Allocation Haul

With my position as a No7 advisor, of course we're expected to use and wear No7 products, hence we get a set allocation every three months so we can choose the products we want. My allocation has just come up, and, as usual, I'm spoilt for choice! Luckily, my decision was made easier as I have a few favourites that need replacing, not to mention some new goodies to try..

(L-R: Beautifully Matte Foundation; Protect and Perfect Advanced Serum; Exfoliating Sponge; Shine and Tint; Instant Radiance Under-Eye Concealer; Lovely Lashes Mascara; Pop and Glow Cream Blushes.)

Beautifully Matte Foundation, in the shade Cool Vanilla: One of my all-time favourite foundations..I'm actually comparing this to another foundation in an upcoming post, so I'll hold off on the detail for now.

Protect and Perfect Advanced Serum: An improved formula based on the original Protect and Perfect serum. Yet again, this product is worthy of a standalone post, but trust me, it will be worth the wait!

Exfoliating Sponge: A new product to me, as I'm used to having exfoliatiors in the form of a liquid, or even a cleansing brush, so I'll be interested to try this out..although I've now got visions of using a Brillo pad on my face, eek! (FYI: if you don't know what a Brillo pad is, it's like a metal scourer that you use when washing up to remove tough grime and dirt)

Shine and Tint, in the shade Posy: A brand new No7 product, that has just launched this week. There are five colours to choose from, and they vary from reds and berries to this more nude shade. As mentioned in my No7 Match Made Lipstick Service post I have struggled to find more nude/natural colours, so thought I'd give this one a go to add to the collection. 

Instant Radiance Under-Eye Concealer, in the shade 10: Yet another new product launch from No7 this week, and this is a much-improved formula from its predecessor; more coverage, thicker texture, light diffusion technology and a wider range of colour choices..so far, so good! 

Lovely Lashes Mascara, in the shade Black: Now my favourite mascara, both for natural volume and a more intense look, I actually reviewed this earlier in the year if you want to take a look.

Pop and Glow Cream Blushes, in the shades Mango Sorbet and Classic Rose: I already have a Pop and Glow Cream Blush in the shade Rose Blossom, I actually use it most days as it's a fabulous formulation. In actual fact, I also reviewed this earlier in the year. Because I use this one so much, I felt I needed more colours, especially as the seasons change and my make-up look changes, a pastel pink isn't always suitable hence the nod towards a more peachy and deeper pink tone.

So a couple more reviews to come to keep me busy I'm sure! What are your favourite No7 products?

No7 Lovely Lashes Mascara Review..and another new mascara launch!

If you're a big No7 fan, a frequent Boots shopper, or work/know people within the company, you're most likely aware of how renowned No7 are for frequently having new mascara launches..and February provided the first mascara launch of 2014 for the brand, becoming the tenth addition to the current range! 

No7's Lovely Lashes Mascara is "for glossy, natural volume", and the formula itself is enriched with nourishing Argan Oil; used in this instance to help condition lashes, in comparison to other mascaras without conditioning ingredients, which can leave your lashes feeling quite brittle, both during and after use. As with all the other mascaras from the No7 range, this mascara is available to buy in the shades Black and Brown/Black.

The wand for this particular mascara is a traditional bristle-style, soft bristled brush; however, unlike most other mascaras with this type of brush, the Lovely Lashes mascara does not taper off at the end, meaning it is the same width across the length of the brush. Personally, I like this, as I can struggle with those that taper at the end as they never seem to give a good coverage to the lashes. Also, this style of brush is brilliant if you want to build good volume to your lashes..so far so good!

When it comes to actually applying this mascara to the lashes, like a lot of brand new mascaras, when you first open Lovely Lashes, it is a very wet consistency, so I tend to leave the wand to dry for a couple of minutes so it doesn't apply too thick and clumpy. Saying that, after a week's use, I found I could use it straight from the tube. As mentioned previously, with the wand being the same width across the length of the brush, I find this very easy to apply to all of my lashes. I find the formula itself not too heavy; I think this could be due to the addition of the Argan Oil, it glides very easily onto the lashes, without being too thick or clumpy. And, as with all other No7 mascaras, the colour itself is highly pigmented, so you don't need to worry about having to apply lots of the mascara to build up the colour. Saying that, after one coat of this mascara, I found it didn't make much of a difference - yes, my lashes were darker - but nothing that amazed me.

                    (My lashes, curled, with no mascara)

               (My lashes, with one coat of Lovely Lashes mascara)

However, this allowed me to explore with how well the mascara would cope with layering. You don't have to wait long for it to dry, which is great if you want something quick and easy to apply. Moving onto a second layer was effortless, yet again gliding on with ease and without clumping, yay! Also, I found adding a second layer gave me the desired look: for the daytime, I don't like anything too over-the-top, I just like to enhance my natural lashes, which is exactly what this mascara provides. In addition to this, I find both the wand and the formula perfect for using on the bottom lashes too, as it coats them with just enough mascara, helping to add definition to them.

