Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads: Review

I have been waiting to get through these pads before I actually give a review. Don't you hate when you read a review for something, and waste 3 minutes on your life reading absolute nonsense because the blogger has literally just walked in from Superdrug and is claiming that the product is good? Yeh well this isn't going to be one of those posts.

The Boring Stuff: 60 radiance-boosting pads, soaked in exfoliating glycolic acid retexture + resurface skin whilst witch hazel helps to tone. This moisturising formula with hyaluronic acid + soothing blue daisy helps to reveal brighter + smoother looking skin.   £12.99


I had been looking for a product made with Glycolic Acid because I had read on acne.org (only the greatest website ever) that it helped to clear acne scarring, so I decided to give these a try. Glycolic Acid is used for removing the outer layer of dead skin, bringing the fresh skin to the
 surface. This means its good for any scarring or discolouration, as well as helping to battle new spots. As always, I checked makeupalley (second greatest website ever) for reviews before I purchased, and found that these pads had pretty good ones. And then of course, Kylie Jenner said she uses them and hey if its good enough for her its good enough for me (joking lols).

On a serious note though, this stuff IS amazing. Don't go thinking that everything I review on this blof is good, I just happen to be buying pretty good stuff lately.

The Interesting Insight: The concept is simple, you just use a pad after you've cleansed your face.I was sceptical at first because as a general rule, I hate anything impregnanted with juicy stuff. Makeup wipes, baby wipes, those lemon wipes you get in Chicken Cottage, I hate them all! But this was different, the pads seemed to have kept their juicyness inside the pot which was pretty impressive. That said, I didn't feel much of the exfoliation from the texturised side, but it hardly matters because the acid inside the pad works a treat. Honestly, your skin feels renewed after a few days of using them, which makes applying foundation a dream! Before using these pads, I had dry-ish, lifeless skin due to a bout of Accutane. Facial scrubs weren't giving me enough, I needed something to slough off the layers of dead skin I had accumulated. Since I have been using these for over 3 weeks, my skin is has become crazy smooth, and not to mention CLEAR. This stuff really helps to fight blackheads, and general spotty horribleness. 

Just to prove it, I used a nose pore strip before I started using the pads, and as expected, a few blackheads came out. Thats normal. But after a week or so of using this stuff, nothing came off the nose pore strips. Nadaaaa. I don't how the Glycolic Acid does it exactly, but somehow it dissolves the blackheads and they just cease to exist. 

These are also good for removing any makeup that may have evaded your cleanser, and face wash (naughty naughty if you don't cleanse and wash your face post makeup!).

I can't really say anything else about the pads except that. Paired with the Vitamin E oil mentioned in the previous post, they work amazing. You can get it at Boots, or Superdrug. 

Loreal mini haul

Hello Everyone! 

So I walked into Boots, as I do on most days of my life. And honestly I can't ever walk into Boots without buying at least one make up item. I know, I have a problem. 

So I walked past the make up and thought you know I actually need (want) a bronzer. So I went to Loreal, I've heard good things about their bronzers and thought let me have a look. Me being me, I decided it was a must to buy one because I saw an offer which gave you a present if you spent £14.99! 

Yes I bought 2 items just for the present. I really can't resist. And I do love Loreal make up, I have been a loyal customer to good Loreal. They're one of my favourites! 

I bought this bronzer because I thought I might as well get the one with the highlighter too? Can't have too many highlighters in my life. It's the shade 101 and I love it. In the winter I can look really ghost like because I am so pale. So I like to add a little colour to my face, and this does it a beautiful job! 

So in order to get my present I needed to buy something else, and I thought what else could I buy that I don't already have? Then I thought I need a concealer and again I've read good reveiws about this product so I thought I'd give it a go. 

I love it, it's so creamy and blends so nicely, I got in the shade Ivory because I am that white! 

So the most exciting part... What I got for free! 

A little box, with 4 big beautiful things. 

Firstly there is a white kohl pencil. Who doesn't need a white kohl pencil?? I totally love it and I love it even more because it's free! 

Then we have a mascara, it isn't the one usually get from Loreal, because I do love their mascaras! I do love the volume million lashes range, it's what I always use. And this one is the so couture, and I love it. I love stumbling onto new things for me to love. And I do love most make up! 

Makes my eye lashes look so full and beautiful! 

In this special box there was also a lipstick, a beautiful red shade which I absolutely love! I do love to collect red lipsticks, I'm not the bravest when it comes to actually wearing them outside but I do love to collect them and try them on when I'm in the house (I know I'm sad) 

But it is so moisturising, creamy and the best shade of red! All I need now is an excuse to wear it! I'm sure I can find one soon! 

And lastly there is a red nail varnish, I don't have many Loreal nail varnishes and with nail varnish I always seem to get the same shade, I love a dark pink. I do have a few reds but I defiantly needed a new one, and this is such a nice shade of red (sometimes you can have a red shade which makes the hand darker, I'm sure there's a proper name for it but I don't know it). It dried so quickly, and it looked so beautiful! 

Sorry for the very badly painted nail in the picture, I just wanted to quickly show you guys how beautiful the colour is! 

This is a picture of the White Khol pencil, the red lipstick, the highlighter and the bronzer. Love love love!

Not only are all the products (the free ones and the ones I bought) good, but they have joined my favourite products. 

Such a bargain as well! Not only do you get the 2 products for £14.99 you get 4 items which are useable, full sized items that are worth £30! So it really is such a good deal! I love getting things for free, i know I sound like a cheapo but I love things more when I don't feel guilty that I spent too much. And I've bought things from No7 and sometimes they give free gifts but their gifts are always samples, like a mini mascara and a coloured pencil or eye shadow in a shade that I would never use. 

I loved the gift so much I just had to share with you guys! 

Thanks for reading! 

Lots of love 

Mimi xoxo

Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser and Skin Oil

Since coming off Accutane, I have been looking for products that cater to my newly dry skin. The problem was, I was on a budget. Thats where Superdrug's Vitamin E range comes in! This range of fantastic products really has changed the way I view drugstore own brands, proving that you don't always need to pay more for good skincare.

My husband also suffers from dry skin, so I was looking for products that he wouldn't mind sharing with me (think no fruity fragrances and simple to use). The Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Oil was the first of this range to creep onto our toiletry table. Do not be deceived by the size of the bottle as the oil is pretty powerful stuff, two or three drops is enough to cover your whole face. I mean, the bottle doesn't really say where or how you should use this products, so go crazy. I simply massage onto my face after cleansing at night for best results. The oil is non greasy, and absorbs into your skin fast.

Little bottle of happy skin

As a recovering Acne sufferer, the thought of applying any sort of pure oil onto my face sent me into panic mode. Although friends had assured me Vitamin E oil was good for acne scarring, I had long put off rubbing globs of pure oil on my skin. After all, hadn't I spent years searching for oil-free moisturisers and makeup?! Surely this oil would make me break out just as much as horrible oily foundations had in the past. It didn't. Since using this oil, I have not suffered from one spot. In fact, since I started using this stuff, all I have had is seriously great skin, praise the Lord. My skin is remarkably softer, and smoother, so much so that even my husband complimented me! He likes this stuff too. My whole family does, my mother in law actually sent me out to buy her a bottle after I used it on her and she woke up with softer skin. We are all pretty much converted to this magical oil.

I don't know what makes this oil so good, but try it yourself, and if you don't share the same great results I have, I'll be shocked. Whilst it isn't the purest Vitamin E Skin Oil out there, for a price of £2.99, you can't beat it.

After falling in love with the Skin Oil, Mimi and I decided to try the Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser. For years now I have been lusting after the Liz Earle  and Eve Lom Cleansers but could never justify spending that much on skincare. Not that I don't splurge, because I use Nars and Dior foundations. It was more a case of, I'm spending so much on makeup that my skincare has to be purse friendly. And I am really glad I didn't splurge on those expensive cleansers because the Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser at £4.99 is really good!

The ingredients of this product are very similar to it's high end counterparts so it is no wonder it works a dream. It comes with a muslin cloth, that does the job but isn't the greatest quality. My husband uses this whilst I opt to use the cleanser with either my Konjac sponge or the Braun Electrical Face Brush thingy. With either I get great results. I don't even remove my makeup before hand, I just rub the cleanser over my face and work into my skin. Then I take either the sponge and face brush and further work it in. Everything melts off, mascara, foundation, lipstick. And the way my skin feels after! It's incredible. I never thought I would get such results using a drugstore product. So pleased!

Even if you don't have dry skin, I would recommend you try these out. I don't think you'll be disappointed, Mimi does not have dry skin but loves both.

Next I think I am going to try the Vitamin E Radiance Cream which is meant to be a dupe for Mac's Strobe Cream. If these products are anything to go by, I'm sure it will be great. 

Velvet Teddy Dupe

Recently, Velvet Teddy by Mac has received a lot of attention. I don't need to tell you that its a matte, nude shade that compliments almost anyone!

Velvet Teddy is the first Mac lipstick I bought two years ago. Little did I know that it would become one of the most sought after shades, its never in stock anymore. I have to say though, everyone joined the bandwagon real late, because my friend Madiha has championed this shade for years. Literally, years. She is the one who really inspired me to start wearing lipsticks, and as Velvet Teddy is her go-to shade I ran to Mac and bought it. So shout to Madiha, the real Queen of Velvet Teddy.

Madiha is also the one who told me about this Velvet Teddy dupe recently. Although its not a perfect shade match, its pretty damn close especially when its on the lips. People say that Spotlight Beige by Maybelline is a dupe for Velvet Teddy but I really don't think it is. Now would be a good time to share what the actual dupe is right?

Its the Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil in 630 in Nude Perfection. These are an amazing dupe in general for the Nars Lip Pencils, they go on amazing and last for ages. Basically they rock.

Swatches below!

Mac Velvet Teddy vs Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil in 630 in Nude Perfection. 

Nahla Bee xxx

Everything you need to know about Under Eye Concealing - Colour Concealors

Everything you need to know about Under Eye Concealing - Colour Concealers

In the previous post in this series, we discussed some good products that we'd recommend for Colour Correcting. In this final post, we will discuss the GREATEST products for providing actual coverage to those under eyes!

Step Three - Colour Concealers 

Products at a glance 

Nars Creamy Concealer in Caramel        £22

All time favourite! 

I love this concealer more than any other makeup item I have owned in my life. Yes. That is how deep my love affair for this product goes. One swipe of this and my eye bags are gone! I don't need to use a corrector or a setting powder, one swipe of this super creamy concealer and the job is DONE. The pigmentation on this is insane, and the product itself lasts forever. I use the shade Caramel for under my eyes and Biscuit for the rare occasion I use concealer on my cheeks/forehead/nose. I don't understand how anyone could hate this god send of a product :( 

Buy it, and buy it soon

(for reference, if you're an NC42 Caramel is a perfect match)

Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer in Nude   £7.99

I would never usually pick something like this of the shelves in Superdrug. I have been let down one too many times by the drugstore when it comes to concealers; they just don't cater for my yellow toned Asian skin. Collection 2000 in Deep/Dark just fell below the mark, but ran a bit too red for my liking ( I still reach for it sometimes though). But when Huda Beauty used this stuff the junkie inside me had to buy it. 

I wasn't sure about the shade range, the word range itself is a bit generous as there are only 2 shades! I went with Nude, and it is PERFECT. Like, this stuff blends like butter. The shade is perfect for the Kim K style triangle under eye highlight. Its yellowey and just beautiful. Some beauty bloggers hate the sponge applicator but I really love it. 

Whilst I wouldn't use this alone (I always use the Nars Creamy Concealer first) it is amazing, and is one of my everyday staple products.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Deep 35   £5.99

I am in two minds about this. Has the YouTube hype about this product influenced me to think its amazing when it really isn't? Its a tough one. 

Whilst I do think its very good for the price, I would NOT say this is a dupe for the Nars Creamy Concealer like many have claimed, anyone who tells you so does not love you or want the best for you. Sadly, to get quality products like Nars you have pay for quality products like Nars. 

It is a good concealer. It does the job. My only gripe with the product is the texture; it's just a little too watery for me. It's a very wet product as opposed to creamy, and I can never get away with not setting this. I have to use a translucent powder or Banana by Ben Nye to take away the wet, shiney look this concealer gives.

Being lazy, I don't reach for this as much as I do for the Nars because I don't always have the time to set it. It is however, a good product, especially for the price. Plus, you can almost always get it at Superdrug as part as some 3 for 2 promotion.

Mac Pro Longwear Concealer in NW35    £17.00


Another beauty blogger favourite. I used this on my Wedding Day and the results were pretty good. Although I am a NC42, using a NW based concealer gives the bonus of a corrector and a concealer in one, so use this trick next time! 

I don't think this compares with the Nars Concealer (its obvious how much I love that by now) but it is pretty damn good. It gives a heavy dose of coverage, which if your eye bags are anything like mine, you will need! You need to work this in with a small buffing brush, but once it sets, it sets. I guess the clue is in the name, and it lasts all day!

The only con I would say this concealer has is the pump on the bottle. It lets waaay too much product out :( what a waste!

LA Girl Pro Conceal in Warm Honey                  Prices Vary 

Unique applicator

As, like many others, I wanted to look for a cheaper alternative to the Mac Pro Longwear and to the pricey Nars Concealer, I found myself on the Absolute Kolor website with two of these in my basket! 

I'd never actually heard of the brand before, the closest thing I'd heard being LA Colour, which I'd seen in Beauty Base, Westfields White City. Decided to take the jump anyway.

THE COLOURS. Like seriously, how on Earth are you supposed to find a colour match online?! There aren't very many comparative swatches online either, so I struggled to find a good shade for my under eye. I settled for two colours, Warm Honey and Medium Beige. I figured if neither worked, I could mix them both. Alhamduillah, I picked the right shades. Warm Honey runs pretty similar to the Mac Pro Longwear Concealer in NW35, maybe just a little darker, but works great. I think these are really worth the price. The applicator is a soft brush which I really like, as I just swipe some on and blend with my fingers.

Swatches with flash- TOP TO BOTTOM - Nars in Caramel, Maybelline The Eraser in Nude, Maybelline Fit Me in 35, Mac Pro Longwear in NW35, LA Girl Pro Longwear in Warm Honey. Colours appear very dark as swatched on someone with Mac NW25 skin.

Swaches without flash

Hope this post helps!

Make up Revolution Haul!

In a normal day in Mimi and Nahlabee's life is, going out to buy make up or looking online/buying make up. So in one of these days we decided to give make up revolution a try!

So we didn't go crazy but we bought 5 items which we have been wanting to try for a while!

                                          

These five items we bought and fell in love with!

So we got a contour stick, its the ONE blush stick in Matte Malibu

My thoughts on this stick: it comes out quite dark, I am quite fair so me and Nahlabee tried to meet in the middle in terms of shade. And I think we managed it with this. Even though it comes out dark when you first put it on, but once its blended, it looks so beautiful on. I definetely  love this stick and for the price they're charging this should definitely  be your choice of contour stick! 

Swatch of the contour stick, looks dark but blends out beautifully and it is shown with the highlighter!

                                 

So to go with the contour stick we got a highlighter, the ONE blush stick again but in the shade Dream. 

My thoughts on this stick: The first time I used it, I didn't love it. I felt like it was really creamy and heavy on my face, which I didn't love. I love make up to feel light. But I didn't give up on it. I tried it again and I think I may have over used the first time because I was in love. I love the colour, its a shimmery pink, and it really compliments and highlights the contour stick so beautifully. 

It's not something you would wear every day personally I don't contour my face very often, only on special occasions but this is definitely  my choice of highlighter! 

Swatch of the highlighter and the contour, looking so beautiful together!

So next we have this blusher, and if you love to have a subtle pinkish blush this is the perfect one! It is so highly pigmented, and for the price they are charging it is soooo beautiful. I love my sleek blushers but this has defiantly earned its place in my make up drawer. 

Eyebrow time! I think Eyebrows are the most important part of make up, you can't not give your eyebrows some love! I have tried all the eyebrow pencils/palettes and this has seriously changed my life. It makes the eyebrows look so natural, and so beautiful. There are 3 shades of brown and a gel to set the eyebrows so it doesn't smudge. I work my way through the brown shades and it has the most beautiful coverage. I have very thin eyebrows, so when I cover my face with foundation, my eyebrows look very thin and they need to be filled in. Since using this I have not gone back. I used to love the sleek eyebrow palette but this has definitely won me over, and for the cheap cheap price it is defiantly worth it! Love Love Love!!

