Friday 31 May 2013

Nivea In the shower Skin conditioner and Nivea Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream review!

Above: Sample sizes of Nivea Products

One thing I like to do as I am searching the internet randomly is I like to apply for some samples of products. This way I can try out products before buying them without cluttering my room with rows and rows of full products I have yet to try. One I came across was for the Nivea In The Shower Skin conditioner alongside the Nivea Refreshingly Soft Moisturising cream. I've tried Nivea in the past and I have always found their products to be thick or heavy on the skin so I was eager to see if these two products would be similar.

Above: Nivea In the Shower Skin Conditioner

This product I was really interested in. It is basically a moisturiser you use like a conditioner, you leave it on the skin for a bit then rinse it off and you're ready to go! It claims it can act as your moisturiser so you have no need to moisturise separate outside of the shower. The prices range from around £3 to £5 depending on what amount you would like and there is a range for normal and dry skin, click here if you live in the UK to see the prices and here for everyone if you are interested in the range nivea offer for this skin conditioner. In my sample I got the formula for dry skin which is good since I suffer from eczema. 

So what did I think about this product? Well I thought it was interesting and usual claims like this one that hold a gimmick don't really work or work well but this worked amazing. I honestly felt like my skin was just as soft as when I apply a moisturiser and after ex-foliating I felt like it restored moisture right there in the shower which was nice. When you use it it feels like you are rubbing nice smelling water all over yourself which sounds weird! But then when it comes off you feel moisturised! It works that's all I can say! I think I will be picking this up in the future when I see it! 

Positives:
  • Feels lightweight on the skin
  • Nice subtle scent
  • Moisturises the skin
  • Cheap product
Negatives
  • The subtle scent may not be to everyone's taste or may aggravate some skin types


Above: Nivea Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream

This product also came with the sample. The normal 200ml container is £4.28 and can be found here. If you would like to find out more about the product and how it works look here at the Nivea website. This is a simple moisturising cream and I used this after I shaved. It did the job really but the thing I don't like about Nivea creams is that they feel so thick on your skin and I prefer creams that are thinner and absorb straight away. This took a few minutes to feel soaked in. I just prefer moisturisers that are different but if you prefer thicker moisturisers that linger for a bit this could be for you! The thing with moisturisers is I feel they all pretty much moisturise, its how they behave on the skin that appeals to certain people and this one didn't really appeal to me. So although I may buy a full size of the Nivea Skin Conditioner I will give this one a miss. 

Positives:
  • Moisturises
  • Nice Smell
Negatives
  • Too thick of a formula for me
  • Doesn't absorb in straight away

So that's my review of these two samples. I hope you enjoyed it!

Have you tried any Nivea products? Have you tried their new skin conditioner? What do you think? Leave a comment!

Thursday 30 May 2013

NYC (New York Colour) - Expert Last Nail Polish in Classy-Glassy review

This NYC product is one of those products I picked up randomly and now I will never not pick it up. One day I nipped into Superdrug to have a look through the MUA stand. I needed a new top coat as I always have my nails painted so I go through top coat a lot. I like to pick up top coats I feel would work as a bas coat just to save a bit of money so I thought this NYC Expert Lasting Nail Polish would do the job. It claims on the bottle to elongate the nails wear to 10 days. It doesn't state on the bottle do be a top or a base coat but rather just has the name Classy-Glassy for the 'colour' I suppose you would say. So I thought I would give this a go! I picked it up on the way out looking at the NYC nail stand as it was for the cheap price of £2.49 and I had some spare change!

Above: NYC Expert lasting nail polish in Classy-glassy

One thing I love about this product is that it comes in a different nail polish container than you normally see. So in my big bag of nail polishes I can easily distinguish it. Another is that it comes with a lot of product, which is good since I use it for a top and base coat for every nail look. In the container is 9.7ml or 0.33fl oz. Although I found this to be less than my Rimmel London Ultra shine top coat that also boasts to elongate nail polish for up to ten days wear I felt that this product works much better so I'd take the dip in contents inside the bottle. However it is bigger than say your standard Rimmel London colour polishes that come in a standard 8ml bottle. 
Above: The NYC Nail brush

The brush is also bigger than your standard nail polish brush. It is longer and has thicker bristles so when you place the brush on your nail it spreads out meaning you only really have to go over your nail bed once, making the base and top coat application or each nail effortless and quick.

