2016 Favourite Products

Hi Lovelies,


Welcome back! And if you are new here, welcome 💕💕💕

2016 Favourite Products - Green Beauty Edition.

Huh? Is it the end of the year already? I can't believe it, wasn't it March like yesterday? Even though it caught me off guard, I guess it is time for my Holy Grail or Faves of 2016 round up, so shall we begin? This blog post will be links galore where I will link to the blog reviews on mentioned items. And if they are not reviewed yet, that means the reviews are to come really soon! I won't go into too much detail about every single product or the post will be two miles long, as nobody has time for that, right?
If you will have any questions, please feel free to ask them down below, and if you won't find some categories, like retinol product or peels or hair dye, then it means I don't use them.

Ok, drum roll please, let's see what products get Green Life In Dublin Seal of Approval!

MAKE UP

Foundation - Pure Anada followed closely by English Mineral Make up.
(with my dermatitis scars I am looking for high coverage. The jury's still out on the liquid/cream front, I have tried many, but haven't found "the one" yet)

Blush - 100%Pure Mimosa plus all these other Nars Orgasm Dupes.

BB cream - Lily Lolo and Living Nature.

Cream concealer - Hynt Beauty Duet Perfecting Concealer.

Powder concealer - Pure Anada mineral foundation, more pigmented than many powder concealers

Bronzer - Studio78

Mascara - 100%Pure Maracuja oil mascara - PS. I no longer recommend this mascara for the reasons detailed here. I repurchased it seven times, three out of seven the mascara came smelling of alcohol, meaning it is old. I do not find it acceptable having in mind that not only it is expensive on it's own, I often have to pay custom fees on top. This will-I-get-good-mascara-this-time-or-will-it-be-old roulette should not be happening at all in the first place. Any suggestions for a clean volumising mascara that does not flake are welcome :)

Pencil eye liner - 100%Pure black eyeliner. This is not perfect nor it is long lasting, but this was the only liner I used, so it sort of makes it a favourite?

Liquid eyeliner - my DIY from mineral eyeshadow

Lipstick - not a fan of that "creamy" feel on the lips, so I skip it most of the time. 100%Pure Pomegrantate Oil, Zao and Red Apple Lipstick are good ones if you are a lipstick person.

Lip gloss - 100%Pure Gemmed Lip Gloss in Peacock Ore

Highlighter - Inika.

Lip balm - Hurraw and Bees Flying Wild.

Palette - 100%Pure Pretty Naked II

Cruelty free make up brushes - Real Techniques and Ecotools.

Eye brow stuff - Alverde or Silk Naturals in medium ash.

SKINCARE - FACE

Moisturiser - NYR Palmarosa face moisturiser.

Facial oil - Mahalo Vitality Elixir.

Balm - Mahalo Rare Indigo (I have to fess up that I only used two sample pots worth of it, but it impressed me enought to make it into the yearly faves, far more than any other balm, it is amazing for inflammation and it is definitely the product I never want to be without! Definitely getting full size next year)

Acne treatment - tea tree oil straight onto the pimple. Nothing works better or quicker.

Facial wash/cleanser - NYR Calendula cleanser for sensitive skin.

Moisturiser with SPF  - Kimberley Sayer

Face exfoliant - Urban Veda Sandalwood Soothing Exfoliating Facial Polish

Make up remover - Urban Veda Reviving Daily Facial Wash + konjac sponge.

Eye make up remover - water and oil on a cotton round. I don't waste time and money looking for perfect eye make up remover when this combo is gentle, costs next to nothing, removes all make up, even water proof one AND moisturises delicate skin around the eyes. Win win situation if you ask me?

Under eye cream - I use facial oils and balms as an under eye "moisturisers". NYR white tea gel was a good one that I really enjoyed using.

Face mask - Mahalo Bean and DIY masks with manuka honey.

Sheet mask - 100%Pure

Toner - Urban Veda Sandalwood
this is the first toner that I've tried after many years of using rose water for my toner, and the only one I've tried this year, so I guess it makes it my fave, haha!

SKINCARE - BODY

Body scrub - I diy it a lot, if you want a product you could buy - 100%Pure make good ones.

Body wash - NYR shower gels. Last for months. Also black African soap.

Body lotion - Deep Steep.

Body butter - Bees Flying Wild Frankincense and May Chang Honeybutter.

