High protection suncare for the face - MAC and Clinique reviewed

I am the typical English Rose - I have the whitest skin in the world! I have never had a tan in my life. The closest thing to a tan I have had was being the colour of a lobster! I find it's quite a pain to be so white.

I spent a lot of my childhood in Africa (I had parents who loved to travel!) and I did not really have much of a problem. Then I had a shock, two years ago I went on a holiday to Mauritius and after a couple of days I was feeling rotten and got prickly heat and after a trip to the chemist on the island I was told to cover up completely and stay out the sun!!! It was more than a little bit depressing! I now have to take allergy tablets 1 week before I travel abroad. So it is essential that not only I buy a good hat, I buy the appropriate creams and lotions.

My boyfriend lives in Athens and at the airport on the way to visit him last summer I bought a special bumper pack of Clinique Super City Block SPF 40! It is a little embarrassing in the mornings to apply all the different creams and things, I feel like a total prima donna! The only thing I really worry about is my face to be honest, I hate that red cheeked, red nosed 'british holiday look' so I applied the city block quite liberally to my face.

I did keep re-applying the block throughout the day, before and after swimming, but I noticed that my face was still slightly flushed at the end of the day. The lotion is actually quite thick, and it does feel like you have protection. When I returned to England I had a lot of freckles, which is a clear sign of sun damage. I was really upset because I followed the instructions and was very careful and still I got burnt!

I really do not know what to say about this product now. I loved the idea, but I am not really convinced it works in very hot climates (it was 40degrees-ish!). I do wear this whilst in England because I want to keep my skin looking youthful. The Super City Block is £ 12.23 for 40ml. You can wear it alone or underneath your makeup. I have tried both ways. To be honest it does work well with makeup (although it did feel a little more greasey that usual but I think that is to be expected with a product like this). It is also available in SPF 25, and 'New Derma White SPF 40' which apparently prevents dark spots and discolourations.

I found another excellent product and it's by MAC (surprise, surprise!) it's their prep and prime with face protectSPF 50! I found this not only to be an excellent makeup primer, and it gave me the confidence my face was being protected. Unfortunately the MAC UK website does not stock this product anymore, but it is still available in shops, and also in the USA.

The only downside of this product is that it is quite small, and you only get 30ml for about £24 (if I remember correctly!). Well, on the upside, it fits in your handbag very well!!! ;)

I'm sorry mac, I just don't get your shadesticks!

Everyone who knows me, knows that I am a BIG fan of MAC products. I love them. I have once bought a shadestick in sharkskin and also beige-in.

I found the application of the shadesticks quite difficult because they felt very hard and aggressive on my eyelids. I also found them to cake a little and crease.

I was a little upset because this was my first flaw I have ever incountered with MAC. The shade-stick is apparently versitile because it can be used as a base, or as a simple eye-shadow. For me they just don't feel..... right. I far prefer Urban Decay's Primer Potion for a base as it feels far lighter and less sticky. I have heard that to make the shade-stick more useable you have to heat it up by rolling it between your hands. I tried this, and it didn't make too much of a difference. It is far preferable to buy a MAC paintpot!!! I think that we expect the highest standard from MAC, and really, this doesn't quite reach it girls!!

What do you think? Am I right?

A bad boy for this bad girl!

The famous Bad Gal Kohl Pencil!!! Many companies have tried to copy it, but they havn't even touched on the magic of this pencil! Wow. I first was given one for my birthday when I was 20 years old, and I havn't looked back. I was a little bit of a rock chick back then, (shhhhh!) and I loved the sexy smokey eye effect which you can achieve with this bad boy! Sometimes I find it's chunkiness a bit of a turn off because at times you want just a little more precision. With the vibrancy of the jet black kohl, I can live with the chunkiness! I always feel good when wearing this. It's common to feel a little self-concious when wearing kohl pencils because they tend to go everywhere.. but, if you smudge this, your eyes look smoking hot rather than smoking not!

It retails at £12.50 and can be found at many department stores, failing that it can be found at http://www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk (P&P £4.50 ...Ouch!).

I give this product full stars, because it totally deserves it. Well done Bad Gal!

For a Brazilian bootay....

This is one Lush product that has changed my whole view on skincare! Lush Sandstone Soap is a gorgeous smelling, fresh soap, with tones of lemon and lime- a real citrus wakeup call in the morning! What makes this soap different is that it has real sand inside!

The sand is a great exfoliator, and aparently was inspired by Brazilian ladies who mix up suntan lotion and sand to create a do it yourself body-scrub!

The price of this soap starts at £2.54. It uses a palm-oil free soap base which is great news for the forests of the world (and the Orangutans who live in them)! I feel happy that I am not only making a good beauty choice but also an ethical choice for the environment.

Within the first month of using this product, you will notice a real difference. It made the small bumps on my upper arms dissappear, and it helped reduced in-growing hairs after shaving, and I noticed cellulite had reduced (not that I have any! ;) ). The soap is great for women, but I would also buy it for the man in my life also.

I have tried hundreds of exfoliators and I give this one ten out of ten!

NARS blushes - get your hands on them!

The packaging is very subtle, the blusher comes in a flat black compact which includes a little mirror (which is very handy because 9 out of 10 times I forget to take mine with me!). It fits into your handbag/makeup bag easily-less bulky like their competitor MAC which has an almost bubble like container.

They are soft, sheer, pressed powder blushes made with transparent pigments for a soft and sheer look.. The great thing about NARS blushers are that they are very blendable, lightweight, and have amazing colour payoff. A little goes a long way. Also because they are very blendable, even if you are quite heavy-handed it is very difficult to acheive that "over application" horrible "clown look" with these products (let's face it girls, we've made that mistake once or twice havn't we?! Embarrassing!).

I must warn you that some of these blushers have X-Rated names! I have Nars Orgasm (coral with light shimmer) which is my FAVOURITE, Deep Throat (darker pink with gold reflectors), Nico (natural skintone, very light, no shimmer) and Madly (bronze colour with shimmer). Nars Orgasm is a fantastic product and works with virtually any skintone (in my opinion!). It has won "The best of Sephora" (a popular American Cosmetic retailer) for the past 5 years! The blush is a perfect pinky-peach colour with subtle highlights with accents of golden shimmer. Yum! It is a beauty editor/makeup artist's favourite, and it's easy to see why!

They are priced at £18.00 for 0.16oz. They are versitile and can be worn alone or layered together for more depth and intensity! MAC blushers can be hit or miss but Nars blushers always hit the spot! Can be bought from premium cosmetic outlets in UK, or directly from http://www.narscosmetics.co.uk.

I reccommend to buy from places such as Harrods/Selfridges/John Lewis because if you buy from their website postage is £ 6.00 and tax is £ 3.13!!!!!! What a rip off ladies!!

Bargain!

The Eyeko cream was a real surprise find! Whilst wondering around in Superdrug I came across a little section with girly looking lip-glosses, nail varnishes and sparkly face powder by a brand called "Eyeko". I was just about to dismiss this brand as being a "bit too young for me", when I spotted, sitting in the middle of the display a small pink box with a smiling Japanese cartoon Harajuku character on. I was a little intrigued so I picked up the box and read "Wow feel the glow, create a flawless base".

On closer inspection, the Eyeko cream is a 3 in one cream, for use as a moisturiser, eye cream and a highlighter. I tested a little on the back of my hand and the result was almost the same texture and colour payoff as Benefit's Highbeam! I was so excited! This cream only costs £4.99 for a 38ml pot! This cream can be used exactly like "Highbeam"by Benefit (highlighting the cheekbone and brow bone), it also can be used as a foundation base like MAC illuminating face cream. I

am not sure if I would use this product as an eye cream though as I am very choosey about anything which goes near my eyes. On the packaging it says it's infused with "skin perfecting light reflectors and antioxidant vitamins A & E and vitamin C for a radiant complexion". It certainly feels good on my skin and I have had no bad reaction to it. For more information check out their collection at Superdrug or order online (with free delivery at http://www.eyeko.com.

