NYC Big Bold Bronzer in Manhatan

Hello my beauties I hope you are all well :) 

Todays review is on a very very affordable bronzer that I am actually enjoying alot lately especially with me been alot paler since last summer I found the bronzers I was using before are getting a little too dark for me to use on an every day basis.  This bronzer has been just right for me and I just had to share it with you.  

It is the NYC Big Bold Bronzer in shade Manhatan :) Available from Superdrug at only £3.99 which is less than €5.  In the pharmacy where I got mine I only paid €3.99 for it :)  

There is 2 shades available Manhatan and Metropolitan 
We are getting a whopping 17.1 g of product for our prices which is amazing :) and even better news ....... They are both matte :) :)  In all fairness I have to admit I love matte bronzers I prefer them over shimmer ones any day.  I do own one one shimmer bronzer which is beautiful and amazing and has lasted me a long time in fact i have it over 2 years and still haven't hit pan.  I only use that one when I am going out.  

Manhatan is the perfect bronzer for anyone who has fair to medium skin-tones :)  Its a very light natural tan shade and would be perfect for everyday bronzing.  Metropolitan is suitable for anyone with medium to dark skin-tones in which I will also purchase as I wear a darker foundation when I am wearing tan ;) 

You may have noticed the tiny speck of shimmer in the bronzer but to be honest I do not even know why they are there because even when you swatch this you will not notice any on your face at all.  Even when I swatched the bronzer on my finger all I got was pure matte powder.  If anything the powder gives a warm semi glow to your face which is exactly what we need especially when we are pale.  
I love how smooth and soft this bronzer feels against the skin it feels like silk.  It blends out beautifully and of course its build-able so do not worry if you are the palest of pale this beauty can be as light or as pigmented as you want it to be.  I love the fact that you will not get too much powder on your brush while using this either as its nicely compacted leaving you with 100% control of how much you want to apply to your face.  Plus you are not losing too much product in the process :) 
In the picture below I swatched the bronzer twice over to make the shade stand out in the photo but it can be lighter :) 

Overall I highly recommend you try their bronzer out if you are looking for something to warm up your complexion a little this is for you.  I find it great especially if I have a foundation that is a little too light for me it blends out to a beautiful natural finish.  I love to use my elf Kabuki brush for this.  I also use this for a natural contoured look too as I said before its build-able so I just apply and apply until i am satisfied with the even contoured look :) :) 
In the photo below I used the NYC Big Bronzer in Manhatan all over the face and neck for a more warmer looking complexion :) 

For the price you are definitely getting your moneys worth :) :) And just to add to this positive review its one of NYC's top selling products :) 
Have you tried this bronzer yet?  
Whats your thoughts on it :) 
Until next time 
Lots of Love Luck and Laughter 

I love love love hearing from you all :) I make it my duty to read each and every one of you comments and every time i get a comment from you it highlights my day thanks so so much to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Human + Kind Shampoo & Conditioner for all Hair Types Review

Hello My beauties :) I hope you are all well 

You know at this stage that I have already tried some of Human + Kinds amazing products and absolutely loved them.  Their All in One Hand, Elbow and Foot cream is amazing and I have it in my handbag full time :) :) I also adore their All in One Facial Cleanser which has become my one of my favourite cleansers I have tried :)  Their Age Spot Remover cream aka moisturiser is amazing and I have been using it constantly since I got it :) 

I was so so happy when Human + Kind sent me Their new Shampoo & Conditioner Duo to try out :) :) 

I absolutely love the packaging as always its very easy to find Human + Kinds product simply by they bright and colourful packaging :) :) 

They have 3 different types of Shampoo & Conditioner duos and of course different colour coded squirty bottles to identify them 

You can get The one for :

All hair types Which is what I will be reviewing today 

Sensitive Hair & Skin:  Which is perfect for anyone sensitive out there 

Dry Hair: which is of course need for ones who do alot with their hair like dying and styling :) 

The shampoo and Conditioner costs €7.95 each and is 100% natural with No Petrochemicals No Animal Testing Paraben Free and SLS Free.  

