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