SUNSENSE SKINCARE SUN PROTECTION REVIEWS

Hi everyone and Happy Easter Bank Holiday Monday! Have you all been fully enjoying the Easter break? I do hope so. Today I have four products to review for you from SunSense. For those of you interested in protecting your skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays which can cause sun damage, skin pigmentation, premature ageing, skin cancers and wrinkles I am sure these products from Australia's No.1 sunscreen brand will interest you.

SunSense are a family orientated brand producing products to protect all ages and skin types. SunSense products contain high-quality ingredients that bond quickly to the skin with most new formulations including Vitamin E and 3% niacinamide for healthier, younger looking skin.

Swatches as above

SUNSENSE ANTI-AGEING FACE (TOP LEFT)

Apply 1 teaspoon full over entire face and neck after cleansing and 15 minutes before sun exposure. A mild temporary stinging may occur. If severe stinging or irritation occurs wash the affected area and discontinue use.

This white lotion comes in a bottle with a small hole at the top to disperse product and a screw top lid. The bottle did not collect product at the top over use. The product felt like most face lotions I have used, absorbing easily into the skin. There was a slight sting on one sensitive area of my face, but it was minimal and went away after a few minutes. My forehead became a little dry while using this for about a week. There is no scent to this product.

SUNSENSE DAILY FACE (TOP CENTRE)

Shake well. Apply 1 teaspoon full over entire face, neck and chest after cleansing and 15 minutes before sun exposure. Avoid eyes and contact with irritated skin. If irritation occurs wash the affected area and discontinue use. Contact with clothing may cause discolouration.

This product comes in a flip top tube. It's not a greasy formulation. It has a sheer tint which is yellow based (as above). The product blends well into my skin giving a glow and evening out skin tone. This can be worn alone or under make-up. There was a slight sting again on a blemished area, but it went away as before. Cream does collect around the hole opening unlike the first product. I did have a dry patch appear on my chin within about 1 week of using this product. This has no scent.

SUNSENSE ANTI-AGEING FACE MATTE (TOP RIGHT)

Apply 1 teaspoon full over entire face and neck after cleansing and 15 minutes before sun exposure. A mild temporary stinging may occur. Avoid eyes and contact with irritated skin. If severe stinging or irritation occurs wash the affected area and discontinue use.

This comes in the same type of bottle as the first product. There is a slight stinging that goes away pretty quickly on blemished areas after application. This does have a tint also that I feel makes me look much more youthful, healthy and generally just have a glow. It is a more brown toned tint that was a little darker than my skin tone, but I made it work with blending bronzer over my chest area. The tint is definitely buildable for those wanting a slightly deeper tone. I did have dry patches on my forehead when using this again forming over about 1 week. This is also unscented.

LEFT: SUNSENSE DAILY FACE

RIGHT: SUNSENSE ANTI-AGEING FACE MATTE

I realise that it almost impossible to see these swatches. I had almost completely blended them into the skin so that you could just see the tone, yet get an idea of how natural looking they are.

SUNSENSE LIP BALM

Apply to clean, dry lips at least 15 minutes prior to sun exposure. Reapply frequently. This product leaves a gloss finish to the lips. If irritation occurs wash the affected area and discontinue use.

This comes in a squeezy tube with a screw cap. The nozzle does get messy with continued use. The product is a white cream balm (bottom centre in first swatches). When I first started using this product I loved it. There was no stinging sensation on application and the balm felt very moisturising and nourishing. Unfortunately my lips did not feel the same after a couple of days and actually felt a little sore. There was no change in the appearance of my lips, but it just felt like the product wasn't working for me. I did continue using it for the whole period of testing out all these products so a good few weeks, but my lips didn't feel any better.

Overall I would like to say that I don't think these are bad products. I do feel that they just didn't work particularly well for my skin type as most of them are mattifying and I have dry skin. If it wasn't for the drying effect the tinted products would be current favourites of mine.

Many thanks to Truth PR for sending these to me for free to test and review.

Have you tried any SunSense products that you absolutely love? If yes, let me know with reasons why in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

Pure B.B Cream Daily All In One Light

Happy Friday to you. Today I have a make-up/skincare product to talk to you about. I am a big fan of the idea of a bb cream and so I have been trying another one out.

