Skinfood - Good Afternoon Honey Black Tea BB Cream

Last week I posted about Peach Green Tea, today I have another from Skinfood's Good Afternoon range of BB creams to show you, this time Honey Black Tea.

 

It comes in the same kind of cute paper box packaging and has a similarly luxury feel to it, the tube feels sturdy and well made and the design on the bottle and box is very pretty.

 

 

Here's what Skinfood has to say about Honey Black Tea:

 

I have to say so far I am loving this BB cream, I ordered it in the darker of the two shade - comparisons coming up - and it suits my lightly tanned skin perfectly.  The coverage is great, with very little product it leaves my skin looking more even and smooth and there is definitely an illuminating quality about the cream too, my skin looks very fresh when I'm wearing it.

 

It applies beautifully, spreading over the skin really smoothly and blending well.

 

It smells good too, much more true to it's name than the previous peach version which just smelt faintly fruity, the honey version smells clearly of honey, very sweet!  It's not an overpowering scent and it fades quickly once it's applied but as you are putting it on there is a definite hint of honey.

 

On to the shades, I chose to order this one in the darker shade so I could wear it while I have a bit of colour and also take it on holiday later this month and I'm pretty sure it'll be perfect for both occasions, although it's darker than shade one it isn't at all orange and it would still be suitable for a lot of people's winter skin tones with no tan at all.

 

 

As you can see, once the two products are blended in there isn't a huge difference in the shades, number 2 is just a little bit darker, so probably not ideal if you do have dark toned skin normally but great if like me you never go any darker than a pale biscuit colour.  :)

 

They both have a lovely texture to them, thick and creamy without being too thick to easily apply.

 

I'm really pleased with this BB cream so far, it does pretty much everything I am looking for in a BB cream; hides small blemishes, evens out skin tone and give my skin a lovely fresh glowing look to it so I'm looking forward to continuing to use it while the Scottish summer lasts.

 

You can read about my third purchase from this range in THIS POST.

 

Sunset Mango

I decided to add Sunset, one of the In Vogue Feather Effects, over the top of yesterday's Mango manicure.  These pictures are just one coat of the feathers.

 

I think this topper adds a nice bit of added interest to the plain colour.  I also love how just one coat gets decent coverage, there's no need to fish around for the strands.

 

A great way to make a manicure last another day if you're like me and never like to have the same nails for more than a day or two at a time.

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine - Mango, again.

This post should really have been about Passion Fruit, since I have posted about Mango fairly recently, but apparently I can't keep track of what I have tried and what I haven't from my recently purchases polishes so today you get to see Mango, again.  Oops.

 

 

Yummy, yummy, yummy!

I has lunch with some friends the other day in Wagamama, I decided that a nice food themed stamp would be ideal for my manicure...

 

I used Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in Watermelon to do the stamping.

 

The plate is CH42 by Cheeky.

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine - Key Lime

 

Another winner from the Gelly Hi Shine range here, this time a bright crisp green shade, Key Lime.  The polish applies beautifully and is totally opaque in just two coats.  It dries to a lovely glossy 'hi shine' finish too, and fairly quickly to boot.

 

In real life I would say the colour of this polish is slightly more subtle, the pictures make it look quite in your face but in reality, although bright and bold, it's a soft sort of dark pistachio or light grass green and it's very pretty.

Nails Inc - Fine Sprinkles - Little Portland Street

Another polish from this set today, Little Portland Street this time, the pink sprinkles.  This one is like the baby sister of Topping Lane from the previous Sprinkles collection by Nails Inc.

 

 

It features an opaque base in bright pink jam packed with tiny pink, purple and gold glitter pieces.  The effect is more subtle than the previous sprinkles collection as the glitter is much finer but equally pretty, especially if you like your glitters to be more subtle.

 

Application was great, two coats are totally opaque and the glitter disperses well over the whole nail without any bother, it also dries really fast which is a great plus point.

 

Skinfood - Good Afternoon Peach Green Tea BB Cream

I have the first of 3 of Skinfood's Good Afternoon BB Creams which I've ordered recently to show you today, this one is peach and green tea, here's what it says on the box about the cream:

 

Good Afternoon Peach Green Tea BB SPF20 PA+ [Sunscreen Effect]

Peach Green Teach

(Oil Controling & Mattifying BB Cream)

A long lasting BB cream that helps maintain bright morning skin throughout the day without darkening or smudging.

An oil-controlling and skin-mattifyng BB cream that keeps the skin fresh and matte with vitamin enriched peach extract and sebum-regulating green tea.

 

The tube is 30ml in size so not a huge amount but as you don't tend to use too much at a time a decent amount which should last a while, the majority of BB creams on the market tend to be 30-50ml sizes.  The packaging is very pretty and feels quite expensive and luxurious.

 

 

The tube comes inside a cute brown card box with a tea cup shaped cut out in it.

 

 

The BB cream itself is a nice consistency, it feels light when applied and very smooth and it was easy to blend into my skin, it gave what I would term medium coverage so similar to the other Asian market BB creams I have tried.

 

This tube is shade 1, the lighter of the two available, and what I tend to wear most of the year when I have no tan to speak of, on my hand I initially thought it looked rather pale, on my face it didn't seem quite so pale although I think it will be more suited my my normal skin tone.  The recent good weather means I have quite a bit of colour on my face at the moment meaning shade 1 was a tiny bit on the pale side for my current skin tone but should be perfect for autumn and winter.

 

But once it was blended in it disappeared and melted into the skin on my hand and well and looked lovely and natural, giving enough coverage to smooth out most imperfections without looking like I was wearing heavy make up.  As for the oil control and mattifying properties I didn't see any spectacular results, initially it did look quite matte and there was no shine but after a few hours I could see a little shine around my t-zone.  So while it definitely doesn't fall into the greasy or oily category it doesn't score full marks for keeping my face shine free (I have yet to find a BB cream which does so that's not necessarily a very bad point)

 

 

The cream has a light, fresh, fruity smell.  I'm not sure I would immediately say it smelt of either peach or green tea but it does smell pleasant and fresh when applying

 

So, initial thoughts on this product are that I like it; it applies well, smells good, have nice even coverage and while it doesn't eliminate shine totally it doesn't leave my skin looking or feeling greasy and it lasts well, another to add to my list of favourable Asian market BB creams.

 Shade comparison with Shade 2 in THIS POST.

Kiko 332

Another gorgeous Kiko cream to show you today, this time 332.  This polish is a bright violet colour.

 

As with almost every Kiko cream this polish applies beautifully and covers perfectly in two coats.

 

 

The colour is bright and bold and lasts really well, there are a few tiny dinks out of this manicure because I spent the day on the beach and climbing over giant boulders and the remains of a castle before I bothered to take pictures so give the wear it got I don't think it did too badly!

 

And for once I actually managed to match my nails to my outfit. :)

 

 

Money Saver! Allura Nail Polish Remover at Poundland

You may remember a while back I posted another Money Saver about cotton wool pads from LIDL which I thought were a really good deal, well today I have another which I thought I would mention.

 

I go through a lot of nail varnish remover and I've used a few in my time but my favourite bargain buy has to be Allura's nail polish remover from Poundland. 

 

 

At just £1 for 400ml it's really good value and I find it great for all my varnish removal needs; it doesn't smell too strong, it's not horribly drying and it gets the job done nice and fast.

 

Although it's not acetone free, which I know some people prefer, I don't find it to be drying or damaging to my skin at all which plain acetone definitely is - I learned that the hard way! ;)

 

So, if you're in the market for a new nail varnish remover at a bargain price then you could definitely do worse than grab a bottle of this stuff as you pass Poundland, then you can use it with your bargain cotton wool pads from LIDL. :D

 

What remover do you use, and why?  Do you think there's a difference between the cheap brands, like this one, and the more expensive brands available?

Dainty Doll Cream Blushers - Update

I posted about these cream blushers previously HERE but I thought I should do an update post since I have been using them for a while now and loving them.

 

They are by far the best cream blushers I have tried; the formula, colour and wear time are all excellent.  There are three shades

 

 

My favourite by far is Orange County Girl, it's absolutely beautiful on the skin, a soft shimmery peach which looks very natural but also leaves a lovely flush on your skin.  I have been wearing it LOADS.  It's shimmery without being too over the top and the soft peach shade is just gorgeous.

 

Paper Roses is a soft pink, it's the perfect no blusher blusher, by which I mean I apply it when I don't want to have an obvious blusher on, it adds a soft flush to my cheeks which looks natural and healthy without looking like I am wearing anything.

 

Billion Dollar Babies is the one which I have used least, it's more of a bronzer type shade which isn't something I have ever used much, it's an ideal introduction to bronzer though, great for paler skin tones and not at all orange.

 

By far the most impressive thing about these blushers is how well they suit my pale skin tone, I often find blusher can have a bit of a clown like effect on my pale skin and so although I often buy brighter shades I struggle to know quite how to wear them, these blushers are the exact opposite, they are so easy to throw on and every colour looks natural and lovely on my skin.

 

Application is great too, the formula is so smooth and soft and seems to blend from a cream into a more powdery finish as you blend it onto your skin, they couldn't be simpler to apply and I just use my fingers to throw them on, no need to worry about blending brushes or the like.  They last well too, even after a full 8 hour day at work I can still see the colour on my cheeks which is a massive improvement from a lot of other cream blushers I have tried.

 

So, in short, I LOVE these, if you can possibly get your hands on one or more then I definitely recommend you do!  They seem to be sold out on Fragrance Direct where I bought them but a bit of searching shows they are still available elsewhere online.  I highly recommend checking them out if you are pale skinned and unsure about cream blushers, they will most probably change your mind.

 

Granny Squares Progress

In spare moments I am adding to a collection of granny squares which I don't really have a set purpose for, they are mainly to use up the yarn left over from this blanket.

 

 

I've bought another ball of cream yarn with a vague idea of joining them together using that, although whether they will become another baby blanket or a cushion cover or something else altogether I don't really know yet. 

 

If you have any suggestions then add them in the comments below, I should probably branch out and try something new soon rather than constantly making blankets. :)

BB Creams Round Up & Review

I'm currently waiting for a delivery of a few of the new Skin Food Good Afternoon BB Creams but before they arrive and I review them I thought I would post a quick round up of the BB creams I have been using regularly and what I thought of them.

 

Over the last couple of years I've used quite a few so I thought it might be good to do a little round up before I add more to my collection.

 

First up, the very easy to get hold of readily available UK based BB creams.  Both of these are available in Boots or Superdrug or a variety of other high street stores so if you want to try one out they shouldn't be too hard to track down.

 

Garnier's formula is quite light and doesn't give a huge amount of coverage, it's definitely closer to a tinted moisturiser than a foundation type product and I find it can leave my often greasy skin looking quite shiny.  Saying that I like the light formula and I do wear this one fairly regularly in the summer when my skin is looking good without too much help.  Of all the BB creams I have tried this one is the darkest, even in the lightest shade, I suspect on very pale skin it might look a touch orange.

 

 

Next up Maybelline, this another lighter coverage BB cream which I have in two colours so that I can wear it normally and when I have a bit of a tan.  It definitely does give a fresh faced glow but it can also have the tendency to leave me looking a little shiny, it's lovely and light though and the darker shade (02) is perfect when I have a bit of colour.

 

Next up, the BB creams which I have ordered online (all through eBay) and are not so easy to track down in the UK.  With places like eBay it isn't much hassle to order them online there just isn't the instant gratification of buying them in store. :)

 

Shills was the first BB cream I bought (there's a post on it HERE).  It's a thicker formula which leans more towards a light foundation coverage than a tinted moisturiser.  That's really the biggest different I have found between the original Asian market BB creams and ours here in the UK, the Asian ones tend to have fuller, better coverage.

 

Some people might find the colour of the Shills looks a little ashy right out of the tube but I have found that it doesn't look that way once applied and blends nicely into my skin tone.  It gives great coverage and hides any imperfections and flaws without looking to heavy and cakey, definitely one of my go to products for every day wear, particularly in winter.

 

I also tried out a LE Cherry Blossom Oil Shine control version but to be honest I found it pretty much exactly the same as the original, so not bad but also not worth shelling out for if you already have the original.  Although it initially looked a touch lighter it didn't seem so when applied so basically a favourable review but not really any different from the original product.

 

Next up, two BB creams from Skin Food.  I love both of these, like the Shills they have a better coverage than the UK equivalents and hide any imperfections I might have on my face while not looking heavy or clogging anywhere. 

 

Ginko Green claims to protect sensitive skin and improve skin tone.

 

While Red Bean nourishes and moisturises rough skin.

 

So two fairly similar claims, both of which I would say stand up.  These two are fairly similar formulas too and I use them both regularly (so much so that the Ginko Green one is actually finished now), they apply smoothly and leave my skin looking fresh and glowing without being overly shiny.  Both last well throughout the day and definitely improve the look of my skin.

 

Overall I have been pretty impressed with all the BB creams I have tried but for my often slightly greasy skin which I like to give a bit more coverage the Asian BB brands really win for me, their slightly heavier coverage and shine control seem to suit my skin very nicely.  The pale shades are also a big plus with my skin tone, even the darker colours which I use when I have a bit of a tan don't look remotely orange when applied.

 

Based on that my new purchases are again coming via eBay from the other side of the world, check back for reviews of the Good Afternoon range over the next few weeks.

 

Kiko 238

I love a good red polish and 238 is definitely a good red polish; it's a bold, bright cherry red sort of shade perfect for a classic red nailed look.

 

 

As with most Kiko creams this polish is a total winner, it's pretty much a one-coater and applies so smoothly and evenly, I did two coats but you really could get away with one if you were in a rush.

 

And look at the shine on it!  You really can't beat a classic red nail polish manicure, I think it looks particularly cute on shorter nails too.

Betty Blue - No7

I decided my nails needed chopped last night, after doing that I felt the urge for some dark navy polish so I applied Betty Blue from No7.

 

In the bottle there is a faint blue shimmer through the polish, created by lots of tiny glitter particles but on the nail it's pretty much impossible to see which is a shame.

Nails Inc Langham Street Fine Sprinkles

Today I am wearing Langham Street from the Nails Inc Fine Sprinkles set I bought the other week.  This shade is touted as being vanilla sprinkles, it reminds me a bit of Essence's Irreplaceable but a bit lighter.

 

It's a golden beige base filled with gold and silver fine glitter sprinkles which merge together to give a sort of champagne shade.

 

This one applies beautifully, two coats makes it totally opaque and it dries fast too, the only downside is that I am finding this polish quite chippy - it's an issue I have with most Nails Inc polishes and why I never tend to buy them full price.  I already have a couple of nicks at the tips and it's only been on for a few hours (other than overnight in bed) so far.

Birthday Safari

It was my birthday yesterday so over the weekend as a birthday treat we visited Blairdrummond Safari Park, obviously I couldn't let the day go by without a theme manicure.  I was short of time so I went with a super speedy stamp of some Zebra print.

The stamping didn't go perfectly unfortunately so they are a little blurred in places.

Obviously I had to hunt out my inspiration once we got there.  Here are the nails...

Here are the Zebras...

Not a bad likeness. :D

When I got home my very own 'big cat' let me use his colour coordinated paw for a posing prop.