Biore Charcoal pore strips!

Biore Charcoal pore strips!

Now this one is pretty gross but I have to tell you about it! 

A friend told me about these Biore charcoal pore strips so I had to try them out! I got them from Boots for £7.99 which is quite steep I must say, you do get six in a box which is good as that makes them just over a pound for each one. 

They come in a black packet individually wrapped and you have to take it off and split the sides that have been pre cut to make it a nice fit around your nose. You have to leave it on for 10-15 minutes and the strip goes hard and you then peel it off. Warning! It does get petty stuck to your skin so peel it off carefully as it can hurt! 

I used one and my boyfriend used one too, mine was clean with only a few on but Jacob's was great ! These are so satisfying and they really do work. They leave your nose feeling really fresh and you can even see your blackheads on the strip ( nice!)  They are good to get those hard to reach ones that you just can't get! 

Would defo recommend these to anyone!! 

Nip and fab dragons blood cleansing pads

Nip&fab;Dragons blood cleansing pads!



After recently seeing that the kardashians were a fan on the Nip & Fab range, I stumbled across them in the sale at Superdrug for £4.49 instead of £9.95, so i just had to!

I have to tell you all something funny, when i was buying them with my friend I said ' do you think its real dragon's blood?'
and the best part was she was like 'I don't know i hope not!' It was not until i got home and asked my mum the same question that i remembered that dragon's aren't real... :")

I didn't know what to expect when i first opened them but they are almost like pre loaded cotton pads, moist to touch, quite thin. 

First of all the smell of this product is lovely, I think its the witch hazel that gives it there smell, it's like a clean spa smelling smell, lol.

This product claims to : Wipe away the day with these gentle cleansing pads enriched with salicylic + hyaluronic acids to deeply cleanse pores + provide long-lasting hydration for skin that appears plumper.

I would say it does to the above, when i use it after my other skin care products it really does leave my face clean and touchwood my skin has been clearer since i started using them. I was sceptical at first because my skin can get really quite oily but since using these i would say it has got a lot better. I have heard Salicylic acid can be quite drying but this product has the addition of hyaluronic acids  which means that skin isn't stripped and is instead left hydrated and plum. I would say use them and wait 5 minutes before you apply your moisturiser as it does leave a residue on your face.

All in all I love this product and would defo recommend, especially while they are in the sale! I'm not sure If i am prepared to pay  the full £9.95 for them as I do feel that is quite steep.  I have had mine for a couple of weeks and I am already half way through the pot. They may have to be a luxury item for holidays or weekends away oh and birthdays of course ;)

I am excited to try some of their other products in there range. 

Have you used any of the Nip & Fab range? 

Fran xx

Today's buys

Today's boots trip...

Lee Stafford flat iron spray! 

Wow, I haven't bought this for years! The smell reminds me of my childhood I used to use bottles of the stuff when I was younger, my mum used to preach good hair. I can't wait to try it see if it's the same as it used to be. Not only does it smell gorgeous it makes your hair soft and shiny whilst protecting it from hear damage! 

Batiste Dry Shampoo!

My lifesaver. My 5 more minutes in bed aid. What would I do without this! God love the stuff. I love how they have bought out coloured ones, i have the medium brown to brunette one so there's no more white roots! One obvious sign you couldn't be bothered! 

No7 Quick thinking wipes!

These wipes are brilliant. I loveeee them, Bought my  first pack of these with the voucher and with my discount card they go from £7.00 to 43p! I never looked back. Excellent for getting make up off and leaving skin clean and smooth, even heavy make up. I have used other make up remover wipes, but these are the best I have tried. I Always have a pack open and one in the drawer, as I could not do without them now, The scent is clean and subtle and they do not dry my skin or irritate the eye area. I usually follow cleansing with a cool rinse of water and the toner for dry skin.

The Comforter Bubble bar! 

