Review: Jemma Kidd Signature Shadows

A while ago, ASOS, one of my favorite online stores, had a sale on a lot of items, including beauty items, so I got some nice stuff, including this palette of Jemma Kidd Signature Shadows, because I was looking for a palette with some natural shades anyway. I actually don't remember how much I paid for this anymore, but it wasn't a lot, let's just put it like that.

This was my first time trying anything from the Jemma Kidd line, and while the colors were just what I was looking for, I must say the palette is nothing out of the ordinary otherwise. The packaging is not very impressive, and after hearing that Jemma Kidd is actually considered a bit of a high end line by some, I must say I think the packaging doesn't reflect that at all. So that could definitely be improved.

And while the shadows look nice on, they are very understated, so this is not a brand I would recommend for anyone who wants their eye makeup to be very noticeable. I do kind of like the natural look, so this was not really a problem for me, but since I mostly use MAC eye shadows otherwise, I wasn't very impressed by the lasting power, and they do crease. I guess that is to be expected with such a big price difference, but if you think the Jemma Kidd Signature Shadows palette would be a MAC dupe in any way, you might be disappointed by these, so I still think this is worth mentioning.

So I would say this palette is a great every day palette for those who like a natural look, but if you are looking for something other than that, or have high demands for eye shadows like me (using MAC does spoil you in a way, I guess), there are other brands that do this better.

But it was still definitely fun to try the Jemma Kidd line, and for the great price I paid for these, I wasn't sorry I got this palette at all. That said though, I probably would not get this again.

First impressions of Boob Tube by Mama Mio

Recently, I've lost quite a bit of weight. But nope, I wasn't really trying to, so this post won't be about weight loss tips, but rather about some of the effects weight loss might have elsewhere, and how to battle that. Because you see, like a lot of women, one of the main areas where I lost weight was my boobs. And while I don't really mind that so much, it does bother me that my boobs looked a bit more droopy and saggy as a result. So I decided to check out if there was any product out there that claims to battle sagginess of this kind, and ran into Boob Tube by a company called Mama Mio, that makes products for both pregnant women and women who are looking to get into shape after a pregnancy. The product had really good reviews, so I decided to give it a try.

While I haven't been using Boob Tube for long enough to be able to enjoy any "full" results (if there are any) I have been using it for around 2 weeks, which means I have some first impressions to share at least, and I thought I would do just that, and do an update after I have been using it for a bit longer.

The first thing you should know about Boob Tube is that it smells wonderful! That's always a huge plus for me, since bad scents can really bother me, but Boob Tube has a very nice, clean smell, which I love, and I also appreciate that a little goes a long way with this product. I think the bottle I got is going to last me for quite some time, which is really nice, since I do think you need to use certain products, including this one, for a while before you can make your mind up about them. And then it really helps that you don't have to go buy a new one before you're sure you like it!

I can't say I notice any firming effects yet, but I think it might be a bit too early for that anyway, so I am not complaining. I do notice that the skin looks healthier and smoother though, so the cream definitely seems to be doing something. I'm just not sure if it is more than just moisturizing the skin really well (which this cream undoubtedly does!) yet. So let me get back to you on that, but all in all, I am very pleasantly surprised by Boob Tube so far. I don't regret getting it, let me put it like that! And if their other products are as lovely as this one, I definitely think Mama Mio is a brand anyone who is reading this and is pregnant should check out!

I should also mention that this cream is supposed to do wonders for the skin on your neck too, if you find that to be a bit saggy. I luckily have not faced this issue yet, so I can't comment on effects on the neck, I'm afraid.

Review: Anatomicals Headache Relief Balm

I suffer from headaches from time to time, and I have actually found some natural remedies to be really helpful when it comes to relieving headaches. A friend of mine brought me a bottle of some kind of minty essential oil that I was supposed to rub on my temples whenever I have a headache from a trip to Morocco, for instance, and that really helped! But unfortunately, I have run out of this oil, so I thought I would try the Anatomicals Oi! You Throbhead Headache Relief Balm to see if it was something similar, being a big Anatomicals fan and all.

