Tuesday 29 September 2015

WunderBrow 1 - Step Brow Gel

WunderBrow 1 - Step Brow Gel

Hello Lovelies,

My eyebrows are what I can only describe as horrendous, they're not a great shape, they are fine, pale in colour and they don't grow and given that statement brows are the "in" eyebrow look at the moment I'm fighting a losing battle with my brows, Cara Delevigne I am not!

Up until around 12 months ago I shied away from filling in my brows, because they are naturally blonde I always felt that when I'd filled them in they looked a bit "woooo I'm here" and I felt like they were waving from my forehead and looked silly but since both my daughters have an extremely strong brow game as it's called and my eldest is a professional make up artist, they told me to try filling mine in and I thought they were probably right so I tried both a pencil and an eyeshadow and have used both but mostly an eye shadow ever since and to be fair my daughters were right my brows did look better. When filling in my brows I have always emphasised what I already had naturally and haven't ever created any arches or changed the shape of my brows at all as I felt this was the best look for me.

I've used an eyshadow suitable for blonde hair and an angled brush to fill my brows in ever since I realised that my daughters were right and my brows did look better filled in but recently I received the WunderBrow 1-Step Brow Gel and was intrigued and when I read the information and looked at the product I couldn't wait to try it out. 

What Wunder2 Say About WunderBrow

With pencils and powders offering short term results, WunderBrow offers real hope to those looking to achieve the perfect long lasting brow in a matter of minutes and from the comfort of their own home. A one step brow solution, WunderBrow uses exclusive Hair Fibre Complex and unique, patented PermaFix Techology to fill, define and shape your eyebrows with natural looking colour that lasts for days, or until you choose to take it off using an oil based cleanser. Water-proof, smudge-proof and transfer-proof, WunderBrow is easy to apply and delivers a flawless finish without resorting to more extreme, expensive and permanent solutions. WunderBrow works naturally to enhance your eyebrows with the use of Keratin protein hair fibres, which attach to your natural hairs to help your brows appear thicker and fuller for longer.

What's In The Box?

The WunderBrow comes in a tube that looks a little like a mascara tube but thicker, the tube itself is clear with a silver lid, there is also a spoolie brush in the box and an instruction leaflet with a step by step guide of how to use the product and a tip on how to achieve the ideal brow shape using diagrams and written instructions.

WunderBrow 1 - Step Brow Gel

WunderBrow 1 - Step Brow Gel

The Wunderbrow comes in 4 different shades, Blonde, Auburn, Brunette and Dark Brown/Black, the Wunderbrow came sealed with a clear film seal around it which had perforations so it was easy to remove. The tube was easy to unscrew and the product itself has a brush type applicator. 

WunderBrow 1 - Step Brow Gel


My Thoughts On WunderBrow 1-Step Brow Gel

When I was asked to choose a shade of WunderBrow I chose Blonde as I thought this would be the best shade for me and when it arrived I was really pleased as in the tube it looked very similar to the shade of eyeshadow I usually use to fill in my brows. I found the information leaflet really easy to follow with good step by step details and diagrams,  I was nervous the first time I used the WunderBrow as I have never used a product like this before and as I said always used pencil or powder so I was stepping out of my comfort zone completely.

WunderBrow 1 - Step Brow Gel

The first time I used the WunderBrow I brushed my brows through with the spoolie provided and then removed the wand out of the tube and wiped off the excess onto the side of the tube and then followed the natural line of my brows using small strokes to create the look of "hairs". One of my brows is thicker at the front than the other so I created a thicker front to that one and then just followed the natural shape of my brows, once I'd filled them in I brushed them through with the spoolie again. If I made any mistakes I found using a cotton bud was the easiest way to rectify them but to be honest I didn't really make any apart from maybe adding a little more than needed underneath or above my brow which was very easy to sort out. 

I first used the brow gel at around 9am in the morning and removed it at 1am and my brows looked exactly as they had done when I first applied the WunderBrow, they hadn't smudged or transferred despite me dozing off on the sofa earlier in the evening, I was really impressed with how long WunderBrow lasted and the fact I'd fallen asleep and it hadn't moved at all, my brows looked like I'd just done them but it was 16 hours later, I would never have that wear time using eyeshadow or a pencil. When it came to removing the WunderBrow, it removed with ease with an oil based make up remover without the need for any scrubbing. WunderBrow claims to last for up to 3 days and although I didn't leave mine on for 3 days I can quite imagine it would last well, mine hadn't moved after 16 hours, I have extremely dry skin and use oils over night so couldn't leave mine on for 3 days but the staying power is amazing and my brows don't move at all, they look exactly as they do when I've just done them until I remove them. 

Overall Thoughts & Would I Re Purchase?

