January Favourites

I seem to have quite a few favourites this month, I guess because some of these were Christmas or Post Christmas purchases and they all still seem very shiny and new!

Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash

I haven’t managed to review this yet but I am finding it great for my oily / combination skin as it cleans without stripping away oils and really makes my skin feel very clean.  I’m not sure how good it would be for drier skins though.

Tom Ford Violet Blonde

A Christmas present from my lovely hubby!  This is more of a weekend scent for me, reminding me of holidays and trips away.  I won’t embarrass myself by trying to describe the notes, but needless to say it is gorgeous!

Top Shop Cream Blush in Neon Rose – I reviewed this here as part of my cream blush post and was reminded of it when The Sunday Girl posted about it recently.  I love the way that it is not a traditional cream blush formulation, as it changes from a cream to a powder on the skin and lasts all day.  Only the tiniest amount is needed!

Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara – review here

This is my current favourite mascara (and boy do I have a lot of mascara!).  A great natural look, no flaking or smudging and the most important thing-  no CRISPY LASHES!

Mac Matchmaster in 3.0 - review here I have been wearing this foundation a lot recently and although I did find it a little too dark initially, I have been wearing it with a little of the Nars Orgasm Illuminator to tone it down a little and give a more radiant look.

Kiehl's Eye Alert – review here

I really enjoyed using this eye cream which I bought on a  whim from a blog sale.  I’m almost finished it and currently deciding whether to repurchase at full price or to finish off my Liz Earle eye cream which I wasn’t as enamoured with.

Laura Mercier Lip Gloss in Mauve 

This is my first Laura Mercier gloss and I very much like it.  A great my-lips- but-better shade, it has a gorgeous cocoa butter scent and is a great shade to go with lots of looks.  This was a limited edition product I think with the Space NK gift set, but based on the quality of this gloss, I will be investigating others from her line.

Chanel Illusion d’ Ombre in Emerveille - review here

This has been included in my monthly favourites previously and I am still enjoying the ease at which I can smooth this on with my fingers, add some mascara and I have an easy eye look in less than a minute, with no complex blending of several different shades. 

What were your favourites this month?  See anything above that catches your eye?

Review: Laura Mercier Eye Kohl in Stormy Grey

As a contact lens user, I struggled for years with using eyeliner on my waterline.  It used to make my eyes feel dry, sore and just generally  uncomfortable all day so I just used to avoid using it, for fear of becoming a red-eyed mess for a day afterwards.

Recently, I have been dipping my toe back into pencil and kohl liner and Laura Mercier Eye Kohl is one that I have been enjoying using a lot.  Laura Mercier’s packaging is very simple and chic and I much prefer this to overly cutesy, retro packaging (cough, Benefit!).  Saying that, if a product is well made and performs well, I will generally buy it regardless of its packaging!

So  what about the liner itself?  The shade,  Stormy Grey,  came as as part of a gift set I procured from Space NK and is a deep, dark grey.  The pencil is very soft, as is usual with a kohl, (I hate pencils which feel like they are scratching away at your skin) and colour payoff is superb with an opaque line in one pass. 

I find this very easy to pop on first thing and find that it has been lasting throughout an entire working day.  It does tend to fade a little after about 6 hours but I was amazed that it didn’t slide around or migrate to my under eye area.

Verdict

This was my first foray into Laura Mercier Eye Kohl but it won’t be my last.  Long-lasting and kind to sensitive eyes, this was a winner for me and I’m certainly going to be looking at more of the shades in the range

5/5

Price - £15.50

Where to Buy - John Lewis  (currently out of stock but it is a permanent product so it should be restocked shortly)

Sunday Beauty Blog Catch Up #3

I hope you have all had a fabulous weekend.  Hubby and I met friends in Glasgow on Saturday - for wedding related activities.  Kilt fitting for him and helping the bride find her perfect shoes for me.  All followed by a tasty pub lunch and a few too many G&Ts which resulted in me having a snooze on the train home!  I've never been very good at drinking during the day!

As another weekend draws to a close, I've highlighted 5 posts from this other bloggers this week that you may have missed.

Eyelining Obsessions: Sleek Palette Overview - Claire has every single palette that has been released by Sleek and does a quick overview of each one.  Its a good watch if you are thinking of taking your first steps into Sleek and aren't sure which palette to go for.

