Soap & Glory Kick Ass Concealer

If you're like me and suffer from dreaded acne or terrible under eye bags, concealer will be something necessary in your make-up routine. I'm not a massive fan of concealer, I always find it either doesn't give enough coverage, looks cakey, is never the right shades or wears off too quickly. On a recent 3 for 2 binge, I spotted the Soap & Glory Kick Ass Concealer. After hearing so many positive comments and comparisons to the Laura Mercier Undercover Pot, I had to give it a try. I've been using this for a good few weeks now and I'm pleased to report back positive findings!

The handy sized compact contains 3 products - two concealers and a setting powder. The first concealer is a cool, pink toned colour is targeted at under eye use to correct dark circles. The second concealer is a cool, yellow toned colour which is for use on any areas of redness or blemishes which your foundation alone may not do the trick of covering. The last product is very transparent fine pressed powder which can be used to set any concealer to improve the longevity of staying power. The compact also hots a little mirror handy for on the go applications and a powder puff to apply the powder. I got the light version although there is also a medium if you have deeper skin tones.

 The first step is to apply the pink toned concealer under your eyes, the concealer is a very creamy and blends well. It has very good coverage and the pink tones help eliminate any dark circles I have. I really do like the colour of the concealer but I find it slightly heavy and it does tend to separate and show lines after a few hours and draws attention to the problem more which I don't like. For that reason I actually rarely use this anymore which is a shame. However, the second step is to use the yellow toned concealer on any redness and blemish. This, I love. It has the same consistency but as this is used on areas of the face where the skin is thicker where there are no creases, it sits a lot better. It covers up blemishes and after scars effortlessly and doesn't look cakey. It stays around for hours and I rarely ever had to reapply throughout the day which is great. It seems to stay put even with my oily skin and hot, humid weather where I expected it to melt being a creamy consistency and all.

The last step is to use the transparent powder to set your concealer. This is a great little setting powder and is very fine and doesn't build up easily like other powders. For this reason it's also handy for using as a general finish powder to set your face or just to touch up if your t zone becomes oily throughout the day. I have found the powder has been running down a lot quicker than my concealers as the quantity is no where near equal which is a shame.

Overall, this is an excellent little kit for £10 as you are essentially getting 3 products in one. The packaging makes it super handy to carry around in your handbag or to travel with in a small make-up bag. The quality of the concealer is great, the colour, coverage and staying power is equal to other high end concealers. Other people have commented that the packaging isn't great and that is breaks easily which can get messy, however, I haven't had a problem with mine and as long as you're not careless with the product and drop it often and knock it around in your bag, I don't see how it would break. I would definitely pick up another when I eventually run out of this which I don't see being any time soon which is great for my pennies!

Soap & Glory Solar Powder

Soap & Glory Solar Powder Boots £11

Soap & Glory are a brand I've seen crop up more and more lately with bloggers and after falling in love with their Thick & Fast mascara; I decided to pick up a few things whilst Boots were offering 3 for 2 on all cosmetics. On the hunt for a new bronzer as mine had ran out, I decided to pick up the Solar Powder on a whim. I generally go for matte bronzers as I use them to contour and lightly add some colour to my face.

The packaging is super quirky as always. It comes in a cardboard compact with a mirror which is perfect to keep in your bag for touching up your face throughout the day. The compact has 2 different colours - a cool toned brown for bronzing and contouring and a light slightly shimmery brown for highlighting. Personally the highlighter is far too dark for me to use as a highlight so I swirl my brush to use a mix of the two for general bronzing instead.

All the bronzers I've tried previously have been been orange and dark on me and noticeable if I try to contour with them. I was pleasantly surprised. This is the perfect bronzer for you paler gals, it isn't too highly pigmented and blends perfectly into paler complexions so you don't have obvious lines across your face. Although you can also build it up should you want a stronger colour pay off. The texture it quite silky and I don't tend to get much fall out which is great (who hates wasting product this way?) It stays put fairly well and I probably only need to touch this up if I need to touch up my powder too. I really do love this bronzer but it is a little more on the natural side for giving the face a touch of colour and a slight glow.

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast™ Super Volume Mascara Boots £10 

Among my hamper of goodies I received in my Yule Monty gift set for Christmas was this mascara. Soap & Glory are a brand I usually go to for body skincare and bathing products, not cosmetics. Their pretty recent on the cosmetics scent but have quickly built up a positive reputation for themselves and their products have become staples in many people's collections. Mascaras are probably my favourite piece of make-up and therefore I love to try anything new.

Soap & Glory claim that 'this super volume mascara creates amazingly, longer, fuller, fabulous lashes, feathering Superfill™ false lash fillers, shine amplifiers and NoFlake24 technology'. I'll start with the brush. The wand itself if super big and has the usual hair bristles, usually my least favourite type of mascara wands. I did find it quite messy to work with at first and it does get the odd bit of product on your eyelid which is not attractive. Can also get a little messy on the lower lashes due to the size of the brush. However, it is super quick and easy to swoop onto lashes, it coats the lashes nicely although the formula itself is quite wet and thin. It seperates the lashes well and applies evenly. I must add the formula is super black, which I absolutely love from a mascara.

As you can see, two coats is enough for day time wear just to give the lashes a little lift, length and volume. It isn't flaky throughout the day and doesn't smudge (even on the bottom lashes) either which is perfect for long days where make-up maintenance is the last thing on your mind.

This is a great drugstore mascara and although not the cheapest of picks, it's fairly budget friendly. I love using this mascara for in the daytime although it can be a little messy, nothing a cotton bud and some eye make-up remover won't quickly fix. I will probably repurchase when I've ran out or try one of the other variations of this mascara.

Soap & Glory Orangeasm Body Wash

Soap & Glory Orangeasm Body Wash Boots £6.50

Let me introduce you to the new kid on the Soap & Glory block. Orangeasm is a new fragrance they have recently introduced, it current carries in a Body Wash, Body Butter and Super Tonic Fragrance. The scent itself is a combination of fresh green mandarin, Sicilian lemon and sweet orange peel oils. Unlike other fruity scented bath products, this genuinely smells like the real deal; it's extremely zesty and smells of freshly squeezed fruit juices. I must admit, on first sniff I was pretty suprised, I was expecting it to be similar to Sugar Crush which is one of my all time scents but this is very different.

Let's get more specific with this product. It comes in the regular 500ml bottle which I love, one of these seems to last me around a month and a half. This is mainly down to the fact is has a pump which allows you complete control over how much is dispensed so you don't use too much or too little - 6 pumps is generally a good amount lathered up on a loofer. The branding is quirky and humorous, it looks uber pretty and colourful sitting in your bathroom.

So is the product actually any good then? I don't like to be disappointed and this has pleased me thoroughly. It's the perfect pick me up for a summers morning. The zingy smell wakes you up in the morning and is super refreshing. The product itself lathers onto the skin well and leaves you feeling refreshed and clean without stripping the skin. It has moisturising properties such as MSUDS™ technology, TRIPLE TEA™ antioxidant complex, GINSENG™ and PINKPEPPERBERRY™. I do find this less moisturising than other body washes from Soap & Glory but is still nourishing enough for those of you with normal/oily skin. I have drier skin but when followed with a body butter/lotion I don't see any difference to other products.

I really do love this product and the scent is very unique and something which I'll most likely be reaching for in warmer months when I don't want something too heavy on my skin but leaves me feeling clean and ready for the day. I definitely want to pick up the matching body butter too!

Soap & Glory The Scrub Of Your Life™

Like many of you out there, I received the Soap & Glory Yule Monty gift set for Christmas. If you aren't aware of what that is exactly, it's the massive hamper Soap & Glory bring out every Christmas of a selection of their best products. In this hamper was The Scrub Of Your Life, a product that's never really interested me much before. I'm not the biggest fan of scrubs, due to the fact I'm lazy and exfoliating is usually the last thing I can be bothered to do when I'm in a rush. However, I do already own their Sugar Crush scrub which I like, but don't love.

I decided to give The Scrub Of Your Life a whirl before shaving last week, and it really surprised me. It consists of tiny fine pink beads and some fine colourless grains suspended in a clear liquid. The scrub is unlike the others from Soap & Glory, first of all it come in a squeezy tube packaging as opposed to a tub. The formula smells amazing, much like the classic perfume scent of Soap & Glory products; with notes of mandarin, peach, jasmine and rose.

It also has a much different consistency, it comes in a gel like consistency rather than a thick paste. It could also double up as a body wash as unlike other scrubs, it foams up too. I found a small amount goes a long way, with other scrubs I have to use lots and lots of products and it runs out quickly. It buffs the skin really well and get rid of any rough patches I may have, especially on the knees and elbows. It's really easy too use, I tend to just use my hands and buff in into my skin in circular motions, it also rinses off really nicely too. It prices at £7 which I think is very reasonable. It has quickly became one of my favourite scrubs and I'll more than likely repurchase it when it runs out.

Face Of The Day #01

Every now and then I like to spend a little more time on my make-up and try something different. I'm one of those people who stick to the same routine with my look as I'm usually in a rush and know what things work for me. The other day I played my eyes up a lot more than I usually do and really loved the way it turned out; it also gave me a chance to use a few of my Christmas presents too. Anyway I thought I'd show you what products I used and what I did with them to create it.

Products That I Used: MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC20*, MAC Select Cover Up in NC20*, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light*, Soap & Glory Thick & Fast, MAC Lipstick in Modesty, MAC Eyeshadow in Charcoal Brown*, Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Liner, Benefit Whole Lotta Lovin'! Make-Up Kit.

*Colour used will vary due to skin tones and hair colour

Firstly, I applied one pump of MAC Studio Fix Fluid on my face, blending it in with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush. I then used MAC Select Cover Up to conceal under my eyes and to cover any blemishes and redness, I blended this in with a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. I then lightly dusted MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural all over my face with a Real Techniques Powder Brush to set my make-up. Then for my brows I used a MAC 208 Brush and MAC Eyeshadow in Charcoal Brown to define the shape of my brows and fill them in. 

For my eyes I used my Benefit Whole Lotta Lovin'! kit, I used a MAC 217 Brush to blend Creasless Cream Shadow in No Pressure all over my lids, I also lined under my lower lash line with this using the same MAC 208. I then used a Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush to blend Longwear Powder Shadow in Nude Swings up to my brow bone. I then blended It's Complicated into my crease using Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush. I then lined above my lash line using Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Liner and gave my lashes a few coats of Soap & Glory Thick & Fast. To slightly contour I used Hoola bronzer. To finish the look I used MAC Lipstick in Modesty.

Soap & Glory Lid Stuff™

Whilst in town the other day I popped in Boots so pick up some Mascara as I'd run out. I noticed they were doing a 3 for 2 across all their make-up and thought I might as well get my moneys worth being a student and all. I thought 3 mascaras may be a bit much and saw it as an opportunity to try something I'd wanted to for a while. I was instantly drawn to the Soap & Glory range of cosmetics which are something I have delved into yet despite being a great lover of their bath and body range.

I never used to use eye shadow before; but as I'm getting older and my nights become more sleepless, I notice I can suffer from discolouration on my lids. I find a nice neutral eye shadow always fixed this a treat. I've been using some shades from my Naked 2 palette for the past year but as they are hitting pan I thought I should invest in something that's more travel sized yet decent quality but not too pricey. I did consider the Naked Basics but thought it was quite expensive for my budget right now.

I came across this beauty, something I've seen raved about in the beauty circle for quite a while yet still in my eyes an under hyped product. The Lid Stuff quad comes in 3 different shades; What's Nude, Smokey Dokey and Off The Wallflowers. Obviously looking for a nude colours, What's Nude seemed like the perfect choice for me. The quad hosts 3 matte shades and one shimmer to create the perfect everyday look.

(Left to Right: Aubersheen, Mudhoney, Pink T, Vanilla)

I like to use 'Pink T' on my lids, 'Mudhoney' in my crease and 'Vanilla' for my inner corners and under the brow bone. If I'm travelling I also like to use Mudhoney for my brows too which is perfect! I haven't got much use from the only shimmer - 'Aubersheen' yet but I reckon it's a good switch up from Mudhoney for a night time look!

The packaging is super sturdy too which is essential for travelling with and can take quite a battering. The shadows are all well pigmented and last well on the eyes without much fallout if any. They're not quite Urban Decay standard, but for £10, I really can't complain; in fact I'm pretty impressed!

Soap & Glory Flake Away™

Soap & Glory are my main go to brand for all my body care needs. Although they aren't as cheap as other drugstore brands, the extra pennies are always worth the incredible quality and results you get from using their products. Recently becoming a regular fake tanner, exfoliation is essential prep in order to get a streak free tan. A good exfoliater is essential to scrub away those dead skin cells and encourage cell renewal to the skins surface.

Soap & Glory Flake Away™ contains sea salt a great natural skin exfoliater, as well as moisturisers such as grapeseed and almond oils to leave the skin soft and silky. It has an oily, thick consistency with a nice ratio of particles which are good in size don't feel too abrasive on the skin. They also dissolve as you rub them into the skin. The scent is the brands signature scent, a mix of musk and perfume with hints of mandarin. 

It leaves the skin soft and scrubbed without irritation. The smell lingers on the skin throughout the day and can be enhancing with a matching body butter from the brand. It moisturises the skin but doesn't leave it feeling greasy, although if your skin leans towards the drier side, it wouldn't be wise to skip a moisturiser. To enhance it's exfoliating properties you can use it alongside some exfoliation gloves. Used once a week and you will certainly see and feel and improvement.