Latest Shopping Haul, featuring Mac and Bobbi Brown

Hi everyone! Today me and a friend went to Milton Keynes for an impromptu shopping trip, and I thought I would write up a quick post and tell you everything I got.

My friend wanted to get a new Mac lipstick with her "back to mac"

and I wanted to buy a few things that I have been meaning to get for a while. 

Our first stop was Mac where I purchased some eyeshadows and a pro pallet.

These shadows are stunning! Nothing too way out but lovely neutral colours. The shades I got were Mythology (left) and All That Glitters (right). I only have another two Mac eyeshadow's which are Blanc Type and Woodwinked so these two go lovely with them.

While at mac I also purchased a new lippy in Plink, I wanted Peach Blossom but they had sold out so this looked the closest match. It's a nudey pink in a lustre finish. I like it but think I prefer Peach Blossom and will still purchase it at a later date. 

 

Next we went to Bobbi Brown where I purchase this gorgeous blush in Coral. I probably ( no I mean I don't) need this but it looked too pretty to pass up! It is a pretty pink coral with gold shimmer, not too dissimilar to Nars Orgasm, but not as shimmery and more of a deeper pink.

The reason I went to Bobbi Brown was to get their corrector and concealer. I got colour matched and the shade I got was Light Bisque in the corrector and Warm Beige in the concealer. I can't wait to try these out after hearing such good things about them! 

Lastly I got these earrings from River Island that are super cute and a bargain at £3 each! While at Mac and Bobbi Brown I got two samples to try out. From Mac I got their Face and Body foundation in N3 and from Bobbi Brown I was given a sample of their new BB cream. I'm looking forward to trying both out! 

So as you can see I had a very successful shopping trip. Full reviews of each product will be up on my blog soon. :) 

 

I hope you like my little shopping haul, what products are on your shopping list this month?

 

Thank you for Reading

Lou

xXx

 

 

 

Don't forget to enter my 200 follower Giveaway  to win goodies from Elemis, Benefit, Bourjois and Models Own!

200 Follower Giveaway, Benefit, Elemis, Models Own And Bourjois!

Welcome all to my 200 Follower Giveaway! 

This is a massive thank you to all of you that take the time to read, comment and follow LouLovesbeauty. 

As some of you might know I have had a little obsession with  coral this summer, so have included some lovely coral themed cosmetics for the winner to try. I have also added some goodies from Elemis including their famous  Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm. 

The winner will receive :-

• Benefit's Coral My World which includes Benefits Coralista blush and Sun Beam.
• Bourjois new Colour Boost lip crayon is Orange Punch.
• Bourjois Nail polish in Tangerine Punch.
• Models Own Nail polish in Golden Peach.
• Elemis Cleansing Balm 20g and flannel.
• Elemis Skin Nourishing Milk Bath.
• Elemis Skin Nourishing Shower Cream.
• Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner. 

This giveaway is for followers of my blog so please no competition or giveaway blog entrants. Due to the contents of the prize this is only available to UK residents (sorry!).

Please enter by the Rafflecopter below. The winner will be picked on 24/8/13 and checked to see if they have conformed to the entry requirements, if they have not another winner will be picked. They will be notified via email and twitter.

 

Good Luck and Thank You Again!

 

Lou

 

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chanel Soleil de Tan v Bourjois Bronzing Primer

Is it true? Is Bourjois Bronzing Primer  a much cheaper dupe of the high end Chanel Soleil de Tan? Like any good beauty blogger I decided to put it to the test.

Before we begin our cream bronzer face, off let me start by saying that both products can be used in exactly the same way. They can be used on their own, under make up or over foundation to contour and add colour to the face. 

First off lets take a look at the packaging. Chanel displays their product in a plastic oversized pot which is bulky and less than travel and storage friendly. Bourjois offering is the same design with a plastic pot and screw top lid but this time the packaging is small, neat and a lot more travel and storage friendly.

Winner - Bourjois

Colour

Top - Chanel   Bottom - Bourjois

Colour wise they are both very similar, but there are some differences. Bourjois is slightly more warm toned thus making it ever so slightly more orange based than Chanel. Chanel's bronzer which contains a slight shimmer, has more of a beige, cool tone to it, giving it a small adge against its counterpart.

