One Hit and One Definite Miss with L'Oreal!

On a recent trip to the supermarket I got slightly distracted by all the makeup (I actually spent more on beauty products than on food!) and decided to brave using the testers as they were all fairly new looking. I did initially want to purchase the new Rimmel Wake Up foundation, which I am sure I will still buy. But the new offerings from L'Oreal just caught my eye more. 

So of course I gave in and added the 15th foundation to my collection with L'Oreal Lumi Magique! 

My ideal foundation is light in coverage but just enough to even out the skin and for it look radiant. But I do like a foundation that is buildable so that I can apply a little extra to the T-zone were I feel I have visible pores. Also it is important that it doesn't cling to any dry skin... as I tend to get a dry patches on my nose for some reason. 

Now I didn't even now L'Oreal had come out with a new foundation or BB cream... I hadn't seen an advert or press release for it and I have never tried a single foundation from L'Oreal. So I was taking a bit of a risk just purchasing it on a whim. But as soon as I swatched the lightest shade I just knew that 1) it was a really good match for my skin 2) it was a lovely formula, nice, light and dewy. 

Of course the swatch above doesn't show much, but if you like a light, dewy finish then this will be perfect for you... I am thinking a definite spring foundation! The formula is quite thin and spreads over the face really well with either the fingers or a brush so only 1-2 pumps are needed at the most. 

I am actually thinking this rivals my beloved Bourjois Health Mix foundation on the luminous/healthy glow front as like the bottle states it does give that 'lit from within' effect even thought I hate to agree with such a cheesy statement. Overall I am really just so impressed, it ticks all the right boxes for me and I know I will be wearing this all spring to give me that healthy glow without any hint of orange going on!

At the moment L'Oreal products are on 3 for 2 at Boots and the Lumi Magique Foundation is £10.99 (here) and comes in 6 shades (slightly limited but good if you are fair to medium/tanned). However I actually purchased the foundation for an introductory price of £7.99 at Tesco.

But if you aren't convinced with my review then you can actually request a free sample over on the UK L'Oreal Facebook page - here. I'm thinking you can even select the shade that you want as well!

The other product from L'oreal that I swatched and instantly disliked was the new Nude Magique BB cream. Now this is one very strange product... 

The product comes in two shades one for fair skin tones and one for medium (no 3rd darker shade for some reason) so I of course tried out the lighter one. Now this is apparently has 'smart pigment capsules' in it so that is adapts to your skin tone and all that yadda. So I tried a little on the back of my hand and this odd grey quite thin runny cream came out. I then preceded to rub in the BB cream and as I rubbed it just seemed to go darker and darker. At which point my boyfriend looked down at my hand and said 'what is that?!' as it was so orange against my own skin.

Of course I can't really fully judge a product on one swatch so if you want to know what BB cream lover Miss Budget Beauty thought of L'Oreal's first (and hopefully last) BB cream then you can have a read of that - here.

 But I have to give it to L'Oreal as they are coming out with some great products at the moment. Especially their new mascara and precision pen eyeliner... just great! As well as their new foundation which I went on about for far too long. 


Also in the new Lumi Magique range they do have a primer which I am very tempted to try out now! Fingers crossed it will be as good as the foundation! 


Fee xo.

Max Factor Colour Elixir, Lip swatches and Guerlain!

Now for some reason in my head I don't think I like lipstick all that much... so I don't really blog about them (well hardly ever). But reality tells me otherwise, as I wear lipstick almost daily and I own over 80 lip products?!

So I am thinking it is about time I admit that I have some kind of hidden interest in lipstick... I mean I strongly dislike toner so have only ever tried a few, I also don't like full coverage foundation so I don't own any... and then there in my huge collection of lipsticks. It doesn't make any sense really! For that reason I have decided I am going to start featuring more lip products on my blog with actual on the lip swatches because I think it's really important to actually see the shade on the lips to give an idea of the true shade and finish (though it is always going to vary from person to person). 

The first lipstick that I wanted to start off with is one that I have been wearing a lot this winter as it's deep but not too deep (a light wine/ berry shade) and lovely and moisturising, which is something I 100% need when it's cold out!  

Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick in Mulberry is priced slightly over what I would normally spend at £7.99 (Boots - here) but there really is nothing I can fault and was definitely worth the price for the wonderful quality. As you can see from the finish it is a hydrating lipstick so it does have a slight sheen/frost to it, which I personally like as wine matte shades can look a little flat sometimes and are of course more drying on the lips. 

Something that really impressed me though was how long the shade lasts on the lips, as with it being quite hydrating I wasn't excepting a lot. But it literally lasts through eating and drinking which I was amazed at when I first tried it out. 

