Monday 1 December 2014

Review: For The Love Of Lashes.






Hi lovelies,
I hope you’re all keeping well in this oh so miserable weather.
Lately, I have been getting all eyelash excited and yes this is another eyelash review!  (Well there certainly isn’t a thing such as too many!)

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may have already read my recent lashes from ZBridal review. Link to it is here if you have not yet already checked it out.
If there was an award for the best packaging then For The Love of Lashes are no doubt the worthy winners. Their white and gold packaging is just too pretty not to appreciate and clearly a great deal of thought and effort has gone into it. Their website continues with the same logo and theme, simple, elegant and effective are the three words I would describe it as.

For The Love Of Lashes are a UK based company providing the highest quality cruelty free mink and hand tied lashes with an impressive selection of them as well as some new arrivals. Whats more, as their website states, they are handcrafted and made with a ‘whole lot of LOVE’.

First impressions? These lashes are of an extremely high quality and easy to apply. They are soft and not at all hard or ‘plasticky’ with a thick band like some of the ones on the market. The packaging as I mentioned earlier is fabulous and clearly they put alot of thought into it.  Each box come with the lashes inside, with a little ribbon for easy removal, whether they are mink or hand tied plus the name of each lash on the outside. On the back of the box, a short instruction on how to apply and remove them which I thought was a really nice touch and really useful for those who may be trying false lashes for the first time.

The lovely people at For The Love Of Lashes sent me Naked, Rose Doll and Flutter to try out, with Rose Doll being mink.  I actually cannot say I have a favourite as I love all three. The good news is that these will not break the bank as they start from as little as £4.50, not forgetting that each lash can be worn and used a few times. You will need to use your own adhesive though as these come without, but every beauty junkie and makeup artist alike will no doubt have a tube of duo in their vanity anyway.

The ‘Flutter’ hand tied lashes are the winged shaped lashes, these were a little big for me so I did have to trim them a little, these are perfect for that subtle flutter on a date night or night out with friends.

Courtesy of For The Love Of  Lashes


The ‘Naked’ Hand Tied lashes are perfect for day time wear as the name suggests, they are quite subtle and natural and great for adding some fullness enhancing your own natural lashes.


Courtesy of For The Love Of  Lashes


And lastly, the 'Rose Doll’ Mink lashes, slightly more pricier than the hand tied lashes and are beautiful criss cross winged out lashes.


Courtesy of For The Love Of  Lashes

Unfortunately, I did not get around to taking a decent picture when I wore ‘Flutter’ on a recent night out, however, I will definitely upload a picture the next time I wear them so you lovelies can see what the lashes look like on.

Overall, these lashes are amazing and I definitely recommend them. The packaging and quality of them are just superb. These are too good to wear on a daily or regular basis so I will most definitely be reaching for them on nights out and special occasions. These also make the perfect inexpensive gift too.
Do check out For The Love Of Lashes here , their Instagram as well as their twitter here I can assure you, you will love their lashes just as much as I do!

Have you given these fab lashes a go?

Love and Lipstick

xxx

Friday 21 November 2014

Forever Living: Skincare Review With Indy Samra.






I am not wrong in saying that Forever Living isn’t unheard of. Lets face it, we have all come across a distributor (or ten!) at some point in our lives. I have heard nothing but great things about their skincare and weight loss products and have always been eager to try them, but if I am honest, some of the pushy hard selling distributors I have come across recently have put me right off.

It wasn’t until I met Indy Samra,a FLP distributor in Leicester. As we got talking and from her approach methods, I quickly realised thankfully that she wasn’t one of the pushy ones where you felt obliged to buy something or join their team.
So when Indy suggested letting me trail a basket full of their lovely skincare products in the comfort of my own home of course I jumped at the chance.

We all have hectic schedules and sometimes we just do not have the time to properly take care of ourselves. Plus, not only would it be my pamper week heaven but I thought it was a good way to really sample some of the products should I wish to buy anything later.
If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know that as I get older, I am turning more and more towards natural skincare and makeup in a bid to really look after my skin well. Some of the harsh chemicals in some of these products on the market may just as well end up doing more harm then good sadly.

Now, back to Forever Living. Seeing as there are quite a few products to get through I do not want to ramble on any further. I certainly do not want to bore you off so I will do my upmost best to keep this post short and sweet. I suggest grabbing a quick bite to eat, come back and read on further J

Before I continue, I must add that I am in no way associated with Forever Living or its partners/distributors and have not been compensated for this review. These are merely my own honest opinions on all the products after a weeks use.

On the day I received the basket, Indy had come to my home, sat down and really explained all the products and their uses well which had really reassured me. She explained that I was free to use whatever I liked and best of all, I was under no obligation to buy anything.
The basket was a pretty black floral basket with all the products beautifully laid out and priced along with some literature.The basket of products included the following: (In no particular order)
·        
  • Forever Aloe Scrub
  • Propolis Creme
  •  Aloe Moisturizing Lotion
  •  Aloe Heat Lotion
  •  Aloe Vera Gelly
  • Aloe Lotion
  • Sunscreen
  • Forever Bright® Toothgel
  • Aloe-Jojoba Shampoo
  • Aloe-Jojoba Conditioner
  • Aloe Hand & Face Soap
  •  Aloe Vera Ever- Shied Deodorant stick.


So, as you can see there were quite a few of these lovely products to get through and I was very excited to give them a go. I placed the basket on my bathroom windowsill and left it there the entire week so I remembered to use them accordingly first thing in the morning, when I showered and before bed. I did not end up using the Sunscreen, the Aloe Vera Gelly and the Shield Deodorant stick, so these will not get a mention. The packaging of these skincare and body products is simple and neutral and most come in a tube form which I liked.

Here is what Forever Living say about their skincare range:
“Our skin is the front line defense in our daily fight against pollution and other environmental irritants, so we need to protect and reinforce it with extra care. Aloe vera, whose most traditional use as a natural remedy is to soothe the skin, is an ideal defense. We have designed unique and varied products that work naturally by moisturizing and providing essential nutrients and vitamins to the skin. Our skin care products can help protect the skin against the environment’s harsh effects, and are reinforced with the International Aloe Science Council Seal of Approval.”

Back to the products, I won’t go into too much detail on each of these as there are a quite a lot and well we’ll be here for a week if I do. Haha!

First up, again these are in no particular order. I used the Forever Aloe Scrub first thing in the morning every day for the whole week. Unlike most facial scrubs, this is gentle enough to use everyday and wasn’t too harsh on my skin. I loved the fact that it did not irritate especially around the eyes nor did it dry up my skin as most scrubs have done in the past with a feeling of ‘tightness’ afterwards. Instantly, I noticed my face was fresh and less dull and felt smooth and even. It really did gently unclog my pores and scrubbed away dead skin cells and dirt and grime which is why I will definitely be purchasing this. Big thumbs up.





Next, lets talk about the Propolis Creme. Again, another fantastic product which I used every day after my bath and shower. Not only does this moisturises but it also conditions It contains a combination of stabilised Aloe  Vera Gel and Bee Propolis as well as other natural skincare ingredients. I applied liberally on my knees and elbows where my skin appears to be the driest as well as on my stretch marks from pregnancy. Whilst I did not notice a big difference in the reduction of stretch marks, my skin however did feel smooth and supple. The consistency is quite thick which I thought was perfect for really dry irritated skin as it really soaks in and provides instant relief and moisture. If you suffer from severe dry skin and eczema then I strongly recommend this product.





I did not actually use much of the Aloe Vera Gelly but I suspect it works just as great as all the other products. I will not hesitate to use this say for a rash, or as an after sun lotion and to calm any redness when getting my face waxed as I assume it is quite soothing and cooling and will be perfect for it.

The Aloe Moisturising lotion is also another product I consistently used throughout the week.  This was perfect for moisturising the face before applying makeup so I would definitely recommend it as a pre makeup primer. It contains collagen and elastin and is free from lanolin. It is slightly more thicker than the Aloe Lotion so you do have to work it a bit more into the skin. I often kept this near the kitchen sink so I could apply it to my hands after washing the dishes. The beauty of this is that it is excellent to apply both on the face and body.




