All About Eyes: Specialist Eye Care Products from Christian Breton - Perfecting Eye Mask, UV Protection, SOS Eye Balm & Moon Eye Powders review

Despite my continuing love affair with French skincare, I hadn't heard much about Christian Breton until recently.

He's famed in Paris for his specialist eye care products and when you have a look at his skincare brand, there are currently 22 products just for eyes alone, which aim to help or treat every eye-related concern that you can possibly think of. The skin around your eyes is very thin and delicate, so it's one of the first areas to show visible signs of ageing. I've really started to notice this myself since entering my late twenties, thanks partly to a combination of staring at screens all day and having too many late nights - it all starts to creep up on you and your eyes definitely betray you first!

In my quest to keep my peepers looking young and bright, I've experimented with a lot of different eye creams and serums over the years, and I often use eye masks in my Sunday pamper routines, so I was curious to try out some of Christian Breton's products to see what they were like.

 Christian Breton Perfecting Eye Mask* (15ml, £33, link)

Most eye masks that I've tried have been gel based patches that you apply under your eyes, so it was interesting to try one that feels much more like a regular eye cream. This Perfecting Eye Mask is similar in texture to many night eye creams as it's a lot richer and provides a seriously hydrating treatment which replenishes, smoothes and soothes the delicate eye area. To apply it, you simply layer on a small amount over the eyelid and under eye area, leave on for 10-15 minutes, and then wipe off any excess with a tissue. The brand recommend that you keep all of their eye products in the fridge which is what I did, and I loved the immediate cooling effect as a result of doing this. After just the first use, any fine lines underneath my eyes were instantly plumped up and smoothed out, though I've noticed after multiple applications, that this is a temporary result just for the next 24 hours or so. Still, if you have the cash to splash, it's really nice to use as a quick fix before a special occasion or a big night out.

 Christian Breton UV Eye Protection SPF 30 PA+* (15ml, £35, link)

As the eyes are one of the first areas to show the signs of ageing, it makes sense to use an eye sunscreen to protect them from ageing UV rays. It baffles me as to why more brands don't include sunscreen in their eye creams, and I often end up applying a little of my facial sunscreen over the top of my eye cream to help protect that delicate area. Christian Breton's UV Eye Protection is one of his bestsellers and I've been really enjoying using this now that the Spring sun has started to appear more often. It offers SPF 30 PA+ protection and uses UV filters to screen out both UVA and UVB rays, plus it contains an anti-pollution complex to further protect the skin against damaging free radicals. What I like the most about this sunscreen is that it's light, easily absorbed and doesn't feel greasy or sticky, so you can happily apply your favourite concealer over the top of it, and be thoroughly protected at the same time. Genius!

 Christian Breton SOS Eye Balm* (8g, £39, link)

Whilst an eye care product that's called an SOS Eye Balm sounds promising, this is the only one that I didn't get on with. It's specially designed for very dry eye contours, but I just didn't feel like this did anything for me. The balm felt too sticky and greasy in texture, and it seemed to want to sit on top of the skin, without being absorbed or moisturising the skin underneath on a deeper level. I tried it a few times, applying less of the balm as I originally thought I'd used too much, but to no avail. Not for me sadly, but more mature skin types may find it works better for them.

 Christian Breton Moon Eye Powders in Pure Gold & Pure Choco* (2.5g, £14 each, link)

In addition to his skincare range, Christian Breton also has a full makeup collection which includes these cute little Moon Eye Powders. They have a handy rollerball applicator and feature vibrant shimmery pigments. They're a little tricky to apply though, as you really need to layer them over an eyeshadow primer or a cream base for them to stay put as I experienced a lot of fallout with them when they're used on their own, but I do love the vivid coppery colour payoff of Pure Choco which you can see below alongside the paler Pure Gold.

Swatches: Christian Breton Moon Eye Powders in Pure Choco & Pure Gold

Have you tried anything from Christian Breton?

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High-End Makeup: What To Try from Giorgio Armani Beauty

Whilst his clothes may be currently out of my price bracket, Mr. Armani's makeup range is certainly one to look into if you fancy treating yourself to some new high-end goodies. Here are some of my top picks that I'd recommend trying from Giorgio Armani Beauty.

