Bperfect Brush on Lash mascara Review

Out of all of the makeup items there are I would say mascara is the one thing I’d choose to keep above all else. It’s not that my natural lashes are very pale, or even all that short but for some reason even a single coat of mascara leaves me feeling that little bit more confident and leaves me looking a good bit more awake! I was recently introduced to Bperfect Cosmetics and their brush on lash mascara which is designed as an alternative to eyelash extensions (something I’ve been putting some thought in to recently). I was really excited to try this product out and hoped it could justify the £22.99 price tag.
For your £22.99 you receive a smart black box containing two tubes of product. The first of these products is a lengthening gel and the second is a smaller tube of enhancement fibres made using green tea fibre.

Applying the kit was really easy, you simply coat upper and lower lashes with a good amount of the lash lengthening gel then add a coat of the fibres to the tips of your lashes before letting it dry for 20 seconds. You can then either seal the lashes with another coat of the lengthening gel or repeat the process for a more dramatic look.

I was a bit worried this would be quite fiddly and messy to do but really it wasn’t (and I’m the most cack-handed person I know). In the picture above I only have one coat of the product on and I was really impressed in the difference it made compared to my usual mascara and two coats would make an incredible dramatic impact for a night out, which is great for me as I am incapable of using false eyelashes without causing injury or sporting a “drunken spider on my face” look.

To remove the brush on lashes you just need to use some warm water or eye makeup remover- it’s that easy! They don’t smudge at all whilst sealed in…I’ll confess to sleeping with them on and then sporting them the next day because sometimes I’m a slob. They also pass the hormonal crying test!

BPerfect Cosmetics are an Irish beauty brand, based in Belfast. All of the products in the range are easy to use, versatile and created to change your cosmetic routine forever.

You can find out more by giving them a follow on twitter, facebook and instagram. I’d love to know if any one has tried any more products from the brand and which ones you’d recommend.

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*product sent to me for review purposes, all thoughts are honest and my own*

The July (2016) Degustabox Review & epic discount code.

Apologies for the unplanned hiatus. Life of late has been rather…challenging? I think that’s the most appropriate word and there have been some big changes which those who follow me on social media will probably be aware of. But I’m back now with my monthly review of Degustabox. Now this was a very drinks heavy box which meant I didn’t actually sample all of the products myself as I’m too much a creature of habit with the fluids I consume, but the goods were shared around family and colleagues so I have feedback on everything as usual.
Kicking off with some condiments the first products I pulled out of the box were a jar of Felix Gerkhins and some Balsamic Vinegar from Sarson’s. I think gherkins are one of those marmite foods that you either love or hate. I’m in the love camp and these ones are great! The perfect balance of sweet and spice with a good crunch. I’ve been chucking them in salads and sandwiches as well as sneaking the odd one straight from the jar. I’m not overly experienced in the world of Balsamic Vinegar but I’ve been enjoying Sarson’s version on summer salads.
Drinks wise I did try the Rejuvination Water in Spanish Orange and it was nice. I balk at paying £1.99 for a bottle of drink but with added amino acids to boost your immune system, stress reactions and protein digestion for some people it may be worth it. The pineapple, coconut and lime drink from Cracker Drinks was taken in to work for my colleagues to enjoy and enjoy they did. With no added sugar or artificial sweeteners and a unique flavour that’s perfect for Summer this was a hit. No one has actually been brave enough to try the ALO Drink yet but when someone takes the plunge I’ll report back.
Muesli is great and Jordans has long been one of my favourite brands. A handful of this reduced sugar variety in a bowl with some natural yoghurt and fruit compote makes a delicious, healthy treat at any time of day.
How cute are these little snack packs of Bahlsen Choco Leibniz? Now available in little packs of two biscuits these are perfect for on the go snacking, whether it’s at work when you don’t want to share or on a Summer picnic. Genius idea!
My Dad is the crisp connoisseur in this house so the food heros lattice crisps from Seabrooks were tested out by him. He really enjoyed the meaty chorizo flavour and the design of the sharing bag although we did spend some time pondering the “suitable for vegetarians” claim, wondering how many vegetarians would want chorizo flavoured crisps! The seaweed crispy thins from Itsu were left to me alone to sample. At only 13 calories per pack I failed to see them as a suitable snacking option but very much enjoyed sprinkling them over a chicken salad as some added texture and flavour.
Three more drinks were hidden away in the box this month too, the sparkling lemon and ginger & cranberry and guava from Berrywhite organic were passed in my Grandad’s direction and he gave a glowing feedback of the lemon and ginger especially. Much like the aloe drink I believe the cucumber one is yet to be sampled but I’d love to know thoughts from those who have tried it.
The new infusions fruit pastilles from Rowntree’s were the stand out product for me this month. They come in three flavours- orange & grapefruit, raspberry & pomegranate and apple & elderflower and they are all delicious. I love the combination of apple and & elderflower and think it’s not used enough so I was especially delighted with these! And finally comes the acai and blueberry flavoured dark chocolates from Brookside Chocolates which I didn’t expect to love much. It’s hard to describe these accurately as they are truly unique but they are a super tasty and satisfying treat that doesn’t feel too naughty either!
If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim a brilliant £7.00 off of your first box by entering the code BLDEG15 at the checkout. It’s been a pleasure to work with the brand one and off over the last couple of years and it’s without a doubt something that I will continue to purchase long after our partnership ends. I love the monthly surprise and excitement as well as the chance to discover products I’d otherwise pass up on the supermarket shelves.

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Getting Festival Ready with Essence

I might not be heading off to any festivals this year, but having been to a few in the past alongside several camping trips I felt quite equipped to take on the challenge of creating a long lasting festival makeup look with the help of Essence. The folks at Essence kindly sent over a bundle of their products, asking bloggers to use them to create a water and smudge proof look to take you from dawn to dusk…
I personally don’t like to wear heavy makeup at a festival- I’m not one for glitter and face paint because after a long day I can never be bothered to remove it and my tent ends up looking like a fairy exploded the next morning. With this in mind I opted for a fairly low maintenance, speedy look which still had some bright and fun elements to it.
I used the eye crayon as an eye makeup base negating a need for primer too- it’s such a pretty peachy/gold colour and unlike some crayons I’ve used in the past doesn’t crease or wear off over the course of the day. I added some silver eyeshadow on top of this for a subtle bit of sparkle and used the dark brown eyeshadow to fill in my brows before adding in turquoise liner to my top eyelids and silver in the corner of my eyes to brighten them up. All of these lasted the duration of the day without any smudges or streaks! The eyeshadows are £1, the crayon £2.80 and the eyeliners are £1.50 so not going to break the bank if you want to experiment with bright and bold colours.I was actually really impressed with the mascara. I’m not a fan of waterproof mascaras in general as I find they can be drying on my lashes. This one by essence isn’t like that at all and I loved it’s petite size and the effect it had on my mink lashes after just two coats. A complete bargain at only £2!

Skin wise I didn’t actually test the foundation as the shade was far too dark for me (being the English Rose that I am) but if it’s anything like previous essence foundations I’ve tried then it will live up to it’s long lasting hype. The lipliner and lipstick lasted a full six hours on me which is pretty good given that I’m constantly drinking a cup of something and had lunch and snacks in that time as well. The lipsticks are very reasonable at £2.30 each…I have several from essence and they’ve all impressed me.

Whilst I’m here I thought I’d throw in a bonus couple of tips if you are heading to a festival for the first time this year…

1. Don’t forget a mirror! I did this the first time I ever went and ended up begging a compact off of a friend which was interesting to do a full face in! Even if there are mirrors in the toilets you really don’t want to be hanging round in those longer than necessary!

2. Face wipes are you friend. A quick and easy way to freshen up during the day and to take makeup off a night. Not ideal as a long term solution but perfect for a weekend in a field!

3. Pack hard workers. Unless you’re taking a gazebo to sleep in space will be limited. 2 in 1 products and travel sizes are your best friends, as are products that don’t require an army of brushes to apply.

4. Relax. Festivals are all about having fun, you really don’t need to pack your full contour kit and high end foundation…no one will be looking at your face and by the time it’s rained for six hours straight and you’re covered in mud no one will see your makeup anyway!

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Products in this post gifted to me by essence.

Bloggers’ Beauty Secrets with Essence

I’ve posted before about my love of bargain cosmetics brand Essence so I was really excited when another package from them dropped through my door last week. Essence teamed up with four beauty bloggers to create the “bloggers’ beauty secrets” collection where each created their own palettes and nail polishes. I admit I do usually steer clear of this kind of thing as it can seem a bit gimmicky but given that Essence are yet to fail me with the quality of their products and have previously hooked me up with the only bronzer I’ll ever use I thought it was only fair to go in to this with an open mind.
I’ve always got on well with Essence nail polishes and these were no exception. The pale blue “shine bright” is a gorgeous pastel shade that complimented my cool skin tone perfectly and the nude “all eyes on me” has just become my staple nail colour for every day wearing. They both apply wonderfully and dry fast. You can get away with just one coat of the nude, but you would definitely need two of the blue to avoid any streaks.
I was more nervous about the palette, called “the glow must go on” it looked quite dark and daunting in the packaging and I’m super pale which often leads to a muddy effect. In reality though the shades of the bronzer blend together well to give just a hint of colour and glow with a light touch application although this could easily be built up for a more dramatic effect. The same goes for the eyeshadows which took a little blending but were perfect for an easy summer look. This would be a great palette to pack for a holiday as you’ve pretty much got a complete look ready to go and should I manage to get away this summer I know it’ll be coming with me- bonus points for being so light and compact!

Excuse my slightly dishevelled appearance. It was 30 odd degrees when I took that photo and well, humidity and I do not get along!

You can find out more about essence and the collaboration on the Essence website. I’d love to know your thoughts.

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My New Hair BFF

Confession: I hate washing my hair. I have a lot of very thick hair and it’s a major effort to wash, dry and style it so any product I can find that gives me an extra day’s reprieve is very much welcome. I’ve been an advocate of dry shampoo since it first arrived on the hair care scene so when Bristol based online beauty retailer Bath and Unwind got in touch offering the chance to try out a newly launched dry shampoo from Moroccanoil I was eager to give it a whirl.
I’ve tried many a brand over the years with varying degrees of success. A creature of habit I often end up returning to Batiste as I find it doesn’t usually leave the powdery grey roots that some brands have done. The Moroccanoil product comes in two tones- light and dark and semi-unsure which category mine fell in to I opted to go for the light tones.

The first thing I need to mention about this product is the scent, it’s AMAZING! I find some of the dry shampoos quite sickly smelling but this has a light, fresh fragrance. Perfect for covering up hair that could kind of do with a wash without being overbearing.

The spray itself is a lovely product to use and having tried it out several times now I have not once noticed a residue left behind. It makes my hair feel light and fresh without being weighed down and easily gave an extra day between washes- it could even be stretched to two at a push!

The Moroccanoil dry shampoo also provides UV protection and volumising properties so it’s a really good all round product for people like me! The light tone spray is designed to enhance blonde hair and reduce brassiness but I found it was the perfect match for my coppery hair as well.

This is 100% a product I’ll be re-purchasing when this can runs out. It might be pricier than my usual brand but it also offers a lot more and leaves me feeling confident that people aren’t going to notice how lazy I can be when it comes to washing my hair!

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