The Aloe Heat Lotion was definitively a product I was keen to try. It was a definite saviour during the cold winter days from all those stresses and strains. Just like any other heat emollient products, it contains deep heating agents that instantly soothes and relaxes. On a day where I had the cold, my loving better half massaged this all over my back, and with the help of a hot water bottle I slept like a baby. It was bliss! My husband also benefited from this after pulling a muscle in his shoulder .Also,  rubbing a small amount on the feet of my children when they had a cough helped them to sleep a little better too. This is a definitive must have, it is a bit like Deep Heat and smells quite lovely too.





After the Aloe Scrub and the Propolis creme, the Aloe Lotion was my next favourite out of the lot. This is a fantastic all purpose skin lotion which contains the highest form of stabilised aloe, jojoba oil and vitamin E. I love how it contains collagen and elastin too which really helped in leaving my skin smooth, soft and supple. Although, it is lighter in fragrance compared to the Aloe Moisturising Lotion, it is perfect for dull, cold weather related skin. This will definitely be more holy grail moisturising lotion for all year round.

I disregarded my regular toothpaste for the week and used the Forever Bright® Toothgel twice daily instead. I actually quite enjoyed using this, loved the taste of the natural peppermint and spearmint which left my mouth feeling fresh and clean. I would suggest using a tiny amount of this though especially if you have an electric toothbrush like me as it does foam up quite a lot so only a tiny amount is needed. I was a little wary at first with tooth sensitivity as this has been the case with other products in the past, but was delighted to find that I suffered no sensitivity at all.
This is suitable for the entire family and as an avid coffee I really did notice a reduction in the yellow stains. I was impressed to find that it contained no animal products hence it is suitable for vegetarians plus the fact that it contains no fluoride is also an added bonus. I will definitely without a doubt be purchasing this and strongly recommend it. Another big thumbs up from me.





I used both the shampoo and conditioner once that week so I do not have much to say about these. They are PH balanced and quite mild and delicate with gentle cleansing properties. I would definitely suggest using the shampoo and conditioner together as the shampoo can be quite drying on the hair. I liked the fact that the light scent of jojoba remained on my hair the next day as well as making my hair more soft and manageable.




My kids certainly enjoyed using the Aloe Hand and face soap liquid during their bath times. It comes in a pump bottle with a delicate scent perfect to use on kids as it is mild and does not irritate and dry out their skin like most soaps. The scent and lather of it reminded me of their baby shampoos and bath creams and I just loved how it smelt on their bodies. This can in fact be used on their hair too but I didn’t get round to trying it. 









All these products are absolutely fantastic and I am super impressed with them. If I am honest, I did underestimate them at first. The range is extensive and impressive and I am keen to give some of the other products a go, particularly the eye cream.They definitely without a doubt deserve all the hype and praise they receive. A big thank you to Indy Samra for allowing me to try these fantastic products, I highly recommend them and need I say I have definitely been converted. I will be definately adding these products to my new skincare regimen. 

Be sure to check out Indys Facebook page over here.

For all product enquires, purchases, brochures and business opportunities please contact Indy Samra on the following relevant links:

Have you given any Forever Living products a go?

Love and Lipstick

xxx



Sunday 9 November 2014

Review: ZBridal Eye Lashes.


It doesn’t take a beauty guru to work out that eyelashes are a key part to any makeup look, if anything they are the piece de resistance and add instant glamour. Like a pair of neatly groomed well filled eyebrows, a pair of lashes will equally frame the face.

Eyelashes are being used more and more everyday with makeup artists, makeup lovers and even those that have just started to experiment with makeup. Sure, it takes a few goes if you are using them for the first time, but the beauty of it is that once you know how to apply them it is like second nature. And with a huge selection of false lashes , a wide range of styles and brands it is safe to say we are spoilt for choice.

As a start up freelance makeup artist myself, it is paramount to be stocked up well on lashes as well as the other essentials.  Each time prior to a booking, I would find myself making a quick dash to town to Boots and stocking up on a few Eyelure lashes at around £5 a pop, until recently I refused to carry on. Not only was I constantly running around like a headless chicken before every booking but wasn’t really doing myself any favours money wise was I?

