Product review - Neutrogena PureGlow daily cleansing cushions

Hi everyone :)

While I was babysitting my mum's house I came across this interesting box of goodies - Neutrogena PureGlow daily cleansing cushions. I've tried to look these up online but not with much luck. I think they retail around the £5/under mark (22 cushions in a box).

These cleansing cushions are basically one smooth (I say smooth, but really it has little tiny bumps on it, rougher than a cotton pad) and one ridged/ textured(?) cotton pads stuck together with room to put two fingers into - like cleansing cushion finger gloves?!

You slightly dampened the cushion and gently scrub your face (I like circular motions). The cushions release a creamy lather and cleanse and gently exfoliate. I must say they were really nice to use. Left my skin feeling clean, fresh and not dry. 

I went round my face once with the stripey/textured side and then again with the smooth side. 

These are probably gently to use everyday but I just used it 3 times in the week I was there. No problems with it at all, it was particularly satisfying around the nose area!

Even if these were readily available I am not sure if they are worth £5 as you could easily recreate the effectiveness yourself, but if it was 2 boxes for £5 I may reconsider for the convenience and  novelty. They'd also be a handy product to take on a trip.

Have you tried this product before? Do you know of anything similar I could try?

xoxo

Hair products I'm currently using

Hi guys!

Since going AWOL in June I've had a slight change up in the hair products I am using. Just change for the sake of change. Here are my thoughts :)

I always need some sort of hair serum or oil to be able to comb through my wet hair. I am currently using got2b's "oil-licious" styling oil. Despite the cringey name, this is a decent product. I do really like got2b/Schwarzkopf  products. This hair oil (gifted by mummy so not sure how much it was but goggle would suggest around the £4 mark)does the job well without being too oily. Initially I was using one pump but even if I get too excited and use 2 pumps my hair is still manageable and doesn't feel overloaded with crap.

I don't often use these types of products through my hair when it is dry, but on the few occassions that I have, again, it doesn't leave my hair looking overly oily. (If I do use this on dry hair, I go for not even one pump...teeny tiny is the way to go.)

Next up we have a product that I never thought I'd be writing about on this blog - hair mousse!

The last time I used hair mousse I would have been in secondary school #90skid Wow. Seriously though, hair mousse and gel were the way forward 15 years ago (omg I am old whaaaaaaaat) and everytime I think of hair mousse the word that springs to mind is "crispy". Second word would be, "crunchy". Third word, "no".

But then I heard whispers that hair mousse in the 00's (is that what we call it? I'm confused. The 2000's?) was no longer about crispy and crunchy and so I thought, let me be the brave warrior I am and give it a go.

V05 is often on 2 for £5 in superdrugs so I picked up this Plump it up mousse with my usual heat defense spray. The heat defense spray long finished before I worked up the guts to use the mousse.

I imagined that the first day would be ok but I was more fearful of day 2 hair.

So?
I like it. A lot.

I won't say I love it because I don't use it after every wash but I do reach for it often. This doesn't give me a ton of volume but maybe it poofs me up a bit. but I do like the overall extra control it has on my hair without weighing it down or looking greasy. And when I wake up the day after, my hair isn't much worse than it would normally be (I'm also a bit oily at the roots on day 2 no matter what).

Mousse in general - I will definitely be buying more mousse products in the future. Yay mousse. 

Superdrug has a new (?) own brand hair styling product line out.

I decided that you couldn't go wrong with a 2 for £4 offer so I got two heat defense sprays.

To be fair, I am no expert,  I just assume it is trying its best to defend my hair from heat damage and aside from that, it doesn't do much else.

I am never too sure if this is the sort of product that is better the more money you spend on it.
If you read my blog you will know that I am no brand/product snob, but I know for sure that the more you spend on washing up liquid, hairspray and mayonnaise, the better. I am happy buying a ton of stuff from the 99p store, but when it comes to the aforementione products, it has got to be Fairy, Elnett and Heinz. Heat defense spray? I dunno.

My heart kinda tells me I don't like this particular product. It stings my scalp, but so does Bumble & Bumbles thickening spray and I'm on my second (makes me wanna die expensive) bottle (thanks V!).

