OSIS Hair Styling Products

With great power comes great responsibility. And with a decent haircut comes the emphasis on styling, without the old "Oh just scrape it back into a bobble" approach I used to employ.
I am now a reformed character.

The rain is doing its best to destroy my morale, by pouffing and frizzing up my hair. It all goes a bit... well...

So when I was approached to try a few new styling bits from OSIS, I decided to give em a whirl. 

Bear in mind, I'm no expert. I don't do "blow dries" or the like. I just blast it then attack with straighteners, and kind of hope for the best...

Anyway. I was sent three products to try. A recap on my hair type first of all... Incredibly fine but lots of it, and it looks pouffy after washing then looks flat on day two. Then it gets oily at the roots and needs washing. I am on an endless search for products which will control frizz but not weigh the hair down.

First up, we have "Soft N' Straight" Straightening Emulsion.

This is a nice product - you apply to damp hair and which helps with reducing kinks in the hair whilst you dry it.
I daresay if you are the sort who is prone to doing a full on blow dry, then this would assist with helping you smooth the barnet. It's very light textured, which means I'm not sure how much of a help this would be for more coarse or thicker hair types. It certainly adds no weight to the hair, and doesn't make it go oily any faster than normal. It has a pleasant scent - a fresh powdery floral vibe, but not at all overpowering, and certainly not something which lingers after its dry and styled. You also don't need to use a lot - I use a blob about the size of a penny for my hair and concentrate it on the ends.

This is a product that helps with the drying process, but the downside is, it doesn't control the frizzies at all. So I'd need an extra something or other to help with that. Which makes it an even better job that this doesn't weigh the hair down, because that would be a total no-no.
Currently on offer on Look Fantastic at £8.40, which is a reasonable price for this product in my opinion.

Body Me Volume Serum, was the product I was most intruiged by...

This one is also applied to damp hair and promises to add "up to 100%" volume, with a smooth finish.

This has a different consistency - somewhere in between a serum and a gel. Obviously being a volumising product, this needs applying closer to the roots. It does assist with volume - I take the high tech approach and dry my hair with my head upside down. With no product I get decent volume which ultimately flops quite quickly, but this definitely helps maintain the volume applied. Again this has a pleasant scent, and a little goes a long way

The problem with this one, is that it gives the hair a slightly sticky feel - useful if you like to jujj your hair up a bit from time to time, but can be a bit annoying if you prefer a cleaner feel. I felt like my hair was a bit "dirtier" after using this, which is fine if you wash it every day. Personally I try to wash mine every two days at the most. Otherwise it gets drier at the ends and oilier at the roots... This is the sort of thing I'd use for a "Big Night Out" hair-do... ie, When I know I'll definitely be washing it the next day anyway, and I want it to look perfect, rather than a product I'd use on a regular basis...On offer at the moment on Lookfantastic for £8.80.

Finally I was also sent "Flatliner Sleek Flattening Iron Serum".

This is a heat protecting spray which you spritz on to dry hair before styling with straighteners. It does a good job, and as the name suggests it does kind of knock a little of the volume out of your hair. This can be great for the kind of hair I have which can be prone to pouffiness after it's washed. It's also useful if like me, the rain creates a bit of a frizz issues after you have styled it, because you can use it on day two and re-straighten to reduce the pouff...

On the other hand, if your hair is flat already and/or lacks texture, then this might not be the one for you!

OSIS products are available HERE and HERE, as well as many other online retailers - Google is your pal!

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think? Also, do you have any recommendations for a serum or product which will shield my hair from humidity?  

When Good Mascara Goes Bad...

Mascara. I find reviewing it extremely difficult, because it can be a real "Marmite" product.

Lets start with the brush - some people love a plastic comb, some love a traditional "spoolie" brush. Thats before we even think about the "new generation" of wands which are a hybrid of the two... and what about shape? Straight? Curved? "Spoon shaped"? S Shaped? A spiky torture ball?

Then there's the formula - some love a wetter more runny consistency, while some like a thicker consistenct of product.

Also, every one seems to love a different effect with their mazzy - some like length, others volume, some want curl, some want all three. Some like a bit of a clumping fake effect, others are all about the natural look.

It's a jungle!

One of my all time personal favourites is YSL Faux Cils. As with every single product on the market though, it's not perfect - one of the most common criticisms of the product is that it dries up pretty quick - I've always found that 3-4 months is the longest I can get out of a tube, and at £21.50 a throw, it's an expensive one to fall in love with.

This comes in 6 shades - Black, Brown, Sublime Grey, Violet, Burgundy and Blue. It was also recently released in the high pigment black version - "Noir Radical".

In the past I have only ever bought the normal Black version - I first picked it up for my wedding day (my love of the mascara outlasted the love of the now ex-husband...) and repurchased several times. I then started blogging and testing out lots of other mascaras. But recently I felt like treating myself and this was calling me. I decided to try the new Noir Radical version - after all, a mascara can never be too black really for my tastes.

The packaging and wand are all the same as I remember...

The wand is my favourite type of all - a traditional large, but not too large full brush. It also still has that familiar rose scent to it, which I personally really like - some obviously will hate it though!

It's the type of mascara you can tell you are wearing - its quite dramatic, but I love that - having paid nearly £22 for it, I want it to stand out!

So far so good hey?

But the title of this post kinda gives away the fact that something aint quite right with this mascara.

I'd heard rumours of this transferring and running, but I hadn't noticed any problems... until now.
Consisently this week I have been driving home from work and glanced in the rear view mirror to see a member of Kiss looking back at me.

Ok... slight exaggeration, but there's definitely a problem here...

See that smudgy dark stuff under my eye? That's not actually supposed to be there. I haven't even been rubbing my eyes, crying, sneezing or any of the other stuff I'd expect to cause mascara to run...

Another problem with the mascara is that due to the vast amounts of black pigment in the formula, it's very hard to remove. I use a balm type product at the moment to get this off. I'll often remove it at night, and then on getting up the next morning will notice I have panda eyes after I finish in the shower. I mean I knew that an extreme black mascara was going to be very pigmented, but really? A day later and still there?

The bottom line is though, that I still love this mascara in general. I'll be buying another tube in the future, but this is where me and Noir Radical part company. I'll be sticking to the regular Black version from now on!

Illamasqua Light Liquid Foundation.

When Illamasqua first launched, their foundations were one of the first things I purchased, being the total foundation junkie that I am. I actually purchased the cream version first of all, and I love that, so I went back for more. The rich liquid foundation is a real stand by for nights out, and for days when I don't want my makeup to budge an inch. I also love it for bad skin days - The rich liquid gives absolutely the fullest coverage I have ever seen from a liquid foundation, and I have even used it in place of a concealer when needed. It's a versatile product too, and can be mixed with a moisturiser or a lighter foundation for a lighter look. 

Their light foundation on the other hand has always left me feeling a little undecided. I loved the look it gave, however I hated the fact that it separated like a demon. I could have shaken the bottle til kingdom come, and sometimes separation would still occur. It was like an unreliable boyfriend, always leaving me wanting more, but also feeling like there was so much more potential there...

So Illamasqua were also obviously aware of this problem, and they decided to reformulate the product. I've had this for a good couple of months now, and I have been using it regularly.

So as well as a reformulation, the colours in the range have also been reviewed, and this now comes in various shades, with neutral, pink and golden undertones. This is no bad thing - some of the older shades had a slight grey tinge to them, and in my opinion the new shades are a little bit easier to choose from. The online swatches are very good too, obviously I would always recommend going to a counter for a foundation match if you can, but the website has images of people wearing the foundation so you can select the skintone most similar to yours.

I was sent the shade 135, which is designed for light skin with golden undertones.

As you can see, the design of the bottle has not changed. Its handy to be able to see the colour through the bottle as well, especially if you are using these in a makeup kit, and need to mix shades. Product is dispensed through a nozzle, so it's hygienic too.

The shade range itself seems pretty comprehensive to me - darker shades are covered as well as lighter shades, which is always good to see - there are not many ranges that do this. The shade I was sent for reviewing suits my skintone very well, but I'm pretty sure that there are a couple of others in the range too that I could use to good effect - I'd describe my skintone as neutral but the golden tone in 135 works well on me, and I'd expect 133 (light neutral), or even 140 (medium golden) to work on my skin if I was tanned.

The real acid test though, is whether the old separation issue has been resolved...

I'm pleased to say - and offer the photographic evidence above, that it has! The foundation looks the same now as it did on the day it arrived, there has been no change in consistency, and I haven't had to shake it up for hours on end before I use it. In fact I don't have to shake it full stop.

The foundation offers a fairly light coverage - its great if you have fairly decent skin that just needs a little bit of evening out, although I do use this when I have breakouts, and just supplement with concealer - I don't really like the feel of a full coverage on my skin when I have blemishes - I sometimes just feel like heavy foundations look fine on but feel like they are clogging my skin up even more when it is already upset... does that make sense to anyone else apart from me?

So how does this look on the skin? I think as with most foundations, this will vary according to your skin type - on oilier skins, this will look dewier, and on drier skins it will look more satin or matte.  I personally have dry-combination skin at the moment (it seems to change at different times of year!), and this gives a satin effect on my skin, ie neither matte nor dewy, but very natural looking...

Above - skin before. I've even bravely showed a little blemish here too so you can see how much blemish coverage this offers...

Above - the skin after application.

For some reason, my skin looks a different colour in the two pictures. I think the light might have changed in between taking the first and second pics, because the foundation did not change the colour of my skin! Crazy ass camera - nothing to do with my skills, or lack of on the photography front I'm sure *looks embarassed*.

The important thing to look at though, is the coverage and look of the foundation - its a foundation you can still "see the skin" through, so looks very natural, but it also does a good job of unifying the skintone.  As I have already mentioned, It has given me a satin finish.

This foundation lasts well on my skin too - I do set with powder in the centre of the face, as I do with all foundations, and this lasts throughout the working day for me. This has actually become a foundation I reach for pretty regularly, for everyday use - I don't like to look too heavily made up for work, but there are days when my skin looks dog rough, and this gives me a bit of pep, without looking like I have a full face of makeup on... But basically if you are looking for a full coverage look, this may not be for you!

Because the foundation is SPF free, it photographs well, but obviously you'd need to apply your SPF separately to protect the skin from the sun...

Verdict - great if you don't need a lot of coverage, evens out the skin tone and offers light coverage. May work better for less oily skin types.

Disclaimer - this product was sent by Illamasqua for review purposes. I am not paid for my review, and neither am I obliged to say positive or negative things about products sent to me for this purpose. My reviews are always honest, and based on my own experiences with a product. Please consider your own needs and skin type before purchasing. As always I would always encourage you to read as many reviews of this product on other sites as possible.

Eyeko "Saucy" Nail Polish

This polish from Eyeko has been available for some time, but it's one of my fave's from the range, and definitely worth a look.

Above -Saucy polish and Rain polish

Saucy is a lovely hot orange based red - it almost but not quite verges on the coral side. Obviously the formula's of the eyeko polishes can vary - some can drag a little and need more coats. This one is one of my favourites in terms of formula and application - It's not too thick so doesn't drag, and applies smoothly. If you have Eyeko's Coral polish, this remindedme alot of it in terms of formula and application... I personally apply two coats of this, mostly from habit, but this is the sort of polish you could apply in one coat if you have less time.

I have also found that this polish wears well - I never expect high street/drugstore polishes to last longer than 2-3 days, but I applied this on my toes once and it wore extremely well. This is available both in sets an invidually on the Eyeko website.

Disclaimer - this product was sent to me by PR for review purposes. I'm not paid for my opinions or reviews, and they are always 100% honest and based on my own experiences with a product.

Eyeko "Rain" Nail Polish

I've seen this on a few blogs recently and loved it from afar, so I was really pleased to be sent it unexpectedly for review purposes.

Rain is a lovely pale grey-blue shade, and looks a lot more expensive to me than its price tag sugests... It's currently availabl in a set of three blue shades on the EYEKO website for £8.50. I hope this becomes available on its own too - as I say it's a pretty shade, and to me, this is a little bit different.

Application wise, I found this definitely needed two coats - the first coat applied quite patchily, and there was some definite dragging, however applying a second (thicker) coat, solved this. This to me is a wearable colour, but still a little bit different. It's the sort of shade that doesn't look out of place at work, but is interesting enough that people will ask what shade you are wearing. This pleases me!

Now I just need to learn to apply nail varnish in that lovely neat way some beauty bloggers seem able to do...

