New Concealer to try from Maybelline!

If you read my blog regularly, you will know my love for concealers (see a post here) & hiding my under eye circles!  Yes, I seem to mention them rather a lot! (Sorry!)

Anyway, I don't know where I heard about it first, but I noticed somewhere that Maybelline Eraser Eye, which I adore, had a few different colours out & of course, I had to try it!  

So, I purchased their 'brightener' shade.   And yes, it does what it says on the tin! 

Other colours are - 
Nude
Light (my regular shade)
Honey
Neutralizer (may try that next!)

I made the mistake of putting on far too much on my first attempt to use it!  It is a pinky shade & looked very bright.

However, having applied it properly since, the product does give really good coverage & makes you look rather refreshed.  It blends in really well with my blending sponge & feels smooth on your skin & not at all drying like some concealers can.  And because it is a 'brightener' shade, you can use it as a highlighter wherever you want to highlight! (Great on cheekbones & nose!)

Priced at £8.99, I feel this is a pretty competitive price for a quality concealer!

This 'eraser eye' does of course have a drawback like my regular shade does....you get through it way too quickly!!  It's just fab!


Bee x 



Side note: Currently on Boots website all Maybelline products are on 3 for 2. Go, go, go! 



   

A Bargain Highlighter by Essence

People always say that you get what you pay for & that of course can be very true, but sometimes some products can surprise you.  And I've definitely been surprised by a new highlighting palette by Essence.

I received this in a beauty box but the Essence brand can be purchased in Wilkinsons.  It is the bargain price of only £3.00!  Amazing!   It is called 'Light Up Your Face' Luminizer palette.

It has 3 different shades - 
The first is a nude highlighter, which is very sheer with a slight glow.
The second is a rose shimmery shade.
The third is a beige/bronze pearly highlighter.

On the back of the palette is a guide to where best to apply each shade, which is very handy! 

The colour pay off is actually really quite good & gives a subtle sheen & shimmer in all the right places! 

Have you ever tried any Essence makeup?  What do you think?

Bee x 

The Contents of my Face: My Summer Look

I've recently come back from a lovely holiday on the Greek island of Rhodes & I'm loving having a bit of a tan.  So, I thought I'd share with you how I changed up my makeup on holiday & how I've kept up this look while I still have my tan! 

Having a more sunkissed look means you need to change your base & make the most of that 'glow'.  So, I went for a gorgeous radiant primer by Studio 10 called 'Glow2Go'.  

It says it's a 'youth lift glow-plexion', which gives such a boost to your skin.  It can be worn on it's own or as a highlighter, but it can also be mixed with your foundation.  It has such a lovely light bronzy colour - not at all glittery - & the texture is creamy & feels really comfortable on your skin.  It contains anti-aging properties (that's always great!), hyaluronic acid & vitamins C & E.  It is a really great product. I definitely recommend you try it!

Now, as I say, 'Glow2Go' can be mixed with a foundation & as it's summer, I wanted a lighter base, so I used Rimmel's 'Instaflawless'. 

 I used this product last summer too & find it great to even out my skintone.  It isn't too heavy either, so no chance of covering up your tan.  Rather, it adds to it, giving you a natural glow - yes, I'm all about that 'glow'!!

'Instaflawless' contains SPF 15, provides 24hr moisturisation & really brightens your skin.  I played it safe & chose the shade light-medium & at only £6.99, it really is a bargain! (And a little goes a long way too!) 

Finally, to give my summer face a really bronzed look, I went for another product by Rimmel.  It's their 'Radiance Brick'. 

 As you can probably tell by the photos, this bronzing powder is getting a lot of love right now! 

It's a multi-tone powder graduating from a light highlighter shade down to a deep bronze.  It is so easy to use, without going overboard.  The colours are so lovely that you definitely don't look orange, just gorgeously tanned! 

It comes in 2 shades, but as I'm quite fair naturally, I went again for 001 light.  That way, once my tan has faded, I will still be able to use it without looking 'false'.  Perfect! 

How do you change up your makeup for the summer? 

Right, anyone fancy taking me on holiday?  My tan is fading!

Bee x 

For more 'Contents of my Face', see here & here   

How to get yourself fabulous thick tresses with OGX

As previous posts will show, I do anything to have thick luxurious locks!  Well, a few weeks ago in my local Boots, I was on the lookout for a new shampoo & conditioner combo & I found 'Strength & Body + Bamboo Fiber-full' by OGX*.

These shampoo & conditioners contain bamboo fibers & soy proteins to give your hair body & strength.

On first use, I noticed straight away once I had dried my hair, that it appeared thicker & felt really soft.  And since then after every use I've not been disappointed!  I've finished the conditioner & I have a small amount of the shampoo left.

They do have quite a 'perfume-y' fragrance which I'm not a total fan of, but nevertheless this has not put me off.  And I'm so pleased with the results of my hair, that I would definitely purchase again.

So, do you want thick, strong & healthy hair?  Look no further than OGX!

Bee x  

*Currently on off at Boots - 2 for £10

A bit of Radiance by Codage Paris

Who would like radiant skin?  I know I would & now, I think I've found it! 

As readers of my blog will know, the majority of the year I'm a bit pale & tend to fake my glow with more than a few strokes of my bronzing brush! 

Well, now I can get a bit of radiance without the need of makeup.  It is serum no. 3 radiance & energy by Codage Paris.

From the first time I used it, I did really notice a difference in my skin.  It's very hydrating but not heavy (it won't break you out - it's so light & not oily).  It really brightened my complexion & smelt amazing too! It also has anti-aging properties - which is great with me!

I've only been trying a small sample bottle but as you only need a few drops, it seems to last for ages! 

There is a drawback though - to me, it is on the pricey side, which has got me thinking....do I splurge as my skin is looking really healthy & radiant at the moment? Or...do I save in the hope of finding a cheaper alternative?

What do you think?  Have you tried this product before? I'd love to know your thoughts! 

Bee x  

Fresher Skin with Rimmel

I always love trying out foundations and so I thought I would give you my thoughts on my latest one! 

When I was a teenager I didn't have the greatest skin and the faint scars that I still have all these years later are a reminder of those days when I would try any product that, a) I could use to hide those horrid spots & b) could afford!  And one brand that was always guaranteed to be the most affordable at the time was...Rimmel!

And here we have come full circle.  Again, I am trying a foundation by Rimmel.  It's called 'Fresher Skin' & I must admit, while it brings back memories of when I first got into makeup, at least I don't need quite as much coverage! 

I have seen a review on this foundation on YouTube saying it gives patchy results but I personally think that the lady had very dry skin, so maybe it wasn't the best for her.  However, I have combination skin, so was interested to see if it would make a difference on me.  I will get into that in a moment, but firstly here's the lowdown on this foundation....

It apparently comes in six shades (I think there was only about four in my local store), it contains aloe vera, chamomile and sea algae and also has an SPF of 15.  The size of the product is 25ml and comes in a little cute glass pot, which is very different for Rimmel as they normally have their foundations in tubes.  It says on the front that this foundation is breathable, with a natural finish, shine free and doesn't clog pores.  It also comes in at a reasonable price of £7.49. (current offer is 2 selected Rimmel products for £10 at Boots)

Now, here's what I think!

On first opening it smells very fresh and clean which must be from the natural ingredients.  I've never had that sort of smell from a foundation before (it's more like skincare) and it really is lovely! 

After applying the product on the skin it feels as fresh as it smells, it's very lightweight but also buildable if you want a bit more coverage.

It does seem to wear well (it didn't go patchy on me) but if I want it to be extra perfect and not move at all in any natural lines then I just apply a primer underneath.

Rimmel says that it leaves you shine free; well, I never think any foundations are totally perfect.  However, I will say I didn't look totally shiny by the end of the day, just maybe a tiny bit on my nose - but nothing that a bit of powder won't fix!

All in all, I think this foundation is really good and good value for money.  I think the shade I chose (I went for 103 True Ivory) is pretty close to what I would currently use.  And if I did need to adjust I could mix it with another in the range.  So, yep, well done Rimmel!  A really good product and if I could bottle the fragrance that's in the foundation I would!  It definitely does what it says on the 'tin' - it gives you 'Fresher Skin'!

Have you got a foundation that I should try?  Let me know! 

Bee x     

My In-Flight Essentials

It's a new year and if you didn't go away during the holiday season I'm sure you will be thinking about or planning your next holiday in the coming months.  So, I thought I would share with you what I take in my carry-on bag for the flight!  

First of all, you need to decide on the bag itself.  I always have a small cross-body bag for my purse, passport etc., but the main bag itself is a small case on wheels (within the size guidelines of the airline) from the brand ITLuggage which I purchased from Primark.  And it is perfect to wheel along (has 4 wheels) in the airport instead of lugging a heavy bag on your shoulder!

Now, onto what to take! 

Two main essentials that I wouldn't risk skipping on, especially if you go on a long haul flight are a big blanket style scarf (I purchased this 

from New Look in a sale - it actually doubles up as a kaftan/robe) which is great if you feel cold or want to wrap up to snooze on the flight and a travel pillow (mine is from Primark) which again, is great for nodding off & not ending up with a stiff neck! 

Other essentials I would definitely recommend are headphones - there is nothing worse than being on a long flight & having the airlines own uncomfortable headphones rammed into your ears for several hours trying desperately to enjoy your in-flight films - so bring your own comfy headphones - they are a must!  Mine are from Ebay - so they don't have to be expensive!

And another essential if films aren't enough to entertain you, is a good book (two I'm currently loving are by Joan Khurody & Cressida McLaughlin) or magazines. 

For beauty essentials, some people do go the 'whole hog' and give themselves an in-flight facial, but if you are like me and find being without makeup in public truly horrific then these few bits are all you need....

Lip Balm - Your lips will get dry while in the air and some of the best around are, Vaseline lip tins, Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula (tinted balms are great if you are skipping lipstick), Burt's Bees, Aloe Lips (blog post here) & eos. (blog post here)

Shine Control Powder Sheets - To stop shine & to look fresh on landing.  These from Superdrug are cheap, cheerful & do the job! 

Hand Cream - Like your lips, your hands are bound to get dry, so slather it on!   Great brands include Soap & Glory Hand Food & Palmers Coconut Oil Formula.  Both are very rich & moisturising.

Hand Gel - As well as keeping your hands moisturised with hand cream, you also need to keep them clean!  There are always pesky germs flying about even at several thousand feet in the air, so it is vital to bring a hand gel along.  I particularly like mini ones from Bath & Body Works but ones by Cuticura here in the UK are great also.

Finally, before I forget, another tip worth remembering is to take a spare set of clothes and underwear (swimwear and sunglasses too if going somewhere hot!) as you never know if your main suitcase will be delayed or go missing!*

*Side note - Obviously never pack jewellery, money, phone, tablet or chargers in your main case!! 

So, that's about it! 

Have you got a trip planned for this year?  I hope my list of essentials will help you pack easier but if all else fails there's one essential you most definitely can't be without.....

your passport!!

Bee x