REVIEW - Rimmel Exaggerate Eyeshadow Primer

This product has to go down as possibly the worst beauty purchase I have ever made.

A silicon based primer, Rimmel say that it is a unique primer to maximise the colour and wear of your eyeshadow, making colour waterproof!

I say, what a load of old tosh!

My favourite eyeshadow primer to date is the NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Primer, with Urban Decays Original Eyeshadow Primer Potion coming in a close second.
Both of these primers deliver for me.
They extend the wear of my eyeshadows which is vital for someone like me with oily lids, and they make your shadows more vibrant.

I had hoped, that the Rimmel Exaggerate Undercover Eyeshadow Primer would come close to either of these.
I was particularly intrigued because it comes in a very similar lipgloss style tube to the NARS one with a doe foot applicator.

The primer itself is white, very liquidy compared to NARS or UD, and when rubbed in almost feels like water. You can feel the silicon texture but it seems very weak and diluted to me.

I had high hopes that this would be a cheap drugstore alternative.

It did absolutely nothing, in fact I'm pretty sure my shadow would have applied more evenly and more vibrantly had I used nothing at all.
Shadow applied over the primer very patchy, and the primer itself balled up and rubbed off when trying to blend.
Within 10 minutes I had horrible ceasing and fading in addition to the already patchy appearance.
As for the promise of being waterproof, this is just ridiculous. It couldn't even stand up to application or 10 minutes worth of wear, so it certainly would not be waterproof.

I purchased it from ASOS £3.49, and as far as I'm concerned that's £3.49 too much!

Really surprised, because Rimmel seem to be knocking it out of the park lately, so very disappointing to try such a poor product.

Photographed for the blog, then thrown in the trash :(

Havaianas Disney Edition

I'll admit that I'm a bit of a flip flop snob, and I have quite a collection of Havaianas to rival Imelda Marcos.

Now that the blazing heat is just around the corner for us, it's already time to slip these little beauties on.

My new favourites are the Disney Edition, featuring Micky Mouse print, red soles and thong with white logo.

Love 'em!

WINTER FAVOURITES

I've never done a favourites post before, well not everything I'm loving at the moment anyway.

Here are the products I've been obsessed with this winter:
(*Click on the descriptions for links to my original reviews)

Fragrance

Michael Kors by Michael Kors EDP 100ml - insanely expensive but totally worth every penny

Zara Woman - Chocolate EDT 30ml insanely cheap, but smells delicious

 

 

Skincare

Aveda Botanicals Purifying Gel Cleanser - I've been using this for 25 years

Aveda Botanicals Exfoliant - a chemical exfoliant with salicylic acid

Nip+Fab Multi Fix Oil - fantastic for hydrating and reducing scarring 

Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream - my favourite moisturiser of all time

MAC Strobe Cream - a great highlighter but this also improves my skin

Moa Green Balm - my can't live without product (review to follow), I have several pots

 Cosmetics

BareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer - Original

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation (shades 51,52,53)

MAC Face&Body Foundation - N2

MAC Strobe Cream (great highlighter & skincare)

MAC MSF Natural (Medium)

MAC MSF (Petticoat) - beautiful pink highlighter/blush

MAC Blush (Well Dressed) - the perfect pink blush

BareMinerals Light Show Palette

BareMinerals White Hot Palette

BareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow Duo (Nick of Time)

NARS Eyeshadow Single (Voyage) - perfect transition colour

L'Oreal Color Mono Chrome Eyeshadow (Cream Lame) - possibly my fave e/s

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original

Maybelline Colossal Mascara (Glam Black)

Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Eyeliner (Nude)

Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush

Sigma E50 Eyeshadow Brush

Real Techniques Blush Brush - Bambi on a stick :)

 

 

 

What are your current favourites, anything to recommend?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REVIEW - Nip+Fab Multi Fix Oil

 

 

For anyone who is new to the Nip+Fab range (like me), they are the sister brand to Rodial. 

They are more affordable products than those by Rodial which means those of us who don't want to fork out a small fortune can still get some of the great skincare benefits this company has to offer.

 

I will be honest, I had never heard of them before, but I had hear of Rodial.

Again being honest, my real reason for trying this product out was because of an insane offer that ASOS was having at the time.

This product was in their outlet department.

Normally this 100ml bottle retails for £12.25.  ASOS had an exclusive 3 for 1 pack.  As if this wasn't good enough, there was 50% off.  So I effectively got £37 worth of product for £6.

 

I did do my usual research, but only found a couple of reviews online at the time.  All were raving about it though.

 

 

This is what Nip+Fab say about the Multi Fix Oil:

Multi Fix Oil is THE hottest celebrity beauty secret in town. With 100 different uses, the A-list are queuing up to get their hands on this multi talented miracle beauty fix.

- This luxurious oil can be used to speed up the fading of pimple marks, blemishes and visible scars resulting from acne breakouts.
- An anti-aging oil for the face, it helps smooth wrinkles + plump fine lines.
- Can be applied under the eye to reduce the appearance of eye bags
- The appearance of dark spots on the skin such as the ones caused by melasma can be improved by multi fix oil with sustained use of the product.
For the body, this fabulous oil helps improve the appearance of stretch marks + scars, relieving itching, dryness + other discomfort while doubling up as a hydrating bath treatment.
It’s the only product you need to get Hollywood skin this winter!

• bio-lipids target scars & stretch marks
• borage oil moisturises and nourishes
• safflower oil replenishes and softens

I have only used this product on my face.  Although I have combination/oily skin, it still gets very dehydrated in places, and so I like layering products and night as a sort of overnight treatment.

This oil smells like marzipan.  Now for me this is heaven in a bottle as far as scent goes, but if you aren't fond of heavily scented products or not a fan of the distinct smell of marzipan, you may not like it, however it doesn't linger, so if you can put up with it it's totally worth it.

This oil is quite, well, oily (duh!).
Unlike some of my other facial oils like Clarins Lotus Oil or the Decleor Aromessence Oils, I wouldn't apply this in the day.  It does absorb nicely into the skin, and you feel it nourishing your skin straight away, but it does leave an oily film. 
Therefore my favourite way to use this is as a night treatment on my face.
After cleansing I wait until I make sure my skin is totally dry, then I apply this oil all over my face and neck (and even around my eye area) with a cotton pad, and then put on my night cream.
The result is waking up to the softest skin you have ever felt.

It really does work wonders on scarring too.
I am quite fair, and so when I get a blemish, even though I leave it well alone, ordinarily I get left with a red mark for months which is more unsightly than the original blemish was.
I only ever get the occasional hormonal breakout, but since using this oil each night, I haven't had a single breakout.  Any marks left from old blemishes have completely faded too, so my skin now looks more even than ever.

I'm doing well lately.  Yet another HG status product.
I will definitely be keeping this product in my skincare regime, because it works better than other oils I have tried in the past, and it costs far less too.
The 100ml bottle will last for ages.  I've had this for about 6 months and I'm still only two thirds into my first bottle!

100ml bottle - £12.25
2 x 100ml bottle pack - £14.95 (from Nip+Fab website)



 

SWATCHES - MAC Face & Body Foundation

Even though I already have two Holy Grail foundations (Bourjois Healthy Mix, and MAC Studio Sculpt for days when I need more coverage), I still seem to be obsessed with trying out other foundations in some daft quest to find the ultimate can't live without product.

I've learnt over the years, that especially with my combination/oily skin, that I prefer to wear light to medium coverage foundations layered rather than one thick full coverage foundation.  This is primarily because full coverage foundations tend to leave me looking flawless when first applied, but end up moving about and looking mask like as the hours go by.
I've always found lighter coverage foundations to feel more skin like too, not sticky or tacky.  And I can always apply more in the areas I need it with my Sigma F80 brush.

So this is where MAC Face & Body foundation comes into the picture.
It's a very sheer foundation but totally buildable.
Thanks to the Pixiwoo girls, I learnt a little trick with this particular foundation too.
The more you work it into the skin, the more coverage it gives.  It's really weird to see and feel it happen, but it comes out of the bottle quite watery, but if you work it into your fingers a little before applying, you can feel it becoming more of a waxy texture.

I love this foundation.
It's sheer but easily buildable.
It always looks very natural.
It leaves a lovely natural satin finish to my skin, but I do find it becomes more dewy throughout the day if I don't set it with my MAC MSF Natural.  If you have normal to dry skin, I would say you wouldn't need to use a finishing powder.
Although it isn't transfer free, it is water resistant....although I wouldn't recommend wearing any foundation when working out (unless you want to break out like a 13 year old), this stuff will not be going anywhere during your workout.  I am an Insanity & Asylum graduate, and on days I have forgotten, despite sweating buckets (attractive, no?), my foundation still looks flawless, although slightly wetter haha.
Great news for those who steer clear of MAC Foundations, this stuff has never broken me out (again, as long as I remember to remove it before working out).

I'm in shade N2
For reference, my other foundation shades are:
MAC Studio Sculpt - NW20
Other MAC Foundations - NW15
Bourjois Healthy Mix - shades 51/52 in winter or 52/53 in summer

This is an awesome foundation for anyone with pretty good skin, because it just evens everything out nicely.
It's great for all skin types, although oilier folks may want to set with a finishing powder.
Great shade range.
Stays put.

I purchased the new 50ml size bottle for £20.50
MAC also sell this in the original size (120ml) for £26.50, and while this may seem much better value for money, bear in mind that the 50ml size will last the regular every day person a very very long time.  The 120ml size is better suited to makeup artists, especially as this product can separate and form a cottage cheese like consistency once it goes off, and 120ml is a whole lot of foundation to be getting through.

Within one wear this became a new HG status foundation.
When I'm having a particularly good skin day (I don't really get many blemishes), this is my go to foundation for looking as natural as possible.

SWATCHES - Too Faced Milk Chocolate Bronzer

I'm fairly new to Too Faced products, but being a bit of a bronzer-aholic I've wanted desperately to try their infamous Chocolate Soleil Bronzer for ages.

The trouble is, I was always a devout NARS Laguna user, and more recently have been converted to BareMinerals Ready Bronzers (in Skinny Dip and High Dive), so with a few already on the go found it hard to justify yet another bronzer purchase.

Come to the rescue ASOS hehe.
They've been having their winter sale on, and the Milk Chocolate version was on sale with 70% off, so I ordered it quickly before they sold out.

I was glad it was the Milk Chocolate version too, because being quite pale I was nervous that the regular Chocolate Soleil version would be too dark for me.
As it happens, it turned out to be much lighter than I expected.  This could actually be a little bit too light for my personal preference, but for winter it's a great easy to go to option.
I would say that if you are as fair as me (NW20) or lighter that this would be a perfect option.  It would be impossible to overdo this shade on fair skin.  However, if you are NW25 or deeper, this would absolutely be too pale an option to go for, so opt for the regular one.

Now, it is made with real cocoa (yippee), but I actually don't feel that it smells like chocolate.  It definitely smells sweet, but not exactly like chocolate. (I used to go to Bournville school, so I know what chocolate smells like haha).
You do smell this when applying it, but the scent doesn't linger for too long.  It may put anyone with an aversion to scented face products off a little though.

What I did find when I swatched it along with my other bronzers for comparison, is that although it does feel very soft, silky and smooth, I did find it quite hard to get a pigmented swatch compared to my others which swatched in one swipe.  The TF swatch took quite some layering.  Again, this will benefit those palest of beauties out there who are terrified of looking fake with bronzer.

It's a lovely matte chocolaty shade too (duh!), which is great for contouring.  Absolutely no orange going on here - awesome.

So, my final thoughts are that if you are very pale, love using a bronzer for contouring too, this is the perfect bronzer to opt for.  If you like a little more oomph to your bronzer, probably best try the regular version.
Personally, when I've used the Milk Chocolate up, if I repurchase, it will be the regular I will go for.
Great packaging, very cute, very sturdy and a fantastic mirror that fills the whole lid of the compact.

 

 

Wearing TF Milk Chocolate Bronzer (contour)

 

REVIEW - BareMinerals Prime Time Original

**Alert, Alert - HG Status is declared**

I'll admit that I've never been a fan of face primers before, mainly because they have done absolutely nothing for me.
Usually they're just silicon based clear gels that make your skin feel soft, but leave your makeup to slide around, slide off and leave you looking greasy (sorry Smashbox, I'm talking to you).

I've mentioned one of my favourite YouTube gurus on here before, the stunning and talented Ariel Hope.  I trust her opinion on products so much, that I got tempted to try BareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer as she always uses it in her tutorials.

Imagine my glee when ASOS had it on sale at a massive reduction, plus an extra 10% off code.

I snapped it up.

I know another favourite guru Ruth Crilly aka A Model Recommends has recently been raving about the oil free version of this primer.
Now I have combination/oily skin and so was wondering whether the oil free version would be better for me.  However, I had read a lot of reviews say that it has a tendency to flake on the skin which did put me off a little.

So I opted for the original version, and I have to say it's hands down one of the best beauty purchases I have made in a very long time.

This primer is a silicon based clear gel primer like all those other brands I've tried, but there is something very different about this one.  It actually does what it's supposed to:

• Smooths skin
• Reduces the size of pores
• Reduces appearance of fine lines
• Prolongs the wear of your foundation
• Combats excess oil

It's amazing!!!!!!!
I personally favour liquid foundations, my favourites being Bourjois Healthy Mix, MAC Face & Body and MAC Studio Sculpt, all of which leave a lovely natural satin finish to the skin which I love.
However, what I don't love is that my combination/oily skin likes to overdo the dewy effect a few hours in, despite me setting with MAC MSF Natural.

This primer not only made my foundation apply more evenly than ever before, but I at the end of a fairly warm day in the low twenties (centigrade), my foundation still looked flawless.  I had some very minor fading on my chin but that is totally normal for me. 
I wasn't shiny or patchy, which for me has never happened before, ever!

So, this is one of those great moments in life, when you find a new Holy Grail product.
Happy Days :)


Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Silica, Magnesium Silicate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract

Even with flash I'm not shiny (unheard of)

 

FACE

BareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer (Original)

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation (mix of shades 51 & 52)

MAC MSF Natural - Medium

Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer (contour)

MAC Blush - Well Dressed

MAC MSF - Petticoat (highlight)

 

EYES

Urban Decay Primer Potion - Original

L'Oreal Infallible - Goldmine

L'Oreal Mono Eyeshadow - Cream Lame

NARS Eyeshadow - Voyage

BareMinerals Ready Bronzer - Skinny Dip

 

LIPS

GOSH Lipstick - Cappuccino #146

Barry M Lip Gloss - Toffee