Product Review- Bioderma Micellar Sensibio Water

I know what you're thinking- that I'm a bit late to the party with this one. But the fact is that I've been dying to try Bioderma ever since I saw the first posts about it doing the rounds on Blogger. It sounded like some HG product for taking off make up but of course, to being with, you could only seem to get in France. Well I was walking around Granada the other day and spied this in the window of a pharmacy. I hadn't seen it sold anywhere else so instantly jumped at the chance.

And to be honest, it is absolutely fabulous for taking off make up. One of my biggest gripes with a lot of facial cleansers or make up wipes is the way that it a)stings your eyes or b) you have to rub your eyes really hard and still end up looking like a panda. Well not with Bioderma. I apply it with a cotton pad before I go to bed and simply hold it to my eye for a little while and it just comes off with one wipe. Without stinging either, as long as you're not too overly generous with how much you use. It also takes off foundation pretty well too although it should be remembered that Bioderma is not a cleanser. It's not going to give you the deeper cleaning that you expect with a cleanser. Ideally, you want to be using this before you wash your face properly to ensure that all your make up is off before you hit the pillow. This is the standard bottle that is designed for sensitive skin but I believe you can also get one designed for oily skin also, although I'm yet to spot it anywhere in Spain. Another handy little perk is the packaging which has a little pump that you press a cotton wool pad on. It's by no means essential but is a good way to control how much you're using. One pump is equivalent to one mascara-ed eye I find.
A drawback is the price. I bought this for 20 euros which is roughly £17 but you do get a bottle of 500ml which I suspect would last a rather long time. You can buy Bioderma online in the Uk and I'm sure I heard rumours of it arriving in Boots, but I'm not sure. If anyone can confirm, let me know. Or, of course, the next time you head on a little EU holiday, be sure to check out the pharmacies!

Hope you guys are keeping well and warm!

The winter has arrived very suddenly here in Granada.

xx

Product Review: NARS Sheer Glow

NARS Sheer Glow in Barcelona

You might have seen on Twitter a while ago me tweeting about being in beauty blogger torture, agonising over whether to buy NARS Sheer Glow foundation. I had gone into my nearest Space NK to be colour matched but walked away from it and it's hefty price tag, instead deciding to think on it and give myself a chance to see how it settled on my skin for the rest of the day. I naturally fell in love with in with it and spent a good few days arguing over it in my head.

Then, brainwave! ASOS stocks NARS. And ASOS also does student discount. But to top it off, to show it really was a sign that I should buy it, Barcelona was one of the 5 shades stocked by ASOS and they were having a up to 30% off of beauty products for 24 hours on the day I happened to be looking it up. If that's not a sign, I don't know what is.

I've included a picture of make up less face so you can see just how good the coverage is. I had dark pigmentation/fade marks on my skin and it does a damn good job covering them all up. In the other photo, I am wearing just the foundation, no concealer nor anything for the bags under my eyes. It's incredibly good coverage without being cake face. A lot of people describe this foundation as being dewy which would perhaps put off people with oily skin like myself. However, I would add that it does not make you look greasy in any way and instead gives off a rather flawless complexion. I can see why it's hyped up so much. Another surprise is that it didn't slide after a few hours walking around in the humid heat, unlike my previous favourite Hello Flawless by Benefit which is also a water based foundation.

NARS themselves recommend application by fingers which I tend to not do, out of habit. I used Real Techniques Foundation Brush and Stippling Brush, both of which worked very well, although I think you would use more product with the foundation brush.

The only slight disappointment is that, like other high end foundations such as MAC and Estée Lauder, it comes in a glass bottle without a pump, which you have to buy separately. However, if you're stingey like me and don't want to fork out extra money, you can still survive with a steady hand and a gentle tap.

And that's my glowing review of NARS Sheer Glow.

Do any of you have it? What are your opinions?

xx

P.S. Don't forget to check out my blog sale

Product Review: BiOrganics Salon Secrets

BiOrganics Replenishing Shampoo.Replenishing Treatment. Hair Perfecting Oil.

