Review: Max Factor Colour Effect Flipstick in Bloomy Pink and Salsa Red

Top: Bloomy Pink, Bottom: Salsa Red

I have to say how unimpressed I am with this product range. For the price you would pay, these flipsticks are not worth the bother. The idea with them is that you apply the darker colour on the lips and then the lighter colour is used to highlight your lips as you wish. Unfortunately the combinations are like something out of a 5 year old's idea of sophistication. Salsa red is a combination of red/coral and gold. The coral, however, comes out on the skin as metallic peachy/orange.

 

 

This does not accurately show how awful the colours look. But please take my word. The tones do not suit my skin whatsoever. Bloomy pink is slightly better...

 

 

That said, I'm still not sold and won't be wearing them day to day as they are just too metallic and shiny for my liking. The texture is really strange, like a waxy crayon and they smell odd to boot.

 

Thankfully I bought my flipsticks off a market stall, so I didn't end up wasting about £7 on each.

 

I give this product 2/10.

 

Penny

 

Review: La Couleur Infallible Eye Shadow in Bronze Divine (24) and Coconut Shake (16) by L'Oreal

Coconut Shake

I bought this eyeshadow off eBay, wanting to find a long-lasting primer substitute that wasn't ridiculously expensive. This fits the bill as it is practically the same shade as my skin and goes on very smooth and matte. It also lasts all day, which is amazing. I've been using it for over 4 months and am very impressed by it staying power.

Bronze Divine also retailed as
Bronze Goddess

Bronze Divine is an iridescent khaki/gold/brown with a healthy does of shimmer. It is a relatively dark colour on the eyelids, especially as I'm so pale, so I would recommend using it with a lighter shadow on the inner corner of the eye to make a softer look. In the light it glows gold.

I really like this colour and, like the other shadow, it lasts all day.

The pots do not come with an applicator (I would not suggest using your fingers to apply the darker coloured shadows as they won't simply brush off) but a simple eyeshadow brush will do the job well. They are very blendable and can be softened into the sockets easily. You don't need too much product to get  a good payoff, which should mean they last for ages.

They are both available on eBay for a significant amount less than you would normally pay in the shops, but if you like the high street, they're £6.99 each.

I give this product 8/10.

Penny

Review: L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick in Burning Rose (286)

I bought this lipstick when I was bored, wandering around town one day when I probably should have been reading some of the many, many books I had to read during final year at uni. It says on the packet that it's for light brunettes (I am not a light brunette, but a very dark brunette) but the colour appealed to me so much that I decided to ignore the advice and get it anyway.

The colour, at my best guess, is a cherry pink/red, although it's difficult to say whether it is more red or pink. It contains a subtle amount of sparkle which makes the lips shimmer slightly but doesn't look like something a 12 year old going to her first party would jump at.

Complexion wise, this is not the easiest colour to pull off. I have cool, pink-toned skin so the colour enhances this. One way to tell if lipstick will suit is to try it against the skin and really think about whether it looks good. Not all lipsticks suit every skin tone and undertone. If you don't know what your skin's tone and undertone is then I suggest you look here and find out.

That doesn't mean to say you can't wear red at all if one red looked silly on you. It just means you need to look for a different shade that brings out the best in your complexion. Patience, and maybe a little help from makeup counter staff (who should know what they're doing) will help if you're stuck.

I took this photo in natural light and this is the best rendering of the colour I've been able to obtain.

The lipstick goes on easily and has a creamy, balmy texture, which leaves the lips feeling moisturised. You can build up the colour from a medium pink to darker, reddy-pink. It lasts well, even through eating and drinking as it stains the lips, so only a little top-up is required.

The packaging is also quite robust and pretty. The lid won't come off in your bag and get all over the place.

It is not a cheap lipstick at £8.19, but it is very good quality. I tend to wear it with a very neutral face (liner and grey socket shadow, low-key mascara and cherry-coloured blusher) so that I don't overdo my look.

I give this product 7/10.

Penny

Hi Folks

Source

For those of you who have patiently waited for me to return to blogging (I hope you exist) I am back! After months working away on translation projects, essays and speaking exams I have finished my lovely degree. I graduated with a 2:1 in BA French Studies and am now unemployed full-time. Yay! I am not the only one, though, so I can hardly complain. But, on the up side, I guess it means I have plenty of time to write down a few thoughts on new makeup and products I've tried out over the last few months.

