Pretty in Pink - FAMOUS By Sue Moxley Blusher with Highlighter: Country Rose

I have often walked by this stand in Superdrug with a sort of half interest but that was until a few weeks back when I came across a few new products on display - one of which is a blusher/highlighter duo in Country Rose.

If you lift up blush part underneath is a section that holds a little brush

Country Rose (shade 3) is a pretty mid pink that leans warm and has very faint flecks of fine shimmer that are not really noticeable when applied. The highlighter part is a pale pink with a lovely sheen to it. I haven't really used the highlighter part so much as I usually go for slightly more warmer tones (I think this would work quite nicely as an eyeshadow too), but I love the blusher part as it has good pigmentation and it's one of those shades I would imagine suits a variety of skintones.

I think the pic washes it out very slightly as it looks a bit brighter in reality. I have swatched the highlighter a bit heavier as this applies a bit lighter then the blush. The powder itself is quite smooth, and doesn't feel chalky or frosty. The half moon brush that comes with this is a bit firm and not very soft so that's one for dusting the old keyboard, but at least the compartment underneath can house something else so good for the makeup bag.
Lasting power is fairly decent, it fades a bit halfway throughout the day so a touch-up is required.
Edit: forgot to add that there is a mirror underneath when you lift up the blusher pan section.

This is a brand that I have not really taken much notice of before but I am very impressed by this and at £5, it is a bit of a bargain. There are also some lovely looking eye shadow palettes that I have my eye on but with being on something of a no-buy at the moment (2 weeks and so far so good), it will have to wait.

Disclaimer: Purchased by me

OSKIA Micro Exfoliating Balm Review

When I last made an order from Zuneta I was really happy to be given some sample sachets of various Oskia skincare products as I had heard Lisa Eldridge mention this new brand in one of her Youtube videos and it kind of sparked my interest as it is a natural, nutritional based skincare range that uses a lot of active ingredients. To be honest not really having a clue about what the brand was about to begin with, I was just going on the basis of 'I quite like the sound of the name' (the name is actually Greek for 'delivering nutrients' and 'beauty') and the whole clean, white aesthetic.

But having looked into them more, I really like the whole story of how this brand came into being. One of the key ingredients in the range is MSM which is more commonly used as a supplement for joint health but it is this ingredient that the founder of Oskia, Georgie Cleeve saw the potential after having taken MSM for her damaged cartilage and seeing the incredible benefits of such an ingredient not only to her knee, but also on the skin as well. Another ingredient that got me more interested in the range is the fact they use prebiotics which have been shown to be beneficial to problem skin (like mine).
There is a good amount of information on Oskia's website and also on Zuneta's product videos (which have Georgie Cleeve and her partner explaining the products).

One of the products in the range I was very keen to try was the Micro Exfoliating Balm as I had not really come across an exfoliator in a balm so it sounded like the one I wanted to give a go but it wasn't until Oskia had a promotion on their website that I finally took the plunge and bought it.


Housed in a glass jar, the texture of this balm is lovely and soft, with very fine micro particles of MSM and silica (when you look at it in the jar you can't see any granules in it).The distribution of the granules is very consistent as I thing I hate with exfoliators is when the particles are not evenly distributed but this is not the case with this. Another thing I love is that when you add water the balm transforms into a light milk which can be rinsed clean - I am a sucker for anything that emulsifies with water and it's even better if I don't need a cloth! You only need a small amount of this as it spreads very well so even after a month, I don't think I've even got through a 1/4 of the jar.

The granules are barely visible

This leaves my skin feeling soft and very clean but not stripped, and the main thing I noticed was how super-smooth my skin felt, probably the smoothest of any exfoliator I've tried. I have been using this twice a week for just over a month and I think it does help to perk the skin up a bit but so far I haven't noticed it make much difference to my acne scarring.

Also the scent of this is a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Oskia has a signature scent of Rose-Lychee in almost all their products (the Eye Wonder has no scent) which smells subtly sweet with hints of floral and fruity notes. At the moment Oskia doesn't do body products, but I would love if they could somehow bottle this fragrance into a bath oil or candle as it's quite distinct compared to scents of other skincare ranges.

Another thing to note with Oskia is the price, this range pushes the price I am used to paying for skincare - not counting the Pure MSM supplements, the products start at £38.50 (for the Perfect Cleanser) and the Micro Exfoliating Balm is £46 for 50ml. Although having tried the samples sachets (which surprisingly have lasted quite a while), I would consider purchasing the full-sizes as I quite like my experience so far. The next thing I am eager to try is the Renaissance Mask.

Disclaimer: Purchased by me

Babyliss Pro230 Elegance Straighteners Review

I have used ghds in the past and there is no denying that they are one of best brands out there for straighteners, but I was determined to find something as good for less the next time around and the ideal opportunity came at Boots with their recent offers on electrical beauty gadgets.
At full price these are around £100 but they seem to be on offer at several retailers for about £40-£50.

Apart from the fact they were on offer, the reason I bought these particular ones was because they were out of the box on display instore so I could get a good look as I wanted a shape that you could do waves with easily as well. They also come with a 5yr guarantee which is another factor that sort of pipped it for me.

They are a nice deep purple colour with a wavy, pearly satin cloth type pattern.
On the left there are the LED lights, then a sliding switch for 3 heat settings (180, 200, 230 degrees), and an on button and an off button. These heat up really quick - about 20 seconds.

It comes with a heat proof mat with a velcro strappy thing on the end. The cord is a nice long length and swivels at the the top so it is easy to maneouvre and doesn't get tangled.

It also comes with a clutch (which I find a bit cheap and hideous looking). It's okay for storing the straighteners, but they just manage to fit inside, ideally it should be a bit bigger and it would be better if they somehow combined the heatproof mat and bag so that they are not separate as the lining of the bag I don't think is heat proof.

As to the straighteners themselves - they are really rather good. I have quite fine hair so don't need them to be as hot and find that these get my hair very straight quickly even if I can't be bothered to properly section my hair. The plates also have a nice glide and don't drag in the hair, and the curved edges allow me to create waves as well. One thing to note is that the outside top part of the straightener where the plates are does get very hot which I don't find to be a problem as I hold them nearer the bottom but is something to be cautious of.

My sister has thick, long (sorta like Pocahantas) hair and she has been using these on the highest heat setting and found that she can get poker-straight hair with these as well which importantly lasts throughout the day and also the following day. As we have both used ghds in the past we can tell a very slight difference - more to do with the ghd plates and how they efficiently straighten the hair in one swipe but it is such a small difference and for me these Babyliss ones do just as good a job.

Overall I am very pleased with these and they make a much more affordable alternative (if bought on offer) to ghds.


Disclaimer: Purchased by me

A Volcano of Sparkle! Accessorize Molten Copper Illusion Nail Polish

Acessorize Molten Copper (shade 43). Two coats

Maybe volcano is an exaggeration, but boy is this glitter gorgeous and it's copper! I've wanted a copper glitter for a while and have not come across one before so when I saw this I had to get it.

This one is part of Accessorize's Illusion range of nail polishes which are supposed to give more of a multi-dimensional/duochrome effect which is truer of some of the other shades like Aztec rather then this which is more a standard glitter.

I have some more 'in your face' coloured glitters, but sometimes I like the ones that are a little more subtle (if glitter could ever be called subtle) and even though there is no denying that this is a chunky particle polish, it is more nearer my skin tone so it feels a little less 'showy'.

Also this partners very well with YSL Pink Gold nail polish (No.140) which by the way being my first YSL polish I am very impressed with (great metallic finish, good coverage and quick drying).

YSL Pink Gold on it's own, 1 coat

This is one coat of the Molten Copper on top of the YSL:

I have tried to capture the sparkle but after several failed attempts it still appears flat in the pic but in real life it looks pretty and compliments the Rose Gold well.

But...

The staying power of this is not great - even after using inm Out The Door topcoat over this it still chipped in about a day, with the worst wear at the tips.
Also being a chunky glitter it really is a pain to remove and this is where the drawbacks of Seche Vite become rather useful as I would rather peel off a glitter nail polish then attempt to remove it with nail polish remover so I think a repurchase of Seche Vite is in order.

I am not disappointed I got it as I love the colour but I wish it lasted a little bit longer on me.


Disclaimer: All purchased by me