Monthly Favourites: June 2014

1) Real Techniques Blush Brush

I'm a tad late to the Real Techniques party, but after half of my brush collection was eaten by a naughty puppy it was time to start from scratch and the blush brush I bought originally was just plain rubbish. This one is just a dream to use. It's incredibly soft, but the bristles are still dense enough to deposit just the right amount of colour on the cheeks. Originally I thought it would be a bit too wide, but it's actually really easy to get blush just on the top of the cheek. I'm definitely looking to get a few more Real Techniques brushes to add to my collection!

2) Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot

I've heard so many good things about this powder, that when I ran out of my trusted Rimmel Stay Matte I couldn't help myself but give it a go. And I'm so glad I did! It's a translucent powder, so I don't have to worry about it not matching my complexion and very, very mattifying without looking at all cakey. Staying power is also impressive, though I wouldn't use it on the whole face, but rather just down the T-Zone, as it can make my face look a bit flat otherwise.

3) Laura Geller Inkwell Waterproof Gel Liner

I got this liner in a Birchbox in February last year and I've only just realised that I've never given it the credit it deserves, even though I've been wearing it on an almost daily basis ever since - isn't that crazy? In all this time I've had it, it hasn't dried out just one bit. It's the blackest of black and is lovely and creamy upon application which makes it a breeze to apply a straight, smooth line. The little brush incorporated in the lid is not only handy, but also works extremely well. While I wouldn't say it's exactly waterproof, it does last all day long with a decent primer underneath.

4) NYX Nail Polish in Pastel Lavender

I got this nail polish in this month's Love Me Beauty box and been wearing it a lot since. Both formula and application of this nail polish is spot on and it's opaque with two coats without any streaking. Most of all, though, it's the colour which really appeals to me. Odd, seeing as I usually favour neons and brights, but it just feels like there was a gap in my nail polish collection which this one filled perfectly.

Love Me Beauty Box June 14

Wow, can you believe it's already been a year since Love Me Beauty (then known as Beauteco Box) has launched? After reading lots of rave reviews about their June box I instantly signed up and have been with them ever since their second ever box. There have been some ups and downs (mostly ups, but a few downs in recent times) and I'm quite excited to see what the future has to hold for my favourite beauty box so far.
This month's box included a bonus item for me for filling out another 5 surveys on their website, as well as a £10 off voucher towards Flavourly, a gourmet and artisan food subscription box. While it does sound interesting, Flavourly also offers the same money off voucher for new subscribers on their website, so I won't be counting it towards the value of the box. For June I chose Menu 1 out of the three options on offer.

1) Model Co | Shine Ultra Lip Gloss in "Fairy Floss"

Full size: £12

Apologies about the blurry picture, it seems like my camera decided it wanted to focus on the fuzzy bits of paper instead of the actual gloss! While it looks like a hot pink gloss in the tube, it actually translates to a shimmery hit of candy floss on the lips. It's slightly on the sticky side, but very flattering and I can see it complimenting pretty much every skin tone out there. I also like the mirror on the side of the tube, which makes on-the-go application a breeze, although I can see it getting scratched to pieces in my handbag! What I like the most is the amazing candy-like sherbet scent and even though I'm not usually a fan of sweet scents I don't find this one sickly at all.

2) NYX Cosmetics | Nail Polish in "Pastel Lavender"

Full size: £3

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened my box and found this nail polish in it. From the pictures on my menu it looked like I was about to get a neon pink shade - something I've already got plenty of in my stash. Turns out they've sent out various pink shades and I've really lucked out with Pastel Lavender, as it's a gorgeous colour that was completely missing from my collection. I can't wait to get it on my nails tomorrow night!

3) Montagne Jeunesse | Brazilian Mud Fabric Masque

Full size: £1.49

Although I'm a little miffed that I'll only get one application out of this sachet, I'm looking forward to trying a sheet mask, as I've never used one before. I'm quite a fan of Montagne Jeunesse masks whenever my skin needs a little pick-me-up and I was about to do a review of a few of their masks I've tried recently when I realised that I'd be getting another one in my Love Me Beauty Box, so that post has been ever so slightly postponed. This mask also came in a fold-out paper envelope with a few bits and bobs about Montagne Jeunesse. I never knew they were such an eco-conscious brand!