After my initial thoughts of being nervous to use the WunderBrow I really didn't need to be, it was super easy to use with the instruction leaflet being really helpful too, I have tried different ways of using the WunderBrow and have used it by using the brush to create small strokes and gently fill in my brows or using the brow gel to completely fill in my brows but the best way I have found for me is by using both the WunderBrow brush and my MAC 208 angled brush to fill in my brows by taking some product from the WunderBrow brush onto my angled brush and once they're done I brush them through with the spoolie, my brows look fuller but not overly full and they stay in place all day, when I was away in Greece the sun bleached my hair and my brows and now the ends of my brows are pretty non existent and they look thinner than ever but the WunderBrow has really helped and they look so much better than they ever did by using an eyeshadow or pencil, they look more natural too.

WunderBrow 1 - Step Brow Gel
Me wearing the WunderBrow

I am really impressed with the WunderBrow, it's easy to use with simple and easy to follow instructions if needed and my brows stay in place all day or until I remove them, it's fantastic how if desired you can leave your brows for up to 3 days without re applying so if you have a busy lifestyle or you are like my daughters and won't leave the house without your brows on then it would be a great product for you. I use such a small amount of product too so I can imagine the tube will last me a very long time, I wouldn't ever have considered using a brow gel before but now I have I am thrilled, it is so much easier and quicker to do my brows than before, it's a brilliant product and I will definitely re purchase once I have finished this tube. 

If you would like to try the WunderBrow you can find it here on the Boots website for £19.99. 

How do you fill in your brows? Have you ever stepped out of your comfort zone when doing your brows? 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x

✿ This post contains a PR sample or gifted item






                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
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Saturday 26 September 2015

My First Ever Blog Book Review

My First Ever Blog Book Review


Hello Lovelies,

I get asked a lot about books I read and for recommendations of books to read and whilst away on holiday I finally finished a book I've been reading for a long time so thought I'd write my first ever book review, I wasn't sure if to write this post or not so please let me know if me doing the odd book review post is something you'd be interested in.

I've made no secret that my favourite book of all time is Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes it is the only book that has ever had an effect on me in the way it did, I bought it at the airport on the way to our family holiday in 2012 and read it beside the pool, one day I was sat reading and absolutely sobbing so much so the rep came and asked me if I was ok but I was crying so much I couldn't speak, it is an amazing book, yes it is sad and you'll need tissues but it is fantastically written and a brilliant read, I recommend it to everyone and so many of my blog readers have bought it and loved it too.

In 2014 Simon bought me another Jo Jo Moyes book, The One Plus One knowing how much I'd loved Me Before You, unfortunately it has taken me over a year to read the book because of my medical condition I struggle to read now and take things in and it takes me a long time to read each page so it has taken me such a long time to finish the book. I think audio books are going to be the way forward for me as I love reading.

I finally finished reading The One Plus One on my recent holiday to Greece and thought since I'm asked a lot about books I have read and what I recommend,  I'd share my thoughts on it with you.

What The Blurb Says


One single mum
With two jobs and two children, Jess Thomas does her best day after day. But it's hard on your own. And sometimes you take risks you shouldn't. Because you have to . . .
One chaotic family
Jess's gifted, quirky daughter Tanzie is brilliant with numbers, but without a helping hand she'll never get the chance to shine. And Nicky, Jess's teenage stepson, can't fight the bullies alone. 
Sometimes Jess feels like they're sinking . . .
One handsome stranger
Into their lives comes Ed Nicholls, a man whose life is in chaos, and who is running from a deeply uncertain future. But he has time on his hands. He knows what it's like to be lonely. And he wants to help . . .
One unexpected love story
The One Plus One is a captivating and unconventional romance from Jojo Moyes about two lost souls meeting in the most unlikely circumstances.

My Thoughts
I really enjoyed The One Plus One, I liked the mix of characters and that throughout the book you are given an insight into each character and their past and what makes them tick etc, the book has both lighthearted and funny moments but also sad moments too, I found it an easy read and not your typical chic lit, sometimes with a chic lit book the ending is very predictable but this wasn't at all and had me shocked at times, I also liked that the characters weren't all perfect and they had their flaws. I won't obviously give any spoilers away for those of you who haven't read the book but it's a great read especially if chic lit is your thing and even more so if you enjoy Jo Jo Moyes, I didn't love it as much as Me Before You but to be fair that is going to take some serious beating.

If you would like to read The One Plus One you can find it in the paperback version here on Amazon for £3.00 or the Kindle version here on Amazon for £2.85.

If you would like to see more book reviews on my blog please let me know and if you have any specific books you'd like me to review let me know.

Have you tried audio books? If so do you have any recommendations for me, I like easy reading chic lit books?

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x





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Thursday 24 September 2015

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer


Hello Lovelies,

I struggle with really dark circles under my eyes and a lot of redness on my face and like to use correcting and concealing products to help counteract both problems, for years and years I have been using the MAC Select Moisture Cover Concealer in NW15 under my eyes to help cover dark circles.

A few months ago I was chatting to Cole one day whilst she was doing her make up for work and she was using the MAC Pro Longwear concealer and told me how much she loves it and said I should try it, Cole kindly bought me a concealer in the shade NW20 and I have been using it ever since and thought I'd let you know my thoughts.



First of all I love that it comes in a bottle with a pump almost like a mini foundation, I've never used a concealer with a pump applicator before but I love it, I also love that there is 9ml of product which is almost double the amount of my select moisture cover which is 5ml and the pro long wear is only £2.00 more expensive. 

I can't use the pro long wear under my eyes as it does tend to settle a little, unfortunately I have very dry and dehydrated skin and am of an age where fine lines are an issue, I like to blame the dehydration but I do think my age has a part to play too.  I like to use the pro long wear for highlighting and covering redness and it does a fantastic job of both, over the spring and summer months I use a much lighter base and opt for either a tinted moisturiser or a light coverage foundation and the pro long wear is perfect for using on any areas I need more coverage or like I said to highlight or to cover redness it is a beautiful concealer. 

It applies well, blends out beautifully and if you don't have dry or dehydrated skin and don't have any fine lines under your eyes this would be the perfect "do it all" concealer for you it really is beautiful, I use 1 pump of the concealer for my full face a little goes a long way and I can see it lasting me for a good few months, I have already had mine for at least 3 months and I haven't made a dent in it. I didn't think I would love it as much as I do it is fantastic and lasts forever on my skin too without fading or going patchy etc it really does live up to it's "Pro Longwear" name. 


I use either a brush or beauty blender to apply the concealer and it gives a lovely flawless finish to my skin, I would say you may need to go up a shade in the pro longwear as it does come off a little lighter than other MAC concealers for example I use NW15 in select moisture cover and NW20 in pro longwear. 

A tip Cole gave me and one I'm so glad she did was to mix the pro longwear concealer with MAC face and body foundation and use as a base, it is stunning it gives a beautiful natural and flawless finish to my skin and I love it so if you do have both products I highly recommend you try mixing them to create a base, it gives a beautiful finish. 

I will be continuing to use my beloved MAC Select Moisture Cover concealer under my eyes as it is perfect for me but I will definitely be re purchasing more of the MAC Pro Longwear concealer for other areas of my face as it is so beautiful, I never thought I could love a concealer as much as I do and I am so pleased Cole kindly bought me one to try it is an amazing product and makes such a difference to the way my skin looks. If you would like to try the Pro Longwear you can find it online at DebenhamsHouse Of Fraser or the MAC Website for £17.50 for 9ml. 

Have you tried the MAC Pro Longwear concealer? 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x




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Wednesday 23 September 2015

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad In Timeless

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad In Timeless

Hello Lovelies, 

I recently received some make up products from a brand I'd never tried before Youngblood Mineral CosemeticsYoungblood is an award winning premium luxury mineral cosmetics brand from California which is available from Beauty Expert one of my favourite places to buy beauty products online. Youngblood products are paraben, talc, oil, fragrance and cruelty free and their packaging is made from recyclable materials, I really liked the packing it is sleek and classy and not fussy at all it looks simple and elegant. I'd never tried mineral make up before so was really excited to try the products from Youngblood, the first product I tried was the Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad In Timeless. 

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad In Timeless


The quad is made up of four rich shadows in a sleek compact complete with a nice sized mirror which is big enough when applying make up, there is a lovely mix of shades that all work well when worn both together or alone. I love neutral shades and as soon as I opened the palette I knew the shades were definite "Zoe shades" they all looked beautiful and I couldn't wait to try them and I have used all four shades in many different ways since I've had the palette.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad In Timeless



Doe - Doe is a lovely pale cream shade with a slight peach undertone and one that is a perfect shade for both all over the lid or as a inner corner/brow bone highlight, unfortunately pale shades never swatch well but you can hopefully still see the shade on the photographs above. 

Coco - Coco is an ideal transitional shade and again beautiful, I have used it has both a transitional shade and also worn it alone all over the lid and blended up towards my crease and then blended under my lower lash line with a little of the Doe in my inner corners it's a simple but lovely look. 

Haze - I think Haze might be my favourite shade of the palette it is a gorgeous taupe shade and one I use to deepen the crease or I use it wet along my upper lash line and feathered through my upper lashes. Haze also looks beautiful worn alone and blended out up towards the crease it has a lovely satin finish to it and isn't too shimmery but has a bit of something if mattes aren't your thing.

Desert - Desert is an amazing shimmery shade and one that makes my eyes look incredibly blue, again it looks beautiful worn alone or with other shades too, I like to wear Desert either alone and blended up to my crease and then blended under my lower lash line or all over my lid with Haze to deepen the crease and Doe to brighten the inner corners of my eyes. 

All the shades are absolutely stunning and I love them all, it's hard to choose a favourite but I do think if I had to choose it would be Haze or maybe Desert, but all the shades are beautiful, I find that I never normally love all the shades in a palette or quad and there's always one shade I don't use/like but that really isn't the case with the Youngblood quad as I love all the shades and use them all. The quality of the shadows is fantastic they apply beautifully and blend brilliantly too, they are extremely pigmented and feel so soft and silky, they have fantastic wear time and after wearing the shadows for over 12 hours my make up still looked the same as it did when I'd applied it, the shadows don't crease which for me is amazing because everything creases on me and I need to use an eye primer with everything but I wanted to test the shadows properly so I have tried them with and without primer and they didn't crease without primer which is unheard of for me. 

