Bourjois Delice de Poudre Duo - Bronzing Powder and Highlighter - Review

I love Bourjois products and particularly like their bronzing makeup. As soon as I heard of the launch of this contour kit, I began searching for it and soon came across it in Boots for £7.99.

I use the bronzer of this everyday and so was keen to try this new duo product in the range.

Firstly the packaging is almost identical to the bronzer; a stiff card flip case. Inside, the cake of the product is made to look like blocks of chocolate; again mirroring the bronzer. However this time you have 2 brown blocks and 2 white!

Both shades have the gorgeous chocolate scent that we have come to expect from bourjois bronzing products.

When I purchased this I could only see one shade available and so I am not sure if more are available. I would say these are fairly versatile shades which could be worked with on a variety of skin tones. I myself am fairly pale and these are really perfect for me. The bronzer needs a light hand so as to not be too muddy looking but is a lovely warm colour for my complexion.

I use the bronzer with my Real Techniques contour brush which is perfect because it is small enough to get into the product without touching the highlight. The bronzer is easy to build up and blend out to contour cheek bones and give a warm glow.

I take a small Models Own blush brush for the highlight and apply to all areas where the light hits my face. If you like a highlight without too much shimmer then you will love this one. It is a gorgeous colour and not glittery at all.

This palette is so easy to work with and I have been using it daily since purchase. I would definitely say there is still a place for my original bronzer though and I will continue to use both. With my bronzer I like to use a large brush and sometimes apply allover my face for a summer glow and you couldn't do this with the contour bronzer as the pan is too small.

One thing I have noticed about my bronzer is that it tends to develop a shiny layer over the top which needs to be scraped off in order to get any product on the brush. I have no idea what causes this but I hope it doesn't happen to this duo!

Have you tried this product?

 

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Male Grooming - Lush Dirty Styling Cream - Review

Dirty Styling Cream £6.99*

A few months ago my boyfriend reviewed a few lush products for my male grooming posts. Among the products he was kindly sent was this styling cream. At the time he didn't review this one because he hadn't got around to properly using it and wasn't able to go into detail. Since those posts he has been using this daily and is so taken with it that I have decided to do a quick review!

This is unlike other hair products that Lewis uses and hence took a little getting used to. As described this is a cream making it a lot thinner than the waxes that he usually uses. At first this was an issue because he didn't really know how to use this to get the best result however it soon became what he liked about it so much.

This product is fragranced with the Dirty perfume and Lewis really likes the smell of it.

He says that it being a cream means that it isn't at all sticky when applied. As the product dries it becomes easy to style your hair and then sets to a strong hold but without being sticky.

As I have mentioned before, Lewis reckons that any product over £1 is overpriced. This hair cream is £6.99 which I explained to Lewis is totally justifiable due to the natural and fair trade ingredients. He agreed that the price is reasonable and he would repurchase because a little goes a long way and the 100g tub is lasting him a long time. He also likes the pot return because he is a big fan of recycling!

*PR sample

 

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Therapi - Honey Skincare - Hydrating Facial Toner - Review

Honey is becoming more and more common in beauty products and is becoming something of a staple for me. I was recently invited to trial this product from Therapi Honey Skincare; a company I hadn't heard of but was keen to research.

Whilst reading up on Therapi Honey Skincare I came across their companies aims which I thought were lovely. Therapi aims to create the best natural and organic honey skincare products, which benefit not only the user but also the natural world in all its diversity and splendour. They also donate 5% of their profits to bee conversation projects. Now that's what I call a feel good company!

Orange Blossom No.2: Hydrating Facial Toner Balancing, for Normal Skin 75% Organic £25*

Anyone who reads my blog will know that I am a sucker for fancy packaging, and this product is about as fancy as I have seen! The box is lovely, well branded and very thick and expensive feeling. However the bottle is my favourite part. There is just something so nice about a glass bottle! The writing on the bottle has been kept to a bare minimum and the bottle is a lovely frosted glass. The whole thing just screams classy, tasteful and high quality. It looks lovely on my dresser and would also make a gorgeous gift.

 

ORGANIC ORANGE BLOSSOM HYDROLAT AND CALENDULA EXTRACT

An instantly hydrating facial tonic. Naturally balancing orange blossom water and soothing botanical extracts of calendula petals deliver a burst of moisture to tone and revitalise the skin.

 

This product has a very strong scent. It's floral and fruity but also has that herby smell that you only get from organic skincare. I like this scent but if you don't like perfumed skincare then you may find this a little overwhelming.

The bottle is fitted with a spray applicator which I really love in a toner. I spray this directly onto my face and then use a cotton pad to rub over my skin. Were it a particularly hot day I may use this to spray my face without the cotton pad. This leaves my skin feeling lovely and hydrated and provides a lovely base for my moisturiser or serum.

I have also used this to make clay masks with powders. It works really well as the spray means no mess and the product provides an extra boost of hydration to the mask.

This is a high quality product which would be really lovely as a gift or just as nice to treat yourself to! It is also available for dry and oily skin.

To purchase or to view more products from the range, visit the webiste:

therapi.com

 

*PR sample

 

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Rimmel Brow This Way - Brow Styling Gel - Review

I'm a sucker for a new product, even when it's not something I would usually use! I saw this in Boots and I just had to pick it up and give it a go! This was on introductory offer at the fantastic price of £2.99 however when full price it is only £3.99 so won't break the bank.

I have tried brow mascaras, felt pens and powders in the past but always reverted back to my trusty pencil, also from Rimmel. I find that any other brow products take far longer to get right and I just don't have the paitence or the time when I'm trying to get ready for work in the mornings. With all that being said, it's easy to see that I just picked this up due to how new it was!

I bought this product in dark brown which is the perfect colour for me. From what I could see, and certainly in my local store, only two shades were available; this and a lighter brown. This will limit the amount of people who could buy this and perhaps they will widen the range in the future. My sister has very dark brows and uses a black/brown to fill them in. This certainly wouldn't be dark enough for her.

As you can see, the gel is applied using a mascara wand. I wasn't sure how this would really work for me as my brows are fairly thin. I found this easy to apply to the largest area of my brows but slightly more difficult where they tailed off. I ended up using the tip of the wand to get the fine end however this applied too much product and left them too dark. This product is easy to apply to hairs but doesn't sit well on the skin meaning I couldn't use it to fill in sparse areas and had to use my trusty pencil.

When I had eventually evened out the product and was happy with the result, I went out for the day. The weather was very hot and sweaty and this product stayed put and didn't smudge at all! I was very impressed.

I will use this again for nights out but I can't see myself repurchasing simply because the application just isn't right for my eyebrows. I was however impressed at it's staying power and can as myself using this alongside a pencil to get the perfect brows.

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Nougat Naturals - Hand Cream and Body Scrub - Reviews

Nougat Naturals Essence of Nature Nourishing Hand Cream £14* and Refining Body Scrub £18*

Nougat Naturals is a range of natural beauty products from Nougat London. They are suitable for vegetarians and vegans and free from nasties such as SLS and parabens. I have been trying the above hand cream and scrub and getting on really well with them.

Firstly the packaging is really lovely. These are definitely products you would give as a gift, with the lovely boxes and luxurious looking design on the tubes. Each came with foil seals and the flip caps allow for easy and clean dispensing.

My scrub is the Calming and Relaxing version whilst my hand cream is in Uplifting and Reviving. Both products are available in both variations with the purple and red branding being a guide. These products are also made in England which is lovely to see and important to many beauty fans.

Firstly the scrub:

The product has a lovely, natural smell which comes from the essentials oils which it contains. This scrub has a blend of sandalwood, chamomile, jasmine and lavender which leave a very luxurious scent like that of a posh spa. This contains some impressive ingredients such as coconut oil, basil, cucumber, green tea and olive seed which provide the exfoliating particles.