Now, if you are reading this review of the Anatomicals Headache Relieft Balm in order to decide if you should get this balm or not, you should be aware of the fact that the headaches I have are very severe. So any minor things are very unlikely to help at all. But I have tried a similar product that actually did work, so I was still optimistic.

However, when I looked at the box the Anatomicals Oi! You Throbhead Headache Relief Balm came in, I was kind of bothered by the fact that the ingredients listed were:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Golden Yellow Beeswax
as well as several different essential oils.

Why did that bother me?
Because I have oily/combination skin, so I was worried that putting stuff like this on my skin, even if it is only on the temples, would make my skin break out or go completely crazy. So I wasn't too excited about trying this product when I got it for that reason, to be honest. But I did anyway, and while I do think you feel something when you apply this balm to your temples, it really didn't do anything for my headaches. I tried it on two different occasions, but I had the same non result both times, and since I am still kind of worried about skin issues (despite not having any issues, even though I was really scared I might), I won't use this any more. I just find it... well, completely useless for me, and a potential skin hazard too.

So while I adore Anatomicals otherwise, I must say this headache relief balm was a real disappointment unfortunately. I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone. If you do suffer from headaches and are looking for some cures for it, I might have some tips for you though, so feel free to contact me. Since this is supposed to be a beauty blog, I don't want to get into too much detail about that now. I feel a review of a headache relief balm is kind of off topic enough....

Review: Bliss Fabulips kit

I have a lot of issues during the winter, when it gets really cold. And one of my main issues, that has been bothering me lately, has been the fact that my lips get very dry and chapped. Of course, some lip balm cures that partly, but I decided to really take this challenge on seriously and get a serious lip set, made by Bliss, since I saw this on sale anyway.

Now, some people say that these products are not really necessary, that just a lip balm will do, and before I got the set, I tended to agree. Because who needs a foaming lip cleanser, a special lip scrub and so on? These products just don't seem that useful, but after having tried them, I actually think they are. Here's why:

The Bliss Fabulips set consists of 4 different products:
The foaming lip cleanser
The Sugar Lip Scrub
The Instant Lip Plumper
and a Softening Lip Balm.

I thought I might enjoy the Lip Plumper and maybe the Lip Balm, while the first two products would be kind of useless, but that turned out not to be the case of all.

I actually saw what came out of my lips after I used the foaming lip cleanser, and while I don't want to gross anyone out by going into too much details about that, I will say they seemed to need a cleanse (I've used this product twice now, and the same thing went for both times, around 2 weeks apart). And I don't use lip products every day, so imagine how people who wear lipstick and stuff all the time must feel when they take a look at what comes out of their lips!

I normally don't clean my lips especially, I just didn't think they needed to be cleaned that much, but after having seen how the wipe looked after I wiped the cleanser of, I have definitely changed my mind about that!

I also really enjoyed using the lip cleanser, it foams up a lot, and looks kind of cool on, so that was a nice experience. But the main reason I like the Bliss foaming lip cleanser is not the gimmick of the fun way it looks, just how well it actually seems to be working.

As for the Sugar Lip Scrub in the kit, it smells divine. I actually wanted to lick it too, to have a taste of it, but since this is not something you should do with beauty products, I didn't, but I want to mention this so you will realize just how amazing this smells! It's a very gentle scrub, but it was just what my lips seemed to need, so I was very impressed by that as well. It was a pleasure to use in every way, and I must say my lips felt transformed after I used both the cleanser and the Sugar Lip Scrub. I think it's a really good idea to use them together though, I think using only the cleanser or only the lip scrub won't give you the same result, but combined, they solved all my lip issues at least.

As for the Instant Lip Plumper, I actually like Lip Plumpers a lot, I am obsessed with the Dior Addict Lip Maximizer, for instance, but I don't think this plumper is special in any way. It's nice, and smells nice, but I wouldn't say it did that much for my lips. There are better lip plumpers on the market, if you ask me. I prefer several of the ones I've tried over this, and I haven't even tried that many of them.

The same goes for the Lip Balm. It's nice, but it's a pretty basic lip balm, so I wouldn't say it's something to get very excited about. But since I now have both the Bliss Instant Lip Plumper and the Bliss Softening Lip Balm, I will use them until I run out. They are not bad products in any way, just not that unique or amazing either.

But the Bliss Foaming Lip Cleanser and the Sugar Lip Scrub are definitely products that really surprised me, I will definitely try to get hold of those again!

All in all, I am happy I got this set, it really helped me with my lips and the products were all cool, and much more useful than I could have ever imagined. Well, two of them anyway...

The scent I want to try next

So out of the last two scents I've tried I liked one and didn't like one. But I still want to try some more! And the new Escada Cherry In The Air sounds (and looks! even though that is less important when it comes to scents, of course...) perfect, so this is definitely next on my "to get"-list for scents.

I am a huge fan of cherries, and I think they smell wonderful too. So this scent sounds like something that could really work well for me.

While branching out and trying scents from brands that are not so focused on - or known for - their scents, was kind of fun, I think there is always an advantage when it comes to turning to the real biggies in the perfume industry. And Escada is definitely one of those companies!

(pic from Makeup On My Mind)

Review: Bliss Eau de Toilette

I've already mentioned that I got the Bliss Eau de Toilette a while ago, and my hopes were rather high for this scent, since Bliss is one of my all time favorite beauty brands, along with Soap and Glory. And as you may remember, I didn't think the fact that I really love Soap and Glory beauty products would also mean that I would love their scent, but indeed I did. In fact, the Soap and Glory Original Pink scent became one of my favorites, so I started thinking the Bliss Eau de Toilette could be very nice too.

But as it turns out, exactly the things I liked about the Soap and Glory scent, are missing in the Bliss Eau de Toilette, and the things I found to be missing in the Soap and Glory scent are actually better in the Bliss scent.  Let me explain what I mean:

First of all, I didn't like the scent that much. I actually thought this scent would be more to my liking than the Soap and Glory scent, since very sweet scents (like Soap and Glory, according to reviews) can be a bit annoying, and I generally like very fresh smells, like the Bliss Eau de Toilette was described to be. One of my favorite scents is Davidoff's Cool Water, for instance, and in my head, I imagined the Bliss Eau de Toilette to be something similar. But it wasn't. And while Bliss themselves market the Bliss Eau de Toilette as something that smells like a spa, I haven't really been to a spa that smells like this. (I must admit that I haven't been to a real Bliss spa yet, though, if that matters to anyone. I've just tried their products - a bunch of them! - at home)
First of all, the cucumber smell in this scent is very over powering, and while I do like cucumbers, and even their smell, smelling like a cucumber is not something I strive for, so I found that a bit weird. I also thought the smell of alcohol was really strong in this scent, and that is something I don't appreciate, I want my scents to smell of something nice, and while alcohol can be nice for some things, I wouldn't say the smell of it is the nicest. So that was really a disappointment for me.

There are some other notes besides cucumber and alcohol in this scent of course, but these two are so overpowering for me, that they kind of ruined the rest of it for me.

On the plus side, however, the lasting power of this scent is really impressive. If you remember, I really liked the scent of the Soap and Glory Eau de toilette, but the scent didn't last for very long. But this does! So if you like the scent, I would say it's a good buy. Since I don't, however, it isn't really for me. Because why would I want to smell like something I don't like for a long time?

I must admit the scent is very unique, light and modern though. And I've never smelled anything quite like it! So if you are looking for a really unique scent, this may be for you. But because I didn't really "get" the scent, I won't be repurchasing this personally.

Emerald nails

What a fantastic idea, especially now that Pantone has chosen emerald do be the color of 2013. Definitely a look I want to try, if my manicurist has a shade even similar to this one!

(pic from Make Up On My Mind)

What I simply must get soon

If I can, that is. Because it seems like MAC's super pretty Making Pretty Collection sold out in a lot of places in the US when it was launched there. So let's hope the same thing does not happen when the collection is launched worldwide, in February. Because I seriously need something from this collection, the packaging is right up my alley!

