Sleek Blusher in Honour

Photo without flash

I bought the Sleek blusher in Honour £4.49 for my pro kit, as it's the kind of shade that I think will look great on an olive or darker skin tone.  It's a rose bronze colour with subtle gold shimmer and is very pretty.

I did test it out on myself as a bronzer when I was wearing tinted moisturiser but it looked too muddy, however it did look lovely blended over a medium brown eyeshadow.

It has a lot of pigment, is very blendable and like all Sleek makeup is great value for money.  If you have medium-dark skin tones this blusher would look great on you. It's available on the website and from Superdrug.

Hair mishap

I've been getting my hair chemically straightened for many years now as it seems better for me than using straighteners all the time.  I recently had the L'Oreal X Tenso which I was happy with, however, this post is not about that it's about the deep conditioner that I used today.

It's by Percy and Reed and is called Brilliantly Beautiful Superglossing Mask.  As soon as I applied it something strange happened - my hair scrunched up and felt like I had applied salt water to it.   The opposite of what a hair mask should do!

Now I know this is not the fault of the product but in fact something to do with my X Tenso straightening treatment reacting to a chemical in the hair mask.  If you have any hair chemical straightening you must not use products that contain Sodium Chloride but I had a look and this mask doesn't seem to contain any. Here are the ingredients and if anyone knows the offending ingredient please let me know:

NARS Foreplay Cheek Palette

I just saw this new cheek palette called Foreplay from NARS mentioned in my Space NK newsletter.  It doesn't give the retail price or release date yet but it looks fab doesn't it!

Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil

I've been using this Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil £16.50 at nighttime whenever my skin feels a little dry (especially around the cheek area) and apply it to face, neck and décolletage.  Trilogy say you can also use it on the body and on any scars and they recommend 2-3 drops, however, I definitely need about 5 drops as my skin drinks it up.  

It contains just one ingredient - Rosehip oil and is recommended for all skin types. Here's some information from the website:

Rosehip oil is rich in skin-loving nutrients to improve your overall skin condition. 

• Omega 3 and Omega 6 Essential Fatty Acids: vital lipid compounds that moisturise dry skin and improve skin softness and elasticity.  Essential Fatty Acids are vital for the health of our skin; however, our body is not able to reproduce them.
• Beta-carotene: a key nutrient for maintaining healthy skin and assisting in skin cell renewal and repair.  Helps to repair skin suffering from the effects of sun damage and lifestyle stresses.

The lipids found in Rosehip oil are similar to those found in your skin; therefore, it absorbs easily, leaving no oily residue.

I have noticed that after a few weeks of use (not every night but maybe 2-3 time a week) my skin looks nourished and slightly softer.  I will definitely repurchase this lovely oil and would recommend it highly.

Figs & Rouge Rambling Rose organic balm

I received my Figs & Rouge Rambling Rose organic balm in my April Glossybox and I've just finished the pot.

Each Figs & Rouge balm is 100% organic and natural and they come in very pretty tins.  The balms are for use on lips, face and body but I only used mine on the lips.

Price:  £3.50 for 8ml

Texture:  A thick balm that melts on contact with the skin, it has a slightly grainy texture at first but this disappears.  The smell is lovely - a soft rose smell.

Pros:  All natural ingredients, smells gorgeous, lovely packaging

Cons:  Slightly pricey

Repurchase:  Yes, I'm going to try some of the other flavours

Botanics All Bright Hydrating Night Cream

I was on holiday last week in the gorgeous county of Dorset and whilst there I decided to try out a new night cream after seeing Botanics has a new range out with some pretty packaging that caught my eye.   One part of the range is called 'All Bright' which contains Hibiscus extract to brighten and smooth.  I chose the All Bright Hydrating Night Cream.

The cream contains hyaluronic acid to boost moisture levels, Hibiscus which acts as a brightness booster and natural AHA's which act as mild exfoliators.

Price:  £3.33 for 50ml (was £4.99)

Texture:  Light, sinks in very quickly, pretty pink colour

Pros:  Skin felt smooth in the morning, the AHA's definitely exfoliate the skin and brighten it. Would be best for congested skin, oily skin, skin that needs brightening.

Cons:  Definitely not for dry or sensitive skins, it would be much too strong and may cause irritation

Repurchase:  Yes and at £3.33 it's a definite bargain

Hero Product - Kevyn Aucoin Precision Brow Pencil

I've used many eyebrow pencils/eyebrow kits over the years and at last have found my ultimate favourite.  The Kevyn Aucoin Precision Brow Pencil has just the right texture and hardness for drawing on eyebrow hairs that look natural.  The packaging is slick with a slim retractable tube and an attached brow spoolie for grooming.

Price:  £19

Pros:  Retractable tube means no sharpening

Cons:  Only 2 colours in the range, expensive

Texture:  Matt and not waxy, stays on all day

Repurchase:  Most definitely, I love it

Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense

Kiehl's light formula moisturiser with SPF50 protects against UVA and UVA rays.  It's oil free and safe for sensitive skin.

Price:  £31 for 60ml

Texture:  Light, sinks in quickly.  No white residue.  Great under makeup.

Skin type:  Best for normal/combination/oily, those with drier skins may need to add extra moisture in some places.

Value for money:  It's expensive but I think worth it for the quality.

Repurchase:  Definitely!

Apologies for the lack of posts recently. I'm now back on the blogging horse and have lots of lovely new products to blog about coming up very soon! X

Weleda Pomegranate range

Samantha has done a review of the Weleda Pomegranate Firming Facial Care* range which Weleda states "reduces the signs of ageing for skin aged 40+".

I'm in my 40's so this range is perfect for me and I have already tested out the Weleda Serum which I was impressed with.  My skin has dry patches and I get an oily t-zone.

I like the fresh 'fruity' look of the packaging which reflects the pomegranate ingredients and it looks nice on my dressing table.  There is one instruction leaflet for all products - all are detailed on it so you don't have lots of bits of paper to refer to, which is more practical; it also means you can easily work out an effective routine with the range and understand easily how they work together.

The Firming Eye Cream 10ml £23.95 is brilliant.  It does not sting, feels great and sinks in easily.  There was a noticeable different within only a few days.

The Firming Day Cream 30ml £21.95 day cream absorbs quickly and makeup glides on easily afterwards.

The Firming Night Cream 30ml £22.95 is more heavy than the day cream, it feels wonderful on freshly cleansed skin.  I woke up looking and feeling less 'crepey'.  It's especially effective on the area under my chin which is showing signs of ageing.

The day and night cream have very similar packaging which can be confusing - a tiny sun for the day cream and a tiny moon for the night cream.  I would just change this to make them more distinguishable from each other.

Overall I am very impressed with all these products and after using them for a while I stopped for three days to see how much difference it would make - the difference in my skin was noticeable.  I definitely look and feel much fresher using these products and will continue with them.  A little goes a long way, so although they cost more than some other brands I've used they are excellent value for money.

*PR sample