Tea Tree Oil Goodness

I have learnt by now that expensive fancy products don't always work. It's always worth going back to the nature and trying out simple cheap product. Very often these natural things are multipurpose too.

I've been mainly using tea tree oil on pimples and sweat spots (gross, I know) but recently found out there are so many more purposes for it. Little bottle of this antiseptic goodness costs only around 4 squids. I got mine from Holland&Barret.
Getting back to the spots thou... It is a great antiseptic and will get rid of any spots over night. At least it's been working for me. One thing I've got to warn you about. This oil is very concentrated and strong! You don't want it anywhere near your eyes! I had a spot between my eyebrow and above my eyelid once (super weird place to have a spot). Happily applied tiny bit of oil on the cotton bud and dabbed it on the victim. My eye started to water like crazy and it stung like hell. So please don't make the same mistake and keep it away from your eyeballs. I promise it's save to use around the face, neck and whenever else you need.

Check out this website with 20 uses for tea tree oil. Worth a read! I am going to make the oil/water mold mixture. Mold keeps reappearing in my bathroom (again, gross) and I am desperate to get rid of it for good.

 Sylwia x

Favourite Highlighters

Hello lovelies,

Here is a Guest Post I did for lovely Helen from HelenRambles On. Please check out her awesome blog.

Highlighters! Most of us beauty addicts love everything shiny and sparkly and could wear glitter all over on daily basis. As lovely as that idea is unfortunately we can’t really get away with it. Plus when it comes to our faces we’d rather look healthy and glowing than shiny and glittery.

I have tried quite a few highlighters and today I’m showing you my absolute-totally-worth-of-recommending favourites.

Mac Hang Loose Minaralize Blush – when I first saw this I thought someone must be mad to think I will put lilac on my cheeks. It turns out that whoever created this is a genius because in conjunction with pink it looks beautiful. It’s a blush/highlighter that gives that amazing glow especially when the sun hits it. It cannot be overdone. Few times I managed to apply what I thought way too much product(it’s just sooo pretty I couldn’t stop) but it still looked good.

Soap&Glory Glow All Out – this is my subtle sheen savior. You know those days when your skin looks dull and tired and you’re not quite sure how to fix it? Just swipe this goodness on top of your blush, a bit on the bridge of the nose and under the brow. Voila! It will look like radiance from within.

Benefit High Beam – definitely most natural looking highlighter I have tried so far. It’s in liquid form which gives it better lasting power and more blendability. I apply this on top of the foundation (top of the cheekbones) with a foundation brush. It may not be visible at first but throughout the day you will notice how beautiful and radiant your skin looks. It’s definitely one of those ‘no makeup’ makeup items.

Mac Vanilla Pigment – this is such a versatile product. It’s more sparkly than the above products but still day time appropriate. Alhou it can be used as a traditional highlighter (top of cheek bones, bridge of the nose, under the brow) I love to use it in the inner corner of my eyes. Sometimes even when I don’t wear any other eye makeup (by that I mean I just wear mascara :D). Something about the gold and pink sheen that makes the eyes look bright and awake.

What are your favourite highlighters?

Sylwia x 

Deep cleanse those pores!

It feels so nice to write in here again. I am sorry for my long absence and hope you didn’t give up on me. The reason for my absence is 50 shades of gray, I could not get away from this book! … Not really! I'm joking!…. I did read it but I don’t think it lives up to the massive hype. I will post a review when I finish the whole trilogy.
I am back now and will be blogging regularly again so let’s get down to business.

I love deep cleansing masks and creams. Using them regularly has helped my skin a great deal and things like blackheads are kept at bay. I highly recommend adding deep cleansing to your routine and I guarantee you will see the difference in your skins condition.

My absolute favourites:

*Soap&Glory No Clogs Allowed – this is one of those self-heating products so is nicest to use in the winter when you need a bit of coziness and comfort. Nonetheless it works perfect all year round. It exfoliates and invigorates the pores leaving the skin literally squeaky clean. Results seen instantly!

*Alpha Hydrox AHA Souffle – this glycolic acid cream is serious heavy duty stuff. It stings and cannot be applied on damaged skin (picked spots etc). SPF 15 or higher needs to be applied prior to sun exposure. It’s best to use it as a night cream for about a week or two (depending on the skin condition) and awesome results are guaranteed. After that it can be applied once or twice a week as an extra treatment.

