Summer Makeup With Sleek

Sleek makeup have been around the beauty world for a long time and this is a little embarrassing to say and as a beauty blogger, embarrassing to admit, but up until recently, I hadn't tried any Sleek makeup products, so when I received an email asking if I would like to, I of course accepted. Sleek are a cruelty free makeup brand with over 20 years experience in the beauty industry, they have built up a loyal following among makeup professionals and beauty enthusiasts all over the world and they aim to make the latest beauty trends accessible and create products that suit each unique style. 

I received three makeup products from Sleek, the i-Divine eyeshadow palette in Acid, the Matte Me liquid lipstick in the shade Apricot Blooms and the Lip VIP Lipstick in the shade Backstage. I have been trying out the products for the last few weeks and today I'm going to let you know my thoughts.

Sleek i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette - Acid - £8.99

The i-Divine palette in Acid comes in an outer cardboard box showing the shades and shade names on the back of the box. Once inside the box the palette is in sleek (pardon the pun) matte black packaging with the Sleek logo on the front in sheen finished writing. Once inside the palette there are 12 mineral based eyeshadows, a double ended sponge applicator and a clear film overlay with the names of each shade. 

The shadows are a mix of formulas with some matte, some pearlescent and some shimmer shades, some shades are definitely more pigmented than others but I find the same across all eyeshadow palettes I own. 

I personally don't like to apply eyeshadow using the sponge applicators but all is not lost as they make brilliant tools for creating ombre nail looks, so I have kept the applicator in my nail kit. It's purely down to personal preference, I just prefer to use a brush to apply my eyeshadow. 

The acid palette is definitely out of my makeup comfort zone, I am a neutral eyeshadow girl at heart and have to admit I was a little scared when I first saw the shades, but I have still managed to make the palette work for me. I think this palette would also be fantastic for those of you attending a festival or festivals as you could create some amazing festival looks with it. The shadows apply well on the eye and much better than they swatched on my arm, they blended out nicely and lasted well, I didn't experience any creasing but I do always wear an eye primer. 

Swatches

I swatched the palette in two halves, so the left side first then the right side. 

Left side of the palette

Top row

Bottom row

Right side of the palette

Top row

Bottom row

I use Cream Fields as an inner corner highlight and it is very pretty, it also looks nice in the centre of the lid to add a touch of shimmer or all over the lid, Rave and Glastonbury both look lovely under the lower lash line with a neutral look on the rest of the eye, I love the contrast of neutral shades and the blue under the lower lash line with a coral or pink lip, it's such a pretty look. Full Moon I have used to line my upper lash line to add depth to my lashes, adding black close to my upper lashes and then mascara helps my lashes to appear much fuller. All the bright shades I have used to add a pop of something bright and different to a neutral look, applied subtly they have all looked lovely and the orange shade Full Throttle really surprised me as it looked really nice, especially with a tiny bit of Rave under the lower lash line. 

I used the palette much more than I first thought, and really liked the looks I created, so trying this palette has shown me that I need to step out of my comfort zone more often and try different things. If you love bright shades there are some amazing looks you could create with this palette but it goes to show that palettes like the acid palette aren't just for the more daring makeup wearers amongst us. There are 22 i-Divine palettes to choose from should the acid palette not be your thing. 

Sleek Matte Me Liquid Lipstick - Apricot Blooms - £4.99

I love liquid lipsticks they are one of my favourite lip products and I also like a matte finish too, so the Matte Me is perfect, they come in 16 shades and I have the shade apricot blooms, a pastel peach shade with a coral undertone. The lipstick has a doe foot applicator and I found it easy to apply, the applicator didn't pick up too much or too little product and felt comfortable on the lips. 

To create an opaque finish, I layered the matte me by applying one layer and allowing it to almost dry and then applying a second layer, I assume with darker colours that one layer would be enough but I found two better with this shade.

I don't suffer with dry lips at all so I didn't experience the lipstick clinging to my lips at all, it felt comfortable when first applied and once dry felt comfortable throughout the time I wore it. I got around 3-4 hours wear time from the matte me before having to top up, it wore away well and didn't flake or leave an unsightly ring of colour around my lips. 

When I first saw the shade, I was really pleased, as you all know, I love coral shades but unfortunately this shade really doesn't suit me, all is not lost though as it looks beautiful on my eldest daughter who has given it a good home. It is such a pretty shade for the summer and applies and wears well, I would definitely like to try out some other shades in the range. 

Sleek VIP Lipstick - Backstage - £5.50

I really like the packaging of the VIP lipstick, it has a black matte packaging, with Lip VIP in a shiny lettering on the lid, the bottom of the lipstick is clear which clearly shows the shade. The Lip VIP lipsticks are a semi matte formula, Backstage applied well and feels lovely on the lips, it feels moisturising when first applied and lasts well and I get around 4-5 hours wear time from it before re applying. 

Backstage is a coral shade with a reddy undertone, it is lovely for this time of year but I would wear it all year round, it looks lovely with lots of different eye looks and I did wear it when trying out the acid palette and it went well with the looks I created with it. I really like the formula of the lipstick, it isn't so matte it feels dry or uncomfortable but it isn't very moisturising either, I would say it has a similar feel to a MAC satin finish lipstick. 

Swatches - Lip Products

Overall Thoughts 

I have really enjoyed trying out Sleek makeup, I did have reservations on the acid palette at first but after trying it a few times and using different shades with different looks, I did enjoy using it. The lip products were both really nice and all in all, all three products were lovely, they all applied well, lasted well and are all affordable products and cruelty free. I would definitely like to try more from Sleek and to be honest, I have no idea why I haven't tried their products before. After having a browse on their website they have some really great looking products, so I won't overlook them in future. 

If you would like to try the products I have been trying out, you can find them on the Sleek website here, here and here. Or if you'd like to check out their other makeup products, you can find them here. 

Have you tried anything from Sleek? Are there any products you can recommend I try? Let me know in the comments section below. 

Eye Candy False Lashes - Review

False eye lashes are something that are used a lot in our house, my eldest is a professional makeup artist and often wears lashes but applies them to her clients on a daily basis, my youngest daughter wears lashes daily due to her suffering from Trichotillomania, and if I have an occasion to go to, my daughters will pop some lashes on me, so we all wear false lashes. 

When I was asked if I would like to try some lashes from the brand Eye Candy, I of course said yes please. I knew immediately that I would ask Lissy (my youngest daughter) to be my guinea pig for this post as she wears lashes on a daily basis and over the years has tried several brands and styles of lashes, she is quite the connoisseur of the lash world and being the most experienced lash wearer in our house, she is perfect. 

I was kindly sent 2 different styles of lashes to try out, one being a multi pack and one a single pair of lashes. Lissy has tried out both styles several times now and today I am going to share her thoughts on the lashes. 

Eye Candy Double Lash Style 301 - £5.95 

The 301 lashes are a double lash style and are ideal for creating a statement look, they are high quality and handmade, they also come with their own adhesive. 

Inside the packet there are also instructions of how to apply the lashes as well as the adhesive. 

I think these lashes are definitely more suited to an evening out or occasion and Lissy feels the same, she said they feel comfortable to wear and were easy to apply and they stayed in place well for the time she wore them and the band isn't too thick. Lissy prefers a thinner band rather than a thicker one but it's all personal preference. 

Lissy said the band on the 301 lashes isn't too thick and with them being such a statement lash, the band wasn't visible and Lissy applies liner over the band anyway,  she really does like them and said they are perfect for a night out. Lissy found the lashes easy to store too, she removed all the glue and then placed them back around the moulds in the case until she will wear them again. 

Eye Candy Lashes Multipack Style 008 - £18.00 

There are 5 pairs of lashes in the 008 multi pack of lashes, these lashes are more of a fluttery/wispy style that fan out at the outer corner, they are suitable for everyday wear, this pack also comes with a small tube of adhesive. 

The 008 lashes have a more subtle look than the 301 lashes, these aren't a double lash and are more of a wispy everyday style that fan out at the outer corners. Out of the 2 styles these are Lissy's favourites and she has worn them so much and considering she has, the lashes still look really good after several wears meaning this pack will last her a long time. 

Lissy finds the 008 lashes easy to apply and comfortable to wear, she has a part time job whilst on summer holidays from university and sometimes wears the lashes for 12 hours or more per day when she is working and she said that the lashes last well and feel comfortable to wear. Lissy likes that the 008 lashes aren't too dramatic and she said they are nice lash to wear everyday without being too dramatic. The lashes have a really thin band, which Lissy likes and they look really pretty on. 

Lissy Wearing The 008 Lashes

Both styles of lashes are really lovely and both look great for different occasions, the 301 double lashes are definitely more of a statement lash and look amazing for a night out but the 008 lashes are pretty and wispy and lovely for every day or for an evening out if you prefer something a little less dramatic.

The 008 lashes work out at just £3.60 per pair and considering the amount of times they can be worn, a pack of 5 will last a long time. Lissy has been wearing hers for the last 8 weeks or so and has pairs she hasn't touched yet so they are definitely a good buy, especially if like Lissy you wear lashes daily or often. The 301 lashes are very affordable too and especially considering they can be worn several times too, both lashes are affordable but look great too, proving you don't have to spend a fortune to have nice lashes, Lissy has some very expensive false lashes but reaches for the Eye Candy ones on a daily basis which says a lot. 

If you would like to try the Eye Candy lashes, you can find the style 301 here and the style 008 here on the False Lashes website, both include free first class delivery in the UK. 

Do you wear lashes? Do you wear them everyday or often like Lissy? Which style do you prefer out of the two? Let me know in the comments section below. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoë x

✿ Post contains PR Sample - Read my full disclaimer here. 

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Trying New Hair Accessories With Scunci

Hello Lovelies

I have been trying out some hair accessories from the brand Scunci recently and today I thought I would share with you my thoughts. I have 3 items to share with you and a bit of a spoiler, they are all fabulous but I do have a stand out favourite.  

I have long layered hair, and at the longest part it is below bra strap length to give you some idea of the length, my hair is thin due to me having PCOS and loosing my hair.  On a day to day basis, I would say 9 times out of 10, I wear my hair in some sort of messy bun, I do sometimes wear my hair down and I am also lucky that my eldest daughter has a qualification in hair styling and sometimes creates me some nice styles to wear, including braiding the front of my hair, braids going into a bun and lots of other lovely styles but all these styles require accessories such as hair ties (or bobbles as we call them in our house) and bobby pins/hair grips, where do they vanish to? So I have been trying out the Scunci products, and as is a regular occurrence on my blog, my girls have been trying the products out too. 

Scunci Multi Styler - £5.50

The Scunci Multi Styler can be used to create 3 different hair styles, the French Twist, Hollywood Roll or a simple bun and everything you need to create each style is included in the pack with instructions on the back of the box. 

The multi styler comes with 1 styler, 1 no damage hair elastic and 4 no damage hair pins.

The multi styler is really easy to use, and creates 3 lovely styles that take minimum effort but look like they've taken hours. I wouldn't ever have thought about using a kit like this, and didn't know that kits like this existed but it is really good if you have an occasion to attend or you just fancy something different. My daughter has tried all 3 styles on my hair and all 3 were easy to create and didn't take much time at all, it is such a handy kit and one both myself and my girls can use. 

Scunci No Slip Grip - £4.50

The non slip grip bobby pins, come in a pack of 48 and hold the hair in place brilliantly, they are a standard bobby pin and there isn't much I can say about them but one thing that I was really impressed with is they have a slide on bobby pin opener at the top right of the pack, you slide the bobby pin onto it and it opens the bobby pin up meaning you no longer need to open them with your teeth, it is so good and something my daughter also really liked and said would be extremely useful for her when doing hair for her clients as using your teeth to separate them isn't very professional looking. 

Scunci No Slip Grip Clear Hair Ties - £4.50

I love all 3 items but the clear no slip grip hair ties are hands down my favourite, I didn't ever think I could get excited about a hair tie or bobble but these have completely changed that. 

The hair ties do feel as if they don't have much movement when you first try them but they do stretch, they hold the hair in place fantastically well, so much so that my hair can be put up in a messy bun using one hair tie at 7am in the morning and it does not move all day, I go to bed with my hair in the same style and it looks exactly the same the following morning give or take a few straggly hairs. 

I have been using the same hair tie for around 10 days at the time of writing this post and it hasn't stretched out of shape at all and is the same size as it was when I first used it. I have put the remaining 13 hair ties in the bag we have in our bedroom which has things we have bought to take on holiday as they will be brilliant on holiday around the pool and my girls can use them too. 

I honestly didn't ever think I could rave about a hair tie but these are so good, my hair does not move, they don't feel uncomfortable or like they are pulling my hair and my hair hasn't broken off from using them. These really are the best hair ties I have ever tried. 

I have really enjoyed trying the Scunci hair accessories and would highly recommend them all, the hair ties are my favourite 100% but all the items are really good and I recommend trying them or other Scunci products, I didn't realise there were so many available. I am definitely going to purchase their waterfall braid kit and will re purchase the hair ties when I need to. 

If you would like to try any of the items I have featured today, or any other Scunci items, you can find them here on the Claires website. 

Have you tried any Scunci hair accessories? Which of the 3 I featured today, do you think you'd like to try the most? Let me know in the comments section below. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoë x

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

Summer Hair Inspiration With ghd

Hello Lovelies

Summer is finally here, well at the time of writing this post it is ridiculously hot but as per British weather, tomorrow could be another story. But for now, summer is here and when it's hot I like to change the way I wear my hair, I love having my hair loosely curled to give that beachy waves effect or I'll have the front of my hair plaited to keep it off my face and have loose curls and I have even tried the odd halo braid, but there is one style I really like that's easy to create and looks really pretty and today I thought I would share that style with you.

The style is what I would say has a modern romance feel, with loose curls and a plaited head band, it is casual enough to wear during the day, but also looks nice for occasions, and considering it has a modern romance feel about it, I think it would be a lovely style for a bride or bridesmaids and is perfect for the summer.

Because my daughters are much more beautiful than I, I am going to show you how to create the look using my youngest daughter, Alicia as my model. Alicia has medium length hair which is very fine and she finds her hair difficult to hold a curl, so with her being absolutely stunning and having hair some people might relate to, I thought she was the obvious choice to model the style for my post.

The Hair Style

Tools & Products Used

The tool Alicia used to create the style is the limited edition ghd V Amber Sunrise styler, a stunning golden amber straightener which features advanced ceramic heat technology with plates that glide effortlessly through the hair making straightening any length of hair simple, and contoured edges to help create perfect curls and waves.

Myself and my girls have been using ghd hair tools for many years but we haven't ever had a pair as pretty as these, they are stunning! The straighteners also come with a matching heat resistant bag meaning no waiting around for them to cool once they've been used. They have a temperature of 185 degrees for optimum styling and an automatic shut off meaning they will automatically switch off after 30 minutes, should you forget, which has been done in our house once or twice! 

ghd Heat Protection Spray

ghd Final Shine Spray

You will also need a hair brush, some hair ties or sectioning clips, some small clear hair ties and some bobby pins (hair grips). 

Creating The Look

Step One

First of all Alicia sprayed her hair all over with the ghd heat protection spray before drying, she applied it from root to tip and brushed her hair through to distribute the spray evenly throughout the hair. Once dry Alicia sprayed some more heat protector on her hair to make sure it was all covered. 

Before styling the hair it is best to section off the hair using a hair tie or hair clip, how you section your hair will depend on how thick and long your hair is and how your hair is styled, but it is best to section it so you have a bottom layer of hair so to speak and the rest tied up as you are going to curl the hair and I find it best to curl the hair layer by layer or section by section. 

Step Two

Curling the hair - Take the straighter about an inch from the root of the hair and place the hair between the plates, pull the straighter down as if you're straightening your hair and twist the straighter at the same time, either twisting towards you or away from you (turning your wrist down - away or turning your wrist forward - towards) The best way to curl the hair is to alternate the way you turn your wrist for each piece of hair, so turn towards for the first piece and then away for the second and continue like that until you have curled each piece, sometimes you may need to curl each piece more than once depending on how the curl turns out. 

You should be left with something like the image below. 

Step Three

Once you have curled that layer of hair, take down the next layer of hair, leaving some tied up. The photograph below will give you some idea of how much hair Alicia takes down for each section, she uses 3 sections, the first has been curled and the second taken down ready for curling in the photograph. 

Step Four

Using the same method as you did in step two curl the next layer of hair, piece by piece alternating the straighter towards you and away from you, do this until you have curled all the hair and then take down your hair in layers until you have curled all your hair. 

You should be left with something like the images below. 

Step Five

Take a piece of hair from the side of your head, about an inch thick or however thick you would like. Plait the hair using a regular plait and secure at the bottom with a clear hair tie. Do the same on both sides of the head, if you have very long hair you may only need to do one plait, Alicia needs two. 

You should be left with something like the image below.

Step Six

Take the plaits and one by one take them over the top of your head so they look like a plaited headband, secure in place using a bobby pin or hair grip. Do this with both plaits if you have two, ensuring you hide the end piece of the plait within the hair. You will see in the photographs below where the two plaits overlap and where the bobby pins are to secure the plaits in place. 

Step Seven.

Once your plaits are positioned where you want them, take a hair brush and gently brush through your curls, position your hair at the front and style how you like it to look. Once Alicia had styled her hair, she finished with some ghd final shine spray to give her hair a lovely shine and tame any flyaway hair. 

All done! 

I think Alicia looks stunning and the style really suits her, you can play around with the style and leave your curls as they are without brushing them out or you can place the plaits around the hair line, both alternatives look nice, but I love the look of this style and it is so simple to achieve, I hope you like it too. 

If you would like to try the ghd v amber sunrise styler, you can find it on the official ghd website here where it currently has a £20.00 discount. The ghd heat protect spray can be found here and the final shine spray here. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoë x 

✿ This post contains PR Samples - read my full disclaimer here

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