Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub Review

Hello! Today I'm writing all about the Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub by Eco by Sonya! I came across Organically Epic (Eco by Sonyas official UK Distributer) on Instagram and was instantly enticed by Sonyas story and organic products. I got in touch with Organically Epic and was lucky enough to be given the product I was lusting after to review, as well as an exfoliating glove!


Eco by Sonya, Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub Review G Beauty

Eco by Sonya, Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub Review G Beauty


Sonya's Story 

After Sonyas sister was diagnosed with melanoma, she decided to invest into sunless tanning. After some research she found that there were a lot of chemicals used in spray tanning that she didn't like. She then took matters into her own hands. She spent hours researching, creating batches in her own kitchen until she found her perfect formulas. Fast forward five years later, she has her own international organic tanning company! You can read all about her story on Organically Epics website here.

It's an extraordinary feat to be able to have your products sold on the other side of the world in just five years. Obviously, I was interested and wanted to get involved!


Eco by Sonya, Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub Review G Beauty

Eco by Sonya, Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub Review G Beauty

Review 

As I have just been on holiday (twice, oops) I wasn't in any need of tanning products but was desperate for an exfoliator.  I also wanted to try something from the range first, before investing in some tanning products. If you read my blog, you'll know I recently tried fake tanning and didn't go too well. Read all about it here if you want to laugh at my expense. 

The Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub is one of Organically Epics favourite products. It is certified Vegan and made with only organic and natural ingredients. I have become increasingly interested in organic beauty products and I can promise that this brand does not disappoint.  

To start off with, how BEAUTIFUL is the packaging? I absolutely love it. The turquoise colour is really pretty and the brand is really professional looking. It is a really big bottle, 175ml so I know it'll last forever. 

The instructions are really easy to follow. You simply pop a generous amount onto your exfoliating glove and apply onto dry skin in circular motions then wash off. I would advise doing this in the shower, before turning on the water. As it is a salt scrub, it isn't a gel like formula and so can flake a little. If you've used salt scrub before, I'm sure you know what I mean!

The glove worked wonderfully with the scrub. It is a mitten shape with elastic to go around your wrist. It also has a little loop on it so I can hang it up to dry in the shower. I would definitely recommend using a glove with the salt scrub. It is also brown and matches the colour scheme on the scrub, not relevant but a very satisfying touch.

Eco by Sonya, Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub Review G Beauty

The scrub itself went onto my skin really easily. It didn't hurt whilst rubbing it in at all and I didn't feel like I needed to rub it in for a long time to get the desired results. When washing it off I could instantly feel how soft my skin felt. I could feel how incredibly moisturising the scrub was, I have presumed that is the coconut oil working its magic.

I shaved my legs whilst in the shower the first time I used this. My legs have honestly never been so soft in their lives! I've always had a bit of trouble with the regrowth of leg hair (gross but yolo) and this has completely fixed this problem. My leg hair has taken much longer to grow back and have had no problem with ingrown hairs since. 

From using other exfoliators, especially face exfoliators/scrubs, I have found that my skin feels really tight and is in desperate need of moisturiser. I didn't feel like that about this scrub at all. I genuinely felt as though my legs had been moisturised with conditioner. I know it sounds weird but that is the most accurate description I can give for how awesome my legs felt.

The scrub has loads of other uses, such as tackling cellulite and stretch marks. It's the product that keeps on giving! You can get hold of the Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub here and the Exfoliating Glove here. Hint: you can get 10% off using the code: gbeauty10.

Eco by Sonya, Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub Review G Beauty


I've read so many good reviews on the Invisible Tan and will definitely have to try and get my hands on that next!

I hope you've enjoyed my post and thank you for reading! Have you ever used any Eco by Sonya products? Do you prefer to use organic products? I'd love to hear from you!

Love, Gweni xxxx


Don't forget to keep in touch!

Twitter  Instagram  Pinterest  Facebook  Bloglovin'

This post contains press samples but all opinions are my own.


SHARE:

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Adopting A Cat

Myself and my family have recently adopted Daphne, a cat from Cats Protection Aberystwyth. I know it isn't beauty related but we have had such a positive experience that I wanted to share my story today! I've even filmed a "Meet My Kitty" youtube video, which you can watch here or scroll down to the bottom of this post and press play!




Earlier this year, our family cat Daisy passed away. She had been with us since she was a kitten and had become an integral part of our family for 15 years. So when I came back for the Summer this year, I was really missing feline company and decided to get in touch with Cats Protection.

