Nerd About Town | Beauty & Lifestyle Blog.

June Birchbox | Festival Season

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 22:21:00 +0000

It's amazing how much time flies by - I can't believe we're on the 6th box already! This month's box comes with a brand new design keeping with the brand's fun and sophisticated personality. The boxes will also come in a variety of different colours also so that should be fun come the months ahead.

Keeping in line with the festival season, June's birchbox features products needed to keep you through the summer (when it comes eventually!) months. Let's take a look inside, shall we?

COOLA CLASSIC FACE SPF 30 SUNSCREEN 7ML (£26.00 FS -FULL SIZE)

This facial lotion contains age-reversing antioxidants including evening primrose, acai and linseed oils, which also help to protect against UVA, UVB and free radicals. The water-resistant formula makes it adept for whether you're chilling by the pool or rocking out to Muse at Glastonbury in the rain! (Gotta love a bit of Muse, they are so awesome).

The sunscreen doesn't leave any residue, so it's great for applying underneath foundation without worrying about white marks. It has a lovely cool, cucumber scent that lingers on the skin without being too heavy and sinks into the skin without leaving an oily residue. Win! (buy here)

BEAUTY PROTECTOR PROTECT & DETANGLE LEAVE IN CONDITIONER (£14.00 FS)

I normally only tend to stick to afro hair care products or products that cater to thick, curly or kinky hair as maintenance of my curly locks is another story in itself, however I was drawn to this leave in conditioner as it claims to detangle hair and if it's one thing my hair does well, it's that it tangles like a dream. =/

The leave in mist conditions hair as well as protecting hair against heat damage - it's also 100% vegan and paraben/sulfate free which is a plus for all the eco and natural girlies out there! The conditioner is suitable for all hair types which is great and it has an amazingly candyfloss-sweet scent that I could sniff for hours! (buy here)

MODELCo EYE DEFINE EYE PENCIL FULL SIZE (£14.00 FS)

A girl can never have too many eyeliners- especially with ones that come with it's own sharpener. The liner is highly pigmented and long wearing (I swatched the liner almost 4 hours ago and it's still on my hand, bold as ever) however I think it's main appeal is the attached sharpener - never again will you have to go rooting into your makeup bag for one again! (buy here)

BIRCHBOX & COLOUR CLUB WANDERLUST NAIL POLISH (LONDON CALLING & MOD IN MANHATTAN) (£10 FOR COLLECTION OF FOUR)

To celebrate the launches of Birchbox in both France and Spain, Birchbox have collaborated with makeup brand 'Color Club' to create the WANDERLUST collection, with all four shades named after famed capital cities where the Birchbox offices are situated (London, New York, Barcelona, Paris).

All colours are neon pastel shades which is something I haven't seen within the nail polish market as of yet. LONDON CALLING is a lovely neon green which is inspired by London's city parks, while Mod in Manhattan is a brilliant off-white which represents the glow of the Big Apple at night.

(buy here)

NOBLE ISLE BATH & SHOWER GEL- WILLOW SONG 30ML (£20 FS)

There's nothing like a luxe shower gel to make one feel indulgent and pampered ^_^.

With ingredients sourced from the English and Welsh countryside, the scented bath and shower gel combines moisturizing properties to feed the skin as well as ingredients such as willow bark, which it's known for its ability to tone the skin. Water lilt root is infused to soothe both the mind and body and the scent is a blend of fresh, green notes, contemporary florals and cedarwood which creates a calming, romantic aroma. I normally would turn to NEOM shower gels when I'm feeling luxe, however after using this sample, I've been converted. It's such a gorgeous product and well worth the money in my opinion! Noble Isle also produce diffusers which I would love to check out. (buy here)

I'm very impressed with this month's box and has opened my eyes to a bunch of new products that I never would have thought of using! Roll on July! If you would like to subscribe to Birchbox, you can do so here and get your life!

What do you think of the products?

Were you happy with this month's box?

Giveaway: Ben Nye Banana Powder!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:57:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a review on Ben Nye's Banana Powder (here) and since then, I've loved it so much that I decided to pick up another bottle before leaving New York to give away to you guys!

Enter using the rafflecopter e-form below for a chance to win a 3.oz bottle!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

US Brands: Milani Cosmetics Lipstick

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:27:00 +0000

Milani is a brand I've been wanting to try for the longest time now, based on swatches and photos that I had seen on some US blogs. While in New York, I decided to pick up a couple of lipsticks from their Colour Statement line - One thing I'll say about the brand is that they have a huge range of different coloured lipsticks and glosses which is always great to see as it means that there is something for everyone!

Left to right: Ruby Valentine, Flirty Fuschia, Sangria

The lipsticks are paraben free and contain Vitamins A, C and E to help moisturize the lips. It is contained in the drugstore brand's signature plastic gold plated packaging with small samples of the lipstick colour at the base. I'm not that too keen on the packaging such as this as it feels very flimsy and pretty cheap, however I can allow for that if the colour payoff is pretty good.

Colour/Pigmentation

The colour payoff on all three shades are extremely vivid and vibrant with a semi-sheer pigmentation. 'Sangria' is an especially beautiful, almost iridescent violet colour that is very buildable.
- Ruby Valentine is an orange based red lipstick that has a coral edge to it.
- Sangria is a deep plum shade
-Flirty Fuchsia is a blue based bright pink shade.