I went into Lush and got lured in by this lovely looking bubble bar! It looks so dreamy with the pink and white stripes. It smells amazing! This fruity bubble bar gives the feeling of being hugged by a
jolly blackcurrant. When life is getting you down, crumble The Comforter under hot, running water for purple water and creamy bubbles. The warm aroma of cassis absolute is relaxing so relaxing that you’ll go to bed feeling happier and the world will seem brighter the next day.

Garnier Summerbody

Garnier Summer Body Lotion Deep Sun-Kissed

Wanting a summer kissed look? Don't want the streaks and that biscuit smell? Look no further! I use this as part of my daily beauty routine and want you lot to know about it!

Is Summerbody Moisturising Lotion for me?
If you are looking for a daily body moisturiser that leaves your skin feeling soft and supple with the added benefit of looking naturally sun-kissed and radiant all year round, most certainly yes.

How does it work?

Specially designed for deeper skin tones, the formula contains a hint of tanning ingredient, to gradually build a natural-looking even tan after each application. Enriched with a moisturising complex and natural extract of apricot, Summerbody intensely moisturises your skin all day long leaving it feeling soft and supple.

Developing time:
I didn’t notice much  of a difference until I’d applied it two or three times.

How to Use It

"Usage Recommendation: Wash hands well after each application as it can tan your hands. Apply evenly all over the body for a non streaked result. I like to wait a few minutes before i get dressed so that it doesn't run onto my clothes.

At the moment in Boots it's on offer for £4.00! Thats a saving of £3.79 (usually £7.79)

get yours here

I am amazed with this product. Its such a great price.  It Tans perfectly and builds up quickly which is a bonus as you an start just  a couple of days before your going out. It leaves no streaks or marks what so ever, whilst  Moisturising  and leaving skin feeling silky and smooth. Defiantly would recommend this to anyone and everyone!!

No7 Dramatic Lash - My First Impressions

N07 DRAMATIC LASH MASCARA  ♡

It was that time again! When your mascara is dry and no matter how much you pump it nothing comes out. It was time for a change, I always buy the same mascara. Seventeen's Dolled up in Black. I headed to boots as I was on holiday in Salcombe and there wasn't many shops, they had this mascara on an introductory offer for £10. price will be £13.50 on 05.08.2015. You also get 40 boots advantage boots when you buy this, not bad!


Im quite the fussy one when it comes to mascaras as I like the brushes to be quite separated so I checked the brush in store and I liked what I saw. I can't see how these ball shaped mascaras can separate your lashes, if anything they'd clump! (my pet hate!- spiders legs!)


IT`S PROMISE:

Want ultimate lift and hold for a super wide-awake look?

Inspired by haircare, No7 Dramatic Lift Mascara contains flexible polymers and Keratin to help boost lash from root to tip.

The curved brush helps to capture all lashes and push them upwards, No7 Dramatic Lift Mascara is proven to lift lashes by 70%.

Picking Your Perfect Mascara

Wand Style- A curved styling brush that fits perfectly in to the roots of the lashes to help lift each individual lash to create the ultimate wide awake look.

Finished Look- Lashes are lifted by 70% and are boosted from root to tip.

REVIEW

From first use, I was blown away!! I didn't really believe it would lift lashes by 70% like it says, but wow! What a difference! Pushes lashes up from the root, with full lash coverage, making my eyelashes look longer and fuller than ever! Even in this heat there is no crumbly bits falling off or any smudges☂ It deffinately gives the look of a good nights rest with the wide awake look it gives. I like to curl my eyelashes after I have put mascara on to really get them curling up and with this mascara they look amazing! 

★ full on magic☆

my new favourite mascara, have you tried it?

get yours here xxx

Hair care this month!

My favourite hair care products this month!

So here is a quick post on my favourite hair products this month. The best part is neither of them break the bank! yay!

