Treatments -L'Oreal - YOUTH CODE LUMINIZE Super Serum
Gizzyxx 2/6/2012 1:07:00 PM
This is the latest, brand new serum from L'Oreal, and its being advertised all over magazines, the internet and TV at the moment. I was curious to try it, and so I jumped in a purchased this from Superdrug. I looked for this in Boots but they dont seem to be selling it yet for some reason!? £24.99 for 50ml but its on offer now in Superdrug for £14.99. This is what L'Oreal have to say about this product: "Not radiating your usual fresh, youthful glow? What if you had the 'code' to unify irregular skin tone and re-awaken a more even luminous looking complexion? Irregular pigmentation beneath the skin's surface can reduce skin's luminosity. Youth Code Luminize Super Serum Perfects and Refines skin's surface for a more luminous, even looking skin tone." I use this, as directed in the mornings, before my moisturiser. It states to use "2-3 drops" in circular motions on your face and neck, but the dispenser is actually a pump and so it is almost impossible to get "2 or 3 drops" out. Had the packaging been a dropper then I can understand the directions being like this....umm no comment, anyway.. The packaging says that you can use this alone or before moisturiser but I would advise definitely using a moisturiser, because, for one its not that moisturising (it is a serum, don't forget) and two, it doesn't contain any SPF in it, and as we all know we should all use SPF all year round, no matter where we live in the world! The serum itself is light, and it sinks in fast, I need 2 pumps for my face (again maybe the directions should read "pumps" instead of "drops"? The consistency and appearance is pearlescent but not glittery or shimmery once its applied to the skin. It gives a nice radiance to the face without being over the top. I apply my daily moisturiser on top. I have to say that within minutes of applying these two, the "radiance" I first saw disappears and my face looks pretty much normal (as if I didn't apply it). The packaging is nice and sleek, with a pump, in a glass bottle. Not see through, makes it a big hard to know how much is left. I guess they may have done this on purpose to help prevent the product from going off too quickly (some products break down and decompose if kept in the sunlight). It is said to even out skintone and give a radiant complexion. It contains glycolic acid (AHA) which is probably what makes it even out skin tone. Initially I liked this, although I was not "wowed". I wanted to see what happened after 7 days and then 1 month, but this is the bad news: This stuff makes me break out into small (but gross) white heads and after 6 days I stopped using it. I wasn't sure if it was the serum but after not using it for 2 days in the middle of these 6 days of use, I can confirm that the serum is the culprit! It definately caused my hideous white heads, after I had clear skin for a quite a while....sigh....
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Gazelli Ultimate Firming Serum 
Gizzyxx 1/14/2012 4:46:00 PM
"Gazelli" is a luxury skincare brand from Azerbaijan developed by a mother and daughter duo, it is sold in Urban Retreat in Harrods and well as online. It was launched around 10 years ago, but it’s relatively new to the UK. This review is for their "Ultimate Firming Serum", which is £62 for 30ml. This is what the Company have to say about this product: “This highly concentrated serum is based on a unique skin-firming formula that helps combat visible signs of ageing. Gives the skin a firmer feel and tighter, more youthful appearance. TRIPLE YOUTH® Complex – based on White Healing Oil - to increase metabolic processes at the cellular level, improving skin ability to regenerate itself, without drawing upon its reserves, and absorb nutrients and oxygen. To deeply nourish the skin. Extract of antioxidant-rich Pomegranates, harvested from the wild pomegranate groves of Goychay, strengthen skin’s natural protection against free radicals. Lipoic acid and DMAE, anti-ageing organic compounds, tone and plump the skin.” Review: The serum is a pearlescent white colour that is not entirely opaque, it has a gorgeous floral scent - can't place what it is but it smells fresh and lovely (I am sorry, describing scents is not one of my strong points!) It has great classy packaging with a hygienic dropper, which is brilliant, no messing around with this product. If you tilt the serum on its side and look underneath you can see how much is left in the bottle. The box is lovely too - black and white with traditional art on it, I really like the packaging and it reminds me of Persian traditional art (Iran, where I am from, neighbours Azerbaijan!)….reminds me of back home! The instructions tell you to use this both morning and night, you don't need much, a little goes a long way which is great because is this quite pricey! I use one dropper full and that is enough to spread across my face and neck. I love the natural extracts of pomegranate and white healing oil (harvested from a specific part of Azerbaijan!), these ingredients are what sets this apart from other serums out there, and are a big plus for me! It does firm up the skin, as it claims but it doesn't leave my skin tight, it feels nice when applied to the skin, however one thing I don’t like is that it doesn’t seem to sink in quickly and it leaves a sticky residue, which I am not keen on. Other serums I have used seem to sink into the skin quicker with no unpleasant residue. The mornings after I first used it my face was soft and plump - looked radiant and fresh, no break outs or irritation, I do sometimes use it on the morning, however due to the residue I don’t normally use it in the morning, only at night. I think this is comparable to Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. The difference for me is that whilst the Gazelli is a lovely serum for all round skincare, it also provides some firming of the skin, which is probably ideal for older ladies who are naturally finding their skin is not as firm. For me, at 30, I don’t think I need a “firming” serum just yet, but I will probably re-visit this serum in a few years….:-) The price of this serum is also another consideration, it is quite pricey, and I think the serum will last between 1 and 2 months depending on if you use it both night and day or just at night like me. Overall, I think this product does deliver what it promises, but the price and residue issue are factors to consider. I would give this 4/5! If you want to see pics of this product please visit my blog: www.allthatslap.com Ingredients: Aqua, Urea, Arginine, Glycerin, Taurine, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Panthenol, Lysine, Polysorbate 20, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium PCA, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Stearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth – 23, Sodium Hyaluronate, Thioctic Acid, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Dimethyl MEA (DMAE), Naftalan Oil, PVM/MA Decadiene Crosspolymer, Parfum (Fragrance), Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Methylparaben, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Extract, Propylparaben, Methylisothiazolinone, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, d-Limonene
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Nip & Fab Frown Fix
Gizzyxx 11/11/2011 3:26:00 PM
Due to the fact there was such hype around this I thought I would give it a try. This year laughter lines have developed around my eyes and 3 frown lines have sprung up on my forehead. They are not too bad but I do notice them and thought this might be great!….. This is some information from the website: “Wrinkles and expression lines will be no more with this revolutionary instant line filler! The concentrated formula plumps + smoothes the appearance of expression lines, fine lines + wrinkles; hydrating + moisturising skin to leave your face smooth + instantly younger. Conveniently sized to fit into even the smallest of handbags, make sure you always have Frown Fix with you for your plumping fix on-the-go! We’re picking Frown Fix to be the next cult Nip+Fab product, rivalling even Tummy Fix, so make sure you stock up immediately! amino acids smooth + minimise the look of expression lines purslane extract hydrates + diminishes the appearance of wrinkles centella extract fine lines appear visibly reduced” Its designed to be used before your moisturiser and it can be used both morning and night although you dont have to use it twice a day. I wanted to get maximum results I jumped head first and started applying twice per day – morning and evening. I think its dumb to say that due to its small size you can throw it in your bag and use it on the go…who would actually sit on the bus or tube and pull this out and apply all over thier wrinkles/lines??! I mean come on….there is no disputing the packaging is small and slim though! The packaging is like a pen with a brush at one end, which the product comes out of and so you use the brush to apply to your face. Its not very wide, when you first use it you have to twist it so many times from the bottom. This is kind of annoying and I was beginning to give up and thought I had a dud one, when the product came out of the top. After the first use it doesnt do that anymore, you just twist it and it comes out. Its very sanitary packaging but its annoying that its not clear so you have no idea how much is left! It absorbs quickly and it is very lightweight. Results: Well you may as well say what results? I used this continously for about 1 month and I saw NO difference what so ever to my laughter lines or my frown lines. Nothing, not one little bit of change. I would study my face closely for changes but alas, nothing!? I hope this works for some, but for me it did a big fat zero! I am so dissappointed as I had really high hopes for it!!Nice packaging, hygenic but you can’t tell how much is left in the tube. At first I thought the price was not too bad, especially since it had so much good press about it actually working, but then when I have considered that its only 4ml and for me if did nothing, I am not too sure its such a good deal in the end?! Even had I got the results I wanted, I would have to re-purchase all the time, the tube ran out on me about 27 days into using it. Although I was using it twice a day I was only applying a small amount to my “problem areas” – if I was older and needed more help with wrinkles I would be buying this all the time, ending up to be really expensive. Although i have nothing to compare this product too, its the first time I have used anything like this, it am not impressed and i will not be repurchasing. If you want to give it a try, my advice is get it from Boots and not thier own website. At least you will get some points if you buy it Boots! Here is a link to the website of the company: http://www.nipandfab.com/shop/Face/FROWN-FIX/14 I hope this helped!
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Blush -Soap and Glory - Love at First Blush 
Gizzyxx 11/4/2011 10:46:00 AM
For pics and swatches visit my blog: www.allthatslap.com/ Soap & Glory are known for their great skin care products that treat the whole body, and now they have released their own make up line! The collection is sold in Boots in the UK. I am not sure if Sephora will stock the line in the US, but I know Sephora have their bath/skin products in their stores already. “Love at First Blush” (I love the name by the way!) is described as a “Multi-shade Shimmer Powder for a Gorgeous Glow” It costs £11 for a whopping 7.5g of product – that is almost double your average MAC blusher! The shade of the blusher I have is “Pink, Pop, Pearl” This is what Soap & Glory have to say about it: Use this blushing powder for a gorgeous rosy glow & beautifully luminous skin. The skin- smoothing emollient base and encapsulated metallic shimmer pearls deliver instant chic for the shabby cheek. The packaging is cute, quirky and in keeping with the traditional Soap & Glory brand. The blush compact is not what I was expecting however – its covered in cardboard (think the Benefit blushes), but this is round like a compact and the lid is attached. It has a magnetised top to keep it closed, and it has a mirror which is a good size. This blush has shimmer in it, but not the obnoxious, chunky glitter that you sometimes get in some products, this is more refined and subtle –but if shimmer is not your thing, you will not like this blush – just warning you now! It contains three different shades of blush, so you can swirl your brush around all three or just use the colour you want. I have done a swatch of them swirled together. Its pretty finely milled, I was not expecting this – it was a nice touch! When I swatched this, the colour came up quite nicely, but I have to admit that when I apply this, I have to apply quite a bit to get this to show up. I am a MAC NC35/Lancome 03 and Dior Medium Beige 03, light –med olive tone so if you have darker skin than me this may not, or in fact probably will not show up on you. Darker ladies can maybe use this a highlighter? Lighter ladies will have no problem at all with this. The pigmentation of this blush is light to medium. When I swatched it I thought medium but actually upon application its more like light (I say this due to the fact that I said I have a hard time getting it to show up on me). The wear is okay on me, but I have a problem getting blush to stay on my oily cheeks. I applied it at 7am and by 2pm I needed to re-apply. It may last much longer on others, who don’t have oily skin. This is similar to the Bobbi Brown Shimmerbricks, which cost so much more – they are around £30.00 and I don’t find that the Bobbi Brown ones last any longer on me than this one, so in that way its a good buy! Downsides: I think they only one shade of blush available at the moment, maybe they will add more if the line is successful? The shimmer is not good for oily skin and also those with large pores For pics and swatches visit my blog: www.allthatslap.com/ Ingredients: Mica, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Talc, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Dimethicone, Nylon-12, Glyceryl Stearate, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Xanthan Gum, BHT (+/- Tin Oxide, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491, CI 77499, CI 75470 (Iron Oxides) I hope this was helpful!
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Mascara -Yves Saint Laurent - Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking Mascara
Gizzyxx 10/27/2011 10:34:00 AM
This is a new mascara from YSL and its the first one I have ever used from this brand…here is my experience with it! From the YSL website: “Exaggerate your lashes with shocking volume from every angle! New and exclusive to YSL, the amplified helix brush with a twisted cut, provides instant excess volume on the lashes, with effortless application. Shaped and styled for excess, this slim brush breaks the rules of volume, allowing for perfect control and precision, combined with a beautifully creamy formula to cover each lash evenly, for a thick and lustrous fringe.” This costs £22 or ($30 USD) to buy and it comes in 6 colours (Deep Black, Ashy Black, Bronze Black, Sea Black, Cherry Black and Jade Black) I am reviewing the Deep Black shade. I got a sample of this mascara from House of Fraser and it’s the first YSL mascara I have ever used. The sample is 2ml. Firstly, my first impression of this mascara is that it is really nice! I love the brush, its a great size, not too big and not too small and it’s a bristle brush, I much prefer these to latex brushes for some reason. The brush shape means its easy to coat the lashes quickly and effectively without clumping or getting it on your lid or inner eye! Another thing I like is that the mascara doesn’t have the usual chemical scent that some mascaras do (some of the L’Oreal ones stink!) –this mascara has a surprising almost floral scent to it, maybe floral with a bit of a chemical hint, but its definitely an improvement on other mascaras! The shade I have is true to its name, it’s a deep black that is nice and little glossy. I really like it, I like my mascara to be very dark so this is a winner for me. The look I got with 2 coats of this is just what I wanted, it gave me the right amount of volume and length, pretty good volume I think, hence the “shocking” part of its name (I do think the name of the mascara is too long though!). This didn’t smudge or fade and it was easy to remove with my coconut oil (I use this to remove all of my eye make up, and it conditions my lashes at the same time!) Mascaras that are similar to this one are Benefit Bad Gal but the brush on Bad Gal is bigger than this, and so the YSL is easier to control and use. Also the formula of Bad Gal is drier than this YSL one, and I prefer the YSL. I don’t know how long the formula will stay nice for, I have heard YSL mascaras dry out quickly but as this is first that I have tried, I cant say. I will update how I get on with the sample and if it dries out before I finish it! The mascara was a winner for me – and it also curled my lashes! Very nice, not as much of a curl as the Benefit “They’re Real” mascara but still. The only drawback to this mascara is the price I think – at £22 I am not sure I would buy it when the sample runs out, but if I am ever at the airport and can get it duty free or see a special offer for it I would go for it….the cost is the only reason I wouldn’t make this my regular mascara, but if you have the money to splurge then go ahead!! I hope this was helpful!
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Primer/ Corrector -Unlisted Brand - Indeed Nanoblur
Gizzyxx 10/24/2011 7:31:00 AM
I honestly didn’t expect to honestly look 10 years younger after trying this cream but I was interested to know if it would do anything for me – considering it is being mentioned in every magazine at the moment and Boots are doing a huge campaign for it. It has already been out in the USA and maybe some other countries for a few months, but its new to the UK and you can buy it in Boots, it is £19.99 for 30ml. suffer from large pores, acne, uneven skin tone and the beginning of signs of ageing so I was hoping this might do something….This product was originally designed for movie stars so that they look even more amazing on the screen, and I was hoping it would have an effect on me…this is my experience…. The box says that if you don’t wear foundation, apply this as the last thing in your regime, if you wear foundation you are meant to wear it on top of your foundation. I found this to be strange – applying it after foundation but I tried to remind myself this is not a primer. As instructed I applied this on top of my Lancome Ultra foundation. I was careful to apply a tiny bit but I had no success – it immediately made my foundation ball up and look horrendous. I had to take off my foundation and start again – without the Nanoblur this time. The next day I thought I would apply it under my foundation – despite the instructions on the box! This proved to be a big mistake – the cream is thick and hard to spread. Once it was on and I tried to apply my foundation it was almost impossible to spread out evenly and I still found it was balling up….I gave up after trying to do half my face and I ended up having to wash my face and start again (without the Nanoblur)…! Arghhh! Next day I tried yet again (3rd time lucky and all that!) – I was at home so I thought I would see if I could make this work with different foundations. I tried it with MAC Pro Longwear, Laura Mercier Moisture Supreme Foundation, Chanel Lift and Lumiere and MAC Matchmaster. Not one of these foundations work well this cream – they all ball up and separate making a mess. I have been told this works well with Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua but I don’t have that foundation so I can’t be sure. In a final attempt to make it do something for me I applied it after moisturiser on a day when I was not planning to wear foundation, as it says it can be used without make up. I braced myself for something exciting and sort of amazing to happen (based on these great “results” shown on the Indeed Labs website…..well it didn’t! What it did do, is reduce redness in my face a little and very slightly reduce the appearance of pores. Nothing more and what it did do was subtle -I was only made aware of the ‘effect’ due to the fact I applied it to only half of my face and then had to study that half with the other half…not really very impressive. This cream can possibly work better with powder, mineral or crème to powder foundation but in all honesty I don’t think it is worth the effort of switching foundations to make this work or you. I think this is a classic example of great marketing, hype and all out hysteria for a product that doesn’t actually deliver what it is meant to. The cream may work wonders for some, but I think many ladies will find it too hard to work with to make the price-tag worth all the effort – £19.99 is too much to spend on minimal results and even then I cant use it with my foundation! Thumbs down for Nanoblur! Ingredients: Water / Aqua / Eau • Adipic acid/Neopentyl Glycol Crosspolymer • Dimethicone • Glycerin • Cyclopentasiloxane • VP/VA Copolymer • Cyclohexasiloxane • Sodium Acrylate/Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Amodimethicone • Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose • Isohexadecane • Polysilicone-11 • Polysorbate 80 • Citric Acid • Caprylyl Glycol • Phenoxyethanol
11 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Illamasqua - Powder in Ambition (LE)
Gizzyxx 10/24/2011 7:28:00 AM
Visit my blog for pics and swatches! - www.allthatslap.com WOW – firstly can I say that Illamasqua blushes are my favourite blushes at the moment and have been for some time! I was super excited when I heard about the release of this one – its Illamasqua’s FIRST shimmer blush! All of their other blushes up until now have been matte or cream. Ambition is limited edition so get down to Illamasqua or order it online to avoid missing out! In the UK this costs £16.50 and you get 4.5g of product. This is really reasonable for the price. When I compare to MAC blushes, Illamasqua have much better pigmentation and they last much longer on my skin than the MAC ones (I have to always re-apply MAC). You also get more product for your money when compared to the Mineralize blushes as they are only about 3.2g or so) The reason I love the Illamasqua blushes so much is that they offer great pigmentation, they are easy to blend and they last all day long. You only need a tiny bit for a blush of colour and Ambition is no different in this regard. Please note the blush shows up on the Illamasqua site as a completely different colour to how it is in real life, its very misleading and I don’t think it looks nice on the site…and so its best to check it out in person really! Ambition is described as a “neutral shade with a shimmer finish” and I would have to say that I don’t think its all that neutral, however – I can see it suiting a wide variety of complexions. To me this is a dusty muted pink, with gold shimmer (dare I say it, glitter even?!). It is pinker and less peachy than NARS Orgasm blush. The shimmer looks OTT in the pan and I was immediately worried it would be too much, like NARS Orgasm blush which is a pretty shade but the glitter is too much for me. I can happily report that, once Ambition is applied the shimmer melts in the skin and isn’t too much at all, so for those who may be worried about this, do check it out on your skin at the counter and don’t write it off before you have tried it out! I have to admit that I would give this 10 out of 10 is it had tiny bit less shimmer in it than it does, but I have a lot of love for this blusher nonetheless! This blush can be worn during the day, but I think its more suited to a night-time look given the shimmer. I have worn this to the office and no one laughed me out of the building or taunted me for my disco cheeks so I think you can get away with it during the day!! Snap it up now its lovely…and it will last you a long time as a little goes a long way with all Illamasqua blushes! Ingredients TALC, DIMETHYLIMI- DAZOLIDINONE RICE STARCH, MICA, AQUA (WATER), MAGNESIUM MYRISTATE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, OCTYLDODECANOL, ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, PHENOXYETHANOL, PEG-150, SILICA, RICINUS COMMUNIS OIL (RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL), CETEARYL ALCOHOL, QUATERNIUM-26, METHYLPARABEN, GLYCERYL RICINOLEATE, ETHYLPARABEN,CERA CARNAUBA (COPERNICIA CERIFERA (CARNAUBA) WAX), CANDELILLA CERA(EUPHORBIA CERIFERA (CANDELILLA) WAX), SODIUM CETEARYL SULFATE, STEARIC ACID, PROPYLPARABEN, CERA MICROCRISTALLINA (MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX), TETRAHYDROXYPROPYL ETHYLENEDIAMINE, PARAFFINUM LIQUIDUM (MINERAL OIL), CETYL ALCOHOL,CERA ALBA(BEESWAX), PARFUM (FRAGRANCE) AND MAY CONTAIN: [+/- TITANIUM DIOXIDE CI 77891, IRON OXIDES CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CARMINE CI 75470, ULTRAMARINES CI 77007, RED 36 CI 12085, YELLOW 5 LAKE CI 19140, RED 7 CI 15850, RED 21 LAKE CI 45380, BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE CI 77163, YELLOW 6 LAKE CI 15985, MANGANESE VIOLET CI 77742, FERRIC FERROCYANIDE CI 77510, RED 40 LAKE CI 16035, RED 27 LAKE CI 45410] MAY CONTAIN CARMINE AS A COLOUR ADDITIVE.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Sleek - Ink Pot
Gizzyxx 10/24/2011 7:23:00 AM
This is a GREAT gel/cream liner that is perfect for everyday use and it is such a good price! This liner seriously competes with the likes of MAC and Bobbi Brown buts about 1/3 of the price, which is fantastic value for money! Who isn’t trying to look for ways to save money these days?! The only shade it comes in is black, I don’t think it comes in other shades, which is a shame. I hope that Sleek make more of these liners in other colours soon! The Sleek site says that this can be used as an eye shadow too, but I havent tried it as an eye shadow. It doesn’t dry too quickly so you can correct any mistakes but it also doesn’t take forever to dry – its just right! There is a brush supplied with it but I found this really hard to hold in my hand – let alone near my eye in an attempt to use it with the liner! Maybe in an emergency it could be used, but for everyday use I like to use a bent eyeliner brush or at a push an angled eyeliner brush. The liner is smooth and creamy and application is easy and quick! Great for the mornings and you are getting ready for work or university or something, and you need to get out the door without fuss! The wear is really good when you consider the price of it. It was in place from 8am and had only faded a tiny bit by 11pm. No flaking or smudges during the day!! I didn’t remove it at night to see how it would wear (love doing ‘tests’ on products!) In the morning some of it had flaked off but a lot of the liner was in place, it only faded a little bit. For a liner that is under £5 I am very impressed. You get 4g of liner – meaning you get 1g more with Sleek, than you do in the MAC or Bobbi Brown liners (even though the Sleek pot looks the smallest), in a little glass pot. I can’t comment on how long a pot lasts before it dries out as I not had mine long. I will update. The only cons in my opinion is that this Sleek liner is not as smooth as the Bobbi Brown liners, but considering the Bobbi Brown ones cost x 3 more than the Sleek, I can live with this and the difference is small anyway. The Sleek liner is smooth, creamier and better than my Wet n Wild liner which is the only other “drugstore” gel/cream liner than I have. Another con is that its only available in black, but I hope they make more colours. At the moment, this is a definite winner and I think there is no point paying MAC or Bobbi Brown prices for a black liner, if you can get your hands on this! Once again Sleek have shown us that good quality doesn’t mean a high price tag! Thanks Sleek!! Ingredients: Isododecane, Polyethylene, Isododecane/Ethylene, Propylene Copolymer, Talc, Mineral Oil and Hydrogenated Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer and Hydrogenated, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate Benzoate, Methionine, Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone Beeswax, Triethylhexanoin, Silica, Polybutene, Polysorbate 60, Cetyl Dimethicone, Propylparaben, Iron Oxide (CI 77489), Carbon Black (CI 77266)
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Eyeliner -Sleek - Ink Pots
Gizzyxx 10/24/2011 7:22:00 AM
This is a GREAT gel/cream liner that is perfect for everyday use and it is such a good price! This liner seriously competes with the likes of MAC and Bobbi Brown buts about 1/3 of the price, which is fantastic value for money! Who isn’t trying to look for ways to save money these days?! The only shade it comes in is black, I don’t think it comes in other shades, which is a shame. I hope that Sleek make more of these liners in other colours soon! The Sleek site says that this can be used as an eye shadow too, but I havent tried it as an eye shadow. It doesn’t dry too quickly so you can correct any mistakes but it also doesn’t take forever to dry – its just right! There is a brush supplied with it but I found this really hard to hold in my hand – let alone near my eye in an attempt to use it with the liner! Maybe in an emergency it could be used, but for everyday use I like to use a bent eyeliner brush or at a push an angled eyeliner brush. The liner is smooth and creamy and application is easy and quick! Great for the mornings and you are getting ready for work or university or something, and you need to get out the door without fuss! The wear is really good when you consider the price of it. It was in place from 8am and had only faded a tiny bit by 11pm. No flaking or smudges during the day!! I didn’t remove it at night to see how it would wear (love doing ‘tests’ on products!) In the morning some of it had flaked off but a lot of the liner was in place, it only faded a little bit. For a liner that is under £5 I am very impressed. You get 4g of liner – meaning you get 1g more with Sleek, than you do in the MAC or Bobbi Brown liners (even though the Sleek pot looks the smallest), in a little glass pot. I can’t comment on how long a pot lasts before it dries out as I not had mine long. I will update. The only cons in my opinion is that this Sleek liner is not as smooth as the Bobbi Brown liners, but considering the Bobbi Brown ones cost x 3 more than the Sleek, I can live with this and the difference is small anyway. The Sleek liner is smooth, creamier and better than my Wet n Wild liner which is the only other “drugstore” gel/cream liner than I have. Another con is that its only available in black, but I hope they make more colours. At the moment, this is a definite winner and I think there is no point paying MAC or Bobbi Brown prices for a black liner, if you can get your hands on this! Once again Sleek have shown us that good quality doesn’t mean a high price tag! Thanks Sleek!! Ingredients: Isododecane, Polyethylene, Isododecane/Ethylene, Propylene Copolymer, Talc, Mineral Oil and Hydrogenated Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer and Hydrogenated, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate Benzoate, Methionine, Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone Beeswax, Triethylhexanoin, Silica, Polybutene, Polysorbate 60, Cetyl Dimethicone, Propylparaben, Iron Oxide (CI 77489), Carbon Black (CI 77266)
