La Roche-Posay Effaclar A.I Review

La Roche-Posay as a brand has received some fantastic coverage in beauty blogs of recent particularly La Roche-Posay duo.
Ive had a good run with my skin, even in my teenage years I got by relatively spot-free, however in my 20s I have one problem area which seems to flair up repeatedly: between my eyebrows.

The irony is I'm probably more fit and healthy than Ive been in years, Ive looked at my diet, my skin care routine, my choice of makeup and I cant seem to be able to target the problem and most importantly fix it.

Oh how I long to rid of this problem area, every so often I will get a flare up of some angry under the skin hormonal spots. They look vile and the hurt and irritate considerably.

So when browsing the isles in a rare trip to Boots I picked up Effaclar A.I.

Effaclair A.I is a described as a "targeted breakout corrector for oily and imperfection prone skin".  The packaging is very clinical, almost like a prescription product you might receive from the doctor and the tube consists of a narrow tube in which to dispense the product.

The cream formula is quite a thin consistency and spreads with ease using my fingers, I used only a very thin layer of the product when applying to my problem area. I tend to apply this after I have removed my makeup in the evenings and applied my moisteriser.

In truth I'm really disappointed. If anything I found the area I was applying the cream flared up more with more little pimples to accompany my large ones which I was horrified at. I didn't experience any easing of redness of anti inflammatory properties just more spots. So not only was the product expensive but no use to me what so ever. I was really disappointed after

If being a beauty blogger has taught me anything its that over time our skin alters ever so slightly from time to time and products you may not get on with to start you can change your mind on after revisiting them a couple of months later. I remember when I first purchased the Clinique Anti-blemish solutions clear blemish gel and felt much of the same disappointment. Fast forward months later and I would really recommend it for break outs. So Ive not given up completely on Effaclar AI completely but so far I havent recieved the results I had hoped for.

Have you tried La Roche Posay Effaclar A.I?

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YSL Touche Eclait Foundation Review

When it comes to foundations I much prefer a dewy base. I have a lot of love for Estee Lauder’s matt double wear foundation because of its longevity and office appropriate durability, but a dewy base is no1 for me, and its around spring time I look for a lighter coverage foundation to let my skin breathe a little more as the weather (potentially!?) gets warmer.

I purchased Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclait around Christmas time with super high hopes. The foundation bottle as with all YSL packaging is a product of beauty. Its iconic gold lid and delicate gold writing makes it an appealing little bottle to sit on my dressing table,who doesn’t like a bit of decadence?! It would be moronic to not mention the inspiration of this foundation: YSLs touché eclait highlighter which has been a must have product for many years known for its highlighting properties and this foundation was a highly anticipated product by many woman all over the world.

I like the gold pump (take note Estee Lauder double wear), I like YSLs expansive colour range and different selections of colour tones, and I do think I have a good match to my skin tone. It’s just I haven’t enjoyed this product as much as I had hoped, having worn it on nights out any sort of camera flashback gives me a ghostly appearance rather than a glowy one. The foundation is slightly scented which I could do without and unfortunately it does not last on my skin for the endurance of my hours in the office and the formula is a bit runnier than I would like. After a little research I am going to give this a try applying this with my fingers. I’ve not given up on this foundation as I think it will fit the bill for a slighter spring/summer foundation, but I am somewhat underwhelmed. Ive made no secret of my hunt for a Chanel pro lumiere dupe in the past, and unfortunately this isn’t the one.

Have you ever tried Touche Eclait foundation?

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Vita Liberata- A 3 Week Tan?

When I read about the Vita Liberata range I was very Intrigued.

It goes without saying I love fake tan and I have in the past reviewed 

Famous Daves, St Tropez and more recently St Tropez Dark.

Fake tanning is a necessary evil and the more blonde I have become the more I have needed that little bit of extra colour so not to wash me out.

Vita Liberata PHenominal 2-3 week tan sounded just brilliant - I mean fancy a  fake tan lasting 2-3 weeks? It just seemed like the perfect convenience to my hectic mon-fri life.

