Review: Bobbi Brown Goldstone Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow

 

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eyeshadows are in my opinion, some of the most overlooked cream eyeshadows around.  I reviewed one of the regular shades, Shore, here previously and today I am going to look at one of the metallic shades, Goldstone.  

 

Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Cream eyeliners are contained within glass pots with screw top lids.  Unlike some other cream eyeshadows I have tried, these do not dry up and indeed I have had this one for almost two years and it is still moist and going strong.

Under indoor light

The swatch above was taken with my finger and I tend to use either my finger or a Mac 239 to apply.  The colour is a gorgeous metallic ,shimmery gold which almost looks like a dirty, blackened gold when applied.  Despite the presence of glitter, there is no fallout and the glitter is suspended in the shadow.  I also found that unlike some other glitter shadows I have used, the actual colour doesn't wear off and leave you with a multitude of glitter on your lids - the metallic finish stays throughout the whole day.

Natural Light

I found it difficult to capture the true nature of this colour, as it looks almost silver in the swatch above.  It is very much a gold though, although not  particularly a yellow gold, and therefore it could be worn by those with warm or cool skintones.  I often wear this with a black or grey smudged kohl along my waterline and lashings of black mascara and I find it gives a little extra interest to a fairly neutral polished look.

Verdict

Bobbi Brown's Metallic Long-Wear Eyeshadow in Goldstone is a rare find in that it sparkles without a ton of glitter and does not produce any fallout.  On my oily lids, it stays put for around 6 hours ,and lasted longer when used in conjunction with a primer.  It gives a subtle sparkle to a daytime look and can be combined with a grey shadow for a spin on the traditional smokey eye.  The only negative I can think of is that the pot can be quite heavy to travel with, and if you use your fingers for application, it can be quite difficult to get to the product due to the small opening at the neck of the jar.  However, i fyou haven't yet had a look at some of Bobbi's Metallic Long-Wear eyeshadows, they are certainly worth a look.

5/5

Price - £17

Where to Buy -  Bobbi Brown, Debenhams, House of Fraser, Selfridges

February Reads

Another month, and I have managed to work my way through four books, three of which I really enjoyed.

Londoners - Craig Taylor

I picked this book up following a recommendation from the lovely Sandra (Beauty Balm) as  she said she couldn’t put it down!  Not being a Londoner myself, I wouldn’t have usually picked up this book but I can assure you it is not just for those living in or near the Capital.

The book is a series of viewpoints and true stories from people of all walks of life who have connections to London, and some of them make for fascinating reading.  From the story of one man who moved to London hoping for a better life, and instead ending up living on the streets, to an interview with the Voice of the Underground, many of these stories have stayed with me long after reading.  I also found that despite not living in London and being only an occasional visitor, this book doesn’t just apply to London – it can apply to any big city and the feelings and emotions that you experience whilst living and working there.  The stories are all fairly short, often only a few pages so it is an easy, quick read, and if one story doesn’t interest you, you can be sure there will be another on the next page which will suck you in.  Highly recommended!

The Child Who – Simon Lelic

More of a ‘whydonnnit’ than a ‘whodonnit’, this is the story of a twelve year old boy who commits a terrible crime when he murders a young girl.  The unusual aspect of this novel is that it focuses on the lawyer’s point of view of the case and his client, and how this affects both him and his family in the torrent of backlash from the public. 

This is the third of Simon Lelic’s books that I have read and I couldn’t put it down, devouring it in 2 days!  His books always seem to make you think about moral viewpoints and social standpoints, turning your initial thoughts upside down and seeing things from another side.  I would certainly recommend this, although I think his debut novel, Rupture, is probably my favourite out of the three he has written to date. 

This Beautiful Life -Helen Schulman

I downloaded this book after reading about it in Grazia and thinking it sounded intriguing.  The story is of New York family who suddenly find their life in turmoil after their 15 year old son is caught in the middle of a media and public outcry after he forwards an email containing a pornographic video of an underage classmate that was intended for his eyes only.

The novel focuses on how something which was done without much thought and intention can snowball and quickly become out of control, affecting all members of a family.  From an interesting premise, I was rather disappointed with this book as I felt no empathy with any of the characters, finding them shallow and self-absorbed.  I won’t be rushing to read another of Schulman's books. 

Purge – Sofi Oksanen

It is difficult to know where to begin when reviewing this book as it is such a multi-layered, multi-faceted story interwoven over fifty years that to attempt to describe it in a short paragraph would be difficult. 

The novel, is by a Finnish writer, and focuses on the lives of two women in Estonia from 1940s-1990s and how their lives are interlinked. Aliide is an old woman, living alone in a remote village when one day, a young woman, Zara, turns up on her doorstep, battered and bruised. What follows is a story which takes us through the gauntlet of emotions and is at times not an easy read, encompassing human trafficking, the impact of Communism and a classic love triangle.

I found this book engrossing, however it was at times quite distressing but very thought-provoking. I don’t want to say too much about the plot as it twists and turns, leading you down one path and then another, turning your previous perceptions of characters upside down, but I would recommend it if you want an interesting read. It has won many awards throughout Europe and after reading the novel, I can understand why.

Have you read any good books this month?

Review: Tigi Bed Head Sugar Dust

There seems to have been a rapid influx of volumising hair powders onto the market of late and after being so impressed with the volumising and mattifying properties of the Label.m Resurrection Dust (review here) I was excited to try another brand to see if it would produce the same effects (the life of a beauty blogger means we are always itching to try other products!)

Tigi Bed Head Sugar Dust is used in much the same way as the Label.m product.  You sprinkle a tiny bit of product into the roots of your hair and rub it in to produce the required volume.  It also does a good job of mattifying the hair and soaks up any oil at the roots, making it perfect if you don't have time to wash your hair.

The first thing I noticed with this product is that the grains of product were much smaller than the grains of the Label.m product.  This meant that it was easier to work into the roots but I did feel like I needed a lot of the product to produce the desired effect.  The name is very apt as it does look a lot like sugar, although I would imagine that it doesn't taste very good in a cup of tea!

In comparing this product with the Label.m product, I also found that it was more difficult to control and didn't produce as much of a targeted volume look, probably because I needed to use more product and the smaller grains seemed to migrate all over the head.  This even happened when I roped in a willing helper over the weekend to help apply it!

Verdict

Tigi Bed Head Sugar Dust does produce some decent volume, although it wasn't nearly as volumising as the Label.m product.  I did find that it didn't leave much of a sticky residue in my hair and was quite light to use, however it did require quite a lot of product to achieve the desired volumising effect on my fine hair, and I found it difficult to target specific areas of my hair without it going everywhere!  In short, this will not replace my Label.m powder but if you only require a small amount of volume, it may work well for you.  

2.5/5

Price - From £8.26

Where to Buy -  Cheap Smells, Feel Unique, Look Fantastic, Essentual

Have you tried any volumising powders?

My Week in Photos #1

I hope you have all had a fab week - mine has been especially good as I am now off work for two whole weeks!  I've got quite a lot of fun stuff planned,: I am visiting family and I've also got a wee weekend break to St Andrews planned for the second week with hubby which i am very much looking forward to!

Here is a round up of my week in photos:

1. Deluxe - Dana Thomas

I bought this book after seeing a review on Paris' blog. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into it during my time off!

2. Jolie Box

This was my first Jolie box and I wasn't that impressed to be honest.  I have cancelled my subscription as I feel I can spend my £13 a month on something more useful that I actually want.

3. A Night at the Museum

A visit to the late night event at the National Museum of Scotland. We started with a yummy Indian food at one of my favourite restaurants, followed by drinks, music, an Egyptian mummy exhibition and the chance to stroke baby meerkat and hold giant millipedes - the perfect Friday night!!

So much tasty food!

Hubby holding millipede - was a bit crawly for me!

 

4. Hen Party Fun!

A fab hen weekend in Glasgow which involved a Grease dance class, 50s style outfits and some v tasty homemade cupcakes. I also completed my testing  of the Tigi Sugar  Dust  with the help of my friend Helen. A review will be coming up this week.

