Wednesday 31 July 2013

St Ives Apricot Scrub - Blemish fighting review

As I mentioned in my daily skin care routine post - I am a big fan of St Ives. I have recently finished this and before I had even finished this I had repurchased it! I really do love this as my daily facial exfoliant. 

Above: St Ives Apricot Scrub

I had never really heard of St Ives as a brand till I was 16. I didn't really have an exfoliation method either. When I was looking in to it I found rave reviews about St Ives as a brand and I have to say I really do agree with them.
Above: The product itself

As far as exfoliants go the St Ives exfoliant is on the abrasive side, you can definitely feel the product on your face. I really do feel like it works away any dead skin and it always leaves soft and smooth skin behind. The smell does, in my opinion, pretty much resemble apricots. Since the formula is medicated towards blemish fighting it can have an underlying smell of the typical acne products you can buy - but that could just be my subconscious smelling that since I always feel like if something is designed for acne it must have that weird smell that follows!

Does the blemish fighting element work? The answer is yes it does help. For me I use this more as a deterrent to acne rather than a cure but on the occasion I have gotten a spot it has helped to clear it up pretty quickly.

The price for this product is pretty good and it lasts a really long time! As I mentioned I have recently finished my most recent one of these and it lasted over a year of daily exfoliation. For the price of £4.29, go check it out on boots here, you can't argue with it!

Positives:
  • Really does exfoliate the skin giving a noticable difference
  • Price is good at £4.29 for 150ml of product
  • Scent is nice
Negatives:
  • Slight 'acne medication' type smell


So what facial scrub do you use? Have you tried St Ives before? Let me know in the comments!

Tuesday 30 July 2013

MUA Individual/Single Eyeshadows review

Beauty Blogger

NOTE: This blog post will also be featured as a guest blog - however I thought my regular readers may also like to view this review!

I have done a ton of reviews on MUA products so you can tell I am a pretty big fan of the range! MUA can be found in Superdrug stores and their eyeshadows can be picked up for just a £1 each! Yes that's right only a £1. You can also go check them out on their website here. For those international readers they do ship internationally so no need to worry about that!

Above: MUA eyeshadows

So far these are the MUA eyeshadows that I own. There are a total of 27 eyeshadows so far in the collection, 4 of which are in the matte collection and 23 of which are in the pearl collection. I am hoping that MUA expand on their matte collection as I prefer matte eyeshadows for the day and the pearl ones for night looks.

For the purposes of the swatches below I have only used one swatch of each color with no primer underneath so you guys can see the true pigmentation of the eyeshadows on their own.

Above: MUA Eyeshadow in Shade 1 

Shade 1, in the pearl range, I decided to pick up as it is a neutral skin toned eyeshadow and I thought it would be a nice color to use for summer to attract attention to my eyes or even as a highlight. As you can see the pigmentation for this color is really good, especially for a pound! I love the shimmer as it has an iridescent glow to it rather than an in your face glitter effect.

Above: MUA Eyeshadow in Shade 2 

This next color I actually picked up for my 21st night out look which you can check out here. My dress was black and white so I wanted a black, white and grey eyeshadow for cheap that I could create an eye look with. Shade 2 is also in the pearl range.  It does look similar to shade one in the pan, in fact at first I thought I had accidentally picked up the same one! But you can see the vibrancy of the white in the iridescent shimmer which is also found in this eyeshadow.

Above: MUA Eyeshadow in Shade 3 

Another shade from the pearl range, Shade 3. This was the grey I also picked up to use on my birthday and once again the pigmentation stays strong. I like how the pearl effect/finish on this grey is not overpowering to the color and allows the pigmentation of the color to come through!

Above: MUA Eyeshadow in Shade 9

Shade 9 from the pearl range, can I just say how pretty this looks in the pan? It looks all sparkly! I think this color looks more shimmery in the pan than it does swatched but the pigmentation is still good. I use this for smokey looks also.  I think this purple is a really pretty color! 

