Bourgois colour edition

By Sarah Redman

Bourjois is a make up brand I have really gotten into recently, starting with their healthy mix foundation and then healthy mix concealer (Love, Love, Love); I have even tried their flower perfection primer (Not bad I must say – and a handy pot!) Now I have moved onto their eye shadow, as you do, so with the release of their Colour Edition 24 Hour Eye Shadow I had to have a try.

This is a cream-to-powder formula, which is really handy – no smashing of a powder pallet – the cream stays together even when travelling. This product also boasts a metallic sheen, which is eye catching during the day and can be built upon with their darker shades for an impact eye statement look for the evening. Bourjois also claim that “94% of woman found Colour Edition 24 Hour more luminous than their regular eye shadow” (See their website).

Available in six shades ranging from every day lighter shades to blue and purple hues. These hues are perfect to take you through from Autumn / Winter 2013 to Spring / Summer 2014 with Nudes, Navy’s, and Berry shades being very popular.

I purchased the Colour Edition 24 Hour Eye Shadow in both 03 Petale de glace and 05 Prune Nocturne.

These shades are great for a day time look with a little metallic sheen or you can build up the colour for a smoky eye style evening look. This product is easy to work with and has great staying power. It can be applied using your fingers but I have found the best result with a variety of eye shadow brushes as the pick up the most pigment and make the products easier to blend. I’m looking forward to trying more colours from this range.

Have you tried Bourgois’ creme eye shadow offering? Let us know and comment below, Tweet us @thesarahsblog or post on our Facebook page.

Lush-ious Lips

By Sarah Redman

Too obvious? I popped into the new Lush store in Tunbridge Wells the other week. I was home and Christmas shopping the day of the store’s opening, so popped in to see what delights they had to offer.

I have always been a Lush fan, ever since finding their fantastic store in Covent Garden, London. The perfumed smell of their stores is enticing and their products are amazing. The idea of fresh handmade cosmetics not tested on animals is great.

#FreshMatters

They have really expanded their brand with their traditional bath bombs and scrumptious soaps through to make up and hair products. Walking around their stores it seems like a little treasure trove, with amazing products made from lovely ingredients, there really is something for everyone.

Alongside a fabulous purchase for myself, I noticed Lush also has some great low price products that are perfect stocking fillers!

My latest purchase is their ‘Mint Julips‘ lip scrub. At the moment I have a wonderful cold and sore throat that just won’t go away, hence I am feeling rather run down and my lips are super dry. This mint choc chip tasting lip scrub contains peppermint, vanilla and tagetes oil. These moisturising oils along side the castor sugar clear away the dead skin from your lips, leaving them moisturised and smooth.

This product is so easy to use, just use your finger to massage a little bit of the product into your lips; this exfoliates the delicate skin whilst the oils moisturise them. This is best done before applying your lip balm or lip stick and you will get the best results if you use it on a fairly regular basis. This may seem like a tiny pot, but you don’t need mush so it lasts a while.

Lush’s lip scrubs are available in ‘Bubblegum‘, ‘Mint Julips‘, ‘Popcorn‘ and ‘Santa’s Lip Scrub‘.

Have you tried Lush’s lip scrub range or do you think this is the product for you? Let us know and leave a comment or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

Winter nails

By Sarah Redman

During the winter my nails get quite brittle so nail polish chips easily, this can be really annoying especially if my nails are weak.

Recently I have discovered Rimmel London’s Salon Pro with Lycra (£4.49). I love this polish, i think it’s going to become my go to nail polish… I now own the three shades below!

The Lycra makes a noticeable difference to other nail polishes and whilst it has never lasted the whole ten days it claims it can last you up to, I still love it and the colour definitely doesn’t fade either. Even with one coat the coverage is great and it is really fast drying. The brush is another great factor to this polish, it is wide, flat and shaped, perfect for even nail coverage first time.

This product comes in a range of rather lovely colours, some designed by Kate Moss – I find they are a bit different to some more standard ranges, this includes more of a range on colour, going for the dusty pink (grape sorbet) above right and the powdery denim blue (navy seal) above centre. Personally i feel this product is great value for money.

I think for the optimum results from this polish two coats and a top coat are required, but then that works best for most polish’s. My only criticism is that the lid is quite chunky, which is fine – but if you are used to a smaller lid to hold it can seem a bit tricky to get the precision you are after on first use.

Have you tried Lyrca Pro? What did you think? Leave a comment and let us know or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

Make up mini haul

By Sarah Redman

I had quite a bit of fun doing my previous haul post, so i thought i would have a go at a make up one. This time it is only a mini one – minimal prices and minimal pieces.

Make up mini haul

First up, Rimmel London Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder in 003 Peach Glow (£3.99). I normally buy this product in 001 Transparent, i think a light translucent powder is a make up bag essential especially in the summer to sort out that excess “glow”. However, once in a while my skin has a ‘good skin day’ or i have a day off, where i’m not going out, so i want minimal coverage to give my skin a break. I used this product with a light BB cream in the summer, mostly in the evenings – to give some more coverage and achieve a more polished look.

Second is a new product for me, I have wanted it for ages but never justified the extra expenditure (to be perfectly honest i don’t know why i have now either): Barry M Nail Paint, Instant Nail Effects Foil 320 Gold (£3.99). I love the nail foil look and cant wait to try out Barry M’s version of this trend.

Lastly, my staple make up remover Simple Kind to Skin Radiance Brightening Wipes (£4.20). I love these, they are one of the only products and more specifically ranges i have found that do not irritate my skin when removing make up. These are a really great addition to any make up bag, there are also loads of variations for different skin types.

Have you had a little bit of a make up haul recently or do you see any products here you want to try? Leave a comment or Tweet us @thesarahsblog to let us know.

The Matte Look

By Sarah Redman

For the past we seasons, the ‘dewy look’ has been the main one to aim for with regards to your skin and make up regime. However for Autumn / Winter 2013 the ‘matte look’ is most definitely back.

Rimmel London Stay Matte Foundation Samples

Rimmel London have just  released their new Stay Matte Foundation – liquid mouse (£5.99). I have always been a bit weary of matte foundations and mouses, thinking that they would dry out my already temperamental and dry skin. However I have been pleasantly surprised with this new formula.

I have never been a fan of that ‘shiny’ look, dewy fine – shinny no! But this matte look is really versatile as a base, letting you choose which area of make up you want to be the focus point, from the classic eyes or lips to the matte look skin itself. This formula includes chamomile, cucumber and cotton to calm, clarify and control shine respectively. This foundation also reduces redness and absorbs any excess oil for up to 12 hours.

This foundation feels great on, leaving  the skin silky smooth (even if its a bit dry), this sample (100 Ivory) is the second lightest shade available (there are 5 shades available), i am rather pale so can struggle to find a foundation that isn’t a stark contrast to my skin. Whist this foundation seems dark, it actually blend very well to your skin tone, you don’t need much at all to get an even yet still shear coverage. This was a pleasant surprise, i found applying this foundation easiest with my Real Techniques expert face brush.

There have been some bad reviews about this product, with some people finding it too cakey – but i found you really need a little bit and just take the time to blend to your skin, rather than ‘paint’ it on to cover up problematic skin. I also used a little Rimmel London Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder in 001 transparent (£3.99) to finish. In the packaging it looks like a pale colour but when applied really is just a mattefying translucent powder that i found helped any areas of excess oil for my combination skin.

Below is the finished look:

(I apologise for my skin – its having a bad time with the back to uni work stress!)

