Eyebrows update

Well hello there,

It's been about 6 weeks since my last post about my eyebrows (http://kerfuffleclaire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/lets-talk-about-eyebrows.html). I had just started using RapidBrow in the hopes of boosting some hair growth.

Before RapidBrow - left eyebrow

Before RapidBrow - right eyebrow

6 weeks later...

After using RapidBrow for 6ish weeks - left eyebrow

After using RapidBrow for 6ish weeks - right eyebrow.

As you can see form the pictures there has been some growth (woop!) The growth to my right eyebrow has been quite substantial especially considering I had not plucked either of them since July 2012. The left has also had some growth - mainly towards the end. 

Personally I hadn't realised how much they had actually changed until I saw these before and after photos! I had noticed they were getting a little scruffy looking which in hindsight actually meant there were hairs sprouting up!

I am going to keep using RapidBrow for a few more weeks and then book myself in for an appointment to get them shaped - so looking forward to this, it's been a long time in the waiting!

So - would I recommend RapidBrow?! Yes! It worked for me!

Claire

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned. I bought all products with my own money. 

Nails of the week: Essie Fiji

Well hello there,

The sun has been making a (brief) appearance and so I have been sorting through my summer nail polishes! After a bit of humming and ahhing I settled for Essie's Fiji. I gorgeous pastel pale pink. 

I love love love :)

Claire

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned. I bought all products with my own money

Review: The Body Shop Lightening Touch Concealer

Well hello there,

Today I am reviewing the Lightening Touch concealer from The Body Shop. It's a product in the same niche as YSL Touché Éclat, Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch and Soap and Glorys Wizard of Flaws. Some of these are more highlighter based some more concealer but I think most people tend to use them as a bit of both. 

The Lightening Touch markets itself as a concealer and comes in three shades depending on your skin tone. I have number 01 the lightest shade and bought is for £14. 

What they say:

A light diffusing liquid concealer, masks under eye circles and fine lines. 

What I think:

As with the other products mentioned above it's pretty bog standard packaging with the integrated brush. The outer cover is nice but I must say it gets dirty very quickly and so the nice shiny packaging doesn't stay that way for very long! You click the bit at the bottom and the product comes out the top (very simple really!). 

I tested this under my eyes and boy is it shiny. The light illuminating particles it says it contains are pretty bright. 

My under eye area looked like I had put tons of shimmer underneath :( and throughout the day I noticed that my mascara smudged quite considerably. Now I wear the same mascara nearly every day and it NEVER smudges so there is something about this product that must cause it. Finally it didn't really work as a concealer - it didn't cover my under eye circles in any shape or form, although you probably did notice them less as you would be too busy wondering what on earth I had under my eyes. 

Pros:

Blended well

Good colour match for me

Cons:

Too much shimmer!

Terrible coverage

The big decision:

Will I buy this again? A big fat no. It's just too much shimmer for my face to handle. I might try and use it up solely as a highlighter but there is no way I'll be putting this anywhere near my eye area again, the coverage is simply terrible and the shimmer too much. The Dream Lumi Touch by Maybelline is a much better product if you are looking for a highlighting concealer. 

Claire

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned and I purchased this product with my own money. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked. 

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/make-up/face/lightening-touch.aspx

Nails of the week: Essie Angora Cardi

Well hello there,

Since the weather hasn't been that great recently I thought I would dig out one of my autumn colours - a lovey purple to vamp up my nails a little. Typically now the weather is beautiful but I love the colour nonetheless!

Claire

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned. I bought all the products with my own money. 

Sunny day :)

Well hello everyone,

Today is such a lovely day (which is very rare over here) so I'll keep it short and sweet!

Took a trip to Costa to get my favourite hot weather drink a red berry fruit cooler - yummy!

What's your hot weather drink?

Claire

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Costa in any way. 

Review - First Impressions: Michael Todd True Organics Acne Oily Skin Regime

Well hello there,

So last week I told you all about the new skin care regime I have started using and a now a week since I started using it I am here to give you my first impressions!

I purchased the acne/oily skin regime from Michael Todd's True Organics line. It is an American company but they do ship over here to the a UK. I bought the regime when it was discounted at around $70 dollars instead of the usual $131 - though this has been discounted for a while so I suspect you would never actually pay 'full price' for it - plus an additional 20% off - discount code at bottom of page :) so all in all I paid about $60 dollars including shipping. As it is imported import tax is due on it but the company actually pays this for you so you don't have to worry about additional costs!

What I got:

The regime comprises 5 products. 

A charcoal detox deep pore gel cleanser, an organic lemon toner, a kaolin clay facial mask, an antiox serum and a jojoba charcoal scrub. All of which is meant to be a 3-4 months supply.

First impressions:

The first thing I noticed about these products is the smell and colour of everything. The face mask which I used first really does not smell great especially as it's something you are meant to leave on your face for 15 minutes! The other products are no where near as bad but you can definitely smell the Organics coming though!

The toner seems nice, it's a pale liquid in colour with the same consistency as water. You apply it to a cotton pad and wipe over your face. So far this is nice to use but I haven't seen anything that makes it stand out from toners I have used in the past. The one thing I will say about it is that when using it you are meant to use sunscreen of at least factor 15 so maybe this isn't the greatest product to be using during summer or if you have delicate skin. Also since ordering they have switched the toner in the regime from the organic lemon to the blue green algae one - I am pretty disappointed as I had heard good things about the blue green algae toner so pretty gutted I didn't get it. 

The scrub and cleanser seem pretty bog standard to me so for now I am not going to go into too much detail about them. 

Cleanser on the left and scrub on the right. 

The serum is a bit...odd. First it comes in rather large packaging, the instructions state to add two or three drops but it's a large pump so unless you are careful you end up with much much more than that. I find it quite sticky and it doesn't soak in very quickly so it doesn't feel like its's doing much apart from just sitting on the surface of my skin. 

Finally the last product is the mask and I must say I am not a fan. First of all it stinks and is not the sort of thing I really want to put on my face. The second thing is it looks pretty gross. 

Face mask. 

So if you are applying it I would suggest that you make it a time where no one will be swinging by. The last and probably worst issue is that it is a total nightmare to apply. The instructions say apply an even layer over cleansed skin. 

This is my best effort at creating an even layer...

Try as I might it just would not spread evenly - it clumped together so badly that despite a good 10 minutes of trying the above is the best result I could get. There was just no way it was going to happen. Getting it off is also a bit of an ordeal as the product seems to,stick to everything (apart from my face!) Honestly I really dislike this and I am so disappointed in it :(

Others have been raving about this line so much which is what encouraged me to go for it in the first place and I must say that my first impressions are average at best. In terms of the impact it has had on my skin - my skin is a lot oily now than before :(. As I have only been using this for a week I am not yet sure if my skin is just adjusting to the new products, that the products are making my skin worse, or perhaps i just hadn't given enough credit to the products I was using before. Either way I shall continue to use them and find out - check back for future (hopefully more positive) updates. 

Claire

Disclaimer: I bought all these products with my own money and I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked. The discount code is just one I found on the Internet and I am not in anyway linked to the code. 

Acne oily skin regime: http://www.michaeltoddtrueorganics.com/index.php/featured-products/acne-control-skincare-regimen.html

Discount code 20%: noacne

Nails of the week: Essie In Stitches

Well hello there,

I have renamed this as I think doing a nails of the week rather than a review makes a little more sense (especially as I am currently obsessed with my Essie nail varnishes) as I have roughly the same things to say each week!

Anyway - it's been the Bank Holiday weekend here in the UK and we have had a little sun - woop! Did a little shopping and a little sunbathing wearing my nails of the week :)

Essie In Stitches. 

I find this a hard colour to describe: it's a dark pink with purple but also brown... Well I really like it!

What have you been wearing?

Claire

Disclaimer: I bought these products with my own money - I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned and all links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any brands linked. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Essie-Stitches-Nail-Polish-15ml/dp/B004ORDF1G

My thoughts on: my skin care regimes

Well hello there,

Today's post is all about my thoughts on all the skin care regimes I have used up until now. I am doing this post as I have just bought a regime of skin care products to start a new routine with ( first expressions post coming soon) and thought it would be nice to explain what sort of things I have tried using so far. 