Wake Up, Make Up: Farewell Friday, Lee Stafford Argan Oil - Ruby has posted a great review of the Lee Stafford Argan Oil.  I've yet to try out any hair oils as I'm always worried they would make my hair look greasy but this sounds perfect for my dry ends.

ZoeLou: Chanel Dupe - Zoe posts a great budget dupe for Chanel Paradoxal for only £2.99!  This certainly looks very close to the Chanel polish and is much more kind to my purse!

 FrancesCasandra: Collection 2000 Cream Puff Lip Creams - Frances posts great lip swatches of the full range of Collection 2000's Cream Puffs.  Now all I have to do is decide which one to purchase as they all look great, especially for the price.

Em's Mixed Bag: John Frieda is a Genius! - Emma posts a fab review of John Frieda's 3 Day Straightener Spray.  Its great value and seems to have worked wonders for her.  They are often deals on John Frieda products in Boots so I may just pick one of these up next time I am in!

Have a lovely week

Victoria

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Saturday Samples #3

This week's Saturday samples products are again a bit of a mish-mash and have all been sitting, unloved, in my sample box for a wee while.

Dr Organic Bioactive Skincare Organic Rose Otto Skin Lotion

This was only a small sample but I managed to make it last a couple of days, only using it on a targeted area (my dry elbows and arms!).  It moisturised nicely, although I did feel it took rather a lot of rubbing in to absorb fully.  The rose scent also evoked strong memories of collecting rose petals and putting them in a jar when I was younger in an attempt to make perfume (did anyone else ever do this?!).  All very nice but not what I want to smell of for the following couple of hours after using it.  I prefer more sophisticated rose scents that smell a little more complex.

Price - £7.19

Where to Buy - Holland and Barrett

Caudalie Vinosource Quenching Sorbet Creme

This cream claims to be a godsend to dry, thirsty skin and I have to admit from the outset that I am not the correct target audience for this product.  It is very rich and would be perfect for winter skin or if you have been outside a lot and need to add something soothing to your skincare routine.

I tried using it as a night cream, rather than twice daily as suggested, but it was still a little rich for my combination skin.  I have, instead, been smoothing it on my neck and chest, which usually get less attention from me on a daily basis and it is definitely making the area feel smoother.  Perhaps one to try if you have very dry skin.

Price - From £18.50

Where to Buy - Boots, Feel Unique, SpaceNK, HQ Hair,

Biotherm Aquasource Levres  SPF8

I've been testing this lip balm out for the past week and I'm rather pleased with its performance.  It has a faint fruity scent and glides on as a clear gloss - great to just slick on if you are popping out to the shops or if you don't want to wear a bright lip.  I haven't found it as moisturising as other similar balms such as Lanolips, but it does a fair job and the addition of an SPF is a welcome bonus, although SPF8 cannot really offer enough protection for your lips in high summer.

The main issue I have with this product is the price.  I couldn't justify spending  £13 on something that does effectively the same job as a much cheaper product and for that reason, I wouldn't purchase a full-sized tube.

Price - £13.28

Where to Buy - Boots

Thanks for reading and hope you are having a good weekend.

Victoria

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Review: The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion

Do you feel like your skin is feeling rough and unloved during the winter months, as you go from your heated house or office, to the lashing wind and rain?  If so, this scrub may be for you!

The Body Shop has a whole range of vitamin C products for your skin which are meant to help your skin repair itself and stay healthy.  To be honest, the amount of vitamin C in these products is probably minute, so I'm not too sure about these qualities, but I love a good scrub and the mention of 'microdermabraison' swung it for me!

The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion face scrub is a treatment that I use once or twice a week after I've cleansed my face and removed my makeup. I apply small amount to damp skin and use small circular motions to exfoliate, paying particular attention to any dry areas on my cheeks and to my t-zone, where my skin can be especially congested.

 

When I heard the word microdermabrasion, I instantly thought that this would be rather harsh for my skin but I was pleasantly surprised that this wasn't harsh at all.  The exfoliating beads of garnet are teeny tiny and feel like very small grains of sand.  They don't feel too scrubby although as there are so many of them you can really feel them working.  You need to be careful how much oomph you put into your scrubbing though, you have to be very gentle whilst rubbing it in.  I also have to mention the scent, as it smells like a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice!

