A while ago I mentioned how the high street is upping its game in masks. It was high time to, and it was worth a wait. Finally, The Body Shop's delightful range of Superfood Masks are out, so there are loads of goodies to try. The launch has 5 masks for different skin concerns, each packed with potent, natural ingredients from all around the world. Here's the full range:
Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask (detoxifies and is 100% vegan)
British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask
(hydrates and is 100% vegan)
Ethiopian Honey Deep Nourishing Mask
(nourishes and is 100% vegetarian)
Chinese Ginseng & Rice Clarifying Polishing Mask
(brightens and is 100% vegetarian)
Amazonian Acai Energising Radiance Mask – (energises and is 100% vegan)
It's interesting to see how The Body Shop is changing over time, especially since they joined L'oreal. There are definitely more and more launches that look and feel high end, and the brand itself is evolving into a real grown-up beauty industry player. While I don't mind the odd chemical help when it comes to skin care, it is aways nice to return to tried and tested natural remedies. These masks are just the ticket.
I opted for two for now, the British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask and the Chinese Ginseng & Rice Clarifying Polishing Mask, but I definitely will try the other three too. They all look so delicious, inviting and good enough to eat after all.
The gorgeous British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask is full of the hydrating goodness of the rose. It's a gel texture that looks appetising as a nice, home-made conserve and smells of a rose garden full of fresh, blooming buds. The consistency is light, it feels refreshing so it's excellent for morning use if you want your makeup to glide on like a dream. While your skin is getting the essential hydration that it needs, you also get the calming, soothing effect of Aloe Vera and the brightening of Rosehip too. On top of that, it is 100% vegan! What's not to love?
The Chinese Ginseng & Rice Clarifying Polishing Mask is lovely exfoliating mask perks up dull, uneven skin in no time. The grains are not too harsh, is smells divine and feels refreshing on the skin. The ginseng promises to tone and revitalise, the rice extract to stimulate the skin while the sesame seed oil to soften and it does exactly that. This is a perfect way to add radiance, to clarify and polish the skin in dire need of a pick me up. This mask is 100% vegetarian. Be a bit cautious with this if you are sensitive, there's a bit of a tingling sensation while the mask is on so either leave it on for 2-3 minutes only instead of the recommended 5-10 minutes or go with one of the nourishing masks just in case.
Once you collected all 5 masks, you can mix and match to multitask which is very much on trend right now. Catering for the skin care savvy, offering different ways of clarifying and nourishing on demand is a smart move and will get a lot of attention. In the world of the beauty blogger/vlogger and a saturated market, this is a much-needed breath of fresh air that keeps the industry alive with good buzz and quality that is behind the hype. Job well-done The Body Shop, this range is British beauty at their finest, can't wait to see what else is in store in the next few seasons!
The full range is available here, £16.00 for each pot.
I am a tad bit late with this, I know, but I couldn't resist anymore and got the shower gel and the body butter from The Body Shop's Pinita Colada range. I am a big fan of The Body Shop ever since my sister bought me a bottle of White Musk in the '90s. Back then in Hungary that was a huge deal. The Body Shop is a big part of the collective beauty consciousness in the UK, and it seems everyone has nostalic story about the brand. The soaps, the shower gels and body butters have always had a constant presence in my bathroom too ever since I moved to the UK. The Body Shop Pinita Colada (note it's Pinita, not Pina, so no rum involved ;)) range launched at the beginning of the summer. Bloggers everywhere went crazy for it. It took a bit of time, but finally I gave in to the catchy positive publicity.
First things first, I have to admit, the scent makes me smile every single time I open the bottle or the pot and I'm not the only one. I cannot believe how much this smells like a good Pina Colada cocktail. Every sniff of the products sends a tiny whiff of summer holiday happiness (preferably at to the Carrebbiean) to your brain. It's all about the coconut, and the pineapple, it is fresh, fruity, tropical, delicious. This range has quicly become a coveted item for this summer and I am not surprised. It looks fun and IS fun to use. The fragrance is quite strong, so if you don't want it to interfere with your perfume, use them in the evening. The textures are great, silky, smooth. The body butter is a bit on the sticky side for me, but I can easily overlook that tiny detail because it smells so good.
Please note: the shower gel is soap free, but contains Sodium Laureth Sulphate, actually, that is the second intgredient, so if you are concerned about chemical foaming agents, this one is not for you.
The whole Pinita Colada range is available here
Alex Box is a make-up artist whose work I've admired for a long time. She really does put the artist into 'make-up artist'. She is most known for her unconventional style that most people got to see during her time being the creative director of Illamasqua. She is an artist who never stops looking for challenges, creative renewal. She is an unstoppable force of energy that is nothing but inspiring to me.