Disclaimer - this product was sent to me by PR for review purposes. I'm not paid for my opinions or reviews, and they are always 100% honest and based on my own experiences with a product.

Eyeko "Extra Glow" 3 in1 Cream.

This is the newest LE version of Eyeko's Glow Creams - they are already available in a regular glow and a tinted glow version.

This product is available now on the Eyeko and ASOS websites, and retails for £8.00.

I sometimes feel like a bit of a fraud buying Eyeko... The range is obviously aimed at a younger market than me, an this is often reflected in the packaging, but the packaging of this I find quite attractive!

The cream itself is housed in a simple pink pot, which is fine - If I was being picky I'd prefer a tube for hygiene reasons, but thats a personal preference.

Having never tried either of the other two versions of this cream, I had to look at lots of online pics to see what made this one different - Obviously the tinted cream is a bronzier version of the cream, and the other glow cream seems to contain more of a golden shimmer, whereas this contains more of a silvery shimmer, and has a pinkier base. It looks very pretty in the pot...

This cream is described as a 3-in-1 product, which can act as a highlighter, moisturiser and an eye-cream. Personally I'd only recommend this as a moisturiser for more dull looking skin, as I feel it might make skin look a little shiny. I'd also hesitate to use this as an eye cream, as I personally have  few fine lines in that area, and anything too highlighting seems to do just that, and highlight the lines even more. However if you are a beautiful young, fresh faced beauty, then this might work well for you.

As a highlighter though, particularly for the cheekbones, this is a lovely product - it adds a lovely sheen without looking glittery...

A little of this product goes a long way, but the effect is very pretty - Obviously I have pale skin so I can't comment on how well this would work for darker skin types. Also bear your skin type in mind - due to this being a cream product, it may not work for oilier skin types. I have normal to combination skin, and this blends easily, and stays put well once applied and set. It does set pretty quickly, so it needs to be worked into the skin speedily. It can be applied with fingers (easiest!) or even a brush (more hygienic and/or professional if using it on others!)

Disclaimer - this product was sent to me by PR for review purposes. I am not paid for my opinions, which are always 100% honest and based on my experiences with a product.

Skincare Review - Biotherm and Mir.

I have been testing a lot of skin care over the past few months - so I need to get cracking with the old reviews! I started to switch up my skin care after moving house and the resulting havoc it wreaked on my skin...

You may remember that some time ago I reviewed the MIR skincare range - (read the review HERE). I remember noticing how "calm" my skin felt after a couple of weeks use, so I decided to invest in a few bits from the range...

I ordered full sizes of the cleansing gel, skin refresher and gentle exfoliating cleanser. Service from MIR was quick and efficient - I was notified by email that the products had been dispatched and they arrived the next day.


I also introduced a couple of products from the Biotherm range. I actually attended an event for Biotherm, however the products given were not quite right for my skin - I was given a cream for very dry skin, which was a little too rich. I still liked the feel of the products and the promises to rehydrate the skin sounded perfect too, so I invested in a couple of products...

Above, we have Skin Vivo Reversing anti-aging gel, and two versions of their Aquasource creams.


The pink jar is Aqua Source Non-Stop. This was the product given to me at the event, and is aimed at very dry skin - I did try this for a couple a weeks and it was nice, but did feel a little heavy for my skin. At the event we were shown the Aquasource Skin Perfection (the blue jar) which is aimed at all skin types and has a cooling effect on the skin. I liked the feel of that at the event, so I decided to go and pick one up to try...

Biotherm make the following claims about the product...

Thirsty for hydration and perfection?

Biotherm creates its 1st 24hr moisturizer – perfecting care, enriched with Aqualiss complex. It concentrates the equivalent of 5,000 litres of thermal spring water and micro-spheres filled with perfecting ingredients to replump the skin’s hydration mattress and smooth skin.

RESULTS
• 24hr non-stop hydration
• Refined skin texture
• Crystal-clear radiance.

Biotherm are pretty big on the whole thermal spring water thing - Apparently the products contain plankton derivatives which enable to skin to retain water and remain hydrated more effectively... I have to say I have no idea whether or not this is a scientifically valid method if hydration, but for me, this product worked well


I was very pleased with the results - within a couple of weeks my skin felt much more settled, smooth and hydrated. I really liked this cream, and it worked really well for me. 


The cream retails at £29.50, for 50mls. It has a lovely fresh scent, which I didn't find overpowering,and which faded from the skin. 

It has a "sorbet" texture - somewhere between a light cream and a gel, so it sinks into the skin quickly. I noticed a difference in how comfortable my skin felt within a week and then started to notice that my skin was feeling smoother. I didn't get any blemishes or breakouts while using the range, and my skin felt hydrated and comfortable for the whole day, without feeling overloaded.


I'd definitely recommend this for those with dehydrated and/or stressed out skin... as always, get the correct formula for your skin type and always try to get a tester before purchasing - at £30 a jar, you don't want to make an expensive mistake!


I also tried their Source Thérapie Skin Perfection Serum - this was given to me at the event.
Biotherm describe this as an even more concentrated source of moisture, containing higher 
levels of the plankton extracts the range uses. It retails at £27 for 30 mls.

This is a really nice product too - it definitely boosts and hydrates the skin prior to applying the moisturiser, however it does have a slightly silicone-y feeling about it, which some might not like. 


I'd definitely recommend this if you get that "tight" feeling after cleansing, but don't want to remedy that with heavy creams. 


The Skin Vivo eye gel is part of their range aimed at targeting signs of aging. Depressingly I am finding I need to direct myself towards these types of products more and more...

This is an unusual anti aging eye product in that it feels very light - a lot of the time eye products aimed at anti aging feel a bit heavier and creamier than this, and I like it for that. I've definitely noticed that my eyes have been feeling less tired and more hydrated since using this. It's pricey though at £29.50 for 15 mls. 


I used this product for approx four weeks, and I did definitely feel a lot more fresh and hydrated around the eye area - I felt I looked less tired and felt fresher. I can't say I noticed any massive decrease in my fine lines, however my problems around my eyes are also linked with expressions - ie I smile and it looks worse. I'm more about prevention than cure really when it comes to my eye area. 


Finally, I also picked up their Biomains age delaying handcream.

This is a pretty small tube - 50mls for around £15 (from memory), but this is a very concentrated cream that packs a punch. Only a small amount is needed, however it's definitely not as heavy feeling as some other handcreams I have tried - neutrogena's for example just feels like I've dunked my hands in vaseline!


I also like the fact that this is not too heavily scented - it has a faint fresh-floral scent, which doesn't linger too long on the skin. It hydrates very well and leaves the skin feeling and looking a lot smoother after application. 


Of the products described above - I'd definitely repurchase the hand cream, and the Aquasource skin cream. I'd also be likely to repurchase the serum. I feel I need a longer time to consider whether I'd repurchase the eye cream. 


Overall though I am very impressed with this range - it really helped my skin and made it feel a lot more comfortable, supple and refreshed. 

Review - AVON lotus shield

This was recently launched by AVON, and promises to protect the hair from humidy and reduce frizz...

A 60 ml bottle retails at £7, but it's currently on offer for £5 on the AVON website (www.avonshop.co.uk). The sample I'm reviewing was sent to by a PR for review purposes.


Packaging wise, this is a nicely packaged product for the price point - the bottle is housed in a silver cardboard box, and looks attractive enough. The bottle itself has a nozzle dispenser and is easy to dispense from - the screw-on cap also prevents product from drying up and clogging up the nozzle, which is a pet hate of mine. 

One gripe with the packaging is that there are not abundantly clear directions for use - it doesn't specify how much to use, or whether it should be used on wet or dry hair. I did find plenty of info on the AVON website though


The product can be used on both dry and wet hair - to use, shake the bottle well and apply approx half a teaspoon to towel dried hair, and style (Use more for very long and less for shorter styles etc.). A few drops can also be used to tame any remaining flyaways on styled hair. 

The USP of this product is that it contains a technology derived from lotus plants, which adds a water resistant layer to the hair. This prevents frizz from forming due to humidity. AVON also claim that the protection lasts over more than one wash, so this is not a product you have to reapply every time you wash. This is also a different take on frizz fighting as it markets itself as a "leave in treatment" rather than a post drying styling product.