To be honest, I can't believe I have missed this collection until now, the MAC Making Pretty Collection seems to be a really great one, and I actually am in need of some of these things anyway!

(pics from Tempitalia)

On my wish list right now

Isn't it strange that even when you just bought tons of beauty products, you are still making lists in your head of what else to get? Or is it just me that does that?

In any case, here are some of the beauty related items I am craving right now:

The Adonia Stemu Lift Serum, because it has gotten truly amazing reviews, and I've never tried anything from Adonia before, and testing new brands is always so much fun!

TIGI Bedhead's Elasticate shampoo and conditioner, because my hair is not in the best shape right now, like I've probably mentioned over and over again already. So something needs to be done about that!

The Got2Be Play It Straight Blow Dry Kit. Because when I blow dry my hair at home, it often looks less perfect than I would want it to. So maybe this could help with that?

The Candy Fixations Bodifying Spray from TIGI Bedhead. Because yes, I do need some extra volume from time to time, and this spray is supposed to smell amazing as well.

Badger Face and Body soap, another product that has gotten excellent reviews in a lot of places, so even though I am quite happy with my current Soap & Glory routine, I would love to give it a try.

(the last image is from Ebay)

Review: Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System

As I mentioned in my previous post that I posted when I got the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System, I have been wanting a Clarisonic for a really, really long time. But since I was not completely sure that the Clarisonic would work for me (there are some conflicting reviews about the Clarisonic systems out there, after all), I didn't really want to gamble and pay the rather high price you have to be willing to cough up if you want to get one, without trying something similar first. So I read reviews, tons and tons of them, on similar systems and gadgets, and out of all the available products, the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System seemed like the best one. It was reasonably priced, had mostly good reviews, and was especially recommended by people who had the same skin type as me. So I decided to order one on Ebay to see what it was like.

Now, because of the good reviews I had seen about both the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System and the Clarisonics, my expectations were rather high. I thought the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System would immediately improve my skin by a lot. I must say, that didn't happen, which made me slightly disappointed. I also didn't break out and have a phase where my skin had to get used to the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System, like I had read had happened to some Clarisonic users (apparently it's quite common that the new deep cleaning causes breakouts while your skin adjusts to it), so I assumed the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System was a lot less effective than a Clarisonic.

But the system was easy and comfortable to use. It's water resistant, so you can use it in the shower too. I haven't done that though, since I prefer to clean my face before hopping into the shower, but according to the manufacturer you should not have any problems if you decide to do so. You can choose between 2 different speeds, and the brush (which you can replace if you want, from time to time) does not hurt or irritate your skin in any way, which is really nice. I had somehow expected that you might experience some discomfort when you start using a system like this, but that was not true at all.

I assume you can use the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System with any cleanser you want, I used it with the Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean cleansing milk, since it is one of my favorite cleansers at the moment, but the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System actually comes with a cleanser too, one I am yet to try though, since I am not sure it will suit my skin, and I'd rather not experiment too much, since it has taken me ages to find cleansers that actually work for me (the Peaches and Clean one being one of them), so I am enjoying my clear and improved skin at the moment.

Something that might be mentioning if you are considering getting the Olay system as a Clarisonic alternative is that the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System is smaller and lighter than all the Clarisonic systems, so if you are looking for something less bulky and easier to travel with, this could be a good alternative for you.

Not having tried the actual Clarisonic systems, it is of course hard for me to compare the two, but I would definitely say this system does what it says it will. It does clean your skin, in a gentle way, and takes off both make up and dirt in a very effective way. That said, however, I don't think that it improved my skin a lot. I would rather say that finding the right skin care products and cleansers for me (mainly the Soap and Glory ones, many of them reviewed here too) was more crucial. But the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System certainly does no harm either. I just don't think that it was the main reason my skin cleared up lately, since that process started before I even got it, when I got the right products!

But if you are looking for something to clean your skin better than just your hands, this is definitely worth getting. A lot of people claim it really helped them with serious cases of acne as well, something that was not a problem for me, so if you suffer from really bad breakouts, this is supposed to be one of the best gadgets to get.