Stay Matte foundation look

I have finished my matte foundation look by adding a bit of bronzer (no.7 perfectly bronzed bronzing pearls), using my go to eyebrow kit (Rimmel London professional eye brow pencil & The Body Shop’s brow & lash gel), keeping my eye make up light (Clinique eye shadow & 17 doll’d up Mascara), lastly some neutral lip balm (Burt’s Bees Honey)

Have you been experimenting with different foundations lately, do you like this minimal winter look? Leave a comment and let us know or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

Mum’s the word

By Sarah Redman

I have always loved my Mum’s style, although sometimes I have steered her in the right direction, but I remember watching her get ready for a night with the girls or a dinner party in lovely dresses, pretty jewellery (which I subsequently raided her jewellery box for) and of course the high heels – no wonder I’m obsessed with shoes, I was just at the right height to raid her wardrobe!
Here she has a great smart casual style going on for dinner with the girls. I love the top and tapered trousers with the summer pumps, a really great take on a smart casual summer dinner look.
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
Top – Hobbs
Trousers – Miss Captain
Shoes – Lisa Kay
Jewellery – Triwa (watch) – Dominic Walmsley (rings) – Cohen (Ring)
Glasses – Ralph Lauren
Make up – Clinique Chubby Stick – Grandest Grape 08

Friends with Benefits

By Sarah Redman
Yes, it is a some what misleading title and ironically I’m actually talking about a make over that included no Benefit products! A girly evening complete with chocolate, face masks and episodes from my Sex and the City TV box set turned into a lovely make over from my wonderful friend Georgia (Life’s Little Ponderings).

Her make up bag is always full of great products from a range of brands and luckily for my bank balance a range of prices! In the picture below are my three favourite products from the make over.

1. The Bourjois healthy mix serum in 51 is fantastic for a high street foundation, great coverage – not to heavy but not too sheer for those who like to even their skin tone.
2. The Chanel levres scintillantes glossimer 166, lip gloss for short, is absolutely fabulous, so light, yet has great coverage and also tastes great! It is definitely worth the price tag (I’m starting the Christmas list early this year) #InvestmentPiece
3. Lastly this Eco Tools eye liner brush, unfortunately is no longer available, however i use The Body Shop slanted eye brush which is basically the same. The precision of this brush is great for getting right against the lash line.

Here is the finished look and below are all the products that were used.

– Laura mercier radiance primer
– Real techniques expert face brush
– Bourjois healthy mix serum – 51
– Laura Mercier cool toned eye pallet – no longer available (special edition)
– 17 doll’d up mascara
– Rimmel stay matte power
– Laura Mercia second skin colour blush – lush nectarine
– Mac 217
– Brush unknown blender
– Bobbi Brown blush brush
– No7 perfectly bronzed bronzing pearls
– Bourjois healthy mix concealer– 51
– Chanel – levres scintillantes glossimer 166
– Eco Tools eye liner brush (Not pictured) – no longer available, however i use The Body Shop slanted eye brush

Prom styling

By Sarah Redman
Now I am having a bit of a moment as i am feeling a tad old, having watched my sister and her friends get ready for their year 11 prom the other evening. But on the upside I though I would share with you how one group of friends can be so diverse in their outfits yet still all look fabulous. So here they are with a glass of Martin Asti #yum all looking lovely:
I asked each of the girls to choose a favourite part of their outfit (and if they couldn’t choose I was quick to tell them what I was loving!) so below are their outfits and my featured favourite bits.

Grace Redman: Gold bow detail shoes (Forever 21)

It is no secret that the right pair of shoes can make an outfit, this was certainly the case for my sister – we had months of trying to find the right shoes and then the bag to match! But in the end she went for these lovely gold ribbon shoes. I really like these which follow the metallic trends, but are a little different to the usual covered in glitter heels.

Mimi Marshall: Back detail blue lace dress (Xenia)

I am really loving the low back on this dress, complete with bow detail, I think it is a really refreshing way of showing some skin in an understated sexy way. I also love the pop of colour, very summery, which is a nice difference to traditional prom colours (and great with matching shoes – forget the bag, matching shoes and dress is where it’s at).

Freya Edwards: Colour block maxi dress (Gas Station)

Whilst this dress is a colour block maxi, which i think is great as it is a bit more daring than the usual prom dress, in the main photo the skirt of the dress does in fact look tie dye. This is thanks to the dappled light coming through the trees in the garden- meaning just by standing in the right place you can work two trends in one dress. Genius!

