Category: Beauty

Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette Review

This would have been one of the items at the top of my Christmas list, however I could not wait to get my hands on the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette. I am a big Gwen Stefani fan and have absolutely fell in love with Urban Decay this year and so when I found out that the two were collaborating, I got very excited!

Finally last week, I went in store and purchased the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette and it was everything I expected and more.

It comes is the most gorgeous Gwen Stefani-esque monochrome and gold casing. It has a large mirror in the inside of the lid and boasts an array of 15 fabulous eyeshadow shades. There are a stunning selection of neutral tones inside the palette, including matte browns and shimmery shades. It also has a few stand out shades, perfect for adding a pop of colour when it takes your fancy, not forgetting ‘Blackout’, the jet black shade, ideal for creating smoky eye looks.

As always with Urban Decay, the pigments are strong and the shades are stunning!

It didn’t take long before I got to work experimenting with my new palette and trying out different looks.

Here I used the shade Stark as a base, then worked in the shade Zone as a transition shade, with the deep brown shade, Punk to darken up the lid. I finished off with Harajuku in the middle of my eyelids and went in with the striking shade 1987 in the inner corners of my eyes.

I am in love with this palette if you can’t already tell. I can see I’ll be getting a lot of use out of these beautiful eye shadow shades and I am so happy with my latest makeup purchase.

What do you think about the new Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette?

Samio x

You can shop the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette here.

Check out my Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette review here.

December 21, 2015
Natural Looking Longer Lashes

I don’t easily get impressed by mascaras. In fact I often find myself somewhat disappointed when I try out new mascaras, so I tend to just stick to the same thing, but even then it’s rarely a product that excites me.

When I fist got my hands on the W3ll People Expressionist Mascara, I was looking forward to trying it out but I didn’t have too many expectations.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t blown away on first application of this product, it was more something that I have grown to love. I’d gotten use to mascaras with a much thicker consistency and bigger wands, so it felt strange at first using the W3ll People mascara when it didn’t immediately thicken my lashes. What I learned however is that the formula and wand of this mascara are actually what makes it great.

I love how the slender wand easily combs through and helps to keep my lashes separated and because the formula isn’t too thick, it means that it’s easy to lengthen the lashes without making them look clumpy at the ends – creating really natural looking lengthened stand out lashes.

Before and after.

I now use the W3ll People mascara as my go to everyday mascara. What can I say, I was soon won over by this product and I’ve finally discovered a new mascara that I love!

Samio x

Some of the items may have been sent to me for review purposes, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.

December 16, 2015
Anastasia Beverly Hills – Worth The Hype?

For the longest time I found myself in awe of the perfectly contoured makeup looks and the expertly defined brows using some of Anastasia Beverly Hills most talked about products. I was so pleased when I finally got my hands on some of their most hyped products: The Pro Series Contour Kit and Brow Wiz, from Cult Beauty.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in dark brown

When I first opened the brow wiz I have to admit, I thought it didn’t look too dissimilar to the Sleek Brow Stylist, which is half the price. However, one thing I did notice is that the pencil/crayon end of the Brow Wiz is significantly slimmer than the Brow Stylist.

The application of Brow Wiz is so easy because it doesn’t come out too heavy and its slim tip means that it is easy to create very natural looking eyebrow stokes. The brush end is also extremely useful for helping to comb and shape the brows. Since having this product I’ve not stopped using it and I can easily say that this is the best brow product I’ve used so far. I love the formula and even when I’m on the go I’m never without it!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Pro Series Contour Kit in light/medium

At first I had no idea where to start with the Pro Series Contour Kit. Although I regularly ‘contour’, as anyone who has seen my YouTube makeup videos will know, my technique is pretty basic and so I wasn’t sure what to do with multiple shades.

I’m not really a fan of the super heavy makeup look so I was slightly cautious at first, but one thing I discovered is that this contour kit is actually really easy to work with. I was really impressed with with the results after having first tried out the contour kit and now it’s become a part of my daily makeup routine. The shades blend so naturally with my skin tone and I’m able to use the contour kit when doing subtle day time makeup, which is something I especially love.

Before on the left and after using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Pro Series Contour Kit in shade light/medium on the right. I’ve applied it in a very subtle way for an everyday look but it just adds a bit more shape to my face.

So the veridic is in – I say that yes Anastasia Beverly Hills products do actually live up to the hype. I’ve intoduced two new products into my makeup routine which I love and feel I couldn’t go without now! Next on my list is some of their fabulous looking lip stains! Have you tried them?

You can watch how I like to subtly contour using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit here:

Samio x

Some of the items may have been sent to me for review purposes, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.

December 14, 2015
Scotts Charity Event – Get Ready With Me

A few weeks ago I went along with my boyfriend to a charity gig hosted by Scotts menswear & Pretty Green, where indie band Palma Violets were playing. The gig was all in aid of a great cause as it was for the Teenage Cancer Trust and so it was a great excuse to go along, dress up and donate some money to an important charity.

As I was ‘glamming up’, so to speak, I decided to take the opportunity to film my first ever get ready with me video and show how I did my hair and makeup ready for the night.

You can watch my Night Out Get Ready With Me video here:

Samio x

December 11, 2015
Lookfantastic Beauty Box – Christmas Edition

Christmas time is here and so is the Lookfantastic Christmas Edition Beauty Box…

Eylure Lashes

Fist up in this month’s Beauty Box are these super glam Dramatic Eylure false eyelashes. I have really started to love using this brand recently. Although I don’t wear false eyelashes often, if I’ve got a special occasion or big night out planned, I do like to feel extra fabulous by putting on a pair of Eylure lashes to complete my look. These are probably the most dramatic style I am yet to own but as it is the festive season and all, it could be the perfect time to rock them.

Eve Lom Morning Time Cleanser

I mentioned this product in my Black Friday blog post and I am actually so happy that I now have a second one because I have been loving this stuff! I never thought I’d be so impressed by a morning time cleanser (to be honest I originally thought – what even is that!?) but I have to say this stuff feels amazing on my skin. I apply it when I first wake up and leave it on whilst I brush my teeth, then when I get in the shower I rinse it off and it instantly helps to wake up my skin and leaves it feeling smooth, soft and refreshed.

CODAGE Serum N.03 Radiance and Energy

I recently discovered this brand earlier this year, after trying out one of their face scrubs, which I have been loving. I’m still quite new to this serum but after having used it a few times I can say that it feels really nice on my skin and leaves it feeling really smooth and moisturised.

Wet Brush Squirts

I probably wont attempt to use this brush as I’ve tried something similar before and I doubt this will be appropriate for my hair. However if you have looser curls or wavy to straight hair, then this brush would probably be more suited to you. It has super flexible soft tips which claim to detangle hair with ease and can be used on wet or dry hair.

Molton Brown Japanese Orange Body Wash

I love Molton Brown bath products, they always remind me of fancy hotels and their scents are always delicious. This one is no exception and I absolutely love the Japanese Orange body wash scent.

Lord & Berry Pailettes Eye Pencil Sparkle Black

I have wanted to try this makeup brand for so long but I often find it hard to take the plunge and buy makeup products I’m not familiar with, especially when I already have so many favourites. I do really like this eye pencil though; It glides on with ease and comes out bold. It’s a black liner but this one is ‘sparkle black’ and so it has sparkles in it! It’s certainly ideal for the party season and I can’t wait to create a smoky eye look with this liner.

This month’s Lookfantastic Beauty Box has been a good one and it’s certainly got me in the mood for the festive season. In fact I’ve been really impressed with all of the Beauty Boxes which I’ve received so far, as I’ve discoed so many different beauty brands which I now love. I’d definitely recommend the Lookfantastic Beauty Box. It’s an affordable way to try out a great selection of high end products each month and it could even make an excellent Christmas gift for someone who likes this sort of thing too!

You can subscribe to the Lookfantastic Beauty Box here.

Samio x

Some of the items may have been sent to me for review purposes, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.

December 9, 2015
Peter Thomas Roth Laser-Free Resurfacer Serum

For the past month I’ve been using the Peter Thomas Roth Laser-Free Resurfacer serum. I have to say I was intrigued by the name of this product but at the same time thought it was a little bit silly; Laser-free either implies that other serums contain lasers, which we know not to be true, or that it has the same results as some sort of cosmetic procedure, which I’m sure we all know is highly unlikely. I was also quite curious as to what the ‘Dragon’s blood complex’ that it contains was. Either way I was keen to see its results of this product and so I began to work the serum into my daily skincare routine morning and night.

After the first pump of this serum, I was able to see why they call the stuff in it ‘dragons blood’, as the serum does look somewhat like blood (although I cannot confirm the blood colouring of mythical creatures). It turns out that this stuff comes from a tree in the Amazon and it apparently reduces the appearance of inflammation and helps accelerate repair.

This serum is a little pricey, however a little bit does go a long way. I found that using one pump of this is enough to spread over my whole face and then an extra pump for my neck. So really you only need to use two pea sized amounts each time.

So what have I thought of this product? Well, aside from the whole silly name thing, I actually really like it. I have found that this serum leaves my skin feeling very plump and it gives it a healthy glowing look, which I love as I usually look super dull and the complete opposite of glowing at this time of year. I actually had a couple of compliments on my skins plumpness recently (this was from makeup artists if you’re wondering who would compliment someone on such a thing), so I think it could be down to this product. I’m still not about to say that the Laser-free Resurfacer Serum lives up to its claims of getting laser results but, I am impressed with it and I have been very pleased with the results that it has had on my skin, so I do give it the thumbs up.

You can shop the Peter Thomas Roth Laser-Free Resurfacer here.

Have you tried any of the Peter Thomas Roth skincare?

Samio x

Some of the items may have been sent to me for review purposes, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.

December 7, 2015
LookFantastic Black Friday & Cyber Weekend Offers

Black Friday is typically the occasion where large hoards of people rush to the shops to fight over some of the best deals of the year. If you’re like me, then the thought of elbowing your way to the front of the queue will probably not be very appealing. Instead it’s probably best to enjoy shopping online from the comfort of your own desk/sofa/bed -wherever you may be.

Many people think of Black Friday and the (online shopping) Cyber Weekend, as a great time to find the best clothing deals but it can also be the perfect time to stock up on amazing beauty and skincare products too. This could be the perfect opportunity for you to buy a few Christmas presents or even treat yourself to a pre Christmas pamper.

One of my favourite online beauty stores, Lookfantastic.com is also joining in on Black Friday & the Cyber Weekend and here are some of the awesome products that are on offer…

La Roche-Posay, EFFACLAR K (+)

French skincare brand La Roche-Posay is famed for its amazing result on skin imperfections. After having used La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo for quite some time and becoming a big fan, I’ve now began to use the Effaclar K which is a moisturiser. It works as a great counterpart to my Effaclar Duo, which is a serum. I love how Effaclar K sits perfectly under my makup, whilst helping to reduce shine. I certainly think I’m onto another winner with the Effaclar K, as once again La Roche-Posay does not disappoint.

GLAMGLOW Youth Mud Face Mask

This Glam Glow Youthmud masks claims to be ‘tingle-tastic’ and I don’t think I could put it better myself. If it hadn’t have come with that description I probably would have washed it off sooner than instructed, as it immediately starts to give the skin a tingling tightening sensation. Luckily that’s just the product doing its thing and not me having an allergic reaction (which had been my first thoughts). After the first use it left my skin feeling firmer, whilst adding radiance and it also helped dry up a couple of pimples too – leaving my skin looking clear and glowing.

Tangle Teezer Original

I’m sure you’ve heard the Tangle Teezer hype before now but if you’re a fellow curly girl (or guy), you may not have realised that they actually work wonders on curly hair! I only ever comb through my hair whilst it’s wet, which makes the Tangle Teezer great because it is perfect for just that. My trick is that I like to brush through my hair (starting from the ends working up) whilst it is full of conditioner so that it is easy to detangle and work the brush through. I find that the Tangle Teezer works through my hair far easier than a normal brush and minimises breakage!

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

My favourite thing for applying my foundation right now is a makeup sponge. I personally feel it helps blend your foundation to give a natural yet flawless finish which I love, so I am obsessing over these right now.

Eve Lom Cleanser

If you haven’t tried Eve Lom before, I seriously suggest you change that. I first dicovered this brand a few months ago and since then this Eve Lom cleanser has become one of my favourites for removing my making and leaving me with gorgeously soft and cleansed skin.

Eve Lom Morning Time Cleanser

The Eve Lom morning time cleaner, similar to the regular cleaner, glides onto my skin and after washing it off leaves it feeling smooth and refreshed. With the morning cleanser you leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing and it really helps to hydrate your skin and wake it up, which I feel is ideal for these autumn/winter mornings.

A Little Amazing Concealer

Although this product is called ‘Amazing’, I didn’t actually think it would be. I don’t often come across new concealers which I love and I really did surprise myself with this one. Without sounding completely predictable, I actually do think this concealer is amazing. I like the fact that it isn’t drying under the eyes and it also feels really light weight. I’m using the shade medium beige and it seems to be the perfect shade for me, to conceal and slightly brighten up my under eyes. My Urban Decay favourite may have found a new contender for the top spot!

Here I am wearing the Amazing Concealer in shade medium beige. This photo hasn’t been edited and was taken in front of a window using natural light.

You can shop all of the Lookfantastic Black Friday offers here and don’t forget to enter the code LFblack at the checkout.

Samio x

Some of the items may have been sent to me for review purposes, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.

November 27, 2015
Gosh Velvet Touch Lipstick

When it comes to lipsticks my first choice always has to be matt. Gosh Cosmetics have a wide variety of matt lipsticks in their Velvet Touch range and here I’ve swatched a few of their fabulous shades… My favourite is the Matte Rose, which one is yours?

Matt Baby Lips 001

Matt Rose 002

Matt Classic Red 005

Matt Raspberry 006

Matt Cherry 007

Matt Plum 008

If you’d like to see what these lipsticks look like on, then you can check out my Gosh Lipstick swatch video here:

Samio x

Some of the items may have been sent to me for review purposes, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.

November 25, 2015
LookFantastic November Beauty Box Review

This month’s Lookfantastic beauty box includes another great selection of products and here’s a full review of what is inside…

Bellapierre Cosmetics Mineral Lipstick
I have to admit, I am yet to use this lipstick but that’s only due to the fact that I currently have several red lipsticks on the go. However I have been tempted to give this one a go as it smells delicious (I’m always drawn in by sweet scented lipsticks), and the Ruby shade in bright red look gorgeous.

Korres Guava Showergel
For the full size bottle (250ml) at £8, this showergel is quite a bit pricier than what I would usually spend. It’s funny though because I easily spend large amounts on what I put on my face but never really consider it when it comes to the rest of my body… First off this stuff smells amazing. The Guava scent of the showergel has a really unique tropical smell, which I love. And why is it the price it is? Well, it claims to help maintain the skin’s moisture whilst protecting it, along with helping to reduce the visible signs of ageing. Maybe I should start investing more on my body lotions and potions after all.

Ole Henriksen’s Empower Cleanser
I’ve only used this a couple of times (my cleanser collection appears to be building up rabidly). The couple of times I have used it though, it has left my skin feeling lovely and soft. It also contains salicylic acid which is great for helping to shed dead skin cells.

Dr. PAWPAW Ultimate Red Balm
Makeup artists often have this to hand on shoots and it’s something I’ve said I’m going to buy for ages. Now I finally have my own PAWPAW in this convenient miniature size, which currently lives in my handbag. This PAWPAW Red Balm, unlike the original, is slightly tinted. It is a very subtle tint however and just adds the slightest hint of colour when applied to the lips. It can also be used on your cheeks and can be used as a skin protector or for irritable, dry skin. For me personally this has currently been my lip saviour.

REN V-Cense Youth Vitality Day Cream
I really like this day cream. It really helps hydrate and add moisture to my skin without leaving me looking shiny. It smooths on easily and it leaves my skin looking matte. It has a sort of herbal scent, which reminds me of herbal tea but I rather like it. I’m enjoying the results of this day cream as it leaves my skin feeling plump and hydrated.

Kebelo Enriching Masque
I’ve used this hair masque once and I have to say, it’s not for me. It is designed for naturally dry hair, which is certainly my hair, however It’s probably not intended for my hair texture and that’s apparent with the fact that it did not do much. It’s probably much more suitable for European hair I would imagine.

November’s Lookfantastic Beauty Box has been another hit with me and there’s only been one product that I have felt is not something for me, which was of course the hair masque. I fell I get slightly repetitive in my round up of these Beauty Boxes, but I am genuinely impressed with the selection of products that I find in them each month. It may be the fact that each box I’ve received so far has had a great selection of skincare and I am a self confessed skincare addict after all.

Have you tried the Lookfantastic Beauty Box or any of the products in November’s box?

You can subscribe to the Lookfantastic Beauty Box here.

Samio x

You may also want to check out some of my past Beauty Box reviews:
October’s Beauty Box
September’s Beauty Box
August’s Beauty Box

Some of the items may have been sent to me for review purposes, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.

November 13, 2015
Rediscovering L’Oreal Lipsticks

It had been a good while since I last purchased a lipstick from L’Oreal, maybe years even. On a recent mini makeup haul I found myself browsing the L’Oreal counter and was lured in by the intriguing array of lip shades. Without getting too carried away, I decided to purchase two lipsticks and a gloss…

L’Oreal Color Riche Lipstick Erotique 640

I am in love with this subtle pink shade. Its creamy consistency looks matte but keeps its moisture. It’s a great everyday shade and it’s currently been one of my favourite go to lipsticks.

L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Collection Lipstick Pure Blake

Blake’s red is a classic Hollywood red. It’s long lasting and doesn’t dry out the lips. It’s one of those lipsticks that makes you feel super glam as soon as you apply it.

L’Oreal Paris Infallible Gloss Gloss me Gorgeous DAZZLE 202

When I want my lips to have a super glossy look, this is the perfect lipgloss to go for. It’s not overly sticky yet has an incredible shine that really does make your lips dazzle. I love this one for nights out and it looks gorgeous with a dramatic eye look.

I am currently loving my recent purchases and I’m surprised I hadn’t previously ventured back to L’Oreal earlier. One reason may be that I can often be quite fussy about lipstick scents and I find that the L’Oreal ones have an old fashioned makeup smell, which reminds me of the smell of Palm of Violet sweets – great if you really like Palm of Violets. Something I do particularly like about these lipsticks is the packaging and I especially love the look of the gold one. The formulas are good and one thing consistent of all three of these products is that they don’t dry out the lips and they feel comfortable to wear.

I really like the variety of classic shades from the L’Oreal lipstick collections. I feel that they are lip shades that you can always go back to and I’m sure I’ll be repurchasing these particular ones again in the future.

Have you tried any of the L’Oreal lipsticks recently?

Samio x

November 9, 2015