July 2016 Beauty Favourites

July 18, 2016October 16, 2016 - Vicki 2 Comments

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic

I adore using this toner as part of my morning skincare routine. Its so soothing, calming and refreshing on the skin. It contains so many skin loving ingredients (as you expect from skincare experts Liz Earle), including active ingredients aloe vera to revitalise and soften and calendula, chamomile, cucumber and natural source vitamin E to soothe and refresh the skin.

This feels so gentle and soothing nice on the skin and the formula is alcohol free. It does have quite a strong floral / botanical scent, which I like and find relaxing. I pour a little product on to a cotton pad & sweep all over my face and neck every morning. Its not at all drying and leaves your skin feeling leans and hydrated, ready for the next step in your skincare routine. This paired with the Eye is the complete package! Now that Liz Earle is sold at larger Boots stores it is even easier to get hold of, which is ideal.

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Gorgeous Berries

I always come back to this blush more than any other in my collection. Its just beautiful. I love the packaging, the fact that its a baked blush and the colour looks a little different each time I wear it. This blush has a marbling effect and I have heard them described as dupes for the much coveted Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blusher, I haven’t used those so I can’t compare. Although I can say its incredible quality for the price.

The Max Factor ones are buttery soft and extremely pigmented, I have the shade Gorgeous Berries which is a deep mauve berry shade. It is the darkest shade in the range and it gives the cheeks a beautiful flush of colour, if you want to build up the intensity you can go all out. These wear really well and the colour lasts all day. This shade does have a slight sheen to it but I wouldn’t say it was anything on par with a highlighter.

Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude

Again this is a foundation I have had in my collection for some time now and its one I love to go back to. The consistency is so fluid that I find it easy to blend and get a good even coverage. This is quite a dark shade compared to what I would usually wear but it works for the warmer months when I have a little more colour, so I am making the most of it. This gives quite a light coverage but it is build-able and it gives the skin a velvety smooth flawless (as the name suggests) finish. I really like the way it makes my skin look and it feels lightweight. Unlike some bases it actually looks better throughout the day, bonus!

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in BackTalk*

I have been wearing this lipstick almost everyday, the colour is so easy to wear. Its is a comfort matte finish but it doesn’t make my lips feel overly dry. Its not a faff to apply and it just makes me look like I have have made more of an effort with my makeup (when I am wearing bare minimal). BackTalk is a gorgeous mauve pink nude shade and I just can’t get enough of it.

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Golden Pink

I know I am not alone in loving cream shadows, they are a lazy girls best friend. You just sweep the product over your eyelid & blend it out using your finger & it always looks amazing. This Golden Pink is not what I would call a pink, it is a lot more a golden and has a pretty metallic finish. These cream shadow sticks are easy to blend but after a couple of minutes they dry done and do not budge. These are very similar to the Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks which I have quite a few of and I’d say the quality of them is identical. I always travel with cream shadows, because they take up no space, they don’t break in your makeup bag and you don’t need a brush.

•PR Sample

Look Fantastic Summer Lovin Beauty Box July 2016

July 13, 2016October 16, 2016 - Vicki 1 Comment

‘This July, get ready for some #LFSummerLovin with our fabulous #LFBeautyBox! This month’s box is worth over £50 and packed full of gorgeous treats to get your skin, hair and makeup summer ready and radiant for the warmer weather.’

The July Look Fantastic Beauty Box* has a great mix of skincare, makeup, haircare and it even includes a hair accessory. This Summer themed box is bright pink with beautiful gold detailing, I love to keep the boxes as they’re super handy for storing beauty products & other treasures. As with previous boxes you also get the current copy of Elle Magazine which will be perfect to read whilst relaxing in the sun (if it decides to show up!).

MiTi Bobbles x3

These are ideal for beach days or keeping your hair off your face in in the Summer. If you haven’t seen this style of hair tie before, they’re designed to tie your hair up without leaving any dents or marks. They’re also gentle on your hair and won’t break or damage your hair. So you can easily wear your hair up or down. You get 3 bobbles in the box and I will be keeping one in my handbag as I love being able to pop my hair up when I am driving or eating.

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse 10ml

I adore NUXE products but have never used their shimmer oil. This is a stunning golden shimmer dry oil which will help your skin look glowing and give it that golden sheen. Its not only looks beautiful but will also help to moisturise your skin as it contains 6 different plant oils and is enriched with Vitamin E to soften and smooth. So I am looking forward to applying this to my legs and getting them a little more Summer ready.

Benefit Poof Proof Eyebrow Pencil 0.11g

OK, so I did a squeal of delight when I saw this was included in the July Box. I have seen so many people reviewing the new Benefit Brow range & I am so excited to try this out for myself. This is a deluxe sample size and I have the darkest shade 6 which works out well as I have very dark brows. This is an angled eyebrow pencil which has been designed to allow you to sill in any gaps with ease and give you perfectly manicured brows. They claim it gives 12 hours of waterproof wear (I will put that to the test). Its a twist up pencil and the product does feel soft. I love the packaging of these brow products & I am so excited to have this in my collection.

This Works In Transit Camera Close Up 20ml

I have heard lots of wonderful reviews about the This Works range but I don’t think I have ever tried anything from them. So I am thrilled that I get to try a new brand product & a girl can never have too many moisturisers. This is a deluxe sample and at 20ml its perfect to take on holiday, I am going to save it for my trip to Amsterdam. This is a primer & a moisturiser in one, it is packed full of skin loving ingredients including, Hyluronic Acid and Starflower Oils. This promises to smooth out skin providing the perfect canvas for makeup and its caffeine infused formula boosts skins natural radiance and gives you a flawless finish. Sounds perfect!

Kebelo Silk Anti Freeze Cream Serum 15ml

Its always nice to get a hair styling product in beauty boxes. I had never heard of this brand before but I do have frizzy hair so this will be put to good use. It has a paraben free formula and contains Chamomile, Quinoa and Amaranth which work together to nourish, repair and revitalise your hair. Argan Oil and Jojoba Oil It will also give it a beautiful shine, so thats all bases covered. I can’t wait to try it out.

Bellá Pierre Lip and Cheek Stain 5g

I think this pink is a gorgeous Summer shade and I would use it more as a blush than a lip product. Its oil free and won’t clog pores or make the skin look greasy as the weather gets warmer. This is a very wearable shade I am starting to use cream products a lot more.

Another great beauty box, the Benefit Eyebrow Pencil & This Works Moisturiser are my stand out products this month. Let me know what you think about the contents and if you have used any of the products.

These boxes always sell out super quickly so if you want this months #LFSummerLovin Box then you best be quick. Look Fantastic Beauty Box is a monthly subscription.

LookFantastic Beauty Box £15

New in My Beauty Stash #1

July 11, 2016October 16, 2016 - Vicki 1 Comment

Benefit Dandelion Shy Beam Liquid Highlighter

This is a beautiful product for Summer – its a soft-matte nude pink and it gives the skin a Iovely radiant glow. I use it as a subtle highlighter on my cheek bones and it reflects the light and makes my skin look fresh and adds a glow. If you’re a fan of the classic High Beam then you will like this more subtle option for those days you want a more low key but fresh faced look. This is great for minimal makeup days just to give your skin that effortless glow without a hint of shimmer or shine. Oh & how beautiful is the rose gold packaging?

Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry*

This is the first Redken product I have used and having thick hair a product that promises to reduce drying time is a product that catches my attention. So this new release from Redken is promises to

Reduce blow-dry time
Protect from heat up to 230˚
Help reduce breakage
Provide 24-hour lasting volume

I like that its a heat protectant as well as a styling product & any product that reduces the time I use heat on my hair is a plus for me. As I said my hair is very thick & usually takes an age to dry, I’ve used this a few times now & off the bat I noticed how soft and smooth my hair felt and looked after blowdrying. I would say it helped my hair dry a little quicker and I noticed my hair didn’t look as frizzy. Although its a cream and often cream products can feel heavy and make my hair feel greasy quickly this wasn’t like that at all. So if you want a product that protects against breakage and heart damage, as well as giving you a little added volume then thins new Redken release would be a great product to have in your haircare arsenal.

Bare Minerals Lash Domination

I do like the way this Mascara makes my lashes look but it seems to smudge on me so bad. This separates my lashes and makes them look so long and healthy but by the end of the day I have quite a lot of product under my eye and thats not a good look. Its such a shame because this ticks all the boxes, its jet black, I love the wand and it gives my lashes volume. The formula is quite wet so maybe as it dries out a bit that might make a difference. If you have tried this mascara let me know how you get on with it.

Bath & Body Works Hand Sanitiser

I love these hand sanitisers & my brother recently went to Dubai & kindly bought me back a stash of the summer scents. The one I am using at the minute is Vanilla Cupcake and is sweet and smells good enough to eat.

Vichy Dermablend 3D Correction Foundation*

This new addition to the popular Dermablend range from Vichy is quite an exciting one. Its a full coverage matte finish foundation, at first it appears to be quite a tic texture but once you start to blend it in to your skin its quite fluid and easy to blend. It gives your skin a smooth soft focus finish and if you have scaring or uneven skin tone that you like to cover then this works a treat. It gives you fantastic coverage without feeling heavy or looking cakey, and I found it to be really effective at counteracting redness. This foundation is 100% oil free and has,

Alliagel TM – which is a texture innovation exclusive to Vichy, the pigments and soft focus agents cover and blur imperfections to make the skin look even and velvety smooth.
Salicylic Acid – This is an ingredient in skincare that helps soothe irritated skin, prevent blackheads and unclog pores.
Eperulin – This is a great anti inflammatory so its fantastic at calming blemishes and any problems areas.

So its nice to see a makeup product that incorporates a good amount of skincare. This also has SPF 25 and is 100% oil free. Its ideal if you have oily skin, blemish prone skin. Its pretty fantastic and I love how the silky smooth my skin feels when I wear this. I have the shade Nude25 & my skin is quite fair & this is a great match.

What products are new in your beauty stash this Summer?

*PR Sample

New Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks

July 4, 2016April 20, 2025 - Vicki 8 Comments

So recently, Urban Decay revamped their lipstick collection & released 100 beautiful Lipstick shades in 6 indulgent finishes. All the Vice Lipsticks come in a modern, sleek gunmetal case with a rose gold base and UD embossed on both the lid and the actual lipstick bullet. The packaging feels luxurious and vampy which I like a lot.

The 6 finishes are

Mega Matte – Super Intense Matte
Comfort Matte – Urban Decay’s Creamiest Matte
Cream – The Original: creamy, badass, luxury
Metallized – Cream with a high level of pearl
Sheer– A punch of colour with a sheer, shiny finish
Sheer Shimmer – Slightly transparent finish with a floating pearl and a smooth texture

All the lipsticks have the most lovely formula, easy to apply and rich in colour, as well as feeling comfortable on the lips. They contain Aloe Vera, Jojoba, Avocado and Babassu Oils which nourish and soften your lips. Vitamin C and vitamin E provide a hit of antioxidants & Illipe Butter provides that all important long-lasting moisture.

I have 6 of them to show you & my gosh what a beautiful selection of shades & finishes they are!

Pandemonium / Mega Matte*

This is a bold, bright, vivid pop of purple and isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a really rich shade and I like that it’s a nice bright purple rather than a dark purple. It was quite hard to get an even application of this shade as it wasn’t as creamy as the other 5 shades, but once on it does look beautiful. This is a little drying on the lips, but as it is a matte finish I guess that is to be expected.

714 / Mega Matte*

This beautiful bold red is from the recent Gwen Stefani Collection & is now a permanent shade. It is a mega matte finish and this shade stays put on my lips for ages. The colour is a rich red with orange undertones and I would say, if you can, use a lip liner with this shade as it does bleed. It does drag slightly when applying it to your lips but it’s worth the perseverance as it is just the most gorgeous easy to wear red.

Firebird / Cream*

Did someone say PINK! If you like a pink lip then this is undoubtedly the most intense, rich creamy pink I have ever worn. The colour is vibrant, and the creamy formula means that it feels nourishing and smooth on your lips. In the bullet this lipstick looks a little more on the purple side but don’t be fooled, it is a true fuchsia pink. Even though this has a cream finish, it’s still long wearing on the lips and the colour stays looking vibrant for hours. This shade is also a shade from the recent Gwen Stefani collection, and I’m in love with it. I tend to shy away from bright shades, but this has won me over, and I have been enjoying wearing it.

Backtalk / Comfort Matte*

OK this is totally in my comfort zone, it’s a rose pink nude, and it just looks effortless and pretty on the lips. This has become my everyday lipstick, it applies so evenly and is opaque in one application. It doesn’t feel at all drying on my lips, and this wears so well without going patchy or fading throughout the day. I am in love with this shade. I do like the bright colours too, but we all have those shades that we feel most comfortable in & for me this is that shade.

Big Bang / Metallized*

This is one of those lipsticks I wish I had the balls to wear out in public & not just in the house. This is a sweet sheer pink with a glossy silvery pink fleck finish. This is a statement lipstick, and it looks very metallic on the lips, almost duo-chrome. I think it’s pretty, but quite hard to wear. Out of the 6 shades I have this was the hardest to apply & achieve an even coverage, I had to go over my lips quite a few times to build up the colour and get a clean even finish. It does feel creamy on the lips & smooth too. It’s such a fun shade and not at all subtle!

So there you have it the Vice Lipsticks are a huge exciting launch from Urban Decay, and they have everything from bold bright, vampy plums to beautiful wearable neutrals and everything in between. What shades do you have your eye on?

Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks