Author: Vicki

Current Favourite Perfumes

- Vicki 3 Comments
Current favourite perfumes 2016

Current Favourite Perfumes

I don’t like to have too many perfumes on the go at once, I tend to reach for the same ones and always repurchase these four in particular.

The Body Shop Italian Fig Body Spray

The Body Shop Italian Summer Fig

I adore anything fig scented so when The Body Shop released this collection (last year, I think), I knew I would love it. I have the Fragrance Mist and although the scent doesn’t last as long as a perfume its still a lovely option. I wear this all the time, and its my go to daytime scent. Its sweet but still has that intense, rich juicy fig scent. I used to live in Cyprus and this scent reminds me so much of my childhood. The packaging is pretty too & for an affordable product it feels luxurious and looks lovely on your dresser.

Chloe Love Story Perfume

Chloé Love Story

This is such a lovely girly scent and the bottle is just gorgeous too. This perfume is quite fruity, fresh and I think the perfect Spring scent. Its smells good all day but isn’t heavy or overpowering. It has notes of stephanotis jasmine, orange blossom, cedar and neroli, so a really lovely mix of floral, woody and fruity. It always smells so pretty, I think this is one of the most feminine perfumes I have owned. I adore it.

Jo Malone Lime Basil Mandarin Perfume

Jo Malone Lime Basil Mandarin

This is by far my most repurchased perfume, its my classic scent and the perfume I always go back to. It never lets me down and it smells incredible no matter what the season, occasion or time of day. Top notes are lime, mandarin orange and bergamot; heart notes are basil, lilac, iris and thyme; base notes are patchouli and vetiver. So its quite a layered scent and I always get compliments when I wear it. The scent lasts a good amount of time, even when I can’t smell it on myself anymore other people still seem to be able to. I associate this perfume with my honeymoon so it brings back very happy memories. I love quite a few Jo Malone perfumes, they’re so luxurious and special that I always like to repurchase as a little treat to myself (and they come beautifully gift wrapped).

Burberry Body

Burberry Body

My Mum first bought me this perfume a couple of years ago & I would never have picked it myself but I was pleasantly surprised by how lovely it was. I even loved it that much I have repurchased it three times. It has, Top notes of fresh green absinthe, illuminating elegant peach and refined freesia. Floral bouquet of natural rose absolute and iris blends gently with subtle warm tones of sandalwood to form the heart notes. Woody cashmeran, creamy vanilla, sensual amber and musk compose the base. It smells youthful – not in a teen way but in a light, creamy rich kind of a way. Its not heavy or overly sweet. Its an easy scent to wear but I wouldn’t say it was an evening option. I like to use this as a daily scent and its pretty and lasts a good couple of hours before starting to fade.

What perfumes are you currently enjoying?

Current Mascara Line Up

- Vicki

Current Mascara Line Up

Current Mascara Line Up

Like most beauty addicts I always have more than one mascara on the go at any one time & right now I am using some of my absolute favourite mascaras. I like my mascara to help my lashes look long, hold a curl and maybe give the illusion I was blessed with more lashes than I actually have. What mascara are you loving right now & which should I avoid?

Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Mascara Brush

Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir*

This is the newest mascara in my collection and I have to say it has been receiving the most love too. If you like subtle quite natural looking lashes then this is not for you at all. This is one of the best false lash effect mascaras I have ever tried. It adds such volume and length to my lashes, I love it. Its jet black & absolutely smudge proof so you can rely on this mascara to stay put! If you love fluttery lashes that have that false lash effect then this is one to add to your wishlist. I also think at £20 its very well priced.

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara

Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies

Not a massive fan of this, it clumps on my lashes and after a couple of hours It seems to end up halfway down my face! So much fall out under my eyes! This is not a mascara I would recommend, I found it very messy and hard to remove. It does give volume but I just don’t like the formula so I am looking forward to parting ways with this mascara.

