Below The Belt Male Grooming Review

Hey Guys! 

Today I am reviewing a collection of products that was very kindly sent to me by Below The Belt Grooming. This company really caught my attention as they are catering to a problem that no one has ever really done anything about, the problems men can face below the belt. 

THE REVIEW

I was sent all three of their products, Waterless Shower, Sports Lubricant and Fresh And Dry Balls. 

Waterless Shower:

What is it? It's a gel cleanser for the male groin. 

This is how the product is described:  

At the end of the day, and you are going out straight from work, at a festival, on a long haul flight or just going to bed, this product cleanses you instantly so you are good to go. No need for a shower, it is instantly absorbed and effective. It will REFRESH.

It is a refreshing cleanser that makes you feel much fresher on the go. It would be 

amazing traveling or on city breaks. I am forever going places straight from work and working on night shoots at obscene hours so this particular product is a life saver. The only thing I would say about this product is to men who shave, I would NOT use this if you suffer from razor burn as I imagine it might sting. Besides that, it does exactly as it promises.

Sports Lubricant:

What is it? A clear lubricant designed to protect and reduce chafing.

 If you run, climb, cycle, play golf or ramble this smooth non drag product will prevent chafing or unnecessary discomfort. It PROTECTS.

This product is my absolute favourite. It is a life saver. I am a big fan of running and maintaining a very active lifestyle. Nothing is worse than going for a long run and hours later feeling the start of chafing. It is sore and outright unpleasant. This is a clear, mess free lubricant that you apply to any areas that are prone to chafe during exercise. It is absolutely perfect for guys like me who are fans of working out and keeping fit. It protects and moisturises the delicate, thin skin and effectively stops any workout related discomfort. 

Fresh And Dry Balls:

What is it? Antiperspirant deodorant for the groin.

 If you use antiperspirant, then use this gel below the belt to ensure dry comfort all day. It is a gentle formula which is absorbed quickly to leave a healthy dusting of talc like powder. It is not perfumed but uses only essential oils. It keeps you FRESH.  

We have all been there when we have felt uncomfortably hot or sticky down below, especially in the summer or at work. It is uncomfortable and annoying so I have often wondered why no one has ever invented anti perspirant to keep guys fresh there... Luckily someone who had the ability to make such a product had the same idea and created this amazing product. There is no scent to this at all, it is just a white gel that applies easily and creates a light dusting of powder to absorb any oil. It only takes a tiny amount of product to get the job done too so it is very economical. 

I am going to use SO much of this in the summer and it would be perfect to take to festivals or for people like me who have very active and physical jobs. 

My Experience With The Products:

I have used all three of their products for several days and found them to do everything they promised. The two absolute stand out products for me are Fresh & Dry Balls and the absolutely AMAZING Sports Lubricant. These two are amazing for anyone active or who frequently works out or just someone who really likes to look after themselves. 

A huge thank you to BTB grooming for sending me the products to review and you can buy all of these products from http://btbgrooming.co.uk/  and follow them on Twitter at @btbgrooming 

Lush Soak And Float Review

Hey Guys, 

Today I am going to be talking about a Lush product that has literally changed my life and saved my wardrobe. The incredible Soak And Float Shampoo Bar. 

Shampoo bars are up there with bath bombs for products that are completely 100% unique to Lush and I was really curious to try one and so I opted to try Soak And Float. 

Soak & Float is perfect for people who suffer from dry or irritated scalps. Whilst I do not suffer from either particularly badly I have to wear all black clothing six days a week so flakey skin is my biggest nightmare (especially as I have black hair). 

Within one use of Soak And Float I noticed immediate improvement and my hair has never been so soft or silky. Soak and float has a VERY strong distinctive scent which I personally quite like. It smells weirdly like a bonfire. Which is caused by its main ingredient, cade oil. 

The shampoo bars lather effortlessly and last for ages. They can last onwards of one hundred washes if looked after correctly! Which for £5.50 is incredible. 

Have you tried any of Lush's shampoo bars? If so, what's your favourite?

Evolve Beauty Gentle Cleansing Melt Review

*This product was kindly sent to me by the lovely people at www.mypure.co.uk all opinions are my own.*

Hey Dolls, 

Today I am reviewing another product from Evolve Beauty, this time it's their Gentle Cleansing Melt.  This product is a sugar based cleanser designed for normal to dry skins. Like all Evolve products it is organic, vegan and NOT tested on animals. 