So while I remain happy with my Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System, but not incredibly impressed, I would suggest that anyone who is interested in getting this looks for some other reviews as well. There are tons of really good ones out there, that will make it easier for you to decide if the Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System could be for you or not!

While it didn't do any wonders for me, I am still happy I got it, since it kind of cured my Clarisonic obsession too. I now think that the Clarisonic might not be as vital for me as good skin care. It's quite possible to have good skin without these gadgets too!

Review: Soap and Glory Original Pink Perfume

I mentioned a while ago that I had gotten the Soap and Glory Original Pink Perfume, and while I was hopeful about it, I must admit I wasn't really sure this scent would be nice. Because just because a brand is good at skincare or make up, it doesn't mean they are necessarily good at scents too, I think we've all seen examples of that sometimes. And I am also a very picky scent shopper, I dislike most scents for various reasons, and basically only the Moschino scents as well as a few others, like Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue are ones I go back to time after time. So that basically means I rarely repurchase scents, that's how picky I am!

But the Soap and Glory Original Pink scent turned out to be a really nice surprise! You see, it has that typical Soap and Glory scent, that I absolutely love, and that you can find in several of their other products as well, which is pretty much what I was hoping for, to be honest.

According to Soap and Glory, the scent consists of bergamot, citrus, rose, peach, strawberry, musk, jasmine and a bunch of other things, but to describe the scent using these classifications would just be wrong. Instead, I would say it is a very unique and very girly smell! So I can highly recommend this scent to anyone who is a fan of other Soap and Glory beauty products and their smell. If you haven't tried Soap and Glory products yet, I would suggest trying something like their Flake Away Body Polish, which smells similar, first, to see what you think. (Because even though I love this scent, if you don't like their scents in general, buying a whole bottle of it might be a bit of a waste...)

I'm not super excited about the bottle though (and you can't see how much there is left in the bottle since you can't see through it any place), but I don't mind that so much, I don't buy scents for their bottles anyway, and I must admit the Original Pink Eau de Toilette has the disadvantage of not lasting very long. You might need to reapply this from time to time, which is a bit of a downside with a scent. I've heard that you can make the scent last longer if you combine it with the body butter with the same scent, so I might try that to see if it's true.

But all in all, this scent is really a must for all Soap and Glory fans! I am so happy I got it, and would definitely get it again! I probably will as soon as I run out, in fact! And that's a huge compliment, coming from me!

Review: Soap and Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser

As you may know, I am a huge fan of everything Soap and Glory makes. Well, everything I've tried anyway. So while the idea of a hot cloth cleanser didn't appeal to me all that much (it just seemed like a less hygienic way to clean your skin somehow, and a bit of a hassle too), I thought I should try the Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser anyway, since I absolutely loved the facial mask from the same line. And boy, am I glad I did!

Because it turns out I actually like this cleansing method a lot, it's not unhygienic at all, and not a hassle in any way, plus it really cleans your skin so well! And the product is actually really, really good too!

Because not only does it remove all make up you have on (I didn't want to try it with make up on at first, but decided to give it a try anyway, since I had heard that this is actually what you are supposed to do, it also gently exfoliates the skin, and leaves your skin really fresh, soft and clean. It doesn't dry your skin out at all, like some cleansers do, and using this product is actually a really nice routine at the end of the day.

What you do is basically that you apply the cream - yes, on top of your make up, massage it for around a minute and then leave it on for a minute or two (it says 60 seconds on the box, but I've left it on for longer too, without any problems), while you put the muslin cloth you get with it, in a bowl of hot water. After some time has passed, you simply dab the cloth on your face, thus removing the make up and dirt from your face. Dip the cloth into the water every once in a while, and if you are a germaphobe like me, you can even change the water if you'd like, but I don't think it's really necessary.

The cleanser comes with clear instructions, so even if you think this sounds like a lengthy process, it really isn't. Just follow the instructions and you should be fine!

The only thing I can complain about regarding this product is the fact that it has no special scent, which is something you'd find in most other Soap and Glory beauty products, but this cleanser has a very, very light, almost not noticeable scent. But that's really not a biggie since the cleanser literally works wonders! It's just something that surprised me a bit, so I thought it would be worth mentioning.

I will definitely be getting this cleanser again, and would recommend it to anyone with oily or combination skin. If it works even half as good on you as it did on me, you will not be sorry you got it!

Review: Stella In Two Peony

I've mentioned before that I am currently trying to find a new favorite scent, but the fact that I've run out of all my favorite fragrances (including this, which has to be my all time favorite) has also forced me to actually wear some fragrances that I have had lying around for ages, but don't wear on a regular basis, until I get the new fragrances I ordered online. One such scent was Stella McCartney's Stella In Two Peony, which is a very light, girly and summery scent, based on rose and peony.

Now, this scent is actually nice, and feminine, but I think what I didn't like about it (that made me stop using it, I mean) was the fact that it is just not special in any way. It's not memorable, it doesn't get you any compliments (which may sound silly to complain about, but a lot of the other scents I wear actually get commented on almost every time I wear them, so I am kind of used to that) and I also think you can smell the alcohol in this scent, something I am not fond of.

So while I would not advice anyone against getting this scent, it did not turn out to be a favorite of any kind for me (I actually did not even buy this myself, I was given it as a gift in the first place, I don't know if I would have gotten it otherwise), and I won't be buying it again. So a bland perfume, all in all. Sorry Stella, I love your fashion, but scents may not be your thing...

Review: MoroccanOil Intense Hydrating Mask

As you may have noticed if you've been reading this blog for a while, I have been reviewing some MoroccanOil products lately, such as one of their shampoos (read the review here, if you missed it) and one of their conditioners (read the review here, if you missed it), but the best MoroccanOil product I've tried is their Intense Hydrating Mask, which is absolutely amazing! So if you are looking for a really nice hair mask for dry hair, I can really recommend this one!

It's thick and smells nice, and it does wonders for your hair, especially if you leave it in for the whole recommended 5 to 7 minutes. I didn't the first time I used it, I am generally a bit lazy with hair masks, and wash them out way too soon, because I just want to get out of the shower, and the result was still pretty nice, but leaving it in longer makes a huge difference!

This mask turned my hair very soft, shinier than it was before, and generally healthier than before. So it's all you can ask for in a hair mask, basically! Very, very highly recommended, would definitely get this mask again!

My first impressions of Bio-Oil

I recently started using the famous Bio-Oil product, that is supposed to do all kinds of miraculous things to your skin, including heal and fade scars and stretch marks. Since I have some stretch marks I want to get rid of (sorry if I grossed someone out by mentioning this!), I decided to give this oil out, since it is supposed to be one of the best remedies for this.

The thing is, however, that you are supposed to use this oil for a whole 3 months before you see any results, it even says so on the bottle itself. So I am going to try that, even though it kind of annoyed me in the beginning that you have to do it for so long, I figured I would have to get several bottles of this oil in order to be able to do that, but it turns out, one bottle of Bio-Oil lasts for a really long time, so it doesn't seem like that will be necessary, after all! I have been using the oil for several weeks already, and not much of it has disappeared yet, so I think a bottle is definitely good for 3 months, and probably even for a long time than that too, which is nice.

But since I haven't been using the oil for the recommended time, I can't say if it works, meaning it gets rid of stretch marks or not, yet, but I can say this: It smells very nice, which I appreciate, since I am supposed to apply it twice a day. So far I've been doing it during the morning and evening, it works best for me. It also feels nice on your skin, so my first impressions of Bio-Oil are really good, it's been a pleasure to use it, but I will have to get back to you on if it actually works or not in like 2 months or so.

Shopped: bliss Eau de toilette

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am looking for new scents to try at the moment, and besides the Soap & Glory scent I got a while ago, I decided to take a chance (by which I mean ordering something without having smelled it myself) and order the Bliss Eau de toilette. Bliss is one of my favorite beauty brands, after all, and this scent seems to have gotten pretty good reviews, so I figured: why not give it a try? Only time will tell if my gamble will pay off or not...

(pic from Feel Unique, where I placed my order)