Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Maximum Volume Mascara review

Other than Maybelline Great Lash Mascara I am not really faithful to one brand of mascara. I like to experiment and that is exactly how I came across this gorgeous find.

Luckily whilst in TK MAXX  (I fear TK Maxx will feature a lot this year lol)I stumbled across about 10 tubes of Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Maximum Volume Mascara hidden behind some O.P.I gift sets. Usually retailing for £21.00 I decided that I would definitely be purchasing this in black for a delightful £7 as a pre-Christmas pressie for myself! I also picked up 2 more in case of stocking pressie emergencies.

10.25 ML tube

I have been trialling it for 3  months solidly now and I am so happy I bought it. Can I just say- Gale force English winds aren't the only thing making waves up in here! lol. It definitely lengthens dramatically and I have had sooo many compliments. I have even had people thinking I had falsies on - result! I generally use 2-3 applications and wait for the last layer to dry before applying the next, to avoid clumps. Some people have had issues with the brush size but it works perfectly for me . Luckily I bought extras as I am on to my second one now and they have disappeared in store.

Brush thickness

The Elizabeth Arden website claims that " This beauty award-winner dramatically thickens lashes as it separates and defines. Smudge-proof formula lasts all day " and I am in total agreement with their lengthening and separating properties. They really really make my eyes pop and totally frame my eyes. However I was not blown away by the level of thickness provided by this mascara. It wasn't bad just slightly above average in my opinion. Other than that I am super excited about this mascara, it lasted all day, no clumping didn't flake and there was no irritation. It isn't waterproof unfortunately which is a big thing for me but after testing it I didn't encounter any smudging or running but then I haven't cried so hey-ho. I usually use 2 mascaras at once so using this under a waterproof one will combat this issue. I took a long time me to review this by its self as I wanted to see the effects of long term application and I am happy to say  I haven't had any irritation or eyelash shedding.

I would definitely recommend trying out this Mascara. However I am not about to spend £21 every 3 months for this unless I really have to. Lots of people are on budgets or just can't afford to pay full price for what is actually deemed to be a "lower end" priced luxury mascara. I would definitely suggest heading over to TK MAXX or searching around online for the best deal possible from trusted sources. There are some really good fakes with who knows what in, so please be careful. 

All in all this is definitely a keeper!

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Beauty edit: skincare haul 2013

Hi guys, I haven't done a skincare haul in a while so here are a few of my recent buys. I am changing up my beauty routine as winter approaches and my skin encounters a few  persistent issues. I have pretty much swept most of my other facial lotions and potions off the table and will only be using these as my basic skincare go tos for the foreseeable future.

 Here are my buys...............................

B.pure Micellar water, Naturally radiant brightening hot cloth cleanser

B.pure micellar water,150 ml £4.99- I bought this 3-in-1 cleanser from Superdrug. I have heard really good things about this brand and although some beauty junkies are like miecellar water isn't a proper cleanser, I like how gentle it feels. Now on sale for an excellent £3.32. I will definitely tryout some of their other products in future.

 

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser, 150ml £5.99 - A much raved about dupe of Elizabeth Arden. This is incredibly creamy and nourishing. It isn't greasy or heavy and cleansed my skin really well . It is infused with  Kiwi and Mulberry, Cocoa butter  and vitamin C, which claims to help to brighten and even out skin tone, while also providing antioxidant protection against free radicals. Now on sale for £2.98.

Naturally radiant brightening micro polish, Simple moisturisinfg foaming face wash

Naturally Radiant Brightening Micro Polish, 75ml £4.99 - Dermatologically approved and suitable for vegetarians and vegans, this polish is incredibly fine and non abrasive. It claims to be Kiwi, Mulberry and fruit acids which aid exfoliation and skin brightening. A excellent buy and now £2.48

Simple moisturising foaming face wash, 150ml £3.59 - Renowned for their simplicity and lack of nasties. The dermatologically approved face wash helps keep skin soft and supple. It is soap free (yay) and pH balanced and creamy foam formulation gently cleanses, moisturises and improves skin condition. 100% perfume and colour free.I haven't used Simple face washes in ages but I really do think this is a right move for me.

