Savage Beauty

If you have read any of my blog posts before, you will know that I adore Liz Earle's skincare range. At the start of the month, Liz Earle's team held an Instagram competition, to celebrate the launch of their limited edition cleanse and polish. I was lucky enough to win this competition and I received a full-sized version of their limited edition cleanser, as well as a few other treats. As it is a new release, I wanted to share my thoughts about this cleanser!


Liz Earle's hot cloth cleanse and polish is designed to remove the dirt of the day, revealing radiant and healthy skin. I have been using the original version of their cleanser daily, for the past few years. I use it in the morning and night. It is a creamy texture, which easily dissolves make up from the day, without stripping your skin of it's natural oils. And, although it is a cleanser, I find it hydrating on the skin.

So, what makes this version different?

Liz Earle launch limited edition versions of their cleanse and polish every few months, depending on the season. The Lavender and Vetiver version is a fresh and flower-y scent, released just in time for spring. Lavender-based products are one of the best scents for diffusing stress, and leaving you feel calm and relaxed. It's a great scent for night-time use, too, as researchers recommend that lavender-based products can help you reach a deeper sleep.

As always, this cleanser works great. I use it in the morning to freshen my skin and remove excess oils. I also use it in the evening as it works well for removing the toughest of eyeliners, and unclogging pores. Limited edition or not, the cleanse and polish is fantastic for sensitive skin. I have acne-prone skin and find that this cleanser is gentle on the skin, and it does not my trigger breakouts.

Overall, I really loved using this limited edition version of the cleanse and polish. Not only is the scent incredibly fresh and vibrant, it's calming, too. Although it does have a relaxing aroma, it's great for either day or night use. Again, I just want to say a huge thank you to Liz Earle for picking me as their competition winner, as I was so happy to win a limited edition version of one of my holy grail products!

Let me know in the comments below if you have tried Liz Earle's cleanser!

XO Zoe

Lately, I have been having a lot of trouble with my skin. I've always been one to deal with "problem skin", but over the past year it really did start to clear up, and that felt amazing. Unfortunately, hormones have not worked in my favour, and this month I have ended up with the worst cystic-acne breakout that I have ever had. I have searched everywhere for a miracle cure, completely in denial about the idea that it is caused by my hormones, which means that I can do nothing to change that.

I was recommended to try any skincare products with tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is an anti-septic, and it is used to kill bacterial infections found within large spots. I spotted the Body Shop's tea tree oil range for £15, which contains a cleanser, toner and a lotion. I wanted to share my thoughts about these products.


Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser

The Skin Clearing cleanser is a foam cleanser which claims to "reduce the prevalence of redness and blemishes". It is priced at £6.00 per 150ml bottle. Simply wake up and apply one pump of this cleanser, evenly over your face. Wash it off with lukewarm water and dry your skin.

It is recommended for oily skin, and I would not recommend any of these products for people with dry skin. Tea tree oil is an anti-septic which dries your skin to slow down the rate of bacteria growth. You see, bacteria love to grow in warm, moist places. So, when you remove the excess moisture, you slow down the bacterial growth. If you're interested in all of that jazz, you can find out more here. But, basically, these products will suck all hydration out of your skin.

I think that this cleanser does the job of making your skin feel super refreshed after application. It's fresh scent is appealing, and the product is fantastic for when you wake up with angry, inflamed acne as it has a cooling affect on the skin. I find it really soothing, too. Although it does dry your skin, it did visibly reduce the the size of my blemishes after use.


Tea Tree Skin Clearing Mattifying Toner
The next step in this range is a Mattifying toner, priced at £6.50 per 250ml. This toner is designed to be used after the foaming wash, to remove excess oils and impurities from pores. In theory, it's supposed to mattify skin and reduce the size of large pores and blemishes.

Again, it is designed for oily skin as it does suck all moisture from your face. To be completely honest, I found this toner to be far too harsh for my skin. Upon application, this toner felt very tingly and began to almost sting my face. My skin went from looking glow-y with several blemishes to looking visibly dry and flake-y, with the same amount of blemishes.

Honestly, I would not recommend this product. I saw no improvement in the condition of my skin, after using this daily for a week. If anything my skin looked worse. My make-up looked awful after a few hours of using this product as my skin was so dry, my foundation would flake off... It was just gross.

Tea Tree Skin Clearing Pore Mattifying Lotion
The last step is to use the Pore Mattifying Lotion. This is a daily lotion designed to also remove impurities and dirt from large pores, reducing their size. It is priced at £9.50 per 50ml tube. A little goes a long way with this product, and you only need to use a teen-y pea-size amount to cover your whole face.

Upon application, this product does visibly reduce the size of pores and smooths over the skin to make your skin feel even. It is more of a gel-like consistency than a lotion, but it still feels lightweight on your skin. I would not recommend using this product under make-up, which kind of defeats the point of it being a "daily" lotion, as it is far too drying. Again, it made my make-up look dry and flake-y, I was not happy with the finish of it. I was super disappointed with this product.


Overall, I did enjoy using the foaming wash and I will continue to use it, as it made my skin feel refreshed. . However, I will not be using the toner or the mattifying lotion as it sucked all of the life out of my skin, and made the finish of my make-up look awful. The range as a three-piece did not reduce the size of my blemishes, after one week of use. But, after using the foaming cleanser as a stand alone product, I noticed that my large spots were dramatically reducing in size.

Have you tried this range? Let me know what your thoughts are, in the comments down below.

XO Zoe

Happy Sunday!

Let's be real, Christmas left me totally skint. As a result, I put a hefty spending ban on buying unnecessary beauty products during January and February. Because, I think it's time that I 'fessed up... I am a hoarder. Lotions, make-up brushes, shower gels, concealers. You name it, I hoard it. Putting a ban on buying on junk has allowed me to re-discover products and actually use them up. I wanted to share my thoughts about a few of these products. Enjoy!


Revlon Colorstay Foundation
Priced at £12.99, the Revlon Colorstay Foundation is a full-coverage foundation that feels lightweight on your skin. Its advertised to cover you for twenty-four hours. I cannot vouch for that claim but I do work 13 hour shifts and it keeps me covered! This is the only drugstore foundation to match my skin-tone perfectly, as their shade "Ivory" is the palest drugstore foundation out there! Don't panic though, if you do have a darker skin-tone, Revlon have a huge selection of shades.

Benefit Cheek Parade Palette
This product is not *completely* empty but, give me some credit. It's definitely hitting the pan enough for me to my mourn my loss! The Benefit Cheek Parade has served me well over the past year and, it contains five full-size Benefit bronzers/blushers. The palette contains the Hoola bronzer, Hoola lite bronzer, Dandelion blusher, Rockateur blusher and the GALifornia blusher. It is a great palette for travelling as you can create versatile looks on the go. It was priced at £49.59 at the time, which is a bargain for five Benefits powders as they usually cost £23.50 each.

Unfortunately, this palette is now out of stock but, Benefit are set to release the "Blush Bar" palette. This is a five pan palette containing the Hoola bronzer, GALifornia blusher, Dandelion blusher, Rockateur blusher and the Gold Rush Highlighter! I will definitely be purchasing this palette as soon as it arrives in the UK!


Urban Decay Quick Fix Spray
I know that I have spoken about this spray before, but this Urban Decay spray is so good! It is both a priming and setting spray, which leaves your skin (and make up) looking hydrated and dew-y. It also works as a "quick fix" through out the day, to freshen up your make-up! It's priced at £24, but it lasts a long time, giving your make up a gorgeous glow-y finish.

Liz Earle Botanicals Body Wash and Creme
If you have read my blog before, you will have realised that I adore anything from Liz Earle. I was lucky enough to receive the Liz Earle Botanical body wash and the body creme for Christmas. The body wash smells super luxurious, and the aroma of oranges will be left lingering on your skin! The body creme smells similar and is soothing, giving your skin a boost of moisture. They are both costly in price, but definitely worth it as a treat!

