Dolce Vanity

Guest Post : Fashionicide MakeUp Rut x FOTD

2013-05-16T09:14:00.001+01:00

I have loved Halima's blog for a while now, I've preached to friends about her blog, I've told her too. It's all her & by that I mean it's so honest, fun, warm and unique. Having her share herself on here is an honest pleasure, if you've yet to discover Fashionicide, lift up your rock and visit her blog, AFTER you've read this taster of course. Thanks to my favourite mythical creature Lima xo

HiHiHi!

I've been stuck
in a bit of a rut for a while now with my make up, particularly around
the eyes. I did mention a while back that I'd been struggling to come up
with new ideas to get away from the smokey eyes look, it's just too easy
to do!

I realised
that my current eye make up consists of a wash of MAC's Brule on the
lids, flicked out top liner, inner corner highlight and roughly
5,838,483 coats of mascara.

Whilst going
through the motions one morning I was applying MAC's Brule and thought:
'Sack this off!' I grabbed my MAC 219 brush and applied some dark
eyeshadow to the crease, followed it around, flicked it out and blended
it in a little to stop it from looking so harsh. Here's how it turned
out:

When I looked in
the mirror, it totally reminded me of 'Mod' eye make up, and I
love the 60s era. The cut crease eye shadow, flicked out
eyeliner, the monochrome fascination... Was I born three decades late?
;)

Not only does it
look great, it's ridiculously easy to do! Now I'm feeling a wee bit
better about my eye make up and it's given me the optimism needed to try
something just that little bit different. I'm thinking next time I'll go
for the faux bottom lash look that can be achieved simply by drawing
tiny little lines under the eyes: think Twiggy. Her make up is so
striking yet so simple at the same time. Or at least it looks
simple! I'll give it a go and let you know on that one.

EYES

Left to
right: MAC Wedge e/s, MAC Black Tied e/s, & MAC
Brule e/s

I know, I know...
More MAC. They do hold a special place in my heart though as I was a MAC
fanatic when I first got serious about make up, and when you CBA using
it everyday you kind of get a stockpile going.

MAC
Brule

I've not hit the
pan with much of my MAC stuff but Brule is another story. I heart this
eye shadow just a little too much. As mentioned above it's one of my
everyday shadows. I find that this instantly lifts your eyes and looks
gorgeous with flicked out liner.

It's one of those
'must have' base matte versatile eye shadows. It's neutral, creamy,
halfway between beige and ivory and can look lovely on the brow bone if
you fancy some highlighting without shimmer.

MAC
Black Tied.

I actually prefer
'Black Tied' to MAC's 'Carbon'. It's a lot softer and less harsh than
Carbon and as a result is far easier to blend out. Don't be fooled by
the silver glitter running through it, it won't make it on to your eye
lids unless you apply with a wet brush. I applied this with the MAC 219
pencil brush to the crease, it is pigmented enough to draw on.

MAC
Wedge

This is one of
those eye shadows that looks a bit blah. But believe me when I say it is
freaking awesome! It's a soft medium brown matte shade so it does
look pretty dull. I think this was actually my first ever MAC eye
shadow, I don't know what possessed me to buy it! I'm glad that I did
though, I used to pair it with MAC's Concrete. This would go all over
the lid with Concrete in the crease to give my eyes natural looking
definition.

Nowadays I use
Wedge to blend out colours in the crease. I have to say that I suck at
blending eye shadows on their own, but using this with a fluffy brush
like MAC's 217 or, to mix it up a bit, NARS' Large Domed brush (which is
much softer than the 217). I love how this blends in so beautifully with
other colours without detracting from that colour and it's almost
impossible for others to notice what you've done. It gives you the 'I'm
a pro at blending' look even if, like me, you really aren't!

Left to right:
MAC 219 and MAC 217 brushes

These 2 brushes
are also 'must haves'. I've had these babies for years and both are
still going strong. Both are quite stiff, but the 219 is smaller so
better for precision application, so you can see why it's called the
Pencil Brush! It's amazing for applying eye shadow to the outer V or
smudging liner under your eyes for the smoked out effect.

The 217 on the
other hand is more of a blending tool which helps to blend and feather
out darker colours.

*Elegance Blue Contact Lenses by
ColourVUE

I've also had a
few new followers ask me if my eyes are naturally blue. It made me LAUGH
OUT LOUD. I honestly think coloured contact lenses look dead unnatural
on me, but that's probably because I know what my natural eye colour is,
ha!

I was kindly sent
a pair of blue coloured contact lenses from the cleverly named Beautifeye.

It came with a
contact lens case and 120ml of solution. These are the 3 month soft
contact lenses, the ones you take out at the end of the day, squirt on
some solution and rub for a few seconds. You then place them in the case
and fill it up with more solutions ready for next usage.

I've worn contact
lenses in the past so I found them very easy to pop in, but if you've
never worn them before it might get a little tricky! In terms of comfort
I must say that I found them a bit odd at first, every time I blinked I
could feel an alien object in my eye followed by a flash of blue light.
After a few days though I got used to them and the blue flash stopped.

The blue is
electric and very dramatic, especially when combined with my desi skin
tone! It does go very nicely with my turquoise ombre hair, but then
again anything Aqua would!

Do blue contact
lenses suit darker skin tones? Well I think it really depends on what
you feel comfortable with. A lot of people tend to associate darker skin
tones with dark, brown eyes and while it's true for the majority, you do
often see lighter eye colours, so who's to say that blues or greens look
unnatural? Think Wilhelmina Slater! (Not my kitten, the exquisitely mean
editor-in-chief from Ugly Betty). Personally I feel comfortable wearing
coloured contacts, it does look unnatural because of the print but I
think overall it suits me!

I'll definitely
be purchasing more coloured lenses in future, I find that they add an
instant, dramatic effect to your look and can transform your entire
facial appearance. If you feel like a change, I'd recommend it
100%.

Looking on the Beautifeye
website, I see they're priced at a very reasonable £14.99. This includes
the contacts, the case and the solution. One slight downside is that
currently they do not offer prescription lenses, otherwise I'd be all
over them like a fat kid on cake!

Next up, I'll
have to venture into the world of Circle Lenses, I've always fancied
attempting to create the dolly eyed look.

And the rest of my mug:

FACE

Diorskin Nude
Natural Glow Hydrating Makeup in 040 Honey Beige (equivelent to NC40 -
NC42)

MAC Prep + Prime
Transparent Finishing Powder

EYES

Clinique Brush On
Cream Liner in True Black

L'oreal Paris
VoluminousMascara in Carbon Black

CHEEKS

Max Factor
Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Candy

Sleek Contour Kit
in Medium

LIPS

MAC Lady Danger
mixed with MUA Lipstick in Shade 1

I've done quite a
bit of talking on this post, but you know what? I thoroughly enjoyed
typing it all up. It may be a bit all over the place but then that's
just me. It was a bit of a trip down memory lane for me, to the ghosts
of make up past and actually I was surprised how I still use some of the
same products as I did when I first started out, just a little
differently!

Now tell me what you think: are you stuck in a rut with your make up?
What do you think of coloured contact lenses on darker skin tones?

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Veet EasyWax Electrical Roll-On Kit

2013-05-14T09:47:00.000+01:00

This was part of my #Veetdaretobare bag, I wanted to focus on this because umm Summer is supposedly coming. I normally use my epilator, sometimes if the hairs are coming through and there not long enough to epilate, out comes a razor. Granted yeah I've been a little lazy as of late and Jesus you know I just wasn't blessed with being of little hair lol. TMI but honest. That's why sometimes the up keep is tiring and a full time job.

Waxing I've done in the past, such as the homemade wax and I've previously done Laser Hair Removal and had my lady garden waxed, just being a woman is a full time gig to keep the up keep and the legs are on display a lot during the Summer (whatever that means in the UK) SO to prepare that game, lets dare to go bare with the Veet EasyWax Electrical Roll-On Kit*

Within this kit you get, the applicator, wax cartridge, 12 wax strips, 4 finishing wipes, holder and plug adapter. I've seen a few reviews on blogs and on retailer websites saying that 20 minutes isn't long enough for this wax but I had no problem with the wax being left on for the recommended time.