5. Six Nations 

I went to the Six Nations Scotland v France rugby match  today. It was my first time at Murrayfield and the atmosphere was amazing. Would have been even better if Scotland had won though.. :-( 

 

I hope you had a good weekend. I'm now planning  on spending most of tomorrow sleeping after my uncharacteristically hectic weekend!

 

Victoria

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Saturday Samples: Estee Lauder BB Creme and Nicky Clarke Volume Shampoo / Conditioner

Today’s Saturday Samples are a quick look at Estee Lauder’s new BB Crème and Nicky Clarke’s Volume Shampoo and Conditioner

Estee Lauder BB Crème SPF35

You have probably seen reviews of this already on other blogs so I will keep this fairly brief.

This is the newest offering to the array of BB creams available within the UK market and at £32, it is one of the most expensive too. As I am sure you are aware, BB creams are meant to provide a halfway house between a tinted moisturiser and a foundation. They generally give a light-medium coverage, moisturising properties and include an SPF as standard.

Estee Lauder’s BB Crème is only available in two shades, light and medium and the light is not particularly light so those with a fair skin may find it too dark. I found it quite thick to spread, especially over my dry areas of skin. I would say it gives a fairly light coverage though as it sheers out quite a bit. It also smells fairly strongly of watermelons which is fine if they are to your liking but it is rather pungent if you are not a huge fan!

Quick Verdict

Its good to see BB Creams becoming more widely spread within the UK and I have no doubt that there will be many people who find this works fabulously for them.  For me, it is a little too thick and unforgiving on my combination skin, especially my dry patches.  The price for a full-sized tube is also way too high, comparable with a high-end foundation. 

Nicky Clarke Volume Shampoo and Conditioner

As someone with fine, coloured hair, I am always looking to add more volume to my locks and I don't always feel like tipping my head upside down at 6am whilst using the hairdryer in order to achieve volume!

This shampoo and conditioner are fairly lightweight to use, and leave my hair feeling clean and easy to manage without any flyaways.  I managed to get 4 washes out of these sachets (I had two each of the shampoo and conditioner) so I felt as though I gave them a fairly good test over the past week.  Whilst I didn't see any major volume improvement, my hair didn't feel limp either, so I felt this did a reasonably good job.

Quick Verdict

If you have fine hair, this shampoo and conditioner are a good option to try.  They will not give you major volume (only a good blow-dry and / or some heavy-duty volumising products can achieve this) but they will stop your hair looking lank and give some much-needed body. 

Have you tried either of these products?  

Have you tried any good BB creams?

Review: YSL Rouge Volupte in Rose Paris 27

YSL Rouge Voluptes are highly praised by many beauty bloggers, due to their creamy, smooth finish and gorgeous packaging.  This was a purchase from a blog sale a couple of months ago which I snapped up in an instant.  So what did I think?

YSL Rouge Volupte in Rose Paris is a member of YSL’s permanent collection and features the standout packaging that is common to the YSL line.  The main aspect of the packaging that I love is that they put the colour on the side of the lipstick, meaning that is very easy to quickly identify which lipstick you are after.  I wish more companies such as Mac did this as it always takes me forever to find the Mac lipstick I am hunting for in a morning, and you can guarantee that it is the last one I will pick up!

The colour in the tube looks to be a pinky coral and extremely vibrant.  As with all Rouge Voluptes, the lipstick is extremely soft so you need to be very careful when winding it up and down to ensure you don’t squish it against the sides of the tube. 

When swatched, the colour goes on opaque in one pass and I actually found it almost too opaque!  It is very creamy and glides on easily, although due to its softness and vivid colour, I would recommend using a lip liner to avoid any potential bleeding issues, and you may find it easier to apply with a lip brush for more accurate application. 

The lip swatch below is done with one slick of the tube and it is VERY bright and almost a cross between a bright coral and a neon pink! I tend to blot it down a little after applying so that it is within my comfort zone but it still maintains its vivid, eye-catching brightness.