I just don't like it. I can't put it into words. (Shit blogger).

On that note, can any recommend me some heat defense sprays and mousse (volume) please?

Thank you for reading xoxo

Primark haul - Sweater season

Hi Guys!

It is so cold these days bbbbbrrrrr so I've stocked up on some new jumpers to keep me snuggly and warm.

I've only become into wearing jumpers since last year. Previous to that I just felt, honestly, too chunky to be wearing jumpers. I'm bulky enough and I didn't see the point of adding on more bulk.

But then last year I just....I dunno....accepted my bulk and welcomed jumpers into my life! And this year, with the addition of having to actually travel to work beyond 10 minutes I actually need the extra layers for practical reasons (I can be practical at times!).

Everything is from Primark. 

[£14]
This chunky jumper is a mix off creams and greys. It fits quite boxy but is by no means cropped. It gives off quite a boyfriend vibe with the wide contrast neck line. Absolutely love it. It does get a bit fluff central and leaves my office chair and  black skinnies slightly fluffy but nothing I can't live with. One thing to note is that the washing instructions says to cool wash it....which may or may not matter to you. 

[£14]

Leopard print. Nuff said.

This feels like heaven. It is so soft and fluffy. It is not as thick as the previous jumper, and it isn't very flattering but it was too cute to not buy. 

[£10]

This is the typical fluffy jumper that was all the rage since last A/W. TBH I am going to return this because the colour looks absolutely hideous on me. I look like a fluffy washed out pig. They do sell this in black but my size is never in stock. I will persevere cos I'm dedicated innit. 

[£6]

I know. I know what you are thinking.

Double chin. Triple chin. Roll neck. Really?

Yes really. As I mentioned previously, sometimes I can be practical.

I've been sick a lot since starting my new job (Hello public transport germs!) and sometimes you gotta keep, not just the chest region warm but also the neck.

This is a wardrobe essential and I shall be busting it out and probably layering it under another jumper when it is snowing and shizz. I'll be in so many layers and scarves that noone will be noticing my chins. And to be fair, my chins are there with or without the rollneck anyway.

(Also note, if you have less chins than me, this would look very stylish and it is only £6!)

[£14]

Neon yellow jumper.

Goodbye comfort zone!

I love this. It is chunky and slightly boxy. I could have gone a size smaller but the oversized look really suits the style and colour. It is neon yellow for god's sake. I took, "go big, or go home" quite literally.

This isn't everyone's cup of tea (no shit sherlock) but hey, if it garners too much hated I can always wear it around Penny Palace. Ain't no one gonna stop this star from shining!

OMG this jumper just makes me all happy and weird.

The only downside is styling it is tough. Pretty limited with which outwear and accessories I can wear it with.
But I don't mind a  challenge. 

[£14]

This is the jumper I am wearing in the first photo.

I love this jumper. This is my favourite one.

It is oversized, long (more than covers my bum) and it has slightly batwing thing going on and the sleeves are bracelet length (my absolute fav sleeve length - cos I'm the sort of person who has a sleeve length favourite).

The neutral beige is just sexy. Yes, beige is sexy. 

And I saved the best til last!

Oh come on. Just cos I've purchased a few non-black items doesn't mean I've gone bat shit cray.

But seriously, if you want a pastel unicorn rainbow jumper, go to Primark. The jumper feels like clouds.



Hope you have enjoyed my sweater haul :)
Are you guys all warm and snuggly?
Keep healthy xoxo

Mascara review - Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express waterproof mascara

Hi Guys!

I've been meaning to try Maybelline The Falsies for absolutely ages and have just finished a tube, and here is what I think:

I don't know.

I don't know what I think.

I wanted this because the blogger reviews loved it and it was often touted as a god send for mono-lidders such as myself. And the fact that every time I looked for it in the shops and it was sold out made me want it even more.

When I first used this - I HATED IT!! I just did not get along with it at all. The formula was too wet and it hardly gave me anything - let alone the 300% more visible lashes it claims. And I didn't enjoy the spoon brush thing. I think my mascara reviews must make everyone think I am an idiot because I also struggle with any brush that isn't a traditional Christmas tree brush (you know what I'm saying!) but seriously, the 'spoon' to me was useless. So I angrily used this up. I think that this was particularly disappointing after Loreal's excess volume million lashes, which was really good (I reviewed it here: http://onepennye.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/review-loreal-volume-million-lashes.html#links).

PLOT TWIST!

But then!!!!! - So I've mentioned before that I like to keep a bunch of mascaras on the go at once, and so I kept this one around even after I moved onto my next one (review to follow - teaser - I'm clubbing with Bourjois again...). Erm, once the Falsies was all dried out and slightly manky I have fallen in love with it! Maybe it is the spoon brush design that I said I hated but after I mascara up my lashes (with whatever), I like to comb the Falsie wand over my lashes and they really do give them a nice fanned out look!

This is why  I am so confused! I would not repurchase it as a new tube because it did absolutely nothing for my stubby lashes, but I am definitely keeping my manky used up tube forever. Maybe I should wash out the tube or something?

Have you tried this? Am I being foolish? Should I get another tube and give it another chance?

xoxo

Foundation Review - Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation

Hi Guys :)

Here are my thoughts on Maybelline's SuperStay Better Skin Foundation.

Readily available in drugstores and costs around £8.99 for 30ml.

Previous to this I was using Loreal's Infalliable 24h foundation (which I have reviewed).

I chose Better Skin as my next foundation as it claims to be long lasting and seemed a decent consistency when I swatched it in store. With regards to the Better Skin claims - let us all be realistic here - who would actually believe that claim? If there was a foundation which could actually physically make your skin better, do you think it would come from Maybelline (no offense!) and be sold for under a tenner? Spoiler alert - no, my skin did not miraculously

Colour wise - as always with a drugstore foundation, colour matching is a tough job. I went for the shade SAND. This shade was a bit too light on me but the shade darker was too orange. It was not too bad with a smidge of bronzer dusted all over my face.

When I first used this I was really impressed. It blended in well - was not too thick or too wet and worked well with my Real Technique's expert face brush. It also lasted a decent amount of time. It isn't what I would call heavy duty but this medium coverage foundation definitely saw me through 8ish hours. And importantly, it wore off very evenly so I was not left patchy.

I was not too keen on the finish - it is suppose to give you a flawless finish but I found it a bit too...flat? To be fair, this could be because the shade was too light but I felt slightly grandma at times. On the other hand it did cover my blemishes and my redness well, but at times it could gather a bit on dryer areas of the face. (That bit between my eyebrows can get a bit dry for some reason...just me?)

So.........I would say this is a decent everyday foundation. It isn't one I'd grab for an important occasion where I need to be looking damn fine, but for going to and from work it does the job. Wouldn't repurchase it just because it is a bit blah. No wow.

Have you used this? What do you think?

xoxo

(Side note - Hello! OMG! So I said I would be back and I am here so yay? But absolutely gutted/p*ssed off cos during my absense I was taking a ton of product and swatch pics and then when I upgraded to IOS 8 (or whatever) I lost all my shizz. And I did back up and transfer my pics prior to the update but..........no pics. I don't know where da fuq my pics are but rather than dwell too much I've tried my best to retake some sort of blog pics. So apologies in advance for all the dutty and half used product pics coming your way. This is real life dude! ..........Kisses x)

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Hello!

So you may have had the pleasure of reading my previous slightly negative and ranty post regarding the Garnier express 2 in 1 make up remover. I was not a happy bunny.

During that Boot haul I also picked up Garnier's version of Micellar Cleansing Water.

I'm sure if you're reading this you know the deal with Micellar cleaning water, and the love affair people are having with the more pricier stuff such as Bioderma.

My mum uses Bioderma and loves it. She's on her third bottle. Well, I decided to dip my toe into the water and get Garnier's offering since it was on a promotion (maybe around £3 price point?)

To be honest, the concept did not appeal to me because realistically, I know my face and my make up and I know that anything so water like isn't going to work for me, and basically I was right.

I'm not going to moan and rant like my last post because saying Micellar Cleansing water is too water like is like saying a creme egg is too sweet. Its suppose to be sweet you idiot. If you don't like sweet, don't eat a creme egg. And if you wear a shovel full of make up, maybe find a different cleansing routine?

If I was wearing a foundation like Doublewear I wouldn't even bother looking in the direction of this, but sometimes I'll use it on a normal foundation day as a last cleanse, or over the weekend when I'm make up free.

Sorry that this 'review' is even more useless than normal but I just wanted to put in my 2 cents.

Are you a fan of micellar cleansing water? Do you use this to remove a full face of make up?  Does it work for you?

Garnier Express 2 in 1 Eye Make-up Remover

Hi Guys!

As you may now I am in love with Garnier's 2 in 1 make up remover (the light blue one) - I swear by it and have been through more than 10 bottles of the stuff. That being said, I do get tempted by all these other stuff promising me heaven and earth.

So I decided to take the plunge and pick up this purple thing. Promises to remove all make up, even waterproof.

LIES LIES LIES!!!

Maybe if you wear the minimum of eye make up this will work for you.

But I do not wear the minimum of eye make up. I wear the equivalent of concrete on my eyes and this does not work for me. I paid for it so of course I used it all up but every time was a struggle and filled me with unhappiness.

No rubbing required? Really? Really? NO! I had to use about 6 cotton pads and rub rub and I still had eye make up residue :(

Gentle on the eyes? Thankfully, yes it was gentle. Which isn't a  surprise, since it did nothing for me it would have been more of a shock if it had stung. That would have been the ultimate insult to my make up removing routine.

Protect eyelashes? Maybe they mean this is due to the gentleness of the formula - been since it took so much effort i did lose many an eyelash in this battle.

RRP £3.49 I got mine during a promo so paid around £2. What a waste of £2. Seriously.

So.....would I recommend this?

LMFAO

Get loss!

StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles

Hi Guys!

This is a bit of a crap and useless post because I'm writing about something I haven't used but but but !!! You may still appreciate what I have to tell you.

Quick back story - my mum basically wanted StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles for Mother's Day. I said "no problem mummy, whatever you want, you shall get".  I looked it up online. It was rrp £55. I called my mum and said, ""£**%&$^"&"*£*"&"%" FFS jesus" and she said to forget about it and get her whichever cheaper eyecream.

Then I felt bad so I did a bit of google magic and found it for £20. Twenty friggin pounds!!!!! For the full size tube. PAY NOW!

My mum has been using it for a while now and really likes it. And actually for the £20 its an absolute bargain if you consder that most (higher end) eyecreams are about 15ml and around £20-30, and this tube is 30ml.  Not sure what I'll do when she's finished it and wants another one. Fine if I can find another bargain but still feel sick paying £55.

Really tempted to buy one for myself but don't think my face is worth this much lol

Review - Eyelid Primer

Hello!

Last part of the ELF trilogy (for now).

This is an eyelid primer in the shade 'sheer' (not much of a shade as such lol) and it retails for £1.95. Yes. £1.95. So good I had to repeat myself!

Now, if you know me/read my blog you'll know that I don't really need an eyelid primer. But I wanted to get this for my friend who does like using an eyelid primer and I somehow got one for myself too :)

This is another item that is hyped up in the beauty blogger community so that may be why I ended up with one myself. I've been using it for a few weeks and honestly, I can't tell you if its helpingmy eye make up last longer because mine already lasts for about a week lol but it doesn't make it last any less time which I was genuinely worried about. I remember the first day I put it on and was worried all day my indestructible eye make up might slide off my lids or crumble, but I'm glad to say that me and my eye make up made it home safely that day, and every day since :)

The eyelid primer is presented in a typical concealer like tube and has a doe foot applicator. As with everything I pop it onto my clean finger or the back of my hand. I never apply directly from the applicator if it can be avoided. 

Apologies for the awful camera quality but it was kind of hard to photograph. In the tube it looks like it would be a typical concealer like consistency but the name is actually a good pick - it is what might be considered 'skin coloured' but it is definitely sheer and has a slight (teeny tiny I don't even want to mention it) shimmer. Once you pat it onto your eyelid it doesn't really offer much coverage but from the texture I imagine it works well. People compare it to the infamous Urban Decay's primer potion so for £1.95 you're laughing innit!!

I'm definitely not going to repurchase it for myself but if I get good feedback from my friend (and my mummy, I got her one too!) then I'll update you guys. I'm strangely excited even though I have no real use for this product lol
Beauty addict!

Review - ELF Powder Brush

Hi Guys!

The other day I shared with you my love for the ELF Flawless Concealer Brush and today I'm sharing with you one of ELF's bestselling brushes - the Powder Brush.

This retails for £3.95 and as the name would suggest, is a powder brush (!).

The online community love this brush and i cannot believe I waites so long to get my hands on one. 

Its dense and has a completely flat top. Its great for patting powder on to set make up, and I also find it useful to give my face a brush to get rid of evidence of my heavy applciation and any streaks/harsh lines.

There's not much to say here because this is as simple as it gets. Just believe me when I say its great. I have a $50 MAC kabuki brush which I've been using since 2009 but I much prefer this now. Also,  I didn't mention this about the concealer brush, but ELF brushes wash really well. No shedding and dries really fast.

Thumbs up from me!

Haul and Review - ELF Flawless Concealer Brush

Hi Guys,

I made an ELF order a while back and will share three of my favourite products with you in the next few posts.

First up, let's talk about ELF. Eyes, Lip, Face. An online make up line (with a new lone physical store somewhere that isn't London....) I've liked this brand for a long time. They are affordable and have some real good stuff, and they often do great promotions like 30-50% off codes.

FYI - 50% off orders over £30 until April 22nd using code 500414

Something I've been trying to get my grubby mitts on for ages is the Flawless Concealer Brush. RRP £3.75 and I love it. 

(Sorry it's dirty - not make up brush laundry day until Sunday!)

Its nice and dense and slightly dome shaped. I use it to sort out my under eye area and for me its the perfect size to get every bright and tidy without taking up too much time and messy up the rest of my face. 

I usually use some powder to dust under my eyes and depending on what I'm Looking like that day I might also use this to apply liquid products.

The only tiny tiny 'bad' thing is that the brush could be a tiny bit softer - sometimes I feel its a bit scratchy? But tbh, for £3.95 of which I paid half, I need to shut up!

I'm fighting the need to bulk buy.....

Review - Loreal True Match foundation in Golden Natural

Hi Guys,

Can't remember if I mentioned it before but I picked up Loreal's True Match foundation during Boots' previous 3 for 2 beauty promotion (FYI the promotion is running right now up until May!).

I've heard a lot of good things about the True Match foundation so thought I would give it a go. 

This was around the £10 price point, which seems to be the average for drug store foundations these days.

I went for shade W4 Golden Natural. I spent ages swatching but of course I came out with a shade that is slightly too light for me. It's so difficult to see properly in store, and I always feel like the security guard thinks I'm planning to stick the entire display into my handbag so I end up panicking. But I must say there was a good colour range, and I like that they split it into warm (W) neutral (N), and cool (C).  Once I have my contour done I think it looks ok.

First thing I noticed when I used this was how liquidy the foundation was. For example, when you dispense something like Revlon's colorstay or Estee Lauder's Doublewear you know that it's going to be full coverage cos the foundation is so thick and heavy. True Match on the otherhand is like.....melted icecream. When I pump a generous amount onto the back of my hand I have to be careful otherwise it'll be running down my arm or worse onto the carpet.

However, I have been using True Match for a couple of weeks now and I really like. In my opinion it is not a full coverage foundation but it's definitely gives better coverage than a bb cream or very light foundation. I notice that the poeple who say this is a medium to full coverage foundation are people who have been blessed with skin that doesn't need hardly any foundation at all!

Recently my skin has been in good condition (for me) and I find this gives me a nice coverage without looking like a mask and it feels so nice. It's not matt but it's not dewy either. Kind of a satin finish maybe? Smooooooooooth. But if I was having a bad skin day I don't think this would cut the mustard especially taking into account that I'm not much of a concealer user - I prefer the foundation to do all the work. Lazy).

How does this wear? This is the first new foundation I've tried since my new job and all the fun commuting so at the beginning I was like, "aaarrrghhhh my fasce is melting!!! MOFO!" but now I know that I am melting because I hate public transport. Yes, a heavier foundation might wear a bit better, but it also means your face feels tight asnd heavy and there's a danger of cracks appearing when you smile. Despite the sweating (sorry to keep talking about being sweaty, but forreals I'm drenched in sweat by the time I get to work)! my face looks pretty good by the time I get to my desk. Still smooth and bright (radiant?). In my experience this isn't a long wearing foundation, maybe 6 hours, but it does fade very evenly, which makes reapplying whatever afterwards very easy (I use my kiko foundation stick before I leave work).

I love the look and feel of this foundation, I just wish it lasted better. It hasn't broken me out so I am tempted to try one of the Loreal Infalliable foundations next. I like the True Match enough that I am tempted to repurchase and try a better colour match, but for the sake of the blog I will give a different product a go.

Have you given True Match a go? Was it your true match or more of a fling?

Review: Alpha H Liquid Gold

Hello :)

You may have noticed that recently I've been into trying out more skincare products. I think that since my skin has been improving due to (ironically) not using too many products I'm in a position to hopefully push my skin into getting even better. At worst, I'll have a bad reaction, but if that's the case at least I know that I can go back to basics and improve it again. This is me being adventurous!!!

So.....latest product to my skincare regime is another blogger favourite - Alpha H Liquid Gold.

I can't even begin to put into my own words what this is suppose to do, so this is what Cult Beauty says:

"This powerful firming serum works like an 'overnight facial' to tighten and revitalise tired, ageing skin and radically improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, open pores and acne prone skin conditions. Licorice helps reduce acne and hyper-pigmentation, and Glycolic Acid (derived from sugar cane) jump-starts the skin's metabolism, improving the texture by dissolving the bonds that hold dead skin cells together, allowing them to be sloughed away during your morning cleanse."

How I use it: I cleanse my face before bed. And then I put on some eye cream. (I do this next bit because of my nose issue - I put my hydraluron on my nose and some night cream just on my nose). And then I moisten a cotton pad with the Liquid Gold and swipe it all over my face, concentrating on my cheeks and jawline, because they are my bad skin areas. I only do this 2-3 times a week. Even if you have tough skin, don't use it on consecutive days.

I think that when you start this regime it's weird not moisturising your face but when I wake up my skin does not feel dry at all. I've only used this a few times so can't say if it's a miracle worker yet, but I haven't reacted badly which is good. There is a very slight tingle for 10 seconds, which I like, makes me feel like it's working.

Now....like the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm, the problem is the price. You can by 100ml for £31.50 here: http://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/alpha-h-liquid-gold-night-treatment-serum.html I got mine off ebay again and I paid £29.90 for 200ml. Yeah I bagged a bargain!!!

I managed to pay less for double the amount of product........and I still feel sick. I half want not to fall in love with this because it's pricey. And the other half of me wants this to be the product that transforms my life.

I will feed back in a few months and let you know how it's working for me. Because you're not suppose to use this everyday hopefully it will last a while. I guess technically if two bottles lasted the whole year and it was a miracle worker it would be ok........I dunno. Conflicted. No more ebay!!!

(Oh! And I must admit, I've never seen the bottle in a store before, so when I open my package and took the lid off I felt a bit ripped off. That is one big lid. It's nearly a third of the bottle size. Misleading.)

Review - Lucas' papaw ointment

Hi Guys!

I've been wanting to test this product out for years but been too addicted to my Elizabeth Arden 8 hour protectant cream. But eBay had this pretty cheap (£4.51 for 15ml with lip applicator, free p+p) so I thought I'd give it a go.

You can read about Lucas' papaw ointment over here:
 http://lucaspapaw.com.au/

Basically, it's an ointment that you can use on your face, hands, body, and lips. Chaps, burns, nappy rash; it's a really handy product to have around the house. To me, I use it exactly as I use my 8 hour cream.

The 15ml tube (comes in bigger tubes, and also in tubs) is so handy to carry around and if you know me then you will know i am constantly putting product x on my nose and lips, so a multi purpose product like this means I can use it on my lips and face without carrying multiple products around. Sure in my handbag I can have a face cream, lip balm and a hand cream but I can't exactly pop those into my pocket and put it on easily during a work meeting. Or at a bar. Or the cinema. Or all these other places that I never go too lol

This is a bit random - both of my ointments are a 15ml tube - but the papaw ointment tube is much bigger than my 8 hour cream. Handbag wise this isn't a big deal, but it can get a bit tight in my skinny jeans pocket!

Texture wise it's nice and thick and once rubbed in it isn't greasy or oily. I would say that it's less shiny than the  8 hour cream.

This whole lip applicator thing is suppose to be a selling point but I am really not bothered. For hygiene reasons I prefer to squeeze the product onto my finger rather than apply straight from the tube, but obviously I wouldn't really want to be rubbing the lip applicator onto my face in public. Or in private; it'd be pretty messy.

Scent - the original Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream is famous for it's stinky smell but they do do a fragrance free version. This doesn't affect me but I do notice some people wrinkle their noses when I whip out my tube. I think the papaw ointment is suppose to have a faint smell but i can't smell it. So for me they score the same scent wise.

In terms of preference.....I don't know. I really like both. I might stick to the Lucas' papaw ointment just because of the price point.

I would definitely recommend this product. 

Beyonce Heat perfume

Oh oh oh Beyonce.

I have wanted to own Beyonce's Heat for a long time. And then my mum bought this for me some time last autumn to give to me for my bday/xmas but then she misplaced it. But finally she stumbled across it and I got my hands on it. Woo hoo? No. Boo hoo.

I'ts all right but it's not wow. I thought it would be warm and sexy, a bit sweet and spicy. And it probably is for about 2 minutes and then it's gone.

I've got the 100ml bottle and I've been using it for maybe 2 weeks and I'm already half way through. With my lack of smell I need something strong and long lasting. Maybe this has a better scent for someone with a normal nose but  I'm just going to use it up as quickly as possible and never get this again.

Review - Emu Oil Well moisturising eye cream

Hi guys,

As you know, I'm always on the search for a good eye cream. I've been using this Emu Oil Well Moisturising Eye Cream for a few months now and.....I don't know. It is good but it isn't amazing. I would repurchase due to lack of other options, but that's not exactly a shining recommendation is it? I got mine off feelunique.com and its rrp £8.05 (I got mine using a discount code - can't remember what I paid but it was around £6-7)

It comes in a tub, which some people might not like. The eye cream is nice and...moisturising! When I put this under my eyes and on my eye lids my skin feels instantly moisturised. It left my eye area nice and soft, and not tight.

This got really good reviews online but I don't generally have dark circles or puffy eyes so I can't comment. But I have used eye creams that do absolutely nothing so I know that this works to some effect. And for the price it is really good. I am a fan of high end eye creams but to be honest this is just as good as the £30 eye creams. I think that the reason why I can't declare my love for this is because I hold in my heart a desire to start an affair with the La Prairie eye cream, but at over £100 for a smaller tub that is not going to happen is it?  Sad face. But happy face for my Emu :)

Review - Loreal volume million lashes excess (waterproof)

Hi Guys!

A while ago I had a mascara clear out and have been on the look out for something to test out. I had a Superdrug's giftcard and ended up making use of a buy one get one half price offer (I got a Loreal foundation as well). Both the mascara and foundation retails at £10.99 each, so I ended up paying £15 for both, which is great.

So we're here today to talk about the Loreal Volume Million Lashes Excess. I got mine in black waterproof. Let me just say straight away, the photos do it no justice. I love this mascara. 

*The brush/wand? is the perfect size for my little monolids. It isn't so thick that I end up painting my whole eye lid with mascara, but it's thick enough to make applying easy and fast.

*The formula isn't too wet, nor is it too dry. Some people love a wet mascara but for my monolid this often equals a mess.

*WATERPROOF - I wore this on my last day at work. Unsurprisingly I cried a lot. And I was hugging a lot of people so I was in a really wet and hot situation (hhhhmmm, my last day wasn't that exciting lol) and at the end of it my eye make up was.....unmoved. My hair was wet, my top was a bit damp, I had cried off all my foundation but my mascara (and kudos eye shadow) hadn't budged and I had no streaks down my face. And it wasn't just me who noticed this - I actually had several people ask what mascara I was wearing because they were shocked at the lack of panda eye action.

*This mascara is supposed to give you volume, as the name would suggest! In the picture it doesn't look like a lot of volume but I would say it does give me a nice look.

*At the end of the day, I'm not working with a lot here. My lashes are thin and short. I doubt any mascara, especially at a drug store price is going to give me amazingly long and thick lashes. I would recommend this mascara. I would repurchase this....but I do like to try out other brands so I think I will have a play with the other Loreal mascaras to see if I can find something even better.

Plemo Magic Bean Power Bank

Hi Guys

I am an iphone user, an iphone 5 user to be exact. I love the iphone but like everyone else, I hate the battery life. I use my phone a lot - not much of a talker or texter but I spend a lot of time on social edia apps and news sites. Previously (iphone 4) I didn't have an issue with my battery life but with th iphne 5 I've had days when my battery has died. Dead. Proper dead. Like, my phone is off and I can't turn it on sort of dead. Mega trauma.

So I've been looking out for ways to prolong my battery (including not using the phone but come on now, give a girl a break!!!) and I've been reading reviews on battery cases, usb chargers and other types of portable batteries. I wanted something at a good price, that worked (!) and that was kinda cute. I think that the Plemo Magic Bean ticks these boxes. 

I got my Magic Bean (the name is toooooo cute) from Amazon, and it's currently on sale for £14.99. I got mine in hot pink but it comes in plenty of other colours (including black, my second choice).

I haven't actually properly used it in an emergency situation but I've had a play around and I like it. As a girl with a giant handbag the size is fine for me - it's not small (like those usb chargers) but it fits into the palm of my hand and because it's bigger it's more powerful, which I want. For a man it might not be viewed as portable (as it's not that pocket friendly).

So conclusion for now? I'm happy and the serach is over. If anything changes I shall update this post.

(Also - for iphone 5 you will need to use your own usb cable, as the cable provided is not compatible - but this is stated).

Bye!

Rimmel Match Perfection foundation review

Hi Guys

This is another foundation that my mum has given to me.

As with the Wake me up foundation the shade is one too light but fine with bronzer. It is supose to have magic stuff in it to make it a flawless finish but personally I never believe in the PR bullshit. The only way your face will look flawless is if you already have 9% flawless skin. So far it does not seem to be reacting badly with my skin.

For the price point it is a good foundation but I haven't fallen in love with it.  The coverage is an ok medium but I find the product quite liquidy...not as thick as the wake me up foundation. It does have a nice finish - neither dewy or matt - a nice in between. 

I think that this foundation is a 7/10 - I think the problem is me! I have some sort of ideal in my head and this just doesn't meet it, but it's definitely ok and I' happy to use this as my current everyday work foundation.

Have you tried this? Any other high street foundation recommendations?

Rimmel Wake me up foundation review

Hi Guys!

My mum has become a youtube addict. Addicted to beauty gurus to be exact. I have no idea where this has come from - prior to this she only wore make up at my graduation. As a result of her new found hobby she has purchased a few make up bits and pieces but inevitably she gets bored of them (since she doesn't wear make up duh!!!) and I get the hand me downs - for which I am really grateful.

Ok that was a long spiel. Basically, my mum gave me this foundation - Rimmel's Wake Me Up (shade 201 classic beige). I won't talk about shade too much as obviously this was for my mum's skin tone but actually it's not too off from me, maybe one shade too light, but nothing a lot of bronzer and shizzle won't fix!

Ok - so what do I think of the foundation?

I don't like it for one main reason - it broke me out really bad within a week - left me with horrid red and painful (ooooowwwwwww) bumps all over my face. So yeah, that's a bit crap.

Aside from that, it was an ok foundation for the price point. Buildable to a good medium coverage, lasts the working day with touch ups, not a cakey finish. I didn't like the shimmer shimmer but I think for other people that's part of the selling point.

If this hadn't broke me out I wouldn't have repuchased anyway but I would have happily finished off the bottle. (And since we're on the subject - I love the bottle, pump and lid.)

Have any of you tried this? Anyone have a bad reaction?