Tuesday 25 February 2014

L'oreal Superliner Review





Hi everyone!

Today I'm going to be reviewing this liquid eyeliner from L'oreal, the Superliner. About a year ago I was obsessed with liquid eyeliner and would wear big flicks everyday, but gradually I got more into eyeshadow and started to wear liquid liner less and less. Eventually I was only wearing it on nights out, but I was using my gel eyeliner from Bobbi Brown on an angled liner brush because of it's staying power. 

Recently, I started to think about liquid liner again and one day I decided to wear it, only to look in my collection and realise I didn't have one. Not even one liquid liner, I have no idea where it has gone because I used to wear it all the time and had a few. I'm guessing I somehow got rid of them when I changed my make up storage. They probably would have been dry and crusty by now anyway ha! So off I went on the search for a new liquid liner.

I'd seen a few reviews of the Superliner so did a bit more research into it and decided this was the one I wanted to try, so I purchased it from Superdrug when I made a huge order (haul video on YouTube coming up!). Despite having still not uploaded my haul video, I did actually receive my order a good couple of weeks ago and since then, I have been using this liner almost every day!

This is honestly the easiest liquid liner to apply that I've ever tried, which is out of quite a few! It just seems so glide on so easily. I think this is down to a combination of the handle and the nib. As you can see the handle is quite long which makes it super easy to hold and apply. As for the nib, it has got the perfect amount of flexibility in it. I always find that liquid liners will have either completely stiff nibs or ridiculously flimsy brushes which flick about all over the place. This is a plasticy/rubbery nib which is fairly stiff but has enough movement in it to mould to your eye as you apply it.

This makes for the easiest, quickest liner application ever. Perfect for those early mornings! As for the formula, I would say it's your typical liquid liner consistency but not one of those that's too runny. It's super opaque in one swipe and doesn't look too thin or sheer as some cheaper liners can. It doesn't go dry and crumble off into my eyes throughout the day, even when I've been wearing it for around 10 hours.

My only complaint with this liner is that whilst the super long handle tricks your mind otherwise, the pot of liquid liner is actually rather small. Never the less, the product is good and the design makes for super easy application, even for those less equipped with liner skills like me.. All in all, this is probably the best liquid liner I've used and I'm really blown away at how easy it is to apply! I can get a tiny thin line to make my lashes look fuller or create a full on cat eye.

If you have zilch liquid liner skills like me, definitely give this ago as I was amazed at how easy it applies! You can purchase this in most beauty stores but I got mine in Superdrug for £6.49.

Emily xxx

Friday 21 February 2014

Laurens Way 'Darker Than Dark' Glam Tan Launch | #LWParty


Hi everyone!

Today I thought I would share with you my night at the Laurens Way launch party for her brand new fake tan, with a lot of photos, brace yourselves! So on Tuesday night I went along to Dirty Martini in Bishopsgate, London to celebrate the launch of the new 'Darker Than Dark' tan and meet a bunch of fellow bloggers. I met with the lovely Abi at Liverpool Street and we then made a long detour before finally finding the venue about 5 seconds away from the station.. Oopsie!

The venue was lovely, there were cupcakes and sweet treats galore (all pink and sparkly of course), cocktails coming round continuously and a little station to get your hair styled with the LW big bun or rollers. A lovely lady did try to persuade me to get a big bun in my hair, but I'm a big scaredy cat when it comes to my hair! I would also like to add that the cupcakes were literally amazing (thank you Vanilla Chilli!) and I'm so sad I didn't realise there were pink chocolate covered Oreos.

I spent most of my night with Abi, Sam and Sanya and I had such a great time with them! I also chatted to a few other bloggers including Em Sheldon, one of my favourite bloggers who was so lovely.  And of course, we can't forget Lauren! She was also really lovely and she literally looks unreal, of course her tan was looking fabulous as well!

The night went so quickly and if it wasn't for my achy feet I could have stayed chatting to everyone all night! But of course it had to end so I went back to Liverpool station with Sam and Sanya to catch my train back home. We were all given amazing goodie bags containing the new Darker Than Dark tan (which isn't even released yet!), exfoliator, moisturiser, a mitt, rollers, eyelashes and cupcakes!

Thank you so much to Laurens Way, Lauren Goodger, Vanilla Chilli and all the bloggers who made the night so great! If you want to see the photos, keep scrolling! I also filmed a Get Ready With Me video which is now up on my YouTube channel if you'd like to watch that! I'm still fairly new to YouTube so I'd really appreciate you taking a look and if you like my videos, please subscribe! I'm nearly at 200, yay!

See you in my next post!

Emily xxx

Me and Abi



Abi

Abi again looking lovely

Sams hair is SO cool

Pink chocolate covered marshmallow!

Sanya and Abi


Pink chocolate covered popcorn!

Yummy treats
Cocktails, everyone was taking pictures of the waiter for some reason ha!

Lauren!

My GRWM #LWParty look!
The amazing goodie bag!
Twitter: @emilybarbiexx
Instagram: @emilykebeauty
Youtube: Emilyke Beauty

Monday 17 February 2014

B. Pure Micellar Water



Hi everyone!

So today I've got a review of a product I actually got fairly recently. Usually I will test products out for a while before writing a review on it, but with this I have already made my mind up and further testing will make no change on my opinion on it.

Now one thing that really annoys me, is when products claim to be for super sensitive skin, but definitely aren't. As you can see on the front of this bottle it states 'Ideal for all skin types, even the most sensitive'. This is not true. To be honest I wouldn't say my skin is majorly sensitive or one of the 'most sensitive skin types', however it is definitely sensitive, particularly my eyes.

Despite being advertised as suitable for sensitive skin, this made my eyes red, watery and stinging. I didn't have too much of a problem with it on my face, but it does feel slightly drying and make my skin feel tight. It is definitely no where near as gentle as other micellar waters I've tried, which won't sting my eyes at all. 

I bought this when I was making a big order on the Superdrug website, I actually wanted to repurchase the Garnier micellar water but they didn't have it. I saw this version and I thought I may aswell give it a go as it was cheap and basically the same thing (or so I thought). I will definitely be going back to the Garnier or L'oreal micellar waters as they don't affect my skin at all. As for my opinion on those two, I will just buy whichever one works out cheaper because they are exactly the same. The ingredients are literally identical and I have used both and noticed no difference between them.

I am going to continue using this micellar water just to use it up, but I won't be using it to remove my make up. I have been using the No7 eye make up remover and Cetaphil cleanser for that, then I will just take this on a cotton pad to remove any excess. I'll do the same in the morning for a super quick cleanse/freshen up however I will avoid my eyes and also my lips. It tastes disgusting!

If you don't have sensitive skin maybe this would be okay for you, but I would definitely recommend going for the Garnier or L'oreal versions. They aren't that much more expensive and are always on offer, so it is totally worth it. They also both come in larger bottles so I wouldn't actually say there is that much price difference.

I will definitely not be repurchasing the B. Pure micellar water. I can get much gentler versions that work out near enough the same price and will last me longer, so to be honest I wouldn't recommend this. I don't usually like to do negative reviews, but it's definitely just as important to prevent you wasting your money as it is to show you where you should be spending it!

Do you like using micellar waters? Which one is your favourite?

Emily xxx

Wednesday 12 February 2014

The 'Blogger Love' Tag

Hi everyone! 

I was recently tagged by the lovely Sarah to do this tag which looks pretty good to me so here we go!

 

What was the first blog you ever came across?
I really have absolutely no idea! I can't remember how I even discovered that blogging existed. I've been reading blogs for over 3 years and my memory is definitely not that good.

Favourite Blogs to read?
My favourite blogs to read are EmTalks, Through Chelseas Eyes, CoutureGirl, Victorias Vintage and of course the lovely Zoella. There are probably more but it's so hard to think off the top of your head!


Best Blogging Friends?
I've never been able to attend loads of meet ups, only the one, so I've not made any blogging best friends, boo! But I have kept in contact with Jordana since we met at the Winter Wonderland meet up (we're planning a YouTube collab ;)). I've also had a good few chats with Sarah and we bumped into each other in our local Boots not so long ago! We're planning to meet up soon which should be fun! I really want to make some good friends through blogging so I'm hoping to attend more meet ups this year. Speaking of which, anyone going to #LWParty on Tuesday?

Name a blog that enables your purchases?
Now this question confuses me, does it confuse anyone else?! However going by other bloggers answers, I'm thinking it means a blog which makes me buy things? If that's the case, then I'm not sure I have one particular blog that does that! I just get tempted to buy things when I see lots of people reviewing it in a good light.



5 blogs that everyone should be following?
Islaay


Your favourite way to read blogs?
I think I still prefer blogger to Bloglovin! I follow more blogs on Bloglovin in case GFC leaves us and I do still read blogs on there, but I prefer good old blogger!



Bloggers that inspire you?
I'd say EmTalks, you can tell she puts a lot of time and effort into her posts and really tries her best to make them great! I feel like she is a very ambitious, hard working person!


Favourite blog design/look?
Becca Rose, her blog design is really simple but doesn't look overly professional (if that makes sense!) and just looks kind of fresh and I really like it!



What is your favourite thing about blogging?
One of my favourite things about blogging is the #bbloggers chats on twitter! I always look forward to Wednesday and Sunday evenings and really enjoy having a good old chat with loads of bloggers!



I Tag:
Everyone! Why pick out a few, I think everyone should do it :)

Hope you enjoyed this tag and let me know if you do it too!

Emily xxx

Monday 10 February 2014

YouTube catch up!

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to do a quick catch up post of my YouTube videos as my channel is still fairly new so I'm sure some of you won't have seen it yet! I'd really appreciate it if you could check it out and subscribe if you enjoy my videos! I've posted 11 videos so far and I post two a week on Wednesdays and Sundays, so there will be another new video up soon.

I'll be mainly doing beauty type videos such as tutorials, get ready with me, hauls, favourites and also tag videos. My latest video is something a bit different and I'm debating whether I should upload more like this or keep my channel beauty based. Although maybe I should just upload whatever the hell I want ha!




Hope you enjoy my channel!

Emily xxx

Sunday 9 February 2014

Philip Kingsley 'One more day' dry shampoo


Hi everyone!

So today I've got another product review for you, of the only dry shampoo I've ever liked. If you've watched a couple of my YouTube videos you may know that I have a strange issue with the smells of dry shampoos. Basically, I hate the smell of them all, I find them fake and too sickly sweet and I don't enjoy smelling that on my hair all day.

I received the Philip Kingsley 'One more day' dry shampoo in my Glamour 'Best in beauty' box and strangely, it was probably my favourite thing in there. When I first saw it, I didn't think that much of it, it was definitely the rest of the box I was most excited for. I don't see dry shampoo as a product that's going to make me look or feel nice, but more as a kind of boring maintenance product. Little did I know, I would go on to fall in love with it.

Firstly, to actually enjoy the smell of a dry shampoo was like a long awaited miracle. I cannot explain the smell at all, I have no idea so you'll have to go and give it a sniff. It's not fruity, sweet or sickly it's just a lovely muted kinda smell. It also doesn't hang about all day like most dry shampoos which smell totally overpowering. So that's where I actually got a bit excited and thought, oh I might actually like this product.

Onto the actual performance of the product, it is honestly amazing. It does exactly what it's supposed to and makes your hair feel fresh and clean, whilst also adding a bit of volume, without any of the bad side effects of all the others I've tried. I've always found that with other dry shampoos such as Batiste or Superdrug, you're left with a white residue and a slightly sticky, slightly matted feeling in your hair.

This does all the good stuff with none of the bad stuff. My hair feels refreshed and clean, whilst also still light, not weighed down and like I've barely got anything in it. If you felt the hair you would know there's a product in there, but it's not totally heavy and built up and yucky. It is just so light and naturally volumised.

Now this isn't the cheapest product, with the full size 200ml coming in at £13.50, but if you're an avid dry shampoo user or suffer with oily hair, this is so worth it. To be honest, as much as I've fallen in love with it, I wouldn't purchase the full size version. I don't get oily hair and barely ever need to use a dry shampoo, for me it's a once in a while kinda thing so it just wouldn't be worth it. But if you do use it often and are after a nice quality version, or maybe you have an issue with the scents like me, this really is a lovely product.

You can buy it from Look Fantastic or Feel Unique, full size being £13.50 and 50ml at £5.95

Do you hate the smells of dry shampoos? Do you like more expensive dry shampoos? Or are you happy with high street versions?

Emily xxx

Thursday 6 February 2014

The handiest beauty site | My Beauty Compare




Hi everyone!

So today I'll be sharing with you this great new site, My Beauty Compare. If you're interested in finding the perfect product for you, for the best price, all backed up with reviews from fellow beauty lovers then this is the site for you!

When I first signed up, I filled out a little quiz about my skin type, hair type and lifestyle so MBC could get to know me a bit better. So I ticked things such as pale skin, comedones, sensitive, blue eyes, blonde hair, split ends and lots more! It really does find out a lot about you, which they then use to give you personalised recommendations on every beauty or hair product on the site. You can also go back on to this profile and edit it, which is definitely handy if you get a sudden bout of dry skin or breakouts.

So as shown in the photos above, when you click on a certain section, for instance blushers, they give you the top four that they think will suit you. The first two blushers they recommended for me look gorgeous! Then, when you've found a product you like the look of, it will show you where you can get the product for the best price, such as Boots or Debenhams.

Then, as if all that wasn't helpful enough, you can look at reviews on the products and even have a chat in the forum to really ensure that this is the product for you! Much better than ordering a product and hoping for the best eh! MBC do the research for you and if you're still not certain, make it super easy to do your own research.

They're the worlds first beauty price comparison and personal recommendation site which is crazy really, why hasn't anyone done this before? Everything handy all in one place, I'll definitely be using this site to save me a bit of time when I'm on the hunt for a new product!

Will you be checking out My Beauty Compare?

Emily xxx

*sponsored post*

Monday 3 February 2014

YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick | Nude Beige


Hi everyone!

Another review today and a very exciting one! I'm almost certain you've all heard about the YSL lipsticks and their gorgeous packaging. I'd been dying to pick one up for so long but just couldn't justify spending £24.50 on a lipstick, despite all the rave reviews. So when I received a £20 voucher from work to 'recognise' my performance I headed right on over to my local YSL counter in Boots to pick one up.

I knew I wanted a fairly subtle shade so that I'd get a lot of wear out of it and after a bit of researching blog reviews and swatches it was between this shade (Nude Beige) and Peach Passion. So when I got to the counter I had a good look at the testers and despite being super tempted to get a bolder colour, I settled on Nude Beige. 

One tiny niggle, is that there was no one on the counter and when I asked for help the lady said there was no one serving on that counter. She told me she could try to find what I wanted but she wouldn't have been able to offer me particular advice as she was from another counter. It was a Sunday which is a busy shopping time (at least in my town!) so I was a bit confused as to why they had no one working on the counter. Never the less, I got the lipstick I was after and only paid £4.50 thanks to my voucher!

Onto the actual lipstick, this formula is absolutely gorgeous. It feels so smooth, silky and luxurious on the lips. I've never worn a lipstick that feels like this and it really does feel like you're wearing something special. It glides on to give a nice coverage, perfectly pigmented for such a moisturising lipstick. Nothing like MAC matte lipsticks, but gives an even coverage of colour and I wouldn't say it's one of those formulas that requires super sonic pigmentation. I feel like it's one of those lipsticks that are easy to wear, you can just throw on and not have to worry about it being perfect, losing colour in the middle or bleeding at the edges.

It doesn't have amazing staying power, but again I feel like it's not supposed to be one of those lipsticks. It still lasts a good couple of hours and it wears off evenly so you don't have to worry about it looking patchy and uneven. It really is just a lovely, moisturising, easy to wear lipstick.

As for the packaging, I'm sure the photos speak for themselves! These lipsticks are just stunning and feel so special to own and to use. Not gonna lie, pulling it out of your handbag for a little top up whilst shopping or eating out makes you feel a bit cool and elegant. (Which I'm not.)

As for whether I would recommend these lipsticks, if you can afford it, go for it! They really are lovely and it's nice to own a special piece of make up. However, if you're a student or trying to save up your pennies, is it really worth spending ridiculous amounts on one lipstick? It's gorgeous, but it doesn't have super powers. I'd say it's one of those things which are perfect for birthdays or special occasions or maybe if you have Boots points or a voucher like me.

To be honest, I do need (really want) another one now, but I'll be holding back until I end up with mountains of Boots points or vouchers.

Emily xxx