L'Occitane Hand Creams and Shower Products - Review

A couple of weeks ago, I had a mini haul from L'Occitane and bought a couple of their sets to try out some new (to me) products.

First up, the hand creams:

• Rose - If you like rose scents you will adore this!  The fragrance reminds me of gardens on warm Summer's days and is very authentic rather than synthetic, thanks to the essential oils contained within it.
• Shea Butter - This is marketed as being for very dry hands and contains 20% shea butter.  It also has a gorgeous scent of almonds present from the almond oil.  It is much thicker than the rose hand cream, although it sinks in just as easily.  This will be my saviour come the winter I think!

Both hand creams sink in very easily and leave no greasy residue.  I have previously tried the Hibiscus hand cream from L'Occitane and been very impressed with it and I was pleased to see that other products from the range were equally high-performers.

And now the shower products:

• Verbrena Shower Gel - This is one of L'Occitane's classic scents and was actually the first product I tried from the brand a few years ago.  It remains one of my favourites, with its clean, classic green but almost citrus scent and is great for waking me up on a sleepy morning.
• Fleur Cherie Shower Gel - As with all of L'Occitane's products, this has a floral scent but it is tempered slightly by the orange blossom contained within it.  This is a good one to try if you aren't the biggest fan of floral scents but fancy trying something fresh and summery.  
• Pivoine Flora - Containing an extract of peonies, one of my favourite flowers, this shower gel is unashamedly floral and girly.  I've actually been able to keep this one in the bathroom without hubby using it all up as he says it is far too girly for him!    
• Almond Shower Oil - This is a little different from your regular shower products in that it feels more like a bath oil.  Again, I loved the almond scent and the formulation was divine, making my skin feel soft and moisturised without leaving an oily film.  I would definitely purchase a full sized bottle.

Price - From £8 for hand cream, £13 for shower products
Where to Buy -  L'Occitane

Have you tried any of these products from L'Occitane?
Do you have any recommendations for L'Occitane products that I should try?

My Lip Products Collection!

I was inspired to write this post after seeing Sandra Beauty Balm's post about her collection.  I have to say that lip products are my 'thing' and I find it very hard to resist purchasing them on a regular basis!

These are the majority of my collection, although there are bound to be some hiding in the bottom of bags that I haven't photographed.  I've linked to reviews where possible.  Sorry that this will be a photo-heavy post!

I keep all my lip products in these stackable draws from Muji.  I think they were around £9-£10 for the set of two draws but I'm sure you can get cheaper ones elsewhere.  I'm almost at capacity with these so I will need to invest in a couple more draws to stack on top of them soon.

In the top draw, I have all my glosses. 

And in the bottom draw, my lipsticks.  Note that the lipsticks are much tidier!

 Here are my Mac lippies, from left to right:

I Like It Like That (Limited Edition), Cremesheen

Radicho (Limited Edition) Lustre

Chatterbox, Amplified (review here)

Laugh a Lot (Limited Edition), Lustre

Ravishing, Cremesheen (review here)

See Sheer, Cremesheen (review here)

Crosswires, Cremesheen (review here)

Viva Glam Cyndi (Limited Edition), Lustre (review here)

Cockney, Lustre (review here)

My small Chanel and Dior collection

• Rouge Dior 35, Elegant Pink (review here)
• Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet La Distinguee (review here)
• Chanel Rouge Coco Mademoiselle (review here)

Some random high end lippies

• Dr Hauschka Violet Marble 15 (review here)
• YSL Rouge Volupte 9 Pink Caresee (review here)
• YSL Rouge Volupte 27 Rose Paris (review here)
• Estee Lauder Pure Colour Crystal Baby (review here)

And more randoms, including Revlon Lip Butters

• New CID iPout Nude
• Max Factor Ruby Tuesday (review here)
• Revlon Lip Butter Lollipop (review here)
• Revlon Lip Butter Tutti Fruitti (review here)
• Revlon Lip Butter Creme Brule (review here)

Some Bobbi Brown

• Bobbi Brown Lip Shine in Naked Pink
• Avon Metallic Pink
• Jane Iredale Lip & Cheek Stain in Forever Pink
• Bobbi Brown 20th Anniversary Lip Palette

