New In Beauty: Products I've Been Trying Out Recently

-This post contains PR/gifted items, no paid content. All opinions are my own-

I thought I'd do a round up kind of post about products I've been trying out recently. Some I've loved and have added into my makeup bag or skincare routine and there's also some I've hated. As always I'm giving my honest opinions and hopefully this post will help save you some money if you have had your eyes on any of the products that I haven't gotten on with.

First up is the recently released Too Faced Damn Girl! Mascara which I wanted to buy as soon as I saw the announcement because I wanted to see if it's any better than the Better Than Sex mascara which I can't seem to get on with. Did I need a new mascara? Absolutely not. But I was intrigued to see if it'd give me some big fluttery lashes without it flaking like crazy which I find the Better Than Sex mascara does. The packaging is quite chunky so it's probably not going to be a go-to if you're someone who travels a lot but the product itself is pretty good. It is quite clumpy but I personally like a bit of a clumpier looking lash because I think it just makes my useless lashes look fuller. However sometimes I do go in with a spiky mascara wand (usually the Glossier Lash Slick) just to get some of the extra clump out if it gets a bit too much. The brush is massive! But I did already know that before buying it as I watched Emma's Rectangle review of it. Also when you first open it the brush does have excess mascara in the curvy parts of the brush but you can just swipe it on the edge or remove with a tissue if it's really bad. Overall I do think it gives me nice lashes, I find that just one coat is enough to give me some nice, full looking lashes which is great. It is pricey at £22 but I would repurchase because it does seem to work well with my lashes and I like that it's cruelty-free too. You can also buy the travel size version at £12 if you want to try it before you splurge on the full size.

I was so excited when I saw the Revolution Hydra Matte Translucent Powder as I thought it was going to be a dupe of the BECCA Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder which I've wanted to buy for ages but I've held back because it is expensive at £32 for a loose powder. It apparently feels cooling, kind of like water on the skin when you apply which sounds lovely, right? But is it £32 worth of lovely? Probably not. So I quickly nabbed the Revolution Hydra Matte Translucent Powder at £8 thinking I'd bought a complete dupe and guess what? It's not a dupe at all. First of all Revolution say that it's suitable for all skin tones... It clearly isn't as it's pure white as you can see from the photo above. So I don't what planet the person who wrote the description was on but it definitely wasn't earth. Secondly it should come with a hazard sticker on it because it kicks up so much powder dust it literally made me cough for a good 15 minutes after I used it for the first time. Anytime I do use it (just for the sake of using it) I have to hold my breath so I don't inhale it. So yeah, If you have asthma or any sort of breathing issues then honestly avoid this like the plague! Lastly in terms of working as a powder... it's just okay. Nothing special and not something I would say you need in your makeup bag ASAP. Overall I just feel like I've wasted £8 to be honest.

I was recently sent the Profusion Golden Nudes Eye and Cheek Palette* which is definitely my cup of tea when it comes to palettes as it has a bit of everything and the eyeshadow shades are lovely. They are a little similar but I am a big fan of browns, bronzes and golds. I was also sent their Highlight & Contour II palette too but unfortunately it was too deep for my skin. The Golden Nudes palette retails for £7 on Profusion's website which I think is a complete steal! It produces some lovely pigmented eyeshadows which blend out nicely and I also haven't experienced any fall out with the shadows either. Unfortunately the highlighter and bronze shades are a bit too dark for my skin tone but the blusher is a pretty pop of pink which I think I will be reaching for a lot. It is a little powdery but it's not too bad. I think if all of the shades suit your skin tone perfectly then it'd make a great travel palette.

I had high hopes for the NYX Bare With Me Tinted Skin Veil and I wanted to see if it was a dupe or similar to the It Cosmetics CC Cream which I do love but sometimes I don't have the money to repurchase straight away when I'm running low so I like to try and find cheaper alternatives if and when needed. Unfortunately the NYX Bare With Me Tinted Skin Veil is nothing like the It Cosmetics CC Creams. It oxidises like mad, it clings to spots and dry patches and it's quite hard to apply to your skin too. I've used a brush, beauty blender and my fingers to apply it and it just looks cakey and streaky no matter what application method I use. So it's a thumbs down from me!

A few weeks ago I was sent the ARK Skincare Skin Protector SPF 30 Primer RRP £36* and I'm currently using ARK Skincare's Skin Clear Cleanser and loving it (you can read my review of the products I was sent last month here). So I was excited to try another product from them. It's a makeup primer, sunscreen and moisturiser all in one and it's a great introduction if you want to make sure you're applying SPF daily. They're an award winning British brand who use natural ingredients and their formulations are free from parabens, SLS, mineral oil, S.D, Alcohol, Formaldehyde and artificial colours and fragrances. The Skin Protector SPF 30 Primer really reminds me of the The Body Shop's Skin Defense Multi-Protection Essence SPF50 which everyone raves about. I like The Body Shop's SPF too but because of it's high alcohol levels, it broke me out in spots really bad. It is a shame that the ARK Skincare Skin Protector isn't a higher SPF but I do think SPF 30 is still an okay amount for day-to-day wear in the UK. So far I'm enjoying the multi-use side of the Skin Protector because if I'm in a rush then I know I've moisturised, primed and also have a good amount of SPF on. So I guess it's killing two birds with one stone in a way which is why even though it is a high-end price I do think it's worth it and would pick it up again.

I decided to pick up my first ever product from Lanolips recently and I decided to get their Lemonaid Lip Treatment. Since I've been diagnosed with Gastritis I've noticed that certain foods AND beauty products from lip oils, LUSH lip scrubs and even lipsticks can upset my stomach and make me have a horrible taste in my mouth and throat. It's so weird! I used to swear by LUSH lip scrubs and now I can't use them. So I thought I'd try Lanolips. It was a bit risky going for something lemon flavoured but it's actually fine. I was so shocked after using it for the first time! It's not grainy or anything like that, it's more like a balm but because of the organic citrus lemon peel oil it lifts any dead skin and leaves your lips looking and feeling super soft and smooth. You also don't have to use a lot each time you use it so it will definitely last a while too.

What beauty products have you been trying out recently?

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