Comes with a small brush and tweezers!

Okay so finally we have the setting spray! I don't usually use setting spray, I love the urban decay setting spray, but its not something I use very often, because I don't have oily skin, so a powder usually works for me, but when I want to wear make up for a longer period of time than I would normally this defiantly does the job, it takes a little while to dry when you first spray it but once its dry it keeps the make up looking beautiful. Definitely worth the buy!

Pro Fix- Good Buy

So Make-up Revolution has won me over. Totally love all the products! Can't go back to anything else now!

Thanks for reading! 

Lots of love 

Mimi xoxo

                                              

Everything you need to know about Under Eye Concealing - Colour Correcting

In our first post in this series, we discussed some good products that we'd recommend for giving your eyes some TLC. In this next post, we'll be looking at that all important step of Colour Correcting. 


Step Two - Colour Correcting 

A few years ago, most of us, including me, had no idea what colour correcting was. It was one of those makeup artist secrets, like contouring that the average woman had never thought of. But many ashy under eyes later, we have learnt better! There's nothing worse than those grey patches under eyes, especially when you try to highlight and end up looking like death.

Technique at a glance 

If you've ever studied the colour wheel, you'll know that you can cancel out colours by applying opposite colours on top. So with purpley-bluey eye bags, orange and peach are the best colours to use to cancel those colours out. Applying a skin coloured concealer on top of your eye bags creates a horrible ashy base, so try and use a corrector when you can; the difference is amazing! After youve used a corrector and cancelled out your bags, apply a concealer that is the same colour as your skin (or a little lighter if you like the Kim K look) on top.

Products at a glance 

NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer 

This stuff is pretty powerful. The first time I used it I had no idea what I was doing and didn't blend out the orange very well, which scared my family. Unlike other correctors I have used, this is a true orange colour, seriously carroty stuff which can be difficult to use if you don't use the right technique. It's also pretty heavy, so bear that in mind when applying it. However with the right techniques, this will quickly become one of your makeup favourites!

 I use my finger to apply this as it its a heavy product, and the few times I buffed it in with a fluffy eye brush it was a little cakey. Perhaps the heat from my fingers melts it and makes it work better? I take it right around my eyes going as high as my eyebrows. If I have any product left on my fingers, I use it to correct some areas of pigmentation I have around my lips. All round a great product.


Bobbi Brown Corrector in Deep Bisque       £19

The Bobbi Brown Corrector is a cult product that almost everyone who loves beauty and has eye bags has purchased. And there is good reason for that too, this stuff works. Simple as. One thing I like about this product is the range of colours in the line, you can almost certainly find a colour that will work great on the colour of your eye bags. A bright orange like the NYX Above & Beyond may not work on everyone on its own. Whats more, you can buy the double version that comes with a lovely finely milled yellow powder  to set it, which is a lot more convenient than sifting through my Luxury Banana Powder by Ben Nye.

However, it is a little heavy. I notice that it settles in the fine lines under my eyes, so I have to set with a powder whenever I use this. Would I recommend it? Its a tough one. Right now I am buying no Bobbi Brown products as I am boycotting Israeli supporting companies, so I won't ever be repurchasing. Plus, you also get through this stuff like water, its a ridiculous amount of product for the price you pay for it, which is why I would recommend the NYX or the Inglot correctors. That all said,  I don't think there is a product out there as good as this one right now. I guess thats my answer :)

Inglot Creamy Concealer in Peach           £5

Inglot's Freedom System <3

Ahh Inglot. Such an elusive brand, but so worth it when you muster up the energy to explore their Westfield Store. (What is up with the women who work in that store? Is it just me who find them very odd?! Anyways)

The Creamy Concealers were not a product I had heard of before, so I bought this on a complete and utter whim. The Freedom Palettes are a great idea, and worth every penny bearing in mind the quality of the product, so I bought a green and peach corrector.  I didn't even know Inglot sold correctors, but when I went wedding day makeup shopping with my bestie we spotted this and I knew it would work wonders. Its a little light, but don't be scared, this works nicely on nc42-nc44 skin. Its a beautiful formulation, smooth like butter, a little sticky which is good as the product doesn't move throughout the day. I used this on Tasneem on her wedding day and she loved it! I use a small buffing brush to work this, it works better than fingers as it is a little sticky.

