Product Rave - Max Factor Creme Puff Blush - 15 Seductive Pink

I never used to be a blusher girl but the older I get the more I love it -  gimme all the blusher! Saying that though I probably already own all the blusher! One of these days I'll get round to sorting out my bronzer, blusher and highlighter draw but in the meantime I'll just keep adding to it!

One of my most recent blusher purchases and one that's been talked about a lot in the blogosphere is Max Factor's Creme Puff Blush in 15 Seductive Pink.

I'm a huge, huge fan of baked blushers and this one is no exception. Baked blushers start out as creams which are baked till they dry out and set. Unlike a traditional powder blusher baked blushers retain some of that originally creaminess so they never feel dry or powdery on the skin.

Another thing I love about baked blushers is the fact that you very rarely get a flat or singular colour. Seductive Pink contains a combination of shimmery pinks, peaches and corals. 

 This blusher has a soft, silky feel and the pigmentation as you can see from this swatch is excellent.

A little bit goes a very long way but it blends like a dream, giving the cheeks a really healthy flush, with just a hint of iridescence.

From the moment that I bought it, this has been one of my go to blushers, it suits my skin tone perfectly, it's easy to apply and it wears well, Thanks to my extensive blush and highlighter collection I can't see myself buying any of the other shades but if they're all as good as this one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them and if your a blusher fan like me you need Seductive Pink in your life!

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush comes in 6 shades and retails at around £8.99 from various retailers including Boots and Superdrug. Have you tried any of the Max Factor Creme Puff Blushers yet? Let me know if you have, I'd love to hear your thoughts x 

AnarKitty In LouLouLand - Part 3 - The Final Installment - Denman AnarKitty Goldie D3 Hairbrush*

I've never made any secret of the fact that the Denman Classic D3 Styling Brush is probably one of the best hairbrushes that I've ever used. I bought my first D3 probably about 8 years ago now and it's still going strong. Thankfully because of the blog I've managed to expand my D3 collection and every single one is still is good as it ever was, despite being used on multiple occasions.

The cushioned, anti static, rubber base and the smooth nylon bristles are perfect for long and straight, knotty or fragile hair. Mine D3's have been put to a huge test over the last few months and by and large I think they've passed with flying colours. Yes, I've still been losing hair every time I brush but by taking it slowly with a good quality brush it probably hasn't been as bad as it could have been. Just imagine dragging a hard or rough brush through your hair, that really would be asking for trouble. The very fact that I've been using my D3 on both wet and dry hair when I've been having so many problems with it, speaks volumes.

The basic D3 design is the same no matter what the style but whilst the original black, white and red brush remains a staple in the line, Denman have moved with the times and have introduced a wide range of D3's in different colours, patterns and even fragrances. I've reviewed quite a few D3 Styling Brushes now and you can now find all my reviews to date in my Beauty Product Directory both here and above, but probably my favourites have to be those from the AnarKitty line x

The AnarKitty range is a collaboration between Denman and British modern artist Emma Geary, aka AnarKitty. First came the AnarKitty Sassy, which was a black brush designed as tribute to the late hairdressing legend Vidal Sassoon, and then earlier this year, Denman introduced AnarKitty Ruby, a Great Gastby 1920's, flapper, inspired red brush. 

Alas all good things must cone to an end, and June saw the launch of the final instalment of the AnarKitty collaboration with the launch of the AnarKitty Goldie D3 Classic Styling Brush.

This muted, gold, black and white brush, features the familiar AnarKitty girl design but with a 1960's inspired twist.

Dressed in the tiniest of mini dresses in a swirl design, our heroine has a high beehive hairdo which comes complete with the Denman crown. She also has super long lashes, and bold golden eye make up. The design also features the AK signature, which is also repeated on the reverse of the brush.

I've really loved the collaboration and I'm sorry to see it come to an end. The quality of the brushes remain the same no matter what the design but the AnarKitty range gives the humble and dare I say it often boring hairbrush a real designer touch, that should not only appeas to beauty junkies, but also to fashionistas and to fans of modern art. The Denman AnarKitty Goldie Classic D3 Styling Brush retails at £7.50 and is available along with the rest of the AnarKitty range from the Denman website. Are you a fan of Denman hairbrushes? What's your favourite hairbrush? Leave me a comment and let me know x 

*PR Sample

Superdrug Nourishing Nail Polish Remover - A Product Rave

If you watch my You Tube channel you'll know that over the years I've mentioned a couple of nail polish removers in my monthly favourites videos. I have a lot of issues with nail polish removers but my biggest issue is the smell. Acetone free polish removers are much better and less drying for your nails but wow I think they smell so much worse than the ones with acetone in. I've tried a few removers and the best two I've found have been Leighton Denny Essential Polish Remover, and Butter London Powder Room Polish Remover. The reason why I like these products is that the horrid polish remover smell dies off quite quickly, leaving behind Lavender and Geranium type aroma, and a baby powder type smell respectively. Much more agreeable to my super ME sensitive nose, not so agreeable though is the price, both of these removers are in the £5+ bracket, not good when you remove polish about 3 times a week like I do. So in these tough financial times I decided ton look for a cheap alternative. It was tough, there are so many out there with just a horrid, overpowering chemical smell. Finally though I've found one that has just about achieved holy grail status

Superdrug Nourishing Nail Polish Remover, is an acetone free nail polish which contains both Aloe Vera extract and Vitamin E

Like all Superdrug own brand products, it's suitable for both vegetarians and vegans, it isn't tested on animals and it's BUAV approved.

Superdrug do 3 of their own brand liquid nail polish removers, but the orange / pink one is the one for me.

Now I don't recommend this for one minute but when you smell the polish remover, you do get the chemical hit, but as the initial chemical evaporates, you start to get an almost citrus smell that remains on the hands and nails, much more pleasing on the nose :)

How does it perform though, well I think it does the job - if you see the nails above I have a super bright base colour, and a few nails with some glitter top coats on - a pretty fierce challenge for any polish remover

Et Voila

I've used a few cotton pads but it does the job really well, and most importantly your nails don't go white like they can with some polish removers. I have to say I really rate this remover at just £1.39 for 250ml it's great value too. What nails polish remover do you use? Any questions please leave me a comment xx

Primark Opia Snag Free Hair Bands - A Product Review and Rave

This is a bit of a strange one in my Product Rave series but it's one that full deserves the praise it's going to get. I have longish, thin hair but I have an awful lot of it, so my hair actually appears to be quite thick  -I love wearing my hair down when its straightened and preened to perfection but this is England we got rain and lots of wind which isn't really where it's at for long swishy hair so I tend to tie it up or back.
Long gone are the days of scrunchie, yes I remember wearing loads of scrunchies in the one ponytail! so now I use a rather more respectable plain black or brown band, with an occasional sparkly bobble or bright colour. Stretchy ponytail bands really are a must but they can be quite damaging to the hair, the metal bits of the bobble have a tendency to catch and pull on the hair.
In the last few years or so new type of bobble has hit the high street, snag free, metal free, ouchless bands - I love these bands you can sleep in them and most important they don't pull or tear the hair when you take them in and out. There is always a negative though and with these bands it's the price averaging around £2.00 for a pack of 12 or less - that isn't so bad but when you have a little black and white furry cat that thinks bobbles are there to play with, and chew into pieces then it becomes a bit spendy



On a recent trip to Primark however I discovered their own version of the snag free bobble

For just £1.00 you get around 30 black, snag free hair bobbles (The packet says 30 but I got 34 bobbles in my last packet). You get two sizes of bobble a thicker band and a thinner band

The thinner bands admittedly aren't that strong but if you have children ,fine hair, or your only tying back a small amount hair these would be great - In both packets I've had you get slightly less of this thickness x

The thicker bands are my favourites and you generally seem to get more of these ones - the packet pictured contained 18 of these, they are strong enough to hold back all of my hair at once and they seem to last quite a while without fraying or bagging.

Just a little pic to show you how effective these are on my hair length and thickness

I think these bobbles are really good for the price, they don't pull or drag and above all they actually keep the hair in place. I've used them on both wet and dry hair with great success and no damage. I've bought a couple of packets of these now and I won't go back to buying the more expensive brands there is simply no need these ones do the job perfectly well. Primark Opia Hair Bands retail at £1.00 for 30. Any questions please ask x

Alva Naturkosmetik Foot Care Anti-Callous Balsam - A Review For My Pure and A Product Rave!

Unless you've been living under or rock or in case your a recent follower you might have noticed that in January I broke my ankle. Thankfully everything is just about healed now but there was a downside to the months in plaster and in an ankle brace - absolutely hideously dry skin on my right foot. The plaster and the brace helped my ankle to heal but with the constant friction and lack of air my foot turned into something even a hobbit would be ashamed of. I haven't included any pictures of the offending foot so you'll just have to believe when I say it was bad. I tried lots of creams and things on my foot but nothing seemed to do the trick, so for one my April products from My Pure I decided to go for the Alva Naturkosmetik Foot Care Anti Callous Balsam.

The product from German, certified organic company Alva contains ingredients such as Calendula, Tea Tree, Sage, Thyme and Manuka Oil which have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It also includes Vitamin E which helps skin to restore and soften; Other softening ingredients include Vegetable Glycerin, Vegetable Oil, Peanut Oil and Beeswax. It also includes Willow Bark Extract to help with cracked and painful skin.

The product itself comes boxed and in small 30ml brown glass jar in order to protect the essential oils and plant ingredients.

The product itself is described as a balm or balsam so I actually expected it to have a more thicker waxy texture.

 In reality it's more of a cream texture that initially feels quite dense but it does actually spread quite easily, and I found that it absorbed into my feet quite quickly, leaving them with a herbal Tea Tree type smell which was very clean and refreshing.

Alva and My Pure  make a number of big claims for this product claiming that it will smooth cracked and dry skin, and remove pressure points and callouses without the use of pumices and scrubs on not only your feet, but on your hands, elbows and on your knees. They also claim that you should see a 75% reduction in hard calloused skin within 28 days. Do I believe them - as a matter of fact yes I do!

Despite my initial fears that this little point of cream wasn't thick enough to do the trick, this stuff is officially amazing - I've used this cream at least once a day on just my right foot and the difference has been astounding. At the start of the month my foot was still splinted up and was so dry and sore it was untrue - my heel was literally peeling off the skin was so raw and scrubbed. I used this pretty much every night - I just rubbed a small amount into my heel and the balls of my feet. It took a few minutes to soak in and immediately you could feel the difference. On my last hospital appointment on 20th April my feel were in a good enough condition to wear flip flops. My heels look normal, and there is virtually no dryness or soreness anywhere on my foot, in fact I've even had to start treating my left foot to even them up ;) Although you really don't need very much my one tiny complaint is that the jar isn't that big I would prefer a slightly bigger container for the price. Never the less this product has certainly made it onto my April favourites list it has rescued my feet just in time for summer and considering the state of my foot less than 2 months ago it really is (whispers) a miracle product - love, love, love it :) Alva Naturkosmetik Foot Care Anti-Callous Balsam retails at £12.50 for 30ml from My Pure.

*Sample

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish - A Product Rave

I promised you this post in my recent Boots No 7 Radiance Boosting Hot Cloth Cleanser review so here it is a  product rave on one of my favourite products ever :) Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish has to be one of my most purchased ever products - the amount of bottles I've used must be well into double figures - I love it :) I first bought this about 7 years ago in a little travel kit and I have to admit I used, thought yeah it was OK and then moved on to something else. It wasn't until one of my relatives started using the range and started raving about it, that I decided to give it another go and to be honest I've never looked back.
My skin has never been that bad but I was prone to oily skin, congestion and blackheads I have to say I was sceptical how could such a creamy product clear my skin up - well it did! I don't know whether it was the ingredients or the exfoliating action of the muslin cloth but my skin is is 100% better than it was all those years ago.

Cleanse and Polish generally comes in a 100ml pump action dispenser, although sometimes you can get special 200ml tubes and you can also get little travel sized tubes. It has a creamy balmy texture and contains amongst other things Cocoa Butter, Rosemary Extract, Vegetable Glycerin, and Eucalyptus Extract. The Eucalyptus is the key ingredient for me, it has such a fresh clean smell, and it's especially good when you have a cold :)

To use it I generally massage a couple of pumps over my dry face to dislodge the grime and make up (the cleanse part), then I damped the muslin cloth in warm water (the warmer the better) and move it in circular motions across my face and gently over my eyes (the polish part). Cleansing and exfoliating in just one step simples :) This stuff really gets everything off from waterproof mascara, to long wear foundation. I have to say I prefer to use a separate eye make up remover because I don't like the pull on my eyelids but you really don't need to - this will take it off no problem at all.

My skin is still oil prone and I would probably describe it as combination, but it works just as well on drier or more mature skin. I must say Cleanse and Polish did break me out for the first few weeks I used it but from what I was told this is just because it is giving you skin a more through cleanse than what you have been using - so don't give up and don't panic your skin will sort itself out x

Cleanse and Polish leaves my skin super soft, clean and clear, and because of the glycerin and cocoa butter never dry or tight. I don't generally buy into the hype surrounding products (I don't honest;) but this product in my opinion deserves every bit of praise it gets - I even made a You Tube video singing it's praises and showing you how it works - it was in the early days of my channel so you may have missed it so I'll pop it in here for you x


I either buy my Cleanse and Polish from QVC or directly from Liz Earle, but you can also buy it in John Lewis too. As well as rave for Cleanse and Polish this should also be a rave for Liz Earle in general - if you order from her website you also get samples, and the customer service is second to none you really feel like you matter and that your custom is appreciated. Prices for Cleanse and Polish start at just £5.10 for a 30ml starter tube to £11.75 for a 100ml pump. Any questions please ask x

Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover - A Product Rave

If you've read my blog for some time you'll know that I love trying new products, foundations, mascaras, skincare, you name it I love trying it. Sometimes it doesn't matter which new brand you try though, you always keep returning back to "the one". I have to say I'm still looking for my holy grail in a lot of things but I've certainly found my holy grail eye make up remover.

For years and years I just used a normal facial cleanser or just bought the first thing I saw on the shelf, more often than not though it was an abject fail, it didn't take everything off or I was left with sore, stinging and streaming eyes. I found a couple of eye make up removers that worked for me the very spendy Gatineau Floracil and the nearly as spendy Lancome Bi-Facil. I really rate both of these eye make up removers but the only problem was that I went through them at the rate of knots, making them an expensive inclusion in my daily routine. I decided to see if I could find anything cheaper, and many lovely ladies on a forum I used to post on recommended Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover.

I have to say I was a bit iffy as to whether it would work considering the price but I gave it ago and I have to say I have never looked back or bought another eye make up remover since - I am well into double figure purchases and this has to be probably my most repurchased beauty product ever.

It comes in 150ml plastic bottle with a metal cap (no it doesn't rust liloo ;) and is a dual phase remover so you need to give it a good shake. It contains Iceland Moss Extract to moisturise and soothe the eye area. I have to say I have never once had any reaction or any stinging with this product obviously you may be different but I really love this product. I also leaves you eyes feeling super refreshed and not too oily which is essential for any specs or contacts wearer.

It looks a very pale almost translucent green when you put it on a cotton pad but the colour does sometimes alter due to the natural extract.

The best way to really show you how effective this is, is to do some before and afters :)

Before 
Foundation, eye base, a few colours from the Naked Palette, Urban Decay liner, and No7 mascara - just an average amount of eye make up really ;)

After
One very dirty cotton pad - I tend to use about 2 pads per eye, sometimes more sometimes less depending on what I'm wearing :)

Voila - these pics was taken straight after removal no redness or watering :)

Impressive eh! What's even more impressive about this product is the the price just £3.05 for 150ml, not only that but the Botanics products are often on 3 for 2, which I think they are at the moment, so I tend to stock up and save at the same time:) As I say everyone is different and what suits me might not suit you and vice versa but this is definitely a holy grail product for me. Any questions please ask x

All For Eve Hand Cream - A Product Rave and Something To Make You Think

I've decided to make my product raves a weekly feature so every week I am going to 'rave' about an item be it beauty, fashion, or anything else that I really love, this week it's a hand cream.

I am a huge hand cream freak I love the stuff, my hands get really dry, so I always have a tube, or a pot near me. I have to say that I have several favourite hand creams but this is one of the newest additions

It's the All For Eve Hand Cream. It was created by Urban Retreat to support The Eve Appeal, which aims to raise awareness of women's gynacological cancers, for example cervical and ovarian cancer, not only that but all net profits from the All For Eve range go directly to The Eve Appeal to fund specialist research in this field. Just a few stats for you

Every year 1 million women worldwide are diagnosed with a gynacological cancer, that is just 200,000 fewer than women diagnosed with breast cancer

These cancers account for 10% of all cancer deaths, and 65% of women diagnosed will sadly die

Every year in the UK 18,000 women are diagnosed with a gynacological cancer, and around 7,500 die for the disease

Despite these statistics research in this area remains underfunded, hence the formation of The Eve Appeal. My and my mum bought The All For Eve Todays Special Value from QVC just before Christmas, when it was demonstrated by the lovely Caroline Hirons. We were simply appalled by the statistics and shocked by the realisation that no woman is immune from such terrible diseases.

The kit contained the core products from the All For Eve range, which was as brand set up specifically to help The Eve Appeal.  Still available on QVC (click here) The kit contained the Eve Red lipstick created by Daniel Sandler (click here for a fuzzy pic of me wearing it at Christmas), a body butter, a bath and shower gel, a bodyscrub, and a hand cream.

Widely regarded as the most popular product in the All For Eve range - the hand cream comes in a lovely chunky, matte, rubberised plastic tube. It's pretty simple but I have to say I love the feel of it

The cream itself which is paraben free, contains Vitamin E and Organic Cucumber, it has a super fresh but not overpowering smell that reminded me a little of after sun :). It initally appears to have quite a thick texture

but it spreads easily and quickly on to the skin.

The best thing about this hand cream for me though is the absorbency, it completely sinks into the skin, leaving a super smooth matte finish. It's ideal if your working on the pc or reading, as there is absolutely no greasy residue at all, your hands just feel soft and smooth.

This is an amazing day time hand cream and it's definitely one I will repurchase, not only is it quality but you are also supporting an amazing charity. All For Eve Hand Cream retails at £7.50 for 100ml. For more information and to purchase please check out the All For Eve website . You can also purchase this and other All For Eve products from other retailers such as Beautique.com, QVC, look fantastic and John Lewis.

(With thanks to the All For Eve website for the statistics and some images )

Product Rave - The Body Shop Cocoa Butter

If you have ever watched any of my favourites videos on You Tube you'll probably already know that The Body Shop's Cocoa Butter range hold a special place in my heart

The Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion was probably one of the first Body Shop products, bar a few Dewberry things, some Japanese Washing Grains and some Tea Rose Bath Oil Powder #OldSchooler. For me it's the perfect lighter weight but super moisturising lotion, it absorbs easily and it really does the job. though I've ventured further into the Cocoa Butter range. The Body Shop Cocoa Butter range dare I say it is heads above the Palmers range in my ease, the texture of the Palmers version is super thick, and to be honest it smells way too overpowering and sickly for me. TBS Cocoa Butter on the other hand smells, sweet but not too strong and it always makes me feel comforted.

Over the last year or so I've ventured further into the Cocoa Butter range and I've found two products that now have can't live without status. First up the Creamy Body Wash, this is a super gentle moisturising wash that you can use in either the shower or the bath, or even as I've found out recently in a foot spa :)

It looks a bit like custard and has the more subtle smell of the Cocoa Butter range and despite the inclusion of SLS I've found it super gentle for cleansing my skin, and in particular the area around my scar, and where I had my cast removed, It hasn't stung or irritated my skin at all :

Next up probably my ultimate desert island product The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Butter. I could ramble on for days and I probably couldn't sing this products praises enough. In the usual Body Butter texture it is super moisturising but despite that it sinks in really easily

It smells gorgeous and it really has been my skins saviour not just as an aftersun when I've been on holiday but over the last month or so it really came into own. As you might know when your take a cast off your skin is beyond disgusting and sooo dry and flaky, but using a combination of the this and the wash my skin is completly back to normally and super soft and comfortable, not onyl that but I've found it gentle enough to use on my scar now it starting to heal and I think it has really helped with keeping it soft, and comfortable and dare I say it with the healing of my skin. I really won't be without it now it's a real must have for me.


I also fancy trying the Cocoa Butter Moisturising Stick for more direct application so I would be really interested to see if anyone has tried it? I also used to use the Cocoa Butter Gradual Tanner does anyone know if this has been discontinued or is it just a seasonal thing? Any questions please ask x I intend to do a few more product raves for you so by all means let me know what type of product you would be interested in hearing about xx I'll be back tomorrow with a little haulage post from my Metro Centre trip today xx