would suggest keeping it and not discarding it, otherwise the clay might leak from the jar. It's quite messy and I would recommend applying a thin layer with a flat foundation brush to minimise mess. I left this on for 10-15 mins and washed the product off with warm water.

Would you recommend this product?
If you're looking for a nice budget friendly mask to add to your weekly skincare routine I think this would make a good addition. It didn't have any groundbreaking results for me but my skin did feel nice, refreshed and more luminous after using this.
3.5/5

The L'Oreal Clay Mask range retails at £7.99 and is currently on offer for £5.29 in Superdrug.

 Have you tired any of the masks from this range?
Rachael O ♥


Thursday, June 30, 2016

New in Beauty Review: Urban Decay, Mac, Benefit, The Body Shop

I LOVE trying out new products and I always look to other bloggers for their honest reviews and opinions before I go and buy them myself. I bought a few makeup and skincare items recently and have been putting them to the test over the last few weeks. I feel that I  have given them a proper test run and can give a more honest review of them now.

This haul is a mish mash of new products and repurchases such as Benefit's Hoola, POREfessional and the Eyelure Lashes. 

I have definitely found some new favourites within this bunch and was  most impressed with the Camomile Cleansing Butter from The Body Shop and the Dragon's Blood Fix Daily Cleansing Pads by Nip+Fab. .



Camomile Cleansing Butter, The Body Shop, £13
Camomile is known for it's soothing and purifying properties and this cleanser is suitable for all skin types. It takes off eye makeup without the stinging or dragging effect and leaves skin feeling hydrated instead of dry and tight. I will definitely repurchase this again.

Exaggerate Eyelashes in no.140 & 141, Eyelure London, £5.45 ea
If you have hooded eyes like me and want a full, dramatic lash for evening time, both of these lashes are perfect! The 140s are fuller and give a graduated effect whereas the 141s are more of a wispy style with the inner, middle, end lashes all being the same length. I always cut off a small section of the inner corner of the lashes as I find that they are too wide and end up dragging my eye down at the outer corners if I don't. Both styles are longtime favourites of mines and I always find myself gravitating back towards them. 

Hoola Mini 4g, Benefit, £9.95
I haven't used this bronzer in years but I know that it is a cult favourite. I recently ran out of my Smashbox contour and wanted to try something different. After hearing so many great reviews about Hoola I decided to try it again. I didn't want to commit to buying the full size in case I didn't like it so the mini travel size was perfect and because I travel alot it made sense to get a smaller size anyway. It's very pigmented, easy to blend and is a lovely ashy, cool tone that gives a very natural contour.

The POREfessional Mini 8ml, £9.95
This is definitely my holy grail primer and know it is a favourite for many others too. It just does exactly what it is supposed to do - minimise pores and create an even base for foundation. If I have any dry patches it glides over them and doesn't flake anywhere which gets a huge thumbs up from me. I've tired other primers both high end and cheaper alternatives but I always gravitate back to this product. 

Mac Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Stone, £15.50
This is one that I have always admired on others but never thought I'd be brave enough to try this myself. It is a very grey toned brown but it is surprisingly wearable and does not leave teeth looking yellow. It is a matte texture so it stays well but can get very drying after a while.

Urban Decay B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray 30ml, £10
This is a very refreshing spray that can be in the same way as Mac Fix+ - before you apply your base or if your makeup is starting to appear cakey after a few hours wear. This is a nice product to have but it's not a holy grail for me and I have found other products to have the same effect on my skin such as a thermal water spray that is a third of the price. (You can get the Avéne Eau Thermale spray in Boots for £3).

So that concludes my mini beauty haul! Have you tried anything recently that is a new favourite? Please let me know!
Rachael O ♥
Wednesday, April 27, 2016

The Body Shop Vit E Duo

First of all before I get into why these two products are my holy grail of skincare, I need to apologize for being MIA. Dancing became my full time job in October and things became so hectic I just didn't have the time to post anything worthwhile; and then of course, the longer you leave it the harder it is to come back... (I'm not even sure if I know what I'm doing.)

If things do become a bit quiet on here again, you can follow what I'm upto by adding me below!
www.facebook.com/rachaelomc
IG: @rachaelomc
Snapchat: @rachaeloblog

Anyway, now that that's out of the way I can get back to what this post is really about!



I started using the Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil along with the Vitamin E Intensive Moisture Cream more than a year ago. My skin type is dry-normal but usually more on the dry side. When it is going through a rough patch it is literally that. Rough patches EVERYWHERE. 

So I began searching reviews online of affordable products targeted towards dry skin. When I saw that Skincare Queen +Caroline Hirons approved of the Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil I knew I had to try it. 

The Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil is £15 and the Vitamin E Intensive Moisture Cream is £13; however, The Body Shop also sell these in a set for £20 which is much better value and the one I keep repurchasing.


According to +The Body Shop Ireland :
  • Skin feels recharged, replenished and softer
  • Non-greasy, fast absorbing formula
  • Skin looks fresher, rested and more radiant
I have to agree with their claims as the thing I love most about this oil is that it really absorbs into the skin. You can feel it working and doesn't sit on top leaving a greasy film behind like many other products I've tried over the years.

I apply a few drops of the oil at night, leave it to absorb for a few minutes and the apply the Vitamin E Intensive Moisture Cream on top.
If my skin is feeling quite dry before I put makeup on, I will apply a drop or two before I use my day time moisturiser.

If you have dry-normal skin and it feels a bit on the dry side or is looking quite lacklustre in general, definitely try this Vit E duo. You'll be as hooked as I am!

Rachael O ♥
Saturday, June 6, 2015

Mac Fix+ Dupe: Nivea Refreshing Toner

If there is one product that I see Makeup Artists continuously use in tutorials it's Fix+ by Mac: "Helps create an even surface for a smooth makeup application." I've always been intrigued to see if it would make a difference to the finish of my makeup and when I found a dupe for it on Pinterest I had to give it a try. I picked up a bottle of the Nivea Refreshing Toner and also bought a travel sized spray bottle from Superdrug to transfer it into. 


Mac Fix+ and the Nivea Refreshing Toner are both water based products with similar ingredients such as glycerin and hydrogenated caster oil.
As I suffer from dry/dehydrated skin I find this so refreshing and hydrating to apply before makeup and after I set it so that it appears less "powdery."

Uses: 
Skin Refresher/ Finishing Mist NOT a setting spray. 
Spritz onto beauty blender before applying foundation for a more natural finish.
Spritz onto eyeshadow brush before applying baked/shimmer eyeshadows to give a more vibrant effect.
Spray after setting with powder so the powder sets into your skin and the finish is less "cakey".
Use with gel liner that has hardened in the pot to break up the product so that it will glide on easily.


The Nivea Refreshing Toner retails for €4.79 for 200ml in comparison to Mac Fix+ which costs around €18.50 for only 100ml.

If you have any makeup or skincare dupes I would love to hear them!
Rachael O