bloomzy /

A little disclaimer…

Recently I have been receiving offers from various companies, asking me to collaborate with them (in the form of affiliations) or review their products etc. Therefore I thought it was about time that I write a small disclaimer for the blog, and I wanted to explain it to my readers first. I always like to include a small disclaimer, as I don’t want to hide the fact that I have been sent these items. I’m not saying it is a bad thing if you don’t mention it, I just prefer to be up front about those kind of things but it does get tiring having to write disclaimers on every post.

Please also note that I don’t accept every item/affiliation. I only accept those that I feel are relevant to my interests (products I want to try, or have thought of buying myself) and the blogs.

So here is what will be happening…
From May 2012, if an item in a post has been provided by a company or pr agency, or it has been bought with gifted store credit etc. I will be placing a small * next to the product/brand name. This will be an indication that I did not buy the item personally, and that it has been sent/provided to me. I will usually include a link to the website of the company/item. Before 16 May 2012, disclaimers were included in the text of the blog post, or at the bottom of the blog post. If you’re curious as to who I affiliate with, you can find banners and links at the bottom of the sidebar.
I do write sponsored posts (as of August 2012) which means that I am being paid to write content for a company/brand, as well as sometimes being provided a product also. These kind of posts will always be declared. This does not mean the integrity of the content will change at all.

From 2013 I may be running small ads on my blog occasionally. These will not be annoying (I hate massive ads on blogs) and you by no means have to click on them unless you are interested. These ads are run by Nuffnang, which I am a member of.

From Jan 2014 I will have installed Skimlinks on the blog, which isn’t intrusive to you but it may occasionally change links on my blog into affiliate links, and keywords in my posts into links.


I will be placing a mini disclaimer about this on the right hand side, alongside my image disclaimer. Please note that all opinions stated are my own – even if I have been sent an item by a company, my views and opinions will still remain 100% honest!
I hope you will all understand my decision behind this and continue to support me in the future. 

Thank you ♥
bloomzy /

Review: MUA Primer & Pretty Pastels Palette

MUA Primer & Pretty Pastels Palette
Recently MUA were offering free items with a purchase, to celebrate their birthday.
When I saw the ‘Pretty Pastel Palette‘ was one of the free items I quickly put my order in.
Now whether you love this Spring/Summer’s pastel trend or not, pastel eyeshadows are always a great basic to add to any make-up collection. So is eye primer, therefore I decided to review the two together.
MUA Eye Primer
I am only going to do a short review on this, as I can’t say I’m really sold on the product.
It is quite a thick eye primer, compared to others I have used, and I found that it was a little cakey.
Whilst the primer helps your eyeshadow last throughout the day, I found it very hard to remove my eye make-up at night. 
I liked the applicator, and the slight tint the primer had to it, but that’s about it.
Considering the price though (£2.50), I wasn’t expecting anything amazing.
I feel bad as this is the first MUA product I have disliked, but I don’t think I will be using it again.
Don’t take my word alone though, I have read other reviews that praise the primer.

MUA Pretty Pastel Palette

Swatches (with MUA Primer)

I really liked this palette, and the colours that were included (better photo here).
They are very pastel-y and light, which is perfect for creating a simple, feminine eye – which is why I bought it.
I was a little put off by the glittery sheen (they may look matte on the website, but they are not) that you can see in the swatches – I would have preferred a matte shadow. However after I applied the eyeshadows and did the rest of my make-up I found that I didn’t really notice it. It is quite difficult to get a pigmented colour, so if this is what you’re after you will definitely have to use a primer and it will take a few applications. However I don’t think you should expect high pigmentation from a pastel palette..
I’ve used this palette several times now, each time with a different colour.
So far the pinks, purples & browns have to be my favourites.
Definitely glad that I bought this! Shame about the primer.

You can purchase the MUA Primer here.
You can purchase the MUA Pretty Pastels Palette here (only £4!).
bloomzy /

Review: Miaflora Moroccan Argan Oil

Miaflora Moroccan Argan Oil
I had to do a review on this, because it is currently my favourite product for hair, although it can be used on skin too.
It’s a bit of a miracle cure for those with dry or frizzy hair – like me!
So what is Argan Oil?
It’s a cosmetic (in this case) oil made from the Argan tree, that is traditionally produced in Morocco.
It’s made from natural products and can be used to nourish and protect hair, skin and nails. 
It can be used on all skin-types and can be used to smooth hair out and give it extra nutrients and shine.

What the oil looks like in your hands.

How do you use it?
– You can apply it to nail cuticles
– You can add a few drops to your bath
– Or use it for rough/dry patches of skin, or as a body moisturiser.
– You can use it as a daily facial moisturiser, and it can be applied before make-up.
– Finally, my favourite use – you can apply it to dry/split ends (or all over to add shine) to add some life to dull hair.
What do I think of it?
I love it! I started using it on my hair, because no matter what I do or what products I use, it’s always dry.
It’s nothing to do with dying etc. (though that doesn’t help), my hair has just always been this way since I was little. It’s also very frizzy and it can be difficult to handle when it’s not straightened/styled (thanks to my dad who passed on his tight, coarse, curly hair), so I found Argan Oil to be a lifesaver. It calms my hair down, gives it some moisture and even de-frizzes it. This is my miracle hair product!

As for using it on skin, well I haven’t tried it yet.
Some people have said it works wonders, whilst others have said it has made their skin worse.
I easily come out in blemishes so I probably won’t use it on my face, but I have started using it on dry patches of skin. 

You can purchase Miaflora Argan Oil here.
Disclaimer: This item was sent to me by the lovely people at Pegasus PR, in my big pink box (see here). However I am not required to review these products and have chosen to do so myself. All views represented in this post are my own.
bloomzy /

Review: Astalift for Debenhams VIP Beauty Panel

Astalift; Jelly Aquarysta & Replenishing Day Cream

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be chosen to take part in the Debenhams VIP Beauty Panel.
As you can imagine I was very excited to take part, as Debenhams (a British department store) have to be one of the leading beauty suppliers on the high street. This also meant that I would be sent some new luxury products to test and review for their Website and Facebook page.

The brand I applied to review, and was eventually chosen for, was Astalift.
Astalift is a Japanese luxury beauty product brand that has been around in Japan for a while, but is new to the UK – and exclusive to Debenhams! Their products are mostly anti-ageing, so you might be wondering why I applied. Well, they always say you should start young and as I had heard great things about the brand I decided to give it a go.

Below is my review for the Debenhams Beauty Club VIP Panel.
I have added a few photos for you and an update though, so you can find out a bit more about the products.

Astalift Jelly Aquarysta

5 out of 5 stars ★★★★★
I loved the Astalift Jelly Aquarysta, even from the first application I could feel my skin becoming firmer. As I am in my early twenties I didn’t notice much difference in relation to my skin looking younger, but it was certainly more radiant and luminous. The feel of the product on my skin was nice and I noticed that I didn’t need to use lots for it to take effect.
It soaked in pretty quickly too.
After using the Jelly for 8 days, I noticed a significant difference in my skin. It looked a lot brighter and healthier. I have also noticed that the red blemishes I had on my face have lightened slightly, something which I have been battling with for a while. I would definitely recommend this to my friends and family.
Astalift Replenishing Day Cream

4 out of 5 stars ★★★★☆
I liked the Replenishing Day Cream but I didn’t find it as amazing as the jelly. It is a very rich cream and I found that it was a bit too much for my skin. However I believe that it would work better if I used a little less and avoided ‘trouble areas’ on my face. I did find that it moisturised my skin well though. It didn’t soak in as quickly as the jelly, but more so than other facial moisturisers I have used. I also noticed more elasticity in my skin from using the product – my skin feels much more supple after using the jelly and cream together. I would certainly recommend this to be used alongside the jelly, as they both work well together.
Overall
The packaging and colour of the products is lovely, and pertains to the luxury feeling of the brand and product. The fragrance is subtle but very pleasing, definitely something I didn’t mind having on my skin. After using both products together, I am a lot more confident in my own skin, it looks more radiant and smooth, even after only using the products for just over a week, and thanks to this I have taken to not wearing concealer or foundation.

I have been using the products for 2 weeks now, and I don’t want them to run out!
My skin has really shown an amazing difference, and my skin tone has evened itself out a bit too.
I would still suggest that you don’t apply the cream to any troublesome spots if you have a problem with rich creams,
but apart from that I don’t have any complaints.

You can find Astalift products here.
Or purchase the ones I used, here and here.

bloomzy /

Review: MUA Lip Boom ‘Bring It’ & ‘Vibe’

MUA Lip Boom in ‘Bring It’ and ‘Vibe’
As soon as I heard about the MUA Lip Booms I was excited!
Combining lipstick and gloss is one of my favourite looks, so when they were released I grabbed a couple.
I wasn’t sure how the shades would look on my skin tone, and as light pinks don’t usually show up on my lips I decided to play it safe and went for looks I loved already. So I chose ‘Bring It’ and ‘Vibe’ – a dark red, and a coral-y nude.
The big selling point of these combos is that they offer ‘4 in 1’ looks.
1. Lipstick alone for a matte look
2. Lipstick with the highlighting gloss applied in the centre, to create fuller lips.
3. Lipstick with highlighter all over, for glossy lips.
4. Highlighter alone for a sheer pearl finish.
Swatches & worn with lipstick & gloss all over

Pros:
+ ONLY £3!!
+ Non-sticky, and long-lasting.
+ The glosses are absolutely gorgeous.
+ ‘Bring It’ (red) was highly pigemented.
+ Amazing ‘vanilla fudge’ scent to the glosses.
Cons:
– ‘Vibe’ (nude) shade was a little too light for me.
– If you accidentally rub them (like I did with a napkin) they can become flakey, so you will need to re-apply.
Notes:
MUA have outdone themselves again!
I liked the packaging, simple but effective – Alexandra looks gorgeous, as usual.
These combos are wonderful. The glosses are lovely, and they really glimmer when they’re on your lips.
The ‘4 in 1’ selling point isn’t a bad idea either, especially for those trying out lipstick + gloss for the first time.
I have to say that ‘Bring It’ is one of my favourite lip combos to wear right now, and even though ‘Vibe’ was a little too light for me, I don’t think it’s anything that can’t be solved by several applications of the lipstick.
I definitely need to pick up ‘OMG’ (even though I despise the name) and ‘Doin Good’ next!
They are available online now but not released in-store until 9th May.
You can buy MUA’s Lip Booms here.
See swatches of all the combos on the MUA blog, here.
International readers don’t fret, they ship worldwide!
bloomzy /

Glossybox Natural Box April 2012

Glossybox Natural April 2012 Box

This month’s Glossybox was slightly different to previous ones. It came in a brown (they’re usually pink) biodegradable box, filled with ethical products. I was very excited when I opened it up as it looked & felt natural, and you know I love natural beauty products!

I received:
+ Caudalie Vionsource SOS Thirst-Quenching Serum
+ Inika Cosmetics Certified Organic Eyeliner – Black Caviar
+ Ayuuri Natural Body Wash – Sandalwood
+ Figs & Rouge Lip Balm – Rambling Rose
+ Kai Perfume Oil – Signature scent

If the natural theme wasn’t enough to win me over, Glossybox sent us some amazing items this month. A full sized Ayuuri body wash, Figs & Rouge rose lip balm (always a favourite of mine) and Kai perfume oil!
I plan to sell the Caudalie Vionsource & Inika eyeliner as I already use alternative products, and wouldn’t get any use out of them. So instead of wasting them, I shall be putting them up in the shop (the link is at the top of my blog). Even though I won’t be using a couple of the products, I think it’s safe to say that this month’s box was certainly worth the money!

You can subscribe to Glossybox here.
For those in the States, Glossybox is coming to you soon too – click here.

bloomzy /

Review & Giveaway: Klorane

Klorane Nettle Sebo-Regulating Dry Shampoo & Klorane Oat Milk Dry Shampoo
Klorane is a French brand that uses plant extracts in their products to create quality hair and skin products.
I was sent two versions of their dry shampoos to try out for myself, both retail at £7.50. The price may scare some people off with most dry shampoos being in the £3 range, however I have used other popular brands and have found them to dry out my hair. Klorane managed to give my hair volume and make it feel and look healthy, whilst I was using it.
Klorane Nettle Sebo-Regulating Dry Shampoo
This was the first Klorane dry shampoo I tried a few months ago, I’ve really road-tested these!
I was amazed at how much volume this added to my hair. I did notice that you need to rub it into your hair a bit more than the other, and when first applied it didn’t smell that appealing. There was no smell after I put it on though, like hairspray.
Klorane Oat Milk Dry Shampoo
This was my favourite out of the two, for texture and smell – soft and subtle.
It was also less noticeable when first applied, and blended well when rubbed in.
The Oat Milk dry shampoo did give my hair some extra volume, but not as much as the nettle.
You can purchase Klorane products in John Lewis, or online here.
GIVEAWAY TIME!
I have 3 Klorane Oat Milk Dry Shampoo to giveaway to 3 lucky readers!
I am afraid this is UK ONLY – sorry! The giveaway ends 6th May.

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