Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who has the best lashes of them all? No7 Intense Volume Mascara Product Review.

This week’s blog post is going to be a review of a product I mentioned in my ‘March Favourite’s’ blog, which you can read – here. I brought this product in a flap, having spend ages trying to find a new mascara in Boots, and struggled to narrow down to one out of the vast range on offer.

 

On first application, I was struck by the thinness of the formula. It feels very light when applied. However, I was blown away with how well the lashes were coated and separated with just one sweep. I can often rush out the house with just one coat, and still feel good. It is also very buildable. Be careful though – you really do have to let each coat dry before applying the next, otherwise the lashes do tend to get stuck together.

With a name like ‘Intense Volume’, it is natural to expect big things. ‘Did your lashes look like they had more volume?’ I hear you cry! Hmmm. Volume? I’m not so sure. My lashes looked full and very well defined. However, a ‘false lash effect’ mascara this is not – or maybe I’m wearing the wrong falsies?! I applied this after I had curled my lashes and it held pretty well. I was happy with how my lashes looked at the end of the day. There were no clumps and no flaking.

 

Now I want to take a little time out to talk about the wand. I am completely puzzled over this new fascination with ‘flexy’ wands. I am just going to put it out there – I do not like them. I don’t see how they help, they just annoy me. I like my wand to be straight and inflexible – and this wand delivers. There is nothing different or gimmicky about this wand.  The spoolie is nice and long, with a tapered end. It is very easy to use and quick to apply.

I don’t really have much to say about the packaging for this product. It comes in the curved shape which is synonymous with most No7 mascaras. I do like the bronzed colour, but I am not jumping up and down over it. Anyway, it’s what’s inside that counts.

To my surprise, I absolutely love this product. Considering I purchased it, without much thought, I did not expect big things. I was pleasantly surprised by how great this product is, and at £9.95 it’s a ‘no-brainer’. You can purchase it online here, where it is part of an offer. If you buy 2 selected No7 products, you get a free gift!

Have you tried this mascara? Have you ever had any pleasant surprises when buying make up?

Cleanse. Tone. Moisturise. Repeat - My Daily Skincare Routine.

Now, I am slightly ashamed to admit that up until about a year ago, I didn’t really have a cleansing routine. I remember reading blogs and thinking to myself ‘Hmmm... so Clearasil and water don’t count huh?’.  Yes, that’s right. My cleansing routine echoed that of a 12 year old.

Ever since then, I have been trying to find the perfect combination of potions to fit my skin. I have combination skin (that rubbish one where your T-zone is oily, yet there are dry patches on the cheeks), and I am also quite spot prone. I thought that I would share the products I am using currently.

 

 

Asda Skin System Eye Make-up Remover £2.00– I use this magic product of an evening, to remove my eye make-up (obviously). I have tried many a eye makeup remover, and I still come back to this one! Even in my Emo/Grunge phase I found that this was the best for removing that trade-mark eyeliner.  At £2 a bottle, you can’t complain really.

Clarins Cleansing Milk with Alpine Herbs £19.00 – I received this set from my Boyf’s very lovely sisters at Christmas. I squeeze a little out in my hands and press into the skin. I use the ‘press and lift’ Clarins technique (I had no idea what this was I had to ‘Google’ it when I first started using the cleanser), and it does the job perfectly.

Clarins Toning Lotion with Camomile £19.00 – If I am perfectly honest, I still don’t really understand toners. Do I need one? What do they actually do? I pour a little onto a cotton pad and wipe all over my face. I’m not sure what it does exactly, but I do know that my skin feels softer once it has been applied. It also gives me a slight cold/tingly feeling which I strangely like!

Johnson’s Facecare Hydrating 24 Hour Day Cream RRP £4.07– This is my favourite moisturiser of all time! I have tried lots of different types, by loads of different brands - Simple, Nivea and even Benefit, but none match up to this in my opinion. It leaves my skin feeling beautifully soft and really does last all day! There is no greasy residue either, which I have found in moisturisers in the past. Previous experiences have also led to my skin having massive break outs; however, I don’t think I have ever had one from using this product. It also comes in a glass pot, which I feel adds a certain Je ne sais quoi! The only downside is that Boots seem to have stopped stocking it in store (Why is that Boots??!) – But after a few weeks of frantic searching, I managed to find it in Wilkinson’s, so now I just stock up J

Soap and Glory ‘Puffy Eye Attack’ £12.50  – If you have read my other blogs, you may recognise this product from a haul post. You can read about my initial thoughts on this product – here. Since then, I have been using this cream for about a month. Unfortunately, I found that it played absolute havoc with my contact lenses. It just irritated them and thus my eyes. I now only use it in the evening, which is slightly annoying because I did think my bags were starting to look better!

