Life & Beauty…but honestly
Get liking and commenting guys for the free giveaway tonight of a certain ‘the ordinary’ product. The winner will be picked at random from the comments more details on what I’ll be offering soon 😜
The countdown starts now folks…
Ok guys let’s not beat around the bush 2020 sucked and 2021 sucked just that little bit more didn’t it. Yup I accept for some, amazing things have come from being herded indoors like cattle on a wet Wednesday but for the rest of us struggling to make the 9-5 work around kids pets and partners couldn’t have been anymore exhausting unless you added the complete disconnect of your entire family and friends support network into the mix, oh yeah and let’s not forget the significant dip in our wage packets post 19. So yes I’ve taken a little time away as have many, but here with a fresh start for 2022 I thought let’s do a go compare shall we?
So if you were like me and found your breakouts heading towards mount Vesuvius mid mental break down then you probably tried everything on tik too and lookfantastic.com/cultbeauty.com you could find (within price range). Yah, I did this too so I’m going to tell you my Best Buy and my worst so you can save those much needed pennies.
First up…
Lacura multi peptide moisturiser (turquoise lid). This little beauty set me back £6.99. Not an expensive buy but equally not as cheap as a £3 Nivea pot from Asda. There was a lot of hype about this brand when it first arrived on the shelves back in 2019 you may remember the caviar creme that retailed around the same price and was lorded to work wonders on your skin…which it did…initially and then became one of many moisturisers that made my skin feel heavy and was pushed to the back of the cupboard but hey I thought why not give this one a whirl. First off Lacura are not one for juicing up their descriptions of the product on the pot so you really are going in blind unless you have extremely well equipped glasses to read the minuscule writing on the back mid shop. For all intent and purpose this cream is quite multifunctional I found I could put it on at the end of summer before bed or before applying makeup without my skin feeling heavy or greasy. It has a pump action top which looks fancy put is useless as it doesn’t reach anything near the bottom and you end up having a grapple with the pump before eventually giving in and scooping out the leftover (a good 60% of the tub). Overall it was a decent buy it didn’t break the bank but neither would it be my go to I’d give it a solid 3.5/5
Keeping up with the Lacura theme
Next up is the very very bright orange vitamin c Lacura serum. Do not be alarmed the actual serum is not this bright but crikey they really went crazy on the product marketing for this one. I’m going to keep it short for this product as it doesn’t deserve too much air time here. The product is sticky and leaves a nasty residue on hands and face, although it didn’t necessarily cause a huge break out it wasn’t worth the time I shopped for it nor the money spent on it at £5.99 and to this day I’m not entirely sure as to it’s purpose as it neither brightens nor nourishes your skin. a solid 0.5/5 for this one (the .5 is purely for the marketing man that enticed me to buy this! I was definitely fooled).
To follow is the Lacura brightending eye cream. Again it’s quite the miss, I wouldn’t say I’ve ever used an eye cream that 100% did what it said on the tin but this one is as basic as they come and would be just as at home in a regular lotion pot. At £3.99 it’s not exactly over priced but your money could well be spent on a nicer moisturiser suitable for around the eyes also. Sorry Lacura it’s a 2/5 for this one.
So after all of that you may be wondering is there anything to look forward to…welllll actually yes.
The best buys…
Here are the best buys of the month that WON’T break the bank but are definitely worth that little extra… caching!!
The ordinary alpha arbutin
Well I could just kiss the creator of this little magic pot! I use a lot of the ordinary products but I’m not afraid to say sometimes your skin just simply doesn’t need all those ‘natural chemicals’ and if your skin is anything like mine what it decides to do on any given day is never predictable from utterly butterly to Grand Canyon or mount vesuvius there is no one day I feel like I have a handle on what’s coming next but this little beauty well…retailing around £7 I like the rest of us had to take to the web to find out what on Earth this one does (the ordinary please improve your descriptions) but from what I gathered it evens skin tone hold moisture and plumps. Sounds too good to be true I know but I have to say guys with just three uses I definitely noticed a difference. My skin tone was more even and skin was softer I had somewhat of a glow which it is safe to say I’ve never had a glow or not recently anyway! And to further add to its list of pros it’s never given me one single spot or blemish. The ordinary I’m going to give this one a huge 5/5 and applaud you for your honesty this product is AA standard.