Bright eyed and bushy tailed

I am a big Clinique fan, I think their products are top notch! I am not afraid to slate a product though if I feel it is not upto standard, but I am yet to find a product of theirs that I dislike.

Clinique's all about eye rich is a fantastic product. I had a tester of both the 'all about eyes' cream and the 'all about eyes rich' cream. All about eyes is a very lightweight cream for under the eye, it was a nice product but I did not feel the need to purchase it (in my honest opinion I thought the cream was a little too thin and watery) I then tried all about eyes rich, and I absolutely fell in love with it!

This cream is far richer and thicker than it's predecessor. The second you apply it to the eye area you feel the moisture drink into the skin. I have been using this for two weeks and I can see and feel a difference. I do not have dark circles or many lines under my eyes as I look younger than my age (I am 26 but I still can't get served in a pub!), but I am a graphic designer and I am up for many nights of the week working hard, I feel that it leaves my eyes looking less than their best!

I place a layer of the rich cream under my eye in the delicate area. I have noticed that I was getting very small lines, but now I am using the cream I can't really see them anymore. I had a small discolouration under my eyes (beginning of dark circles I think) and they have reduced. I feel that to get benefit from this product you have to use it in the morning and at night, and continue to use it.

I will use this product for many years to come. I feel more confident that I am giving my skin a helping hand as I am getting older and heading rapidly towards the big 30! My mum has been nagging me for years to start a proper skincare routine "because I will thank her later"! I feel normal moisturisers don't hit the mark for the eye area, and often it is quite dangerous for the eye as it's so sensitive. Always use a specific eye cream that is dermatologically tested for that area.

The skin around our eyes is actually TEN TIMES thinner than the rest of our faces. Therefore I feel it's necessary to have something to help us!

What they say about their product "Moisture-rich formula diminishes the look of undereye circles, shadows, puffs and fine lines--immediately and over time. Helps boost natural collagen production. De-puffs with calming botanicals. Even strengthens skin's moisture barrier against common irritants".

I agree with their statement. If I see results this quickly I can only hope for as good a result in the future.

£ 19.57 for 15ml, available at http://www.boots.com or http://www.clinique.co.uk

I am a Goddess!

Tigi Bed Head Brunette Goddess Shampoo is absolutely heavenly and fit for a Goddess! I normally stick to Charles Worthington products at Boots because I think it's great value and makes your hair thick and well conditioned.

I wanted to try something different though; I was bored of using the same old products - so, time for a change! I was walking around the Highcross in Leicester, and I visted The House Of Fraser Outlet store. They had hundreds of bottles of different Tigi products for a very good price! I bought a big huge salon sized bottle (750ml) for about £10, and the matching conditioner for £16. The reason I chose this product instead of any of the others in the range, was purely because I opened the top off this product, took a smell, and oh my gosh - it was to die for!

The smell was absolutely heavenly! It smelt of chocolate, caramel and coconut, but it wasn't too overpowering as I hate things that are too sweet. I got home and jumped into the shower. The experience was legendary! The smell was amazing, and the lather of this shampoo was immense! I only used a little but the lather was filling the whole shower, it was like in the cartoons! Bubbles everywhere!

After washing the shampoo out of my hair, I felt a noticable change, as if I had already used a conditioner. I then used a little of the conditioner in the range after, and it felt as though it enriched my hair. When drying the excess water off with a towel before using the hairdryer, I felt as though my hair was all new. I can't really describe the feeling, the colour looked as if I had just dyed it. Once styled, my hair looked fabulous. It also smelled fabulous, sweet, but not sickly sweet, like a sort of coconut tone. Normally I don't like my hair to smell of anything, but I like this, it feels like a real treat! I do reccommend you try this product. I took a gamble and bought the huge sized bottle - but it did pay off.

