Author: Vicki

Urban Decay Summer Collection 2016 #UDgetaway

- Vicki 7 Comments
Urban Decay Beached Bronzer

Urban Decay Summer Collection-2016

#UDgetaway

The new Limited Edition Urban Decay Summer Collection is beautiful. The whole range has Summer vibes and I love it. I have 3 pieces from the collection and I am pleased as punch with them. I have to mention how pretty the packaging is before I talk about the products themselves. I especially adore the palm tree detailing on the bronzer packaging. Nothing screams Summer quite like a palm tree.

Urban Decay After-Glow 8 Hour Powder Highlighter in Sin

This is a gorgeous champagne shimmer highlighter, it’s not subtle but it is beautiful. It’s very finely milled which makes it easy to blend and means your not left looking powdery. I sweep this across my cheekbones and a little down my nose and it catches the light beautifully. It adds a luminosity to the skin and gives me that gorgeous fresh-faced look which is ideal for Summer when I like to wear as little makeup as possible.

The packaging is simple and sturdy, although I do wish it was a little more Summer themed like the bronzer. The outer packaging is pretty and metallic pink but the actual product packaging doesn’t scream Summer to me, it is still pretty and finished in a silver mirrored effect with the UD logo etched in the lid. That is the only negative thing I have to say about this though, the product itself is lovely and I really want to try the other shades.

The After Glow Highlighter comes in 3 shades.

Urban Decay One & Done Naked Skin

Urban Decay One & Done Naked Skin Hybrid Complexion Perfector* £25.00

I have the shade Medium and sadly it’s too dark for me but I did like the coverage, formula and finish. I’m going to pop to a counter and get matched to a better shade for me because I think this is going to be a great base for the warmer months. It gives a light to medium coverage and the formula feels light on the skin and it also helps smooth out your skin to give it that soft focused look by evening out skin tone so you look fresh-faced and radiant without wearing a tonne of makeup. It also has broad spectrum SPF20 so a very good base if you like a little coverage but still be protected against UVA & UVB rays.

Not only does this give your skin a natural look but its also packed with nourishing skin beneficial ingredients too – (including peptides, vitamins and moisturisers), you’ll be tempted to skip your skin treatment. Gatuline® Radiance—derived from the wu zhu yu plant—improves the look of radiance, tone and texture. And SPF 20 protects against sun damage. So during the warmer months, your skin won’t get parched from the heat and

The One & Done Naked Skin is available in 6 shades.

Urban Decay Beached Bronzer

Urban Decay Beached Bronzer in Bronzed* £20.00

If you have been looking for a warming, matte bronzer then this is it! It’s perfection. It doesn’t look muddy or orange, it warms up your skin so you look more sun-kissed and less you’ve been tangoed. With a light hand, apply this to the places the sun would naturally hit my face and it gives my skin a lovely warmth and makes me look so healthy. I think for £20 that this is a great product to add to your makeup bag for Summer, especially if like me you like to avoid getting a tan but like to look bronzed and healthy. The packaging is adorable and the palm tree detail on the compact makes me want to book a Summer holiday ASAP. The packaging is good quality, slim and you get a great sized mirror in the lid which is handy for reapplying your lipstick throughout the day.

This bronzer come in two shades Sun Kissed & Bronzed.

Urban Decay Summer Makeup Releases

Urban Decay Summer Product Swatches

As I said I have 3 products from this new Limited Edition Urban Decay Collection and you can see the Collection in full here.

What are your favourites from the collection? I think it will be so popular this year for festival goers and those lucky enough to be jetting off on a beach holiday (I wish I was).

*PR Sample

5 From The Body Shop

- Vicki 6 Comments
The Body Shop Favourits

The Body Shop Favourites

I haven’t done a post in my Five From Series for a while now, so I thought I would get back into them and share Five From The Body Shop. This was so hard to narrow down because as a brand I love so many of their products and they continue to release wonderful products. If you have any recomendations of products I need to try from The Body Shop then leave me a comment.

The Body Shop All In One Insta Blur

I love products that give my skin that soft focus flawless finish & this Insta Blur does a pretty good job at doing that. Its has a thick gel like consistency and its easy to smooth over the skin. Its clear but it blurs imperfections redness and makes fine lines look less visible.  I tend to only use it on my cheeks, where I have quite large pores and it does a great job at blurring them out and mattifying my skin. This is also very good at controlling oil and shine so it works well under makeup and helps it last longer without going greasy.

Born Lippy Lipbalm

You can’t beat a fruity scented lipbalm from The Body Shop. These are such a classic product and I have been buying them for more years than I care to admit. They always smell so good, I think I have tried every flavour. They’re easy to have in your handbag to keep your lips feeling hydrated & they add a slight sheer wash of colour but that doesn’t stick around too long, but the glossy finish does.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil

I have used the Vitamin E range for many years and still go back to it, especially when my skin is irritated and quite dry. I find its a range that is gentle and never breaks me out. I spoke about this in a recent post, I have a lot of love for this serum / oil. Its an overnight treatment that gives your skin a boost of hydration and nourishes dull skin. Its a serum blended with a combination of oils including sunflower, jojoba, marula, soya, and sesame and it also has wheatgerm oil which is high in antioxidants. I only use a couple of drops, which is plenty & I like to use it when my skin is looking dull and feels dryer than normal. Its great at hydrating and reviving my skin and making it look like its well rested and radiant. Its just such a lovely product to have in your skincare routine.

The Body Shop Makeup Brushes

I have quite a few brushes from The Body Shop and although they’re not the most affordable on the high street they’re very good quality, cruelty free and last me years. This actually a foundation brush but I’ve found it works well at applying face masks, no mess and I get an even coverage. I also like the kabuki brush to apply loose powder. I get no shedding with these brushes and they wash up lovely.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Instant Glow Enhancer*

The whole Vitamin C range is a favourite of mine, the face mist, moisturiser and this Instant Glow Enhancer in particular. They all pep up my skin and make it look refreshed and radiant. It has a lovely flattering peachy tint to it, you see instant results with this product. It really helps combat the signs of fatigue, I apply this mostly to the centre of my face, focusing on my forehead, nose & chin as this is great at blurring pores and fine lines making my skin look smooth as well as giving it a slight peachy glow. I use it when my skin looks like it needs a little waking up, or at the weekend when I want to wear minimum makeup. My tube has lasted me almost a year and I still have a good amount of product left. So it is well worth picking up.

PR Sample

Balance Me #FACEtheday

- Vicki 2 Comments
BalanceMe Tinted Wonder Eye Cream

Balance-Me #FACEtheday

On the theme of #FACEtheday balanceMe have released a few products to help us do just that. They kindly sent them to me to try out along with some delicious healthy snacks and tea. I’m a complete tea addict and have to say that my early morning cuppa is one of the only thing that helps me #FACEtheday – a Pulsin Chocolate Brownie always helps too (so tasty).

Balance Me Instant Pore Minimiser £22.00

Its aimed at smoothing pores, plumping fine lines and giving your skin that flawless finish. This is an incredibly lightweight product, and is light enough to use on top of your moisturiser. Its quite fluid but doesn’t feel oily or greasy. I like to use it under my makeup too because it gives such a nice finish to my foundation and my makeup applies so smoothly.

It contains a blend of Active Botanical Oils including rosehip, frankincense and bergamot. As well as lots of other skin beneficial ingredients –

  • Visible pores – Acacia Gum refines and lifts the skin’s surface to instantly tighten and blur enlarged pores
  • Mature skin – Acemlla Oleracea Extract relaxes muscle contractions to reduce depth of fine lines and wrinkles while preventing future signs of ageing
  • Normal skin – Hyaluronic Acid instantly smooths and plumps for a flawless, refined skin surface

I found this did give me that smooth, soft focus finish and even brightened my complexion. It was great at lessening the appearance of fine lines, especially on my forehead but I think in terms of seeing a lifting result this wasn’t instantly visible. I think this is a result that may happen over time and be a long term benefit of using this product. It gets my seal of approval but my only criticism is that I wish it was fragrance free because the scent is quite strong.

 

Balance Me Tinted Wonder Eye Cream*

If you struggle to look bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning without applying half your makeup arsenal then I think you will love this simple but effective makeup skincare hybrid. I have naturally dark under eye circles, so even when I want a makeup free day I still find that I have to apply a little concealer to that area just to add a touch or brightness so I was excited to learn that this Balance Me Eye Cream is tinted and offers not only coverage but also hydration and radiance. Its so easy to use and get noticeable results.

It contains some great skin beneficial ingredients,

Cucumber Seed Oil: Gently cools, calms and moisturises skin to reduce puffiness and brighten skin tone

Rosehip Oil: A powerful and vital skin antioxidant that encourages cell growth and renewal.

Arctic Cloudberry Seed Extract: Rich in anti-oxidants and vitamin E this wonder-berry creates a barrier, protecting skin from environmental damage.

A little product goes a long way and as I said on no makeup days this gives my under eyes enough coverage to look fresh and awake and much less dark. Its smoothing and lightweight, I have been using this religiously for a couple of weeks now.

New balanceMe Skincare

*PR Sample

Ralph Lauren Polo Blue EDP

- Vicki

Ralph Lauren Polo Blue EDP

To celebrate the release of the new Ralph Lauren Polo Blue EDP* you will be able to get your hands on this classic Ralph Lauren Weekend Duffle Bag. The bag is very The Hamptons, it comes in blue and white with the iconic Polo logo.

The scent itself is to me classic Ralph Lauren, my husband already wears the Polo Red, but I think Polo Blue is a lighter more daytime scent. It comes in a beautiful cobalt blue glass bottle with luxurious silver detailing and is shaped like a cool hip flask. For me, it’s the perfect masculine Summer scent.

Top Notes: Bergamot, Cardamom, Marine Accord
Heart Notes: Blue Orris Accord, Basil Verbena, Clary Sage
Base Notes: Vetiver, Suede Accord, Patchouli, Vibrant Woods

So it’s a little spicy at first, but it settles down to be very fresh, laid back and Summery. Not at all overpowering or synthetic. It’s the ideal Father’s Day gift, and I think it would appeal to men of all ages.

Ralph Lauren Polo Blue Fragrance

Ralph Lauren Polo Blue Duffle Bag

Available in two sizes – 75ml: £55 & 125ml: £72

*Available at House of Fraser, Debenhams, John Lewis, Boots, The Perfume Shop, The Fragrance Shop

*PR Sample