Yves Saint Laurent Souffle D'Eclat Loose Powder

Loose powders are relatively new in my make up collection. I've always loved to add a little extra coverage with a pressed powder, but for now a matte complexion is top of my agenda. 

Yves Saint Laurent Souffle D'Eclat Loose Powder retails at £38 for 15g which you can buy here.

This is a very fine powder, almost translucent, but there are 4 shades available to allow you to match up your skin tone preventing it from looking powdery once applied. 

This makes your  skin feel so smooth, applied over foundation or straight on to your skin it feels like silk all day. I apply this with a realTechniques blush brush; I find that its long bristles allow for minimal powder to be applied. The powder is so finely milled that little product is needed. A soft fluffy brush like this is perfect for applying an even amount all over the face.

I personally love the feel of this over Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation also by YSL (pictured above). I think because of the dewy feel of the foundation the powder makes it last longer and it prevents your complexion looking shiny, whilst maintaining the natural finish the foundation gives. The same can be said for other dewy foundations, just this is my foundation of choice. 

Let me know your favourite loose powders. I have also been loving the Estee Lauder Double Wear loose powder, but this one makes the skin feel much softer. Of the two the Souffle D'Eclat is probably better quality, and is ever so slightly cheaper.

Ciao
  xxx

The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream

 Hello beauties,

With a never ending quest for nice skin and natural looking make up The Body Shop finally takes it's place among my endless testing, or shopping as my mum like to call it.

BB creams are not my favourite base products, I often find they lack the coverage I crave and can make the skin look a little shiny as the day goes on. That said, heavy foundations also cause a little shine in the summer heat, so I thought one with skin purifying qualities was worth a shot.

The Tea Tree BB Cremes retail for £8 for 40ml of product and can be purchased here.

The website claims the product has three main advantages; 

1)  Blemishes and imperfections are instantly covered.

2) A lightweight formula that gives shine-free complexion.

3) That the 3 shades available blend seamlessly into all skin tones for natural-looking coverage.

In honesty, three shades is very limited. With countless BB creams available on the market I think most people are likely to find there perfect match else where. I was in between buying the lightest and medium shade, I went for the lightest as I think it is easier to add colour than to take away. However, the fact that I was in between shades shows that if you have a darker skin then this product will probably not work for you. Really I think the majority of people would struggle to blend this in to a natural looking shade. 

This has a very thick consistency when first applied. It does blend in flawlessly but the coverage is not as full as other BB creams I have used. From the bellow picture you can see from the coverage on my, very annoying, burn scar that this is a good medium coverage. The trouble is some of the coverage wears away throughout the day.
If you are looking for something with medium to full coverage, with better staying power, I would direct you towards Jouer Cosmetics Moisture Tints; see my review here. 

The only real problem I had with this product is how oily it made my skin look as the hours past. I normally use The Body Shop's tea tree skin care products to combat excess oil and blemishes, but this product seemed to do the opposite. Due to it's thick consistency it looked and felt too cakey if I wore a powder over this. I therefore feel that if you do have oily skin then this is a no go. For now I am just using it on my cheeks where I do not have a problem with excess oil.

Overall I would say this product is okay, but I would not repurchase this. It is reasonably priced but I would rather spend a little more on a product that looks just as good in the evening as when first applied.

Let me know what you think if you have tried this product, and what your favourite BB creams are.

Ciao

  xxx

Review: Oskia Renaissance Mask

Hello lovelies,

As you may know my least favourite beauty practice is skin care, it is just such a faff, and there are too many products out there! Even with reviews, it can be a little bit of trial and error; never a good thing when some of the best things can be incredibly expensive. 

Rant over, I received a free sample of the Oskia London Renaissance Mask from cultbeauty when I purchased some other items, and have officially fallen in love with my new silky skin.

Price £48.50 for 50ml  buy here You receive 2 free samples with orders above £40 and free delivery on orders over £50 at cultbeauty.

First things first, this is said to be suitable for all skin types. As I have combination skin, with very sensitive skin around my eyes, I can confirm this. Whilst it does not seam to combat dryness or excess oils, this does leave your skin feeling nourished, smooth and fresh. In fact I actually noticed a decrease in the red pigmentation in my skin after using this. I would not say the effects are long lasting, but with each use you are guaranteed to see a vast improvement to skin luminosity.

This actually works by increasing the turnover of skin cells, this therefore minimises blocked pores in turn reducing their appearance. It is also supposed to reduce the appearance of finer wrinkles, thankfully I have none as yet so I cannot comment on this. 

The mask contains Passion fruit and papaya enzymes which ex-foliate the skin, removing the dead skin cells and exposing fresh skin. Your complexion really does look brighter after using this, I much prefer this to ex-foliating as this is lovely and gentle on your skin and leaves it feeling and looking nicer. It also contains prebiotics which will help to fight blemishes by removing bacteria on your skin. 

By far my favourite thing about this mask is it's amazing smell. I can't put my finger on which of the ingredients this smell is, but just yum is all I can say. It really is a pleasure to wear.

As you can see when applied it is just a thin white layer, it is really soft on your skin and comes off very easily with a little water. The same as if you were washing soap off your face. It is not the kind of mask you have to get off in the shower.

Hope this has been useful beauties, let me know what you think of this mask, or what your favourite mask is if you have another.

Ciao

  xxx

Review: Jouer Moisture Tints

Sorry it has been a while, life can get in the way sometimes but I am back, and I'm feeling summery! For those that have been around a while you will know I'm a strictly full coverage girl, this will never change, but BB creams and tinted moisturises have. Last summer I gave up looking for a lighter base for warmer months but as I'm slowly reaching 23 it's about time I stopped clogging up my pores and wore a base with a decent spf and moisturising qualities. Step in Jouer Cosmetics Moisture Tints.

I have really fallen for this brand, everything they sell is really high quality and makes you feel really made up in a natural looking way. I would like to say I knew I would love these tints but honestly I was skeptical. Luckily CultBeauty offer 2 free samples when you spend over £40 so I tried out the Pearl and Deep Bronze and was pleasantly surprised by the coverage they gave.

Both of the moisture tints are oil free, the only real difference I have found is that the luminizing tints are slightly more nourishing on the skin, where the matte tints can be a little drying on the skin if you wear them too often. I apply a mix of the luminizing Pearl and matte Porcelain all over my face as a base then blend in a little of the Deep Bronze on to my cheeks, nose and forehead. This gives a really nice tanned summer look as well as it carving out some cheek bones. I use this sparingly though, a pea size amount is more than enough for full face bronzing.

As you can see all pigmentation is covered, and even though the sun was glaring, there is no shimmer on the luminizing deep bronze tint. I have combination skin and have not needed to apply a powder to keep back any shine. If I were to wear the aluminising tint alone then perhaps a little blotting throughout the day but the matte tint is amazing at holding back excess oily. The The longevity of the tints is what really impress me. I did not think a tint would actually last me a proper working day, but the product just dries on to the skin instantly and stays in place just as a foundation would.

Bad news is there are no pretty Jouer stores or counters in the UK, but these can be purchased online here for £30 from Cult Beauty. And if you are worried about finding a shade to match your skin tone, but are tempted to buy the deep bronze shade four contouring, simply mix a bit of the bronze into one of the lighter shades and create your perfect match as your tan develops or fades throughout the year. 

bareMinerals: Lash Domination

Hello beauties,

Another mascara review today, and this one has crept its way into becoming my favourite, so get comfy if you want to find out why.

Lash Domination 10-in-1 Volumizing Mascara retails for £17 buy here.

As you can see the wand is what makes this mascara so different from others. With it's 180° spiral all you have to do is swivel the applicator on to your lashes and you will get an even coating of product while it perfectly defines, lengthens and curls them.

The 10 things this mascara is said to achieve are; volumize, lengthen, thicken, separate, lift, last all-day as well as being mineral fortified, smudge-resistant, clump free and flake free, all of which are true. As you can see bellow, just one coat of this mascara provides lovely fanned out lashes that are lengthened and curled.

Of course if you want thicker lashes with more volume simply apply one or two more coats of product. The reason I love this mascara over others that as you can see one coat is perfect for day time, but the spiral wand allows you to apply a second or third coat at any time without it looking clumpy or flaking.

With other mascaras I brush through my lashes with a lash brush or clean spooly before applying another coat, but with this you do not have to. Perfect for keeping in your purse with that bright lipstick to bring your day look into your night out look.

Anything bad? Well, for most girls probably not, but I have found one little problem with this product. Does anyone else's eyes water when they lay on their side or am I just unknowingly emotional? Either way I have found that this mascara stings my eyes like crazy when it gets wet leaving me with two options; cry more from the pain and end up looking like a panda, or remove it and look like...well me. This isn't a real problem, I don't generally cry in public and it hasn't been a problem in the rain but be warned, if you are planning on blubbing through a film any time soon then this is probably not a good choice of mascara.

Hope you found this useful ladies, let me know your thoughts on this product. I plan on re-purchasing this when I next go shopping, and at £17 this shows how much I love this mascara.

Ciao

  xxx

buymebeautiful 1st birthday!!!!

Hola guapas,

Today I have been blogging for 1year so I thought I would celebrate by showcasing another side of my self in my blog. You may know I am half Spanish so today I will be blogging in Español! :)

Como mi primera entrada del blog era mi rutina de cuidado de la piel, pensé que sería bueno que mi entrada de mi primer cumpleaños de blog sea mi rutina puesta al día.

Aunque yo cuido de mi piel, no es algo que me encanta discutir. Es algo que considero un trabajo, no es algo divertido para mi. Sin embargo, a mi me gusta probar productos que producen una sensación clara, limpia y suave en la piel.

Con eso dicho, aquí están los productos de los cuales he disfrutado durante los últimos meses.

1) Quitar maquillaje de ojos

Garnier Skin Naturals Cleansing Wipes 25 toallitas £3.50  €4.55

Lancôme Bi-Facil 125ml £21  €27.30

2) Limpiar la cara

De momento uso agua y jabón, el jabón que me gusta es el Dove Beauty Cream Bar 6 bares £ 3.00 € 3,90

3) La limpieza y la tonificación
The Body Shop Vitamin E:
Cream Cleanser 200ml £8  €10.40
Hydrating Toner 200ml £8  €10.40

4) Hidratante de noche
The Body Shop Vitamin E:

Overnight Serum-in-Oil 28ml £12  €15.60

Intense Moisture Cream 50ml £12  €15.60

Hidratante de dia
Lancôme Rénergie Multi-Lift Lifting Firming Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF 15 - All Skin Types 50ml £64  €83.20

Gracias por leer mi blog, me encanta escribirlo y espero seguir escribiendolo durante muchos años. Comenta abajo y díme cuales son sus productos favoritos para el cuidado de la piel.

Ciao
  xxx

Kevyn Aucoin; The Sensual Skin Enhancer

Put down the concealer you are using and re-think the word full coverage, because this little beauty brings a whole new meaning to the word. 

This 3 in 1 product really does fulfil its title, it enhances all of the things you love about your skin and hides all that pigmentation we develop as we age.

This has had mixed reviews, mainly due to it's price and consistency, so allow me to try and clear up any questions you may have. If I leave any unanswered questions please do not hesitate to ask in the comments section bellow.

Application: As you can see I just use a tiny amount of product on to a small brush, then apply this to the area I wish to conceal or highlight. If I am concealing I apply this directly on to bare skin and then apply my foundation on top. I do not use a primer as this product is so incredibly thick it sticks to your skin perfectly. It seams to dry on to your skin so no matter how much you rub your face this product will not budge.

For highlighter I apply this to bare skin again prior to foundation, but I do not apply foundation over this, just blend the foundation into the skin around it. You can apply this over foundation, but it is so thick I just feel more comfortable without doing so. Similar to my reason to not applying primer, the product seams to cling better to bare skin and I like to make it as long lasting as possible.

How much should you use? Bear in bind just how much coverage this product gives. Whatever amount of concealer you would normally use divide it by about 4 and you may have the correct amount needed. The picture above showing the small amount on the brush covered my whole left cheek. If this was mixed with a pea size amount of moisturiser you could cover the whole of your lower face and still achieve medium coverage.

Bellow I used about half the amount of enhancer to that pictured on the brush above. You can still see the blemish raised slightly, but all pigmentation is fully covered. I use Double Wear Stay-In-Place foundation by Estee Lauder (review) but I have also tried L'Oreal True Match foundation which has less coverage and had the same result.

Where to buy: This can be purchased online at cultbeauty for £36.50 for 18g, however they only sell 11 shades which are mostly light. SpaceNK stock all shades but charge £38 however, you can also go in store to get matched up by one of the lovely girls, which I urge you to do. Not only will they find you your most suitable shade they can help talk you through application.

Why people disliked it: Some reviews I have read have said this is not a great product if you have dry skin. It is true that this product dries in to the skin almost immediately, this is what allows it to have such good staying power. However, I have suffered from the worst dry skin on my eye area, and I have not noticed any dryness. I would say you need to make sure you do not wear your make up too long, and that you need a good moisturising regime, but overall I would not say dryness is a problem, especially if you are not using this as a foundation. If you do plan on using this as your daily foundation, this has such a thick consistency that you have to mix it with a moisturiser so dryness should not really come into play.

Why it's not for everybody: Whilst there are 16 shades available, it is highly unlikely you will find an exact match to your skin colour. The best thing to do is to match up the tone of your skin so for example a yellow or pink undertone, and pick the shade that is just a little lighter than your skin colour. This will allow you to use it as a highlighter, and as a foundation mixed with moisturiser, or concealer if worn under foundation.

I hope this post was useful ladies, I have really come to love this product, and although it is expensive, so little is needed per use this pot could last a lifetime.

L'Oreal Paris Glam Bronze Monos

Today I have something I was not sure would ever happen on my blog, a fully positive review of a drug store bronzing powder. I have always been looking for a great one, but have never managed to find a drugstore matte bronzer that is the same quality as high end ones. Is it really so much to ask for something matte that I don't have to work a whole day to pay for? Well L'Oreal don't seem to think so, so here is why it is the perfect addition to your makeup collection...

Shade: This really is a perfect colour, I have 00 Blond Sun which is the lightest shade, and it is ideal for pale skin. There is no overpowering orange or red undertone. Just a perfect shade to either sculpt or create a naturally tanned look. This also comes in shade 06 Golden Bronze which I do find a little orange for my skin, but I think this would look lovely on darker more golden skin tones such as Indian, or even warmer olive skin tones that some Latin girls have.

Texture: Ok so this may not be as velvet or silk like as my favourite Lancôme powder (read review) but this is not far off. It makes your skin feel smooth and it allows for buildable and blend-able application. When applying as a bronzer I like to use the Ecotools Blush Brush which is nice and big so is great for creating a natural looking tan all over.

Packaging: I am always a fan of a compact mirror and this has a really large one perfect for your travel make up bag. The applicator however I am not a fan of, it looks cheep, the bristles fall out, they feel very scratchy and I highly doubt any one would use this. I think L'Oreal would  do better to put the mirror in the flip up lid and scrap the brush all together, but this is the only negative I have about the product.

Price: £7.99 You can find this in most Boots and Superdrug stores but I could only find this online at Superdrug here. This is such a great price! Re-package this into a high end brand and you wouldn't think twice about paying £20-30, it is high quality value for money.

Aside from the applicator this product is an amazing drug store addition, and the perfect product for cheating a lovely summer tan. 

Ciao
  xxx

Better than the MAC 217??

Hello ladies,

Yes that's correct, there is a brush out there other than the MAC 217 Blending Brush that can blend and smoke better than the best. It is a brush that I have never seen anyone else use strangely but it is my absolute kit essential! I will not keep you in suspense any longer; The Lancôme 17 Blending Shadow brush.
 

 

I have actually reviewed this brush along two other Lancôme brushes a while ago, so click here if you would like to read that post. This brush is £21 compared to £18 that the 217 costs. It is a little more expensive, but totally worth it!

 

I had been looking for a great blending brush for about a month before buying the 17 brush; most brushes were either too small, too stiff or too prickly.

As you can see the 17 is more flexible than the 217 due to its longer bristles and it also has a softer feel. This allows for softer blending, preventing any harsh lines and smoking out any look perfectly.

The 217 has shorter bristles and is a little more stiff. This means it is actually better if you are doing a cut crease as you want to concentrate the shadow in your crease and just blend it out a little. The 17 is tapered; it comes to a tip in the centre of the brush, therefore you can still create cut crease looks. The only difference is you would have to press a little lighter with the brush and use a little more shadow or the cut crease will just become a smoky eye.

As you can see the 17 is larger than the 217, It's bristles are more fanned out and different lengths. I like this, it makes the brush feel fluffier and allows it to blend more easily preventing any harsh lines of shadow.

Where the 17 is a fully rounded tapered brush the 217 is actually flat at the sides. I personally think this makes it harder to blend with than the 17. The 217 also has more tightly packed bristles contributing to it being more stiff than the 17 brush.

I would say that if you are working with a cream shadow, or anything that isn't a powder, then the 217 will be better for blending it. It's dense bristles and stiffness here will actually make it easier to blend out the product as it will more easily pick up the product.

Overall, I think it really depends which looks you create, and what products you are using as to which of these you go for. I personally like to use powder shadows and much prefer a smoky eye to a cut crease, but if you can afford both then the two do work well together.

To be fair to MAC the Lancôme 17 brush is more similar to the MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush. I personally prefer the 17 brush as the bristles are just so much softer, also the 224 is £22.50 and I see no point in spending an extra £1.50 for a harsher feeling brush. The reason I chose to do a comparative review with the 217 is simply because it is so raved about I didn't want people looking for a blending brush to feel it was the only option.

I hope this has been useful, apologies it was a little long but thank you for reading. Let me know what you think ladies, have you used either of these brushes, or do you have a different favourite?

Ciao
  xxx

MAC & Kevyn Aucoin Haul

Hello Beauties,
 

So I may have been a little naughty recently. In my defence I have been saving up for a long time to get these bits. Ah sometimes its fun to be spendy, and I wanted to get a few things to show you all in one post so here are my recent picks...

Firstly I went to MAC, and I think I was probably the last beauty blogger to buy the 217 Blending Brush but at last I got my hands on it. To be honest I have another blending brush I prefer to this one but it is always nice to have a few different size brushes. I will be doing a comparative review of this brush soon so hit follow to read this shortly.

Of course you cannot go to a mac counter and not buy a lipstick! I already have a lipglass in shade Angel so I decided to get the same shade in a lipstick. It is a lovely matte pale pink that is perfect for brightening up a look for the summer.

Next up I begrudgingly got a mac Pro Palette and x15 Insert. I hate that you have to pay for them separately, £20.50 for some packaging is not a great price. If I need one in the future I will just buy a Z palette, but I wanted to have one of these in my collection so I did a little overtime at work.
 

The MAC Eye Shadows took me a little while to choose, I wanted to keep them fairly neutral. I especially wanted them to look great in any combination. I only got 5 shades for now as I am sure I will enjoy treating myself to more shadows in the future.

I actually went in expecting to buy shades All That Glittters, Patina and Woodwinked as well. They are highly raved about on the blogosphere, I just thought my palette would have been a little too shimmer heavy. While I did like the shades I didn't think they were anything special. These 5 beauties however I know I can create some lovely looks with.

One thing that does bug me a little is how many of the eye shadow pans are broken. I had to ask for two to be changed as they were chipped and my Scene pan is still a little chipped which I didn't see in store.

Lastly I went to SpaceNK at St Ann's Place in Manchester. I was served by a lovely girl called Louise who let me try out lots of different contours from Kevyn Aucoin, Nars and Hourglass but I just couldn't find one I loved even with all her help (and patience).

This little beauty however looked amazing when she applied it. The Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer. This can be used as a foundation, concealer or highlighter. I got it in shade SX02 to use as a concealer. I have only used this a couple of times so far so will be doing a full review on this shortly when I have tried it out a little more.

 

What do you think of my little buys ladies, have you got any of these products? I would love you to follow my blog if you enjoy reading my little ramblings. My blog is one this month which I will be celebrating by writing a blog post in Spanish, I do have a translator tool for you should you need it, but as I am 1/2 Spanish I thought this was a fun way to share another side of me in my blog :)

Ciao

  xx