Alba Botanica Hawaiian Body Oil Review - Cruelty Free Skincare Body Moisturiser

Back when I was in the states I fell in love with the Alba Botanica Hawiian Spray Sunscreen. I ended up buying a back up before returning to the UK as I knew Alba wasn't a brand that was easy to get in the UK. Imagine my surprise when I was browsing in TK Maxx and came across some of their products in the beauty section. 

This is their Hawaiian body oil with kukui nut. Its one of those oils that you apply when your skin is wet from the bath, rub in and then dry yourself off. Also it smells like nutty biscuits, which is amazing. 

So along with being a moisturiser, this product can be used as a massage oil and also added directly to the bath if your skins feeling extra dry.

The bottle boasts it is hypo-allergenic, pH balanced and vegetarian. Theres no artificial colours, parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate or sodium myreth sulfate. I looked up the things there I hadn't heard of and they were either irritants or potentially carcinogenic so yay for it not having any of them.

They're also leaping bunny certified and the bottle is 100% recycled. So more yay for them.

I don't know why I attempted to swatch this. Its clear oil. 

I wasn't sure how I would feel about it as I hate my skin feeling oily or greasy and this had the potential to do both. It doesn't do either though, and actually absorbs really nicely. It leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth without leaving thick streaks of moisturiser on my skin. 

I'm also crazy about the smell, its everything I want. Light, nutty and biscuity. It sounds weird but it works really well.

If anyone out there knows a proper UK stockist of Alba Botanica, please let me know. I am in love (managed to get another couple of pieces out of TK Maxx I'll review at a later date) with everything I've tried and I want it all. 

XOXO Scruffy 

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com

Review: Revolution Blush Queen Palette with arm swatches - Cruelty Free Cosmetics

Ever bought makeup online and when its arrived been like... What did I just buy? This palette was one of those purchases and I initially didn't love it and wasn't going to review it as I didn't want to seem negative. I now feel like we passed that point after the Natural Collection eyeshadow and 7th Heaven Argan Mask reviews. As times gone by I've given this palette more of a shot and don't hate it as much so I thought I'd dive down that rabbit hole.

So I bought this because on the Revolution website it looks like a palette of little planets for your cheeks (link here so you can see for yourself). It's very, very cute and I was excited to have it in my collection because I loved outer-space as a kid.

It's a little used not and the planet look only seems to stand up on the blush's where the accent colour is stronger. Also packing from Revolution comes in two forms, nice or cheap. This falls into the cheap camp, the nicer ones have sturdier plastic and a large mirror in the lid. The only thing that the cheaper packaging has to its advantage is that you can see through it and tell exactly whats in it, making it much easier to find what you're looking for. It just feels so plasticky.

Top Row.

Bottom Row.

All the blushes are sparkly, and some of them are very similar. So even though you're getting 13 grams of product for £6, its not over 8 pans, more like 5 (or maybe six if you really build it up). Also its not so much a blush palette as a blush topper or highlight palette. The only shades that could conceivably be used as blushes are the send and fourth ones on the bottom. 

I think that might have been part of my instant dislike for it. As its called Blush Queen I was, understandably, expecting for it to be filled with blush. Seven out of eight of them are very soft  and easy to use, and all of them blend well. That scary looking bright pink actually sheers out really nicely and gives you a gorgeous, flushed glow.

Would I recommend this as a blush palette? No. Would I recommend it as a cheek and highlight palette? Maybe. There's not a lot of blush options, and everything is baked and sparkly. If that's what you're into then go for it though. 

XOXO Scruffy 

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com 

BOMB Cosmetics Flutter By, Butterfly Bath Blaster Review with Photos - Cruelty Free & Handmade

Some Bomb Cosmetics are a brand that have been on my radar for a while now. I've been given a few of their gift sets in the past and I've always found them nice. When I found I had another set squirreled away in the cupboard I thought I would let you all know what I thought of the blasters and bath melts, like I have been with Lush.

So this is the Flutter By, Butterfly Bath Blaster, and according to the website this contains cocoa butter to soothe the skin and mandarin and neroli essential oils. It also is supposed to smell like a combination of fresh apples and sweet cherries.

I don't know about all that, it is super dooper cute though....

From a mix of past experience and a lot of time spent going through they're website I can say they make some of the cutest bath bombs ever. They even make one with a tiny little rubber duckie in it, which is so so cute.

Smell wise, its a very nice, sweet kind of fruity, floral smell. I don't think its particularly like apples and cherries though. It is nice and pleasant. 

I feel like over recent months I might have been spoiled by all the lovely Lush goodies I've used because as fizzing displays go, this was a bit of a let down. 

It smelled really good but apart from that it was a bit boring and flat. I would have liked it if it did something more fun. Maybe some glitter or some more colour. It was just very mehh.

Another thing I noticed is that the cocoa butter leaves a really thick film on everything that came in contact with it, my body, my hair and the bath. It felt really gross. This was also really difficult to clean off the inside of the bath. I think in previous posts when I've been talking about the bath being difficult to clean I might have been thinking of these. 

So final thoughts, this bath blaster looks cute and smells good but its not worth the hassle and the clean-up. They cost £2.99 off the Bomb Cosmetics website so for that price you could get something from Lush that doesn't gunk up the same.

XOXO Scruffy

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com

NYX Matte Lipsticks in Tea Rose and Eurotrash Review and Lip Swatches - Cruelty Free Makeup

NYX are a fairly new brand to come to the UK, however over the past 6 months they started to take over my makeup collection, especially in the lip category. 

One of the first products I bought was the matte lipstick in Tea Rose. A gorgeous soft dusky pink shade. I really liked it but it got overshadowed in my collection by the many other matte lip products I own, and to be honest I totally forgot about it. 

Then, a few weeks ago, I was in my local Boots and decided to peruse the NYX counter (still not an experience I enjoy, the standards haven't really improved since my last rant post). I've already got all the shades of Lip Suede, Lip Cream, Lip Lingerie and almost all Butter Lipsticks I could want, so I found myself browsing the other lipstick lines and that's when I noticed Eurotrash and remembered about Tea Rose.

Top Eurotrash and bottom Tea Rose

So there they are. Packaging wise these lipsticks are very similar to the Butter lipsticks, the only difference being the ends of the bullet are all matte black and not coloured plastic that matches the colour of the product. I like this style of packaging, simple and effective. I also think the window is a nice touch as it means you can tell which lipstick is which without having to check the bottom or opening them. On a tangent, I've noticed NYX also print the name of the product down the body of the product as well, which I like too as it saves squinting at the bottom.

And here are the swatches. As you can see Eurotrash is very nude whereas Tea Rose is far more pink. They are both however, very nice wearable everyday colours.

Lip Swatch : Eurotrash

Lip Swatch: Tea Rose

Formula wise these lipsticks are really nice. They're soft and easy to apply with a good pigment pay off. And although they are maybe not truly matte in the same way a liquid lipstick would be, they are far more matte than a standard lipstick and far more comfortable than any liquid lipstick I have tried, even the really comfortable ones.

They don't last a really long time, however they wear off evenly and don't smudge that much when you kiss. They also feel really moisturising and leave my lips feeling in great condition. I've placed these two in my work makeup bag as they're lovely, wearable, "office appropriate" colours (although that never stopped me wearing dark purple). Ideal for applying after lunch when other products have worn off or started to flake and I need something for the afternoon.

I'd be really interested in trying more colours from this range as there are some gorgeous burnt oranges and dark reds. I'm just a bit worried they may suffer from the same formula inconsistancies that other NYX lines do, like the Full Throttle lipsticks where some are lovely and others are waxy and stiff. These two are absolutely lovely regardless.

XOXO Scruffy 

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com

Too Faced Love at First Kiss Delux Mini Review with Swatches - Cruelty Free Deluxe Mini Blush and Lipstick

A while ago (maybe early October) I placed a large order from Debenhams Beauty. In amongst the Kat Von D and Urban Decay, I picked up this lil guy. Too Faced aren't a brand that I'm super familiar with and all I had from them was a couple of mini bronzers I picked up in the States. 

I'd heard good things about the blushes and was interested in trying them, however at £25 they seemed excessively expensive for a product I've never given a huge amount of thought to. I tend to focus on my eyes or lips and use the same NYX HD blush day in, day out (in the colour Amber). I've never heard anyone talk about the lipsticks but I thought they'd be worth a try too. 

This is the box and its kinda cutesy and tacky but not too much. Recently Too Faced relaunched the Sweet Peach palette and that was wayyyyyyy to much. OK the gold lips aren't to my taste but I don't hate it and can see where they were going,  It fits with them.

These mini's are the ittiest bittiest things ever. The lipstick is the same length as my super stubby lil' thumb. I actually think they're really really cute, and I'm not the most  girly of people. It reminds me of the makeup I would have gotten with my dollies as a child, but on a very classy level. From watching older reviews of Too Faced on Youtube it seems to be this kind of that people used to really love about them, classy, cute but with kind of a risque, burlesque twist. Its also something that seems to have been lost recently with the constant re-releasing of "limited edition" palettes and marketing that seems to be aimed at younger and younger children. 

This was one review I managed to loose all the images of in the great laptop crap out of earlier this year. I had to retake them and that's why both products look a little used. 

So I guess I should talk about what you actually get in the pack. You get a mini of the Love Flush Blush in Love Hangover and a mini La Creme Colour Drench Lipstick in Naked Dolly.  You get 2 grams of blush and 1.5 grams of Lipstick, so not a huge amount but more than enough for you to work out if you like the product. 

I've got to say I really like the blush. I swatched it pretty heavily in the photo so you got a good idea of the colour but it blends out to a very nice shear wash of colour. It also seems to last all day, which is always a bonus.

The lipstick on the other hand, I don't love. It's nothing to do with the formula, which seems really nice and moisturising. Its just the colour. Super, skin tone based nudes just aren't my thing. I would be really interested in trying some darker shades in this formula and seeing if I like them more.

Overall I think this little set is great and would be an ideal stocking stuffer for anyone interested in makeup or that just likes cute mini objects. 

XOXO Scruffy 

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com

Sleep Issues - Trying to doze off whilst the imaginary monsters watch from the shadows

I've been thinking about writing this post for a while but its always been difficult to get past the first couple of sentences. This week I finally hit a point where I thought it was time to finally type it all up, in the hope it maybe helps someone else who's been in the same place as me. 

I've never been a good sleeper, ever since very early childhood. When I was tiny it was night terrors that terrorized my parents, and as I went through primary school I was plagued by horrible nightmares. It got so bad my mum bought me a picture of a unicorn to "watch over" me, if I woke up I was to check, and if the unicorn was still there I was fine and could go back to sleep. 

I remember long, sleepless nights in my early teenage years but no distinct nightmares. The only one I really remember from the between 16 and 19 is when I got home from a night out and dreamed there was a clown curled up on the arm chair in my bedroom. After all the problems thought that seems pretty tame.

In 2011 I went through a really rough patch. I hated my job, my (then) relationship wasn't in the best place, my living situation wasn't great and I lost a loved one. It was like my body just gave up on sleep. I was awake for weeks. Sometimes catching an hour or two around 5 am, or when I got in from work, but never anything concrete. Knowing what I do now, I should have headed straight to the doctors. But at 20, and already being in a bad place, I had no idea how to look after myself or asses the situation and work out what might be triggering it. That was maybe the single worst episode in my life. 

Five years on and I like to think I take care of myself a bit better. I'm in a much healthier place mentally and know how to watch for potential problems and try and sort them before they become a big deal. I still have a lot of issues with sleep though and recently they've manifested in a new and horrible way. 

You know that feeling when you're drifting off to sleep then suddenly feel like your falling and wake up with a start. Well I've been getting that but instead of the falling feeling its been the mental image of  something horrific in my bedroom, the most note worthy examples being a giant spider with the mouth of the vampires from Blade, a four foot china doll with no face and, winning an award for most terrifying thing ever, Ronald MacDonald with Edward Scissorhand's hands. 

I don't know why this started happening, but its a royal pain in the arse. On top of that I've started developing really bad restless leg syndrome on the left hand side of my body if I haven't slept well, or am tired and unable to sleep. It's violent and highly noticeable, which can be awkward if I'm out and about. Also I've twitched really violently and accidentally kicked my boyfriend a couple of times when we've been on the sofa or just getting into bed. Not good. Luckily he understands it's involuntary and I'm not trying to knock lumps out of him.

 I've come up with some steps that seem to help me sleep, reduce my sleep anxiety and help with the restless leg syndrome a little. I thought I'd type them up incase they help someone else that might be facing similar problems.

No fluid after 8pm

This sounds like a step for old people but it really helps. Not drinking means I'm less likely to wake up during the night for the loo and I don't have to try and fall asleep again, cutting the risk of potential issues a lot.

No screens for half an hour before bed

Set an alarm, do a final check of the email and then turn them all off. A quiet activity such as knitting or reading seems to really help calm me down and get me ready for sleep. If I don't have to be up the next day I'll just knit until my eyes feel really tired and I can't concentrate any more, if not 30 minutes is usually enough.

Get into a routine with the necessary tasks

Ever lie in bed and wonder if the door is locked, the cookers off and if you blew that candle out? I've gotten into a routine to make sure all these tasks are done and checked. It sounds crazy and a little obsessive compulsive, however it really helps put my mind at ease knowing everything is done. 

If you can't sleep don't force it

This is a really big one. I don't want my bed or bedroom to be a place I'm stressed as I need it to be restful. If I'm struggling to sleep, I get out of bed and go to the living room. Once I'm there, I'll keep it to lamplight and go back to knitting or reading until my eyes feel heavy and I might be able to sleep.

If you need to sleep with the lamp on, leave it on

This was something I found very hard to accept, and I've had countless nights where I've laid in the dark, stressed and awake. I'm not scared of the dark and admitting that occasionally the anxiety about sleep will kick in at the level where I need a "night light" was really difficult. However once I did, and got a full nights sleep after a really bad start, it just made sense. I will have bad nights, I don't think I'll ever get a full week in my life, but if I can get it down to one bad night, and I still get six hours sleep that bad night, then I'm totally OK with that.

In less than two weeks I turn 26 and its taken me this long to get to the point I admit I have a problem with this and come up with a strategy to help deal with it. I now keep a track of how many bad nights I have, I'm trying to see if there's a trigger for it in my day to day life. Also if I ever hit 3 bad nights in a ten day period I'm going to the doctor. I don't know why I've picked that number but I have and I'm sticking to it.

Do you struggle sleeping and have anything you find helps? Please let me know, I would love to hear what you do and see if theres something I could do better?

XOXO Scruffy 

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com

Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics Palette Review and Swatches - Cruelty Free Eyeshadow Palette

Don't you just love it when things fall into place? A couple of weeks ago I was feeling in need of a little retail therapy (bad day at work and narrowly missing out on a job I really wanted) and at the same time Debenhams sent me through another £5 Beauty Club voucher. I initially wasn't going to use it but then I ended up on the Debenhams website and the stunning gold packaging caught my eye. I had thought about maybe getting the Full Spectrum or Moondust Palettes, but I wouldn't get the use out of them, so I decided this would be the way to go. I don't have any of the Naked Palettes, or any higher end neutral eyeshadow, so once I reasoned it out this actually began to sound like an investment more than retail therapy.

Look at how pretty it is. Both the box and the top of the palette have this glorious, ridged sunburst design. It feels really chunky and sturdy, and you'd do some damage if you chucked it at someone (why do I think about these things). 

It's so pretty. That textured writing... Dam!

Inside you get twelve 1.2 gram eyeshadows in a range of gorgeous neutral colours, a very good sized mirror and a double ended brush.

Look at all those neutrals.

Top row finger swatches.

Bottom row  finger swatches.

This is the brush and it is the devil. When I did the brush swatches below I thought I was in trouble. You can see from the see from that photo, there seems to be a lot of fallout and there was a lot of powder kicked up in the pans that did not seem good. I found that odd as there really wasn't any with the finger swatches. 

Turns out that's just this the brush though. These shadows perform beautifully with any other brushes, I usually use Real Techniques or Eco Tools brushes (and occasionally some very cheap ones from years ago) and with all of them, they're totally fine. I washed the brush and tried it with other shadows  that are usually absolutely fine (Sleek and Makeup Revolution) and it did the same thing. Even if you only use it to blend it seems to pick up and flick product. It's my least favourite thing about the whole palette. The shadows actually perform better than the picture suggests. I just felt it was important to use the brush included so you were seeing it exactly as it is.

Every time I've done a full face of makeup since I bought this palette I've used it, either or its own are as a base for more sparkly and colourful looks. The shadows apply beautifully and blend really nicely (as long as you don't use the brush that came with it). I love using nudie or comando and then blending out with a little instinct or lethal for an everyday look. For more interesting looks I've been shaking it up with the Sleek Bad Gal palette I featured in my November Favourites and did full swatches in the Smoke and Mirrors giftset review. I've been using my everyday colours and then using the purple or silver out of the Sleek palette to make them pop. 

They also last brilliantly and don't crease. I've tried a variety of different bases and primers and they still don't budge. I was so impressed. 

Final thoughts, yes this is expensive. Even with my £5 off its still more than I've spent on a single make-up item up until now. And yes, the brush is crap. The shadows though... They are so good. They apply beautifully, blend really well and last all day without creasing. If this is the standard Naked shadow formula then I want them all (maybe if I get some Debenhams vouchers for my Birthday/Christmas I'll grab a different one, please send me recommendations). I would really recommend this to anyone looking for a good quality, matte, neutral palette. 

XOXO Scruffy

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com

(Just a wee note. I live in Scotland and we're currently in Winter. We get about 9 hours daylight a day and I spend that in work so sorry about the badly lit photos)