Wild Kat Makeup: Beauty Guru & Makeup Artist

L’Oreal Purifying Micellar Solution

Katherine — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:09:00 +0000

L’Oreal‘s Purifying Micellar Solution is the current golden child of drugstore/chemist skin care. Hailed as the far more affordable alternative to the almost mythic Bioderma, L’Oreal’s micellar solution ticks a lot of boxes.

Having never tried Bioderma‘s offering, I was eager to give this product a run for it’s money. Popping into Superdrug I eyed it immediately with it’s more than appreciated £2.48 price tag. I wasn’t sure what to expect. A makeup remover with a twist? A miracle to all one’s makeup erasing woes?

I’ve heard and read a great many opinions and reviews on this product, and I agree on many aspects, but disagree on one. The positive points are that it does remove makeup totally, without dragging the eye area to get off the last dregs of mascara and eyeliner. It makes your skin feel hydrated, no sticky residue or overly stripped feeling is present after use. However, I’ve found it does sometimes sting my eyes. A negative point I haven’t seen too much of in the reviews I’ve read. This could be due to a makeup product of mine not agreeing too well with my eyes and the solution, or it could just be the solution itself. I do wear a lot of eye makeup, so I appreciate that this may have contributed to the discomfort. I’m quite a tough cookie though, and have perservered with using this because I love how quick and easy it is and the way it leaves my skin feeling. I would suggest using this solution with cotton pads rather than cotton wool, as the pads seem to distribute the liquid more thoroughly.

Give it a go if you’re after a quick makeup removing fix, but do bear in mind it isn’t the only step in night time cleansing, and that it may cause discomfort to those with sensitive eyes!

Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Range

Katherine — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:52:10 +0000

The Vaseline Cocoa Butter Radiant body care range isn’t new, but it has been improved and now contains a very clever multi layer stratys moisture technology, which locks moisture fully into all levels of the skin.

The full range contains four products, three body lotions, all with varying degrees of skin smoothing goodness, and one lip therapy in a tin.

The Cocoa Radiant Rich Feeling Lotion is a creamy but quick drying formula, smells yummy and doesn’t leave a sticky residue. Out of the three, I would say this is a good bet if you have normal skin.

The Vitalizing Body Gel Oil I’ve tried many moons ago, and wasn’t bowled over by. The reason being that the texture didn’t dry, and instead of leaving a silky glow to the skin, it made it look slick and feel sticky. This time around I was very pleasantly surprised to see that it has been updated and therefore, lost it’s oiliness! Instead it imparts a lovely sheen, and soaks into the skin brilliantly. Hurrah!

The Rich Body Butter is one for those who suffer from very, very dry skin, even in Spring months. The texture is thick and very luxurious, and as a result is perfect for popping on before bedtime!

Finally, the Cocoa Lip Therapy is sweet smelling and very nourishing for the lips. I have the rosy lips therapy, too, and this is just as nice.

The Vaseline range is half price in Superdrug right now!

Estee Lauder Invisible Powder & DayWear UV Base

Katherine — Thu, 02 May 2013 10:02:44 +0000

Two very exciting new releases from Estee Lauder that I have been loving using, recently!

Firstly, the DayWear UV Base which is touted as having advanced multi-protection and anti-oxidant UV defense. I’ve been using this every day underneath my makeup in place of a primer, and it works perfectly at keeping my foundation in tact throughout the day.

Infused with a mouthwatering cucumber scent, it’s a brilliant addition to my skin care routine, especially with the Summer just around the corner. With a SPF of 50, the DayWear UV Base should be in everyone’s Spring and Summer beauty arsenal. Priced at £33 for 30ml, available here.

When I popped this out of the very lux packaging I imagined it to be a powder foundation, as the name and the description are rather misleading. It’s actually a powder to wear over your foundation/bb cream/tinted moisturiser, rather than something that can be worn in place of it. I did originally apply this on bare skin and can say that it has minimal coverage by itself. However, when applied as the finishing touch to the rest of your makeup, something magical happens.

The unique gelee formula makes it not a powder as powders are traditionally known, but rather a gel/liquid/powder hybrid. The texture once applied is almost creamy, and blends absolutely flawlessly. It doesn’t cling to dry patches, nor change the appearance of the foundation underneath. It imparts the healthiest glow I’ve ever gotten from a powder, keeps shine at bay without being matte, and almost seems to airbrush the foundation it sits upon.

I would highly recommend the Invisible Powder Makeup, especially for anyone who feels most powders make them look too, well, powdery! This is an absolute dream of a product. It also comes with a dual sided applicator, the velvet side creates a sheer coverage and the sponge side a fuller coverage. My shade is 2WN1 Rattan. Priced at £29 for 7g available here.

Neom Organics Scent With Love Gift Set

Katherine — Wed, 01 May 2013 10:00:52 +0000

Some people, despite our best efforts, are impossible to buy for. You can scourer gift shop after gift shop and still come out empty handed. Neom Luxury Organics have sought to eradicate this dilemma by offering a downright lovely collection of gift boxes, aptly named Scent With Love.

Last year I featured the Scent With Love miniature candles, and now I bring you the Body Care gift set. A collection of heavenly scented pampering treats, which includes:

* Tranquility Bath & Shower Oil – 30ml
A blend of English Lavender, Sweet Basil, and Jasmine. The oil comes housed in a rather lovely glass bottle, too.

* Sensuous Body Wash – 50ml
A warming mixture of Ylang Ylang, Frankincense, and Patchouli

* Sensuous Body Lotion – 50ml
(as above)

* Complete Bliss Moroccan Blush Rose Hand Cream – 50ml (full size)
Rose with a hint of Lime and Black Pepper.

So, if you’re stuck in a present buying rut, head over to Neom and browse their scrumptious selection of occasion-perfect goodies (and maybe pick one up for yourself?)

Scent With Love Body Care Gift Set retails for £35 here.

Mandara Spa Island Paradise Collection

Katherine — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:49:36 +0000

The Mandara Spa Island Paradise Collection is a little treat to whisk you away (if only in your imagination) to a tropical cove.

A rich mixture of salty, grapefruit and lemon goodness, this trio of body care products will have you ready for Summer (please tell me it’s on its way?) in a second.

The scent is something out of this world, reminiscent of Champneys divine Aqua Therapy Detox range, which I fell in love with many moons ago.

If you are looking for a body smoothing kit to pack for your holidays, then the Island Paradise Touch of Spa miniatures is absolutely perfect. Or, if like me, you are as far away from a tropical escape as Jupiter is from the Earth (insert sobbing here) just buy this and pretend you’re there anyway! Add a pitcher of mojito and bam! Paradise is yours.

Priced at an exceptionally reasonable £7.50 and available online here.

BeautEco Box Review

Katherine — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:57:18 +0000

BeautEco Box is the brand new beauty sampling subscription service on the block. Perhaps you’ve had your fill of sample boxes by now, but this one is something a little bit different to the rest.

BeautEco only include organic and/or natural products in their boxes, all from top quality brands. Some you may be familiar with, some you may not. But regardless of the name, these products will satisfy the urge to try new things whilst still being a little bit ‘green’.

As well as the eco friendly arc, BeautEco give you the choice of three boxes each month, so you can handpick the selection of samples you’d like to try. Neat idea, right? There will be no more disappointment when it arrives on your doormat, nor comparisons with others’ having better boxes than yours – which let’s face it, we are all guilty of doing!

I chose the box that had, in my opinion, the best all rounder products, ranging from low end to *cough* exceedingly high end.Let’s have a closer look at the contents, then!

Anatomicals Don’t Just Clean It Woman, Scrub It! (£3.49 for 200ml)

I’ve received a sample of this in a GlossyBox months prior, and I liked it very much. This is a full size product, 250ml, which is very generous indeed. The scent is unmistakeably grapefruit – perfect for Spring!

Anatomicals Help The Paw Hand Cream (£3)

Once again a full size product, once again from Anatomicals! However you can never have too much of a good thing, right? Lovely fresh scent, very moisturising, great stuff!

Mitchell & Peach Body Cream (£36 for 180ml)

I had high hopes for this, I think the inclusion of the word Peach in the brand’s title misled me a little! It’s a typical lavender, English Country Garden scent, not my sort of thing, sadly.

Melvita Rose Milky Cleansing Oil (£27 for 40ml)

I’ve tried a few products from Melvita in the past and enjoyed them immensely. This rose cleansing oil for both eyes and face looks lovely, however it doesn’t have any discerning smell to it, which is a shame. Looking forward to trying it out!

