Friday 31 March 2017

Style Freedom Hair Products

Style Freedom Hair Products

Hello Lovelies
  
My hair has been a bit of a lot of a nightmare over the years, since having my youngest daughter, my hair has been incredibly oily and I also lose a lot of hair due to my medical conditions, and the medication I take takes it's toll on my hair too, so all in all, it's been a bit of a roller coaster over the years and I have tried countless shampoo's to try to help with the numerous problems I have. 

Because of my hair being so ridiculously oily, I have been known to shy away from trying hair products and treatments but I recently received some hair treatments and styling products from the brand Style Freedom and when I saw what they were, I was really eager to try them because all of them seemed targeted at problems I have with my hair. I couldn't wait to try them out and see if they would help with my troublesome locks. 

Style Freedom are a new haircare brand sold In Superdrug, they have 4 different ranges of hair product, Foundation, Creation, Finish and Revival and I received some products from the Foundation and the Creation ranges. The Products I received are the Hair Detox Kit and the Detangler from the Foundation range and the Super Root Volumiser from the Creation range. 

Hair Detox Kit- £7.99

Style Freedom Hair Products

Style Freedom Hair Products

The Hair Detox Kit (£7.99) is a 2 part hair treatment containing Green Tea, Citrus and Vitamin E. It is a weekly detox treatment that gives your hair a fresh start and unlocks it's full potential, the detox kit is suitable for all hair types. The detox kit comes in 2 parts, part 1 which is the purifier and part 2, the revitaliser. 

Using shampoo containing silicones and polymers can create build up on the hair shaft, this combined with using heated appliances, styling products and environmental factors, our hair can start to look limp and lifeless, become hard to style, produce excess oil, appear greasy and need washing more often and our hair becomes in need of a detox. The Style Freedom Hair Detox Kit is a 2 part system that firstly uses ingredients including Green Tea and Citrus to detoxify the hair shaft and remove all impurities from the hair and secondly replenishes and nourishes the detoxed hair using Shea Butter and Vitamin E to renew strength and vitality. 

Style Freedom claim that by using the detox kit once a week the hair will be purified and revitalised, have improved appearance and styling and have increased growing ability due to strength and quality. 

Using The Hair Detox Kit

Style Freedom Hair Products

Part One - The Purifier is the first step in the hair detox, hair should be wet but not washed or conditioned and then towel dried, then the purifier applied to the mid lengths and ends and worked up towards the roots, add some water and work into a lather and then leave for 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly and towel drying. 

Style Freedom Hair Products

Part Two - The Revitaliser - apply to towel dried hair on the mid lengths and ends and work up, once applied using a wide toothed comb, comb the hair through and leave the treatment on for 5 to 10 minutes then rinse thoroughly, towel dry and style as normal. 

My Thoughts

To be honest I was really dubious the first time I used the Hair Detox Kit, I suffer with extremely oily hair, it is so oily that even if my hair is washed in the morning, it can be oily by 6pm, it is that oily. I was concerned because part 2 of the detox contains Shea Butter, I thought this would be a deep condition, and my hair would be a complete grease ball mid afternoon because usually I can't use conditioner at all. 

To put the detox kit through it's paces, the first time I used it I made sure my hair was super greasy, it hadn't been washed for 3 days, was full of dry shampoo and hairspray, so my hair really was full of product and resembled an oil slick. 

After using step one, my hair felt squeaky clean and then after step two, it felt incredibly soft, my hair was towel dried and then dried and styled as normal which is basically dried off with the hair dryer and then straightened. I was so shocked at soft my hair was, my hair felt absolutely incredible and I honestly don't think it has ever felt as soft, and my hair was shiny too which isn't often heard of being blonde. I couldn't stop touching my hair and even made sure Simon and the girls had a good feel of my locks. Another great thing is that my hair smelled lovely too, not over bearing but just nice and fresh. 

And now is the part where I eat humble pie for being dubious about the Hair Detox making me look like a grease ball by mid afternoon, I didn't at all look like a grease ball, not one little bit and in fact the day after I was able to wear my hair down again and just use a minimal amount of dry shampoo at my crown, this is unheard of for me, I can never go 2 days without washing my hair, ever. I was absolutely bowled over by the results of the Hair Detox Kit and have told everyone I know about it, it is amazing and I highly recommend it, it makes such a difference. 

Detangler - £7.99

Style Freedom Hair Products

Style Freedom Hair Products

The Style Freedom Detangler is a leave in conditioner for those who suffer from tangled hair, it can be used on both wet and dry hair and is particularly suitable for those with long or curly hair or children's hair. It provides shine and softness without buildup, is non greasy and is paraben free, doesn't contain any waxes, mineral oil or sodium chloride. 

Style Freedom Hair Products

To use the Detangler hair must be washed and towel dried and the Detangler shaken and then sprayed from root to tip, combed through and either left to dry naturally or dried and styled as normal and used daily for best results. 

My Thoughts

When my hair is wet after being washed and towel dried, it is extremely knotted. I have no idea why, because my hair is thin and naturally straight but for some reason when it has been washed and towel dried, it becomes very tangled and knotted and is really hard to brush through, so before trying the products I was looking forward to trying the Detangler most out of all the products I received. 

The first time I tried it my hair had been washed and towel dried and the Detangler shaken and sprayed from the roots of my hair to the tip, my hair was then brushed through, my hair is always very difficult to brush through, but the Detangler does do exactly what it says on the tin and my hair brushed through so much easier after using it. The Detangler has a lovely fresh scent, it smells really lovely, the scent doesn't linger on the hair but it does smell lovely. 

I had the same reservations about my hair becoming oily very fast after using the Detangler but again it didn't at all and my hair looked fresh and clean all day and not oily. My hair feels lovely and soft after using the Detangler, it makes life so much easier when my hair has been washed and I now use it every time my hair is washed. This would be an excellent product for using on childrens hair too as it really does make the hair easy to brush through, my hair goes from a birds nest to super smooth in no time at all and if you're like me and have super tangled hair I would highly recommend the Detangler or if you have little ones and struggle to brush through their hair. 

Super Root Volumiser - £7.99

Style Freedom Hair Products

Style Freedom Hair Products

Style Freedom Hair Products

The Super Root Volumiser gives super lift at the roots and creates full volume. It is suitable for all hair types but in particular fine, flat and limp hair that lacks body. The Super Root Volumiser is a styling product which is applied to washed and towel dried hair, applied to the roots and any other areas of the hair which appear flat or limp, blow dry the hair to activate the Root Volumiser and achieve the desired style. 

My Thoughts

My hair is long and thin and also flat, it wouldn't know volume if it slapped it in the face, as I said earlier my condition and medication have really taken their toll on my hair and it being so thin and flat is one of the things that I hate about my hair, I just can't do anything with it. My hair isn't ever blow dried, it is basically just blasted off with the hair dryer, there isn't any point doing anything else, it is far to thin and limp to do anything, so I was super excited to try out the Super Root Volumiser after having such amazing results with the Hair Detox Kit and the Detangler. My eldest daughter is all about the big hair look but her hair falls out and she struggles to get some volume or if she does get any volume it doesn't stay, so she asked if she could try the volumiser too. 

The Super Root Volumiser is a mousse type product that is applied to damp, towel dried hair before blow drying. It is white in colour and reminds me of a regular styling mousse, the mousse sprays out of the nozel type applicator on the can well and applies nicely and evenly to the hair and doesn't leave the hands feeling sticky. 

I don't ever have my hair blow dried, it is just dried with the hair dryer and whoever is drying my hair brushes my hair through with a brush at the same time, and uses the brush to smooth my hair under at the front a little, there isn't any kind of technique used, I am unable to blow dry my own hair due to health reasons so I just have my hair dried and straightened and that's it, so because of this, I wasn't expecting any kind of great results to be honest. 

The first time I used the volumiser, I was pleasantly surprised when my hair was dried that it did have more volume, it wasn't huge but it didn't look flat and limp as it usually does. Simon straightened my hair and then my youngest daughter came in and did a little brushed and she used her hands to push my hair up a little from underneath and my hair did look like it had much more volume, especially at the roots,  we were both really surprised, so much so, my daughter said "can I use this?" 

Despite not having my hair styled as such, my hair did still have a lot more volume and looked so much more voluminous. I have also worn my hair in a bun and a pony tail after using the mousse and the front of my hair, which would normally lie flat, does have volume to it, I am so pleased but mainly impressed as I didn't think my hair would or could look like that considering it is so flat and thin and because I don't have it blow dried into a style. 

My eldest daughter has also been using the Super Root Volumiser and she is seriously impressed too, she for the most part, curls her hair but she said even when she wears it straight her hair looks so much fuller and the volume at her root is "fabulous" in her words. 

Overall Thoughts

I am seriously impressed with all 3 products from  Style Freedom, none of the products have caused my hair to become oily any faster than it would normally and the Hair Detox Kit keeps the oil at bay which is amazing and unheard of for me. My favourite product out of the 3 would have to be the Hair Detox Kit, it is incredible and I feel like I am being pampered once a week and my hair feels and looks like I have been to have a salon treatment. I do love all the products though and will continue to use them all, my daughters both use the Super Root Volumiser too now and they both really like it, neither of them has a need for the Detangler but I love it and it is a staple for me when my hair has been washed, I don't need to use it after the Hair Detox Kit because my hair is left feeling lovely and soft and brushes through with ease but I do use it every time my hair is washed normally. 

I have been using the products for almost 3 weeks now and am very happy with them and I will definitely be re purchasing, I can't recommend all 3 products enough and all are affordable and available either on line or in store from Superdrug. If you would like to try the products I have reviewed today, you can find them on the Superdrug website, the Hair Detox Kit here, the Detangler here and the Super Root Volumiser here and at the time of writing, the Style Freedom range is currently on a buy one and get the second product half price offer, so a perfect time to try these products and any other products from the Style Freedom ranges. 

Have you tried these products? Would you like to try any of them? Let me know in the comments section below. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x


✿ Post Contains PR Samples - Read my full disclaimer here















































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Tuesday 28 March 2017

Pixi And Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse

Pixi And Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse

Hell Lovelies

I love me some skincare and a product I was excited about as soon as I heard about it was the Pixi + Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse, I have been reading Carolines Blog for around 7 years now and she has helped me enormously both on a personal level and as a blog reader, and as soon as saw she was collaborating with Pixi, who I also love, I was so excited and I knew immediately I would be purchasing the Double Cleanse. 

The Double Cleanse (£24.00) was launched on January 10th 2017, my daughters both knew how excited I was about the impending launch but they wanted to buy me the cleanser for my birthday on February 14th, this meant I had to wait a little longer but I didn't mind at all, it just added to the excitement of trying it.  

Pixi And Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse

Pixi And Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse

Pixi And Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse

The pot feels nice and sturdy and isn't heavy, it has the usual Pixi colours and the packaging is nice and fresh looking as always with Pixi products. The tub is split down the middle with the solid cleanser on one side and the cream cleanser on the other, I did wonder if the 2 cleansers would mix but they don't at all and they have a plastic insert on top to keep them separate too. 

Pixi And Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse

The Double Cleanse has a solid oil cleanser on one side (right in the above photograph) and a cream cleanser on the other side (left in the photograph above) both cleansers are fragrance free, paraben free and are not tested on animals. 

Double cleansing is something Caroline has talked about on her blog for years and is basically exactly what it says it is, you cleanse twice, firstly with a cleanser to breakdown and remove makeup and secondly to clean and nourish the skin. If ever you've used a cleanser to remove your makeup, if you then went in with another face cloth and some more cleanser, there would be a little makeup or grime left, so double cleansing ensures beautifully cleansed and clean skin and now Caroline and Pixi have come up with a double cleanse all in one pot. 

Using The Cleansing Oil & My Thoughts 

I use the Double Cleanse as my evening cleanser as instructed by Caroline/Pixi, it is ideal for an evening cleanse to remove makeup, SPF and the grime built up over the day. 

When using the cleanser I take a small amount of the solid oil cleanser first and rub it all over my dry face, including over my eyes, I rub it in and then remove using a face cloth which I run under hand hot water then wring out and wipe away all the cleanser from my face. I then pat my face dry with a towel.

Then I take a small amount of the cream cleanser and rub all over my face, including my eyes, rub it in well and then take a face cloth, run it under hand hot water, wring it out and then use it to remove the cleanser and pat my face dry. My face is left feeling extremely soft, there is no residue and my skin doesn't feel tight at all. 

The solid oil cleanser is absolutely incredible at removing my makeup, the first time I used it I was amazed at how easily my makeup removed. My daughter Cole has also used the double cleanse, she wears quite a lot of makeup, including waterproof brow products and mascara and always wears a full face of makeup, and her makeup just wiped away effortlessly, it is fantastic and the best cleanser I have used to remove my makeup.  

The cream cleanser feels lovely and luxurious on my skin when I am applying it and when I have removed it, my skin feels amazing, it isn't tight at all, there isn't any residue and my skin is left feeling super soft and smooth and very clean.  

I am absolutely thrilled with the double cleanse, it is everything I hoped it would be and more, I knew it would be a good product because all the Pixi products I have and have tried are brilliant and Caroline is amazing when it comes to skin care, but it really is an incredible product and it's the only method of cleansing I use now in the evenings and especially when I have been wearing makeup, and I will 100% be re purchasing when I am running low, this will be another Pixi product that I own and I won't let run out. 

I honestly cannot recommend the Pixi Double Cleanse enough, it is incredible for removing makeup and leaving the skin feeling super clean, smooth and soft and is the perfect way to begin your evening skincare routine. 

You can find the Pixi Double Cleanse on the Pixi website here or on the Marks & Spencer website here or on the Cult Beauty website here

Have you tried the Pixi Double Cleanse? Do you love it as much as I do? Let me know in the comments section below. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x 













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Saturday 25 March 2017

Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara

Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara


Hello Lovelies

I am pretty sure you will have seen the new Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara floating around blogs and social media since it was launched around 10 days ago. Lots of bloggers received the mascara as a press sample, including me, so it has been popping up rather a lot recently on social media and today I'm going to let you know what I think of it. 

What Rimmel Says About The Volume Shake Mascara 

SHAKE IT UP TO KEEP IT FRESH!
Rimmel London Volume Shake Mascara features a first-to-market patented shaker system that refreshes the volumising formula whenever it’s needed. The volume defining brush gives you a beautiful fan of lashes with maximum separation from corner to corner.
Breakthrough shaker technology
Beautiful clump-free volume
Stays fresh from first to last use

My Thoughts, Packaging, Application & Wear
Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara

Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara

The Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara has to be the heaviest mascara I have ever used, this is down to it's first-to-market patented "shaker system" inside the mascara. The mascara tube has the innovative shaker system inside and each time the mascara is shaken, the volumising formula is said to refresh, this is to prevent the mascara from drying out after a few months as is usually the case with a mascara. The mascara is in a dark green tube with gold writing, it is a lot heavier than a regular mascara but not too heavy that it's uncomfortable to use.

The mascara has a bristle brush, it is of average size, not too big and not too small, the neck of the mascara tube is a lot bigger than regular mascara's, usually the neck of the tube/bottle will get thinner towards the opening to enable wiping off any excess product, but the neck on the Volume Shake mascara is quite wide, you can still easily wipe off any excess product but the neck is definitely wider. 

Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara

When the mascara is shaken, you can hear and feel the innovative "shaker system" moving up and down, but since the mascara is new, I haven't needed to shake it, and have only shaken it for review purposes and not because the mascara needed refreshing. 

The mascara wand doesn't pick up too much product which I like, I really don't like it when the wand is over loaded with product and it was nice to see this wasn't, I did have to wipe the excess product from the wand but it wasn't over loaded at all. The brush on the wand is easy to use and fans my lashes out nicely. The mascara coats my lashes well, separates them and gives me a little volume, it doesn't give me a dramatic change in the way my lashes look, but my lashes are coated evenly, and nicely separated, it is a nice everyday mascara that doesn't clump or give me that "3 lash" effect. 

The mascara doesn't smudge at all and I haven't experienced any flaking, I have a real problem with mascaras smudging on my socket bone, but the volume shake doesn't smudge which is a huge bonus for me.  The mascara applies well and has a nice formula, it is quite wet but not too wet that it goes everywhere when I use it,  and it has always removed with ease with any makeup remover or cleanser I have used with it.  

Overall it's a nice mascara and I like it but it doesn't blow me away,  it coats my lashes well and gives me nicely fanned out separated lashes but not particularly volumised, it is a nice mascara for everyday and the fact it doesn't smudge is brilliant for me because 90% of mascaras do smudge so to find one that doesn't is a big deal for me. Since I have only had the mascara for just over a week I can't really comment on whether the shaker system works well because the mascara is new and not anywhere near the drying out stage, I will however come back and add an edit in to this post in around 6 months to let you know if the shaker system works. 

If you would like to try the new Rimmel Volume Shake mascara, you can pick it up on the Superdrug website here priced at £8.99, but at the time of writing this post it is currently available for a promotional price of £6.99.

Have you tried the Rimmel Volume Shake mascara? Or would you like to try it? Let me know in the comments section below. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x

✿ Post contains PR Samples - Read my full disclaimer - here








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Saturday 18 March 2017

Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails

Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails


Hello Lovelies

I love anything nail related, there isn't a haul post on my blog that doesn't include at least one nail polish or product, so when I received some of the Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails to try, I couldn't wait to use them. 

I love painting my nails and I also love having a gel manicure, whether it's a DIY gel that's done using my own kit at home or if I visit my local salon, I love the way gel nails look. 

I received two packs of the Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails, one is a rich deep brown shade, named Ab Fab and one is black with teal and turquoise sparkle, named Painted Veil. 

Painted Veil - £6.99

Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails

Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails

Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails

The Painted Veil nails come in a cardboard box packaging with a clear window showing 8 of the nails and the nails claim to be a ready to wear, gel look nail. Also inside the box are the rest of the nails,  24 in total and all different sizes to suit different sizes, a small tube of pink nail glue, 24 sticky double sided nail pads, a small orange stick and a small nail file. 

You can apply the nails two different ways, either using the sticky pads or the nail glue, there are instructions on the back of the packaging but inside there is also an instruction leaflet. 

Ab Fab - £6.99

Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails

Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails

The Ab Fab nail kit is exactly the same as the Painted Veil and contains exactly the same products apart from there being 28 nails and 28 double sided sticky pads in this kit rather than the 24 in Painted Veil. 

Application

I decided the best way to try out the two different application methods, would be to apply the nails to one hand using the double sided sticky pads, and the other hand using the nail glue. 

I filed my nails and trimmed my cuticles before applying the nails and chose the nail sizes suitable to my nails, there are different sizes of nails included which I thought was really useful because not all sizes fit everyone. It does state in the instructions that the nails are numbered but the numbers were so small I couldn't read them, however once I had chosen a nail for each finger, it was easy to find another nail the same size for my other hand. 

I applied the double sided sticky pads first of all and didn't peel off the top layer, I then applied the hand I was using the glue with, I followed the instructions and applied the glue to the nail and then pressed the nail onto my nail for a few seconds to secure it in place, it didn't take me too long to apply all 5 nails. 

Next I peeled off the first sticky pad layer and stuck the nail down, holding in place for a few seconds, I then carried on and did the same with all the nails. It took me around 40 minutes to apply the nails to both hands, but please bear in mind I do struggle with my hands due to my medical condition so it wouldn't normally take so long and I would imagine you could apply the nails in around 15 minutes. 

The Finished Look

Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails

Kiss Gel Fantasy Nails

Overall Impressions

I really liked the look of the nails, the colour is amazing and they have a beautiful shine and do look just like gel nails, Ab Fab are a deep brown shade, I did think they looked more of a deep burgundy in the pack and I wouldn't have ever chosen that shade but it looked lovely and I do really like it having worn the nails. The Painted Veil set are stunning and I received a lot of compliments on them and people asking me how I achieved the look, I love that they feel smooth to touch even with the glitter, both sets are beautiful.

I did find the nails a little long though, the brown ones are short length and the black are medium so the black were longer than the brown and I felt were too long for me but they are lovely and look lovely on and for an occasion they do look amazing. I did manage to go about my day to day life wearing both shades of the nail but I don't go out to work and because of my health I don't do an awful lot so it is worth mentioning because they are long, the brown are a lot more manageable so if you feel you would struggle, I would choose the short length rather than the medium. 

I found the hand that I had used the glue on lasted the longest, but to be honest I thought it would. I applied the nails on a Sunday morning and the hand I used the double sided sticky pads on lasted 48 hours, I lost 4 of the nails on the Tuesday. I did decide the leave the nails on my other hand to see how long they would last but I had an appointment on the Wednesday and couldn't go with one hand of nails on, so I removed them on the Tuesday night but they would have lasted longer. 

I put a photograph up on my Instagram account of me wearing the Ab Fab set, I had a lot of comments on the photograph and not one person thought they were false nails, I had comments saying how lovely my nails looked but nobody realised they weren't my nails, which I think is really good because it shows how natural they looked. I thought the nails looked like I had been to the salon and had a gel manicure but a gel manicure at my salon is £30.00 and the nails are £6.99 and because of how many nails are in the packet, means I will be able to wear them more than once and I did keep the nails I had worn with the sticky pads and I have been able to remove the sticky pads so will be able to re use those too. So much more affordable than me going to the local salon for a gel manicure and kinder on my nails too. 

Overall I really like both sets of the Kiss Gel Fantasy nails and I would recommend them, they are affordable and there are plenty of size options and I think they wore well and lasted well, should I have used the glue on both hands I am sure they would have lasted a lot longer so if you want them to last I would use the glue but for an occasion or if you only want them to last a day or two, I'd use the sticky pads. I haven't used false nails for so many years and to be honest I don't ever look at them or think of using them but having used the Gel Fantasy nails, I would definitely consider buying more for an occasion or for my holidays etc, it's a great way of having really lovely nails without paying salon prices. 

If you would like to try the Kiss Gel Fantasy nails, you can find the Ab Fab set on the Superdrug website here or the Painted Veil set here, the Superdrug website also has other Kiss nails available here

Have you tried the Kiss Gel Fantasy nails? Do you wear false nails? And which out of the two sets of mine do you like best? Let me know in the comments below. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x


✿ Post contains PR Samples - You can read my full disclaimer here.
















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Saturday 11 March 2017

Barry M Frosted Cupcake Polishes - NOTD And Review

Barry M Frosted Cupcake Polishes - NOTD And Review

Hello Lovelies

You may have seen in my most recent Boots Haul post that I picked up 2 of the Barry M Frosted Cupcake nail polishes (£3.99). I have used each polish a couple of times now and as always my daughters have been my guinea pigs and have tried them out too, so today I have a review and NOTD (nail of the day post) for you all rolled into one.

There are 4 shades in the Frosted Cupcake collection, Blue Velvet, Earl Grey, Marshmallow and Strawberries & Cream, each shade is a muted shade and has silver glitter particles running through it. I chose 2 of the shades, Marshmallow and Strawberries & Cream.

Marshmallow


Barry M Frosted Cupcake Polishes - NOTD And Review


Marshmallow is a very pale muted creamy/greige shade, I thought it would be an ideal shade to wear all year round. The brush on the polishes is a nice wide brush, I like a wide brush as I find the polish easier to apply. After applying my base coat, my base coat of choice at the moment is the Nail HQ Growth, I applied 3 coats of Marshmallow to achieve an opaque shade, applying nice thin, even coats and allowing each coat to dry fully before applying the next, that stops any bubbling from occurring. 

Barry M Frosted Cupcake Polishes - NOTD And Review

Barry M Frosted Cupcake Polishes - NOTD And Review

Strawberries & Cream

Barry M Frosted Cupcake Polishes - NOTD And Review


Strawberries & Cream is a lovely muted pink shade, the brush is obviously the same and I applied this shade in exactly the same way as I applied Marshmallow. I used 3 coats of Strawberries & Cream to achieve an opaque finish. 

Barry M Frosted Cupcake Polishes - NOTD And Review

Barry M Frosted Cupcake Polishes - NOTD And Review

I really like the look of both polishes, they both looked a lot nicer "in real life" than they photographed so unfortunately my photographs don't show how nice they really do look. Both are nice muted shades that look lovely and can be worn all year round. They do have a textured feel to them because of the glitter but once topcoat has been applied they do feel smoother,  you can still feel the glitter slightly, I do prefer a smooth finish but it didn't bother me too much. 

I used the Essie Gel Couture topcoat with both shades, it is my go to topcoat and all my polishes last a lot longer when I use it. The first shade I tried was Marshmallow and I was so pleased how well it lasted, I had been wearing it for 7 days and removed it because I was going to my dads 70th meal out  and fancied a change of polish but it would have lasted longer, it hadn't chipped at all in  7 days, I do put this down to the Essie top coat though as Barry M shades without a decent top coat don't last at all on me. 

Strawberries & Cream lasted well too, but not as well as Marshmallow, it lasted for 5 days before chipping, still a good amount of time though and again probably down to the top coat I used. Cole, my daughter also used both shades, she is a makeup artist so in and out of packets all day and washing her hands a lot and she managed 4 days without chipping for both shades which is good considering how much she uses her hands. 

Overall Thoughts

I really like the Frosted Cupcake polishes I have, both shades are lovely neutral shades that will look lovely all year round, I thought they both lasted really well on my nails, that said, I think that will definitely be down to the top coat I used, but some Barry M polishes don't last well no matter what top coat I use, so I do think they lasted really well. The polishes apply well and have the nice thick brush which is a bonus and makes it easier to apply the polish, the polishes have an average drying time and both look lovely once applied. 

The only negative I can find is the texture of the polish, I like smooth nails and really don't like to feel glitter in my polish but that is the only negative and it isn't ground breaking. I would definitely recommend picking up the polishes, all 4 shades are lovely and nice easy shades to wear. I do recommend using a good topcoat to ensure longevity. 

You can find the Frosted Cupcake polishes on the Superdrug website here priced at £3.99, Superdrug currently have a 3 for 2 promotion on all Barry M products, so now is definitely a good time to try them. 

Have you tried the Frosted Cupcake polishes? What do you think? Which of the 2 shades I have to do you like best? Let me know in the comments section below. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x




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Friday 10 March 2017

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Shake Filling Powder - New Beauty Launch

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Shake Filling Powder - New Beauty Launch

Hello Lovelies

The new Rimmel Brow Shake Filling Powders have be seen on many an Instagram account and lots of blogs recently, they are the brand new brow product launch from Rimmel and there has been quite a lot of hype around them, today I am going to share with you my thoughts on them and include both some before and after shots and comparison photographs too. 

Brow products are something that weren't ever on my radar until around 3 years ago, I didn't ever fill in my brows when applying my makeup as I always thought I looked silly, but after reluctantly agreeing that my daughter could fill them in and show me, in her words "how much better they look" I had to agree, my brows did look better filled in. 

Since then I have tried what feels like every product you can use to fill in brows, known to man. I have tried eyeshadow, various different pencils with different nibs, brow gels and brow pomade, so when the Rimmel Brow Shake Filling Powders arrived on my doorstep, I was rather intrigued by them and couldn't wait to give them a whirl. 

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Shake Filling Powder

The Rimmel Brow Shake Filling Powder come packaged in a plastic pot with a long thin lid that houses the applicator, the colours of the pot reflect the shade of the powder inside. The applicator is a sponge applicator that is very flexible and picks up a good amount of product, the pot must be shaken before use to ensure the applicator grabs the product.

Rimmel claims the key features of the brow shake powders are- 

• Ultra soft powder to fill, define and line.
• Shapes and sculpts brows.
• Intense colour that lasts all day and all night.
• Silky smooth applicator.
• Fade and smudge, transfer and water proof so brows stay fixed all day and all night. 

The Brow Shake Filling Powders come in 4 different shades, 001 Light Brown, 002 Medium Brown, 003 Dark Brown and 004 Soft Black. 

001 Light Brown

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Shake Filling Powder

002 Medium Brown

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Shake Filling Powder

003 Dark Brown

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Shake Filling Powder

004 Soft Black

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Shake Filling Powder

I have very sparse brows and they are also very fair due to my hair colour, my hair is naturally blonde but I do have it dyed a couple of shades lighter than my natural colour, so I am fair naturally and that combined with my brows being very sparse is a bit of a nightmare. I use a taupey shade to fill my brows in, I find it suits my hair and skin tone the most, I don't draw myself a very full or bold brow but I do have to draw some individual hairs in to give myself a fuller brow, and fill in the sparse areas too. 

Unfortunately, none of the shades in the Brow Shake Filling Powder were suitable for me as they were all too dark. I did think 001 Light Brown might be a good colour match but it was too dark, however I have used both 001 and 002 on my brows to try out the application methods and also the longevity of the product for review purposes. I also asked my eldest daughter Cole to try them out, she is a makeup artist and she had quite a negative opinion of how they might apply and look, so after I had used them a couple of times I asked her if she would use them so I could offer her opinions both personal and professional in my post. 

Swatches

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Shake Filling Powder Swatches

The first time I used the brow shake powders, I used the lightest shade 001, I gave it a good shake as instructed and filled in my brows using the applicator, the applicator is very soft and flexible and surprisingly easy to use, I wasn't able to draw individual hairs with it but I liked it so much more than I had anticipated.  I found the powder a lot easier to use than I had anticipated too and was pleasantly surprised.

I like to square the front of my brows off slightly and found that I didn't get a perfectly precise line using the applicator but that was easily corrected by taking an angled makeup brush and some of the product from the applicator and just tidying up the front of my brows, but the applicator was great for filling in my brows and I found  it took me a lot less time to fill in my brows with the brow shake powders than with my usual eyebrow pencil. The powder is extremely pigmented and using the applicator only it is very easy to create a full brow, the campaign hashtag is #BrowLikeCara which is fitting as it is very easy to create that Cara Delevigne inspired brow.

The powder lasted well and didn't move at all throughout the day, I have used makeup remover, makeup wipes and a cleansing balm to remove the brow powders and each method has removed the powder with ease.  I did experience some fallout from the powder the first time I used it, so I would recommend tapping off the applicator to avoid that happening. 

