L'oreal Nude Magique BB Cream Review

It started with a sneaky lunch break trip into Boots for some skittles. Always dangerous.

I just so happened to time my sugar fix with the release of L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream, along with the Magic Lumi range. Needless to say i returned to the office with a well swatched hand.

The Lumi range includes a foundation (similar to Bourjois healthy mix) a concealer (like the touche eclat) and a highlighter  (a dupe for my Lancome Miracle and half the price).

It also includes this new BB cream which reminds me of the Estee Lauder Daywear Plus, although I haven't tried it.

The Low-down

• 30ml
• £10.99 (in Boots, but they have a buy one get one half price deal on at the moment)
• SPF 12
• 2 shades (fair and medium I think)

The tube is white with a purple metallic cap. I quite like the packaging, it's fairly sleek and good for travelling.

It has quite a liquid consistency, and comes out white with black dots in it, it looks a bit like a scrub but doesn't really feel gritty.As you rub it in the particles add colour and disappear.

 It spreads like a face cream, feels like a cream to powder, and looks 'natural' on the skin. By natural I mean not matte but not dewy. It reminds me a lot of the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua.

The light shade it a bit dark on my skin, but when it's rubbed in you can barely notice it. 

Summary

Really,  this product does what it says on the tin. It doesn't provide the coverage of foundation, and it isn't cakey. It looks natural - I don't need to set with powder, but it doesn't cling to my dry patches (of which there are many). 

Recommended for:

Anyone wanting an undetectable finish or a cheaper alternative to the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. 

Haul - some things purchased over the last three months

Hi everyone, sorry it's been long time no post! I've moved to Uni and spent the last three months or so settling in, working and of course living a student life to the max! This does mean I'm on a student budget, however i am still working and guess what gets sensibly prioritised!

So here goes...

After watching a you tube video I decided to try the 17 Natural Radiance foundation (£5.67). I don't like wearing a lot of makeup in the day time so i thought this might be a lighter option to balance the tone of my skin, to brighten and cover redness. This foundation has a brush but i tend to just put a blob on the back of my hand and use my fingers or a sponge. I use the shade 'soft ivory'. Personally i don't really like this foundation. I find it too runny to blend, it tends to oxidise, and it looks a little cakey with powder to set it.

Similarly, i bought the L'oreal Double Extension Renewal Serum Mascara based on a you tube recommendation. This contains two tubes of 6ml, one side is a white primer with a mascara like texture, the other is black macara. Again, I wouln't recommend this, but then i don't really like two step mascaras because they clump terribly on my lashes. The mascara on its own is quite good but i wouldn't buy it again because over £10 for 6ml is too expensive for me. I'd probably re-buy rimmel sexy curves or l'oreal lash architect.

Whilst i was there i bought the Prestige Skin Loving Minerals in Rich Bronze. I think it was about £8 for 8g. I use all my bronzers as blushers because i have a lot of redness over my nose and cheeks and pink blushers tend to just emphasize this. If you don't like shimmer on your face, don't be put off by the initial look of these. Even swirling my brush right into the shimmer on the product, it tends to blend out on my cheeks just leaving a radiant, glowing colour. I really love this product, and whilst it was an indulgent splurge, i think it was really worth it!

In superdrug i picked up the superdrug Vitamin E Illuminating Moisure Cream. Again, this was an impulse buy, but i think it was reduced to about £1, so it was worth a shot. I was so surprised with how much i like this product. It moisturises my dry skin nicely under my foundation, and adds a glow which brightens my face really well. I think because it is cheaper there is less reflective particles in it, which i think is a good thing, because it doesn't leave you too shiny or sparkly.

I also finally got my hands on GOSH velvet touch foundation primer. Whilst this is a little pricey, i think this too is worth its price. It is essentially this same as the body shop mattifying primer, but mayb with a little less of the mattifying element. It is 30ml so double the body shop one making it better value for money. I use this primer everyday and i'm not sure how i managed without it!!

that's all for now

xoxo anna

B-U-T beauty's blog giveaway

Another beauty blogger in Canada is doing a giveaway to celebrate 20+ subscribers! It's a really exciting giveaway and she has a really interesting blog - i suggest you all check it out!!
link:
http://nikisbeautypage.blogspot.com/2009/09/free-stuff-delicious-delicious-giveaway.html

good luck everyone who enters!
that's all for now
xoxoanna

No7 Shine Free Make-up Base Review

I bought this when my Body Shop Matte it face and Lips ran out. It contains 40ml and costs £10.25. I used my £5 off No7 voucher so it was only £5.25. This is how much is left after about 2 weeks, although i think it probably wasn't full to the top initially.

This product claims to 'keep shiny skin under control all day long...light reflecting particles help disguise fine lines and flaws'.

The product is very thick compared to others, and goes on white, although it does disappear with enough blending,, but this does take a while due to it viscocity. It does matte this skin, but i feel that it make me more pale as well. I also notice that it has a sort of crumbley texture when i put foundation on over it, where both the base and foundation start to almost peel off in blobs.

You don't need to use very much when you apply it so i assume it will last a long time. In comparison to other bases, this one is relatively well priced, which is a surprise for No7. (The body shop one costs £10 for just 15ml).

Overall i won't re-purchase this, and am intending to buy the GOSH primer soon. I will use this up, but i think maybe more for days when i'm not wearing foundation, but still want a matte finish.

that's all for now

xoxoanna

Collective fashion haul and styling

I've finally borrowed my mum's camera back so i can show you some of the things i have bought. These clothes were purchased over two and a half months, before and after i went on holiday.The first item is a hoodie dress - it's sooo warm! It's from TK Maxx (Tommy Hilfiger) for £20, but should have been £85 (very satisfying!). It has a belt round the middle, pockets in the sides and is elasticated at the bottom. I am wearing a vest top from primak underneath and my topshop leggings. This would look great with uggs.

The second item is a dress i bought before my holiday. It's strapless with sequins over the elasticated part and a silky material to the skirt. It has a great shape and suh a pretty pattern! It was from asda in the G21(??is that right?) section of asda. I can't remember how much it was but i think about £16.

To dress this up i would wear these two necklaces, or to dress it down i would put a simple white t-shirt underneath. The first necklace is from primark and the second from either asda or matalan.

Last weeked i went into nottingham, so inevitably i visited H&M. The first thing i bought was a body con style skirt in black, which my friend has too. It was only £9.99! I was so happy, what a bargin!

I had to get a size 10, i'm not sure if this is because it's so tight or because my refusal to diet has left me being a size bigger!

I absolutely adore this skirt and can't wait to wear it out!

Then finally i got a tight body con/t-shirt dress,which i bought in a 10, but i'm going to return it for an 8, because it isn't fitted enough around the sides for me and it's too think to wear with a belt. I really love the graphic pattern and it was only £9.99 as well!

that's all for now

xoxoanna

Outfit of the Day

Today the weather looked like it was going to keep changing - (kind of cloudy/windy/sunny) so i thought i'd do leggings and layers! I'm only in the house all day, maybe with supermarket trip later! What an exciting life i lead :)

The dress is from H&M, i think i was £9.99, and i got it before i went on holiday. I think it's supposed to be a beach dress, and i did use it as one in Ibiza. It's got peacocks on and flowers, and is perfect for the summer - autumn transition. The leggings are from topshop, i think they're about £18 and you can tell they are better quality than my primark or new look ones! The t-shirt is just plain black 3/4 sleeve v-neck from M&S. The belt was in ADSA sale in january, and has three dark gold leaves on

These are the shoes i would pair with it. They are leather gladiator sandals from new look, and were £15, in the wide fit section.

haha lol you can see how my big toe doesn't want to be friends with my other toes :)

that's all for now

xoxoanna

Superdrug Vitamin E Facial Scrub Review

This product is described as 'gentle exfoliation to reveal deeply cleansed, radiant skin'. It costs £1.95 in Superdrug for 100ml so it's very inexpensive. It comes in a pale pink tube (sorry i couldn't find a picture). I probably use this product about once every three days.

1) i have quite sensitive skin and i found the st ives apricot scrub too rough for me. This product uses oatmeal as the exfoliator so it's quite gentle.

2) it's cheap!

3) it contains vitamin E - a good antioxidant apparently, and my skin doesn't feel tight after i use it.

4) it's suitable for vegitarians - because obviously lots of scrubs contain meat nowadays :)

5) it smells like sun cream and coconut.

6) 'superdrug is against animal testing' (if that's an issue for you)


however...

1) it is very runny, i would prefer it to be a bit thicker.

2) you could probably make it ith oatmeal, but i'm too lazy and it would probably cost the same either way.

3) it contains talc, which is an issue for some people.

I would definately buy this product again because of the price. I'd expected to pay a lot more to find a scrub gentle enough, and i really needed one because just using my l'oreal cleansing foam was still leaving dead skin cells.

thats all for now
xoxoanna