REVIEW: Cocoa Brown Chocolate Whip Oil-Free Body Moisturiser

Us girls all love to be bronzed and beautiful and to achieve this most of us will fake it rather than bake ourselves on tanning beds. We also all know that to maintain a fab fake tan we need to moisturise daily to keep skin hydrated while ensuring your tan stays intact. However, what most people don't realise is that if you use a moisturiser with oils in it that this will actually work at removing your fake tan rather than maintaining it!!!

Cocoa Brown Chocolate Whip Oil-Free Body Moisturiser

Marissa Carter, owner of Cocoa Brown being the tanning genius that she is has come up with a great solution. An oil free moisturiser that gives you the right amount of hydration you need to helps maintain a beautiful tan. Introducing the ever so lovely Chocolate Whip Oil Free Body Moisturiser.

Marissa says that this moistuirser can be used in three different ways:

• Firstly before you apply fake tan this can be applied to the notoriously dry areas such as hands, feet, knees, elbows etc. This should be done no matter what tan you use to ensure that the tan doesn't cling to dry areas resulting in an uneven and unsightly fake tan. I love this product for this purpose. I have used moistuisers in the past that were way to thick and oily for this that they acted as a barrier against my tan and so I was left with tan free knees, feet, elbows, the works. Not a nice sight for a Saturday on the tiles!!!
• Secondly Marissa recommends using this starting from the day after you have applied your tan to prolong the life of your tan and also an even fade off of any residue. This definitely gets the thumbs up in this department. I have seen a great improvement in the length my tan lasts since using this
• And finally she suggests using this everyday to leave your skin moisturised without feeling oily or greasy. It's recommended to this use even if you don't have tan on. I am not a fan of using it in this way. I prefer to use a more luxurious moistuiser when I am not wearing tan.

This is really a super moistuser for using while sporting a tan, it is hydrating enough but absorbs super quick and leaves no residue on your skin. However, it doesn't give me enough hydration for non tan days. I like to use thicker products on non tan days just to give my skin that extra boost of moisture.

The packaging of this product is what I expected from Cocoa Brown, cute, girly and easy to use with a hint of pink. It comes in a 200ml tube. I love that it is fuss free to use (like all their other products). The plastic of the tube is soft which means you can squeeze out every last drop of the product.

I was a little surprised to see the product was brown. But it really suited the name!!

If you are familiar with and love the smell of Cocoa Brown's 1 hour tan then you are going to love the scent of this! When you first apply it you get the familiar whiff of Tahitian Gardenia but then as you rub it in to the skin the cocoa smells comes to the surface. It is not overpowering but it definitely has a scent that lingers on the skin which for me is a big plus especially as it masks any fake tan smell. 

If all of that wasn't enough, Chocolate Whip is actually good for your skin too. It contains Vitamin E which is known for its healing properties such as improving the appearance of stretch marks, age spots and maintaining general skin health. It also contains Panethenol which is great for people with acne prone skin as it doesn't clog the pores and so will not produce sebum in the pores.  I would really recommend this for anyone that suffers from body acne as its lightweight and full of acne fighting ingredients.

Overall, I am very impressed with this product and will continue to use it to help maintain a glowing and even tan. And at €7.99 for 200ml you definitely cannot ask for much more. Chocolate Whip Oil Free Moisturiser is available from Penney's, good pharmacies nationwide and FeelUnique's website (although it is €9.99 on this site). See here for a list of stockists.

For a perfect tan I would recommend using Cocoa Brown's Tough Stuff all over the body in the shower to exfoliate the skin, then use Chocolate whip on dry areas and then apply Cocoa Brown's 1 Hour Tan. Keep tan maintained with a daily application of Chocolate Whip. 

Have you tried Chocolate whip or any other Cocoa Brown Products? 

Do you use a moisturiser daily to maintain an even and natural looking tan?

Thank you for taking time out to read this post. Have a wonderful day.

Happy Tanning Ladies 

Love and Cuddles
XXXXX

A Guide to Choosing the Right Concealer

Hey Ladies! In the past I have done blogposts on How to choose the right foundation and also the Right Tools for Applying Foundation.This next post will deal with concealers and how to choose the right one for you and also how to apply them. Hope you enjoy and find it helpful!

