bloomzy /

Challenge: STEAMCREAM

A few weeks ago I was sent a small package from STEAMCREAM*.
They wanted to set a few bloggers a fun little challenge using their product.
The aim was to use the STEAMCREAM in several ways, as part of your daily routine.
It was to show the versatility of the product and to prove that it isn’t just another old moisturiser.
When my pack arrived, honestly, I was a little dubious as I stared at my ‘ingredients’.
I love natural ingredients being used in beauty products but I wasn’t entirely sure I could do it myself.
Well thankfully I proved myself wrong because I managed to create 3 separate products with my STEAMCREAM.
Oat exfoliating mask, bb cream, and sugar body scrub
All 3 of these only involved mixing a product (foundation etc) with the STEAMCREAM.
It was so simple that it didn’t take up much time at all, which was great as I’m always in a rush.
My two favourites though had to be the exfoliating oat face mask & the invigorating sugar body scrub.
My skin felt super smooth, moisturised and calm (some products can upset my sensitive skin) afterwards.
The BB cream didn’t work out that well for me, but I never have been a big fan of tinted moisturisers etc.
Still, I would say that this challenge was a success, even though I had my suspicions to start off with.
When I first discovered STEAMCREAM I thought it was just another moisturiser.
Well luckily for me, I was wrong. It’s a whole lot more than that!
Visit STEAMCREAM to purchase a tin, and have a go at your own challenge.
Alternatively, you can buy it in Selfridges, John Lewis and from ASOS.
bloomzy /

Review: Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick 104 Passion

Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in 104 Passion

Every now and then I treat myself to a high end red lipstick.
I wear red lipstick literally everyday so it’s important that I have a good one.
Chanel is currently my go-to high end brand for red lipstick, and has been for a while.
The service is always impeccable, and not so surprisingly they really do know their stuff.
I always go back to Chanel for quality lipsticks that will stand the test of time!
So I decided to add Chanel’s Rouge Allure 104 Passion to my collection.
Pros:
+ Highly pigmented
+ Long lasting wear
+ Good coverage
+ Moisturising

Cons:
– Slight smudging

Notes:
I loved the pop of colour this lipstick gave. The red is very true to what you see in the tube and you don’t really need much at all to get good coverage. The lipstick itself has a slight shine to it as it’s moisturising but as my lips tend to dry out when I wear lipstick this is what I wanted. It’s not glossy though, so don’t worry! Without a lip coat this did transfer, however it didn’t come off entirely. I would suggest using something like Lipcote so that it stays and won’t transfer to your coffee cup or partner’s lips. Overall a great lipstick, and as always, I was impressed.
You can purchase Chanel Rouge Allure #104 at Chanel counters.
Or you can purchase it online at Debenhams.
bloomzy /

5 Fashion/Beauty Instagrams You Should Be Following

Instagram is my go-to place for fashion & beauty inspiration on the go.
The hashtag feature makes it quick and easy to find anything and everything.
Even so, I prefer to find specific users I love and know I can go to again and again.
Lately I’ve found some amazing users who have really inspired me with their photos.
So I wanted to share some of them with you in the hope that you might find some new users too.
Who? @keikolynn Blogger/Designer
Where? Brooklyn, USA
Why?  Keiko’s Instagram is full of colour and fun. Every photo has it’s own life. Not only is she a gorgeous lady who loves to share her outfit and beauty looks, but she also posts beautiful photos of what she’s up to and where she’s at. It might seem a little cheesy but when I look at her photos I really feel as if I’m there with her. Her simple yet sophisticated beauty looks inspire me the most!
Who? @itokyome Designer
Where? Tokyo, Japan
Why? itokyome is such a sharp contrast to my previous inspo with 99% of their photos being in black & white. Still I love the raw style and feel of their photos. Each photo is like a mini piece of art that they’ve actually spent time working on before they upload it. They prove that style can be simple and strong.
Who? @lawrawr Blogger/Model
Where? London/Hong Kong
Why? Lawrawr is such a sweety and is very genuine in her personal style, nothing seems forced. Her love for travelling and fashion shines through with photos that make you wish you were there too, hanging out with her over a bowl of ramen etc. Her in-depth ootd shots always call out to me.
Who? @yaptus
Where? Manila/Brussels
Why? I’ve been following Yaptus on her blog for a few years now and whereas her personal style has changed quite a bit, her love and enthusiasm for fashion hasn’t. You all know I’m a sucker for black clothing and I tip my hat to Yaptus because this lady can style like there’s no tomorrow. Fans of more urban/alternative looks will love her too. 
Who? @m_o_m_o_e Shop Staff/Model/Blogger
Where? Tokyo, Japan
Why? Momo works for the Harajuku based store Avantgarde, so you know her Instagram is bound to be full of cool and wacky photos – and she doesn’t let you down. It’s colourful and she always puts up snaps of whatever fun adventure she’s currently on. Her style is unique and screams with personality – I kinda wanna be her friend.
Do you have some favourite Instagram users?
Let me know in the comments!

Source: Please see the individual Instagram accounts listed above.
bloomzy /

Review: Maybelline Baby Lips ‘Cherry Me’

This review has been a long time coming.
I know you’re probably all thinking “Oh not another Baby Lips review”.
I know, and I agree with you. Wait, what? Yeah, I think they’re overhyped too.
At the base of it all, they’re just a tinted lip balm, nothing fancy, nothing unique, right?
Well here’s what I had to say about the ‘Cherry Me’ version…

Pros:
+ Love the tube packaging
+ Nice hint of colour
+ Moisturising

Cons:
– Dated outer packaging
– Colour comes off easily
– No lasting hydration

Notes:
Honestly even though I knew what to expect from Baby Lips I was disappointed.
My disappointment started when I couldn’t find one large Boots or Superdrug store that was stocking the lip balms – not that they were sold out, but the stores weren’t stocking them. This went on for several weeks, and I didn’t want to buy them online as I didn’t fancy paying the postage. Now I’m not a business woman but it seems odd to me that a large store wouldn’t carry an item that has this much hype around it. Anyway, I finally found them in Superdrug and I was slightly appalled at the packaging, it was dated and looked like an advert that had been left in the sun too long (deteriorated). Still I like the packaging of the tube (very cute) so I grabbed the only one I knew I would use – Cherry Me. The colour is nice, I like that it’s only a hint but others shouldn’t expect great pigmentation. The colour doesn’t stay though, neither does the moisturising (which was good when first applied) – it came off easily and didn’t last. 
Sorry Baby Lips but this is one hype that just doesn’t live up to it’s reputation.
It’s a bye bye from me – I won’t be re-purchasing you.
If you fancy buying Baby Lips, you can find the full range here.
bloomzy /

Haul: ASOS & Maybelline Baby Lips

Shoes, Anatomicals: Sleep Balm & Eye Patches, OPI Matte Top Coat, Maybelline Baby Lips

A couple of Friday’s ago I won an ASOS voucher. I wasn’t after anything particular (that they had) so I saved it. I knew I needed a pair of plain black sneakers (for this & that) but knew they would be cheap. So after choosing those and seeing that I had a considerable amount left I headed to the beauty section. I am seriously impressed with the selection of products that ASOS carry on there! They have such a great variety and some really good deals.

Since I wasn’t spending my own money I bought things I’ve wanted to try for a while but wasn’t too sure about wasting money on. Anatomicals is a brand that I have seen a lot of and wanted to investigate further, especially the sleep balm – so I picked that up and paired it with some eye patches (for to an upcoming post). Then I headed to the nail varnish section. Honestly I have so many polishes it’s hard to find a shade I don’t already have by another brand, so I was looking for something different. That’s where OPI’s Matte Top Coat came into play. I am so excited to try this and play around with it, I feel like it’s Christmas already! I knew I had picked the right products as I was really looking forward to receiving them and was still happy when I ripped open the parcel – that’s always a good sign for me.

As for the Maybelline Baby Lips, they kind of tagged along in this post. I have been searching for them for a couple of weeks now and had no luck until last Friday. I managed to finally find all of them in Superdrug, but was actually left feeling a bit uninspired. I picked up ‘Cherry Me’ though as I knew it was a shade I would use often.

You can find links to all of the products under the photo at the top of the post.

bloomzy /

Review: One Direction ‘I Want’ Liam’s Lipstick

One Direction Lipstick ‘I Want’ by Liam…apparently
First off, a small disclaimer.
I’m not a One Direction fan and I don’t know much about the band either.
I just wanted to get that out there so you all know that I’m not bias in anyway.
The collaboration this time is taking place with MUA a brand I’ve reviewed on here previously.
To be honest I was a bit appalled at the idea of a boy band/On Direction releasing a line of make-up.
Why? Well I don’t like it when celebrities bring out items that they don’t use themselves.
Now I can’t speak for the boys but I can’t say I’ve ever noticed them wearing make-up.
Nevertheless I liked the shade of one of the lipsticks so I decided to give it a go.
Pros:
+ Pigmented
+ Moisturising
Cons:
– Shimmery
– Leaves a stain
– Came off quickly
Notes:
So the pros and cons are pretty much 50/50 here, unfortunately though one of the cons is a big problem for me.
The shimmer. It’s horrendous. Whereas I loved playing around with the cheap make-up set my Uncle bought me from Debenhams when I was 13, it’s not really something I want to relive. In my opinion, this lipstick is far too shimmery to be taken seriously – unfortunately shimmer is a not the easiest thing to catch on camera, as I’m sure most of you will know. That said, the pigmentation is great and I love the colour of the lipstick itself. It felt pretty moisturising when I put it on, but unfortunately it came off pretty quickly too, and then it stained. This is obviously not the right lipstick for me and for £3 I’m not going to moan that I wasted my money either. At least they put a bit of effort into the packaging of the lipstick…even if it did go under-appreciated with me.
You can buy Liam’s ‘I Want’ Lipstick in Superdrug stores, or online here.
Browse the rest of the collection here.
bloomzy /

Review: Battle of the Dry Shampoos

Superdrug Chocolate Brownie, Batiste Paisley, Klorane Oat Milk*

Recently I’ve been trying out a selection of different dry shampoos.
My main purpose for using them is giving my hair some volume, and a little perk in between washes.
I’ve been using 3 main ones over the last few months, so I decided to do a little battle between them.
All 3 come from different price ranges, from cheap, to average, and luxury.
Let me introduce them and tell you their pros & cons:
Superdrug’s Chocolate Brownie Dry Shampoo – £1.99
– Currently on offer at ‘Buy 1 Get 1 Free’ –
The main reason I bought this was because it was part of a deal where you buy 1 and get 2 free! You’d have to be crazy to turn that down, right? Well anyway, this particular dry shampoo is made specifically for brunette hair. At the time I had dark red hair, so I figured that would work fine too, and it did. I found though that the coloured granules (?!) stained the skin surrounding my head and hands when I rubbed it in. It also got on my clothing, so no impressed.
Will I be buying it again? Nope sorry! This only gets a 3/10 from me.

Batiste’s Rice & Elegant Paisley Dry Shampoo – £3.99
I received a Batiste sample in a goodie bag earlier in the year, and I’ve bought a couple of cans myself since then. This isn’t a tinted dry shampoo like the last one, but it does have a slight scent to it unlike the others. I’ve found that this one is good value for money and really perks my hair up in-between washes. I’ve only tried ‘Paisley’ so I don’t know what the others are like, in fact I don’t even know if there’s any difference between them all. The only downside to this one is that you really have to rub it in, or you might look as if you’re greying (if you have dark hair).
Will I be buying it again? Yes, I give it a 9/10.

Klorane’s Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk* – £7.50
Finally we have the most expensive of the three. Klorane is a natural haircare brand that I have been using for a while, and adore. I have used both of their dry shampoos, and the oat milk is my favourite of the two. It gives my hair amazing volume and doesn’t really leave any white marks. It is expensive but it is also great quality.
Will I be buying it again? Maybe…probably…after I’ve saved. 8/10!
The winner is obviously Batiste in this challenge.
Their dry shampoo does what it says on the can and doesn’t mess around.