Orange Is The New Black - Red

I have become obsessed with this show, in fact I am so upset because I have to wait for season 3 now. Because I love this show so much I wanted to do something a little different on my blog, I'm going to try and recreate some of the iconic make up looks of some of the inmates. This isn't going to be a particularly long series but I have a feeling it's going to be good. 

So far I plan on doing looks for Red, Morello, Nichols, Alex, Sophia and Piper though if there is someone I have missed who clearly needs to be on this list then let me know :)

This week I wanted to focus on a Red inspired look, she has one of the most iconic looks in the entire show. She is cast as the hard-faced Russian matriarch who is not to be messed with, personally I think that her make up reflects her status within the prison. 

She is always seen with her trademark red hair, lipstick and some very bold graphic liner. To me this represents someone brave and definitely a leader.

I look incredibly tired but here's my attempt anyway. I really enjoyed the eyeliner, I love a good challenge and as I don't really ever line my lower lash line then it was a pretty good one. I also love the fact that it didn't have to be perfect, after all Red is in prison.

This is such a simple look yet it is so bold and makes a great statement.

What do you think of this look?

Speak soon
Roo xx 

The Glamour Beauty Edit Box

I'm a bit far behind on getting this box but as soon as I saw it I knew I needed it. This is actually the first time I have ever bought a beauty box but I couldn't honestly resist this one. 

So what is actually in the box?:

Velvotan Tanning Mitt

I've needed a new tanning mitt for a while actually. I have loads of product to use but had nothing to apply them with so this couldn't come soon enough. This mitt claims to give you a streak free tan and leave your hands unstained. I think a lot of how good a tan develops comes down to a persons skill at applying the product in the first place, I'm not awful at it but I do need practice! 

Hawaiian Tropic Satin Protection Sun Lotion SPF 30

Hallelujah! I ran out of this a while ago and this is my favourite sun cream. It smells absolutely gorgeous and is nice and hydrating. It is only an SPF 30 but I would recommend that you use 30 or higher to get high protection. 

Tony&Guy Glamour Volume Pumping Whip

It's been a long time since I have used anything Tony&Guy but I am very excited to try this. You apply this to the roots before blow drying to get a volumised effect - which I am all for. I can't say that I have ever seen this before but I suppose that's what these boxes are about!

Magnifibres Brush On Lashes

This is one of the two main reasons I bought this box. I haven't ever tried anything like this before but given that I have quite short lashes then I am always looking to try products that will enhance them without being as heavy as false lashes. You are supposed to be able to gain an extra 5mm of eyelash length using this, that doesn't sound like a lot but on your eyes it is massive!

Crabtree& Evelyn Nail Lacquer in Petal Pink

I am familiar with Crabtree& Evelyn as a brand but I can't say that I have ever tried any of their products nor would I have even associated them with nail polish. I think that this is such a pretty, inoffensive colour so I am very much looking forward to trying this out to see what the quality is. 

Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector in Light Matte

More tanning products to try! I haven't ever tried a BB Tan cream before so this should be interesting. Mainly I like the fact that I was given the Light Matte formula because I am pale and I don't think shimmer looks good on me. I had never tried Rimmel tanning products before and usually I wouldn't have even looked at them so it will be nice to see if I have been wrong to dismiss them. 

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

I haven't tried a cleansing oil yet so this is something else I am intrigued about. I do currently use a cleansing balm but obviously this is a different consistency to work with. I do get concerned with how my skin might react though so I will have to report back on that.

Bourjois Cream Blush in 01 Nude Velvet

As much as I want to try a cream blush I have to say I am not massively enthusiastic to try this because of the colour, it is very peachy so I really don't think it will look that nice on my skin. I will be trying this anyway because you never really know until you try the product and also I do want to see about the formula of the product itself, it might encourage me to find one in the right shade. 

Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick in Minx

Finally, this is the real reason I bought this box. I have want to try an Illamasqua product for sooooo long. A few years ago the Illamasqua counter in the Fenwicks near where I live disappeared so I haven't been able to try anything without ordering online. The shade isn't something I would ever pick but I do think I have been in a bit of a lipstick rut lately so hopefully this will break me out of that. 

Tat was everything that came in this box. I was so incredibly impressed with this because I paid just under £17 for the box and the actual value was something like £86. I will be updating you all on every one of these products in future posts so please keep an eye out for them because I am really excited to share my thoughts. 

Speak soon 

Roo xx 

New CID I-Crayon Review

Within the past few weeks or so I seem to have been paying close attention to magazines again. As you may (or may not) know I am an avid beauty magazine reader, in big part this comes down to samples. Many magazines offer samples of (sometimes quite pricey) make up from brands that are current and very hot. 

Recently Cosmopolitan have been offering some items from New CID. This is a brand  have heard of and one I hear to be worth the money. Cosmo gave readers the choice of 3 different shades of lip crayon or a mascara. All 4 of thee choices would have excited me so I wasn't disappointed with any outcome. 

I managed to get a hold of the I-Crayon in the shade Strawberry Souffle. I do love me a good red and I love to put them to the test. I'm not so sure of the packaging on this. I don't know if it's because it's a freebie or that's how it normally is but it just feels very cheap not well made. Don't get me wrong, it fills it's purpose but it's not something that I am going to get pride from taking out of my bag. The writing has also rubbed off but I almost expected that. 

Packaging aside the colour is a nicely pigmented blue based red which suits me fine. I do enjoy a crayon style product because I think they're handy and somewhat easy to use. 

My thoughts on the actual product? I love this stuff! This is such a wearable red, usually if I am going to wear red then I will have to really be in the mood for it but this is just something else. There is just a quality that makes this so accessible. I could easily do my brows, put on some mascara and this lipstick and I would be set. The finish feels glossy but after a while of wearing (and repplying) it looks more matte. 

From what I have researched this product comes is a set of 3 along with the other colours available with the magazine and costs around £21.50. 

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Speak soon 

Roo xx

Indeed Laboratories Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Mask Review

I, like most, have seen Indeed Laboratories products left, right and centre in the blogging world but I had never actually tried their products. 

I was sent a pack of the Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Masks from a giveaway win. I probably wouldn't have tried these had it not been for this giveaway despite the fact I was curious to know more about the product. 

The box contains 4 of these masks and each one comes in a sachet loaded with a 'moisture boosting' serum. 

The mask is quite big but then it will fit most face types. You just remove it from the packaging, apply it to a clean face and relax for about 15 mins. The mask is really soothing and cool so it's great to wear before starting your make up routine to tame any redness or you could wear it after a waxing session to sooth the skin. Once you take the mask off you just need to massage in the excess serum left behind.

I have noticed a difference from using these in the fact that my skin hasn't felt so dry or irritated. My skin is looking pretty good at the moment but then again that can come and go so only time will tell how well my skin is actually doing. 

They do retail for around £19.99 so would be a nice treat once in a while which I will probably repurchase.

Have you tried these masks? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx

MAC Maleficent 'True Loves Kiss' Lipstick Review & Swatches

A couple of posts ago I mentioned that I had won a giveaway and I got some amazing products too. I am now just getting around to reviewing all the items that I was given so expect to see those very soon. 

The MAC Maleficent launch wasn't actually that long ago but somehow feels like it was. I know most have you will have already seen reviews on some of the line but today I am talking about the lipstick that was featured in the collection. 

I am a sucker for MAC collections and especially ones involving Disney. I would have picked this up but you know my spending ban has prevented me from doing so.

I feel like MAC does an awful lot of red lipsticks, because well they do but who could blame them because they do them so well. This particular beauty is an Amplified finish which is something that I have not tried from them thus far. 

This was literally from a single swipe. I am so impressed with the pigmentation and I am also surprised with how bright the red is in comparison to what you see in the tube. The has a nice glossy finish and also contains a little shimmer but it's nothing chunky or annoying. 

 I love how this applies too! It is a very nice blue-based red so I do feel quite confident wearing it but it just feels so smooth and creamy. I get a little worried with MAC lipsticks sometimes in the fact that I think they're going to dry out on me but this doesn't feel that way. I am honestly so impressed with this lipstick and I wish that they carried it as a permanent thing. 

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx

L'Oreal Le Blush Review

More reviews!! I am trying to get back into the swing of things again and I think I am getting there. 

