Paula's Choice Products

I was recently sent two products from Paula's Choice to test out and see what I thought. After giving them a good few weeks trial I feel like I've got a good feel for how well they work so here's what I thought..

Skin Balancing Moisture Gel - £19.95 for 60ml
Normal to Oily/CombinationFragrance and Colorant-Free

'Help your skin feel exceptionally smooth with this practically weightless, antioxidant-rich formula. Its elegant water-in-silicone emulsion is infused with a concentration of antioxidants, state-of-the-art water-binding agents, and anti-irritants to protect and gently hydrate skin without a hint of greasiness.'

Although the price tag may seem slightly hefty for a moisturiser, if you have oily skin like myself it's well worth the money. Having never tried a gel before I was slightly apprehensive as to whether it would really provide me with enough moisture to keep my skin hydrated. I needn't worry though as the lightweight formula glides over your skin leaving it feeling silky smooth, moisturised but not the slightest bit greasy. Usually 3 - 4 hours later I'll pop and have a look in the mirror and be greeted by an incredibly shiny t-zone but not when I use this product. I was incredibly suprised at how quickly it sunk into my skin and helped to keep my skin mattified during the day. My skin's been playing up slightly in the past few weeks and this has really helped to settle it down.
Rating : ★★★★★




Then we have the Shine Stopper Instant Matte Finish - £22.30 for 30ml
Normal to Oily/Combination Skin

Clinically proven to keep skin perfectly matte for at least 6 hours.

Unique MICROSPONGE® Technology keeps oily shine in check.

Minimizes the appearance of pores.

Leaves a silky-soft, powder-like finish.

Smoothes minor skin imperfections.

Increases makeup’s staying power.

I originally thought this was going to be your average silicone-esque primer. Wrong. It's a light lotion and you only need a pea sized amount to cover your whole face as it literally absorbs into your skin the instant you begin to rub. I've popped this under my make-up a good few times now and it does give an almost powder-like feel to the skin and absorbs any oil in sight. For me, it didn't keep me shine free for 6 hours. It did however keep me shine free longer than I would usually be and lessen the amount of oil that would usually appear on my t-zone.

For anyone that has oily skin I have no doubt that you have realised there is no products that will completely eradicate shine. However, it's more about finding products that help to control the oil and I have no doubt that if you combined an oil-free moisturiser, a product like the above, a mattifying foundation and powder you could achieve a matte face for a good 6 hours.
Rating : ★★★☆☆




Has anyone else tried Paula's Choice Products?

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Easter Weekend Haul

1. Lacey/Crochet Shrug - £11.99
2. Open Toe Boots - Republic, £39.99
3. Ultimo Bra - 50% off sale, £14.00
5. Sinful Colors Varnish - £2.99

Did you ladies buy anything over the long Easter weekend?

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Easter Weekend

I introduce to you all my lovely friend of 8 years Lucy, we went out last night and she bravely allowed me to do her make-up and hair so here's how it turned out;

YSL Perfect Touch Foundation in Shade 8 mixed with Maybelline Pure Liquid Minerals in Ivory.
Small amount of Maybelline Dream Creamy Foundation in Nude buffed down the nose, chin, cheekbones and jawline for a slightly dewy finish and to blend down the neck.
Illamasqua 'Katie' on the cheeks.
Bourjois Highlighting Powder over the top.
Natural Collection Apple Blossom Lipstick.
Maybelline Gel Liner to create a flick on the outer corner.
Prestige 'My Longest Lashes' Mascara.
Eylure Naturalites Intense cut in half and stuck on the outer corner.

For her hair I sprayed in Phil Smith S.O.S heat defence spray, curled the hair with ghd's away from her face so it looked as though they fell that way naturally. Then I sprayed in a tiny bit of Batiste Brit and had her shake her head upside down to loosen the curls, spritzed Phil Smith Xtreme Hairspray and Voila.

We completely forgot to take a before or after photo with my camera so had to make do with a fuzzy Blackbery picture instead. Shame really because you can't see the colours or detail of her eyes well but you get the general idea!



I'm pretty sure when I left the house I didn't look like a Drag Queen, where did it all go wrong! haha.
I also wanted to include an 'Outfit of the Night' photo but of course, forgot that too. I decided on a white loose vest top, fitted cream bodycon skirt, waistbelt, grey blazer and platform nude heels (which broke towards the end of the night - thanks Dorothy Perkins!). Prior to my shoes breaking I did recieve compliments on them from a gay man and a tranny so they must of been pretty 'reem' ha.

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Batiste Brit

In celebration of the upcoming Royal Wedding Batiste have recently released the newest addition to their line, 'Batiste Brit'. I was given a bottle to test out and here's what I thought..

Price: £2.13 for 150ml
Available: Boots, Superdrug, Tesco, Asda.

'Low down: Something old, new, borrowed and blue is all well and good for the bride, but something Batiste is the best choice for the rest of us on the Royal Wedding Day! Make the most of every minute of your extra day off; forget the time consuming hair wash and blowdry routine and reach for a can of Batiste Brit instead.'

The unisex packaging makes it a great product for both men and women, I've already converted my brother who has a bit of a Beiber do' going on to use this for a bit of added volume and texture. I also really like the scent of this one, it smells clean and fresh and feels slightly lighter than the other Batiste dry shampoo's I've used in the past.

How to use:
Keep nozzle around 30cm away from your head and spray on areas that need a little refreshing or lift.
Rub, rub, rub.
& Voila.

What's your favourite Batiste?

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Prestige 'My Longest Lashes' Mascara

Prestige 'My Longest Lashes' Mascara
Available: Boots
Price: £6.99

I picked this up in Boots a few weeks back after hearing Tanya (Pixi2woo) rave about it on her Youtube Channel. I was a bit skeptical once I'd got it home and removed the packaging to find a slim, rubber wand with short teeth but this is part of what makes the mascara so good.

As you can see in the photo below the wand has lots of really short rubber teeth, these grab on to your lashes and comb through fanning them out while evenly distributing the mascara. I found this to be the 'triple threat' as it added quite a bit of length, volume while separating at the same time. It does take a few coats to build the lashes up to a more dramatic effect but it's worth the time as I've never found this mascara to clump whatsoever!

Overall I'm really impressed and I'm going to pick up another for when this runs out, for £6.99 it's even cheaper than most Rimmel or Maybelline products!



Photographs of the mascara after a full days wear, it doesn't smudge under my eyes, flake or feel crispy - all things that drive me mad with other mascaras I've tried!
(Bear in mind my lashes are quite short naturally - sorry I should of taken a 'Before' shot!)

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NOTD

No.17 Smoke Signal
No.17 Sweet Kisses
Revlon Belle

I'm extremely unimaginative when it comes to nail art so this is about as exciting as it gets for me! If you have any ideas for easy nail art or tutorials feel free to leave me links or a tips in the comments :)

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Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask

Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask
Price: £13.00

What they say:

Problem: dull skin.

Solution: our fast-acting ‘minute’ mask instantly revitalises. Containing stimulating camphor oil and toning witch hazel to help give your skin a natural-looking radiance.

Use in the morning or whenever a quick fix is needed.

Naturally active ingredients include aloe vera to help cool and soothe, toning witch hazel and purifying white clay.

Not suitable for sensitive skin

What I thought:

As with all Liz Earle products the packaging is stylish, chic and simplistic. The instructions advise you to use 1-2 pumps but I found that one pump was by far enough to completely cover my face. The mask itself feels quite thick in consistency, luxurious and has a lovely fresh scent. After spreading the mask all over my face I opted to leave it for 2 minutes while pottering around the house before washing it off with the muslin cloth. Afterwards my skin felt incredibly clean, smooth and fresh and I could see a noticeable difference between how dull my skin was before and the radiance it had after.

I've already decided that I'm going to incorporate the Brightening Mask into my skincare routine, once a week just to give my skin an extra little treat! If anyone is a fan of healthy, glowing skin I'd definately recommend this!

Instructions:

• Apply 1 to 2 pumps to clean, dry skin.
• Leave between 30 seconds and 2 minutes.
• Soak the pure muslin cloth in hand-hot water and gently wipe away residue.
• Follow with Instant Boost Skin Tonic.
  

I applied the mask on my day off, cleaned my face, applied my self tan and then my make-up as usual. My skin was noticeably more even, clearer and glowing.

Would I repurchase? Yesssss.

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Current Skin Care Routine

My current skin care routine involves three lovely products I've discovered recently. I never used to bother doing anything other than use a face wipe before bed, pop on a bit of moisturiser and that's it! Soon after my cosmetic obsession began and I found myself wearing full coverage, thicker foundations, powders, bronzers etc. and realised I needed something a bit more heavy duty. My current foundation of choice is Estee Lauders Double Wear, it's thick, long lasting and literally clings to your skin so if I don't remove everything properly it leads to break outs.. no thank you!

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish is quite possibly one of my favourite products. I love the fragrance, the consistency, it's so creamy it just glides on to your face removing any trace of make-up as the muslin cloth gently exfoliates your skin. To see my full review, click here. The starter kit is £13.25 but you can also buy the cleanser by itself and even if a tube if you wanted.

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic - £11.75 for 200ml
Step 2 in my skin care routine is this little beauty, once again it has a really lovely floral scent that instantly makes me feel relaxed. It contains lots of good for you ingredients such as Chamomile, Cucumber, Aloe Vera and Calendula and no alcohol which is always a plus for me as alcohol based products dry out my skin. The packaging is gorgeous, simplistic and I'd proudly present these on my bathroom shelves for all to see! The easy twist lid allows you to pour out as much as you need on to a cotton pad then run over your skin. If you've managed to miss a speck of make-up or want a thorough clean this will do exactly that.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Light Moisturiser - £17.60 for 50ml
Finally, the last step is to moisturise. I have incredibly oily skin - to the point where I can wake up in the morning with a shiny forehead and nose and my make-up never seems to want to stay on. Incredibly annoying as it may be, this is the skin I was 'blessed with' so all I can do is attempt to find solutions to my problems. The Liz Earle light moisturiser is aimed at those with combination/oily skin and I was incredibly suprised at how well it worked. I've tried other 'oil control' moisturisers before - all would suck up any moisturiser in my skin then completely fail to work after a few hours. However, with this it sinks straight into my skin leaving it soft, nourished but completely matte. I've noticed a big difference in how oily my t-zone is since I began using this and it's by far a HG product. The pump dispences a small amount of product and 3 little dots cover my whole face, so don't be fazed by the price tag it'll last you ages!

The Liz Earle products are by easily my best discovery so far this year and I'd recommend in an instant that you all try at least one product from their range and see for yourself how good they are.

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March Favourites - Part 2

Illamasqua 'Katie' Blusher - A gorgeous, milky pink that adds a pretty flush to your cheeks.

Bourjois Highlighting Powder - Adds a gorgeous pearlescent sheen to the skin, I pop this on over Illamasqua 'Katie'.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in 'Tawny' - I have a feeling this might have broken me out slightly, however I love the colour - it doesn't oxidise. I have incredibly oily skin and even on me, once it's applied this isn't moving until you wipe it off at the end of the day!

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Foundation in 'Creamy Beige' - For days when I want less coverage and a slightly more dewy finish I mix this in with the Estee Lauder Double Wear.

Maybelline Pure Cover Mineral Concealer - I've had this for ages and it's still not run out, great colour, good coverage, brightens and it's cheap!

Natural Collection lipstick in 'Apple Blossom' - I've finally found my perfect nude! It's pigmented enough to blank out my lips but not to the point where it looks like concealer or corpse-like, plus it has a slight pink tinge to it. (see below) and only £1.99!

Yes, there's more!



Urban Decay Primer Potion - Came with my Naked Palette, it covers up any veins on my eyelids and keeps my eyeshadow in place all day.

Prestige Longest Lashes Mascara - I saw Tanya from Pixi2woo using this so had to try it out when I saw it in Boots, it's around £6.99 and adds loads of length, seperates the lashes really well - full review to come!

Boots No.7 Exquisite Curl Mascara - Bit pricey, but after all the rave reviews I had to pick it up. So far I'm liking it, especially the wand! Full review to come on this too.

BeautyUK Pearl Eyeliner in 'Eclipe' - This is a new addition to the BeautyUK line, it's a gorgeous mightnight blue/ almost black shimmery pearlescent eyeliner that looks gorgeous flicked out with a bit of a smokey grey or dark blue shadow.

Maybelline Gel Liner - I love this so much that I have binned every single liquid liner I own, even Loreal's Super Liner. It's creamy, pigmented, long lasting, affordable and I urge everyone to try it. Plus, the brush it comes with is great for application.

Urban Decay Naked Palette - Gorgeous selection of colours varying from nudes to golds and darker shades. I don't think I'll be buying any other shadows anytime soon!

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March Favourites - Part 1

Body:

He-Shi Exfoliating Bodywash - I've already done a seperate review on this and the Souffle moisturiser, it smells great, works well exfoliating prior to tanning and leaves skin silky smooth!

He-Shi Souffle Moisturiser - I love, love, love this moisturiser. I've had really dry legs lately which is not a good look in Summer, a quick slather of this luxurious cream leaves my skin nourished and soft, plus it smells amazing!

Body Shop Body Butter - I love the Body Butters, I use them on elbows and knees before tanning and even on my face occassionally when it's feeling a bit dry.

St.Moriz Dark Mousse - I have a love/hate relationship with this. It's so easy to apply, smells faintly of baby products instead of false tanner, gives a gorgeous bronzed colour, it's super cheap but it fades incredibly quickly on my skin and ends up pretty patchy by day 5. Until I can find another that gives the same great colour though I'm going to stick with it! Plus if you're up for a quick scrub and reapplication mid-week it's fine!



Hair:

Batiste - Standard. Great product for days when you need a bit of lift.

Phil Smith Xtravagent Hairspray - This has just the right amount of hold for nights out, keeps hair in place and resists humidity but doesn't make it crispy. I love the smell aswell, it's the only hairspray that doesn't leave me with a headache.

Charles Worthington Hair Healer - This is the first leave in conditioner I've tried and I don't know why I didn't get one sooner! It doesn't weigh down my hair, it just leaves it incredibly soft and more easy to tame!

Tara Smith Top Coat Glosser - This leaves my hair incredibly shiny, a few sprays before I head out and I feel like one of the hair swishing ladies from the Pantene adverts.

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BeautyUK

Previously I've spoken about a blusher in the BeautyUK line, no.6 that is one of my favourite dolly pink blushes. I've re-purchased three times already but whenever I'm rushing through Superdrug I've never had a chance to properly stop and have a look at the BeautyUK stand. I recently got the chance to try out two products from their line, a pearl eyeliner and a lip lust, so here's my thoughts on them..



Pearl Eyeliner - No.8, Eclipse.
£3.49

The eyeliner has a little felt tip style applicator, just like the Rimmel and Collection 2000 liners. I find these really easy to apply product with as they're very firm and rigid so you get a very definite, straight line. The colour is a gorgeous, dark midnight blue with little tiny shimmer/glitter particles in which makes a nice change to my usual plain, matte black liner. I've used this on a night out with Gunmetal and Creep from my UD Naked palette to create a dark, midnight blue smokey eye. I found it to last really well, it didn't smudge or come off even when I rubbed at my eyes (does anyone else do this, forgetting they're wearing liner?!).




Lip Lust - No.7, Playboy.
£2.99

I don't usually go for pinks, so although this wouldn't be the colour I'd personally choose it's a pretty Barbie pink shade with subtle shimmer throughout. It comes in a compact squeezy tube with a little sponge tip applicator which I loved as it allows really precise application. I didn't find the gloss to be sticky or be too thick in consistency and it has a nice, light fruity smell which I like in all products.




[Above] Natural Collection 'Apple Blossom' lipstick teamed with PlayBoy Lip Lust transforms it to a lovely subtle, glossy nude.

I previously thought the BeautyUK range was aimed slightly more at younger girls, but having tried a few more products from the line it's a lovely, affordable range of products. I tend to assume that quality comes with the expensive price tag, however that's not always the case! BeautyUK are a family run business that offer a much more personable service if you need to contact them for any reason and their products are available in Superdrug and through the beautyukcosmetics website.

They're also releasing a new collection on the 13th of April so keep your eyes peeled for their new products!

Have you girls tried any BeautyUK products?

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NOTD

Sorry for my little blogging absence, college and work have been consuming most of my time lately but I'll be back to regular updates again! Also I'll be popping up the winner of my giveaway a bit later :)

Anyway, as it's getting nice and warm at the moment so I've brought out my nail polishes and had a little play around, nothing too adventurous but here's what I've been loving lately..

No.17 Mint Choc Chip - I know some people have said they find these streaky but I haven't, I apply 2/3 really thin layers and it's fine!
The 'Lorraine' finger - Gosh Holographic with a bit of Revlon 'Belle'



No.17 Fairy Cake
with Revlon Belle

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