New in: Karora Self Tanning - Naturally Organic!

Irish self tanning brand, Karora, uses only organic and natural extracts to create a cruelty-free range of fabulous self tanning products, without parabens, artificial fragrances, synthetic colours or harsh chemical ingredients.
We’re head over heels about the multi award-winning range, which we think gives the most believable looking golden glow we’ve seen in a long time - and are thrilled to be an official stockist!
Here are Top Tips for a truly natural glow this Summer!





Skin Prep: Slough off any rough dry or dead skin with super gentle Smooth Operator. Made with pure fruit enzymes, this micro-peel is enriched with Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and Citrus to stimulate natural renewal and leave your skin baby soft.  It contains no grit or grains and is suitable for sensitive skins.












Gentle Colour:  Pale skinned beauties or those who prefer a subtle golden glow will love Karora’s Gradual Bronzing Moisturiser for face and body with SPF 15. Containing natural botanicals and protective sun filters, it is fused with sweet orange extract, jojoba, vitamin E and essential oil of argan.  We love the citrus fresh fragrance and find this works just as beautifully on the face as the body.
      






Post Holiday Tan: Self Tan Mist For deeper colour that’s super easy to apply,  We find this works best when spritzed on a tanning mitt and gently swept over the skin.  Scented with sweet orange and melon, the tinted formula with acai berry & argan oil, develops into a gorgeously golden hue in just a few hours and lasts around a week.

Instant Colour: can help top up your existing tan or take your natural skin colour a couple of shades darker.  Instant Wash Off Tan offers superb coverage, hides skin imperfections and gives colour that lasts up to 24 hours. Packed with supernatural botanical ingredients of grape seed oil and horse chestnut extract it keeps skin nourished, smooth and supple.
Karora products are reasonably priced for such high performing, luxury products at £13.50 each. For full details and ingredients, please see HERE.

Olympic Beauty Celebrations!

Here at CutECOsmetics we’re in full Olympic celebration mode & will be sporting these Olympic themed beauties over the next couple of weeks!

Lily Lolo - If Eye Were a Winner: A trio of limited edition bronze, silver and gold Olympic themed eye shadows in Bronze Sparkle, Gold Digger & Silver Dollar vibrant mineral pigments. £14.99 here

Love & Toast Lip Glaze in Crush Rush: A sheer pop of shimmering coral glaze filled with good for you naturals such as Jojoba Oil & Beeswax. Crush Rush comes in a retro London Jubilee style tube.
£7.99 here

Lime Crime - China Doll Palette: We can’t help wondering if Lime Crime were being incredibly forward thinking when they chose the colours of this palette, perfectly matching the Olympic rings!  The five vivid shades in matte to metallic finishes can be used on the eyes & face.
£23.95 here

Priti NYC Heavy Medal: A striking set of Limited Edition metallic polishes inspired by the London Olympics medals:  Chrysanthos, Old Man Cactus, Bills Bronze and Pewter Veil.
£29.99 here

Priti NYC Red White and Beautiful: A second set of Limited Edition polishes created for London 2012 in sophisticated tones of red, white and blue, with a free 2 in 1 base/top coat.
£29.99 here

Will you be joining us in beauty-full Olympic celebrations?!

Natural Summer Makeup Look: Just Beachy!

 

We promised we’d be back with a Summer makeup look to match the base we created in Part One - and here it is!

Summer makeup is all about enhancing what you’ve got, rather than looking overly made up, so for this look we’ve used a selection of natural tones that will leave your complexion looking glowing.

Bronze… Add Lily Lolo’s Summer 2012 Mineral Bronzer in South Beach across cheekbones, blending up into temples, with a light dusting across forehead, nose and chin - not forgetting the neck to avoid a mismatched face and body!

Blush… A whisper of pink blush on the apples of your cheeks adds a healthy glow and balances the face - try Lily Lolo Surfer Girl.

Eyes… You might be wearing your favourite new sunglasses, but you still want your eyes to look naturally defined when you take them off - tightline close to the lashline and lengthen lashes with NATorigin eyeliner and mascara in brown. 

If you don’t like to skip eyeshadow, try Nvey’s Eco Organic palette no3 for the most gorgeous is-she-or-isn’t-she nude tones, not forgetting a touch of white at inner corners to really open the eye area and make you look wide awake! 

Brows are all important in a minimal makeup look - defining them can have the effect of a mini eyelift and really frame the face… we love Inika’s Brow Pencil in Blonde to give added polish and definition.

Lips… protect this delicate area using a lipbalm with added spf, such as EOS Lemon Drop SPF 15, before adding a layer of creamy moisturising colour.  While lipgloss is the obvious choice for many, lipstick is making a huge comeback and we find it needs fewer touch ups - bonus!  Lily Lolo’s newly launched lipstick range is rich and creamy… Demure is perfect for the perfect nude-but-not-chalky lip.

 

Do you wear less makeup in Summer?

Summer Makeup Base: Less is More

When it comes to Summer makeup, less is more.  Skin looks best when it appears fresh and natural, so go for the lightest coverage you can get away with, adding concealer to hide any blemishes, a touch of powder to avoid shine and bronzer for a sunkissed finish.

Here are some products we’ve been using to achieve this look…
 
Korres Watermelon Lightweight Tinted Moisturiser SPF30 offers moisture, sun protection and light coverage in one product. £19.00 for 30ml {HERE}



Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation is light reflective, water resistant, high performing and contains natural SPF, making it a perfect option for warmer months. Available in 15 shades at £12.49 each {HERE} This is perfectly complemented by long lasting Mineral Concealer at £7.29 {HERE}.

