Today I’ve gone for a glowing look as I try out a few makeup products from B. At Superdrug.
B. Contour Kit in Medium
I’m pretty impressed with this contour kit. I have the shade medium which seems to suit my skin tone perfectly. I wasn’t sure about the highlight side at first but after giving it ago I actually love how fresh and dewy it makes my skin look. This is perfect for adding a really natural looking, everyday highlight without any glitter or too much shimmer.
B. Sculpted Blush Highlight Stick in Dark
This blush and highlight stick comes in a handy little size that is ideal for carrying around in your handbag.
As you can see from the swatch on my hand, the pigment of both the highlight and the blush is quite strong but I found that they do blend on the skin quite easily. I applied the blush to the apple of my cheeks using my fingers and added to my highlight with the highlight side of the stick. This highlighter is a lot stronger than the one in the contour kit so it’s great for adding that extra glow when you want to go all out.
B. Rich Intense Colour Lipstick
Last but not least is the lipstick and I’m tying out shade Suki which is a vibrant red. First impressions and I am loving this this lipstick. It’s a matte lipstick, yet it doesn’t feel drying on the lips. The colour comes out bold and so far I’ve had it on for a few hours and it still feels moisture rich. So far, so good.
The completed look…
I’m pretty pleased with these B. Products. I’d be keen to try out more of their makeup now after trying out these. I think these three products will be perfect for keeping in my handbag when I’m on the go, incase I quickly need to top up/glam up my makeup.
Have you tried the B. Makeup range?
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.
Last Saturday I headed to intu Trafford Centre to meet up with my friend, Chloe, for a little pamper morning…
Usually if I’m going to the Trafford Centre, it’s to shop, or to eat (or most of the time, both), but I never previously thought of it as a place to go for beauty treatments until I was kindly invited along to try out some treatments with intu beauty.
The first stop was The Face Doctor. I’m no stranger to the Trafford Centre and would normally say I know my way around the place pretty well, however I was surprised that I had never spotted The Face Doctor before (probably because it’s discreetly tucked away at an end corner by John Lewis). I used the new intu app to help navigate our way there, which is crazy because I never thought I’d need an app to help me get around the Trafford Centre, seeing as I’ve been there a gazillion times but it was actually super handy and it saved us so much time.
The lovely Katy did both of our 15 minute facials and one after the other we were taken into one of the rooms at the back of the store, where we were able to lay down and relax away from the bustle of the shopping centre, whilst we each had our facials.
During the facial, Katy used a number of products which exfoliated and then hydrated my skin. Everything she used smelt amazing and left my skin feeling so soft. Afterwards Chloe and I both left The Face Doctor looking glowing with our skin feeling refreshed.
The 15 minute facial costs just £15, which I personally think is great value and after seeing the results I’ll definitely be going back again in the future. It would be the perfect way to relax after a busy shopping day.
I surprised myself yet again and had to check the intu app a second time, this time to help us navigate our way to the L’Occitane store.
I can’t actually believe that this was my first time stepping in the L’Occitane store, considering the fact that I’m slightly skincare obsessed. Although I’d heard of L’Occitane, I didn’t previously know anything about the brand, but Zandra and Jo from L’Occitane’s Trafford Centre store soon changed that. They were so friendly and enthusiastic about the brand and were able to tell us all about L’Occitane whilst introducing us to some of their favourite products. Chloe and I were both impressed with L’Occitane’s products and I’m sure that this isn’t a store I’ll be walking past without popping in, in future.
Chloe and I each had a hand massage which exfoliated and nourished our hands. It’s crazy how dry your hands can get during the winter period and although I always carry a hand cream round in my bag, the hand massage was just the extra TLC that my hands needed. I think I need a hand massage at L’Occitane every week!
With our skin and hands feeling feeling fabulous, we headed to the Bobbi Brown makeup counter in John Lewis to get our makeup done by makeup artist Pooja. Although I wasn’t completely new to Bobbi Brown, I wasn’t as familiar with their products as I am with some other brands and so it was great to have Pooja intoruce us to Bobbi Brown’s new products and tell us in depth what the brand was all about.
I went in the makeup chair first and although I’m used to getting my makeup done on a regular basis whilst modelling, it felt strange being asked what look I wanted (as on jobs it’s usually the client or makeup artist who decides). I knew I wanted a look that I could carry through to the night (as we were heading out for Chloe’s birthday that evening) and Pooja’s eye makeup was just perfect for that, so I asked her to recreate something similar on me.
Pooja did an amazing winged liner on me and I am obsessed with the sparkle eyeshadow in shade Cement that she used on my lower lids. I opted for a slightly subtler eye makeup look but chose a bold lip. I also thought it would be the perfect time to experiment with a different blusher than I usually go for and so she used the Pot Rouge in Chocolate Cherry, which is a gorgeous deep red colour.
Full list of products that Pooja used to create my look: To Prep The Skin: Treatment lotion (here), Intensive Skin Serum (here), Hydrating Eye Cream (here), SPF 15 Lip Balm (here). Corrector & Concealer: Corrector in light peach (here), Concealer in warm natural (here). Foundation: Foundation stick in warm natural 4.5 (here). Powder & Bronzer: Powder in soft honey (here), Bronzer in golden light (here). Blush: Pot Rouge in chocolat cherry (here), pink glow (here). Lip: lip Colour in crushed plum (here), Lip Pencil in rum raisin (here). Brows: Brow kit powder (here). Eyes: Long-Wear Eye Base in medium (here), All Over Shadow in bone (here), Lower Lid Shadow in Cement (here). Eye Liner: Gel in black (here). Mascara: Eye Opening Mascara (here).
Next it was Chloe’s turn for makeup and Pooja did the most gorgeous shimmering brown smokey eye on her. It was the perfect choice because it really complimented the colour of Chloe’s green eyes and made them look dazzling.
We both loved how Pooja did our makeup and I now want to fill my makeup collection with lots of gorgeous Bobbi Brown products. Although I refrained from going crazy this time, I couldn’t resist buying at least one product. I bought the the foundation which Pooja had used on me whilst creating my look, which was the Foundation Stick in shade warm natural 4.5. I absolutely love this foundation on my skin because it looks so natural and since using it at home, I’ve found it really quick and easy to apply and blend.
Each mini beauty treatment (and makeup) we had was amazing and what I love about them most is that they are the time of thing that you can easily fit into an hour if you wanted to or just do one or two to refresh after a busy shopping day – or in our case, prep for a night out.
Our day at intu Trafford Centre didn’t quite end there, as we finished off with a tasty three course lunch at Bill’s Restaurant (which can read about here).
I decided to document the day on film, which you can check out in my mini vlog here:
It’s generally around this time of the year when I like to take extra steps to give my skin some added glow. Pixi beauty do a whole range of glow enhancing products and as a brand I’d heard a lot about yet never previously got round to trying, when I was given the opportunity to pick out a selection of their products, I couldn’t wait to put them to the test… Pixi Nourishing Cleansing Balm
I was egar to try this Nourishing Cleansing Balm as I genrally like these types of products. This cleansing balm contains sweet almond oil, cocoa butter and shea butter (and like all the other products, is not tested on animals). It can be used both morning and night and I have found that it works great to melt away makeup. I actually really like using this cleansing balm both morning and night, as after wiping it off with a damp cloth, it leaves my skin feeling nourished and hydrated. It works as a great skin pick me up both first thing in the morning and in the evening after a long busy day.
I do love a good face mask and this one is no exception. As opposed to some mud masks which leave my skin feeling slightly dry afterwards, this one actually leaves my skin feeling hydrated. It also leaves my skin feeling and looking very fresh after using it. I only with that there was more in the tube… I can’t wait to give myself my next 15 minute facial with this one.
These Glow Peel Pads might just be my favourite out of this selection of Skintreats. The tub contains 60 pads which I think is great and I love how handy they are to use and take about if you were to be going away. They are perfect to use at night after cleansing and they have actually been leaving my skin looking brighter and more radiant, just as they claim. These aren’t a product I use every night, due to them being exfoliating and I don’t like to exfoliate my skin everyday. However, using these just a few times a week is enough to do the job and leave my skin looking glowing.
This stuff really does feel hydrating and milky on the skin. I’ll use it either morning or night and it instantly hydrates and soothes my skin. In the evening it’s the perfect follow on product to use after the Glow Peel Pads and after the serum has sunk into my skin it, leaves it feeling so soft and smooth.
This cleanser, unlike the cleansing balm, is slightly more exfoliating on the skin, although it still feels smooth when you rub it on. The 5% gycolic acid that it contains, helps to remove dead skin cells and give the skin instant radiance I find. It has a super fresh feeling on my skin which I love and it really does leave my skin feeling refreshed and looking brighter.
I love the fact that this Glowtion Day Dew contains a slight shimmer which leaves my skin looking glowing. It helps to nourish my skin and leaves it looking luminous at the same time. I personally like to wear this on no makeup days when I want that added glow yet stay makeup free.
I’ve wanted a product like this for quite some time and I’m happy to say that this Glow Mist lives up to my expectations. It helps to prep the skin before makeup and a few spits to the face anytime throughout the day, helps to give my skin an added glow that leaves my makeup looking and feeling refreshed. This is a new handbag favourite for me!
I’ve actually been loving the affects that the Pixi Beauty skincare products have been having on my skin. Glowing skin restored and I’m happy to say that I can give this brand a thumbs up for their skincare… I also got to try a few of the products from Pixi beauty’s makeup selection. I love how Pixi Beauty is all about restoring healthier skin and using makeup to compliment great skin without harming it.
I like using these products for creating a fresh daytime makeup look. The shades in the blush palette are perfect for added a youthful pop of colour to the cheeks and I feel that the coral and pinkish shades really help to enhance the skins glow. Just a little bit of blush to my cheeks makes a nice change to my usual subtle contour technique. I’ve fallen in love with these coral tones…
The mascara glides on like a dream and really helps to enhance my natural lashes and the liner has a super pointy tip, which makes it easy to use and ideal for creating a subtle day time winged liner. We can’t forget the lipstick which feels nourishing on the lips, not to mention how gorgeous the colour is. I don’t usually go for coral lipstick, what do you think?
Have you tried any products from Pixi Beauty?
You can get get 15% discount at Pixi by signing up to Wearisma here.
Samio x
This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Pixi Beauty and Wearisma. This does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information
I’d heard so much about affordable drug store brand NYX Cosmetics but never previously had chance to get hold of their lip products, due to the fact that they weren’t easy to get hold of in the UK…until now. I’m not quite sure if it’s something that’s happened in many Boots stores but I was so excited to find that Manchester city centre’s main Boots store would be finally stocking the brand. This was late last year now and since then I’ve spent many occasions browsing the wide and vivid makeup selection that the brand has to offer.
Being a bit of a lipstick, I naturally went straight towards the lipstick section (which is quite large by the way). I managed to restrain myself and just went for two of the NYX liquid suede cream lipsticks. I have to admit I was intrigued by the bright shades, like the vibrant purple but I decided to go for two of the more wearable shades.
I went for the shades Cherry Skies and Vintage.
The liquid suede cream lipsticks go on wet but then dry into a creamy consistency on the lips and although they aren’t a lip stain, they do have staying power once they are on. Application can be tricky with these as they are highly pigmented and start to dry quite quickly. I recommend applying a lip liner beforehand and also to make sure you don’t layer over the cream lipstick that you’ve already applied because otherwise it does start to feel caky and can start to look a bit uneven. Once the application is perfected however, these suede lip creams look great.
I love how affordable these cream lipsticks are and of course I love the gorgeous deep pigmented colours. I recently bought my friend the bright purple one (Amethyst) and now I think I want that one for myself too. I’m sure I’ll be adding more of these to my collection.
I’d been in need of some new makeup brushes for a while and so I was happy that one of my Christmas presents off my grandparents this year, was this selection of brushes and brush roll from The Vintage Cosmetic Company.
Although I’d heard of The Vintage Cosmetic Company before, it had never occurred to me that they might be a good brand to go to for makeup brushes.
I’ve currently been using these brushes each time I apply my makeup and I am loving them. The brush hairs are soft and each makeup brush helps me to apply my makeup with ease. I also really like the look of these brushes and the fact that they have the brush names printed on the handles.
I think it’s great that the brush roll is oil clothe because it means that it easily wipes clean if and when I do get any makeup on it. I also love the pretty floral print of the brush roll, which certainly has a vintage look.
I’m currently loving all of these brushes but my favourite three have to be the foundation brush, powder brush and blush brush.
It’s been a while since I last used a foundation brush (as I had been using mostly sponges for quite some time). This foundation brush helps my makeup to easily glide on and it is great for creating a flawless look. I’ve been using a small about of brush cleaner after each use, in order to keep the brush clean and so far it’s stayed really soft.
The powder and blush brushes are great at picking up just the right amount of product for a light and easy application. It’s been such a long time since I found a blush brush that I like as much as this one. It helps my blusher to glide on like a dream and I feel it’s perfect for adding just the right amount of blush.
Which brand of makeup brushes do you like to use? Have you tried any of the makeup brushes from The Vintage Cosmetic Company?
I’ve never really previously understood Eyelash primers. I’ve tried a few out in my time but always found I got bored and would go back to using mascara on its own.
The Estée Lauder Little Black Primer is somewhat different to the previous eyelash primers I’ve tried, due to the fact that it’s black (as opposed to white or clear) and that on appearance, this one looks very much like an actual mascara to me. What I’ve discovered from simply trying out the primer, is that its formula is significantly more light weight and thinner than that of a mascara and so it separates the lashes and ever so slightly lengthens them without making them thicker or giving the appearance that a mascara has been applied.
This eyelash primer can be used in one of three ways; Alone ‘to tint them silky black and natural’, as a primer before mascara to add extra length, or after your mascara ‘to set, with a water resistant finish’. I personally prefer to use it in ways one and two (and am actually yet to try it on top of mascara).
Depending what you want out of this primer will depend on how well it works for you. If you have naturally ‘good’ lashes that you maybe wish to tint, then it actually does work well on bare lashes as a way to colour them black without looking like you have mascara on. It’s perfect for those no makeup days and if you want to set your lashes after curling them without applying mascara, then this product will do the trick.
In terms of using this product as a primer, I’m actually quite impressed with the results. It certainly has the best results I have seen from using an eyelash primer, and it really does help to lengthen my lashes along with applying my mascara.
Below, the first image shows me wearing the Estée Lauder Little Black Primer and the second image shows me wearing it under my W3ll People Mascara.
I’m rather impressed with the results from using the Estée Lauder Little Black Primer to prime my lashes as I think the results are significantly noticeable, compared to when I don’t prime them. I love how I’m able to use this primer to lengthen my lashes to make them a lot longer without making them look thick and clumpy. I don’t use this eyelash primer everyday, but for when I want more noticeable, super long lashes then this is the product I now reach for to help me achieve those results.
Have you tried out the Little Black Primer?
You can shop the Estée Lauder Little Black Primer here.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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:
