Month: October 2012

Wipe the day away

- Vicki 2 Comments

Botanics All Bright Cleansing Face Wipes

I’m not one to use wipes on a regular basis – being in my mid 30’s my skin needs all the TLC it can get. So I tend to cleanse properly every night. I quite like the ritual of it. I do use wipes to freshen up during the day esp if I am traveling and unable to wash my face. So I do have a pack of wipes on the go. I’ve tried a fair few brands over the years and like most beauty bloggers I like trying new products.

I picked up some of the newly re branded Botanics Cleansing Face Wipes when they were a 3rd off in Boots. They are fairly cheap and I think when things are pretty cheap you tend not to have too high expectations for them. But I’ve used a few things from this Botanics range both before the re branding and after and there’s some things I really like (their eye makeup remover not being one of them). So I thought these wipes would be quite good.

But I was so wrong. I found them to be really drying and quite scratchy on my skin. If you want them to remove makeup then you will be disappointed as they’re pretty poor at doing that. They claim to remove even waterproof makeup but I find that hard to believe. They might just remove a layer of dirt from your face but that’s about it. They’re not very moist and now I’m only using them to wipe my hands, to freshen them up when I’m on the go. I won’t use them on my face anymore

I will not be repurchasing these. I have a few packets of the No7 ones I purchased using my trusty N07 Vouchers. They always seem to work well for me. What wipes do you use & would recommend?

It’s All In The Eyes

- Vicki 5 Comments

Like most beauty bloggers I have more than one mascara on the go at any one time. At this moment in time I have 5 on the go. I am trying my best not to open anymore – I do have a few lined up ready for when one of these is ready for the bin. I am always looking for that mascara that does it all, but I think that is an urban myth. We often need our mascara to do different things like lengthen, give volume, define and sometimes we need a waterproof one. So that’s my excuse when the hubby asks ‘Don’t you have enough of those already?’ I reply yes but this one is different :o)

I will run through them individually letting you know how I like them and if I will repurchase.

Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara

First up is a Bobbi Brown mascara sample I received when I purchased my Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealor its the Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara.  It’s a great mascara for really separating your lashes and adding a good amount of length to them. It’s not the best lengthening mascara I’ve used but I have so say it is my favourite mascara at the moment. You can wear this mascara all day and there is no fall out at all. I really like the look of defined lashes and this is amazing at achieving that look. I will be purchasing the full size when this runs out. The full size is £18 for 6ml

17 Peep Show Mascara

The 17 Peep Show Mascara I first purchased when it was released a few months ago, this is a mascara that’s great for giving your lashes that really thick and full look. It isn’t a mascara that lasts all day on me, I tend to get a little flaking and fall out with is one as It’s packed full of lengthening fibres. But that said I do like it and this is my second tube and I will repurchase again as the price is great and I do like the really full effect it gives my stumpy lashes. The full size is £6.29 for 9ml

Soap and Glory Thick & Fast Mascara

The Soap and Glory Thick & Fast Mascara was a magazine freebie a few months back I wouldn’t say this was a great mascara. The brush is huge and I tend to get the product everywhere. It does make your lashes thick but I find the formula too thick and gloopy and it tends to clump on my lashes and that’s not really a look I like. So I won’t be repurchasing this one. Full size is £10.00 for 6ml

No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara

One of my favourite Mascaras over the past 18 months has been the No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara. I have repurchased at least 4 of these. I love the brush it grabs every lash and really separates them. It also adds a good amount of volume without being too dramatic. I find it to be a really good everyday option. The formula is quite dry and doesn’t flake. This will be a mascara I repurchase for the foreseeable future. Full size for £11.00 for 7ml

Covergirl Lashblast 24 hour Waterproof Mascara

 I received this Covergirl Lashblast 24 hour Waterproof Mascara in a swap I did with Casey. This is the only waterproof mascara I own. I tend to only wear it on a night out. I find this formula to be a little runny but as I use it it’s drying out & that’s how I like it. There is no fall out with this and the wand although its odd-looking it really easy to use and it coats each lash really well. If I could get it in the UK I would repurchase. Just one thing, you will need a heavy-duty eye makeup remover as this mascara is tough to remove.

October So Far

- Vicki 1 Comment

October saw me turn 34 and it was a little bit crappy to be honest but I won’t go into that too much. On a good note we are finally settling in and have been in our new house exactly one month. We still have a couple of boxes to unpack but apart from that we are up and running. I love being so close to both Liverpool and Manchester – it’s really bad for the bank balance but both cities have such great shopping. Its fab

I’ve not done one of these posts in a while so I thought I’d club together October’s Instagrams into one post.

MUA Blush and Bronzer / My Hubby / VO5 / BarryM Gelly Nail Paint / Drinks / Tea & Blogging / Models Own Bargains / Dinner Out / Me in IKEA

I love October as Autumn is such a pretty month with the changing of the seasons. It’s also when the beauty companies bring out their Xmas makeup & gift sets. I have my eye on a few. I will be making a wish list this week for that. Hope you all having a lovely October so far x

 

Daily Battle

- Vicki 10 Comments

I have a few moisturises that I’m really enjoying at them moment, so I though I’d show you what I am using as my Day & Night Creams. I have a few more tucked away but these are my goto ones for the colder months.

So I have 5 winter staples this year 3 day creams and 2 night creams. The No7 Protect & Perfect Day Cream is so hydrating and moisturising. I’ve been through a few pots of this and my skin really likes it. Its great under makeup and leaves my skin feeling soft all day. It has SPF 15 and a 5* for UVA which I like. This pot lasts me at least 4 months so you get great value for money – £22 for 50ml

My Avene Redness Relief Moisturizing Protecting Cream is amazing. I do suffer from redness on my cheeks and it gets worse in the colder months. This Avene Cream really helps. It’s quite thick and green toned but that fades on the skin. I find it takes a while to sink in, but once it has it really helps keep my redness in check. Obviously it doesn’t make it go away completely. This cream is anti irritating and is perfect for those of you who like me have sensitive skin. It also has SPF 20 in. £13.05 for 40ml

The Origins Starting Over Age Erasing Moisturizer with Mimosa this is a lovely creamy face cream with a strong botanical scent. That might be to everyone’s taste but I quite like the smell of this cream. I have been using this for about 4 weeks and so far my skin has reacted will to it. It’s really hydrating and glides on my skin. It’s meant to have great anti ageing qualities in & at 34 I could use some of those. I can’t comment too much on that but I am hoping its doing is job. I will continue with this and see if I can see any significant improvement. £38 50ml This pot came as part of the Starting Over set and so is only 30ml

Now on to Night Creams – The Avon Anew Genics Treatment Cream has been such a great night cream for me. I have noticed some discolouration on my cheeks lessening. I have some acne scaring and it’s really helping with that. This is thick but not greasy at all. By morning my skin is smooth and bright. After 2 months of using I really like the results I’m seeing. I can’t find where to buy this online. Only on Ebay for between £15 – £20 for 30ml

Now I have saved the best for last. My beloved Dr Andrew Weil for Origins Mega Mushroom Skin Relief Face Cream. There is no denying I simply love this night cream. This was also part of a kit & I used the Mega Mushroom Toner and Face Wash & loved them too. The face cream is very highly scented and it smells strong on your face. So I think that might put a lot of people off this. This is not specifically a night cream but it’s really thick and strongly scented so I like to use it as a night cream so I can apply a thick layer of it. This cream is aimed at reducing redness – something that I suffer with and also I have found it helps stop be getting breakouts. I have a 30ml pot but you can buy the 50ml pot for £46

What face creams have you been using and what couldn’t you live without?