Review: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder

I shan't waffle on to much in this post as I already talked quite a bit about this product in my earlier post where I was pondering on whether to buy this or not!

As you can see I couldn't resist and I am now the proud owner of Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder in No. 20.

The packaging, as always with Chanel is quite gorgeous and I like how the case is a creamy white colour instead of black, it makes a nice change.  I haven't had this long but the compact feels fairly sturdy so I would imagine it will last a long time.

Lovely isn't it?  I should apologise right now for the quality of the photos, the light at home was terrible (will this winter ever end?) 

The brush comes with the compact, its not bad, I tried it once and it would definitely be fine to use when out and about but at home I have been using my EcoTools Kabuki brush which I love and is perfect for applying this powder.

I am so glad I chose Shade 20, I had tried Shade 10 in the shop but it didn't really show up on my pale skin and I really wanted a healthy glow from this so I took the unusual step (for my pale self) of picking a darker shade!  I have been applying the powder all over my face and it just makes me look really well and it stops my skin from getting shiny.

The powder itself feels so soft and I think this is down to it being finely milled.  It didn't settle into lines or look at all cakey.  I am very tempted to buy a darker shade in the summer and use as a bronzer.  I am seriously impressed by Les Beiges!

This costs £38 and has SPF 15

Review: Label.M Gentle Cleansing Shampoo

I must admit a I have tried a lot of haircare products over the past few years partly because I make quite a few impulse buys and partly because I am always looking for that holy grail product!

Label.M Gentle Cleansing Shampoo is my favourite shampoo at the moment, I have re-purchased it about three times now.  My hair is fine and I have blonde highlights - this combination means that I have dry ends but can get greasy roots - nice eh?! 

I find the best way to deal with my hair is to wash it with a gentle shampoo that won't weigh it down and then I will use a quite moisturising conditioner to look after those pesky dry ends.

This shampoo is lovely, it smells nice (although the smell doesn't really linger), it lathers up well but not overly so and I find it doesn't aggravate the sensitive scalp that I seem to get every winter (I blame the central heating).  Every third shampoo I will use a shampoo for coloured hair to look after the colour but I always love using this one as it never fails me!

Label.M products are made by Toni & Guy and can be purchased either in salon or I normally buy from Lookfantastic.com for £9.95.

Boots Haul from the weekend!

I scalded my hand on Friday night when filling up my hot water bottle (London is seriously cold at the moment boohoo) and due to my lack of concentration I ended up pouring hot water over my hand - ouch!  So on Saturday morning I found myself in Boots to buy some cooling gel for my bright red hand (which is miles better today thankfully) but I got sidetracked as Boots are offering three for two on a lot of their beauty products and make up tools.......well it would have been rude not to!

I bought the following:

1. Max Factor Giant Lip Pencil in Passion Red £6.99

I wore this yesterday and was really impressed, the colour is lovely and lasted for a good eight hours!  Max Factor describe the product as having "intensive colour gloss for lips" and they are right, the colour is intensive and there must be a stain in there as lip products don't normally last that long on me.  This pencil didn't dry my lips out either which products that stain my lips often do so I am chuffed with this purchase.

2. EcoTools Bamboo Eyeshadow Brush £5.49

I have used EcoTools makeup brushes in the past and I love them, they are reasonably priced, washed well and apply makeup perfectly.  I already have two eyeshadow brushes at home but a girl can never have too many I think so I decided to try this one.  I used it this morning for the first time with my Urban Decay Naked Basics palette and I am pleased to say this Eyeshadow Brush matches up to all my other EcoTools brushes. 

The Brush is fairly large and wide, is synthetic and picks up a lot of shadow, a quick tap on the brush and then I applied.  It feels soft, almost fluffy I would say and I know from experience that these brushes wash well and don't shed so I am happy that I chose this brush.

3.  Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer £7.49

I had read about this concealer recently and some bloggers were giving it holy grail status so I tried shade 51 on the back of my hand and it seemed to give good coverage and it felt really nice so I decided to give it a go....a bit risky as I normally always want to try concealers on my actual face before purchasing.

I used this yesterday and today and all I can say is "Wow"!  I know its only been two days but I am seriously impressed with this!  I have tried many concealers - Estee Lauder, Laura Mercier and Kevyn Aucoin to name a few and I have to say I don't feel they have a patch on this stuff which is probably a third of the price of some of those!

