Lou's Reviews- Bella Sugar Cosmetics 18 Colour Palette

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Sorry I have been a bit lax on the bloggeypops front, I have had one heck of a week. I went to London on Tuesday and was meant to stay and go back into the London office on Wednesday but Mattmoo was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after collapsing so I had to come home and cut my trip short. It was all a little manic but this morning he was discharged and is on the mend- phewy! I won't go on about it because it was all quite upsetting and this is a place of joy and sparkles.

So moving on, last week I had a luurrvvveeelly package sent through the post- my BELLA SUGAR COSMETICS  order!! Woop!! I had taken full advantage of her rather generous 50% sale last month and wowee I'm glad I did.

It had taken a little longer than usual because I customised some colours myself and Patricia had to order in the glitter especially- what other company would do this for you?! None that I know of.

I had ordered the 18 shadow palette, and I think it's love. Seriously, love. I feel like I'm cheating on MAC and Urban Decay but my Bella Sugar lust has over ridden. Before I show you the pictures, let me just give you a slight testimony to this palette: When I went to London, I took only this. Usually I would take at least one UD Book of Colour and maybe a couple of glitters for choice, but oh no, I just took my BSC's gem. Also, it's my hen weekend this in 2 days in Liverpool, and I will ONLY be taking this!! Woah.

So here it is in all it's splendor:

So here are some things I love about my new baby:

1. Patricia remembered that my last palette was in a pink floral theme and she gave me the same one this time. Now, I know if I had asked then she would have given me another, but I just think it's cracking customer service that she remembered. I feel like I have been really thought of and cared for.

2. I got to choose all the colours myself, so I know I will love every single one. Sometimes when I buy a palette I love a few, like a few and one or two I will never use, but this is 100% love.

3. I custom designed 3 of the colours myself and named them LouLou (me- how conceited eh), Tiyana (my little sister and bridesmaid) and Charlotte (my best bud and also my other bridesmaid). More on these later.

4. I have moved the bottom shadows a bit and you can see that there is a little 'name map' of which shadows are which. There was already one on top, but this could be easily lost, so I was pleased there was another for my reference.

5. Just like MAC, all the shadows are magnetised, so if you wished, you could change them around or if you finished one very quickly, you could replace it without having to replace the whole palette- very economical.

6. You can't see it but under the loose colour map there is a sizable mirror, perfect for application on the go.

7. I threw this in my handbag on the tube and the magnets were strong enough to keep it closed so as not to get shadow all over my bag insides. ('funny' story about my tube adventure at end-cringe!).

8. This is by far the best point- THE PIGMENT IS SENSATIONAL. I had to apply this with my fingers the other morning (I stayed at my chum Ian's, and he gave me about 20 nanoseconds to get ready so it was a quick finger swipe and go!), and even without a brush or primer, the colours looked amazing. I can do swatches if you like, but Patricia already has them on her blog which is linked above.

9. There are a variety of textures and finishes- duochromes, satin, matte, sparkly, shimmer. *drools*.

10. All the prices for BSC products are incredibly reasonable. I'm starting to think that for eyeshadows, maybe MAC is not the way...

These pictures don't do the colours justice so puurrlleeaassse have a look on her blog for more images.

I also ordered a single of Tiyana and Charlotte to give to them as a thank you after the wedding. Look closely at the pot...Patricia put confetti sparkles in it!!! Hehehehe!

I was also kindly sent a sample of BSC Golden Glimmer Lip Balm. I have used it a few times and would compare it to the LUSH Lip Balms but with less scent. I like this because I'm not much of a lipbalm gal because I often find the smell a little overpowering. This has the balance just right. I'm not sure if this is the sample packaging or actually packaging but I really like it, it's so dinky you can slot it into your coin purse and jobs-a-goodun!

If you would like anymore info, just give me a shout. For links to BSC Website and ETSY Shop, have a looksie at Bella Sugar's blog and treat yourself to something lovely :)

Have you tried anything from Bella Sugar Cosmetics? What did you think?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews: Pearl Island Jewellery

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Earlier this week I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from the lovely people at Pearl Island Jewellery asking if I would like to review some of their products. Ummmm pretty accessories? Yes Please!! Naturally I bit their hand off for the opportunity and I was promptly sent some lovely pieces.

I will get round to doing a youtube video as well but at the moment I shall just stick to the bloggersphere (ie I look hot and red and gross- can someone turn the sun down please?).

All the pieces I was sent are things I would definitely wear and the kind of things you might find in Accessorize (aka Heaven!!).

So, some snaps of my little gems:

This Eiffel Tower necklace is my favourite. When i looked on the website, I thought it would be the Royal Carriage, but like the wind, I changed my mind. This is what I would call a mid-long length necklace (it sits on my cleavage-oh la la). The website says 24 inches if that means anything to you?

This necklace is perfect for adding a hint of summer frivolity to an outfit but not going mental, just right.

rrp: £5

Pretty pretty pretty. Likey Likey Likey!

These pearls are definitely like the things I make and wear. I love the little gold beads, to give the set a bit more glamour and modernise a ladylike favourite.

I have worn these quite a few times already and one thing that really stood out was the elastic the pearls are strung on. I often find with these sorts of bracelets that the elastic is really super thin and snaps easily. This elastic feels quite sturdy so that is a brucey bonus indeed.

rrp: £5

This is another mid-long necklace and is the Royal Carriage design. I love the whimsy of it and think it isn't something you would see all to often. I find it a bit reminiscent of Cinderella which give me a warm fuzzy.

On a less positive note, I wore this to the office on Thursday and by 5pm I had lost the bow and the pearl which I was a bit bummed about. I don't think I was particularly rough with it but I suppose I did fiddle with it when I was reading things etc, so I would advise you to be delicate with it.

rrp: £7

Look how detailed it is :)

I have had a good nosey at the website and now have my beady little eyes on the camera ring and gold key necklace. What do you have your eyes on?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews- Cellnique by B*liv Skincare

Aloha Bloggerinos!

A couple of days ago whilst I was off work poorly-sick (or should I have written pooey-sick- urgh I know, but we've all been there I'm sure!!), a big parcel came in the post that filled me with glee! It was a stash of Cellnique goodies from Selina at b*liv who had emailed me a little while before asking if I would do an honest review of the products sent, and that I shall do!

Here is what Cellnique says:

Pronounce as ‘believe‘, b•liv has the impeccable pedigree of being the creation of Asia‘s most effective paramedical salon brand -- Cellnique Paramedical, a brand that has emerged as one of the problematic skin expert amongst the industry over the past 12 years. Read more on www.cellnique.com

Originally named "Cellnique Pro-Series", the brand was renamed to better reflect its objective of catering for confident, stylish, dynamic and on-the-go youth with a skincare regimen made specifically for them.

I was quite impressed by the initial contact as Selina was thoughful enough to ask what sort of skin type I had so that she could send me products more tailored to my requirements. I explained that I quite thirsy skin and that I moisturise a lot. The products I was sent were: a sample of "Shield Me sunblock", a full sized bottle of "Quench Me moisturising gel", a full sized bottle of "Drench Me moisturising cleansing gel", a "Leach Me moisturising mask" (leaches?!) and a cute b*liv tote bag that says "together we can save our earth" and has a pretty tree motif on it (this will be one of those handy bags I'll use to take stuff to work in that doesn't fit in my handbag-woop woop thanks b*liv!).

My first impression of these items was that the packaging was encouraging as it was simple yet professional. Personally, I prefer the packaging styles of Benefit or Soap and Glory because of it's shelf appeal, but I think this look gives off a "clean" image and I suppose that is something you would want from products that cleanse and moisturise your face!

The website is good, which items colour coded so that you can see what sort of range you should go for, ie, Blue is for products geared towards dry skin whereas orange is for oily skintypes.

Now, so far, I have only tried the Drench Me and Quench Me gels and I have mixed feelings about them really.

