Green People Gentle Cleanse & Makeup Remover Review

My skin can be a funny little bunny. One minute it will love a product, then after a few months, or even years, it will change it’s mind and start reacting to it. I don’t think I’m alone in this and quite a few people suffer from the same problem. I’ve used the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Cleanser on and off for a number of years, but every so often my skin just decides that it’s had enough. In all honesty, I didn’t really mind too much when this started happening again a couple of months ago, this time I was pretty excited about getting a chance to try some new products! I can be quite fussy - I don’t like to use skincare that looks cheap and a lot of the time I prefer to use something that seems more natural rather than strongly perfumed and artificial. When I was on the hunt for a new cleanser my summer student loan hadn’t yet come through meaning that I was a little pushed for my budget. As you can imagine this made shopping quite difficult, but I felt like I had finally struck gold when I came across the Green People Gentle Cleanse & Makeup Remover on feelunique.com.

I got this 50ml bottle of the Green People Gentle Cleanse & Makeup Remover for £8.95, although 200ml is only double the price. 50ml is not a huge amount of product, but I prefer to try things out before I commit to them anyway. What first attracted me to this cleanser was the fact that 91% of the ingredients are certified organic. It is also alcohol and paraben-free which are two things I always try and avoid. In fact, there is a whole list of ingredients which the brands promises to never include in their products listed on the back of the bottle! On top of this, 10% of the company’s profits are given to charity. If you’re a philanthropic-planet-saving kind of a guy or girl it’s definitely a brand to check out.

The cleanser claims to be suitable for all skin types. The cleanser is so gentle that I can’t think of any obvious reasons that this wouldn't work for all skin types. I have dry/combination skin and after using this my skin feels clean and refreshed, yet still moisturised. I can’t guarantee that this would work for oily skinned girls, but I’d say don’t afraid of using this just because it says that it’s hydrating! Since using this cleanser I’ve noticed that some of my irritated patches of skin have disappeared, but it hasn’t managed to clear up my main problem area which is my chin and usually suffers from dryness and blemishes. I think that this may be down to not having settled into an established exfoliation routine. I’ve also noticed a few bumps across my face, but I am also certain that this is due to diet (if you’ve seen some of my Weekend Roundup posts then you will know what I mean). One aspect of the product that has really impressed me is the product’s ability to take off makeup. I usually use my Bioderma to remove my eye makeup, but when I use this cleanser with hot water on a cotton pad or face cloth this quite literally melts the makeup off of my face. If you do happen to accidentally get some of the product in your eye it’s not going to sting either, which I always think is a sign of a good, gentle cleanser.

The consistency of the product is a white sort of creamy gel which I found a little bizarre to begin with, but now I love it. It feels like a nourishing treat when I put this on, whether I’m quickly slapping it on over the sink before bed or in a nice, hot shower in the morning. The dispenser is a pump and I find that one pump is the perfect amount to lightly cover my face and neck, but I may use a little more if I’m also removing my makeup. There isn’t much of a scent to it either which I’m pretty pleased about. There is a slight fresh smell but it’s very neutral and I don’t think that it would offend anyone. I am also a fan of the packaging - simple yet professional is definitely the way to go, and the sleek plastic bottle is easy to keep clean. This product may not be all round miraculous, but it’s definitely been a lovely refreshing product that has helped to make my face a blank canvas ready for my makeup. I'm definitely thinking about purchasing the 200ml bottle (after using the 50ml one for a month I've just run out!). For now I’m just excited to have found a great new brand that shares some of my values.

Have any of you heard of Green People or tried any of their products?

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Mini Haul

As you will already know if you read my Weekend Roundup posts I went on a little spending spree the week before last. I was spending the weekend in Edinburgh and so it was the perfect opportunity to pick up some makeupy bits and bobs that needed replacing and ended picking up another couple of little (fairly big) things too. I blame you Harvey Nichols! I won’t really be doing a review of any of them just yet but I have tried all of them now so I’m going to do a bit of an overview. I know that some people enjoy hauls so I thought it was worth sharing this with you anyway!

First up I’ve got the few bits and bobs that I picked up at Boots. The Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer is a long time favourite of mine, and seeing as we are now approaching the summer months and the tanning routine is in full swing I was in need of a darker colour. Yes, it may still be called “Light” but it’s an improvement nevertheless from my regular shade of “Fair”! I’d been wanting to try Model’s Own Banana Split for a while ever since I saw Tanya Burr wearing it on her Twitter. I was really excited to have a yellow that I thought would finally suit me, but I was a little disappointed with the milky sort of formula. Personally I couldn’t notice the banana scent that much when it was on my nails either, but it’s a gorgeous colour nonetheless! The Maybelline Falsies mascara is another repurchase because for a drugstore mascara it’s really good quality. While I was in Boots I just happened to come across the L’Oreal Topcoat in Confetti. I had been lusting after this for ages, and since I was in a pretty spontaneous mood I went and bought it. Crazy old Emily.

There’s actually a little story behind the Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Greenberry. The Friday before we went to Edinburgh I got a gelish manicure in a mid-toned mint green colour which I fell in love with. After that I was on a mission to find a duplicate shade that I could use at home. Luckily after having seen so many blog posts on the Barry M Gelly range I thought immediately of this shade. Since it’s a gel finish it’s high shine and will also last longer on your nails. So far I’ve been loving it on my toes, one week later and not a chip in sight!

Now onto the big boys. Both the hair rollers and the self tanner were purchases from Harvey Nichols, aka a beauty blogger’s dream. Originally I was just going to pick up the St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse as it’s an old favourite of mine (it was actually the first self tanner that I ever used) and I love it. The Sleep-In Rollers were one of those impulse buys - I’d seen what I’m pretty sure are the same rollers used by the Pixiwoo sisters, and as I’m always looking for new ways to give my fine hair a boost I thought that these would be ideal. I’ve only used these once, and I would like to do a review on these at some point so I won’t give too much more away! The pack came in a little pink drawstring bag with twenty rollers for £18 (I think mine was on offer). Willpower, what willpower?

Hope that you’ve enjoyed this cheeky post - I do love a bit of procrastination from revision!

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Lipstick Chat: Dubonnet by Mac

All swatches (on arm and lips) taken in natural daylight

I purchased Dubonnet by Mac a few months ago for a photoshoot that I did the makeup for (which you can read more about here). I needed a deep red that was still quite bright. This lipstick certainly ticks those boxes.

Finish and Lasting Power
The finish is quite velvety and lasts for a really long time of your lips, especially if you do a second application after blotting your lips on a tissue. I find some of the top layer of the product may work itself off, but your lips will be left with a deeper sort of tint for hours, as if you’ve used a lip stain. The formula isn’t particularly dehydrating so long as you remember to put on a little lip balm a few minutes before application, and it’s not so thin as to over-emphasise any cracks or dry bits on your lips.

Colour
This lipstick is an 'amplified' finish, which means that it’s quite intense. I find that you can reach slightly different levels of intensity depending on whether you apply it straight from the bullet or with a lip brush. I would definitely recommend using a lip brush just because of the incredible payoff of this colour - it is so pigmented! The colour itself is a deep red colour with an orangey undertone, which I think would be perfect for a 1920s look (Gatsby inspired makeup anyone?). I know that some people love this sort of shade year round, but I personally I think that I’d be more likely to wear this in the autumn or winter.

Don’t let that stop you though! As you can see in my post with Stuart when photographed with professional lighting it comes out as more of a true red colour. As it’s wedding season this is something that some of you ladies (or gents!) may want to keep in mind - certain types of lighting can really wash you out on camera, along with the makeup you’re wearing.

What do you think about this shade? Yay or nay?

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