Emma Hardie skincare review

I have now been using Emma Hardie products for over a year and feel I know enough about them to give an honest and informed review. I have tried most of the products in the range now and wanted to share my favourites.

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Emma Hardie moisturiser, primer, oil, serum by aestheticcontradiction

The most well-known product, is the Moringa cleansing balm, which has achieved almost “cult” beauty status, with hosts of bloggers reviewing it and singing its praises. I also have this and use it on days when I wear a lot of makeup, but the products I wanted to talk about today are as follows:

emma hardie moisturiser favourite by aestheticcontradiction

 

The amazing face protect and prime:

This is a priming moisturiser with SPF, specially formulated with Mongongo Oil, Oat Extract and Vitamin E. I use it every day.

I like that it doubles up as a primer as I don’t bother using a separate one day to day and it helps keep my BB cream in place.

 If I ever forget to apply it before my morning dog walk, I do notice the difference, my face feels dry and more exposed to the elements.

It does feel like a cross between a moisturiser and a primer when applied to the skin and has a light fragrance, which I think is a blend of rose and essential oils, similar to most Emma Hardie products.

Though I’m not crazy about the colour of the packaging, I find the pump really handy and like how sturdy it is. If I’m travelling, I just throw it in my bag and have never had any problems with leakage. I find other products with similar packaging often have a loose lid that falls off easily, meaning the pump could accidentally be compressed, covering the contents of your bag in product.

This has become my go-to moisturiser because it combines everything that I need day to day and I can easily just squeeze some on before I leave in the morning. I don’t even have to worry about screwing a lid back on properly.

Buy it: £45 from Emma Hardie

emma hardie facial oil by aestheticcontradiction blogger

Brilliance facial oil:

A moisturising and brightening oil containing 9 essential oils and 5 plant oils.

I know a lot of people say this when they first try facial oil, but I was seriously expecting it to make my skin more oily or cause me to break out. I have actually tried other oils in the past and found they did just that.

This time however, I was pleasantly surprised. I actually think this oil helps minimise breakouts, it has genuine brightening properties and leaves me skin feeling and looking smoother and more hydrated. I don’t always wake up thinking how amazing my skin looks, but it definitely happens more often after starting to use the Emma Hardie brilliance facial oil.

The packaging of this is beautiful. Even before I was sure that it would suit my skin, I wanted it to be part of my vanity display. The quality is evident in every element and the dropper is the perfect way to distribute the oil.

I was also quite surprised by the size of this and how long it lasts. I use this every two days and I estimate a 30 ml. bottle would last me a year, making the £31 totally worth it.

Buy it: £31 from SPACE NK

Emma Hardie face serum by aestheticcontradiction blogger

 

Mydas touch face serum:

Concentrated collagen-boosting, skin-firming face serum.

I mostly use this around my eyes and mouth, where I feel my skin is losing its elasticity or starting to form fine lines.

What I particularly love about this is that you can also add it to sensitive or spot-prone areas without fear of irritation or oiliness. It feels very light and silky on the skin and is easily absorbed.

This comes in a cylindrical box that is way too big for it. It looks impressive, but is not at all practical if you purchase it on a trip, like I did. I ended up having to ditch outer packaging because it didn’t fit in my bag.

The internal packaging, I feel is perfect and I love the chunky pen shape.

Pressing the bottom of the “pen” releases a small blob of product, ensuring there is no waste.

This is quite pricey so I use it around 3 times a week but I don’t think any more than that would be necessary.

£59, Cult Beauty


Emma hardie review favourite products by aestheticcontradiction

I hope it was useful to hear about my favourite products and how I use them. If you use any of these, I’d love to know what you think and if you use them in a similar way.

Emma Hardie also do not test their raw ingredients or finished products on animals, They do not sell to China and are in the process of having a leaping bunny logo added to their site.

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Jaime Wei Huang

We kicked off the season with a familiar face, Jaime Wei Huang. I always enjoy her designs and the air of utilitarianism that ties together all her collections.

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This time though, there was an unexpected and captivating dark edge to the signature apronesque silhouettes. Straps and leather tassels hung down, accentuating the models movement.

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The unmistakable sound of  Rammstein set the tone while models strutted down the catwalk in chunky shoes and with wet hair obscuring their faces .

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They were cocooned in oversized aviator jackets, wrapped in faux fur, adorned with tassels and draped with straps.

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The tasseled back packs and gloves with different attachments complemented the clothes perfectly and added just the right amount of detail to the look.

IMG_4467The fur was panelled into the garments, adding volume in unusual places (back and arms), altering their silhouettes and adding a touch of softness to an overall tough aesthetic.

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I would describe the collection as dramatic but wearable. I saw a lot of pieces that could easily be integrated into my wardrobe but would continue to make a statement whenever worn.

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London fashion week AW 14/15 PART 1.

I’ve just returned from my trip to LFW and will be sharing this season’s experiences with you in diary style posts. I have decided to present our adventures in 3 parts to keep them short, sweet and interesting.

The night before we left was stormy and there was a brief moment when it seemed like we weren’t going to be able to make it down, but by the morning trains were running again and we arrived in London with just 20 minutes behind schedule.

Our first stop was Lucinda Sinclair’s studio where the Vauhaus girls shot for Sanctus on a windy roof top.

bts1Left to right: Amber, myself, Lucinda, Toria and Hazel.

I shot for one of their previous lines about a year ago and you can see the shoot here but it was nice to get the opportunity to meet Lucinda in person and hang out.

The next morning we headed to our first show all together. It was raining. I found myself wishing I’d brought a selection of outerwear so my street-style photos didn’t all end up looking the same but alas, my suitcase was heavy enough already.

My outfit:

wall1wall3wall2Hat: Asos, Shirt: H&M, lace blazer: Ebay, pleated maxi skirt: Jane Norman, quartz necklace: handmade, feather necklace: Richard Ayres, body jewellery: Bodyjewelleryshop.com

Thanks to Amber for the pics.

Our first show of the season was Jaime Wei Huang. The young designer presented a modern collection with many contrasting elements but a sleek, consistent feel. She was inspired by the film “the Pianist” and specifically the characters behind the refugees.

jaime wei huangOpposites really inspire me in general so I’m always happy to see a collection with juxtaposing features. Huang mixed heavy and light fabrics, utilitarian features with classic silhouettes and masculine shapes on the female form.

The mood of the show was quite sombre and the models walked quietly and spaced out, allowing viewers to take a good look at the garments but maybe also the character beneath, perhaps a glimmer of the of the refugee’s pre-war identity .

Key features such as the trapper hats, oversized funnel collars and thick buckled straps recreate the resourcefulness of war and show how necessity can form fashion statements.

P1010186-1024x902A lot of the pieces in this collection are highly wearable and would make practical but eye-catching wardrobe staples. My personal favourites are the textured leather gillette and the black jacket.

After the show, I also got the chance to briefly meet Pandemonia Panacea and snowy.

1780799_589915891085833_1269690304_nHere’s the whole team and what we wore.

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Candy Latex, pop and pastel colours.

For the past couple of weeks I’ve had a temporary intern helping out at the studio. Today was her last day and she was looking through my product pictures album, telling me about the product she liked, when I thought it would be a great idea to get her to write a blog post about them. I think comparing the items to sweets was really clever and hope that she has an awesome time living and working in Berlin for the next few months.

I don’t usually feature posts by others but if you guys enjoy this, let me know and I will look out for other potential guest bloggers.

Candy Latex, pop and pastel colours.

Hi, My names Iasha Masood, and for the past two weeks I’ve been an intern at Eustratia, I have had an amazing two weeks here and got to see so much of the upcoming collection which you should all be super-excited about! I’ve learned so much and I’m so grateful for this lovely experience so I wanted to write a guest post about some of my favourite products from Eustratia! Now for the products!…

Some of the Eustratia products look good enough to eat.  You shouldn’t eat latex, but in this blog post I’ll show you why I get hungry looking at some of Eustratia’s sexy designs!

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The first piece is the Candy stripe bra in these delicious colours; it’s a playful and bold piece which can show off your fun side. The striped design actually accentuates your figure by making you appear taller (and look like a yummy piece of candy!) whilst the style of the cups gives an impression of a bigger bust.  Over the years the Red white combination has been used so much, not just in lollipops and candy but it’s used for Valentine’s Day because it symbolises romance and sweet feelings.

The next one is the super sweet Bow bra, in Bubble-gum pink and light blue the colours look so yummy you could lick them! The bow bra is a simple bra featuring double straps and a design that helps to give a more pushed up look to your bust. The colour scheme is used a classic pastel combination famously used in those fizzy cola bottles that we all loved so much.

Saving the best until the last the mirror dress is one my favourite pieces. It’s a stunning flattering design featuring a reflection of a beautiful fantasy scene with butterflies, flowers and trees. Finished with Eustratia’s signature unicorns. A truly marvellous unique piece this one is not only stunning but its colours are absolutely lick-able featuring bubble-gum pink, mint, and yellow it almost look like you’re a pretty piece of wrapped up candy! This dress has hours and hours of delicate applique work done on it and is just one of the unique pieces from the reflections collection.

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Rebelicious freature

Pick of the Day: Eustratia

Eustratia is run by Creative  Director/Designer Stacey Black. This company is creating a stir in the fashion industry by bringing forth daring latex fashions and accessories. With a huge range of exclusive fusion fabrics, trims, and theatrical applique designs Eustratia stretches the fashion lovers mind.

CURRENT COLLECTIONS

Dryad: black, white and nude designs.

Valentine: red and white

Stellar: pink, purple, and blue

Chimera: black, white and inverted crosses (my fav!)

Photo by: David Richardson

Everything about Eustratia screams BOLD & WHIMSICAL! Fantasy and fabric come together and dare you to be confident and daring.

All latex items are handcrafted and the option to have the ensemble custom fitted is free! This is great since latex should fit your body skin tight! Eustratia is breaking ground in a new fashion trend and amazing things are expected in the future! Check them out now!

Eustratia.co.uk
Aestheticcontradiction.com – Blog

 

Words: Tera Suicide

on the rebelicious site: http://rebeliciousmagazine.com/2012/03/30/pick-of-th-day-eustratia/