INIKA - Review

Hello everyone, I hope you are well.

I have now finished all my assessments at university and have come home for Christmas! It has been a while since I last posted as I had so much work to get through.

Today I am going to be reviewing three INIKA Mineral eyeshadows and a skin illuminisor.

Mineral Illuminisor* (3g) £17

(Close-up of illuminisor powder on the skin)

I wasn't overly impressed with the illuminisor, I didn't find it gave my skin a natural glow as I felt it looked far too glittery on my face. I prefer products that are more shimmery than glittery, I did find that the illuminisor worked really well as a highlighter on my brow bones.

Directions

• Apply to the highlight areas of the cheeks, brow bone and temples.
• Dust over cheekbones and decolletage to enhance complexion and create an all-over healthy glow.
• Mix Illuminisor with moisturiser for glowing legs and arms.

Summary

Pros:

• Non-comedogenic
• Lovely packaging

Cons:

• Too glittery
• Pricey

 Mineral Eye Shadow* (1.2g) £14.50 each

 (Left to right: Coco Motion, Gold Dust, Gunmetal)

I was extremely impressed with these eyeshadows, I have enjoyed experimenting with them and have come up with some really lovely makeup looks.  The colours are highly pigmented, they are easy to apply and they blend beautifully!

Here are the 3 colours I tried out:
Coco Motion -  a divinely earthy matte brown.  Perfect for creating depth and definition. 
Gold Dust - a pale, shimmery gold. Great as a highlighter or blended with other colours. 
Gunmetal - a metallic silver (with a hint of purple) which looks like mercury when applied wet or over black eyeliner.

Directions

• Pick up a little powder, press the product into the brush, tap off the excess and apply as desired.
• Create amazing metallic or iridescent looks by layering one colour on top of another.
• Add water for use as a liquid eyeliner.

Summary

Pros:

• Highly pigmented
• Can be used wet or dry to add different textures
• Multi-purpose can be used as eyeliner as well as eyeshadow
• Blend well
• Natural ingredients - suitable for people with sensitive eyes
• Lasts a long time 
• Lovely packaging

 Cons: 

• Slightly pricey

Overall I've had a good experience with the products, I think the eye shadows are fantastic and I will definitely be purchasing more of them in the future! I like that all the INIKA mineral products are non-comedogenic, this means they don't clog your pores or cause breakouts! 
These products are slightly pricey but for the quality of the product, I think it is worth it. They are in a similar price range to MAC eye shadows and think they are just as good, they will last me a while too as a little bit goes a long way!

Have you tried any of the INIKA cosmetics?

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

*Disclaimer PR sample - My opinions are still 100% honest

Favourite Autumn Polishes

Hello everyone,

Today I'm sharing my favourite Autumn nail polishes that have been loving and wearing a lot this month.

They are all Essie nail polishes and are the first polishes that I have tried from the collection.

 I have to say I am very impressed with these polishes, the consistency is perfect and they apply nice and smoothly!

This lovely trio cost just £9.99 from Tk Maxx - you can't beat a good bargain so I just had to have them!

I got a few other bits and bobs from Tk Maxx too, if you want to see what else I got then let me know and I will do a post on them!

Here are the polishes:-

                                  

 (Pictures taken with iPhone 4s)

It's Genius 

A violet purple with golden flecks/shimmers.

Brownie Points 

A creamy rich brown.

Mamba 

A warm-toned nude with a hint of peach. 

(It has very fine shimmers that you can see in the light if you look close enough).

I hope you enjoyed this post!

What were your favourite polishes this month?

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

ASOS Treats!

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well!

University work has been taking over my life lately as there are so many work deadlines to get out of the way before I can relax and go home for Christmas.

So... to encourage myself to battle through my assessments, I decided that I would treat myself to some goodies from ASOS! I don't normally share fashion related items on my blog but these pieces are so cute and I wanted to share them with you!

