L'Oréal False Lash Superstar

 After 3 visits to the pc repair shop, I now seem to be back in the land of blogging & all is well *touches wood!*

So, back to normality & here I have a new mascara for you.  You know I'm a complete mascara addict so couldn't resist this one when it was on offer in Superdrug, L'Oréal False Lash Superstar.  It's now full price at £10.99 but is on 3 for 2.

This is a two-step mascara, something I've not really got on with in the past & I only tried it because it's by L'Oréal, but I have to tell you, I'll not be rushing out to repurchase it!  Unfortunately, this is the first L'Oréal mascara I've not liked & I'm really quite shocked!  I love the brushes & there's absolutely no dispute in that it gives phenomenal lashes, but my god, does it smudge!  It's also a bit reminiscent of Benefit They're Real in that it's a bit of a sod to remove without seriously scrubbing your lashes - and we don't want to do that, thank you very much!

The first step uses an hourglass shaped brush & is a white thickening lash primer.  I applied this & then after leaving it to dry slightly, applied the second step fibre rich formula with the curved brush & the photos show just one coat of each.  I absolutely loved the immediate volumising effect, it was just a few hours later that I became disappointed.

I don't know if it's because I have oilier eyelids or something but after 3 or 4 hours of wear, it was all over them & smudged underneath my eyes, not good IMO.  As I said, I've never had this trouble with L'Oréal mascaras before & their False Lash Telescopic is my HG mascara but this one just didn't float my boat I'm afraid.  I'd only bother using it if I was going out for 2 or 3 hours & wanted some va-va-voom on my lashes, rather than an all-day mascara.

What do you think, have you tried this one?

Marrakech packing ~ toiletries

The days are finally into single figures before we leave for Marrakech & today, as I look outside my window at the snow falling, I could not be more excited to be heading for the sun & warmth!!

My many, many lists are now coming into their own as I know exactly what to pack, what to wear & what's left to buy & the case is out of the cupboard waiting to be filled!

I picked up the last of my toiletries last week so I though I'd share what I'll be taking.  Warning - there may be a few of these 'packing' posts coming up in the next few days - sorry!! ;) 

I'm not overly fond of sun creams as I always find them a bit too gunky, I prefer sprays & have used the Ambre Solaire spray for a few years now.  I picked this up in Asda at the start of the year for about £3 when they were having a clearance, it's currently £12.99 in Superdrug but there's a BOGOF deal.

I bought an SPF30 Solait face cream (£3.99) which I haven't used before but it says it's non-greasy so here's hoping it'll be fine & doesn't break me out!  As it was BOGOF, I also picked up the Solait aftersun (£4.99) with tan prolonger, which sounds like it works in the same way as a gradual tanning cream.  I'll take the whole bottle as the 4 of us can all share this.

My other toiletries are mini versions, which I don't usually buy as I have empty bottles which I decant products into but a lot of these were bought at Christmas when they were on clearance shelves!  The only product I'll decant into a pot is my Curl Cream by Trevor Sorbie but the mini bottle of Frizz Ease I picked up for 99p is ideal! 

In the end I decided to get new contact lenses rather than take prescription sunglasses so I don't have to carry my normal glasses around with me all day to use when we're inside.  I can just stick on a pair of sunnies & be done with it!  These lenses (in the black box, top right) are the new Vitrea range by Specsavers & offer a slow-release moisturiser so are very comfortable to wear & I'd imagine will be much better in the heat.  I'll just need to take 4 or 5 pairs with me rather than the whole box.

So these are my toiletries sorted, I now have to whittle down my makeup & choose my nail colours!

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet ~ Frambourjoise

I've really not had much luck with matte lipsticks/colours in the past, even when taking into account all the lip scrub & balm prep beforehand.....until this wee gem from Bourjois.

I bought this as soon as it was released in March-ish (sorry, I can't remember exactly when!) & it's a matte finish liquid lipstick with a doe-foot applicator.  And it's amazing, it really is!

I picked up the colour 'Frambourjoise' as an everyday shade to take me through spring & summer & it's as pretty near to perfect as you'd want & expect from a liquid lip colour.  It applies like a dream with the most bizarre silky, velvetty (hence the name!) texture & is so comfortable to wear, it's like you have nothing on your lips!  It's not drying at all, unlike every other matte lip colour I've tried & lasts for a phenomenally long time - two coffees, a croissant & lunch & it still hadn't shifted or faded!!

