Review: Superdrug Mud Masks

I'm always on a mission to get great skin (aren't we all?), though I've never been a massive user of face masks. To ease me into it I purchased these two Superdrug mud masks: namely the de-stressing and detoxifying ones. Let's see how I got on...

 Let's talk packaging one second: wow! I think they look a lil more pricey than Superdrug. There's deffo some L'Occitane/Neal's Yard inspo going on here, and I like it.

First off, I went for the Detoxifying mask. It claims to remove impurities and generally clear your skin of any nasties: obviously it was my first choice!

Application & first impressions:
I always smell a product first. This, my friends, smells like aftershave. I've read other reviews on this product that have said the same thing so this immediately instilled some serious fear into me- sensitive skin and aftershave? Oh lawd.

The formula itself is a grey colour and not as thick as you'd expect for a mud mask. Nevertheless, this means that it's very easy to apply. As you apply it to the skin, there is certainly a tingle. I will later learn that I really should have washed some of this off, but let me get to that...

The formula dries pretty quickly into a pale green (be prepared for 'camo face' as it begins to dry) and really settles around your pores as though it's cleaning them out properly. It's not too tricky to wash off, but a muslin cloth comes in handy.

Final thoughts:
This mask left my skin feeling super clean, but it also irritated the sensitive patches of my face (undeneath my eyes and the apples of my cheeks)- my trusty avene water certainly came in handy (an absolute must-have for sensitive skin). This mask did however leave my shiny t-zone looking tight and gave my skin a great, glowy appearance. If you have sensitive skin or an oily T-zone, avoid the central parts of your face and instead apply this only to the nose, forehead and chin- the effects are great!

Now for the aloe vera de-stressing mask!

Application & first impressions:
This mask smells a lot more neutral than the detoxifying one! It is a green colour and applies easily, drying exactly the same way as the first mask and leaving a tingle, but one that doesn't feel as harsh as the dead sea formula.

Final thoughts: 
This leaves my skin feeling super clean but I'm not so sure of the destressing factor. Whilst it's more pleasant to use, it didn't really calm the redness in my skin down and actually aggravated a few patches. I'm going to give this one a miss!

I definitely rate the detoxifying dead sea mask for oily t-zones, to use perhaps on a weekly basis for a really deep cleanse, but I wouldn't repurchase the destressing aloe vera mask again.

Do you have any face mask recommendations? Let me know! xo

Winter Warmer Challenge With Boohoo.com

The winter chill may well have settled in, but that doesn't mean to say I'm willing to bundle myself into a parka (yet). The lovely people at Boohoo invited me to raid their winter closet and challenged me to pick out an outfit that I think is going to take you stylishly into the holiday season. Plus, head to toe = less than £50. Hallelujah!

 Cape: Army Stripe Edge Cape*

 Top: Eleanor Turtleneck*

Skirt: Avah Tartan Skirt*

Boots: Primark (current season)

 

Yes, every girl and her dog will probably be wearing these come the end of 2015, but cape coats are so very in right now. If I'm honest, I don't object to following any trend if it means being this cosy. I had been looking for one of these without a fringe (why do they all have stupid fringes?!) so when I spied this in Boohoo's winter collection, I knew I just had to have it. It's like wearing a blanket, just...outdoors. Anyone who knows me will confirm that I'm a massive pjs girl (you will never see me at home in jeans) so this thing is essentially the dream.

Tartan skirts may well remind you of your school uniform, but I am totally in love with them. This Clueless-esque A-line skirt is the perfect blend of preppy and stylish thanks to the zip detail.

Finally, I have been obsessed with turtlenecks this past year, so this charcoal number is a welcome addition to my wardrobe. This top is the sort of thing that can be dressed up with a statement necklace or worn more casually under a jacket, coat or cape like this.

Finally, big shoutout to the lippy of the moment: No7 Match Made in Brick Red. I hope you're enjoying the season as much as I am. Enjoy wrapping up!

  

*Items were gifted by the brand or company mentioned. This post is in collaboration with Boohoo.com.

Review: Maybelline Master Sculpt Contour & Highlight

Hoola bronzer will always be bae when it comes to contour, but I had been meaning to scout out a more affordable contour product for a while. Maybelline always has deals on (buy one get one half price, hello) so when I saw this I was pretty intrigued. The contour shade looked so similar to Hoola that I clicked add to basket without a second thought: for £6.99, you can't really complain. Today I'm talking about the Maybelline Master Sculpt Contour & Highlight kit.

The packaging looks pretty nice, and gets pretty fun when you open it up. The pan itself lifts up to reveal a mirror and a space containing a thin contour brush. I think this is pretty neat but at the same time, a little deceiving: you don't actually get that much of the product itself. It also seems to suggest that 'contouring on the go' is a thing. Is it? If I'm contouring, I require a full sized mirror, natural light and a bit of time on my hands...not an on-the-go kind of situation. Who knows how the rest of the world goes about it eh? The packaging also seems to feel not so durable, and very plasticky to touch. I hope it holds up...

 (As you can see above, the texture of the contour section may have got a little funny... I hadn't dried my brush properly on my first use so it went a bit weird! It still works though!) 

For the product itself, I chose the Light/Medium option seeing as I'm currently very pale. The other option, Medium/Dark, doesn't actually appear to be much darker though, simply a different tone.

I tried the brush provided for my first trial with this product, but found it to be scratchy and unpleasant. There goes the purpose for the cool(ish) under-pan section. Switching it up for my trusty Real Techniques contour brush, I found the product applies beautifully. It's got an almost satin finish, which glides on smoothly and doesn't cake up. I am super happy with the tone of this contour product- not too orange and cool enough to look perfect against my skin. I'm currently obsessed with the shade Buff in the Revlon Colorstay range: if anyone uses this foundation, this contour colour compliments it perfectly.

Happy with my contour, I had a play around with the highlighter. Usually with kits like this, reviewers shun the highlighter (never tried it, but the Bourjous Délice de Poudre contour/highlight palette seems to have had unanimously crappy highlighter reviews). This is amazing! It's a beautiful gold toned shade but still extremely suitable for paler skin tones. It also isn't like lots of drugstore highlighters I've tried, in that it doesn't leave you with a streak of warpaint-esque shimmer. Instead, it's subtle but buildable, making it perfect for everyday use.

The packaging gets a thumbs down from me, but I love this product. I think it's good value and a great choice for paler people looking to get their contour on without fear of orangeness/streaky sparkly cheekbones.

Have you tried this? Let me know! xo