I always make sure to moisturise afterwards and I've found by using this a couple of times a week, it really makes a difference to the condition of my skin.  It feels smoother and certainly softer.

Verdict

This scrub is perfect for those who like to really feel their skincare actively working whilst they use it.  I would think it is probably best suited to those with combination skin to help regulate it  and would advise those with sensitive skin to stay away as it would probably be too harsh for you.  It isn't super cheap at £12 a tube but given that it is a weekly or twice-weekly treatment, it will last a  long time and The Body Shop often have offers online and in store.

4/5

Price - £12.00

Where to Buy-  The Body Shop

Website of the Month: DollyLeo

Borrowed from DollyLeo.com

I first became aware of Dolly Leo when they opened an actual shop near my flat. It has since closed down and now has an internet only presence, but it is a great source of niche and hard-to-find brands.

Established in 2007 by New York-based entrepreneur and make-up artist Sadie Jean Sloss, DollyLeo's website includes a while host of gorgeous and covetable brands. Brands such as Becca, Suqqu, Pixi, Nude and Ellis Faas are sold and they often have some fab sales where you can pick up bargains – they had some great deals on Suqqu brushes just after Christmas as they are usually really pricey.

 

For skincare, you can search by your skintype, such as oily, combination, dry etc which I found very helpful, as often I don’t have a clue where to start when I am buying skincare!

 

Standard delivery is £5 within the UK for orders under £50 and free for orders over £50. They also delivery worldwide too!

 

If you like luxe makeup, this website is certainly worth a look as you are sure to find something to lust after! I’m currently got my eye on a couple of the Ellis Faas Creamy Lips and a Becca Beach Tint!

And, as an extra reason to order, if you subscribe to their email newsletter, you get 10% off your first order.  Their site is DollyLeo.com

Victoria

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Note: I am not affiliated with this website,have not been conpensated for this post or asked to write it -  I just like the site a lot!

Review: Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

This came in my Laura Mercier gift set that I purchased in the Space NK sale after Christmas and being fairly new to Laura Mercier, I was excited to give it a go.

 

The size primer I have is 30ml which is pretty generous as you only need a small, pea-sized amount to cover your whole face. The full sized tube is 50ml and I could see it lasting quite a while since you don’t need to use much. It isn’t cheap but it is priced in line with other premium beauty brands and you can often get small sizes in gift sets.

Not a pea-sized amount!

 

The primer itself is very light in consistency and glides onto the skin easily. It feels very comfortable to wear, almost like a moisturiser, and dries quickly so you don’t have to wait long before applying your foundation over it.

When using this, I did find that my foundation lasted a little longer and it certainly seemed to create a much smoother base for applying it. However I did end up feeling quite oily, especially on my t-zone where I am prone to oiliness anyway, and I actually felt it made these areas worse than they would have been had I not been wearing any primer. Laura Mercier state that this primer is suitable for all skin types, which I would disagree with. In my opinion this would suit those with dry or normal skin better. From looking on the website, I see that the brand also makes a oil-free version which I think I would be more suited to, so I may give that a try.

Verdict

Whilst I appreciate that I probably do not have the correct skin type for this primer and I would have been better with the oil-free formulation, I can see how it would work well for those with dry or normal skin. I loved the fact that it seemed to be absorbed into my skin rather than sitting on the surface feeling like I am wearing a silicone mask! It did prolong the wear of my foundation and didn’t break me out but I fear that, despite what it may say on the tube, this is not for all skin types and those with oily skin should give it a miss and try the oil-free version.

3.5/5

Price – £28

Where to Buy – Space NK, Liberty, House of Fraser

Review: Mac Blushbaby Sheertone Blush

I’m not a blush fiend as, on the whole, I tend to stick to my tried and trusted peachy blushes such as Orgasm and Coralista. However I was in the mood for something different recently and decided to try a blush with less shimmer and a more subdued, matte finish for a change.

Mac Blushbaby is a Sheertone formulation, which is indeed very sheer but can be easily built up to be much more pigmented if you desire. 

The colour in the pan looks like a very ordinary cool-toned, pinky beige and doesn’t scream ‘use me now’! However, its understated first impressions belie the fact that it is a very hard worker and goes with a multitude of looks from smoky eyes to brighter lips giving a fresh, natural rosy look on the cheeks.

