Optiat Feel Great Coffee Scrub

I first discovered coffee scrubs last year and since then have tried quite a few different brands, one brand I'd heard a lot about but hadn't tried was Optiat, so I was really pleased when one of their Feel Great Coffee Scrubs in Mouthwatering Mandarin landed on my doorstep for me to try.

ABOUT OPTIAT

Optiat (pronounced op-tee-at) which stands for One Person's Trash Is Another's Treasure are British sibling duo William and Anna Brightman. When the Brightmans discovered that more than 500,000 tonnes of coffee grounds are sent to landfill every year in the UK alone, they saw an opportunity to change it and they wanted to put used coffee grounds to good use instead of them being dumped on a land fill and decomposing, creating methane, a greenhouse gas that affects global warming. 

The Brightmans collect coffee grounds from over 40 artisanal cafes, restaurants and bars across London and to keep the organic matter sterile, they use a natural preservative, which only contains ingredients derived from plants and is permitted by Natrue the European Natural Cosmetic Board, the products are manufactured by hand in Dorset, UK. Optiat products are not tested on animals, nor do they use ingredients that have been tested on animals. All products are natural, vegan and completely cruelty free. 

 FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I really like the packaging of the scrub, it comes in a tube with the brand logo on the front and the scent name underneath, I love the lip design too. 

The scent Mouthwatering Mandarin £9.99 220ml has a lovely orange scent as you would imagine, it isn't over powering at all and normally I don't like anything orange scented but this is lovely and really fresh and there isn't a coffee scent as with some scented coffee scrubs. The scrub is thick and black in colour. Optiat claim Mouthwatering Mandarin is perfect for a date night and will leave you feeling confident and dance floor ready. The first time I used the scrub, I was really pleased it came in a tube, all the coffee scrubs I have tried previously have been in a resealable bag type packaging and can be really messy to use and not easy to re seal in the shower with wet hands, the scrub being in a tube is brilliant and it isn't messy at all. 

The scrub as I said has a lovely fresh scent and is lovely to rub into the skin, it can be used on the face too but Optiat recommend carrying out a small patch test first by applying a small amount of scrub to the face and then waiting 24 hours to see if you have a reaction, they also recommend applying the scrub to the face gently and not scrubbing too hard. I have used the scrub on my face and I am fine with it, I have sensitive skin and suffer from eczema and skin allergies but I haven't experienced any reactions or irritation at all. 

The scrub is super easy to use, apply to wet skin and leave for 5 minutes then rinse off. I had my hair washed whilst leaving the scrub for 5 minutes. When I got out of the shower my skin felt lovely and soft and there was no need for me to apply a body moisturiser, I was good to go and my skin felt incredibly soft and smooth. 

 FINAL THOUGHTS

I have used the Optiat Feel Great Coffee Scrub quite a few times now and I really like it, my skin feels amazing when I use it and so soft and smooth. I absolutely love the fact the scrub comes in a tube, it is so much less messy, of course there are coffee grounds on the shower floor, but nothing that doesn't rinse away and I'm not left with it all over the tiles and walls of the shower as I have been when I've used coffee scrubs that come in re sealable bags. 

Overall I am really impressed with the scrub, my skin can feel very sore because of my health problems but the scrub doesn't hurt at all or irritate my super sensitive skin, it is a pleasure to use and my skin feels incredible after using it. I have used the scrub on my face a few times too and my face is left feeling lovely and soft and again I haven't experienced any irritation at all and it isn't painful to use. I will certainly be re purchasing the scrub and I am looking forward to trying the Lemongrass Lifter, Potent Peppermint and Vanilla Velvet scents too, if they smell anything like the Mouthwatering Mandarin, they will smell incredible! 

If you like using coffee scrubs, or if you haven't tried one yet, I would definitely recommend you pick up one of the Optiat coffee scrubs, they aren't harsh on the skin, the scent is lovely without being over powering, they leave the skin feeling super soft and smooth and the price of them for the amount of product and considering they are made from natural ingredients without any nasties, I think is brilliant, there really isn't anything not to like about them and I absolutely love the company ethos.  

