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The Manicare Sonic Mini Facial Cleansing brush is a new affordable cleansing tool on the market. In the past such devices often come with a higher price tag, the Clarisonic and Foreo come to mind. The cleansing tool comes with the actual cleansing head itself, a bristle head and a USB charger. The device is very cute, baby pink and reminiscent of a marshmallow. While it may look small it is very ergonomic and has a good grip to it. It also water resistant and can be used in the shower (I didn’t during this trial, I prefer washing my face at the sink). The device has 2 speed settings, I would tend to use the lower setting all over the face and then for any problem areas I would use the higher vibration setting. One thing I think would be helpful is having a timer sound that would ‘beep’ once every 20 seconds or so to ensure you spend the correct amount of time on each area. I used the device with both cream and gel cleansers and found I could work up a lather with both types of cleansers. Any remaining residue from the cleaners is easily rinsed off by removing the brush head and running it under water. In terms of improvement of my skin, I had a few breakouts before trialing this product, and I feel as though I went through a brief purging period as well. After 2 weeks of use I can definitely see a reduction in breakouts and also a more refined and even looking skin texture.

The Manicare SensiScrub Replacements heads are an alternative silicone brush head for the Manicare Sonic cleansing device. Each package comes with 2 replacement heads which are easily attachable to the device. Traditional bristles on cleansing devices tend to be slightly too abrasive for my skin but the SensiScrub bristles were a pleasure to use, so much so that I would often go over the 60 second recommended time frame as it was so enjoyable to use. I used the SensiScrub with most cream and gel cleansers and it worked well with both variations, providing a deep clean and also gently exfoliating any rough and dry patches. My favourite thing about this particular cleansing head is that the silicone bristles do not collect bacteria and are extremely quick drying. As long as you remember to give the brush head a deep clean once a week it should remain hygienic and germ free. I am looking forward to trying out the other replacement heads available within the Manicare Sonic range.

The Manicare Makeup Eraser is a newcomer into the world of makeup removers. It comes in a pack of 2 micro fiber erasers and promises to remove all traces of makeup including stubborn, longwearing and waterproof makeup. The eraser itself is square in shape and larger compared to others I’ve seen on the market. The larger eraser allows you to wipe a larger area of the face in one go and makes the removal process much faster and easier. I found this eraser removed the bulk of my makeup however I struggled to remove my waterproof mascara. I would either remove it beforehand with an eye makeup remover or follow up micellar water after I used the eraser. My face tends to get slightly flushed and gets red easily especially during the cleansing process and so after using the Manicare Eraser it was slightly red but did not feel irritated or sensitive in the least. Aside from removing makeup I used this eraser as a quick cleanse in the morning to remove any residual skincare and grime from the night before. I also used it for removing creamier face masks that are harder to rinse off and it did the job well. Any residual makeup in the eraser was easily washed with soap and water, after which I would hang the eraser to dry overnight in a well ventilated area. If you are looking to make the switch from makeup wipes I would definitely give these a go!

The Nivea Urban Skin Detox 3-in-1 Claywash comes in an easy to use clear tube, and easily visible to see how much product you have used. It has a beautiful refreshing scent and feels very cooling on the skin, you really get that purifying feel. I used this product for about a week and half, however I felt like it was slightly too much for my normal-combo skin. As a wash/scrub it provides a mild exfoliation with the microbeads, nothing too abrasive but the effects weren't really as visible as I would have liked. Used as a detoxyfing mask, the clay really helped to draw out impurities as I could see some breakouts after using the product. However using the product in either way I felt like my skin appeared to be more dried out than usual and lacked a glow, which would be expected as this mask claims to mattify the skin. For me personally, this isn't a product I would reach for again, however my sister to more oiler skin has really enjoyed this product.

Thank you to Beautyheaven for giving me the opportunity to trial the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Milky Water. This product comes in the typical packaging of the Garnier Micellar range with a pink flip top lid. The texture of the milky water is thick and white in colour and not transparent or water like as typical Micellar waters are. There is also a strong fragrance present in the product. It is recommended to use this product by soaking a cotton pad and removing makeup from all areas of the face (inc. eye and lips). The first issue I had was getting the product to soak through as it’s very thick, I resorted to squeezing some into the cotton pad and spreading it around using my fingers as it just wouldn’t absorb into the pad. I would say it removed 75% of my makeup, I do wear waterproof mascara and the milky cleanser was unable to completely remove it, I still had smudges under my eyes. I found I needed about 3 large cotton rounds to completely removed all my makeup, whereas with the regular Garnier Micellar Water I am able to do so in just one. My skin tends to flush very easily even while applying cleanser or moisturiser, this product didn’t irritate my skin at all, however it did leave somewhat of a residue which may have been slightly too heavy for my combination skin. I think this product is great for those with extremely dry or sensitive skin as it really does help soothe and hydrate the skin, as well as for those who wear light makeup and don’t require a lot of help to remove it.

