August 2013 Heroes

How the heck did September get here?! This year has gone so fast it’s unreal and I’ve officially been married 6 months today 😀

I’ve tried so many products this month that it was really hard to decide which were actually my favourites but I’ve whittled it down to theses ones. August has been a fantastic month beauty wise and I could go on all day if I was to mention all my heroes  of this month.

Benefit Rockateur Blush

This has been my perfect blusher for the summer, it is rose gold so is the perfect blend between a bronze and flushed result for my fair skin. It has a beautiful shimmer to it and parties all day and night without slipping. This blusher is seriously hardcore and I’ve worn it nearly every day in August. You can see my full review here.

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Noir Perfume

This one only made it into August for the last week but it has landed itself straight into my favourites, originally I promised my self it was for special occasions due to the price, well going to work, the park and church is special right?! Full review here.

Anatomicals Spray Misty for Me

This face spritz has been a total heroine for me in the humid UK heat. It’s set my makeup into lasting all day, it’s cooled me down in our melting office and it’s done it all with some humour and an amazing smell. Full review here.

L’Occitane Hydration Creme 

I reviewed this a while back but rediscovered it about a week into August and fell in love with it even more than the first time. It leaves my skin with a gorgeous dewy glow fit for the summer. I also noticed a huge improvement to the quality of my skin. I couldn’t afford to invest int he full size this month as much as I wanted to, so my wonderful husband managed to get his hands on another sample for me, that’ll keep me going another few weeks!  Full review here.

MUA Undress Your Skin Flawless Primer

This primer has been used every single day since I bought it, it’s soft and velvety and provides an amazing base for a day’s makeup. It feels amazing and performs wonderfully. Full review here.

MUA Lipsticks

These are my favourite budget find of the month. At £1 each I still fully intend to get the whole collection. They last well and don’t dry out my lips. The colours are also lovely. Reviews here, Red, Nude.

I’m looking forward to seeing which products rock my world this month and I’ll be sure to let you know at the start of October!

 

It’s in the Bag – Professional Special

I can’t believe it’s that time of the week again, this week we delve into the rather large professional Kit of Essex-based makeup artist Kelly Rendall of Kelly’s Beautique. She can be found on Facebook  or contacted on 07568 053608 if you wish to find out more.

Without further ado let’s check out what she has lurking away! The kit is literally brimming with products galore and today we’re going to check out her top 4.

Elemis Softly Softly moisturiser

Kelly has found through experience that this is by far the best moisturiser to apply before applying makeup. It soaks into the skin efficiently leaving it fresh, revitalised and radiant. It helps the foundation to glide on effortlessly, resulting in a beautiful flawless finish.

Beautiful Brows

This is a semi-permanent brow kit, Kelly confidently states that beautiful Brows should be very proud of this product as there is no other kit like it. It includes 3 stencils – sleek, natural and bold – and they are all fantastic. You also get your colour choice of powder, a highlighter, 2 brushes and an amazing set of tweezers. Every single lucky lady she has used this for has adored it. It frames your face and eyes and is perfect for everyone from brides to everyday wear. It does exactly what it says it will do “Guarantees you have beautiful brow every time.”

Benefit High Beam

This one is now on its third appearance on the It’s in the Bag series, that says a lot. This is one of Kelly’s favourite Benefit products, she warns not to pass over the little guys, those that are maybe less well-known in the range. Kelly tells us that High Beam is great for highlighting cheek, brow and jaw bones and you only need the smallest amount to define your best features. It also helps to brighten up the whole face and looks amazing in wedding photos. I can vouch for how amazing this product is myself!

 

Rimmel 100% Waterproof Mascara

Kelly says this product alone proves  that you don’t need to spend a fortune to own a fantastic mascara. It’s one of the best  waterproof ones she has ever used, it doesn’t clump and produces outstanding results. The brush is perfectly shaped and sized to get from root to tip and the best part is it really is 100% waterproof and as a result Kelly uses is for every bride.

Lastly, a huge thank you to Kelly for letting us see what she uses and sharing her advice. I hope to have Kelly back for some more professional themed posts soon. If you’d like yo get involved with the series and have a link to your business or blog please email me on tams.watt@hotmail.com.

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Sunshine on a cloudy day

Reviewed by Tams

Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion, Sun-kissed look for light skin product review

I know it’s been pretty glorious the last few days but that’s rare in the UK, so I decided to try a build-up tan moisturiser. Tanning lotion always  goes streaky on me and I have pale skin that only burns in the sun so I gathered this may be a way forward!

I loved the smell when I first put it on but a couple of hours later it just smelt like the normal biscuity self-tan smell which was a bit disappointing. However within a couple of days I did start to notice a different in my skin colour which I was very pleased with. My legs took a lot longer to catch up with the rest of me so I started doing those twice a day, they now have some colour but it is a bit patchy despite my best efforts to take care to get it even.

However, my arms and upper body look wonderfully sun-kissed without being tangoed!

 

My skin feels beautifully soft too. I give this a product 3/5, I’m pretty sure there is something better out there so onto the next one!

What I loved most: The colour was natural.

What I liked least: Patchy legs!

Try it: 250ml £5.09, www.superdrug.com

L’Occitane En Provence Angelica Hydration Cream Review

Reviewed by Tams

Firmly in my suitcase ready to go! 

After 2 weeks of testing this moisturiser I am now ready to let you know that I love it! I have been using it in place of my day cream and it has been amazing. It’s soft, sily and luxurious, everything you want from a hydration cream.

My skin’s radiance has definitely improved, it is also smoother and it didn’t cause me any spots, hooray! My skin still felt soft in the evening which was great. It acted as a great base for my makeup and helped it last longer.

This hydration cream reinforces the skin’s natural hydration, it’s always best to work with your skin instead of against it. It was really great for dry skin but it doesn’t have an oily texture so it will probably be awesome on all skin types.

What I love most: It is an amazing base for makeup. I’ll be investing in the full size!

Try it: £30, 50ml uk.loccitane.com

Avon Anew Vitale Day & Night Cream + Eye Cream Review

Reviewed by Tams

A good day and night cream is a must for any skin care routine

So many people use the same moisturiser day and night and for me this doesn’t give the maximum care for your skin. The skin rejuvenates and repairs over night while you dream away so it’s really important to have a good night cream to help it along. A night cream is a lot heavier than the day cream when your skin does not need so much hydration.

This range from Avon is aimed at the 20 and 30 somethings and claims to improve the brightness of the skin in just 2 weeks. I can vouch for the fact that it does do just this and when I’m not busy road-testing other moisturisers this is the range I use. It also contains a decent SPF 25 UVA/UVB in the day cream which is great! This range leaves my skin beautiful and radiant and I love it.

I also adore the eye cream, it feels really silky and luxurious when applied around the eye area each day and night. I also love the scent of these products, it’s very girly and a little sweet.

They also come in very good size pots that last a long time and they are not too badly priced either not when you consider how long they last. Avon also do an Anew range for every age and skin requirements so if this one is not for you there is definitely one available that it. Contact your local Rep for advice on which to use.

What I love most: The effect they have on my skin

What I like least: It agitates my eyes if I get too close but I do have very sensitive and dry eyes.

Try it: Day Cream £19.50, Night Cream £19.50, Eye Cream £16.00 all from www.avon.uk.com

The pros and cons of BB Cream, Foundation and Moisturiser

This post was requested by a friend on Facebook and I definitely feel it is a great idea. There’s so much choice at the moment, but how do you even know whether BB Cream, Foundation or Moisturiser are the right product for you? Here I am going to give a quick guide to the pros and cons of each to enable you to make a decision on which is best for you.

Moisturiser

Pros:

• Smooths the skin and improves the skin quality.
• Products are available for every skin type from dry to oily.
• Should be used as part of a twice daily skin care routine.
• Provide a great base for foundation and helps it last all day.

Cons:

• Used alone, moisturiser does not provide any coverage of blemishes.

Foundation

Pros:

• Provides full coverage of uneven skin and blemishes when used correctly.
• Available in many different shades to suit all skin types.
• Comes in powder, liquid, mousse or cream.
• Many last all day without a problem.

Cons:

• Can cause blemishes if it doesn’t suit your skin, it is always a good idea to have a foundation free day each week to allow the skin to breathe.
• If applied to heavily it can look obvious that you are wearing it and that’s not a good look!

BB Cream 

Pros:

• Comes in a limited number of shades and adapts to your skin colour so it is easier to choose your shade. (Light, medium or dark)
• Moisturises whilst giving a light coverage.
• Multi-tasker, can use instead of moisturiser so no need for both which is great for oily skin.
• Originally invented in 1960 for medical use to reduce inflammation and redness around scars so it is also great for that.
• Many contain vitamin C and antioxidants which are both really good for the skin.
• Blend into the skin with no hassle, no nasty foundation lines!
• Can save money as it can be used as a primer, foundation, concealer and moisturiser.

Cons:

• The coverage isn’t as good as a foundation when used alone. Best results when a powder is used to set it.
• Formula is usually quite thick so not always best for acne-prone skin.

I hope this has been helpful and if you have any questions let me know!

 

Oh we do love a good BB Cream! Dr.Jart Premium Beauty Balm – Product review

We can’t all have perfect skin all of the time but we can look like we do!

I for one wish I had perfect skin without the need for foundation every day. This is why I love BB Cream it does enough to make your skin look beautiful without the need for heavy foundation. But it is so hard knowing which one to chose with the market swamped by them at the moment.

I have had this one in my make up kit a few months now and I love it. It’s perfect for those days that I’m rushing out for the school run and don’t have much time. It also lasts all day in the office and leave the skin feeling soft instead of abused!

The colour also matches my skin tone so well that no-one even notices the difference to when I am wearing foundation. It is gorgeously natural and also has anti-ageing properties.

This BB Cream also has a whopping SPF 40, fab for the fair skinned among us (the sun currently reflects of my legs). Beautiful looking skin and no more sunburnt noses… perfect.

It can also be used as a base under foundation, it primes the skin perfectly. It looks amazing on its own but this option would be good for a night out as it really does help to keep everything where it should be so you can focus on dancing the night away with the girls instead!

What I love most: That it has SPF 40 and performs brilliantly.

Try it: RRP £24 although it is in the sale for £12 at www.boots.com right now!

Reviewed by Tams

Almost Good Enough to Eat – Nip + Fab Coconut Latte Body Butter – Product Review

Reviewed by Tams

Smells good enough to eat… but I wouldn’t advise it!

I never thought I’d cheat on The Body Shop body butter’s but this could seriously tempt me. I received the Coconut Latte one but it also comes in Mango Smoothie and Pistachio. Coconut Latte definitely smells good enough to eat and certainly lives up to its name and I’m sure they others would not disappoint.

This body butter contains Aquaxyl which boots moisture for 24 hours and as such its performance is equal to its well-known competitors The Body Shop’s version. Aquaxyl is also proven to improve your skins water reserves, leaving your skin much brighter and healthy.

I loved how deliciously smooth this body butter felt when applying, it glides on and my skin felt beautiful all day. It’s worth noting that the smell stayed around too which was unexpected and pleasant!

What I love: The gorgeous smell

What I liked least: I feel like I’m cheating on The Body Shop 😀

Try it: RRP £9.95 for 200ml, www.nipandfab.com

The Body Shop – All-in-One BB Cream Review

Reviewed by Tams

A summer essential that exceeds expectations

There’s nothing worse than the feeling of suffocating your skin with foundation in the humid english weather other the summer months. That’s why I love The Body Shop All-in-One BB Cream, it’s light on the skin but still looks beautiful.

The Body Shop BB cream comes in just 3 shades but fret not.. those 3 shades will cover every skin colour as it adapts to your skin tone. It comes out white and within a few seconds of being applied to your skin it has adopted your own colour. I love that it gives you a natural looking glow, perfect for long summer days.

The thing I always love most about The Body Shop is their hydration qualities and the BB Cream is not an exception, once again it provides 24-hour hydration leaving beautiful soft skin whilst giving you enough coverage to feel confident!

The only thing I’d like to see improved on this product is the addition of an SPF, even so I love this product and recommend it for warm does as it sticks around when thing’s hot up!

What I love: 24-hour hydration while wearing make-up.. almost unheard off!

What I like least: That it doesn’t have an SPF.

Try it: RRP £12.00, www.thebodyshop.co.uk

Find Naked Beauty on Facebook .. There is also a giveaway worth £33.50 over there at the moment!

The Body Shop – Various Body Butters Review – Mmmmm

Reviewed by Tams

I love everything about The Body Shop, especially their amazing body butters!

I have been using The Body Shop body butters for almost 2 years now and they never fail to make me go ‘mmmm’ when I open the lid, I love the delicious smells these come in and the photo above is a selection of my favourites!

I have very sensitive skin so I have to be careful what I use, it is often quite dry too, unless I use The Body Shop body butter regularly. I love that needing to use it doesn’t cost the earth, they are always reasonably priced and I tend to stock up when they have a great offer on. In this case a little bit really does go along way and they don’t leave your skin feeling greasy for hours after either.

They also provide 24-hour hydration which means you only have to moisturise your body once a day, that’s 10 minutes saved a day… that’s 3560 minutes saved every year on moisturising and those of you who know me know I love anything that saves me time!

I tend to opt to use the smell that goes with my mood, it’s the fairest way to choose! Today I’m sporting summery mango. I can’t wait to get my hands on some of the new ‘flavours’!

What I love most: The gorgeous scents.. and my are there plenty to choose from. Cocoa to Lemon there’s one for everyone!

Try it: Usually RRP £13.00, www.thebodyshop.co.uk

Find Naked Beauty on Facebook .. There is also a The Body Shop giveaway worth £33.50 over there at the moment!