beauty Archives - Page 10 of 54

bloomzy / March 16, 2015

Roller Lash is a Curl’s Best Friend

Last week I headed to Benefit’s Curl’s Best Friend Parlour for an evening of beauty talk with some of my fellow Birchbloggers. We were also joined by some of the Birchbox team who greeted us with cupcakes and cocktails – forget curl’s, this place was a blogger’s best friend! We mingled in the 1950-esque Noir Bar, surrounded by glamorous ladies, and a mirror that spouted cheesy compliments (yep, that’s a thing).

After some networking we were given a make-up masterclass by Lisa Potter-Dixon and Jessica Dinner. Lisa gave us some great tips on how to achieve the latest catwalk beauty looks, but it was the tips and tricks of the trade that I was after. Luckily the evening didn’t disappoint. Lisa told us several of her favourite beauty hacks, such as using Benefit’s Hoola to contour the sockets of your eye (to make your eyes look bigger) and using your lipstick as a 3-in-1 beauty tool (on your lips, eyes and cheeks!). After our mini masterclass we headed down to the salon to have our hair and make-up done. I tried out the new Roller Lash mascara, which Benefit claim to be made for people with straight lashes, and had some curls put in my hair. Unfortunately the make-up looked a little too harsh on me (life story of a pale person), so all photographic evidence has been burnt…and by that I mean deleted off my phone. I loved what some of the other ladies were having done though, especially Jpoppy’s gorgeous hair-do. All in all I got to meet some lovely bloggers and learn some new beauty tips, so I’d call the evening a success.

If you’re interested head over to Benefit and Birchbox to find out more about the new Roller Lash mascara.

bloomzy / March 11, 2015

What’s In My Handbag?

Sally Leather Cross-body Bag – Marc by Marc Jacobs

Work Phone: Apple iPhone 5c | Personal Phone: Apple iPhone 5s | iPhone 5s Case: Cavendish Cases of Bath

Business Cards: Goodprint* | Nikon 35mm f/1.8G Prime Lens | Case: Wonderound

Earphones: Happy Plugs | Eye Roll-on: Simple | Velvet Matte Lip Pencil: NARS | Pen: WC（ダブルシー）

Remember how I said one of my resolutions for 2015 was to minimise my wardrobe? Well I’ve been doing pretty well, and recently I continued that winning streak by downsizing my handbag. Just last year I couldn’t go anywhere without a bag big enough fit a small dog in – no I’m serious – so this is a big step for me. So a bag of this size is just the incentive I need. Of course this has also meant putting less items in my bag, meaning I have to stick to the essentials. It’s been a tough transition, but a good one.

bloomzy / February 25, 2015

Review: OGX Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner

OGX Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner*

No I haven’t started washing my hair with coconut water, like some rich eccentric old woman. OGX (formerly known as Organix) did notice though that people were loving coconut water for it’s hydrating abilities, so they they asked the question on everyone’s (read: mine) lips – why can’t it work outside of my body as well as inside? OGX’s Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner was born.

Pros:
+ Stylish packaging
+ Smells nice
+ Shampoo lathers well and washes out easily
+ Conditioner isn’t heavy

Cons:
– Took a while (a week or so of using it) for my hair to feel hydrated

Notes:
Coconut water/oil is known for it’s natural hydrating abilities, so it only makes sense that OGX decided to add it to their growing collection of hair care products. The packaging on the products is stylish and simple, and I love the blurb stating the benefits. The shampoo lathers well and washes out easily, whilst the conditioner is light and doesn’t weigh my fine hair down. Usually I would only apply it to the ends of my hair, but this conditioner is light enough to put all over. Unfortunately at the begining I didn’t find that the two worked well enough together to hydrate my hair as much as I would like. I put this down to my naturally dry hair, so I used them alongside the OGX coconut water hair spray to perk up the dry bits. At £6.99 each they are averagely priced. However I would have to think about whether I would purchase them as I need to use them with another product.

You can buy OGX’s Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner at Boots.

bloomzy / February 9, 2015

Review: Witch Overnight Clearing Serum

Witch Overnight Clearing Serum*

There aren’t many beauty products that make it to my bedside table, most live their days out in my bathroom cabinet. The few that do make it are the ones I use every night. The ones my skin can’t live without. Witch’s Overnight Clearing Serum is a new product that made it to this coveted spot…within only a week of using it.

Pros:

+ Gets rid of spots within 1-2 days

+ Moisturises

+ Non-oily

+ Works overnight

+ Leaves my skin happy and clear

Cons:

– Takes a few minutes to absorb into my skin

– Bottle only contains 50ml of product

Notes:

How many “spot clearing” products have you used that have actually helped clear up a blemish? For me it’s probably around 5%. Witch’s Overnight Clearing Serum is part of that minority. When I received this I actually had a small spot appearing on my chin, but within 2 nights of applying it the spot had gone. Honestly I wasn’t entirely certain the product had done it all by itself. That was until I had another blemish appear. Again, 2 nights went by, and BAM! it was gone. This little wonder really does what it says on the tin. For only £5.99 I will definitely be purchasing one of these when my current one runs out. I just wish the bottle was bigger so it would last forever.

You can purchase Witch Overnight Clearing Serum at Superdrug.

bloomzy / January 25, 2015

Giveaway: Win a GlossPod Manicure!

Women and men alike no longer need to worry about being caught out with chipped or untidy nails. Why? Because GlossPod are a starting a nail revolution. Their high profile, hand-picked nail technicians will come right to your home or office (even your hotel!), and they offer a variety of services to boot, such as: manicures, pedicures, shellac manicure/pedicure, and gel removal. I recently booked myself in for one of their classic manicures* at my office. They arrived right on time and got straight down to business. It took around 25mins for my manicure, which included shape, cuticle tidy, buff, hand massage, paint and top coat. It was so relaxing and my nails looked amazing afterwards. My little break had left me feeling very relaxed, and the best part was I could just go straight back to work! I didn’t need to worry about rushing back on the tube from a salon and inevitably smudging my new manicure in the process. I just hopped into the elevator and headed back up to my office. It was the perfect Friday morning indulgence.

You can book an appointment via GlossPod or by downloading the app on iTunes and Android.

What can you win?

You too can win a visit from GlossPod (to your home, office or hotel) with my giveaway! To celebrate my blog’s 5 year anniversary, I am giving away 5 GlossPod classic manicures* to 5 of my London-based readers (sorry they’re not available outside of London yet).

How to enter:
+ Be a follower of ‘Bloomzy’ via Bloglovin
+ Earn extra entries via social media.
+ This prize is provided by Glosspod and is only open to London based participants.
– Accounts created purely for giveaways will be disqualified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

bloomzy / January 19, 2015

A Peek Inside… My Little Energy Box

My Little Energy Box

You may have noticed that I skipped reviewing the December My Little Box. That’s because I was left feeling pretty underwhelmed at the their lacklustre effort. Still, it’s a new year, which for some reason always makes people think that things will have drastically changed for the better. I too was holding out hope that My Little Energy Box (January 2015’s offering) would bring me something sparkly and fabulous. Boy was I wrong…

What was inside My Little Energy Box?
– Illustration by Kanako
– My Little World Magazine
– 2015 Illustrated Calendar (£10)
– My Little Sports Bag (£20)
– My Little Beauty Energising Mist (£7.50)
– Talika Photo Hydra Day (£43.50 for 50ml)
– Nails Inc Polish – Tate (£11)

What did I think?
If this box is any indicator of how I’ll be spending 2015, then kill me now. Seriously though, this is a pretty poor cliche attempt at a box. Sure we all eat a bit too much at Christmas and then promise ourselves that we’re suddenly going to turn into gym goddesses, but deep down we all know it’s not going to happen (for most of us anyway). This month’s box was not inspired nor inspiring. The barely there gym bag, and the flimsy calendar are enough to turn anyone away from the brand. These cheap items do not represent the My Little Box I have come to know and love. That said, I’ve always appreciated the prices listed by the items as it makes it much easier to see whether you’re getting your moneys worth. But £20 for the bag, and £10 for the calendar? You have got to be kidding me! Again, it was the beauty products that saved me from unsubscribing. The Nails Inc polish is clearly from a past collection as it features the old bottle design, however the colour is perfectly fitting for any season. Talika’s Photo Hydra Day is a promising little number for anyone who suffers from dehydrated skin, and the My Little Beauty Energising Mist smells even better than it feels on the skin…and it feels pretty good. Even so, the mist is the only beauty item that fits the ‘energy’ vibe and the whole box is a bit of a let down. The French version also received a Special K Energy bar, but was otherwise no different. Whilst the Japanese version received a couple of alternative beauty products alongside the mist, bag and calendar.

I’m currently at a lose with My Little Box – do I stick with them or do I say goodbye? I remember having such high hopes for the brand when they announced that they would be coming over to the UK, but that love is beginning to wane after a couple of dull months. I guess only time will tell…

bloomzy / January 12, 2015

Review: The Harley Medical Group Anti-Oxidant Oil Free Moisturiser

The Harley Medical Group Anti-Oxidant Oil Free Moisturiser*

I’ve tried my fair share of moisturisers over the years, thanks to being born with the driest skin known to man. Exaggeration aside, I do genuinely need a decent moisturiser in my daily routine. Enter The Harley Medical Group’s oil free moisturiser. You may remember me mentioning it in my Christmas skincare gift guide. Well I was pretty cheeky and I didn’t give mine away to ‘that special colleague’, instead I kept it for myself…for the good of the blog, obviously.

“It is so important to soothe & clear congested skin. This moisturiser will do just that, and leave your skin feeling smooth and silky to the touch. An anti-oxidant oil free moisturiser that helps promote a smooth, matte complexion. Incorporating patented anti-ageing ingredients clinically shown to penetrate the skin and help reduce visible signs of ageing while stimulating collagen production. With the added benefit of Vitamin E, a powerful anti-oxidant that will help improve the overall texture of the skin.”

Pros:
– Lovely bottle-pump design
– Good application
– Nice texture
– No smell

Cons:
– Doesn’t offer the moisture my skin needs

Notes:
Around 3 weeks ago I started using The Harley Medical Group’s oil free moisturiser. I like to switch in between moisturisers, so my skin doesn’t get too used to one particular product. However I found that my skin is going through a particularly stubborn dry patch, and this moisturiser just isn’t scratching that annoying, hard-to-reach itch. The packaging is classically simple, and the pump design makes for easy dispensing. Application wise, the cream is of medium consistency and applies well to skin. It’s particularly clear that this is an oil-free moisturiser when applying it. There is no greasy feeling left lingering on the skin, and it absorbs quickly. My only con is that it doesn’t seem to offer the moisture that my skin currently needs, and because of this I have had to pair it with a serum. At £35 I wouldn’t purchase this as it’s not thick enough for my morning cream, but it does work well under make-up as a primer, so I would consider it if it was on sale.You can purchase The Harley Medical Group’s oil free moisturiser at The Harley Medical Group.

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