Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado Review

Morning all!

Hope you're having a lovely bank holiday Monday - I very much enjoyed turning my alarm off last night so I could have a lie in (only to wake up at 6.30 anyway...!)

Today's review is of Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado. I won this before Christmas at an event at the then new Kiehl's store in Cardiff (post here). They had a raffle and I was extremely lucky to win! I still can't believe it as I'm never normally lucky at all so this was amazing!

Antipodes Manuka Honey Skin Brightening Light Day Cream and Eye Cream

Hey all

Our Antipodes love continues today. We were recently sent some new bits to try and we've been testing them now for the past month. With skincare like this we like to wait a while to review it as it can take a few weeks for skin to decide if it like it. You can find all our other Antipodes posts here.

As I'm sure you'll all be aware by now at the beginning of the year after getting my two fluffy bunnies I went cruelty free. It meant I had to totally change everything I'd normally buy and left me searching for new brands. Antipodes is now one I throughly recommend. This year we've been lucky enough to try out more of the range and we've loved everything so far.

Today we're sharing our thoughts on the Manuka Honey Skin Brightening Light Day Cream and the Eye Cream (L has previously purchased and loved the Aura Manuka Honey Mask, reviewed here)

The Manuka Honey Eye Cream and Day Cream are both vegetarian society approved products and bee friendly products. I love the brand ethics of Antipodes! Manuka Honey is amazing and something that is everywhere. I decided to do some research on different Manuka Honey after recieving these to see the benefits and the differences. Manuka honey have different UMF ratings (grading systems for the beneficial properties) which is usually reflected in the price. The range from 5+ anything less than 5 has undectable levels, 5-9 have low levels, 10-15 useful levels and 16+ superior high grade levels. The different levels have different benefits too. Both the antipodes products are 20+ so you get great grade Manuka Honey that's really going to benefit the skin.

Manuka honey is know to help fight ageing, promote hydration and help with skin blemishes due to it's antibacterial properties. I couldn't wait to try these products out!

Here's what Antipodes say about the Day Cream.

Manuka Honey Skin-Brightening Light Day Cream (60ml) features bee venom, Vinanza® grape and kiwi seed to restore a light and fresh visage. Bee venom and mamaku black fern provide a gentle lifting effect. World-famous manuka honey Active 20+ with natural antibacterial properties helps address any skin blemishes. Revolutionary Vinanza® antioxidants from grape seeds and kiwi work with peony flower for the ultimate skin-bright finish.

You get 60mls of product with this which is 10mls more than standard day creams. I've been so impressed with it. I've been using it at night as well. As my skin tends to be oily combination I tend to worry a bit about trying out a new cream but this is amazing. It absorbs into my skin easily leaving it feeling moisturised and plump. My makeup allows really well over this as well (it's never good when your foundation makes your moisturiser peel off your face!) As I've just come back from holiday my skin has been loving the extra help with hydration this has been giving it and it's not made me break out which is amazing. It doesn't have SPF in which may be a downside for some people but I've taken to using a separate facial SPF lately anyways as I'm crossing my fingers it'll help with ageing!!

Here's what Antipodes say about the Eye Cream

Manuka Honey Skin-Brightening Eye Cream (30ml) with Persian silk flower helps hydrate and freshen under-eye tissue. Manuka honey Active 20+ has world-renowned moisturising and anti-inflammatory prowess. This luxury formulation introduces Persian silk flower blended with revolutionary antioxidant Vinanza® grape seed and kiwi skin to brighten delicate skin.

Again this is larger than standard eye creams and actually double most as it's 30mls. When I opened it the size suprised me. You get so much product for your money. This feels amazing on the skin. It feels so refreshing under the eye and sinks in easily leaving the skin feeling hydrated. For me I don't find many products that brightening for the under eye area so I can't comment on those bits. It leaves the skin under my eyes feeling so soft though and has been great for the changes in weather my skin has been subjected to lately.

I've really loved both these products and after using them for about a month I'm really loving them!

Love M

xxx

Hey all!