Above: MUA Eyeshadow in Shade 20

This is my first MUA eyeshadow in matte that I have purchased and the only one I have so far! I do hope to try some more actually because I am impressed with the solid color this has given. Again I wore this for the first time on my birthday and it stuck all night alongside the other MUA colors I used. As I mentioned at the beginning this is just one swatch and it is a pretty solid color already! I would say these eyeshadows are definitely build-able. 
Above: MUA Eyeshadow in Shade 26

The last eyeshadow I have to show you is in Shade 26 and is also from the pearl range. Again can I just say it is SO pretty in the pan! Anyway! This color is a kind of aqua or green with a hint of blue, it reminds me of the ocean really and underwater type colors. I think this is my favorite so far out of the ones I have tried. The pigmentation is great and the shimmer is not to overpowering!


Price

So for £1 can you really go wrong? The answer, no! Honestly if you're like me and you wear eyeshadow on the odd occasion its worth picking these up rather than expensive palettes so you can save your money!

Pigmentation

Regardless of the price, the pigmentation of these colors is really good. They are solid colors on their own without a primer. With a primer they become even more vibrant! If you check out my MUA eye primer review you will see what I mean! When you bring in the price against the quality of the pigmentation it is pretty amazing!

Staying Power

The staying power of these on their own is I would say around 2-3 hours before they begin to crease. With a primer I would say they can last up to 5-6 hours! Really I only every wear eyeshadows on nights out and then I tend to top up occasionally, but for my 21st when I wore three of these colors they stayed on my eyes from 7pm till 3am in a nightclub environment. Pretty impressive!



Overall...

Overall I would totally recommend giving these a try. If you're no an eyeshadow person like me but want to try some without breaking the bank this is a fantastic option for you!


If you would like to see my reviews on the MUA palettes of eyeshadows go check them out below!

Monday 29 July 2013

Loverdose Diesel Body Lotion review

Were going Loverdose mad on Bella's Beauty Blog! If you have yet to check out my Loverdose perfume review go check it out here! Now on to the body lotion! The full size of the body lotion offered by Loverdose is 200ml. It comes in a tall white plastic bottle with a metal effect type top that you press down to flip up the top to squeeze the product out. The Loverdose body lotion retails for around £22 on its own; I personally have never bought it on its own and I tend to go for the more cost effective option of the special perfume and body lotion packs that they offer at Christmas. So if you're after both then I would recommend that option as it works out much more cheaply!


Above: Loverdose body lotion

The body lotion as I said is 200ml in size and lasts a long time! I got a 50ml sample size of this as I mentioned in my third product empties blog post and it lasted about 4/5 months!  

Above: The body lotion itself

On to the actual body lotion. The body lotion itself is a very fluid lotion, it is almost like water and feels very hydrating; because of its water like consistency it spreads very well across the skin and a little goes a long way! A nice touch is that the product itself has a pink hint to it but soaks in and goes on clear. The scent of the product is exactly like perfume and lingers on the skin for a good few hours. I think that teamed up with the perfume it helps the perfumes smell to last much longer on the skin. As I also mentioned in my third product empties blog post where I had finished off the smaller bottle of this product; I use this product in two ways. My first way is just as a body lotion as its meant to be used however my second method to use this is whilst I am using soap in the shower or bath I add a little on to the soap or a flannel/loofa in order to give the soap a subtle hint of my perfume. I often use unscented soap so I like adding a little of my perfume smell to the lathered up soap! Just a suggestion there for those of you that have a body lotion scent you love.

Overall the only bad point I see is the price; as far as a bundle package of the perfume and body lotion goes I am willing to invest in both but £22 just for a 200ml container of body lotion is a bit steep. But I really do love this body lotion!

So what are the positives and negatives?

Positives:
  • Product lasts a long time
  • Feels very hydrating to the skin
  • Spreads very easily like water on the skin
  • Lightly scented of the perfume
Negatives:
  • For me he price is a bit more than I'd be willing to invest in body lotion

So have you tried the Loverdose perfume or body lotion? What are your opinions? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!


Sunday 28 July 2013

Loverdose Diesel perfume review!

