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 BB Lips

*as promised, I'm back! And I'm back with a product I adore, especially at this time of year..*

It seems that every brand has put their stamp on the beauty market with their take on BB, CC and, soon, DD products. However, don't let this put you off the No7 BB Lips.

Before I became a No7 advisor, I had braces and felt as though I could never wear colour on my lips. Don't get me wrong, I actually loved my braces and I never hid them, I loved smiling away because that's just who I am..but I just didn't like wearing lipstick/lacquer, the furthest I ever got was a slick of tame lipgloss or lip balm. Now, I love the prospect of colour, and my face isn't complete without some form of colour-bursting lip product! 

Back to the BB Lips..these actually launched just over a year ago with six shades in the range, and Berry Rose caught my eye straight away.  

My selection of BB Lips, from left-right: Berry Rose, Geranium, Blink Pink, Blush Pink.

They are described as "an all-in-one lip balm that provides 3 lip-loving benefits of: beautiful colour, soothing nourishment and UV protection." As you can see, they are in a squeezy lipgloss style tube, with an angled applicator to go straight onto the lips, super easy.

As you can see from the swatch, the colour is very true to how it appears on the tube. I love how rich the colour is and is so wearable it can complement any look. The texture is thinner than that of a lipgloss, yet has the shine of a lipgloss, but not as sticky as a lipgloss..so an all-round winner in my opinion! 

A great big "tick" against beautiful colour that's for sure. In terms of moisturising, it is certainly a lightweight product - in my opinion, not as heavy as a lipgloss or lip lacquer, and I find that it definitely doesn't dry my lips out at all. Okay, so the product itself doesn't last all day, but what lip balm does? So yes, you do have to keep topping it up if you want the colour and shine to remain, (I'd say the shine lasts for around an hour, and the colour stains for a while before that wears off) but it still keeps your lips lovely and nourished: tick.

I love these so much, and it's clear that others do too, that No7 introduced a seventh colour to the range, as part of their "Summer Collection" this year: Geranium.

I'm not usually one for corals that sway on the orange side, as I can never find one that suits my skin tone..until now. This has become my favourite summer colour, I wear it pretty much every day! And I get so many compliments whilst wearing it, so it must be doing me a favour. ;) It's still so pigmented too, yet the sheer-ness takes away from the harsh bright orange that comes along with the original Gay Geranium lipstick from the No7 range.

I'm such a fan of this range, I also have two more colours! First up, Blush Pink, for a more natural look:

Finally, Blink Pink, which actually disappointed me a little:

As you can see in the swatch, a lovely bright baby pink, yet on the lips there's only a hint of colour, which I suppose isn't too bad on a minimal make-up day.

In terms of UV protection, I haven't quite managed to put this to a proper test yet: it states that it has an SPF of 15. Because of this, ideally, they'll make a great alternative to lipsticks when going abroad..and this is exactly what I plan to take out with me to Portugal when I go next month, so I'll be sure to report back on how they perform on that front. I'd still recommend to buy at least one..or two right now, as they're just brilliant, at just £9 each and they're on offer instore and online now at "buy one, get the second half price", which is across No7 cosmetics, why not?! (and if you happen to do any other shopping..yes, it's No7 voucher time again, which means you can get £3 off No7 make-up, and the best news is that it can be used with the "buy one, get the second half price" offer, winner!)

Coming up Friday..I have a concealer dilemma, and I need help!