I have an exam this evening and then after I can (after much anticipation) dedicate several hours/days to writing some reviews 👀 
I’ve had a lil table on word all ready since I downloaded the app in January but just haven’t had the time since 😂

getting my review on

The retinol I’m using in the first four weeks (twice a week) broke me out ever so slightly only a few whiteheads and no noticeable drying of the skin.

Now about 8 weeks in no purging or drying. 

Obviously it’s a bit early too see anti ageing but with regards to effectiveness do you think it’s no effective because it’s not drying my skin out and making me purge or am I being absurd?

is my retinol too gentle?

Does anyone else get really heartbroken when something hasn’t worked for you and you have to strip your routine back???

I’ve been pretty content with my routine for a while now but all of a sudden my skins a bit dry and itchy (not good coming from an oily and sensitive skin type!) and whatever the product is that’s not working for me has been leaving a rash on my hand too :-(

So back to simple CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, The Ordinary Caffeine Solution for my eyes and CeraVe Moisturising Cream tonight! 

Crazy how these products can betray you after actually working for you 💔

back to basics

I tried to share the awesomeness that is the  picky app on a UK skincare sub Reddit so I’d have more UK folks to share it with.

They only have 5 rules. None of which I broke. 

But I got banned permanently for trolling. 

Picky is so good apparantly they don’t believe it 👀 crazy.

trying to share picky

Does anyone have any products that they like but are burdened by the packaging???

I struggle with routines and it makes it harder when some products are in tubs and then I don’t bother.

It’s mainly the CeraVe one bc I need the consistency to help with my KP but I’m fed up of scraping it out of under my fingernails 🤮
Like why can’t they all be in tubes!!!🥲

(I also binned all my lip balm products in tins I just couldn’t do it anymore!)

What’s the products that are like this for you

silly tub packaging

I’ve only given it a 4* thus far just because I’m not a 100% sure whether it’s drying my lips out as I’m still using up a stick balm in the evening which could be the issue. 

So I will be updating this once I’ve finished but also you go through it quite quick, and it is a tad pricey! But if it’s going to end up being my HG I might not mind. 

It also crusts a little around the cap - but you have to give and take.

But overall, I am looking forward to trying their others in vanilla, strawberry and watermelon!!

I was finding it hard to find a Lip Balm of high SPF (50 ideal but would have settled with 30) that didn’t have a white cast as I’d neglected my lips for years of SPF and this was my last battle to curb.

I mean who wants white lips, a ghostly face is passable but not the lips. Reviews (on various stores not just picky) were okay for such like LRP and Nivea but still a high influx of reviews stating there was a white cast.

I’ve really took a dislike to stick Lip Balms so I thought I would try one of these, the more occlusive type ones similar to Aquaphor etc. 

Their most common scent&#47;flavour is Coconut, but I found them in several different varieites and picked up Tropical Mango (I don’t like Coconut)

First off, the scent is phenomenal, and it makes me want to wear it and I’ve said this before about SPF, the best SPF is the one you’re going to use so this was a great start as I keep reaching for it.

This is a thicker lip balm as expected but I do quite like that, I like to know that my lips are thoroughly coated in the SPF and the clear sheen it gives is nice.

The only reason it isn’t 5* is because even the fairest colour is still too orange for me (but slightly improved with use of sponge rather than a brush)

This also has fair competition with their new foundation release which I’m looking to try!

After No7 discontinued their Instant Radiance Foundation (my HG for years!), I had to search for something new and with Rosacea and dark under eyes I was using a lot of colour correctors and grew bored of these and opted to look for a CC cream rather than a Foundation.

I find that this looks really beautiful on my skin and although I have oily skin - I still like a dewy&#47;natural look instead of matte and this does my skin justice.

This is quite suprisingly thick however I find that a wet sponge is best application for it too look seamless and also make the product last longer. 

This successfully colour corrects, fills fine lines and builds up to any cover. It works really well with other products and is quite long wearing. I can use this either lightly or as a full face without looking cakey (with a sponge anyway). This is my new found love.

I can’t but feel that the benefits I have experienced are a part of the amazing ingredient - niacinamide, snail secretion filtrate, collodial oatmeal, ascorbic acid, green tea, retinol esters, peptides, aloe ... this makes it worth every penny. 

The SPF is a cool plus but I don’t rely on it at all and use one in my skincare routine.

The initial price is a bit overpriced for what it is and the brand but like I say you can make it last. Depends if you’re going to use them every day.

I personally would have been happy with a serum rather than the pad as I really enjoyed using the excess around my face. The pads are very wasteful. 

You don’t need these at all in your routine, these don’t really add anything and purely to make your skincare routine more enjoyable.

These are ridiculously cute and I’m gutted I didn’t take a picture with them on before I used these all up!

These made my under eyes feel cooled, plumped and hydrated. 

You get quite a lot in the pot and I used them only weekly or biweekly to freshen my eyes up as a more luxury product - they lasted roughly a year.

I don’t know what I was expecting but perhaps a gel and this is a rich cream but one with a harder spreadibility (in my opinion). 

I really thought nothing of this moisturiser, I had heard the claims and really didn’t think something from a more makeup selling brand could achieve such claims and as much as admire the ingredient list I do also think it’s unneccessarily bulked out. 

I don’t think it is at all ‘magic’ as is claimed - these ‘instant’ affects that supposedly happen to the skin before models go on the runway or for a shoot. I only saw improvement after continued use with this moisturiser. 

I recieved this as a decent size 15ml sample from Cult Beauty as personally I would have never and still would never with good conscious be able to purchase something that expensive.

For me, I wish it had a bit more fluidity too it, but if you can afford this - it would be something certainly ‘nice to have’ but you don’t NEED it and even if you could afford the likes of this then you could find something better. Nonetheless as ‘Mad About Skin’ would say, it’s ‘boujee’ and sometimes that’s just nice to have. So I think 3* is ample enough.

This is a lovely albeit expensive moisturiser which took me by surprise.

I did notice that this made my skin look plumper and brighter after consistent use.

I do admire the ingredient list - there’s a whole lot of things my skin love; peptides, vitamin c, rose hip oil, aloe vera, allantoin and oat!

Unfortunately I’m not a huge fan of sheet masks, first off single use non-recyclable products aren’t evidently good for the environment but secondly it is more a luxury as it isn’t as cheap as buying a serum in the long run. 

I would 100% buy the individual serum that’s in this mask. I know they do a similar one with vitamin C but this on its own deserves its own recognition. (This does not contain Vitamin C unlike some other reviews are stating). 

This leaves the skin slightly tacky but it’s not majorly awfully. I cannot comment on the effectiveness of the sea buckthorn but would be something I’d be interested in looking into individually.

This is a very luxurious looking sheet mask. 

Most sheet masks run small and dry but honestly this was a great fit&#47;flexible and stayed put (like I didn’t have to hang my head back for 20 minutes because they normally fall off) and it is literally drenched in serum (in a good way). 

It honestly has an amazing feel - never experienced anything quite like it - my skin felt pillowy baby soft and plump. It gave me a lovely glow and my face felt firm (but not tight). 

I do think it has anti inflammatory properties - which I enjoyed. It’s completely faultless - green tea, glycerin, panthenol, allantoin and sodium hyaluronate. Super calming and soothing. 

After taking the face mask off there was an adequate amount of excess I could tap in and there was also sooo much excess in the sachet that I used it 3 more times. You can really make the most of this which even though it’s affordable it is only single use so I like that you can make it go that little bit further unlike other sheet masks. I’m definitely tempted to repurchase.

*product received for free in a giveaway in exchange for my honest review*

marniemorgana