 (Pictures taken with iPhone 4s)

Pearl Bow Hair Barrette (Cream) - £6.00

Pearl Hand Harness (Cream) - was £12.00 now £6.00

Smooth Ponytailer Hair Tie (Gold) - £10.00

Mini Spike Chocker Necklace (Gold) - £8.00

I absolutely adore everything I got, I have had my eye on them for a while!

ASOS is such a lethal website! They have so many gorgeous things on there right now!

Have you treated yourself to anything from ASOS lately?

Natasha Carly x

 Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

I now have a Formspring profile so if you have a question for me, feel free to ask-

www.formspring.me/NatashaCarly

Area H2O Shampoo and Conditioner - Review

Hello everyone, hope you are all well!

Today I am going to be sharing my review on the Area H2O shampoo and conditioner*.

You can purchase these products from lookfantastic.com or through the Area H2O website.
Each bottle of shampoo (250ml) and conditioner (200ml) retails at £9.95. The products are also available in duo packs which are priced at £17.50. 

(Pictures taken with Nikon D3100)

These products are available in two categories, normal to fine hair and coloured hair. 

I have been using the shampoo and conditioner for medium water types and colour treated hair and I have to say I think it is brilliant!

I now use these products at least once away as a 'hair detox' I like my hair to feel very clean and because I use a lot of products like dry shampoo and hair oils etc I need a shampoo that will restore my hair back to it's 'natural' state.
Since using these products I have noticed that my hair has become a lot more manageable!

Before trying out these products I didn't know anything like this existed!

The benefits:

• Area H2O is scientifically tailored to work with your water type.
• Area H2O gives a more thorough and effective cleansing of the hair.
• Area H2O gives an improved lather using less water.
• Metal ions, present in the water which can react with shampoo to form mineral deposits are washed away.
• Hair is less flyaway and has a noticeable smooth texture.
• Both the Shampoo and Conditioner contain a PH of 5.5 - (the body's natural PH)

Summary

'The scientifically formulated by biochemists to combat the effects of mineral deposits and work with your water type. Area H2O attracts the metal ions that are present in every water type allowing you to wash them away more easily before they react with your shampoo to form deposits. This means your hair will feel noticeably cleaner, smoother and shinier. '

Pros:

• Smells gorgeous
• Good amount of product
• Lathers well
• Leaves hair feeling squeaky clean
• Smooth, soft hair

Cons:

• As far as I am aware there are only 2 hair type categories.

Have you tried this hair care range yet?

*Disclaimer PR sample - My opinions are still 100% honest

Natasha Carly x 

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton 

 

Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara

Hello everyone,

This is my all time favourite mascara.

 Lancôme Hypnôse Volumising Mascara (more info)

I got this mascara as a gift from my boyfriend for my birthday and I love it, it has been one of my favourites for quite a while now! I like how long and full it makes my eyelashes look. It is buildable and doesn't clump together like other mascaras that I have tried in the past.

With just a few coats of this mascara you can dramatically transform your lashes, you can use this for both subtle and dramatic eye make-up looks, which I think is fab!

"The supple texture of this exclusive formula turns into an ultra-light fluid with endless playtime, enabling you to build your lashes, over and over, without smearing, smudging or clumping."

"With its 1,000 sensor bristles, the Power Full™ Brush delivers made-to-measure lash volume that you control. With each sweep, it glides through your lashes for perfect separation, while evenly applying the mascara from base to tip."- Lancôme Website

(Taken with Canon A3300is)

Summary

Pros 

• Thick bristles.
• No clumping.
• No smudging or flaking.
• Gorgeous, sleek packaging.
• Contains vitamin B5.

Cons

• Quite expensive compared to high street brands, retails at £21.

This is such a gorgeous mascara! I'm so happy to have it back in my life, I would be lost without it!

Have you tried any mascaras by Lancôme? What are your thoughts?

