All Made Up

Ridiculously brilliant skin oil for £2.99

2012-01-15T16:24:00.001-08:00

Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Oil

I should probably start this post by mentioning that I’m not affiliated with Superdrug in any way cos I’m gonna rave about this face oil so much there’s a good chance you’ll think I own shares in the company :)

This was one of those spur of the moment purchases that I made a couple of months back, having just read an article on the wonders of Vitamin E. I already loved the cream cleanser from this range and figured that whilst the oil was on sale I may as well give it a try. The packaging is simple and fuss-free and the plastic bottle has a teensy tiny hole in the top to dispense the oil. I applied a very thin layer before bed on the night I bought this and when I woke up the next day my skin was smoother, softer and brighter than it had been in months

I know this might seem odd but it didn’t actually occur to me that this change might be because of the face oil. I’ve bought so many products that have promised so much but delivered so little that when I tried something that gave results straight away I didn’t believe it! I figured it’d take weeks for the oil to effect my skin in any real way so I just enjoyed my good skin day and used the oil on nights when my skin was particularly dry and tight (stupid heating/cold weather plays havoc with my skin n hair!)
After a while (about 6 weeks!) I noticed a trend; I’d apply the oil before I went to bed and the next day my skin would look a million times better. I catch on fast :)

Anywho, I’ve taken up swimming again and was at the pool 4 times last week. The chlorine always dries out my skin a little but when you combine that with central heating and the cold weather when I’m walking my dogs and the results aren’t pretty; I ended up with little dry patches on my cheeks and chin. Now these were proper dry patches that actually flaked off like dandruff. Revolting but true. So I resorted to my good old face oil and within 2 days my skin was moisturised and flake free

I honestly can’t recommend this product enough because it’s left me with brighter, softer, smoother, more refined skin and smaller pores. It’s also helped fade the pale acne scars around my chin and jaw line.

Summary

Size : 30ml
Cost : £2.99
Tip : Less is more. I use a couple of drops of this over my whole face
Scent : Smells like a summer holiday… it has that lovely cocoa butter and coconut smell that I always associate with sun cream

Weird and wonderful face finisher

2012-01-08T20:18:00.000-08:00

Mally Poreless Face Defender

I can honestly say I’ve never come across another product quite like this, which is probably why it won me over after the first use! The idea is that you apply this over your makeup and it helps defend your face. Presumably against the environment and such as opposed to bullets or a Chuck Norris style roundhouse kick to the temple! (Sorry, just watched a clip for The Expendables 2 and it looks awesome!)

First things first; the texture is really odd. It actually feels rubbery to the touch so although it’s described as a translucent powder that’s not how it feels at all. I had expected to use a regular face brush to apply this but because of the texture it’s applied with a sponge and I’ve found that blotting is the key to making this work – If my t-zone is looking a bit oily throughout the day a few blots of this leave my skin looking tip-top and grease free
I love how this actually gives all the benefits of a setting powder (blurs makeup lines, hides pores and gives a matte, air-brushed finish) but with none of the downsides (no cakey-ness or dry patches and it doesn’t sink into fine lines making them more obvious)
This is the very last step in my makeup routine and it makes a real difference to how long and well my “face” stays on. My biggest concern was that this would hide my pores by simply clogging them with gunk which would then cause breakouts but I’ve been using it for weeks now and it’s worked a treat with no negative effects. Fingers crossed I haven’t just jinxed myself :)

Too Faced Glamour To Go Giveaway

2012-01-03T16:32:00.000-08:00

I got to thinking that January could be considered a pretty miserable month… It’s cold out, everyone is a bit strapped for cash and a tad grumpy cos they’re living on veggies and water (stupid diets!) but one of the things that really brightens it up for me is trying out all the new makeup I got for Christmas
And in line with this kinda thinking I figured it’d be nice to do a little “new year, new makeup” giveaway. I’ve picked up a few items from 3 of my all time favourite brands; A Too Faced Glamour To Go palette, a GOSH liquid eye liner and eye shadow and an Accessorize lip gloss. I basically chose stuff I’d be really happy to win myself! :)

So, to enter...

To enter you must be a follower of this blog

1. For one entry simply type enter me in the comments section below. Oh and include your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Doing any of the following will give you one additional entry, and obviously more chance of winning :) so do any many as you please

2. Mention your absolute favourite foundation

3. Post a link in your sidebar about this giveaway (including the pic at the top)

4. Post a blog entry about this giveaway (including the pic at the top and a link to this post)

If you post the links on your blog please mention this below!

