boots Archives - Bloomzy

bloomzy / July 31, 2016

My Current Beauty Faves | July 2016

Confession time! I don’t like watching beauty videos (unless it’s 100 Coats). I know I’m going against the grain here, but they just don’t appeal to me. That said, I’ve always appreciated a monthly favourites video. Basically I want my information short and sweet. I wanna know which products you loved this month, and which you hated. Since I don’t have the time to review every single beauty product I’m currently loving, I decided that a monthly Beauty Faves post was the best way to go about it.

My Beauty Faves | July

Sephora Express Drying Oil – Place a drop on newly painted nails and they dry within 1 minute. The perfect solution for clumsy ol’me.
Sleek Matte Me Lip Cream | Birthday Suit – The perfect matte lip cream. My perfect shade. The Sleek Matte Me lip creams do not budge through drinking and eating – no lie! I love it so much I’ve stocked up.
YSL Vinyl Couture Mascara | I’m The Clash #1* – I only ask for 2 things in a mascara. That it holds my lashes up – they point downwards usually – and that it doesn’t smudge. YSL have certainly come to my rescue with this one.
YSL Touche Eclat Concealer & Highlighter | Luminous Radiance #1*- Yes I know I’m late to hop on the bandwagon, but now I’m on it, I ain’t gettin off! This is the perfect tool to add a bit of luminosity to my face.
Barry M Gelly Nail Paint | Almond – This is a dupe of my favourite Nails Inc polish – everyone compliments this colour – and I honestly can’t tell the difference when it comes to shade or wear. At £11 cheaper than it’s twin, I know which one I’ll be sticking with from now on.
Canmake Day & Night Treatment Lip Scrub – I picked this up in Japan and haven’t put it down since. It exfoliates my lips gently (it’s a sugar scrub), and prepares them for lipstick. Alternatively, I use it at night after removing my make-up – to prepare my lips for the following day.
Trilogy Daily Defence Moisturiser SPF15* – For a pale lady such as myself, a moisturiser containing SPF is a must! This day cream is thick, but absorbs quickly, and is the perfect base for my make-up.
CHANEL Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Toilette – I’ve always loved this scent, and so does everyone else! I get numerous compliments when I spritz this on, and everyone says it’s lovely.
Collection Precision Contouring Crayon – This one is sneak peek! It isn’t out yet, but it will be soon. Trust me, if you contour, you NEED this crayon in your life. It applies smoothly, and blends like an angel.

There you have it! My July Beauty Faves. Keep an eye out for more beauty reviews and recommendations here.

bloomzy / June 22, 2015

Review: Boots Beauty Box

Boots Beauty Box*

It’s no secret, I’m a Boots fangirl. If I’m in need of any beauty products (skincare, cosmetics, you name it), Boots is always my first stop. I also love a good beauty box. So when Boots put together a special one just for me, I couldn’t contain myself. The unique concept behind the Boots Beauty Box is that it contains a full facial skincare beauty regime, made up entirely of their own brand products.

Inside the box is…
+ Boots Botanics Micellar 3-in-1 Cleansing Solution (£1.49)
+ Boots Botanics Hydrating Eye Cream Radiant Youth (£4.49)
+ Boots Simply Sensitive Protecting Day Moisturiser SPF15 (£1.74)
+ Boots Essentials 3-minute Clay Mask (£1.50)
+ Boots Essentials Cleansing Wipes Moisturising for Dry Skin (£1.50)
+ Boots Skin Clear Ultra Rapid Action Spot Gel (£3.99)
+ Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Charcoal Facial Scrub (£3.21)

Thoughts?
The whole point of this box is to show just how extensive the Boots beauty range is. And boy did it do a pretty good job at covering all the bases. I use a wide range of products (cleanser, toner, moisturiser, masks etc) in my own skincare regime, so I was pleased to see most of them here. I also learnt that most of Boots own products are developed by skincare specialists right here in the UK – not bad at all. So would I purchase these products myself? With the exception of the cleansing wipes (I just don’t use wipes), I would certainly purchase these. At £17.92 for all 7 products, you’re getting a whole facial skincare regime for the price of one mid-range product. These items are easy on the skin, and the pocket.

You can view all of the Boots Beauty Box products and more at Boots.

bloomzy / October 21, 2013

Review: Avène Extremely Gentle Cleanser

Eau Thermale Avène Extremely Gentle Cleanser*

Remember my personalised skincare routine from Avène?

Well I wanted to review one of my favourite products from it.

Avène’s Extremely Gentle Cleanser is for sensitive and irritated skin.

I think that pretty much sums up my awkward skin – so how did it work out?

Pros:

+ Non-greasy

+ Very gentle & light

+ A little goes a long way

+ Clears my skin up amazingly

+ Easily wiped away with a cotton pad

Cons:

– Quite runny

Notes:

This has been working wonders on my skin.

As soon as I started using it I noticed that it was clearing my skin up.

I always like to give products a few weeks to prove their worth, but this worked in a few days.

That might not be the same for everyone who uses it but my skin adores it. That said, my skin likes to get in a mood and break out if I happen to forget to use it (which doesn’t happen very often). Still that’s my own fault and I am happy with the results that I’m seeing from this so I will definitely be purchasing it after I run out. It’s extremely gentle and kind to skin, although the formula is slightly runny so be careful you don’t drip it everywhere when using it! It wipes off easily with a cotton pad and doesn’t leave a greasy feeling, or any product behind. I would definitely recommend this to people who have sensitive skin or react badly to some cleansers, because this is amazing and the price point isn’t bad either.

You can purchase Avène at Boots and in Boots stores nationwide.

bloomzy / November 27, 2012

Giveaway: Ted Baker Gift Set

Ted Baker Butterfly Blossom Gift set

As Christmas is nearing there is no better time for me to host a giveaway.

You could enter for yourself or maybe for the chance to win the set for a friend/family member’s present.

We all know how popular gift sets are at this time of year, so that’s exactly what I’m giving you the chance to win.

What can you win?

A Ted Baker Butterfly Blossom Gift set

The set includes: 1 x Body Wash, 1 x Body Spray & 1 x Body Lotion

How to enter:

+ Be a follower of ‘Bloomzy’ via GFC or Bloglovin

+ Earn extra entries via Twitter & Facebook

The giveaway is open for 1 week (ending 4th Dec)

This is open to UK residents only – sorry!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

bloomzy / October 31, 2012

Review: Trilogy Daily Defence Moisturiser

Trilogy Daily Defence Age Proof Moisturiser with SPF15*

Trilogy is not a new brand to the beauty market, some of you may even remember the review I did earlier in the year of their facial exfoliant. I am a fan of the brand, so I was excited to try out their daily defence moisturiser.

What does it do?

Trilogy say; “This lightweight formula contains a new generation SPF to provide effective UV protection from the sun’s harsh rays, while 100% pure plant oils offer long-lasting hydration for soft, supple skin. Provides the perfect base for make-up.” They also boast that it is used by Strictly Come Dancing’s latest edition, Denise Van Outen.

Does it do it?

Well obviously I can’t comment on the UV protection as Winter has now hit and we barely ever see the sun. However I will take Trilogy’s word for this as I’m always happy to see a moisturiser/foundation that contains an SPF – especially for my pale complexion. As for the perfect base for make-up, I would have to disagree. It goes on slightly dry and needs to be worked in. I didn’t find it much of a base but that may be down to my skin type.

As for my skin, well it is soft & supple.

What is it like?

The texture of the product is quite dry to be honest, and a little like putty. Trilogy have suggested adding a little rose hip oil to the product (with good results). That’s fine if you have some handy, but it’s not ideal for most people.

That aside, for my combination – sensitive skin type this is a wonderful moisturiser. It’s not too rich or creamy and it doesn’t weigh my skin down. I was really impressed as it didn’t cause me to get dry patches or break out, which is always a possibility for me when trying a new moisturiser.

Would I buy it?

The price tag is a bit hefty for me at £28.50 so I don’t think so.

I would consider it if it were slightly cheaper…or I had more money.

You can buy Trilogy’s Daily Defence Moisturiser in Boots stores and online here.

bloomzy / October 24, 2012

Ted Baker Duo Nail Sets

Now Ted Baker isn’t the first brand I think of going to when I want a new polish.

However these beauties have really caught my eye and changed my opinion on that.

The new Ted Baker Duo Nail Sets come with 2 bottles of polish; a base shade and complimentary glitter shade.

There are 3 sets in the series and although that may not seem like much good ol’ Ted has pretty much covered all the bases. There’s pink, gold and blue to choose between, which I imagine will please most people.

These will easily suit nail polish fans or fans of nail art, as it’s always useful to have a complimentary shade on hand.

I love this idea and I already want to grab a couple of the sets to create a glittery gradient nail.

The blue set has to be my favourite, but I also love the gold. I’m not a fan of pink though so I probably won’t grab that one, although I know plenty of people who will love it. I would personally have liked to see a purple in there too, so here’s hoping these are popular and we see more colours in the future!

Even though these are great for the festive season, you don’t have to worry, they’re not just for Christmas.

You can find them in Boots stores nationwide, and selected Ted Baker stores.

The polishes retail at £8.50 for the set of two.

bloomzy / October 10, 2012

Tutorial: Velvet Nail Manicure

How to create an on-trend velvet nail manicure

The last nail tutorial I posted seemed quite successful so I thought I would do another. This time I picked this season’s on-trend velvet nail manicure – made popular on the catwalk. Once again I’m going for the accent nail as I didn’t want to over do it. So here is a simple and easy tutorial for a velvet manicure.

You will need…
1 x Brush
1 x Tweezers
1 x Base Coat (optional)
1 x Nail Polish (in your choice of colour)
1 x Pot of ‘Velvet’ Powder (in your choice of colour)

How to create the look:
1. If you’ve chosen to use a base coat, apply it to your nails.
2. Take your chosen nail polish and apply a coat to your nails – wait til dry.
3. Take the ‘velvet’ powder and use the tweezers to mix and separate the powder.
4. Apply another coat of polish on your chosen nails and then shake the powder onto the nails.
4. Leave the powder to set and the polish to dry, then use the brush to brush off any excess powder.
5. A top coat is not needed as it would ruin the effect, and the powder will stay on without it.

And that’s it! As always these are just simple, easy steps that you can use as a guideline when creating this effect. You can always mix it up a bit – maybe do all your nails or even try and create a design with the powder. I would recommend laying down some paper to catch the excess powder – it also makes it easier to put back after. Don’t worry if you get it wet, it may look soggy and ruined but after a quick dry it’s back to normal. This is a very subtle type of nail art, especially in such a dark colour, but I really like it.

The nail polish I am wearing is Natural Collection’s ‘Cosmic Crush’, and the Velvet Flocking Powder* was provided by Born Pretty Store – the tweezers and brush are included with all sales of the (separate) powder.

You can buy the nail polish in Boots and the Powder here (use code: BLOOMZYK31 for 10% discount).