So this was the first product I tried- Drench Me, $25 which is probably about £15ish. You will see from the first picture that it has a pump applicator (my camera battery was on it's last legs when I took these pics so I literally had to snap and go) and very 'clean' looking packaging. I love the applicator because it makes using this product with wet hands a doddle.

The cleansing gel comes out a clear-amber colour and you apply it to a wet face and rub in to make a lather. On the back it says to use 1-2 pea-sized drops, which I did and found that whilst it did make a soapy effect on my skin, it didn't really lather. I washed this off with a wet flannel and felt that I needed to repeat the process to get a really good result. The smell was enjoyable, a non perfumed fresh kind of scent, very unoffensive. To it's credit, it did remove my skin and eye makeup, but on the other hand, I didn't have a great deal on in the first place.

On the packaging, it suggests using this 2-3 times a day. I think if you weren't ovely busy you could manage this 2-3 times daily but I certainly wouldn't cart it around in my handbag to use at work/whilst out and about, and being as I did this twice, I'm not too inclined to do it twice a day either. It's more of a do-in-the-shower kind of product if you ask me.

If I had to compare this to something, I would say it's like the Clinique liquid soap. I think it has a lot of qood qualities and I will continue to use it (once a day in the shower) but there were a couple of things I really didn't enjoy. The first was that as soon as I had used it, my skin instantly felt VERY tight. I'm not sure if this is just my skin playing up or not but I was literally scrabbling to get the Quench Me open to alleviate the tightness.

The second point, which isn't a negative to the actual product, is the wording on the back. I think it is one of those cases where the meaning has gotten a little lost in translation because phrases like "Drench Me is a balm for faces soiled and dry", don't really work too well. The word 'soiled' makes me think of soiled baby nappies :(

The second product I tried was the Quench Me moisturising gel which retails at $38 which I think would be about £25ish. I found the packaging very professional. Its a pleasant looking bottle within a card box that has a clear plastic sleeve. The wording on the back reads a little more smoothly than the Drench Me item, so this is another thumbs up.

The bottle has a pump applicater that I enjoy and gives the product a more luxurious feel. The bottle recomemends using a 2-3 pea sized amount but because my skin is a thirsty little bugger, I used a lot more. The scent was the same as the cleanser which is good because it all matches.

Initially I liked the feel of this and thought I was on to a winner, but alas, after a few minutes, I wanted to put my Lush Dream Cream on. On the plus side, the moisturising gel goes on easily and sinks in quickly (maybe because me skin was absolutely gagging for it after the Drench Me tho!). It isn't sticky or greasy and does finish well. The box says the gel "ensures your cell revitalisation process runs without interuption", so that's a brucey bonus eh!

I've not yet tried the mask and sunblock, but as soon as I do, I will let you know my thoughts.

Overall, I didn't think these products were fantastical, but they weren't terrible, just somewhere in the middle. Perhaps if they bought out a different range or improved them slightly, I would be interested in buying some and trying again.

Thank you Cellnique for the opportunity to try this range, I very much appreciate it.

Toodlepip! 

xx 

Glamour Magazine- News Just In!

Aloha Bloggerinos,

I have tiptop news!

As you can see from the photos, Glamour Magazine (UK. I know there is a US one too but not sure about other Countries) has asked me to be on their Reader Beauty Panel and review some products for them!!

As you can imagine, when this came through the post and I ripped it open (thinking "oooo gaawddd what else have I bought off eBay!?!"), I was very bloomin' excited! I have been sent the Johnsons 3 in 1 facial cleansing wipes and the review will be in the July issue! Woop Woop!

(This is a bit nerdy but I do like to see all the chemicals and whatnot!)

Also, I shall do you a little review of them too. I've not finished the pack but so far, so good :)

This was just a short and sweet post because I'm feeling tres sorry for myself tonight. I have just had to have 2 teeth removed at the dentist- woe is me.

Hope you're having a terrific Tuesday (lovely bit of word play there haha) and will keep your teeth are in good condition, just like mine! hahaha!

