Afterspa Amazing Makeup Remover Review

One of the products I received in my Birchbox in January was the Afterspa Amazing Makeup Remover. I was intrigued to find out that this is a 'magic makeup remover', and that all you need is some warm water and the cloth to remove all of your makeup.

I've never seen a product like this before, so I have to admit I was a little sceptical at first - how can a cloth and some warm water get everything off your face? I will also admit to being the most laziest person in the world when it comes to taking my makeup off at the end of the day, so something as simple as this really appeals to me.

The material which the cloth is made from is a woven polyester blend, and is free of chemicals so there's no need to worry about putting something nasty on your face! The description of the product says that this cloth will last up to 1000 washes in the washing machine, so essentially you can use this cloth to remove your makeup 1000 times - not bad! It's advised that you machine wash the cloth first before using.

So, I did as instructed and filled up my sink with some warm water, and submerged the cloth. I then proceeded to use the cloth to wipe away my makeup - I personally found it very hard to wipe the cloth against my face. I found that I really had to drag it across my skin to get my makeup off, which I wasn't too keen on because I really don't want to be dragging things across my skin aggressively!


I will say that in the end I managed to get the large majority of my makeup off using just the cloth and warm water, however I wanted to feel like my skin was clean, and it didn't with this method. I have read some people's reviews of this cloth and they have said that they use both a cleanser and the cloth at the same time, I feel that for me that's what I will do in future. Don't get me wrong- I feel that it's great little cloth, but it really took a lot of scrubbing with the cloth to get my makeup off, and I really don't want to be pulling at my skin too much!


I was a bit sceptical before I had tried the cloth, and wasn't expecting a miracle from this cloth - I don't think it's a wasted product because you can still use it like a flannel, but I wanted to try it as it was intended and I'm glad I did- I always believe in trying things for yourself and forming your own opinions!


Let me know if you've ever tried a 'magic cloth' before? What did you think?




CarrieFi x

How I Clean My Makeup Brushes & Sponges

A little bit of a different post from me today, but I thought you all might like to know how I get my makeup brushes and sponges clean!

It's a chore that, if I'm honest, I absolutely hate and find so boring - but, it has to be done! And if you're going to do it, you have to do it properly don't you? I certainly don't want to be wiping manky makeup and bacteria on my face if I can help it!

To clean my makeup brushes I use a Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette, which has made cleaning my makeup brushes so easy! To actually clean the brushes I tend to use either washing up liquid or whatever shampoo I'm using, I then use the palette to really get in the nooks and crannies of the brushes and to make sure I get every last scrap of makeup out of them. I also fill up a sink of warm water to rinse out the shampoo/washing up liquid and then leave the brushes on the side overnight so that they're clean and dry to use the next day!

The method for cleaning my makeup sponges is a little bit different to cleaning the brushes, and is only a routine that I've discovered in the last couple of months. I get a cup and put in a little bit of vegetable oil and washing up liquid and then mix that with some warm water - I then place a makeup sponge in there for a minute or two and then rinse the sponge with clean warm water and then it's perfectly clean! Before I discovered this way of cleaning my sponges, I used to find it a nightmare getting them clean!


So, that's my super simple makeup brush/sponge cleaning routine! I can't stress enough how important it is to use clean makeup brushes - one, for hygiene, and two, I find that makeup applies so much better onto your face when you use a clean brush/sponge!


Let me know your tips for cleaning makeup brushes/sponges - I'd love to know!




CarrieFi x

Birchbox February 2018 Unboxing

This month Birchbox are taking us back through the decades with their boxes - there's one for the 70's, 80's or 90's. I picked the 90's box because, well I'm a 90's baby, and I loved the design of the box! It was by far my favourite! 

Featured within my Birchbox this month, firstly was The Beauty Crop Eyeshadow Trio in the shade Love You So Latte. This is a brown toned mini eyeshadow palette which can be used for a smokey eye or just to give a bit of definition to the eyes. Luckily I'm more likely to wear brown eyeshadows if I do wear them, so this should come in handy!

Next up is the ModelCo Green Concealer. The idea of green concealer is to counteract any redness that may appear on your face, and you apply it to the redness on your skin before apply any foundation or concealer. I've never used a green concealer before, so I'm looking forward to seeing what effects it has on my skin!

There's also a product from one of my favourite brands in this month's Birchbox too - the Percy and Reed Flawless Finishing Polish. Once you've done your hair up, you just apply a little bit of this product to finish it off nicely!

Another hair product that has featured in my Birchbox in February is the Luseta Coconut Milk Hair Mask. This smells amazing! The idea is to apply it to your hair after shampooing and leaving it in for 5 minutes before washing it out. This will leave your hair feeling soft and silky.

Lastly, I received the the Marcelle Gentle Makeup Remover. I'm looking forward to giving this is a go and seeing if my sensitive skin gets on okay with it! It says it's gentle but effective so it should be perfect for my skin!


I have to say, I absolutely love the actual box that the products came in this month - I'll be definitely keeping it!




CarrieFi x

Lush Rose Bombshell Bath Bomb Review

Recently I picked up some products from the Lush Valentine's Day range (click here if you missed it!). One of the products that caught my eye was the Rose Bombshell bath bomb. With it's pretty pink rosy exterior - I couldn't resist!

Available in two sizes, the Rose Bombshell bath bomb comes in a regular size, and a giant size - just like the Golden Wonder bath bomb was at Christmas. I decided on the regular size for myself! I just love the rose petal detail on the top of the bath bomb itself - it's so pretty!


The rose theme continues with the scent too, as the smell of the bath bomb is very floral and smells just like a fresh bouquet of roses. That being said, it's not overpowering in the slightest and I personally found it very fresh but also a smell that I'd love to have around the house! The ingredients included in the bath bomb are Rose Absolute, Rose Oil, and there's also a hint of citrus with some Sicilian Lemon Oil.

When the bath bomb is placed in the water, the water instantly turns a beautiful pink colour while the bath bomb fizzes around the bath. What I didn't expect was a flurry of yellow rose petals to emerge from the bath bomb! Although it adds to the effect, I'm personally not a big fan of petals in the bath - it's not a criticism, but it's just not for me unfortunately! However, it wasn't a problem - I just picked them out of the tub!


I found this to be a very relaxing bath bomb to use, because the scent was so subtle - I felt like I could easily unwind and nearly fell asleep whilst in the bath! I really hope that Lush releases this again for Valentine's Day next year too, because I really enjoyed this bath bomb - especially the scent.


If you're interested in picking up the lovely Rose Bombshell bath bomb - it's on sale for a limited time only in Lush stores and online for £4.50.




CarrieFi x

February Beauty Wishlist

It's time for another Beauty Wishlist post! I love writing these posts and sharing with you what products I'm eager to try, I hope you enjoy reading them just as much!

The first product on my Wishlist this month is the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. This is a product which I've never tried before, but always wanted to - I just haven't got round to purchasing it! I love that this is an all rounder and can be used as a lip balm or hand cream etc, it's a handy product to have!

I'm obsessed with the YSL Black Opium scent, I'd even go as far as saying that it's my favourite all time perfume, which is a bold statement! What I've recently discovered is that there is an oil version! The YSL Black Opium Dry Oil can be used on your body or even in your hair, and is more long-lasting than the liquid version of the scent.

Another product I'd love to try is the Pixi Glow Tonic. I've seen a lot of good reviews of this product recently. I have a lip balm by Pixi which I absolutely love, and I'd like to try more products from Pixi!

A couple of skincare products that I haven't used for ages is the Origins Gin-Zing Moisturiser and Origins Gin-Zing Eye Cream. I love the scent of both of these products - it's so orangey and fresh! I believe both of these products are intended to be used first thing in the morning, however I like to use them to wake up my skin at the end of the day.

Recently, I've been mesmerised by the Maybelline Total Temptation mascara advert that's been on the TV. It's very rare that an advert on the TV will grab my attention, but this one does every time! The mascara seems to give a hefty lift to the lashes and packs them with volume, which is all I ever want from a mascara in all honesty! I also love the fact that there's coconut extracts in the product too.

A couple from Nars have caught my eye too, the Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation which I have seen being raved about by influencer's and makeup artist's recently. I love the look of the finish on people's faces when they have used it - it really does look natural! What I also love, is the range of shades in the collection - so important when buying a foundation. The other Nars product on my Wishlist is the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. This is another raved about product that I've not tried before! When I've seen people using it, I like the look of the texture of the concealer, and it looks to give quite a good coverage too which I personally find very important when choosing a concealer.

Lastly on my Wishlist for this month is the Benefit Hoola Lite. I've tried a small sample of the original Benefit Hoola, but I found it quite orange and too dark for my skin tone which is a shame because I know it's a brilliant bronzer! I'm hoping that the 'lite' version will be much more suited to my skin tone.

CarrieFi x 

*This post contains affiliate links

Lush Valentine's Day Haul 2018

So, it's officially the season of all things 'love', and what better way to spend it than by indulging in some 'self love' with some Lush products?

Lush have recently unveiled their Valentine's Day range which has a selection of bath, body and lip products which all look so pink and pretty! I couldn't resist but to purchase a few goodies!

The first product in my Valentine's haul is the Rose Bombshell Bath Bomb (£4.50).  This contains Rose Absolute, Rose Oil, and Sicilian Lemon. So this is a very floral and fresh scented Bath Bomb but it looks so pretty too! On the Lush website there is a review from a customer who claims that this Bath Bomb gave them the best nights sleep they've had in a long time, so if you're struggling with sleep - maybe this is a bath bomb to consider trying?

The next product I purchased was the Whole Lotta Love Bubbleroon (£4.75). I love the Bubbleroons from Lush, mainly because they're inspired by the food Macarons (hence the name) which I also love!  Another reason to love Bubbleroons is because you don't need/have to use the whole product in one go, you can break bits off and get a few baths out of them. This Bubbleroon also contains Rose Absolute, but also contains Shea Butter to soften your skin. This will definitely make an indulgent Bubble Bath!

The last product in my little haul is The Kiss Lip Scrub (£5.95). If you're planning on kissing anyone this Valentine's Day, then obviously you need to prepare your lips, and what better way to do this than to use a good Lip Scrub! I've been needing a Lip Scrub for a while now as mine ran out just before Christmas, so it was perfect timing to purchase a new one! The texture of the Lip Scrub is made up of fine Sea Salt, Caster Sugar and Cocoa Butter, but there's also Almond and Mandarin oils too. 

It's only a little haul of the products I picked up from the Lush Valentine's Day range - I still have some Christmas products from Lush that I need to get through!

CarrieFi x