tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26751894002191487712024-03-13T01:49:26.738+00:00Beautiful Smudges - A Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle BlogA personal blog about beauty, fashion and life's other little pretty things.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.comBlogger339125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-7060508907563225472014-11-29T03:59:00.000+00:002014-11-29T03:59:00.857+00:00Review: Super Facialist by Una Brennan Deep Clean Pore Purifying Mask<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/SuperFacialist_PorePurifyingClayMask1_zps6fa3ef6d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/SuperFacialist_PorePurifyingClayMask1_zps6fa3ef6d.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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Getting a sense of deja vu? The product I'm talking about has probably been on every blogger's favourites list and one stage or another. Having tried it myself, I can confirm that this is absolutely justified.</div>
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<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/SuperFacialist_PorePurifyingClayMask2_zps52cbfd56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/SuperFacialist_PorePurifyingClayMask2_zps52cbfd56.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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To start off, I usually tend to avoid clay masks. Not only do they make my skin feel weirdly tight, they also make a huge mess in the bathroom when you try to wash them off - not a combination that particularly excites me. Thankfully, this is different. While it does dry a little on the skin, it doesn't turn into a hard crust on your face and is a breeze to wash off.<br />
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Actually my first encounter with this was anything but positive - the morning after I first used this mask, I woke up with the biggest spot I'd had in my entire life. It seems like it's one of those products that really deep clean your skin making it get worse before it gets better - thankfully the incident never repeated itself.<br />
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I find that once a week is the perfect amount to use this mask to get it to draw out every last impurity but without that odd, tight feeling that so many masks leave on my skin. I think either for dry skin or for any skin in winter in general it would be a good idea to counteract this with a moisturising mask once or twice a week, but as it stands, I wouldn't want to be without it for its amazing ability to keep my skin looking clear, but somehow still glowy.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-44596826852768158712014-11-26T23:41:00.000+00:002014-12-25T13:55:45.745+00:00#MakeOverTheWorld and the highlighter that made me reconsider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I never really paid much attention to The Body Shop make-up. Body butters? Oh, yes! The odd occasional skincare item? Sure, why not. But somehow I've never really felt that drawn to any of their make-up.<br />
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Funnily enough, I've never been too big a fan of highlighters either. My skin still has its occasional oily days and it just doesn't appeal to me to put shine back in when I've just spent ages trying my best to eliminate it.<br />
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Maybe it's a craving for all things sparkly around Christmas season, or maybe it's the subtlety of the <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/make-up/cheeks/shimmer-waves.aspx" target="_blank">Shimmer Waves</a>, but this is the first highlighter that has made me reconsider.<br />
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I have swatched at intensity here so it would show up in the photograph, but you can still see that there's no chunky glitter and literally just a hint of rosy glow. You could use these shades separately and even apply them as eye shadows, but I like it the most when I just swirl a fluffy eye brush all over the pan and then apply the resulting shade on strategic points such as the tops of my cheekbones, under the brow bone or just above the cupid's bow. I never thought I'd do this, but I've found myself applying this almost daily and it just adds that special something to perfectly finish off any make-up look.<br />
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I was sent a this as part of the RSPCA's #MakeOverTheWorld campaign, which fights testing cosmetics on animals - something that I can definitely get behind. While testing cosmetics on animals has been banned within the EU for a long time, global companies have been able to simply do their testing abroad. Last year a new law was passed which banned the sales and marketing of products in the EU that have been tested on animals <i>anywhere</i>. This is an incredible victory and definitely a step in the right direction.<br />
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Sadly, there are still so many countries in the world that haven't followed suit - and then there are those like China, which make it mandatory for products to be tested on animals before they can even enter their market. So we still have a long way to go.<br />
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The thing with animal testing is not only is it cruel and at times absolutely pointless (there's no denying that rabbits and mice are not humans and their physiology is to a large part completely different from ours), there is just no <i>need </i>to be testing on animals anymore. Companies have a huge pool of ingredients to choose from, that have already been declared as perfectly safe and many natural and cruelty-free companies are guiding the way at how you can still be original and innovative without the need to torture a poor, defenseless animal.<br />
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To be honest, this campaign could not have come at a better time for me. I've always been against animal testing and for using ingredients that are as natural as possible, but the truth is that I never actively sought out products that are natural and cruelty-free - it was more of an added bonus if a product had those qualities. I feel like it's time for a shift in thinking and to be more conscious of what it is I'm putting on my face and body. This switch is going to be more of a gradual one - I can't exactly afford to replace my whole beauty and make-up stash and I still have tons of old products to review, but whenever I shop for cosmetics products I no longer just consider hype and pretty packaging, but also whether something would make for an ethical purchase or not.<br />
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If you want to read more about the RSPCA's #MakeOverTheWorld campaign, click on <a href="http://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/makeover" target="_blank">this link here</a>. And while The Body Shop's products are not all completely natural, none of them are tested on animals, so you can buy them knowing that no poor creature had to suffer for our vanity.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-24851933538599945212014-11-24T20:50:00.001+00:002014-11-24T20:50:29.235+00:00Review: Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint Rich Russet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm a big, big fan of bronze eye shadows. Nothing's better at making my blue eyes really pop and they somehow manage to be both daytime and evening appropriate at the same time. So when there's a massively hyped up bronzey eye shadow....-ish product, what else am I to do other than go out and buy it?<br />
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There was quite a bit of a stir when these first came out, especially regarding this particular shade, "Rich Russet". The formula is creamy, but also quite liquid, so it's applied with a doe foot applicator rather than coming in a pot like most cream shadows. It feels quite wet on the eye lids for about half a minute, after which it dries down and doesn't really move anymore.<br />
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I must admit that I wasn't massively blown away by the pigmentation of this. If you blend it while it's still wet it is all too easy to blend away too much, leaving virtually no colour on the eye lids. But if you really pack it on it takes ages to dry and creasing becomes more likely.<br />
Having said that I was pretty impressed by how well this stays put on the eye lids. Primer isn't really necessary and though you can add some powder shadow over the top to improve longevity, it does last most of the day without creasing.<br />
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Now, the colour is definitely something to write home about. The gold and silver shimmer in the brown base is so fine and dense that even after the shadow's dried down you get a foil like metallic effect. It makes for sparkly eyes that still look grown up and chic. It's just a shame that it's so difficult to build it up to the same intensity on the eye lids as you can see on the hand swatch. Otherwise it would literally be the perfect product.<br />
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But as it is, it's still a great eye shadow, which is easy to apply (you can just blend it out using your fingers if you're in a rush), lasts well all day and is budget friendly to boot.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-75098075836189534602014-11-21T22:31:00.000+00:002014-11-21T22:31:06.530+00:00My Little Cosy Box - November 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lately I've been getting excited about beauty boxes again and that is in part thanks to My Little Box which offers a mixture of beauty and lifestyle items every month. They have the best packaging I have ever seen, which means that every box feels like a specially put together gift box. And what better way to see in the weekend than a gorgeous little box of surprises?<br />
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This month's theme is "cosy", which is absolutely perfect for this time of year. As usual the box includes a copy of the "My Little World" magazine and a gorgeous little print by their in-house illustrator. As with last month's magazine I found that the translation from French was a tad wonky in parts, but overall it is a very well produced and executed magazine, which is incredibly impressive for something that comes as an extra with a subscription box.<br />
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The first item in the box was this tiny little mug for ants. Other than the illustration on one side, it has some writing on the back that says "How is your day gonna be?" and then at the bottom of the mug, for you to see when you've finished your coffee it says "Happy". I think this is such a cute idea to cheer up your morning. Sadly, I don't really drink espresso, so I'm not sure what I'm going to be able to use this cup for - it's literally about the size of the palm of my hand!<br />
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Next up is this little seed pillow that you can chuck in the microwave to heat up and keep you warm. It was actually wrapped up with a pretty bow originally, but I was too excited and tore it off before taking these pictures, sorry! These things are really great for when your body feels all stiff after a long day and the cute print won't make me feel incredibly old whenever I use it.<br />
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Their own brand beauty item included this month was this volumising mascara. Again, I adore the packaging and the brush on this looks really good - it's a decent size with good length bristles. I've not tried it yet, but I'm excited to give it a go soon!<br />
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Secondly, there was also a waterproof black eye liner from Arancil. I'm usually annoyed to get eye liners in beauty boxes, but I'm running very low on my current favourite liner, so it would be nice if this one could replace it. It glides on smoothly and staying power seems to be quite good as well, as it was a bit of a struggle to remove the swatch from my hand!<br />
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Lastly they also included a full sized Yves Rocher eye shadow in a deep, coffee brown. I dabbled in Yves Rocher a bit when I was a lot younger and never really got on with anything from the brand, but I'll happily give them another go. The pigmentation on this isn't too great, but I guess that makes the deep shade a bit more wearable and daytime appropriate, so I'm not complaining. You can see swatches of the liner and the shadow below:<br />
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Overall I'm a bit torn on this box. To be perfectly honest I don't think I'll get that much use out of anything included, but I really appreciate the amount of thought that has gone into this box. It really does feel like a very special treat each month. I have unsubscribed for now, but I'm starting to wonder if that was such a good decision after all...Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-42854432268838186032014-11-21T07:00:00.000+00:002014-11-21T07:00:06.178+00:00Review: L'Oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Gel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When it comes to make-up removers I thought I'd tried them all - oils, water based removers, creams, balms, duo-phase removers, micellars... but I can't say I've ever used a gel on my eyes to take off my make-up before - never mind a micellar gel. So, curiosity got the best of me and I had to give this one a go.<br />
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If you ever wondered what it feels like to rub gel on your eyelids, it's not a particularly nice feeling. It's cold, squidgy and slimy and though at least it doesn't seem to make my eyes too sticky, it just doesn't feel <i>right </i>if you know what I mean.<br />
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Sadly its effectiveness didn't exactly blow me away either and it took quite a bit of effort to get off eye liner and waterproof mascara - unlike my beloved micellar waters that make taking off my make-up an absolute breeze.<br />
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Unfortunately, this just didn't work for me at all. It was a bit of a novelty product, but it seems there's a good reason why you don't tend to find make-up remover in gel form. It's just wrong on every level. I think I'll stick to micellar waters from now onwards.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-17089482873346078642014-11-19T23:09:00.001+00:002014-11-19T23:09:42.508+00:00Review: Super Facialist by Una Brennan Brighten & Refine Facial Scrub<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Super Facialist by Una Brennan range has been getting so much love from other beauty bloggers I couldn't help but treat myself to a few bits from it. And as soon as I saw that they had a rose range I was sold! While I never used to be a big fan of rose-scented anything, the last couple of months I've been really drawn to this scent and find it instantly relaxes me.<br />
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The Rose Hydrate Brighten & Refine Facial Scrub (what a mouthful) did not disappoint when it came to this scent. Light and floral it has just the right strength to smell soothing and relaxing, without being overpowering. But alas, scent isn't everything!<br />
When it comes to texture I found it also pretty much hits the golden spot. Though I wouldn't recommend using it on dry skin, as it could be a bit rough, when used on wet skin it's just the perfect amount of grains to really get rid of any gunk sitting on top of the skin.<br />
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What I really like is that you only need the tiniest amount for each exfoliation, so this 150ml tube has lasted me absolute ages. I'm not sure how suitable it would be for really sensitive skin, though, as like I mentioned above it does feel a bit too harsh even on my skin when used dry. It's definitely not a scrub suitable for everyday use, but for a once-or-twice a week skincare pick-me-up it does the job pretty well.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-84404540829303201692014-11-17T00:01:00.000+00:002014-11-17T00:01:34.909+00:00When bargains are too good to be true: Sea Spa Salt Scrub<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I admit that I am totally guilty of this: When browsing sales or bargain sites, I instantly sort my search by "highest discount". There's just something insanely satisfying about getting a huge discount, even if you still end up spending more than you would have on an alternative product. Well, there comes a time when you get your fingers burnt and for me it's this.<br />
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Not only was this reduced from £40 to £10 on Fragrance Direct, the description also promised that it would last for a year, as you only ever need a tiny amount of product. I was instantly sold and into my basket it went. Unfortunately, the minute I opened up the tub I knew something was wrong...<br />
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As you can see, the pot was completely sealed, but underneath all the oil had separated from the grains. Not really a problem, as I've had particularly oily scrubs do that in the past and you just need to give it a bit of a shake/stir to even things out again. But while I was expecting a sweet fruity scent of Tangerine Melon, I was instead hit by a wave of something smelling distinctly fishy... literally.<br />
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After tipping out the foul smelling oil on top, the rest of the product seemed kind of usable, but I may as well have not bothered. At least I can attest, that you really only need a tiny amount of this - the grains are sharp as nails and pretty much instantly irritated my skin (and that's coming from someone who likes their scrubs extremely, err scrubby). It was just completely unusable.<br />
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Sea Spa are no longer listed on Fragrance Direct's website and overall I can barely find anything on the brand, so I'm not sure if it even exists anymore. Truth be told, I'm not sure who to blame for this. Is it just a horrendous product or is it actually gone off stock being sold on a bargain cosmetic site? Hard to tell. The only thing I've taken away from this is that when a bargain seems too good to be true, there's probably a very good reason for that.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-13219657329633624762014-11-14T23:59:00.002+00:002014-11-14T23:59:46.994+00:00Review: Schwarzkopf Essensity Intense Repair Mask<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My hunt for the perfect hair mask to quench my parched hair's thirst is somewhat of an ongoing adventure, though I gotta admit that this one's a pretty serious contender.<br />
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As far as texture goes, this hair mask is absolutely spot-on. It's got enough slip to massage into hair easily, but is also thick and creamy enough not to drip out of the hair while you leave it to sink in.<br />
I used this every other wash instead of conditioner and it worked an absolute treat on my hair.<br />
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It does that wonderful thing of being really nourishing but without making the hair feel heavy afterwards. It adds shine and it even seems like my hair didn't take quite as long to blow dry afterwards.<br />
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The only downside? The pot is on the smaller side, so it really didn't last that long - about a month of using it 1-2 times a week and it was gone. It's definitely something I'd look to repurchase, though!Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-45409066343583093682014-11-11T01:02:00.000+00:002014-11-11T01:02:09.398+00:00Review: Rimmel Colour Rush Balm in 110 Make Me Blush<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few months back I went through a phase of wanting to buy pretty much every single shade of these Rimmel lip crayons. I was absolutely besotted with them and wouldn't wear anything else on my lips, but eventually my love fizzled out and while they haven't totally been forgotten, I don't reach for them quite as often anymore.<br />
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The really annoying thing about these lip crayons is that they don't have the shade name printed anywhere on them, so it took me a while to figure out that this is actually shade 110, "Make Me Blush". I do apologise for the weird tint this has picked up on camera. In reality this is actually a quite light and very blue toned baby pink!<br />
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The swatches show a much more accurate picture of the actual colour. It goes on quite sheer at first, but is build able to a more opaque finish. I definitely prefer it in a thicker layer, as it does have a tendency to look a little patchy otherwise.<br />
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As I've said previously, I absolutely cannot fault the formula of these lip crayons. They feel smooth and silky on the lips, go on without dragging in the slightest and offer a healthy hit of pigmentation with a delicate sheen. Longevity is excellent, though I have found that this shade in particular doesn't fade out into an even stain like the other ones do, but tends to settle into the lip lines instead. It's a real shame and though it's nothing you can't fix with a regular touch up, it does mean that it's by far my least favourite colour from the line up.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-29450325632234697072014-11-05T16:55:00.001+00:002014-11-05T16:55:13.581+00:00My Little Box October 2014 - Diane von Furstenberg EditionIt's been a while since I had a beauty box subscription. The last one that got me excited was Korean Memebox, but after some difficulties which resulted in me never getting a box I ordered and still losing out despite getting a refund due to bank charges and conversion rates, I felt like I'd had enough for a while. But then My Little Box came over from France and I was smitten (this seems to always happen as soon as I think I'm over subscription boxes). Their attention to detail, the mix of fashion, lifestyle and beauty products and the gorgeous illustrations just completely won me over.<br />
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Unfortunately, it hasn't been quite plain sailing with this box either. It took three weeks to arrive, so I got my October box on the very last day of October. However, their customer service were extremely friendly and helpful and explained that the first box always takes a bit longer to arrive and I should be getting my subsequent boxes on time from now on. As long as I don't get my November box on the 30th that's something I can live with and overlook just this one time.<br />
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On to the actual box, the spoiler this month was that there was a designer collaboration involved and I gotta admit that got me pretty excited. I tried to not look at any blog posts before getting my box, but caved at the two-week-after-it's-been-dispatched mark. I wasn't so sure about DVF at first, but if you read any of my wish list posts you'll know that prints are basically my favourite thing in the world and prints are something Diane is extremely good at, so my expectations grew.<br />
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The packaging of the box certainly didn't disappoint. From the illustrated box to the way everything inside was packaged, the attention to detail made it feel like I was opening a special present someone had packed just for me. Everything came wrapped separately, from the printed envelope of the scarf to the drawstring bag for the beauty products.<br />
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My Little Box always include a magazine with their boxes and even though you could tell the translation from French into English was a bit wonky, it felt extremely well executed with high quality photographs and great interviews. This is by far the most impressive little magazine I've ever seen in a subscription box.<br />
Also included was a printed card and a red lip brooch. I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do with these two items. I might put the print up somewhere in my office/make-up room, but I'm a bit lost on what to do with the pin, as it wouldn't go with any of my clothes, but I don't want to just throw it away either!<br />
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As soon as I heard there'd be a designer collaboration for this box I instantly knew there'd be a printed scarf included. Turns out my hunch was right! Granted, nobody is going to mistake this for an actual designer scarf (there were a few loose threads I had to snip off with scissors), but I'm still happy with the quality and bright animal print is definitely something I'll happily wear. I also like that the inside of the card envelope had some illustrated suggestions on how to wear the scarf.<br />
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On to the beauty samples. I was a little bit disappointed how tiny the tube of L'Occitane hand cream was - somehow it looks much bigger in photos, but in reality it's about the size of my thumb. However, L'Occitane are famous for their great quality hand creams that moisturise but don't leave hands greasy and sticky and this one in particular has an amazing vanilla scent that somehow isn't too sickly sweet at all.<br />
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The Kerastase hair spray is another winner. I don't use hair spray much, but this one is lovely and light and doesn't make my hair crispy. Overall from what I've seen on the My Little Box website, their brand selection is really amazing with lots of mid-tier and high-end brands that are well known and loved.<br />
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As for their own brand products, they're certainly on a different level than anything I've ever seen before from subscription boxes. The packaging manages to pull of this whole "cute but still chic" thing extremely well. As for the micellar water included in this box it has a nice scent and is gentle enough to use on the eyes, but it does struggle a bit with waterproof mascara, so I don't think it'll be replacing my beloved Garnier anytime soon.<br />
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Overall I'm quite impressed with this box. It certainly felt like a special treat to open it up, which is what a good subscription should be about in the end. I haven't done a breakdown of the value, as it would be difficult to price items like the scarf and the pin, but it certainly felt like the value for money was there.<br />
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I'm quite excited now to see what the November box brings!Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-28951853117277326032014-11-02T20:15:00.000+00:002014-11-02T20:15:30.429+00:00Monthly Favourites: September 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>1) Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water</b></span></div>
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The jury's out on whether or not this is a dupe for the infamous Bioderma Crealine micellar, but as far as I'm concerned, this stuff is just as good. I've tried loads of different make-up removers, from high end (huge waste of money in my opinion) to the drugstore offerings (can be a bit hit and miss) and so far Bioderma has been by far my favourite. Even though you don't necessarily have to take the Eurostar to get yourself a bottle of it anymore, it's still fairly difficult to get hold of around these parts. Enter the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water which was so obviously inspired by Bioderma it even has a similar big round bottle with a pink plastic lid. In all honesty, as far as being gentle and getting every last scrap of make-up (including stubborn waterproof mascara) is concerned, I believe this is just as good - but with the added benefit of not only being cheaper, but also being available in any drugstore and even most supermarkets. I don't think I'll ever need a different make-up remover - this is going straight on the repurchase list, as soon as it's finished.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>2) Soap and Glory Puffy Eye Attack Turbo-Boost Hydragel</b></span></div>
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I'm one of those few people who really don't like rollerballs for under the eyes. It's silly really, but there's just something about poking a metal ball this close to my eye that freaks me out and I also find that they often drag the sensitive area under my eyes and make it difficult to dispense the right amount of product. So, this is not a rollerball, which already makes it a winner in my books.</div>
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On top of that it offers just the perfect amount of hydration, meaning it's nourishing without being greasy and causing concealer to slip off. It does wonders when my eyes get a little bit puffy, though it has failed to improve my dark circles - I'm guessing I'll be needing a few good nights' sleep for that one!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>3) Soap and Glory Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub</b></span></div>
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It took me ages to finally try this even though I've heard so many great things about it - and now I finally see what all the fuss is about! First of all, it smells absolutely amazing - like some oaty, mapley delicious breakfast dish that just screams comfort. Secondly, the grains are absolutely perfect in that they offer decent "scrubbage" (technical term there), but without feeling scratchy at all. The thick cream they're suspended in feels nourishing on the skin and isn't so runny that it just falls off the skin and goes straight down the drain - a pet peeve of mine when it comes to scrubs. Just make sure to rinse your shower/bath properly after using it, as it does tend to make a bit of a mess!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>4) Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner</b></span></div>
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This product seems to get a lot of mixed reviews, but I'm definitely a fan! Granted, the long tip is a bit tricky to use at first, but after a few applications I feel pretty confident with it and don't make mistakes <i>quite as often </i>anymore. And once you've mastered it, the ultra thin nib creates the most precise of feline flicks. The thing I adore about it is the deep, inky black it leaves on the lid unlike any other liquid liner I've ever used before. And to top it off it stays on the lid all day long, without fail. Even with no primer underneath it doesn't smudge, flake or budge in any other way until you take your make-up off at the end of the day. I am a little worried that it seems to be drying up a little bit already even though I've only had it two months, though. I think I'll try storing it upside down and see if that solves the problem!</div>
Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-50237238227396952782014-10-27T07:00:00.000+00:002014-10-27T07:00:14.473+00:00Face of the Day #07<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This has probably got to be my favourite go-to look ever. I'm always one for experimenting with lots of different make-up looks, but this is the one I always feel drawn to when I just want to look like myself. A thin, winged flick at the top of the lash line looks made up, put together, but still natural. And when I feel like going out then all I have to do is slick on a nice lip stick and I'm ready to go.<br />
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<u>FACE/BASE</u><br />
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I've been trying my hardest to like the <b>Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 115 Ivory</b>, but after taking these pictures I have finally given up and went out to buy myself a new foundation. It's not the worst foundation in the world - the finish is quite nice, but it just has a tendency to slide around on the face. I used the <b>Seventeen Stay Time Concealer</b> under my eyes and dabbed it under the eye area with my finger tips. I set the whole lot with the <b>Seventeen Stay Time Pressed Powder</b> (Seventeen make some really rather fantastic base products). On the cheeks I used one of my all time favourite blushers - the <b>MUA Blusher in 01</b>. It's an absolute bargain at £1 and as you can see it's been through quite a bit, but I just keep coming back to it for a natural, luminous glow on the cheeks.<br />
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<u>EYES</u><br />
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Obviously the <b>MAC Paint Pot in Painterly</b> had to come out again - I don't think I've used a different primer in about two years and as soon as I hit pan on this one I'm going to run to get another one straight away. I blended a bit of Tease from my <b>Urban Decay Naked 2 Pallette</b> into the outer corner and the crease with a big fluffy brush. I then used the <b>Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner</b> to line very closely at the upper lash line, flicking it out at the outer corner and making sure to take it quite far into the inner corner of the eye as well. I really like the elongated cat eye effect you get from taking the liner quite far either way. To top it off, I used the <b>L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagene Mascara</b> on top lashes, and as the brush is quite bulky I switched to the <b>Maybelline Great Lash Mascara</b> for bottom lashes.<br />
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<u>LIPS</u><br />
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I left my lips completely bare for this look with only a little hint of lip balm. As the rest of the look is so neutral, pretty much any shade of lipstick goes well, but I just didn't feel like any colour on my lips that particular day.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-4096982546752748702014-10-20T22:03:00.000+01:002014-10-20T22:03:45.361+01:00Review: Neal & Wolf Guard Heat Protection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/NealAndWolf_GuardHeatProtection1_zpsacf00c74.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/NealAndWolf_GuardHeatProtection1_zpsacf00c74.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I always find heat protectants to be a very tricky product to review. How do you know it's doing its job? How do you know for sure that it's doing its job? Yes, my hair isn't particularly frazzled, but is that the heat protectant doing its job or is it my conditioner or maybe some styling product I'm applying? How am I ever supposed to know?<br />
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I guess what I'd like to focus on with this review are a few things that become obvious right from the second you use this. For instance, I find that a lot of heat protectants leave a sticky residue on the hair. Fortunately, this doesn't (as long as you're not showering yourself in the stuff), so there's a big thumbs up for that. Use it on wet hair or dry hair, there's no sticky crispiness left behind.<br />
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The scent is another big bonus. It has this light salon smell that lingers just long enough to make you go "oooh", but then doesn't interfere with the rest of your day.<br />
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The other thing I really like about this - and I know this is really, really random - is the product size. I think it's just spot on - big enough to last a fair bit, but small enough to be travel friendly and not to still be there lurking in a corner years after you bought it.<br />
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I have really enjoyed pretty much everything I've tried from Neal & Wolf <i>ever</i>. I just think it's such a shame they're not more widely available, as I'm a bit of an impulse shopper and don't tend to go out of my way to look for a certain brand or product.<br />
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As for the heat protection spray, all I can say is that I like it. Whether or not it really benefits my hair in the long run - who will ever know?Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-83462140343108073412014-10-15T23:40:00.001+01:002014-10-15T23:40:30.843+01:00Review: Bourjois Elastic Mascara<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Bourjois_ElasticMascara1_zpsc497b5c8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Bourjois_ElasticMascara1_zpsc497b5c8.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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I feel like when it comes to Bourjois, it's their foundations and their blushers that seem to get all the rave reviews, but when it comes to mascaras, you just don't hear their name thrown into the pot too often. Which is rather unfair, in my opinion, as Bourjois mascaras are some of the best drugstore ones I've come across and I can honestly say I've loved every single one I've tried so far.<br />
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I love the thin drop like handle on this mascara for its uniqueness, although it's not the most practical for use. In fact it feels a little bit like you're jousting with a very bristly lance. Nevertheless this is a pretty amazing mascara. It's one of those that is really "grippy", so that each and every lash gets coated evenly and adds great length to the lash (although, as usual, ignore all marketing claims of just how much longer your lashes are going to become, as it tends to be a load of rubbish). It lasts really well, too, without any flaking or smudging.<br />
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Sadly, it seems like this mascara has now been discontinued (sorry bout that....), but you can still find these on Amazon, Ebay and some discount make-up sites. Anyway, this was a bit more of an ode to Bourjois mascaras in general. I also really love their Clubbing and their 1 Second mascara if you want to give one of them a try.<br />
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Have you used any Bourjois mascaras? What did you think?Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-13996014652122073192014-10-13T20:58:00.000+01:002014-10-13T20:58:22.308+01:00Review: Alpure Detoxifying Toning Cleanser<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Alpure_DetoxifyingToningCleanser1_zps1c0bceee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Alpure_DetoxifyingToningCleanser1_zps1c0bceee.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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I can't say I'd ever heard of the brand Alpure before, but while looking for bargains on Fragrance Direct I saw this cleanser very heavily marked down and as I was just in the market for a new one, it had to go straight into my basket. Before you even read any further, let me tell you that I've learnt my lesson and realised that when a single product is marked down a lot heavier than all others, there's usually a reason for that.<br />
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It was when I read the instructions on the box that I realised I'd made a mistake. Now, I'm sure not everyone will agree with me, but in my personal opinion, a cleanser has got to be rinsed off with water (or alternatively wiped off with a wet flannel or muslin cloth). If there's no water involved, I just somehow doubt how it's ever going to get off all my dirt and make-up. With this cleanser, you're meant to apply it onto the face with dry fingers and then just swipe the excess off with a cotton pad. The rest is meant to sink into the skin.<br />
I couldn't help but worry that I was essentially just pushing the dirt further into my pores rather than rinsing it out, but to be completely honest, my towels and pillows were clean after using this, so it must have been doing something.<br />
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While it's safe to use on the eyes, I preferred using a separate make-up remover for the eye area, as this just wasn't strong enough. A swipe of waterproof mascara and this would have had no chance. It certainly did strike me how gentle this cleanser was - a little too gentle, perhaps?<br />
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<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Alpure_DetoxifyingToningCleanser5_zps5fd429c9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Alpure_DetoxifyingToningCleanser5_zps5fd429c9.jpg" height="442" width="640" /></a></div>
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You may have noticed that I've written this review in the past tense. That's because I wanted to wait until I'd completely finished the product before I wrote down my thoughts. Despite being a bit unsure about the lack of water involved, I did quite like this cleanser. I enjoyed how gentle it was and it did seem to get a lot of grime off my face.<br />
