Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara!

People say that good things come in small packages, and with this bottom lash mascara Clinique totally proves that to be true! I realise I am a little late jumping on the bandwagon for this much hyped about product but I always just thought..why would anyone need a special bottom lash mascara and just wrote it off as another gimmicky makeup item. But do I wear mascara on my bottom lashes? Yes everyday! I feel it opens and frames my eyes, especially since my lashes are fair but I always used the same mascara as for the top lashes. At a recent Clinique event I found this little tube in my goodie bag and was curious to finally put it to the test to see if it really was good as people claimed...

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara is basically a baby mascara bottle (2ml) with a miniature wand to allow perfect application of the mascara into your bottom lashes, it even reaches all those tricky-to-reach lashes!

The best thing about this little beauty however is its formula! Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara is made from a polymer formula that will not budge, smudge of flake, but as soon as bath water temperature water hits it, the mascara "relaxes" and can be removed easily!

I had pretty much accepted the fact that the mascara on my bottom lashes would always flake or smudge throughout the day but NO MORE! I was super impressed with the lasting-power of this bottom lash mascara. My bottom lashes still look black, defined and pretty after a long day at work...plus it even withstood the gym test!

I am officially a changed woman and will definitely repurchase this product over and over! Have you tried the Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara?

Available in Black and Black/Brown. Allergy Tested. 100% Fragrance Free. Ophthalmologist Tested. Safe for sensitive eyes and contact wearers. Bottom Lash Mascara, 2.5ml - RRP £10.00/€14.00.
To buy online, visit: clinique.co.uk

Bourjois Paris Flowers - Summer Trend look+

Back in June Bourjois launched their 2012 summer collection inspired by the beauty of tropical flowers from Latin America with a palette of bright blue teamed with spicy orange.

They created the above look using the following new products from the collection:

Bourjois round pot eyeshadow in no.16, a spicy orange

Bourjois round pot eyeshadow in no.02, a vivid blue (blue canard)

Bourjois 3D effet lipgloss in no.53 Corail artistic (one of my favourite glosses this summer!)

Bourjos Volume Glamour Max Waterproof mascara

I liked this colourful summery look, so I decided to recreate it myself :)

I applied the burned orange eyeshadow (16) all over the lid and into the socket line. Then I dampened the eyeshadow applicator and applied the bright blue shade (02) close to the top lash line for that fun splash of colour!

Other products used in his FOTD:

Clinique stay matte foundation in #9

Vichy dermablend ultra-corrective stick (review here)

UNE BB cream bronzer (review here)

NARS blush in the shade Orgasm

 

What do you think about Bourjois new summer collection? Is this look something you'd ever wear?

 

The full Bourjois Paris Flowers collection is available now at Boots & Superdrug stores nationwide and online.

LashAngel London mobile eyelash extensions

I got eyelash extensions last summer and loved it so much that I decided it was a must have for my summer holiday to Croatia! The beauty of having eyelash extensions for my holiday would mean not having to bother with waterproof mascara at all and being able to wake up (on a small sailing boat) and having beautiful dark curled lashes ready to go! Last year I got mine done by the lovely Kym from LashLab. You can read that review and more information on lash extensions here (link).

However before going on holiday I was so busy and I just couldn't seem to find the time to fit in an appointment to get my semi permanent lashes applied. Then I was saved by a friend of mine who recommended me to use Lash Angel, who offer a mobile service all over London! I got in contact with Vanessa who was available to come to my house at 8.30pm in Notting Hill to apply the extensions in the comfort of my own bedroom!

She applied a full set of lashes (which is about 70-90 lashes per eye) at a cost of £80. The whole procedure took about an hour and a half to complete but whilst lying on my own bed, music playing in the background.... I actually almost fell asleep, that's how comfortable I was! 

Here are some before and after pictures taken on the night.

I asked for long curled full lashes but specified that I didn't want them to look too fake so they wouldn't feel too over the top during the daytime on the beach or whilst sailing. I was very happy with the final look! 

Because each extension is applied to your own individual lashes I think it looks very natural.

All of the above photos are taken with ZERO makeup or mascara!

