Healthy & Natural Lips with Burt's Bees

I've always been a fan of Burt's Bees lip balms.  They are just fabulous & really help my ultra dry lips.

Well, when I heard they did actual lipsticks too, I was pretty keen to try them! 

So I did! 

More on that later....

Now, a little bit about Burt's Bees.  They have been around for about 30 years when Burt the beekeeper met a lovely lady named Roxanne.  And the rest as they say is....history!  Their products are 99% natural - in fact, it says on their website that over half of their products are actually 100% natural!

They are also proud to sponsor the British Beekeepers Association.  You can find out more about the scheme here - www.burtsbees.co.uk

So, as I said before, I love their balms; I have a lot of different flavours! And, my blog is called 'Mabel's Beauty Bee' & my name is Debbie which means Bee, so it makes sense to try some Burt's Bees products, right?! (Any excuse!!)

Ok, first up....

The lipsticks....

I have two - 

First shade - number 501 Blush Basin.

And what a beautiful colour!  My kind of natural pinky corally shade - your lips but better! 

Second shade - number 523 Sunset Cruise.  

Another beautiful colour.  Very similar to the previous colour but slightly deeper.

Both colours are so easy to wear & will go with most makeup as they are so natural.  These are both said to be a satin finish with 100% natural ingredients.  Both are so comfortable to wear, leaving my lips feeling really hydrated.

I love the packaging too with the 'hive' detailing on the sides of the lid & its interesting to know that it is made with 60% recycled materials.

Finally.... 

The lip gloss....

Shade number 239 Spring Splendor.

Such a gorgeous pink shade which looks fairly dark & a sparkly mauve colour in the bottle but on application is not as intense & looks really natural on your lips.  Again, so comfortable (the gloss is enriched with nourishing oils) & easy to wear, with a high shine finish.  And of course, made with 100% natural ingredients.

I'm really impressed with these products.  I'd be really interested to know what their other lipsticks & lip products are like.  I may just try them!

Do you like Burt's Bees?  What products by them have you tried?  I'd love to know!

Bee x 

Putting a bit of (Gin)Zing back into my life with Origins!

Quite a while ago now I had a little sample of eye cream by Origins in a beauty box & let me tell you from the first time I used it, I was hooked! (In fact, I did mention it in a blog post here)  Ever since that sample ran out I have been meaning to purchase a pot.  It was from their Ginzing range.  

Promising to refresh, brighten & de-puff - it definitely did all these things! 

Now, as I say, I had been meaning to repurchase it....Little did I know that my amazing best friend Laura (www.lashingsoflittlel.blogspot.co.uk) would surprise me; not just with the eye cream but a whole set of Origins goodies wrapped up in a gorgeous red gift box! (Thank you!!)

Inside the box were 4 different Origins products, along with a little sample & a lovely purple makeup/toiletry pouch.

So, first up, a pot of the Ginzing energy-boosting gel moisturizer. 

 

As with the amazing Ginzing refreshing eye cream, this cream felt wonderful as soon as I rubbed it into my skin.  It really does awaken your skin & feels so refreshing with a lovely clean feeling.  It smells fabulous too!  A lovely orange-y scent!  I will definitely be repurchasing.  I love it as much as the eye cream! 

Next up, & not from their Ginzing range, their Original Skin renewal serum.  

It contains Willowherb to de-stress, smooth & renew your skin.  Again, it smells fresh & does the job well.  But, I must say I've not noticed as much of a difference in my skin as I do with the Ginzing moisturizer.  I apply this serum underneath the moisturizer, however sometimes I do feel my moisturizer is all that I need!

And finally from Origins & again from their Ginzing range, a refreshing scrub cleanser.  

Now this stuff does smell just like freshly squeezed oranges & reminds me of summer (we need the sun back!).  You massage just a small amount onto wet skin & rinse it off & it leaves your skin squeaky clean & SO smooth! 

Can you tell I love the Origins Ginzing range?  I think so! 

Origins - you have yourself a new customer! 

Bee x 

What I Bought In New York - Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, Sephora & more!

Back in 2016, I wrote a blog post about what I had bought in New York (post here) - well, guess what? I've been again & so of course, dear readers, I thought I must let you all know what I spent my hard earned dollars on!

First up, Victoria's Secret...
They had a big sale on & so I thought I would treat myself to their lovely scented papers in the fragrance Bombshell for my chest of drawers in my bedroom.  