When I was younger I used basically the most stripping overpowering products - think Clean&Clear, Freederm, Clearasil etc basically the average teenage products but I always went for the harshest, acne prone formulas even though I didn't really have acne prone skin believing I was doing the best for my skin. 

I used these for a long time until I realised that my oily skin was actually my main skin concern not acne and that the products I was using obviously weren't helping my oily skin. So after a bit of research I bought the Tea Tree range from the Body Shop. I like to think that using products from the same range work better together as they are complementary to each other (though I don't know how much truth is in this) so decided to buy products from a single range. I ended up with the facial scrub, toner, face wash, exfoliating pads, and the face mask all of which are designed for those who are prone to blemishes, blackheads and oily skin. I started using this and quite soon realised that this range was far too overpowering for my skin, it felt dry but not in an oil controlling way, after using the products my skin would feel tight which is never a good sign especially when it wasn't having any impact on my oily skin. 

So I ditched the Tea Tree range and again sticking with the Body Shop (I love the Body Shop) moved to the Seaweed range designed for combination skin hoping that taking things down a level would help. This range is designed to balance out skin and control excess oil and again I bought all my products from within this range these being: the facial scrub, face wash, toner, face mask, and the pore perfecter treatment. I have been using bits of this range for a long time now and felt it helped a little. I soon stopped using the mask and the pore perfecter as they weren't doing anything for my skin but the others I have continued to use until recently. 

I, like lots of others, have skin care products lying around that just don't get used so these have been gradually incorporated into my skin care regime meaning that it is full of random products. 

Current products used in my skin care regime. 

In the morning I wash my face with the Clean Slate face wash - this was one of the products from a GlossyBox a few months back - it's ok but there is nothing about it that stands out enough to make me purchase a full size version. I then use the Seaweed Toner from the Body Shop - toners are such a love hate thing, you either use them or you don't and for me there is something really satisfying about them so me me a toner in my skin care regime is a must. In the morning instead of a moisturiser I use my La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo and then apply my make up. 

I am one of those people who shower in the evenings as I am the worst morning person and there is no way I would be able to leave my bed sooner to have a shower. So when I get back from work the first thing I do is remove my make up using the Emma Hardie cleansing balm. When I shower before I get in I use the Lush lip scrub and then in the shower I use the Clean Mary cleansing milk. Sometimes I use Clean Mary with my Clarisonic but not always as I don't like to overuse my Clarisonic. Once I am out of the shower I use my toner once again and then moisturise using my Simple light moisturiser and finally a couple of times a week before bed I used the Origins Intensive Overnight Mask. (Check out my previous reviews for my thoughts on some of these products linked at the end of the post). 

However, since my skin care regime has become such a mishmash of various products I thought I would start again using products from one range. After some more research (I can't explain how important research is when considering products to buy) I settle on Michael Todd's True Organics. This company has been doing the rounds for a little bit and is all over the blogs and YouTube channels which some really great comments and reviews so thought it would be worth a try. 

I purchased the Acne-Oily skin full regime containing 5 products, a toner, face mask, cleansing wash, facial scrub and a serum. 

The reason I purchased the Acne-Oily skin regime is that recently I have had quite a lot of break-outs partly to do with my foundation so was looking for something to help with my acne as well!

I will be doing first impressions post later this week so keep checking back to see what I think!

Claire

Disclaimer: I bought all these products with my own money apart from Clean Slate face wash which was in a GlossyBox which I purchased with my own money, I am not affiliated which any brands mentioned. All links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked. 

Links

Body Shop Tea Tree range:

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/shop-by-range/tea-tree.aspx

Body Shop Seaweed Range:

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/shop-by-range/seaweed.aspx

Clean Slate face wash:

http://www.lookfantastic.com/mama-mio-clean-slate-150ml/10556654.html

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo review:

http://kerfuffleclaire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/review-la-roche-posay-effaclar-duo.html

Emma Hardie cleansing balm review:

http://kerfuffleclaire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/review-emma-hardie-amazing-face-natural.html

Lush lip scrub review:

http://kerfuffleclaire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/review-lush-lip-scrub-popcorn.html

Clean Mary:

http://www.asos.com/Soap-Glory/Soap-Glory-Clean-Mary-Cleanser-180ml/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=1553750

Simple light moisturiser:

http://www.superdrug.com/simple-hydrating-light-moisturiser-125ml/invt/949073

Origins overnight mask review:

http://kerfuffleclaire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/review-origins-drink-up-intensive.html

Review: Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

Well hello there,

Back again with a quick review of one of my current favourite products! I bought this along side the Origins United State Balancing Tonic (review here: http://kerfuffleclaire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/origins-united-state-balancing-tonic.html) which I was a bit meh about but as I said then I do love some of Origins other products and this is one of them. 

I have such a love hate relationship with night creams - I love the way they make my skin feel in the morning but hate getting moisturiser all of my pillow, having one side of my face feeling more moisturised than the other because I have had one side smushed into the pillow all night and then sometimes the residue that's left in the morning. 

Thanks now to Origin's Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask it is now firmly a love relationship!

What they say:

Quenches moisture reserves and builds them up to prevent future dehydration helps skin become smoother and more hydrated. Costs £20 for 100ml. 

What I think:

Firstly the packaging is lovey - nice and simple. Second this stuff smells amazing! To apply you just massage onto cleansed skin before you head to bed - the instructions to say to tissue off an excess but I prefer you use a small amount and then more as required than waste some by creating excess. It soaks in really quickly which is one of the main reasons I love it - no more product all over the pillow! I was slightly concerned at first that using it on really oily skin might cause problems but this has just been an all round winner for me - think this would also work wonders for those with dry skin. My skin feels smooth, soft and hydrated in the morning so just what it claims to and you can't really ask for more than that! You are meant to use it twice a week or as desired so this isn't meant to be an everyday night cream really. 

Pros:

Soaks in really quickly

Looks great

Smells amazing!

Skin feels smooth and hydrated

Perfect for all skin types

Cons:

Sightly expensive

The big decision:

Will I be purchasing this again? A bit fat YES! This is by far the best night cream I have used even if it is only meant to be used just twice a week! I will still continue my hunt for a night cream that can be used more regularly but for me this is the best intensive mask night cream I have used and will duly continue to use it. It is a tad on the expensive side at £20 but as you aren't using it everyday it lasts for ages and for me it's totally worth the money!

Claire

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked!

http://www.origins.co.uk/product/3857/11647/Skincare/Category/Masks/Drink-Up-Intensive/Overnight-mask-to-quench-skins-thirst/index.tmpl

My Favourite Perfumes

Well hello everyone!

Today I am going to share with you a couple of my favourite perfumes. Technically there are 3 but I am going to count it as two as two are basically the same!

Number 1:

Chance by Chanel Eau De Parfum. 

This was given to me as a present by a family member and I love it so much. This is by far my favourite perfume and so it is the one that is reserved for special occasions!

Number 1.5

Chance by Chanel Eau Fraiche

Now you can see why I have included this as similar to the first! It is basically the same - it does smell slightly different and doesn't last quite as long but this is the cheaper version. I bought this one for myself many years ago and it was my favourite until I was given the Eau De Parfum version as a present. I use this more often as the other one is special occasions only!

Number 2

Anna Sui - Sui Dreams

This is a bit of a sad one as most people will recognise this as a scent worn primarily by teenagers! I must confess that I did originally have this when I was much younger but rediscovered it many years later and still love it, partly as a throw back to my teenage years!

What are your favourite scents?

Claire

Disclaimer: Chanel Chance Eau De Parfum was recieved as a first from a family member all other products were bought by me with my own money and I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked. 

Chanel Chance:

http://www.theperfumeshop.com/fcp/product/chanel/chance/1525

Anna Sui, Sui Dreams

http://www.feelunique.com/p/Anna-Sui-Sui-Dreams-Eau-De-Toilette-Spray-30ml

Lets talk about... Eyebrows

Well hello there,

Today is a slightly different post! There is a whole lot at the moment about eyebrows - the bushy Cara Delevinge look is mostly definitely in leaving people like me who are victims of years of over plucking with some catching up to do!

I realised over a year ago now just how much of a toll my eyebrows had taken when I started looking through some photos and realised that in most of them my eyebrows were barely visible! At first I went out and bought various eyebrow pencils to try and fill them in but pretty soon realised that this would never solve the underlying problem. 

I have been plucking my eyebrows for at least 7-8 years and it really shows - they are sparse and patchy in places where I have been overly keen with the tweezers. Also as I find plucking my right eyebrow easier than plucking my left my right is considerably worse than the left as it has taken much more of the brunt of my tweezing obsession. 

So in July last year (2012) I set out on a mission to try and regrow at least some of my eyebrows. Naively I thought this would be much easier than it turned out, at the time I figured I would just leave them for 2-4 months then get them professionally shaped - problem solved?! No chance. Nearly a year later and there hasn't been much progress. 

Right eyebrow - unplucked since July 2012. 

Left eyebrow - unplucked since July 2012. 

As you can see from the photos nearly a year later and they don't look great. They are still sparse and patchy. I much prefer the shape of my left eyebrow as it has a much more defined arch something than even with lots of filling in is still hard to achieve on the right!

So I, like a lot of others at the moment, have resorted to drastic measures. The natural route wasn't working so after a bit of research I purchased the RapidBrow Eyebrow Enhancing Serum. 

This product claims:

Formula helps healthier I looking eyebrows by transforming weak, sparse and uneven eyebrows. Helps to restore and repair the appearance of eyebrows in 60 days using it's special formula. 

What I think:

I am always skeptical about these sorts of products but having drawn a blank trying myself thought it was worth a go.  I have only used it for about a week so far so am not currently going to comment on it's claims and whether or not I think it actually works - keep checking back for updates! What I will say is that firstly it's not that great to apply - you are meant to apply it twice a day but I struggle in the morning as I don't want to put it on with my make up as I don't want the brush clogged with old make up! The brush also is pretty scratchy and I feel it's not really the best brush to apply product to your eyebrows with!

The only thing I have noticed in the week or so I have been using it is that I have been getting spots and blemishes around both of my eyebrows where I have been applying the product. They aren't huge or really severe but I thought it was a really strange reaction! 

The only other thing to currently note is the price, it costs £37 for a 3ml tube which is a ridiculous amount of money. I justified it to myself that I had already been trying for a year without much success and so this was the only other option really available though I must confess I didn't (and probably would't) have paid full price for this! I bought it from lookfantastic when they had a site wide discount automatically applied and then managed to find another discount code which took the price down to about £26 (I do love a good discount!). 

I will keep updates on how this is progressing to see if it has been worth the money and a year of my life!

Claire

Disclaimer: I purchased this product with my own money and I am not affiliated with any brands or companies mentioned. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated to any companies linked. 

http://www.boots.com/en/RapidBrow-Eyebrow-Enhancing-Serum_1252036/

Review: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant

Well hello there,

Today I am going to review a product that I have just repurchased - Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream. I initially received this as a present at Christmas - I came in the set which contains the eight hour cream skin protectant, the eight hour hand cream and the eight hour lip balm and as you can see the skin protectant is now looking a little worse for wear. 

What they say:

A product which is suitable for all skin types it can help with the temporary relief of chapped lips, rough skin patches and softening tough skin. 

What I think:

Honestly as a general moisturiser I am not a fan, it's very heavy and sticky and doesn't soak in well, however, what I do love this for is my lips. I didn't like the actual stick lip balm that came in the gift set so started using this instead and quite frankly have never looked back! I have a terrible habit where I bite my lips and as a result my lips were really dry and sore until I started using this. Now lips feel healthy and properly moisturised and look so much better! I tend to use this at night as an overnight treatment for my lips and wake up in the morning with lovely soft lips ready for whatever lip product I feel like using. I do also like this as a deep treatment for really dry areas so for me it's totally worth the money. 

The one I have is the scented version as I don't find the scent as overpowering as others do, I'm fact I actually think the unscented version smells worse!

This is £25 for a 50ml tube. I think the packaging looks great and even if I don't the product inside would more than compensate!

I know for many this is a beauty essential and I have to say I wholeheartedly agree!

What are your beauty essentials?

Claire

Disclaimer: The original tube was given to me as a present by a family member and the second tube was purchased by me with my own money and I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked. 

http://www.boots.com/en/Elizabeth-Arden-Eight-Hour-Cream-Skin-Protectant-50ml_9783/

Review: L'Oreal Glam Shine Stain Splash Colour 300 Juliet

Well hello there,

Today I am doing to do a review on the fairly new Glam Shine Stain Splash by L'Oreal. They are priced at £7.99 (through currently at Boots there is a two for £15 promotion on L'Oreal cosmetics) and come in a range of 6 different colours. The one I have is number 300 Juliet. 

What they say:

It's a water based formula which creates long lasting colour whilst giving shine. Easy application with it's unique wand. Colour can last up to six hours without drying out. 

What I think:

Firstly I think the packaging is great, they look great and seem way more expensive then they actually are. The wand is quite large but not too cumbersome and the product goes on smoothly. At first it feels quite watery but soon feels more like a normal gloss on your lips. The colour is really buildable - I myself put two coats on for maximum colour saturation, and the pigmentation is really great.  As it's a stain your lips stay a lovely colour for hours after the product has worn off so it's perfect for those busy days were you don't have time to be constantly reapplying your lipstick. This is a great dupe for the Yves Saint Laurent Rogue Pur Couture Glossy Lip Stains. The finishes are pretty much identical so at £23.50 each the L'Oreal version is my clear winner. The only downside to the L'Oreal versions is that there is a rather limited colour selection and to be honest the one I purchased was the only one that really appealed to me so I wasn't too wild about the colour selection. Compare this to the YSL version and they have a huge 22 shade colour selection meaning there will be something for everyone!

Bare lips - before application. 

Two coats of colour number 300 Juliet after application. 

Colour number 300 Juliet after several hours wear with a little lip balm on top. 

Pros:

Great pigmentation and staying power. 

Super cheap. 

Great feel on lips and very moisturising. 

Buildable colour. 

Great dupe for the YSL version. 

Looks great even once the gloss has worn off and only the stain is left. 

Cons:

Limited colour selection. 

The big decision:

This is a bit of a two parter for me... Will I buy this product again - yes but not for a while, as the answer to the second part, will I buy any of the other colours is a no. I did't really like any of the other colours available so I will be buying this again but only once this one has run out which I doubt will be any time soon!

Claire

Disclaimer: I purchased these products with my own money and I am not affiliated with any brands mentioned. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked. 

http://www.boots.com/en/LOreal-Paris-GlamShine-Stain-Splash_1309088/

http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Yves+Saint+Laurent+Rouge+Pur+Couture+Glossy+Lip+Stain/D323308,default,pd.html

Review: Essie Fondola Gondola

Well hello there,

Just a quick post on Essie's Fondola Gondola. It's a lovely pink colour, not too bright so perfect for everyday wear! The colour goes on fairly opaque so you an easily pop just one coat on if you are in a hurry!

Sadly this colour is discontinued - i believe it was originally in the spring 2006 collection but having recently discovered it I am loving it all over again! This is still available to buy on some websites but is no longer part of the main Essie collection :(

What's your favourite daywear colour?

Claire

Disclaimer: I bought this product with my own money and am not affiliated with any brands mentioned.  Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Essie-Fondola-Gondola/dp/B0052LYOTA

Little rant!

Well hello there,

Today I am having a little rant! At the weekend I set out on mission to try and find a new foundation, I headed into town and my first stop was the Estée Lauder counter. I wanted to test out the Double Wear foundation as well as he Double Wear Light so at the counter tried a couple out on my hand to get a feel for the product. There were several assistants there who all basically ignored me and several other customers browsing. Whilst I don't want to be hounded at the make up counter a simple 'is there anything I can help you with?' really goes a long way. Then after trying to get the attention of one of the assistants attention who decided she would rather deal with another customer I gave up. 

There are several other Estée Lauder counters where I live so I headed to check out another one. This time there was one assistant doing nothing who again acted like I didn't exist until I was able to work my way round the counter until I was basically in front of her and then ask to be matched. I think it was pretty obvious I was looking for some help and felt like a lot of assistants seem to act like customers are a bit of a nuisance. Once I had her attention she did match me to the Double Wear foundation but when I asked for a sample to test out at home she looked at me like I was trying to rob her! I don't know why anyone would spend £27 plus on an Estée Lauder foundation without having a sample to try first! In America it is commonplace to be given a sample to try something which here in the UK is a mission in itself. The woman didn't give me a sample and didn't give a reason as to why, instead she scribbled the name of match she had found for me on a bit of paper and sent me on my way. I must say I was pretty cross about the way I was treated, it seemed a bit like because I was't all dressed up then I shouldn't waste the time of the assistant and I got the distinct impression that she thought I couldn't afford any of the products I was asking about which is really a terrible attitude to have. Anyone should be able to try the products not just the people the assistants believe can afford them!

Finally I went to the Estée Lauder counter in Boots and finally found a great assistant at the counter. I had a quick look round as I did at the other counters then she asked if I needed any help. I told her what I was looking for (foundation for oily skin) and she suggested I try both the Double Wear and the Double  Wear Light and immediately asked if I would like to be matched. I agreed and after having a nice chat she had matched me up and (without asking) given me samples of both to take home. 

I left feeling pretty upset and cross about the whole situation.  If I am thinking about spending such a lot of money then a little respect would be nice (even if I had no intention of buying anything manners cost nothing). The whole experience was rather stressful and I'm not really excited to try the samples I did manage to get as I feel the mission to get them rather put a bit of a dampener on things!

Phew. Rant over. 

Obviously not all make up counter experiences are like this, I just felt a bit disappointed with the way I was treated on this occasion and am in no way generalising to everyone!

What's you make up counter experience?

Claire

Disclaimer: this was my individual experience, I am not generalising to all those working at Estée Lauder or those who work on make up counters. I am not affiliated to any brands or companies mentioned. 

Review: Lush Lip Scrub Popcorn

Well hello everyone!

Today I am going to be looking at another product I have been using for a little bit. 

It's one of Lush's lip scrubs, they come in three 'flavours' bubblegum, mint julips, and popcorn for £5.25 for 25g. 

The reason for me buying this is that I have a terrible habit of biting my lips, it's one of those things that I have always done (my sister does it too) and it's an infinite circle of biting and making my lips uneven and then biting more as my lips felt uneven.  In order to try and stop myself doing this as I know it is really bad for me, I got this scrub hoping that if my lips were smooth it would remove one of the main temptations for biting them.  

What they say:

The ingredients create a perfect mix to leave your lips smooth and moisturised once you have buffed them to perfection. 

What I think:

I really like this, at first I was unsure about the flavour, it came off as tasting just salty but once you get used to that it's great. I use it before I shower and just take a small amount out and rub it into my lips then as it is edible I lick it all off. My lips are left smooth and looking fab, creating a great base for any lip products I use during the day. 

Pros:

Works great

Tastes really good

Perfect for scrubbing any dry skin away before applying lip products

Cons:

It is a tad on the expensive side for what it is

I find that you can't leave it in the bathroom as the damp air can get into the container

You can make a bit of a mess as the grains tend to fall off when you are rubbing them into your lips

The big decision:

Would I buy this again? Yes, absolutely. I find it one of those addictive products that once you have felt how soft and smooth it make your lips feel you are never going to want your lips to feel different again! I might be tempted to dry one of the other flavours next though. 

How do you feel about lip scrubs?

Claire

Disclaimer: I bought this product with my own money and am not affiliated with any brand mentioned. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any brands linked. 

Popcorn scrub: https://www.lush.co.uk/product/6080/Popcorn-Lip-Scrub

Review: Nuxe Reve de Miel Baume Leveres Ultra Nourrissant Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm

Well hello there,

I am going to tell you something, it's about difficult but here is goes. I am obsessed. Lip balms I hoard them, entirely addicted. So when I hear lots of people raving about a particular one, well there is an inevitable result...

Nuxe Reve de Miel Baume Leveres Ultra Nourrissant Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm. 

What they say:

A repairing and nourishing lip balm creating comfort for chapped lips. 

It comes in quite a heavy glass pot and costs £9.50 for 15ml. 

At first I must say I was a bit unsure about this, it's got a really waxy finish to it and so feels quite heavy on the lips unlike a traditional lip balm. It also means if you put too much on it kind of congeals at the corners of your mouth (not the best look). 

But it does what it says on the tin (glass pot) - my lips feel soft and nourished and I find myself now reaching for this when my lips are really dry instead of my Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream (which I never thought would happen). 

Pros:

Works great - can see this being my go to product in winter. 

Looks lovely. 

A little goes along way. 

Cons:

Quite waxy, easy to over apply. 

Not really handbag friendly. It's surprisingly heavy for a lip product. 

£9.50 for a lip balm... Enough said really.

The big decision:

Yes I think I will buy this again. I really like it as almost a deep conditioning mask for my lips, left on overnight you wake to find wonderfully moisturised lips and I find the waxy finish actually really helps with it's staying power so it's not all over your pillow 10 minutes after you get into bed. Yes £9.50 is a lot for a lip balm but I have been using this for over a month now and as you can see from the photo have barely made a dent in it so I am kind of justifying it in that I am sure it will last an awfully long time before I even need to think about buying another one.

What is your beauty obsession?

Claire

Disclaimer: I purchased this product with my own money and I am not affiliated with the brand mentioned. Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with any companies linked. 

http://www.feelunique.com/p/NUXE-Reve-de-Miel-Baume-Levres-Ultra-Nourrissant-Ultra-Nourishing-Lip-Balm-15g

Review: Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm

Well hello there,

Today I am going to review a product I have been using for a good month or so. It's Emma Hardie's Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm (phew! Bit of a mouthful). 

What they say:

Skin is cleansed and moisturised whilst minimising the appearance of open pores. Revitalising and calming. Can also be used as a rescue balm or a soothing mask. 

 

It comes in a glass tub, which I must say looks rather good in my bathroom and costs a hefty £34 for 100ml. The directions say you take the balm and mix it with some water in the palm of your hand and then mix until it turns into a milk. You then apply to your face and gently rub to remove all make up, dirt and excess oil, you then take one of Emma Hardie's Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Dual Action professional Cleansing Cloths (again bit of a mouthful), dampen it with warm water and then gently remove the balm.

The cloths are sold separately in packs of three for £10 (or £8 at feelunique) and come rather cutely wrapped!

The cloths are dual action as they have a slightly rough side for exfoliating and then a soft side for the areas which need a slightly more gentle touch. 

They also have a rather handy loop so after you have washed them they are easy to hang up to dry (it really is the little things!). 

So...what I think:

I think this is a great cleanser, it gets rid of all my make up really easily and I have noticed the difference when using my Clarisonic later. I wear MAC Prolongwear foundation which is super difficult to remove, usually even after cleansing my Clarisonic brush would still be stained with foundation that was let on my skin, but since starting to use this cleansing balm my Clarisonic brush still looks brand new!

Unlike a lot of cleansers it doesn't leave your skin really tight afterwards but nice smooth and moisturised. The balm is lovely, it smells great and you only need a small amount so a little does go a long way. It comes out a yellowy/cream colour but when mixed with water turns a white milky colour. 

I have 't noticed any difference in pore size but really like the cloths, the exfoliating side works really well for getting the days gunk and grime off my skin!

Pros:

Works well - gets rid of all make up, dirt and grime superbly. 

Smells and looks great. 

I love these cloths, they are great multi purpose cloths and I can see myself using them for a long time. 

You only need a small amount so it lasts for a long time. 

Cons:

Is expensive £34 for a 100ml is a rather large price tag, especially when you consider the extra £10 for the cloths on top. 

The tub does not travel well, I tried to take it away with me once and cracked the glass on the lid (which you can probably see in some of the photos) so unless you out some balm in another container I recommend you leave it at home. 

The big decision:

Ultimately would I buy this again?

Yes and no. I am around halfway though the tub now but have decided when it runs out not to buy a new one (at least not straight away). I have a couple of others I want to try out and I think one of the greatest strengths of this actually is the cloths. I want to experiment with using the cloths with other cleansers as if I find using them with other products works well I will struggle to justify spending £34 on another tub. It is however, lovely if you do want to splurge or just treat yourself!

What's your favourite splurge item?

Claire

Cleansing balm: http://www.feelunique.com/p/Emma-Hardie-Amazing-Face-Natural-Lift-and-Sculpt-Moringa-Cleansing-Balm-100ml

Cloths: http://www.feelunique.com/p/Emma-Hardie-Amazing-Face-Dual-Action-Professional-Cleansing-Cloths-x3

Disclaimer: I bought these products with my own money and I am not affiliated with any of the brand mentioned. 

Links are for reference only and I am not affiliated with an companies linked.