Dirty Works 'Pore-fect Face Scrub' Review

Following on from my review of Elizabeth Arden face moisturiser I thought I would let you know about a facial scrub I have started using....It is made by a company called Dirty Works and it is called the 'Pore-fect Face Scrub'. I had never heard of this brand before but you never know if something is good or bad until you give it a go!

After having make-up on all day it is nice at the end of the day to take it all off and use a good facial scrub to get all the excess off and make your skin feel nice and fresh again!


What it says:

• Gently foaming exfoliator face scrub to help revitialise dull and tired skin.
• Bursting with fruit extracts it will tingle your senses with excitement

Verdict:

So the packaging is a baby pink, which is always a winner for me! It reminds me of the Soap and Glory style packaging which I also like. It said to massage onto damp skin and then rinse of with warm water. Repeat this once or twice a week for brighter more radiant skin.

I usually put facial scrubs on at the end of the day to get off any excess make-up. When I rubbed it on my face it did have a nice 'clean' smell to it, like a mild scented soap. I could feel the tiny exfoliant beads on my face which was important to get off any unwanted make-up. I then rinsed it off and yes it did feel smooth and refreshing on my face afterwards!

I think this is a nice morning or night facial exfoliant scrub and I will keep on using this one!

You can get the Dirty Works 'Pore-fect Face Scrub' from Sainsbury's for around £4.99 for 125ml bottle.

Have you tried this? Let me know your comments!

Elizabeth Arden 'Eight Hour Intensive Facial Daily Moisturiser' Review

Hi everyone!

So most of you will have probably heard of Elizabeth Arden and most famously for the 'Eight Hour' range. So from the hype I decided to try one of the products in the range to see if it was as good as it sounded!



Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Intensive Daily Moisturiser

I have combination skin so sometimes it can be really dry and sometimes really oily!

 When I do get dry skin I need a good moisturiser on my face so my skin does not look patchy when I put on my make-up. I had heard about the Eight Hour Intensive Daily Moisturiser for Face and how good the effects could be so I splashed out and bought it!


What it says:

.......This daily hydrating lotion leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and moisturised for up to 8 hours. Formulated with the perfect blend and aroma of classic Eight Hour Cream even protects the skin from the effects of extreme weather and climate changes while SPF 15 shields skin from the harmful effects of the sun......


The Verdict:

I got this for around £23 from Amazon for a 50ml tube. (Yes it was expensive I know!) I applied it before I put my make-up on and it had a floral/lemon smell to it which can be hit and miss for some people... but I liked it!

It is quite a thick moisituriser unlike some and when I put it on my face and let it soak in I did not find at first it made any difference to my dry patches. I was a little disappointed to find this as it was a lot of money. However....


I decided to keep on using the moisturiser on a daily basis and yes bit by bit my dry patches had gone! I know it does say use daily so I probably was being too eager for it to instantly work (no patience!) I could see that after a few weeks my skin felt smoother. It is also a bonus that is has SPF 15 so good if you are out in the sun too.

I would buy this again in the future but only as a luxury as it it a lot of money to buy all the time as a normal day to day face moisturiser, but if you do have dry skin I would give this a go to see if it works for you!


 Have you tried this? What face moisturisers would you suggest for dry skin? 

Best Budget Buy Intensive Conditioner- 'Alberto Balsam'

It is always nice to find a good product without it costing a fortune! I have been dying my hair for years and now it is really damaged and dry, so it is important for me to put on intensive conditioners in order to repair damage and keep it feeling soft.

Alberto Balsam Intensive Conditioner

So I was looking in Asda and came across the 'Albero Balsam Intensive Condtioning Treatment' which was exactly what I was looking for! Not only that but it cost me only £1 which is a bargain :-)

What it says

-Hair smells as good as it feels

-Helps repair damaged hair

-Smoothes rough cuticles

-Restores softness, manageability and shine

Verdict

It says at the back of the bottle to shampoo hair with an Alberto Balsam shampoo but  I use 'James Brown Moisturisng Shampoo'. Then after you should apply a generous dollop of the treatment on to the hair and leave on for 1-3 minutes (depending how much time you have you could keep it on for longer). Then rinse and blow dry.

This leaves my hair feeling really soft! It smells of almonds and honey (obviously!) and when applying it you can feel it moisturising the hair straight away. I usually leave it on for 2-3 minutes as my hair is really dry.

I have tried many intensive condtioners but this one really works for me as it leaves my hair in better condition!

For around £1 for 200ml it's certainly worth trying!

Have you tried this? Let me know!

Witch 'Anti-blemish Skin Clearing Primer' Review

I do get breakouts from time to time and I have always found witch hazel to be good at getting rid of them quicker.

So I was exicted to hear about a new range of 'Witch' products on the market. I never wore primers in the past under my foundation but now that I have discovered it I definitely think it does make foundation look so much better! I therefore thought I would give the Witch Anti-blemish Skin Clearing Primer a go because it could not only help foundation stay on better but prevent breakouts too.

What it says:

• Holds make-up in place and helps protect skin from the causes of blemishes.
•  Fragrance and oil free,
• Covers and targets imperfections with the power of Witch Hazel.

Verdict:

The packaging is nice and comes with a pump so it is not messy like some primers which come in tubes. It is a light creamy consistency and seems like a typical moisturiser. You can smell it has witch hazel extract which is good and it goes on nicely.

It did hold my foundation on for longer than it would without a primer but at the end of the day my face did start to look oily. However, I have not found a primer yet that don't eventually start making my face look slightly oily..... so if you know of any let me know!!

As for the blemishes, I did notice a difference in the fact I did have less blemishes appearing after wearing this primer; but it did not stop them from appearing completely.

I think this is a good product to help prevent blemishes and although it does not completely stop them occuring, it does lessen them which is still beneficial. It is light on the face too so you don't feel like you are wearing a really thick primer on your face.

You can buy this online or from places such as Tesco, Boots or Superdrug for about £6.99.

Any suggestions on a good primer?

Rimmel 'Vinyl Gloss' Review

I love trying different lip glosses and so I wanted to share one that I use frequently and really like. It is from Rimmel and it is from the 'Vinyl Gloss' collection.

The one I have is called 'Snog' number 330.

Rimmel Vinyl Gloss 'Snog'

 What is says:

'Vinyl Gloss now has a great shine magnifying formula for beautiful juicy looking lips that are bursting with colour.  Its technology features a boosted magnifying Vinyl Shine Complex for a perfectly sculpted pout that is up to 80% shinier..'

Verdict:



Me wearing Vinyl Gloss

 When I bought this lip gloss it looked quite red however, when I applied the gloss it was a raspberry shade (pinky red). It was very shiny and went on nice. It does have shimmery bits in it to make it look even more glossy which I like.

Me again wearing the Vinyl Gloss!

 I think it just gives a nice hint of colour and it is not sticky...however if you have read my 'Loreal Glam Shine Lip Gloss Review' I think that sticky ones tend to last longer....but because this is a darker colour it does last slightly longer than usual.

This was around £4.99 in Superdrug but you can find it in many beauty/make-up retailers and websites for a similar price. It also comes in lots of various shades too!

What are your thoughts on Rimmel Vinyl Gloss? What other shades would you recommend?

'Magnetic' Nail Paint Barry M Review

Hi everyone!

 I have heard a lot about the new magnetic nail polishes which can create a pattern on your nails and so I went to Boots to buy some to review for you!

 Apparently how it works is that the nail polish has tiny metal particles in it and when it's wet, it reacts with the magnet to create the desired effect on your nails.

I liked the colour of the 'Magnetic Blue' which is a lovely midnight blue shade and I wanted the stripe effect so that's the one I got!

I read the instructions at the back which says:

1. Shake Well
2. Apply one coat and let dry
3. Apply second coat and IMMEDIATELY hover the magnet over nail for 5 seconds so effect appears.

I began applying the first coat and let it dry then I put the second coat on... only I found it difficult to apply the second coat then quickly hover the magnet in time so I got my sister to hover the magnet for me!!

It says hover magnet over for 5 seconds which we did but it did not give the stripey effect I wanted. So on the next nail we hovered the magnet for a few seconds longer....and it worked!!

Wearing the Barry M Magnetic Blue Nail Paint

  It's not the type of style I would usually have on my nails but I really like it! It looks creative and different and I think I would try a different pattern in the future. You may need a helper to hover the magnet if you're like me though!!



 

You can buy this from boots.com or barrym.com or find it at your local beauty retailer   (I bought mine for £4.99 from Boots)

Has anyone tried the other effects? Let me know what you thought!

'Good Things' Soothing Body Lotion Review

I wanted to review a body lotion I tried a few days ago which is my new favourite lotion!

The product I used is called 'Good Things' Soothing Body Lotion with super fruit extracts of Goji Berry and Blueberry. The company 'Good Things' was developed by an award winning beauty writer Alice Hart-Davis.

I really like the packaging as it is simple but pretty and you get 250ml which is a decent amount to last a long time.

What it says:

• FREE FROM- Parabens, Sodium Laureth Sulphate, Animal Ingredients and Mineral Oils made from just GOOD THINGS!  (Hence the product name!)
• Keeps skin super smooth thanks to classic moisturising ingredients coconut and shea butter while anti-oxidant gojo berry and blueberry have an added a calming effect.

I really value companies which use good ingredients in their beauty products because you don't want to be putting just anything on to your skin! 




Good Things Soothing Body Lotion


I put this on after showering and it smells super fruity and fresh..... which I love! I found it to be very moisturising for my skin and not irritable at all.

Would recommed this to try!

Have you tried this or any other 'Good Things' products?..... let me know!

You can buy the Good Things body lotion at www.goodthingsbeauty.com or http://www.boots.com/ (price £4.99)

Xen Tan Dark Lotion Review

 I love fake tans and I have tried so many which have not suited me or go patchy so I heard from other reviews about a tan called Xen Tan. It has been commented on how good it is and how the colour is really natural so I decided to try it out for myself!!



Xen Tan Dark Lotion

 On the Xen Tan website you can get a range of tanning products to suit your skin type (Light, Medium or Dark) which I think is good as you can find one that suits you best. I am testing the most popular of the Xen Tan priducts which is the 'Dark' lotion because I have a medium skin tone which I thought the dark tan would suit me the best to give me a noticable colour difference.

What it says:

For a deep shade of olive, for a natural looking finish that lasts 7-10 days
Paraben Free (very important!!)
Dark Olive instant guide colour
Packed with premium moisturisers

Application:

So when I applied the product it came out a brown/green colour which was good because the green counteracts th orange looking tan which nobody wants!! It was easy to apply and it had no horrible biscuity smell but a scent of cherry cola/vanilla which I liked. .

The product also dried fairly quickly but not too quick that I did not have time to blend in the tan. I did have to wait of couple of minutes before dressing but I was not waiting around for too long.

Results;

Here are the before and after pictures of me with and without the Xen Tan Dark Lotion....

Before



After with Xen Tan Dark Lotion

 I was very happy with the results! I put the tan on before I went to bed and washed it off in the morning. As you can see it gave me a nice olive tone to my skin with NO ORANGE.

I am yet to see how long it lasts as I have only just tested it but I will update you on the longevity.

You can buy this from www.xen-tan.co.uk or www.feelunique.com/Xen-Tan. It costs between £20-28 for 236ml which is a little pricey but you get a quality tan so maybe good  for important nights out?

Have you tried Xen Tan? What do you think?

Soap and Glory 'Breakfast Scrub' Exfoliator Review

Just a quick review on a product I really like which is the Soap and Glory 'Breakfast Scrub'. It is a body exfoliator scrub which smells gorgeous!! It has a smell of toffee/butterscotch which I love!


What it says:
 Oats, shea butter & sugar body smoother. Try out this good enough to eat Breakfast Scrub.

Overall I think it does smell good enough to eat (but please don't!) and it works amazing as an exfoliator with plenty of it in a tub at 300ml... .. it is around £9.50 but lasts a long time so it is worth the money.

This is great for pre self tan exfoliating; so see what you think!

Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan and Remover Review

Hi again!

I have always been a big fan of Rimmel make up and had heard good reviews for thier instant tan, so I decided to buy the 'matte' version in dark but thier was a good choice of either fair, light, medium or dark. I went for dark as I like a deep looking tan. At the same time I bought the Rimmel Sunshimmer instant tan remover so that I could get the tan off quickly if it went wrong!!

What the instant tan dark says:

Instant wash off tan for body and face
Up to 24hr wear
Transfer Resistant

What the instant remover says:

Easily Removes Tan Make-up
For body, face and hands




Rimmel Sunshimmer Remover/Rimmel Instant Tan (Dark)

The Rimmel Tan has a floral scent and looks really dark when it is first applied and I did panic a little when rubbing in as it was still really dark!!(See below)


Blending in the Rimmel Instant Tan

1. 

However just as I was about to take it off I did blend in some more and it turned out a lovely brown but not too dark (See below)


Just about blended Rimmel Tan

 In the end it was a lovely brown and it does not transfer onto clothes easy which is good. However I would recommend using gloves or a mitt as it does stain your palms if not!!

Instant Tan Remover:

The Instant Tan Remover claims it removes tan make-up but when I rubbed it in I found it did not get the tan off totally but just made the tan lighter.

The cream smells like a mosituriser which was nice and with a couple of times using the cream on the same spot it did eventually begin to fade off...maybe because I had the 'Dark' tan it made it more difficult to get off so easily. Still a nice buy if you have streaks or to use on elbows, hands and knees where the colour tends to be darker.

The Rimmel Instant Tan costs £6.99 form Boots and the Rimmel Instant Tan Remover costs £6.00.

Barry M Nail Paint 'Mint Green' Review

 I love painting my nails and trying different colours. I really like the Barry M Range for choosing bold and bright colours for thier beauty and make-up range. So when shopping in Superdrug I was immediately drawn to the Barry M Nail Paints with a whole selection of bright colours to choose from. I love green so I decided to give the 'Mint Green' shade a go.

I think in most places it costs around £2.99 which is cheap and cheerful!!

When applying the first coat it went on lighter than it looks on the bottle but after applying a second coat I achieved this.....

 The colour is nice and bright and goes on really well. The only thing I would say is that is takes a while to dry but most do so it is not a big issue.

Overall I would buy this again and would like to try the other colours in the range too.

What do you think of Barry M Nail Paints? Let me know your thoughts!

Favourite Summer Fragrance !!

Now it's heading towards Summer I thought I would give a quick mention about my fav summer scent at the moment. It is called Escada 'Taj Sunset' (see below).




I have in the past tried other Escada scents and they are really fruity and fresh. The Taj Sunset one reminds me of being on holiday as it has the warm notes alongside the fruity smell. Another thing I like about Escada is that they are not too overpowering like some scents (which can give you a headache!!) You can buy this from most department stores or online but the prices vary so look around....

Lets get ready for Summer!!!

L'oreal Glam Shine Fresh Review

I am reviewing the L'oreal Glam Shine Fresh lipgloss which comes in a vareity of different colours (even a blue one!!)


I bought the 'Aqua Mandarin' 187 shade which is the bright orange one but it is not as orange on your lips!!! It is a nice tint of orange and gives a mirror shine on the lips. It costs around £6-7 which you can get from most make-up stores such as Boots and Superdrug and you can buy it online too.





Me wearing the Aqua Mandarin shade of Loreal Glam Shine Fresh!



 What it says:

It says that is has "volume effect glamour with a mirror shine finish and a glamorous plumping effect".When I first put it on it definitely does give that 'glossy' look and the orange is only slight which gives just a natural shine to the lips. It is not sticky on your lips either however, because of this I did feel that it did not stay on for very long before I had to re-apply.  I know a lot are put off by sticky lip glosses but I do think they stay on longer.

In relation to the 'plumping' effect I do think that as it has a high shine it does give that effect..but only slightly.

If you don't mind re-applying a few times then I think this is a nice natural looking lip gloss.

I have not tried any other colours in this range so let me know your thoughts!!

Garnier B.B Cream Review

So I recently purchased Garnier B.B Cream Miracle Skin Perfector from FeelUnique.com  for around £8.50 but you can get it from Boots too (see links below). I have heard that B.B (Blemish Balm) creams are the new beauty find as they are like a combination of a foundation and skin perfector.... so thought I would give it a go!!

For £8.50 you do get 50ml which is good compared to the standard 30ml.

What it says:
Evens/tones and boosts glow
Blurs imperfections
Smooths fine lines
24hr Hydration
SPF 15 UV protection

When trying this I put some on my hand so you can see the consistency:

                                                    (Quite a thick cream but blends nicely)

I have this in light and it does blend really well and gives a glow/dewy look to the skin. It does blur little imperfections well but not sure on bigger ones!!!

(Sorry it's a bit blurry!!)

One thing that I personally like about this product which for me is very rare is that it  moisturises the dry skin on my face unlike other foundations and B.B creams I have tried. However it is not complete full coverage like normal foundations but if you want a natural looking light foundation/moisturiser I would recommend this product!!

Has anyone elso tried this? Let me know what you thought!

feelunique.com-only comeS in light on this site

http://www.boots.com/en/Garnier-Miracle-Skin-Perfector-Daily-All-In-One-B-B-Blemish-Balm-Cream-Medium-50ml_1230524/- direct link to product.

Welcome!!!

9th June 2012

Hi everyone!! I am welcoming you all to Sarebutterfly beauty blog... my new blog for all things beauty. Keep an eye out for some new reviews coming soon!!!!