Trying out at the moment:

*KAESO Dead Sea Mud Mask – nothing revolutionary here. It leaves the skin feeling soft but doesn’t instantly clear it out. It’s a nice treatment when used regularly twice a week but no miracles.

*The Body Shop Blue Corn 3-in-1 Mask – I don’t like massive gritty bits in it – they feel way too abrasive. There definitely is noticeable difference in the skin condition (i.e. less blackheads) after the use but to me it’s too harsh to use twice a week.

Are any of you fans of deep cleansing? If yes, what’s your favourite product?

Sylwia x

Abi O BeauBronz Sunless Tanning

In one of my posts earlier on this year I mentioned that I struggled to find a nice self-tanner for my face. It became even harder to hunt one down when I decided to use more natural products.

Someone must have been reading my mind because about three weeks ago I’ve been asked if I would like to try Abi O BeauBronz Natural Tanning Products. So off course I said yes!

There are two products from the range I’ve been using for couple of weeks now and it’s safe to say that my search for a face tanner is over.

Soft Sun Self Tan For English Roses – just like the name suggests this gives light to medium colour to the skin. I’ve got very light complexion and found this colour perfect. It looks very natural and it’s not at all orange-y. It’s a gelish kind of formula but not tinted so needs to be well blended. Saying that, it blends beautifully, it doesn’t sink in too fast nor too slow, gives just enough time to work it into the skin. Another thing I love about it is the scent. It smells of roses! None of that horrible scent most of the tanning products have.

Gadual Tanner To Extend Your Tan – this one didn’t work on my face very well. I didn’t really notice the colour of my tan lingering for any longer than it normally would. I presume reason for that is thorough cleansing I do each night. I use hot cloth cleanser with muslin cloth which does light exfoliation and the gradual tan hasn’t got the time to develop on the skin. This one also smells lovely and has that gelish formula which I really like so I will be using it on my body.

Both products can be used on face or body. I’ve been using it on the face simply because I don’t want to use it up to fast :D But I will definitely purchase a big bottle for my body at some stage :)

Another thing I wanted to add is that none of these products broke me out which has been happening with a lot in the past when I used self-tanners on my face.

You can find the product and lots of advice on tanning on their website http://beaubronz.co.uk/ or http://www.feelunique.com/brands/abi-o(free delivery here!)


Sylwia x

The Hunger Games Trilogy Review

Last week I finished reading the Mockingjay which is 3^rd book in the series and many thoughts bubble in my head. I like to reflect back on books and movies so I thought I will share my reflections with you guys. If you haven’t read the books please don’t read any further as this review contains spoilers.

First of all I think that the books were very well written. I had a very good understanding of Panem as a country, how it looked and functioned. Everything that happened in the book was well described and explained. Author jumps into the past the way that makes us want to learn why things are what they are any people act how they act.

Characters in the books are very well developed. They are changing through the course of time and life experiences. All of the characters are not predictable and everyone mentioned in the book plays big part in Katniss’s life. Everyone from Rue, Avoxes, Cinna, prep team to Haymitch affect Katniss and decisions she makes. Only person I felt was little bit left out was Prim. I wish there was more interaction between the sisters.

All of the books are fast paced and easy to read. Quarter Quell in Catching Fire was the only part when I didn’t read with full enjoyment. I just wanted to get it over with, it felt like deja vu even thou the arena, tributes and the situation were different.

Katniss and Peeta:

I admit I wasn’t rooting for Peeta. I didn’t really like his character from the very beginning. He loves Katniss with all his heart but that’s all there is to him. He’s a good person and a great spokesman but he never has strong opinions about life and what’s going on in Panem. That’s why President Coin wanted to rescue him instead of Katniss from the arena – because he would never disobey the orders. I think Katniss becomes so attached to him because he gives her stability and comfort, something she was taken away when her dad died and mum became distant from the world. Peeta always worries about her, constantly tries to protect her but instead he becomes her burden at some points. I sometimes felt like he didn’t have faith in her.

Katniss and Gale:

I feel that Katniss and Gale where great friends not by accident. They were very similar people. Both survivors and fighters. Gale played completely different role than Peeta in Katniss’s life. He was rooting for her, motivating her and staying by her side no matter how dangerous decisions she made. Gale doesn’t fight for Katniss and her love. He knows her too well so only says ‘she will choose whoever she’ll need in order to survive’. And I think that is what happens. She’s at home back in 12, depressed, lonely and suicidal when Peeta shows up. She doesn’t exactly choose him herself but he gives her comfort and that’s what she needed to survive after what she’s been through so she just settles for him.


Overall I really enjoyed reading all of the books and I’m kind of sad it’s finished now. I liked how the story and characters were developing throughout the books and Katniss killing Coin instead of Snow was a great ending.
Katniss’s character, her thoughts, worries, dilemmas and everything else going through her head were very realistic and not predictable.
Descriptions of rebellion, propaganda and war were very realistic. There was no sugarcoating which I think made the book such a success not only amongst the youngsters but also the adults.


This is my first proper review so I hope it wasn’t too bad. Please don’t be offended if you’ve got different opinions, this is just my own view on the book.

Love ya!
Sylwia x

FOTD + Stila Convertible Color review

Have you all had an awesome weekend? I hope you did! Mine was really nice. It was lovely to have a Saturday off (I always work :( ) and see my girlfriends for a coffee during the day. After that, me and the boy went to a BBQ at our friends house. Yes, it was raining, but they have an awning type thing so we sat in the conservatory while the sausages were bbqing themselves away…

Here is how I did my makeup that day. It’s very simple and super easy to achieve. I will be definitely wearing it to work as it only takes 15 minutes and minimal amount of products to do. Everything looks a bit more intense in really life, unfortunately camera flash takes away from the colours intensity.

I blended Naked (3^rd from left) into the crease and little bit above and topped it up with Buck (5^th from left) for more definition. I applied Virgin (1^st from left) all over the upper lid. I liner my outer upper lash line with Zero (black pencil) and blended it in with angled brush to the inner corner. That way black lost little bit of its intensity and didn’t look harsh.

I applied Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera on my cheeks and lips. It’s a lovely peachy pink shade that would suit light to medium skin tones. When I first opened, I felt disappointed as the colour looks dusty rose so nothing what I was expecting. Fortunately this is only top layer and once I dipped my finger in it, it reveals that lovely peachy shade.
Packaging is cute, light weight and has a mirror inside. Product itself doesn’t have a fragrance.
Formula is quite thick but fairly easy to blend. I apply it on my cheeks with my fingers and then blend it out with small stippling brush. No need for a highlight with this one! It gives off lovely, satin sheen. For lips I use just my fingers. It looks matte on them and it does emphasize dry patches on the lips so make sure to exfoliate beforehand.
Lasting power is really good. It stayed on my cheek for a whole day. Can’t really say about lips cause I constantly drink water so it rubs off quicker than normal.
I mentioned this product few times on Twitter and Instagram and haven’t changed my opinion since then. I love it!

You can see the colour of Stila little bit better in the above pictures. These are from a different day when I didn’t have any eye makeup on so I packed more Gerbera on the cheeks and lips :)

I got my Stila from here.

Rest of the products (not shown):
 *Revlon Color Stay foundation all over my face
*Mac Studio Finish Concealer for blemishes
*Garnier Roll-On under the eyes
*Max Factor eyebrow pencil
*MUA clear mascara as brow gel
*Mac Painterly Paint Pot as eye primer
* Max Factor False Lash effect mascara


Sylwia x

I finally found my perfect hair care routine

I seriously don’t remember the last time I repurchased the same bottle of a shampoo and conditioner. I couldn’t find anything that would work the way I wanted. I was about to agree with the fact that my hair will never look the way I want them to, when I found out about going sulphate free.

My initial reason for picking up sulphate free shampoo was suffering from itchy scalp. You can read my post about getting rid of the problem here.
After seeing great results I went all natural with my hair care and I couldn’t be happier!

I feel like I need to mention that my hair has been highlighted with bleach about 3 times before it started to literally break. It looked more like hay than hair for quite a while. About 6 months ago I started to highlight it (well…my hairdresser did) with blond hair colour. It’s been done twice now and its condition improved a lot but I still have pretty dry ends where bleach is coming through.
I realize this is not for everyone but if your hair is naturally quite light (so colour will stick) and you like more golden blond then this is definitely healthier option.

1) Naked Body Building Shampoo – I shampoo my hair twice each time I wash them with this fella. It lifts the hair at the roots and gives lovely volume that lasts for about two days (on quite greasy scalp like mine). It smells herbal-y –pleasant and subtle. It doesn’t foam as well as normal shampoo but I got used to it pretty quick.

2) Naked Conditioner – at the moment I’m using strengthening one but decided to try hydrating just to have a comparison. I use it only on the ends of my hair to avoid putting weight on those just volumized roots ;)
I always feel like my hair eats it up cause there is hardly any left when it comes to rinsing it out. I’m guessing that’s a good thing!

