Inglot Freedom System Palette and Shadows: Review and Swatches

Hey everyone!

Back again today with an exciting product I received as a gift from my mum. She went to Aberdeen the other week, and came across the only Inglot store in the whole of Scotland! She picked me up a Freedom System Palette EB (£7), which is nifty as it has three eyeshadow squares, and also a blush square that can be filled by two shadows. So, if I ever wanted to replace my shadows with a blush I'd be able to. She also got me five shadows.

The palette itself is awesome. I love the magnetic closure, I love how easy it is to use and how nice it looks. It is tricky to get the shadows out though (you can see where I've dented a couple trying. Maybe if you buy the remover they sell, it would be easier?
Anyway, on to the most exciting part - the shadows!
In the photo above, from left to right: Pearl 406, AMC Shine 49, AMC Shine 21, AMC Shine 31 and Matte 330. (£4.50 each here). They are totally my kind of colours, right?
Here's where it gets even better. All Inglot Freedom system shadows are £4.50. The Pearl type contains 2.7g of product; the Matte finish contains 2.3g of product; and the AMC Shine finish contains 3.2g of product. That's an average of 2.7g.
MAC Pro Pan shadows cost £10, over double the price, and contain 1.5g of product - or almost half the  amount!
But - are Inglot shadows comparable in quality?

Left to right: Pearl 406; AMC Shine 49; AMC Shine 21; AMC Shine 31; Matte 330

All of these shades were butter soft, pigmented and smooth. None had any chunky fallout from the shimmer, none were hard to blend, and worn over a primer they lasted all night with minimal fading.
The matte shade impressed me as being smooth and pigmented and not chalky.

Pearl 406 is a golden bronze with lighter golden shimmer. AMC Shine 49 is a shimmering olive gold, whilst AMC Shine 21 is a burnt, brown bronze. AMC Shine 31 is a purple taupe with flecks of gold, and Matte 330 is a neutral peachy shade.

I can't pic a favourite, although AMC Shine 31 all over the lid smoked out with AMC Shine 21 is a combination I have been loving. Overall it's a great alternative to MAC, purse-friendly and with a range of shades and finishes. I couldn't be more happy with my palette, or more grateful to my mum who seems to know me perfectly!

What shades would you put in your Inglot palette? Have you tried any?

Drugstore BB Cream Series Part Four: No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream for Dry/Very Dry Skin

Hey everyone!

Part four of the Drugstore BB Cream Series, today. See the previous instalments by clicking here. Both my mum and I tested out all nine available UK drugstore BB creams; to find out more about our skin types read part one of the series.

Today's BB cream is the No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream for Dry/Very Dry Skin (£12.95). I got it in the shade Fair. You can also get this BB Cream for Normal/Dry Skin and Normal/Oily Skin.

Shade range: Two shades for each skin type; Fair and Medium.

SPF: 15. 5* UVA/UVB.

Packaging: 40ml. Mum and I both liked the packaging. It comes in a wide, slim lavender tube. The tubes are colour coded for skin type, and the product is dispensed from a thin nozzle.

Claims: Hypo-allergenic. Will hydrate and energise skin with replenishing lipids.

Formula: This came out thicker than I expected, and smells of hand lotion. It wasn't irritating for me or my mum.  We both applied it by hand but found the formula quite thick and closer to a foundation. I thought it was fairly easy to apply but my mum didn't. 

It felt a little greasy on application, to me. It also looks darker than it applies. 

Coverage and Longevity: On me, this was medium coverage; it evened my skin tone, hid my redness and gave me a dewy glow. It also warmed up my skin tone. It felt a little tacky for a while after application, but set eventually. It felt very hydrating.
On my mum, however, it felt heavy and like it sat on top of her skin. She found it matte and too much for day wear, and too heavy for more mature skin. She did find that it was very long lasting, however.
I applied this at about 10.40am I thought there was some fading on and around my nose and chin by the 6 hour mark, with redness showing through around my nose. By the time I removed it, approximately 8 and a half hours in, it was faded on the nose and chin and a little patchy on the cheeks, but my skin still looked good overall.
It took longer to remove than others, as it was more foundation like.
Here it is with makeup:

In summary:

Pros:

• SPF 15 and UVA/UVB protection.
• Has a variety for skin types.
• Fuller coverage
• Long lasting.
• Was glowy on my skin, and hydrating.
• No irritation.
• Higher amount of product than some others.

Cons:

• Limited shade range.
• Thick, more like foundation.
• Feels tacky on application.
• On more mature skin felt heavy and matte.

What do you think? Have you tried this BB Cream?

Drugstore BB Cream Series Part Three: Une Intuitive Touch BB Cream Foundation

Hey everyone!

Time for part three of my Drugstore BB Cream Series. You can catch up on previous posts by clicking here. Hopefully you already know that me and my mum are both testing each of the nine readily available drugstore BB creams in the UK. You can find out more about our skin types in the first post of the series.

Today's BB Cream is the Une Intuitive Touch BB Cream Foundation (£14.99, but you can currently get it for £9.49). This makes it the most expensive BB Cream in the series. I bought shade 103.

Shade range: Six shades, all light.
SPF: None.
Packaging: 6g or 0.21oz. Mum and I both liked the packaging. It was different from all the others as this is a cream foundation - and here is where I take a little issue as it's not really a BB Cream, it's more a foundation due to the lack of SPF and consistency.
The packaging is sleek, minimal and purist. It's magnetic and slides up with a big mirror. The cream compact initially made me think this was old fashioned - but that might be because I never use cream foundations.
This is refillable, but I cannot find the refills on any UK website. Also, for the amount you get (6g) the price is high in comparison to other drugstore cream compacts. Max Factor Facefinity is £10.99 for 10g; Revlon New Complexion One-Step is £9.99 for 10g.
Claims: 100% natural ingredients, certified by ECOCERT. Cream to powder formula, adjustable coverage, imperceptible finish. 8 hours moisture, creates radiance and is breathable.

Formula: Mum and I both found that the tiny brush was useless, as it was too hard. We both used our fingers. The formula was thick and dry, and took a lot of blending and a lot of product to cover the face. It took a while to apply. Mum and I both found it difficult. 

It is not greasy, but is a very dry formula which is bad for mum and I's dry skin.

Coverage and Longevity: This cancelled out a lot of my redness and my skin looked even. However it was very ashy (both me and mum found it too grey) and very matte in finish, as it dries to a powder. Therefore there was no 'glow'. It was very yellow/grey - even for someone with yellow tones like myself. 

There was no transfer, and this sets quickly. My cream to powder blush sat on top much better than it normally does on top of liquid foundation. 

The coverage is medium, and there is no obvious scent.

By 6 hours, there was little fading on my nose and forehead. It was faded by the 10 hour mark.

Here I am with makeup on:

 In summary:

Pros:

• Portable compact with cool design and big mirror.
• Natural, eco-friendly ingredients, which explains lack of chemical SPF.
• Long lasting.
• Would be good for really oily skins looking for a matte finish.
• Medium coverage.

Cons:

• High price for amount of product.
• No refills in UK.
• Hard to apply and very dry formula.
• Ashy colour and light colour range.
• No SPF or skin protection.
• Doesn't have the same qualities as other BB Creams, so more of a foundation.

Overall this foundation is not for me, or my mum. Our skin is too dry to handle to dry, matte formula. However it is very long lasting and if you happen to fall into the shade range and have oily skin, this may be for you.

What do you think, have you ever tried it?

Drugstore BB Cream Series Part Two: Maybelline Dream Fresh BB

Hey everyone!

I thought it was about time I posted the second instalment of my Drugstore BB Cream Series. You can see part one of my series here. 

As you may recall, both me and my mum tested each of the nine readily available BB Creams from UK drugstores, so that you can see how they react on both younger and more mature skins. Read part one for a description of our respective skin types.

Today I'm looking at the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream (£7.99). I bought it in the shade Light.

Shade range: Four shades in the UK: Light, Medium, Dark and Universal Glow. There are five shades available in the US, however; Light; Light/Medium; Medium; Medium/Deep and Deep, so if you live stateside you are more likely to find your shade.

SPF: 30.

Claims Gives a natural glow, compliments the skin tone, hydrates all day, blurs imperfections. SPF 30, oil free and non greasy. Looks smooth and feels fresh.

Packaging: 30ml. Dream Fresh comes in a very feminine beige, white and pink squeezy tube with a flat dispenser. It is very easy to get out of the packaging, but can be quite runny.