It was after a #bbloggers chat on Twitter a few weeks ago that I spied a tweet from BiOrganics asking if any bloggers would be interested in reviewing some of their products. Having already dabbled into sulfate free shampoo's, I jumped at the chance. BiOrganics are, as the name suggests, an all organic haircare brand that believes in no animal cruelty, is vegan and vegetarian. Their shampoo's are free from Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS), parabens and artificial colours or perfumes, making it a good product for people with sensitive skin- they have no unnecessary or harmful chemicals.

These are the products I was sent- the shampoo, the treatment and the hair oil, all of which contain argan oil, wheat proteins, lavender oil and ylang ylang. When I first started using it, the most immediate thing I noticed was the smell. It's quite a strong smell from the lavender and ylang ylang that together resemble the smell of those really strong medicated shampoo's. It's not unpleasant, but it might not be to everyone's taste.

The shampoo was as I expected. It cleaned my hair basically. The product claims to tame frizz but I have curly hair and live by the sea where it is both windy and humid in the summer so it's hard to tell whether it lives up to those claims. The treatment is essentially a conditioner and it does its job well as I leave it on to soak in while I get on with the rest of my shower. I like the fact that it comes in a pump bottle so you get just the right amount and a little goes a long way.

I couldn't help but compare the Elixir with the hair oil I usually which is L'Oreal's Mythic Oil. This oil feels much thicker and stickier in comparison but none of it transfers once the hair is dry and my ends feel nice and nourished. Another useful point is that the oil will help against heat so you can use it before straighteners or curlers on dry hair.

All three bottles retail for £35 making it quite pricey but I really appreciate the lengths they have gone to ensure their product is ethical and as natural as it can be. As I mentioned before, a little goes a long way so you can really stretch their worth out. There aren't many stockists but all of their products are available online.

Hope you found this review useful

Do you use any organic hair care products?

xx

Benefit Sunbeam Highlighter

If you follow me on Twitter, you might have seen me tweet lusting over Benefit Sunbeam. Every time I see it, I just think it looks like the perfect golden highlighter and even more perfect for summer. So, in the middle of exam season induced shopping trip, I bit the bullet and picked it up in the nearest Boots. The result was a lovely little bottle of pearlescent gold highlighter. The little instructions booklet that comes with it recommends it being used on the cheekbones and under the eyebrows, but it could be used on any feature that naturally catches the light. It's actually quite sheer and I was surprised it wasn't as noticeable as I thought it would be. Having said that, I didn't want it to look like I dumped my face in a pot of gold glitter. I also have Girl Meets Pearl from Benefit and they are quite similar but GMP is pinky toned which might be better suited to fairer skin rather than the gold in Sunbeam that would work with olive and darker skin tones.

You can blend it out with fingers but I found it worked really well with my Real Techniques Stipling brush. I also like to blend it either with my foundation or my moisturiser if I'm going for a no make up sort of look. Make me look a bit more alive. You can see it applied on my cheekbones in the last picture and it really is a nice subtle glow- after all, it is a highlighter and not a bronzer, however I do think the two would work well together for a nice bronzed summer look- if we ever get a summer...!

Benefit Sunbeam retails at £19.50 and is avaliable in most Boots and Debenhams.

What do guys think of Benefit highlighters?

Hope you're having a good weekend!

xx

Boux Avenue- DD+ Swimwear

Yep, it's that time of year again where we've had a brief taster of the sun and have been sent scrambling for our bikinis. Which is great if you're under a DD cup. If you're over however, it begins the nightmareish process of finding a fashionable bikini that supports you properly and doesn't cost an absolute fortune.

Enter Boux Avenue, one of the few places that do larger cup sizes but at a high street price. I have already a tankini from them that I simply use as a swimming costume but I really wanted something that I could laze around in in the sunshine and work on my tan.

The bikini feature above is the Lanzarote bikini and, as you can see, it is a bright neon green. Which will look fabulous with a tan- so if you're olive skinned like me, try neons! Both the bra and the briefs fit like a dream, and, judging by how well my tankini has lasted, it will last a while as well! I also bought a white one as well but I didn't like the style or fit of it so much. My boyfriend also pointed out that it would get dirty easily.... not so glamorous as I had first thought.

I also have to mention the super speedy delivery! I qualified for free delivery, ordering on a Sunday and it was with my by mid-day Tuesday. I'm used to waiting a good 4 days or so for any online shopping so to have something come so quickly was so good! They also threw in a free bottle of shimmery body wash- you can just about see it in the photo above. It smells really nice so all in all, that was a really nice surprise.

So, if you are of the larger chest, I highly recommend you check out Boux Avenue if you're racking your brains trying to find a bikini that isn't designed for the over 60's... Most styles are stocked up to a G cup and they tick all the boxes for me!

I hope this review was useful!

xx

An Oldie But A Goodie- Liz Earle Cleanse And Polish

I know what your thinking. Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish like two years late to the scene. But the truth of the matter is that this is my second time round with Liz Earle. I was bought it for Christmas at the time when this had just taken the blogging world by storm and as such, didn't feel the need to write about it. I mean, come on, it was everywhere. And since then, I've tried a lot of different skin care including Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean and La Roche Posay. But nothing has ever really come close to Cleanse and Polish. So recently when I had a horrible break out, I just thought sod it and bought it again. One of the key things I like about C&P is that it fantastic and removing makeup. Every last scrap of stubborn eye makeup just come straight off, no rubbing and without making my eyes sting and red. 

It does leave my face feeling a bit oily afterwards, which is down to all the essential oils (Rosemary, Eucalyptus and Camomile) in it but with a quick swipe with the toner afterwards, not a problem. I've always found C&P makes my face look so fresh and calms down any redness from blemishes. Both smell lovely and  herbal. I don't know quite how to describe it. I feel like the toner just has come with it- like they come as a pair. It's the cleanser that's the real winner here. You are supposed to use it with a muslin cloth but I've conveniently lost mine, but this helps to exfoliate the skin as well.

So really this post is just sharing a re-found love. Maybe if you didn't go for all the hype the first time round, it would be something you consider now. You can buy it online, in a lot of John Lewis stores and a very limited number of Boots. The Cleanser and Toner are both £13.25. Pricey but totally worth it in my opinion.

What are your thought on C&P?

Hope you guys are having a nice weekend

xx

What Do I Wear To The Gym- New Gym Gear

I don't really know if I mentioned it on my blog before but at the start of this uni year, I bought a gym membership, aiming to get the most out of it as I could. It started off slow until when I went back in January after the New Year when I decided to really step it up and go as much as I could work into my timetable. So I thought I would share with you what I wear to the gym and also include a bit of a mini review on some recent gym purchases.

When I started off, I bought only the cheapest yet most appropriate clothes I could find on SportDirect- this included a cheap pair of Reebok trainers and a pair of USA Pro leggings- but more on them later. But, the more and more I did, the more it made sense to actually invest in what I was using. The main issue was my trainers which weren't giving the right support ( I have really flat feet) which was leading me to overstretching my calves and the ligaments in my feet. If you're going to start really hitting the gym, I cannot stress more the importance of good footwear. And that's where my new trainers come in. They are the Nike Dual Fusion trainers in grey and pink. I only got grey because they were out of white but I'm not that fussed. An oh my! The difference it makes to have trainers that are sturdy, that support you and are really really comfortable... seriously, I want to wear them all the time. And, of course, from a girly angle, I love the pink and orange on them too and coincidentally match my new purchases.

I always used to just throw on an old T-shirt when I went to the gym- and I still think that's a great option if you don't want to wear anything tight. However, I was in H&M recently and I was drawn to the bright, neon orange and pink gym tops. They're around the £15 price mark so are quite reasonable in price. I have one T-shirt and 2 racer back vest that fit like a dream. The pink one actually has a built in bra, but, being in the larger chested department, I need a sports bra as well. I'm still using my M&S Sport Bra which I reviewed here. And this might sound really silly, but one thing I love about these tops is the material. They're really light weight and soft and -this is the sad bit- the best thing is is that they dry really quickly after the wash. That might sound ridiculous but if go the gym or go to classes quite regularly and live in a student house with no tumble dryer like me, the fact that these dry really quickly after a stint on the radiator is a god send! Also, if you are blessed with a smaller chest, they also have a really good colourful range of sports bras and crop tops!

Next on my purchase list is to try their leggings. I currently have my black USA Pro ones but I wouldn't really recommend as they have a tendency to stretch out after a few washes. Which is a bit annoying when you've got a good running stride but have to keep breaking it to hoick up your leggings. And, if you're like me, look at Sweaty Betty or Zaggora hotpants and spit out your tea in indignation and the price of them, around £25 for a pair of leggings is really not bad at all. If you have any other budget friendly recommendations for gym leggings, please let me now because I really do need some new ones ASAP.

I hope this was a helpful post

If you would like to know more about my fitness and health kick, let me know

xx

Product Review: John Frieda Haircare

I was recently contacted by a company working on behalf of John Frieda, asking if I would like to review some products. Naturally, I said yes, specifying that I had fine but curly hair and waited to see what would be sent my way. There was a bit of a delay because I had it sent to my home address and then obviously, I was in Barcelona for a while as well but when I got home, this is what awaited me. I was sent full size tubes of the Frizz-Ease Smooth Start Shampoo and Conditioner, Luxurious Volume Fine to Full Blow Out Spray and a small sample of Luxurious Volume Blow Dry Lotion, which was all very generous of them.

I'll start with the shampoo and conditioner. I first used after coming back from Barcelona and having spent the weekend in bed recovering, so my hair was in need of some serious TLC. They both smell nice, not of a scent in particular I would say, just a standard shampoo smell. The conditioner worked miracles in getting all the tangles out and after, I can say my hair felt really nice and smooth and clean. Unfortunately, that's all I can say for them. I used it a few times and I noticed my hair was looking a bit lacklustre... I had used it combined with all my normal styling products but my hair just seemed to be looking a bit limp and wasn't curling up as much as it usually does. My mum, who also has curly hair, also noticed the same thing so I think this range of shampoo and conditioner is best suited to those who already have straight hair and want to help tame any frizzy fly aways.

The blow dry products, I was dubious about from the start as I've never had much luck with these type of products and I tend not to use the hairdryer on my hair anyway. The Blow Dry Lotion didn't really do much for my hair or rather I didn't see a noticeable difference apart from it being a bit sticky on my hair but the one I was really impressed with was the Blow Out Spray! I applied it to my roots after all my usual styling products and then blow dried my hair with a diffuser and it looked so good! My hair needs a bit of a trim as the longer layer of my hair is getting a bit too long and normally doesn't curl up as well but with all these products working together my hair was really full and bouncy. I'm certainly impressed and this is the stand out product out of the four I was sent and I will continue to use it.

I think the shampoo was a hard one for me to review personally as I think I've become a sulfate-free shampoo convert since using the Organix Coconut range and John Frieda shampoos, like most big brands, include sulfates. However, I do like the Blow Out Spray and will be using this in my styling regime.

If you would like to know more about the range, you can check out the John Frieda website or alternatively, John Frieda's YouTube page which has loads of hair tutorials and demonstrations of the products in use.

I hope you like this review

Have you had any experience with these products?

xx

Product Review: Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation

As you saw in my last post, when I was in Bournemouth the other week,  we stopped off at the Benefit counter in Debenhams and I picked up the Hello Flawless foundation. I got perfectly matched the shade in Honey. As you can see, at first, it looks a bit dark but once it was blended out, it worked a dream. I've included some picture of me before (with all my glorious blemishes) and then after, with the foundation applied.Hello Flawless is an oil-free foundation which is an extra bonus and it has a very smooth texture and doesn't require any shaking before applying to make the sure the product is mixed. It's really good coverage for something that feels so sheer- not cakey at all and even after a whole day at uni, it was still sitting pretty. I'm going to compare it with my other favourite sheer foundation which is my good ole MAC Face and Body which, while being lovely and sheer, it did have a tendency to slide after a while, particularly in my oily T zone area for example. Overall, it really does make your skin look flawless and hydrated.