As Mia said, we're huge fans of Antipodes. Not only because their products are beautiful and actually work but their ingredients and ethos of being cruelty free are something that we believe in.

I have really sensitive eyes so am always a bit nervous trying out new eye creams because I don't want them to become sore. This eye cream however has been amazing, so hydrating and as it's quite a thin consistency doesn't feel heavy at all. I've been using it the last few weeks without any reactions and the skin around my eyes has stayed really hydrated - I would definitely repurchase this especially as the size of the pot is so much bigger than others.

The day cream has also been a treat to use, I've been using some other oils recently in the day to keep my skin hydrated for longer and the combination of the two together has been great.

Just like M I have also been using this in the night as it is so light and my skin just drinks it straight up!

We would both definitely recommend both of these and they are a great addition to the Aura Manuka Honey mask which has been part of their range for a while.

Have you tried Antipodes before? What are your thoughts on ingredients like Manuka Honey?

L xxx

Benefit's Puff Off

Hey All

L and I were lucky enough to try this product before it was released (you can read about that here). As soon as we tried it we both knew we had to have it when it was released, and not just for the pretty packaging!

Here's the blurb from Benefit:

Why we love it!

Iron on…puff off! Undereye puffiness and creases look “satiny smooth” with our innovative undereye gel. The custom “ironing” tip instantly helps smooth the look of undereye puffiness & fine lines. Iron away for a smoother day!

94% said eye area looks smoothed*

*Consumer panel survey on 31 women after 7 days

Essentially this product is a cooling eye gel with a small amount of concealer like product contained within it, the squeezy tube has an 'iron' shaped tip to it to dispense and apply the gel to skin.

This is also known as the 'custom “ironing” tip' and we think it looks pretty cool! Not only does it appear to 'iron' out the creases in your delicate undereye skin it's actually really comfortable to use on your skin, it's the perfect shape and it cools on contact with your skin making it feel like you're wearing a face mask.

All you need to do is apply a dot of the eye gel under each eye and spread the gel out using the iron, it's super simple and can be applied on bare skin and over make up - great for the morning puffy eyes that sometimes happens and also you can apply this throughout the day. I'd definitely apply this at my desk during the day when things have been a bit busy and I need a few minutes to relax!

The tube holds 10ml of product which is a similar size to any other eye products and costs £22.50

As you can probably tell, we're big fans of this product. I always think I don't need 'another' product to add to my make up bag but I've really enjoyed this one and frequently use it in the mornings to help my bags reduce and also in the evenings/Sundays as a cooling eye mask. It really works to reduce the bags under your eyes and give you a cooling feeling that relaxes you.

I wouldn't say this is an essential product but it is definitely a treat, and everyone needs treats right?!

Have you tried Puff Off? What did you think of it?

We love Benefit's new products - they've been bringing out some really good ones recently with this and Roller Lash!

L and M xxx

Nip and Fab Bee Sting Fix Eye Cream

Well hi there!

I have another skincare review for you today and surprise surprise........it's a Nip and Fab product. I hope you're not sick of them yet as I've just bought a few more bits from them including the Dragon's Blood serum and pads and also a few bits from the Glycolic Fix range seeing as they've all been on offer in Boots/Superdrug recently.

Today's review is all about the Bee Sting Fix Eye Cream.

First and foremost, don't ever use this if you are allergic to bees. There is genuine bee venom inside these pots and although that should ring alarm bells if you are allergic you may think it's just an advert. It seems there really is some venom in these products so please bare this in mind!



I love contrasting colours and the yellow and purple look good together, you would have to stick to something bright and sunshine like for a bee product wouldn't you?!

Anyway the packaging is eye catching and as a result has caught my eye MANY times.

Allegedly the eye cream is rich and stimulating and will defend against the look of fatigue, not quite sure what defend means but nevertheless let's give it a go!





I've been applying this to my eye area and up to my brow bone for a few weeks and I can agree that the cream is very rich. It's quite a hard jelly kind of cream which means you need the tiniest bit to apply and it goes a long way which is great for the value.

