#reviewsdaytuesday: B. Skincare

To complete my two part look into the B. product range here is my review of some of their skincare products! If you missed my cosmetics review post you can find that here.

Glycolic Cleansing Peel. This face mask works wonders. You apply a small amount (about the size of a large pea) all over your face, leave for three minutes then wash off using the muslin cloth supplied. It has a really milky consistency, leaves my skin feeling really fresh. It is a peel in the sense that the glycolic acid strips a layer of your skin off rather than a mask that you peel off. I probably use it twice a week, and although the product suggests using it in the evening I often use it in the morning and don't notice a difference in results. It says its suitable for combination, dry and oily skin, which I would agree with.

Micellar Water. I've heard loads about these new micellar water products that every makeup company is bringing out. I don't think its the miracle product that everyone is saying it is, but it does a good job on  lazy day when I can't be bothered to take off my make-up, cleanse and tone. I don't think it does an amazing job of breaking down eye-make-up, in particular my waterproof mascara, so I normally remove that with a separate product before using this one. When i run out of my current toner I'll probably use this instead.

Exfoliating Cleanser. I wouldn't necessarily call this product and exfoliant. Even though it does have microbeads in it, the formula is so milky that it doesn't feel very abrasive - which is great if you have sensitive skin. The most exfoliating aspect of this product is probably the salicylic acid, which is meant to unblock pores. I've been loving it, and the longer I've used it the happier I've been - and since I was looking for a two in one exfoliant and cleanser to use in the shower in the mornings this one fit the bill nicely. My housemate gave this product a try out and loved it so much she couldn't stop!

Night Serum. I got this in skin phase one - for use in your twenties and thirties. I'd wanted to try a night serum for a while, so when I saw this was half price I picked it up. It applies really well, it soaks in pretty quickly and doesn't sit on the skin, and when I wake up in the morning the skin still feels moisturised. I'm pretty happy with it so far!

I'm really looking forward to trying more B. products as they grow as a company and start to expand their range. If you've tried any B. products, let me know by tweeting me @VickiMaitland or leaving a comment below.

#reviewsdaytuesday: B. Cosmetics Products

I thought I'd review the B. Cosmetics products I've tried. In two weeks time there will be a review of their skincare products too!

B. is a cruelty free brand certified by the flying bunny logo and is available exclusively to Superdrug.

Under Eye Concealer. When I first got this concealer, I was really happy with it. I'd never used a concealer before, it applied really well and gave a natural look. As soon as it ran out I re-purchased it. When my second pen ran out, I started to get a little... miffed. I don't know if they changed the formula between the first and second purchase, but it seemed to run out super quickly, as well as giving less coverage than the first time around. I have re-purchased it - somewhat begrudgingly - as it is really affordable and was on a three for two with other products I wanted - and this third batch seems to have a slightly thicker consistency again. I'm hoping the middle pen was part of a bad batch or something. I'd really like to try some other concealers - particularly ones with a wand as they seem to give the best coverage - so if you have any affordable cruelty free suggestions let me know!

Eyebrow Kit. This product has an eyebrow pencil on one end, a wax on the other and a brush. I have been really happy with this purchase. Although I think the shade is still a little too red for my brows (I have Dark Brown), this product applies really well. I really like the wax on the other end of the pencil too as it does a very natural job of holding my hairs in place. The brush on the end is a bit useless - although that might be personal preference. I use a spooly brush instead. I'd like to try some other eyebrow products, but I wouldn't be upset if I had to re-purchase this product.

Vibrant Eye Shimmer. This is essentially a cream eye shadow and I love it. I've got it in 097 Golden Sand. It applies really nicely either with a brush or with your fingers, and despite the fact its so creamy it's pretty long lasting. Very happy with this product and I really need to expand my collection. I'll probably be wearing this all through the holiday season - my festive make-up look will be up next week!

Nail Polish Base. I am so awful at doing my nails. I love it when other people have painted nails but I never get around to doing it myself - mostly because it always chips off so quickly. Superdrug had a 3 for 2 make-up sale (as they often do) so I decided to pick up this base coat as part of the set. I do think it keeps my polish on for longer, and I actually think it makes my nails healthier too (although that could be because I've started taking Biotin and Sea Kelp - both of which promote hair and nail growth). Since it is basically just a clear nail polish, I use it as a top coat too.

Illuminating Primer. I picked this up on a whim when I saw it was half price and I am so happy I did. I've never used a primer before, so I can't compare, but I am pretty sure that it makes my make-up stay a little longer so it does its job! The best thing about this product is its illuminating qualities: it really makes it look like my skin is glowing from the inside out, even through powdery make-up. Glowing, not greasy. It is a bit expensive, so I'll only re-purchase this if it goes on half-price again, but as you only need a pea-sized amount it should be a while before I have to re-buy!

Beauty: Evening Look #2 (My Take on Tanya Burr's Birthday Look)

For the past couple of months I’ve been trying to upload my take on Tanya Burr’s Birthday Look, but each time something manages to stop me. First the picture quality was awful, then I lost the typed-out information and now I’ve managed to break the SD card with the new pictures on them. Mare of a time. But I still really want to show my take on it, as I think it’s a fab look which works really well day to night at this time of the year. I won’t be able to show step by step images, but I will show you the products I used and the end result.

Products (Clockwise from top):

E.L.F Lash Extending Mascara in Black; Elf Liquid Eyeliner in Black; Marks and Spencer Limited Collection Blusher in Cinnamon; Estee Lauder Lipstick in Pink Champagne; Miss Sporty Cream Eyegloss in Sunset; E.L.F Eyeshadow Palate (used second in from the top row – a shimmery rose colour (for eyelids), fourth in on the middle row – a dark purple (for crease), and five in on the middle row – a dark grey (for filling brows)); E.L.F Pressed Powder in Buff; B.Radient Under Eye Concealer in Light/Medium.

I chose not to use foundation for this look to keep it light on my skin, but I added blush to give my face a bit of dimension. I used the Eyegloss all over mid lid, then layered the E.L.F shadows on top. I find if I put the Eyegloss on first then the pink from the shadow really pop. Using the Eyegloss means I can’t use the cream eyeliner (which I prefer as a look with this make-up as it’s softer than the liquid liner, but the two creams together smear all over the lid after a couple of hours), so I used a thin line of liquid liner with a small flick at the corner.

Here’s the look midway through the night (hopefully you can see the eye make-up here):

And here’s a full face cheesy grin shot:

I wore this make-up look for a lunch and an evening of cocktails with some of my best friends. It stayed really well all night, and wasn’t too heavy on my face. It is a great transition from lunch to evening, and was perfect for a slightly more dressy evening out. My take on this look uses lower end products than Tanya's, but all the products (barring the lipstick) are cruelty free. 

The photo's taken on the night out are by Hazel Soper. You can check out some of her (amazing) art work here.