L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil: Product Review

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil available here 

I received this shower gel as a gift from my friends at work and boy do they know me well! I love L'Occitane and I was recommended this product by a former L'Occitane employee, so I had high hopes.

Well she seriously undersold this product to me! At first, I was unsure whether I really needed a shower oil as I usually use a shower gel. However, as soon as I used it I realised that I had been mising out.

The Hype

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil is described as follows: "This shower oil, when in contact with water, transforms into a lavish, softening foam--original and unique in texture--that leaves a satin-like softness all over the body. Enriched with almond oil, it respects the hydrolipidic film and leaves a subtle and mouth-watering scent of fresh almond, for a delightful skin!"

The Product

Using just the tiniest amount of product, I applied this in the shower and watched as it magically turned into a creamy, rich, in-shower cleanser. With the same gorgeous scent as the rest of the Almande/Almond collection, this smells amazing.

What's even better is that the scent lasts all day even after you've showered, leaving a subtle, lingering sugared almond scent behind. My skin was so smooth that I could get away with not moisturising afterwards, although I did out of habit, and my skin stayed soft and smooth all day.

The Verdict

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil retails at £17.50 for 250ml. Compared to an average shower gel, that is quite a bit more, but I have to say I think it's worth it. Provided you like the scent, although it is available in a few other scents too, this is a great luxury shower product. Personally, I love the smell of sweet almonds, and I love the way that this lathers, leaves skin scented and genuinely soft and conditioned. A treat, but it's worth it.

Would you be tempted to buy something like this?

Murad Travel Kits: Balance and Protect Review

At this time of year, naturally our thoughts turn to holidays. Since I've already been on mine, I was thinking about sharing some outfits, tips and advice with you before you jet off.

First off, let's talk about skincare. If you're anything like me, my make up, hair products and toiletries end up taking up half of my suitcase. 

Murad have just released three cabin sized skincare kits that are perfect for packing. Available in Smooth and Soften, Youthful You and Balance and Protect, I was lucky enough to receive the latter for review.

Murad Balance and Protect Travel Kit available here 

The Balance and Protect kit contains 5 individually wrapped Clarifying Wipes, Oil Control Mattifier SPF15 10ml (even more essential when you're in hot climates) and Skin Perfecting Primer 5ml.

Enough for a 5 day break, the size is just fantastic and at £10, it's a great way to trial the products too.

So how did I get on with these?

First of all, the clarifying wipes are really good at removing all your make up and leaving skin refreshed. Although I'd usually cleanse using micellar water and a wash off cleanser, I always seem to end up with a wet washbag as something always leaks! Wipes are most definitely the most convenient way to cleanse whilst travelling and the individually wrapped wipes make them even more perfect for the job. They do smell a little medicinal and don;t get them in your eyes, but otherwise, these are fab!

Next up, the Oil Control Mattifier. Again, this is a great size and super moisturising lotion that was easy and to use. It did a great job of moisturising my skin and left it feeling soft and comfortable. As an oil control product, I noticed less sebum on my nose and chin too.

Murad Clarifying Wipes, Oil Control Mattifier and Skin Perfecting Primer 

Finally, the Skin Perfecting Primer. A skin coloured primer, this "can be used under or in place of foundation". Sadly for me, it wasn't enough coverage for even a good skin day so I used it under a medium coverage foundation and concentrated the application on my nose and chin. After a full days work, I can find my make up slipping in these areas but with the primer, this was noticeably reduced.

During the five day trial I didn;t have any new blemishes and afterwards I still had some primer left.

This is a great kit for any overnight or travel bag. The clear bag is perfect to reuse once your products have been used up too. I love being able to try samples before I commit to a full sized product and these are great for anyone wanting to sample Murad products too; I'm already eyeing up my next kit.

The kits are exclusive to Marks and Spencer.

MUA Make Up Academy Haul - Blusher Bronzer and Pressed Powder

As you'll have guessed by now, I love to try out affordable make up products from lines such as ELF and MUA. The MUA range just keeps getting bigger and with prices starting at £1, it would be rude not to try out more.