Add warmth with Bellàpierre Compact Mineral Face & Body Bronzer, enriched with soothing Jojoba for a luminous colour that lasts all day.  Choose from four shades at £24.99 each {HERE}.

So that’s our base sorted… look out for part two, which is all about adding colour! 

Do you tend to wear more or less makeup in Summer?

The Importance of Cleansing - Konjac, Nourish and Lulu & Boo

Cleansing is one of the most important, yet often skipped skincare steps…  it’s not just about removing dirt and makeup; it’s about allowing your skin to breathe and creating the optimum base for other skincare and makeup products.

It’s equally important not to over-cleanse and strip your skin of its natural oils - treat your skin like the most expensive silk… don’t be too abrasive and be particularly gentle with the eye area. Excessive cleansing can lead to irritation and loss of moisture.

Cleansers without fragrance, parabens or harsh chemicals help avoid irritation and preserve your skin’s delicate pH balance.

The CutECOsmetics girls are particularly fond of removing cleansing products with good old fashioned flannels and warm water - nothing is more effective or as cheap in the long run!

Here are a few of our favourite go-to cleansing products… with options for sensitive, normal/oily and mature skins.

Konjac Sponges

Cleansing doesn’t come much more gentle than this.  These sweet little palm sized sponges are formed from top quality food grade Konjac, a plant root (originating from a form of potato!), which has been widely used in Japanese skincare for 15 centuries.

To use, simply soak with warm water, gently rinse and sweep across the face.  There is no need for additional product, though if you choose to use some, only a tiny amount will be required. 

The Konjac Sponge gently massages the skin and fits perfectly into the contours of your face, leaving it incredibly soft.

Also available with added Charcoal Bamboo and French Clay to suit different skin types.

See the full range here, priced at £6.00 each.

Lulu & Boo Organics Nettle & Lemon Tea-Tree Cleansing Gel

This naturally fresh scented, award-winning product provides a gentle yet deep cleanse and suits all skin types except dry. 

Top quality ingredients such as Organic Essential Oils of Orange, Lemon T-Tree and Rosemary, are soothing, anti-inflammatory and balancing. 

£15.40 for 100ml here.

Nourish Radiance Rose Cleanser

The blend of soft emollients and Carrot Extract in Nourish Radiance Cleanser are particularly beneficial for mature skins, providing a gentle thorough cleanse that leaves the skin bright and glowing.

£9.95 for 100ml here.

If you do one thing for your skin this week, cleanse it thoroughly before going to bed!

New: Lime Crime Aquataenia Pearlescent Palette

We’re watching the front door, waiting for the arrival of Lime Crime’s first pearlescent palette…  Aquataenia contains five shimmering, glittery oceanic shades to create a wet, glistening effect, ‘reminiscent of a mermaid's tail under the moonlight’. 

Embossed with shell print, it looks beautiful encased in its deluxe purple tin - and even more beautiful swatched on the skin…

Each of the nautically named shades shimmer and sparkle with a metallic rainbow effect…

• Nautilus Prime – blurple
• Coral of the Story – true coral
• Seahorse Discourse – tropical green
• Pearl-ple – pearlescent lilac
• Atlanteal – seafoam blue/green
  
  

Is it just us, or do you fancy being a real life mermaid for a day?!

Priced at £23.95, we’re expecting Lime Crime’s Aquataenia Eye Shadow Palette to arrive at CutECOsmetics any day now, so do keep an eye on our site.

We’ll also keep you posted via Facebook & Twitter.

Lily Lolo Launches a Lipstick Range - get yours at CutECOsmetics!

Mineral cosmetics brand, Lily Lolo, is to launch its first set of lipsticks in delicious shades of peach, pink and red and we’re delighted to be chosen as a stockist just as soon as these beauties are available!  More than just pretty colours, Vitamin E and rosemary extract will ensure your lips are beautifully nourished and kissably soft!

Each colour is well pigmented with a luxuriously creamy finish, packaged in glamorous silver with the Lily Lolo logo…

Intense Crush – modern coral peach

Demure –  natural, peachy beige

Romantic Rose - flattering deep rose pink

Love Affair - dusky pink with brown undertones

French Flirt - warm, mid toned red

Desire - cool intense deep red

All six shades will be in stock at CutECOsmetics on 13th July, priced at £7.99 each.

We’re torn between Intense Crush and Romantic Rose… what’s your favourite?

Beauty Benefits of Calming Chamomile

Renowned for its soothing and calming properties, Chamomile is one of the most gentle ingredients used in beauty products with particular benefits for dry, sensitive and allergic skin. A powerful anti-inflammatory, Chamomile helps soften, heal and balance skin, benefits the hair, has a pretty floral fragrance and even helps us get a full night’s beauty sleep! 

It’s no wonder that so many of our favourite products contain its goodness!  Here are a few that we’ve been loving lately (just click on any image or product name for further info)…

Lulu & Boo Organics  Rose & Chamomile Toner £13.95 and Chamomile Cleansing Balm £23.50

nvey Eco Organic Moisturising Fluid Foundation £25.00, Eco Powder Blush £15.50, Eyeshadow from £14.50, Eco Cake Eyeliner £14.50.

Hurraw! Moon Balm Night Treatment Lip Balm £3.90

Inika Liquid Mineral Foundation £27.50

Widely used by by the Ancient Egyptians, Chamomile is cultivated in Europe for its medicinal benefits, where its precious essential oil is extracted from the plant’s leaves and flowers through steam-distillation.  We’re also rather partial to a cup of Chamomile tea at the end of a hectic day at CutECOsmetics HQ! 

Have you tried any products containing Chamomile?

NB Some medical practices advise against using Chamomile based products during pregnancy