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FOTD featuring Smashbox Girls on Film Collection (Swatches & Review), Clinique and Olay..

By Lina on March 15, 2012

This is the first time I’ve ever tried Smashbox cosmetics, bar one lip stain, so I had no real expectations. I had heard they were good, but so much is good these days it’s hard to distinguish the truly wonderful. Well, as an introduction to the range I was THOROUGHLY impressed. The quality of the products were just outstanding! I especially like the Eye Shadow Photo Op Shadow Palette as the formulation was so soft and fine, yet pigmented! It applied beautifully to skin and has a good selection of shimmers and mattes in neutrals (and one gorgeous orangey-gold!). The Blush Rose in Pose was another stand out product, again incredibly fine and feather light in such a prettyfying, natural colour that gives a delicate ‘pop’ to the cheek! So easy to control depth of colour, buildable but without risk of patchiness. Love it! Possibly my favourite powder blush to date (I’m usually a cream blush gal!)..

As I’m not a fan of lipglosses in general I wasn’t really feeling the Lip Enhancing Gloss in Overexposed. At first it would apply a little scary and chalky, but give it a second and it’d settle down into a pretty sheer gloss. It did keep my lips very moisturised and wore well – it’s a very long wearing lip gloss – however it’s a little heavier in texture than I really like. I’m not a fan of the gloopy feeling.

The Cream Eye Liner in Sepia is a product I’m sitting on the fence with. For me, being brown and not black, it’s difficult to wear this as an eyeliner as I have black lashes and it kinda looks weird. Being a cream eyeliner as opposed to gel, it was also harder to apply than my usual gel ones as the product is too creamy and not liquid enough to get a nice, tight line with (especially flicks!). However you can also wear this as a smokey eye product, and thus eyeshadow, which as a product you blend/smoke out is actually really nice. It has pretty flecks of gold shimmer too, making it lovely for evening. For the rest of my make-up I’m wearing Clinique Repair Wear Laser Focus foundation (in Shade 08) and Clinique Airbrush Concealer (02 Medium) over Olay Regenerist Wrinkle Relaxing Complex as a base/primer. The only other products are an eyebrow powder by The Body Shop and Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara.I was given the Clinique foundation and concealer at a Clinique Colour Match event about a month ago, they also gave me a powder too but that wasn’t colour matched right as unfortunately it’s far too dark for me to wear (I have tried!). I do like this foundation, but it’s a little touch and go. Sometimes when I apply it it looks all illuminated and healthy, other times my skin looks uneven, patchy and flat. I’ve discovered it works better applied with fingers (not a brush!) and I think I prefer it not on top of the Olay Regenerist Wrinkle Relaxing Complex, a product I’m still playing with and testing. The Clinique Airbrush concealer is my favourite illuminating product at the mo! Love this concealer, really brightens and has good coverage considering these brush ones don’t generally conceal, rather more high light.

So that’s my face of the day, hope you laaaaike.. ?

DISCLAIMER: PR samp

This entry is filed under Clinique, Olay, Smashbox. | 1 Comment

Clinique Mascara Review: Lash Building Primer, Lash Power Mascara & Bottom Lash Mascara!

By Lina on November 14, 2011

I was sent three mascaras by Clinique a few months ago, the Lash Building Primer, the Lash Power Mascara Long Wearing Formula, and their latest edition to their mascara family – the Bottom Lash Mascara. Check my video below for a full review and demo of all three!

Here’s a closer pic of the brushes..And my face.. (focus on the lashes! I look rough).The Bottom Lash mascara is only £10, which I think is a great price for such a handy product, will definitely be repurchasing again! What do you guys think?

This entry is filed under Clinique, Mascaras.

Clinique Fall 2011 – The New Black

By Lina on August 6, 2011

Eek! So excited with what has landed on my doorstep this morning! As most beauty bloggers would be excited about receiving any new collection from Clinique, this one has been particularly welcomed by me as the entire collection has been inspired by Clinique’s most iconic lip colour, Black Honey!One of my first forays into ‘expensive make-up’ was this lip colour. Clinique have Black Honey as a shade in various formats, lipglosses, pot glosses, almost lipsticks, etc., and when I was around 18 I purchased this lip colour in an Almost Lipstick format – which back then had just been launched! We’re talking over ten years ago! So I am delighted that in this 2011 fall collection one half of the dual ended lip product is indeed my beloved Almost Lipstick in Black Honey (the other half is a Long Last Glosswear in the same shade).

It’s good to have it back in my life again..