Texture

The texture is very light and reminds me of a MAC Lustre finish. It applies on almost like a lipbalm - however the downside to this is that there is a lot of "slip" on the lipstick which can sometimes cause the product to move around and not lie even on the lips, which can get quite annoying. Another thing is that the lipstick tends to bleed, so it would be advisable to wear a lipliner.

Longevity

For a finish that is quite lightweight, I was surprised at how long the lipstick kept. Each shade had a longevity rate of around 2 to 2.5 hours before it started to fade to a simple matte stain.

Here are some comparison shots:

1) Milani Ruby Valentine 2) MAC Ruby Woo 3) MAC Brave Red

1) Milani Flirty Fuchsia 2) Bourjois Fuchsia Graffiti 3) Illamasqua Magnetism

1) Milani Sangria 2) MAC Rebel

Milani is quite hard to find in the UK, however you can pick up these shades from Amazon and eBay here, here and here // £4.77

Guess Who's Back, Back Again? Stephy's Back. Tell a Friend.

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 07:30:00 +0000

I'm baaack!

I honestly cannot believe how quickly the month has passed! I arrived back this morning, jetlagged and hungry, however yet unable to sleep so I thought I would take advantage of the extra hours and knock up a quick blog post.

I can't even begin to describe New York , only that it was amazing. Even though the city and surrounding boroughs are huge, everywhere is so easy to get to by Subway and there's always something to do! I was staying on the Upper West Side of NY, just a couple of blocks below Harlem , however I found myself spending most of my time in Brooklyn (everything is so much cheaper there than in Manhattan). I spent most of my days in an area of Brooklyn called Williamsburg (It's like Shoreditch/Brick Lane x100...hipsters EVERYWHERE O_O) with a couple of musicians I befriended which was awesome!

Brooklyn Heights

After getting used to the subway for a couple of days, it was pretty easy to get into the 'New York state of mind' - everything is so rush rush over here. It really is the city that never sleeps. One thing I love about NY are the people. Everybody seems so friendly and I found it so easy to strike up random conversations with people- whether it be on the Subway or at the supermarket. Compared to over here, the people seem a lot more open.

Staying in the US for that short period of time has given me such a confidence boost in regards to how I view myself and the clothes that I wear as well. I think that's the biggest thing I've learned since going there. People aren't afraid to come up to you and say "wow, you look really nice" or "I really like your hair!". I found that it kinda done something for the ole' self esteem which is great. Thanks NY!

In regards to shopping, surprisingly I didn't really get that much. I wasn't going out there to get clothing and accessories, all i wanted were makeup and skincare/haircare things. I didn't get as much as I would have wanted to because of luggage restrictions, but I think I managed to get a decent amount! Over the next few months you can expect to see most of the items featured on here as I am now on a huge spending ban, lol!

*phew!*

How have you guys been?

We Cookin'! | Coconut Shrimp Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 23:49:00 +0000

I've been wanting to make this recipe for the longest time after seeing it on one of my favourite recipe blogs, carnaldish.com. I'm a huge fan of prawns/shrimp, so I decided to give it a try! Click below for the full post:

Before I begin, remember to check out the full recipe here as I have only used the shrimp recipe and not the completed dish as on the original site.

Ingredients

1 lb shrimp, peeled and de-veined
½ cup panko breadcrumbs (can be found in Tesco's & Asda)
½ unsweetened coconut flakes
¼ cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
dash of paprika (optional)
2 eggs, beaten

You can have the shrimp with any side dish. I chose to use mine in a salad. You can have it as a taco (as per the original recipe) or it can be a nice accompaniment with noodles, rice or grilled vegetables.

1) First, defrost the shrimp in cold water. I opted to use king shrimp, however you can use any size or variation of shrimp if you wish. While the shrimp defrosts, prepare the salad. I made a simple salad consisting of lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes and chia seeds (big thanks to Sandra from TheBlackPearlBlog for introducing use to chia seeds! I use it in everything now.)

2) What you then want to do is peel the shrimp and de-vein it. The "vein" of the shrimp is located on the underbelly (where the legs are). It's a dark purple coloured long vein and is actually the digestive tract, so you'd want to remove that if you don't like the taste of shrimp poo. O_O.

Shrimp all de-veined and shelled. Yum.

3) Mix the cups of panko crumbs, sweetened and unsweetened coconut and seasoning together in a bowl. Dip the shrimp in the beaten egg, remembering to coat both sides and then dip in the breadcrumb/coconut mixture. Leave to sit on a plate for about a minute before frying.

The pan should be on medium heat when frying. To test, throw a couple of breadcrumbs in the oil, if the breadcrumb fries immediately, it's too hot. You want a gentle simmering. When the oil is of the right temperature, put in around 4-5 shrimp at a time and fry for around 3-5 minutes. The smaller the shrimp, the faster it'll cook.

Voila! It tastes sooooooo good and I love that it's so simple to make! Just want to shout out Resha, the owner of CarnalDish for making such amazing recipes! Check out her blog and instagram for more inspiration and delicious food!

Will you be trying this out?

Some more Random NYC Photos :)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 30 May 2013 16:30:00 +0000

Just a few more photos of my travels around NY!

International Food Festival in Hell's Kitchen

The woman of the house: Gato :)

Brooklyn Museum

The Ever Infamous Ben Nye Banana Powder

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Wed, 29 May 2013 22:48:00 +0000

Everybody within the beauty community has heard of the infamous Ben Nye Banana powder; the translucent face powder fast becoming the beauty belle du jour after being featured on an episode of The Kardashians.

Now I'm not particularly fond of the Kardashians, however the product caught my attention when I started seeing how effective it was in setting under-eye concealers, especially on darker skintones.

As you can see, my widdle buddy Gato beautifully demonstrates the amazing effects of the ben nye powder on her face ^_^

Although light yellow in colour, the finely milled powder applies on quite clear and helps set and highlight the cheekbones and under the eyes. I am predominantly using the powder to help set my concealer under the eyes. I use a powder brush to apply (you only need a little when it comes to this powder as it's loose so you'll need to shake off the excess) and gently pat it under my eyes. The end result leaves me with a silky matte flawless finish.

Please excuse my skin; the weather in NY is currently up and down and it's breaking my skin out! I've used the powder a few times now and I quite like it. I'm not really used to using highlighting powders so I'm going to try it out a few more times to see how I can use it. As it has a slight yellow tinge which gives it its' highlighting properties, I wouldn't use it all over my face. Compared to other more expensive translucent powders, I think this one is excellent given the price. I found this 3 oz tub for $11.99 at Ricky's Makeup store which probably translates to around £7.00 which is awesome!.

You can also purchase the 3 oz powder online at the Guru Makeup Emporium for £7.50. You can also get a 3g sample on Amazon for a paaaand!

Have you tried the Ben Nye Banana Powder?

What do you think?

Burt's Bees Orange Essense Cleanser

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:57:00 +0000

There's something about orange oil that really agrees with my face for some reason. Orange oil is normally used in skincare for those with oily skin, however when I use it my skin just seems to clear up in no time. I've used a few brands containing said oil, however I've been wanting to try Burt's Bees' version as I've heard wonderful things about this particular cleanser. I picked this up in the local Walgreens Pharmacy when I landed last week (a steal at only $8/£10.99!) and haven't been able to put it down since.

Infused with orange oil and soap bark extract, the plant-based face wash helps to remove dirt and makeup, as well as unclog pores and remove excess oil from the face.

Benefits of Orange Essential Oil

- Anti-Inflammatory properties

- Natural Antiseptic for cuts and bruises (and pimples!)

- Detoxifying the surface of the skin

- Promotes the production of collagen as well as increase the blood flow in the skin

The cleanser is fluorescent orange in colour and has an extremely strong mandarin scent. I am not a fan of Mandarin scents so the smell is not for me, however overall I am impressed with the quality as well as the ingredients in the product. Because of the awesome benefits of Orange oil, it's an ingredient that is mostly found within the more expensive skincare ranges so it's great that Burt's Bees have managed to make the cleanser more user friendly!

Other ingredients include;

- Glycerin

-Olive Oil

- Orange Peel Oil

- Aloe Juice

- Oat Oil

-Rosemary

The product cleanses my face thoroughly while leaving a lovely light, citrus scent and the few blemishes that were around my cheek have now disappeared so I think I'm onto a winner!

Available at Boots for £10.99 here

NYC Diaries: Week One [Pic Heavy!]

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:46:00 +0000

HEY Y'ALL!

It's only been a week, however I feel like i've been here forever! This week has gone by shockingly fast but I'm loving NYC so far and the people here are so lovely!

I arrived last Saturday around noon, however left the airport around 1:30 (those folk down in immigration do NOT play. I had to give fingerprints, thumb prints, take a photo AND a retina scan. I half expected them to ask for a vial of my blood next. =/). I then made my way to my apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, just beneath Harlem. There, I met with my AirB&B host who showed me the ropes of the apartment and guided me on NY city life. Luckily, I purchased a City Pass which gets you into some of the popular attractions so I've spent the week visiting museums, taking a cruise around Manhattan and visiting the Empire State Building which was amazing!

At the beginning of the week, I found getting from A to B quite difficult as their subway system felt like a damn maze, however I can proudly say that i've finally mastered it -that's not to say that I haven't had a bit of help along the way; I've noticed that Americans have a bit of a soft spot for our accent and I've been using it to my advantage. So far;

- I managed to get $10 off some American Apparel thigh high socks

- I managed to convince an off-duty bus driver to take me from the East-Side all the way to the West-side of Manhattan as I got lost. I had to sit at the front and speak to him the whole way though =/ he kept asking me to say "potato". Weeeird. x_x.

This week has been a tad slow in terms of going to events, however I hope next week will pick up as I really want to meet new people and chill and vibe and jam and...uh yeah. You catch my drift! Anyhoo, I'll stop writing now and post up some pics!

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealers in Cafe & Cacao

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:25:00 +0000

Greetings and salutations to all!

Apologies for the delay, but I've been getting nice and settled in the Big Apple which so far has been amazing! However I will be doing a more in-depth post this Sunday for my one week update. :)

Anyhoo, back to beauty matters. Today I shall be talking about the radiant creamy concealers by NARS which are amaze.

Ideal for all skin types, new NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer boasts a luxuriously smooth texture enriched with hydrating skincare benefits. When applied to camouflage darkness under the eyes and reduce the appearance of redness and skin imperfections, the multi-action formula provides medium to high buildable coverage in a natural, radiant finish with long-lasting results.

The concealer range comes in 10 different shades:
- Chantilly - True ivory shade for the fairest complexions.
- Biscuit - Medium dark natural balance of pink and yellow undertones
- Vanilla - Tiny cast of pink of the fair complexion
- Caramel - Medium dark yellow with golden undertones
- Honey - Warm peach tone for light to medium complexion
- Amande - Medium dark with golden olive undertones
Custard - Yellow tone for light to medium complexion
Cafe - dark shade with warm red
Ginger - Golden undertone for medium complexion
Cacao - Dark shade with deep gold-brown undertones

I have Cafe and Cacao - one for my my face and another as a highlighter for under my eyes.
The concealers come in a clear glass vial complete with a doe-foot applicator for precise application and to manage the amount of product used. I use Cacao on areas of my face where the skin is a tad uneven and the first thing I noticed about the concealer is how creamy it is. It's a very blendable formula that dries to a matte finish and doesn't crease whatsoever.

Wear normally lasts for around 6/7 hours before it needs touching up - with Cafe however, I've found that I don't need to touch it up at all which is great as other concealers tend to crease up underneath my eyes. The concealer is also very buildable without it looking cakey on the skin and what's best is that you only need a tiny amount for full coverage.

NARS Radient Creamy Concealer £21 from HQ Hair and counters nationwide.

Avon Clearskin Professional Deep Pore Cleansing Scrub

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Wed, 08 May 2013 23:02:00 +0000

I'm usually not one for buying deep cleaning skin products or anything with the word "pore" in it as I usually associate it with oily skin, whereas my skin type is typically dry/sensitive. Lately however, I've been noticing that my T-Zone has become particularly oily, with some blocked pores to boot. I made this discovery a few weeks ago while applying makeup and I did that really yucky thing where you squeeze your nostrils against your nose really hard to get out all the sebum and oils/dirt. The grossness. =/

Ever since then, I've been using Avon's deep pore cleansing scrub with the key active ingredient being salicylic acid. Now, as someone with sensitive skin who's more keen on natural products, the word "acid" in any ingredient list often makes me a tad anxious. I did a quick research on the acid and found that it is primarily used to help clear and prevent pimples and aids in making pores smaller. As it only contains 0.50% in the scrub, I thought I'd give it a bash.

The deep pore scrub is part one of Avon's three step Clearskin Professional range aimed towards those with dull and oily skin. At the moment, I'm only using the pore cleanser to clean up my t-zone. The consistency of the scrub is quick thick and is similar to that of a clay mask. It contains tiny exfoliating beads to help penetrate and cleanse the top layer of skin. Personally, I'm a big fan of thick/creamy exfoliating products so this is A-OK for me!

I have been using the cleanser three times a week for three weeks and I have noted a significant difference already around my nose and forehead; it's a LOT brighter and my T-zone has evened out and is no longer oily. I honestly thought that with this being a product being predominantly for oily skin, that it would dry my skin out more, however this wasn't the case. It has a cool, cucumber/mint smell, isn't drying and exfoliates extremely well. I now limit the usage to once a week just to give my face a nice deep clean.

This product has definitely changed my opinion on some deep cleansing scrubs! I would be very happy to purchase this again.

£5.50 | Available on the Avon Website

I'm Jamming...I hope You Like Jamming Too.

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:07:00 +0000

Like most people, I'm one of those people who can't live without constantly hearing music. It's gotten to the point where if I have to leave the house and my iPhone isn't charged enough for where I need to go, I will wait an extra hour for it to charge just so I can listen to my tunes on the go. I listen to music when I sleep, when I'm studying/working and working out. It's so bad that I'm sure HMV know me by first name as I typically go through around 12 earphones a year (I like my music L O U D).

My latest catch are these funky animal print Diane Von Fustenburg earbuds which come with extra inner-ear buds. They are also equipped in cancelling out noise so they are perfect for those long tube rides and early morning jogs around the park. I also love that Diane Von Fustenburg have branched out into music/mobile accessories; my mum is a huge fan of her clothes and I can now saw I own a little piece of designer gear!

I think it's a great idea that designers are branching out into music accessories as it has been a bit of an untapped market over the past few years. It's a great way to make designer fashion more accessible to consumers and what's even better is that these babies cost less than the hefty iPhone earbuds!

Earbuds, £20 Available from Net A Porter here

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review, however the views expressed are 100% my own.

Please don't forget to vote for me for best established blog! I would be so honoured if you guys could! Vote here

Where Am I?! (Updates)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:36:00 +0000

Oh blogging, how I miss thee!

I haven't blogged "properly" for a good couple of weeks as there has been so much going on life- wise, so I thought I would do a little updates' post about some of the things that have been going down of late.