That was until I finished it and switched cleansers and suddenly realised, just how much my skin improved. In my opinion a good cleanser is the one thing that will instantly transform the skin and as it happens, this one made my skin look rather grey and dull - something I didn't realise until I switched to a different product.<br />
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As I only spent £10 on it I'm not too peeved, but it certainly won't be a repurchase from me. Had I spent the full £30 that this is marked up as, I would have expected a far, far superior product.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-66236627729955961492014-10-11T00:26:00.002+01:002014-10-11T00:26:34.804+01:00Review: Grace Cole Pineapple & Passion Fruit Body Butter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/GraceCole_PineappleampPassionFruitBodyButter1_zpsc6ac3917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/GraceCole_PineappleampPassionFruitBodyButter1_zpsc6ac3917.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Grace Cole is not a brand I'd ever heard of before, but while doing some online shopping for a few showery bath bits, I noticed that a lot of their items were on offer, so decided to give them a go! This body butter sounded too delicious to pass up on - passion fruit is one of my favourite scents and flavours, ever.<br />
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What I expected was a tropical olfactory explosion that would mentally transport me onto a holiday on a Caribbean island of some sort, but it turned out to be a little weak in that department. The scent was nice, but really nothing to shout about, as it was very pared back and disappeared soon after application. Great if you don't like obtrusive scents on your skin, but I prefer something a bit more punchy - The Body Shop are still ranked right up there as my favourites when it comes to nice smelling body butters, though my latest Elizabeth Arden one smells pretty amazing, too.<br />
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<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/GraceCole_PineappleampPassionFruitBodyButter3_zps7a4f5d74.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/GraceCole_PineappleampPassionFruitBodyButter3_zps7a4f5d74.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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When it comes to texture, however, I absolutely cannot fault this. It's thick and rich, but sinks in nicely without leaving a film on the skin. (That dip on the picture above is from me dropping the lid into the pot by the way.) It's a spot on formula for anyone who like me likes their body butters thick and silky. I just wish the smell had been a touch more holiday feeling inducing!Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-79870945194460236902014-10-10T02:54:00.000+01:002014-10-10T02:54:06.899+01:00A few bits from Direct CosmeticsOccasionally I hear about websites that offer beauty bargains and to be honest I'm always rather weary about them. When something seems to good to be true, well, it usually is. Snapping up a great bargain only to open the container and find that it's separated and developed a distinctive fishy smell? Yeah, been there, done that. Then there's always the fear of ending up with a fake product containing potentially harmful ingredients (I'm looking at you, ebay!).<br />
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So when <a href="http://www.directcosmetics.com/" target="_blank">Direct Cosmetics</a> contacted me about reviewing a few bits and bobs from their site I was a tad hesitant. But, as it turned out, all items were genuine, original products - all safely packaged and nothing was past its expiry date, hooray! I've since found myself browsing the site looking for some bargains to be had. There's nothing more satisfying than opening a big box of beauty goodies that have cost you a fraction of their sales price. (Apart from dipping into a brand new jar of Nutella. Nothing beats that.) Here's a little run down with first impressions of the items I got.<br />
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<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/ElizabethArden_GreenTeaHoneyDropsBodyCream_zpsa42c5cbf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/ElizabethArden_GreenTeaHoneyDropsBodyCream_zpsa42c5cbf.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.directcosmetics.com/icode/50336" target="_blank">Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Honey Drops Body Cream</a></span></div>
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This is one of the best sellers and honestly, I'm not even surprised - it's absolutely amazing. The texture is absolutely perfect: thick, creamy, hydrating but not sticky at all. The little beads take some getting used to at first, but they seem to pop on the skin as soon as you start rubbing the cream into the skin and then disappear entirely. I think my favourite bit, however, is the scent. The green tea scent is refreshing and relaxing at the same time and lingers on the skin for hours.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.directcosmetics.com/icode/46450" target="_blank">Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream</a></span></div>
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I can never be too long with this stuff. It's well and truly earned its place in the beauty hall of fame for sorting out pretty much any bad skin issue. Dry, cracked skin? Check. Chapped lips? Check. Light burns, scrapes, nothing is too much for this stuff. Even my boyfriend agrees that it's magical and regularly steals it from my bedside table. I had a little sore patch of skin on my nose where my glasses were rubbing and within a few applications it had healed entirely. I used to really dislike the scent but I've gotten accustomed to it and these days I quite like it.</div>
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<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/LOreal_ExtraVolumeWaterproof_zps43d40751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/LOreal_ExtraVolumeWaterproof_zps43d40751.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.directcosmetics.com/icode/54549" target="_blank">L'Oreal Extra-Volume Collagene Mascara</a></span></div>
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This mascara is surprisingly wet for a waterproof formula, but once it's set on the lashes it lasts through the day. It applies a bit clumpy at first, but brushes out eventually. I'm not a huge fan of the massive brush, as it's way too bulky to get into the inner corners and bottom lashes, so I have to use a different mascara for those (I'm using Maybelline Great Lash). It's better suited to those looking for a lot of volume rather than length and definition.</div>
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<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Revlon_JustBittenKissableBalmStains_zps17f66acf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Revlon_JustBittenKissableBalmStains_zps17f66acf.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Revlon_JustBittenKissableBalmStainsSwatches_zps7b52997c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Revlon_JustBittenKissableBalmStainsSwatches_zps7b52997c.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.directcosmetics.com/icode/58803" target="_blank">Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in "Lovesick" (left)</a><a href="http://www.directcosmetics.com/icode/58802" target="_blank"> and "Cherish" (right)</a></span></div>
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I'm a big fan of lip crayons and these are creamy and pigmented. The best thing about these, however, is their longevity. These stay put for hours, last through drinking without a scratch and will even survive small meals. I can't say I'm a fan of the scent, though. Apparently it's meant to be minty, but it kind of reminds me of horseradish - not something I'd want to put on my lips. Funky smell aside, I'm really happy with both of these colours. They add just the right amount of colour to pop but not wash me out entirely.</div>
Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-63769355677459358132014-09-23T21:54:00.000+01:002014-09-23T21:54:30.563+01:00Review: V05 Beyond Blonde Shampoo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/V05_BeyondBlondeShampoo1_zps9c2e0737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/V05_BeyondBlondeShampoo1_zps9c2e0737.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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This isn't something I thought I'd ever think, never mind write or say out loud, but I feel like I owe this shampoo an apology. I have been dragging out this review for absolute ages, scrolling past the images and thinking, "What the hell are you going to say? It's just shampoo....". But then I started thinking about it. And thought about it some more. And the more I thought, the more I realised, that this is one of the best drugstore shampoos I have used in a long time. So, here we go, V05: I'm sorry for not appreciating you enough.<br />
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See, this is a shampoo that works quietly. On the outside it seems just like any cheap and cheerful shampoo: it's got that typical fruity drugstore scent (nothing wrong with that, but it's not exactly luxurious), extremely girly packaging and a very serious lather that means business (but also tons of SLS, so not one if you're avoiding that ingredient!). I wouldn't say it does any of that brightening or colour correcting stuff specifically for blonde hair, so again, if that's something you're after, you need to look elsewhere.<br />
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<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/V05_BeyondBlondeShampoo2_zps6e0ff46a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/V05_BeyondBlondeShampoo2_zps6e0ff46a.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I use this every other wash and usually apply something like a hair mask or deep conditioner afterwards and while I've had various results with the latter, it's the shampoo that's always been consistent. It gets my hair really, <i>really </i>clean, so that it can perfectly absorb whatever's coming afterwards, but even if I just pop on any regular old conditioner, my hair is left feeling soft and smooth and in no way dry or frizzy.<br />
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<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/V05_BeyondBlondeShampoo3_zps0fc448af.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/V05_BeyondBlondeShampoo3_zps0fc448af.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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I think haircare is probably the one area where investing in luxury products will get you luxury results (in my experience, at least), but if you don't have upwards of £50 to spend on shampoo and conditioner every month, you still don't have to let your hair suffer. For the price, this works an absolute treat and I couldn't ask for anything else. I bought this huge 500ml bottle about six months ago and I'm only just beginning to scrape the bottom, so it lasts for ages as well! (Though bear in mind that I've only been using it every other wash, as mentioned above)Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-62353683118272404312014-09-22T22:57:00.001+01:002014-09-22T22:57:15.598+01:00Review: Garnier Clean & Fresh Eye Make-up Remover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Garnier_CleanampFreshEyeMake-upRemover1_zpsfd46d4c5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q715/BeautifulSmudges/Garnier_CleanampFreshEyeMake-upRemover1_zpsfd46d4c5.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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When it comes to make-up remover, I like to keep things cheap and cheerful. I get through so much of that stuff it would soon become a very expensive habit and I've found that most drugstore removers work just as well as their high end counterparts, as long as you know where to look.<br />
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While my eyes aren't super sensitive, they do get dry from wearing contact lenses a lot of the time, so the main thing for me is that I don't want my beauty products to further aggravate them and cause any stinging. I'm also not a fan of oil based removers that leave a greasy film on my lids and a weird coating on my eyeballs.... urgh, no thanks. Thankfully, this little number from Garnier fits the bill perfectly.<br />
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It really does feel light and refreshing on the skin and there is no stinging or burning in my eyes whatsoever. When it comes to removing make-up it performs well as long as you're not wearing copious amounts of eye make-up. After a night out for example I would have to go through several cotton pads to fully get rid of my panda eyes.<br />
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I guess when it comes to efficiency, these types of make-up remover are never going to be as good as micellars (and if you're in the market for one, Garnier actually do a cracking one that is pretty much an exact dupe for Bioderma!), but if for any reason you're not a fan of a micellar water and don't wear huge amounts of eye make-up, then this is a pretty good option that certainly won't break the bank.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-29332441108293561322014-09-17T23:16:00.001+01:002014-09-17T23:16:30.816+01:00Review: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Whatever did I do before the days of quick dry top coat? Oh yeah, I basically never painted my nails. That's what I did. This is the second part of my adventure in quick-dry-land, with the first part being a bottle of the OPI Rapidry (<a href="http://beautifulsmudges.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/opi-rapidry-review.html" target="_blank">review here</a>). I know, I know, I still somehow haven't purchased a bottle of the legendary Seche Vite, but when I opened my Rapidry one day to find that it had turned into a hard, sticky lump, this was the only thing I could get my hands on in my local Boots.<br />
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And it certainly wasn't too shabby a purchase! As far as being quick drying goes, this top coat definitely does the job. Give it ten minutes tops and my nail polish has gone rock solid, so I no longer have to sit on the sofa in T-Rex pose. Unlike my previous purchase, it also doesn't drag the polish underneath - as long as the surface is kinda dry, you're good to go. After all, having to wait for your nail polish to completely dry before applying a quick dry top coat kinda defeats the purpose.<br />
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As for the top coat preventing chips I do admit that I've seen some improvements compared to not wearing any top coat at all, though they're not overly breathtaking. All it takes is still one slightly longer shower and my polish will have dents and flakes coming off. Thankfully, however, (unlike the OPI polish), it doesn't do that horrible thing where a top coat clings to your nail polish and everything comes off in just one huge, massive flake.<br />
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As far as the brush goes, I wouldn't mind it being a little shorter and wider for easier application, but that's just me being fussy over a minor detail.<br />
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I think as far as adventures in quick dry land go, this is definitely an improvement and has led to a lot more nail polish application than previously. I'd be happy to recommend this to anyone who likes to paint their nails and doesn't enjoy faffing about while it's drying (so, erm, everyone who likes to paint their nails then). Perhaps one day I will get my hands on some Seche Vite and then I'll be able to tell you how these two stack up against each other, but until then I'm happy with my bottle of Insta-Dri!Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-69655491124580353412014-09-13T21:53:00.001+01:002014-09-13T21:53:30.751+01:00Review: Mark Hill Intensive Conditioning Mask<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every other hair wash, I slap on something thick, gooey and nourishing on my hair. A hair mask or deep conditioner is as deeply embedded in my beauty routine as filing my nails when they break off. As my hair is naturally quite dry and bleaching it makes it extra brittle, it's not a step I could ever imagine skipping. As a result, I've tried a lot of products that claim to bring back your hair from the brink of near-death, from budget to high end (but mainly on the budget side of things).<br />
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As such, this is one that sits very snugly in the middle. It's got a very satisfying scoopy texture... you know, when you just get a nice feeling scooping it up with your hands...? ...no? I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's neither too runny, so you don't have to worry about it dripping out of your hair, nor so thick that you can't spread it evenly. It's got a sweet and fruity scent but by no means is it overpowering.<br />
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One thing I do really like about this is that it only takes a few minutes to get to work. None of that wrapping hair in a towel, waiting for half an hour and then getting back in the shower faff. This I just slap on, then I do my showery-exfoliatey-shavey things and it's ready to be rinsed off again.<br />
It's more of a quick fix, however, than a long term solution. Post shower, my hair is left soft and silky, but without having the ingredients right here in front of me, I can almost swear blindly, that it ought to be down to some silicone magic - so it's not one for you if that's an ingredient you avoid in your hair products!<br />
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Personally, while I do try to shake it up a little from time to time, silicones are not an ingredient that I avoid altogether, though I do make an effort to go on silicone breaks to let my hair breathe occasionally. As far as other drugstore masks go, I'd say this is definitely superior to other cheap and cheerful options, such as Herbal Essences, albeit I wouldn't recommend it as a long term solution if your hair is brittle and damaged.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-82179336719231709882014-09-11T13:02:00.001+01:002014-09-11T13:02:36.809+01:00Review: Soap & Glory Heel Genius<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For a long time I used to struggle with using foot creams. I amassed a huge stash of them, but constantly kept forgetting to actually use them. Then I had the <i>genius</i> idea of putting a tube in my bathroom right next to my body lotion and this way I have somehow managed to work my way through my mountain of foot creams and try out this one which I bought more than a year and a half ago. Told you it was bad.<br />
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I've seen Heel Genius on many a bloggers' favourites lists and now I can finally understand why it's such a much loved product. The texture is an almost balmy cream which instantly sinks into the skin, so there's none of that dreaded Bambi-on-ice feeling if don't put socks on straight afterwards. The cream feels cooling and refreshing on the feet, which is an absolute godsend if you've spent all day running around like I usually do.<br />
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While it's not the most skin softening foot cream I've ever tried, I could definitely tell a difference in how my heels felt after a couple of days of using it. As far as budget foot creams go, this is probably the best one I've tried so far. I feel like its place in the beauty hall of fame is well deserved!Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-32923997118381140952014-09-10T19:59:00.001+01:002014-09-10T19:59:24.845+01:00Review: Bleach London Silver Conditioner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When it comes to purple shampoo and conditioner or any other products that promise to keep bleached blonde hair from going brassy I thought I'd tried them all. So imagine my excitement when I discovered this in my local Boots! I'd heard good things about Bleach London, so was hoping it would do a good job at keeping my hair looking naturally blonde and not Simpsons-yellow.<br />
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As far as purple conditioners go it's one of the better ones, pretty much on par with my beloved Pro:Voke (which is somehow still the cheapest and the best of all the ones I've tried). The purple tint is strong enough to cover up brassiness, but subtle enough to stop your hair getting an unwanted lavender tinge. It's also nourishing enough to leave hair soft and silky, but in no way greasy or weighed down.<br />
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The only downside I can find is the packaging. Don't get me wrong, it looks really cool and edgy on the bathroom shelf, but once you're about halfway through the bottle, the thick plastic combined with the small screwtop makes it incredibly difficult to get enough product out. I would much prefer a squeezy tube! Seeing as it works just as well for me as the Pro:Voke one, but is ever so slightly more expensive, I don't think it's going to be a repurchase for me, but if you find that you don't get on with that one too well, this is well worth a shot!Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-68177601302592632972014-09-06T16:23:00.000+01:002014-09-06T16:23:04.703+01:00Review: Nivea 2in1 Cleanser & Toner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You know when a product claims to be good at two separate things and then ends up with a mediocre performance in both of them? Yeah, that. With this.<br />
I bought the Nivea 2in1 Cleanser & Toner out of sheer laziness and I'm not afraid to admit it. I was feeling run down and stressed and came to the conclusion that I was much more likely to stick to a skincare routine rather than the occasional face wipe if that routine consisted of the minimum amount of steps I could get away with.<br />
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Now, I did have a picture of a blob of this on my hand so you could get a good idea of the texture, but it looked suspiciously like, err... a certain type of bodily fluid, so I thought I'd spare you the sight! You'll just have to take my word, that it's a lot like a creamy cleanser, but with a slightly runnier, more watery consistency.<br />
While it definitely feels nice and gentle on the skin, my face just didn't feel particularly clean after using it, which was confirmed by a mucky face towel.<br />
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For me the idea of using a toner after washing my face is to have that extra purification, with a little bit of bonus moisture, but this just doesn't perform either of those criteria. I guess it would be alright as part of a double cleanse, but then that would defeat the purpose of cutting out steps in my skincare routine. Looks like I shot myself in the foot a little bit there, doesn't it?<br />
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What is your experience with dual- or multi-purpose products? Have you maybe even tried this one in particular? Let me know in the comments below!Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2675189400219148771.post-5633598304418013632014-09-04T08:00:00.000+01:002014-09-04T08:00:00.098+01:00Review: Champneys Spa Indulgence Distant Shores Body Scrub<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Champneys is not a brand I have any experience with. Although they are readily available at Boots and come out with loads of great gift sets in the weeks before Christmas, it's just not a brand that I could identify with or that I found interesting in any way. But as soon as I unscrewed the lid of this body scrub and caught a little whiff, there was no way I would leave without it in my basket.<br />
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Oh my god. The scent of this is just incredible! You can definitely smell the passionfruit and the citrus in this and while it's fruity and zingy there's no sickliness and none of that toilet cleaner smell you can get from some citrus based scents.<br />
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As for the texture, the grains are about salt sized, offering good mechanical exfoliation without irritating the skin. To be fair I do find it to be a little runny, so you've got to work quick to stop the product from just dripping off the skin and I wouldn't mind if it was a little more moisturising either. It performs well, but it's certainly not the best body scrub I've ever used. The scent, however, made it an absolute pleasure to use and turned my morning shower into a true indulgence.Chrissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077691795887721802noreply@blogger.com0