 Primers: Giorgio Armani Maestro UV Skin Defense Primer SPF 50 PA++* (30ml, £42, link)

For those looking for a primer that has additional skincare and sunscreen benefits, this is the primer for you. This all-in-one product offers a high level of sun protection in the form of SPF 50 PA++, yet feels ultra-light in texture with absolutely no stickiness or greasy feeling afterwards. You have to shake the bottle before applying it to mix the product, and it comes out sort of like a traditional serum via a dropper applicator. I find that one-to-two drops are sufficient to cover the whole of my face, so a bottle will (thankfully!) last a long time. It absorbs easily, feels hydrating, helps to get rid of any pesky dry patches that foundation seems to want to cling to/settle in, and makes my pores look smaller - amazing stuff indeed! I know a couple of friends and bloggers who also swear by this who have different skin types to mine (I'm combination/oily for reference), so it seems to work well for pretty much everyone!

 Foundations: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation* (30ml, £40, link) 

Armani's foundations are simply exceptional; they're up there with the best from Chanel and I've found myself using Luminous Silk the most, in the shade 4 (I believe there are over 20 shades to choose from).  This is one of the best high-end foundations to try if you have combination/oily skin that wants to look glowy, but not greasy. It has an oil-free formula that gives you a semi-matte, almost satin but dewy finish (somewhere between the two), and it really does have such a lovely silky texture when you apply it to the skin. I love the easy-to-build and non-cakey formula, as you can control how much you want to use for the coverage that you need, and it doesn't oxidise on me throughout the day. Although I mainly use this with the primer above for the best results, it does also look fantastic when worn on its own and it photographs beautifully.  Great coverage with a gorgeous flawless finish and a healthy looking glow - what's not to love?!

 Multi-Purpose: Giorgio Armani Eye & Brow Maestro* (5g, £28, link)

It's a lot easier justifying an expensive beauty spend when it's on a product that can be used in multiple ways. Sadly though, many multi-purpose makeup products just don't live up to their claims or are products that you only tend to use in one way regardless (I'm looking at you cheek and lip tints - does anyone actually ever use those on their lips?!). Thankfully, Armani's Eye & Brow Maestros are something that I do use for more than one purpose because their waxy, creamy, longlasting formulas are just so damn good. Depending on the shade that you pick, you can use these as eyeliners, brow colours, eyeshadows, and they'll even cover up greys in your hair! I have two of these that I use a lot, Black and Wenge Wood, both of which I blend together for a great brow colour, and they work really well as eyeliners too.

 Lipsticks: Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani* (4.2g, £28, link)

If you're splashing out on a luxury, high-end lipstick, you need it to tick two key boxes and the Rouge d'Armani lipsticks definitely do that with ease. Firstly, they need to have drop-dead gorgeous, envy-inducing packaging and Armani's sleek, gloss black curved tubes with their iconic logo and that immensely satisfying, clickety-click magnetic closing are a first class winner. Secondly, the lipstick needs to have a great formula - pretty packaging is great but no one likes style over substance when it comes to dropping your hard earned cash on makeup. The formula of the Armani Rouge d'Armani lipsticks offer a glossy finish with hydration, comfort and longer lasting performance when compared to similar products. As these are creamy and moisturising, they naturally won't last as long as matte or heavy formulas, but I can get at least 3-4 hours of wear out of these before I need a touch up which is pretty impressive. They don't have any offensive scent or taste to them (I really dislike a lot of designer lipsticks that taste like perfume - yuck) and the shade range has a lot of beautiful classic colours in it. My favourite shade is this one pictured which is 103 - the perfect pinky-nude for me.   

 Blushers: Giorgio Armani Cheek Fabric* (4g, £35, link) 

Powder blushers are something that it's easy to go overboard with when you're applying them, and as the Russian Doll look isn't what I'm usually going for, I tend to favour sheerer blushers over super highly pigmented ones. Armani do a fab range of blushers called Cheek Fabrics which are basically sheer, easy to wear blushers that are perfect for everyday. In the pan and on the skin, they're incredibly silky soft and smooth and you absolutely can't go wrong with applying them, even if you're a makeup novice.  All I need to do is dab a brush in, sweep onto my cheeks and I'm good to go - I barely need to do any blending and the brush always seems to pick up just the right amount of product every time. It lasts well throughout the day and has a lovely glow to it. The shade that I use the most is called '306 Attitude' - one of those great all-rounder pinky peach blushers that I love so much. These blushers are expensive yes, but they're the best fuss-free blushers you're likely to ever find!

