Valentine's Day and a Product Rave!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you're having a lovely day. I have really been enjoying seeing what everyone is up to.

But also, I just wanted to say, that for all the single girls out there, the best thing you can do on a day like today is pamper yourself, go out with your fabulous pals or just do something that you enjoy. There's alot of pressure on single people every year this day to be with someone. Some people treat it like a competition to prove that they are loved the most. But it's fine if you are quite happy on your own. Everyone is different. No one should need another person to COMPLETE them (that saying kinda bugs me). Your partner should be someone that you learn things from, have fun with and ultimately, they just make life even better. Some people find this in platonic love with a friend, a sibling etc so maybe St Valentine's shouldn't be about couples, it should just be about love in general and appreciating your loved ones. I think we all need to be reminded once in a while, take stock and count our blessings.

I was a very lucky girl because even though I wasn't expecting any presents at all, Chris got me some Dior Hypnotic Poison perfume and body lotion in a lovely makeup bag...he knows me so well!...The perfume has a lovely sweet spicy scent that's light enough to wear in the daytime...
Right, on to the product rave which is about Estee Lauder Daywear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Moisturiser Sheer Tint Release Formula (yes, it has a veeeerrrrryy long title.ha ha). I have been using the Daywear Plus Cream for the last couple of months (although I use it as a night cream as it's quite intensive). That has worked wonders for my skin (post will come on that soon). However, THIS formula is perfect for daytime and would be AMAZING to use in the summer or on holiday. The formula is alot lighter and to be honest, it's just plain cool! Let me explain why...
Not only does this moisturiser have the same protection properties as the normal Daywear Cream to shield against pollution, dehydration, UV rays, free radicals etc but it has anti oxidants that help to keep your skin clear and healthy. It blends into the skin so well and doesn't leave it feeling slimy or tacky.I will just quickly list the main points to note about this moisturiser:

• It contains potent anti-oxidant ingredients like pure White Tea, South African Red Tea, Grape Seed, Rosemary, Vitamins C and E.
• It's hydrating without being oily
• It has SPF15
• It has oil control benefits
• Ideal for hot/humid climates (don't have to worry about that in the UK!)

The best thing about this moisturiser is that it comes out of the bottle looking like the usual blue/green shade and has a refreshing cucumber scent...

But you can see that it contains tiny spheres of tint that are released when you rub it into your face, so you get a lovely brightening effect that evens out your skintone and just adds a hint of colour...nothing too dark or over the top, just a shade or two. I have done a demonstration below...

It's so natural looking! So, this is pretty much a tinted moisturiser however I like to use it under my lighter foundations to brighten up my complexion when I'm looking a bit pale. I will definitely be taking this with me next time I go on holiday because I just think it would be a fabulous product to apply when you're in a hurry but you still want your skin to look healthy and radiant. This would be a good product for those people who don't like wearing foundation and prefer lighter formulas. (Tali - I think you would love this if you don't already have it...as soon as I tried it I thought of you because I know you have been worried about the effect of pollution etc on your skin and wanted a barrier...this would be perfect for that!).

I also remember that Nic from Pixiwoo used this in one of her videos a while back...

I love this product because it's so innovative and I could definitely see it replacing my foundation when I go on holiday. It feels light on the skin and would subtely enhance a tan.

Let me know if you have tried this and what you thought of it?

My Favourite Highlighters

Some girls are blusher fiends, some girls are loopy about lipstick but I am definitely a highlighter girl. It's the one product that makes me weak at the knees and I always seem to lust after the sheen and glowy gorgeous-ness that it has to offer. I buy them like they're going out of fashion. I love the fact that with a light swipe of highlighter on the tops of the cheekbones, browbones, down the centre of the nose and on the cupid's bow can bring your face back to life, add dimension and make you look impeccably healthy and polished. It's by far my favourite beautifier, name a highlighting product and I will probably will have tried it. So for anyone who is looking for the perfect highlighter for their skintype or if you just like lusting over glowy gorgeousness like I do, then read on chickadees...here's a look at my favourite highlighting products (note - these are my favourites for applying OVER foundation but I will soon be doing a post on the best highlighters to apply UNDER foundation for a more subtle glow so stay tuned for that). I decided to group them into Powders, Cream formulas and Liquid formulas. I thought this would make it alot easier for people to decipher which ones would be best for them with regards to their skintype. So basically, if you have oily skin then powders will be more suitable for you, if you have dry skin then the cream or liquid formulas will work best with your skin and if you are lucky enough to have normal skin, then you can go mad and try any of them! So my favourite powder formulas are pictured above.

Best for night time use are:

Prestige Mineral Bronzing Powder in Pure Shimmer - This is a great bargain buy in my opinion, it creates a gorgeous effect that is more of an intense sheen, better suited for a more dramatic night time look. You really have to tailor your highlighter to the time of day as you can get away with alot more at night. Great for all skintones.

MAC MSF in Soft & Gentle - Alot of people go mental over MAC MSF's and I know alot of you guys collect them. I love this warm shade and it's so flattering, it's another one more suited to night time use because it has a high level of sheen perfect for creating chiselled cheekbones by precision applying on the very tops of the cheekbones. With this highlighter, less is more...apply it lightly for a really sexy glow on your cheeks. I would say this is more suited to medium to dark skin tones, it's a bit too warm for paler skin tones.

Smashbox Softlights in Highlight - This powder can double as a blush for paler skintones and for medium skintones it will add a lovely warmth to the cheeks that is super subtle. It is more peach toned and the sheen it creates is so subtle, it's perfect for daytime use!

Nars Albatross - I've mentioned this product many times before on my blog and I still stand my statement that it's the best powder highlighter I have ever tried. It's perfect for daytime use AND night time use. It mimicks the effect you get on your skin when in candlelight and everyone knows how candlelight makes everything look like it's bathed in warm yellow tones, it seems to diminish flaws and just looks really beautiful. It suits all skintones, you only need a smidgen to create a subtle glow that undetectable even in daylight.

Next up are the cream formulas:

MAC Cream Colour Base in Pearl and Shell - I will group these two together since they are essentially the same formula but in different shades. Basically the Pearl shade suits all skintones whereas the Shell one is more suited to medium/tanned to dark skintones. I would only use that when I have a tan. They both have to be applied lightly to get the right effect. I always rub them into the back of my hand, then apply ONLY the excess that's left on my fingers. Just tap that into the tops of your cheekbones in a semi circle from the outer corner of your cheekbone up round the outside of your eye socket. This will catch the light and lift your face, putting emphasis on your cheekbones. Don't apply it to the apples of your cheeks, this will just look too shiny. All the emphasis should be on the high points of your face, that's what will give you the 'polished' look.

Chanel Creme Illuminator in Moonlight - As you can see, I have hit pan with this one! I've had it for years and I still really rate it as a highlighter. I would say it's very much like Benefit High Beam but in a cream formula. I love using this as a brow highlight and it can also be used on the lips with a bit of clear lipgloss over the top...it's a great multi-purpose product. I've even used it down my shins to create a lovely sheen down them. Great for travelling if you want an all in one product! This is perfect for all skintones as well.

Please note that the swatch of MAC CCB in Shell looks ALOT darker in the above swatch than it is in real life. I just had to layer it to get it to show on cam.

On to the liquid formulas which are both great for day or night:

Rouge Bunny Rouge Seas of Illumination Highlighting Liquid in 009 - This has the longest title I have ever seen but MAN, is it amazing. I love the luxurious packaging, the imaginative name but best of all, I love the colour and formula. It's a goldy bronze colour and perfect for summer time when I have a bit of a tan. It's a really light formula, easy to blend and has an amazing effect on the face. This stuff is expensive but I have used it loads and there's only a tiny bit gone. This bottle is going to last for a long, long time. It feels like pure luxury to use and sometimes, us girls need that!

Just check out the yummy deliciousness of the swatch...

Benefit High Beam - This ethereal pale pink liquid highlighter has been a favourite of mine for a few years now. I think it looks gorgeous on my skin whether I'm slightly paler and also with a tan. It gives my cheekbones a lovely glow and the pale pink shade is just so flattering and pretty, my skin looks so alive and healthy when I wear it.

So there it is ladies, my top picks of the highlighters in my collection (and it's a BIG collection). I'm sure there's something there to suit everyone really. I find that the most important thing to remember about highlighter is that often the less you apply, the better it looks. Remember, you can always go back and apply more if you want to amp up the glow. I wouldn't be without my highlighters, they are a quick fix when your skin looks dull or lack lustre and I'm sure my love affair with them will go on and on and on and on......

Competition Time...with GORGEOUS prizes!

I decided it was about time I held a competition and I am going to make it really easy on you guys. There’s not going to be any dressing up or anything like that. The details of my competition are as follows:

· To enter, all you have to do is write ‘Enter me please’ in the comments below
· You have to be a follower of my blog to enter
· The competition is open to UK & International followers
· The winner will be drawn at random using the age old method of names on paper in a big bowl (yeah I know…I’m pulling out all the stops here!)
· If you want to be entered twice for a better chance of winning, you can do a post about my competition and comment below to let me know you have done this
· Closing date for entries is 12pm GMT on Sunday 28th February

Schimples!

Now, feast your eyes on the prizes that ONE lucky lady will win!…

DuWop Heavy Metal Eye shadow Trio (18 Carat) – I reviewed this recently and if you want a closer look at this, you can check out my post on it here. I had a backup of this but since it will last me for a LONG time, I decided to give it away to let someone else find out how lovely it is!

A gorgeous YSL Fard A Levres Rouge Pur Lipstick in Paradise Pink, YSL Gloss Pur in no.4 and one of my fave products, Bare Minerals All Over Face Colour in Faux Tan (perfect for contouring!)...
RMK Ingenious Gel Eyeliner in Black (Comes with a really neat double ended brush/smudger)...
And finally, Too Faced Mood Swing Emotionally Activated Lip Gloss (turns Clear to Pink)...
Good Luck to everyone!

Bare Minerals Prime Time Oil Control Primer

I know that not everyone feels that primers are necessary but personally I almost always use one after my moisturiser and before I apply any makeup. I think it really depends on what your skin is like. If you have great skin with no uneven skin tone and you find that your makeup lasts for ages then you wouldn’t really need a primer. However because I have uneven skin tone on my cheeks (they get VERY rosy!) and also around my nose, I need a good base for my makeup. Basically, when I use a primer, I use less foundation/concealer which for me is a bonus because it creates a more natural look.

I use different primers for different purposes. For example, I like to use my Estee Lauder Illuminating Primer for a glowy look but Loreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer is better for a soft matte flawless look. I love the Loreal Primer but the only thing that bothers me about it is that I seem to have to use loads for each application so the jar is finished in no time.

I have combination skin and tend to get a bit oily/shiny on my T-Zone so I really need a primer that will mop up any excess shine and reduce how much I have to touch up with powder. No matter how light the powder is, re-applying it over the course of the day will clog your skin up and possibly create a cakey finish, which is NOT the look I’m going for!
Bare Minerals have a new primer called ‘Prime Time Oil Control Foundation Primer’ which has been “developed to combat flaky dryness, rough patches, fine lines, excess oil, enlarged pores, and uneven texture, this mineral-infused, satin-finish formula glides on seamlessly with no tacky feel to provide a skin-smoothing complexion prior to Bare Minerals SPF 15 Foundation application. Infused with soothing plant extracts, antioxidants, and nourishing vitamins C and E for added age-defying power”.
An important thing to note is also that this product is formulated with no Parabens, Sulfates, Synthetic Fragrances, Synthetic Dyes, Petro-Chemicals or Phthalates. This makes it a bit more accessible to people who have really sensitive skin. So, here’s a quick run down of the Pro’s and Con’s…

PRO’s

Leaves skin silky smooth
Sinks in quickly and leaves no tacky feeling or residue
Has ingredients that improve your skin as you’re wearing it
Oil Free
Goes on evenly and creates a matte base for makeup
Lightweight Formula
A little goes a long way (just one pump for the whole face)
Practical packaging
Makeup goes on more evenly and lasts longer (less requirements for touch ups)
Didn’t cause any breakouts