   

Naturally radiant 2 in 1 moisturiser and serum, L'oreal youth code youth booster serum

 

Superdrug Naturally Radiant 2 in 1 Moisturiser & Serum, 100ml £5.99- Now £2.98. This claims to do 2 things:

1. Awaken skin's natural glow
2. Hydrate & energise

It has a light creamy consistency but is not watery. A little goes a long way. 

L'oreal Youthcode youth booster serum, 30ml £7.65 - Fairly silky light consistency the serum is 10 times more concentrated in the patented Pro-Gen® technology than the Youth Code Day Cream. 

 It claims to give an instant boost of youthfulness and luminance . I actually managed to get mine from eBay which is why it is so cheap and cheerful.

L'oreal Luminize code

L'oreal Luminize code day moisturiser, 50ml £7.49. This is another one of my Ebay finds *dougies*. You can also share in my discount joy as this is currently £7.49 at Superdrug! Say wooot?! Yeh I know I may have to go and repurchase everything while the discount times roll.

 So that's me y'all I had a few other things to include but those are online buys and haven't arrived yet so meh.

With all of these sales going on I feel like I was slightly robbed! Even though they weren't expensive buys lol. Its the bargain hunter in me roaring at the injustice! My eBay bargains more than make up for it.

I shall be doing a review /skin diary post in the next few weeks once I have used all of them for a while. Look out for it in future.

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

 

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Mua & FashionistA makeup haul!

Hey dolls,

It has been a little while since I did a makeup haul, mainly because I am trying to use what I have and I am trying to spend less mwahahhhaaa....... anyway I resisted for a while but then the E.L.F and Mua/ FashionistA sale double wammied me. So shopping I went!

I was really good and decided to go for FashionistA and Mua as they are one of my fav companies and  I have so much e.l.f anyway. The sales prices are really excellent and I came away with 22 items costing £30- bargain!

Entire haul combined

I didn't really own any FashionistA before this haul. I have used one of their lippies and found it really good although I ended up giving it away.

L-R Fashionista double take lipstick in Aubergine, Mua lip trio Temptress, Fashionista double take lipstick in Red carpet, MUA lip trio Siren, Fashionista maxi-moisture lipstick in Style transformation

 These lippies will be a great addition to my autumnal berry collection. At £1.50 for the lipsticks and £1.25 for the trios they were such a bargain and I cant wait to use them. They are incredibly nourishing and creamy. They have staying power and are not the most intense but are lovely none the less.

L-R Blushing sd 9, Cinnamon sd12, Butterscotch sd 10, Juicy apricot sd 6, Blushing coral sd 5, PPQ a/w12 limited addition palette

  I am such a fan of blushers. They just lift and add dimension to the face. I don't wear a full face off makeup every day so it is always good to have a wide variety of blushes to play with. I adore the range of colours which I can wear all year round and will take me from day to night with good colour pay off. I had to limit myself to five even though they were only £1.65 each and the pretty palette was only £2!!!!

L-R  Berry brown, Nude glimmer, Earth star, Tokyo bronzer, FashionistA pallete

I decided to go with a natural look with this palette. I am not the biggest fan of sparkle and these have a slight shimmer but are very subtle. I stuck to the palette number this time and I am very pleased with the outcome. Although I adore colour on my lids, it has always been muted or richer tones. I am now finding myself reaching for nude colours and wanted a palette that reflected that. The eyeshadows were £1.65 and this sleek palette was also £2.

The bronzer has been tested a few times already by friends with great reviews.I actually dust this over my collar bone and shins in summer  for an extra glow.

  

I Love, Love, LOVE these lip balms. They smell lovely and moisturise my lips really well.

They are rarely in stock in my local Superdrugs, so I always stock up when I see them. £1 each was a lovely bonus.