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Liquid -Suqqu - Frame Fix Foundation
Gizzyxx 10/24/2011 7:19:00 AM
Being the most expensive foundation I have ever used, double the price of my Dior Forever, I had high hopes for this foundation! Needless to say, whilst I think its “nice”, it did fall short of my expectations and I don’t think its worth the hefty price tag at all. Here is what I like about: It smells nice, not chemically, and in fact not strong at all. I think this will be good for those sensitive to scents in products. It comes in 9 shades, and being a Japanese brand, they have some very pale shades, which is great. I think there should be a shade to suit everyone, except maybe afro-caribbean ladies, who may struggle. The pacakging is good quality and looks nice, but its nothing nicer or fancier than any other department store foundation and its not super luxe or anything, its just frosted glass with a black top! It spreads easily on the skin and is easy to blend. It also doesnt transfer easily, which is great for clothes collars and when hugging friends! This didnt break me out, which is great – that is biggest fear when trying out a foundation for the first time! The finish is a mix of matte and dewy and that’s nice, it doesn’t look too shiny or flat on the skin. It also helped to keep me less oily during the day which is a definite plus. Contains SPF 25 which is great, however I don’t know how this foundation deals with flash photos and so I don’t know if you get that ghastly “ghost” look in the photos. It wore well, lasted pretty much most of the day, which is good – and what I expected from something so expensive. Here is what I don’t like: You need quite a bit of this for good coverage. Suqqu recommend you using 1-2 pumps of this foundation, but I had to use 3-4 of it for the coverage I wanted, and I admit I like a medium to heavy coverage. This is what I would call a light to medium coverage foundation. It doesn’t really blur imperfections such as large pores or blemishes, in fact I needed quite a lot of concealer when I used this foundation. I failed to see how the foundation “created a beautiful facial contour”, my face just looked normal to me! I thought I was going to look amazing but I just looked…well…normal! Conclusion: I don’t like this enough to justify spending £65.00 on this. It comes in a 25ml bottle, which is a little less than your usual 30ml (most foundations come in a 30 ml bottle). For me, I had to use quite a bit of this to build the coverage that I wanted, meaning without a doubt I would need to repurchase this sooner than I would with my MAC or Dior foundation. It is a nice foundation, but not £65.00 worth of nice, in my opinion!
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Liquid -Christian Dior - Diorskin Forever Flawless Perfection Fusion Wear Makeup (new - 2011 version)
Gizzyxx 10/22/2011 11:12:00 AM
I have to say I really like it. In a nutshell, the reasons I like it is that its really good coverage, it has SPF in it and it is really long wearing, it lasts all day and well into the evening! The sample I was given is 030 Medium Beige, and it was a good match, possibly a tiny bit too dark (I am MAC NC35/40). I find that this is medium to heavy coverage. It provides buildable good coverage, without looking cakey or too heavy. It blends very easily (I used my fingers, clean of course!), but I haven’t tried it with a brush as yet. I hardly needed any concealer at all once I had applied this. It melts into the skin, and makes the most beautiful finish, I am really loving this foundation due to its lovely finish, it’s the best I have found so far! The wear has been great for me, it lasted really well through a long hot day helping my mum in the kitchen and then attending an event in a really hot, over crowded room til 11pm. My face didn’t look perfect by the end of it but the foundation was still going strong and I would say it was about 80% in tact. I love foundations that are truly long wear and this is certainly of them! The finish is mostly matte with a little bit of dewy-ness to avoid a flat looking complexion. I like the finish of this a lot and it didn’t make me any more oily than I normally am, which is great. It also didn’t oxidise on me, which is another big plus. It didn’t break me out at all, I will update if it does break me out in future. I also really like that it has SPF in it, factor 25 in this case which is quite high for a foundation I think. The foundation is meant to be a hydrating, but at the same time suitable for all skin types. I would say due to the fact it’s a little hydrating this might be too much for very oily skin. I have normal skin with an oily T zone and this was okay for me, it didn’t make me more oily. I think people with normal and dry skin will probably really like this foundation. Pricewise, its at the higher end of what I am willing to pay, in the UK its £29.50 for 30ml. I do however think, since the coverage is great and you only need a small amount, one bottle will last a long time and therefore work out okay for your wallet. I definitely like this and I think its worth trying if you want medium or full coverage or a foundation that will not slide off your face! It does what it claims to do – big plus these days when we cant normally believe what the companies tell us about their products! The downsides are that the shade selection is not that big, and mostly yellow based and nothing for very dark skin or Afro-Caribbean ladies. Also, like I said it may not be best suited for ladies with very oily skin. It also has fragrance in it, which may cause irritation. Had it been fragrance free, this would have been better. All in all, its one of my favourite foundation as the moment!
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Good things - stay clear purifying cleanser
Gizzyxx 10/22/2011 11:08:00 AM
I have used this cleanser for 2 weeks both night and day, as directed and here are my thoughts on it: The cleanser is nice overall, but its not amazing! When you used it, it foams up reasonably well, not too much but that probably because there is no sodium laureth sulphate in it (that makes things foam up, as well also do nasty things to you). What I really don’t like is the scent – it does smell nice, somewhat fruity BUT it is clearly artificial and perfume is quite high up there in ingredient list. I find this surprising for a brand that is going for the natural angle and being “good” for you. Whilst perfume doesn’t bother my skin, many people find perfume irritating and so I am not too keen on the perfume being that high in the list (the nearer the top of the list something is, the more of it there is in the product). The cleanser does a fairly decent job of cleaning my face, and I don’t need a lot of it, meaning the tube should last for some time (good value for money). I used it in the morning first and it felt nice, leaving my skin feeling clean, not dry, not tight and refreshed. Please note this is not to be used for eye make up!! I accidentally got some in my eye and it does sting, but its not horrendous or anything! In the evening, I used it to clean my face and (as always) I had to remove my make up. The packaging says you can remove make up with it, so I went straight in and washed away. I found that I needed more than in the morning, but that’s understandable since I had foundation etc to remove. When I felt like my face was clean, I dried as normal and then I applied my toner (rosewater, with a little lemon juice, review to come soon!)….this is when I saw how the cleanser had really performed. The toner pads came back quite dirty…I had to use around 4 pads to remove all the rest of the dirt (I normally use 1-2). I continued to use the cleanser to see how my skin would react over some time. In the 2 weeks of using this product I noticed that it was drying my skin out. I have normal/combination acne prone skin. When my skin dries out it means that during the day I am more oily – that’s how oily skin reacts – it over compensates! Clearly this is a fail since it says that it will NOT dry out my skin and I don’t find it moisturising…umm…not impressed! I would not recommend this if you have dry skin, however it is marketed towards those with oily skin. Also over time my skin became a bit tight, but not in a good way. It doesn’t have any exfoliating properties, but then it doesn’t claim to, so I can’t knock it down for that – just an observation! My overall thoughts are, if you don’t wear too much make up and don’t react to perfume in products – this might be a good cleanser for you, or if you are happy to remove your make up and then wash your face you may like this. For me however, I want something that I can remove my make up and cleanse my face in one go. I also of course had the issues with this drying out my skin, so I will not repurchase. Its also possible I had the results I had because I am not “young”!!? haha!!? Overall it’s a good buy for the price if you are after skin friendly ingredients in your cleanser. The high perfume content, dryness and tight feelings, plus its performance at removing make up are deal breakers for me. Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Chloride, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl , Acrylate Crosspolymer, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Extract, Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract, Magnesium Nitrate, Benzyl Alcohol, Tromethamine, Sodium Hydroxide, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Dipropylene Glycol.
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Good Things - miracle mattifier moisturiser
Gizzyxx 10/22/2011 11:06:00 AM
I like this moisturiser -as it’s a lotion that keeps you matte (or claims to!) I expected it to be really light. It is not, its rather heavy and thick in texture. I was scared when I first used it, that it would be too heavy for my skin and either make me more greasy or break me out. Thankfully it did neither of these! The good thing about the texture is that a little goes a long way. You only need a small amount of this, meaning its good value for money. One thing I didn’t like – just as with the cleanser is that the perfume is lovely, but clearly artificial. Had it been fragrance free or something with natural fragrance I would have liked it more. For a brand that is going for the “natural” and “good” angle I think this lets them down. The lotion, once applied feels quite nice on the skin and not too heavy, it sinks in nicely and it wears well under the following foundations: Lancome Tient Miracle, Lancome Ultra, Dior Forever, Mac Matchmaster and MAC Pro Longwear. Now, it claims to keep you matte…did it actually do this? I should point out I have a pretty oily t zone and I am having to blot or apply powder with in 2-3 hours of applying my make up. Kryolan Anti Shine Powder is a fantastic product for me, but it doesn’t keep me completely matte, so this lotion appealed to me. This did a fairly good job at keeping me matte, when I used it on my own (without my Kryolan). I was shiny after about 5 hours which is an improvement on my usual 2-3 hours of matte skin. I did need to blot after 5 hours max, sometimes before. It performed best with Lancome Tient Miracle foundation which is a great foundation for oily ladies anyway, since its quite good at making you matte. When I used the lotion and my Kryolan powder, it performed better. I still had to blot after about 7 hours or so, which I think is still a great result considering what my skin is like without these 2 products! The lotion didn’t make me break out or feel heavy. Since you only need a small amount this bottle will last a long time. I never used it at night (as instructed) since I used Argan Oil at night. Whilst I have not continued using the cleanser, I reviewed above, I may carry on using this and continue to buy it. One draw back is that this doesn’t have any SPF in it and so I would need to use a separate SPF and I am not keen on that idea. Before I tried this, I had been using Trader Joes Enrich Lotion for about a year, and I really like that it costs less than this, so its hard to decide. The Trader Joe lotion has SPF and is also paraben free and has vitamins in it so its now a case of just deciding what to carry on with… Overall, if you have an oily t zone or have oily skin all over, give this a go, for the price it does do a good job, although I am on the fence about repurchasing. Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Oil, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ribes Nigrum (Blackcurrant) Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Extract, Tromethamine, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pro Longwear Eye Shadow in Sweet Satisfaction
Gizzyxx 10/4/2011 9:52:00 AM
This is part of the Styledriven Collection, released this September 2011 but these are all permanent so you don’t need to rush down to MAC if you want to get your hands on these, they are not going anywhere! First things first, these eye shadows are bigger than the regular MAC shadow pots. With these Pro Longwear shadows you get 3.4g of shadow compared to 1.5g in the regular pots, and on a price per gram calculation you get a good deal with these shadows. The regular shadows cost £11.50 and these cost £15.50 but they are more than double in size meaning they are much better value for money. These are the same size as the shadows from the Peacocky Collection last year, or about the same the Cream Colour Bases or the mineralize blushes so you get a lot of product for your money! I wouldn’t necessarily describe these shadows as “creamy” as MAC does on its site, but they are however really smooth and nicely pigmented. The description is bang on though when it says that they are silky – very true, like the Benefit Velvet eye shadows, and they are super easy to blend and build – as the pigmentation of this shadow is what I would describe as medium. Sweet Satisfaction is a nice neutral beige/champagne colour. The shade itself is nothing out of the ordinary or life changing but it’s a nice neutral all the same and can be used as a brow highlighter too. It is very wearable and I can’t see it suiting a lot of different skin tones and hair colours. For me it’s the perfect, simple and polished shadow – and it makes me look more awake (I can always do with something like that!) It is a frost finish but unlike some other MAC frost finishes, this has good colour play off and is not too frosty. I would have thought it was more suited to being called a velux pearl finish, but what do I know?!! I was really excited when these came out as I love have oily lids - everything creases on me, even 'creaseless' shadows and paint pots! I usually have to use a primer no matter what shadow I use. When I applied this for the first time I was cautious and I also applied my primer (Too Faced Shadow Insurance!). As I expected, the wear was great – and I had no creasing or fading all day and I removed the shadow at 11pm. The next time I wore the shadow I was brave…very brave – and I applied it WITHOUT my primer. I looked in the mirror at lunchtime not knowing what to expect – was my shadow going to look or a mess and be creased or worse, would it have faded altogether? Well, I have to report that the shadow performed so well on me! I didn’t have any creasing at all, which is amazing! This may be the first shadow I have ever used that didn’t crease on me without primer by the end of the day! By 11pm the shadow has still help up well, it had faded a tiny bit but nothing every noticeable and was still crease-free! For me, this is phenomenal since I can skip primer with shadow. Having said that I am so used to applying primer now that I do it without even thinking about it, like I did today, before applying Sweet Satisfaction!! If you have normal lids and don’t normally have creasing issues I would imagine these shadows working really well for you and lasting all day, really well!? Great quality shadow that is good value for money when you consider how much you are getting (3.4g) Blends like a dream, doesn’t crease or fade – even without primer on my oily lids! Get it - you will not be let down! For more information, pics and swatches please see my blog: www.AllThatSlap.com
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Paint Pot in Pure Creation (Limited Edition)
Gizzyxx 10/4/2011 5:38:00 AM
Part of 8 of paint pots in the Posh Paradise Collection 2011, Pure Creation is a gorgeous mid-toned blue with a frost/shimmer. Its darker than a sky blue and its lighter than a navy. It had medium pigmentation making it perfect for a light wash and can be layered for a gorgeous deep blue look. If layered you can achieve a lovely dark blue, leaning to midnight blue shade, very pretty – esp for evening looks. Paint pots (for those who are not familiar with them), are cream eye shadows that can be used as bases for other shadows or just on their own. The majority of ladies can wear these without primers or instead of primers, and they are known to be extremely long wearing. I have oily lids and paint pots tend to crease on me so I have to apply these on top of primers – but I know I am in the minority in this regard. As with all paint pots it is creamy and not too sticky or gloopy. I apply with a synthetic brush but these paint pots apply well with fingers too. My advice is not to apply too much of this as it may crease or look uneven. If you want to layer do it little by little spreading it thinly, letting it dry and then applying again. If you don’t let it dry its likely to crease later on. Once these dry and set they don’t budge so correct any mistakes asap! I tested the wear on this, as I do with anything which claims to be long wearing – I slept with the shadow on and in the morning, it was nice to see that the shadow had not smeared all over my face or anything like that – in fact it was about 70% in tact and had only faded about 30% which I think is amazing on my oily lids….in contrast Armani and Chanel “long wearing” cream shadows did not perform anywhere as well in this test, they faded a lot and they cost quite a bit more than these MAC paint pots. Just shows, once again – paying more doesn’t mean you get better quality! These paints come in glass pots, so help avoid them drying out. Make sure you close the lid on these securely after each use. 5g is lot for these shadows, as you dont need very much. They are really good value in my opinion! The closest shadow that I have to this is Shu Umera ME Blue 650, but the Shu is darker than the MAC. This MAC one looks to be similar to a an Illamasqua cream shadow that they do (I dont own it but they look similar by sight). Paint pots are £13.50 in the UK and $17.50 in the US and you get 5g. Check out my blog for some pics and swatches: http://www.allthatslap.com/?p=609 Hope the review was helpful!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No