Ben Nye Luxury Powder Review

Hey everyone! So today I wanted to review a product that I’ve have wanted to purchase for a very long time, and I finally got my hands on it! 

So I feel like everyone knows about the Ben Nye powders. Kim Kardashian pretty much put this product on the map within the beauty community, and as soon as she posted those famous selfies of herself applying the banana powder, it’s been on everyone’s must have lists! 

So I decided to try it out. Except I didn’t purchase the raved over banana powder, I instead purchased the shade “Cameo” as I’m extremely fair and I didn’t want the powder to look too yellow over my foundation. 

 

For those of you who may have already read my previous blog posts, you’ll know that I’m on a constant search for the perfect setting powder. So because this powder is so highly recommended I couldn’t wait to try it out! I had extremely high expectations of this powder seeing as everyone talks about it. I’m very pleased to say that it certainly lived up to those expectations! 

The powder is extremely finely milled and is very similar to a lot of high end powders out there, and in terms of application it can’t be beaten. This powder applies onto my foundation effortlessly and seamlessly. The only thing I was concerned about was the staying power, although it looked absolutely stunning on first application, I was worried that the powder would soon sweat off during the day. But for someone that has extremely oily skin this wasn’t an issue for me at all! It kept my foundation in place much longer than other powders have done; even those powders that have been advertised to specifically mattify your face. So in terms of flawlessly setting the foundation and staying power, I have to say this is one of the best (if not THE best) I’ve tried so far. 

 

The only thing that really lets this powder down is the packaging. A lot of people when reviewing this product have mentioned this and it unfortunately is a down side to the product. You have to get the powder out through a sieve, which definitely can get quite messy and is a bit of a disadvantage to what would otherwise be a 10/10 product. 

Other than the packaging this is hands down the BEST powder I have tried to this day! If you want a powder that will look flawless over foundation and will control perspiration, definitely try this out! I can’t be without it now! 

 Thanks for reading!

Alice D 

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How to grow your hair longer: Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment Review

“If the earth’s not nourished, you’ll never grow beautiful flowers” – Lee Stafford 

So you want to grow your hair? You want long, luscious, Rapunzel-like locks. Who doesn’t?! I personally think all hairstyles are beautiful, but when I see long, gorgeous hair a twinge of envy rushes inside me, and I want to know their secret! We all do, don’t we? 

I’ve tried lots of different things to grow my hair. There are a lot of tips and tricks out there to make your hair grow. I believe that a lot of it is down to your lifestyle and diet. It’s essential that you drink a lot of water and have a balanced, healthy diet and lifestyle. How else will you expect your hair to grow? 

But, everyone needs a little help of course! So I went searching for hair products that will give me a little help to grow an inch or two. 

 

A couple of years ago I discovered the Lee Stafford “hair growth” range. I’ve been using these products on and off for around 3-4 years, and these products are always a favourite that I consistently go back to! 

The hair growth range provides three products, the shampoo and conditioner, and a hair growth treatment.

First I want to tell you about the hair growth treatment. I love this treatment; it really is a treat to put in my hair! Usually, the treatment should be used between your shampoo and conditioner and be left in for 5 minutes. But I like to leave this treatment in on a relaxing evening; I usually leave it in for around 15 minutes before I rinse it out. 

 

The treatment contains a protein based complex to fertilise your hair follicles to help your hair reach its maximum potential length. Not only does this fantastic formula encourages hair growth, but is also reduces hair loss and abolishes irritation by moisturizing the scalp. However it is unrealistic to expect miracles from this mask, it won’t give you those gorgeous Rapunzel locks in a couple of uses. You need to use this quite consistently, and definitely use it alongside the shampoo and conditioner too, this will definitely help! 

 

The treatment is quite pricey, retailing around £8 per tub, and while it’s suggested you use an “egg sized amount”, I recommend you use a little less so you don’t run out of product so quickly. It really is a sort of all purpose treatment, because not only does it encourage hair growth, it also gives your hair body and texture, what more could you want?! My favourite thing about this treatment is the smell. Next time you’re in Boots, just smell it if anything, it’s seriously amazing! One of my favourite scents of all time, if it was made into a perfume I’d definitely buy that too! It leaves a gorgeous smell in your hair which lingers for a long time; I think the treatment is worth the purchase just for the smell alone! 

Onto the shampoo and conditioner, again these products provide the same as the hair treatment. Both products contain the “pro growth complex”, encouraging hair growth and a healthy scalp. I love using these products together because they really help to give my hair better body and volume; they really are a match made in heaven! Just like the treatment, the smell is to die for! I always get some many compliments on the scent of my hair when I use these two!

 

So if you’re serious about growing your hair long, I strongly recommend you try these beauties! Like I said they’re not miracle workers, so try to maintain a healthy diet, otherwise you can’t expect your hair to reach its potential without feeding it the nutrients it really needs! 

I really wouldn’t be without these products and I always go back to them! By using these my hair is in the best condition it has ever been in, it definitely does give your hair a boost of growth, so they’re definitely worth it! 

Happy hair growing! Thanks for reading! 

Alice D

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How to get the perfect, classic red lip!

“I never really get too far from red lipstick, do I? I guess I just think my face looks worse without it. That’s pretty much the only rational behind it.” – Taylor Swift 

Every girl wants that classic, elegant and sophisticated red lip. Whether it’s for a party or a night out, or even just to wear with a cozy jumper while running errands for the day. The classic red lip can be worn for lots of different occasions, and it really amplifies and makes you look like a million dollars! 

 

Taylor Swift, Marilyn Monroe and Gwen Stefani just to name a few all classically show off their red lips, and it leaves everyday girls like us wondering how they did it! 

 Choosing the perfect colour according to your skin tone is the biggest task. My top tip for choosing the best colour is a simple principle; if you have fair skin like myself, go for a red lip colour with a blue under-tone to it. However if you have a darker skin tone, go for a red lip colour with a yellow under-tone. By doing this you’ll have a red lip that will work wonders with your natural skin tone. The biggest mistake that people make is by assuming that just because one specific shade of red looks good on one girl, that therefore means it’ll look good on you too. Not at all, red lip colours won’t work universally on every skin tone. So just shop around and be patient, you’ll find the right shade, I promise!

For me personally, I have really fair skin, so I went for a shade of red with a blue under-tone that I knew would work well with my skin tone. 

As some of you may already know, I’m a Mac addict! So of course I had to go for a few Mac colours!  

First I wanted to try a red lip pencil to make the look more complete. I decided to try out the Mac Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in the shade “Kiss me quick”, which is the most beautiful, universal shade that seamlessly lines the lips, ready for the lipstick! 

 

So now onto the lipstick! As an avid lover of all things Mac, I wanted to try out some of their red shades. And again because I’m fair skinned, a good friend of mine suggested that I try the colour “Ruby Woo”. It’s a vivid blue-red with a sophisticated matte finish, and it really gives the most amazing colour pay off you could ask for. It’s not too over-dramatic but it will still make that ultimate elegant red lip statement. 

 What I love the most about this lipstick is the formulation; it’s soft and moisturizing with the most amazing smell ever! If you own any Mac lipsticks yourself, you’ll know what I mean when I say how beautiful they smell! It makes applying the lipstick such a joy! 

 

I would definitely suggest this lipstick and of course this shade in particular! But like I said, you really have to search for the perfect shade for your skin tone. Don’t give up! Mac offer a colossal choice of red shades! Happy red lipstick hunting! 

 Thanks for reading!

Alice D 

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Perfect "gradient" eye brows!

Like many other girls, I’m on a constant quest for perfect, symmetrical eyebrows. I absolutely love those gradient eyebrows that start off soft and get darker further along the brow. This to me is the most gorgeous and elegant style for the brows. But unfortunately, it’s also the most difficult look to achieve. 

It’s easy to just go along with one colour, outline the shape of the brows and fill them in with an eyebrow pencil or even an eye shadow. But with the use of a couple more products that other people wouldn't typically use, you can easily create stunning and symmetrical brows! 

I recently tried out a few products that I knew would work well on my eyebrows. In fact, I know these products will work well for anyone, even if you have really sparse brows. The whole purpose of filling in your eye brows is to perfectly frame your face and to enhance your whole makeup look. 

The first product I decided to try out was the Mac Veluxe Brow Liner in the shade “Brunette”. 

 

I use this product to create the initial shape of my brows, but I start from the middle of the brow and outline all the way to the edge. What I love about most about this product is that it is an all-purpose product; it fills, shapes and defines the brows that leaves a matte finish. I always use the brush at the other end of the pencil to quickly shape the brows before I begin to fill them in. 

 

The next product I like to use on my brows is a Mac Eye Shadow in the colour Charcoal Brown. This colour is a muted taupe brown which is a perfect universal shade for the brows (unless yours are really light or really dark). For the most part though, this colour works pretty well on most people. I use this colour to fill in the brows to give them the colour I want. The eye shadow works so well, it lasts all day without fading, and it applies evenly. 