(My lashes, with two coats of Lovely Lashes mascara, plus one coat on bottom lashes)

Overall, I would recommend Lovely Lashes to anyone who prefers a more natural-looking, effortless mascara, that isn't anything too fancy. I would also say that although this mascara promises to give "glossy natural volume, all day", I find it more of a defining mascara, not providing too much volume but adding to the length too. Saying that, having the Argan Oil is a nice touch, as whilst wearing the mascara, it doesn't weigh down your lashes, and is very soft to the touch. After wearing this mascara everyday since it's launch, I can say I have noticed the difference in my lashes when I'm not wearing mascara: they feel softer, and stronger too, which is important with how much torture I put them through! It is not waterproof, so it is easily removed at the end of the day, but I do get a good day's wear out of the mascara without it falling underneath my eyes..with this, it holds my curl fairly well, not the best, but not the worst either! With a price of £12.95, I wouldn't pay full price for this as it doesn't do exactly what it says on the tin, or rather tube, so I would wait until the £3 No7 makeup vouchers come around and pay a price that's closer to that of the basic Intense Volume from the No7 range.

**some exciting news!** If Lovely Lashes doesn't sound like your cup of tea, you don't have long to wait until the next new mascara launch from No7! Called Lash Impact, this mascara promises to be a mascara for everyone! I can't say too much more about this until it launches in a few weeks time. In the meantime, you can click here to sign up to the waiting list, and hopefully I will have a review ready for its launch!

March Favourites!

Considering March has 31 days, this past month has flown by! With that, there were many tempting offers on in Boots with products which caught my eye..

After using up the last of my shampoo and conditioner, I was on the look-out for something a little bit different to try. I have thick, medium-long hair that won't grow past my boobs(!) even though I've been growing it for the past few years, with regular trims, so the Lee Stafford Hair Growth range caught my eye, especially as haircare was on 3 for 2! I plumped for the shampoo and conditioner, but I'm going to reserve my full judgement until I finish them off, as I'm only halfway through the bottles, so I'll make sure to keep you updated!

What I forgot to mention was the third item I picked up on my haircare 3 for 2: the new Aussie Miracle Recharge Lightweight Conditioning Spray. I absolutely love the scents of all the Aussie shampoos, conditioners and leave-in treatments, but especially the Miracle Moist range after buying miniatures to take on a trip with me..and I wasn't disappointed with the smell of this leave-in spray, it smells exactly of bubblegum, candy floss, and all things sweet and wonderful! (without being too sickly). The good news is that this product actually works! Even though my hair tends to be in fairly good condition, it does need a refreshing pick-me-up every now and then, and this is exactly what a few spritzes of this weightless formula provides! 

In the directions, it does say it can be used on both wet and dry hair, but I've only tried it on wet hair, as I don't tend to use many products on my hair once it's dry (apart from the usual hairspray). I generously apply this once my hair has been towel dried, comb through, then I leave it to towel dry a little bit more in the towel-turban thing us girls tend to do! (otherwise my hair takes a lot longer to blow dry, even longer to naturally dry). I then follow with my usual routine, and once styled my hair feels just that bit more silky smooth, and looks that bit more healthy with a natural shine, without feeling sticky or affecting the finished look. As with the other products available from the Miracle Moist range, the Australian Macadamia Nut Oil is the active moisturising ingredient in this product, and definitely leaves hair feeling nourished.
Therefore, I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who needs a little something that your hair might be lacking every now and then.

If you're a big Boots shopper, you've probably had No7 vouchers coming out of your ears, and just as well as there were so many new cosmetic launches, as well as a new skincare product, and they've proven to be popular with a money-off incentive! I will do in-depth reviews of individual products in the coming days, but my particular favourites have been the new Lovely Lashes mascara, the new Pop & Glow cream blush and the new Dark Circle Corrector. (Sadly, the vouchers did run out on Sunday 30th March..then again they've been out for well over a month, so more the fool you if you missed out!)

Finally, as a 3 for 2 offer was also on across makeup and beauty accessories, I just had to try and get my hands on the Real Techniques Silicone Liner Brush. I'm a huge fan of their brushes, and cannot recommend them enough to customers and friends alike who want good quality brushes that perform well. Also, I still struggle to apply liquid liner at the best of times so I thought this would be the perfect brush to help me on my way. 

This brush is nothing like your traditional haired brush, (that sounds weird!), as it is just a silicone tip, therefore it is a lot sturdier when in use and won't fray, giving you easier control as you apply your eyeliner. Because of this, it is super easy to clean: takes just seconds and is dry in no time too! I've used the brush with both MAC's Fluidline Eyeliner Gel and No7's Stay Precise Liquid Liner and it really does apply any product smoothly and with stability, regardless of whether you're rock steady or are prone to the shakes (like me!). Also, the brush tapers to a point so you can use it just to add definition to the roots of the lashes for a more natural look, or go all-out with a thicker line and a winged-out finish. It is also great for tightlining the waterline, as the brush doesn't cling onto too much product and is flexible.
Hence, I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who wants the perfect eyeliner brush, especially if you struggle to apply liquid/gel eyeliner.

What have been your beauty favourites this month? Any new products which caught your eye and have lived up to their expectations? Leave your thoughts in the comments, I'm always on the lookout for new, affordable items to add to my collection :)