• Firstly the formula is completely unscented, so much so I could sneak it on before work and let develop throughout the day.
• The colour is deep enough to deliver a glow but subtle enough to pass the "could be her real skin colouring" test...especially for January.

The  issues I have with this tan is the amount of product for the price is bordering on ridiculous. I bought my bottle from Boots during Christmas time for £25.99 on offer. But standard price is £37.49 for a measly 125ml in Boots.

This is steep compared to a 240ml of St Tropez fake tan for £30.49

or

200ml of Famous Daves for £28.99

(and this is before shopping around at the likes of Feel Unique!)

.........See where I'm going with this?

I realise there are cheaper alternatives but I tend to get 4-5 months usage from a bottle 200-240ml wheas with the Vita Liberata it is the end of January and I am already running low.

Secondary to the price in order to get the full 2-3 week tan experience you are required to apply the product 3 times.....have I already mentioned my LACK OF TIME!?

Quite honestly any of the fake tan giants could put the 2-3 tan claim after 3 full applications couldnt they?

To summarise: I really think this product would work really well on pale skin and would accommodate well as a pre-holiday base before seeking some sun in warmer climbs, but unfortunately I think it is over-priced and demands too much planning and effort. I find it enough applying fake tan once in a week never mind on 3 separate occasions. A good product with regards to being frangrance free and a good colout but I don't think it will suit everybody.

Have you tried Vita Liberata PHeominal 2-3 week tan?

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Haircare Series #1 Anti Snap

Those of you that have read my blog for a while will know that I am chemically enhanced blonde, yep all this blonde is down to a lot, a LOT of bleach.

I have very dark brown hair naturally and I don’t mind sharing with you that it took a lot of processing and trips to the hair salon to get such a vibrant blonde.

After going on a hair care spree I was really disappointed in some of the products I had purchased from the high street. With my hair much drier and difficult to manage than usual I took to Youtube and beauty blogs to search for miracle hair products. In this series I intend to share with you products that worked...and those that were a disappointment.

One that was highly recommended was Redken Anti-snap.
 

 

Anti-snap is a leave in treatment. I always run this through my hair when damp and the difference in my hairs look feel and texture has been really impressive. Not only would I recommend this product to fellow bleach blondes but to anyone that is experiencing dry hair. The formula is protein rich and works in fortifying the hair lengths. I was lucky in having hair strong enough that it never got to the stage of breaking off, and I’m at a blonde where all I need is a root tint from time to time so my ends aren’t getting fried as much as when I was visiting the hairdressers for highlights.

 

This product has made my hair noticeably softer manageable and healthy looking and although it’s a little pricey at £14.30 I think this product will last for a long amount of time and continue giving the same results. Its always worth keeping an eye on Feel Unique's website as they regularly offer 10%, free postage

 

Have you tried any Redken products before?

What are your miracle hair products?

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Favourite Soap & Glory Products.

Soap and Glory are a brand that are highly exalted within the beauty community.

Whether it be that their regularly on 3 for 2 at Boots, their sensational product smell or the hype surrounding these products Soap and Glory are a very much loved brand in the UK.

The retro packaging and tongue and cheek product information add to the brands appeal, but which ones are the best?

I like to class myself as a bit of a soap and Glory expert. The last 2 years I have always treated myself to the Soap and Glory beauty boxes (of course when their vastly reduced) and for much of the year have enough products to pamper polish and preen throughout.

The Righteous Butter.

This has to be my all time favourite body butter- forget The Body Shop's offerings this body butter is luxurious both in its thick consistency and it's scent, it contains Coconut oil and shea butter and leaves my skin wonderfully smooth, feeling fresh and smelling amazing.

Face Soap Clarity

I use this every morning in the shower. It contains little beads which gently scrub my skin, it only requires a very small amount so the product lasts a very long time and is good value for money. It has a fresh scent which really helps wake me up of a morning. 

The product claims to have a skin brightening complex which I believe to an extent to be true. I really like using this as part of my skin care routine to start off with a fresh face before applying my makeup. I do think that this product product contributes to clearer skin. It doesn't appear to be in any way drying or harsh on my skin.