Body balm - Bees Flying Wild. Fave brand discovery of the year!

Eczema/dermatitis treatment - pure shea butter and Mayan Magic Balm that I am yet to review.

Deodorant - my DIY. I've been using it for years, and why buy when it costs 20 cents to make for 6 months worth? This contains baking soda though, so it is not for everyone.

Shave cream - I use hair conditioners to shave my legs with, but if you want a "proper" product, Logona is nice one.

HAIRCARE

Shampoo - Dermorganics followed closely by 100%Pure.

Conditioner - DrOrganic Manuka Honey Conditioner. Probably the only product I like from the whole range. Most of the time I don't use any as I don't need any with Dermorganics.

Hair and scalp oil - Zatik.

I am really minimal with my haircare, I use no styling products at all, nor heat in any form. If my hair has flyways I will use a small amount of Zatik or plain argain oil to smooth it out and that's pretty much it.


So there you have it, my best products of 2016! What's yours? I really want to see what everybody else deems the best, please share with me?

*2019 update - see my Faves here. For 250+ posts, see this FB album here. 


That is all for now,
Lots of Love,
Renata.

English Mineral Make Up review

Hi There My Lovely Readers,


The day I got this package in the mail, was a good mail day, let me tell you that :) But let's go back to the beginning. I found out about English Mineral Make Up company via Instagram and intrigued by their fabulous blush I enquired if they do samples. They said they do and I can request some via their website. So off I went to do so, and when my samples never arrived I contacted them again (when you will see the blush shade, you will understand) and some time later this is what I got! I was simply speechless, because not only they sent me the samples that I wanted, but full size foundation and fabulous baby kabuki brush as well! How is that for a surprise? Pretty good, right?

So let's start with the review part, shall we?

Foundation
Foundation comes in a white box with a mirror in a lid, and it's packaged into this fabulous cardboard box that is so nice inside out, and it would make a gorgeous present (gentlemen, take note). The first thing I noticed about the amazing coverage, it is so pigmented and I love it! One layer of this foundation will give you great coverage without looking cakey and it feels so light on the skin, like you have nothing at all. When the day goes by it only gets better, because mineral powders tend to stay put unlike like conventional make up. I have dermatitis on the face, and this powder did not irritate my skin at all, so all my ladies out there with sensitive or problematic skin do not be afraid of using this. Try the samples and you will be pleased you did. The powders are suitable for vegans and formulated with mineral ingredients, and they do not contain Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCI), talc, synthetic fragrances, parabens, or mineral oils. It's also SPF15 which will give you some protection from the sun.
The kabuki brush is so soft yet dense, I love using it, despite me never being a fan of kabuki brushes, the size is perfect for getting in all the nooks and crannies of the face, and the density of it gives great coverage. I would compare it to Real Techniques Expert face brush, only softer.
The only thing I didn't like is the packaging, it lacks some sort of removable insert that you could tip your powder in, as the lid houses the mirror and it's not removable, and the application gets messy. I ended up using the lid of another foundation to swirl the powder in.

Blush
Bubblegum blush was the reason I asked for the samples, as blush is my happy place when it comes to make up, and let me tell you it's gorgeous! I am definitely going to purchase a full size of it. Both blushes I tried are so pigmented and nice, you need only a tiny bit for a nice pop of colour, so the pot will last you for ages. They currently have eight shades to choose from. I asked them about carmine, something I don't want on my face and they confirmed all their products are carmine free and vegan friendly. Cruelty fee too.

Fairy Godmother
It's their name for the veil powder, which will give you that perfect airbrushed look, and what's more it can be used as a primer or a night time skin treatment, which is definitely intriguing to me! Even though it's a powder, it's filled with antioxidants and jojoba oil to nurture your skin. Unique product indeed.
 

My verdict?
 I am so glad to discover this company as their products truly stand out from the rest of the mineral make up I've tried so far. They are not cheap, but in my mind they are worth the money. I am going to purchase the mineral foundation and the blush. The pigmentation and the clean ingredients sold me, plus they are natural, clean, vegan and cruelty free. What more could you ask for? :)

*The products were sent to me, but the review is from my experience and I speak my own mind. I am not on their payrol in any kind of way.





That is all for now :)
Take care!
Lots of Love,
Renata.