Which does make me think I should buy Ruby Tuesday (a vivid red shade) as I am always so conscious of eating whilst wearing red lipstick as it does have a tendency to somehow transfer onto your face... which isn't the sexiest of looks. So as these last so well I think a blot after applying Ruby Tuesday would be all I would need for it to stay in place. I would also like maybe a nice pink nude shade for spring which I am sure they do with over 15 shades now in the Colour Elixir range.

I also really like to wear Mulberry with Guerlains Kiss Kiss Gloss Extreme Shine in Pomme Du Desir (£16.00 at Debenhams) which in the tube/packaging looks like such an odd glittery gloss, one I imagine quite few people buy due to the lime ting. But on the lips over different lipsticks it is so pretty. It just catches the light so beautifully and can transform any lipstick into something quite unique. The only downside is that it is quite gritty feeling, but that is by the by with such a pretty lip gloss that can be worn over so many different lipsticks. 

So for my first ever lip post how did I do?
I can't say I have the terminology down... as I don't know all the different finishes of lipsticks but then again I am supposed to not be a lover of lipstick! 

Hope you enjoyed the post. 

Fee xo.

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Ban The Beige!

Now this isn't a rant as such... okay maybe it is slightly. But it is something that has annoyed me for some time now and I felt I needed to get it off my chest.

I'm talking BEIGE foundation samples in magazines, ladies! Just WHY?! 

Of course these beige samples will suit a large portion of people (I am guess) but what about the rest of us that are lighter and darker than beige? Surely it would make more sense to have a random mix of samples in magazine so you can either - have a shifty look through the other copies of the magazine you are buying to find a sample shade that is close to your skin tone. Or even if you didn't really care at least you would stumble across a foundation sample that would be able to try out now and again!

 So out of curiosity I decided to swatch a few foundation samples to see if I could possibly try the foundation on my actually face without looking like an oompa loompa or and extra from Geordie Shore.

As you can see err, there is a slight difference in the foundation swatches and my own skin, but to be fair I am very pale in winter. But still I would have ZERO chance of trying any of these out on my face... I would literally look like I was wearing a face mask! 

But maybe the brands have done their research into what foundation shade is most purchased, which is always around the 'beige' region.  

Or maybe I am just being unrealistic and it would cost them too much to provide different shades for free foundation sample, seeing as they do have to pay to place the samples into the magazines in the first place.

I just think things like this need to evolve and change a bit! Variation is good and it means that at least some of the time we will find a foundation sample that we can try! 

Would actually love to know if anyone matches up with the 'beige' foundation samples quite well. 

Fee xo.

 

Pixiwoo Interview at IMATS 2012

Just thought I would post up this video that I found on Youtube last night of the Pixiwoo sisters answering some interesting questions at IMATS this year. 

Really interesting to see what some of their favourite products and brands are. Definitely worth a watch!

Credit: Magi 

Hope you are all having some yummy pancakes today!

Fee xo.

Pretty New Nail Polishes & ASOS Premier Review!

So yesterday I mentioned that ASOS had quite a few Models Own nail polishes on sale for £3.50 (instead of the normal £5 each). As you can see I did purchase the two I wanted - Scarlett Fever and Gold Finger! 

But as I am signed up to an ASOS premier account it meant I could order the nail polishes on Sunday afternoon and receive them Monday morning (it was 10:30am to be precise!).

Now of course I didn't need the nail polishes that quickly but there is something about receiving items so quickly that I love. It really feels like it's instant! So I thought I would talk about my experience of having an ASOS Premier account - is it worth it? is the service good? what are the benefits other than the next day delivery? etc etc. 

I do want to point out this isn't a sponsored post or anything like that. I just felt the urge to tell you what I think about paying for the service when the there is a free delivery option available at Asos.  

Also it is worth mentioning that the ASOS Premier account is only available to people in the UK.

Boring stuff out of the way first! Here are the different delivery services ASOS provide...

UK Style Save Delivery (Free) - Deliveries will be made within 6 working days after you place your order (excluding Weekends) e.g. If you order on Wednesday your goods will be delivered by the following Thursday. Your order will be sent out via Royal Mail in most instances. No order tracking available.

UK Standard Delivery (£3.95) - Deliveries will be made within 3 working days after you place your order (excluding Weekends) e.g. If you order on Wednesday your goods will be delivered by the following Monday. Your order will be sent out via the most suitable carrier, depending on size and weight. Order tracking is not available for Royal Mail deliveries.