Above: The NYC Classy-Glassy nail polish with my marbled nails which have this as a base coat; 5 days into wear

Onto the wear of this product. I have used this as a base and top coat for my nails for the past two months. I am now on to my second bottle and finishing up the last bits of the first. As someone who paints there nails once or twice a week and uses this as a top and base coat I felt like this nail polish lasted a good time. After using this for two months on each nail look I am proud with how it has competed against nail polishes I have used as a top and base coat in the past! The nail polish as a top and base coat stops any chipping on the edges of the nails to at least four/five days wear. As you can tell from the above picture of my current marbled nails the nails are still not chipped; impressive as there is also an extra layer of glitter nail polish on top of they layers I used for the look. As you can tell by the picture the shine of the top coat lasts days after it applied, it doesn't usually dull down till about day 7 or 8 which for me is amazing! If I want to re-apply some shine I usually just add another coat! With this polish the nails at the edges usually tend to chip around 8/9 days in which for me is excellent as I am always typing and writing and even taking care of animals at home so for them to last that long is amazing! The centre of the nail always remains un-chipped and polished so really the only signs of wear are the chipped edged at days 8/9! Overall for the price of £2.49 I am in love with this product and I imagine the two bottles I have now will not be the last of the product!

Now on to my usual positives and negatives!

Positives;
  • Cheap!
  • Can be used as a base and top coat
  • The just applied shine remains throughout the whole of its wear
  • Solution is not too thick or thin, its just the right consistency - especially for those nail looks that have layers upon layers of polish
Negatives;

For once I can't think of one! I love everything about this product!

Avon Ideal Flawless BB Cream review

Occasionally I like to pick up the odd gaming or fashion magazine when I am back and to on trains from work to university to meeting friends. So when I picked up Marie Claire June 2013 and it came with two samples I was happy I picked it up! One of the two products I received was the Avon ideal flawless BB cream in a sample sachet. I was kind of disappointed with the sample size as my Seventeen on the spot foundation sample that I placed in an old case is still going for me! I have at least two weeks worth of product in there! But this I made stretch to two applications worth. According to those reviews I have seen on the full size product this is representative of the size of the actual product which does not come with much.  If you check out this review here you will see that for a full 30ml container the price is £12. So I decided to base my review on how I would feel if I had invested that money in to this product.

Now for those of you that are new to BB creams or have yet to try them, I myself was breaking my BB cream virginity with this one, a BB cream is essentially supposed to be a concealer  a foundation, a moisturiser and a SPF all in one. They are slowly gaining popularity among make-up brands lately, I myself had yet to try one up until now so I was eager to see what they were like.
Above: The sample package from Marie Claire

Above you can see the sample sachet I received that came in the colour natural beige which turned out to be a good colour match for myself. When I first opened it I noticed that the product itself looked thinner than a foundation which worried me since it was supposed to be working instead of the foundation and concealer that I already applied however when I swatched it on the back of my hand I realised the consistency was actually pretty thick.
Above: Swatch of the product

The swatch shows that once its been blended a bit it actually turns into a thick consistency. I immediately thought uh-oh I hope it isn't as full coverage as the Seventeen On The Spot foundation, as I have mentioned in previous reviews I always feel overly done up with full coverage foundations for every day wear! However one I blended this into my skin it actually worked pretty well and felt like my everyday face make-up.

Now as for application, as I swatched this product on my hand and blended I could tell due to the consistency that my hands were probably going to work best at blending the product and warming it up to my skin so I ended up using my hands. I did try to use a brush initially on my forehead but I felt like it wan't giving a smooth finish so I resumed using my hands. I applied primer beforehand as I usually would do with any make-up. I used the Smashbox primer beforehand (of which I have reviewed here) and to set the BB cream after application along with the rest of my make-up I used my MUA Fixing Mist (of which I have also reviewed here) after applying my Maybelline Stay Matte powder to set it and then I set about my day!

Above: Make-up on the left at the beginning of the day and right 3 hours of wear

The picture on the left above shows the product straight after application, it had a nice matte finish and was comparable to my usual make-up so I was happy enough to go to university for the day with it on to test is. This was at 7am. The second photo was taken at 10 after I had been working for two hours and done an hours worth of walking. I was happy that the product was still a good tone for my skin and did not oxidise with the surrounding environment. However I did notice my face going a little shiny so I did after this photo need to blot my face with powder to regain the matte finish.

Above: Picture on the left is after 5 hours of wear and the right is 8 hours after wear

On the above photo on the right I had been wearing the BB cream for five hours, I had also done another hour of walking and work on top of this, nothing my normal make-up doesn't usually stand up to. As you can see the shinyness again came back however what confused me was it became shiny on my cheeks where I never usually do go shiny. It was almost as if the product was coming off gradually throughout the day. This made me sad as from its initial application I really liked how the product was easy to put on and required little application. However as you can tell from the 8 hour make-up photo all of the product had come off by then. I was kind of expecting the product to fade a little like normal face make-up but the product had literally come off by 3pm after wearing it since 7. Usually my normal Rimmel foundation can last me from 7am to 10pm and of course I wasn't expecting the same results from a BB cream. I was more expecting a product that would stick for around 6/7 hours that would need minimal touch ups and then FADE not DISAPPIER! 

Now on to the products claims; the product claims to make your skin feel good after application and I must admit after I removed the product I did feel my skin was smooth however I felt that this also achieved with the moisturiser I use with my foundation so I was at a loss as to if this was really a wow factor of the product. The product also claims to help cover up skin blemishes, which it pretty much does until the product fades, it also does contain SPF which as I have said in the past is always a plus so the product does have its benefits.

Overall I loved the initial product and thought it would be my first and only BB cream from its initial application, I really did but as soon as I realised It was going to completely come off my face and not simply fade I realised that this product would be good for those of us that don't want to re-apply make-up throughout the day or do an awful lot of blotting. I think if this product was around £4-6 pound I would be pretty okay with it but for £12 and for only 30ml I wasn't too thrilled. I think if it was around the £4-6 mark it would be a fantastic product for young girls starting to use make-up to begin with but again the price does come into this review! I wouldn't recommend this product for those with oily skin either as I would assume that the lasting power may be even less. 

On saying all of this, I have a feeling if I had of used this on a lazy day, where I stayed in and didn't really do a lot of things it would have stuck for a few more hours but honestly I don't wear make-up on those types of days and I wanted to see how this would perform on an actual day I would wear BB cream!

Now on to my usual positives and negatives of the product!

Positives:
  • Contains a moisturiser, spf, foundation and concealer - makes make-up application in the morning quick
  • Hardly any scent
  • Colour matches seem to be pretty good from those available online for paler skinned individuals
  • Does leave the skin feeling a bit softer
Negatives:
  • Doesn't fade with time, basically fades quickly then goes before the 8 hour mark
  • Doesn't have many available tones for darker skinned individuals
  • £12 for 30ml for a face product that doesn't wow me seems steep!
  • Only available online unless you are subscribed to Avon catalogues 

Wednesday 29 May 2013

How to deal with acne

When I was a teenager I had pretty bad acne. My face was practically covered and like many kids in the 90's I lived seeing the Clean & Clear logo throughout my adolescent years. My mum must have spent a fortune on creams, face washes and expensive body shop products with tea tree oil in just to try to help me. My mum pretty much told me she would not let me take the pill which you can take in order to get rid of acne due to its side effects; which I'm thankful for. The annoying things is I didn't really learn how to best deal with acne until it had gone away.

Like most people I had teenage acne, but my skin isn't acne prone now. I barely get one - two spots a month.  So for those reading wondering if it ends the likelihood is it will. The big thing for me was reading about acne and reading other people's tips so here's my tips!

Washing your face

My main tip for skin, regardless of if you have acne is to wash your face twice a day. Of a morning and an evening I will at least make sure I wash my face over with water. But the use of a daily facial wash at least once a day will help your skin tremendously. Cleaning your skin in the morning removes the oil, dirt and sebum collected on your skin during the night. Cleaning your skin in the evening removes the same stuff after the day! So getting your skin in a good cleaning routine is a good first step. If you work out make sure you wash your face afterwards as well.

Clean clean clean!

By this I don't mean clean your face, I mean clean everything that gets in contact with your face. Make-up brushes, pillow cases, hair even your hands. Keeping things like this clean helps remove any build up of dirt contacting your face and clogging your pores. Wash your make-up brushes at least once a week. Even if you don't use them it removes any dust that may have collected on them. Use products to clean them that won't aggravate your skin and that have anti bacterial properties to them. As for your pillow cases I was these every other day. If you have a partner or a boyfriend/girlfriend/friend that stays over or shares your bed with you try and wash them after they leave or like I do every other day. As for your hair that us subjective. After a dye I leave my hair to last two days till I can then go back to everyday; basically just make sure your hair isn't greasy or unclean.

Try an up-du!

For those with long hair try tying your hair up. Keeping hair away from your face will allow your skin to breath. If you hate the idea of this tie it up when you're relaxing in your room, or before/during bed! If you have bangs like I do invest in a clip or a headband and keep your bangs back to avoid acne on the forehead. I myself before bed put my hair up in a bun and take a clip and clip my fringe back in a kind of quiff style so it still looks nice. Again even though my skin has cleared I like to do this in order to reduce the oil and hair products that get in contact with my face.

Watch what you put on your hair

Some hair styling products can contain oil which may get absorbed into your hair. Avoid products like gel if you can. One big tip I have for this is before you come in from a night out tie your hair back. Since we use a lot of products on nights out its a good idea to keep your hair back when you come in a little tired/worse for wear!

Don't try too many products at once!

I know when I had acne I used about 800 lotions and potions and I kept reapplying them throughout the day. This was not only aggravating my skin it was also clogging my pores itself. Stick to one of each product, an acne treatment, a toner, a cleanser e.t.c

It's also a common misconception that acne means you have oily skin - this is not necessarily the case. Many people with dry skin can also suffer from acne. So make sure you are not over-drying your skin out with products as this usually makes your skin produce more oil anyway!

Have make-up free days

Even though I don't really suffer from acne myself any-more I always make sure I have at least one day a week where I don't wear any make-up. Usually I have make-up free Sundays and Mondays as I am off then. Just make sure you wear as little make-up as possible in order to let your kin breathe! If needs be invest in a foundation that also fights acne; I recommend Seventeen On The Spot foundation which I have reviewed here.

Don't touch your skin

This one is a tough one, try not to lean on your hand or sit touching your face if you can. This just helps to not spread things such as oil or sebum around the face. It is a hard thing to stop yourself doing but if you could try or ask someone you spend time with to tell you when you are doing it you may be more concious of it.

Don't pop spots or acne!

Again another tough one! When you have had a spot for so long and it comes to head it is so tempting to pop it and just cover it up from then on. But you mustn't! In popping spots you actually rupture the membrane underneath your skin which causes the spreading of acne. So as tempting as it is just let them completely heal on their own.

Consult a dermatologist

Ultimately if your skin is causing you to be depressed or stopping you from enjoying social interaction it is best to speak to a professional who could help. Take a visit to your doctor!





And my biggest tip?

REMEMBER YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL...

At the end of the day every person is beautiful. Remember you are beautiful.

Monday 27 May 2013

How to: Crackle Rainbow Nails

I thought whilst I was doing my nails this week that I would take some pictures and do a how to blog for you guys again! This one is a how to on Crackle rainbow nails! I like to add colours to my nail looks, I don't really like plain nails much nowadays and recently I have been using crackle nail polish. I was trying to figure out how I could combine colour with crackle nail polish and I came up with this look! I hope you like it! So here is what you will need:

  • A base coat of your choice
  • A top coat of your choice
  • 4-5 colours of your choice
  • Optional: Glitter nail polish 


Above: The nail polishes I used to create this look

I thought I would show a picture and list the exact products I used in case you were interested so the products I used were (from left to right) :

As my five colours: 
  • Rimmel London 60 Seconds 840 Blue Eyed Girls
  • Rimmel London 60 Seconds 440 Sun Downer
  • Rimmel London I Love Lasting Finish 700 Block Your Green
  • Maybelline New York Color Show 749 Electric Yellow
  • Avon nailwear pro + in Decadence 
Other nail polishes:
  • Base coat and top coat: NYC Expert Last Nail Polish 138 Classy-Glassy
  • Rimmel London I Love Lasting Finish 500 Disco Ball

Now on to the tutorial!

1) First step is to prep the nail. Apply a base coat because we will be using a lot of colour on the nail so you want to make sure it is protected. I used NYC Expert Last Nail Polish 138 Classy-Glassy as my base coat.

2) After you have applied your base coat you can start applying colour, you basically just want to apply little sections of colour rather than painting the whole nail then painting it again with a new colour. 

As you can see with the picture above you paint in sections until you reach the top of the nail. You don't have to worry too much about the cleanness of the lines in-between the colour.

3) The next step is to continue this on all your nails, since you will be waiting for a lot of polish to dry I find its best to go colour by colour on each nail so do the blue stripe on all nails then the orange on all and so on. Then once all the nails are done I would give yours hands about 5 to ten minutes to make sure all the colours are solidly dried.


4) Next is to apply your crackle nail polish as shown above on the right hand side. Do this on all your nails and again let the crackle polish completely crackle and expand before applying a top coat over it.
Above: The Finished effect!

5) Last step is to apply a top coat! Here I also applied an optional glitter polish, Rimmel London I Love Lasting Finish 500 Disco Ball, to add some more sparkle then I finished off with my top coat.

And you're done! I hope you enjoyed this, let me know any other type of nail looks you would like to see! If you would like to see some other nail art click below:




Or for a how to on marbled nails click here.

Double review! Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation & Rimmel Stay Matte Powder!

Bblogger and Youtubers seem to be going mad for this foundation and powder set at the moment. For those of you living under a cave I am talking about Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation and the Rimmel Stay Matte powder! I thought I would pair these two up in one joint review so prepare for a long one!

For those of you interested in my other reviews of Rimmel products check them out below:


Now on to this review!


Above: Rimmel Wake Me Up liquid foundation

Above is the first of the two products I will be talking about, the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation. I picked up mine in Superdrug for £8.99, you can check it out here. I'd heard great things about it and wanted a foundation in my SPF so thought I would give it a look see. I got mine in shade 100 - Ivory. I read a lot of reviews that said this foundation tends to oxidise and go darker so I was a bit worried about that but since the colour selection had darker colours available I just chose the lightest available as that is what I usually do. This foundation comes in at 30ml or 1floz and comes in a glass container with a pump to access the foundation. The glass casing makes the foundation seem more expensive than what it is and even has Rimmel London in raised writing on the glass. The only downside would be you would have to depot this foundation before going on a plane. I usually don't like pump foundations as they are annoying when you want to get those very last bits out however I do like the shape and colour of this so I will let it slide!

