Illamasqua; Once Collection

The recent releases from Illamasqua have bloggers saying that the brand is going commercial, and becoming boring from there makeup artist lead brand, with everything from teal lipstick to glow in the dark nail polish. I feel that there’s nothing wrong with diversifying the brand and catering to a wider audience, plus Illamasqua do subtle subdued makeup in such a beautiful and different way to the usual nude palettes we see banded around. Included in the range are 3 new cream eyeshadows, a repromoted powder blusher, 2 new lipglosses and a new nail varnish colour. I received 2 of the cream eyeshadows and the nail polish.

The cream eyeshadows are called Vintage Metallix, I received the shades Courtier, which Illamasqua describes as a vintage nude, it’s a pinky beige nude shot through with gold shimmer.  And Bibelot, described as a vintage green, which is a deep green shot through with the same gold shimmer. These are cream-gel textures that provide long lasting, smudge resistant wear, housed in small glass jars, gold lid with the Illamasqua symbol, as well as Illamasqua lettering on the side, which is peeling off as we speak. I love cream eyeshadows, and these are a great addition to my collection, they last well on me without primer, I do not have oily eyelids and are a great base for powder eyeshadow.

The nail polish is called Melange, which Illamasqua describe as a golden teal with a matte finish, it’s a gorgeous emerald green shade with lots of gold glitter, that make it difficult for it to be a true matte shade. It applies beautifully and lasts well on the nails.

The cream eyeshadows are £16.50 each and the nail polish is £14.50 available from illamasqua.com, which is a great website as they have mini videos with live swatches and have recently added pictures of swatches on different skin tones.

black|Up Paris Cosmetics

Black|Up Paris is fast becoming one of my favourite brands, it was founded in 1999 by an African makeup artist, and was the first upscale beauty brand to cater especially to black and mixed beauties. It pairs professional quality products with ease of use, it promises to provide a non-ashy finish and includes makeup, skincare and fragrance. I had heard about this brand for a while, but only dabbled in it recently when I tried and loved the CC cream, reviewed here.

I’ll start with the contouring sticks, this is a dual ended stick, think 2 stick foundations merged. One end for highlighting and the other for contouring and comes in 5 shades. I received shades 3 and 4. The contouring shades are identical and I can use these interchangeably, they are also quite warm toned and not as cool toned as a contour colour should be, but I feel on darker skin we can get away with this. The highlighting shades are very different, for this I need shade 3, these blend like butter, I love these. They cost £29 each, and if you know what shade you are in the CC cream, this is the shade you’ll be in these. 

 

 

Next is the Radiance Sublime Powder, I thought this would be extremely shimmery on the skin, but it’s quite subtle and adds a nice warm glow. It's developed with a new extra fine texture that blends easily, combining pigment and shimmer, it’s oil free, fragrance free and paraben free. The 5 shades are designed to match different undertones, I have shade no4 and it cost £26.

The 5 Colour Eyeshadow Palette is £32, each palette is designed to work in harmony, and structured around 3 looks a nude look using the matte shades, a day time look using the colour trio that can then be turned into a smokey night time look using the darkest matte shade. The palettes consists of 4 different textures, this one consists of 1 metallic shade, 1 satin shade, 2 matte shades and 1 glitter shade. I love this palette, it’s compact and great for travel, even though it’s structured around 3 looks, a multitude of looks can actually be created, I have palette no4 out of 5.

Finally are the mono eyeshadows, which have been developed in a new formula, and come in either a matte or metallic finish. Shade 02 is a light, bright orange shade, which is pigmented and blends beautifully. I’ve used this both on the eyes and cheeks, and it’s absolutely gorgeous, definitely a shade a brownbeauty should have in her stash. Then shade 12, which is a vibrant, light turquoise blue, not an everyday shade, but great for when you want a pop of colour. Again pigmented and blends beautifully, especially for a matte shade.  There are 15 shades in total, they don’t have names just numbers, and cost £15.50 each.

black|Up Paris is available on their website or Debenhams.com.

Thank you for visiting the blog today.

Alex

Sensationnel UK Bare and Natural Brazilian Lace Wig

So I attended my first Keziah Connections event in July that teamed up with Fashion Fair and Sensationnel UK. I happened to win one of the prize draws, which was for a Sensationnel UK Bare and Natural Brazilian Virgin Remi Lace Wig in the natural wavy style and a 1B colour. I love the box packaging, but it doesn't say what length the hair is or how many bundles it's made up of, guessing I'd say 18-20inches. It doesn't have a lace closure as you're suppose to cut it and leave a bit of your own hair out.

Sensationnel UK Bare and Natural Brazilian Lace Wig

I had this wig sitting gathering dust for a while, as it didn't quite meet my requirements, since I won it I had no say it what it looked liked. Firstly the bare and natural range is for those who want a very natural looking finish, also as my hair is natural I didn't want to constantly have to apply heat to blend my leave out with the wig. Also I currently had a wig I wore daily that met my requirements, but I was in the market for a shorter, ombre coloured style. 

Sensationnel UK Wig Transformation Before and After

Eventually I got the idea to adapt the wig to my specifications, rather than buy a new one and leave this one gathering dust. First thing I did was add some extra tracks to give the wig more volume, using some braziliain hair I had around the house from previous weaves. Then I cut it to shoulder length, dyed it to a blonde ombre and tweezed the parting a little so I didn't have to cut it and leave any hair out.

I absoultey love this as it now gives me variation and I'm slowly building up my wig collection to offer me a nice variety. Sensationnel UK don't sell the wigs online, but you can go on the website to find your nearest stockist, and obviously buy a wig more suited to your requirements, so no adaptations needed. I would definately look at purchasing a Sensationnel UK wig, I've got my eye on the Empress Lace wig collection, as some of them can be worn in a ponytail or an updo. There are no prices on the website, but at the event we were told these wigs are very affordable, they also sell bundles of hair if you prefer a weave.

Check out the website sensationnel.com, check out my instagram (Aallexxy) for pictures of me rocking this unit.

Thank you for visiting the blog today

Alex

Eve Lom Morning Time cleanser and Cleansing Balm!!!

I received the Morning Time Cleanser and the cult Cleansing  Balm and included muslin cloth, to review for brownbeautytalk.com. I’ll start with the Morning Time Cleanser; it’s supposed to be a lighter version of the cleansing balm to be used in the morning to wake the skin up. It’s a 2 minute wash off balm and uses 4 of Eve Lom’s signature aromatic cleansing oils; Clove oil which is anti-septic, Eucalyptus Oil that helps to drain away toxins, Hops oil tones and Egyptian Chamomile Oil that softens and soothes. These are combined with Papaya Fruit Enzyme which exfoliates, brightens and minimises pores and carrot oil to stimulate collagen production, these all work together to leave skin radiant, refreshed and balanced. I didn’t think I would enjoy using a balm based cleanser in the morning, as I previously preferred a lightly foaming gel based cleanser, but I was wrong and my skin has loved it. I massage it on dry skin before getting in the shower, and rinse it off just before getting out; my skin is left soft, clean and not stripped. It has not exacerbated the oily areas of my combination skin, but leaves it nicely balanced.

The Balm was the first product  developed when Eve launched in 1985, we've all heard of this cult classic cleanser, it’s controversial as it contains mineral oil. Eve is adamant that it’s high grade extremely refined mineral, I don’t go out of my way to avoid mineral oil as I find it doesn’t appear to affect my skin adversely, but it’s something to consider. It contains the 4 signature oils mentioned above in addition to cocoa butter to condition, At night I use the Cleansing Balm and massage this into dry skin after removing my initial layer of makeup with a wipe or cleansing water, then use the accompanying muslin cloth and hot tap water to remove. My skin is left feeling clean, glowing, hydrated and balanced. 

I have been using these products consistently for almost 3 months, and have definately seen a massive improvement in my skin. My skin’s texture has smoothed out and it looks more radiant and even toned. I feel all skin types can benefit from these products, even those with oily skin, if however you want to avoid mineral oil, but want to try an Eve Lom cleanser, then consider using the morning time cleanser at night.

These products aren’t cheap, the Morning Time Cleanser is £40 for 125ml and the Cleansing Balm ranges from £40 for 50ml - £85 for 200ml, but after almost 3 months  use these products are still going strong.

Have you tried any Eve Lom products?

Thank you for visiting the blog today

Alex

Real Techniques; Nic's Picks

Real Techniques; Nic's Picks

Earlier this year Nicola Haste, one half of the Pixiwoo sisters, annouced she would be joining her sister, Sam Chapman on board the Real techniques brand to develop and design brushes. I immediately knew they would release a limited edition Nic's pick set, just like Sam had previously, just scroll through my instagram timeline for the comment I posted on youtube when the news was announced. A few months down the line and here it is; Nic's Picks Brush Set that includes 3 exclusive brushes in the 5 piece set.

Real Techniques; Nic's Picks duo-fibre face brush

The brushes include a duo-fiber face brush, which was also included in the limited edition duo fibre set, except with a silver handle. The duo fibres mean the brush picks up just the right amount of product, so if you're heavy handed this is perfect for powder application.

Real Techniques; Nic's Picks Cheek Brush

The cheek brush is one of the exclusive designs, this is my favourite in the set and I may purchase another, just to have 2 of this brush. I have used this to buff in foundation and apply bronzer, it's super soft, densely packed, but small enough to fit in cheek contours.

Real Techniques; Nic's Picks Angled Shadow Brush

Another exclusive brush is the angled shadow brush, it's a loosely packed angled brush thats great for blending out crease colours in your eye makeup looks. 

Real Techniques; Nic's Picks Base Shadow Brush

Theres also a base shadow brush, which also comes in the starter set, which I also have. It's perfect for laying down a base colour on your eyes, but I have also used the tip of the brush to apply and blend out crease colours.

Real Techniques; Nic's Picks Eyeliner Brush

The last but not the least is another exclusive, an eyeliner brush, it's a very small, firm, angled tapered brush, thats great for eyeliner, but even better for brows.

I love all my real techniques brushes and this is no different. I purchased mine over a month ago from Beautyexpert.co.uk, it costs £29.99, but I had a 20% off code. It's limited edition so I'd be quick if you're interested.

Have you picked up this set yet? What's your favourite brush in the set?

Thanks for visiting the blog today.

Alex

Illamasqua Glamour Nude Lipsticks

Illamasqua lauched the Glamore collection, a collection to celebrate the classics, a way for everyone to redefined what glamourous is to them. This included satin lipsticks, that were developed to be less drying than their well known matte lipsticks. Within this they also launched the Nude collection, 7 Nude satin lipsticks to match every skintone.

I have 3 of the 7 shades; Naked described as a creamy nude (less beige and more pinky brown than Tease), Tease described as a pink beige and Buff, the darkest in the nude range described as a fudge brown, it's a dark muted pink brown.


Illamasqua Nude Lipsticks in Naked, Tease and Buff

These lipsticks are gorgeous and creamy, you still need to ensure lips are well prepped, but once applied they last well. I enjoy using Naked applied with a pinky liner underneath or mixing Tease and Buff together, to offer versatality and prevent Tease looking to pale on my darker skin tone. Check out pictures of me wearing these on my instagram; Aallexxy.

 

Have you tried any of the nude range yet, or the satin lipsticks in general available here. What do you think of the direction Illamasqua have been going in recently?

 

Thanks for visiting the blog today.

 

Alex

 

Tom Ford A/W14 Limited Edition Collection

The high end luxury brand Tom Ford, require no introduction, and I'm sure you've seen the latest limited edition A/W launch from the brand. My Tom Ford collection is growing slowly, see unabashed review here, but I'm constantly intrigued by the brand despite the high end price tag.

Tom Ford Cheek Color Duo and Black Cherry Nail Polish

I picked up 2 pieces of the collection from the House of Fraser website, the contouring cheek color duo in softcore and a nail polish in black cherry.


Tom Ford Softcore Contouring Cheek Color Duo

Softcore cheek color duo contains 2 shades; a more matte shade to add definition to the face, although this shade I would say is not completely matte and has a slight sheen to it, especially as it catches the light. And a second pearlescent shade to highlight, these shades are extrememly pigmented and the highlight shade can appear a little frosty if applied too much, so I use a fan brush to apply. This isn't strictly a typical contour shade, I apply it slightly lower down on the cheeks and not directly in the hollows and blend upwards so it gives shape and colour to the face.

Tom Ford Black Cherry Nail Polish

The black cherry nail polish shade is my ultimate nail polish colour, I love deep dark plum shades. It's especially fitting for the autumn/winter season, although I can be seen in variations of this shade all year round. This is my first Tom Ford nail polish, and it's extremely pigmented, applied right you could get away with one coat, but I prefer 2 lighter coats.

These are selling out fast, and may prove difficult to find now, as they are limited edition. They may however still be available at your local counters, and as of writing this, both items were still available on harveynichols.com, the cheek colour duo costs £56 and the nail polish is £26.  

Have you or will you purchase anything from this collection? What are your thoughts?

Thank you for visiting the blog today

Alex.

Bobbi Brown Hydrating Face Cream

Here's a review I wrote for brownbeautytalk.com;

Bobbi Brown’s hydrating skincare range is infused with mineral water, to provide skin with the moisture it needs. The creams have a lightweight texture so they melt right into the skin, keeping skin soft and glowing all day; to make sure foundation and concealer glide on smoothly and evenly.

I received the hydrating face cream; it’s a rich yet lightweight texture that steadily releases moisture, skin conditioners and nutrients to the skin throughout the day. Make-up stays fresh due to a long lasting cushion of humectants and hydrating ingredients, it contains Algae extract to moisturise and condition the skin and caffeine to soothe. It can be used morning and night, but I prefer to use it in the morning as a good base for make-up and before primer.

This does exactly what it says on the tin, it’s great for my combination skin. It hydrates the dry areas without overwhelming the oily areas, it’s rich yet light, it moisturises without leaving skin greasy or shiny and foundation glides on. In my opinion I think it could be great for all skin types, but extremely oily may want something a little lighter and more fluid in texture and extremely dry skin may require something a little richer.

I love that it doesn’t make a million claims, and does the one thing it claims to do well, hydrate. It has a light inoffensive scent that Bobbi describes as a clean botanical fresh smell. It’s a bit on the pricey side at £38.50 for 50ml, but you only need a small amount, so should last a good while.

The post Bobbi Brown Hydrating Face Cream appeared first on Brownbeautytalk.com.

Sleek Make-up’s limited edition I-divine in Arabian Nights

Here's a post I wrote for brownbeautytalk.com; I've added swatches, the palette is still available on sleekmakeup.com, enjoy.

Sleek cosmetics is probably one of my favourite drugstore brands, they cater to a wide variety of skin tones, affordable items that do what they say on the tin. I mean an eyeshadow palette of 12 shades that are pigmented and blend beautifully at £7.99, there isn’t a shade I do not like in this palette and it can serve for a variety of occasions from day to night. It comes housed in a gorgeously sleek black compact, with a double ended applicator.
Sleek state that this I-divine eyeshadow palette is inspired by Arabian fantasy, seduction and warm rich colours. The deep tones of green, blue and gold melt together, forming beautiful smoky effects, suited to all skin tones. I couldn’t agree more, if you are looking for an eyeshadow palette with some none neutral colours, I couldn’t recommend this highly enough. If you have oily eyelids, you may require a primer to increase longevity, but I find eyeshadows last well on me without one.

 

The palette contains a mixture of shimmer and metallic shades, with only one matte shade, which is stallion a dark brown burgundy colour. The stand out shades for me are; scheherazade’s tale a light medium golden beige with a metallic finish that’s great as an inner corner highlight. Genie a rich medium dark bronzy brown with a metallic finish, which is great if you want an all over wash of colour for a quick daytime look. Black magic a blackened navy blue with a satin finish, hocus pocus a gorgeous light emerald green with a metallic finish, Simbad’s Seas a navy blue with a satin finish and valley of diamonds a dark wine colour with gold shimmer shot through it. But to be honest, there isn’t a shade I wouldn’t wear in this palette, it’s bold but can be worn subtle at the same time and would be gorgeous to create a smokey eye.

As it’s limited edition I would grab this ASAP!!!

This post appeared first on brownbeautytalk.com.

black|Up Paris CC Cream; Multi-Action Complexion Correcting Foundation!!!

I have heard of the brand black|Up Paris for a while, but this is the first product I've actually tried and I love it. I don't have many CC or BB creams, as there are not many that cater to darker skintones, as some can have quite a grey cast to them or just not run dark enough. I was actually in the market for a tinted moisturiser, a light weight base I could use daily, so popped into Debenhams on my lunch break and came across this.

The black|Up Paris CC cream claims to hydrate, mattify, reduce excess sebum, rebalance skin, minimise pores, boost radiance, unify skin tone and have a lightweight finish. My initial thought was how can something hydrate and mattify, but as you apply this CC cream it feels like a drink of water to the skin, without leaving skin shiny or greasy. It lasts well during the day with or withour primer, even on my combination skin in these warm sunny days we've been having I can go all day without touching up, with only minimal shine coming through. Usually around my nose, which is typical for me.

This gives light to light medium coverage, you won't be able to build it up much more than that, so perfect for what I was looking for. It's a great colour match for me, it has a great amount of orange in the undertone that is very flaterring on darker skin tones. CC04 runs more red in the undertone, so this maybe more suitable if that describes your skin tone.

The black|Up Paris CC cream comes in 5 shades, I have CC03 and it cost £27. It's paraben, oil and fragrance free.

Have you tried anything from this brand before?

Thanks for visiting the blog today.

Alex

LatestinBeauty...Beauty Bible Loves Box (Giveaway)!!!

Latest in Beauty have brought out another great beauty box, collaborating with the authors of the award winning Beauty Bible Books, Jo Fairly and Sarah Stacey. You get a mixture of makeup, natural skincare and organic haircare, in total 9 products with a total value of over £70 for £19.95 plus P&P.

Firstly is the Bellapiere Volumising Mascara in black, which is full size, I've got so many tubes of mascara open at themoment that I will not be using it till I get through them. But I'm looking forward to trying it out and it's paraben free.

Next is the Crabtree and Evelyn Verbana and Lavender Hand cream (25g), it contain shea butter, macadamia nut oil and antioxidant rich vitamins C and E and smells gorgeous.

I love a good face mask so I was super excited (sad I know) to try the Dr Organic Dead Sea Mineral Bio-Plasma Mud Mask (100ml). An oil regulating, detoxifying, pore cleansing and anti-ageing bio-plasma face treatment. This is a lovely mud mask that is comfortable on the skin and not too drying.

The award winning Essential Care Creamy Coconut cleanser (30ml), is an 88% organic cream cleanser that blends plant oils to cleanse and remove makeup. This feels like you're applying a lotion to the skin, it cleanses without sripping the skin and is great for those with sensitive skin.

John Masters shampoo and conditioner (30ml each), provide you with your organic haircare treats. The shampoo is lavendar and rosemary, using natural ingredients and oils to leave hair healthy and shiny. The citrus and neroli detangling conditioner is a light weight that can either be rinsed out or left in, it contains 17 certified organic ingredients that won't weigh hair down.

There's also a 2ml satchet sample of the Merumaya melting cleansing balm. I used this up in one go, if you love cleansing balms, then this will be no exception, it cleanses and removes make-up well. Only wish it was a larger sample size to get more use out of it.

I'd never heard of the PitROK deodorant wipes (20 wipes), based on pure natural mineral salts, I'll be throwing these in my handbag should the heatwave weather return.

Last, but by no means least is the Rituals Miracle Scrub Ginseng and Ginkgo Biloba ultra softening Hand scrub, which is fab. Hands are one of the first places to show your age, and this is fab, it's oil based so exfoliating and moisturising at the same time.

If you would like to get your hands on this beauty box, I am giving one away on my instagram (Aallexxy), scroll through my timeline, make sure you're following me on both instagram and twitter, like and comment below the picture. Giveaway closes on the 21st August, good luck (UK only).

Revitalash and RevitaBrow Advanced Lash and Brow Conditioner!!!

I have been eyeing up these products for a while, but the price always put me off, so when I saw QVC had a TSV (todays special value) I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try them. I got the revitalash 2 piece Lash and brow conditioner for £76.98, usually £94 and I get a 60 day money back guarantee.

Revitalash & RevitaBrow

Starting with RevitaBrow advanced, an award winning brow conditioner, that is said to enhance the look of your eyebrows for a dramatic natural beauty. It delivers a proprietary blend of scientifically advanced peptides, revitalising extracts and nutritive vitamins to help beautify and enhance the look of bold defined brows. Ingredients include Bio tin complex, Calendula (natural humectant), Swertia, Japonica, Panax and Ginseng. It's housed in a mascara style tube, with a doe foot applicator and needs to be applied once daily, this 3ml size is said to last 4 months. It's great those who have overplucked brows over the years or brows that are thinning due to the ageing process, to buy this individually on QVC it will set you back £71.28.

Revitalash advanced is also said to enhance eyelashes for a dramatic natural look, which to me seems contradictory. It's said to be a breakthrough cosmetic formula that addresses the visual signs of eyelash ageing and stress, it protects against breakage, brittleness and improve flexibility, moisture and shine for more dramatic looking lashes. It contains a proprietary blend of scientifically advance technology along with natural botanicals, once a day application is required using the slim wand applicator at the base of the lashes without touching the skin on the eyelid. A 2ml size is said to last 3 months, so this 3.5ml supersize should last almost 6 months and will set you back about £80 if bought individually. It contains BioPeptin complex (biotin, green tea extract and peptides), Ginseng, swertia and Japonica (high in anti-oxidants and vitamin B), Saw and Palmetto (high in fatty acids and plant sterols) and wheat and protein.

I've been using these about 3 days now, so too early to comment on results, they are easy to apply and I will be updating this post once I start noticing result. I will be taking QVC up on the 60 day money back guarantee, so if I'm not happy they will be going back.

Have you tried either of these before?

Update: Absolutely love the RevitaBrow, definitely saw growth and thickness to my brows, not so much with Revitalash unfortunately.

Thanks for visiting the blog today.

Alex

Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser

So I've had this cleanser for a while, I originally purchased it from spacenk.com back in September for £35, but it didn't suit my combination skin at the time, which can get quite dry in the colder months. I instantly regreted forking out that amount of money for a cleanser and as my first foray into Sunday Riley skincare products I was quite disappointed. It's a lightly foaming gel based clay cleanser, with vitamin C and essential oils that is geared towards normal to combination skin, that is in pursuit of ceramic smooth skin and minimises the appearance of pores. The refined french clay (montmorillonite) purifies skin, vitamin C ester boosts radiance, black pepper fruit oil stimulates circulation, sandalwood oil helps with skin irritation, is anti-inflammatory and promotes radiance, jasmine oil soothes and restores, frankincense tones. This all aids in balancing the skin and is paraben free.

Had to steal pic from cultbeauty.co.uk as my bottle looks manky now lol.

I recently decided to try and use up some products I've had lying around and this was one of them, and I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised. It makes my skin feel very smooth and clean, I use it in the morning as I prefer balms and oils at night, and massage it into my face. You have to shake up the bottle at each use as the clay and oils have a tendency to separate, especially if left for a while. I started by wanting to use the product up and now I'm dreading it running out. if you have dry skin don't go anywhere near this or use very sparingly, and obviously if essential oils don't sit well with you, then avoid this cleanser. But for my combination and oily skin girls and guys, if this is in your budget I'd say give it a go.

Have you tried this cleanser or any other Sunday Riley products?

Thanks for visiting the blog today.

