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Why You Should Ditch Your Microbead Exfoliating Scrub




I recently discovered that the microbeads found in exfoliating scrubs pollute the sea and end up in the stomachs of little teeny tiny plankton. Beauty products containing microbeads are having a devastating effect on the environment and sea life.

Now I definitely didn’t plan to cover serious environmental issues in my blog when I first created it. But this issue has a close tie with beauty and skincare brands that you and I have no doubt used. As a proud Geography graduate and a beauty blogger I would be mad to not to raise awareness of this environmental issue. Chances are if you’re reading a beauty blog, you probably have used products containing microbeads which are damaging the environment. So please carry on reading!

Microbeads that we wash down the bathroom sink are too small to be caught in filters that prevent plastic being discharged into rivers. These microbeads are about the size of fish eggs, therefore plankton and small fish mistake them for food. Lots of fish consume plankton - so yes you guessed it, this in turn affects a whole food chain of marine species. Oh and it’s not just scrubs, they can be in shampoo, soap and toothpaste.

This isn’t a brand new discovery - after a quick search online I discovered numerous articles on this topic. In fact, cosmetic companies such as Unilever and Procter & Gamble have already agreed to phase out microplastics but not until 2017. So how do you know if your exfoliator is a threat to marine species until then?

Look out for polyethylene and polypropylene listed in the ingredients of a product. Or if you wanna be super savvy you can download the Beat The Microbead App for free. How easy is that? After a quick scan of Boots it became clear that the Neutrogena and Clean and Clear scrubs are serious culprits. Johnson and Johnson which owns both these brands are one cosmetic company who are phasing them out by 2017, but until then you should use your power as a consumer to avoid them!

Well what can I use I hear ya ask? Thankfully my beloved St. Ives Apricot facial scrub is free from plastic which I discovered on this website, so naturally I’m excited about that. I also love the Korres Basil Lemon body scrub which is fab and plastic free. Also on the good list are Soap & Glory The Greatest Scrub of All. There are tonnes of other plastic-free products made with salt or other naturally occurring particles. So ditch your microplastic scrub and opt for a more sustainable one. Also if you want to keep it simpler, I sometimes get great results just from using a body brush, exfoliating gloves or a loofah. 

You may be thinking jeez Nicole I didn’t come here to read this, I just want to know which mascara is the best to use… BUT as beauty lovers we should exercise our power as consumers if it means that we can save marine life.

Let me know if you have any sustainable body scrubs that you love! x


                                                                                    

Desk Essentials: 8 Beauty Products You Should Keep at Work



It's a sad thought but we spend an awful lot of our time at work. In those 7 hours I'm at the office, literally anything can happen, and when your makeup is smudged or your hair is frizzy from the rain, 7 hours is a LONG time to wait until you can get home and can sort your appearance out. I cannot stress enough that this post is in no way a 'how to look fabulous at work' type post (that desire goes out of the window at 6.30am) instead it's more a guide of how to look presentable in the office, like a serious, respectable adult you know.

I work in an advertising agency so we can wear what we want, which sounds great but it is actually SUCH a struggle omg - it's like at school when non-uniform day was the best frickin' thing ever but if it was everyday would have been horrible. So whilst one can look smart and presentable in jeans and a nice top, that work chic look gets totally ruined when you've had a bad hair day and now look like a tramp. Anyway after a rather lengthy intro which I did not anticipate, here are my 8 essential beauty products to keep in your desk or your work bag or wherever the hell ya like if you hot desk or something!

1. Invisibobble Hair Band

I admit these look a bit weird, and the whole point of this post is to look presentable but these are SO COOL! I'm no expert but SOMEHOW the spiral shape of the Invisibobble prevents you getting a kink in your hair when you tie it up. This is so necessary during the week when no one has the energy to wash their hair every single god damn day, and you're relying on your hair staying perfect for 2 days. Also you don't get that overwhelming pain in your head when you finally untie your ponytail! (What is that?!)

Hair bobbles in general are an absolute must for your desk for when your hair is flicking out at all directions, and you need to tame that mane.

2. Floss

OMG the amount of times I have been walking around the office with food in my teeth after lunch, smiling and chatting to colleagues is just embarrassing. Why are all the good foods herby like lasagna, or seeded like bread? I am not lying when I say I have literally boycotted poppyseeded bread for about 10 years - it is just not worth the embarrassment and the shear pain of trying to unlodge the seeds from my teeth - so so tragic! Floss is the ultimate essential which I keep in my work bag at all times.

Luckily for you, I have suffered these embarrassing moments so you don't have to! The floss I keep in my bag is from Boots it must have only cost £1 and it is such a life saver.

3. Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation

While liquid foundations can be bad for the skin, this Rimmel Lasting Finish foundation does provide amazing coverage all day. I'm out the house for 12 hours on a normal day and even longer if I stay out for drinks, but I never have to worry about reapplying this stuff! I also have the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Powder which is amazing. You can't go wrong with this!

4. Compact Mirror

For sly little check ups at your desk. I mainly use mine for a quick peak of my teeth - damn that leafy, herby seeded goodness!

5. Perfume

This is the most obvious one, but definitely the most important! Now that summer is almost upon us and it's getting pretty hot, you'll want to make sure you're not stinking. I usually keep a small bottle of perfume like this mini Estee Lauder one in my bag, samples are great for this! Alternatively, I often just buy a cheap body spray like Impulse which you won't mind smothering your clothes with throughout the day.