Last up…
Dr Jart+ ceramidin creme
At £12 for 15ml this creme is not far off a point a millimetre which even I have to admit Dr Jart you are reaching slightly. I’d like to say you don’t need much as the creme isn’t self once warmed by your hands does oil up slightly but in order to feel moisturised you do end up applying more than you would like to for your buck. This creme is supposed to ‘retain moisture’ well I haven’t seen any evidence of that and I apply after every shower however it does dual as a nice under primer for my makeup given time to sink in. This is one of those crème’s I am kind of reluctant to be without but also reluctant to buy another tube of. Dr Jart has finally succeeded in confusing me into a standoff with my brain and debit card. Not sure with this one guys personally I feel there are better crème’s out there however if treating yourself it’s a nice one to have around. 3/5 for Dr Jart.
If you want to see more or have products you would like featured please let me know…welcome to 2022 everyone!!
So I feel after all of this mornings goody bag treats I needed to balance out my beauty bias today with a review of a very popular product by all accounts. I know a lot of beauty buffs who swear by rose hip oil and really wanted to give it a go to replenish my embittered winter skin.
At £9 a bottle it’s a little over the usual the ordinary budget so I thought there must be some credit due to it’s rave reviews. Now anyone who reads this blog will know I have a love hate relationship with the ordinary products, but I also find them useful in a lot of ways. For example their hyaluronic acid +B5 formula doesn’t really work for my skin but on my lips I found it to provide the perfect plump.
Sorry to say guys £9 down and five uses later this one is not a best buy for me. Applied my clean dry skin I expected to wake up with a little summer glow, perhaps even a little oily residue having provided my skin with a healthy oily drink, but sadly not. I woke up with a lot of spots! And an unexpected feeling of dryness around my upper cheeks. Undeterred I continued with its use, even using my old truck of applying to my lips to relieve some of those ingrained little dehydration lines, but to no avail.
Having combination skin I thought this product would really be the best of both worlds, both hydrating but not too heavy for the summer months. Instead it resulted in two huge flare ups and the mammoth task of attempting to calm and cover my break outs. Now I’m not saying this product doesn’t work for others. For example my partner used it and had the same reaction as me but my mother used it and had no breakouts only some drying to the skin.
I suppose what I am saying is there are lots of really good rose hip products out there that haven’t done this to my skin in the form of toners and cleansers so I was quite surprised by its results. Overall for me I wouldn’t bother, invest in a toner or mask that will nourish your skin without the harsh drying effect. It’s a 1/10 for me 😬
Good morning my beautiful DL followers…it’s time for Triple Threat Thursday!!! 🥳🥳 yup that’s right folks from here out every Thursday you can expect a weekly Thursday triple review.
Why you need one? Well if you’re like me and have thoroughly run out of gas by Thursday and are praying for Friday to roll around quickly then you’re going to need some steadfast beauty best buys you can rely on to cover those throughly exhausted faces! Fear not the LabelDL has got you covered!
Above you can see my first beauty Best Buy. Armani lasting silk UV foundation. This product is the holy grail of reliability for full coverage! Yup I hear you, that weekend glow has disappeared and your bb cream is no longer cutting the mustard when it comes to brightening up that tired skin. You need some full coverage ASAP but your skin is going through a fun stage of being both dry one day and super oily the next, you find yourself frantically mixing foundations in an attempt to make it work and you haven’t got time for that trial and error today. Well psssst I have your solution ^^
This product is my absolute staple! You can apply with your hands or kabuki brush, with or without a primer. Of all the foundations Armani offer this one is truly a masterpiece, it sinks into the skin well providing moisture without sliding around your face like you’ve just returned from a tough mudder and honestly gives no need to apply extra product or concealer to those pesky bubbling spots that appeared overnight. I love the fact that the product is not drying to the skin but sets well so that you don’t end up with masses of product residing in those pesky forehead lines. It also contains SPF 20 which as we now know is an absolute anti ageing staple!! (It’s not too late for me to start now right?). It’s super light and will last a good five or six hours which hands down beats all of my other foundations. My only gripe is the pump you do find yourself with another two or so applications left at the end of the bottle you just cannot get to…and trust me I’ve tried!
It usually retails at around £40-50 depending on your retailer however having just bought myself another bottle this morning this little beauty has now gone on sale for £30!! So go and treat yourself you won’t regret it.
Next up Maybelline superstay matte ink…
I was first given this tiny bottle of joy by my mother who had bought it and I think been a little afraid by its consistency, and honestly when I first saw it it was really off putting. The best way I can describe it was like having matte dulux paint in a bottle and smearing it on your lips. Initially I couldn’t understand why it took so long to set, it felt sticky and gave my mouth this weird tacky outline. I threw it to the bottom of my makeup bag for a rainy day and forgot about it for the best part of a year until…yup you got it that pesky Thursday madness came around and I pawed frantically through every bag I had to find my favourite lipstick to no avail. Not wanting to head into a meeting trying to imitate Dita von Tease with bright red lipstick I quickly grabbed this in the hope I could salvage something from its dusty bottle.
Well I have to say I was in total shock! I had been applying all wrong. The key to this product is blend!! Blend blend blend my darling beauty buds. Apply to the centre of your lower and upper lip and then lightly blend with your finger outwards. Yes it’s a little messier than whipping on your usual lip stick but boy will you be pleased with the results. On average I can get ten hours wear out of this product, that’s breakfast, lunch and dinner for me and it doesn’t move and inch! I am always getting compliments and asked what I am wearing to which many are surprised when I tell them this product costs as little as £4-5 in most Superdrug and boots stores! It’s an absolute beauty staple and one I certainly cannot live without!
The final flawless tip…
19/99 high shine gloss… this product was a total whim and honestly even I wasn’t quite so sure how to use it when it arrived. The product claims that you can apply anywhere, cheek bones, forehead, lips etc. But if you’re like me and have had experience with such products before you’ll understand why I was a little hesitant.
You see most wet products do not sit well on top of that lovely dewy foundation or shimmering highlighter you just spent 30 minutes applying. If you don’t have the gift of delicate touch it’s more likely that such products end up poking holes in that flawless look you just created, making it now appear patchy and creating more work.
Fear not this product absolutely lives up to its claims! Now the bottle is very small and for £18 you may be thinking yeah pull the other one DL who’s spending that on a bottle of 15ml gloss but trust me you won’t regret it…you don’t need much almost the size of a full stop application and dab dab dab at the top of the cheek bone below the eye, giving a really dewy fresh look and it hangs around for a good few hours before needing reapplication too. It’s tiny bottle once seemed off putting but ah haaa now you realise it fits perfectly into that clutch bag you plan on wearing to this summers bbq…19/99 you clever beauty bunny’s.
There is one downside, on a windy day I’d advise to wear your hair up or let the product set before attending that disco, there is nothing worse than being smothered by your own hair after it has all become stuck to that high gloss shine!
And that concludes triple threat Thursday my beautiful DL bunch…I’ll see you all on Frantic Friday for more of the best…and the worst product reviews 💋
So here we have another Wednesday best buy folks! Listen up because if you’re anything like me and suffered a hormonal breakout at 30 I feel your pain! I thought I was too old for this sh*t too but apparently Mother Nature thinks differently, and is it just me or does good old dot to dot appear to return more aggressive than it ever seemed at 15 when it was also busy ruining your social life! 🙄
Well if you’re like me and woke up one morning both shocked and appalled at reliving your teenage embarrassment then you need this product in your cupboard for those mortified greets in the morning mirror.
So above as you can see we have the ordinary niacinamide 10 + 1% zinc. This little bottle of pure beauty gold is an overnight lifesaver if you have rapid unpredictable breakouts like me. Applied to clean skin I use this product as part of my night time skin routine. I know, I know if you wake up that morning with 10ft deep cysts you’ll have the urge to apply before going to work or attending that morning meeting but please refrain. This product needs to be applied to clean skin and honestly doing it the opposite way and trowelling on the full coverage foundation you bought last week just does not have the same effect! Once applied and dried you can then apply your night cream or serum over the top. Personally I choose to keep it simple and apply some e45 to help retain my skins moisture and avoid any unpredictable reactions.
When I first used this product I was sceptical. Some reviews had implied it had inflamed their skin and having cystic acne tends to make those clusters of effected area very sensitive and sore anyway so anything that would inflame that seemed both counter intuitive and nightmarish….but for £5 I felt it was worth a try as my flare ups were becoming more frequent (and irritatingly difficult not to hack away at until reaching the core of the problem). I cannot express how surprised I was that after two uses my skin had cleared almost completely!! The only remnants of evidence left behind was some small scabbing to the effected areas which quickly diminished after continuing my usual hydrating skin routine.
I have since recommended this to all of my friends, who many like me suffer with hormonal acne due to birth control and the usual stresses of every day life etc. Every single one of them has given me rave feedback on this product!
So go on treat yourself! You and your skin deserves it!
Please comment below for what type of best buys you’d like to see next…
Here we are back again at our midweek point people…you know that feeling, the hard Monday slog, preaching you’ve got this on Tuesday and come Wednesday your hair has had enough of the dry shampoo and your feelings of positivity have gone right out of the window alongside your ability to have the energy for…well anything!!
Well fear not my little worker bees you needn’t worry about those puffy tired eyes after today. So I bought the product you see above on a complete whim. Sweet chef Tumeric + vitamin c eye booster cream. Now at £16.50 for 15ml at cultbeauty.com I was not overall impressed with the cost and it did float in and out of my basket for a solid hour before I decided to just purchase and see if I had found something that would finally reduce the size of those baggy little puff pockets below my eyes.
See I know I am not the only one that suffers with those pesky little balloons that give away your age instantly, but my left one also has a lovely broken vein that makes me look like I’ve been punched in the face. On an average work day I frequently get asked ‘are you ok? Have you been crying?’ NOPE that’s just my face people! As you can imagine it can effect my confidence immensely!…
So Sweet chef Tumeric + vitamin c eye booster cream arrived last week and I have been using for the last 5 days. Initially even I was shocked at how small 15ml truly is and considered for the money sending it back but I am soooo glad I didn’t!!
This little beauty only needs a small application under the eyes and I have to say has reduced my puffiness no end! Now it’s not a magic cream it hasn’t taken away my broken veins but it has reduced the swelling of those annoying under eye pockets enough for me to feel 25 again after applying my makeup. B that’s a strong claim I hear you say?…well yes it is but it’s a genuinely honest and great working product!
I wouldn’t however say it has reduced the darkness of my circles any more than a fraction so if you don’t suffer with puffy under eyes then you may not see too much difference using this product, but for me it has increased my confidence (and lowered my bosses concern for my emotional well-being!). The product has no smell and a tiny amount goes a very long way! I can see 15ml last me atleast two months. I apply every evening following my usual skincare routine and wake up looking quite refreshed! Perfect for a mid week meltdown! It’s definitely worth a buy from me guys at an 8/10.
Like for more below 👍🏻
Rachelfoy96.Wordpress.com has nailed it again!… Don’t forget those brows people 🙌🏻
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Makeup tricks that always work
Please give this one a read guys from relationships.lifeideasinsider.com this young lady absolutely nails what it is like to have lived with a true narcissist and offers some peace for those questioning themselves xx
Advice from multiple abuse experts helps me move through waves of pain. Photo Credit: Unsplash, Remy Loz On a long country drive with my narcissistic…
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Ok so you want to know how to play the game but play smart…
There are three ways in which you can approach this guys, so as previously stated you can opt to do the grown up thing; draw up a list of chores, date nights and promises but in reality these very rarely implement consistent long term change. Again that’s not to say it doesn’t happen but all these relationship websites who advise this option are doing so on the basis you have met and are having a relationship with an emotionally mature individual who recognises their love and responsibility that brings when it comes to being in a relationship with you…yup sounds pretty rare right? That’s because it really is! On average men are two years behind in their emotional maturity than women hence why it takes men longer to settle down and start a family etc. This is not to say this is a bad choice in any way just don’t expect someone to be able to love you how you love them without knowing what amount of love they are actually capable of giving.
Number 2…
Set your stall out early as my dear nana used to say. Be very clear from the start what you expect from this relationship. What is a requirement and what is a want from you. Notice I said requirement? Yup there it is again so what do I mean by that?…well a requirement is something you want or need from the relationship that is absolutely none negotiable. These things need to be hashed out earlier on in the relationship and if you haven’t done them already then you need to sit and have a genuine discussion with your significant other to make sure that you are on the same page. Requirements may be things like marriage, children, religion or even just weekly Sunday dinner with the in laws. If these things are important to you and not having them would significantly impact upon your relationship then they need to be laid out for your new beau asap so that you don’t waste your time or theirs building a life together that will be broken down by major life choices such as your own requirements.
You should also be very clear about your expectations of their ability to pull their own weight. Times are a changing and no longer is it expected a man will pay all the bills and go to work while the woman stays at home and babysits the children, and too right! Equal opportunity is a beautiful thing! But guys and gals this doesn’t mean that one of you should have to pull more weight than the other. Be very clear what bills you expect to pay and what will be their responsibility, if you cannot cook then take responsibility for the dishes it’s that simple! The tasks that no one likes doing have in agreement of who will do what on rotation and guys please I cannot stress this enough. Lay down your boundaries!!! What is acceptable and what is not! If your partner is prone to emotional outbursts for example be explicitly clear what is acceptable and what is not in your presence! Trading verbal insults happens in most relationships and can easily destroy them too! You may brush it off as ‘sticks and stones’ now but trust me if the same comment comes up more than once and you accept it you better believe it will be said again and if it hurts the first time it will hurt more each time it is said! Be clear on this and be prepared to stick to it. After all boundaries mean nothing if you allow your partner to continually chip away at them!
So I hear you ask what’s the third option??
It’s too late for all of the above you are three years in and at each other’s throats. They are out partying all the time or on their phone constantly. Things are slipping at home and the majority of chores fall to you while they sit there nonchalant as if completely unaware. You’ve had the chat and arrived back at this emotional tornado a month after each promise…so what do you do?
Part 3 (please read the disclaimer!)…
Listen carefully as this has to be done right (quick disclaimer no one should implement any of this if you are in an emotionally, verbally or physically abusive relationship! In that situation you must from experience stick to survival and tell someone straight away you are in danger please do not attempt to implement boundaries with anyone who is abusive to you!). Now you’ve had the sit downs, the lists the arguments. Your relationship is slipping and so is your mental and physical capacity to cope with having a grown up child as a lover or room mate. This is where your emotionally mature self comes into play.
Our first reaction to in action is to act! You must not do this! This is all about your inner ability to show your strength. If your partner wishes to go out with their friends do not stop them. Change the game don’t beg them to stay invite them to go, in fact tell them it’s what you want them to do! A person will do the things they want to do anyway now you can either argue and become upset or encourage it! Perhaps practice a little self care, enjoy the time with the dog or the kids. Plaster on that grin and think of it as some ‘you time’. Flip the script a little. Trust me they will be both curious and nervous to find you want some alone time too!
The key to this is not to be their emotional crutch for the night. If they text don’t feel the immediate need to text back and ask how their night is going. They want to check that you are still feeling their withdrawal, don’t play to this it weakens their want to return to you at all knowing your safe at home waiting for them in your jim jams with tea in the oven. Hell while you’re at it don’t make that tea you get yourself a takeaway and save yourself the dishes! This emotional downtime for you gives you some mental breathing space and while they are out getting their physical breathing space trust me they will be wondering why you were so happy for them to go…TAXI!!
Now phones they are the tricky part…everyone has one we all probably spend more time on them than we should especially in today’s climate but fear not! If you have a schedule or routine do not delay this because your partner is sat on their phone…please continue!…don’t wait to press play or delay in starting the hoover all because they are sat on their device no no in fact ask for their participation. Got dinner under control as you have every night? Yeahhh we know you got it but give your partner a shout anyway be the damsel in distress ‘can you help me peel these potatoes darling my timings are all out’…they may huff and puff but done with a smile and a thank you you’ll soon see them asking if you need help in the kitchen or putting away that hoover!
So what do you do if they are just downright lazy??
Well yeah I get this one a lot and I’m sorry to say a lazy person never really changes so you need to either accept you will be doing more than your share or you can try the last devious trick in the book…they need their socks their shirts their trousers all nice and clean for work they expect this at 11pm on a Sunday when you’ve just sat down from preparing the children’s school dinners and realise they never so much as put a pair of pants in the wash basket. This one is simple but effective and I may be judged for this but I am not ashamed to say it. Simply refuse or say you forgot! A few days without clean underpants and smelling like the bottle of gone off milk everyone in the office leaves at the back of the fridge for months on end will quite simply shame them into participating with the washing machine! What you do next however is key! If your significant other attempts a task for the first time do not mock! Help. Do not chastise, be positive! And if they dye all of their own clothing grey or pink pat them on the back and show them how for next time. Positive reinforcement works wonders with those who have a lack of motivation!
Give these a go and let me know how you get on in the comments below…like for more 😊
So this afternoon I feel warrants a DL on what they DON’T tell you about relationships when your 15 and oh so in love with that boy/girl at school, you’re going to go on holiday, live together and get married and live happily ever after because you love each other sooooo much right? And it’s all going to work out just peachy yeah?…WRONG!!
Now listen I’m not going to say this never happens because it does happen and I have lots of friends who are really happy with their high school significant others butttt that doesn’t mean the relationship is without it’s toils!
What they don’t tell you No1…
You know when you thought it would be a really cool idea to move in with one another and it would be cool because he likes to Hoover and you like to iron so chores are going to work out just peachy with a nice 50/50 split…NOPE!…think about the jobs neither one of you do/did at home and think about who will be doing those! I never scrubbed a toilet in my life before I moved out at 18 and boy was that a bone of contention when I woke up every morning to dried urine on the back of the toilet seat!…no one wants to smell that, no one wants to see that and most certainly no one wants to clean that, so trust me it will become a festering wound of obligation if your the only one with their marigolds on and head down the toilet bowl every day!
What they don’t tell you part 2…
You’re going to have to be extremely emotionally intelligent to get past the three year mark. Yup those rumours you heard are true if you can get past year three you’re either cooking on gas or finding a new place to live! On average it takes three years living with your partner to know and understand their personality fully. By this point your either willing to deal with their quirks or your not…and sometimes guys it’s honestly not going to be worth what you have to give emotionally to keep going.
…you see we all have a little narcissism…
Yup that’s correct 6 years studying and qualification in behaviour and ten years working it I may be telling you something you already know but guys we all, even us little cutie pies who have only good in our hearts are not always so golden!…we all have the ability to be hypocritical and enjoy feeling superior from time to time it’s true! But beware this can quickly get out of hand if your inappropriately matched!
You’ve heard the saying opposites attract right?…
Well yeah they say this for a reason. Usually one individual in the relationship is more narcissistic than the other. Now I’m not talking a full disorder here guys I’m going to keep this light but if your partner enjoys inflating their sense of self and believing that they are superior to you you better be ready to either accept it and emotionally move past how that can make you feel or move on!
Ding ding round 3…
Don’t believe that there is a fairy tale ending…there isn’t one! I’m sorry to break it to you guys but life goes on. Be it after children or even a wedding don’t expect that life is going to flow your way from there forward. At the end of the day there is only so much that is within your control!…My mother once told me ‘If you don’t like the game change the way you play or don’t play at all’…I never understood this until I reached my own emotional maturity (I was a late bloomer around 27). What did she mean? Change the way you play? Don’t play at all?…finally at 27 I understood. In a relationship you will always find those things you really hate about your partner, they may be overly critical or football obsessed. They might be naturally flirty with others and this may really knock your confidence. Now you can choose to approach this as an adult and and attempt to discuss (however from my own experience unless your partner matches your emotional maturity don’t hold your breath for long term change!), you can choose to walk away (may feel a little extreme) orrrr here comes the juicy bit…Like for part 2…😜
Wouldn’t it be nice (so very, very nice) to have the luxury of treating ourselves to a 10-step spa routine every morning? But, alas—for most, the …
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THE DL 