Review- Elemis Pro-radiance cream cleanser

What is it?
It is an anti ageing cleanser that gently dissolves makeup and dirt without drying out the skin, whilst purifying oily areas.

Important ingrediants:
Moringa- Great antioxidant to keep the skin protect from pollutants we encounter through the day, which can cause skins ageing.

Assai Palm fruit- helps to reduces the appearance of redness.

Great burdock- helps to regulate the skins sebum (oil) production, so it doesnt dry out dryer areas but helps control and purify your oily zones.

Noni- Nourishes the skin, helping to soften and relax lines and wrinkles.

How to use:
I personally use this at night, as you massage it in and then leave it for 2-3 mins just to let it work and devolve makeup so I like to have a little extra time. then you just wipe off with a flannel and tone as usual. You can use it in the morning as well though.

Texture and smell:
The texture is very thick and slippery (almost waxy) between your fingers, I personally like the texture as I have normal-dry skin, if you have more of an oilier skin the texture may put you off.
It smells ok, I can defiantly smell lavender (which I dont particularly like) and patchouli, its very herby smelling and therefore doesnt smell like your typical Elemis facial product.

What did I think?
I really like this, its really good at removing makeup, due to the oily/waxy texture, it makes that makeup melt right off! It leaves my skin feeling really nice and soft after use and leaves a silky residue on my skin, my face looks instantly healthier with a nice dewy glow.

Is it right for your skin? 

Dry/Dehydrated-If you are concerned with lines and wrinkles and you suffer from very dry and dehydrated skin then I think you will love it, it feels like it is really giving your skin a drink, and your skin feels silky with a slight moisturising layer left behind even after toning. However you may want to look at the Elemis Pro collagen cleansing balm instead.

Combination skin- If you are concerned about anti ageing and find you have dehydrated patches but still find you sometimes get an oily chin etc when your hormones play up, I think this will be great for you, as it really leaves your skin feeling hydrated but the great burdock will help control that oil.

Oily skin- I dont think this will be the cleanser for you, as I said it does feel very slippy between the fingers and after use it does leave a silky film, I also find it gives my skin a dewy glow. all these things might put a person with an oily skin off the product.

Sensitive- I think this will be fine, Elemis products are very good when it comes to not putting 'nasty' ingredients in, also if you suffer from redness the palm fruit will really help to calm this down. The fact the you apply and leave it to dissolve makeup is good as well as it means you do not need to sit and rub your skin, which may cause your skins sensitivity to flare up.

Shellac- 'Cake Pop' from the spring collection

Without flash

without flash

with flash

About the colour
It really is just a lovely shade of pastel blue toned baby pink, it is very opaque and creamy looking with no shimmer, glitter, etc, I think its perfect for spring and summer and I always think of easter eggs when I wear this colour :)
I personally love it, it goes nicely with my very pale skin, and on darker skin tones I think it looks lovely, just like a variation of the white nail trend thats going about.

Application
The application is nice, it is a little bit runnier then I like (and runnier then most other shellac colours) which makes application a little harder as it tends to flood the cuticles easier and it also bubbles easier if you have it even the tiniest bit too thick.
It also isnt the most opaque colour iv seen, the photos are with 2 coats however if I had more time when i was doing these I defiantly would of added a third coat! and would recommend a third coat to anyone out there.

Final thoughts?
I love the colour on both fair and dark skin tones, its a perfect colour for spring and summer, however it takes a little more patients to apply to stop it running and bubbling, and it needs a third coat to make it look flawless.

Review- Lush Mint julips lip scrub

I love it! I didnt know whether to purchase this or not, i was like 'but its just sugar and oil!? Why is it £5.50!' So I then decided to make my own.... HA! after having a war with sugar and honey, making a mess and the sugar half dissolving in the honey I decided to give up and just buy it instead!