They have a website: http://www.tigihaircare.com/ What do they say about the product? "Love being a brunette! Nutrient rich formula gives ultimate shine and smoothness. Deliciously rich fragrance, goddess-like lather. Natural Sunflower extracts protect against color fading and harmful UV rays. * Almond scented * Promotes healthy hair * Enhances and helps protect colour".

I feel to invest in this product is a good choice, if you use this you know you are not going to get a build up, which can happen over time if you use cheaper shampoos such as Garnier Fructis and Pentene. To find a salon in your area selling Tigi, please use the Salon finder which you can find here: http://www.tigihaircare.com/consumer/en-UK/salonf inder/default.asp

Benefit Brow Zings are amaze-ing!

Benefit Brow Zings are amaze-ing! If you are confused, what it is, is it's a little eyebrow makeover in a little compact! It contains two products, one a wax based pigment for shaping the brow, and the second a natural shaded powder to set the brow.

Firstly what I noticed about this product was how lovely it was packaged, as with every Benefit item, it is supercute! The little compact feels good in your hand, and looks even better in your handbag. It has a little mirror included which is essential, two eyebrow brushes - one slanted (for shaping) and one rounded (for 'filling in'). The set also includes a mini set of tweezers - which I feel are way to small and fiddly to use, and are a bit of a gimmick in my opinion.

The plus points of having a wax based pigment is that it is long lasting, unlike other eyebrow kits I have seen (NYX Cosmetics for example) which are just powder/shadow based and can rub and smudge far too easily! The wax based product gives you a little more confidence in the knowledge it will not let you down.

This product is good for filling in patchy brows, and also good for elongating the brow to make the face look slimmer. There is a little leaflet enclosed which gives you a little tutorial if you are unsure of how to do it. Great!

I wore this and it instantly made a big difference. I always have my eyebrows professionally waxed, but still I like the look of thicker brows - which this does. With age eyebrows thin, so, this handy little kit will keep you looking young (hopes!).

I wore this today, and even in the rain it lasted, which is the sign of a good quality product.

These sets come in three colours - light, medium and deep. I choose the medium colour as I have dark brown almost black hair, and it suits well. I guess the light shade is for blondes, and the deep colour for darker skin tones.

The downside is that there is not much product in these babies! I am guessing it will last three months tops. I have had mine approx. 1 month; and for around £22 is not really that good value.

As good as this product makes me look and feel I felt a little guilty about buying this as it was a bit of a luxury product.

Standard delivery from benefitcosmetics.co.uk is £4.50 and for a limited time only it's free delivery on orders over £50. Still I think this is a little bit pricey and probably it's preferable to pick up one in a store (if you are lucky enough to live near one!). Apparently their counter at Selfridges in London is the World's largest.

As this review is about Benefit Cosmetics, I would like to rant a little about their website. Their American website offers 2 free samples with every order, and also a free product. The UK website you get nothing, nadda, zilch. For the money you pay you expect at least a little freebie? I understand Benefit Cosmetics is an American brand (from San Francisco if you are interested!) but it would be nice to feel a little more of a valued customer.

To recap, I love this product, but it's a little expensive for how little product you get - I do love the results though.

Hot lips!

How to achieve the perfect 'Trout Pout' without surgery!

I have tried a few lip pumpers in the past; 'Urban Decay's Big Fatty' £9.75, 'Too Faced Lip Injection' £16.75, 'Lancome's Juicy Tubes Plump' £10.99 and finally an American one which I got from a friend 'SkinMedica's TNS Lip Plumping System' $53.

Duwop's Lip Plumper was the first Lip Plumper I have ever tried and it retails at £14.50.

To explain a little about how many lip plumpers work, they contain natural irritants that slightly sting and agrovate the lips. The stinging/ irritation effect prompts the lips to fill with blood and become puffy or a little swollen.

The lip-plumers contain 'Capsacin' which is the chemical in Chili Peppers. The 'Capsacin' effect can also be experienced by eating a very hot curry!

Duwop's is quite small at 3.5ml. It has a sweet and spicy taste to it. The moment I put it on my lips they begin to tingle. Some may like this effect, others may not - but no pain no gain! Once used after 5mins the lips are noticabally plumper.