 

And last but not least, I fill in the inner corners of my eyes with Mac’s “Eye Brows” tool in the shade “Fling”. Although this shade is nowhere near the colour I want for my brows, it helps to create that gradient look that I like. The product is a crayon-like pen that adds colour and density, and again helps me create that beautiful gradient look that’s definitely an on-trend look right now. 

 

I know what you’re thinking, that’s a LOT of products to use just for your brows! And you’re right, it is! Sometimes I do skip some steps if I don’t have the time or I just don’t have the motivation to spend ages on my brows using multiple products, these are just some of my favourite products to use! Hope you give some of them a try; they really do help create astonishing brows! 

Thanks for reading! 

Alice D 

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Eye Makeup that lasts forever!

Hey everyone! Hope you’re all well! 

One of my biggest struggles in regards to my makeup is getting it to last and look fresh all day long. If you’re anything like me, I’m sure you’ll agree and I’m sure you share my frustration when makeup begins to smudge, slide or even sweat off your face (I’m know, not a good look!) 

I will be doing a follow-up blog post on how to make your face products last all day, but today I’m going to talk about making your eye makeup last all day. I truly believe that it only takes one product to do the trick. You don’t need to purchase a tone of different eye products to keep your eye shadow in place all day! 

Being a huge fan of Mac products, I decided to purchase the Pro Longwear Paint Pot, in the very popular shade “Painterly”. 

 

I think that this particular eye primer is pretty much a staple and almost “must have” product for all makeup collectors, so I jumped onto the bandwagon and tried it out for myself. I use this paint pot as an eye primer to go under my eye shadow, but it can be used on its own if you don’t want to apply any shadow on top. It’s extremely pigmented and goes on as a cream, but dries on the eyelids with an intense finish. If you want to top this off with an even more intense staying power, spray some finishing spray (like the Urban Decay All Nighter Spray) over your eyelids once you’ve completed your eye makeup. 

 

What can I say? It’s a beautiful product and it really does help keep your eye shadow in place all day long without any smudging! Personally, I have extremely oily eyelids but this stuff is like glue! It really does make your eye shadow look vibrant and intense, definitely worth the purchase! Well done Mac! 

Thanks for reading! 

Alice D 

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Killer Lashes! Chanel's Inimitable Intense Volume, Length, and Curl Seperation Mascara!

Hey everyone! Hope you’re all well! 

In this blog post I wanted to tell you about one makeup product in particular that I couldn’t live without! 

Chanel’s Inimitable Intense Volume, Length and Curl Separation Mascara! (Quite a mouth full!)

I absolutely adore Chanel makeup products. Although there are definitely some amazing bargains out there in the world of makeup and beauty, sometimes you really do get what you pay for! 

As many of you can probably relate, I’m on a constant, never-ending quest to search for the perfect mascara, one that lengthens my lashes perfectly and creates dramatic volume and curl without having to layer coats on and end up looking like spiders legs!

I’ve tried bundles of different mascaras, ranging from high end to drug store, mascaras that offer different things for the lashes like extreme length or extreme volume. One day I decided I’d try out a mascara from one of my favourite makeup brands, which anyone who knows me well knows that’s Chanel!

I have to say the price did put me off a bit, I just couldn’t really justify spending £25 on a mascara. But because other mascaras just weren’t working for me, I finally parted with my money and gave it a try. I can’t tell you how happy I’ve been with that decision! I’ve genuinely never had a better mascara and I can say with complete confidence that it was worth every penny!

First let’s talk about the packaging; the mascara comes in a sleek and sophisticated black tube, with its iconic Chanel logo on the top of the lid. The brush is a simple plastic brush with quite short bristles, I have to say I’ve seen better mascara brushes, like Benefit’s They’re Real Mascara with the domed tip that means you can get hold of those pesky little lashes! Unfortunately this mascara doesn’t have the unique domed brush, but that doesn’t mean it can’t do the job! 

The mascara itself is easy to apply, I’ve never experienced any problems with smudging and the consistency isn’t gloopy like a lot of other mascaras out there! It manages to last me quite a long time, I’m sure you also understand the frustration of parting with your money for an expensive mascara, for it to just dry out within a few weeks. This mascara takes a while to dry out, so I definitely think it’s worth the money just for that alone. Finally, the finishing product after just a couple of coats gives me a false-lash effect (without them looking like spider’s legs!) with beautiful curl and separation to them, as well as length and volume! 

 Chanel’s Inimitable Intense Volume Mascaras certainly does what it says on the tube, and I believe it’s second to none!

“A girl should be two things, classy and fabulous” – Coco Chanel

Thanks for reading!

Alice D 

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