Today I have another L'Oreal product to talk about because generally speaking I think they have some amazing products that aren't really that recognised. 

This week I am talking about L'Oreal Le Blush. Truth be told I had never even tried a L'Oreal blush before, or at least not that I can remember. To be totally honest, I was never into blush because I didn't think I needed it down to the fact that my face is naturally quite red and by the time I realised that I wanted/ needed it I had already got my eye on NARS.

I really like the packaging of this. It seems weird to say but there is something about the metal pan surrounded by clear plastic that is actually really appealing to me. This does also come with a mirror and a brush as standard but the brush is a little useless, the mirror is super handy though.

First things first, I love the formula. It applies so well and evenly, I know that it can be a pain when you end up applying to much because the blush itself is prone to pick up too easily but this one manages to deliver on colour but also be really easy to work with. I mean don't go in heavy handed (you should never do that with blush) but if you take it bit by bit then you can layer up the colour really well. 

I think this colour is ideal for cooler tone pale skin types. It manages to just give a really natural flush of colour and not look like obvious blush. 

This also only retails for around £7.69 which personally I think is a great price and even better if you look out for deals in Boots too. 

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx

No 7 Skin Illuminator Review

I've been going a little mental photographing products to do reviews on lately. This is mainly down to the fact that as I haven't been posting as much (sorry!) I want to have things ready waiting to be posted for as soon as I possibly can. 

I haven't really seen much in the way of cream highlighters even though I am very curious about them. 

this one, I believe, is a sample size which came along with a few other bits and pieces way back when No7 released a new mascara (the one in the sparkly red packaging). It has actually taken me quite a while to get round to trying this out but finally I decided to give it a go and here are my thoughts: 

The sample size packaging is a little basic but I don't mind that and I wouldn't really expect anything more from a sample. As you can see the highlight is a warm light rose gold which I think is absolutely stunning. 

I tried so hard to get good lighting on this product o I apologise if this is a little cack. 

Personally I love the formula. The shimmer isn't chunky and obvious which is great to give a little natural glow to the skin. The product actually blends seamlessly into foundation and I also tried this over a setting powder and it seemed to be fine. I found it so easy to work with this product.

I'm not too sure if this comes in a range of colours but personally I think would be a very universal shade. 

It does cost £11 which isn't that expensive but if you are shopper savvy then you will know that sometimes certain purchases at Boots can earn you money off vouchers for No7 :)

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx

I Won A Giveaway!

The title isn't supposed to sounds like a brag at all, apologies if it does. Seriously though, I never win anything and though I do enter giveaways when I see them I never think I will win. Anywho, this giveaway was from the amazing Bethany Worrall, I absolutely adore her blog and can't believe I was lucky enough to win. 

Anyway, I know you're all dying to know the prize (that's if you don't already ready her blog)

Bethany included some amazing goodies. I was super excited for the MC lipstick as I hadn't had a chanc to get anything from the Maleficent range and this was most most sought after item from the line. She also included a Charles Worthington hair treatment, some Eyelure lashes, Sally Hansen French Mani Kit and some Indeed Laboratories Hydraluron masks. 

I cannot wait to try all of these things out! I want to thank Bethany again for holding this giveaway, it was seriously generous :) 

I hope you are all keeping well and as always, I will speak to you soon. 

Roo xx

L'Oreal Glam Bronze Bronzing Powder Review

I am on a train right now, heading down to London with the sh**est Wi-Fi known to man. Not to mention I paid a tenner for it! Anyway, before I get into a rant about how extortionate train prices are I should get on with today's review. 

It's not often I come across a new bronzer to try given that I am probably one of the palest people ever. I think bronzers can look great on anyone provided you are completely aware of your own skin tone and complexion. 

 (L'Oreal Glam Broze Bronzing Powder in 00 Blonde Sun)

(Swatched and blended)

I recently came across this one in Boots and after swatching it I thought it might be worth my money. This has to be one of the palest bronzers I have come across. I think this might come in either 2 or three shade with the difference being quite considerable between each one. 

Thankfully I have found this to be product that doesn't go on super strongly at first so if you are slightly heavy handed it will be a bit more forgiving. I would also suggest just ditching the brush it comes with - usually I wouldn't even use these brushes but I did try it and to be honest it doesn't really pick up any product and the way that it is designed will not make blending out the easiest of tasks.

