Review: Urban Decay De-Slick Make-up Setting Spray

Urban Decay De-Slick Make-up Setting Spray

As mentioned in a previous post, I suffer from an oily T-Zone and battle on a daily basis to keep a shiny face at bay. In order to keep my skin looking matte throughout the day I touch up every few hours with a setting powder, however I do sometimes find that as the day wears on my face will either look very shiny or cakey.

Although I had previously heard a lot of good things surrounding setting sprays, I had never thought to try one out myself so I have to admit this was a very spontaneous purchase and I bought the 30ml travel-size to see if it would work for me.

The Urban Decay De-Slick is a mattifying and oil-controlling setting spray which can be used before and after applying make-up. The spray is a very fine mist which is unscented and dries almost immediately on the skin once applied. I spray about 4-5 pumps as recommended in an 'X' and 'T' shape and have noticed that the oilyness does not appear as quickly and at the end of the day only slight melting is noticeable. I wouldn't go as far to say that this controls oil completely, however my face has looked generally more matte than it has oily. I definitely can tell that on days I haven't worn this I have had to powder more regularly, so overall I would recommend this product for those that suffer with oily-prone skin!

I would suggest that for those that are looking for a flawless finish to last all day then certainly use a primer that works best for you before you apply your base just to give it that extra boost for prolonging your make-up.

You can pick this up from online at Debenhams or at House of Fraser for around £9.00/30ml

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the review!

Louise xxx

Luscious Locks of 2013!

I have always had a passion for hair and I love experimenting with different hairstyles. I don't like to stick with the same hairstyle all the time so I try to  mix them up a bit!

   Most of these hairstyles are pretty quick to create and are perfect for days when you are in a rush and are not sure how to style your hair, braids, ponytails and messy buns are perfect, quick hairstyles for hot days or if you want to give your hair a rest from the heat from hot styling tools.

      I have decided to put a few pictures together that either Louise or I have created on each other and friends to share with you! 

As you can tell I am a fan of braids, especially in the summer, and I love soft waves! 

Here are a variety of hairstyles we have created this year including waves, fishtail braids, french braids, hair bows & up-do's! 

If you would like any tutorials on any of these hairstyles, please let us know and we will be more than happy to create them for you!


Thank you for reading!

Nada
xxx

Review: Real Techniques Duo-Fiber Collection (Limited Edition)

It is without doubt that Samantha Chapman's Real Techniques brushes have taken the world by storm and by far they are the best make-up brushes that I use!

I have so much love for the Real Techniques brushes that I pretty much own the whole range. They wash brilliantly and are excellent value for money but most of all, they apply any make-up product beautifully. I picked this new collection up about a month ago as I 'just had to have them' and I thought they would be a great addition and serve a new purpose in my everyday make-up routine!

 The standard brushes are colour coded as to what function they serve. The Gold brushes are used primarily for base products, Pink brushes are used for finishing and the Purple brushes are used for the eye area. This collection of brushes as you can see differs in colour compared to all the other brushes in the range, however the colour coded theme is still incorporated with this collection with the writing down the sides of the brushes.

All of the brushes can be used with liquid, powder or cream and the cruelty-free taklon brushes which vary in length are super-soft on the skin. In this collection the bristles are quite sparse which aims to achieve a more natural application leaving a flawless finish to the skin. 

Duo-Fiber Face Brush

This one is the largest brush from the collection and is perfect for applying powder products. Throughout the day I usually get an oily T-Zone and this brush is perfect for a controlled natural application of setting powder in oily areas. This brush could also be used for lightly applying bronzer on the high points of the face to give a sun-kissed look to the skin. 


Duo-Fiber Contour Brush

This brush is recommended for contouring and is the perfect size for application in the hollows of the cheeks. I use this brush for contouring and I find that it apply's the product evenly and is excellent for blending up to the temples. On a few occasions I have also used this brush for highlighter on the tops of the cheek-bones, down the bridge of the nose and along the cupids bow. I would say that this is a fabulous multi-task brush and could serve many other purposes such as applying blusher or setting under eye concealer, whatever works best for you!


Duo-Fiber Eye Brush

This is the smallest brush in the collection and is very similar (a duo-fiber version) to the popular MAC 217 blending brush. This brush however has a pointed tip which is ideal for blending eyeshadow in general, blending under concealer or applying and blending eyeshadow into the crease which is my favourite use for this brush.

Overall I would say this collection is brilliant and I equally love each individual brush in the collection. They are very easy to use and so versatile as they can serve many different purposes! The brushes are excellent for blending which leaves you with a beautiful flawless finish and overall a more polished look. 

I would highly recommend this collection, just like every other Real Techniques Brushes! You can purchase the Duo Fiber Collection from Superdrug and in-store or online at Boots for £23.99.

Thanks for reading! 

Louise
xxxx

2013 Favorite Hair Care Products!

There are so many amazing options of hair products in drugstores, it seems that investing in very expensive hair care products isn't worth it most of the time. I am always searching for new products to add to my routine and after a lot of time trying product after product I think I have finally found  my favorites so I thought I would share my current favorite hair care products with you that I use in my everyday hair care routine!!

