Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Good afternoon beauties!!
I just wanted to share a fantabulous bargain I picked up from the MUA range recently. As the title suggests it's a lipstick and of course it only cost £1.00.
And it looks like this.....
I just wanted to share a fantabulous bargain I picked up from the MUA range recently. As the title suggests it's a lipstick and of course it only cost £1.00.
And it looks like this.....
It's a lovely warm shade and it's what I wore on my recent FOTD post. The shade is number 11.
All I would say is go out and buy it! It's not remotely drying and I can easily wear it alone for a divine satin finish.
Happy shopping!
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Hey, hope you are all well.
Just a quick post to let you know that I recently purchased my first set of Whitestrips. I haven't used them yet as they arrived in today's post!
***edit - They were around £20.00 from ebay***
I have heard some really fabulous reviews about this product on other blogs and makeupalley.com - every time I ask for recommendations these come up. So I have purchased the 10 day, once a day treatment so fingers crossed they will live up to the hype...
I will let you know how I get on real soonie.
Anyone else already using these?
xx
Monday, 26 July 2010
Since I was about 12 my parents have bought me makeup and beauty books as xmas and birthday gifts.
I have a vast collection of the beauty books providing natural beauty methods, like how creating home made hair/face masks.
These gifts resulted in my love for girlie books (by this I mean beauty, makeup, hair and style types). For the past few years I've purchased more of the books about "being stylish". Hey - I'm trying to find my inner (professional) fashionista!
More recently however I have rekindled my love for makeup and beauty books and given the nature of this blog I thought it was only right that I share my favourites!
I have a vast collection of the beauty books providing natural beauty methods, like how creating home made hair/face masks.
These gifts resulted in my love for girlie books (by this I mean beauty, makeup, hair and style types). For the past few years I've purchased more of the books about "being stylish". Hey - I'm trying to find my inner (professional) fashionista!
More recently however I have rekindled my love for makeup and beauty books and given the nature of this blog I thought it was only right that I share my favourites!
The Bobbi Brown and Afro Hair and Beauty Bible were xmas and birthday gifts from the boyf. The Jemma Kidd was a gift from me to me ;)
I have noticed recently a couple of bloggers asking if the Bobbi Brown book is any good. It really really is. I think it is amazing, provides fab step by step guides for makeup application and makes me just want to go out and purchase the whole stand!
The Afro Hair and Beauty Bible is good because it provides skin care as well as hair care. It's such a relief to find a book that gives advice on afro hair that isn't dated.
I so wish I was able and could pull off wearing my hair like that below!
And finally, the Jemma Kidd book is great for providing some lovely makeup looks to copy as well as in depth detail regarding application, skincare and tools every girl should have!
I don't know I just think there is something terribly exciting about reading through these books and thinking that these simple steps and advice could result in a more groomed version of me haha!!
In all seriousness though they are all reasonably priced and offer some great tips and techniques that I will refer to over and over again.
Sunday, 25 July 2010
So from my previous post you will know that I have recently purchased the Rainbow Eyes Reborn Palette by Front Cover Cosmetics and I had my first go of applying some of the colours today.
As I was only popping into town today and thereafter having a lazy day I didn't want my makeup to be to OTT. So I used more gold/copper shades of the eyes to keep the look a kind of muted glitz.
Here was the end result.
I used:-
Face -
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation, Laura Mercier Concealer, Clinque Finishing Powder, Bare Minerals Warmth, Lily Lolo Transluscent Silk, Eyeko Face Cream to highlight cheek bones centre of nose top of lips
Eyes -
Front Cover Cosmetics shades Biscuit to eyebrow, Mother of Pearl on lid up to crease, Hazel above and along crease and Clove lining the top lash line and blending out to crease on outside corner.
Also Eyeko Graffiti Pen in Brown and Revlon Fablulash Mascara
Lips -
MUA Lipstick in shade 11 (love this)
xxx
As I was only popping into town today and thereafter having a lazy day I didn't want my makeup to be to OTT. So I used more gold/copper shades of the eyes to keep the look a kind of muted glitz.
Here was the end result.
I used:-
Face -
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation, Laura Mercier Concealer, Clinque Finishing Powder, Bare Minerals Warmth, Lily Lolo Transluscent Silk, Eyeko Face Cream to highlight cheek bones centre of nose top of lips
Eyes -
Front Cover Cosmetics shades Biscuit to eyebrow, Mother of Pearl on lid up to crease, Hazel above and along crease and Clove lining the top lash line and blending out to crease on outside corner.
Also Eyeko Graffiti Pen in Brown and Revlon Fablulash Mascara
Lips -
MUA Lipstick in shade 11 (love this)
xxx
So I have been lusting after the Rainbow Eyes Reborn by Front Cover for some time now. So you can imagine my glee when it was reduced to half price in Boots last week!! (Normally retails for £30 and I purchased for £15) Excited mucho!
Rainbow eyes is similar to an A4 book in style opening to reveal the eyeshadows.
There are 25 colours in total and I love all of them as I will be able to make good use of nearly all of them.
I couldn't wait to try!! So I started safely today with the top 4 right colours as I know theese colours suit my colouring and I can wear them in the day. I was really impressed because they are very pigmented and I good to blend. Yay!
Another good feature is that there is a product included with the set called shadowline, which is basically a solution that an eyeliner applicator rests in which can be dipped into your eyeshadow so it can double up as a coloured liner. Genius!
Rainbow eyes is similar to an A4 book in style opening to reveal the eyeshadows.
There are 25 colours in total and I love all of them as I will be able to make good use of nearly all of them.
I couldn't wait to try!! So I started safely today with the top 4 right colours as I know theese colours suit my colouring and I can wear them in the day. I was really impressed because they are very pigmented and I good to blend. Yay!
Another good feature is that there is a product included with the set called shadowline, which is basically a solution that an eyeliner applicator rests in which can be dipped into your eyeshadow so it can double up as a coloured liner. Genius!
My next post will be a FOTD post showing you the end result but just wanted to show you how amzing the product is!!
Hopefully lots more FOTD/EOTD posts to come with these colours!
Thursday, 22 July 2010
So, as promised, here is a review of the Lily Lolo products I bought samples of last earlier in the month.
I bought Mineral Foundation sample in shades In the Buff and Popcorn (in the buff is the correct shade for me), Bronzer sample in Bondi Bronze and Finishing Powder sample in Transluscent Silk. They retail full size at £12.00 each.
I apply the foundation followed by the bronzer and then the transluescent silk. The final finish looks like this...
Sorry for the tired eyes - it's first thing in the morning and to be fair I had rushed the application slightly for work! Which is what I do everyday so this is a true indication of what it looks like.
I am very happy with these products and will definitely be using more Lily Lolo in future!
I bought Mineral Foundation sample in shades In the Buff and Popcorn (in the buff is the correct shade for me), Bronzer sample in Bondi Bronze and Finishing Powder sample in Transluscent Silk. They retail full size at £12.00 each.
I apply the foundation followed by the bronzer and then the transluescent silk. The final finish looks like this...
Sorry for the tired eyes - it's first thing in the morning and to be fair I had rushed the application slightly for work! Which is what I do everyday so this is a true indication of what it looks like.
I really like the finish of this foundation because it's a little more glowy than my Bare Minerals makeup. In particular I like that the bronzer and transluscent silk have a little sheen to them, although be warned using too much bronzer causes metallic like face makeup!
I made this mistake when I first bought it and applied waaaaaaaay too much so my face just looked like I was sweating!! Haha, it's easily toned down though by just applying the mineral foundation over the top so all is good!
Another fantastic thing about the foundation is the shade variety! Unfortunately, most mineral makeups I come accross in the shops do not have enough shades and the ones I have used always make me look paler than I am, with the next shade being a no no because it's darker than my skin! Annoying as I don't need to be washed out. This shade is perfect for not only my skin colour, but the olive undertones too because when I apply it, it literally looks like my skin. LOVE IT!
I made this mistake when I first bought it and applied waaaaaaaay too much so my face just looked like I was sweating!! Haha, it's easily toned down though by just applying the mineral foundation over the top so all is good!
Another fantastic thing about the foundation is the shade variety! Unfortunately, most mineral makeups I come accross in the shops do not have enough shades and the ones I have used always make me look paler than I am, with the next shade being a no no because it's darker than my skin! Annoying as I don't need to be washed out. This shade is perfect for not only my skin colour, but the olive undertones too because when I apply it, it literally looks like my skin. LOVE IT!
The only down side with this is that unfortunately, it doesn't last all day at work. However, I use it at the weekends when I don't mind my makeup being more "natural" and I prefer the look these products give me at the moment than the final look of my bare minerals makeup, so I would definitely repurchase the foundation and just look at finding a more suitable primer.
In relation to the bronzer and transulescent silk I will be purchasing the full sizes tomorrow as it's payday because I use these everyday no matter what makeup I am wearing and just love how my skin looks so silky from them!!
I am very happy with these products and will definitely be using more Lily Lolo in future!
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
So recently I picked up this little bargain at the Body Shop for £5.00. It appealed to me because it came in really cute and practical packaging
- see below
I think it's cute mostly because it's got a little mirror on the top oh and its own little applicator attached to the packaging - perfect for touch ups!
Also, a lot of girls with mid tan skin seem to be wearing really cute pink blush at the mo and I am constantly trying to find the right shade for myself!!
Here is a little example of the colour for you all
Pretty isn't it?? I tried to take a pic of it on my cheeks but it just looked like highlighter. And pink highlighters don't suit my skin tone at all!
So it's kind of the wrong shade and a bit too light for me. Which isn't unusual with pink blushes:(
I still like this product because goes on nicely - the applicator is actually pretty good to use. I just dot it on my cheeks and blend.