Eye Tints: Giorgio Armani Eye Tints* (6.5ml, £28, link)

Originally, I was only going to feature five main products in this post but I quickly realised that I couldn't miss out the Armani's Eye Tints, as I've recommended them to so many people. Eye Tints are liquid eyeshadows that pack one hell of a punch in the shimmer department. If you want a proper intense metallic finish, these are the products to pick up! They come in sleek tubes with a doe-foot sponge applicator which makes them easy to apply with just one or two swipes across the lid. Highly pigmented, they have a thin, light and creamy consistency and dry down quickly. I do have to use an eyeshadow base or primer underneath these as I have oily eyelids (most eye products crease on me), but when used with something like Urban Decay Primer Potion, these last all day on me without creasing or fading. I have three of these in my collection in the shades 1 Obsidian (metallic black), 7 Shadow (metallic lavender grey) and 15 Sunset (vibrant metallic purple).  

Giorgio Armani Eye Tints swatches: 15 Sunset, 1 Obsidian & 7 Shadow

Have you tried anything from Giorgio Armani Beauty?

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Budget Beauty: GOSH SS17 Collection: Liquid Matte Lips, CCC Sticks, Eye Xpression Quad, Lumi Drops, Infinity Eyeliners & Giant Pro Liners- Review & Swatches

Happy Friday! The weekend is almost upon us, and if you're heading to the high street tomorrow, you might want to pop into Superdrug to get your hands on some of these shiny new makeup releases from GOSH's latest SS17 collection.

If you're after affordable, on-trend makeup, GOSH have got you covered. Their range is quite frankly enormous and they're always releasing exciting brand new products. I've raved about several of their products before, but I particularly love their Rebel Eyes Mascara (which was one of my favourite budget makeup finds of last year), and they do some wicked Forever Matt Eyeshadow Sticks, as well as a fab range of primers, lippies and eyeliners.

Their latest SS17 collection is inspired by Nordic/Danish beauty (the brand are based in Copenhagen) and the 'urban nature' landscape, mixing in earthy tones with stronger, empowering, rebellious brights. Like all of GOSH's previous collections, this one's also very trend based, so if you're looking to update your makeup look/bag for Spring, you're in the right place!

GOSH Liquid Matte Lips* (4ml, £8.99 each, link)

Matte lips are a trend that continues to reign over all other lip products at the moment, and like many, I've found myself adding more and more of these kinds of products to my makeup stash. Whilst I do enjoy a matte lip, I definitely favour formulas which are a lot less drying and GOSH have managed to do an excellent job with these as they're infused with 'LIPerfection' (an Eco-cert formula based on Mustard Sprouts to plump and hydrate the lips), plus they contain extracts of Dandelion which is known for being high in vitamins and antioxidants. 

The texture of these Liquid Matte Lips has an almost whipped-creme consistency to them, and they're highly pigmented so it only takes one or two swipes to get a smooth and even coat onto the lips. They don't dry down to a hard, dry matte finish, though, but I'd still say they're pretty matte overall and would be a good one to try if you don't like the intensely drying feel of other matte lip products. 

There are eight shades available and I received six of them to try out - all of which I've found to be long-lasting (around 6-7 hours on me), before fading evenly. My favourite shades for everyday are Nougat Fudge and Candyfloss, and Arabian Night is an amazing colour to opt for if you want a killer vampy dark lip for a night out!

GOSH Liquid Matte Lips swatches

GOSH Eye Xpression in 001 Back To Nature* (£8.99, link)

For a convenient compact eyeshadow quad to throw into your makeup bag or use for a neutral look every day, GOSH's new Eye Xpression in Back To Nature has everything you need for a fuss-free, easy look. These eyeshadows are super soft and silky, easy to blend and work with, and they have great pigmentation. The formula is perfume and paraben free, and each quad contains a shimmery highlight shade alongside three straight-up matte colours. In the SS17 collection, you'll find three new quads including this one.