"Pure, unrestrained cleansing pleasure for normal to dry skin, and perfect for sensitive skin. Natural sugars melt away make-up and impurities leaving skin refreshingly clean, calm and hydrated.

This completely natural, soap free cleansing balm is beautifully fragranced with creamy Vanilla and can be used with a hot cloth for added pampering."

I have never really experimented with cleansing balms as part of my skincare regimen or professional kit but I must admit to being curious about them so when I was offered the chance to trial one, I leapt for it. 

The product itself is a thick cream/gel consistency that applies beautifully to the skin. On the application of warm water it transforms into a rich cleansing milk which dissolves make-up and leaves the skin feeling as soft as silk. 

It is supposed to be vanilla scented but I personally can't detect any fragrance to this product at all, which I do not dislike. 

It would be perfect for anyone with dry or sensitive skin or anyone who is searching for a gentle but highly effective way of cleansing their skin. I personally love this cleanser it is so gentle and it literally disolves make-up without stripping the skin. 

You can buy this cleanser for £13.99 HERE from the lovely people at www.mypure.co.uk

Evolve Liquid Crystal Cleanse And Tone Review

*This product was kindly sent to me by the lovely people at www.mypure.co.uk all opinions are my own.*

Hey lovelies, 

Today I am reviewing a product by a brand I have just discovered called Evolve Beauty. Evolve products are natural, organic, vegan and not tested on animals. Evolve Beauty also package their products in 100% recycled bottles. 

"Evolve Eco beauty is all about fair trade, recycled bottles, low carbon footprints and fabulous skin friendly hair & body care. All the products are made in the UK and are packed full of highly effective superfoods to make a real difference to your skin and hair."

The product I am reviewing is their Liquid Crystal Cleanse & Tone which claims to be a mild, 2 in 1 cleanser and toner. This is how they describe the product:

"An ingenious 2 in 1 lotion to effortlessly cleanse and tone even the most sensitive of skin.

Micellar encapsulated micro molecules lift and remove dirt without the harshness of soap whilst Hyaluronic Acid locks moisture into the skin, protecting the skin barrier and stimulating epidermal regeneration for younger looking skin.

This no rinse formula has the efficacy of an oil but with the freshness of crystal clear water. Delicately fragranced with rose oil, skin is left sparklingly clean, clear and glowing. "

First things first, I LOVE the packaging. It is very simple, pretty and practical with a distinctive design. I think it really differs itself from other natural skincare brands and has a real "brand identity" to it. 

The product itself is fantastic. It is a very mild cleansing water which removes light make-up as well as excess oils and impurities from the skin. It also lightly tones the skin and locks in the skins natural moisture which is an added bonus.  You get 200ml of product in the bottle and a little goes a long way. 

The product is designed for even the most sensitive skins and does not require the use of water so it is perfect for traveling or those who can not use tap water on their faces.

It leaves your skin so soft and feeling squeaky clean but most importantly it doesn't feel tight or stripped, just gently cleansed. It is also really effective at removing light make-up. It doesn't fully remove heavy make-up as there is no soap or harsh chemical base to this product. 

I think it is a brilliant light cleanser that is amazing for people who wear minimal make-up or 

You can buy this product for £13.99 HERE and check out more amazing natural products from the lovely people at MyPure here at www.mypure.co.uk 

Lady Gaga Eau De Gaga Review

Hey Guys, 

Today I am reviewing a fragrance that has got SO many people excited, it is the second release from Lady Gaga's Haus Laboratories which is titled Eau De Gaga. 

The first thing that struck me with this before I even smelt it (Yes I ordered it before sniffing it, don't judge me) is that it seems very different from her first release Fame (Black Fluid). It is packaged in a much more conservative looking box which looks very retro and understated. The only thing that does bug me a little about it as I like keeping things in their box is the fact it smudges and shows fingerprints worse than a phone screen. 

This is how Haus Laboratories officially described the concept in the press release:

"The striking EAU DE GAGA bottle mirrors the perfume by uniting masculine and feminine design aesthetics. Its stark lines and sleek black lacquered finish deliver a bold statement in simplicity."  

I do have to agree, it does somehow manage to be both masculine but feminine at the same time which I personally do like. It lacks the theatrics of Fame but that may appeal more to her casual fans or the ordinary perfume shopper. 