On the back of the product Rimmel claim that this foundation 'visibly reawakens and illuminates skin with a radiant glow and a flawless natural looking finish'. They also claim it has 'instant anti fatigue effect'. The foundation also contains SPF 15 which is always a positive.

Above: A swatch of the Rimmel Foundation and rubbed into the hand on the right side

What I find interesting about this foundation is it seems to react so differently with everyone! I went on the site makeupalley.com to have a look at a few reviews and there didn't seem to be a lot of common consensus about the foundation. A lot of people said it was the best thing ever and then a lot of people said it made them so shiny and glittery. I didn't realise till I read the review that the 'radiant glow' Rimmel claim is gained from this shimmer they have added to their product. I bean to worry for my oily T-zone then but to my surprise this foundation fits my skin really well! The colour didn't oxidise at all on my skin and the foundation actually became a nice matte finish after application. It did have a nice radiant finish though that left my skin looking fresh!

Another comment that I noticed from people was on the scent of the product. This product to me has a citrus type smell and since I love those smells I loved this. However some people didn't like this so I would stay away if you don't like scented products or citrus type smells. My biggest worry was that the scent would make my sensitive skin go mad but actually it didn't! 

 

As you can see the foundation for me didn't really change until the 6 hour mark where I did need to re-blot with the Stay Matte powder. Other than that I really did feel it make me look fresh face. It also allowed for a good base for the rest of my make-up. It lasted up to 8 hours on this day but I had a previous day where it managed to last for 12 hours wear! I would say this is a medium to full coverage foundation that would be good for Normal or dry skin but less so for Oily skin.

One tip I would give is to use a brush, from reviews I've seen and read people don't seem to get a flawless finish from using their hands so its best to use a foundation brush if you have one available to you. 

Lets have a look at the positives and negatives of this product before moving on to the pressed powder.

Positives:
  • Average drugstore foundation price, won't break the bank but not the cheapest
  • Average size
  • Container is lovely and has a nice finish to it
  • Citrus smelling (could be a negative to some though)
  • Has SPF 15
  • Provides a fresh look to the face but with a matte application
  • Has around 8 hours wear
  • Good for dry to normal skin types
Negatives:
  • Some skin types may find this is way too much for their skin and it may go shiny
  • Some may not like the citrus smell
  • The pump is a negative for me as you can't ever get those last bits out of the container!
  • I wouldn't recommend this for Oily skin

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder


Above: Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder

Now on to the pressed powder. A lot of people said a powder was necessary with this product but a lot recommended Rimmel Stay Matte powder alongside their Rimmel foundation so I thought I would pick that up as well. I also picked this up from Superdrug for £3.99 again you can check it out here. The colour selection is pretty much the same but I decided to go for 001 Transparent. For £3.99 you get 14g or 0.49oz of product. The powder in my opinion is similar to the Natural collection Pressed powder I reviewed here in that it is a no fuss product and isn't expensive however it is better at keeping the skin matte and also seemed to stop greasy skin pretty well. On the back of the container it says ' Up to 5 hours natural shine control and I would agree with the five hour mark, by then I had to reapply the powder or at least blot myself with it.

Above: A swatch of the powder and the powder itself

The coverage looks petty thick from a swatch but I would say on the skin it is a light to medium coverage. You can also tell from the swatch it s fairly matte. On the powder itself in pan is an embossing which looks really nice when you get it, naturally after about three or four uses this fades away. I think this is a great no fuss powder and if you want a basic powder that is matte in finish and also sorts out shine on the skin your best bet is this its cheap and easily accessible so why not give it a go. Also its bigger than your standard pressed powder so you are getting more bang for your buck. 

The packaging can be annoying though the screw off lid is a bit fiddley especially if you have long nails and it would have been nice for it to have a mirror to make it more purse friendly. But for £3.99 you can't argue.

So what are the positives and negatives?

Positives:
  • Lives up to the claim of a 5 hour matte finish
  • A pretty big container of product
  • Has a matte finish
  • Cheap
Negatives:
  • Those looking for a powder that assists with coverage may want to look elsewhere


Above: The finished look


So above is my skin with the whole lot on! Actually everything on my skin was Rimmel at this point! Even my eyes and eyebrows! So what do you think? Have you tried this before or do you want to in the future?



Sunday 26 May 2013

Natural Collection pressed powder review

As you guys know I like to review products and make-up that are cheap or drug-store products as often they contain golden items you wouldn't usually buy. Natural collection, an own brand by boots, has a few products I think are good starter/staple products. Their pressed powder for example is a great no frills powder that you can use to set your foundation and for those who either want a basic pressed powder or who are just starting out with make-up I would recommend this product.

If you would like to see my review of the Natural Collection blush click the links below:


Above: Natural Collection Pressed Powder

So lets talk price, all Natural collection items are £1.99 or three for £5. Usually when I go to their stand I pick up a powder, a concealer and a nail polish just to call it an even £5 and to take advantage of their deal. The powder itself size wise is the size of a normal pressed powder coming in at 10g and I can say from experience that the product takes a while to hit pan. The product comes with no mirror or brush and has a top that screws off. As for colour selection it is pretty narrow. Those of colour will basically not be able to use this brand as it only really offers three colours of the same skin tone; warm neutral and cool. I tend to choose either neutral or cool as to be hones their is not much difference and I would even compare it to a translucent powder. This powder is fragrance free. 

You can purchase this product in Boot stores at their natural collection stand or here.


Above: The front and back of the Natural Collection pressed powder

As you can see the product claims to 'reduce shine' and leave a 'matte finish'. Personally I wouldn't say it makes an active contribution to reducing shine but the finish is edging on a the natural to natural/matte. I believe this is a powder best for those just really wanting a setting powder. Its also a powder that very lightweight on the skin so it makes a great powder to quickly use in summer or to blot yourself with throughout the day. I like to chuck this in my bag as a quick setting powder as then I don't have to worry about it breaking because of its low price!

Above: Swatches of the product without flash (left) and with flash (right)

As you can see from the above picture this powder is of light to medium coverage on its own and is a very light finish. With flash it does have a tendency to go a but shimmery and reflect the light which is why I would not recommend this product for those of you wanting a light weight powder for your face for evening events as your face may come off looking shiny anyway! If you're looking for a powder that doesn't provide any extra colour to the face choose this as it adds no extra colour to your look, which can either be a positive or a negative depending on how you like to use your powder. Because of this I would say its a great product for us naturally pale people out there!

The natural collection range as a whole I would recommended to those younger girls, possibly in the 11-16 age range as its cheap and affordable and most of their products are great to start learning about how make-up works. Also a lot of their make-up isn't that heavy on the skin so it wouldn't be too much on such young skin. For those mums out their looking for products for their young kids; this brand you should look at!

Overall its a good product I like buying this in between treating myself to a more expensive face powder occasionally. I would say I use it as a staple powder in the summer because its just so lightweight in its finish an d on the skin.

Now on to my usual positives and negatives:

Positives:
  • Cheap - £1.99 each or 3 for £5 constant deal on offer
  • Available for people living in the UK in boots or online
  • A basic no frills powder
  • Great as a starter powder or for younger people
  • Has a matte finish in natural light
Negatives:
  • Doesn't actively stop greasy skin as it claims
  • Can go shimmery and reflect light in flash photography
  • Product doesn't come with a mirror which can be annoying for on the go blotting with powder
  • Not available to those outside the UK

Have you tried any Natural Collection products? What's your opinion?

Friday 24 May 2013

Product Empties #4

So I have another product empties for you, a lot in fact! If you would like to see the previous three product empties post go check them out here;



Above: Soft and Gentle deodorant

So lets start off with a plain one! I am the type of person who goes out and every time I pick up deodorant because you 'always need deodorant . Then I find myself with 4 or 5 bottles of it on my sides that are half empty. So I decided I would work on emptying them all before my room was over taken by them! So product one is just simply a deodorant!

Above: Tea trea oil pure essentials oil

I also finished up the last remaining bits of another bottle of Tea Tree pure oil that was almost empty! De-cluttering my room one product at a time! I've had a few spots on my jawline so I used this on that area along with applying my Seventeen On The Spot foundation which I reviewed here on any problem areas I have and they clear up pretty quickly! I wil always repurchase this as a quick emergency spot treatment. 

Above: Neutrogena Visibly Clear Oil-Free Make-up Remover for face and eyes

I am SO sad this has gone because Neutrogena don't sell this any more! However I do have one more bottle left so I am good for now! I use this to remove any face make-up I have and it always takes off every last bit. I love it because it is a lotion type consistency and also feels like it moisturises and cools the skin after you have had make-up on. I also love it because it is oil free and I tend to like to go for products that are oil free. It also has such a lovely scent to it! Since I can't repurchase this I will be keeping my eye out for another oil free make-up remover!

Above: Batiste Dry Shampoo in Diva

If you would like to read a much more in depth review of this product click here for my review of the Batiste dry shampoo range. Again dry shampoo is like deodorant to me I just pick it up thinking I need more. So I finished the last remaining bits of this up. Like I said in my review I like the original scent better because of its lack of scent so I don't think I will be buying this one again, I will just stick to my normal can. However if you are in to trying the different scents I would say go for it!


Above: Simple Kind to Eyes eye make-up remover

I mentioned this product briefly in my Daily Skin Care Routine blog post. I use this to remove my eye make up (obviously) as I have pretty heavy make-up around my eyes so I need a good make-up remover for that area. This is definitely one of the best ones I have tried! Because I have sensitive eyes and also wear contact lenses it was important to me that this product was fragrance free and all that good stuff so I lucked out that simple did an eye make up remover! I may have to try their face make-up remover since I am now in the market for one! I have already repurchased this item and can see myself buying it for the foreseeable future!

Above: Cutex Ultra Cleansing Nail Polish Remover

You guys and everyone I know knows how obsessed I am with doing my nails. So I go through a lot of nail polish remover! I love the Cutex nail polish remover as it just does the job and doesn't smell to strong of acetone either! However don't try the acetone free one I mention in my products I've hated blog post as it is awful! Even though acetone free nail polish removers are less drying to nails they are impossible to work with! However as for this particular cutex nail polish I will continue to purchase this product.

Above: Maybelline Super Stay 24 hour concealer

Before you say it yes I know it looks like it has some left but trust me when I say that is dried on product! I loved this concealer I have gone through so many and I even remove the stoppers and use the hot cup method to boil the concealer and get more from the sides (yes I like saving money). I bought these in bulk last year when I wasn't wearing much make-up (basically just concealer and foundation when I needed it) so that I had one at home, one at a friends and one at my boyfriends. Then they all came back into my home make-up bag this year so I am making my way through them. The packaging is different now and looks nice, if I saw this again I would definitely pick it up!

So that is my products empties blog again, I had a lot this time round! Hope you check out the rest of my blog and thank you for reading!

Wednesday 22 May 2013

How to: Depot your products - Why you should always depot products when you think they're empty!

So guys this is more of a quick bog post on why you should always depot products when you think they are finished. If you're like me and you like to save money this is a must. Most packaging nowadays doesn't allow for you to get all the product out no matter how much you squeeze the product or throw it against the wall! However if you cut it open and get a little container you can scoop out the rest of the product!

All you need is:

  • A 'finished' product
  • Scissors
  • A spoon or spatula to scoop the remaining product out
  • An empty case that is resealable


Above: A de-potted make-up remover cream

All you have to do is the following:

1) Cut open the package at half way
2) Use your spatula or spoon to scoop out the product that is left in the container,  if its a big or weird shaped container do multiple cuts through the bottle to make sure you get everything
3) Place the scoops into a resealable container so the product lasts
4) Have more uses of your product!

Above: A de-potted face mask (seen in my product empties)

And there you go! As you can see from the two images throughout this blog post I do this a lot! Usually you get two to four more uses out of a product which is all good in the long run! I originally got this idea from when people used to depot the original urban decay primer potion because of its bad packaging! It always made me wonder how much product you have left!

Anyway I hope you guys give this a go!


Monday 20 May 2013

Rimmel Stay Matte foundation review

So I've been using Rimmel foundations for quiet sometime. However I usually use the lasting finish foundation that Rimmel make of which I have reviewed (Go check it out here) . Last time I went to town I couldn't seem to find that so I picked up the Rimmel Stay Matte foundation as I have an oily T zone so matte skin finish is something I'm interested in. I don't really use a thick layer of foundation however, for me foundation is more for correcting the tone of my skin and making it all clear. Luckily I don't suffer from ache so the converting of my skin is minimal. The reason I like Rimmel foundations so much is they are like moisturisers, they feel so soft on the skin and practically feel like you are just rubbing in a moisturiser. This foundation was no different, it felt so soft on my skin! They also last a pretty long time, my first ever package of Rimmel Lasting Finish lasted me about a year!

Above: Rimmel Stay Matte foundation

As you can see from the above picture I am in the colour 300; Natural beige; don't be thrown off by the colour of the packaging it doesn't represent what colour is inside! I purchased mine for the price of £5.99. Now although I don't like a thick coverage foundation I do have to say this Rimmel foundation is of a slightly thicker finish and consistency but not enough that it puts me off. I would still say this is medium coverage, but it is build-able to full coverage if you use bigger amounts than I do!

Above: A swatch of the Rimmel Stay Matte foundation

As you can see from the above swatch the foundation itself is thick in consistency but is easily blended out. As you can see the coverage it gives is pretty amazing and automatically becomes matte once it is blended into the skin. This foundation could be worn by itself rather than with a setting powder however I always like to top off my foundations with a setting powder just in case.