I'm ridiculously impressed with this latest offering from Bourjois & will be buying other colours really soon!!

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet £8.99 from Superdrug, currently on 3 for 2.  Fabulous!!

Sleek blush ~ Sahara

Although I own a couple of Sleek eye palettes & pout polishes, this is my first foray into their blushes & it certainly will not be my last!

As with the eyeshadows, this matte blush in shade Sahara is seriously pigmented & is a beautiful warm shade of coral.  It adds enough colour to offer that healthy, flushed look without looking like Coco the clown - always a bonus - and is perfect for the sunny weather that WILL hit us soon!

It has the standard matte black packaging with a handy mirror enclosed in it & retails at just £4.49 at Superdrug, a bargain for such a great product.

Review ~ Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Lips

I'm a big fan of lip colour pencils so when I saw these new ones pop up on the Barry M stand a few weeks back, I was drawn to Sirius shade no.4, perfect for spring!  These are a lot slimmer than your standard 'chubby' sized pencils but I actually prefer this as you have a slimmer, therefore more precise nib to apply with.

As the name suggests, this is nice & glossy but without any of the stickiness of a lip gloss (so no peeling your hair off your lips after a strong gust of wind!)  It applies so easily & feels more like wearing a lip balm but because it is so glossy, it doesn't wear that well.  After a coffee break, it had all disappeared, not even a hint of colour left behind so definitely doesn't have the staying power of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (seriously, who thinks of these never-ending names?)

This certainly wouldn't stop me from buying it again though, it's so handy to keep in your bag & I wear it when my lips are feeling a tad on the dry side as it feels so nourishing.  It's a great purchase for the bargain price of £4.99, currently on 3 for 2 at Superdrug.

Photo taken pre-coffee break!!

Have you tried any of these yet?

Review ~ L'Oréal Mega Volume Miss Manga mascara

Yep, I'm just going to call it Miss Manga or MM from now on, it's too much of a mouthful otherwise!!  Anyhoo, my beloved L'Oréal False Lash Telescopic mascara was coming to an end so I thought I'd be brave & try a new one.  I get this strange urge every few months & I don't really know why I bother because nothing ever comes close to the Telescopic mascara (nope, not even the much-blogged about & loved They're Real by Benefit!) but Superdrug had an offer on where you could buy this mascara & an eyeliner for a tenner so being the bargain hunter that I am, I thought, why the hell not!!

Now, I have to admit that the first few times I used this, I hated it with a passion - sorry L'Oréal!!  I found it difficult getting used to a bristle wand again rather than the plastic ones I've grown to love & although it's supposed to be a flexible wand, there's flexible & then there's this ridiculously springy MM wand!!  I couldn't get it to grip my lashes properly as any pressure just serves to bend the wand too much & then, yup, it's all over your eyelid again!  Racoon look anyone?  Nope, thought not.......

  Also, the formula was far too wet for my liking & I resembled some sort of weird Alice Cooper tribute act with it smeared all over my eyelids & under my eyes.....no, no, no, not good at all.  So it was swiftly relegated to the 'dammit-it's-no-good' drawer but....... I left it for a fortnight & tried it again.  In those couple of weeks since it had been opened, the formula had thickened up & was like a totally different product all together.  I have to say, I've grown to adore this mascara & have even mastered the spring-board wand too, whoop whoop!!

It's a proper jet black mascara & yes, it does offer volume & length, it doesn't flake or smudge & removes easily with no stinging or panda eyes the following morning - exactly what I want from a mascara!!  Granted, I still sometimes have to do a wee clean-up with a cotton bud but I think the results speak for themselves!!

So my advice to anyone looking to buy this mascara would be, if at first you don't succeed, leave it a fortnight & try again, chances are, you'll love it!!

Beauty haul #2

It's not often I go out & buy lots of things in one go, I usually replace things as & when I need them but occasionally I  try the odd new product *ahem*!!

 

However, when I was away at my dad's a couple of weeks back, I decided to try quite a few new things.

 

 

 

 

From left to right we have.....

