Review: Mac Pro Longwear Concealer

Hi everyone, I've been a bit absent on here for the past week or so due to illness, as I did mention in Monday's post. I had a nasty bout of the flu, which knocked me for six a bit, and it's only today that I've been feeling back to myself and have got the energy to get on here and get back to blogging. I'm glad to be back, as I do hate leaving this little corner unattended. Normal service shall now resume!

I often complain about the dark circles I have under my eyes, and while they are hardly a severe example they do tend to put a dampener on my day in the mornings. I've tried countless concealers and eye creams, and while I have now discovered the Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir, which has worked very well for me in terms of darkness and puffiness, I was still on the hunt for that perfect concealer. Previously, I had been using Benefit Erase Paste, which I did quite like for some while, but essentially I began to notice that it was sinking into and emphasising fine lines just beneath my lower lash-line, and let's be honest, nobody wants to have to contend with that in their twenties. I had often wondered if the level of coverage Erase Paste gave was all there was - it's quite a thick paste, but still I could see the darkness through it.

So, on a fairly recent trip to Mac, I thought I would ask for some advice, having never tried their range of concealers in the past.

I was recommended the Pro Longwear Concealer, which is designed especially for the under-eye area. It comes in a small glass tube with a pump dispenser on the top - something which I quite like as it seems far more hygeinic than dipping your fingers into a pot or jar. The only down-side on that score is that often, one pump is too much, so you can end up wasting a bit of product here and there.

I was surprised to be recommended the shade NC30, which is a shade darker than my NW25 skin (I'm still unsure whether I'm really supposed to be an NW or NC, as I'm yet to find the perfect shade for me in Mac products). Anyway, I have always been of the belief that it was wise to go for a lighter shade under the eyes, since you are trying to counteract the darkness. However, the assistant very kindly applied some of the product for me, and I was astonished to see how much better a job it did of concealing my dark circles. It seems to me that using a lighter shade under the eyes only serves to highlight the problem, and if you're not careful you can easily end up with reverse panda eyes. Saying that, some people seem to swear by this method, so as usual, I suppose it's down to personal preference.

The concealer itself is a liquid, not unlike the Pro Longwear foundation in consistency, and blends effortlessly into the skin when applied with my Real Techniques setting brush (maybe not its intended purpose, but it works for me!). I find  the lasting power to be really good, even more so when I dust a small amount of powder over the top to set it - after eight hours it still looks pretty good, but it does depend on whether or not I've been absent-mindedly rubbing my eyes throughout the day or not, which does happen on occasion!

Overall I'm really pleased with this concealer, and I don't think I've ever been able to say that about any of the others I've tried. I'm going to stick with it, as used in conjunction with the afore-mentioned Eye Elixir, I'm finally feeling better about my dark circles and don't have that moment of despair in the mornings any more.

The Pro Longwear Concealer comes in at £14.50 for 9ml, and is available from the Mac store here.

What are your favourite under-eye concealers and creams? Have you ever tried anything that worked really well for you?

xx

Review: Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir

I'm sure I've mentioned countless times before on this blog how dark circles and under-eye puffiness are pretty much the bane of my life. Up until about a year ago I was more or less problem free in that respect, then all of a sudden, I woke up one day and everything had changed. It's not that I have particularly bad dark circles, but they are certainly noticeable, so since it all started I've tried out a number of different eye creams, all to no avail. Origins Gin Zing did help a little bit, but nothing to write home about - in fact, I only realised it had been doing some sort of good when I stopped using it for a time.

As if dark circles and puffiness aren't enough, I then began to realise that I have developed some under-eye creases and crinkles, so I embarked upon a split routine, trying to attack the former with my morning eye cream and the latter in the evenings, but it was all a bit of a disappointment.

So, when I stumbled upon the Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir, which promises to fight dark circles, puffiness and fine lines all in one go, I was straight online hunting for the best bargain I could find! It really is a rarity to find an eye product that can combat all three, and with eye creams not exactly coming cheap this seemed like the perfect solution. An added bonus was that I was eager to try out some more products from Elemental Herbology, so it was pretty much a win-win.

So, onto the review.

Elemental Herbology pride themselves on their nutritious, indulgent and high-performing products, using patented bio-active ingredients and sophisticated technologies to produce visible results. Rich in vitamins, anti-oxidants and essential fatty acids, all products feed and nurture the skin with everything it needs to restore vibrance and vitality, as well as helping to keep individual skin complaints under control. Not only do these ingredients help to counteract the effects of the environment, but they also help to fight against the damage done by ageing and lifestyle.

Packed with lots of lovely, natural ingredients, Elemental Herbology was always going to be right up my street, so I couldn't wait to add the Eye Elixir to both my morning and evening routines. 100% free of mineral oils, synthetic fragrances and colours, sulphates and paraben preservatives, this is something that always sits well with me, as I like to know exactly what I'm putting on my skin and try my best to avoid unnecessary chemicals or comedogenic (pore clogging) ingredients where possible. Even better, Elemental Herbology never test on animals, which again I think is something really important, and it's nice to see some brands still holding their own on this one.

The main active ingredients in the Eye Elixir are plant peptides, hematite and blue algae, all of which contribute to the firming, tightening, lifting and nourishing properties. It comes in a little glass bottle with a pump dispenser - something that really appeals to me as it's so much more hygienic than repeatedly dipping your fingers in the same pot time and again.

The Elixir is an off-white cream of lotion consistency, and has the most wonderful herbal scent (all natural, of course). I do find that the pump dispenses a little bit more product than I would personally choose, but luckily my under-eye area drinks it right up regardless. Half a pump is all that's required, and I dot it around the inner aspect of my orbital bone before gently tapping it in with my ring fingers.

So, the burning question. Does it really work?

You all know how much of a skeptic I am when it comes to eye creams, having been disappointed by them time and again in the past. But I have to say, the Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir has somewhat changed my stance on the matter! It does a great job of hydrating my under-eye area and leaving it silky smooth and soft, but even better - and more astonishingly, in my eyes - it really, genuinely has helped to diminish my dark circles and puffiness quite noticeably. How can I be so sure? Well, one day I just looked in the mirror and was shocked to find that I barely had any signs of darkness under my eyes, and since then I have found that I've almost completely forgotten about such woes. I used to feel like crying in the mornings, when no amount of concealer could disguise anything, but this stuff really has made a big difference. Sadly - and there's always a but, isn't there? - I can't say that I've noticed any difference whatsoever when it comes to fine lines, but taking into consideration my past experience, two out of three certainly isn't bad!

I'm definitely going to be repurchasing this when I run out, which hopefully won't be any time soon. At £40 for 15ml this most certainly doesn't come cheap, so while I got mine on special offer at half that price, I'm going to find it really difficult to part with the cash when I reach the bottom of my bottle. In fact, I'll definitely be waiting until I can get it on sale! Still, at least I know that it does do the job, and on that basis it's worth it

You can find the Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir on their website, and also at Feel Unique.

Have you tried anything from Elemental Herbology?

Would you recommend any of their other products? I can't wait to try more, and already have their Weekend Facial gift set to tell you all about before long.

xx

Origins Gin Zing Eye Cream

It's no secret that I suffer from puffy eyes and eye bags, and that I will try pretty much anything in order to rid myself of them. The reason I find them so distressing is because I haven't always had them - everything was fine, and then I woke up one morning about six months ago, and there they were. They have been refusing to budge ever since. I eat well, sleep well, don't drink much any more and don't smoke, so having covered all of those bases, my only option is to plough my way through product after product on a quest to find the one (if it exists) that works for me.

As a fan of Origins skincare, and having heard many good things about their Gin Zing eye cream, I was itching to give it a try. Gin Zing contains caffeine, Panax Ginseng, Magnolia extract and natural optic brighteners, which work together to - in the words of Origins themselves -  'wake up, refresh and restore radiance to tired eyes'. It's also supposed to reduce the look of dark circles while making the appearance of bags and puffiness less visible, so needless to say, I couldn't wait to put it to the test.

The cream itself is a pale salmon colour, and contains little reflective particles, which helps to counteract and blue/purple tones under the eyes. It is light in texture, sinking easily into the skin. It's not sticky in the slightest, and makeup applies easily on top of it, gliding on smoothly.

So, now onto the most important part:

Does it do the job?

Well, unfortunately for me, the answer is a reluctant no. I wanted so badly for this to work, especially with it being from one of my very favourite and most trusted skincare brands, but in all honesty, I can't see that it makes - or has made - much of a difference. I still find myself catching a glimpse of my eyes in the mirror an hour or two later and feeling overwhelmingly frustrated at my tired looking eyes, so I think that says it all really. There's no denying that it certainly does keep the under-eye area hydrated, and perhaps it does have some effect, but if that's the case then I have to say, it's very minimal.

I still finding myself using this cream on a day to day basis, partly due to wishful thinking and partly because I can't bear to fork out on yet another eye cream that doesn't really deliver - at least, not in the way that I had hoped.

At £21.00 for a 15ml pot, it's fair to say I won't be repurchasing this particular product. However, as a brand, I am very much a fan of Origins, so I'm hoping that perhaps I might have more luck with their No Puffery under-eye mask.

Have any of you lovelies tried Gin Zing or No Puffery? If so, what were your thoughts?

And what are your favourite products for tired eyes, puffiness and dark circles?

xx

Beauty SOS: October

Another month, another Beauty SOS post. I'm afraid this one is going up a little bit later than usual, and if you read my October Agenda post then you'll know why, so I won't bore you with the details again!

So, last month, I must have been feeling unusually satisfied with my beauty issues, as I only asked for you lovely ladies to get involved with two little puzzles of mine. Either that, or I had already used all my other ones up the month before!

So, what did I ask you lovelies for your suggestions on last month?

1. A blemish-fighting product.

Last month, I was going through a bit of a skin nightmare, which I now believe was due to my over-zealous testing of a large number of new products in a short space of time. My t-zone became really oily and I found myself with some rather large blemishes popping up one after the other. I did freak out a little bit about this, as I usually have pretty normal skin, so I asked you lovelies to suggest something. Needless to say, several of you piped up with the Origins Spot Removing Gel/Pads. Other ideas were Alpha H Liquid Gold, Quinoderm, Sudocrem and Lavender oil. As I had some lavender oil to hand, I decided to give that one a go on a particularly unsightly spot that had chosen to pop up on my chin. I dabbed some on before bed and in the morning, voila - it had dried right out and diminished considerably in size. After my success with this, I decided to give the more expensive products suggested a miss (but thank you very much to those who suggested them!), as I am currently trying to cut back on my spending, and if something as inexpensive as an essential oil can do the job then I'm happy with that. A second discovery I made is that Propolis works equally well, so if you've got eiher of those in your cupboard at home then give them a go!

2. A good volumising product for hair.

Suggestions on this one were Sexy Hair Big Powder Play and Umberto Giannini Backcomb in a Bottle. I was very pleased to hear the latter suggestion as it reminded me that I actually already had a can of this, which had been squirreled away and subsequently lost and forgotten at the back of my cupboard. So I dug this out and gave my hair a good spray, and I must say, it does do the job rather well.

If you would like to hear more about my favourite products for big hair then keep your eyes open tomorrow, as there will be a post going up on precisely that.

So, with what do I require your assistance this month?

1. A great anti-ageing night cream.

I'm looking for something really moisturising but that won't clog my pores overnight. I've had bad luck with these in the past as they have often broken me out by morning!

2. A fantastic skin-balancing moisturiser.

My skin is mostly normal, but sometimes my forehead and chin are a bit oily, and sometimes I get dry patches on my nose. I'm after something to sort it out.

3. A good BB Cream.

I say a good one because all those I've tried have been a huge disappointment. Are there any that have really impressed you?

4. I know I have asked this before and gone on and on about it on Twitter, but.....

I am still on the hunt for something to banish my dark under-eye circles, preferably something to actually treat them but if you know of a phenomenal concealer then I would love to hear about that too. I'm sure you are probably sick of hearing me ask about this but if anyone is going to be able to suggest a solution then it's you lovely beauty bloggers and I refuse to give up hope! Whilst I have received some lovely suggestions so far, sadly, none of them have been able to make a difference, and I don't even consider my dark circles to be THAT dark. So, just throwing this out there. Again.

5. Your favourite pampering session products.

So, this one is not really an SOS as such, but I am looking to change up my weekend pampering routine as I am getting a bit bored with my own. I would LOVE to hear about what you do to spoil yourselves and what products you use in the comments below :)

If anyone would like some suggestions for some of their beauty ailments then let me know in the comments. I'm no guru but I'd be happy to share my findings with you, and perhaps feature them in next month's post so we can get some more ideas on the go!

Have a great week my lovelies!

xx

Beauty SOS!

Why hello, and welcome to the first ever Beauty SOS post! This is the first in a series of posts which will go up on roughly the first Monday of each month from now on, and is a chance for me to call upon your great wealth of beauty knowledge in order to further my own beauty collection in an educated, informed fashion. It's also a chance for you all to do the same, and will hopefully become a little space each month for us to share our biggest and best beauty secrets.

Let me explain.

I am constantly on the look-out for fantastic new beauty products, and while I have tried and tested a great many in my time, there is always something or other that is missing from my collection. Whether that's because I haven't ever bought them, or I've bought the wrong one, didn't get on with a product for some reason or can't get hold of it any more, it all comes down to the same thing, and that is that there are some great big gaps in my collection that need to be filled. So, I thought, what better way to have my requirements met than to ask you lovely ladies for your words of wisdom. I can't think of anyone else more qualified to give them! Therefore, each month, I'll be asking for your recommendations on the specific types of products I'm after, and requesting your tips on various beauty related topics - as well as offering to do the same for you in return.

So, without further ado, here is the first installment!

1. DARK CIRCLES UNDER THE EYES.
 Help!!! I have recently, out of nowhere, started getting really dark circles under my eyes, and no matter what lengths I go to, nothing seems to have the strength to send them back to wherever they came from. I've tried various under-eye creams to treat the problem, as well as industrial-strength concealers such as my beloved Benefit Erase Paste in Shade 02 (which I had always thought was the best out there until now), and all to no avail. So if anyone thinks they know of something that could help with this, whether it be a treatment or a cover-up, or even a makeup strategy, then please, I beg of you, leave me the deets in the comments box below!

2. MATTE BRONZER
I'm on the look-out for a new matte bronzer, having smashed my lovely L'oreal Glam Bronze to smithereens on the bathroom floor. I loved it, and while I could buy a new one, I think it's time to take the opportunity to try something new. I don't want any shimmer, and it has to be a shade I can contour with, too - unless you happen to know of two amazing but separate products, which would also be of great assistance.

3. NEUTRAL MATTE EYESHADOWS
I adore my Urban Decay Naked palette, but it just doesn't have any matte shades, and I am finding myself , more and more recently, wanting to save my pretty shimmery shades for special occasions and nights out, and go for something a little bit more natural looking during the day. It's mainly because if I use the glitzy ones on a more regular basis then I feel that I look just the same when I want to get all dressed up and create a look that stands out.

4. BLOCKED PORES (NOSE).
This is one that has been the bane of my life for many years now. No matter what I do to try and rid myself of them, they are always back to how they were within an hour or two. They are not horribly noticeable or anything,  but it still really annoys me, as my nose feels slightly bumpy to touch, and when I apply my foundation, it tends to cling and emphasise them even more. I just hate them, basically.

So there you have it, the four things I ask of you for the month of July! Please do leave me a comment below if you can recommend any of the products I'm after, or have any related tips! I'd really appreciate your participation.
Also, please feel free to leave me your own requests, and I will do my best to help you with them and give you some suggestions.