REVIEW: Gosh's Growth Mascara

I recently subscribed to Glossybox which for those of you who are not familiar with this service it is basically a beauty subscription service which you sign up to and receive a parcel each month with 5 sample products in it to try. Some months they can be amazing and other months a little disappointing but for the love of my blog I think it is worth it because I can get samples of things that I can use and review for you all. Often I come across stuff that I didn't know existed. Sound like something you would be interested in??? Take a look at all the details here. 

Anyway my September Glossybox (I always giggle when I say that word) was late and so as an apology they sent me on three deluxe/full size products for my inconvenience. The one which really caught my eye was the Gosh Growth Mascara. There are two sides to this mascara, the claim that it will give you naturally longer and fuller lashes in two weeks and then the mascara itself. 

Let's look at them both individually:

How does a mascara help your lashes grow I hear you say? Well Gosh have added in a very powerful little ingredient called SymPeptide® XLash which is proven to visibly length and thicken your lashes in as little as two weeks. I really didn't expect this to work so silly me didn't take a picture of my lashes beforehand but trust me on this one it actually works. My lashes are not incredibly longer but they definitely look healthier, shinier, thicker and slightly longer after using this mascara. 

The mascara itself is absolutely great. The wand is rubber which usually I am not a fan of but this one really works wonders. The little bristles really get down to the root of your lashes which ensures every tiny lash is coated in mascara which instantly adds length and volume.

This wand also coats your lashes with just the right amount of product. The consistency of the mascara itself is PERFECT, it is thick enough to add volume but doesn't clump or smudge at all while applying. This mascara also lasts throughout the day and night without smudging or flaking. It isn't waterproof which I usually need to hold a curl in my lashes but this mascara seems to hold it fine all day.

I love this mascara so much that I have opted not to wear fake lashes on two nights out which is for me is a first. I just felt my lashes looked good enough with just this mascara. Gosh's Growth Mascara is €9.99 to purchase from anywhere that sells Gosh products or from the Gosh website. There is also a growth serum in this range which is supposed to be used at night in conjunction with this mascara to get the full benefit but I have not tried this and I did definitely see a nice improvement in the health of my lashes. However, if you want to get the full benefits I would suggest giving both a go. I am definitely going to try the serum in the future and will update you all.

I really like the fact that this mascara is perfume free and paraben free so is safe to use even on the most sensitive eyes. 

Overall, I love this mascara. Even if it wasn't a treatment mascara I would still repurchase as I was very impressed with how it made my lashes look. It gives great length, amazing volume and at the same times is good for your lashes. What more could you want?????

Would you try this mascara? Or have you ever tried it? Please feel free to leave your comments below. I would love to hear your views.

Have a wonderful day my lovelies.
Anita xxxxxxx

Karora's Express Bronzing Mousse.......... Rave Review

So let's face it, we all want to look our best at all times and that includes having a bronzed and beautiful body but most of us just don't have the time to primp and preen ourselves for hours. Well I have recently discovered a tan that gives you really amazing colour in minimal time. Interested? Keep reading my lovely....

Introducing one of the latest products from the Irish brand Karora. Their new Express Bronzing Mousse is described as "a new breed of luxury tanning mousse with skincare status and a development time quicker than ever before where you decide your personalised shade of bronze". Sounds good??

Love the packaging of this product.

Well in my opinion it is bloody well fantastic.....

First off I have to give some attention to the great packaging of this product. If you like expensive looking products that don't resemble tack in any way then this is a winner for you. The deep purple packaging with a hint of pink and gold peeping through screams velvet luxury. As this is a mousse consistency the pumps can often be hit or miss on these products but Karora has this one spot on. It isn't an aerosol type can but instead its a pump that dispenses the product perfectly and without any fuss. This tan is part of the Skinwear range from Karora which is a really big range of products that are perfect for getting you ready to bare all. This range includes a few new launches including a CC Cream aswell as some of their original products in new funky packaging. Their Original and Dark tanning mists are a favourite of mine and featured in my Current Fake Tan Favs post months back. You can read this here.

Fuss free pump. A great little addition.

The consistency of this tan is beautiful, it is a mousse but it is so velvety and smooth to apply. It goes on effortlessly with a mitt meaning that you don't have to buff it into the skin at all. However, it does give you enough time to mess around with the product to ensure you cover all areas. When you first apply it it smells to me like citrus. However, as the tan develops you do get a hint of the nasty tan smell which I am not a fan but because you only leave this on for a short time its not so bad. The smell isn't overpowering like other tans though.

You can leave this on for one hour, two hours or three hours and customise your tan to suit you. The longer you leave it on the deeper the tan will be. This is fantastic as it allows you to have a light tan for midweek and a beautiful bronzed deeper tan for the weekend. So no need to buy separate tans for different occasions. Of course me being a tanaholic I left this on for the full 3 hours and before I washed it off I looked radiant, however when I washed it off I was very disappointed that I didn't look any darker than before applying (see second picture below). So I got out of the shower moisturised and went about my business. Then after around an hour I noticed that my skin was a beautiful bronzed colour (see third picture below), it must have taken longer to develop on me than three hours and it states on the packaging that the colour continues to develop after rinsing and this is exactly what it did. So what did I think of the tan when it did develop??

1)Before Application
2) After washing off after 3 hours
3) After rinsing I left for around 1 hour and this was the result

To say it was the nicest bronzed exotic looking tan I have ever used is not an understatement. It gave me a really deep but very natural looking tan, almost like I was just back from a week in the sun. I was so happy with the results. It lasted perfectly well for around 5 days and began to fade after that but very evenly and no streaking at all. I wanted to thoroughly test this tan and so I packed the product on my feet to see if it would cling to any drier areas. I was very happy to see that it was slightly darker in the drier areas but didn't look in any way unnatural or cakey, you could easily get away with wearing open sandals even after I applied it in this way.

The only thing I can say that I didn't like about this tan was that after application I knew the product had soaked into my skin but yet I felt sticky in place for the three hours until I washed it off. I thought it was just me the first time but then I tried it for the second time and it was the same again. It was a little disappointing in this regard. However, if you are happy to sit and wait for the tan to develop then it is definitely worth it because the results are damn right amazing.

Like all of Karora's range of products this tan is free from any nasty chemicals and has added skincare benefits that leave your skin looking plump, perfected and very well hydrated. I think this is why the tan looks so well because it leaves your skin so hydrated that this, mixed with the beautiful bronzed look makes your skin look youthful and just simply glowing. Honestly, the more I use this product the more I fall in love with it. It gives me such a beautiful but natural tan. 

Finally, the best thing about this tan is that is it is safe to use during pregnancy as it is all natural and free from all those nasty things that irritate sensitive skin. There is some essential oils in this but they are only used in minimal amounts so are not harmful at all. That comes straight from Karora's mouth too!! 
Have I talked enough? I tend to do that sometimes. Here are the details of where to buy this product:
You can get this product in Lloyd's pharmacies nationwide, Mccabes Blanchardstown and Dundrum, Sam McCauley chemist and pharmacies nationwide.This will set you back €29.99 for 150ml which may be a little pricey for some people but you do definitely get what you pay for.

Have you tried any products from Karora's new Skinwear range? What is your current Fake tanning essentials? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Have a wonderful day my lovelies.

Anita xxx



***This product was sent to me for review but this has in no way affected my opinion. My opinion is 100% honest and trustworthy. I would not recommend a product that I would not purchase myself.xxx

Rimmel's NEW Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation REVIEW!!!

One of my all time favourite powders is Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder. I did try the original Stay Matte foundation (which is still available in shops so don't get confused) and wasn't too gone on it but when I seen that they had launched a new addition to the Stay Matte collection but this time in a Liquid Mousse formulation I was eager to try. 

Rimmel claims that the new Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation "leaves skin shineless yet feels weightless & cakeless" Sounds like the perfect Matte foundation right??

So does it stand up to it's claims??



-Well, it doesn't keep my skin 100% shine free on it's own but to help it stay matte for longer I do powder over it because I noticed that when I didn't I seen some shine creeping through around 11am (applied it at 8am). 

      NO MAKEUP                             WITH FOUNDATION        

-It definitely feels weightless on my skin. I was actually really surprised at how light it feels as the coverage can be built up to be medium/heavy coverage(but not full coverage). You need a really tiny amount to cover the entire face. I needed very little concealer to hide my pigmentation and blemishes after using this. The after picture above is me with just this foundation on and nothing else!!!

-As for the cakeless this is true for the most part although I did notice that it does cling to my drier areas like the area around my nose. However, I must add that it doesn't cake half as much as some other, more expensive matte foundations!!

-It blends really well onto the skin with no effort at all. The texture is kind of mousse like and feels soft and almost fluffy once you work the product into the skin. It also contains gel emulsifiers so this adds extra blend-ability!!!

Quiet a thick consistency to begin with

Dab it with your brush to soften the product before applying to the face

To apply this foundation I used Sigma's F80 flat top Kabuki Brush or Real Techniques Buffing brush from the Core Collection and both worked well. I do feel that this foundation would work just as well with your clean fingers. I don't like to use it with a normal foundation brush though. The main reason for this is when you squirt some product out it is quiet thick and needs to be worked well into the skin. I don't feel the regular foundation brushes do this well so if you have a kabuki/buffing brush use this or alternatively use your clean fingers. Also, because the foundation is thick if you use a regular foundation brush it will leave brush marks on your face....not a good look. For best results you should apply a small amount to the back of your hand, dab it with your brush like I did in the above picture to soften the product and then work it well into the skin. 

Use this ...............or this.................but not this

I have combination skin so my face isn't ultra oily but I would definitely see shine creeping through around my T-zone with other foundations. I am not sure that this would control shine for really oily skin though, it would help mattify it for a certain amount of time but as far as shine free skin all day long....I am not so sure. If you used a mattifying primer underneath and topped it with powder it would work well but that may be matte overload for some people. 

When I applied this foundation and set with powder I felt like it washed my skin out completely because it was so matte but once I added blush, bronzer and some highlight I really did like the look of my skin and it stayed in place with absolutely no touch ups for at least 6-8 hours which is pretty cool for such an inexpensive product. I don't use a matifying powder over the top of this. I used Mac's Mineralized Skin Finish Natural which is a very light powder which, if worn with another non matte foundation I would be an oily mess in a few minutes so it's not that the powder is doing the work but I just think that the foundation needs a little bit of help for it do it's job best. 

Neat and user friendly packaging

I also have to give some props to the packaging. Not the most exciting I have ever seen but none the less I love that it is a very compact little tube that won't take up too much room in your makeup bag. The packaging feels almost matte which I thought was a really cool little touch seems as this is a matte foundation. Usually I hate matte packaging because the product from your hands usually clings to it but this one can be easily wiped down and it doesn't stain the tube. The fact that it is a tube aswell is a big plus for me because it's easy to use and I feel I get to use all the product up as I can give it a good squeeze when it gets to the end. 

Rimmel's Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation is available in 6 shades. Just a little note that the shades start at 010 Light Porcelain as opposed to some of the Rimmel foundations which start at 100 Ivory. It costs €7.95 for a 30ml tube. I got mine at Boots and at the time of purchase it was Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price on all makeup so I got this for less than €4. At the time of posting this the offer is still available. 

I will definitely continue to use this product and would definitely recommend this to people who have combination bordering on slightly oily skin but not for those of you who suffer from dryness. I think this foundation would be fantastic for teenagers who suffer from acne because it gives a lovely finish to the skin that looks matte but natural and gives great coverage plus for the price its great for a teenagers pocket. I know if this product was around when I was a teen I would have been very happy to buy it. 

Have you tried this foundation and if so what did you think of it? Would love to hear what you oily skinned gals thought of it.

Have a wonderful day, Much love. 

Anita xxxxx

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

DECODERM MAKE UP|CARE Review

So anyone that has followed me for the last few months would know that I struggle with extra sensitive skin prone to acne breakouts but at the same time I am a makeup addict!! So when I was given the opportunity to try a makeup brand that was good for my skin and created with sensitive skin in mind I leaped at the chance. 

ABOUT THE BRAND

Beauty Professionals have all loved and trusted ALPAPARF Milano for over two decades now. This well known name has given us high quality and reliable skincare and haircare for a long time now and their most recent additional to their portfolio is no exception!!! 

Introducing DECODERM MAKE UP|CARE a range of makeup products that have been scientifically researched and developed aswell as tested by dermatologists and opthamologists to reduce the risks of irritations and allergic reactions to the skin. The entire range is fragrance and paraben free and it claims to give women natural products but that perform just like our usual cosmetic brands that are full of lots of nasties. 

DECODERM offers a range of products in the line from amazing under makeup primers to on trend lipsticks and everything in between!

DECODERM MAKE UP|CARE

PRODUCTS I TRIED AND TESTED

So on to the good stuff now. The products I tried and loved are: 

-16H Aqua Foundation in Shade 03 (slightly too dark for my normal skin but beautiful with tan)

-Hydra Blush in Shade 02

-3D Magnificent Gloss in Shade 03 

Love the pump bottle. Makes application easy

I have an obsession with foundation but often breakout when I try new ones so was really excited to give the 16H Aqua Foundation a try. The reason I chose this one over the other foundations in the range was because it claims to keep skin moisturised (but not oily) while staying in place for 16hours+, my type of foundation!! My experience with this foundation was nothing but positive. I adore the texture of this product, the minute its applied you can feel it giving you the hydration that your skin needs but without adding any unwanted oil to the skin. The coverage is very good but not OTT or cakey and definitely does last a long time with no more powder touch ups than I have to do with other foundations. I also love the fact that this foundation has natural protective filters that helps protect the skin against UV Rays.

3D Gloss and Hydra Blush swatch

The Hydra Blush is my favourite product from the three I tried. This little beauty actually contains Hyaluronic Acid which is amazing for keeping elasticity and moisture in the skin. This blush blends effortlessly and stays put all day. I noticed that my cheeks seemed flawless and almost airbrushed when I applied this blush so I had to do some investigation and it is made from soft focus powders which aid in masking imperfections and also diffuses light. The colour I chose is a rosy colour that gives a beautiful flush to the cheeks but is buildable so you can apply as much as you want to get your desired look. This blush is in no way cakey or powdery and is a definite staple in my makeup kit from now on. 

Great Brush Applicator

The 3D Magnificent Gloss also contains Hyaluronic Acid which is great in a gloss as it adds and maintains moisture to the lips.I chose a peachy coral colour in the lipgloss as this would be one that I would use on an everyday basis so thought this would be best to try out for you all. Again, I have nothing bad to say about this product. It adds a beautiful sheen to the lips and definitely does plump them up (without that tingle feeling). My favourite thing about this product is the applicator. It is a brush type applicator that makes applying the product very easy and is not messy in anyway. Love this. I love to layer this over lipsticks to add a new dimension to the colour of the lipstick. I did notice a beautiful pout to my lips after trying this gloss and this is thanks to the amazing ingredients jam packed into this little tube. It contains a blend of Volulip and Hyaluronic Acid that work together to give a great power pout combination. 

So when I apply my makeup now using DECODERM MAKE UP|CARE Products I think all the boxes are ticked.

-Flawless skin without breakouts....TICK

-Flushed cheeks that last all day......TICK

-A beautifully mositurisered and voluminous lip.....TICK

Love the embossed logo on the blush

The packaging of this brand is so on trend too. Its very sleek and understated but they have great little added touches to some of their products. I love the powder products because they have the DECODERM logo engraved into the powder, a pretty added bonus. 

Ok so I think I best stop rambling now. As you can tell I love this brand and am really happy to have been given the opportunity to try this. People in general (and I am no exception) are often skeptical to try makeup brands that are not from the usual makeup houses such as MAC, Estee Lauder, Lancome etc but I think the lesson learned here is that we need to experiment more because if we don't we may be missing out on hidden treasures like this brand that will not only give us great looking skin but will give us increased skincare benefits. 

DECODERM MAKE UP|CARE can be purchased from Zinc Hairspa and its very reasonably priced. The 3D Lipgloss is €14.90, the Hydra Blush is €15.90 and the 16H Aqua Foundation is €26.50. The ladies in the salon are so friendly and will be happy to help you choose the right products for your skin type and makeup needs. Definitely worth a look and a try! 

Thank you for reading my review and I would love to hear if you have had any experience with this brand. One thing for sure is that I am its new biggest fan. 

Have a lovely day.

Big Kisses xxxx

**I did receive these products for review but am in no way paid by Zinc Hairspa or Decoderm. The opinions above are 100% my own honest opinions. Thank you**

Product Review: Dr Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm

Hey everyone and I hope you are all having a wonderful day so far!

So my next post is going to be all about my new favourite skincare/makeup find which is the Dr Jart+ Water Infused BB Cream.

Lets start with the basics:

This cute little product is a 50ml tube (good size I think). Has an SPF of 25 and can be purchased from Boots for €24. It claims to give you "Flawless skin instantly, natural-looking coverage, evens skin and minimise the appearance of imperfections." It also has an advanced water based technology which helps hydrate and maintain your skin moisture for a dewy, fresh look to the skin. And best of all its oil free so its great for those oily gals.

The claims

So if like me you hadn't a clue about BB creams and thought that it was just another fancy name for a tinted moisturiser then I am here to help. Beauty Balms a.k.a BB Creams first started their journey in Asia and continued to make their way across the world where almost every brand on the planet now has their own form of a BB Cream (some good, some down right nasty). A BB Cream is an all in one product that claims to reduce the need for other products i.e. it replaces your serum, moisturiser, SPF, primer, concealer, foundation etc. So in effect it is a product that gives the same (or a little more) coverage than a tinted moisturiser but with added skincare benefits.

At the start I have to admit I wasn't that pushed on trying a BB Cream because I suffer from acne breakouts and scarring and so I love my full coverage and just felt that this product wouldn't be enough for my pain in the butt skin. I didn't bother trying any of the other brands versions of the BB Creams (except one other) as I spoke to people who tried them and really didn't like them. I also swatched alot in some shops and really didn't like the texture at all. I did want to try one but wasn't going to try one just for the sake of it so I sat tight and did some research and came across the Dr Jart line.

My first reaction was that I love the fact that this actual product is of Asian Origin and because Asia is where it all began I thought it must be amazing right??? So off I went to my nearest Boots store where I anxiously searched the shelves for this product. I tried it on my hand initially and was surprised by the odd grey tone of the cream but I continued to rub away and I have to tell you I was amazed at how well this product blended (the grey tone no longer to be seen) and how it transformed my hand. The texture of my hand was smoother and more even and it covered a slight pigmentation mark I have on my hand. I was SOLD!!!!

Before Application

This amount is enough for your entire face

After Application- See the blurring effect
No camera tricks used !!

When I first applied this to my skin I wasn't disappointed. I felt like I was applying a really expensive moisturiser to my face. The claim that this product hydrates the skin is in no way misleading- it even diminished some of my fine lines on my forehead. You can actually see the tiny water bubbles sitting on your skin as you blend away (absolutely amazing)! This felt great but as I suffer from acne I fear anything that is as hydrating as this often means thick and pore clogging. I did have some breakouts when I first used this product but once my skin became used to this I didn't get any breakouts, infact I think this may have helped keep them at bay (BB Cream can also stand for Blemish Balm as it is supposed to aid in treatment of acne)

This product does not cover my scarring, spots or pigmentation but it doesn't claim to do that. However, I did notice that it almost blurs the blemishes to make them less obvious(see above picture).

In the beginning I used this product after applying moistuiser and primer but I found that this didn't work for me as I was loading my skin with too many products. So when I am using this on its own I tend to skip moisturiser and primer and apply this directly after cleansing and toning my skin. I then follow with some concealer and then top it off with powder. This gives me a nice fresh faced look for everyday wear and it lasts all day. My T Zone does get a little oily, however this tends to happen me no matter what products I use.

I have recently discovered a great way to use this product and I am loving it. I cleanse, tone and moisturise with my skincare. Allow my moisturiser to sink into my skin and then I use the Dr Jart BB Cream as my primer. I apply it with my finger tips and then apply my foundation over this. I find this really gives me great coverage but without looking cakey. I allow both the BB Cream and the foundation to settle and I then top off with my powder. I find I don't need as much concealer now that I use Dr Jart BB Cream as a primer as this does create a blurring effect that helps to mask my imperfections. Ah just what I was looking for!!

If I could change one thing about this product it would be that it comes in more shades. It only comes in the one shade which is ok for me for everyday use but if I am heavily fake tanned it doesn't blend well into my skin. It is ok to use a primer when I have heavy tan on but not on its own as its too light. If Dr Jart made this BB Cream in more shades this would be the perfect product in my eyes.

The one bit of advice I would give you when using this product is to be patient. It's probably different than anything else you have ever used before and it may cause breakouts at ths start but if you bear with this and try different application techniques and find one that suits you then I believe this product will be a great addition to your skincare/makeup routine.

I hope you found this post helpful and please let me know your experience with this BB Cream or any others.

Love Anita xxxxx

***this was not a sponsored post***

My recent Boots Haul

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend so far. I know I am. Before I head off into the land of study I thought I would do a little post on my recent trip to boots and let you know what products I picked up. I originally went over to get some hair products and came back with much more than I expected to or could afford but thats the joys of being a beauty addict I guess.

In this post I will only let you know what I bought but if you want a review on any of them please let me know and I will definitely do one or if I like them enough you may see them in a future favourites post.

A picture of everything I purchased (sorry about the picture, its pretty awful). 

So here is a list of the goodies I bought:

• Umberto Giannini Flirty Curls Scrunching Jelly 
• Umberto Giannini Shapely Curl Mousse (I have curly hair incase you didnt guess)
• Balmi Lip Balm in Mint (in love with this stuff already)
•  No 7 Eye Makeup Remover
• Dr Jart ++ Water Fuse Beauty Balm
• Una Brennan Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask
• Una Brennan Tea Flower Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask
• Clinique all about eyes Rich
• Clinique High Impact Mascara Black

Clinique also had a gift with purchase on so I got a beautiful bag with loads of lovely goodies in it. I was looking for an eyecream and when I seen that the gift had some great products in it I decided I would buy another product and get the gift free (as you do). The gift came with:

• Rinse off Foaming Cleaner
• Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
• All about eyes (normal formula)
• Quickliner for Eyes Intense Eyeliner
• Mini High Impact mascara
• Chubby Stick Moisturising lip colour balm (the main reason I wanted this gift)
• 
  

I have tried some of the products out from this haul but not all of them. I would love to hear your thoughts on any of the above products and please let me know if you would like a review on any of them. Have a great weekend everyone...xxxx

All about primers-e.l.f V Inglot

                                                      
I thought I would start with a review of one of the basics and review an under makeup primer. There are tonnes of primers on the market and I do like a lot of them but the reason I chose these two to review is because I have used them on myself and clients for a long time, they are both made from similar ingredients and both have the same textures. When products look the same and claim to do the same things its often hard to distinguish which one you should buy. My aim with this review is to give you my experience on these products and give you the pros and cons so that you can choose which one you would prefer to buy rather than wasting your money on both.

The two products I chose to review are:

1) E.L.F’s Mineral Infused Face Primer

2) Inglot’s Under Makeup Base

e.l.f Mineral Infused Primer

                                                      

Ingot Under Makeup Base

Both products claim to:

-Create a flawless and smooth canvas

-Combat excess oil

-Prep skin for easy application of foundation

-Make foundation last longer

I wouldn’t disagree with any of the above claims. Both products do their job well and I would repurchase both of them.

These products are very similar:

-Both are clear in colour- so no worries with colour matching

-Both have a greasy (not in a bad way) consistency when first applied to your fingers but then once they are applied to the face they give a lovely velvet feel which makes foundation application much easier.

-Both products appear to have silicone in them which is fantastic for smoothing out the skin and filling in any fine lines on the face.

This is the amount of primer you need for your entire face and neck
Before primer is applied-notice the lines on my hand 

Leaves your skin really smooth and matte ready for foundation application.
After primer-notice how much smoother the lines on my hand appear

There are however some differences between the two products:

-The packaging- ELF comes in a pump bottle while Inglot comes in a tube. This to me is the main reason why I like one product over the other. The ELF pump gets clogged and then cannot be used so you then need to open the bottle and scoop out the product with the tube from the pump (which can often break away) so I feel you do loose some product at the end of the bottle.!! Inglot’s packaging on the other hand allows you to get right down to the last drop of product. Its not the most glamorous packaging (especially when compared to ELF) but it is practical and allows you to get the best value for your money by squeezing out every drop.

-You only need a tiny amount of either of these products as they spread fantastically. If using the ELF pump it dispenses too much product which not only wastes the product but also makes you apply too much of the product to your face which can make you oily and make your foundation clumpy. Inglot’s primer would do the same if too much was applied but the tube allows you to dispense only a small amount….problem solved.

-The price is also another difference. ELF primer is around 7.50euro (less p&P) and Inglot is 22euro. For this price you get 14g of ELF and 30ml of Inglot. When you compare the cost per ml/g there isn’t much of a price difference so it really does depend on how much excess cash you have at that particular time.

-I do feel at times that the ELF one can cause a slight breakout on my super sensitive skin but the Inglot one doesn’t seem to do this.

- The Inglot primer seems to controls oil more than the ELF one which is only really important if you have skin prone to oiliness. Neither primers make your skin produce more oil, the Inglot one in my opinion just controls the oil produced naturally by your skin a little more than the E.L.F one.

E.L.F primer pump packaging (14g) 

                                         
 

Inglot primer tube packaging (30ml)

Which one I would buy first would depend really on the following:

YOUR MAKEUP EXPERIENCE: If you are new to primers I would recommend the E.L.F primer simply because you get to experience a really high quality primer that gives high end brands a run for their money for under 8euro. Also some people do not like the texture of this type of primer so instead of splurging your money this product is great way to see If you like it before buying a more expensive product.

YOUR BUDGET: If your budget won’t stretch very far I would recommend E.L.F. If you fancy splashing out a little I would go for the Inglot one (although 22euro isnt alot consondering the amount of product you get and the quality of the product).

YOUR SKIN: If your skin is super sensitive like mine I would recommend Inglot as I do believe E.L.F can cause break outs on some skins.

Overall both products are very good and I would recommend either of them depending on how much money you can and are willing to spend on a primer. If I wasn’t concerned with money though I would tend to choose the Inglot one. It’s a well rounded product with great value for money and I haven’t had any problems with it and as stated before I have used it excessively on both myself and clients. However, thats not to say that if you buy the E.L.F one that you will be wasting your money because this really is NOT the case. The E.L.F primer is a really good quality product. Inglot are a more luxurious brand so they have probably spent more money into the development of this primer hence it has an edge over the E.L.F one.

E.L.F Cosmetics can be bought at www.eyeslipsface.co.uk while Inglot Cosmetics can be bought at Inglot shops nationwide. Visit http://www.inglotireland.com/our-stores for a list of Irish stores.

Thank you for reading my review and please feel free to share this review with your friends. I would love to hear your experience on these primers or any other primers so please feel free to comment below. Also if you have any questions please comment below or contact me via facebook or email. xxx