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Caudalie Beauty Elixir - Review

Hello everyone,

Today I am sharing my review of the Caudalie Beauty Elixir 100ml* (more info)

(Taken with Nikon D3100) 

This product is available on the Caudalie website and FeelUnique.com and is available in 2 sizes 30ml (retails around £10) or 100ml (retails around £30).

This product is amazing, my skin has never looked so good and I swear this product has something to do with that!

I use this product in the morning after cleansing my face and before applying my moisturiser. It has a cooling sensation which is why I like using it in the morning as it makes my skin feel refreshed and energised.

You can use this product throughout the day to keep your skin feeling and looking fresh, it can also be used to set your make-up.

Ingredients

• Grape
• Orange blossom
• Rose
• Organic balm mint
• Rosemary

The Caudalie Beauty Elixir is 100% natural fragrance and paraben free! Another thing I like about this product is that it's not tested on animals!

Directions
 
Shake before use. Close your eyes and mist onto face before applying your moisturiser and at any time of the day to refresh the skin or set your make-up.

Summary

"Inspired by the "elixir of youth" used by Queen Isabelle of Hungary, Caudalie Beauty Elixir smoothes features, tightens pores, and gives the complexion a burst of radiance. An excellent base for make-up, this water awakens the skin in the morning and livens it up before a night out."

"For all skins lacking radiance. Caudalie Beauty Elixir is an exceptional anti-dull complexion treatment and a wonderful after-shave for men."

Pros

• Radiant complexion
• Less spots and blemishes
• Smoother and brighter skin
• Gorgeous packaging
• Pump/spray application
• Smells amazing 

Cons

• Slightly pricey

Overall I really like this product and will definitely purchase a new one when this runs out. Even though the product is slightly on the pricey side for a poor student like myself, I do think it is worth the money. I have seen a huge improvement in my skin and after trying a fair share of over the counter creams and spot sticks, I think I have finally found my holy grail product!

The ingredients in this product are of a high quality which I think justifies the price!

Have you tried the Beauty Elixir? What do you think?

*Disclaimer PR sample - My opinions are still 100% honest

 

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Natur Vital Colour Pack - Review

Hello everyone, I hope you are well!

Today I am reviewing the Natur Vital Colour Pack* in the colour Chesnut.

I used this to top up my hair colour after I dyed it darker a few weeks ago. My current hair colour is medium/dark brown and this pack worked perfectly on my colour.

The treatment packs are available from the Natur Vital website and retail at £9.99 which I think is a great price for the quality of the product.

This product does contain dye so I treated this the same as if I was using a regular hair dye and applied Vaseline around my hair line and on my neck before using the product to prevent any staining. I also used old towels and made sure the area I was working in was covered up etc.

(Pictures taken with Nikon D3100)

Active Ingredients

• Wheat germ - Used in cosmetics for its vitamin properties and restructuring of hair keratin and antioxidants.
• Sunflower seed extract - Protects colour of natural and coloured hair.
• Henna- Natural hair dye that has strengthening properties.
• Aloe Vera - Moisturises and sooths skin.

Directions

Step 1 Shampoo - Apply the cleansing shampoo to wet hair and massage in gently. Leave on hair for a few minutes and rinse out with plenty of warm water.

Step 2 Mask - After rinsing out the shampoo apply the mask on to wet hair. Comb through from the roots to ends and leave to work for 3-5 minutes. During this time, wash hands thoroughly to avoid any staining. Rinse hair thoroughly and style as usual.

Summary

Pros:

• Lasts a long time.
• Can be used on coloured and non-coloured hair.
• Makes hair shiny.
• Good amount of product.
• Doesn't smell too strong

Cons:

• Lessens contrast of colours on highlighted hair.

Overall my experience with this product was good and I would definitely use this again!
This product worked really well in my hair and the colour was noticeably different, I was very please at how shiny and glossy my hair was afterwards!

Have you tried this product before or any other products by Natur Vital?