In the swatch, on the left you can see a pigmented swatch, whilst on the right, I have blended it a little to show that it can be sheered or built up as required. It is a very easy-to-wear everyday blush that I can see becoming one of my staples, and due to its buildability, both fair and medium-toned skins could wear this.

Verdict

Mac Blushbaby is not an all-singing-dancing shade, but it is superb neutral colour that I think will go with most skintones. I haven’t heard much about this blusher but I really think it is a suits-all gem hidden away in Mac’s permanent collection.

4/5

Price – £17.50

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

Make-up Haul!

Rubbish pic, sorry!

This will be the last make-up haul I do for a while, although in my defence I didn’t pay full price for any of these products and some of them were won in giveaways and competitions. I will be reviewing most of these over the coming weeks. Let me know if there are any you would particularly like to see reviewed

Lipsticks / Lipgloss

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in 33 La Distinguee – my first Rouge Allure Velvet, I adore the packaging for this, it just feels so luxurious and I can’t help but keep clicking it open and shut as it is so satisfying!

Mac Chatterbox – I picked this up in a blog sale from the lovely Rachel (Life of a Sweetaholic). I had been after this for a while so was pleased to pick it up.

YSL Rouge Volupte Rose Paris – This is SO bright but I do really like it. Another I picked up from Rachel’s blogsale.

Mac Lipglass in Madcap – I bought this around the same time as I purchased Pink Clash and I don’t think I will be purchasing any more lipglasses. It is a fairly nude, unremarkable shade, although I think it will go well with a smoky eye.

Mascara

Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara – Another BuyaPowa purchase. I haven’t tried this yet though as I’ve got a couple of other mascaras to finish first

Barbara Daly Lash Boost Mascara – I won this for doing a Tesco Beauty Survey. Again I haven’t tried it yet due to my mascara mountain!

Others

Mac Humid Eyeshadow – I had been looking for a well-pigmented green eyeshadow and Humid fitted the bill. Initial impressions are that it is very smooth, buttery and easy to blend.

Rhianna Perfume Reb’l Fleur – this is quite fruity and not nearly as sickly sweet as I thought it might be!  I’m not generally a celeb fragrance fan but I won it from a competition on The Perfume Shop’s website, and although it doesn’t linger for long, it is perfectly acceptable.  I also received a rollerball of the fragrance (handy for keeping in my bag for reapplying), a body lotion and shower gel too.

Glitter Tattoo Set – This was also a win from the fantastic Emma (Computergirl). I haven’t had a chance to try this out yet but I do have a friend’s hen night coming up next month so it may get an outing then. You can never have too much glitter on a hen night!!

Let me know if there are any reviews you would like to see or if you have tried any of these products.

Victoria

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Sunday Beauty Blog Catch Up

Another week has flown by and I'm counting the days to payday!  Here are some of this week's posts from around the blogsphere that you may have missed.

DottieK - Zebra Print Nails

A fab zebra-print design that Kim makes look easy.  I'm going to try giving this one a go at some point this week.

Sugarpufffish - Heavenly Fragipani Body Butter

A blog which focuses on natural beauty products, this is a review of a brand I hadn't heard of before.  There is also a focus on products which are suitable for eczema suffers too.

Beauty Intern For Life - Its All About the Lip Stains

I am a big lip stain fan and Cate shows us some great affordable versions.  I need to try the Maybelline one!

Secrets Behind the Closet Door - Bourjois Delice de Soleil Bronzing Foundation

I think Bourjois products are excellent products for their price point and I am slowly but surely becoming more confident at using bronzers.  Charli has a great review of this one which is completely matte, and is great for contouring.

Lina's Beauty Diary - Battle of the Brands NYX vs Nars

I'm always looking for cheaper dupes and Lina tests NYX's Raisin against Nar's Sin blush and compares them with great swatches.

Enjoy your week

Victoria

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Saturday Samples!

This week’s samples are a mixture of bodycare, skincare and makeup.

Biotherm Lait Corporee Anti Drying Body Milk with Citrus Extracts 

Normally I am a bit meh about body lotions / milks / butters as I don’t have particularly dry skin and never really have the time to sit around waiting for lotions to sink in before getting dressed. I do however often moisturise dry patches such as knees and elbows and it is for this purpose that I have been using this body milk. 

