birds decorate branches

Honey, I'm Home

2011-06-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

Long time no post! I have been incredibly busy and tired and what spare time I do have I like to spend at the dog park with Chloe - she deserves as much play time as she can get!

But, I am getting more and more used to my routine and a little more free time here and there so here I am :)

Lots to talk about - I finally found the perfect foundation (and it's cheap too!) - but for now here's a little review of my current nails courtesy of Gelish soak off polish :)

So basically, since the move abroad my nails just do not grow. I used to have naturally long and strong nails but for the past 3 months they have just been splitting and tearing like never before. I toyed with the idea of getting acrylics again, but I remember the hassle I had once they were removed last time so decided against that (For now!) and tried something new - Harmony's Gelish Soak Off Polish :)

My local salon offers this service with a manicure for $27.00 though I chose not to get the manicure since I keep my hands and nails are in good shape anyway, and prefer not to be attacked with the cuticle snippers! I filed my nails completely down, paid $18 for this gel and chose the color "Pink Smoothie" - no surprises there.

Above is the polish on day 1: Super shiny, neat and crisp. It is important not to get the gel on your cuticles at all as it will just peel the whole thing off, so my technician stayed away from the skin.

And below, is today - day 8: I added a Nubar Flakie in shade 2010 to the polish because I was getting bored of looking at the same colour. As you can see the regrowth is pretty bad already, but honestly in real life its not all that noticeable and very much worth it to see my nails grow without chipping.

These can apparently last up to 3 weeks, though I plan to remove them at 2. The edges are starting to peel every so slightly, and I have a bad habit of picking at imperfections in my nails, but I will try my best to keep them on for the next week.

Although the removal is included in the price, I plan to soak them off myself and take my time because I saw a lady in the salon using a metal cuticle pusher to dig them off a customers nails - ouch.

Nail Of The Day x3:

2011-02-15T15:28:00.001-08:00

My blog is focusing on nails lately it seems, primarily because I havn't worn makeup for months but also simply because I'm very much in a nail phase right now :)

I did my 'montly trim' a week or so ago and filed them all back to shorties. I like to do it once a month or so, not only because my nails grow super fast, but because I feel it helps me maintain stronger nails.

Nubar 'Hotel Baby Pink', 2 coats:

You probably know by now that I love light pastel pinks and this one is a firm favourite. It's a little less lilac toned than most and has more of a baby, almost peachy tone to it in real life. Soon I will post a comparison of all my seriously similar shades.

Orly 'Luxe', 2 coats:

Luxe is one of the most metallic golds I have ever tried and holds up really well (I use a mixture of Nailtek 2 and CnD Stickey for my base coat) unlike some other foil type shades. It has quite a silver tone to it in daylight with silver flecks scattered throughout. Not my favourite shade but a nice change :)

Barry M 'Dusky Mauve', 2 coats:

LOVE this shade. Love how the topcoat gives it a super glass like finish. Nothing else to be said really, great application as with all Barry M's :-)

Blog Sale - YSL Perfect Touch:

2011-02-09T12:49:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys, very quickly I have a foundation for sale :)

It's the Yves Saint Laurent Perfect Touch Radiant brush foundation in shade number 3 'Opal'.
It has been swatched/tested 2x so some product is shown on the bristles but I never used it directly with the brush.

This retails at £32 per 40ml, so I'd like to sell it for £23 to the UK. Any questions, just ask!

Nails Nails Nails:

2011-02-09T11:12:00.000-08:00

Like many other bloggers I was recently offered the chance to try out some products from Born Pretty Store and since I am very much so back into nails right now after growing out the damage from acrylics, I kindly accepted to do so :)

Here is the design I was wearing a few days ago, created using two items sent from the company: Pink, bright and kind of tacky leopard print ♥

I thought I would try out the pack of nail art brushes since I had been looking into purchasing some anyway. The pack contains 15 different brushes with varying bristles. You get dotting tools, fan brushes, striping brushes, detail brushes, square tip brushes (my favourites for french manicure tips!) and many more. One of the angle tip brushes has become my go-to for clean up, it works amazingly well as it is quite still but still small enough to be effective.

The brushes themselves are of great quality. A nice length, with a pearly cream finish. Don't mind the one odd, wooden looking brush - I accidently dropped it in the acetone I was cleaning it with and it melted the lacquer a little. I decided to go ahead and remove it all and I still like how it looks, haha :) See the set here.

I used 2 coats of OPI Mod About You as a base, then using the bent small detail brush I drew the black part of the animal print. By using a smaller brush like this one it was much easier to control the lines, then having to rely on the striper like brush that comes with the polish. Then I used the metal dotting tool to add Essie Pink Parka to the centre of some of the shapes. It looked a little too neat for me so I went ahead and randomly dragged some of the fluro pink outwards giving a more scattered finish.

Thankyou so much to Born Pretty Store and I recommend you check the site out, as they have a plethora of products for you to browse.

I have a 10% voucher code to share with you all: EMMAK31 to expire on March 31st

I will show you more of the items in a later post :)

EllysMakeupBag:

2011-02-06T08:34:00.001-08:00

My friend Elly is fairly new to blogging but has already built up a fair few followers and a lovely blog, so I want to give her a little feature and urge you all to follow her too :)

I've know Elly for a while online and love her makeup style - Nude lips and dark eyes :) Lovely!

In her blog you will find lots of lovely purchases including YSL - my fave! - and haircare, nail polish, fashion, hauls and accessories too.

Click here to follow her blog :)

http://www.ellysmakeupbag.blogspot.com

Giveaway?:

2011-02-04T12:09:00.001-08:00

As Im nearing 1000 subscribers (Wow!) I'm thinking of holding a little giveaway to say thankyou sometime soon :)

Since I will be spending some time in the US, I'm going to have one prize consisting of my favourite US drugstore items and another prize containing my pick of UK exclusives.

I'm pretty sure I know what items I will be including, but do feel free to let me know which items you wish were available in your country :)

MAC Face & Body:

2011-02-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Apoligies for the lack of posts recently, I'm kind of in the middle of moving and have a lot to organise etc, but once I am settled I will be back to regular posting and since I will be wearing makeup 5 days a week, I promise to start positing E/FOTD's again!

Here is another foundation review for you :) I still have a few more to share with you all but right now here's a well known favourite - MAC Face & Body. Here's what I think of one of the more popular 'foundations' from this cult brand.

Packaging:

You probably know by now that packaging isn't really a big factor for me, if I like the product then I deal with whatever the outside looks like (within reason) but there really is nothing to complain about here. F&B comes in a large squeeze bottle with a secure lid. This bottle allows just the right amount of product to be released and is easy and mess free.

The first thing you notice about this foundation is just how large it is. It holds a huge 120ml, much more than your average foundation, probably as this is somewhat aimed at the more professional user and can be used via airbrush. Per 120ml this retails at £23.50 but please do bare in mind this seperates quite quickly and you may need to replace it before it is empty.

Formula:
Firstly, this isn't a good colour match for me. MAC Pro however do sell this in white, which I could purchase to mix with N1 (the shade above) should I desire so. I don't like the foundation enough to warrant doing that right now though, so just ingore the shade please :)

F&B has a very watery and lightweight yet almost sticky consistency. You shake the bottle and it sounds like water - very fluid. In the photo below you can kind of see what I mean, right? It doesn't look or feel like most foundations, mainly because it's used for the body as well as the face. It has quite a strong scent which a lot of people do not like and seem to liken it to paint. I personally don't overly mind the scent - it certainly wouldn't stop me purchasing it or using it on others.

Application & Finish:

I've applied this product with sponges and many different brushes, all seem to work the same. I wouldn't recommend using your fingers though, for me personally it is just too light and watery, but your milage may vary :)

Once applied it feels slightly sticky on the skin for a while, just a few seconds and then it settles in. Although it is lightweight, for me I do not like how it feels on my face - I can definately feel it there and for such a sheer coverage, that is something I do not expect. Should I be applying a heavy duty, full coverage foundation then sure, I know I'm going to know it's there, but for something that simply evens out the skin, it feels a bit heavy for me personally. I also do not like to set my foundations with powder and with this I have too, as the dewy finish is just too much.

So, as I said, this has a dewy, natural finish and provides very sheer, invisible to the eye cover. Unless you have pretty damn good skin you will definately need a concealer with this. I don't like how this looks so shiny on my normal/dry skin - but I prefer matte foundations so take that with a pinch of salt. F&B isn't terribly longlasting, but it doesn't wear off too quickly either, it probably lasts about the same amount of time as a regular foundation/tinted moisturiser.

Before/After:

The pictures above show how this product evens out the skin nicely but doesn't really provide any real coverage or camoflage. No concealer or powder was used here. You can also see the sheen it gives to my skin, which looks nice here, but all over the face? Not for me.

See how it isn't a great colour match, but due to the light formula it's quite forgiving? If you want to give yourself a bit of colour using foundation then this type might be right for you.

Overall, I like this foundation, but it's not for me. It just doesn't give me the results I would like from a foundation. Perhaps if my skin were in better condition I would use this more often, but it isn't so I don't :-)

Check my tags for more foundation reviews!

Fun and Tacky:

2011-01-29T17:34:00.000-08:00

Essie Pink Parka over OPI Otherwise Engaged :)

NOTD:

2011-01-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

Meet my new favourite nail polish - well one of them - Orly Lollipop :)

Orly are fast becoming one of my favourite polish brands, this was 2 coats but had I have been a little more careful 1 would have sufficed. No topcoat as I ran out of SV, but this lasted a good 4 days or so without chipping or dulling :)

Would anyone be interested in a nail care post?

Smoke & Diamonds Revisited:

2011-01-26T17:58:00.000-08:00

Since I rarely wear any makeup at all recently - lazy, prefer the feeling of a fresh face, skin is acting up a little - I thought I'd post an old look of mine I did many years ago, which I loved at the time and still do.

It's so easy too, it's just two shadows over a black kohl base. I need to crack open these eyeshadows again soon for an evening out. MAC needs to rerelease Smoke & Diamonds (or maybe they have/are - I'm so out of the MAC loop I have no idea) :)

First I smudged a little Feline kohl all around the edges of the eyes and blended into a base of Painterly Paintpot. I also added it heavily to the waterline. Then using a #239 I pressed Smoke & Diamonds onto the lid, taking it a little above the crease. I used a #217 to apply Silver Ring to the crease and quite far down lower lashline. All products were MAC besides the mascara which would have been Covergirls Lashblast :)

What is your all time favourite look of yours? Link me!

Dermalogica Rave:

2011-01-23T11:42:00.000-08:00

As many of you will know, Dermalogica is my favourite skincare brand. Their products really do as they say and although a little pricey, are totally worth it. I recieved their Gentle Cream Exfoliant for christmas after wanting to try it for many months. What Dermalogica say:

"A non-abrasive hydroxy acid exfoliation treatment that thoroughly removes dulling surface debris, dramatically improving skin texture. Contains no artificial fragrance or color."

This retails at £35.50 for 75ml.

The Packaging:
I love all the Dermalogica packaging and this is no exception. Clean white with grey text, I have nothing bad to say here. The tube is good quality and is easily squeezed, resulting in the perfect amount of product every time.

I also own (and love) Dermalogicas Daily Microfoliant and Skin Prep Scrubs, but unlike both of those, this one is a different type of exfoliator. As you can see in the photo below, it doesn't have any microbeads or any type of gritty texture whatsoever, it relies solely on alpha and beta hydroxy acids and fruit enzymes to slough away your dead skin.

Application:
I apply about twice weekly - sometimes less and sometimes more, really depending on the condition of my skin. I apply a light, even layer all over the face and leave it to sit for about 15 minutes or so.

The first few times I applied this I experienced a little tingling, but I trust Dermalogica products totally on my skin so I just let it gradually dissipate and it no longer occurs upon application. I guess my skin got used to it.

I rinse off gently using my fingers or Soap & Glory's scrublet, depending on how much of an exfoliation my skin is needing. It takes a little while to remove entirely but feels almost like a face wash once wet, so it doesn't drag the skin or anything. I have nothing bad to say.

Results:
Immediately after removing this mask for the first time my skin felt amazing. Super smooth, soft and clean. It looks very fresh and glowy and really does exfoliate well.

These next pictures are kind of gross but I really have to post them since they show just how well this product actually works. Of course I didn't even think about before pictures as it wasn't until after removing it that I realised how well it worked. So I've had to crop and zoom a regular picture, so excuse quality.

Ever since having prosthetics applied over and over onto my nose 8 months or so ago, I've suffered from dry, red, spotty skin around the nostrils. I guess the glue just doesn't agree with my sensitive skin :( Regardless, NOTHING could clear the dry skin here. Manual exfoliants would remove the flakes but it was too harsh, and they'd be back the next day accompanied by a little, sore rash.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. The second is taken after having applied this exfoliant only twice. AMAZING! I literally couldn't get over how this product had removed all the flakes with no scrubbing at all. I moisturised as usual with my Body Shop Vitamin E Serum and Dermalogicas Ultra Calming Concentrate and in the morning, my nose area was still this smooth and clean.

Ignore my blackeads, please :-)

I'd like to add, that if I slack with my moisturising routine at all, the flakies do come back. I expected that though, the skin there obviously has some kind of trauma that isn't going to dissapear alltogether just yet. But for now, I am totally happy with this exfoliator and can see myself always having a tube of this to hand. My skin generally looks and feels better after introducing this to my skincare routine.

I highly recommend it! Can't wait to test out another Dermalogica item I've yet to try :)

OPI Mod About You vs. ChG Something Sweet:

2011-01-13T20:32:00.000-08:00

You probably know by now that OPI's Mod About You is my all time favourite nail polish, regardless of the length of my nails. It's super cute, bright, somewhat tacky and unlike others I have no problems with application and wear.

When I like a nail polish this much, for some foolish reason I tend to go out of my way to find dupes of it and purchase them. Just like how I will constantly look at and buy the same shades of milky beige-nude lipsticks. Hency why I purchased China Glaze's 'Something Sweet' polish from their Up & Away collection when a lovely follower, Patricia, mentioned she had purchased it too.

In the bottle they look pretty similar (less so in real life) but the OPI is obviously brighter and a more... clean... pink. The ChG has some lilacy-mauve-almost grey undertones to it but I dont think the untrained eye would see much difference, if any.

It looks as though the OPI is much bigger here, but it's not, it only has 1ml more than the ChG, it's just the shape of the bottle. Honestly I'm not sure about the difference in price as I usually buy online where the prices vary all the time.

Results:

As I mentioned before, I have no problems with the formula of Mod About You, but every other user I have come across seem to, so bare that in mind. I prefer the OPI brush as it is wider and flatter; I can press down firmly and basically cover the entire centre of my nail in one stroke, whilst with the ChG it takes a couple sweeps of the brush to achieve the same coverage.

Both dried at the same speed and both have a lovely glossy finish with no topcoat. I couldn't be bothered to apply/waste topcoat for the sake of this review, but honestly they don't really need it unless you don't plan to change your colour very often.

One Coat:

So, with one coat of each the OPI is a little more opaque, but not hugely so. It is already paler, 'whiter' and has more lilac undertones - the very reason I like Mod About You so much.

Two Coats:
Three Coats:

I usually only apply 2 coats of Mod About You and its very much sufficient, but in real life Something Sweet definately needed 1 more and in this case, due to my sloppy application so did the OPI really.

Application of both was fine, both are completely opaque but the OPI stands out a little more (a lot more so in natural light).

They're definately close but I still prefer the stark, bright-ness of Mod About You over the slightly more muted, dustier shade of Something Sweet. With a skintone as cool as mine, anything even slightly 'muddy' can look dull and greying on my hands and I am experiencing a little of this with Something Sweet. But I will still wear it, it's still a gorgeous shade and I think it would look great on slightly warmer skintones, too. And I am fully aware the bright, tacky finish of OPI isn't for everyone.

Which would you prefer to wear?

Sad Times & A Question:

2011-01-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

So frustrated, I just broke my favourite brush :( And to make matters worse it's not available anymore so I can't rebuy it. This is honestly my go-to brush when it comes to smudging out eyeliner and if any of you can recommend me a brush similar to it, I will be so, so grateful!

It's quite flexible and soft, but still dense enough to blend out liners etc really well. I've included a picture of it next to some well known MAC brushes so you can compare it's size, excuse how dirty they are, really can't be bothered to wash them right now ;)

#214 - #219 - Westmore Small Shader - #239

And I will be supergluing this one back together, but in my experience a broken brush just keeps on breaking :(

Thankyou in advance!

This Or That Tag:

2011-01-09T14:47:00.000-08:00

MAKEUP:
Blush or Bronzer: Blush. I'm really not a bronzer girl. I own a few, probably wear them once a year ;) Still, I want more?

Lip gloss or Lipstick: Lipstick. Yuck, I hate 99% of all lipglosses.

Eye liner or Mascara: Mascara. I can wear mascara without liner, but not so much the other way around.

Foundation or Concealer: Foundation. I barely wear concealer anymore.

Neutral or Color Eyeshadow: Neutral on me, it just works with my colouring/style. Though I appreciate and love colour too.

Pressed or Loose Eyeshadows: Pressed, HATE loose.

Brushes or Sponges: Brushes. Though I do love sponges for foundation sometimes.

NAILS:
OPI or China Glaze: OPI if only because they created my all time favourite, Mod About You ;)

Long or Short: Long-ish. I'd prefer short to overly long, though.

Acrylic or Natural: Both have their advantages, but overall I like natural better.

Brights or Darks: Brights. I think. Maybe dark ;P

Flower or No Flower: Nail art? I don't really like it at all. Unless it's animal print.

BODY:
Perfume or Body Splash: 9/10 perfumes make me nauseus so I'm going to go for body splash which I'm guessing is some sort of spritz. Much better for my sensitive nose/head :)

Lotion or Body Butter: Body Butter, especially S&G :D

Body Wash or Soap: Body wash, I've never found a soap that doesn't leave my skin taut and rubbery haha.

Lush or Other Bath Company: Soap & Glory.

FASHION:
Jeans or Sweat Pants: Dark, tight skinny jeans :D

Long Sleeve or Short: No preference, it jut depends on the weather.

Dresses or Skirts: Mini Dresses!

Stripes or Plaid: I love horizontal stripes. Love.

Flip Flops or Sandals: Don't really like either all that much, but sandals over flip flops.

Scarves or Hats: Scarves.

Studs or Dangly Earrings: I like both, as long as they're super sparkly.

Necklaces or Bracelets: Necklaces.

Heels or Flats: Love how heels look but I'm super tall so I wear flats more often haha.

Cowboy Boots or Riding Boots: Love boots but neither of these really appeal to me. Riding, I guess.

Jacket or Hoodie: I don't tend to wear either much, but both have their place.

Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe: Charlotte Russe

Abercombie or Hollister: Eh, neither really.

Saks 5th or Nordstrom: Love Nordstrom.

HAIR:
Curly or Straight: Wavy.

Bun or Ponytail: Bun.

Bobby Pins or Butterfly Clips: What is a butterfly clip? I'm going to say Bobby Pins because butterfly clip sounds unfortunate.

Hair Spray or Gel: Hairspray.

Long or Short: Long! Long and flowing and wavy!

Light or Dark: Red ;)

Side Swept or Full Bangs: Full, I love my straight bangs but they grow out SO fast :(

Up or Down: Generally down, but I like up sometimes/if I'm being lazy.

RANDOM:
Rain or Shine: Shine. Nothing like being on a beach with sunshine and a breeze.

Summer or Winter: Summer. See above ;)

Fall or Spring: No preference really.. Fall.

Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate, or Caramel.

East Coast or West Coast: West!

Cupcake Nails:

2011-01-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

I'm still on a NYC 'Silver Starry Glitter' polish kick, so immediately after removing my 'galaxy' nails (shown a few posts down if you missed it) I started wondering what colour I should apply it on top of next. Grace told me to use a pale pink and create 'cupcake' nails, so I dug out my old favourite, OPI Mod About You and tried it out!

It's actually so much cuter in real life as the larger glitter particles are much more sparkly and flash between blue and pink. It really does remind me of the posh, sparkly cupcakes. Mmm, delightfully cutesy and tacky!

1 coat of each polish and incase anyone is wondering how the OPI looks alone, I took a photo before adding the glitter. It's my all time favourite nail colour:

I am SO happy my nails have finally started to grow long and strong again. I had my acrylics removed in July and the damage has only just grown out, infact I still have a dip in my thumb nail and a ridge on my index, but a few more weeks and they will be gone :) Cannot rave enough about Nailtek Foundation basecoat, it's a life/nail saver.

What is your all time favourite polish?

Took The Chop:

2011-01-05T15:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went to the hairdressers intending to go as short at my stylist said I needed to in order to get rid of any split ends and over processing etc. I love my hair long, but only when it's healthy. I was ready to go somewhere above shoulder length but my stylist said I only needed about 3-4 inches off so I've stuck with that for now. Part of me craves long hair already and part of me still wants a choppy layered cut that sits just above my shoulders. For now I'll stick with this, until I get a little braver (or more decisive).

Before:

After:

I love how it feels now. So thick and soft :) And today after I had styled it myself I started to really love it. I have promised myself to look after it a little better and use less heat (I know, it's on everyones beauty resoultions, but I'm jumping aboard the band wagon) so that should I decide to grow it out longer, it stays a little healthier. Hence why I spent a small fortune on some of the best hair products I have ever used but stopped buying regularly due to the price. The shampoo, conditioner and heat protectant I have used before and love, but the Elixir is a new purchase. I'll let you know how I get on with that one :)

Has anyone used the elixir? Which way do you like to use it? Before shampooing, after before blowdrying, as a treatment, as a serum? Let me know!

Also would love to have your opinions on biotin and other supplements. I have a friend who got great results from it and another who quite likely broke out from it. I'm not desperate to use it if the risk of spots is pretty high, but would appreciate your experiences :)

An Item That Changed My Skin:

2011-01-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

I'm used to smooth, clear, normal skin. I suffered from hormonal acne for a while about a year ago but until a few months ago my skin was pretty much perfect (Texture wise, that is. Tone wise, it could do with some help). So when my skin recently became dry and flaky due to a change of climates to the ridiculously cold weather here in the UK I really had no clue what to do.

It doesn't help that my favourite foundation is a longwearing one (YSL Teint Resist) which would cling to dry patches and generally not look too good. It became my goal to find some kind of product to help clear the dry skin and give my foundation something nice to sit on. I think I found it :)

The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Serum & Muslin Cloths:

I've never used a Body Shop skincare product before but my friend swears by the Vitamin E line so I decided to give the serum a try myself and can safely say I love it too! It is designed to be applied under your regular moisturiser - I use Dermalogica's Ultracalming Concentrate - and promises to give continuous enhanced moisturisation and protection.

"Vitamin E protects, tarabush works with the skin to boost moisture levels. Instantly skin is smoothed, over time the future of your skin is protected. Use morning and evening before moisturiser".

As you can see it's a clear, lightweight fluid with a LOT of slip. I apply one pump to my entire face, then go back and add a little more to any extra dry areas. It slides around your skin, gets a little sticky then eventually sets leaving your skin super smooth. It has that sort of rubbery feeling when used alone though, so I always put a moisturiser on top.

Since adding this step to my routine the texture of my skin has improved dramatically. The morning after the first application I could not believe how much better and smoother it felt, and now after a week or so of using daily my dry skin has disapeared. However, if I skip this step my skin does get flaky again, so it's obviously not fixed the problem completely. Until the warmer weather comes back and the central heating can be turned off though, I will definately keep using this and I highly recommend it :)

It retails at £9.99 for 30ml and can see it lasting about a 1/1.5 months with 2 pumps used daily.

The muslin cloths are just like any other, so I wont bore you with details. However I'd never tried them before so decided to pick them up and I love them! Flannels have since dissapeared from my routine as I love how smooth and gentle these are. I love using them to wipe off my Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser when I don't feel like rinsing it off completely under the tap.
I recommend you give these a go and I feel these are great quality and fairly good value for money at £6 for three.

Soon I will post an in depth review of another skincare favourite - Dermalogica's Gentle Cream Exfoliant. 5/5!

Max Factor Weightless. But Is It Really?:

2011-01-02T11:08:00.000-08:00

The first drugstore base in my series of foundation reviews :)

The foundation in question is Max Factors Weightless which has popped up on a few blogs recently since it's arrival to our shelves a few months ago as part of MF's entire 'weightless' range of products. This was the first from the line I tried and unfortunately left me with a lot to be desired so will probably be my last (I never was a fan of Max Factor!). But, it has worked well for many and may for you, so here are my 2 cents.

Weightless retails at £9.99 for 30ml. Much cheaper than most high end foundations, but among the more expensive of drugstores. Remember though, Boots/Superdrug often have specials on
cosmetics so it's pretty easy to find it a few pounds cheaper :)

It is available in 6 shades, although most do tend to pull pink.

The Packaging:

The packaging is ample. A lightweight, flat tube of black and green graphics. It has a clear window through which you can see the shade of foundation inside. Twist of the cap and a squeeze tube is revealed which releases a steady flow of product. I really have no problems with this packaging, it's simple, easy to use and sleek looking. If this were a high end foundation I'd prefer something a little more elegent, but for a £10 foundation, it's fine. And who really cares about the packaging anyway?

The Formula:

The formula of this is similar to a lotion, but with a slight moussey texture in there too. It is very lightweight. There is no offensive or particular scent and is non greasy.

As you can see in the swatch it pulls a little too dark/pink for my skintone (no surprises there, though!) but it's a little better on the face. Make sure you check out the testers for these as finding a match can be difficult.

Application And Finish:

Upon applying, this glides on easyily, smoothing over your skin much like a moisturiser does. I tried it with a few different brushes and the same effect was achieved regardless, it's very easy to use. It does streak however, regardless of how many ways you direct the brush to try and buff it into the skin. I find that I need to use my fingers afterwards to blend the streaks into the skin. Not a huge problem to many Im sure, but I really hate using my hands with base products.

I don't like to set my foundations with powder, but this one was so creamy that it required one if I wanted it to last longer than an hour.

Once on the skin it offers me a medium coverage and gives a dewy finish and feels moisturising. It looks fresh and healthy, but I have normal to dry skin, so I'm unsure how it would work on someone with an oilier face. This is where it started to go downhill for me. Throughout the day it starts to look greasy and shiny, something I very, very rarely experience with foundations. I need to blot thoroughly and for me, it's just not worth the effort when I have plenty of other foundations which do not require this step. I think it would work well on someone with much drier skin than I do.

So, is it 'weightless'? For me, no. Not at all. In fact I can feel this on my skin from the moment I apply it until the end of the day when I remove it. I hate that. It feels like a thick, balmy moisturiser is being constantly applied throughout the day. I don't apply a lot, but even so it is far from being weightless on my skin.

Before/After:

I love how it looks in the before/after, but for me it just doesn't last long enough or feel nice enough on my skin to keep using it. I really like how it gives that radiant sheen to the high points of my face, but it soons turns into a greasy mess.

All this said, I do recommend you give it a go - especially if youre skin is on the drier side! As I mentioned, it is working really well for a lot of people. I don't seem to get on well with many drugstore foundations so will stick to my higher end brands from now on I think!

Galaxy Nails!:

2011-01-01T14:51:00.000-08:00

So one of my best friends Grace (follow her!!) blogged about her 'galaxy nails' and I knew I had to try it too :)

I didn't even know we had the brand NYC here in the UK so was surprised to find a bottle of the exact same glitter polish she used in my sisters makeup bag! I thought I had black polish already, but got home and realised it was actually the Nail Effects so I had to use a dark bronze as the base instead. Still pretty, but not so much 'galaxy'!:

I ended up using Sally Hansen's 'Salon' Baroque Bronze as the base and NYC's Starry Silver Glitter on top.

I love it! Do you?

Update:

2010-12-31T11:44:00.000-08:00

Just to let everyone who purchased from my blog sale know that all packages have been sent :)

International should expect them in around 10 days, though possibly more since we have the christmas and new years holidays slowing down the postal system a little. Let me know when they are recieved :)

I'd also like to wish all my blog followers a very happy 2011!

I Need Help:

2010-12-28T12:59:00.000-08:00

What do you lovely ladies use when it comes to hair removal for the legs?

When I shave I get super bad razor rash, regardless of razor brand, even when the blade is brand new. Although I am left fuzz free, my skin still looks and feels bumpy from the rash and it's becoming tiresome.

I can't wax or epilate my legs as my hairs are so fine they just snap or break in half, and I believe the hair is too blonde to respond to laser treatments (I am going to look into that more though and get a second opinion).

Hair removal creams sting and bring out a red patchy rash and Silky Mitts etc do the same. My skin is just so sensitive :(

I'm looking for recommendations on shaving creams, lotions or oils that might help me achieve a closer shave and a more soothed, smooth finish. Please help!

Any tips, tricks or products you swear by? Am I alone in this problem? Has anyone here successfully lasered fine, blonde hair?

Blog Sale! Z Palette, Makeup, Hair Extensions, Nails:

2010-12-27T18:28:00.001-08:00

Blog sale time! I need rid of a lot of things right now!

Everything has been described to the best of my ability, feel free to ask more questions or ask for more pictures etc.

Shipping is based on weight, but for most items will be no more than £1 or £1.50, heavier items to be weighed and discussed.

I will ship anywhere but will only accept paypal from overseas buyers :)

Brushes: L-R:
~~♥ MAC #134: Barely used, 2/3x max. Perfect condition besides some dulling to the tip of handle from alcohol. Bristles 10/10. Read~~ here. £24 (RRP £35.50) SOLD!
♥ Young Blood Ultimate Foundation: Never used, but washed/sanitized regardless. Read here. £18 (RRP $41.00)
♥ MAC #182: NOT FOR SALE
~~♥ MAC #180: Discontinued, highly sought after. Bristles in perfect condition, some slight chipping to very base of handle. £20~~ SOLD!
~~♥ MAC #191: Used a few times, bristles in great condition, some slight tarnishing to ferrule. Read~~ here. £13 (RRP £25.00) SOLD!
♥ MUD #410: Perfect condition besides pink varnish on tip. Read here. £8 (RRP £22.50)
♥ MAC #130: NOT FOR SALE
~~♥ MAC #188: Perfect condition besides some slight wear to lettering. Bristles in great condition, barely used. Read~~ here. £16 (RRP £25.00) SOLD!
♥ Julie Hewett Cheekie Brush: Great condition, barely used. Read here. £10 (RRP $28.00)

Eyes:

Miscalaneous shadows are all from pro quality brands, but I don't label them so I can't remember exact name of some. I guarantee these are great quality though, I just have similar colours. Will all fit in MAC palette wells.

L-R:

♥ MUD Bone, Misc #1, ~~MAC Ochre Style~~ SOLD!, Misc #2 *think this is young blood), Misc #3 (think young blood again), Misc #4 (believe this is The Balm Mischievious Marissa), Misc #5, Misc #6, Givenchy Couture Brown, Misc #7 (MAC Lucky Green dupe), Misc #8, The Balm Fiesty Felicia. Various usages, but none tested more than 4./5x, ask for details. All £5 each.

♥ ~~Z Palette: Zebra print, perfect condition. Large. £14~~ SOLD!

: Swatches shown in order above.

~~♥ MAC Lingering Eye Brows: Tested 1x, wrong shade. Never been twisted/sharpened. Read~~ here. £7.50 (RRP £10.00)SOLD!
♥ Makeup Forever Kohl 6K: Sharpened maybe 2x, black base with 'metal highlights'. Great pigmentation. Has tiny chip to base of liner, ask for picture if needed. Read here. £7 (RRP £11.75)
~~♥ MAC Naked Lipliner: LE, no longer available. Sharpened 1x. £7 (RRP £10.00)~~ SOLD!
♥ Stila Topaz Kajal: Nude eyeliner, sharpened maybe 3x. Read here. £7 (RRP $18.00)
♥ MAC Technakohl: Brownborder. 60/70% left. Read here. £6 (RRP £13.00)
♥ MUD Cake Liner: Black. Used 2x, sanitized with alcohol. Read here. £4 (RRP $13.00)
♥ ~~Stila Mini Smudgepots: ~~Black~~ & Starry Night (dark plurple). Both tested once. £5 each, not sure of RRP as bought in set.~~ SOLD!
~~♥ MAC Blue Peep Fluidline: Discontinued, bright teal shade. Used a few times, top will be scraped off and sanitized. £7 (RRP £12.50)~~ SOLD!

Face: ~~♥ Sleek Contour Kit: Light. Used maybe 3x, have discovered better alternative for my skintone. Read~~ here. £4 (RRP £5.99) SOLD!
~~♥ Benefit Boiing: Medium, tested 1x with spatula. Sanitized. Read~~ here. £12 (RRP £16.50) SOLD!
~~♥ Benefit Boiing: Light, used around 5x with spatula. Santized. Read~~ here. £10 (RRP £16.50) SOLD!
~~♥ MAC Light Flush MSF: LE, no longer availeble. Can't remember if this is unused or was tested 1x. Either way, no box as it came as part of a gift set. £14 (RRP £16.50)~~ SOLD!
♥ YSL Perfect Touch: NOT FOR SALE
~~♥ Max Factor Weightless Pale Ivory: Used 2x, fresh, bought recently. Read~~ here. £5 (RRP ~£10.00) SOLD!
♥ MAC Face & Body N1: Decant from my own bottle, I originally planned to travel with this but the bottle isn't *quite* secure enough for me. About 30ml here, great to trial. Promise this is 100% genuine and definately N1 :) Read here. £5 (RRP £23.00/120ml) SOLD!

Lips:

~~♥ Sleek Pout Polish: Raspberry Souffle. LE, brand new in packaging. £4.50~~ SOLD!
~~♥ OCC Lip Tar: Conquest. Around 50% full, has been used with palette/lipbrush. £4 (RRP £8.99)~~ SOLD!
♥ MAC Lip Palette: Heavenly Dish. LE. Contains 2 lipsticks and a lipgloss. Gloss tested 1x, middle lipstick used maybe twice. No lip brush. £9
~~♥ Vaseline: Brand new.Free with purchases.~~ GONE!

Hair:
♥ Clip In Extensions: Blonde, 16inch. Human hair, can be dyed. Great condition, only used 1x to check fit. Full head of hair included, regular amount when store bought. One of the larger pieces is of double thickness and a small amount of weft is included to wrap around ponytails etc. Feel free to ask any questions with these :) £35

PENDING!

Had to buy a huge amount of Sebastian for a course but was not used much at all, too heavy to travel with so need rid :) Will need to check the postage on the hairspray and mousse so just mention if interested really and I'll have to see:

♥ Shaper Zero: NOT FOR SALE
♥ Shaper Fierce: Read here. RRP £12.00 as stated need to check postage before quoting.
♥ Mousse Forte: Read here. RRP £14.70 will check postage.
♥ Texturiser: Used 2x. Read here. £12 (RRP £16.50) Will try to find the cap.
♥ Halo Mist: Used around 3/4x, practically full. Read here. £9.50 (RRP £14.70)
♥ Molding Mud: Used maybe 2x, sanitary. Read here. £7 (RRP £12.00)

Nails:

~~♥ OPI Pink Of Hearts: Used for 2x manicure. £5~~ SOLD!
~~♥ OPI Otherwise Engaged: 70%+ left. £4~~
♥ Nails Inc: South Moltern St 1x, free with purchase
♥ Nails Inc: Coral NOT FOR SALE

Please ask any questions and Thankyou!!

Christmas Gifts!:

2010-12-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

I'm not huge on christmas, in fact this year I just didn't have the right frame of mind for it! But still we had a great day and I got some lovely gifts :)

Soap & Glory's Big Pink Tote. This was my christmas gift to myself ;) Out of all 12 products I've only used 4 in the past so I'm super excited to try out the rest and post reviews of course! This was too good to turn down as I needed a new bottle of Clean On Me and was almost out of Flake Away so it made sense to just spend a little more and get 10 more items. Love it!

Yves Saint Laurent's Best of Beauty and Rouge Volupte #2. Everyone knows how much I love the Touche Eclat and I had wanted to try the primer for a while - it's great by the way! - so again it was great to recieve the gift set with the cute box :) I gave my sister the Faux Cils as I already have a tube open but the highlighter will keep.

RV #2 is my ultimate favourite lipstick but I ran out a while ago and hadn't got around to repurchasing yet. I LOVE it though, it's everything I could ask for in a lipstick and the second I applied it I remember why I used to adore it so much. 10/10!

Dermalogica's Gentle Cream Exfoliant. This is a non abrasive exfoliating mask that you apply to your skin and let sit for 15 minutes or so before rinsing away. It contains no beads or gritty texture as it relies on alpha and beta hydroxy acids and fruit enzymes to slough away dead skin. I've wanted this for the longest time so it was lovely to recieve it from my Auntie ♥. I've used it once and so far, it's love :)

What were some of your favourite beauty based gifts? I know we all had them ;)

Best Of 2010. Part 3 - Skincare:

2010-12-26T15:33:00.000-08:00

So I already posted my favourite makeup and body care products of 2010 so here's the last (probably!) installment - skincare! I've since discovered some real gems which will soon be blogged about, but these were the most used of this past year, so here goes :)

♥ Cleanser: Cellnique Gentle Foaming Cleanser. I was sent this for consideration and fell in love. I have since bought myself a back up since I liked it that much! It makes my skin squeaky clean but nourished, smooth and soft at the same time. Some cleansers can dry out my sensitive skin and makes my face feel tight but this one is perfect. Will definately continue to use in 2011 too :)

♥ Toner: Witch Hazel. This changed my skin completely. I started to use it for it's refreshing purposes only; it's great to refresh tired skin in the summer, especially if you store it in your refridgerator. But I soon discovered it was clearing up my skin completely, making it totally smooth and supple. The smell is a little strange but you get used to it, I recommend picking up a bottle of this - it's cheap! Around £2/3 - and trying it for yourselves!

♥ Moisturiser: Dermalogicas Ultracalming Serum Concentrate. This is probably my star product of 2010! Dermalogica are my favourite skincare brand and this is likely to be my favourite from them, it moisturises without being heavy on my skin and has a light, lotion like texture so sits great under your foundation. This calms any red patches or irritation in my skin like a dream and moisturises SO well. A+!

♥ Face Mask: Aspirin Mask! I am yet to find a mask that smooths, cleans and heals blemishes like the aspirin mask and I continued to use it throughout '10 as I have done for years. I use this once a month or so, either alone or mixed into a moisturising mask.

♥ Exfoliator: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant and S&G Massage Mitt. Daily Microfoliant is a rice based powder product which is added to water to create an exfoliating paste. It's gentle on my sensitive skin and really makes your skin feel fresh and new. I also love using the massage mitt with my regular cleansers to clean a little deeper ;) Both used and repurchased this year.

♥ Makeup Remover: Boots Cleanse And Care. This is a duo phase makeup remover and recently I've heard they're bad for your eyes in the long run - anyone care to elaborate? But regardless this was used and loved all this year as it takes off even heavy eyemakeup SO easily.
For quick makeup removal I started to love Johnsons 3 in 1 wipes, as they dont leave my skin tight or sticky. Great if you're in a rush!

I was going to stop here, but may post one more! My favourite people, places and items etc of 2010 coming soon I think :)

Happy Holidays & Hair Q!:

2010-12-25T15:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone :) I hope everyone had a great day or is about too, depending on location!

I will update soon, but for now I have a question for you lovely readers: Can anyone recommend me a serious shine product for dry and coarse hair? I'd like some sort of smoothing, styling cream if possible... one with some hold would be great but throw any ideas at me, I'm all ears! :)

My Auntie has recomended the Frederick Fekkai Glossing products so I'm going to try those but would love to hear your favourites too.

Thanks!

Best Of 2010. Part 2 - Body:

2010-12-22T22:12:00.001-08:00

Here's part 2 of 2010's best of's; Bodycare!

If you've followed my blog for a while you'll know I've always loved Soap & Glory, so no surprises it's making up half of this post. I just got the big pink tote, so excited to try out the products which are new to me, but that's another post!

The best body products of 2010:

♥ Shower Gel/Soap: Soap & Glory Clean On Me. Love everything about this and it's been a staple in my bathroom for years now, with 2010 being no exception. Packaging is cute, it's great value for money at around £6 for a bottle that lasts me FOREVER and it smells good and lathers great.

♥ Body Lotion/Cream: Sometimes I will use a bodybutter, but most of this year I reached for Palmers Cocoa Butter Skin Therapy Oil. Although it's an oil, it absorbs fairly quick and leaves my skin feel nourished and smooth. I love the scent, especially once it's warmed up with your body temperature. Great to shave with too. Almost out of this as you can see and it will be repurchased :)

♥ Body Exfoliator: Soap & Glory Flake Away. This is rich and gritty with a slight oily base. It does what it says on the tin and I love using this, though thorough rinsing of the bath/shower afterwards is required as it leaves is very slippery! Going way back to when I first started blogging, here's a short review here, and I havn't stopped using it since.

♥ Hand Cream: Soap & Glory Hand Food. (Does anyone get the play on words for this one? I don't!) Honestly, most handcreams are just fine for me, but this one smells extra good so it's usually my first choice. Light and nourishing it absorbs into the skin nicely, leaving the hands smooth, soft and scented.

♥ Lip Balm/Treatment: MAC Lip Conditioner. I discovered this beauty in 2010 and can guarantee it will continue to nourish my lips in 2011 too! I've tried a lot of lip balms and treatments and have a few favourites, but this one definately kept my lips in top condition this year. Want to try the stick formula next, just for ease of use.

♥ Perfume: Victorias Secret Sexy Little Things Noir. I've mentioned before how most scents make me nauseaus within minutes of applying and so in the past I've gone without, opting for scented lotions etc instead. However early this year I recieved a filled VS tote as a GWP and this was included in it. I didn't take much notice until I gave it a sniff and fell in love. Quick review here.

That's it! The third and final part; Skincare coming some day soon. What have been your favourite body products of 2010?

And The Winner Is:

2010-12-22T16:09:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to comment #11, Sugarbumpkin @ http://sugarbumpkin.blogspot.com !

Please send me your address and reconfirm your lipstick choice to mua.emma@live.co.uk! Contact me within 72hrs or so or I will have to choose another winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered, I will be holding a contest in the near future featuring two winners, each winning prizes not available in their own country :)

Video Review!:

2010-12-20T19:31:00.000-08:00

I mentioned Sleek's Fuschia lipstick in my previous post and a follower on twitter asked me to post a review. Well I'm wearing it today so decided to just make a quick video :)

I don't frequently make videos, but if anyone does have any requests just let me know!

Enjoy & buy this lipstick ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGKfYxvZ7Ys

Best of 2010. Part 1 - Makeup:

2010-12-19T17:00:00.001-08:00

I wanted to do the 'best of 2010' post that is making it's way around blogger, but I don't like posts without pictures so decided to split it into three seperate posts so they're not overly long :P

So here's part 1, the best makeup products of 2010:

♥ Foundation: Without a doubt, Yves Saint Laurent Teint Resist. This is the perfect colour match for me and feels comfortable on the skin, lasting all day. It's long wearing so it is a little drying on my skin if it's not well moisturised, but I can look past that for everything else. Read my review here.

♥ Concealer: I don't use/need concealer anywhere other than under my eyes so the classic Touche Eclait is still my favourite. It lightens and diffuses my undereye area perfectly. Honestly I'd rather that area look a little imperfect than have it caked in heavier concealers. Love this. No review as everyone knows this one :)

♥ Powder: 2010 was the year of no powder :) I realised I don't need it and my skin looks and feels nicer without it.

♥ Blush: MAC Dainty was my most used blush this year, same as last year I think! It's the perfect shade on my skintone and gives me a little bit of a glow without being overly shimmery or sparkly. I love this and recommend it to anyone! Swatch here, shown on top of middle finger.