The Body Shop Almond And Honey Butter
I actually bought this Body Shop butter for my Mum for Christmas but, I ended up pinching it from her as it smells *so* good. First, it's inexpensive, and I originally bought this in the sale for £3! This body butter targets those with sensitive skin, nourishing and healing dry areas. It also soaks quickly into your skin so, you're not left to wait for it to dry all night! The scent of the honey is sweet and it leaves a light scent on your skin. I will definitely be re-purchasing this product.

Soap and Glory's Hand Food Hand Lotion
Soap and Glory's Hand Food cream is a holy grail product for me, and a cult classic for others. It is a hand cream, containing shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow. It has the signature Soap and Glory scent, and it works fast on dry hands to repair your damaged skin. I am a student nurse and I am constantly washing my hands, which dries my skin. I always keep one of these travel-sized hand creams on me whilst on placement to re-hydrate my hands.

Avon Planet Spa Mud Mask
Another product I received as a gift for Christmas was Avon's Planet Spa mud mask. I have never tried any skincare products from Avon before, so I did not know what to expect. A few months later and I am so sad that I have ran out this amazing product! It's a mud face mask which helps to clarify your skin by unclogging your pores, to remove dirt. It's so soothing on the skin and works well with my sensitive skin. It's inexpensive, coming in at around £5 per tube so I would recommend grabbing one!


Thank you so much for reading this post. Have you tried any of these products? Let me know your thoughts, in the comments down below.

XO Zoe

Happy Saturday!

Last week, I was stuck in the house due to the snow and I should have used the time to do some university work. Naturally, I binge watched Netflix. But, psychological thrillers count for working the mind, right? Anyway, I forgot how much I loved a good film, as I never usually have the time to watch one. Let me share a few of my favourites!

***Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.***

Get Out (2017)

Get Out is a psychological horror and it is definitely an odd one. Chris and Rose have been together four months, and Chris is finally invited to meet Rose's upper class parents. The weekend takes a turn for the worse though, as Chris is put in a "meet the parents gone-wrong" situation!

The plot is legitimately mental and it keeps you on the edge of the your seat. The acting from Allison Williams (Rose) was fantastic, and the 180 she does is brilliant... You'll understand what I mean half way through!. The film also recognises the role of racism within our society, whilst throwing in an out of this world storyline.

mother! (2017)

The first time I watched this film I turned it off, because it was a little too slow for me. The second time, I determinedly made it through the first thirty minutes, and I am glad that I did. It is a psychological thriller starring Jennifer Lawrence, and it is *incredibly* dark. Without going into too much detail, I can reveal that the movie involves a couple who have "uninvited" guests... Sorry, no spoilers here!

I really cannot say too much as I will ruin the storyline for you, but the plot runs parallel with a huge biblical metaphor. The film is gripping and shocking but, above all, dark. If you are sensitive to biblical themes, violence, sexual abuse or you are pregnant... DO NOT WATCH THIS. This film goes from 0 to 100 real quick, and it is definitely *not* for the faint-hearted.

Split (2016)

Split stars the talented James McAvoy, who plays a Kevin, a man with twenty-three personalities. Kevin kidnaps three teenage girls who must to fight for their lives to escape Kevin, and his personalities.

James McAvoy's phenomenal acting is what really made this film for me. He was so believable when portraying each personality and, it was almost as if a different actor was playing each personality. This film toys with mental illness and is intense. On a negative note, I did not like the ending, and would have preferred it if they had kept the plot a little more realistic. Nevertheless, it was a gripping film!

Flatliners (2017)

Flatliners is a re-make horror following five medical students. The students, who are played by a star-studded cast, experiment with the power of resuscitation to view the promise of the "after-life". Their experiments quickly become dangerous and the students must avoid being snatched by death itself.

It's a good film to watch if you're looking for an "easy" watch. It does get a little cringe-y in some places, but which horror movies don't? I loved the character development throughout the film, which I feel is lacking in many horrors these days.

What Happened To Monday

If you don't like horrors, What Happened To Monday is a science fiction thriller about seven sisters living in the year 2043. Famine and poverty have driven the government to a strict "one child" policy. Luckily, Monday and her six sisters (also named after each day of the week) are identical. The film surrounds the sister's ability to use their individual skills to evade the law.

It's full of suspense, humour and it is kind of gruesome, too! Noomi Rapace is such a talented actress and plays the fantastic role of all seven sisters. The character development and Noomi's versatile acting skills make each sister seem completely different to one another.

The Edge of Seventeen

On a lighter note, The Edge of Seventeen is a coming of age film starring Hailee Steinfield, who plays 'Nadine'. The movie follows Nadine's struggled to find her place in the world, acknowledging the all of the awkward parts of your teenage years. The adult humour makes it more relatable if you're out of your teens, so don't be scared to watch this if you're on the other side of seventeen.

Hailee Steinfield and Woody Allen do a fantastic job in this film, and there are lots of sick one-liner jokes that will leave you in stitches. This movie may also make you cry a little, so be prepared!

Scream (1996)

And finally, I had to chuck in a slasher movie! Scream follows a knife-yielding murderer (also known as Ghostface) who terrorises Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends. Ghostface makes his way through the town of Woodsboro, leaving many gore-y deaths behind him.

Obviously, you'll have to have been living under a rock to not have seen this movie as it is an old one. But, I had to mention it, as it is my favourite film! It's a classic and it's a great "movie-night" flick. It's full of gore, suspense and humour.

Thank you so much for reading my post! I hope you're able to find a good movie to watch!

XO Zoe

I was shopping in Primark last week (trying not to have my usual meltdown over how busy it was) when I stumbled across their cosmetic section. I knew that Primark sold their make up range "PS...", but I did not realise how much they had to offer. They sell everything from sets of make up brushes to highlighter palettes... and then some. The prices of each cosmetic item ranged from 50p to £5 and, as a university student who no longer can afford to splurge on expensive make up, these prices were right up my street!


After a few minutes browsing, I came across the After Party eyeshadow palette. This is a nine pan palette, with each pan containing 1.5g worth of product. The palette compromises of blue and purple glitter-y shimmer shades, and costs just £4.50! I grabbed this because I do not currently own an eyeshadow palette filled with blue shades and recently, I have been wanting to experiment with my make up. I knew that this palette would be perfect for that reason as it's so inexpensive, and I wouldn't be too mad if I didn't like it.

On first impressions, these shades swatched like butter. They're very soft and do not feel chalky on the skin, which is an issue that I normally find with most cheaper eyeshadow palettes. Overall, I found the palette to have pigmented and vibrant shades, which were easy to build on the eyelid. The swatches (pictured below) are all one swipe swatches, so there is plenty of colour within the shades. However, the first and second shades of the palette are lacking in pigmentation. I found that they both swatched a little patchy, too, and the glitter showed up as quite chunky on the skin.


When I had a proper play around with this palette, I found that I was able to come up with quite a few different eye looks. I'm always scared when I use blue eyeshadows that I will look like I have just been belted in the face, but the palette is versatile. If you use a warm-toned brown in the crease of your eyelid, you can blend the shadows out to create a light, day-time look. Likewise, using a matte black shadow will give you a dramatic "night out" look. So, it's really up to you and where you're going. Some of these shades are super interesting. For example, the third shade in the top row is so lovely on the eyes that you could actually use it by itself, to give your eyes a fresh pop of colour.

A real negative for me is the amount of fall out that these shadows produce. Because the shades contain glitter, you will definitely end up looking like a disco ball after applying them! I would recommend completing your base make-up *AFTER* you have finished using this palette. Also, try taping tissue paper under your eyes as a way of catching the fall-out. To give the palette some credit, eyeshadows containing micro-glitter tend to have a lot of fall-out anyway. I own the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette, which cost me £40 at the time, and personally I think the fall-out from that palette is worse than the Primark palette. And, I would much rather pay £4.50 than £40.


Overall, I think this is a great eyeshadow palette. Most of the shades apply evenly and are pigmented. The palette can be used to create versatile day or night looks, and is fantastic for experimenting with different shades. Price wise, you really cannot complain too much about the shadow fall-out, which can be easily swiped away with a make up wipe. I'll definitely be trying more products from the "PS..." range at Primark.

Thank you for reading my post. Please, let me know in the comments if you have tried any products from Primark's cosmetic range!

XO Zoe