Beauty Product Reviews
Thick, nourishing hand balm.
I have tried this Hand Cream in a sample before and like all Burt’s Bees hand cream’s I can’t rave about them enough. I like the fact that it is actually more of a thick, waxy balm than a cream, which envelopes my hands in a protective shield that completely nourishes and cares for my particularly dry, overworked hands as it attempts to soften and rejuvenate the neglected skin, repairing damaged cuticles.
Because it’s so rich and on the heavy side, this is probably the most hydrating hand cream I have ever used and helps make for silky soft skin with a younger-looking appearance.
Whilst I do love everything about this ‘super balm’ it is still actually my least favourite of the Burt’s Bees hand creams! That is only because I am sensitive to certain fragrances and I’m not overly fussed on the somewhat fake perfume scent this strongly concedes. Some of the other versions are far more delectable, whereas this one is so strongly scented; it smells like a sickly sweet aniseed that is quite artificial, instead of natural, as it should be. I also don’t find any resemblance to almonds in the aroma, if it did I wouldn’t mind it at all, but this is just not it at all!!!
Overall though, I would only deduct one point for the overbearing smell, the rest of the product, I dare say is near perfect and exactly what I look for in a hand cream
This moisturiser is a work-horse!
I initially first tried this, when I received it as a lavish free sample that accompanied a skin care order. I have since, however, purchased a full-size tube, as these days I have come a long way from my earlier years where my body and skin care were never recognised in the same sentence and was neglected accordingly. Now I consider my body skin care just as important as my face and moisturising my damp skin immediately after showering daily is essential for keeping my body in tiptop shape.
Despite the title, I would definitely classify this moisturiser as a cream rather than a lotion because it’s extremely rich and nourishing with a thick texture. All the while, as hydrating as it is, the cream absorbs almost instantly with no greasy residue and my skin is left feeling silky smooth and supple in appearance. It works a charm to replenish dry patches and the results are long lasting. It’s quite heavily fragranced but it’s a natural, pleasant scent that tantalises the senses and doesn’t tend to linger around after application. It’s definitely a work-horse, which makes it an ideal moisturiser for year round body skin care.
Ideal for beautiful makeup any time, anywhere.
I am still quite new to NP Set products, even though they have been around for a while now. I have though, tried a few items in their range of which, keep amazing me, because the good quality cosmetics always deliver in performance and results, especially considering the relatively cheap price tag they bear. I am a sucker for budget cosmetics when they are reliable and NP Set fits the bill! This little compact makeup kit features a built-in, flip-up mirror, which exposes two shimmery neutral-coloured eyeshadows and a charming blush, along with a mini mascara and nude coloured mini gloss. Infused with the goodness of vitamins this set has your lips, eyes and face covered to create a naturally beautiful makeup look anytime, anywhere.
Lady's Choice - for a true nude lip!
I have this in Lady's Choice, which is the first shade I have tried in this range. I am not usually very fond of nude lips; however, this is my ideal lip colour of choice, when I do feel like rocking a realistic, true-hue, nude lip. What I like most about this sleek, easy to apply lipstick is its deeply moisturising formula, with an especially rich, urber creamy, butter-like texture, fully loaded with pigment for an abundance of saturated colour and a subtle, slightly glossy, shimmer-free finish. The reason I am personally not fussed on a nude lip is that I am not overly confident that the neutral hues even suit me. When I first tried this shade, it seemed to look like my lips had done the vanishing act and magically disappeared. It also make me look washed out and somewhat sickly. (eww, not a good look) I have since discovered though, if I pair a slightly darker liner to the outline of my lips and fill in my natural lip colour, forging a base underneath, the colour becomes more flattering and amazingly gives the impression that my thin lips are a little plumper than normal. It’s really starting to grow on me this one (at least for the minimal makeup days), but I’m still keen as to try out some of the different colour options from the same range.
The Queen of all Lip Pencils!
This remarkably handy, double-ended liner, with its ultra soft, creamy consistency, is a functional multi-use lip pencil consisting of a skin-toned light beige hue on one end, with the dual side bearing a lip-toned beige that is a few shades darker. I am always using the light end when I makeup my lips, regardless of which colour I plan on sporting, because the skin coloured shade is a spot on match that compliments my own skin tone faultlessly, to highlight my cupids bow. The darker side however, I don’t use as often, yet it does come in useful for lining and filling my lips to create a base to team with certain lipsticks to obtain a more precise, long-lasting, lip look. This liner has a soft, creamy texture that’s easily sharpened to maintain a fine point, prompting it to glide on so smooth and evenly without dragging on my lips. It’s an exceptionally good quality lip liner and despite being rather pricey up front, it‘s the best I’ve ever tried, promising a gorgeous, natural-looking lip definition.
Great natural-looking but effective mascara for the most senstive eyes.
For daytime wear, I opt for simple, inexpensive mascara to inject some colour into my lashes and plump them up a tad, without becoming too dramatic or OTT (over the top). When I first spotted this mascara, I thought it would ideally replace the green-eye mascara I had previously employed, from another brand, which worked well and suited my lash requirements during the day. I have now determined that this one certainly doesn’t disappoint! The large brush with a tapered tip evenly coats and separates each individual lash, with no flaking, clumping or smudging, and it’s buildable, permitting for additional coats that can be successively layered for a greater impact. The gentle formulation is kindy non-irritating to sensitive eyes and while it lasts looking fresh and in place throughout the day, it washes off with ease to avoid the dreaded panda eyes. Earning its place as one of my preferred daytime mascaras, because it’s merciful and caring to the delicate optics, along with the ability to still create a natural, fuller appearance to the lashes that brighten and emphasise my eyes.
Perfect for well-groomed brows in a flash.
I like to keep my eyebrows well groomed because as the saying goes; ‘eyebrows frame your face’, notably your peepers, which are claimed to be ‘the windows to your sole’. Well-shaped brows will furthermore balance the rest of your facial features. Although my own brows are along way from being ‘well-shaped’, they have come a long way since the days of plucking the living daylights out of them! Now, more than ever, whilst they are growing, I rely on my trusty eyebrow pencil to fill in my sparse brows, depending on the waxy consistency to better mould the shape and hold the hairs in neatly in place. The attached brush on the flip side, maintains the tidy appearance, guaranteeing my brows retain that permanent ‘wow’ factor’. Something worth noting, is this dark brown shade is, as a matter of fact, a pretty accurate match, comparable to my light-medium brown coloured brows, so beware that the highly saturated colour, is lighter than expected, therefore you may need a darker hue than normal.
My perfect day-to-day bronzer
This is my ‘go to’ bronzer, boasting dual-toned colours that make it very versatile and suitable for not only different complexions but also for adapting to irregular skin changes throughout the various seasons. The contrasting shades, featuring a light and medium hued bronze, are perfect when used individually as a blush or bronzer; otherwise, they will combine conveniently for contouring and highlighting the entire face. This delicately pigmented duo, blends seemingly with my skin tone to effectuate a healthy, natural-looking, sheer tint of colour, which resembles a gorgeous ‘almost there’ sun-kissed glow
The perfect primer to withstand the summer humidity!
This gloriously lightweight, lotion style primer leaves my skin considerably soft, while smoothing out any abnormalities. I like teaming this primer with liquid foundations, yet I am partial to it during those warmer, summer days when I need to avoid anything too rich and heavy coating my skin. The formulation compliments my oily skin and keeps it relatively shine-free throughout the day, bereft drying it right out. It helps my makeup glide on seamlessly, encouraging it to appear fresher and to remain in place for much longer.
It’s got plenty of potential.....but ONLY for the right person.
I have oily skin, so the odd drama when it comes to finding a tinted moisturiser that is suitable for my skin concerns is not unheard of, especially when it has sun protection on board, because most sunscreens just don’t gel with my skin and bring about even more oil. Presented in a sturdy lockable pump top dispenser, the Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturiser comes in two shades, 'Fair to Light' and 'Medium'. I opted for the later, which turned out to be a perfect match to my skin tone. I was a bit concerned that the formula, with its texture being thick like a foundation that included light-reflecting particles would only accentuate my oily skin even more…..and unfortunately it did!