As I said I also asked my daughter Cole if she would try the Brow Shake Filling Powders, when they first arrived she pulled her face at them and said she couldn't see how anyone could fill their brows in with the applicator, so when I had used the powders and was pleasantly surprised by them, I asked Cole if she would use them and give me her opinion on them. 

Coles brows aren't as sparse as mine and hers are a lot darker naturally, she does create a full brow when applying her makeup, she draws on individual hairs, and she likes to create precise, sharp lines and also likes the front of her brows to be less bold. 

Cole said she was very pleasantly surprised by the brow powders. The first time she used them, she applied the powder using the applicator only, she said she thought the applicator was a lot easier to use than she thought and that she was able to create a nice, neat full brow with it, however she  said she would have liked a thin side or double ended applicator to enable her to achieve a more precise line, she did however point out that she is a perfectionist and does like to have precise lines. 

Cole decided to put the brow powder to a good test, she decided she would wear it for a working day, Cole got up at around 4.30am and applied her makeup and didn't arrive home until 6pm so she tried the powder again for work and then again when she was out on a day out with her boyfriend which included shopping, a game of crazy golf and going for cocktails, they were out a long time and that day she applied her makeup at 10am and arrived home at 10.30pm, both times she said her brows looked just as good at the end of the day as when she had applied them, and they hadn't faded or move at all.

Some Before And After Photographs Of Coles Brows

Coles Brows Before

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Shake Filling Powder before use


Coles Brows After Using The Brow Shake Filling Powder

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Shake Filling Powder 002

In the photograph above, Cole has used an angled brush to create the sharp precise line at the front of her brow, underneath and for part of the tail of her brow, she did use the brow powder applicator for 90% of the application but I do want to point out that an angled brush has been used for the precise lines. 

Overall Cole was very impressed by the Rimmel Brow Shake Filling Powder and she said she had to take what she assumed back and that she was proved wrong, she really thought she wouldn't ever be able to create a nice neat brow look with the powders and despite using an angled brush when she used the powder for work and her day out, the first time she used it, she filled her brows in using just the applicator and she said she was pleased with the finished look but she does like sharp precise lines. Cole used shade 002 in the photograph. 

Cole has used the Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade to fill her brows in for a couple of years now and if you asked her she would say it is her holy grail makeup product and one she cannot live without. When Cole used the brow powders she was so pleasantly surprised and even said that she never thought she would consider using anything other than the pomade she uses, but we both agreed that there really wasn't much, if any difference in her brows when she had used a £15.00 pomade or the £5.99 Rimmel Brow Shake Filling Powder. 

I decided I would share a comparison photograph with you to see what your thoughts are on the difference between the brow pomade and the brow shake powder. Cole wore the same blouse, an incredibly similar eye makeup look and the same lip colour so we could get an even comparison. 

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Shake Filling Powder V's ABH Dip Brow Pomade
             ABH Brow Pomade Dark Brown                    Rimmel Brow Shake Filling Powder 002

I'm sure you will agree, Coles brows look great in both photographs, the brow pomade is darker in colour and one is a cream product, one a powder but the purpose of the photograph is to show how Cole was able to create the same brow look using a much more affordable product and one she didn't think she would like, let alone use. 

Overall Thoughts From Myself & Cole 

Both myself and Cole found it took a lot less time to fill in our brows using the powder and we were both pleased with the longevity of the product. We both really liked the product, we were both pleasantly surprised with the applicator and how the powder both applied, and lasted and the look we were able to create. We both agree that the powder is going to be more suited to someone who already has brow hairs and wants to fill and enhance them and fill in any sparse areas, I think if you don't have much brow, an angled brush will definitely be needed to create fine hair lines but if you simply want to fill in and go then this is an great product for doing that. It is an affordable product and one that's easy to find in the drugstore and online. 

My negatives would be the fallout from the powder, if you don't either wipe off the applicator on the back of your hand or tap it off there is fallout, and my other negative would be that I feel there could be more shades in the range, none of the shades were suitable for my blonde brows, and more shades are definitely needed.

If you would like to give the Rimmel Brow Shake Filling Powders a try, you can find them on the Superdrug website here priced at £5.99 (Rimmel are currently on a 3 for 2 promotion) or the Feel Unique website here priced at £5.99. 

Have you tried the brow shake powders? What do you think of them? Have you had a holy grail product and changed your mind when trying a product you didn't think you'd like, like Cole?  Let me know in the comments section below. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x


✿ Post contains PR Samples or Gifted Items - You can read my full disclaimer here









                                                                                                





  








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