Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

Ever since this product was launched I have seen rave reviews, in fact I haven't read a bad one yet. So after browsing Boots the other day (and after picking up a really bad foundation previously) I wanted a piece of the action and to find out why everyone was such a fan.

After being a complete BB fan for a while, I wasn't used to applying a thicker consistency to my skin first thing in the morning. But when looking at it, it isn't actually that thick, I mean I have used mud-like formulas before, so this is quite light in comparison. It smooths onto the skin easily and provides a good coverage too.

When looking at the product inside the bottle, you can see a subtle shimmer. This is visible on the skin, but not overly obvious and more so in artificial light. I guess you could say this is what gives the skin a dewy finish, helping you're complexion look fresher than a daisy.

One thing this foundation promises to do is wake-up tired-looking skin and to some extent I agree. It evens out skin tone and like I said above, gives the skin a dewy finish. The only dislikes i have about this product is that you have to use quite a bit in order to cover the whole face. I have used foundations in the past where one pump is plenty, but with this one you easily have to use one and a half. Secondly, this foundation doesn't apply well with a brush. I have found that application is a lot easier with your hands (clean hands that is) and an applicator sponge.

Overall, I'm sure I would re-purchase this product. I've never really rated Rimmel foundations in the past, but I guess this one passes.

Show your shoes some sparkle!

Girls are like magpies. As soon as we see something sparkly, our eyes widen and we're instantly attracted. Whether its as subtle as our nails or as extravagant as a piece of jewellery, as soon as we see it shimmer in the light it instantly makes us feel a million dollars. It's also the same with shoes. What girl do you know who doesn't love a pair of shoes?

The brains behind the brand 8ighteen know exactly how women work, combining our love of shoes and all things sparkly. Whether you're after a unique pair of customised heels or a subtle bit of bling to add to your favourite pair of shoes, 8ighteen have the answer. They will customise to suit you and your personality or come up with a completely unique design, never seen before, and at great prices too!

I definitely recommend you check out 8ighteen's Facebook page and have a browse of their unique range. They're constantly coming up with new ideas and great ways to add sparkly to a simple pair of shoes. Give them a follow on Twitter too!

Here's just a few of my favourite items...

Nails Inc. Lucky Dip

I’m not sure how many of you have heard of Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert website, but recently it has become my go-to place for finding out how I can get more for less. Whether you’re after beauty product, the best savings accounts or vouchers for money-off, it offers a mine of information in one place.

Each week, Martin’s newsletter lands in my inbox and I scour it to see if I can bag myself a bargain. Two weeks ago I struck gold when I saw an offer from Nails Inc. – A lucky dip offer which allowed you to purchase 6 nail polishes for a total price of £19 including P&P. A fantastic offer, considering a single Nails Inc. nail polish costs around £10-£12. But what made this more exciting was the 'lucky dip' aspect - the 6 nail polishes were picked completely at random and not by me. I was a little apprehensive that they might not be the nicest colours, but for £19 I couldn't turn it down!

I waited two weeks for the package to arrive and I wasn't disappointed by the colours either...

Left to right: St Marks Square, Royal Ascot, Blenheim Terrace, Fitzroy Square Special Effects, Boltons Place and Camden Special Effects.

So far I have only worn Blenheim Terrace so far but I can't wait to try the rest.

www.moneysavingexpert.com
www.nailsinc.com

My favourite products of two thousand and twelve

2012 was a strange year. A lot of things changed and unfortunately this took strain on my blog, therefore I don't have many blog reviews to fall back on. I have still managed to keep my beauty hat on this year, so this is my chance to share with you some of the products I have rated but might not have had a chance to blog about. So here goes...

One of my all time favourite products this year is The Sanctuary Spa Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser. I heard fave reviews about the Liz Earle version so wanted to try this version as an alternative. I love how clean my skin feels after using it and it smells amazing too. I'm really lazy with my skin care routine - often just a make-up wipe will do - but this gives me the chance to give my skin a deep cleanse, something it doesn't get very often!

