Colour by Benefit

So last week I was lucky enough to be invited along to a fabulous Benefit event in The Morgan Hotel in Dublin. The event was to celebrate The Morgan Hotel and Benefit’s new exciting collaboration called Get Away Gorgeous, which I will explain further in another post. However today I’m going to tell you all about some of the lovely goodies we got to take away with us from the event and that is some products from the new colour collection range from Benefit.

The new colour collection from Benefit includes a range of new Ultra Plush Lip Glosses, Creaseless Cream Shadows and Longwear Powder Shadows. Benefit originated in San Francisco and the packaging of this new range is inspired by the Golden Gate Bridge. The designs are Art Deco and totally gorgeous. Each product comes in a heavy duty cardboard casing that is intricately designed. But enough about that packaging, let’s look at the products themselves.

From L to R: Lollibop, Kiss You and A-Lister

First up is the Ultra Plush Lip Glosses (€21.00). I have three colours here in Lollibop, Kiss You and A-Lister. These are just three colours out of six new glosses in the range.  Lollibop is a hot pink, Kiss You is a purple fuschia and A-Lister is a perfect nude pink colour. Each of the glosses has a fruity sweet scent, almost like a Pina Colada or Sex on the Beach, but not too overpowering.

From Top to Bottom: Lollibop, Kiss You and A-Lister

As you can see from the swatches, the colour in the tube looks quite different when swatched. They are quite pigmented but on the lips are more muted, which is expected of a gloss and not a bad thing in my books. They look lovely and glossy on the lips without been overly sticky or hard to wear. What I really like about these glosses is how they wore off. They wore quite gradually and leave your lips just feeling nice and soft with no residual colour or gloss.

Next in the range is the Creaseless Cream Shadows (€22.50). These aren't new products to Benefit but they have kept some of their classic shades, such as R.S.V.P, Birthday Suit and Skinny Jeans, and added seven new shades. The colour I have here is No Pressure!, which is described as a rich fawn colour. When blended out on the eyes, you can see little bits of gold shimmer come through too. Oh and please excuse the big smudge in the pictures! Someone else got their hands on this before I did!

No Pressure! 

Now I have to say I wasn't expecting the Creaseless part of the name to actually be true. I have never used Benefit’s Creaseless Cream Shadows before but generally everything creases on me. The only exception to that I have found is the Mac Paint Pots. And now this! I was delighted when I wore this for a full day (about 10 hours) and found no creasing what so ever. This colour would be perfect as an all over everyday shadow or as a base to a smokey brown or gold eye.

Kiss Me, I'm Tipsy

Lastly in the new colour collection is the Longwear Powder Shadows (€22.50). These longwearing formula shadows come in twelve new shades and three finishes, matte, satin and sheen. I have the shade Kiss Me, I’m Tipsy, which is such a cute name and it’s described as a spiced brown. I would describe it as a rich, deep red-toned brown with a hint of gold shimmer. It leaves a satin finish on the eyes.

There is fantastic pigmentation with this shade and the texture is quite soft. When I was swatching this I felt it was very finely milled and expected a lot of fallout. However there is very little fallout and it blends easily on the lid. I did find the shadow creased on me, as most do on me, but the colour didn't fade throughout the day. If you use a primer or cream shadow base with this, you can easily get a good 8 to 10 hours wear, with no fading or creasing.

So that’s all I have to show you from the new colour collection from Benefit. I am always excited about new ranges and I think Benefit have really hit the nail on the head with this one. The colours they have chosen are wearable, modern and very easy to use. This new core colour is available from Benefit counters now.

Bye for now,

Mars

IsaDora Sugar Crush Nails

So last week I was recently invited along to attend an IsaDora event to celebrate some new releases. One of the new releases is the IsaDora Sugar Crush nail polishes (€9.75). I was so excited when I saw three of these new polishes in my goodie bag!

So the Sugar Crush nail polishes are picking up on the lastest trend of textured polishes. They dry to a matte finish and have the same texture as sugar, hence the name! Now to be honest I have seen some of the other textured polishes and they have not been my cup of tea. But these are different. They seem to contain little bits of glitter, which works surprisingly well with a matte finish.

Turquoise Crush

Pool Crush

Candy Crush

As you can see from the swatches, some of the polishes contain small glitter and some seem to contain quite large silver glitter bits. In fact Turquoise Crush and Candy Crush remind me of the Sally Hansen Gem Crush polishes. What I didn’t know was that all IsaDora nail polishes, including this range, are hypoallergenic and free from formaldehyde and other nastiness.

So that’s all I have to show you today. I really love the finish of these polishes. They seem to just glisten in the sunlight. They will be perfect for the rare bit of sunshine we might get in Ireland this Summer! Sugar Crush nails are out now in selected Debenhams stores and pharmacies nationwide.

Bye for now,

Mars

E45: A Skincare Wonder

So I have to say E45 is one of them brands I have never exactly gravitated towards. This is crazy, considering they are a hugely famous brand, aimed at helping all sorts of skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis. Now I don’t suffer from any of these conditions, but I do suffer from Keratosis Pilaris, a dry skin condition which I wrote about previously here. I have had Keratosis Pilaris, or ‘chicken skin’, since I was a child and I have never found anything that really worked to help improve its look. I found exfoliating and moisturising certainly helped but not all the time. So when I was contacted by E45, they recommended I try their Emollient range, for my Keratosis Pilaris. I was sent a few bits to try and here’s how I got on.

First up is the Emollient Shower Cream (€7.79). Now this one took a bit of getting used to, as it is a non-foaming, soap free formula. And like most of the E45 range is it also fragrance free. I used this several times and found my skin felt soft and moisturised after my shower. Often after showering, my skin will feel ‘tight’ and really in need of a good moisturising, but not with this.

Next is the Emollient Wash Cream (€7.79). Now I was a bit confused when I got this because it sounds the exact same as the Emollient Shower Cream, but after reading the instructions I realised this could be used on your face, as well as the rest of the body. Again it is non-foaming, soap free and fragrance free. I used this a few times to wash my face and I found it did a really good job. It cleaned the skin thoroughly but without completely drying out my skin. Even my other half tried this out and found it worked great. He’s not one for the moisturisers so he could use this without his skin feeling super dry afterwards.

The Emollient Bath Oil (€7.79) is not something I have gotten to use as I don’t have a bath. It is also perfume free and is supposed to help soothe the skin.  I am going to pass this on to my sister and nieces, as they also suffer from Keratosis Pilaris. I will update here when I find out how they get on.

Lastly I was sent the E45 Cream (€9.50). The E45 Cream is not part of their Emollient range but is one of their bestselling creams, specifically designed for dry skin conditions. Now looking at the main ingredients for this cream (light liquid paraffin, white soft paraffin and lanolin), I was expecting this to be very greasy in texture. However, colour me surprised when I found that it was actually very lightweight and non-greasy and soaked into the skin in a matter of minutes. This has become my body moisturiser of choice since then.

So besides been good quality products did E45 help my Keratosis Pilaris? Well yes it did! I found within a week of using these products, the Keratosis Pilaris was much improved. The little dry patchy spot-like bits were less red, less dry and generally less noticeable. I found my skin was just generally softer and didn't have such a woeful appearance.  I even stopped using the products for about a week and I found my skin was going back downhill again. Now I am truly converted. E45 can’t cure Keratosis Pilaris but it certainly improves the appearance of it, better than anything else I have ever found.

Have you tried any E45 products? If so, how did you get on? Let me know in the comments below!

Bye for now,

Mars

Clarins Splendours Summer 2013 Collection

So when I got the press release for this collection I was so excited. Now to be fair, it doesn't take much to excite me, but every so often when you see the imagery for a collection, your heart does a little dance. The Clarins Splendours Summer Collection did exactly that for me. The packaging and detailing in all the collection are inspired by ‘Pre-Columbian civilization that worshipped the sun’. Now unfortunately there isn't that much sun to be had here in Ireland but this collection just screams summer. It pays ode to that civilization with plenty of gold, jade, sapphire and ruby inspired colours in the collection. I was so excited to show off the pieces I was sent, I took to my garden with the rare bit of sunshine and warmth we are getting this week.

First up from the collection is the Splendours Shimmer Body Oil (€37.00). I don’t think it shows up as well in the pictures, but in the sunlight this Shimmer Body Oil just shines. It contains little gold specks of shimmer that just helps the skin to glow in the sunshine. This would look amazing over tanned skin, as the gold particles will help enhance the gorgeous golden glow. I can’t wait to fake tan this summer, just so I can use this! The oil is very liquid but non-greasy and sinks into the skin very quickly. You skin feels super silky after applying it, probably due to the Hazelnut Oil in its ingredients list. Plus not only does it look like Summer in a bottle, but it smells like it too. It smells fruity and uplifting, with essential oils such as tangerine, grapefruit and Ylang Ylang being the main scents. I really am a sucker for fresh, citrus scents.

Next is something that makes me feel giddy and that is the Splendours Colour Quartet & Liner Eye Palette (€39.00). I tried to capture the beauty of the design of this palette, but it is really impossible to capture exactly how pretty it is. The casing is a deep ruby colour, which shines orange and shimmering in the sunlight. It’s embossed with hieroglyphics which look like something straight out of Indiana Jones. The packaging really is just beautiful on this palette and I think would be enough to sell it to me.

However then you open up the palette and you see four really pretty colours and eyeliner, embossed with that same hieroglyphic detailing. It also comes with a sponge tip applicator and a dual angled brush and a sponge smudge applicator. I have to say I never use these sponge applicators that come with palettes so I can’t comment on how good they are. But what I did use was the eyeshadows and eyeliner.

The four colours include a pale gold shimmer, a pink gold, a deep bronze gold and a deep red-toned brown/plum. It also comes with a rich plum eyeliner shade. The eyeshadows have good colour payoff, very little to no fallout and blend easily. The eyeliner is a bit on the drier side of things, which works well if you want to smudge it out. I have to say, I love how all the colours in this palette really complement each other. You can create a lot of different looks with just the one palette, from wearable day time to a much more dramatic night time look. The gold and bronzes will work well with every eye colour, while the plum eyeliner will really help to make green or hazel eyes pop.

I was so impressed with the palette that I just had to create a look with it. I tried to do a step by step look but unfortunately, lighting was not on my side. However I did create a deep, dramatic look with just this palette. Sorry for the serious look on my face, but this was the only workable picture, as my camera ran out of battery after only five shots! Typical!

So that’s it for today. I could go on all day about how pretty and lovely I think the Clarins Splendours collection is but I might just bore you all. However this is just two pieces out of an extensive collection. There is a stunning bronzer and some lip products I have my eye on! The Clarins Splendours Summer 2013 Collection will be available in department stores and selected pharmacies from May onwards.

Bye for now,

Mars

Pixy Pedi Gift Set

So two weeks back I spoke about the Pixy Lime Body Scrub Cubes, which I picked up at the Cork City Hall Craft’s Fair. Well I also picked up this lovely Pixy Pedi Gift Set. The gift set contains two popular Pixy products, the Solid Foot Scrub and Peppermint Foot Cream.

First up is the Solid Foot Scrub. This product is such a good idea. It is basically a loofah, wrapped up in cocoa butter and essential oils. The essential oils such as citrus, lavender, tea tree and cedarwood gives it a wonderful scent, while also helping it to be antibacterial. The loofah will really help to exfoliate the feet and get rid of any dead skin, while the cocoa butter melts into the skin and moisturises the feet. Not too unlike the Lime Body Scrub Cubes, it is a dual purpose product as it exfoliates and moisturises in one step. Also similar is how slippy it will make your feet and shower floor, so be careful!

The second product in the set, the Peppermint Foot Cream, is probably my favourite Pixy product of all time. Now I am usually not the biggest fan of minty type scents but this product smells amazing. It smells almost exactly like Mint Aero bars, which I love. I honestly think I could layer this product on every night and not get sick of the scent. However it does make me crave chocolate something awful. But besides how awesome it smells, this product is actually really good for your feet. It contains lots of lovely ingredients that help soften the skin while the peppermint essential oil really helps cool down the skin. Which is lovely, if you are after giving the feet a good exfoliation.

So I really love this gift set. I think it’s a brilliant set to get anyone for their birthday or just cause. Both products are winners and at just €16.95, it’s great value too. I think any mother, sister or friend alike would love this as a gift. Or just do what I did and treat yourself!

Bye for now,

Mars

Lush Ka-Pow!

So a while back I was sent an image of a new gift box from Lush called Ka-Pow! (€59.95). This hat box designed in a pop art style, inspired by comic books and the art of Roy Lichtenstein, really appealed to me. I love pop art and this box was exactly up my street. Not to mention it contains some of my favourite Lush products of all times. I was sent a few of the products from the box to try.

Let’s start with my favourite Lush shower gel, Happy Hippy. The box contains a 100g sized bottle of Happy Hippy, a really zesty scented shower gel. It smells of pink grapefruit and is perfect to help wake you up on them dull Irish mornings.

Next in the box is another 100g bottle of shower gel, in Grass. Grass smells exactly like what you think it would: freshly cut grass. It reminds me so much of summer, freshly mown lawns and sunshine. Something about it is just so uplifting.

New shampoo bar is the only item in the box I can’t use. It smells very strongly of cinnamon. I hate cinnamon, both in scents and taste. However if that’s your thing, the cinnamon and peppermint oil in this shampoo is supposed to stimulate blood flow thus helping your follicles to create healthy hair growth.

Ultrablast Toothy Tabs were one of the only new products to me in this set. The tabs contains wasabi and peppermint oil for a powerful antibacterial action. I expected a horrible taste but was surprised by how much they tasted like normal toothpaste. Just break one of the tabs up in your mouth and add your wet toothbrush. They really build up and foam and leave your teeth feeling squeaky clean. No joke, my teeth felt squeaky after using them!

The Sugar Scrub is another favourite of mine from Lush. The solid scrub smells nice and natural due to it containing ginger and fennel oil. I use this by breaking it into pieces and working it all over the body to exfoliate away any dead skin. It works great and adds a bit of liveliness to your skin.

Lastly is Wiccy Magic Muscles massage bar. I love Lush’s massage bar and this one is no different. It contains loads of lovely moisturising ingredients, such a cocoa butter, shea butter, extra virgin coconut oil and jojoba oil that melt into your skin. However what make this bar special is the little knobbly bits (aduki beans), that you can rub into your knotted muscles. It also contains cinnamon oil, which helps warms the muscles. Thankfully, the cinnamon in this isn't too overpowering, so even I can bear it.

So that’s what I was sent but the Ka-Pow! Gift box also contains a Buffy Body Butter, 100g Dirty Soap and 100g Whoosh Shower Jelly. The Buffy Body Butter is an all-time favourite of mine as it exfoliates and moisturises in one. While the Whoosh shower jelly is fantastic. It smells so citrusy and uplifting. I had it in my shower many times over the years! I think Ka-Pow! makes a great gift, not only for people who like fresh scents, but mainly for people with showers only. Unlike many Lush gift boxes, this contains all products that can be used in both the shower and bath. No bath bombs in this one!

Have you tried any of these Lush products? Do you see any of your favourites?

Bye for now,

Mars

The Original Mane ‘N Tail

So a few weeks back I was sent a whole bunch of products from the Mane ‘N Tail hair company for review. Now if you haven’t heard of Mane ‘N Tail, let me fill you in on it. Basically the products were originally developed for show horses, to give them lovely long flowing, shiny manes and tails (ahem). But somewhere along the line, the equestrian folks started using the products on themselves and found similar results in their own hair. Mane ‘N Tail really became famous when celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Sarah Jessica Parker, admitted to using the products. Once that happened, the brand received its cult status and everyone wanted it. But what would I think of the cult hair products?

First up let’s look at the shampoos and conditioners I was sent. The shampoo I got was from the Color Protect range (€8.95). Now I have bleached blonde hair and sometimes with certain shampoos, the colour can go brassy. As this was from the Color Protect range, I hoped that this would prevent the brassiness. Unfortunately I was wrong. My hair, within a week of using the shampoo, starting getting very brassy and I had to use a silver shampoo to reduce it. I was sent two conditioners, one from the original range (€6.95) and one from the Deep Moisturizing range (€8.95). Now I didn't find anything wrong with these conditioners, but I didn't necessarily notice a difference either. They did the job but didn't overwhelm me.

Next up, I was sent the Mane ‘N Tail Hair Strenghtener (€13.95). This is basically a daily leave-in conditioner treatment that can be used on wet or dry hair. After getting out of the shower, I would spritz this several times around my hair and then comb it through. According to Mane ‘N Tail, this is supposed to help prevent split ends, add moisture to the hair and can be used to prevent heat or styling damage. I used this several times before blow drying my hair and didn't find much difference to my hair. It definitely did leave my hair feeling silky and soft, but didn't reduce any of the frizziness my hair suffers from. This could be down to the fact my hair has become so used to much richer products, like hair oils.

Lastly I was sent the Mane ‘N Tail Detangler (€7.95). The ‘tangles and knots solution’ is to be spritzed into wet hair to help making brushing your hair easier. According to Mane ‘N Tail, it makes hair more manageable and prevents hair loss due to breakage, thus leaving hair more nourished. Now I have notoriously thick and unmanageable hair at times. The bane of my life, since I was a child, has been brushing the knots out of my hair. I was hoping this product would be my life saver, but alas, it was not to be.  I found this product did nothing for my hair. It didn't help get the tangles out at all. I tried it using a wide tooth comb, a normal brush and my Tangle Teezer but it made no difference what so ever. I was expecting great results but unfortunately it just didn't live up to the expectation.

So overall my experience with Mane ‘N Tail products can be described as underwhelming.  Some of the products works and some of them didn't but none of them left me with a ‘wow’ sensation. My hair feels neither the better nor the worse of them, after using them for about 3 weeks. I know many people who love the products, so it could be that they just didn't work well with my hair. I find hair products, like skin care products, can be and need to be individualised for each person’s hair type.

Have you tried Mane ‘N Tail yet? If so, what was your experience?

Bye for now,

Mars