1. New Yawwwwk! - Okay so if you follow me on twitter, you would have probably seen me moaning, complaining and generally frantically chatting about places to stay within New York. That's because this Saturday I'll be heading NY bound for a month! As I type, my suitcase remains unpacked and my room still looks a tip as I'm still trying to sort out what to take and all that jazz. This trip has been due for quite some time now and I cannot wait. Me! In the big City! Alone!

*The mess you see before you is all the stuff I'm taking, or considering taking to NY. I can't be bothered to pack yet!*

TAKE MY PICTURE ~~HOLLYWOOD~~ NEW YORK. I'M GONNA BE A STAR! *waves jazz hands*

I've already drawn up a short list of things I'll be getting from Sephora/CVS/Walgreens so they better watch out! I'll also be doing a 'Steph in NY' blog series while I'm there too so make sure you check that out!

2. AVON Calling! - About three weeks ago, I had the honor and privilege of attending a photoshoot put on by Avon with a couple of other blogger girlies as part of the Avon Beauty Clinic Experts campaign. The whole event was awesome and it was organised by the incredibly lovely Katie and Lucy from Glam Gleam and beauty blogger awesomeness. It was also lovely to meet the other bloggers to spend an evening talking about makeup and other things. I'll leave their names/links here!

- Ysis

-Hannah

-Fei

The articles will be available on the Avon Connects website soon. When I get the link, I'll let you guys know!

3.Charlie - This year, I'm really trying to get my photography mojo back. It's been a while since I've taken any proper photos or have done shoots but photography has always been my first love and ergo t only seemed right to upgrade my camera for Charlie. Charlie, is the name of my new camera. I named it after one of the characters in Scandal (do you watch Scandal? If not, WHY NOT? ~~It's nearly the season finale and I am so hyped!~~). Expect clearer pictures and more photography based posts from now on!

*Together we can take on the worrrrld! Well...London!*

4. My Birthday n ting. - Last Sunday (5th May) was my 24th birthday. X_x. An age I was seriously not looking forward to. 24 is just such a weird age; you're too old for some things, but still young for others. I'm forever young (and that's how it'll always be damnit) and I still get up early to watch a bit of Sky Disney before work so telling people that I'm..*sighs* 24..is just a shock. Anyhoo, I had a nice day with a bit of chocolate cake to boot so...all's well that ends well eh? ;)

Me in my b'day FOTD. All MAC everything. Ruby Woo and Matchmaster 9.0

Anyhoo, those are about for the time being. The next time you see a post from me will probably be when I'm in the states - that's if I don't sneak in a couple more posts beforehand!

Steph xxx

Cosmopolitan Awards 2013 - Vote Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Fri, 03 May 2013 22:06:00 +0000

Dudes!

So, I've never really entered blog awards as I've always felt my blog wasn't popular enough or that other bloggers were more worthy, however this year I thought I would dip my toe in the water and see if I could enter. The cosmo blog awards nominations have opened up and I would be so extremely grateful if you guys could please nominate me for Best Established Blog! You can vote here

Speaking of which, I know I owe you guys a blog post or two. Believe me I haven't forgotten. I've just been completely inundated with life things at the moment - as some of you may know, I'm heading out to New York for a month so I've been really busy trying to plan everything! However I will save that for an update post in the near future.

I hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

Birthday Beauty Wishlist

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 21:31:00 +0000

It's my birthday in two weeks y'all!

That's right, on the 5th of May, I turn 24 (which I still can't believe as I still feel like I'm 16! Well, I act it anyway GUFFAW) and so I've made up a wee bit of a wishlist of things I've been lusting for that I would love to get "hint hint". Now granted, giving the cost of most of these, I probably won't be getting anything from this list within that time, but a girl can dream can't she? Besides, I'll probably see if I can pick up a few from the Duty Free at Heathrow as I'll be flying out to the States exactly a week later (more on that in another post!)

1. Elizabeth Arden New York in Bloom Pure Finish Radiant Bronzer £22.10

2. Beauty Blender Sponge £16.00

3. Clarins Palette Eclat Blush £24.00

4. Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in 17 £27

5. Ben Nye Banana Powder £11.50

6. Makeup Forever Camouflage Cream Palette £24.95

What are on your wishlists?

I've Finally Lost My Illamasqua Lipginity | Magnetism

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:59:00 +0000

EHMEHGERD. I honestly don't know what has taken me so long, but I finally went out on the limb and purchased my first Illamasqua product a couple of days ago at Selfridges. Illamasqua are known for their bold colours and stage background, and as I'm trying to be a little bolder and more experimental with my makeup, where else would be a better start then Illamasqua?!

I picked up Magnetism, from the Generation Q collection which is described as a 'deep raspberry pink'. It's a lovely raspberry pinkish-red with a lovely glossy finish. I must say that I absolutely love the finish on this lipstick as i've previously heard that the illamasqua lipsticks typically have a matte finish. It glides on incredibly easily without tugging and is comfortable and hydrating on the lips. The colour payout is very rich and opaque and it managed to stay on for about 5 hours before I topped up.

The colour appears a tad lighter in the photos below - I found this lipstick quite hard to photograph for some reason. I tried different settings and lights but I personally found that I couldn't get it's true colour. In real life, it really is a gorgeous deep pink which I think would suit all skintones.

I can't wait to try out other products in the range!

Illamasqua Magnetism - £16

Available here

Ginvera Green Tea BB Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:11:00 +0000

Even though there has been a recent onslaught of CC/DD/EE/FF creams coming onto the market, I still think that BB creams are having their day. My favourite (and only) BB cream is by GOSH, however I thought I would branch out and see what other brands had to offer.

Yesterday I received as part of an amazing goody bag (given to us by the lovely guys at She Sad Beauty, a big thank you to them and Sophia from TattooedTeaLady for their amazing event!) the Ginvera BB cream. I was intrigued as I've always heard that the South East Asian BB creams are the best. I was a bit dubious as I don't think the afro/caribbean population is THAT high over there and therefore would assume that they wouldn't have the cream in my colour, however on the front of the packaging, it says "for all skin tones" so I thought I would give it a go!

Hailing from Singapore, one of the first nations to adopt the BB phenomenon, this is said to be the original, authentic Asian BB Cream.

Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream is a multi-taking wonder with countless benefits to the complexion. Ginvera has captured and harnessed the antioxidant power of green tea and pooled it with the principle of blemish balm

Some of the ingredients include ginseng (to tone and revitalize skin), pomelo extract (rich in vitamin C, which protects from free radicals) and Aloe Vera (a strong antioxidant). As stated above, green tea extract is the main ingredient of the cream and has long been used in Asian cosmetics due to its' ability to help delay the skin's aging process and to protect the skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

I decided to try the cream on a small area of my face (all while bearing in mind that the tagline read "for ALL skin types). After ripping open the satchet, I wasn't feeling too confident!

Hmmm...

So anyway, I tried it on my face and...these were the results.

HOW DU AH LUK GUISE?!

I look like a crackhead who's been eating too many powdered doughnuts. Isn't it sexy? I'm really feeling the ashy vibes 'ere.

"All skin tones"? I really don't think so! Skin tone disaster aside, I didn't find the product to be moisturising at all. I found it hard to rub the cream in and it seemed to drag across my skin and make it even more dry. Based on this product, I can't see myself purchasing anything else from this brand.

Have you tried this BB cream? Did you achieve different results?

25ml Green Tea - £18 available from here

Also available in Harvey Nichols.

On Being Ugly.

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:11:00 +0000

So I came across this video on A Thrifty Mrs blog earlier on this evening and I just thought I would share it as its definitely something that touched a nerve and I really commend Karakamos for having the balls to make such a video.
This subject she discusses below is something I can definitely relate to as I used to and sometimes still restrict myself, hide away and don't allow myself to "live" because I feel my looks hold me back. Like Kara, I also sometimes find it annoying if people compliment my on my looks because I KNOW what I look like and its definitely not what people see -the video talks about not letting your looks stop you from living life and to keep things in perspective. There are definitely elements of this that I can put into practise for the future.

If you have a few spare minutes, give it a watch and let me know your thoughts.

An Itsy Bitsy Lil' Blog Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 09:10:00 +0000

Hey dudes!

Today I bring you a very tiny blog sale featuring items that I either haven't used, or have used a maximum of once - anyhoo...you guys know the deal, rules below!!

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1. Paypal only.
2. UK Postage. International please enquire first as postage will be more.
3. Please leave a comment, stating which item/s you would like with your Paypal email address and I will send you an invoice.
4. All payments must be made within 24 hours or will be offered to next interested person.
5. Postage is £2.70 per item, extra 30p per additional item. (I will discount postage if you buy lots)
6. If you would like recorded delivery this will be an extra £1 Please state in your comment if you would like this.
7. First come, first served I'm afraid!
8. Sold as seen - any questions/queries please ask

9. Due to my working hours, I am only able to ship items on a Saturday.

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Victoria's Secret True Luxury (with gold dust) Fragrance Mist - Never Used

£5

Laura Mercier Shimmering Neutrals Eye Palette - Swatched Once

£16

Revlon Shanghai Collection Lipstick - Pink Pearl - Swatched Once - £4

Revlon Shanghai Collection Lipstick - Cherry Blossom - Swatched Once - £4

Rimmel London Kate Moss Collection Lipstick '007' - Swatched Once - £3

Laura Mercier Mini Glace Gloss in Cerise - Never Used - £6

Laura Mercier Mini Glace Gloss in Sangria - Never Used - £6

Hope you see something you like!

Curls Unleashed: Set It Off! Curl Boosting Jelly

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 21:30:00 +0000

Back when my hair was relaxed, I used to use the Organic Root Stimulator range for my hair all the time as I thought their products were brilliant, so I was so excited to find out that they were releasing a new collection for natural hair!

The collection is available for the different types of natural hair, ranging between type 2 hair (wavy hair) up to type 4c (very kinky hair). I'm still quite new to this so I'm not sure where my hair lies; I think it's between 4a and 4b.

I decided to purchase the Set It Off! Curl Boosting Jelly as I normally like to wear my hair out, with defined curls.