The little pot costs £14.95 for 10ml which is quite pricey but it seems that you use so little it shouldn't run out too fast.

It was absorbed into my skin pretty easily and although I didn't see much in the way of a reduced look of fatigue my skin was definitely hydrated.

There was one thing that stood out to me when I purchased the eye cream though, and that was how little there is inside the pot. I understand different brands sell products at different amounts but seriously?? When I opened up my brand new pot this was the sight that greeted me:

What kind of impression is that supposed to give? 'Haha you've just spent £15 on the tiniest bit of nothing??'

I almost took it back as I was convinced someone had scooped out a load of product and I'd been the unfortunate recipient of the empty pot. But I checked in store and opened other pots up and they were all the same. This is really disappointing and I can't say I'd rush out to buy another one if this is all there is inside.

I really liked the hydration that this product gives but aside from that it was no different from any other eye cream for me and so for that reason I wouldn't recommend it. It's also pretty disappointing to open it up and see that half of the pot appears to be missing!

There aren't many products that I've tried from Nip and Fab that I haven't liked (in fact this is the first!) but I'm afraid this is a no no for me.

Have you tried the Bee Sting Fix Eye Cream? What's your favourite Nip and Fab product? Have you tried the new Dragon's Blood range?

I've been using it recently and have to say I'm really impressed so far! 

L xxx

Balance Me Extra Care Wonder Eye Cream

Morning lovelies!

I've never really used much from Balance Me apart from an oil I received in a beauty box a while ago, so receiving this in one too I decided to give it a go.

The Wonder Eye Cream claims to soothe, brighten and lift the skin around your eye and claims to be suitable for all skin types whilst being 99% natural, that sounds like something I want in my collection!

The size I received in the beauty box was 7ml but the full size is 15ml and retails for £20. This is quite a generous size as others I've bought have been a lot smaller for the same price.

The eye cream is light enough to absorb into the skin easily but also rich enough to contain coconut, rosehip and carrot oil to soften skin, chamomile, cucumber oil and witch hazel to smooth away dark shadows.

As if that wasn't enough there is also hyaluronic acid and spruce knot (very antioxidant rich) to plump and boost the skin, phew what a list!

I also like that the cream is 99% natural and you can see the list of EVERY ingredient on their website for EVERY product.

So how did I get on with the cream?

I applied it as per the instructions below, I find I need to apply a good blob of eye cream as my eyes can get really dry with constant air conditioning and this seems to help a lot. I apply it all over my eye area which is probably not advised but it works well for me, and then try and tap it in or move slowly in small circles to ensure it has distributed evenly.

First off I'm glad to say that I didn't react to this one bit, my sensitive eyes and skin can react quite randomly to things and this just absorbed in almost straight away with no greasy residue and no reaction, hurrah!

Secondly my skin felt really hydrated for quite a while afterwards and I really do think it has helped to iron out a few tiny creases that have started to appear. I am hoping it's just tiredness and dehydration and not my first wrinkles appearing so I'll keep my fingers crossed! But nevertheless, they did diminish.

The last factor to consider is the dark shadows which for me didn't seem to have any change. I don't know if that is because it has been a particularly busy and stressful time for me or if the product doesn't really combat shadows as much as I'd like, but let's face it a good concealer would still be needed anyway!

I'd rate this product pretty highly on the eye cream scale. I use Origin's Eye Doctor as my staple as I haven't ever reacted and my skin loves it. This also rates about the same for me and seeing as it is £20 for 15ml and the Origins one is £28.50 for 15ml, potentially I have found a replacement.

Balance Me have won quite a few awards for their products and they have been given rave reviews by bloggers too which is always reassuring. I've heard a lot about them and have seen lots of products I would love to try from them particularly the Extra Care range, of which this eye cream is a part of.

It also contains the Radiance Face Oil and Anti Ageing Serum, both of which sound fabulous to me and I may have to look into going to Waitrose again soon and picking some up!

Have you tried the Wonder Eye Cream? What did you think? Have you any recommendations for the Balance Me range?

L xxx

Origins Morning to Midnight Set

Morning chums!

For Christmas I bought myself a lot of goodies in the sales and pre Christmas deals. One of those things was the Morning to Midnight set from Origins that the lovely lady in store told me I couldn't leave without....so I didn't.

It was a gorgeous set of 4 products in really cute boxes that my mum now has proudly in the spare room housing crafty bits; she's happy so I'm happy!

I've previously posted about Ginzing Eye Cream and the Drink Up Intensive overnight mask so I'll concentrate on the other two new products (to me) which are the Ginzing Energy Boosting Moisturiser and the High Potency Night-A-Mins mineral enriched renewal cream. Cue some fancy photos:

The High Potency Night A Mins (HP as it will now be called because I cannot type that out every time!) is a seriously thick night cream that comes in one of the standard Origins pots as shown below:

I'd heard some rave reviews about this but before I didn't think my skin needed such a thick and hydrating cream. Boy oh boy was I wrong. My skin is obviously at the stage of needing some serious moisture pumped into it, I'm clearly starting to get to that age where the wrinkles will start and my skin look pretty drab. Hopefully by using this beauty it will slow down considerably now that its getting so much hydration and vitamins/minerals galore.

This smells absolutely divine like most Origins products and I can see myself repurchasing this in future because of the wonderful effects and no negative effects. My t-zone hasn't been overloaded at all and although that wouldn't affect much as its an overnight cream i still don't want to knock the balance out.

Thumbs up from me!

Ginzing is no different in the smell stakes - it's absolutely gorgeous and a really light white gel cream that sinks into skin almost instantly.
It's so light and hydrating which I think is the key to an energy boosting and brightening moisturiser, I feel it allows the skin's natural glow to shine through which is vital in making yourself look younger....right?

I do generally like the whole Ginzing range and am already a fan of the eye cream. The packaging is also a happy and brightening colour too which also helps.

I'd happily buy all of these items again in future, have you tried any of them?
Which was your favourite?

I love picking up these sets, such a great opportunity to try new products and they're always at a discounted price! What's not to love!

L xxx

Origins Best Brighteners

Hi all!

I'm sure everyone knows by now but Origins are one of our favourite brands here at CSI and normally when purchasing something from them you can get a few sample size products to try.

Over Christmas when I bought a few things from John Lewis they were giving away miniature sets and so I chose the Best Brighteners set. There were a few on offer but I hadn't used the products in this set so I chose the brighteners.

I love all of the sets that Origins do but the packaging is always really cute and this one is no exception.

This set contains Dr Andrew Weil for Origins Mega Bright Skin Illuminating Cleanser, Skin Tone Correcting Serum and GinZing Eye Cream.

I've got so much love for their serums, they are so absorbent into my skin and leave it feeling so much more hydrated without overloading it at all.
I'd never tried this particular one before but it was really lovely and I would happily buy it in full size if it wasn't so expensive. That's my only problem with the serums from Origins, they're so pricey and although they do really work I just cannot justify it at the moment.

I can't really comment on its skin tone correcting properties due to it only being a 7ml sample but it was super hydrating and was a joy to use.

The cleanser was also a really lovely treat and it has now been moved to my gym bag so that I have a really nice cleanser for whenever I've done a good workout!
It's a thick white cleanser that feels really hydrating on your skin. It doesn't foam but turns to a white milk kind of consistency that make up then dissolves in. It feels really thick and luxurious and worked really well at getting my make up off. I can't say that it was particularly illuminating but my skin felt really clean and was a little brighter after use. I'd definitely buy this in the future as it felt so much of a treat.

The GinZing eye cream is a favourite product of mine and I have previously written about it here.

In short its hydrating, luminating and depuffing which is everything you could want in an eye cream really!

I love getting the opportunity to try products like this, this set was free with some purchases and it has been a great way to try products that I might not have bought otherwise. I now know that the serum is something I would love to purchase in the future (when I'm not poor!)