For more information or to purchase the scrubs, visit the Optiat website. 

Have you tried the Optiat Feel Great Coffee Scrubs? Which scent do you like the sound of best? Let me know in the comments below.  

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Orly Summer 2017 Coastal Crush Collection - Review And Swatches

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know that I am a real nail polish geek, and you'll also know that Orly are one of my favourite nail polish brands. I have been buying Orly polishes for many years, so when I was asked if I would like to try a couple of polishes from their new Coastal Crush Collection for summer 2017, I was thrilled and of course accepted. 

The shades I have are Summer Fling a bright almost neon peachy/coral shade and Sea You Soon a bright blue with shimmer, there are 6 shades in the collection, including a deeper blue, a purple, a red and a bright pink, and all are stunning shades and perfect for summer. 

Summer Fling 18ml - £7.95 

Summer Fling is the perfect shade for me, I adore coral toned nail polish and wear coral polishes a lot throughout the summer months. Summer Fling is bordering on neon but not quite, but it is very bright. It is a peachy/coral shade and looks lovely on the nails and would be gorgeous on darker skin tones or with a suntan. 

Sea You Soon 18ml - £7.95

Sea You Soon is a lovely bright blue shade with shimmer, it was hard to capture the shimmer in a photograph but I did take a close up which is below. I don't suit blue nail polish unfortunately so I have since passed this on to a friend, but if you do like blue shades, this is a beautiful shade, it's such a shame blues don't suit me. 

Application & Wear Time

The nail polish has a wide brush which I prefer as I find it a lot easier to use and one stroke is enough for most of my nails. The polish applies well and isn't streaky at all, I needed 2 coats of polish and both had a lovely glossy finish but I did finish with a top coat as I always do with all polishes. 

Orly polishes always last really well on my nails and these polishes were no exception, I wore the polish for 6 days without chipping before having to remove it for a hospital appointment but it would have lasted longer I'm sure. My eldest daughter wore Summer Fling without a top coat for 5 days without chipping also.  I always have great wear time with Orly polishes as do my girls and my mum too, she has also been a fan for a few years after borrowing one of my Orly polishes and loving how long it lasted on her nails.

Aside from the huge colour range, brilliant wear time and excellent nail treatments available, I have been purchasing Orly for many years because they are free from any nasty ingredients. Orly polishes are all 12 free meaning they are formulated without Toluene, Formaldehyde, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor, Ethyl Tosylamide, Xylene, MEHQ/HQ, MIT, Parabens, Animal Derived Ingredients or Gluten. 

Swatches

Overall Thoughts

As always, Orly did not disappoint with their Coastal Crush collection nail polishes, the application was effortless, the polishes look stunning on the nails and they last brilliantly well too. I love that Orly polishes contain 18ml of product which is much more than most brands meaning they last a long time in my collection and they don't gloop after a while either, I have Orly polishes in my collection that I have had for a super long time and they still apply beautifully and aren't thick and gloopy at all. 

As always with Orly polishes, I love the new Coastal Crush collection and will definitely be picking up the bright pink shade which is called No Regrets, all 6 shades are beautiful and perfect summer shades, if you haven't already, I would definitely recommend you check this collection out.

Have you tried any of the Orly Coastal Crush nail polishes? Which out of the two I have do you like best? Let me know below in the comments.

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Essence Colour Boost High Pigment Nail Paint - One Coat And Go!

I'm pretty sure that you're already aware if you are a regular reader of my blog, but I have a bit of lot of an addiction to nail polish, I'm a real nail polish geek! So when some of the new Essence Colour Boost High Pigment Nail Paint arrived at my door, I have to admit, I let out a little squeal.