Breakfast Scrub

The scrub is a complete delight for the senses. It really does smell like it would taste delicious- (not that Ive tried!). It is a great product to give the skin a really thorough scrub and the shea butter ingredients make my skin feel wonderfully smooth long after my shower. Its a really nice pamper-worthy product.

What are your favourite Soap And Glory products?

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17 Beehive: The Perfect Nude

Any beauty blogger could sympathise with the quest for "the perfect nude". 

It is THE hardest thing to find a daytime appropriate nude lipstick that doesn't wash out and simultaneously compliments your skintone.

Now I must admit I found mine in MACs Plink! 

Which is a wonderful lip-gloss like formula which pigments and hydrates the lips- but finding a highstreet alternative seemed to be almost impossible, even the Revlon lip tint in Honey seemed too pink and almost cartoon like for my skin colour and many lipsticks were far too drying. This was until I tried 17s Beehive which is not a stranger within the Blogging community, in fact its always received very good reviews.

The 17 mirror shine lipstick used to be in a green reflective packaging which if I'm honest offended my "black and classic" nature. Since the mirror shine lipsticks have been repackaged they are significantly more pleasing to my eye. Not only that but they also contain a super handy mirror which I think is a cute and practical little touch.

The new packaging is sleek and study enough to withstand being chucked about in my handbag.

As you can see by the swatch the colour pay off is very slight but for me that is perfect for daytime use- I really dont have a lot of time in the day to be checking and re-applying my lippie so for me this is a great choice.

Have you ever tried the 17 mirror shine range, did you like them?

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St Tropez DARK.

When addressing my relationship with some beauty products I would as far as describing them as a dependant love affair. However, fake tan boarders on necessity for me and the easier the fake tan process the better.

There are a few reasons that I thought St Tropez dark moose would work for me:

I love the St Tropez moose formula and have used it for years- but I find the application a bit tedious and well the least I could get away faffing about in the nudd the better. 

The intention behind the dark purchase was that I would only have to slap on one application a week and hey presto I had my perm-a-tan to will me through the winter months.

It was in February I compared my beloved St Tropez moose with Famous Daves and I wear fake tan for probably 10 months of a year so I like to think I am relatively clued up in this department.

Firstly as expected the formula is mega dark and a little scary looking. The dark formula is for sure the first "scent free" that is completely scent free which is brilliant as it prevents my bed sheets stinking of biscuits. 

I noticed that the dark formula top layer is incredibly dark in the sense it would be impossible to wear the top layer out without being mistaken for an oompa loompa. I must confess many a Saturday night I could happily go out in the guide colour of the regular St Tropez tan if I were pushed for time- but the dark formula can appear worryingly patchy when first applied so to get the most from this product you need to be the organised faux tanning type.

The next day when the top layer has been washed off however does leave a flawless deep olive toned tan. I have used the formula on my face and had no problems regarding break outs and I do think that the deep colour does require less application through the week, which is brilliant if you want the tanned look without too much commitment. I really would urge you to try this if you already enjoy a foam formula fake tan- you may be presently surprised.

St Tropez dark is available at Boots for £32.99

My next on my tanning perfection mission is the Vita Liberata PHenomenal 2-3 tan. I mean this stuff is too good to be true right?....I guess there is only one way to find out!

What fake tan do you use/ do you use fake tan?

Models Own Wonderland Collection

Its rarely that I ever get excited about nail varnish....in fact the last time I did get excited about nail varnish was when I purchased OPIs Best Of The Best collection a similar time last year.

This assortment of polish enables you to plaster your nails in every size and shape of glitter Christmas ever thought of. Whats wonderful about the collection is it offers everything from the boldest brightest sparkle to the office appropriate nod to the glitter trend. There really is something for everyone

Blizzard does exactly what it says on the tin. 

This beaut offers huge hexadecimal flecks of glitter in a rainbow of sparkle. I have this generously applied to my toes and love the effect...its going to be hell to remove but for now I am transfixed by my super sparkly toes.

Snowflake is much more gentler than the brash Blizzard.

It consists of beautiful gold chunks of glitter in different shapes ans sizes. It is much more subtle and gets a huge thumbs up from a gold lover like me.

Southern lights really gets me going.

If I were to suggest only one shade from this collection it would have to be this colour.

Its beautifully buildable whether it be a slight sparkle of packed on party shimmer this really does it for me. I love its multi coloured sparkle and have been enjoying this a lot as a ring finger contrast colour-simply beautiful.

Northern lights a pink version, exactly the same principle and iridescencey and will really attract the pink loving bloggers, its really worth checking out.

With the cutest name- Jack frost is another beautiful gold based glitter.

It has a gorgeous green glint in the flecks and looks brilliant over a nude nail. I have been wearing it over Essie Ballet Slippers and it looks great.

This collection is available on the Models Own website at 

£20 I do think it is a little pricey and I did feel a bit guilty on splurging so much on nail varnish but I really think I will get a lot of use of these colours on the run up to the party season and I do think they are a very special set.

Boots are running buy one get one half price-worth a peek!

Which is your favourite pick from the collection?

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Quest for a Chanel Pro Lumiere Dupe

My absolute favourite foundation ever is Chanel Pro Lumiere.

I love it because of its medium coverage, its durability, its luxurious packaging and the glowy finish it gives my face.

So when this product was discontinued....and of course I neared the end of the bottle this kick started my one woman mission to find a worthy dupe. If ever any favourite bloggers or YouTubers have mentioned a foundation as a comparable I have either purchased or avidly read into the matter further.

So here is what I have found:

Clinique Even Better Foundation:
Coverage: Medium but buildable
Texture. This foundation is much more water based and comes out runny from the bottle but blends very well with a Real Techniques brush.
Finish:  I really like the finish of this foundation. Its glowy without any hint of greasy or shiny.
Durability: Although glowy and dewy I find that this foundation doesn't have the same durability as the Chanel Pro Lumiere. Although powdering through the day may help in prolonging the finish of this foundation.

I am colour 04 Cream Chamois.
This foundation is £22 for 30ml

Verdict: This was a purchase spurred on by reading other blogs. When I saw the release of this foundation I was really excited- I was in the epitome of my "glowy dewy" look phase and this seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I was matched to my fake tanned self but still find the colour match a little on the orangey side. At first I wasn't sure what to make of the watery consistency but had no problems making it work. I do think the finish of this foundation is a worthy comparable to the Chanel Pro Lumiere but disappointingly it doesn't last as well as I would hope. I'm coming to the end of this foundation after a good 8 months use and in two minds over whether to repurchase.



Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation
Coverage: Light but buildable
Texture: Similar consistency to the Pro Lumiere, much thicker than the Clinique Even Better foundation.
Finish: Beautifully glowy and dewy
Durability: Very low, its disappointing.

I am shade 200 in Soft Beige
This foundation is a wonderful £5.99 for 30ml.

Verdict: I openly love this foundation. Unlike some other bloggers that have reviewed this product I love that its scented. For a drugstore product I am really impressed with the finish it gives my face first thing in the morning. Unfortunately this doesn't last as long as I would hope for. Recently I have been mixing this foundation with my Dior Diorskin Nude Foundation and have since had better durability results, and achieved the same luminosity (top blogger tip). This had allowed me to enjoy this product to its full potential. I know Tanya Burr has proclaimed this as a Chanel dupe and I think this is fully justified. Its such a shame it doesn't last as long as Id like alone. I know Rimmel are extending their "Wake Me Up" line and I'm very interested to what they bring out in the future.

I have spied that Chanel have their Vitalumiere satin Smoothing fluid foundation available at the moment and am incredibly curious to whether its a re-branded Pro Lumiere in disguise. From what I can gather apart from that there are no other comparable available on the Chanel line at present which makes me deeply sad.

If any of you ladies have any Pro Lumiere dupes Id be happy to hear what you've found!