 Pure B.B Cream Daily All In One Light

I have previously tried other products from this range such as the Pure Revitalising Daily Moisturiser and the Pure Revitalising Eye Make-Up Remover. Both of these products I picked up from Poundland, but this B.B Cream I believe I got from PoundWorld. Unfortunately I can not find a link to this on their website and I can't remember the price, but I did find this on Ebay for £3.25 plus £1.00 delivery for 30ml.

I bought this in two shades of light and medium as I could not see what the shades looked like from the packaging. These were the only two shades available in store, but now I have come to realise that this product also comes in ultra light which I would have tried.

As a bb cream this is fabulously easily to apply. I used my fingers to dot it over my face and neck before massaging it in. It covers well, but still looks natural with one layer. I did sometimes add another layer if my skin was quite uneven that day or just add more over blemished areas for a deeper coverage. 

It is not drying, but smooth and does actually feel like a skincare product because of the balm texture. It can be used as a make-up base to give a tinted moisturiser or foundation finish depending on how you layer it or just use one coat. It can simply be used as a concealer too.

I do find this to be a bit orange in tone though so I would not repurchase it for that reason. If however I come across the shade ultra light I will give it a whirl because I do like the way this applies and feels on my skin. The medium shade that I already have I will keep for when I fake tan and see how that works.

Here is a face of the day post where I used this product, link.

Have you tried the ultra light version of this product? Do you think it would work well for a pale one like myself? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

FOTD: Tinted Moisturiser/Mascara Review

Hi Everyone. I hope your week is going well. I feel so tired on my first week back at work, but hey ho that's life. Now about this post. As I am nearing the end of the tinted moisturiser I have been using I thought I would give you my thoughts on it. I am also going to tell you about the mascara I am currently using as well so I thought a FOTD was in order :)

Left: E.L.F. Studio Tinted Moisturiser SPF20 (Porcelain), Link :) & Max Factor False Lash Effect Fusion Volume & Length Mascara (Black), Link :)

Firstly I will talk about the E.L.F. Studio Tinted Moisturiser SPF20 (Porcelain). This product retails at £3.50 for 0.7oz/19.8g. This is a very buildable tinted moisturiser. I would say it's light/medium coverage. It feels very light on my skin throughout the day. It has a mousse type of texture to it. This comes in 7 shades. This blends into my skin easily with my E.L.F. Studio Powder Brush, Link :). If my skin looks a bit uneven in some photos that is probably because the concealers I am using from the E.L.F. Complete Coverage Concealer Palette (Light) don't match as well as the ones I have used up. I think this tinted moisturiser is great value for money. I would recommend this if you are not looking for full coverage. It's unlikely you would be as this is a tinted moisturiser. I think this is quite a good colour match for me. I would buy this product again.

Now on to the Max Factor False Lash Effect Fusion Volume & Length Mascara (Black). I was sent this product for free by a PR Company not to review, but I wanted to anyway :) I have never used this type of mascara wand before. This is not my usual big, fat bristle brush. The brush appears plastic. I am so impressed with this mascara because it separates so well with virtually no clumping. It's very volumising. I do have long eyelashes, but I really do think it gives a false lash effect without appearing drag queen. It just goes to show you should never be fooled  by the wand. This comes in two shades Black and Black/Brown. This retails at Boots Pharmacy for £11.99 for 13ml. I am so happy that I was sent this to try as I would definitely by this myself.

The other products that I used in this FOTD are:

• MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Enriched Moisturising Facebase
• Rose & Co Apothecary Rose Petal Salve
• Primark Ta Ta For Now Magic Undereye Concealer (Light)
• E.L.F. Studio Translucent Matte Powder
• NYX Eyeshadow Base (White)
• E.L.F. Eyelid Primer (Sheer)
• HD Brows Foxy Palette (Warm Brown & Ash Brown)
• 17 Clear Definition Mascara
• MUA Eye Liner (Snow White)
• Evie At Peacocks Glam Eye Shadow Palette (Smoky Eye Day - White, Brown, Beige & Nude)
• Jane Iredale Purelash Extender & Conditioner
• MeMeMe Blush Me! (Rouge)
• NYX Lip gloss from The Naturals Lip Gloss Set (Unnamed, but a pink brown shade)
• E.L.F. Studio Makeup Mist & Set

Are you a fan of Max Factor and E.L.F. products? Any recommendations? Any to avoid?

Love to you all

E.L.F. 40% Off Haul

Hey there beautiful people. I went to see In Time last night at the cinema and I really enjoyed it. Have any of you loves seen any great films lately? Now on to today's post. I have been meaning to show you this E.L.F. haul for a while. I got some fantastic products and here they are.

Left to Right: Studio Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 (Porcelain), Link :), Studio Flawless Finish Foundation SPF 15 Oil Free (Sand), Link :) & Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 (Ivory), Link :)

Swatches As Above

Blended Out A Little

Studio Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 (Porcelain) - £3.50 for 0.7 oz/19.8 g

The information:

This lightweight and hydrating formula is breathable and provides anti-aging sun protection with UVA/UVB SPF 20. Achieve even skin tone and naturally radiant skin with this moisturizing sheer tint of color. The smooth formula enhances your complexion with the nourishing key ingredients Aloe, Cucumber and Vitamins A, C & E.

This tinted moisturizer has a light mousse type of texture to it. Tinted moisturizers don't usually give me enough coverage, but I will give this a chance.

Studio Flawless Finish Foundation SPF 15 Oil Free (Sand) - £6.50 for 0.8 oz/23 g

The information:

Achieve a flawless complexion with the silky smooth e.l.f. Studio Flawless Finish Foundation. The lightweight formula blends in naturally for a beautiful semi-matte finish. This liquid foundation applies easily and lasts all day for visibly brighter and radiant looking skin. Using our Flawless Finish Foundation not only restores uneven skin textures and tones, but most importantly, the SPF 15 protects your skin against harmful sun damage!

I really like this bottle. It looks chic and has a pump dispenser which saves on product. I haven't tried any foundations to date that claim to have a semi-matte finish so this will be interesting to try. I hope this means it will be great coverage without being cakey. It would be great if it has a dewy finish also with it's claims of making your skin look visibly brighter and radiant. It also claims to last all day which will be interesting to test out.

Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 (Ivory) - £1.50 for 0.42 oz/12 g

The information:

SPF 15 formula helps combat premature aging and protects against sun damage while leaving skin radiant and lightly hydrated. 

This is very pale in comparison to the other two above. Even for me I think perhaps too pale, but I will try it out. I usually try foundations at beauty counters where I can be colour matched as I find it so hard to pick my own, especially online.

I do really like that all of these products have an SPF element to them. I think it's almost becoming expected with most tinted moisturizers and foundations now and that's obviously a good thing.

Left to Right: Studio Blushes in Fuchsia Fusion, Tickled Pink & Mellow Mauve, Link :)

Swatches As Above

Studio Blushes - £3.50 for 0.168 oz/4.75 g

The information:

The soft sheer texture blends into the skin for a silky finish. Designed to be worn alone or layered for more depth. Highlight your complexion with a subtle healthy glow!

Fuchsia Fusion

I love this shade. A sparkly shade with great pigment. A real Barbie blush. I would even use this on my eyes.

Tickled Pink

This shade is very, very subtle. It's light and wearable, but not great if you are like for real pigmentation. I would probably prefer this as a highlight.

Mellow Mauve

This shade is very natural. Great for those looking for a subtle every day blush. I would not consider this to be a mauve shade so I am a little confused by the name?

These all have great packaging that is very sturdy and sleek looking. They have a cute little mirror too for top ups.

 

Left to Right: Studio Makeup Mist & Set, Link :), Studio Kabuki Face Brush, Link :) & Studio Complexion Brush, Link :)

Studio Makeup Mist & Set - £3.50 for 60ml

The information:

Keep your makeup in place all day with a radiance boosting invisible hold. The invigorating mist moisturizes and soothes the skin with key ingredients Aloe, Green Tea, Cucumber and Vitamins A, C & E. The lightweight, comfortable and alcohol free formula improves makeup wearability and prevents color from running or fading. Spray on after makeup application to set makeup in place or during the day for a quick touch up to refresh. After you have applied your makeup spray a light mist 12-16 inches from your face with eyes closed to set your makeup in place or use for a quick touch up throughout the day to refresh your makeup. Let it dry naturally or blot with a tissue to help speed dry.

I have been using this product for quite some time. I believe this is now my third bottle. This definitely helps my makeup last longer. It does have a bit of a weird smell to it which is not that pleasant when you first spray it, but that disappears within seconds. Make sure you do not spray this product too closely as it does feel very wet when you first spray it. When I first tried it I expected my make-up to start running down my face, but this does not happen. This dries within minutes.

Studio Kabuki Face Brush - £5.00

The information:

This new anti bacterial, synthetic haired Taklon brush is softer and more absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. Be a professional makeup artist and create a flawless look with this e.l.f. studio brush! Our handy and easy to use Kabuki Brushes provide a light to full coverage on your face or body to ensure a flawless finish. The compact brush is perfectly sized to allow for precise and controlled application of bronzer, powder, or a highlighter on your skin.
*Vegan Friendly

This does feel soft, but I am a bit disappointed that I seem to have this weird dip in the middle of my brush. It would be nice if this came with a cover of some sort as this is too short to slot into my make-up brush bag. How do you store your kabuki brushes?

Studio Complexion Brush - £3.50

The information:

This new anti bacterial, synthetic haired Taklon brush is softer and more absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. Be a professional makeup artist and create a flawless look with this e.l.f. studio brush!
-Creates an even and natural finish
-Expertly sweeps all types of powders across the entire face and sculpts features beautifully
-Use with pressed, loose, or translucent powders, blush or bronzer

This does feel extremely soft and it comes with a cover. I think this will be a great all round brush for blush, bronzer, highlighting and contouring.

Left to Right: Plumping Lip Glazes in Baby Doll, Fuchsia Fanatic & Wink Pink, Link :), Studio Matte Lip Color (Tea Rose), Link :), Studio Lip Stain (Red Carpet), Link :) & Hypershine Lip Glosses in Berry Cherry, Fairy & Joy, Link :)

Swatches As Above

Plumping Lip Glazes - £1.50 for 0.06 oz/1.8 g

The information:

Forget costly Collagen injections, or those painfully stinging glosses, stimulate your senses to a refreshed full perfect pout with e.l.f. Plumping Lip Glaze! e.l.f. proudly presents a revolutionary lip plumper, infusing Natural ingredients that awaken your senses for fresh, volume enhanced, and moisturized lips. This dual sided Plumping Lip Glaze has a tinted color for a subtle plump or a clear gloss that power plumps your lips, use together and instantly feel the lip enlarging effects!

Baby Doll

 

This is a lovely shade, but on the website it looks more pink. This is more of a coral shade.

Fuchsia Fanatic

This is a pretty shade, but this arrived broken. When I went to swatch it it detached itself from the applicator. A bit annoying.

Wink Pink

This is a pretty light pink shade.

These appear to promise bee stung lips so I will see if they live up to the hype.

Studio Matte Lip Color (Tea Rose) - £3.50 for 0.06 oz/1.8 g

The information:

This convenient jumbo sized lip pencil creates exact colour application with twist up ease so you never have to sharpen. The pigment rich colour glides on effortlessly and easily to provide long lasting matte colour. The enriched Vitamin A, C & E formula moisturizes and hydrates lips for beautiful healthy looking lips.

This is what I would describe as a semi-matte lip product as it is still quite creamy. I think it's a nice autumnal shade, but great to wear all year too. An excellent every day colour that you don't have to think about. I think it would suit pretty much any skin tone.

Studio Lip Stain (Red Carpet) - £3.50 for 0.2 fl oz/6 ml stain & 0.2 fl oz/6 ml gloss

The information:

Achieve full coverage that lasts for hours with this long-wear formula. Enjoy silky matte color or layer on the moisturizing clear gloss for a shiny look. With key Vitamins A & E your lips stay smooth all day long.

WOW! This is a very creamy true red colour that dries to a matte finish. I think this would look great with or without the gloss. A fab two in one product. I did not apply the gloss to this swatch.