This giveaway is open to everyone, including international readers and I’ll choose the winner using random.org on 22.01.2012

Good luck all ♥

Cos sometimes only neon pink will do

2012-01-03T15:17:00.000-08:00

Maybelline New York My Balm in 801A

The minute I saw this neon pink lip balm I had to have it! I much prefer really bright eye makeup to lip colours but I still have a massive amount of shocking pink lipsticks and glosses in my collection… I think they just remind me of being 7 years old and playing with my Barbies; I can't think of a single Barbie item that wasn't available in bright pink… and for that reason alone I was probably a bit jealous of her :)
Believe it or not this is actually a nice subtle baby pink when it's applied so it's the kinda thing you can apply on the go without a mirror (I have about 6 compact mirrors but none in my handbag when I need one!) It might be described as a balm but this does nothing to soften or moisturise my lips so I treat it like a regular old lipstick. That being said it stays moist and comfortable so I'm not constantly re-applying or worrying that it looks all dry and creased like I do with some lipsticks
I got the only colour available in my local store, which is 801A but I've spotted a nice coral and pale pink online so I shall be ordering those too. I know it's been said that you can have too much of a good thing but I'd have to strongly disagree :) This is just the perfect go-to lip product that I can reach for again and again, esp when I'm just not sure how to finish off a certain look

Too Faced Glamour To Go

2012-01-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

When it comes to gorgeously pretty almost-too-nice-to-use packaging you can always rely on Too Faced. I don’t have a lot of room to display stuff in my makeup area but I always have my most recent Too Faced palette on show!

I got this little palm-sized palette about a month ago cos I fell in love with the purple and champagne colours. The shadows are as good as I’ve come to expect from Too Faced... serious pigmentation, fantastic texture and very blendable.
I’ve used the silvery-grey shade 3 times in the last week even though it was my least favourite colour when I opened the palette. Don’t you think that’s one of the best things about buying collections of eye shadows instead of individuals? It always makes me branch out and try things I’d normally not even consider
This comes with 8 shadows, a blush, bronzer and lip gloss. I almost never wear bronzers cos I’m so pale but I’ve been using the bronzer as an eye shadow as it’s a really pretty brown. Also, I hate things going to waste so not using a whole colour is unthinkable!
Anywho, I just wanted to mention this cos it’s a limited edition and if, like me, you’re always on the lookout for teensy palettes that give a lot of bang for your buck – or pound – then this might be worth a look ♥

Mally Liquid Lip Colour - yucky, icky and gross

2012-01-02T18:25:00.000-08:00

Mally Liquid Lip Colour in Flirty

Mally seems to be one of those brands that has some incredibly loyal fans - I've seen reviews with people saying the only products they ever use are Mally ones. And a lot of the fans seem to refer to themselves as "Mallynistas" (I can’t help but roll my eyes every time I see or hear that word)

All the high praise for Mally products was reason enough for me to splash out and treat myself to a little 6 piece collection from QVC which arrived a couple of weeks ago. I was extremely disappointed by 50% of the products (showing off my awesome math skills there) and figured I’d have a little moan about one of the products I liked least; the liquid lip colour
The tube looks nice but that’s the only good thing I have to say about this so let’s start on the bad stuff… I don’t like the applicator. I know this is personal preference and everyone likes to apply their lip colour in different ways but I can’t stand these twisty tubes that squeeze the product up through a brush. They never give the right amount of liquid and the bristles are really plastic-y so feel horrible on my lips. I’m willing to tolerate the applicators for a decent product (like the Stila or NYC liquid lip colours) but in this case the brush was just one more thing to dislike about this

The colour looks divine in the tube - it's so rich, shimmery and pretty I couldn’t wait to use it but it is actually really sheer and looks more like a clear gloss when I've applied it
Texture-wise this is horrid! It's really thick and sticky so when I’m wearing this and open my mouth it actually feels like my lips are stuck together. Ever wear a lip gloss and find that it leaves little gloopy sticky lines between your top and bottom lips as you separate them? This does that. You might think that the stickiness would at least allow this to cling on longer than most glosses (it can't feel that gross for no reason, eh?) but nope, it still wore off in no time

Needless to say I wont be using this again and I’m just glad I didn’t pay full price for it!

P.S. I'm actually kinda annoyed that the swatch above looks so nice. It's not that nice in real life. Honest!

Best lip gloss in the history of ever

2012-01-01T18:13:00.000-08:00

Sally Hansen Miracle Care Lip Saver in Serenity

As a teenager I had crooked teeth and it made me so uncomfortable I’d do my best to hide them at all costs. I’d cover my mouth when I laughed and I actually learned to talk whilst moving my lips as little as possible for fear that people would see my teeth; If I ever fancy a career change I might just give ventriloquism a go!

So as you can probably guess I avoided wearing lip products because I didn’t wanna draw attention to my mouth/teeth. Then I got braces, had my teeth whitened and am now pretty much addicted to buying all manner of lovely lip goodies. Hurrah for happy endings!

No, wait!… Nearly forgot to mention the whole point of this post… Sally Hansens Miracle Care Lip Saver!

