Saturday 27 September 2014

ARGAN OIL HYPE

We've all seen the Argan Oil trend come in to light over the past few years, with tons of brands including it in their hair, face, and body care products. This is both a good and bad thing. Mainly good, because people can now enjoy the benefits of Aragan Oil without having to search far and wide for it. However, it's also not so great as some brands include a minuscule amount and use it for advertising, when just 1% of the oil among a sea of other ingredient won't really allow you to receive any of the benefits.


Moroccanoil Treatment, £31.85 for 100ml
Personally, i love using it for my hair, especially the Moroccanoil brand. I have pretty soft hair in general, but since it's curly, the top layer and ends can frizz out quite a bit. For this reason, i love using a pump or two straight onto damp hair before applying any other products. I find that it allows the ends of my hair to hold the curl more, add moisture and shine, and helps lessen the appearance of frizz. And even thought i said i have pretty soft hair, this just makes my hair SO MUCH softer. It also smells amazing which is always a plus.I also found that it can also be used on dry hair to tame those fly aways, but be careful not to apply too much as it can look greasy.

So if you haven't given it ago, i'd highly recommend incorporating it into your routine for some extra nourishment. And if you have tried Argan Oil, let me know what's your favorite way to use it in the comments below.

Saturday 20 September 2014

ODE TO LIQUID LINER

I have never been much of a eyeliner person, let alone liquid liner. No matter how hard i tried, i could never get the hang of it. The wings were wonky, or one was always too thick, and it just made my eyes look like two completely different shapes. For that reason, i left it alone and stuck to tons of mascara instead. Recently however, as i've been getting more into applying simple eyeshadow on a semi daily basis, i kept feeling like my look was missing something: eyeliner. So i decided to try again.

What i realized was gel liner was NOT for me. I can never get the right amount onto my brush, it dries out in a weird way, and overall requires too much faffing about. I like it to be quick, simple, and comfortable. So i ventured into the liquid liner department. Dangerous territory, but once you find the right product it's magic. And oh did i find the right product.

Oh Stila. Stila, stila, stila. So many people have talked about this product before, i don't know why i waited so long to give it a go and denied myself years of perfect cat eyed liquid liner. I have to admit, the perfect wings don't magically appear everyday day, but this liner has definitely made it SO much easier. 



First of all, it's in pen form, which i personally think is the easiest since we can all write and have been doing so for years, so holding this is very natural. Second, the felt-tip nib is the perfect firmness and length. It's not so hard that it pokes your eye out, but rather keeps its shape while still bending along with your movement. It also doesn't go all weird and fuzzy, or become too soft after constant use. And finally, the formula itself is just great. It's jet black on it's own or on top of eyeshadow, and
as the name suggests it stays on ALL day. Even in hot, sweaty, sticky weather it does not budge (i've had a wing smudge halfway down my face before - definitely NOT attractive). So for the moment, this is my favorite product. I've been wearing it all throughout summer, and see myself doing so into the autumn and winter months.

Let me know what's your favorite liquid liner, and which one i should try next. On my list is the Soap & Glory Supercat liner.

Saturday 13 September 2014

THE BEST MATTE LIPSTICK AROUND?


I struggle to find a Matte lipstick formula that i like. Most of them are too drying and stripping on my lips, no matter what lip balm i use beforehand. I've tried out some blogger favorites such as the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils, and although the colors are beautiful, they just don't work for me without some kind of balm underneath - defeating the matte purpose. So whenever i see something new on the market, i'm interested to see how it would work for me.

The other day i was taking a look around Liberty's beauty hall, when i came across this new brand i've never heard of or seen before: Surratt. I had a chat with the salesman on the counter, and he explained to me that this brand was started by the famous makeup artist Troy Surratt, and is exclusive to Liberty London. Troy believes in using the highest quality ingredients for his makeup, so he started manufacturing his products in Japan. Of course i looked around and swatched many things, but i was most interested in the Matte Automatique Lip Crayons (£24).


Aside from the beautifully sleek packaging, the salesman assured me that these matte formulas are non drying and i wouldn't feel them on my lips at all. So much so, that he said when Mr Surratt himself tested them out, he cried because the formulas were so perfect. Now if that hasn't sold you, i don't know what will. I gave in, and purchased one in the color 4 Megalomane, which is a classic, slightly blue undertoned, standout red.


I tried it on the very next day, and was extremely pleased with the result. It does exactly what it says on the tin: matte finish, long lasting, and non-drying. I'm not sure about the 'not feeling it on your lips' thing, as i was very aware of having it on, but then again, i'm not sure i'll ever find one that i don't feel at all. Alas, i am still not prepared to call this my most favorite matte lipstick EVER, but its definitely rekindled my hope for the perfect formula.

What are some of your favorites? I'd love to hear why, and maybe test them out for myself.

Saturday 6 September 2014

HOLY GRAIL TONER


Honestly, i'm a bit of a skincare addict. I've never had the best skin as it's always been quite acne prone, and after a spot has long left, a scar has taken it's place. So as you can imagine, i'm always on the hunt for products that will prevent spots, even out my skin tone, fade scars, and balance oils. I think i finally have it down to a nice routine that works for me - thank's to the help of Carolin Hiron's blog. But more on all of that later.

Today i want to talk (rave) to you guys about my favorite toner EVER. Yes, that's a bold statement to make, but this product has become a cult classic for good reason. Pixi's one and only Glow Tonic.


If you're thinking "meh, what's so special about a toner, they're not so important anyway" girl, are you wrong. Toner's are not there to remove traces of makeup (cleanser's job!) or close pores, but rather to balance out the PH, and help the rest of your products sink into your skin. I am all about acidic toners for a gentle exfoliation, and that's exactly what the Glow Tonic does. Their website says 'for normal to dry, dull, and aging skin' but i'm more on the combination-oily side and this works great for me. The key ingredients such as Aloe Vera, Witch Hazel, and Ginseng are great for all types skin, and the formula really does help even out and brighten everything. An annoying issue i had before this beautiful thing came into my life was those little pimply-bumps (so technical, i know) that you get around the hairline/on the forehead that just never seem to go away. However, after I incorporated this into my routine, both morning and night, it has almost completely made those bumps disappear, along with balancing my oils and making me look radiant rather than greasy. So if you haven't tried this out yet, i'd definitely recommend picking up a bottle ASAP. Available both in store (if you live in London) or online (ships international, i think) the £16 are WELL worth it.