Avon Glimmerstick Chrome Eyeliner: 'Mocha Flash'

Wednesday, June 27, 2012
The Avon Glimmersticks and the Avon Supershock eyeliners have been available to purchase for a while and they are great - especially the Supershock eyeliners. Avon have now bought out a new range of Glimmersticks - the Avon Glimmerstick Chromes! These new eyeliners came out a couple of weeks ago and there was actually only one shade that I wanted - 'Mocha Flash'. 




As you can see from the second image, the actual amount of eyeliner you get is shorter than the lid of the eyeliner, which seems like a bit of a rip off and a waste of packaging in my opinion. Nevertheless the packaging is light weight, sleek and it does look a bit more expensive than it actually is. The swatch on the end of the eyeliner is fairly accurate. 



I chose the shade 'Mocha Flash' which did look more green in the images/swatches in the Avon brochure but it is a really nice shade. This shade is a dark brown with green shimmer which makes the shade look quite unique. The shade is like a duo chrome as it can look like a dark brown in some lightings and more like a dark olive green with shimmer in other lightings. The shade is fairly cool toned and if you wanted a warmer version of a similar shade I would recommend the MUA single eye shadow in the shade: 12. The MUA shade is a similar shade as it is a brown with green duo chrome but it is a lot warmer toned than this product. 

This eyeliner applies so nicely to the eye lid and along the upper lash line, it applies really smoothly and quickly. The Avon supershock eyeliners do apply more smoothly but this product is still great. This eyeliner applies and blends really easily although I cannot use this on my waterline as it just does not show up on the waterline. In terms of wear this product is water resistant - it has survived a shower and this product once set (for about five minutes) hardly smudges. The glitter in this product can move a little bit though. This product is really great although there is one main negative point about this product: it creases really badly without a primer and it creases with a primer - but not as catastrophically with a primer underneath. 

Positives

*Easy to use and remove when needed
*Great for travelling, compact, light weight 
*Applies smoothly and blends quickly/easily
*Great shade - a dark brown/green duo chrome (but not as green as it looks in the brochure)
*Water resistant and fairly smudge proof once set (after about five minutes)

Negatives

*A little bit expensive at full price but when it is on offer it is a great price - I paid £2.49 for this eyeliner!
*Creases after ten minutes without a primer and with a primer it only lasts for an hour without creasing 
*Cannot be used on the waterline


Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser Review!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012



I have had this cleanser for a while and I bought it when I had very bad eczema on my face (which is now almost gone thanks to an amazing non-steroid cream). This product was the only product that did not irritate my skin when I had really bad eczema! I used half of this bottle last year and I started using it now to use up all of my half empty products (I have now finished the full bottle). The cleanser has a gel like texture and you do not need a large amount of product each time you wash your face. The cleanser feels very smooth and gentle on the skin - it does not irritate my skin at all! This cleanser does have a scent, it is a plastic scent, which is not that nice but this product works well for me and my skin type (dry, sensitive). I feel like this cleanser does cleanse my face well but I do not feel like it deep cleans my skin. To use: I wet my face slightly then I apply a 20p size amount and massage it into my skin. I then rinse off the cleanser; although you do not have to rinse it off with water as this is a non rinse off cleanser but I always rinse it off. Instead of removing the excess cleanser with water, you could remove it with a cotton pad and your toner. Overall, this product does not irritate my skin, it makes my skin look and feel clean, smooth and clearer. 
Positives
*Does not irritate my skin at all
*One bottle will last quite a while 
*Leaves my skin feeling really smooth, soft, clean and comfortable (not dry, tight or irritated)
*Good price - especially as one bottle contains 200ml of cleanser (£8)
*Available in boots and online
Negatives
*Does have a plastic scent but this product does not irritate my skin even though it has a scent
*I feel like this cleanser does not deep clean my skin

My Hair and Tips & Products for longer hair!

Friday, June 22, 2012
I have hair fairly short hair for years and years but two years ago I decided to grow my hair - and as I am fairly impatient I went on a search for products and tips that may help my hair grow. Before I decided to grow my hair, my hair was at shoulder/collar bone length so not very short but not long at all. In the two years I have been growing my hair, my hair has gone from shoulder length reaching all the way to the small of my back - and then some! So I am going to share with you some of the tips I have used and some of the products that I believe have really helped make my hair is long as it is. 









1. Shampoo and Conditioner


Image from www.garden.co.uk

I came across a shampoo called F.A.S.T Amino Hair Shampoo and conditioner which I initially was very sceptical about as I didn't think that a shampoo would make my hair grow. But I was desperate and I bought it to try. I used this shampoo and conditioner for months and months and I did actually notice a difference in my hair length within about a month or so! I didn't think this shampoo and conditioner would work but they really did! I did go through two bottles or shampoo and two bottles of conditioner and these products added inches to my hair, literally! I would estimate that after using up two bottles of the shampoo/conditioner that it added quite a few inches to my hair - but you will not see results immediately and after two months at least I saw measurable results. I recommend these two products to everyone! I bought this product from www.garden.co.uk which is a pharmacy based in covent garden, London. When I used to buy this shampoo it was priced at £9.99 but it is now a whopping £12.99 so I am glad that I haven't had to use this product in about a year or so now. I did write a review of these products on www.dooyoo.co.uk when I was using them.

2. Hair Masks






I have been using hair masks and treatments for a while and I really think that keeping your hair in good condition makes it grow faster and healthier. I have tried quite a few hair masks in the past but the first hair mask that actually worked, for me anyway, was the Umberto Giannini Indulgent Beauty Moisture Mask, which is just gorgeous! This Umberto Giannini hair mask makes my hair incredibly smooth, soft and manageable - and it smells divine. Another hair mask that I love is the GHD Opulence mask hair colour treated hair, which smells amaxing and it really makes my hair super smooth, soft and tangle free. A hair mask that claims to make your hair grow is the Lee Stafford hair growth mask which I have and I have used it a few times but I am not impressed with it. I find that it does not really make any difference in terms of my hair length and it is an awful mask - it is not hydrating, nourishing, moisturising or detangling! Although I do like the packaging and the scent of most Lee Stafford products. So I would recommend the Umberto Giannini mask but definitely not the Lee Stafford mask. 

3. Hair Oils and creams



As well as hair masks I also like using hair oils and hair creams/balms, as again like the hair masks I find that my hair grows better when it is conditioned and healthy. I have the Vo5 hair oil which I like but it do not like the smell so I don't use it that much. But one hair oil that works fantastically and smells gorgeous is the Osmo Berber Hair Treatment oil. I received this hair oil in a glossybox and I fell in love with it almost instantly. The Osmo hair oil makes my hair really smooth, soft and it smells gorgeous - like berries and sweets! Although the Osmo hair oil does not help that much with frizz fighting. The Body Shop Beautifying Oil is quite good and I have the Moringa scented version. Although I find that the Body Shop oil is a little bit too oily for my hair and it does not smell strongly of the Moringa fragrance at all, which is quite disappointing. A hair cream/balm that I really like is another Umberto Giannini product - the Umberto Giannini Overnight Beauty Moisture Balm. I have been using this Umberto Giannini Hair Balm for probably about two years now and I have gone through one 150ml bottle of this and I now have a new one. This hair balm makes my hair so smooth and almost frizz free - it smells gorgeous too, like a salon. I use this hair balm on dry hair mostly but I also use it occasionally on my hair when it is wet. Another hair cream is the Fudge 3 in 1 Miracle Moisture Stuff'. Firstly I hate the name of this product and I also hate the design/colour of the packaging but the cream actually works well at smoothing, softening and calming frizz. 

4. Brushes and heated tools



As I have long hair I have to use a large paddle brush and I have the Body Shop paddle but which works really well. I find that if I don't brush my hair as often then it does not break as much and I don't get as many split ends. I also think that the type of brush affects how fast your hair grows and how healthy the hair looks. I only use the paddle brush on my hair gently when it is dry and I use a wide tooth comb on my hair when it is wet. I use a comb on my hair when it is wet as the hair is more fragile and prone to breaking when it is wet so I use a wide tooth comb as it is gentler on my hair. Also as well as not brushing my hair everyday I also do not use heat on my hair. I wash my hair in the evening and sleep with my hair damp/wet and in the morning it is dry and I just need to brush it or tie it up. When I do use my curler or straighteners I use a heat defence spray. The heat 
defence spray I use is the Tresemme one, which is really nice.


  


Glossybox June 2012!

Thursday, June 21, 2012
I received my June Glossybox two days ago and I thought I would share with you what I received in my Glossybox! Everyone subscribed to Glossybox can receive slightly different items in their boxes, for example, there may be various shades of one product.


There are two products in this box that I was very excited about when I noticed them. The two products are the Dermalogica three product set and the Vichy derma blend foundation/concealer. There is also a Yves Rocher mini mascara and I love the Yves Rocher brand so this product is a great addition to this months box. There is also a BM beauty product and BM beauty is a brand that has been featured in a previous Glossybox and I didn't really like the brand. Lastly, there is a Glossybox pro blush brush but for the past couple of days I used it with my Kiko pressed powder. Overall, I am happy with the products in the June box - especially the Vichy and dermalogica products.



Glossybox Pro Blush Brush

I have used this brush twice now, so since I received it, and I am not very impressed with it so far. Firstly, the brush is really smooth and soft so it feels nice on the skin. Although the brush/bristles smell really strongly of plastic which isn't nice and I have just read the card included with the box and it days that this brush is composed of natural goat hair - so I probably will not continue to use this product. 2/5.



Yves Rocher Mini Ultra Volume Sexy Plump Mascara (01 Noir)

I have tried quite a few items from Yves Rocher and I really like the brand. This mascara is not waterproof which is my main issue with this product as I always wear waterproof mascara - living in England waterproof mascara really is a must have! The wand for this mascara is really quite big but not as big as my Dior show waterproof mascara wand or my Maybelline Colossal waterproof mascara wand. After using this mascara a couple of times I actually really like it - although on me this mascara is not that volumising. This mascara gives my lashes length, a little bit of volume and a natural but defined appearance. 4/5.



BM Beauty Summer Warmth Bronzer (1g)

I have tried a BM Beauty loose eyeshadow and I didn't like it mainly as it is a loose powder which I find to be messy, time consuming and inconvenient to use - this product is no exception! I hate using loose powders and this product is particularly messy if your not careful with it. The shade itself is gorgeous, it is a warm bronze sandy colour which does look quite nice on my fairly pale skin tone. 3/5.

Dermalogica Clean Start Day/Night Three Step Mini Kit

I was quite excited to see some Dermalogica products as I have wanted to try products from this brand for a while but it is quite expensive, in my opinion. You don't get one Dermalogica product, not two but three dermalogica products in a fairly large sample kit. The first product in the kit is a 'wash off foaming face wash' which is 50ml and I haven't tried this skincare set yet but this face wash smells quite nice and it looks promising. The second product in this kit is a 'all over clear purifying toner' which is 50ml again. This product also smells nice, it has a spray nozzle and I am excited to use this product. The last product is a 'welcome matte SPF moisturiser' which I can't use as I have dry skin, so I will probably give this product to my sister who has oily skin.



Vichy Derma Blend Starter Kit

This is the product I was most excited about when I saw it in the box a couple of days ago. I have been wanting to try the Vichy Derma Blend stick foundation for a while but as I have dry skin I didn't know whether it would emphasise my dryness but now I can try the product without wasting my money if it doesn't work. There are six shades in the kit from '11 Porcelain' to '16 Bronze'. This product has SPF 30, high coverage, it is water/sweat resistant and it is fragrance free/hypoallergenic. I cannot wait to try this product!


Kylie Minogue 'Darling' Perfume Review!

Friday, June 15, 2012
This perfume was a gift last year and it is my second bottle of this perfume now, both were received as gifts - maybe they are trying to tell me something...

The fragrance I have currently is the 75ml eau de toilette version, although I have had a smaller bottle as well. I am not to impressed with the bottle for this fragrance as it looks a bit boring and cheap in my opinion. The glass section of the bottle looks ok and it has a petrol like finish on the glass. Although the plastic black cap looks awful and it scratches easily, which makes the bottle look really cheap and poorly made. 

The fragrance itself is composed of the following notes: lily, passion fruit, freesia, sandalwood and vanilla. The fragrance is categorised as a oriental floral. In my opinion the main scent I can detect from the perfume is that of musky floral notes with some sweetness.

Initially when I first spray this fragrance onto my skin all I can smell is musky notes, which I am not that fond of but then the floral notes come through after a few minutes. The floral notes are no where near as strong as I would like them to be and the musky notes are a bit strong, in my opinion. The sweetness of the vanilla comes through well and it does make the perfume nicer overall. In terms of longevity and the strength of the perfume I am disappointed as the strength overall of this fragrance is really quite weak and it only really lasts on clothing, not skin. Overall I am disappointed with this fragrance and I will not purchase it - although this fragrance is priced quite reasonably, in my opinion. 


Bottle: 2/5
Notes: 3/5
Strength: 2/5
Longevity: 2/5
Price: 4/5


Overall rating of 3/5!

Yankee Candle 'Danish Butter Cookie'

Wednesday, June 13, 2012
I purchased this candle from yankeedoodle.co.uk a couple of weeks ago as it was on sale. This candle is part of Yankee Candles 'World Journeys' range; which includes candle scents inspired from various areas of the world. For example, 'Caribbean trade winds' and 'Australian oasis' are just a couple of the candle scents from this Yankee Candle range. 


I purchased the scent 'Danish butter cookie' as it just sounds so delicious! I purchased the small tumbler version of this candle but the medium size version is also available - which I have now purchased as well! This candle was priced at £5 and it was on sale. This candle is not very widely available and you may have difficulty finding it - although I think it is still on sale on yankeedoodle.co.uk. 



This is my first Yankee Candle tumbler, as I have always had the samplers or the small/large jars, and I do definitely prefer the jar candles. Although the tumbler does look nice and it looks a bit more expensive than it actually was. First you should always trim the wick to an approximate length of 0.5cm. 


The scent of this candle is like no other candle! The scent is that of vanilla, dough, baking, cookies, vanilla muffins and caramel! The scent is divine and I am addicted to the scent of this candle and I have to say that I have tried many candles and scents from many brands and this is my favourite candle of all time! Not only because the scent is gorgeous and mouth watering but also because the candle is really strongly scented - but not to a point where it is sickly. The scent dispersion is also fantastic as it fills most of the house with a gorgeous vanilla cookie scent. Also the scent lingers for hours and hours, even after the candle has been blown out for a while! 


I cannot recommend this candle enough - it is just gorgeous and definitely worth every penny!


Tumbler: 2/5
Scent: 5/5
Strength: 5/5
Dispersion: 5/5
Longevity: 5/5
Price (when on offer): 5/5

Review & Swatches: Nars Pleasures of Paris Palette

Sunday, June 03, 2012
I purchased this palette a while ago and I have been using it non stop recently! This palette is supposed to be limited edition but it has been available to buy on the Nars cosmetics UK website for months. Now on with the photographs and review!



The only problem I have with the Nars packaging is that the cases can get very dirty, very quickly! The packaging soon gathers dust, eye shadows and finger prints which makes the cases look very used and dirty.


The case contains a large mirror which I do not really use but I think it would come in handy when I take this palette on holiday with me this august. The case also comes with a plastic slip which protects the eye shadows. 


The shades in this palette are as follows (top row): Nepal, Violetta and Demon Lover
                                            (Bottom row): Fez, Abyssinia and Cordura 


I have been using this palette for a good few months now and I love the texture of these eye shadows, they feel so smooth, soft and almost creamy when applied and blended. The shades are also great, they are mostly neutral shades with the exception of the purple shades which for me are not really neutrals. The pigmentation of these Nars eye shadows is really great, all of the shades with the exception of the shade 'Violetta' and maybe 'Abyssinia' are incredibly pigmented. 

Nepal: this is one of my favorite shades as it is a gorgeous peachy pink shade with a pretty metallic sheen when applied. This shade is perfect for spring/summer and it looks so nice on the eyes. The texture of this shade is really nice, it applies like a dream and it is really easy to blend - with a brush or finger tip. I love to use this shade all over the eye lid and in the inner corner. 

Violetta: this shade is one that I was not that interested in when I purchased this palette but it is actually really nice. This shade looks really purple/lilac in the palette but on my pale skin tone this shade look very grey with purple undertones, which for me makes this shade a lot more wearable. I use this shade paired with Abyssinia as it can look a little bit dull on its own. 

Demon Lover: a deep vibrant purple shade that again I was not that interested in and the only way I use this shade is as a eye liner - to line the upper lash line. This shade makes a welcome change from my black eye liners and it still has the same impact as it is darker as a liner than it is when it is blended out across the eye lid. 

Fez: again one of my favorite shades, along with Nepal and Abyssinia, and it is a gorgeous golden brown with golden shimmer. This shade on my pale skin tone looks like a golden bronze which looks so pretty on the lids. I use this shade all over the lid or just in the outer corner and it applies/blends beautifully. 

Abyssinia: this is a pretty creamy highlight shade and it does work really well as a inner corner, brow bone and cheek bone highlight, in my opinion. This shade is not as pigmented as some of the others but this is a positive point for me as I want a subtle highlight - I personally do not like the 70's disco ball look! 

Cordura: this is a deep brown with golden shimmer and I only use this in the outer corner or as a liner as it is really quite dark. This shade is not as easy to blend as the others but it is a great shadow overall - and it is incredibly pigmented!

In terms of longevity and creasing these eye shadows do crease within an hour of wearing them - without a primer but with my MAC paint pot in the shade 'painterly' underneath as a base these shadows last for about five hours without creasing at all. These eye shadows do not have the best longevity but they are fantastic overall, in my opinion. 


Shade range: 5/5
Overall pigmentation: 4/5
Overall texture: 5/5
Longevity: 3/5
Application/blending: 4/5