Great for keeping your clothes smelling fresh while they are folded away.  I also purchased two gorgeous fragrance mists in the scents 'Love Spell unwrapped' & 'Dark Flora'.

Onto Bath & Body Works...
I bought a fair few things!  I purchased three shower gels -
Tahiti Island Dream
Magic in the Air

& from their aromatherapy range - Comfort (vanilla & patchouli)

Lovely!
They also had a range of sheet facemasks, so I thought I'd grab a couple of those -
Totally Tea-riffic (Teatree oil & licorice root extract)
Sea You Soon (Sea minerals & Hyaloronic acid)

I can't wait to try them out!
Finally, you can't go to Bath & Body Works without grabbing their 'pocketbacs' hand gels & of course, I got quite a few!

Obviously a trip to Sephora was definitely on the cards while I was in NY, so I stopped by there & got their own brand face masks which I loved when I bought them on my last trip.  I got the orchid eye mask, the green tea eye mask & a new red clay mask to try.

I also purchased a NARS blusher which I adore!

Onto New York's famous MACY's store & I purchased a big red apron with the famous Macy's star logo (I fancy baking a cake now!).

 I also went to their MAC counter & bought a lovely new lippie in the shade Half 'n Half - it's an amplified finish & another great nude to add to my collection! 

I also bought another lipstick from Milani, while in a Walgreens store (love that shop - you can buy everything there!), in the shade 86 Tropical Nude.  Now I know I've just said I had just purchased a nude but this was more of a peachy coral tone.  Perfect for this summer (hurry up sun!).

Lastly, a bit of fashion...
I went in Old Navy in Times Square & bought some lovely silver studs, a NY tee & two pairs of I think the best jeans I have ever bought!   They are from the curvy range, both in slightly different shades & one in the straight style & another in skinny.  Both so comfortable, look great & a bargain price too! Couldn't ask for more!

Other than a few souvenirs, I think that's about it & I'm really pleased with my purchases!

I had such a lovely time in New York.  Not just for the retail therapy, but it's such a wonderful & interesting place to visit.

I can't wait to go again one day!

Bee x

The Perfect Way to Remove your Eye Makeup this Party Season

During this time of the year there are a lot of family get togethers or parties to go to & if those events tend to carry on way into the night, the last thing you feel like doing by the time bedtime comes around is removing your makeup, right?  (And especially if you have decided to wear that sparkly glittery eyeshadow you have been saving all year to wear!  There is no shifting that!!)  

Well, I think I may have found something that can remove even the most stubborn of eye makeup off in a flash!

Now, as many will know, I have a bit of a penchant for eyeliner ('a-la Claudia Winkleman!') & I don't need a party to go to, to wear it.  I wear it everyday - so I really need something good to remove it.

Going back to a few weeks ago - my mum gave me a free sample of an Yves Saint Laurent eye makeup remover she had received with her mascara (their mascara is amazing too!). I tried it out & I was sold!

That was it; I purchased a larger bottle.  The name is Yves Saint Laurent Top Secrets Expert Makeup Remover with Gentle Biphase.

And it's pink! 

All you need to do is shake the bottle up (so the 2 phases mix together), apply to a cotton pad & gently press & sweep over your eyes & sure enough it removes all your eye makeup.  As quick as that!   It can even remove waterproof mascara & lip products effectively.

It is also suitable for contact lense wearers (which I am!) & suits sensitive eyes too (ditto!).  It doesn't leave your eyes feeling like an oil slick either! 

It has taken me a long time to find an eye makeup remover that not only actually works but also doesn't sting my eyes!

Really happy with this product - a luxury brand that actually is worth the money.

Thank you YSL!  No more waking up with yesterdays mascara on my pillow & panda eyes!

Bee x  

The BEST Facial Moisturiser I think I've ever owned & it's by Olay!

This blog as you may know, is dedicated to my wonderful Grandmother, Mabel.  I'm sure it's from her that I inherited my love for all things beauty (my love of makeup comes from my mum!) & from what I can remember, when I was a child, her love of the brand Olay was very evident.  Without fail, she used their classic Beauty Fluid everyday (another great product I love!) & her skin always looked amazing.  Now, whenever I smell the unmistakable scent of Olay's Beauty Fluid, it evokes fond memories of my time spent with her.

Onto present day & I'm also a massive fan (as seen in other posts here & here) of Olay, so much so, that I think one of their moisturisers is the best I've ever tried.  I consistently repurchase it.  Whenever I deviate to another cream, once I'm finished, I always end up coming back to this!

What's it called?  It is Olay's 2 in 1 Hydration & Radiant Glow moisturiser with SPF15.

It glides onto the skin really easily - it's lightweight & doesn't clog your pores.  With light reflecting particles & really improves the look of your skin, making you look more revived & radiant! 

And the smell reminds me of being on holiday! 

It doesn't break the bank either - always a good thing in my book!

What's not to love?  I'm sure Mabel would have loved it too! 

I really don't think I can find a better moisturiser. Thank you Olay! 

So, do you have a favourite brand or product that you keep going back to? I'd love to know!

Bee x 

The Only Makeup Brush Bag You Will Ever Need!

I love all things beauty - no surprise there!  I am a full time mobile beauty therapist & a part time beauty blogger after all!  And, I also love to be organised, so when I heard about the lovely makeup bags that YouTuber Gracie Saunderson (https://www.youtube.com/user/GracieSaunderson   ) handmade herself, I thought it would be perfect to ad one to my collection!

Now, I do have many a makeup bag (see, organisation!) but I'm lacking in bags for my brushes whenever I go away.  I find that I have to just shove them in with my other makeup & they can end up getting all sorts of products on them! 

So, when the opportunity came for me to purchase a lovely bag from Gracie, I decided to opt for a brush bag.  They all come in different ranges but I opted for the NOIR collection.

The NOIR collection looks very chic & 'high-end' in a black quilted leatherette (very 'Chanel'!) with a lovely bright pink lining.  As well as the brush bag, the range includes a makeup bag & a larger cosmetic bag.

The brush bag is the perfect size to store all my brushes that I need to take away with me, with a generous size of 22.5cm x 12cm.

I must say, not only was I very impressed by the look of the bag when it arrived, but also how well packaged it was!  It came in a bright pink outer packaging & inside it was beautifully wrapped with pink tissue paper, cellophane, a bow & a lovely card thanking me for my order.  

Its the little touches like these that will make you want to order again.

Now for the actual 'road test' of the bag....

I recently visited my parents in Norfolk & dutifully packed my new brush bag.  And it did the job! 

As I have already said, it fitted all my brushes in perfectly, with a good quality zip closing & the fabric held up to my 'foundation covered' fingers - a quick wipe & it was as good as new!  It looks so smart & glamorous!

I am so impressed with this bag, that I may consider the other sizes too! 

Now you've heard what I think, take a look for yourself on the website - www.graciesaunderson.com

Well done Gracie, I love my brush bag! Thank you! 

Bee x  

  

Grab a Perfect Cuppa with Beanies

I've been meaning to do a post on these coffees for a while now.  I didn't need to keep 'testing' them - I knew straight away that I would love them!

The company is called 'Beanies' & these instant coffees are only 2 calories per cup! Perfect. 

I am a self-confessed coffee addict & when some dear friends discovered these coffees (yes, all credit goes to them! Thank you!), they had to buy them for me!

And, I've been adding to the collection ever since.  (There's so many flavours I want to try!)

The flavours I have so far are;

Amaretto Almond (would go great with cake!)

Hazelnut (Perfectly nutty!)

Chocolate (Lovely choccie flavour)

Chocolate Orange (Just like 'Terrys'!)

Cinder Toffee (Just fab!)

Irish Cream (Lovely flavour)

They are all absolutely delicious (I drink them with either Soya Milk or Almond Milk due to my cow's milk intolerance) but I have to say I'm torn between 2 favourites - Amaretto & Cinder Toffee!  Yum!

Beanies started back in 2009 & are constantly creating new flavours; they've even created a coffee with added vitamin D!  

Their website is amazing; full of recipes of how to 'pimp up' your coffee & other fun things.  Their aim, they say, is to 'revolutionise the average coffee & fill the world with flavour' & they are doing a very good job of it!  I've never tried such lovely instant coffee before. 

There is 3 on my list that I definitely want to try next - Cinnamon & Hazelnut,
Coconut Delight
& 
Cookie Dough!

So, who will be kind enough to buy these for me??

Anyone?!

Bee x


PS...As I type this, I've just been sipping on the Hazelnut coffee....delicious!