A Guide to Buying Beauty Products on eBay

Now before I start, I want to say that you purchase products from eBay at your own risk and that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. That Mac blush you are getting for half price brand new many not be authentic....

 

But how do you make the most of eBay when purchasing beauty products? Well, I primarily use it for purchasing products that are not available  in the UK or are much cheaper in other countries.  

 

Nail products are the obvious hot purchases with brands such as OPI and China Glaze less than half the UK retail price on US eBay, and they are still a very good deal even when postage is factored in. Two sellers I have has particularly good service from are beautyzone2007 and enchantedbeautyspot who, between then, sell all the major US polish brands. Delivery usually takes just over a week.

 

In addition to nail polish, I've also bought some products that are not available at all in the UK, such as two versions of the Carmex Moisture Plus Sheer Lip Tints in Berry and Plum. I adore the peach and pink ones we have here in the UK, but after contacting Carmex and discovering they currently have no plans to sell the Berry and Plum ones here, I knew I had to track them down, and eBay was my friend!

 

Other useful sellers are French Pharmacy UK - for difficult to find French pharmacy skincare and the Liz Earle Factory Outlet store, which has Liz Earle products cheaper than retail - just be aware that the packaging may be damaged or printed incorrectly.

 

I have occasionally bought high-end cosmetics from eBay and you can find some good deals if you check carefully. Make sure the seller isn't selling hundreds of the same eyeshadow and check they are using their own photos not stock photos.  

I've managed to find US exclusives and limited edition products that have been out of stock everywhere, but you do have to be careful.  Go with your gut instinct.  These kinds of products are usually available for retail price, so you don't tend to  find many bargains, but you may be able to track down difficult to source items.  I know some people sometimes also manage to uncover new testers of lipsticks such as Guerlain's Rouge Gs for sale.  These are obviously cheaper than the ones you find on counters but they are without the gorgeous heavy packaging, which I know I personally couldn't do without!

I hope this has gone some way to giving you a few pointers for purchasing beauty products on eBay.  

Have you ever got a great deal on beauty products on eBay?

Can you recommend any good sellers?

  

March Favourites

This will be a quick post this month as I haven't really been using many new products, although I have been using a lot of old ones up.  Plus I am still feeling the after effects of a long day with lots of wine at a friend's wedding yesterday!  Thank goodness it is a short week this week - I can't wait for a four-day weekend!

Estee Lauder Pure Colour in Crystal Baby - review here

This has been my go-to shade for those days when I just can't think if what lipstick to wear.  It imparts only a bare minimum of colour but helps to give a more groomed appearance.  

OPI Holland Collection, Kiss Me on My Tulips - review here

I liked OPI's Holland collection and I wore this plum / fuchsia hybrid quite a few times over the past month.  The quality of OPI polishes is, as always, superb and I love the mini bottles as I never finish a full one.  

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Flush

A fab blusher which gives a gorgeous, soft pink dewy look.  This was my first watercolour blush and I am intrigued to try some of the others.  A review and swatches of this will be coming up later this week. 

The Body Shop Chocomania Body Scrub - review here

Despite the fact that this scrub can cause a right old mess if you are not careful, I love this as it is sufficiently 'scrubby' whilst feeling very moisturising and the smell is amazing.  It is a love it or hate it scent though so I would recommend having a sniff of it before purchasing.  I think this is limited edition but itshould be available in stores until June.

Charles Worthington Full Volume Shampoo and Conditioner - review here

A great shampoo and conditioner that when used daily give sufficient volume to the hair, without weighing it down. They have not replaced my Tigi Dumb Blonde but I am very impressed with their performance, especially for the price.

What have been your favourites this month?

Desires and Deals #2

I hope you are having a fab weekend.  Here are some new releases and deals that have caught my eye this week.

Desires

OPI - Teal The Cows Come Home, £11, Lena White

As part of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, OPI have produced a polish in a gorgeous teal shade, of which £1 from every purchase will be donated to Ovacome, the Ovarian Cancer Support Network.  Members of my family have been affected by this disease, and it is the fifth most common cancer amongst woman.  This looks like a lovely shade, and I always find OPI shades a dream to work with.

Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip Tint, £6.99, Boots

Available in 6 different shades, this offering from Rimmel includes a felt tip applicator to impart colour and an accompanying balm.  These are supposed to be transfer-proof and long lasting, which leaves me to wonder if they may be perhaps a little drying.  They look similar to Max Factor's Lipfinity lip products but I haven't yet heard much about them.  I've generally had more luck with Rimmel's glosses than their lipsticks though.

