Ins and outs for June!

Ooh, the 5th of July. It is almost too late to be talking about June so time for me to pour a green tea (an honourary In), find a comfy position and get this post down.

IN

*Phyto or Morrocan Oil or something in my hair routine

I have never known a spell like it. A spell where everyday is almost an ok hair day. Never known it before, too scared to even dream about it but lately my hair has been on its very best behaviour and obviously, I’m loving that.

Please bear in mind, this is relative. My hair is never going to be up there with Cheryl’s or Pixie Lott’s (new hair crush). In other words, it is never going to have a ‘good’ hair day but my barnet currently gets an A* for effort. I haven’t isolated the magic key yet but have narrowed the suspects down to a few products/habits currently dominating my hair routine.

You know that I think the world of Moroccan Oil. There is no doubt that it makes my hair more managable but recent performace seems to go beyond this even.

Admittedly I have got a bit bored with the whole velcro roller flaffing and lazily tend to use just one or two but I do let my hair dry naturally so much more then I used to. Maybe miracles can come from such simple changes in a hair routine?!

Then again maybe the magic lies in the Phyto products that I have been using and loving. I have two standard sized products but have also dabbled in a couple of samples so have used four Phyto products in all on my hair recently and honestly, I love all of them and my hair certainly seems to have no complaints. Obviously, there will be a post soon.

*Boots No 7 Hot Pink Nail Varnish (40)

I brought this earlier in the year and was really disappointed. The colour just looked wrong, too bright, too loud and too girly but now in the summery sunshine, I am surprised by how much more ‘Me’, this vibrant pink is. Bright but ever so slightly more delicate and girly then my Claires Accessories, Neon. This polish is typical of one from the No 7 line, the formulation is good. I always use my little till vouchers for the on a No 7 nail polish. I probably would have explored the other products in this brand a little more if the varnishes were not so good.

*Sigma SS209

I think I finally have a grip on eyeliner. I use any black eyeshadow (Carbon looks better but seems harder to work with) to apply to top lash line with my Sigma 209. This is a perfect brush and I can’t believe that I was using the thicker 219 before. The 209 gives a fine, precise line which can be built up or flicked out. After a series of disastorous flicks, I’m giving them a miss at the moment. I am happy just tracing my natural eyeline with the 209 and powder and then going over this with my Bad Gal pencil and ta dah, my eyes make their presence known without tunelessly taking over the show. Sometimes I line the bottom lash line and I’m liking a Ruby and Miller eye brush to do this. This is a sqarer brush and it keeps the line softer which seems slightly more flattering. I don’t usually pencil over this lower line for a day look.

*L’Oreal Color Riche in Cashemere 232

I have had this a long time but picked it up the other day and was surprised how much I liked it. It is like the ‘Ghost’ of lipsticks. A very, grown up, sensible dark maroon red boardering on brown that reminds me of how make up smelt to me when I was little. Quite sombre (and a little bit drying) but all the same it is very flattering and has an interesting shimmer. Something I can see myself wearing for those more grown up classic occasions. You could look at this on my lips and it would give nothing away about me or my personality but it would look very nice and would probably make me look a bit more organised and on the ball then I am. Yep, that is it. This is the type of lipstick a lady would wear who never gets flustered or trips up. Yeah well . . , that is who I pretend to be when I wear this and just while I have this on, it seems to work.

OUT

*Passion Fruit Body Butter from The Body Shop

I went in for Vanilla or Coconut or Cocoa Butter but none of them were reduced from £12.50 to £5.00 so reluctantly I put them back down and picked up one of the last Body Butters in the reduced section, Passion Fruit.

Eurgh!

Now as usual, I have only praise for the butter itself and it’s moisturising qualities. I adore The Body Shop Body Butters. They do the job but I do not like the normal retail price and in this case nor do I like the scent. In fact, I barely tolerate it. I thought Passion Fruit would be summery but is like a potently stale cocktail. I feel hungover every time I have used it. It smells like the morning after. The irony is that it probably smells a lot worse because I am slapping a lot more on in a bid to hit pan because only when I have none left, can I justify going and buying a more gorgeously scented full priced one. I just know there is a Vanilla one sitting on the shelf waiting for me. . ! Until then headaches await me!!!

*The L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara (well, only the smell)

Another one down to scent, I am afraid.

