Beauty She Writes

BRAND NEW: L'Oréal Paris Elvive Triple Resist Reinforcing Shampoo, Conditioner and Treatment

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000+01:00

Today lovelies, I have a sneak preview for you, of L'Oréal Paris' new Elvive Triple Resist range!

I was lucky enough to win the chance to test these products for L'Oréal, and I was so excited when the postman knocked on the door to deliver them! There are three products in the range, a shampoo, a conditioner and a leave-in root treatment.

The new Triple Resist range, is designed specifically for: "fragile hair with tendency to fall", and the range contains Arginne and Protein. Arginne is an essential amino acid and a vital constituent of the hair fibre. Enriched in Arginne and Protein the new formula provides a triple reinforcing action:

Reinforces hair fibre
Nourishes from root to tip
Hair feels stronger

I really liked the packaging of the products, the black bottle with the contrasting hot pink detailing is really eye-catching and, if you've not noticed, L'Oréal have recently changed the shape of their shampoo and conditioner bottles too, and I think that the new packaging is slightly sleeker looking that it's predecessor.

Now, I find that L'Oréal, like other haircare brands, has a 'signature scent' to their shampoos and conditioners. However, these new products didn't have that 'signature scent' that I have come to expect from L'Oréal, but this was something that I didn't mind at all! These products have a lovely fragrance which is sweet and girly, possibly a little bit citrus-y and which lingered on my hair for a while after drying and styling - my friend commented on how lovely the products smelt!

The shampoo lathered up nicely, a lot better than some other shampoos, and left my hair feeling really clean as a result.

The conditioner was creamy and nourishing, however it did not leave my hair feeling quite as smooth as it usually does, but definitely stronger.

The spray-in treatment is applied directly to the roots of the hair, and contains the highest concentration of Arginne in the Triple Resist range. This product can be applied to wet or dry hair, at the roots, 1-2 times daily, and is to be massaged in with your fingers to help stimulate 'mirco-circulation'. I was concerned that applying this product directly to the roots, especially on dry hair, would make my hair look greasy, but it didn't at all, it was almost like my roots were drinking the treatment up, as it just disappeared almost instantly. Also the nozzle makes application directly to the roots a breeze!

Overall, even though my hair isn't left quite a smooth as perhaps I would like it to be, I really like these products. They leave my hair looking healthier and feeling stronger, and I've had less breakage since I started using the Triple Resist range. So if you frequently abuse your hair with blow drying, straightening or curling, then I would recommend that you pick these products up and give them a try.

Also, if you head over to the L'Oréal Paris Facebook page here, the first 100,000 people will win a shampoo sample sachet, so you can try before you buy!

Do you think you'll be giving these a go? Or have you already tried them? Let me know what you think below!

Good Things Skincare

2011-10-01T08:00:00.000+01:00

Having been lucky enough to win some Good Things Bodycare products, and reading about all the Superfruit ingredients, I was desperate to get my hands on some of their skincare range. So off I popped down to Sainsbury's where they've recently rolled out both their skincare and bodycare ranges, to pick myself up some goodies!

"All Good Things products are full of:

Ingredients that are safe and are known to work gently and effectively on young skin. All our products are FREE FROM the ingredients that many of us prefer to avoid - Good Things contain no mineral oils or other petrochemicals, parabens, sodium laureth- and sodium lauryl sulphates, and nothing that has been derived from or tested on animals.
Superfruit Beauty Boosters - our special added extra, to help make the most of young skin. Eating superfruits like blueberries, mangoes and goji berries is good for your health. And superfruit extracts are great for your skin, too."

You can head over to the Good Things website here and read up on all the benefits of superfruits!

Product: Good Things Face The Day Moisturiser

Price: £7.99/100ml

Superfruit extracts: Goji Berry & Papaya

This moisturiser is lovely and lightweight and perfect for the summer months. I always over apply this because I forget just how little amount of product you need for your whole face. It hydrates my skin nicely, leaving it very soft and smooth, however I can't say that the product smells particularly fruity, and I think that my skin, which can be quite dry sometimes, would need something a little thicker for the winter months, and for the price, I would have liked it to contain an SPF.

Left: Product straight from the tube
Right: Product rubbed into the skin

Product: Good Things Fresh Start Creamy Cleanser

Price: £4.99/150ml

Superfruit extracts: Grape & Pomegranate

I do like this cleanser, it smells more fruity than the moisturiser, if a little too sweet. The product does not lather up, but I still feel that it cleanses my face effectively and removes most of my make up in one go. It has, as the name suggests, a nice creamy consistency that doesn't feel heavy on the skin. My one niggle about this product is that I think it could have broken me out. I've had 3 nasty spots, the kind of which I've never had before, under my skin, and sadly I think that it could well be down to this product.

Left: Product straight from the tube
Right: Product rubbed into the skin

Product: Good Things Five Minute Facial Mask

Price: £5.99/100ml

Superfruit extracts: Avocado & Goji Berry

This mask is, by far, my favourite out of the three products which I bought. As I've previously mentioned, my skin can be prone to dryness, so I'm a usually a little cautious when it comes to buying clay based moisturisers, which are often more suited to oilier skin types. However, having read a number of good reviews of this product, I decided to give it a try and popped it into my basket. The mask itself is reasonably thick in consistency, making it easy to apply an even layer to the skin, and like most clay-based masks, it is touch-dry with a matte finish. However, unlike most clay-based masks, it doesn't dry to be horribly tight on your face, or cakey and crack every time you move a muscle! The product claims to make skin clearer, brighter and smoother, and I would have to agree! After rinsing it off, my skin looks visibly more radiant and my pores look a bit smaller too! As the saying goes, save the best until last, and if you're just going to buy one product from the range, I highly suggest that you make it this one!

Left: Product straight from the tube

Right: Product rubbed into the skin and left for a couple of minutes

Also, an added bonus, Good Things products are FreeFrom parabens, sodium laureth sulphate, animal ingredients and mineral oils!

Good Things products are available from larger Sainsbury's stores, Boots and Superdrug.

Have you tried any of the Good Things products? Let me know what you think below!

Blogs In Bloom

2011-09-24T09:29:00.001+01:00

Eeeeee girlies I'm so excited! I'm featured on Lily's blog - Beauty's Bad Habit, as part of her Blogs In Bloom series! If you're not already following her blog, then you need to do so!

Such an honour for her to feature me, so a big big thank you Lily!

You can click here to go to her blog to read my post!

Let me know what you think below!

My new handbag essential!

2011-09-23T09:39:00.000+01:00

I was recently lucky enough to win a competition on Twitter, run by Denman, and for my prize, they sent me their Hairbrush Compact (D7)!

Now I'm sure you're all familiar with the concept of these type of brushes. You open them out and on one side you've got a decent sized mirror, and on the other, a handy pop-out hairbrush!

I'm never entirely sure whether you're meant to hold the mirror part as a handle, or hold the brush part itself, but either way, this brush feels a lot studier than Boots and Superdrug's own brand ones which I have tried in the past, which I always found snapped in the middle! Oh and this one has a pretty swirly pattern on the mirror side! Always a bonus!

Seriously, every girl should get one of these for her handbag, and it's two products in one! Genius!

You can pick this up from Boots for £2.80 here.

As stated above, I did win this product, and therefore did not pay for it. This does not however, affect my opinions in anyway.

Schwarzkopf Got2b Guardian Angel

2011-09-22T08:34:00.000+01:00

So when my trusty TreSemme Heat Defence Spray ran out, of course I went straight into Boots to pick myself up a replacement.

But then, this caught my eye, Schwarzkopf's Got2b Guardian Angel. Having heard and read a fair bit of praise for this product from various blogs and YouTubers, I thought I'd give it a try!

Schwarzkopf say: "Protect your sizzling styles with Got2b Guardian Angel. With 220°C Heat Protection, your hair will be invincible when using hot irons + blow dryers. So, go ahead and create your hot style, now you have your own guardian angel protecting you! Be divine and shine!"

So I rushed home, quite excited to try it, washed my hair and generously spritzed it all over my hair. The first thing that hit me was the smell! It's lovely! I can't put my finger on it, but really is good! Also, I really like the packaging of this product, it looks sleek and is cleverly shaped to make the bottle easy to hold. The spray itself is very lightweight and non sticky, which is a good thing as I find, that as with most heat protection sprays, I do have to use quite a lot to ensure that all my hair is covered. However, I don't mind...I'd rather use too much than not enough!

The one downside to this product, is that I've not noticed any difference in how shiny my hair is but nevermind! It's main purpose is to protect my hair from the heat, which I am satisfied that it is doing, so I can't really ask for any more than that! It would not say that it is any less effective than previous my TreSemme Heat Defence Spray.

I think that when I run out, it will just be a case of which ever product happens to be on offer. If I remember rightly, the TreSemme product is better value for money at £4.99/300ml normally.

You can pick this product up from Boots here, priced at £4.07/200ml.

Have you tried this product? Has it worked miracles for you?

Batiste 'XXL Volume' and 'Nude' Dry Shampoo

2011-09-14T14:03:00.000+01:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've got two Batiste products here for review...Batiste 'XXL Volume' and 'Nude'.

I got these products probably nearing on two weeks ago, but was hesitant to put a review straight out there as I didn't feel as though I would have given the products a fair trial. I love the feeling of freshly washed hair and clean hair, so perhaps unlike some, dry shampoo is not a product which I use religiously, hence the reason that I have held off on a review of these products so that I could have a few mornings where I was rushing around and getting up late, (unintentionally of course), giving me the opportunity to test them out more than once!

So the first product is Batiste 'Nude'. I was really curious, and kind of excited in strange way to try this product as all of the dry shampoo's which I can think of come in a spray can. This product however doesn't, instead I feel as though this product is going back to the 'old wives tale' route of putting talcum powder in your hair to absorb the excess oil...something I know I can say I did try many a time when I was younger, with varying degrees of success!

In this bottle, you get 50g of product, and Batiste say "Batiste Nude Dry Shampoo, with a concentrated yet gentle powder formula revitalises greasy, dull and lifeless hair between washes. Eliminates excess oil instantly leaving your hair feeling clean and full of body. Quick and convenient to use with no water required. 100% natural. Fragrance free. Hypoallergenic*

*formulated to minimise allergic reactions"

Also, a bonus in my eyes is that the bottle is 100% recyclable!

