B. Colour Conditioning Lipstick in Petal

The B Colour Conditioning Lipsticks claim to be perfect for those not wanting a full coverage lipstick but something that provides a soft sheen on the lips. It contains vitamin E, shea butter and aloe vera. 

The lipstick applies quite sheer at first but it is buildable. That is just another reason for me to love this lipstick. Sometimes I like a sheer lipstick, and other times I like something a little more opaque and bold. I can get those options with just one product which is a total bonus.
 
The colour, 017 Petal, is lovely for everyday wear, even when built up to a bolder finish. It's not a normal nude colour but the nude undertone makes it wearable. The rosy pink tone to the shade just gives it that something extra.  


 
 I love the packaging of this lipstick. The slim packaging means it can fit just about anywhere if you are stuck for space in your bag and  it's just nice to see something a little different from the generic lipstick tubes mist brands adopt. 

I love that the brand is cruelty free. I wish brands highlighted their morals more because it draws me too them. I like that this brand carries the BUAV logo, because not many do and it can be hard to find out their stand points on animal testing.

You can pick up the B. Colour Conditioning Lipsticks from selected Superdrug stores or online here for £6.99. 
  

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Seventeen Doll'd Up Mascara

  

The 17 Doll'd Up Mascara is marketed as a show stopping mascara that gives 24 hour curl and volume without clumping. The curved brush is designed to give you a doll like lash effect with an overstated wide eyed look. It retails for £6.29 and you pick it up in Boots where they sell Seventeen. 

I can't say that I've tested the 24 hour things, but I've noticed that after a good days wear of this it does start to slightly flake. It doesn't hold a curl for that long, and it doesn't really help lashes curl when you apply it. 

Now that the bad things are out of the way, let me tell you why I love this mascara.

 It might not be 24 hour wearing or curling but it applies like a dream. The non-clumping claim is true and the curved brush is subtle enough that it isn't hard to use like some can be. The shorter, plastic bristles allow you to reach the roots of your lashes with control so that you lashes are coated from route to tip. 

The colour isn't something I usually talk about when it comes to mascara but with this one I will mention it. It is a really intense black that covers lashes in one swipe. It does last a long time on the lashes without flaking or smudging but after about 12 hours it does start to flake. I will say that it never smudges though. 

You can build this up but one coat really gives me all I need. You get a slight lift to the lashes and it gives you volume. I wouldn't say this is a dramatic mascara but it doesn't give you the most natural look either. I love this for everyday because it gives me volume, nice black colour and lasts long enough for me to wear all day at work.

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MAC Pro-Longwear Blush in Stay Pretty

MAC Pro-Longwear Blush in Stay Pretty is a light yet bright blue toned pink that feels lightweight on the skin while providing extreme colour, no fading and 8 hour wear. The formula is an ultra -fine and silky powder that can be blended to a flawless, natural finish or layered for a brighter, dramatic look. 



First, the colour is perfect for me. I can use it subtly, or build it up if I want to make my cheeks a feature. The blue tone to the pink suit my skin tone, and the light yet bright quality of the colour ensures that it pops on my cheeks. It's easily buildable but if you find you've gone over the top you can blend it out with a clean blush to bring it down again. 



The formula is brilliant. It lasts all day on my skin (though regular MAC blushes do too) with little fading and when I apply the product, it blends easily over the cheeks. It doesn't cake up my foundation or leave my skin looking like the pores are the size of the grand canyon.  



The packaging is quintessentially MAC. It's the same as the regular collection blushes and is a black pan with a clear window showing the colour of the product. It's not the more secure or the most luxurious, but it's more secure than some and the simplicity appeals to me over something very garish. 

Overall, I highly recommend the Pro-Longwear blushes to anyone who loves a blush that can be both subtle and bold. I recommend this colour, Stay Pretty if you want a pink that is really going to pop. 

You can pick up the MAC Pro-Longwear Blush in Stay Pretty from MAC counter, store and online here for £19 .

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Makeup From The Twilight Saga Movies 2

The makeup in The Twilight Saga movies aren't really makeup focused. Sure the vampires are coated in white face paint, but it's not something that everyone is going on about! I wanted to know some of the products used in the movie to create the few looks Stewart wears when playing Bella. 

In the picture above you can see 8 products that were used on human and vampire Bella to create her makeup looks. 

1) MAC Blot Powder | £20 | link

MAC Blot Powder in a movie makeup artist favourite. Not only was it used on Stewart but the entire cast has this used on them. It absorbs excess oil creating a more matte effect on the skin making it just that bit more camera ready. 

2) Anastasia Brow Duo in Brunette | £17 | link

To ensure that Bella's, both human and vampire, brows were nice and defined the makeup artists on the set used the ever so famous Anastasia brow duo in Brunette. The powder creates a more subtle effect while leaving the brows defined and framing the face. 

3) Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Balm | £31.75 | link

This was used to on the lips for the stunning wedding look Stewart, as Bella, wore. It gives a nice tint of colour on the lips while offering a nice balm effect at the same time. 

4) MAC Eyeshadows in Blanc Type, Flute and Wedge | £12 | link

These neutral shadows were used in a variety of looks in the movies to create natural looks on Stewart. The great texture of MAC shadows means they are blendable and nicely pigmented. They last for ages and rarely crease. 

5) Stila Custom Colour Blush in Pink  | £13 | link

This was another product used in the stunning wedding look. It's a nice pink blush, strangely enough that can be used subtly or built up on the skin for something more dramatic. 

6) Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua | £32 | link

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation was used on vampire Bella to create a flawless base for the rest of the makeup. You can read my review of this fabulous foundation here!

7) Laura Mercier Foundation Primer | £28 | link

For most actors who wore makeup the Laura Mercier foundation primer was used to prep the skin. The luxurious primer smooths the skin while prepping it for makeup. It pro-longs the wear of face makeup creating a great base for other things. I have a review of this beaut coming soon.

8) Dior Show Iconic Mascara | £23 | link

Stewart wore this mascara as Bella Swan in the movies, but it really came into it's own when she was a vampire. The amp'ed up lashes of the vampires allowed the mascara to really show what it can do, even with the false lashes on the top. 

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B. Active Day Cream

The B. Active Day Cream is an anti-aging cream targets at people between the ages between 30 and 40. It claims to smooth and firm the skin with concentrated tetrapeptide, hydrate the skin with hyaluronic acid and have an anti-fatigue effect with niacinamide and proteolea. It also has SPF15 and UVA filters to protect from the sun. 

The B. range offers three levels of skincare, targets skin in it's three phases. The first phase is for people in the 20's and is packaged with yellow highlight. The green highlighted packaged (which contains this day cream) is for people in their 30s and 40s and makes up the products for the second skin phase.  The final stage is targets at people 50 and over, contains purple highlights over the packaging and is meant to firm up the skin. 

Instead of picking up the day cream for skin phase 1, I grabbed this once because I thought it might be slightly more nourishing and hydrating. I know I don't need the anti-aging properties, being only 19, but it's never too soon to start taking care of your skin.  


 
Anyway, I picked this up in hopes that it could help combat my dry skin. I've always found that anti-aging creams hydrate my skin better than regular lotions and potions. The fact that this contained hyaluronic acid only made me want to try it more. 

 

The texture is really nice, but it might be slightly to rich for some people. I found the thick formulation to be something comparable to night creams I've tried in the past. It is fast to sink into the skin though, and it feels lovely once you've applied it. It doesn't leave any kind of residue on my skin and it gives me a nice base in which I can easily apply makeup onto. 

After using this for about 4 weeks, I found that my skin was leaning towards the more 'normal' side rather than it's regular 'dry' type so it works perfectly for me and if you have dry skin I would highly recommend giving this a try.




The packaging is very bulky, but it does have a luxurious feel to it. The brand is marketed as a premium brand so the weighty, and classy packaging helps aid the image that want to promote. So, while it's not ideal for traveling it does look nice sitting on top of a dressing table or vanity. 

 

One final thing worth noting is that the brand is cruelty free. It's not tested on animals, and it carries the cruelty-free international logo to highlight that fact.

You can pick up the B. Active Day Cream in selected Superdrug stores or online here for £11.99.

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Chanel Coco Mademoiselle EDP

After lusting after Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau De Parfum for absolutely ages, I finally decided to treat myself to a bottle. It felt strange purchasing a perfume for myself - I usually get it as a gift - but I just couldn't wait any longer for this beauty. 





This fragrance, which comes in both Eau De Parfum and Eau De Toilette, has top notes of orange, bergamot and grapefruit. The heart notes are slightly more floral with rose extract and jasmine but with a fruity hit of litchi. The base notes consist of patchouli, haitian vetiver, vanilla and white musk. 



I honestly cannot pick out any of these specifically from the fragrance but combined they create a stunning fragrance. I'm shocked that rose is part of the fragrance because you honestly cannot pick that out. I hate rose, so even if you are not a fan still give this a smell. 



I have quite a few perfumes in my collection but this is the longest lasting of them all. They beat out Marc Jacobs, Britney Spears (yes, I know I shouldn't own these) and Calvin Klein. It lasts about 6 or 7 hours with me being able to smell it on myself. The scent is very strong upon first application, but it soon becomes slightly more subtle and just gives you a nice feminine fragrance that lasts ages. 



The bottle is gorgeous and while this is expensive just the one squirt is enough so it lasts ages. The fragrance is distinctly feminine, and really quite sophisticated. I think it's something that any one of any age can wear, so give it a chance.  




I would highly recommend giving Chanel Coco Mademoiselle a whiff if you get the chance because it's a firm favourite of mine and I can see it being one for a long time.  

You can pick up Chanel Coco Mademoiselle at places that stock Chanel perfumes or online here from £48.

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Why You Shouldn't Buy The John Frieda Go Blonder Range *updated*

I'm not one to shy away from a negative review. I think they are just as helpful as a review telling you something is the best thing in the world. I think it's great to know what NOT to buy too. Today, I have something really negative to share with you all and for one I actually feel a bit bad about it. 

Sorry for the negativity, and sorry for the long post but I wanted to say everything rather than leaving something out.

The Product

  
I've recently ombred my hair, and because of that I decided to pick up some hair care products targets at blondes. the John Frieda Go Blonder range was on offer in Superdrug and it seemed to be targets at what I wanted. I picked up the shampoo, conditioner and lightening spray to try out on the ends of my hair. 

I used the products on my hair, and at first they seemed fine.  They weren't amazing, but they did the job of washing my hair. I didn't have an immediate reactions, and it didn't cause any irritation when I actually washed my hair and left the conditioner to sit in the ends for a few minutes.  I used the spray sparingly through the very ends of my hair, blow dried them and then pinned my hair our of my face and away from my neck and chest so I could sleep. 

The Reaction

I went off the bed, happy as larry but in the morning I noticed that a rash was appearing all over my check and neck area. I honestly didn't take that much notice of it and went of to work. At work the rash for considerably worse and began to feel like it was burning alongside a constant itching feeling. I'm quite lucky that I work in a place that has a pharmacy and I was able to get some advice on what to do to calm it down. They gave me some cream to calm the rash down and some cooling aqueous and calamine cream to sooth the burning down.  She then suggested that if the rash were to remain overnight that I should get some steroid cream to try and help it. It's calmed down a little since then, but it still itches like mad, is very red and the burning sensation is still noticeable. 

I can only say that I'm so glad I only used this on my ends. I can't even imagine what my scalp would be like now had I used it all over my head.  I won't be using these again, and it really puts me off trying other products from the range. If I got this reaction from these products, will I get the same from the others?

The pharmisist suggested that it could be an allergic reaction (something I've NEVER experienced before with any kind of product) or some kind of chemical burn. I was so freaked out by that idea that I decided to call the help line to see if they could offer me any advice on what could cause this reaction and if they had heard of anyone else experiencing this problem. I was hoping they could tell me how to calm down the reaction. 
 
I have changed nothing else in my routine either for my hair, face or body so it can only be these products causing this reaction. 

Not so gentle after all!

Awful Customer Service

I wasn't going to post a review of these products. I was quite content with the idea getting a little help from the help line that the company advertise on the back of their products.  I called the help line, and was on hold for a little over an hour. At that time I had to give up because I had to go to work. I called once and was disconnected after about 20 minutes, and then called again. The second time I called I was told that I was first in the queue, and that someone would be with me shortly. That NEVER happened. I was told about 10 times in the 40 minutes wait that I was first in the queue but all I heard was the quite 'on hold' music playing down then phone. I was so disappointed that I just felt I should write a post. Maybe this is the way I'll get the help I wanted. 

After having no success over the phone I tried to find an email address but could only find a contact form on their website. I filled it in with all my details (they asked for everything from my address to my phone number) and detailed my issues, and linked my blog post. I thought I might get some kind of helpful response here  but all I got back (a fair ol' few day later) was a generic response telling me to call them. Now, that makes no sense to me. The main thing in my email was complaining about the hour I was on the phone and they tell me to call again. Ermm, what? 

I then tried to tweeting them! I asked for a direct email address and got the same response as I did the email. They just told me to call again. I tweeted that I didn't have the time to call and wait on hold for another hour and that my email was to complain about the poor customer service. I've had no response since, so I'm at a loss of what to do.

It might have taken me kicking up a bit of a fuss but I have got somewhere with the company. I got a package in the post which included a envelope and a medical survey asking about my reaction. I filled it in and sent the products off to them. A few days later I got a call. 

I was happy that someone had taken the time to call, but it was a bit like to little to late. Sure, I accepted their apology and I suppose the excuse that phone lines were busy is acceptable. They very nicely explained about their product testing and that reactions were rare. I didn't really get any help as to what could have set off the reaction but they did tell me they didn't want to speculate as it could be anything. 

They kindly offered to send me some replacement products from sister brands as they didnt want me to react to any more of their products. 

It was kind of them to replace them, but I can't help but think it wouldn't have happened if I hasn't have posted and complained about it quite as much as I did.

I am still put off using other products from the brand, so I think I'll stick to my current shampoo and I'll continue to love Friz Ease  but I don't think I'll be trying  anything new anytime soon. 

I still highly doubt I was in the first position in the queue if I received no answer for the hour I was on the phone. If you are not going to answer the phone, or don't have the staff to monitor the call centre then please do not advertise the number of the back of all your products. 

Thanks for essentially giving me my money back but I still can't say I'm a huge fan! 

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Bourjois Flower Perfection Translucent Smoothing Primer

This Bourjois Flower Perfection Primer is a translucent primer that evens out the skin's texture, helps hide pores, blemishes and fine lines to help the skin look flawless. It claims to have a melt-in airbrush texture that leaves the skin silky soft and prolongs the hold of foundation on the face. It's oil free and enriched with wild azalea flower to protect skin cells. 



The packaging is simple, and different from other primers. I can't say I often see primers in pots rather than tubes. I do have my slight issues with the whole dipping my fingers in and it not being totally sanitary, but I got over it. The other issue I have with packaging like this is the fact that it's easy to use more than you need to but after using it a few times you can guess quite well how much you need. 

The product feels lovely on the skin. It really leave my skin feeling silky and smooth. It helps hide my huge pores, but I can't really say that it helped disguise my blemishes and at 19 years old I don't have visible fine lines that this could help smooth out. 



This product really comes into it's own when you look at in terms of prolonging the wear of your makeup. I've never really found a primer than can keep any foundation in place and works with any kind of foundation but this one does.

 I used it tinted moisturizers/BB creams, Cream foundations, concealers  and liquid foundations and it's worked amazingly well with all of them. It gives them a smooth base to sit on and holds them in place until I take of my makeup at the end of the day.  

It can run out quite quickly, but it's well worth the price and I will be repurchasing this Bourjois Flower Perfection Translucent Smoothing Primer again and again.

You can pick this up from places that stock Bourjois products like Boots and Superdurg, or you can purchase this online here for just £9.99.

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YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick in 8 Pink in Confidence

After purchasing my first YSL Lipstick, I knew that I needed another. The gorgeous packaging paired with the brilliant formula means that these take a permanent place on my wish list.  Having dry lips, I love a lipstick that leaves my lips feeling nice and moisturized. Because of that, I usually have to sacrifice staying power but with the YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipsticks I can have the best of both worlds. 

  I decided to get something that I would consider for everyday wear for work and university.  I wanted something I could put on in one quick swipe and I wanted it to be totally fuss free. 

 

 I ended up settling on '8' which is named 'Pink In Confidence'. It's a light pink colour with a brown/nude undertone. At first it goes on quite sheer, but the colour is easily buildable and it still feels lightweight on the lips. It's a perfect everyday colour and is great for any time of year.



The lasting power is amazing. For something that is sheer and somewhat glossy this lasts about 3 hours on my lips. Other lipsticks of this variety tend to last about an hour on me, so the extra staying power of this makes it a go to choice when getting ready. 



I don't think I even need to mention the stunning packaging. To me, it screams class and elegance. The gold tube feels sturdy, and the lid secures with a noticeable click. The band around the centre of the tube gives you a peek at the colour (though it's not totally true to the colour of the bullet) and shows the YSL branding. 



Overall, I adore these lipsticks and particularly love this shade. The glide onto my lips, last a decent amount of time, don't leave any sign of dryness and feel totally luxurious. I would highly recommend the YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipsticks, and I think I'll invest in another when I fancy treating myself. 

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Friday Favourite: Soap and Glory Glow Job

Soap and Glory are a brand that nearly every beauty blogger loves. The nice quirky packaging coupled with brilliant products makes them a win win brand in many peoples books. The Glow Job moisturizing lotion is no exception to the great products they put out. 

You can read my full review here for more information but in summary this is a nice light lotion that contains bronzing beads that add a touch of radiance to your face when working into the skin. 

You can pick the Soap and Glory Glow Job Daily Radiance Moisture Lotion here for £9 a tube. 

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The Hunger Games | Katniss Everdeen and Effie Trinket Make Up Looks

If you have ever noticed anything about The Hunger Games phenomenon, you must have seen the fabulous makeup on some of the characters. The eccentric looks that the people of The Capitol wear are just bright, pretty insane but beautiful. The makeup on the people from the Districts like Katniss Everdeen, The Girl on Fire is just as beautiful but slightly more wearble. 

MAC products are the commonly used by makeup artists because of the brilliant range of colours and products they offer and the brand was popular with the makeup artists on the set of the hunger games. 

Effie Trinket, who wears amazingly pale skin, blue lips and pink eyes in the movie, wore MAC Full Coverage foundation in NW10 to achieve the pale skin, and MAC blush in Pink Swoon helped add a little life back into her face.  On her lips she wore an OCC Lip Tar in Butch which is a light blue colour. Here eyes are a combination of many colours but a main focus in the look shown above is a MAC pigment in the shade Full Force Violet. 

I wouldn't suggest wearing this out in the street, you might get a few weird looks but for fancy dress parties you can try and pull off the Effie Trinket look just as well as Elizabeth Banks does in the movie. Just don't forget the funky hair and clothes to alongside your pale face. 

Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence is a 'commoner' in the movie and opts for less eccentric looks, even when being the centre of attention on Capitol TV. The Girl on Fire makeup was created with a simple mix of neutral MAC eyeshadows like Smut, All That Glitters and Free on the eyes, while using MAC Blot powder on the skin to create a matte appearance in all the right places.  

The Studio Finish concealer was another popular product used in the movie. The shades varied from Actor to Actor but the creamy concealer was used on the face of the actors to concealer any blemishes on the skin that the camera didn't want to see.

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Bourjois Little Round Pout Blush in 34 Rose d'Or

This Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher in 34 Rose d'Or (Golden Rose) is a baked blush that is formulated of ultra fine powder that is easy to apply and blends brilliantly. This colour is a gorgeous rose pink with golden shimmer running through it. The packaging comes with a small brush, and magnetic closure and a mirror in the lid. The blush comes in 12 shades and you can pick them up in places that stock Bourjois, including Boots and Superdrug for 




I got this blush as part as a Secret Santa present from a fellow blogger, and have only just gotten around to blogging about it. I got this, alongside the chocolate bronzer, the flower primer and a couple of Barry M Nail polishes. I just about fell in love with all the products, including this one.


I've always been reluctant to try these because I thought the price was a bit much for such a small blush but now I will definetly be buying more shades. The pigmentation of this blush means that you only need the smallest amount to get a nice coverage on the cheeks. It blends easily, and because of the gold shimmer running through the sort of bright rose blush, you get a gorgeous glow on the cheeks too. 



The packaging is really nice and compact, so its nice and small and fits easily into your makeup bag and the mirror means you have something handy to touch up throughout the day. The magnetic closure on this blush is still going strong, but I have seen quite a few in stores that have already broken, so that might be a downside. 


 

Overall, I love this blush. It's nicely pigmented, blends well and while quite expensive for the drugstore the quality justifies the price.

You can pick this up wherever they sell Bourjois, so places like Boots and Superdrug. You can also pick this Bourjois Little Round Pout Blusher in Rose d'Or online here for £7.49

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