The Body Shop introduces Body Butter Duos

Hitting their shelves towards the end of May, the new Body Butter Duos from The Body Shop are a product that I can fully get on board with.  I'm always telling anyone who will listen (or is forced to listen because they've unfortunately got ears) that a 2 in 1 body moisturiser is jus what I need as I find myself buying far too many moisturisers for different parts of my body.

The Body Shop's Body Butter Duos are exactly what I wanted.  One tub, two compartments.  One side for normal skin and the other for drier parts of the body.

The duos come in four different variants and are full of lovely Community Fair Trade ingredients.

• Floral Acai: for dry skin
  
• Macadamia: for dry skin
  
• Sweet Pea: for dry skin
  
• Vanilla: for normal and dry skin

I like the fact they've labelled which side is which on the lid so that you know.  I just hope that when you screw the lid down, it all matches up.

They come at the standard body butter price of £12.50 and are available at the end of May.

What do you think?  Worth it?  Too expensive?  Pointless?

Spots be gone! Witch Blemish Stick..

A while ago now, my skin went into spot overdrive.  Even stranger, they only popped up on the right hand side of my face.  I had a particularly bad one on my cheek..it's still there now but it's nothing as bad as it was and it is fading.

The Witch Blemish Stick is an odd product.  When I first opened it, I wasn't sure how to use it.  The stick fell out of the packaging and fell to the floor.  Once I'd washed it and it had dried, I got to using. 

You just stick your finger underneath (ooh er) and stroke the product over the spot.  No need to remove the actual product!

This smells potent. POTENT!! The smell is a very strong astringent smell (it is Witch Hazel) and it immediately hits you when you take the lid off.  Consistency wise, the actual stick of product is easy to mould.  If you squeeze it, it will succumb to the shape you squeeze it into. 

I put it all over the spotty parts; it stung my eyes and the smell whooshed right up my nostrils.  I had to wash it off as my skin got really hot.  I used it again but a bit more sparingly and although the smell was still strong, there were no watery eyes or skin warming.  So, don't be heavy handed!

The next morning, the angered spot had simmered down.  The redness had really gone down and I wasn't compelled to touch it either.  I think touching is one of the main problems with spots, the more you touch, the worse they get so the fact that this lets you forget you have a spot is a very good thing.

Once you've figured out how to use it, the packaging is really useful.  I chuck mine in my bag and it's not difficult to find it due to the size and the cap sticks on properly so it doesn't open when you don't want it to.  I used to have another one which was shaped like a pen and I was forever pulling that out of my bag when I wanted a pen...or a pen when I needed the stick.

You can pick this up from Boots for £2.75.  As soon as mine finishes, I'm going to buy another as despite it being fiddly at first, it's probably the best on the spot (see what I did there?) spot treatment I've ever used. 

Spending Sterling v Preserving Pounds: ELF Studio Makeup Mist and Set v Sheer Cover Refreshing Face Mist

The first items to feature are items any Tube traveller needs for the three minutes that we get a decent amount of heat in London.

In the red corner we have ELF's Studio Makeup Mist and Set.  In the blue corner we have Sheer Cover's Refreshing Face Mist.

One (ELF) is described as being a mist which sets your makeup whereas the other (Sheer Cover) is a simple refreshing face mist.  However, upon reading the description of both, it's clear you can use both of them for both purposes.

Spending Sterling: Sheer Cover Refreshing Face Mist (£12.95)

The packaging doesn't cause me any real problems, I've carried it around in my bag and the lid has never gotten lost.  I quite like the fact that you can see the product and thus tell how much I have left.

Where I do have a problem is with the nozzle.  You can't really tell in the photo because I couldn't get it to rest on the side but the head tilts downwards.  When I hold it in the middle of my face, it sprays my forehead, misses my nose and chin and gets the chest.  This is due to the nozzle head being tilted.  This is also annoying if, like me, you wear a shirt/blouse to work as you will look sloppy.

The smell is pleasant but vanishes quickly.  However, you do notice it so it's not wasted.

