Benefit from these essential top 5 products!

I love budget brands, but just recently I have treated myself to some higher end cosmetics and have found some products from Benefit that I just can’t live without.  These products are well worth checking out if you have some money to spare – they have become a vital part of my daily beauty routine and a lot of them deliver amazing results and have turned out to be well worth the price!  My one piece of Benefit advice though – don’t buy from eBay.  I am sure that there are genuine sellers out there, but for every genuine seller there are at least 10 fakes and you just never know what you might get.  The worst I had was a Get Even! That brought me out in a rash. On my face.  It wasn’t pleasant!  So buy online or in store wherever possible – but also look out for minis, mini-sets and offers as you can often get a hold of 8-10ml trial sizes so that you can try and see if a product is for you!

So, without further ado...here are my top 5 miracle Benefit products:

1.  The POREfessional

Here's my review from the website, which pretty much says it all.  This is the perfect smoothing, silky base.  Makes my blackheads vanish.

I have combination skin which unfortunately includes blackheads on my nose and enlarged pores at the side of my nose. This product makes the pores seemingly close and vanish and when finished with some concealer/foundation and powder, you can't see the blackheads at all. I know this product only masks them, but that's fine by me!! The minute I get blackheads out they come back anyway so I need coverage and this product delivers. It makes the rest of my skin feel silky but matte and my BB cream goes on top nicely, creating a flawless finish. Highly recommended for problem/combination skin, even mature skin (I'm 38).

 2. Boi-ing - Industrial Strength concealer

This product is AMAZING.  Easily the best concealer I have ever used.  Creamy and blendable it gives complete coverage without being heavy or greasy and it stays put and last all day long. It tackles dark cicles quite well and isn't cakey; it also doesn't sit in lines of creases around the eye area. I recently caught pregnant and my skin broke out and was completely unmanageable - then I remembered my confessions of a concealaholic kit and used the concealer inside.  It turned out to be Boi-ing in shade 1 and it was so good I bought the full size and will never regret doing so! Speaking of confessions of a concealaholic, this kit is a great way to try Boi-ing, Erase Paste, That Gal, lemon aid and eye bright for £28.50.  Bought singly, the products would cost £74.00!

3. They're real! Mascara
This one, I am not going to bash on about.  I am just going to say - this is the best mascara in the world, the best I have ever used and is the UKs No. 1 best-selling mascara.  Try it!  They have a special offer on now - buy the anniversary set for the same price as a regular mascara and you get a free travel size mascara.  I have mine in my handbag right now!

4. Foamingly clean facial wash

This is so lovely.  It smells wonderful and removes every trace of make-up and dirt without having to rub and scrub. My skin feels so clean and so refreshed after using this; no tightness or irritation and a little lathers beautifully and goes a long way. Not sure? Try the b.right! mini intro skin kit - a snip at £10.00! 

5. Sugarbomb Ultra plush

What a gorgeous lip gloss! Benefit have recent introduced lip glosses to complement their box powders and Sugarbomb is the prettiest gloss I've seen and worn in ages.  It makes my lips feel really soft and as with all Benefit products, it smells lovely and a little goes a long way!

Why not check out the boxed powder range here? Also worth checking out are the beauty kits packed full of minis that you can try for a fraction of the regular price before deciding whether to invest in a full sized product.  There's lots to choose from!

Aren't they gorgeous?? If I could, I'd get them all! All under £30 - these kits are such a good idea, plus if you are going away overnight or on a weekender, these are all you need. Get these beauties on your Christmas list!

 

BB Creams...do they work?

I love it when a new beauty phenomenon hits the shelves and I always have to try whatever it is.  When I started reading about BB creams, I knew I had to get hold of one and give it a try.  BB means 'Blemish Balm' but it isn't necessarily for problem skin. As explained:

" The multi-tasking cream has amazing all-in-one properties — moisturizer, primer, foundation, concealer, skin treatment and sunblock."