Timeless is a stunning quad with a beautiful mix of neutral shades that compliment each other fantastically and can all be worn alone or together and used wet or dry, I would highly recommend the quad, I love the packaging and I love the product it really is a stunning quad and the shadows are incredible quality, if like me neutrals are your thing, you will absolutely love it. 


Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x

✿ This post contains PR samples or gifted items







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Tuesday 22 September 2015

Essie Peach Side Babe - NOTD

Essie Peach Side Babe - NOTD

Hello Lovelies, 

It's no secret I love Essie as a nail polish brand, I have used Essie polishes for many years and they are definitely one of if not my favourite nail polish brand, they have a fantastic range of polishes in their permanent line and they also launch collections throughout the year and this years summer collection drew me in as soon as I saw it and I knew there were at least 2 of the shades I would definitely be purchasing. 

One of those shades was Peach Side Babe a gorgeous peach shade and one I felt would be perfect not only for summer but also for my holiday to Greece in August, my favourite summer nail polish shades are corals and pinks and although Peach Side Babe is as the name suggests peach and not coral it is a beautiful shade, when I bought it as hard as it was and boy was it hard, I resisted and put the polish away with my "things to take on holiday" beauty products and didn't use it until the second week of my holiday.

Essie Peach Side Babe - NOTD

Peach Side Babe is beautiful and a shade I think that will suit many different skin tones, I first wore it at the start of the second week of my holiday and have worn it since I have been home with a much deeper tan and it looked lovely so I imagine it will be lovely on both paler and deeper skin tones. 

Essie Peach Side Babe - NOTD




I used the Gel Setter top coat also from Essie (review here) to get the amazing shine and before that I had used 3 coats of the Peach Side Babe, the polish applied well and looked beautiful, I love the shade it is a perfect spring/summer shade or holiday shade and one I will get a lot of wear out of and will continue to wear over the next few weeks until my darker shades for Autumn make an appearance but I'm sure by then Essie will have a new collection I'll be loving so watch this space for reviews of their Autumn/Winter 2015 collection. 

One of the things I was super impressed with and thought I would mention is that I took Peach Side Babe on holiday to Greece, it travelled really well and my daughters painted their nails poolside in 40 degrees of heat and sunshine. The polish is now back in the UK in my nail polish collection and perfectly alright it didn't go thick and gloopy in the heat and travelled really well and although it's not a huge thing it is something I thought was worth mentioning as so many nail polishes don't travel well or they go thick and gloopy in hot weather but this is absolutely fine and is just as it was when I bought it. 

I love Peach Side Babe and would highly recommend it, it applied beautifully and the wear time as with all Essie polishes is amazing, it didn't stain my nails and doesn't contain any DBD, Toluene or Formaldehyde which is another bonus, it is a stunning shade and one I will definitely be re purchasing once my current bottle runs out. 

If you would like to try Peach Side Babe, you can find it at Superdrug for £7.99. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x





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Saturday 19 September 2015

Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara

Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara

Hello Lovelies,

I discovered the Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara a few months ago (full review here) and loved it but unfortunately I have a problem with mascara smudging on my socket bone or "blobbing" as I call it, it is a real pain and often means I'll love a mascara but won't be able to use it because it ends up all smudged and looking a mess, and although the lash sensational mascara was amazing and I loved it, it did blob on me and I was so upset because I loved the product. In my blog post on the lash sensational I mentioned that if ever a waterproof version was launched I'd be very happy because in my experience of trying many many mascaras the waterproof mascara's don't always blob. A couple of months later I got a message from one of my blog readers telling me that a waterproof version of the lash sensational had been launched, I was so excited but then unfortunately couldn't find it anywhere.

A few weeks later my daughter Cole came home from work and told me she'd got a surprise for me, she'd found the waterproof version for me and bought me one bless her, I was so pleased it was a lovely surprise and I couldn't wait to try it but unfortunately I had recently started to use a different mascara and wanted to use that up before opening a new one so I said I would save the Maybelline one for my holidays, it's always nice to take new products on holidays isn't it? My holidays came and I popped the mascara into my make up bag along with a Rimmel one I had to try (review coming soon) I thought my holiday would be a great test of the mascara because it would be hot and I'd be sweating (nice) and I'd get a good idea of how well it wore etc.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara

The wand is exactly the same as the wand on the original lash sensational mascara and the product has the same consistency but obviously this one is waterproof, it is extremely black which I love and my lashes look so much longer and nicely fanned out and the best thing of all is that the mascara doesn't smudge or "blob" at all, even in extremely high temperatures in Greece it didn't move, I have had a few emotional times recently and cried a lot and again the mascara hasn't moved at all even with me crying buckets, I am really impressed with the mascara it is amazing, my lashes look lovely and it doesn't smudge or flake at all it's a fantastic mascara and I am so pleased Maybelline launched a waterproof version.