I only brought this today and as soon as I took off the cap, it was like chemicals were in the air. I have never smelt a mascara so strong. Now I’m not adverse to putting chemicals on my lashes to make them grow but I brought this product as a mascara. I have never smelt a mascara smell before. Let alone so strong. I’m hoping that even though I never got used to the Passion Fruit pong, I will get used to the Million Lashes scent because I have quickly swiped this mascara across my lashes and I likey. I actually swiped it over some dried up Max Factor Lash Extension Effect applied earlier in the day and the result was so intense. Most likely too intense for the day but maybe once applied alone, it will come down a notch and be just right. I’ve got a good feeling about this one.

*Clinique

I started using their Anti-Blemish range a few months ago as I had a small cluster of horrible spots around my neck (see neck neglect finally caught up with me) that wouldn’t shift and they still didn’t shift even with the Clinique Anti-Blemish. I am now using Clearasil and this seems to be working. They are disappearing, so soo slowly.

I’ve got to gove it to Clinique, I liked the moisturiser and all the steps seemed to look after the rest of my face fine but the regime costs quite a lot and I can’t help being just a little disappointed that they were not more effective at zapping the demon spots.

*My indecisiveness

Finally me. I can not make decisions about anything. I thought Jazzed was too orange for me but I still had to go and read the reviews and watch the videos and then I decide that maybe it would be nice for me but of course, it is then sold out online and now I can’t decide if I really want to traipse to MAC, about an hour and a half away, where I will probably only change my mind again.

For the umpteenth time in my life, I find myself wishing I had been born with some conviction!!

Hmm, must be time for that Green Tea! Do you have any beauty ins and outs or thoughts for me to ponder (while I sip)?

X

Tag Twist!

There is a You Tube tag going around at the moment about overhyped beauty products. Now as a blogger I haven’t being tagged but I have decided to take the concept and twist it a little for today’s post.

This post is about products that initially disappointed me. The disappointment could have been caused by poor product performance, my own personal (often unrealistic) expectations and/or hype surrounding the product and brand. However, this is not a post focusing on the way these products broke my heart. Instead it is more of an upbeat post about how I found the product again and how we found a way to be (work) together harmoniously and beautifully. The only way to be when you are on Mission Beauty like me!

I have chosen five products (or brands) who I am travelling with all the way to Location Pretty. At first, the road was rocky but suddenly our destination seems a little closer.

First up is Clinique.

As you know, I had a lot of hope for the Clinique Three Step. It is the first proper skincare routine that I have ever really used. I was impressed with the science behind it and all the fab testimonials on the internet and in the wider world.

My Clinique advisor was very impressive in her white coat and magnifying glass then came the reality of getting up a few minutes earlier each morning just to do the routine. It was meant to take three minutes. For at least a month, it was taking me ten. Everybody told me that the cleanser worked as it lathered, my cleanser was not lathering. And then there was my addiction to moisturiser, how could a few measly little dabs across my face twice a day really moisturise and balance my skin?!

Mostly though, there was this. I thought at the very least Clinique would quickly banish any facial blemishes away (and I don’t tend to have too many on my face) and for a week or so, it did and then they sort of came but these didn’t really grow too much but then came the blemishes that stung, itched and felt lumpy but actually (thank goodness) didn’t look too bad.

I decided Clinique was ok. My skin didn’t look any worse but there was also no sign of ‘skin magic’ occuring either. I decided to finish one set of the full sized product and then we would part company and I would be moving on. Hopefully to something cheaper.

However, now, months later and the Clarifying Treatment has finished. I only have dregs of the cleanser and moisturiser left and maybe I’m having a bit of a U-turn. My skin has being clear for more then a month and the system now seems to take less then three minutes twice a day. On top of this, the cleanser lathers more easily.

Also I just don’t know what I would replace the system with and I’m keen to keep a skin routine going. Initially I thought Clinique was very expensive but Step 1, the cleanser cost me £13 and I’ve had it since sometime in January. If I brought a bar of soap every week then by now, it is likely I would have spent more then £13. To date, I have replaced my clarifying lotion with an organic rose toner from Botanics in Boots but to be honest, I’m very reluctant to let go of Clinique altogether and ok, nobody seems to be able to define or describe the ingredients in the system very well but when I started using Clinique, I never endured any rash unlike recently when my consumption of natural skincare ingredients seemed to be at it’s peak!

Secondly, we have Revlon ColorStay.