Some of the fantastic advantages of lash extensions are:

- They lengthen, thicken and give you a permanently curled lashed look

- They are waterproof and you don't need to fuss with wearing mascara

- Your extensions will last several weeks. At least 3-4 weeks depending on how well you look after them. 

- Lash extensions do not cause lash loss but they will fall out over time as you lose your own lashes.

- They can be worn for extended periods until your own lash completes it's life cycle

- When applied professionally lashes can last 3 months with one or two touch ups in between (normally about £50 for top-up treatments)

Here a photo of my eyes made up to show you how easily the lashes can look more dramatic and ready for a night out :) All I did was apply MAC Club eyeshadow to my eye lid, the lower lash line and added some (water based) mascara to my lower lashes to balance out and darken the look.

Tada smokey, smoldery eyes and fluttery lashes in just a matter of minutes! I love it :)
This picture was taken in week THREE of having the lashes and still going strong!

It has now been four weeks and my lashes are still looking pretty amazing! I am definitely using Vanessa again because the lashes have been great quality and getting them done at home was just ideal. I think in 1-2 weeks I will get some in-fills done so my lashes will last me for my next holiday to the USA at the end of August! 

Fore more details on lash extensions or contact details for Lash Angels visit www.lashangel.com 

Is lash extensions something you've ever had done or are you now perhaps curious to try it? xoxo

Your top five beauty investments by Veronika

Hi! I’m Veronika and I write the style, beauty and home décor blog, Veronika’s Blushing.  I’m delighted that Roz has asked me to guest blog for her while she’s on holiday and I’m here today to share what I think are your best “beauty investments.”

When you’re a style and beauty blogger, it’s tempting to try a lot of different looks and products. Over the years, I’ve had different hair colors and makeup routines, but I’ve noticed that as I get older, I’m more focused on creating a signature look and enhancing my appearance in the areas where I’ll get the most return on my efforts, both in the short and long term.

Sometimes, it’s tough to evaluate what you should spend your time (and money) on when it comes to beauty products and regimens. Here’s what I think are your best beauty investments:

Full, polished hair- Maybe you can’t afford to get a blowout like the lovely Duchess of Cambridge three times a week, but what you can do is learn how to give yourself a fantastic blowout. There are plenty of great tutorials on YouTube or, if you feel comfortable, ask your stylist to show you how to blow out your hair or go to a blow dry bar and observe the techniques that they use. The best part? A well-done blowout gives you incredible return on your investment---those 20 to 25 minutes you spend styling your hair make it bouncy for days---meaning you can skip daily washes and touch up your hair with some dry shampoo.

Kerastase Cristaliste Lumiere Liquide, one of my favorite blowout products!

Smile- The days of overly-bleached, Hollywood-perfect teeth are over---but a great smile has never gone out of style. Maintain your oral health by flossing nightly, using a whitening or stain-removing toothpaste (I like Crest Vivid White or Colgate Whitening) and if you can, invest in an electric toothbrush. I love my Sonicare toothbrush so much that I even travel with it! I also whiten my teeth once a year to maintain brightness and remove stains. I use professional trays I had made at my dentist’s office, however Crest Whitestrips Professional are also a wonderful an effective option.

Skin- Everyone wants clear, glowing, even-toned skin. For some of us, it comes naturally and for others (like me) who struggle with acne or other skin issues, keeping your skin clear can be quite the challenge. Investing in great skincare products is important---but so is prevention. In your early to mid 20’s is when you should start thinking about using eye creams and moisturizers that will help prevent premature aging, including sunscreen, which you should wear every time you’ll spend any significant amount of time in the sun. Establishing a preventative skincare routine now will be an investment that you’re still patting yourself on the back about 10 and 20 years from now. I used tanning beds a lot when I was in college and once I became aware of not only the increased risk of melanoma but also how much it prematurely ages you, my skin never touched a tanning bed again. Ten years later, I’m still reaping the benefits---at 29, I’m pretty happy with my skin and don’t have a lot of wrinkles.