Now, thinking back to my talcum powder disaster days, I was a little apprehensive about this product. I was worried about getting powder everywhere and the horrible grey/white hair I used to get from talcum powder. Where this product is instantly better than talcum powder is that it has a nozzle applicator! This allows you to either dispense the product into the palm of your hand, in small amounts (unlike the avalanche that talcum powder comes out it) or use the nozzle to apply the product directly to the roots of your hair. I have to admit, the latter is a little tricky to do at first, but once you get used to it, it's a piece of cake! I apply small amounts direct from the nozzle into the roots of my hair, and run through with my fingertips, and then apply a small amount into my hand, rub my palms together and disperse throughout the lengths of my hair. Then I leave the product to sit for a minute or two and just then brush through.

The applicator nozzle

I really like this product, and find it so much more effective and easier to apply than talcum powder!

This product is available to buy online here from Boots, priced at £3.56. I have been on the lookout in shops for this product since I got it and haven't seen it on the shelves. I very much hope it has not been discontinued, as it is definitely a brilliant alternative to those who perhaps have sensitive scalps or dislike using an aerosol product!

Secondly is one of Batiste's newest offerings 'XXL volume'. I thought that a dry shampoo was sometimes used to give hair some added body anyway, and having fairly thick hair, I did wonder whether this product would actually have any significant effect on my hair in terms of helping to make it 'big and bouncy'.

In this can you get 200ml or 120g. Batiste say "Batiste XXL Volume revitalises hair, banishes oily roots and gives you so much body and texture, your Up-Do takes no time. A quick burst of our unique formula gives dull, lifeless hair the volumising makeover it needs. No water and no backcombing - just big-style glamour and a great clean, fresh feeling. No need to worry about skipping a shampoo."

Sadly, overall I was not all that impressed with this product. Both the scent of the product, and the can itself I think are beautiful, however for me, that's where it ends. Like most of the Batiste range, this product comes in a can, allowing for quick and easy application, although, unlike previous Batiste products I have tried (have a look at my review of 'Blush') the white residue left by this product was far more noticeable in my hair than usual. This took a while to brush and blend out, detracting from the 'quick and easy' application. Also as I previously mentioned, my hair is thick, but it is also quite dry! I feel that the formulation of this product is a lot drier than others in their range. I'm not sure if this is intentional to help build up volume and texture, but in my experience, it just left my hair feeling horribly dry, coarse and a little matted. After I'd applied this, I felt as though I need to wash my hair more than before it was applied. Yes, it did get rid of the oiliness in my hair, but unfortunately, in this case, the drawbacks just outweighed the benefits.

This product is available to buy from Boots, Superdrug and most major supermarkets too.

I was sent these products for consideration and review. This does not, in any way, affect my opinion of the products.

Batiste goes LARGE!

2011-09-14T11:39:00.001+01:00

So apologies for my week long absence....I am going to try and get back to regular-ish posting soon! But I was searching through my emails, and found one that I'd somehow managed to over look...it may be slightly old news now, but nevertheless a rather exciting announcement from....

TheUK’s favourite dry shampoo is now available in a 400ml can – that’s double thesize of the very popular standard version, but not double the cost – so no morepanicking at the thought of running out!

Delivering up to 20 applications (thestandard 200ml can delivers up to 10 applications) the new 400ml can offers brilliantvalue for money, representing almost a 17% saving by buying the big can overthe 200ml size.

The new 400ml extra value can is available in threeof Batiste’s most popular variants:

Ø TROPICALwith a coconut & exotic fragrance

Ø ORIGINALwith a clean & classic fragrance

Ø BLUSHwith a floral & flirty fragrance

RRP: £4.99(400ml)

Stockists: Superdrug, Boots,Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Asda

The full range of products is available to view at www.batistehair.co.uk

My review of Batiste's 'Blush' is available to read here, and I have another Batiste post coming up very soon...so keep your eyes peeled!

The information used for this post was sent to me in a press release email. I am not affiliated with Batiste in any way.

Betty Hula Rum & Blackcurrant Shea Butter Body Moisturising Cream

2011-09-07T07:40:00.000+01:00

Now, I'm going to be completely honest, when I got this product, I had never heard of the company before, and I suspect that this will be the case for a fair few of you reading this. I'm not really sure why this company seems to be relatively unknown - they certainly deserve more coverage than they have been getting!

All of Betty Hula's products are handmade, using traditional techniques and the finest quality, fairly traded, natural ingredients.

The main ingredient in Betty Hula Rum & BlackcurrantShea Butter Body Moisturiser is obviously, Shea Butter! Now Betty Hula saythat: "Shea Butter – ‘Natures Gold’, this natural ingredient hasbeen used to help heal burns, sores, scars, dermatitis, psoriasis, dandruff,and stretch marks. It is also renowned to diminish wrinkles by moisturizing theskin, promoting cell renewal, and increasing circulation. Shea butter alsocontains cinnamic acid, a substance that helps protect the skin from harmful UVrays. Betty Hula only utilises Grade A Shea Butter to ensure the highestcontent of fatty acids which aid in retaining skin moisture andelasticity."

Firstly, goodness gracious me, it wasn't until I researchedfor this post that I found out that Shea Butter had all these wonderfulproperties! I have a scar of my leg, and like most women, have a few ofthe dreaded stretch marks, so I will definitely be using this on them and hopethat I notice a difference! Although I'm not so sure that I'd use this onmy hair if I had dandruff!

As I mentioned before, I didn't realise Shea Butter had allof these properties, so at this moment I cannot comment on those, however as abody moisturiser, it is truly divine!

When I first opened the jar, what hit me first was how thick the product looked (thicker than The Body Shop's Body Butter's), shortly followed by the smell! I was a little concerned that the product was going to leave my skin feeling horrible and greasy and the cream would take forever to soak into my skin, but I was so surprised - it was completely the opposite! Yes the cream is thick, but it just means that a little goes a very long way! It soaks in very very quickly, and left my skin smelling beautiful and completely non greasy!

In the jar - I have used some and smoothed some of the top, but as you can see, not a lot is gone, as you really don't need a lot!

This is attempting to show you the product once it is soaked in and it's non-greasiness!

It is slightly difficult for me to comment on the smell as I don't drink Rum and don't know what it smells like! The "Rum" scent does overpower the Blackcurrant one, but nevertheless it is an unusual but pretty, delicate fragrance.

Also the packaging is lovely! I think that the little tag, tied on with ribbon really helps to give it that handmade, traditional feel to it, and the jar is super cute too - I think I may use it as a tea light holder once it is empty, even though it has print on, the pink glow will be really pretty!

Overall, I am a big fan of this product, and if you feel like indulging yourselves, definitely consider this treat!

Betty Hula products are available direct from Betty Hula, or in selected Sainsbury's stores,where they are priced at £12.99/120ml.

I was sent this product for consideration by Sainsbury's. It does not affect my opinion of the product.

VO5 - 'Give Me Moisture' Shampoo & Conditioner

2011-09-03T07:00:00.001+01:00

In my never ending hunt to try and moisturise my disgustingly straw like hair, I stumbled across these two new offerings from VO5.

VO5 have recently revamped pretty much their whole range, and I have to say, even by the packaging, I am impressed. Previously their bottles of shampoo and conditioner never really caught my eye, just blending into the shelf with all the other similarly shaped bottles, there was nothing that really made them stand out. Walk past the shampoos and conditioners in the shops now, and you can not really fail to notice these!

These products have something called "Adaptive Hair Technology", which claims to adjust to the needs of your hair. This is something that's pretty hard to test, as you're never really going to have any body else's hair on your hair to compare with, but nevertheless, gimmicky things like this always tend to get me!

They are also infused with extracts of White Pearl, to:

Strengthen and repair for visible radiance
Restore, soften and improve manageability
Leave hair truly luxurious to the touch

Well, tick, tick and erm, tick! Since the very first was, my hair looked shiny and glossy, been softer and smoother and just in better condition!

It doesn't quite manage to leave the ends of my hair as smooth as the rest of my hair after a day or so but they could probably do with a cut anyway!

Oh and even better, these were only £1 on offer from Sainsbury's!

Using these, and also VO5's Miracle Concentrate, really is working wonders for my hair, so definitely give them a go...and at less than £10 for the three products, you can't afford not too!

Batiste 'Blush' Dry Shampoo

2011-09-01T07:00:00.003+01:00

As some of my regular readers may know, I've recently moved into a student house. There's 5 of us in the house, and at the we all have to get up early and leave the house to go on our work placements, which is so tiring & we wouldn't be proper students if we didn't cherish every moment of sleep we can get!

So as you can imagine, to get 5 girls through one bathroom in about an hour in the mornings is no mean feat!

That's where this comes in - Bastiste's Blush Dry Shampoo!

Not only does it save me time in the bathroom, it gives me more time in bed as I don't have to wash, dry and straighten my hair each day!

With it's new larger size,cute girly packaging, and delicate floral scent, this is definitely a winner for me - especially as it leaves me with no unsightly white powdery residue in my dark hair!

What is your must have hair product? Let me know below!

Boots Ingredients - Coconut & Almond Leave-In Conditioner

2011-08-30T07:00:00.000+01:00

At the moment I am on the look out for any products that are going to help improve my dry hair.

I've never tried a leave in conditioner before, but I thought it couldn't make my hair any worse than it already is, so for £1.32 from Boots I picked this up, Coconut & Almond Leave-In Conditioner, for Normal to Dry Hair.

So far, I'm really liking it! When I use this, I particularly spray it on my ends in an attempt to smooth them down a little, and I think it's working - the rest of my hair is left soft and smooth too!

If you get a couple of knots in your hair, spray a little bit of this onto the knot and gently brush out the knot - much less painful!

It smells divine, and the scent also lingers in your hair for a little while! I apply this after I've washed and towel dried my hair, and even after blow drying and straightening, I still get wafts of it throughout the day!

I'm so glad I've found this, and will definitely be repurchasing!

Blistex - Raspberry Lemonade Burst

2011-08-28T07:00:00.001+01:00

I love lip balm. I'm obsessed and nearly always one with me and this may have just sneaked in and become my new favourite!