Kevin Aucoin Eye Shadow Metal, £22, Space NK

Kevin Aucoin products have only just become available in the UK and are currently available exclusively at Space NK.  There are several of the shades I want to try out but I am particularly interested in Patina and Copper. 

Deals

Harvey Nichols Gift With Purchase, spend £110 in store

You may already be aware of this, but Harvey Nichols are giving away a huge selection of products if you spend £110 in store in their beauty halls.  This sounds like a lot to spend but you could split the products with a friend to make it more affordable, as there are a great selection of luxury brands included in the free gift, such as Butter London, YSL and Clarins.

Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo and Conditioner, £18.25/£19.65, Look Fantastic

Look Fantastic currently have a great deal on where you can get 40% off the supersize 500ml bottles of their shampoo and conditioner.  It is still quite pricey but you get half a litre of product which will last ages. 

Urban Decay 10% Off - HQ Hair

If you were looking to buy anything from Urban Decay, you can get 10% off at HQ Hair with the code UD10 until midnight Sunday 11th March.  This includes both the Naked and Naked 2 palettes.  

Victoria 

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Review: OPI Holland Collection

I will freely admit that I have an unhealthy addiction to nail polish and I very rarely manage to use up an entire bottle.  For this reason, I love purchasing the mini bottles that are often brought out by OPI and Essie, plus it gives me a reason to purchase several different shades from a new collection!

The Dutch Treats selection consists of four separate shades, inspired by Holland:

I Have A Herring Problem - a shimmering greyed blue

Red Lights Ahead... Where? - a bright coral orange/ red cream

Kiss Me On My Tulips - A rich, almost purple toned pink cream

Pedal Faster Suzi - A shimmering pink with silver sparkles.

From the four shades, I found I Have A Herring Problem the most unique, as I don't own anything else similar.  Pedal Faster Suzi was the colour I found the least interesting, mainly as I prefer more vibrant, punchy shades and I just don't feel it fitted cohesively with the rest of the collection.

Red Lights Ahead...Where? is a gorgeous orange / red hybrid.  However I have several dupes for this polish, as seen in the swatches above, and they are all very similar, with subtle nuances only visible when examined very closely in person. 

Kiss Me On My Tulips is another shade where I had some similar ones in my stash.  OPI's Dim Sum Plum is a touch darker whereas Essie Super Bossa Nova has a pearlescent sheen and is pinker.

As with other OPI polishes, I get several days wear without any chipping and very minor tip wear.   I find OPI's formula to be of medium thickness and very easy to apply.

Verdict

Whilst not offering any particularly new or earth-shattering shades, I do like this collection and it offers a mixture of cream and shimmer finishes.  The stand out shade for me is I Have A Herring Problem,  whilst the noticeably weaker shade is Pedal Faster Suzi as it requires at least three coats for opacity and didn't seem to fit with the rest of the collection.  Red Lights Ahead... Where? and Kiss Me On My Tulips are both strong shades but you may already have dupes in your collection as they are not particularly unique.

3.5/5

Price - £12.95

Where to Buy - Lena White, HQ Hair   Beauty Bay, John Lewis

February Favourites

My monthly favourites are a little boring this month as I haven't really been using any different product.

YSL Rouge Volupte in Rose (reviewed here) - A gorgeous, creamy shade which lasts and lasts.  It is very bright so not for any shirking violets, but I have been wearing it blotted down a little and it really cheers me up on dreary Monday mornings.

OPI Excuse Moi, Muppets Collection (reviewed here) - I've been wearing this super sparkly, pink glitter a lot recently as I've had quite a few events and evening outings where I needed to get glammed up.  I love the fun and frivolity of this polish and I find it pretty hard-wearing too, lasting for several days without chipping which is a rarity for me!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Wild (reviewed here) - As I've been out quite a bit over the past month, I have often been using this Batiste to revive my hair when I haven't got time to wash it or when I am heading out straight after work.  It gives the much needed volume required to revive my barnett, and although I prefer the Tropical scent to this one, they all work in exactly the same way and the scent doesn't hang around too long unless someone is sticking their nose in your hair!

Mac Blushbaby (reviewed here) - a matte blush from Mac's permanent collection, this is a fairly neutral colour which would work on most skintones.  I use it when I am after a natural, quick look as it is lightly pigmented, but buildable, and very difficult to overdo.

L'Occitane Hibiscus Flower Hand Cream - I think this was a sample from a magazine some time ago, but I have only just got around to using it and I wish I had tried it earlier!  It absorbs effortlessly, leaving no greasy residue and smells amazing, leaving my hands beautifully soft.  This was my first experience of L'Occitane hand creams and I am definitely going to purchase more!

Do you have any favourite products from February?

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

Review: A-England Guinevere

I only heard of A-England for the first time about a month or so ago, and after browsing on their website, I instantly knew I needed to have a couple of their polishes! A-England is a relatively new brand of just over a year old and was created by Adina Bodana, an Italian who moved to London more than 20 years ago. The brand is unashamedly British, with each of the polishes having names that reflect the heritage of medieval days. They are also all 3-free. The current collection, The Mythicals, consists of shades from the more blue / purple toned end of the spectrum, with a couple of brights and the obligatory top and base coat also included.
 

Today, I am going to be showing you Guinevere.

Guinevere is a cool toned, dusty lilac creme, which almost seems to lean a little grey on the nails. The formula applied flawlessly, was neither too runny nor too thick, and was opaque in 2 coats.

L to R: Guinevere, Planks a Lot

Although it looks like a dupable shade, I have found it is unique to my collection, being slightly darker and less blue-based than OPI Planks a Lot, which I have swatched alongside it above.

Verdict

The formulation of this polish is great and I love the names of the polishes. Although not overly cheap, the prices are comparable with OPI and there are often sales, (I purchased this when there was 30% off so got it for £6), which combined with the free worldwide shipping offered by the website makes these polishes a good deal. If you don’t have a dusty lilac or lavender in your stash, this would be a good purchase moving into Spring, especially with all the candy colours in fashion this coming season. I have already had a couple of comments on it and I’m sure I will be wearing it more over the next few months! 

4/5 

Price - £9

Where to Buy – A-England

Review: OPI Muppets Mini Collection

Unless you have been living with your head in the clouds over the last month, you can't have failed to notice that there is a new Muppets film coming out shortly.  Mac has brought out a very small Miss Piggy collection recently which didn't really introduce anything new, apart from a new pink eyeshadow, but OPI is going the whole hog (if you excuse the pun!) and has brought out a collection of 12 polishes, consisting of glitters and cremes themed around the new movie.  

L to R: Wocka Wocka!, Excuse Moi!, Designer... De Better!, Waarm & Fozie

OPI often bring out themed collections, and I have previously purchased the minis of the Pirates of the Caribbean collection and the Alice in Wonderland minis.  I particularly like the mini collections as I very rarely finish a polish and they are super cute in mini form!

I have swatched the polishes in the mini collection below.  Excuse the slightly blurry photo but it was the most accurate photo I could get of the colours. All swatches are 3 coats  -Wocka Wocka! would have been fully opaque with 2 coats but I did an extra coat for consistency.

L to R: Wocka Wocka!, Excuse Moi!, Designer... De Better!, Waarm & Fozie

Wocka Wocka! is a lovely pink-toned red creme with a faint shimmer.  I am not normally a huge fan of red polishes but this one is very pretty and festive.  I do find it very similar to 'Thanks So Muchness' from the Alice in Wonderland collection, as the shimmer is there but barely noticeable.  I've been wearing it on my toes for the past week and it looks very sophisticated (in my opinion!)

Excuse Moi!  is one of the three glitters in the collection.  It consists of multi-coloured glitter in a pink jelly.  After 3 coats it was not fully opaque so I may try layering it over another pink or red polish to really make the glitter 'pop'.  Unlike many other brands, I don't tend to find OPI's glitters a huge pain to remove and this is no exception to the rule.  

Designer.... de Better is a cool silver with fine shimmer.  I did find this was probably the sheerest polish of the mini collection, but it is good for when you want a more subtle polish.

Warm & Fozie is my favourite of the bunch.  It is a bronze / gold fine shimmer which is not gritty on the nail and almost seems to have red shimmer running through it when you look at it in a certain light.  This is very festive and will be great for Christmas parties.  Again, it does take 3 coats to build up the intensity of the polish but it is a very unique colour which is completely unlike anything else I own.   

Verdict

If you are looking for a good mix of festive colours which doesn't just include 4 shades of red, this mini collection is worth a look.  If you are only looking to buy one polish from the collection, I would recommend Warm & Fozie, purely because it is the most unique and multi-faceted of the bunch.

4/5

Price - £12.50
Where to buy - Beauty Bay, Lena White(full sized products only, not mini)