I saw her performing at IMATS in London this year and it was so much fun to watch her work. 'I am you' said her oversized t-shirt, sending a message to artists out there that we are made of the same mould. She is a make-up artist's make-up artist. And the best thing about her, apart from being incredibly down to earth? She's not taking herself seriously and not afraid to have fun.
When she announced at IMATS that she will do a project called 'The Alex Box of Cards', I thought, this is just what I need: a bit of creative boost, a source of inspiration for my work. And what could be better than getting it from one of your favourite artists?
The Alex Box of Cards is a little black box, made by an artisan box maker, filled with 50 cards of handwritten notes, 'a collection of creative touchstones' as she calls them. That is 50 ways to get inspired, 50 times unlocking new ideas when you're stuck, 50 times approaching certain projects in a different way, 50 ways of seeing things from a new perspective,50 valuable fragments of ideas that you can start an artistic journey from, 50 breaths of fresh air when you need energy, 50 nudges out the door when you feel insecure, 50 encouragements when you feel you're just not good enough...or maybe just 50 ways to have fun with makeup...the possibilities are endless. All you need to do is pull one card out of the pack and off you go to uncharted territories of your creative mind. ‘I want to help people in those moments where they need inspiration or change of direction or even just encouragement from a friendly voice’ says Box and this is exactly what it does.
These cards are definitely an exciting addition to my life as a make-up artist.I have only seen one card, I want to keep the rest a surprise each time I pick one. My first one is:
Hm...where will this one take me I wonder?
If you are interested, you can pre-order the second edition of the Box here, but be prepared that it will take about 4-5 weeks for it to arrive because the box and cards are all handmade, so it takes a bit of time to create them.
Alex Box is a make-up artist whose work I've admired for a long time. She really does put the artist into 'make-up artist'. She is most known for her unconventional style that most people got to see during her time being the creative director of Illamasqua. She is an artist who never stops looking for challenges, creative renewal. She is an unstoppable force of energy that is nothing but inspiring to me.
I saw her performing at IMATS in London this year and it was so much fun to watch her work. 'I am you' said her oversized t-shirt, sending a message to artists out there that we are made of the same mould. She is a make-up artist's make-up artist. And the best thing about her, apart from being incredibly down to earth? She's not taking herself seriously and not afraid to have fun.
When she announced at IMATS that she will do a project called 'The Alex Box of Cards', I thought, this is just what I need: a bit of creative boost, a source of inspiration for my work. And what could be better than getting it from one of your favourite artists?
The Alex Box of Cards is a little black box, made by an artisan box maker, filled with 50 cards of handwritten notes, 'a collection of creative touchstones' as she calls them. That is 50 ways to get inspired, 50 times unlocking new ideas when you're stuck, 50 times approaching certain projects in a different way, 50 ways of seeing things from a new perspective,50 valuable fragments of ideas that you can start an artistic journey from, 50 breaths of fresh air when you need energy, 50 nudges out the door when you feel insecure, 50 encouragements when you feel you're just not good enough...or maybe just 50 ways to have fun with makeup...the possibilities are endless. All you need to do is pull one card out of the pack and off you go to uncharted territories of your creative mind. ‘I want to help people in those moments where they need inspiration or change of direction or even just encouragement from a friendly voice’ says Box and this is exactly what it does.
These cards are definitely an exciting addition to my life as a make-up artist.I have only seen one card, I want to keep the rest a surprise each time I pick one. My first one is:
Hm...where will this one take me I wonder?
If you are interested, you can pre-order the second edition of the Box here, but be prepared that it will take about 4-5 weeks for it to arrive because the box and cards are all handmade, so it takes a bit of time to create them.
It was hard not to notice one of the biggest lauches recently from Benefit: they revamped their whole brow range and gosh, they did a cracking job. I've never been a Benefit girl myself, but this I find impressive. The hightstreet is not packed with great selection of brow products so this range is definitely a welcome addition. Here are my favorites from the collection:
Gimme Brow (shade 2)
This is a long-wear coloured brow gel with a tiny brush applicator. The texture and shade is great,it goes on like a dream and the brush is very comfortable to use. It is best if you don't need much work on your brows, just a tad bit of grooming. I wish I could get away using only this but my brows are too short and uneven in shape so I always need a bit of a pencil work too just to make them look a bit more finished.
Goof Proof Pencil (shade 2)
I definitely need this to elongate, work on the shape and fill in my brows. Again, the texure and shade is great (quite ashy, not warm), you can brush it through with a spoolie for a natural effect. I am pleased to say it stayed on really well too so it is a definite keeper.
Ready, Set, Brow
If you need to keep your brows in place, this is a nice, strong get formula to use. It has a novel dual-sided spiky brush that helps to achieve a nice groomed effect.
All in all job well done, Benefit!
The full range available here.