*Disclaimer PR sample - My opinions are still 100% honest

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Tutorial ' Warm Shimmer' - MUA Undressed Palette

Hello everyone, 

Unfortunately my laptop has decided to break just when I had planned lots of posts for this weekend! 
My boyfriend has kindly let me use his laptop so I can put up a post for you! Gotta love him! It's going to be a while until my next post so please bear with me!

Now for the fun part...
This is currently one of my favourite autumn eye make-up looks, I have been loving this as well as brown smokey eyes! 
I have decided to call this look 'Warm shimmer'.

I used the MUA Undressed palette and the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR in '35 - On and on bronze' to create this look.

Eye base

• Urban Decay Primer Potion (over whole eye area and brown bone).
• Maybelline Black Kohl eye pencil (over whole eyelid upto the crease. Lighly line the top and bottom lashlines too).
• Maybelline Colour tattoo (over my eyeliner upto the crease I feel this helps to give a nice base colour to work on) Any brown/bronze cream eye shadow should work!

Eye shadows

After applying my primer and base colour, I used shades 6,5 and 1 from the MUA Undressed palette.
These colours are stunning and I think they are perfect to create make-up looks for autumn and winter!

1. I used shade 6 over the top of the Maybelline Color Tattoo shadow, I think the golden shimmer gives more texture and depth to the look.
2. Next I used shade 5 which is a light matte brown on my crease and slighly above the crease to blend out any harsh lines. I also applied it underneath my bottom lashes.
3. Then I used shade 1 underneath my brow as a highlight colour.

(Pictures taken with Canon A3300is)

I kept my cheeks and lips simple by using a warm, peachy blush and nude lipstick. I applied a few coats of my favourite mascara and voila! The look is complete!

What are your favourite make-up looks for autumn? 

If you want try out this look I would love to see how it turned out for you so leave your links below!!

Thanks for reading!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

My Favourite Hair Products

Hello everyone, 

I apologise for my very long absence! I haven't had time to blog lately as I have been busy starting back at uni and haven't had much time on my hands at all!

I have still been keeping up with your lovely blogs though and now I am settled back into my flat, it means I'll have plenty more time to blog!

Also I want to welcome the new followers I've gained whilst I've been away! 
Thank you so much for following my blog and I hope you enjoy reading my future posts!

Now my little ramble is out of the way, lets get on with my favourite hair products! I use all of these products on a regular basis and I would say I cannot live without them! 

(Taken with Canon A3300is) 

Dove Overnight Intensive Repair |  VO5 Nourish Me Truly Conditioner | Herbal Essences Split Beautiful Ends Leave-in Conditioner | TRESemme Deep Cleansing Shampoo | It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Conditioner | Batiste Dry Shampoo - Tropical | The Body Shop Macadamia Straightening Balm | Davines MOMO Moisturizing Curl Enhancing Serum.

All of these products work brilliantly on my hair! If you haven't tried any of them yet then I highly recommend you do! Most of these products work well to combat frizz and fly-away hair! Definitely my favourite must-have hair products!

What are your Holy Grail hair products??

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Urban Decay Book of Shadows IV

Hello everyone, I hope you are well!

Last week my lovely boyfriend ordered me the Urban Decay Book of Shadows IV (Vol.4) for £29.99 on a Wowcher deal from JustShe.co.uk  and since then I have been impatiently waiting for it to arrive and this morning it finally did! (Not that I had been waiting very long at all!)

(Taken with Nikon D3100)

The colours in this palette are gorgeous, I am so excited to try them out!

I will be doing a full review of this palette as well as make up tutorials, let me know if there are any specific looks you would like to see using these stunning shades! 

Have you tried any Urban Decay Palettes?

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

August Favourites

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well!

Today I am sharing my August Favourites with you.

 

MUA Glamour Days Palette £4.00

This palette is gorgeous! I love how pigmented the colours are and they last me all day without creasing. The colours are gorgeous shades of both matte and shimmers, I have really been enjoying them this summer!

Ben Nye Banana Powder $7.99 (£5.00)

I have been LOVING this powder, I have done a full review on this which you can read it here. I love how flawless it makes my skin look and how it controls my shiny face all day!