Dual Ended Almost Lipstick and Long Last Glosswear SPF15 in 01 Black Honey The Almost Lipstick side is exactly as the name suggests, it’s sheer but with a blanket coverage of barely there colour. The texture is creamy and vastly moisturising. To me, it’s a well tinted lip balm, but not tacky in the slightest which I adore. A very comfortable wear. The Long Last Glosswear is very similar; just a sheer wash of colour but with more shine than the lipstick (and thus, more prone to getting your hair stuck in it!). Both colours in both formats are gorgeous though, I would say the Almost Lipstick is for day time and the Long Last Glosswear would be better for evening, simply as it’s a gloss and therefore catches the light better as it’s shinier. You can layer both products on top of each other too, if you so wish (I’d start with the lipstick side first!).

I know in the tube both colours can look scary dark, but trust me they are not in the slightest as deep as they appear. You just need to swatch it to see. Just like the name, it looks like black honey.

Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in 01 Black Honey
Other than swatching, I have not had a play around with this palette at all. However I have noticed that each colour varies in texture quite prominently from the last which I really like, for me this means you can easily wear the entire palette together as you don’t have too much shimmer colours fighting against each other. A very wearable palette.

The palest colour on the left has particularly surprised me because of it sheer creamy texture and incredibly fine shimmer – great for subtle highlighting, although from initial impressions my favourite shades are the two darker ones on the right – I can’t wait to try and create a soft ‘new’ smoky eye with this.

The entire The New Black collection consists of:
Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Black Honey
Clinique Gradient Powder Blush in Black Honey
Clinque High Impact Mascara in Black
Clinique Dual Ended Almost Lipstick and Long Last Glosswear SPF15 in Black Honey
Clinique Blush Brush
Clinique Brush-On Cream Liner in Black Honey
Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

What do you think?

DISCLAIMER: PR Sample

This entry is filed under Clinique and tagged Clinique The New Black. | 3 Comments

What’s in my (summer) bag?

By Lina on July 8, 2011

A little nosey into what I’m carrying around in my bag at this time of year!

Let’s start with the bag itself. It’s a leather satchel with leopard print ‘skin’ effect from ASOS (means it’s feels a bit like pony skin but with leopard print). I really like it but as you may have noticed the catch that does it up has completely come off. This is actually my replacement bag as the same thing happened to the original. I tried to get a replacement for this one, which broke about four days after receiving but ASOS were being funny so I just didn’t bother. Certainly wasn’t worth the £85 though. Faulty catch aside, it is a nice bag, if a little cramped – I find it difficult fitting all my stuff in as its compartments are so restrictive in space. It is pretty though.

Avon Anew Solar Advance Eye & Lip Sunscreen*
I’ve only had this product a couple of weeks but I use it every morning, especially if I’m out and about in the sunshine. It’s a product of two halves, an eye cream and a lip balm, both with SPF30. Whilst the lip balm is nice (it looks brown in the tube but actually wears more a nudey-pink), I’m still undecided about how nourishing it is. The eye cream is really the reason why this product has made it to every day use.

Tinted lip balm side

As well as protecting against the sun, it also works as an eye cream that hydrates and treats lines and wrinkles. Also, it’s very water resistant – according to the leaflet you can play in the water for several hours before needing to top up! Which means for everyday non-pool/beach use it’s perfect as it’s seriously sweat resistant. The bendy plastic packaging is a little awkward and you sometimes squeeze more product than you intended, but that’s because it’s designed to be taken to the beach and is leak/break proof which I guess is a good thing. A very affordable eye cream considering how much SPF it has!

Soap & Glory Hand Food
I’ve seen so many beauty bloggers and just people in general with the full size version of this, but strangely never tried it myself. I saw it in Boots in the pocket sized section and couldn’t resist buying, despite having more than enough hand creams at home. It’s small (perfect for carrying around), pink and the product itself is really good. Sinks in quickly, no greasy residue, and hands do feel nourished. Total convert. As I mentioned I do have plenty of other hand creams already, but I tend not to use them out and about as they just leave my hands too greasy – this doesn’t do that at all and I find myself using hand cream during the day a lot more often because of this. Which is great as I’m a bit of compulsive hand washer.

Nivea Invisible for Black & White Deodorant
I’m currently using the roll-on of this product, which I’m really impressed with at the mo so bought this mini sized one to keep for on the go. To be honest it wasn’t much of a jump from my last deodorant, which was a Nivea one also (the Pearl one), however I prefer this one now as quite frankly it’s stronger! I don’t wear a lot of black or white clothing (I love colour, me) so can’t vouch for how effective it is for that type of clothing (that’s what the black and white means in the name, see) but I really like the scent and its lasting power. This little spray deodorant is the perfect size for carrying around in case you do need a top up in the summer heat!