BackBliss Lotion Applicator

Here's a review I wrote for brownbeautytalk.com, enjoy;

Caroline Wagstaff came up with the idea of the BackBliss Lotion Applicator, while on holiday with her partner, she had forgotten to ask him to apply sunscreen on her back before he went off to play golf and as a result spent all afternoon on her back. After placing a sponge to the end of a coat hanger to apply after sun in her hotel room, she came up with the ingenius idea of a lotion and cream applicator. Dragon's Den fans might remember Caroline as she appeared ont h show pitching the idea.  

My initial thoughts on hearing about this product was that it was a bit of a gimmick, but I hadn’t realised that only 20% of the population can reach the middle of their backs, who knew I was in the minority. If you’re not so fortunate, or have a bad arm or shoulder, then moisturising your back can be quite difficult, along with ensuring sun screen or medicated creams are evenly applied.

The product comes with one lotion applicator, two washable applicator pads and a swivel suction hook to hang it from. The backcliss lives upto the hype and does exactly what it says on the tin. Will I be reaching for it daily? No. But then I can reach the middle of my back, however it wil probably get a lot of use as a back scratcher - my poor husband will be relieved.

The BackBliss Lotion Applicator is priced at £11.99 for a single pack and £19.99 for a double pack. For more information please visit the website.

This article was originally published on brownbeautytalk.com.

 Thanks for visiting the blog today.

 

Simply Beautiful Collection (SBC) Vitamin ACE Day and Night Cream

I had heard the brand SBC banded about but never tried anything from the brand or even paid it much attention. Until now, when I recently got the opportunity to try the SBC Vitamin ACE day and night cream. My initial thoughts were, how can one cream cater for both day and night? Surely it’ll either be too light or too rich.

 

                                           

The cream contains tomato seed oil (rich in Omega 6), olive oil (powerful antioxidant), fennel oil (soothing and anti-inflammatory), Vitamin C (brightening), Vitamin E (moisturise, firm and brighten), Vitamin A (anti-ageing). SBC states that this product contains the latest in Oxysomes technology in advance delivery systems. Apparently normal topical application of vitamin C can require 6 hours for maximum penetration into the skin, but oxysomes deliver this within the first hour and increases absorption by 85%. These translucent acid resistant oxysomes are liposomes which deliver vitamins E and C quickly and effectively, with a membrane engineered for stability even in low PH environments (i.e. the natural PH level of skin).

Oxysomes are the little round pink balls in the moisturiser, which contain vitamin C and E, the vitamin A is within the actual cream itself. Ensure these little pink balls burst onto your actual face, and not between your fingers to get the full benefit of the vitamins, they completely disappear upon application. I love how hydrating this moisturiser is without being too heavy or greasy. It has a light fragrance, that is not too overpowering. This product is effective  for day and night, although those with oily skin may prefer a lighter lotion during the summer months. I would say dry, normal, combination skin types can use it for both.

The moisturiser is a little on the pricey side, but it is a 100ml tub, so will last a while and if you’re using it day and night you won’t need to shell out for a separate moisturiser. I certainly think it is worth the £29 due to the ingredients, effectiveness and size.

I will definitely be exploring the rest of the Vitamin ACE range due to be released soon on their website.

Have you tried anything from this brand? 

 

Thanks for visiting the blog today.

Alex

Fountain Beauty; The Hair Molecule.

Fountain have released a myriad of liquid food supplements, this one supports hair growth from within, claiming to promote strong healthy hair full of shine and is exclusive to selfridges.com. It contains 10,000ug of silicon, 200ug of biotin and hyaluronic acid, it cost £34.99 for 240ml and you take 2 teaspoons (10ml) daily meaning the bottle provides 24 servings. It can be taken neat or mixed with juice or beverage, even though the bottle says this is berry flavoured, it has quite a citrus taste to me, initially reminding me of sherbets.

Fountain Beauty The Hair Molecule

 I've taken a few hair supplements over the years, especially since going natural 2 years ago and Biotin is contained in most products designed to promote hair and nail growth, it can also help those who suffer with a dry scalp, 10ml of this provies 400% of your RDA. We've all heard by now how essential hyaluronic acid is for plump hydrated skin, so why not for hair. Fountain state that it regulates and preserves moisture within the tissues and delivers nutrients into the cells, enhancing tissues water retention capacity, we also have an abundance of silicon when we are young, but as we age we lose this.

Now this is a little pricey, because if you take it at the recommended dose it will only last 24 days, I try to take one teaspoon twice a day as I feel spreading out the dose gives the body 2 optimum times to absorb the nutrients. I mostly take it neat, but did try it in my coffee once and was shocked that I could still taste it. I used up this entire bottle and have not repurchased it, I think it's good to use as part of a healthy hair routine, but it's a little pricey and there are cheaper alternatives. I would however repurchase from time to time when on offer, and am very intrigued to try the Energy Molecule.

Have you tried this or any other molecule from Fountain?

Thanks for visiting the blog today.

Ojon Rare Blend Moisture-rich Cleansing Conditioner.

Here's a review I wrote for brownbeautytalk.com, enjoy.

Co-washing, the art of using conditioner as shampoo, has gone commercial and is no longer reserved for the natural haired girls. With all the talk of sulphates being bad for your locs, companies have not only been churning out sulphate free alternatives, but are now dipping their toes into the idea of using conditioner as shampoo.

 

 

Ojon have released their take with the Rare Blend Moisture-rich Cleansing Conditioner, the founder of the company discovered the native Ojon tree in the tropical rainforest in Central America. In one year each tree produces less than 8,000 nuts, which only produce 3 cups of ojon oil. As you can imagine it is not cheap (£18.50 for a 250ml bottle), but not that expensive either, considering the oil is extracted using traditional eco-friendly methods and referred to as nature’s golden elixir. It is said that this potent and pure oil have a natural affinity with hair, restoring radiance, suppleness, bounce, body and volume to even the most damaged hair.

As you can imagine I was intrigued to see how it would work on my kinky, natural and dry hair. To start with it smells amazing and contains a blend of 7 oils including pure ojon oil, palm kernel oil, kukui seed oil, coconut oil to name just a few.  It’s sulphate and glycerin free and is geared towards those with curly, wavy, dry breakage prone hair. I was surprised at the gentle lather this produced, despite containing so many oils. This walked the fine line between cleaning my hair without stripping it, despite it being overloaded with product come wash day, but not weighing it down. Ojon also state there is no need to use a separate conditioner when using this, so great if you’re short on time, washing in between wash days or washing more frequently than usual.

As my first dip into the Ojon brand I was definitely impressed with how my hair felt even after only one use, my hair felt clean, hydrated and nourished. I have definitely incorporated this into my hair care routine, and am intrigued now to try other products from the range. I will of course still be including sulphate free clarifying and hydrating  shampoo’s intermittently to prevent product build up, especially on the scalp.

Have you tried anything from Ojon? Are you happy that co-washing is going commercial and no longer reserved for brownbeauties with natural hair?

 

The post Ojon Rare Blend Moisture-rich Cleansing Conditioner appeared first on Brownbeauty.

bareMinerals Bare Skin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation and perfecting face brush!

I took the opportunity to pick up the latest Bare Minerals Foundation and accompanying brush while in Atlanta recently, it's not due to launch in the UK until around September, but I think QVCUK while have an early pre-launch at the end of June.

 

The bottle is colour coded to represent the shade of the foundation inside, I was colour matched to the shade Bare expresso number 19 of the 20 shades available. This is touted to be the first liquid mineral foundation, formulated without water, silicone, oil, parabens or fragrance. It is hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic and contains a non-chemical SPF of 20, it also contains vitamin C to help brighten the complexion. The brush has a little dip in the centre, once you shake the foundation well, you apply 1-6 drops, depending on the level of coverage you want to achieve and buff it into the skin. However I actually prefer to use my Real techniques buffing brush, so I don't think the brush is an essential purchase.

 



 



Bare minerals developed the tag line Shake, drop, buff to help you remember, you have to ensure you shake this foundation well, as it contains no binders it has a tendencey to separate. Despite the 20 shades I think darker skinned girls may still struggle to find a shade match, also the undertone of the darker shades isn't great, which doesn't help in shade matching.

 

SwatchedBlended

 

I would say my colour match is pretty good, although it does look slightly strange if I try to build up the coverage, but once the rest of my make-up is applied it looks ok. It controls oil well if my combination skin is properly prepped i.e. primer, light moisturiser etc. As my first ever bare minerals foundation, it's a lovely light weight formula, that evens out the skin quite well and is great for the warmer months. The omission of the usual nasties and addition of vitamin C and SPF is a nice touch, it's good to know something you are using can benefit your skin in the long run.

 

Will you be trying this new foundation once launched? Have you tried it already? What are your thoughts?

 

Thanks for visiting the blog today

 

Cane and Austin Ultra Sheer Weightless SPF50 Sunscreen.

I purchased this Cane and Austin sunscreen towards the end of last summer from SpaceNK, the one I was using at the time was making my already summer oily prone skin oilier. It's a chemical sunscreen, which is most effective when applied on bare skin, as it needs to interact with skin cells to be most effective.

 

This stuff is great, it's an extremely white watery liquid when it comes out, but does not at all leave a white cast and sits beautifully under make-up. It isn't cheap at £32 for just shy of 60ml, but it's fortified with anti-oxidants including green tea, vitamin E and Co-Q10, it's oil, alcohol and paraben free and has photo-stable technology.

A lot of brands are now bringing out there versions of this kind of transparent ultra sheer finish, but at the time I purchased this it was quite unique and is now one of my favourite sunscreens. This has an expiry date on the bottom (month and year), which I think is great, sunscreens become in-effective after a while and you wouldn't want to think you're being protected when you're not.

Have you tried this sunscreen or anything similar?

Thanks for visiting the blog today

Alex

Urban Decay's Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder!!!

Urban Decay have been rapidly expanding their Naked range, I picked up the Naked Skin ultra definition Powder from Debenhams website a while ago, and I have been absolutely loving it!!! It comes in 5 shades and I have the second to darkest shade in the range, medium dark, it smoothes out the skin perfectly and never looks powdery and cost £22.

Urban decay say the powder is a silky, weightless, finishing powder that blurs imperfections, sets make-up and controls shine while leaving a luminous demi-matte finish.

I agree with most of that, but if you are super oily you will still need to touch up during the day. I have been absolutely loving this powder, it smooths and plumps my skin, which is contrary for a powder and never looks cakey. I'm tempted to pick up the pressed version for touch ups on the go.

Have you tried this powder or anything from the naked range? Any recommendations of other products from the naked range? Have you tried the pressed version and do you like it?

Thanks for visiting the blog today

Alex

Tom Ford's Unabashed Eye and Cheek Palette on darker skin.

My first ever Tom Ford beauty purchase comes in the form of this limited edition eye and cheek palette, it contains 3 eyeshadows, a blusher and highlighter/bronzer. I figured it was a great way to sample a few different things from the brand in one go, and with House of Fraser offering 10% off with an additional £5 off code that I had, reducing the high end price of £68, I justified this purchase to myself. Plus I had been searching high and low for swatches on a darker skin tone, with very little success, so here they are.

As this palette is limited edition I wanted to get this post up as soon as possible, as of writing this it was still available on the Harvey Nicholls, Selfridges and House of Fraser websites.

Sunlight through a windowThe palette is huge, with a mirror in one end, it comes in a gold box with a dust bag. The white and gold compact is gorgeous and screams luxury.

Flash

Flash

Sunlight through a window

It only arrived this afternoon, so I haven't had a chance to play around with this palette on the eye. While swatching the eyeshadow's felt extremely smooth, the glitter shade felt almost wet in the pan, and the pigmentation of the blue shade is intense. I can't wait to start experimenting with looks and I'm super excited to delve into the Tom Ford beauty arena.

 

I'll be updating this post once I've had a good play and posting looks on instagram (aallexxy), come and have a look.

 

Have you splurged on this palette yet? Are you tempted?

 

Thanks for visiting the blog today

 

Alex

 

 

Lancome Miracle Air De Teint foundation

The latest base release from Lancome comes in the form of this lightweight almost waterlike foundation, similar to others from the same company like Giorgio Armani and L'oreal, but with a better shade range available to UK consumers. I have shade 11 (I'm usually a shade 10, which isn't available in this formula), which is not as yellow based as I would like, however due to the light coverage it's forgivable.

Lancome claim the foundation is light as air with blurring technology that is weightless, for a translucent complexion (not sure what that means), that's matte while being radiant for the ultimate no make-up make-up look.

The formula is matte, while being glowy and controls oil well, although extremely oily girls may still need to touch up during the day. The foundation is lightweight, with light to medium coverage, so extra concealer maybe required. I have enjoyed using this foundation, it gives the kinda coverage I like for day-to-day use, I think I'll really enjoy using this during the warmer months.

• Have you tried this foundation yet? What are your thoughts?

Thanks for visiting the blog today.

Alex.

Eyeko Tinted Brow Gel!!!

So I've had this post sitting in my drafts for ages, I recently purchased a new tube of the Eyeko brow gel and thought about this post, as a beauty blogger constantly trying new products its a big deal when one is repurchased. This is a tinted brow gel that comes in one 'universal' shade, it works perfectly on my deeper skintone and dark hair, the squeezy tube means it will last for ages, I'm still scraping some product from my old tube.

Loads of brands are now releasing brow products with a much smaller wand, but I feel Eyeko was definitely one of the first, which is genius, your brows are such a small area of your face, and if you have sparse brows like mine even smaller than average lol!!! So a huge mascara sized wand isn't ideal, such a simple thing, but makes a huge difference.

In addition to the the tiny wand, the formula also contains keratin (the protein that makes up hair and skin) and gingko bilabo, which are said to work to condition and thicken the brow and it is paraben free.

It's great worn alone or over other brow products like pencils or creams and I absolutely love it, the pictures below show the product applied alone.

 no brow gel

Only brow gel, no brow pencil


(Please excuse my brows, they haven't been threaded in months)

I love this brow gel, it's lasts all day and holds brows in place, it's a nice addition to know that something that will be used daily can be a benefit in the long run.

Have you tried any eyeko products? Any other eyeko recommendations?

Thanks for visiting the blog today

Alex