Neal's Yard Oat and Wild Plum Eye Shadows - Review and swatches

I bought two organic eye shadows from the Neal's Yard to try out in the beginning of February. Both are beautiful shades for the daily make-up. 

Neal's Yard Oat Eyeshadow is a soft and light, close to the beige shade with a satin finish. During the day shade changes to a more pink hue, but still looks lovely and natural on my eye lids. 

Neal's Yard Oat Eyeshadow

I love to apply it on my eyelids and top it up with my grey eyeliner for a simple day look.

Here is the ingredient list:

Mica, Zea mays (corn) starch*, Ethylhexyl stearate, Zinc stearate, Squalane, Ethylhexyl palmitate, Tapioca starch*, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil*, Punica granatum (pomegranate) seed oil*, Rosa canina (rosehip) fruit oil*, Tocopherol, Camellia sinensis (white tea) leaf extract, Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, CI 77891 (titanium dioxide), CI 77499 (iron oxides), CI 77491 (iron oxides), CI 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide).

This eye shadow has good blending and lasting qualities. I am generally pleased with this shade and plan to buy it again in the future. If I would want to rate it from 1 to 5, I can easily give Neal's Yard Oat Eyeshadow 5 points. It is good quality, has friendly ingredient list and has an appealing packaging. 

Neal's Yard Wild Plum Eyeshadow is a beautiful purple/violet shade. Has the same soft consistency with satin finish.

Neal's Yard Wild Plum Eye Shadow

Wild Plum requires a bit more blending than the Oat shade, but this is expected from the deeper shade eye shadow. It is perfect for the crease or for a smoky eye look. I usually prefer more mauve shades, but this suits well with my grey eyes and skin tone.

Here is the ingredient list for you to have a look:

Mica, Zea mays (corn) starch*, Ethylhexyl stearate, Zinc stearate, Squalane, Ethylhexyl palmitate, Tapioca starch*, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil*, Punica granatum (pomegranate) seed oil*, Rosa canina (rosehip) fruit oil*, Tocopherol, Camellia sinensis (white tea) leaf extract, Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, CI 77491 (iron oxides), CI 77891 (titanium dioxide), CI 77510 (ferric ammonium ferrocyanide), CI 77510 (ferric ferrocyanide).

Almost same as above, just the difference in CI's. There is slight con of Wild Plum eye shadow, it tend to dust from the eyelids and gets into your fine lines. I would give Neal's Yard Wild Plum Eye Shadow 4 points out of 5. It is a good quality natural eye shadow, but isn't perfect.

Both Neal's Yard eye shadows are a blend of natural minerals and light-reflecting mica in a base of super-fine organic corn starch. They are enriched with antioxidant white tea and wild rosehip oil, with organic skin-nourishing oils to nourish, nurture and protect the skin. Eye shadows are Talc, Parabens and silicones free. Neal's Yard cosmetics is certified by the Soil Association. 

You can find a lovely shades in the collection. Have you tried any from above? What is your review?
Marija


PS: This is not an advertisement. Eye shadows were bought for my personal use and with my own money. This is just a personal review to share.

Cosmetics wish list

I am looking for new cosmetics to add to my perfect make-up bag this year and I thought this is the best place to record what I would like to try out. Do leave a comment below if you have tried any of them and let me know what do you think.

1. Liz Earle Radiant Glow Bronzer. Ever since I tried it in the store I coveted it. This bronzer has four tones, it is very soft on touch and not too much shimmer in the product. It looks great and I love what is made of too. Would like to practise my contour and highlight skills with it.

2. Zao Essence of Nature Matt Eye Shadow in Dark Brown (203). Never tried this brand before. Packaging looks beautiful, ingredients are good and the dark brown shade looks just what I need to fill in my brows or to use instead of an eye pencil.

3. Zoya Nail Polish Aubrey. I just adore the shade and I though it is the right time to try a more friendly to nails formula.

4. Zoya Nail Polish Naked Base. Another Zoya's product I would like to try. According to the brand this Naked Manicure Naked Base is a nutrient rich formula specifically created to refine the nail surface and to treat damage with a proprietary blend of vitamins, proteins, botanicals and sulfur amino acids that mimic the natural keratin of the nail. Sounds wonderful to me.

Here are my recent wants. Now it is a shopping time!
Marija

Recent Reads - e-Book The Girl on the Train

Nothing can compare to a real book in your hands, but recently I got a clever substitute. It is sad to see so many libraries closing down these days and because I am closely related to one this upsets me even more. I always had an unconditional love to books and it won't disappear any time soon. 

One day I was privileged to see St Paul's library. It is amazing, beautiful old books and unforgettable smell of library where books are kept for hundreds of years. I just wanted to stay, touch and read.

But even I embrace changes in the world and I do enjoy injection of technology into the modern  library. I haven't shared my recent reads for some time now, due to I have been reading a lot more e-books, than paper ones. I got overdrive on my mobile and tablet and been lost into them. I see the benefits of e-books when you are busy and on the go. It is just your device you need to carry.

I read few fictions, but only one left a slight trace in my memory - The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. If you like a bit of mystery, murder and down to earth character, you will like this book too. It tells you the story from three women's view. The Girl on the Train hooked me straight away and kept me interested until the end. 

Nothing over the top, but a good read to stir your brain up a little bit. Here are few my favourite phrases from the book.

- Hollowness: that I understand. I'm starting to believe that there isn't anything you can do to fix it. That's what I've taken from the therapy sessions: the holes in your life are permanent. You have to grow around them, like tree roots around concrete; you mold yourself through the gaps

By Paula Hawkins, The Girl on the Train

- I can’t do this, I can’t just be a wife. I don’t understand how anyone does it—there is literally nothing to do but wait. Wait for a man to come home and love you. Either that or look around for something to distract you.

By Paula Hawkins, The Girl on the Train

- But then I think, this happens sometimes, doesn’t it? People you have a history with, they won’t let you go, and as hard as you might try, you can’t disentangle yourself, can’t set yourself free. Maybe after a while you just stop trying.

By Paula Hawkins, The Girl on the Train

-I’m playing at real life instead of actually living it.”

By Paula Hawkins, The Girl on the Train

This book will sweep you away and will hold you until the end. Amazing read!

Have you read the book? What are your impressions?
You can get e-books from overdrive through your local library, I believe not only in London, but around all the UK. Worth to check it out and give your local library a chance for the future.

Marija

MWgift(s) - February update

As you know, I am recovering from the cold and got this lovely parcel last week to cheer me up. Each time I get my stock delivered, I feel excited and can't wait to share with you my gifts ideas.

February is month of love and friendship and this month along with the rest I got some cute boxes to show off. I posted almost all of them on eBay, but I still have some pending work to be done later this week. Here is the link to my eBay sales list for you to have a look later on, because I plan to add few more amazing boxes to it.

1. Round Embossed Silver Metal Decorative Jewellery/Storage Box. It is such a gorgeous little box, with beautiful details inside, out and on the lid.

2. Small Book Style Jewellery Box Flower and Elephant. Beautiful hand crafted boxes with velvet lining inside to keep you small silver, gold or costume jewellery scratch free. 

You can click on the links above to access more photos and descriptions. They are adorable.

3. Three Leave Shaped Decorative Silver Metal Embossed Box. A lovely storage idea for all your small accessories. Beautiful details throughout. Box opens up to reveal three compartments.

4. Silver embossed stand with a peacock on it. I haven't posted it on eBay just yet, I believe it will be up by Friday.

Here are some of my new items to share in the February update.

I am so glad, my project is slowly growing and prospering. It makes me happy to be able to use my ideas and energy into something productive. And I hope my gift ideas makes someone happy out there.

I will never stop saying how valuable experience I gain means to me. I am every day something new: stock management, logistics, accounting, customer relationship, PR and plenty more just doing simple online selling. One day, I am sure, this experience will deliver something big and good.

Happy shopping everyone! Enjoy the month of love and friendship! I am looking for something new for MWgift(s) next month. Stay tuned!
Marija

Empty bottles - January 2016

I like what I see in my empties this month.