You couldn't talk about Benefit without mentioning the packaging. It's probably a lot simpler in design compared to other products but still looks very clean and cute. It is a pump bottle so you're able to use however much you need. It also came with a small sample of the Porefessional inside it which was a pleasant surprise.

In the UK, it retails at £24.50 which is around the same price range as most high end foundations such as Estée Lauder and MAC foundations but I'm so impressed that I would say that this Benefit product is worth the price tag.

I hope you guys are doing well

I have a completely free weekend for once and plan on enjoying it!

xx

Product Review: M&S High Impact Sports Bras

M&S High Impact Sports Bras

A bit of a different post from me today but if I come across something I like, I'll share it with you guys. And I am aware that this post might no apply to a lot of you but I hope it helps at least someone.
If you weren't aware, I'm quite well endowed in the chest area- both a blessing and a curse. And an absolute nightmare when it comes to tackling the gym. I spent most of my teenages years (I was an early bloomer too...) without a decent sports bra and running round the athletics track with one arm holding the girls down. A good sports bra is vital, not only to make you feel more comfortable but also to help support your boobs and not risk injury.

Finding a good plus size bra has only recently become a bit easier due to the high street finally realising that a lot of women go beyond a DD cup size. Sports wear and swimwear however, still has a way to go in my opinion. But we're getting there! After years of having a slightly grotty white one from Bravissimo, I cam across these sports bras in M&S. I promptly picked one up to try on and had a good jump around the change cubicle.

The first one is a gorgeous aqua fabric, very lightweigh and is underwired- something I was unsure of in regards to a good sports bra. I was worried that it would start to cut in and be uncomfortable after a good gym session. But, I'm happy to report that I had no problems whatsoever!It also has adjustable straps much like a standard bra but it can also be changed to cross over as well and has three hooks at the back instead of two for extra support. I also felt like the fabric wasn't just absorbing the sweat straight up and possibly a bit TMI, but I had two gym sessions planned two days in a row and didn't have time to wash it in between but the fabric didn't smell so I'm very impressed.

I have yet to wear the second one for a hardcore gym session yet but I did also try this one and gave everything a good jiggle about too. This one is not underwired but there is good support under the moulded cup so there's no need to worry about slipping out or anything! This is the one that actually caught my eye in the first place as I love the white and pink zip at the front- which is very easy to do up so no messing around with thousands of clasps at the back. It's made with a thicker fabric and I suspect will absorb more sweat and is probably more like to discolour after a while but it was so cute, I couldn't say no.

These two bras were £18 and £22 respectively and range from an A cup to GG

What's your experience with sports bras been like?

xx

Product Review: Organix Coconut Milk Review

I've always toyed with the idea of purchasing sulphate free shampoo- a product I thought was much more common in the States and promoted by a lot of women with afro-carribean hair. I certainly wasn't expecting to see it in the supermarkets around in the UK. However, I was browsing round Boots the other day- actually looking for the L'Oreal sulfate free range when I noticed this brand was on offer and on further inspection with the ingredients, discovered it was sulphate free. Sulphate based chemicals are used in most shampoo's you get in the shops- they're the chemical that helps it foam and clean your hair  but also in the process, strips hair of its natural oils. With curly hair, I'm always looking for ways to keep my hair as healthy as possible so I popped these straight away into my basket.

I have to admit the biggest appeal to me was the coconut element of it- I LOVE the smell of coconut and the shampoo lives up to it. Such a divine smell. As you can see as well, it contains egg proteins which is great for your hair. So how does it hold up in the shower? Well, the first thing I noticed straight away with both the shampoo and the conditioner is that they were really thick compared to a standard shampoo, the conditioner even more so. The shampoo had no problem foaming up and my hair felt reeally really clean after, which makes you think why they bother adding them in the first place? I feel like this shampoo really helped get rid of any build up I might have had on my hair. I have heard some people have problems with it drying their hair out but I have very fine, thin curly hair and didn't have any problem with it. And the conditioner is fantastic in reducing frizz and tangles. As always, I leave it on for as long as I can while I get on with the rest of my shower. Once it's dried, my hair felt really nice and soft.
After a few weeks, one of the biggest differences I noticed was how much less hair was falling out in the shower. When I wash my hair, that's really the time I work all the tangles and knots out and I don't brush my hair dry, so before, I'd always get a fair clump of hair in my hand after. After using this for a while, there was barely any fall out! I couldn't believe it. And when you've got fine hair, every strand counts!

My only niggle with the product was with the packaging. I haven't exactly got the strongest hands or upper body strength, but after two uses, I was really struggling to squeeze the conditioner out. It may well be a two hand job and because it has a rounded top, you can't sit it upside on the side of your bath. Just a bit irritating.

As I said, I only bought these because I saw they were on offer and out of curiousity. At £6 normal retail price, they're nearly double the price of a standard price of Herbal Essence for example and are a bit harder to get hold of. I'm really impressed with this product and I think I'm becoming a sulfate-free shampoo convert!

Have you had any experience with any Sulphate Free Shampoos?

xx

Top 12 of 2012

So I thought today of all days would be the perfect time to share with you my Top 12 of 2012. It's a complete mix of things- beauty, clothes, music etc etc but these are really things that I could not have lived without throughout 2012.

In no particular order

L'Oreal Mythic Oil

I've had this for quite a while now actually but it's still something I couldn't live without. I use it religiously every time I wash my hair and it's great for curly hair like mine. It also helps keep it healthy and happy and I'm proud to say my hair is in great condition.

Real Techniques Eye Brushes

A fairly recent purchase and something I never quite got round to photographing for my blog. I love these brushes and they're great quality. Now I've started branching out a bit in regards to eye make up, I feel I can properly follow all those lovely tutorials you see on Youtube

MAC Fanfare Lipstick

I bought this a while ago and haven't stopped wearing  it since. It goes great with my skin tone and isn't too much of a bright pink so it can be worn day or night. A very flattering and versatile lipstick.

ASOS Leather Jacket

This jacket has done me proud. I basically live in it. 

It's warm, well made and a bargain at £100 for real leather

MAC Ricepaper Eyeshadow

My first MAC eyeshadow and the one that set me off on a quest to complete a 15x palette... I'm 2/3 of the way there now. A gorgeous pale gold that works great as a base and lightens up the eye area. 

Great if you're a glasses wearer like me

Body Shop Seaweed Range

Throughout this year, I've been working my way through quite a few new skin care brands and while usually initially impressed with them, so many of them ended up drying out my skin. Enter The Body Shop. A great range and perfect for combination/oily skin. This range has not dried me out, is gentle on the skin and gets stubborn eye makeup off

Converse

Again, quite a recent purchase but again something that I have lived in. Apart from when it's really raining, cuz they're not so great for that... Very comfortable and makes an outfit look instantly a combination of casual and cool

Urban Outfitters Graphic Tee's

I've always loved UO t-shirts. They're great for when I need to chuck something on for uni with a pair of jeans but at their full price, I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole. But when they're in the sale and/or there are student discounts going around, I jump at the chance.

Ben Howard

2012 was the year I discovered and fell in love with Ben Howard and his music. I first came across him when he did an eerily good rendition of Call Me Maybe. Since then, I've hunted down as much of his music as I can but my favourite would still have to be Keep Your Head Up

Vera Wang Princess Night Perfume

My boyfriend bought me this perfume after months of hinting on his way back from a holiday in the summer. It's a very sweet fragrance- perhaps not to everyone's liking- but I love it and recommend everyone to go give it a whiff if they have the chance

Swimming

Bit off an odd one but 2012 was the year I started to swim. I've never been a particularly good swimmer having nearly drowned when I was very young. I started going with my sister in the summer and have kept it up since. It's great exercise, has really helped my asthma and my confidence in the water. I've also taught myself how to do the strokes properly and I plan to keep improving

Origins Night-a-Mins

Jusssst sneaking in to 2012, is this moisturiser. I know I've only had it a week but it's left such an impression on me, I had to include it. It's helped reduce the appearance of blemishes as they fade and has left my skin feeling much healthier and softer in the mornings

And those are my top 12 of 2012!