Above: A picture of me with the Matte foundation

I thought I would include a little picture of me wearing the make-up. As you can see it is most definitely matte and has a slightly heavier coverage than the Rimmel Lasting Foundation. I like to wear this on days where it is warmer because it seems to stay put and stop any greasy build up of product in the T-zone. It also allows for a good base for my blush, as you can tell in this picture my blush stands out pretty prominently on this foundation. Now for the claim of 12 hour coverage, on my normal-combination oily skin (I tend to get an oily T-zone) this product does in fact stay for 12 hours, much like the lasting finish. I love that it actually lives up to this claim as I am one of these people who hates re-applying foundation throughout the day or any make-up. I prefer to apply it once then relax for the full day just wearing the make-up as if it were like a t-shirt - absolutely no fuss! For those of you that want a no fuss foundation range I would definitely say checkout Rimmel!


Positives:
  • A good price for a drugstore foundation at £5.99
  • Product lasts a long time
  • Coverage is medium but can be built to full coverage
  • Immediately goes matte on the skin
  • Lives up to its claim of 12 hour wear
  • Allows for an excellent base for blusher, contouring and highlighter - makes them all stand out much more
Negatives:
  • May not be best suited to those wanting light coverage or a foundation with a light matte finish


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MUA Glamour Nights palette review

After I purchased the MUA Undress Me Too palette I was really interested to put the other palettes to the test! The next palette I decided I would test would be the MUA Glamour Nights Palette as I am much into darker tones and colours and I felt like I would get a lot of use out of the colour range in this palette. This palette much like the Undress Me Too palette comes in at £4 and can be bought at Superdrug MUA stands or can be bought on-line at the MUA store here.

Above: MUA 12 shades Glamorous Nights palette

The initial difference you can see from the Undress Me Too palette is this palettes black container. Most people seem to believe the black casing looks sleeker but in my opinion they both look very professional and are easy enough to keep clean. Again like the Undress Me Too palette this palette comes with a double ended eye-shadow brush that I like to use to pack on any glitter type eye shadows on the edge of my eyes. The palette doesn't come with a mirror but comes with a clear case so you can see the colours in the palette at first glance. For my review I will be providing swatches of the eye-shadows in the palette without eye-primer underneath the eye-shadow.
Above: The first four colours; white, purple, smoky black and gold (no primer)

Unlike the Undress Me Too palette these eye-shadows do not have names so I will describe them to you through the colours. The first colour white isn't as stark as it looks, it is more a white with a nice peachy undertone that would make this good for a highlight in the inner corners of the eye for any night look. As you can see it has a shimmer to the colour which would make this a good highlight for flash photography at night. On to the purple, the purple also has undertones but this time has undertones of black that you can actually see in the eye-shadow. This allows for a smoky purple look. Next up is the black. This looks like a deeper black than we see in the Undress Me Too palette and creates a deep smoky black look which is great for creating a smoky eye. This also has a lovely matte finish. Next is this absolutely lovely golden eye-shadow which I was thoroughly impressed with! I was so impressed with how solid this colour was and how solid the shimmer was of this eye-shadow.
Above: The next four colours; Smoky green, silver, shimmery green and lilac (no primer)

The next four colours we see are as lovely as the previous colours. The first looks to be a glittery black but is in actual fact a mossy green with black undertones. This again is a shadow that creates a lovely smoky look on the eye. The next is a silver which much like its gold counterpart in this palette has a lovely solid colour pay off and a fantastic shine to the product that isn't overpowering! To be it makes the shimmer wearable for all ages rather than making it too intense with glitter making it aimed more towards a younger audience. The next again looks to be a mossy green but actually turns out to swatch like a green with a shimmer to it. I can imagine this to be a lovely Christmas colour and tone with a shimmery green eye-shadow look on the eye. Next is a lilac colour with a colour pay off on the skin which solidly reflect the colour we see in the pan of the palette. 

Above: The final four colours of the palette; grey, brown, red and shimmery pearl (no primer)

The last four colours see a grey, brown red and pearl combination. The grey we see in the palette appears lighter on the skin but would work well for the base of a smoky eye look. The next colour brown has a slight shimmer to it and would work well with the greens we have previously seen in the palette. The next colour I absolutely love. The red in the palette also has undertones of pink making it an intense colour. The final colour of the palette is almost a shimmery pearl and would work well with the white we see at the beginning of the palette. I love the iridescent shimmer this eye-shadow gives!  

Overall the thing I was most impressed with was the colour pay off especially with no primer! The colour pay off of the MUA palettes is impressive for only £4! 

On to the positives and negatives!

Positives:
  • Cheap once again! £4!
  • Available to order on-line or to buy in stores at Superdrug for those living in the UK!
  • Good selection of colour
  • Creates a good night eye look
Negatives:
  • Only available on-line for those outside the UK
  • Some colours do have a bit of fall-out in the palette as you apply them on to the brush



If you would like to check out my other MUA reviews click the following!