Phew, and onto the glosses:

Benefit, Paul & Joe and Laura Mercier

• Mini Benefit glosses from Christmas Gift Set (review here)

Frisk Me

Kiss You

Foxy Lady

Spiked Punch

Life on the A List

Nudie-Tude

• Paul & Joe Brilliant A Levres Gloss in 15 (review here)
• Laura Mercier Mystic Mauve

 Mac, Clinique, Becca and Carmex

• MUA Gloss in Candy Pink (review here)
• Becca in Grenadine (review here)
• Clinique Chubby Stick in Chunky Cherry (review here)
• Bobbi Brown Brilliant a Levres in Petal
• Mac Lipglass in Viva Glam VI (review here)
• Mac Lipglass in Mad Cap (review here)
• Pout Plump - had this for ever but seems to still be ok!
• Carmex Moisture Plus in Sheer Berry (review here)
• Carmex Moisutre Plus in Sheer Pink (review here)

And finally, the randoms

• Clear gloss from M&S which has now turned a little pink as I use it over my YSL Rouge Volupte all the time
• M&S Colour Intense Lip Lacquer, Orange Fizz
• I Love... Juicy Watermelon Shimmer and Shine lip gloss
• Clinique Superbalm Moisturising Gloss in Apriocot - this was a sample with a Clinique bonus time, a nice neutral colour.
• L'Oreal Glam Shine in Aqua Watermelon (review here)- very disappointed with this, no colour, very sheer and wears off almost instantly
• Miss Sporty - no idea of shade name as it has worn off but its a nice peachy shade.
• NYC Liquid Lipshine in Brighton Beach Peach (review here) - another peachy pink staple!
• Rimmel Stay Glossy - again no shade name but a lovely peachy pink with micro silver shimmer
• Bourjois Effect 3D Max in Rose gold - a pink with gold shimmer

 

Have you tried any of these lip products?  

What do you think of them?

Review: Soap & Glory A Great Kisser Moisture Balm in Juicy Peach

The Summer season demands lighter, sheerer lips and I often tend to opt for tinted balms or products like Chanel's Rouge Coco Shines or Revlon's Lip Butters.  Whilst having a wander around Boots recently, I came across Soap & Glory's Lip Moisture Balm, 'A Great Kisser' in Juicy Peach and thought it was worth a try.

As I've mentioned in previous reviews of Soap & Glory products, I am not a fan of their cutesy, retro packaging, although I know many who are.  This balm is encased in a sturdy tin and smells strongly of peach when opened.  Thankfully, when applied to the lips the scent dissipates quickly.  

Despite the bright peach tint which is evident in the tin, when swatched and applied to the lips, it is pretty much sheer.  It is rather on the sticky side and I would actually class this more of a gloss / balm hybrid than a straightforward tinted lipbalm. It did leave a nice, glossy sheen on the lips but it was fairly transparent and I was a little disappointed there was not more pigment present. 

I found this lasted around an hour or so before I needed to reapply which is as expected for glosses and balms.  I found it to be fairly hydrating but not as moisturising as my trusty Carmex   My main grumble with this product is the fact that it comes in a tin rather than a stick and I can see it getting very messy very quickly.  I'm not a great fan of tins for applying products on the hoof as well, as I tend to end up with sticky fingers!

Verdict

This is a nice enough balm but for the price, I expected more from it and it really isn't much different from other basic balms.  You are paying for the Soap & Glory packaging and scent.  Having said that, if you are one of those people who love all things the Soap & Glory, then you will probably like this and it is by no means a bad product.  If you have a sensitive nose though, I would avoid it as it is highly scented and unfortunately, Soap & Glory don't provide testers for their balms so there is no way of knowing whether it is to your taste before you purchase.

3/5

Where to Buy - Boots

Price - £5

Review: Cor Silver Soap

I've never been a huge fan of soap, finding it to be inefficient and just generally fussy.  I've always preferred using proper cleansers and facial washes to remove makeup and cleanse my face.

I recently won a sample of the Cor Silver Soap Trial Size Pack from the lovely Roz of Dutchess Roz and I did a quick review of the Moisturiser, Serum and Eye Cream here as part of my samples series.  

As part of the sample pack, 10g of Cor soap was included.  The soap in my pack comes in this little drawstring bag which I've been using to keep it separate from everything else in my bathroom and stop it dissolving into mush.

Cor's philosophy is that you use this soap twice a day in place of your usual cleansing routine.  It is said to cleanse, tone and exfoliate in one, whilst nourishing the skin and reducing the signs of ageing.

The soap does, I have to admit, look tiny, and you start to wonder how on earth anyone can justify charging £15 for a tiny circle of soap!   

I've been using this mostly in the evening as a treatment.  I wet my hands and rub the soap between them for a few seconds to make a lather, before applying the lather to my face.  I then experience a slight tingling as I leave it on my skin for a few minutes.  The leaflet enclosed with the soap explains that leaving the soap on the skin for several minutes daily can help to treat acne and blemishes, whilst cleansing and exfoliating your skin.  After a week of using it you can use it for a shorter amount of time - for around a minute or only use it as a treatment in areas where you are prone to blemishes.  If you just want to use it as a cleanser, you can just use it as a regular cleansing soap too.

I have to admit, I was super sceptical of this soap at first as it claimed to be a multi-tasking wonder product.  But over the past few weeks of using it,  I haven't been able to really find much wrong with it!  It has cleansed my face perfectly, removing my tinted moisturiser and other face products, and leaving my skin feeling clean but not stripped.  Cor do suggest this can be used to remove eye makeup but I personally haven't tried this as I prefer using a dedicated make up remover around the sensitive eye area.

Verdict

I have been pleasantly surprised by this humble soap which delivers on its promises.  I would say that this is firmly targeted at those who purchase premium skincare and therefore would not baulk at paying £35 upwards for a larger sized product.  I think this would especially suit those with oily or blemish-prone skin as it seems to balance it out and is quite gentle.  I can't say I have experienced any noticeable reduction in oiliness but I haven't had any blemishes since I started using this, which is a miracle for my sensitive skin!  

In short, the trial-sized product is worth a go if you are a fan of high-end skincare.  I would also imagine it will last you some time as I've been using this daily for almost three weeks and mine looks almost new with hardly a dent in it. 

4/5

Price - from £15 for a trial size

Where to Buy - Cor

May Reads

Now I know these reviews are terribly late and its now nearing the end of June, but I've been super busy with work recently and haven't had as much time as I would like to read.  I have also chosen more whimsical and non-fiction books this month, not for any particular reason but I suspect it is just my current mood!

The Dark Tourist - Dom Joly

I downloaded this book as an impulse purchase after reading British Beauty Blogger’s review.  I am the first to admit I used to find Dom Joly’s ‘Trigger Happy’ series immensely irritating and not particularly funny, so I was surprised I enjoyed this book as much as I did!  The premise is that Dom Joly decides to visit six different countries to explore our fascination with ‘dark tourism’ – that is when we visit places or countries where something macabre happened,  the scene of someone’s death or just a particularly dangerous country that is an out of the ordinary tourist destination.

Joly visits Chernobyl, Cambodia and Iran amongst other places, but the chapter I was most fascinated in was his visit to North Korea.  A first-hand account of what it feels like to be a tourist in a country where everything you experience is orchestrated and nothing is as it seems, was engrossing and almost difficult to imagine, but Joly writes well and injects just the correct amount of humour into situations to prevent it from being a regular travelogue.  A recommended read if, like me you are interested in travel, and I whizzed through this in a couple of days.

Hospital Babylon - Imogen Edwards-Jones & Anonymous

If you have read any of the other 'Babylon' series, you will be familiar with the formula- details of what really happens in a particular workplace, whether it be a hotel, airplane or as a wedding planning are provided, anonymously of course, and loosely woven into a story. In the case of 'Hospital Babylon', a day in the life of an A&E doctor is told with true confessions and stories, some of which I found more plausible than others.

