ROC Minesol Triple Defense

ROC Minesol Triple Defense suntan lotion is perfect for those with sensitive skin, or babies or children who need that little bit of extra protection in the sun. With protection from UVA rays and SPF factor 50 it is a really strong deterrent for the suns rays.

The tube is 200ml so it will last quite a few applications when you really need it on those hot summer days. To apply you just squirt as much or as little as you want on to different areas of the skin and they should be protected for several hours.

The solution doesn't have that nice sun tan lotion smell that you'd normally expect but its not unpleasant. It rubs in easily and doesn't leave a visible white mark. I'd give it 3/5.

Advantages

• Easy to use
• Gives the ultimate 50 SPF protection for children
• Quite a big bottle so will last quite a while

Disadvantages

• Smell not as nice as most sun tan lotions

ROC sun tan lotion is on sale for £2.99 at Direct Cosmetics

Kate Moss Sublime body Lotion

When we choose a body lotion we want a cream that will leave our skin smooth and smelling lovely. I feel the Kate Moss Sublime body lotion comes up trumps on this.

The lotion comes in quite a sophisticated dark pink/brown tube with a dark black flower on the side to establish its design. 

It is very easy to apply and comes out in small squirts so you're not fighting with a load of liquid all over your hand. It has a pleasant floral smell that is pretty long lasting and will give a good foundation to the Kate Moss perfume if you have that as well.

I felt the cream rubbed in really easily and left my skin feeling smooth and soft, always a plus when you want to feel pampered after a bath or shower. I'd give it a 3/5.

Advantages

• Attractive packaging
• Pleasant smell
• Get quite a lot of product for your money

Disdavantages

• The smell doesn't suit everyone so perhaps try a tester before buying the full version.

Kate by Kate Moss is available for £3.99 at Direct Cosmetics

Elizabeth Arden Sun Goddess Bronzing Powder

Like most girls everyone looks healthier with a warm glow and I'm no different. Bronzers give you the effect that you've been living it up in some warm, gorgeous haven without even having to leave your bedroom. Elizabeth Arden's bronzing powder comes in a really pretty package with warm colours that instantly make you warm to the product itself.

On opening the bronzer box I was surprised to see both a mirror and a handy applicator brush which is pretty rare as most bronzers come with nothing but the powder. The powder itself had a pretty floral like design on it but that will fade pretty quickly with constant use!

I applied it to the apples of my cheeks, forehead and face lightly to see what kind of result I would get. The effect is one that makes my face look darker but not orange, with a outer glow that you might get after sitting in the sun all day.

The only issue I really had was that not all the powder rubbed into my skin first time with the brush and I had to use my fingers to rub it in properly. I would have to say this bronzer comes in a darlingly cute package with the little extras that you just don't tend to expect with a bronzer, and best of all it does the job its supposed to do. I'd give it a 4/5.

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Advantages

• Comes in a cute box that you can store your bronzer in if you wanted
• Has both a mirror and a brush with it 
• Gives a nice warm glow

Disadvantages

• Not all the powder rubs in properly when you apply with the brush so you have to rub it in slightly with your fingers

Elizabeth Arden bronzing powder is available for £7.99 at Direct Cosmetics 

Beauty UK Glitter Eyeliner

When out looking for a glittery eyeliner one day I was specifically looking for Collection 2000, but when  I couldn't find the right one  I was looking for  I tried this make instead.

Beauty UK are a cheap makeup range available in most Superdrug stores, they sell eyeshadows, concealers, foundations, blushers etc and offer a cheap alternative to the expensive brands like Revlon. This liner looks pretty nice in the tube and shows instantly how glittery it appears to be.

It applies easily to your lash line and you get quite a bit of product on the brush. However when you draw a line you find the result is really quite thin and you might not get the wow factor you expected from a liner. It took me a few times going over the same line to get the thicker glittery effect that I desired from the product.

The liner does dry pretty quickly which is a plus when you have eyeshadow to apply and gives you a really pretty glittery line. At only around £2 this product is a little bargain. I'd give it a 3.5/5.

Advantages

• Easy to use
• Dries quickly
• Pretty glittery effect when dry
• Cheap

Disadvantages

• Product comes out quite thin so needs to have several applications to get the desired effect

Rimmel London Eyeshadow Alluring

The Rimmel London collection of eyeshadows offer you a velvety smooth experience that will really make you enjoy wearing their shadows. Rimmel shadow in alluring is a strong dark blue colour that makes you think posh, which is a really good look for a night out or something formal.

It's easily applicable with your fingers and slides on quite smoothly. You find you do need a few coats to get an even cover on your eyelid but the overall effect is quite a strong color that would go nicely with white/black clothes.

The colour is pretty stay proof and hours later its still going strong. The shadow range normally retails at around £3 in most good supermarkets/beauty stores and come in a small range of colours. I'll give it a 3/5.

Advantages

• Goes on smoothly
• Has pretty good staying power
• Nice bright blue colour
• Reasonable price range

Disadvantages

• May not suit everyones skin tone
• Some people don't like using their fingers to apply eyeshadow so might not be for everyone

Miss Sporty: Shimmer Dust in Allure

Miss Sporty eyeshadow in Allure retails at around £2 and gives off a gorgeous alluring (see the play on words there) colour that will really draw attention to your eyes.

To apply simply dip your finger into the pot and dab onto your eyelid or use a small brush and apply it to your lid that way. The colour is really shimmery and almost bronze in the effect it gives off. The shadow is quite long lasting and gives you a great glitzy effect all day long. The only thing you need to remember with glitter shadows is that they can sometimes rub off underneath your eye, however this shadow has yet to propose any problems.

The packaging is really small and it can easily fit into the tiny space you might have left in your makeup bag. The only issue with it being small is it might run out quicker then you like, but if you apply gradually you shouldn't have any problems.

If you use a brush you can perhaps apply it along your lower lash line for a really pretty party look, applying with fingers may make for a rather messier style. Overall a really nice eyeshadow that has a pretty gold appearance that will pretty much go with any skin colour/clothing. I'd give it a 4/5.

Miss Sporty is available in all good Superdrug and Boots stores.

Advantages

• Small so its easy to store
• Pretty effect that will go with pretty much everything
• Very cheap to buy in store
• Many other colours available

Disadvantages

• May run out quicker then you thought

Collection 2000: Brilliant Shimmer wand

On a recent visit to All Well An Good I discovered one of Collection 2000's new editions - the brilliant shimmer wand. Designed as an eyeshadow it is a double ended wand with two different colours on either side. I picked up the shimmery pink/purple eyeshadow as i've tried the pot versions and thought they were pretty good.

To apply you need to take the lid off each end and then dip it into the powder thats in the coloured end compartments. I can't say I got a huge amount of product each time I dipped the pen in but there was sufficient colour to spread over my eyelids. I swept the pink colour over first to give a nice base and then applied the purple colour up by the brow bone.

I'm not really sure of the blendability of the purple shadow as it just seemed to make a dirty mark when I tried to mix it in but with a brush this can probably be sorted out.

The overall look is a pretty two toned one that can be switched around to create different looks depending on what you've got in mind for your day/evening. Another idea would be to perhaps use the pen to go underneath your eye as its perfect for that kind of thin application. The product retails at about £3-4 normally and is available in  all Superdrug stores and selected beauty/drug stores. I'd give it a rating of 3/5.

Advantages

• Double the product for your money
• Easy to use
• So versatile that you can use it for your eyelids/brow bones or just underneath the eye
• Cheap range of makeup
• Glitzy party look achievable

Disadvantages

• May seem slightly hard to get product out of the wand because of its design
• Blending ability wasn't great

Lacura Powder Blush in Sunset

The Aldi makeup range isn't that well known but it offers a select number of makeup items such as mascara and blushers. The items are really cheap at a couple of pounds each and are can easily be slipped in with your shopping.

The blusher in sunset comes with a really handy mirror so its perfect for slipping in your handbag and applying on the move. The blusher itself isn't particularly large but like everything a little does go a long way. The colour is a peachy pink that can be applied lightly or heavily depending on the kind of look you're going for. With one or two sweeps of a brusher blush you have a rosey cheeked look that makes you look healthy and glowing.

The product lasts quite a few hours with no loss of colour however on close inspection you do notice that the colour isn't as hot as it was when you first applied. The packaging is a quite plain silver oval but for a couple of quid you can't really expect much more. I'd give it a 3/5.

Before                                     After

Advantages

• Has a handy mirror so you can slip it into your handbag
• Very cheap
• Gives off a nice rosey glow

Disadvantages

• Packaging quite simple and boring
• Deepness of colour does fade after a few hours

Miss Sporty : Shimmer Dust in Enchant

The Miss Sporty make up range is a cheep and cheerful selection that offers mascaras, foundations, concealers, eyeshadows, blushers etc for low prices. I don't tend to buy too much from Miss Sporty as I've never been too amazed with the results but there are a few products that are worth trying.

The shimmer dust eyeshadows retail at around £2 and have a lovely glittery texture that looks great on and can be used in many different situations. Shimmer dust in enchant has a bright pink hue that is very girly looking and will be great for the upcoming spring/summer season.

You can apply it easily with your finger (no brush available) and gently smooth it on to your eyelid. A little goes a long way with this product and you only have to apply a little to get the right style. The look you get is very bright and eye catching and any other makeup you apply should be dumbed down.

Generally the shadow lasts quite a long time but the colour does tend to thin out after a couple of hours. With a price tag of only a few quid the eyeshadow is really worth trying out and using for glamming up on nights out or on a hot summers day. I'd give it a 3.5/5.

Advantages

• Easy to use
• Applies smoothly
• Lovely bright pink colour really draws attention to your eyes
• Low cost
• Lasts a long time

Disadvantages

• Colour doesn't suit everyone

Urban Decay Makeup palette

If like many girls you need to apply makeup on the go, a all in one set is very appealing. I bought this set from All Well An Good a couple of months ago and have used it now and again since. It consists of four eyeshadows, four lipglosses and a blusher so you can mix and match your looks, so one day you could be feeling white and another brown, or you could blend them all together.

It comes in quirky colourful packaging that make you want to buy the set, even if its just so it looks good amongst your other makeup. It even has a useful mirror so you can apply makeup where ever you are, be it at home or on the train.

Today I tested the white shadow with a brown up top to go with the white top I was wearing. The shadow applied smoothly, and comes with a handy applicator brush if you don't fancy using your fingers. It blends in quite well together and the overall look is a white sparkly colour that is good for sprucing up your day to day look or going for glam in the evening.

The shadow is long lasting and you can still see it clearly hours later however it is a glitter shadow and as most people generally blink a lot you will end up with glitter all around your eyes and on your face. Now for someone who likes to keep their makeup together that can get slightly irritating.

The set comes with four lipglosses that look pretty different, they all have a glossy texturised shine and a glittery consistency that makes you think this will look cute. On application my lips did feel glossy and looked after but I felt the colour was lacking a certain something. As you can see from the photos every lip gloss looked exactly the same despite the appearance in the packaging.

The Urban Decay palettes generally retail at around £20+ so are great for an investment buy for something to use when you don't want to be lugging your whole makeup bag around. However in terms of the colours and products available for more general use a average makeup brand would do the job just as good.

Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara

I have heard many people rave about Benefit's mascaras so one day I thought I'd try out one of the most recommended selections Benefit's Bad Gal Lash mascara. The mascara has a big wand so you assume you would get lots of product on your lashes but in fact you get very little product when applying.

It took me quite a few strokes going over to get a decent length to my lashes, and considering the reviews I've heard I wasn't amazingly impressed with it. In addition when you apply this to your bottom lashes, as the brush is quite chunky you do find it quite hard to get the brush under your eye and apply it properly to your bottom lashes.

I would honestly say this product does not live up to the hype and you're better off buying Avon's Anew lash Transform mascara if you want real length to your lashes (See previous review for details).

Rating 2/5. 

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L'Oreal Holographic eyeshadow in Meteorite Bronze

L'Oreal holographic eyeshadow in bronze has an interesting colour to it that makes you want to pick it off the shelf. It gives you the impression that there is a array of colours in the one shadow that will really give character to your eye.

You can apply the shadow with the brush provided or use your fingers, but you'll probably find it easier to blend/smudge with your fingers. It applies easily and looks really smooth on your eyelid, and I've always found that you don't tend to get a lot of colour loss on the lighter L'Oreal colours.

The overall effect is a dual colour that gives the impression you took your time in blending together two different coloured eyeshadows. The colour is a gold/beige/green that changes as the light dips in and out.

So for around £5-6 you will be getting yourself a product that makes you look like you've spent ages applying your makeup when you can dash this on in five minutes. I've always loved L'Oreal eyeshadows and this is one of the main reasons for it. My verdict, 5/5.

Advantages

• Very simple to apply
• Comes out with a gorgeous dual colour that looks like you spent longer applying then you did

Disadvantages

• The colour is quite unique so is probably not for everyone
• Clunky packaging