Does anyone have any recommendations for pink blushes for olive skin? Think I am going to have to donate this product to a light skinned beauty!
- see below
I think it's cute mostly because it's got a little mirror on the top oh and its own little applicator attached to the packaging - perfect for touch ups!
Also, a lot of girls with mid tan skin seem to be wearing really cute pink blush at the mo and I am constantly trying to find the right shade for myself!!
Here is a little example of the colour for you all
Pretty isn't it?? I tried to take a pic of it on my cheeks but it just looked like highlighter. And pink highlighters don't suit my skin tone at all!
So it's kind of the wrong shade and a bit too light for me. Which isn't unusual with pink blushes:(
I still like this product because goes on nicely - the applicator is actually pretty good to use. I just dot it on my cheeks and blend.
Does anyone have any recommendations for pink blushes for olive skin? Think I am going to have to donate this product to a light skinned beauty!
Sunday, 18 July 2010
So I thought I would do a quick post and show you my severely close up FOTN from last night's drinks with the girlies.
I was in a bit of a rush so I didn't have chance to get a better shot but at least it's not blurred!
Here it is...
I wanted a bit more of a dramatic eye than usual and was pretty pleased with the result.
I used:-
Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation
Clinique Blended Face Powder
Laura Mercier and Barbara Daly concealer
Barry M Lipstick in 147
Clarins Joli Rouge in Papaya
MUA Blush in shade 4
MUA e/s shades 17, 8, 14 and 20
Lancome Liquid Eyeliner in Black
Lancome Pencil Eyeliner in Black
Revlon Fabulash in Black
What are your thoughts??
I was in a bit of a rush so I didn't have chance to get a better shot but at least it's not blurred!
Here it is...
I wanted a bit more of a dramatic eye than usual and was pretty pleased with the result.
I used:-
Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation
Clinique Blended Face Powder
Laura Mercier and Barbara Daly concealer
Barry M Lipstick in 147
Clarins Joli Rouge in Papaya
MUA Blush in shade 4
MUA e/s shades 17, 8, 14 and 20
Lancome Liquid Eyeliner in Black
Lancome Pencil Eyeliner in Black
Revlon Fabulash in Black
What are your thoughts??
Friday, 16 July 2010
Ok, so here is another Skin Wisdom product I have been trialling recently. I had heard about the beauty balm being used as a "dupe" for the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm people often rave about. You got to admit, there are some serious similarities going on with the name!! But I can't actually compare the two as I haven't tried the Clarins version.
Anything I have tried of Clarins' though has always been nice so I should imagine that the Tesco version has a lot to live up to!!
Anyhooooooooo, the product is another cheapy one which I think I paid something like £4.00 for. Pretty standard price for non-luxury brands. However, I must admit that it did feel nicer on my skin than some of my other cheaper moisturisers. It's quite a thin consistency that is still very moisturising. My skin felt fresh and nourished as soon as I used this product, and continued to feel moisturised all day. Not bad.
The idea with the product is that it should provide "instant" effects making the skin look youthful and hydrated. I have seen reviews of this product with some women even claiming it reduced their dark circles under their eyes!! And the directions for application actually tell you to concentrate on the under eye area – which I found a little strange because usually you are told to avoid this with normal moisturisers.
So I used this for around a week daily and I must admit that whilst my skin felt nourished I wasn't particularly wowed by it. Yes it moisturises my skin and doesn't leave a thick layer of product, but unfortunately there were no changes to my under eye circles (not surprised however as I thought that would be a stretch too far!), no changes to the fine lines I have and worst of all IT CAUSED ME TO BREAK OUT IN SPOTS!
Boooooooo hisss!!!!
I never get spots as I was "lucky" enough to have acne as a teenager, so whatever the issue was then it left me alone when I was about 18 years old. Most products don't cause me any issues on this front so if a product makes me break out I just can't help but wonder what's in it to cause such an adverse reaction. The bottom line is though that for whatever reason my skin must not be able to breathe when I use this and therefore pores get clogged and well we all know how that ends up…
Which is a shame as I think that as a moisturiser this works fine and is pretty reasonably priced.
However, for me I will be passing it on for someone else to try because I don't fancy repeating my teenage years.
Anyone else tried this??
Thursday, 15 July 2010
Some of you may recall that back in June I did a little post on some Tesco beauty products I had purchased.
One of them being the Skin Wisdom Micro-dermabrasion Kit. (sorry piccie is a little dark)
Given I have had it over a month I thought I better try it!! The product aims to boost the skin's radiance, hopefully making it look smoother and more refined. I paid around £6 for it but it usually retails for just under £10.
The kit is a 3 step system described as a DIY alternative to salon micro-dermabrasion. There is the Resufacing Exfoliator, post treatment Soothing Balm and Revitalising Moisturiser.
Instructions:-The kit comes with pictures demonstrating how to use the exfoliator.