This type of post is new to me, reviewing a perfume! A little back story on my perfume history. When I was younger I could never really wear perfume, it gave me unbearable headaches! Whilst any perfume was on my skin was developing its scent my headaches would also develop! I was introduced to Loverdose by chance. I made an order with boots and a little sample size of the product came in a little spray bottle. I tried it and realized it wasn't giving me any headaches. So I tried it for about a week till the sample was finished to make sure it wasn't a fluke and it wasn't! So I began buying the actual perfume which turned out to be my very first perfume! I thank Loverdose for building up my tolerance for perfume scents because now I can wear anything I want without headaches! 

So on to the review of the product!


Above: The Loverdose perfume bottle

The Loverdose perfume bottle is designed to look like an arrow piercing in to a heart. It is a lovely sturdy bottle that is also very pretty to leave on your dresser! The bottle itself comes in three different sizes - a small medium and large variety if you will. It comes in 30ml, 50ml and 75ml. Here are the prices for each:

  • 30ml - around £30
  • 50ml - around £50
  • 75ml - around £60
  • NOTE: (The prices do go down considerably around Christmas time when sold in box sets!)
I have owned the 30ml and the 50ml from previous buys. The 30ml I initially bought as I didn't want to waste more money than I had to if I didn't end up liking it full term; luckily I did! The 50ml I only get when it comes in the box sets, most commonly sold and promoted around Christmas, that come with the body lotion also as the body lotion is around £23 on its own! The box sets are usually around £40 if you hunt around at Christmas so you end up saving a ton!

Now on to the scent which is the most important part! Initially the base note is described as 'dry woods'. To be honest when I initially apply it it just smells like regular old perfume before any of the scents start to develop. The top notes are described as 'mandarin' and 'star anise'. The top notes to me are very sweet and smell very much like chocolate candy! I don't know why that it! I have noticed that sweet scent a lot of times and when I have borrowed this to girl friends on nights out before we head out I can always smell the sweet scent of its top note! The heart notes are describes as liquorice and vanilla. The vanilla and liquorice scents are definitely present in the perfume and I love it! Which is odd because I hate liquorice! Overall I would say the scent is sweet! The scent is described as floral however I would debate that it starts floral and has a sweet edge to it towards the end of its wear.

 Now here's the interesting bit! I was talking to a girl in my local 'The Perfume Shop' who told me that the reason I don't have headaches with this perfume is because of the liquorice heart note in it. Until that point I hadn't really thought about the heart notes! She said it tends to alleviate those perfume headaches you can get so its a great introductory perfume! So there you have it! If you do struggle with perfume headaches like me this perfume might work for you!

The scent, since it is an Eau De Parfum lasts around 4-6 hours of wear. Though to be honest I believe that the sweet smell lingers for around 2-3 hours after the perfume has worn off.

As for how long the bottle lasts? A 30ml for me can last around 4 months - and I wear it regularly as well as putting 10 pumps in to my travel perfume spritzer for when I stay out of my own house. A 50ml lasts me around 10-12 months! It really is amazing, and I spritz each day one spray on my neck and one each on my wrists. I usually get bought this for my birthdays and Christmas so I never really have to worry about it running out!

Like I suggested earlier if you use this perfume or like this perfume the best deals are in the Christmas offers! One year I got a nail file kit free with the bundle pack of the perfume and body lotion and last Christmas I got a tote bag along with the lotion and perfume!

So on to my usual positives and negatives!

Positives:
  • Great variety of sizes available
  • Sturdy glass container which is very decorative
  • Perfume is very sweet smelling and girly
  • Cheap as far as perfumes go!
Negatives:
  • Those that don't like sweet perfumes may not like this
  • The best deals for prices come at Christmas so those bargain hunters for the bundle of the body lotion and the perfume may have to wait!

So have you tried Loverdose perfume? What do you think of it? What is your favorite perfume? Let me know in the comments!

If you enjoyed my review of the Loverdose Diesel Perfume go checkout my review of the Loverdose Body Lotion here!

Saturday 27 July 2013

OOTD - July 27th


Hey guys! Sorry I haven't done an OOTD post in a while - I found myself wearing the same light weight dresses during this heat! But today I have a different dress! This one I bought about a year ago - it's so lightweight it's perfect for this heat! Again another dress from New Look which I'm sure was around the £14.99 mark. The sandals are also from New Look! I'm not usually a Sandal person if I'm honest but I've only worn these a handful of times so I thought I may as well wear then whilst I can! 

