Jurlique Chester 25 Minute Facial Treatment Review

Jurlique is a brand I've wanted to know more about for ages. I've seen lots of bloggers talk about their products especially their mists, so when I was invited to try their new 25-minute facial treatment at my local Debenhams store.

I met with the lovely Amelia who is the Counter Manager in Chester, her counter is beautiful. She chatted to about the brand's Australian history and their natural ingredient ethos. I was very happy to hear that all their skincare ingredients are grown and collected on their farm in the Adelaide Hills.

Amelia asked me about my current skincare routine and any concerns I have. At the moment, with the change in seasons, my skin is super sensitive and dry. I do get the occasional spot, but the tight, overly sensitive state of my skin was the aspect I wanted to work on.

The 25-minute facial treatment takes place away from the shop floor in a quiet room with a treatment bed, spa music and candles burning, a very relaxed environment. I was asked to choose between three essential oil scents, I liked the fragrance of the revitalising one, this was used to scent the treatment.

The treatment began with cleansing the skin, Amelia opted for skincare products from the line that were tailored to sensitive skin. The routine included the Soothing Foaming Cleanser, this was used twice as a double cleanse, Purity Specialist Compress as a detoxing treatment to be used weekly, Daily Exfoliator, which softens the dead skin cells, in a more gentle way than chemical exfoliators. This was then followed by the Calendula Mist, Restorative Treatment Serum, Herbal Recovery Advanced Eye Serum, Herbal Recovery Advanced Day Cream.

The mist felt wonderful on the skin, it instantly helped to soothe the skin. She also gave me a hand, arm and shoulder massage which was incredibly relaxing. I also loved the feeling of the Herbal Recovery Advanced Day Cream, it felt lightweight and very hydrating.

I left the treatment room feeling very calmed and revitalised. My skin was calmed and soothed and the quality of my skin had instantly improved. I can highly recommend the Jurlique 25-minute Facial Treatment, especially if you like to use natural products and ingredients in your skincare routine.

SHOP THE POST

My Blogging Journey and How I Stay Motivated 7 Years On

When people ask how long I have been blogging for, I only imagine it to be 2-3 years but I have actually been producing content since 2010. I started up a YouTube channel that year, around the time of Laura from Lollipop26 and Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup (now the Anna Edit) only had a few hundred subscribers.

I remember looking to Laura and Anna backing their honest reviews by purchasing what they recommended. Back then no one did it for the money or even dreamed of it being a job. People uploaded videos because they just loved to chat about makeup. You had to apply to be a ‘partner’ of YouTube back in 2010. If accepted, only then could you make money from your videos. This has all changed, as now you can make money right from your very first video!

2010 was also the year I started university, some of my housemates found my YouTube channel and teased me a little. I was quite sensitive at the time and just wanted to fit in, so I deleted my channel and all the videos I had. I really do wish I’d carried on, who knows I could have been as big as Zoella!

While at university studying journalism and online media, I was encouraged by tutors to set up a blog to practice my writing. Cherries in the Snow was born. I uploaded the odd article here and there but didn’t take my blog seriously until 2012-13 in my last year of uni. It was an excellent way to show my hobby and passion for writing and online media during job interviews.

I’d say I really started working on my blog around 2014, I bought my own domain and blog layout, as well as a DSLR. I tried to make my posts more structured but also improve the quality of my photos. I was previously taking small, crappy photos on my old phone.

Over the last few years, I have seen a shift in blogging and YouTube but also the way I blog. I do use affiliate links and Adsense to gather a tiny, tiny income but it’s not my main source of money. I work full time as a Social Media Executive, so I fit blogging around this.

I can definitely see a difference between full-time bloggers and hobby bloggers. The main difference is the time spent on content, photoshoots, press trips and assistants aren’t part of my blogging process.

I take my own photos, write my own content, schedule my own social media, and chat to brands myself. I prefer it this way!

So how do I stay inspired and enthusiastic about blogging after so many years?

I haven’t got bored of playing with makeup, whether I blogged or not, I’m sure I’d still be dropping £30 by accident in Boots when I just came in for one thing. There are endless amounts of brands and products out there just waiting to be discovered.

