Part 1 - Lush

Our youngest sister Rhiannon, is some what of an urban hippie, loving being a vegan and into all things natural and free from any animal products. This is part one of her experience using products from the store 'Lush'.

Ultrabland: 
On the look out for a new cleanser, this is the one i came across, which online, said was able to remove makeup!! It does, this is a thick cleanser that requires to be washed off with a washer or cotton pads. It leaves     my skin feeling moisturised, deeply cleansed and nourished. It retails for nearly $20 for 45g. Definitely a great cleanser for Winter.

Herbalism:
I’ve been using Herbalism for over six months now and I wish I had of found it earlier. I had been using Proactive for a long time, but being a bit of a hippie, I was looking for a cleanser that was more natural, where I could actually recognise the ingredients, knew what I was putting on my skin and still would keep the pimples away. I went into Lush and spoke to one of the girls who was incredibly helpful, straight away she suggested Herbalism. So if you’re looking for a cleanser that feels amazing on your skin, where you know the ingredients and still leaves your face pimple-free and soft, Herbalism is must, it’s also cheap too.
 

Tea Tree Water:
This is a perfect simple toner which contains tea tree, grapefruit and juniper. For me personally, when it comes to face products I want something simple and effective. This toner is perfect for anyone’s cleanse – tone – moisturise routine.

Celestial:
This moisturiser is amazing. I’ve had a lot of trouble with moisturisers in the past, some brands have made my face and neck start to itch, some have been too moisturising and others (like Proactive) have felt like they are actually drying out my face instead. Having such success with Herbalism, I thought I’d try one of their face moisturisers as well. Celestial is a perfect everyday moisturiser for anyone who has sensitive-normal skin. The packaging states that Celestial is a “soothing dove orchid, vanilla and almond milk moisturiser for sensitive skin. Use this to soften and calm an easily irritated face and protect city skin against pollution.”

My new mascara love

Like 99.99 % of women, mascara is my cannot-live-without piece of make-up. Given the sheer volume of mascara's to choose from, I've gone through my fair share, however I can never go past the Dior range. I've purchased the Dior Extase mascara the past couple of times, and I never really expected to find a mascara that I would prefer over Dior . . . until I came across Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment mascara. To be perfectly honest, I probably wouldn't have even tested it if it wasn't for the free mini mascara when I purchased a night cream buuuuuuut, it's FANTASTIC! I think I may even prefer it to Dior. Next time it's time for me to head to the beauty counter (or online store!), I'll be heading straight for Elizabeth Arden. This mascara doesn't seem to clump and coats each lash evenly. I find that it both thickens and lengthens.

It's funny, I've only really started to get into Elizabeth Arden products, previously thinking the brand was a bit "old hat", but I've been surprised to find that all of their products exceed my expectations and keep me going back for me. 

Budet Beauty Buys Under $30

This is part one of Budget Beauty Buys, as we continue to experiment and find new products, more will come in the future.

Primer - After experimenting with a couple of different primers, it is difficult to find a quality one without spending more $30. However, I have found the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind primer to have some benefit with smoothing the skin before foundation application. I did find this primer had more benefit than other cheaper brands that are more just like putting moisturising cream on.

Eyeliner - A no smudge, easy to apply, self sharpening eyeliner is made by CoverGirl. I particularly like the black onyx. This particular eyeliner, I often find myself having to shop around for it, as it is often sold out. This eyeliner is a staple item in my makeup collection, costing around $14, you really can't wrong.

Mascara - Lashexact by Covergirl, is a waterproof mascara that has a great brush to create defined eyelashes. I do find, that before I finish the mascara, it does get a tad clumpy, so always have a spare clean brush that I can use to 'de-clump'. At about $15, this is a real bargain!

Lips - For just $4, I always have a Natio Lip balm with me at work. As I work in air conditioning, and constantly running around and washing my hands, I don't have a lot of time to grab a lip balm to apply. This lip balm gives me enough moisture to get me through until I have time for the next application. I have found it to repair my lips when they have started to crack and I have been without a lip balm for too long!