At Last - A Beauty Box that isn't a Rip Off

I don't know where I first heard of Latest in Beauty (LIB), beauty boxes, but what made me look twice was the unique idea, that you got to see what was in it before you paid.  Now I'm sure this spoils the fun for a lot of you, but for me it was a godsend.  I hate the idea of handing over money for a pile of tat I could get in the Poundshop for less, but just wrapped in a pretty box.

LIB is different to other beauty boxes because they list all the products that the box contains and you just buy it the same way as you buy anything else.  I think this is great as it inspires them to keep creating great boxes and also means that they will get lots of repeat customers as they will hopefully like the contents seen as they already know what they are getting. My favourite part is that I can research the products and see whether they are likely to be useful to me or suitable for my skin/hair.  You can even create your own box if you like, I wasn't so keen on this part though as the products were a little less exciting.

I started off with the Caudalie Ployphenol C15 box for £9.95 inc P&P! I did a quick price comparrison and the products work out as worth around £30. I had been wanted to try Caudalie products for a while as wanted to incorporate a really good antioxidant and skin protector into my routine.  The prices had however put me off, the last thing I need is another unsuitable beauty product remonstrating me from my dressing table.

I enjoyed my first foray into the world of Beauty Boxes so much that I have already purchased their latest offering.  It is called the Glamour Beauty Power List 2014 and has a host of 5 star products that I had been interested in trying for just £16 inc P&P. I even had a 10% off code so it cost just over £14 all in.  This was such a good deal I bought two, one for me and one for a giveaway  as they look so good.  It has Liz Earle, Laura Mercier and Bourjois to name a few, it also includes a whole years subscription to Glamour magazine on your iPad.

See my post here for a full review of the Caudalie Polyphenol goodies I got.  I will also be posting the giveaway soon after I receive the Glamour Box, so keep your eyes peeled.

Latest in Beauty have not sponsored this post, nor do I receive any commission from my links, this is just something great I wanted share.

FAB First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads Review

I have been using these for about 2 weeks now so I feel it is time for a review.

I first read about them on Caroline Hirons blog.  What attracted me to them was the promise of a gentle exfoliation and brighter skin. I regularly have congested skin and as I get older, my skin has also dulled.  I use Aspirin masks and my Clarisonic to help with exfoliation, but I wanted something more regular, so I took the plunge with these.

They weren't cheap at £16, but then neither were they crazily expensive. You get 60 pads which I use once a day, so I should get 2 months use out of them (look at me and my super-advanced maths!)

They are labelled as fragrance free but they have a very definate smell, that whilst not unpleasant, it is not entirely delectable either.  The packaging is pretty unimaginative, but does the job.  Each pad is soaked in the exfoliating liquid and has a smooth and a more textured side.  I use the more textured side in my cheeks, chin and forehead and keep the more delicate side for my eyes and lips.  I find that they are very generously soaked, but in an ideal world I would just buy the lotion and use my own cotton pad.

I have noticed a real change using these. When I first started I had just returned from holiday and my skin was slightly thickened due to the sun and I had a tan.  I wanted something to soften my skin and help bring down my tan to a shade that was somewhat closer to my usual foundation and concealer shades.  These did both these things really well.  I think my skin looks much fresher after using and I will definitely add these to my long term skin care routine.  They also don't sting or make your skin feel stripped.  The inclusion of glycerin and hyaluronic acid makes them beautifully moisturising on my oily skin. The active ingredients are lactic and glycolic acid along with a variety of fruit acids which work to dissolve any dead skin cells of debris on your skin.

Would I buy them again?  Without a doubt.

Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil Review

I had to say goodbye to one of my favourite hair products this week when my Tres Semme Liquid Gold ran out.  I have really loved this and it has lasted me for an entire year. I apply 2 pumps after I have washed my hair, to help comb it through and it has done a great job at keeping my frizzy damaged ends under control.  You can also use a small amount to smooth ends once your hair it styled..

I popped into Superdrug to get a replacement and it was £7, I then saw this little beauty for £3.50 and so thought it was worth a try.

I need to mention the obvious here, which is why do I not use Moroccan Oil?  It is very simple, the price is ridiculous and the main ingredients in it are just silicones, the same as the main ingredient in Frizz Ease and these 2 little dupes.  I imagine the Argan oil helps, but I doubt it can be that effective at such small concentrations.  I may be wrong but I doubt it.  See this post on the hype around Moroccan Oil by a beauty product developer.  Also see ingredient list at the bottom for proof.

First Impressions

Packaging- I like the size and the design but not the lack of pump.  I must say that it actually comes out without getting all over the cap, but still I would prefer a pump.

Smell - gorgeous, really fresh and pretty.

Amount - 100ml compared to Tres Semme 75ml, bonus!  Considering Moroccan Oil cost 10 times the price for the same amount this is a serious bargain.

Sucky stupid lid...should have had a pump

Does it work?

Yes, yes and more yes!  This is even better than the Tres Semme, I thinks the 20 or so, Boots reviews giving it 5 stars speak for themselves.  I applied this as usual after washing and brushed it through with a paddle brush before bed.  I don't use a dryer on my hair unless it is a special occasion so I just let it dry over night.  When I woke up my hair felt really soft and healthy, it even seemed to dry quicker whilst I watched Hannibal in bed.

My hair after sleeping on it and without adding any product or styling

Would I buy it again?

Absolutely, hopefully at the same price though ;)

Word of caution regarding silicone use - You have to be careful using silicones in your hair to avoid build up, which is why I use Tres Semme Deep Cleansing shampoo once a month or so to strip (I use that word, as it is exactly what this does) my hair of all products build up.  Don't expect beautifully silky hair after using this, but expect very light flyaway hair with no build up on it.

Ingredients List for Morroccan Oil

INGREDIENTS: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Butylphenyl Methyl Propional, Argania Spinoza Kernel Oil (Argan Oil), Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed ) Extract, Parfum (Fragrance), D&C Yellow-11, D&C Red-17, Benzyl Benzoate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Ingredients List for Organix

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Argania Spinoza

(Argan) Kernel Oil, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Parfum, CI 47000 (Yellow 11), CI 21600 (Red 17), Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool

Ingredients List for Tres Semme

Cyclopentasiloxane ,Isododecane,Dimethicone,Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil,Zea Mays Oil,Tocopherol,Dimethicone Crosspolymer,Lycopene,Parfum,Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone,Benzyl Alcohol,Benzyl Salicylate,Butylphenyl Methylpropional,Citronellol,Geraniol,Hexyl Cinnamal,Limonene,Linalool

Soap and Glory Make Yourself Youthful - Rejuvenating Serum Review

I have been craving this beauty ever since Sarah over at Seriously Shallow recommended it on her blog.  The main reason I love this so much is the packaging, could it be any prettier, it makes me happy every time I use it.

I picked this up at Boots for just £10 (the usual 1/3rd off Soap and Glory products offer.)  This is amazing value as you get 50 mls of it and it has a pump, so no nasty germies lurking around ready to create spots on your face.

The smell of this is lovely and fresh, it is a pink grapefruit style scent.  The texture is great, it is very silky yet not loaded with silicones, so it is thin enough to glide on without leaving any visible sign of it.  It feels very light on your skin and not at all greasy like some serums, so you can layer it with a SPF or night cream.

According to the literature it is jam packed with penta-peptides, which are the darlings of the beauty world right now.  This little beauty has as many as some of the best formulated, designer serums at a fraction of the price.  Plus, look at that packaging.

It also claims to -

• smooth surface imperfections, reduce depth of fine lines
• brighten, tone and tighten
• refine pores, recalibrate uneven skin tone

I LOVE this stuff, I will update this post in a month or tw when I can tell you how well it worked over the long term, but in the week since I bought it, I feel like my skin has already improved.

Buy it here for just £10.67, plus the Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean Cleanser is just £5.33 and the Ultimelt hot cloth cleanser is just £6.67.

Absolute bargain.

Superdrug Haul under £20

I have had a list as long as my arm for ages, of products I want to try or re-purchase but Superdrug and Boots have both been on 3 for 2 strike for too long.  In this dire situation there was nothing left for me to do but go on a budget beauty haul.  I absolutely cannot buy a product at full price when I know that sometime in the next month to 6 weeks I will effectively get a third off, and when you have as many beauty purchases as me, this adds up to quite a bit.

I went shopping looking for a jewel colours eye palette, some waterproof mascara, a face powder in my summer skin colour and an eyebrow pencil for lazy days.  Here is what I got

MUA Eyeshadow Palette in Poptastic

First I bought an eye palette from MUA, I was looking for a Sleek one but the colours in this one are better and it's half the price!  I love the quality of the shadows by MUA, there is only one major downside and that is the size of the individual colours, but at £4 I can't complain. I am really happy with this, and can't wait to wear the bright colours on holiday with a tan.  Full review to follow shortly.

Bourjois 1 Second Volume Waterproof Mascara

I hate the name, 1 second, really!!!  But I had heard good things about this mascara and the packaging is gorgeous.  I went for waterproof ready for my holiday as we spend most of the day in the pool when we are there, so I will give a full review post-holiday.  It has a very odd shaped brush but I have high hopes.  This was on sale at £7.99



MUA Pressed Powder

I had gone in to buy the Rimmel Stay Matte as it is my face powder of choice but when half the testers for the medium to dark shades were missing, I decided to try something new.  I looked at the powders on the MUA stand and they were only £1 each.  When I sampled it (yes MUA had samples, so there! Rimmel) it was really smooth, easily as smooth as high-end pressed powders and the colours were nice and yellow toned.  I decided that seen as they only cost £1, I would buy one in my current shade (I got no 3) and one for my holiday skin colour (no 4).  I figured I could also use the darker one as a subtle contour shade too in winter. The packaging is actually much better than the Rimmel or Maybelline equivalents and they blend in seamlessly. The only down point is the lack of powder puff, but I very rarely find you get one as standard these days even on an £8 or £9 powder.  I am really pleased with these and would happily pay more for them.

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil

I usually use Benefit Browzing in the colour "medium" for my eyebrows but sometimes, when I am in a rush or travelling I find it too much of a faff.  I was looking for something that I could just apply in a hurry and that had a brush on the other end for the removal of foundation/facepowder out of my brows.  This seemed the closest colour match I could find, the blonde ones were all too light and the dark ones, scary looking.  It was only £2.99 and it has a lovely consistency, not too waxy that it slides, but not so hard that it pulls and drags.  The only thing that slightly lets to down is having to sharpen it, but at least I will be able to get a nice sharp point on it.  I got in the colour hazel.


Garnier Ultra Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

Boring, Boring, Boring.... this was £2 something or another and looked like it would work (has an oily layer and a watery layer.)  I like that it is a small bottle, as it takes me a couple of years to get through a bottle by which point I am well and truly bored of the sight of it.  Apparently this particular one helps condition your lashes, I seriously doubt it, but for £2 who cares.  I like the purpley colour.  I think that its all I can say about it.

Overall I am ridiculously over-impressed by the items I got for just £20.  I feel I have some real bargains and lots of fresh new lovelies for my makeup drawer/holiday.

If you fancy reading my more full reviews of the MUA Poptastic Palette and the Mascara, follow me on Bloglovin to receive updates.

Leighton Denny Miracle Mist Review - Speed Dry.

While perusing the shelves of my nearest TK Maxx, I spotted this gem nestling between the endless swathes of shockingly bad Nails Inc colours.

I had been wanting to try a fast-dry spray, as they sound ideal for those nights out when you are rushed, but your nails look dreadful, so need the help of a quick coat of polish.

This retails for £11. But I bought it for £4 which I think is a much fairer price.  

You use it after you have applied the usual 2 coats of polish plus top coat (I used Seche Vite as always) by spraying a fine mist over your nails with your hand held in a claw like manner (very attractive)

It makes your nails touch dry almost immediately, which is usually enough to let you leave the house, as long as your careful. I have used this 3 times in the last week and it has meant I could get on with my day much more quickly

There really isn't much more to say about it, it does what it says.

Would I buy it again?

Yes at £4 or if it came in a bigger can.

June Empties

I love reading these posts on other peoples blogs as you get a quick summary review of a bunch of products you might otherwise not have tried.

Gok Wan Gorgeous Body Butter

I don't think I have ever been more satisfied to finish a product.  I am rubbish at applying body lotion/butter, this is probably because I have oily skin, so need to less than most, but obviously my feet (aaargggh) shins and forearms still need a good moisturise to look half decent.   I got this as a Christmas gift about 5 years ago, and only just got round to using it.  It is so old that they don't even stock it anymore! The age hasn't effected it one bit though.
I used most of the other products in the set quickly as they have a really lovely fragrance, but this just got left behind.  I find this is a really effective body butter, though it can leave your skin a little tacky for 15 mins or so afterwards, so maybe not one to apply before wearing a chiffon dress!

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes, if I ever run out of body moisturiser (this is incredibly unlikely though as I have about 8 currently circling the house looking for a dry spot to get smeared on.)

Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean

I am sure I have rattled on about this before.  This is my everyday cleanser since discovering the wonderful Caroline Hirons site.  It is a balm/cream cleanser and I use just 1 pump and massage into my face morning and night to remove makeup and skin products.  I find this does a great job and emulsifying the products so they can be easily wiped away with a warm muslin cloth.  The fruit acids in it also give it a bit extra oomph when it comes to exfoliation.  This can also be worn as a mask if you want so more deep cleansing.  It smells like peaches hence the name, but when I say it smells like peaches I mean it, not that sickly canned peach smell, more like bowl of peaches with that slightly musty dusty tang to them.  I only buy this when it is 3 for 2 or a third off so it works out at around £5 a bottle which I think is very reasonable.  I think this is a good budget choice of balm cleanser for us oily-skinned girls.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yep, and I have one in my spares drawer already

Soap and Glory Hand Food

Good old Hand Food, there really is nothing else to say about this.  "Is it the most astonishing hand cream ever?" as asked on the bottle, nope but it is good for the price and has that classic S&G scent.

Would I Buy It Again? Probably, though I slightly prefer the scent of the sanctuary one and the efficacy of the La Roche Posay Cicaplast.

Rimmel French Manicure Polish in Rose Praline

I do not like this, so I have thrown it out.  It is supposed to be a neutral for your nails, but has sparkle in it, Rubbish!  It also claims that it can last up to 10 days chip free, hmmm let me see, more like 10 hours, absolute pants.

Would I Buy It Again? No

Phyto Hydrating Mask

I got this in a gift set and thought it was going to be amazing, it has lovely packing like an old metal tooth paste tube and it has no silicones, but theta is where the positives end.  It does absolutely nothing for my bleached hair, it actually makes it worse I would say.  I have used this a handful of times and every time I have wished I hand't.  My hair looks like straw after using this, and it cannot be tamed by either straighteners or serum.

Would I Buy It Again? Hell No

Alien by Thierry Mugler

I was gutted when this ran out, because I didn't realise I was on my last spray.  The bottle is quite opaque and also heavy so I thought I had quite a bit left.  This smells lovely for an evening it has jasmine, Amber and a slight floral smell.  I always judges Mr Mugler's scents to be a teenage and downmarket, but this one is gorgeous.  It isn't a summer scent at all, but in winter I adore it.  I had been using it for holidays only so that the smell reminded me of good times, it seems to have worked.

Would I Buy It Again? Definitely.  It is on my list as we speak, are your listening Mr Lego, it's only £26 at the moment?

Aussie - Aussome Volume

I'm sure I have mentioned this before, if not, I love this.  It's super concentrated so a little goes a long way, it cleans like no bodies business and leaves my hair soft and light. It is nearly always on 3 for £10 so I stock up on this and the 3 minute miracle every couple of months.  This is my Holy Grail Shampoo.

Would I Buy It Again? I already have.

Disney Detangling Spray

I bought this for my 2 girls as both have long hair and have started to look after it themselves (with a bit of help.)  They use this after washing to help brush their hair through, it is very lightweight which is great at the 7 year old has incredibly fine hair like me.  I found this a godsend on holiday when they spend 6 hours at a time in the pool each day.  This stops their hair turning into a crispy mess.  My middle child particularly likes the Rapunzel picture on the bottle and it smells lovely and fruity.  The eldest just likes that it gets her dreaded knots out.

Would I Buy It Again?  Currently in the process of trying to find the same one, we have others but this is their favourite (and mine), it was only £1 in Poundworld/Land whatever...

I'm pretty sure there was more than this, but I am extra specially terrible at remembering to keep all my empties together.

Revlon Matte Balms Review - Gosh They're Bright!

I have heard such a lot about the Revlon Matte Balms, mainly from Miss Budget Beauty, however, I wasn't sure if they would be for me as I don't like bright lips on me. I think it makes my face look unbalanced, so I rarely wear a bold colour.

The reason I succumbed in the end was that they were 2 for £10 at Boots, so I would get 2 rolls of the flattering-lip-colour dice for only £10.  I bought them in the shades Sultry and Standout.

The packaging is pretty standard lip crayon packaging with a twist up bottom (hurrah for no sharpeners).  They smell slightly minty so nothing offensive.  The texture feels smooth and glides on really well without any dragging which a lot of other lipsticks suffer from.

The main point about these though is that they are ridicously pigmented, they make my deep red Chanel lipstick look wishy washy in comparison. On my first attempt I put on WAY to much and scared the bejesus out of myself. I then got busy with a strong makeup remover. My second foray into the the matte balm world was more successful.  I have found that if I apply around a tenth of the amount I usually would and blend in, then they make a great base for my lip glosses.  Both colours provide a nice depth of colour to my lips and a bit of moisture.  I can then apply the gloss of my choice without worrying that the moment all the gloss has evaporated away to wherever excess lip gloss goes, I won't be left with completely makeup free lips.  

I imagine the point of these was for them to be matte, hence the name, but for me, they are just great lip stains.

I have pretty much always taken a two pronged approach to lip products anyway as I find that must products give either too much or too little coverage.  I also find the colours to be just out also.  I like something warm yet with enough blue in it to make my teeth look whiter, which is a pretty hard thing to pull off.

I imagine that as the end becomes more blunted you may have to be a bit more careful applying these as the colour is so dark that you couldn't apply without a mirror, as I would usually with a lip crayon.

Here is me in Sultry with no gloss (not terrible) and then with the excess removed with a tissue and with gloss on top (much better, phew!)  The gloss is Rimmel Stay Glossy in Stay My Rose. 

And here is Standout, which most certainly lives up to it's name.  Please excuse the kitchen picture the light is pants in my house at 11am, so I have to take photos in bizarre places, hence the green coloured kitchen (it isn't green honestly!). I DO NOT like this colour at all.  So I have followed it with a picture of it applied as a stain with Tanya Burr Picnic in The Park Gloss on top.

Arrrgghhhhh!

So all in all, I am really happy with these but not for the reason for which they were intended, still though, £10 well spent.

Revlon Matte Balms - 4 stars - they are moisturising and super pigmented so will last a long time and well priced. I prefer Sultry btw...

TAG: Would You Rather? The Beauty Edition

I love a good Tag, so when Sarah at Seriously Shallow tagged me, I obviously felt the need to join in.

So here we go...

Would you rather lose all of your mascaras, eyeliners, lipsticks and lip gloss or lose all of your palettes and eyeshadows?

Easy peasy, mascaras, eyeliners, lipsticks and glosses can wing there way to a bottomless pit.  I don’t wear expensive mascara as it has to be replaced so regularly and I have never found any high end lipsticks that delivered better than high-street so my money always goes on eye-makeup.

Would you rather chop all of your hair off or never be able to cut it again?

I could NEVER chop off all my hair, I have the worlds worst shaped head and face, so it is really not an option for me.  I even look weird in a ponytail.

Would you rather have coral cheeks or pink cheeks?

Coral, Every time. I have some pink blushers for the depths of winter, but it's not my go-to shade.

If you had £1000 to spend would you rather buy clothes or make up?

Clothes, as cheap make up can look really good with clever application, the same can’t be said for clothes.  I would buy a few investment pieces to make my wardrobe more polished.

Would you rather apply lipstick as eyeliner or eyeliner as lipstick?

Who came up with these questions?  Why would I do either?  It would have to be eyeliner as lipstick, but it wouldn’t be my everyday eyeliner as I don’t think I can style out dark lips.

Would you rather only shop at MAC or Sephora?

Sephora, the holy grail of beauty stores.  I like MAC, don’t get me wrong, but Sephora has so much more choice.

Would you rather use one eyeshadow colour or one lip colour for the rest of your life?

One lip colour, definitely.  I can never find decent lipsticks/glosses etc.. anyway.  I know what colour I want but I can never find it, so I regularly have a pretty low key lip colour, I think I look dreadful in brights.

Would you rather wear winter clothes in Summer or Summer clothes in Winter?

I hate the feeling of wearing more clothes than needed, you will often find me in flip-flops in Autumn and other improbable combinations due to my hatred of having too much on.  When I was a kid I would do most anything to not have to wear a coat and cardigans wear the devil invention.  So I would definitely say Summer clothes in Winter, as I’m Northern and therefore used to going out in a mini dress while it’s snowing.

Would you rather have dark nails or bright nails all year round?

Darkety Dark Dark.  I love Chanel Rouge Noir, still after at least 10 years, it’s my favourite nail colour.

Would you rather give up your favourite lip colour or your favourite eye product?

Favourite Lip Product, as I mentioned I am never 100% happy with lip products anyway.

Would you rather only be able to wear your hair in a pony or a messy bun?

Messy BUN! I look heinous in a ponytail.  Even to go to Zumba I wear a slightly scruffy pony tail as I look very interesting in a slicked back ponytail.

Would you rather never be able to paint your nails again or never use lipgloss?

Never use lip gloss, I love being able to paint my nails, I would do it more often if the removal of said polish didn’t damage my nails so much.

Would you rather shave your eyebrows and have none at all or sharpie them in every day?

Ha Ha, I accidentally shaved off part of an eyebrow once when I was 11.  I was using my Dad’s beard trimmer to trim my fringe (as you do) and I slipped and shaved a big chunk of my eyebrow off.  I figured that it would be better to have none than to have a chunk missing (really!!??) and so I gave the Kristen McEnenemy look a go.  Needless to say it was a schoolday that I will not forget easily.  So I will be Sharpieing my Eyebrows in obviously (please God let it be brown not black though)

Would you rather live without make up or nail polish?

Nail Polish.  I am a serious makeup addict.  I do go out without make up (well okay with just mascara) but not often and mainly on holiday.  

Well that was bizarre, I hope I never have to make most of these makeup decisions in real life.

5 Product Face

Today is Sunday so I am not in the mood for a full face of makeup, I thought that this is an ideal time to she you my minimal makeup look.

This is what I choose to wear when I'm in rush in the mornings.  With 3 kids to get up and ready for school/nursery, mornings can be a bit rushed at times, but I am not the kind of women who leaves the house without makeup (well not usually anyway)

This is great look for travelling too, when you don't want to take a full make up kit.

The products I have used are available on any high street and are good multitaskers.  You will recognise a couple from previous posts as they truly are the Best-of-the-Best when it comes it to performance. I would give everyone one of these products a gold star.

Here is me first thing after cleansing, toning and applying sunscreen, so far, so bland...

• I applied the Revlon Colorstay in Nude 100 to all of my face with my fingers and buffed in with a brush, I then applied a bit extra under my eyes to lighten the area.

• I then used the L'Oreal Infallible Liner in Chocolate Addict to fill my brows.

• Next I used the Maybelline Color Tattoo in On-and-On Bronze all over my lids and blended it up slightly from the socket.  This is a really pretty shade and I always get a lot of compliments when I wear it.  I lined my eyes with the same liner I used for my brows and then blended the two together to create a bit of depth.

• I finished my eyes with a coat of L'Oreal False Lash Telecsopic  I have mentioned this mascara before, it is so good at giving a lot of length with just one decent application.

• I used the Revlon Lip Butter in Macaroon on my lips and then dotted it on my cheeks to give some warmth to the look.

And that is all.

Less than 5 minutes and I look a bit more defined and tidier.  I think this is a good look for those who are just beginning to wear makeup or like a more natural look, this is the kind of look my Husband likes, he (like most men I know) like a make up look that is just a better version of reality, rather than a different you)

The foundation and mascara are both the top end of the high street but still, the whole looks costs less than £40.

• Revlon Colorstay £9.49 on offer

• L'Oreal Infallible Liner £5.19

• Maybelline Color Tattoo £4.99

• L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic £10.99

• Revlon Lip Butter £5.99 on offer

L'Oreal Revitalift Magic Blur Review

Who doesn't want to look like they have been photoshopped in real life? I was on the lookout for a new primer after my pores had started to become more noticeable and so when I saw this advertised I figured it was worth a try.  

I had a bit of time to kill in Cork whilst away on a mini-break and so I hit Boots. Luckily they had a tester out, so I could see what the texture was like before buying.  I tried this on the back of one hand and Benefit's The Porefessional on the back of the other.  They are remarkably similar products, but L'Oreals is MUCH cheaper.   I also tried the Baby Skin version from Maybelline which was just a basic silicone primer. I tried to take a photo, to show you, but my camera doesn't photo skin very well, and I just ended up with 2 photos of my horrid hands.

L'Oreal claims that this blurs fine lines and pores while providing a matte texture and it does exactly that.  It reminds me of the Clinique Pore Minimiser but easier to apply and with no tint.  

I have only been using this for a few days so I can't say whether long term use might result in breakouts but I can tell you it works.  If like me you are getting the first signs of ageing and would like your skin to look more flawless and less shiny then I reckon you will like this.  I also feel it helps control oil which is a big plus for me.

I wear it on top of my La Roche Posay Antihelios XL tinted sunscreen and then apply Revlon Colorstay on top.  This results in a matte-yet-fresh finish, which is as close to real skin like as I can get, while still getting good coverage for my uneven skin tone.

The Revitalift Magic Blur is currently on offer at boots with a 1/3rd off so it cost just £8.66 for 30ml.  As a comparison Benefit's The Porefessional is £24.50 for 22ml. 

There is another version of this which is a daytime moisturiser that claims it has retinol in, which as I'm sure you know I love.  However it is Retinyl Palminate which is a lower potency version of retinol and so I doubt it is much more than a marketing gimmick.

L'Oreal Revitalift Magic Blur - 4 stars (I have left a star off for the pants packaging, I would have preferred a pump.)

Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Foundation Review

I received a sample of this new foundation which promises to improve your skin while providing coverage.

I couldn't dislike it more.

After the disappointment of their Matte Maker Powder, I has hoped that this would be a great new foundation to add to my collection as I tend to like products with names like "superstay", I was so wrong.

I am going to list the ways in which it fails for me;

• Awful/dreadful application - this drags on instead of gliding, it catches in every pore and imperfection, I needed to get very busy with the buffing brush to get this to look even.

• Indifferent finish - neither matte enough to stop shine nor dewy enough to look fresh.

• Feels greasy on the skin - I put this on an hour ago, and it still feels greasy (I will be taking it off very shortly)
• Minimal Coverage - this didn't a terrible job of covering my hype-pigmentation, you can see nearly all my natural skin tone, which is not what I wanted at all!
• No SPF - seriously, none!

This picture unfortunately doesn't show how bad this is, if you click on it
maybe you will be able to see the full sized version which shows how it looks in real life.

I won't comment on the colour as I was unable to get a proper colour match as it was a sample so I will not judge it on this. If your interested the colour I got was Cameo.

Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Foundation 2 stars ( as it apparently photographs better than it looks in reality)