Uncommon Goods Review

Uncommon goods is a Brooklyn based American online retailer and catalogue that provides designs by independent retailers. There are so many interesting, useful and unique products to choose from that I found myself browsing the site for ages.

Even though Uncommon Goods is an American website, they provide prices in pound sterling, whilst shipping to the UK with low international rates, no additional charges at delivery and duties and taxes calculated at the checkout.

The pineapple tumbler is a two-piece product, made of aluminium and has a brass finish that is perfect for serving fancy cocktails or frozen desserts and there is a removable lid which can also serve as a base. 

I chose the Pineapple Tumbler as I have seen so many of these around lately and think they are a really sophisticated symbol of hospitality that provide a warm welcome to any guests you may have. They look great on your dinner table as a decoration or actually used as a tumbler for a drink. It is beautiful and well crafted and would make a perfect gift - even the box it arrived in was cute!

I didn't have to wait long for the item to arrive and the overall website experience was easy and straightforward. 

https://www.facebook.com/uncommongoods/

https://twitter.com/uncommongoods

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/uncommongoods/

https://www.instagram.com/uncommongoods/

I definitely recommend taking a look at Uncommon Goods as there is so much to browse and choose from.

The Brush Bar Review and Discount Code

The Brush Bar are an innovative and unique company that create tools that make cleaning your make up brushes and drying them easier.

Both are tools that I now highly value within my collection and that are used every time I clean my brushes.

The Brush Bar is a really well thought out tool that enables your make up brushes to remain damage free as this is a stand that keeps them vertical and the water to run down and out the brush protecting the bristles of your brush. The bar is also a great way to store your brushes if you like to have them out on display; the stand has individual pincer like pegs to keep the brush in place. Instead of laying my brushes down flat once cleaned to dry, this tool is a great alternative and a really smart idea.

The Brush Board is an exfoliator that can deep clean your brushes by reaching between the bristles for a quick and effective clean that means less time scrubbing your foundation brush to remove all the make up! The board has six different textures to choose from so different types of brushes can be deep cleaned. 

These tools have really proven useful and I can not imagine them not being a part of my cleaning routine now, they make the process and rather boring chore quicker and easier and much more rewarding. Brush maintenance is a frustrating aspect of make up and I commend this brand for making products that really change the way I clean my brushes. Both boards also come with a cute velour case to protect and store them. 

For 15% off your entire first purchase at The Brush Bar use the code 'LAURA15'

Visit their website: www.getbrushbar.com 

Visit their social media sites: 
https://www.facebook.com/getbrushbar
https://instagram.com/getbrushbar

3ina Cosmetics - UV Collection

'A bold, brave, new approach to beauty' 

A statement that is definitely true when it comes to describing the products from 3ina in this particular range. I was kindly sent a few products from their UV range, an innovative and frankly out there set of products. I had so much fun playing around with the products and shining the UV light to show results.

 They are brilliant for festivals and parties, sadly such events do not occur often in my life, but I would have definitely used this range weekly back in my university days as so many people had fluorescent parties! However, I did enjoy experimenting with them in the comfort of my own bedroom, and the eyeliner can be used daily as it is a black pencil that shines blue under UV light. 

The Fluoro Cream Eyshadow: Available in three shades, I received the orange shade, which is bright and intense. It blended really well and was easy to use, without feeling sticky once applied. This is priced at £10.95.

The Fluoro Eye Pencil: A black pencil that appears a bright neon blue under UV light, but is smudge-proof and I even found this to be long lasting, despite not really getting on well with pencil eyeliners. This is priced at £8.95.

The Fluoro Top Coat: The fluoro top coat can be applied on top of your favourite nail polish and give an intense colour under UV light, or used alone it can add an extra layer of strength and protection to the nail 6.95 

I was impressed with the quality of these products and hope to use more from them in the future. 

Visit their website here: 
https://uk.3ina.com/

Visit their social media sites here: 
https://www.facebook.com/3INAmakeup
https://www.instagram.com/3INA/

Love Me Beauty - June

This month's Love Me Beauty bag is full of Caudalie products and a few extra goodies as well. Caudalie is a brand I have been aware of for years now but for some reason I have never tried any of their products, so I am really happy to get the chance to do so this month! 

The element of Caudalie as a brand that very clearly stands out is the natural ingredients in all their products and that they are against animal testing; The vine and grape extracts used for our patents come from the vineyards of Bordeaux, Champagne and Burgundy. Every day, we are looking for the next "green" active ingredients to strengthen our Cosm'ethics'. 

Once again if you would like 20% off your first month use the code 'laurae20' at the checkout.

Caudalie: Divine Oil 15ml - This is a multi-use dry oil, with a formula made up of grape, hibiscus, sesame and argan combined with an anti-oxidant, which nourishes and moisturises. A multi-use, luxurious dry oil which moisturises, nourishes, and enhances thanks to its unique formula made with exceptional blend of oils (grape, hibiscus, sesame and argan) combined with patented anti-oxidant Polyphenols. 

Caudalie: Nourishing Body Lotion 50ml - In my opinion, this is the best body lotion I have ever tried. It is not sticky, overwhelmingly scented, and it also sinks into the skin so quickly, but leaves it soft for ages. Applying this after shaving my legs makes my skin feel the softest it has ever felt, and I have nothing but good things to say about this, it is a product I will definitely be repurchasing. 

Caudalie: Concentrated Brightening Essence 50ml - This smells so beautiful and fresh and really helps to make your skin appear brighter once applied, which results in make up sitting on the face much nicer. I found this great for my sensitive and dry skin giving it a lovely radiance to wake up to when used before bed. 

Caudalie: Vinoperfect Radiance Serum Complexion Correcting 10ml - I found this to be really lightweight, a huge plus as I really do not like products that feel really heavy on my skin. This is an age-defying serum, that prevents dark spots and contributes to a clearer complexion by counteracting sun damage, acne and scars. After 2 weeks use, I can see results in the overall look of my skin and my small acne scars are much less noticeable. 

Perricone MD: Face Finishing Moisturiser Tint 30ml - I have never heard of the brand before; it is an American brand that on some research I found many good reviews about, and in particular this product. This is rose scented, something that I am not overly keen on, but this is not overpowering and once applied I can not smell it on my skin. It is a lightweight tinted moisturiser, that feels hydrating and has an SPF of 30. I think this would also be great for all skin tones. 


Pixi Glow Tonic- There was also a small sample of this included in the bag, a product that I love and use in my daily skincare routine. 

There were also a few small samples from Yu-Be, a Japanese brand that I am yet to try, but as they are the perfect travel size I am waiting to take them away with me to test them out.

This has been my favourite monthly bag from Love Me Beauty so far! They have really decent sized products, if not the full size version of a product. It is an exfoliating toner that brightens dry and dull skin. 

May Birchbox

I might have been initially reeled in to buy this month's Birchbox by the beautiful marble design - I am a sucker for it! However, before actually going ahead and purchasing the box I took a look at what was actually going to be inside and was pleasantly surprised by what was on offer for this month. 

I have been so excited all week ever since I ordered the box and it finally arrived and yes it looks beautiful on the outside and the pink pull out draw insert is so cute that I will definitely be displaying this box on my vanity, but I was so delighted to receive the products inside. There is a range of different items inside, including a full size product and I am actually excited to try out every single one of them. I also love that this month, Birchbox is all about little changes that can make a big difference to your daily routine, and I have been wanting to change up my rituals and what products I use as of late. 

Marsk-Mineral Eyshadow 'Vanilla Frosting' Full Size RRP £14.49

This is a pigmented powder eyeshadow that can be used as a wash of colour over the lid or as part of an intense smokey look. I gently coated a brush in the powder and then swept it over my eyelid; it's soft and made from natural ingredients which makes it perfect for my sensitive eyes, and it is super glittery and sparkly. Before checking out, you can choose from the shade 'Fifty Shades' or 'Vanilla Frosting' and I chose the latter as I can create more versatile looks with this shimmery white shadow. 

Doucce-Punk Volumizer Mascara RRP £18

I am currently on a lash extensions hype so at the moment I have no need for mascaras, however soon I want to give my lashes a break from the extensions and head back into using mascaras, and this one is going to be the first one I grab for. This is described as a volumising mascara and I love big lashes and I hope this is exactly the look I will achieve when using it. There is a jumbo fibre mascara wand which looks perfect for grabbing every single lash. 

Laura Mercier-Foundation Primer Radiance RRP £29

I have actually been wanting to try this out for a long time, and this is also a big reason as to why I chose to buy the May Birchbox edit this month. I have heard great things about this from Youtubers and bloggers and went straight ahead and used this the very next time I went to do my make up. This made my skin smooth and left it with a radiant glow, preparing my skin for foundation. I am also happy to say that this made my make up last throughout my working day, so basically if this is everything you want in a primer then definitely try this out. 

Whish-Firming Body Cream Rice Milk RRP £27
This is something I am curious to try out as I am always sceptical as to how much these types of products work. The cream is described as being able to firm and smooth your skin for a toned and even result by stimulating blood flow and reducing inflammation, so I am excited to start using it. It contains organic ingredients; shea butter, cocoa seed butter and green tea.

Beauty Protector-Protect & Volume RRP £18.50
I love the smell of this, it smells fresh and clean and you can slightly smell the product in your hair during the day but you can't tell that your hair has any of the product in apart from the scent giving it away as it light and non sticky. This added a slight lift and volume to my hair as well as making it look shiny and healthy. 

I am really impressed with this months Birchbox and have already determined that I will definitely be repurchasing the Laura Mercier primer. 

April Favourites

It's that time again where the monthly favourites start springing up everywhere and again mine include a mixture of products. Some are new to me that I have only just tried for the first time and there is also some rediscovered products that I have been unable to put down over the past few weeks. 

Nyx Angel Veil Primer 

 One that I was scepitcal towards at first as I have dry skin and as this is an oil free primer I wasn't sure if it was going to work well for me. However recently, my t-zone has been increasingly oily throughout the day and this primer has helped to combat that by contributing to making my make up last throughout my working day. It sinks into the skin nicely, leaving it smooth rather than sticky which creates a nice base for my foundation. I also really like the packaging. 

Pixi Glow Tonic

A product I have been wanting to try for a long while now and I finally picked up a small bottle test out. This has made my skin tone appear a lot more even and feel plumper and firmer. It has also helped with my dry skin, leaving a nice base for my make up to sit on and  this, followed by the Nyx Angel Veil primer, helps to make my foundation blend nicer and last throughout the day. 

Soap and Glory Scrub Of Your Life

After rediscovering this it has made me want to make more of an effort to exfoliate and moisturise my skin because of how well it actually works. Immediately after us my skin feels softer and smoother, with no dry patches. I also like using this to remove any left over tan and dead skin cells. If you are going to try any Soap and Glory product I highly recommend that you make it this one! 

EOS Lip Balm

The second one that I am now onto as I loved my other one so much. I get quite dry lips throughout the year and much prefer lip balms that I can apply straight to my lips from the tube so I don't have to involve my fingers in any way and avoid getting sticky. This moisturises my lips and it is gluten and paraben free. There also loads of different flavours to choose from. 

Love Me Beauty - Spring Edit & Discount Code*

I love trying out new products, or being introduced to ones that I have not heard of or tried out before. Love Me Beauty is a fantastic way to receive products to your door monthly, at a subscription cost which makes it easy to navigate your way through tons of brands!
Once you sign up and after filling in some details about yourself, Love Me Beauty tailors your experience by creating the best recommendations for you. Then browse the month's edit and customise your order before having your products delivered to your door. 

This months edit is 'The Spring Edit' and in my bag this month I received a number of EcoTools products, some skincare products and a hair care product. Some of the brands I had heard of before and others were new to me. 

If you have an interest in monthly beauty bags you can get 20% off your first month with Love Me Beauty with the discount code 'laurae20'.

EcoTools Make Up Brushes

Eco Tools Full Powder Brush - This has to be the softer brush I have ever used. I have been wanting to try a new powder brush for a while and this one has very quickly become my favourite. It has cruelty free bristles and made of vegan materials, it is large and very dense so the powder is distributed really well, without the brush locking in too much of the product. 

EcoTools Perfecting Blender Duo - The bigger, darker green sponge is for foundation application and it's shape is perfecting for manoeuvring it around the contours of my face and for applying my foundation well around my nose and under my eyes. It is spongy and springy and I enjoy using the tip for defining and the flat side for coverage. The smaller one is a lime green sponge that is not as springy as the bigger one, which I don't like as much, but it is the perfect size and shape for applying concealer or getting into hard to reach areas. I also love that the packaging has an application face chart on the back to show you how to use it appropriately. 

Ecotools Contour Perfecting Applicator (New) - This is a new one from Ecotools and is designed to highlight and sculpt your face easily. This has a firm sponge tip and softer edges to blend and highlight. It has a handle which makes it easy to use

Ecotools Eye Duo - I love this as it means carrying less in your make up bag; this pack is made up of four brushes on two handles and each different brush is all you need to create an eye look with flawless application and blend ability. The pack contains a shade and define brush and a blend and smudge brush. 

Living Proof Prime Style Extender Spray 15ml

This is designed to drive off dirt and oil and prime your hair for longer wear and as it is silicone free it makes it ideal for all hair types. This product is basically a replacement for your regular dry shampoo except it is a spray that preps your hair for multiple days of feeling clean. I spray it on my hair when it is damp or after towel drying it and make sure I apply a generous amount coating from roots to the ends and then comb it through and style my hair as usual. I am not really a huge fan of dry shampoo but this product involves no white residue on your hair and I didn't find that I needed to apply more as the days since washing my hair followed. 

Amie Purifying Facial Wash & Matte-Finish Moisturiser 10ml

I had not heard of Amie Naturally Kind before but I am always keen to try any new skincare products. These are made up of 100% vegan ingredients and gentle natural extracts and the small sized duo were perfect for my recent weekend away. I don't mind scents in products I use although sometimes I can find them overpowering; these were not like this at all. The smell is fresh and clean but not too strong once used on the skin, the facial wash is cleansing and the moisturiser oil free. I was shocked that I did not know about this brand after learning that the cleanser was a 2017 Beauty Shortlist winner. 

Dr Bragi Intensive Treatment Mask

The Dr Bragi website describes this mask as 'innovative' and specifically designed 'to rapidly target redness, dehydration, loss of firmness and signs of premature ageing. This is a fabric mask and after use, my skin appeared plumper and much smoother. I found this to be the best mask I have used yet, my skin is dry and dehydrated at times and this was a perfect pick me up. I used it before bed and woke up with my skin feeling fresh and looking glowy. 

Weleda Evening Primrose Age Revitalising Body Oil

This range is actually designed for women 56+ years, and makes mature skin look more alive rather than  providing an anti ageing effect. I gave this to my gran and she enjoyed using it, it moisturised and hydrated her skin leaving it feeling soft and smooth. 

I look forward to Love Me Beauty's upcoming months and you can get 20% off your first month with the code 'laurae20' just visit the website here. 

March Favourites

It's that time again where I have put together the products I have been enjoying throughout the month of March. Some are repurchases, that I enjoyed using so much the first time around, that I then repurchased and have been loving using again. 

Vera Wang Princess Perfume -  This is a repurchase and one of my all time favourite perfumes. Not only is the bottle pretty and elegant, but I would also describe the perfume as being this. It is described by The Perfume Shop as including a mixture of apple, waterlily, mandarin meringue, golden apricot skin, dark chocolate, amber musk and vanilla. They all come together nicely to create a gorgeous scent that isn't too overpowering and wears throughout the day nicely. 

Sleek Power Plump Lip Crayon in Notorious Nude - The small nib on this lip crayon makes it really easy to apply on your lips without leaving smudgy marks or running the risk of seriously over drawing your lips. It does exactly as it is says on the tin, it plumps your lips by giving a tingling sensation as well providing a highly pigmented colour. I love the shade 'Notorious Nude', it reminds me of my all time favourite 'Velvet Teddy' from Mac, except this product is half the price. It is long lasting, with a satin finish and subtly enhances the appearance of your lips. 

Rimmel London Kate Moss Lipstick in Boho Nude - A very similar shade to the Sleek lip crayon and this 15th anniversary range from Kate's collection with Rimmel are packaged in a gorgeous rose gold colour. This range is made up of nudes and reds and from the one I own and having swatched the others in store, they are really pigmented and long lasting. It has a creamy texture which sits nicely on the lips and there are six  shades to choose from overall. 

Colosrpop Super Shock Shadow in Kaepop Sunset BLVD - This is a lovely satin warm golden bronze shade, which I found best used when applied with my finger at this gave me the most product coverage than when using a brush. It then blended really well with a fluffy brush. It is a creme powder formula and has next to no fall out, and whilst it is nice worn on its own I personally enjoy using it with a light brown shade in the crease. 

Seventeen Wow! 3 way Skin Highlighter -  This really is an every day make up product for me at the moment. It can be used as a primer, mixed in with your foundation or worn on its own. I personally like using this with my foundation for an extra glow as well as applied with a beauty blender on the top of my cheeks and below my brow bone. It is a shimmery, but not glittery, iridescent shade that is creamy and silky with a pearly sheen, and blends out well without removing any under layer of foundation. It lasts on the skin, and doesn't lose it's shine and is also great when topped up with a powder highlighter. This is only £5.99, and for that price I would definitely recommend giving this a try!


Vaseline Spray and Go Body Moisturiser - This a convenient spray lotion, making it quick and easy to moisturise your skin. I actually find it such a chore, but want to get into the habit of regularly moisturising my skin after a shower and this product makes it so easy to do so with little effort involved. It does not leave my skin sticky or greasy, buts leaves it feeling soft and hydrated. There are a few different versions and scents of this moisturiser to choose from and its super inexpensive. 

Spring / Summer Wishlist

I am so glad that Spring is on its way, my skin needs warmth and sunshine and when this time of the year comes around I usually have a long wishlist of clothing and beauty items to take me through these seasons. I have out together some of the items on my wishlist together, shown above and I hope to get my hands on some of these to use during Spring and Summer. 

Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara*

I love trying out new products, and I was kindly sent the new mascara from Rimmel London to try out and share my thoughts on. At £6.99, Rimmel states that this mascara has breakthrough shaker technology, has clump free volume, and stays fresh. I have never used a mascara with this technology before, but I like the idea of it, as it replenishes the formula that give volume to your lashes. 

This didn't flake on me or slowly disparate throughout the day and gave me full lashes without any clumps. For me personally, it didn't do much to lengthen my lashes, but I was happy that the mascara did as said on the tube as it really did add volume to my lashes. I also liked how black the formula was and it stayed this way as the day progressed with only a little fall out. 

H&M Beauty Blender

I have never tried the original beauty blender but I hope to in the future, the one sponge I choose to use and rarely stray from is the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. However, recently on a complete whim whilst I was browsing the make up section in H&M I came across a black beauty blender type sponge for £1.99 and decided to buy it, with honestly not much hope for it and I ended up being pleasantly surprised. So impressed with it I was that I have not stopped using it since I bought it. 

It has a tapered tip so it is easy to use around the nose and under the eyes and blends out my foundation so well that it leaves my skin looking flawless and evenly covered. I have tried it with a number of different foundations and it does just as good a job as the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. For the price of this one over the Real Techniques one I will definitely be repurchasing this more often! 

What do you use to apply your foundation? 

Great British Bake Off Vanilla Traybake

Taken from the 2017 Great British Bake Off calendar is this sweet but easy recipe that I can take absolutely no credit for, but something I baked myself recently and wanted to share on my blog. Having only ever shared one other baking recipe on my blog before, which went down really well, I thought it would be a good idea to do another, and perhaps make recurring content. It may not look like anything special, or as presentable as the image on the calendar, but it is really tasty and fun to make and decorate, with a short bake time. 

Recipe

As stated, a tray bake tin of the above measurements in the image, is ideal for this recipe however I didn't have quite the right size but even though my tray bake was slightly smaller than the one in the recipe above, the bake still turned out fine. 

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees/ 160 fan/ 350F/ Gas 4, and grease and line your tin with butter and baking paper. 

To make the sponge, mix the butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, milk and flour into a bowl and beat together, or alternatively use a food mixer. Beat until it looks smooth and light and all the butter is soft and well whisked into the mixture. Transfer the mixture into your tin, spreading it out to the sides and make sure it is even. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is a golden brown and check your cake is cooked by gently pressing the centre with your fingertips to see if it springs back. 

Leave your bake to cool and firm up in the tin and when cooled, remove the paper. Whilst it is cooling make the frosting by sifting icing sugar into a mixing bowl and add the butter, milk and vanilla extract. Beat or whisk until the frosting is smooth and light. 

Put your icing onto your bake and then it's time to decorate! the It is best to do this straight away before the icing firms up, I used these multi coloured stars from Tesco and some white piping icing. I then cut the bake into pieces before serving! 

How cute are the Joie Oink Oink utensils I got for Christmas from Wilkinsons?!

This really didn't last long in my household, which is a good sign! It was tasty and so easy and fun to make. If you give this a go please send me your pictures and let me know how you got on! 

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