This combination Back To Nature has a gorgeous pale pink with a golden shimmer, a light neutral brown with pink undertones, a classic medium taupe brown and a dark brown with a red undertone. All of the shades work well together, but if I find myself in a rush, I'll just sweep on that classic taupe shade all over the lid and I'm good to go! The only slight bugbear that I have with this quad (and the GOSH eyeshadow palettes in general) is that the eyeshadow pans are completely 'flat' within the plastic casing of the quad, so the outside edges of each pan can get quite messy with regular use.

GOSH Eye Xpression in 001 Back To Nature swatches

GOSH Lumi Drops in 010 Coral Blush* (15ml, £8.99, link)

GOSH's Lumi Drops are a really cool range of multi-purpose, illuminating liquid products that you can mix with your regular foundation or use on their own for a glowy highlight. Thanks to the popularity of these, GOSH have now released two new illuminating liquid blushers and they are surprisingly really easy to use. You only need a drop for each cheek and as you blend them, they sheer out into the prettiest, natural looking flush with a subtle, glowy shimmer. I have the shade Coral Blush which looks quite bright in the bottle, but once applied, it's actually very wearable and a great choice for Spring to give you an instantly fresh and awake look.

GOSH Lumi Drops in 010 Coral Blush swatches

GOSH Infinity Eye Liners in 001 Black and 006 Ash (1.2g, £6.99 each, link)

Eyeliners are something that GOSH do exceptionally well and I feel they are seriously underrated as I hardly ever see anyone talking about them! I'm sure that's set to change though with the launch of several new eyeliners, including these. The Infinity Eye Liners are wax-based, classic pencil liners that come with a smudger on the end for easy smoking out. They're long-lasting, smudge-proof, waterproof and can be used happily in the waterline (I find these are great for tight-lining with too).

There are six shades available and I've been enjoying playing with Black and Ash as both are creamy and smooth (no dragging here!), and richly pigmented. An absolute steal for only £6.99 and definitely some of the best affordable eyeliners out there. 

GOSH Giant Pro Double Liner* (£10.99, link) & GOSH Giant Pro Kajal* (£7.49, link)

If you like your liners to be big and chunky but with slim tapered tips, these two from GOSH will be right up your street. I have to admit that I didn't initially warm to these when I first saw them. The first thought that went through my mind was that they were just too big, but oddly enough, they're both comfortable and easy to hold.

The Giant Pro Double Liner is a makeup bag must-have as it boasts a liquid liner on one end and a kajal on the other. The tip of the liquid liner is nice and pointed so you can achieve a fine, sharp line easily, and the inky formula sets quickly, doesn't smudge and it's a strong, deep black. The kajal liner has a lovely smooth and creamy feel about it, and again it's highly pigmented and long-lasting. You can create a lot of different looks with this double liner and I love the 2-in-1 convenience of having a liquid liner to use on the top for a quick cat flick, and a kajal liner to use on the waterline for a smokey eye finish.

I was expecting the Giant Pro Kajal to be the same formula as the one in the Double Liner that I've just mentioned, but no, it's definitely different as it has a much richer and glossier finish. Again, this one's easy to work with, long-lasting, can be used on the waterline and delivers a strong black line for a bold look.   

New GOSH SS17 Eyeliner swatches

GOSH CCC Sticks* (4.4g, £9.99 each, link)

I imagine these multi-purpose CCC sticks will be one of the big sellers from this new collection, and they're pretty damn good. CCC stands for 'Contour, Cover, Conceal' which literally sums up what they do. The texture of these are really creamy and the crayon nature of the sticks makes them a doddle to apply. I'd highly recommend these for newbies to contouring as they give you a lot more control over where the product is going than a palette and a brush offers. Due to their creamy consistency, they're easy to blend and have a sort of 'soft focus' finish to them which gives a subtle blurring effect.

There are six shades currently available; two highlighting shades and four concealing and contouring colours to suit a range of different skin tones. I'm usually a 'Light Beige' in most foundation and concealer ranges (though sometimes a little lighter or darker depending on the time of the year), and I've been mostly using Light underneath my eyes to conceal dark circles, Medium to conceal any blemishes or marks, and Dark as a contour shade to give some definition to my cheekbones (Very Dark looks a bit too muddy on me, but may work in the summer when I'm more tanned). 

I've also been getting a lot of use out of the two highlighter shades as Vanilla is a great all-rounder for the inner corner of my eyes and on the top of my cheeks, whereas the Golden Highlighter looks good on my cheeks instead of using a blusher. Needless to say, I like these lot!

GOSH CCC Sticks swatches

The GOSH SS17 Collection is exclusively available at Superdrug, both instores nationwide and online via superdrug.com

What do you think of this collection?

Anything you'd like to pick up and try?

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Superfood Skincare: 4 Avocado Oil Heroes from Antipodes

Since the birth of the Instagram-worthy 'Avocado On Toast' craze that transformed everyone's breakfasts and brunches, there's been a lot of renewed interest into the health and skincare benefits of the humble avocado. 

Needless to say, the skincare world was way ahead of the trend as many brands, especially organic/natural beauty ones, were already using ingredients like Avocado Oil in their products. One such brand to use this hero ingredient are Antipodes who use Organic Avocado Oil in a number of their skincare products. I'm a big fan of Antipodes as regular readers will know, so I jumped at the chance to adapt some of my skincare routine to include these four products which are rich in Avocado Oil to see whether I would see a difference in my skin. I've been testing them out for around 4 weeks now, so here are my thoughts. 

 Antipodes Rejoice Light Facial Day Cream* (60ml, £28.99, link)

I've been through a couple of tubes of this moisturiser in the past and it's definitely something that I can see myself going back to again and again in the future. Whenever I return to it, I always think - "Why did I stop using this?!", so it's been a pleasure to be reunited with it. The Rejoice Light Facial Day Cream is suitable for normal, combination and oily skin types and it's very different from most moisturisers aimed at these categories, simply because it's very hydrating and doesn't leave the skin matte or stripped of its natural oils. Instead, it uses a whole host of organic ingredients such as Manuka Flower Oil, Avocado Oil, Macadamia Oil and Jojoba Oil, to regenerate, moisturise and balance the skin, resulting in softer, smoother skin. I've also noticed that my skin has become less oily over time - the longer I've used it, the more balanced I've seen it become.

With this moisturiser, a little goes a long way and you'll likely need to use a lot less than you initially think because it's so hydrating. The packaging is a bit unconventional as it comes in a recycled tube (watch out the very first time you open it as a lot of the product wants to come out!), but I've soon gotten used to it!

 Antipodes Divine Face Oil* (30ml, £19.99, link)

If you only try one product from Antipodes, go for this one! It's amazing and surprisingly very affordable compared to similar products from other brands that I've used. Their Divine Face Oil is something that I would recommend to anyone who's new to the world of face oils as it's light, not greasy and absorbs easily. I know some people are put off by the thought of a heavy oil, so this one offers a much nicer sensory introduction! 

Packed full of skin nourishing ingredients like Rosehip Oil, Macadamia Oil, Jojoba Oil, and our hero Avocado Oil, the Divine Face Oil is a real treat for the skin as it offers deep hydration and also helps to balance it out. The biggest difference that I see when I use this, is that my skin looks a lot more glowy in the morning (I always tend to use face oils at night but you can, of course, use it in the day if you like as it works well underneath makeup), so it's ideal for anyone who wants a brightening pick-me-up for dull skin.

Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream* (60ml, £32.99, link)

This night cream is a firm favourite amongst skincare gurus and bloggers alike, so I was really excited to finally try it for myself. It's won a Green Beauty Bible Award, and like many of Antipodes' products, has been scientifically shown to stimulate Type 1 Collagen Production in Humans (this particular night cream boasts up to 92% stimulation!), providing the proof that natural based skincare can be just as effective as mainstream equivalents when a brand knows what they're doing with formulas and skincare technology.

I've been enjoying using the Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream, especially throughout February when it was really cold as I felt like it protected my skin against the elements and also helped to keep it thoroughly hydrated. I have a feeling though that this may be too rich for me to use during the summer months, and I can imagine this suiting drier and more mature skin types a lot more than oily/combination ones due to the high content of ingredients such as Shea Butter, Squalene, Avocado Oil and Coconut Oil. That said, I can use it sparingly and so far my skin has been thanking me for it! 

 Antipodes Joyful Hand & Body Cream* (120ml, £28.99, link)

Joyful is a Hand & Body Cream that's truly fit for a Queen. It has one of the most luxurious scents that I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing (think fresh juicy berries and floral Hibiscus - mmm!), and the velvety texture of the cream is just incredible. It's made from a 98% naturally derived formulation which makes the most out of two ultra-hydrating ingredients; Avocado Oil and Macadamia Oil, leaving hands and body feeling as soft as a newborn baby. 