It was only when I came across Zbridal Studio in Bradford stocking and selling lashes that resembled the Salon system ones  that I knew I would be mad to not to buy. Having trained with Zbridal themselves, I was pretty accustomed to Salon System lashes they used so I knew exactly what to expect.  The lovely Maestro Sahida sent me a few of these to try out.




Now these lashes are unbranded and come unboxed without adhesive but are exactly like the Salon System  ones. Not only are they super easy to use and apply, they are of a high standard, comfortable to wear and look extremely natural. The best of all? They are super cheap! £1.65 a pair or £1.50 if you bulk buy. Yes amazing right! Needless to say, I quickly placed a big order.

Delivery was super quick and came beautifully packaged in a fushcia pink padded envelope securely wrapped with the ZBridal Studio sticker on which I thought was a nice touch.


ZBridal Sticker

Like most brands of eyelashes, these come in a variety of different styles. The 140 are the full on glamour set for those that want that va va voom. The 120 are the natural spiked ones, the 107 are the natural ones that are slightly winged out at the ends, the 101 are the natural petite ones as well as the Demi Wispies for that added natural looking glamour we all need once in a while.  And of course, having a selection of these in your makeup kit is always a good idea as there is a style for every set of eyes.  What I especially like about these lashes is that they are not at all ‘plasticky’ like the ones you can get off Ebay. They are soft and natural and easy to work with.

Source: ZBridal Facebook
Whats more is that these lashes come in a cute little case so that you can actually re use each lash a few times. Well  how I hear you ask? Simply place each lash back in its correct place ie left lash on the left side in the case, use an alcoholic sanitising spray to sanitize lashes, or you can even wipe away gently with a wet wipe to remove any dirt or makeup that may have gotten onto them. Also, the band of glue can be gently pulled off, I prefer taking mine off with a tweezer and voila! Good as new.

The Demi Wispies







Would I recommend these? Without a shadow of doubt.  If you are a makeup artist or avid eyelash wearer then I strongly recommend purchasing these for bulk buy. They are infact a fraction of the price of the Salon System ones even with trade discount to professionals so an absolute bargain. Sure, they do not come with the adhesive but any makeup enthusiast would have a tube in their vanity anyway and for the price can you honestly complain?

I am so glad I stumbled across these lashes, think it is safe to say I have officially found my lash stockists! I will definitely keep on buying these as I cannot find one bad thing to say about them. Simply Lash heaven!

Ladies and makeup artists in particular, I strongly suggest placing an order today, believe me you will not be disappointed with these. Contact Sahida Sardar on Facebook and Instragram or @_ilashes_ on Instagram to place your order today!

A big thank you again to Sahida for sending me these amazing lashes to try.

Have you given these a go?

Love and Lipstick

xx

Friday 7 November 2014

Curiosa Neways: Henna Eyebrows and Henna Lips: Review






Hi Lovelies,
Today I bring you another product review, and this time amazing products from a company called Curiosa  Neways all the way from Sweden which had me a tad little excited, read on further and you will see why.

Now as I have gotten older, I have started to steer more towards natural skincare products in a bid to save my skin from some serious damage. Well, many of us just get so carried away we often forget the long term damage of some of the ingredients and harsh chemicals in some of the products we use. Lately, I have experimented with several natural skincare brands, however when I got the opportunity to trial out some natural makeup of course, I jumped at the chance.




For those that do not know, Curiosa Neways create effective and enhancing cosmetic products to a high quality of standard as well as adhering to environmental standards.

Their mission statement is “We shall create innovative and exclusive products through a combination of nature's best ingredients and modern technology.
We shall be in the top league in every product area in which we choose to compete.
We shall focus on fulfilling our customers changing needs by continuously adapting our product range through continuous innovation

Their range of products include lip and eye products as well as skin care products to tackle blemishes and so on.
I was sent the Henna Eyebrows and Henna Lips products by their lovely people to try. These are in fact two of their main products so I was very excited to give them a go.

Firstly, I must say, the packaging is lovely, a lot of thought has gone into it, although simple, it really does stand out and appears quite sleek and elegant. The Henna Eyebrows comes in a black box with the product name and description on it.




