7 speedy beauty hacks that'll help you save time in the morning

When you've got ten minutes before you've got to rush out the door, what does your beauty routine consist of? A slick of mascara or lipstick? If you don't like the unfinished look, I've got 7 fabulous beauty hacks that will help you look like a glamour puss in no time at all.

Make it shimmer
Don't have time for your usual 20 minute eyeshadow routine? Grab a shimmery shadow and simply dab it onto your eyelid. It doesn't require any blending and you'll done in less than a minute.

Get smokey eyes in a flash
Simply take a kohl liner and smudge it into your waterline above your lower lashes. Use a brush to blend it into a soft smokey line. Grab a liquid liner and frame your eyes by lining the top lashes.

Want your brows to wow?
You don't need to spend ages on your brows to make them look presentable. There's so many quick fixes out there now that allow you to fill in and shape your eyes in a couple of minutes. My favourite is Rimmel Brow This Way 3-in-1 ultra soft powder.

Want to party after work?
If your makeups faded during the day and you know you're heading out straight after work you'll want a quick fix that will make you go from drab to fab. Simply grab a concealer and apply under your eyes, around your nose and chin to brighten the area and make you look fresh again.

Prepare your skin
If you don't want to spend a long time prepping your skins with creamy primers, why not give a primer water a go. The primer water has a super fine mist that helps to prep skin for makeup and it can even help blur the appearance of blemishes.Why not try Barry M Flawless Hydro Fix primer water (£4.99 at Boots)

Go from day to night
It's quicker to upgrade your look then you might think. Simply apply a slick of a bold lipstick - like a bright red or pink to brighten up your face and add a bit of wow to your look. My favourite is Charlotte Tilbury in Love Bite (£23 at Net-a-Porter).

All about that base
Basic skin care is more advanced then ever these days and a simple CC cream is perfect for giving skin light cover with a radiant glow. You can blend it in quickly with your fingers so you can easily apply it in a rush, or even on the run. Makeup in the car anyone? Clinique Moisture Surge CC cream (£29 at Selfridges) is a good place to start.

Sleek Distorted Dreams collection Matte Me Metallic lip creams review

What the brand says
Sleek's original matte lip creams have become a staple in all makeup bags - and they have now been revamped into three metallic on trend shades. The new lip creams have a foil like finish so you can really get your glow on fleek.

The Lowdown
The new lip creams from the Distorted Dreams collection have arrived on shelves just in time to embrace this season's metallic trend.

Available in three shades Roman Copper, Rusted Rose and Volcanic the shades have a soft creamy consistency. Volcanic and Rusted Rose are very  similar although Volcanic is more iridescent.

When swatched I found the formula was really quite light and patchy and it took many applications to get a full block of colour.

After applying the lip creams I felt the effect was quite subtle and it wasn't obvious I was wearing any lip product. The formula feels really light and they're quite comfortable to wear. All of the shades have a soft metallic matte finish, although the colour showed up a lot more on my bottom lip then the top.The lip creams don't last very long at all and in less than an hour pretty much all of the colour had disappeared.

Unfortunately I'm not a massive fan of Sleek's latest new lip creams. The colours look lovely in the packaging, but they are so soft and light the colour doesn't transfer very well. When I was wearing the lip creams it didn't really look like I was wearing anything which isn't the effect I really go for.

I give them 1/5

Get Roman Copper, Rusted Rose and Volcanic for £4.99 at Superdrug,

Advantages

• Great for the metallic trend
• Light formula so they don't feel heavy on the lips

Disadvantages

• The lip creams don't last very long
• The colour transfer is quite poor 

Get control of your hair with Scunci new releases

Fed up of smudging your lipstick as you try to apply your grips or struggling to create a plait? Scunci have released four new hair tools that will help you to gain control of your hair.

Scunci No Slip Grips
Whenever I apply grips to my hair I always have to use my teeth as the ends are so close together they won't slip easily onto my hair. The new grips from Scunci have been designed to simply slip onto your hair so the need to use your teeth has been eliminated. You simply slip and grip.
Grab them for £2.99 at Boots

Scunci No Slip Grip headband
Headbands are great for keeping the hair out of your eyes but they can also be really uncomfortable. I often get to around 11am and feel that awful digging in the side of my head. It doesn't matter whether it's a metal headband (they're the worst) or a simple plastic design that familiar niggle is always there. The new headband design by Scunci has been created to fit around any head shape, whether it's oval, round or square.

Unfortunately I have to say in my opinion it's a complete fail. I don't know if I have a incredibly small head but it just didn't seem to mould at all, despite making it as small as possible.
Grab it for £2.99 at Boots

Scunci No Damage hair bands
There's nothing more painful then tying back your hair and feeling the twang of metal hitting your fingers as the band slips. They're also as bad for your hair as they are your fingers. Metal hair bands are notorious for causing damage as they catch on random hairs causing dead ends or snagging and pulling them out altogether. Scunci's new collection of no damage hair bands are a lot more colourful than traditional bands and come in a range of colours from red and yellow to black.

The hair bands are a lot thicker then normal and are really firm on hair so your ponytail certainly won't sag.
Grab them for £2.59 at  Boots

Scunci Easy Plait 
With celebrities and instagram fans sporting plaited hairstyles, braids have never been more popular. Whilst fish tail and french plaits look amazing they're not the most simple hairstyle to do and you may be all fingers and thumbs. Scunci have released the Easy Plait which has a simple four space device to help you separate out your hair so you find it easier to create your favourite braid. In case you're confused it comes with a how to on the back.
 Get it for £5.00 at Amazon

Beauty products I'm not rating this month

I'm not the biggest makeup buyer - but I do like to splurge one or two times a month. When I buy a new product I've been impressed by the reviews or how it looks on the model - so when the product is a complete fail it really disappoints me. This month I've uncovered three major makeup disappointments that I have to share with you all.

MUA Skin Define Hydro Foundation
When I saw this in Superdrug the foundation on the model looked amazing - dewy and with a gorgeous glow. In reality the foundation couldn't be more different. The water content of this foundation is huge and I struggled to get any sort of consistent application. I was left with a face full of watery product that didn't set at all. I don't often give up on products but looking at my streaky face I knew this was a massive thumbs down!

Freedom Curl Mascara
I only bought this mascara because of the reviews and really wish I hadn't. I'm not sure if we were trying different products or what but I've no idea how they managed to get long curly lashes with this mascara. Even with several applications the result is limp lacklustre lashes that have no impact at all. Don't waste your money!

Lottie London Slay All Day lip liner in Werk It
If you read my recent review on the Lottie London lip kit you'll know exactly how disappointed I was with the lip liner. The consistency of the product is awful - dry and flaky which left me with a rough, lumpy line around my lips. The liquid lipstick fared a little better, however you should definitely wear it alone!

I'd love to know what products have disappointed you this month? Let me know in the comments below!

Lottie London Slay All Day in Werk It review

What the brand says
A new must have from the Lottie London collection - a velvety smooth liquid lipstick with a long lasting lip liner that helps to define the lips.

The lip kit is currently available in four shades; Dusky Berry (Werk It), Vintage Berry (Fleek), Terracotta and Brown (Hey Bae).

The Lowdown
 So when I first picked this up I actually thought 'Werk It' was a dark red shade. In reality   it's more of a nude pink brown.

Slay All Day lip kit has a liquid lipstick and accompanying lip liner in a similar shade. Unfortunately I have to say I did not like the lip liner at all. When I first opened the lip liner the  liner tip broke completely and I had to sharpen it before I could even use it. The formula is really dry and thick and when I drew around my lips the result was lumpy and uneven. I tried a number of times to get a smoother line but it wasn't having any of it, I can't say I've ever tried a lip liner with a formula as poor as this one.

The liquid lipstick on the other hand fares a little better. Despite not being a fan of nudes I quite like this shade, I think the subtle pink undertone makes it standout a bit more then a typical nude brown. It applies quite smoothly and surprisingly for a liquid lipstick doesn't really feel drying at all. It has a matte finish. The overall effect of Werk It is quite subtle and it adds a bit of colour without making it look completely obvious you're wearing lipstick. The lip liner is a close match to the shade of the lipstick but because it's so thick and hard to manage, it does look quite obvious you're wearing a lip liner up close. In terms of longevity the lipstick didn't last very long, probably around 2-3 hours. The lip liner also faded pretty quickly.

This lip kit is a bit hit and miss. If you're buying a lip kit you're expecting both products to look and go well together. The lip liner in my opinion is a complete miss and is only good for the bin. I'm not sure if I got a defective product or what but I'm not impressed. The lipstick on the other hand is a lot nicer, feels nice on the lips and has a really smooth application.

I give it 2/5

Grab it for £5.95 at Beauty Expert

Advantages

• Werk It is a nice pink brown nude that is great to wear if you don't want to make it too obvious you're wearing lipstick
• The lipstick has a non drying formula and is comfortable to wear

Disadvantages

• The lip liner formula is dry and hard to manoeuvre
• The lip liner is also really lumpy and it's quite hard to get a smooth line 
• The lipstick and lip liner do not stay put for very long

4 Top tips to ace Instagram

Since Instagram changes its algorithm it's harder than ever to maintain- and keep a good loyal following. With the new algorithm tendency to favour the 'popular' instagrammers it's more important than ever to up your insta game. Here's some tips on how you can help to achieve this.

Use hashtags sparingly
Hashtags are great for getting your picture to feature in popular topics that people regularly search for. This is incredibly important if you've featured a popular makeup brand or celebrity icon in your photo. Make sure you tag them or include the relevant brand hashtag as you may get a regram which will gain you new followers. If you try to put a hashtag for absolutely everything you can think of however it can look like you're trying too hard to get visibility. As long as you post consistently and have visually interesting photos people should start to follow you.

Create a uniform theme
Ever clicked on a instagram profile and just thought wow? A lot of thought and planning goes into a successful instagram feed, including arranging their photos with a similar filter, style and colour palette. Everything seems smooth and just seems to flow. Haphazard feeds where photos are thrown together tend not to look as good and don't have as many followers.

Post at popular times
The best time to post a photo is when you know people are going to be using Instagram. Often people who commute in the morning and in the evening will be browsing their feed and are more likely to like a photo that you've posted. If you want to grow your instagram further you should switch to a Instagram business profile (it's free) which will give you detailed analytics on what photos are doing well and the times of day people are viewing your photos. It will also tell you how many people are visiting your profile, clicking on your profile link and sending you messages.

Give your feed a USP (Unique Selling Point)
If everything was the same life would be pretty boring right? The same goes for instagram, don't model yourself on a popular Instagrammer and hope that you'll reap from their success - it won't happen. People hate copy cats and surely you'll want to benefit from your own success. Come up with a USP that's original but still something that you enjoy and people will like to see more of. Be true to yourself and your personality and people should start to follow you.
         

Collection Gorgeous Glow Blush Block review

What the brand says
Get a gorgeous glow with Collection's highly pigmented blusher bricks. Available in 2 formats - 1 blusher and 2 bronzer. The palettes contain easy to blend shades and have a gorgeous shimmery finish.

The Lowdown 
The blusher brick has 5 shades - orange/pink, ivory, orange/brown, light brown and pink. The colour palette of this blush is quite complex and I had trouble working out exactly what colour each shade was!

Running through each shade is a gorgeous gold glittery undertone which makes the colours a lot more 3 dimensional (the picture doesn't pick this up). When swatched I found each shade is quite light and subtle but has a gorgeous highlight running through it. Whilst it's been designed to be used as a blusher it can definitely be used as a highlighter palette as well.


For the warmest look I swept my brush into all of the shades and applied to my face. The effect is very light and subtle and gives quite a natural glow.

Grab it for £4.19 at Superdrug

Advantages

• The product can be used as a blusher or a highlighter palette
• Each shade has a gorgeous gold glow running through it
• Gives a really natural glow to your face so it's not obvious you're wearing blusher 

Disadvantages

8 Top Facebook groups you need if you want to grow and monetize your blog

Considering how long I've been blogging, I'm relatively new to discovering the gems of the Facebook blogging community. There are so many groups dedicated to helping you succeed; with everything from social media shares, to helping you decide the best platform for your blog and opportunities to monetize it. In this article I'm going to  recommend some of my favourites and hopefully it will help your blog to grow.

Official UK Bloggers
UK Bloggers is a really useful community of bloggers that help everyone from the newbies to the seasoned pros. They have weekly posts in which you can share your latest blog or youtube video and even a place you can submit the link to a competition you're hosting. Occasionally you'll find there are opportunities posted that can be everything from an invite to an event or a sponsored post.
Join here

UK Blogger Opportunities
This is one of my favourite groups as it has so many opportunities that you can apply for. Every week PR's, or brand outreach will post briefs for sponsored posts and events. The briefs are often very varied and can cover everything from toys to holidays and beauty. Obviously you're not going to be suitable for everything but it's a good group to join, hover and apply when you think you'll be a good fit.
Join here 

UK Bloggers PR Unite
UK Bloggers PR Unite is  bit of a mixed bag, where you can share links to your latest post and apply for an opportunity such as aas a sponsored post. I have to say this group is not as busy as some of the others in terms of PR requests and does tend to be more of a post share group. We all need a place to promote our links however and this is a good place to start.
Join here

Fundamentals of Blogging
If you're looking for a bit of help and advice on your blogging journey then Fundamentals of Blogging is the group for you. The group is full of  bloggers who are happy to help or point you in the right direction when you're not sure on what direction to take next.
Join here

The Blogging Squad
If you're new to blogging you may want to grow your social media pages. The Blogging Squad is a fantastic place to do that as they regularly post threads where you can post your Twitter, Facebook, Youtube or even blog subscription page. Those taking part in the thread will follow you or subscribe to your blog helping you to grow your following. You do actually have to reciprocate however and follow, comment or join the other participants pages. If you don't you will not be able to join in the thread again. They also have blogging advice.
Join here

Blogger Opportunities
If you're looking for more blog opportunities then this group is a great place to try. It's got just as many opportunities as UK Blogger Opportunities although you may see dupes. The requests are varied with everything from travel to vaping.
Join here

Blogger Collab Giveaways UK
Competitions are a fabulous ways of gaining traction and getting traffic to your blog. When running a competition you want to give away something that you know people will love - and that can get expensive. If you want to host a competition on your blog but you can't really afford it Blogger Collab Giveaways UK may be perfect for you. The group admin will post a Google form asking for anyone who is interested in taking part in a group giveaway. Everyone puts in £10 and then a big prize is chosen that everyone can put on their blog. The entrant will have to follow most of the blogs involved in order to get the best chance of winning the competition. There's normally only one prize so a lot less admin then a typical competition as well.
Join here

Grow Your Blog
If you're looking for another group to share or promote your social media you may want to try Grow Your Blog. They have daily threads where you can post links to your Pinterest, Facebook or blog to get more follows. To take part you will have to follow/comment on all the other uses commenting on the thread.
Join here 

In order to join most of the groups listed above you will have to request membership as the groups are often closed to outsiders. They might ask you for a link to your blog but generally you're accepted pretty quickly. Have fun blogging!

Celebrate National Selfie Day with the Cotton Bag Company

Who would have thought ten years ago that selfies would be such a part of our culture that we've established a day dedicated to taking them!? Get practising your best smile or duck face for Selfie Day which is being held on Wednesday 21st June 2017.

The Cotton Bag Company want to help you celebrate this with the release of their new selfie bag. The bags which come in two designs - colour print on plain canvas and gold print on black canvas - has been custom designed so you've got all you need to create the perfect picture.

The canvas bag is a little larger than a traditional shopping bag and looks like a great addition for the beach. It has a unique large pocket inside that is big enough to hold your smartphone and a selfie stick (folded up of course). There is also a fold out reflector sheet which helps to give your selfies a professional glow.

I like how roomy the bag is and the extra large pocket for my phone and selfie stick. The only real concern I have with the bag is that it's not very secure. There are no zips to keep your stuff inside, and the large camera pocket is completely loose so if you bag slipped or tipped up you'd lose everything. A good idea but I'm not sure I would trust it in it's current format. Perhaps for next years selfie day Cotton Bag Company will release a selfie bag which gives a little more peace of mind.

Grab it for £9.99 here

Win a £25 Amazon voucher

In celeberation of the fact that it's now summer (no more dark mornings or low light for a few months, yay!) I'm giving you the chance to win a £25 Amazon voucher.

It's very simple to enter, simply follow the Rafflecopter instructions below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and conditions
To enter simply follow the Rafflecopter instructions. There are two mandatory requirements - to follow me on Youtube and subscribe to my newsletter. There are other ways to enter the competition, these aren't mandatory but will get your extra entries into the competition. The competition will run from the 19th June to the 19th July 2017 and will start and finish at midnight. Please note I will check if you have subscribed and if you haven't you will be disqualified. Good luck!  

What I would do if I won the lottery

Like many I often dream of what I would do if I won the lottery. The first thing I would buy is a beautiful house, with four bedrooms, large drive and garden and perhaps a indoor swimming pool. Next I would buy a brand new car - probably a Audi TT - posh but not too over the top. Of course I'd be booking a holiday - I've always wanted to go to Disneyland Florida, Las Vegas, Hawaii and Aruba (to visit the Pink Flamingo beach of course!) With my lottery winnings I won't have to worry about saving I could book, pay up straight away and fly off into paradise.

If you want to win the lottery obviously you've got to be in it to win it. In the UK there are a few lotteries available; the National Lottery has numerous draws including Euro Millions and the National Lottery whilst the Health Lottery offers prizes of up to £100,000. There are also other lotteries available with smaller prizes including the  Postcode Lottery or charity raffles.

Countries all over the world run lotteries however they're often restricted to the residents of that country. For example you can only enter the US Powerball or US Mega Millions if you live in America. So what would you say if I told you that you could enter lotteries for countries you don't even live in? I bet you'd be surprised right? Lottoland gives you the chance to win millions by betting on the outcomes of lotteries in countries all over the world - all from the comfort of your sofa.

As I'm such a fan of winning and entering prize draws I've collaborated wiht Lottoland. As part of the collaboration I got a credit of £25 to try out the site. It was exciting to be able to try a lottery I wouldn't be able to normally so my first pick was two entries into the US Powerball. I haven't bought any Euromillions tickets for a while due to the price increase so I bought several tickets for the draw in addition to 5 picks on Keno. Wouldn't it be amazing if I won!

If you don't want to wait around for the numbers to be drawn Lottoland also offer Instant win scratchcards and slot machines to try your luck on.

Head on over to Lottoland to start winning.

This post was a collaboration with Lottoland. All opinions are my own.

Massive Bournemouth haul

The other week me and my mum headed down to Bournemouth for a couple of days. I was kind of expecting it to be a bit like Margate with lots of arcades, doughnut stalls and chippy stands - but it really wasn't. Bournemouth is actually quite a posh seaside and we only found one arcade - more's the pity.

On the upside the shopping was fabulous and Bournemouth's Primark is epic!

We visited Poole as well intending to find a beach but when we only found a yachting marina we headed to the town. Poole has a lot of charity shops so my mum was in her element, I did find a few gems for my haul too.

My Bournemouth haul is a bit of a mixed bag with lots of sweets, chocolate, makeup and clothing thrown in. Have a watch and enjoy!

        

Have you been away recently - if so where to? Let me know in the comments!

Get back to nature with Essie's Wild Nudes collection

What the brand says
It's time to reacquaint yourself with nature with the release of Essie's latest collection - Wild Nudes. The new collection is inspired by nature and is a modern take on neutral shades.

The new collection has taken traditional nude shades and redefined them to make them stand out more. Included in Wild Nudes are:

• Bare with me - a apricot tone with a grey cast
• Exposed - A mossy green with a slight white overcast
• Clothing optional - A sienna brown that's a little lighter than traditional sienna
• Winning Streak - a dark purple with a greyish tone

The Lowdown
Typically I go for glossy pinks or gold nail polish shades so the Wild Nudes collection gives me the opportunity to try something new.

The formula of the nail varnishes was pretty thick so I only really needed one layer for full coverage of my nails. They had a gorgeous glossy gel like finish which was so shiny I could see my reflection in it. Exposed, Bare With Me and Clothing Optional all had really wide brushes which made applying the varnish really easy, however Winning Streak had a really thin brush which I thought was odd, especially as it came from the same collection.

The polishes dried pretty quickly so I didn't have to spend ages trying to get it to dry. In terms of longevity I was pretty impressed, they lasted a good few days before chips started to appear. The colours in the collection are  quite understated so can easily be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion. Whilst these are shades  I wouldn't normally choose I adore the amazing salon like finish that cost little more than a  fiver.

I give the range 4/5

Grab the shades Exposed, Bare With Me and Clothing Optional for £7.99 at Superdrug

Advantages

• Gorgeous salon like gel finish
• Dries quickly
• New take on the nude look
• The polishes last quite a few days before chipping

Disadvantages

• The colours in the range are quite selective and may not be your cup of tea

Top tips on how to dress better

Does dressing well mean that you have to stand out among others to catch their attention? If the answer is yes then it's time to correct your approach because by trying to stand out you may commit some major fashion faux pauxs.

Yes you may get a bit of attention but often it's negative and you don’t want that for sure! If you really want to make an impression start by improving your dressing sense. Women are often bombarded with fashion suggestions from different shows, magazines and advertisements which can make it very difficult to decide what to wear. This article will help you to dress in a way that not only looks stylish but will make others think so too.

Dress to showcase your natural features
Establish your own personal style by choosing clothes that best compliment your features. Get to know your body type and then dress to accentuate the most favorite part of your body. For example if you like your legs but you want to draw attention away from your stomach you can dress up by wearing a flowing top with shorts or tight pants. Learn to express yourself through your clothing to appear classy and stylish without looking like you're trying too hard. 

Screen your closet for unnecessary items
Screen your closet for the unnecessary items and get rid of those outfits that are outdated and you don’t wear anymore. Keeping such outfits may prevent you from trying new looks and lose out on the chance to keep up with the latest trends.

Wisely choose the colour of your clothing
The color of your outfit is very important as choosing the right one can compliment your skin tone and personality. Don’t choose a very bright outfit just to attract attention. If you do want to wear a bright colour combine it with a subtle one to create a more balanced look.

Do not over accessorise
As Coco Chanel rightly said "Get yourself fully dressed and then, before walking out of the front door, pause by the mirror and remove one item." Always keep in mind that simplicity is the key to look stylish without looking too try-hard. Wearing too many accessories will not make you look good instead you may look overdressed and a bit daft. A pearl necklace, a ring or a cute belt is all you need to pull your outfit together in an exceptional way.

So instead of trying to stand out your aim should be to dress up in a way which will make you look and feel great. Choose clothes that define and complement your personality making you look like the best version of yourself!

Guest post by Claire Austin

Lottie London The Rose Golds eyeshadow palette review

What the brand says
Lottie London The Rose Golds is the perfect palette for taking your look from day to night. It has been designed with super smooth shades to create everything from a natural daytime look to a glamorous smokey eye.

The Lowdown
Lottie London is a fairly new brand to me and after trying their rainbow highlighter I was keen to try more from the brand.

The Rose Gold palette has 12 shades, 9 have a shimmery finish whilst 3 are matte. Despite being named Rose Gold, there's probably only half of the palette that fits in with this theme, the rest of the shades in the palette are a lot more nude.

When swatched I found that most of the shades had quite a lot of pigment in (the pictures don't do them justice). The first 6 shades have a gorgeous delicate shimmer and I especially love shades 3 and 4. The matte shades are incredibly soft but ever so crumbly and after only a few uses I've already lost a fair amount of product. If I pressed hard on the shimmery shades I found they crumbled quite easily too. Number 7 is very dark and almost looks black; but it's actually a dark violet shade with glitter running through it. The unique colouring seems to get lost in translation though which is a shame.

Using the palette I used two sets of colours to create Pink Petal and Divided Intentions. If you want to recreate these looks here's what you need to do:

Pink Petal
Pink Petal is a really subtle look with a gorgeous shimmery finish.

1.  I applied the light dusty pink (1) to the inner 1/3 of my eye
2. To add a bit more definition and contrast to the look I blended in the dark pink (3) to the outer 2/3 of my eye and swept it up into the crease

Divided Intentions
Divided Intentions is a lot darker then Pink Petal and I used a mixture of gold and brown shades to create the look.

1. The dark gold shade (4) is perfect for adding a bit of brightness to the look. I applied this on inner 1/3 of my eye
2. Next I blended in the dark brown (11) to the outer 2/3 of my eye
3. To add a little more drama I applied the violet shade (7) to the outer corner

I founded that the shimmery shades blended easily and the colour selections that I used went well together. The eyeshadows were really long lasting and didn't crease or cake all around my eyes. By the evening the look hadn't really faded much.

Overall a lovely palette with a good range of shimmery and matte shades. The shades have a decent amount of pigment in and they're not too light or too intense. Some of the shades are quite crumbly so the palette might not last that long if you're not careful. The palette is perfect for a casual summer's day, wearing out with friends or to the shops.

I give it 4/5

Grab it for £9.95 at Superdrug

Advantages

• The shades are fairly pigmented but not so intense you have to tone it down
• The shades last pretty much all day without fading
• No fall out and the shades stay put

Disadvantages

• Some of the shades are pretty crumbly which may  result in you using more product then you intended 

Reverse the signs of ageing with the NEWA anti-ageing device

What the brand says
With so many people wanting to reverse the signs of ageing, the anti-ageing market is huge. Unlike your usual lotions and potions, NEWA is a brand new device that uses the power of 3Deep Technology to help stimulate the skin, penetrating it with controlled energy that helps to stimulate the production of new, healthier collagen.

3Deep Technology has been used by dermatologists and clinics around the world and has been proven effective in reducing fines lines and wrinkles. Over time it will help to slow down and counteract the ageing process, with clinical tests confirming wrinkles can be reduced by an average of 36%.

The Lowdown
So as you  know if you've been following me over the years I've tried so many different anti-ageing creams, and even devices. I've had varying levels of success but nothing that I would say is revolutionary in any way.

The NEWA is quite a new concept to me and takes me out of my comfort zone a little bit. Unlike a cream which you can just apply in the bathroom, the NEWA uses electricity to conduct energy which helps to stimulate the renewal of collagen. After I cleansed my skin I plug the device in my bedroom and rub the device over my problem areas.

The NEWA has two heat settings, and gradually warms up to deliver the energy to my skin. To use I applied the Lift Activator Gel directly onto the electrodes and then circled my problem areas for 4 minutes. Whilst they advise you use the device on setting 2 I wouldn't really recommend it. The electrons get very hot, even on setting 1 and went as far as to burn my skin when circling on my delicate eye area.

The NEWA device is quite interactive and they encourage you to record your progress on the NEW Mobile app (available on the Google and Apple store).

I like the concept of the NEWA and I'm keen to see if it works. I do feel that it's a bit of a pain having to go out of the bathroom to use the device though and it can be a bit uncomfortable to use on certain areas as it gets so hot. I'm going to use it for the next 6 weeks and then show you how it performed. Keep tuning in for the results!

It's currently £279.99 (RRP £349.00) at  Current Body.