3) Naked Leave-in Conditioner – I rub grape sized dollop of this goodness on towel dried hair and leave in for about 10/15 minutes to absorb. It protects my hair from the heat styling and breakage.

4) Avon Advance Techniques Dry Ends Serum – I use this from time to time when my ends are particularly dry looking. I rub tiny bit into ends of my hair and it makes them look shiny and healthy. I try not to use it too much as it contains silicones which stick to the hair surface and ultimately puts weight on them.

5) Comb, Brushes – wide tooth comb for wet hair after washing - doesn’t pull out as many as regular brush. Tangle Teezer for everyday brushing – due to lack of silicones and other smoothing chemicals hair becomes tanglier so this tool is a necessity. Round brush for styling – I dry my hair with head upside down for a while and then take sections and smooth them with this brush.

Before I developed this routine my hair was greasy looking, flat, dull and dry. I was never happy with it – everyday was a bad hair day! Now I look in the mirror and actually think that my hair looks nice! Such an improvement! I also use coconut oil as a hair mask from time to time just like I mentioned in my previous post.
This routine won’t work for everyone but you need to stick with it for 2-3 months to see the full effect it can have on your hair.

Naked Hair Care is cruelty free and 97% natural (no parabens, sulphates, silicones or any other crap!). Plus packaging is fully recyclable ;)

Sylwia x

My favourite uses for Coconut Oil

Long time no see my lovelies!

I could go on about how busy work was, how I’ve been suffering horribly with hay fever and how guilty I felt for not posting anything… But I won’t so let’s just get right onto the interesting stuff ;)

I was a bit skeptical at first and didn’t really think all these natural oils and remedies are worth the hassle. But since I really want to live healthier I thought I have to at least give it a try. I bought a tub of Coconut Oil and tried a few super simple things to see if it’ll help condition my body.

Result?

It’s amazing!

Coconut oil is a solid texture so it needs a bit of warmth to melt. Not too much thou cause it will lose its nutritional value.

So here's what I use it for:

1) Hair mask – approximately once every two weeks I slightly warm up two spoonfuls of coconut oil and rub it into the ends of my hair. I twist the hair, pin it on top and leave for about 20-30 minutes. Then I wash and style my hair as normal. What’s so amazing with coconut oil is that it doesn’t just make your hair soft and smooth until the next wash. It actually moisturizes your hair to the core improving overall condition and appearance of them.
If your hair is dry all over, don’t be afraid to use coconut oil on the whole length. Just remember that hair close to your scalp may look greasy even after two washes.

2) Body scrub – this is so easy to make! All you need to add to the coconut oil is sugar or salt. Warm up the oil just slightly and add salt for more invigorating (you can use sea or table salt) exfoliation or sugar for more gentle scrubbing. You can use essential oils like lavender or vanilla (or whatever you like!) for a lovely scent but this is completely optional.
Please remember to be careful in you bath when you scrub away! Surface will be slippery with all the oils…

3) Body moisturizer – this is an option for those girls (or boys) with dry skin. I suffer with very dry skin on my legs and use coconut oil as a treatment about once a week. It is an oil and it is oily (dah..) so not very nice to apply before getting dressed or going to bed. I spread plenty of it on my legs and arms (these get dry sometimes too) and go exercise or do some house chores. After a while most of it sinks in and it’s ok to have a quick shower to get rid of the greasiness.

4) Cuticle oil – this is really self-explanatory. What’s the point spending money on fancy cuticle creams when you’ve got amazing, natural moisturizer at hand. Rub your finger on the surface of the oil and rub what you’ve picked up on your cuticles.

Remember that there are lots more great uses for Coconut Oil so if you’re curious just google!

I got my massive tub at amazon here but you can easily find it in health stores like Holland and Barrett.

Have a great week guys!  I hope you’ll try coconut oil and let me know how it worked if you do :)

Ps1. Follow me on Twitter for daily dose of randomness @BeautyfulWorlds
Ps2. Follow me on Instagram (mybeautyfulworld) for mini reviews of used up products, OOTDs and other random stuff.


Sylwia x

Fearne Cotton From Dusk Til Dawn Eyes

I absolutely adore Fearne Cotton! I was so excited when heard she is collaborating with Boots to create Christmas make-up range. I got lucky because Santa brought me one of her eye shadow palettes last month.