Curls Unleashed™ Set it Off™ Curl Boosting Jelly is made with soothing aloe vera, wheat protein, vitamin B and other ingredients to help give you gorgeous, “crunchless” curl definition.

This product helps eliminate frizz without making your hair feel hard or crunchy. Great for all types of hair. This product is free of SD alcohol, parabens & mineral oil. Packaging is BPA free and recyclable.

The texture is of a gel-like consistency with a strong grape scent. It also has a deep purple colour, however it goes clear once used on the hair. What I like about this jelly is that it does not make my hair crunchy when it dries; something that I hate! It's also very moisturising and doesn't weigh down on my hair.

I would normally put my hair in twists overnight using the jelly and then undo them in the morning - so far, I've woken up to lovely, moisturised curls that hold for the whole day.

Here is the end result! Shiny, glossy curls. :)

Have you used any of these products yet?

Macadamia Oil Masque vs...Macadamia Oil Masque?

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 18:30:00 +0000

Today I bring you a comparison of sorts, involving the belle de jour of the hair world at the moment, the Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque and it's dupe...erm....also called Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque.

Now I know what you're thinking, an obvious rip off right? I mean, the LEAST they could have done was to switch up the name a bit?! Anyhoo, I decided to pick up this version to see how it would compare against the original brand. I will be comparing both products using the major categories, price, usage etc.

Packaging and Texture

Packaging: Both of the brands come in a similarly shaped 'bowl' tub with the same green and brown colour combo. The Macadamia Natural Oil brands' packaging wins the point however as the colours are a lot more eye-popping and decorative than Hair Chemists' version.

Product: Macadamia Natural Oil - The masque is a thick, ivory coloured butter with a slight iridescent pearl sheen that I think really adds the luxury factor. The texture is a smooth and buttery and thus have found that you don't really need to use a lot to coat your hair as it can easily spread throughout the hair.

Hair Chemist Ltd: This masque in comparison is very light and almost feels like a light hair/body lotion. It's also very easy to dispense through the hair and is non-sticky.

Scent: Macadamia's scent has the strong, almost clinical scent, with a slight hint of Macadamia nuts whereas I find that the Hair Chemist's version is extremely subtle and almost sweet. I definitely think it's the better scented of the two as it smells a lot more natural.

Ingredients:

As you can see from above, the Hair Chemist brand contains more natural ingredients than the Macadamia brand. A huge plus for me. It also contains shea butter, argan oil and jojoba oil which is amazing for those with dry hair. What really excites me however, is that unlike the Macadamia brand, the Hair Chemist brand contains behentrimonium methosulfate. Scary word I know, but this ingredient is excellent for detangling hair and if it's anything my hair knows, it's how to tangle up real bad. Grr. :-(

Usage and Results:

I've been using both products once a week for about 4 weeks now and here are my findings:

Macadamia Natural Oil: My favourite thing about this masque is how thickly it coats my hair. Upon application, my curls gain more definition and appears smoother and shinier. I normally leave in the masque for up to an hour; it's easy to wash out and strong smell aside, my hair appears healthy and strong.

Hair Chemist Ltd Macadamia Oil: Although not as thick as the former, it does just as good as a job in hydrating my hair. The smell is fantastic, it separates and defines my curls but it also de-tangles my hair which is an added bonus. After washing out, my hair is EXTREMELY hydrated, almost to the point where I don't need to add any extra oil or moisturiser to it.

Hair Chemist Deep Repair Masque: Before and After

Price:

The Macadamia Oil brand starts from £20 wheras the Hair Chemist Ltd brand is...wait for it. £4.89.

That's right. Under a fiver for essentially the same product.

I think both masques are brilliant; especially the cheaper version. They both contain the same ingredients, with the Hair Chemist's version containing extra natural ingredients. I will definitely be restocking the Hair Chemist masque as it's ability to de-tangle my hair is unlike any product I've ever used before and it makes my hair impossibly soft and manageable. Also since it's so affordable, I can afford (HA!) to use this every week.

- Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque - Available at LookFantastic

- Hair Chemist Ltd Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque - £4.50. *Note: I bought this product from an Afro-Caribbean hair shop where I think they are mostly available. I have been trying to find a link where it can be purchased online but to no avail. You can however, buy it from eBay here and here.*

Would you consider using this product?

What do you think about dupes?

Thar' be Changes Afoot!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:15:00 +0000

Duuuuuuuuuudes!

This is just a quick one really - in the coming weeks/months, I shall be switching up my blog a little bit; mainly to include more lifestyle posts such as food, travel, photography, randoms etc.

I've found over the past 5 months or so that it gets harder and harder for me to think of beauty topics to write and to be honest, a bit of the fun has gone out of it for me. It seems like review after review; a bit of diversity needs to be injected into this place!

This isn't to say that I will be no longer blogging about beauty - I still love it, however it won't be the be all and end all of this here blog. I shall be injecting a lot more of my personality into my writing as I've found that it tends to get lost within all the reviews and wanting to sound professional and ting.

So yeah, that's about it really! I hope you guys will enjoy the new additions and any comments/suggestions will be most welcome!

March's Most Used: Skin/Haircare

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:11:00 +0000

As we approach the end of March, I thought I would start of a new end of month series highlighting my favourite products, so without further ado...