The actual scent is described as follows:

EAU DE GAGA, the dangerously daring new fragrance from Lady Gaga and her fragrance powerhouse, Haus Laboratories, represents the future of a scent that appeals to both men and women, where nothing is off limits.

EAU DE GAGA, is built around a beautiful heart of white violet, an intoxicating flower which fuses male and female attractions. To counterbalance this opulent woody-floral intensity, the scent opens with an invigorating burst of sparkling lime that exudes dynamic vibrancy. It evolves into a sensual trail based on leather, adding a primal quality to the scent.

EAU DE GAGA, the fragrance for the adventurous woman and the man who loves her. 

It does smell exactly as described, the second you spray it you are dazzled by lime, after a few minutes it settles into the musky and mildly floral white violet and then the warm and comforting smell of leather settles into the base. It is no where near as sweet or heady as Fame and it does have much more of a conventional feel to it. I personally feel it smells much more expensive and unisex than Fame. 

It lasts brilliantly on the skin and is not overpowering at all so I think this will be much more popular with people than the unusual sweet and heady mix that was fame. It comes in 30ml, 50ml and 100ml bottles.

Have you tried Eau De Gaga yet? If so let me know what you think of it in the comment section below. 

R.W xx

Interview With Robert William

Hey guys, 

Today I wanted to share with you this interview I took part in, a huge thank you to the lovely Mary who interviewed me in front of her entire uni class. I hope you enjoy and I hope this give you all a better insight into my head. 

What inspired you to start your blog and what continues to inspire you?

“Well, I guess I wanted a platform to network and to share my knowledge, I am in a unique position as I started training to be a MUA when I was about 8, so I wanted to share my knowledge of products with people. I guess what continues to inspire me is change, I don’t just write about beauty but also politics, music and life in general. I am a very honest person and I wish to be transparent with my readers.”

What gave you the idea for the name Gothinista?

“I decided to brand myself a ‘Gothinista’ as I am fascinated by the effect alternate sub cultures have upon popular culture, be it the 60’s hippy, 80’s punk or 90’s goth scene. The creatives are always the ones who bring about change and I wanted the name of my blog to reflect that but at the same time for it to be a bit fun and quirky. Not sure if I pulled it off though as so many people pronounce it wrong…”

Your skincare posts often have a ‘natural is better’ vibe, how important is natural skincare to you?

“Hugely, I loathe using chemical filled products on myself or others. I am fortunate enough to have secured a job with my favourite company of all, Lush. The people are so friendly and are absolute sweethearts so I hope to stay there awhile.”

Doesn't it give you a headache working there?

“Everyone asks me that. Honestly, no. You get used to it very quick and it is just a general lovely smell. It is such a homely shop too. So I love it”

Other issues you are very vocal on are animal testing and gay rights, care to share your two cents on those subjects?

“Animal testing is a huge no for me. I hate it and am actively against it. I refuse to use products personally or professionally that have been tested on animals or that contain ingredients tested on animals. I would not say I champion gay rights, I would say I champion human rights. I campaign for us all to be equal and for people to think before they speak. I have been sent some truly hideous things by people online which I am lucky enough to find hilarious but they could be deeply upsetting to some people, so yes, I am an advocate for human rights.

Is it correct that you also have ties to the infamous LaVeyan Church Of Satan?

“I am not affiliated to them in any way shape or form. Religion and philosophy are of huge interest to me and in my teenage years I was deeply mesmerized by Anton Lavey and his writings. I would not say I am a devout follower or even a follower at all, but when I am asked if I am religious I always answer that I am a “LaVeyan Satanist” because I am curious to see how people react and how they approach the subject.

In your ‘secret diary of a male blogger’ post you jokingly compared yourself to Bridget Jones, so I wanted to ask what qualities you look for in a partner?

“Oh wow, I don’t think I look for anything in particular really. I don’t have a set type. I guess because I am very active I like athletic guys? Or at least a guy who’s in decent shape… As a general rule I like different, artistic or intelligent people. So my favourite people are usually writers, musicians, teachers etcetera. One of my best friends said on the subject of men “Have a dick, don’t be a dick”.

Would you ever consider becoming a YouTuber? 
"Loads of people want me to start doing YouTube but truth be told I do not have the time to dedicate to it currently. If I were to do it I would want to do it properly. So for the time being Gothinista is a blog only site. 

