Tuesday 29 November 2011

Collection 2000 Cream Puff

Hey Everyone, 

Sorry that I have been a bit slack on the posts of late. I have had a few things going on both socially and personally. I don't know if I have ever mentioned but I am currently awaiting jaw surgery and this week I finally got my date for February next year, which is only 12 weeks away and I am very nervous to say the least. I'm more than happy to discuss with you guys about the reasons why and when and how etc however to try to keep it personal I would rather you directed these questions to me via email at beckysmakeupandbeautyblogs@hotmail.com to prevent going to far off the topic and that is these luscious lip creams...

OK so I first heard about these via a YouTube beauty guru and I was pleased to see that they had them in my local Supermarket. These were £2.99 each however they had a deal on which was 2 for £5.00 so I picked up Cotton Candy and Fairy Cake.


Left - Cotton Candy, Right - Fairy Cake 
Images courtesy of  www.collection2000.co.uk, click here to buy!



Fairy cake is a very coral colour with a subtle hint of orange whereas Cotton Candy is a really lush pink colour without looking too 'bubblegum' pink. You could get away with wearing either colours day/night.

Lets start with what I loved about them. Now they are not a lipgloss and they are not a lipstick. Collection 2000 describe them as a lip cream. They have the texture and matte of a lipstick however do not have the stickiness of a gloss. I loved the texture and the easy application using the soft dome applicator. They are highly pigmented and gave a gorgeous full colour and there was no transfer either. My boyfriend made me kiss the back of his hand before kissing me to check and there was absolutely no product transfer so big thumbs up on that part.

Now what I didn't like...  Collection 2000 claim these to be a moisturising lip cream yet I actually found them very drying. When I applied the cream there is absolutely no room for movement to rub your lips together and I found myself licking my lips more so than usual just to get some moisture. They lasted fairly well yet I found that as they wore off they wore off uncomfortably somewhat drying my lips out as the colour faded. 

I think that these would be perfect if you were just wearing them out for a few hours however for wearing all day, in my personal opinion they are a no no unless you use a balm underneath.

However I do think that at such a good price they are worth the money but I don't know whether I would personally re-purchase them in the near future. 

Have you tried these Cream Puffs and I would be interested to know if you had any recommendations for moisturising lipsticks, glosses etc that do really work...

Friday 25 November 2011

Winner of Vaseline Creme Brûlée Lip Therapy

Hi Girls, 

It's time to announce the winner of my 'small' giveaway. Thank you to all those that entered, subscribed and re-tweeted it really means a lot. So the winner was selected via random.org and without further ado... 

WINNER 

ZOE @ http://zozeze.blogspot.com/


CONGRATULATIONS!


Zoe, I have sent you an email. If you can send me your postal details via email and I will ensure your prize is sent as soon as possible!

Monday 21 November 2011

Another Month...another Glossy Box - November

I know what you are thinking, not another Glossybox review however being my second box I thought I would give my thoughts. Following my review on my last box which you can read by clicking here, I had high hopes for this box. But, I can't help thinking that perhaps this idea isn't for me, or that Glossybox isn't the brand for me. I thought maybe last months was a one off but I can't help but feeling let down again although I am determined to stick it out until the Christmas box... 


What's included...
Arbonne Ultra Hydrating Hand Creme (Full Size £19)
I am not entirely sure who in their right mind would spend the best part of £20 on a hand cream and personally I am not a big user of hand cream, however this may be an incentive to start...


Dead Sea Spa Majik (Full Size £8.80)
Again I have seen this brand around and personally I do not see this as 'high end' considering it can be purchased in my local drugstore. 


Illamasqua Freak Eau De Parfum (Full Size £59)
This scent is actually really nice and liked the fact it is a spray bottle however I think that to class this as one of 5 high end products is a bit of a get out, I along with a few others am not keen on seeing perfume samples. 


Nail Rock Designer Nails
I actually saw these in Topshop the other day and since trying the charity Children in Need ones (click here) I have been tempted to get some more. These retail at £6.65 but again I don't think these are high end. And that was the whole point of GlossyBox... 


Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (Full Size £52.10)
Now, this I am quite excited about, I love trying hair products and anything that promises to improve the condition of my hair gets a thumbs up but in reality I would never pay this kind of money for it. 

Again, I am not overly excited about this box. I would like to see them branch more into makeup samples however I will try all these products none the less. 
Without sounding like a complete, stuck up ungrateful brat...I personally think after the Christmas box I will move onto another beauty box as they seem to give far more variety for your money. 


What were your thoughts on GlossyBox this month?

Friday 18 November 2011

Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer

Good Morning, 

Another day another post. Today is on the Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer. I had heard great things about this brand especially that it is excellent for nail marbling (which I am a fan of) you can see my NOTD post for marbling by clicking here.

I actually first saw the Sally Hansen brand in Boots but at £7.99 a bottle I thought it was a bit steep, so can you imagine my excitement to find these little gems in my local £ shop! Yes, only £1 each so I picked up 4 of them in the colours they had available.

Each of them are 13.3ml so you get a good amount of product, I also love the long gripped handle which makes application so much easier.

L- R Pardon my French, Cocktail Party, Berry Sweet, Orange You Cute?

L- R Pardon my French, Cocktail Party, Berry Sweet, Orange You Cute?


1. Pardon My French
2. Cocktail Party
3. Berry Sweet
4. Orange You Cute?

My favourite has to be Berry Sweet which has a really girly, sophisticated feel about it. What I loved about the polishes was how smooth they went on and I would most definitely have paid more for them now I have tried and tested the quality of these. 

Pardon My French which is more of a french tip colour needed a couple of coats to get an opaque finish however with the darker colours only one coat is required for the opaque look, and 2 coats gives it that real shine factor!

Drying time was a little longer than most of my nail polishes yet not dramatically longer. As long as you do not coat it on too thickly then you should be good to go in a few minutes.

I am actually going to test these out soon for nail marbling, let me know if you would like a tutorial post on this?

Thursday 17 November 2011

Giveaway...Limited Edition Creme Brûlée Vaseline CLOSED

CLOSED




Hi Girls, 

I have a small treat for you, a small one mind you. I recently heard that Vaseline had released a Limited Edition Creme Brûlée Lip Therapy. Apparently this was exclusive to Selfridges, London which has now sold out!

For one lucky subscriber I have one pot of this limited edition beauty to giveaway!

Image courtesy of selfridges.com

Rules for the giveaway...
Max of 2 entries per person (see below) and the following is mandatory...

1. You must be a follower via GFC, please leave your GFC name in the comments below

2. Comment below with 'enter me' and your email address (+ 1 entry)


For extra entry...

3. Follow me on twitter and tweet 'I've entered @beckysMABBlogs 's GIVEAWAY ft Vaseline Limited Edition Creme Brûlée Lip Therapy! Enter at http://beckysmakeup.blogspot.com' (+ 1 entry)

The giveaway is open for 1 week only and will close at midnight Thursday 24th November and a winner will be selected via random.org
Open Internationally!


It has been brought to my attention that some people do not have twitter accounts, therefore in order to allow those without  twitter accounts to enter I shall be changing this so that those that do tweet will get 2 entries and those without twitter will get one. Hopefully this is the fairest way to do this. So if you have entered and tweeted you will be entered into the draw twice and therefore have twice the chance of winning.


Good Luck x 


Wednesday 16 November 2011

Mint Julips Peppermint and Chocolate Lip Scrub

Crimbo is coming and with that means winter which means sore, dry chapped lips (if you are me that is). To keep my lips super smooth I have been using the Lush, Mint Julip Lips Scrub £4.95 - click here to buy. 



I guess I kind of got sucked into buying this product. I was just innocently paying for my items in Lush some time ago and glanced to my left. On the counter they had these cute little tubs and I casually asked what they were, before I knew it I'm trying it, and oh my gosh it tastes gorgeous, I was sold there and then and purchased it!

Basically it is sugar, flavoured with peppermint and chocolate. You rub this all over your lips and then rinse for super smooth smackers. However, if you don't want to fork out the £4.95 for this product then you could make your own with ordinary castor sugar and some olive oil and I am positive this would have exactly the same effect. I do though think this would make a lovely stocking filler.



The lush lip scrub is also available in 'Sweet' and Bubblegum' flavour. Check out the bubblegum one though girls as it is a gorgeous hot pink colour!

The Body Shop Rainforest Radiance Shampoo/Conditioner

Hey Everyone, 






Today I am back with a review on The Body Shops Rainforest Radiance Shampoo and Conditioner. I had never tried any of The Body Shops hair care range although I am a fan of their skincare and body lotions. I am unfortunate to suffer from a dry/itchy scalp which means that I am always on the hunt for a product that 'cures' this. I have tried medicated shampoos, and also shampoos designed for this condition yet nothing seems to have any long term effects, which is a pain. 




I was drawn to this range as it is contains NO silicones, sulphates, colourants or parabens which means it is designed to be gentle on the hair and scalp. I was a little worried as I had read somewhere that some shampoos without these products lack the lather you get with those that contain them. I should not have worried though as the shampoo produced a generous lather using the smallest amount of product.

The product contains pracaxi oil, bilberry extract and indeed oil designed to condition and nourish the hair. As my hair is recently coloured I opted for the range designed for coloured hair and this retails at £4 per bottle which is a little more expensive than a drugstore brand however nowhere near as expensive as a salon brand yet you get 250ml which is a fair amount. I've been using this for about 2 weeks now everyday and have not even used a quarter of the bottle which is good going for me :)

The conditioner is pretty much the same on the ingredients front although the bottle was a little hard to dispense but I am adamant that I just got a dodgy bottle. 

Now onto the amazing part...these products not only left my hair so soft and nourished and smelling gorgeous (the smell is A-mazing, very fresh and fruity) but it cleared up my scalp more than any medicated product has ever done so. I can only assume that before when using other brands that contained the above ingredients it was these that were irritating my scalp. Im so impressed with these that I certainly won't be returning to my previous shampoos and conditioners any time soon and will definitely be stocking up on these. 


What are your favourite Body Shop products lately?


Tuesday 15 November 2011

HAUL

Hi Girls,

I went shopping this weekend with my lovely boyfriend. The main purpose of the shop was to find a dress for my other half's sisters engagement party...but seeing as I didn't find the perfect dress I thought I would share with you some of the other items I picked up.

Due to it getting dark so early in England lately it was near impossible for me to take near decent photograph's so I have opted for the store photographs so that you don't miss out. I apologise for this in advance as I do like to take all my own photos for my blog generally.

Enjoy...

If you have read a previous post, I purchased some lovely brown ankle boots from Forever 21, I wished I had got them in black too so I have been hunting for similar since...these were a little more expensive however for a hard wearing leather boot I think they were pretty reasonable.


River Island Boots £40.00, click here to buy

I originally saw this dress via Sarah at Beauty Geek, you can view her blog by clicking here. I though this would be a great day dress yet could also be glammed up for the evening with some accessories. This was from New Look and is limited edition by Parisian and at the time of purchase they had a 25% off.

New Look Dress in Oatmeal, click here to buy

For a while I have been looking for some casual slouchy tops that can also be dressed up. I was watching Vivianna of Vivianna does makeup, you can view her blog by clicking here. She mentioned about these fab tops from Topshop. All I can say is that it was love at first sight and I purchased two of them in different colours. They are great quality material and sense these will last a long time, the price wasn't bad either at £16 each.

Colours T-B, Grey Marl & Oxblood, click here to buy


I then made a quick stop at Lush, I have only recently got into the whole Lush phase, whilst I adore receiving these products for Christmas and Birthdays I have never really tried the entire range. I had heard great things in the blogging community about the Grease Lightning spot treatment so I picked this up along with a Herbalism facial wash. I have yet to try their facial washes and this certainly looks interesting to say the least so I shall keep you posted on this one :)



L-R Herbalism Facial Wash £5.95/100g, Grease Lightning £5.65/45g - click here to buy 

Small disclaimer -  all products mentioned were purchased by me for the benefit of my loyal readers and subscribers. All photos were taken from the official websites of Topshop, New Look, Lush and River Island with the appropriate links attached. 

Monday 14 November 2011

What a lovely surprise :)

Wow, I came home today to a lovely surprise, the lovely Faye at LoveFayexoxo had presented me with not one, but TWO blog awards. If you have not seen Fayes blog then please check it out, which you can do so by clicking here.




Thank you so much Faye for choosing me out of some really wonderful blogs to receive the awards. 

In order to keep this going I am going to select, in no particular order 5 of my current favourite blogs. This is truly hard for me to do as there are so many gorgeous blogs which I love to read so please don't be disheartened if you are not selected this time. 


Vivianna just won the Cosmo Blog Awards for best beauty blog and I think its clear from her blog why. I love her down to earth nature and the fact despite her popularity she still finds the time to respond to her subscribers.

Not only is Ysis beautiful she really cares about her readers. When we mentioned on Twitter we knew little about StumbleUpon she went and wrote a post there and then, now thats being dedicated to your subscribers.

I only just discovered this blog and am already loving the style of Vykki's blog so please check it out. 

Sarah recently started the Spotlight blogger posts and took the time to contact myself and other bloggers to participate it was a great way for other blogs to get noticed and a chance for Sarah and her readers to discover new blogs. I seriously suggest you check her blog. 

I adore this blog and you can tell Ellis really cares for her readers. As well as looking after her gorgeous baby daughter she also finds the time to post for her subscribers. 


If I have awarded you then please continue this on by choosing 5 of your current favourite blogs and letting them know. 

Sunday 13 November 2011

Johnson Face Care Eye Make Up Remover Pads

When it comes to removing my eye make-up I like the most effective and simplest method available thats why remover pads are ideal for me. Not only are they quick and convenient, generally they are fairly cheap so are a winner all round. 

Previously I had been using the Simple pads, although I did not hate them. I did not rate them either. Purely because of the packaging which was a resealable packet similar to face wipes but they dried out so quickly I ended up throwing half the packet away so when I came across the Johnson 'gentle eye makeup remover pads' it was their packaging that convinced me to buy them.




These come in a plastic screw top container and can be purchased at around £3 from Boots, Superdrug or large supermarkets and drugstores. 

The pads are fairly large which I liked, and are not drenched in product, which having sensitive eyes, to me this is a good thing as some remover pads I have found that the first few to be very 'wet'. What I liked most about them other than their size was the fact that these actually do work. They are super soft and leave your eyes feeling really 'cleansed'. They even removed my stubborn 'BadGal' waterproof mascara and thats saying something :).

Pads approximately 60mm diameter 


I will definitely be investing in more of these the only negative thing I can think of is the fact that as the packaging is so bulky they would not be the most convenient to travel with but other than that these get a big thumbs up :) 


What are your favourite eye make-up removers? Do you prefer the pads or liquids?

Boots Photo Flawless Makeup Primer

sorry for the lack of blog posts this week, I feel I have been slacking a bit however I hope to make it up this week as I have a WHOLE week off work :)!

Yesterday my boyfriend introduced me to the world of football by taking me to my first ever game at the new Wembley stadium to see England v. Spain and I am pleased to say we (England) that is won! Although football isn't really my 'thing' I did actually enjoy it and even got in with the spirit of it by enjoying a pint before the game...those that know me will know I am a strictly white wine girl and would not be seen dead with a pint but apparently its 'the done' thing at a football game! :)

Now onto my review. I have been using this primer for about a week and half and I know that lots of girls have already reviewed it and I am probably a little backwards when it comes to discovering this product. I have tried so many primers it is unimaginable and I always find they are either hard to blend or are really thick in consistency so I was pleased to discover this was neither. At £4.99 I didn't expect great things to happen, but they did and this is definitely going to be a staple in my make-up bag for a long time. 

It comes in a tube and on initial appearance it looks classy, I would even go as far to say it looks expensive. The product itself I would describe as a balm, and if you have ever tried Benefits Pore Perfector then this is a very good likeness to it in consistency and application which I loved! 

This glided on perfectly and whereas usually foundation brings out the dry areas of my skin and can leave it looking a little 'flaky' this actually prevented it. 

Im not usually one to 'stock' up on products, but this being such a bargain I think I will be returning for more in fear that they discontinue this product...

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Rimmel London Matte Pro Mattifying Top Coat

I first heard about this product a while ago via the beauty community and was desperate to try it. Being the owner of almost 100 different nail varnishes, this promised to change the look of each glossy one by mattifying it.


I decided to try it with a darker colour as I felt this would give the most dramatic effect so I opted for 1 coat of Barry M's 'Navy' followed by 1 coat of Rimmel London Matte Pro Mattifying Top Coat. 

The top coat dried incredibly quick and changed the nail varnishes look amazingly. I really rate the matte look at the moment and this is an excellent way of changing our existing nail varnishes without having to spend a fortune on new ones. 

This is available from Boots for £4.59 and you can buy it from their website here.



Before

After

Have you tried this and what did you think?

Small disclaimer - all items mentioned purchased by me for review purposes and the benefit of my lovely readers and subscribers.

Sunday 6 November 2011

Interview by Sarah from Sugarpuffish

A while ago the lovely Sarah from Sugarpuffish contacted myself and other fellow bloggers to see whether we would be interested in being interviewed for her new series 'Spotlight Blogger'. Now, I love these interviews and feel that they are a great way to get to know other bloggers on a more personal level, so I jumped at the chance. You can read my full interview here .  Also, don't forget to check out Sarahs blog whilst you are there as it really is worth a read.

A big THANK YOU to Sarah for allowing me to be a part of this and taking the time to contact me!

Rimmel London Scandaleyes Mascara 2011

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all have had a lovely weekend and Bonfire Night last night. My lovely boyfriend took me to a local display. We actually discovered this display last year, but it was only by chance as we were driving past and missed a majority of the fireworks so we actually planned to go this year. We went for drinks and dinner beforehand before enjoying candy floss and donuts at the event. Did you do anything this year? I also can't believe it is almost Christmas and I have not even thought about Christmas shopping let alone started which means I really need to get more organised.

This blog is going to be on Rimmel Londons new Scanadaleyes Volume Flash Mascara. This was priced at £4.99 in Boots which I understand is a special introductory offer although is pretty damn reasonable for a mascara. The packaging is quite plain yet is a neon orange. Personally I think the packaging lets it down and seems to be aimed at a younger audience in my opinion and has a slightly cheap feel about it.



The thing that stood out to me was the brush. I love large mascara brushes and am a huge fan of Benefits Bad Gal mascara purely for this reason. I know a lot of people do not like a large brush and if that is you then this mascara is definitely not for you.




I thought being a cheaper mascara it would be quite thick and runny but the brush picks up just the right amount. However saying that, it was quite messy to apply and did need a little clean up afterwards. I also found that it did not dry as fast as some mascaras therefore after applying I still had to continue cleaning up as my lashes moved whilst applying the rest of my makeup which I found quite annoying. Especially as I like to do my eyeshadow first and cleaning up after can ruin it.

Now I have got the negative points out of the way I will go on to state what I did like. Firstly the large brush has a big thumbs up in my opinion and this gave my lashes quite a bit of volume and did not clump at all. Usually I would run a brush through them after applying to remove any clumps yet I found that this was not necessary.


Before
After
Im not sure whether I would personally purchase this again in the future but I would not say it was the worst mascara I had tried nor would I say it was the best. I do however think it is excellent value for money for the price I paid.


Becky x

Friday 4 November 2011

Nails Inc. Save The Nail, Bridge the Ridge Base Coat

Hi Girls, 

After reading about OPI's ridge filler I have been intrigued. Unfortunately I do not have the best of condition nails and I know how bad frequent buffing can be, yet I still love the smooth effect that buffing can achieve. I have ridges in my nails and if you suffer from this too you will understand that it can ruin the most perfectly painted nails so I was really excited to discover this ridge filler by Nails Inc. 



I usually stay away from Nails Inc. not that I have anything against them and they are  great quality I just can't justify the cost for a nail polish personally so I was shocked that this little gem was only £5.95 in Boots so I snapped it up immediately. 


The colour is a nude pink and can be used alone or as a base coat. It is especially recommended for filling in the ridge for outgrown extensions but as I do not wear extensions I shall be using this as a base coat only. 

As you can see my nails are pretty bad to begin with...



And after...



Although there wasn't a dramatic difference, I only used one coat, my nails looked noticeably brighter and a lot smoother than prior to applying this.

Thursday 3 November 2011

L'Oreal 'Cast Yourself'!‏ Competition


A few days ago the lovely people at Handpicked Community got in touch about this amazing opportunity being given by L'Oreal in association with their 'Casting Creme Gloss' hair colour. 

I have actually just purchased 2 boxes of this colour in Chocolate Truffle and am yet to try it however what inspired me to purchase was the fact that it has no ammonia and is semi permanent so it is better for your hair and not to mention the colour looks stunning. 

Now onto the competition. L'Oreal are looking for girls to upload their picture onto the L'Oreal Facebook page which can be accessed here and they will be in with the chance to star in a commercial alongside Cheryl Cole. So whether you're a red head, blonde or brunette its open to you all. All you have to do is upload a photo on the Facebook site. 


The competition is open from 31st October - 27th November so you have plenty of time to submit your entries. Friends and family can then vote between 28th November - 4th December 2011


The most popular entrants will then be shortlisted for a casting day where they will each receive a personal make over by professional makeup artists and hair stylists ready for a live audition in front of a live judging panel. This will be each girls opportunity to shine and tell the judges why you love 'Casting Creme Gloss'.

Also, don't forget to let me know if you have entered in the comments bar below to ensure that I can vote for you :) 

This is a fantastic opportunity so what are you waiting for?

Children in Need 2011 NAIL ROCK WRAPS

Hi Girls,

 Firstly I am sorry I have been a little absent from the blogging scene this week. Don't get me wrong I have still been catching up on all your lovely blogs via my iPhone when I can I just have not had the time to post due to work commitments and I have seriously been missing it. This post is a little charity related and is a charity that is not only one of the most well known in the UK but one that I am very keen to help. 

A few weeks ago I was reading 'A little Obsessed' blog which you can view here, and she mentioned that Nail Rock had teamed up with Children in Need to produce a selection of limited edition nail wraps in aid of the charity. To find out more about what Children in Need is and how you can help, please visit the BBC website which can be accessed here


I love nail art and I had never tried wraps before so the fact that this went to a good cause made me more inclined to test.  They are priced at £6.65 and available from Boots with 25% of the purchase price going to the charity which I think is brilliant. 

You can get these in either black or white, I opted for black however wish I had got the white aswell now so I may pop back and get the white too. They are done as a polka dot design to represent Pudsey Bear. Those aware of Children in Need will know of the Pudsey logo and trademark polka dot bandage. 


These are super cute and so easy to apply. Apparently these require no heat but as I am not familiar to using wraps before I wouldn't of known that some do require heat? These basically just stick onto your nail and you file off the excess! 

My work is doing a charity day tomorrow in aid of Children in Need so these will be perfect for the day!