Despite my not so enthuastic review on this foundation earlier in the year, I really do like this product now and if it was not for Revlon PhotoReady being released recently then I suspect that I would already have repurchased a couple of back ups of Colorstay. Ok, I still do not think that it conceals every skin flaw (but then isn’t that for concealer to deal with anyway?!) but it does seem to polish what I have. It lasts a long time (unlike a certain Bourjois foundation that I have also purchased this year) and it applies well with a brush (Warning: it will stain aforementioned brush).

I now like the fact that ColorStay feels quite light on my skin and it seems to seep in to my complexion effortless and evenly with very little work. I think I once complained that I could not feel it on my face but now I realise that if everytime I wore this foundation, I felt like I was wearing a mask then it is likely I would have felt this way because in some way, this product was not suitable for me. Quite possibly an irritant and at the very least, not a natural match for my skin. For example, if my skin had been oily then maybe my normal combination foundation would have felt too heavy. I still have reservations that there is no pump with Colorstay (although there is with PhotoReady) and with the amount of water in the bottle (however, the amount of water has obviously diminished and posed less of a problem as I have used more and more of the product up).

The price is still quite high for a high street brand but I’m starting to realise that actually I’m not as concerned about price as once I would have been. Obviously I do have to consider my income but I’m certainly more willing to pay out for a product if I truly believe it delivers the quality that I am seeking.

Thirdly, we have Vera Wang Princess.

 

This perfume seemed to be earmarked as staple in so many perfume collections that I thought considering my so-called perfume passion and my rather extensive collection, it was kind of bad form that Princess was not in my collection. So one Christmas request was made and Princess was mine.

I think I have maybe three or four applications left in my ever so pretty bottle yet I’ve only smelt the scent on me maybe once and this is my major critcism with this perfume. It is not as cheap as some of the celebrity lower end ones and yet whenever I spray this perfume, I can not smell it on my skin afterwards and you all know how much I like my scents . . !

I have kept using it because I can not afford to have a perfume that I’m not using and I’m hoping that it is just me, that I’m the only one who can not smell it on my own skin. I’m hoping at the very least that others, even if they too do not get the full sense of the perfume, get something of a clean, pretty, fresh waft as I go by.

The thing is this perfume smells lovely whenever I actually spray it in to the air or on to my skin but as soon as I put the bottle down and the lid back on, the scent seems to disappear. Sometimes I have even forgotten that I’ve applied perfume and gone to apply again. Surely that is not right. I have been really miffed with this perfume and have been eyeing up possible replacements and actually looking forward to finishing the bottle until this morning . . !

It was a morning the same as ever. I sprayed and sniffed, ‘lovely’ and then I put the lid on and the bottle away and the perfume was forgotten. Now most mornings that is where the story would end but today, it didn’t. There I was going about life as normal -obviously read as working very hard at work- when suddenly this most beautiful light but pretty fresh vanilla scent came over me. I looked up, on high alert, ready to chase whoever had just walked in to the room and demand they reveal the beautiful scent they were adorning and then I realised that nobody had walked in to the room. It was just me and my Princess perfume. I smelt beautiful and in that moment of realisation, I really did feel like a princess.

And well now I’m not sure what to do. What if everybody else has smelt this beautiful scent all along and my nose has just been blocked or something? Maybe it is a beautiful perfume that other people smell but the wearer doesn’t? Can I give up my own desire for beautiful scents if it means I keep wearing the prettiest scent of them all? In other words, should I keep wearing this pretty, pretty fragrance if I can not smell it because maybe everybody else can smell it?!

I’m not sure.

I think tomorrow, I will try the Lollipop26 trick of vaseline and then the perfume (Princess) and if this helps me to float around in my own cloud of pretty, pretty scent then who knows? Maybe I will be labelling Princess as a staple in my collection, after all.

Fourthly, we have All That Glitters.

This is hyped. It is in virtually every single MAC collection (starter or otherwise) post or video. I brought it on my second MAC haul. I knew the name from all the collection reviews and it looked pretty in the shop. Shimmery and a lovely light neutral colour similar to my earlier purchase (and much adored) Modellette.

I also purchased All That Glitters with the irresistable Satin Taupe and as I had Modellette, All That Glitters seemed a bit samey. So eye-wise, all my new looks were Satin Taupe based and All That Glitters was a bit forgotten. When I did wear it, I thought it looked just a bit like Modellette with a bit too much shimmer. However lately I have been wearing All That Glitters so, soo much.

