Page 3 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 114

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PUNK ROCK PAMPERING

ow’s everybody feeling at the moment? Are you looking after yourself? Have you pam-
Hpered yourself lately? Has anyone else pampered you? This issue, we’re including a
gift we received, a gift we gave, and a gift we found for ourselves.

LAIKOU RICE RADIANCE SKINCARE SET
At Christmas, we were gifted a LAIKOU Rice Radiance Skincare Set. The set
features five items – an eye cream, cleanser, toner, moisturiser and glow serum.
Boasting on the box that it is formulated with 94.4% Fermented Rice Extract, Ko-
rean Rice Ferment Extract and Rice Bran Extract, the set makes a nice treat for
anyone that likes to take care of their appearance. Each of the five items sinks in
and hydrates the skin, leaving a smooth, yet bouncy, feel. The silky cleanser is
magic for removing makeup and cleaning the skin. The milky toner helps to re-
move any remaining impurities and balances the skin’s pH. The eye cream, which
includes red ginseng extract, said to boost radiance, calm inflammation and im-
prove elasticity, sinks in quickly. The rice glow serum does, indeed, give a glow –
not overpowering, but purposely refined, while the moisturising cream adds a fur-
ther element of hydration and moisture. All five items are gentle on the skin, while
giving it the boost it needs. While the packaging of the set is a little cheap, the set
is a great price. The LAIKOU Rice Radiance Skincare Set makes a lovely, thought-
ful gift to anyone with an interest in skincare.

BARRY M BABY PINK LIPSTICK
Barry M were in the news a few months ago as tabloids reported that they
were on the brink of administration. Luckily, they have now been bought by
Warpaint, who also own the brands Technic and W7. Barry M have always been
close to our heart. They were one of the first cruelty-free brands that we discovered
decades ago. From
2020, all of their
makeup and nail paints
have been free from all
animal-derived ingredi-
ents and 100% vegan.
They have never tested
on animals since their
inception in 1982. To
support Barry M, we
went in search of some new lipstick and came back with their baby pink shade, number 100.
We’ve always loved baby pinks and this colour has become a little harder to find these days,
especially if you’re looking for a 100% vegan and cruelty-free lipstick. But Barry M has just
the shade, and it’s exactly what we wanted. It’s the perfect gift for yourself. Made in the UK,
the lipstick is ever so slightly darker than the circular label at the end, but it looks stunning
when on. It has a pretty scent if you put the lipstick close to your nose, although you can’t
smell it when you’re wearing it. On sale in Boots, Superdrug, Sainsburys and Tesco, it is priced
at £4.99 and definitely worth it. Of course, Barry M has a lot of other shades: browns, reds
and even black. We’re grateful that this iconic and compassionate brand, founded by Barry
Mero (who sadly passed away in 2014 – the company was then run by his son, Dean Mero),
continues to exist. If you care about animals, Barry M is well worth supporting. Visit www.bar-
rym.com for more info.

UNICORN MAGIC SOAP SPONGE
We stumbled across the Unicorn Magic Soap Sponge while away in Tenby, in a fun and
fabulous gift shop called Equinox, which has all sorts of wild and wonderful items for sale. De-
signed and distributed by Puckator, the unicorn shaped soap sponge is part ocean green/blue,
with an orange mane, with a white nylon cord attached to hang it up. Priced at £6.99, it has a
soap base, housed in a synthetic sponge, and comes in a pretty box. The back of the box
says that it’s cruelty free, vegan, palm oil free, paraben free and SLS free. With a sweet candy
fragrance, it’s a gift for both young and old alike (although probably more for females than
males). Instructions say to simply wet the sponge in the bath or shower and squeeze to absorb.
Massage on the body in a circular motion to create lather and cleanse skin. If you don’t live in
Tenby, you can find the Unicorn Magic Soap Sponge on Amazon, sold by Puckator, or in other
gift stores at a seaside town near you. If you want a simple but useful gift for a friend, relative,
or even yourself, this soap sponge is perfect.

Words & Photos By Shari Black Velvet

PUNK ROCK PAMPERING