Could it really be that simple? No need for separate moisturiser, face primer, foundation, concealer and an SPF in the Summer? I love my routine - That Gal make up base (or ELF alternative), foundation, concealer, powder.....it doesn't seem right to be using just one thing.  In fact, the first time I used my Garnier Miracle BB cream - I didn't like it.

Maybe I didn't apply it correctly the first time, or I was just determined to stick with my tried and tested routine. Anyway, I found the tube a few weeks later and gave it another shot after seeing this:

My skin was a little upset after 'that' time of month and I needed a little something extra, but my skin was too sensitive to clog up with layers of moisturiser, base, foundation...so I tried this again and now I am utterly hooked.  IT WORKS.  The coverage is fantastic and you don't get the feeling you're wearing much at all. It's so much more than a foundation, it seems to sink into your skin so well, but makes you look fantastically flaweless and luminous.  It's skin care, but more than just a tinted lotion.  I can't put my finger on any one thing because BB cream is so many things and does so many jobs.  My skin improved straight away, a work colleague told me I was 'glowing' on one particular day! To say I am glad I gave this product another chance is an understatement.

If you haven't already, try it. You won't be sorry!

Superdrug's MUA (Make Up Academy)

So.  My delivery turned up today and  my first impression is that this range is very good! I have swatched the eyeshadows, used the lippy, powder & mascara....the nail polish is TINY, but so far everything looks good and I LOVE the look of the mosaic blush.

 All this for just £10.50! Full review to follow :)

Budget Beauty Brands War!

Beauty Brands finally seemed to have realised that not everyone is rich these days and less and less people can afford to spend over £10 on one lipstick.  As the economy gets gloomier and the cost of living rises while wages stays the same, shoppers are becoming thrifty.  Some beauty brands have cottoned on – and of these, three brands stand out in today’s current market.  All are budget conscious, and all in competition with each other.  One brand I have used endlessly (you might be able to tell from this blog!), the other 2 I have just ordered from and will be reviewing the 3 brands together to see who emerges as the overall winner, so stay tuned!!

The brands are :

Superdrug's Make Up Academy (MUA), prices starting at only £1 - FREE P&P

Eyes Lips Face (ELF) - Prices starting at £1.50 - Free P&P promotions running often, otherwise £2.95 P&P, free if £30 and over

Beauty UK - prices from £1.99 - Free P&P for order pver £25, otherwise £1.75

 

Lauren Luke - Make up brush review

As a discerning consumer, three things are very important to me:

Good customer service, attention to detail, and value for money. 

It really is as simple as this: Out of all the choices out there I chose you to give my money to and I want to feel happy that I did that and I want you to acknowledge it and treat me like I matter.

I’m a fan of all cosmetics, but one budding brand holds a special place in my heart on account of who created it.  Our very own Lauren Luke, the YouTube sensation who has single-handedly changed the world of make-up, challenged all the stereotypes and allowed women (and men!) around the world to realise that we can look beautiful, regardless of age, race, shape, etc.  Lauren is involved in every single step of creating her products and works hard to give us high end cosmetics at high street prices.

I have a couple of the By Lauren Luke palettes but they were purchased whilst on honeymoon from the huge Sephora store in the Hollywood & Highland shopping centre in LA.  I have no experience of mail ordering Lauren’s products - until now.

I thought I'd buy a couple of brushes before deciding if to get the whole set.  I chose the Pencil Brush and the Flat eyeshadow brush.  I received an email to acknowledge my order and then tweeted my excitement to @Panacea81.  Lauren replied saying I would receive the brushes soon.  Now, this is what I call customer service! The thing with Lauren is that you truly know she cares; she wants your feedback, ideas and suggestions and she really listens. So it was no surprise that my brushes arrived in immaculate condition in a gorgeous parcel very soon after my order was placed:

I could not wait to use these brushes. Firstly, we need to talk about the quality of them. I know that there are £1.50 brushes available at ELF and they are really good value if on a budget.  Their Bamboo brush range offers a higher quality but then the price jumps up significantly when compared to the £1.50 range.  To put it in perspective, Lauren's brushes are better quality than the bamboo brushes and are also cheaper. So if you are on a budget but don't want £1.50 brushes but something a little more high end, spend the extra.  It is worth it, I promise!

Shown above : Pencil brush £3.25, Flat eye Shadow brush £4.00.

Mac equivalent £19 each - and Lauren's brushes are easily of the same quality.  I have MAC brushes and have compared them.  I like Lauren's better (and I'm not just saying that because she tweeted me!); these are genuinely top quality brushes.  They look great, they perform great, they are great.  Today I used them for the first time, in conjunction with the My Fierce Violets palette.

I started by using the medium primer and then used the flat eyeshadow brush to tap on the light purple shade.  The brush loads up really well, but not too much - there was no fall out on my cheek which means no mess and also no wasted product. Application was quick, easy and even.  The eyeshadow went on really well and then when tapping the brush off and dabbing into the white to highlight, the lilac was all gone from the brush meaning no mixed colours. I used the pencil brush to tap in the darker purple to the outer crease of the eyelid and also to apply to the lower lash line.  It's quite a fine brush but not too fine which gives a smoky, softer look. I then blended the shadow and finished with a bit of eyeliner and mascara.

The brushes are lovely to use, I was really very pleased with them and will definitely be going for more when I get paid.

The bottom line is - amazing value, top end brushes without the high price, great customer service and also a tutorial available on line detailing how to use the brushes.  Click HERE to see.  Highly recommended.

Value : 10/10

Customer service 10/10

Product : 10/10

ELF Studio Matte Lip Colour Review! NEW for July 2011

The unique selling points of Elf’s Studio Matte Lip Colour  (£3.50 each) are:

The format

It’s a jumbo size stick – similar to Clinique’s chubby sticks,  but at a fraction of the price.

The Finish
It offers this season’s coveted matte finish – and actually delivers.

The Hype

All of the UK ELF fan base have been waiting for these beauties ever since they appeared on the US site.  Out of everything that the Americans get first, these are what I wanted to get my hands on the most. So, when ELF got their new delivery in, I ordered 2 of these beauties; Natural and Tea Rose. Both are gorgeous pinks, the Natural very suitable for day wear in the office, the Tea Rose suitable for the same, as well as being a very versatile colour that would cross over easily into evening wear/going out colours.

What the product delivers

I am insanely happy with this product.  I wish I had ordered all 4 colours and I hope that ELF release more!  First, you won't need a separate lip liner -trust me, and save your pennies.  This product does not feather, bleed or smudge. Use the pointed tip to draw your line and then fill in with the edge of the pencil.  You don't need a lot and it glides on smoothly, evenly and bursting with beautiful pigmented colour.  And then is stays put - all day long.  I really wasn't expecting the staying power that this product delivers, and I would even say once it's on, you will need something more than just a tissue to get it off!

It doesn't dry your lips, it's so smooth and natural you will easily forget you're wearing it (but if you do happen to lick your lips it tastes good!), it contains vitamins A, C & E so actually cares for your lips whilst on.  Yet again, ELF get it spot on with their value for money products. For £3.50 it's hard to go wrong.  Please note, the product turned out to be a lot bigger than I expected too - bonus! If I was scoring this product it would definitely be a 10.

ELF Matte Finisher nail polish.....update

Well, after a great result on the coral shade, I have to say that the Matte topcoat works even better on darker shades.  The nail polish I have used its Karen Millen Wine (can't link to it as I can't find it anymore!).  Just 2 coats of the colour, 5 minutes drying time and then the top coat. The result was gorgeous and perfect and just what I was looking for.  So pleased with how well it works.

BEFORE - Nails with 2 coats of the Karen Millen wine polish

AFTER - Beautiful Matte finish!

I absolutely cannot recommend this product enough. I think the Matte look is so chic, stylish and wearable. Lovely, bright shiny nail varnish is great but for office wear,  and formal occasions, I don't think this look can be beaten. At £1.50 a bottle, you have nothing to lose by giving this fantastic innovation a try.  Great result, ELF!

Questions?  Comments - go ahead and ask them or leave them!  Also, have you browsed this blog? There are brand new pages, including; About Me, Links to great site & other fab blogs, a great new Tutorials feature and coming soon - my giveaway competition page! 


Want to be on my links page? Then just contact me; I'll add a banner to my page & follow you! :)

ELF - Matte Finisher clear nail polish

Elf promise that their Matte Finisher clear nail polish will: "Instantly transform your shiny polish to matte with this translucent top coat."

The actual product is milky looking in the bottle, not exactly clear

So I ordered a bottle and decided to test it to see if ELF were onto another £1.50 winner.

My base nail polish is Avon's Arabian Glow in Coral Sands.  I used 2 coats on this and applied them the day before so they were good and dry for when my Elf delivery arrived! I'm loving all the nail innovations at the moment, which make it possible to have edgy, beautiful nails without paying through the roof, so I was very eager to try this.

2 coats of regular nail polish

 I used one coat and the effect was instant - and gorgeous. I am so eager to try this on some dark colours.  I would say that the effect works better if your original nail paint work is neat & tidy and without polish on your skin, otherwise it can look a bit crappy!

1 coat of the Matte Finisher

It's a very pretty look, but I do think it will work better with dark colours, as bright summer colours look prettier with the shine.  I'm going to try the top coat on a gorgeous Karen Millen wine nail varnish that I have and see how that comes out. 

Overall though, I would happily recommend this product - especially for £1.50!

Transform your nails for £1.50!

As ever, your questions and comments are always welcome.  Sorry for the poor picture quality....these are taken on my camera phone.  But you get the general idea!

Another fantastic Summer Giveaway!

Another fantastic Blog Comptetion giving away fab beauty freebies.  You only have to click a few buttons and do a few simple things to enter this fantatsic contest - so go fill out forms & good luck! What are you waiting for? Click the photo above or click HERE to enter.

Free Mascara worth £13 - just pay £2.50 P&P

Vie at home are giving away one of their gorgeous Dream lashes Mascara worth £13/€16.25 for FREE, you just pay P&P (£2.50).  Totally legitimate offer (for a magazine, Woman's own I think?!), I just ordered mine, although had to get Brown/Black as Black is sold out.

Click THIS LINK to go to the offer page and make sure DREAM is in the promotional code section, although once you click the link it does tell you you've qualified for the offer. Go, quick! Before they sell out completely :)  Enjoy!

Sparkling Summer Scents

Summer's here (apparently!) and we're all hoping for some lovely, warm weather.  But we want to stay fresh, smell good and keep it light, crisp and refreshing.  There are some gorgeous perfumes out there right now that are just perfect for summer, with sparkling citrus notes, fresh florals and blooms and light woods with hints of vanilla.

So here is another one of my top 5's! This time, I'm sharing with you the 5 perfumes I'm wearing and loving right now.  All gorgeous, all affordable and all Summery!

1. Nina - By Nina Ricci

I love this perfume so much, it's totally my number one favourite at the minute.  I wore this on Honeymoon all last year and I'm on my second bottle already.  This scent is quite sweet, but it's also really lovely and feminine when the initial sweetness settles down. Nina describes this scent as Fresh, Floral & Fruity, with sparkling blossoms.  It's the 'Fragrance of Temptation'....and can be yours for £36.50 f0r 50ml or £49.00 for 80ml. That's a lot of perfume for a really decent price.

2. Benefit - Something About Sofia

This is one sharp scent. Oriental floral tones, with blossoms, mango and vanilla.  It's a really gorgeous scent. While Nina is a fun, light, fruity scent this one is more 'womanly' and a little sophisticated, whilst still remaining beautifully fresh and perfect for Summer.  £29.50 for 30ml, Benefit market this with their usual kitsch style:

A poem about Sofia:She lives in a dream
more dazzling than fiction
Imaginary yet real
she defies all prediction
An incredible girl
she draws you right in
To where the everyday ends
"and magic begins".




3. Sarah Jessica Parker - Covet Pure Bloom

£14.15 for a hefty 50ml bottle on the link to the left.  Seems that this scent is available on all the discount perfumes webstores but according to SJP's site the fragrance is no longer offered or supported, so expect to pick it up at bargain prices.  This doesn't stop it being a really gorgeous, wearable scent. As the name suggests, the fragrance is mainly blooms and florals, feminine, pretty and very summery.  Just a shame SJP has moved onto other fragrances instead of supporting the earlier ones....

4. JLO - Glow

Currently £15.33 on Boots.com for 30ml. This is a really great deal for a really lovely scent.  JLO says :
 

"I wanted Glow to be fresh and clean but still sexy and sensual and feels like you just came out of the shower..."

The ingredients are Orange Flower, grapefruit, Neroli, Rose, Sandalwoood, Amber, Jasmine. vanilla & musk. It sounds like a heady cocktail and it is - but you'll feel like your head is in the cloud! Just gorgeous.

5. Daisy by Marc Jacobs

This was my wedding day scent. The saleswoman in Debenhams said that she had sold the fragrance to so many brides that month and it was so popular it was flying off the shelves. £45 gets you 50ml. This scent comes with a gorgeous range of complimentary products; shimmer body gel, shower lotion, roll on parfum....all perfect for your big day! Layer your scent so that it lasts all day.
It's simply beautiful.  It's utterly unique and instead of trying to describe it, I would say go to a perfume counter and smell it for yourself.  You won't be sorry!


After writing this article based upon the bottles sitting on top of my chest of drawers, I happened to look at the Boots site when getting links for this blog to find that they also list Daisy and JLo Glow in their top 10 Summer Fragrances.  Click HERE to read more.

Splurge Vs Save

Why pay more for cosmetics? 
Why pay £29 for something that you can get for £1.50?  Seriously? I'm not sure that I have got enough spare money to justify spending over £25 more on one stick of makeup, when I can get just the same for £1.50.  In fact,  can get 19 All over colour sticks from ELF for the price of 1 Nars Multiple stick.  Is the quality really that different? Where would you rather spend your money?

So...let me know.  If you did have the money to spare, would you spend it on the Nars? Do you buy this brand anyway? 

I'm interested in hearing from everyone on this.  So leave a comment and let me know what you think!

ELF Swatch Post - Mixed Bag!

 Just thought I'd post a few swatches, a mixed bag really....but to show off some of the lipwear options along with what the transformer palette can do.

Lip swatches - with flash

 

Lip Swatches without flash

Left to right we have ELF value range lipsticks in shades Classy and Seductive. In the middle is ELF Mineral Lipstick in Royal Red, followed by Mineral Lip Gloss in Pageant Princess, lastly there is the ELF Value range Liquid lipstick in Strawberry. These are some of my favourite products and are all gorgeous on.  The Classy & Strawberry are my current favourites.....although I'm waiting for my 75p lip glosses to arrive. Don't you love ELF special offers?!


Elf, glorious Elf :)

Next up, is the Drama quad from the value range.

I've chosen to swatch this one as the Studio eye transformer works better on dark colours, although the colours are so pretty you can also wear them alone. I especially love the lilac shade.


Drama, without flash



Drama, with Flash

Okay so the colours in drama are white, mid grey, dark grey and light grey.  I applied the Pink colour from the eye transformer onto the mid grey (second from left), I applied the lilac shade onto the dark grey and then the green onto the light grey.  The light grey wasn't a very full colour to begin with and the Eye Transformer didn't really add anything new.  Even the mid grey was that amazing.  But the lilac on the dark grey just looks gorgeous. I wish the lilac was available in a large shade on its own; I use it by itself and with other colours....it's the shade in the palette I go for every time.  Anyway, here's the results.  

Drama shades with transformer palette (without flash)




Drama shades with Transformer palette (with flash)


The colour options are endless once you have this palette. I'm going to try this with some even darker colours at some point and I'll post the swatches.  In the meantime, THIS awesome blog has some great swatches.