Toodlepip! xx

From Lush with Love

Yesterday morning I was planning on having a disgustingly long lay in and languishing in my freshly on sheets. Is there anything better than clean sheets? However, at 7.30am there was a knock at the door. Who on earth comes round at 7.30am on a Saturday?? Postman Pat!! I shlepped back to bed with a very heavy box and wide awake with excitement. I opened it up and it was a GIANT BOX OF LUSH GOODIES, BAAABBYY!!

The extra fantabulous Becky from Liverpool had seen my blog and youtube reviews and as she works at Lush, she very kindly picked me a selection of items that she says she feels are sometimes overlooked and are very special. This is by far the best thing that has ever come through the post! I counted and there are 19 items in there and I shall be reviewing at least 18 of them- one is a top secret Lush item- oh la la!

I think I shall review all items on my youtube channel but I shall review a select few on my bloggypops :)

I can't thank Becky enough for this very generous Lushy gift. She is a cosmetics and beauty wizz- she even has her own eBay shop called Tans and Talons. I have had a good mooch around it and it is AMAZING! She sells all BioSculpture and Fake Bake items and I have got my beady little eye on the nail art brushes (they look luurrrvvly) and the nail art glitter is now on my wishlist. The prices all look really reasonable and I think come payday, I shall have a little shop. For all you bronzed goddesses and gorgeous nailed gals, here is a link to he fabbydabby shop- http://members.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=what_a_bling

It will take me a little while to get through all the Lou's Reviews so keep checking back. Here is a list (in no particular order) of all the wonderful products I received:

1. Sympathy For The Skin Body Lotion

2. Whoosh Shower Jelly

3. Cosmetic Lady Facial Moisturiser

4. Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter

5. Vanilla Puff Powder

6. Angels On Bare Skin Cleanser

7. Mask Of Magnaminity Face Mask

8. Fair Trade Foot Lotion

9. Yummy Yummy Yummy Shower Cream

10. Sultana Of Soap

11. American Cream Moisturiser

12. Rehad Shampoo

13. You've Been Mangoed Bath Melt

14. Sunnyside Bubble Bar

15, Sugar Scrub

16. (Non Lush) Tropical Lip Balm with SPF 15

17. (Non Lush) Amber's Art Soy Wax Melts

18. Top Secret Lush Item

19. Fab Lush catalogue booky jobby that I shall enjoy reading through.

I'm off to drool over my amazing package and shall be smelling amazing for weeks to come! Thank you Becky. :) 

Toodlepip! xx

Yippeeeeeeeeee Yin Yin!

Whilst having elevensies (is this not the cutest thing that older people say? "Elevensies"- for those not in the know, it is the art of having a little rest around eleven, usually accompanied by refreshments of some kind), anyway, whilst having elevensies with Mindy (the picture was too brilliant not to post), I heard a rather ghastly clatter from the porch!

Grabbing my mobile and pre-dialling 999 in case I was about to meet some sort of madcap attacker (I'm easily frightened as the Fiance will vouch for when he makes me jump!), I headed nervously to the front door to investigate the commotion.

There on my mat, alongside the dull bills and junk mail, was a gloriously big brown package with familiar neat writing. Dashing back to the lounge, and to Mindy who wasn't in the least bit alarmed by all the drama, I tore open the package and discovered the most fantastic cushion! My friend Yin Yin Lau is training to be an architect and is very chic and cosmopolitan. To those that don't know her, they would suspect she lives for expensive shoes, cocktails and her career. But oh no chummy! She has a secret. She is a closet knitter!!

She knits baby blankets, cute cardigans, little hearts which I would absolutely love (hint hint Yinners) and as I have pleasantly found, fabulous cushions! The wool she uses is very carefully chosen from everywhere from John Lewis, backstreet Liverpool shops and even New York! Wowza! I know so much time and effort will have gone into her creation and a lot of care has been taken. She chose my favourite colour and I think the little knitted house was because I have just moved into my first house.

I now feel compelled to send her an equally (it'll be tough) fantasmic crafted item and hope that she will send me something back and we can make a bit of a tradition of this craft swapping!

So YinYin, if you are reading, this is your first official review and I shall happily give you 10/10 for style and 10/10 for creativity! Thank you so much!

Toodlepip xx