** elf haul

Hi everyone!

Just thought I'd share some photos and thoughts on the stuff I ordered from elf last week.

(Clockwise)
Studio Warm Bronzer
Studio Blush - Pink Passion

Nail Polish - Innocent
All Over Colour Stick - Pink Lemonade

 

Studio Blush Brush
(I put a 50p in to show the size of the brushes!)

L to R:

Studio Eyeshadow C Brush
Studio Small Precision Brush
Studio Small Smudge Brush

I think my favourite things have to be the brushes!

Blush Brush: This is the perfect size for me, really good for contouring blush as it is quite flat and you can really get under/on your cheekbone depending on the look you want to achieve. Very soft too!

Eyeshadow C Brush: Great for working and blending colours in, love this brush!

Small Precision Brush: Fantastic for applying shadow when you want "precision" e.g. in the socket line, or outer corners.

Small Smudge Brush: I have been using this with my Bobbi Brown Gel Liner, and it works pretty well, not at all scratchy.

As for the cosmetics....

Studio Blush Pink Passion: I love this colour, it pretty much applies as it looks in the pan! You could achieve a subtle look, but you really would have to pick up a very small on your brush to achieve this. I love bright blush anyway, but if you prefer the more natural look, I wouldn't recommend this particular colour. The texture is OK, not too amazingly soft, feels a little chalky, but for £3.50 I cant really complain!
Here is a piccie of what the blush looks like on when I went out in Liverpool on Saturday. (Sorry for the weird expression, I don't know what I was doing!?)

What do you guys think?

Nail Polish Innocent: I had to apply about 3-4 coats to get a good solid colour, it applies very streaky and quite wishy washy, I would describe this as a dirty nude, and wouldn't particularly recommend, or try any of the other colours. (Plus the bottle had leaked and I had to run under hot tap for ages to get it off!!)

I haven't had chance to use the bronzer yet, as I'm trying to use up the Rimmel one I have, so I will probably post on this in the future. I also haven't had much chance to use the colour stick either, although it smells fab!! Its not that soft or easy to apply, but I will keep trying with it.

Have you ever bought anything from elf? What are your faves and maybe not so faves? Would love to hear what you guys have tried!

** review: soap and glory clean mary cleansing milk

Last Christmas I got this cleanser as part of the Soap and Glory Hat Box. 

Its described this as....

"A luxury complexion purifier, fit for a Clean! Made in Switzerland then imported over, Clean Mary dissolves deep down dirt, purifies your pores and smoothes away dead skin cells, leaving your face fresh, bright and fabulously clean." 

Well, I'm sorry to say that I just don't like this stuff, at all.

So why don't I like it?

OK, I know its described as "milk", but this isn't actually far from the consistency of actual milk, its so runny and sloppy, that it comes out of the tube way too fast. I even started to wonder to whether this was a bad batch or something?!?

Once applied to my skin, it just slips around its so thin and I don't feel I can work it into my skin because of this. It definitely does not feel luxurious!

I also found that it slightly stings my lips, I'm not sure whats in it that makes this happen, but it sure isn't pleasant!

I also like to be able to remove my eye make up and cleanse my skin in one step, so this also adds to the 'thumbs downiness" of this particular cleanser.

After use, my skin doesn't feel as clean as I believe it ought to, and I was really disappointed with the quality of this stuff.

I have to say that I do like most of the Soap and Glory range, but just not this particular product. So, sorry Mary but you get a total thumbs down from me, mainly because of the consistency, I just don't feel like its cleaning my skin because its so thin.

I couldn't actually believe it when I saw that this has 5 out of 5 stars on the boots website, as I just think its absolute pants!

Have you tired Clean Mary cleansing milk, if so what did you think of it? Whats your favourite cleanser?

** review: illamasqua intense lipgloss ** leopard print jumpsuit

I bought these two Illamasqua Intense Lipglosses a few months back now, and although I haven't used them much, I do really like them.

I bought them online through the Debenhams website, and at the time they were doing 10% off and free delivery, so that made the purchases even sweeter!

I got Absorb (a creamy biscuit nude) and Mistress (a bright coral orange).

 

They smell gorgeous, very fruity and not sickly at all. The texture and consistency is pretty thick, but I would say that this is necessary to get the amazing colour pay off that these lip glosses have! Saying that though, a thin layer can be applied to achieve a more subtle look, but I don't think that's the point of these glosses. I find that patting the gloss on with my finger helps to apply it more evenly. I also love the fact that you can get such a great colour in a gloss as opposed to a lipstick which I can sometimes find a bit drying on the lips.

I think you definitely need to prime your lips before applying this gloss, as it looks great for the first 5 minutes, and then I sometimes find that the colour can go slightly "stringy" on my lips. I also find I get it on my teeth a lot, and that is for me a huge downside to wearing these intense colours. Maybe I need to try a product that sets the gloss on my lips??? That's something I'm definitely going to look into, because I love these glosses, and would probably buy more if it weren't for this problem!

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I just thought I would share a purchase I made yesterday with anyone who reads this.....I saw this leopard print jumpsuit (£29.99) in H&M last week and although it is a little bit "out there" and maybe an acquired taste, I just loved it!! I'm not normally a fan of the old leopard print, but recently I have found myself gravitating towards it, maybe it comes with age!

I asked my Big Old Bean to go and have a look at it, and his opinion was lets say, less than enthusiastic! But in true Small Old Bean style, I went ahead and bought it anyway....I wouldn't wear it as day wear, but I'm so excited to wear it the next time I go on a night out....so here's to wearing it out and getting probably more than a few funny looks that come with living in a small town where nobody knows how to dress!!

xXx

** review: tigi catwalk your highness volume collection ** superstar queen for a day

Slowly but surely, I seem to be working my way though the whole range of TIGI shampoo and conditioners. I love the packaging, and the smell of them (well, most of them, the catwalk oatmeal and honey products are just not my cup of tea!). I hate my flat horrible hair, and will do anything to give it a bit more volume, so thought I would give the new TIGI Catwalk Your Highness elevating shampoo and nourishing conditioner a go. I have a need for BIG hair!!

I normally buy the tween packages where you get a 750ml shampoo and a 750ml conditioner and they last me for about 8 months?

They have recently just hanged the catwalk collection packaging, and now I'm loving it even more, especially as the volume range features the words "Your Highness" :D Just how I like to be addressed!

I do find that the Catwalk range has a slightly thicker consistency to them so you really don't need much when washing the old bonce (and they last longer). They are sulfate-free and contain lavender, wisteria, jasmine and violet that in their words "impart a fresh, lightweight finish".

This range smell delish and I would definitely buy again.

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I thought I would also stick a little review on about one of my favourite styling products (also by TIGI). It's Queen for a Day Thickening Spray and part of the Bedhead Superstar range. I love love love this, and spray it on my roots before blow drying with a brush. It gives my hair great volume, and I would buy this again and again. It is in now way sticky or makes my hair look greasy, it just does exactly what it says on the tin!

 xXx

** review: dermalogica skin smoothing cream

When I was studying for my Beauty Therapy qualifications at college, we had a sort of beginners training day in Dermalogica products. Dermalogica is part of the International Dermal Institute which was founded in 1983 by fellow Brit, Jane Wurwand.

Luckily for me, I won Student of the Year in my final year at college, and got to spend £100 on any Dermalogica products that I wanted. One of the products I got was Dermalogica's Skin Smoothing Cream, and lets just say I have never looked back since!

My skin is pretty clear most of the time, but whenever I had a hot shower for longer than 2 minutes, the skin on my cheeks for some reason would totally freak out. It would turn bright red and would I get loads tiny tiny white pimples on my cheeks. 

Totally Eeeeew!

Then along came Dermalogica, woohoo!

I began using Skin Smoothing Cream (around £30 for 100ml) as part of my skincare routine. It doesn't really have a fragrance, maybe slightly botanical? I would say it has a medium consistency, its not too thick or too thin,and it soaks in pretty quickly.

It contains

• Silk Amino Acids which help smooth skin and improve skin texture.
• Extracts of Mallow, Cucumber and Arnica soothe and hydrate the skin.
• Antioxidant Grape Seed Extract plus Vitamins A, C and E to help to reduce free radical activity.
• Aloe moisturises and promotes healing and helps to prevent the appearance of lines.

I would definitely agree that it does all of these things! 

I think that the Skin Smoothing Cream alone has made a dramatic difference to the way my skin reacts to hot water, and although I still get the odd little white pimple on my cheeks, they do not go anywhere near as red as they used to.

I like the way that their products are aimed neither at males or females, and keep their packaging plain and simple, and its pretty impossible to pick up a magazine that doesn't feature a Dermalogica product in it somewhere!


I know that on first glance, this brand can seem a little pricey, but there's no doubt in my mind that for me they are definitely worth it! A 100ml bottle of moisturiser last me about 6-8 months, and a 500ml cleanser lasts 8-10 months (using twice a day). When you work out price per day, it really isn't that expensive at all!

xXx