Sunday 22 July 2012

Chantecaille Future Skin and embracing a more natural look






































If I was a millionaire, after quitting my job, travelling with my friends, taking care of my family and friends and doing some good in this world I would then indulge my shallow side and buy every single item Chantecaille makes.

After using up my Chantecaille Just Skin, I had my eyes on Future Skin.
Future Skin is an oil free gel foundation. It costs a bomb, an eye watering £55 so expectations are high. I bought mine from Space NK and for reference my shade is "Nude".


After reading a few reviews online, a lot of people seem to have a gripe with the packaging of this foundation. It comes in a pot, I like this because there will be no wastage and you can use up all the product but for hygiene reasons and for the price I think a spatula should be included.

The only other thing I have noticed is that I seem to be using this up at a rate of knots, which worries me! So I advise using this sparingly.







































There's no doubt about it, this is a lovely product. I definitely recommend applying it with a brush. Once buffed in you can hardly tell you're wearing foundation. It gives your skin a healthy, natural looking glow which I love. In the pictures I am just wearing Future Skin and blush, no concealer or powder. I don't like to use a powder with this foundation, as its not needed and I don't want to take away from the "glow".

I definitely want to explore more of the Chantecaille range. While it is a very expensive brand, I actually prefer buying one product, using it up and really loving it before buying another. I have noticed my makeup buying habits changing and I no longer want to spend a fortune in MAC every month. I would rather invest in one product that I love.






































Along with my purchasing habits changing, I have also noticed a change in the amount of make up I wear and the "look" I aim to achieve with my make up.

I have loved make up ever since I can remember, when I was 15 I used to save up my money to buy Versace lipglosses. I hated secondary school and used to slap on the makeup as a kind of comfort blanket. When I was 18 I met someone who made me feel like I didn't need to wear all that makeup. Sadly there wasn't a happy ending and 4 years later we broke up. I resorted back to my makeup mask and that feeling of wanting to hide away. It has taken me a long time to begin to feel OK in my own skin again and now I don't want to hide behind a face of makeup. They say it takes half the time you were with that person to get over a broken heart, but I believe that everyone is different.

I no longer want to spend ages every morning doing my face. Now I want to look like me, but just a more polished version!

These are the products I'm wearing in the pictures above and I can highly recommend them all!


MAC Cream Colour Base "Pink Shock" - I believe this is a MAC Pro item only, so if you are in London make sure you make a visit to the Pro Store. I have been using this as blush religiously for the past few months. I love how pink it is and believe me a little goes a long way.

MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadow "Sweet Heat" - Sadly I don't think these eyeshadows are available anymore, but the Estee Lauder Cyber eyeshadows are exactly the same formula. I just love this colour, it makes my eyes look awake but again still natural.

MAC Cream Colour Base "Pearl" - I am obsessed with this highlight, I apply it down the centre of the nose, along the top of the cheeks, underneath my eyebrows and sometimes in the inner corner of my eyes. I carry this with me everywhere. As you can probably tell I am not a fan of the matte look!

MAC Lipstick "Lustering" - One of my favourite lipsticks, like Pink Shock, I just love the colour of this and being a lustre finish i love the glossy finish.

L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Waterproof - My new holy grail mascara, this is actually amazing. It makes my eyelashes ridiculously long, doesn't clump and doesn't smudge. As soon as this baby runs out I will be running straight to boots! Obsessed!


Saturday 7 July 2012

Beauty Graveyard

There's something strangely satisfying about using up a product, well there is for me! I have finished a lot of products recently and I have some really great ones to tell you about and a few that weren't so great of course. By the way I am very frugal when it comes to finishing a product and cant bare to throw things away if I think theres anything left, hence all the jigsaw style packaging! 


Ojon Volume Advance Volumizing Shampoo - Available from Ojon online £18.00

Ojon had a deal, where if you spent £20 on their website, you got this full size shampoo and conditioner for free. If you have dry hair you will want to stay far, far away from this, as it is drying. As I was washing my hair I could feel the dryness, but as I suffer from greasy hair this was actually a help to me. I liked this as my hair felt so clean after using it. The conditioner I was not so keen on. This was mainly due to the packaging. The conditioner is too thick to get through the tube and its so irritating! Although I liked this, I wouldn't repurchase as I don't feel it did enough to warrant the £18 price tag.

