Blog Birthday - 200th Post - Revlon Collection

Last week marked one year of The Powdered Nose! I can't believe it's been one year already, it really has gone so fast. This also happens to be my 200th post - meaning I have been very busy writing over the past year! My posts have slowed down recently and I don't think the next year holds 200 posts!

Thank you so much to everyone who has followed and been reading my blog over the last year. If you haven't followed on Bloglovin yet then please do. I am also on both twitter and instgram with the handle @thepowderednose

To mark this occasion I thought I would write a post about a brand that I only discovered through blogging. Discovered isn't quite the right word however because I knew this brand existed, I just hasn't ever purchased any of their products until I started my blog.

So hers is my new and small Revlon collection.

Since taking this photo I have also purchased another Matte Balm which I will mention later on.

Photoready Cream Blush in Coral Reef and Cream Blush in Charmed Enchantment

I have been really in to cream blushes since buying my stippling brush and when I saw Charmed Enchantment I knew I had to have it. The formulae is lovely; this blends well and lasts all day. The colour is so natural that it allows for a no makeup look or just a healthy glowing cheek. I bought the Coral Reef colour online and it's a little bright for me if I'm honest. Hopefully I will get use out of it in the summer months.

I have only recently got two of these products and so can't give my opinion but they are pretty infamous and I'm sure a lot of you will have tried them!

Nearly Naked Pressed Powder

Ms Beauty Budget talks highly of this so I decided to give it a go. I haven't used it yet as I like to finish a powder before I start a new one!

Colorstay Foundation

This is absolutely raved about and I knew I had to try it. I bought a pale shade and have recently been using a lot of fake tan so I haven't had a chance to try this yet!

Colorstay Concealer

I bought this in the lightest shade with the intention of using it for under eye brightening but on me it is too dark for that. Instead I have been using it on blemishes and it does a lovely job; good coverage and long lasting.

Colorburst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart and Lollipop

I had to buy these because they are so hyped about. I was instantly impressed. I love the bright colours, they go on well, are highly pigmented and not at all drying on the lips. I love these!

Super Lustrous Lipstick in Amethyst Shell

This is more of a traditional lipstick formulae and the colour is really quite long lasting. This is a really lovely shade and good for an everyday look.

Matte Balm in Elusive

I have since also bought this in Unapologetic because I absolutely love these. The colour is so pigmented, lasts ages on the lips and I don't find these drying at all!

So that is my small Revlon collection and 200th post! Thank you so much to everyone who has supported my blog over the last year.

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Good Things Fresh Start Creamy Cleanser - Review

I am hugely into my skincare just now and have been enjoying buying and trying new products. For a long time I have seen Good Things products in Boots, been tempted but never actually got around to picking anything up. I am pretty sure I got this on offer or as part of a 3 for 2 but I can't quite remember. However on the Boots website this is £4.99.

What initially attracted me to this is the packaging. I like the name and I like the wee flowery patterns all around the brand logo. As the name would suggest, the cleanser is free from baddies and contains only good things.

On first deciding to try this product, I was a little torn. I prefer to use cream cleansers at night time and use either a gel or scrubby cleanser to wake me up in the morning. This however is called 'fresh start' and obviously meant for the morning. I apply a decent amount of this to my skin and then use a damp face cloth to remove the cleanser. I find it takes quite a lot of time to fully remove but does leave my face feeling squeaky clean.

I have to say, I'm a bit confused by this one. It's left me feeling a bit ....... meh, however it has left my skin in nice condition and hasn't broken me out. I think my problem with it is it's claim to be for a fresh start. To me, a fresh cleanser would contain citrus or mint or Teatree and have a little bit of a kick about it, maybe even a slight sting to wake you up. This smells nice but it's sickly sweet and not fresh smelling. In the morning it can make me feel a little queasy to be honest. As I say, it's nice for my skin. It hasn't broken me out and my skin isn't dry at all. Perhaps I'm best to switch to using it before bed, in keeping with my personal preference for cleansers.

Have you tried this one?

 

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Glasgow Haul - Superdrug, Boots and more!

