Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil

I received the Weleda Pomegranite Regenerating Body Oil £19.95 in my Glossbox a few weeks ago and have been using it ever since.  It’s a rich oil that you massage sparingly into damp skin, after a shower, however, I don’t do this as I like to apply before bed but it still seems to work just the same.

As I said, it’s a concentrated oil so just a small amount is needed, I use 1/3 teaspoon on the leg which is enough.  You have to be careful when pouring as it comes out quite rapidly. The smell is lovely - orangey and woody is how I would describe it.

When I use the oil the next day my skin feels nourished and soft and has done since I've used it, so it’s definitely working.  If you have parched limbs I think you’d really like this oil.  It's a definite repurchase for me.

Here’s a list of ingredients:

Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Panicum Miliaceum (Millet) Seed Extract, Fragance (parfum)*, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Petal Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil Unsaponifiables, Limonene*, Linalool*, Citronellol*, Geraniol*, Citral*, Eugenol*, Coumarin*, Farnesol. *From natural essential oils.

Chanel Illusion d'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadows

(C) Chanel

Ooh these new Chanel Illusion d'Ombre Long Wear shimmery eyeshadows £22.50 are so gorgeous.  The soft and cushiony gel texture means they are easy to apply with either your finger or the little brush included (the brush is totally useable unlike most free brushes you get with makeup).  You can build the colour starting with a light wash for day and adding more for intensity to wear at night.  They can also be used as an eyeliner.  The three I purchased are Illusoire which is a purpley/grey (top left), Ebloui, a red/brown (bottom middle) and Mirifique which is black (top right).

I’ve worn Ebloui and it lasted all night (this colour is perfect for blue and green eyes) and I’m very much looking forward to trying out the others.

A luxury purchase worth every penny!

New products

Here's some new products that I haven't tried but like the look of:

Nars Larger Than Life Long Wear Eyeliner £17

Rich, creamy, budgeproof eyeliners

Hourglass Film Noir Lash Lacquer £25

An ultra-glossy, inky black top coat for lashes that creates length, volume and high-gloss shine

Estee Lauder Pure Color Velvet Lipstick £18.50

Has anyone tried these?

Sunday Commandments

Thou shalt lather

When shampooing your hair, lather up the shampoo in your hands before applying so that the shampoo is distributed more evenly across your hair.

Saturday Suggestions

If you have oily skin try a gel or liquid blusher which will stay put longer.

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No blog post today Readers, normal blog service resumed tomorrow, thanks! 

Boots 17 Falsifeye Mascara

I bought No 17 Falsifeye Mascara £6.49 a few weeks ago in Boots as the bright pink packaging caught my eye so I thought I'd give it a go.  Not thinking much when I applied it I was extremely surprised to find that it's really good.  After the second coat my lashes looked really long with a 'falsh eyelashes' effect, volumised and also kept the curl all day.  I really wasn't expecting that.

The tube and the wand are big which some will find too clunky and the product comes out a little clumpy on the wand which won't be suitable for those not confident with applying mascara.  If you are adept with a mascara wand and are looking for 'spider lashes' this is a great mascara.

Ealing Gazette

My column at the Ealing Gazette this week is all about what eyeshadow you can use to make your eyes 'pop':

CLICK HERE

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner

I would like to buy a gel eyeliner but don't want to spend more than £10, what's a good one? Anita 

(C) Maybelline

I really like the Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner £7.99.  This is a great gel eyeliner and I think just as good as more expensive gel liners.  The bonus is you get a free brush with it!

Violent Lips

I haven't tried these but they are so crazy I had to show you.  Violent Lips temporary lip appliques will give you a patterned pout that will last through the night for 4-8 hours.  Vitamin enhanced with a smooth feel and glossy finish you can apply them to lips of all sizes.

Would anyone dare try these?  I could definitely see these being a hit at Halloween! Available at HQhair for £10.50.

(all pictures from HQhair)

Sunday Commandments

Thou shalt clarify

If your hair is starting to feel weighed down use a clarifying shampoo to remove the build up of products.

Saturday Suggestions

If you're on holiday in a hot country, pop your make-up in the fridge so it doesn't melt.

MAN FRIDAY

I have large pores on my face and I know it’s not possible to remove them but can you recommend anything that helps to reduce the size?  Simon

You are right Simon, pores cannot be removed but you can do lots of things to minimise their appearance.

1.  Wash your face twice a day – once in the morning and once at night to keep skin clean.  Do not go to sleep with a dirty face as this will clog your pores making them more noticeable.

2.  Use a night cream containing AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids).  These exfoliate the skin and accelerate cell renewal bringing new skin cells to the surface.  Some examples are Clinique Turnaround Visible Skin Renewer and Baxter California AHA Night Cream.

3.  Sun damage can cause enlarged pores so wear a daily moisturiser with an spf of at least 15.

4.  If you get oily skin use an astringent such as witch hazel to refresh the skin.

5.  Use a weekly face mask that is pore refining – clay based masks are good for this.

6.  Exfoliate weekly with a face scrub such as Bulldog Original Face Scrub.

7.  There are products that help reduce the appearance of pores and a good one is Boots No 7 Pore Refining Serum.

8.  Make sure you eat lots of fruit which is great for the skin.

Keeping Eyeliner in place

After reading your blog I bought Mac's eyeliner 'Teddy'.  When I use it on my eyelids it disappears after an hour or so, what am I doing wrong?  Patricia

Eyelids are naturally oily so any product you use on them will come off quickly, therefore you need to use an eye primer on the lids first.  An eye primer will lock in place any product you use on top of it, whether it's eyeshadow or eyeliner.  You apply with either your fingers or a brush (synthetic is best), wait a few moments to dry then apply your eyeliner or eyeshadow.  You can add some powder to the eyelids after primer for extra holding power.  The same rules apply if you are using eyeliner on the lower lashes.

My two favourite eye primers are Urban Decay Primer Potion £14.50 and Estee Lauder Double Wear Eyeshadow Base £14.

Natural Sun Cream

Can you recommend a natural sun cream?  Louisa

I really like the Aloe Pura Organic Aloe Vera sun lotion spf 25 £12.25.  It's very natural with 99% being organic aloe vera gel.  I've been using it recently and like the feel of the lotion, it's more like a body lotion than a slippery sun cream.

I bought mine in my local chemist but it is available in Holland & Barrett, Waitrose and health food stores.

Naked Skincare Blinking Lovely Eye Make-up Remover

I was in Superdrug last week and, as always, scanning the isles for new products when I saw the Naked Skincare Blinking Lovely Eye Make-up Remover for half price at £2.24.  I’m a big fan of this range as it brings natural products (97% natural, some are 99.5%) to everyone at really affordable prices.

What I look for in an eye makeup remover is the ease of which it removes the makeup and the sting factor.  The Blinking Lovely Eye Make-up Remover did remove my eye make-up quickly so there was no need for rubbing of the eyes, which really puts me off a product, however, it did not pass the sting factor.  I have very sensitive eyes which didn’t respond well to this product – they stung slightly and for me that is a no-no.  It’s a shame as I really wanted to like it.  If you don’t have sensitive eyes and want a natural product at a very reasonable price then I think you might like it.

I’ve decided to now use it as a skin refresher/toner instead and it’s doing that job well.

Has anyone tried this?  If so, what are your thoughts?

No blog post today, blog posting resumed tomorrow, thanks Readers!

Sunday Commandments

Thou shalt apply base

If you want your nail varnish to last apply a base coat beforehand.

Saturday Suggestions

If you have blue eyes and want to make them pop try a pale pink eyeshadow for summer.  If you're confident with makeup go for a deeper pink like the one above.  Gorgeous!

HERO PRODUCT - Bioderma Crealine H20 Cleanser

This is simply my favourite all-time cleanser.  It’s a clear liquid (odourless), ultra gentle formulation that removes eye makeup (including waterproof) as well as everything else with a swipe of the cotton wool pad.  It doesn’t sting my sensitive eyes in any way and afterwards my skin feels clean, fresh and soothed without being dry.

The only downside is that it’s French and very difficult to get hold over here. There is a UK website that sells it but you have to be aware that it sells out very fast and sometimes you have to wait for new stock to come in.  It’s available at Zuneta for £14.00 (500ml) + £3.95 postage, or if you know anyone visiting France get them to bring you back a couple of bottles.

Let's hope Boots will get round to stocking this fabulous cleanser!

Mascara

Here's my next article all about Mascara in the Ealing Gazette online:

CLICK HERE

Zoya Nail Varnish

Rozzy has done a review on Zoya nail varnish:


"My sister recently introduced me to a great nail varnish range called Zoya from the USA, which I was particularly interested in as their polishes do not contain any nasties.  The colour she wore was called ‘Lola’ a fantastic pink which looks really great in the sun.  I decided to try them out for myself and after using Zoya I would say it is the best nail varnish I’ve ever used - it goes on beautifully (one thick coat is often enough) and it stays on much longer than other brands I’ve tried, including the more expensive brands.  

Zoya have a huge range of lovely colours to chose from and you can order from www.beverlybeaute.com where they are on sale at half price £5.95.  (I’ve not seen the brand in any UK stores yet and this website was charging nearly half the price of some others).  The polishes came from America and took about a week to arrive.  

This time round I ordered a dark green, a dark blue and a silver, as well as a base coat and quick dry oil.  They threw in toe separators and a nail file, which I thought was a nice touch.  I tried the green out last weekend and liked it but it didn’t stay on as well as the pink for some reason.   My daughter has the silver on her toes and it looks great!

I would highly recommend Zoya for the range of colours and stay-ability, as well as the fact that is free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP (phthalates) and camphor."

John Frieda Straight Ahead

Recently my hair has become quite dry and a little frizzy so I decided that the natural shampoos and conditioners I was using didn't cut the mustard.  When I went to the chemist I spotted the John Frieda Straight Ahead shampoo £5.59 and conditioner £5.59.   The blurb says: "Smoothes, shines and aligns frizzy hair for instantly easier straight styling. Nourishes, softens and hydrates. Developed for all types of dry, frizz-prone hair. Tames frizz for instantly easier salon-straight styling results. Specially developed with a straight-defining complex, essential moisturisers and frizz-fighting silicone. Gentle enough for everyday use. Safe for colour-treated hair."

After one use of the shampoo and conditioner my frizz was tamed and the shine restored. There are no natural ingredients in this range so I won’t be using it forever but at the moment it’s doing the job.

Sunday Commandments

Make sure your daytime eye cream contains spf - it's the best way to stop those crows feet appearing!

Saturday Suggestions

If you have dry hair avoid styling products that contain alcohol as these will dry out the hair even more.

MAN FRIDAY

I get a lot of ingrown hairs on my beard, what can I do about this?  Tim

This is a very common problem for a lot of people, here’s what you need to do:

1.  Exfoliate (remove the upper layers of dead skin) - this is the best way to manage ingrown hairs. Use a gentle face scrub every day in the shower.

2.  Make sure you don't shave too closely as this is one of the triggers for razor bumps. Hair stubs cut too closely will get trapped inside the hair follicle and dig inward or sideways. To avoid shaving too close, don't pull the skin when you shave; don't put too much pressure on the blades; shave with the grain and use a single-blade razor. Make sure you follow this principle every time you shave.

3.  Use a post-shave product that contains salicylic acid.

There is a great product called Tend Skin £11.50 which is specifically made for ingrown hairs and razor bumps.  Just apply it to your face daily and leave to dry on the skin for a few minutes. Then apply your moisturiser.

Haute Couture Makeup 2011/12

I saw these pictures online and thought the makeup was really gorgeous and something that you could possibly try yourself if you were having a glamourous night out.  The orange and the black work well together along with the white eyeliner in the waterline and flicked out:

Armani Prive

Armani Prive

This Chanel makeup is a ramped up version of the classic smokey eye with nude lip (black lace optional!)

Chanel

Real Techniques Blush Brush

I recently bought some Real Techniques brushes after seeing them used by the creator Samantha Chapman on the Pixiwoo channel on YouTube (great channel for makeup tutorials). Today I'm reviewing the Blusher Brush £9.99 (the other brushes will be reviewed in a later post) and here are the plus points of this brush:

*  This is a soft brush and the dome shape makes it easy to use for contouring, bronzer, blusher and powder.

*  It has a white tip which means you can see how much product you've loaded onto the end.

*  The hairs do not come out when you wash it.

*  You can stand the brush on your dressing table as it has a flat end.

*  The aluminium handle is light and easy to grip with synthetic taklon bristles which are hand-cut and 100% cruelty free.

This is a good quality brush and for the price of £9.99 excellent value; it really does stand up there with my more expensive brushes.

Mac Teddy Eye Kohl

I'd like to try a brown eyeliner that's not too dark, which is a good one?  Jenny

One of my favourite brown eyeliners is Teddy kohl by Mac Cosmetics £13.  I've had this eyeliner in my kit since I first became a Makeup Artist and I always replace it when it runs out.

It's a rich, bronzy brown with subtle gold shimmer, goes on really smoothly and can be smudged for a soft effect.   You can wear it for daytime or layer it on for night.  It really is a fantastic eyeliner that suits everyone and is perfect for when black is just too harsh.

No blog post today, blog posting resumed tomorrow, thanks Readers!