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 Match Made Lipstick Service: in depth.

It would be rude of me not to write a post about this, but I thought I'd leave it until after the launch, so I could get to experience how it has gone down with customers.

A brief history of the Match Made Service

Back in the summer of 2012, No7 revolutionised the way we choose our foundations, and is set to do the same with our lipsticks. After rigorous testing and scientific research of over 2000 British women, a unique colour palette was created to give a range of foundation shades that were true to skin colour. From this, a colour measuring device was developed and is used, in larger Boots stores in the UK, to measure skin tone, enabling people to be matched to one of the seventeen true to skin shades of foundation within the No7 range, with various formulas, coverages and finishes on offer. Since the service was launched, nearly one million people across the UK have experienced the Match Made Service, and with complimenting concealers added to the range in 2013, the service is still as popular as ever. Hence, after much more research and testing, the Match Made Lipstick Service has been born.

And now for the sciencey bit!

I'll try not to bore you with this, but it is interesting to see how they got it down to the final colour choices: 700 potential lipstick colours were first set against the 17 skin tones; those that clashed were ruled out, and those that complimented more than one skin tone remained. This left them with 60 potential lipstick colours, and from this the final 43 colour lipstick range was chosen, with at least 14 colours to suit each skin tone: 29 colours in the Moisture Drench range, 14 colours in the Stay Perfect range. All of the new colours are categorised into six key shade groups, to help understanding between the No7 advisor and customer when it comes to choosing a colour(s) - Coral, Plum, Red, Light Pink, Dark Pink and Natural. Note: the key reading is not taken from the lips, it is the same skin-tone reading that is done to find a foundation match within the No7 range. And, if you hadn't already guessed, it's more than one lipstick.. So it's great news if you've already had your match, but it's also a great opportunity if you haven't, as you can get your foundation, concealer and lipstick sorted all in one go! 

The service that answers that all-important question: "What suits me?"

As I already know my skin-true shade, Cool Vanilla, I picked up one of these handy cards that lists all the colours within the new range that best compliment my skin tone. These cards are available at all No7 counters in the UK, subject to availability. I have found that the swatches aren't exactly accurate to how the colours look in the bullet, but it gives you a pretty good idea. The great news is that with the new colours being brought in, the formulation of the lipsticks themselves have been improved too, yay! The Moisture Drench range are so much more pigmented and longer lasting than their predecessors, and the Stay Perfect range are much more nourishing on the lips. I already have six colours from the range: four Moisture Drench, two Stay Perfect..and I'm in love. I adore bright colours as it is anyway, but knowing that they compliment my skin tone gives me that extra confidence to wear the colours with pride. Saying this, I've also gone for a couple more natural looking shades, which I wouldn't usually go for, but yet again, knowing it compliments my skin tone gives me that confidence to wear it. 

Now to go picture crazy..!

You can see from these swatches how the colours transfer from the bullet to the lips, and how all the colours work in harmony with my skin tone. It's quite amazing to see how the different tones of pink are all still so warming to my skin, and most especially the red too. Even 700 Soft Tulip, the most "natural" of the selection is still complimentary, and I would usually surpass this kind of colour in favour of the brighter styles you see here. Saying that, Soft Tulip is becoming an everyday favourite, what with the rise in popularity of the 90's nude..this is my take on the trend for now. And with the finish of the Moisture Drench range being more satin, even the stronger colours I find are very wearable regardless of age, as the colours pack a punch without being harsh. I would say that they're not necessarily long-wearing, as it can transfer onto glasses when drinking, but the general wear of colour is a good couple of hours or so.

Instantly you can see the difference between the Stay Perfect and Moisture Drench: the Stay Perfect are a true-matte finish, and with that the colours are a bit stronger too. However, even with the matte finish, they are not drying nor uncomfortable on the lips. I find with these lipsticks, compared to the Moisture Drench, is that the colour reacts more the natural acidity of your lips throughout its wear: 255 Raspberry Silk gets deeper and much more pink whereas 505 Auburn Whisper takes on an almost red tone. For the longevity, these are spot on, even if you wanted to pop a slick of gloss over the top. I just wish there were more colours in this range; even though there are some classic reds to choose from, sadly none are complimentary for my skin tone. *sad face* At least I get my fix with the Moisture Drench lippies! 

Have you tried the service yet? What are your thoughts on the process and your opinions on the choice of colours?