My main issue with this is that it isn't really refreshing enough.  I spray it on and ten minutes later, I find myself needing to use it again which means it will run out very quickly.  Having said that, if you use it solely to set your makeup, it's right up your street as it sinks in super quick so you're not left hanging about with a wet face.

Preserving Pounds: ELF Studio Makeup Mist and Set (£3.50)

My only concern with the packaging here is that I can't readily see how much product I have left which is something I'd like.  However, the whole Studio range from ELF is housed in black so it makes sense to keep in with the theme.

The nozzle is brilliant, one spray coats your whole face and it really does refresh you.  You don't get any in your hair or all over your clothes.  Having said that, you get a fair bit from each spray and it can take a while to sink in.  ELF do say that if you've put too much on, you can remove it with a tissue but you don't want to do that if you use it to set your makeup..which is what the product is marketed as.  I find myself having to wipe my face a bit after using it as it can leave me looking greasy.

The plus side of this product is something I didn't expect.  When I spray it on and remove it with a cotton wool pad, it really takes all the muck off my skin.  Moreso than a lot of toners do so it's a multi talented product.

The problem with this is the smell you get when you spray it.  It smells like a mixture of cheese and farts.  The smell fades within a few seconds (as soon as you've sprayed it practically) but you can smell it.  If they added a bit of fragrance to this, I'd love it.

Spend or Preserve?
In this battle, preservation of poundage won.

It's quite odd really as the Sheer Cover works better as a makeup setter and the ELF mist works better at refreshing the skin.  The offputting smell of cheese farts from the ELF mist thankfully lasts only one second.  The nozzle lets product out equally so that one spray gets your whole face without missing spots out so that the product lasts longer.  The only way it could be improved would be to change the colour of the bottle and add some fragrance.  The pointed nozzle which Sheer Cover have going on is really more suited to an oilier/creamier product as with a watery liquid, it forces the product down. 

Birthday giveaway: Win Benefit's Bella Bamba

Today is my birthday and as I'll be spoilt with presents and what have you I thought I'd spread the cheer with my readers.

The prize up for grabs is a full sized Bella Bamba.  It's been swatched (once) very lightly. 

Alls you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is is..

1. Be a public follower via GFC/bloglovin'.  I will check this! 
2. Tell me what your favourite blusher is and why.
3. Leave an email address so I can get in touch with you if you win.
4. The giveaway is open internationally.
5. That's it! 

So, get entering! The winner will be picked some time during July I believe.

EOTD: Curiosity conserved this cat..

I recently went to two pre-wedding parties during one week.  The first party had a dress code which I think is very odd; not only for a pre-wedding party but also for desis.  How long has that been going on? The dress code was mute, nude colours which angered me. 

As the outfits were to be simple, I went all out on the eyes and came out with this.

This alone would be fine for a standard night out on the piss but as it was a desi affair, I wanted something a bit more wow-y and so I did what most desis do and added some sona (gold!)

This one was taken at the end of the night, hence some smudges and what have you. 

I applied Benefit's Gilded to my ELF smudge brush and stroked it across my lash line.  It took a fair while but I think it was worth it.  Left an impression on my hand though..

The products I used were simple..

A lot has been made of the MUA range from Superdrug but I definitely have no complaints about it.  My mum loves their face powder (it's the only one she has repurchased which is saying something) and I am more than impressed than the range of colours they have for both eyeshadows and eyeliners.  I can't remember the name or number of the shade I have but you can recognise it straight away when you see it, it's the black with a verrrrrry slight shimmer.  It's very pigmented and blending is a dream.  You can't ask for much more when you're only parting with £1. 

Re. the mascara, I'm lying about using it.  You can clearly tell I've not got any mascara on but for some reason I thought I did wear it? Anyway, it's brilliant, buy it!

And the dress code backfired on the bride to be.  She wanted all eyes to be on her and her turquoise outfit.  She should have known better than to tell desis what to do.  Half the aunties there wore what the hell they wanted to and she wasn't happy!

Vidal Sassoon straighteners for £15!

In celebration of the Royal wedding, Vidal Sassoon have slashed the price on their Union Jack hair straighteners from £59.99 to a very purse friendly £15.  Even someone as crap at maths as me knows that's not the kind of deal to pass up, it's practically half half price.

The plates are ceramic coated, which I've found do a decent enough job of straightening even the curliest hair (i.e. mine).  They also come with a variable heat setting (maximum 200˚c) which lets you control how much heat you want to use.  I'm always bit iffy about using full strength heat on my hair when it's already had the main straighten..

They also boast Ionic technology which helps seal moisturse in and leave your hair looking super glossy.  A heat resistant pouch and three sectioning clips are also thrown in so you really do get more bang for your buck.

Hurry on down to Argos to pick it up, Sassoon straighteners for £15 is not a price to be sniffed at. The offer starts today and expires on May 17th so rush on down to your local Argos!

Spending Sterling v Preserving Pounds: An introduction.

Spending Sterling v Preserving Pounds is something new that I'm doing on this blog.

It's quite simple but you know me, I have to give things fancy names.

It's a series of posts which compares two similar products on differing sides of the budgetary scale.

The first post is coming along soon so keep your eyes peeled..I've also used all my photo editing nouse to come up with this:

I know you're all super impressed!

Urban Decay Afterglow Glide-On Cheek Tint in Fetish

Remember when I had my love in with cream blushers?  It all came to a head when this baby came into my life.

If I recall correctly, it was so pretty that I daren't use it for fear of spoiling a perfect looking product.  It's alright though, I satiated my cream blusher lust (try saying that quickly) with a NYX cream blusher until I was brave enough to pull this out of storage.

This is the perfect cream blusher for you if you're scared of using too much and looking like a fool.  That is something I have an issue with so I was glad that this came to my aid.

The colour is very subtle but I feel that's what you'd want from something that is a cheek tint.  There's also a glow about this when you apply it, your cheeks look like you've put a highlighter on over the tint.  The visible chunks of glitter in the pan aren't noticeable at all one you've buffed the colour in.  The colour lasts all day and gives the perfect flush of colour.

It also features a very useful mirror in the lid which I forgot to photograph..

Anyway, the swatches!

I've blended it in a bit too well here but that's how I tend to wear it on my cheeks and it perks them right up.  You can obviously blend it in less.

They cost £18 and are available from House of Fraser.

The story of Slick Rick and her oil blotting sheets

Remember last week when for a fleeting few days we had sun and warmth? I do.  Mainly because I got to bust out my oil blotting sheets.  These are a godsend if you grease up worse than Victoria Beckham back in the day.

I found them totally by chance in the clearance section in Boots when I blinded myself..

They are brilliant.

They have no "coloured" powder in them and are impregnated with Tea Tree Oil (their words, not mine!) and they really take the oil away.  They remove the oil without telling the world that I've been blotting  They leave my makeup in check and are cheap to boot!  I have tried a fair few blotting sheets in the past and they either didn't pick up all the oil or left behind traces of powder.  The traces of powder is fine if you're not Indian/black but it's a right pain if you are because it looks live you've dipped your face in talcum powder.

I like the fact that they contain Tea Tree as they not only take the grease away but they also lend an antiseptic hand in helping you get rid of spots.

I tend to use them after going to the gym..of course I shower but I don't have enough time to be messing with all my face creams so I just wash my face and use these to pick up the excess oil on the way back to the office (before I get a chance to leg it to the loos to moisturise my face).  I have also reviewed the moisturiser from this range and I loved that too.

They cost me £1.50 but full price they will set you back £3.56 (but they're currently on 2 for £4). 

My journey in liquid eyeliner: 2009-2011

About two years ago, I decided that I'd start to learn how to use liquid liner properly.  It wasn't going well until I started blogging about it and other bloggers (namely Amina!) told me that it would come to me with a bit of practice. 

I look back at this photo and laugh now, wondering what I was so proud of.  The liner is about five metres away from my lash line and the flick is practically by my ear..