P.S I turn 23 today. I am spending the day leisurely supping tea and catching up on blogs. I have a brilliant joint birthday girls weekend to look forward to, and cannot wait to get glammed up!

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Benefits Erase Paste

It was only recently to my delight I realised I finally had a local Benefit Counter.

Oh I was thrilled. I was helped by a lovely assistant with vibrant red hair in selecting Benefits Erase paste.

You see the Collection 2000 concealer which I love had been creasing under my eyes as the day went on....and in all truth it was really starting to bug me.

There were several helpful suggestions:

Lemon Aid

Bo-ing

&

Erase paste

The reason I chose the erase paste is because of its brightening qualities.

The lady on the counter told me that mixing the erase paste with a bit of High Beam can added even further amount of luminosity.

"This concentrated cream formula flawlessly helps to conceal and brighten dark circles and imperfections"

The product is perfect for the dark circles under my eyes. It does not however work effectively over blemishes....I keep a tight grip on my Collection 2000 concealer for those bad boys. The formula blends well with the heat of your finger and I am a sucker for benefits retro and flamboyant packaging.

The shade advised was No1 Fair.

I'm a little more tanned than usual at present and this shows on the swatch.

I am currently using this under my foundation and I am thrilled with the results.

I have seen other bloggers describe this as a must have product. I really like it but I also think at the price of £19.50 there are probably drugstore comparable at a more reasonable price.

Regardless you get a lot of bang for your buck and it will be months until I have to agonise over whether to repurchase this product or not. If like me the Collection 2000 formula doesn't agree with you I would certainly encourage a wander down to your local Benefit counter for atleast a try.

What I loved about the day I purchased this was that my local Benefit counter were offering free makeovers. It was a Saturday and I got pampered for a good 40mins while a Benefit makeup artist worked her magic and got me glammed for the nights events. This also gave me the opportunity to test Benefit products I don't own and see if they could endure a night out. A product I without doubt will return for in due course is the Watts Up Soft Focus Highlighter. It a lot more pink based than the High Beam and I love the glowy look it gave my face....no doubt review to come soon. 

I was so happy with the service I received that day. The girl was so friendly and helpful. Big up to you guys at Benefit!

P.S I have a MAC lippie giveaway still running! All Details here

Product Rave: Clinique Moisture Surge

Happy bank holiday to you all!

Today I'm going to share with you a holy grail product of mine.

I got a sample of this when I made a Clinique purchase back in February Link and the little beaut that it is lasted me an entirety of 6 months!

The sample had me hooked and the in all honesty the price for the full size made me wince. So in airport before holiday I keep an eye out for this product.

The reason I like this product so much is because the soft feel it gives to my face.

The product is so rich I apply it as a night cream, and the softness will remain on my face for the 24hours after the first application.

I have oily/combination skin and this leaves me in no way greasy like other moisturisers I have used before. I'm sure this would work just as well for someone with dry skin.

I have tried lots of moisturisers but never experienced such a luxury feel ever before.

I also think that using this product has contributed to much clearer skin on my face in general which is always a bonus!

I got my 50ml tub for £25 in duty free.

It is currently available from Boots for £32

It know this is incredibly pricey in comparison to lower end products but I see this as an investment- I expect to last a very long time. The picture below of the empty sample below enforces my belief of this.

Another honourable mention is to recommend indulging in Cliniques "goodie bag" offers they have throughout the year. They are a great way to sample products that you may not have thought to try- and ultimately which has led me to this product.

The only problem is I also would like the All About Eyes eye cream now!

What are your holy grail products?

John Freida 3 Day Straight: Ravings Of A Frizz Haired maniac

For a significant time John Freida have been the pioneer of miracle hair product promises.
(He also married Lulu...but we will save that for another time)

When I was a teenager I remember seeing the Frizz-ease adverts showing a previously fizz haired fro transformed into sleek and shiny frizz-free hair. 

Needless to say I was left bitterly disappointed when I was left with oil slick frizz.