Let me know if you have anything similar on your blogs- I love seeing what products people have really enjoyed this year. 2012 has been a great year for my blogs- it's grown so much (thank you Twitter...) and I'd like to take the chance to say hello to all my new followers this year and thank you for joining my blog!

I hope you all have a great NYE and I'll see you all in 2013

Onwards and upwards!

xx

Product Review- Laura Mercier Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Eyeshadows in Black Kharat and Guava

So as I mentioned in my previous post, I haven't been too thrilled with a lot of stuff in the shops at the moment so when I went in again for a second browse, I ended up lurking around the beauty counters in John Lewis. I remembered vaguely of an eyeshadow me and a friend saw aaages ago and we both loved, so I tracked it down to the baked eyeshadow Black Kharat. And it is gorgeeeouusss. The photo's really don't do it justice. It's an amazing black gold with a gold pearl. It's really subtle- enough so to be worn during the day. Another thing with baked eyeshadows is that they can be worn wet for a more intense look which I have yet to try! I'm scared it'll ruin the eyeshadow but definitely on the pricey side at £18- more than a MAC eyeshadow.

The one is Guava which is a bit of disappointment. Once applied on the actual eye, it really doesn't show up that much, especially if it was used as one wash of colour. Might be enough for a highlight but not much else. It's also reeeally finely milled so it's a little bit on the powdery side of things. I'm sure I'll get some use out of it as I do use neutrals a lot but I'm not so impressed with the quality.

So that's my review of Laura Mercier eyeshadows. 

I really want to try the tinted moisturiser which I've heard a lot of things about so if anyone's used this or has a review on it, please let me know and leave me a link- I'd love to read it!

Have a good day guys :)

xx 

Product Review- They're Real Mascara by Benefit

Sorry for spamming you with my eyes but I thought I would share you my thoughts on They're Real by Benefit. I'm pretty much always on the look out fora good mascara because, as you can see in the first photo, I have basically nearly non-existent natural eyelashes. My recent trip to Bournemouth and to the Benefit counter there got me considering the famous They're Real mascara. I got a bit of unexpected money so thought I would treat myself.

I have to say I had my initially reservations because me and plastic brushes don't tend to get on very well, I always end up stabbing myself in the eye. The bristles themselves are actually quite short, compared to some others I've tried such as L'Oreal Million Lashes for example, which surprised me. I didn't think that the brush would work well with my short lashes. I also like the shape of the bristles at the end which is really useful for getting the lashes in the corner of the eye. Definitely a plus to begin with.

I've showed the difference between one coat and two and as you can see there's a serious difference! I thought the consistency was a bit on the runny side to begin with but I think with most mascaras, as you use them, they sort of thicken up a bit and behave how they should. I did find that at two coats, lashes did start to get stuck together so I use another mascara wand to help separate them out a bit. I haven't used this yet with eyelash curler but I think combined it would give seriously impressive results. Sophie from the Benefit counter in Bournemouth also recommend using the combination of Bad Gal Lash and They're Real to get both volume and length so I will have to try it with my Bad Gal Lash sample.

It is pricey though and for me that's the biggest drawback. Around £18 for a standard tube of mascara. Worth it- I'm not sure. Probably a splurge treat rather than a regular purchase, especially considering my second and third favourite mascaras don't go over £11. Although I tend to change mascaras quite regularly though, I will continue to use it. It's definitely a good mascara but possibly not quite worth the hype.

I hope this has been a useful review

Have a good week!

xx