Lasting power is superb and much better than the other Rouge Volupte Pink Caress that I own (reviewed here).  I apply it first thing in the morning and it is still there 5 hours later after numerous cups of tea and mid morning snacks!  It has even lasted through a two-course lunch!

Verdict

This is currently one of my favourite bright lipsticks and it goes very well with a simple neutral eye.  If you like corals, such as Mac’s Crosswires, and fancy trying something a little pinker, this may be a good option and I could certainly see it working very well on those with darker skintones due to the high pigmentation.  The only negative I can see is that it isn’t a ‘swipe-and-go’ lippy and it does require careful application, but once it is on your lips, it will stay there for several hours.  Highly recommended!

5/5

Price –£23.50

Where to Buy  - Debenhams, Boots, John Lewis, House of Fraser

Mini Haul - Alpha-H, Davines, Max Factor and Dior

A quick post to show what I have bought / received this week.  Sorry for the quality of the photos - I wanted to get these up and my flat has awful lighting!

Alpha-H  Daily Exfoliator and Alpha-H Handcream

I was after a new daily scrub and I’ve heard good things about the Alpha-H range.  I purchased the handcream as Beauty Bay were doing a promotion where you got a free Alpha-H eyecream if you purchased two products and I always need handcream!  The eye cream didn’t arrive though as it was out of stock grrrrr!!

Davines Nou Nou Illuminating Shampoo

I’d heard several people rave about this shampoo for coloured hair.  I’m wishing I had also picked up the conditioner too as I didn’t realise I am almost out of my Tigi Dumb Blonde.   I may have to do another order!  Not that impressed by the packaging though, it looks a bit like something I could have done!

Max Factor Lipstick in Ruby Tuesday

I won this a while ago from a giveaway with Special K.  It looks rather bright so I’m not sure if I will have the confidence to wear it outside the house – it may be donated to my mum as she is the Red Lipstick Queen!

Rouge Dior 351 in Elegant Pink

Another prize from a giveaway, this time from Pink Lady Apples!  I love winning lipsticks!  I haven’t tried any Dior lipsticks before and this looks like a very wearable, bright pink so I’m looking forward to giving it a try.

As an aside, Boots are currently running a giveaway where you could win one of 5000 Benefit Lip Glosses.  You need to buy 2 bottles of Diet Coke, scan the leaflet listing the promotion (I found this attached to the fridges next to the coke) and swipe your Advantage card.  I love Benefit glosses so fingers crossed for this one!

Have you tried any of these products?  

Review: OPI Save Me Nicki Minaj

My on / off love affair with glitter continues this week in the form of ‘Save Me’ another glitter from the Nicki Minaj collection. Why I persevere with glitters when they are far less simple to remove than regular polish I am have no idea (!), but I am drawn to shiny sparkly things like a magpie and this polish is certainly both shiny and sparkly!

From first impressions, the bottle looks like any other dense glitter, but on closer inspection, you can see tiny bar glitters of blue, silver and pale pink swirled in amongst the regular grains of silver glitter.

All that glitter is suspended in a clear polish and as a result, this means that this is more of a glitter top coat than a stand-alone glitter polish such as the other colour I tried recently  ‘Metallic 4 Life’ (reviewed here). 

L to R: Save Me, OPI Suzi Says Feng Shui, OPI A Good Mandarin is Hard to Find, Essie Super Bosa Nova, Chanel Deauville, OPI Lucky Lucky Lavender, Nars Purple Rain

The polish flows easily onto the nail, as I find is standard with other OPI polishes, and deposits a good amount of glitter onto the nails.  To achieve full coverage, verging on opaque, with only this polish, I anticipate that you would need at least 3 coats, however the stand out feature of this product for me is the ability to layer it over other polishes.

In the picture above, I have swatched ‘Save Me’ over several different polishes, as well as on its own, so you can get an idea of how it looks combined with other shades.  The swatch of ‘Save Me’ on its own is only two coats and you can see how it would need to be built up in order to become opaque.