I still get that little buzz when a brand contacts me and asks if I would like to work with them. I appreciate every sample sent out to me.

I also like that people find my content useful, perhaps they only visited me once from a Google search but I provided them with a review or answer about a foundation or eyeshadow.

Seeing your peers create great content could make some jealous, but for me, I like to support those fellow bloggers and see them as a source of inspiration.

I’ve never been one of those popular bloggers, I do chat within the blogging community but never felt deeply a part of it. However, I have met some amazing people through the internet. Chatting to them about their blogs and seeing how passionate they are helps me stay motivated too.

I’d love to know how many years you have been blogging for. How do you stay motivated?

Lush Liverpool Halloween and Christmas Blogger Event

I go to a few blogger events a year but the Lush Halloween and Christmas Blogger Event is always my favourite.

Last Monday, I headed to the Liverpool Lush store to see what they had in store for Autumn and Winter. I got stuck in straight away, one of the Lush staff members named Alex was creating bubble bars with the bloggers who attended. I grabbed some rubber gloves and got involved with creating the Comforter Bubble Bar, which is one of my favourite products.

We added tubs of liquids and powders to a mixing bowl and then used our hands to combine the mixture. We then smoothed the mixture over some greaseproof paper and used teamwork to roll the mixture like a sushi roll. We got to take home a slice of the Comforter Bubble Bar we had created.

I’d been eyeing up the Naked Shower Gels since they launched. They are a fantastic idea, proving that not all products need to be packed by plastic. I tried the Snow Fairy one in the sinks at the store, it feels like a soap when you lather it up but when you add further water, it feels smoother and more moisturising on the skin. I’d recommend trying one in store!

There were also little black pots by the skincare section to fill up with any products you wanted to test. I opted for one of their new Jelly Face Masks, which sound very fun but also unique to the beauty market. 

Lush Liverpool has its own spa upstairs above the shop floor. They have a little kitchen with a table and chairs, making it feel homely. There are a few treatment rooms available, each offering a cosy and relaxing space to enjoy your treatment in.

Before we left they presented us with a goodie bag of products to take home and try which was very generous of them! Inside was a Snow Fairy Naked Shower Gel, Butter Bear Wash Card and a Naked Black Rose Lip Balm.

I had a great time at the event and I now have a list as long as my arm of products I want to buy from the new ranges.

Have you ever visited Lush Liverpool or ever been to a Lush Blogger Event?

My Glossier Buying Experience and Haul

Beauty bloggers went into a frenzy when Glossier announced they would start shipping to the UK. Last Monday, their website was ready for UK customers. I excitedly placed an order so I thought I would chat you through the experience and show you what I purchased.

I wasn't too sure what the Glossier UK situation would be when it came to prices, shipping or unexpected taxes. I'd seen people on Twitter chatting about a warehouse within the UK which they collate orders from to save shipping costs. I didn't experience any additional taxes or international shipping costs thanks to this.

I also wasn't sure if they would hike up the prices as the brand was so in demand, however, I think they have a good dollar to pound conversion.

I placed my order on Monday, I use Amelia Says' affiliate link which entitled me to money off my first order and free delivery as I spent over £25.

The parcel was easily tracked via their website. My order was sent out via Royal Mail. I believe larger parcels are sent out with DPD. It arrived on Friday, as I had selected the standard shipping option. They do have a quicker delivery option which is £6. 

The parcel came with a Glossier logo tape on the outside and a pink interior. I picked up the Phase 2 Set which is £35. This comes in a white box with the pink 'G' on the top. Inside the box and the famous pink pouch was a Boy Brow in Brown, Stretch Concealer in Light and a Generation G Lipstick in Crush. The Phase 2 set is customisable by shades, you simply select your options as you go along.

I'd heard Anna from The Anna Edit rave about the Stretch Concealer, saying it was great for a light coverage. I'll be using this on minimal makeup days to lightly conceal under my eyes and the redness on my cheeks and nose. The Stretch Concealer is £15 and comes in Light, Medium, Dark, Deep and Rich.

Anna also sings the praises of Boy Brow, which is a brow gel with a tiny wand, running this through your brows is meant to tame and tint them at the same time.Boy Brow is £14 and comes in Clear, Brown, Black and Blonde.