I had high expectations of the product as I have fine hair which is dry and damaged towards the ends, but prone to oiliness at the roots, which is frizz prone due to being fine. I find that traditional silicone based frizz fighters such as serums are fine for a day, but leave my hair looking lank and needing more frequent washing. Which makes the dry ends worse. It's a sad story...


My first use of this left me feeling a little bit mixed. My hair looked very shiny, but still didn't feel as smooth as I'd have liked it to. But I perservered and used it every other wash, to prevent any product build up, and to test AVON's claims about the product lasting between washes. 


I'm now almost three weeks into use, and I'm pleased with the results - my hair still feels shiny, but is a lot less frizzy, and does appear less prone to freaking out in the humidity and drizzling of the Great British Summer - it's had a great testing with the recent weather! I'm also liking the way that it gives good results with either blow drying or leaving it to dry naturally - which I usually do if I am working, as I have to tie my hair back for work, so I see little point in heat styling and damaging it for the purpose of tying it back. 


My one concern is that the product might start to build up and begin to weigh the hair down making it look lank, but I think that using it every second or third wash will reduce the chances of this. I have only used this on wet hair, as I know from experience with my own barnet that applying anything on it once dry is a bit of a no-no. 

Obviously, take into account your own hair type - I can only describe results on my own hair, but I'd anticipate this working well for people with fine to medium textured hair, that is not overtly oily, and would work well for dry hair types.


Verdict - Definitely worth trying, just don't overload your hair with too much product. Resulted in a natural shiny looking swishy hair for me, and so far, no issues with weighing the hair down too much.  This worked well for me, and I would be likely to repurchase, as it is competitively priced with a lot of high street brands.

Inglot AMC (Advanced Makeup Components) Face Blush 87

There is currently only one INGLOT store in the UK, and I really really hope that they open some more soon - The current store in Westfields Shopping centre near Shepherds Bush tube station is fab, and I make a point of calling in whenever I can. Their eye palettes in particular are great value for money. 

Last time I was there I picked up this as I thought it looked similar to the MUFE HD blushers - I haven't got any of those to compare it with but its a nice product so I wanted to do a mini review...

From memory, this cost me about £8 and you get 15 mls of product - a little goes a long way, so I can see this lasting me a long time!

The packaging is fine - its simple and comes with a pump, which is hygienic. One gripe is that the lid gan get a bit grubby when excess product from the pump ends up dribbling out and onto the inside of the lid. But thats no major deal, and I'll survive!

The product is really concentrated in terms of pigment, however the formula itself is a thin gel like liquid... The shade I chose (87) is one of the lightest ones, however there were more vivid shades available - whereas with this shade I think there is room for more error, with more dramatic shade, care sould have to be taken to build it up slowly.

When blended out the product looks very natural and adds a pretty pale flush to the skin...

One strength I feel this particular shade offers is to act as a base to blushers that might be fab but have poor staying power - in my case many of the MAC blushers I own are lovely colours but disappear after half an hour. 


Dusting a powder blusher over the top of these works well as the Inglot blush grabs and intensifies the colour... I've demonstrated this by brushing the Body Shop bronzer in Warm Glow over the top...

Obviously, you'd use a far lighter hand in reality, but the strong sunshine kept washing out my more subtle attempts to demonstrate this handy little property of this product!

When applying the INGLOT pruduct to the cheeks, I use a duofibre brush - usually the MAC 188 for a natural finish. I have also appliedit with a MAC 109 for a more intense look, and that works really well too. I think this is a bargain for the price, and a versatile product to boot.

What have you tried from INGLOT? Do you wish they were more easily available?!

Mascara of the Moment - 17's Wild Curls...

At £4.99 this is is the latest high street mascara adorning lashes in blogland. Affordable enough for the likes of mee the week before payday, I picked one up last week, and I've been using it for a few days now... If you get down to Boots, where this is available you get a free gift with purchase of a lash curler, tweezers and a pencil eye liner too. Rude not to really!

Some people might find the packaging a little garish, but I quite like it - leopard print is always fun, and for some reason the name of the mascar "Wild Curls" makes me sing Duran Durans "Wild Boys"over and over in my head. Just me? Ok then...

Anyway, the wand is fairly standard too...

I was initially a little worried this might be a bit of a clumper, as there does seem to be a lot of product on the brush... but I am happy to say, my worries were unfounded.

Above... Lashes Before

Above - Lashes After 1 coat

I usually apply two coats of this, which looks like this;

As you can see - not clumpy, just nice and thick and long. Its no Faux Cils, but this makes a great everyday mascara. I'm not sure how well this would be as a curling mascara used alone though - I am in the habit of curling my lashes daily prior to application. I have noticed my lashes are less prone to droopage though with this one. It feels nice and light, and there is no "crispy" feel to the lashes. 

Removal is as easy as any other mascara - oil based removers work best. It also stays put well, with little flaking or smudging.

I have a feeling it might dry out fast, as its quite a thick formula mascara, but at £4.99 a tube, I don't really mind. 

The Body Shop - Big and Curvy Mascara

This was given to us at the recent Body Shop Event, and I've heard mixed views on it, so I wanted to chuck in my two pennies worth as it were...

The packaging is nice enough - the pink is an eye catching touch, although other than this its a fairly standard tube design. 

The wand is not what you'd expect from a volumising mascara - it's not a big thick thing, but is rather long and thin...

It has a very compact set of natural bristles, rather than the plastic comb style wands. I actually really like this wand - it can be used to get to all the lashes and the bristles grip the lashes well - even small ones. And bacause it is thin and compact you can get right in at the root of the lashes. 

The formula is not too wet, however this may have a down side in that the mascara might dry up and go clumpy a little bit faster than a more wet textured mascara...

Results? Pictures speak a thousand words!

Lashes Before;

Lashes After;

So - I think this gave me good length and separation, but wasn't necessarily the most volumising mascara I've ever used. Its a nice mascara, but I'm not convinced it is worth the £10 price tag - this seems to give a similar result to a lot of other mascaras you can get on the high street for a lower price...

REVIEW: Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions Liquid Foundation

I introduced this foundation to the blog some time ago in this post, and I've been testing it since... Obviously I was sent this to review as the initial post was a promotional post. This is not a promotional post... just in case anyone was wondering!

The foundation retails at £20 for 30 mls, and is available nationwide, in 8 shades - I recieved the palest (shocker!) 

My trials of Clinique foundations before now have always run into trouble with shade selection - I usually find the palest shades are too pink for me, while the next shade up will often leave me with a delightful orange tidemark if I don't spend about 6 hours blending it down my neck. Which is a pain. This time however the shade is spot on for me - However, given that there are only 8 shades, not everyone will be so lucky! I fear Women of Colour may be disappointed with this as the darkest shade does not look like it would really work for darker skins.

The foundation has a creamy liquid consistency, and has a light "medicated" scent. Some may dislike this, personally, I just thought it was a nice fresh scent, and it faded after application anyway, so it was not a problem for me. 

Clinique describe this as a moderate to full coverage foundation - I'd agree with that to a degree - I'd probably describe this more as a moderate coverage, which is buildable to full coverage. But my idea of a full coverage foundation is something like Illamasqua's Rich Liquid, which puts most other foundations in the shade when it comes to coverage!

I did find though, on days where my skin was a little blotchy, I could build up 2-3 layers to increase the coverage, and get an even look. The foundation blends well, with either a brush or fingers, and does not feel too heavy on the skin. 

Before and After pics anyone?

 Above - Before application...

Above - After Application.

As you can see, the foundation does even out the skin tone nicely... It gives a matte finish, so don't bother if you are looking for a dewy look!

In terms of blemish coverage, this performed well, and did tone down any redness in my skin. I did find that as it has a matte finish, it clung like a magnet to any dry skin - and this would obviously include any areas where blemishes were drying out and healing. This did not cover blemishes completely though - concealer is needed as well, but there is a concealer in the line which is meant to compliment this. 

Also, I should point out, one of my initial queries with this foundation was whether it would dry out my skin, and I am pleased to report that it didn't affect my normal-dry skin in that way. It felt comfortable on the skin, and I was very pleased with how well it wore. I tested this on the London tube, days at work and in a few different types of weather, and it gave me a good 8-10 hours wear consistently. 

Overall, I'm pleasantly impressed with this foundation - while I personally prefer a more dewy finish, I can appreciate that this is a good foundation with decent coverage and very good lasting power. I'd recommend this for people with breakout prone skin and who like a matte finish...