The scrub is quite a runny consistency, similar to a body wash. The amount shown was enough to do a whole arm and so I had to be careful that I didn't squeeze too hard and dispense too much. As I mentioned before the product smells really lovely and this was evident as soon as I squeezed it into my hand. I stepped out of the shower to apply this and used circular motions to lather it into the skin. The scrub becomes milky and foams up slightly which I really like because it's like using a scrub and a shower gel in one. There are plenty of scrub particles but I wouldn't say this is an abrasive scrub, more one you could use regularly for light exfoliation. When I rinsed it off my skin felt smooth and clean and very evened out.

 

Now on to the hand cream:

I love a hand cream and keep one in my bag at all times, applying several times in the day! This particular one has an amazing scent and again smells so luxurious and .... expensive! The scent comes from the mix of essential oils: bergamot, lemon myrtle, grapefruit, ginger and lemongrass. The scent is fresh and fruity and the ginger really comes through. This cream boasts ingredients such as sweet almond oil, shea butter, borage oil and glycerine to repair and moisturise skin and extracts of seaweed and cucumber to provide vitamins.

The amount shown is slightly too much for my hands so I applied this to my wrists as well, to use up the extra cream. The cream absorbs well and leaves a slight residue on the skin which isn't greasy or sticky but is nice as it keeps on hydrating the skin. I tend to have two creams on the go at one time; one for daytime and one for night. This is definitely a daytime cream as you can apply it and then straight away use your phone or iPad without leaving the screen smeary! My hands feel very hydrated and smooth and I don't feel as though I have to reapply this until I have washed my hands again.

 

These products are so high quality and luxurious but without ridiculous price tags and I am really impressed. They would make lovely gifts and I would consider these for my mum because they have a timeless, mature scent and look to them.

To purchase or to see the whole range, visit the website at nougatlondon.co.uk

 

*PR Samples

 

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Seventeen Miracle Matte Pressed Powder - Review

Seventeen is a brand that I have tried very little of. Over the last year I have bought a few pieces from the brand but I never end up using them much and they are pushed aside in favour of old favourites. Recently I was drawn to the brand by the rebranding of the display in Boots. I was then encouraged to purchase something by the triple points voucher than I had specifically for the Seventeen range!

I have never been overly fussy when it comes to pressed powders and have several which I am happy to purchase. Currently I am using the Revlon Nearly Naked Powder which I like and is doing me fine but doesn't have a lot of use left in it. I picked up this powdered because I was drawn to the packaging which is sturdy and very handbag friendly.

The above pictures show the product unused, directly after opening it. As you can see, the pad is a little dirty and the surface of the cake itself is uneven. I like that the compact has a decent sized mirror as I use this during application. I have already discarded the pad applicator as I prefer to use a brush but this would be handy for those who like this method of applying powder.

The powder is available in several shades of which I chose Silky Beige. I believe this colour was around the middle of the shades and I am pale but this sits well with my skintone. I would say the colour is very subtle and the powder applies much like a translucent one.

I am not particularly oily but I like to use powder daily to even out and set my foundation and to add a little extra coverage. This powder applies well with a brush. It isn't visible at all on the skin and doesn't cling to any areas of my face. On the first day that I tested this it was a very hot day and I was sweating around my hairline and my forehead was slightly moist. The powder didn't budge however and my makeup looked flawless. If you are oily then you may want to take this with you or top up but once a day is really enough for me.

I believe this was around £3.99 which is an excellent price. I am totally satisfied with this product and would definitely repurchase. It has also encouraged me to investigate Seventeen more and try out some more of their products.

What is your favourite Seventeen product? Comment below :)

 

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Pulpe De Vie Shake Me Baby - Review

I love Micellar solutions and have been using them daily for some time now. They have completey replaced wipes for me now which I am glad of because wipes were terribly drying for my skin. I am currently using a scrub from Pulpe De Vie which is a lovely product and a joy to use. Hence I jumped at the chance to trial Shake Me Baby*, a Micellar solution by Pulpe De Vie!

Pulpe De Vie's Shake Me Baby is the perfect product for a weekend away this summer because it removes makeup, cleanses, tones and leaves skin moisturised; meaning you need only pack one product! It is 100% natural and contains tomato water and grapefruit water among other impressive ingredients. As you can imagine, these also provide the product with a lovely fruity scent. Shake Me Baby is also alcohol free and doesn't contain essential oils.

As you would expect from Pulpe De Vie, the packaging is super cute. The bottle features the cute character along with fruity pictures. The lid of the bottle pops up to provide a small hole for easy application. I love how compact this bottle is as it makes it even handier for travelling.

As you can see from the pictures, the product itself has a yellow oily layer which settles on the top. This is what makes Shake Me Baby different to other Micellar solutions as this oil helps to remove tough eye makeup. As the name suggests, you simply shake the bottle before dispensing to mix the oil in with the product.

When using the product at home I soak 2 cotton pads and wipe these over my face, including my eyes, to remove all my makeup. I then use my regular cleanser to wash my face and follow with toner. When using away from home, I soak 3 cotton pads with the product. The first 2 ensure that my skin is clear of makeup and the 3rd is to cleanse and tone my skin. This product smells lovely and feels very soft on the skin. It's sensitive to eyes and easily removes my eyemakeup. I always prefer to double cleanse but for travel this product easily does all 3 jobs and is all I need.

This is a lovely product and definitely removes a lot more makeup than a regular cleansing water. If you are going away and need to pack light, or even like to have something in for when you are just too tired for anything else, this is definitely a handy product to have in your bathroom!

Shake Me Baby is £13 for 125ml and available from botanicalbrands.com

*PR Sample

 

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Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Shower Power Cream

A few years ago I used to use Nair regularly to remove hair from my legs. For some reason I have since reverted back to razors and not used Nair for a while. I have had this particular product in my bathroom for nearly a year and just not got round to trying it until last week.

One of the downsides of hair removal creams is the 10 minute wait for them to do their job. This product claims to seriously decrease that wait time by being shower proof. The idea is that you apply a thick layer of the cream to your legs using the spatula and leave it for 2 minutes. After this time has passed you get into the shower, go about your usual routine and leave the cream on for a further 3-8 minutes. You then use the spatulal to remove the product and the hair from your legs, all within your usual shower time. Sounds great but I had my doubts!

I applied the cream and then waited slightly longer than recommended, around 5 minutes before I got into the shower. My reason for this was because I simply didn't believe the cream could be shower proof. And I was right! Within a minute of showering I had lost large patches of the cream, especially at the backs of my legs. The tube states you should avoid excessive showering of the legs but I was literally just washing my hair and this would be impossible without allowing some water to get onto my legs! When I removed the product with the spatulal I found that the hair came away easily and, aside from some stray hairs around the knees, my legs were let silky smooth.

I was impressed at the hair removal aspect of this product but for me it just doesn't live up to it's claims of being shower proof. I will definitely buy from Nair again but maybe just from the normal range and not the shower-power creams.

This product is £6.99 and can be purchased from Boots.

 

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Degustabox UK - July 2014

Something a little different from me today and one I am excited to share with you! I love subscription boxes and was recently delighted to try a new one to me; Degustabox*. Degustabox is a monthly food subscription service. You recieve 9 or more food and drink items and these are often things which are new to the market. I have never tried a service like this before and waited patiently for my box. Delivery was hassle free and I recieved a text from the courier service with the choice of 3 delivery days or to have my box left with a neighbour.

When the box arrived I couldn't believe how big and heavy it was and I was desperate to get inside!

Inside the box, the items were sealed inside brown paper. The bottom of the box was lined with large bubble wrap to keep my items safe in transit. Everything arrived in perfect condition.

Now on to the items that I recieved. I have tried some of these already so will review where I can!

Portlebay Popcorn - Kracklecorn, Crispy Bacon & Maple Syrup, Chilli & Lime 79p each*

I have never heard of Portlebay but they are a small company from Devon. The packaging is lovely and the bags are a great size for one generous portion. I am a vegetarian and so have gifted the middle packet to my boyfriend due to it containing bacon. The Kracklecorn was my favourite of the bunch and I would definitely repurchase. This is a mixed sweet and salty popcorn with a lovely crunchy consistency. The Chilli & Lime popcorn is quite hot and has a lovely nip from the lime too - really different to any popcorns I have tried before. These are available in Tesco among other stores and I will definitely be looking out for them!

Dr Oetker Eton Mess £1.99* and Violet Crystals £1.29*

I have used products by the brand before and always think of them as a high quality brand. I haven't used these yet but they will be lovely to decorate cakes or even to add an extra little touch to desserts. Definitely a nice item to have in my cupboards and one I wouldn't have picked up on my own.

The Berry Company Red Tea £1.49*

This is a cold tea drink, great for on the go due to it's handy packaging. Green, white and black tea were also available and were included in other boxes. I haven't tried this yet and I am not sure how much it appeals to me! These are available in Holland & Barrett among other stores.

6 Assorted Maggi Sachets - £5.44 in total*

As I mentioned above, I am a vegetarian. These sachets are all entirely aimed at cooking meat dishes and so not much use to me. The So Juicy packets are for cook in the bag chicken. My boyfriend might use these however if not I will pass them on to someone else. The Piri Piri Chicken, Beef & Ale casserole and Chicken & Leek potatoe bake might work with meat substitutes so I will have a play around with them and give them a go.

Hornsby's Blueberry Cider £1.25 each*

One thing I love about this box is they often include alcoholic drinks. This time we recieved 2 bottles of this cider. I have yet to drink mine as I am saving it for the weekend but I gave the other to my boyfriend who enjoyed it one evening. He said it has quite a liquorice taste which he enjoyed. The card suggests squeezing some lemon into the neck which I think sounds lovely so I will drink mine like that. I love fruit ciders and would be likely to pick these up again at that price, especially with my boufriend liking it.

Zeo Drinks £1.29 each or £4.29 for a 4 pack*

We have actually tried these before after seeing them in the Co-op on offer at £1 each. These are lovely fruit flavoured carbonated drinks which come in glass bottles. I think they are a fizzy drink more marketed at adults and the flavours are quite natural tasting unlike other fizzy drinks on the market. I would buy these again but would wait until I saw them on offer.

Green & Black's Lemon Bar £2.29

I love love love Green & Black's chocolate! There is something so luxurious about it and I was delighted to have this in my box. This tastes lovely with the clear but not overpowering taste of lemon throughout. I would definitely purchase this again because, although at the pricey end for chocolate, these products are so high quality and delicious that they are worth it!

Frank Blueberry and Chocolate Snack Bar 85p*

This is a vegan snack bar and made from 100% natural ingredients. I shared this with my 7 year old step daughter and we both enjoyed it although it's unlike anything we usually eat! The chocolate is a very very thin layer and the taste doesn't really come through. The blueberry taste is lovely though and I would consider trying the over flavours available if I saw them in the shops.

Each box comes with a card full of the product information which also has some handy recipes on the reverse. This box also came with a half price coupon for a 4 pack of the Zeo drinks at either Tesco or the Co-op.

One of my cats, Silky, now lives in the box!

 

Overall I am really happy with the contents of this box and think it is good value for money. This would definitely suit families or couples as there is a variety of products sent out which will appeal to different people. At the moment Degustabox only have one box and don't alter boxes to meet individual needs. I think this may be something they are considering for the future and if they had a vegetarian box I would definitely sign up.

Degustabox is £12.99 a month but you can get £3 off your first box with the code: XWW8N

For more information, check out the link below!

http://bit.ly/DBhomepage - website

http://bit.ly/DBUKfacebook - Facebook
http://bit.ly/DBUKTwitter - twitter

*PR Sample

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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