Adopting a cat G Beauty
Sleepy Kitty

The Adoption Process 

After some research on cat adoption in my area, I decided to get in touch with Cats Protection Aberystwyth. I simply called the number on the website and left a message stating my name and that I was interested in adopting a cat. They rang back and asked a couple of general questions about me, my family and the house. I was also asked if there was any cat in particular that I was interested in. 

When I had called, I was under the impression that all of the cats were under one roof and that you could pop into and pick up a cat. In the case of Aberystwyth, the cats are all with different foster homes.

Adopting a cat G Beauty
Princess Puss
From a simple google search, I could see a whole list of cats that were up for adoption in the local area. I had been looking at the cats beforehand and had been interested in Daphne from the start and I mentioned this to the woman on the phone, along with a couple of other cats. I was told that Daphne was with a fosterer called Judy who also had four other cats up for adoption. I was given Judys contact details and got in touch with her.

In order to adopt a cat, you have to have a house check. Judy was keen to do the house check herself as she had a particular interest in where Daphne went. She came over a few days later for around half an hour and just asked some more general questions. She wanted to just get a feel for the type of family we were, the house and what kind of cat we were interested in in order to be able to match us up with the right cat. We seemed to pass the test and we went to her house the next day to meet the cats. 

Adopting a cat G Beauty
Daphne being nosy
When we arrived, Daphne actually came to greet us. She was very sweet, friendly and inquisitive. My brother instantly warmed to her, as did I. Before being under Cats Protections care, she was living on a caravan site. Judy decided to adopt Daphne herself but unfortunately Daphne and her other cat didn't get on. After Daphne had been attacked a few times, Judy decided to put Daphne up for adoption. 

All of the other cats up for adoption were in her shed, in separate enclosures. They all looked very comfortable and accommodated for and they all adored Judy. I met all of the cats and all of them were lovely and loved getting fuss. I met Buster, Luna (now adopted, yay!), Jac and Marlon. Judy matched us up with Marlon and Daphne out of all of her cats. Marlon was lovely, really affectionate and loved a cuddle. After a lot of deliberation, we decided to adopt Daphne and took her home that same day. 

I had to pay a small fee of £30 for Daphne. This included her being treated for worms, fleas, fully vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. It's really generous for Cats Protection to provide such great treatment of the cats for such a low price as vet bills can be horrendously expensive.

Adopting a cat G Beauty
Forever Vogueing
Settling In

As soon as we arrived home, we let Daphne roam around downstairs. She was comfortable in no time and we have never had any trouble with her being nervous or anything like that. She was already litter trained and adjusted straight away to her new one. 

The hardest part was not letting her outside for a while. She would stare out out of the windows but we obviously didn't want her going out and getting lost. After a week and a half, we took her out a couple of times a day to get her used to her surroundings.

Adopting a cat G Beauty
Explorer Kitty
She settled in completely really quickly, which was a real relief to us all. I had read some stories about cats being very nervous and hiding a lot but Daphne was absolutely fine. She is really friendly to new people and loves making her presence known for a bit of fuss. We have also been privileged enough to be brought little "presents" every now and again outside of the door. One morning we were greeted with two mice and a vole.

She is yet to be a lap cat but I think she is coming around. She will happily sit on my lap now, once I've put her there and giving her lots of fuss! We have found that she loves following people around, and has often tried following me walking to work! One day she even succeeded. Thankfully there was a cat box and we were able to bring her home.

Adopting a cat G Beauty
Bath time
Daphne has really settled in and we're really loving her company. I'm so glad that we decided to adopt with Cats Protection and would definitely recommend adopting a cat through them. Everyone was really helpful and lovely and I am so glad that I have been able to work with such a lovely charity. If you are from the Ceredigion area, please do go and check and like their Facebook page. They always post lovely pictures of the cats and are very helpful with trying to reunite lost and found kitties.

Click play to meet my kitty with me! 


I hope you enjoyed my slightly different post and please do feel free to let me know what you think. Have you got pets? Have you ever adopted a pet? I'm always really interested to know!

Thank you for reading.

Love, Gweni xxx 
SHARE:

Monday, September 21, 2015

Top 5 Pink Lipsticks

Bonjour all! As the summer is coming to an end, I thought I would do a quick round up of my Top 5 Pink Lipsticks. Spoiler: I couldn't choose just 5. I've also filmed me rambling on about these lipsticks, so either click play or read away!



If you know anything about me, it may have come to your attention that I have a slight obsession with Mac lipsticks. I won't go into why I love them, if you've ever seen their lipstick counter then you will just understand. So be prepared for a few MAC lippies!


Top 5 Pink Lipsticks - Mac, Clinique, Kiko


MAC Lipstick in Faux 

This is my perfect nude colour, it's my lips but better. It is a satin formula, which for me means there is a lot of pigment, it's long lasting and very comfortable on the lips. I don't find it is particularly drying at all. I'm always in a bit of a rush in the morning so I tend to opt for this lipstick the most. Ain't nobody got time for purple lipstick in a rush! If you don't like the satin formula, then I would recommend Modesty (again by MAC) which is a creamsheen. 

MAC Lipstick in Impassioned & Sleek Matte Lipstick in Heartbreaker 

Ahoy, dupe alert! Impassioned is one of my first MAC lipsticks and I still adore it. It is definitely one of my top 3 summer lipsticks! It is an amplified formula which I find similar to satin. Comfortable on the lips, long wearing and with loads of pigment. It's a beautiful pink colour with a slight tint of coral to it. Heartbreaker is very very similar to it, and much cheaper! The only reason I prefer Impassioned is because I'm not the biggest fan of Matte lipsticks. But if you're looking for that colour but not bothered by the formula or prefer matte lipsticks then Sleek Heartbreaker is for you! 

MAC DUPE Impassioned Sleek Heartbreaker
MAC DUPE ALERT!
MAC Lipstick in Pink Nouveau 

My last pink lipstick in my top 5 is Pink Nouveau. This is a really lovely classic pink, with a purple undertone. If I'm looking to wear a colour that isn't nude but not quite a bright lip, then this is the lipstick I go for. It's a subtle bold colour. I find I can wear this one at any time of the year as well, win win! 

Clinique ColourPop in Sweetpop

Three cheers for not choosing another MAC lipstick. This is probably my most comfortable lipstick to wear in ratio to colour pay off. If I was to choose a lipstick to wear every day for the rest of my life, it would be a ColourPop because they are so comfy! The colour is a classic barbie-esque pink. It is more glossy looking than the other lipsticks in this post, but it isn't sheer at all. I liked wearing this during the day whilst working reception. 

Kiko Ace of Diamonds Lipstick in 27

I bought this lipstick around a year ago now and it was limited edition but I had to add it to this post! I love the berry colour of this lipstick, especially now that we are going into Autumn. Again, it is comfortable to wear and doesn't dry out your lips. Can you tell that comfort is the most important thing to me? I do find that I prefer the limited edition products from Kiko over the standard products. 

That concludes my Top 5 Pink Lipsticks. But I am naughty and have included a couple of other pink lipsticks I love though. Yes, yes they are MAC. These two are MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus and Pink Pidgeon. 

Mac Viva Glam Miley Cyrus Pink Pidgeon


MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus 

Aside from the fact that I love Princess Miles, this lipstick is actually very pretty as well. It is a standard bright pink colour but does sheer out a little when you wear it. 

MAC Lipstick in Pink Pidgeon 

This is a bright pink which stays bright pink on your lips. It's a retro matte, so once it's on it is on. If I'm going out for a night out and want a really bright pink lip, then this is definitely the colour I go for! 

That concludes my Top 5 (but turned into 8) Pink Lipsticks!

Thank you for reading and please do let me know what your favourite pink lipsticks are! 

Love, Gweni xxx 

SHARE:

Thursday, September 10, 2015

What NOT To Say To A Makeup Lover

If you have ever worn makeup, you have probably encountered one of these wonderful statements. I thought this would be quite a fun post to write and a funny read. I hope it's not taken too seriously, it has been written light-heartedly but with a slight serious note. Enjoy!

What Not To Say To A Makeup Lover


"You don't need makeup"
Ah the classic. No, you are entirely correct. I do not need 20 different shades of red lipstick to be able to walk, talk, or see and I definitely cannot eat my lipsticks. So no I do not NEED them, I WANT them. Just like you want to do and have things, I want to have and wear makeup. And as for the people who say this because they think you're pretty, a) you probably think I'm pretty because I'm wearing makeup properly and b) I'm not wearing makeup to be aesthetically pleasing to your eye, I'm wearing it because I want to wear it myself. Makeup may feel like an obligation to some (it really doesn't have to be), and I understand that this is meant to be a compliment. But to me, it sounds as though you're telling me that I don't know my worth and the only value I think I have is how attractive I am to another person.

"You look tired/pale today"
YES BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY MAKEUP ON. Ironically, I find it's the same people who tell me I don't need makeup are the same ones who say this. I really don't need you to tell me what I look like, I know how a mirror works. You my friend, are rude. Stop it. Chances are, if I am actually ill, I will tell you that before you can work out that my skin is two skin shades lighter. 


