Video Review!:

I mentioned Sleek's Fuschia lipstick in my previous post and a follower on twitter asked me to post a review. Well I'm wearing it today so decided to just make a quick video :)

I don't frequently make videos, but if anyone does have any requests just let me know!

Enjoy & buy this lipstick ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGKfYxvZ7Ys

Jumping Aboard The Bandwagon:

I'm a little late with this one :)!

Like many others I was sent the John Frieda Precision Foam Hair Colour to try out. I actually knew all along I wouldn't use it myself - I rarely colour my hair and when I do it's strictly a salon job only - but I knew my Mum would appreciate trying it out :) Stupidly enough, I still chose the shade I would like to have - 5G Medium Golden Brown, not a shade my Mum would choose - something darker and cooler. Head-desk moment ;)

Luckily Mum's a good sport and said I could try it on her regardless and if it did turn out a disaster we could just colour over it, so here we go!

So as you can see the kit comes complete with 4 items (plus gloves but forgot to photograph these). A colour developer bottle, pump, colourant and a rather generous sized tube of conditioner. The gloves are black and rubbery, MUCH better quality than any others I have used with at home colouring kits. (Do not even mention the paper thin type that are stuck to the instruction leaflet)!


To start you pour the colourant into the developer and tilt the bottle 4-5 times to mix. DO NOT shake as you would with regular dyes, a few small tilts is sufficient and will allow the product to be dispensed evenly.

Then pump to release the foam! At first I was looking to press down on the pumo to release the foam but soon realised that actually all you need to do is squeeze the bottle lightly until a golf ball sized amount is released into your fingertips. Apply smoothly throughout your entire hair and massage gently to ensure it is distributed evenly all over.

Application:

Easy! Much easier than regular dyes which I used to find dripped and were slightly hard to spread throughout the hair. With the foam, there is literally no dripping and you can be sure it will stay where applied.
Mum has short hair, but would usually use the entire bottle of dye regardless, but with this we had about half left and literally nowhere needed anymore product. I think one bottle would work well for medium to long hair, but thick hair like mine may benefit from two bottles. Can't vouch for that though as I obviously havn't tried it. Feel free to enlighten me - did you need two bottles?

We left the solution on for 25 minutes as she had some greys we wanted to make sure were covered, rinsed and applied the conditioner.

Results. Before/After:

Glossy bright colour!

To sum it up, a few things I liked about this product:

♥ Ease of use, no dripping.

♥ Barely any scent. None of the breathtaking amonia smell associated with most at home dyes.

♥ Non staining! I can be a little carefree when dying hair (It's only Mum!) and ears and hairline are usually left somewhat patchy, but this one washed right off the skin during the rinse.

♥ Super glossy finish, hair feels very nourished and smooth.

Any cons? Not really, though I will say the colour did not turn out anything like that on the box, but I blame that on Mums original colour. Had it been applied to my light auburn hair as initially planned I'm sure it would have resembled the Medium Golden Brown, and not the bright mahogony based brown we got. But she loves it anyway and has actually since bought two more boxes of this very shade whilst it is on introductory sale.

Love this and highly recommended! It will retail for £9.99 a box eventually, but get it now while it's averaging at around £6 in Boots and Superdrug just to try :)

NARS Sheer Glow. Yes/No?:

I apologise for the lack of updates, a lot going on right now, but since I already had the photos taken, here's another of my foundation reviews, this time for the cult favourite NARS Sheer Glow.

This seems to be a love it or hate it kind of foundation, with most people loving it. Me? Sadly I'm among those who don't love it and it has since been passed on to another user. I did however give it a very thorough try for many reasons, especially since the shade Siberia is probably the best match I have ever found in a foundation with absolutely no orange tones.

This product is dermatologist tested, non comedogenic and fragrance free. It retails for £29 per 30ml.

The Packaging:

The main concern Sheer Glow users seem to have with the packaging is the lack of a pump. I actually purchased a pump seperately, with a price tag of £5 - a little extortinate in my opinion, but it will last you a while since you can just switch it to your new foundation when you run out. The price of the pump has recently changed to £3, a little more wallet friendly. If you choose not to buy the pump you have a simple screw topped lid topped with a satin finish, somewhat redundant larger lid.

Pump aside, this foundation is packaged in a glass bottle. Initially I thought "Wow this is a small bottle", but it holds 30ml which is pretty much the normal amount when it comes to liquid foundation. The glass isn't frosted so it's easy to see how much product is left and it's stamped with the NARS logo. I like the packaging, it's simple and sleek and there's no complaints here.

The Formula:

Sheer Glow is one of the thicker foundations I have tried. It's not super thick, but it's definately thicker than most in my collection. Not necessarily a bad thing, just an observation. There is no particular scent here either.

As you can see, this foundation is a great match for my super pale skintone. It's perhaps looks a little too cool for me in this swatch, but once blended it's a perfect match and any redness in my skin is neutralised by the lack of it in this shade, Siberia.

Application & Finish:

Okay here comes the part where Sheer Glow started to let me down. For me, it's neither sheer nor glowy, the very two reasons I was attracted to it in the first place. It actually offers me a lot of coverage and on my skin it dried to a matte almost cakey finish regardless of application technique.

I tried everything; my trusty Cover FX pointed foundation brush, MAC #190, Beauty Blender and even my fingers but there was no way this formula was going to work with my skin. Although it's marketed towards normal to dry skin types it instantly highlighted any dry patches on my skin and sunk directly into my pores (something which no other foundation has ever done, I might add). I had streaks galore and had to use a magnifying mirror to make sure they were sufficiently blended before heading out.
Did it at least last all day after the nightmare application? No. On my skin, it wears off in patches leaving me with red flaky cheeks, chin and nose. Overall, a disaster.

The worst part? Although NARS claim that with daily use Sheer Glow will improve skins brightness, radiance and texture, it actually irritated mine and upon removal I was left with patchy, sensitive and red skin. I tried to stick with it but after about a week of daily use I just couldn't be bothered with it anymore and it was passed on.

Before/After:

It actually doesn't look so bad in this image and the perfect colour/neck match is very apparent. I tried to capture the dry patches this foundation gave me on camera, but it proved almost impossible. Still, the overall finish this foundation gave me is visible and had it not have caused me a plethora of other problems I might have actually quite liked it. That is, if I had not been expecting something sheer or glowy ;)

I will give NARS a big thumbs up for it's extensive shade range. Never before have I found a foundation this pale, but for now I will give this brand a miss when it comes to foundations and stick with my trusty Yves Saint Laurent, who never lets me down.

Click for my previous foundation reviews:
Estee Lauder Lucidity, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser, Lancome Teint Miracle and Yves Saint Laurent Teint Resist.

MUFE- Makeup: Yes, Skincare: Maybe?:

When it comes to skincare I know what I like. Nourishing, calming products that won't strip my skin or tug at my eyes. I also tend to stick with 'actual skincare' brands like Dermalogica, shying away from brands which focus mainly on makeup but have a few skincare products thrown in too.

That said, I have purchased many Makeup Forever skincare items in the past but have only really stuck with two of them, giving the rest to friends or family after not getting on too well with them myself. The two items I have kept and still continue to use - be it sporadically - are Sens'Eyes and Pure Water:

Sens'Eyes:

Sens'Eyes is a 'waterproof sensitive eye cleanser' and although I can no longer find it for sale on any UK sites I believe I paid around £13 or £14 pounds for this and it contains 100ml. It retails at $23 in the US.

The product itself is a blue lotion type texture which has no scent and is dispensed through a pump at the top of the bottle. Around one pump on a cotton pad per eye is sufficient for me however I do find that it is easily absorbed into the pad so I sometimes apply directly to the eye first.

It is mineral oil free and safe for contact lens wearers. Dermatologist and Opthamologist tested, MUFE claim this wont irritate or leave lids greasy. They also say this will sooth and moisturise the eyelids and although I highly agree with all these claims and it does feel lovely to use, for me it just doesn't quite cut it when it comes to removing mascara and liner (and I don't even wear waterproof products!)

Whilst it removes my concealer, eyeshadow and most of my eye makeup like a breeze, it leaves clumps of mascara and liner residue around the base of my lashes. By this point I'm fed up and usually resort back to my all time favourite makeup remover, No7's Cleanse and Care:

The makeup on the pad above is what was left on my eyes, even after the pads saturated in the Sens'Eyes were showing as clean. As you can see, it's definately not working for me.

Sure I could probably take a little longer or press a little harder with the MUFE but when it comes down to it, I highly prefer an oil based remove for myself. The Sens'Eyes is a lovely soothing product and I would recommend you give it a try, but for me the No7 will always be repurchased and this one, probably wont :)

Pure Water:
Pure Water retails at £15.50 here in the UK, probably somewhere around $23 in the US, but don't quote me.

This is a 'moisturising cleansing water' which upon first glance looks and feels more like a toner than a makeup remover. MUFE claim that upon contact with the skin it transforms into a light mousse to dislodge and smooth away makeup, however in my opinion it does no such thing. Sure it kind of froths up as it comes out of the pump, but once it hits the cotton pad it's straight back into a fluid. They also claim is soothes and tones skin, and that I will agree with them about.

I usually only use this if it's all I have to hand, or if I feel like my skin still has makeup residues left on it after cleansing. It's definately more of a toner type product for me, it would take way too much time and effort to remove all your makeup with the Pure Water and even then I wouldn't be sure it was all gone. That said, it is effective though and it's great to keep in your kit for refreshing skin between makeups or for quick cleansing on the go, but in no way does it replace a face wash for me. I probably won't repurchase this one again either, sorry MUFE :(

One skincare product from the brand I keep repurchasing however is the HD Elixer, a primer/moisturiser/serum hybrid which lives up to some pretty high claims. Expect a review of that one once my new bottle arrives in the mail :)

Sigma F82:

I ordered and recieved this brush a while ago and have been using it frequently ever since. I have a plethora of brushes and so I try to resist temptation and only purchase new ones if I don't already have something remotely like it already. I managed to justify the F82 so here it is :)

The F82 Round Top Kabuki is one of Sigma's latest offerings. This is what they have to say about it:

"The F82 Round Top Kabuki brush simplifies precise makeup application under the eyes and around the nose. This brush is also perfect for achieving flawless coverage using liquid and powder products. Made of Synthetic Sigmax HD filament".

It was released with two other similar brushes; one flat top and one angled, but all made the same materials and similar looking. I may purchase the angled version at some point (annoyed I just missed the free shipping, but whatever) but I don't love flat topped brushes so that one they can keep ;) They all retail at $16.00 which is amazing value for money, especially for us in the UK once the exchange rate comes into play. I believe, with shipping I paid a little under £13 for this, which for me is no problem at all.

The brush itself is excellent quality. This is my first Sigma purchase as none of their regular line appeals to me, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. The handle is matte black and a nice length, no complaints there but the bristles is where I fall in love. This brush is soo densely packed yet super soft. Often bristles as dense as this can feel a little 'hard' on the skin, but this is a pleasure to use and apply with.

I have used this to apply my liquid foundations and although at first I found it absorbed a little too much product I have now started to apply my moisturiser or primer with it first, which moistens the bristles a little more and stops it from sucking up too much foundation.

The dense head really pushes the products into the skin creating a flawless buffed finish. No streaks whatsoever. It's also super easy to buff the product around the eyes with this one. I can't say much more, but if you don't get on with traditional paddle foundation brushes or find that duo fibre brushes just arn't quite dense enough, then consider trying one of these.

False Lash Effect vs. Lashblast:

These two mascras are often branded the same product in different - yet very similar - packaging.

As a long time user and fan of Covergirls Lashblast I recently decided to pick up the Max Factor version. Not only is the Lashblast only available in the US, but I also wanted to try out the MF for comparisons sake - it would be a lot easier for me to repurchase this from my local Boots or Superdrug than have to go out of my way to order the Lashblast online or have a friend or relative in the USA send it to me.

The Max Factor retails at £10.99 whilst the Lashblast will only set you back round $7 which currently exchanges at just £4.49. Bare in mind that US drugstore brands are almost always on offer and I think it's clear to see which is the best value here. But, alas, we are used to the significance difference in prices between countries by now I'm sure :)

Packaging:

The shape of the packaging is exactly the same, it's totally obvious they are manufactured by the same parent brand. I much prefer the black and gold colour combination of the Max Factor but the Covergirl is nothing to complain about - just a little bit bright and in your face :)

Brushes:

The brushes or wands, whatever you may call them are also exactly the same. Both large and made of hard rubber or plastic with really short and closely spaced bristles. By now I'm fairly sure the product inside is going to be the same too...

Applied:

Max Factor to the left and Covergirl to the right.

This is where I'm not so sure anymore. Do you see the difference I see? Although both seem to lengthen and seperate the lashes the same, the Covergirl seems to voluminize at the base a little more. You can see darkness at the roots in the right eye that is not so apparent on the left.

The Lashblast was maybe 1month older than the False Lash Effect when I took these photos, but it was in no means dried up or any different in texture to when I first purchased it. It could also be down to my application - my left is usually slightly better than my right eye.

I don't know why, but I do see a difference and I much prefer the Lashblast. It just seems strange to me that the formula be different when the packaging and wand are exactly the same. Perhaps one of the ingredients in one is banned in the other, who knows? I will always repurchase Lashblast when I get the chance, but the Max Factor will be a one time purchase.

I have however finally fallen firmly in love with Yves Saint Laurent Faux Cils after a itchy and irritating first attempt with the cult favourite. Review soon but it's pure love! xo

Estee Lauder Lucidty:

The next in my foundation series is Estee Lauders Lucidity, a light diffusing liquid foundation for a 'radiantly perfect look'.

Out of all the EL foundations I have tried - and I've tried a lot - it's probably my favourite but it's nowhere near perfect. As usual, the shades do not come quite light enough. It's a better match than many but it still pulls ever so slightly too orange toned on my neutral skin. It's wearable, but definately not perfect.

What Estee Lauder themselves say - "Special light diffusing pigments actually reflect light away from fine lines and wrinkles so they seem to disappear.
Provides light moisturising and other skincare benefits, so it's comfortable even on dry skin".

It's dermatologist tested, fragrance free and non acnegenic.

It has an SPF of 8 and retails at £25.00.

The Packaging:

I have only tried this foundation in sample form, so I don't have my own photos of the actual packaging. However it's the same as Doublewear if I remember correctly, which I have owned in the past, both come in heavy frosted glass bottles. It's good quality but contains no pump which is always a gripe of mine as I always seem to pour too much when it's full then have to really work to get product out when it's nearing empty.

The Formula:

As you can see in the photo below, I have tried both 1N1 Pale Ivory and 1C1 Porcelain, neither of which match perfectly, but the Pale Ivory is a little closer. The formula is a smooth, slightly thick liquid that blends easily into the skin. It has the signature foundation scent, no problems there.

Application and Finish:

I apply this using a foundation brush, it blends quickly and easily into my skin. It provides me with a light to medium coverage which is what I look for in foundations. It is definately moisturising as it claims, I reach for this if my skin is feeling on the dry or irritated side and it really nourishes the dry patches and soothes any irritation. True to it's claims, this one does give a fair amount of 'glow' to the skin, but it doesn't leave the skin shimmery. I rarely set my foundations with powder, however if I do with this one, it does erase most of the illuminating properties.

It lasts all day on my normal-dry skin, but most do so it could just be my experience. Some foundations will sink into drier areas or build up around my nose and chin but I have not found this happens much at all with this foundation.

Before/After:

As you can see, although not the perfect match colour wise, it doesn't look terrible and it evens out my skin nicely. This was the 1C1 which has neutralised the redness in my cheeks really nicely. If this came in a lighter shade I would definately buy a full sized bottle, but for now I'm holding off. I do recommend this though, so if you're near an Estee Lauder sample definately pop in for a sample bottle and give this one a go!

Many more foundations reviews coming up, but for now click the links for my previous posts:

Yves Saint Laurent Teint Resist, Lancome Teint Miracle and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser.

Cellnique Paramedical Pt 1:

Like many other bloggers I was contacted by Cellnique Paramedical a few months ago and asked if I would like to trial some of their products. To be honest, when it comes to skincare I'm usually a little weary about trying new products as I have found what works for me (Dermalogica Ultracalming series) and I also have fairly sensitive skin which can react badly to some products. However I decided to give it a go and gave them some details about my skin, and they sent me a series of products, the first of which I am reviewing now :)



One of the products I recieved is the Advanced Bio Renewal mask and this is what the Cellnique website has to say about it:

Benefits
• Exfoliates dead skin cells and deep pore cleansing
• Optimizes cell renewal performance
• Slows down aging process
• Instant lightening, brightening and whitening effects

This product comes packaged in a large, heavy blue jar with a mirrored lid. The packaging is of great quality and would not look out of place in your bathroom. Something I really like about this jar is the top is actually a crystal clear mirror, so if like me you can be rather lazy sometimes and dont always want to stand in front of a mirror to apply your beauty products you can just use the top of this! Haha I'm easily pleased it seems, but it makes for a great addition to the already substantial packaging.

The mask is full of fruit enzymes and AHA's which both help with exfoliation and cell renewal.

It has a thick, wet, slightly gritty texture as you can see in the image below and is quite a bit more fluid than some masks I have tried. It also smells very strongly of pineapple syrup - the stuff found in the bottom of a can of pineapple chunks - which is not really a scent I would choose myself but is in no way unpleasant.

I like to apply all facial products with a brush, so that will explain the streaks in the image below. This mask goes on smooth and very fragrant and you can feel the gritty texture working gently into the pores. It has a slight tingling sensation once applied to the skin, and I have experienced this with other products of this nature so figured it was probably fine. I took a quick look at the website which confirmed this and carried on with my application.

I leave this mask on for around 20 minutes a go, in which time it doesn't harden completely like other masks, only sets slightly and becomes a little less sticky to touch. The scent does not linger throughout application.

It washes off easily, I like to take my time and gently exfoliate at the same time using the beads within the mask. They are gentle, small and smooth enough even for my sensitive skin.

Since recieving this product I have used it at least once a week and I still have at least half a tub left. Although I have never really seen very visible results from face masks since my skin is already in pretty good condition, I can say that this definately leaves the skin feeling refreshed, clean and soft. I love to use it if my skin is feeling congested or dull, as it really cleans deep down and leaves my face looking brighter and smoother.

It's definatelty up there with my favourite masks now and I feel if I were to continue to use this for a super long period of time my skin would only keep getting better.

The only downside to this product is the price, it retails at $51 for 50g. Although my Dermalogica products are around the same price range, I can definately see this being a problem for some. I will look into repurchasing this at some point in the future, but for now I have an array of other masks I need to finish first ;)

Read more and purchase here. Thankyou Cellnique!