Probably my most “glowing” day---at our 2009 wedding

Bright-eyed- They say that the eyes are the windows into the soul and I think they’re also one of your most important features to highlight. Bright, defined eyes can make your entire face look balanced and awake. I always use concealer on my lids as a base to even out my eye area and then I use Maybelline’s Eraser Dark Circles in the light pink “brightener” color under my eyes to perk up and lighten the entire under-eye area. I also use Benefit’s Eye Bright on my lower lash line and in the inner corner of my eye. I have a tutorial of my entire eye makeup routine here. By far the most impactful part of brightening up your eyes is curling your lashes. I feel like it instantly makes you look youthful and rested. I heat my eyelash curler with a hair dryer for a few seconds and it locks the curl in all day (and, if you want it to last extra-long, always use waterproof mascara because the formulas are drier and help lock in the curl).

Using light pink under your eyes really brightens your entire face!

Trim and Toned- By far one of the best beauty investments of all is keeping your body strong and toned. From a physiological perspective you’ll have more energy, sleep better, be stronger, more flexible and have more endurance---and from a mental perspective you’ll feel balanced, happier and more satisfied with your overall appearance. My favorite toning workings include The Bar Method, Ballet Beautiful and Pilates. I find that these types of workouts really target such a wide array of muscle groups and they work muscles you didn’t even know you had! There are also fantastic workouts available on YouTube (for free!) by the girls from Tone It Up and BodyRockTV.

On my way to the gym! All gear by Lululemon

What are your best beauty investments?

Leave a comment below or come visit me over at Veronika’s Blushing.
Thank you for having me!

(No Thank YOU Veronika - what a great post. It's easy to see why I love her blog right? xoxo Roz)

Estee Lauder - Pure Color Cyber Eyes

Estée Lauder kicked off 2012 with the launch of a new collection called 'Pure Color Cyber Eyes'.
The collection introduces a new dynamic trend in colour make-up that boldly paints the eyes in graphic pigments. The powerfully modern collection, by Tom Percheaux, features six hyper-metallic finish gelée eyeshadows, four vibrant mascaras and six chic kohl eye pencils.

Let's have a look at some of the products shall we...

I love the packaging of Estée Lauder products, don't these eyeshadows look super pretty?

The, limited edition, Pure Color Gelée Powder EyeShadows include a first-to-market, “tribrid” system that changes the way makeup can be worn, wet or dry. The “tribrid” formula is an all-in-one liquid, powder and gel that creates a texture that is futuristically bouncy and ensures the eyeshadow applies smoothly and providing an extreme sheen. 

The collection includes six vibrantly decadent shades: 

Cyber Copper, Cyber Pink, Cyber Lilac, Cyber Silver, Cyber Green and Cyber Teal.

These are the three lovely Cyber Eyes Shades I have been playing with....

Clockwise: Cyber Green, Cyber Silver, Cyber Lilac

The exclusive formula can be worn in two finish options: apply wet for a hyper-metallic charged flash of colour or dry for a subtle shine finish.  But no matter how you apply it the shadows will be long-lasting, non-flaking and non-creasing. What's not to love?!

Cyber green (L) Cyber Silver (M) and Cyber Lilac (R) swatched dry on the left and wet on the right.

I personally prefer applying them with a wet brush. They go on so smoothly and give your lids a layer of gorgeous colour and shine! I love the silver shade and only was a bit surprised that the cyber green comes out more black/green rather jade/green. 

Next are the smoldering new Pure Color Intense Kajal Eyeliners. Inspired by the kajal used in India these liners are perfect to create a daring smokey look. The liners comes in six new shades; Blackened Black, Blackened Cocoa, Blackened Plum, Blackened Sapphire, Blackened Olive and Electric Teal. 

From left to right; Blackened Cocoa, Blackened Black and Blackened Plum

These liners are really creamy that provide rich pigmented colour. Apply on the inner rim of the yes for a smouldering effect or use as liner along lashline and softly smudge over lids to intensify your smoky look! I am loving the Blackened Cocoa at the moment because I usually wear black liner and think the brown is a softer look and a nice change.

Here is a recent simple look I created with some products of the new Pure Color Cyber Eyes collection.

Estée Lauder Cyber Silver applied all over the lid.

Estée Lauder Blackened Plum Eyeliner on my waterline and smudged along the top lash line.

L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic mascara (review to follow!)

Pure Color Gelée Powder EyeShadow RRP £19.00

Pure Color Intense Kajal EyeLiner RRP £16.00

What do you think of this collection, does anything tickle your fancy? The Pure Color Cyber Eyes Collection is available now at Estée Lauder counters worldwide or online at www.esteelauder.co.uk.

Getting Lash Perfect at new Lash Bar!

Last week I was invited to check out the brand new ‘Lash Bar’ in Soho, London. This amazing Lash Bar, which is pretty much a one-stop-shop for anything eyes, lashes and brows, is a new venture by UK’s leading Lash experts Lash Perfect.  Lash Perfect is a UK market leader within the semi-permanent eyelash extension sector, offering a wide range of innovative and high quality eyelash extensions. As an exciting extension to the Lash Perfect family, the stand-alone Lash Bar is a gorgeously styled salon based in the heart of Soho, right amongst the electric boutiques and coffee houses within the backstreets of Carnaby.

They have a huge list of treatments of offer, ranging from only £10 to £270 - so you can visit the Lash Bar for all your peepers’ needs! The treatments, all performed by skilled therapists in the four treatment boudoirs, include semi-permanent eyelash extensions, lasting 8-12 weeks, Lash Baylage eyelash tinting in colours from black to green, Paperself creatively cut elegant paper eyelashes in 13 different designs and a 5 step eyebrow treatment that will ensure that not a hair is out of place. Or for instant impact purchase some strip lashes by La La Lashes (starting from £7.50) and have them applied at the Strip Lash Bar over a cup of coffee with friends and then you are ready to hit the shops or bars in Soho afterwards ;)

For the more adventurous lash lover, Lash Perfect is the only place in the UK that stocks and applies the super creative Paperself Lashes.They pretty much turn your eyes into a work of art!

On my visit to the lash bar I was so lucky to get some semi-permanent lash flicks applied to my lashes in their stunning VIP treatment room! I’ve never had semi-permanent lashes before so it was a fun new experience. The therapist was lovely and explained everything very clearly and told me how to maintain and look after my new fluttery lashes once they had been applied.

See here the before & after shot of my lashes at taken at the salon (sorry the before one is a bit blurry!) 

I ♥ the effect of the flicks, giving my outer lashes some added ‘oomph’ whilst still remaining natural & pretty! Below is my lashes a few days later with mascara. At the salon they provided me with a black mascara by Lash Perfect that is oil-free and therefore specially formulated to be compatible with eyelash extensions.

I’m definitely loving the idea of lash extensions now. Can’t wait to experiment some more, maybe next time I will go for the full shebang ;)

The Lash Bar, 35 Marshall Street, London W1F 7EX
T: 020 7434 4554 W: www.lashbar.co.uk/

Celebrating the opening of their first ever Lash Bar, Lash Perfect have also launched this cool ‘Lash App’ for your iPhone. You can experiment with the look of different lash styles by taking a photo (or using an existing one) and see how the their wide range of semi -permanent or strip lashes suit your eyeshape before committing to any particular look! It’s FREE so fun stuff to play around with :)

Marie Claire Inika Freebie

I picked up a copy of July's Marie Claire (UK) the other day, for my reading pleasures while working out at the gym, and lucky me it came with an awesome freebie! This month Marie Claire comes with a free Inika Mineral eyeliner or eyeshadow with every issue. I chose the eyeliner which is the shade 05 - Graphite.

Inika is an Australian natural cosmetics company that uses mineral pigments in its products and avoids the use of petrochemicals, paragons, phthalates, talc or bismuth oxychloride. I'd never heard of this brand before so was keen to try it out.

I really like the eyeliner, it's super creamy, long lasting, blendable plus makes a great eyeshadow base.  Graphite is a gorgeous slightly shimmery grey/lead colour which is nice as an alternative to my standard black options. I have been wearing this eyeliner applied to my waterline or smudged quite heavily along my lower and upper lashes with a simple grey or nude eyeshadow on the lid for a different smokey effect. The eyeliner also comes with a handy sharpener, which is built into the cap. 