If there is one brand of lip products that I will always come back to, it is Blistex - their Relief Cream being a particular favourite of mine in the cold winter months.

Their latest offering though is perfect for the summer time - or just when you want to quickly slip off to somewhere exotic!

It smells and tastes delicious (I have to try so hard to avoid licking this off!) and is good for your lips too, containing Coconut Oil to moisturise, Jojoba to condition and Antioxidants and Vitamins C & E to protect the lips.

What more could you want?!

Blistex products are available from Boots, Superdrug, pharmacies and supermarkets.

I won this in a giveaway from Blistex UK facebook page here. It does not affect my opinions of the product.

Good Things Body Care

2011-08-26T07:00:00.000+01:00

Girls, firstly I would like to apologise for my longggggg absence!

I've moved into a new house, gone back to work, sat an exam and started work placement again. I've been so tired and feel as though I have not had a minute to myself!

However I'm back now and today with some gorgeous new body products for you, from Good Things.

Good Things is a brand set up by British Beauty Journalist, Alice Hart-Davis.

"All Good Things products are full of:

Ingredients that are safe and are known to work gently and effectively on young skin. All our products are FREE FROM the ingredients that many of us prefer to avoid - Good Things contain no mineral oils or other petrochemicals, parabens, sodium laureth- and sodium lauryl sulphates, and nothing that has been derived from or tested on animals.
Superfruit Beauty Boosters - our special added extra, to help make the most of young skin. Eating superfruits like blueberries, mangoes and goji berries is good for your health. And superfruit extracts are great for your skin, too."

You can head over to the Good Things website here and read up on all the benefits of superfruits!

So, after all that, let's get started!

The first product is Good Things Ultra Rich Cream Scrub, with superfruit extracts of Pomegranate & Red Grape.

This scrub is absolutely ideal or dry or sensitive skin. I have to admit, when I first used the product, I was a little concerned about the apparent lack of "scrubby bits", as you can see from the picture above. However, once you begin to rub the product into the skin, within the scrub there are microbeads (it says so on the back of the tube!) which work with the seeds you can see, to leave your skin beautifully smooth. The scrub is so moisturising and gentle on the skin and does not irritate it at all, unlike some harsher body scrubs that I have tried!

Oh and it smells delicious too!

The next product is Good Things Ultra Rich Body Lotion with superfruit extracts of Cranberry & Avocado and is part of the same range as the Creamy Scrub.

The lotion is lovely too. The consistency is certainly thinner than the Body Shop Body Butter, or some of the Soap & Glory Body Lotions, but it absorbs into the skin so quickly that you don't have to wait to get dressed, which is always a bonus when you are rushing around in the mornings! Also once absorbed, it is so lightweight and completely non greasy! With this, a little bit goes a long way, as you can see from my hand - I think I put far too much on! Like the Creamy Scrub, it is scented but it's not an unpleasant scent at all, and isn't overpowering once applied.

Overall I am really impressed with my first steps in the world of Good Things...I think I'll have to try out some of their skincare range next!

Have you tried any Good Things products? Which are your favourites? Let me know below!

I won these products from a recent competition on Good Things facebook page here. It does not affect my opinion of the products.

St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub - Invigorating

2011-08-19T08:00:00.001+01:00

Hello lovelies!

Whilst browsing the shelves of Morrisons a number of weeks ago, I spotted this scrub, and as I needed a scrub, and had heard good things about it, I decided to give it a go and for £2.42/150ml I thought you couldn't really go wrong!

I'd say I have dry/sensitive skin, and I've always been a little afraid of scrubs in the past because they are so abrasive and just sting my skin. I can't remember if there was a sensitive version of this scrub but I picked this one up just because it said it was for all skin types, and so far, so good!

Have to admit, I'm not really sure about what parabens or phthalates do, or don't do...anyone care to enlighten me?

With this scrub, a little really really does go a very long way. I made the mistake at first of using way too much, which did irritate my skin. However, since reducing the amount that I use, I've had no problems.

As you can see above, this scrub is full of little scrubby bits! The ingredients list Walnuts, Corn and Apricots, so I presume that all the little bits in the scrub are a combination of the three!

After using this scrub, my skin looks so radiant and feels amazingly soft, with no redness or irritation! I love it! One thing I have to say though is that I find it quite difficult to rinse of all the little scrubby bits, as there are so many and they always get left of my face. However, this can't really be considered to be a bad thing, and it is nothing that a little bit of toner on a cotton pad, swept over the face cannot sort out!

I've been using this a few times a week for about 4 weeks now, and when I hold the tube upto the light, it is still practically full, so it is going to last for absolute ages! Perfect!

Have you tried this? What is your favourite facial product?

Collection 2000 Cream Puff in 'Cotton Candy'

2011-08-17T08:00:00.003+01:00

Last week I popped into town with my boyfriend and spend a good few hours browsing the shelves of Boots and Superdrug but nothing was really taking my fancy. I was getting spending withdrawal though and decided that I was not leaving until I'd bought something. So in the end, I picked up Collection 2000's new offering Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream in 'Cotton Candy' for £2.99/5ml

This product comes in 4 shades:

Cotton Candy - a pinky shade

Angel Delight - a deep nude/beige shade

Fairy Cake - a coral shade

Powder Puff - a neutral/nude shade

I was a little hesitant to buy Angel Delight or Powder Puff because as the product says it has a 'matt finish' and it is a cream, I didn't want to have the concealer lips look, and also I wasn't sure about Fairy Cake as I'm not sure the coral lip colours suit me. So Cotton Candy is perfect. It's a lovely pink, not to pale or baby pink, but not to fuschia or bright in your face pink. It is just so wearable and I think (maybe complete rubbish) 'lifts' my skin tone, making me look more alive!

I've never been a bit matt lip product user as I hate anything that's going to emphasise dry or flaky lips, but this product is wonderful. It's extremely light weight, so much so that I forget I'm wearing it, and highly moisturising. Not once since wearing this product have I ever thought 'Wear is my lip balm?'

This product glides on smoothly and easily, Collection 2000 describe it as 'velvety soft', and I think that it wears well on the lips and fades fairly evenly too.

Apologies for this being so close up - my skin is having a bit of a rebellious phase at the moment!

Since buying this, I have worn it every single day, and for me, that is seriously saying something! I will definitely be repurchasing this!

Dove Nourishing Oil Care - Express Treatment Conditioner

2011-08-15T08:00:00.002+01:00

I got this product as a free sample with September's issue of Marie Claire, along with a Ciate Paint Pot in 'My Fair Lady' which you can see here.

I specifically hunted this product down, and didn't buy the magazine unless this was the free product. A little pathetic maybe, but that is how much I wanted to try this. I don't know why, and I'd never heard of it before Marie Claire came out, but I wanted it!

After all my efforts to track it down, I'm really quite disappointed. I've used it three times now and I can't see or feel that it has done anything to my hair that a usual conditioner doesn't do.

This product claims to be a conditioner and a treatment in one. It should be brilliant and a massive time saver, but I just don't think that it is. On the back it says "Instant deep nourishment smoothes even extra dry & frizzy hair" both of which I would say I have. But alas, no difference.

However, the product is quite 'pretty'! It's white, the conditioner and yellow, the 'oil' swirled together and I was quite excited to use it when I first squirted it out.

Needless to say really, that I won't be purchasing this product and rather wish now that I had got the other freebie, an intensive conditioner I believe, instead.

Have you tried this? Did it work wonders for you?

Goodbye.....for now!

2011-08-14T11:00:00.000+01:00

Today I'm moving back to London and into my student house, which I'm really excited about!

However, the house doesn't currently have any internet, which is hopefully getting installed and set up next Saturday.

So this is just to let you all know that I've not gone forever and I will be back!

I've scheduled a couple of posts, but I may not be replying to all your comments, and my Blackberry is temporarily going into hibernation too whilst I finish off my revision. I am sososo easily distracted so to give myself the best chance at doing well, it will certainly be off during the daytime.

I hope you all understand, and I'll be back soon!

Soap & Glory Hand Food

2011-08-12T12:14:00.001+01:00

I have a bit of a confession to make, and I'm not really sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I am not an avid hand cream user!

That was until recently, when I picked up Soap & Glory's Hand Food.

I love all of the Soap & Glory products which I've tried so far, and this one is certainly no exception to that. In Soap & Glory's signature pink packaging, this little tube says "The most astonishing hand cream ever? You decide!" Well I have decided, and it is the most astonishing hand cream ever!

Soap & Glory Hand Food is a "non-greasy hand cream with shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow" and is available in two sizes, 50ml for £2.35 or 125ml for £4.85 from Boots and. I have the 50ml size just because it is so convenient to pop in my bag and carry round with me. The product itself is thick enough to be super moisturising but not so thick that it feels greasy on your skin and takes for ever to sink into your skin. Also as an added bonus, I think, it has Soap & Glory's signature (that's the second time I've used that phrase....whoops) scent, which also lasts a fair while too once applied!

I'd definitely recommend this product, it's a firm favourite and I can't see myself buying another hand cream any time in the foreseeable future...I may even purchase the full size to have on the side in my room!

Have you tried Hand Food? What is your favourite Soap & Glory Product?

Beauty Chat Tuesday with LoveLaughLauren!

2011-08-10T17:40:00.001+01:00

Ahhhhh! Girlies I'm so excited!

I've just seen that Lauren from LoveLaughLauren has posted her Beauty Chat Tuesday feature, and this week it's with...ME!

A massive thank you goes out to Lauren for allowing me to take part in the series - so appreciated!
You can have a read of the interview here & make sure you subscribe to Lauren's blog too!

Wordless Wednesday - NOTD

2011-08-10T17:26:00.000+01:00

Rimmel London Sun Shimmer Instant Tan Wash Off in 'Fair Matte'

2011-08-07T12:10:00.002+01:00

This product is my first steps into the wide world of fake tanning! I won this product in a competition from Rimmel, although I had been eyeing it up for some time in the shops!

When I first opened the lid and squirted some out, I was shocked at how dark it was! This, I suppose is showing my complete lack of knowledge of fake tanners as a lot seem to come out veryveryvery dark! I apply this with a mitt, even though it's a wash off tan, I don't want to risk the orange hands!