Avon Anew Clinical Eye Lift Pro

I have been using this eye cream for about three months now and it's brilliant! The cream consists of two parts, the amber eye gel for your brow bone and eye lids, and the cream for underneath your eyes. I've found that the slight lines underneath my eyes have faded every so slightly now and the formula is incredibly smoothing and cooling.

The Sanctuary Spa Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser

A lovely creamy cleansing cream that washes away makeup like a dream and makes my skin squeaky clean. I've really been loving Sanctuary products recently!

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

Oil of the Gods.

Single-handedly the best cleanser I have ever used. I recieved this sample sized version as part of a goody bag last year and I still have a bit left as the £21.50 full sized price tag is a bit steep for me! I use the cleanser to remove makeup only, especially if I'm wearing a bit more makeup than usual. It does a wonderful job of removing all traces of dirt and products on my face while the oil leaves my skin moisturised. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

RMK Cleansing Balm

This cleansing balm originally came with March's Birchbox and I love it because of the gorgeous Rose scent. It's a soft balm that melts as soon as it hits your face. It smells lovely, makes my skin feel ultra clean and quite plump!

VO5 Give me Moisture Shampoo

Since wearing my hair in its natural curly state, I've noticed that I gravitate towards hair products that contain a lot of moisture as my hair is very dry. Even though this shampoo contains Sulfates (which is a big no no!) I still find that my hair feels equally soft and bouncy after use.

Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque

Well, what can I say about this deep conditioner that hasn't already been said by the bblogger community? It's a fabulously rich and thick formula that, when applied to my hair, makes it incredibly soft and curly. I usually use this once every two weeks as my hair normally needs quite a lot of conditioner and I don't want to run out any time soon. It is a bit on the pricey side, but my hair has never been stronger and more hydrated. A definite re-purchase.

That's your lot!

Have you used any of these products before? If so, what do you think of them?

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation 355: A Rant & A Review

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:03:00 +0000

If you guys were around last week or so on Twitter, you may have seen me going off on a little rant regarding the lack of high street foundation shades available for darker skinned women. The basic premise of my rant consisted of the fact that in order to get the correct shade, we have to spend more money on the premium makeup brands - something which I don't view to be fair at all.

I recieved a few responses telling me about Maybelline's new (to the UK anyway) FIT Me collection of liquid gel foundations, concealers and powders, which are separated into three different ranges depending on your skin tone:

100s - Light

200s- Medium

300s- Dark

My face is hyper pigmented in some parts so I've never been able to find one foundation that matches my skin tone completely; they are either too light or too dark so what I would normally do is mix and match. For a comparison, I usually wear MAC Matchmaster in 9.0, Studio Fix in NC 50 and Chanel Perfection Lumiere in 154 Ambre.

Before I get into it, I just thought I would show you a photo of the foundation range supposedly for dark skin:

Photo courtesy of www.cosmetically-challenged.com.

A tragedy.

While I find it commendable that Maybelline are trying to incorporate more customizable shades, they've definitely missed the mark on this one. About 3 the of the shades look exactly the same and what about this range screams "dark"? Women of colour come in so many different shades and tones and to feebly release a collection where most of the shades would be better suited toward olive skin tones is just down right insulting; ESPECIALLY if you're going to name your range "Fit Me".

Anyhoo, ranting aside, I tried on the 355 'Coconut' gel foundation and here are my findings:

Flawless that lets the real you come through. It's makeup that doesn't mess with you. No oils. No waxes. No nonsense. Natural coverage that leaves skin the way it was meant to be: fresh, breathing, natural. Exclusive translucent base and lightweight pigments allow skin's natural highs and lows to show through. Non-comedogenic, dermatologist tested.

The foundation is extremely light and blends into the skin very easily. The formula allows my skin to breathe and doesn't have that "clogged up" feeling that I sometimes get when using liquid foundation. In regards to the colour, the shade is a tad light for me, however I used a darker bronzer as a setting powder to combat that. I must say that despite the lack of shades in this collection, I am surprised at how close to my skin shade this is.

Lipstick is Girl About Town by MAC

Even though I was semi-lucky with this one, I do think that high street make up companies have a long way to go in terms of providing universal shades; darker skinned chicks like to look pretty on a budget too.

£7.99

Available in Boots and Superdrug

Have you tried Maybelline Fit Me yet?

OPI Nail Lacquer - A Woman's Prague-Ative.

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:47:00 +0000

I'm coming to you guys with a bit of a different post today - a nail polish one! At the moment, I'm still in the process of growing my nails (which isn't going AS expected but that's a post for another day!), but when I received this colour, I couldn't not post it - it's absolutely stunning!

A Woman's Prague-Ative is part of OPI's Spring 2013 Euro Centrale collection which come in 12 different brilliantly-titled names! It is orange-copper in colour with a gorgeous warm, golden shimmer. This would be such a lovely colour to wear in the summer as it's warm as well as very eye-catching. It takes about three applications to build up a good opaque colour as it is a little sheer, but the base is quite red so it builds up pretty easily.

Such a beautiful colour! If this isn't an intensive for me to grow my nails, then I don't know what is!

£11.50
Available at:
Look Fantastic
HQ Hair