You may notice that I still don’t really have a separate night and day routine. Shock horror! To be honest, I just can’t be faffed with it, so I tend to use the same products morning and evening.

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think? Which are your favourite cleansing products?

 

Golden Eyes, Golden Ticket, Golden Weekend!

This weekend, I was lucky enough to take a trip to the theatre. I love the theatre. The lights, the singing, the dancing and the amazing scenery and effects. I love hearing the desperate chatter of theatre goers at the end of the show, debating the question – ‘How did they do it?’

The show of choice yesterday, was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I had heard many great things about the performance, and I was not disappointed! All of Roald Dahl’s eccentric (bordering on sinister) characters were portrayed immaculately, and the musical numbers were flawless. I would highly recommend a trip to see this show to everyone!

I had the idea for this week’s blog from a work colleague of mine, Rachel (thank you!), who suggested I share the make-up look which I chose for the occasion. These are a selection of the products I used – mainly MAC (obviously – they are my favourite brand after all).

 

 

This is the look which I created:

 

Here is how I did it. Right, lets start with the base.

 

 

I needed this look to last all day, so I began with my Benefit ‘Porefessional’ Primer. I then chose NARS Sheer Glow Foundation (shown here in miniture), I wear the shade ‘Deauville’. I dabbed it over my face and then blended out with my Beauty Blender. I tend to use two concealers. My MAC Studio Fix (NW20) is used for extra coverage on spots and blemishes, while my NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (Vanilla) is used to cover those dark circles. I set this all using MAC Mineralise Skinfinish (Light Plus), before applying Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

My eye look was copied from my favourite YouTuber – Jaclyn Hill, who recently did a make up tutorial where she demonstrated the on-trend copper eye look. It took me less than a week to get myself down to MAC to purchase the right shades I needed to replicate the look. You can watch the video here.  It involves taking the shades ‘Amber Lights’ and ‘Coppering’ (the bottom two shades in my pallette) mixed together and placed on the eye lid. This is then blended up into the crease and voilá – your eyeshadow is done! I just finished with a couple of layers of my Maybelline The Falsies mascara and I lined the waterline with my The Body Shop, black Eyeliner Pencil.

Next, I attempted some hightlighting and contouring (which I am yet to master). For contouring, I used my Benefit Hoola bronzer, and applied MAC Mineralise Blush in the shade ‘Dainty’ above. I then used my MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in the shade ‘Lightscapade’ to highlight above the cheekbone.

Finally, I applied my MAC Lip Primer and then lipstick in the shade ‘Hot Gossip’. This is a gorgeous pink colour which has that ‘your lips but better’ look.

 

I was really pleased with my finished look, and it lasted thoughout the 12 hour day (with a make up setting spray). I do, however, think this would look better with a coral blush, which I sadly do not own L.

Do you have any coral blushers you would recommend? How did you wear your makeup this weekend? 

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, I have new favourite MAC, I think you'll like it too! - VIVA GLAM Rihanna lipstick review.

Hmmm... where do I start with red lipstick?

Red lipstick and I have a love hate relationship. Before Friday, I only owned one (MAC’s Red Russian), and some days I loved it and other times I hated it.

With this in mind, I was surprised when I found myself gazing longingly at the newest red MAC had to offer. A lipstick part of their latest ‘VIVA GLAM’ Rihanna campaign, designed in collaboration with the pop princess herself.

I was drawn in, not by the packaging (I must have been ill), but by the description. This lipstick is described as ‘Frosted’. As soon as I swatched the lipstick on my hand, I knew I had to have it, and when my mum kindly offered to pay – I couldn’t refuse!

 

I have been trying, and mainly failing, for the last two days to take pictures of the lipstick for this blog, but none of them do the colour justice! Similarly, I have also been trying to find the right words and colours to describe the hues and the finished look. Although this is marketed as a red lipstick, it is very much on the pinker side. With a blue undertone, the colour reminds me of an icy fuchsia. Likened to a cold day in the beginnings of Spring.

 

 

The lipstick has a glossy finish, and I was happy to wear it without a lip gloss over the top. In the picture below (apologies for the quality), I wore it with MAC’s Brick lip liner. The colour had the staying power you would expect from a good quality lipstick – and was very easily applied.

Now, I couldn’t do a blog post without talking about the packaging. The lipstick comes in the same trademark bullet shape we know and love of MAC lipsticks, but has followed the frosted theme by making the case a seductive frosted red. On the inside the shaft is emblazoned with Rihanna’s signature – a nice touch.

 

 

This lipstick has changed the way I feel about red lipstick, and I would highly recommend this if you, like me, are a bit scared or nervous about this bold statement colour. I wore it with a simple silver and black smoky eye and I have absolutely fallen in love with the sheen and finish.

With the RRP of this lipstick, aside from VAT going towards the MAC AIDS Fund – this may indeed be, the perfect shade of red!

What are your favourite reds? Have you tried the new VIVA GLAM Rihanna?

Boots Booty (not the Beyonce kind) - A Drugstore Haul

After declaring myself ‘broke’ and spouting lines like: ‘I literally have NO money, I am going to be living on cereal’, I found myself on a shopping trip. After narrowly avoiding the Naked 3 palette (which I still can’t stop thinking about), I found myself perusing the wondrous aisles in Boots.

Somehow these items just jumped into my shopping bag and forced themselves through the till (funny how things have a habit of doing that?)

Soap and Glory ‘Off your face’ cleansing wipes (usually £4.50 but there was a 40% off deal at the time so I got for £2.99): The first thing that struck me about this product was the softness of the cloth! Normally I find cleansing wipes a bit scratchy – but these are like cotton! The cloth has 2 sides to it – a smooth side and a slightly bumpy side. I tested both sides as make-up removers, and I found the bumpy side was slightly more effective. They even removed eye make up pretty well – there was still a little residue on my eye, but overall I was impressed with their removal power.

When using facial wipes, I often find that my skin feels slightly sticky afterwards – but with this product my face felt smooth and dry! With a comforting fragrance of Olbas Oil – I will definitely be getting these again!

Soap and Glory ‘Puffy Eye Attack’ eye gel (usually £12.50 but £8.33 at the time): Normally, I get horrendous bags under my eyes and have been searching for a product to at least minimise them. ‘Could this be THE product?’ I wondered.

This eye gel has a thick texture, and a little goes a long way. I have sensitive eyes, so I have found in the past that some eye products have caused stinging. I am not going to lie, I did get a small amount of stinging, but mainly in the evening where I think my eyes are probably aggravated from my initial make up removing. I also tested the gel under my concealer (I use that magic ‘NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer’) and found that the two products worked well together.

After using this product every morning and every night, I have found that my eye bags are better, particularly near the end of the week. I’m not sure if I am ‘in love’ with it, but it is doing the job for the moment!

Maybelline ‘The Falsies’ mascara (£7.99): My usual go-to mascara is the MAC False Lash effect – so imagine my dismay when I ran out of it during these hard times. I had heard a lot of really good things about this mascara, and knew it is a particular favourite with beauty guru Tanya Burr, so I thought I would give it a try. If it’s good enough for Tanya, it’s good enough for me!

The applicator has a scooped brush, which also has a ‘flexi’ element to it. To be honest, it has probably taken me all week to get used to this. Normally, I like to remove most of the product from the applicator, so I can build up thin layers. However, for some reason this was not working, on the second coat, my lashes were clumping together and it looked like I had a grand total of 5.  I found the product worked better if I ‘tidied up’ the applicator, rather than removing the entire product.

 Now I have got used to the product, I am very happy with the results. I am able to create a fluttering lash, with a ‘wide eyed’ look. I love what it does to the bottom lash too!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in ‘Oriental’ (£2.99): Everyone and their Nan knows that this is the Holy Grail of hair products. This product should be in EVERYONE’S bathrooms, bedrooms, offices (I even have a friend who kept some in her car – sensible lady).

I have very long and thick hair. I am also lazy. These three factors often equate to waking up late, hair standing on end, on those days when I had set my alarm early, in order to leave enough time to wash my hair. This is when I find myself grabbing my dry shampoo in a frenzy, and desperately trying to make my hair do ‘something’. There is now a huge range of Batiste products – ranging from fragrances or specific formulas for your hair colour. I was drawn to this bottle, due to the packaging. I love packaging (I am an advertisers dream), and the purple oriental design caught my eye.

The fragrance is also lovely. Obviously, you can’t get completely away from the aerosol smell – but this product has a musky scent which I like. A great product and I don’t need to tell you that this will definitely be on my ‘repurchase’ list.

So, whilst I get back to my cereal, what are your drugstore essentials that you just could NOT live without? 

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Butter... of the Body Variety.

The Body Shop’s Body Butters - one of my first beauty loves!

When I was a lowly, poor, 18 year old student, this was my splurge product. I was completely sucked in by the colourful packaging, fruity scents and insane moisturising power. And, although now I am perhaps not quite as poor, this still remains a beauty staple.

There is a Body Butter to cater for every taste imaginable, it is available to purchase in around 19 different varieties. Coconut (my first purchase), chocolate, olive, strawberry, and even Japanese cherry blossom! You can also buy coconut ‘shimmer’. A Body Butter with all the moisturising benefits, with just the right hint of sparkle. This one was very popular for me during my ‘clubbing-twice-a-week’ student days (although make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after – imagine a fake tan disaster but with glitter).  

My favourite all time Body Butter is the Pink Grapefruit. I am just obsessed with the scent! My Body Butter sits next to me on my bedside table, mainly so I remember to apply, and I often find myself just picking it up and taking a good whiff, sending me into bliss!

Due to the product’s powerful moisturising skills, I would recommend leaving the product to sink in before putting on clothes (particularly jeans). If you don’t, you may find yourself in an argument with your skinnies, not seen since leggings became acceptable to wear outside of the gym!

I received my most recent Body Butter as a Christmas gift, along with the shower gel (Thank you Mum and Nanny). Since then, they have changed the image on the packaging. To be honest, I am not too sure about this alteration. It is simpler (which I like) and the image depicts the skin of the grapefruit, but to me it just looks like a pink ball.

However, who cares about the packaging, or that it needs soaking in?! This product is just too good to miss! Unbelievably moisturising and I find the feeling lasts all day!

P.S. I visited The Body Shop in Reading yesterday (in the name of research) and saw that there is currently a deal on Body Butters and Scrubs (an equally brilliant product). You can buy the butter and the scrub for £16 – or 2 butters or 2 scrubs if that’s what you would prefer. Considering the butter alone normally retails for £13 this is an un-missable deal.

I also noticed there is a range of body mists and perfumes, also in the matching scents! Every product to satisfy my ‘Pink Grapefruit’ obsession!

Are you listening Father Christmas?!  ;-)

1st Blog Confessions

It seems only apt that I begin my first blog post with a confession.

My name is Hollie, and I... am a nail biter.

Phew, that feels better, like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I know it’s disgusting, I know it’s unhealthy and it has caused havoc on my nails for most of my life (or at least since the time I started noticing things like how my nails look). But, I just can’t help it!

I am a nervous biter. Whenever I am in a stressful or new situation – one minute the nails are there, long and perfectly filed, and the next I’m cowering in the corner chewing on my little pinky.

This all changed however, in the summer of 2012. One of my best friend’s wedding was approaching fast and I was finding myself having yet another argument with my nails. They were flaky, weak and whenever I painted them I was guaranteed chips within about 30 minutes. I reached for my phone and entered the ‘no-going-back’ phrase ‘Acrylic nails Reading’ into the Google search bar. All reservations of making the situation worse with chemicals and filing were ignored in my spat of desperation.

Thankfully, after filtering a few dodgy looking links, I hit on a small salon in the centre of Reading, who were offering ‘Bio-Sculpture Gel’. I rang the salon and within half an hour I was sitting in a chair, having my nail routine changed forever.

Bio-Sculpture advertises itself as the ‘original gel nail colour’. The application involves minimal buffing and filing, which was a massive draw for me. My nails were weak enough – I didn’t need them to be made any thinner. The colour is applied using a brush, and is set under UV lamps.

I have well and truly fallen in love. Each month I still feel a pang of excitement when I know I can choose a new colour. There are around 150 available in total, in a range of light, dark, shimmer and glitter shades. My favourites being 157, ‘Elizabeth’ and 168, ‘Gilded Reflection’.  

I now get my nails soaked off and re-applied once every 4 weeks, and I find that the colour does not fade or stain. Neither does the colour chip. EVER.

It does however, peel. This can be minimised by making sure you wash your hands thoroughly after applying cream products (such as body butters) and cleaning using rubber gloves. It also helps if you leave it alone and do not pick (this I am not so good at – the nail biting habit will never leave me I guess).

And the condition of those flaky, bendy, weak nails now I hear you cry?!

Well, I have been having Bio-Sculpture on my nails every month for the past year and a half and.... my nails have never been healthier. If I do have a colour peel off, the nail underneath rarely breaks, and I am able to keep them at the same length until my next appointment.

The only down side.... it’s pretty pricey.

Ah well, I figure I am saving money on nail varnishes which I now do not need.

Plus....who needs heating anyway, right??


Bio-Sculpture Website: http://www.biosculpture.co.uk/?gclid=CIj46_vNsLwCFWITwwodJDAAug

Nail Salon in Reading, some seriously lovely ladies! http://www.hroom.co.uk/