♥ Bronzer: Bronzer was worn a maximum of 3 times in the past year so that's why I've not included it! I'm not a bronzer girl, it makes my pale skin look muddy and I prefer to keep my face looking fresh and porcelain :)

♥ Highlighter: MAC Lightscapade! Somehow this has made it through 2010 and is still going strong despite pretty much daily use. I really, really hope they reproduce this one as I havn't been able to find a highlight shade anything like it. Terrible swatch, flash made it superrr bright, but it's on the finger to the left here.

♥ Eyeshadow: Top to bottom, left to right - Unbasic White, Patina, Vanilla, Tempting, Showstopper and Typographic. These were my most worn and most replaced shadows this year, all by MAC. I like neutral bronzey shadows as they flatter my skintone and eyes like no others. There are swatches for all of these right here.

♥ Eyeshadow Base: MAC Painterly Paintpot. Perfect colour and consistency. Never without one of these in my makeup bag.

♥ Eyeliners: More MAC! Feline powerkohl (to be rereleased with Champale, yay!) and Teddy kohl. Both creamy, pigmented and long lasting. Not much more to be said! Swatch here, with Teddy swatched 2nd and Feline 3rd :)

♥ Eyelash Curler: Shu Uemura, though rarely used.

♥ Mascara: A new find for me, but definately the best mascara I have used, despite it having a few hang ups. Review coming soon! Yves Saint Laurent Faux Cils in black.

♥ Lipstick: I'm a nude or hot hot pink lipstick kinda girl and surprisingly both of my favourites this year have been from the drugstore - Sleeks Fuschia and Natural Collections Apple Blossom. Fuschia review coming soon, Apple Blossom on lips here.

♥ Lipgloss: I'm not a huge lipgloss wearer, in fact I only own one and that is very rarely worn so it's a tinted lip balm instead. Sleeks limited edition offering, Raspberry Souffle. Click for review and swatch.

♥ Nail Polish: None pictured as 2010 was the year of french manicure acrylic nails :)

Looking back, many of these products were firm favourites in '09 too. Maybe I'm boring or need to start switching things up, but I'm quite happy here in my little world of neutrals, bronze and hot pink! :)

Link me to your best of posts! Body products coming next!

Beauty Blog Link Love!:

2010-12-19T08:33:00.000-08:00

Dare to wear red lips this holiday season? Check out these three options on Katie of My Lips But Better.

Amy Antoinette reviews Estee Lauder's Double Wear Foundation and Concealer.

See a sneak peak at the Nicole by OPI liquid metals collection, and a nail of the day!

Dare to wear red lips this holiday season? Check out Katie's picks ranging from sheer to bold on My Lips But Better.

Do you love rock n' roll? Find out what product Cindy at Prime Beauty uses to channel her inner Rocker Chick. Soft Rockers, don't fret; there's a look for you as well!

Shela at Confessions of a Beauty Guru is going cuckoo for Korean lip products!

Curious about more unconventional skin products? Rachel tells all about Witch Hazel Wonders at Queen of Turquoise.

Retrodiva experiments with the Estee Lauder Holiday Collection and likes what she sees.

Got a sticky compact and don't know what to do? Musicalhouses shows you how to clean up a sticky NARS, Smashbox, or Becca casing!

Need holiday makeup look ideas? Check out Audrey Dao's Holiday Look Book for ideas and tutorials!

At theNotice, Rae checks out a Benefit cult favourite -- but doesn't like what she sees.

Red lips are hot for Christmas! Lipglossiping trawls through her collection and uses a Red Lip Series as a great excuse to buy more!

Daily Polish falls head over heels (but manages not to lose her head!) for Rescue Beauty Lounge's 'Catherine H' from the new Tudor collection.

At Pink Sith, Joeybunny introduces you to the Wet n' Wild Night Elf Palette. See why she's swooning!

Chanukah may be over, but that doesn't mean you still can't enjoy this LUSH Fizztival of Lights gift set!

Beautywoome has published its Christmas gift guide, because you know you haven't done your shopping yet.

Hellcandy stumbles across her first dupe! Find out which drugstore brand matches the gorgeous fucshia of Nars Funny Face lipstick here.

Acquaintance gifting causing you stress? Jeweled Thumb shares her coworker holiday gift guide to put your mind (and wallet) at ease!

L from Beautifully Addicted To rediscovers Erase Paste.

Kim Porter shares some skincare tips for the cold weather.

Take a sneak peak at Dior’s Cannage eyeshadow palette from the upcoming Spring collection over at Pleasureflush!

***

Jenn over at Spiced Beauty is celebrating her 2 year bloggerversary with a Huge Annabelle Cosmetics giveaway!

Phyrra is giving away 5 eye shadows from the Aromaleigh Wonderstruck Collection!

Over at The Glamorous Gleam, Mz. More loves Revlon's Perplex Nail Enamel so much that she is giving away four bottles to her readers!

Beauty Crazed loves Burberry Beauty and wants to give you a chance to love them too!

Jumping Aboard The Bandwagon:

2010-12-17T19:46:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late with this one :)!

Like many others I was sent the John Frieda Precision Foam Hair Colour to try out. I actually knew all along I wouldn't use it myself - I rarely colour my hair and when I do it's strictly a salon job only - but I knew my Mum would appreciate trying it out :) Stupidly enough, I still chose the shade I would like to have - 5G Medium Golden Brown, not a shade my Mum would choose - something darker and cooler. Head-desk moment ;)

Luckily Mum's a good sport and said I could try it on her regardless and if it did turn out a disaster we could just colour over it, so here we go!

So as you can see the kit comes complete with 4 items (plus gloves but forgot to photograph these). A colour developer bottle, pump, colourant and a rather generous sized tube of conditioner. The gloves are black and rubbery, MUCH better quality than any others I have used with at home colouring kits. (Do not even mention the paper thin type that are stuck to the instruction leaflet)!

To start you pour the colourant into the developer and tilt the bottle 4-5 times to mix. DO NOT shake as you would with regular dyes, a few small tilts is sufficient and will allow the product to be dispensed evenly.

Then pump to release the foam! At first I was looking to press down on the pumo to release the foam but soon realised that actually all you need to do is squeeze the bottle lightly until a golf ball sized amount is released into your fingertips. Apply smoothly throughout your entire hair and massage gently to ensure it is distributed evenly all over.

Application:

Easy! Much easier than regular dyes which I used to find dripped and were slightly hard to spread throughout the hair. With the foam, there is literally no dripping and you can be sure it will stay where applied.
Mum has short hair, but would usually use the entire bottle of dye regardless, but with this we had about half left and literally nowhere needed anymore product. I think one bottle would work well for medium to long hair, but thick hair like mine may benefit from two bottles. Can't vouch for that though as I obviously havn't tried it. Feel free to enlighten me - did you need two bottles?

We left the solution on for 25 minutes as she had some greys we wanted to make sure were covered, rinsed and applied the conditioner.

Results. Before/After:

Glossy bright colour!

To sum it up, a few things I liked about this product:

♥ Ease of use, no dripping.

♥ Barely any scent. None of the breathtaking amonia smell associated with most at home dyes.

♥ Non staining! I can be a little carefree when dying hair (It's only Mum!) and ears and hairline are usually left somewhat patchy, but this one washed right off the skin during the rinse.

♥ Super glossy finish, hair feels very nourished and smooth.

Any cons? Not really, though I will say the colour did not turn out anything like that on the box, but I blame that on Mums original colour. Had it been applied to my light auburn hair as initially planned I'm sure it would have resembled the Medium Golden Brown, and not the bright mahogony based brown we got. But she loves it anyway and has actually since bought two more boxes of this very shade whilst it is on introductory sale.

Love this and highly recommended! It will retail for £9.99 a box eventually, but get it now while it's averaging at around £6 in Boots and Superdrug just to try :)

MUFE For Sale:

2010-12-16T13:00:00.000-08:00

Is anyone interested in either of these products?

~~♥ Brand new MUFE Lash Fibres primer, still in packaging marked at £14.50, £11 posted.~~

♥ Brand new MUFE HD Elixer Instant Radiance and Hydration Serum. Also in packaging albeit slightly crushed complete with £25.50 price tag, £20 posted. SOLD!

~~Don't ask why I purchase things I don't really need, I think we all do it haha.~~

I would like to point out that the HD Elixir isn't totally full, but I've used it in the past and it never comes full to the brim. I'd say it's about 95% full looking :)

Paypal only if anyone is interested and I'll have them shipped ASAP!

SOLD! Thankyou :)

Oilatum/Pixiwoo:

2010-12-16T08:29:00.000-08:00

Okay so, granted I would normally try something for more than one day before I reviewed it. In fact it would normally get around a months worth of trial, but at least two weeks, but this product has wowed me after just two uses and it seems it would be most useful to others now, whilst the weather is still icy cold and playing havoc with our skin.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one to see this featured in one of Pixiwoo's recent youtube videos and after hearing them sing it's praises and needing a super intense moisturiser for a while now I decided to head into Boots, pick it up and try it for myself.

The product is Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream:

I'd not heard of the Oilatum brand before the video, probably because it's not really marketed/sold with the regular skincare brands such as Simple, Olay, etc etc but instead tucked away with the E45 and other excema/severe dry skin lotions and potions. From what I could see this was the only face product from the brand, with the rest aimed solely at the body. It took me multiple stores to find one that sold this and or had it in stock currently.

Why did I feel the need to buy this? I have sensitive skin that burns easily in the sun, but chaps even easier in the cold and wind, and as my UK readers know, we've had our fair share of 0 degrees and colder this past month. My skin was sore and irritated and some of my regular moisturisers were actually stinging upon application and others were being absorbed within seconds and not actually helping with the condition of my skin. My forehead was rough and chapped and the area around my nose had actually broken out from the cold, so I was super happy to hear about Nic's (Pixiwoo) experience with this product.

What can I say? It works! After only two applications my skin is smooth and soothed again, the breakouts are almost gone, my forehead is back to normal and my skin feels nourished. What I like best about this product though is how it seems to create a barrier on my skin, and the cold winds just arn't able to penetrate through it as easily as before, my face feels very protected and I will continue to use this throughout the next few months!

It's quite lightweight, yet feels substantial on the skin and almost balmy during application. It is fragrance free and hasn't irritated my skin (and trust me, it would have by now if it was going too, but I'll keep you updated).

It retails at £7.49 for 50ml and I highly recommend it :)

Giveaway Update:

2010-12-15T08:26:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update to those who have already entered, please feel free to head over to the post (link above) and check that I have entered your extra entry(s) if you so require them.

Some of you posted second comments stating the lipstick you would like or your email address if you forgot. Any extra comments have been deleted - don't worry I'll contact you for your choices etc - UNLESS you posted on twitter/sidebar etc, in which case your 2nd comments may have been kept and I wont have manually entered you any more. Does that make sense? I hope so!

Basically, count how many comments are yours, wether you wrote them, or I did. It should match up to how many ways you entered. Every comment is an entry, regardless of what it says.

Any questions -ask and feel free to tell me if I've missed your extra entry :)

NARS Sheer Glow. Yes/No?:

2010-12-14T08:46:00.000-08:00

I apologise for the lack of updates, a lot going on right now, but since I already had the photos taken, here's another of my foundation reviews, this time for the cult favourite NARS Sheer Glow.

This seems to be a love it or hate it kind of foundation, with most people loving it. Me? Sadly I'm among those who don't love it and it has since been passed on to another user. I did however give it a very thorough try for many reasons, especially since the shade Siberia is probably the best match I have ever found in a foundation with absolutely no orange tones.

This product is dermatologist tested, non comedogenic and fragrance free. It retails for £29 per 30ml.

The Packaging:

The main concern Sheer Glow users seem to have with the packaging is the lack of a pump. I actually purchased a pump seperately, with a price tag of £5 - a little extortinate in my opinion, but it will last you a while since you can just switch it to your new foundation when you run out. The price of the pump has recently changed to £3, a little more wallet friendly. If you choose not to buy the pump you have a simple screw topped lid topped with a satin finish, somewhat redundant larger lid.

Pump aside, this foundation is packaged in a glass bottle. Initially I thought "Wow this is a small bottle", but it holds 30ml which is pretty much the normal amount when it comes to liquid foundation. The glass isn't frosted so it's easy to see how much product is left and it's stamped with the NARS logo. I like the packaging, it's simple and sleek and there's no complaints here.

The Formula:

Sheer Glow is one of the thicker foundations I have tried. It's not super thick, but it's definately thicker than most in my collection. Not necessarily a bad thing, just an observation. There is no particular scent here either.

As you can see, this foundation is a great match for my super pale skintone. It's perhaps looks a little too cool for me in this swatch, but once blended it's a perfect match and any redness in my skin is neutralised by the lack of it in this shade, Siberia.

Application & Finish:

Okay here comes the part where Sheer Glow started to let me down. For me, it's neither sheer nor glowy, the very two reasons I was attracted to it in the first place. It actually offers me a lot of coverage and on my skin it dried to a matte almost cakey finish regardless of application technique.

I tried everything; my trusty Cover FX pointed foundation brush, MAC #190, Beauty Blender and even my fingers but there was no way this formula was going to work with my skin. Although it's marketed towards normal to dry skin types it instantly highlighted any dry patches on my skin and sunk directly into my pores (something which no other foundation has ever done, I might add). I had streaks galore and had to use a magnifying mirror to make sure they were sufficiently blended before heading out.
Did it at least last all day after the nightmare application? No. On my skin, it wears off in patches leaving me with red flaky cheeks, chin and nose. Overall, a disaster.

The worst part? Although NARS claim that with daily use Sheer Glow will improve skins brightness, radiance and texture, it actually irritated mine and upon removal I was left with patchy, sensitive and red skin. I tried to stick with it but after about a week of daily use I just couldn't be bothered with it anymore and it was passed on.

Before/After:

It actually doesn't look so bad in this image and the perfect colour/neck match is very apparent. I tried to capture the dry patches this foundation gave me on camera, but it proved almost impossible. Still, the overall finish this foundation gave me is visible and had it not have caused me a plethora of other problems I might have actually quite liked it. That is, if I had not been expecting something sheer or glowy ;)

I will give NARS a big thumbs up for it's extensive shade range. Never before have I found a foundation this pale, but for now I will give this brand a miss when it comes to foundations and stick with my trusty Yves Saint Laurent, who never lets me down.

Click for my previous foundation reviews:
Estee Lauder Lucidity, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser, Lancome Teint Miracle and Yves Saint Laurent Teint Resist.

Grace:

2010-12-07T19:12:00.000-08:00

One of my best friends Grace has started blogging! :)

She's super talented, loves special effects makeup and leopard print and if you follow her you will see lots of beautiful FOTD's like this:

One of the most loyal and trustworthy friends I have ever made. I love and miss you Grace :(

http://arcanusgrace.blogspot.com

New Hair:

2010-12-05T06:34:00.000-08:00

I wanted to go ever so slightly darker and more red for winter, but I ended up about 6 shades darker and it's taking some time to get used to!

It's a semi permanent Matrix shade I believe. I love how it put that freshly dyed glossy finish back into my hair though, who wants to recommend me a shampoo/conditioner for coloured hair? It's been so long since I had it dyed.

I don't love it, but it's growing on me. (Pun very much intended!) ;)

Beauty Blog Link Love!:

2010-12-04T09:37:00.000-08:00

Beautywoome has found all the best New Zealand beauty brands you need to know about now.

Stuck for gift ideas? Check out Charly's N-spa Brand Rave!

Anita over at Pleasureflush gets excited over Chantecaille’s Tiger In The Wild palette and shows you her amazing Chantecaille collection.

K from Beautifully Addicted To discusses whether brands consider imitation to be the sincerest form of flattery in the run up to Christmas.

Hot Beauty Health shares 10 of the best natural beauty products enriched with soy proteins.

Pink Diva's Beauty Spot has been playing with Dr Lewinn's skin care... and loving it! Find out what products are worth a try.

Phyrra's Indie Spotlight for December is none other than Shiro Cosmetics! Learn all about Caitlin and this magical melding of makeup and geekery.

Aijuswhanakno shares her love in an ode to the Black Magic bar from 1 Hand Washes The Other.
See what Alyson at The Gloss Menagerie thinks of the Sigma Face & Eye Kit.

Baby powder for the face? Musicalhouses shows you this little makeup tip she stumbled upon!

Rachel reviews some love or hate it Lush products at Queen of Turquoise.

Retrodiva takes a look at the new Harajuku Lovers Wicked Style fragrance collection - it would make a great gift for the younger set.

The Pink Sith buys yet another raspberry colored lipstisck. This time it's Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in Rouge Vermillon. Come see how she justifies yet another amazing lipstick purchase!

Clue: What happens when Jeweled Thumb buys the same color over and over again? Answer: She finds great dupes!

Not sure what to get a friend (or yourself!) for Christmas? Check out this year's Gift Guide, over at theNotice!

Krasey Beauty rocks out with Make Up For Ever's Rock For Ever Collection.

Sarah from IHeartCosmetics tries out Nail Rock Nail Wraps which are a cool new alternative to Minx.

Hellcandy brings a little ray of sunshine with a sneak peak into British brand Boots No7 Spring 2011 range and it's all inspired by 1960s St Tropez...

***

Beauty Crazed has really lost their minds this time and is giving away over $500 worth of cosmetics! Treat yourself to a fabulous holiday present and enter now!

Check out Madame B Fatale's Giveaway for a $50 Apothica Gift Card!

It's the season for sparkles and presents so head on over to Eyelining Obsessions and enter to win some goodies in her festive giveaway!

Enter Audrey Dao's holiday giveaway to win a Marie Louise Travel Kit filled with skin care products.

Christmas come early? December marks the start of the annual Lipglossiping ADVENT GIVEAWAY! Come and join in for a chance to win some amazing prizes!

Dear Santa:

2010-12-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

Now that it's nearing christmas, I've seen a few people posting wishlists and there seems to be a sort of tag going around, with bloggers sharing one product or item they would buy for themselves this month if money was no object.

I'm not even huge on christmas, I'm no scrooge by all means, but it just doesn't get me as excited as it does some. For that reason, I havn't even made a wishlist so I'm only sharing one product that I have been dying to get my hands on ever since my wallet was stolen (or lost, somehow out of my bag on the underground, I might add) during a day out in London recently, boo:

Patent Gramarcy Zip-Around:

I love love love this bright magenta shade! My earlier wallet was much smaller, the Gramercy Patent *Small* and although I loved it, if you added more than about 3 notes and 4 cards it just kept popping open after a while. I had it in glossy white which although very me, got grubby quite quickly. Besides needing frequent wiping down to prevent staining it stayed in perfect condition despite daily use.

Coach wallets and bags are great quality and super cute. I highly recommend. Pop one on your own wishlist this holiday and see for yourself :)

MUFE- Makeup: Yes, Skincare: Maybe?:

2010-12-02T01:17:00.000-08:00

When it comes to skincare I know what I like. Nourishing, calming products that won't strip my skin or tug at my eyes. I also tend to stick with 'actual skincare' brands like Dermalogica, shying away from brands which focus mainly on makeup but have a few skincare products thrown in too.

That said, I have purchased many Makeup Forever skincare items in the past but have only really stuck with two of them, giving the rest to friends or family after not getting on too well with them myself. The two items I have kept and still continue to use - be it sporadically - are Sens'Eyes and Pure Water:

Sens'Eyes:

Sens'Eyes is a 'waterproof sensitive eye cleanser' and although I can no longer find it for sale on any UK sites I believe I paid around £13 or £14 pounds for this and it contains 100ml. It retails at $23 in the US.

The product itself is a blue lotion type texture which has no scent and is dispensed through a pump at the top of the bottle. Around one pump on a cotton pad per eye is sufficient for me however I do find that it is easily absorbed into the pad so I sometimes apply directly to the eye first.

It is mineral oil free and safe for contact lens wearers. Dermatologist and Opthamologist tested, MUFE claim this wont irritate or leave lids greasy. They also say this will sooth and moisturise the eyelids and although I highly agree with all these claims and it does feel lovely to use, for me it just doesn't quite cut it when it comes to removing mascara and liner (and I don't even wear waterproof products!)

Whilst it removes my concealer, eyeshadow and most of my eye makeup like a breeze, it leaves clumps of mascara and liner residue around the base of my lashes. By this point I'm fed up and usually resort back to my all time favourite makeup remover, No7's Cleanse and Care:

The makeup on the pad above is what was left on my eyes, even after the pads saturated in the Sens'Eyes were showing as clean. As you can see, it's definately not working for me.

Sure I could probably take a little longer or press a little harder with the MUFE but when it comes down to it, I highly prefer an oil based remove for myself. The Sens'Eyes is a lovely soothing product and I would recommend you give it a try, but for me the No7 will always be repurchased and this one, probably wont :)

Pure Water:
Pure Water retails at £15.50 here in the UK, probably somewhere around $23 in the US, but don't quote me.

This is a 'moisturising cleansing water' which upon first glance looks and feels more like a toner than a makeup remover. MUFE claim that upon contact with the skin it transforms into a light mousse to dislodge and smooth away makeup, however in my opinion it does no such thing. Sure it kind of froths up as it comes out of the pump, but once it hits the cotton pad it's straight back into a fluid. They also claim is soothes and tones skin, and that I will agree with them about.

I usually only use this if it's all I have to hand, or if I feel like my skin still has makeup residues left on it after cleansing. It's definately more of a toner type product for me, it would take way too much time and effort to remove all your makeup with the Pure Water and even then I wouldn't be sure it was all gone. That said, it is effective though and it's great to keep in your kit for refreshing skin between makeups or for quick cleansing on the go, but in no way does it replace a face wash for me. I probably won't repurchase this one again either, sorry MUFE :(

One skincare product from the brand I keep repurchasing however is the HD Elixer, a primer/moisturiser/serum hybrid which lives up to some pretty high claims. Expect a review of that one once my new bottle arrives in the mail :)

CLOSED! Giveaway! Finally:

2010-11-30T17:11:00.000-08:00

Apologies for the super delay in getting this posted but here it is! :D

As a thankyou to all my subscribers - especially those who stuck around when I left blogspot for many, many months! - here is a little giveaway :) This ones simple, all you need to do is leave a comment, but I will be holding one in the next few months which involves some interaction as those are lots more fun :D

Prizes are:

♥ Sleek Storm palette - Had to choose between all the permanent offerings and this is probably my favourite, plus it's neutral and office friendly etc etc so I figured it was the best one to offer!

♥ NARS Orgasm Polish Mini - When I bought mine, I bought another for one of you :)

♥ & finally a MAC Lipstick - of your choice! Self explanitory really. Any lipstick in the permanent line is available and I encourage Viva Glam!

'Rules':

Open to any of my followers, anywhere in the world!

To enter please comment with the URL of your blog for me and anyone else to browse :) If you don't have a blog, comment with one of your favourites! Also state which lipstick you would like :)

If you want to post about this in your blog, sidebar or twitter for an extra entry then feel free, and state that you have done so and I will verify and leave you an extra comment but it is by no means a must-do.

Contest will end in 3 weeks, at midnight on the 22nd December. I will then place my MAC order including the chosen lipstick and mail it ASAP.

CLOSED! CLOSED! CLOSED!

Good luck everyone!

Sigma F82:

2010-11-29T11:55:00.000-08:00

I ordered and recieved this brush a while ago and have been using it frequently ever since. I have a plethora of brushes and so I try to resist temptation and only purchase new ones if I don't already have something remotely like it already. I managed to justify the F82 so here it is :)

The F82 Round Top Kabuki is one of Sigma's latest offerings. This is what they have to say about it:

"The F82 Round Top Kabuki brush simplifies precise makeup application under the eyes and around the nose. This brush is also perfect for achieving flawless coverage using liquid and powder products. Made of Synthetic Sigmax HD filament".

It was released with two other similar brushes; one flat top and one angled, but all made the same materials and similar looking. I may purchase the angled version at some point (annoyed I just missed the free shipping, but whatever) but I don't love flat topped brushes so that one they can keep ;) They all retail at $16.00 which is amazing value for money, especially for us in the UK once the exchange rate comes into play. I believe, with shipping I paid a little under £13 for this, which for me is no problem at all.

The brush itself is excellent quality. This is my first Sigma purchase as none of their regular line appeals to me, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. The handle is matte black and a nice length, no complaints there but the bristles is where I fall in love. This brush is soo densely packed yet super soft. Often bristles as dense as this can feel a little 'hard' on the skin, but this is a pleasure to use and apply with.

I have used this to apply my liquid foundations and although at first I found it absorbed a little too much product I have now started to apply my moisturiser or primer with it first, which moistens the bristles a little more and stops it from sucking up too much foundation.

The dense head really pushes the products into the skin creating a flawless buffed finish. No streaks whatsoever. It's also super easy to buff the product around the eyes with this one. I can't say much more, but if you don't get on with traditional paddle foundation brushes or find that duo fibre brushes just arn't quite dense enough, then consider trying one of these.

False Lash Effect vs. Lashblast:

2010-11-27T11:42:00.000-08:00

These two mascras are often branded the same product in different - yet very similar - packaging.

As a long time user and fan of Covergirls Lashblast I recently decided to pick up the Max Factor version. Not only is the Lashblast only available in the US, but I also wanted to try out the MF for comparisons sake - it would be a lot easier for me to repurchase this from my local Boots or Superdrug than have to go out of my way to order the Lashblast online or have a friend or relative in the USA send it to me.

The Max Factor retails at £10.99 whilst the Lashblast will only set you back round $7 which currently exchanges at just £4.49. Bare in mind that US drugstore brands are almost always on offer and I think it's clear to see which is the best value here. But, alas, we are used to the significance difference in prices between countries by now I'm sure :)

Packaging:

The shape of the packaging is exactly the same, it's totally obvious they are manufactured by the same parent brand. I much prefer the black and gold colour combination of the Max Factor but the Covergirl is nothing to complain about - just a little bit bright and in your face :)

Brushes:

The brushes or wands, whatever you may call them are also exactly the same. Both large and made of hard rubber or plastic with really short and closely spaced bristles. By now I'm fairly sure the product inside is going to be the same too...

Applied:

Max Factor to the left and Covergirl to the right.

This is where I'm not so sure anymore. Do you see the difference I see? Although both seem to lengthen and seperate the lashes the same, the Covergirl seems to voluminize at the base a little more. You can see darkness at the roots in the right eye that is not so apparent on the left.

The Lashblast was maybe 1month older than the False Lash Effect when I took these photos, but it was in no means dried up or any different in texture to when I first purchased it. It could also be down to my application - my left is usually slightly better than my right eye.

I don't know why, but I do see a difference and I much prefer the Lashblast. It just seems strange to me that the formula be different when the packaging and wand are exactly the same. Perhaps one of the ingredients in one is banned in the other, who knows? I will always repurchase Lashblast when I get the chance, but the Max Factor will be a one time purchase.

I have however finally fallen firmly in love with Yves Saint Laurent Faux Cils after a itchy and irritating first attempt with the cult favourite. Review soon but it's pure love! xo

Estee Lauder Lucidty:

2010-11-25T12:06:00.000-08:00

The next in my foundation series is Estee Lauders Lucidity, a light diffusing liquid foundation for a 'radiantly perfect look'.

Out of all the EL foundations I have tried - and I've tried a lot - it's probably my favourite but it's nowhere near perfect. As usual, the shades do not come quite light enough. It's a better match than many but it still pulls ever so slightly too orange toned on my neutral skin. It's wearable, but definately not perfect.

What Estee Lauder themselves say - "Special light diffusing pigments actually reflect light away from fine lines and wrinkles so they seem to disappear.
Provides light moisturising and other skincare benefits, so it's comfortable even on dry skin".

It's dermatologist tested, fragrance free and non acnegenic.

It has an SPF of 8 and retails at £25.00.

The Packaging:

I have only tried this foundation in sample form, so I don't have my own photos of the actual packaging. However it's the same as Doublewear if I remember correctly, which I have owned in the past, both come in heavy frosted glass bottles. It's good quality but contains no pump which is always a gripe of mine as I always seem to pour too much when it's full then have to really work to get product out when it's nearing empty.

The Formula:

As you can see in the photo below, I have tried both 1N1 Pale Ivory and 1C1 Porcelain, neither of which match perfectly, but the Pale Ivory is a little closer. The formula is a smooth, slightly thick liquid that blends easily into the skin. It has the signature foundation scent, no problems there.

Application and Finish:

I apply this using a foundation brush, it blends quickly and easily into my skin. It provides me with a light to medium coverage which is what I look for in foundations. It is definately moisturising as it claims, I reach for this if my skin is feeling on the dry or irritated side and it really nourishes the dry patches and soothes any irritation. True to it's claims, this one does give a fair amount of 'glow' to the skin, but it doesn't leave the skin shimmery. I rarely set my foundations with powder, however if I do with this one, it does erase most of the illuminating properties.

It lasts all day on my normal-dry skin, but most do so it could just be my experience. Some foundations will sink into drier areas or build up around my nose and chin but I have not found this happens much at all with this foundation.

Before/After:

As you can see, although not the perfect match colour wise, it doesn't look terrible and it evens out my skin nicely. This was the 1C1 which has neutralised the redness in my cheeks really nicely. If this came in a lighter shade I would definately buy a full sized bottle, but for now I'm holding off. I do recommend this though, so if you're near an Estee Lauder sample definately pop in for a sample bottle and give this one a go!

Many more foundations reviews coming up, but for now click the links for my previous posts:

Yves Saint Laurent Teint Resist, Lancome Teint Miracle and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser.

My Go-To Eyelook and Chloe!:

2010-11-25T11:20:00.000-08:00

I've discovered an extremely easy way to create polished, neutral eyes using only four products, two of which I've already used on my face and brows :)

Apoligies for the picture, it's not as clear as it could be as I had to crop it from a much larger photograph, but it shows it well enough I think. It's also the end of the day so it's a little smudgy:

First I apply my concealer or foundation as a base all over my lid, then take Lightscapade MSF by MAC which I previously used as a cheek highlight and cover my entire lid with it. Then I use MAC's Omega shadow which I also use to fill in my brows and ever so lightly define the crease. Next I take Teddy eye kohl, also by MAC and line my upper and lower eyelids, smudging the lowers then apply it to the waterline too. The fourth and final product is mascara and it's done - all in about 2 minutes :)

And here's Chloe playing in the snow of Seattle, WA! I love my photos and updates but cannot wait to see her in real life again!:

Another of my foundation reviews coming next!

Cellnique Paramedical Pt 1:

2010-11-21T10:56:00.000-08:00

Like many other bloggers I was contacted by Cellnique Paramedical a few months ago and asked if I would like to trial some of their products. To be honest, when it comes to skincare I'm usually a little weary about trying new products as I have found what works for me (Dermalogica Ultracalming series) and I also have fairly sensitive skin which can react badly to some products. However I decided to give it a go and gave them some details about my skin, and they sent me a series of products, the first of which I am reviewing now :)

One of the products I recieved is the Advanced Bio Renewal mask and this is what the Cellnique website has to say about it:

Benefits
• Exfoliates dead skin cells and deep pore cleansing
• Optimizes cell renewal performance
• Slows down aging process
• Instant lightening, brightening and whitening effects

This product comes packaged in a large, heavy blue jar with a mirrored lid. The packaging is of great quality and would not look out of place in your bathroom. Something I really like about this jar is the top is actually a crystal clear mirror, so if like me you can be rather lazy sometimes and dont always want to stand in front of a mirror to apply your beauty products you can just use the top of this! Haha I'm easily pleased it seems, but it makes for a great addition to the already substantial packaging.

The mask is full of fruit enzymes and AHA's which both help with exfoliation and cell renewal.

It has a thick, wet, slightly gritty texture as you can see in the image below and is quite a bit more fluid than some masks I have tried. It also smells very strongly of pineapple syrup - the stuff found in the bottom of a can of pineapple chunks - which is not really a scent I would choose myself but is in no way unpleasant.

I like to apply all facial products with a brush, so that will explain the streaks in the image below. This mask goes on smooth and very fragrant and you can feel the gritty texture working gently into the pores. It has a slight tingling sensation once applied to the skin, and I have experienced this with other products of this nature so figured it was probably fine. I took a quick look at the website which confirmed this and carried on with my application.

I leave this mask on for around 20 minutes a go, in which time it doesn't harden completely like other masks, only sets slightly and becomes a little less sticky to touch. The scent does not linger throughout application.

It washes off easily, I like to take my time and gently exfoliate at the same time using the beads within the mask. They are gentle, small and smooth enough even for my sensitive skin.

Since recieving this product I have used it at least once a week and I still have at least half a tub left. Although I have never really seen very visible results from face masks since my skin is already in pretty good condition, I can say that this definately leaves the skin feeling refreshed, clean and soft. I love to use it if my skin is feeling congested or dull, as it really cleans deep down and leaves my face looking brighter and smoother.

It's definatelty up there with my favourite masks now and I feel if I were to continue to use this for a super long period of time my skin would only keep getting better.

The only downside to this product is the price, it retails at $51 for 50g. Although my Dermalogica products are around the same price range, I can definately see this being a problem for some. I will look into repurchasing this at some point in the future, but for now I have an array of other masks I need to finish first ;)

Read more and purchase here. Thankyou Cellnique!

Beauty Blog Link Love!:

2010-11-21T10:47:00.000-08:00

Emma shows the surprising amount of coverage offered by Laura Merciers Tinted Moisturiser over at BirdsDecorateBranches!

Whitney from Whitz World of Beauty tells the adventure of her Spa Day at Alexis K in Solana Beach, California!

Pink Diva's Beauty Spot has been busy trialling and testing new NIVEA skin care. Check out her honest product reviews on the products and share your thoughts on the brand.

Rachel discovers duochrome nails with the new Accessorize range over at at Queen of Turquoise.

Readers at Lipglossiping.com share their tried and tested tips for recreating the ultimate salon blow dry DIY style!

Beautywoome highlights the rebirth of the early '90s cream-mauve-plum nail.

Phyrra's Indie Spotlight for November is one to be thankful for! It's an exclusive interview with Tammy from Meow Cosmetics.

The Gloss Goss found love in the form of Chanel Extrait de Gloss and ended up going back for more.

Retrodiva has five steps for getting glowing skin just in time for the holidays.

Madame B Fatale talks about how she likes to get hair free for summer.

Join in the weekly This or That fun over at Audrey Dao - Confessions of a Beautyholic.

The Lip Print go pink crazy with Lush's Snow Fairy Christmas treats!

Blaq Vixen Beauty recently learned that the CoverGirl Queen Collection is getting an upgrade in the lipstick collection come January 2011.

Jellyminx reveals a brief history of her hair through some comical photos!

Krasey Beauty takes a look at some of the newest editions to the Ellis Faas cosmetics range, just in time for the holidays.

Do you love NARS Orgasm but hate the price? Katie at My Lips But Better has the scoop on a dupe!

Makeup Zombie has a Blush Showdown featuring the cult classic NARS "Orgasm" blush!

Sarah at IHeartCosmetics decides once and for all if Cloud Nine hair straighteners are better than GHD ones.

Did you miss Toronto IMATS 2010? Don't worry Jenn from Spiced Beauty has the full event coverage here.

Jeweled Thumb discovers a Chanel Paradoxal dupe that has arrived on American shores!

Amy Antoinette has afternoon tea with Alexa Chung at the Lacoste Touch of Pink perfume launch.

Daily Polish finally conquers an 18 month lemming with Jessica's Birds of Paradise...possibly the most beautiful purple polish in existence? You decide!

***

theNotice gets a new "home" (okay, a new url...) and is celebrating with a flatiron giveaway!

Beauty Crazed not only shows you all of the Givenchy holiday fragrance sets, they are giving one away!

Make a Wish Smashbox's Perfect Pencils set on Prime Beauty--it may come true!

Whats In My Makeup Bag:

2010-11-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

Whats In My Makeup Bag posts are one of my favourite types to read. Regular bags? Not so much, but looking into cosmetic bags definately sparks my interest :)

This isn't the bag I take with me in my purse, in fact I rarely take anything other than lip products out with me during the day. It's just the go-to bag I reach for in the mornings when I'm not looking to do anything different with my makeup. If I am, I reach for a traincase ;)

So here's mine:

The bag itself is medium sized, black with silver shimmer and has a huge bow on the front :) It was something like £9.99 from New Look a year or so ago. I'm definately not one for expensive makeup bags as it's pretty inevitable for me that a bottle of liquid foundation will empty itself in there at some point ;)

Face Products:

♥ My trusty Yves Saint Laurent Teint Resist 01: HG foundation :D Check my tags for a full review of this one, but it's perfect ;)

♥ MAC Studio Fix NW15: I've fallen out of love with this powder after years of repurchasing it. It's just too matte for me now, but it stays in here for touchups for now but will probably find its way into my 'never use this but too much product left to throw away' drawer.

♥ MAC Prep + Prime Powder: Love this stuff for setting foundation, but honestly I rarely need to use a powder anyway. I LOVE it for setting my undereye concealer though so in here it stays :)

♥ Max Factor Weightless Light Ivory: So as much as I love the YSL Teint Resist, I need to take my time when applying it, so for those days where I'm running out the door I reach for this one instead as it can be applied with the fingers. I really, really hate using my fingers with bases though, but at least the option is there if I'm really pushed for time.

♥ Yves Saiunt Laurent Touche Eclait 01: Probably my most repurchased item of all time, I'm never without a tube of this stuff. It erases my undereye circles like a breeze and brightens the entire area. Highly recommended.

♥ MAC Studio Finish NW15: This concealer is definately not a favourite of mine, but I want to finish it before I purchase anymore. If my circles are extra gnarly I'll tap this onto the inner corners and the bridge of the nose before blending on the Touche Eclait. Next on my list to try will probably be Moisturecover, Y/N? ;)

Cheek Products:

♥ MAC Tenderling: My most used and repurchased blush of all time. I hate too much shimmer on my cheeks and will 9 times out of 10 reach for a matte blush and Tenderling is my favourite of them all. It gives the perfect nude/peach colour to my cheeks. Need to repurchase this one again, obviously :)

♥ Sleek Contour Kit Light: I rarely contour, my face just doesn't need that extra definition but when I do this kit is super handy. The colours work well for my skintone and I love the subtle glow the highlight shade gives. The contour shade also works well as a bronzer for me when applied with a fluffy brush.

♥ MAC Dainty: Another MAC blush I adore and have repurchased. Dainty isn't matte, it gives me the most gorgeous pale coral glow that I havn't found in another blush. This one works for all skintones and I'm always super quick to recommend it to anyone.

♥ MAC Lightscapade MSF: I am eagerly awaiting the re-release of this one and should that wonderful event ever come to light, I will be buying 3 of them. It is the perfect highlight shade on me. I also dust it lightly over my entire face if I'm feeling a little lacklustre and it's also my go-to product I wear all over my eyes with a liner if I want easy, subtly shimmery lids :)

Eye Products:

♥ Guerlain Bal De Minuit 407: This quad can give me an array of different looks ranging from super natural to dark and smokey. It's usually found in my makeup bag for this reason. Every now and then I'll switch it up with another quad - either Guerlain, Chanel or YSL's, gotta love their compacts! - but it's usually this one :) The tiny applicators are actually usable, too!

♥ MAC Rich Ground Fluidline: This is the only gel liner of mine that I actually use up and need to repurchase before it dries up. This is my third and the reason I go through this so quickly is it is quite literally the best product to use when I want to bring out the blue in my eyes. Also perfect for green eyes, I can't urge you to pick this up enough!

♥ MAC Painterly Paintpot: This is my eye primer of choice, it's the perfect shade for my skintone, evens out my eyelid area and makes the shadow stick all day without losing any intensity. I'll wear this on no eye makeup days too, just to brighten the area a little.

♥ MAC Omega: I use this eyeshadow daily in my brows, as it has just the tiniest amount of warmth in it to go with my red hair, but is ashy and pale enough to look natural.

♥ MAC Feline Kohl: Another LE product I always stock up on during releases, this is quite literally the best black liner I have come across. Super dark in one stroke and lasts all day on the waterline. It's a nightmare to remove at the end of the day though, but hey that comes hand in hand with longevity, right?

♥ MAC Teddy Kohl: The perfect bronze shade for my skintone and eyes, I either use this on the waterline, along the upper lashline or smudged around both for quick and easy smokey eyes. Long lasting, highly pigmented. Enough said :)

♥ Covergirl Lashblast: My favourite mascara. I always go back to this one and think it's about time I stay faithful to it.

Lip Products:

♥ Sleek Pout Polish Raspberry Souffle: Probably my favourite lip balm, wether I'm wearing nude lips, pink lips or bare lips I can rely on this to moisturise and add shine. A little goes a long way and it has great pigmentation. Love this.

♥ OCC Lip Tar Anime: I either wear nude lips or super, super bright fuschia lips and for the latter nothing comes close to this product. Tap it on with your ring finger for a bright, worn in stain or apply it with a lipbrush for a super glossy pucker. I like to kiss everyone on the cheek whilst wearing this as it stains, bad ;)

♥ MAC Magenta Lipliner: When I do opt for the bright pink, a liner is essential to get that crisp, super defined lipline and this is the one I reach for. It's slightly darker then the lipsticks I wear, but I like that contoured, blended, almost 3D look so it's perfect. Why they discontinued (or will be soon) this shade is beyond me :(

♥ Maybelline XXL Volume Seduction 101: I hate lipgloss. These are the only type I own and this is my favourite shade. A pigmented nude, with slight sparkle, these are non sticky and actually do plump. I own 3 more shades, may make a post devoted solely to them soon :)

♥ Natural Collection Apple Blossom: If I am going for that nude lip look, I usually reach for this shade first. It's easy to wear, starts out glossy and wears to a buffed, semi matte finish and works well with my skintone. Some people find this to be too pale and a little drying, but at £2 a pop it's worth a try to find out :)

Whats in your makeup bag? Make a post and link me!

A Trip To Debenhams Changed Everything:

2010-11-16T14:29:00.000-08:00

My Yves Saint Laurent Wishlist is now bigger than ever... (and it was already pretty substantial).

YSL is my favourite brand of all time, I'm never left less than impressed with quality and have never regretted a purchase. So today whilst in Debs uhming and ahhing over whether to repurchase Radiant Touch foundation or not I came across an array of beautiful products I havn't taken much interest in before and my wishlist now mainly consists of these three items:

Radiant Touch Foundation #3 Opal, Palette Metallic and Teint Parfait #2 Rose Pearl.

Please Santa, I've been awfully good.

Whilst On The Subject Of NARS...:

2010-11-15T13:08:00.000-08:00

...Meet my new favourite brushes!

I recieved the Yachiyo Artisan and the #12 Crease Brush from a friend in the US who manages a NARS counter. I always admired these two but knew I had enough brushes to last me a lifetime so never actually made the purchase. Long story short, I came home to the UK, got sick and woke up one day to find a lovely parcel from him which included them both :)

First up, the Yachiyo:

Retailing for £37 here in the UK, this brush is designed for the flawless application of powder and colour. It claims to be perfect for defining cheekbones, highlighting the complexion and also blending and diffusing colour on or around the eye area thanks to it's gently tapered tip.

The handle is hand woven with black wisteria - which always makes me think of Desperate Housewives when I use it! No? Just me? ;) - which gives it a very different feel to the rest of my brushes. It also is very lightweight but doesn't feel compromised quality wise.

It's a lovely soft brush which feels great to use. It applies powders like a dream and I absolutely love it for my Lightscapade MSF. The main reason I like it so much though, is that it is a medium sized version of my two favourite brushes; the MAC #138 and #165:

And secondly, the #12:

This is another great brush which has found it's way into my favourites. This one retails at £22 here which is a little more acceptable than the Yachiyo's price, but still up there with other high end brushes.

Made of squirrel hair and designed to create definition and depth to the crease of the eye, this really does what it says on the tin. It's lovely and soft, but still dense enough to really be able to push product into the socket line. It gives a super defined finish, perfect for 60's looks or cut creases, but not so much for every day looks. I love using it with blacks to really add depth to the outer corner, but not taking it all the way into the crease.

As you can see by the image above, it's very small. Much smaller than the MAC #224 and quite a bit smaller than my favourite crease brush of all the time - MAC #226. I also compared it to the lesser known brand Monda, just incase any of you have their #550 :)

Overall, love love love these brushes and would recommend them highly - especially the Yachiyo!