As for mascara's, in 2012 I used some fab products and some shockers, but there's one I always run back to as a safe choice - L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara. It's a fail s. afe mascara that gives full, volumous lashes in minimal strokes, and it lasts from morning till night. I have recently been testing the luminizer version. A blog post is expected soon.

After ombre-ing my hair two months ago, it has really suffered and become damaged, so Lee Stafford's Nourishing Miracle Oil became my savour. Just adding a small, 1p sized blob to the ends of my hair before blow-drying helped smooth it out and keep it looking and feeling healthy.

Despite its launch in 2011, the MUA Heaven and Earth Eyeshadow Palette was one of my favourite products last year and still remains one of my ultimate party make-up essentials. I won't go out without using one of the 12 eyeshadows.

Another L'Oreal product and that's the Nude Magique BB Cream. I bought this BB Cream back in the summer as a lighter alternative to my foundation and in fact I love it that much, I have bought it twice over. Whether you want subtle coverage or to use as a base, the L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream is perfect. It's incredibly light, gives great coverage and lasts much longer than other BB creams I have tested. I'm praying L'Oreal don't discontinue this one.

Last, but certainly not least is the Neutrogena Multi-Defence Daily Moisturiser for Normal to Combination Skin. I have tested many moisturisers throughout the years. I've had my favourites and one's where I didn't even get round to finishing the bottle, but non that I've liked as much as this one. I was first introduced to this product a couple of years ago after picking up a sample. I loved it that much that I went out and bought a bottle and I've carried on buying it ever since. I find some moisturisers too heavy on the skin, which is fine for night but there's nothing I hate more than applying a tacky, thick moisturiser to my skin in the morning when I'm strapped for time. The Neutrogena Multi-Defence Daily Moisturiser is completely different. It's extremely light and sinks in within a matter of seconds. What I love about it the most is it protects against different daily elements from, sun, heat, cold, pollution and wind. Plus it comes with SPF15 too!

This year I plan on blogging more and coming up with a completely new list of products ready for the beginning of 2014. I can't wait to see what new launches the beauty brands bring.

Lastly, I want to thank every one of you for reading my blog and commenting. Getting that email to tell me one of you has commented brings a huge smile to my face and its why I blog. I love beauty, as do you and I love sharing that with you all. So thank you again.

Ombré: for highlighted hair

So, for the last 12 years my hair has been far from my natural colour. In fact, I'm not quite sure what my natural colour is anymore. When I was 13, my mother and I decided it would be a really good idea to put red streaks in my hair and to be honest, it didn't look half bad. Then I decided to go blonde and it stuck ever since.

But for the last 12 years, my hair has had the same battering and apart from the length and a few fringe changes, it has pretty much stayed the same. This is why I decided to completely change it up and go back to my natural colour, ready for an ombré style.

I was really tempted to ombré myself. After watching a few YouTube videos I figured it was pretty easy to do. But one problem I came across was the fact that all the girls in the videos had natural coloured hair to start with, and considering I had highlighted hair, there was no way I was going to ombré the ends with an inch of re-growth on my roots. So I headed to the salon.

One of the main reasons for going to the salon was to get rid of my highlights, which apparently, isn't an easy task. Because of the bleach, it's difficult to colour brown as there's a chance that it could turn your hair green. In order to avoid this problem, a subtle ash blonde had to be mixed in with the brown, which didn't give me my exact natural colour, but it was near enough.

After applying the brown to 3/4 of my hair, bleach was applied to the ends to give a dip-dyed, ombré effect and here is the final result...

Admittedly, the underneath of took to the colour a lot more than the top layers of my hair, which is why I have taken a picture of the underneath. The top layers of my hair are still quite light, so I am considering going over with a DIY kit.

Ombré hair is such a great way of adding a subtle change to your hairstyle, especially for colour virgins. It allows you to add a touch of colour without going the whole hog.

If you have highlighted hair like I did, I would most definitely recommend going to a salon to have this done. It pays to have an expert do it first. It might be pricey the first time round, but at least you have the option to use a home dye kit next time.

What's in my bag 2012

Apart from beauty reviews, my second favourite blog post to read are nosy blog posts around people's  make-up storage, interior decoration and make-up bags, which is why I have decided to share with you again, what's in my handbag and here it is...

My handbag was a treat from myself, to myself, and bought from Accessorize. I have no idea how much, but I'm guessing it was around the £35 mark.

My purse is Fiorelli and was a birthday gift from my best friend. It's the perfect size and fits all of my rubbish inside.

You might notice a few items of clothing on the left. After visiting my sister the other day, I realised there were a few items of clothing - a pink cardigan and leather skirt - she has 'borrowed' from me. So I quickly snuck them back. At the time I decided to write this blog post, I had forgotten that these were in my bag.

I don't tend to keep anything interesting in my handbag, but I always carry around with me my notebook, diary, pens and my glasses. Four of the most essential things in my life. Believe it or not, I don't actually carry around much make-up, just the odd lip product for when I might need it. The only reason for this is I don't have time to reapply my make-up. As crazy as that sounds. My week day is pretty hectic, so the last thing I ever find myself doing is rushing off to the loos to apply another coat of mascara.

Please link in the comment box your blog posts of the same nature. I'm always interested to read them!

Blistex Cold Sore Cream

No one likes them, no one wants them, in fact they're probably one of the most dreaded blemishes. Yes, I'm talking about cold sores. Mostly caused by stress, exhaustion, ill health and tiredness, a whopping 70% of the UK population experience them. But Blistex have launched a brand new product to help combat the pesky little things.

Blistex Cold Sore Cream is an over the counter cream that works differently to your standard cold sore cream. It works by helping to stop the virus from spreading, by penetrating the skin deep in order to block the virus from entering the other healthy skin cells. What makes it more of a bonus is that while tackling your cold sore, it also helps to protect and moisturise your lips too - a 2 in 1!

Blistex Cold Sore Cream is priced at £6.99 and available from most over the counter pharmacies. For more information visit www.blistexcoldsorecream.co.uk.

*PR

Sanctuary Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser

When you think of the words hot cloth cleanser, the first two words of everyone lips - Liz Earle - the ultimate leader in the market. At nearly £15 for a standard product, it might be a little expensive for some, especially if you're trying it for the first time.

This is why I wanted to share with you an ever so slightly cheaper version - The Sanctuary Spa Brightening Facial Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser, priced at £10.20 from Boots.

Just like the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, the Sanctuary's version came with a muslin cloth and cleanser. After following the instructions carefully, I was surprised at how clean my skin felt afterwards. It claims to deeply cleanse the skin, as well as helping to stimulate circulation and leave you with a glowing complexion. I wouldn't exactly say my skin was 'glowing' but it certainly felt refreshed and a lot cleaner compared to when I use my everyday face wash. I'm not sure if this is down to the fact that it asks you to apply both hot and cold water to the skin, while massaging the product in too, which helps to wake your skin up.

The whole routine itself takes no more than a couple of minutes and the cleanser is really easy to use. You don't need a lot either, which means that £10 tube will last you quite a while. The only downside I guess, is that the muslin cloth can get quite mucky. I tend to take my eye make-up off beforehand, otherwise I'd end up spreading it across my face and that's not hygienic at all.

Due to how fresh your skin feels afterwards, I imagine this product would make a great cleanser for mornings. But I love my sleep too much and cut my skin care routine down to a mere make-up remover wipe and moisturiser, so I have mainly stuck to the evenings. I would also like to point out how few blemishes I have had since using this product too. During the last couple of months I have started to gain a few spots around my hairline, but these have cut down dramatically since using the product. I can only assume it means I am cleansing my skin properly and my pores are no longer becoming blocked.

I would definitely rate this product as an alternative high street version compared to the more expensive ones. So go on, give it a go! Let me know how you get on.

What's in my make-up bag 2012

Back in 2011, my make-up bag looked like this. Considering we're three months away from 2013, I thought I was due another one and to see how much my make-up routine has changed - apparently not so much. I guess I'm a creature of habit.

First of all my make-up bag is Cath Kidston and was bought as a Christmas gift from my beautiful Sister. It's a lot smaller than the last one I had, so I've had to cut down on a few products, leaving room for just the essentials.

L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream (Light Skin Tone) - My current make-up essential, you won't see me go a day without this product. To read my full review of this product, click here.

L'Oreal True Match Touché Magique Concealer - I have never, ever found an under eye concealer that works so well with my skin tone and hides those pesky dark circles as good as this one. It's a fantastic product and almost a cheaper version of the Yves Saint Laurent's Touché Éclat. Price, £7.19 from Boots.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-in-One BB Cream (Light) - I bought this quite a while back, back when I wanted to try a BB cream that wasn't going to cost me the earth. I loved this as a starter product, but wanted a BB cream that did a little bit more. I still keep this one in my make-up bag for days when I don't feel like wearing too much make-up. Available from Boots at £7.49.

Powder FX (E40) - I was given this at a press show around about a year ago and unfortunately I haven't kept any details on the brand. For the last year I have sworn by bareMinerals, but after running out and realising I had no other foundation, I fell towards this. The lovely gentleman who I spoke to at the time, matched my skin perfectly, which I guess is why I haven't stopped using it. The only problem is it doesn't last that long and by midday, it's worn off. But the consistency is lovely and feels ever so light on the skin.

Benefit 'that gal' Brightening Face Primer - I received this as a sample from a magazine. It smells amazing and feels really light and as a primer itself, I think it's okay. I haven't really used it enough to get a full grasp on it yet. Full sized product cost £21.50.

bareMinerals Prime Time Brightening Pearl Eyelid Primer - I haven't yet used an eyelid primer that trumps this one, but if you have any to rival, let me know. It helps make your eyeshadow pop and won't budge at all. To read my full review, click here. Price, £16 for 3ml.

Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Eyeliner (black) - I believe that every woman should own a liquid eyeliner. It's an essential product for creating a completely different look in one sweep. The great thing about this eyeliner is the size of the wand - it's quite long, as is the brush, which makes application really easy and seamless. A must have product of mine that I have been buying for years. Price £5.29.

Bourjois Eyeliner Pencil (black) - I think this product has been discontinued because I can't seem to find it anywhere. But needless to say, it's pretty much a standard eyeliner pencil. Stays put for most of the day, but tends to bleed under your eyes. Price is unknown.

L'Oreal Volume Million Mascara - I don't often buy a mascara more than once, but this one has been an exception to the rule. In fact, I think I have bought this twice over. What I love about this mascara is the wand and how well it coats all of your lashes.

Barry M Nail Polish (shade NP318) - One of my favourite Barry M nail polish shades, slightly too bright and summery for the Autumn months, so I will be swapping this with a darker navy or deep red shade instead. Price, £2.99 from Boots.

Clinique Instant Life for Brows (soft brown) - Quite possibly one of the best eyebrow crayons I have used, it's really subtle and easy to apply. The highlighter on the other end of the crayon gives a great lift to the brow bone too. Available in three colours, soft blonde, soft brown and deep brown, and available from Clinique for £15.

Benefit Posy Tint - This was a mini sample from a magazine, that I'm still trying to scrape the remnants from. It's a great little product and add a slight pink tone to your cheeks. This is a lip tint too. Price for the original size is £24.50.

Tools

(Unknown brand) eyelash curlers - A must-have for any girls make-up bag. I don't go a day without using these!

Vie at Home Double-Ended Eyeshadow Brush - Unsure of price

bareMinerals Wet/Dry Shadow Brush - £13 from bareMinerals

bareMinerals Flawless Application Face Brush - £19 from bareMinerals

Please link me to your make-up bag posts - I love having a good nosey!

Liebster Blog Award

When looking at my emails this morning I was greeted with a lovely comment from Eve telling me that she had nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award - a fab little award given to bloggers, from other bloggers whose blog has 200 followers or less. In order to accept the award, there are some rules, so here goes...

1) Each winner must post 11 facts about themselves
2) The winner must also answer 11 questions the tagger has set for them
3) The winner must then create 11 more questions to ask bloggers they decide to tag
4) They must then choose 11 bloggers to tag with less than 200 followers
5) And lastly, these lucky bloggers nominated, must then be told

So first of all here's 11 facts about myself ...

• I am completely, 100% scared of anything with wings. Be it moths, butterfly's, birds, daddy-long-legs. As soon as one flies into the room, I'm outta there! 
• I trained as a gymnastic for 7 years, where i competed in competitions and trained at the same gym as Louis Smith
• My Dad is my hero
• When I was born I was named Sydney for a week
• I am too honest for my own good, in fact it gets me in trouble more often than not
• I have had the pleasure of spending a morning, discussing beauty with Lulu 
• I won Johnson & Johnson's New Beauty Journalist award in 2011
• I'd rather watch a good action film over a chick-flick anyday
• I love to cook
• I couldn't live without my mascara
• I have never watched Dirty Dancing or Footlose

Now for the questions that I have been asked to answer...

What is your most embarrassing moment?
My most embarrassing moment has to be when I was 16 years old, working as a waitress in my local pub. It was New Years Eve and very busy. After clearing up dirty plates from a table, I carried them back to the kitchen, only to slip over in front of the whole bar, while a group of sixth form students from school laughed at me.

What is the best film you have seen this year?
This is a really hard question, but I think it has got to be The Help - inspirational, beautiful and funny.

What is your best buy?
This is quite a vague question, but if it was beauty related I would definitely say mascara. I don't have a favourite brand as I like to try different ones as often as I can.

What's the first item on your wish list?
It has got to be a Michael Kors rose gold watch. I'm absolutely obsessed with rose gold at the moment.

Have you got a favourite childhood toy?
My favourite toy growing up was definitely my Barbie dolls.

What is your favourite nail varnish?
My favourite nail varnish brand is Maybelline Forever Strong Pro, but they're really limited on colours. But if I was to go for favourite nail varnish overall, it would be Nails Inc in Haymarket.

Coke or Pepsi?
Coke

What's your most recent purchase?
Was a faux leather skirt and pug patterned top both from River Island.

What's the most expensive item in your wardrobe?
The most expensive item(s) in my wardrobe are both my pairs of Ugg boots - one in chestnut and the other in chocolate - everyone needs a bit of variation!

Is there a TV program you can't miss?
Keeping Up with the Kardashians is a definite and Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model.

Comfort or style?
Style

I have sent my questions to the blogs I've tagged myself in, instead of placing them on my blog. Thank you to Eve again for nominating me.

Lee Stafford Argan Oil: Nourishing Miracle Oil

Since leaving my last job a lot of beauty product have found themselves hidden amongst the depths of the drawers in my spare room. In fact I like to call this room the 'beauty room' because it is pretty much dedicated to samples I have amassed over the last couple of years. As a beauty writer and blogger, I should have known better than to leave beauty products untouched, because they don't last forever, but I just can't bring myself to throw them away.

Since starting my new job, the only beauty fix I get is from the odd browse in my local drug store and applying my make up in the morning, so recently I have found myself rummaging through these products, picking out the ones I want to share with you. Most of the products you have probably used yourselves, or read a dozen reviews on, but I'm still going to share with you my opinion. No matter how new a product is, it's the ones that have been sat on the shelves for ages that are the old favourites.

Which brings me on to my latest blog post. Back when Argan Oil was all the rage, I didn't quite understand the hype. Recently I dug out this little treasure and decided to apply it to the ends of my wet hair one night before drying. My instant thought - why the hell haven't I started using this sooner? 

Lee Stafford promised to nourish my hair and make my hair look in tip-top condition and feel amazing. So I applied roughly a 2p sized amount to the end of my hair, because this is the area that suffers the most damage. I'm prone to split ends - my hair is quite long, I wash, blow-dry and straighten everyday and have my hair bleached regularly, so it's no wonder it's in such dreadful condition. After rubbing into the ends, I blow-dried my hair as normal. I was completely shocked at how smooth, silky and soft my hair felt afterwards and how quick it took for my hair to dry - it was given a new lease of life! Lee was right, my hair did feel amazing. 

If you're thinking of trying this product, don't be put off by the fact that it is an oil. This nourishing oil is so lightweight, you won't even feel it and neither will it make you're hair greasy.

Available from Boots for £11.99

L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream

 

I love a good BB cream. In fact I pretty much adore them, I don't know how I ever survived without them. Whether you wear it on its own or as a base, they're perfect for giving you an even skin tone without looking caked on.

My first experience with BB creams was one of the first to be launched in the UK - Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector. It was a lot thicker and creamier than I expected, but offered a great introduction to the new product.

Recently I discovered L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Cream. Packed with smart pigment capsules, it comes in a lighter than light purple formula that can't be felt on the skin.

When first felt on your fingers, the cream feels slightly grainy, but once massaged into your skin it transforms into a very subtle, light foundation, with the grains almost melting onto your skin. Don't let the purple colour put you off. The purple pigments help to brighten dull or sallow complexions, which is why I've found it perfect for using under my powder.

I have been completely won over by this product and overwhelmed at how flawless my skin looks after its been applied. Considering it comes in a much smaller tube too, it lasts a fair amount of time.

Available from most drug stores or supermarkets.

Maybelline Forever Strong Pro in Dark Denim

I love the Olympics. I mean, literally LOVE! When that time comes around every four years, I'm fixated to my TV. So I felt I should show how patriotic I am, through my nails.

Maybelline Forever Strong Pro Polishes are one of my favourite nail polish brands. The colours pop and the paint lasts a lot longer than most others I've tried.

I bought mine for £4.09 from Boots.

Four months...

Courtesy of Weheartit

...that's how long I've been absent for and I apologise greatly. But I'm now sending you a promise that Jade's Beauty Blog will be up and running again, with plenty of news and reviews on the latest beauty products.

Pinky promise!

No More White Bits

I know I should embrace my English rose complexion, but there’s nothing I love more than having a healthy tan – even if it does come from a bottle. But I’m far from a fake tan abuser. In fact, you’ll only ever catch me wearing it on two occasions: 1) on a night out and 2) during the summer when I’m looking a little pasty and want to wear my prettiest dresses. So this could explain why I jumped at the chance of reviewing this product – No More White Bits, available from Superdrug.

The sample I received came in a mousse formula, a formula I’m used to using and prefer compared to others. I’ve always found lotions and sprays tricky to use. They appear, patchy, too dark or barely noticeable, but mousse formulas always give the perfect consistency without being too messy.

Fake tan formulas have enhanced greatly over the years. You no longer have to sacrifice looking good, by smelling like a soggy biscuit as most fake tan products are perfumed instead – as it this one. The smell is over-powering, but I’m not sure if this is to mask the soggy biscuit smell. However, I’m complaining – eau de soggy biscuit is not kicking off anytime soon.

As for the final outcome of the product I was pleased. I only applied one layer with my hands (slap on the wrist) and once dry, it gave a subtle glow with even coverage. Long gone were my pasty legs and I was left with glowing pins instead. I wouldn’t necessarily say they were brown, but more natural instead, like my skin was a little more tanned than usual.

But I will say that when you first apply the product, it barely looks like there’s anything there. Just be patient – it does work, honest!

No More White Bits is available from Superdrug from 1 April for just £3.99 – a bargain for a fab, high street self-tanner.