B. is for Beautiful

On my quest to find the perfect cruelty free vegan make up, I recently decided to try out B. is for Beautiful make up and skincare from Superdrug. 

Having heard so much about this range online and in the press my expectations were pretty high. Before trying it I really hoped that this would end my mission and I was excited to get my hands on some of the products.

During a recent shopping trip I noticed that the B. range was on sale in Supedrug so I took advantage of this and stocked up on a few essential items. The prices were definitely appealing and a far cry from my days of skinting myself on MAC cosmetics. 

Unfortunately, and it pains me to write this, the price seems to be a reflection of the quality.

I'll start with B. is for bad news....

I was desperate for their Even Oil Control Foundation (£10.99) to be better than the one that I had tried from The Body Shop last month, but it wasn't. In fact I think it was worse. It's quite hard to explain your reasons when you just know something doesn't work on your face. To me this foundation felt quite sticky and it didn't seem to smooth out across my skin very well. It also seemed to have a slightly wet finish which made applying any powder afterwards quite challenging. In the end my face just felt clogged up and, ironically, uneven. I persevered with it and tried different skincare regimes prior to using it but nothing seemed to help and I've had to reside myself to the fact that this foundation just isn't for me. 

I was equally as disappointed with their B. All Lengthening Defining Volumising Mascara (£9.99).  No matter how many times I brushed this over my lashes nothing seemed to happen! It's very light in consistency and unfortunately it didn't do anything that it claimed it could do. 

The B. Complete Eye Shadow Palette (£6.99) was also a major let down. This eye shadow felt like the cheapest product from the range and I really wasn't impressed. It was difficult to apply and didn't blend in very well at all. I consequently spent one day walking around looking like a drag queen thanks to this eye shadow! Never again.

Despite my let down and disappointment with these products, you'll be relieved to hear that it wasn't all terrible....

The B. Brilliant Lipgloss (£6.99) I would buy again. It was ok. I wasn't blown away by it but it was definitely useable and helped my lips to feel soft and glossy. I prefer more nude type colours when it comes to my lips but the majority of the B. glosses are different tones of red so it would be nice to see a bigger variety here. 

The B. Complete Long Lasting Polish (£4.99) was very good. I have had mine on my toes all week and it has lasted the distance. The colour selection of nail polishes is also appealing and I would definitely buy again. 

Finally, and thankfully, the B. Skincare range seems to be their saving grace and much better quality than their make up. I really like how they organise the collection into age range specific 'skin phases' and this definitely helps when trying to choose the right product for you. 

I decided to try the B. Renewed Night Cream (£11.99) which I have really loved using. I have been putting it on after cleansing, just before I go to bed, and when I get up the next day my skin does feel really soft and smooth. In my opinion this night cream works, I am just not sure if I would have bought it if it had not been in the sale at the time. 

I also purchased the B. Quick 4in1 Cleansing Wipes (£3.50) which have been great and work really well at removing any stubborn make up. They smell lovely and feel really refreshing on your skin. 

Overall, and I think you can already guess, I have felt pretty unsatisfied with the B. range... 

Initially hearing that these products are not only cruelty free but also vegan was like hitting the jackpot, especially considering that they were so easily accessible and affordable at Superdrug. But like with anything, if it seems too good to be true then it generally is! And that is unfortunately the case here. Well that's my opinion anyway and perhaps you need to try it for yourself before you rule it out. 

I will not be looking to purchase anymore B. make up but I am keen to test out more from their skincare range, particularly if its in the sale!

I am starting to think that I have previously been spoilt with MAC cosmetics and I am questioning if I will ever find a cruelty free and vegan alternative that can live up to my expectations. I will however continue on my mission and of course report back my findings :-)

Sarah x