New Rimmel #Insta Makeup Collection - Review And Swatches

Rimmel have been killing it lately with their new launches and one launch everyone has been talking about is the #Insta Makeup Collection launch. The collection has been seen on many a Blog and Instagram account, the world and his wife seems to be featuring it, and today it's my turn to let you know what I think of the collection, what my favourite products are and I have swatches of everything too.

Rimmel Insta Duo Contour Stick - £6.99

The Insta Duo Contour Sticks are a double ended highlight and contour stick available in 3 shades, light, medium and dark. They feel lovely and light on the skin and are ideal for people like me who aren't the best at contouring the face, the shade light is perfect for my skin tone.

I use the light contour and highlight stick so much more than I thought I would, I honestly thought I wouldn't like these when they arrived, but I do use it and like the results I get from them. They are so easy to use, and they blend beautifully, I use either a brush or a makeup sponge and both methods work really well. The highlight from the darkest shade is lovely as a cream eyeshadow and is brilliant for an all over the lid wash of colour for a simple eye look.

Rimmel Insta Conceal & Correct - £6.49

The conceal and correct palette contains 3 shades, a salmony shade for dark circles, a green for redness and a lilac for dullness, I was really surprised at the texture of these and thought they were going to be quite thick and heavy but they are very light and feel very light on the skin, they blend beautifully and don't settle into any fine lines or dry patches. 

I use the palette where I need it most, so salmony shade under my eyes and green on my cheeks and around my nose and then the lilac just where I feel I need it most but there are instructions on the back of the palette which is really helpful if you are just starting to use colour correcting and are a little unsure. The palette has a small mirror in the lid which I have found handy.

Rimmel Insta Conceal & Contour - £6.49

The conceal and contour palettes contain 3 shades, 1 for highlighting, 1 for concealing and 1 for contouring, there are 3 different shade options, light, medium and dark, I find light to be the best match for my skin tone. 

Light

Medium

Dark 

The highlight in the palettes isn't a shimmery highlight and is used to brighten the face rather than to add a glow as you would with a shimmery highlight product, I have been using the highlight on the high points of my face, the concealer where I need it and I have found the contour shade works really well as a cream bronzer, it is too warm toned for me to use as a contour shade but I have really enjoyed using it as a bronzer, again like the corrector palette, the texture of these is very light and they feel lovely on the skin and blend effortlessly. 

Rimmel Insta Fix & Go - £6.99

The fix and go spray is a 2 in 1 product and can be used as a primer before makeup and also as a setting spray, the spray has a really lovely scent to it and smells lovely and fresh. I have been using it before applying my makeup as a primer and after applying my makeup as a setting spray, I didn't think I would like this as much as I do, I have tried other products similar but didn't get on with those so I assumed the same of this but I actually really like it, I have very dry skin and have to use products before I apply my foundation but spritzing my face with this before I apply my foundation has made a difference and I find my foundation applies easier,  I also spritz my beauty blender with it too. 

Rimmel Insta Fix & Matte Translucent Powder - £4.99

I have super dry skin and always really struggle to find setting powders that don't cling to my skin and make it look cakey, but the first time I used the fix and matte powder I was very pleasantly surprised, it is brilliant, it doesn't make me look cakey at all and something else I found surprising was, it is scented and it smells lovely, my other setting powders don't really have a scent but this is lovely. 

My eldest daughter tends to get very shiny throughout the day and she tried the powder and was very impressed with it, she said it is much better than some very expensive powders she has and I have to agree, I find this just as good, if not better than some powders I have that cost 5 or 6 times the price of the Rimmel one. 

Overall Thoughts

I have really enjoyed using the products in the Insta collection, the stand outs for me are definitely the Fix & Go spray and the Fix & Matte translucent powder but I do really like the other products and have used the Conceal & Correct Palette and the Conceal & Contour Palette each time I have done my makeup since receiving the collection, I have used the Duo Contour Stick quite a lot too but I don't tend to contour every time I apply my makeup but when I have, I have used it and I have used it so much more than I thought I would. 

I think this is a great collection and the products are all affordable too, all the cream products blend beautifully and feel so light and the powder is fantastic as is the spray, for a collection I thought was a little gimmicky, I really like it.