Emmi Palmer: Floral bracelet / ring combo (Miss Selfridge)

It is no secret I love a good bit of jewellery, however the whole ring / bracelet combo thing is something i have never really tired! So to see this lovely bracelet give the outfit a little something extra was great, a subtle approach to prom jewellery which i sometimes find a little too blingy for my tastes (and it looks awesome with a champagne glass!)

Ella Spencer: Navy diamonte back detail maxi dress (AX Paris)

I am absolutely loving how elegant this dress is, I have never bought from AX Paris before but this dress has definitely inspired me to have a look if I need something nice for an occasion. Again this has the great back detail, but this time with navy diamanté across the shoulders.

Ciara Murphy: Red patient platform ‘Dorothy’ shoes (Call It Spring)

I love the Call It Spring range of shoes and got rather excited when they became available in the UK. I have nicknamed these shoes ‘Dorothy Shoes’ simply because to me they are. I love how shoes can become a statement and completely change an outfit. These shoes are ticking many style boxes in patient and platform – but goodness knows how Ciara managed to walk in the all night!

Have you been to a prom recently or got an occasion coming up? Will you be channeling any of these styles? Let us know and leave us a comment or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

Grace Redman: Dress (Miss Selfridge), Shoes (Forever 21), Bag (Accessorize), Make-up (Bobbi Brown), Tan (Sienna X – shade 8)

Mimi Marshall: Dress (Xenia), Shoes (New Look), Jewelry (Pandora), Nails (Barry M), Tan (Loreal Paris)

Freya Edwards: Dress (Gas Station), Shoes (New Look)

Emmi Palmer: Dress (ASOS), Shoes (Miss Selfridge), Bag (Miss Selfridge), Jewellery (Miss Selfridge), Tan (Tipz’n’Toez)

Ella Spencer: Dress (AX Paris), Shoes (Dorothy Perkins), Bag (Dorothy Perkins)

Ciara Murphy: Dress (BooHoo), Shoes (Call It Spring – Available at Debenhams & ASOS), Bag (Very), Jewelry (Pandora), Make-up (Benefit & Bare Minerals), Tan (Sienna X)

Colour me green

By Sarah Redman
I recently acquired this fantastic concealer set; ‘No Show Camouflage Fix‘ from POP via asos.com from their flash beauty sale and have been loving the green redness corrector section. The green blends with your skin, changing red marks into the same colour as your skin, evening out your skin tone – great if you have problem skin or for when you get that one pesky spot just before a night out!

With everything I buy, whilst i may love a brand or product, i am also a sucker for a bargain. So i am always combing the high street for a cheep version that still works, or a great offer on that product i love. For this product, whilst i cannot find a replacement that meets the standard set in being able to buy four different types on concealer in one, I have found a ‘Green Corrector Stick‘ from Natural Collection (boots.com) for only £1.99, bargain as this is the bit i use the most. Queue, me and Nicola running across to Boots after work and snapping up the last two there before they closed!

(The green is more of a pastel colour than shown in the picture)
Are you a fan of a green concealer or will you be trying this out? Let us know and leave a comment or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

Boots bargain

By Sarah Hugill

Who doesn’t love a good deal when they see one? I always feel a sense of achievement when I have whipped out my bank card, but don’t feel guilty for doing so. I’m sure many of you feel exactly the same, so thought I would share with you my latest bargain!

As a loyal customer to Rimmel London products I was pretty impressed with Boots latest deal. If you spend £10 or more on Rimmel products then you get their volume flash scandal eyes mascara for free! Who can resist a deal like that? Well, I certainly didn’t have the will power too, especially since I have a weakness for glitter nail varnish and always use their lasting finish foundation.

It is definitely worth a trip to Boots if you fancy getting yourself a free mascara! I am yet to use this particular mascara from Rimmel yet so I will have to let you guys know how I find it, as I usually go for a mascara that enhances volume and this one looks very promising!

Have you used their mascara before? What do you think of Rimmel’s latest deal in Boots, let us know at @thesarahsblog or leave a comment below.