The Babylon series is, I admit, one of my guilty reading pleasures - not a particularly taxing read  but a  very quick one, and I found it just as interesting as the others I have read.  If you are new to the series, I would probably recommend the first one, 'Hotel Babylon' to start, although if you are currently planning a wedding, 'Wedding Babylon' is a great read for Bridezilla stories! 

Queuing for Beginners - Joe Moran

This was a bit of a departure from my usual reading material but I was really glad I gave it a try.   It explores the history of common routine activities that we do every day without a second thought, from breakfast to commuting to sitting down in front of the TV before bed.  

For such a simple premise, the book could be quite staid and dull but I found it anything but. I really enjoyed reading the history behind why these habits have developed and what they say about the culture of Britain today.  I'd recommend this to anyone who has wondered why our little habits develop and what routes they have in our society.  

This is Life - Dan Rhodes

I saved the best till last this month.  I adore Dan Rhode's work and when I found out he had a new novel out I couldn't wait to read it!  I will start by saying that his books aren't for everyone but if you enjoy a comic, whimsical novel, with vibrant characters, then this will be just up your street.  

The novel is set in Paris and revolves around an art student Aurelie, who throws a stone into the air one day that sets in motion a chain of events that will turn her life upside down.  This book really does feel like it has everything in it -love, laughs and a man who stands naked in a theatre for three months in the name of art!  Despite that strange summary, the book reminded me strongly of the film Amelie and I could see this novel translating well to film.  In my opinion, the book does not surpass my favourite Dan Rhodes novel, 'Little Hands Clapping' but it was an excellent read. 

Have you read any good books this month?

Review: Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Liquid Liners in Turquoise and Gunmetal

I think I've fallen in love!  And its with an affordable product, yippee!  Normally I fall hard for pricey lipsticks or extravagant palettes but in this case I have a new-found affinity with the Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Makeup.

When popping into M&S for my Friday lunchtime treat, I stumbled upon the Limited Collection makeup range.  For some reason, I had never really paid much interest to it previously, but a post by Charlotte at Lipglossiping on the Turquoise liner piqued my interest, and as they were only £4 each, they both 'fell' into my basket, along with a chicken and bacon sandwich and some wasabi peas - well it was Friday!

L to R: Gunmetal, Turquoise in Natural light

I can't emphasise just how much I love these liners.  There were three shades available at the store I visited - Turquoise, Gunmetal Grey and Black.  I opted to skip the black as I have lots of black liquid liners already but I was super intrigued by the Turquoise.  I have been wearing these liners constantly over the past few days.  The brush is small and fine but quite stiff which makes it perfect for a precise application of a fine line on the upper lashline.  The consistency of each of the liners is superb, with only one pass needed for a strong defined line and it stays put ALL day without budging until removed.  I've applied it at 7.30am and its still there at 10pm that night in perfect condition with absolutely no fading.

L to R: Gunmetal, Turquoise with Flash

Some other reviewers have said they take a while to dry down but I found them comparable with many other liquid liners in that they do take around 20 seconds to dry fully, but once set, they are there for the duration.

If I was going to pick a colour you must have, it would have to be the Turquoise, as it is the more unique of the two I chose.  I've been wearing a very thin line on the upper lash line with lashings of mascara and nothing else on the eye as it is enough of a statement itself during the day.  I have received so many compliments and people seem flabbergasted that it is from good old M&S!

Verdict

If you are a fan of liquid liners, or indeed just fancy a dabble in them, you must try these.  They are super affordable and stay put for hours without fading or migrating.  The Grey is the safer, more versatile choice, but for something a little different, the Turquoise cannot be beaten.  I really can't recommend these liners enough and I will certainly be investigating more of the Limited Collection makeup.

5/5

Price - £4

Where to Buy - Marks and Spencer

Sunday Samples - Cor, Moroccan Oil and Lavera

In an effort to trim some of my samples stash, I thought I'd try a few new products this week.