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo - Available from Boots £6.99

I had heard a lot of American YouTubers raving about the Organix line, so I was intrigued when I saw this in Boots. Surprisingly, like the Ojon, this felt quite drying on my hair when washing. So again I wouldn't recommend for those of you with dry hair. Again I quite liked this as it left my hair feeling very clean. The conditioner to go with this shampoo is OK but nothing special and as this was quite drying I felt I needed to use more of a deep conditioner. I probably wouldn't repurchase this one either, but its a much more affordable option then the Ojon at £6.99.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger Keratin Intensive Treatment - Available in Salons

I have to confess to being a bit of a Paul Mitchell snob, it always strikes me as a brand that you find in cheap salons, Super Cuts comes to mind! But this really is a lovely product, its very rich as the name suggests and leaves your hair feeling gorgeous and silky. Unfortunately I could not find this online, but check your local salon...just not Super Cuts! Seeing as this doesn't appear to be readily available online, I wouldn't repurchase, purely because of convenience.

Moroccanoil - Available on lots of sites but I purchased mine from The Beauty Booth £30.45

I COULD AND WOULD NEVER LIVE WITHOUT THIS! Yes caps lock was necessary! Since purchasing this, I can promise you that there has not been a single time I haven't used this after washing my hair. I am obsessed with this stuff, I also use it on my hair when its dry if its a bit unruly and frizzy. Without a doubt holy grail material and I have zero interest in trying any other kind of hair oil as I know this works for me. It literally has transformed my hair and no, I don't care about the silicone's! I have already repurchased this, as like I said I could not go without it! - Repurchased

Shu Uemura Full Shimmer Illuminating Shampoo for Colour Treated Hair - Feel Unique - £24.00 (300ml full size)

If you have ever tried any shampoo or conditioner from the Shu Uemura line you will know how hard it is to revert back to normal (not ridiculously expensive) products. This shampoo is divine, your hair feels silky soft with the most beautiful shine. Their silk bloom line is probably still my favourite though, sadly I haven't repurchased as I just cant bring myself to spend the money....but I really want to!

L'Oreal Professional Inoa Color Care Conditioner Feel Unique - £9.80

What a disappointment, I was so excited to try this and thought I would love it. This was just too thin for me, I felt like I needed to use half the tube each time I used it. Real let down :( Nope, not repurchasing.



E45 Moisturising Lotion - Available from Boots £5.99

You can't beat E45, its the best body moisturiser I have used and its cheap! Only moisturiser I use now. - Repurchased 

Bioderma Crealine H20 - Available from eBay £11 - £15

You know your a beauty blogger/YouTube addict if you have heard about this make up remover! It has a cult following since being recommended by the likes of Lisa Eldridge and I can definitely see why. This is so gentle on the skin but removes every trace of makeup. It feels just like water, doesn't leave your skin feeling tight or dry and since using it my skin has cleared up a treat. The only downside is its availability, hence eBay! I am already on my second bottle - Repurchased

The Body Shop Strawberry Shower Gel - Available from The Body Shop - £4

I love the smell of this, its basically the reason I buy it. I much prefer fruity shower gels to sweet and this one is divine. I would repurchase but the only thing that puts me off is The Body Shop itself. I don't understand the brand. Their products are overpriced, (£12 for a body butter!) the ingredients are not natural, second ingredient on the list here is Sodium Laureth Sulfate and I still don't know if they test on animals, as their products just state "Against Animal Testing" which means nothing. I feel they are a bit of a fraud and it doesn't sit right with me. Hence I am hesitant to use their products.