MAC Sculpt and Shape - Accentuat/Sculpt

I don't know a price for this as I believe it has been continued but I got this from The Sunday Girl's blog sale a few months ago and have really been loving it! I use it to contour my cheeks and my nose etc I use the lighter shade to highlight my cheekbones and brow bone.

Sleek Blush - Flamingo £4.29

This is such a gorgeous pink colour, it is very pigmented and gives a gorgeous pop of colour on you cheeks. You can layer this blush up or down to intensify the colour or to give a more natural subtle hint of pink.

 (Taken with Canon A3300is)

Xen Tan Deep Bronze Luxe - Dark 236ml £28.99 approx*

I have only used this a couple of times but think the quality of this product is amazing! The colour goes on evenly and it smells like vanilla which I think is gorgeous and makes a change from the typical biscuity smell of other self tanners. I will be doing a full product review on this soon so I won't blab on too much about how I love it here!

Sinful Colors - Tapping Nails 15ml £2.99

This is such a gorgeous summery orange colour it looks lovely against my skin tone and I like that it has tiny gold flecks in it, it really adds depth to your nails!

Eylure False Lashes £5.35

This brand of false eyelashes are my favourite! They have such a variety of different lashes from natural look to dramatic evening lashes! I use these lashes over and over to, they last quite a while before you have to buy new ones. I always keep a few boxes handy though just in case!

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment 200ml £7.99

I have been using this hair treatment twice and week and I have to say it is doing wonders for my hair! It makes it feel silky soft and smooth! I will be doing a full review on this as lots of you have asked for one so I will get that up asap!

PanOxyl 5% Cream £3.00 approx

As you probably know by now I suffer from terrible skin! I bought this cream around March time but stopped using it after a few weeks because I got impatient waiting for it to work! I have recently started using it again over the past few months and have seen such a huge improvement in my skin!

Thanks for reading!

*Disclaimer this post contains PR Samples - My opinions are still 100% honest.

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Ben Nye Banana Powder - Review

This product has become very popular among the world of beauty! If you are a fan of Kim Kardashian you will know that her makeup artist uses Banana Powder to set her concealer. 

Even if you aren't a fan of Kim Kardashian there is no denying that her make-up always looks flawless and well I can dream that by using this product my skin will look just as good as hers does!
After watching many YouTubers raving about this product I decided it was time to get my hands on it!

Unlike translucent powders, this Ben Nye Luxury Banana Powder is yellow based which helps to prevent your skin from looking ashy and compliments my skin tone well. I use this to set my under eye concealer as well as applying it to the highlighted parts of my face, I feel it helps to brighten up my under eye area making me look more fresh and awake! 

The powder is very light on the skin and doesn't sink into any creases on your face. It still gives fantastic coverage, I love watching my dark under eye circles disappear!

I use my Cosmopolitan Perfection Blender to apply the product, this is the best method I have found so far.

I purchased my Ben Nye Luxury Powder in the shade 'Banana' from Camera Ready Cosmetics, the product itself costs $7.99 which is around £5.00 (remember it will cost around £5.00 extra to get it shipped to the UK) I was very impressed at how quickly I received the product, I got it shipped from America and it took just over a week! You can also purchase this from eBay in the UK but I found this website was the cheaper option.

(You might be able to find the product cheaper elsewhere but I am sharing with you where I got mine from. If you know of a website or store in the UK that sells this product for cheaper then let me know!)

(Taken with iPhone 4s and Nikon D3100)

Pros

• Controls shine
• Doesn't adjust foundation colour
• Brightens face
• Yellow based - compliments many skin tones
• Parfum free 
• Lots of product (even in smallest size)

Cons

• Lack of availability in the UK

Personally I think this product is worth paying the money for. I purchased the smallest size but still think it will last me quite a while as a little goes a long way!

Have you tried Ben Nye Banana Powder or anything similar?

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton