Sunday 30 June 2013

SLEEK PRODUCTS REVIEW - POUT PAINTS IN PEEK-A-BLOO, CLOUD 9 AND PINK UP. DIP IT EYELINER IN PASTEL GREEN, GOLD AND BLACK.

About a month ago I was asked to do the makeup for a Musical, Pippin. With crazy colours and mental make up I made this an excuse to find a few more bright make up essentials to add to my kit. I had been meaning to get my eager hands on the Sleek Pout Paints for a while but never got round to it, and always went to Mac for lipsticks. I was also drawn to the gorgeous Pastel Green Dip-It eyeliner, so I obviously needed that too.
First we have the Pout Paints, my new obsession. Of course I had to pick up Peek-A-Boo, a true blue shade. I then added Pin-Up, a appropriately named red, and Cloud 9 a bright white. The one thing I really don't like about these is the taste and smell. It really reminds me of rubber gloves. Or is that just me? The application on a few were also a bit tricky. Also, these don't set like most lipsticks which is a big issue for me, so be careful not to smudge! Let's break the colours down.
The colour is dispensed from a little tube, so I advise
a little lip brush to apply!
Peek-A-Bloo
Peek-A-Bloo is a bright blue shade which I needed! It was perfect for the stage make up of Pippin, and people told me how good the blue lips looked. It really stood out on stage which was perfect. Application of this product wasn't too bad. After using a brush to apply the product to the lips I had to work the product in well to avoid streaks. Like all the Pout Paints it has a not-gloss-but-not-lipstick feel. It's more of a very high pigmented thicker gloss, that's not overly sticky. I was so impressed with this shade and how good the colour was. It's also quite glossy, but not as glossy as Pin Up is. I also added this colour, Cloud 9 and Pin Up to create a violet shade which looked so lovely.
Cloud 9
Cloud 9 is a bright white. This was a little tricky to apply due to it's pigment, and as you can see the lipstick isn't as evenly applied as I would liked it to have been. However, I'd never wear the white by itself so I wasn't too fussed, but for the purpose of the review the white wasn't as pigmented as I wanted. I found it was a little thicker compared to Peek-A-Bloo. I use the white to make more pastel colours, or get creative with gradients. Cloud 9 is still a glossy shade, but the least out of the lot. Just let down by how streaky it looks by itself.
Pin Up
Pin Up was my star buy. When I tried it on, I was completely in love. The bright blood red shade looks stunning, and is crazily pigmented. I'm a sucker for a red lipstick, so I was so impressed with how this looked. It looks really good just over my natural lip line to create a more plump look. This is a glossy red - And I normally stay very clear from gloss - But I just love how this looks. There was also only a teeny bit of  bleeding, so a thumbs up from me. A dream to apply with a brush, easy application and spot on with the consistency. What's not to love? I can't explain enough how much I love this! My new favourite red for sure. Move over Mac's Riri Woo, there's a better red on the block. The thing I found with these Pout Paints was how it will go on your teeth for the first few moments off application, but after blotting the inner part of your lips and a little wear, this does stop happening. That aside I found the Pout Paints really long wearing. 
Let's get creative. With the Peek-A-Bloo all over and Cloud 9 in the inner lips, you can create a ombre effect. The styles are endless with these Pout Paints.


Mix it up a bit to choose a colour for any mood or occasion.
 L-R, Pastel Green, Black and Gold.

These Dip-It Eyeliner from Sleek are pretty good. I love the gorgeous gold and I find that the pigment in that beauty is spot on. However, Black and Pastel Green let me down slightly. Pastel Green is a pretty mint green with a slight hint of shimmer, but wasn't as pigmented as I'd like and found it a little streaky to apply. But once getting the grips of it, I could achieve a pretty spring-time look. I love that the Black shade is completely matte, but it lacked in intensity. However, I reach for it a lot for a smokey eye as it just suits a smokey look perfectly. The staying power on all of these are pretty good, and last the day, although with teary eyes or oily eyelids these can smudge slightly. These are handy for my kit, but the bottom note is that I probably wont repurchase these again, but there are worse eyeliners out there on the high street - So these aren't that bad.
Overall, my best buy was the Pout Paints, especially the beautiful Pin Up. Grab the Pout Paints for £4.99 each online with the Dip-It Eyeliners for £4.49. Or grab them at your nearest Superdrug.



Sunday 23 June 2013

NEAL & WOLF HAIR PRODUCTS - HEAT PROTECTION, SMOOTHING BLOW-DRY BALM AND INTENSIVE CARE TREATMENT REVIEW

I was delighted to be approached by the team at Neal & Wolf asking for my hair type, and to send down some products for me to try out. My hair is naturally curly (super ringlets/frizz) and is constantly straightened. I told them I had frizzy hair which is put under the heat a lot, so they recommended these and sent them out straight away. First impression? When I opened the parcel I was greeted to a gorgeous aroma, which reminded me of something. After a good hunt around my perfumes, I came across Insolence, which smells incredibly similar. The scent of these hair products is classy and delicate. It's not too over powering or sweet, so I really think Neal & Wolf have hit the nail on the head on the scent front.
I love how the packaging is simple and classy, their pretty Neal & Wolf logo on the front, with a embossed pattern across some of the product which is visible in the light is a pretty touch. I love how the whole collection of hair products all look similar. 
Intensive Care Treatment
Smoothing Blow-Dry Balm


I put these to use straight away, and have been using them the past week to give them a good trial. I first tried out the Intensive Care Treatment which is for all hair types. When I tried this out I was greeted by the gorgeous scent again, which I am literally obsessed with! I applied it to my wet hair after shampooing which a standard shampoo and left on for the 3-5 minutes the product recommended. After drying my hair I could notice a huge difference, my hair was silky, soft, had no tangles and looked a lot more healthier. Hallelujah! My hair still had a little fluff to it, but that is only because my hair is super curly naturally, but this is where the Smoothing Blow-Dry Balm came into play. 
The next time I washed my hair I then applied a small amount of the balm into my hair before drying, and my hair was frizz free. YES! It added moisture to my hair, which it claimed to do, so frizz was now a thing of the past. I was so surprised how quickly it smoothed out my rebellious of hairs, so I was very impressed. Could this brand be my new obsession? Yes. I think it could easily be. 
Before straightening I then applied a few spritz of the Heat Protection spray which I was most excited about. I love this spray. It has the same gorgeous scent which I am in love with so that alone made me happy! This spray claims to protect up to 220ÂșC and keeps your hair silky with its meadowfoam seed oil. And boy did it deliver. It protected my hair like a dream, leaving my hair silky with no 'straw' like feel to the hair which it can get after constant exposure to heat. It let my hair feeling super silky and I couldn't help but wave my hair around.
Overall, I am a very happy Hannah, with swishy hair that smells gorgeous, even the day after washing my hair I could still smell the pretty scent. My hair looks healthy, silky and incredibly manageable. What more could a girl need?
Intensive Care Treatment is £12.95*, Smoothing Blow-Dry Balm for £11.95* and the star product for me is the Heat Protection for £10.95*.Grab a bottle of beauty from the Neal & Wolf shop online.

Monday 10 June 2013

SILLY MAC LIPSTICK FROM THE FASHION SET COLLECTION

I was all over the Fashion Set when it came into Mac stores and my lovely mum treated me to this beauty. I'm a massive fan of mattes so I was so thrilled to see that all lipsticks from the collection were matte just like Ablaze. In the traditional Mac lipstick packaging, Silly is a true bright 'Barbie' pink. This shade of pink is pretty similar to Candy Yum Yum when I swatched in store, another one of my must haves, but slightly more pastely. It's almost a neon pink, but still has a slight subtleness to it, but this is no way for the people who shy away from bright colours - This will certainly add a kick of colour to any collection. I have worn this a lot with a smokey eyed look in the sunny evenings and it's perfect for holidays. Even though matte is my favourite finish from the Mac lipsticks, it's slightly drying and has a habit of clinging to some dry areas on the lips, so a good exfoliate before application wont do harm. 
Currently sold out online, you may be able to pick it up for £14 from your nearest Mac store.




Saturday 8 June 2013

LAVENDER WHIP CREMESHEEN MAC LIPSTICK FROM THE BAKING BEAUTIES COLLECTION

I had been wanting a lavender shade lipstick for ages, but never found the perfect one. I went to Mac to view the Baking Beauties collection which I loved online, and fell in love with this beauty, appropriately named Lavender Whip. I also picked up a Pearlmatte Powder from the collection which I have reviewed.
Lavender Whip is a Cremesheen finish which means the formula is really creamy and slightly glossy. There's also a slight hint of shimmer, but nothing noticeable. This bluey pink purple hue is just stunning. It's really lovely on my lips and isn't drying at all. It doesn't highlight my dry areas on my lips too which is a plus. I love the pastely purple colour it gives my lips which isn't too over powdering, and because of the formula you can add a subtle wash of colour to your lips, or build it for more of an impact. This is my most used colour at the moment and I've worn it for the past few weeks and I just can't get enough. It's the perfect subtle summer colour that still adds a pop of colour to the face. 
You can't get this pretty shade online, but you can still pick it up in store for £14. It's limited edition, so pick it up fast! What do you think of this lavender colour?



Tuesday 4 June 2013

VEET EASYWAX ELECTRICAL ROLL ON KIT AND ROLL ON REFILL REVIEW

I was recently asked to review this by the people over at BzzAgent. I rarely shave and I'm always waxing, so this was exactly the type of product I would use and love. This new EasyWax kit from Veet enables you to wax any area of your body with ease. Here to show you I have the main Roll-On Kit and a Roll-On Refill.
In the first kit we have the main hand-held device, a wax refill with a larger roller, the cable to plug in a heat up the devise, a dock, waxing strips and 4 Veet wipes.
In the EasyWax Refill pack we have a wax refill with a smaller roller for the bikini line, under arms or the hard to get areas along with Veet wipes and strips.
For comparison, the one on the left is from the refill kit, and the one on the right is from the main kit. The one from the main kit is easier for the legs.
The waxing strips seem to have a 'recycled' paper feel about them with tissue that seems to look as if it's been bound together, but still has a soft yet firm feel about it.

So how does it all work?

You plug the lead into the main device and slide a wax cartridge of your choice into it. It says that you only need 20 mins for the hand-held waxer to heat up, but I think that's very, very wrong. I read a few more reviews just to see if I had got this completely wrong, but other bloggers did have the same problem. I had to keep it heating for one whole hour before I could even try to wax as before that amount of time the wax just wouldn't roll onto my leg. An hour isn't too bad if you pop it on, then go do something and come back to it, but an hour to heat up wax is a little excessive. Once the wax had heated, unplug the device as it keeps hot for about half an hour. The wax rolls onto the roller which you can then smooth over your leg in the direction of hair growth to leave a mess-free wax line. The wax is at a perfect temperature and there's no burning at all. Pop on the strip and smooth over. Leaving a 2cm gap at the bottom, quickly peel off in the opposite direct to leave your legs silky smooth. I felt that some hairs could be missed, but I just tweezer them off which I would do in waxing anyway, so no difference there. Then I just pop on one of the finishing wipes to get rid of any stickiness left behind, and then you're good to go. The leg cartridge lasts up to 4 sessions, so with the cartridge retailing at £9.99, each session is around the £2.50 mark, not bad at all.

I really like this product as I've had so many accidents with a hot wax pot and water. The amount of times I've dropped wax everywhere or the boiling water, this is a godsend. I'm a bit annoyed about how long it takes to heat up but that's the down side I'm willing to live with now I can wax with ease and no mess. Hurrah! 

The Veet EasyWax Electrical Roll On Kit retails for £29.99* but you can currently get this half price at Superdrug. The refill retails at £9.99* from Boots. Would you try this out?