SLS free ??? I hear you say well to be honest I did not know the meaning either until I looked it up and found out it is actually beneficial especially if you suffer with sensitive skin and are prone to breakouts 

SLS stands for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate which is basically used in all beauty products that has a foam to it.  Shampoos, body washes, toothpaste, shower gels etc.  SLS is very drying on the skin and hair resulting to dry skin as you notice when you get out of your shower SLS strips the skin and hair of its natural oils leaving them dry so we then have to replace the oils with moisturiser or oils afterwards.  

I know I personally love my products especially when in the shower to foam up and I knew this was going to be an experience trying something that doesnt not contain that ingredient 

First of all let me talk about the Shampoo & Bodywash. 

  I love the idea of this been a shampoo & bodywash because normally I wash my hair before I jump into the shower reason is I dont like the thought of shampoo residue on my body as I know it can be drying.  Where as with this little beauty I dont have to worry where I start.  

This is suitable for all hair types and especially for people who are on the go all the time.  It contains ingredients like Aloe vera which is always good for your hair and skin 

Avena Sativa which is used to soothe sooth and nourish the skin.  It also helps hair by improving conditioning and manageability.   Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil Grapefruit Peel Oil is high in the anti-oxidant Vitamin C which helps to fight free radicals and prevent skin damage. Grapefruit is also high in keratin a protein building block of the skin and hair.

My Thoughts 

The first thing I noticed was the Grapefruit scent which is lovely and very natural.  Even though I did notice the scent did not linger as much as normal shampoos maybe because its all natural with no perfume scent.  When I first started to wash my hair i did notice that there was very little to no lather while washing which was very strange to me but I soon got used to it.  I also noticed my hair was squeaky clean already after just one wash.  I to be honest was not satisfied with the shampoo for one reason, my hair felt like wire before I put the conditioner in and more wiriery than normal instantly I knew why.  I have dyed my hair alot and also suffer with dry hair so instantly I knew this shampoo was not suitable for my hair.  As far as using it for a body wash well it was beautiful and my skin felt so smooth and soft and not one bit dry.  

I have been using this shampoo on my childrens hair and the shine you see on their hair is amazing.  

Now we have the Conditioner for all hair types.  Human + Kind promises With the ingredients such as Hops extract softens and thickens the hair while Oat Kernel extract helps to add shine and increase manageability. 

I have to admit I was very very pleased with this conditioner.  While using the shampoo and it leaving my hair feel extra wirery I needed instant relief my hair felt so matted and not with the falt of the shampoo but more to my fault for years of dying and have very dry hair.  I was sure this conditioner was not going to be enough for me but I was wrong.  It gave my hair instant relief and literally my hair felt softer.  I couldnt believe it :)  And wow when I blow dried my hair after my first use of the conditioner I instantly seen the beautiful shine.  My childrens hair especially the girls hair looks so healthy and shiny too I have been asked a couple of times how they have such shiny hair.  

As you can tell by my review its a 50/50 result for me especially.  The shampoo did not work for me but the conditioner certainly did.  With the result of the conditioner I do want to try out the Shampoo for dry hair as I have a feeling I will get a better result :)  I will be sure to let you know how I get on with that with a whole new review.  If you are looking for an all natural shampoo and conditioner for non damaged hair or simply for your young family This shampoo and conditioner is 100% for you but for anyone who has badly damaged or dry hair it will not be suitable :) :) Dont worry I will not keep you in too much suspense with the result of the dry hair one as I am now as i type this buying it online :)   Check out Human + Kind Website for more information :) 

I hope this was helpful to you all 

Until next time 

Lots of Love Luck and Laughter 

I love love love hearing from you all :) I make it my duty to read each and every one of you comments and every time i get a comment from you it highlights my day thanks so so much to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beauty Tips Collaboration with House of Fraser :)

Hey beauties A couple of weeks ago I was chatting to Ashleigh from House of Fraser and she came up with the idea of putting up a Beauty Tip Collab for my blog and I thought yes what an amazing idea :) :) We all love to hear some useful tips especially about our skin and makeup and it would be brilliant to get our tips together in one post and share them with you.  Ashleigh got together some other bloggers shes has worked with and also some of her team including a makeup artist to share their best tips :)  I really hope you enjoy this and find all if not some of our tips useful :) Let me know your thoughts and of course if you have your own tips to share please share them in the comment below :) 

Personally when it comes to getting hints and tips about skincare I can never get enough. I like to know everyone’s secrets and if they improve my skin or makeup routine as well then happy days!

The lovely Nina (nawwww ) has given her best tips and the ladies at House of Fraser have thrown some in for good measure to create a comprehensive list of beauty tips for your pleasure. Start with the skincare and then move on to your makeup.

Skincare

Try to stay clear of face wipes especially when you find them stinging you after you take your makeup off, that sting is telling you that you are taking a layer of skin cells that are not meant to come off. If you have feel the need to use wipe now and again try buying Water wipes they are the best for your skin.

-Nina's Bargain Beauty 

Never skimp on skincare, you’re using it directly on your skin after all! Shiseido pureness cleansing range - thanks to this, I was lucky enough to avoid any major breakouts through my teens! 

- Momina, Beauty Press Officer

My mother taught me to use a toner after cleansing for clear smooth skin. - Louisa, Beauty Buyer When moisturising I do upward strokes when applying to my neck to prevent wrinkles. 

- Gayle, Fashion Press Officer

Always wear SPF on your face neck and chest even in the winter in fact all year round as you face neck and chest are more sensitive to sun rays, pollution etc. You will be free from sun damage aka pigmentation in later life and of course wrinkles and fine lines will be delayed.

-Nina's Bargain Beauty

Skintone

To determine what you skintone is simple, go by how your skin reacts to the sun. If you burn and turn white again- pink toned foundations are for you. If you tan easily you can go for either a yellow toned or neutral toned foundation.

Never ever test a foundation on your arm or hand as normally you hand and arm are darker than your face. Do a swatch of foundation on the side on your face from the bottom of you cheek to your jaw line to see does it match your neck shade if it does then that’s the foundation to go for as you are trying to match your face with your neck.

Beware not to buy the foundation that looks like it matches your neck as you are testing it in artificial lighting plus some foundations do oxidise so your are best to do the swatch leave it for at least 10 minutes go out to natural light and see how it looks. If that is too much for you simply ask whoever works in the store can you have a sample of the foundation to bring home to try.

-Nina's Bargain Beauty

The easiest way to determine your skin undertone is to do the “vein test”. Stand by natural day light and see if your wrist veins are blue or green. If they are blue you are cool toned, and if they happen to be green you are warm toned.

- Betzy Carmona from http://www.betzysmakeup.com/

You need to remember that your skintone may change with the seasons. I would actually ask a trusted makeup artist to help you determine your skin’s undertone.

-Elaine Atkins from http://www.torontobeautyreviews.com/

More tricks you can try are:

* Holding up something white against your face and see if your skin has a redish or a blueish tint. Red is a warm skin tone and blue is a cool skin tone.

* Which makeup tends to look better on you? Jewel tones or Earth tones, jewel tones with suit someone with a cooler skin tone and make your eyes looks beautifully bright. However anyone with a warm skintone will achieve a wonderful glow with earth tones.

* Don’t assume that skin colour and skin tone are the same thing someone with light skin can have warm undertones and vice versa.

Makeup

Always apply your makeup in natural lighting at a window as your makeup never looks the same if you do it in artificial lighting it either looks too dark or uneven.

-Nina's Bargain Beauty

Subtly apply a rouge lipstick to the apples of the cheeks and to blend it out to create a natural and soft flush.

 - Emily, Online Content Coordinator

Make sure you use a white eye pencil on the bottom waterline, as this gives the illusion that you’ve had a full night sleep and makes your eyes so much brighter!

Take each step at a time – do your eyes, step back. Then your cheeks, step back. Then your lips and step back. Otherwise you do everything at once and think “What have I done?!”