Have you tried anything from the Rimmel #Insta Makeup Collection? Which is your favourite from the items I've shown? 

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A Superdrug Haul

Superdrug is my favourite high street and online store to buy beauty products, they sell an extensive range of their own brand products and also various other brands. I always go in with a list but theres so many great products and brilliant offers that I end up with a basket full,  and my latest trip to Superdrug was no exception. I didn't pick up masses of products but I thought I'd share with you what I did pick up, because let's face it, who doesn't love a Superdrug haul? 

Superdrug Micellar Facial Cleansing Wipes - £1.29

The Superdrug micellar cleansing wipes are without a shadow of a doubt, the best cleansing wipes I have ever used. My lovely friend Gemma recommended I try these wipes a couple of years ago and I have been buying them ever since and have re purchased them more times than I can remember. They are a bargain price at only £1.29 and remove every trace of makeup, including waterproof mascara in an instant, they are suitable for sensitive skin and they are super soft and feel lovely on the skin. I use these to remove my makeup before cleansing, they are amazing and if you haven't tried them yet, you really must!

Biotrue Contact Lens Solution - £12.29  (Currently Buy 2 for £14.00)

This contact lens solution from Biotrue is Simons but I thought I would include it in case it might be helpful for any contact lens wearers. Simon wears gas permeable contact lenses due to having an eye condition that affects his corneas so he has to use certain lens solutions and finds the Biotrue the best, but at £12.29 it is expensive, a bottle lasts around a month. We discovered around 2 years ago that Superdrug sell Biotrue and often have it on offer for £14.00 for 2 bottles which is an amazing offer so we now stock up whenever the offer is on. 

Superdrug Avacado & Strawberry Shower & Bath Soak - £2.99

If you haven't smelled the Superdrug range of shower and bath soaks you're missing out massively, they have some incredible scents such as rhubarb and custard, coconut and mango, salted caramel, honey and ginger, plus this one, avocado and strawberry. They all smell amazing, this one has a lovely fresh scent to it, it is lovely and ideal for the summer. 

We only have a shower so we use this as body wash but I can only imagine it would be incredible to soak in a bath smelling of any of the scents, at the moment they are on a buy 1 get 1 half price offer and I can't recommend enough that you pick at least one up but you may as well get 2 whilst they're on offer. They contain 500ml of product which is brilliant for the price and they really are lovely, being Superdrugs own brand they are cruelty free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. 

Superdrug My Little Star Cotton Wool Pads - £1.49

It may seem a little random to include cotton wool pads in my haul but these are the best cotton wool pads I have used and I have tried rather a lot of different brands/types over the years. There are 50 pads per pack and they are super thick and big too making them perfect for my morning/evening skincare routine. They don't rip, they are super soft on the skin and because of their size, they are fantastic for using with skincare products, I do also use them for removing nail polish and they are excellent for that too because of how thick and sturdy they are.  I never thought I'd rave about cotton wool pads but if you have never tried these, please give them a go, you too will be raving about them and since they are currently on a buy 1 get 1 half price offer, it's a perfect time to try them. 

Superdrug Pro Care Charcoal Toothpaste - £2.99

I started using the Superdrug charcoal toothpaste around 3 months ago when one of my blog readers recommended I tried it on one of my Instagram live chats. I am so glad I took their advice because this toothpaste is fantastic, it is a bit strange to use at first because it is black but it is brilliant and I could see a difference the very first time I used it, all the family use it now and we all love it. When I bought this tube, I picked up 3 tubes because it was half price, it really is good and the best whitening toothpaste I have tried and I have tried quite a few and some very expensive but this is brilliant, it isn't as minty as some other toothpastes but it does leave you with fresh breath and brighter teeth. If you're in the market for a whitening tooth paste, give this one a go, it's amazing. 

Superdrug Charcoal Toothbrush - Pink - £2.25

When I attended the Superdrug, Trafford Centre store, I was kindly gifted a huge goody bag and inside was one of the Charcoal Toothbrushes exactly like this one, I love using it with the charcoal toothpaste and really noticed a difference in my teeth, Lissy had been asking me about the toothbrush and if I thought it was good and I explained that it was brilliant and I really recommended it, so I picked her a toothbrush up too, so we now both have one. The toothbrush is also available in black if pink isn't your thing. 

Superdrug Optimum Grape Overnight Peel - £12.99 (currently £6.45) 

The overnight peel is another product recommended to me by the lovely Gemma, she had mentioned it a couple of times when we were chatting and it sounded perfect for my skin. It claims to firm and plump the skin, smooth out fine lines and wrinkles and help to improve the skin tone for a more radiant, younger looking skin. All those things I could really use some help with, so I am hoping this will live up to it's claims. I will be back with a full review of this product once I have used it for a while, at the moment it is half price so an excellent time to pick one up if you think you would like it too. 

So that's everything I picked up from Superdrug, as I said I will be back with a full review of the overnight peel, but since the other items were all re purchases I thought I'd give you a mini review of those products in this post. 

Have you tried any of the products I purchased? Which product from my haul do you like the sound of? Let me know in the comments below. 

Dr Lewinn's Renunail Nail Strengthener - Review

You all know I'm a nail polish geek, I love nail polish, and love having my nails painted either with a regular nail polish or a gel nail polish, at one time I used to always have painted nails and it was very rare for me to have naked nails, but since my health deteriorated I can't always paint my own nails so don't wear polish as often as I'd like to, but I still love buying new shades and especially like to wear gel polish as it lasts for a couple of weeks. 

The problem with wearing gel polish though, is that it isn't great for your nails, some people say acrylic spoils your nails but gel doesn't, but I find although gel isn't as damaging as acrylic, it still weakens my nails and if I wear a gel polish more than twice in a row, my nails are weak, they peel and break very easily. 

When I was asked if I'd like to try the Dr Lewinn's Renunail Nail Strengthener £17.50 I had just had gel polish removed and my nails weren't their best, some had broken and they were feeling weak so I had filed them down really short in the hope they'd grow back stronger, the offer of the Renunail was very gratefully received and perfect timing. 

About Renunail

This calcium enriched award wining treatment product is the ultimate hero in the Dr LeWinn’s line.
Promising longer strong nails in just 4 weeks this nail strengthening complex is perfect for weak, brittle, slow growing and prone to chipping nails as an intensive SOS treatment.

- Superior nailcare treatment to harden and protect natural nails
- Helps restore nails damaged from nail extensions
- Eliminates peeling, flaking and chipping
- Promotes stronger, longer and healthier looking nails
- Fortified with Calcium
- Can be used as a base coat and/or top coat

How To Use Renunail

• Apply 2 coats of Renunail Nail Strengthener onto clean nails avoiding the cuticle area and then one coat daily for the next 5 days. 
• On the 7th day remove with nail polish remover. 
• Repeat the process 3 times. (Each program lasts for 25 days). 
• Allow your nails to rest for 1-2 weeks between programs. 
• Massage Renunail Nourishing Oil into the cuticles after the Nail Strengthener has dried each time you apply a new coat. 
• Nourishing Oil is also recommended to be used during the 1-2 week rest period.     

My Thoughts

The first thing I noticed about Renunail was the size of the bottle, it is a huge 30ml, nail polishes are usually around 10ml - 15ml on average so this is a great amount of product. The Renunail brush is what I would call a regular polish brush, in that it is a slim brush and is a little longer than usual. 

Renunail has quite a strong scent to it and smells rather chemically, but don't let that put you off, it isn't anything I couldn't deal with and something I got used to. The product is very easy to apply and paints onto the nails like any other base coat or nail polish, it is thinner in constancy than nail polish and I found it dried quite quickly and had the appearance of a clear nail polish. 

I followed the instructions and applied 2 coats of Renunail on the first day and then 1 coat for the next 5 days and then removed it on day 7, the main difference I noticed to my nails after week 1 was that they had grown like wildfire, I couldn't believe how much they'd grown in just a week, so much so I had to file them down before applying the 2 coats for the start of week 2. In the photograph above, I had just applied 2 coats of Renunail on day 1 of week 2, you can see how I had filed my nails quite short, they were so much longer before filing them.

Once I had removed the Renunail at the end of week 1, I filed my super long nails down and began the process again, I did notice my nails didn't feel as weak as they had and none of my nails were peeling or splitting either. I finished week 2 and again my nails had grown dramatically, I repeated the process until I had finished the 4 week/around 25 days course of treatment. 

When I had finished the full treatment course my nails looked and felt so much healthier, they felt a lot stronger, I didn't have any peeling or splitting at all and my nails were super long, once again I had to file them down because they were too long. I have tried many nail treatments over the years but Renunail is by far the best nail treatment I have tried and I am extremely impressed with the results I have had since using it. 

Renunail can also be used as a treatment after removing acrylic nails and I think it would be brilliant as acrylic nails really do weaken the nails, I haven't had acrylic nails for many years but my youngest daughter has them regularly and if ever she has a break from them, her nails are paper thin and very weak, the Renunail will be fantastic for her next time she has a break from the acrylic. But if like me you like to use a gel polish that leaves your nails feeling weak, peeling and brittle, or your nails are just weak and break easily, or if you're trying to grow your nails, Renunail would be ideal for you.

I am really pleased with the results and I will continue to use Renunail as my base coat and as a treatment throughout the year either when I have used a gel polish or when my nails are in need of some strengthening or are short from breaking and I want them to grow, I honestly couldn't believe how much my nails grew whilst using the Renunail, it's amazing and I would highly recommend it. 

Have you tried Renunail? Do acrylic nails or gel polish leave your nails feeling weak? 

The Veet Sensitive Precision Beauty Styler - Review

I have the worst eyebrows known to man, they don't grow but they grow little fluffy hairs between my brows and strangely just around the tail of my left eyebrow, these are so small and fluffy they can't be plucked with tweezers,  I have used a battery operated brow shaper that I've had for years and had definitely seen better days to "shave" the fluffy area's in between having my brows waxed and tinted. I also used it to keep Simon's brows tame, much to his disgust, he is a wuss and won't let me pluck his brows so I have to use the shaper on them, men eh?! 

My brow shaper is almost as old as me, well ok not quite, but I've had it years and it has definitely seen better days, so when I was asked if I would like to try out the Veet Sensitive Precision Beauty Styler I was thrilled, it looked amazing from the information I was sent out and I was really looking forward to trying it, I have now been using the styler for a few weeks and thought it was about time I shared my thoughts on it with you. 

What Is The Veet Precision Beauty Styler? - £23.99

The Veet beauty styler is the first device from Veet specially tailored to gently trim and precisely shape your sensitive body parts, such as eyebrows, bikini, upper lip, sideburns and underarms. Not only does it cut and shape hairs without discomfort, it also helps avoid unsightly red bumps. 

The Contents Of The Veet Precision Beauty Styler

* 1 x Beauty Styler

* 1 x 2 Sided precision head for optimum eyebrow shaping

* 1 x  Bikini trimming head

* 2 x  Comb attachments

* 1 x  Styler cap

* 1 x Cleaning brush

* 1 x  Beauty pouch

* 1 x AA Battery included 

Using The Veet Beauty Styler

The first thing I noticed about the Veet beauty styler was the packaging, it was in a clear plastic box, you know the ones you usually need scissors to open and are a nightmare even with scissors? Well I was completely wrong, there was a clear flap at the top left of the box that simply pulled down and pulled the front off the box completely, I was so impressed and pleased that the box was so easy to get into. 

Once the box is open, it reveals the contents of the beauty styler, all items are easy to get out and I didn't need to force anything out, all the items removed from the packaging with ease. 

I was really pleased the styler included a battery, so many products like this don't so that was a definite bonus and meant I could use the styler immediately. The two changeable heads are brilliant for offering different trimming options, the head for the face, includes two sided precision blades, one is 16mm and one 6mm for optimal eyebrow shaping or any facial hair you may have, the upper lip for example. The larger head is 20mm and is used for trimming the bikini area and underarms. There are two rows of rounded blades that drive the hair to the cutting blades, which have no direct contact with the skin meaning there is no fear of cutting yourself. 

The first time I tried the beauty styler, I used it to trim my eyebrows. Using the small comb attachment I moved the styler in the direction of my hair growth, once I had finished I removed the comb to tidy up the fluffy hairs around my brows and in-between my brows using the 6mm blade, it was really easy to use and they looked great and will be fine until my next wax and tinting appointment and if ever I can't get out to get my brows waxed and tinted, I could use the beauty styler to completely shape and trim my brows, so it's perfect for a complete brow trim or just a tidy up between appointments. 

I have also had my underarm hair trimmed with the Veet beauty styler, the head was swapped over to the 20mm head, I didn't have the comb attached as I don't have much in the way of body hair due to me having PCOS and my body hair being very slow growing, to give you an example, I only need to have my legs waxed 3-4 times a year, I was once told I was "lucky" because of this but I don't really think lucky is the right word where PCOS is concerned, some people have no idea! The beauty styler trimmed my under arms brilliantly and left them feeling smooth and hair free. 

I love that the Veet beauty styler comes with a little bag to keep everything in, it's so handy and really compact and would be ideal to take away if you were travelling as it wouldn't take much room at all, the bag keeps the styler and all the attachments safe, clean and ready to use. The brush that comes with the beauty styler is perfect for cleaning the blades after use and works really well, I have used it to clean the brush after use and it works perfectly. 

My Thoughts

I really like the beauty styler and find it easy to use, for me personally I like to use it for my brows and this is what I will use it for the most, it is so good and will be brilliant for in between tinting and waxing appointments but is also great for shaping and trimming my brows if I can't get to my appointments and want my brows to look neat and tidy. 

I have trimmed Simon's brows with the styler too, he has thick bushy man brows and having black hair they are super dark, but he hates having his brows plucked, he is such a wuss honestly and puts it off for ages, but he doesn't mind having his brows done with the beauty styler because it's quick and it doesn't hurt. 

I haven't yet used the beauty styler for the bikini area so I can't comment on how well it works for that area, but for the brows and under arms it is fabulous and I can only imagine if you have facial hair it would be amazing at removing that too. It's a brilliant little gadget, it works wonderfully and I love how I can keep everything in the little bag too, it is such a brilliant product and one I now couldn't be without. I haven't experienced any pain at all using the styler and it didn't pull at my brows or under arm hair nor did it leave any red bumps on my skin. 

Overall I think the Veet beauty styler is brilliant, it does exactly what it claims to do, is small enough to store and travel with, it cleans really well with the brush provided, is super easy to use and another bonus is that Simon doesn't moan when he has his unruly man brows tidied up, it's a win win I'd say. 

At the moment the Veet Sensitive Precision Beauty Styler is on offer at a reduced price, with a brilliant saving of £8.00, bringing it down to £15.99 from £23.99 at both Superdrug here and Boots here so the perfect time to pick one up if you're interested. 

Have you tried the Veet Sensitive Precision Beauty Styler? Is it something you think you'd use? Let me know in the comments below. 

Sexy Hair Detox Shampoo With Activated Charcoal

It's no secret that I suffer with really oily hair, so oily that I can have my hair washed in a morning and by that evening it has started to look oily. My hair became oily after my youngest daughter was born, before that my hair was normal so I have always put the shift of hair type down to the hormonal changes in pregnancy, but my hair has never returned to it's normal type and remained oily.

Over the last 20 years I think I have tried almost every shampoo and hair product for oily hair, some have been brilliant but some diabolical, I still always try any new products that launch or if someone recommends something I haven't tried, anything to get more than 1 day out of my hair. I particularly like to use detox or clarifying shampoo's as I find these work best with my hair.

When I received the Style Sexy Hair Detox Shampoo (£13.95) by Sexy Hair, I couldn't wait to try it. I have tried a few different products by Sexy Hair and I have liked everything I have tried and have re purchased some of the products I have tried, so I had high hopes for the detox shampoo. 

What Sexy Hair Says About The Shampoo

Colour Safe Detox Shampoo is the ultimate hair cleanser to ensure a fresh, clean start! This mild clarifying shampoo helps gently eliminate impurities and product residue that can cause dull, dry, limp or discoloured hair through the power of Activated Charcoal. It helps remove product buildup and minerals from the hair in a gentle manner to keep hair colour fresh for longer.