Lancome Hypnose Mascara Wand

Lancome Hypnose Mascara

LOVE this mascara and until the Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir came into my life Hypnose was my go to mascara. It still is the perfect mascara for fanning out your lashes and making them look healthy, long and fluttery. This isn’t as dramatic as Velvet Noir but I do wear this more during the day and I love the brush and how it grabs every individual lash and coats them all with product without applying too much and weighing them down. Hypnose is still a front runner and I always recommend this mascara because it has never let me down.

Max Factor Velvet Volume Mascara

Max Factor Velvet Volume False Lash Effect Mascara*

I like this because my lashes never feel crispy when I’m wearing this, no matter how many coats I apply & there is no fall out or smudging. It has a big plastic wand and the different sized bristles helps coat every single lash, the formula is also great at holding a curl. No clumping or fall out, this is another fab mascara from Max Factor and one of my favourite everyday options. Oh & I have been using this for almost 3 months now & it hasn’t started to dry out, so that pleases me.

Eye Of Horus Goddess Mascara

Eye Of Horus Goddess Mascara

This is a great one for quite natural looking lashes, not in a no makeup kind of way but more of a, my lashes look long, healthy and they’re all natural kind of way (am I making sense?). Its a pretty mascara for daytime and will add length to short lashes and give them definition. Its understated but always makes me look awake and my lashes long! The formula is the perfect consistency and it has very good staying power. This is a reliable mascara and one you can wear everyday for pretty natural lashes.

Essence Plump No Clump Mascara

Essence Plump No Clump Mascara

What a budget beauty this Essence mascara is – plump no clump indeed. Look at that massive brush, it leaves no lash out & gives them a coat of jet black mascara leaving them looking full, volumised and long. This is another mascara with a pretty big brush, I think we are seeing a common theme, I like big brushes & I can not lie. This is an affordable mascara but it works, it works very very well.

For false lash effect the Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir is a must buy & best budget friendly but also incredible quality the Essence Plump no Clump is one mascara you need in your collection

*PR Sample

Skinn Cosmetics Makeup

- Vicki 2 Comments
Skinn Eyeshadow Palette

Skinn Cosmetics Makeup Range

Skinn Rosette Eyeshadow Palette

Skinn Rosette Eyeshadow Palette*

This has impressed me the most out of the three products I have been testing from the collection. Its a 12 pan neutral toned palette with a beautiful mix of shades, nothing too bright or out there and every single colour is one I would wear. Which in my opinion makes it great value. It has a nice mixture of matte and shimmers and all the colours are talc free so they’re not drying on the lids. I find these have minimum fall out and they last very well on me – ever longer if you use a primer. I love the copper tones and the beautiful dark brown which looks plum in some lights, all the shades are pigmented and rich in colour. It’s a great palette to travel with, as its slim, sturdy and has a large mirror too. I’m very very impressed with this palette and have been using it a lot these past few weeks.

Skinn Rosette Eyeshadow Palette Swatches

Skinn Hollywood Nude Lip Palette

Skinn Hollywood Nude Lip Palette*

I found the consistency of these to be more like a tinted lip balm than a lipstick. The colours are all quite pretty and very wearable shades, but they only give your lips a wash of colour and have more of a gloss finish. I find lip palettes a bit of a faff if I’m honest and I would never reach for this over a lipstick. I would say give this a miss unless you like a simple understated lip look & don’t mind carrying a palette out & about so you can reapply your lip colour.

Skinn say these are Collagen Boost Lipsticks that will drench your lips with collagen-forming ingredients in a creamy, moisture-rich formula – so i guess they’re skincare infused lippies which is interesting. They do feel smoothing and comfortable on my lips, I just felt they were a little too muted and didn’t have enough colour pay off. 

Skinn Hollywood Nude Lip Palette Swatches

Skinn Ultra Luxe Mascara*

This is an ok mascara, I would say middle of the road in terms of quality. There are so many incredible budget-friendly mascaras now so there is tough competition. I found this Ultra Luxe Mascara had quite a wet formula and after a two coats it went a little clumpy. It didn’t really give volume or length to my lashes. I will say that it didn’t transfer or fall down throughout the day. I just felt my lashes didn’t look as good as usual. I think the wand would be better with a few more bristles.

Skinn Ultra Luxe Mascara

So if you get the chance to buy the eyeshadow palette I would say try it & you will get a lot of use out of it. The lip palette wasn’t my thing (but they never are) but if you do like your lipsticks in a palette format then you might be more inclined to use it. Whilst I think the mascara doesn’t hold up to many more affordable brands I have tried, I may be tempted to try one from this brand that has a different brush.

Let me know if you have tried anything from the Skinn Beauty range, I would love to hear your recommendations. I have blogged about their Skincare too if you’d like to read that.

*This post contains PR Samples

SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Haircare

- Vicki 1 Comment
Shea Moisture shea butter

Shea Moisture Shea Butter Shampoo and Conditioner

I was introduced to this brand earlier this year & I have really been enjoying trying out their haircare. In case you’re not familiar with Shea Moisture their story started back in 1912 in Sierra Leone,

Sofi Tucker started selling Shea Nuts at the village market in Bonthe, Sierra Leone in 1912. By age 19, the widowed mother of four was selling Shea Butter, African Black Soap and her homemade hair and skin preparations all over the countryside. Sofi Tucker was the Grandmother, and Shea Moisture is her legacy. With this purchase, you help empower disadvantaged women to realize a brighter, healthier future.

Their ranges have won quite a few awards over the years, including an Allure Reader’s Choice Award 2015 and it’s now available in Boots stores.

I have tried the Super fruit complex range and thought it was wonderful at taming frizz and adding shine to my locks. So how did I get on with the Raw Shea Butter Shampoo and Conditioner?

Both products are organic and are free of sulphates, parabens, paraffin, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, phthalates, propylene glycol, synthetic colour.

SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo*

This shampoo wasn’t the best at giving my hair a glossy finish (I found the super fruit range was better for shine) but that said it was incredible at making my hair feel soft and deeply moisturised. As with most sulphate free shampoos, it doesn’t lather up too much, but it does feel lightweight and is easy to rinse out. This shampoo contains some great natural ingredients,

  • Sea Kelp – Mineral rich nutrition seals and smoothes hair cuticles
  • Argan Oil – Restores shine while helping promote hair elasticity
  • Shea Butter – Deeply moisturises while conditioning hair and scalp

It’s unusual to see shea butter in haircare, but I guess it’s so hydrating and great for repairing skin, so why not use it on our hair for the same results. If you use heat on your hair or have naturally corse, dry hair, you will see and feel a big difference in how soft and healthy your hair feels after using this range. I liked that the product adds a little volume and bounce to my hair without it feeling weighed down or greasy.

SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner 

This is a leave in or rinse out conditioner and I have not been brave enough to leave it in because my hair goes greasy so quickly I daren’t do it. So I always wash this out, and it works very well like that for me, if you’re pushed for time leave this in for up to 3 minutes but if you are able to leave it in for 15 minutes for a really deep treatment.

  • Sea Kelp – Mineral rich nutrition seals and smoothes hair cuticles
  • Argan Oil – Restores shine while helping promote hair elasticity
  • Shea Butter – Deeply moisturises while conditioning hair and scalp

This is quite lightweight, and I like to massage it in to my scalp and then comb it through wet hair from root to tip. This conditioner revives dry, damaged, frizzy hair. It gives a boost of hydration and leaves it feeling smooth, soft and detangled. I have to say I am impressed with this brand and it’s nice to see organic, natural haircare that’s affordable and effective.

I highly recommend checking out SheaMoisture they have quite a wide selection of haircare products now available in larger Boots store & online at Amazon

*PR Sample and affilite links