My experience with John Freida over the years has been hit and miss.

I really like their purple shampoo and have used their highlight range with great success.

So purchasing the 3-Day straight I half kicked myself at being so easily led into purchasing a high street watered down keratin treatment.

My hair is dry and wavy/curly.

Its taken years to master and maintain straight hair and any help towards this process was warmly welcomed.

Having sprayed this into my wet hair and blow dried my hair straight in sections. The product packaging recommends using straighteners to seal the keratin treatment into the hair after blow drying.

The product has made my hair feel brilliantly soft and significantly more manageable.

If your hoping for polka straight locks then your thinking is along the lines of unrealistic but this product gets a big thumbs up for making the hair more manageable.

3-Days straight?

Probably more along the lines of two. The only issue I have with this product is the big over-reliance on heat tools. I personally use heat way too much but I really do like the significant improvement I did get using this product.

What hair products are you loving at the moment?

My MAC giveaway is still running. Make sure you subscibe via GFC and click here for all details!- Good Luck!

MAC Heavenly Creatures: Supernova

Firstly a little apology.

This blog is getting a little cluttered with MAC MAC MAC.

I promise this is the last post for well....a while.

You see I had a little haul and the items were so beautiful they simply deserved their own pictures and posts.As you all know I am a sucker for pretty things.

Now this little fella is a beaut.

The colour intensity is a deep fuschia and reminds me a little of MACs dollymix wrapped up nicely in gold.

The colour is highly pigmented and buildable but requires a light hand.

Considering this collection was released July I intend on setting this blush aside for autumn and  winter as a bright fuschia looks better on my skin when slightly paler.

So for now I will keep the crazy lady habit of digging it out every so often and just basking in its beauty.

(here is it swatched only very lightly)

I have nipped over to MAC online only to find this mineralize blush is sold out, so if you wish to get your hands on this shade I highly recommend you visit your local MAC counter.

I must however give an honourable mention to Solar Ray which is in stock an equally beautiful.

Have you ever tried mineralize blushes?

Are there any alternative brands I should be aware of? I do love the Accessorize baked blushes!

Japonesque Lash Gadgets

My love for Japonesque is something I haven't ever kept quiet.

I love their brushes and particularly their face powder brush.

Its become clear that Japonesque are all over lashes at the moment.

They want them BIG DEFINED and THICK.

...I really couldn't argue.

Japonesque Heated Mini Eyelash Curler

£12.50

Available at:

John Lewis

Boots

Hair HQ

Pink, pocket sized and practically fool proof, whats not to love?

This travel friendly heated eyelash curler enables defined curl from close to the root.

Battery operated it heats up rapidly.

The only eyelash experience I can compare this to is the good ol'

"heat your eyelash curlers with the hairdryer and use as a makeshift (not forgetting dangerously hot) curler."

As you can imagine my japoneque heated lash experience was far superior.

I have however kept these babies far far away from my fake lashes. The smell of burning plastic just doesn't do it for me.

For some added 'juj' this pocket sized gadget really cranks up the lash glam stakes and it super easy for a clumsy individual such as myself.

Now this little beauty got me all hot and bothered...with initial confusion.

After my innocence of thinking I had just opened a dusty mascara I was completely fascinated by this concept.

The general fluffiness is applied to one layer of mascara and thickens the lashes creating a "fake but not fake" look. Another later and your lashes are significantly defined.

I have never seen anything like this and love the clever gadget-ness thinking behind this product.

Japonesque Lash Definer

£6.50

John Lewis

Now this is fairly self explanatory.

Its one of those products you don't realise you needed until you have one.

(Real Techniques Stippling brush anyone?)

It shames me to admit I used to use a pin to separate my lashes.

I just like this little tool because it aids brilliantly in dividing lashes without lashing on layers of mascara...forgive the pun...couldn't help myself.

My only gripe is this just doesn't work with the thickening mascara fibres above as it just brushes the effect out.

Lastly...the lashes...que arabian-esque eye shot.

With large dose of summer freckles.

 

What are your holy grail Lash products?