1. John Freida Full Repair Hydrate + Rescue Shampoo. It is good. I like everything about this bottle from the packaging to the properties of the product inside it. Pump is very handy to use in the shower and it left only a tiny amount of shampoo at the bottom, so minimum waste. Shampoo is very gentle on scalp and hair, but lathers very well. Easy to wash out oily hair masks in one go. Light and pleasant scent as well a positive point.

Here is the ingredient list for you to have a look:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycol Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Cocamide MEA, Sodium Chloride, Silicone Quaternium-18, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol, Trideceth-6, Disodium EDTA, Malic Acid, Trideceth-12, Glycine, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, PPG-9, Stearoxypropyl Dimethylamine, C14-28 Isoalkyl Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, C14-28 Alkyl Acid, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Stearyl Alcohol, Methylisothiazolinone, Tocopherol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol.

A definite "again" for me. Gentle, caring and light shampoo for fine hair - just what I need.

2. Maybellie Matte Maker Mattifying Powder. I have a mixed thought about this one. My first impression was - such a soft powder, my second though was - such a dusty powder. It used to fly everywhere. I am glad to finish it and I am sure I won't buy it again. There is no "wow" factor in this beauty product, or maybe I wanted too much from a mass market cosmetic. It wasn't bad either, just another pressed powder to try out.

Here is the ingredient list:

Talc, Paraffinum Liquidum/ Mineral Oil/ Magnesium Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol. [+/- May Contain: Cl 77492 / Titanium dioxide/ Cl 77491, Cl 77492, Cl 77499, Iron Oxides

It contains Mineral Oil. I think I shall choose better next time.

3. Vichy Purete Thermale Perfecting Toner. I needed to change my toners for something more pleasant. I love natural toners, but I was truly tired to tolerate their scents. I am actually delighted to buy Vichy Purete Thermale. The ingredient list isn't that bad, the scent is lovely refreshing and it calms and cools the skin just the right way.

AQUA / WATER - PEG-8 - GLYCERIN - PEG-60 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL - DISODIUM EDTA - COPPER SULFATE - MYRTRIMONIUM BROMIDE - PARFUM / FRAGRANCE

The Perfecting Toner removes any impurities residue left after cleansing. It is formulated without alcohol and contains Glycerin for a moisturising effect. My skin just takes it all in with gratitude. I am planing to take advantage of 3 for 2 offer on skin care currently running at Boots and buy another bottle. 

4. Toni&Guy Classic Shine Gloss Serum. My bottle was faulty and I decided to rescue what ever left transferring serum into small empty bottle. I thought to review it now as well, so I don't need to keep the actual bottle until I finish the serum.

This serum is suitable for all hair types. I use it after the hair dryer to help me to control frizz and static. It is ok, but not great. Serum smooths hair nicely and smells good, but I have a feeling that something is missing. I used it for some time now, but don't feel like buying another bottle.

Here is the ingredient list:

Cyclopentasiloxane, Isohexadecane, Dimethiconol, Parfum (Fragrance), Phenyl Trimethicone, Amodimethicone, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool.

Even ingredient list isn't that bad, I think it is just me and desire to have saloon quality hair. I am still in search of the perfect hair serum/oil. Do you know one?

Here are all my empties. Have you tried any from above? Do you have your own favourites?

Marija

Beauty haul - January

I am bit late with my January beauty haul. I spend most of the last week fighting the cold. Not many items to share, looks like a conscious shopping month for me.

January began with a lovely Pacifica French Lilac perfume and Natural Collection pressed face powder. I posted a review on the perfume earlier this month, just click here to read it. 

I wasn't prepared to select a pressed powder, so decided to buy the simple one with the shortest ingredient list I could find. Natural Collection Pressed Powder is just that and the most important it does the job. I feel like I need a bit more time to decide what I want for my make-up bag this year. 

Another January beauty buy is John Freida Brilliant Brunette Colour Protecting Moisturising Shampoo. I loved their Full Repair shampoo, so decided to try a version for brunettes next. 

Have you tried any from above? What is your perfect January buy?

Marija