This eyeliner usually costs £11.75, so it's a pretty good deal scoring it for the £3.60 price of the magazine. Marie Claire is also offering a discount code to their readers...but I will sneakily share it with you all now (shhhh!) To get 20% off your online order at inikacosmetics.co.uk enter the discount code 'inikalovesmc'. This offer is only valid until 1 July 2011, so be quick :)

And last but not least, being Wednesday....

Happy Hump Day!

Am currently loving Coldplays new song 'Every teardrop is a waterfall' ♥

Can't wait for their new album to come out....

Eyeko BIG Eyes

A while back I got the Eyeko Big Eyes Mascara from ASOS and have now used it for a while so thought I'd do a quick review to let you know my thoughts :)

What they say:
"Long & Luscious in one easy squeeze! Seeing is believing...
The cult classic blacker than BLACK mascara that lengthens, thickens and curls in one! Transform and intensify lashes with a single stroke of the unique brush.Evenly dispersed bristles coat and separate lashes with highly pigmented colour. The lash friendly formula combines natural oils and silicones with added Panthenol (Vitamin B) to prevent dryness,premature breakage and promote lash growth."

Here are my eyes with the Big Eyes Mascara:
PS: makeup wise I am wearing Urban Decay Baked e/s on the inner lid with Urban Decay Darkhorse on mid/outer lid, blended into crease and along lower lash line. Bourjous Effet Smoky Pencils in Ultra Black on the waterline and MAC liquid liner on the top lash line.

♥ Pro's
Cute packaging and comes in squeezable tube (which means no product is wasted)
The brush is thin and long, with widely spread spiral bristles. I really like the wand because it coats every lash and allows you to apply the mascara with precision. 
Very long lasting, without flaking or smudging throughout the day
Nice strong/deep black formula which is non drying
Mascara lengthens, volumises and really holds the curl to my lashes.  Great for a dramatic look!

♥ Con's
The mascara applies quite 'wet' and will start to thicken when it dries. This is fine but does mean that you need apply your second coat of mascara before the first coat has fully set and dried because otherwise it's nearly impossible to add another layer.
The other main downside for me is that the mascara is really hard to remove. I prefer mascara that removes easily (say with water in the shower) and I don't tend to wear a lot of waterproof mascara. This mascara isn't marketed as waterproof,  but there is no way you will get this product off without makeup remover (and even then you need to apply quite a bit of pressure to get it off!)
When removing, the mascara kind of disintegrated into little pieces instead of dissolving. However the plus side to this is that the mascara is super long lasting. Therefore I tend to wear this mascara if I am going out at night so I know my lashes will look lovely all night long! :)

Overall I think this is a great 'drugstore' mascara, especially if you are looking for long lasting dramatic 'Big Eyes' :)

Priced at £8.50 from the Eyeko website (only available online)
However use my ambassador code E15072 to receive a free gift with all purchases over £15/€18/$20!

Amber Lights FOTD

Happy Friday Girlies!
Recently I the lovely Laura of Lollipop Loves held a blog sale and I managed to score two great purchases! Actually think there might still be a few items left so feel free to have a peek here!
The two items I got (for a bargain price, yay!) were MAC Amber Lights Eyeshadow & Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Lip Pencil in Naked. They arrived the other day with a cute note from Laura, loved the little cupcake print! See swatches below:

Amber Lights is a golden peachy-brown eyeshadow with golden shimmer (frost). I have been eyeing up this shade for a while so when I spotted it in the blog sale, I took this as a sign that I was meant to add it to my collection ;) Such a beautiful colour and think this shade is a must have for people with a warm skin-tone or blue eyes! 

Just like the 24/7 Glide-on Eye pencils, the Urban Decay 24/7 Lip Pencil is very long lasting! Naked is a neutral pink shade and suitable for many skin tones. "Urban Decay 24/7 Lip Pencil in Naked is formulated with jojoba oil, vitamin E, and cottonseed oil to nourish the skin and improve the smoothness of application." It looks a lot darker swatched then when applied on my lips. I love this colour when gently applied to lip with a clear gloss on top. It would also be great under any neurtral or pink toned lipsticks. The formula is very creamy and glides on very smooth. It also doesn't make your lips dry which is great!

Thanks Laura for these goodies, I am very pleased with my purchases! Of course I couldn't wait to start playing around with them so I created a FOTD:

♥Face:
Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer
Revlon ColorStay Foundation in Sand Beige (180 - Normal/Dry Skin)
MaxFactor Loose Powder in Translucent
Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder (contour)
Estee Lauder - Sea Star Bronzing Blush

♥Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Amber Lights eye shadow (all over lid up until crease)
MAC Nylon eye shadow (applied to tearduct)
MAC Charcoal Brown eye shadow (softly blended in outer corner)
MAC Dazzlelight eye shadow (brow bone highlight) Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pencil (upper lashline)Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect 'Rotatif' Mascara

♥Lips:
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Naked
MissGuided Lip splash (clear gloss)

Do you have Amber Lights eyeshadow? If so in what combinations do you like wearing it? xoxo Roz

Little Red Riding Hood

A few weeks back one of my close girlfriends in London had her flat warming party and in true antipodean style, they decided to made it a themed dress up party! I absolutely love dress up parties, it makes house parties a lot more fun, especially when people make a proper effort to create or make costumes! The theme for her housewarming was 'Animated Antics' which meant "if you were an animated character who or what would you be?" It took me a while to decide what to dress up as because couldn't think of many cartoon characters I admired growing up...(I wasn't allowed to watch much TV when I was little haha). So in the end I chose to go as a fairy-tale  character: Little Red Riding Hood! Here some photos taken on the night:

People made a real effort with their costumes which was so awesome! We had carebears, snow white, wilma flintstones, jem & the holograms, ariel & sebastian, minnie mouse and many more!  Such a fun night! Here is my Face Of The Night as Little Red Riding Hood:

♥ Face:

GOSH concealer (under eyes) in #2

Bourjois 10 hour sleep foundation

MaxFactor Creme Puff in Translucent (#5)
Rimmel London Natural Bronzer in Sunlight

NARS Orgasm Blush

Bourjois Illuminating Touch in Rose Essentiel (highlighter on cheekbones)

♥ Eyes:

Bobbi Brown Natural Brow Shaper in Blonde (eyebrows)

MAC Brule eyeshadow (all over lid)

MAC Wedge eyeshadow (crease & a little bit along lower lash line)

Three Custom Color Specialist Clarifying Pencil in Light (waterline)

Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pen in Black (upper lash line)

Ardell Fashion Lashes - Babies Black 

L'Oreal Voluminous mascara

♥ Lips:
Bourjois Effet 3D Lipgloss in 06

Because I wanted to wear a shiny red lip, I decided on natural eye make up but then glamourised with big fluttery eye lashes! I used Ardell fake lashes, which I have only recently discovered. Their Babies Black lashes come as a set with their own little glue sachet. They feature an invisible, lightweight band that connects the hair strands to form a strip that ensures secure corners. They are knotted and feathered by hand, reusable, easy to apply, comfortable to wear and made of 100% human hair. I really liked the effect as it looked natural yet gave my eyes that extra little sexy spikey pop! These lashes are priced at £5.10. I would definitely recommend Ardell Lashes. Also they have a massive range of fake lashes; I can't wait to try some different styles! Ardell lashes are available from Boots nationwide (UK), at www.boots.com or check out Ardell's website for more information.

Gold & Silver Inspired FOTD

Last week during my daily communte to work, while on the tube, I was reading the fabulous free 'Stylist Magazine' and was mesmerised by the beautiful makeup on the model in the Modern Art photo shoot! I loved the bold combination of gold & silver together so I felt inspired to try this look for myself. I made it a little less dramatic, making it more wearable for during the day (& suitable for work) but this could easily be dramatised by applying the eyeshadows more heavily & adding a bold lipstick to make it a stunning glamorous evening look!

Some images from the photo shoot above and below my inspired FOTD:

♥ Face:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer

Bourjois 10hour sleep effect foundation

STILA contour trio palette

MAC Springsheen blush

♥ Eyes:

MAC Woodwinked e/s (all over the lid)

MAC Electra e/s (crease)

Urban Decay Chopper e/s (lower lash line)

MAC Smolder eyeliner (waterline)

Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner pen (winged along top lash line)

L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara

♥ Lips:

I love..Raspberry & Blackberry Shimmer & Shine Lip Gloss

I feel the photo of my FOTD doesn't do the look enough justice. In person it looked a lot more bright and vibrant plus the silver stood out more! What do you think of this look? Hope you liked it! xoxo Roz

Open your Eyes!

I recently received a new product from New CID Cosmetics in my mailbox; the 'i-open'! I was intrigued by this product because it contains a powder concealer & a nude coloured pencil in one. I'm pretty addicted to using concealer - meaning I'm always keen to try out new products to help hide my annoying pigmentation spots underneath my eyes, reduce my dark circles or brighten up my eyes! 

What they say:

"i-open is a double-ended wand for widening and brightening eyes. The retractable pencil end helps to reduce redness inside the eyes whilst the cream to powder concealer at the other end helps to hide dark circles under the eyes. An essential for any make-up bag." 

How to apply:

First run the pencil end of i-open along the inner rim of the lower lash line (aka your waterline). Now using the sponge end, blend the powder concealer under the eye & over the lids. To pick up a bit more concealer, dip the sponge end into the cap & twist. 

Swatched: top line is the pencil, bottom line is the concealer. In the picture above I applied the concealer powder around my left eye and the right eye is left natural (yikes..) I didn't use the pencil on my waterline in this photo.

Pro's

♥ Am a fan of the skin coloured pencil. I personally prefer using nude coloured eyeliners on my waterline instead of white eyeliner to brighten my eye, because I find it not as harsh. I already love my Chanel Eyeliner in Clair, see my review of it here, so this is a great alternative!

♥ The liner is very soft & easy to apply

♥ The liner has great pigmentation and is long lasting

♥ The 2-1 in product is ideal, great size & perfect for the handbag to allow touch up's during the day/night!

Con's

♥ The concealer powder probably doesn't give me with enough coverage as I ideally would prefer. I'm used to using creams and liquid concealers. But this is also because I have a few pigmentation spots that I find need a good amount of product to cover them. However if you just want light coverage this powder would be ideal. 

♥ Not that much concealer powder comes out when you remove the lid so personally I have to re-dip and twist a few times to get the desired coverage. Therefore I probably I won't use this product much at the start of my day to apply concealer but I think it's perfect to have in your handbag to allow you to touch up during the day or night when you need to! 

i-open is available in Light & Medium and is priced at £18.50 (this review is on the light version)

To view a demonstrational video, to buy i-open or for stockist details click here!

Makeup Forever: Lash Fibers

Back in December, for St Nicolas, I got a cosmetics item that had been on my MakeUp Lust List for quite a long time. I first heard about it through the incredibly talented ladies of Pixiwoo when it featured in one of their videos. (Ps: check their website & YouTube channel out if you don't know them! Uh-mazing tutorials!) So now let me tell you about one of my favourite makeup items at the moment: MakeUp Forever - Lash Fibers!

"Lash Fibers is a fiber-enriched base to mascara. Applied before mascara it adds lengths and volume to your lashes and maximizes their volume for a spectacular effect. Its creamy texture immediately wraps the lashes and sets immediately. Enriched with active ingredients, its formula nourishes, protects and strengthens lashes"

Basically you add this product as a primer for your lashes, covering it with little white fibers. Apply by wiggling the brush along the lashes to completely sheathe lashes with the fibers. Repeat as desired, let it set for a few seconds and then apply your normal mascara over the top! This is me with the product applied pre-mascara. I know it looks a little weird; the white lashes...

Then here is the finished result. On the left is my eye WITH Lash Fibers + Mascara &on the right is my eye only with mascara! Can you see the added volume and  length?

I absolutely love it! Ok it's not quite like falsies and I wouldn't wear this every day but when I am going out or want a little bit more volume and drama without going for the full false lash effect - this products is PERFECT!

Left: with Makeup Forever Lash Fibers + Mascara.           Right: without fibers and just mascara.

It applies really easily and smoothly & I like that it volumises and lengthens without clumping all the lashes together. It was quite tricky to get good 'photographic evidence' showing you the proper results but all I can say is that I really notice it & love it! You can purchase this product online at Sephora here for US$20.
Have you ever tried any lash primers with fibers before? xoxo

New CID Palette: Eyes, Lips & Cheeks >

Let me introduce you to a great little palette for the busy girl on the go!
I recently discovered the New CID Cosmetics Eyes, Lips & Cheeks Palette ♥
“The Eyes, Lips and Cheeks palette is your perfect make up ‘wardrobe’ to create stunning looks on the go.
Use the combination of shimmering and matte eye shadows to create a sexy smouldering look for both day or evening wear. There are also two lip colours or a lip-gloss to choose from. Finally, to complete your look, use the powder blush which will add a natural pink glow to your complexion. All contained in one palette with a mirror and applicator - what more can a girl ask for?!”
The packaging of the palette is a hardened white cardboard, meaning you probably wouldn’t want to get it soaking wet but then again I don’t think it’s going to fall apart if it accidentally got a little wet (aka in the bathroom). The palette includes: 4x Eye Shadows (3 shimmer, 1 matte), 2 lipsticks (round pans – the 2 on the left), 1 lip gloss (the 1 on the right) and a blush. What I think is great is that the Eye Shadows are generously sized at 5.4gm a piece! The set also includes a brush, but as with so many brushes supplied with palette’s – it’s nothing to rave about, no shape so I don’t bother using it! The palette then also has a little ‘drawer’ part which contains the lip colours and blush. One slight negative point on this ‘drawer’ part is that it’s not connected to the palette as such so if you hold the palette the wrong way it would just fall out. Therefore you’d have to be very careful if you were take this palette out and about with you (in your handbag for example) as the drawer could easily pop out in transit…However this could easily be fixed with a bit of tape!

Here are swatches of the Eye Shadows, Lip colours and Blush in the palette:

The shadows don’t have names but I would describe them from L-R as: cream/ivory shimmer, taupe shimmer, deep brown shimmer and a soft chocolate matte shade. It might come across as quite a neutral palette, but because of the mix of shimmers & matte you can create lovely natural looks but also more dramatic smokey eyes with the gorgeous taupe & dark brown eye shadows! The shadows are well pigmented, long lasting and very smooth to apply and blend. Have to say I was impressed! They all complement each other so beautifully which allows you to create so many looks just using this one palette. Ideal :) The lipsticks/glosses have a nice consistency and feel smooth when applied. Plus the blush gives you a cute soft pink glow which I have been wearing it a bit recently on the apples of my cheeks!

Here is a FOTD that I created with the new CID cosmetics palette. A gorgeous smouldering smokey eye!

♥ Face:
Pink Blush of the CID Eyes,Lips, Cheeks Palette

♥ Eyes:
Matte brown colour of CID Eyes,Lips, Cheeks Palette (slightly brushed into eyebrows)
Light shimmery colour of CID Eyes,Lips, Cheeks Palette (inner corner of the eye & browbone highlight)
Dark shimmery colour of CID Eyes,Lips, Cheeks Palette (rest of the lid/outer crease & lower lashline)
Medium shimmery colour of CID Eyes,Lips, Cheeks Palette (blended into inner left corner of crease)
Barry M Liquid liner in black (upper lashline)
L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara
♥ Lips:
Pink Lip colour of CID Eyes,Lips, Cheeks Palette (most right -3rd)

Overall think this palette is a fab little purchase and perfect for girls that love natural or brown smokey eyes.
You can by this palette for £24 at Debenhams, House of Fraser or online at www.newcidcosmetics.com

Plus at the moment it's on SALE at ASOS for only £12 - such a bargain. Check it out here!