- Rebecca Restrepo, World-renowned makeup artist

Some of these tips have been sourced from http://blog.houseoffraser.co.uk/beauty/whats-your-skintone/

House of fraser have kindly shared a video with use on how to apply your foundation if it interests you to take a look http://blog.houseoffraser.co.uk/beauty/flawless-foundation-video-tutorial/ 

So that its it ladies and gents thats our tips for the day :) :) 

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did :) 

Until next time 

Lots of Love Luck and Laughter 

I love love love hearing from you all :) I make it my duty to read each and every one of you comments and every time i get a comment from you it highlights my day thanks so so much to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Blank Canvas Cosmetics E37 Pencil Brush

Hello My beauties Wow I have missed Blogging.  I can not believe its been a week since I blogged.  With preparing for my sons communion last week for Sunday life just took over and then when it was all over Monday we went away for the day after that we were all so tired I am literally only getting my energy back now :)  I can only imagine what I will be like when I have to prepare for my twins communion in 4 years time lordy the thought haha 

Anyway I am back with a Blank Canvas Cosmetics review of course :) :)  At this stage you must all know Blank Canvas Cosmetics aka BCC is one of my favourite brands of all time for amazing quality makeup brushes at such and affordable price I just cant stay away.  When a new brush is release I am on the site like a shot to add it to my collection no questions asked as I know I will love it.  

Todays review is on a newer brush I have added to my collection and that is the E37 Pencil Brush.  To be honest I dont know how I lived without it :) :) 

This is very similar to the E23 Short Pencil brush by BCC which I absolutely adore and use every time I do my makeup This is a little bigger in size and in synthetic hair :) :) 

The difference between the E23 and the E37 is the size of the brush and also the end of the brush.  The E23 is smaller and pointier but the E37 is a little bigger and rounder at the tip :).  They both has the same purpose and that is to help smudge out shadows and liners to help create the perfect smokey eye.  They are both great to use with powders and creams and they are also perfect for smudging out harsh lines :) 

Even though they both have the same purpose I have found myself reaching for the the E37 more lately.  Perhaps its because I have big eyes and find this an excellent fit in my crease.  Also I find this brilliant for grabbing just the right amount of eyeshadow on the tip (white Part) for my crease and blends out amazingly due to the (black part of the brush been so soft)  This brush creates the perfect cut crease look without going over the crease.  

Personally I use the both brushes for different purposes. 

The E23 is perfect for:  

applying shadows to your bottom lashline 
for creating the perfect outter V shape.  
It too is perfect for smudging out liner and harsh lines.  and also perfect for applying highlight to the inner corner of the eye because of the tip.  

The E37 is perfect for:

 all of the above aswell as blending out the colours in the crease and creating the perfect cut crease look.  You definitely need both in your life :) :)  I also find this brush brilliant for applying highlight under the brow.  

Have you tried this brush yet ?

For only €6.99 its more than worth its price 

 If you are thinking of purchasing from Blank Canvas Enter "NINA" at the end for a little discount for all my lovely readers I Hope you enjoy 
So that it is for today everyone 
I hope you found this review helpful 
Lots of Love Luck and Laughter 

I love love love hearing from you all :) I make it my duty to read each and every one of you comments and every time i get a comment from you it highlights my day thanks so so much to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PowderPocket Box April 2014

Hello my beauties :) :) 

Its that time again PowderPocket Box for April :) :) 

Last months Box was super exciting and I have to say I have enjoyed trying out the products I received in them to refresh your memory check out my March PowderPocket post here.  I especially loved the Ginvera BB Cream in which I got 5 full face applications out of and really liked it in fact I will surely be purchasing a full sized product of it for the summer I even did a review on it in which you can check out here 

I also loved the Shiseido - Perfect Rouge Lipstick in which I also did a review on you can check it out here 

This months box has surely open my eyes with delight yet again :) :) I am so so pleased with what I got.

The theme of this months box of course is to mark the start of summer go on you can have a little read of the wonderful magazine that comes with this lovely box 

I love that the paper is bright green this month really summery and of course the paper shreddings reminds me of the hay bales you see in the fields during summer :) :) 

So on with the products I got :) :) 

First up is 

Obviously with Summer arriving our skin is exposed to the sun more which mean extra cares to our skin especially our faces and PowderPocket and surely cleared that by giving us a sample of the La Roche Posay - Anthelios Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50+:  Retailing at €19.50 full sized -  La Roche Posay state that present all year round oven in overcast weather, long UVA rays can penetrate the skin deeply all the way to the dermis.  The 3-way damage can affect the skin's colour(graying) its structure(wrinkles and sagging) and also your immune system.  The Anthelios Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50+ gives you unrivalled facial skin protection.  What's more it has an non-oily finish and leaves no white marks.  Hmmm Sounds great I can not wait to try this out ;)   Check out more details on www.laroche-posay.ie

Of course PowderPocket has thought of our hair for the summer box by adding 

Eva Professional- Mystic Diamond Elixir: Retailing at €25.00 for 100mls:  

Mystic diamond is the perfect combination of two exclusive components, argan oil and diamond powder.  Argan oil is obtained from the argan tree in south west of Morocco. It nourishes and regenerates your hair giving to it the shine it has lost. It also gives your hair volume and prevents frizzy hair.  The diamond powder gives an extra shine to your hair, it will shine like never before.

I can not wait to try this little beauty and I will be surely trying it our on Sunday for my sons Communion day as there will be lots of photos been taken.  

Next of course they thought of is the later nights we will be having we will be having a few morning waking up with puffy eyes ;) 

An Irish Brand/Product :) :  Bia Beauty Stop The Clock Eye Gel:  Retailing at €16.95 for 15mls:  
Ah I am so excited to try this product as I am ashamed to say I have never got round to trying Bia Beauty Products even though I am Irish but I will surely be trying some more products soon :) 
Bia Beauty says:  We use arnica infused oil which dispenses trapped fluids and so reduced puffy eyes and bags under the eyes (  I need this even without staying out late at night lol lack of sleep due to having 5 children can bring on them bags anytime hahaha)  The aloe vera soothes and heals while the rose, immortelle and myrrh work on fine lines.  This product is 100% natural, instantly brightens tired eyes and comes in a handy airless pump.  
Check out their website for more information www.biabeauty.com 
I just couldnt resist trying this out straight away and it does feel super cooling in fact I found instant relief on my sore tired eyes I will continue to use this and let you all know how I get on 

Next up is Makeup yeeeeeeeeee

Ok you all know at this stage this is one of my favourite Brands not only because they are Irish but because they make the most amazing brushes for such affordable prices.  When the first box was release I was so disappointed I missed out on it because it features one of Blank Canvas Cosmetics brushes but I am delighted I didnt miss this one.  Featured in this box is Blank Canvas Cosmetics E26 Blending Brush- Retailing at €6.99 full price:  I already own this brush and absolutely love it I also have a review on it which you can view here 

Lastly but not least another makeup product 

Etre Belle Cosmetics - Long Lasting Eye Shadow Pen:  Retailing at €9.95 -  I have never heard of this brand and That makes it even more exciting :) as I love trying out new brand.  Etre Belle Cosmetics is a German Brand and has been around for the past 30 years.  
I am sure I will be doing a review on this as its full sized :) 
Plus Etre Belle State that this Longlasting eyeshadow pen is ideal as an eyeshadow or a thick kajal liner.  They also claim that it becomes smudge and waterproof :) :) Cant wait to try it out and its ones of my favourite colours too ;) 

Another brilliant box this month I am delighted with PowderPocket for sure.  With another 2 full sized products in this months box plus 3 very decent sized product samples I have absolutely nothing to complain about and already excited about the next box.  Keep any eye out for some reviews on some of these products ;) 

Well if you are check out the PowderPocket website where they offer a plan 

Monthly plan is €15 including postage 

6 monthly plan is €75 including postage where you receive you box per month for 6 month that includes a free box 

12 monthly plan is €150 including postage where you receive your box per month for 12 months that includes 2 free boxes 

Have you got your box yet?

What's your thought on it :) 

Until Next time 

Lots of Love Luck and Laughter 

I love love love hearing from you all :) I make it my duty to read each and every one of you comments and every time i get a comment from you it highlights my day thanks so so much to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder Review *Updated*

Hello My beauties 

As Promised to a few of my readers I have a review on a new eyebrow kit I have been trying out for the past 2 weeks 

Some of you may have noticed my eyebrows are a little more noticeable in my photos :) :)  Thats due to this little beauty here.  I like that fact that some of you have noticed as I am really enjoying this kit.  I pulled myself away from my usually eyebrow kit that I have been using this past year maybe more and that was the MUA eyebrow kit.  Fab as it is I bought this NYX kit to try out and I have been reaching for it since.  

As I have dark hair I decided to go with the shade Dark Brown/Brown.  There are 5 different shades to choose from which is absolutely brilliant because I find that alot of companies do not have that option only light medium and dark brown.  

NYX offers shades 

Light Taupe/Ash for the blondes out there ;)

Matte True Brown/Matte Brown for all you brunettes

Matte Red Brown/Matte Brown for all you red heads 

Matte Taupe/ Matte ashy taupe also from brunettes 

Matte Dark Brown/Brown for all your dark brown haired gals 

Matte Black/Matte Grey for all you black haired girls 

This kits costs $6 which is pretty darn affordable 

When I first got this kit I thought straight away it was going to be too dark for me and I was partially afraid of it to be honest as I have fairly sparse eyebrow as it is.  Simply by over plucking and shaving them when I was young aswell as having my cousin plucking them from the top, my eyebrows are embarrassing.  I really light having not overly thick by noticable brows as brows are a great way to define your face.  No matter what you do go to a professional for advice on your brows please dont try shaping your brows if you have no idea how.  Or there are plenty of YouTube videos on how to look after your brows WATCH THEM you wont regret it.  

You may actually think that the 2 eyebrow colours are the same but I tell you they are different :)  The first colour is a very dark brown and the other is a shade lighter.  You are also getting a wax to set your brows and keep them in place plus a mini spooly and slanted eyebrow brush.  

First of all the brushes:  The spoolie is handy for the likes of travelling or fixing up if you are away from home but at home I prefer to us my own I find it a little too small.  The slanted eyebrow brush on the other hand is quite good.  Some people might find it a little hard and in all honesty I do too but its nicely shapes and does help give a nice shape to your brows.  With it been a little too hard it doesnt pick up the amount of product you want but if you are not in a hurry it will do fine 

The shades for me are perfect I use the 2nd shade which is more my shade but if I wanted to go darker like for nights out or photos I use a mix of the two.  I am amazed at how pigmented these eyebrow powders are.  Very little goes a long way.  The wax is incredibly thick and at first I thought oh no but to be honest once applied to the brows it doesnt look like thick wax infact you dont even notice it.  It doesnt feel like im wearing the wax at all even to touch.  

I have to admit I am hooked and this little beauty and the fact you noticed the difference says alot for this.  As I said I have been reaching for this all the time now since I tried it I cant leave it down.  The fact you can build the colour to what ever intensity you like is brilliant.  You are surely not going to make any mistakes. 

Here is a picture i posted on instagram last week to show you the difference and tease you all a little on this new kit I was trying out hehehe please take note this was before I finished my makeup and the weird face I have is because It was 7 am and I was half asleep haha 

Next up is the before and afters on another day :) 

I find the lasting power great from this kit so far its lasted well over the 8 hour mark before I noticed any fading but to be honest I only notice a little fading at that.  In the pictures above I only used the brow powder lightly for a more natural looking day time brow.  You can of course build the intensity and it will still look like you natural brow colour.  I love everything in this kit including the wax it holds my brows in place all day :)  
*Update *  I decided to purchase more shades in these as I find they are great for my kit :)  I got 3 more shades and here are the swatches just to show you what they are like :) 

This is perfect for anyone who has medium dark hair or for someone who has medium brown hair with highlights :)  
The Taupe side which is the 1st shade is a perfect cool toned brown which will blend in with your medium dark hair 
The Ash side is a little on the duller side incase you are one who has bearly there eyebrows and wants to draw them in without making them look obvious that they were drawn in 

For all you lovely brunettes our there we have a warm toned medium brown and a cool toned so depending on your skintone you can either use one or the other or mix them up either way your eyebrows will look stunning and  natural :) 

This of course is for all shades of blondes out there 
Be it your a strawberry blonde 
bright blonde 
dirty blonde etc :)  You have a light shade of brown and a shade darker brown both browns are cool toned and have a hint of green in there which actually works.  You can use this as lightly or as dark as you want by simply starting with light strokes and building up the shade :) 

Here are heavy swatches off all shades together :) 

Have you tried this kits yet?  Whats your thoughts on it :) 
Until next time 
Lots of Love Luck and Laughter 

I love love love hearing from you all :) I make it my duty to read each and every one of you comments and every time i get a comment from you it highlights my day thanks so so much to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx