L'Oreal unveil new quad eyeshadow pallettes: Color Riche Beige Trench

L'Oreal have kept things pretty quiet on the eyeshadow sector till recently when they launched their new quad eyeshadows to create smokey eyes.

Beige trench has a palette of four shades including a light grey, gold, light beige and brown shade. It comes with a handy applicator so you can choose whether to apply with your fingers or the brush.

I have used L'Oreal's due eyeshadows before and find it really useful that they include a number director on teh back of the eyeshadow. Each colour corresponds to a number which is mapped out in a diagram of numbers which relate to diffferent sections of the eye area.

I think the colour palette is quite nice, albeit slightly light but it's perfect for a casual day look. Whilst sticking to the diagram I did find it a bit difficult to get the shades sectioned as instructed but did my best.

The eyeshadow was still in place at the end of the day but it was certainly lighter then when first applied.

I'd give it a 4/5

Advantages

• Four shades in one to be used together or seperately
• A handy diagram on the back instructs how the eyeshadow should be applied for the ultimate look
• Perfect for a casual look

Disadvantages

• Colours do apply quite light so if you like your eyeshadow heavy it may not be the one for you
• The eyeshadow is glitter based and over the course of the day a lot of this rubs off which can be annoying for some people

New Look Basket: October 2012

As winter draws in I wanted to find some key items that would work well. I'm pretty much a magpie when it comes to sparkly things and I love pretty tops (I have waay too many!) but on this occasion I stuck to the basics.

Lovely and cosy this star jumper is perfect for snuggling up with on cold winter nights!

This gorgeous black polka dot- bow combo is perfect for the upcoming party season. It looks fantastic on espeecially with a pair of skinny jeans. <3 it="it" p="p">

Styled like the popular beaded bracelets this little beauty will go fantastically with any similar bracelets or earrings. Great for whether you're wearing your hair down or up in a bee hive.

I've got to wear my hair up for work and it can look pretty boring so there's nothing better then adding a bit of vizazz with a gorgeous sparkly hair clip.

Sorry i've not included any prices I'm always in a rush to rip the tags off! Happy shopping.

Is Schwarzkopf leading the way in creating a new generation of hairspray?

When you've painstakingly spent hours curling your hair the last thing you want is for them all to fall out.

I feel so much better about myself when I have big curly waves, and the best way to set them is by using a hairspray.

Schwarzkopf Got 2b hairspray in sparkling aims to add shine, dazzle and extra hold to your hair.

The packaging is a gorgeous pink sparkly container which really suits its purpose. The spray is lightweight and doesn't leave a nasty crispy shell on hair like a lot of hair sprays do. It also has a really pleasant smell and even though you can still sense it's hairspray odour it's nowhere near as obvious as some products.

When products say they add shine i'm often pretty sceptical but looking at the before and after photos I have to say there's certainly a bit of difference and my hair seems a lot shinier in the after photo.

As for longevity I can't say my curls really stayed in all that long and I'm a bit sad about that. I did have to go out in the rain but I was wearing a hood so I'm not sure it would have been affected all that much.

Overall I would say that Got 2b Schwarzkopf hairspray is a new breed with a pleasant smell, and added shine. The only downside is it doesn't last that long.
             Before                                                                                                  After

Advantages

• Pleasant smell
• Adds a nice shine
• Pretty packaging

Disadvantages

• Doesn't last that long!

BYS Nail Collection: Does the budget brand earn its stripes?

BYS are one of the lesser known makeup brands but with their budget prices they're perfect for those days when you've got a week till payday.

With nail wraps, a bright pink nail varnish and gems at my fingertips I got to work.

The wraps come in sheets of 48 with a white and pink heart and a black and white polka dot design. Having never tried nail wraps before I was a bit wary but they came with a full set of instructions os even the total beginner could get started. The only thing I wasn't quite sure about was what edge of the wrap I had to apply to my cuticle as it didn't say.

Each wrap comes tailored to each finger and any excess material can be cut off with nail scissors. After I applied the wraps my nails felt a bit itchy and it was quite obvious they would not stay on. The adhesive is not strong enough and when filed to remove excess material the wraps become loose again.

Overall a nice premise but it doesn't quite pull it off as the wraps only stayed on about ten minutes before they started to slip off!

Advantages

• Pretty designs
• Comes with instructions so suitable for the total beginner

Disdavantages

• Wraps don't stay adhered to your finger
•  I couldn't remove any excess material without it coming off my nails

BYS Hot Pink Polish

This gorgeous girly colour really stands out and will look great with a nice out fit. I applied around 1-2 coats on each nail and whilst the colour is glossy and quite strong you can see a bit of my nail through the paint. The varnish was pretty quick drying but smudged quite easily which is a shame.

Advantages

• Gorgeous girly colour
• Quick drying

Disdavantages

• Smudged a bit 

BYS Nail Gems

Nail gems add a fantastic sparkle to somewhat boring nails and can createa  whole array of fantastic designs. BYS Nail gems come in a little pot with a selection of silver gems and a handy pink applicator. To apply I firstly painted my nails and whilst the varnish was still fresh placed several gems on my nail using the applicator.

The applicator was a great idea of transferring gems to nails but a lot of the time it failed to grip the gems which meant the varnish was drying whilst you're struggling to stick a gem on. To fix the gems in place I applied a clear varnish over the top.Generally the gems stay in place but if you're quite inexperienced at nail art you could get varnish over the gems and ruin the look.

Advantages

• Adds bling to your look
• Has a handy applicator to help apply the gems

 Disadvantages

• The applicator took quite a few turns to stick on

It's up to you to decide but in my opinion, you get what you pay for with BYS. The products aren't perfect but they'll do till pay day :)

17 Eyeshadow in Vengence: The Christmas Colours are in

On a recent visit to Boots I took advantage of the 3 for 2 offer and bought a selection of new makeup products.

17 eyeshadow in Vengence is a trio of three colours - purple, silver and brown in sparkly hues. The eyeshadow looks perfect for Christmas and the upcoming party season.

There's no brush with the eyeshadows so you have to apply it with your fingers, not so good if you want to travel light. The shadows were quite easy to apply but I felt the colours were a lot darker then they appeared in the packaging. I applied the purple shadow on my eyelids and the silver on my eyebrow bone and it was so dark it looked a bit like I had a black eye!

The shadow was long lasting but it was let down by the intensity of the pigments.

I'd give it a 3/5

Advantages

• Three colours in one so you can use them all together or seperately - a great money saver
• The colours are very autumnal making it perfect for the upcoming Xmas season

Disdavantages

• The hues of the colours were a lot darker then envisioned and the black eye look isn't a attractive one
• No eyeshadow brush so 

17 Blow Out Mascara: Does It Fulfill its 12x Volume Promise?

17 Blow out mascara vows to Volumise, Sculpt and tease your lashes whilst adding 12x your natural volume.

Enriched with Vitamin E and the hair miracle booster Argon Oil condition and boost lash body allowing for bigger, bolder lashes.

So does it fulfill its promise?

Blow Out comes in a funky yellow tube with large eye catching wording which instantly catch your attention. The wand is very thick especially in the middle which is designed to give maxiumum coverage to all your lashes. Whilst you get the impression that the mascara will give very volumised lashes I struggled to get much of the product onto my lashes. Despite coating my bottom lashes several times the wand wasn't able to coat them and the result was a minimal coating.

The volume on my top lashes also wasn't as much as i'd hoped for and certainly not the 12x voulme the tube promised.

On the plus side the mascara didn't clump and my lashes were seperated and defined.

I'd give it a 2.5/5 for not quite living up to its promise

Advantages

• Leaves lashes seperated and defined
• No clumping
• The Argon Oil and Vitamin E condition and enhanced lash health

Disadvantages

• Didn't live up to its 12x volume promise
• The bottom lashes were hardly volumised at all despite 3 coatings

Celebs Know Breast: Check your breasts!

If you've ever wondered how important it is to check your breasts for lumps, watch this inspirational video

Balance Me Daily Essentials Balance Face Moisturiser

I got this little gem when I was subscribing to Glossy Box. The BalanceMe set are loved by many for their almost completely natural products that offer great moisturising effects.

There are no parabens, sulpohates, petroleum, mineral oils, silicones, dea, pegs, propylene glycol or artificial fragrances or colours allowing for a product that is sutiable for even the most temperamental skin.

Whilst I only have a sample size moisturiser I would say a little definitely goes a long way and one squirt covers one side of the face. The cream feels quite light and leaves a slight dewy residue on my face. When applying there's a strong lavender smell which applies foundation to the claim that the product is completely natural.

As my skin can be quite unpredictable sometimes I think this is a great product that I can use even if I have red patches as the product is unlikely to irritate.

I'll give it a 4/5

Advantages

• 99% natural product
• A light dewy product that sinks into the skin easily
• Helps to radiate dull complexions
• A little goes a long way

Disadvantages

• You can't see how much you've got left in the tube

Does John Frieda's Luxurious Volume Thickening Blow Dry Lotion give your hair extra Va Va Voom?

I'm always a little sceptical of hair styling products, namely because they never seem to do anything for me. It amazes me how hair stylists manage to make models hair look so fabulous!

Like most girls I would love for my hair to have more volume without having to backcomb it all the time so I pout John Frieda Luxurious Volume thickening blow dry lotion to the test. The product says to get the most out of the product you need to spray it on the top and bottom of your roots and blow dry your hair upside down.

Having followed all the instructions to the T I felt there was a moderate lift on one side of my hair but a lesser effect on the left side.

I don't think the product had as much of a effect as the adverts claim but a reasonable effort.

I'd give it a 2.5/5
                               
Results after using John Frieda Luxurious Volume Thickening Lotion

Advantages

• Claims to have salon formulations
• Easy to use
• Spray bottle means you don't get product all over your hands and can apply literally to the roots
• Moderate lift

Disadvantages

• The results just weren't as good as I'd of hoped for!

Blushers don't just come in a gel or powder anymore: See the New CID Cosmetics in I-Blossom stamp

We've all seen blushers in powder and cream formats but have you ever seen a blusher in a stamp?
New Cid Collection have changed everything we ever believed about blushers when they brought out their lastest blusher in a stamp format.

This interesting concept allows for a powder blush to be applied without the need for a brush, meaning it can be used on the go - whether it's on the train or on the bus. As with pretty much all New CID cosmetics this stamp blusher comes with a handy mirror meaning you can really travel light.

Each stamp contains one application so it certainly saves on blusher and you simply rub it into your cheek to get a nice rosey glow. The one thing I will say on a negative is that each stamp gives off a very rosey glow, and some people may struggle to spread this over their entire cheek.

The stamp is very small which makes for great storing in your probably very full makeup bag.

I'd give it a 4/5 for innovation and handiness

Advantages

• Easy to store
• One easy application in each stamp
• Comes with a mirror so saves on storage space
• Gives off a shimmery rosy glow

Disadvantages

• The stamp is applied in a round circle in one area so some people may find it difficult to spread this over their cheek

This product was kindly sent to me for testing via the New Cid press team.