Review: Loreal Extraodinary Oil Facial Cleansing Oil

When it comes to facial cleansers I've been a big fan of the Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean Cleansng Milk. It does what I want it to do and doesn't cause any issues with my skin but I do like to see if their are other options open to me if my skin ever decided that it didn't like it anymore. And one that caught my eye was the Loreal Cleansing Oil.

This oil comes in a pump and two pumps is enough to do your entire face. It's very watery and thin feeling for an oil but changes into a milky consistency when you apply it to the skin. It works well to break down and remove any base products you have on and you can see that as you work the oil into the skin but it isn't something I'd use on my eyes even though it says it can be used on eyes, face and lips. It comes away easily as well with a wet flannel or muslin cloth and there won't be a trace of make up left on your face.

Too begin with I felt this left my skin a little bit greasy after I used it but I did trial it as a second cleanse to begin with. However as a first cleanse this doesn't leave skin feeling greasy as there is obviously no other product for it to grab onto after you've removed your make up. If you do want to do a double cleanse and put this in your routine then I suggest using this first and then going in with a milk or a balm cleanser as that will wash off any residue left on your face as well as any make up or general dirt.

It claims to work on all skin types but I'd be a bit wary if you have sensitive skin. So far it hasn't caused me any problems but if you have very sensitive skin then this may irritate your skin. I do enjoy using this oil but it still doesn't beat my Soap and Glory Cleanser or my Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Balm. If you know that you already like oil based products or facial oils in general then I definitely recommend trying this for yourself. If you have extremely sensitive skin or skin that disagrees with oils then I'd say give this a wide berth. There are other brilliant cleansers on the market that don't have any oil in them.

So that's it for my review. Have any of you tried this? Yes? Did you like it? Or do you have budget cleanser recommendations for me? Let me know in the comments.

Top 5 Non Beauty Favourites of 2016 So Far

So 2016 has been a pretty good year both Beauty and Non Beauty Favourites wise.And so I thought I'd share with you my Top 5 Non Beauty Favourites of the year so far today. I thought this would be good idea to have a mid year review to see if the next six months are just as good.

Captain America Civil War
This is the only film I've been excited to see this year. I'm a massive Marvel fan and try to see each new release in the cinema and this was no exception. If you haven't seen this, then Civil War is a continuation of both The Winter Solider and Age Of Ultron. In it you see Captain America (Chris Evans) butt heads with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) over whether The Avengers need to be monitored or not. Throw in Cap's old friend Bucky (Sebastian Stan) and everything literally goes to shit. They're once dsyfunctional but working family is torn apart as Cap works to keep Bucky alive whilst Iron Man would like nothing more to bring him to justice. It's packed full of action, brilliantly choreographed fight scenes and witty one liners. If you've been a fan of Marvel for a while then this next installment in the Captain America Series won't disappoint you.

Naked Smoothies
This year I've been on a mission to drink less fizzy and start drinking more water, juice, smoothies etc. And before this year I wouldn't go near a smoothie even if it was a flavour I'd love. That's until my best friend Jasmin introduced me to Naked Smoothies. And since then I've been a little in love with these smoothies. They come in four flavours and each works to help your body in a way. You have one containing cranberry and raspberry, one that has blueberry, one that has mango and one that has kiwi, spinach and celery. The mango flavour I've stayed away from as I can't stand mangoes but the other three I have drunk in abundence. Yes even the one with Spinach. Instead of being lumpy and bit like smoothies I've tried before these are smooth and delicious. I can happily drink one of these a day and not only do they curb my need for fizzy drinks, they hydrate me and suprisngly make me feel fuller which means I eat less. Another yay for me. If you haven't tried these then I highly recommend you do.

Primark Sunglasses
Now I know that this favourite may not be to everyone's taste but I have put it in. This year Primark have released some absolutely cracking sunglasses. Most years I just replenish my Ray Ban-esque sunnies from there but this year I haven't brought a single pair in that style. No I've been won over by these designer looking numbers which look a hell of a lot more expensive than they are actually are. I think I paid £2 a pair for these and I love how they just complete an outfit. They don't sit too low on the face that you have a massive gap between the top of them and your eyebrows, they don't slide down your nose because they're pretty much plastic and they certainly work as a good shield for your eyes in this now warming weather. I have more that I'd show but I don't want to ruin some style/fashion posts I have planned for July. Keep your eyes peeled though if you're looking for more, they could be appearing on here soon.

Chocolate Raisins
When it's come to snacks so far this year I've only got one that I'm constantly eating. Chocolate Raisins. Now I know a lot of you may be pulling a face at this but I think they're delicious. I don't care where they come from, I don't care how much I pay all I care about is how scrummy they are. One to two handfuls of these are enough to give me a little pick me up and get me through the day. I've gone through countless packets of these already and no doubt go through countless more before the year is out.

Taylor Swift 1989 
I know. I know. I'm a bit late to the bandwago with this one but hey at least I got there right? Back in March I watched Taylor Swift's 1989 World Tour and fell in love with the album. I already had a good number of tracks off 1989 but thought it was about time I completed the album. Some of my favourites include, New Romantics, I Know Places, Welcome To New York and Wonderland. There's just something about this album that always gets me in a good mood after I've listened to it and many a day I've used it to help me get through tasks that would normally drag by.

So that's it for my Non Beauty Favourites of 2016 so far. What have been your favourites of the year so far? Let me know in the comments below.

Review: Barry M Lip Liners

Recently I've been reviewing a few lip liners I brought on a lip liner splurge a few months ago. Today's post is the review of the last of those lip liners and they come from one of my favourite brands on the high street.

When I first started looking at Barry M lip liners I didn't think they'd be for me. They're a wooden pencil liner which have a tendency to drag and scratch at the lips. And I've always preferred mechanical liners until I tried these. Of course I picked up two red shades that they have and I have to say I'm really impressed with these liners. They both suit well with a variety of red and plum shades so if you don't want to buy a load of different red shade liners then these would be perfect for you.

The points on these liners do look like they could be quite scratchy and harsh on the lips but in fact they're very creamy and glide nicely along the lips when lining and filling in your lips. The texture of these on the lips is drying but lipstick adheres to them brilliantly and you don't have to worry about having that odd looking line that makes it obvious you've lined your lips. They can be worn on their own but you'd need to wear lip liner underneath and after a while lips will look dry and imperfections will start to show. However underneath a lipstick you'll have a perfect even coverage that will last longer than normal no what finish your lipstick is.

Overall I like these lip liners, they're not harsh or scratchy. They're highly pigmented and opaque in one swipe but there is just something missing in them that isn't missing in the Loreal or Maybelline liners I've reviewed recently. They're nice and have a wide colour selection but they're not one of my most used lip liners and I don't find myself reaching for them as often as I should.

Have any of you tried these? Did you like them? Or do you have a lip liner recommendation for me? Let me know in the comments.

Review: Olay Anti Wrinkle Hydration Serum

When it comes to skincare I've always been a big fan of Olay. It's easily accesible, does what it says on the tin and it's a product my mum swears by and her skin looks better than some people who are younger than her. So when I stumbled across this Hydration Serum, I knew I had to try it. Hydration, Anti-Wrinkle and a perfect  make up base? Sign me up.

I've thrown in a shot of the packaging so you can find it in the shops or online if you want. Before I properly looked at this, I didn't think Olay had an inexpensive yet effective serum. Containing Ocean Botanical Complex, Nicinamide and a whole other host of skin boosting ingredients this is a silky feeling serum that smoothes skin whilst it hydrates and keeps that moisture locked in all day long. With a slight silicone feel this works to smooth over the skin and create a barrier between your skin and any make up you put on top. It doesn't mean that your make won't sit nicely on the skin because it will, in fact it'll probably sit better than before but it creates a barrier so it can pentrate and hydrate the skin whilst you're wearing your make up.

Before I tried this I was using the Clearly Youthful Booster Serum and had been for a while but had noticed it didn't give my skin the same results as before. So when I brought this I gave it a go the same day and by gosh could I feel the difference. My skin felt instantly boosted, hydrated and smoothed. And when I applied make up after applying this there was no issue with my base balling up or going streaky, it went on smoother and easier than ever. As time has gone on my skin has felt smoother, softer and dare I say plumper. This is perfect in the mornings before apply my make up as it gives skin an instant hydration boost and a wake me up. I'm definitely going to be buying another bottle when this one runs out.

Have any of you tried this? If so what did you think? Or did you have a serum recommendation for me? Let me know in the comments.

Review: Barry M Lip Oil

Lip oils are are becoming a big thing in the beauty world but until recently have only been from higher end brands. And then Barry M released their own version of a lip oil and of course when I saw it I knew I had to get it.

They come in two scents/flavours, Coco Loco and Berry Good. Coco Loco contains both Coconut Oil and Camellia Oil whilst Berry Good contains a mixture of Raspberry and Pomegranate. Both of these are considered lip treatments but Berry Good has a pinkish red tint to it that give lips a hint of colour as you wear it. I personally chose Coco Loco over Berry Good as the scent was as overpowering for me.

They come with a standard looking doe foot applicator but when you apply these oils to the lips the applicator actually rolls along the lips which means that you won't apply too much of this and that lips will be evenly covered. It is a funny feeling when you first use this but after a while you'll get used to it. It doesn't have the consistency of a lip balm/treatment but it also doesn't have the consistency of a lip gloss so it won't be overly sticky on the lips and you won't have to worry about getting your hair stuck in it in the wind.

The results from these weren't right away but after a few wears you could see the difference. My lips looked smoother, felt softer and didn't chap as easily. However this was something I had to wear continuously as it didn't work as well on my lips if I'd worn lip balm for a day instead of this. If you can handle the feeling of wearing an oil every day then this is definitely a product for you but if like me you'd prefer to wear a lip balm occasionally then maybe steer clear of these and try a different lip balm/treatment.

Overall this is a nice product but it's not one I'd rush out and repurchase when it's finished. It works well and my lips did see a difference but sometimes I'd prefer to wear a lip balm and that affects how this works. If you're a big fan of oils in general then this product would be right up your street but if you haven't tried an oil before I'd approach this with caution.

Have any of you tried this? What did you think? Have you got any lip oil recommendations? Let me know in the comments.

My Top 5 Barry M Polishes For Summer

 

Every season I pick out my Top 5 Nail shades and give you the lowdown on them. And I called them my Seasonal Nail Edit. But with my polish collection consisting mostly of Barry M Nail Polishes I decided to change the name and show you my Top 5 Barry M Shades for each season. And of course with Summer rapidly approaching what a better time to show you 5 shades that you're going to see all over my nails this Summer.

Gelly Hi Shine in Elderberry
If you're more of  neutral nail girl then I think this polish would be right up your street. Elderberry is a grey toned blue shade gives neutral nails a quirk. Whilst it's not as stand out as brighter shades such as Guava this does make an impression as well. If you want to try a colour but are not interested in big standout shades then this is a good shade to choose and makes a change from brown or grey shades.

 Speedy Quick Dry in In A Flash
Looking for a coral shade but can't find a good one? Then try In A Flash from their Speedy Quick Dry Collection. With a hint of white that gives this shade an almost pastel look. And the orange to this is more of pinky orange than a satsuma orange. With a flat square brush this is one of the quicker nail polishes and does dry as quickly as they say. Two coats will give you an opaque finish and will really make the colour pop but not in that fluorescent way that some orange shades do.

 Gelly Hi Shine in Cotton 
Now if there is one colour I love to wear in the summer, it's white. Especially when I have a tan, white nails can just a look that extra oomph it needs. Cotton is a straight up white, no hint of cream or pink. One coat can be streaky but two coats is a bright opaque colour with a glossy finish which only intensifies when you add a top coat. It's not so pretty when it starts to chip but I definitely don't mind redoing my nails with this colour when they look so good afterwards.

 Coconut Infusion in Bikini 
Next is one of Barry M's newer releases and it has some pretty shades for summer in it. This is Bikini from the Coconut Infsuion Range and it's one of Barry M's more insteresting shades. It looks lilac in the bottle (try Prickly Pear if you want a lilac) but when it's on the nail it has this almost nudey pink tone to it that really stands out. With the same brush as the Speedy Quick Dry's these are easy to use and dry ridiculously fast for a non quick dry polish. Plus you get the added benefit of these containing Coconut Oil and Water to help hydrate and condition the nail as you wear them.

Gelly Hi Shine in Guava
The last shade is Guava and it's by far one of my favourite shades out of all of Barry M's polishes. A deep turquoise/aqua shade this is opaque in one coat and popping with two. It's a bright shade that definitely stands out on the nails and will catch people's eyes but because it has a darker hint to it, it won't be too over the top and give that nail that weird look that some extremely bright shades can do. It also has a high shine finish that when it catches the light just gives the nails that extra something that will gurantee you some compliments.

So that's it for my Top 5 Summer Polishes. What are your Top 5? Are any of them the same as mine? Or do you have a colour recommendation for me? Let me know in the comments.

Review: The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Balm

So when it comes to cleansers I find myself trying different ones to see if they compare with my Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean Cleansing Milk. Nothing beats it but there are a couple that I like to use as an alternative or second cleanse. And The Body Shop's Camomile Cleansing Butter is one of those products.

First off I'm sorry for the disgusting state of my balm. I need to buy a new one and just haven't gotten round to it yet. But I feel this is a good idea of what the balm looks like and not that stiff hard to work with balm you're presented with when you first buy this. When you first open a fresh one of these not only is it extremely photogenic but it's a very solid hard to work with balm. But once you make that little dent in the surface it becomes a lot easier to use each day. The more you use this balm the more it'll look like my tub of this as it becomes softer and by this time it'll be that soft it will just melt away from the edges when you put your fingers in it. That said, I do like the tin it comes in, it's cute, it's easier to get into and use than others and it's very compact in size so it doesn't take up massive amounts of room in your collection.

When you first put this on your face it will just sit there but when you start to rub it into the skin the heat from your finger will melt it and it'll turn from a balm to something akin to an oil. That oil will break down any grime, dirt or make up on your skin and sometimes you'll even see it become the colour of your foundation as you work it into the skin. Water can be added to it to give it a bit more of a foam to it and is easily washed away with warm water and a flannel or muslin cloth. Afterwards you're skin will feel clean, soft and make up free. This is suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin and doesn't contain any nasties that will irritate the skin.

Personally I like this for a second cleanse. It's not that it doesn't work well to remove my make up but I find that my Soap and Glory Cleanser has a bit more oomph in it that works well to lift make up off the skin. This is good for removing any leftover make up and general dirt from the day. It leaves my skin feeling soft and I don't have to worry about it harming my skin when it's playing up like some cleansers have done before. I'm definitiely going to be repurchasing another pot of this but I'm also considering picking up a bottle of their Camomile Cleansing Oil as well. Let me know in the comments if you want me to review it or not.

Have any of you tried this? Did you like this? Or did you have another product that worked better? Let me know in the comments.