Self Tanners -Bare Escentuals - Faux Tan
bennodalove 6/1/2011 12:06:00 PM
HG! I've tried so many self-tanners (St Tropez, St Moriz, Dove, Johnsons, L'Oreal, Vita Liberata, Rimmel, He Shi, Sun Labs, Rodial Brazillian Tan, Xen Tan etc...) and this one blows them all out of the water. I am biracial Dominican/Nigerian/English but am really light skinned, about NC20 naturally. I always like to look tan. BE Faux Tan brings me up to about an NC37/40 which I'm very happy about. It is pricey for the amount you get, 128ml for £15. The bottle is tiny and you will only be able to do about 3 or 4 full body applications with it. I don't know where to get the huge size bottles in the UK so if anybody knows please tell me! Anyway, the smell is almost identical to Sun Labs with that cherry almond scent. As it develops you do smell that biscuit scent but it's not overwhelming like most other self tanners at all. Some of the reviews have said the colour guide is green but that is not the case with me at all? It's brown tinted, no hint of green when I apply on my body. Infact, it very red upon application. I was very nervous at first because it looked SOOOO streaky (I apply with a mitt) and I was convinced I would look like a zebra once I washed it off the next day. BTW be careful as it does stain the sheets and your clothes. After leaving it on for about 7 hours the colour guide rinses off in the shower and I'm left with a gorgeous NATURAL looking tan. It's not yellow or orange, it's golden brown and looks similar to the colour I go when I naturally tan. I always get compliments on how "brown" I look hehehe...I look like I've come back from a week in the carribbean. They say the colour lasts 5-7 days but I think it's more like 3-4 but you can extend it by using a mild gradual tanner each night and then just top up with the BE Faux Tan once a week. Overall I really love this and it's the only self tanner I will be using from now on. Great stuff, I'm very suprised BE could come up with such a great self tanner.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Rimmel - 60 Seconds 430 Coralicious
bennodalove 5/31/2011 6:31:00 PM
I like this - the orange based red works nicely against my NC35 goldentoned skin. No problems with streaking, lasts a few days without chipping, drys relatively quickly.
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Polishes -Nubar - Lavender
bennodalove 5/31/2011 7:11:00 AM
This is my FAVOURITE purple colour...I've tried so many and never found the perfect one to flatter my golden skintone. It's bright but not in a tacky way. The formula is amazing - 1 coat is practically opaque with virtually no streaks but I apply 2 just to be safe. It's free from those toxic chemicals that some other polishes contain, lasts almost a week without chipping...love it.
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Fragrances -Boots - Natural Collection - vanilla body spray
bennodalove 5/24/2011 11:39:00 AM
This is my go-to fragrance, I wear it every day! I got it for about £2 at Boots so it's very cheap for 150ml, the lasting power is AMAZING (I can put it on at 9AM and can still smell it at 6PM), the vanilla scent is not too overwhelming and it doesn't set off my migraines. I've seen some reviews for the 'vanilla musk' spray but this is just the 'vanilla' one. I hate the smell of musk and thankfully this one doesn't smell of it, just a nice warm vanilla. A defiante repurchase for me!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Styling Tools -Unlisted Brand - Tangle Teezer
bennodalove 5/23/2011 5:43:00 PM
I am in looooooooove with this brush. I am biracial and my hair is a PITA to brush/comb. It's always tangled or matted and I'm left in agony trying to brush it out. I've tried wide tooth combs, regular brushes, boar bristle brushes etc...but this is the ONLY one that gets rid of my knots effectively and gently! I'm so amazed as I thought it was all hype. I paid just over £10 for this and it's so worth it, I think I need to buy backups. It doesn't pull or tug my hair (usually my hair falls out in clumps trying to get knots out but not with this!) yet gets ALL tangles out and leaves my hair feeling really smooth and soft. It adds shine too. Amazing product and definately worth the price!
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Tinted Moisturizer -MAC - Studio Moisture Tint SPF15
bennodalove 5/23/2011 5:36:00 PM
I like this for days when I'm just going to the shops or having coffee with a friend. I use the shade Dark which is really good for my NC35/37 golden toned skin as it's yellow based. It blends on really easily but make sure you moisturize really well beforehand (it can accentuate dry patches...I think this is more for normal-combo oily skintypes). Evens out my skin, covers redness, sets to a semi-matte finish, gives light-medium coverage and has good lasting power (about 6/7 hours on my normal/combo skin before getting overly dewy WITHOUT primer or setting powder). It doesn't feel heavy on my face and it doesn't look cakey or thick on my skin. Looks like my skin but more polished, nobody can tell I'm wearing makeup. The smell is a little weird but after a while I don't notice it. UPDATE: This breaks me out soooooooo badly! It leaves me with loads of red pimples all over my forehead, cheeks and chin...absolutely dreadful. I'm now using my BB tinted moisturizer and it's so much better and doesn't break me out. I guess no MAC foundations/TM's work for my skin as they all break me out...:(
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Too Faced - Chocolate Soleil
bennodalove 5/21/2011 3:20:00 PM
This is the best bronzer I've tried. I've tried in the past but was mainly using Benefit Hoola and the Bourjois bronzers. The quality of this in comparison to those is brilliant! The Bourjois one was orangey, patchy and the Hoola wasn't dark enough. TF Chocolate Soleil is the perfect colour for my NC30/35 golden toned skin - it's pure brown without any red, orange or pink tones to it. The powder is very fine so you need to tap off the excess from your brush before applying. It is pigmented so use a fairly light hand. I use it to contour my cheekbones and nose and it looks so natural yet gives me nicely sculpted features. Doesn't break me out and the smell is quite nice too, not to mention I'm happy the compact comes with a mirror!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Woodwinked - veluxe pearl
bennodalove 5/17/2011 6:57:00 AM
This is my favourite eyeshadow! When I used to be in college, I would wear this everyday...I literally wore it daily for 2 years, that's how nice it was. I only just recently rediscovered it and I can't believe how I'd forgotten about my beloved woodwinked. On my NC30/35 golden toned skin it doesn't pull orange at all, although I can imagine on some fairer skinned ladies it could look a little orange. On me it's just like a bronzey slightly coppery colour...doesn't sound like much but it makes my green eyes pop so nicely and I always get compliments when wearing this shadow. I love the veluxe pearl formula, it gives a gorgeous finish and blends super easily.
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
bennodalove 5/16/2011 10:44:00 AM
I don't use this as a moisturizer but as a pre-cleanser. I usually use MAC cleanse off oil but I go through it too quickly and it's quite expensive...this is a great substitute. I just massage some olive oil onto my face for 30-60 seconds, wipe off with a cotton pad, and follow up with my regular foaming cleanser. The olive oil dissolves the surface makeup so I can just use my regular cleanser afterwards to remove any remaining traces of dirt and makeup. Not only does it take off my foundation, but it also removes mascara/liner/eyeshadow really quickly too. My face is left soft and not stripped of moisture at all. A staple for me, I don't think I'll be buying another cleansing oil again!
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Polishes -Revlon - Lilac Pastelle #185
bennodalove 5/10/2011 12:41:00 PM
Like everyone else I think the colour is gorgeous but the formula is absolutely terrible! It takes me 4 coats to have the opacity that I like. 1-2 coats is ridiculously sheer and streaky, 3 coats is rather opaque but streaky, so 4 is really all I manage. It chips on the tips within one day. The colour itself is very flattering on my NC30 golden toned skin (a light lilac that leans ever so slightly pink) but seeing as it costs £6.49 here in the UK...I don't think the terrible formula justifies the price at all!
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Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - Hard as Nails - Clear
bennodalove 5/9/2011 11:23:00 AM
I had badly damaged my nails after wearing acrylics for 2 months and once I'd taken them off, my nails were split, peeling, sore and very thin. I purchased this and noticed a difference within a few weeks. My nails definately feel stronger than they did before (they were paper-thin) and are now growing back properly. Nothing miraculous but my nails are in MUCH better condition now and they do not break or peel anymore. Makes a nice basecoat for other polishes too, leaves them really shiny.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -La Roche Posay - ANTHELIOS Melt-In Cream SPF30
bennodalove 5/9/2011 10:03:00 AM
This is my favourite SS. I have very sensitive breakout-prone skin so it's hard to find ones that work for me, but this one does! The melt-in cream formula is designed to be moisturising, easy to apply and water resistant. It spreads on my face really nicely and whilst it does feel moisturising, it's not in a greasy or oily sort of way. I have normal/combo skin and the amount of hydration it provides is perfect for me. They do say this is meant for normal-dry skintypes and I agree, I don't think it'd be suitable for oily skintypes. Sourced from a spring in the centre of France, La Roche-Posay Thermal Spa Water is exceptionally rich in anti-oxidant Selenium. It has soothing, softening and anti-irritating properties and it is renowned for its dermatological efficacy. It is the only water used in our products to maximise their efficacy. Other plus points include: - HYPO-ALLERGENIC - NON-COMEDOGENIC - UVA/UVB protection - SIMPLIFIED FORMULA - ALL PRODUCTS TESTED ON SENSITIVE SKIN TYPES - ESPECIALLY DESIGNED PACKAGING TO MINIMISE ANY POSSIBLE BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION - ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING POLICY Like I mentioned before I have very sensitive skin and this does not irritate my skin or break me out! Really happy about that. It does leave a white cast on my skin but I'm not too fussed tbh. Makes a nice base under makeup and is relatively inexpensive (about £12 for 50ml). I was going to purchase the SPF 50 version but noticed that version contains alcohol denat. whereas the SPF 30 version does not, so I will stick with this. :)
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Unlisted Brand - He-Shi
bennodalove 5/7/2011 12:49:00 PM
I love this tanner. I'm biracial with natural golden tones but I'm very light skinned (NC20) and like looking darker. This is perfect for me - I love the liquid formula as it's mess-free and blends so easily on the skin. I use a thick old sock to apply instead of a tanning mitt and it applies streak free with no hassle at all. It is tinted so you get an instant colour as you apply and can see where you've applied it. Best of all there is no biscuit smell! Even when the tan develops after a few hours there's no smell. I was using xen-tan and sunlabs before...this is soooo much better and less expensive too! Dries within 1 minute so I can dress straight afterwards (although I do wear baggy clothes after applying self-tanner). I usually apply 2 coats 1 after the other, and it gives me a really good colour. I go up to about an NC35/37 in one application. It does not look yellow at all...it's nice and golden. Lasts about 4 days before I feel like topping up and doesn't rub off onto my bra strap or anything even if I've been sweating. Definately my HG tanner, I will not try anything else again!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Palmers - Natural Bronze Gradual Tanning Moisturizer
bennodalove 5/5/2011 10:21:00 AM
I'm a biracial NC20 with natural golden tones. I was expecting a lot of this gradual tanner as I like the Palmers brand. However, I think it's very medicore. The smell is okay at first but within an hour develops into a biscuit/vomit sort of smell?! It's so nasty, much more potent than other gradual tanners I've tried. The colour is not natural looking on me - whilst it's not that dark, it is very oranged toned. The fading is dreadful too, makes me look like a repitle shedding it's skin. It was rather moisturizing though. Wasn't impressed with this.
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Fragrances -Viktor & Rolf - Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb
bennodalove 5/5/2011 8:25:00 AM
Dang this fragrance is very heavy! 1 spray and my nose is filled with the fragrance, and my migraines are set off....it is rather floral with a heavy note to it which always makes me stop breathing on first spray hehe. With a gentle design on the bottle I expect a light feminine fragrance but it is quite the opposite. I suppose the name of it sums it up it is like a flower bomb, you spray it and it explodes with a heavy floral scent which is not to my taste. The actual top notes of this fragrance are tea and bergamot; maybe it is the tea that adds the heavier tone? Then it has middle notes of sambac jasmine, orchid, freesia and rose. The base notes are simply patchouli so as it clear it is definitely a combination of a lot of florals in one scent. It smells like a combination of sweetness and musk. It's not terrible - I do think it is quite a nice scent - but much too overpowering for me. Perhaps the EDT version is less harsh.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No