I would say that the product has more of a gel consistency to it, rather than a liquid, and is fairly easy to blend into the skin - even for a novice like me! When I first applied it, I did get some build up round my knees. But I didn't exfoliate first, so I expect that explains it! Other than that, this product applied really smoothly and evenly and quite quickly too, which I think is a bonus when you're getting ready for a night out!

Right - Before
Left - After

Apologies for the picture, this was the best one I could get that showed a difference. In real life, the difference is more noticeable.

I have the shade 'Fair Matte' but I found the teeniest tiniest hints of shimmer. However, I guess this just adds a little to the 'sunkissed glow'!

Overall, this is a good product, and in my opinion, well worth investing in, just perhaps a shade darker than you think if you're not pasty pale like me. I'm still on the hunt for a fake tanner that doesn't wash off, so if you have any suggestions, and cheap ones at that (I don't have £20 to spend on one!) then let me know below!

You can purchase this product from Boots, Superdrug and most supermarkets, priced at around £6.

What is your favourite fake tan?

Rhiannon |

Sanctuary Spa Covent Garden - 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask

2011-08-04T09:42:00.002+01:00

I stayed over my boyfriend house at the weekend, and after seeing this in the shower - don't worry it was his sister's! - I decided that I had to try it. I was on the lookout for a new face mask as I seem to have left my one at my uni house, and my skin was really beginning to suffer!

Sanctuary Spa say: "When oily skin gets congested it looks dull and prone to blemishes. A favourite products in our spa facials, the warmth of this self-heating mask helps to open up the pores so the charcoal and kaolin clay can help draw out the impurities from deep within the skin. As well as purifying, the mask also rebalances the skin's oil levels to clarify, cleanse and leave skin with a silky touch, essential oil of myrrh helps soothe and calm."

Now I wouldn't say that I have oily skin, combination skin at a push maybe, but certainly not oily. So perhaps I should have picked up their "Moisture Boosting Mask" for dry skin, but then my skin isn't particularly dry at the moment either! Nevermind!

On the back of the tube is a "Therapist Tip" which I'd never though of doing. "At the spa we regularly use different masks in one facial. If you have combination skin, use the mask only on congested areas, such as chin, nose and forehead. For drier areas such as the cheeks, use the Moisture Boosting Mask."

I always like clay face masks as I feel as though they are really working. I love that with this mask, it's thermal, so once you begin to rub it between your fingers, and onto your face, it warms up and feels really calming on the skin. Despite the mask having a fairly thick consistency, I found it easy to rub into the skin and apply a thin layer across my face. To be honest, if you're looking for a pleasant smelling mask, this isn't the one for you, but get past the smell - it's not that bad, and I couldn't really smell it once I'd applied it to my face, this mask will leave your skin so soft and smooth and looking much clearer. Once I took this product off, my skin did look a little redder than it did when I applied the mask, but I put this down to the warming effects(?!) as my skin didn't feel irritated at all and the redness went away fairly quickly whilst I was having a drink of water.

Straight from the tube

Rubbed in

Sanctuary Spa are against animal testing and this mask is also paraben free - which can only be a good thing right?

The Sanctuary Spa Skincare range is available at Boots, and the mask is available here priced at £10.20 for 100ml. It is also available in a sachet here priced at £2.03 for 15ml. I picked mine up using a '£5 off ladies facial skincare' voucher which Boots give out every so often, which made this mask even more of a bargain! I don't think I'd pay full price for it, simply because I know that I don't have to due to the vouchers, so it is definitely worth waiting before purchasing the full sized product.

What's your favourite skincare treat? Let me know below!

My Everyday Makeup

2011-08-02T09:59:00.003+01:00

Hello my lovelies!

I'm sorry that I've been a little bit M.I.A over the weekend. Saturday was my 1year anniversary with my boyfriend, so I spent the afternoon getting ready and going out with him in the evening - he took me to a fancy restaurant near us, treated me to dinner and bought me roses! Then Sunday I went to Walberswick with some of my friends from sixth form and we went crabbing. Apparently they hold the national crabbing championships there hahaa!

Anyway, all things aside, this morning I thought I would show you my daily make up. Having said that, I don't wear make up every single day. If I'm staying in and doing things around the house, just going to the supermarket or just running a few errands, I won't usually wear any make up. However if I'm going to meet people, or just want to feel nice, this is what I'll use!

1. Ruby & Millie Foundation Brush - £3.06

I picked this up from Boots a number of month's ago when there was 75% off all Ruby & Millie make up, which also included the brushes. I needed a new one, and this was an absolute bargain. I think it is my favourite foundation brush I've owned, it's just the right size, has nice dense bristles but doesn't 'absorb' all the product and hasn't shed at all.

2. L'Oreal True Match Foundation in C1 Rose Ivory - £9.99

This foundation is ultra-pale and has a pink undertone, which suits my skin tone perfectly. It blends in like a dream and has a consistency that is a little thicker than water. It is so lightweight and I can't feel it on my skin at all, and it does a good job at hiding any imperfections.

3. Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in 1 Light - £4.19

Hands down, the best overall concealer I have ever owned. There is nothing else to say!

4. No7 Quick Cover Blemish Stick in 02 Extra Fair- £8.00

I use this on any severe blemishes that I have as it helps to conceal any redness and get rid of excess oil. Plus, this is a bargain when you use a £5 off No7 voucher! It's not great for me for all over the face as I think it is designed more for oily skin types so can look very dry and obviously, but over blemishes it works a treat.

5. Maybelline One By One Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara in Black - £8.49

A good waterproof mascara that's a good all-rounder - have a look at my full review here.

6. Rimmel London Glam Eyes Quad Eyeshadow in 002 Smokey Brun - £6.99

I picked this up the other day as my first venture into the world of eyeshadows. This quad contains a gorgeous mix of neutral colours, especially designed for blue eyes. They're so easy to apply, nicely pigmented, easy to blend, last a long time and don't crease up too badly either. Overall, a winner!

7. Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss in 006 Strawberry - £7.99

I've been lusting over this colour for ages and I'm so glad I've finally got it! It's a gorgeous pink, that more recently I've found I can also 'blot' down for a subtler colour. Read my full review here.

8. Avon All Over Face Brush - £6.00

My mum actually gave me this because she wasn't using it. I love it and can't imagine what I did without it. It's lovely and dense but also quite fluffy and is perfect, I find, for apply blusher, bronzer or a loose powder too.

9. Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder in 51 - £6.99

I bought this because of all the hype about it, and didn't really use it or like it at first. But recently I started to use it again and now I totally see why everyone raves about it. It looks so natural and never looks orange on me at all - and that's saying something, especially on skin as ghostly pale as mine. If you've not got this in your collection already, GET IT!

10. No7 Concealer Brush - £7.75

I bought this purely because I had a No7 voucher. It's a larger brush than the usual concealer brushes, but is much denser, and I find works much better than any I've tried before.

11. No7 Blend and Contour Eyeshadow - £6.75

Again bought this because I had a No7 voucher. Not a lot to say about this brush, it does what it is supposed to - it blends eyeshadow! I've also read in places this is a good dupe for MAC's 217. Although as I don't own any MAC products or brushes, I can't really say if it is!

12. Superdrug Eyeshadow Brush - £1.99ish

I picked this up a long time ago in Superdrug because I'd bought an couple of odd MUA eyeshadow's for halloween and needed something to apply them with. This was mega cheap and it is okay, nothing amazing, but nothing terrible. It does the job! Although I hate the Superdrug website - I can never find anything, and I can't find a link for this brush either!

What are your daily make up essentials? Do you use any of these products - what do you think?

Rhiannon |

RachaelMarie-x-'s having a giveaway!

2011-07-30T17:05:00.002+01:00

Rachael from RachaelMarie-x- is having a giveaway to win some amazing Benefit Skincare products!

Just click on the picture below to enter!

Good Luck!

Rhiannon |

A Quick Boots Jewellery Haul

2011-07-29T17:39:00.004+01:00

This afternoon I quickly popped into Boots, not really looking for anything, but whenever I see a Boots I just have to go in and have a quick nosey round, and I'm glad I did as I spotted these two pieces of jewellery. Boots have stocked jewellery for a least a year now, starting off in their larger stores but now also a number of their small stores too. The line is called 'Accessory Crossing' and is made up of a whole range of items includes jewellery sets and hair accessories.

I picked up two fairly simple pieces that were in the sale (they usually always have some of the line on sale), which I thought I would show you.

Pearl Drop Earrings £1.50 down from £6.50

I'm really wanting for start wearing more dangly earrings and I thought that these were so pretty and simple that they'd go with a lot of outfits.

Silver Mix Stackable Rings £1.50 down from £7.50

I've wanted some of the stackable rings for ages, but I've not seen that many in silver. I don't like wearing gold as I think I'm too pale, so silver suits me more. These rings are quite large compared to the rings I would usually go for, nevertheless I really liked them...and at £1.50, I couldn't say no!

What do you think of these pieces - are they the kind of items you would wear? & have you tried any of the jewellery from Boots?

Rhiannon |

Confessions Of A Small Town Girl's 300 Follower Giveaway!

2011-07-29T16:57:00.001+01:00

The lovely Charlotte is having a giveaway to celebrate having 300 followers!

To enter, just click on the picture before and fill out the form!

Good luck!

Rhiannon |

Aussie - Dual Personality Curl Definition & Soft Feel Serum

2011-07-28T09:47:00.001+01:00

My hair completely has a mind of it's own. It's really quite thick and dries naturally curly but not a nice defined curl, a messy frizzy curl.

In my quest to use less heat on my hair in a bid to make it stronger, a while ago I picked up this, Aussie's Dual Personality Curl Definition & Soft Feel Serum.

Aussie say: 'There's a difference between beautifully bouncy curls - and that rusty bedspring look. A quick glug of our finishing formula with Australian Jojoba Seed Oil, helps revive and separate each curl with a soft texture and unbelievable definition.'

I really do like this product! After I've washed my hair and towel dried it a little, I pump out about a 10p sized amount and work through the ends and lengths of my hair whilst scrunching. It helps to define my curls, and overall make my hair look more tidy and a little less like I've been dragged backwards through a hedge! Also, a little goes a really long way, and I've had this bottle for what feels like forever and I don't think it's more than half empty!