With flash - Save Me and Suzi Says Feng Shui

‘Save Me’ combines well with both pink and blue shades of polish and I have done a NOTD above with OPI’s ‘Suzi Says Feng Shui’.  I think ‘Save Me’ will probably go best over crèmes rather than shimmers but it is very versatile and I can confirm that, as some of the glitter is in bar form, it is not absolute murder to remove!

Verdict

An impulse buy as part of my love/ hate relationship with glitters, this was a welcome surprise and not a regrettable purchase.  The glitter applies easily and combines well with many shades, and due to the presence of bar glitter, it is unique in my collection.  If you like glitter polishes, I can certainly recommend this!

4/5

Price – £10.50-£11, although you can get this much cheaper from US ebay sellers, I bought both my polishes from BuyaPowa.

Where to Buy - HQ Hair, Beauty Bay

My Tatty Devine Collection!

In a bit of a departure from beauty, today I am going to be showing you my collection of Tatty Devine jewellery.  For those of you who are unaware, Tatty Devine is a whimsical brand that creates statement jewellery out of perspexs. Some of it can be pretty expensive but there are always affordable pieces available, and I have received many complements when wearing specific items.

I first grew interested in Tatty Devine when a friend bought me one of the classic name necklaces.  This was around the time that name necklaces were everywhere and they were at their height of popularity following Sex and The City.  I particularly enjoy wearing this whenever I have to go to a conference or meeting for work as it means people can remember my name easily!

This Angel of the North necklace has garnered lots of comments!  I am an exiled Geordie and even though I have lived in Scotland for nearly 12 years now, I still consider myself a Northern girl at heart!  

These ruby shoes are relevant to me on two levels:

1)       I ADORE shoes and have way too many pairs!

2)      The Wizard of Oz is my favourite film and I must have watched it more than fifty times! I would love to own a pair of Dorothy’s ruby slippers!

I picked up this swallow necklace in the sale last year.  I loved the vibrant red colour and I love swallows in general as they are very graceful birds.  I have had several comments from people asking why I am wearing an plane necklace and I have to admit from certain angles, it does look more like three planes than three swallows!

This white bunny was a part of their Easter collection last year and I hinted to hubby that I liked it!  I always wanted a rabbit when I was younger and this one is super cute – he even has a fluffy tail!

Hubby also bought me the matching bow earrings, although I can’t wear these too often as my ears tend to get red and inflamed if I wear earrings made of anything other than gold or silver for more than a few hours.

The fox is my latest addition that I received from my parents at Christmas.  I do get rather worried when I leave him next to the rabbit though, but thankfully the rabbit still seems to be intact!

My next purchase will be the dragon necklace that was produced for the Year of the Dragon and Chinese New Year, for no particular reason other than I think it would be rather fun to wear a dragon necklace, especially with an otherwise conventional work outfit!

Tatty Devine Jewellery is available on their website at http://www.tattydevine.com/    or they have two stores in London- on Brick Lane and Monmouth Street.

Do you own any Tatty Devine Jewellery? 

Is there anything on the Tatty Devine site you have your eye on?

Review: Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash

When picking up the Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit facial scrub (reviewed here), I also picked up the facial wash from the same range to try out. 

The facial wash has the same lovely scent as the scrub, giving me a sprightly step in the morning (or at least as sprightly as I can be first thing!).  It comes in a pump dispenser and I have found that one pump is sufficient to cover my whole face.  It removes any lingering traces of makeup easily, however I would advise you to ensure that you avoid your eye area as it stings rather a lot if you get it in your eyes!  As a result, I have mainly been using it in the mornings in the shower to freshen up, and have been using a cleanser in the evening to remove my makeup.

This facial wash does leave my skin feeling very clean, although I would always recommend you follow with a moisturiser as it can be quite drying.  It does claim to be targeted at those with oily or combination skins though, who in general, tend to be more prone to acne and blemishes.  If you have dry or normal skin, I would probably advise you to avoid it as it could be rather drying when used on a daily basis.

After using this for approximately six weeks, I haven’t really seen an improvement in my skin or a reduction in the number of blackheads and blemishes as claimed, although I do feel that it cleans my face well. 