Essence are an amazing brand, they have some incredible products and everything Essence I have in my makeup and nail polish/products collection, I love, so I couldn't wait to use the nail polishes.

What Essence Says About The Nail Paints

The highly-pigmented nail polishes in trendy pastel and intensive colours ensure summery nail styles! The shiny formula has a high coverage and offers a smooth finish with just one application.

There are 10 shades in the Essence Colour Boost High Pigment Nail Paint collection, some pastel and some intense shades and all are stunning. I have the shades (from left to right in the above image) Instant Party, Instant Fun, Instant Friendship and Instant Passion.

Instant Party - £1.80 

Instant Fun - £1.80

Instant Friendship - £1.80

Instant Passion - £1.80

Application & Wear Time

The first polish I tried and this probably won't come as a surprise at all, was Instant Fun, a lovely coral shade, as you know I adore coral and wear coral nails a lot throughout the summer months. I was pleased to find the brush is a nice wide brush, I much prefer wide brushes on my nail polishes as I find the application of the polish much easier and I can use just one stroke for most of my nails. 

The polish is easy to apply and dries quite quickly, I wouldn't say it is a fast drying formula, however I find that it does dry faster than other polishes I have. The polish isn't streaky at all, I was dubious that I would be able to apply just one coat for an opaque finish, but very pleasantly surprised by the results I got. 

I used just one coat of Instant Fun and allowed it to dry, it dried to a lovely opaque finish without any streaking and had a gorgeous glossy shine. I was surprised just how glossy the finish was without a top coat, I do always use a top coat but didn't the first time I wore the polish and it wore well for 3 days without any chips, which I think is amazing and it is certainly amazing for me as usually without a topcoat, some polishes don't even last 12 hours on my nails, so 3 days for me is fabulous. 

I have tried all four shades with and without a top coat and I got 3-4 days wear time from each of the polishes without a topcoat and 6-7 days with a top coat, the wear time is fantastic and to be fair a top coat really isn't needed because the finish of the polishes is so glossy. All shades remove with ease with acetone and acetone free nail polish remover and I didn't experience staining from any of the shades when worn with or without a base coat. 

Swatches

Both of the swatch photographs above show the nail polishes without a topcoat applied, how amazing is that glossy finish? All the polishes in both photographs are just one coat and as you can see, my nails all have a gorgeous opaque and very glossy finish. I did think that Instant Friendship, the pale pink shade, might be a little patchy or streaky with just one coat because it is such a pale pink shade, but as you can see it looks completely fine and all 4 shades are really pretty. 

The photograph above shows the shade Instant Fun with a top coat applied, but to be honest, I really don't think a top coat is necessary as there isn't much difference at all in the look of the polish, I did however get a little more wear time using a top coat but I don't think there is much difference at all in the finish of the polishes, with or without a top coat and I still got brilliant wear time when I didn't use a top coat.  

Final Thoughts 

I am so impressed with the nail polishes, they apply effortlessly with a lovely wide brush, they don't streak or bubble and dry to a lovely opaque and super glossy finish. All 4 shades are stunning, my favourite is obviously Instant Fun but I am sure you knew that anyway if you're a long time reader of my blog. I do like all 4 shades and have worn all 4 and will continue to do so, I think they are all lovely for the summer but I would wear them all, all year round. 

I honestly can't find one single negative about the Essence Colour Boost High Pigment Nail Paints, they are incredible and are a fantastic price at just £1.80, they perform and wear better than some polishes I have that are 5 times the price. I completely agree with Essence, the polishes are highly pigmented, lovely summery shades, glossy formula, high coverage and a smooth finish, and all for an incredible price, they really are a must have and my nail polish collection will be expanding as I pick up some more shades from the collection, if you haven't tried these polishes yet, you really should, I promise you, you won't regret it. 

You can find all the shades in the collection, along with other amazing Essence products on the Wilko website. 

Have you tried any of the polishes in the Essence Colour Boost High Pigment Nail Paint collection? Which is your favourite shade out of the 4 polishes I have? 

GOSH AW 17 New Collection Release Including Swatches

GOSH launched their Autumn/Winter 2017 makeup collection last Wednesday 26th July and as always with GOSH new releases, it's an amazing collection! The Nordic Magic collection contains a great range of new products and today I am going to share the new collection with you including swatches of the products. 

GOSH Corrector Kit - £11.99

The GOSH Colour Corrector Kit is a professional kit containing 5 blend-able shades to correct and cover  imperfections. 

The shades within the palette are as follows, from left to right.

• Concealer - To cover and conceal imperfections

• Yellow - To cover purple or blue, so great for veins, bruises and under eye circles.

• Green - To neutralise redness on the skin.

• Purple - To eliminate any yellow tones on the skin.

• Peach - To brighten the under eye area and cover signs of fatigue & works well on olive skin to give radiance. 

I am pleased to see a concealer in the palette, as most colour correcting palettes don't usually have a concealer included. I have quite a lot of redness and I have dark circles too and I have been using colour correcting methods more over the last couple of months so I'm looking forward to using this. 

GOSH Strobe & Glow Kit - £12.99

There are two shade options of the Strobe & Glow Kits, 001 Highlight and 002 Blush, as the names suggest, one palette is for highlighting and one for blush but 002 Blush does also contain a highlight shade.  I have the palette 001 Highlight, which has a beautiful holographic highlight and three golden bronzers to strobe and define. I think I could use 2 of the shades as highlight and 2 as bronzer shades, all 4 shades are stunning and I know I'm going to get a lot of use out of this palette.

GOSH My Favourite Mascara - £9.99

The GOSH My Favourite Mascara is a new everyday mascara, it is said to deliver just what you need for a busy everyday life. The mascara is formulated to deliver perfectly separated and natural looking lashes with volume and definition. The brush is a fibre brush and GOSH claims it separates the lashes and distributes the product naturally and evenly. The mascara is perfume and paraben free. My lashes are pathetic and need all the help they can get so I am looking forward to trying this out. 

GOSH Lumidrops - £7.99

GOSH Lumidrops were first launched in 2016 as a highlight and they quickly became a success across the globe. There are 2 new Lumidrops in this collection 012 Rose Gold and 014 Gold, I have the shade 012 Rose Gold. The Lumidrops are said to dress the skin in an illuminating veil of beautiful radiance and can be used on bare skin or over makeup. I love GOSH Lumidrops, they are so simple to use and a bottle lasts for such a long time as you only need a tiny amount of product, they give such a beautiful finish to the skin, I think the Rose Gold shade will be lovely as a blush on my skin tone. 

GOSH Growth Serum - Brows - £16.99

The GOSH Growth Serum is a new product and is said to give hope to over tweezed arches, based on the proven SymPeptide XLASH, the effective serum fuels the natural growth of eyebrows. By stimulating the Keratin genes, it enhances the appearance of length and thickness of the brow. I have to admit this is one of the products I am most excited about, my brows are so thin and sparse and they just don't grow, I have been trying to grow them since early December but so far they don't look much different aside from a few stray hairs that have grown under my brow, I am really hoping this works, I have been using it twice a day for the last 5 or 6 days so fingers crossed. 

GOSH Lift & Highlight - £9.99

The GOSH Lift & Highlight is a multi functional double ended pencil for precision highlights and lowlights. The pencil comes in 2 shades 001 Nude and 002 Rose, I have 001 Nude. The pencil feels very creamy and because of is creamy texture, it will be easy to blend. Use after foundation to lift or highlight, perfect for the inner corner, under the brow bone or the cupids bow. 

