Essence.

 

Over the past couple of months, I've been testing out some make up and nail products from Essence and I have finally gathered all my thoughts on them and so I thought it was time I did a review. Essence is a newish brand to me and I would never have thought to buy product from them in the past but now that I've tried some products from them, I definitely think I'll be going to a Essence counter to invest some more.

 

*Essence Sun Club 2in1 Bronzing Powder in 20 sunset - This was the first item I tried and I wasn't disappointed. This is such a brilliant product and probably the best bronzing powder I have found to date. The blush colour is nice but I mainly love the actual bronzing powder as it is so natural and not at all orange. This powder is perfect for all year round, with a pale complexion or a tanned complexion. This product has good pigmentation and is the perfect 2in1 compact and I will definitely be repurchasing this. This product is also a bargain at only £3.50.

 

*Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara - Now I love trying new mascaras and I'm not particularly fussy as to how it makes my lashes look, as long as my lashes look lengthened. My eyelashes are naturally very long and sometimes I get asked if I'm wearing false eyelashes when I have mascara on so I thought this mascara would put it to the test. This mascara is very nice, I like the formula and it gives my lashes a good amount of length. If I had shorter lashes, I think I would be able to tell more of a difference to if it gives a false lash effect but as my lashes are naturally long, it didn't make a huge difference. Although I would happily wear this mascara again and again. The only problem I found with this mascara is, when applied to my bottom lashes, it left fall down under my eyes after a while and that is not a good look but other than that, I was very impressed with this mascara and for £3.30, it's a total bargain.

 

 

*Essence Longlasting Lipstick in 06 Barely There - This lipstick is probably one of my favourite lipsticks that I've had for a while, especially from the drugstore. The formula is creamy and they are long lasting. The shade isn't usually a shade I would go for but I absolutely love it and I definitely think it'll be a shade I wear for spring. This lipstick is a total bargain at £2.29 and the packaging is nice too. I will definitely be investing more of these lipsticks as they are such good quality and easy to apply.

*Essence Lipliner in 05 Soft Berry - This is the first lipliner I've owned and I'm not really a big fan of lipliners in general but I really liked this one. The colour is a perfect match for the Longlasting Lipstick in 06 Barely There  and so this is the perfect lip combination. The lipliner is easy to sharpen and is a soft consistency and is therefore easy to apply and is not scratchy on the lips. This lipliner is only £0.99 and so I will definitely be investing in more of these.

Swatches of  *Essence Longlasting Lipstick in 06 Barely There and *Essence Lipliner in 05 Soft Berry 

 

 

Nail look created with:

 

*Essence gel nail polish in 20 beautiful lies - I love trying new nail polish and I love gel nail polish in particular and so I was excited to try this. The shade is definitely not a normal 'me' colour but I actually really liked it. My nails didn't start to chip until the 7th day and so I was really impressed. For only £1.60, I will definitely be investing in some more shades as they are really good quality.

*Essence gel nail polish base coat - I never really use a nail polish base coat but I definitely think this helped as it meant that my nails didn't get stained and I think it helped the application of the gel nail polish and the amount of time it didn't chip. For £2.50, I think it's a bargain and I would definitely recommend it.

*Essence gel nail polish top coat - Again, I never really use a nail polish top coat, even though I probably should. I think it definitely helped to prolong the amount of time that my nails didn't chip and again for £2.50 it is a total bargain.

You can find Essence products in Wilkos.

 

Have you tried any Essence products? What are your Essence recommendations?

 

 

*DISCLAIMER: These products have been sent for review purposes only. This does not influence my views and opinions in any way. My views and opinions are 100% honest.

My thoughts on Sleek...

Sleek is a brand that I have seen around for such a long time, especially in Boots but I have never thought of picking any of their products up. So for a couple of months now, I have been testing out 4 of their products and now I'm ready to share my thoughts on them with you.

*Sleek CC Cream in the shade Fair - I was really excited to try this product as it is a CC Cream and I am all in for the light bases. I had only ever tried one other CC Cream to this before and that was too orange toned for my skin, so I was hoping for good things. I got this in the lightest shade and so I was hoping it would match my skin tone but CC Cream's are meant to adapt to your skin tone anyway. The first time I applied this product, I was so disappointed, it was cakey, it was thick and it just looked awful and I just couldn't believe it. I didn't believe I'd applied too much and so I left it in the draw for about a week. I decided to not judge it on first impressions and give it another go, this time I applied it with a beauty blender type of sponge instead of a brush and it blended into my skin like a dream and it wasn't cakey. Now every time I have applied make up (30 times since I first used it!) I have used this product with my beauty blender type of sponge and I have had so many compliments on how natural it looks and I really do believe it's good for a 'no make up, make up look' and you don't need that much product and it gives a fair amount of coverage. I will definitely be repurchasing this product in the future. This product is available in 4 different shades and so it isn't the biggest collection ever but hopefully the shades will match to your skin. I found this product was great for my pale yet yellow undertoned skin as it wasn't orange in the slightest. This product is £8.99 and is fairly priced for a base in the drugstore.

*Sleek Oil Free Crème to powder foundation in the shade linen - This product is highly disappointing to me and it doesn't matter how many times I've used it, it just doesn't sit right on my skin. I first thought this product was a concealer until I read online that it was actually a foundation. With a crème to power finish, I was excited to try this foundation as I thought it would be perfect for my oily skin. It turns out, it isn't. Although it is an okay shade for my face but not amazing, this product no matter how you apply it; whether it be with a brush or make up sponge, it just cakes up and looks awful. I've tried applying this product so many ways and it really doesn't make a difference and I found that when I wore this, it became patchy and uneven on my t-zone. I will not be buying this product again in the future. Although the product just really didn't sit well with me, on a positive note it is available in 30 different shades and so you should be able to find the shade for you. The shade linen is the lightest shade and it wasn't perfect for my pale complexion but it was manageable. This product is £7.99, which again is reasonably priced, I just didn't like the formula very much.

*Sleek true colour lipstick in the shade peaches and cream - This lipstick really excited me because the packaging was so lovely and I had heard so much about these lipsticks. Now I got sent the shade peaches and cream which doesn't suit me in the slightest. This shade just looked stupid against my pale complexion and that's not to say it won't suit other pale complexions but for mine personally, it just didn't look right. So with the shade not right, I was a little disappointed however these lipsticks are available in 31 different shades which is awesome right? The price tag is also only £4.99, which I think is a bargain considering these lipsticks have such good pigmentation and are easy to apply. I will definitely be picking more of these lipsticks up in the future, just not this shade.

 

Swatch of *Sleek true colour lipstick in the shade peaches and cream.

 

*Sleek gloss me in the shade fools gold - Again, another product I just wasn't very impressed with. Now I'm picky when it comes to lip glosses anyway as I hate really sticky lip glosses. This lip gloss was really sticky and was a shade that again didn't suit my skin tone in the slightest. I think this shade would be perfect for those people with a darker skin tone. I really didn't like this shade and my lips looked horrid with it on but that being said this lip gloss is available in 12 different shades. Although I wasn't really a fan of the consistency either. This product retails at £4.99 which is reasonable for a lip gloss in the drugstore.

 

Swatch of *Sleek gloss me in the shade fools gold

 

Have you tried any of these products from Sleek? What are your Sleek product recommendations?

 

*DISCLAIMER: These products were sent for review purposes only. This does not influence my views and opinion in any way. My views and opinions are 100% honest.

Testing out NYX...

NYX is a brand that I had heard so much about but never tried, until now. So for quite some time now, I have been testing out these 3 products. The *NYX Nude Matte Shadow in the shade 'I have a headache', the *NYX Illuminator in the shade Ritualistic and the *NYX Blush in the shade Angel. Now I haven't been able to directly link the products as the NYX UK site is currently being revamped but I have put links to where I have been able to find them, therefore I am not sure if the prices are the same as what they should be on the NYX site.

*NYX Illuminator in the Shade Ritualistic - This is the first ever highlight/illuminator product I have owned and so I wasn't sure what to expect. Personally I found that this highlight was a little too golden for my skin colour and wasn't quite as natural as maybe some highlighters/illuminators can be on the skin. I loved the pigmentation of this product and the packaging is nice too but personally I would have liked it better if the shade had been more silvery or pink toned, however in the collection I'm sure there is some. This product is £8.50 on the feelunique website, which I think is reasonable for a highlighter and I would recommend this product if you liked golden highlighters as the quality is great, it just didn't suit my skin tone.

*NYX Blush in the shade Angel - I was so excited to try this product as I had heard so much about the powder blushes from NYX. Again the pigmentation of this product is insane and it is very silky and easy to apply to the face. I love the name of this product and the quality is great. I also love the packaging. I found that when I applied this blush, it also gave me a highlight to my face too and it is such a wonderful shade and I would love to try other shades of these blushes. This product is currently £4.95 on The Beauty Store and so it is reasonably priced and this product will last ages and so it is well worth the money. This was my favourite product out of all of the 3 that I have tested out

*NYX Nude Matte Shadow in the shade 'I have a headache' -  I was excited to try this product as I have never tried a 'nude matte shadow' before and I really liked the name. This eyeshadow didn't have very much pigmentation which surprised me as the other two products were full of pigmentation but it just did not transfer to the eyelids very well. In the end I have used this shade as a brow bone highlight or as a setting powder for my eyelids before I put another eyeshadow on top but personally on it's own, this eyeshadow doesn't really do anything for me. This product is being sold on Amazon for £6.89 but personally I wouldn't recommend this eyeshadow shade.

So overall my favourite product that I have tested out is the *NYX Blush in the shade Angel. Although some of these products didn't suit me, it doesn't mean they won't suit you but I will definitely be trying some more make up products from NYX.

Have you tried any of these products from NYX? What are your product recommendations?

*DISCLAIMER: The items in this post were sent for review purposes only. This does not influence my views and opinions in any way. My views and opinions are 100% honest.

My Winter Essentials 2016.

With Spring fast approaching, I thought that I would talk about my winter essentials. Although I don't have many essentials, these are the products and things, I just haven't been able to live without throughout winter.

 

The first product I just haven't been able to live without this winter is the *Beegood Honey & Wild Water Mint 3-in-1 Cleansing Water. Now if you know me by now, you'll know I just cannot get enough of Beegood products, they are one of my favourite brands and I just love their products. I've tried a few cleansing waters now but this has got to be my favourite. This cleansing water removes make-up, cleanses and tones and it leaves my face feeling refreshed and soothed and does not irritate it one bit. This product is quick and effective and is perfect if you don't have a lot of time and one of the best things about this product is it is delicate enough to use on the eye area, which you find most cleansing waters aren't. This product is packed with moisturising British wild flower honey, antiseptic propolis, brightening red algae and refreshing wild water mint. You also do not need any water when using this product as it leaves the skin clean, toned and refreshed, ready for moisturiser. I use this product morning and night and I apply it to a cotton wool pad and I sweep it over my face, eyes and neck and it leaves my skin feeling more awake and clean. The price tag is £10 for 100ml, which is a little pricey for a cleansing water however it is a lovely cleansing water and it has made my skin so much brighter. This product is free from parabens, synthetic colour, mineral oil, silicone, SLS/SLES.

 

Another thing that has got me through winter is my 'home sweet home' mug which has usually been filled with a cup of tea or hot chocolate.

 

 

The next essentials that have been very much needed is this *Ruby Cable Knitted Lambswool Bobble Hat & Scarf Set from SnoodyDo. My matching set is in the colour blue shadow/cream but it is also available in silver pink/cream. Composition: 80% Lambswool and 20% Nylon. The hat and scarf are made from a chunky yarn and this is why it has kept me very warm and cosy through winter. This matching set is very comfortable and it also features the SnoodyDo branded antique metal stud.  I have been able to wear this set with any outfit and I have had a lot of compliments on them. I have since realised that I have probably been wearing the hat wrong as I believe the antique metal stud is meant to go to the side however, I've been wearing it at the front and it has still been comfy. I would highly recommend this matching set as it is comfy, cosy and such good quality. I find with most hats and scarfs they can make my skin or head itch but these don't do that so I was very impressed and loved wearing them and I will continue to wear them until warmer weather approaches. At £54.99, they definitely aren't the cheapest of a hat and scarf set but it is fantastic quality and well worth the money. SnoodyDo also do hats and scarves for men, as well as ski hats. SnoodyDo have a lots of different designs for both men and women and so I would definitely recommend them. Check out their website here.

 

Of course I had to add a few photos of me wearing my matching hat and scarf set.

 

My last winter essential has been lighting candles. Candles have definitely become one of my obsessions and now I'm always burning a new one. This candle is from the company Partylite and it is from their Forbidden Fruits Scented Candle Trio and it is called Blackberry Boudoir. I have absolutely loved burning Partylite candles and there will be a review coming soon on my blog! Candles just make me feel so relaxed and they smell incredible and so they have been a winter essential for me.

 

What products have been your winter essentials?

 

 

*DISCLAIMER: This post contains PR Samples and they are marked with an (*) but this does not influence any of my views. My opinions and views are 100% honest.

Farfetch - Style the Shoot: Sunglasses.

Hello everyone. So today's post is a rather exciting post and I have really enjoyed making this wishlist style post. Today I will be talking about the company Farfetch and today I have created a look, based around a pair of sunglasses. Spring and summer will be around the corner before we know it and although the weather in the UK can go from one extreme to the other, we all like to go out with a pair of sunglasses on. On average I've spent 4 hours trying to make this wishlist as I had to go onto the website and pick a pair of sunglasses and look through hundreds of clothes and accessories to come up with a look which I think would look lovely with the sunglasses. The outfit that I have put together is something I would personally wear and I think it's very wearable, more of a summer outfit but with a few adjustments, you could easily wear this outfit in spring and in winter. This look is a S/S16 look  and I really hope you like it. Please let me know in the comments what you think about the sunglasses I have chosen and the outfit. All of the clothes and accessories are from Farfetch website and although they are highly expensive,  you could easily go on other sites to find cheaper alternatives, although I was mainly focusing on the sunglasses and thought I would create the wishlist all from the website.

 

When I choose sunglasses, I choose them based on my face shape and of course if they look nice. Usually after I have seen a pair, I will try them on and see if they fit and suit me and this all I usually do. Sunglasses can be as little as £1 to hundreds of £s but, higher end sunglasses seem to be better quality and they are quite a luxury treat. Farfetch also have some style hub tips which you can read here.

 

 

 I firstly went to choose the sunglasses and I went to the Farfetch's sunglasses page which you can see here. Then once I had scrolled through a couple of times the Dior Jupon 2 Sunglasses really took my fancy. They are absolutely gorgeous and would definitely suit those people who have an oval shaped face like me as they will help to add definition and will compliment your features best. The Dior Jupon 2 sunglasses have a cat eye frames and therefore would also be good for those who have a square shaped face as they will highlight bold features.

 

The description of the glasses from the Farfetch website: "Dark tortoise shell brown 'Jupon 2' sunglasses from Dior featuring cat eye frames, gradient lenses, a logo at the temple and 100% UV protection. The lens measures 58mm and the bridge measures 15mm. These glasses can be adapted to fit all types of prescription lenses. This item comes with a protective case."

 

At £197.64, they are not the cheapest of sunglasses however they are a wonderful luxury treat and they will be great quality. I also personally love a tortoise shell design. They also have 100% UV Protection which is so important when you are out in the sun and I love how these glasses can be adapted to fit all types of prescription lenses. To compliment the glasses I chose the outfit and accessories above. In summer, I think Denim, Shorts and Sandals are the perfect combination. When wearing these items, I imagine myself to be walking along a beach. You can dress these sunglasses either up or down with a casual day time outfit or a sparkly night time gown.

 

You can check out all the items from the Farfetch website here:

 

Dior Jupon 2 Sunglasses - link  

 

Saint Laurent Studded Denim Sandals - link

 

Aries Collarless Denim Jacket - link

 

Saint Laurent Denim Monogram Bag - link

 

Giamba Floral Print Boxy Shirt - link

 

Carven Embroidered Shorts - link

 

Givenchy Faux Pearl Drop Earrings - link

 

Have you bought anything from Farfetch? Would you wear this look?

 

Definitely have a browse on the Farfetch website here.

 

CAPE.

 

Capes seemed to be the 'big' thing in the fashion industry last year but when they first came on the scene, I couldn't find them anywhere.

However, back in May (2015), I was looking on Boohoo.com to see what I could buy and I came across this cape. At first I wasn't sure on the style and colour, as I wanted a black one but nevertheless I proceeded to put it into my basket and paid for it. It looks a lot nicer in person than it did on the website.

I honestly think this is one of the best purchases (fashion wise) that I've had in a while. This is the Dora Aztec Wool Look Cape in Wine. Sadly, it's not available anymore. I have worn it a lot. I wore it when I first got it back in May and I wore it when it was a bit cooler and when I was going out to parties. It goes with literally anything! It's so stylish and I've had so many compliments when I've been wearing it. It's definitely not suitable for really cold conditions but for Spring and Autumn, it was great. When people have been complimenting me on it, they've always asked me how much it was and it was an amazing £8! It was such a bargain and I'm so glad I bought it. For anyone that is wondering it's also a size 12.

It's just great and I absolutely love it. I definitely want to invest in some more capes this year and I'm going to go on the hunt for a black one. All my wardrobe is practically black and so this is definitely something different.

Have you got a cape?

 

Beauty Narcotix: The Ultimate Fix Spray Giveaway.

Hello everyone. So as suggested by the title; this post is a giveaway post. I haven't done a giveaway on my blog for nearly a year now (I think the last one was around April?) and so I thought it was about time, I gave something back to you because you are all lovely. You leave me comments and you always interact with me on Twitter and I'm very thankful. I never thought anyone would read my blog and the fact that a lot of people do, means the world to me.

Now today's giveaway is going to be featuring The Ultimate Fix Spray by Beauty Narcotix. Now back in 2014 I did a review about this product and you can read it here.

But I will give you the basics on this product.

The Ultimate Fix by Beauty Narcotix is a breakthrough nail fixing spray which fixes and protects your enamel for days and days of dazzling, chip-free shine. It contains Supaset technology. Apply to all coats of polish to create chip-free lasting shine.

The Product:

"Our small company has developed a huge innovation in the nail enamel market."

"The Ultimate Fix is the first spray that can be applied to each layer of enamel; from base to topcoat. It's paraben free and features Supaset technology for fast drying and unbelievably long wear."

The Benefits:

- Professional 200ml, fixes up to 50 manicures or pedicures.

- Mini Handbag 50ml, fixes up to 12 manicures or pedicures.

- For natural and enhanced nails excluding gel polish.

- Non-oily.

- Delicate fragrance.

-Patent Pending.

The Background;

"We want to help women rediscover the joy of varnished nails. Finally, with The Ultimate Fix, there's an alternative to gel nails that's glossy, fast-drying and long-lasting. Ecstasy for nails"

"After tearing my hair out trying to find the perfect solution to drying and fixing nail polish, I eventually had to create one myself" - Angela Eisenberg, Director & Inventor, The Ultimate Fix.

Since launching in January 2013, The Ultimate Fix has had a big impact on the beauty industry.

So what am I giving away?

Prizes:

10x - 50ml bottles of The Ultimate Fix Nail Fixing Spray by Beauty Narcotix.

Rules:

- You must be following my blog.

- You must be following me on twitter. 
- You must be following me on instagram.

- You must be following The Ultimate Fix on twitter.

- There will be 5 winners.

- You will be receiving 2x 50ml bottles of The Ultimate Fix Fixing Spray by Beauty Narcotix.

- This is a UK giveaway sadly, due to restrictions, I am unable to send these internationally.

- No purchase is necessary.

- The blog giveaway will run from 02/02/16 till 02/04/16.

- Complete the rafflecopter below for a chance to win the blog giveaway. 

- If any of the winners do not contact me within 24 hours, another winner will be chosen.

- Your prizes will be sent out as soon as possible.

- The winners will be announced on twitter.
- The winners will be contacted via email.

- If you are under the age of 16, please get your parents or guardians permission before giving your address out if you were to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So I think that is everything that I need to cover for this giveaway! Good luck everyone! I would like to thank Beauty Narcotix for sending me their products for a giveaway.