                                           Pantene 2 min Deep Repair Masque                                        

If you need a hair mask that gives you intensive hydration and protection for dry or damaged hair then you should definitely give this product a go! After years of bleaching my hair it definitely isn't at its healthiest and I need as much help from products as I can get to keep my hair looking as healthy as possible! This product is very cheap and I thought I would give it a go and lets just say I couldn't be happier with it! It makes my hair look and feel so soft and silky even after the first use and it gives my hair a lovely shine! 

You can buy this product for around £2.49 in Boots, Superdrug or the Pantene website.. http://www.pantene.co.uk/hair-care-products/product/NORMAL-THICk-HAIR-Repair-and-Protect-2-min-Deep-Repair-Masque.aspx?upc=5410076495061


Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo & Conditioner 

Lets start of with one of my favorite hair care brands of all time... AUSSIE!! The smell in all of these Aussie products are absolutely gorgeous! I am a huge fan of Aussie and they play a big part in my hair care routine. Coming from someone who has wavy, dyed, abused and sometimes out of control hair, this shampoo and conditioner works a treat! Both the shampoo and conditioner are very moisturizing on my hair and give it the extra strength it needs to stay healthy and leaves my hair smelling wonderful! 

You can pick up these products in Boots for £4.49 per 300ml

TRESemmé Heat Defense Spray

 I have always used heat protect sprays on my hair but have come across many that I have found very sticky and make my hair hard to manage and style and TRESemmé heat protect spray has always been great for my hair, it has a nice scent and isn't at all sticky. I use it every time after I have shampooed and conditioned my hair before I blow dry it and it gives my hair the protection I need against heat styling tools as it has up to 230 degree protection! It also contains a UV filter which is great for protecting your hair outside under the UV rays.

£4.89 300ml in Boots.



L'oréal Mythic Oil

I love love love this product! It is a rich oil made by L'oréal and is amazing! I use this on either  wet hair or after styling to tame down any frizziness or fly away hairs I may have. This makes my hair lovely and soft, very glossy and healthy looking and I recommend this to anyone who's hair is prone to frizz. I can imagine this product would work wonders for anyone with really curly hair or Afro-Caribbean hair as it tames curls and is very moisturizing, it gives a lot of hydration for anyone with dry or damaged hair. Also another good thing about this product is that you only need to apply a tiny amount which means the bottle lasts for ages! 

You can buy this product for around £11.99 in Boots. 

   Pantene Volume & Body Hairspray

I go through a lot of hairspray and try out many different brands to try and find the best one to suit me, I do have a few favorites but this one I have gone through most this year, This hairspray is probably the best scented hairspray I have ever used! It smells more like perfume than hairspray and leaves a lovely scent on my hair that lasts most of the day! It gives my hair a lot of volume and body and makes my styles last all day without feeling too heavy on my hair, it is quite flexible and follows your hairs natural movement. It protects my hair against frizz in humid conditions with it's humidity control and brushes out very easily. This is the Ultra Strong Hold number 5 for fine hair, I find that this one has the most control if you want your hair styles to be voluminous and last all day!

This hairspray is £3.69 per 300ml in Boots or Superdrug

                         TRESemmé Salon Shine Glossing Spray with Argan Oil

This is by far the best shine/glossing spray I have ever tried out, I use this product to finish off my hairstyles to give it a lovely sheen finish, It makes my hair look very shiny and you only have to use a small amount. I use a couple of sprays and feel this is enough to give me the shine I am looking for, any more than 2 or 3 sprays and I find it makes my hair look more greasy than shiny. It also leaves my hair feeling very soft as it contains Argan Oil which is brilliant for smoothing out hair and giving it that extra bit of hydration and softness! 

You can grab this product from Boots for £4.99 75ml.


So these are all my 2013 favorite hair care products, I really do recommend all these products to you!
 I hope you have enjoyed this post.
Thank you for taking the time to read!

Nada
xxx

Smokey, Golden Horizon Eye Make Up Tutorial!

With Autumn approaching and the last few weeks of summer here, I thought I would create a Summery Golden eye make up tutorial before the summer ends! I have created a Sultry, Smokey, Summer look that is perfect for nights out or special occasions. As this look has a slightly dramatic edge to it, I would wear this make up with a soft, neutral lip as the eyes are the most dramatic and are the focal point of this make up look.
           

I hope you enjoyed this make up tutorial as much as I enjoyed creating it for                                                      you!
                I look forward to making more tutorials in the future!
                                       Thank you for reading!

                                                  Nada
                                                   xxx

 

Monthly Favourites: August 2013

So summer has swiftly made an appearance this year and I am so excited that we're finally heading into Autumn (probably much to everyone else's dismay). For me it's my favourite time of year and I can't wait to buy some warmer clothes to wear in the colder months to come. Throughout the month I re-discovered some products that had been un-touched for months and also fell in love with some new products!

Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix Serum

As it has been fairly hot throughout the month I found that I wanted to wear a foundation with medium coverage. Shockingly, despite the hype, I have never bought this foundation before but I so wish I had bought it sooner as I love it!

I find that because of it's gel consistency, on application it glides beautifully over the skin and is easy to blend which leaves me with an even skin tone and a semi-matte finish. On the skin it feels very lightweight and is really comfortable to wear without making me look oily/shiny even on hotter days. At times when I was suffering with blemishes and redness in areas, I found that I did need some extra coverage from a concealer.

   You can buy this foundation from Boots or Superdrug for £10.99/30ml

MAC Powder Blush in Margin

I purchased this Blusher a couple of months back as it instantly jumped out at me in store but throughout the month it has been my  everyday go-to summer blush. It's a lovely peachy/apricot shade with a gold shimmer which leaves a flattering frost finish on the cheeks. I've kept the cheeks fairly natural and found that this blusher gave me a really healthy glow which blended perfectly with a contour.  

This blusher retails for £18.00 and can be purchased at MAC stores or online.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara

I've always loved thick and full lashes and I have to say that I am a huge fan of Maybelline mascaras with 'The Falsies' being my favourite. I purchased this a while back but only really discovered how great it was this month.

Although the wand looks like it would be really difficult to coat the lashes without making a mess, I actually found the mascara really easily to apply. The plastic bristles lengthens and adds volume to the lashes but most of all I loved the fact that with one coat the mascara gives a natural look to the lashes but with 2-3 coats you can achieve a more dramatic false lash effect.

You can pick this mascara up from Boots or Superdrug for around £7.99

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

This is a recent addition to my collection of Real Techniques brushes and I have previously used the Stippling Brush and Buffing Brush to apply foundation but this brush is a winner hands down.

Compared to the other two, the Expert Face Brush is wider and more dense which beautifully blends and buffs my foundation seamlessly in no time at all and leaves me with a flawless finish. It also works well with cream blush too.  

I wish that I had discovered this brush sooner!

You can find the Real Techniques brushes in Boots or Superdrug and the Face Brush retails at £9.99

Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Sugar Frosting

I've worn this lip butter pretty much everyday of the whole month as it is so quick and easy to apply without the need for a mirror, is not at all sticky and feels really hydrating.

Sugar Frosting is a pale pink shade with a shimmer finish and is perfect on days where I just wanted a wash of colour on the lips. I found that the colour went well with different make-up looks and  the wear time is around the 2 hour mark which is to be expected from a lip balm.

You can pick the Revlon Lip Butters up from Boots or Superdrug for £7.99

The Body Shop Coconut Hand Cleanse Gel

I know I know, this is only a hand gel and it's not exciting, but I don't take much liking to the normal anti-bacterial gels which have a harsh scent. This one however, smells divine and leaves a beautiful sweet smell which isn't sickly! I found that it really came in handy throughout the month especially on those hotter days where I wanted to freshen up my hands.

You can purchase this from The Body Shop for £2.50/60ml

Simple Kind to Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion and Soothing Facial Toner

I suffer from really sensitive and blemish prone skin and find it really difficult to use skincare products that wont irritate or break me out.

I have been using these products together and have found that over the last month these have worked wonders for my face and have changed my daily skin routine.

The Cleansing Lotion does exactly what it says, it made my skin feel really clean! There is no fragrance and when I use it all over my face including the eye area it did not sting in the slightest.

The Toner was also just as good and removed traces of make-up residue after using the Cleanser. I love that this product is alcohol free and doesn't strip away any natural oils but still tightens and refreshes the skin.

You can pick Simple products near enough everywhere but in Boots and Superdrug they retail for around £2.99/200ml

Bronze Goddess by Estee Lauder

Without a shadow of a doubt this perfume was my all time favourite of the month. I found myself spritzing this at every opportunity just so I could fall in love with it that little bit more, if that was even possible!

The scent just reminds you of summer and I have to say there is nothing else quite like it, it's pretty much holiday in a bottle. It has a very sweet smell of vanilla and coconut which I love in a perfume and because I love it that much I even purchased another bottle for when I run out!

This perfume is limited edition and is available every May retailing at £45/100ml

So there it is, a round-up of all my monthly favourites, hoped you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading!

Louise 

xxx

Review: Jemma Kidd Lip Line Duo - Neutral & Tailored Colour

 I recently celebrated my 20^th birthday and received some lovely items to add to my make-up bag, one of these being a Jemma Kidd Lip Line Duo in Neutral. I must say it is great having two must have base colour lip liners in one pencil and it is a must have piece for any make up collection!

I have used lip liners in the past but none have been the perfect colour match for me however the darker shade in this item is perfect! It is a brown shade with a hint of a dusky pink that blends perfectly with my natural lip colour and the neutral lighter shade of pink looks lovely with light/baby pink shade of lipstick or lipgloss. This lip liner is similar to the Topshop brand of lip liners in Caramel.

  

This lip liner is very moisturizing and is easy to apply. It lasts longer than a few other drugstore brands I have used and is perfect for shaping the lips and to use under lip glosses or day wear lipstick, although I do find it lasts a lot longer when using lipstick instead of lip gloss. This liner can also be used not only to outline the lip but to fill the lips in before you apply your top coat of lipstick or lipgloss, this helps the colour to last even longer! 

Thank you for reading!


Nada
xxx