Benefit's Lollibalm

I've been desperate to review some of Benefit's new products ever since I started working there in October. However, due to the risk of sounding bias I decided i'd stay away until I didn't work there anymore. That time has now come (I'm not going to explain why, but let's just say their techniques weren't for me!), so here is a review of one of their new products I couldn't wait to get my hands on.

I've always been a massive fan of their iconic lip and cheek stains - there isn't a day that goes by that I don't layer one underneath a lipstick or gloss - so I was really excited to see that they brought out the entire lip and cheek stain range in the form of a tinted lip balm. Packed with mango butter and sodium hyaluronate (Yeah, I have no idea what that is either!), it promises to be super moisturising and provide a subtle hint of colour which can be intensified with the matching tint underneath. Lollitint is my go-to tint at the moment as I like having a hint of purple/plum to my lips, so I thought i'd start off trying out Lollibalm.

First off, the packaging is gorgeous. Benefit is known for its unique packaging and this product doesn't disappoint. I love the shape of the bullet as it makes it so much easier to slick on at an angle like a lipstick. What can I say? It does what it says on the tin. It's a lip balm with a little bit of colour in it! The staying power isn't great, although with lip balms they never are. I was originally told (By Benefit employees!) that the balms weren't great as the colour is barely noticeable, which I disagree with. Yes, they would not replace your lipstick or gloss, but there is a slight hint which is ideal for those days when you don't want anything attention grabbing but you don't want to face the day bare-faced. 

Here is the Lollibalm worn alone without a tint underneath:

As you can see there is a hint of colour there, and my lips look really hydrated and moisturised. 

And here it is with Lollintint underneath:

To be quite honest with you, this look could have been achieved with one more very thin coat of tint, followed by a clear lipgloss. I get the feeling these are sort-of fluff/filler products thought up to squeeze a bit more catch out of the lip and cheek stains. They are really hydrating, but essentially you are paying £14.50 for a lip balm which you can purchase for £5 in your local drugstore. 

I am curious to see how the other balms measure up in comparison, however I don't think i'll be breaking the bank anytime soon purchasing the remaining three colours. 

You can purchase Lollibalm, alongside the other tinted lip balms, online or at your local Benefit counter for £14.50.

Dissertation, suitcases and poorly made cocktails!

Oh haaaaaaaaai! Long time no speak. It's currently 10:17am and i'm still in bed with the curtains closed, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to give a sort-of explanation to my absence.

The last time I posted I was about to dive head-first into dissertation work, which ended up being 10x harder than I originally anticipated. I was terrified as whenever I think of a dissertation, I associate it with all-nighters and working right up until the deadline, but I was fortunate enough to be able to keep a level head and allocate my time so that I stopped working at about 7 every evening. That meant I didn't get as stressed as I thought I would, which is always good! I managed to hand it in a couple of days before the deadline just to say goodbye to it and then prepared myself for the end of University. I'm now just waiting for some results and i'll finally know what grade I graduate with.

My pretty car! 

So that's what i've been doing really, finishing up my degree. I've also just moved back to Southampton and started working full-time in my local Pitcher & Piano as a bartender to earn some cash to slowly climb out of my overdraft. It's the first time being a glorified cocktail maker and it is surprising how often you can pour in the wrong spirit or smash a wine glass! It isn't the glamorous post-uni life I was expecting but because i'm working nights etc. I decided to get myself a car, which gives me an amazing sense of freedom!

Rob and I trying not to burn in the sun!

I also recently went away to Weymouth with my boyfriend as one last little trip before we move out of the city together, which was lovely as the weather was perfect and there was lots to do. We also went to Monkey World and spent hours staring at the baby Orang-utans, which was incredible :D

So while i'm working and trying to put money away, i've been applying for internships and jobs within the media sector just to ensure I keep my foot in. I'm happy to announce that i've recently been offered a two-week placement with the beauty team at Good Housekeeping starting in a couple of weeks, so i'm really excited about that! I can be extremely hard on myself at times about my abilities, therefore this was an amazing confidence boost that has encouraged me to really put myself out there.

There you go! That has been my life over the past two months - A jumble of exams, assignments, over-packed suitcases and poorly made cocktails. Things are definitely changing and i'm coming to the realisation that I am now a graduate and expected to be grown up. I'm going to be getting back into beauty very soon, I promise - i'm just trying to find my feet :)

Montagne Jeunesse's Black Seaweed Peel Off & Hot Spring Sauna Masques!

Suffering from stress-induced breakouts has become way too common for my liking recently. Dissertation is taking its toll on my skin, leaving it blotchy and in desperate need of some TLC. Just as I was about to begin my daily moan about the state of my face in my bedroom mirror last week, I received an email asking if i'd like to review two new products from face mask geniuses Montagne Jeunesse and I could not have come at a better time!

This Black Seaweed Peel Off Masque* jumped out at me straight away as i've always had such great results from products that feature seaweed. The seaweed this mask contains is black Laver, all the way from Wales (fancy!) along with crushed Sea Blackthorn berries. I was in need of a deep clean, so knew this would be ideal for me. The mask is easy to apply, and with its distinct, dark colour its easy to ensure an even coverage. You are told to apply and leave for 15-20 minutes then to simply peel off afterwards. I could feel the product cooling my skin while I waited, however in future I would suggest to perhaps leave it on for over 20 minutes if possible because it didn't dry at all! I could only peel off about a third, leaving me scraping away at it with a damp flannel. With that aside, the end result was really great. My skin felt squeaky clean (the same effect you can achieve after a good facial scrub, but without all the effort!) and I could feel some of my under-the-skin spots beginning to come to the surface. I would definitely try this masque again, I just wish it was a bit easy to remove - ahh well, nothing good ever comes easy! 

I thought i'd be generous, so I gave the Hot Spring Sauna Masque* to my fellow blogger and housemate Beth to try. With exfoliating Bamboo and chopped Ginger used to open up your pores, give them a deep clean and brighten the skin, this was the ideal mask for her as a fan of polishes and heated scrubs. The application process was easy, and as it was worked into the skin the heat element kicked in instantly. The product had a refreshing fragrance, but the highlight was definitely the removal process after the 10-15 minute waiting time. The product needs to be rinsed off with water, and as the water is worked into the skin the Bamboo kicks in and the product becomes a polish. We were both really impressed with this masque as it differs from the regular 2-in-1's as with this product you can actually feel the two elements working with your skin due to the contrast of the heat and the exfoliating element. Overall her skin looked really vibrant, fresh and hydrated - what more could you ask for? 

For a very reasonable price of £1 I will definitely be grabbing these again. What I love about Montagne Jeunesse is that they have something for everyone, and although they aren't always perfect they are great value for money and are always ideal for a girly night in or as a treat at the end of a busy week.

You can view the full range of products on their website here or purchase from your local Boots, Superdrug, Claire's or supermarket!