Firstly the shade 51 is very light so perfect for someone like me who is really pale but I do get redness in my skin - luckily I made the right choice and this is perfect on my face (and not just on my hand).  It feels nice, you just need to squeeze the tinest bit out of the tube and it blends really easily, it gives great coverage but and this is what I really love, it doesn't get cakey or settle into lines so is perfect to use around the eye area.

I love that I got such good products and it only came to £14.48 as the EcoTools brush came for free - it certainly cheered me up after the burnt hand incident! 

Review: Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion

I always like Clarins gift with purchase promotions, you often get a choice of gifts so you can tailor it to your own particular likes and the sizes are always really impressive and mean you can really get a flavour of the product.

Theis Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion was part of a gift with purchase and recently I have been using it daily.  My skin has gone a bit mad of late, I think it's due to the extreme cold and central heating - it results in me getting really really dry skin and my regular body lotion wasn't helping so I went through the drawer where I house my body products and remembered this lotion.

I have been using this for about a week now and apply it all over after I have dried off after showering.  I am happy to say that this stuff has done the trick and my skin is no longer like a dried up old husk (!)  It really does seem to put a lot of moisture into the skin and its a pleasant lotion to use - it has the subtle Clarins fragrance which smells really nice but doesn't linger for long so wouldn't clash with perfume. 

One of my pet hates with body moisturisers is when they don't absorb and just sit on the skin making you feel icky when you get dressed but this lotion performed well in this and it absorbs within a couple of minutes.

Overall I would say you cannot go wrong with this - it deals with dry skin admirably and is a fantastic moisturiser for winter or those with dry skin.  It costs £30 for 200ml.

Review: Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Foundation

I was chuffed to receive a decent size sample of Giorgio Armani Maestro Foundation.  I had read a lot and heard a lot of mainly good things about this foundation so I asked for a sample at the counter in Harrods and the assistant was really kind and chose what she thought was the best shade for me and put it in a little pot which I have so far used three times and there is still loads left.  Here is the sample I got (I have just realised this photo doesn't show how big the pot is - apologies!):

The assistant told me that when I apply this I should use my fingers and not a brush so I went with her advice and I have to say this stuff is really easy to apply and a little seems to go a long way.  Its got a very watery texture and a silky feel to it, it blends really easily, much easier than any other foundation I have ever had before.  I have loved using it the past few mornings as its really quick to use (I have been a bit too friendly with the snooze button this week so time has been of the essence!).

If you don't like the feeling of wearing foundation I would definitely recommend this, I can barely feel it on my skin but at the same time it gives a good medium coverage and is buildable - I get redness on my nose and on my cheeks which I really dislike so I love that I can build this up and leaves me with a much more even and flawless looking skin.

The only downside for me is that it seems to make my skin a bit oily, not at first but after lunchtime (thats after about five hours wear) I seem to go a bit shiny.  I know thats nothing that a bit of powder wouldn't sort out but my other foundations seem to hold up a bit better than this one.

I tried Shade 5 and I would say its a perfect match for my very pale skin with cool undertones.  The only reason I wouldn't purchase this is because of the oily skin issue but I was still impressed with the ease of use and coverage.  I will however finish the sample. 

It costs £36 for a bottle and contains SPF 15.

Review: Kerastase Initialiste Advanced Scalp and Hair Concentrate

Recently I had a stroke of luck and won a £100 voucher on Hqhair.com for reviewing a product!  I have to admit, before my win I was a bit cynical and wondered if anyone every won the monthly prize of a voucher for reviewing products but I will happily eat humble pie after winning a voucher!

I trawled the site carefully as I wanted to spend my prize wisely but at the same time I wanted to try at least of couple of products that I hadn't used before.  I came across Kerastase initialiste Advanced Scalp and Hair Concentrate and I was very intrigued and after reading the description I felt like I had to give it a go.

So what does it claim to do?  Kerastase say it is a specialisted leave-in treatment that will have your hair looking and feeling thicker and shinier.  The concentrate strengthens and thickens hair fibres to leave  your locks more resistant to breakage.  It has been formulated with plant-based biotechnology.  They recommend using this product on dull hair and fine hair.

It sounds almost too good to be true but I have been won over by this product!  After I have washed and conditioned my hair, I then towel dry and apply two to three pipettes into both my scalp and hair.  It has a lovely smell, like a luxurious shampoo but (sadly) the smell doesn't last long.  It is not sticky or doesn't do anything to my hair to make it feel icky.  I then carry on as normal and let my hair dry about 75% and then blow dry as normal.

At first I am not sure if I noticed much difference but after three weeks of using about five times a week I feel like my hair does feel stronger and looks healthier - the ends don't look so dry.  I am having a lot more good hair days than bad which is impressive for me as I have fine hair that mostly misbehaves!

I should tell you about my hair type at this point.....hairdressers always say to me that my hair is fine but I have plenty of it, I have highlights so whilst I can get greasy hair, I have dry ends - oh what a fun mixture!  I was worried that this Concentrate would make my hair greasy or lank but it really doesn't - it just makes my hair look more healthy.

The bottle is lovely and very swish looking, the only downside is that you can't see how much product is left but I will overlook that as I love the product so much.

I am definitely going to buy another bottle when this runs out, I have seen various prices online (I think it costs £40 in salons) and the best price I have found is £32 on the Look Fantastic website and that includes free delivery.

Review: Essie She's Pampered

I am loving the Essie nail polish I am wearing today, when the first coat went on it looked like a reddy pink or maybe saying it was a bright red with a hint of pink would be a better description! 

Once the second coat and topcoat had gone on the colour looked more like a full on bright red - I keep peering at it in different light and now can't see any pink in it at all.....although I could be looking too much so in the end can't tell what I am seeing?!

Here is a photo that I took next to the window (I apologise on behalf of my workplace for the dirty walls!)

I am chuffed with the colour, it looks so pretty in daylight.

Here is a shot taken indoors:

Its still a lovely colour.....I think this is one of my new favourites!  As with most Essie shades the finish is lovely and really glossy.  I will have to branch out soon and try some other brands - are there any you'd recommend?

Review: Chanel Sublimage Masque Essential Regenerating Mask

Yesterday when buying Chanel Les Beige, I asked the assistant if she could give me a sample of a facemask.  I have gotten out of the habit of using a facemask, I think the demise happened when I got a new bathroom fitted and ended up with a great big shower and no bath.  However I love the whole process of putting on a facemask and feeling that your skin is that bit better afterwards so I have decided to shop around for a new mask. 

The kind assistant gave me a smaple of Chanel Sublimage Masque Essential Regenerating Mask.  I don't really have much knowledge of Chanel's skincare but I am a big fan of their make up so was really happy to give it a go.

Sorry about the poor photo quality - I am having real problems getting good photos at the moment, I am going to blame the grey weather we have been having!

I applied the mask in the shower last night.  Firstly I washed my face with my favourite cleanser - Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel (I must do a post about this soon) and then I applied a generous layer of the mask which I left on my face for about ten minutes.

The mask didn't really have a smell.  It has a nice creamy texture and felt fine on my face, there was no stinging or tight feeling. 

After ten minutes it rinsed off easily enough and when I inspected the results in the mirror afterwards I thought my face looked healthy and glowing and again it didn't feel tight.  This morning I thought my face looked nice and clear.  I applied my usual make up and a good friend said to me I looked well.....of course I don't know if that's down to the mask but I definitely enjoyed using this mask and I reckon the tube contains another two uses.

The downside (ah there is always one isn't there?) I have been online to see what this mask costs and its not cheap.  I believe it comes in a tube but I haven't been able to find the price of that, I did find the price of a jar of this at Boots - you could 50g for.....wait for it......£145.....ouch! 

Whilst I don't mind splashing out on skincare I think I would have to draw the line at £145 so my search will continue.  Can any of you recommend a really nice face mask?

About to purchase: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder

Its a rainy Monday in March so there is only one way I can think of cheering myself up - a beauty purchase!

I had read a great review on Visionary Beauty http://visionarybeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/chanel-les-beiges-healthy-glow-sheer.html and was quite tempted by this product.  So at lunchtime today I trotted off to Boots and the assistant on the Chanel counter tried two of the lightest shades on me - they are 10 which is the lightest and 20 which is still light but slightly warmer.

Firstly I wasn't keen on the lighting at the Chanel counter, they were bluey tinged and I can't think why they don't use a daylight bulb(?) anyhow I couldn't see much difference to my skin with the 10 shade but with the 20 shade it did make a real difference and gave my pale skin which has cool tones a real warmth.  I decided there and then to buy it but they were out of shade 20 - DOH!