Dr.Bragi Age Management Moisturiser (£120 for 60ml *gulp*)

Saving the best for last, this is the seemingly unassuming facial moisturiser included in one version of the BeautEco box. As soon as I squeezed it out of the tube, I was intrigued. It’s a clear gel formula, no scent whatsoever, and comprised of marine enzymes to combat the signs of ageing and eradicate dryness. I have been using this every night since the box arrived, and I am completely in love! It’s not until I looked at the little info card and saw the price tag that my heart sank quite a lot. £120 for 60ml is rather astronomical, but boy, is it worth it! Take my advice and get your hands on a sample of this – it’s incredible!

(Keep your eyes peeled for reviews coming soon of other Dr.Bragi products!!)

All in all, I am impressed with BeautEco and the new route they are taking in their approach to beauty box services. If you’re interested, each box is £10 per month plus P+P and it launches the end of this week, here: http://www.beautecobox.co.uk

Pooch Pack!

Katherine — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:58:58 +0000

A departure from the beauty world, yet still something I am extremely excited to feature - Pooch Pack! The ultimate monthly subscription box for the dog in your life. Filled to the brim with toys, supplements, and treats, Pooch Pack create luxury boxes that every dog will adore.

Starting at £16.95 (for a six month subscription), Pooch Pack deliver – for free! – a box of goodies straight to your door. And yes, it’s even addressed to the main pooch in your life!

Visit Pooch Pack .co.uk – your dog will thank you for it!

Have a little look at my video review of the fab Christmas box: Click to watch!

Christmas Gift Guide!

Katherine — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 21:48:45 +0000

Last week I uploaded my very first Christmas Gift Guide. Featuring an array of unusual beauty and lifestyle products and sets, I’m confident you’ll find something perfect if you’re still rushing to finish your present buying!

http://t.co/yUu8TD09

Enrapture Encode Totem Styler

Katherine — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 10:36:30 +0000

The Enrapture Encode Totem Styler heralds a new generation of hair styling tools. Designed to incorporate three different heated areas and in conjunction, three heat settings, it allows you to create everything from corkscrew curls to modern beach waves.

Having very thick and long hair, I’ve struggled in the past to find a styler that can suits me, and keep the curl throughout the day. The Enrapture Encode is super easy to handle, with a swivel cord at the base, and extra long power cable, and the inclusion of a mini ‘flipper’ to aid in hair curling and styling.

You can ‘encode’ the tool for your perfect style – 1-1-1 for soft waves, or a mixture of 1-2-3 for tighter, more polished curls. Check out the Enrapture VIP area for more style inspiration – http://www.enrapturehair.com

It heats up quickly, and comes with a rubberized tip to accommodate the clumsy among us!

Here are the results after testing out the Enrapture Encode on a 1-1-1 setting (recommended for your first use):

I’m not a hair styling aficionado, to say the least, but even I found it easy to use and manuoevre, and the results are pretty stellar, even on a low heat setting.

The Enrapture Encode is £74.99 and can be purchased from Boots – http://www.boots.com/en/Enrapture/

Elemis Spa At Home

Katherine — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 14:43:07 +0000

These beautiful products are perfect for creating a spa feel at home.

Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi 3 in 1 Oil is fast becoming an all time favourite of mine. A supreme blend on Frangipani and coconut oils, it can be used as a body moisturiser, on dry split ends, or as a nourishing cuticle oil for hands in need of repair.

The scent alone is enough reason to run out and purchase a bottle, and the beautiful glow it gives the skin is to die for. Part of their body exotics range, it retails for £29.70 for 100ml.

Purchase here: http://www.timetospa.co.uk/bath-and-body/moisturise-and-massage/elemis-frangipani-monoi-body-oil.aspx

On to the Aching Muscle Super Soak, touted quite rightly as an immediate antidote to overwork, tired muscles and minds. A heady blend of Birch, Juniper, Clove, Alpine Lavender, Wild Thyme and Blue Chamomile combined with sea salt, this product is perfect for the athletes amongst us (surely there must be some, somewhere?? ) or in the case of myself, a fabulous remedy to soothe aches and pains after long walks or long days!

Priced at £32.70 for a huge 400ml it’s an absolute must for the stressed and hard working!

Purchase here: http://www.timetospa.co.uk/bath-and-body/bath-and-shower/elemis-aching-muscle-super-soak.aspx