A lot of people are under the illusion that foundation is the way to cover up imperfections and this is why we see many girls with caked on makeup which infact draws attention to the problem areas rather than masking them. It is true that foundation does help to even out skintone and reduce some redness but for really prominent blemishes and under eye circles concealer is our skin savior. Concealers are specifically designed to deal with problem areas and when used correctly they can transform your makeup look. They are also great as they give you full coverage without having to use too much makeup.

There are TWO Types of Concealers. One for under eye and one for covering blemishes on your face.

Credited to Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

UNDER EYE CONCEALERS: These are used to conceal discoloration and dark circles. It is designed to work with the very delicate skin around the eye area. They should be light and creamy in texture. It should also be subtle and hydrating as the skin under your eye tends to be drier and thinner than elsewhere on your face. There are two types of under eye concealers. The first one is a light reflecting one which instantly brightens the area while the other is for hiding discolouration. A lot of products on the market can do both and these are the products I would recommend.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SHADE FOR YOU: The trick is to find a concealer that is light enough to brighten the eye area and conceal your under eye circles but not too light that it will not blend with your skin tone. I would suggest getting a concealer one or two shades lighter than your own skin. In normal circumstances choosing a yellow based under eye concealer will cover discolouration and brighten the under eye.

APPLICATION: Depending on the type of product I am using I would use different application techniques. For products that come in pumps or tubes I always put the concealer on the back of my hand, this not only warms the product before application to the skin but it also allows you to control the amount of concealer you apply to the under eye area. I would recommend using a concealer brush or even your finger (be very delicate) to apply the product. If I am using a concealer wand such as YSL Touche Eclat I would apply the product directly from the wand under my eye and dab in with my ring finger. You do not want too much product under the eye as it will sit in fine lines so I would recommend multiple light applications rather than one thick application. When applying concealer apply to the undereye areas, including the inner and outer corners of the eye. You should always set your concealer with a really light dusting of powder to set the eye.

QUICK TIP: If your under eye concealer has light reflecting particles in it do not use this to cover blemishes as it will only draw attention to the area rather than covering it.

                                                                                    

                                                       

MY FAVOURITE CONCEALERS FOR UNDER EYES: Both Makeup Forever and Mac do a great range of concealers light enough to use under the eye area. Liquid Lift by MUFE is excellent and I also love Mac’s Pro Long wear(this can be used for blemishes also but make sure the colour matches your skintone if you use it to cover blemishes). Bobbi Brown's Correctors are fantastic if you have discolouraton under thr eyes. Refer to my previous post on how to treat and hide dark circles for great little tips. A cheaper alternative would be Maybelline’s DreamLumi Touche concealer wand or Collection 2000’s Illuminating Touch concealer. I am also a big fan of Maybelline's Age Rewind Concealer.

 

CONCEALERS FOR BLEMISHES ETC: These are used to cover pimples, veins, redness, broken capillaries etc. and are thicker in consistency and can often be much drier. Its recommended to try find a concealer for problematic skin if you are suffering from ache etc as they will have antibacterial properties in them which will not only cover the area but will treat the underlying problem also.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SHADE FOR YOU: Unlike the undereye concealer this type of concealer should match as close as possible to your natural skin tone. It’s a good idea to buy the same colour or as close as possible to your foundation. Often makeup brands have the same colours in foundations and concealers which makes it easier for you to choose the right shade. If not you can use the tip for choosing the right foundation in my previous post(Link at top) .

APPLICATION: This really depends on the size of the area you wish/need to cover. The application is very similar to before. Apply the product to the back of clean hands to warm the product. Take some product up on the brush and wipe off excess. Light multiple applications is a must as otherwise you will have a very clumpy area which makes the area more noticeable than before. For small areas like pimples, veins etc. use the tip of the brush and dot or draw on the area as delicately as possible. For medium sized areas use the side of the brush and for larger areas I would recommend using fingers. This is great to cover any areas of rosacea or pigementation. When using the fingers push the warmed product into your pores with your fingers.

QUICK NOTE: If your blemish concealer is thick in consistency do not attempt to use this under the eyes as this area is too delicate and thick consistency makeup will sit in the fine lines under the eye causing the makeup to crease. This is not a good look. 

                                                                                                            

                                                         

MY FAVOURITE CONCEALERS FOR BLEMISHES: I like Revlon’s Photoready concelealer (this product is ok for use under the eye also) , Rimmel Hide the Blemish Concealer,MUFE  or Ben Nye Concealer palettes or Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage Concealer.

So that’s all folks. I hope you found this helpful and please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have and be sure to let me know what you think of my post.
Thanks everyone and stay tuned for the next post which will be on how to choose the perfect powder.

Love Anita xxxx

REVIEW: Wow Brown Ready to Glo Dark Tanning Liquid

I have had the a bottle of Ready to Glo Dark Tanning liquid from Irish brand Wow Brown in my "to try drawer" for some time now but with one thing and another I didn't get time to check it out but I finally did it and Boy have I been missing out!!!!

This is the newest addition to Wow Brown's ever growing D.I.Y tanning range.

It really is a special little bottle of tan. Instead of making a sticky cream type consistency the lovely girls Fran and Don of Wow Brown decided to concentrate on giving us a product that contains really high level of direct DHA (what makes us darker quicker!!). The result is a liquid tan that resembles spray tan in a bottle.

On first use I fell in love with this tan. It is very easy to apply. All you do is spray it directly onto a tanning mitt and rub in circular motions from feet all the way to your face(yep it's safe to use on your face too!). Simple. It goes on effortlessly and isn't sticky at all. It really does remind me of a salon spray tan in a self tan version! And best of all it dries instantly which is my favourite thing in a tan because I hate to wait around for ages while it dries in.

Alot of tans claim not to have that dreaded fake tan smell but this one actually doesn't have a strong smell at all (slight fake tan smell towards end of development time but far less than other tans I have tried). Everything this tan claims to do it does well!! 

This tanning range was created by Fran and Don who are salon owners after they couldn't find a tanning product that ticked all their boxes as professionals and so they decided to create their own and you can really tell by this tan that they have dedicated alot of time and effort into it as there is very little negative things to say about the formulation of this tan!!

I love the bottle it comes in too. It looks tiny but infact it has 100ml's inside which means you can bring it in your hand luggage for a weekend away. You will get 7 to 10 full body applications from the 100ml bottle. The spray nozel that dispenses the product sprays just the right amount onto the mitt to ensure you don't overload the skin with too much liquid.

This tan can be washed off after 5 hours or left on for a deeper tan. I HATE leaving tan on for too long and especially overnight so I put this on in the morning and rinsed it after 5 hours. Before I rinsed it I looked extremely dark but once I rinsed off the colour guide I was very happy with the colour it gave me. Not overly dark but a really gorgeous golden, natural looking tan. I do think if I was going out on a night I would either apply a second layer after rinsing the first or leave it on longer because the colour I got after 5 hours wouldn't be enough for me for a night out! The reason I hate to leave tan on over night is because it gets so sticky and smelly during the night but this tan wouldn't do that as you don't even feel it on your skin and it has a minimal scent, Wow Brown refers to this as the "boyfriend friendly scent" which is very cute!!

Before Application                 After rinsing 

Ready to Glo Dark Tanning Liquid can be purchased directly from Wow Brown's website or from any stockists nationwide. It costs €21.99 for 100ml bottle.

I have read other reviews on this product and some people really didn't like it but I am just being honest when I say I had no problems at all with this. I always make sure I exfoliate thoroughly before application and also moisturise my dry areas. 

I hope you found this review helpful and please feel free to comment below telling me your experience of this fantastic tan!!!

Have a great day
Anita xxx


***This product was sent to me as a PR sample for review. However this has in no way affected my review. The opinions above are 100% my own opinion and I would not recommend a product if I wouldn't buy it with my own money. 

I got ZINCed and Loved it!!!

When I was invited to Zinc Hair & Beauty to try the Cocoa Brown Spray Tan by Marissa Carter and 3D Browz of course I was only delighted to give the treatments a go and even happier that it was at Zinc Hair & Beauty because I know how friendly and highly skilled the staff are there.

Zinc Hair&Beauty 637 South Circular Road.

When I walked in I was pleasantly greeted by the owner Lisa who was busy with a client and she asked me to take a seat and Tanya, the girl who would be looking after me today would be with me shortly. I was only seated and Tanya took me into the treatment room where she explained that she would do my 3D Browz treatment first and she asked me to lie up on the treatment bed. Ahhhh finally I can relax!!!!! Tanya then assessed my current brow shape and asked me what type of shape I would like and what colour tint I wanted. She also recommended that she gives my brows more definition. I knew I was in capable hands so I told her to do what she thought would suit me best. She then applied the tint and left it settle for a few minutes. Except for a split second Tanya didn't leave the room while the tint set which I thought was great because we got to have a chat about the Decoderm makeup that Zinc stock and use in the salon (review here) and she also was telling me about the new range of Decoderm nail polish that they got in in the last couple of days. I found her very easy to talk to and interesting at the same time which to me is so important when you are spending time alone with someone.

When the tint set Tanya then advised that she would wax, thread and trim my brows to the shape which would best suit me. Tanya was super quick at this and so the treatment was virtually pain free (even the threading which I don't particularly like). Once that was all done Tanya then wiped my brows and applied some sort of liquid (sorry not exactly sure what) which I think maybe sealed in the brow colour. She then showed me the finished result in a mirror and I have to say I was delighted. They looked much more defined and even though I had zero makeup on and I was as white as a porcelain doll I didn't look too bad because my face had definition. I was really delighted. I was very happy to see that the colour wasn't too dark and it blended well with my hair colour because for me their is nothing worse than having two huge thick, dark brows that just look like caterpillars on your face.

 Tanya did explain though that everyone has one eyebrow that can cause problems and needs more work and mine is my left one (don't I know it, it has caused me problems for years) so she explained that I should come back every six weeks and get them done and she will work on the shape and get them more uniform. I will definitely be doing that!!! I am a perfectionist and can see that my left brow is slightly thicker than the right and it will bother me for awhile but I have to take the advice of Tanya and trust her that by regular treatments this will be rectified over time. 3D Browz cost €30 per treatment at Zinc and they recommend you get the treatment done every 6 weeks to get a perfected result.

Brows Before being 3D Browz'd

After being 3D Browz'd

Next Tanya brought me into the room for my spray tan and told me that there was a hair net, disposable undies and some moisturiser to use if I felt I had dry patches. Seriously, does any other salon give you that much care??? None that I have been to anyway. So Tanya left me to get ready to be sprayed. When she came back in she asked how dark did I want to be and I said as dark as possible and she explained that like the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour tan the longer you leave it on the darker it will be. So she suggested leaving it on for 3 hours and then just giving it a light rinse and moisturise well. When Tanya finished spraying my whole body she then went over my legs a second time. I was taken back by this but thrilled because we all have had experiences where the tan takes beautifully all over the body and not on the legs so Tanya explained that by spraying them twice that this wouldn't happen....Hooray, its like she read my mind. Before I got dressed Tanya gave my skin a quick blast with a hairdryer to make sure I was dry all over(again another first for me)...although there was very little drying needed because the tan seemed to soak into my skin instantly.

The tan itself had the usual Cocoa Brown smell of Tahitian Gardenia (review of 1 Hour tan here) which is so pleasant rather the usual disgusting curry smell of other fake tans. The colour itself was almost instant, I felt I could go out on the town without even rinsing it off. A great thing when you have to go out in public after getting sprayed!! When I was on the way home the tan did start to run on my arms and legs which freaked me out a bit but it didn't make any difference at all so I would say this was only the colour guide running. The tan developed in an hour and I could see it getting darker up to the three hours after when I washed it off. I LOVE the colour of the tan, its dark enough but yet looks so natural. There wasn't a streak in sight (except for a tiny bit on my palms and bottom of my feet that shouldn't have been there...think this was my fault) and even the rougher areas like my ankles, knees and elbows were all perfect. This is down to the great work of Tanya and also the fact that I prepped my skin the night before with Cocoa Brown's new Tough Stuff body scrub (review here) which is available from Zinc for €3 for a 50 ml Sachet. I love the lack of fuss around this tan, you go in, get sprayed, get dressed almost instantly, have no sticky residue and wash it off after three hours (or one hour if you want a lighter tan) and you have perfect, streak free tan that lasts for days. It costs €20 to get a Cocoa Brown spray tan at Zinc.

Before                 After application      3 Hours later

Overall, my trip to Zinc Hair & Beauty was very pleasant, I got amazing services with impeccable results and got to meet some lovely people and try some great treatments along the way. I was so happy to have been ZINCed and plan on making it a regular place to visit to be beautified. Thanks for having me ladies and see you soon!

You can visit Zinc's website for more information on their staff and services they offer. http://www.zinchairandbeauty.com/

Love and Kisses
Anita xxxx

Stubborn Tan? Tough Stuff's Your Man! (or your lovely pink lady in this case)!!!

Lately the only fake tan I have used is Cocoa Brown's 1 Hour tan and I haven't had much problems at all with it leaving tan clinging to dry areas (review here). Although depending on how well I prepped my skin before fake tan application I may get a little bit of stubborn old tan clinging to my dry ankles, knees, elbows or under my arms after a week or so.

I was sent the new Cocoa Brown "Tough Stuff" scrub to try out and was so happy with the results. This product is "A No Nonsense Scrub for Rough Areas such as feet, ankles, knees, elbows & hands". It can be used to:
-Prepare skin for fake tan application.
-Buff your skin to make it feel soft and smooth.
-Get rid of nasty old tan.

I am a massive fan of body scrubs because I tan regularly and like it to look as natural and even as possible so was very curious to give this new launch a go. I have tried a tonne of body scrubs, some better than others but I always find that they leave a residue on my skin. I also can never seem to manage to get rid of my old tan completely after using certain scrubs, I usually have to exfoliate and then use a dry rough towel on wet skin to get rid of the rest, with Tough Stuff there is no need for this last step.

Tough Stuff is housed is a 50 ml sachet. The packaging is as girly and eye catching as the other Cocoa Brown products. The only thing I would change is that I would love it to be packaged in either a 200 ml tube or a tub firstly because it would be much easier to use in the shower and secondly because it would mean that I would have a big container of this super scrub to the ready whenever needed.

On the back of the sachet there are some great application tips from Marissa Carter (owner and founder of the Cocoa Brown brand). She advises that the scrub can be applied to dry skin for a deeper exfoliation or wet skin for a more gentle scrub. She also doesn't recommend using the scrub on sensitive areas as it is very strong so we don't want to irritate the skin. Marissa also recommends that you do not use this scrub on the same day as applying tan so I used it today before getting a spray tan done tomorrow and avoided using it on my chest and decollete area. I just love how this little sachet has so much information on it, very user friendly.

So what did I think of the product?????

I used this on wet skin in the shower. I didn't have any old stubborn tan to remove so the purpose of me using this was just to really buff my skin and prepare it for fake tan application.

Well firstly it smells so sweet and girly which instantly had me hooked and of course its a pink colour which again added to the princess pampering experience. The texture reminds me of a really expensive salt scrub that you would get in a luxurious spa . And wait for it..... hooray not a single bit of residue left on the skin after I rinsed it off. I also find with other body scrubs that the grains don't all wash off in the shower. I think this is because the product is oil based and so does not melt in water and hence the residue. With Tough Stuff there is none of this fussing about. It rinses off completely and the only thing it leaves behind is super soft baby like skin that almost tingles it feels so fresh and new. My skin was slightly pinkish after use but it states on the back of the sachet that this is normal and it is down to the fact that it gives such a deep exfoliation!

I am a sucker for using up the whole sachet when I use them but with this product I couldn't use it all. I exfoliated my whole body (and didn't skimp on the application) and I still have enough left for another full body scrub which I cannot wait for! I absolutely LOVED using this scrub on my thighs and bum area. It really works the area well and really helps with all the nasty lumps and bumps that us ladies get in that dreaded area. I felt like I had a body brush and scrub all in one.

Yes the product looks and smells amazing and there is no doubt that it ticks all the girly boxes but all of this aside this product really is a very high quality, no nonsense product. It does exactly what a body scrub should do, it's as simple as that.

Well done Marissa for delivering yet again another amazing product that will be part of my body skincare routine for many years.

Tough Stuff is sold in all Cocoa Brown stockists and costs a tiny €2.99. Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think. I have no doubt you will adore it as much as I do.

Love and Cuddles
Anita xxxx

Product Review- Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan

So, I know nearly every Irish blogger has reviewed the new Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan by Marissa Carter but I also know some of my followers have asked have I tried it so I thought I would write this review to let you all know my honest thoughts on this product.

Love the packaging, easy to use and not messy at all

Well first off I have to say I do like this tan, after only two uses its not my favourite tan of all time (that could change with more applications, I do tend to change my mind alot!?) but it does give some of the high end brands a run for their money!! It is a great tan that gives a lovely colour and glow to the skin and for a really reasonable price. I will definitely be repurchasing!!

Cocoa Brown is the brain child of Marissa Carter (owner of Carter Beauty, Blackrock Dublin). I had no doubt that this tan would be a great product as Marissa is know for her exceptional work in the beauty industry and so I knew this tan would be up to the same standard! I just LOVE spending money on products that I know someone has put so much work and pride into. It makes it all the more easier to part with your hard earned cash I think.

So here are a few of the things I like about this tan

• Its Irish, and we all know I am a massive fan of supporting our own!!
• So inexpensive (€7 in Penneys, €7.99 everywhere else)
• Mousse consistency so dries almost instantantly
• Colour guide allows you to see where the product is going
• It smells really lovely which is strange for a fake tan (the smell is Tahitian Gardinia to be exact)
• LOVE the fact that it develops in 1 hour and can be rinsed off after that time or can be left on for longer if you require a darker tan. The tan stops developing after 3 hours. I love that you can apply this in the evening and rinse it off before bed as I find it very difficult to sleep while stinking of fake tan.
• It doesn't have the usual "sticky" fake tan feel off it. 
• I actually used this on my face (which I wouldn't normally do) and it hasn't caused any breakouts!!!
• It does not contain DHA (tanning agent) so is great for sensitive skins. It instead contains vegetable derived tanning agents
• It leaves the skin sunkissed as opposed to tangoed

I mentioned that I love that it dries instantly but this can also be a con as you have to work super quick and make sure you really work it in to the skin which can be daunting on first application as you are not sure of the product, trial and error is the only way forward I think. But be warned this bad boy dries quicker than any tan I have ever used before. 

I would also suggest (and it is suggested on the packaging also) that you exfoliate really well prior to use and use a light moisturiser on dry areas (ankles, knees, elbows) .

I would apply this product with a mitt because it is super quick drying so it may be too late to wash your hands!!

 

After application     After 1 hour        After 3 hours

I applied this tan in the evening time.When first applied it gives a light tan to the skin (this is the colour guide), I then took a picture after 1 hour and then after 3 hours and I then rinsed the product off. You will notice the colour guide wash off in the shower but don't worry its not the tan coming off!! It doesn't leave you with a really intense tan but more of a natural bronzed look that on my skin looked very natural. I have read reviews that people say they applied it on two consecutive nights and it was too dark. I did not do this but I did apply it after two nights after the first application and I think it gave me a nicer tan the second time round. I was really happy with the colour after two applications, it wasn't too dark for me.

Overall, I am really impressed with this innovative product and I do think it is worth a buy and would definitely recommend everyone tries it out, especially because it is so darn reasonable and plus we have to support the Irish!!

This is only the first in a range of Cocoa Brown products I believe so I am really excited to see what Marissa has in store for us!!

I would love to know your thoughts on this product if you have tried it. I hope you all have a wonderfully sun-kissed week and I will chat to you all later.

Love Anita xxxx