Gosh Velvet touch eyeliner review

Hi Beauts.

I wouldn't say that I have sensitive eyes, but whenever I use a pencil liner my eyes seem to water slightly in the corners and I end up looking like a panda. I also have trouble keeping liner along my water line throughout the day, again hello panda! 

One of the first waterproof liners I ever tried was the Gosh velvet in Black Ink I figured, it's waterproof so it has to stay put right?

 After using these liners for probably 9 months to a year, I have to say they are the best high street liner I've used. They're smooth and creamy to apply so there's no dragging on your eyes (nobody wants premature wrinkles), they're very pigmented and they are indeed waterproof. Applied to my waterline I got are ounce 5 wear before I noticed the colour payoff start to drop to my lower lashline. My tight line, I got pretty much all day, my lower lashline I'd say I got 3 hours before it started to fade but not drop, and as for my upper lashline it basically stayed put until I removed my make up. 

I'd say these are a good alternative (not a dupe) to the urban decay 24/7 liners, although I do find the urban decay ones a little more creamy and last a little longer. But for (£4.99) each and a wide variety of shades, I'm certainly not complaining.

Have you tried these? 

Stacey x

Review: Make up revolution cream blush in Frambroise Shake

Hi Beauts.

I think by now everyone has heard and discovered the newest brand to hit the market and that is Make Up Revolution.

If you haven't heard about them (where have you been??) Basically they are an inexpensive make up company who sell a vast array of products ranging from lipsticks, blushes, eyeshadows, mascara, basically the whole shebang.

The best thing is, products start out for as little as £1.00....how great is that?! A little while ago I made an online order which I hauled here and I've loved everything I got, so today wanted to share a review of their cream blush in 'Frambroisse Shake'

I've mentioned before that I'm not one for cream blush as i have oily skin and find powder products work the best for me, but I wanted to try one out from Make Up Revolution and see how it would work. And oh so well it worked.

I applied my foundation first than dipped a stippling brush into the blush to pick up a small amount of product and gently and lightly dabbed it onto my cheeks, and let me tell you even doing this gave an amazing amount of pigmentation! It applied so smoothly and evenly, and was extremely easy to blend out.

Did it last on my annoyingly oily/combo skin? It sure did. I've been working long hours lately so it was the perfect way to test out how well this would last. I get up and ready at 5:30am each morning and don't get home until around 5pm sometimes later, and I have to say this didn't budge or fade at all!

The shade is the perfect pink for the summer and I think it will look pretty on all skin tones, I pretty much resemble casper right now and it still looks fab.

There are 4 shades to choose from and they retail for a very small price of £1.50, at a price like that I think I may have to get the other three too!

Have you tried these cream blushes? What's your favourite shade?

Stacey x

Nspa Deep hydrating facial oil

Hi Beauts.

Today I wanted to talk (and rave) to you all about a product I never thought I'd slap on my face, the Nspa deep hydrating facial oil. The reason I never thought I'd use it is because I have oily skin, and the thought of applying an oil to my face made me run for the hills.

I only ever use products that mattify my skin, but I was yet to find a night cream that I felt was actually doing some good. So, after a lot of research (and advice from some lovelies on twitter) I decided a facial oil was my best bet. Asda had a 2 for £8.00 on Nspa products so I thought it would be the perfect time to try out their facial oil as I was already buying their hot cloth cleanser.

I used this twice, and knew then that this was a product that I would be repurchasing again and again. The first thing I shall get out of the way is, this in no way made my skin feel or look any oilier than it was before using it. Obviously I looked like I'd dipped my face in a frying pan after applying it, joke, I just had a shiny face but there was and hasn't been any excess oil.

 I use this at night before bed as my night time 'moisturiser' and have to say, I notice a big difference in the appearance of my skin when I wake up. My skin looks more even toned and radiant, and feels so soft. I apply three drops onto the palms of my hands and pat it onto my face, bringing whatever is left down my neck. I've also noticed the scarring on my chin has started to fade gradually too!

If you're looking for a night time moisturiser, I'd say give this a go! No matter what your skin type I guarantee you'll love this stuff. I can't wait to remove my make up on an evening now!!

What are your favourite products from Nspa?

Stacey x

Marks and Spencer nail polish review

Hi beauts. 

After hunting down every brand I could that doesn't test on animals, I discovered that M&S are a brand that are cruelty free. I already have a lipstick from their 'Limited' range so decided to try out their nail polish too, the two shades I picked up are Lilac GD and Aubergine. 

Let's talk product first. For £3.50 You get 8 ml of polish which I think is pretty good, nobody gets through a big bottle before it gets old do they? They're the same consistency as any other polish I've used, and the application was smooth and quick. The great thing about these is how fast they dry, literally within 40 seconds! With Lilac GD I did notice that I needed to apply 3 coats, where as with Aubergine I only needed 2, I'm not sure if this is the case with all of the lighter shades in the range. 
Now for staying power, the big test. I applied the colour on a Monday evening and by.....it showed signs of wear and chipping.

I picked these two shades because purple is one of my favourite colours, and I think that Lilac GD is a very unique colour. It's a lilac and gold monochrome shade with tiny specks of gold glitter, the glitter isn't chunky but it is a bit of a pain to remove. The aubergine shade is exactly that, a deep reddy purple that is great for these winter months.

All in all I'm pretty impressed with these nail polishes so far, and can't wait to try more shades.

Have you tried anything from the M&S make up line?

Stacey x 

Nspa Hot cloth polish

Hi Beauts.

As face washes go, I've never been too fussed about which one I put in my basket. I did always try to reach for ones aimed at oily skin, however there's never been one that really stood out to me. 

As you may know, I no longer buy products that have been tested on animals so the hunt was on for a new cruelty free face wash. 

One thing I've always heard great things about is the Nspa hot cloth polish, so I decided it was time to give it a bash. 

Asda had a 2 for £8.00 offer on so I picked up the deep hydrating facial oil too (review coming soon) I've tried the Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser about 2 years ago and must be the only person that really didn't like it because it broke me out. However because this was on offer and I really wanted to love a hot cloth cleanser (I think they're a fab idea) I picked this one up. 

If you're unsure as to what a hot cloth cleanser/polish is, it's basically a cream (Sometimes a gel or oil I think too) that you apply to a dry face, rub into your skin then run a muslin cloth under hot water and wipe away the product. I didn't know until I started using this one from Nspa that you're actually supposed to remove your make up and then do this step, maybe that's where I was going wrong the first time around?

I use one pump of this every evening (after removing my make up) and it leaves my skin so smooth, fresh feeling and brighter looking. And unlike the Liz Earle this didn't break me out. It has a slight scent to it which doesn't bother me, but for those of you who don't like scented products it isn't too off putting. 

For £7.00 you get 150ml of product and a muslin cloth, hello bargain, and I'm pretty sure asda often have a 2 for £8.00 on Nspa products. I've been using this now for around 2 weeks and have to say I won't be using any other product, my skin is in amazing condition now.

Have you tried this yet?

Stacey x

Review - NYC applelicious lip balm in Red Gala

Hi Beauts.

Today I bring to you another review of a product I've wanted to try put for a while: NYC applelicious lip balm in Red Gala

I won't lie, the packaging is the thing that most attracted me, how cute is the apple in the centre of the product? Speaking of the apple, that is actually the balm and the outside is the colour.

I wasn't expecting this to be as pigmented as it was because it's a tinted lip balm, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's such a pretty red shade, it gives that 'Just bitten' look. Is that even an actual thing? It is now ;) 

As with most lip balm products, this was smooth to apply and left a glossy finish as well as a high pigment behind. The colour on my lips lasted around 2 hours before  wearing off, but my lips felt soft for a few hours after the full product had worn off. This is definitely a product worth trying if you're looking for a tinted lip balm, with great pigmentation as well as something to keep your pout perfect. This smells as you'd expect it to, like apples. It smells good enough to eat, although I wouldn't recommend chomping on it! 

There are 4 (as far as I know) shades available in Superdrug and on Fragrance direct. 

Have you tried these Beauts?

Stacey x

The Balm: Mary-Lou Manizer

Hi Beauts.

I hadn't heard too much about The Balm until I started watching YouTube and reading blog posts about their products. I think the thing that caught my eye first was the packaging - It's 50's inspired and I love it. I think the make up industry needs something a little different.

My sister bought me the Mary-Lou Manizer for Christmas and I have to say, it's definitely made me want more of their products. I have a slight addiction to highlighters for some reason and knew that I had to try this little beauty out.

Packaging:

As I mentioned earlier, I love the 50's themed packaging. It's definitely an eye catcher. On the front of the box (and the front of the compact) we have a blonde lady who has been arrested for being 'too pretty and too popular' The picture is actually really cool, it looks like a police mugshot - again full points for different packaging The Balm! On the back of the box we have the pretty blondes rap sheet and finger prints.

The compact itself is made from a pretty sturdy silver plastic and has a decent sized mirror, which makes it great for travelling or popping in your handbag.

Product:

Now onto the product itself. It is a stunning, highly pigmented, shimmery, neutral toned champagne kind of shade. When blended onto the cheekbones it gives a gorgeous glow. This is also a multi purpose product as it can be used as a highlight, shimmer or an eyeshadow - it makes for a very pretty brow bone highlight too.

You get 8.5g (0.3oz) of product in this little beauty for £15.00 ($24.00) which I think is a pretty great bargain. And another great thing (in my opinion) The Balm don't test their products or ingredients on animals! 

Overall thoughts:

In a nutshell, if like me you love highlighters, this is a must for your collection. It will work great on all skin tones, it's super pigmented, it's a stunning shade and it has more than one use. Lets not forget the amazing packaging too!

Are you a fan of the balm? Which other products should I add to my 'must have' list?

Don't forget to check out my Tumblr too ;)

Stacey x

Review - Milani eye primer

Hi Beauts.

I'm slowly but surely making my way through my goodies I bought whilst I was in NYC back in August/September. I have to say, I love US drugstore make up! 

Anywhoo, today I wanted to do a review on the Milani eye primer I bought. I know it's not available in the UK, but I figured it may be helpful for you Beauts over the pond and any UK chickys that are planning a holiday and want to check it out.

The first thing that makes me like this product is the packaging. Boring thing to like I know, but because it's in a squeezy tube this allows me to control how much product I use and once I'm all done, I can snip the end off and get every last drop out. It's also a lot more hygienic than those primers with a wand applicator, great for any Make Up Artists out there.

I'd compare the actual product to that of the Urban Decay primer potion in original. It has pretty much the same consistency and is the same colour - a neutral skintone shade. I do, however, find this Milani primer to have a little more coverage. This one allows me to hide any discolouration on my lids where as the Urban Decay doesn't in my opinion.

And finally, the big question: Does it stop eyeshadow from creasing? It does indeed. I always apply my make up (through the week) at 6:30 am and remove it around 6pm (depending if I have plans etc) and this hasn't once let me down. My eyeshadow is still in place without any creasing, and is just as vibrant as it was that morning. 

All in all, I'd say this is pretty great eye primer. And f you haven't tried the Urban Decay primer potion and are looking to, give this a whirl first. I'd definitely say they are a very similar product

I'm pretty sure the price of this differs depending on where you buy it. I think I got mine in Duane Reid for around the $8.00 mark, but that only works out at £4.00 - £5.00. Pretty good going of you ask me.

What's your favourite eye primer?

I left my heart in NYC

Stacey x

Review - Le Volume De Chanel mascara

Hi Beauts.

A wee while ago I sent off for a sample of Chanel's mascara  'Le volume De Chanel' and months later, have only just gotten around to trying it out.

If I'm honest, I put off using it for so long because I knew that if I loved it I'd want the full size and there's just no way I could justify spending £24.00 on a mascara. Anyway onto the review: I love this mascara and I want the full size.......Damn you Chanel and your amazing products!!!

I kid you not, this is without question THE best mascara I think I've ever tried. I always apply two coats of mascara no matter which brand I'm using because, well that's just how I roll. Well not with this bad boy! Every time I used it I only needed one coat and my lashes would have been visible in Australia.
The first time I applied this I literally sat catching flies (Not literally, that's just dirty.....and I'm not a frog) I couldn't believe the difference in my lashes. I'm not sure if it was the formula or the wand or maybe both, but whatever it was my lashes had doubled in length, had so much volume and were so separated.

Another thing I always do when I use a new mascara, is open it and don't use it for a week so that the product dries out a little. More often than not when using a new mascara, I find it to be too wet. Again, this little tube of amazingness proved me wrong for the second time. This was the perfect consistency, not too wet or dry, and was really lightweight. I couldn't feel it on my lashes, but I sure could see it. I honestly thought that if I blinked too much I'd take off.

If you're looking for a mascara that promises length, volume and separation, and don't mind splurging a little (a lot) then I can't recommend this enough. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Let's round this up shall we. I love this mascara and if any friends or family are reading this (I know that you are mwahaahahaha)..... HINT HINT ;)

Have you tried this? Come on, how much did you love it too?

* Price - £24.00
* Product - 6g
* Shades - 3 according to the Chanel website, and 4 according to Boots

Stacey x

Review - Sleek contour kit in Light

Hi Beauts.

Being a pale gal, I find it hard to get my mitts on a contour powder or bronzer that isn't either orange or muddy looking. That was until now thanks to the Sleek contour kit in Light

This kit comes with a neutral toned contour powder and a shimmery highlight

The first time I used this I knew I'd found a winner. The contour colour was the perfect shade for my skin tone (me being pale and cool toned) and it was amazing to blend out. There were no orange tones to my cheeks and I definitely didn't look like I'd been having a mud fight (I'm far too old for that kind a thing now........) 

The highlight in the kit compliments the contour shade massively. Unlike a lot of shimmery highlights out there, this one gives a healthy glow to the face as opposed to looking like a disco ball. This is definitely a winning duo and best of all, it's so inexpensive.

The packaging is like all sleek products, black and sleek (just like the name would suggest) and it comes with a handy size mirror which makes it perfect for carrying in your make up bag, or travelling with.

I haven't spotted the contour kits in any Superdrug's, they all have the face form kit which is the exact same thing - the contour and highlight, but with an added bonus....a blush.This duo retails for £6.49 where as the face form kit retails for £9.99, still a massive bargain if you ask me.

The duo kit is available to buy on the Superdrug website and the Sleek website.

Have you tried this yet? Love it too? 

Stacey x

Revlon lash potion review

Hi Beauts.

Does anyone else hate throwing away mascara? I do. Even when it's time to chuck it I just don't want to part with it. But I also enjoy buying new mascara, slight contradiction there Stacey! Anywhoo, one mascara that I couldn't wait to try was the Revlon lash potion.

 If I'm honest it was the packaging that sucked me in, I'm like a magpie with pretty things. I hadn't read or watched any reviews but I knew that I had to have it. So I got me some whilst in NYC. 

Whenever I buy a new mascara I very rarely like it straight away because 9 times out of 10 it's too wet, so I leave it for a week or so to dry slightly. However this one wasn't like that at all. On first application I knew I'd found a mascara that I'd mourn even more than the others when I'd  finished it. The actual product wasn't too wet or dry it was just in between - perfect consistency. 

The wand is a pretty standard wand unlike all of the fancy ones that are hitting the shelves promising to work wonders with your lashes. And on that note, this does work wonders. 

Even with just one coat my lashes looked so long, full and separated which I loved. After two coats they looked even better!

 This definitely gives volume, length and separation which so many mascaras claim to do but don't. There's only one thing I'm not overly keen on and that's removal. It is a BIATCH to take off. I mean it's good that it's so stubborn because nobody wants a streaky face right? But nobody wants to have to scrub at their eyeballs to remove it either. However even though it's tough to remove, I can totally overlook that little problem because it's such an amazing product, and defintly one I'll be buying time and time again!

This retails for £9.99 in Boots and Superdrug.

Have you tried this yet? What are your thoughts?

Stacey x

E.l.f waterproof eyeliner

Hi Beauts.

One shop I was mega excited about discovering in NYC (or rather my cousin spotted it) qas the e.l.f studio - I didn't know such a thing existed! There was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to take a peek inside and buy a few goodies. The store itself was all white and had all of the products around the sides, definitely looked fresh and sophisticated! 

Can we have an elf studio in Newcastle pretty please?

 I did buy a few things and one product that I've used every day since I bought it is the waterproof eyeliner. 

I'm a huge fan of MUA extreme felt liner so wasn't sure if I'd like this one or not, I don't like change sometimes.  This time however I welcome it with open arms. Felt tip eyeliner pens have fast become my favourite type of liquid liner to use, I find them so much easier to control than gel or regular liquid liner. And this bad boy hasn't let me down. I will admit, when I first used it I wasn't so sure that I'd like it as the tip is solid where as the MUA one is a little flexible.  However I persevered and found that because it wasn't at all flexible, I could create a straighter, neater and thinner line.

 The product itself is extremely opaque, and isn't too wet like some other liquid liners that I've tried. As far as it being waterproof, I completely agree. Once applies this ain't budging until you use soap and water. I think I may have found my new fave liner :) Thanks elf!!

What's your favourite liquid liner?

(there seems to be a phantom picture kicking about on this page for some odd reason, don't worry it's not supposed to be there :p)
Stacey x

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer review

Hi Beauts.

After getting many recommendations from some lovely girlies on twitter, I decided to pick up the Rimmel Fix and Perfect primer.

I usually use No7 beautiful skin primer, but I find it a pain to blend sometimes as it's a mattifying primer. I didn't think this would work for me if I'm honest as I have oily skin, but wanted to give it a bash anyway.

Packaging:

This primer comes in a tube, which I prefer when it comes to liquid products as it makes it easier to control the amount of product you use. I also like the fact that you can snip off the bottom to get every last drop out.

Product:

The product itself is, I'd say, similar to that of a light moisturiser. It's not too thick or thin and has a slight scent to it. It's not a perfume scent, more of a clean smell - if that makes any sense?! It's not greasy at all either, which I have found some other cream primers to be.

Application:

After using the No7 primer, and having to buff it into my skin, this was a dream to apply. It did just feel like applying a moisturiser. I used my fingers to apply this and it was smooth, easy to blend and soaked into the skin pretty quickly. I wasn't left looking greasy or dewy, I wouldn't say my face looked matte but it did look healthy. This can also been worn alone, which I haven't tried

Staying power:

I was pleasantly surprised by this if I'm honest. I know so many people love this primer, but again as I have oily skin I usually go for mattifying primers and didn't think this would work for me. But I was wrong. I did lose a little foundation on my chin but I usually do (I tend not to when I use Revlon colorstay) but other than that, after 9 hours my face was still looking fresh and not at all shiny.

Claims:

As with all products, this primer has a number of claims which of course I put to the tea:

Smoothes - Yup. My skin did look smoother

Resurfaces - Yup. I'm pretty sure this goes hand in hand with smoothes

Brightens - Yup. My skin definitely looked brighter after applying this

Mattifies - This one, I'd say not so much. I definitely didn't look shiny or dewy, but I didn't look matte either

Protects - I'm not sure what it's protecting from if I'm honest?

Would I recommend this primer? Absolutely! I'm so glad that I tried it out, and I shall definitely repurchase once it done with this tube. I'd say this is best suited to all skin types, it doesn't dry out the skin so it would work for those with dry skin. And it definitely works for oily skin. 

Thumbs up from me Rimmel :)

Have you tried this? What did you think?

Stacey x

MUA fixing mist

Hi Beauts.

I'm pretty sure that I mention in almost every post that I have oily skin....and what a pain in the ass it is.  On of my a favourite foundations is Revlon colorstay, it's one the only ones I've found that lasts on my skin all day. I still notice it stray from my chin and turn a little cakey, mainly when it's hot outside.

About 6 months ago I bought the Urban Decay De Slick make up setting spray and absolutely loved it. However it ran out and rather than repurchasing (I would in a heartbeat FYI) I wanted to find a cheaper alternative from the highstreet. Welcome to the table MUA fixing mist. This has been my go to product this past three weeks, I LOVE it. 

Basically a make up setting spray is a fine spray that you apply before and after your make up to help you look fresh as a daisy, and help your make up stay put all day.
This one does just that. I spray my face before my primer, after foundation and concealer, and lastly when my make up is all on.

I will say, apply your mascara last as I always end up with mascara lines under my eyes and down my cheeks if I don't. My make up definitely lasted a few hours longer than it did without using this, and I didn't need to re-powder at all. All in all, I find this works just as well as Urban Decay De Slick, the only difference i find is the UD is a little more of a finer mist and this one from MUA is a slightly thicker spritz. It doesn't really bother me, I just have to wait a little longer for it to sink into my skin.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely! As soon as I'm through with this bottle, I shall be buying a second :)

Stacey x

First impressions: Rimmel stay matte foundation

Hi Beauts.

I'm sure we all know by now that I find it extremely hard finding a foundation that will last all day. Two great ones I do use and love are Revlon colorstay and the Garnier BB cream. 

However, being the make up addict I am, I still want to find another that works for me. That's just how I roll. I'd heard a little about the new Rimmel Stay matte foundation and was considering giving it a bash when I stumbled across a sample sachet in my Glamour magazine - perfect!

So instead of doing a full review (this post is so going to end up just that) I wanted to do a 'first impressions' instead. I enjoy watching these types of videos on youtube and thought it may be a good idea

 The thing that stuck out the most on the packet were the words 'liquid moose foundation' pretty strange right? Well it is just that.

Squirting the foundation onto the back of my hand the consistency was that of a moose like product, but whilst blending it into my skin it felt like a liquid. Pretty damn cool eh? I found this so easy to blend out, there was no streaking and no patchiness, and the best thing was the coverage it gave. This is definitely a full coverage foundation and I didn't need to reach for any concealer at all - that's never happened to me before.

Because it's full coverage I did think that it would feel a little heavy on my skin, but it didn't at all. It is absolutely, as it says, a lightweight product. Is it matte? I hear you say....Yup! It's not the kind of matte foundation where your skin is made to feel tight or dry, my skin felt as though I'd just applied a light moisturiser. 

Once I had applied the rest of my make up - eyes, blush etc I noticed that I didn't need to powder, yet another thing that's never happened to me before. I did powder though but I think I did it more out of habit than anything else.

I applied this at 12pm (hello flawless finish) and checked again at 4pm then 8pm, my make up hadn't budged at all!! My skin still looked flawless, matte and just well bloody amazing in my opinion! I don't think I've ever been so impressed with any make up product before.

The lowdown:

Price: £5.99

Product: 30ml

Shades: 6

Coverage: Full

Where to buy: Boots Superdrug 

Lightweight

Matte

Lasted 8+ hours

Doesn't cake up

No need to powder

So the big question is, will I be buying the full size? ABSOLUTELY! I am actually going out to buy it today, I can see this fast becoming my favourite foundation

Have you tried this yet? What did you think?

Stacey x