This sample came from a business class travel bag hubby managed to scrounge on our honeymoon, along with some champagne even though we were in economy!  The consistency is fairly light and certainly non-greasy and it sinks in very quickly. I adore a citrus scent and this one is gorgeous and reminds me of satsumas (!), although it doesn’t seem to stick around for long, unlike some of the Body Shop body butters. So far it seems to be doing a fairly good job of providing some moisturisation but if you have particularly dry or scaly skin, this probably won’t be heavy-duty enough for you. 

Quick Verdict

A gorgeously-scented body milk that sinks in quickly, this is a good luxury product which seals in moisture and leaves your skin feeling smooth.

Price - £30.13

Where to Buy - Boots

Green & Spring Mild Toner 

I often think of toners as being something which strips the skin of oil, leaving it dry and in a worse condition than it was initially. This small travel-sized sample from Green & Spring appears to have proven me wrong as it lives up to its mild claims, with a gentle scent of rose, which seems to sooth and soften my skin without stripping it, and instead leaves my skin feeling refreshed after cleansing in the evening.

I have had no breakouts whilst using this and I have been using it daily for around two weeks so I think a full-sized bottle, whilst not cheap at £22, would last you a long time as I am still only halfway through the bottle.

Quick Verdict

Whilst I’m still not sure if toners are a vital and necessary part of my skincare routine, I have enjoyed using this one as I found it gentle enough for regular use on my sensitive, and often temperamental, skin. If you are looking for a new toner, it may be worth giving this one a try. 

Price - £22

Where to Buy - Green & Spring, Bath and Unwind, House of Fraser,

Dior Forever Foundation in 020 Light Beige

I haven't tried any Dior foundations previously so i was interested to see how this wore.  The product itself was quite liquid and watery and glided on easily with my fingers.  I have tried to provide swatches below but they have come out a bit darker than it really is, due to the absence of natural light.

Unblended Swatch

Initially, I thought this shade was a bit light for my skintone but once I had blended it in, it seemed to 'settle' and left a very natural, semi-matte finish.  I would say it has light-medium coverage and it evened out my skin tone and left me feeling like I wasn't wearing any foundation.  Having only tested it once, I can't really comment on the lasting power, but suffice to say I have been wearing it for about 6 hours and I have not yet needed to blot it, it is still looking pretty much as it was when I applied it and it was applied on only moisturised skin with no primer.  

Blended Swatch

Quick Verdict

I will certainly be taking a closer look at this foundation and seeing if I can try a larger sample for a few days.  It was easy to apply and blend and had a very natural-looking finish which would be perfect for an everyday foundation.  It also includes SPF25 which is an added bonus.

Price - £29.50

Where to Buy - Boots

Review: Naked Volume Body Building Shampoo

This is gong to be a rather quick review as otherwise I fear it may turn into a bit of a rant!

In my quest to go SLS free and use more organic or natural products, I cam across Naked’s range of hair and bodycare. They claim to be 97% natural and this shampoo promises to make hair become soft, bouncy and a whole size bigger.

I can honestly say I have not been more disappointed in a shampoo or product in a long time. It did not succeed in making my hair soft or bouncy, in fact quite the opposite and I was left with dull, greasy lifeless-looking hair which I had an urge to wash pretty much immediately after I had dried and attempted to style it. My hair is coloured but can get oily at the roots very quickly and I therefore wash it every day. The directions on the bottle mentioned washing twice to ensure you get a cleaner wash, which I tried but it made no difference! I rinsed for longer and it still made no difference, my hair felt like it hadn’t even been washed and by lunchtime, I ended up having to use dry shampoo in my hair to avoid the ‘I haven’t washed my hair for several days’ look!

I was so disappointed in this product and after this failing, I am very reluctant to shell out any more money on other products within the brand. The bottle is now sitting on my bathroom shelf and has found a new life as a make-up brush cleaner!

Verdict

The ultimate disappointment in a product for me, it didn’t manage to do any of the things it claimed, neither cleaning effectively or giving volume. I would not recommend this product to anyone, especially not those with fine or limp hair.  AVOID!

1/5

Price - £3.99

Where to Buy – Naked, Boots

Has Your Purchasing Increased Since You Started Reading Beauty Blogs?

I was inspired to write this post just after Christmas when someone mentioned to me that they were fed up of purchasing things for their skin that never worked and that they ended up shelling out a fortune for them. This got me thinking as to whether, as readers or writers of beauty blogs, if we end up spending more now than we did previously or are our purchases now more informed?

I guess, if you are interested in beauty products and beauty blogging, it can go one of two ways. There are so many new releases and products coming out all the time! Mac comes out with a new collection several times a month and we were seeing the Spring 2012 collections start to appear at counters before Christmas! When products are limited edition, it makes us feel that we need to buy them instantly, otherwise we may miss the boat. Consequently, we end up purchasing products that we don’t really need, and that we are not sure whether will work for us, in the fear that once they are sold out, we will never be able to find anything like that product again. Until the next limited edition product comes along that is….

On the other hand, if you take the time to read a lot of blogs about various beauty products, their benefits and understand whether they might work for you, you may end up making a more informed choice and end up purchasing fewer, but better quality, products that will really work.

I guess I am in the middle camp. Since I started blogging and even prior to that, when I was only reading blogs and not commenting or participating in discussion, I have become much more aware of product availability and what is out there. I used to purchase a multitude of magazines each month just to see what was new and hurriedly race to my nearest Boots in my lunch hour to get my hands on what Glamour magazine deemed to be the latest beauty must-have!

These days, I hope I can see through the hype and realise that, yes, that nail polish is a very pretty limited edition colour but I already have several similar ones and no, matte black polish doesn’t suit me and just makes me look like a goth! I can now read blogs and opinions of what works for people with a similar skin type or skintone to me and see real-life swatches to help me make an informed purchase. I do however have a wider variety of products on my ‘to-buy’ list and that is purely through the reading of blogs, especially with some of the smaller, niche brands. Many brands do not have the budget to advertise in glossy magazines and for them, blogs are an essential part of their marketing strategy (although this is venturing into a whole different topic…).

Has your beauty product purchasing changed since you started reading or writing a blog? 

Do you now feel more informed when buying products or does the sheer amount of choice you are now aware of mean your purchasing has skyrocketed?

Victoria

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Review: Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara

I have been a recent convert to Laura Mercier products after my initial delve into them with the Secret Camouflage proved to be a disappointment. I recently purchased a gift set in the Space NK sale for the bargainous price of £35 instead of £70 and this mascara was included in the set. Now I certainly don’t need more mascaras as they seem to breed in my makeup box (to the extent that even my hubby mentioned this fact during his speech at our wedding!) but I have been very impressed with this one since I’ve been using it over the past couple of weeks.

 

The packaging is the typical sleek, chic look expected from Laura Mercier and the mascara itself promises to dramatically thicken, lengthen, curl and sculpt lashes with each stroke. The lightweight, nutrient-infused formula leaves lashes super-shiny, soft and clump-free all day long.

 

The wand is a regular mascara wand which I found very easy to use, not so small it takes forever to coat all of your lashes and not too big you end up poking yourself in the eye with it (or is it just me that does that?!). The formula itself is rather wet, which I like as I find drier formulas end up clumping together quickly on me. It does mean it takes a minute or so to dry though – which I found out after putting my glasses on afterwards and promptly finding mascara smudges all over the lenses!! When dried, it felt soft and lightweight, which I must say I prefer to ‘crispy’ lashes. It almost felt like I wasn’t wearing any mascara at all but the effects of lengthening and thickening were very obvious.

 

I have pretty straight lashes which I tend to curl most days and this mascara did a fairly good job of maintaining the curl, although towards the end of my working day, they had drooped a little. I was pleased to discover there is no flaking under the eye with this product and it was very easy to remove at the end of the day (cough, Benefit They’re Real!, cough!).

 

Verdict

Whilst Laura Mercier’s Full Blown Volume Mascara will not give you a super dramatic false-lash effect, I do find it a very pleasing mascara for daytime use and it subtly enhances lashes for a natural effect. I particularly liked the fact that it was a wetter formula which dried to a soft touch and I would certainly consider re-purchasing (if I didn’t have a zillion and one mascaras in my box still to use!)