FULLfast Sublingual Spray*
You know me, I’ll try any fad diet so long as it doesn’t actually involve me having to say no to stuff. This product works as an appetite suppressant, so you’re just not hungry enough to eat too often (or over eat). It does work, but you have to take it very often, like five times a day, and whilst I carry it around with me I do find it a little embarrassing spraying this in my mouth on the train and stuff. I still do it though. People just look at you funny. But the main point is that it does work when taken consistently. So that’s why I carry it around all the time with me! Has a weird taste of flat coke which at first I hated but now have gotten used too.

Clinique Sun Protection SPF 40 Face Cream and SPF 35 Protection Stick*
I use the face cream on the neck, chest and shoulders (I usually have product with SPF under and in my make-up so my face is pretty much covered) before going out if those bits are all on show. I don’t really carry it out with me all the time depending on what other stuff I need to take with me (restrictive bag, remember), but I do always put it on before going outside for the day! The texture is nice and light, spreads easily and sinks in well.

The protection stick is great for just using on delicate areas of the face, it’s quite greasy so I tend to just us it on the lips as a moisturising lip balm. It works really well as a lip balm actually, and one of these sticks will probably last you a decade – although I would never advise keeping and using any product for that amount of time!

Artistry Essentials Soothing Cream*
I always have to carry a facial moisturiser out with me as I have dry skin and like to be prepared just in case I need some skin care, for whatever reason. I try not to carry my regular every day moisturiser, as I know I’ll lose it and that would really annoy me, so I get a cheapish one, or even one that I don’t really use, to carry out instead. This one by Artistry is actually really good; I should probably trial it properly as I’m really happy with my skin every time I use it. Very moisturising, a nice, light gel-cream texture that really nourishes (and soothes) dry skin. Plus, it’s a great little size! Not too bulky so perfect for the hand bag.

So there you have it, all the products that I’m currently carrying around in my broken rubbish satchel. Big fan of everything mentioned here. Other things I always carry but not photographed are pocket tissues, allergy tablets, my make-up bag(!), notebook or filofax, camera and sunglasses.

Tried any of them yourself? Drop a comment if you want any of these products reviewed more in full.

DISCLAIMER: Everything with a * means PR sample/gifted in goody bag.

This entry is filed under Amway Artistry, Avon, Clinique, Fullfast, Nivea, Soap & Glory. | 4 Comments

Clinique Quickliner for Eyes INTENSE

By Lina on August 28, 2010

Many, many moons ago I read in a magazine that there were simply only two eyeliners you would ever need in your life; one was Benefit Badgal, for smokey smudgy eyes, the other was Clinique Quickliner for Eyes, for precision lining of the waterline that won’t run or wear away. Being naive and in the era where you still believed everything you read in magazines, I rushed out immediately and purchased both. Unfortunately, I wasn’t happy with either choice, the Benefit one was okay but nothing amazing, and the Clinique Quickliner was actually quite difficult to line the waterline with as the colour was too weak and the pen/automatic pencil nib was too hard. So when I read recently that this eyeliner had been reformulated for a limited edition range, and not only reformulated but specifically made creamier and more intense in colour, I was very eager to try it out and see for myself if it finally now lived up to its expectations.

The two colours I received for review were 01 Intense Black and 02 Intense Plum. Now, before I move on to how much I feel this product has changed and so on, let’s briefly go over the aesthetics of the liner and its potential. It’s an automatic pencil which you simply wind up to sharpen, and comes with a smudger on the end. Its slim design means it’s perfect for getting a fine line and also to precisely line the waterline. When you apply this liner, similar to a liquid, you apply, then tweak/blend/whatever super quick as once 60 seconds have passed the liner is set. To me, this is exactly what I would look for when choosing a product to line my waterline or lower/upper lashline. So imagine if you still had all these qualities but with a product that actually came out densely pigmented, was creamy, blendable and smooth without tugging the delicate eye area and on top of that stayed in place aaaaaaaall night? You’d think you’d pretty much had the perfect eyeliner, right?

Left – Intense Black, Right – Intense Purple.

Well, move over all my previous eye lining loves! You’ve been replaced with my new ‘Holy Grail’ eye liner. This reformulated quickliner is everything I wished it was when I had bought it the first time round. The colour goes on easily and deeply, the creamy texture allows you to blend away effortlessly without tugging your eye (seriously, it’s sooooo creamy and lovely), and once you have blended and it has set; it stays perfect for well over 6 hours (it claims 12 but I wouldn’t want to state that as a definite). I would sometimes re-apply on the waterline just to freshen up the colour, but generally you really wouldn’t have to worry about your liner at all once you have initially applied it. I’d sometimes wake up in the morning (after being gross and sleeping in my make-up at a friends) and my eye liner was perfectly applied still. Amazing.

Intense Black, lined on the waterline and through the lashline. Can you see the blue??

Intense Purple (smudged in with some black eyeshadow, I was just running it through the lash line here – not really the waterline.)

The only gripe that I have with it is that the Intense Black is a little blue tinged. For ages I thought I was accidently using the purple every time I got ready instead of reaching for the black, until one day I was applying the black quickliner on my sister (after double checking it was the correct one I was reaching for) and noticed it was definitely a bluey black – not a straight black. But I don’t care, not really, it would be nice to have the choice of having a straight black but I’m starting to really like the blue-ness of it. The Intense Purple however, is exactly as the name describes – a gorgeous, intense purple.

Intense Black – See how neatly I can line my eyes with this?

In the past I’ve given props to GOSH Velvet Touch eyeliner which is a great budget liner, but this one beats it hands down as it’s simply more lovely to use and unlike the GOSH one where it felt a little ‘ick’ reapplying on the waterline as it’d caked, this one reapplies like a dream. Just like a regular good eyeliner really, except with superior lasting power. I just WISH it wasn’t limited edition. I’m considering stocking up as they are that amazing. Unfortunately, I’ve got a feeling the regular quickliners are still as I remembered them and this creamy dream is limited only to the Intense range. Boooo. Triple boooo.

The Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense is available in 4 shades and is only £13.50, and 100% worth every penny in my opinion. Get ‘em now while they’re still out.

This entry is filed under Clinique, Eyeliners and tagged Clinique Quickliner for Eyes. | 3 Comments

Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Foundation – GUEST REVIEW!!

By Lina on May 24, 2010

First off, Thank you so much to Lina for letting me be her guest reviewer on this foundation. I was so excited to have the chance to review it.

This colour (Ivory) is pretty much a great match for my skin tone. The foundation comes packaged in a cute summery looking box. The bottle contains 30mls of product.

I have really enjoyed trying this out, I loved it as soon as I applied it! It has quite a thin consistency, which is not something I am used to, being a fan of Revlon Colorstay. But It applied really well and blended so easily too, and it felt lovely and light on my skin.

[Eek, No Make-ups. UGH Sorry!]

I would say it gives a medium coverage, but it is definetely buildable if you want more coverage. In my pictures I just have one layer of it on my face, and I think it has evened out my skin and got rid of any discolouration, I did use concealer to cover blemishes though (I have had more spots than normal recenlty!), I think it gives a nice even look and made my skin look quite glowy and fresh, and it minimized the look of my pores, which is always a good thing!

The finish was quite dewy and it felt slightly tacky on my skin after I had applied it, but that wasn’t a problem because I always powder over my foundation because of how oily my face gets, the powder didn’t completely mattify it though, my skin still looked as though it had a healthy glow, which I like. If you like a dewy finish though and your skin isn’t overly oily, then I am sure you would love the finish of this.

It lasted really well, I applied it around 10am and at 5pm everything was still intact, my skin was starting to get a little oily again though, but I am used to that, and it had been a hot day.

This foundation is supposed to help with breakouts and stop them from coming back over time, I can’t really comment on that as yet, but I will update Lina in a couple of months and let her know how I feel about that.

I hope you all enjoyed my review! Thanks again Lina, for the opportunity

Available here for £20.00.

This entry is filed under Clinique, Digitorial and tagged Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions Foundation. | 4 Comments

Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Foundation – Reviewer Chosen!

By Lina on May 13, 2010

Hey ladies, I know I promised weeks back I would pick a reviewer to review this foundation in this post. Well, as it happens despite my slackness (I like to call it cautiousness, oh screw it, slackness) the decision was taken out of my hands – I was sent one before I could pick the shade! So instead of picking who was more worthy to review this foundation (you were ALL worthy, I would never have been able to choose), all I had to do was just look over your profiles and see who matched the skin tone of this foundation shade best.

And thus from that highly scientific procedure the reviewer will be…. Sophie!

Thanks to all those who responded with offering your time to review this product, I wish I could have gotten all of you to review it! Actually, dang, that would have been amazing.

Sophie, I’ll be emailing you soon to get your address to send the foundation over to you! Looking forward to reading your review! Again, thanks everyone else for taking part.