Then I graduated onto this.. I managed to get it near the lashline enough so that it looks decent out in public yet the winged liner was still a distant dream.  I was quite chuffed with this and I wore this look a fair few times.  I used the Collection 2000 liquid liner for this.  It applies like a dream but I wouldn't buy again as it goes off quickly.  If you can't breathe without putting your liquid liner on, then this is a good budget buy as it dries quickly and literally glides along your eyelid and doesn't get caught in your lashes.  The eyeshadow is a layered affair, taken from Bobbi Brown's Basic Eye palette..

This formed part of a post I had about taking my makeup from day to night..you can see that I've learnt how to blend two shades on my eyelid and the importance of having come colour in the lower lashline.  I find that wearing my liner like this only works well when I've got glasses on as otherwise, it drags my eye down.  This type of fluid line was a rare achievement by the way, it's seldom graced my blog since.

I did say the liner in the photo above was a rare occurence back then..and that's evidenced by this photo right here.  However, check me out managing to blend three colours on my lid when before I couldn't even manage one.  The liner is the Collection 2000 one again, notice what I mean about it going manky after a while?

Then we have the last one to feature on here.  Yes, the winged liner isn't its best but I was in a rush and compare it to photo 1.

I remember when I first started learning how to apply liquid liner properly and every was telling me how it would take time but you would get it in the end.  I always thought either you could line your eyes or you couldn't.

Then I found gel/cream liner and thought my prayers were answered.  Although that does give you more control in getting it closer to the lashline, getting decent flicks with gel is harder than with liquid as you really need to find a good brush..something which is easier said than done.  The best brush I've found for gel liner so far is Benefit's Get Bent brush.

This post clearly shows that with enough practice (I practiced very rarely) you can start to line your eyes properly and then in time, move onto a winged liner...

The Sanctuary's Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser: My Holy Grail cleanser.

After my success with the my other Sanctuary products (see here and here), this seemed the most natural choice for my new cleanser after my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish gave up the ghost.

The Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser (PHCC for those fond of abbreviations..talking of which, how are OMG and LOL going to fake ID their way into the OED?) comes in squeezy tube giving me piece of mind that I am getting every last drop out.

Consistency wise, it's a thick smooth cream.  It's more fluid than my Cleanse and Polish (C&P) so I don't need to work it in as much.  This also makes it easier to remove.

The accompanying muslin cloth is more robust than the Liz Earle one and I find that it works better as it removes the product and my makeup in one swipe.  It feels rougher when dry but a lot softer than the Liz Earle one when it's ready to use.

The Sanctuary describe scent as being one of essential oils.  I say teabags.  Either way, a bloodhound would have a field day picking out the scent.

Instructions mandate wetting the muslin cloth in warm water, wringing it out and laying it over your face to open the pores.  I probably do it for longer than I should as it's quite relaxing.

It works brilliantly as a makeup remover as it leaves my skin feeling clean and moisturised.  It doesn't sting my eyes which is just what I want and it removes really stubborn products like the GOSH liquid liners with ease.  I just wipe the cloth around my eyes and my eye makeup just slips off.

My skin feels very soft after I've used this and it looks plumped out.  I use it at night and am always surprised at how plump and smooth my skin feels in the morning.  I didn't have the same plumpness and smoothness from C&P.

My face also feels warm after using this which is something C&P didn't do.  I asked my facial lady about this and she said it was good as it shows the blood is pumping around your face.  Thus, claims of being an at home salon treatment are correct.  I would have thought that the more you had to work a product in, the more the blood would start pumping around your face so going by that logic, the C&P would have gotten the blood pumping as it's thicker and needs more working in.  

Why do I like it more than Cleanse and Polish? 

• The smell isn't as strong as the herby scent of C&P.  With this, you have to sniff it out whereas C&P seeks out your olfactory senses.
• The packaging.  C&P has a push down spring activated dealy and it finishes abruptly.  However, if you keep it in your cupboard for a while after it's finished, more comes out.  I kept it back five times after it had "finished" and still I got little bits of product.
• The muslin cloth.  Compared to the one you get from Liz Earle, this has a bit more life about and it feels nicer. Size-wise, it's the same so no worries there.
• The consistency.  C&P is a thick, hard cleanser which needs working in.  This is softer and glides over the skin but you can still work it in.  It is easier to remove from the delicate eye area.
• The salon-y method of usage.  Putting the warm muslin cloth over my face before applying the product really makes it work better as it gives my skin that salon facial warmth.
• The end result.  My skin is soft, smooth and plumped out.  I can skip moisturising if I'm feeling lazy.
• The price.  When bought with a voucher it works out at roughly a fiver which is good value for actual spa results at home.  When bought without a voucher, it is £10.20

This is my new holy grail cleanser.  I won't be looking for anything else as my drawers are already full of things that didn't work. 

I wouldn't go as far to call it a good budget buy generally as it is only £3 or so less than the Liz Earle one and that's not really much of a budgetary difference.  However, with the Boots £5 off vouchers, it comes in a much more purse friendly £5.20 in which case, it is a budget version.  You can pick it up here and if you hurry, you get a free Sanctuary gift..

EOTD: Work safe, summer friendly, winged eyeliner.

I'd been looking online for ways to make your makeup more spring-y and I was left a bit disappointed as most of the "tutorials" I came across were full of stock images and didn't show HOW to do it.  Seriously, what's the point?! If you're going to call it a tutorial, TEACH the gyaldem.

Anyway, the main things I wanted to do were used liner that wasn't black and cut down on eyeshadow usage.

Products used: Gosh eyeliner, 17 Maximum Volume mascara, MUA black eyeshadow on waterline.

Blue was either so dark it looked black or so bright I'd have to go work in the 80's and brown didn't show so I decided to try my GOSH liner and I am glad I did.

In honour of me being able to successfully wear this to work, I've named it "corporate purple".  It has a shine which is welcomed by me but not a sparkle that makes it look out of place at work.

However, this product is not really noob friendly.  The brush sometimes pulls the eyeliner out in a gloopy manner so you have to wipe and then use it.  If you're still getting used to getting your liner close to the lash line then be careful with this as it has a habit of going on the lashes and then not budging..making you take all your other makeup off and start from scratch.

I use it by dragging the tip across my lash line and thus getting a thin line.  This is better than laying it on its side as by doing that, you run the risk of getting liner in the lashes which is a serious case of the donotwants.  I smudged it a bit towards the outer edge of the eye but you can't see it when you open your eyes and as I tend to spend most of the day with my eyes open, it's no biggie.  I took this photograph at half nine (in the evening) and I'd had this on since half six in the morning and I'm one of those annoying people who touches her eyes all the time.  It removes easily with most cream based makeup removers.

You'll also notice that it's a thick liner but not a typical cat's eye.  This is because I look like a twat wearing a cat's eye to work and it also looks distorted behind glasses.

PS, for those who want on the arm swatches..

Stylerush straighteners: A cheaper alternative to GHD's?

I was recently sent some Stylerush straighteners to review and I wanted to see if they could act as a GHD replacement iron.  Those plates of solid ceramic goodness have let me get my hair from soaking wet to pin straight in 20 minutes.  I dry my hair with a blow dryer before I get my irons on it because if you don't your hair will hiss like a pissed off cat and it won't straighten well at all. 

The Stylerush irons glide through my hair a bit too quickly, so much so that I feel that I have to do some bits twice.  My GHD's seem a bit sturdier in that respect as they "clamp" down on my hair a bit more and straighten it perfectly in one swipe.  I think because the GHD plates are thicker, they work through my thick, curly hair better.  Neither iron snags my hair either which is always a good thing.  Having said that, getting my hair straight with the Stylerush straighteners isn't always a pain.  I only feel a bit wound up when I'm feeling lazy and wish they'd work with one swipe.  Two/three swipes usually take the curl out properly.