Hypershine Lip Glosses - £1.50 for 0.05 oz/1.5g

The information:

Hyper, glass-like shine infused with micro-mirror technology to reflect light. Conditioning shine lasts for hours.

Berry Cherry

 

Sorry about the extra thick swatch here, but I didn't realise how thick the formula was. This is an okay shade, but a bit muddy. I thought it was more of a rosy brown shade looking at it online, but this is more of just a brown.

Fairy

This is more of a thinner formula for some reason. A lovely sheer and pretty pale pink.

Joy

I love this shade. It's an almost holographic golden, pinky mauve colour. This one is a thin formula too. I think it would nice layered over the top of the Studio Matte Lip Color Tea Rose.

The Hypershine Lip Glosses are twist up pens with a brush applicator.

Mineral Eye Liner (Coffee), Link :)

Mineral Eye Liner (Coffee) - £3.00 for 0.21 g

The information:

Create definition that's soft, natural and brilliant. The natural based formula provides gentle coverage for even the most sensitive eyes. The twist up applicator is easy for instant use, no sharpening required. 100% mineral based with no parabens, no preservatives and no chemical dyes.

As it is described above this is a twist up pen. The formula is very smooth and creamy. This is a really nicely pigmented brown eye liner. The top swatch was drawn using the pen side on for a thicker swatch. The lower swatch was drawn using the nib only for a thinner line.

I am really pleased with this haul. The prices shown in this post are all full prices, but as I bought these products in the 40% off sale I paid a total of £31.80 for everything with no delivery charge too. Bargain central me thinks :)

I love most E.L.F. products that I have tried and I have tried A LOT! I have since placed another order too.

What are you favourite E.L.F. products and why? What products have you been disappointed with and why? Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Love to you all

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint

Hello you fabulous lovelies. I can't believe it's Sunday already. Where do these weekends go? A while ago I was sent three sachet samples in the post from Liz Earle to try out their Sheer Skin Tint. They did not send it to me for review purposes, but I thought I would share my thoughts with you on it anyway.

The information on the Liz Earle website:

'The perfect way to enhance your skin. Our rich and creamy, yet lightweight formula leaves all skin types looking naturally dewy, even and radiant. With mineral UV SPF15, it’s enriched with our own blend of natural source vitamin E, borage and avocado, specially selected to work in harmony with our skincare range. Suitable for all skin types.'

The instructions are to apply a little Sheer Skin Tint onto forehead, nose, cheeks and chin, then blend with fingertips over your face.

This product comes in three shades.

  

This is shade Bare 01 the palest shade to suit fair, alabaster complexions

 

 This is shade Beige 02 the medium shade to suit the majority of caucasian skins

This is shade Beach 03 mixed in with my own moisturiser as it was too dark for me. This is the darkest shade suitable for suntanned, olive-toned and most asian skin tones

Although the instructions are to blend this in with your fingertips I found that it applied better with my flat top stipple brush. I really like how it felt on my skin and it did sink in really easily. I have to say I did end up with a few streaks though so remember to check back five minutes after applying as that's when they appeared for me. You can easily blend these in with your fingertips though. The coverage was not enough for me, but then I usually use foundation as opposed to tinted moisturisers as I have an uneven skin tone with red areas. I would not dismiss this product for those that prefer less coverage though. I do like the fact that it is SPF 15. It does show up my dry skin quite badly which surprises me as it feels so moisturising, but then I do get that with a lot of foundations and tinted moisturisers. Shade Bare 01 matched my skin tone quite well, but I did like the sun kissed look that the shade Beige 02 gave me. I would say that Beige 02 was my favourite shade. Shade Beach 03 was just too dark for me, but I hate wasting products so I just mixed it well with my own moisturiser. Please bare this in mind if you are looking for a colour match to your skin. Although I didn't mind shade Beige 02 for my skin I think other people may find it hard to match their skin tone as there are only three shades in all.

Here is a link to the product on the Liz Earle website, Link :) This product retails at £21.00 for a 40ml tube.

Have you tried Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint? If so, Did you find a shade to match your skin tone? What did you like or dislike about this product?

Love to you all