• Gentle Surfactant System - no SLS & SLES added, gently eliminates dirt and product buildup, keeps hair moisturised, safe for colour treated hair.

• Conditioning Agents - Weightless conditioning agents, increases combability, reduces breakage & fly aways.

• Activated Charcoal Powder - Gently eliminates oils, impurities and product residue that can cause dull, dry, limp or discoloured hair. Purifies, balances and moisturises hair.

My Thoughts

I have tried a few different products from Sexy Hair now and I really like their shampoo packaging, the bottles open by clicking one side of the lid to open the other side, I personally prefer this than having a cap to take off. 

The shampoo is transparent but has a pale grey tinge to it, I did wonder if it would be black like other charcoal beauty products I have tried but it isn't. The shampoo smells nice and fresh but isn't overly scented, the shampoo lathers up really well and rinses out with ease. The first time I used the shampoo my hair was really in need of a wash, I'm suffering with something called severe spontaneous chronic urticaria at the moment which is a very bad rash, I have had it for 3 and a half months now but it can be all over my face and head meaning having my hair washed is very painful and some days I can't even bear to have it brushed, so at the moment my hair isn't being washed as often as it would be, and I am using a lot of dry shampoo.

The first time I used the detox shampoo, my hair hadn't been washed for a week, it was extremely greasy and full of dry shampoo, it was gross (apologies if you're eating) and normally my hair wouldn't ever be in that state but because of the rash it couldn't be helped and to be fair, it was a great test of the shampoo. My hair was washed once and rinsed and then towel dried, to be honest I thought it might have been better if it had been washed twice but I thought I'd see how it was after just one was. Once my hair had been dried, I couldn't believe how clean it was, it didn't need two washes and was super clean, after it had been straightened, my hair looked lovely, clean and shiny and was super soft too.

Having blonde hair it doesn't often look shiny but it had a lovely shine to it, usually if I wash my hair with a normal shampoo, my hair can be washed in a morning and greasy by the same evening and if not the same evening, it will definitely be greasy the following morning and need some dry shampoo before putting in a messy bun. The first time I used the Detox Shampoo, my hair was washed in the morning and the following morning wasn't greasy at all, I managed to have it straightened again and wear it down and then the following morning it was a little greasy around my hair line at the front and at my crown but a bit of dry shampoo and a messy bun later and it looked fine, meaning I could skip a day between washing.

Both my daughters have been using the shampoo too,  my youngest has mid brown hair and her hair is so shiny, I haven't ever seen it so shiny and she said her hair hasn't ever been that shiny, it looks amazing and so healthy, my youngest also suffers with oily hair and she finds she can miss a day of washing her hair with this shampoo too. My eldest daughter is blonde and her hair is bleached so it doesn't get oily, but she uses a lot of hairspray and product in her hair and loves how clean and shiny her hair looks after using the shampoo, so it's been a big hit with both my daughters too.

The shampoo has also lasted really well, 3 of us have been using it for the last 5 weeks and we still have enough left for a couple of washes each, so the bottle will last approximately 6 weeks with 3 of us using it which isn't bad at all, a little bit really does go a long way. I also love that the shampoo is suitable for coloured hair, so many detox shampoo's aren't and can strip the colour but this is colour safe so I didn't have to worry about my colour, but of course you don't have to have coloured hair to use it.

Overall I am really happy with the Sexy Hair Detox Shampoo, it is a great shampoo, especially if you use lots of product and want super clean hair, or if like me you have oily hair, it is brilliant for being able to skip a day between washing, and it leaves your hair super shiny and looking amazing too. It's a really great product and as I type this post, my youngest daughter has another bottle on her after work shopping list, to buy later today,  it isn't the cheapest shampoo on the market, but it's so good and our hair looks and feels fabulous so in my opinion, it is definitely worth it.

If you would like to try the Sexy Hair Detox Shampoo With Activated Charcoal, you can find it here.

Have you tried the Sexy Hair Detox Shampoo? What's your favourite Sexy Hair product? Let me know in the comments section below.