4) Beauty UK | Eye Shadow Palette in "Earth Child"

Full size: £3.99

Although Beauty UK is a brand I regularly bypass when browsing through drugstore aisles, I was really excited to get this product in my June box - I could never have enough eye shadow palettes! Then it arrived and turned out to be absolutely tiny! Then I guess I shouldn't be complaining, as you do get 10 shadows for £3.99, which is a bargain. The quality, however, is exactly what I'd expect from such a budget palette. The payoff is quite patchy and chalky, there's a lot of fallout and pigmentation could also be better. I haven't tried any of the colours on the lids yet, so I might change my mind once I've actually tried the shadows on my eyes.

5) Urban Veda | Purifying Day Cream

Full size: £14.99 for 50ml / Sample Value: £3

I've never heard of Urban Veda before and I'm always excited to try out new skincare brands. The sample is generous enough to get a good idea of how the product works and I'm always happy to get a mattifying moisturiser when it's hot and sweltering outside. It's got a strong herbal scent and I can definitely smell some tea tree in there, which I'm not the biggest fan of, but on the plus side it's completely SLS-, paraben- and GM ingredient-free.

6) Jelly Pong Pong | 2-in-1 Bronze Shadow / Liner

Full size: £10.50

I think it's really great that Love Me Beauty include bonus items for being subscribed for a certain amount of time or for filling in 5 surveys about their boxes. Unfortunately, I already received this exact item in this exact shade in my November box. I think I used it two or three times and then let it plummet to the bottom of my make-up stash, as it creased on my like mad, so I won't be getting any use out of this, whatsoever. It would have been nice if they could have at least sent me a different shade rather than the exact same product I received a few months back.

Total value: £23.48 (£33.98 with bonus item)

I feel like the value of my Love Me Beauty boxes has been getting consistently lower and lower and almost all the items in this month's box are from low-end, budget brands. While that's not necessarily a bad thing and the value of my box still exceeds what I paid for it, it's the eye shadow palette in particular that I felt was a big letdown. I just don't think I will be using it at all, as the quality just isn't there. Still, it's been a big improvement from last month's box which particularly annoyed me as it included tea and notebooks as two of my five beauty products. And with four out of five items being full sized, it still tops most other beauty boxes that I know of.

Love Me Beauty Box January 14

After last month's slight disappointment with my Love Me Beauty box and the options they had on offer, the first box of this year got me excited again with some lovely menus to choose from. Four out of five items are full sized products and there's a nice mix of make-up, haircare and skincare. All the menus featured the Anatomicals shower gel, the Pureology styling mousse, the Cosmetics a la Carte mascara and the NYX eye shadow, albeit in different shades depending on the menu. Lastly, you got to choose between a Weleda body oil sample, a Weleda hand cream sample or a full sized Arran Aromatics soap. The menu I went for was Menu 3, as I liked the eye shadow shade the most out of all of the options.

1) NYX Cosmetics | Single Eyeshadow in "Sahara"

Full size: £5.00

NYX Cosmetics Single Eyeshadow in Sahara swatch in day light

The first item in the box was a full sized eye shadow by NYX - a brand I used to see quite a lot of when I lived in Germany, but that's not overly prevalent over here in the UK. This eyeshadow is the only reason I chose this particular menu, as the other shades on offer were a bright orange which I wouldn't really know how to wear and a dark smoky grey which I have enough of in my collection already. Sahara translates as a light sparkly champagne onto the skin and admittedly I'm not overly impressed with the pigmentation. It might work quite well as a base colour, however, or for adding a bit of sparkle to an everyday make-up look.

2) Arran Aromatics | Apothecary Wheatgerm & Vitamin E Soap

Full size: £2.75

As I chose my box by eye shadow colour this is a product that I was sort of forced to pick. I would have preferred the Weleda body oil sample to be completely honest, as it's difficult to get excited over soap. However, it's something we all need and I have no doubt that I'll use it. I haven't unwrapped it yet, as I want to leave it fresh for when we move into our new home, so I can't really comment on the scent of this product.

3) Anatomicals | Rose & Jasmine Body Cleanser

Full size: £3.00

I know there's quite a few people who don't like getting body wash in their beauty boxes and while I understand completely where they're coming from, I personally don't mind at all, as long as it's not too frequent. Shower gel is something everyone needs, but I usually get mine from the Pound shop or on special offer from the supermarket, so it's nice to have something a tad more special from time to time. Having said that, this one only comes in at £3 anyway, so it's certainly not a splurge product anyway! I really like the smell of roses, so to me this scent is pure bliss. Not to mention I'm a huge fan of Anatomicals' packaging design and cheeky slogans!

4) Pureology | Colour Stylist Silk Bodifier

Full size: £15.00 for 250ml / Sample value: £4.88

Well, admittedly it's been quite a while since I've used mousse on my hair and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this sample. Memories of sticky, crispy hair come to mind, but perhaps mousse formulas have improved over the years and I'll fall in love with this product. I've heard a lot of beauty bloggers rave about Pureology and their sulfate-free products, so it's nice to try something from the brand for myself. This mousse in particular is also made for colour-treated hair, so should be perfect for my bleached tresses.

5) Cosmetics a la Carte | Divine Lash Mascara in "Black"

Full size: £23.00

Even after browsing their website, I can't quite fathom where I've heard of this brand before, but the name does certainly ring a bell. Hailed as this month's star product, I'm certainly excited to try this mascara. Which girl doesn't love mascara after all? This one has quite spiky looking long synthetic bristles - a bit like a hybrid between a traditional mascara wand and a lash comb. I can't wait to give this a trial run on my lashes and see how it performs!

Total value: £38.63

It feels like Love Me Beauty have certainly kicked off the New Year by returning back to form. Out of the five products I received this month, I can say with certainty that I will use each and every single one. I like the nice mix of product types and high-end vs. budget brands featured. Even though two brands have been in boxes before (Arran Aromatics and Anatomicals), they're completely different types of products, so I don't mind like I did with last month's Lord & Berry scenario. Now I can't wait to see what's going to be in next month's box!

Are you subscribed to Love Me Beauty? If so, what did you think of this month's boxes?

June Favourites

I'm not the kind of person who says this every month (no, honestly), but June really just buzzed past without me noticing. I must be getting old.

Ich bin ja nicht so eine Person, die das andauernd sagt (nee, ehrlich), aber der Juni ist wirklich nur so an mir vorbeigeflogen. Wahrscheinlich werde ich einfach alt.

 


MAC Iridescent Powder in Golden Bronze
I bought this ages ago and forgot how amazing it can be. The powder can be used as a highlighter or as a blusher and even though I'm usually not a big fan of shimmers on my face I've been using this a lot last month. It's incredibly flattering on bronzed skin, though I also like to wear it during the winter. You just need to apply it with a lighter hand. As you can see the packaging is gigantic, so it's probably going to last me for the rest of my life.

Ich habe diesen Puder vor einer Ewigkeit gekauft und ganz vergessen, wie schön er sein kann. Man kann ihn als Highlighter oder als Rouge benutzen und obwohl ich eigentlich kein großer Fan von Schimmerpartikeln auf meinem Gesicht bin, habe ich ihn letzten Monat viel benutzt. Er schmeichelt gebräunter Haut, doch manchmal kann ich ihn auch im Winter tragen. Man muss dann einfach etwas weniger Farbe aufnehmen. Wir ihr sehen könnt, ist die Verpackung riesig, also wird er wohl bis zum Ende meines Lebens reichen.


Elizabeth Arden Cheek Colour in Terrarose
This is part of a palette I got in a set I bought in Florida just before Christmas. The products were consistently mediocre, with the main problem being a lack of pigmentation and hard, waxy textures. The blushes, however, were really good and so was this bronzer/blusher. It's got golden shimmer in the pan, but it doesn't seem to translate onto the skin. As a result, the bronzed colour it gives off looks incredibly natural. It's like a more pigmented version of the Bourjois chocolate bronzer and it's been used whenever I didn't feel like the sparkliness that you get from the MAC powder.

Dies ist ein Teil einer Palette, die es in einem Set gab, das ich mir kurz vor Weihnachten in Florida gegönnt hatte. Die Produkte waren alle eher mittelmäßig und fielen durch schwache Farbabgabe und harte, wächserne Konsistenz auf. Die Gesichtsprodukte hingegen waren sehr gut - auch dieser Bronzer/Blusher. In Pfannenform hat er einen goldenen Schimmer, doch auf dem Gesicht sieht man davon eigentlich nichts mehr. Infolge dessen ergibt sich eine sehr natürliche Farbe - wie eine pigmentiertere Version des Bourjois Schoko-Bronzers. Ich habe ihn immer dann benutzt, wenn mir mal nicht nach dem Schimmer des MAC Puders war.


Biotherm Biosource Eau Auto-Moussante
I've got a review on this scheduled for next week, so you can read more about it then, but let me tell you: This cleanser is amazing. It's a water in the bottle, comes out as a foam and then turns into a light lotion. It's incredibly gentle and feels like it shouldn't be doing anything, but leaves my skin clean, fresh and invigorated. Definitely repurchasing this once it runs out!

Ich habe eine Review dieses Produktes für nächste Woche vorbereitet, dann könnt ihr mehr dadrüber lesen, aber vorweg nur eines: Dieser Cleanser ist der Wahnsinn. In der Flasche ist es ein Wasser, heraus kommt Schaum und der wird dann zu einer leichten Lotion. Es ist unglaublich sanft und fühlt sich an, als würde es auf der Haut nichts ausrichten, doch danach ist mein Gesicht sauber, frisch und belebt. Ich werde mir definitiv noch eine Flasche kaufen, sobald diese hier leer ist!


NYX HD Concealer Wand
I've already written up a review on this here, but if you haven't read it, I shall summarise: Strong coverage without caking or drying out the skin, easy to use, comes in a multitude of shades and is fairly cheap. This one's a winner for me and another product I'll be repurchasing.

Ich habe hier schon eine Review über diesen Concealer geschrieben. Wer sie nicht gelesen hat, für den fasse ich mal zusammen: Starke Deckkraft ohne eine dicke Schicht zu hinterlassen, oder auszutrocknen, einfach in der Anwendung, gibt es in vielen Nuancen und ist relativ günstig. Der Concealer ist ein Winner für mich und noch ein Produkt, das ich mir nachkaufen werde.


What are your monthly favourites? Leave me a link below if you've made a post, I'd love to have a read!

Was sind eure Favourites für den Monat? Lasst mir doch unten einen Link da, wenn ihr auch einen Post geschrieben habt - ich würde sie mir gerne anschauen!

NYX HD Concealer Wand Review

I like to give credit where credit is due, but I cannot for the life of me remember who was talking about this concealer that made me want to buy it. So apologies to whoever you are, but you were pretty convincing, because as soon as I ran out of concealer I went straight into the shops looking for this one and nothing else, even though I'd never tried another NYX product.

Ich gebe eigentlich immer bei Bedarf meine Quellen an, aber ich kann mich leider überhaupt nicht daran erinnern, wer über diesen Concealer gesprochen hatte und in mir die Kauflust anregte. Wer auch immer du bist, es tut mir sehr leid, aber du warst unheimlich überzeugend, denn sobald mein Concealer leer war, bin ich schnurstracks zu Douglas gelaufen, um mir genau diesen hier zu kaufen und das obwohl ich noch nie ein NYX-Produkt probiert hatte.

If, upon looking at this concealer, another one springs straight to your mind, then I don't blame you. It does as a matter of fact look a lot like the ever so popular Collection (2000) lasting perfection, which has been my favourite concealer for ages. Therefore I just can't help but compare the two and pit them against each other.

Wenn ihr beim Angucken dieses Concealers gleich an einen anderen denken müsst, dann überrascht mich das nicht. Er sieht dem wahnsinnig beliebten Collection (2000) Lasting Perfection Concealer, der lange Zeit auch mein Lieblingsconcealer war, nämlich zum Verwechseln ähnlich. Deshalb kann ich mir nicht helfen, die beiden miteinander zu vergleichen und zu schauen wie sie sich so im Duell machen.

First up, as usual, the packaging. It comes in a clear plastic tube with a doe foot applicator, which I don't find particularly useful to be honest. I tend to use the applicator directly under my eyes to make little dots, but if I want to cover up a blemish I'll pick up the product from the wand using a brush, as I just don't want bacteria to breed in the tube. Some of you may be pleased to hear that the writing on the packaging does not wear off. ;)

Zuallererst wie gewohnt die Verpackung. Er kommt in einer durchsichtigen Plastiktube mit Schaumapplikator, was ich nicht so prickelnd finde. Den Applikator benutze ich direkt nur zum Auftupfen unter meinen Augen, aber wenn ich Unreinheiten abdecken möchte, dann nehme ich die Farbe lieber erst mit einem Pinsel auf. Ich möchte einfach nicht, dass sich in der Tube eine Bakterienkolonie ansammelt. Einige von euch mögen auch froh sein zu hören, dass sich der Aufdruck auf der Verpackung nicht abreibt. ;)

The thing that I found incredibly positive from the very start is the huge array of colours this comes in. From the almost white porcelain to deep colours for very dark skin - there's even a green, yellow and purple thrown in if you want to use it as a base to counteract a certain discolouration. I've only ever seen this much choice from more expensive brands, like MAC or Bobbi Brown.

Was ich von Anfang an als sehr positiv empfand, war die große Farbauswahl. Vom fast weißen Porcelain bis hin zu tiefen Farbtönen für sehr dunkle Haut - es gibt sogar ein grün, gelb und lila für die, die damit gewisse Farbstiche eliminieren möchten. So viel Auswahl kenne ich eigentlich nur von teureren Firmen wie MAC oder Bobbi Brown.

After a little swatch session I settled on the lightest shade as usual, which is Porcelain. Turns out it wasn't the best of choices, as it's actually a tad too light for me. This is because a) It's the lightest shade of concealer I have ever, ever seen and b) I'm still failing to realise that I managed to tan and my skin is no longer the colour of salt.

Nach einer kleinen Swatch-Session entschied ich mich wie immer für die hellste Farbe, also Porcelain. Es stellt sich heraus, dass das nicht die beste Wahl war, denn sie ist im Grunde zu hell für mich. Das liegt daran, dass a) es die hellste Concealerfarbe ist, die ich je gesehen habe und b) ich immer noch nicht begreife, dass meine Haut gebräunt ist und nicht mehr die Farbe von Salz hat.

This is probably the thickest concealer I've ever tried that doesn't come in solid form. When you first apply it it doesn't seem that bad, but it quickly dries to a powdery finish. That means you've got to work fast, otherwise it's going to be a nightmare to blend out. I like using a MAC 224 to buff it in and that way it lasts pretty much all day without settling into creases or emphasising my pores.

Dies ist wahrscheinlich der deckendste Concealer, den ich je benutzt habe, der nicht fest ist. Beim Auftragen scheint er noch recht leicht, doch dann trocknet er ganz schnell und hinterlässt ein dickes, pudriges Finish. Das bedeutet, dass man schnell arbeiten muss, sonst wird aus dem Verblenden ein Albtraum. Ich benutze am liebsten einen MAC 224, um ihn einzuarbeiten und somit hält er praktisch den ganzen Tag, ohne sich in Fältchen oder Poren abzusetzen.

NYX HD Concealer in Porcelain swatch unblended

NYX HD Concealer in Porcelain slightly blended out

So, on to compare it to my all-time favourite drugstore concealer, the Collection Lasting Perfection. The great thing about the Collection one is that it's pretty much fool-proof. It blends out like a dream and there's not much you can do wrong with it. The NYX concealer is much more difficult to work with, but overall I'd say that the results are worth it if you're looking for heavier coverage (which with my dark undereye circles I definitely am!). It also lasts much longer when set properly, whereas the Collection one sometimes slid off my face during the course of the day.
I'm afraid I have to say that this is now officially my new favourite concealer. It's definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a cheaper product that still delivers fairly high coverage or if you struggle to find a shade that matches your skin tone (be it very light or dark).

Nun also zum Vergleich mit meinem liebsten Drogerien-Concealer, dem Collection Lasting Perfection. Das tolle am Collection-Produkt ist, dass man mit ihm nicht viel falsch machen kann, denn er lässt sich wie ein Traum verblenden. Das Produkt von NYX ist viel schwieriger in der Handhabung, aber alles in allem würde ich schon sagen, dass die Resultate es wert sind, wenn ihr etwas mehr Deckkraft möchtet (und bei meinen dunklen Augenringen möchte ich das auf alle Fälle!). Es hält auch viel länger, wenn man es mit Puder fixiert, während der von Collection manchmal im Laufe des Tages von meinem Gesicht rutschte.
Ich fürchte, ich muss sagen, dass dies hier jetzt offiziell mein neuer Lieblingsconcealer ist. Ich würde euch raten, ihn mal anzuschauen, wenn ihr ein günstiges Produkt möchtet, dass trotzdem viel Deckkraft besitzt, oder wenn ihr Probleme habt, einen Farbton zu finden, der zu eurem Hautton (sei er nun sehr hell oder dunkel) passt.
 

The NYX Concealer wands cost £5.00 each. The ones in the UK web shop don't say HD, but the shades are identical so I'm not sure if they're the same product? Anyone got any information on this one? The US shop lists the HD wands at $5.50 each.

Der NYX HD Concealer kostet 6,95€ und ist bei Douglas erhältlich.