theBalm Cosmetics - Travel Size Classics

Whenever I am going on holiday, weekend away, off to visit the family or on an overnight stop somewhere, I love to make sure I have my essentials but the last thing I want to be doing is lugging around a case full of full-sized skincare and makeup products, especially if it means I can fit in another pair of shoes.  So, I am a huge fan of mini products and am always chuffed when I find mini versions of some of my favourite products because it makes life much less stressful and as much as I try to remember to decant products, I rarely do. I also love trying new products from brands as a mini option too, this way I can decide whether or not I like something before splashing out.

One brand that does some incredible miniature versions of their bestsellers is theBalm Cosmetics and when these little pouches arrived, I did do a little squeal because there are some of my favourite products.  Meet theBalm Travel Size Classics.

As you can see, there are five of theBalm classic products included within this pouch and you might have come and across just some of them, or you might have come across and used all of them.  For me, I had used just two of the five, so it has been amazing to try something new and because I am going to France twice in the next few months for 5 days each time, I definitely need to be thinking about what products I need to be taking with me.

First out of the bag is a product called the timeBalm Face Primer. Enriched with Vitamins A, C and E, timeBalm is a product which can be worn alone for visibly softer skin, or under makeup so your look stays put. It also helps even out skin tone and minimizes the appearance of fine lines and pores.

On the skin, this balm is not at all like one of those primers that is full of silicone and sits on the skin and really feels quite grim, it is instead lightweight, it applies incredibly well and for just a few seconds it is quite tacky but that feeling soon subsides. When applying makeup, it glides on over the top of this primer, doesn't cling to it, no creasing occurs and my skin looks and feels soft and smooth to the touch. I have enjoyed using this primer so much that I have already ordered a full sized tube.

The second product within the bag is the Bahama Mama Bronzer, Shadow and Contour Powder.  I have a full size one of these and I just adore everything about it. With no orange undertones, this is quite a dark bronzer, it applies matte and I tend to use it very lightly on my oh so pale skin. 

What I love about Bahama Mama is that it is one of those multitasking products and definitely one that every makeup bag needs because as well as being a bronzer, it also doubles up to perform the role of a contour powder, a neutral brow-filler and a really pretty neutral eyeshadow shade, the latter being one of my favourite things to use it as, for that natural everyday look.

Hot Mama! comes next and this is a product I have had my eye on for a while now. Another multitasking product which acts as your all-in-one highlighter, blush and eyeshadow.

I am not a big user of blushes admittedly, I have my own inbuilt redness, so any blush tends to not even show up on my skin without making the redness really stand out, but there is something about this shade that I just adore. Rather than being a bright Barbie pink, Hot Mama! is infact has a really pretty pinky-peach hue that gives your cheeks and lids a hint of colour and because it has a shimmering gold tone, it works wonderfully well at as a highlighter too.

The one product I am sure everyone has come across or might even have within their stash is the iconic Mary-Lou Manizer.  This product was one of the very first I tried from theBalm a good few years ago and it is also the first highlighter I ever hit pan on too!

Mary-Lou Manizer is a beautiful Champagne Gold colour with warm undertones and a soft, pearl-like sheen which gives the skin a luminous glow. Mary-Lou Manizer is pigmented, you only needed the smallest amount to get that incredible pop of colour. As you might expect, this product has been included within the Travel Size Classics pouch for a reason and that is because it too is a multitasking product - Mary-Lou Manizer can also be used as a shadow to really make that eye makeup look pop. For me, this product is a must for everyone's stash.

The final product within this pouch is the Mad Lash Mascara and I am an absolute mascara fiend and a huge fan of this product, which you can featured on my blog right here.

I am drawn to most mascaras based on their wand and formula. From theBalm we have a masacara which is not only a richly pigmented black formula but the wand, as you can see, features a slight curve to it and I have found it to be perfectly curved with bristles long enough to reach the smallest of lashes.  The formula is very much a liquid like formula but it is not overly wet, one of my pet peeves with mascara is a formula which is too wet and clumps the lashes!   This is a mascara you can layer numerous times without getting spider lashes and it is one which you can remove with just warm water.

I already have my pouch in my travel case ready for when I go to France in a few weeks time and it is a fabulous way to travel with your favourites or to become acquainted with a brand and the products you have had your eye on for some time.  It retails for $46.50 from theBalm here and each one of these products can be purchased separately online from the likes of Feelunique, Lookfantastic* and of course Superdrug.

Do you have a favourite product from theBalm?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Cult Beauty Mini’s

I am a huge fan of mini products and if you follow me on Instagram, you will have seen just how many I have from L’Occitane! For me, they are great for holidays and short breaks and more so, if you have a whole host of products you want to try, then the option for trying a smaller size at a fraction of the cost, especially when you might not like the product after all. In the past, I have been one of those persons who has loved the sound of a product only to purchase it and find that it hasn’t been right for me and I’ve essentially wasted hard earned money.

Cult Beauty in their infinite wisdom have recently launched their Mini product section* on the website and I am in impressed with the number of brands and products there is on offer.

We live in an age where brands are literally inventing, reinventing, sly copying, duping, reformulating and even re-packaging, to that end, I constantly have a huge list of makeup, haircare, skincare and even bath products that I really want to try.

Here is a list of the five mini items I currently have in my Cult Beauty basket:

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask (£19.50 30ml) - Anything K-Beauty related is automatically going to capture my attention and this mask has been on my radar for quite some time now and for me, this is a great way to try it.  Described as being a luxuriously ‘bouncy’, lightweight, gel-like sleeping mask, this mask uses watermelon extract, for its ability to soothe irritated and inflamed skin hydrating hyaluronic acid and exfoliating, pore-refining alpha-hydroxy acids that get to work while you sleep.

Saturday Skin No Bad Days Kit (£31) - Another brand who keeps catching my eye on Instagram is Saturday Skin with their bright pastel pink packaging.  This Kit features four of the brands products which are the Rub-A-Dub Refining Peel Gel (20ml), Daily Dew Hydrating Essence Mist (30ml), Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream (15ml) and Featherweight Daily Moisturising Cream (30ml) and it is a great way to be introduced.

Therapie Discovery Kit (£44) - I absolutely adore the Himalayan Bath Salts from Therapie, literally the best bath salts I have ever used, so naturally, I want to try everything else to offer.  This Discovery Kit contains Boost Hair & Body Wash (50ml), Equilibrium Bath & Shower Essence (30ml), Himalayan Detox Salts (70g), Cherish Skin Repair Serum (30ml) and Restore Aura Spray (30ml).

Hourglass Caution Extreme Mascara (£12) - Having seen this mascara raved about by some of my favourite bloggers, I want to try it and the travel size is half the price of a full-size version and I am totally lured in.  Described as being a Mascara which gives enviable length, extreme volume and eye-opening definition for your most explosive lash look ever.

The final item currently sitting in my basket is the Natasha Denona Mini Bronze and Glow Compact (£16).  There is no denying that every single product released by Natasha Denona is just stunning, but the prices often make my eyes water, so currently, this Bronzer and Highlighter has my attention because the price point is pretty good and if I don't like it, I haven't wasted a lot of money.

Alongside these products, there are well over 200 other options to choose from including products from NARS, Drunk Elephant, Morphe, Iconic London, Benefit, Too Faced and many more.

Are you a fan of mini products? 

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

MALIN + GOETZ Essential Kit

In little, over 6 weeks I will be on my merry way, excitedly to Disneyland Paris for the third time in as many years and in just a few weeks I am off back to my family home to spend a week my family, doing the yearly catch up. So now I am going through my stash deciding what I need to take with me and that means looking for those travel and sample sizes I have been hoarding and making sure I have everything I need.

Malin +Goetz was established in 2004 and they have one simple brief - Simple Skincare Solutions. 

We make skincare easy, starting with sensitive skin. With this in mind, our treatments are made to be both gentle and effective, for all skin types, women and men or for how a modern couple will shop for and use products together. Every product is formulated with trusted natural ingredients and proven advanced technologies to perform without sacrificing luxury.

The brand, having now expanded to include products for the face, body and hair, to fragrance and candles. With that in mine, this Essentials Kit, which features six 29ml essential travel sized products which come packaged inside their own carry-on approved case making them perfect for on the go.

Inside there is: 

• Grapefruit face cleanser - now this cleanser smells just incredible. It is the kind of scent you want in candle form to travel throughout the home and leave you feeling just relaxed. It uses natural grapefruit extract which is known for its cleansing properties alongside amino acids, Glycerin and Sodium PCA to soothe, hydrate and moisturise.
• Vitamin E face moisturiser - Designed for all skin types, this moisturiser works to hydrate and balance the skin. To do that it uses Vitamin E a known anti-oxidant to help soothe and calm, sodium hyaluronate + panthenol which hydrates and nourishes and of course calming Chamomile.
• Bergamot body wash - Again this body wash has an amazing scent and if citrusy scents are your thing, then this is a must. Described as being expertly crafted to hydrate the skin without drying it out or causing any irritation with tacky residue. It is delightful when used in the bath or as a body wash and it doesn't strip the skin or leave bergamot scent on your skin.  When it comes to ingredients, you see the use of naturally derived amino acids and glycerin hydrate.
• Vitamin b5 body moisturiser - This product is incredibly lightweight on the skin and leaves your skin feeling instantly hydrated.  Using fatty acids which deliver intense hydration, there is also provitamin b5 which nourishes and hydrates and grapeseed oil which helps to restore moisture.
• Peppermint shampoo - A best seller from Malin + Goetz, this shampoo is designed to purify and balance all hair and scalp types. What I like about this shampoo, is that it doesn't irritate my scalp or leave my hair feeling drier than a haystack. Using amino acids which thoroughly cleanse without drying, Olive Oil to moisturise and Peppermint which adds the most amazing scent.
• Cilantro conditioner - This is a gentle daily conditioner hydrates and ph balances all hair and scalp types. Using fatty acids deliver lightweight yet intense hydration, Shea Butter to moisturise and natural cilantro to calm and adds a refreshing scent.

This set is perfect for those few days away and it contains absolutely everything you need to take with you.  Found at SpaceNK (here) for just £24 there are also further products available in travel size form which are worth checking out and ive got my eye on a few of the candles which sound divine.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here