BagInc Vanessa Leather Tote Black With Black Horse Fur - Review

The other day I treated myself to a new bag because, well, I wanted to. I wanted to invest in a good quality leather bag that would last. I've been using the Zara Mini City bag and as much as I love it, I just am a big bag girl and the mini city just doesn't have room for all my crap that I insist on carrying around with me. I did a bit of internet research (aka, online shopping) and I found the website BagInc which makes designer bag copies (not knock-offs because they are not claiming to be the real thing) but they are top quality, real leather and beautiful, unlike the usual cheap plasticy and slightly wonky ones you usually get. I have been OBSESSED with the Celine Smile bag for so long and so of course I went straight to the "Vanessa" bag on BagInc. I toyed with the idea of getting a spring appropriate colour but I fell in love with the black horse fur version. At $129/£78 it wasn't cheap but I'm so impressed with the quality I think it's totally worth it. 

The bag is made of a lovely soft leather with (faux?) horse fur. The zips feel really expensive and glide smoothly. It's got the usual pockets inside with plenty of space to put your phone and keys ect. It has little metal feet on the bottom which I like in a bag because it means less floor touching which means (hopefully) less germs. Yes, public toilets. I'm talking to you. It's lined in a dark fabric and comes with a shoulder strap which is detachable. Every last detail down to the tiny stitching is high quality. The bag as a whole just feels and looks so much more expensive than it is. 

It's a really good copy of the Smile bag as well. Many "inspired" bags have obvious differences but slap a celine logo on this and I wouldn't know the difference. 

The bag arrived quickly and came packed in a dustbag and bubble wrap (The child in me approves of this). The shipping is free over $99 too.

The website says:

 The Vanessa Leather Tote is made of high quality leather to give it a soft, luxurious look. It includes a fabric interior lining which complements the exterior of the bag. This bag has become a part of one of the classic street style looks on celebs and fashionistas alike. 

The design and size of the bag are chic yet practical - with and 11.4 inch height, 11.4 inch width and 6.3 inch depth, you can fit your daily life into this bag without having to cram it in or worry that you'll look like you're carrying a piece of luggage. 
The top closes with a zip to ensure nothing falls out as you go about your day. A front zipper pocket and multifunctional slip pockets in the interior provide space for small, valuable items such as cash, keys or jewelry. The gold toned hardware adds a glamorous finishing touch. 

Sizing:
Width 11.4"/ 29cm
Height 11.4"/ 29cm
Depth 6.3"/ 16cm
Handle Drop 5.5"/ 14cm
Weight:1.1kg

I'm totally head over heels (why do we even use that phrase?!) in love with this bag and I can guarantee I'll buy more from BagInc. I've already got my eye on the smaller Vanessa bag in light blue. It would be perfect for the spring/summer. I need to go to bag rehab... baghab?

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser Review - Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Dupe?

I recently went for a little browse in Superdrug in my lunch break. I gravitated towards the skincare aisle and I'm glad that I did because I came across this little gem. I'm a huge fan of the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish but haven't used it for a while mainly because it's so hard to get hold of! It's expensive too but I would have paid that happily because it's such a great product (until I found the Superdrug dupe that is). There's also a big drama about Liz Earle selling out to Avon and concerns that Avon won't stick to Liz Earle's values or even change the formula. 

The Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser is part of Superdrug's own Naturally Radiant range and retails for £5.99 for 150ml although I bought it on special offer for less than £3. Compared to Liz Earle's £24.75 for 200ml, it definitely wins on the price front. 

Superdrug's skincare ranges are suitable for vegetarians and vegans and don't test on animals. All of Liz Earle's products are vegetarian friendly but not all are vegan, including the Cleanse and Polish which contains beeswax.

The Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser comes in a tube similar to the Liz Earle one and comes with a muslin cloth (Liz Earle charges you extra for these). Although I would recommend using a fresh muslin cloth each day for hygiene purposes. I've built up a collection of them over my hot cloth cleaner obsession! I couldn't tell the difference in quality between the Liz Earle and Superdrug muslin cloths. 

Superdrug's website says about the Hot Cloth Cleanser:

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser is formulated with a unique energising complex and infused with Kiwi Fruit and Mulberry extracts to help revive skin’s radiance and even out skin tone.
Enriched with nourishing Cocoa Butter, this rich and creamy formulation melts into the skin and cleanses away make-up and impurities, whilst also providing gentle exfoliation, leaving skin feeling renewed, soft and ultra clean.

Infused with plant extracts:
- Kiwi Fruit extract is a rich source of Vitamin C, which is renowned for its remarkable ability to help brighten and even out skin tone, while also providing antioxidant protection against free radicals.
- Mulberry Fruit extract has naturally strong brightening properties which can help to reduce discolouration and even out skin tone.
- Cocoa Butter is a rich emollient with excellent skin softening and conditioning properties.

The consistency is very similar to Cleanse and Polish, a sort of thick creamy balm. The smell is similar in that it smells very natural and herbal. I have to say that I prefer the smell of the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. Superdrug's cleanser smells nice and relaxing but it reminds me a little of an old lady! It's not unpleasant though.

The two cleansers feel surprisingly similar to use. Apart from the the difference in the scents, if they were put in unbranded packaging I would have trouble telling which was the high-end one. I was dubious about the radiance claims because most of the products I've used that claim to make you look radiance do so by containing tiny glitter/shimmer particles which I'm not a fan of because they get on everything I touch and of course the effects will only last until you next wash your face. I want a product that acutally contains ingredients that will make my real skin look glowing and I can say that I've noticed a difference since using the Superdrug cleanser.  

All in all I'm very, very, super impressed with this product. I'm definitely converted from Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. I really want to try some of the other products from the Naturally Radiant range too.


You can purchase the Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser from a Superdrug store or online here.