L'Oreal Pure Clay Purity Mask

After L'Oreal's convincing multi-mask range beamed through my television screen, it was one of those eye widening moments and I instantly HAD to try one! The range consists of three unique clay masks designed to purify, detox or illuminate. You can even use them together, in a 'multi-masking' technique, to target specific areas of your skin such as, the purifying mask on your oily T-Zone along side the glow mask on your cheeks (why we haven't thought of this before?!) After rushing to my local Boots to purchase one (while they're still on promo offer) of course they were sold out... Since then, I've managed to get my hands on the Pure Clay Purity Mask, specially formulated with Eucalyptus, to purify and mattify oily skin.

It has a thick consistency but smells very fresh and clean and is easy to apply. I massaged it into my face before applying a thicker layer and allowed it to dry for 10 minutes. As the product was drying, my skin did feel quite tight but it didn't feel uncomfortable and I didn't experience any heat, tingling or itchiness. Once it was dry, I used a a warm flannel to remove the mask. Admittedly, it's not the easiest of masks to remove but I didn't have to vigorously scrub. Normally, after using a face mask I find my skin tone is slightly red so I was surprised to see that I wasn't left with redness just clean, fresh skin. Plus, my pores felt tighter.

I've used this mask twice in the last 5 days and have noticed my skin does seem less oily and more mattified. I think the affects would last with continual use but I wouldn't be surprised if the oily-ness returned if I stopped using it. I've also found any spots I had have gone and there doesn't seem to be any new ones waiting to surface. I'll definitely be purchasing the detox mask next and really give multi-masking a go!

L'Oreal Infallible Collection

I seem to be slightly obsessed with L'Oreal recently... Maybe it's because overall the brand displays a high-end vibe but for high street prices? Or maybe it's just because it's always on 3 for 2 at Boots. Either way, I've noticed I've some how managed to accumulate enough L'Oreal products to fill a whole shelf and among these treats I hold three popular products from the almighty Infallible range.

Annoyingly, Mother Nature blessed (or cursed) me with oily skin which left to it's own devises, can get a little crazy... So a foundation with strong staying power is essential. I mean there's nothing worse than catching your reflection half way through the day and practically blinding yourself as the light reflects off your shiny face (this seems to happen to me quite often). I'll always be a die hard fan of my beloved Estee Lauder Double Wear but at £30 a bottle it's not always affordable to splash out. Thankfully though, we can rely on our high-street brands to save the day with affordable prices and L'Oreal is renowned for delivering high quality cosmetics that won't break the bank! 

The Infallible 24H Foundation was top on my list to try. A high-coverage foundation that disguises the appearance of fatigue and blemishes as well as staying fresh for 24 hours? Yes please! I must admit, it was difficult to find the perfect shade and it's not the easiest of foundations to blend so would recommend applying this with a beauty blender (sponge) but once applied it does deliver high-coverage with a lovely glow. Disappointingly, it only stays put up until about lunch time and is in no way 'touch proof' as they claim. I have to wear glasses at work and found the foundation transfers onto them, leaving foundation-less patches on the bridge of my nose (even though I primed my skin before hand and set the foundation with powder) Okay so inevitably, when wearing glasses all day there's bound to be slight marks but out of all the foundations I've used this foundation has been the least resilient; it's safe to say I wouldn't even consider wearing this on a night out.

I decided I needed to go down the Infallible 24H Matte Foundation route and applied it in hope of a better result. Positively, it does deliver a long lasting matte finish and is somewhat water/ steam resistant but it didn't give me a natural appearance and it was so very obvious I was wearing a thick foundation. I persevered with it for about a week, experimenting with different application techniques and sandwiching it between a range of primers and powders but broke up with it after reading the ingredients. It contains so many parabens and chemicals that I simply couldn't bring myself to use it anymore.

On a positive note, I do love the Infallible Powder Compact and have re-purchased it twice already. Although it's a pressed powder, it's quite loose so one swish of a brush is plenty. It evenly sets my foundation and delivers a flawless finish without drying or caking which is perfect. I love that it comes with a handy mirror and sponge for on the go touch ups, definitely in my top three for high-street powders! Honestly, I'm disappointed that I didn't fall madly in love with this range, I really wanted to! And although these foundations weren't my cuppa tea, I have read other reviews which have sung their praises so it just goes to show that it completely depends on your personal preference and skin type. 

Neeks ☯

L'Oreal Paris Brow Artist Genius Kit

Aloha! 

I'm just gonna cut to the chase on this one because I'm too excited about this product to begin with an elaborate introduction. So, meet my new brow BFF! L'Oreal Paris Brow Artist Genius Kit This isn't a newly released product in fact, it's been around for a while now but I tend to steer clear of experimenting with my eye brows. I think we've all experienced a brow dilemma, when trying something new, so once we find a product that works for us we naturally stick with it but this has certainly encouraged me to branch out a bit more! As a fair red head, I have naturally blonde eye brows so I get them tinted to a medium brown but finding the perfect shade, in a product, has proven difficult. They're either too dark or too cool and sometimes appear grey (?!) but whilst browsing for new beauty buys, I casually picked up the light-medium shade, and to my surprise it was perfect so this is a definite recommendation for my fair haired beauties!

I love the compact packaging, I mean it's basically a tardis! It's so sleek and dainty yet it includes a good sized, high quality mirror, brow wax, powder, a double ended brush and the cutest pair of tweezers! The quality of this product is what impressed me the most and I honestly believe it's worth every penny. Normally, with an item like this I find when the actual product is good, the brush it comes with is completely useless and so it gets tossed aside along with the many other free brushes; only to be used for face paint or nail art. However, this super soft high-density angled brush works wonders to create defined lines and structured angles. The only fault I have is the handle is too short to use on a daily basis so I have being using my regular angled brush more often than not. Saying that, it won't go to waste as I'll certainly be using it for on the go touch ups and whilst travelling.

When I first used the wax I felt skeptical as it seemed barley noticeable, although it has a very smooth consistency, which made it easy to shape and define my brows in the way I wanted to. However, when I applied the easy-blend powder it was like BAM- instant transformation! I wouldn't say it was essential to brush my brows afterwards (as it is with other brow products) but doing so did add a certain sleek-ness.  Admittedly, it does take longer to apply than a pencil or brow mascara but for the finish I think it's worth it. What's more, it stays in place for 12+ hours and is somewhat smudge proof so you can rely on this to cater for all your brow care needs. I personally wouldn't recommend this to someone who's a beginner in brow defining or looking for a quick fix but for those of you who's brows are precious I'd highly recommend.

Neeks ☯ 

A/W 2014 Evening Make-Up

Aloha!

It's been a while since I've blogged about a make-up look but lately I've opted for an extra half an hour sleep in the morning! Plus the shorter days don't help as unfortunately it's usually too dark photograph. However, all is not lost! Because I've had a nice quiet Saturday so far and took the time to apply one of my favorite evening looks for A/W this year. I've also committed to ditching the fake tan and embracing my pale complexion along with enhancing the red tones in my hair to give me a bit of warmth for the cold seasons. I particularly like this look as it's easy to wear, warm and a recurring trend but conclusively the eye make-up makes it more than easy to switch up the lip stick (or gloss). 

Now I'm not diving in with too much detail about my base as that's enough info to have it's own post! So instead I'll do an updated foundation routine separately. First off I always, and I mean ALWAYS, fill in my brows first. I know a lot of people like to do this after they apply their eye shadow etc, still it really is down to personal preference. I truly feel it's easier to fill in my brows first, partly because without make-up my eye brows are virtually invisible but from an application perspective it gives me a nice frame to work with. Lately I've opted to shade my brows in with Buck from the original Urban Decay Naked palette, as my hair is slightly darker now, plus I haven't got round to buying a new pencil yet; the only downfall with using powder and an angled brush is that it does take twice as long as the pencil method! (For me anyway) Once I've shaded my brows I then brush them with L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper in light/ medium. This just gives a more defined and fuller appearance; and I must say, after using this, I will never go back to using Maybelline Browdrama ever again! And if you read my review you'd know that I wasn't too impressed to begin with.   

Before applying my eye shadow, we all know of that one crucial step that must be taken first, and of course that's to pat my eye lids with the religiously worn Urban Decay Primer Potion. I mean all I can really say is I've yet to find a primer that can beat this one, I'll apply my eye make-up at 6am and it will still be there, crease free, at 10pm without fail. I then used a flat brush to pat Nooner from Urban Decay Naked 3 palette onto the inner 2/3 of my lids. Subsequently using a fluffy brush to blend Hustle (Original naked palette) into the crease. I find these two shades compliment each other really well as they both have mauve undertones. Before highlighting, I applied Blackheart  (Naked 3) into the outter corner of my eyes and blended it downward, towards the lower lash line for a slight smokey effect. This subtle step is essential when wearing dark eye shadow for balance. Lastly, I used Strange (Naked 3) to highlight the inner corners and underneath my brow bone. To finalise my eye make-up I thinly lined my upper lash line with Bourjois Intuitive Liner and to be frank I can't actually praise this eye liner enough, all I can say is it's very unique and I will be writing a full review very shortly! Lastly, for impact, I laced my lashes with InStyle's Best Beauty Buy 2014 Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara, a mascara, in which you all know, I've been using since it was first launched 5 years ago and never looked back!

To assemble the final look a little colour is needed to warm up my complexion (otherwise I run the risk of looking ill) and what better way to warm up than by contouring with Bourjois Delice de Poudre, or as most people call it 'Borjois chocolate bronzer', simply because it smells and looks like a bar of chocolate. This combined with a light dust of Bourjois Little Round Pot in 48- Ashes of Roses give a sweet warm glow, without being too OTT. This combo has been my go-to for a couple of months now so will indefinitely be included in my 'Updated Foundation Routine' 

Lastly, to finish off, I applied one of my all time favorite party lipsticks L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick in 290 Plum Passion. Sadly, it seems to have been discontinued but if you'd like to read my review click here. And of course, as I previously mentioned, this make-up look is very versatile so any nude, raspberry or plum lipstick will do the job! 

What's your A/W look?

Neeks x

The Hair Chronicle #1- My Current Hair Care Routine

Aloha! 

So it wasn’t until recently that I realised I hardly ever write about hair, which is surprising considering I do take great pride in caring for my hair and have acquired a fair amount of knowledge over the past 6 years or so- prior to that I wasn’t very ‘hair savvy’ (or make-up savvy for that matter). In essence I have fine, v.long, naturally light ginger hair that lacks volume but never the less is in good condition, despite its length and how fine it is. So I thought I’d share with you my current hair care routine and products that I find work for my hair type.

So without beating around the bush I probably wash my hair 3-4 times a week, depending on what I’m doing but the aim is to see how long I can go without washing it! Sounds gross? Oh no! Over washing can be really drying on our locks and can give a dull appearance. If you find your hair gets greasy really easy then try out some dry shampoo. I use Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo because it absorbs all the oil without drying out my hair, adds volume (brownie points for that one) and is an instant life saver when I’ve over slept and realise I have 20 minutes to get out the door! (Plus it’s super cheap in Savers) There are other brands but this seems to work the best for me as it doesn’t leave a white residue like some of the other brands do and it smells like I’m on holiday.

 When it comes to shampoo I chop and change between a selected few brands I trust, just to avoid product build up, I used to use the John Freida Root Awakening Range but haven’t been able to get hold of it in a while so typically, I now go for Aussie or TRESemme. Aussie is probably my fav brand at the moment, and not just because it smells divine but also because I genuinely feel that it does hydrate my hair and consequently it’s softer and stronger, unlike other brands that are all talk and silicone. So when it comes to washing my hair I actually shampoo my roots twice with Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo. The first wash is to cleanse my hair of any products like dry shampoo or hairspray and the second is to really cleanse my scalp. I like to massage my scalp quite well to stimulate the blood circulation thus promoting hair growth. I don’t directly shampoo the ends of my hair because they don’t need it, plus when I rinse the shampoo runs down and cleans the ends anyway.

Next it’s time to condition, just before hand I gently squeeze any excess water out of my hair so I don’t dilute the conditioner.  Aussie Miracle Moist Conditioner is my chosen product and I’m generous with it, concentrating it on the ends is best as these are the oldest and dryest hairs that need a little more TLC. I try to leave it on as long as possible so there is time for it to be absorbed and yes I do put a tiny amount on the roots, to help with shine, but also to prevent dryness as it grows. I don't see the point in waiting for your hair to grow and become dry before you condition it? I understand that some people find it can make their hair greasy but personally that only happens to me if I use the wrong products. Or maybe the problem isn’t the products you’re using but maybe the over washing, the excess oil production is happening because your scalp is trying to replace all the natural essential oils that you keep rinsing away. Ladies if your hair has the tendency to get greasy fast then next time you have a weekend at home, shove it in a bun and resist the urge to wash! Trust me your hair will thank you for it.

Admittedly, I probably have an unnecessary attachment to my hair, which I know is ridiculous, but hey there could be worst things to be attached to and on the upside it means that I actually love to pamper it with luscious moisturising treatments. 2-3 times a week I either use Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor (nuff said) or Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Repair Treatment. If I am just chilling around the house, in the evening, or if I'm not going anywhere then I will apply these to dry hair and leave it on for as long as I can (sometimes hours or overnight) before I rinse it. The reason I apply it to dry hair is because a hair stylist told me that the hair can absorb it better. I'm not sure if this is a 'fact' or not but I definitely noticed a difference and also it's more convenient because I can go about my daily chores i.e the laundry and don't have to be uncomfortable with wet hair. With my hair type, it’s prone to drying out so using these deep conditioning treatments are an essential part of my hair care routine.

So after I’ve washed my hair I actually keep my hair wrapped up in a towel whilst I do my make-up. That way by the time I'm finished my hair is about 50% dry and the towel also keeps it out of my face. After that I apply Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance from the middle to the ends because it is the only product I have found (and I’ve tried a lot!) that detangles my hair without weighing it down or leaving a residue. I then use a wide-tooth comb to gently de-tangle the ends and work my way up, in doing so, avoiding combing damage. I then part my hair and begin to dry it with a normal hair dryer, on a low-medium heat. I also ensure that when I’m drying the nozzle is pointing downwards, in the direction of my natural hair growth, this helps to smooth the cuticles and leaves a soft and shiny finish. When it's about 80% dry I comb it through again, using a normal brush this time, and add a small amount of LO'real Elvive Extraordinary Oil to my ends. This stuff is quite pricey but it lasts forever as you only need a tiny amount and it really helps with the shine factor. Lastly, I complete my blow dry, shake it out, and add a light spritz of my trusty LO'real Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray (Diamond Hold) just to add a little texture and volume.

Typically on a day to day I don’t ‘style’ my hair. I don’t straighten it as it’s naturally straight. The only time I use heated tools is if I’m going out for drinks or for a special occasion so probably only 1-2 times a week and when I do I use TRESemme Heat Defence Styling Spray (apologies for missing this out in the photo) this lightweight formula protects my hair from heat and doesn't interfere with my other leave-in products. I also haven’t dyed my hair and I think all these factors really help with preventing my hair from damage and dryness. Don’t get me wrong I have friends that have been bleaching their hair for years and considering this it’s still in amazing condition but my hair just can’t handle it so this hair care routine is essential for me; knowing your hair type and knowing your hairs resilience plays an important part in caring for it. Remember what might work for someone else might have a different effect on your so 'get to know' your hair and it will thank you for it.

What's your current hair care routine? 

Neeks x

L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Quad REVIEW

Aloha!

Firstly, I would like to say that I am superrrr sorry for not blogging in ages! I’ve recently started a 2^nd job that leaves me with hardly any time at all *sad face* but I will be blogging whenever I have the chance *happy face*. So today’s entry is a review on the L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Quad in 'E4 Marron Glace'. L’Oreal says on the Boots website that the shadows, in the quad, are ‘perfectly matched’, ‘easy to use’ and it will ‘make your eyes look their biggest, brightest and most attractive’. Pretty bold statements to make so I thought I’d try it. 

£7.99- Boots

I reallyyy like the look of the packaging, the shape of the product is nice, the gold mirror boarder looks classy and the way they’ve puzzled the shadows together looks really good. However, when you feel it it’s quite plastic-y and light, which makes me think that it could easily break in my make-up bag. 

So what do you get? Each quad has a different set of 4, you just need to pick the one that you think will suit you best. They are supposed to be a base, crease, outer corner and highlighter. Looking at them, the mid-brown and dark brown look quite matte and the grey and highlight just look a bit shimmery but let me tell you, the highlight is glittery! In fact, so glittery that I had to take off all my make-up and start again because it had fallen all over my face and into my eyebrows. Trust me, it was definitley not one of those 'just brush it off with a powder brush moments' this was a '-_- where's the face wipes' moment.

  

Although, it looks good when you first buy it, after one use, the shadows lift and fall onto all the shadows around it (big no no) it meant I had to clean it up every time I used it and it's nearly impossible to get it completely clean. The double ended sponge is good as one end is rounded and the other is angled, to so you can be more accurate. I did use it once but still prefer my trusty make-up brushes. 

On the back it has a tiny (really tiny) diagram. They’ve labelled the shadows 1-4 and showed you where you’re supposed to put them. Okay, this is actually a good idea for those who haven’t really experimented with make-up before but if someone applied the highlighter, the way L'Oreal have explained, they would literally end up with a line of glitter. Also, I don't think, L'Oreal have taken into consideration then some people have less eye lid, or a deeper crease to work with, so that could be quite tricky for them. 

I decided to apply it my own way, without their highlight. I applied the grey as a base, the brown in the crease and the darker brown in the outer corner. The colours do actually blend really well and it's build-able so easy to turn from a day look, to night time. 

Overall, I do like how it looks but it definitely isn't the easiest quad I have used , so I wouldn't recommend it to someone who wants something quick and easy. The colours are matched well, so I'll give L'Oreal that, but it didn't make my eyes the  'biggest, brightest and most attractive' I wasn't expecting miracles or anything but I probably won't be re-purchasing this. 

Neeks x