"You're wearing too much makeup"
According to whom exactly? The makeup police? As far as I'm concerned, the amount of slap I put on my face is my own choice. If I want to look like a clown, then I will look like a clown. You're more than welcome to your own opinion about the amount of makeup people should wear, but is it really necessary to tell that person to their face if they haven't specifically asked? The volume of makeup on my face makes absolutely no difference to your life so why do you care. 

"I don't like your *insert product you're wearing*"
Good thing you don't have to wear it then isn't it, pal.

"You don't need another lipstick/eye shadow palette"
This can relate to any product really, they just happen to be the two things that I buy in excess. Again, you are very correct. I don't need, I want. And what I want, I get. Simples. If I have the money, why do you care? If you ask me, I'm putting back into the economy. I'm spending money, keeping businesses alive and have you ever heard of VAT? Yes, I've spent a lot of money on VAT. When you're getting your next blood test, remember I probably have a lipstick the same colour as your blood which helped to pay for that test. You are most welcome.


What Not To Say To A Makeup Lover
"Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate" Taylor Swift 2014

Fair to say, if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all. Unless it's in the name of sarcasm, of course. If you would like some help on nice things to say, look no further. It would be a bit silly of me to rant here if I'm not going to provide a solution. So here you go. Here are things you can say that do not include getting your head bitten off.

"You look nice today"
Simple yet effective, you can't go wrong with this.

"Your eye makeup is looking good"
Any positive adjective will do here. Chances are, we have spent a fair amount of time on putting the right amount of eye shadow on and blending it seamlessly. Bonus points if you mention our eye liner, because dammit it is tricky and we deserve to be applauded. 

"I love your lipstick"
THANK YOU!! I LOVE IT TOO! LET US BE FRIENDS! Again, any product will work for this.

Hey, we all need a bit of positivity in our lives. And compliments. Everyone likes compliments!


Thank you for reading, I really hope I made someone laugh. Even if it was a little bit and it was in your head. As usual, feel free to let me know what you think! If you liked this post, you may be interested my post Feminism & Why I Wear Makeup as well. 

Love G xxx 
SHARE:

Friday, September 04, 2015

Waitressing Makeup

I have been waitressing every summer every year since I was about 13 or 14 and I thought I would share with you my favourite products I wear for when I am at work!

Waitressing Makeup Tips G Beauty


First of all, I always wear Estée Lauder Double Wear (review here). It is my holy grail foundation and it never lets me down. It stays in place throughout the entire shift, despite being around cookers/fryers/all kinds of cooking equipment and running around trying to tend to everyones needs. I've used this in a few of my youtube videos so please do go and check them out if you want to have a look at how it looks on the skin!

I do wear primer as well, and recently I've been loving POREfessional by Benefit. I've been using it on my nose in particular and I just love how smoooooooooth it makes my skin!

Waitressing Makeup Tips G Beauty


As for eyeshadows, I ALWAYS use an eye primer. I can end up being a bit of a sweaty betty so I always make sure I have primer on. At the moment, I am loving the Stay Don't Stray eye primer by Benefit. I really like this one in comparison to all of my other eye primers because I find it's the easiest one to blend eyeshadows onto.

As for the eyeshadows themselves, I tend to stick to matte colours. At the moment, I have a slight obsession with my Matte Eyeshadow palette by Too Faced. I also like using the matte colours from the Urban Decay Naked palettes. I don't really think sparkly eye makeup is particularly appropriate for waitressing so I stick with mattes. Mattes are a really subtle but effective way of making your eyes pop, and I think they're less prone to creasing. I also think it's less obvious if they rub off a little bit. And no one likes glitter in their dinner so I stick to mattes!

Waitressing Makeup Tips G Beauty


As for my face, again I like to stick with subtle products. They're not necessarily matte, but they are definitely not sparkle galore. I don't put on too much of a contour, I stick to NARS Laguna or sometimes my Benefit Hoola and just pop it onto my cheek bones and a little bit on my temples and jaw line. I like using just a flush of pink onto my cheeks, I like to reach for my Bobbi Brown blush in pastel pink or Benefit Dandelion with a touch of Dallas on top. I don't bother with a highlight most days but if I do I like using my MAC Soft & Gentle.

Waitressing Makeup Tips G Beauty


I don't really bother with much on my lips. I don't have time to reapply it so I never go for a bold colour! If I do wear lipstick I will go for a nude, usually MAC Modesty or Faux. But most days, I will opt for a bit of lip balm or just nothing at all.

I have also filmed a youtube video on most of these products if you were interested.



Hope you liked this post and Happy Waitressing!

Love G xxx 
SHARE:
Blogger Template Created by pipdig