bloomzy /

Review: Collection Gothic Glam Lipstick #3 Scorned

Collection Gothic Glam Lipstick in shade: Scorned

Yes, this is the lipstick from the same range as Tuesday’s nail polish review.
I bought this lipstick a few weeks ago after hearing that the range had hit stores.
I love berry colours for Autumn/Winter so I picked up shade #3 Scorned.

Pros:
+ Creamy
+ Good colour last

Cons:
– Too dark
– Sits in creases
– Poor application
– Difficult to get even coverage
– Shade wasn’t the same as the swatch

Notes:
I had such high hopes for this colour but I was quite let down by it.
Whereas it didn’t dry out my lips, and did last after I had a cup of tea, I won’t be using it again.
I swatched the tester in the store on the back of my hand, like most people do, and loved the shade. However when I got home and put it on my lips, the colour was really not the same. It was much darker and not flattering at all for my skin tone. It was also quite difficult to apply, and I couldn’t get even coverage on my lips. I do feel that applying this with a brush would have helped, but not everyone has the time for that, especially if you just want to do a quick top up of your colour after lunch etc. This is a good colour for those with darker skin tones (or with more guts than me), and isn’t expensive at only £2.99. I think the other two shades would suit me better, so I may try those next.
You can purchase the Gothic Glam lipsticks at Collection or in Superdrug stores.
bloomzy /

Review: Collection Gothic Glam Nail Polish

 

Collection Gothic Glam Nail Polish in shades: Dramatic, Phantom, Deadly*
 
If you remember my Pegasus Beauty Showcase post you’ll know of these.
I was so excited for this range to be released so of course I had to review it.
There are 4 nail polish shades available in the range, and I was sent three of them.
These are: #1 Dramatic (deep red), #2 Phantom (vivid purple) and #3 Deadly (gold speckled black).
Swatches & one coat of shade #1 Dramatic on my nails
 
Pros:
+ Wide brush
+ Great colours
+ Easy application
+ High-shine finish
+ Opaque in one coat
 
Cons:
– Takes a while to dry
– Not easy to remove
 
Notes:
Overall I am impressed with this collection – I love the shades, and the quality of the polish.
I noticed straightaway that I only needed one coat to get an opaque, high-shine finish, which is not something that I come across very often with nail polishes. The swatches and what you see in the bottle are very true to the colour you will get on your nails. Again, very good. The application was nice and easy, thanks mainly to the wide brush. As for dry time – that was slightly disappointing, but these don’t claim to dry quickly so I can’t say I’m upset. The only other downside is that these are a little difficult to remove so you’ll need to take your time and make sure there isn’t any left over around the sides of your nails etc. That’s to be expected of any dark, glitter colour though. The polishes retail at £3.19 each, which is a pretty average and fair price for nail polish, in my opinion.
You can purchase the Gothic Glam polishes at Collection or in Superdrug stores.
bloomzy /

Review: The Chelsea Day Spa – Manicure

My trip to The Chelsea Day Spa for a manicure*

Last week I was invited to visit The Chelsea Day Spa for a manicure.
The weather was absolutely horrible and I was pretty windswept when I arrived.
Thankfully I was greeted by a beautiful interior and staff with lovely warm smiles. 
The spa itself doesn’t look very big from the outside but they’ve managed to fit a lot in.
As I waited for my nail technician I browsed the treatments on offer and was pleasantly surprised.
As well as offering manicures & pedicures, you can also indulge in massages, facials, waxing and more.
I went for a New York Manicure – I was offered a pedicure, but you guys know I have a foot phobia.
I also had gel nails on at the time, so I had those soaked off for me, to prep my nails for the manicure.
Rodica was my manicurist, and she was absolutely lovely – I really can’t recommend her enough!
There were no awkward silences because she was so friendly and chatty, making it a great experience.
We chatted for the whole hour about Romania (her home country), the culture and history.
You know I’m a culture-nut so I thoroughly enjoyed this.
My manicure was flawless and looked amazing – almost like gels.
The shade range of polishes (normal & gel) was good, as is the brand they use – Jessica.
The polish lasted for a week before it started to chip, which I think is an achievement.
The service and final product were well worth the visit, and the money – only £17!
For the lovely surroundings, staff and manicure I would certainly visit again.
Visit The Chelsea Day Spa for locations and treatment lists.
bloomzy /

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 /

October ‘Dark Romance’ Glossybox 2013 & Why I Will Be Cancelling My Subscription

October ‘Dark Romance’ Glossybox 2013

My never ending inner battle with Glossybox continues. I haven’t ordered one since May 2012 after I ended my subscription. Why? I was unimpressed with the products, boxes and lack of personalisation. So why buy another one? Good question! Well I liked, no loved, the sound of ‘Dark Romance’. I wear red lips everyday and love a ‘gothic’ vibe to my make-up so I re-subscribed for it. Glossybox promised “gothic beauty, sensual scents, blood red lips and smokey eyes”. Hmm well I don’t know about you but I’m not feeling that from the box above.

What was wrong with the box?
+ The MeMeMe Cheek & Lip Tint, is the only plus about this box, and it’s full size too.
– However those PRESS ON nails? They’re more beauty pageant than gothic Princess, don’t you think?
you could get for free just by asking at any perfume counter.
– The primer isn’t so bad, but I don’t use them really and I don’t see the link to the theme.
– Finally the smoothing skin serum – again, not connected to the theme at all.

Why am I cancelling my subscription?
Glossybox just haven’t improved over the years unfortunately.

If you’re going to do a theme, do it justice, don’t do it halfheartedly. And that’s what this box is, it’s a very vague halfhearted attempt at ‘Dark Romance’. They’ve also been promising from the beginning that boxes would end up being personalised. The whole point is to receive a box of products/samples tailored to your loves, likes and dislikes. Yet they still haven’t listened or improved on the never ending complaints about them not using it. You only need to visit the Glossybox Facebook page to see ‘fans’ saying they’re cancelling their subscription. I also had problems with their customer service team not replying to my emails, which is a bit of a let down. This is really sad and I don’t want to start a boycott of Glossybox or anything but I feel it needs to be said. The company hasn’t improved from what I’ve received myself and have seen others receiving. Nor does it seem to be learning from it’s past mistakes, which everyone knows is vital. I was really hoping to be impressed and fall back in love with this box/Glossybox. I guess that didn’t happen though.

bloomzy /

Review: OCC Lip Tar Harlot & Super NSFW

OCC Lip Tar samples in Harlot & Super NSFW

I think it’s common knowledge by now that I’m a red lipstick addict.
So it seemed that it was time to finally try one of the most hyped lip products out there.
OCC (short for Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics) are highly renowned for their pigmented lip tars.
I had heard great things myself so I decided to try them out and finally see what all the fuss is really about.
I always like to test a lip product before buying, but as far as I know OCC is only sold in Selfridges in the UK.
This obviously left me with a dilemma, that is until I found Retro Wombat’s Beauty Store.
She sells sample pots of various OCC Lip Tars, so I grabbed a couple.

OCC are a wonderful brand that are vegan friendly and don’t test on animals.
Their Lip Tars are a liquid matte formula which are ridiculously well pigmented.
They are known for their colour and long-lasting wear.


Swatch: Harlot on the left, Super NSFW on right

Pros:
+ Long lasting
+ Applies well
+ Highly pigmented

Cons:
– Stains slightly
– Kept coming off onto my teeth (ahhh!)
– Lips need to be moisturised and primed

Notes:
I loved that a small OCC brush was included with this as I wasn’t expecting it.
You definitely need a brush to apply these, which is very useful as you don’t need to use much at all.
The claims are true, these lip tars are amazingly pigmented, the coverage is great and a little goes a very long way. These sample sizes were perfect for me to tell whether I would want to buy a full size version – I like to road test products before I buy a full size version, if I have the chance. I found that the Lip Tars were very long lasting, and some was even left on my lips afterwards. This is great as I like to drink plenty throughout the day, and it can be annoying having to re-apply a lipstick. There were a few downsides though; your lips do need to be moisturised (or these will dry them out) and primed (for better coverage) beforehand. I didn’t find that I necessarily needed primer although it was helpful, but my lips did dry out without moisturising them. I also kept finding some of the product on my teeth and it even got onto my tongue once (eurgh), even after doing a tissue press on my lips. I don’t know if this is because I failed at applying them properly, but it doesn’t happen with my other lipsticks. These do stain your skin if you happen to get it on you, but if you use the brush and have a steady hand you should be ok. I really liked these but the bleeding put me off slightly, although I will continue to try the samples in the hopes that I have better luck next time.

You can buy OCC Lip Tars in Selfridges or grab a sample from Retro Wombat’s Beauty Store.

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.