My Experience: Let me start by saying that packaging is super cute and beetles on the eye shadows are adorable. Unfortunately when it comes to an actual product it's not so sweet anymore. Colors are very promising but they are not pigmented enough in my opinion. Two mink shadows are too similar to each other and don't show up on the eyelid as different colors. I think each of these shadows would look lovely on the lid with an addition of a darker color in the crease. But I couldn't really create an eye look using this compact on its own. It is a shame because this little kit has got so much potential.

Darkest shade on the upper lid. Lightest shade in the inner corner.

Pastel Green on the lower lash line.

No primer.

Pictures were taken with a flash so colors are a bit washed out but it's pretty close to a real life look.

Formula: Shadows are soft, creamy and blend easily.

Where to buy: Not sure if still available but Boots

Price: £8

Final score: 5/10 If only they were more pigmented...

Have you tried any of the Fearne's products? What do you think of them?

Weleda Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash

I received Weleda Pomegranate Body Wash in my December Carmine box. I have heard a few good things about this brand. Weleda makes all natural, no synthetic anything products for your face, body, hair and teeth. Products are categorized by plant and each of the categories is designed to help with a different skin problem.
Pomegranate seed oil is considered excellent for dry, ageing and stressed skin. Its strong antioxidant properties promote the renewal of cells and regeneration of skin.

What is claims to do: Invigorates with cleansing moisture and nutrient-loaded organic pomegranate seed oil to renew nurtured skin that is soft to the touch. Stimulates senses and brings balance to the body and soul.

Formula: Thick and creamy consistency. Little goes a long way, easily lathers into a thick and soft foam. Strong but not overwhelming scent of pomegranate.

How to use it: It works best with loofah. I tried it with my rubber massaging glove and it does not want to lather much.

My experience: This product is awesome for the winter. It is a pure pleasure to use because of its lovely scent and thick, soft foam it creates. My skin felt soft and smooth after using it. I didn't experience any dryness nor itching during the day. I have put it to the ultimate test and didn't apply any body lotion after having a shower for couple of days. Honestly I can say that my skin did not notice any difference. I'm sure it would make an impact if I carried on not using moisturizer. But for those mornings when there isn't enough time I can skip the moisturizer and be sure I won't itch all day.

Price: £8.95  200ml

Where to buy: feelunique.com, weleda.co.uk

Final score: 9/10 Weleda Body Wash delivers everything that it promises. I consider this one of the best body creams I've ever used. From squeezing it from the tube to the smoothness of my skin after using it. I have taken one point away for the price. Although it is an amazing product I think it's a bit much for a shower cream. I seriously consider checking out other products from Weleda's range.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser Review

There's been quite a lot of interest in Cetaphil products. Brand aims at dry and sensitive skin offering Skin Cleanser and Moisturising Lotion. In the winter my skin becomes dull looking, dry patches and redness appear plus irritation often comes with it all. I have been using Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser for about 2 months and finally got round to give you my honest opinion on it.

What it claims to do: Helps skin retain needed moisture. Leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and healthy. Smoothes and softens as it cleans. Ph balanced for effective and gentle cleansing. Soap free formula removing make-up and other impurities without drying the skin.

Formula: Soap-free, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic. Watery, non-greasy consistency. Pearly white color. It does not lather which is a little bit weird at first but easy to get used to.

How to use it: Apply to the skin and massage gently. Can be used without water: wipe excess with soft tissue or cotton wool. With water: rinse and pat dry with a soft towel.

My experience: It did not remove all traces of make-up even when used after make-up remover. Therefore I have been using it only in the morning. Each time it left my skin looking soft and smooth. I wash it off with water because I find it being more refreshing and clean process. Irritation, red patches or tightness did not appear on my face at any stage of using Cetaphil. It kept my skin from drying out during this "coldness outside/heating inside" time. I am not a person that looks at ingredients in the products and certainly don't know much about them but Cetaphil made me wonder. It seems like 90% of it is made out of alcohol and parabens. As far as I know these aren't good for us. If you watch what you use and your beauty products have to be natural and paraben-free then stay away from this cleanser.

Price: £7-£10 250ml

Where to buy: Boots, your local pharmacy, internet pharmacy.

Final score: 6/10 Gentle and moisturizing but to pricey for what it is. It's not strong enough to remove make-up and ingredients didn't impress me. Could work better for someone with serious skin problems where anything else is irritating or drying.


Have you used any of the Cetaphil products? What was your experience?