I picked this up a few days ago and am absolutely amazed that I haven’t heard of it before!! This has got to be one of the most perfect glosses ever created and as someone who has tried, oooooh, about a million of them I don’t say that lightly

For me the texture is probably the most important thing about a lip gloss and this one is almost gel like so it leaves my lips feeling smooth and glossy; it’s also sticky enough to stay in place but not enough to feel yucky. I’d expected the colour to be fairly bright thanks to the fuchsia shade in the middle of the tube but when this is squeezed from the tube the clear gloss mixes with the coloured stuff and it turns into a beautiful pale shimmery pink. You can also choose the depth of colour by squeezing the middle of the tube (for a more sheer finish) or at the end (which adds more pink and gives a more colourful look)

All good so far and I haven’t even mentioned the applicator which is beyond awesome! This looks like a regular squeezy tube but the applicator is a really soft rubber material and it comes to a fine point so it couldn’t be easier to apply and always looks precise and nicely finished

This also gets bonus points for the sweet fruity scent and lip softening aloe and Vitamin E.

The only thing I don't like about this product? The lid and end of the tube - I'd prefer them to be silver cos I'm not keen on the gold. And considering what a fussy so and so I can be I reckon finding only one "fault" is pretty impressive!

Thanks for stopping by ♥

Resolution free 2012

2012-01-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

I figured I’d start this year like every other; by making a list of unrealistic guilt inducing resolutions that I’ll have forgotten (nevermind stuck to!) within a couple of weeks…

…But I was tidying my room earlier today and found an old bookmark that says “When was the last time you did something for the first time?”

Which got me thinking that I should invest more time and energy into things I love and things I’ve always wanted to try. The time I invest in trying to lose weight, go to the gym, get organised etc just feels like such a waste. So although it might seem a bit vague my new years resolution for 2012 is to “do loads of really good stuff that makes me happy”

Whatever your intentions are for 2012 I hope you have an utterly fantastic year and get everything you’re hoping for!

Happy New Year!!

Joy xx

The Einstein of cleansers

2011-12-29T17:43:00.000-08:00

Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser

Can you believe Christmas is over?! Months of build up and it was over in the blink of an eye! Honestly I think we should make it last a week instead of just 1 day. I hope Santa brought you everything you wanted and that you got to spend loads of time with your friends and family eating and drinking waaay too much. I certainly did :)

I’ve actually really missed writing my little blog posts over the Christmas holidays and have been looking forward to singing the praises of this awesome cleanser!...

More than anything else using the right cleanser can make a massive difference to my skin. I've tried dozens over the last couple of years because the wrong one can cause my already break-out prone skin to play up and instead of just sticking with what works I'm always trying to find one that not only cleans my skin but leaves it soft, smooth, spot free, glowing, radiant and, well, perfect. Needless to say I'm still searching :)
As a general rule I veer away from cream cleansers (although there are a few that have actually worked well for me!) and will usually opt for fairly strong products with salicylic acid, tea tree, witch hazel etc. So although I had an open mind when decided to give Pro-radiance by Elemis a try I really wasn't expecting miracles

This comes in a 150ml pump bottle and I find half a pump is enough for my whole face

This is one of the most luxurious face products I've ever used, though the £27.60 price tag probably helps add to the feeling of luxury! The smell is really mild and subtle, kinda like coco and shea butter mixed together so it's nice but nothing to write home about; which suits me cos I don't like over-fragranced face products

Although the texture is rich it's actually loose enough to be massaged into the skin for ages and it's so soothing I've used this as a moisturising 5-minute face mask when my skin feels particularly dry and tight. And there aren't many cleansers that actually feel like a treatment for the skin!
What impressed me most about this cleanser is that it's kept my skin well-balanced and practically (not totally, but then I think that'd be asking too much) blemish free since I started using it. I'd sort of expected the rich formula to leave my skin too oily or over-loaded but that hasn't been the case at all. It's like this actually knows how dry or oily my skin is and adapts to work how I need it to work. I don't wanna go giving this too much credit or anything but it's the most clever cleanser I've ever used and I'm still amazed at how well it's held up against my ever-changing skin

Summary

Cost : £27.60 - I dunno about you but I reckon this is a ridiculous amount for a cleanser. If it didn't work so well I'd swear I'm not gonna buy this again
Size : 150ml
Plus point : This is an anti-aging cleanser and I’ve heard skin starts to age more and more rapidly after you reach 25. I’m 26. It’s definitely time to start including an anti-aging product or two in my routine; better safe than sorry n all that

just another nude eye shadow palette

2011-12-29T17:23:00.000-08:00

Stila Naturaleyes eye shadow palette

If there's one thing I don't need it's yet another nude eye shadow palette but whilst I was doing my Christmas shopping this Stila Naturaleyes palette actually jumped right into my basket and forced me to buy it. There were threats, my arm was twisted and there was just no way I could say no

The packaging won me over cos it's so natural and simple looking. Who knew cardboard could look this good?
I'd swatched the colours in the shop and fell in love with them straight away but suffered a little twinge of buyers remorse when I used this the next morning. There was a lot of fall-out when I applied some of these shadows (Kitten and Champagne are the worst offenders, they also happen to be my two favourite shades) so this can be really annoying to use. Nothing gets on my nerves more than my under-eye area getting covered in loose eye shadow cos it's so hard to tidy up. Some of the shades are like loosely packed talcum powder and others are dense, rich and seriously pigmented. The extent to which the textures differed really surprised - and slightly annoyed - me

The range of colours is awesome, for a relatively small palette they've squeezed in a great mix of light, medium and dark shades so it's easy to create a pretty daytime look or a serious smokey evening look. Oh and there are matte and shimmery shades! I'm a sucker for shimmery, glittery, shiny things but I like the option of nice matte shades too... Even if I'll only use them once in a blue moon
I love the little Glimmersticks by Stila and this one is no exception! The colour is great as it gives real definition to my eyes but doesn't leave them looking too dark… I prefer a relatively subtle look for during the day so this works a treat. There aren’t enough eye liners that stay in place all day long so this is pretty high up in my list of favourites because it doesn't budge till you tell it to (with eye makeup remover)

Overall I'd give this palette a respectable 7 outta 10; the loose, lightly packed shadows let it down but the colours make it worth having

Thanks for stopping by ♥

December Glossybox - Best one ever!

2011-12-19T17:29:00.000-08:00

Last month I was so disappointed by my Glossybox I didn’t even bother posting about it :( This month however I’m so in love with every single item I literally can’t wait to try them out! Which is why it’s 1.37am and I’m wearing freshly applied mascara and lip gloss. I really need to get a life

If you aren’t familiar with Glossy box you can find out all about it here

Now, onto my fantabulous products!!...
Rituals Yogi Flow Indian rose & sweet almond oil shower gel. I’ve adored every Rituals product I’ve tried (everything from lip gloss to night cream) but I haven’t tried their bath products so I’m expecting great things from this! Although I recently decided to ban Sodium Laureth Sulphate from my bathroom – apparently it’s really drying and generally just not good for the skin – so I’ll have to lift the ban if I’m gonna give this a try. And I think we both know I most definitely am :)
Cargo Lip Gloss. I’ve only ever tried the Cargo eye shadows but have had my eye on their glosses for a while so WOOHOO!!!
MeMeMe Seventh Heaven moisturising facebase. This range do some of the best highlighters and cheek tints ever so if the facebase is even half as good I’ll be a very happy bunny. I’ve rubbed a little on the back of my hand and have already fallen in love with the smell… Citrus has gotta be the best way to start the day! Also, the texture is amazing so I shall be applying this before work tomorrow (well, today)
Deborah Lippmann Razzle Dazzle Mini Nail Varnish. This reminds me of tinsel so is totally perfect for this time of year but I have to admit that I don’t usually bother with these kinda glitter polishes cos I find it so hard to get a nice even coat of sparkle. With Christmas being just around the corner I'll put in the extra time and effort
Blink + Go Hi-Definition Mascara. First impressions; the packaging is lovely and the description on the little insert sounds great (Longer, thicker, sexier lashes? Er, yes please) Lets hope the mascara becomes a new favourite!

I'm off to bed, nighty night all. Thanks for stopping by ♥

Estee Lauder Blush in Rose Nuance

2011-12-19T17:06:00.000-08:00

I’m gonna make this short n sweet cos there isn’t a massive amount I can say about a blush!

I picked this up a couple of months back as I was stocking up on Double Wear and realised I hadn’t owned an Estee Lauder blush in years! This shade really jumped out at me cos the colour is ridiculously pink so after trying a little swatcharoo on the back of my hand I just had to have it
Although the colour is one of those scarily bright shades in the pan it’s actually a beautifully natural pretty pink shade. When it’s applied with a light hand that is :)

The powder is so finely milled that it really blends into the skin, giving a natural flushed look as opposed to the dreaded circle of intense colour right in the centre of each cheek. We’ve all gone for that look at some point I reckon but at least we learned from it!
I don’t know how everyone else feels about them but I really really hate these little blush brushes! I never use them but I don’t really like throwing them away cos it seems like such a waste so I usually find that it stays in the plastic wrapping till I’ve used up all the product and I can chuck it in the bin guilt free

Summary

Cost : £24 – definitely one of the highest priced blushes I own but also one of my most used!
Size : 5g
Shades available : 8 in total, varying from pale nude to rich plum tones
2nd best bit : The packaging. The Estee Lauder packaging really appeals to the middle aged woman in me

Liz Earle Cleanser Vs Superdrug Cleanser

2011-12-18T16:26:00.000-08:00

Liz Earlr Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth CLeanser and Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser

Happy Sunday all! Hope you had a lovely weekend. I had a seriously busy week so Adryen and I spent today watching films (I highly recommend Let Me In) and munching biscuits. And if there’s a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon I certainly can’t think of it :)

Anywho, it occurred to me during the week that I’ve never reviewed Cleanse and Polish by Liz Earle *Le gasp!!*

It’s one of those beauty products that has become a real cult classic and is adored by millions (me included!) but with the influx of other cleanse and polish style products I've branched out and tried a few different ones over the last year or so. Not because the Liz Earle one is lacking in any way but simply because the grass is always greener…

One of my favourite copy cats is the Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser so I’ve included some info on the classic Liz Earle and the new Superdrug products below

Scent
Liz Earle : Strong, slightly medcinal smell of Eucalyptus and Rosemary… Very refreshing and actually smells of clean
Vitamin E : Subtle, slightly sweet scent of cocoa with a little hint of almond. Totally inoffensive and the perfect smell to start or end the day with

Texture
Liz Earle : Thick, rich, creamy and incredibly dense
Vitamin E : as above. Only difference is that this becomes more loose quite quickly so it gives me the chance to really work it into my skin – rather nice cos it actually feels like I’m working all the gross-ness out from around my nose and chin area (apologies if I've just put you off your dinner)
Results
Liz Earle : When the weather has been miserable and dry-skin-inducing this is the cleanser I’ve gone back to again and again. It does exactly what it says on the tin so my skin is always left feeling gorgeously clean and soft without that tight uncomfortable feeling that is often part and parcel of using a wash off cleanser
Vitamin E : My cheeks and forehead have been feeling particularly parched recently so this has been a godsend. I’ve found that it leaves my skin looking brighter and clearer and has calmed the spots that are currently intruding upon my chin and jaw line. I’ve found that this leaves a my skin feeling more hydrated that the Liz Earle version which is absolutely perfect at the moment but it’s also reason enough for me to not recommend this to people with oily skin – I reckon there’s just too much chance it’d overload a more oily skin!

Packaging
Liz Earle : If bought alone this comes in a 100ml pump bottle which gives 66 measured pumps of product so if used morning and night should last a month. The bottle pictured is one I got in a set from QVC a while back
Vitamin E : 200ml tube comes in a box… I’d say one of the splodges on the back of my hand is the perfect amount to use over the whole face. I’d opt for twice as much if I was taking it right down my next and décolleté though

Price
Liz Earle : 100mls plus 2 cloths = £13.75
Vitamin E : 200 mls plus 1 cloth = £3.99 (though it’s on offer for £2.99 at the min)

I should probably mention that I always remove my makeup before I cleanse so I’m not entirely sure how these work against heavy duty foundations and eye makeup. They both claim to remove every last trace of grime but I’m sure I’m not the only one here who cant help being a tad sceptical of those kinda claims

I know some people absolutely love the Liz Earle range and wouldn't dream of trying anything else - if it's not broke don't fix it n all that! - but I'm happy to use any old stuff as long as it gives results so when I'm picking up a cream cleanser in future it'll definitely be the cheap Superdrug alternative ♥

Not all primers are created equal

2011-12-15T16:16:00.000-08:00

Laura Geller Spackle in Champagne

Evening all, hope you’ve had a nice week so far! Looking forward to the weekend? I’m working on Saturday which kinda sucks but It’s Adryens birthday on Sunday so I’m all excited about that. Is there anything better than choosing the perfect pressie for someone and getting to watch them open it? :)

Had a rather long day so figured I’d top it off with a little negative review on a recent purchase! Laura Gellers Champagne Spackle…

…This confuses me slightly as it’s described as an under-makeup primer yet it's full of little shimmery particles. Surely if it's designed to be worn under makeup the glitter is totally unnecessary? I know there's a possibility that someone could want to use this alone on non-makeup days but it seems silly to bother adding sparkly stuff to a primer if there's only a slight chance that someone might wanna use this on a day when they aren’t gonna bother with foundation
The champagne tone of this is almost non-existent once it's been applied (even on my ridiculously pale skin) and I'm not very keen on the twinklyness. Although I didn't notice just how obvious the sparkle was until I caught sight of my skin in direct sunlight and personally I think it's just too much - even more OTT than Revlon Photoready so if I was to repurchase (which I wont) I'd definitely get the regular version instead of the Champagne one
Now onto the really important stuff! The texture is nice and smoothes my skin slightly but no more than a really good moisturiser. I find this helps my pores look refined but doesn't actually leave my whole face looking smooth n polished the way my Smashbox, Rimmel and L'Oreal primers do. On the plus side it dries in fairly quickly and non-tackily so I don’t have to blast my face with the cool setting on my hair drier when I'm in a rush to get my makeup done

I was particularly disappointed by this cos I adore all the other Laura Geller stuff I’ve bought in the past but I guess it would be too much to ask that every single item from a brand is totally perfect!

The £76.60 face cream thats totally ... average

2011-12-12T17:03:00.000-08:00

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream

“Transforms the complexion in 2 weeks” That one little claim was reason enough for me to decide to give this a go (cos I'm a total sucker) I don't really like spending so much on one teensy tiny jar of gloop but if it's gonna make a genuine difference to my skin then I'd probably pay 3 times as much and just live on beans and toast :)

I'd heard nothing but good things about this cream and it seems to have become a real cult classic which made me all the more keen to try it. I wasn't too keen on the packaging but that's mostly cos I think jars are pretty unhygienic compared with tubes or pump bottles. The smell is a tad overpowering for me - I'm quite happy to use scented products but I prefer the smell to be subtle and I reckon this is the face cream equivalent of walking into the perfume section of Boots a week before Christmas
But onto some good points! The texture is absolutely lovely, it feels really creamy but in a smooth delicate way as opposed to thick and buttery. And thanks to the texture this is absorbed into the skin in seconds with practically no rubbing required… Always a bonus if you're using this as a day cream as there's nothing more annoying that standing around waiting for your moisturiser to be absorbed before applying makeup. Although if you are using this as a day cream the lack of SPF could be a concern
As for the actual results, unfortunately there was nothing to write home about. My skin has had a few dry patches recently (around my nose and eye brows) and this didn't do anything to alleviate the dryness so I ended up applying Eucerin to the worst areas. Also I have little red dots on my chin (scar tissue from long-conquered spots) and the redness seemed to become more prominent when I used this cream. The rest of my face didn't look any more smooth or feel any more firm than before I started using this

I don’t think this is a particularly bad moisturiser but I think there are much better ones available for a fraction of the price.

Summary :

Cost - £76.60
Size - 50ml
Designed for - Anti-ageing
Will I repurchase? - Nope, no chance

Creme Brulee Vaseline? Yes please!

2011-12-12T16:56:00.000-08:00

Limited Edition Vaseline Lip Therapy in Creme Brulee

I don’t believe in brand-loyalty (My favourite cleanser one week will barely make it into my top 10 a week later) which is why there are only a handful of products that I love as much now as I did when I was a kid. One of them happens to be Vaseline. I still remember reading articles in Shout and Mizz magazines that advocated it for everything!
It's great for keeping lips smooth, keeping eyebrows in shape and keeping cuticles soft. When I spotted the new Crème Brulee version I really really wanted it but it cost £2.99 as opposed to the usual 99p that I pay for my other "flavours" so I couldn't justify it but a friend of mine (who is much less tight that me!) bought it for me a couple of weeks ago and it's beyond awesome
You probably wont be surprised to hear that the only difference between this and the other Lip Therapies available is the packaging and smell - which makes me wonder why the price is so much higher! - but I love sweet sugary smelling yummy goodies so that's reason enough for me to use this instead of the others I have :)

Summary :

Cost - £2.99
Size - 20g
Worth the price? - Yup, especially if you're kinda sick of all the other Vaseline flavours
Downside - Not available everywhere... I've only come across 2 stores in Belfast that have it in stock

Super cute highlighter and eye shadows for £7

2011-12-09T17:30:00.001-08:00

Accessorize French Vintage Eye Shadow Palette and Highlighter

Know what’s better than totally gorgeous eye shadows? FREE totally gorgeous eye shadows! In fact they might even be more awesome than warm maple and pecan plaits served with a mug of tea. Close call though
I’ve been obsessed with the Accessorize stuff since it was launched in Superdrug; I think the quality is fantastic and the packaging is super cute so makes for really good little stocking fillers

I’d had my eye on the highlighter for weeks but because I don’t technically need another highlighter I resisted the urge to pick it up. That was till they had a free-eye-shadow-palette-when-you-spend-£6-or-more deal. The highlighter is £7 so I reckon they actually offered this deal specifically for me. That’s gotta be the only explanation!

As with all the Accessorize shadows these are seriously pigmented and really smooth so the perfect little section of yummy shades. I’m not particularly keen on the dark brown shade but it’ll be handy as an everyday crease colour
I’ve only used the highlighter a couple of times so haven’t really formed an opinion yet. I just use the teensiest little dab on each cheek and it gives a seriously subtle but still very pretty glow. So far I have only used it over fairly moist glowy foundations so I’m not sure how well it’ll work over more matte or powder style ones!

2011-12-08T19:28:00.001-08:00

Soap & Glory - The Righteous Butter

It’s currently 3.20am and I’ve just had a shower. Even though I’m exhausted and looking forward to sleepy time I still spent 5 minutes applying my body lotion. And to me that’s the sign that it’s a really really good one!

I’ve been using this on and off for about 3 years now (Brand loyalty? Pfft, no chance!)

Like most of the Soap & Glory goodies I’ve got I bought this cos of the smell – it’s that typically fruity rich, sweet S&G scent that makes my mouth water. It smells pink and fluffy

The cream is so thick and luxurious you’d expect it to take an age to be absorbed but it actually sinks into the skin in no time and doesn’t leave a gross sticky residue… I can get dressed as soon as I’ve finished applying this without worrying that it’ll make my clothes all clingy and sticky

Oh oh oh! Nearly forgot to mention that it actually works! It leaves my skin silky soft and smooth (inc my knees and elbows) and even if I only use it a few times a week I know my skin will stay in tiptop condition :)

Summary :

Cost - £10.21

Size – 300ml

Best bit – smells like heaven

Value – You get a massive tub of this for just over a tenner and it lasts ages so it’s a real bargain

2011-12-08T19:17:00.001-08:00

Revlon PhotoReady Concealer in light 002

Although I buy a new concealer every couple of weeks or so I don’t review them often… They’re one of my most purchased / most binned-after-a-few-use products and I haven’t come across many that give great coverage but still look natural. This one from Revlon is a recent spur of the moment buy and it totally kicks ass

The only reason I got this was cos I needed to spend a minimum of £15 to get the GWP from Revlon. Also got an eye liner and lip gloss to take the total over 15 quid :)

I had very low expectations as these little stick concealers are normally ridiculously cakey but this goes on like butter and covers like paint. The little lipstick style twist-stick means this is one of the least messy ways to apply a concealer and because the texture is so nice I can literally draw lines and dots where I have yucky stuff going on that the rest of the world doesn’t need to see and then blend it out with my fingers. Hey Presto, you’d never know I had only got 2 hours sleep and currently have 3 spots the size of small-ish volcanoes on my chin. Impressive, no?

In the past I’ve found I need a light, runny textured product to hide my dark circles (thick ones just sink into the skin around my eyes making the area look all dry and cakey) and a thicker more creamy one to hide blemishes (anything too thin just slides off throughout the day or doesn’t cover well enough in the first place) but this does both

Summary :

Cost - £6.49

Size - 3.2g

Shades available – light, light/medium and medium

In a nutshell – So awesome that if anyone tries it and doesn’t like it I’ll eat my hat

Just too awesome for a title

2011-12-06T17:33:00.001-08:00

Dermablend Pro

If I’m honest I wouldn’t have imagined that this rather handsome young man would be the person to sell me a foundation but I think this may actually be the best makeup ad I’ve ever come across…

I’d barely finished watching the video before I’d ordered the corrective liquid foundation and corrective foundation stick...

Right, I'm off to watch it again...

Best face mask for HYDRATING

2011-12-05T17:55:00.000-08:00

The Body Shop - Aloe Protective Restoring Mask

Good evening all! Hope you’ve had a marvellous start to the week! It’s snowing here in Belfast so I’ve spent the evening in my jammies, drinking tea and pampering myself. It’s been awesome! And it’s got me thinking about my favourite face masks. That could be cos I’m currently using my scrummy Aloe one from The Body Shop

My sister got me this for my birthday which was at the end of October; I’ve used it about 5 times since then and couldn’t be more impressed. Unless I opened the lid and this weeks lottery numbers were carved into the cream. That’d kick ass. Hmm. Now that I think about it I really could be more impressed. As it stands I still like this a lot though
It’s the perfect mask for this time of year cos it’s helped keep those icky dry patches at bay (my skin is an extreme version of combination – my t-zone can look like I’ve washed in baby oil but I’ll still get dry patches on my cheeks. Grr!)

The cream itself is really rich and thick. I’ll pile it on in a thick layer, leave it for 20 mins and then wash it off and my skin feels soft and moisturised for days afterwards. Although the instructions actually say you should just rub the excess into the skin after leaving it for 20 minutes but I’m annoyingly contrary and prefer to do it my way

Another way to get the benefits of this without the whole applying-then-waiting-for-20-minutes kerfuffle is to use this as your night cream for a couple of days… My skin always looks and feels really soft and moisturised the day after

Summary :

Cost - £12
Size – 100mls
How long does it need to be left on – 20 minutes
Best for what skin type? – All! This is one of the most gentle creams I’ve ever used (and I’ve tried a lot) so even the most sensitive skins shouldn’t have any bother with it
Other plus points? – A little goes a long way with this cream so it’s great value for money

Best face mask for BRIGHTENING

2011-12-05T17:48:00.000-08:00

Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask

On the back of the bottle this says “Not suitable for sensitive skin” and that kinda warning always gets me really excited because as far as I’m concerned it translates to “this is a serious mask that is gonna give serious results” And as with all things Liz Earle it really does

This is one of the best masks I’ve ever used and there are no downsides as far as I can see. The packaging is great and even comes with a pump so it dispenses the exact amount you need for each use. The texture of the cream is dense and smooth and it smells natural and herby
I presume it’s the mix of stimulating and soothing ingredients in this but it manages to brighten my skin and make it feel really refreshed and radiant without stripping it or leaving any redness or blotchiness. Did I mention that it does all that after 2 minutes? Yep, seriously. So it really is all that and a bag of chips

Summary :

Cost - £13.50
Size – 50ml
How long does it need to be left on – 30 seconds – 2 minutes

Best face mask for EXFOLIATING

2011-12-05T17:36:00.000-08:00

Alpha H 15% Glycolic Hydrating Mask

I bought a load of stuff from the Alpha H range a while back and was less than impressed by the majority of the products (most of which I returned) but this mask has become a firm favourite because it’s one of the few products that causes such a big difference to my skin after one use that people actually notice

When I wanted to get rid of the layers of dead skin on my face I used to resort to a good old gritty-bitty face scrub to actually scour the dead skin away. These days I’ll often use a Glycolic Acid product to do the same job because it does it just as (if not more) successfully but it doesn’t leave any blotchiness or dry patches as it seems to know what parts of my skin are lacklustre and dull and focuses specifically on them. Admittedly that makes the mask seem rather intelligent, which makes me seem a little crazy but I could swear that it only concentrates on the bad areas of my face!
This particular mask has quite a high concentration of Glycolic (15%) so if you have sensitive skin then I wouldn’t recommend it but for me this works a treat; I can apply a fine layer and leave this to get to work for 10 minutes knowing that my skin will look softer, smoother and more even when I rinse it off

I’ve heard someone refer to the effect this creates as like lots of little Pacmen gently nibbling away the dead skin and that image seems to suit this perfectly!

Summary :

Cost – Approx £20
Size – 100ml
Downsides – As the company is based in New Zealand the products aren’t easy to get hold of so you might have to resort to ebay, amazon or QVC

The oil that does EVERYTHING

2011-12-04T15:48:00.001-08:00

Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil

Happy Sunday all! Hope you’ve had a lovely weekend… Mine has been abysmal and I never thought I’d say it but I’m looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow cos my one day off was crap!

But on a much cheerier note I wanted to mention one of the greatest oils ever and that’s Frangipani Monoi Body Oil. Even saying the name pleases me :) It’s one of those awesome all round products that can be used for precisely 627 different things. That may just be a guess but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was accurate

This smells ridiculously good but it’s not overly strong… In fact the scent reminds me of a newborn baby – not because it’s similar but because its absolutely beautiful but very faint. It’s slightly floral and very clean smelling but not strong enough to interfere with my perfume

The oil actually solidifies at room temperature (in the same way as coconut oil) so I normally leave this next to a radiator to let it melt before I use it. The best thing about that? It means it’s always warm as I apply it, which makes it all the more pleasurable to use

I’m a massive fan of Argan oil, Almond oil, Coconut oil and good old Olive oil but I’ve found they’ve slowly been replaced by my Elemis body oil… One of the things I love about this is that in sinks into the skin and doesn’t leave it all gross and slick with oil. There’s still a residue – I’ve never come across an oil that doesn’t leave a trace – but it’s not unpleasant

To give you an idea how versatile this is I’ll tell you how I used it this evening; Firstly I mixed a little with some sugar to use as a scrub in the shower, then I applied it to the ends of my hair and left it for half an hour or so before washing it. After showering I used this all over my body as a moisturiser and I’ll be applying it to my cuticles before sleepy sleeps tonight. Not too bad for 1 product, eh?

Although this is expensive I’m happy to invest in a half decent product that’ll ensure my skin stays soft and smooth over winter. And if it happens to be one that requires little effort from me then all the better!

Summary :

Cost - £29.50
Size – 100mls
Does it work – Yessum, better than any other body oil I’ve tried
Best feature? – The smell… beyond scrummy and quite exotic

double boob and back bulge? Me too :(

2011-12-02T17:36:00.000-08:00

Genie Bra

If there’s one good thing I could say about double boobs and back bulge it’s that they’re the most indiscriminating problems I’ve come across… Its something that seems to affect every girl at some point regardless of her age, size or body shape - HURRAH!! Always feels good to know I'm not the only one :)

It’s not something I really noticed until recently when I was in the lift at work and caught a glimpse of my back in the mirror. It was not a pretty sight. So I mentioned it to a friend of mine who confessed that she worries more about her udders than her back bulge. Udders?! And I thought the term double boob was offensive enough!!
The awesome news is that there is a solution to the age-old how-can-I-halve-the-number-of-boobs-you-can-see-in-this-top quandary and it’s called (rather aptly) a Genie Bra. First things first; this is not gonna make it into the sexy/pretty/gorgeously flattering section of your underwear drawer cos it’s the equivalent of big hold-everything-in pants. On the plus side this is the most perfect every day bra you could imagine. And here’s why…

It’s so comfortable I’d happily sleep in it. It’s stretchy enough that it gives great support but doesn’t squash everything into an unnatural shape

The material is incredibly soft and smooth so I never find myself shifting or adjusting to get everything sitting more comfortably

There are no wires or hooks, which means I can wear a really tight smooth top over this without worrying that it’ll leave lumps, bumps or bulges

The sizing couldn’t be more simple cos you go by your dress size. It’s not that I don’t enjoy standing in front of a mirror whilst a stranger wraps a tape measure around me but going for a bra-fitting is never gonna be my favourite way to spend an afternoon so a self-sizing bra is right up my street :)

I know this isn't the kinda thing I normally blog about but with Christmas party season fast approaching I thought it was worth mentioning - I reckon nothing makes an outfit look better than the right underwear! ♥

Summary :

Cost - £39.95 for 3
Colours - black, white and nude
Sizes available - 8-22 (S - 4XL in Genie sizing)
Worth buying? - Most definitely. I wont be buying a regular t-shirt bra anytime soon!