The way I see waxing it's a two day job, exfoliate the day or night before to make sure the skin is free of any dead skin and to be honest I would say do it the previous day because waxing isn't easy on the skin. You don't want to make it raw or irritated.

If there's any residue left from the wax as you can see on my last image you can use the wipes to remove them, I did have to give it quite a scrub though - never easy.

Just I think, buy extra strips that will be my wise advice for this. 12 strips are definitely not enough, not for my hairy ways. I like to wax everything all in one go from ankle to thigh. I always feel brand new once hair free and tired. This is a fuss free way, no spatulas, just an applicator & strips. Personally I love the feeling of waxing :-) so this is all me, all over!!

Veet EasyWax Electrical Roll-On £14.99 available from Boots & Superdrug
Veet EasyWax Refill £9.99 available from Boots

How do you get your legs bare & summer ready?

*These products were sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

Macadamia Natural Oil Collection

2013-05-13T12:59:00.001+01:00

Macadamia is a brand that combine two natural ingredients, macadamia nut oil and argan seed oil *blog world goes insane*. I've put these to the test because well I am your curly girl casualty and sometimes find if a product works well when my hair is curly, it's ideal once straight. Previously reviewed the Deep Hair Masque Repair, that product can be a tricky one to use if I'm honest but you can read my review on that. I received the Rejuvenating Shampoo, Moisturising Rinse and Healing Oil. Just about every company says that you should use all their products in conjunction of each other to get the best results, therefore I did look forward to using these.

I use a shampoo rinse before *puts on repeat* as I hate using shampoo but decided as this one says it is SLS, paraben free, it will be alright to see how it works with/without a shampoo rinse. Instead of SLS which is the foaming agent in shampoo it uses Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, the lowdown on DLS is a larger molecule that can't penetrate skin unlike SLS that are smaller and can penetrate the skin therefore causing skin irritation. DLS is safer for those even with sensitive skin.

Product Blurb:

Macadamia Natural Oil's Rejuvenating Shampoo is designed to add moisture and protection, perfect for replenishing dry, damaged hair. Sulfate and paraben free // Gently cleanses chemically treated, damaged hair // Replenishes dry, damaged hair with no heavy build-up // Builds protection from harsh daily environmental elements // Suitable for all types of hair.

Macadamia Natural Oil's Moisturising Rinse is a daily conditioner designed to nourish and detangle hair, leaving it soft, silky, manageable and ready to style. Gently replenishes moisture, nourishes & detangles // Infused with Macadamia’s unique signature fragrance // Paraben-free & SLS-free.

Our Healing Oil Treatment is a therapeutic blend suitable for all hair types and is especially beneficial to dry, damaged hair. Intense nourishment for tangle & frizz free hair // Hair that is ultra-smooth, manageable & shiny // Natural UV protection extends the life of colour treatments //Reduced drying time by an incredible 40-50%.

The Routine:

I comb out my hair before wetting it, as it's curly it needs a good detangling, I find when my hair's curly it gets so dry, so quickly and I section it into four to get all knots out and to work in coconut oil. Dampen my hair and distribute the shampoo evenly, working up a lather and cos I've already sectioned the hair it's easy to part and work each section and scratch at my scalp, that feels so good. This would be the time I can feel my hair start to feel stripped and lifeless (that feeling is horrendous) I start to rinse well with warm water.

I flip my head upside down and apply the moisturising rinse more at the roots and my ends, it glides through the hair well and smells divine. Once that has been washed out, every other wash I use the Macadamia deep hair repair masque as I was told when I got my hair last to make sure that I use a deep moisturising hair masque to repair the condition after the bleaching.

Onto the 'miracle oil' I really love, love, love this oil. My hair is sectioned to apply this, the ends and roots are most important as that is where frizz attacks first. Once I apply at the root, I drag the oil down and only get more for the ends and apply the coconut oil again. I let my hair air dry and might just scrunch the ends. For this example I put my hair into twists left it to dry overnight and took them out with the oil rubbed into my hands or simply put it into my hair as it begins to dry.

Click Here for list of Ingredients

Shampoo:

Water (Aqua), Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide MEA, Cetyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 20, Glycol Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Laurdimonium Hyddroxypropyl Hydrolysed Wheat Proteion, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Sea Salt, Aminomethyl Propanol, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Limonene, Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Blue 1 (CI42090), Red 4 (CI 14700).

Rinse:

Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Hydrolysed Barley Protein, Hydrolysed Wheat Gluten, Hydrolysed Silk, Hydrolysed Soy Protein, Wheat Amino Acids, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Glycereth-26, Panthenol, Amodimethicone, C11-15 Pareth-7, Laureth-9, Glycerin, Trideceth-12, Polyquaternium-69, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance (Parfum), Linalool.

Healing Oil:

Ternifolia Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxybenzoylmethane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isopropyl Myristate, Fragrance (Parfum), Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Green 6 (CI 61565), Red 17 (CI 26100), Violet 2 (CI 60725), Yellow 11 (CI 47000).

Smell:

The shampoo doesn't have the distinctive macadamia product smell, which is odd. Reminds me more of handwash, best way I can describe it. The conditioner carries the smell Macadamia Natural Oil users are custom to.

Overall Thoughts:

The very first use of this routine, I couldn't believe how soft my hair was. I've found that a product has to be a multi-tasker, curly hair is science to keep it happy, bouncy, soft, shiny and de-tangled but of course a lot goes into how well you grease the hair afterwards, put nothing in it, it won't be as moisturised. I'm someone who doesn't want to use 101 things in my hair to get it to a healthy and happy point. The oil is fantastic, it's something that will be purchased in a bigger bottle. I find this works better with the shampoo rinse before hand but the shampoo rinse is to protect my hair against the hard water in my area. The oil is thick, worked into the hands to put into the hair begins to thin out allowing it to be distributed smoothly. I'm yet to use the brush until my next blow-out when I want to do a length check on my hair, I'll do a separate review for that. All in all, I've been satisfied with these products.

Purchase from : Official Macadamia Natural Oil Online Store or currently of posting BeautyBay have a sale on Macadamia

Price : Shampoo from £6.45 from 100ml // Moisturising Rinse from £4.20 for 60ml // Healing Oil from £12.95 for 30ml

Have you tried Macadamia Natural Oil Products?

* These product was sent to me for consideration for a review, this doesn't sway my judgement. Words, research and images are that of my own unless otherwise stated.

Real Techniques Core Collection + More

2013-05-10T14:25:00.001+01:00

Having had these brushes in my arsenal for around 6 months now, I thought now was the perfect time to review them. I don't normally do brush reviews immediately ( or any reviews quickly ) because there items I like to see how well they last after numerous washes and uses. I'd rather put out a review where something has really been for a test drive. Here I have the Core Collection, Kabuki brush, Blush Brush and Setting brush. You will notice the stippling brush in the holder, read that review here.

I have had brush sets that have ranged from £15 - £180 and they've all been used and cleaned the same way and it's funny that some haven't even lasted a year before they glue becomes loose inside and the hairs start to shed dramatically and completely fall out.

I get so shocked & misled by reviews because people pay money for brushes that are sold at such a high standard and yet you get such a bum deal in the long run. So before I go reviewing and recommending sets for people I wanted to see how these lasted. Being that these are permanent brushes I did take a slight advantage. Sorry!

Core Collection £21.99(*)

Blush Brush £9.99(*)

Setting Brush £8.99(*)

Kabuki Brush £11.99(*)

Products : Within the Core Collection (orange) includes four brushes, Detailer, Pointed Foundation, Buffing and Contour plus a dual carrier and stand. The other three singular brushes are the Setting, Blush and Kabuki. The designs of the brushes add flavour to the other brushes in my collection which range from baby pink, grey and black.

Detailer: This I find is o.k. if you have little troubled areas you want to pin point to conceal or for the lips too, I already use a few lip brushes I like but to clean up any edges I will pick this up.

Pointed Foundation : The reason I like this brush is because it's smaller than other foundation brushes I own, it allows for more accurate applications. I use this for my under eye concealer as it always me more & quicker coverage than my other concealer brushes before blending it out.

Setting : Ah my setting brush, love this to set my under eyes, my nose, chin and above the lip. It's also another good one to highlight with also in those areas as it's smaller than the contour brush that I use on my cheeks to highlight sometimes.

Contour : I use my fan brush to contour, I always have, never given me any problems and it's one I will likely stay with that being said I have used this to contour. I like that it's tapered and smaller than the Kabuki to contour so you can be more precise within the hallows of your cheeks but what I have also use it for is highlighting.

Kabuki : Your 2-in-1 brush, the novelty part of this brush is that it opens up, you can use it closed to define your cheekbones and closed to apply blush to the apples of your cheeks. I think it's a handy brush to have on a night out perhaps but I'm not sure if it's 100% necessary like me if you have the contour & blush brush already, the kabuki isn't needed. It's a rainbow shaped brush once fanned out with it being quite thick in the middle, it's to heavy in the centre. I love to define cheekbones I don't have and I feel using this doesn't give me personally the control I like. I do prefer brushes that aren't as dense for contouring.

Buffing : This brush was recommended to me, unfortunately it cannot be purchased singly and is only available within the Core Collection kit. It's easier to applying foundation than the stippling brush by far (keep that for cream blushers), gives me a nice smooth coverage. I don't pack the foundation on, once I've mixed my shade in a palette I dip and build up to the desired coverage. I would recommend this if you like a more finished look to your foundation.

Blush: I don't use this for my blush a lot, it's a large tapered brush I use for my bronzer mostly. Depending how I'm applying my blush, if it's just on the apples, this isn't a brush I use, if I'm sweeping it upwards and I want to cover more area then yes. How it's tapered I feel once the bronzer is on the top of the brush I can guide it precisely for my bronzer.

Shedding : The only brush that has started to lose a few hairs is my first brush from the real Techniques collection, the stippling brush, I've lost a few out of them during a wash. Nothing to signal the brush will be bald next week but the others I've yet to experience shedding in 6 months but I'm still keeping an eye out.

Cleaning : The hand-cut synthetic taklon bristles I continue to clean all my brushes with the Dr. Bronners soap, gets them clean quickly enough, don't have to keep going over a brush, the feeling of the brush hairs haven't changed, the stippling brush feels a little clumpy & greased sometimes after a wash & yes all the soap is washed out, maybe I should try something else to wash the stippling brush.

Overall :
Honestly these are affordable brushes for anyone, being that for me, I've found these one of the softest I've used. Great grips, easy to clean. After 6 months they've really held there own and kept up the quality. 100% cruelty free. I keep them in the stand / travel case as it keeps them free from excess dust and once I've washed them I let them stand upside down to dry in the stand. When I tell people to start with these brushes if they want to have a start up kit without splashing the money they think I'm insane when I say the price for the brushes until I explain, break down the maths on some others. Really I should just go work in Boots!

Real Techniques fans, what are your favourite(s) from the range?

*ThESE ProductS was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own! AFTER A LONG 6 MONTHS!

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick

2013-05-09T10:40:00.000+01:00

In the coming days all we are going to be seeing is RiRi Woo from bloggers & yes I sold out!

I went and purchased RiRi Woo like the rest of the universe. Caved under the pressure and hype! Of course we all know that it's an inspired take on Ruby Woo and both are very similar. No fancy packaging but it's once you open and begin to screw your lipstick upwards you notice what is different.

My friends & if you've followed me for a while know I live for the hooker lips & prostitute red's. Reds for every mood lol.

This was taken at night under artificial lights

Taken in natural light

Retro matte RiRi Woo is a deep undertone red. The finish is matt, drier and it's quite stiff when applying the first few times but it's ever so pigmented and I love that! It's my now go to night time red. You have RiRi's signature etched on the actual lipstick. It does get drier as the day goes on I noticed when I wore this yesterday.

This will be released again in June, so if you didn't get one this time round, you have next month.

Did you snag yourself a RiRi Woo?

Glossybox 2nd Birthday Box

2013-05-07T18:17:00.000+01:00

My, oh, my. How time flies. Glossybox is in it's second year. On the 8^th May, Glossybox will be in Covent Garden, Kimberley Wyatt & Amber Atherton will be hosting Glossybox's second birthday. There will be Glossybox countdown clock, counting down the minutes until they hand out Glossyboxes to the public for 10 minutes! Catch them at 12:30, 13:45, 14:30, 16:30, 17:30 and 18:45 and you to can have a free birthday box.

So what is in this box*, if you've not yet seen or received your own, here we go.

Awapuhi Wild Ginger - Shine Spray £18.95 125ml

Animal testing free product -score. The scent of this isn't a harsh either, that's one thing that puts me off hairspray, the moment I start coughing my throat raw. I don't wear many hairstyles that require hairspray seeing as I'm wearing the hair wild & out.

Beautiful Movements Cosmetics - Prime & Create Mixing Medium £20 20g

Mixing medium, always a handy thing to have in anyone's personal / professional make-up kit. I'd like to see how this compares to the mixing mediums I already own.

Collection Fast Stroke Eyeliner £2.99 6ml

I always think of this brand as one of my first brands when diving into the world of make-up, I haven't used much Collection products in quite a while. Will put this to the test.

Headline Colors £9 10ml

I was happy to see the Headline Colors nail polish in there, I had a few polishes from when they were called Killer Colours, viewing the new S/S range Poolside Party was one I wanted to try and score, it's the one I got and has become a sure thang favourite. It dries quickly and nice and vibrant, I have two coats on ... really should of cleaned it up more..oops.

Jelly Pong Pong Fairy Lashes Mascara £15

It's always nice to see Jelly Pong Pong in Glossybox, so far I've liked each JPP product. It's water resistant and designed to make the lashes curlier and thicker&nbsp. : A combination of blue lake & black pigments helps to intensify the colour for a truly deep, black effect. Look out for my review on this soon!

Wait, is it me or are these all full sized products?

What did you get in your Glossybox?

Glossybox is £10 + £2.95 per month subscription.

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Brush

2013-05-01T22:20:00.000+01:00

There's the Clarisonic, Olay Professional Pro X Advanced, Philips VisaPure Facial Cleansing Brush and the one I'm reviewing today the N^o7 Cleansing Brush. The prices for these facial brushes range from £24 - £150!!

To me that's a varied price tag for something that is cleaning our face. Granted we are told that we should invest in our skin and I do believe we should do so, within our means. I decided to try the N^o7 brush because I've heard about brushes giving some people that purging I've read a few articles that that some skin specialists say purging is a myth while I've read another that gives a truth & facts knowing the difference between your skin purging or having negative reactions. I think as you work with your skin and find products you find work for you, you begin to know the difference in your skin, something I've discovered quite a lot as of late.

I started using new products on the market that were aimed at acne, I suffer from mild outbreaks and when I broke out using these products, I broke out so bad, spots underneath the skin, so sore - I've never encountered spots like it before. I knew it wasn't working for me. Immediately I thought back to my skincare routine of last year, my skin was in such a better state last year so I went back to my skin wash routine but instead of using my Body Shop facial brush I introduced a electric brush.

The Product

Once purchased you receive 2x AA batteries and a brush head already attached to the unit.
The brush head works by rotating. Replacement heads are £8.00 for two in a pack, recommended to be changed every 3-4 months, I think it's great that you get two units in the packet meaning you purchase less yearly. I would judge mine by the third month on the bristles but will probably purchase a new packet in my third month for hygienic purposes.

This has two speeds, you can see the rubber button above the battery insert, this has two speeds. Pressing once you get a speed that will give you a gentle clean, press it twice for a more deeper cleanse, press once more to switch it off. Don't press too hard onto your skin, I did read it will automatically switch off if the pressure is too harsh, so that is a good thing. I've yet to experience that may try it on my arm to see if it's true.

Normally I'm so against things that run on batteries as I just hate purchasing batteries but I see that it's great to take away anywhere...let's say camping lol due to the fact it's battery powered. It has a little latch that's easy to push aside and open.

It doesn't say if this is water resistant or waterproof but I will guess it is water resistant due to it being battery operated, so I wouldn't suggest taking this into the shower or accidentally dropping it in your bath. I may see a problem with it being battery operated that with the repetitive of opening the latch the seal may start to wear, like anything you have with batteries but I don't see that if so occurring for quite a while.

Overall Thoughts

I use this for roughly under a minute with my Manuka Doctor Bee Venom Foam Cleanser (you can read my review here) & I always wear a hairband because of my hairline I would hate to feel my hair catch while this is rotating. There has been no purging, the only break-outs I got were hormonal, Within the first few days of using this my skin was a lot more drier, I suffer from combination skin and managing to control the oil more beforehand, the skin dried out. I reduced use from every other day to 3x a week for under a minute. Being I don't wear make-up daily but when I do, I especially like to use this to bring up anything extra that's lurking.

There's a few things I would change personally, but then I could see the cost wouldn't be the same, I'd love a timer, I could see some getting carried away and brushing every layer off. I would say an on - off button but it's quite handy having the one button during use, a stand, I would say for it to be able to use batteries & a charger and maybe different types of brushes .... umm yeah but for the most part, I'm super happy with this purchase. Definitely a thumbs up from me.

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Brush £24.95
Purchase online or in-store

Do you use an electric cleansing brush? What are your thoughts on them?

Bath-time Quick Relaxation Products!

2013-04-30T12:00:00.000+01:00

I haven't been well since last Thursday, I suffer from bad migraines, my entire weekend and life went down hill and I'm currently on sick bed day 5 but needing to keep active, I've got shades, eye masks, cool compresses, water and my bed, just to keep going I'm in dark rooms, dimmed screens and trying not to move cos that's when everything wants to set off. So last night I thought let me take a relaxing bath and go back to bed and hopefully have a good nights sleep. The bath was relaxing...the after effects, umm not so much.

I opted for only a couple of products cos I had no patience to be messing about in the bathroom, staple products, quick relaxation, no fuss, no mess. Back to bed!

After reading my darling Halima - Fashionicide's post on The Lazy Girls Guide to Moisturising Your Body I wanted to try these two N⁰7 products, I too can be a lazy bum when it comes to creaming my skin, there's just too much of it imo I've spent all this time relaxing and now I'm working up a sweat creaming my skin! I've tried a few dry oils and there great for shine but moisturising, they haven't 100% been.

N⁰7 Luxurious Foaming Shower Oil £9.95 this oil is thick, to touch in what you might experience with oil being very runny. It almost reminds me of jelly? Not that thick but to touch using my hands, I know it's different. Once put on a bath lily and onto the skin you get a generous lather don't expect too much but it's enough for me to be satisfied. The skin doesn't feel like it's being stripped or robbed of anything. It's packed with grapeseed & argan oils.

The N⁰7 Pampering Dry Skin Oil Body Spray £9.50 - amazeballs. Once it's sprayed on, you get a light scent nothing overbearing & while my skin is damp I start to spray ( danger! be careful when spraying as you do not want to slip on an oil slick ) it begins to soak into my skin quickly but I do rub some spots in making sure those elbows and kneecaps get a good rub! Slip on my clothes let the skin dry while the oil seeps in and moisturisers. Even the touch of this oil on the skin feels better than ones before.

This NEOM Tranquillity Organic Bath & Shower Oil* is actually from a box set but NEOM do sell these full sized for £32.00 100ml with English Lavender, Sweet Basil & Jasmine, I decided to put a cap full in my water. Lavender is one scent that generally gives me a headache but when I opened it, the Lavender scent wasn't that strong, I put it in the running water and the infusions bursts out, thinking I've ruined my bath and getting aggravated I left the bathroom, upon returning the scent had become mild and with my TU Orchid & Sweet Coconut Tealights burning it made for a relaxing environment.

Time for a quick relaxation, what would be your staple products?

Xen-Tan Luminous Gold Gel

2013-04-29T13:34:00.000+01:00

You would think after the Tans for Women of Colour project, I'd be all tanned out but no. This dull weather that lingered has just been gloomy, appearing even on the skin, think we all want a nice boost to the complexion then and now. Whenever I want glow, I channel my inner Jennifer Lopez, she's the Queen of glow to me. So I've been testing out the award winning Xen-Tan Luminous Gold Gel!*

About Luminous Gold Gel
This is Xen-Tan's Magic Tan, yup, Magic Tan! Apply the clear gel and leave to develop for 3 hours to reveal a luscious deep golden tan. The skin will also appear dewy thanks to the gentle iridescent sparkles. The say this is there quickest drying, longest lasting tan. Let me put this all to the test!

The Product

A tan with a difference for me, a clear gel that has loads of gold shimmer inside. Paraben-free, so for all those who dislike parabens, thou shall not fear!

Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluonate, Dihydroxyacetone, Fragrance, PEG-40 Castor Oil, SD Alcohol 40, Mica Titanium Dioxide, Ircon Oxides, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid.

Ease of Application
I used their mitt and a plastic glove under the mitt. They do say you can use just your hands and once finished wash your hands with warm water and soap for 1-2 minutes.
As it goes on clear there's not much indication where your applying it, besides the odd flecks of gold shimmer sweeping over the legs. It's easy to blend over the legs, I prefer gel to mousse application to be honest but I did feel that sticky feeling a little when it started to dry, reminded me of gel on the face. They suggest still wear dark clothing while tanning & wait 3 hours before any water contact.

Smell
The smell, I LOVE THE SMELL! Yup, I love it, when I first squeezed it out I was expecting that typical stench. There's a sweet scent to it, even during application. I can't say that once it was drying I smelt anything, blame the oil burner and candles around me. Xen-Tan call it a tropical smell, smelling it again reminds me of the Hawaiian Tropic Aftersun!

Development Time

It says within 3 hours you will develop a dark complexion, I took ill after this application and just had to get into bed but I did get up and notice my legs were a little darker but the next day as you can see in the after picture there was a deeper colour. The knee caps were a little red but once you shower/bath and rub those legs clean, I was left with a nice more healthier brown glow to my legs.

Overall Thoughts
This tan lasted me about 5 days with regular exfoliating, started to fade nicely for me. With the smell being welcoming and the fact that it develops quick, giving you a chance to apply and still shower before a night out it's convenient for those wanting a quick tan for the night. As I said I prefer this gel to mousse it's less messy.

I've currently got my beady eyes on their Xen-Tan Moroccan Tan!

Purchase from Xen-Tan
Price £24.99

Are you a fake tanista? Have you tried this award winning tan gel?
*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

Beauteco Box - A Box With A Difference

2013-04-26T11:07:00.002+01:00

Don't groan, I know what you are thinking, 'Another beauty box!?' but I agreed to show you Beauteco Box* because just like the majority I know beauty boxes can end up looking recycled and your upset with what you get. So what if you have a box that gives you just what YOU want?

Beauteco Box comes with three menus monthly, each menu has 5 products on them. I did notice that across the three menus most of the products were the same but would always have a few different products. This way the customer gets what they want and know that they are going to receive it. Leaving you less disappointed.

Beauteco Box will include 1 or 2 star products and 3 or 4 trial size samples. There will be limited monthly supplies, so once they are gone, it's gone forever!! The box that it's packaged in, is the box itself unlike other boxes that have boxes inside of boxes or little drawstring bags. Beauteco has a 100% recyclable box that uses as little of material as possible while avoiding high carbon materials.

~Menu~

1. Anatomicals Body scrub RRP £3.49 / 200ml

Infused with fresh and invigorating melon and mint extracts. This clever deep cleanser will

leave skin fabulously fragranced throughout the day.

www.anatomicals.net

2. Anatomicals Hand cream

RRP £3 / 100ml

Anatomicals mouturising hand cream will leave your hands feeling super soft. Contains sweet almond oil and vitamin E.

www.anatomicals.net

3. Mitchell & Peach Body Cream RRP £36 / 180ml

This indulgent body cream, containing honey, organic cocoa and Vitamin B5, rubs in easily, without stickiness.

www.mitchellandpeach.com

4. Dr Bragi Age management moisturiser RRP £120 / 60ml

Dr Bragi’s versatile facial moisturiser helps to reduce the signs of ageing by fighting the effects of environmental stress, preventing the breakdown of collagen and supporting optimal cell function.

www.drbragi.com

5. Melvita Cleansing Oil Rose RRP £27 / 40ml

Melvita’s rich, creamy cleanser effectively removes make-‐up and impurities with ultra-‐ gentle action whilst preventing dryness. It has a delicious fresh floral scent with delicate hints of honey.

uk.melvita.com

It's a lot easier choosing what you want. Products you know that you'll use and hopefully benefit from. I like the fact the boxes are eco-friendly, you feel that you are doing your part. This is definitely a box I myself would purchase as it isn't much of a gamble.

If you are interested in trying to win a box before they launch until April 30th you can try your luck

• Via Facebook at facebook.com/beautecobox
• Via Twitter at twitter.com/beautecobox
• Via the website at beautecobox.co.uk

Launching May 3rd 2013

Visit Beauteco Box website to find out more and subscribe.
£10.00 + £2.95 p&p per month
Pre-paid subscription plans include 3 months (£27 + P&P, save £3),
6 Months (£48 + P&P, save £12) and 12 Months (£90 + P&P, save £30)

Beauteco Box more up your street? Share your views on beauty boxes with me below!

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

Decléor Hydra Floral Multi-Protection BB Cream

2013-04-23T12:45:00.000+01:00

With the beauty world discovering CC creams, BB creams are still at the forefront & capturing the market. Decléor is one that has just launched a new BB Cream, 24hr Moisture Activator has been put into Decléor's Hyrda Floral Multi-Protection skincare range. Having only used the Aroma Cleanse eye make-up remover which I adore, I think was having a rough skin time due to a product I was using and wanting to hide away in my bell tower, I decided well isn't this the best time to try this out.

Decléor claim it is a 5-in-1 multi-action cream:

Provides 24 hour moisturisation
Brightens and evens out the complexion
Refines the skin's texture and corrects imperfections
Protects the skin from UVA/UVB (SPF 15)
Protects the skin from pollution

So how did I find the beauty professionals 'Secret Weapon'? Firstly it only comes in one shade, the claim is, it's meant to adapt to every skintone. Reminds me of The Body Shop BB Cream which also does this, that one is a grey shade with beads in whereas this one is just a light brown smooth cream. It smells floral, which I'm guessing is what the Hydra Floral collection scent. Below I will show you in daylight how it looks on my hand. I'm a bit darker on my hand than on my face so it gives you an idea of how the shade adapts. There's a smooth coverage, it's even and light. The texture itself is easy to blend. I use my hands to apply it on my face.

I was listening to an 80s mixtape and this happened but of course this is a look I would normally do with foundation. With a lot happening with the blush and eyes, I'd want a base that can withhold all of that. Shockingly I liked the BB cream on with this look but with dark spots it can make them look a little ashy. It's definitely a nice one for the Summer, a little costly for a BB cream at £29 but even with the sample tube I had I noticed you don't need to use a lot.

Available exclusively on QVC throughout April 2012, goes nationwide May 1^st on www.decleor.co.uk, Decléor spas, salons and selected department stores.
£29.00, 40ml

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

Earth Day Collaboration Post

2013-04-22T10:46:00.001+01:00

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

With so many ingredients in products these days that are not beneficial and can cause our skin to misbehave more and more people are turning down the natural / organic path. I enjoy more things that are this way because I find my skin is at it's best with products that aren't full of ingredients, I know quicker what I'm not benefiting from too. It can be a costly path but for me it's a happier path.

In preparation for Earth day I decided on a collaboration posts with a few other bloggers who enjoy products that are friendly to the Earth, being that they are either natural, organic, animal friendly or vegetarian/vegan suitable. Sarirah from Pretty Not Included (she gave me the idea of this in the first place with a comment she left on my blog a few months ago)and Yolanda from Pink and Leopard Prints. You should notice posts from all of us sharing brands that are either budget friendly, luxury, brands we have tried or yet to try.

Let's just celebrate a week of being GREEN!

The London Oil Company
Against animal testing and located within the UK no harsh chemicals, alcohol or parabens or any preservatives. Their products range from body oils to help you sleep, kick start your day and even oils for those of you glowing expectant mothers. Quite another pricey brand that I haven't yet tried, samples are available from £3.00. I must say their Sweet Cheeks and Sleepy Head Bath Oil captured me, I don't even do Lavender but I would like to see how well this relaxes me.

Pure Lochside

Pure Lochside is a Scottish spa brand, free from parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, petrochemicals, silicones, PEGS, propylene glycol, TEA, DEA and phthalates and also against animal testing. Pure Lochside can be pricey with some of their products. I have used products from this company before, their Organic Orange Cleansing Oil. I'd like to try their Cleanse and Refresh kit next. You can purchase online purelochside.com or visit one of their two spas to get the full Pure Lochside experience.

Good Things Miracle Mattifier Moisturiser

I've used this moisturiser for a couple of years now, it's main purpose is to keep the skin's oil under control to stop breakouts during the day. I enjoy the whole Good Things brand on a whole. It's affordable and smells good. I always have to have this mattifier in the house as I always tend to refer back to it. With Goji berries as an ingredient it's an antioxidant which helps against free radicals.

Emani

Emani is an American cosmetics brand that are formulated and manufactured within the US. Vegan and natural products, a company who doesn't test on animals. Their website has a entire list of ingredients used in their products. Free from parabens, mineral oils, petroleum, talc, gluten and filers and more. I'd like to see how this somewhat compares to Inika, how pigmented this is and how well it holds up.

There's a few websites that sell Emani here & here.

U Little Beauty

Australian skincare brand, I had this in my possession last year for a giveaway. Their a brand that are against animal testing, vegan recyclable and 100% Australian made. Vitamin C is that vitamin that is making it's rounds and is beneficial to the skin. You won't find parabens, artifical colouring, fragrance or Petrochemicals within this skincare range. U Little Beauty is available within the UK here and here. The serum I had, is definitely one I would try.

With all products it's important to research ingredients, I always prefer when ingredients are listed especially online because you can just copy and search and do the research yourself and see if these products are for you. There's always going to be a debate with certain ingredients if they are good or bad. Don't forget to visit the other girls blogs and hopefully at some point during Earth Day or Green Week their posts will pop up :)

Tell me what's your favourite 'Earth Day' product or brand that you love?

Yogi Mid Size Straighteners

2013-04-15T11:00:00.000+01:00

With my hair just starting to grow out, I like to do length checks even though I'm completely cutting back on heat until my next haircut so testing out the Yogi Mid Size Straighteners* was new for me in the retrospect I've never used a slim plated iron. Designed to get close to the roots, I find having these a huge convenience, if like me you have baby hair using normal straighteners don't cut it. I've spent years during my straightening days being burnt within a inch of my skin.

Deep purple in colour, vibrant and smooth to touch. DON'T be like me, use a heat mat if you have one cos I burnt my new table, it stained purple and yellow burn mark, spent that morning scrubbing. The only problem is if you look at the immediate image above it only has an on - off switch, there is no temperature dial. This will reach 200°C whether you like it or not, I prefer not to use this all over as I would like to keep the heat down, but once it's on and starts to heat up as I am only catching the shorter hairs it's perfect as it hopefully doesn't as much damage compared to if I used it all over.

The tourmaline and ceramic plates, release negative ions that eliminate frizz, they've also made the iron longer than other mini irons on the market so they are not so fiddly to hold, they want the iron to fit comfortably into your hand so there's still a good grip it measures 22 cm long. Besides not being able to control the temperature settings, which I do feel is a let down it's a nice handy straightener that cannot go wrong for those with short hair or do have quite a bit of baby hair.

I actually have a short wig my mum gave me to do dress up in :) cos you know girl needs to play dress up at any stage of her life, I should definitely see how these style that.....Hmm an idea.

Purchase online from Yogi Hair Wand RRP £29.95

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

Sleek MakeUP Lip4 Lipstick Palette

2013-04-14T21:22:00.004+01:00

Hey, hey, hey my make-upistas!
A super lipstick quad giving you all your lipstick needs this year? Um yeah that's what's happening. Sleek MakeUP are releasing next month Lip⁴ Mmmhmm smack it four times! I have tow of the 6 that are available with one being an limited edition palette, you don't need to fret that you need to run out and collect them all like Pokémon.

About Lip⁴

The quads are made up of 3 finishes, matte, gloss and satin. Each with it's own mini lip brush and mirror, it's perfect to pop into your handbag and go. It's a bigger size than their brow kit to give you an idea of dimension. Palettes that are available have names such as, 'Show Girl', 'Siren', 'Ballet', 'Havana', 'Tease' & 'Mardi Gras'. Mardi Gras is your only limited edition palette, while Havana will only be available online at www.sleekmakeup.com and the other 4 you can get in your local Superdrug stores & online.

Ballet* & Mardi Gras* {limited edition}

Today I share with you Ballet, perfect for you nude loving babes & Mardi Gras for those who aren't afraid of bold and fun colours!

Ballet Plié is a glossy peachy pink toned nude, Tutu is a satin finish more of a red brown, Pirouette a matte soft brown and Swan Lake, satin pink nude while Mardi Gras has Carnival an ultra bright purple satin finish, Rio is a deep pink, still bright with a glossy finish, Masquerade is a matte coral red and Firework a pink gloss.

The Mardi Gras palette stained my lips after removing the lipstick for a while. Looked like I had tinted lips. The satin finishes I'm not a fan off, the matte isn't as drying as I had anticipated but you can tell the gloss, is exactly that glossy and vibrant. I'm of course yet to wear these out to see how long they last but plenty of time to do so.

Available from 10^th May from Superdrug & online. Mardi Gras is limited edition while Havana is an online exclusive.
Price £8.99 each

Lip⁴ a nice addition to the Sleek MakeUP family or too much new releases to keep up?

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

Greek Yoghurt & Honey Face Mask

2013-04-13T22:25:00.001+01:00

Face masks, I haven't treated myself to one in such a while so where better to start than in the kitchen, welcome back the kitchenista. I was using a new product to review and it didn't react well with my skin - at all. Needing a face mask that can help get my skin to a good point, Greek yogurt and honey face mask to the rescue.

Greek Yogurt is good for the skin it's full of protein which helps wrinkles by making the skin firmer. It can help calm dry, irritated or sensitive skin. Honey is fantastic for acne, it's a good antiseptic and can help the redness of your spots.

They suggest Manuka Honey which can be expensive. I just used Sainsbury's own brand of honey and greek yogurt, I mixed equal parts of each and I used about 2 tablespoons which proved too much. Using a brush to apply it onto the skin and left it on for 20 minutes and washed off with warm water. You can feel it getting tighter when it dries thanks to the honey and if your like me and need to feel or/& see the affects of a face mask then the honey addition is perfect. Helped calm my skin :)

Do you have a favourite go to face mask?

Pearl Lowe x Glossybox

2013-04-13T16:37:00.000+01:00

Upon opening this months Glossybox* I was taken aback by the box itself, it's beautiful. I love the peach toned, black & white flowered covered design. All I kept saying was 'What a gorgeous box!' but albeit you are not paying for the box, well maybe you are but it's the contents that matter. Did the April box live up to the outer appearance?

*HOORAY*

A box to love, with April being my birthday month, I look at it as my birthday box - oh the sad life I lead. At first glance these products look like I would use, enjoy and possibly purchase. So let's dig deeper!

Richard Ward Couture Hair Optimiser Style Reviver
One this smells from in the bottle reminds me of something at first I thought Bacardi Rum but then after a few more smells it didn't and now it's still unidentified. This Wheat Protein and Kukui Oil spray is designed to counteract frizz and increase shine whilst giving you volume without residue or stickiness.
Full Size 150ml £19 {in the box 50ml}

balance Me Radiance Face Mask
A triple action mask that deeply cleanses, exfoliates and brightens the skin. With kaolin clay, skin brightening fruit acid complex, ground walnut shells and a bespoke blend of calming essentials oils - rosemary and palma rose. I've heard good things about balance Me, a brand I've been wanting to try. This one I will be trying over the week and giving a review on.
Full Size 75ml £18 {in the box 15ml}

Yves Rocher France Nutritive Vegetal 24H Comfort Nourishing Cream
Great for those with dry skin, able to nourish skin for 24hours, skin is nourished more times at night up to 5 times more. This helps to transform your dry skin into something that is soft and comfortable.
Full Size 50ml £13.50 {in the box 15ml}

Nip & Fab Dry Skin Fix Body Butter in Mango
Smells good enough to eat. Smooth and absorbs well into the skin, once again another brand & product that's been on my wishlist but with me being such a product junkie it would be unfortunate to purchase it and store so it's lovely to have a mini sized tub to get try and use up quicker.
Full Size 200ml £9.95 {in the box 50ml}

Essie Nail Polish in Sugar Daddy
A sheer pink shade, would be good to team up with white tips if you are a fan of french nails. I needed two layers when I tried it out cos the one layer made it look like it was just a tinted clear polish.
Full Size 13.5ml £7.99 {in the box 13.5ml}

Really enjoyed and liked this Glossybox, what did you get in your box?

Pearl Lowe for GlossyBox. Interested sign up here GlossyBox for £10.95 + p&p

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

Manicure Monday : Essie Fear or Desire

2013-04-08T09:47:00.000+01:00

Essie Fear or Desire

With the weather not being able to make up it's mind whether it wants to be sunny, raining or even snowing during April. I wanted something bright & summer minded. Going for Essie Fear or Desire this week for my nails to feel unlike the weather, bright and cheerful.

Purchase online at BeautyBay.com for £7.82

What are you rockin' on your nails this week?

Sleek MakeUP Showstoppers I-Divine Palette

2013-04-05T20:21:00.000+01:00

Sleek MakeUP Showstoppers I-Divine £7.99 Online Exclusive*

This new online exclusive features twelve of Sleek's legendary eye shadow shades, singled out from Sleek MakeUP's renowned I-Divine palettes. Paraguya, Sunset, Bad Girl, Me, Myself & I, Graphite, Noir, Ultra Matte V2, Oh So Special, Bohemian, Storm, Sparkle & Au Naturel. Seeing as we've mostly all seen these shades before, once I had swatches these I also decided to swatch the colours from the original palettes. The texture of the shades have changed over the last year, I did prefer how the shadows were before with the wafer pattern, the shadows seemed more pigmented, they cracked more granted but they seem to pack on more colour. Going ahead and comparing them was interesting.

Within this palette you have five matte shades, six shimmer and the one party-perfect sparkle shade!

Paraguya (Sandstone) Sunset (Bottom row, first shade) Bad Girl (Innocence) Me, Myself & I (Primal Green) Graphite (Gumetal) Noir (taken from Storm palette)

Ultra Mattes V2 (Thunder) Oh So Special (Ribbon) Bohemian (Navy Blue) Storm (Top Row, Second Shade) Sparkle (Festive) Au Naturel (Mineral Earth)

I used the same base on all shades and I was quite surprised with the different texture and colour change with the majority of them. The shade from the Sunset palette, Innocence, Primal Green, Mineral Earth & Storm are all about spot on. Mineral Earth looks a little off but it's near enough. Ribbon from Oh So Special looks more pink in person.

I wonder how they came up with the colours to put into this new palette, maybe their was a Facebook vote? There's a few shades in here that I've frequently used such as Sandstone, Ribbon, Primal Green, Mineral Earth, Sunset & Storm.

Was this palette necessary? Probably not. It's handy to have all these within one palette if you like all the shades, you don't need to lug around multiple palettes. Plus most these colours go well together.

Interested? Share your thoughts below with me (:

Available from 10^th April 2013
Showstoppers is an online exclusive available on Sleekmakeup.com only! From £7.99

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

Rococo Nail Apparel - Springtime in Paris Collection

2013-04-04T11:00:00.000+01:00

Rococo Babette & Amelie 14ml £12.00 each*

French Chic For Spring

Forever envious of the natives across

the pond, the French je ne sai quoi is the

epitome of timeless style. Effortlessly

groomed, classic, yet edgy, it’s these

Parisian ground rules that helped to

inspire Rococo’s New Paris Collection

that revisits four French Classics.

About the brand

Widely used at London Fashion Week, on celebrity clients and music videos, Rocco's collections remain ahead of trend, inspiring seasons. The polishes themselves are formulated carefully to ensure a quicker-drying, longer lasting finish. These polishes are without DBP, toluene and formaldehyde. Rococo have a selection of colours and are high-pigmented. Not forgetting their luxury nail lacquer ' Gold Leaf ' at a hefty £35 price tag, it's luxury nails at it's best.

Amélie
Celestial ballerina pink with a certain je ne sais quoi

The colour in the bottle looks very pale, bordering a washed out lilac. The first layer is very sheer and a little streaky. The second coat was a lot better with coverage. A dainty shade that's great for those who like pinks and nail colours that don't shock.

Babette
Shimmering apricot that's sassy and chic.

I like this shade, apricot shade that does shimmer but it didn't pick up on camera but you can see it in the bottle. This needed two coats also, they are all opaque with the first coat and the second one gives a nice coverage. Apricot is a nice alternative to pink in my eyes, still get that softness, I love apricot tones on various skin tones.

The shades lasted about 3 days without chipping, with my hands always submerged in water, in a hutch, in bags all day it's a given that nail polish just doesn't last. I like the shades that Rococo has to offer and they do dry quite quickly but not so dry that I can be wreckless.

Available at SpaceNK
Price £12 each

What's your opinion on these shades, have you tried Rococo?

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

AmazeMitt

2013-04-03T12:49:00.000+01:00

Amazemitt £5

A mitt that can take make-up off with no product, just water?

When I first heard about the Amazemitt, I thought to myself how much could I save not buying make-up remover? Granted I don't wear make-up on a daily basis but we all want something that's effective and quick. So I purchased the Amazemitt a few months ago. It comes in a little organza bag, with a use & care instruction card.

How to use the Amazemitt :

Moisten with warm or hot water and clean your face and neck by applying slight pressure. Do not use any face cleansers or lotions. After use, wash your Amazemitt with hand soap and leave to dry.

I remember when I first started blogging and I started breaking out *oh the woes*, I was recommended microfibre towels, I remember seeing microfibre towels for cleaning around the house. While I could tell the difference than then normal flannels it wasn't long until I moved onto Muslin cloths and left microfibre in the dust. There's no surprise that the AmazeMitt is made out of microfibre.

About the product:

You have to be ever so gentle with microfibre cloths, the synthetic material is a good exfoliator and used too hard could cause irritation and that's the last thing you want. My experience with AmazeMitt was hit and miss, if you are wearing anything waterproof such as mascara or eyeliner I would recommend that you take it off using your normal eye make-up remover. As when I first used it, while wearing waterproof mascara, it was such a hassle to take off.

The mitten reminds me of something I would put on a baby. I thought how on earth is this going to fit on my hand. Course it does fit, I'd like it if it was more bigger just because I'd feel it was more secure on my hand.

Overall Thoughts:

While in use I did need to go over my face a few times to feel like I was working some of the make-up off but in the end I had to use my LUSH Ultrabland cleanser & muslin cloth to really make sure I had got rid of any residue. I need to feel there's more than water taking my make-up off, like the mitt is another step that isn't needed. Seeing as a cleanser can take it off quicker.

Purchase Amazemitt from either eBay or the online shop
Price £5

Heard of the Amazemitt? What's your take on microfibre cloths?

Sai - Sei Green Tea Purify Soap

2013-04-02T20:43:00.002+01:00

Green Tea Purify Soap 100g £15*

Bathing is my favourite time, bubbles, water softened up, steam and candles. The one thing that can be the trickiest is the feel of bath-time products, a lot of them can try out my skin so I do stray from various brands and ingredients. As soon as I hear the word soap, I don't bother me & soap aren't friends. When I was offered to try Sai-Sei, I did a little research and was intrigued to try this is one of two products.

Sai-Sei meaning rebirth and renewal honours the principals and rituals of the Japanese onsen hot springs whose healing waters are used to cleanse, restore and reinvigorate the mind, body and spirit.

Active Ingredients:

Green Tea - highly regarded in Japan for its anti-oxidant properties.

Shea Butter - super hydrating

Glycerine - vegetable derived moisturiser.

It comes with a net, that you can use with the soap. Using the net to exfoliate is gentle on the skin enough to use daily. The soap has a gentle, steady lather while the fragrance is not overwhelming but soft so don't be surprised if there is no big smell you want to linger. The big thing for me is once I've washed the suds away, the aftermath of my skin. With soaps I can find the skin is sucked out of moisture, with this I still feel that but not as much, it's not high in moisture for me, unfortunately. With the Shea butter, I hoped there would of been more moisturising for my skin. I don't get dry skin but when I use something in my bath, I'd like to feel more moisture. Due to the ingredients, it's good for those with sensitive skin in my opinion. I'm still using this soap daily, it's handy to have a good soap that can exfoliate safely.

£15 for a soap may be a steep price for some to pay. With products like this we have to take into account the the ingredients and what they are offering.

Does not contain parabens, sulphates, glycols, mineral oil, petrolatum, PEG, DEA, TEA, Silicones, Phthalates.

Purchase Sai - Sei products from Space NK
Price £15.00

Have you ever tried anything from Sai - Sei?

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

NEOM Invigorate Reed Diffuser

2013-04-01T23:32:00.000+01:00

Invigorate: Organic Reed Diffuser. Grapefruit, Bergamot & Lime £35*

Being that my bedroom is my room for everything, tranquillity is key. Scents play a huge part in that too, anything that helps to calm my anxiety is needed, that's why I always feel I need a diffuser and/or candles. I keep diffusers on my chest of drawers next to my bed, having the smell nearer to me helps me during the night to have something calming. After reviewing the NEOM Contentment candle last month I chose to go ahead and review a reed diffuser from them, choosing the Invigorate Organic Reed Diffuser. I adore citrus scents it's calming as opposed to Lavender which doesn't calm me, has this opposite affect on me and makes me nauseas so being around familiar, likeable scents make me happy.

Treatment:
An uplifting and zesty scent that promotes positive thoughts and a strengthened spirit. Bergamot's antiseptic and healing properties, blended with mood-boosting Grapefruit, makes for an altogether more confident you.

Ingredients:
Organic Alcohol, Fractionated Coconut Oil, Fragrance Blend (Pure Essential Oils of Grapefruit, Bergamot & Lime).

Did you know?

Bergamot oil is sometimes inhaled (used as aromatherapy) to reduce anxiety during radiation treatment.

Product:
It comes in a glass bottle with a stopper but there's something about the frosty glass of the bottle that I love the most, the whole essence of the sticks, the wooden sticks gives it that natural feel. As if I made it myself. It says to give it 48 hours to allow the fragrance to diffuse but by the next morning, when I left my room and returned, I could smell it, less than 24 hours later. Roughly every 4 days I invert the sticks to get the best results. The scent has been complimented by visitors ( not sure how I should take that, never got no compliments before ) & I too think I made a wise pick.

I'm so happy that I got a few tweets in regards to my other NEOM post and had influenced a few of you to try the brand, I do hope you ladies have been happy with your purchases. They are definitely a luxury as the tag line of their brand says 'Luxury Organics' the price may be steep for what you see but these are luxuries and to me, I will purchase once it's finished for health reasons. The smell really does help me, might be a mind over matter but if it works, who cares!

80% Certified Organic Ingredients // 20% Natural Ingredients // 100% Pure Essential Oils.

No Petrochemicals, SLS, Parabens, PEGs, Silicone or Animal Products.

Suitable for Vegetarians & Not Tested On Animals

So now tell me, how do you feel about diffusers? Love 'em, hate 'em?

Purchase : NEOM Organics official website
Price: £35.00

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

Red or Dead Release Me EDT

2013-03-29T19:49:00.001Z

Red or Dead Release Me 50ml £16.67*

The first thing that captures my eye with the ROD Release Me spray is the cage bottle, it's beautiful and sits on a vanity perfectly and the accent handle gives it a bird cage effect, I'm in love with the bottle, it's the simple things right? Of course the smell is what will either make or break it after getting past the packaging. This pink coloured scent has fruity, floral but musky notes.

Top notes of rose and plum
Heart notes of jasmine and orange blossom
base notes of tuberose, coconut and cedar wood

The first spray you can smell the musky note this perfume offers, I'm not keen on musky scents but it starts to fade to allow the top notes come through, I can definitely identify scents, it's like being a perfume connoisseur, spraying on card and trying to identify what comes out the most and of course it helps more when you know them away from the mixture.

For my own preference I would wear it during the evening as it's heavier than what I would wear for the daytime. Perfect for the Spring/Summer evenings, oh what Spring at the moment.

Are you lining up your S/S scents?

Purchase Red or Dead EDT spray from HOF currently on sale
Price : £16.67

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

Organic Surge Million Dollar Brown Sugar Body Polish

2013-03-28T07:41:00.000Z

Organic Surge Million Dollar Brown Sugar Body Polish 400g - £32.00

During Winter, it's so touch and go body wise. I hate being hairy but once I let that growth, grow, it then becomes a chore to start to bother - oh the image. Then again nothing beats, silky soft skin that looks as if you just left the womb. A good body polish is ideal, especially during these winter months I feel the skin needs a lot more attention.

About the company

Organic Surge is that perfect company, they say they are organic and stand by the belief that they are friendly to animals in everyway, the environment, vegetarians/vegans and leave out nasty ingredients that a lot of us don't like:

They Hate

-Parabens, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate
-Synthetic perfume, artificial colorants
-Chemical antioxidants mineral oils, propylene glycol
-Aggressive foaming agents

They Love

-Rich in pure plant extracts and organic essential oils
-Certified organic essential oils
-Cruelty free; no animal derived ingredients in development or manufacturing
-Kinder to your skin and the environment

Product:

Organic brown sugar crystals help polish away dry or dead skin cells, while the organic & natural oils lock in moisture. I've had some polishes in the past minus oils and sometimes my skin has been left feeling that no matter the amount of lotion afterwards, I've still managed to dry my skin out more.

Ingredients:

Sucrose, Sucrose*, Helianthus Annus*, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis*, Simmondsia Chinensis*, Vitis Vinifera, Punica Grantum, Tocopherol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis, Vitis Vinifera*, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia*, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis*, Limonene, Linalool.
*ingredient from organic farming. Naturally occurring within essential oils.

Smell:

Open opening this, you can already tell there's no perfume involved, it smells like outdoors. It's relaxing and not overwhelming, leaving the experience during polishing, more enjoyable. Knowing that it's not harmful makes me want to indulge more.

Purchase from the official site Organic Surge
Price £32.00

During this cold weather, what scrub has kept your skin feeling good?

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

Toni & Guy Infusion Straightener

2013-03-27T09:00:00.000Z

Toni & Guy Infusion Straightener Normal RRP £79.99 Currently £39.99

Since November I've been 'Curly Sue', I've enjoyed, yes, enjoyed getting my hair back to a curly thicker state. I think part of that has been not using heat on my hair frequently and of course no straightening or colouring *screams* It's been hard but it has been for the better. I did want to see though when I was contacted to review electrical tools how my hair would look, react and length check. I decided to review the Toni & Guy Infusion straightener.

Product Blurb:

The ONLY straightener to Infuse a treatment in to the hair*, a Unique Conditioning Treatment Reservoir delivers the TONI&GUY Heat Protection Mist straight to the hair as you straighten. Leaving the hair silky smooth and heat protected.

Designed to protect your hair & colour with the Ceramic Tourmaline plates, its unique Colour Lock Technology is developed to enhance shine, smooth hair follicles and lock in colour as you style.
This Infusion Straightener heats up in seconds with variable digital temperature controls and a maximum temperature of 230C.

The 32mm ceramic tourmaline floating plates glide through the hair TONI&GUY Salon Tested Professional Performance guaranteed, with a 3m salon length cord for ultimate styling freedom and 2 year warranty. For your safety this Straightener will auto shut off after 60seconds, if you forget to turn it off because you are strutting down the Catwalk.

The Product:

The side panel of the bottom plate you have your steam on / off - temperature dial - on light - on / off button. I have noticed on the few occasions of use that I have changed the temperature higher, I didn't find that good. As I have been using this at a certain heat setting.

The protect spray comes from the top plate, there is a switch to indicate if you want the spray to be in use or not but I do find you have hold it closed quite tight to get the spray to activate which can be a pain channelling my inner Arnold Schwarzenegger. You can here once it's released as you can hear the slight noise.

On the top you will find your product reservoir, the slide release and near the end the lock to keep your straighteners closed once not in use. With my nails being a little longer it's a little pain with the release, to get the reservoir back on, not sure why - maybe I was having a bad day as the first time use was perfect. ( See more about the product reservoir below )

TONI&GUY Prep Heat Protection Mist 150ml £6.39 - sold separately

Ingredients:

Aqua (water), Dimethiconol, VP/VA Copolymer, Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycerin, Dimethiconol/Silsesquioxane Copolymer, Laureth-23, Parfum, PEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Dmdm Hydantoin, Methylisothiazolinone, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool.

Smell:

The smell of this reminds me of a hair salon. That's the best way for me to pin-point this, no matter what hair salon I have gone into, this smell is present. Before, during and after my appointment. The smell for me then makes me feel as if I'm being hair pampered, even if it's me doing it to myself. It's never as relaxing as when someone else is doing it but I like this smell, maybe it's the citric acid I can smell. Mmmm

Once you release the product reservoir slide the top comes off easily enough, the underside has a rubber plug, which once popped open you find a hole big enough to insert the heat protect spray nozzle in, so there's no spillage just a smooth transfer. Careful not to fill it up too much.

Overall Thoughts:

The straighteners are straight forward enough, besides having to really clamp it down to activate the spray, that can be annoying to me as I would of preferred that once it's clamped down no matter what pressure it releases. Of course as mentioned before the dial that keeps moving, I try to keep it between 120 - 160 at the most nothing higher, though I noticed it can change during use.
I can tell the difference when I use no heat protected spray in my hair especially in the ends the most. The hair has a nice sheen to it, thicker and nicely manageable.

My hair has been growing nicely since it's cut in November, it was layered from jaw length / mid neck / shoulder length, it's near past shoulder length now, I think keeping it curly has helped. Straightening it out has of course let me see the length.

What's your favourite straightener to use? Are you brand loyal?

Purchase from Boots
Price £39.99

*This product was sent to me for consideration for a review. This does not sway my opinion. This is 100% my view and research is that of my own!

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