I am 100% glad I did! :D Its that product that you forget about when it comes to your skin care holy grails, but it should be up there with the best of them :) I have been on holiday for 2 weeks and didnt have it and my lips are now so dry and flaky! Iv realised just how much I love it! Why is it you dont miss things till there gone?

You need the tiniest amount, it will last for ages! I use it once or twice a day (it sits on my bedside table) It has the most amazing sweet yet refreshing minty smell and taste and isnt too dry or too runny! Just perfect! :D My lips are now so so soft and smooth :D

See!? How can they coat £5.50. Totally
worth it though :)

Review- GEO medical, nudy Grey and nudy green circle lenses.

Ok so unfortunately I cant do as in-depth post as a would like to, as I stupidly let my contacts dry out, so they are now sitting in my bin :( So lesson of the day LOOK AFTER YOUR CONTACTS!
Hopefully this will be helpful for some of you as I found it VERY difficult to find pictures of these circles lenses in natural green or hazel eyes.

About my eyes
I have hazel eyes that are slightly more on the green side, and can look very green in bright lights, I also have very small eyes, Im very pale with cool undertones to my skin and I have naturally dark blonde hair.
Below are photos to show you the results, I have included no makeup and heavy make up photos just so you can see the different effects :)
Ok so lets start off with pictures of my nudy greys :)

one in, one out with flash.

Both, with flash.

one in, one out, in indoor lighting.

Both, without flash

heavy makeup, with flash.

Heavy makeup, without flash.

What do I think?
I really like them, I think they are cute! especially with little makeup they give you a really innocent doe eyed look, and with heavy makeup they give me big doll eyes :).

They dont blend perfectly into my natural eye colour, as the inside ring is just that... a ring! It doesn't gradually fade out it just stops with a dark grey/ black ring.

The enlargement effect I think is fab! if you have naturally bigger eyes they do have a super nudy range, however if your eyes are small to average, id stick with these ones as if you go too big for your eye size you will end up making your eyes look smaller!

There not the most natural looking contacts due to the black outer ring and the enlargement effect it gives, however the actual pattern on the contact is one of the most natural iv seen in the circle lens world!

Comfort wise id properly give these a 6.8/10, they are comfy as in you can hardly feel them in your eyes, however they dry your eyes out really fast! More then 3 hours wear and you feel like your eyelids gonna stick to your eyeball with every blink! Even with eyedrops they are very drying. However I use these when I do makeup Im gonna photograph just to give my picture a little bit something extra, or if im going for drinks for a couple of hours and fancy putting a bit more effort in.

Pros
Good enlargement effect, quite natural, can hardly feel them in your eye, nice true grey colour, opaque, super size available.
Cons
does not blend in with natural eye too well, dries my eyes out, only two toned so lacks dimension.

Nudy Green
So these are the only pictures I have of the greens :(

they are very similar to everything iv written about the nudy greys apart from: these blend in better with my natural eye as the inner ring is a dark green instead of black, however there is still no fade, its still a ring.

I also think they are more reptile, demon (in the best possible way) like then the greys, they defiantly have a more supernatural feel to them rather then the innocent cute feel the grey have.

The colour is a lovely emerald green :)

Pros
Good enlargement effect, can hardly feel them in your eye, nice true green colour, opaque, super size available, blend in quite well with natural eye.
Cons
dries my eyes out, only two toned so lacks dimension, looks unnatural (reptile like)

If I had to pick one or the other id pick the greys. :)

Review- Topshop volume lash mascara.

"Longlasting formula separates and thickens the lashes."- Topshop website

Packaging:

Not much to say really, its a nice size unlike some which seem twice the size they need to be. the feel of its nice, its almost got  rubber texture :) its a nice and secure screw lid, the only slight downside is that cause its the rubber texture and cream it gets stained with other makeup such as foundation very easily.

So you can see the brush size.

Colour:

Black, and it is black! :)

Texture:

the texture of the product is nice when you first buy it, it isn't too watery and runny like some mascaras that make your eyelashes stick together, but its not to dry and thick that its going to dry out and be unusable in 2 weeks, for me its the perfect consistency :)

It is a fibre brush not a rubber bristle brush, which i prefer, the brush is also a nice size not too big so you can use it on your lower lashes.

Application:

How I find the best way to apply this is, is to do one coat on both sets of upper lashes then another coat on both, then bottom lashes then one final coat on the top ones, with only the one dip in the tube :) I find that the lashes need to dry a tiny bit in between coats, and by not reloading your brush with product you avoid clumpy stuck together lashes.

Staying power:

staying power is good, i find it doesn't leave them annoying mascara smudges where your lashes have touch the skin by your eyebrow! I also find it doesn't flake off and go all over my cheeks.

I love the look, its my lashes but better :) it gives them thickness without clumpyness, and adds length, its a really nice flutter lash mascara.

before mascara

with mascara

Final thoughts:

I love it! Not the most dramatic mascara ever, but perfect for fluttery separated lashes!

Shellac- 'Steel Gaze' from 'The forbidden' collection.

Steel gaze is a strange one, i though it was going to be grey.. like steel... but its more like erm 'moss gaze'? Yes it has a very distinct green tone to it however I would defiantly put in in my neutrals collection. 

Its a metallic, antiqued, muted bronzed green with grey undertones and flecks of shimmer. its a really nice colour in dull light but in bright sun its amazing! it has this mass of gold and silver tiny shimmer particles!

If you love, rubble, iced cappuccino and sugared spice you will love this! I also don't think theres a duplicate colour already in the shellac collection, the most similar is sugared spice but this has lots more green and lots more sparkle! Its a strange yet beautiful colour.

Application:

This didn't shrink at all like some do (for example lobster roll) and the texture wasn't as runny and thin as there spring collection (blue azure etc) its a nice texture :) It is a bit harder to apply due to the metallic, you have to make sure that the brush lines are in the same direction as the strokes show up really easily, it also has the tendency to bubble when cured it you have done the layer slightly to thick so you have to take more care with your application then some of the easier colours :) 

so to the right is it in dull light, and left is it in bright light, you can see just how much the different lighting effects this colour, it really is rather unique!

Review- Revlon Nearly Naked foundation!

"Makeup so refreshingly light, it melts right in, creating a fresh even look. So the only one that knows you are wearing makeup is you. Blends seamlessly, buildable coverage."- Revlon website.

I bought this as my summer foundation as I love my colorstay and my double wear but i find them too thick and heavy for summer, I wanted something that is nice and thin and light on the skin but would give more coverage then a tinted moisturiser. As an extra benefit it also has a broad spectrum SPF20 which I thought would be perfect for summer (broad spectrum meaning it provides protection to UVA and UVB rays)
Rounding everything up I like it! Its easy to apply, I like the way it feels on my skin, its nice and light feeling with still a decent light-medium coverage, it has a nice dewy finish and sits well on my skin and has good staying powder. More detailed review below :)

Packaging:

 It is very simple but sturdy glass bottle with no pump, the lid clicks when it is screwed on fully so you know its shut securely  the bottle is a nice size with no unneeded lumps or bumps. The absence of a pump doesn't bother me, all I do is put my finger over the opening, turn the bottle upside down then the right way up again and it leaves a nice amount on my finger :) I use 5 on these to cover my face :)

Colour:

 Colour is always hard for me im very pale and most cheaper foundations are all ways to dark (I cant use the lightest shades in rimmel or bourjois) but the shade Ivory (lightest shade available) is perfect for me. It has 10 shades so rather a large range compared to most cheaper end foundations! 

Texture:

 the texture of the foundation is very liquidy, it is thicker then MACs face and body, but thinner then most, its also a creamy texture rather then a gel or moose texture.

How it applies:

 I have tried this with a 187 stippling brush, the result was nice but you seemed to have to use loads of product and the coverage was light.

I used my fingers and I found it impossible to blend! it just kept streaking and it didnt seem to sink into my skin and it looked very uneven.

I love this product using the beauty blender! (well my tear shaped beauty sponge off ebay should I say) it goes on and blends so so easy with this, and the coverage is more medium and it gives a lovely dewy glow!

Look and Staying power:

 After applying with my beauty blender sponge, it looks really smooth even and flawless with a medium coverage, it is dewy without looking oily (it has no shimmer particles in btw!) and it feels nice and light on the skin!

I do powder my under eyes, nose, and cheeks lightly and I find this foundation lasts really well, it lasts me all day at work (9hrs) and still looks good even after that! In hotter climates (when I was on holiday) I applied it in the morning (about 8am) and by about 5 it was looking a bit tired and sweaty, so I would reapply it for evening.

before and after

just foundation

no concealer.

This is it as full face with bronzer blush etc, its also with camera flash so you can see that there isnt that really obvious SPF white glare you sometimes get :)

Final thoughts:

I would recommend this to any one who wants a light to medium coverage foundation, who likes a dewy finish and has a dry to normal combination skin.

Pros: good shade range, easy to apply, SPF20, long lasting, natural looking.

Cons: needs to be reapplied quicker in hotter climates, doesnt do a great job of covering open pores.

Review- MAC Mineralize Skin finish in Lightscapade

the colour is 'Lightscapade' and its the lightest colour at the time of purchase.

This photo is off MACs UK website.

This is my own photo.

So you can see the first thing I would like to address is the colour, I know that not everyone is going to be the same, but I was rather disappointed when I took it out of the box and it was the colour shown above (no its not the lighting it really is that orangey!) There is hardly any of the blue in mine and even less of the pink! :( mine is basically the opposite to the swatch! lots of cream and orange and hardly any blue and pink! Not impressed, I should of took it back and exchanged it, but I wanted to use it too badly! (im too impatient) However after a few uses more of the pink and blue is coming through, however its still hugely different to MACs swatch!

Used as a highlighter:

This is beautiful! it gives a real illuminosity without the glitter particles just  subtle shimmer particles that you can only see very close up You need to use it sparingly on only the high points of the face as it is very pigmented so you want to avoid applying it in harsh lines and make sure the edges are nice and blended! It is more silvery then gold so it is better for pale skins.
it does transfer so if you take a phone call you might find your screen is all highlighted as well! However I find it stays put really well and lasts all day without slipping and sliding around :)

Used as an all over powder:

Applied sparingly with a stippling brush. I wouldn't recommend it, I like a dewy finish but this is just too much, it gives as almost wet look to the skin in bright lights, so it can make you look very oily.

Final thoughts:

Pros:Would recommend for pale skins to use as a highlighter, very pigmented, lasts for ages, nice packaging, stays well on the skin.
Cons: Transfers easily, cant be used as a full face powder.

Review- MAC magically cool liquid powder.

MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder in the colour 'Truth and light'

According to MAC it is- "A silky, feather-light powder, formulated with 70% water, dusts on to the skin as a cooling mist to set and enhance the look of any foundation. Beyond sheer: light-reflecting and translucent. A virtually invisible way to add luminosity and a soft radiant glow to the skin."

and the colour is described as 'sheer shimmer that reflects silver and pink' This is the lightest of the 3 colours available.

So in this review I am going to include swatches, applied with the 3 brushes shown in the picture below, so you can see the different effects it can give and my views on different aspects of the product.

upper left- bare essentuals, flawless face buffer brush. upper right- MACs 187 duo fibre stippling brush.
lower centre- real techniques small dense foundation/concealer brush. 

Packaging:

the packaging to this product is the same as any other twist off lid jar, with sieve holes to disperse the product. It feels sturdy and the lid twists on securely, it does not feel like it will break in your makeup bag.
Even though the disperser holes are very small the product if so fine that it slips through the holes far far far too easily! if you tip this upside down for a few seconds The whole top section will be full of product which you dont want as you will end up loosing much of the product due to 'dust clouds' when opening, and product stuck to the lid. Therefore I think taking this product traveling is a big no no, unless you apply tape over the holes before popping it in your makeup bag! bit of an inconvinience.

Texture and feel:
Mac was spot on when they described it as "silky" and "feather-light" it is the finest powder I have ever had the pleasure of touching. It is unbelievable smooth between the fingers xD
It also gives a cooling sensation, im not surre if I love or hate the sensation though! when i apply it to my face with my brush it literally feels like im applying it with a very wet brush! I expect to have big streaky water marks in my foundation (but luckily I never do :P) But I can imagin you would welcome the feeling in hot summer months (not like we ever get any in England!) It would be a nice product to carry in your bag to freshen up your make up and cool down in hot weather, but unfortunatly this is not possibal due to the packaging problen mentioned above.
Even though it does feel very cooling and water like when applied it doesnt last long! maybe 10 seonds at the most, so if your buying it solely for the cooling aspect then dont buy it!

Smell:
if you sniff it in the pot then it has an unusual, yet very natural and subtle smell, however when applying it I cant smell anything! so if your funny with smells then dont worry this product will be fine for you!

Look and uses on the skin
it is light reflecting and glowy, it is inbetween a irridesence and shimmer see pictures below (click to enlarge)

Here you can see the flakes of tiny silver shimmer

and here you can see the pink irredecance (it looks more purple simply cause its on a black base!) 

This product can be used as both a setting powder and a highlighter depending of the effect wanted and the brush used.

187 brush without flash

As a setting powder:
I like it as a setting powder, it keeps my foundation in place and doesnt make my foundation look dry, powdery or cakey, I have tried it both with a sparse stippling brush and a denser powder brush here are the results:

187 brush with flash

This is the product applied with the MAC 187 brush, I stippled it on and the buffed it in, I found the more you buff with this product the more intense the glow becomes, this is not what i was expecting normally with shimmery products the more you buff the more the shimmer gets dusted off, but with this it seems to disperse it more! Be careful not to buff too much else you will move your foundation around and end up with patchy bits.

I like the look of this its not too much, when i first applied it I was dissapointed it wasnt a bit more glowy, but now I have been wearing it for a week, I appreciate its not over the top, this also means it doesnt draw too much attention to enlarged pores, fine lines or blemishes unlike very shimmery products do.

powder brush without flash.

This is the product applied with the flawless face brush, which is denser then the MAC 187 brush, I therefore thought it would give more of a glow, but I actually find them very simular, this brush perhaps applys it slightly more unevenly but only when inspecting it VERY closely! It may just be the powder brush I am using as I have read other reviews that said it is too shimmery when applied with a dense powder brush! I also thought that the 187 gave a nicer cooling feeling when applied.

powder brush with flash.

Therefore either brush would be fine to apply, its just personal preference and which brush you already have in your collection. Dont expect the glow to be too noticeable as a setting powder else you will be disappointed.

Applied with the real techniques brush.

Used for a highlighter

I really like it as a highlighter as well! I would apply it with a dense brush so it packs the product on, and remember its not a gold or silver based highlighter it will give a pink iridescence so bare that in mind!

so this is the product as a highlighter, I applied it with my favorite brush used for highlighting! its a mini foundation brush/ large concealer brush, it packs the product on, again the more i buff the product in the more of a glow I get. It gives a lovely shimmery glow with no glitter particles, for me I would of preferred a lighter or translucent powder to really lighten and highlight my cheek bone but if you have a light-medium (not white white!) skin tone then it should be fine, also if you have a ashier skin it would look better due to the pink iridescence to it.

I like it as a highlighter as well, but its a bit to dark for my taste, so I personally use it as a setting powder but its personal preference and skin tone!

Final thoughts?

I find this product sits on my shelf and gets forgotton about, I would not purchase again as I dont think the look, or uses live up to the price.

Thanks, let me know what you think, and if you like the other 2 colours MAC have ('Honey rose' and 'Cajun')