Blog Sale?:

2010-11-15T10:03:00.000-08:00

Is anyone interested in Sheer Glow in Siberia? I've used it maybe 4/5x but it just doesn't work for me which is a shame as it is the *perfect* colour match. As you can see I also purchased the pump at an extra £5, though I do still have the regular screw cap as well as the box which will all be included. Retails for £29 usually (£34 with pump) so how about £25 all in? If it sells I can justify repurchasing my YSL Radiant Touch tomorrow :D

Thanks ladies! Back to regular posting soon when I'm not so busy! SOLD :D

Quick Question:

2010-11-09T06:14:00.000-08:00

...before I give up entirely on NARS Sheer Glow!

Those of you who love it; How do you apply it? Do you use a primer and if so, which works best for you? Any other tips or tricks?

I want to love this so bad as it's a really good match for my skin, but it just doesn't work for me :-( I've used numerous different brushes, sponges and fingers, too.
It looks cakey and streaky no matte how much I try to blend it and it causes my skin to look incredibly dry and flaky.

It may just not be for me, but I'd like to hear your opinions before I get rid!

Sleek Graphite vs Bad Girl Palettes!:

2010-11-09T05:38:00.000-08:00

I knew they were going to be similar, but despite already owning Sleek's Graphite I couldn't say no to their Bad Girl palette when I saw it on display. These are just my types of shades - dark and smokey, easy to wear and versatile.

So just how close are they?

Firstly, just upon looking at them you can see that Graphite is more purple toned and Bad Girl has more blue shades within it. The top rows however are very similar, with Bad Girls offerings slightly darker and more pigmented. The bottom row of Bad Girl has two veryyy dark greens and two inky blues, whilst Graphite stays within the silver and purple colour families.

I love both, but would say that Bad Girl is a little more versatile since it has those extra blue and green shades. Both are of great quality, but BG is slightly more pigmented. (It does however stain the skin a little without a great base :-/)

Swatches:

Overall, now Bad Girl is out and permanently with us, I would recommend you stop trying to track down Graphite - you don't need both :-)

Neutral Palette & Swatches!:

2010-11-07T20:03:00.000-08:00

A month or so ago I posted my bright palette plus swatches and many showed interest in my neutrals too. So here is my most used neutral palette. As always they are in a Z Palette (love!), so here you go:

L-R: MAC Carbon, MAC Typographic, MAC Black Tied, MAC Moth Brown, MAC Scene, MAC Silver Ring, MAC Smoke & Diamonds.

Favourites here being Typographic - so creamy, pigmented and easy to blend, Scene - perfect slate tone and Smoke & Diamonds - lovely silvery taupe that makes for a beautiful, soft smokey eye. I don't recommend Carbon at all.

L-R: MAC Showstopper, The Balm Caught In The Act Courtney, MAC Espresso, MAC Charcoal brown, MAC Satin Taupe, MAC Copperplate, The Balm Insane Jane.

I love Showstopper - perfect satin cool dark brown, Charcoal Brown - I use this for my brows, Satin Taupe - everyone loves this and Copperplate - gorgeous smokey grey taupe which is lovely and blendable.

L-R: MAC Bronze, MAC Go!, MAC Tempting, MAC Patina, The Balm Just This Once Jamie, The Balm Devilish Danielle.

Favourites are MAC Tempting - my go to bronze, swatch is little more orange than it appears on my eyes and Patina - my all time most used MAC shadow, ever!

L-R: MAC Sunday Best, MAC Dazzlelight, MAC Blanc Type, MAC Vanilla, MAC Unbasic White, The Balm Tempting Tara, MAC Gesso.

Most used in this row is Dazzlelight - my favourite shimmer shade that matches my skintone, Vanilla - for a matte finish and Unbasic White - is my go-to white shimmery shade that works with any look.

Any questions, just ask :-)

Cult Favourite? I Know Why:

2010-11-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

Enter Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturiser. Ask many makeup addicts to recommend a tinted moisturiser and many will sing the praises of this particular product. And for good reason. It's lightweight yet still provides a decent amount of coverage and is available in the regular, an oil free version and an illuminating formula too (though I havn't tried the last so cannot vouch for it's illuminating abilities). All have an SPF of 20.

$42 / 1.5oz

The Formula:

As usual, I'm the lightest shade available, which in Laura Merciers case is Porcelain. I have both the oil free (shown on the left of swatch) and the regular. Pretty close in terms of shade, but the oil free is a little more pink with the regular pulling slightly warmer. The regular also has a little more coverage, but no major differences here.

Whilst both have some problems - I kind of wish they would make a compromise between the both of them, but whatever ;) - I strongly prefer the oil free. I have repurchased the oil free maybe 3x already, whilst the regular is still only about half used.

Pros and Cons of each:

Oil Free dries to a much nicer finish than that of the regular, which looks much greasier on the skin and feels tacky to touch, demanding a setting powder. The Oil Free can be worn with or without powder (at least in my experience) and feels much lighter once on.

The Regular is lot more suited to drier skin types. The Oil Free can sometimes highlight any dryness I have - usually around the nose and on the chin - but I still choose that over the greasy feeling of the regular.

Application:

I usually apply this product with a wedge sponge, as I find bruses sometimes leave streaks and I never like to use my fingers with base products. With a sponge it glides on evenly with plenty of blending time. I can give or take a setting powder with this one, and it lasts all day regardless. I have normal to slightly dry skin. No faults for application here.

Before/After:

I absolutely love the coverage this offers. It evens out my skin perfectly and diffuses the freckles and blemishes. I find this to have more coverage than most tinted moisturisers, but you could always mix in a little more moisturiser if it offers too much for you. As you can see it's a very dewy finish, which can be set with powder, however due to the creamy consistency of this I recommend a transparent, finely pilled setting powder rather than your everyday pressed compact type which can sometimes look a little cakey on top of this.

Staying power is pretty good. It's obviously no where near as long lasting as a foundation intended for all day wear, but it does last a good 8 hours before any touch ups are needed. Most of all I love how comfortable my skin feels when wearing this and how soft and nourished it is left upon removal.

I recommend this highly to anyone looking for a sheer-medium tinted moisturiser offering a natural yet perfected finish to the skin. If the Illuminating one were available in more than four shades I would definately give it a go, but I have a feeling even the palest would be too dark. Does anyone have any experiences with this one? Thanks!

Interested in my previous foundation reviews? Click the links for Lancomes Teint Miracle:
http://birdsdecoratebranches.blogspot.com/2010/10/lancome-teint-miracle.html

and Yves Saint Laurents Teint Resist:
http://birdsdecoratebranches.blogspot.com/2010/10/yves-saint-laurent-you-never-let-me.html

So Incredibly Behind In This Post!:

2010-11-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

Finally a post about a Sleek product I love that is currently available ;) My limited edition raves must get a little tiresome but sometimes it cannot be helped!

The Storm palette is Sleek's most neutral offering. An array of browns, tans and golds with a few greens and blues (still wearable, mind) thrown in for good measure.

You all know by now this will retail at £5.99 online or from larger Superdrug stores, proving great value for money. Perfect stocking fillers!

Swatches:

I applied the shade four along the top row to the entire lid, then deepened the crease using a mixture of the first and fifth on the bottom row. I lined the upper and lower lashline with the black before smudging the initial gold lightly under the bottom lashes. I purposely wanted this look to be super, super shimmery and OTT so I heavily highlighted the browbone and inner corner with the pale gold/tan shade second along on the top row.

If you wanted to tone this down to a more wearable look, swap the shimmery highlight for a matte or satin shade, or, if your skintone allows it, the matte beige third on the top :)

I know I'm late, but I just love Sleek ;)

October Favourites!:

2010-10-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween everybody :-) It's the end of October so here were my most used products throughout this months:

♥ Sleek Storm: Another Sleek rave, but this one is for a permanent product so, if by any chance you don't own it already, I suggest going to Superdrug ASAP and pick this up. It's so versatile and great quality. For £5.99 it's brilliant value for money too. I've been using this a lot this past month - EOTD soon :-)

♥ MAC Prep & Prime: Used to set undereye concealer this has been a firm favourite of mine for over a year now, but recently I've taken to using it to set my foundation too again. It glides on effortlessly, stops even the heaviest of foundations from feeling tacky and absorbs oil brilliantly throughout the day. 5/5!

♥ CHI Straight Guard: I rarely wear my hair straight anymore as I don't like to use too many hot tools on my hair, but when I do I rely on this product to keep it perfectly straight throughout the day. This one deserves it's own post and so I'm not going to say much more but it really does do what it says on the tin :)

♥ NARS Yachiyo: I recieved a gift from a friend in the US a few months ago, and inside he had included a few NARS brushes - including the Yachiyo. This brush is amazing. Super soft, perfectly tapered and with a bunch of different uses. I love this for blush and highlighter. One of my all time favourite brushes!

♥ Cellnique Gentle Foaming Cleanser: Like other bloggers I was recently introduced to the Cellnique brand and was given a few products to trial. I actually love them all but have already purchased a backup of this cleanser for when I run out. I absolutely adore this and will have a full review coming up in the next few days.

& Of course, my little Chloe! I miss her terribly:

Full reviews of all these products coming up soon!

Sleek Graphite For Sale:

2010-10-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

~~I have a brand new Sleek Graphite for sale. I bought two, intending to give one to a friend but have decided they would prefer the Bad Girl instead since it has two green shades :)~~

So is anyone interested in this one? I just want back what I paid for it, which was £8.50 posted. Or I would LOVE to swap for Sleek Jewels too.

I think this was maybe a tester as it doesn't have any writing on the back. And it's hard to capture in a photograph but a couple of the pans don't sit quite as low as the rest: SOLD! :)

Thankyou!

Long Time Coming:

2010-10-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

I've raved about this product many times before and I think it's finally time I gave it the full review it deserves!

Dermalogica Barrier Repair:

What They Say:

"A unique anhydrous (waterless) moisturizer that melts gently into sensitized skin to soothe and help repair damage from environmental aggression. Contains no artificial fragrance or color. "

♥ Includes exclusive Anti-Ozonate Complex to shield skin from pollution, temperature, stress, and hormonal factors.

♥ Evening Primrose and silicones help strengthen skin's natural lipid barrier, helping to prevent future assault.

This product retails for £32.00 for 30ml. Expensive yes, but worth every penny like most other Dermalogica products. If you are looking for a skincare that really works, then in my opinion look no further than this brand.

What I say:

I have used this product religiously fore over a year now and it has safely become one of my favourite moisturisers. I have sensitive skin which reacts badly to many products but nothing so far in the range has caused any problems for me. This one is free of artificial colours and fragrances and comes in a small, clear squeeze tube. (That said, I have a feeling they have recently switched up the packaging so it may also be found in an opaque white tube, just a FYI).

Used alone it creates a lovely lightweight shield of moisture that leaves my skin feeling silky smooth and soft. It's not a heavy duty moisturiser by any means but applied on top of one - I use Dermalogica's Ultracalming Serum Concentrate - it forms a barrier that helps the product underneath really sink into the skin.

The best part about this for me? It lends itself readily as a makeup primer. The silicon in it means this has a texture similar to Smashbox's Photofinish, but thicker and more moisturising. It still gives the skin that silky smooth and primed finish though. My makeup glides on effortlessly and lasts all day. I havn't used a specific primer since discovering this as I just don't need to.

This also does a brilliant job at controlling oil and helping keep greasy skin at bay throughout the day. I reccomend this to literally anyone looking for a moisturiser/primer for oily skin. It does not however dry out my normal to slightly dry skin at all so don't be put off if like me your skin is far from oily :)

5/5!

Blog Sale - Foundation Brushes!:

2010-10-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

So, it's like this. I really want to order the new Sigma F82 but I refuse to buy another foundation brush when I already have a plethora lying around unused. So, here's a little blogsale of those I just don't need anymore or have more than one of!

All are £15 before postage (£1 UK or £2 intl) except the MAC #180 since I paid a fair amount for this one and it's near on impossible to find now :)

Top to bottom:
♥ MAC #180 Flat Top Buffer: Bristles and handle in perfect condition besides small chips to the bottom as shown below. £20
♥ MAC #191 Foundation: Bristles and handle in perfect condition, though some discolouration on ferrule again shown below. £15
♥ Cover FX #170 Pointed Foundation: Yes, this is the one I raved about but believe me I didn't do that just to sell it haha. This is a duplicate, bristles in perfect condition but lettering worn away. £15
♥ ~~Louise Young LY34 Foundation: Perfect condition, only used 1x. This was an impulse purchase I really shouldn't have made! £15~~ SOLD! :)
♥ ~~MAC #183 Flat Top Kabuki: I love this brush but never use it :( Perfect condition. £15~~ SOLD! :)

All brushes are clean but have been standing unused for a while so if sold they will be cleaned thoroughly with Cinema Secrets professional brush cleanser before being sold. I take great care of my brushes and these were no exception!

Sexy Little Things:

2010-10-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

One of my September favourites was this scented body mist from Victorias Secret. I absolutely love the Sexy Little Things Noir range of products, but as I've mentioned before many eau de perfumes give me nausea and headaches - especially when first applied - so the lighter, scented mist versions of the same scent are usually my choice. I can actually wear the EDP of this scent, it's not overpowering in the slightest but this body mist is probably still my favourite!

I suck at describing scents, so here is what VS themselves say: "At once elegant and playfully provocative, it's an enchanting blend of sparkling nectarine, sultry amber and exotic cattelaya orchid. Domestic."

Fragrance type: fruity floral.
Top notes: nectarine, juicy apple, sparkling citrus, pineapple, guanabana, mouthwatering pear, red fruit, bergamot
Middle notes: cattelaya orchid, muget, cyclamen, jasmine petals, plum, vanilla, dewberry, cassis
Low notes: golden amber, velvet musk, sultry woods, tonka bean

What I will say is this is the perfect scent for me, for both daytime and nighttime. To me it doesn't seem to root for anyone season either, I wear it all year round :)

It doesn't give me headaches or any of that bad stuff, so I can safely recommend this to anyone looking for a flirty, floral, fruity scent with a hint of musk to keep it from being sickly. ♥

This mist retails for $22/250ml whilst the EDP costs anywhere from $29 to $39 depending on size.

If I were you though, I'd ask for this little giftset to appear in your stocking this year!:

$58 and includes a 1.7oz EDP, a mini travel sized version at .25oz and scented body lotions and shower creams. Perfect! I wouldn't say no ;)

Sleek Curious!:

2010-10-25T12:32:00.001-07:00

The Sleek Curious palette was another item from the brand I missed, and subsequently craved badly. There are some really pretty colours in there, so I was super happy to find it, brand new on eBay for only a few pounds over retail :)

Yesterday I was playing around with it for the first time and fell in love with the blackened olive on the top row. Alone it's pretty, but not amazing. However on top of a black base, it really comes to life!

Here is how I wore it last night:

I always line and smudge around my eyes with a black kohl regardless of the brand (except if I am going for a pale eotd) then I pressed the Sleek colour on top and blended into the crease with a *tiny* amount of the yellow. I highlighted the browbone and inner corner using the ivory shade and pressed the black lightly onto the lashlines.

I really love this palette and wish it were one of the permanent ones as I'd love to have gotten a 2nd for part of a friends christmas present. I'm waiting for Sleek to release a palette of matte and satin neutrals, with a few bronze and brown shimmers thrown in ;)

Swatches:

If you have this palette, what are your favourite colour combinations?

Beauty Blog Link Love!:

2010-10-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

Phyrra's Indie Spotlight for October is with Amy of Sugarpill Cosmetics!

Check out this great Splurge vs Steal over at Prime Beauty. Cindy did a look with both palettes--can you guess which is which?

Sophie shows her amazing Sleek Makeup prize package that she won, lots of goodies included!!!

My Lips But Better swatches MAC's upcoming holiday collection, A Tartan Tale.

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed checks out new products from Olay Regenerist and wonders if they will be as popular as the last one!

Sarah from IHeartCosmetics shows swatches of her collection of Korres Colour Cherry Oil Lipgloss.

The Lip Print discovers a cheap and cheerful treat for shoppers on a budget.

Eyelining has a look at a rather pretty multitasking marvel from Rituals.

Amy Antoinette organises her makeup collection and showcases her new dressing table.

Has Emma finally found her HG foundation? Head over to BirdsDecorateBranches to see if YSL Teint Resist might just be yours too!

Pink Diva's Beauty Spot loves all of the pink beauty products for Breast Cancer Research month. Check out some of her favourites.

Retrodiva checks out Annemarie Borlind to see if going natural is possible with oily and breakout prone skin.

TheGlossGoss reviews her Haus Of Gloi haul. Halloween themed products -- perfect for the Autumn season!

theNotice takes an early look at Clinique's Strawberry Fudge Holiday 2010 collection (yes, with swatches) and loves it!

Good bye Neutrals, Hello Drama! Jenn spices it up over at Spiced Beauty.

Jeweled Thumb shows evidence that makeup is magic!

Pink Sith says you can't put a price on FEELING pretty. Come find out why she thing Guerlain Meteorites Voyage Compact is the bee's knees!

Are you made for 'Fire and Ice'? Over at The Glamorous Gleam, Mz. More compares the legendary Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire and Ice to other red lipsticks in her collection.

***

Audrey Dao has 2 giveaways going on for the month of October. Check them out now before it's too late....

Mein link: Win a basket full of beauty products from Boot's on Beauty Woo Me.

Daily Polish celebrates reaching the 1 year mark of daily posts of new polishes and manicures with a giveaway where the first prize is worth over £200!

Jellyminx has a spooky giveaway, enter before it closes on Halloween!!

Babyliss Big Hair:

2010-10-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

I know a few of you have been waiting for this one and I apoligise for that, but here it is! I've been using the Babyliss Big Hair for over a week now and think I have finally got the hang of it!

A little about the product from Babyliss themselves - "Big Hair gives you hair that’s shiny, sexy and totally fabulous. It’s the bigger, the better when it comes to fashionable hair, and Big Hair will give you that beautiful on-trend look. Use on damp or nearly dry hair and let the large rotating barrel easily create that all-essential volume, while the soft bristles give your hair an amazingly shiny finish."

The Product:

First things first, when this arrived it was a lot bigger than I expected, so I have included an image of it compared to a MAC Studio Fix Compact so you can figure the size out for yourselves. At first I was a little put off but soon realised size truly does matter in this case and any smaller would have created tighter curls, not 'big hair'. :-)

Quality wise; obviously I have only been using this for a few days but it's sturdily made yet lightweight.

When it comes to blowdrying my own hair with a round brush, I find it almost impossible to start with working on anywhere besides the front two sections. Add a mirror to the equation and for some reason my hands start to do everything backwards?! (is this just me?) so this brush is a godsend for me as it gives the same results with ease.

The Process:

Big Hair has 3 heat settings and 2 buttons, each of which spin the brush in opposite directions.

To obtain the volume and style shown below I section my towel dried hair into 4 layers and spritz thoroughly with heat protectant. Starting with a strand of hair about 2/3 inches thick I use the Big Hair tool to spin the hair away from my face, all the way to the top, then back to the bottom again about 10x over in a quick motion. It's a little hard to explain but very easy to do in real life. It sort of comes naturally. Finally I reach the roots again, give it a quick spray of hair spray and hold for about 20 seconds until the entire section is completely dry. Once released you have something resembling my hair to the left!

I let down then next section of hair and repeat until finished. When I get to the third layer of hair I start to alternate the direction in which I spin the brush. I didn't like how it looked when every piece curved inwards towards my face, but switching it up gives a nicer, more texturised finish in my opinion. Very Charlies Angels!:

Pros:
♥ Easy to use
♥ Give lots of volume and bounce to hair
♥ Easy to reach the back of the head

Cons:
♥ Lightweight, yet the motions required to use this still give arm ache!

♥ Although rare it does sometimes snag the hair or spin up to the roots too quickly
♥ Hard to clean

The Results (How I choose to wear them!):

Hahaha... suuuper fake smile ;)

Overall, I like this product and it's a nice change from straightened hair, but unless you hairspray your hair to an inch of death it really doesn't hold the volume all that well. Mine anyway, but I do have long thick hair, so others may experience better results!

I do however love the shape it gives to the lengths of my hair and that stays for days or until the next wash.

I purchased this for around £45.00 and so far I have only seen it in Boots and online but I'm sure it will pop up elsewhere soon enough.

I recommend this product to anyone like me battles with a blowdryer and a round brush but still craves big hair!

Next I really want to try the Root Boost! Anyone have any experience with this?

Quick Rave:

2010-10-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

For Aussie's 'Dual Personality Heat Protection and For Straightening Leave In Spray'. Long name, short review:

This product has ended my search for heat protection. I have tried many, ranging from the more expensive such as CHI Iron 44 and GHD Thermal Protector to drugstore versions from John Frieda and Dove. All of which left my hair feeling weighed down and full of product. The worst culprit was the John Frieda which, regardless of how much I used, seemed to cause my hair to 'stick together' after running the straightening irons through them. Do not want.

The Aussie product however is a miracle. It leaves my hair healthy feeling, with not even a trace of buildup or heaviness. I can spray this 30x over through my hair - damp or dry, I use it both ways - and once styled it's gone. It does however leave behind a gorgeous scent and soft, shiny and manageable hair. 10/10!

This product can be bought from drugstores and supermarkets throughout the UK and retails at around £4.50 for 150ml. Highly recommend this one, I won't be switching any time soon!

Eyelash Treatments? Lash 28:

2010-10-20T13:45:00.001-07:00

Lash 28 is an 'eyelash conditioner containing a synergetic blend of natural ingredients to work in nourishing lash roots and stimulating hair follicles to improve the length and fullness of your lashes'.

The chemists at Lash 28 created this product to be fast acting, easy to use and hypo-allergenic. Not to be confused with 'other products that simply contain vitamins and proteins, Lash 28 is a true cosmeceutical with clinically tested and active ingredients derived naturally'.

They claim that although some users report changes in their lashes in as little as 2 weeks, give them 28 days - hence the name - and your lashes will become more lustrous, fuller and thicker. However the 4-6 weeks period is when most really see the most drastic change.

So, when I was asked if I'd like to try this product out, I will admit I was initially a little weary. I'm a little dubious when it comes to products that go near my eyes. Especially when I hear horror stories about the darkening of the iris - my eyes are so pale and clear than any dark spots on them would be rather obvious and well, not nice. Then I thought 'I'll happily try out a new mascara or liner without thinking twice, so why is this really any different?!'

Any new products I try could potentially 'harm' my eyes in some way, and the all natural claims from this particular brand made me feel a little less worried too, so I accepted the kind offer and decided I'd give it a go, but monitor my lashes/eye area closely and discontinue use should I find any adverse effects

The Packaging:

Lash 28 comes in a generic screw top tube with a small brush like applicator. Pretty much like most other lash stimulants on the market today. The brush is of good quality and the tube is sturdy and well made. I'm not one to pick on packaging - unless of course it is SUPER shoddy - but I do feel like their could be a little more info on the other side of the tube rather than on the outer packaging. I like to be able to refer back to the instructions easily, without having to search the web or try to find the packaging if I havn't already tossed it. That said, this product is pretty self explanitory so it's not a huge deal by any means, just a matter of personal preference :)

Application:

I applied this every day as part of my nightly routine. It says to apply to the base of the lashline, and not the eyelashes themselves though I wil admit I probably did a little of both somedays. I also pushed the brush into the base of the lashes, it's hard to explain but I basically pressed it in until the brush split into two and could coat both the underside and upperside at the same time.

This product did not irritate my eyes at all, and I was looking CLOSELY. There was not even a slight stinging or burning sensation present and it left no sticky residue. I applied this at night but am fairly confident that once completely dried you could easily apply mascara on top should you so wish.

So before I get to the results, I'd like to point out that I never had a problem with my lashes other than sparse patches from what I guess to be mascara removal. My lashes were seemingly long and healthy and I wouldn't have considered a lash treatment had I not been approached by Lash 28. Now, however, after using this I can definately see my lashes had some 'problems'...

Results - Please enlarge!:

For the sake of it's name, this is my lashes the morning after the 28th application. As you can see, I really decided to go for this for reviewing purposes and did only one eye! (To the left in these pictures). Honestly I didn't expect a huge change so didn't mind that one set of eyelashes may look slightly different, but the results - especially with mascara on - are actually so obvious that my friend who had no idea I were trying this out asked me why my eyelashes looked 'kinda wierd.'

Look closely and you will see that the treated lashes are longer, much more uniform in length and a little thicker at the root. My 'natural' lashes have a visible sparse patch and vary in length along the entire lashline. To touch, the eyelashes I have been using this product on are softer than the others which feel slightly crunchy now I compare them.

With Mascara - Please Enlarge!:

Now this is where you can really see the differences I noted above. The lashes to the left reach much higher towards my browbone and again are even the entire way along. The poor lashes to the right are still patchy and uneven. Admitedly this wasn't the most careful application of mascara I have ever done, but I think the change is obvious to see regardless.

Something I have noticed in these pictures however, is that my new lashes although longer, seem to have lost some thickness. After closely scrutinising them in a 10x mirror they really don't look that different in real life and I think it is probably due to the length fooling the eye and the fact that they arn't all broken and uneven on the ends. Also I did notice that the mascara I used - 17 Wild Curls - actually gives better results on shorter lashes. The longer you have to pull this mascara through the lashes, the quicker it clumps them together, I guess that makes sense though. I guess I need to switch to a truly voluminizing formula now as the length has been taken care of.

Another thing I have noticed that proved impossible to photograph at all, was a new line of lashes growing under the rest. I currently have a tiny set of lashes that are about 3 or 4mm in length. Wether they grow or stay this long I love them! They give me such a thicker looking lashline that is really quite obvious in real life.

Phew, long post. I really did want to give this product the justice it deserves though. It really does deliver and live up to it's claims. I will continue to go around with wonky eyes for the next 2 weeks and report back if there have been any more changes when it reaches the 6 week mark.

This product retails for $79.95 and can be purchased here. Although recieved from the company, all opinions are 100% honest and I believe the pictures speak for themselves - this stuff works!

Lancome Teint Miracle:

2010-10-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

Teint Miracle is one of the foundations I recently got samples of and tested for a few days. Now this is shade 010, the palest, but it is still visibly too dark for my NW/NC15 ish skin, so I didn't give this one as thorough a run as the rest as I'm obviously not going to buy a foundation that is much too dark. However, fellow blogger Pyxiee showed some interest in this one in my last foundation post so I promised a review :)

This one retails for £25 for 30ml's - Pretty average for a high end foundation - and has an SPF of 15.

Obviously I can't vouch for any skin reactions I may have experienced - even though it's very slim, I've used Lancome foundations in the past - but that's such a personal thing anyway so it doesn't really matter anyway.

Also I can't comment on the packaging as I had a sample jar, but again that's not the most important thing is it? I played with it for a minute at the counter and it has a pump, which is always a bonus! It's attractive too, and wouldn't look out of place on your vanity.

Swatch:

I'm not sure how apparent it is in the swatch, but this foundation has a slight 'gel/water based' feel to it. I guess you could liken the texture to MAC's Face & Body. It's thicker, but similar, and with better coverage, too.
It's obvious from the image above that it is too dark, which is a shame as I would have really liked this foundation if it had matched. It's probably more suited to an NW20, ish. I can't be sure, but Lancome are amazing at giving out samples anyway.

Before/After:

Bare skin

Foundation only, no powder, blush etc

Okay so bad colour match aside, I really like this foundation. I like my skin, which is in pretty good shape besides some discolouration, to simply be evened out and freshened up. I don't like foundations that are very obvious on the skin, or that feel heavy or sticky when applied. This foundation does neither. It adds a light veil of coverage that diffuses and adds a little radiance. I believe that if this was the right colour for me it would be invisible to the (untrained?) eye.

Once applied it is slightly tacky and would need powder to set I think. Maybe others don't mind this feeling as much as I do, but for me it's uncomfortable and makes me feel like it's going to wear off sooner than I'd prefer.

For the sake of this review I actually wore this all day - I didn't go anywhere important, don't worry! - and it lasts really well for a foundation that doesn't necesarilly promise longevity. It's obvious not as long lasting as something like YSL Teint Resist or EL Doublewear, but for someone looking for a sheer coverage, fresh, skin like foundation then this could possibly be the one for you. As I've mentioned a few times, I would definately pick it up if it came in lighter shades :)

Side note: I love the advertising campaign for this one and if I look as good as Julia Roberts at 43 (albeit plus a little airbrushing I'm sure) I will be a very happy camper!

My blog may be somewhat foundation obsessed over the next few weeks as I continue my search for the perfect foundation. If you want to check out my review of YSL's Teint Resist go here: http://birdsdecoratebranches.blogspot.com/2010/10/yves-saint-laurent-you-never-let-me.html :)

Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

2010-10-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

When's a better time to sport a ribbon on your nails? If even one person see's this, remembers and pops their change in the nearest donation box, then it's worth it :)

As you can see, the white is two coats of Barry M, and the jewels are random nail art rhinestones sealed with topcoat. I love glossy white nails regardless, but it looks especially eyecatching with the contrasting pink.

And here was last Octobers NOTD:

OPI Pink Of Hearts with Barry M's White and Black to detail. Did OPI release a special BCA polish this year? I want it, if so :)

Who else is consciously rocking pink nails this month?