What do you expect for the future of your blog?

"Well I honestly can't believe how much it has grown in a year so I have no idea. There are a few brands I want to work with which would be awesome to try and get involved with. I want to tackle YouTube and do some colabs too. I am also going to start recruiting some guest bloggers too which will be exciting. So I hope to continue to expand when I am able to do so.

*If you are interested in guest blogging please leave a comment with a link to your blog OR contact me via the contact form*

RAIGN Don't Let Me Go Review

Hey Dolls,

Today I am reviewing the first single by independent recording artist and current X Factor 2014 contestant RAIGN.

I discovered her when I first heard her song on an episode of The Vampire Diaries and HAD to google who it was singing the song. I then saw her perform on The X Factor (liquor and saturday night TV are a perfect match). I loved her enthusiastic, ballsy, no compromise artistic attitude and howled with laughter at Cheryls reaction (she is SUCH the professional).

So I have decided to review her AMAZING single "Don't Let Me Go".

First off, the production is faultless, it is atmospheric and bluesy, absolute perfection. RAIGN's voice is deep and soulful with soaring highs and a dazzling range. Her lyrics are unique, well written and emotional. 

RAIGN strikes me as an absolute artiste, her way or the highway which I LOVE. It is also fair to say I will love anyone who manages to piss off Cheryl Cole...

You can buy Don't Let Me Go HERE  

Sugarpill Goldilux Review

Hey Guys,

Today I am reviewing a cult classic by Sugarpill cosmetics, their gorgeous Goldilux loose pigment. 

Like most Sugarpill products Goldilux is Vegan and not tested on animals. They give you an amazing 5g of product in the cutest little jar. 

Goldilux is SUPER pigmented and packed full of shimmer. Unlike most "gold" pigments it is not yellow, orange or bronze based. It is a true, vibrant gold that looks stunning with practically any colour. 

I love the packaging, the little plastic pots feel sturdy and I have a lot of faith in the lids which is a HUGE relief, I'd practically cry if I arrived at a shoot and found the bottom of my bag covered in precious pigments. 

I swatched the pigment over NYX Eyeshadow Base (white) because as this pigment is quite shimmery I feel you HAVE to use a base to prevent gold fallout. 

It would look amazing with SO many colours or as an eyeliner (simply mix a little pigment with a product like Illamasqua sealing gel or E.L.F lock & Seal). You can also mix it with products such as lip glosses or even use it on the body as a highlight. It is definitely a product to play with. 

It would look stunning on pretty much any skin tone at any time of year so if you are a make-up lover this is a product you have to purchase at some time or another. My only regret is I waited SO long before adding it to my kit. 

Motionless In White Reincarnate Album Review

Hey guys,

Today I am reviewing the long awaited new album from the band Motionless In White which is titled Reincarnate. 

Whilst the album is not officially released until tomorrow the band have unveiled the album for online streaming via their website. 

They have teased the album for quite awhile by releasing two promotional singles the first Reincarnate and Puppets 3 (the grand finale). Both of which received mixed reactions to audiences online. 

TRACK LISTING

Death March

Reincarnate

Puppets 3 (the grand finale) (feat Danni Filth)

Unstoppable

Everybody Sells Cocaine

Contemptress (feat Maria Brink)

Break The Cycle

Generation Lost

Dark Passenger

Wasp

Dead As Fuck

Final Dictvm (feat Tim Skold)

Carry The Torch

I adore the album artwork and theme running through the album itself. Lyrically it is certainly a much more "mature" album than their previous efforts of Creatures and Infamous. In fact in terms of sound it is a mixture of both their previous full lengths. There are very heavy elements of Infamous but with strong nods to creatures (Dark Passenger and WASP).

I love the fact they have merged the Mansonesque industrial style of Infamous with the synth heavy and atmospheric creatures. The result is a much more polished effort. The lyrics are much more intelligent and mature than their previous efforts but have kept the vibes of menace and personal trauma. 

If this album were to have one fault it would be the fact the vocals lean towards being over produced on the tracks Wasp and Contemptress. 

I am aware many people online will react negatively towards the new sound. And I am certainly aware many will say "it sounds like Manson" "It sounds like Rob Zombie" "it sounds like x, y or z" and while there are many borrowed elements they have created a truly unique and atmospheric sound. 