You pull the skin taut with one hand and massage the exfoliator into the skin in the opposite direction using light stroking and flicking movements. Then repeat this application technique for 2 minutes.
After this rinse off with warm water and apply this soothing balm using upward strokes. Then apply the revitalising moisturiser again using upward stokes.
Did it work?Most definitely.
I am really impressed with this product. My skin instantly felt and looked smoother. I tend to have little lumps and bumps under the surface anyway, which aren't really a major issue, but this kit reduces them really well after just one use meaning my skin looks fresher.
The idea is that you use this once a week to help improve the skin more as you use it. I definitely will be using this on a weekly basis as my skin felt great afterwards. Also, my makeup went on really well the next day as a result.
I used this product on Monday evening and it still feels better than normal and it's now Thursday. Not bad going for a quick 2 minute exfoliation.
This product is definitely worth the money and I will definitely be re-using and re-purchasing!
One of them being the Skin Wisdom Micro-dermabrasion Kit. (sorry piccie is a little dark)
Given I have had it over a month I thought I better try it!! The product aims to boost the skin's radiance, hopefully making it look smoother and more refined. I paid around £6 for it but it usually retails for just under £10.
The kit is a 3 step system described as a DIY alternative to salon micro-dermabrasion. There is the Resufacing Exfoliator, post treatment Soothing Balm and Revitalising Moisturiser.
Instructions:-The kit comes with pictures demonstrating how to use the exfoliator.
You pull the skin taut with one hand and massage the exfoliator into the skin in the opposite direction using light stroking and flicking movements. Then repeat this application technique for 2 minutes.
After this rinse off with warm water and apply this soothing balm using upward strokes. Then apply the revitalising moisturiser again using upward stokes.
Did it work?Most definitely.
I am really impressed with this product. My skin instantly felt and looked smoother. I tend to have little lumps and bumps under the surface anyway, which aren't really a major issue, but this kit reduces them really well after just one use meaning my skin looks fresher.
The idea is that you use this once a week to help improve the skin more as you use it. I definitely will be using this on a weekly basis as my skin felt great afterwards. Also, my makeup went on really well the next day as a result.
I used this product on Monday evening and it still feels better than normal and it's now Thursday. Not bad going for a quick 2 minute exfoliation.
This product is definitely worth the money and I will definitely be re-using and re-purchasing!
Monday, 12 July 2010
Friday, 9 July 2010
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Ahhhhh I love Soap & Glory products. There is just something about them that makes me feel pampered. I also love that for the most part their products don't dissapoint me.
As my early followers may recall, when I got back from NYC I was having terrible trouble with my undereyes being dry and swollen from being over tired and all the air con abuse. And of course I had left my Soap & Glory Eye Gel back in NYC so after trying a few other contenders I decided to try the Soap & Glory Eye Serum.
And what a difference.
Instantly my undereyes felt soothed and refreshed. It was like instant moisture without being oily or sticky. The product is applied with a tri-ball roller ball at the end of the tube. It seeps out slowly so you can apply as much as you like.
It is a thinner consistency than eye creams and gels and blends into the skin very nicely like so...
You can see it has a iridescent sheen to it, with a blueish undertone. Prior to buying this I had read reviews about it making peoples dark look worse if they applied too much. I apply LOADS and my undereyes are literally purple with my dark circles and I NEVER have this problem. It just makes my eyes look brighter and fresher.
I have been using this product for well over a month now and it has really moisturised my undereyes so much. They are no longer flaky or dry and the serum just soothes away any puffiness I have in the morning and any dryness from removing makeup in the evening. It is also a great base for concealer!
I will definitely be purchasing this over and over again because for £9.00 it's a bargain considering what it does for my undereyes. Go and get it now!!!
As my early followers may recall, when I got back from NYC I was having terrible trouble with my undereyes being dry and swollen from being over tired and all the air con abuse. And of course I had left my Soap & Glory Eye Gel back in NYC so after trying a few other contenders I decided to try the Soap & Glory Eye Serum.
And what a difference.
Instantly my undereyes felt soothed and refreshed. It was like instant moisture without being oily or sticky. The product is applied with a tri-ball roller ball at the end of the tube. It seeps out slowly so you can apply as much as you like.
It is a thinner consistency than eye creams and gels and blends into the skin very nicely like so...
You can see it has a iridescent sheen to it, with a blueish undertone. Prior to buying this I had read reviews about it making peoples dark look worse if they applied too much. I apply LOADS and my undereyes are literally purple with my dark circles and I NEVER have this problem. It just makes my eyes look brighter and fresher.
I have been using this product for well over a month now and it has really moisturised my undereyes so much. They are no longer flaky or dry and the serum just soothes away any puffiness I have in the morning and any dryness from removing makeup in the evening. It is also a great base for concealer!
I will definitely be purchasing this over and over again because for £9.00 it's a bargain considering what it does for my undereyes. Go and get it now!!!
xx
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
So I'm a bit late in posting this but the lovely Tonia from All about Beauty gave me this award the other week. I was super chuffed as I love her blog and would also love to be stylish hehe!!
So the rules of this award are :
State 5 random facts about yourself and tag 5 bloggers!
Sounds pretty easy!!! Hmmmm, or not... Actually, I am finding it hard to think of 5 random facts about me now! Ok, anyhow - here goes...
1. I love handbags. Ok, so I know a lot of girls out there do, but I mean to the point were I have planned my whole career around whether or not it will be able to satisfy my need for designer beauties on my shoulder!! There is just something increadibly luxurious about knowing you worked hard to pay for something you treasure so much!
2. I have never bought or tried ELF makeup.
Not by choice - I have just not got around to it yet - I have a whole list of things I want from their website haha!
3. Someone once asked me if I was "mixed breed".
4. I recently lost 30lbs after years of feeling down about the weight I had gained during university. I am very proud that I achieved this and maintained this weight for 6 months now too.
5. I absolutely love beach holidays but don't like the feeling of sand on my skin.
Weird I know but it goes through me. I hate how it goes everywhere and because my skin will be covered in suncream etc I will just look like I'm covered in bread crumbs. It freaks me out when I see people who just roll around in it and look like human fish fingers. *shudders*
Don't know if they are particularly interesting, but they are definitely random!!
I pass the award on to 5 other fabulous blogettes, who are:
Nora-Schu
War Paint Guru
Kimber-Doll
Kelli Kelso
Sweet Cheeks Beauty Blog
much love and thanks again Tonia!! xxx
So the rules of this award are :
State 5 random facts about yourself and tag 5 bloggers!
Sounds pretty easy!!! Hmmmm, or not... Actually, I am finding it hard to think of 5 random facts about me now! Ok, anyhow - here goes...
1. I love handbags. Ok, so I know a lot of girls out there do, but I mean to the point were I have planned my whole career around whether or not it will be able to satisfy my need for designer beauties on my shoulder!! There is just something increadibly luxurious about knowing you worked hard to pay for something you treasure so much!
2. I have never bought or tried ELF makeup.
Not by choice - I have just not got around to it yet - I have a whole list of things I want from their website haha!
3. Someone once asked me if I was "mixed breed".
4. I recently lost 30lbs after years of feeling down about the weight I had gained during university. I am very proud that I achieved this and maintained this weight for 6 months now too.
5. I absolutely love beach holidays but don't like the feeling of sand on my skin.
Weird I know but it goes through me. I hate how it goes everywhere and because my skin will be covered in suncream etc I will just look like I'm covered in bread crumbs. It freaks me out when I see people who just roll around in it and look like human fish fingers. *shudders*
Don't know if they are particularly interesting, but they are definitely random!!
I pass the award on to 5 other fabulous blogettes, who are:
Nora-Schu
War Paint Guru
Kimber-Doll
Kelli Kelso
Sweet Cheeks Beauty Blog
much love and thanks again Tonia!! xxx
Hellooooooooooooooooooooooo there!
Today's post is my first hair mask review. As such I thought I should provide you with a little background info regarding my hair and what I want from a hair mask.
Basically here's the deal:-
I have Afro Caribbean hair - not going to go into full family history but one grandparent is Jamaican and therefore I have battled with my hair for all my life. I have embraced both natural and unnatural hair. Right now I am in a semi-natural phase - I have been growing out my relaxed hair for like a year and a half I reckon. Yay! It's all but gone and my hair is all the better for it.
The problem is, because of its texture and the fact that there is also very curly hair on my other family side, my hair is VERY difficult to control/style/maintain. So it required a lot of heat styling - pretty much all of the time. Therefore - WELCOME TO SPLIT END LAND.
Now one thing I do do is look after my hair. I would NEVER not condition, leave in condition and use heat protectors etc. My hair would just break off otherwise. That said, despite using intense conditioners (Redken being my favey hair products) I am not very good at sticking to a hair mask routine.
Which leads me on to my next point...
I believe this is because I expect results instantly with hair masks - which I gather is unreaslistic and therefore I need to get into a routine of using them weekly at least to see results.
As such I have begun by using the Body Shop's Brazil Nut Moisture Mask.
This mask is stipulated to be "Best if you want to: Restore and strengthen your tresses with a rich, moisturizing pre-wash mask that deeply penetrates dry, fragile hair. Best for: dry, damaged or chemically-treated hair"
Great. That's me then. The mask is to be applied to damp hair for 15 mins or overnight depending on condition of hair.
I didn't have time for overnight last night so I left on for around 25 mins. Following this you are then to rinse hair and then shampoo and condition as normal.
First thing I noticed was that somehow my hair felt stronger as I was rinsing off the product. Looking promising I thought. But then it kind of felt like I couldn't rinse it all out. Never a good sign. However I shampooed and conditioned as normal and after about 5 mins of rinsing I gave up.
So onto the result.
Well, it's ok. But I feel like my hair isn't much different. If anything it was a bit harder to style and quite flyaway. Also I do feel like there is a coating on my hair a result and it actually felt greasy when I was drying it last night. I really can't stand residue.
I would recommend this as I think it can't do your hair any harm, but for my hair I don't think it is the perfect match. I must say though, I am quite liking the fact that my hair STILL smells of brazil nuts today :) and actually I do think it still feels a bit stronger. I think that it has coated my hair which is great for the ends but not for the roots. So next time I will just apply to the ends and see if that provides a better result.
I will use this again on the ends of my hair overnight as I think that could be quite beneficial.
However, I will also try a couple of others I have lurking around in the meantime...
Anyone else tried this or got a hair mask they recommend? Or in fact a hair mask they would like to see reviewed? I think I might pick up one from lush soon - I have heard some good comments about their masks in the past.
Today's post is my first hair mask review. As such I thought I should provide you with a little background info regarding my hair and what I want from a hair mask.
Basically here's the deal:-
I have Afro Caribbean hair - not going to go into full family history but one grandparent is Jamaican and therefore I have battled with my hair for all my life. I have embraced both natural and unnatural hair. Right now I am in a semi-natural phase - I have been growing out my relaxed hair for like a year and a half I reckon. Yay! It's all but gone and my hair is all the better for it.
The problem is, because of its texture and the fact that there is also very curly hair on my other family side, my hair is VERY difficult to control/style/maintain. So it required a lot of heat styling - pretty much all of the time. Therefore - WELCOME TO SPLIT END LAND.
Now one thing I do do is look after my hair. I would NEVER not condition, leave in condition and use heat protectors etc. My hair would just break off otherwise. That said, despite using intense conditioners (Redken being my favey hair products) I am not very good at sticking to a hair mask routine.
Which leads me on to my next point...
I believe this is because I expect results instantly with hair masks - which I gather is unreaslistic and therefore I need to get into a routine of using them weekly at least to see results.
As such I have begun by using the Body Shop's Brazil Nut Moisture Mask.
This mask is stipulated to be "Best if you want to: Restore and strengthen your tresses with a rich, moisturizing pre-wash mask that deeply penetrates dry, fragile hair. Best for: dry, damaged or chemically-treated hair"
Great. That's me then. The mask is to be applied to damp hair for 15 mins or overnight depending on condition of hair.
I didn't have time for overnight last night so I left on for around 25 mins. Following this you are then to rinse hair and then shampoo and condition as normal.
First thing I noticed was that somehow my hair felt stronger as I was rinsing off the product. Looking promising I thought. But then it kind of felt like I couldn't rinse it all out. Never a good sign. However I shampooed and conditioned as normal and after about 5 mins of rinsing I gave up.
So onto the result.
Well, it's ok. But I feel like my hair isn't much different. If anything it was a bit harder to style and quite flyaway. Also I do feel like there is a coating on my hair a result and it actually felt greasy when I was drying it last night. I really can't stand residue.
I would recommend this as I think it can't do your hair any harm, but for my hair I don't think it is the perfect match. I must say though, I am quite liking the fact that my hair STILL smells of brazil nuts today :) and actually I do think it still feels a bit stronger. I think that it has coated my hair which is great for the ends but not for the roots. So next time I will just apply to the ends and see if that provides a better result.
I will use this again on the ends of my hair overnight as I think that could be quite beneficial.
However, I will also try a couple of others I have lurking around in the meantime...
Anyone else tried this or got a hair mask they recommend? Or in fact a hair mask they would like to see reviewed? I think I might pick up one from lush soon - I have heard some good comments about their masks in the past.
Monday, 5 July 2010
Hey hope you're having an nice evening/day depening on where you are in world! This is a bit of a random post - but here's my makeup and and outfit from Saturday night!!
Looks a bit boring... But eye makeup was a bit darker than this in real life!! And I am pulling a weird face!! I have no idea why. Oh and was getting ready at boyf's and forgot my lippie!! Annoying!
(bunk beds aren't mine! Was in someone elses room haha!)
Wish it wasn't blurry!!!
Come to think of it - this post now feels a bit pointless but I wanted to try and show you my outfit but it's not working!! Duhhhhh!
Still, I wore these shoes (divineness!)...
I love love love them. My friend has let me borrow them cos she is expecting and can't wear them!! Yay for me!! Sooooooooooo wearing them loads over next few weeks!! hehe!
Anyway thanks for looking at/reading my random post! xx
Looks a bit boring... But eye makeup was a bit darker than this in real life!! And I am pulling a weird face!! I have no idea why. Oh and was getting ready at boyf's and forgot my lippie!! Annoying!(bunk beds aren't mine! Was in someone elses room haha!)
Wish it wasn't blurry!!!
Come to think of it - this post now feels a bit pointless but I wanted to try and show you my outfit but it's not working!! Duhhhhh!
Still, I wore these shoes (divineness!)...
I love love love them. My friend has let me borrow them cos she is expecting and can't wear them!! Yay for me!! Sooooooooooo wearing them loads over next few weeks!! hehe!Anyway thanks for looking at/reading my random post! xx
Saturday, 3 July 2010
I was catching up on a bit of blog reading this morning and noticed the fabulous Nora-Schu had tagged me to answer some questions. She has a lovely blog so I was chuffed to be tagged by her to do this!
So here we go...
1- Which cosmetic line do you think has the best packaging?
For me I think it has to be either Estee Lauder or Yves Saint Laurent. I love the how luxurious the gold packing looks and feels.
2- If you have a tattoo(s), what is it and why did you get it? If you don't have one, what would you get and why?
I don't have a tattoo but I know what I would like to get. I want something written in hebrew on my ribcage at the side. Kinda just where your bra sits. A bit like this location...
Basically because I wouldn't want everyone to be able to see it all the time but think it's a nice place to have one that's personal to you.
3- What celebrity do you think your most like, whether it be personality or looks?
Don't know about personality as I don't think we really know about celebrity's personalities. I don't really think I look like any, although I have been told I look like Mila Kunis from forgetting Sarah Marshall.
If.Only.
4- Do you have any pets?
A little Pup called Nipper
5- What is your favorite movie?
I have too many that are my faves for different reasons but films like the Goodfellas are up there.
6- Do you stick to one genre of music? or do you listen to a whole variety? If so, what are your favorite genres?
I don't listen to a whole variety really. I never listen to the radio or anything. For me it's all about House Music - I'd go insane without it!
7- Who/what is the love of your life?
Easy - the boyf!
8- What's your favorite gadget? (cellphone, camera, ipod..etc)
Iphone!!!! It's never out of my hand!
My questions are...
1- What is the best beauty tip you have been given?
2- Why did you start blogging?
3- What celebrity do you think your most like, whether it be personality or looks?
4- Do you have any pets?
5- What is your favorite movie?
6- Do you stick to one genre of music? or do you listen to a whole variety? If so, what are your favorite genres?
7- What inspires you?
8- What's your favorite beauty product?
I tag:-
happy1234make-up-blog
missyellieuk
kimber-doll
dollface-24
girlinthecityglasgow
goldbeautymua-mevish
blababoutbeauty
cosmeticsmile-x
Happy answering :D
So here we go...
1- Which cosmetic line do you think has the best packaging?
For me I think it has to be either Estee Lauder or Yves Saint Laurent. I love the how luxurious the gold packing looks and feels.
2- If you have a tattoo(s), what is it and why did you get it? If you don't have one, what would you get and why?
I don't have a tattoo but I know what I would like to get. I want something written in hebrew on my ribcage at the side. Kinda just where your bra sits. A bit like this location...
Basically because I wouldn't want everyone to be able to see it all the time but think it's a nice place to have one that's personal to you.3- What celebrity do you think your most like, whether it be personality or looks?
Don't know about personality as I don't think we really know about celebrity's personalities. I don't really think I look like any, although I have been told I look like Mila Kunis from forgetting Sarah Marshall.
If.Only.
4- Do you have any pets?
A little Pup called Nipper
5- What is your favorite movie?
I have too many that are my faves for different reasons but films like the Goodfellas are up there.
6- Do you stick to one genre of music? or do you listen to a whole variety? If so, what are your favorite genres?
I don't listen to a whole variety really. I never listen to the radio or anything. For me it's all about House Music - I'd go insane without it!
7- Who/what is the love of your life?
Easy - the boyf!
8- What's your favorite gadget? (cellphone, camera, ipod..etc)
Iphone!!!! It's never out of my hand!
My questions are...
1- What is the best beauty tip you have been given?
2- Why did you start blogging?
3- What celebrity do you think your most like, whether it be personality or looks?
4- Do you have any pets?
5- What is your favorite movie?
6- Do you stick to one genre of music? or do you listen to a whole variety? If so, what are your favorite genres?
7- What inspires you?
8- What's your favorite beauty product?
I tag:-
happy1234make-up-blog
missyellieuk
kimber-doll
dollface-24
girlinthecityglasgow
goldbeautymua-mevish
blababoutbeauty
cosmeticsmile-x
Happy answering :D
Thursday, 1 July 2010
At the beginning of June I was sent some Vie At Home products to try, one of them being the above.
I have used a good few face serums throughout the years, some of my faves being Boots Protect and Perfect, Estee Lauder Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher and Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate (as a serum).
The promise of a beauty serum is like the promise of a new foundation. It's really exciting when you think about the way you could look as a result of a potentially amazing product. So of course by the time I am about to try anything new I have visions of my skin looking like a supermodels. Despite that though I am still realistic so I was very excited to the Youth Regenerating Peptide Complex as part of my beauty routine to see what it could do for my skin.
I was hoping for smoothed out pores and reduced fine lines. I checked the website to see what Vie At Home said about their Youth Regenerating Peptide Complex. They describe it as
An active-rich rejuvenating serum designed to help visibly reverse the signs of ageing. Enriched with an exclusive blend of cutting edge Skin Care ingredient technology including a Gold Peptide Complex, Hibiscus Plant Extract and Swiss Apple Stem Cells to help promote younger looking, healthy skin.
Sounds good right??
I thought it would only be right that I gave this a really good try so I promised myself I would not use any of my other serums and use this for at least 2 weeks.
When I first used the product I noticed a difference in my skin straight away. It is super light, almost gel like but without the sticky after feeling. It also smells gorgeous.
I use around 2 pumps after cleansing and toning and smooth it all over my face. You can instantly see the smoothing effect on your skin as you do this. It seems to fill out the fine lines around my eyes and and smooth out any imperfections (i.e. the lumps and bumps) I have on my skin surface.
To show you what it is really like I took a before and after picture which shows on the left (before) I have visible pores (which my makeup sits in and accentuates if I use the wrong type of products), then on the right they have been reduced and my skin looks much more even.
Both pictures have been taken with just the Youth Regenerating Peptide Complex on my face.
Once it is on my skin, it sinks in nicely and leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturised, yet not remotely oily.
Because of this, I can go as far as applying my makeup straight on top of it if I choose, or with just a little primer on top. I find that I don't need to apply a moisturiser under my makeup these days as my skin is feeling super hydrated!
The product should be used day and night but I just use it in the morning mostly as I am a bit lazy with moisturising in the evening (I know, naughty naughty). Using it just once a day has made my skin look fresher and younger. And the fact that I have continued to use everyday for a month now by choice speaks volumes.
I will definitely be purchasing it once it has run out. It's £30.00, which considering what it does to my skin and how little I have used (1/8 in a month), is a bargain! View and purchase it here.
So you can gather I am sure that I would definitely recommend this product. I think it would work really well on older skin also as it somehow seems to plump the surface of the skin making it look younger and less tired. All I can say is I am sooooo glad I was sent this and will be using it for a long long time!
Ooooo and finally I would say have a nosey at the Vie At Home website - it has great advice for how to look after your skin depending on your age group. Fab! For example see 20s here
I have used a good few face serums throughout the years, some of my faves being Boots Protect and Perfect, Estee Lauder Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher and Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate (as a serum).
The promise of a beauty serum is like the promise of a new foundation. It's really exciting when you think about the way you could look as a result of a potentially amazing product. So of course by the time I am about to try anything new I have visions of my skin looking like a supermodels. Despite that though I am still realistic so I was very excited to the Youth Regenerating Peptide Complex as part of my beauty routine to see what it could do for my skin.
I was hoping for smoothed out pores and reduced fine lines. I checked the website to see what Vie At Home said about their Youth Regenerating Peptide Complex. They describe it as
An active-rich rejuvenating serum designed to help visibly reverse the signs of ageing. Enriched with an exclusive blend of cutting edge Skin Care ingredient technology including a Gold Peptide Complex, Hibiscus Plant Extract and Swiss Apple Stem Cells to help promote younger looking, healthy skin.
Sounds good right??
I thought it would only be right that I gave this a really good try so I promised myself I would not use any of my other serums and use this for at least 2 weeks.
When I first used the product I noticed a difference in my skin straight away. It is super light, almost gel like but without the sticky after feeling. It also smells gorgeous.
I use around 2 pumps after cleansing and toning and smooth it all over my face. You can instantly see the smoothing effect on your skin as you do this. It seems to fill out the fine lines around my eyes and and smooth out any imperfections (i.e. the lumps and bumps) I have on my skin surface.
To show you what it is really like I took a before and after picture which shows on the left (before) I have visible pores (which my makeup sits in and accentuates if I use the wrong type of products), then on the right they have been reduced and my skin looks much more even.
Both pictures have been taken with just the Youth Regenerating Peptide Complex on my face.
Once it is on my skin, it sinks in nicely and leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturised, yet not remotely oily.
Because of this, I can go as far as applying my makeup straight on top of it if I choose, or with just a little primer on top. I find that I don't need to apply a moisturiser under my makeup these days as my skin is feeling super hydrated!
The product should be used day and night but I just use it in the morning mostly as I am a bit lazy with moisturising in the evening (I know, naughty naughty). Using it just once a day has made my skin look fresher and younger. And the fact that I have continued to use everyday for a month now by choice speaks volumes.
I will definitely be purchasing it once it has run out. It's £30.00, which considering what it does to my skin and how little I have used (1/8 in a month), is a bargain! View and purchase it here.
So you can gather I am sure that I would definitely recommend this product. I think it would work really well on older skin also as it somehow seems to plump the surface of the skin making it look younger and less tired. All I can say is I am sooooo glad I was sent this and will be using it for a long long time!
Ooooo and finally I would say have a nosey at the Vie At Home website - it has great advice for how to look after your skin depending on your age group. Fab! For example see 20s here
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