I would highly recommend the mascara, I get the same fantastic results as I do with the non waterproof formula but without any blobbing at all I am extremely happy, this mascara is better than some high end mascara's I have recently tried and I would re purchase it in a heart beat it really is fantastic and if like me you suffer with your mascara smudging on your socket bone give this one a try you won't be disappointed. 

If you would like to try the Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara, you can find it at Superdrug or Boots for £7.99. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x

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Thursday 17 September 2015

Essence Product Review

Essence Product Review

Hello Lovelies,

Today I have some make up products to share with you from a brand that up until a couple of months ago I had never tried and that brand is Essence, I had heard a lot about Essence but never tried any of their products so when I received some of their products to try I was very excited to start using them and since then have used them quite a lot and wanted to let you know my thoughts on each product.

I Love Stage Eyeshadow Base


Essence Product Review

To be honest with you when I first saw the shade of the I Love Stage eyeshadow base I was a little concerned that it would be too dark, I am quite fair skinned and when I saw the product I thought I wouldn't be able to use it but I was wrong and although it does come out quite a dark shade it blended out well and wasn't too dark at all.

Essence Product Review

I only needed a small amount of product on each eye and as I said it blended out beautifully, I used the doe foot applicator to put some of the product onto my eye lids and blended it out with my ring finger. My eyeshadow applied well over the top of the base and stayed all day without creasing, I got exactly the same effect as I would when using one of my high end eye shadow primers and I was really impressed, the consistency is just right it isn't too thick or thin and I only needed a small amount on each eye so can see it lasting me a very long time too and for just £2.49 it is an amazing product and an equally amazing price tag. 

Sunclub 2 In 1 Bronzing Powder In Sunset

Essence Product Review

I'm definitely more of a blush kind of girl than bronzer and love blush, when I saw the 2 in 1 Sunclub bronzer I loved the look of it and couldn't wait to try it, coral and pink are my absolute favourite blush colours and the blush in the 2 in 1 I could see was going to be an absolutely stunning shade, I also liked that the bronzer didn't look too muddy and over bearing and I was super excited to try it. The bronzer is a lovely warm toned shade which is ideal for my skin tone and the blush is a beautiful pink with a slight coral undertone and since pink and coral are my favourite blush shades this is perfect for me. The blush/bronzer can be used separately by using the blush and bronzer alone or you can mix the blush and bronzer together to create a gorgeous shade.

Essence Product Review

I love to use the bronzer and blush separately and mixed together, both look lovely. This is really versatile product with beautiful colours perfect for the summer but also shades that can be worn throughout autumn/winter too. The blush reminds me a lot of MAC spring sheen but is a fraction of the price and at £3.50 it is an incredible price for such a beautiful product.

Long Lasting Lipstick In Shade 12

Essence Product Review

Lipstick is one of my favourite beauty products and I could not wait to try the essence one out, the shade looked perfect for me in the bullet and once I'd applied it I could see it really was right up my street and a perfect "Zoe shade" the lipstick applied beautifully it didn't drag at all and felt very nourishing on my lips, the shade was opaque in just one swipe and is a beautiful shade it is what I would say a nice raspberry pink shade it isn't too bright and is a perfect shade to wear all year round, I feel some lipsticks are season appropriate and more suited for certain seasons but number 12 is a beautiful shade that is perfect for any season at all. 

Essence Product Review

Essence Product Review

The lipstick has a lovely sheen to it without being overly glossy and feels extremely moisturising, it doesn't bleed at all and the wear time is incredible, it lasted for 3/4 hours on my lips before it started to fade and then faded nicely without leaving a horrible line around my lips, it faded away perfectly leaving a raspberry stain to my lips. The lipstick has a lovely scent to it, it's a fruity scent that isn't overpowering at all but I think it's a lovely scent one of the best things about the Essence Long Lasting Lipsticks is the price, they are £2.30 which is absolutely incredible I was shocked when I discovered the price and couldn't believe it, it is an amazing price for such a fabulous product.

In the photograph below I am wearing the Sunclub 2 In 1 Bronzer, the Long Lasting Lipstick and the I Love Stage eye shadow primer. You can't obviously see the eyeshadow primer but I am wearing it with some matte MAC shades over the top, I have mixed the blush and bronzer together to create a lovely shade and the lipstick I feel speaks for itself it's a beautiful shade and I feel it compliments the look perfectly.

Essence Product Review

My Overall Thoughts

I am absolutely blown away by all the Essence products and cannot wait to try some more of their range, they have an incredible range of make up and beauty products, you can find Essence at Wilko both in store and online, there is a vast range to choose from online all at amazing prices, I was blown away by the prices when I searched the Wilko website for  products and cannot wait to try some more of their amazing items.

The pigmentation of all 3 products is brilliant, they all applied beautifully and they lasted just as well as any of my high end make up products and I can't believe I haven't tried anything from Essence before now, the products are incredible for the prices and looking at the other products online the prices of everything are fantastically affordable and I will definitely be trying out more products from Essence so watch this space for an Essence haul.

I cannot recommend the products I tried from Essence highly enough, the pigmentation of each product is amazing, all 3 products applied beautifully and had fantastic wear time, the eye shadow primer matches up to any of the much more expensive eye primers I have in my collection and my eye make up lasted well and didn't crease at all. I posted the photograph above to my Instagram account and I got so many compliments on the make up and subsequently received many emails asking what blush and lipstick I was wearing in the photograph, the lipstick is a stunning shade as is the blush, I am completely blown away by the quality of the products for such an affordable and amazing price and would highly recommend you try Essence if you haven't already done so, you can find their products online on the Wilko website and in store at Wilko's too but they do have a vast range on their website.

Have you tried anything from Essence? Is there anything you'd recommend I pick up?

Thank you for reading, much love as always,

Zoe x

✿ This post contains PR samples or gifted items 
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Wednesday 16 September 2015

Essie Gel Setter Top Coat And Lovie Dovie Polish

 Essie Gel Setter Top Coat And Lovie Dovie Polish

Hello Lovelies,

I think it's safe to say I have a bit lot of a problem when it comes to buying nail polish and products, I am a nail polish addict and am drawn to nail polish and products especially certain brands, and one of those brands is Essie and recently I spotted the new Essie Gel Setter Top Coat and could not resist it, I love gel nails and used to have gel manicures on a regular basis but found my nails were suffering as a result so stopped having them around 18 months ago.

So many brands have released their take on gel nail polishes or gel top coats and I think I have tried almost all of them but so far nothing has wowed me or given me that "gel manicure" look but since Essie has been a brand favourite of mine for years I had high hopes for it, Essie are one of my favourite nail polish brands and I have been purchasing their polishes for many years, they apply well and are free from DBD, Toluene and Formaldehyde which is something I look for in a nail polish and I often get asked why I prefer polishes free from those things and why it is important, I am considering writing a post all about it so if you'd like that post please let me know.

 Essie Gel Setter Top Coat And Lovie Dovie Polish

The Essie Gel Setter contains 13.5ml of product and is £9.99 which some might say is expensive but my HG topcoat is the Orly Glosser which is around £13.00 for 18ml and although the Orly isn't a gel top coat I do love the shine it gives and lasting power it provides to the polishes I wear, I don't mind paying more for a product if it is a good product and I really wanted the Essie Gel Setter to be a good product, at the time I bought it Boots had an offer where you could purchase the top coat plus any Essie polish for £15.00 so I took advantage of the offer and bought an Essie polish in Lovie Dovie too.

 Essie Gel Setter Top Coat And Lovie Dovie Polish

Lovie Dovie is a lovely blue toned pink, described by Essie as a "Flamingo Pink" normally I stay away from blue toned polishes as I have very blue nails due to some medication I take having an effect on my respiratory system but it is such a pretty colour I thought I'd give it a try since it was on offer. I originally bought the Gel Setter to use as part of my "holiday nails" (post on those coming soon) usually I have a manicure and pedicure before my holidays and I would usually choose to have a gel manicure so they would last me for at least one week of my holidays if not the whole holiday but this year I wanted to try and save some money and thought I'd have a "DIY gel manicure" I couldn't wait to try out the Gel Setter and Lovie Dovie and thought I'd give the Gel Setter a trial run before my holiday nails were done and I also wanted to see if the Lovie Dovie would suit me. 

Essie Claims that the Gel Setter top coat will give a "rock hard shine of a gel in a fool proof formula for at home mani and pedi's" I love gel manicures, I love the shine they give and the long lasting formula and since Essie is a brand I've used and loved for years I really wanted the Gel Setter to be everything it claimed it would. I applied 3 coats of the Lovie Dovie allowing each coat to dry fully in between and then applied 1 coat of the Gel Setter over the top. 

 Essie Gel Setter Top Coat And Lovie Dovie Polish

 Essie Gel Setter Top Coat And Lovie Dovie Polish

I was so impressed by the amazing shine the Gel Setter gave me and hoped that my nails would also remain chip free, and they did! I wore the Lovie Dovie polish for 7 days before removing it to have my nails re painted for my holidays, that is the only reason I removed the polish my nails hadn't chipped at all and still had an amazing shine the only reason I removed the Lovie Dovie polish because I was going on my holidays and wanted to change the polish, I was so impressed with the Gel Setter my nails looked super shiny and stayed super shiny for the duration I wore the polish they didn't lack shine or fade they looked lovely and so many people asked me if I'd had gel nails in preparation for my holidays.

I would highly recommend the Gel Setter top coat it is the first top coat I have tried that does actually give a gel manicure look, I have used it over other polishes too not just Essie and they look like gel too, I am super impressed and will definitely be re purchasing another one and can see this taking over the Orly Glosser as my new HG top coat and that is something I NEVER thought I would say but I love it, I love the shine it gives, the wear time of the polish and the fact that it does actually look like I've had a gel manicure. 

If you would like to try the Essie Gel Setter top coat you can find it on the Boots website where it is £9.99 and currently buy one and get the second half price on selected Essie products which is a great offer especially if like me you love Essie. 

Have you tried the Gel Setter top coat? Do you like gel manicures? And have you tried any of the high street gel top coats or polishes?

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x





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Tuesday 15 September 2015

Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo Leather Effect In Creamy Beige


Hello Lovelies, 

On a trip to Boots a couple of months ago for some holiday products I spotted the 
Maybelline Colour Tattoo Leather Effect  in the shade creamy beige, I love the colour tattoo's and already own On And On Bronze and Metallic Pomegranate and a gorgeous white shade that my friend Nikki sent me from America, but when I saw Creamy Beige I was instantly drawn to it, it looked like an extremely wearable shade and one that didn't have any shimmer to it both things I look for in an eye shadow so I picked it up.



As I said I love the colour tattoo's they are a fantastic product and give my MAC Paint Pots a run for their money they are brilliant and for £4.99 I think they are well worth the price, they are fabulous used as both an eye shadow base or as an eye shadow used either alone or with other shadows.

Creamy Beige is a lovely shade it's extremely wearable and doesn't contain any shimmer at all, I wouldn't say it's entirely matte as it does have some sheen to it but it's very slight and a definite sheen not a shimmer, it is lovely to apply and applies well, I use a flat shadow brush to apply it and then blend it out with my MAC 217 brush and then run some under my lower lash too for a super easy look I just use that and apply some mascara but if I want something more I add a darker matte shade to my crease and a pale shade to the inner corners of my eye but more often than not I'll use it on it's own as it looks lovely blended out and blends out to a beautiful shade.


On my recent holiday I wore creamy beige so much and it was one of my most worn products as it was so easy to use, it doesn't crease or move once applied even in the extremely hot temperatures in Greece but yet it removes well, it's a brilliant product and I can see me getting a lot of wear out of it over the coming months. 

I would highly recommend the colour tattoo in creamy beige, it is a lovely wearable shade, it applies well and blends beautifully, it can be worn alone or with other shadows, it removes well and is a fabulous product for the price, I cannot find any negatives at all with the product and will definitely re purchase and also be looking out for some other shades, I just wish we had the shade range the U.S has (cries) there are some other UK shades I'd like to try though so keep an eye out for my hauls and reviews. 

If you would like to try the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Creamy Beige you can find it Boots or Superdrug for £4.99. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x








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Thursday 10 September 2015

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads

Hello Lovelies,

I'm pretty sure you know by now that I'm a bit of lot of a skin care geek, I love skin care and trying out new things and last summer I found the Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads on sale for £6.00 on the Debenhams website and thought I'd give them a try, I bought 2 tubs of the pads as I'd heard a lot of good things about them and thought it was too good a price to miss.

I like to use an acid toner after cleansing and before using a hydrating toner as part of my daily skin care routine as I find it helps with my extremely dry and dehydrated skin and is great for exfoliating helping to remove dead skin cells and even out fine lines and for a long time I had been using the Pixi Glow tonic as my acid toner (review post here) and although the Pixi was becoming more easily available it was becoming more and more expensive as the hype around it grew and I had already been trying out other options so when I spotted the Nip + Fab pads on sale I knew I had to try them, since then I have re purchased the Nip + Fab pads many times but for some reason never featured them on my blog and recently Nip + Fab have changed their packaging and I'd bought some more pads so I thought it was high time I shared my thoughts on them with you.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads

What Nip + Fab Claim

Exfoliating Facial Pads
Unveil younger-looking skin. 60 radiance-boosting pads, soaked in exfoliating glycolic acid retexture + resurface skin whilst witch hazel helps to tone. This moisturising formula with hyaluronic acid + soothing blue daisy helps to reveal brighter + smoother looking skin.
+ glycolic acid retextures + resurfaces
+ hyaluronic acid moisturises + refreshes
+ blue daisy soothes + calms
My Thoughts
As I said I like to use an acid toner after cleansing and before using a hydrating toner as part of my skin care routine, I find using an acid toner helps with my very dry and dehydrated skin helping to remove dead skin cells and exfoliate my skin and also helping with any fine lines I have and brightening my skin,  I have also noticed since using the products I do, my pores are less of a problem too although pores are not doors and can't be closed I feel they do look better which is an added bonus. I have tried many different acid toners over the years and used Pixi Glow for a long time but around a year ago I started to research other products and use other things including the Nip + Fab pads. 
Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads

The pads are easy to use and I use them by sweeping one side of the pad all over my face starting at my forehead and working my way down to my neck, I then flip the pad over to the other side and do the same thing again and my skin is left feeling soft and smooth and not dry at all, the pads really help with my dry and dehydrated skin and leave my skin feeling and looking brighter. I have very sensitive and eczema prone skin and have had no issues at all since I started using the pads just over a year ago. 

Overall Thoughts & Would I Re Purchase?

I have been really impressed by the Nip + Fab pads and have re purchased them many times, I do usually pick them up when they are on some sort of offer and recently picked up 2 tubs when Superdrug had them on offer for just over £6.00 but I wouldn't hesitate to pay full price for them, they are £12.99 full price and in my opinion well worth the price tag, I haven't re purchased the Pixi Glow since I started using the pads as they give me better results than the Pixi Glow as I don't find them as drying and they are much more economical as I don't have to buy cotton pads separately, they never dry up in the tub which was one of my concerns but didn't need to be and are great for travelling as they are nice and compact. 

My skin is left feeling smooth and fresh and looking brighter, I love the pads for exfoliating my skin and removing dead skin cells but also for brightening and helping with fine lines and dehydration, they do exactly what they say they will and I am super impressed, if you usually use the Pixi Glow or another type of acid toner I would recommend trying the Nip + Fab pads, I have tried out several acid toners over the last couple of years now but haven't re purchased any other brands as much as Nip + Fab. 

I would definitely re purchase and have done several times and would highly recommend the Nip + Fab pads, if you would like to try them you can find them here at Boots (skin care currently 3 for 2) and here at Superdrug for £12.99, have you tried the Nip + Fab pads? Do you like to use an acid toner? And do you have any skin care recommendations for me? Let me know in the comments below. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x


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Wednesday 9 September 2015

Maybelline Lasting Drama 24Hour Gel Eye Liner Pencil

Maybelline Lasting Drama 24Hour Gel Eye Liner Pencil

Hello Lovelies,

I have been on the hunt for a black eyeliner pencil that doesn't transfer from the upper water line to the lower or doesn't collect in the corners of my eye when worn on the lower water line for such a long time. I have tried high end (see my review here) and budget brands but have never found anything suitable and to be honest I'd given up.

Recently when shopping for holiday beauty products I saw that Maybelline had launched a new product, the Lasting Drama 24 hour Gel Liner Pencil and since Maybelline had a buy one get one half price offer and I was buying another product anyway I thought I'd give it a go, I chose the black one although the pencil did also come in brown. I liked that the pencil was a twist up version so no sharpening needed.

Maybelline Lasting Drama 24Hour Gel Eye Liner Pencil

What Maybelline Says About The Lasting Drama Pencil

Our first gel in a pencil
  • High-tenacity pigments +translucent gel base for a super-easy glide
  • Up to 16HR wear
  • Waterproof

For Best Results

1. Apply Lasting Drama® along the upper lash line.
2. For added drama, line the lower lash line.
My Thoughts
My first thought when I swatched the pencil was how insanely pigmented it was and I was really excited to try it, the first time I used it on my eyes I was instantly impressed, it applied with ease and there was no dragging required but the thing I was most impressed with was that when I applied the gel liner to my upper waterline it hadn't transferred all over my lower one, there was a tiny bit where I'd closed my eyes but it removed easily with some tissue or a cotton bud and it didn't transfer at all after that it stayed put until I removed it. 
Maybelline Lasting Drama 24Hour Gel Eye Liner Pencil

I bought the eyeliner to use on my upper water line, I have hooded eyes so using gel eyeliners on my upper lash line and creating flicks are a no no but a trick I have learned for hooded eyes if you do like the look of a black liner on your upper lash line is to line the your upper waterline concentrating on the outer corner and also feathering the pencil through the upper lashes, this gives a lovely effect and is a great alternative to lining the upper lash line, you can also include a flick if you like using the pencil and elongating from where you have feathered the pencil through your lashes. 
The pencil does not move at all and doesn't transfer throughout the day, I wore the pencil most evenings during my recent holiday to Greece where it was 33 degrees at 10.30pm so very hot and the eyeliner didn't move at all even in very hot weather. I remove the liner with an oil based eye make up remover, I have used a micellar water but had to use a few cotton pads to remove it, it isn't what I would say "easy" to remove but it doesn't transfer or smudge when I wear it and I would rather have that to be honest. 
Overall Thoughts & Would I Re Purchase?
I am very impressed with the Maybelline pencil, it applies with ease and doesn't move once it's on, like I said it did transfer a little because I'd applied it to my upper water line and was then feathering it through my lashes so it transferred a little bit but it removed easily with some tissue or a cotton bud. This is the only liner I have tried that hasn't ended up all over my lower waterline or under my lower lashes, it stays where it should and looks lovely, it is very pigmented and extremely black. 
I would highly recommend the pencil and I completely agree with the claims made my Maybelline it does exactly what it says on the tin. Unfortunately I cannot at the time of writing this post find a link for you to buy the pencil but it is available from Boots (Maybelline currently on a 3 for 2 offer) and Superdrug (Maybelline currently on a buy 1 get 1 half price) for £4.99 and I personally think it is a great price and a fantastic product. 
If like me you struggle with your eye liner transferring or smudging I would give the Maybelline one a try, I almost didn't but I'm so glad I did and will definitely be re purchasing. 
Have you tried the Lasting Drama pencil? Does eye liner transfer or smudge for you?  
Thank you so much for reading, much love as always, 
Zoe x







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