Verdict

At a purse-friendly price, this is a useful budget buy for those who have oily or blemish-prone skin.  However, I think there are probably better products available for me as although it cleansed my face, it didn’t eliminate any of the spots or blackheads I am prone to.     

3/5

Price – £3.09- £4.94

Where to Buy - Boots, Superdrug

Saturday Samples

                 

Another week has passed and its time for another delve into my samples box.  I am really pleased with how this series has been encouraging me to use up some of my travel and sample-sized products that I would otherwise neglect and I have found a  few products already that I am planning on purchasing the full sized products.

Temple Spa Aaahhhh! Soothing Balm for Aching Feet and Limbs

Temple Spa was a brand I had never heard of until I spotted their products in a hotel we stayed in for hubby’s birthday last year on the Isle of Skye and it was refreshing to find some products that were not the usual Molten Brown staples usually found in boutique hotels. 

This is a thick gel which contains dandelion, lavender and menthol to calm and sooth your feet and on applying it, the scent of menthol is very prominent.  I tried this for the first time after a 10k run, smoothing it onto my feet and calves.  It rubbed in easily and didn’t leave any sticky residue and  was certainly soothing, although after a few minutes my feet did feel rather cold which would have been the menthol taking effect.  I did find this quite relaxing for my tired feet, although I would probably be more likely to use it in the summer or on holiday, when my feet are feeling hot and swollen after walking around all day.  I could see this complementing my Body Shop Peppermint Foot Spray nicely for an end of day treat!

Quick Verdict

A useful addition to my summer footcare routine, I’m looking forward to trying this out properly when it gets warmer.  In the meantime, it will sooth my tired, achy feet

Blemish Complex – Clarifying Cleanser, Exfoliating Blemish Cream and Skin Perfecting Lotion

Blemish Complex is a brand from the US which was created by dermatologists for dermatologists and has been in development for 35 years so it should be pretty good at tackling problem skin.  

There are three steps to the process: cleansing, exfoliating / treatment and moisturising so it isn’t all that different from other skincare solutions and routines.  There was only enough product in each of the sachets for 2 applications so these are my initial impressions only.  I always test skincare for a month before reviewing to ensure they have been fully tested and my skin has had time to adapt.

Clarifying Cleanser – the scent was very clinical and not particularly pleasant.  This scent was also present across all three of the products, however I am willing to overlook that if the product works well.  It is a clear, foaming gel which is applied to damp skin and rinsed off.  I did like this but it felt quite harsh and I was wary of putting it anywhere near my eyes.

Exfoliating Blemish Cream – Another gel product, this tingled and stung for the first 20 seconds of application.  Again it was applied to damp skin and massaged in.

Skin Perfecting Lotion – Essentially a regular moisturiser, this was massaged in after the blemish cream had sunk in.  I didn’t find it to be particularly unique or especially hydrating.

Quick Verdict

Two applications of these products are not enough to test out their claims and first impressions leave me thinking the full 3 steps are a little harsh for my sensitive skin.  I would however be tempted to try out the Exfoliating Blemish Cream from the range, in collaboration with my usual cleanser and moisturiser.

Trilogy Instant Bronzing Gel

I have to admit that I am not a frequent fake-tan user, as having a NC20 skintone that tans easily I don't feel overly pale.  My legs however do not see the sun that often in winter and they do tend to look a little neglected, so I decided to give this sample of bronzing gel a try.

 

First impressions are that is smells unlike most other self tanners, more of a caramel smell which isn't entirely unpleasant, just unusual! 

 

It looks a deep golden bronze on application but soon fades to an even, natural brown and keeps developing for a couple of hours.  It is non-sticky too and dries within about 10 minutes so there is no sitting around in your pants waiting for it to dry!!

Leg pre bronzing Gel - eeek!

 

 

After an hour, not a massive different but you can see the shimmer.

I did notice that it was VERY shimmery and sparkly and for that reason I would probably only use this for the evenings - it is a little too much for me during the day.

Quick Verdict
As a self-tan novice, I found this very easy to use and applywith no streaks!  For those who like to add a bit of shimmer and sparkle to their tan, this may be a useful product to try.

Have a good weekend

Victoria
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