Zoya Remove + - Available from eBay - £10 - £12

You might think this is pricey for a nail varnish remover, but this is the only one I use. I am constantly changing my nail varnish and I cant bear to go with unpainted nails, so my poor nails don't get much TLC. If I use a normal nail varnish remover, my nails feel so dry and brittle and my skin and cuticles feel awful. Zoya Remove + is so gentle, it also doesn't have the awful stink that every other remover has. For the amount of nail varnish remover I use, I am happy to pay that bit more to keep my nails in good shape. A few times I have run out of this and not repurchased and as soon as I go back to a normal nail varnish remover I remember why I just can't do it anymore. Like Moroccanoil, I cannot be without this. - Repurchased

E45 Touchably Smooth Body Lotion - Available from Boots - £3.99

Ahh, more good old E45. I think this range is meant to be slightly richer then the original and this one is lightly scented. I like it, its E45, of course I like it! I don't notice that much difference between this and the original formula, and you get more for your money with the original. I would repurchase, but I'm more likely to stick to my old faithful original.

Dermalogica Age Smart Multi Vitamin Thermafoliant (Sample size) - Available from Look Fantastic £34.85 (75ml full size)

Thank god I unsubscribed from Glossy Box, as by now I can't even imagine how many unwanted samples I would have gathering dust. Honestly I could go into such a lengthy rant on their appalling customer service but no, I'll try and restrain myself. I got the thermafoliant in one of my glossy boxes, there was meant to be the masque to go with it, but instead I got two of the thermafoliants (great). I did not like this exfoliator, I found it far too abrasive for my skin and it really was a chore to use up this sample. Such a shame, as Dermalogica has some really great products. I just couldn't get along with this.

Simple Kind to Eyes Soothing Eye Balm - Available from Boots £3.99

Haven't really got a lot to say about this, it was fine, no complaints. I don't feel it particularly did anything, but there was also nothing to dislike about it. I haven't found any eye creams that I have really liked so I will continue to shop around.



Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation (Shade 20 Clair-Cameo) - Available from Boots - £34

If you love a dewy finish, then you need to try this foundation. I hate, hate, hate looking matte. I loved the finish this foundation gave me, it really does give you a beautiful glow. This was the first Chanel foundation I tried and it really sucked me in. I know they are pricey but if you have never tried a Chanel foundation I cannot recommend them highly enough. I feel foundation is something you should spend more on, while mascaras, eyeliners etc you can get away with spending less. The only downside with this foundation (apart from the price) is the lasting power. By the end of the working day, I found this had pretty much disappeared right off my face. Of course you can prolong the coverage by using powder, but that takes away from the beautiful finish. I would still repurchase though, in fact the more I think about it, the more I miss it!

Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser (Shade Nude) - Available from Space NK - £55

I know for some people straight off, they would never spend this amount of money on an item of makeup. I wish I was one of those people, I tell you! So I know I'm talking to the hardcore beauty crazies when it comes to this ;) This really is beautiful. In my opinion to call it a tinted moisturiser is almost degrading. This is not your average tinted moisturiser. For a start the coverage is amazing, I would say it gives a medium coverage but still looks like skin. It also doesn't leave a horrible sticky feeling on your face. I just love how natural this looks, it really does look like your skin but better. Would I repurchase? *Buries head in hands* Yes! But we will keep the price between us ;)

YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Shocking Mascara - Available from Boots - £23

OK, so I know I just said you can scrimp on mascara, but this one is an exception! This is an amazing mascara, it is a huge improvement on the original faux cils which turns your lashes into a clumpy 3 lash mess and dries out within 2 weeks. This mascara really does deliver and the shallow side of me really loves the packaging. I highly recommend this and have already repurchased. - Repurchased

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15 (Shade Natural Beige) - Available from Space NK £31

This is another holy grail product for me. This powder is another one of those cult items that everyone raves about and if you have been on the fence about it, I suggest you jump off right now. This is actually a mineral foundation but I like to use it with a lighter liquid foundation as a setting powder for a bit more coverage. This gives my skin the most gorgeous finish, you wouldn't think a powder could make your skin glow but this stuff is amazing. No other powder will compare now and I have already repurchased. - Repurchased 

MAC Eye Brows (Shade Spiked) - Available from MAC £12.50

When I first got this, I was really unsure and thought the colour was far too dark for me, but after playing around with it and discovering you need the lightest of hands to apply this I love it. The pencil is so thin that you can really define your brows, but it blends so well that it doesn't leave harsh lines. I have since got my 2 best friends onto this and they love it too. I have repurchased this but in a lighter shade, "Lingering" which I love equally! - Repurchased