You can pick this up from Boots here priced at £4.69, and also from Superdrug and some supermarkets. Aussie products are usually on an offer somewhere of 2 for £6, so keep your eye out for a bargain!

Do you have curly hair? Which products do you use to keep your curls in check?

Rhiannon |

Soap & Glory Heel Genius & Foot Buffer

2011-07-27T08:45:00.001+01:00

It's summertime (supposedly!) and I live in sandals and flipflops in the summer months, like I suspect most people do! Although recently I've started to notice that my heels especially are not looking as good as they should. I'm not going to include a picture of them, because quite frankly, who wants to have a look at someone else's feet? Eurgh. In the few short weeks I've been blogging for, I've noticed that feet and foot products seem to be a little bit neglected, so I thought I'd share with you these two Soap & Glory beauties: Heel Genius and Foot Buffer. Oh & don't worry, I did give the Foot Buffer a clean before I took the pictures...no nasties to be seen here!

I'll start with Heel Genius. Soap & Glory say: 'Heel Genius™ is an amazing foot cream marvel with a miraculous moisturising mix. Better than a pedicure? It renovates rough feet in a single overnight session, doubles as a foot cream, and will give even the roughest of cuticles a run for its money.'

Like most of the Soap & Glory range, it comes in lovely vintagey pink packaging that adds prettiness to any bathroom or dressing table. Again, similar to the rest of the range, the product has a light, delicate scent to it, but it's not the same as the scent of Hand Food and some of their body products. I don't really know how to describe it but it is very fresh. I kind of want to say it has a little bit of a cucumber scent to it, but I can't find this anywhere on the packaging! I don't know how it does it, but even without using the Foot Buffer, this cream drastically smooths rough skin, and there are no exfoliating beads in it!

I say cream, but it's not particularly creamy, more of a gel consistency. It soaks into the foot well, and if you leave it a few minutes that you could probably walk around after you've applied it. However I prefer to put this on right before bed, then slip some socks on and leave it to soak overnight, for beautifully soft feet in the morning. Overall I think this is the best foot cream I have ever tried and I'd seriously recommend it!

Now onto the Foot Buffer.

Soap & Glory say: 'This utterly fantastic foot file comes with 3 different filing heads.

1. The ruff side – for getting rid of the ruff stuff

2. The smoother side – for a final buff

3. The toe piece – for filing in between the toes'

Most foot files come with two filing sides, but Soap & Glory, being Soap & Glory had to go and make this Foot Buffer just a little bit better!

1. The ruff side – for getting rid of the ruff stuff

2. The smoother side – for a final buff

3. The toe piece – for filing in between the toes

Honestlyhonestlyhonestly, from the first use, I knew that I never wanted to use another foot buffer ever again. This is amazing. In literally one minute, it gets rid of all that horrible dead rough dry skin, that let's face it, nobody wants, and leaves you with gorgeously soft smooth feet, which everybody wants, with such little effort too!

This Foot Buffer is so comfortable to hold and so well shaped that no area of your foot will be left untouched. Oh & look how nifty this is....the 3 file is stored INSIDE the handle! Love it!

The 'secret' hiding place of the 3rd file!

These two products used together are such a treat for your feet (ahha it rhymed - not intentional I promise) and will leave them so soft and smooth and generally beautiful that it feels as though you're walking on feathers and you'll be proud to show them off!

What products do you use for your D.I.Y pedicure?

Rhiannon |

Herbal Essences Smooth & Soft Sensuously Smoothing Intensive Hair Mask

2011-07-26T09:02:00.000+01:00

So I needed a hair mask desperately, as I've started to straighten my hair again recently and I can already see the effects it's having, despite using a heat protect. So when I saw a review of this on Sophie's blog, from Beauty Comes From Within, I thought I'd give this a whirl, the Herbal Essences Smooth & Soft Sensuously Smoothing Intensive Hair Mask.

This mask says that it is suitable for Frizzy/Dry/Damaged hair, all of which I am ever so unfortunate to have!
Herbal Essences says: 'I'm a super smooth operator who'll help tame your frizz so you can lose yourself in the irresistable smoothness of silk soft hair and help kick your kinks into oblivion.'
Herbal Essences' product descriptions always make me laugh because they are so dramatic. However, this doesn't mean their claims are not accurate - they really are!

My hair is naturally quite thick, never looks or feels all that smooth unless I straighten it. My ends get dry really quickly which consequently makes all the splits more noticeable, and I have, as the hairdresser described it 'babyhair' (short soft (I want to use the word downy, but I'm not sure if that's right) pieces of hair round, strangely enough, my hairline, and fly aways on the top of my head - brilliant!

This mask has a lovely thick consistency but it doesn't feel heavy at all, and doesn't drag your hair down or make it get greasier any quicker than it usually would. It has a gorgeous smell too - the tub says it has mandarin and pearl extracts in - I wouldn't say it necessarily smells like mandarin, but the smell is far from unpleasant. It leaves my hair feeling nourished and silky and I think helps give it some shine too!

I bought mine from Boots, which currently is offering half price on selected Herbal Essences, and this includes the hair mask. However I can't find a link for it on the Boots website, so there is one for Superdrug here, where it is on sale for the full retail price of £3.99. Also available from supermarkets.

Overall I am really impressed with this product, and it is definitely one that I would consider purchasing again....although I'd also like to try the 'Beautiful Ends' mask too.

What is your favourite hair mask? Let me know below!

Rhiannon |

Ms Reds Beauty Blog Giveaway!

2011-07-24T19:34:00.000+01:00

Ms Reds Beauty Blog is having a giveaway and there is two separate parts depending on where you're from in the world, so nobody misses out!

Click on the image above to read all the details!

Giveaway closes on 21st August - Good Luck!

Rhiannon |

Boudoir Privé

2011-07-24T16:38:00.000+01:00

I kind of missed the GlossyBox bandwagon, so instead I'm tempted to try out their new competitor...Boudoir Privé!
At the moment the waiting list for the August box is full. I do find it a little bit strange that as a new company starting out, there are only sending out a limited number of their first boxes, and not one to everybody who is interested...however, I've signed up to the waiting list for the September box, and you can do the same. Just click on the picture below which will take you straight to the Boudior Privé website!

Rhiannon |

Image source: http://twitter.com/boudoirprive

A Thank You & Jemma Kidd's Make Up Masterclass

2011-07-24T09:46:00.001+01:00

This post is to say a massive massive massive thank you to the very lovely Emma from OhSoFreshAsADaisy.

I recently won her giveaway for a Jemma Kidd Make Up Masterclass book, which I received in the post yesterday & I have not been able to stop looking at it! It is quite possibly the most beautiful book I have ever owned.

Beautifully wrapped up - I felt as though it was my birthday!

It's full of the most gorgeous pictures and so much helpful information on things like how to look after your skin properly, which colours work well with your skin tone, how and where to apply products such as highlights, and how to contour as well as lots of daytime and night time looks.

Purple Shimmery Eyes

I really want to try this - can anyone recommend an eyeshadow like it?

I can't express how amazing this book is, and I've not got past the first few pages yet! I can't wait to read more and hopefully try out some of the looks for you.

So once again, thank you Emma! This book is definitely going to become my beauty bible and I can tell that I'm going to learn so so much from is, as I am in no way, a make-up expert!

Rhiannon |

NOTD - Rimmel I ♥ Lasting Finish Nail Polish in '270 Hot Shot'

2011-07-23T10:35:00.001+01:00

I absolutely had to quickly show you what I'm wearing on my nails today.

This gorgeous colour I picked up a little while ago acutally when The Only Way Is Essex was on tv and I saw all their bright pink manicures and felt a little left out, so I bought polish from Rimmel in '270 Hot Shot'. At the moment I always use Revlon's Base Coat and Top Coat on my nails too.

Rimmel I ♥ Lasting Finish Nail Polish in '270 Hot Shot'
Top: without flash
Bottom: with flash

It is showing up on camera a bit more fuchsia purply pink that it is in really life, you I have included pictures with and without flash.

I've not really tried Rimmel Nail Polishes before, but I have to say that I am really really impressed. It applied nice and smoothly, dried pretty quickly, and (and this is a big deal for me) has survived the washing up test!

Usually when I paint my nails I can't wash up for the rest of the day, as the mixture of hot soapy water and all the cutlery and crockery will just chip my polish. However yesterday, I washed up about 2 hours after applying this, and not one single chip! Perfect!

Rimmel's I ♥ Lasting Finish Nail Polishes are available from Boots, Superdrug and all major supermarkets, priced at £2.99. You can also buy online here from Boots.

What is your favourite I ♥ Lasting Finish Nail Polish?

Rhiannon |

EllyBellyBaybee's Giveaways!

2011-07-23T08:33:00.002+01:00

EllyBellyBaybee is having 2 giveaways at the moment! TWO!

One to win an Urban Decay Naked Palette!

& the other to win a Sigma F80 brush

For your chance to win, just click on the pictures above and follow the instructions!

Good luck!

Rhiannon |

Revlon Lip Colours

2011-07-22T12:30:00.001+01:00

Whilst I was rummaging through my make up bag, I noticed that I had a fair few Revlon Lip Colours, so I decided I would put them all together in one massively long post, showing you some pictures of what they look like, & giving you my thoughts on each. Just a warning, this post is quite picture heavy and quite long, so advanced apologies if it takes a long time to load.

First off, I'm gonna start with my favourite product of them all, Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss in '006 Strawberry'. This is a fairly recent purchase, as you'll see from my haul here. It's a colour I've been lusting over for sometime now, after seeing Tanya Burr from Pixi2Woo on YouTube wear it in a few of her videos. This was on an offer of 'save £2' in Boots, so cost me £5.99.

Revlon ColourBurst Lipgloss in '006 Strawberry'
Top: without flash
Bottom: with flash

Revlon say:

Lips that shine with killer colour.
This weightless gloss makes lips pop with 5X more shine than patent leather
Elasticolor™ technology hugs lips with burst of feather light colour.
Innovative, plush applicator shaped to curves of lips for smooth, even application in just one swipe.

I lovelovelove the colour. This is a gorgeously wearable bright pink, with silvery bluey sparkles which translate really subtly on the lips. I'm sure I've read somewhere that products with blue tones in them help to make your teeth look whiter, so that's a massive plus!
The formula I'd agree, is really lightweight and it feels moisturising on the lips and lasts well. Obviously a lipgloss isn't going to stay on as long as a lipstick is, but I find that I can get 2-3hours wear out of this without the need to reapply. It is a thickish formula I think for a lipgloss, but as I said, it is very lightweight and not sticky on the lips at all.
Another thing that I really like about this product is the applicator. I hate lipglosses that have brush applicators and much prefer spongy applicators which is exactly what this one has. It's not a rounded doe-foot applicator either, it's more spatula shaped and bends to the shape of your lips but it is not flimsy. I'm not sure about Revlon's claim that you only need one swipe to cover the whole lip, but that's something that I don't mind, as I naturally go back across the lip when applying gloss. However I do think that the applicator definitely helps give a nice smooth application.

Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss in '006 Strawberry'
Top: without flash
Bottom: with flash

Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss normally retails for £7.99 and is available here from Boots as well as from Superdrug.

Next up is the other product that I have by Revlon from their ColorBurst range, and it is their ColorBurst Lipstick in '030 Fuchsia'.

Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in '030 Fuchsia'
Top: without flash
Bottom: with flash

Revlon say:

Instant burst of rich, true colour with a featherlight feel
Elasticolor™ technology provides immediate colour release and hugs lips with a burst of weightless colour that feels like a second skin
Contains film-forming polymers for longer wear and skin conditioning properties
Moisturizers and anti-oxidants, including Sweet Almond Oil, improve lip texture
Beautiful packaging, with premium bullet lipstick case and embossed Revlon logo

I'm not gonna lie, when I first got this lipstick, I looked at the colour and I was scared! But I wanted to be brave so I got it and I'm pleased that I did. The colour is a bright, but bearable, slightly bluey fuchsia. It is not something that I am ever going to be brave enough to wear day to day but I've worn it a couple of times on a night out, paired with simple black liquid eyeliner, and I thought it looked okay!

You could definately get away with just one coat of this, that is what I have on my lips above, or alternatively you could blot the colour and build it up to what you wanted....depending on how brave you are feeling!

The formula is lovely, really lightweight and moisturising and I do after a while, forget I'm wearing it. I can't say that I have noticed an improvement in my lip texture, as Revlon claim, however I expect that I just don't wear it enough to notice any significant difference!

I adore the packaging of this lipstick, and actually of the lipgloss too. The both carry the same style of packaging, black with a lovely quilted effect pattern. On the lipstick this pattern is on the whole of the tube, whereas on the lipgloss it is just on the lip. I think that it just makes both products look a little bit more high end as opposed to high street, and I love that the lipstick bullet has Revlon embossed in it! (I hope you can just about see below!)

I really do like this lipstick, and I can't wait to pick up some more shades that are a little more wearable from day to day.

Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick normally retails for £7.99 and is available here from Boots, as well as from Superdrug.

Finally I have 3 products from Revlon's ColorStay Ultimate Lipcolour. I have these in the shade 050 Top Tomato, 055 Grand Garnet and 085 Supreme Sienna.

Revlon say:

Food-proof lip colour with a built-in, ultra-conditioning topcoat
One-step application- No topcoat required for comfortable wear
Stays comfortable and wears beautifully for up to 12 hours
Does not feather or fade; no touch-ups required, even after meals

Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Lipcolor in '050 Top Tomato'
Top: without flash
Bottom: with flash

I would say that '050 Top Tomato' is my least favourite of the three. I found this one to be quite drying on the lips and difficult to apply and it goes patchy very quickly. However, I think I may have just got a dud one, as I don't have this problem with the other two colours. 050 Top Tomato is a orangey toned red, which I don't think quite suits me as well as the other two, but would look nice on someone who isn't as fair skinned as I am!

Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Lipcolor in '055 Grand Garnet'
Top: without flash
Bottom: with flash

I would say that Grand Garnet is more reddy in real life than it is looking in the pictures.

Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Lipcolor in '085 Supreme Sienna'
Top: without flash
Bottom: with flash

I think that Supreme Sienna is the most wearable colour day to day from the selection that I have.

Left: Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Lipcolor in '050 Top Tomato'
Middle: Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Lipcolor in '055 Grand Garnet'
Right: Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Lipcolor in '085 Supreme Sienna'
Top: without flash
Bottom: with flash

The Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Liquid Lipsticks are really long wearing, so much so that when I try I try to take them off using my normal cleanser, they just don't budge. You will definitely need an oil based make up remover to get these off!
The formula is rather liquidy which means that you can't apply this product in a rush, well I can't anyway and I think that the use of a lip-liner beforehand would definitely help, although sadly I don't have any that match particularly well. It dries quite quickly once applied, but isn't too drying on the lips. The finish is quite natural looking, it's not super shiny but it is not a matte finish either.
I've found that after a few hours of wear, you could do with a balm just to help refresh the colour and give it a little bit of shine back. & providing that you apply it evenly to begin with, it wears really nicely too!

Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick normal retails for £8.99 and is available from Boots here, as well as from Superdrug.

Overall I'm really pleased with these products. I think that Revlon is definitely one of the more expensive high street brands, however I do believe that the quality of the products is slightly higher, and they are a bargain when they are on offer!

I do have a spare Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Lipcolor in '085 Supreme Sienna' which I am thinking about doing a giveaway for...or shall I wait until I have a few more products? What do you think?

What is your favourite Revlon Lip Colour?

Rhiannon |

Two Fantastic Giveaways!

2011-07-21T21:27:00.002+01:00

The lovely Danielle from 'Sweet As Honey' is having a giveaway!

Click on the picture above to enter, and follow the simple instructions & you're entered!

This giveaway ends on 8th-August at 12pm EST.

Brittany from 'Brittany Love' is also having a giveaway, to win a Sigma Travel Brush Kit!

Again, just click on the picture above, and follow the steps through and you're entered!

Good luck!

Rhiannon |

Haul - Sainsbury's, Boots, Morrisons & Rimmel Competition Prize

2011-07-21T12:42:00.002+01:00

I've wanted to do a haul for a little while, but I didn't really think that I bought that much! However, I was sorting through my purse and found all my receipts, and realised that I've bought a fair bit, so I thought I'd show you the things which I've bought over the last week.

Recently I've been craving some really fruity shower products. I'd seen this Original Source shower cream in various different places, but it was selling for full price. I resisted the temptation to buy because I knew that if I waited and shopped around I'd find it somewhere for half price (because they're always on offer somewhere!) and my patience paid off as it was £1 in Sainsbury's this morning!

The other item here, I didn't purchase, but I won it in a recent competition from Rimmel. It's their Sun Shimmer Wash Off fake tan in 'Light Matte'. I don't use this daily, it's too much effort to reapply it every day, but it will be really useful for nights out & my friends will be so relieved that I won't be stealing theirs anymore!

Left: Original Source Vanilla Milk & Raspberry Shower Cream
Right: Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan Wash Off in 'Light Matte'

Next are a few items from Boots. Obviously, now I have some fake tan, I needed a fake tan mitt to apply it with to avoid the dreaded orange hands and streaks, so I picked up this one in Boots for £2.66 as it was on offer.

Then, having seen a review of this Herbal Essences Hair Mask on BeautyComesFromWithin's blog here, I thought I'd pick this up and give it a go. So far I have to say I'm impressed! I can't remember exactly how much it was, but I think it was about £4.

I also needed a new red nail polish, so bought this Revlon Nail Enamel in 022 All Fired Up, for £4.29 on offer. & whilst I was there, spotted this Revlon ColorBurst LipGloss in 006 Strawberry, also on offer for £5.99.

Left: Revlon ColorBurst LipGloss in '006 Strawberry
Back: Boots Soltan Self Tan Application Mitt
Right: Revlon Nail Enamel in '022 All Fired Up'
Front: Herbal Essences Smooth & Soft Sensuously Smoothing Intensive Mask

Finally, the other day I was near a Morrisons and had some time to kill, and call me sad, but there isn't a Morrisons close to wear I live, so I couldn't resist going. I loveeee going to supermarkets that I don't normally go to! Ha! Anyway, I needed nail polish remover, so just picked up this basic one for 81p. Also, as I said before I've been craving fruity smelling shower products so got this Orange & Mandarin Shower Scrub for £1.01. I don't know how well this smell will go with the Vanilla Milk & Raspberry Shower Cream I got, but we'll see! I'll probably end up smelling terrible but never mind!

Then I spotted the St Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub for £2.42. I've wanted to try this for ages and I needed a facial scrub, so when I saw this, and then saw the price, I grabbed it! I was surprised how cheap it was, as I've seen it in places like Boots and Superdrug for about £4, and it didn't appear to be on offer. Even after just testing it on the back of my hand, because I couldn't wait until bedtime, I could see what all the hype was about! It made my skin gorgeously soft!

Left: Morrisons Orange & Mandarin Shower Scrub
Middle: Morrisons Nail Polish Remover
Right: St Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub

Reviews on some of these products will be coming up in the next couple of weeks, but if there is anything in particular you'd like a review of soon, let me know!

Have you tried any of these products? & what have you been buying recently that you love?

Rhiannon |

My First Blog Award!

2011-07-21T08:44:00.001+01:00

Girlies I'm so excited! I received the One Lovely Blog Award from the wonderful YK, over at All Things YK Hearts. She does some really gorgeous nail art posts, so go and have a look at her blog.

The rules are:

01. Thank the person that gave you the awards, and link back to them.

02. Post seven things about yourself.

03. Pass the love to 15 bloggers.

04. Let them know they receive an award.

Here are the seven things about me:

01. I'm currently studying for my degree in Radiography. When I tell people this, often they nod and smile and says 'Oh right okay', but actually, they don't know what it is.

02. I find it near impossible to keep my room tidy for longer than about a couple of days.

03. I'm very good at finding distractions to avoid revision....something which I should be doing now - tips please?!

04. I rarely ever buy clothes. Clothes shopping stresses me out. Big time!

05. Whenever I paint my nails, I always manage to chip or smudge them within a few hours, and also paint most of the skin around my nails too!

06. Probably one of my worst habits is picking my nail varnish off.

07. I think I must be eyeshadow phobic. I don't own very many, and I pretty much never wear it. I can never get it to go right and I always end up looking more like I have a black eye than a smokey eye!

These are the blogs which I am passing this award onto:

01. Confessions Of A Small Town Girl

02. Affordable Treats

03. Dainty Dollymix

04. Beauty Comes From Within

05. Click and Make Up

06. ChantelleMakeUp1

07. Beauty My Way

08. Fashion Is Beauty Beauty Is Fashion

09. Belle Of The Blush

10. It's Em

11. Life Of A Sweetaholic

12. RachaelMarie -x-

13. Oh So Fresh As A Daisy

14. May Loves Makeup

15. Makeup Monologue

Please have a look at them if you get a chance, they are really worth it, in my opinion!

Rhiannon |

NOTD - Leighton Denny Nail Polish in 'Rampant Rose'

2011-07-20T10:06:00.005+01:00

Whilst my boyfriend Iain and I were away, we visited a spa. One of the treatment rooms was out of order to they gave us each a £5 voucher to spend on products from the shop. There was nothing that Iain really wanted so he gave me his voucher, meaning that I could buy this Leighton Denny Nail Polish for just £1! Bargain!

'Rampant Rose' with flash

The colour is quite different from anything else that I have in my collection. Whilst it's a red, it's not a bright red, but it's not a raspberry red either. The Leighton Denny website describes it as a "deep red with a touch of brown".

I was impressed with the formula, it applied nicely and dried reasonably quickly, however I do find that it has chipped on my other hand already, and it is quite easy to dent. Although, this could simply be because I applied the coats too thickly, I will have to see how it lasts next time I apply it.

Overally I do really like the polish, the colour is something that is quite wearable, and it would look lovely on nails that are slightly longer than mine at the moment! I would not have bought it if I didn't have the vouchers, as it's a bit pricey for a student budget, but it's a lovely treat to have more of a high end nail polish!

You can purchase this from the Leighton Denny website, for £11 here.

Have you tried any Leighton Denny nail polishes?

Rhiannon |

My Romantic Weekend Away

2011-07-20T10:06:00.004+01:00

My lovely boyfriend Iain and I have nearly been together a whole year. The time has literally flown by and I'm so grateful and lucky to have had him as a such a major part of my life. He's perfect for me. Absolutely perfect.
So to celebrate, and as our sort of present to each other, we went for a long weekend away together at CenterParcs.

We did take a fair amount of photos of the two of us, but this is my favourite one, and I'm sure Iain won't mind if I share it with you all!

Rhiannon |

FOTD - 14-July-2011

2011-07-14T15:59:00.001+01:00

This evening I'm going to my friend's house for dinner. I'm really looking forward to it as we've not seen each other since Easter as we're both at different universities quite far away. & I thought I'd show you all my make up - even though I look ridiculously pale!

Eyes - L'Oreal SuperLine in Carbon Gloss, No7 Exquisite Curl Mascara, Benefit EyeBright
Face - Revlon ColourStay Foundation in 150 Buff, Benefit It Stick, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in 1 Light, Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder in 51
Lips - Revlon ColourBurst Lipgloss in 006 Strawberry

Rhiannon |

Life Of A Sweetaholic Summer Giveaway!

2011-07-14T09:29:00.003+01:00

The lovely Rachel at Life Of A Sweetaholic is having a giveaway!

& there's not only one prize, but THREE! Click on the picture above, or the link in the sidebar to enter!
Giveaway ends on 12-August-2011 at 12pm!
Good luck!

Rhiannon |

No7 - Stay Perfect Nail Colour in 'Cheeky Chops 240'

2011-07-12T11:24:00.002+01:00

So if I am completely honest, I had started to run out of things I wanted to buy with my £5 off No7 voucher, so when I saw that No7 had brought out about 20 new Stay Perfect Nail Colours, and I had one voucher left, I was delighted! I chose the colour 'Cheeky Chops 240'.

The new range of Stay Perfect Nail Colours are also said to have a new brush, and a new formulation for 'Pigment Rich Colour'

Cheeky Chops 240 - with flash
So much more true to colour!

Cheeky Chops 240 - without flash.

Left - Cheeky Chops 240, new brush
Right - Beanie 20, old brush

The brush I think is slightly bigger than it was previously and I was a little dubious that as I am already a rather messy nail painter, this was going to make things worse for me. Quite the opposite. The brush fans out nicely so that it covers the majority of the nail in one go, and it seems to be slightly rounded at the end rather than straight cut, and this helps to paint the bottom of the nail around the cuticle area with little mess. & the colour certainly is pigment rich! I loveee it. Cheeky Chops is bright pinky coral that I have been looking out for, and I think it will look absolutely gorgeous with a tan!

No7's Stay Perfect Nail Colours are available from Boots here, priced at £7.
Just one thing to mention if you are ordering online, the swatches on the website do not do the colours justice! They are way brighter, so you might be better popping into Boots to see the colours in all their true glory!

I can't wait for the next set of No7 vouchers to be released so I can try out some more of these beautiful colours! Have you tried any polishes in No7's new range?

Rhiannon |

Rimmel - Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation

2011-07-10T12:46:00.002+01:00

Firstly, I'd like to start by saying that I did not purchase this product myself. However, nor was I sent it to review. I won it in a competition from Rimmel a little while ago, but as always this review will be 100% my honest opinion...as you'll find out!

Rimmel claim that is it "Sweat, heat, humidity and transfer proof for upto 25hours", hence the name, but honestly, who wears their foundation for 25hours? I certainly won't be wearing mine for that long! It also says "enriched with a revitalising mineral complex and moisturising Aqua Primer. Skin feels energised and hydrated all day." So does this mean that this foundation has a primer built-in? If it does, then I guess that might help to give it a little bit more staying power than regular foundations, but then again, aqua is just water, so I'm a little puzzled by that! I wouldn't say this foundation is overly moisturising and I would not use it without using a moisturiser first.

The packaging is good, you get a glass bottle (I hateeee squeezy tubes of foundation) and a pump, which you don't get with Revlon ColorStay, and because the glass is clear, you can easily see how much product you have left. One pump dispenses easily enough for one application, so there is no wastage.

About half a pump

The foundation is quite a thick liquid and I found it really difficult to blend out using a foundation brush so I had to resort to using my hands which made it a little easier.

It's a medium to high coverage foundation that has a bit of a dewy finish to it, so may not be great for you if you have oily skin. & I could definately feel it on my skin. It didn't really sink in, and left a bit a of tacky, waxy kind of layer on my face. This did disappear after an hour or two, but still wasn't the nicest. If you have oily skin and needed to apply a powder over the top of this, I can imagine it feeling really quite thick and cakey.

The colour that I choose is 100 Ivory, the palest shade in the range, there are 6 shades in total. I always struggle to find high street foundations which are pale enough for my skin, as I am extremely conscious of looking orange. I was really dubious of this, as in the bottle I think it looks rather dark and almost orange already and when I applied the product it certainly didn't match my natural skin tone at all. I could get away with it because I had fake tan on my body, but without that I fear that my face would have looked like a satsuma.

I have found that if a use about half a pump and about an equal amount of moisturiser, I can use it as a tinted moisturiser and it tends to last a little longer than some others I have tried, so I think I'll do that until I've used it up.

Overall I didn't really like it. If you are looking for a long lasting foundation, I'd recommend the Revlon ColorStay. Even though it's about double the price, it has a much wider range of shades with more natural undertones and it doesn't leave the skin feeling horrible and tacky. However, if you are on a budget and can find a shade that really matches, give it a go as everyone is different!

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation is available from Boots here, for £6.99, as well as from Superdrug and major supermarkets.

Have you tried this foundation? What did you think?

Rhiannon |

TRESemme - Heat Defence Styling Spray

2011-07-09T16:36:00.002+01:00

I was picking up a few little things for my holidays and I saw this cute little travel size of the TRESemme Heat Defence Styling Spray. I love this spray, I find it is so affordable and work so well & I always find myself coming back to it. It does have a smell, but I can't describe it - I just called it the TRESemme smell, and if you've tried any of their products then hopefully you'll know what I mean!

It protects up 230°C, so is perfect for using with my beloved GHD's as well as with a hairdryer, and definately makes my hair gorgeous and shiny too. I wouldn't say it makes my hair less frizzy when I don't straighten it, but when I do, my hair definitely looks sleeker than it would have done without this.

This little travel sized bottle is currently on offer for £1 at Boots (along with a range of other TRESemme miniatures), which is where I picked mine up, and you can often find the full size bottle on offer too if you shop around too and I've seen it sold in all the usual places....Boots, Superdrug and supermarkets!

I'd say it's brilliant value for money as the full size bottle lasts me absolutely ages and it's a small price to pay for protecting your hair!

This product comes in two sizes, the 300ml full size for £4.99 available here, or the 60ml travel size for £1.52 available here.

What's your favourite heat defence product? Let me know!

Rhiannon |

VO5 - Miracle Concentrate

2011-07-08T12:25:00.004+01:00

If there is one thing in life I absolutely dread, more than exams, it is going to the hairdressers. I hate to the point where on many occasions I have been known to cry after leaving the salon. I always leave it such a long time inbetween getting it cut that when I go, I have to have lots and lots cut off. My own fault I know but I'm sure that 1 inch to normal people is about 3 inches to hairdressers!

So in my attempt to keep my hair in better condition, and after reading lots of hype on Moroccan Oil and Argan Oil, when I spotted this on offer in Superdrug I couldn't resist!

VO5 Miracle Concentrate Elixir with Argan Oil.

This Miracle Concentrate will:

Intensely condition and help repair dry, damaged or frizzy hair (all of which I am unlucky enough to have)
Leave hair unbelievably smooth and silky soft
Add radiant shine
Reduce drying time & damaged caused by blowdrying

I apply a pipette full of this product through the lengths and ends of my hair after I have towel dried it, and in my opinion, it lives up to all of VO5's claims. I was AMAZED!

I love that the product is dispensed through a pipette - it could have been through a pump, but I think the pipette makes it a little bit more luxurious, and allows you to control the amount that you apply. However, the pipette is not quite the same quality as the ones you use in Chemistry lessons and will drip a little if you're not careful!