L-R - Fashion secret mattifying primer, Fahionista the double collection ultra black mascara, Fashion secret gel eyeliner in dress up chic, Mua matt eyeshadow sd 19

 I tend to always go for mattifying primers as I have found some normal primers make my face feel greasy. I have seen some rave reviews on this product and thought I would give it a go. At £3.50 I don't have anything to lose. I am an absolute mascara junkie and other than Maybelline I am not 100% loyal to any brand. I am forever trying new ones and adding to my collection.This was a great buy at £1.50 down from £8!

The coloured gel eyeliner is a fairly new concept for me. I find black eyeliner to be so chic and timeless why change?  I have been given coloured eyeliners over the years but always shied away as the outcome on other people wasn't to my liking shall we say. I really liked the colour of this one and thought it would make a great accent colour when I don't want to wear eyeshadow.

Lastly my boring brown matt eyeshadow lol. I don't actually use this as eyeshadow. I use it for contouring. As with many dark skinned girls, I found that some contouring powder doesn't give great definition but this does! I tried it after I misplaced my Sleek contour kit and was rather impressed. I love that it is £1 but is very pigmented and versatile.

That's me and my haul. Until next time......

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

E.L.F HD Blush review

E.L.F HD blush £3.75 each

So I had been gazing lustily and some what enviously at all the American beauty bloggers who were raving about the Make up forever blush dupes by E.L.F last year. I was far too lazy to order some from America so I waited for them to come out in the UK. There are 5 different shades in the studio line HD blush range. Usually I would have bought one for a test run but as they had a 3 for 2 offer I treated myself.
At less than £4 each it hardly breaks the bank.
 I went for the darker end of the spectrum as a fail safe.
I also got some as gifts for my birthday yay so now I have doubles.

The Blushes double up as a lip tint and look really great on.
The packaging can be a little fiddly, don't be nervous give it a shake and I would definitely suggest using a very small amount and pumping the product out sllllloooooowly. I found blending with a stippling brush a lot more manageable than my fingers but I do tend to be a bit impatient with cream/ liquid blushes as they are so pigmented. As I said they do appear to be a straight up dupe of the MUFE HD High Definition Blush but I won't go into a detailed comparison as I have only used MUFE a handful of times but with a price range of $26 E.LF seems to be better value for money.

E.L.F has always given me good quality products but I am still incredibly picky with what I get from them. haven't tried their blushers before as I have heard they can be a bit  hit and miss. I have used these for a month or two and I can highly recommend this range of blushes. Especially in these prolonged cold months they really add dewiness to my skin and is incredibly long lasting!.

Check them out.

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Beauty Edit:October Favourites

1.      Wilko facial wipes 30p- Ok so I freaking loooooooooove these face wipes they are fragrance free and super moisturising not to mention cheap as chips. I found these by accident when I picked up a pack by mistake about 4 years ago and I haven't looked back. I buy them in bulk and use them for everything. Let me reiterate they are 30 PENCE; you can’t even get a chocolate bar for 30p in London these days. For that amount you get 25 wipes packed full of vitamin E that are fragrance free and cleanse the skin brilliantly. I use these on my face but am transitioning to a balm cleanser. 

2.      Bodyshop bath gloves £4- These are a must have essential item for your bathroom beauty routine. They have just the right amount hardness and don't grate or irritate the skin. I use mine 3 times a week and you can really see the difference they make. I change mine every 3 months and ensure they are hung up to dry when I finish using them. P.S if you haven't used exfoliation gloves before don't be freaked out by the slightly dirty looking water that's just dead skin lol.

3.      Skinology Tea tree anti- spot stick 8ml 0.98p - Looks like its a Wilkinson love fest but their products are very good value and really perform. This is a roll on gel liquid that really helps with swelling and spot reduction. On me this helps with potential marking and ensures that my skin is smooth and I can see results usually within a day or two. As it has a roller to distribute the gel I would suggest doing your usual cleansing routine before applying and don't share it with anyone else to limit the amount of foreign bodies it comes into contact with.

4.      Simple hydrating light moisturiser 125ml £2.99- As awesome as this moisturiser is I don't use it often as I should. It is incredible and really seems to sink down into the skin this is a must have for winter. There is no fragrance, colour or unnecessary ingredients and it is just choka block full of good things for your skin. It is dermatologically tested and approved with Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin E, Glycerin and Borage Seed Oil to keep the skin moisturised and deeply hydrated. A MUST have for those with sensitive skin.

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

MUA (make up) haul

Hey dolls! I know, I know its been a minute since I did a proper make up haul and I have been a bit hodge podge when it comes to posting lately- sooorweee . Anyhoo I am back and I have a haul for you guys. I tried a few of these MUA cosmetics over the summer and I really like them. The smooth eye shadows are just pearly enough without making me look like a 13 year old roller disco girl and the lip glosses are really nourishing with a gorgeous sheeny wash of colour. Not bad for £1 from Superdrug eh!

Looking at my haul it seems a fair bit summery but I am looking at these items as more transitional late Summer /Autumn hues, if you don't want to go dark and vampy straight away. What with the Olympics and Paralympics celebrations, royal and denim blues seem to be having a second round after being the spring it colour and the tawny rose blush will add a natural glow to most skin tones. I absolutely LOVE Mua nail varnishes. They work really well for me and last a long time without chipping. They give a really intense colour pop and don't stain my nail beds as some brands do.

I always mix and match my make up brands and I am doing so more as I learn to be less snobby once a brands quality has been proven to me. At £1 per item these are a steal which means that you can experiment with trends and update your collections and not break the bank. I will definitely be going back to grab a few more eye shadows, lipsticks and nail varnishes.

Until next time ......

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Vivo Cosmetics: Curve effect mascara

I have raved about their eyeshadows and now I introduce you to their curve mascara. I could go without all makeup but not my mascara and at £3 this one is a steal! It is alot cheaper than my usual tried and test mascara but it is always good to experiment. The packaging is sleek and the curved wand has the traditional bristles to get down right to you lash roots. The wand is really flexible so it can be bent to your own requirements. The mascara thickens my lashes nicely but doesn't lengthen them as much as other brands.  I do this weird thing where I use 2 mascaras to make my lashes and has done for years so maybe my standards of perfection are up there. There is absolutely no flaking and it stays on for hours without clumping but is somewhat dry going on. I got mine in black waterproof and the colour is extremely pigmented. I would suggest this mascara for a low maintenance, natural day time look.

Until next time dolls.

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Nifty NYX (Make up haul)

A while back I did a NYX cream blush post which I raved about and these 6 round lip glosses and 3 lipsticks are my second haul order from the wonderful eBay shop Joys Cosmetics. I received a free gift with my cream blush order which was the apricot gloss and that alone prompted me place my order immediately. I tried to choose colours for all occasions that could be used all year round. I really wanted to do a longer term trial run to ensure the quality of these products really was as great as I thought. They are, these lip glosses are AWESOME! I have been using them non stop since they arrived! 

 Not only do they have staying power but they last a long time. There is no stickiness or weird smells. The glosses that have sparkle are not overpowering and do not chafe my lips. They passed all tests with flying colours! I can't rave about NYX products enough really, they really are excellent. I like wearing my glosses mostly by themselves and these are very pigmented. The lipsticks are super creamy, nourishing and extremely pigmented. My colour choices reflect late summer and autumn trends and they can also be layered with some of the lip glosses to vary the shades and intensity. Seriously dolls I can't say enough good things about these products just gorgeous stuff! I am defiantly eyeing up a few matt finish lipsticks and super gloss lip glosses! Watch out for another haul ;-)

Ps. Many bloggers and vloggers have been hyping queen of Africa as shown above and I can truly hand on heart say believe the hype, it's lovely. Until next time.

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Just in the NYX of time: NYX Cream Blushes haul

Woooh super excited about my NYX cream blushes. I originally set out to buy my friends little sister a few bits and bobs for her birthday as she is always asking what stuff I use.  Along with her gifts I ended up buying the 6 gorgeous blushes you see below. *swoons* I have a few NYX products knocking about but haven't used them for a while so it was good to return and find them as excellent as ever.

They don't look like cream blushes in the pic but they are super creamy and glide on your face easily giving you a nice dewy  finish. A little goes a long way people!! I don't often like too much overt sparkle in my makeup but Tickled and Diva have just a glimmer and aren't over powering. I have gone for really striking yet subtle and natural blushes in what I am calling my Au naturel dewy girl bopping about town collection. Sometimes just having that hint of flushed colour is more alluring and striking to the overall look than the whole hog.

I got my haul on eBay from a store called Joys cosmetics, who are based in America.  They have great prices and a varied selection. Plus they give you a free gift when you spend over $30 yay for my apricot lipgloss (read my mind). Awesome news for people in the UK as everything is pretty cheap for us over there. It is really easy to get carried away so just ensure you know your rates before you splurge but once you add p&p it works out cheaper than the UK most times if you buy in bulk.

I must also add that their delivery was incredibly quick for international postage. I have ordered things in this very country, practically down the road that have taken longer to arrive -_-. I have already placed my next order! A definite must have is the orange blush which i will treat myself to at a later date. I don't know what I was thinking not ordering it this time. A slight slip of the hand had me ordering golden instead but c'est la vie eh!

Air kisses 

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Viva Vivo! - Tesco make up review



Mini Vivo haul

 Launched exclusively at Tesco in September 2011, Vivo is a very new cosmetics brand which has already gathered a cult following. Vivo certainly live up to their tag line "Alive with colour".

Ladies and a few gentlemen , if you are not already acquainted let me introduce you to Vivo Cosmetics.

Right to left: Pearlised Mink shade 6 and  Expresso shade 11.
£1.50 each

 Well it has definitely been a while since Tesco has done something to really thrill me. Not since tasting their deep dish chocolate pie have I swooned with such abandon.

Whilst in Tesco I happened to wonder into the cosmetics department and one section just seemed to be beckoning me closer. The first thing that caught my eye was the fact that everything ranged from between £1.50 - £6 and boy do they have a lot of stuff! Of course my mind immediately leapt to ahhh nasty drug store make up, (we all remember that random gloop in shops as kids) why the hell would tesco make make up?! I now know and I LOVE it

Curiosity got the better of me and I reached out to test a few eyeshadows, which to my amazement looked great and were really pigmented.  The matte colours were not chalky or flaky and the pearlised ones had a lovely shimmer but not enough to make you look like a Essex Christmas tree and I don't even like shimmer!. Blendable tones? Tick. Smooth texture? Hells yeah. By jove I must have these- straight into the shopping trolley they went. I then moved on to lipsticks and snapped up 2 of those as well.



Pearlised Pale gold shade 14  and matte Rich chocolate shade 4
£1.50 each



Just as my eyes  alighted on their baked blushes and bronzers and found them not wanting. I thought it best to try out what I had and go back if they worked out well.  I had enough for research. At these prices I can definitely say I am going back.

As many know I am a MAC girl through and through. Their products are used as a base for everything else. Vivo complements my MAC products well. Although it has been benchmarked as the "MAC of super market make up brand" I wouldn't compare the two brands. Vivo holds up well to a select few of the drugstore brands I use. In times of economic crisis we all have to cut back and tighten our boot straps. Having to cut back is by no means an invitation to scrimp on quality or sacrifice luscious pigmented quality for generic swill. I didn't head towards the foundations as I am well aware they won't have my shade so didn't even bother.



Sugar plum trio eyeshadow £2.50, Barely there shade 8 lipstick,
Very berry shade 6 lipstick £1.99 each .

Vivo passes the test on some levels but not all. As a woman of colour it is extremely important that if I decided to wear makeup it is of high quality so I don't go out looking like a ashy faced, caked up clown- bo bo the clown is not in residence here! 

As with many brands they have a way to go before they can fully cater to our needs, pigments and various skin tones. In regards to the products I have used they are great and for the price it is a steal.

I would absolutely recommend Vivo to anyone. One down side is that it is not available in all Tescos, so if you don't have a big store near you your in for a hunt.

 I will definitely be doing another review when I have more items in my repertoire. For More information check out  the Miss Vivo Blog for updates and product information. They will soon have their own online shop for international folks and those who can find the brand in store.

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays