Estee Lauder Little Black Primer

Hello Lovelies, 

Today's post is about a product that, when it was released I was intrigued by and wondered what all the "fuss" around the product was about. It is the Estee Lauder Little Black Primer, a lash primer that can be used three ways. 

What Estee Lauder Says About The Little Black Primer

Think of it as the little black dress for lashes. Unlike traditional lash primers that are white, this primer is tinted black, so you can use it on its own.

Three ways to wear it:

Tint: Colours and lifts bare lashes so they stay silky black throughout the day and even overnight.

Amplify: As a primer, it’s the optimal mascara base for volume, lift and length.

Set: Brush over mascara for a long-wearing, water-resistant topcoat that helps reduce smudging and flaking.

No well-dressed lashes should be without it.Patent-pending formula.

HOW TO USE

Apply it on bare lashes for a softer, more natural lash look. Brush on as a lash primer under mascara. Wear as a top coat to set mascara.

My Thoughts

When I first heard about the little black primer I have to admit I read about it a few times and thought to myself "yeah yeah, just another gimmick" and to be honest I didn't think too much else about it until I kindly received it as a birthday gift from my daughters. 

If you've been a reader of my blog or watched my You tube videos for any length of time you'll know that I have a bit of a problem where wearing mascara is concerned, if I wear a non waterproof mascara they smudge or 'blob' onto my socket bone leaving unsightly black marks, it's a nightmare and drives me absolutely mad. 

I'd read lots of different blog posts and beauty articles on the little black primer and I was mainly interested in the setting aspect of the product the way it was able to turn all mascaras into a waterproof product, and more importantly smudge free. To be completely honest, had I not been bought this as a gift I doubt very much I would have bought it for myself purely because I saw it as "just another gimmick", but was it? 

I have used the LBP all three ways numerous times since I first got it in February. It's lovely for days when I don't really want to wear make up but want to look a bit more alive, it coats my lashes nicely and separates them and gives them length and just gives them a bit of something extra, a bit like when I have them tinted at a salon, that kind of look but better. 

As you look at the photograph Left eye has LBP applied ( 1 coat ) Right eye is bare

Wearing 1 coat of LBP to top and bottom lashes both eyes

As you can see from the photograph above, with one coat of the LBP my lashes are nicely coated and separated and look longer too, if I don't want to wear much make up but want a bit of something it is ideal for those days. I have used the LBP before mascara too and I find it helps to keep the look that a certain mascara gives without any flaking, sometimes in the past I've found that I'll really like the look a certain mascara gives but then throughout the day my lashes haven't stayed looking as good as they did when I first applied it but with the LBP I find the mascara looks the same all day. 

My absolute favourite way of using the LBP though is over the top of mascara, as I said I struggle with mascara smudging or blobbing and it can completely ruin my make up after an hour meaning there are a lot of mascaras I can't wear, and I bought a new Maybelline mascara (review here) a few weeks ago, unfortunately it isn't waterproof and did smudge/blob but when I applied the LBP over the top of it I didn't have any smudging at all, I was so impressed. I have tried the primer over several mascaras that I own but cannot use and they are all fine when I use the primer over the top. To me this is invaluable and I am so so impressed. 

Overall Thoughts & Would I Re Purchase?

My overall thoughts on the Estee Lauder Little Black Primer are that it does exactly what it says on the tin, as I said my first thoughts when the product was released were that it was probably "just another gimmick" but it isn't at all and it really does do what it says it will and I would highly recommend it and would 100% re purchase it when mine runs out. It isn't a budget product at £20 but if like me you really struggle to wear most mascaras it really is a handy product to own, I love the look it gives me when I wear it on it's own and it has been invaluable for me when it comes to wearing non waterproof mascaras, it really is an amazing product and one I will definitely be keeping in my collection and re purchasing many times in the future. 

If you would like to try the Estee Lauder Little Black Primer, you can find it on line at Debenhams and House Of Fraser for £20.00.

Have you tried the Little Black Primer? Have you thought something would be a gimmick then found out it's an amazing product? Let me know in the comments. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x

MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus

Hello Lovelies,

Today I have a post about a lipstick that even months before it was launched, I knew I was going to buy. I wrote this post about the launch of the MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus back in January and I was super excited because I love and I mean love bright lipsticks and as you will probably already know, pink is my favourite colour, so this really was going to be a match made in heaven.

