A (belated) round up of my Christmas pressies...

I've loved reading other beauty blogger's Xmas posts so thought I'd do my own. Santa well and truly spoiled me this year with the following gorgeous goodies....reviews to follow as soon as I've given them all a good road test!

From left to right...

Top Row: Mac High Tea Lipstick, No 7 Nail Polish Set, Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Perfume

Middle Row: Origins Brighter By Nature Moisturiser, Mario Badescu Glycolic Cleanser & Toner, Mac 116 Blusher Brush & Elf Bamboo Contour Brush (the Elf brush was actually a 'present' to myself - that still counts right?)

Bottom Row: Toni & Guy Straighteners, Benefit Her Name Was Glowla Kit, YSL Singulier Mascara

So all that remains to be said is Happy New Year - I hope your 2011 is filled with fun, laughter and all things beautiful :)

 Until next time,

P.s if you liked this check out these other pressy posts from Abbie, Girl in the City and Liparazzi.

Swatched: Maybelline Diamond Glow Eyestudio in Bronze Drama

I was scouring the cosmetic aisles of Boots recently for a khaki green eyeshadow and spotted this quad from Maybelline's 'Eyestudio Diamond Glow' range.

Bronze Drama doesn't actually contain a bronze shadow but insteads consists of a khaki green shadow (obviously!) nestled alongside a creamy off-white, vibrant copper and light charcoal grey. As the 'diamond glow' part of this product's name suggests, each of the shadows have a fine glitter running through them.



With flash

Without flash

The glitter hasn't shown up that well on the pics but I can assure you its there and gives just the right amount of twinkle to allow the colours work during the day or night. It doesn't make for a grainy texture at all either and all the shadows apply smoothly and blend well. 



Close up to show the glittery-ness

The quad retails at £7.19 in Boots. If you're tempted, you'll be happy to hear its currently available on their website with £2 off :)

Until next time,





Reviewed: Elf Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Bark & Maple Sugar

What they say....
"True color therapy is here. Intensive hydrating agents along with natural pigments leave lips with Long-lasting color and moisture. This luscious liquid lipstick creates wearable color that flatters a multitude of skin tones and looks"


Top - Bark
Bottom - Maple Sugar

What I say....



Packaging The see through packaging that houses these lipsticks is very Ruby and Millie-esque and is topped off with a dinky sponge applicator. However whilst twisting one of the tubes the top third of the pen popped of entirely spilling the contents everywhere  - I tried to reattach it but to no avail so Bark is sadly in the bin! I'm sure this was probably a one-off but it still sucks! :(

I also have to say that you don't get much product for your moolah - just 1.5g. Now I know I've only paid £1.50 for the blinking thing but I still feel slightly short changed, not helped by the fact that the see-through tube kindly reveals that the pen looks half empty before you even start!

Product Bark and Maple Sugar are both nudey pink/browns and are actually quite similar - the main difference is that Maple Sugar is ever so slightly shimmery whereas Bark is a flat finish. Consistency is pretty good, not too sticky although it also wears off pretty quickly so not as long-lasting as Elf claim. I can't say it felt particularly hydrating either although to be honest that's what I use lip balm for!


Bark

Maple Sugar

Price £1.50

Would I repurchase? The jury's slightly out on this one. My fave of the two shades is Maple Sugar which with its subtle shimmer, is a lovely shade for daytime wear. Neither shades are anything super spectacular though and that coupled with the packaging failure means I probably won't rush back online specifically to buy this again.

Would I recommend? Why not...for £1.50 its worth try but go easy on the twisting!

Until next time,

Swatched: Famous by Sue Moxley Eyeshadow Palette in Cafe Culture

Famous is a make up range created by beauty journalist and TV presenter Sue Moxley. According to her webiste the Famous collection is 'designed to give a touch of red carpet sparkle but without the A-list prices'.

The range has apparently been exclusively available in Superdrug stores since 2007 although I have to admit I haven't really noticed it until a few weekends ago when her stand caught my eye and in particular the range of eyeshadow 'collections'. The one I snapped up is called Cafe Culture - a quad palette of brown/grey metallics which set me back £9.

I haven't yet tried the palette out fully but initial impressions when I swatched them for this post are pretty impressive. The generously sized shadows are heavily pigmented and have a lovely buttery soft consistency which makes for easy blending.



Without flash



With flash

The finish on all the shadows is very shimmery which I appreciate may be a negative if you prefer to rock the natural look. I personally need quite bold eyeshadow shades to make my eyes even slightly noticeable so the shimmer levels are perfect...the darkest shade even has a gorgeous khaki green duochrome finish :) And although I probably won't use it even the applicator is pretty good quality, its made of a dense almost rubbery material rather than the usual cheap and nasty foamy sponge.

All this for only £2.25 per shadow??....Not bad going at all!

Until next time,

Beauty Woes: Cold Sores

Cold sores are officially evil - and unfortunately I've suffered from them for as long as I can remember. They were particularly bad in my teens - when your appearance starts to matter most and as well as the visual implications, cold sores do actually make you feel far worse than a small scab on your lip should. You know the advert where the women wears a motorcycle helmet in the swimming pool!? That's no understatement for how you feel when a cold sore strikes! They alternate between being itchy and painful, you can't kiss your other half & at a time when you'd love to hide under a blanket of make up, their infectious nature makes cleaning your face/applying cosmetics a tricky and time-consuming process.

Pic by Getty Images

There is of course no cure for cold sores but over the years I've come up with my own tips for dealing with them which I thought I'd share. This combination seems to work for me and whilst I can't guarantee it would for everyone, there is no harm in trying!

1) Know your triggers and counteract them

Cold sores can be caused by illnesses such as colds and flu, fatigue, menstrual periods or emotional upset. My personal triggers are sunlight, damage to my skin such as chapped lips and change-related stress (new relationships, jobs, house moves etc). The first two are easily dealt by keeping a lipbalm to hand and ensuring it has SPF in for the summer months/holidays in the sun. As for stress - well that's not so easy - but I have come across a couple of treatments that seem to work quite well.
 

2) Diet can play a big part

Research has shown that an amino acid called Lysine inhibits the growth and reproduction of the herpes virus - you can increase your Lysine intake by eating foods including red meat, pork, poultry, dairy products and cheese, nuts, eggs, soya beans and other  legumes. Alternatively  you can pick up a Lysine supplement from most health food shops - I've been taking a daily 1000mg dose for about 8 years now which I up to 2000 or 3000mg during a breakout*

3) Aciclovir can help...but try Zinc too

There are of course tons of over-the-counter remedies containing the anti-viral ingredient aciclovir which work incredibly well on the first sign of a cold sore - what they describe as the tell-tale 'tingle'. Unfortunately my cold sores almost always came up overnight so I never felt the tingle and therefore was always too late to take advantage of these treatment remedies. A lot of websites however talk about using zinc to prevent cold sores and I work this into my skincare routine using a topical zinc-based product (Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream by Avene) on my lips overnight. I haven't had an overnight cold sore since starting using this almost 3 years ago which means that when the do pop up I can blast them with Zovirax!

4) Try a bit of mind over matter

As with most complexion related ailments, cold sores feel like they must be more visible to other people than they actually are. The chances are that the person you're sat across from hasn't even noticed it and if they have, they probably feel sympathetic more than anything else. And whilst you may think that no-one else seems to get them you're definitely not alone - approximately 1 in 5 people on the UK suffer from cold sores and even picture perfect celebrities are not exempt as these piccies show....

*According to guidelines from the Nutritional Supplement Educational Centre there have been no known side effects of Lysine when taken at recommended dosages. Pregnant and nursing women, individuals with sever liver or kidney conditions, cardiovascular disease, elevated cholesterol and/or triglyceride levels should consult a physician before taking lysine supplements. Anyone who has an existing medical condition, including those on prescription medications should consult with their physician before beginning any type of dietary supplementation.

Reviewed: Elf Lipstick in Fantasy

What they say....

"Indulge your lips with long lasting color and shine. The moisture rich formula hydrates, conditions and softens on contact for silky smooth lips"

What I say....

Packaging The lippy is packaged in a glossy silver tube whilst the inner tube is see-through which looks quite funky. My only qualm with the packaging is that the twist mechanism is really flimsy and loose and so the lipstick can easily move up inside the tube even when the lid is on. As you'll see from the pics the top of the lipstick bullet is flattened off which is the result of it getting squished against the lid whilst in my bag :( A quick scan of other reviews suggests this is a design flaw with all of these lippies, rather than just a one off.

Product Fantasy appears to be a mid- brown shade in the website piccies and in the tube but as you will see, it comes out as more of a nude pink/brown on me. According to the elf site it is unscented but a quick sniff suggests otherwise - it smells really sweet and sugary but not in an unpleasant way.



Results This lippy applies really well - it has a smooth, creamy consistency and feels moisturising on the lips - no dryness here. Its also easily buildable - a quick swipe gives a lovely wash of colour but it can also be layered up for a stronger look. The only downside is that its not a particularly long-lasting formula and I found myself having to reapply quite a few times throughout the day...although it applies so nicely that I actually didn't mind!

Price £1.50

Would I repurchase? Yes definitely - I can't wait to try the other shades but at they moment they are all out of stock...guess its a good sign if they're being snapped up!

Would I recommend? Yes just take care with the packaging or you will have one mashed-up lippy in no time.

Until next time,

Reviewed: Elf Brightening Eyecolour Quad in Butternut

What they say....

"Luxuriously smooth, corn silk formula provides eyes with a neutral base and an awakened brightness".

What I say....

Packaging Seriously no frills - lots of cheap plastic and the sponge applicator is as rubbish as you would expect. The case does feature a mirror underneath where the applicator is stored but its so tiny I can just about see one eyebrow in it!

Product Given the price I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the shadows in this quad. The pigmentation is pretty good (as the swatch pic below shows the peach shade doesn't really show up particularly well on my NC30 skin but that's fine as it makes a great, all over base colour) 


Swatched on bare skin

The texture of the shadows is also fairly smooth if a little on the chalky side and although it doesn't show in the picture, the cream and peach shades are also quite glittery. I personally don't mind a bit of shimmer in my eye make up but it may be a little too much if you're after a totally natural look.

Results The pic below shows these shadows in action and whilst I'm not sure my eye looks particularly 'brightened' as the claim suggests, I love how the colours look on. I've been wearing the quad using the peach shade all over the lid, the darkest brown shade in the outer crease and the creamy beige as a highlight. Worn over some UDPP the shadows blend well and last pretty much all day :)

Price £1.50

Would I repurchase? Absolutely - this is a great value, neutral daytime quad.

Would I recommend? Yes at £1.50 a pop you can afford not to like it!

Until next time,