Formula: Both my mum and I noticed that the texture was not watery but not thick either. We both applied it using our fingers. Neither of us experienced any irritation, but I found the smell initially very plasticky and strong. However the smell faded quickly.
Both my mum and I thought this was very easy to apply and to blend. It was also the right shade for us both.

Coverage and Longevity: I didn't find this drying, and whilst it was slightly more hydrating that the L'Oreal BB Cream, it didn't feel moisturising or greasy. It set fairly quickly on me. My skin felt smooth and evened out on application; and the coverage was quite light.
It didn't cover my pigmentation or freckles, and my under eye circles were still at little visible, but it did seem to 'blur' my skin. There was a natural 'glow' which my mum also noticed - not artificial, just the look of good skin.
The SPF is good and high, and this BB Cream does not feel oily or patchy.
I put it on at approximately 1.30pm, and it started fading after around 4 and a half hours, around my nose and a little on my cheeks. By the 8 hour mark, I was looking alright but worn.
It was very easy to remove.
I have no photo of it with makeup on top as I did not apply makeup this day.

In summary:

Pros:

• SPF 30
• Easy to apply and blend
• Not oily or greasy
• Makes skin look natural and fresh
• Wider shade range than others

Cons:

• Formula can mean running from packaging
• Light coverage
• Smaller shade range than in the US
• Not incredibly long lasting

So what do you think? Have you tried this BB Cream?

MUA Undressed Palette Swatch and Review

Hey everyone!

When I saw the MUA were coming out with the Undressed Palette (£4.00), I immediately wanted to have it. It's a very cheap competitor for the Urban Decay Naked Palette, and since I wasn't about to shell out £36 on a palette when I wasn't sure if the colours would flatter my skin tone or not, I though this would be a purse-friendly way to test it out. That said, I think I'll probably leave the Naked Palette alone now, given the quality of this!

Of course I'm not saying that the shadow or packaging quality is the same - and I don't have the Naked Palette for comparison, anyway. But I've always loved MUA's shadows and this palette doesn't disappoint.

The shades don't have names, but are numbered from left to right, top to bottom, as shades 1-12.

Shades 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Shades 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Shades 9, 10, 11 and 12.

Left to right, top to bottom: Shades 1 -12.

These colours are all amazing. If you want to see how they compare to the shades in the Urban Decay Naked Palette, you can see that comparison on the MUA Facebook page. I'd say it was an incredibly close match.
Most of the shades were pigmented, creamy and blendable. The only ares of (mild) disappointment were in Shade 6, which had quite a bit of fallout and was a little less powerfully pigmented than the others; and the two matte shades, 3 and 5, which were incredibly creamy and had a great finish but weren't as pigmented as I'd hoped. That said, they make a great natural blending colour and work for a soft, subtle nude look.
I'm really impressed with the quality of this palette, especially for the low price of £4. I probably won't get the Naked Palette now, as £36 seems excessive for a near replica of something I already have.

What do you think? Have you tried this yet, or are you happy with the Naked Palette?

ALSO: IF YOU ARE AN IRISH READER; enter my Miinto.ie giveaway here!

Miinto.ie Shoe Wishlist + Giveaway for Irish Readers! | Closed

Hey everyone!
I have something a bit different for you today! The lovely folk over at Miinto.ie are offering a 30 euro  gift card to one Irish reader of my blog! This applies to both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and it's open today. Sorry to all my other lovely readers, but it is not long until my blog birthday and I'll be running and international giveaway then!
First, let's look at what you could put that gift card towards - or, rather, what I would put it towards!

Miinto.ie offers a bunch of awesome brands in one place. You can also get some of these brands on the new Miinto.co.uk website, including Melissa + Vivienne Westwood. These shoes are my favourites from the range, and cost 140,00 EUR.

The ever popular Jeffrey Campbell Lita is also available on Miinto.ie. I want them in every single shade and finish, but have a soft spot for these awesome spiky boots.

Perhaps my favourite brand on the whole of Miinto is Finsk. They may be slightly more expensive, but they are so architectural and unusual. I don't think I'd ever take them off! My favourite pairs are the gold splatter wedges and the beautiful grey and blue skyscraper wedges.

So, now you know that there are loads of awesome shoes on the Miinto.ie website; you should also know that they do clothes, accessories and jewellery as well; I just happened to fall in love with all of these shoes. And, if you live in either Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, you can now enter my Miinto.ie giveaway!

The prize is a 30 Euro online voucher :)

Rules

1. You must be either a resident of Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland.

2. You must be over 18 or have your parents permission.

3. Fill out the Rafflecopter form below:

Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Drugstore BB Cream Series Part One: L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream

Hey everyone!

Remember I've been promising for days, if not a couple of weeks, that I'd have a new series of posts up and running? Well, today I'm launching my Drugstore BB Cream Series, where the nine BB creams available in UK drugstores are put to the test.

I tested them, and my mum tested them too; so you'll be able to see how they work for both younger and more mature skins. The thing worth saying here is this: my mother and I both have dry, sensitive skin (she more than I) so we will not be using BB creams specifically for oily skin. We are both also fair skinned with yellow undertones.

The criteria I used for review were the skincare benefits; application; price point; coverage; longevity and packaging. The shade range for all of these BB creams is shockingly limited, but where there are more shades available, a note will be made. Hope you like it!

The first shade we reviewed was L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream for Fair Skin Tone (£9.99). 

Shade Range: Two shades, fair and medium.

SPF: 12.

Claims: 24 hour hydration; smart pigment capsules.

Packaging: 30ml. Nude Magique comes in a squeezy tube with a thin nozzle. The pearly white and lilac packaging feels like a hand or skin treatment, but is nice to look at. Me and my mum both noticed that the nozzle was very leaky, and the product came out almost as soon as you removed the cap - so be careful!

Formula: Both my mum and I noted that the formula is white and watery at first. We both applied it with fingers. I thought it smelled like suncream, but neither of us experienced any irritation.

At first, mum and I both said that it feels like a very gentle exfoliant. This is down to what L'Oreal calls the 'smart pigment capsules' which burst when you rub the BB cream in and turn it into a tinted formula. Both mum and I thought it was very easy to apply and blend.

Coverage and Longevity: Neither mum nor I found this drying, although it didn't feel actively hydrating like a moisturiser would. It did not feel like it was sitting 'on' my skin. For a 'fair' shade, I thought this was too dark and tan, but I was able to blend it in. It felt a little like wearing a facial self tanner. It did give my skin a natural glow, but wasn't greasy.
I thought this was light-medium coverage, leaning to light, but my mum found it more medium. It did even my skin tone, and covered some redness, though not all of it, and it allowed my freckles to show through. The orange tones cancelled out a lot of under eye blue.
I put this on at midday. I found that there was fading by 6 hours, especially at the chin and around my nose, and it had worn away fairly evenly by 8 hours. There was no transfer or patchiness. Mum did not find it particularly long lasting.

Here I am wearing it with the rest of my makeup - I think it makes me look very healthy.
My mum gave this one her stamp of approval.
In summary:

Pros

• SPF 12
• Easy to apply and blend
• Adds healthy glow
• Light-medium coverage, natural look
• Not greasy

Cons

• Among the more expensive of the BB creams
• Leaky nozzle
• Small shade range and dark colour for a 'fair' shade
• Not the most long-lasting, but not bad

So, what do you think? Do you like this idea for a series? What's your favourite BB cream?

L'Oreal Color Infallible Eyeshadow Flashback Silver and Purple Obsession Swatch & Review

Hey everyone!
Sorry I've been a bit irregular on the blogging front - I have a slew of posts lined up, including a new post series which should start ASAP; so hopefully you'll forgive me!
After seeing the lovely Infallible Shadows over on Sleep And Water (seriously, go check out this awesome blog!) I also happened to see some for half off in the supermarket. Whilst Metallic Lilac is my dream colour, these were the two on sale. Purple Obsession and Flashback Silver can be gotten from Boots for £6.99.

I quite like the little pots these come in, and both shades look lovely in the tub. Remember to keep the little stamper they come with in the pot, or they will separate and dry out.

You can see that these shades aren't as pigmented as some of the others in the range; but they are lovely. Purple Obsession is a black-based metallic purple, whereas Flashback Silver is a blue based silver grey. Both last all day on me, but aren't as pigmented as some of the other Infallible shadows I've seen. The price is steep, but some of the shades in the range are so beautiful it could be worth it.
And I really do like Flashback Silver.
Do you like these shadows? Have you tried any of the other shades?