Bloglovin: Lil' Update

Bloglovin

Hey Sweeties,

Teeny little update that I thought was worth mentioning… basically I noticed that the Bloglovin link (as found on the right side of my blog) sent you guys to an old blog of mine rather than this one (doh!). No idea how that happened or even how it took so long for me to notice but it is now all rectified. Really sorry!

On another small note, I am delighted that since being created in December, I have achieved a following of 84 of you lovely lot on ClaireySweetie -it means everything! I am on a cheeky little mission though to see if we can’t get that following to 100 by Christmas -do we think that is realistic? I have received some great feedback recently from friends, family and some of you Sweeties; I love that so many like what I am doing and I only hope to keep it going and that we, together, achieve more and more.

So yes, please now add ClaireySweetie to your Bloglovin feeds, click the ‘follow’ button on here if you haven’t already and please feel free to let me know any ideas or suggestions for future posts, I will only be happy to oblige my readers!

Have a great evening!

Until next time x

Love Me Beauty Box: July Review

Hey Sweeties,

A new month means a new Love Me Beauty box and I am not disappointed. This is my third box so far and for products it’s probably my favourite, for a little over a tenner you get a quality range of stuff! Let’s get stuck in!

Love Me Beauty Box July

  1. The Teashed – 20 white tea pyramid teabags (RRP £3.50)
  2. OFRA Pressed Eye Shadow in ‘Bliss’ (RRP £8.80)
  3. Lashem Lash Enhancing Serum 2ml sample (RRP £40)
  4. OFRA Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in ‘Hollywood’ (RRP £11.60)
  5. So Susan Flutter Mascara (RRP £14.95)
  6. So Susan Dual Brow Powder (RRP £11.95)

 

OFRA LipstickThe first thing I tried was the OFRA liquid lipstick and my first impressions are good, it’s a great pop of colour and applies brilliantly but I find it works best with a bit of lip gloss over the top just for that extra bit of moisture as the lipstick I found dried out my lips quite quickly. For a matching lip gloss I would recommend the Model Co lip gloss in Fairy Floss as found in the June box which I am still totally loving!

 

 

Unfortunately I am not really a tea drinker (but Lord knows I have tried everything under the sun to find one I like) so as yet the teabags are still sat unopened and as yet I haven’t managed to try the Lashem lash enhancing serum but bear with…

OFRA The OFRA eye shadow is a lovely gold shimmer but I wouldn’t call it ‘Bliss’, the name suggests it would be suited to something more pink in colour but that is only a minor opinion on the product. As for application, it looks lovely but while I am sat here with it on, I can’t be totally sure that it isn’t going to make my eyes a bit puffy. As you know I suffer a bit with certain eye shadows and I think this may possibly be one to add to the list of ones to not use which is a shame but let’s not be too hasty in our assumptions here.

 

 

So Susan Brow PowderThere are two So Susan items within the box and this isn’t a brand I have heard of before but I will probably following this month seek them out. The mascara is lovely, the applicator is quite dainty but it really opens up the eyes and works fabulously for both the upper and lower lashes, really makes them ‘flutter’ (see what I did there?!). The brow powder is great and something I have been unconsciously after since abandoning eyebrow pencils some time ago. I now draw on my brows and use a brown eye shadow which has been perfectly adequate but since getting this product I can appreciate how specific eyebrow powders improve the appearance hugely. Like I said, now So Susan is on my radar I would definitely be keen to investigate more into the brand and its products.

So Susan Mascara

So there you go, that was July and what was/is a really good box of products that for the most part I’ll continue to use and possibly even replace when the time comes to do so.

 

Until next time x

Sleek i-Divine Oh So Special Palette & blush BY 3 Review

Hey Sweeties,

In my efforts to try new things and also to try and tackle that little problem I mentioned in an earlier post about suffering with puffy sore eyes after using some eye shadows (mostly from the 17 range), I have recently invested in two Sleek products!

Why Sleek i-Divine & Blush by 3?

Why Sleek? Well I have heard the name be mentioned from time to time within the Beauty Blogger sphere but until I actually saw the products for myself in Superdrug, I had never made much opportunity to pursue them further thinking them a range that were mostly available online or in very select stores. FYI I have no qualms about purchasing online but with new things, particularly beauty, I find it preferable to actually see and feel the products first hand before then later being comfortable with ordering them again (online).

Another factor in my purchase is that last weekend I had my Godson’s christening to attend and I had a peach coloured dress to wear but no make-up to match. The Sleek range in my investigation came up as one of the best for peach coloured products so when I was up in London last week for the Elle event, I nipped into the large Boots store on Oxford Street and located the Sleek stand!

The two Sleek products I bought were the ‘blush By 3’ blush palette in CALIFORN.I.A 370 and the ‘i-Divine Oh So Special’ eye shadow palette. I actually went into Boots thinking I would get the new Del-Mar Vol.1 palette as it has some beautiful coloured shades within it but when in the store, I just wondered how much of the colours I would actually use hence why I went for ‘Oh so special’ instead.

Inside, the actual product works really well within the black casing and the two Sleek items are colourful so contrast well. The eye palette comes with a clear acetate cover which I guess acts as both a protector as well as listing the names of each of the colours. Upon purchasing I couldn’t wait to try the products out as the whole thing considered makes for  very appealing items.

i-Divine Oh So Special palette

i-Divine Oh So Special palette

blush By 3 CALIFORN.I.A

blush By 3 CALIFORN.I.A

The Packaging

Ok, let’s get down to basics. The packaging for both products is the same but the size is of course different with the eye palette being slightly longer and wider understandably. On the inside of the lid each palette contains a mirror and the product contents sit comfortably and cleanly within. On the whole I feel they are both robust compacts that although may in time get a little grubby, will actually hold out really well and would suit being travelled around in a handbag/purse.

Sleek blush By 3

Sleek blush By 3

Sleek i-Divine Palette

Sleek i-Divine Palette

Application

On application, the blushes have a really creamy silky texture. I am used to powder blushes so this was quite new for me and I am sure I still lack the appropriate application technique but on this occasion I used my fingers to apply and blend the product into my cheeks. Being peach coloured I didn’t have the same pop as I would using a more pink colour but I wanted a light, summery fresh look on the day and I felt these did the trick perfectly.

The eyeshadow’s are well pigmented and blend together beautifully. On the day of the christening I used 3 of the colours –Bow, Ribbon and Pamper (in the palette: top left/1, top 3rd and bottom left/7th), using Bow as the base and blending Ribbon and Pamper across and into the crease. They also most importantly didn’t irritate my eyes at all which is the best outcome really as I love creating a fuller eye make-up look.

 

Finished look

Finished look

Overall, I am pleased to report that both the blush and the eye make-up lasted all day and I will certainly invest further in this range particularly as you get quality products at very reasonable purse friendly prices!

Me at the christening

Me at the christening

 

Until next time x

Recent Beauty Faves

Hey Sweeties,

It seems routine that all beauty bloggers, aspiring beauty bloggers and people that are just generally interested in beauty, on a monthly or at least regular basis post about their beauty favourites of that past month or of recent times. So why not join in eh?

This past month one of my favourite beauty products has been Maybelline’s Super Stay 24H Waterproof Powder (40 Fawn) which isn’t as exciting as some mascara’s and lip products I have been using, but from having quite low expectations when I bought it, I have been thoroughly impressed with the powder of which I am keen to rave.

2014-05-07 06.45.46 For years I have been using Mac’s Mineralize Skin Finish (medium) and until recently never thought to try anything else. I was looking to replace my Mac powder with something lighter on the skin, less matte looking and more purse friendly. Also just for the sake of exploring a bit of what’s out there and not just sticking to what I know, I needed change! On my new face powder mission I expected to leave the shop with a product from the Rimmel collection after hearing so much about them but actually, just by doing a quick in store test I wasn’t convinced it was the product for me which is how I stumbled upon Maybelline’s Super Stay 24h powder.

Powder sizedThe packaging doesn’t scream “buy me” but for £6.99 it was worth a punt and I am so pleased I did. It’s light and smooth on the skin and although I debated shades ‘nude’ or ‘fawn’ (I eventually settled with fawn), it works fantastically with my skin tone and lasts all day. It’s one of my favourite beauty products at the moment on the basis that it was such a surprise to so love using it and actually, because I found it by myself without direction or influence from another blogger/ beauty review assuming that because they like it I would.

The second beauty item I am really enjoying at the moment is the Bourjois Beauty’ Full volume black khôl mascara which I got as part of a gift set with my Company magazine subscription.

Mascara sizedI was a bit unsure before using it as the applicator didn’t fill me with confidence that it would apply all that nicely but actually, really rather impressed! My usual mascara of choice (as you have no doubt seen) is Maybelline’s the Falsies volum’ Express, black drama and/or Benefit’s They’re Real. I like thick, black lashes and it has been a real mission finding the mascara’s to achieve this on the high street but I think between these three I am pretty much there!

Mascara & applicator sizedI was a bit fearful that the Bourjois mascara would be a bit pricey (by ‘pricey’ I mean over £10) but when I was last in Boots I had a quick look and was pleased to see it can be purchased for the purse friendly amount of £7.99! Of course for the right item I will spend more but while I am on such a tight spending limit with anything right now, price really does play a large part in my product selection, especially if I am trying something new. I also feel that the high-street has so much to offer that unless the product really is truly and utterly fantastic, quality products can be purchased for under a tenner each and there’s no need to spend more.

Until next time x

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