 

1.  ELF Contouring Kit - I've yet to try this but watch this space (part of an ELF haul I bought - post to follow!)

 

2.  Lacura Aqua-Complete Serum - I've been using this lightweight gel-serum from Aldi for months now & this is probably my fifth bottle now -  I just love it!  It contains hyaluronic acid & my skin feels so hydrated, plumped up & refreshed when I use it.  Such a bargain for under £4 a bottle!!

 

3.  No7 Make-up Brush Cleanser -  I bought this using the £3 off No7 makeup voucher so it was £5 & is brilliant at removing everyday makeup from your brushes without drenching them or having to dry overnight.  I put a couple of pumps onto some kitchen roll & lightly swirl my brushes over it to remove light makeup.  It's ideal to use a couple of times week until I do a 'proper' brush clean.

 

4.  Revlon Photoready BB cream - I was desperate to find a BB cream that worked for me & I kept reading about this on blogs so decided to give it a try when it was on offer in Superdrug.  I think I paid around £7 or £8.  I got it in the medium shade & although it offers quite good coverage, it's still a tad too light on my skin at the minute due to a tan but I just mix in some of my Bourjois Bronzing BB & it's great!  I've since found another BB though that is pure perfection....blog post to follow very soon!

 

5.  MUA Matte Perfect powder - generally I'm not a fan of powder so never really use them but in this recent hot weather, I felt my skin needed mattifying a wee bit so tried this one for £2.50.  It really is great, it's shocked me a bit!  It leaves a fabulous matte but not powdery finish, doesn't cake & is totally invisible.....a great buy!

 

6.  Smashbox It's Your Prime - Smashbox is a brand I've never tried, mainly because nowhere near me sells it but I've always wanted to try the ever-popular Photo Finish primer.  My daughter & I went to a large Boots & found a Smashbox counter so it was great to be able to test some of their products & when I spotted this kit with this, the Photo Finish Lid Primer & Hydrating Under Eye Primer in it for £14, well, I just had to!!  All 3 are amazing but I want to say too much about them so will do a follow-up post.  But can I just say that the sales assistant was brilliant!  She really took the time to explain about the products & didn't even baulk when I asked for a sample of their BB to try.  In fact, she even colour matched me & also gave me a sample of the green tinted anti-redness primer to try too.  I was so impressed with the BB, I've subsequently purchased one & it really is an amazing product!!

 

7.  L'Oreal Micellar Water - I'm a bit late to the party where these wonder waters are concerned having only tried my first one last month (by B Pure) but when I saw this on offer & my other was running low, I decided to try it out.  It is equally as amazing at removing my surface makeup as the B Pure one but I don't feel it is quite as hydrating on my skin.  It can be left feeling a bit tight, but in no way unpleasant or uncomfortable but it'll be interesting to see how my skin feels by the end of the bottle.

 

8. Botanics All Bright Refreshing Eye Roll-On - I bought this on a total whim as I had a Boots voucher offering 200 worth of points if I spent over a certain amount.  This was half price at £4.49 & took me up to the amount I needed to spend so I popped it in the basket but I'm so glad I did!  In this weather, it's been so cooling around my eyes & it hasn't irritated them one bit.  It seems to reduce puffiness well although hasn't made any difference - as of yet - to my dark circles but I've only been using it for a couple of weeks. 

 

So that's my recent haul of goodies.  I can't wait to tell you all about my fabulous Smashbox BB & my little haul from ELF - whoops!!

 

 



Summer cleansing routine

I want to share with you my current Summer cleansing routine as I've recently bought new products to try & so far, so good!

 

 

 

 

My eyes are so sensitive & react to a lot of eye makeup removers, even ones stating they are specifically for sensitive eyes.  I don't like the residue left by oilier removers & I find they make my mascara smudge the following day after using them so that pretty much rules them out!  But I've been using the Simple Nourishing Eye Makeup Remover for over a year & I do actually think it's the best one I've ever used.  It removes every scrap of mascara & eye makeup & I never wake up with panda eyes the following morning (well, unless I've used Benefit They're Real but I'll save that post for another day!)  My eyes never feel irritated or greasy & I think for a product hovering around the £4 mark for 100ml, it really does a brilliant job.