I do have a little gripe about this product, it is a little sticky like all lip-glosses, and I notice if you use this everyday your lips can become a little dry through all the irritation. Also try not to get any in your eye! It hurts!

This is far smaller than all the other brands I used, but it is MIGHTY! I feel they are all much of a muchness - although Urban Decay's Big Fatty lip plumper has gold sparkles in!

Another beauty tip with or without a lip plumper would be to:

1) Use a highlighting concealer - for example touche eclat around the lip area to bring out the lips.
2) Then use a nude lip-liner around the lips exagerating them a bit.
3) Fill in the whole lip using the nude lip liner.
4) Apply the Duwop plumper on top using a brush. (is not essential)
5)Wait 5mins, add a coloured gloss.
6) Dab sparkly lipgloss on the centre of you bottom lip to give the illusion of thickness.

Instant Hollywood Pout!!! If you try this let me know how you got on.

Benefit - you rebel!

BeneFit You Rebel comes in two colours, Original YouRebel and YouRebel Lite both £19.50 for 50ml. YouRebel is a tinted moisturiser.

To give you a little background on tinted moisturisers - they are ideally suited for wear during the summer time at the beach, or when you want just a light coverage for example you are popping out to the shops and you don't want to put your foundation on (because wearing something is definitely better than wearing nothing!).

I often reccommend this product for women who have self-esteem problems and do not want to be seen without makeup first thing in the morning by their partners. This product gives a natural look, and contains antioxidents, aloe vera and allantoin for healthy skin. It also is light enough to not get your pillow caked in makeup!

YouRebel Original: On their website they say that this will suit virtually any skin tone. Although I reccommend this for darker / tanned skin tones. I once tried this product and as I am so pale it make my skin look orange and dirty.

YouRebl Lite: I reccommend this for light, porclain toned skin. This blended into my skintone perfectly. I was a little worried at first because it looked a little dark, but it blends very well.

YouRebel is a great little product, which should be an essential item to pack in your luggage. Please do not use this product if you are prone to very greasy skin as it will only make your skin more so!

When I wear this I do get compliments on my 'healthy glowing skin'! It also has SPF 15 which is another added bonus!

Illamasqua- get ready to meet your alter ego

Illamasqua is the new most talked about cosmetic brand right now!

Who are Illamasqua? I would like to start off by saying they are a British company! During this financial crisis I feel it is a really good thing to support our own. They say they are inspired by the "illicit 1920s club scene" and "make-up for film and theatre" they also take inspiration from people who indulge in "self-expression".

Their mantra is "make up for your alter ego".

I love the theatrical aspects of their cosmetics, the many different and bright colours; for example they even have a green lip gloss! I am sure I would not wear this everyday, but if I wanted a unique look, I would definitely turn to illamasqua.

In my opinion make up is a celebration of one's alter ego, it is about experimenting and having fun with the way we look and they way we present ourselves to the outside world. Thank gosh there is a cosmetic company to endulge in looks so exotic the ladies at the Boots counter would pass out with pure envy!

Their Lipglosses are £12.50 for 7ml. Check out their colour range at: http://www.illamasqua.com/store/category/lips/inte nse_lipgloss/

My favourite lipgloss is a dark pinky coral called "Indulge". The great thing about these lipglosses is that they feel like lipstick not a gloss. I reccommend to wear these along with a complimenting lipstick for a pure knock 'em dead pout!

They say "Come out of the shadows with high-shine, colour-rich Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in a wide range of bold colours. Create lips that look full and glossy, without feeling sticky. Draw attention to your lips, and to you". I agree with their statement fully! I have never come across a lipgloss that is this pigmented before.

What I don't like about the products are the actual tubes the lipgloss comes in. I feel that they are quite hard to squeeze as the plastic is so thick. Application with the tube also is not very good because it has a solid plastic applicator, and not a soft one as in MAC's lip glass! Application must be done with a brush (in my honest opinion!). They smell like candy, which is very nice!

