Ahoy DesignsHey! Welcome to my blog, I’m Rachael. This is where I review all sorts of random things including stationary and wedding tips & advice. I mainly blog about vegan and cruelty-free beauty products.
Some of my blogs include affiliate links where I get paid when you click through & buy. This doesn't increase the cost you pay. My blogs are my point of view & experience. I don't promote anything I don't like or believe in.
I purchased Age-Balancing Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30 | PA+++ on Murad.com back in September 2021 and have been using it daily ever since. I wanted to wait a little while before reviewing, to give me time to really understand how it’s changed my skin and what I think of it. It was £65 back […]
The only discount code I’ve found is ‘welcome10‘ – this gets you 10% off the Il Makiage website. Don’t forget to spend over £40 to get free delivery – otherwise it’s £3.95. Il Makiage products I’ve written blogs on Il Makiage primer, concealer (F**K I’m Flawless) and foundation (Woke up like this). I love them […]
I’ve never used a cleanser – previously before bed, I’d splash water over my face to ‘clean’ it, or if I’d worn makeup during the day, I’d use my Face Halo with Body Shop camomile cleansing butter to get rid of all the crap that had built up. I never realised that dirt built up […]
Ever since my favourite mascara of all time was discontinued – NYX Doll Eye – I’ve been in the market for a new favourite mascara and have been working my way through several – most recently, Glossier Lash Slick and I am very impressed. I always go for waterproof mascara. I don’t know why – […]
This is my 3rd time getting dermal fillers for my puffy under eye bag area. Since my late 20s (I’m now mid 30s) I’ve tried SO MANY products to help reduce the puffiness – absolutely nothing worked, and it’s since visiting my consultant that I know why. She pressed her finger on my eyelid, which […]
How does the Body Shop Camomile take off stubborn make-up and does it irritate sensitive and oily skin? Stick around because that’s what I’m about to review. I’ve been using the cleansing butter for a while to remove stubborn waterproof mascara and when I’m wearing heavier foundation, although as I have both sensitive and oily […]
I’ve never been one for primers—they’re just something else to add to my face, and if you’ve read any of my other blogs, you’ll know I try to limit the number as much as possible. I’ve always thought they were a bit of a gimmick, but after reading the Il Makiage primer reviews (194k!), I decided to […]
Does Il Makiage’s Primer make a difference to my make-up? I’ve never been one for primers – it’s just something else to add on my face which if you’ve read any other of my blogs, you’ll know I try to limit the number as much as possible. I’ve always thought primers were more of a […]
After using Estee Lauders Concealer for years, will Il Makiage’s concealer ‘Fk I’m Flawless’ be up to the job of covering my undereye dark circles, forehead hyperpigmentation, spots and redness? See how it does after long office days and a workout or two! After trying the foundation and loving it (see my blog here), I […]
Sick of buying disposable razors which are horrendous for the environment? I set out to find a good brand that offer a good-priced quality razor that I can trust… with my bits. Hurrah! I found them. They are Estrid: Estrid.com A couple of points worth mentioning about Estrid that sets them apart from your usual […]
After using disposable razors for years, the final straw came when I went to use my last one, and it snapped. I was fuming as I was shaving my legs before a deep tissue massage! I started looking online because the thought of spending a tenner in Boots for a Venus filled me with dread. […]
After finding out Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez uses Acure Radically Rejuvenating whipped night cream, I went to quite lengthy er, lengths to find it. I finally found a random website who posts to the UK, called iHerb. I love it when celebrities and the rich use affordable products, especially ones like AOC who seem genuine – it […]
This 5-min facial is to be used once or twice a week and is supposed to smooth, purify and resurface your skin. It helps to: prevent and reduce clogged pores leaves skin clear, smooth and clean dissolves the top skin layer to remove surface impurities It’s vegan and cruelty-free! How much is it? and how […]
Sand and Sky Australian Pink Clay Mask is around £36 for 60g, so when I heard there is a much more affordable alternative, I jumped at the chance to buy. T-Zone 125ml Pink Clay Mask is around £6. I got mine from Superdrug. It’s also vegan and cruelty-free! Hurrah! What does it do for skin? […]
I wanted to share my thoughts around this clay because it’s one of my staple products I’ve consistently used for years (although I only use a couple of times a month due to the price). What does sand and sky pink clay mask do? I bought it because I wanted something to help with my […]
I wanted to share my thoughts around this clay because it’s one of my staple products I’ve consistently used for years (although I only use a couple of times a month due to the price). About the clay (it’s cruelty-free) I bought it because I was missing in my routine something to help with my […]