Along with the makeup-like consistency, which actually blended like a charm, the first thing I noticed was the sunscreen-type fragrance that I am not overly partial to. It is quite subtle though and the scent soon fades away to nothing after it's applied to the skin. It initially promoted a sheer, natural-looking coverage that impressed me, as it evened out my skin tone considerably, masking any flaws, particularly the usual redness and blotchiness that my skin manifests during the hotter months. So, as well as hiding the ‘bad bits’ it complimented my personal skin colouring exceptionally well to achieve a ‘barely there’ existence and a refined, polished-looking complexion. The finish felt nice and lightweight on my skin, which I was thinking has to be a good sign, as whilst the dewy, glow looked acceptable after I had finished setting it with my normal translucent powder, those instant admissible results were sadly short-lived.
After going about my normal morning activities, I stopped to reflect on my appearance in the mirror and at first, I couldn’t tell if my skin was starting to look shiny or if it was just the shimmery Mica particles that were included in the ingredients. Although, before the morning was over, I touched my skin and this time, it was well and truly feeling greasy, so in hope, I applied some more translucent powder to try and help reduce the shine. By mid afternoon, with the day getting warmer, that coincides with the addition of humidity, I was looking like I had just jumped out of the deep fryer, covered in an oil slick of sorts. To top it off, as well all that the excess oil, my face was literally glistening (think shimmer, eww ) that also emphasised my problem. My face also looked quite patchy and the majority of the original flawless coverage had basically just separated and settled into any lines and crevices or had melted away entirely. Some of the remnants clung onto a couple of dry patches on my skin that I didn’t even know existed until they were brought to my attention by the unsightly flakiness that highlighted the fact.
Not one to give up so easily, I tried it again the following day, this time with a primer underneath. While it didn’t make a 'huge' difference by the end of the day, I did notice that the coverage lasted longer and wasn’t as greasy as the previous application. I continued using the tinted moisturiser (only collaborated with a primer) for a period of five days, however on the third day, I noticed a small pimple surfacing on my cheek, followed by two more the next morning and finally on the fifth day there was another one, this time right on my nose. That was the last straw! I found it to be quite overwhelming, because it certainly wasn’t ‘that time of the month’ when I AM inclined to get the odd hormonal blemish and considering other than this Tinted Moisturiser and the associated Cleanser, I have not added anything else or changed my standard, particularly strict skin care regime. I immediately ceased using the products, but when I am feeling braver, I might try introducing them one at a time, to determine which one or if both could possibly be the culprit. Even though I am convinced, knowing my own skin very well and not being one who breaks out too often, that most likely this particular formulation is just too rich for my oily skin. Whilst the product claims to be noncomedogenic, because my skin wound up so greasy, it’s my opinion that the excessive oil production is what also contributed to my breakouts. It’s not all bad though, as while I do have oily skin, I am also blessed with sensitive skin and I can ensure that these products didn’t cause any irritation or skin flare-up’s, so it is gentle and didn’t upset my skin at all.
With its mediocre price range, this product comes up trumps in terms of being economical, seeing as I only needed one pump per application, I dare say it will last for ages. Taking into consideration my skin is already oily and the weather is rapidly heating up, it would be safe to determine, these were the contributing factors to my ‘not so pleasant’ experience and the overall performance of this product in my case. While, I wouldn’t feel comfortable recommending this to anyone with oily skin, we are indeed, all different, therefore what works for me (or what doesn’t work in this case, LOL ) could actually be pleasantly surprising for other oily skinned beauties, so take it in your stride and if you are comfortable to give it a shot then go for it. I am of the belief that the Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturiser would be more suited to those with normal to dry skin types, as the initial results I encountered, would have a far greater possibility of endurance to prevail a flattering, dewy, radiant-looking complexion, rather than one that resembles a luminous, disco ball.