First up is Moroccan Oil Treatment.  I've shied away from Moroccan oil previously as I tend to have rather oily, fine hair and I just thought that Moroccan oil would weigh it down further.  I have been very impressed with this oil though, using it several times a week, usually on days when I don't condition my hair as otherwise I find i gets a little overloaded.  It leaves my hair noticeably softer and shinier.  I have been using a minuscule amount rubbed over my hands before applying to damp hair, so I think this sample will last me some time.  I'm interested to try the light version of the oil which I think may be even better for my hair type.

I've been using Cor soap recently (a review is coming up next week) and along with the soap, I also received some small samples of the Cor Moisturiser, Serum and Eye Cream.  The samples themselves were tiny, to the point where I actually had to hunt for the product within them!  First impressions were that all products sank in quickly and had a pleasant, almost clinical scent.  Cor market themselves on their unique silver healing properties of their product, however they are on the fairly pricey side which would prevent me from purchasing full size versions at their current price-point.

  

Lavera Hand Cream came as part of a beauty box some time ago.  I hadn't tried this before and found it to be a decent basic handcream without any airs or graces.  It has a pleasant, not overwhelming scent, and sinks in quickly.  I liked how it contains organic almond and shea butter, and did find it fairly moisturising, although it will not be replacing my L'Occitane or Palmers hand creams.

Have you tried any of these products?

Review: Mac Cockney Lipstick

I don't know what it is about getting older but recently I have been veering towards brighter lippies, in particular red ones, whereas previously I would never have gone near anything remotely verging on red.  I just used to feel so self conscious with bright lips!  These days, I enjoy rocking a red lip, although in general, I tend to go for more wearable, sheerer reds.

Mac Cockney is one such wearable red from the permanent collection and one I haven't really heard much about.  It is a lustre formula which is one of my favourites as I find they impart a good amount of pigment on the lips, whilst still making it very wearable and glossy.

In the tube, the colour looks very vivid and rather dark for a red with tiny flecks of golden shimmer running through it.  I've heard others say it reminds them of China Glaze's Ruby Pumps and I have to say I agree.  It also looks rather Christmassy (dare I utter the word in June!!).  When swatched however, it looks altogether lighter, sheerer and warmer.

With flash

On the lips, it is semi opaque with the light sheen that Mac's lustre formula is known for.  Thankfully the sparkles do not show up on the lips and instead, you are left with a flattering, glistening red which is much more subtle than you would think.  It reminds me in texture and versatility to Viva Glam Cindi, although it is quite a bit brighter.

Natural light

I find this lippie to last for around four hours before I need to reapply which is quite good going really, considering I am a habitual tea drinker!  It was super comfortable to wear and I was pleased to see that when it wore off, it faded evenly, without leaving any annoying lines around the outside of the lip.

Verdict

I am gradually building up my red lipstick collection and this is a welcome addition.  It can be built up gradually for a more intense look or used sparingly for a subtle stain, and as a result, I think this would suit many people from fair to medium skintones.  If you are a fan of red lips or even a red lip novice like me, Mac Cockney is certainly worth a look.

4/5

Price - £13.50

Where to Buy - Mac, Debenhams, Selfridges, House of Fraser

L'Occitane Haul

There's noting better than opening a large parcel full to the brim of new beauty products, and its even better when it arrives at work brightening up your morning!

I was after a new gentle daily facial scrub and decided to try the L'Occitane Angelique Exfoliating Gel.  Of course, whilst I was browsing the L'Occitane website, something else fell into my basket - the Chelsea Harvest Collection which was reduced in price.  

It contains:

• 75ml Pivoine Flora Shower Gel
• 75ml Fleur Cheri Shower Gel
• 75ml Verbena Shower Gel
• 50ml Organic Lavender Hand Purifying Gel
• 35g Lavender Scented Sachet
• 125g Honeysuckle Bonne Mere Soap
• 15ml Shea Butter Hand Cream
• 15ml Rose 4 Reines Hand Cream
• One-day Divine Trilogy Trial

I love trying out new products and little travel sizes are perfect for this.  I'm looking forward to trying out the Shea Butter and Rose hand creams, as well as the Fleur Cheri Shower Gel.

I also found a code to get a free Spring Collection set worth £24 so of course I had to have it.  This set comes in a cute make up bag and contains:

• 125g Honeysuckle Bonne Mere Soap
• 75ml Fleur Cherie Shower Gel
• 50ml Lavender Clean Hands Gel
• 35ml Almond Shower Oil
• 10ml Shea Butter Hand Cream
• 2 x 8ml Almond Milk Concentrate.

The other set comes in a small wicker basket which will be perfect for extra storage.

L'Occitane also sent several samples of skincare and body lotion - they are certainly not stingy with the samples!

Have you tried anything from L'Occitane?

What are your favourite L'Occitane products?  I'm always looking for recommendations of new products to try!

NOTD: Essie Chinchilly

A  quick NOTD as I stumbled upon Essie Chinchilly in my stash recently whilst hunting out another polish and remembered just how much I liked it!

I find Chinchilly to be one of those shades which is wearable in all seasons and it pretty much goes with everything.  It is a difficult shade to categorise - a taupey  mushroomy colour with a  hint of brown.  It may have been around for a while but it is one of my favourites and a polish I come back to often.  

Price - £8.50

Where to Buy - Beauty Bay, ASOS

Have you tried Chinchilly?

Loved but Overlooked

I was dithering over what to call this post as I wanted to encapsulate the idea of products that I love, that other bloggers either seem to overlook or dislike.  Here are a few of them:

Bobbi Brown Cream Shadows

I adore these little pots of cream shadow from Bobbi Brown.  I seem to hear so much about Benefits Creaseless Cream Shadows but there never seems to be much love for Bobbi Brown's versions.  Perhaps it is because Bobbi Brown tends to produce 'safe' neutral colours or perhaps it is just because people don't know enough about them, but I love these and wouldn't be without my small, but ever growing, collection.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shines

I own two of these to date and love them both dearly.  I adore their super light hydrating formula which provides a sheer wash of colour to the lips.  General consensus seems to be that these are too sheer, especially for the price, but I find them to be perfect for giving a subtle, neutral look without much effort, especially during the Summer months.  

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Eyeshadow Base

Estee Lauder is another brand that is not written about to a great extent within the blogsphere, probably because it had a reputation for being rather mumsy at one point.  One of their staples that I have been using for several years now is their eye primer.  It comes in a small pot but it lasts for ever and helps my shadows stay put all day.  I would recommend their face primer too.

Cowshed Bath Oils

Cowshed are very well known but I never really see much posted about them.  Yes, they are pretty pricey but their products are priced similar to other luxe bathing brands such as Neom and Aromatherapy Associates and I believe they are just as good too.  My favourite items are the bath oils (I love a Lazy Cow!) but I have tried pretty much everything from them at one time or another.

Bomb Cosmetics Bath Bombs and Melts

I've posted about my love for Bomb Cosmetics previously and it shows no sign of wavering.  For  me, these are the more grown up versions for Lush's bath products and I find them infinitely more moisturising.  The presentation of the bath melts are gorgeous too with some disguised as mini cup cakes!

Are there any products that you love that you feel don't get enough attention from the blogsphere?  

Review: Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub

I love a good scrub and I'm always looking for something to wake me up in the morning and sort out my scaly skin.  I picked up Soap & Glory's Breakfast Scrub recently, purely because I noticed that it had a maple fragrance.  I adore maple syrup to the point that when we were on holiday in California a couple of years ago, I made sure that everywhere we went for breakfast had pancakes and maple syrup on the menu.  I am really craving this right now, despite the fact it is the middle of the afternoon!

The packaging for this scrub is typical Soap & Glory - retro and cutesy.  I'm not particularly a fan of the packaging but I know that lots of people are.  For me, as long as the packaging is functional and serves its purpose, that is all I require.  One thing I do have to mention is that the tub is rather on the large side, which is great for value for money, especially as you only need a tiny amount each time, but not so great when it slips out of your hands and onto your toes in the shower, ouch!

First impressions upon opening the huge tub is that it is very sweet smelling.  Seriously, its like you have just opened a bottle of maple syrup and have taken a bit, long sniff, and although it is also supposed to contain oat, honey and almond, the predominant fragrance is maple syrup.  

The consistency of the scrub is very thick, as you can see in the picture above.  It is a 'proper' sugar scrub and the consistency reminds me somewhat of Elemis' Lime and Ginger scrub.  I have been using this 2-3 times a week, applied to damp skin on particularly dry, flaky patches of my body such as knees and elbows.  It has also been working a treat on my KP.  I would however recommend that you follow up with a body lotion or body butter as although I found the scrub fairly moisturising, the consistency was quite abrasive and you will need to be careful not to overdo it.  This is not a product you will need to use daily.

Verdict

If you are in the market for a hardcore scrub for particularly stubborn patches of dry, flaky skin this would be a great product to try.  It would also be fab for exfoliating before fake-tanning to ensure your tan applies evenly.  The only caveat I would mention is that it is very heavily fragranced so if you have a sensitive nose or an aversion to overly sweet scents, this will not be for you.  For sugar addicts like myself though, it is heavenly!

4.5/5

Where to Buy -  Boots,

Price - £9.50

Review: Gosh Smokey Eye Palette in Plum

You know there are some brands that you just never get around to trying for some reason or another and then one day, you try one of their products and wonder why it took you so long?!  Well Gosh is one of those brands!

A little while ago, I won a giveaway from the lovely Joanne at Beautylicious Love of my choice of Gosh Smokey Eye Palette.  Gosh have released three palettes: black, brown and plum so there should be a palette to suit everyone.  As I already have a wide assortment of neutrals and greys in my stash, I decided to plump for the plum and I’m very glad I did!

The palette contains four individual generously proportioned shadows, encased in a square palette.  The packing is very clean and minimalistic, nothing fancy but it does the job and with the transparent lid, you can easily see what shades it contains.  The only slight issue I have is that the metallic closure seems a little flimsy but it hasn’t yet burst open in my make up bag and I’ve been toting it around with me for over a week. There is also no applicator included, which to be honest, I am quite glad about as I usually just fling these to one side instantly as they are hopeless for applying shadow and they only take up space in palettes.  Why brands like Chanel persist with them I have no idea as it just cheapens the product, but that rant is for another day!

 

With Flash



Included with the palette is a plastic insert which gives handy hints for where to place all of the shadows.  Perhaps not overly necessary but it’s a nice touch.  The four shades included are:

• A pale, cool toned lilac which doubles as a highlight shade
• A light, murky purple shade with sparkle which has an iridescent look about it.  It reminds me of a lighter Mac Club.
• A darker dirty taupe / purple which is fabulous for smoking out at the outer corners
• An darker purple with sparkle which is great to use for lining.



Natural Light



Out of the four shades, the stand out for me is the second one as it seems to shimmer and sparkle in the light and looks different depending on how you view it.  All shades contain an element of sparkle, with the dark purple liner shade containing the most sparkle and the highlight being the most subtle.  One good thing to note about the element of sparkle is that it doesn’t migrate and once applied, it generally tends to stick.    

 



Natural light L to R: Liner, highlight, second shade, third shade



I’ve been wearing this palette in a number of ways.  On some days, I just apply the second shade all over the lid with a  little smudgy grey kohl and on others, I go the whole hog and apply all of the shades in the way indicated on the insert!  The shadows last around 5 hours on me without primer and about 7 hours with primer which I find to be pretty good going on my oily lids.  The shadows blend well and didn’t seem at all chalky, indeed they were fairly highly pigmented.  One note of caution I would say is that you don’t use the purple liner shade too close to your waterline as the sparkle did tend to irritate my eyes a little but that is always the case with my sensitive eyes. 

 

Direct Sunlight L to R: Liner, highlight, second shade, third shade

Verdict

I really enjoy discovering new brands and it is even better when they are so affordable.  Whilst not really breaking new ground with these shades, this palette is very good quality and the shades are very easy to wear and can be built up in intensity where required.  You will not get a dark sultry super smokey look from this Gosh palette but you will get an eminently wearable, pretty soft focus look.  This is definitely worth a look!

4/5

 

Price - £7.99
Where to Buy - Superdrug