& it smells so good! I don't really know how to describe it, but as soon as I smelt it, it reminded me of Kim Kardashian's perfume 'Kim Kardashian', which I went to the launch of at Debenhams in Oxford Street. This could well be my memory deceiving me but I really hope not. You can still smell the product after you've blow dried you hair, but it's not as strong as it is in the bottle.

I also tried this product when my hair was dry after I had straightened it, through the ends to try and make them a little sleeker. It did have a little effect, but I would say it is much more effective when used before blowdrying.

VO5 Miracle Concentrate Elixir with Argan Oil is available from Boots, Superdrug and all major supermarkets priced about £4.99. You can purchase this from Sainsbury's here, Asda here or Tesco here.
Unfortunately I couldn't find this product on Boots' or Superdrug's website.

Have you tried this product, or Moroccan Oil? What do you think?

Rhiannon |

TAG - Questions

2011-07-07T22:41:00.006+01:00

I thought I'd let you all get to know me a little bit better! I found this tag on Jemma's blog, which you can find here:

SKINCARE

How many times do you wash your face daily?
Twice.
What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
I'd say Normal/Dry, it can be a little bit sensitive too.
What is your current facial wash?
Garnier Skin Naturals Simply Essentials Comforting Cleansing Milk.
Do you exfoliate?
Yes, maybe once a week? I should probably make an effort to a little bit more. At the moment I am using a sample of Clinique's 7 day scrub cream.
What brand do you use?
Garnier, Clinique, No7 and Nivea.
What moisturiser do you use?
Nivea Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream
Do you have freckles?
Maybe the odd really faint one or two
Do you use eye cream?
Yes but only because I won the No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Eye Cream.
Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
It's not really acne, but I do get a few spots. I'm quite lucky with my skin I think.
Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?
Nope. I didn't know what this was, so I looked it up and it appears to be an acne treatment.

MAKE-UP

What foundation do you use?
I have 3 which I tend to switch up depending on how I am feeling. They are L'Oreal True Match in C1, Revlon Colourstay in Buff and Rimmel 25 Hour in 100 Ivory. All of these are actually quite different colours! The Revlon and Rimmel are more yellowy whereas the L'Oreal is definitely pinky and a fairly good match for my skin in the winter!
How about concealer?
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection in Shade 1...I can't remember if it is called Light or Fair, but it's the lightest one!
Do you know your undertone color?
I'd say pinky and the Clinique lady told me pinky too, but yellowy undertone foundations don't seem to look as bad when I'm a bit tanned...I can get away with them a bit more.
What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I don't use them on a regular basis, just sometimes when I go out and I'm getting ready with my friend - she always has to apply them for me because I am hopeles
Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months?
Yes, but I never throw them out after 3 months...if they're not dried up and they still make that 'pop' sound when you take the wand out of the tube, I'll still use them!
What brand of mascara do you use?
No7 and Maybelline.
Sephora or MAC?
I've never tried either of their products!
Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
Nope.
What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
If I'm going to wear foundation then a foundation brush usually, and a big fluffy powder brush! I don't wear huge amounts of make up everyday!
Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
I don't, I just put my foundation over.
For the face?
Nope.
What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
Bronzey neutral shades
Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
Liquid
How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
Never :)
What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
I don't have any.
Do you use mineral makeup?
Nope
What is your favorite lipstick?
Revlon ColourBurst in Fuschia
How about lipgloss?
I'm more into lipsticks but I like the Revlon ones.
What is your favorite blush to use?
Benefit Thrrrob
Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
I bought Benefit Georgia from there....was a fake, never again!
Do you like drugstore makeup?
Yeah my whole collection is drugstore.
Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)
Nope
Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
I think it'd be very interesting...night classes maybe?
Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
I try not to be.
Name a makeup crime that you hate?
Obvious lines and when people have their face a different colour to their body when they've 'forgotten' to fake tan their face!
Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
Neutral for everyday, but I love a bright lip for nights out.
Which celebrity always has great make up?
Leighton Meester?
If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?
Concealer
Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
Yes and I do....as much as I like make up, I think it is really important not to become dependant on it!
Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
Entirely depends on my skin..
In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
I can't name one!
What do you think of Makeup??
It's a great way to experiment and completely change your look.

If you'd like to do this tag, make sure to let me know because I love reading them! & please follow my blog!

Rhiannon |

Maybelline - 'The One By One Volum' Express' - Waterproof

2011-07-07T16:12:00.002+01:00

So I am going away for the weekend in a little while, and I wanted a new mascara that was waterproof as I'll be going swimming. Originally I wanted to pick up the waterproof version of L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes, but at £11.29, I couldn't really stretch to that this time! So instead I picked up Maybelline's 'The One By One Volum' Express' mascara in black with the waterproof formula.

I love the packaging of this mascara. It comes in this gorgeous bright coral coloured tube, making it really easy to find in my make up bag. The waterproof version comes with aqua coloured writing and band, whereas the normal version has turquoise coloured writing and band.

The wand is plastic and has a lovely shape to it, which really does help to catch all the lashes.

Bare lashes

One coat of mascara - excuse my half shut eye!

Two coats of mascara

Maybelline say "You’ll discover lashes you didn’t know you had, for clean, clump-free volume, instantly!"

This mascara is definitely good for definition and length, however I was a little disappointed as it didn't seem
to give me the volume that I have come to expect from the Volum' Express range of mascaras.

The formula is quite dry, but provided you don't put too many coats on, it's fine. It can start to clump if you apply too many coats or don't allow it to dry in between but if you apply it properly it's not a problem and it is lovely as a daytime mascara.

The mascara is waterproof, but if you use a decent eye make up remover and leave it on a cotton pad over the lashes for a little while, it comes off without too much of a problem. I use the Garnier Skin Naturals Simply Essentials 2 in 1 Make Up Remover.

I can't say that I will definately repurchase this mascara, but with mascara I never tend to stick to the same one. I always change them up according to what's new and what's on offer! That said, this is a good mascara for the price and I'd recommend it!

You can buy Maybelline's 'The One By One Volum' Express' mascara from Boots and Superdrug, and it retails at £8.49. However Boots currently have it on offer and you save £2, for £6.49, and you can pick it up here. At the moment, Boots only seem to have the normal formula available online, but hopefully this will change soon!

Have you tried this mascara, or the L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes?

Rhiannon |

Clinique - Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief

2011-07-06T21:01:00.004+01:00

A good moisturiser is always essential, whatever your skin type. It helps to keep the skin in good condition as well as providing a nice base for make up. I would never really splash out on a high end moisturiser such as this one, as I think that high street ones can do the job just as well, however this product is absolutely gorgeous!

My mum gave me a number of little sample Clinique products that I guess she must have been collecting up including their Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief moisturiser. I also have their Dramatically Different moisturiser in a mini sample size, but I don't think it is anything special in comparison to this. As far as I am aware, all of Clinique's products are allergy tested and 100% fragrance free.

I have a small 7ml sample pot, but I'm sure that it will last me a fair while as a little goes a very long way!
Clinique says that it:

Instantly refreshes skin; leaves it feeling smoother and softer
Calms skin.
Comfortable and versatile for all skins; lightweight; absorbs quickly.
Helps protect against environmental irritants

I would certainly have to agree. This product is a cream-gel consistency (Clinique describe it as having a waterfall feel to it) and it so effortlessly just glides onto the skin and I do not feel the need to rub it in for ages, like I do with the Dramatically Different moisturiser.

The top of the box says that it is suitable for all skin types, and I think that it would be. It would be especially good for dry skin types as it is just so nourishing, and I cannot see it being a problem for oily skin types either as once applied to the skin, it does not leave any major kind of residue or grease behind. It is like you've just given your skin a new surface, but you cannot feel the product sitting on your skin - it's so smooth and lightweight. My skin can be a little bit sensitive, but this product has not caused it to become irritated or to break out it any way.

My only gripe with this product is that it does not have an SPF in, which I think if you are going to buy a premium moisturiser, it really should have. However, adding an SPF may make the product heavier and not absorb so easily into the skin. I find it to be perfect to apply in the evening before I go to bed, even if it is not technically meant to be a night cream. Alternatively, Clinique say that it can be left on as a refreshing, moisture-intensive 5 minute mask.

The full size is 50ml and retails for £30 and is available to purchase for all major department stores with Clinique counters, from Boots and online here.

Have you tried this product? What is your favourite moisturiser?

Rhiannon |

NOTD - 17 Lasting Fix Nail Polish in 'Forever'

2011-07-06T20:05:00.002+01:00

So a while back now, probably around about Easter time, I took a trip into Boots, not really looking for anything, but just browsing as I seem to find myself doing a lot, but this gorgeous colour from 17 caught my eye.

It's called 'Forever' and is a lovely nude colour, possibly with the tiniest hint of pink - I might even go as far as calling it my perfect nude! 17 describe it as 'brown' on the website, but I wouldn't really call it brown at all! 17 claim that their Lasting Fix Nail Polishes provide 5 days of chip resistant shine. I wouldn't say 5 days with no chips when used by itself, but when you use a base and top coat (I use Revlon's ones) this definitely extends the amount of wear you can get from it!

I thought that this product was a limited edition, as part of 17's Vintage Love Spring Collection, but I have found it here for £2.99. I don't know if this product is still available in stores or not, but you can order from the website and collect for free in many Boots stores if you are interested.

Also at the moment, when you buy any two 17 products from Boots, you get a free gift - 'Nail Bar In A Bag'. In this bag you get two full size 17 polishes, in the colours 'Pink Grapefruit' and 'Knockout Red', as well as a really cute leopard print nail file and some heart shaped stickers too! Not bad at all! You can see the free gift here.

What is your perfect nude nail varnish?

Rhiannon |

My first ever blog post!

2011-07-06T19:22:00.001+01:00

Hello everyone, and welcome to my first ever blog post!

I've been following blogs and watching YouTube videos for a few months now, & found them so helpful and interesting, that I thought I'd start one of my own...a blog that is - there is no way I'm brave enough to film myself and put it up on YouTube, maybe one day!
From this blog, you can expect mainly beauty related posts but a few other bits and pieces thrown in too!
As I'm sure you can tell, I'm very new to all this, so any tips or anything that you may have will be so gratefully appreciated - just leave me a comment!

Thank you for reading,