CON’s

It contains Silicon (which I know some people have a real problem with)
Packaging is a bit basic and not very exciting

I like the fact that this primer contains natural oil-absorbing minerals so it doesn’t irritate or clog up my skin. I think it offers good value for money since you only need one pump to cover your whole face (although I only need to apply it to my T-Zone area to stop shine). It creates a really good base for makeup (I use liquid foundation over it instead of powder foundation though). It doesn’t create any cakey-ness or residue and with soothing ingredients like liquorice, chamomile and aloe, it feels like I’m doing something good for my skin when I’m wearing it.

My makeup definitely lasts longer when I use this and I haven’t had to powder my T-Zone at all during a normal day at work (this is based on applying my makeup at 7am and getting home at 5:30pm). So in my opinion, that is really good! I can’t stand it when my forehead, nose and chin get all shiny so I’m really chuffed that I’ve found a product that can be applied on these areas to keep it under control. It also means I won’t go through my powder quite so quickly now. My makeup looks natural all day long now but I think that for more extreme conditions (say a night out dancing), I would probably still have to touch up my T-Zone with powder. Something else I noticed was that although I had a breakout of spots over last weekend, they seem to have been soothed by using this…I’m guessing it must be the Aloe in it!

Overall, this product has performed really well and I’ve been impressed by it’s mattifying properties. I will definitely continue to use this on my T-Zone from now on.

A good place to get this product from is www.feelunique.com where you get a 30 ml bottle for £15.30 including Postage & Packaging.

UK Beauty Blog & Vlog Awards...Vote for me!

I came home today and checked my emails and found out that I have been nominated for an award by the people at http://www.beautyjudge.com/ which is a website for real product reviews by everyday women in the UK. I have been nominated in the “The Everyday Woman Award” category which is specifically for blogs with under 500 followers. I don't know who specifically nominated me, or whether it was one of my followers but thank you so much. It means SO much to me and I'm so flattered! I put so much into my blog and it's a real passion for me.

If I win, the prize includes:

• The Award badge to display on my blog
• Details of my blog will be announced to thousands of BeautyJudge.com members
• A feed of my blog will be added to the BeautyJudge site for 3 months
• £75 (UK pounds) to spend on cosmetics/beauty brands of my choice

So, if any of you guys think that my blog is worthy of this award then please vote for me here http://www.beautyjudge.com/the-beautyjudge-uk-beauty-blog-awards-2010.html#howtovote using my unique Voting ID which is EWA1035. The closing date for votes is 28th February. There's also a prize draw for voters as well and the prize is a hamper of goodies.

I would absolutely love to win this award but please don't feel obligated to vote for me just because you follow my blog. I love blogging and the fact that people read my posts and enjoy them is just the cherry on top.

Good Times/Bad Times

GOOD TIMES

1) Crest Advanced White Strips – You may remember I did a post recently about teeth whitening, asking you guys what products/services would be best to use. Well, after a lot of people saying that the Crest Strips work really well for them, I decided to take the plunge and bought a 14 day pack from a reliable website for a very decent price. I have sensitive teeth so I was a bit wary about whether I was going to be in extreme pain from these little guys. BUT I have been using them for the past 4 days and there has been no pain at all so I guess I’m just one of the lucky ones. They are really easy to use, just 30 mins a day and I can already see them working. My teeth look whiter already! I have my fingers crossed that my pain free experience will continue! I’m a big sissy when it comes to tooth ache!

2) I feel like I’m really on a roll with my healthy eating and gym routine at the moment and I’m hoping for good results when I weigh myself on Wednesday. I have found a really good website called http://www.livestrong.com/ where you can record a food diary which shows you a calorie goal for the day, based on your weight, age and activity level. It’s a good way of keeping track of how much you’re taking in every day and how much you’re burning off. I try not to get too caught up with counting calories because that’s not healthy but the food diary keeps you on the straight and narrow. The site also has a BMI calculator, fitness tips and videos, dietary info and a section where you can record your measurements to keep track off how many inches you have lost. I really like the fact that it’s all in one place and the basic registration is free. I find that when I record my progress in this way, it gives me an incentive to stick to my routine because you’re faced with the reality of things when you type all the info in.

BAD TIMES

1) I had an almighty breakout of spots over the weekend at each side of my chin…I’m guessing this could be due to the alcohol consumption on Friday night! It’s my own fault really. I will just have to wait for them to subside. Is it just me though, or do you get paranoid and self conscious that everyone you talk to is staring at a spot/s on your face???
2) There has been a lot of complaints raised about an advert for staff for the new Hollister store in Aberdeen (sister chain of Abercrombie & Fitch). Basically the advert details that the brand/store is looking for “cool, good looking individuals with style”. Now for one thing, who the hell are they to judge how good looking or stylish their applicants are? Looks and style are based on individual preference and therefore everyone has a different take on what is attractive. Also, there are certain requirements with regards to your appearance if you want to work there...for example the male employees must be clean shaven and the females can only wear certain types of makeup/style their hair a certain way to create a ‘natural’ look. I also read an article recently about a girl who worked in an A & F store and had a prosthetic arm. They asked her not to wear short sleeved tops and have it on display…she quite rightly was disgusted and refused. She was consequently fired. The girl then went about suing the company for unfair dismissal and discrimination. A & F have also faced many discrimination charges in the US due to the fact that they predominantly featured white models in their advertising campaigns and the same applied to their staff. In the last couple of years, the advertising and employment authorities have been legally forcing the company to adhere to guidelines and promote diversity in their employment methods and in their advertising. I’m glad that the brand is FINALLY being made to face up to the fact that their idea of what is “cool and good looking” and the “A & F look” is discriminatory, narrow minded and down right unacceptable in this day and age.

Estee Lauder Michael Kors Very Hollywood

I was really excited to see the Estee Lauder and Michael Kors collaboration called Very Hollywood splashed across numerous blogs, including Pixiwoo. All the colours look very wearable and flattering. I'm not gonna babble on too much about it as my last few posts have been more like essays! I am suffering from a bad hangover today so my brain can only take so much time in front of the laptop.ha ha. Here's a look at what I got...

Pictured below is the Shimmering Loose Powder, Blush in Sunset Pink, Lip Sheen in Starlet Rose and Lip Gloss in Starlet Rose and Bungalow Pink...

I'm particularly loving the bright pink blush AND the packaging...

Here's a close up of the Shimmering Loose Powder which is described as 'Gold Pearl Shimmer'...

And here are the all important swatches...

Left to Right: Lipgloss in Starlet Rose, Lip Gloss in Bungalow Pink, Lip Sheen in Starlet Rose, Blush in Sunset Pink, Loose Shimmering Powder.

So my thoughts? Well I can't quite say that the products matched up to my excitement about the whole collection but there were a couple of gems in there that stood out for me. I would say the blush and the shimmering powder are the star products in my eyes. The blush has a great smooth and silky texture and provides a great pop of colour on the cheeks, it lives up to what you would expect Estee Lauder quality to feel like. The Shimmering Loose Powder is very subtle and looks really pretty when you use it as a highlighter on the tops of your cheekbones. I apply it with a smaller brush so I can really concentrate on the high points of my face...if you use a bigger brush then you risk getting it everywhere.

The lipstick is a nice formula and quite long lasting but it didn't blow me away. I did really like the Bungalow Pink Lip Gloss and it's brighter than what I would usually wear but as I'm in an experimental mood at the moment, I'm happy to broaden my horizons. I wasn't quite as impressed by the Lip Gloss in Starlet Rose because when i applied it, it hardly showed up at all and just ended up looking like a clear gloss. It was just blah.

I will try and do a FOTD soon to demonstrate what the products look like when applied.

So overall, the collection is really nice and I think it added a fresh take on the brnad and what they have to offer to the younger market. Estee Lauder does carry a certain reputation of catering to older women but I think that this collection of glamour, nudes, peaches and pinks appeals to the whole spectrum of age ranges.