The product actually looks like a felt tip pen, it is a semi permanent pen felt tip pen designed to be used on the eyebrows. It is filled with henna extract so that our skin can partially absorb it safely without smudging easily. It stains the skin just as henna does without any side effects. I was happy to see that I experienced no major side effects and skin irritation when using this product.


Henna Eyebrows

At first, I was a little sceptical to using this on my eyebrows as it has quite a fine tip, but in fact it worked out fine. It also gave more control and accuracy in creating light small strokes. I found that it blended really well with my natural brows and lasted pretty much most of the day. As a busy mum, this comes in very handy in the sense that I can do my brows and not worry about them for the rest of the day. I also liked the fact that it was non waxy and easy to carry around in my handbag.


Henna Eyebrow on eyebrows


This product is specifically created for eyebrows only so it is important that it isn’t used on/in the eyes. Although, I did cheekily use it to enhance my beauty spot above my top lip!

I do suggest trying this on a small area first if you are using it for the first time just to be on the safe side. Also, Curiosa recommend keeping the cap securely fit to prevent the product from drying out.






Next up, I received the Henna Lips to try out. Again, I was equally excited to give this a go. Again, it resembles a felt tip pen that is filled with henna extracts to safely stain the skin. The lips pen is double sided and comes with a thin end as well as a thicker end to outline and fill the lips.


Fine tip and thicker ended tip.



The next morning after a shower

It contains 100% natural ingredients and I am pleased to report that I suffered no tingling or skin irritation. It is soft and gentle to use and the lips require no prepping prior to using. It glides on smoothly and can be used alone for a natural tint to the lips or underneath regular lipstick, the choice is yours. I was amazed at how long lasting the stain was despite eating and drinking and washing my face. Also, I was super impressed with just how smudge proof it was.






Curiosa reports that the Henna Lips contain wheat protein and a fresh peppermint fragrance to make lips feel cool and refreshed, however I did not notice any cooling sensation. I also couldn’t smell the peppermint as much.

Whats more, is that the colour range is excellent, it currently comes in seventeen shades to suit your mood so there is a shade out there for everyone. The shade I tried was Strawberry Red.
Again, as with all their Henna pens, ensure that the cap is securely fit to avoid drying out the extracts. Again, as a busy mum running around, I just love how I can just pop this on and not worry about needing to top up my lipstick every so often.

Overall, would I recommend these products to family and friends? Most definitely yes, the packaging is great, as is their customer service. The products are amazing and are really innovative, not to mention with 100% natural ingredients with a semi permanent stain for longer lasting natural makeup.

Thank you again to Curiosa Neways for allowing me to try these products. Have you tried anything from their range?

Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Love and Lipstick

xxx

Sunday 26 October 2014

Review: BareMinerals BARESKIN Pure Brightening Serum Foundation


You know how a new foundation comes into the market  and you just have to have it? Well if I did that for every foundation that was launched I would have to declare myself bankrupt! Haha

I discovered that BareMinerals were launching a liquid foundation a few months ago. I have always liked BareMinerals products, it was when a good friend of mine that works as a consultant for them gave me a few samples of the mineral foundation to try,  that I found myself experimenting with the brand more. Was it enough to completely stop using what I was using and switch over to them, probably not.  I just love my liquid foundations far too much.

QVC began selling the BareMinerals BARESKIN Pure Brightening Serum Foundation prior to its launch earlier on in the year but I wanted to pop into my local Debenhams and get a proper colour match. Well why did this foundation stand out to me? It was Bare Minerals first ever liquid foundation infused with a brightening serum so of course I understood all the hype over it.

After being colour matched to what seemed like the perfect colour, my lovely friend sent me a sample of it to try. I decided to trial it out for about threeish weeks to see how I got on with it . I opted out from buying the buffer brush that’s designed to be used with it and decided to make do with the brushes I already had. I own far too many brushes anyway the little voice in my head said.

So lets move onto the packaging. I actually really like the packaging, it is a sturdy bottle with a nozzle top that gives you good control of just how much product to use. And you only a few small drops on the back of your hands. The colour range available is super impressive too ranging from the cool skin tones to warmer skin tones. It also contains SPF20 which is an added bonus.

As instructions state, it is important that you shake the bottle well before use seeing as it contains an oil based serum. If you do not, well the product will separate and you’ll end with an oily residue.  The serum has a light fragrance of coconut which i generally like. At first, seeing as my skin becomes much drier in the colder months, I was a little sceptical as to whether the product would be uneven and cling onto dry parts of my face? Thankfully it didn’t. I also found that it didn’t require much setting with a powder.



Before
Bottom Blended

 


Fully blended

The coverage is fantastic, a lot better than I thought it would be without feeling too heavy or cakey, I liked how it felt on my skin, very hydrating. Also, despite the serum, it did not feel oily at all on the skin which I really liked. If you have normal to combination skin, this may work well for you too. However, if you are on the oily side of the spectrum with your skin, you may not like the feel of this.

I did however question whether the application would be much more better if I had purchased the brush? Probably yes, there's a possibility that a normal buffing brush would probably eat up too much of the product on it bristles and you may need to play around with it a bit. I guess for ease of application and a more flawless finish the brush may be worth investing in. It retails at £24.

Overall, I quite like this foundation, it feels amazing on and I love how the serum hydrates my skin. In terms of it brightening my dull skin I am not so sure If it had the ability to do that. I definitely recommend this foundation and it will certainly be my go to product for the winter months. it can be purchased here at a cost of £26.

Have you tried the BareMinerals BARESKIN Pure Brightening Serum Foundation?

 
Love and lipstick.

xxx

 

 

 

Saturday 25 October 2014

MesmerEyez Coloured Contact Lens Review.




Give me anything that enhances natural beauty and I will be there in a flash be it lashes, hair extensions and coloured contact lenses to enhance the natural eye colour.

Correcting my sight last year gave me the option to experiment more with coloured contact lenses. I have been very interested in how makeup can look different with different eye colours and let’s admit it, changing your eye colour to suit your mood is kind of fun.

I have since then tried several different brands of coloured contact lenses, some I have quickly become quite fond of, others not so much. Lately, I have seen many beauty bloggers and YouTube Vloggers wearing lenses from a brand called MesmerEyez and I just knew I had to try them!

The lovely Tahiba from Mesmerize_lenses on Instagram (Notice the spelling is different to the original)  sent me a pair of Hazel lenses to try from their Blendz collection. At first, I was a tad bit sceptical as to whether to colours would show up on my dark eyes, or on the contrary, would they look fake?




Once I received the cute little package, and must mention super fast delivery on Tahibas part, the one thing that first caught my eye was the cute little rose lens case to store them in.  I was super impressed as most of the higher end brands of lenses do not include a lens case with their orders which is a little disappointing considering you pay a fair amount.

Seeing as I have worn contact lenses before, I had no trouble inserting them in or removing them for that matter. I loved how to lenses were not of large size to make my already big eyes even bigger, infact they were just the right size. Also, I was absolutely relieved of the fact that these did not dry out and irritate my eyes which at first I was a little worried about. Personally, as with all lenses, I wouldn’t advise wearing them longer than sixish hours.






I was very surprised that these lenses covered my natural eye colour, although not completely, the colour enhancement was still visible, yet natural looking at the same time which is an important factor to me when wearing coloured contact lenses. I have come across a few people who have problems with lenses making no difference to their eye colour so I was extremely impressed.







These lenses can be worn for a total of three months which is amazing as I am sure I will be getting plenty of uses out of them. They are cosmetic therefore non prescripted so will not work well for those with a high myopic prescription.

If you are inexperienced with using contact lenses then I do suggest making a trip to your local opticians for help with hygiene, inserting and removing them, hygiene with all contact lenses is an absolute must in order to avoid eye infections.

Overall, I was very happy with these lenses and will definitely be making a purchase in the future. For comfort and affordability as well as a great colour range, I definitely recommend these, they is something out there for everyone as the colour range and collection is huge.

Thank you to Tahiba for letting me try these, do make sure you follow her on her Instagram account over at Mesmerize_lenses and contact her for prices and enquries.


Have you tried any MesmerEyez coloured lenses?


Love and Lipstick xxx