Now I’m more used to and more practised at wearing make up, I find this shade incredibly pretty and it works so well with my pinker lipsticks for a day look and then for work, it works brilliantly with Ambre Rose or Hue to make me look just a little more presentable. All That Glitters lasts and does not leave me with old, tacky glitter all over my lids at the end of the day. This is one of the few shadows that I will wear without mascara. I just love it. It is pretty and understated which is kind of the look I like to go for. I think I would prefer for people to say ‘Look at her pretty eyes’ rather then ‘Look at her amazing eye make up’ (My make-up technique is not there yet anyway). Therefore, it is official, All That Glitters will regularly be appearing on my eyelids.

　

And finally we have L’Oreal Double Extension Beauty Tube Mascara

In one of my very first posts, I said that this mascara can give brilliant results if you apply it carefully but I also said, that I found application tricky. This is still true although with practise, you do get a better idea of how much primer and actual mascara to apply for what look. However as regular followers will know, I do tend to grab Max Factor Lash Extension Effect now when I want a mascara EXCEPT if I’m applying mascara to eyes adorned in the gorgeous Barry M dazzle/glitter dusts. I have yet to find a mascara that does not make my natural lashes look weak, stumpy, inadequate and insignificant when wearing the gorgeous Barry M dusts EXCEPT for this one. This one holds it’s weight and lends a beautiful balance to the eye make up. For this reason, this mascara will hold a place in my make up collection as without it I would have to result to false lashes and there lies another tragic tale . . !

Have any of you used any of these products? What do you think of them? How do they work (or maybe how do you make them work) for you?

So I tag . . . 

Laura (Emerald Green 88)

Jemma (Bamboozle Beauty)

Amy (Make Up and Beauty.Ie/Dazzledust25)

Laura (Lollipop26)

Stephanie (TopShopPrincess)

Sophie (Sophie Is Made Up/BeautyMarked19)

Gemma (Gems Maquillage)

Tanya (Pixi2Woo)

Muhsine (Bubblegarm)

Claire (The Fashionteller)

Milly (PearlsandPoodles). 

Links to these amazing beauty bloggers and You Tubers can be found in my sidebar!

And of course, I tag any of you pretty people who want to do this? What products have pulled and twisted your heartstrings in a similar way? Feel free to write a blog post or make a video (don’t forget to leave a link here so we can all have a peek) or open your heart in a comment below.

X

Happy Valentines Day!!!

I thought that to stay in the spirit of this beautiful day, I would share with you a few things that I have fallen in love with since my mission, to make more of myself, began.

* My head is spinning with love for skincare routines.

As most of you know, I have been Cliniquing twice a day and you know what, I am loving the fact that I have a skincare routine in place. The morning and night applications kind of mark the start and end of my day. What better way to start and end my day on my skin, something that is only mine. My skin, something that only I can (and do) wear. My skin may not always be one hundred percent perfect but I would say that it is a lot closer then it was six months ago and now as I’m looking at it so much more closely at least twice a day and I’m appreciating it and what it goes through each day so much more. I think, ‘Ooh, I was out in that snow for a couple of hours today and my nose itched.’ Then I have a look to see if there is any signs of the earlier distress and if necessary, take the steps to remedy it. Yep, it is official that I’m just a little too obsessed with my skin at the moment.

* I’m blindly in love with soaps from Lush.

I have never been a big fan of solid soap. It has never really homed a strong enough scent for fragrance-mad me and then it has always been quite hard work, to lather and then my skin rarely feels softer or any benefit. That was . . . until Lush! I will probably elaborate on this in my ‘Lush and I’ series but I have only used a small number of soaps from Lush but two of them, I absolutely adore.

 Honey I Washed The Kids

Sultana of Soap

I’m sure you’ve heard it all before but these are divine. They make bathtime fun and then to top it off, apparently they are good for me. After trying these, I know that it doesn’t matter what I hear about all the other Lush soaps (and products), I still will not be satisfied until I have tried each and every one for myself even the dissed ones.

* I’m hopelessly in love with Barry M.

Okay, I admit I have been flirting with MAC a bit lately and there is no denying that MAC is one hottie of a brand but I also know that one day, the novelty of this mission is going to start wearing off and my money is going to start running out but guess what? This doesn’t scare me that much because there is always Barry M and all of their beautiful colours and gorgeous products at damn right yummy prices. Barry M means I never need to go make up hungry and for that, it remains a true love.

Here is a sneak peek at the Fabulous/Barry M free gift that I got last week.

Red Nail Paint (Very excited, there is so much hype about the Barry M nail paints and this colour is perfect for Valentines).

Fabulously Nude Super Shiny Gloss (how will this look with Hue?)

A black eye liner

A shimmery grey eyeshadow (my first Barry M eyeshadow)

And finally a very hot pink make up bag to keep it all in. All of this Barry M for free, there is not much I can say to that. In fact, I’m lost for words!

* I’m loving all the way to the moon and back, the Max Factor Lash Extension Effect Extreme Lengthening mascara.

This is a very new love. I only purchased it last weekend but it is gorgeous. As most of you know, one of my biggest sins is product overload and product overload can equal clumps but not with this mascara. I can heap the layers on and there is not a gloop in site. I have quite long lashes but what I love about this mascara is how seperating and defining it is. It is like a polish for my lashes, it simply creates a beautiful frame for my eyes.

It lets the rest of my make up speak for itself. It is very easy to apply and although it took a couple of goes to get used to the extra long wand, it is easy to get in and catch the small inner lashes. It is unusual for me to apply much mascara to my lower lash line as I think this can look too much and, with gloopy mascaras, quite messy but I think this one does just enough to only compliment the lower lashes. I’m not sure that this mascara will be loved by everyone, I don’t think you can build it up to shout out to the world but for me, it does more then enough and is my one of my newest loves.

* And finally, I’m head over heels in love with you, my readers, followers and inspiration.

If it wasn’t for you, I expect that my mission would have come to a sudden halt weeks ago. Your encouragment and support has been amazing and I can only thank you all, for the big gorgeous part you have played in my life, so far, this year.  I know this sounds OTT but this mission and blog is changing not only my look but also my life and at the end of the day, it all comes back to you. My readers, followers and all of you who also inspire me too. There are so many of you Darlings out there in Blogland, You Tube and at BeautyJudge.com who have helped me so much. The cyber beauty community is amazing and very much alive. I don’t know how I can thank you all for your support. I know that my little competition gives back only the smallest fraction of what all this has given me but I guess it is a start so if you want a chance to reap a reward for your good deeds in supporting my mission then check out my competition post very soon. The competition closes tonight.

Anyway as you can see I’m brimming over with love this year and I don’t want to really end this Valentines post but I must (before I bore you with Snob again), I hope you all have had a fantastic Valentine’s weekend. I know that Jemma (Bamboozle Beauty) and Laura (Emeraldgreen88) have both done the ‘Lipstick Valentine’ so check out their blogs (links in my sidebar) to find the hot lipsticks they are rocking. They have some beauties!

Once again, I would just like to thank you for your support! It really does mean the world.

X

All about eyes!

Look what has happened to my All About Eyes which I brought on New Years Eve.

 

 

All gone, all ready :-(

 

Oh, I am going to miss it. This product has been a big part of my life for the last month. I apply it twice a day and it has made a real difference to how my eyes look and in fact, just makes me look healthier and a lot more rested. Here is the just of a review that I have submitted to the BeautyJudge website ( http://www.beautyjudge.com ).

I have been applying this product  in a triangle under my eyes and then more sparingly on the lids and at the skin meeting my lash lines in the outer corner. I have also used it very lightly and occasionally on sensitive skin around my nose. The cream feels very soft and velevty to touch and it is just ever so slightly cooling when it makes contact with the skin.

I have been using it twice a day and apparently as well as short term benefits, it has an accumulative effect. I’m not sure about the long term results yet. I don’t think that I have been using it long enough but I can say short term, that my eyes do look a lot better every day. It has reduced puffiness and I’m less dependent on my Erase Paste to get rid of dark circles. I would say that when I do conceal under the eyes, the concealer seems to go on more smoothly and needs less working in. The skin on the outer edges of my eyes is very dry and there had been a dramatic improvement here. I use the cream very sparingly on my lids as they can actually become oily with this product.

It is also worth noting that I was not directed to use this product on my nose but I have when I felt my skin wanted me to  and the sensitive areas there have healed. This product is a great compliment to the Clinique Three Step system.

The cream comes in a pinky, orange little pot. The colour reminds me of fruit and just gives me the general impression that I am nourishing my skin which is a feel-good factor. As the cream is in the pot, I can see exactly how much is left and get it all out so there should be no wastage and you can use all that you’ve paid for.

The only problem is that I have used mine very quickly. I have been using this product for just over four weeks and have just finished my first 15ml pot. I am sure I remember the Clinique lady giving me the impression that it would last a lot longer then this so I am a bit surprised that I have used about twenty two pounds worth already. I would certainly use this cream again but I think it is going to have to be on an alternate basis with a slightly cheaper one if I am going to go through the pot this quickly. It may be me putting too much on but this is honestly the amount that my skin seems to need and if I used any less with each application then I do not think that I would be happy with the product results. I know I have also used it (lightly and ocassionally) on an area not directed by Clinque but I still would not have expected the pot to finish quite as quickly as this!

As with all Clinique products that I have encountered, this has been allergy tested and is fragrance free. It is a shame that I have finished the pot so soon, I’m going to miss this little eye cream.

So that is my review for All About Eyes and clearly, it is a bittersweet farewell for now but I have to move on so what have I chosen to stand in?

Well, I had to think about this one. There was several choices.

Firstly, the infamous Kiehls Avocado one which Lollipop26 raves about. I saw this in SpaceNk recently and had a play around with the sample. It looked gorgeous and very nourishing. It was a very fruity colour and even to touch, it seemed as if it would be very refreshing and soothing. However, this is an even more expensive product then Clinique All About Eyes and it is hard enough been sensible and wrenching myself away from that (because it does not make moneysense). If Kiehls really works as well as Lollipop26 and others claim then I could see myself even poorer every month. On the other hand, what if it doesn’t work for me? It could be quite an expensive experiment. I am prepared to invest in my beauty but thanks to Clinique, I think my eyes are doing ok at the moment and I think it would be wiser to purchase this cream maybe after a cheaper, quite possibly less effective one. I guess I’m saving this product that I suspect is magic in case of an eye emergency. My plan at the moment is to use a more expensive eye cream then a cheaper one then expensive and so on. As I count Clinique as an expensive one, it is the turn of cheap and sorry but I don’t think that Kiehls qualifies here.

Secondly the tinted Garnier Eye roll on. Mushine has blogged about this ( http://bubblegarm.blogspot.com/2010/01/garnier-2-in-1-tinted-eye-roll-on.html ) as has others and then of course, every time that I walk in to Boots or open a magazine there is Garnier. This roll on has had a lot of exposure and to be honest, it was the front runner to replace Clinique. I liked the price (about £10) and many of the reviews. It is great that it is a skincare product and conceals at the same time. If I had no Erase Paste left then I probably would have brought this product. However, I already have a concealer that I’m perfectly happy with and I have heard that the original eye roll on was not raved about as much and this makes me wonder. This new version may be a wonder product but is a lot of that down to the new tint factor, the part of the product which least interests me? I was already dubious to how well this product will work at night. As you readers know, I like heavy coverage from creams and skincare products (even if in reality, there is little added benefit). I like to be able to feel there is something there protecting my eyes. I wasn’t sure that a roll on could deliver this and also the fact that the product was tinted suggested to me it was been sold as a 2 in 1 product. I like the idea of this for many beauty products but I already have a concealer and I would like to use my eye cream as a treatment at night and who wears concealer to bed (well. . ,ok but none of us should do)? Therefore, this suggests it was designed for daytime eye care and then would I have to buy something else and spend maybe another £10 to look after my eyes at night. Well then I would land in the expensive bracket again and we know right now, we can’t be there.

Also note the tint only comes in two shades. Normally when there is such a small shade range even the light shade is too dark for me.

Thirdly, I considered Soap and Glory. FoundOnFilm (http://foundonfilm.blogspot.com ) felt when she first tried Soap and Glory’s eye gel that it worked just as good as All About Eyes. Like I need any encouragment, I scoured the Soap and Glory shelves but couldn’t find the eye gel so it was with another wrench that I pulled myself away from the Soap and Glory lip products (that Imogen from Foxy Locks has raved about) and continued my quest for eye creams.

Fourthly, there was No 7’s new eye cream (Protect and Perfect). Hmmm, Is £16.50 cheap? Yes girls, this is the one.

Now I looked at some reviews before buying because I do get some puffy eyes (I really have to start this drinking water thing) and Clinque made a real difference. Most of the reviews I looked at were on the BeautyJudge website. It did not get a perfect rating of five stars but scored about 4 point something and when I actually read the reviews, I realised that disapppointment mostly laid with the packaging. I think somebody thought the pot looked cheap. I do not have a problem with this but since purchasing, have seen a review on the Boots website saying you can not empty the pot because of the design and looking at my pot, I wonder if wastage is inevitable. When you take the lid off, there is still a rim stopping you getting your fingers in to the pot properly. We’ll see . . !

Anyway back to the product. Like others, I have wondered if the phenonmenal success that No7 skincare appears to have achieved (especially the Beauty serum) is down to good marketing but on the other hand when I’ve previously sampled miniatures, I have never been disappointed but nor have I rushed out to get the full-size. I have decided to give No 7 a shot because I think you need to use skincare products for more then three or four applications to get a true idea of how they will work for you. If it is disappointing then I will be wary of No7 in the future and I will think even more carefully about the expensive replacement when the pot is finished (Is that Kiehls I hear?!).

Apparently No 7 is going to chase away my dark shadows and puffiness. It will smooth,brighten and revitalise my skin. Mainly the same promise in the short term as Clinique. It also says that it will protect against free-radical damage. I’m not sure what this means but am reassured by the fact that the cream was voted the best eye cream by the Now Beauty Awards in 2008 (2008, just how new can this cream be?!). I’ll keep you informed with what I think . . !

Just to note Boots say that the cream is hypo-allergenic and dermalogically tested.

Finally before I go since we are all about the eyes today. Just to let you know that I picked up a Max Factor Lash Extension effect mascara in Boots for £7.99. I think at full price, it will retail for £10.99. I thought I saw in Superdrug that they had a similar offer but I can’t see anything on their website. I will try to get some mascara pictures and a review up soon.

Ooh and I was in Superdrug to pick up my free Barry M courtesy of Fabulous (again, review and pics soon), happy day. However, I had to ask a lady where the giveaway was and she wasn’t even sure if they had already ran out. This was at about 13.30 this afternoon. Luckily one was found for me but it did make me wonder exactly how many are going to be available so I’d claim soon if you are entitled to one.

Anyway I hope you are all having a happy Sunday.

X

Ps Don’t forget, you have a chance to win a No 7 product, the beautiful Crystal Lilac nail varnish, in my competition. I might be a bit cautious with No7 skincare but I have several No7 nail varnishes and love them. See the Competition post for more.

In addition . . .

This is just a little post (more of a post-note really) to tell you of a resolution for February that I forgot all about on Monday.

I don’t why because when I was thinking of resoutions for the new month, this was maybe the first one that jumped out and said hello to me.

I want to keep to it and I want to tell you about it and the resolution is . . .(drumroll please) to bring my face care routine down to my neck and decolletage (chest) area. So maybe I will take two extra seconds when I ‘Clinique’ just to bring it down that little bit further because at the moment, this region is forgotten land.

I moisturise, moisturise and moisturise my skin above and below the neck but the neck is getting lost and neglected which means I could be undoing all my hard work because what is the point of having a face ten years younger if my dry wrinkled neck gives me away? Hmmm, apparently neglected necks are bitter and have a tendency to do this so I have decided that my neck and I are going to become good friends, this month.

As for my decolletage area, that is an area I already moisturise but I wonder if the body products that I currently use here could be too harsh? So for one month, I would like to give my facial products slightly wider breadth and see what happens.

It is interesting to note that since my back acne disappeared, one or two more spots occasionally pop up in my chest area. It is a shame as this was an area that was once blemish-free. On the other hand, it is nothing compared to how blemished my back used to be. Also I have noticed since using Clinique that the skin on my face is clearer and any spots that I do have, do not tend to grow in to the big blemishes they otherwise may have BUT I have noticed that I have had a couple of angry spots on my neck. Again on an area that is usually blemish-free.

So now I’m hoping to discover that using other products and routines on these areas could once again make them clearer (maybe they are just shouting out ‘Me, me, I want expensive product too) but if so, will spots suddenly appear in other areas? Are we destined to always have a minimum number of blemishes?

What do you think? What is your routine like? Are there any areas in your skincare or beauty routine that you forget? Come on, fess up and share my guilt with me ;-) I love getting all your comments and subscriptions and don’t forget that they can make prizes (see COMPETITION POST)

Hmmm, it seems that I have a little work to do this month so until next time. . !

X