The Nivea 1 minute Urban Skin Detox and Moisture Mask comes in a large 75ml tube and claims to work in just 1 minute. The texture of this mask is quiet thick and is a vibrant teal colour but goes translucent as you apply it. After applying an even layer on my face I left it for a minute as suggested and then tissued of excess product and massaging any remaining product into the skin. It felt like a very intensive moisturiser and I could definitely still feel it on my skin even after removing. I did not feel the need to moisturise my skin the next morning. For those with extra dry skin I would suggest applying a thick layer and leaving it on overnight as a sleeping mask. For my combination skin I feel like this particular mask might have been slightly too rich but there are also others in the range that would suit me better.

The Nivea Micellair Skin Breather Expert Makeup Remover comes in a generous 400ml dark bottle with a twist cap. This particular formula contains an oily layer which is slightly difficult to see through the packaging but be sure to shake it up before using. I used this as the first step in my routine and followed it up with a cleanser. I found that it removed even my most stubborn waterproof mascara very easily and at most I needed no more than 2 makeup remover pads to remove the bulk of my eye makeup. It also removed my face makeup very easily and left no residue behind. I was left with my skin feeling very refreshed. I was slightly hesitant using an oil based micellar remover on my face however I did not get any reactions or breakouts from this product. This product also has no discernible fragrance and is perfect for people with sensitive skin.

The Maybelline Total Temptation Shadow and Highlight palette is a new product from Maybelline which features 8 eyeshadows both in warm and cool tones and two highlighter shades making it a great palette to travel with. The warm side consists of 4 peachy nude shadows while the cool side features purple grey tones. I found the shimmer shadows to be extremely glittery and even the matte shades still had some sort of sheen. The shadow are decently pigmented however there was quiet a lot of fallout when picking up product with my brush. You can create a variety of eyeshadow looks with this palette however I found I used other palettes in connection with the Total Temptation palette in order to create a full eye look. As for the highlighter shades they too are also quiet glittery, I preferred using the gold shade on its own or mixed with the lavender shade as opposed to just the lavender shade. It’s a very glittery and noticeable highlight which is great if you are after that sort of look.

The Maybelline Total Temptation Brow Definer is a new brow product from Maybelline and part of their new Total Temptation range. I was lucky enough to trial this product thanks to BeautyHeaven. The product is cased in the same baby pink packaging as the rest of the Total Temptation range which makes it easy to find in your makeup bag amidst dozens of other eyebrow pencils and eyeliners. It features a wind up pencil on one end and a spool on the other. The tear drop shape of the pencil is a first for Maybelline, however other products on the market such as Benefits Goof Brow Brow Pencil and Anastasia’s Brow Definer feature a similar shape, however the Maybelline Total Temptation Brow Definer has a much more precise shape. I trialled the shade ‘Deep Brown’ which was a great fit for my black brow hair. It leans more on the cool side and blended in quiet well. With the tear drop shape of the pencil I was able to draw in brow hairs with the precise pointed end and fill in any large sparse areas with the full width of the pencil. It made filling in my brows much more efficient. I’ve now solely been using the Maybelline Total Temptation Brow Definer in my makeup routine and am happy to have a much more affordable alternative to the product I was previously using. My only complaint with this product would be that I wish the spool itself was a little thinner and longer as its quiet an odd shape to comfortably run through the brows and blend the product.

This is my new holy grail drugstore mascara and I’m so thankful for BH for letting me trial this product. The tube is a soft pink matte rubber packaging which looks very sophisticated however it does get dirty quiet easily when sitting in your makeup bag. The wand is a typical mascara wand, and is a great size, not too large for applying on the lower lashes either. They claim this mascara has an irresistible scent however I did not find any noticeable scent to the product. My favourite thing about this mascara is the texture, it’s a lovely whipped formula that is neither heavy or too light and paired with the brush you get a lovely even application right from the start. I was so surprised to see immediate results straight from the get go as usually some mascaras need to ‘thicken up’ after opening so you they give the best results. My natural lashes are very straight and I generally tend to use waterproof mascaras that hold a curl better. Although this is a washable formula and I was so happy to see that it did not weight my lashes down at all. My lashes immediately looked darker and fuller and held a curl for the entire day. Normally my lashes have that crunchy texture, but this mascara stays true to its claim for giving a ‘soft touch’. This is definitely a great addition to the Maybelline range and I hope they bring out a waterproof version soon as it’s definitely gained a permanent place in my makeup bag.