Hope you guys are enjoying the warm weather! 

Friday 26 July 2013

NOTD - July 25th

Hello guys, another NOTD post! Since its been so hot I honestly haven't had the patient to do such a detailed look. Who wants to be stuck indoors when the weathers bed so nice? So I thought I'd do more simple looks with my nails for the time being.


So I chose to use the following nail polishes to achieve this look:



I used the Collection 2000 Hot Looks Fast Dry polish in 49 Angel wings on all my fingers bar my ring finger. On my ring finger I used Rimmel Lasting Finish in 080 Black Cab (forgive the messy bottle). Over all the nails I also used another Rimmel Lasting Finish nail polish in 500 disco ball which is my favourite glitter polish as unlike others it doesn't go all horrible and clumpy dead quick. As my base and top coat I used NYC in 138 Classy-Glassy which I have reviewed here and loved!

Thank you guys for checking out my nail look! What nail polish are you currently working? Let me know in the comments!

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Lycra Flex mascara review

*This item was won in a competition by Rimmel through Twitter, this however will not affect my review and as always I will give you my honest opinion!*

So about a month or two back I actually won a Rimmel Scandal Eyes Flex mascara through a competition by Rimmel on twitter! As you guys know I have tried and reviewed the original Rimmel Scandal Eyes mascara here so I was very interested to see how the Lycra flex variation would perform. The appeal about this mascara is that it shouldn't leave the lashes feeling brittle or dry or stiff in any way, a bold claim to be made by any mascara as every different type I have tried has done just that. However I can honestly tell you it lives up to those claims! This mascara is available in black and extreme black and retails for £6.99. Check out the boots website here or go checkout the Rimmel website itself on the product here

Above: Rimmel Scandal Eyes Lycra Flex mascara on the left and the mascara wand on the right

Above is the picture I took straight after the mascara came to me in the mail. It only took a few days to come which I was very happy about, it came just in time for my birthday! The first thing you obviously notice is the lime green color of the packaging. The US version is actually a sleek black which looks very nice, personally I don't mind the color of the packaging as it helps me to distinguish clearly each mascara from one another. The wand of the brush is exactly the same as the original scandal eyes mascara brush, very big and very fluffy and thick. The formula smells exactly the same also for those of you that are weird like me and smell every make-up item you buy! The real difference is supposed to be in the formula so I decided to put it to the test.

Above: The mascara on my lashes - two coats

As I mentioned in my original review of the Rimmel Scandal Eyes mascara, the scandal eyes formula for me is a very natural effect mascara which I chose to wear for my volunteer work after reviewing it and just deemed it as my natural day/work mascara. So I decided I would use and test this on those same days for the same purpose. Like I have mentioned in previous reviews of mascaras I love a bold eye look so I tried to subtract my love of elongated voluminous thick lashes out of the equation! However in my opinion this version of the Rimmel Scandal eyes did give more lift to the lashes and a slight curl! I was impressed, and because of the different formula it didn't look like I had any mascara on!

On to the claims of it feeling natural? Well it does just that! It doesn't feel like you have mascara on at all! When I took it off it was also very easy to! There was no stubborn fighting with my eyes to remove the mascara.

Overall I would recommend this to younger girls after a mascara or for those of us that need a no fuss or subtle mascara, possibly for work! Now on to my usual positives and negatives!

Positives
  • Cheap - £6.99
  • Easily available in stores and online
  • Build-able between coats
  • Allows for a subtle look
  • Doesn't feel like you have mascara on!
  • Easy to remove
Negatives
  • Those who like their packaging of products to look sleek may not prefer the packaging

Thanks for reading yet another Rimmel Scandal Eyes review guys! So have you tried any of the Rimmel Scandal Eyes mascaras? Whats your opinion? Let me know in the comments below!