I think everyone needs at least one corrector in their makeup bag, and the Inglot one is probably the best stepping stone into the correcting world! The price and quality of the product make it a no brainer.

Until next time,

Nahlabee xx

Everything you need to know about Under Eye Concealing - Prepping

Ahh eye bags! Blessed with chronic sinus problems, bad genes and an immunity to sleep, I have suffered from these as long as I can remember. They don't bother me nearly as much as they bother my mum and dad ("Do you ever sleep? Look at your face"). And as I don't wear make up on a daily basis, most of the time I wear my bags with pride. However, I go positively all out out with my under eye concealor if I am going to be wearing eyeliner or a full face of makeup that day. Its the step I put the most love and dedication into. In this series, we will be breaking this crucial make up feature into simple steps, discussing techniques and products along the way.

So heres the Everything you need to know about  Under Eye Concealing...Skin Prep

Step One - Skin Prep

You hear make up gurus talk about it all the time, preparing and loving your skin before applying makeup. And it's true, especially for your under eyes. 

The skin under your eyes is particularly fragile and thin, which is why some eye bags appear as dark sockets. As your skin ages and loses elasctisy, eye bags get worse. Long story short, you need to take good care of your under eyes. Some good products I've used and know work well under makeup I have listed below.

Products at a glance

The Body Shop Elderflower Unfragranced Eye Gel - 15 ml - £7.00

Such a weird product in my opinion, I was drawn in my the gimmick of eye gel. In retrospect, this product doesn't really claim to help with under eye bags, just to "refresh and cool". This was great when my eyes were dry, itchy, and irritated, usually after a bout of hay fever. I would keep this in the fridge and the cooling sensation on my eyes would help ease the irritation. However, it wasn't great underneath makeup, I had to wait a good few minutes for it to absorb into my skin. A few times it actually balled up which was not a good look! I don't think I would buy this again, but we had fun whilst my tub lasted. 

Ponds Eye Contour Cream - 15 ml  - £7.99

I stumbled upon this by accident. It was on offer and a friend bought me a tub. It was love at first sight. University nights had not been kind to me, and this stuff seriously hydrated my bags, not to mention allowed not-so-creamy concealors to glide on my skin like a penguin on skates. Its light, and just melts into your skin, and though it wasn't overnight, I did notice a difference. Not bad for the price too. A definite all time favourite. 

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye - 15ml - £40.00 

Okay, so I know what you're thinking, judging me behind that screen! I didn't pay full price for this (yay for friends with discount) but still, it was definitely a moment of splurging. I had done a lot of research into eye creams and this was one that kept cropping up on every beauty blog as a Holy Grail product. More of a gel than a creme, this stuff feels like luxury. You need the absolutely tiniest amount for both eyes, and you get a little spatula to apply it with. Instantly, your eyes feel super hydrated, and smooth, a perfect base for makeup. Did I notice any reduction in eye bags? My skin certainly felt a lot more loved than before, thats for sure. But the more I used this stuff, the more milia I noticed under my eyes. Milia are raised, pearly-white or yellowish bumps on the skin, filled with keratin. They were unsightly even though you could only notice them close up, so I stopped using this everyday and opted to use it once a week. It is still a good product in my opinion, just a little heavy on my skin. I wouldn't repurchase it because I am boycotting all companies that support Israel the best that I can (Estee Lauder being one of them) and it was stupidly expensive. 

Almond Oil

Almond Oil was something I didn't think would help my under eyes but I read about it online and thought hey, why not. As this would be disastrous underneath makeup, I use it at night. Simply put, I didn't notice a huge difference in my under eyes aside from they o feel much more supple and hydrated in the morning. Can be little messy trying to get a small enough amount on your under eyes so as not to grease out your face. I should probably do this more often to see better results though. In fact, I will! Blogpost coming soon...

You want to be moisturising your under eyes every night, even more so if you suffer from dry skin all over. Having hydrated under eyes with fewer fine lines means your concealer will apply like a dream; nothing is worse than when makeup tugs on your skin. Get going!

Nahlabee x