Tuesday 26 August 2014

Confessing my love for Ardell Demi Wispies.


I'll admit, I don't wear false eyelashes often, purely because I only opt for the added touch of glamour on evenings out and I'm more of a, stay at home with a cup of tea watching Netflix kinda girl - please tell me I'm not the only one, I sometimes feel like it! On the rare wild night out though I always use the Ardell Demi Wispies. I love the added fullness and drama it provides along with the different looks you can achieve. I find the Ardell Demi Wispies add just the right amount of length and thickness unlike others I've tried that I felt looked unrealistic. They're £5.49 a set but they also provide you with a tube of adhesive which will last a few applications and I always re-use my lashes! I'll let the photos speak for themselves, I'm just in love with their wispy, feathered goodness.
MY TIPS:
Trim the lashes to fit your eyes, you want to look as though you natural have amazing eyelashes. I always use tweezers to apply lashes, it makes it so much easier to get close to your lash line without poking yourself in the eye. I also always opt for the Duo adhesive in 'clear' which makes sure those suckers wont move all night. I'm not sure if my next tip is recommended but I love to lightly apply mascara to blend in my real and false lashes and then go over the band with eyeliner again to make sure it's invisible!

Saturday 23 August 2014

Rimmel Brow This Way Gel. Dark Brown.

Rimmel Brow This Way Gel in Dark Brown - £3.99

I spotted this product recently on the Boots website and instantly added it to my basket. After the recent releases of the Benefit Gimme Brow and Anastasia Brow Pomades it seems that the trend is bigger, bulletproof eyebrows. For this, Cara Delivigne is definitely to thank as she brought back fuller, more prominent brows. I had high hopes for Rimmels offering and it didn't disappoint, so let me go in to more detail.

The Brow This Way gel comes in Blonde, Medium Brown and Dark Brown, as well as offering a clear version for those that just want to set their hairs in place. Similar to the Benefit Gimme Brow, as you run the brush through your eyebrows it deposits colour which makes things look more defined and fuller. It doesn't add fibres but it has pretty much the same effect. If you wanted a really intense look you could always use this layered over a brow pencil, or brow powder. The applicator is a little bulky, which might be a down side for those who are heavy handed but it does speed up the process. This brow gel is great for days when you want a one step product and at £3.99, it's an amazing bargain. The formula is also on point, it's lightweight and sets the hairs without feeling crispy or uncomfortable. The finish is matte, which is the only way to go for brows, in my opinion, as it gives a far more natural look.
 
If you've been wanting to try Benefits Gimme Brow this is a brilliant alternative, I'd struggle to choose my favourite.

Thursday 21 August 2014

Brakini - Tilly Sunburst Triangl Dupe.

I'm sure everyone's spotted the Triangl bikinis that have recently exploded on to social media outlets. For the past few weeks - months even, I've not been able to scroll down my Twitter or Instagram feed without spotting them and being filled with envy. The bikinis are made from Neoprene, a thick material also used to make wetsuits and come in beautifully bold colours and prints. I had looked in to purchasing a bikini from the company but combined with shipping it was just under £60. For a quality item, this isn't badly priced but, living in the UK - opportunities to wear bikinis are limited so it was more than I wanted to spend. Therefore, you can imagine my happiness when I spotted Claudia from BeautyandtheChic had posted a dupe on Instagram and blogged about where she got it from.
I was instantly online, ordering one for myself. I will admit, having not used the website before - I was a little wary, hence why I ordered the exact same version as Claudia. Now I've used it once and considering how happy I am with my bikini, I'll soon be buying the black fishnet bandeau and pink bottoms (Molly Rosewolf) set. Alike the Triangl bikini sets, mine came in a bag and each item was wrapped separately - they're also made from the same material and are identical to Triangl - from what I've seen on photos. The brand logo is printed on the bag along with a tiny tag on the bikini top, but it's almost unnoticeable. 
 
I purchased the bikini from Ali Express, which I'll link below. You can buy the bikinis separately or as a pair which works out slightly cheaper. They have other styles available so it's worth browsing the site until you've found what you want. I decided to buy the top and bottoms separately as Claudia recommended, as I differ in sizes. On top, I'm definitely lacking in the breast department so I went for an XS - equivalent to a UK size 8, on bottom I went for a M which is a UK 8-10.

Top - link
Bottom - link
Set - link
  
For the top and bottoms, along with shipping was £27 which is over half price, not bad ey? My parcel arrived in 8 working days which I thought was pretty damn good considering it's sent from abroad. I'm so happy with my Brakini, from the fit, to the quality and colour and I'm so excited to order another! If you want to look at Claudias blog post which includes a little more information and a load of lovely photos I'll link it below!
 
Claudias blog post on Brakini - Triangl Dupe.

Tuesday 5 August 2014

Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner and Remover.

Let me start off by quickly apologising or my absence. I've been finding it increasingly difficult to find the time to put together posts and maintain my blog whilst working full time as a chef and now Summer's hit I'm constantly tired. Working in a kitchen is pretty intense, however with the added heat (oh my, it gets pretty sweaty and I'm yet to find a foundation that can stick to my face for a full day) and the increased volume in trade means I'm rushed off my feet and when I do get two days off I'm spending them catching up on sleep and attempting to have some sort of social life. I do miss blogging though and I find it a fun release from reality so just bear with me a little longer and hopefully things will be back on track soon enough!

----------------
*Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner and Remover.

I was sent both of these products a few weeks ago to trial out and I've used them both on and off since. I'm sure you've all heard about both of these products as they had a huge build up before they were released and when they finally hit shelves they were all over blogs and Youtube channels. The Push Up Liner claims to be the first lash-hugging gel eyeliner that's compacted in to pen form, no need for a separate brush and worries that your cream liner will dry out, it offers a matte black finish and it's smudge proof. The They're Real Remover is supposed to be used along with the They're Real Liner and Mascara and offers a quick easy removal for those who struggle to get stubborn eye make up off and it's suitable for those with sensitive eyes.

The Push Up Liner retails for £18.50 and it contains 1.4g of product, in comparison Mac's Fluidline is £15.50 for 3g of product. In the long run if you're a repeat purchaser the Benefit liner will work out more expensive, if you purchased two of the Benefit eyeliners which would in total give you 3g of product, you could in theory purchase Mac's Fluidline - which contains double the product, along with a Mac angled brush and have £5 to spare. Regardless of the long term cost, is the product actually worth the extra money?

As expected with Benefit products, the packaging is on point, it's sleek and adds a luxurious feel to your make up bag. It works as a brush and gel eyeliner in one due to the applicator, it has a slanted rubber nib which has a small slit in which is where the product comes through. You have to twist the base to release the product but be careful to only use small amounts otherwise I find it to come off in one big blob. Application is easily mastered with a few attempts, especially if you're a regular user of eyeliner however it does take a little fiddling around and manipulating to get the product to move and sit where you want it to. The finish is a rich, matte black as promised, it looks very old school vintage which I absolutely love. I found the easiest style to create with this product is the classic winged liner, if you're after a subtle, thin line - I wouldn't bother unless you're incredibly patient. I did find this occasionally transferred on to my lids, which are oily but it's quite bizarre, sometimes it stays put, sometimes it wants to stray - perhaps it's dependant on how much product you put on? I feel like this product has the potential to blow our beauty obsessed minds but the formula's not quite there. To remove, the They're Real Remover (RRP. £14.50) does as promised, it makes easy work of removing both the liner and mascara. It's gentle on your eyes but strips away product with ease and has a nice creamy formula.

I did enjoy using both products, however I wouldn't purchase the They're Real Push Up Liner and if I had spent £18.50 on it, I think I would of been left disappointed. To summarise, I love the packaging, the matte black finish, the rich pigment and it's pretty easy to use. However, it couldn't quite handle my oily lids, you do need to keep replacing the little stopper to ensure the product stays creamy and I just found it more fuss than my usual liquid liner. If you are interested in this product but don't want to splash out the cahs you could always try Maybellines version. I'll be finishing off the They're Real Remover and I'd definitely consider purchasing it when I run out.

Have you tried either products? What are your thoughts?