Monday 22 July 2013

Product Empties #6

I haven't really done a product empties blog in a while; I don't know why really. I guess its just been one of those slow product months! Though I must admit I have been trying to finish what I have left of any of the ends of products as I have just had a massive clear out of my room so I wan't to clear it out further by getting rid of the last bits of any products I don't want to repurchase! If you would like to check out my previous product empties blog posts go check them out here:


Anyway on to the product empties blog post!

Above: Primark Beauty Cosmetic Pads twin pack 2 x 80

As you guys know I go through a lot of these but recently when I have been in Primark I have been buying their cosmetic pads since I can get 160 for just £1. They feel exactly the same as the ones you can get at boots or Superdrug for example, I was expecting them to feel rough because of being cheap but nope! I always repurchase these when I am in a Primark.

Above: Soft and Gentle Extra Fresh Deodorant

Yep a pretty boring and standard thing, a deodorant. Though one random comment, I have been trying to go for more natural deodorant or ones that don't have to many chemicals or a high alcohol content. Just to try some more natural products really and I don't know about anyone else but some deodorants to me smell really 'chemically' if that's a thing! So I am hopefully going to give that a go soon!

Above: NYC Nail Polish in Classy Glassy

I actually reviewed this product here. I LOVE this as a base and top coat and I do repurchase this whenever I need a new topcoat. However if you know me I am obsessed with nail polish and I love trying out new top and base coats all the time - I won't be content until I try them all out! I would recommend this nail polish and I will repurchase this as and when I need it.

Above: Lush bath bomb

This one is a bit of a random one I know! As I was going through the bottom of my wardrobe this week I realized I still had lush products from Christmas presents! I thought I may as well use them all up since no doubt I will get some lovely new ones at Christmas! I much prefer showers but occasionally I will have a bath of the evening just to relax in! This one was really nice and made my skin so smooth and so soft! Maybe I will have to take Lush baths more often!

This on was a short one I know but like I said I am slowly but surely trying to finish up everything that I have! Are you trying to finish up any products? What do you go through tons of? Let me now in the comments below!

Saturday 20 July 2013

OOTD - Graduation!

Hello guys! So Thursday I had my graduation from university and I thought I would show you what I wore. As you can imagine on the day I was extremely busy so I couldn't get a post up on the day. But better late than never!


So the T-shirt I wore was from New look for around £30. It was a very sheer lightweight dress so underneath I wore a black body con dress which gave a hint of my figure underneath! I also wore some small 4 inch heels from New Look which I've had for a few years, they are lace up bootie style heels. I gave the tights a miss because it was just so warm!


And this is me in my top and gown! I'm officially a graduate, yay!



Friday 19 July 2013

Guest post - Lottie from Lc Couture review of the Rimmel Kate Moss Lipsticks

Hi everyone, Claire has kindly allowed me to write a post for her and I'm so excited as Bella's Beauty Blog is one of the blogs that I love to read as it's one of my firm favorites. With this being said, enjoy!


Summer has decided to make an appearance which means those reds, pinks, coral and orange  lipsticks need to come out! Having said this, I am going to review one of my new favorite lipsticks which is the Katie Moss lipstick in '22' .

This is such a pretty lipstick and I believe it's such a classic colour that can easily be worn throughout the year. The Kate Moss collection has a range of colours suitable for an array of skin tones. The packaging is pretty with the 'Kate' printed on the lid which makes it very cute and girly.

I've been getting into very pigmented lipsticks and lip- glosses and this lipstick is no exception. The lipstick is very pigmented, however it's not too drying on the lips as some pigmented matt lipsticks can be. The formula and consistency of the product is soft on the lips as it glides on.

The lipsticks within this range have an affordable RRP of £5.49 which is an absolute bargain in my opinion! This lipstick is just as good as, if not better than some high end lipsticks. I think that this lipstick is an amazing edition to anyone's makeup collection especially if they are just starting out in makeup as it's affordable and is a very classic all year colour. I am definitely going to pick up a few more of these lovely lipsticks!


I hope you enjoyed this post!



Back to BellasBeautyBlog!

A big thank you for Lottie for doing this Guest Post for me! It was great allowing another blogger to come on to my blog and review a product! I myself have yet to try these but I think I might have to give them a go! 