 I recently discovered this little gem. Umberto Giannini Massive hair mousse. It gives your roots a lift like never before! My hair is so flat on top as I have fine straight hair and It's really hard to get some root lift. Apply a generous amount to clean, damp hair and squeeze into roots and mid lengths of hair. Honestly try it, you won't be disappointed. You can buy it here. At the moment you can save a third on hair care so this little baby is only £4.00 at the moment ! http://www.boots.com/en/Umberto-Giannini-Glam-Hair-Massive-mousse_1104348/

My other favourite for this month is Boots Coconut and Almond Leave in conditioner. This is for Normal to dry hair. Firstly with extracts of coconut and almond, the smell of this product is divine! I love coconut and to have it on my hair is 

a bonus! apply again to clean damp hair and spray on the mid lengths and ends. This is great for fine hair to give it the soft feel but without weighing it down. You can buy this here for only £1.49! http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Ingredients-Coconut-Almond-Leave-In-Conditioner-150ml_863451/

have you tried any of these? what are your favs this month? comment and let me know! <3

Seventeen Skin WOW tan liquid

Morning everyone! I'm all confused this morning after the bank holiday as it feels like a Monday but it's actually Tuesday! 

I wanted to share a little something with you all that I have been using for a while. 

I recently purchased Seventeen's Skin WOW tan liquid from Boots at just £5.99.

I'm loving quite a few of 'Seventeen's products at the moment, especially their dolled up mascara!!

This product is lovely, the consistancy of it is just right and it can be used in a few different ways. 

You can mix this product with your moisturiser or your foundation to give your skin a little 'pick me up'. You can even apply it directly to your cheeks as a contour to make your cheek bones pop OR as a highlighter on top of your blusher! 

The possibilities are endless! I'll probably be wearing this all over in the summer on holidays. 

The colour of the bottle is a it off putting I must say it looks very dark but it is very build able. You can wear as much or as little as you like. 

It's a very creamy product which makes it really easy to use and spread around. Also you don't need much as a little goes A long way!

Have you used this? How did you get on? Xxxx

Cream Contour kit!

So this beauty came in the post to me today. 

God l love the post man 😍

Contour  kits are EVERYWHERE at the moment. They are soooo fabulous and can really make a noticeable difference to your face.  I've previously used a few kits including the sleek contour kit which after using this is actually quite hard to blend in. It can sometimes leave lines on your face so I decided it was time to try a cream based kit. Thats when I found this baby! An absolute steal on E bay for £3.99! Yep thats right £3.99! and FREE postage. I was shocked too.  At this price I was quite sceptical of how good this product was going to be, I wondered how long it would stop on my face and how they would look when applied. I must say I am pleasantly surprised, It's fab! There is 15  different shades in this case, each the same size and a similar size to a MAC eyeshadow. There are 13 contouring shades and 2 that are correctors. The licac shade is to help any discolouration in your face, and the green for any redness.

so go go go girls and grab these while you still can,  well worth the money.

get yours here. They are almost gone on Ebay from this certain seller. OOh!! I forgot to mention they give you a gorgeous flat angled brush to use also, although I haven't tried that yet. 

happy contouring!

if you'd like to see any of my other posts on contouring and how i apply the sleek contouring kit check out my other posts here  and here !

comments welcome, have you got one? what do you think of it?

thanks for reading

 love fran 

 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Silver Shampoo

SILVER SHAMPOO

Here is a small post about silver shampoos. Many blondes can benefit from using this. So i thought i'd share with you my review on this particular one.

Touch of silver Daily maintenance shampoo is my fav for brightening blonde, white or platinum hair. This sensational shampoo brightens and enhances silver tones. Resulting in fresh, health and great looking hair! I have tried a few silver shampoos now including Bleach London, Paul Mitchell and now this one and I must say this is my favourite one. It smells lovely and really makes your hair feel clean after using it. I use this once or twice a week on the ends of my hair as it is slightly lighter than my roots. It really works for me and takes the orange tones out of my hair.

I know clients that struggle to keep their highlighted hair the same colour in the weeks following an appointment as it is when they leave the salon. After a few weeks  hair can become dull, brassy, yellowy blonde. Something that none of us blondes / ombres want. This Shampoo is great for highlights, ombres and full head blondes.

I am reviewing  PRO:VOKE Touch of Silver, Twice a Week Brightening Shampoo because it was a bargain at just £3.00. A lot of the other purple shampoos are quite expensive, starting at £10. 

This shampoo is also great if you home dye your hair (which I don't recommend) and your hair is  slightly gingery or yellow. After a few washes your hair will be brighter and fresher.

Usage:

• Use the shampoo on every other wash. This shampoo can dry out your hair if used too much.
• Leave the shampoo on your hair for a few minutes. Do not leave it in for too long as your hair may turn white or even get lilac-y tinge (unless you want this look!)
• Use a good conditioner afterwards, your hair can become dry with this treatment so this will help help prevent it.

I also have the conditioner to this shampoo which is great as you can use either and leave both on.

You can get this from most stores including Sainsburys and boots

http://www.boots.com/en/Pro-Voke-Touch-of-Silver-Daily-Maintenance-Shampoo-200ml_1047907/

Have you used it? Let me know how you got on! 

xxxx

Sleek eyeshadow pallette review

hi guys!-hope you've all had a fabulous easter!I've bought a new eyeshadow palette by 'Sleek'.

All the colours look amazing! I'm going to do a quick review on a look i did with this pallete.

The palette i chose is called I- divine in 'original'. Recently  I have seen a lot of eyeshadows that are sort of coppery, my favourite is the Charlotte Tilbury's ' Dolce Vita'.  I love it, but it's rather pricey! I think it's £38 for the four eyeshadows, think i better save up :') . You can buy it here.

onto the review...

So  I was browsing in the 'Sleek' section in Boots  the other day when I stumbled across this palette.  I  have used their contouring kit for a number of years  so i had already used there products and i've always been impressed. There was  quite a few to chose from, I think ill be going back to get more and more haha. These retail at £7.99, not back considering you get 12 shades.  I picked this one as it ranges from rose golds, to green and blue. Described as "12 shades of super-pigmented, longlasting, mineral based eyeshadow, designed to suit all" I thought this would be the most versatile to try first.  I think i was also drawn to the shiny-ness of them all <3

Back row L-R: Black Cab, Royal, London Rain, The Thames, E10, Hyde Park
Front Row L-R: Cream Tea, London Eye, Big Ben, Penny Farthing, Sterling, Banksy

• First I prepped my eyelids with an eyelid primer.  I used French Connections 'eyeshadow primer'. I got this in a christmas eye perfection set one year and its amazing. 
• Next i used a cream matte eyeshadow all over my lids. I think it was just a no7 one i have at home, sorry not sure which! 
•  I then used the colour 'cream tea' all over my lids & took it up to my brow bone. This created a nice creamy base for me to work with.
• Next i used 'big ben' on the crease of my eyelids- creating a glittery golden base.
• I then used the shade 'penny farthing' on the corners of my eyes and along my brow bone, this colour is gorgeous and really makes your eyes 'pop'.
• I then lined my bottom lash line with black liner.

Overall this look is so natural and can be worn day or night, with or without eye liner.

Overall rating 5/5

This eyeshadow stayed on all day and was still shining when i was taking it off,usually shimmery shades only last a few hours on me.

So there you have it! If you haven't tried Sleek makeup before I hope this post encourages you to do so, they have some lovely things!

What do you think of the Sleek Pallette's?  xxx

MASTER YOUR CONTOURING

Here goes my attempt at a contouring tutorial!This is just my way, I'm not an expert myself. I can however spot a bad contour, some people look like they've been abroad and sunbathed with their glasses on for too long.

--------------------------------------

What is contour?

so contour literally means to 'outline' a shape or a figure. In cosmetic terms it means to create shadows, so your shadowing your face. Shadows help to define certain areas, so any area you want to push back from your eye you need to contour.

What do you use? 
I use sleek's contour kit which retails at £6.49  grab yours here
You also need a couple of brushes to apply the dark colour correctly.


What is highlight?
highlighting is the opposite of shadowing, it means adding light to your face. Opposite again to contouring your pulling things towards your eye.Making it appear brighter.

What do you use?
MAC's highlighter in light boost grab yours here. This is abit pricey at £18.50 but there are cheaper ones, for example in the Sleek contour kit there is two colours and the lighter colour from that would do perfectly fine it's just personal preference. Sleek also do a highlighter just like this for more than half the price i have linked it here. This product comes in 3 different shades, Bright Forecast, Radiant rose and Light boost.





So i start by applying the darker colour, i pout to create the natural cheek bone lines and apply with a slanted brush. http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Limited-Edition-Duo-Fibre-Set_1333699/. I also put it along my forehead, down the sides of  nose and along the jaw line.

next is the white (pale colour) I apply this to the middle of my nose, below the dark line on my cheek bone, in triangular sections from the eye down onto my cheeks, a small amount on my cupids bow and a splash on my chin.That was a long sentence! The MAC highlighter is like a pen so application is super easy. If your using a white powder or similar product to do this step then  a blusher brush is fine to use or a fine fiber brush ( even an eyeshadow brush will do the trick)heres a cheap one.
Below are some photos of where you should be so far.

So by now your looking kinda creepy, its not the best look, You would 'nt want your crush to come to the door whilst you were contouring put it that way! My cousin will kill me when she sees this photo, but at least you have an idea what i mean.( love you Harriet!) :')

next step is to blend all this in and then apply your foundation. The other day i picked up some makeup sponges from the hairdressing warehouse so i have been using them to blend in. Any makeup sponges will do,  lots of people like the beauty blenders, but I can't bring myself to spend  £15 on a sponge.. heres one for you to see Im sure it's great but i just cant. You can buy them on E bay and they are just as good, there is a link here to one for £2.29! HERE. Take your sponge and wet it under the tap, it should double in size, squeeze out the excess water.  Next, apply some foundation to the back of your hand and dab your blender into the foundation, I'm using my normal MAC foundation. You don't want too much as you just want to blend in the colours and you already have a lot of makeup on your face. 

It's very important to set your face at this point,with powder. Use a powder brush I like Real Techniques powder brush. Any will do, this step is very important as you don't want the colours to run into each other.

It should all be coming together now and your face should be looking radiant and slim! 

I'd love to know how you lot all contour, as I said before this is just one way I'm not saying It's the right way It's just the way i like to do It. Thanks for reading, let me know how you get on! 

Happy Contouring!

SKINCARE

Great looking skin

starts before your make up

when was the last time you loved your skin?

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, therefore you must look after it, especially in places that it is on show. Yep, thats right I'm talking about your face!My mum has told me from a young age to look after my skin, it's the only one you get. 


Deep down we all know we should not be using makeup wipes to take our makeup off. Although they are quick, simple and cheap, they could be the route of your skincare problems. Sales of wipes have doubled in the last year with them being the cheapest, quickest way to remove your makeup. I must admit cleansing and toning is time consuming but is 100% worth it. If you imagine you're applying your £30 foundation, why take it off with a £2.20 pack of makeup wipes. You spend on your application, so why not spend on the removal. Tonight, when you girls take your makeup off with a makeup wipe,cleanse &  tone afterwards and wipe over your face  and neck after you have used your makeup wipes. Especially in hard to reach areas such as the curves of your nose top and bottom, your eyebrows(this is somewhere we often forget when removing makeup) and see how much makeup you would be going to sleep with still left on your face. Shocking hey!

      
Some of my favourite makeup wipes are listed below.

Simple Makeup wipes

MAC makeup wipes

Garnier Start Afresh

No.7 Quick thinking wipes

DID YOU KNOW?

People are judged more intelligent and attractive if their eyes wrinkle round the corners when they smile

First of all you need to identify you skin type, to buy the products that suit you.

If you have normal skin, your skin has the right balance of moisture, oil and durability.

• If you have oily skin you face might appear shiny, greasy or oily only a few hours after washing.
• If you have dry skin, it's often quite flaky.
• If you have sensitive skin, your skin is often tight or itchy and you experience allergic reactions when you come into contact with certain chemicals.
• A lot of people have combination skin, where part of your face is oily and another part is dry.

TOP SKIN TIPS

• Try to avoid touching your face too much during the day, if you're touching your face a lot you are moving dirt from your hands onto your face.
• Wash your face twice a day.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Use weekly facemasks.
• Balanced diet - eat your  fab fruit and  very nice veggies!:)
• Use blackhead clearing strips to clean the hard to reach parts of your nose!
• As tempting as it is, if you mess with a spot it will actually get worse, so leave it!! apply a cold compress twice a day to lessen the irritation. (cool piece of cotton wool or even a cold teabag!)
• exfoliate weekly, to give a rosy glow.
• If you skip every other tip, just be sure to moisturise, especially at night. Your skin renews at night so you can help it along the way!
• Tie your hair back- your hair has natural oils, so by braiding your hair or simply putting it in a bun,you will be keeping those oils off your face.
• Use eye cream- Yes even if you're only 20! When the morning rolls around your skin will be less puffy and more hydrated.
• 
  

so what should we all be using?

C,T,M - CLEANSE, TONE, MOISTURISE.


I like to use a cleanser, a toner and a moisturiser. Don't get me wrong when you've been out on the lash no one has time to cleanse and tone, once in a while makeup wipes are fine, just limit them if you can.

For me I have two favourites, They are both  high street brands! My first is the  'Simple' brand that i like to use.you can check them out here. and second is L'oreal. you can browse here 




The brand is mainly for people with sensitive skin and although i don't suffer from sensitive skin, they seem to work for me! 

Simple Purifiying Cleanser: £3.29 for 200ml from boots

• Vital Vitamins for your skins health
• Pro-Vitamin B5 actively restores, softens and smoothes.
• No Perfume
• No Colour
• No Harsh Chemicals so it won't upset your skin
• Simple skincare do not use animal derived ingredients

This toner has Active Benefits:
£2.19 from for 200ml from superdrug

• Chamomile: gently soothes
• Witch Hazel: helps tone and tighten pores
• 100% alcohol free: non drying, leaves skin soft
• pH balanced: works in harmony with your skin

my next favourite is:

 ---------------------------------------------------------



L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection Cleansing & Perfecting Milk:£2.66 for 200ml from boots.

this also has many benefits

•  suitable for sensitive skin,
•   for use around the face and eye area. 
• It is proven to remove make-up and impurities and reveal a better skin texture. 
• The rich milk, infused with softening actives, removes make-up, even waterproof, from the face and eyes with a soothing texture.

Loreal's Skin Perfection Velvety Soft Toner: £3.99 for 200ml from boots.

This toner is great. I've been using this for a while and it really does remove all traces of your cleanser leaving you ready to moisturise.

• slight perfume, but nothing to harsh.
• long lasting 
• leaves skin smooth and feeling nourished.
• removes impuritites 
• helps to keep the skin supple.

hope you enjoyed my skincare post 

let me know if you have any products you want me to try, email me at: chescavenus@live.co.uk

next step- Moisturiser!

your going to laugh at this, I use ALDI's own brand face cream. Yep ALDI !

I use their  Expert Day & Night creams. At £3.99 each they are a steal. They do exactly what they say on the tin, which is what you want. I've tried many high end creams that I have not been happy with, so it's nice to find one, that's cheap too!

 The day cream :

• it's SPF 15,
• 5* star UVA to protect your skin from the sun,
• Has been proven to moisturise your skin for 24 hours.

The night cream:

• has wrinkle reducing properties
• Shea butter to improve suppleness