I picked up a relatively small haul the other week from Superdrug of 2 blushers, 1 bronzer and 1 pressed powder, all of which cost just £1! I've heard a lot of recommendations on these products and wanted to give them a shot. Here's my verdict...

Make Up Academy Bronzer Shade 3

I was really impressed with this product and it's my favourite from the haul. A matte shade with great pigmentation, this gave an easy to use and even application that worked really well on my light olive skin. For anyone who prefers to stick to a bronzer that's closer to their natural shade, I'd recommend a shade lighter for and other light olive skins out there. However, I really liked this shade and think it'll look even better once I've caught a little bit of sun as Spring arrives.

Make Up Academy Pressed Powder Shade 4 

This is a great product! The perfect shade for my skintone, it's easy to apply with no fallout and gives an even application. Result!

Make Up Academy Blush in Shade 4

In the package, this looks like a brown-red shade, but upon application it comes out much more red toned than I had imagined. More like a dark red terracotta, the product has great pigmentation and is a little uneven in application (although I'd suggest trying this out with a primer). For my skin this was much too dark but this would be great on darker skins.

Make Up Academy Blush in Shade 3

This looks so similar to Shade 4 in the packet that I had to buy both! Although it looks a little peachier in the package and in the second picture, this is actually more of a brownish red colour. Not as dark as Shade 4, it is slightly earthier and I did feel a little patchy. Although this was better on my skin tone that Shade 4, it was still a touch ark for my skin.

Overall

As you can imagine with budget brands, it really is a case of trial and error to find the producys that suit you best. However, at these prices you could buy the entire blush collection for less than the price of a drugstore lipstick and really experiment.

I really like the packaging and on the slightly more expensive products it is even better and it doesn't feel any cheaper to other drugstore brands to me.

I would however like to see them name the products as the numbers are not very memorable!

Best for: Anyone looking to experiment with their colours

Barry M Lip Gloss in 11 Coral

I think I got this on offer in Wilkinsons, the most unglamorous of locations but suprisingly good for Rimmel and Barry M!

As you've probably seen by now I love a good coral and I'm still searching for 'the one'. Let's see how this compares.

Barry M Lip Gloss in Coral available here 

The Hype
Shimmering, sparkling and solid colour lip glosses for the shade that suits you. The formula provides long-lasting wear without being sticky and they are all infused with an irresistible scent. A soft wand applicator ensures they glide on easily to the shape of your lips.

The Verdict

Shade 11 Coral is a very sheer, clear formulation. So sheer in fact that it's difficult to see where that bright pinky coral from the tube has gone once applied. Once on, it leaves you with glossy, very slightly pinky coral coloured lips but its probably best worn over a lipstick.

The tube itself looks pretty big but it's actually only a 2.5ml product, something which you can see if you look into the bottom end of the tube. The packaging feels quite basic and the doe foot applicator is practical, but a little stiff.

Daylight

Studio light

With a nice glossy finish and sweet sugary scent, I can't help but think this one is aimed at the younger end of the market.

At £4.49, it's not the cheapest product around and I do think the packaging leads you to think that there is more product than there actually is. Overall, a basic lipgloss with minimal colour payoff that's probably better for paler skins.

Chantecaille Luminous Lip Gloss in Fig - Product Review and Swatch

My Space NK gift bag is the gift that just keeps giving. I'm slowing working my way through all the fabulous products inside and think I'm going to have to start a series called "Rapid Reviews" just so I can get through them as I wouldn't want you guys missing out on a thing!

Chantecaille Luminous Gloss in Fig available here

The Hype
Apparantly, "innovative shiny polymers created a fluid 3-d like glass effect for volume" and "water binding molecules hydrate and smoothe lips". It's also paraben free.

The Verdict
Here we have Chantecaille Luminous Gloss in Fig, a dark berry red shade with brown tones. Offering up to 6 hours wear, it does actually stay put really well and the gloss is thick without being sticky. Looking much darker in the tube, it comes out more of a red. With a flat doe foot applicator which makes application easy peasy, the most impressive thing about this gloss is the shine factor. Creating a 3D glassy shine, this really made me think of jam for some reason! The colour payoff isn't as rich as you'd think but adds to the glaze effect. Also, it smells divine! You know that sweet almost Christmassy/Yankee Candle smell you get with some products? It smells like that!

Daylight Swatch

Studio Swatch

A glossy gloss without the sticky mess. At £27 for the full sized tube, it's not cheap but the difference between this and drugstore brands is clear to see. There are 7 different shades in the collection and they all look gorgeous and very wearable. In particular, I'd love to try Passionfruit, Lychee and Framboise. Christmas is coming...

Balmi Moisturising Lip Balm Raspberry Flavour Review

My fab friends got me this for my birthday last year and I've just got round to opening it. Tut tut!

Balmi Moisturising Lip Balm available here 

The Hype

Everyone's been talking about Eos and whilst these are still difficult to get hold of in the UK, Balmi is available in your nearest Boots.

"Your Lips are constantly on show to the world around you and you want them look good and feel protected against the elements. Fully tested, the Balmi Lip Balm provides SPF 15 and UVA protection making Balmi the essential accessory for your lips; whether you're off to school, out on the piste or just off for a leisurely stroll protect your Lips with Balmi. GO Balmi! The Balmi Lip Balm has the perfect blend of ingredients to give your lips long lasting daily care and protection. Perfect for even sensitive skin.

Our special blend of natural goodness contains antioxidant-rich Vitamin E, soothing Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil to help leave your lips moisturised, soft and super smooth.

If you love WOW flavours on your Lips then you have come to the right brand; go Balmi and enjoy life! Balmi Lip Balm flavours have been designed to be perfect for every occasion and personality:
Available in: Strawberry,Coconut, Mint * with added tingle and Raspberry.

How to Use

Balmi's new cubed balm enables superb ease of application when you are on the move.
Saving you faffing and fiddling to dip in your finger and contaminating you Lip Balm pot or tin."

The Verdict

First off, I adore this shape. Ok, so the actual cube itself might be a little bulky, but at least you'll be able to find it in your handbag.  Secondly, that colour. Again, I'm always searching for things in my handbag and anything like this bright pink makes life a little easier. Also, it's a really soft, tactile surface which I also love.

I think the old packaging was round like the Eos, but hey it's a cube now! It also has a tiny little cord to attach it to your phone etc; cute.

As for the actual product, I don't know if you can see from the pictures but once you unscrew the lid, the actual lip balm is in a pointed, pyramid shape. As weird as it looks it is actually really easy to use without the need for messy fingers.

As soon as you open it up you can smell the raspberry too, which is so strong but lovely.

A clear, shiny product, the amount of moisture this delivers is incredible. As soon as it slides on you feel the hydration and it literally feels like air. 

With vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba oil as well as SPF 15, this is a nourishing product too and a great handbag staple at just £5.

Now onto the hard part, which flavour to get next?

Beauty UK Posh Polish no 3 Sunstone - Gemstone Collection

Beauty UK is a brand that I've seen around a few places and I bought this polish from Superdrug.

Beauty UK Posh Polish in Sandstone available here 

I think it was on 3 for 2 and you'll see that I went for 3 colours from this collection that I'll be sharing with you soon.

A pink metallic shade, I went for 2 coats to achieve this finish but could really have done with 3 for a more opaque effect. It dried out really fast like most metallic polishes and I didn't use a topcoat. Next time though I will be using a topcoat as this chipped by day 2! For £3.49, just a touch cheaper than a Barry M polish, I think I'd still expect it to last a bit longer.

The colour is really pretty though, a light pink silver metallic and I do think it's very wearable and versatile for any outfit.

Bourjois Sweet Kiss Naturel Lipstick 06 Rose Tendre - Product Review

This is the first Bourjois Sweet Kiss Naturel Lipstick I've purchased and I went for the most natural shade in the hope that I'd find a great everyday lipstick to add some glam to my everyday look.

It wasn't until I got it home that I realised that it's 100% natural origin, although I'm not 100% sure what that means. No chemicals I guess? Anyway, onto the lipstick!

Bourjois Sweet Kiss Naturel Lipstick in Rose Tendre

The Hype

100% NATURAL FORMULA
100% RADIANT SHADES
All the benefits of Nature in one lipstick!

Its formula of 100% natural origin brings radiance and care to lips.

Enriched with magnolia oil and shea butter, its melting formula intensely nourishes lips, leaving them supple and providing them with 8 hours of moisture.

The intense and radiant shades illuminate your lips thanks to the 100% natural pigments selected for their purity and benefits: antioxidant green tea and soothing rose.

8 shades ranging from the most natural to the most sophisticated and from softer to more sensuous hues, for naturally beautiful lips!

The Verdict

The first thing I noticed about this lipstick was how easy it glides on. Rather than dragging or puckering, this literally slides over the lip. The colour on one coat is quite sheer but it builds up really well to give a much more solid finish.

The bullet is a nice shape and the packagine is pretty luxurious for a high street brand. The push up button however has been a little temperamental though before and can get stuck. The square case makes it stand out from other lipsticks though and I like the aluminium bullet. 

The formulation is creamy, rich and buildable and it wears well, drying out to leave a light stain. It's a semi matte finish.

The colour is a natural beige pink, mainly a beige really on me with a slight pink tone or coral tone in artificial light, but it looks really natural and great for everyday wear. 

Overall, a little more expensive than some high street lipsticks but better quality and staying power from this Bourjois lipstick.

Daylight

Studio Light

L'Occitane Jasmin and Bergamote Shower Gel Review

L'Occitane Jasmin and Bergamote Shower Gel available here

As part of my New Year's resolution to get through my stockpile of products, I decided to take the plunge and use this lovely shower gel that I had deemed too lovely to use.

A birthday present from last year, I had felt it was just too fancy to use everyday. However, 6 months later it's still in the cupboard so I decided to give in and try it out.

Part of the Grasse Collection, it is made with jasmine absolutes from Grasse and Egypt and bergamote essential oil from Italy.

The Jasmin and Bergamote shower gel has a delightful floral fragrance which is balanced by that of the bergamote essential oil. It creates a light to medium foam and glides onto skin, leaving it feeling soft and silky.

For me, the scent is perfection. I adore the scent of jasmine and it is my absolute favourite floral so I'm super tempted to get the Jasmine & Bergamote fragrance, although at £49 I'll have to wait for a birthday!

I really enjoyed using this shower gel and at £11 for 175ml, it is an affordable luxury.

Have you tried any of the L'Occitane shower gels?

MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick Chatterbox

Mac Amplified Creme lipsticks have a moisturising cream finish and a vivid colour. Whilst looking for Candy Yum Yum, I picked up this great little shade and I'm so glad that I did.

MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick in Chatterbox available here

Chatterbox is a beautiful vivid pink, a real classic in my eyes. The texture is smooth and quite creamy, and it lasts ages before fading out to leave a pink stain and wears evenly too. It even works on dry lips without showing up your skin, although you might want to wear a balm underneath if you've got very dry lips just for comfort.

Whilst on some darker skins it comes out a light pastel, on me it comes out a bubblegum pastel pink, verging on Barbie pink. In the swatches you can really see the red undertones.

Long wearing, highly pigmented, quite matte and with an even application, these are a great formulation for wearable, everyday lipstick that you can eat and drink in.

Daylight swatch

Studio Light Swatch

At £15, it's a mid range price point, with high street lipsticks costing up to £10-£12 and high end ones costing up to £25-30, so really it's still pretty good value for money. Don't forget to use Back 2 Mac too!

Have you guys tried Chatterbox?

Mohdoh Mouldable Aromatherapy in Sleep

I received this product in my goody bag from the #BrumBloggerMeetUp earlier this year and I've been using it ever since.

Mohdoh Mouldable Aromatherapy in Sleep available here*

Looking at it for the first time, it's not immediately obvious what it is. However, here's the hype for you.

"mohdoh combines three therapeutic elements, proven to produce positive results; aromatherapy, play therapy and colour therapy. It is these three elements that make mohdoh such a powerful holistic therapy."

"A powerful remedy for treating everyday ailments from insomnia, travel sickness, worry and anxiety to colds and flu, lack of focus, hyperactivity, headaches and tension, mohdoh can even help those trying to lose weight or quit smoking"

The product I've got it Sleep, which is good because I really like the smell! Although it's for Sleep, it's also a really great way to relax and calm thanks to the lavender scent. 

To use, all you need to do is mould the dough for 5-10 minutes at bedtime to release the essential oils. As well as the oils inside it, the violet colour has been chosen specifically as a "calming and relaxing colour perfect for settling tired minds" and the action of moulding the dough is "play therapy".

I love the smell of this so much, I really want to try out the other scents too, especially Calm, Unwind and Breathe next.

At £4.99 I think they're really good value too and they're definitely worth the price. Which one should I try next?

Monday Manicure: OPI Nail Lacquer Sparrow Me The Drama

You know you have a nail polish addiction when you find polishes that you can't even remember buying. This is one such polish. I have no idea where it came from but hey, it's in my collection now so let's go with it.

OPI Sparrow Me the Drama Nail Lacquer

OPI's Sparrow me the Drama is part of the Pirates of the Caribbean Collection. I think it came out a while ago but you can still buy it, probably for a fraction of the price.

What suprised me most about this pink polish is how wearable it is. Most pinks are girly and loud and scream "look at me!" This one however is so subtle that you could even, dare I say it, wear it to work or even an interview. A dusky, creamy, pastel pink, this is both femininie and sophisticated. I used three coats but you could easily get away with two. I think it's quite a cool tone and it really suits my skin tone, even though I've seen it work on paler skins too.

As always the quality of these polishes is fantastic, no streaking, bubbling etc.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation SPF 15 NW22 - Product Review and Swatches

I'm currently looking for the perfect everyday foundation, one that's not too thick and matte, dewy but with enough coverage to even out my skin.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation available here

I picked up MAC Studio Fix Fluid as I tried it in the shop and really liked the finish. For me, it's perfect; just the right kind of dewy finish without looking and feeling greasy.

The shade is NW22 which I think is pretty close to what I need. It's perfect for golden yellow skin tones which is great for me as the yellow in the foundation counteracts the redness around my nose and chin. It's maybe just a touch too yellow fot me but it's still a good enough match to be wearable.

Daylight swatch

Studio light swatch

I like the creamy consistency and it's easy to apply. I use either a foundation brush or sponge and both work well. It's also really buildable so tend to go for a light base layer and then keep adding to my nose, chin and central cheek area to cover redness.

I think the coverage is a medium working up to a medium/heavy which works really well for me as the skin on my forehead and most of my cheeks needs less coverage than my T Zone, meaning that I hate to apply too heavy a foundation all over when parts of my face don't need that much coverage. It's good at covering small blemishes but you will probably need a little extra concealer for bigger blemishes and spots.

It lasts for around 7 hours and it does get a bit shiny around my nose and chin but powder helps combat this

The packaging makes it quite difficult to get the product out as it's a screw top lid that comes off and you can't squeeze the bottle as it's glass. Also, the lid gets dirty really quickly as it's a rubber finish.

It also contains an SPF15 which is great!

The downside is the smell which is pretty chalky, but at £21.50 it's really quite good value.

What do you guys think of Mac Studio Fix?

L'Oreal Elvive Triple Resist Masque - Review

As much as I love the caramel colour my hair goes when it's been highlighted to high heaven, what I don't like is the dry straw like texture it gives to treated hair.

On my search for a good hair mask, I came across this; L'Oreal Elvive Triple Resist Masque with reinforcing serum.

L'Oreal Elvive Triple Resist Masque available here

Here's what I love about this product:

1. The size - it's a huge 300ml pot of product and at around £5, it means you can afford to slather on the product.

2. The price - £5 is pretty decent for a hair mask

3. The smell - it smells like a salon, one of my favourite smells :) 

The product itself is a glossy white and a comfortingly thick, gloopy consistency. I leave it in for around 10 minutes, just because I'd rather leave it in for longer and make sure it has time to sink in. It washes out easily and leaves hair definitely softer, smelling lovely, less tangled and is smoother after blow drying.

Overall, it's a really good value conditioning treatment that can be used every week guilt free.