So have you guys tried the Rimmel Kate Moss Lipsticks? What shades have you got and what do you think? Let us know in the comments!

Also if you are interested yourself in ever guest blogging give me an e-mail, I would love to arrange some guest blogs for times when I am not available to post content myself!

Thursday 18 July 2013

How to look after your face, body and hair in the sun!


Now the fun has FINALLY decided to show up I thought I would show you guys what I chose to use to take care of myself in the sun! A little back story on my skin, as you guys know from previous posts I have Eczema so when I burn, I peel, bad. So before I go out in the sun and after I religiously moisturize. I tend to burn easily because of my Eczema as well as my sensitive skin. I also burnt my arm pretty badly last year in the garden one evening so since then that arm has basically had burn scars... yay. So this is everything I do to avoid getting burnt as best I can!

Above: Simple Kind to Skin Protecting Moisture Cream - SPF 10

I moisturize every day as part of my skin care routine. I use this all year round as SPF for ageing is always good, but in summer in the heat it is especially good! So my first tip would be to try and have a moisturizer with SPF in your daily skin care routine!

Above: Rimmel London Wake Me Up foundation with SPF 15

If you are going to brave foundation and make-up in the summer, like I too often try and do, try and buy one you can use for the summer that has SPF in it. The Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation that I have reviewed here is perfect for this. It gives a natural glow to the skin and also has SPF 15 included. A lot of foundations offer SPF in them so find the one that you find best meets your skins needs and pick it up!

Above; Garnier Sun Protection Lip Care Medium SPF20

I think a lot of the time we forget our lips are there and that they can get burnt! Anyone had burnt lips like me? If you have you know how much it absolutely kills! Try and find a lip balm that has SPF in it like this Garnier lip balm. This will keep your lips moisturized like normal as well as protected from the sun.

Above: Garnier Protection Spray sun tan lotion SPF 50

Of course the main one we all know we should put on but think 'oh I'll be fine' or 'oh I need the tan anyway' is the sun tan lotion for your body. For me I try to get as high an SPF as possible and try and get ones like this particular Garnier one that contains both UVA and UVB protection as well as Vitamin E to nourish the skin. As long as your skin is protected from both UVA and UVB you are good to go!

Above: Solait Sunshine Defense Scalp and Hair Protection Spray

Much like the lips, we often forget about where the sun will be hitting the most... our head and hair! This is a spray that you put in your hair for protection against the sun. It smells like hairspray and sun tan lotion which is weird but the smell fades within a few minutes! It has both UVA and UVB protection so that is also good. I use this on myself and always use it on others when I'm out! This isn't just good for adults but also children as their scalps are so sensitive especially to the sun. So don't forget your hair and scalp guys!


So there you go guys that is everything I use on the rare occasions that the UK is visited with sun! What do you guys use? Let me know in the comments below!


Wednesday 17 July 2013

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 hour eyeshadow review


Today I am reviewing something that I have been using for a while now but I wanted to make sure I absolutely loved them as I know there have been so many positive reviews of these eyeshadows. I thought surely there would be some negative aspects of this eyeshadow... I can honestly say there isn't! In this review I will be reviewing 55 -Immortal Charcoal and 60 - Timeless Black. On the below swatches I have only swatched the eyeshadow once and I have used no eye primer. I bought these two eyeshadows each from boots for £4.99, you can go check this out here.

These eyeshadows are basically the consistency of gel eyeliner for those that have not read the reviews or seen the product already. They come in really decent sized tubs of product so you get more bang for your buck!
Above: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 hour eyeshadow in the color 55 - Immortal

Shade 55, Immortal charcoal is a lovely grey shade. In the pot it looks like it is a lot more grey than when it is actually swatched so if you're after a silver I would look at the other colors available however I did intend this as a grey color and it came out beautifully. Just one swatch of this produces a solid grey color that does have some flecks of silver. This particular eyeshadow has a sort of duo finish with elements of matte in but also elements of shimmer.

Above: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 hour eyeshadow in the color 60 - Timeless Black

The next color I picked up was shade 60, Timeless Black. Usually I struggle to find a solid black eyeshadow that won'r budge for dramatic eye looks however this eyeshadow has such a solid pigmentation and sticks so well without a primer! The finish of this eyeshadow is more towards a matte finish which I prefer with a black.


Pigmentation?

So far the pigmentation of these products for me has been amazing. For £4.99 you can't argue with it! The pigmentation shows a very strong color without a primer and is also very solid with just one swatch of the product.

Lasting/Staying power? 

These eyeshadows are amazing for staying. They will not budge! I have worn these on many a night out and it doesn't matter how long I've been out I have never been victim to the panda eye look thanks to these guys! I would say the longest I have worn them is 10 hours, I couldn't tell you if the 24 hour claim is true as I don't wear my make-up that long!

Price?

£4.99 if you want a few isn't too bad at all! Okay its not the cheapest when you look at MUA and if you wanted all the shades it may hurt your bank balance but for the odd one not too bad at all! Of course before you buy them all remember products with a gel consistency can sometimes dry out so if you're investing in the collection remember they may not last forever!

Amount of product/Container

So the product comes in a little glass jar with a plastic lid. The container does make it feel like there is more in there but there is still a lot in the container. As I mentioned before these types of products can dry out and to be honest there is so much you may experience this before finishing the pot!



I hope you guys enjoyed my review of the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 hour eyeshadows! Did you enjoy these eyeshadows or not? What is your favorite color from the collection? Let me know in the comments!


Tuesday 16 July 2013

OOTD - July 16th

Hello guys! Another OOTD post here along with another Maxi Dress. This one looks similar to the other maxi dress I wore and is also from New Look however this one is made from cotton and is a tad longer. Again I bought this around 3 years ago and it was about £15.99! Bargain! I love the maxi dresses New Look do!


Monday 15 July 2013

NOTD - Graduation this week!

Hey guys so after the influx of all my OOTD posts I thought I would post my NOTD. Today's look is a twist to the traditional manicure with good nails with green tips. This is because my graduation is this week and the shirt I have chosen to wear is white, green and has gold buttons and detailing. So I wanted my nails to go along the theme and also stand out in photography. Sounds silly but when I look back on then I want to remember how individual my sense of style was when I was younger and in particular my nails! Hopefully I will get some good photos of me to post on my blog so keep your eyes  peeled if I manage to! 



Saturday 13 July 2013

OOTD - July 13th

Hey guys another OOTD post here. Today is still an absolute scorcher outside and I am going out to do a bit of shopping so I thought I would wear something a lot looser and flowy. So I pulled out one of my old maxi dresses. I got this when I was 18 at new look so its about 3 years old and I've only really worn it a few times - to a few birthday parties and weddings in the summer. So I thought why not wear it out for once! I believe at the time it was around £15, new look have a great selection of maxi dresses!


Olay Gentle Cleansers Conditioning Milk review

I don't know about you guys but their seems to have been a switch from the traditional toner to products such as conditioning milks. For me I love my Simple Toner and I don't ever plan on getting rid of it out of my routine! For me it feels amazing after taking off my makeup of an evening to really get those pores clean. Recently I rediscovered this Olay Gentle Cleanser. In all honestly I saw the craze of conditioning milk coming back and dug this out of my 'products I need to finish ASAP as they are cluttering my room' list. My initial thoughts? I love this and I can't see why I ever chucked it out of my routine!

Above: Olay Gentle Cleansers Conditioning Milk

So why did I ever initially buy this? Well when I first bought this I wanted a lazy way to take off my makeup and also moisturize my skin at the same time. Simply because I was young and I could not be bothered. However now that I have an actual skin routine I take the time to rub this on my skin and if actually helps re-hydrate my skin especially after a day out in the sun or a full day of wearing makeup. 

Above: The Conditioning Milk itself

The product itself is a white solution and I apply this by getting a cotton pad and rubbing the solution on to my face. This cleanser is intended and labeled as use for 'mild everyday cleansing' and it lives up to this, it will help remove left over makeup as well as conditioning the skin! 

Overall this is one of those products that you just re-grab and fall back in love with. The price is around £2 and the packaging has changed now so for £2 I will definitely be buying this again! For that price you get 200ml worth of product. For those of you that have never tried a conditioning milk this is a great way to sort of test if you like what conditioning milks have to offer!

Now on to my positives and negatives as usual!

Positives:
  • Cheap
  • Easily accessible online and in stores
  • Cleans left over make-up off and also makes the skin soft after use
Negatives:
  • No real special point or wow factor element which is probably why I fell out of love with this product at one point!

So have you guys tried conditioning milk? What are your opinions? Let me know in the comments below!


Friday 12 July 2013

OOTD - July 12th

Hey guys so I'm here with my second OOTD (outfit of the day) post! Today is still once again warm and I've been around the house doing work so I've wanted to be cool. I've been really in to lace dresses as of late and this one I got for my 21st birthday! I believe it was from Dorothy Perkins. It is a lovely cream/off white color and is really light weight. I've also paired it up with my cardigan for this evening for when I go out! 


I hope you guys are enjoying these posts! 

Thursday 11 July 2013

OOTD - July 11th

So today marks the beginning of an era for me, I finally have a full length mirror in the house. YAY! So I thought I would start doing some OOTD posts since its summer and now is the time when I feel everyone really loves to dress in lovely vibrant colors! Anyway on to the post!

Above: July 11th OOTD

So since the UK has most recently been hit with sun I am wearing just a simple brown tank top from new look and skirt from BHS which is lovely - it has sections that are floral, sequins running through it and a variety of colors. It is also multi purpose-because it is actually fairly long underneath my skirt so I could tuck my tank top in to the skirt and wear a belt with the in order to make a dress. However today since I'm off to college I thought I would wear it simple! The cardigan honestly I have had for years, embarrassingly probably since I was 12! But it is a short cardigan that can be tied round the bust but I chose to wear it loose and is cotton but has a lace type pattern so it covers my arms but shows the colors I am wearing underneath!


So there is my OOTD post! I hope to do lots more of there and hopefully some OOTN (Outfit of the Night) posts! Hope you guys liked this type of post!


Wednesday 10 July 2013

Loreal Paris Studio Hot Straight Straightening Cream/ Heat Protectant review

So I thought I would do a review on a product I have been using pretty much for years, the Loreal Paris Studio Hot Straight cream. What this is is a heat protecting cream that also claims to help the straightening of your hair.So why did I initially buy this cream? Well if I am being honest when I was younger my mum was frightened I would burn and damage my already thick, long and healthy hair. Myself? I used products when I was younger that made my hair look straighter as it was so hard to maintain. So when I went out looking for products this was a sort of steady medium and well I have stuck with it for years!

Above: The Loreal Paris Studio Hot Straight cream

As you cans see here I have the on offer bottle but usually this bottle comes in a 150ml bottle and is usually around £3-4 so it doesn't break the bank! The instructions say for shorter hair use 1 nut sized amount and for long hair use 2 nut sized amounts. I use 2 nut sized amount, one on each side of my hair after running it through my fingers. The smell of the product to be honest smells like conditioner and once you start heat styling the scent goes. A 150ml bottle of this for me lasts around 2 months which I think is fantastic especially for the price!

Above: The cream itself

As you can see the product itself is a white formula, pretty basic, and soaks in to the hair when applied. So now on to the claim of helping the hair become more straight... does it work? My opinion is yes. When I don't use this my natural lion hair is well and truly shown when I just blow dry my hair! However when I blow dry my hair with this it is much more sleek and easier to manage with straighteners. I also feel when I begin to straighten my hair that is does have a protective film on it if that makes sense? I feel as though a barrier is created so my straighteners still work but they are not burning my hair in the process! However you don't feel this when I touch my hair, only when my hair goes through the plates of the straighteners. 

When I don't used this product I also notice I have more breakage, showing that the heat is definitely taking its tole on my hair. However when I begin using this again its back to its healthy ways!

So now on to the positive and negatives of this product.

Positives
  • Cheap and widely available
  • Scent is subtle 
  • Helps to heat protect the hair
  • Helps to straighten the hair
Negatives
  • If you use too much, as with any hair product, it may weigh down the hair
So what heat protection cream do use? Have you tried this or this brand? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!