GOSH Brow Shape & Fill - £8.99

The GOSH Shape & Fill duel ended pencil, contains a retractable brow pencil at one end and a powder at the other end. The sharp end is used to define the outer shape of the brows, while the soft powder at the opposite end is for filling in gaps and to create fuller brows. The pencil has quite a stiff and dry texture, perfect for brow products. The pencil comes in 3 shades 001 brown, 002 Grey Brown and 003 Dark Brown, I have 002 Grey Brown but I think it may be a little dark for my brows, I will however still use it so I can see what it's like when reviewing for you. 

GOSH Eyeshadow Primer - £8.99

The GOSH Eyeshadow Primer keeps the eyeshadow crease free and fills in any imperfections on the surface of the skin. Formulated with polymer technology, it preps the eyelids for all day wear and GOSH claim it glides on smoothly, allowing the eye makeup to work it's magic all day long. The Eyeshadow Primer has the primer on one end and on the other is a sponge applicator to blend the primer out. 

GOSH Prime 'N' Set Primer & Mattifying Setting Powder - £9.99

The GOSH Prime 'N' Set Primer & Mattifying Powder is a yellow toned setting powder and is their new 2 in 1 banana powder that magically suits almost any skin tone. It colour corrects surface redness and neutralises dark under eye circles. You can use the powder as a setting powder alone or use on cleansed, moisturised skin, to minimise pores, fine lines, redness and small imperfections for a flawless, matt look. The powder is perfume and paraben free. 

GOSH Primer Plus+ Skin Adaptor Anti Pollution - £14.99

The GOSH Primer Plus+ Skin Adaptor Anti Pollution is a new multi functional colour release primer and makeup "must have". It will not only tone and enhance your skin with a healthy looking glow, it will also smooth, hydrate, rejuvenate and protect your skin against pollution and free radicals due to the infused anti pollution active CITYGUARD+. The primer is perfume and paraben free, when applied the lightweight formula blends perfectly into the skin, adapting to the individual skin tone, leaving the skin with a radiant healthy glow and feel. 

GOSH 24h Pro Liner - £7.99

The GOSH 24h Pro Liner is an extremely soft, smooth and creamy liner with a texture that allows optimal playtime and blending, before setting on the lid. It has an even finish that lasts up to 24 hours without creasing, flaking or fading. It has an excellent and even colour payoff and is easy to blend, shortly after application. The GOSH 24h Pro Liner is a multi purpose pencil, it is very suitable on the waterline of the upper/lower lid, as a kohl/kajal, but can also be used around the edge of the eye with a thin or broad line. This is the only item in the collection that doesn't feature in my box so I do not have images unfortunately. 

GOSH 9 Shades Eyeshadow Palette - To Party In London - £11.99

The GOSH Autumn/Winter collection presents a new 9 Shades Eyeshadow Palette. Named with a clear reference to the sophisticated "city of dreams" as well as a tribute to the inner party girl with it's add on of - To Party In London. The new palette features fantastic pearly and metallic shades in different textures. Packed with 9 highly pigmented shades, the new palette features shades inspired by the glitz and glamour of the London night life. Scaling from soft rose and brown colours to the grey tones, it is suited to all skin tones and perfect for creating endless strong and powerful looks. The 9 Shades Eyeshadow Palette is perfume and paraben free, all 9 shades are stunning and I can't wait to create some pretty looks with this palette. 

GOSH Mix & Fix Blender Brush

The GOSH Mix & Fix Blender Brush has a flat brush head which is densely packed with extremely soft bristles,  it will be perfect for applying foundation or cream blush and I am really looking forward to using it. 

So those are all the products from the brand new GOSH Autumn/Winter 2017 makeup collection and what an amazing collection it is,  GOSH have absolutely killed it with this collection! 

I'll be back soon with a first impressions post of all the products and I will also have in depth reviews coming on my blog of all the products. If you want to pick any products from the collection up, they are available in store and online at Superdrug where they are currently on a 3 for 2 promotion so a great time to buy.

Have you tried any of the GOSH A/W 2017 makeup collection? Which product do you most like the look of? Which product/products would you like to see an in depth review of? Please let me know in the comments below. 

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