Wednesday, 22 May 2013

REVIEW: Colour Me Fragrances




Last month, I was sent four fantastic fragrances over to try out and it's safe to say that one of them in particular hasn't left my body since. Perfume tends to be expensive, there's no doubt about that. I either ask for some for my birthday or use my Boots Advantage Card points to treat myself however, Milton-Lloyd create low cost fragrances as they don't advertise. Milton-Lloyd is a family business that was established in 1975 and now, they have a large global distribution. They also have a 6 hour guarantee. 

This fragrance is for men and when I go back home from university, I'll be handing it over to my dad. It has "top notes of ruby mandarin orange, grapefruit and peppermint with aromatic herbs and a rich heart of rose absolute, cinnamon and spices on a tenacious base of warm leathery and exotic patchouli, white woods and amber." I'm not very good at describing scents, nevermind masculine ones but this one reminds me of my favourite fragrance which is Paco Rabanne's Black XS. It's really warm and inviting but not in a way that's overpowering.

This is another men's fragrance that I'll be passing over to my dad - he's a lucky one, isn't he?! This has "sparkling citrus top notes of grapefruit, melon and mandarin on a fresh aromatic heart of rosemary, thyme and English lavender. The base notes have quality white musks and tonka beans enhanced with tenacious patchouli and vetiver." Like I mentioned above, I'm no good at describing scents as it is but this one settles down on the skin really nicely. It's not as in your face as most masculine scents and would be perfect for the daytime.

This is a women's fragrance and it's described as "an elegant rich modern fruity chypre fragrance. The fresh top notes of bergamot and watermelon are boosted by a subtle floral accord of pretty jasmine, rose and violet notes. The dry down is a tenacious blend of oakmoss, amber and precious patchouli woods." This perfume is the perfect night time scent as it's really warm, captivating and alluring. Two sprays is enough to allow the fragrance to envelope your entire body and the 6 hour guarantee is correct as I've been able to smell this after a night out.

Oh I have saved the best until last. This feminine fragrance is just, it's all female. "White rose petals and almond blossom nestle around a joyous bouquet of geranium, heliotrope and lilies. This enveloping, romantic perfume scintillates the senses and dries down to a warm, alluring subtle aroma of vanilla and musks." The best way to describe this would be to say that it's Barbie in a bottle. I've already a third of the way through this bottle as it smells so delicious. I've been complimented so many times on it and the smell is really comforting. It's not as warm as the Colour Me Purple but it's still sexy and inviting because of the vanilla. It has more of a sweet, musky smell to it. I just love it. It's perfect.

The packaging of these fragrances - and the names - might not be all that but don't let that put you off. Behind the packaging are delicious fragrances and one has even become a new favourite of mine. When I first saw these perfumes and noticed the price I was a little bit sceptical as 90ml retails for just £9 but I can assure you that they're great quality fragrances that last well, smell well and although they're EDT, they're still powerful and a couple of sprays is more than enough for the entire day/night.
You can view the entire Colour Me range here. Have you ever tried some perfumes from Milton-Lloyds before? Will you be doing so? Which one of the above has captured your eyes the most?
xxx
*PR Sample
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Tuesday, 21 May 2013

REVIEW: James Read Sleep Mask Tan

Sorry if you're not a fan of this picture, just thought I'd try something new!

You know when you find a product and it's "the one?" That's what happened when this little beauty wormed its way into my life. Either I'm uneducated when it comes to the world of beauty or this product is extremely innovative because I've never heard or seen anything like it before. The James Read Sleep Mask Tan* combines overnight skin beautifying ingredients with a touch of self-tan. This mask - which is lightweight and feels cooling like a gel/serum on the skin - is infused with skincare essentials like aloe vera, cucumber, hyaluronic acid and red algae. Oh I mentioned it. The little wonder that is hyaluronic acid. Whenever I hear that precious ingredient my ears always perk up. All of these ingredients work together to moisturise and soothe the skin overnight while the self-tan ingredients guarantee that you wake up with a subtle glow in the morning. I was a little bit sceptical about this product. When I first read the press release I thought to myself; "well this is just too good to be true" but after trying it out for a few weeks, I'm honestly in love. When I wake up in the morning, my skin doesn't look greasy and dull like it usually does. Instead, it looks awake, glowy and ready to face the day. I've been using this a couple of times a week to top up my tan. If you're an avid fake tanner than you'll know that the tan on your face wears away a lot quicker than that on your body so this is great for ensuring your face isn't white while your body is orange. It's really easy to use too. You just smooth it over your face and neck, working it up to the hairline and blending as you go. It doesn't leave any tan marks on your pillows - and I have white pillows so I'd know - and it doesn't leave your hands - or face! - looking like something an oompa loompa would be proud of. This is one of those products that is a dream and just makes life that tiny bit easier.
The James Read Sleep Mask Tan* is available here and it retails for £25. Have you tried this product out before? Will you be doing so?
xxx
*PR Sample
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REVIEW: KIKO Sun Pearl Nail Lacquers

L-R Amable Chartreuse, Blue Spot

L-R Amable Chartreuse, Blue Spot etc

Oh it's that time again. Another post where I rave about the wonders of KIKO Cosmetics. I think I'm actually going to go on a search to try and find a bad product from the brand because as of yet, I've been incredibly impressed. If you didn't already know KIKO Cosmetics have brought out a very beautiful Limited Edition Summer Collection and I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a few bits and pieces from it. This collection has been inspired by the colours and passion of Mexico "where women powerfully combine style and tradition." In this collection are the Sun Pearl Nail Lacquers* which come in four different shades: Amable Chartreuse, River Green, Blue Spot and Chilli Pepper Red. When I first saw these colours, I was a little bit shocked. When you think of summer nail colours, you think of bright pinks, yellows, oranges etc. Not green and blue shades. But these Nail Lacquers have truly captured the essence of Latin America and I believe that they work so well. Each Lacquer comes with a special gold pearl throughout it which gleams in the light and really brings the colours alive. The Lacquers themselves are opaque in two coats and they dried quicker than most. The shades are really vibrant and glossy and when they're on my nails, I can stop staring at them. My favourite shade has to be Amable Chartreuse. It's like nothing I own and I've never seen a shade like it before. In fact, it's all that has been on my nails since receiving these polishes. I also have my eye on Chilli Pepper Red which looks like a lovely twist on the classic red.
Have you tried anything from their Summer Collection? Or from the brand itself? You can view the whole collection here
xxx
*PR Sample
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Monday, 20 May 2013

What I wore on my eyes

















The other day, I posted an outfit of the night post - which you can find here - and before I went out, I posted  this image on Instagram. It received a few positive comments and a lot of people wanted to know how I did my eye make up so I thought I'd do a blog post about it. I used a few colours from the Sleek Storm palette which I've had in my collection for a while now. I have two of them and I'm selling one in my blog sale if you're interested - shameless plug there. Since the arrival of Naked palettes, many others have taken a back seat so when I went out the other night, I whipped my old love out and was pleasantly surprised. I'm sure most people have owned a Sleek palette in their lifetime but if you haven't, let me tell you this: the quality of the eyeshadows are outstanding. They're pigmented, soft and really easily to blend. They're a pleasure to work with. The Storm palette is definitely my favourite and I purchased it three years ago which set off my love for eyeshadows - I owe it a lot. I wouldn't say it's a definite dupe for the Naked palette but it does come with both shimmery and matte eyeshadows and all of them are different variations of nudes. If you're a make up addict, you can't be without this palette. I used the Seventeen liner as my eyeliner as it's very easy to use and lasts all night and then finished with the Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara which gives me fluttery full lashes.
Have you tried the Sleek Storm palette before? What's your favourite eyeshadow combination?
 xxx
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