Two Reviews in One Post!?

Yes, you read that correctly! To make up for my absence, I will be reviewing Max Factor's False Lash Effect Fusion as well as No7's Instant Radiance Concealer.

Firstly, Max Factor. As far as I know, this was released pretty recently, and claims to offer "volume and length". The actual brush is different to other mascara's I've seen, as it has a very chunky barrel, and smaller bristles - I have no qualms with this brush though, as it covers each lash well. Coats-wise, it is a bit of a hit/miss situation. Personally, the way I prefer to do my mascara is to keep applying over a certain amount of time in small amounts i.e. for about 30 seconds, or thereabouts - this creates a more natural build-up of mascara in my opinion and does not clump as much. For this method of mascara, the Max Factor mascara is good in that it gives a more natural feel. However, I do know of people who prefer to let their mascara dry before adding a second coat - I would not advise this mascara for this method as it is prone to clumps and the dreaded "spider eyes". 

Overall, I think Max Factor's mascara offers a good level of volume and length, especially with one coat. However, I can acknowledge that the brush may not be to everyone's taste, and the price is pretty high at £11 - this is close to competing with No7's mascaras, which in my opinion, are worth the money (more on that to come!)

You can buy this mascara at Boots: http://www.boots.com/en/Max-Factor-False-Lash-Effect-Fusion-mascara_1190611/

One coat of Max Factor's False Lash Effect mascara

It still makes an impact when further away!

As you can see the brush is very thick, with small bristles.

The two products I used in the first two photos.

Secondly! I have been on the hunt for a good concealer for a VERY long time, as my undereye circles are appalling! So after scouring through the reviews on Boots, the No7 Instant Radiance came out on top. And my, oh my, it is good. The consistency is really lovely, so much so that you don't feel like you are wearing it, as it is very light. It doesn't get in any cracks, which I found to be the problem with my earlier concealer (Collection 2000 - good coverage but very cakey and did not fill gaps!) The application of the concealer is nice too, with a clicker-pen action to get the concealer out, and a small brush to apply. The mechanism does feel a little plasticky but I think I'm being picky. The price of this concealer is £13.50, which is very expensive, especially for only 2.5ml. However, this is a concealer I am willing to purchase in the future. 

Bought from Boots: http://www.boots.com/en/No7-Instant-Radiance-Concealer_15547/

So there we have it! Apologies for the long post, but let me know in the comments if you have tried these products, and what you make of them!

NOTD: Cosmos

Just a quick post - I am still alive! I've had all of these beauty-related ventures, but not the time to blog about them!

So here, NOTD: Cosmos. I tried to recreate a nebula/cosmos style, using various shades and colours. Naturally, I used a dark navy blue, from No7's range (review of No7 nail polishes here:http://makeuptherest.blogspot.com/2012/01/notd-no7-in-beanie-20.html) - basically, you only need the one coat with most of the No7 range of nail polishes, especially with the darker colours. It sufficed as a base coat, and the colour was lovely and rich. I then used a eye shadow applicator to dab grey, turquoise, purpley-grey and duck egg blue to create the cosmos effect. I then added "stars" using a toothpick and white nail polish, but I personally think I ruined it. 

So there you go! You can check out other nail designs at my friend Lily's blog - http://theprettychallenge.blogspot.com/2012/02/nail-painting.html

Barbara Daly Eye Shadow

So whilst I was searching for a gym bag in my local Tesco's (long story, don't ask...!) I did what came naturally to me, and had a little browse in the make-up section. Now, as a rule, I tend to do most of my make-up shopping in Boots, and occasionally Sainsburys, so I was happy to find a brand I hadn't heard of before - Barbara Daly.

I think what caught my eye in the first place was these INCREDIBLE eyeshadows - they are called "Barbara Daly Satin Swirl" and come in 6 different shades - Navy Reflection, Rose Lace, Gold Dust, Sequins, Whirl, and Cinder Shine. The way in which the eyeshadow is packaged is amazing, beautifully feminine and interesting - definitely swirly! I think, being a metallic kinda girl, the gold and bronze colours are superb, and for a smoky eye, the navy looks stunning. They look very pigmented too, which is a bonus! They retail at £8.00, definitely a product I hope to try in the future.

Barbara Daly Satin Swirl Eyes Navy Reflection

Barbara Daly Satin Swirl Eyes Sequin

Barbara Daly Satin Swirl Eyes Gold Dust

If anyone has had any experience with Barbara Daly products, let me know in the comments!

NOTD: Max Factor Mini

One nail colour I have been avidly searching for is a gold nail polish, which NOWHERE seems to stock (in Boots, that is!) So eventually, I resorted to buying the gold nail polish in Max Factor's new range of mini nail polishes.

Application wise, it is pretty standard, with a good brush and spreads the polish well. I did need a couple of coats however, to get the desired depth of colour - I put two coats of the gold and a basecoat on too. Chipping wise, it has a few, but not too bad - other reviews have said at least 1 week's wear, so we will see how that one fares.

The dinky little bottle! 

The polish in natural light

I would absolutely love to try this as a glittery topcoat for pinky-reddy hues, to make the nail a lot more spring-like!
I think, however, one of the downsides to this range is the price - £3.99 for one tiny pot of polish? Not Max Factor's best work, although I acknowledge they tend to be at the higher end of the price range.

(N.B. As far as I am aware, the shade is called Ivory - how bizarre!)

NOTD: No7 in Beanie 20

So being a recent nail polish convert, I can happily say that many an hour has been wasted on painting and experimenting with different colours and effects on my nails - much to the detriment of my purse!

I bought this No7 shade as part of an offer which I believe has just finished in Boots - 3 for 2 on all No7 products. Being the cheapskate I am, I opted to spend as little money as possible on this offer, so I bought three nail polishes, in midnight blue, bright blue and grey. I will review the other two colours at a later date! It cost me £14 overall, saved £7 - still a lot of money for three nail polishes! One of the only downsides to the No7 range is the price; at £7 per 10ml bottle, it is not cheap.

But hey ho, on with the review! One thing I love about this nail polish, and No7 polishes in particular, is the fact that only one coat is needed. I know this may be against the standard nail-polish commandments, but hey, I'm branching out. I have had mixed reviews on the colour - some say it is elegant, whilst others say the exact opposite. I personally like the colour, it has a hint of mushroom, and it is an neutral colour to wear daily. 

The polish bottle - Beanie 20

An example of it on my nails

The colour is exactly the same as in the bottle! Stupid I know, but I've had this problem in the past!

So, overall, I give the No7 Stay Perfect nail polish in Beanie 20 a 4/5 - I love the colour and the need for only one coat, but the price puts me off a little. 

My Skin Routine

I suppose one of my redeeming features, make-up wise, is my clear skin. I personally put this down to a strong dislike of any fizzy drinks when I was a youngster, but as I've become older, the perils of late nights and alcoholic beverages have caught up with me. So it is even more important for me now to start looking after my skin, while I am still (relatively) young.

For my face, I use two main products. Firstly, every 2-3 days, I whip out the amazing exfoliating glove. I bought it from Boots many months ago - I suggest replacing your gloves every 3 months or so, just to keep them fresh. They are a staple product for my skincare routine as they make my skin so soft. I normally use Dove Cream Soap Bar.

My (lone) exfoliating glove.

The glove in more detail - you can really see the texture.

 You can find them here: http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Exfoliating-Gloves_1228627/ (at £2.66, a definite bargain!)

After exfoliating, I use the miracle moisturiser which is Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula. This is a pretty thick formula, and smells absolutely divine - a beautiful blend of cocoa and shea butter. I normally put this on after my skin has dried a little. I tend to use this on my face, but can be used all over the body. It works well for stretch marks too.

The packaging of the moisturiser.

The consistency of the moisturiser. It's yellow in colour.

You can find it in all major Boots stores, and online at http://www.boots.com/en/Palmers-Cocoa-Butter-Formula-Lotion-250ml_2327/ It is £3.77, and definitely worth it for the amount of time it lasts - I've only had to buy two in the last year!

Finally, a problem I often have is dry hands. To combat this, my lovely mother bought my family different products from the "Gorgeous by Gok" range, which is currently in Boots (can you see a trend?!) Luckily for me, I got the hand balm, and I have to say, it does the job well. You don't need a lot to keep your hands moisturised, but I get the impression it doesn't last as long as I would have hoped - a couple of hours tops. Top-ups throughout the day are necessary. However, it smells nice, and the consistency is lovely too. Overall, a good product, although unsure if I would buy again. 

Here we have the packaging of the product - easy to use and very squeezable!

Only a small amount needed, and you can see it is a bright white colour.

And there we have it! My skin routine, for the world to see. 

Following from a friend...

So I suppose this blog was a "nudge in the right direction", if you will. I had been thinking about writing a blog for some time, as I already have many other social networking sites such as Twitter and Tumblr, and the one thing that convinced me to take the plunge was a tweet from a friend, who had also started a new makeup blog.

So it was decided. If she can write about makeup, a friend who is just as much a novice as me, surely I could too?

And her we have it. This will be a makeup blog, for the uninitiated and well informed. Greetings and welcome, please enjoy the party.

p.s. Apologies in advance for the awful nail painting
p.p.s There may be other ramblings too, but mainly makeup.