4/5

 

Price – £18.50

Where to Buy - Space NK, Liberty, John Lewis

Review: Mac Pink Clash

For such a lip product junkie, it may come as a bit of a surprise to you to hear that this is my first lipglass! I have always been more of a lipstick girl which perhaps explains why there has been this lipglass-shaped hole in my life, but as they are so popular and widespread, I really have no idea why they have eluded me.

Mac Pink Clash was an impulse purchase through BuyaPowa over Christmas and I was instantly attached by the promise of sparkly, shimmery, glittery lips over the festive period! I believe this is a limited edition product but it is still available at some stores online and it has popped up on BuyaPowa again since.

The first thing that struck me was that the lipglass seems to be tiny! I really don’t think the tube will last long at all, as you only get 4.8g of product and to apply, I found myself having to dip the applicator into the tube several times in order to cover the lips fully.

In the tube, the colour appears to be a rose-tinged gold and this translates fairly well to the lips, producing an almost bronzed / rose look. The gloss is on the fairly sticky side, as I believe is common with all other lipglasses, and the shimmer is certainly fairly noticeable, making this more of a night time gloss, although I have been wearing this to work a little to inject a little sparkle into January!

The colour is very warm and would suit those of a warmer or more bronzed complexion better than those with cooler tones. I also think this would perhaps be more wearable during the summer months as I can see it looking fab with some bronzer and a peach blush. I have quite pigmented lips and the colour was certainly noticeable, although as you would expect, it is not opaque.

I find it lasts around 2 hours on me and unfortunately it does leave quite a lot of glitter on my lips once the colour begins to fade. The glitter is not gritty though and despite the stickiness, I did find the gloss fairly comfortable to wear. As I don’t really own many glitter lip glosses, Pink Clash is unique to my collection, although I suspect there are similar bronzey lipglosses available from other brands.

Verdict

This is an interesting colour which fills a gap in my collection, however the fundamental issue I have with it is that you do not get much product for your pennies! I would also argue that it is more peach or bronze than pink. In short, if you like glitter and you have warmer toned skin, you will probably like this lipgloss, however it is not a must-buy and you may already have similar products in your stash.

3/5

Price – £9.75

Where to Buy – Cheap Smells

Mini Haul!

A quick post to show you some of the products I have accumulated over the past week or so and what you can look forward to seeing reviewed over the next couple of weeks. 

A-England Polishes in Tristam and Guinvere

I haven’t tried any A-England polishes before so I’m looking forward to trying out both of these and doing some swatches /NOTD posts for you. I love discovering new brands!

Tigi Bed Head Dumb Blond Shampoo

I was getting particularly fed up with the Naked shampoo I have been using (review coming up, but I guess you can tell what my thoughts are already!) so went back to an old favourite. This keeps my coloured hair looking bright and shiny without weighing it down and gets rid of any product build-up. 

Garnier Fresh Essentials Eye Make up Remover

Another repeat purchase. I’m onto my 3^rd bottle of this and haven’t found anything better so far. It works wonders on my eye make up without stinging my sensitive eyes.

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub and Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash

I love the scent of both of these and I’m looking forward to seeing how they work! 

Victoria

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Sunday Beauty Blog Catch Up

Sunday is a time when I catch up on blog reading of those posts I have missed during the week. Here are 5 posts that caught my eye that you may have missed.

Rebecca's Raves, Reviews and Rambles - Shizzle Lips

A look at Shizzle lip foils with some great close up shots and details of how to apply them.  Perhaps a bit OTT for work but these would be fab for a mad party!

Computergirl's Musings- Toxin Free for Energy! Life Detox! 

Some great ideas here on how to detox your lifestyle and de-clutter.  I'm also looking forward to trying out the Sleep Cycle Ap tomorrow morning as I am horrendous at getting up in the morning!

Beauty: Not Just Skin Deep - Brush Guard Bargains

Carrie posts about discovering a cheap way of protecting your brushes, to help them keep their shape and last longer.  

Hello Beautiful - Deborah Lippmann Dupe

Hannah posts a great CHEAP dupe for Deborah Lippmann's 'Across the Universe'.  

Lady of the Lane - Paul & Joe Splurge

Charlie always has some great swatches and posts about Paul & Joe makeup and earlier this week she reviewed some of her purchases from ASOS.  I love Paul & Joe but never hear as much about it as other brands, such as Urban Decay, so its great to see some swatches.

Have a great week

Victoria

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