Chris's vocals have improved HUGELY since Creatures in terms of tone and range. It is lovely to hear more cleans from him as he does have a great voice. 

I certainly admire how the band has changed direction without worrying about losing fans or how critics or fans will react. And as such they have created their best album to date. 

I admit, many die hard metal fans will probably HATE this album. It is very synth heavy and is largely industrial in terms of style (don't get me wrong tracks like Dark Passenger and Break The Cycle are true metalcore) but it is a sound and direction that works perfectly for MIW. 

TOP TRACKS:

Death March 10/10 

(This is how people expect Marilyn Manson to sound. It is angry, intelligent and atmospheric) 

Dark Passenger 10/10 

(A song about Dexter was guaranteed to be a hit and I love how, if for one track only, they hark back to their old sound. It is a fantastic track in terms of production, lyrics and it delivers some of the best vocals on the album)

Everybody Sells Cocaine 9/10

(This reminds me of Manson's old hit The Dope Show. But instead of endorsing drugs it has the opposite effect. It is menacing, catchy and the epitome of industrial) 

I personally feel this is one of their best efforts to date, it is an album they have written for themselves and for no one else which they deserve nothing but respect for. 

Verdict. 

8.5/10

Functional Skills Students Made To Retake GCSE's

For those of you who are new to my blog let me start by saying that as well as being a self employed artist I am also a student and a massive politics enthusiast. 

I wish to explain clearly and rationally my disgust at the latest in a string of changes to our British Education system, specifically in relation to Functional Skills and GCSE's. 

In the past students who have failed to, or were unable to achieve a grade C or above in maths and English GCSE's were required to take a equivalent qualification called functional skills. This qualification, if completed to a Level 2 was originally equal to a grade C and was widely accepted by employers and most universities.  

This year (academic year of 2014) the current government has changed the system meaning that students who have strived to achieve their Level 2's in Maths and English now have to study GCSE maths and English. 

Some may argue that this presents an exciting opportunity for students wishing to progress to university level education as some universities were not willing to accept Functional Skills. But I ask my readers to consider the following points:

• GCSE's were designed to be completed over a two year period NOT during a one year college  course.
• Asking students to study GCSE's whilst working on a college course places them under unnecessary stress and will beyond no reasonable doubt effect their performance on their main qualification (i.e. the whole reason they are attending college)  
• It is vastly unfair on students to change the rules of education year by year. I know from personal experience it damages the morale of students. It is hugely confusing and stressful to not know where you stand year by year as the standards keep being changed. 
• It makes the Functional skills qualification many worked hard for seem worthless and a waste of time. If the government wishes for all students to achieve GCSE's then scrap the functional skills qualification and simply place everyone in GCSE classes.

Before you draw judgement or label me an "attention seeking, whiny student" please consider my case. 

I passed my functional skills Level 2 exams first time last year and secured a place on the course I have been working towards my whole life (a Level 3 NVQ). I also work (and I am dependant on my job for personal expenses including travel, food and clothing). HOW can I be reasonably be expected to complete a Level 3 Course, GCSE's and work in the space of a year. To me and many others this is an impossible workload and we are simply not being given answers from our teachers and colleges. 

Not only does this (in my humble opinion) show poor leadership from our government but also a total and blatant lack of empathy towards students. 

Please comment and share this article as I hope to garner as much publicity towards this cause as is humanly possible. 

Kryolan Ultra Fluid Foundation Review

Hey Dolls, 

When it comes to looking for make up that delivers professional results most people turn to either MAC or Illamasqua but for me the one brand that delivers extreme professional results is the original and the best...Kryolan. 

Kryolan (or Charles Fox in England) has been running since the 1920's and is the one make-up house to design and formulate its own products for professional use. 

One of the biggest make-up trends currently is the ever popular HD foundation, foundations which deliver medium coverage but that are designed to be undetectable on camera  or in person and one of my kit staples is the Ultra Fluid Foundation by Kryolan.

This is how Kryolan describes the product:

Ultra Fluid Foundation has a slightly enhanced covering quality compared to other fluids, without loss of its transparent appearance. Ultra Fluid Foundation comes in a glass bottle with applicator.

Left to right: Ivory, Alabaster and OB 2.

I have it in three colours Ivory, Alabaster and OB 2. You get 30ml of product and it is packaged in a sturdy glass bottle. There is no pump but there is an applicator wand which is handy for placing the product onto your hand or a palette prior to application. 

It is a very thin watery texture that applies beautifully to the face or body, it offers sheer to medium coverage that you can build easily. It does feel quite odd on the face, it "dries" on the skin as the foundation sets. This of course means that there is no visible layer of foundation on the skin but it doesn't make it a friend of dry skins at all. 

This is an amazing product for photographic work as there is no SPF factor and not only is the shade range fantastic but the formula makes it SO easy to mix colours to get a perfect match. 

It really is one of those products I think every MUA should have in their kits and it is a credit to the house of Kryolan. 

MADARA Daily Defence Cream Review

*This product was kindly sent to me by the lovely people at www.mypure.co.uk all opinions are my own.*

Hey dolls,

Today I am reviewing a product I was SO excited to receive as it promised to help with something I suffer with all year round; the dreaded dry, flakey skin.  This product is by one of my favourite skincare brands, the up and coming MADARA. 

This is how the product is described:

"ULTRA RICH BALM FOR SKIN PROTECTION IN DRY AND EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS.

This all-over-body, hand & face balm helps skin dryness and roughness, protects skin from raw winds and cold. Vitamin-rich Northern cloudberry and sea buckhtorn oils soothe, hydrate and restore skin barrier providing softness. Helps to cure chapped lips and cracked heals, softens nail cuticles, and can be used as a soothing cream for the little ones.Gives comfort to your skin in winter as well as summer weather.

EFFECTIVENESS TESTED IN ARCTIC WEATHER To test the effectiveness of DD cream in truly extreme conditions, the MADARA team went for a challenging trip to the North and organised a photoshoot outdoors beyond the Arctic circle, in Lapland. The new DD cream protected the team’s skin, lips and hands from the cold and wind."

You get 60ml of product which seems like a fantastic amount to me as the standard size of a moisturiser is roughly 50ml. It will also last a HUGE amount of time too as it is very very concentrated. 

Like every MADARA product I have tried I adore the packaging, simple, natural but sleek and stylish. It slightly reminds me of Dermalogica in terms of packaging. 

You need the tiniest amount of product to reduce visible dryness, the amount of product on my hand was enough to coat my lips and the sides of my nose (the driest parts of my face). 

One of my absolute favourite things about this product is you can use it pretty much anywhere on the face or body, it also acts as an effective lip balm. 

After just one use of this product I saw and felt immediate improvement and after continued use I have virtually no dry skin at all. I really would recommend this product  as a miracle. It is no substitute for a good moisturiser however it is not marketed to be anything other than a skin balm and environmental shield PERFECT for autumn or winter weather.

You can buy the product HERE from www.mypure.co.uk for the bargin price of £15.  

MADARA Protecting Lip Balm Review

*This product was kindly sent to me by the lovely people at www.mypure.co.uk all opinions are my own.*

Hey guys,

Last month I discovered the amazing natural beauty brand MADARA and I reviewed one of their cleansers (review here) and a month on it is still the best cleanser I have come across. So with the autumn and winter fast approaching I have decided to review a product which I hope will solve the main problem I get every year: dry, sore, cracked lips. 

I love the box, it is made out of recycled cardboard and looks very high quality. It looks like it belongs to a product FAR more expensive than its £9 price tag. 

The product itself is packaged in a lovely green squeezy tube. You get 15ml of product which is better than average. Again it has a lovely high quality feel about it which I love. 

This is how the product is described. 

"Rich and comforting balm with healing extracts of Sea-buckthorn and Calendula. Protects and softens lips, restores moisture balance. Provides a supple and natural gloss."

And the ingredients are as follows:

"Castor Isostearate Succinate Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides Lanolin Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate/Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer Hydrogenated Castor Oil Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate Octyldodecanol Chamomilla Recutita (Camomile) Flower Extract* Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract* Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea-buckthorn) Fruit Extract* Beeswax Aroma**"

Like all MADARA products this lip balm is vegan, not tested on animals and organic. 

It leaves your lips soft and feeling conditioned and protects them from environmental damage. The only way I could fault it is that it feels sticky on the lips. Not so much lip gloss sticky...more runny honey sticky however it does add a very subtle natural gloss to the lips which I like.  It also has a subtle scent but for the life of me I can't work out what it is, I just know I like it...

You can buy the product HERE from www.mypure.co.uk for £9

You can also follow the lovely people at MyPure on Twitter to stay up to date with new products and offers @Mypure 

Lush Noir Henna Review

Hey Dolls,

So since I have begun studying what goes into products I have made a conscious effort to cut out as many chemical and synthetic ingredients as possible and so I decided to get my hair cut short to remove my poor chemical damaged hair and switch to natural henna dyes. 

I decided to go with Lush's henna brick in the shade Noir which is a blueish black shade. 

Lush's hennas come in a solid 325g block like this

Shade Noir

You chop or grate the amount of henna you need and mix it with boiling water and stir until you have the consistency of melted chocolate and then apply it to clean, dry hair.

(Please do a skin test prior to colouring as, unsurprisingly the main ingredient is HENNA which can cause severe allergic reactions. )

This particular shade contains Indigo which is what gives the colour its dark intensity so you can cover your hair to stop the indigo from oxidising if you wish for a lighter tone or leave it uncovered for a cooler, darker tone.

I leave the henna on for about six hours until it is set SOLID and rinse it out with warm water. If I can I avoid using shampoo to wash it out I will as the colour will continue to deepen and develop for over 24 hours so I wish to avoid stopping that from happening. 

This is my hair naturally. A medium brown with golden highlights and red undertones.

This is my hair after using Noir. It is MUCH darker and cooler in tone which I love. Also my poor camera was very confused by the level of shine my hair now has. It is in fantastic condition.

I am in love with henna dyes but there are a few points I need to mention before you rush out and buy one:

Henna is a commitment. Once you have used a henna dye you can not go back to a chemical dye until the henna has been cut out of your hair. Henna and permanent dyes DO NOT MIX.

Secondly henna will not offer full grey coverage. 

That really is it for the negatives for me. I personally love this coulour and am going to stick to using natural colours. The condition they leave your hair in is indescribable. 

Lush Sweetie Pie Review

Hello Beauties.

So as I mentioned in my last post I have recently started working at Lush and today I am reviewing one of my favourite smelling products. Sweetie Pie. 

One of my favourite things about Lush is the fact that they come out with some really unique products and their shower jellies have to top the list for me. 

It is such a bizarre, fun product. It smells divine. Very similar to The Comforter bubble bar. One thing I will say, the smell brings to mind blackcurrants much more than cherries.

It is a gorgeous royal purple filled with glitter and exactly like a great big plate of jelly. It can be quite hard to use as it is so slippery but you cam chop it up in to cubes and little pieces in advance (much easier than trying to tear it). 

You can use sweetie pie as a shower gel or shampoo and as one of the main ingredients is seaweed it is very softening to the skin or hair. 

I love the quirkiness of this product and feel it would be a great gift for kids as well. 

Secret Diary Of A Male Beauty Blogger (part 1)

Hello Dolls! 

Today I am writing something a little bit different. I am writing more of a personal diary post. Hence the HIGHLY original title. 

Wearing the gorgeous natural violet lenses from spookyeyes.com

Firstly I have taken it upon myself to loose some weight. I am quite slim but not particularly fit so I have since decided to develop some tone and improve my fitness. To manage this I am cutting myself down to two meals per day the latter only being soup. Whilst I am not following any particular diet I do like the fact that eating soup delivers a hit of flavour and all my main nutrients (e.g protein, carbs, fibre etc). I'm pleased to say that after about a week of my stomach thinking "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" it is now used to the change in diet and seems perfectly happy with it. I am also already seeing results in terms of my fitness. 

I am also have been offered a job with the gorgeous girls at my local Lush. Frequent readers of my blog will know Lush is my all time favourite brand. I had a trial shift which I adored. The staff are some of the nicest people I have met and the customers are sweeties. 

I am also starting my L3 NVQ in Make-Up Artistry this September. I am so excited to be able to get this qualification. I never went to secondary school and was educated outside of the traditional schooling system so this is a HUGE achievement for me. 

I am also starting to hunt for flats in the gorgeous city of Cardiff. I really can't wait to see more of Cardiff and make up my mind as to whether I wish to live there in future years. 

I currently have a M.A.C and Illamasqua post in the works and it is fair to say that once I start working at Lush you can expect one or two Lush posts. 

I also wanted to say a HUGE thank you for everyone's continued support. 

xx