Lady Bon's 5 cruelty free budget beauty must haves....

So, again, it's been an eternity since I last wrote a knew blog, but I've been a busy bee this last few months with home improvements and making all kinds of faux taxidermy goodness.
I have been continuing to update the list of cruelty free veggie/vegan cosmetics as usual though (read it here), so fear not, it is still current.

Let me start this post by stating that; you get what you pay for = a croc of shit!
We all know it's true, even when we go out and blow a chunk of our wages on that little big budget beauty buy we just can't resist, lets face it! Now, I'm not saying that there aren't some pretty pricey pieces in my make-up kit, but there is such a wealth of great products out there that'll fit even the thriftiest of budgets.
So, I though I'd throw myself back into the fray with a little review of some cosmetics goodies you want in your make-up bag that won't leave you penniless.  And, as always, all items are cruelty free and veggie friendly.

First up.....

E.LF Studio Mascara Primer £4.50

OK, I should start by admitting that I've not actually tried any other mascara primers. But when the first one you try is bangin' and a snip of a price at under 5 quid, who cares!
I have long but fine lashes which can sometimes lead to the spider legs effect. I don't like to layer my mascara as I really don't like how it feels and I am terrible for touching my face....and no one needs that much mascara rubbed in their eyes!
I got this guy a while back to give my lashes a thicker look and I must say, I am smitten! It works a treat.  I only apply one coat to the underside of my lashes, then when dry apply one coat of mascara to the top the underside of my upper lashes. I'd also only apply it to your bottom lashes if you're looking for an Aunt Sally look.
E.L.F is available online and all make-up products are vegan.

B. Flawless Complete Coverage Foundation £9.99

OK, so maybe £9.99 isn't everyones idea of a 'budget' foundation, but it sure as shit is mine! I've had some incredibly expensive foundations over the years that were mince compared to this bad boy! And this is Superdrug we're talking about here friends, so you know you'll get it on special every other week. The last time I bought it it was a FIVER!

No matter the price, this is by far one of the best foundations I've used in a long time. I wouldn't call it complete coverage, more medium, but then, I've had some foundations that were like painting your face with emulsion! It goes on just lovely and has a nice dewy finish and because it's moisturising it doesn't look dry under your eyes the way many fuller coverage foundations do. I highly recommend it.

Flawless Complete Coverage Foundation is available in Superdrug stores and online and is vegan.

Superdrug Naturally Radiant hot cloth cleanser  £5.99

I'm a big fan of this product. Mild enough to use daily but good enough to remove make-up, it's a great all rounder. It's also a dupe for the Liz Earle hot polish cleanser which a lot of us have forsaken since Liz Earle are owned by Avon, who are no longer cruelty free.

I'm not a fan of muslin cloths, I substitute them with a face cloth (which you can get from the pound shop....keep it budget, yo) as they hold the heat better and give your face a light exfoliating.

Although it's full price is £5.99 I don't think I have EVER paid that for it. At the time of writing this blog it was £2.99. 

Naturally Radiant hot cloth cleanser is available in Superdrug stores and online and is vegan.

Sleek I-Divine pallets  £7.99

I actually have bother believing that these are only 8 quid sometimes. 12 pigment packed eyeshadows in one pallet, Sleek I-Divines have to be the ultimate budget make-up. To put it in context, they are actually cheaper that one MAC eyeshadow. 

They have been massively popular and there are now umpteen pallets to choose from, with a great colour range. So if your into your natural shades and won't be using those electric blue shades any time soon (or vise versa) not to fear as the shades within the pallets are all very complimentary. 

Sleek I-Divines are available in Superdrug, Boots and Pauls Hair stores as well as online.

I-Divines are now vegan (check individual product info on other make-up for details)

City Chick Petite Pre-glued lashes - £1.59

An extreme camera phone close up of lash lover Freddy face in City Chick lashes...

I seriously LOVE these lashes. As anyone thats used them knows, false eyelashes can be a right pain in the arse! They are often so stiff they pop off the corner of your eyes, they are too long and need trimmed, which can leave them looking a bit mental, they're so long they obliterate the eye makeup you just spent the last hour doing.....you know what I mean.

Now, I'm not a fan of a pre-glued lash generally, so I usually just peel the glue strip off. Having said that, I have used them with glue band when pushed for time and they were significantly better than any other pre-glued I've tried.
I think these wee guys strike the perfect lash balance. They're soft and mould to the shape of the eye, and the band is fine enough that it blends with the lash....no need for a eye liner cover up. Being petite means that they look great on most eyes (the edge is very easy to blend in with mascara on longer eyes) and they're natural enough to enhance your look rather than overwhelm it. I've used them on brides, shoots as well as friends on a night out. I've had some pretty expensive lashed over the years and these Chity Chick lashes wipe the floor with them. Give them a try....your eyes and purse will thank you.
City Chick Petite Pre-glues lashes are available in Savers stores as well as online.

So there we have it friends, a little list of handy beauty products that all combined won't even cost you 30 quid! I hope you found it useful.

Goodbye for now. Always remember.....Lady Bon loves you.

Product review - LUSH Mask of Magnaminty face mask

Hay, hay. So another day, another cruelty free/veggie product review.

This time I'm focusing on the face with a wee sneaky face mask.

I'm not fond of my skin at all. Combination skin is a pain as you often feel like you get the worst of both worlds. Recently my skin was feeling kinda congested. My pores were clogged, the dryness on my cheeks didn't seem to want to budge, even with a micro dermabrasion wash, leaving it looking pretty dull. I was having none of it, so I popped down to Lush.

When I was in there a few weeks back I was talking to one of the lovely ladies who work there (who had some rather fabulous green rimmed glasses, by the way) & was having a whinge about my skin. She sat me down and had a chat to me about a couple of products she thought might help. She really knew her shit. One of said products was the Mask of Magnaminty. She gave me a wee sample and a couple of weeks later I was right back in there buying the biggest tub I could get my hands on!

I know a lot of people who didn't like going into Buchanan St Lush in Glasgow. The smell in there was pretty over whelming, you could smell it on your clothes when you left and it's not somewhere you'd want to spend a lot of time if you're prone to sore heads. However, a few months back they moved the store to new premises right across the road and, I have to say, I think any issues former Lush haters may have had are a thing of the past. The new Buchanan St branch is all on one level, looks great, the layout makes it much easier to shop and they must have some shit hot ventilation because the old over whelming smell problem is a thing of the past. It still has the smell of a hundred and one bath bombs (it just wouldn't be Lush without it), but I doubt it'd irritate even the most delicate snoze.

Mask of Magnaminty, as the name suggests, is a face mask for troubled skin containing peppermint oil. It smells pretty great. As with all Lush products it's Vegetarian Society approved, but contains honey so not one for the vegans. It smooths on the face (& back and chest if you so wish) really easily, you leave it for five to ten minutes then rinse it off with lukewarm water.....& boy, what a difference it makes!!

It feels nice on, doesn't dry so hard it hurts your face, and has ground evening primrose seeds and aduki beans when you rinse it off it lightly exfoliates. My skin felt GREAT when I rinsed it off and moisturised. It was brighter, the areas of dryness felt soothed, not tight or sore, my pores were reduced and much, much cleaner. I really chuffed I was recommend this product.

Prince point wise it's £9.25 for 315g (which is what I got) or there is a smaller tub of 125g for £5.25.  I know a few folk might see that as pricey, but it's pretty poplar (it was actually the first thing I saw when I logged onto the Lush website), & I got the last one in the shop when I was in. You get a lot of product for your coin, it goes a long way and, most importantly, it works. So I for one won't quibble on the price of this one. If you're not sure about it you can always pop into your nearest store and ask for a sample....that's the beauty of Lush!

So if your face is feeling a bit beluch, get on it......

Thanks for reading and always remember.....Lady bon loves you...

http://www.tattybon.com

Product review: Liz Earle.....it's love

My new love

So, I hate my skin. I have combination skin and it's a big ol' pain in the arse....oily t-zone and easily dried out cheeks.
Have tried lots of products over the years, some of them not too bad, but the main problem with combination cleansers is that they're rinse off...effective for the oily parts, dries my cheeks out like a bandit. I've been applying cleanser then taking it off with a flannel for a while,  it was def better than the usual cotton wool over the face, then I was told about the Liz Earle hot polish. 
I've spent a fair few bucks on cleaners before, so I was a touch skeptical,  then my buddy Rach (love that bitch) got me a wee pressie; Liz Earle hot polish cleanser and moisturiser for normal/combination skin. It is now THE favorite beauty product I own (& I own a lot, buddy).

The cleanser is applied with your fingers, soak the muslin cloth in very hot water, then remove the cleaner with the cloth in circular motions. The first time I realsied I loved it was when I came out of the shower. Instead of tight, dry cheeks my skin felt supple and soft.....& that was before I even applied the moisturiser. I've been using it for just over a week now and can def feel and see the difference in my skin.

They love bunnies too...

A little goes a long way and it smells pretty dam fine too, especially love the eucalyptis, but the most import feature for me, other than the obvious, is that it has NO ANIMAL by products and NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS.

Price and purchase.

Cost wise, I'd say it's at my ceiling for price. The moisturiser is £18.75 (50ml jar) & the hot polish cleaner is £12.75 (100ml pump, £14.25 for starter kit with cloths ), but for just over 30 quid for both it's not too bad, especially given the results. Marie, who I go to for facials, recommended that I don't use toner and pat as cold as I can bear water into my skin to tighten my pores, and I really think that helps too.

All in, I definately a big fan so far and I'd try other products based on how good their skin care is, especially keen on trying the lipstick....I am a make-up artist after all....

Liz Earl is available online - http://uk.lizearle.com
Via QVC (if you dare watch)
& in John Lewis stores...