What's your favourite Origins product? Have you found a new favourite by trialling something that was free?

L xxx

Review: Avon Anew Clinical Eye Lift Pro

Hey All

This afternoon I'm off to London for a Lauren's Way launch. I'm a big fan of the darker than dark lotion so can't wait. I was definitely sceptical at first but was pleasantly proved wrong. I'm so glad I bought it.

Skincare is something I'm also on the look out for a new product. I fully believe prevention is better than cure and that you can never start a good skincare/anti aging regime too young. I started properly at 22 and I'm hoping that it'll help my skin stay good. I wish I had been more interested in uni as I'm sure all the late nights took their toll on my skin.

Eyes are something I'm always on the look out for a good product for. My mum has droppy eyelids (she'll love me for writing that on here!) and I can see I have the same eye shape as her so I fully expect my eyelids to drop. I'm hoping good skincare and taking care of them will help prevent it a bit!

My latest eye cream I've been using is the Anew Clinical Eye Lift Pro. This has been in the avon catalogue for ages. I remember seeing it when I helped my mum do it years ago. It comes with a different cream for the upper and lower eyelids. I love this as I do think the skin is different and you want different things on your upper and lower eyes. 

They Say

"The tightening topically applied upper eye gel contains injectable-grade arginine to help boost elastin and help lift sagging skin and the rich eye cream contains Derma-Refine Technology to help reduce hollowness and discolourations."

I've been using this for the past 4 months now. As someone without wrinkles at the moment I obviously can't comment on whether it helps them but the skin around my eyes feels smooth and my dark circles haven't got worse.


The under eye cream is a thick white cream. It sinks into the skin easily and leaves it feeling plump and nourished. I love that it's thicker as I do feel this is where you want the moisture to help prevent under eye wrinkles and crows feet.
The upper eye cream is a gel based formula. It feels lovely and cooling on the eyes first thing and relaxing when applied at night. It also sinks into the skin easily.
I've really liked this cream. The skin around my eyes feels well moisturised and no fine lines are appearing. It's also lasted really well. I'm keeping my eye out for when it's next on offer to order some. It retails at £19.50 which is reasonable for an eye cream but I've got my eagle eyed mum on the case who tells me if I wait till the beginning of March it goes on offer!
I think it may be time to try more Avon Skincare. Any recommendations?
Love M
xxx

Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24Hr

Good morning!

I have had these in my possession for quite some time, and although they were bought on a whim I have found myself liking them quite a lot and they're so easy to use.

The Maybelline Color Tattoo 24Hr Creams have been quite a big hit with the blogging world so I was intrigued to see why!

I picked up On and On Bronze and Pink Gold as they were on offer at the time and the other colours that were left weren't my first choices. On and On Bronze was my first choice as I'd heard and seen so much about it I couldn't leave it behind, Pink Gold wouldn't have been one that i would have picked up but because of the availability and the offer I chose it too.

I'm sure there are multiple ways of applying the eye creams, with brushes, sponge applicators or fingers. for these pots I've been using my fingers initially as it was much easier to put it onto my eye lids and then blend outwards.

I would think that as the pot gets lower I would have to change this tactic as otherwise I'm going to get my nails full of product!

You can see the eye shadows in the photos above without and with flash and they're both really subtle but with enough shimmer to show up. The On and On Bronze is definitely my favourite and its wearable for work and play, the Pink Gold is such a pretty colour but I don't think it suits me as much.

I absolutely love the colour of the bronze eye shadow, it was so easy to apply and looks great for every occasion.

The pink is shown below:

I just don't think this looks as good on my skin tone and colouring as the bronze, but I'm hoping to use it as a blush/highlighter as its a gorgeous pink colour that hopefully can be use in multiple ways!

If I could pick up some more of these I'd definitely try Everlasting Navy and Eternal Gold. I think they'd be great colours for summer and Turquoise Forever looks gorgeous for summer nights!

Have you tried the Maybelline Color Tattoo? Which colour is your favourite?

L xxx