Graduation was not something I was entirely enthusiastic about. I am a fairly shy creature and wanted to avoid the thing at all costs. However, a strong dose of peer pressure and family interest meant that I relented and decided to go after all. Wearing the robes and the cap was weird- especially wandering around my uni city in them as people stared. However, the actual ceremony was nice. It was basically two hours clapping non-stop as people went up to collect their degrees. Some of the high heels were spectacular and I'm very surprised no one fell over.

After losing all feeling in our hands, my family and me went out for a slap-up meal at a new bistro I'd noticed while on a bus to town weeks before. I was also treated to a pair of very nice earrings (that weren't from Argos) as a graduation present for all my hard work. If I'm feeling less camera shy I might share pictures later.

Anyway, I promise to start writing more regularly - in between learning how to drive and applying for jobs. I should be starting to volunteer with a charity within the next few weeks as a way of boosting my CV. Exciting.

Penny

Review: Remington Pearl C195 Curling Wand



Source

A few months ago I bought this wand as it was in a sale at Boots and it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. I'd been after tongs or a wand for a little while as curling my fringe slightly lets me get away without cutting it every few weeks.

The Curler comes with a heat-proof bag and glove as well as a nice long swivel-cord that makes styling much easier. There is a digital screen which allows you to control the temperature.

I don't really use them to curl my hair, although I have a had a go. Rather, I use them to curl my fringe and add volume to the top of my hair so my style looks fuller. I use a low heat so my roots don't get damaged from regular use. At this task they are very capable. I can turn my flat hair into a much thicker-looking style with a few-minutes careful root curling. A few seconds is all that's required to get the hair to set.

Visually, the curler looks very sleek and well made, with a pretty flower pattern decorating the middle section. They heat up within a minute, which is good for those looking for a quick styler, and I'm very pleased with them overall.

I paid £20.50 for mine in the sale, but they are now full price again. The cheapest I have seen are on Amazon for just under £20, which is great value.

I'd give this product 8/10.

Penny

Jeggings

I am firmly in the camp that, if your leggings are not thick enough to obscure what's underneath them, don't wear them as trousers (or pants if we're being American.) I can't tell you how many women I see breaking this rule at university. It seems entirely likely that they don't realise everyone can see their pants through them (or underwear if we're being American) but, at the same time, why don't they do a basic check in a mirror in daylight, or even ask a trusted friend? Well, whatever...

Jeggings, on the other hand, which once seemed to suggest those awful, elasticated Marks and Spencers trousers for the older woman, have grown on me. The first attempts by various high street stores were pitiful, baggy affairs that were more reminiscent of sacking than pull-on jeans. Later attempts have been better, such as these:

Dorothy Perkins £23

I have now bought two pairs of these black jeggings which, in a regular, manage to amply cover my 34" inside leg. They do a short and long version of these, though they seem to be out of stock at the moment, and they come in many different colours. My sister has grey ones which are a slightly shinier material.

So, if you're looking for a pair of jeans that can be worn without a belt and do not have buttons and zips which bulge out under tighter tops, then these are a safe bet.

Do be aware that they do lose their colour a little after a few washes, but I'm still satisfied they're worth it, especially for the small price of £23.

Penny

Review: Freederm Gel

Source Boots

Having suffered with mild acne since I was about 12, finding something which actually works on spots is often very difficult and, if you're like me, an obsession. Luckily, ever since I began taking the pill (microgynon 30) I have suffered relatively little acne but when I have it has taken ages to shift. Spots on my cheeks have been especially difficult to deal with as they tend to spread easily and scar.

While I had some success with Witch's Blemish Stick, Freederm has officially replaced this as my new go-to product for dealing with spots.

It comes in a small tube (10g) which, if stored on the cap, will perpetually continue to empty itself every time you open it. I put the gel on any area of my skin which seems to be developing spots on a night, after moisturising. By morning the area has either stopped developing or comes to a point where it's easier to deal with. I tend not to wear this under makeup as it flakes off, but bare faced boys and girls could quite easily use it as it is transparent on the skin.

Even with my sensitive skin, it does not dry or irritate, which is good news!

I give this product 9/10 as it really does seem to work for me although others have seen less success. In the UK, the cheapest I have found it is in BodyCare which has stores in most large towns/cities for around £3.99 although it does come up on sale at bigger stores from time to time. Normally it costs £4.99.

Penny