I figured that maybe this was a blessing in disguise and that I could take a step back and keep checking the mirror to make sure tha I do really like the effect of this powder.  It was helped by a colleague telling me I looked well (that can only be down to the powder right?!)

I am 95% sure that I am going to buy this powder......I will post back shortly if I do!  I should mention it costs £38 and comes in a cute compact with a brush that felt really soft.  I will post photos shortly.

I would love to know if any of you are thinking of buying Les Beige Powder or if you have - what are your thoughts?

UPDATE - I did purchase this (c'mon you knew it was going to happen didn't you?)  Please see my review post for my first impressions and photos!

Review: Illamasqua Precision Ink

Today I want to let you all know about my favourite liquid eyeliner.  I have tried many liquid eyeliners over the years in pursuit for the perfect one and its been a long and rocky road!  For a long time I used MAC's Liquid Eye Liner in Boot Black and it was ok, I repurchased it several times but it didn't stay completely put on my eyelid so in the end I knew I had to find an alternative.

I had read lots of reviews about Illamasqua and I thought they seemed like a really forward thinking and fun brand so on a whim in Selfridges I decided to buy the Precision Ink liquid eye liner in Abyss (which is a glossy black colour).

I am so glad I bought this - I couldn't have made a better choice!  Its a lovely solid black colour, its got a thin tip that is perfect for both thin lines and for building thicker lines.  I would say it lasts for the best part of three months with almost daily use which I think is really impressive. 

And the best part is that this liner stays put, it ain't going nowhere!!  My pet hate with any eye make up is when it migrates - either onto your cheek or just disappears into thin air!  You do not have to worry with this liner, its not moving until you take it off with remover

My search is finally over and I can't see me trying any other liquid eye liners now I have found this one!

Have any of you tried this liner or do you have one you swear by?

Review: Essie Forever Young

Another day, another red nail polish!!  I absolutely loved the colour I had on last week - Essie Lollipop, it made me feel happy everytime I looked at it, I don't think there is a more bright and cheerful colour.

This week, however, I thought I'd go for a deeper red, its still a fiery red I think but it has a darker deepness to it (if that makes sense).  When it was first put on my nails I just thought it looked really sophistocated - not too bright and not too dark.  I really don't think you could go wrong with this shade.

Review: OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil To Go

This is one of the products that I use nearly every day, I bought it when I was on holiday in the USA four years ago and only really tried it because it was fairly cheap and because I liked OPI's varnishes.  It has turned out to be a really good buy and I have since purchased it back home (where it is more expensive - pah!)

OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil to Go is a genius idea.  The oil is housed in a squeezy tube that has a brush on the end so you can brush the oil onto your cuticles anywhere - I tend to use this a lot at my desk at work and on the bus!!  The oil is a thicker consistency than a lot of nail oils I have previously used so its not too messy and I find it absorbs pretty fast too.

I have regular manicures and I find using this oil means my varnish lasts longer and doesn't chip as quickly.  Also it keeps my cuticles in really good condition - even my manicurist comments on their good condition!

I can't recommend this product highly enough and I think I will keep using it forever!  The results and ease of use outweigh most other cuticle oils I think.

Do any of you have any oils that you swear by?

Review: Essie Lollipop

After having Essie Bordeaux on my nails all week I decided to have something a bit brighter on my nails this week.  Maybe it's spring being in the air that made me want to have a vibrant shade on my nails.  Don't get me wrong I love the Bordeaux shade but its nice to have a change isn't it?

So this week I plumped for Essie in Lollipop.  On the Essie website they describe the colour as being a "candy cane red" and thats a brilliant description.  When I was trying to think of a way to describe it earlier I was thinking its a pillarbox red with a hint of coral but I think I prefer their description haha!

Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation Trial

I was meandering through my local branch of Boots today and had stopped to look at the YSL make up counter and the shop assistant kindly asked me if I'd like to try their foundation!  She then gave me a seven day trial of the Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation!

I have ready varying reviews of this foundation and am really excited about trying it out for myself at last. 

The assistant gave me the BD40 shade but said if it wasn't right for me I could pop back and she'd swap it.  I am going to start using this tomorrow morning and will report back with a full review shortly!