I think this is a great bronzer for those who are either new to the bronzing game or if you are just super pale like me. I don't find it to look too orange or muddy on my skin either so you won't run the risk of looking dirty.

Have you tried this bronzer? What do you think?

Speak soon
Roo xx

Fixation Friday: Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

There has been a fair bit of hype around Urban Decay's new mascara 'Perversion'. If you are familiar with UD and their products then you will know of their 'Perversion' range, which I believe contains mostly liners and also an eyeshadow and I think the addition of a mascara is a fantastic idea! 

The 'Perversion' line carries one main trait. Being blacker than black. All of the products within this line are super saturated which is of course something that everyone desires in a black liner. 

I am mainly intrigued by the prospects of a super dark and opaque mascara and I will be looking forward to future reviews. 

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara is released on the 13th July 2014.

Speak soon

Roo xx

What's In My Make Up Bag? - London Edition

This Saturday I will be going to see Eminem live at Wembley. I honestly cannot express how absolutely ecstatic I am about this. I haven't done any travelling since December last year so it's also very exciting to be able to get away for a bit and as I need to pack really light I thought it would be a good opportunity to do another 'What's In My Make Up Bag' post. Here we go!

 (Oh look, I'm in the mirror!)

First of all, my beautiful make up bag is from Clinique, it was part of one of their promotions in which you buy certain products and you get a free gift. I love this bag because I can fit in everything I need.

Base

I'll do this systematically and work through the stages I apply my make up :)

MAC Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage
This is a sample I managed to get from a promotion MAC had on Facebook a while ago and I recently received it so I am still testing. As far as I can tell it's quite a light and moisturising primer.


Elf Eyelid Primer
Long term favourite of mine, it's nothing special but it does the job. I believe you can get coloured versions of this but I just stick with the original.


Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foudation
My 'Holy Grail' foundation. I just find it goes on super nice and give a nice amount of coverage without feeling heavy or cakey. The shade I use is 12 Beige Rose which is quite pink based, I think these foundations are quite pink but don't quote me on that haha!


Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Best concealer I have used to date, it's really inexpensive and never lets me down. This does only come in 3 shades I believe but it's great for highlighting too.


Maybelline Matte Maker Powder
I have probably only been using this for the last couple of months but I have fallen in love with this stuff! It does everything I want it to. It keeps my make up matte for a long time and I never feel the need to touch it up.


Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush
I jumped on the bandwagon with this one and I am so glad I did. I find that this blush gives a really sort of natural look (if you use a light hand) and also has a lot of dimension which helps to add a bit of life to your complexion. I have it in the shade 'Diffused Heat'

NARS Highlighter
This is a white highlighter with a gold shimmer. It isn't chunky which I love because I like for a highlighter to be smooth and flawless. Usually I will apply this to my cheekbones, brow bone, down the nose and my cupids bow. Again, this add a bit of dimension.


MAC Fix+
I never really know what this is supposed to be used for but I like to apply it after moisturising and before primer as it helps to sooth my skin and add extra moisture. I also like to spray my foundation brush with it and if the mood takes me I will spray my shadow brushes too as it will help pick up shadow and add intensity.



Eyes &Brows

Elf Brow Duo
To be honest I don't really use the powder side to this but the gel part is great for defining your brows and setting them into a good shape. It is slightly tinted which is great to fill in the sparse areas between hairs.


Benefit Gimme Brow
This is an excellent product! I could honestly just use this by itself because it is great for taming, shaping and filling in. But generally I like to use this with the brow wax because I can get a high def brow if that's the look I'm going for.


Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
It was a tough choice to choose this one because I love all three of the palettes. The reason I chose this one is because I feel that I can get a wider range of looks using this and more specifically a dark smoky eye which I think will be totally appropriate for the concert.


Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner Pen
Ok, so I did give this a bit of a bad review the other day but to be honest I feel like I need to give this a fair trial so I am still trying to work with this to see where I get with it.


Elf Cream Liner
Clearly I have decided on a back up liner. Mainly I don't hold much hope for the Eyeko liner so I have included my ol' faithful Elf liner. I can always get a really good opaque black line with this stuff.


MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash Mascara
I love this mascara, I can always manage to get the length and volume that I want without any clumpiness. I have to say that I wasn't taken by MAC mascaras to begin with but I love this one.



Lips


Blistex Relief Cream
So this is generally a must have in my make up bag because I like to take care of my lips. I can help moisturise and add a little gloss to your lips if you don't like going without any product. I would also suggest you mix this with a tinted lipgloss to get colour and care.


MAC Snob Lipstick
This is fast becoming one of my favourite lipsticks. I think the pink is soo pretty, it's a lovely blue based pink which works so well with cool toned skin. On my it does look a little bright and in fact I would compare it to how MAC St Germain looks on someone with warm toned skin (if that makes any sense at all!)



Anywho! That is everything I am carrying in my make up bag on Saturday and I am going to try and film a GRWM style video tomorrow using this make up and hopefully get it uploaded for Saturday or Sunday. I know I haven't posted a video in some time so it will be nice to get back to doing it.

Speak soon
Roo xx

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner Pen | First Impression

I haven't really been going out of my way to get magazines lately but when my sister brought this months issue of Glamour home I knew I would have to rush out and get it. This month they are featuring the Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner Pen and as the magazine is only £2 I could hardly say no.

The eyeliner pen itself has lovely packaging, I know packaging isn't the most compelling of topics but lets face it, you probably wouldn't give a second look to the product if the packaging was rubbish. It is fairly plain but I like that because it looks neat and clean, the pen also has a little weight to it which I think is major important for ease of application and it makes it feel expensive too!  

 

The applicator looks amazing, it's very similar to that of the Collection 24Hr Extreme Liner which you know I love. Anything that has a chunky to thin tip is fine by me. 

The pigmentation is fantastic! It's super opaque and I feel like I have good control with this pen so I should be able to create the perfect lines. 

Here's where it all went wrong. This liner is good in theory but when it came to actual use it just wasn't up to it. I am kind of upset but then I didn't pay that much for the magazine. When I have tried to apply this it seems that the amount of pressure needed to get the pigmentation is not the sort of pressure you would dare to put on your own eyeballs. At best I managed to get some diluted black lines but found it very difficult to get my liner done. Ultimately I gave up and went back to my trusty Collection liner. 

I don't want to slag this product off because sometimes I feel that it's possible I got a duff one and that usually it's a great liner so I wouldn't rule it out completely. I am going to keep trying out to see if it's one of those things where the first few tries are crap but it works great after or something, so do keep an eye out for an update of this and definitely check out as many reviews as possible. 

On the upside (if the product turns out to be good) it does only retail for £12 which I think is not a bad price to pay. 

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx

Nails of the Week

I'm so behind with this considering I wanted to post them at the start of every week but I have been so preoccupied that my nails fell into a right state. Polish almost all chipped off and several broken nails later I finally have gotten round to sorting them out and have a bit of a pamper day in the process - Ahh bliss. 

This week I have on Essie Liquorice. I did mess up a little bit but its not something that hot soapy water won't fix. I couldn't really make my mind up on what to wear this week so for me black is an obvious choice because as long as it's a good opaque colour and the application is okay then it can look really polished.

What do you think of this colour? What have you been wearing?

Speak soon

Roo xx

Pinterest Makeup

It occurred to me that I have been a prolific Pinterest pinner for quite some time and for some reason have never actually tried to recreate some of the amazing things I have seen on there. I wanted to try a new type of post where I take posts from Pinterest and actually try to do them. Mainly my inspiration for this was because of 'Pintastrophes' where someone's attempt has go so wrong! I don't intend to get anything wrong but if I do then it will probably be hilarious :)

Today I chose to recreate this look:

I was so inspired y this because I have some lovely green eyeshadows that don't get an awful lot of use and it is a bit of a twist on my usual neutral look. So without further ado, here is my attempt.

I am a little disappointed with the photos. Firstly you'll have to excuse the horrendous state my skin is in but also because in person the green was so brilliantly bright. Anyway I was so impressed by this look and would so consider doing it as an everyday thing. 

What do you think of my attempt, did I nail it? Also let me know what you think of these posts, if you're interested I may try and do some video tutorials.

Speak soon

Roo xx