I picked the shade Crush from the Generation G Lipstick line. It's a raspberry pink shade that I hope will have effortless lip colour vibes. These little sticks are said to give that 'just blotted' look without the blotting. The shade range includes Crush, Cake, Like, Jam, Leo and Zip and is priced at £14.

Buying the Phase 2 set from Glossier saved £8. I was tempted by the Phase 1 set which includes the infamous Milky Jelly Cleanser, along with the Priming Moisturiser and a Balm Dot Com of your choice. However, I opted for just the Milky Jelly Cleanser on it's own.

I'm a collector of cleansers, so I can't wait to put Milky Jelly Cleanser to the test. It's priced at £15 for 177ml of product. I think everyone who made an order must have opted to try this as it is their most talked about skincare item.

Inside the delivery box, there was also a sample of their soon to be launched perfume called You, a sample of Milky Jelly Cleanser plus some cute stickers. I'm very impressed by the look and branding of Glossier.

I'll be putting these products to the test and reviewing them very soon. Once I have decided if I like the products and their quality, I might order some new products.

If you would like to receive 10% off your order you can use http://bff.glossier.com/gHseF my affiliate link.

Did you buy anything from Glossier?

*This post contains affiliate links

3ina Makeup Tested and Reviewed

I recently tried out 3ina's bestselling makeup products which I fell in love with. A second PR parcel arrived with more 3ina goodies to put to the test.

The first product is the Gel Eyeliner in 802, which is a bright teal green. Although this worked well and was pigmented, I just don't see many people reaching for it due to its colour. However, I think makeup artists would be interested in this shade for creating vibrant looks. It could even be used all over the lid as an eyeshadow. I'd be interested in trying the black version of this product.

The Eyebrow Kit is let down by the brushes inside, they aren't as precise as I would like when doing my brows. The powder and wax work well with a different angled brush. The powder worked through the brows well and so did the wax.

Next up is the Duo Eyeshadow in 602. This arrived smashed which would make me wary of purchasing any other shades. The colour combination wasn't that wearable together, a frost pale white/cream shade and a matte terracotta pink. The eyeshadows had reasonable pigment but they were a little powdery.

The Eye Gloss in 500 is a very odd product. It feels like sticky vaseline when applied to the eye. The packaging says this eye gloss can be used on its own or over eyeshadow. I tried it with just foundation and powder on my eyelid and used the sponge applicator. It dragged and pulled away some of the foundation from underneath. I think makeup artists may be able to work with this product but for me, it's a miss.

Have you tried anything from this brand?

Revlon Youth Fix Fill and Blur Range Review - Primer for Face/Neck, Primer for Forehead, Foundation and Concealer

Testing new base products is one of my favourite beauty items to trial and review for the blog. Revlon has just released their Youth Fix range which includes the Fill and Blur Primer for Face/Neck, Fill and Blur Primer for Forehead, Fill and Blur Concealer and Fill and Blur Foundation.

I'm probably not the target market for this range as I am in my mid-twenties but I do like blurring products to reduce the appearance of texture and acne scarring.

The first item I put to the test was the Fill and Blur Primer for Forehead. This nail polish-esque packing looks rather intense with its sharp handle and nail polish style brush. You swipe this over any creases or fine lines on your forehead. I think I put a little too much of this on when I first tried it, it took ages to dry down. However, the second time I used it more sparingly and it dried quicker. I can't say it did much for my fine lines and it seems to be a little bit faffy in my opinion.

The second primer from the Youth Fix range was much better than the one intended for forehead wrinkles. The Fill and Blur Primer for Face/Neck is dispensed through a few holes in the top of the white teardrop shape top. You then use the white applicator to smooth the product out. I wanted to see if the product blended as well just using your hands but surprisingly the novelty applicator worked the best. It is a thick gel which settles into fine lines and adds an overall blurred effect. It was a smooth base to apply my foundation too.

The Fill and Blur Foundation comes in 7 shades, the lightest being 110 Ivory. This colour was so orange on my skin tone (I'm an NC15 in MAC for reference). Gwen Stefani is the celebrity face to the range and she is similarly pale as I am, so I can't actually see this product being able to suit her skin tone. Putting the terrible colour aside, this had a mousse-like thick texture which seems to have a silicone blend. It did blend well over the skin.

Finally, I finished up with the Fill and Blur Concealer in 02 Light. The product only comes in 3 shades. Again, this was such an odd colour, very dark with a yellow undertone, too dark for me to actually wear after testing. Very similar to the foundation, it had silicone mousse consistency which helped the concealer blur over the fine lines under my eyes. It was very pigmented and wasn't cakey at all.

I wish Revlon had a better colour range for both very pale and dark skin tones. I did enjoy the Fill and Blur Primer for Face/Neck and the Concealer. However, I think the Fill and Blur Primer for Forehead is a miss and so is the foundation as the palest shade is so orange.

Have you tried anything from this Revlon Youth Fix range?

 *This post contains PR samples and affiliate links

Urban Decay Troublemaker Mascara Review

When Urban Decay sent me their latest mascara launch, I squealed. The Troublemaker Mascara has an edgy petrol inspired tube, which houses the plastic spiked brush and mascara formula.

It promises to deliver volume and length, while the double-walled spiky brush combs through the eyelashes giving fanned out separation. The first coat gives you the separated lashes and length but not much in terms of volume. However, the formula is intended to be layered as much as you want without clumping. The second coat of mascara allows you to build on the volume and I can agree that it doesn’t look clumpy.

The packaging has a bold claim that it is sex-proof, I mean I haven’t tried it in that way but I can vouch for the longevity and smudge-proof. The Troublemaker mascara survived a full day in London, through the sweaty tube and me falling asleep on the train home.

With wet formula mascaras, I have to wait for them to dry out a little before I get the most effect but this one already has a dry formula, so it’s easy to use from the first application.

If you want separated, long lashes without smudges and clumping, this is the mascara for you. The Urban Decay Troublemaker Mascara is priced at £19.50 and is out now.

*This post contains a PR sample and affiliate links

SHOP THE POST

Do you follow me on social media?

Indeed Labs Nanoblur Instant Skin Perfector and Hydraluron Moisture Serum Review

A few years ago, I started to research skincare ingredients before purchasing beauty products. I remember seeing the Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Serum on the shelves of Boots just as I had found out about the benefits of Hyaluronic Acid.

I finally had the chance to review and test out two products from Indeed Labs, their Nanoblur Instant Skin Perfector and Hydraluron Moisture Serum. Both come in brightly coloured boxes and inside are 30ml white tubes which house each product.

Starting with Hydraluron Moisture Serum, this is instructed to be applied to a cleansed face in the morning and evening and to be followed by a moisturiser. It is aimed a dehydrated skin and promises to plump, smooth and soften the skin. The ingredient Hyaluronic Acid holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water, hence it being ideal for dry skin. The product is also free from parabens, colourants and fragrances.

It comes out as a clear gel, I applied this to my skin after cleansing and left it a few seconds to sink in, I did feel my skin getting tighter as it dried, so as instructed you must use a moisturiser after. I followed it with the Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream.

Hydraluron does feel thicker and has a more silicone feel compared to the Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid I used frequently. My moisturiser did sink in well but I wasn't overwhelmed with the results. It works but it's not groundbreaking.

The Nanoblur Instant Skin Perfector is a little bit of a strange product, you would imagine it's to be applied under makeup as a blurring primer. However, you are instructed to apply it over foundation or under pressed powder. It says it suitable for all skin types and promises to instantly improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and enlarged pores. Again, it is paraben, colourant and fragrance-free, however, it feels like it contains silicone (not sure if it does but feels like other silicone products I have tried.)

I applied my favourite Armani Luminous Silk foundation to test out the Nanoblur's effects. I gently patted it over my smile lines and noticed that it was pulling my makeup off my skin and making it patchy. I'm very disappointed by this! I have applied it under a foundation to see how it fairs, it works fine, but I have other primers which I favour.

I am not blown away by either the Indeed Labs Nanoblur Instant Skin Perfector, £19.99, or the Hydraluron Moisturise Serum, £24.99.

Have you tried either of these products? I'd love to know what you think!

*This post contains PR samples and affiliate links

SHOP THE POST

Do you follow me on social media?