 

I've been a loyal fan of the beauty blogger favourite Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish for years now & I love it so I don't really know what's nudged into trying something new.  I've been reading about the virtues of micellar waters (solutions that contain microscopic surfactant molecules that help to bring oil & water together.  Read here for a brilliant description!!) for some time now but I've been happy with my routine so hadn't bothered trying them.  Well eventually, just as I knew it would, curiosity got the better of me & after seeing the B Pure Micellar Water on offer in Superdrug (150ml, currently £3.32 instead of £4.99), I decided to try it.

 

I just look at these bottles of solution & think, "nope, that'll never remove all my makeup" but amazingly, it does!  I'm so impressed with this product, I really feel like my skin is getting cleansed & refreshed without any tautness afterwards.  I've been using this as my first cleanse before I move onto my next new product, Botanics  Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm from Boots, £8.99 for 75ml.  Again, I'd seen this product reviewed many times on the blogosphere but it was especially when Jen of Daisy Rose Beauty recommended it that I decided to try it! 

 

 

 

 

This beautifully scented 97% organic cleansing balm is almost solid in the pot, as you'd expect from a balm however, it melts fantastically onto the skin as you can see from the above photo.  The smallest amount goes a long way so I'll be expecting this pot to last a long time!  I massage it in all over my face & neck (always massage your face upwards ladies, gravity is pulling it down, it doesn't need any extra help!!) & remove with the enclosed cloth soaked in hand-hot water.  Rinse & repeat until all signs of makeup have gone.

 

My skin feels scrupulously clean after using this balm but so nourished & moisturised.  The smell is divine & I'm pleased to see that it's 97% organic, paraben free & not tested on animals.  I'm really tempted to try more products from the Botanics range now!

 

 

 

 

I realise I haven't included any moisturisers or serums on this post but that's coming soon.  If I'd added them to this one, it would've gone on forever!

 

So to conclude, although I've only been using the micellar water & balm for a week or so, I am really impressed with them.  I stupidly feel like I'm being disloyal to my Cleanse & Polish but it will be interesting to see how my skin is after a month or so.  This duo could become my new favourite!

 

Toodles!

 

 

 

 



Essentials ~ haircare

As I've previously had a whinge about here, my hair is really (& I mean realllly) grey now which has totally changed the texture of my hair from silky & thick to coarse, wiry.....& erm, thick!!  Consequently, most of the products I used to use & love are now not suitable so I've spent the best part of the last year trying out new products to see which ones work for me now. 

 

   I have consciously tried not to try more expensive brands of haircare as I get through so much of the stuff, I can't justify the cost of them....after all, my kids still need shoes etc.!  These are my current favourites which, when combined, seem to make my hair much more manageable & the silkiness is nearly back to where it used to be!

 

1.  Primark hair donuts

2.  Superdrug Salon Radiance permanent colour

3.  L'Oréal Elvive Full Restore shampoo & conditioner

4.  L'Oréal Studio Silk & Gloss Curl Power Spray

5.  Toni & Guy Iron-It Heat Defence Spray

6.  eBay hairdressing scissors

7.  Primark kirby grips

8.  Tresemmé 24 Hour Body Plumping Powder

9.  Carino Professional Miracle Oil with Argan Oil

10.  Trevor Sorbie Beautiful Curls Curl Cream

11.  John Frieda Full Repair Perfect Ends Deep Infusion

 

 

Primark hair donuts £1 each

Handy to keep in for when I fancy BIG hair!  So far, I can only master a rough, messy bun though & not a sleek smooth one but I'm getting there.  The sponge thingy (yes, that is the technical term!) attached to the hair comb is amazing for when you want a bit of a beehive going on or just for some extra oomph in your ponytail.  A bargain at around £1 each, if I remember correctly.

 

Superdrug Salon Radiance permanent colour

I've talked about this before on my blog but it is awesome at covering grey hair, of which I have many & it works in 10 minutes too.  It leaves my hair so shiny & soft & I always have 2 or 3 in my bathroom stocked up as my roots seem to appear overnight.  £5.09 or currently on offer for 2 for £7.

 

L'Oréal Elvive Full Restore shampoo & conditioner

I try out lots of different shampoos & conditioners when they're on offer in Boots or Superdrug but these are the ones I keep coming back to.  My hair feels really healthy when I use these, they don't irritate my scalp & don't fade my colour.  £3.99 for 400ml.

 

L'Oréal Studio Silk & Gloss Curl Power Spray

I'm pretty sure I found this spray in a bargain bin one day in either Boots or Superdrug for a couple of pounds but I have a horrible feeling it's no longer available as I can't find it on their websites!  Bit of a bugger really as I find it great to give beachy, rough curls & lots of volume.  If I can't find it, I'm going to have to limit my use until I find a good replacement!  £2 for 200ml (on offer)

 

Toni & Guy Iron-It Heat Defence Spray

On the rare occasions that I straighten my hair, I've found this heat defence spray to be excellent at giving protection & shine without weighing my hair down.  My hair will also stay perfectly straight for a couple of days too when using this.  £6.39 for 200ml.

 

eBay hairdressing scissors

When my sister cut a fringe into my hair back in January or February, I knew that I'd be back at the salon every fortnight getting it trimmed if I didn't get myself a pair of scissors to do it myself.  I didn't want to spend a fortune so had a look on eBay & found this funky pair for £5!  They're really sharp, fit in my hand really well, are not too long & have a removable thumb rest, a really great bargain buy!  £5

 

Primark kirby grips

With 3 females in my gaff, all with long hair, the house seems to haemorrhage kirby grips!  I swear, no matter where you go, there will always be at least 3 of the things within a metre of where you're stood!  But they're indispensable in a hair kit, even for short hair but I'm not a snob when it comes to these, any cheapy ones will do the job!  £1

 

Tresemmé 24 Hour Body Plumping Powder

I use this plumping powder for when I want MEGA volume!  You sprinkle a tiny bit into your roots & massage it in & woooosh, you have seriously big hair!  It's great for when I put my hair in a beehive or when it's freshly washed & too slippy to put up properly.  It does leave a matte finish on the hair though so I don't use it a lot as it feels a bit icky but it's fantastic for occasional use.  £5.49 for 10g.

 

Carino Professional Miracle Oil with Argan Oil

When everyone was going mad for the miracle that was Moroccanoil, I decided that although it sounded great, it was out of my price range so I'd look for a cheaper alternative.  Step forward Carino Professional at Aldi!! I read about it a few months back but my local Aldi never had any in stock so when I finally spotted some last month I snapped one up & now I've used it, I wish I'd bought more!  I can honestly say, my hair has never felt so good or nourished.  I apply a 10p sized amount to the lengths & ends of my wet hair & then leave to dry naturally as usual & it just leaves my hair so smooth & silky - I love it!!  It works just as well on blow-dried hair as my daughter, who usually suffers terribly from split ends, will testify.  If you have an Aldi near to you, get yourself down there & pick some up - you won't regret it!!  £3.99 for 50ml

 

Trevor Sorbie Beautiful Curls Curl Cream

This product has been used & replaced many times now as I love the finish on my hair.  It gives great, separated soft curls without any crunchy finish & doesn't feel heavy either.  A staple in my hair kit.  £5.29 for 150ml

 

John Frieda Full Repair Perfect Ends Deep Infusion

This was my go-to serum until I found the Aldi argan oil as it offers great shine & heat protection but I find that it works better on hair that is blow-dried as it seems to be heat-activated.  As I usually leave my hair to dry naturally (or I end up resembling Chrystal Tipps - showing my age now!) I don't feel like I'm getting the best out of it but I do use it when I dry & then straighten my hair.  My daughter swears by it as she straightens her hair a lot & she definitely doesn't have as much damage as usual.  £6.99 for 50ml

 

So there we have it, a wee look at my haircare essentials.  More 'essentials' posts coming soon!

 

 

 

 

 

NOTD Bourjois ~ Bleu Fabuleux

I've not bought or used any Bourjois polishes for a couple of years now & I don't understand why I stopped but I'm certainly glad I've rediscovered them!

 

This polish has a great, wide brush that covers the nail perfectly in just 2 sweeps & the cap itself is really comfortable to handle.

 

The application itself was excellent & the colour was opaque enough with one coat but I always do 2 anyway.  It was super glossy just on it's own but I always seal my manis with Seche Vite as I find it helps with the longevity.

 

I'm now day 5 into this colour & have had absolutely no chipping & only minimal wear on the tips, all-in-all excellent I'd say!  The vibrant cobalt blue colour is divine & I've never had so many people comment on my nails before.

 

On the same trip to Superdrug, I also bought another 2 Bourjois polishes so I'm looking forward to trying these out too....watch this space!!

 

 

 

 

I think this colour could become my new favourite & that's some feat seeing as I don't actually like the colour blue!!

 

 

 



Fifty shades of grey (hair!)

So here's the thing, I (sadly but genetically) started getting grey hair at the tender age of 18.  It didn't seem a biggie way back then when it was just a few silver stragglers, nothing a good semi & some highlights couldn't cover, but over the years the greys rapidly multiplied, at a rate far quicker than I was happy about!

 

About 5 or 6 years ago, when I'd let my hair re-growth go a week longer than usual, I noticed to my horror that my roots were nearly all white near my temples.  My sister (a hair stylist) took great delight in pointing this out to me &, well to cut a long story short, now I am apparently 85% grey all over *sob*!! 

 

As anyone with lots of grey hair knows, your hair becomes really coarse, wiry & more & more difficult to colour & I've found over the last couple of years that DIY hair colours that always used to cover my grey, weren't doing so anymore.  As my hair grows at a ridiculous rate, I have to colour my roots every 3 weeks - 4 weeks at a real push.  When I find I'm having a conversation with someone & their eyes keep straying to my hair, I know I've left it too long!  Or when my 6'1" husband stands over me, sucks in air & says, "whoa hun, time to do your colour.......!!"

 

I've tried just about every DIY hair colour available & I'm very happy to say that I've now found one that is fabulous & covers every single grey hair.....in just 10 minutes!!  Step forward Superdrug Salon Radiance & take a bow!

 

 



 

I forgot to take a photo of the packaging before I threw it away so I've taken the image from the Superdrug website.

 

This is a really great hair colourant & all for the bargain price of £5.09.  I also refreshed the rest of my hair with a Superdrug semi too as it was looking a bit faded & dull & I'm really pleased with the results.

 

 

 

So that's me done & feeling not too scummy-mummy-like for another 3 weeks until I do it all again!!  Bravo Superdrug on a fantastic product that even my new hairdresser complimented me on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTD Essie ~ Turquoise & Caicos

Last week I hunted out my old Tiffany bracelet that I had for my 30th birthday & I decided I wanted to paint my nails to match the packaging!  After asking the Twittersphere for some suggestions of colours, by far the most popular choices for good colour matches were China Glaze For Audrey or Essie Turquoise & Caicos.

 

So the next morning I hot-footed it into town & went to the beauty wholesaler where I usually buy my China Glaze products but they didn't have For Audrey & according the sales person, were unlikely to get any, booo!!

 

Next, was onto Superdrug as they had a 3for2 offer on & Boots didn't.....well, every little helps right?!  I bought the Essie polish along with Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation which I've read many good things about & L'Oréal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer.  I'll do reviews on those soon but for now, the polish.....

 

 

 

 

The colour is divine & a pretty good match for the Tiffany packaging.  As always, I applied my China Glaze Strong Adhesion base coat to begin with & then the first coat of polish.  I have to say, I was quite shocked at how thin in consistency this seemed as I usually find Essie polishes to be really opaque & cover exceptionally well with just one coat.  However, this was not the case here.

 

Even with 2 coats of colour, the coverage was still a little streaky for my liking & I think it could've done with a third coat to be perfect but I didn't have time!  I think next time I'll try it with an opaque white base colour on first & see if that helps with the coverage.

 

I finished with my trusty Seche Vite top coat & although I had about 6 days with no chipping or flaking before I removed the colour to change it, there was some serious wear on the tips going on.  Again, this just wasn't like any other Essie polish I've tried before so I was quite baffled.  But like I've already said, the colour is beautiful & I had lots of compliments on it, I'll just try an alternative  application next time & see if that makes any difference!

 

I also bought a bargain (£4.99) ring from H&M that matched the polish perfectly, another great summer favourite!!

 

 

 

 

What are your favourite summer colours?