This is definitely something that I reserve for 'pampering treats' and special occasions, and it's a lovely product to reach for if you've had a crappy day and need some cheering up. The colour of the packaging alone just makes me feel instantly happier whenever I see it and the fragrance is simply heavenly. A real luxury treat to use!

 Have you tried any of these?

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Beauty Box: LoveLula Beauty Box - March 2017 review

My LoveLula Beauty Box arrived last week and I've been enjoying having a little play with all of the products inside. 

For fans of green and natural beauty products, LoveLula is one of the best subscription boxes to sign up to. They stock a huge selection of eco-friendly brands on their website, which should give you a strong idea as to the quality of the products that you'll receive every month from them. I always look forward to seeing what they've included - it's a fun surprise and a great way to be introduced to brands that you might have been wanting to try, or haven't heard of before. 

March's LoveLula Beauty Box contains five products, four of which are full-size:-

• Seascape Island Apothecary Unwind Body Wash (full size, RRP £16) - I love seahorses so it was lovely to find one adorning this bottle of Body Wash from Seascape Island Apothecary. This Unwind Body Wash contains 100% natural essential oils such as Jersey Lavender and Ylang Ylang - two of my favourite scents. It smells wonderfully calming and relaxing, and doesn't contain any silicones, parabens, SLS, petroleum, artificial colours or artificial fragrances. A lovely, luxury body wash to use when you're feeling stressed or juggling too many things at once! 

• PHB Ethical Beauty Brightening Hand Cream (full size, RRP £10.95) - I've been really impressed by everything that I've tried from PHB Ethical Beauty so far, and this hand cream is another great product from them. It's got a really rich and hydrating formula which has been going a great job of moisturising my dry hands and leaving them silky soft. The fragrance is quite strong, but I like it as it's Ylang-Ylang and Neroli. I can't comment on the brightening claims just yet, though I love the idea of using an anti-aging hand cream as it can be easy to forget that your hands are out and on show all the time, so they're one of the first places to show the signs of early aging. 

• Hurraw! Papaya & Pineapple Lip Balm (full size, RRP £4.99) - Last month, I featured Hurraw! in my 5 Organic & Natural Lips Balm To Try post (you can read it here), so I was really happy to find one in this month's box! I haven't tried this flavour before, but it tastes like a tropical cocktail, really fruity and summery. The formula of these balms are amazing - I seriously can't recommend them enough!

• Laidbare For Richer For Porer Pore Minimiser Facial Masque (full size, RRP £7.99) - I've gone through a couple of tubes of this face mask over the years and I'm very happy to have it back in my skincare stash because it's a fantastic mask. It contains a whole host of natural ingredients such as Kaolin Clay, Shea Butter, Japanese Seaweed, Liquorice and Rose Water. A good one to try if you're looking for a face mask that'll draw out impurities, but also hydrate and soothe it at the same time. What I like to call a great all-rounder :)

• Kimberly Sayer Ultra Light Facial Moisturiser (5ml sample) - The last product is a sachet sample of one of Kimberly Sayer's bestselling products and this moisturiser is for Combination, Oily and Blemish-Prone skin types so it's perfect for me, plus it contains SPF 30 which I always like to see included in more natural based skincare. I haven't tried it yet so keep your eye on my future Empties posts for when I do, though I'll probably save it until summer's here to properly test out the sunscreen benefits.

This is another great box from LoveLula who are always consistent month-to-month - I've never had a 'bad' box from them! The contents of March's box are worth £40 altogether, so it's a fantastic value for money beauty box to try out.

LoveLula Beauty Box* is a monthly subscription box priced at £12.50 with free postage in the UK. Visit lovelula.com to find out more.

Have you subscribed to LoveLula's Beauty Box?

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Health & Lifestyle: Beauty & Go Bioactive Beauty Drinks review

Drinks that offer beauty benefits are all the rage at the moment, as a growing number of consumers are realising that what we put into our bodies is more important than the skincare products we apply on top of it. 

Beauty & Go Bioactive Beauty Drinks are marketed as an ideal way to complement your everyday beauty routine, which is how I always perceive anything that's a food or drink supplement with beneficial skincare claims. I'm a strong believer in taking notice of what you consume, after all, if you want to have a flawless, glowing complexion, you need to look at what you're putting into your body, as well as what you use on your skin topically. I know from experience that if I'm having a bad week and start bingeing on crappy junk food, then my skin will instantly kick up a fuss and start breaking out to punish me, but it'll have a much better chance of staying in check if I'm eating lots of healthy clean foods like fruits and veggies. With this in mind, I was keen to try out some of the Beauty & Go Bioactive Beauty Drinks to see what they were like.

There are currently five juice-based drinks in the Beauty & Go range (four main flavours and a special Limited Edition one for Winter), all of which offer different skin related benefits, and are packed full of Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen, Vitamins, Minerals and MacroAntioxidants. All of the drinks are free from artificial colours and preservatives, contain no added sugar, are gluten free, suitable for celiacs, diabetics, and pregnant or lactating women, and are naturally sweetened with Stevia. Sounds great! 

I've been testing out the four main Beauty & Go drinks over the last few weeks as I kindly received a box of each flavour to try out.

Beauty & Go Bioactive Drink - Skin Revive*

Skin Revive is the beauty drink to pick up if you're concerned about ageing as it contains several key ingredients which help to fight off free radicals, thus reducing/slowing down the signs of premature ageing and wrinkles. There's Pomegranate, Raspberry and Persimmon juices combined with Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C and MacroAntioxidants, to improve the elasticity of the skin, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and help protect and repair the skin overall. With less than 80 calories a bottle, it tastes refreshing and fruity with the Raspberry coming through the strongest.

 Beauty & Go Bioactive Drink - Skin Detox*

If you're not a fan of how thick Green Smoothies are, Skin Detox gives a thinner, more palatable juice based alternative, but one that's still full of lots of good stuff. This green juice contains Apple, Spirulina and Artichoke alongside the three key Beauty & Go staples of Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid and MacroAntioxidants. There's also some Algae and added Zinc to help stimulate digestion to allow the body to eliminate toxins easily, so it's a good one to try if your skin is prone to breakouts and feels congested. Taste-wise, it's my favourite of the lot as I love apple juice, and the extra ingredients give it a pleasantly refreshing twist.

 Beauty & Go Bioactive Drink - Skin Vitality*

For a healthier and more radiant looking complexion, Skin Vitality offers a natural glow-enhancing drink to help energise your skin. Formulated with a cocktail of Pineapple, Gingko Biloba and Guarana, it aims to provide an energising pick-me-up for the skin, helping to improve luminosity and elasticity. I'd recommend this one to anyone who has a busy lifestyle where you're burning the candle at both ends - it really gives you a good energy boost! Skin Vitality has a slightly thicker texture than the other drinks (sort of somewhere between a smoothie and a standard juice), but still tastes delicious. 

 Beauty & Go Bioactive Drink - Skin Brilliance*

The last drink that I tried is called Skin Brilliance and this pink bottle of goodness aims to provide similar benefits as the Skin Vitality drink above does, in terms of radiance and glow, but this one has extra hydrating qualities, making it a good choice for those who have dry skin that's also dull. It contains Red Grape, Rosehip and Persimmon, as well as the key three (Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen and MacroAntioxidants) to help protect the skin against external and internal aggressors, with added Melon to boost its defences against oxidative stress. This one tastes really different with Grape and Persimmon leading the way. 

Overall thoughts?

I've only tried a box of each of the flavours above (containing 8 bottles in each), so I can't really comment on any of the long term claims that Beauty & Go Bioactive Drinks make. However, I can say that I enjoyed the taste of all four of these, and I would definitely pick up the Skin Detox and Skin Vitality drinks again for their energy boosting qualities alone. That said, I did notice that I was a lot less spotty around 'that time of the month' which may be due to the Skin Detox drink as I was testing that one out during the same time which is really promising! The price of the Beauty & Go drinks are comparable to other health drinks on the market, and they're much better for you than a similarly priced coffee from Starbucks or Costa! Definitely worth looking into in my opinion.

Beauty & Go Bioactive Drinks are available from Selfridges (single bottles) and online from Beauty & Go in packs of 8 for £21. Visit Beauty & Go for more info.

What do you think about beauty drinks with skincare benefits?

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