Winner - Chanel

Texture

When it comes to texture this is where they are miles apart in my opinion. The classic Chanel bronzer is more dense and has a creamier texture to it. Bourjois has a wet chocolate mousse like consistency. Now whether or not you prefer something more creamy or wet is personal opinion but I find the Bourjois texture a little off putting, I don't want to go into detail but with something that colour and that consistency only one thing springs to mind!

Winner- Chanel

Appearance and Overall Performance

For research purposes I "painted" half my face with Chanel and the other half with Bourjois

Left - Chanel. Right - Bourjois

Bourjois promises to deliver a smoothing primer that will even out skin tone and mattify.

Chanel dries to a matte silky finish whereas Bourjois does dry a lot more matte than when it starts out but does have a more satin finish to it, I wouldn't say dewy as its not that wet but its definitely not as matte as Chanel.  As for evening out skin tone I think this again has to go to Chanel, I felt that my pores are more refined and my skin tone evened out more. The Bourjois does even out skin tone a little, offering a lovely tanned look to my skin but I felt that my skin was coming through too much and it looked  a little patchy.

One thing they are very similar on is the way they blend out. These two products can look quite scary when first applied but blend out a lot more sheer when buffed with a brush. Their both creamy and light and do delivery a lovely natural colour.

On my skin tone I find that the Bourjois primer does not last as long as the Chanel Soleil de Tan. I find that it slides on my face and goes patchy, especially in hot whether.

Winner- Chanel

Price

Chanel is £31.00 for 30ml and Bourjois is £9.99 for 18ml. There is a big diffence in price but you do get 12ml more product with Chanel so of course its going to be more expenisive. You pay appoximy 55p per ml for Bourjois and £1.03 per ml for Chanel. So even thou you are getting less product Bourjois is still a lot cheaper than Chanel.

Winner- Bourjois

Smell

These both have quite strong fragrances to them. Chanel has a flowery perfume aroma and Bourjois has a gorgeous yummy chocolate orange fragrance which I could sit and smell all day! It reminds me of holidays for some reason, I think it resembles a suntan oil that I must have used once because it take me right back to laying my a pool cocktail in hand, it's just delicious!

Winner - Bourjois

Conclusion

I personally think that the Boujois primer is only a dupe because it is a cream bronzer and for no other reason. The two products are miles apart when it comes to texture, overall appearance and lasting power.

Yes the Bourjois is cheaper and smells yummy but I buy a product because I want it to work not because of the fragrance (unless its perfume of course!). The Chanel bronzer is expensive but it lasts ages as you only need a little and it goes a long way, whereas the Bourjois primer you need to use quite a lot because of its watery texture.

For someone that has both the Boujois and Chanel I know for a fact that I will never use the Bourjois Bronzing primer again and will probably give it away. As far as cream bronzers are concerned you really do get what you pay for!

Winner - Chanel Soleil de Tan

Have you tried  these products, I would love to know what you thought of them both.

Thank You for Reading

Lou

xXx

 You can read my full review of Chanel's Soleil da Tan here

Summer make up

Yay summer is here!!!
As much as I love the sun one thing I hate is that sweaty feeling and make up melting off your face that you're left with  this time of year. When the sun decides to grace us with its presence I do tend to change up my make up routine a little. I go for a much simpler look and only using the bare necessities.

Foundation

When it comes to foundation I'm a liquid kinda girl and love that dewy glow that we all tend to gravitate to, but when its hot and sticky we all have that dewy glow and there is a fine line between dewy and damn right sweaty!
I change my fountain from a liquid to a mineral powder, I find this stays a lot longer on the skin without melting away and keeps my face from  "glowing" ( or looking sweaty if you would like to call it that).
I prep my face the same using the Stila 10 - 1 Bronzing Beauty Balm SPF30 and Benefits Pore Professional. This is the perfect base in my mind, I have my sunscreen, I looked tanned and my pores are minimised. I then use Sheer Cover's concealer, this is super creamy and hides any spots or dark circles under my eyes. I then use Sheer Cover's mineral foundation, this delivers fantastic coverage and feels light and airy on the skin, almost like I'm not wearing anything. If you haven't got this I find Mac's Studio fix powder foundation just as good but doesn't give as much coverage.
I set this all in place with Rimmels Stay Matte Translucent powder.

Contour, Blush and Highlight

I use Nars Laguna bronzer to contour and add definition to my face, this is the best bronzer, its not orange, its matte and creates a natural shadow on the skin, I LOVE IT!!
For blush I use Laura Mericer Second Skin Blush in Lush Nectarine , it is a gorgeous  pinky coral with a very slight hint of shimmer, it looks beautiful on the skin, giving a natural flushed glow. I add some highlight to the top on my cheek bones with Daniel Sandler Radiant Sheen. This powder has four highlighters, a light pearlescent, a champagne, a baby pink and a golden bronze, these can be used all together or on their own to create a natural sheen to the skin, I love this highlight as its not glittery or too shimmery but deliverers a natural glow to the skin.

Eyes and Lips

 

When the whether is hot I like to keep my eye make up subtle and focus more on my lips, this saves me having to worry about eyeshadow creasing and eyeliner running. For my eyebrows I use HD brow pallet, I find this stays all day without smudging and keeps my brow looking perfect. I have Eyelash Extensions which saves me having to worry about wearing mascara on them. Eyelash extension are perfect for this time of year, your lashes look full, long and fabulous all day long. Even if I don't wear mascara on my top lashes I do need to wear it on my bottom, there is only one product in my mind that can stand up to the heat without smudging and that is Clinque Bottom Lash Mascara , the only mascara that stops me looking like a panda!

For lips I have been loving both these colours, first is Mac's Costa Chic , a gorgeous bright pinky coral in a frost finish, this adds a pop on colour and finishes the make up look, giving you a fresh summery vibe. On days where I feel like going really natural I wear Revlons lip butter in Juicy Papaya, a sheer coral that tints the lips slightly leaving them with a moisturised sheen.

  

I would love to know what make up you wear in the summer.

Thanks for Reading

Lou

xXx

Stila All day 10-1 Bronzing Beauty Balm Review

With the summer finally gracing our shores we need to make sure that we are all fully protected against the suns harmful rays that can damaged our skin and promote premature ageing.

One product that stood out to me while shopping for sun care was the Stila Stay all day 10-1 HD Bronzing Beauty Balm SPF30. The balm not only offers sun protection but also delivers a bronzed tint to the skin.
The product is said to do 10 things -

-It  Contains innovative micro spheres, which have been shown to hide skin imperfections and reduce wrinkle depth by up to 84%.
- Infused with natural, skin-protecting emollients which have been shown to increase antioxidant activity by up to 89.7%
- Enriched with a proprietary blend which has been shown to reduce skin inflammation, improve texture, stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of wrinkles by up to 67%.
- Broad spectrum SPF30 protects the skin.
- Hydrates and nourishes the skin.
- Helps reduce pore size and provides oil and blemish control.
- Features an exclusive complex, which helps reduce redness and skin irritation.
- Uses the smallest particle size of coated pigments for seamless, smooth coverage.
- Bronzes and primes skin for a sun-kissed glow.
- Oil-free, Paraben-free, dermatologist tested and ideal for all skin types.

 

Swatched onto skin

 

 

Blended into skin

 

 

With the bronzing balm and without

 

 

The balm is thick, a gel/cream hybrid that is some what scary in colour. It has very small shimmer particles in it that leave a nice sheen on your face but not at all disco ball like.  It can be used alone, under foundation or mixed to darken your existing foundation.
When used alone is gives your face a bronzed glow with a minimal coverage, skin is left moisturised. One thing I will say is this is very dark and possibly not suitable for really pale skin types.
When first applied you do resemble someone from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but after a few seconds of buffing and blending the colour is dulled down and the appearance is very nice.
I have found the best why of using this is not with my fingers but applying it was a stippling brush to really work the product into my skin, this also saves you from having to wash your tangoed hands!

As someone that uses fake tan a lot I  tend to use this daily either under my foundation as it creates a lovely base or mixed in with my current lighter foundation to darken it down a shade. My face is always lighter than my body so this product is perfect for me to darken the skintone of my face as well as protecting it from the suns harmful rays.
I'm a sucker for dual purpose products as they save me time and money and I love using this.

Applying sunscreen can be a chore and something that many of us miss out of our routine if we're in a hurry, but I never forget to use this. The first thing I notice when I look in the mirror in the morning is how pale my face is so I reach for this straight away to match me up with the rest of my body, I almost forget that it has SPF 30 in it as I'm using it mainly for cosmetic reasons but I feel reassured out in the sun that my skin is protected and the chances of me burning are very low.

Stila All Day 10-1 Bronzing Beauty Balm is priced at £26.00 for 40ml and is available at boots and on online at Cult Beauty  .

Thank You For Reading

Lou

xXx

 

 

Sleek Blush by 3 in Lush

Today I'm bringing you the Sleek Blush By 3 palette in Lush, before I begin can we all just sit back and take a moment to look how gorgeous these colours are!

Chantilly

 

Guipure

Crochet

 

 

 

The Sleek palette retails at £9.99 from Superdrug which you must agree is a bargain. Not only is this a fantastic price for not one but three blushers, the packaging and formula are not too dissimilar from the icon brand Nars. The packaging is sleek ( pardon the pun), simple, not too bulky and has a great size mirror in the lid, the packaging also stays a lot cleaner than its Nars counterpart where any tiny trace of makeup tends to gravitate to it within a minute of it being in your make up bag.

The blush itself is a creamy buttery powder which is highly pigmented and feels like it should originate from a more high end brand.  A little goes a long way and I find I only need a light dusting of the product to achieve a natural flushed glow.

 



L-R Chantilly, Guipure, Crochet

The Lace palette consists of three beautiful coral toned blushers in both matte and shimmer, if not a little bright in the pan they are all completely wearable.

 

From top to bottom Crocket, Guipure, Chantilly

• Chantilly- A bright matte peachy, orange toned coral which looks scary in the pan but used lightly is stunning
• Guipure - A pink shimmery gold which is very similar to Nars orgasm, it can be used softly as a pink highlight or on the apple of the cheeks for a flushed rosy glow.
• Crocket - A matte pink coral which is again highly pigmented and I think will suit a variety of skin tones, it's a gorgeous rosy coral blush.

All in all I absolutely adore this blush palette, the colour pay off is fantastic and the formulation gives their high end competitor's  a run for their money. If you haven't tried any blush from Sleek, I highly recommend it!
They also do 5 other blushers in the "Blush by 3" collection as well as selling their blush singular for £4.49, (buying the three together means you almost get the third free!).
These can be purchased in store and online at Superdrug or online on Sleeks website .

Thank you for reading

 

Lou

xXx

Morning and Night time Skin Routine

Hello my Lovely followers!!
Today I thought I would share with you my skin care routine as I have never posted one before.
Now, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't always looked after my skin, in fact its safe to say that I've neglected it for many years!
I am really trying to look after it a lot for more, because lets face it it's/I'm not getting any younger and I think I still have time ( being 31) to rectify and prevent any damage and future ageing.

I have combination skin, which steers more to the oily side at times, I get break outs, have uneven skin tone and enlarged pores that I am forever trying to minimise. I am also hitting that age when I notice "creasing" in certain areas which include my forehead and in between my eyebrows. 
I used to shudder at the thought of putting any moisturisers onto my skin thinking they would break me out, make me more oily and my make up would simply slide off.
Here are some products that have worked for me and ones that I have been using daily for a couple of months now.

• Alpha H Liquid Gold - Alpha-H Liquid Gold is a powerful resurfacing and firming treatment for diminishing wrinkles, pigmentation and sun damage.
  
  This multi action formula is enriched with silk proteins, licorice extract and Glycolic Acid. It works to jump start the skin’s metabolism, tightening enlarged pores and giving a brighter, clearer complexion.
• Alpha H Liquid Gold Rejuvenating Cream - Alpha H Liquid Gold Rejuvenating Cream is a skin refining night moisturiser which smoothes fine lines and softens the appearance of imperfections. Enriched with Glycolic Acid, the cream gently removes dead skin build-up whilst delivering nutrients and essential antioxidant protection to help rebuild the skin cells damaged by extrinsic and intrinsic factors from environmental damage, lifestyle stress and genetic ageing.
• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo - Eliminate severe skin imperfections with the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, a corrective and unclogging moisturiser.
• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Micro-Exfoliant Lotion -Tighten and unclog your pores with the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Micro-Exfoliant Lotion.
  The micro-exfoliating lotion instantly reduces pore size and fights against blockages.
• Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm - This powerful treatment cleansing balm dissolves make-up and daily grime. Developed first and foremost for its performance in Elemis treatments, this super-cleansing, luxurious treatment balm is expertly formulated with a 100% active base of natural oils grown within the UK.
• Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream - Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Skin cream helps to soothe, restore, soften and protect chapped, dry or mildly irritated skin. 8 Hour skin cream aids in the temporary relief of chapped lips, smoothes rough spots on your knees, feet and elbows and softens tough, hard cuticles and hangnails.
   

Morning Routine

My morning routine is really quick and simple. I don't use too many products as I  don't like my face feeling greasy and I don't have a lot of time to wait for products to sink in, I have a toddler and getting ready in the morning needs to run smoothly and quickly.

I use two products, the first is La Roche Posays Effalcar Micro Exfoliant lotion. I wipe this over my face to remove any oil and dirt, its light and refreshing, leaving my face feeling super clean. This toner removes all the oil from my  skin but doesn't leave it feeling dehydrated or tight. I follow this with the La Roche Posays Effalcar Duo.
This light  moisturiser gives my skin enough moisture leaving it feeling hydrated without feeling greasy or oily. It almost dries matte onto the skin in no time at all and allows me to apply my make up almost straight away.

I used to use this morning and night but I recently changed my routine ( which you will see below). Since using them I found my pores to be less visible and my skin tone to be more even and smoother to the touch.





Night time Routine

I give my night time routine a lot more effort  than I do my mornings, I have a lot more time to spend on it and have been enjoying the results so far. 

Firstly I remove all my make up with the Elemis Cleansing Balm, this is a fantastic product which is very similar to the Emma Hardie cleansing balm. My make up simply melts away effortlessly and with ease. I  pop  a small amount of the waxy, rich and highly perfumed balm on to my face, I massage it  into my skin so the balm transforms to an oil. I then add some water, massage again and then wipe it off with a damp flannel, the balm removes all my make up from the day, leaving my skin  feeling silky soft and moisturised, you can read my full review here.

I follow this with La Roche Posay's Effaclar Exfoliating lotion, this removes any last trace of make up leaving my skin in the best condition to apply my next product...

Every 3rd night I use Alpha H Liquid Gold, this liquid exfoliant contains Glycolic acid which you leave on your skin overnight. It has the consistency of a toner which I wipe over my face with a cotton pad and then go to sleep and let it work its magic. When I first started using this it tingled very slightly on application but now my skin has got used to it and the sensation has surpassed.
When I wake up in the morning my skin is left fresh, soft and with a healthy glow.

On days I'm not using the Liquid Gold I use Alpha H Rejuvenating cream, this tingles slightly again but nothing unbearable, in fact I quite nice because it feels like its actually doing something.
In the morning my skin looks plumped up, soft and more supple. I have found that using these 2 products together my skin has changed, my frown  lines on my forehead are less prominent and I find myself not noticing them as much as I used to. My skin feels softer, smooth and just a lot more healthier that it did before using Alpha H. I will definitely keep using them and will repurchase in the future.

My last product that I use at night is my Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour cream. I use this on my lips to give them a conditioning treatment, I find it quite greasy which is why I use it at night. My lips are silky soft in the morning and  surprisingly  the balm is still in place after a good nights sleep, which means it really is a 8 hour cream!


What's your skin routine? Have you used any of these products before, if so how did you get on with them?

Thank you, as always for reading

 

Lou

xXx