Category: Beauty

The Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream Review

I recently ran out of my usual eye cream the No7 Overnight Revitalising Eye Balm and as I occasionally like to mix up my skincare products, I thought it was time for a change. During one of my routinely visits to The Body Shop, I decided to try out this eye cream from their Vitamin E range. It’s in a similar price range to the No7 one but at £11 it’s just a pound cheaper.

I’ve been using this Vitamin E eye cream for several weeks now and I’m really pleased with it. It feels so soft and gentle on the skin and after using it daily, both morning and night it’s really helped to keep my under eyes moisturised and hydrated, preventing them from looking dull or tired.

I feel like it has helped reduced puffiness somewhat, although this could be partly due to the fact that I’ve been trying to sleep on my back more instead of face planting into the pillow or the side of my boyfriend.

All in all I’m really pleased with this product and I think it is one I’ll be purchasing again. I’d also be keen to try more of the other products from the Vitamin E range too. Once again, I’ve found another product from The Body Shop that I’m really pleased with and would recommend.

Samio x

March 11, 2015
No7 BB Lips Review

For those of you who regularly ready my blog, you may have noticed that I have a thing for nude lip colours at the moment. Don’t get me wrong, I still love to rock my bright red and pinks but when you don’t know what to go for on the lips, you can’t go wrong with nude.

I’ve had this No7 BB Lips in shade Ballerina for a few months now and I’ve noticed that it has become my go to lip coverage, as it now lives in my handbag.

The BB lips, comes out like a gloss but doesn’t feel overly sticky on the lips and it makes them feel nice and smoothly glossed as opposed to tacky. It also feels rather nourishing on the lips and for me helps keep my lips hydrated. It doesn’t really have a scent or after taste, so it’s ideal if you’re not keen on scented lip products.

This product contains SPF 15 so it’s a bonus that it provides UV protection for your lips and the colour, Ballerina, is a really nice opaque nude shade which makes the lips look healthy and moisturised.

I personally like using this one on ‘barely there’ makeup days. It’s so subtle yet it makes your lips feel and look that little bit better and like I say, it contains SPF so it’s an all round winner for me. I would definitely recommend the No7 BB Lips as one to keep in your handbag for when you’re out and about.

Shop No7 BB Lips here.

Samio x

March 10, 2015
Balance Me Radiance Face Mask Review

I love trying out new skin care products, so when I saw that Glamour magazine were giving away one of four Balance me products with this months issue, it gave me a great excuse to purchase and try out something new.

I went for the Balance Me Radiance Face Mask. I always like trying out different face masks and I like to use different ones for different times, depending on my skin. I’d came across Balance Me products before but never given any a go until now.

The face mask comes out of the tube as a cream like consistency and as you rub it onto the skin you can feel the tiny bits of ground walnut shells very gently exfoliating the skin. It feels rather like a very thick cream once applied all over the face and doesn’t set hard or tighten on the skin but instead firms slightly and remains a little tacky. It feels really kind and gentle on the skin and I experienced no tingling or discomfort, as I can with some face masks.

The Balance Me face mask is 98% natural, so maybe the fact it contains less chemicals explains why it feels so gentle on the skin. It has a really fresh, almost plant like smell which I think think smells rather pleasant too.

After washing off the face mask, my skin is left felling so soft and hydrated. It leaves my skin feeling smooth and and looking refreshed.

I’m really pleased with this face mask (not bad for a freebie). I actually think I’d be tempted to purchase this now in the future as I love how nice and soft it leaves my skin feeling. I think I’ll also be tempted to purchase more Balance Me products after trying this one. Maybe I’ll have to pick up a few more of this months Glamour mag to try out a few more Balance Me freebies!

Samio x

March 8, 2015
Uspicy 10 Piece Makeup Brush Set Review

Recently I received these makeup brushed from Uspicy. I hadn’t previously heard of the brand before so I didn’t know what to expect but when they arrived I was pleasantly surprised and have been ever since using them.

First of all they come neatly packaged in this gift style storage box. Inside the set contains 10 different makeup brushes; 5 large and 5 slim/smaller brushes, each for different types of makeup application.

Along with the set comes a small booklet which includes a list and picture of each brush, along with a small description next to each, suggesting what each brush be used for. The booklet includes multiple languages, one of them of course being English. The booklet is quite helpful especially if you’re not used to using some of the makeup brushes, as it tells you which part of the face and what type of products they are intended for. The only error I spotted was that one of the brushes was titled in what I can only describe as gibberish, which I renamed the ‘Rounded Angled Brush’ for the purpose of this post. Other than that, I found the booklet rather handy.

As well as the booklet, inside the box comes a Uspicy card, which you can write on as a gift card to someone if you’re giving the brushes as a present.

The brushes themselves are smartly branded in gold with the Uspicy logo and have glossy white handles and gold rims. I think the brushes look smart and each brush feels so soft! I’ve loved using the flat brush to apply my BB cream/foundation and the round brush to add powder. Both feel lovely and soft when applying products all over my face. I’ve used the majority of the brushes in this kit so far and I’m really pleased with all of them. As of yet I’ve seen no malting and the brushes have kept their softness even after regular use.

I think these brushes are really good value for money and I’m glad I was introduced to them as they have now took the place of my everyday makeup brushes. You can find the Uspicy brushes here.

Flat Brush

Tapered Brush

Flat Angled Brush

Rounded Angled Brush

Round Brush

Precision Flat Brush

Precision Tapered Brush

Precision Flat Angled Brush

Precision Angled Brush

Precision Round Brush

Samio x

March 3, 2015
Urban Decay – Naked On The Run Review

A couple of weeks ago I was shopping for makeup ‘essentials’, when I spotted this little beauty. I’d previously seen Urban Decay Naked On The Run online but hadn’t realised how beautiful this travel kit was until I saw it in store. Without a moments hesitation I had purchased it and I could not wait to get home to try out the pretty new shades and products.

The kit contains six new eye shadow shades, a bronzer, blush, full sized Naked lip gloss and travel size 24/7 eye pencil and Perversion mascara. The casing is stunning and inside the lid it holds a large sized mirror which is perfect for taking on your travels and using to do your full makeup in.

The Eyeshadows, Broner and Blush

The eyeshadows in this kit are stunning. My favourite is the deep shimmery bronzed brown. It’s highly pigmented and looks so pretty on, as they all do. The bronzer and the blush are great too and I really like the pretty rose pink shade of the blush. You can also blend the bronzer and the blush together to create a gorgeous coral shade.

Perversion Mascara

Let’s talk about this mascara. Well, let me say have I been converted. I feel like this entire post will be me bigging up every single product in this kit. But in all honesty I’ve never discovered so many new products that I love, all in one go. So back to this mascara, it separates, lengthens and defines my lashes really well. It’s jet black, glides on easily and has a wand that I love. I’ll actually go as far as saying that this is the best mascara I’ve used. I’m so converted on this one, I will most certainly be buying this in full size in future.

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil

The eye liner pencil does what it says and it glides on easily and stays in place. I can’t say if it lives up to its 24/7 claim though, because lets face it, who really wears eye liner 24/7. It’s passed the under eye test however and it’s managed to not smudge and to stay in place after a full day of wearing it.

Naked Lip Gloss

I am absolutely loving this lip gloss. I went off lip glosses for such a long time but now more and more seem to be working their way back into my makeup collection and this one is currently holding the place as my favourite. The lip gloss itself is a winner but I also really like it’s fancy container too – Any excuse to reapply in public.

The lip gloss shade is called Sesso (which I do believe is a unique shade to this kit). The colour is a subtle rose pink with a slight glittery sheen through it. I like how you can build this lip gloss up to create more of an intense colour if you like. It feels nourishing on the lips and the shine and colour give your lips a great looking pout. I think I’ll be repurchasing this one in a similar shade when it runs out.

All in all, I’m absolutely delighted with Naked On The Run. I think for the products that you get, that it is great value for money as each product individually easily adds up to a lot more than buying the kit together. I’m really impressed with these products, especially the mascara and lip gloss, not to mention the glittery eye shadows which I adore. This would make a gorgeous gift for someone and even a perfect treat for yourself to take on your travels. I give this kit a huge thumbs up and definitely recommend it.

Shop Naked On The Run – Here.

Samio x

February 28, 2015
Ciaté Haute House Nail Lacquer Review

I’m always fond of the Ciaté nail lacquer collections, so of course when I recieved this Haute House one for Christmas, I was pleased. However, it’s took me all the way until now to finally get round to wearing all of the colours in the collection. Of course I could have just reviewed these shades by simply painting each nail of one hand a different colour but I thought I’d wait until I’d actually worn them all to get the full effect.

First of all I have to say that I love all of these shades, they are each quite dark and seductive and I personally think they make great shades to wear for an night out.

The Haute House collection comes beautifully packaged in this ‘house style’ box with little windows giving a peek of each gorgeous Ciaté shade inside. You can then open the front of the box to get a full view of the nail lacquers inside.

The quirky packaging of these polishes actually makes it perfect for a gift to someone (probably the reason I recieved it for Christmas). It could make a great Mother’s Day present (15th March, don’t forget) or Birthday gift for a friend.

I applied each nail lacquer with two coats (although many are bold enough with just one coat). I haven’t used a top coat in these images, just so you can see what the colours look like alone. I actually like how glossy they look even without a top coat and they all seem to stay on rather well too.

Below you can see each fabulous shade in all their glory. My favourite is For the frill of it, which is yours?

Can can

For the frill of it

Sass pot

Knee highs

Tickle my fancy

Shop more Ciaté collections and offers here

Samio x

February 27, 2015
Primark P.S. Love Nude Lipsticks Review

As much as I love my pricey products, I’m also really into finding great budget buys when it comes to makeup. It’s all good and well spending £15 on a lipstick that you wear for nights out but when it comes to that day to day shade, that you know you’ll be constantly reapplying and eventually repurchasing, that £15 starts to look a lot more pricey than you first thought.

Lately I’ve been really into my nudes (well haven’t a lot of us), it’s certainly been a lipstick trend for some time now and it’s got us all going crazy to find the perfect nude tone to perfect our pouts. So it makes me very happy when I find a selection of nude lip shades that won’t break the bank and I it was of course in Primark where I discovered this lot.

Now I’m no stranger to the Primark P.S. Love range. Selling everything from makeup brushes, to consmetics, this is a budget brand that I’ve purchased from a number of times. This time I thought I’d give their lipstick selection a go and here’s what I picked up.

Liquid Lipstick

So this one describes itself as a ‘liquid lipstick’ but lets face it, it’s basically a gloss. This one was £2 and it’s shade is ’10 nude’. It come’s out as a pale pinkish coral tone.

This one has a really pleasant smell. It smells of perfumed candy (just the description that comes to mind when I get a whiff). It’s tasteless however, so there is no worry of getting an unpleasant taste in your mouth.

It feels creamy on the lips and stays liquid once applied (just like a gloss). The colour is rich on first application, so there’s no need to layer it up to get it to look the colour it does from the product. I’m really keen on this liquid lipstick shade and I think it gives the lips a great, glossy pout.

Deep Colour Ultra Shine Lipstick

This lipstick glides on easily and colour has an even coverage and is instantly visible on the lips. This one cost £1.50 and the shade is nude, however on me it comes out looking more of a pinkish tone, which I actually rather like. The lipstick has a slight sheen but I wouldn’t say it’s ‘ultra’ shiny. Still, I like the way it looks on the lips.

The only thing I’m not keen on about this lipstick is the smell. To me it smells like old school makeup, which I’ve never been keen on. It’s not too overpowering when it’s on your lips but I can smell it when I apply it. It’s not the most unpleasant thing ever but I just personally prefer sweet scented lipsticks. Overall though I like the colour and the way this lipstick feels on the lips.

Matte Long Last Lipstick

This lipstick is delicious. No I didn’t eat it but it smells so good, like strawberry laces! I actually keep removing the lid just to sniff it. Although it smells of sweets, it doesn’t actually taste of sweets (it’s tasteless), which is probably for the best because I’d just end up licking it off.

Anyway, this one is also a bargain price of £1.50. I can’t remember what the label said because I ripped it off without a moments hesitation but I’m pretty sure it said ‘nude’ as that’s what I was shopping for after all and if not, it was certainly the most nude looking one in the ‘gold lid’ collection.

This lipstick feels so smooth and creamy on the lips. It actually keeps my lips feeling hydrated and stops them drying out.

I love the colour of this one, it’s got sort of a deep lilac/grey tinge to it, although I would still describe it as a nude.

Overall I’m pretty impressed with these lipsticks. It’s amazing I was able to buy three decent lipsticks for £5 when usually I pay at least that for one. My favourite out of the three has to be the Matte Long Last Lipstick, for the fact that I really like the unique tone of it, it feels good on the lips and it smells gorgeous. The liquid lipstick would have to be a very close second though, as I really like this shade of gloss against my skin tone and again I love the smell.

I give the P.S. Love nude lipsticks a thumbs up and would certainly recommend them.

Samio x

In the images in this blog post I am also wearing the Primark P.S. Love Liquid eyeliner, which you can read my review on here.

February 26, 2015
Urban Decay Naked Concealer Review

I had been in search of a decent concealer for a while. Mine was running low and I hadn’t tried a new brand of concealer in quite some time. My then current concealer was clearly too thick and pale and wasn’t doing anything in the way of covering blemishes. When I came across this Naked concealer from Urban Decay, I was instantly impresses with the coverage and I liked the fact that it wasn’t too thick or cakey. Of course, I had to buy it.

I’m really pleased with this purchase as it is just what I had been looking for. The concealer comes smarty packaged and the product looks both smart and modern.

I went for shade medium neutral and it blends perfectly with my skin tone to cover spots or blemishes. It also works well to neutralise under my eyes and cover any dark circles without looking obvious. The liquid consistency of the concealer means that it glides on easily and doesn’t look thick or chalky on the skin.

To show how well the concealer blends and covers blemishes, in the image below the only makeup I’m wearing is the Naked concealer, which I have applied under my eyes and on any marks or blemishes.

I’m sure I’ve made it obvious that I’m quite impressed with this product. I have finally found a concealer that I can fit into my everyday makeup routine and trust to do the job. I’m sure this will be a product that I’ll repurchase in the future. I give the Urban Decay Naked Skin concealer a big thumbs up and would certainly recommend it.

Shop Naked Concealer – here.

Samio x

February 24, 2015
Boots Botanics Cleanser, Toning Spritz & Foam Wash – Skincare Review

I’m no stranger to the Boots Botanic range and their skincare products have been ones I’ve often found I can rely on. I mentioned all three of these products in my recent Skincare Routine video, so as you can probably guess, I rather like this skincare range.

Botanics All Bright Gentle Cleansing Cream

This cleanser feels lovely and soft on the skin, and works well to remove dirt and can even be used to remove makeup. It also has a light fragrent scent which I really like and it feels gentle on the skin.

Botanics 100% Organic Rosewater Toning Spritz

This toner is really handy as it comes in a spray bottle. I like how you are able to just spritz it across your face as apposed to wiping it on like many other toners and it does feels really freshing on the skin. However this is one product I probably wouldn’t buy again (unless it was on offer). It is in fact just rose water, which you can pick up in many supermarkets for half the price and in a larger quantity. At the time I purchased this it was on three for two, so I thought I may as well add it to my basket and like I said I also liked the fact of it coming in a spray. I think however that once it is finished, I will simply top it up with a cheaper non branded rose water from the supermarket.

Botanics All Bright Cleansing Foam Wash

This face wash is one I’ve purchased before and more than likely I will purchase again. It feel so soothing and refreshing on the skin. Again like the cleanser it has a nice fresh scent and it doesn’t feel harsh nor does it leave my skin feelig dry after washing. I actually do feel like this foam wash helps brighten my skin and keep it feeling and looking clean and fresh. Day to day I use this face wash morning and night and I love it.

Botanics do a wide range of inexpensive skincare and from the products I’ve tried I’m really keen on them. I often repurchase many of the products I buy from the range as I’m always really pleased with the results. I’m yet to try the facial moisturisers but I’m sure I’ll be giving them a go soon enough too.

Samio x

February 10, 2015
Primark P.S. Love Eye Liner and Eye Brightener Review

I’ll be honest, I’ve never been one to spend much money on eye liners. So when I spotted these ones (along with the eye brighter pencil) in Primark recently, I didn’t even hesitate to make the purchases. Unlike many other makeup products, for me (going off past experience) most eye liners have been pretty much the same, especially when it comes to pencil eye liners. If it’s black and it comes out bold, then it’s fine by me. And with regards to liquid eyeliners, I’ve often found a firm wand, as opposed to a flexible one, works best for me when creating a cat eye flick.

Smudger Eye Liner

At one end this liner is a pencil and at the other end it has a small foam smudge stick, perfect for creating a quick and easy smoky eye look. It also comes with a sharpener in the lid, so you never have to worry about it going blunt when you’re on the go.

On the below image I applied my line using just this black eye liner and as you can see it came out bold and I was able to create a perfectly precise flick. (I didn’t apply mascara, just so that you can see how the eye liner looks alone.)

Next I used the smudge stick end of the eye liner to create a subtle smoky liner.

Then I went along the bottom of my eye with the pencil to create a more smoky eyed look.

Liquid Eye Liner

I always have to carry a liquid eye liner in my makeup bag, just because you never know when those bold cat flicks might need to come out!

The wand of this liquid eyeliner is firm and so works well at creating that perfect flick.

In the image below I simply drew over the smoky eye liner (from the images above) with the liquid eye liner to at first give a subtle smoky eye with a winged liner.

To create the look below, I then made the line thicker to create a dramatic cat eye look, again using the liquid eye liner.

Highlighter Crayon (Eye Brightener)

This is such a handy little highlighter crayon that you can keep in your bag when you’re on the go. It’s perfect for highlighting below your brow or on the waterline of your eye to make the whites of your eyes appear brighter and bigger. You can also you the pencil at the inner corners of your eye (as I have done below) to add a highlight and again brighten your eyes.

I’m super pleased with all three of these products, at only £1 each, how could I not be. I also on like the fact that these products come nicely packaged. It means that they would look good as part of a present. For Birthdays I often like to buy my friend’s lots of little gifts rather that one big thing and things like this make nice little inexpensive present fillers as part of a gift.

I seem to go through so many pencil and liquid eyeliners, so I will certainly be purchasing these ones again for myself. I’m also sure the highlighter crayon will often come in handy and will be a another item I repurchase once it’s finished too. Overall I give these products a big thumbs up!

Samio x

February 9, 2015