Clynol, I Love You.

In my previous post i had alot of compliments on my hair.

In the photo's i had used products from the Clynol "Look at me" range which i was sent a while ago to try out.
I am in LOVE with these products. I was sent the following...

[Left to Right: "Naughty" styling volume fluid - "Delicious" boosting hairspray - "Center Stage" smoothing styling cream]

Each of the products are designed to give shine and hold, and the intensity of both is shown on the back of the bottles.

When i first used these i wasn't overly impressed. I tried the volume boost with the serum and it left my hair feeling greasy and heavy, and was very difficult to style, i had clearly overloaded my hair with product, (but hey, im here to test it for you guys so you don't make the same mistake) But using the products on their own in smaller amounts is FAB!
My favourite has got to the hairspray! It's by far the best hairspray i have used & i will definately be repurchasing. It doesn't leave hair sticky, or rock hard. It gives it gorgeous volume and it really lasts all day. It definately adds to the shine aswell.

See results for yourselves...Eeep..i look nakey

Love. Love. Love it.

I also really like the smoothing cream and have been using this in conjunction with the hairspray and it makes my hair super smooth. The smell is gorgeous aswell. Coconut is my favourite scent and i find it a really "clean" smell. Although this is the only one of the three that has a distinctive coconut scent, the others still smell diiiiviine though. :)
I apply a small amount to the ends of my hair before blowdrying and VOILAA.

The volume styling fluid also does everything it says on the bottle. It has FAB hold & makes any style last. I did have quite knotty hair at the end of the day compared to normal but i'm putting this down to the fact that it gives hold aswell as volume..therefore is bound to have that effect. This definately works best at the roots of your hair & could be used instead of a mousse!

Overall i am seriously impressed with these products & i'm definately going to look into more from the "Look at me range". I love the packaging..so girly & vibrant, the prices are reallt reasonable & styling my hair was seriously so easy with these products, i hardly had to do anything but stand with a hairdryer, and that's a winner for me.

You can find the products at the Clynol website & Hairsupermarket

♥

Bare Escentuals Love.

I love when i find something that really does what it says on the tin.

Bare Escentuals has actually never let me down. It's my number one foundation choice (makes me look flawless, easy application and it's so light on my skin i forget i'm even wearing anything)
The blushes are amazing too. Anyway, i will do a full review on Bare Escentuals if you'd like me too, but for now i'm going to point out my current favourites.

There are a few reliable users on ebay that sell almost the whole range of Bare Escentuals for very good prices. That's where i got these purchases.

The Skin rev-ver upper i have used for about 2 years. I wear this underneath moisturiser. It's a vitamin serum and i have neglected this for a few months as i had run out. But looking at back at photos of me when i used to wear it i feel like it really did make a difference to my skin so i purchased a new bottle..yay.
It contains salicylic acid so it's spot defending and is full of multivitamins. I feel like it's a skin boost, almost like a power drink for my skin (dabbing red bull into your pores doesn't quite have the same effect though ladies, don't try and be cheap! :))

Now this is my absolute FAVOURITE product atm.
Bare Minerals "Faux Tan". This one is 0.85g (the same size as the blushes)
I have been using alot of bronzer lately what with all the beautiful weather we've been having, & i had seen this before and thought i must have it. I am forever trying to tan my face, and my body tans fine, but because i have dry skin, i can put fake tan on my face, and by the next day it will have gone. I am horribly pale. eurgh. haha.
I apply this with my mac 209 brush to my cheek bones and as a contour. I then lightly dust it over the rest of my face...chin, nose, forehead etc & i absolutely love the effect it has. It does appear to be quite matte but on close inspection it has tiny gold specks making it just that little bit more gorgeous. Don't be put off by the colour in the jar either. You only need a light application but if you did have darker skin than me, you'd only need to add a little more until you were satisfied with the colour payoff.

[Top: Skin Rev-ver Upper, Bottom: Faux Tan]

Without Faux Tan... Ghostly..haha

With Faux Tan...[Check out that trout pout..scary]

[Got a bit carried away & stupid...oops]

But, anyhoo, I love this, and if you are a mineral or bronzer fan you should deffo add this little gem to your collection if it makes you feel as satisfied as it does me.
♥

When I set out to buy one thing...

...I always end up buying something else. Isn't that always the way though?

I actually went into town to purchase the new sims game (I know, i know..i'm 19 years old, why do i want that?) haha well if you must know i love it & i have always been a fan ever since the first sims came on the scene 10 years ago. The good old days of "Hot date" and "Vacation"..Me and my friend would spend hours creating characters that looked like us and then running and ruining theirs lives as we pleased. Who doesn't like playing god?

BTW..for those of you who share this obsession, i highly reccommend Sims3. I'm not here to do a full blown review don't panick, but it's so much fun & hours simply fly by. It can get a bit addictive so i would suggest you set aside some sims time. :D

Anyway, I bought the Sims3 game and then thought "right, well..i'll be off then" but i still had time to spare as my boyfriends brother had driven me in and he was off doing his own thing. So obviously i strolled into a few shops. Here are my purchases..

I managed to find a glamour mag. I looked in most shops and they didn't have any. But M&S had a lovely supply. This month Glamour gave us all a treat and threw in a Benefit BADgal mascara. (Many people's HG mascara) If any of you hadn't already noticed this i suggest you run out a grab one while they're still around.


I then bought "Well Dressed" blush from Mac as i'd heard alot of good feedback from other makeup junkies. I had swatched this a few times beforehand and thought it was gorgeous. It's a very pretty baby pink, and brightens my complexion nicely :)

In Mac, i also purchased "Hue" lipstick. This is a gorgeous nude and i'm so surprised i didn't already own this because i am loving it, and it should be a staple in any Nude-Fan's collection.
I also purchased the Barry M lip paint in 53, a gorgeous coral. The colour does seem quite scary but it actually comes out a very pretty sheer colour.


In Superdrug GOSH is currently 3 for 2 and i took up on this offer as my mum has asked me to pick up a concealer for her, so i bought the eyeshadow base (Pictured in first pic). Which is gorgeous white with blue iridescence. I have yet to test it for its staying/non creasing power. I also picked up this "Light N Shine lip glaze" in NO5. I picked this up because i was going to buy the Mac Dassleglass in Fantabulous as it was a gorgeous purple with blue specks, but this..being ALOT cheaper and having a similar appeal grabbed my attention. I LOVE IT. It's my new favourite lipgloss. It's not overly cheap at around £8-9 but it's alot cheaper than the dazzleglasses, plus this comes with a cute mirror on the side and lights for applying gloss in dark places.. :)


Some rather rubbish swatches.. (Sorry girlies...The snazzy camera is not so good at focusing on closeups in artificial light..think this shot took about 20 attempts)[Top to Bottom: GOSH Light N Shine in NO.5 (does not do it justice AT ALL), Mac Hue, Barry M Lip paint in NO.53, GOSH Eye base - no name, just black tube)

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend..I'm off to play the Sims now..ha
♥

Hair of The Day

How i did it:

• Bit of teasing at the crown & some hair spray
• 2 plaits crossed over head and pinned either side with bobbi pins
• Curled ends of hair inwards

So easy :)
Want more detail? Just ask.
Much loveee
♥

Review: Schwarzkopf Osis Design Mix range

A few weeks ago i was lucky enough to be sent these Schwarzkopf Osis Design Mix styling products to try out & now that i have tried and tested i can give a more thorough review.

My first thought was that the packaging was really nifty and my friend commented on how cute they were. Although it's not in the usual bottle packaging, and more along the lines of the gel/boys styling products packaging (using your fingers and scooping it out) it does work quite nicely, and it's easier to get the desired amount.





The three i recieved were "Strong", "Smooth"and "Light". There are 6 in the range. The other 3 are "Matt", "Gloss" and "Rough". They are all made to be used individially, but specially developed to be used in conjuction with one another to mix up a style. This is such a fab idea, and i can imagine with really artistic hairstyles, mixing could result in amazing results. Unfortunately, my hairstyle is not so artistic..but i still found the results to be good.



STRONG



This one is in a Gel formula & is my favourite scent of all three. This can be used in wet or dry hair. For best results i would reccommend using this in dry hair for shorter hairstyles, and in wet hair at the roots for longer hair. I used this in my roots in damp hair then dried and styled as normal, and it really did keep my style all day. I also tested this on my boyfriend who has this to say...



"It gave good definition & hold & it smells pretty..."

He's not very descriptive..haha sorry folks.



Here's what schwarzkopf say about it...

"provides extreme styles that last, plus they can be remoulded as well"



I also used this in my brothers hair, he has slightly longer, layered hair and this was the effect he managed to get...

Looks shiny & nicely styled i think :) He is well impressed with this gel, and i have noticed it has gone missing a few times. I also really like the fact that when u take a chunk out it magically reforms to a perfect flat top...haha im so easily amsued.



LIGHT



Schwarzkopf says this...

"Hair that flows with natural movement is deemed particularly desirable, especially in women’s styling."