After being bombarded with Insta & Facebook ads for months, I finally purchased Il Makiage foundation ‘Woke up like this’ – here’s my full Il Makiage review! I’ve been looking for a new foundation because I was becoming more and more uncomfortable wearing my current foundation, Estée Lauder Double Wear, because it’s not cruelty-free, unlike […]
Wondering if Il Makiage ‘Woke Up Like This’ foundation is right for you? If you’re like me and have purchased dozens of foundations online, only for them to be the wrong shade and end up on eBay, or make you break out, my article is for you. Il Makiage has over 450k 5* reviews, but […]
I don’t know about you but recently I’ve been bamboozled with silk pillowcase ads on Insta. I actually nearly bought one because of the “amazing effects they have on your hair and skin”. They’re promoted at leaving your hair tangle-free after sleeping and skin super-soft because silk doesn’t soak up all your lotions and potions […]
I’ve been using ISOCLEAN Makeup Brush Cleaner for years to quickly clean & sterilise my makeup brushes. If you don’t currently clean your brushes then you need to invest, especially if you suffer with acne. Bacteria will be living on your brushes transferring to your face with each use. ISOCLEAN is vegan and cruelty-free. Here’s […]
I’ve tried lots of natural beauty products – from haircare, to deodorant – I wanted to try this because it only contains natural ingredients. I’m trying to move away from supermarket-sold products that contain lots of nasty things that aren’t good for your body, including aluminum. From coconut oil to Jojoba oil, it’s vegan and […]
Whether you’re having physical invites or a fancy wedding website where your guests can RSVP online, there’s information you need from your guests, and that your guests need from you. What you need from guests There can end up being lots of information you need from your guests, with a few different scenarios concerning food; […]
For the past few years I’ve started getting a lot of spots the week before my period is due – bigger spots around my face and smaller ones across my forehead. Not only that, I also get spots throughout the month – on the sides of my forehead, my cheeks and my chin. After a […]
At the time of updating this article, the bar has over 6k reviews on Carbontheory.com website. The bar claims to prevent breakouts by using charcoal to draw out bacteria & excess oil; tea tree to reduce inflammation plus other benefits. See how I get on using it on my acne-prone, 30-something, oily skin. I was […]
Everything feels so much better when you get your ideas and thoughts out of your head down on paper. That’s why I’ve created this free PDF for you to download to help organise where people are sitting on your big day. The PDF below includes these pages. Feel free to just print out whichever you […]
Beauty Pie sell luxury beauty products at a fraction of the price of high-end products on the market. I first saw them on Facebook as I was targeted with one of their ads. I didn’t buy straight away but kept a note of their brand and decided to try them once I’d run out of […]
There are loads of articles out there telling you what the best songs are to play at wedding – some are dance, some are romantic and slow. Here’s my advice…. Ask the people who are attending your wedding for song suggestions! The best people to ask are the ones who will be attending! After all, […]
I’d never heard of Aurelia before, until I saw Emma Watson in a live Insta video showing the contents of her bag (don’t judge me). She said how much she loved the deodorant so I decided to look myself. I hadn’t been looking for a new deodorant but getting pretty tired of having to wait […]
The ultimate wedding checklist and budget planner! A 12 month wedding planner checklist and blank budget planner to help keep you stress-free and organised.
I saw this advertised on Instagram and was immediately drawn to it. You put in your hair care problems and they send you personalised shampoo and conditioner that helps sort those problems. They are called Function of Beauty and they are based in New York. What I like is how everything is personalised and tailored […]
I’ve followed Chloe Morello for a while and noticed her promotions for Face Halo makeup remover that you can use only with water. They are kind on skin as they are made of white fibre strands, “100 times finer than human hair to remove and trap makeup”. Around the edge they have a black rim […]
There’s a difference in Vegan and Cruelty-Free products: Vegan is when a product doesn’t contain any animal ingredients Cruelty-free is when the product hasn’t been tested on animals Facts about China With the amazing efforts of the Humaine Society International, China changed their laws in 2014 to the following: Foreign imported ordinary cosmetics – still require […]
Did you know coconut oil can do wonders for your hair, especially if it’s dry? No, me neither! I only found out on holiday when I used it to keep my hair smooth and sleek in between swims in the sea. Being in the sea so much, it causes my hair to go extremely dry […]
I first found Mabel + Meg Lumilixir Serum through a beauty blogger on Instagram. She put a few blobs on her makeup brush, along with her foundation, and began sweeping it across her face. It blended perfectly and gave her a dewy glow. Now I’m not sure about you, but I always think…. “do you […]