The Miley Cyrus viva glam is a beautiful bright fuchsia pink colour and and amplified finish meaning the wear time is excellent, this lasts for hours on me, around 5/6 hours with eating and drinking, it's not at all drying and is easy to apply. I don't experience any bleeding at all from this lipstick and it looks lovely if I say so myself and when I wear it I get a lot of compliments. 

Me wearing the Miley Cyrus Viva Glam

A close up of the lipstick (excuse my hideous pores)

I love this lipstick, it is a beautiful colour and when I was speaking to the sales assistant in MAC she was telling me that the lipstick was designed to suit everyone of every skin tone. I really do love it, it feels nice on the lips and lasts for hours, I love the amplified finish from MAC it's between a satin and a creme sheen finish so you get a nice strong colour with a hint of a sheen without experiencing any dryness of the lips. 

There is also a tinted lipglass to accompany the lipstick but I don't wear lip gloss so I didn't buy that but it is beautiful and if you do like wearing gloss and you like the lipstick, you'll love it. And another great thing about the Viva Glam range from MAC is that all the profits (less VAT) go to help women, men and children everywhere who are affected by HIV/Aids so it's a very worthy cause too. The Viva Glam Miley lipstick is available on line here for £15.50. 

Have you tried the Viva Glam Miley lipstick or tinted lipglass? Do you love it as much as I do? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x

Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick In Coachella Coral

Hello Lovelies, 

Today I have a post about a lipstick and if you know me well you'll know theres two beauty products I adore, well I adore all beauty products but in particular, nail polish and lipstick. I have also fallen in love with the Charlotte Tilbury brand recently too so those two things should be a match made in heaven right? Keep reading to find out...

I was lucky to receive some Charlotte Tilbury products for both Christmas and my birthday and I have quite a few products now,  I love the brand and when I received this lipstick in the shade Coachella Coral from my daughters boyfriend for my birthday I was instantly in love. 

The packaging is a rose gold case with the CT logo on the lid and Charlotte Tilbury stamped around the bullet casing, it reminds me very much of the Estee Lauder all day lipsticks.  I really like the colour, I love wearing coral on my lips throughout spring and summer, it's one of my go to colours so I couldn't wait to try this lipstick. Coachella Coral is one of the K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipsticks from Charlotte's collection, there are 11 shades in total and they are priced at £23.00 each.

What Charlotte Tilbury Says About The Lipstick

This is my fail-safe recipe for perfect lips… Enriched with a breakthrough, secret ingredient, the Lipstick Tree, an anti-oxidant that naturally protects lips from UV damage and external pollution leaving them cashmere soft and irresistible. Blended with special waxes and clever light-diffusing pigments for pert, full-bodied, ultra-brilliant lips that ensure you leave a lasting impression!

K.I.S.S.I.N.G is my signature range of 11 lipsticks curated with modern and classic icons in mind. It is a capsule colour wardrobe of backstage nudes to red carpet reds made to suit any skin tone. Perfect, full, kissable lips really do grow on trees…

• The Lip Stick Tree loves your lips, protecting them from UV damage and fighting oxidative stress so that lips are left soft, pert, soothed and hydrated. A tropical plant originating from America, the plump yet prickly red fruits appear like pouting lips that blow kisses at you as you walk by. The colour from its seeds was originally used by Indigenous American people to paint and protect their lips.

• Also contains light-diffusing pigments that give lips a brilliant, luminous, multi-dimensional finish - they capture the light across the lips and reflect it back out for a full-bodied effect.

• A special blend of waxes means this lipstick is a dream to use and glides over the contours of your lips. The result is colour rich and buildable, the formula does not bleed outside the lip line.

• Paraben free.

My Thoughts

As soon as I applied the lipstick for the first time I noticed how soft and smooth it felt, it felt very hydrating. I don't have a problem with dry lips, but I would imagine if you do these lipsticks would be nice and moisturising. I applied the lipstick straight from the bullet, it applied nicely and as I said, felt very nourishing. 

Coachella Coral is what I would describe as a dark coral colour and a colour I think that could be worn all year round, it isn't too bright but bright enough for spring and summer without being too bright if you wanted to wear it in autumn/fall too so it's a very versatile colour.

Swatch of Coachella Coral

Me wearing Coachella Coral

As you can see from the photograph of me wearing the lipstick, it has a lovely glossy finish and the lipstick lasted for around 2 hours before I had to reapply it. I like the lipstick, the colour is lovely and it feels very moisturising on the lips and is very hydrating, but there is a but and a disappointing one at that........ 

The lipstick bled on me, I was sooooo disappointed with it, it does claim on the CT website that it won't bleed as stated in the information quoted above,  but it did bleed quite badly and I would have been upset had I worn this out for the first time because it did bleed and it was very noticeable. I have worn the lipstick since and used my Rimmel Moisture Renew Lip Liner In Universal which is an amazing clear lip liner.

Rimmel Clear Lip Liner £3.99 available from Boots.

When I wore the lipstick with my Rimmel clear liner it didn't bleed which I was pleased about, but I was both surprised and disappointed that it bled at all,  I suppose I expected more from a CT lipstick. But at least I can still wear it with the lip liner so it's not a huge problem, just one I wasn't expecting and I was disappointed that I needed a lip liner with such an expensive lipstick and especially one that promises no bleeding. 

Overall Thoughts & Would I Re purchase?

Overall I liked the lipstick, the colour is lovely, it is quite pigmented, super glossy and feels nourishing on the lips. The wear time is ok and it looks nice but my negatives would be the fact that it bled without the Rimmel liner and for the price of the lipstick I dot think that's great and it does state in the description on the website that it doesn't bleed. Overall I liked the lipstick but wasn't bowled over. There are some lovely shades in the K.I.S.S.I.N.G range but to be honest the bleeding has put me off and for the price of the lipsticks I can find cheaper lipsticks that I know will last longer and definitely won't bleed. 

If you would like to try the Charlotte Tilbury lipstick in Coachella Coral it is available on line from Net-A-Porter, The Charlotte Tilbury website and Selfridges for £23.00. 

The Rimmel clear lip liner is available on line from Superdrug for £3.99, I highly recommend this lip liner it is a fantastic product and is suitable for use with any lipstick at all. 

Have you tried any of the K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipsticks? Which shade is your favourite? 

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x

Primark Coiled Hair Ties

Hello Lovelies, 

Today I have a post about some hair ties from Primark, I saw these a few weeks ago and thought they looked interesting and also very similar to another product I'd recently heard a lot about, the Invisibobble. I'd read about the Invisibobble hair ties that claim to stop that annoying kink in your hair that having it in a pony tail leaves but they are £3.75 each, so when I saw the Primark ones for £1.50 for a pack of 5 I thought I'd give them a go. 

The hair ties are all really pretty colours and I'm one of those people who always has a hair tie around my wrist and these look better than my usual blonde coloured hair tie that can usually be found round my wrist so a bit of a bonus I suppose.

Although Primark haven't made any claims that these hair ties will not leave a kink in your hair when you've had it in a pony tail, like I said they do look very similar to the Invisibobbles which are available from Boots for £3.75 so I wondered if the Primark ones would stop the annoying kink as the Invisibobble claims to do. 

The answer is no they don't, I am still left with that really annoying kink that won't straighten out no matter what I do when I've had my hair in a pony tail using one of these hair ties. But they look quite pretty and make a nice alternative to my blonde hair ties that I usually wear, and as I said they look nicer round my wrist. I am going to buy an Invisibobble to try and see if they are worth all the "blogger hype" they've had because if they do do what the claim, I'll be a very happy bunny! 

But for now I'll keep using the Primark ones, they look different and remind me of an old style telephone cord, who remembers those? They don't do anything ground breaking but they're a little bit different and quirky and I paid £1.50 for them so I may as well use them, a couple of negatives are that they stretch over a few uses, obviously when I put my hair in a pony tail I wrap the hair tie round a few times to secure it and they have stretched and don't look quite so coiled anymore, so they're not something I'm going to be able to use for a long time and sometimes I find they pull my hair out when I am taking them out, so not the best but as I said I may as well use them. 

Would I buy them again? 

No, they're a little bit different and a little bit quirky and nice colours and they do the job but they do stretch out to a not so coiled plastic hair tie that I can't use anymore and they sometimes pull my hair out, so they're quite nice to try for something a little bit different but they're not something I'll be re purchasing. 

I'll report back when I've tried the Invisibobble, so watch this space!

Have you tried the Primark coiled hair ties or the Invisibobble? What did you think? Let me know in the comments. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always, 

Zoe x