I went to Glasgow last month but kept forgetting to post this haul. I'm useless at posting what I buy and usually use it all before I remember but this time I have left it all in the bag and it hasn't been touched since buying! If you would like any full reviews, please comment below.

First up I visited a bargain shop with my mum and sister called Watt Brothers.

First I picked up this Royal Cosmetic Connections Contour Eye Shadow Brush £1.49. I haven't tried any brushes by this brand before but figured that I couldn't really go wrong with the great low price. The thing about bargain shops is that you find some very random products! The next thing I picked up is by Maybeline but I haven't heard of it before and it's covered in Chinese or Japanese writing. Maybeline Colorshow Blush 'em! £1.99 caught my interest with the cute packaging and lovely two-tone blush shades. This MaxFactor Trio Eyeshadow £1.99 is unusual but I like the colours and thought they would be great for spring. Last time I was at the shop I picked up a Maybeline Colour Tattoo and decided to get another this time, in Eternal Gold £2.99.

Next I headed to trusty Superdrug. I love a trip to the big stores in Glasgow because the wee one where I live doesn't stock many ranges at all.

I love Cocoa Brown so much and haven't tried this new one so knew I had to pick it up! Cocoa Brown Night & Day Tan £7.99 is an instant tan that leaves behind a glow when washed off. I was really keen to pick up something from the 50th birthday range and chose this great Sleek I-Divine Showstoppers Palette £7.99. Lastly I wanted to get something from Look Beauty because it isn't available in my local store. I picked up this Cheeky Trio in Candy Floss £3.50 which is a great price.

Lastly, good old Boots!

I have wanted the Bourjois Bronzing Powder £6.99 for so long but for some reason never picked it up! I decided to get the Eco Tools Domed Bronzer Brush £9.99 to go with it after hearing good things about it on You Tube. I love the revlon matte balms and knew I had to have another. This time I chose Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Unapologetic £7.99. Lastly I had a Botanics voucher so picked up Botanics Gentle Cleansing Cream £1.98.

Aside from my Glasgow haul, I have recently started using the shopping website Cohorted.

I picked up Benefit They're Real and Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. I can't remember the exact prices but these were very good deals - I think around £12 each.

 

What have you been buying recently?

 

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Male Grooming - The Gentle-Man Range - Reviews

This is my 3rd post in my Male Grooming series and is going to be a long one! As I have mentioned, beauty isn't exactly an interest of my boyfriend Lewis but he has been willing to give it a go to help me write reviews! The more products he has used, the more he has started to enjoy them and he now has a wee beauty routine going!

The Gentle-Man Range was created by Dr. Paul Byrne, a retired creator of luxury fragrances. The products are designed and made in Britain and the brand is proud to be a Great British company. The theme of the products is a classic one. The name says everything and the claim is that this range is designed for the modern gentleman.

The quirky design, cute names and quality packaging make these lovely gifts. The products are all at the higher end of the market and not something my boyfriend would buy for myself but, as I say, lovely for a gift or a special occasion.

Now onto the products themselves. Lewis has been lucky enough to trial the whole range and has been using these now for a month and so can give a thorough review.

Gentle-Man Eau De Toilette 100ml £30*

All of the products come with outer boxes which display half a mans face with a top hat. My boyfriend isn't one to keep boxes or display products but if he were, these look lovely on a shelf together and can be turned around so that the faces match up - a nice little touch. Inside each of the boxes there is a paper insert which is made like a newspaper and called The Gentle-Man Gazette. This contains product information plus a few wee quirky quotes etc. I love this and think a consumer would be far more likely to read this than a boring ingredients list shoved into the box.

The first thing that Lewis commented was that he felt the design of the bottle was a little disappointing. I can see his point but also think it is plain but classic and does the job. The product dispenses through a spray allowing for easy application. As for the scent; we instantly both liked this! I'm useless at describing scents but it's fruity whilst still being manly and quite different to aftershaves that Lewis would normally wear. The fragrance is very long lasting and I noticed that I could still smell this on him at bed time. As I said before, Lewis would never usually spend any money on beauty products but at £30 for 100ml this is great value and he would buy it again.

Body Washes 300ml £13 each*

From left to right: Decidedly Invigorating Peppermint, Rather Splendid Sandlewood, Jolly Stimulating Black Pepper

Firstly the packaging. The boxes are lovely as above and inside the bottles are a great, square shape and in a lovely black plastic, making them look sleek and manly at the same time. I personally thought that the solid plastic bottles would cause the end of the product to be difficult to dispense but Lewis assures me that this isn't a problem. He likes that the top is pushed down to use the product and that the lid doesn't have to be unscrewed. His only problem with the packaging is that the bottle is very similar to the face wash and he sometimes reaches for the wrong one.

Lewis is used to using a shower gel rather than a body wash so this took him a little getting used to. He found it very thin and would run through his fingers. When he got used to this though he found that it foamed up well if you use a decent amount. The scents are nice but not very strong. Overall he likes using these but hasn't been complexity blown away.

'Aloe Sweet Cheeks' Shave Cream - Lemongrass 175ml £15

My cat decided to climb into the last photo so, meet Silky!

I love the yellow box of this one and inside the tube is the same black plastic. Lewis doesn't really like sharing his products but as he doesn't shave very often, I decided to borrow this one day! Obviously this is designed for shaving the face but I used it on my legs and really liked it! Only a small amount is needed to cover the area as the cream is lovely and thick. I got a really smooth and close shave from this and found that the product added moisture to my skin. Often when I shave I find my legs dry but this really added moisture. A lovely product which I can only imagine is just as lovely on the face.

'Highly Hydrating' Daily Moisturiser 100ml £18* and 'Super Soothing' Post Shave Balm 100ml £16*

How cute are these in their matching boxes?! I just love these and they would make lovely gifts, especially along with the shaving cream. The boxes and tubes are the same as the rest of the range and I have stood the boxes side by side to match up the faces.

Firstly the post shave balm. Personally I wouldn't describe this as a balm because the consistency is very similar to a cream. Lewis uses this after shaving and finds it lovely and cooling on the skin. There isn't much of a scent to this, it just has a cream smell but Lewis enjoys using it and has been using it regularly.

Next up, the daily moisturiser. This is a very similar product to the post shave balm but maybe a slightly thinner consistency. For Lewis, if he actually goes out of his way to use something then I know it must be good. He has been using this daily and enjoys it. His skin is hydrated and smooth.

'Frightfully Fresh' Daily Face Wash - Pomegranate 200ml £15*

I love the colours in the box of this one, the design is very eye catching. As you can see the bottle is very similar to the body wash so I can see how Lewis would find himself getting mixed up. 200ml is a great size for a face wash which makes the price pretty reasonable. Lewis has recently found a love of facial scrubs and is enjoying using this product on the days that he isn't exfoliating. He used it in the morning in the shower and likes the feeling of it on his skin. Again there isn't much of a scent to this one but that probably isn't a bad thing as a heavily fragranced fash wash can be quite irritating to the skin and eyes. I would like to try this one as I would say it's a unisex product really, although aimed at men.

 

If you are looking for a gift for a man then you really can't go wrong with The Gentle-Man Range, especially with Father's Day coming up. Everything about the products is well presented and has a quirky feel!

For more information or to purchase, visit the website: www.gentle-man.co.uk

 

*PR Samples

 

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HealGel Body - Review

After 2 weeks of using HeelGel Face, I was hooked. I have since used my entire bottle and have also found a similar love for HeelGel Eye. I have nothing but good things to say about the products and was obviously delighted when I heard about the launch of HeelGel Body!

If you are new to HeelGel then I will provide a little background:

HealGel is an aqueous gel, bringing together in one formula the best active ingredients to soothe, repair and protect your skin.

The advanced skin rescue formula was designed by a team of the world's leading plastic surgeons and a renowned dermatological biochemist. They pooled their cutting edge research to provide peerless base-layer treatment for all skin types.

It is cleverly designed; the nano-technological elements (liposomes containing the key ingredients) deliver predictably to the depth of the skin where they are needed most.

It is easy to use, being light, non-greasy and delicately fragranced. It provides a perfect primer for any make-up applied, and you only need to use it sparingly.

The best bit is, it isn't all talk. HeelGel really works.

Please excuse the dodgy background of these photos; there is a reason for it! I was so excited to try HeelGel that I picked it up from the postman on my way to my holiday! I was was in a campervan and decided to start using this instantly, hence the campervan couch background!

Firstly the packaging. This is sticking to the layout of the previous products but with a yellow label. The design is made to look like a pharmacy label and I like this quirky idea. This product is in a squeezy tube which allows for mess-free application.

HeelGel body smells lovely ...... I mean absolutely delicious! I cannot really place the scent but I think it is lightly rose scented and smells of Turkish delight. It's a very fresh scent and definitely one for summer.

HeelGel body is designed for damaged skin. It's perfect for sun damaged skin or irritation. At £39.50 for 100ml this is an expensive product. If I were to use this as a body lotion, it wouldn't last long! Given the price tag, I chose to use this on a damaged area; a dry patch on my knees that doesn't seem to be clearing up. The product is a gel, as the name would suggest, and absorbs very quickly into the skin. I applied a small amount to my knee twice a day and within 3 days it was beginning to clear up. I can imagine this would be fantastic for sun damaged skin as it's lovely and soothing on application.

I'm not going to lie, this is pricey, but as a present or something to save up for this is really worth a try! If you haven't tried any HeelGel products then make sure you do! You really won't forget it!

www.heelgel.co.uk

*PR Sample

 

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Lavera Repair & Care Shampoo and Conditioner Review

There are so many different products on the market to help us look after our skin and hair. One of the problems is, we never really know what is in any of them. All sorts of chemicals and, basically rubbish, are being put onto our skin with the origin of the ingredients being often unknown! Recently people have been taking more of an interest and the market for more natural products has expanded. Lavera have been making natural, vegan and organic products for 25 years and have all the expertise you could need. Their product information makes explicit what their cosmetics do and don't contain and they offer something for everyone including vegan beauty lovers and those with specific allergies.
Often natural products can come with a higher price tag but Lavera offers affordable products. At £5.95 each, the Repair & Care Shampoo and Conditioner* are extremely reasonably priced meaning that natural beauty is accessible to everyone.
Firstly the packaging. Nothing special here but it does the job. I like the pink and green colours because they give a fresh and natural feel. I also like that the shampoo is in a bottle but the conditioner in a squeezy tube; this allows a sleepy me on work mornings to easily know which one is which!
The first thing I noticed upon applying this shampoo was the scent. I'm not keen on an overwhelming scent and I tend not to like artificial smelling perfumes so the subtle scent of this is perfect for me. The product definitely has a rose scent as you woild expect and reminds me of Turkish Delight - a light and summery scent. The shampoo lathers up more than I expected and so only a little is needed to cover all of my hair. The product washes out well and my hair is left squeaky clean. One thing I will say though is that I am prone to dry scalp and some build up of flakes on my scalp and this shampoo really doesn't help that. I got round this the way I usually do however, using this shampoo for a week and then using an anti-dandruff one for a few days before going back to this.
Even when not using the shampoo, I have been using the conditioner daily now for 2-3 weeks and getting on really well with it. The product is very thick and creamy, with the consistency of a body butter. This causes a slight problem as I find it can be quite stiff to work through all of my hair and I feel the need to use extra. I leave the product in my hair for 5 minutes or as long as I can spare in the morning and then rinse out. One thing I love about this is that I really feel like I have washed it all out and my hair is nice and light, not at all weighed down. My hair feels really strong after using this for a few weeks and I noticed a lot less breakage of the hair.
Overall I am really enjoying these products and would consider purchasing these or others from the range. My only slight complaint is the quantities of the products. The shampoo comes in 200ml while the conditioner is only 150ml. This doesn't work well for me as I tend to use a lot more conditioner than shampoo and always finish it first and end up with several half bottles of shampoo! Not a big deal, but I would need to buy 2 conditioners for every bottle of shampoo that I bought!
www.lavera.co.uk
www.pravera.co.uk
*PR Sample

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