The feeling is very smooth but not sticky. This is a real plus!

If you order from their website it only costs £2.50 recorded delivery!

Have a try and let me know what you think also! For my readers outside of the UK, they now ship internationally.

Carmex, your new best friend!

Carmex lip balm, in my opinion is a little miracle worker! It is a must have when you have a cold, or if your lips are chapped. It also makes a nice gloss over lipstick if you are so inclined (or even an undercoat!)!

Carmex contains menthol (which gives that fresh tingling sensation). Menthol is derived from peppermint oil and kills germs and can also relieve discomfort. Active ingredients in peppermint oil are a well known to help with many skin problems, along with Phenol. It also contains camphor which is mild local anesthetics which helps aliviate the pain associated with cold sores. It also contains salicylic acid to get rid of the old dead skin cells!

It also contains aloe butter, vitamin E, and aloe butter which softens lips and also another ingredient, petrolatum which reduces inflamation.

It comes in a little screw lid pot which can fit into your pocket. It comes in the original flavor, strawberry, mint and cherry - It also is SPF 15 so protects your lips from the rays!

I bought the Cherry version after using the original, and I must admit that this has a great smell and flavor and makes your lips feel all juicy!

It costs £2.44 for a small 7.5g jar, and is available at Boots!

I feel that this little product can compete with the high-end expensive lip balms for example L'Occitane, Clinique etc. Not only does it have healing properties, it's in a snazzy little pot, Carmex is cool these days!

There is also quite a sweet family history to the Carmex name the "lip balm was invented in 1937 by Alfred Woelbing, literally on the family stovetop. For the next 20 years, Alfred and his wife made Carmex by hand and poured it into the familiar yellow-capped jars." How endearing!

If you want to know more check out their website: http://www.mycarmex.com.

Also if you are a big fan of Carmex like myself, there is an opportunity to buy official Carmex merchandise at:

http://www.zazzle.co.uk/mycarmex -and all proceeds go to the charity "toys for tots".

The journey to find the perfect foundation

The journey to find the perfect foundation is like the journey to find your perfect relationship! Some people find their perfect match very easily, whilst others are not so lucky and even start to doubt that it really exists.

It can be quite emotional. There are ups and downs, there is the anticipation, the falling in love, the falling out of love, the tears of dissappointment and even the feeling of joy from a lucky escape!

Wearing the wrong foundation can effect your self confidence and can even make you look unhealthy. The secret to the perfect foundation - is wearing a foundation that no one notices! This search can be rather expensive.

It has taken me 10 years to find the perfect foundation. I am over the moon that I have finally found it! I previously used Chanel foundations because I loved their texture and their coverage - but I always looked as if I was wearing a lot of makeup. I really wanted people to comment on me, rather than my makeup!

My skin is very, very pale even the palest foundations looked slightly yellow/orange on me. I was embarrassed and was begining to think that my skintone was almost cursed. I visited the MAC counter, and even their lightest shades looked yellow on me. The coverage was excellent, but the overall look was yellow! The same with Benefit Cosmetics and even Bobbi Brown (all yellow based). Then I walked past the Prescriptives counter at my local shopping centre.

The Prescriptives lady explaned to me that she thought my undertones were blue/red, and she picked the colour that she thought would suit me, and she tested it along side another pale coloured foundation. The result was astounding! Finally a foundation that matched my skintone PERFECTLY. It also feels completely naked on my skin, as if I am wearing nothing.

I reccommend to visit the Prescriptives counter to get makeup matched to your colour. It is a little pricey, but it is worth every penny! Prescriptives are owned by Estee Lauder, which is the same company who make MAC - so you can be assured the quality is excellent.

If you have very light skin like mine, or not happy with the colour of your foundation - they will custom make the makeup for your individual colour! In my opinion this is the future of cosmetics, as each of us are individual and not a number. Prices start from £22.

Here in the UK you can buy online at House of Fraiser and QVC, check out http://www.prescriptives.co.uk and in the USA http://www.prescriptives.com