Review: ELF Studio Cream Eyeliner in Black

This cream eyeliner is the newest addition to the ELF Studio family, and is one that really was needed! I do think that we've needed an affordable cream liner over in the UK. I can't think of any drugstore equivalents that are available over here. The US has the L'Oreal HiP and Maybelline liners, neither of which are sold over here (boo!). I'm keeping a close watch on the Maybelline stands in case the liner does make an appearance.

But this liner from ELF fills that gap! It's available from ELF Cosmetics UK (and I'm sure it'll be on the US site as well) for the grand total of £3.50. I suspect if the Maybelline liners ever did make an appearance in the UK, they'd cost more that £3.50! It comes in four colours: Black, Coffee, Midnight & Ivory. Quite an interesting choice of colours there. The black, dark blue and brown are pretty much expected shades, but the Ivory is not. I honestly would expect a dark green or purple instead. I wonder if that one would be good as an eye shadow base or if it's going to show enough as a liner. Anyway, I'm reviewing the black one.

You do get quite a bit for your money in this pot (4.7g). For comparison, MAC Fluidlines are 3.0g and cost £12.50. I took the photos for this review before I repurchased my "Blacktrack" so I'm afraid I don't have any comparison photos.




Colour-wise, it's pretty much a plain black. Nothing fancy about it. It's a decent enough black, but not the deepest black cream/gel liner in my collection. The swatch photo is of the cream liner layered twice, as is the eye photo. It's just not quite pigmented enough to leave as one coat. It sets pretty quickly as well. The line on my hand was smudge proof in less than a minute. I do get a little smudging from the line on my lid, but my lids are becoming oilier over time. It's only a little though, the bulk of the line lasts all day when I wear it with eye shadow.

I like to apply this with the Studio Small Smudge brush, which I'm beginning to love to apply all my gel and cream liners! The edge of the brush applies a very thin and precise line.

I've not had this long, so I can't comment on how quickly it dries out. The cream liner does come in a plastic jar though and I have noticed in the past that liners which come in a plastic jar do tend to dry out faster than those in a glass jar. But this is only £3.50 so I don't expect a glass jar. As with all cream and gel liners, make sure to store this upside down to extend the life of your liner.

Well worth trying out.

The liner and small smudge brush were provided for free to review. This has no effect on the review I give.

Review: Body Shop Nutriganics Skin Care

I was sent a few bits from the Body Shop Nutriganics range before Christmas to have a go with. I also bought myself the eye cream.

This is a fairly new skin care line from the Body Shop and is aimed at skin which is showing the first signs of aging. So I'm guessing that's going to be mid/late 20s onwards. I'm now firmly placed into the "late 20s" category so I figured that this skin care would be worth a go. I quite often turn down offers of skin care freebies as they rarely suit my skin type.

The Nutriganics line contains a percentage of organic ingredients. The value varies with each product. The packaging also states that there is a high percentage (98%) of natural ingredients. I'm not certain there is any legal definition of natural ingredients as there is for organic. The ingredients for each item are listed on the Body Shop website. One thing I have noticed is that they explain what each ingredient is. For example, Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a surfactant (that means it lowers the surface tension of liquid, so the cleanser and water will mix much easier).

I found that to an initial impression this line appears to be a "natural" range. It clearly isn't. There are still a lot of chemicals in this. Yes, I'm aware that dihydrogen monxide is also a chemical but I'm talking about all the extra emulsifiers, surfactants, preservatives and conditioning agents. I can't help but compare this line to Lush, another "natural" skin care line. Lush do use a few preservatives in their products, I won't deny that. But does your cleanser actually need to foam? I don't think it does at all. Foaming doesn't make your skin clean, it just makes you think it does. After all, sodium lauryl sulphate is added to several types of products just to make them foam so you think they are doing a better job of cleansing.

I'm not going to say that natural/organic is better than synthetic at all. But the whole appearance of this line is that of natural products. These individual chemicals may have been derived at some point from a natural product, but does that really make the resulting moisturiser a natural product? Oh, I have Google open while I'm writing this and I've been Googling ingredients. I found out that there is no legal definition of a natural skin care product. It appears the only legal definition of natural anything applies to flavouring ingredients. That's an interesting point. Calling something "strawberry flavour" doesn't mean that strawberries have been anywhere near it, but "strawberry flavoured" must contain strawberries (in the UK, at least). I digress.

This line contains Community Trade Organic Babassu Oil. I hadn't heard of Babassu Oil before, what is it? It's an oil extracted from the seeds of the Babassu Palm, found in South America. It's moisturising and non-greasy.

What did I try?
*-Foaming Face Wash £8.00 150ml
*-Smoothing Serum £13.00 30ml
*-Smoothing Day Cream £12.00 50ml
-Smoothing Eye Cream £10.00 15ml

The three products marked with a star (*) were sent to me by a PR contact to test out. I bought the eye cream myself to round out the skin care system.

-Foaming Face Wash - I used this first. I wasn't sure if I should be using it on dry or wet skin as it isn't clear on the packaging. I tried out both and found it worked best on dry skin. This has quite a pleasant smell. I can't place it but it's quite gentle and slightly herbal. This is a very foamy cleanser. I thought it would come out as a gel and them foam as I massaged into the skin. It is actually a liquid and comes out of the pump as foam. I only needed two pumps to create enough foam for my whole face. The foam felt very thick and creamy as I applied, but when washed off my skin felt extremely dry and tight. This has been the least used out of my Nutriganics products as I began to experience some flaking after I had been using this foaming cleanser for a week or so. I used it sporadically over my trial after the initial week but my experience with it didn't improve. I believe the scent is Thyme.

-Smoothing Serum - Ingredients wise, this contains a lot more organic products than the other products I had tried in this line (the serum has 34% organic ingredients) and contains a lot of plant oils and extracts. This is a smooth white liquid that is very, very quickly absorbed into my skin. I'm really not certain how this has been benefiting my skin. It's supposed to add an extra boost of hydration (from the instructions on the Body Shop website) but I haven't noticed any difference between when I use the serum and when I don't. My skin felt exactly the same in both cases. A few minutes after application, it was like I hadn't applied any at all. I didn't notice any smoothing or improved texture in any way.

-Smoothing Day Cream - This is a very light moisturiser. Not enough for me to use after a shower (my skin is quite dry after a shower) and only really worked well enough if I applied this in the morning before make up. It wasn't even enough to use just as a day moisturiser, to be honest. About an hour after using, I always felt like I needed to moisturise again. My skin just soaked this straight up. I think though, that this is going to be the only product I'll carry on using from the line. While I'll be using a different day cream, I'll be using this just as a quick moisturiser before my make up primer as it does soak in so quickly.

-Smoothing Eye Cream - I *really* didn't like this. Like the serum, this has a higher level of organic ingredients (this one has 30%) and lots of plant extracts. However, no matter how small an amount I used I felt like it never soaked in. The skin around your eyes is much thinner than the rest of your face and needs a much lighter product. This felt thicker than the day cream. There's no way I could have applied make up after using this, it would have just slid off the eye cream. I stopped using it as I was concerned about using a product that was too heavy around my eye area.

So, this skin care line is supposed to be for skin that's showing the first signs of aging. Basically anyone over a certain age. But that means every type of skin care. Those with dry skin are not going to need the same things from their skin care as those with oilier skin. So I'm not sure that this line is going to be good for everyone at all. For the record, I used this with what I call my "Winter skin". I have combination skin usually. In the winter it veers slightly towards the dry end, and is oilier in the summer. The skin around my eyes is starting to show fine lines and is becoming more oily on my lids.

I gave this a good go but I haven't noticed any improvement in the fine lines that are starting to appear, or any improvement in the texture or hydration of my skin. I'm going to discontinue use of this line now (except the day cream) and instead, once again, use Lush as my base skin care.

Still, I keep meaning to try Liz Earle....

International Swap!

Those of you who have been asking me to review L'Oreal HiP are in for a treat! I was very fortunate to take part in an international swap with Ida (htownpnai on YouTube). She posted a while ago about some new goodies she bought in a 75% off sale at CVS. I mentioned how jealous I was so she kindly offered to pick me up a few items in exchange for some Sleek Make Up items.

I was a little surprised with what arrived the other day!

It's times like this that I'm reminded how much extra we pay for drugstore make up over in the UK. There's no way we'd get a 75% off sale on anything here, unless the shop was closing down.

So, I'm looking forward to playing with all this so I can get you some reviews and swatches done! If there's anything you'd like to see straight away then just let me know!

-Icing Eye Shadow (no name, red)

-Sally Girl Shimmer Stripes "BRB", "OMG", "GTG", "TTYL", "LOL"

-L'Oreal HiP Cream Liner "Black", "Brown"

-L'Oreal HiP Cream Shadow Paint "Nervy", "Steely", "Witty", "Commanding", "Secretive", "Lofty"

-Clinique Glow Blush "01"

-L'Oreal HiP Pigment "Progressive", "Rebel", Beckoning", "Unashamed", "Exciting", "Visionary", "Restless", "Fiery", "Intrepid"

I already had a couple of the pigments so I knew how awesome they were already.

Thanks Ida!!

NOTD: 19/02/10 Avon Nailwear Pro Wicked

This is the first Avon polish I've had in many years. The colour looked quite interesting compared to what I'd had from them in the past. I'm not one to resist a good vampy shade! This one is a deep, rich chocolate which almost looks black with a red/brown shimmer. It's quite unusual. The shimmer shows up nicely on the nail as well as in the bottle.



I think this was about £6.00 for the full price but Avon quite often have specials on their cosmetics. I'm not a huge fan of Avon's products but I've found the odd one or two that I like.

This only took two coats to be opaque, which I was quite impressed with. I didn't think much to the brush though. It's flat, which I like, but the bristles are squared off and stiff. This meant that I couldn't get a rounded shape at my cuticle.

Haul: Nottingham February 2010

Since I was over in Nottingham on Friday to watch 30 Seconds To Mars at the Arena, I thought it would make sense to spend a little time shopping. The shopping in Nottingham is absolutely excellent and is only beaten by London (due to the sheer amount of choice on offer). I haven't been over for a few years but I must make the effort to get there more often.



MAC didn't offer much in the way of new collections. They still had Love Lace and All Colours. I picked up a few basics and one of the MSFs that has been on my wishlist for ages. It's a store rather than a counter in Nottingham so there are a few extra items available. Boots wasn't as awesome as I remember, the cosmetics section seemed a bit smaller. Still, I had some extra points coupons and Too Faced was on 3 for 2. Didn't buy anything in Superdrug now that I can get Sleek in Lincoln. I also managed to track down those holographic H&M nail polishes and the Revlon crease brush.

-MAC Brush Cleaner
-MAC Cleanse Off Oil
-MAC #130 Brush
-MAC Fluidline "Blacktrack"
-MAC Eye Shadow "Suave Intentions"
-MAC MSF "Soft & Gentle"
-Revlon Contour Shadow Brush
-H&M Nail Polish "Creme de la Creme"
-H&M Nail Polish "Sinful Senorita"
-Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner "Forest Shimmer Ink"
-Too Faced French & Fabulous Collection
-Too Faced Glamour To Go Palette
-Too Faced Blush "Papa Don't Peach"

I'm not planning on hauling much over the next few months as I'm off on holiday in the summer and need to save some pennies for that. I have got a few more new goodies to show you though, including the most amazing international swap. Those of you have been requesting L'Oreal HIP reviews are in for a treat!

Oh, and 30 Seconds to Mars were all kinds of awesome.

Normal service will resume in 5...4...3...

Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!! Yes, I was that close to Jared Leto last night.

Haul: Hi Fi Cosmetics

This is *finally* here! I ordered this at the same time as my Detrivore order. I wasn't expecting it to take this long. But, I will be explaining why I'm not too bothered.

Hi Fi Cosmetics is a company that looks to be based on Etsy and it proving to be quite popular with the bloggers. I added them to my "order from soon" list after seeing a review from Gothique. They do blend the minerals themselves, these aren't the repackaged pigments we quite often see from Etsy. I ordered a set of 20 samples for a cost of $14.99. Shipping was only $1.50 which was surprising. My parcel arrived with a $3.12 postage label. I asked for 15 samples, and requested the final 5 to be a surprise. I was having problems narrowing it down.

A few weeks after I had placed the order, I sent a convo asking about an expected shipping date. The shipping time on the front page had increased after I had placed the order but this was still way beyond the new shipping time. I very quickly received a reply. She apologized and explained the delay. I had no issues with the delay once I knew about it. The reasons were completely beyond anyone's control. I do wish, however, it had not taken me asking where the order was. I generally don't mind a delay on shipping, as long as I know about it! I put it to the back of my mind, so I was pleasantly surprised when the parcel arrived today!



The 15 I requested were:
-Visions of Sugar Plum
-Crippled
-Universe of Fear
-Spike the Punch
-Grinch
-My Pain
-Black Magic
-Funky Music
-Fear the Nobodies
-Wild Thing
-Deck the Halls
-Distortion
-Aphrodisiac
-Tainted Love
-Diluted

The other five she chose were:
-Julia Dream
-Raindrops on Roses
-Decadence
-Basketcase
-Rich Girl

I'm pleased with the other 5 she chose. They fit in quite well with the ones I had picked out. Nothing that isn't going to work with anything else.

She also included a few extra samples, along with a couple of full sized pigments to make up for the delay. These colours also are going to work well with the pigments I had ordered.



-Full size shadow "Sugar"
-Full size shadow "Red Wine"
-Lip Glaze sample "Sweet Escape"
-Shadow sample "Crash Around Me"
-Shadow sample "Midnight Runner"
-Shadow sample "Raven"

I haven't had time to do more than have a quick play, but these seem nicely pigmented and easy to work with. I had planned swatch photos but it's night once I get home from work, so I just have to admire them myself! Who else cannot wait for summer and light evenings? Hopefully I'll get a few FOTDs done with these so I can show you. The colours aren't overly complex, but there is some interesting shimmer and highlight in the shades I've had a look at. Once I've managed to get some daylight swatching done I can give you a more in-depth review.

I think I will be ordering again. I'll be keeping an eye on the Etsy page for the new colours (she releases new shades quite regularly!). I also received a coupon code for 25% off $20 or more so I'll have to use that. No, I'm not sharing! Each code is unique and can only be used once.

Haul: Nails Inc

It has been many years since I have ordered from QVC (I almost typed QCV then, that's a work thing not a shopping channel!), so long in fact that I've lost all record of my previous account with them. While sat enjoying one of the beauty hours recently, this set of Nails Inc polishes appeared. Ooooh, I thought, I must own those pretty polishes. The peacock blue and burgundy in particular called out to me.



This is the Nails Inc Winter Nail Colour Collection (229283) and it cost £20.50 before postage. Not a bad price, considering that's the cost of about two polishes and this set has five. I don't think I've ever paid the full retail price for Nails Inc.

In this set:
-Kingly Street - silver glitter
-Petticoat Lane - cerise glitter
-Heddon Street - rich, shimmering burgundy
-The Mall - purple with bright blue shimmer
-Hanover Street - peacock, greeny, bluey, turquoise. Delicious.

I had a quick play with these and they look like they're going to be opaque in two coats. Well, the solid colours anyway. The glitters will either need a few more or need to be put over a solid colour.

Shipping was pretty quick from QVC, as it has in the past when Mum has ordered. I'm sure you'll be seeing me buying from them again!

Review: Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Complexion Primer Potion

This is one of the primers that Urban Decay released last year when they expanded on their primer collection. This is the only one that I own (other than the eye primer potion) and I have been using this for a little while now.

Costs £15.00 from places that sell Urban Decay. For me, that's Boots, House of Fraser and Debenhams.

My initial reaction was not a positive one. I was not impressed at all. This primer is a very thick white liquid (I tried to take a picture to show you, but it looked a little "unfortunate") which takes some work to smooth over your face. Initially, I had used too much and not worked it into my skin enough before applying foundation. This meant that my foundation slid off my face very quickly and I had a horrible feeling of an almost slimy face. Eeew.

I tried again, using a very small amount and working it in carefully with my fingers. This time I noticed that it's like polyfiller. My pores and the few fine lines I'm getting were filled in. It takes some working in as this is a very thick primer. But this time, it looked so much better. My liquid foundation glided on over the top and blended in without any effort. This primer certainly gave me a very smooth surface for my foundation. The primer becomes invisible once it's spread out, so there's no traces of white when I've got it on.

It helps my foundation last through the day. When I wore liquid foundation without primer, it would always begin wearing off some time in the afternoon. With this (and a lot of other primers I've tried), my liquid foundation lasts much longer. I don't think I've tried this one with mineral foundation yet. I do still lose my foundation from my chin (my oiliest zone) and around my nose (glasses).

By the end of the day, it has done a really great job of keeping my foundation on. I don't know if I'd call it the best thing on the market, I've only begun trying primers. It's good for the price though. If you're looking at trying primers, then I'd certainly suggest giving this a go.

I'm not sure about the ingredients as they were on the box, which I no longer have. Going by the feel of this I'd say it's the usual primer ingredients of silicones and dimethicones.

The packaging of this is great, I wish they'd release the eye primer potion in this tube. It's a squeezy tube, with a twist open cap. There's not going to be the huge amount of wastage from this that there is from the eye primer. Plus the purple is nicely distinctive, I can spot it straight away in my drawer (if you've seen my storage video then you'll know why that's important).

FOTD: 14/02/10

I was in a video mood today and actually got a couple of tutorials recorded. Yes, two tutorials! One will be going up on the ELF Channel and the other is the look below. I received some information about Sleek Make Up's Spring forecast, along with a couple of products. So I thought I'd come up with a look to show them.



I used:
*-Coastal Scents HD Foundations ST01 & ST04 mixed
*-ELF Studio HD Powder
-MAC Paint "Untitled"
-MAC Shadestick "Beige-Ing"
*-Sleek Make Up Eye Dust "Livid Lilac"
-Sleek Make Up Eye Dust "Green With Envy"
*-Sleek Make Up Dip It Eyeliner "Pastel Green"
-Matte white eye shadow as highlight
-Mascara

Products marked with a star (*) were received for free. I just like playing.

The mint liner looks a little chunky on the close up as I had to apply quite a lot to get the look I had in my mind. It wasn't as pigmented as the other liquid liners I've tried from Sleek, I suspect that's due to the pastel colour.