UK Next Day Delivery (£5.95) - If you place your order by 6pm Mon-Fri, you will receive your good the next day. If you you place your order between 6pm Friday and 4pm Sunday, you will receive your goods on Monday. If you place an order after 4pm Sunday you will receive your parcel on Tuesday. Order tracking is available and items are sent through a courier and need to be signed for. Nominated delivery is also £5.95.

ASOS Premier Delivery (£14.95 a year) - All the same rules apply as with Next Day Delivery. You must order before 6pm Mon-Fri to receive your order the next day. Which is free and unlimited with an ASOS premier account. Also Nominated delivery (up to 6 days ahead) is free. All orders are sent via courier (so need to be signed for) and you can even track right up to seeing the signature that signed for it. You can also get your orders sent to different addresses which is quite handy.

You can sign up for the Premier account by going to 'Delivery & Returns' at the bottom of the ASOS homepage. 

 

Other benefits with an ASOS Premier account - Free return collection service all year (just place an order for a return and they pick up your parcel the next day in more cases). Free monthly magazine (though only available to female account holders). No minimum order value. Special discount codes with magazine.

Why I decided to go for the Premier account - As ASOS is free delivery and has such a vast amount of clothing and beauty products I do order from them a lot - probably monthly. However I found the free style saver delivery quite slow and last year 3 parcels in total were lost via Royal Mail (though I did receive refunds) and had numerous parcels left under the bushes in my front garden - even in winter! So I decided to pay the £14.95 for the year in January so that I have the benefit of next day delivery all year including over the Christmas period.

My thoughts on the service - On the whole I have been very impressed with the service with only one small blip. I have placed around five orders since I opened the account and all orders have been received next day without any problems. The only small problem I have  encountered is that I placed a returns order for some jeans that didn't fit and the following day the courier didn't turn up. So I waited a few days then re-placed the returns order and the courier turned up the next day - I did email ASOS about this but very received a reply. 

Of course next day/nominated delivery all year is the main thing with the account. However I have been quite impressed with the magazine as it is nice to receive a hard copy and with the March 2012 issue I received a 20% off code for the new spring collection. The only thing I am not impressed with is that the magazine is only given to female account holders which is pretty sexist really. Plus male account holders still have the £14.95 to pay and don't receive any of the discounts that are given along side the magazine, so not very far at all!

On the whole I am really pleased with the service so far and the £14.95 fee for the premier account has already paid for itself and more with the orders I have placed since January. 

I also know there will be special occasions that I'm attending and the next day delivery option will be my best friend when I haven't a clue what to wear! 

Hope this has been helpful for some of you. 

Fee xo.

NOTD - Models Own Jade Stone & Juicy Jules

Today I had to quickly show you what I have been wearing on my nails for the last few days. Mainly because the amazing Models Own Juicy Jules nail polishes is reduced to £3.50 at the moment on ASOS along with lots of other Models Own shades - plus there is currently FREE worldwide delivery! 

Now I don't often hold back with the glitter as some of you may now! But I wanted to go for Tiffany-esque nails that were quite chic looking. So I decided to paint my nails in the gorgeous Jade Stone and then apply one coat of Juicy Jules to my ring finger 
nails. After seeing how nice it looked I was tempted to carry on and apply the glitter to all of my nails but I think I'm glad I didn't as it is something a bit different and chic! 

So I'm very pleased with how my nails came out... which is why I haven't changed them since Wednesday, very unlike me (I normally paint them daily!). Hence why they look slightly ropey around the edges.

As ASOS do have a sale on all their Models Own Glitter nail polishes I am thinking this is a good time to get a few more as I am always impressed with the consistency of Models Own polishes and you can never have enough glitter! 

So I am thinking of going for Gold Finger and Scarlett Sparkle - you can see what the bottles look like on the ASOS site here. 

Though I should be saving my pennies for the new Spring 2012 Revlon Scenting Nail Polishes which you can see on Britishbeautyblogger.com

I have my eye on Orange Fizz and Watermelon Fizz! Yummy! Cannot wait for Spring now.

Fee xo.

Collection of Rose & Co Salves

Today I thought I would do a review of my three lovely Rose & Co salve/balms. 

Of course if you aren't a lip balm addict like myself then you definitely don't need all three so I thought I would review them individually.

Though if you do want a nice little set of these you can buy them in a trio for £8.00 with free p&p (Amazon - here) which is quite a good deal as they are £5 each normally. So if you haven't got any of the balms then for an extra £3 you are getting two more effectively. 

The Rose & Co salves are just lovely especially for carrying around in the handbag. For me they are like two steps up from a Vaseline tin.. the formula is better, the packaging is 100% prettier and they smell lovely! Plus in each tin you get 20g of product!

Rose & Co Rose Petal Salve

(£5.00/20g - here) 

The Rose Petal Salve was the first ever product I had tried from Rose & Co which I actually received in the October Boudoir Prive box.

Now of course I was impressed enough to want to try more from the range however I am not at all keen on the scent. Well I say it's the scent but I don't actually mind the smell of it in the tin or on the lips but the taste is just horrible if you lick your lips, really perfumed and almost soap-like plus it is quite a strong taste. So for that reason I don't use it on my lips at all. But it works amazing well as a cuticle oil (the scent also seems more appropriate for that), on the elbows or any dry skin and I do actually brush a little of it through my eyebrows when I want them to stay looking preened all day.

Rose & Co Sweet Vanilla Salve 

 (£5.00/20g - here) 

This out of the three has to be my clear favourite as I use it the most and it is always in my bag to use on my lips and cuticles. 

The formula of course is the exact same but this just smells amazing! I am pretty rubbish at describing smells but sweet vanilla is exactly what it smells of - sweet but warm and just yummy! The scent however isn't as strong on the lips but is still very moreish and strangely great for when you are feeling hungry! So nice.

This of course like the Rose Petal Salve is a salve but for some reason it only states 'to smooth and soften the lips' on the tin. But it does in fact work exactly the same (maybe slightly thicker) so you can use it on dry skin, the cuticles, as a lip balm, or the eyebrows etc. 

Rose & Co Strawberry Crush Glossy Lip Balm 

(£5.00/20g - here) 

This is quite a recent addition to my little Rose & Co collection as my boyfriend bought me this as a little extra for Valentine's day. 

Now this isn't a salve so you can't really use it on anything else but the lips as it is slightly more sticky than the others. But for the lips this is probably the nicest formula out of the three with the Sweet Vanilla salve coming close second. I can't say it looks any glossier than the other two though but it more balm like and does hydrate the lips pretty well. 

As for the scent this is nice and I have to say I quite like it. But again, lick your lips and you still taste that slightly soapy synthetic taste which isn't amazing but nowhere near as bad as the Rose Petal Salve. If you are wanting just a nice lip balm in a pretty vintage tin then this is one for you! It is also worth noting that even though this looks quite tinted in the tin it actually applies as a clear balm as do all the Rose & Co salves/balms.

So without a doubt the Sweet Vanilla Salve is my favourite and it you like yummy scents you will hopefully love it too. It just smells so good and it is great that it can be used on other areas of the body! Though all the balm do make the lips lovely and soft in minutes and the packaging cannot be faulted.

The only one left that I haven't tried is the Cherry Kiss Lush & Lovely Lip Balm (£5/20g - here) which I am very tempted to get even though I don't need it at all! Mainly because I love anything cherry scented and the packaging is very cute. 

But I am going to try and resist for now and hunt down the amazing Mrs Fields Chewy Fudge Lip balm again which is maybe my all time favourite lip balm! 

Fee xo. 

NOTD (last week) - Pink Glitter Nails

Last week I showed you my nails that I painted in Rimmel Lycra Pro Urban Princess (here) and the day after I caved and added some glitter over the top! I don't know what it is but when I paint my nails pink I find it very hard not to then put a glitter top coat over it. 

Maybe it's because they look so girly I can't help but carry on and make them look even more girly and princess like! Who knows!

 

But sadly the Saffron pink glitter nail polish I purchased for an amazing £1.95 from eBay seems not to be available anymore anywhere on eBay. Which is a shame as it's so lovely especially over nude or black nails. But I am sure you will be able to find it if you check from time to time.

But of course you can still find the gold & silver sparkle nail polishes on eBay which are just as lovely! 

On a totally different note - I FINALLY received my Nikon camera back all fixed which means nice pretty pictures again - so so pleased!

 Also I have another post up on She Said Beauty (which you can read here) all about the future of cleansing and how to find one that is right for your skin type. So it would be lovely if you wanted to go and have a read as I still feel a bit new to it! 

Fee xo.

Developing My Modest MAC Collection

Now just to prewarn this isn't going to be a post on all the hundreds of products I want from MAC! Don't get me wrong I really do like MAC products - well from the little I have purchased/tried out. But at heart I am a scrooge and could never envisage spending £100+ on 5 or 6 products from MAC in one go or with any brand for that matter.

I of course do get the appeal of MAC especially with new collections coming out so frequently (dare I say too frequently?) and of course with a lot of MAC products being the staple of Makeup artist's cases, I do get the appeal! BUT I must admit I think there is a slight obsessive element to 'collecting' MAC products. I have seen countless You Tube videos now with girls that have endless amounts of eye shadows palettes and that purchase 9+ products from each new collection. I think I would much rather have a holiday than have 5 filled eyeshadow palettes personally - but that is just me!

Also with researching fake cosmetics I have definitely seen a darker side to how far some girls will go to own 'MAC' products. Some even knowingly purchasing fake products just because it looks the same as the real thing and of course says MAC on it. Pretty shocking hey?! 

Rambling aside... here are the few products that I will hopefully purchase over the year (yes, I told you I was a scrooge) to build up my little MAC collection.

MAC Patisserie lipstick lustre (£13.50) - Out of all the nude shades that MAC have to offer I really do think this would be one that I could apply anytime and it look nice. Even though I have quite pale skin I do prefer a darker nude shade of my lips as I find they don't ever wash me out. Also I do love lustre finish MAC lipsticks as they pretty hydrating!

MAC Girl About Town lipstick amplified (£13.50) - This is 100% a summer purchase when I have a bit of a tan. It is really daring but I find if I go for a bold lip colour in summer I wear a lot less makeup on the rest of my face which gives a really pretty fresh look.  

MAC Cream Colour Base in Movie Star Red (£9.99 Fragrance Direct here) - I spotted this on Fragrance Direct awhile ago and so I did a bit of a Google search and found a great post on it on Temptalia here and instantly fell in love. I really love that it can be used on both the lips and cheeks and just think it's such a lovely shade. Definitely need this ASAP!

MAC Eye Brows in Lingering (£11.50) -  I think this is something that I will purchase once I have ran out of the shade I use in my HD Brows palette. I like the idea of using a really precise cream pencil and just winding it up as I go instead of a normal eyebrow pencil.

MAC Paint Pot (£14.50) - I already own Rubenesque and Bare Study - two lovely shimmery cream bases/eyeshadows and I really do love using them. The consistency is just perfect and they work so well as a base for other eyeshadows. Plus you really do get a lot of product for your money and only need a little so these do last forever. So I really do want Constructivist, Indianwood and Groundwork now.

I think probably the first thing to get on my list is the Cream Colour Base as I don't want to risk it selling out as after all it is Fragrance Direct. Plus I a excited that it's a cream blush and a lip stain/lip colour as well! Then I am thinking I need Patisserie in my life for spring - ahhhh spring! Then in May it will be my birthday so I can get some more products then. I can see how people get slightly addicted to buying MAC products now...

I know I haven't included any face products like MAC's Mineralize Skinfinishes or their Mineralize Blushes as they just don't appeal to me at £19+ however pretty they are and I love my high-street foundations and own enough as it is really. The same thing really with eyeshadows, I own both Naked palettes, countless Sleek palettes and so many other single eyeshadows. So £10 per MAC eyeshadow just seems frivolous and not needed really. 


Would REALLY love to know what your favourite all time MAC product is and if there are products you want to buy from MAC at the moment. 

Fee xo.

Good Things Anti Blemish Cleanser - My new inbetween cleanser!

When it comes to my face I don't really use moisturise (I own two). I also don't really use eye creams either (just Origins Ginzing when I remember) and I dislike toners. However I do have two guilty pleasures - face masks and cleansers. I have tried lots, some not even for my skin type! But my definite weakness is with cleansers because I just see it as such a staple product and my basic philosophy is - Clean skin = Good skin.

But even though I have so many cleansers hid in my bathroom sometimes I just cannot be bothered to take off my makeup properly. It's just too much hassle. So my only option is makeup wipes which never remove much really as I hate cold cream cleanser that you smooth on and then somehow wipe off with a cotton pad... for me it just leaves behind too much residue and even after 5 cotton pads I can still see make-up on my face. 

But I think I have found an in between option for my oily/combination skin! 

For some reason when I first tried the fairly new Good Things Deep Pore Anti Blemish Cleanser £4.99/200ml - here. I really was expecting a creamy slightly thick cleanser to come out, but in fact it is just a clear liquid that feels just like applying toner (no stinging or tightness mind). Which I guess makes sense as this is supposed to be a kind of 2-in-1 cleanser. Anyways, so why is this an in between option I hear you say! Well this definitely isn't as faffy as using a proper cleanser, I can actually use this in bed and do! Plus it is so much better than using makeup wipes as it removes more makeup and is better for the skin. 

I must say I have been using it quite often at the moment as I have been lazy which isn't good but then I do cleanser fully in the morning to make up for it. But it really has been my saviour when I have been too tired to go to the bathroom and properly cleanse/wash my face.  

As you can see this is what was removed when I wiped a cotton pad with the Good Things cleanser on it over my face (was just wearing foundation at the time) and I must say it did remove most of it. Of course if I want to make sure I have most of my makeup off I just use a second cotton pad.

Good things...

The scent (fresh & fruity), no residue left behind, skin dries quickly after cleansing, easy & quick to use, does remove more makeup than a makeup wipe,fairly cheap, free from nasties - parabens etc. 

Not so good things... 

Isn't a deep cleanse for the pores like it states, can't be used on the eyes (though I do use it), wouldn't really say it would keep spots at bay if you do suffer from them quite often. 

Now even though I have just stated my dislike for makeup wipes I am tempted to try of the Korres Pomegranate makeup wipes for combination skin (£5.50) as they aren't low end and they aren't high end either and I have quite liked their skincare products so far. 

But before I do purchase them from either Waitrose or ASOS I would love to hear if anyone has tried them or even their makeup wipes for other skin types. 

Fee xo.

Valentine's Day...

I had to write a quick (ish) post as I have had a really nice Valentine's day even though we didn't do much for it (we like to do something the week after when everything is cheaper! ha). But I did receive some lovely, lovely gifts that I thought I would quickly share with you. 

As you can see the star of the show is the lovely Nars Wicked Attraction gift set which I spotted on ASOS a few days also and instantly fell in love with... 

So Tim kindly offered to buy it for me (I actually thought that was all I was getting). I have never tried anything from Nars but have been desperately wanting to trying Orgasm and Laguna - which is the duo in the set! I have tried out the other products in the set todayd and love them all so I'm really very please. This definitely is something I will have to review, as for £35 I think it is so worth the money! 

I also received two lovely Tommy Gunns conditioners as I am really liking the ones I have been using. So I now have the Blueberry, Ginseng & Honey Conditioner and the Pomegranate, Orange Flower & Hemp Conditioner to try! I also received something that I didn't take a photograph of as I had already opened it all - a Water Flosser! Now I did kind of mention I wanted one months and months ago but I had totally forgotten about it so I was really surprised. If you haven't got a clue what a water flosser is, it is basically like an electric toothbrush with a very small brush and water jet that flosses your teeth for you instead of using flossing ribbon which is a pain and also can make the gums bleed quite easily. This is something else I may review in a month or so if people want to hear about it. 

I also got Models Own Juicy Jules which I have been looking for since before Christmas - so again I was very impressed! Andddd if Tim hadn't of impressed me enough he picked out Jade Stone all by himself as he thought it looked quite similar to China Glaze For Audrey which I have been considering buying for so long. I think he is definitely embracing that he has a beauty blogger for a girlfriend! 

As you can see I did apply Juicy Jules to my nails but as I thought it would take too many coats to be opaque I applied China Glaze Icicle as a base. But sadly it didn't come out as nice as I had imagined. So next time I am going to have to be patient and apply multiple coats and then also apply a clear top coat over the glitter so it has a nice smooth effect. But it is still pretty all the same! 

Also today I made a special Valentine's Pinterest board full of images that I really like so if you aren't too sick of all the smooshy stuff then you should have a look - here. 

I have been really getting into Pinterest recently as it's great for aiding procrastinating but it also is a good way to bookmark images you like without clogging up from hard drive.

So if you want an invite (as it is invite-only) then just leave a comment below with your email address and I will send you one. 

Hope you have all had a lovely day! 

Fee xxx

NOTD - Rimmel Lycra Pro Urban Princess

It's the weekend again and it's cold and wet as per usual! But I have yet to have any snow at all, which I'm quite sad about. So to make myself feel cheery I decided to opt for pink nails again. It's actually becoming a bit of a habit and I am always tempted to put some type of glitter over the top of it! Very girly and quite unlike me really. 

Sadly as I am still using just a standard digital camera it didn't want to pick up the pink shade correctly and decided to either turn it into a neon pink or a softer pink - which it is neither! I would say the best image to go off is on the brush of the left image below. It is bright but not overly bright and very girly... actually quite similar to Gosh Neon Baby which I showed in this post here. 

 The formula of the nail polish is really good as are all in the Rimmel Lycra Pro range, the only thing I would say is you need to make sure you wipe off one side of the brush or else you may flood the nail bed. 
 

The brush is definitely the best feature of these nail polishes and you just cannot beat it. I actually always go for a Rimmel Lycra Pro nail polish if I am in a rush and need to paint my nails as I will have them done in seconds because the brush can cover the whole nail is one stroke - pretty impressive hey! Also with most shades in the range you can get away with just two coats and the results are always really glossy and chip resistant!

As this is a older shade the one place I can now find this is on Ebay for £4.79 which includes p&p - here. However the Rimmel Lycra Pro nail polishes in Boots are around £4.60. It's just a shame no bargains are to be had because it is an older shade.

I am really tempted to buy a few more polishes from this range as it is so good  - maybe Gold Infusion or Fancy Fuchsia. 

Fee xo.

Project Use Up!

I have got to confess I have a problem with rotating the products I use which I did see as a good thing and it still is when it comes to makeup as nothing gets neglected (expect for eye shadows when using my Naked palettes!). 

But when it comes down to skincare and body products I just have so many products that just sticking to one or two just isn't a good thing as I NEVER finish anything. I now have a large storage box containing all my products which is over spilling with full to half empty products. Hence Project Use Up!  

So my aim is to select a handful of products at the start of each month that I want to use up and I plan to do this by only using them products until they are totally gone, then I can move onto something new. 

Here are the products I want to use up by the end of February (the bronzer of course will take long)...

Korres Guava Body Butter 50ml - This came in a Boudoir Prive box a  few months ago now and before then I didn't have a clue what Guava smelt like but I can confirm it is delicious! I have been using this on and off in my arms before bed but really want to use it up so I can think about either buying the full-size version or asking for it for my birthday which is in May.

Lush Breath of Fresh Air Skin Toner 100g - I have been re-purchasing this for a few years now but have sadly got a bit bored of it and my skin seems to have got too used to it, so I want to use it up for I can re-use the bottle for a homemade toner and also many look at other toners Lush have to offer.

Max Factor Second Skin Foundation in Creamy Ivory 30ml - This is my second bottle and I have to say it is one of my favourite foundations (but for summer) however I own way too many foundations so I want to slowly work through a few of them and reduce my collection slightly.

Bourjois Bronzing Powder in shade 51 16.5g - This is another total favourite that I use everyday however I want to use it up so I can re-purchase it again but in the slightly darker shade for summer using it as a contour powder. I think seeing as I have 'hit pan' now by summer I will have nearly used it all up.

Cetaphil Moisturising Cream 100g - I do quite like this cream but I like the large bottle of moisturising lotion better which is a very similar price I'm sure. So this needs to be used up to make space in my over flowing box of products.

Batiste Nude Dry Shampoo 50g - I bought this wanting to be a bit more Eco-friendly as it is a 100% natural powder however compared to the cans of Batiste it is just boring. It definitely does the job but it's just a boring product with no smell.

Neom Complete Bliss Organic Hand Lotion in Moroccan Blush Rose 60ml - This actually came as part of a set so it is a smaller size than normal. I do use it a lot but really the scent isn't my thing... I really don't like that spiced rose smell. So I think I am going to use it up and either be good and start using up another hand cream or maybe treat myself to a Neom hand lotion but in a nicer scent as it is such a lovely none greasy hand lotion. 

 

So there you have it, all the products I want to use up this month. At the start of March I will do an update to see if I actually managed to use everything up and also what products I want to use up that month with maybe 10 products to give myself a bit of a challenge! 

If you have an 'empties' or used up product posts I would love to see them so I can get a bit inspired and encouragement ! 

Fee xo.

Going Organic & an Exclusive Neom Offer!

As some of you may know since I started Makeup Savvy I have been slowly getting into organic products and I have also become more aware of different ingredients that I avoid even down to the deodorant I use! 

But as I now use so many natural/organic products that when I come to using normal every day products i.e normal hand soap when I am out, conditioner, hair spray, candles. They just seem to be either too strong in scent or they just don't feel that great. So for that reason I have decided to slowly incorporate more organic products into my routine so that hopefully by the end of 2012 I will only be using organic products minus makeup as I really cannot imagine sacrificing all my lovely makeup and there just isn't the range or quality with organic cosmetics yet. So I can been recently trying out more natural/organic products from brands such as Green People, Neom Organics, Yes To, Korres and Balance Me. 

So every week I have decided I am going to review/mention organic products I am been trying & buying and so I thought I would start that off by talking about some Neom products as I really do truly love the brand. 

Also Neom kindly offered to provide me with an exclusive code for Makeup Savvy readers so if you are planning on spending over £40 at Neom you receive a FREE Rebalance Travel Candle worth £13 free! 

Code: makeupsavvy

Discount: Free Rebalance Travel Candle with orders of £40 or more

Expires:19th February 

Offer is limited to the first 30 orders. 
Redeem at: http://neomorganics.com/

Firstly if you want a bit of an explanation as to why I prefer organic candles/recommend them you can read this post here. As I really think it matters and may explain why organic candles are worth the money. But on to this travel candle (the one above) which if you use the discount code will be free OR at the moment it has been reduced to only £8 (here) which I think is pretty damn good seeing as this candle does last quite some time and is just lovely! 

The Rebalance candle is quite an uplifting candle that apparently works as an anti-depressant (not sure on that one!) and is also good for using if you have a cold or are generally just under the weather. I actually used this last week whilst having a bath as I had a really bad headache and normally any smells when I have a headache just annoy me/make it worse. But this was actually quite soothing especially when I blew the candle out and the scent became stronger - did actually surprise me how much better it made me feel. 

But I also find this just a nice candle to have on at night when I am blogging or reading a magazine as it's slightly spicy, warm and relaxing.

As for bath and shower products I just have so many natural/organic/SLS-free ones! But in the last few months I have been trying all different alternative products such as natural bath bombs, bath salts and shower/bath oils to mix things up a bit. So it has been really nice trying out all the different bath/shower oils that Neom offer. 

The little set contains 5 x 5ml bottles with each bottle having a different purposes. The only down side is you don't get much usage out of each bottle as they are quite small - I found one would do a single bath or if using as a shower oil (which you apply to the skin pre-shower) I could get two uses from it which I prefer to do.   

So far I have only used 2 and a bit bottles but my favourite has been 'Restore' for first thing in the morning which I use in the shower or 'Tranquillity' for at night time which I have used up now. But I used half of it in a bath and the rest I actually dabbed onto my neck before bed a few times and it definitely helped me to relax a bit, which I also found to be an nice alternative way of using it and of course it makes the oils last a lot longer.

Sadly the Bath Oil set is out of stock at the moment on the Neom website but you can find it at Look Fantastic for £15.00 -here.

As I love Neom so much I am already planning my next purchase which is going to be the the Tranquillity: Perfect Sleep Kit (here) which contains a 5oml organic pillow mist and my beloved Organic Multi-balm for only £10! I already have the Neom multi balm which I use almost daily for all sorts (cuticles, dry skin, lips, eyebrows even!) so I definitely need another one. Plus I am hoping the pillow mist will help me sleep a bit better. So this is going to be a little Valentine's Day present to myself. I really do recommend the multi-balm though if you can find it as part of a set as they sadly don't sell it on there own. 

So if you are planning on spending a bit on the Neom website make sure you use my code before 19th Feb! 

Also if any of you can recommend me good organic brands that would be great as I really want to start buying more and more organic body products to see what I like and don't like. 

Fee xo.

No Lash Inserts for Cheryl with the New L'Oréal False Lash Telescopic Mascara!

It is not very often that I am impressed with beauty adverts especially when it comes to make-up ones. I mean they pretty much suck... photoshopped flawless skin for foundations, lash inserts AND photoshop for mascara ads, not to mention my most recent favourite - pouring foundation over a golf ball to show how it conceales pores (you have to laugh!).

However my biggest bugbear which I know is shared with most women (I haven't spoken to anyone that sees the point in it) is models wearing individual false eyelashes in mascara ads and of course it then being Photoshop - so it basically may be any mascara because you WILL NOT be getting those effects with it. It just infuriates me as it is just so pointless. Whether it has to be stated in the small print or not (even though it is VERY clear to see) it's just all one big pointless lie. 

Which is why it is so nice to see an actual advert starring none other than Cheryl Cole who does love her false lashes, wearing JUST the mascara. 

Of course it probably took the make-up artist over 30 minutes to apply mascara to just the one eye and then lots of lash tweaking with a pair of tweezers before the images were taken. But I really don't care or should I say I don't mind, just because I know I can achieve similar results!

As you can see I do actually own the mascara and have used it a few times now and have been quite impressed. It is worth noting it is a fibre formula which is why is looks so good on the lashes but this does mean that it shouldn't really be worn with contact lenses. The main thing I like is the brush as it just applies the mascara onto the lashes so easily and gives instant length and volume. I also like that it is so black so really makes the lashes stand out.

 You can find the new mascara on the Boots website for £10.99 in either Hypnotic Brown or Magnetic Black - here or for only £7.99 on the Superdrug site - here (but I'm sure this offer is also in-store).

It is of course refreshing to see an advert like this... but even if all makeup brands started to do this it would still continue to be refreshing and we wouldn't get bored of it. 

Lash inserts/false eyelashes in mascara ads should never of happened and I really do hope that these brands are now seeing that we have never believed these results but in fact highly dislike them and the only reason why mascaras sell so well is because most women wear it daily and like trying the latest ones out! 

Whether brands have an amazing mascara or not I personally feel are all on a level pegging when they bring out a new mascara because all the lashes are that unrealistic they may as well be the same image.

But now L'oreal with this advert stand out - when you are reading a magazine you will actually look at the eyelashes to see the true results and not just to laugh at how ridiculous the false lashes look! 

Well done L'oreal - Just please make sure you don't go back to your old ways! 

Fee xo.