Steal of the Week


Let's talk Blog sales! 

Now if you are normal and by that I mean a 'non-blogger' you probably won't of even seen a blog sale/won't have a clue what I'm talking about. But if you are a Beauty Blogger you mostly likely know and have probably seen many a item with SOLD next to it, thinking you would of bought it if only you had got there first or had even known about it. 

You see that is the thing with beauty blog sales - there are lots of them always going on, selling an amazing range of new or slightly used makeup but it's just being there when one pops up....and lucky for moi last week I was sat at my laptop reading through a few blogs when Mercedez over at Reigning Beauties held a blog sale!

So lucky for me I picked up the CID i-bronze in Rio for an amazing £5 inc p&p were as it normally retails for £22!
  
Arghh swooshed my finger across it before taking the photo!

Now it may vey well be down to the price that I got it for but I am already a mitten kitten... even though it is WAY to dark for my non-tanned skin. 
Which means so far I have only looked at it lovingly and swatched it on the back of my hand wishing it would hurry up and be summer already. I'm just amazed at the quality. 

I know this will be perfect for my fake tanned (natural looking of course) skin come June with a nice big fluffy brush. 

My own amazing steal of the week 
aside, feel free to tell me your best EVER blog sale buy!


SHARE:

Who Bees The Fairest Of Them All



Afew months ago I remember receiving an e-mail about the upcoming Burt's Bees Mirror Diaries and to be honest I discarded it, as it frankly all sounded a bit on the odd side.

However yesterday I was reminded of it again when I read a blog post by the beautiful Alice stating that she was the first Mirror Diary girl! Very fab indeed.
So basically she will be filming daily video diaries of her experience with the Burt's Bees Anti Blemish range on that wonderful contraption you see above... amazing hey! 

I'm sure Alice won't mind me saying but she does suffer with her skin and at 27 she still is finding spots a problem (much like millions of other women around the world). Which makes her an ideal candidate to test out the anti-blemish range.



Alice is already on Day 5 of her series - but you can catch up on everything at the Mirror Diaries website.

I have already watched all of the videos and have to say she really is a natural behind the camera (or should I say behind the Bee's Mirror) and is giving such a good insight into all the different products she has been using. It does really help if you watch in HD though...so you can will be able to see if the products are working or not! 

There will be other series after the Anti Blemish range that Alice is reviewing, so far they have mentioned a 24hr Body Lotion and a Radiance series and they are still looking for the reviewer...so if you think you could sit in front of the quirky Burt's Bees mirror every single day (in your own home of course) then you can apply here.

To be honest I really don't think I could...I would end up rambling on about something totally unrelated or mentioning another brand I liked!


From thinking the Mirror Diaries was a slightly stupid idea at first I am really enjoying watching and getting a proper idea of each product... more so than an individual review! 

Make sure to check out Alice doin' her thang and even drop her a question or two.  

SHARE:

Biotherm Skincare Kit from Beauty Expert


To be honest I rarely purchase anything like this as I do genuinely like my high street skincare and have always been happy with lower-end products.


Though I am always tempted by two things - samples sizes and a bargain! Which is what the Biotherm Biopur Aquatrio Kit for Oily skin is. This little kit (with a choice of 3 kits for  different skin types) comes with three different products totalling 80ml and a £5 off voucher for £9.50 inc free delivery. 
I'll put the link to all three kits at the bottom of the post.

The Biopur Aquatrio Kit for Oily Skin set includes - 


Biopur Pore Reducing Moisturiser 20ml
A purifying lightweight cream to reduce the appearance of visible pores while refining & balancing oily & shiny skin.

Biopur Pore Reducing Cleansing Gel 20ml
A deeply cleansing gel to unblock pores, remove impurities while reducing the appearance of enlarged pores & balancing excessively oily, shiny skin.

Biopur Pore Reducing Toner 30ml
A mildly exfoliating & purifying toner to remove impurities, reduce the appearance of enlarged pores & traces of make-up.

Plus £5 off your next Biotherm order. 
How I've found the kit so far - I can't give much feedback yet as I only started using the products about 3 days ago but I am already on the fence about the kit - but the thing is I quite like the products but the kit seems to have just been thrown together. 

Read on by clicking 'next'...

SHARE:

Kirsten Dunst, Aslan & Bulgari Perfume....oh my!


It's not often that I see an advert and just think 'wow' but the new Bulgari perfume ad literally stopped me in my tracks!

But the thing that got me the most was the lion wasn't digitally input into the images - they used a real one!! 
Yes, totally real and here are the behind the scenes pics to prove it!  

Source - Bulgari
What an amazing ring!
After finding out Kirsten Dunst was the new face for Bulgari's new perfume Mon Jasmin Noir earlier this month I have been dying to see the images as I absolutely loved there last ad featuring Julianne Moore. But I think this may just of topped it. I mean really how beautiful and radiant does Kirsten look in these images. 

The campaign images were shots in at Villa Balbianello in Lake Como, Italy by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott. 


Would love to know what you think of the new ad!


SHARE:

Face Mask Friday!


 Still taking the natural route with face masks I wanted to show you possibly my most favourite mask ever with an impressive 99.6% natural ingredients! 

Yes To Tomatoes Total Treatment Facial Mask 50ml
For Oily/Combination Skin

The blurb on the back - This treatment mask is a total deep pore treatment that, refine, purifies and even moisturizes your skin, whilst keeping your complexion clean, clear and balanced. Filled with potent anti-oxidants that fight free radicals and bursting with powerful sebum absorbers.


Applying the mask...
The mask is quite an odd consistency - it is clay based but feels thicker than a clay mask but smooth and it meant to be applied quite thinly so you only need a small grape sized blob for the whole face. The mask does set within a minute or two and is only meant to be left on for 5 minutes, which makes it  ideal for putting on because a shower and washing off while you're in there. 

As for the scent - I really haven't got a clue what it is...maybe avocado..but definitely not tomatoes. Though it is quite subtle and natural smelling.
 

The Results...
The reason why I love the mask so much is that it really controls the oil on my face especially on down my T-zone and basically balances out my skin. The mask is perfect for use in the morning before applying makeup as it leaves the skin perfectly matte and actually glowing. 
I also find it controls the oiliness for quite afew days after use which is why I think it's so fab.

It also seems to help the appearance of any spots by making them appear less angry looking and definitely does tighten pores especially around the nose. 

Obviously the downside to it is the price - personally as I know the results I am very happy to re-purchase this time and time again. Though I did only decide to buy the full sized version after trying the mini sample size in a Yes To Tomatoes Mini set (£10 for 4 mini products), which I think it s a good idea before splashing £11 on the full tub. 


Personally this is the best mask I have used for combination skin. 
 

SHARE:

Out on Display - A New Feature on Makeup Savvy


A month or so ago I showed you what beauty products I had around my home and a lot of you commented on how it was always interesting to see what other people used and how they displayed there products. 

So I thought I'd show you some snippets of the same kind of thing from different websites I love to read. 
I'm also thinking of making 'Out on Display' a regular feature on Makeup Savvy and would really love your input (yes, you!). The full details are at the bottom of this post - but if you own a camera and like to display your beauty products in a nice way then I would love to hear from you so I can post the pictures here on my blog.
 
(Source)
My main source of nosiness comes from Into The Gloss which has a mix of content. But my favourite feature has to be The Top Shelf  showcasing the beauty shelves of beauty editors, models and basically lots of cool people! 
My other source has to be the Home Tours on Made By Girl  not only are all the interiors to die for, but they normally include a little glimpse of the owner's bathroom shelf or vanity area. And just for when I need an Interior lust fix I head to Desire to Inspire - nothing to do with beauty but a such great site for home inspiration. Also if you are a bit of an animal lover you should find there Pets on Furniture feature adorable! 

Anyway back to more beauty related subjects...

(Source)
Isn't this a great idea! I mean beside from the small fact I don't own a coffee table and my boyfriend wouldn't love the idea of an array of nail polish in the living room, it's an ingenious idea! But I'm thinking a little tea saucer with my favourite/most used nail polishes could work on my bedside table.

If I can find a nice saucer I shall have to take a pic and show you the results.

(Source)
Love that tray for perfumes and just look at that beautiful collection -  I think the lid of a hat box painted white could definitely give a similar effect.

(Source)

How to submit photos to 'Out on Display' and the Requirements

Really simple - If have have a beautiful array of perfumes, nail polish or beauty products then I want to see. Of course I'm not expecting amazing products set in amazing interiors! It's all about having a real life look of other people's beautiful things after all. 
Feel free to send your pictures to - makeupsavvy@live.co.uk

As for requirements...
  • Nothing smaller than 400x300 (don't worry about re-sizing them, they can be huge I really don't mind)
  • No Flash - It sounds picky but flash never makes anything look nice. 
  • The more detail the better - a whole pic and a close up would be fab.
  • Taking the pictures in daylight is always best. 
  • Feel free to send just the one image or as many as you like. 
  • Make sure to include your blog address or name if you don't have a blog so that I can link back to you when I post the pictures.

 I really hope a few of you can get involved with this! 

SHARE:

Yes, the No7 vouchers are back AGAIN!


Actually getting sick of mentioning these now as it's just becoming a constant offer! 
But of course I'm not complaining.

Basically spend over £5 in store at Boots and you will receive a £5 voucher (much like the one above - just a different colour) that you can spend on any Ruby & Millie or No7 products. I'm sure you all get it by now. 

You have until 27th March to spend the vouchers. 

If you are needing some ideas on what you spend you're vouchers on check out my guide on How To Spend You're No7 Vouchers

I will be stocking up on - The black gel eyeliner from the spring collection (highly recommended by Tanya Burr), a new Quick cover Blemish Stick (as I'm running out) and some more brushes! 
Also maybe some nail polishes, but shhh I am on a ban.


Oh and they are also giving away a free eye palette* with every purchase of the new Exquisite Curl mascara. 
*Because they couldn't get rid of them all in the last offer!


SHARE:

The Manual Clarisonic: Botanics Face Brush


Quite a bold claim hey? Before using this I would of thought so as well. I mean how can a little wooden brush costing £6.10 even be compared to a £180 Sonic skin cleansing system! It really does seem ridiculous but just hear me out and you may see what I mean. 

Around three months ago now just before Christmas I was at the Dentist waiting aimlessly for my check-up. So in this time I decided to flick through all the rubbish magazines (I don't know why I never think of taking my own to read) anyway so after flicking through around 3 magazines all aimed at the over 50's, I picked up a magazine all about dentistry (I mean I couldn't read any worse really, it was that or Golfer's World) though I found a slightly interesting looking article all about, yep you guessed it - Oral health. 
 
The whole article was about how people fail to see the point of brushing there teeth properly and only tend to spend 30 seconds on brushing there teeth instead of the recommended 2 minutes.  


The interesting part came from a little interview with a dentist asking which is better a manual toothbrush or an electronic one. He basically said with all the studies done on the lack of time spent on teeth cleaning he would recommend an electronic one to most patients as it's the best thing to get the most results and cleaning done in such a sort amount of time. But he couldn't argue that if someone did a thorough job with a manual toothbrush that they would see the same results as using an electric toothbrush and therefore wouldn't need one! 

So boring teeth aside - That is basically how I look at cleansing! I really do think alot of people over look thoroughly cleansing the face at night and by that I mean really removing all traces of makeup, dirt and pollution so that the skin and pores are totally clean. Of course the Clarisonic is amazing as it totally cleans the face within a minute. But that is all it does - it cleans the face for £180 and I was almost sure I could clean my face just as well with a manual version of it.

Before purchasing the Botanics Face Brush from Boots I really did think I washed my face properly but I made sure never to over do it as most scrubs would leave my face really red.
But now with my nifty little brush I can swoosh it around my face for up to 5 minutes (for a deep cleanse) if I so chose.

Ok, less rambling and more about the product now!

How to use the Botanics Face Brush


Carry on reading to see the results...


SHARE:

Blogger Spotlight over at Beauty UK!


I was lucky enough to be asked to be the first blogger in the spotlight feature. 

So would really love if you could check it out here!  

Make sure to tell me what you think! 

Fee xo. 
SHARE:

Sally Hansen Kwik Off - The Best Glitter Nail Polish Remover!



I spoke about the Sally Hansen Kwik Off Nail Polish Remover months and months ago just as a general remover that also removed glitter polishes really well. 

However I don't think I did it much justice really and definitely didn't stress how this is the only thing that removes glitter polish easily! 

I now only use it just for removing glitter nail polish and use a regular nail polish remover for other polishes. Mainly as it is very drying on the nails and skin (even though it is acetone free it is still very strong) so I couldn't use it as my main remover. Though when I do use glitter polish I know that will remove it in seconds rather than 5 minutes or sometimes even more!
 
So I thought the only way to show you how good it is at removing glitter nail polish was to show you using different brands of nail polish that most of you will have used in the past and most likely know how hard they are to remove.

To make it fair I applied all the polishes till they were opaque - so some took 2 coats and others took 4 coats (just to make it more realistic). 
Also I only put my finger into the pot for less than 30 seconds with each finger. 


*Please do excuse my awful stained nails - I would do something about it but I never don't wear nail polish (so I don't really see the point) which is why my nails are stained in the first place. So ugly though!*


Models Own - Magenta Divine

 

Barry M - Red Glitter 

 

China Glaze - Doll House 
 
 

OPI - Bring On The Bling
 


Barry M - Once Upon A Time

All the nail polishes above are normally so hard to remove with normal bottled nail polish remover, so I use to rarely use them in the past - large pieces of glitter seem to be the absolute worst - China Glaze Doll House was so bad that I found chipping it off to be the best solution!

However Sally Hansens Kwik Off removes it in literally seconds. 


Afterwards it is vital to apply cuticle oil or a good hand cream as it is so drying and will result in nasty cuticles and even flaky nails over time. So it really is a MUST. 

As for how long the pot lasts - it can get abit grubby looking quite quickly and the sponge does have a tendency to split (though turning the sponge upside down does help). But I find it still works as well and lasts months if you only use it for removing glitter nail polish.

I originally bought my first pot from TK Maxx however I know it can be hit and miss - so Ebay is your best bet (here are the ones I could find) all priced at around £4 inc. p&p.  
 

SHARE:

10 Products I Can't Live Without


I can see this post being a bit boring for afew of you, especially as I've mentioned these products before one time or another. 
So I'm going to try and make it short and sweet!

All the product below aren't in any particular order really as I use them all almost daily and couldn't be without a single one of them. 
 

Urban Decay Naked Palette - £27.00

I think this has to be Urban Decay's best product yet (however much I love there Primer Potion). All 12 eyeshadows are amazing, just so soft and blendable. Think my favourite shades have to be Sidecar, Sin, Smog and Toasted. Actually tempted to write a full blog post about the palette even though so many people have spoken about it - just so I can photograph all the amazing shades.
A good quality beautiful palette that has a great range of neutrals!  


Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara - £21.96

I justify the price of this by reminding myself that it's the best mascara I have ever used my miles. Nothing looks as amazing as this on the lashes. Just so volumizing and actually one of the only ones that lives upto it's claims. 

The one downside to the product is that it does dry up and goes sticky within 3-4 months which isn't great. But for the 3 or so months that I get out of it, it's more than worth it. Like I say just gives amazing volume and length to the lashes just like false eyelashes! 
Amazing stuff!


No7 Products

When picking the 10 products for this post I literally picked up the products I use all of the time and need in my life and somehow that consisted of three No7 products! 
I do really like alot of products from the brand even though I think they are abit of a boring brand that likes to play safe most of the time. So I was surprised that I picked 3 No7 products without thinking. 

 No7 Ultimate Body & Face Brush £10.21 - It probably isn't the best kabuki brush out there but it works perfectly for me. I use this daily to dust abit of matte bronzer onto my chest and neck. Don't think I would use this on my face though as it's just too big and would be abit slapdash. Just a great brush for getting bronzer evenly onto the skin - really couldn't be without it in summer.

 No7 Quick Cover Blemish Stick £8.00 - I think I've talked about this a million times now. Such a good coverage concealer for the price, really lasts all day and it's too pink or yellow toned, just somewhere in the middle. A perfect cream to powder formula so great for oily/combination skintypes. Maybe abit too powdery for drier or more mature skin though. 
Never seen a reason to try other concealers as this just works perfectly for me.

N07 Amazing Eyes Pencil in Brown £7.75 - I've never actually bought the full sized version of this due to always getting a mini one free in the gift sets they always seem to do. Just such a soft brown shade that is so wearable and not at all harsh for fair skinned people like me. I use this to line my bottom lid and then smudge it out abit and I also use it on my brows. Again as I am so pale my eyebrows are near to invisible so I have to fill them in and this just does the trick. I tried a No7 eyebrow pencil in blonde - so awful and the wrong shade for me but this is just perfect for natural looking brows.


Ok, I haven't been that short and sweet. So here are the rest of the product quick-fire style! 

Revlon Superlustrous Lipsticks £7.49 -Love so many shades in this range: Demure, Paprazzi Pink, Fire & Ice and Gentlemen Prefer Pink. Not too drying and lasts really well. Really need Cherries in the Snow still!

Bourjois Bronzing Powder £5.99 - My everyday bronzer - the best affordable matte bronze I have found!

Paul & Joe Blotting Paper £3.50 - Cheap and cute but they do the job! Just little sheets that soak up excess oil - with no powder to them which I really like.

Boots Botanics Facial Brush £6.10 - The one thing that has saved my skin from redness and spots, I just cannot describe what a difference this little brush has made. A true wonder product that I'll have to review very soon!

Cosmopolitan Blend Perfection Beauty Sponge £4.95 (Superdrug) - Another amazing product that I can't live without now. Applies all liquid/cream foundation evenly and perfectly. Just gives such a flawless look to the skin that I really do love. 


Thanks to Simone for asking me to do the tag - make sure to check out her own Top 10 here and the rest of her lovely blog!  
 
 

SHARE:

Vintage Beauty Ad's Through the Ages



I'm not one for loving all things vintage however I have always had a bit of a fascination with old advertisements.

I actually can remember from the aged of 9 or 10 looking through old magazines from the 1950's and just being so interested at the difference products they use to sell and the little coupons you could cut out and take to Boots the Chemist or send off for a free little brochure.

So I've done abit of research and found quite afew interesting beauty ad's - I especially love the really old ones, like the Maybelline mascara ad (below left)! 
Also love how elegant the Revlon ad's are - always loved the matching lipstick with nail polish idea from them.
 
Maybelline


From what I could find Maybelline were one of the first to produce cake mascara back in 1917 (the ad above left was published in 1923). It would actually be interesting to try a cake mascara now to see what the actual results would be. 
Also did you know the man that founded Maybelline actually named the brand after his older sister Mabel - how lovely.

Number Seven & White Rain! 


No7 definitely went in for the more wordy ad it seems! Click on the image and have a read of the ad as there's some really interesting products - especially the Number Seven Skin Tonic 'A stimulating lotion, invaluable in districts where the water is too harsh for the face' and the Astringent Lotion 'for drooping muscles'!

Also love the sound of White Rain Shampoo - I mean who wouldn't want to wash there hair in a shampoo that feels like the softest hair water! 
Love it! 

Max Factor 
 

So elegant and chic - love the whole Hollywood glamor to all the old Max Factor ad's. The oldest one I could find is the advert on the left from 1941 advertising Pan-Cake which was very popular back then. They definitely don't do Pan Cake makeup anymore but they still have a foundation called Pan Stik - which seems the more retro of all the products Max Factor currently do, and by that I mean the packaging with the turn up stick foundation and it being quite a heavy creamy foundation.

Revlon
 

I think the Revlon ad's are my favourite of all time! So fun yet classy. I did find two versions of the 'Cherries in the Snow' ad, but I loved the one above the most, so cute! I actually wish they made ad's like this still instead of some of the over sexualised adverts that are ever so present these days. 

Also just look at how chic the model looks on the left - just beautiful!
 


Would love to know which vintage adverts you like the most from the ones above. 
 
SHARE:

Model Mirror LED compact - Beau Bow


I first saw the chic Les Tai Tai LED mirror in a Pixiwoo Youtube video and instantly loved the idea of a compact mirror with lights - just so handy & unique!

Now when it comes to more pricier products I always umm and arr whether to include them - but I always try to weigh up the pros and cons and this definitely came out as a more savvy purchase if you consider how long the compact will last before even needing to change the batteries (which you can just pick up from any supermarket). 
Plus I figured everyone likes to treat my selves now and again!

So anyways the new-ish Beau Bow mirror compact (Les Tai Tai - £19) with it's new non-slip rubber surface (much like the Barry M/Nars packaging) has been in my mitts for long enough to talk about it and I have to say I'm liking it. Very useful, indeed!


The basic idea of the mirror is that you look in the normal non-lighted side with the lights shining downwards onto the face (though I find it works just as well if you hold it sideways), illuminating the whole face. Simple, simple!

But the great thing is it actually works well, no nasty blue or yellow cast to the face from the 8 LED lights, just great artificial but natural light if that makes sense! Perfect for re-touching makeup in. 
The other side of the mirror is 2x magnified and can be looked into with or without the lights on - I really do prefer to use it with the lights on as you really can see every details, which some may say is a bad thing, but I do like enjoy inspecting my face before I go to bed at night - just to make sure my pores aren't looking particularly bad! 

Other features I like - It has that it can almost double over and stand up by itself on any surface (should of taken a picture really) but basically it can make a tent like shape so you can use either side without holding it up. Also for the size and function of it it actually weighs nothing, which is great!
 

Features I don't love - Now I am being picky with this as it is nice touch that it comes with a carrying pouch that also doubles up as a polishing cloth. But it being white is just pointless as I know I will be getting makeup, biro and other miscellaneous items that get throw into my bag, onto it. I know that other designs come with a black pouch - so I think they should either be all black or at least a choice or white or black. 

I also think the compact is slightly too large, shave afew cm's off each of the sides and it would be perfect. But right now it can't help but remind me of the electronic address book I had when I was 10 - though I did think it was amazing as the time. 

Aside from them two things I really do love it. Especially the built-in light function as it's just such good quality and illuminates the face so evenly however dark of a situation it is.

You can see all the Model Mirror designs here all priced at £19 and shipped worldwide!

 
 
SHARE:
Blogger Template Created by pipdig