This particular one has tiny blue particles of Aloe Vera in it, so when rubbed in the palms of your hands they burst. I loved the smell of this one in the container, but i find when mixed with the scent of my shampoo & conditioner it smells a little odd. I think this one would be FAB for thick, frizz prone hair, as it really does make your hair feel weightless and sleek. I still highly rate this product as it gives my hair a salon feeling & anything that can do this from home is a bonus.



SMOOTH



Schwarzkopf says...

"to the need for smooth hairstyles, leaving your hair as smooth as silk"



This one is my favouriteee. It smells yummy and really does leave my hair feeling like silk. I would even compare the results to Chi silk infusion...minus the anxiety of how much is going to pour into your hand uninvited. My hair is quite dry & damaged and i wasn't aware of that when i'd used this one. I worked this into my hair when it was damp and blow dried as normal. I also found that when i used this with STRONG it kept my style how i wanted it, and made everything so easy.



If you are after something quite different, or you feel that your hair is lacking something and needs a change i would seriously reccommend this range. I swear by serums and creams for my hair before blowdrying because i think it's an important step and really makes a difference. I have friends saying "OMG MY HAIR IS DESTROYED" and i ask them if they use anything on there hair after they have washed it and most of them don't even use a heat defense spray let alone a serum. Eeek!



You can get these products from hairsupermarket for only £6.56 and on various other websites.



Hope this was helpful :)

♥

Most recent purchases. More nude lipsticks?

Before the Barry M event last Wednesday i had an hour to spare before i had to meet with the girlies. So i went for a little stroll..right into Boots and Superdrug..uh ohh. *slaps wrist*

I was excited to see that in superdrug they had a Sleek display. I haven't ever managed to find Sleek anywhere near where i live so i took advantage of this and purchased a few things.

The first was an eyeshadow palette in "Storm"..

I love how pigmented these are. I had heard about these from Sam (Pixiwoo) & Laura (Lollipop26). They both said how they were of such quality for a cheap brand. I really wasn't expecting them to be AS GOOD as they are! There's a nice mixture of matte and shimmey shades and all are extremely wearable. If you have a sleek display in your local superdrug i would seriously reccommend you check these out. Especially if you don't have the money to splash out on high end brands. The quality is just as good in my honest opinion.

The next thing that caught my eye were the "Face and Body Highlighters" & i got "Bronze Baby"
There are 3 to choose from. One a lot more golden and another which had a much darker strip in it. I chose the inbetweeny shades. I wish i could remember how i much i paid for this, i know it wasn't more than £5. They are complete Bobbie Brown Shimmerbrick dupes! The colours are GORGEOUS and this was by far my favourite Sleek purchase. Again, they are really pigmented and have such a fab texture to them. I am seriously considering popping back to london to pick up the other 2! They leave such a gorgeous glow to the cheek bones & because this one has pinky tones in it, it really warms up my complexion...

This was experimenting with the brush (looks shoddy doesn't it?) & actually, it proved to be quite good..Bit of shedding & i probably wont use it, but like the benefit brushes, it was soft and in order to create the contour on my face i swiped it across the colours and it placed them effortlessly...the colour might seem a little harsh, but this was with no blending & no other makeup. eeeek.

The last thing from the Sleek range was this Inkpot Gel liner in"Purple Rain"I was in ore of this colour. It's gorgeous, & i actually had my eye on a similar shade from the Bobbi Brown Gel Liner range, but this was a hell of a lot cheaper! Think it was £2..something. It came with a little brush, which is pants! It's too small to have any precision with the line and far too fluffy. I have yet to try this out on my eyes, but with a better brush the line was really quite pigmented.

In Boots i noticed the makeup range called "Pure", i had never seen this before so decided to have a look. It's packaging was very Sleek (ha) & black. It's also all very square. If you think Nars lippies are quite square, these are sharp compared! I noticed a lippy in colour "nude" (oh..how very classic). The consistency of this lipstick is my absolute favourite kind.."moisturising" & this really is moisturising!! The lipstick was around £7 (i think..i throw away all my reciepts..soryy). I looove this lipstick, it's almost like a balm, and because i do suffer from dry lips this has been my staple lipstick for the last week! For all you nude lovers, i think you need to try this if you haven't already.


I then picked up "Nude Attitude" by revlon, and i have to say, besides the fact it leaves my lips pretty parched, with a gloss on top, it gives me the perfect nude lip & i love it.

On Saturday i accompanied a friend shopping (Had so much fun, shes not really into makeup but decided she wanted to spend lots of money on top quality stuff as she is bridesmaid at a wedding...so imagine my excitement in Mac when i was helping her buy everything) I didn't have any money but Estee Lauder was buy 2 and get free stuff. So with my beloved boots points i bought 2 lipsticks in Vanilla Truffle & Pink Sand. Both of these i absoloutley LOVE! especially pink sand and i wouldn't have picked this one out personally. I'm not a huge fan of the packaging on this one..it's quite classic and kindof reminds me of lipsticks my nan would have in her handbag, but the colour is to die for & is my current fave, think Mac Angel but 10x better. It's love.

[Left to Right: Pink Sand, Vanilla Truffle]

And look at the freebies i got with them...So technically i got all this for free! It includes 3 gorgeous makeup bags (one large, one medium and a brush bag (which is one of my fave items...so useful)) A lipstick in a coral/orange, The award winning night serum, double wear black mascara, an old lady scent (i think i will give this to my nan..not really a fan of that one), An eyeshadow quad & makeup remover. You get soo much. It's worth it just for the bags though!

Hope you all enjoyed, if you want any reviews, just ask :)
♥

The Barry M V.I.P Event.

I'm not really expecting many of you to read this as i think i'm the last one to talk about it and you will most probably be bored with hearing it again but i'm going to anyway for those of you who may not have. (Although i'm guessing it's highly unlikely)

So as you may have all already seen (as i'm late with this post due to lack of camera equipment) around 30-40 youtubers and bloggers were invited to an exclusive V.I.P event in London, Soho. Initially it was all a surprise and nobody had any idea what was going to happen there. The venue was very well decked out in everything glam and camp. Balloons, Jars of sweets, Cocktail glasses with Dazzle Dusts in them, Amazing fairycakes and men with far better legs than me...sob..

The Event...

[Photos Courtesy of the lovely Ling (Moonbeamstarlight), Suzi (Suzit86) & Sirvinya]

We all got to meet Barry M himself and he is such a sweet old man, he gave us a little speach about the growth of Barry M.
After that they explained about the launch of the M club. Which is a concept which will enable us to easily communicate and share all our makeup knowledge in one place. It will be combining twitter, youtube, blogs etc. It's such a fab idea and everyone at the event will be able to set it up soon. For everyone else i think it will available from mid-july. I really haven't explained it very well, Lollipop26 (Laura) explained it amazingly as she'd recorded a little vid for us to watch. After this we all got to preview the new Barry M advert, which aired the following day (Thursday at around 6.43 - In the hollyoaks break) I have seen it a couple of times since then too. I think it's fab. What do you reckon?

Overall it was such a fantastic day, I must admit i was SO nervous to be meeting everyone as i'm initially quite a shy person but once you get talking to me i'm fine, but i had so much fun and felt completely at ease as everyone was so lovely. We were all there because of the same love of makeup and it just helped everyone gel together. I just wish there was more time as even though it was 3 hours, it went SO quickly and there just wasn't enough time to have a quality chat with everybody, which i'm sad i never managed to do!

So thankyou girlies for making it such an enjoyable afternoon, it was so lovely to meet you all & thankyou so much to Barry M for hosting such a fab event.

The Goody Bag...

Before we left we were handed this goody bag...can you imagine 30(ish) people travelling in convoy to covent garden with these..yes it turned a few heads. :)

[These are swatches of the 2 lipsticks i didn't already own - Can you tell the difference? The top is Cerise Pink and the bottom is Punky Pink. They come out almost identical.]

[The Dazzle Dusts - From Left to Right - 24, Toffee - 98, Petrol Black - 22, Black Gold - 96, Gold - 97, Dark Chocolate]
My favourites are Tofee, Petrol Black and Gold. GORGEOUS colours. If you look in the whol goody bag photo, you will see another dazzle dust with a pink lid. This was our V.I.P exclusive dazzle dust created for everyone at the event. There were 2 colours. A baby blue and baby purple. I got the blue one, although i haven't swatched it as i'm going to keep it as a collectable type thing :)

[Above = Flash - Below = No flash]

I was overwhelmed by the generosity of these goody bags. It certainly gave Me & Lydia

something to look at on train journey home (Lydia..did that lipstick come out of your top? lol)

And here is a geeky photo of me wearing the Barry M T-Shirt...love it!!
[Excuse the lack of makeup and overly contoured cheekbone...i was experimenting lol]

So as you can see we were all really lucky and were given some fab freebies. I can't wait to try it all out and review some of it. If there is anything in particular you would like a full review on, please let me know and i'll be happy to do it for you.

Check out my next post for a teeny pre-event haul (I arrived an hour early so had some time to spare...oops) & a few other things i picked up in the last week or so :)

Much love lovelies

♥