6. Hand Cream

I've already written about how much I love these mini L'Occitane hand creams - so I won't repeat myself! Hand cream is an essential to keep on your desk. You're always being introduced to people at work and handshakes are generally awkward enough without having dry rough hands. There are too many potential handshake faux pas as it is, so it's good to have smooth paws.

7. Lip Balm

I get through this Blistex lip balm really quickly, mainly because it smells a m a z i n g. It's raspberry lemonade flavour and I can confirm that yes, it does also taste like raspberry lemonade.

8. Barry M Clear Nail Polish

A good clear base coat not only makes your nails look presentable, but can be there on guard for any potential ladders in your tights! I've never seen anyone with ripped tights at work before, and I can't help but imagine the judging looks I'll get when that inevitably happens to me one day.

May Favourites


MAC - Eye Brows

Buying anything from MAC is a truly exciting experience, and despite the price tag there is no doubt that it isn’t worth the whole £13.50! I’ve bought this eyebrow pencil a few times now and I only use little strokes to fill in the brows and add colour. THANKFULLY I narrowly avoided that ‘pluck your eyebrows until there’s nothing left’ phase of adolescence and can embrace the big brows a la Cara Delevingne. So despite being the weird Greek with a monobrow when I was 11, it brings me so much joy to finally say WHO IS LAUGHING NOW to those thin eyebrow-ed girls. I’M DIGRESSING SORRY – The darkest shade they do in this is called Stud which is a dark brown shade and you really don't need to use much to see a dramatic difference. Go buy it girls!

Seventeen - Stay Time Concealer

I often question where I would be without concealer. It is my true partner in crime. We fight dark circles together, we tackle spots together and we deceive others through contouring together. What I’m trying to say is if you use concealer as much as I do, you’re hardly likely to buy YSL Touche Eclat every time (I used it once and it lasted me like 5 minutes seriously).

Seventeen from Boots is a great high street brand which is amazing for every day use, especially for your work makeup. It claims to last 18 hours which is absolutely necessary to get through a tough day at work, and then to look fresh for those unplanned work drinks which you are totally unprepared for!

Benefit – They’re Real

I don’t think Benefit have created a mascara that hasn’t been amazing. Like can you name one?? Bad Gal was amazing, but I definitely prefer They’re Real. I love the plastic wands over the natural bristle ones because I find they prevent your lashes sticking together turning into 1 big scary spider eyelash.

I honestly believe that a good mascara like this one is worth the money – you save SO much time. This makes it totally effortless to get your eyelashes looking longer and flawless within seconds.

Rimmel - Rita Ora Nail Polish

Unlike everyone in the rest of Essex I don’t have gel nails or acrylics or whatever the hell people get? No, I am old fashioned or maybe just plain cheap but I paint my own nails. As it’s almost summer, it seems only right to invest in some pretty pastel polishes. People are always complaining that I wear too much black and white and grey, so bright nails are a great way to add a splash of colour! This colour is called Go Wild-er-ness and it is fab-u-lous.

April Favourites

Benefit - The Porefessional Pro Balm Primer

I was given a sample of The Porefessional after a massive splurge on Benefits products one afternoon, and I definitely will be buying the regular size when pay day arrives! Do you ever catch a glance of your face in the toilet mirror at work at around 4pm, and start to doubt whether you even applied makeup that day? Where does it go?! This happened to me constantly BUT I honestly can say this stuff prevents any 4pm mirror meltdowns, and ensures that your foundation stays put. Not only this, but it conceals any visible pores – perfect for when you’ve sat there squeezing spots in the mirror prior to applying your foundation!

L'Occitane - Verveine Gel Crème

I was sceptical of this hand cream when buying it because it sells for £8, but I’d heard wonderful things about L’Occitane so I treated myself. Although you don’t get a huge amount for your money you are paying for quality. My hands get so dry to the extent that they crack and even bleed - mmm nice! This hand cream has been an absolute dream and worked miracles. Plus it smells amazing.

Boots Slanted Tweezers

I have lost about 5 pairs of tweezers in the last year and I’m so intrigued to know if this happens to anyone else?! I just do not understand where they go, so I refuse to buy the Tweezerman ones which are £20. I’ve been using these Boots own brand slanted tweezers which are amazing and only £1.80!

Benefit - Hoola

This bronzer doesn’t even need an introduction, and now that summer is upon us everyone needs to invest in Benefit Hoola bronzer. A lot of people throw the brush away in favour of using a professional brush. I personally love the shape of the brush and usually brush a line under my cheek bones to define my face. Then I’ll apply it lightly to the upper part of my cheekbones and blend. If you have a round face like me, this bronzer is also amazing for defining the rest of your face. My friends actually say that I look like the moon emoji in photos because my face is round – it’s funny but also very true - so I tend to apply Hoola lightly to my jawline, the top of my forehead, and on the sides of my nose to look more defined (and less moon-like).

Bare Minerals - Lash Domination

Anyone that knows me knows I am BIG on mascara and apply a generous amount. Despite this habit, this mascara has lasted me a good few months without drying out. My lashes definitely did dominate.

Rimmel - BB Cream 9-in-1

To tell the truth this has been sitting in my draw for a LONG time and initially I saw BB creams as pretty pointless. However looking back, when I first used this, I applied way too much. You definitely don’t need as much as normal foundation and as a result it didn’t blend very well! I gave it another shot last week and have to say I’m impressed. I’ve had massive breakouts in the last few weeks, so I love that this isn’t too heavy on your skin. Also it says 9-in-1 so you know, that’s got to count for something?
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