No7 Pop & Glow Cream Blush

Blusher is one item in everyone's makeup bag that they struggle to get right in every aspect: colour, pigment and type. Especially coming into Spring, I find that not just myself, but my customers are looking for something to help brighten their overall look, not just with their base/foundation, but with blusher too, as it is a great way of adding colour and complementing the full face. (I know I can't go a day without wearing blusher, I think with my ghostly colouring, I look ill without it!)

No7 already have a full range of blushers, but with the launch of the new Pop & Glow Cream Blush sticks they are bringing something entirely new to the table: three shades that are bang on trend for Sping/Summer 2014, with a creamy texture..but wait, they dry to a powder-soft, matte finish?! I usually steer right clear of cream blushers due to my oily/combination skin, but I was intrigued with the cream-to-powder technology, that we've only seen before in some foundations, lipsticks and eyeshadows. It was such a hard decision, but I decided to go for the lighter cool pink shade from the range: Rose Blossom. It is also available in a peachy-coral tone, Mango Sorbet, and a deeper pink-red shade, Classic Rose, so there really is a colour for everyone.

On the packaging of the product, there is no explanation of what it is, just how it can be applied: "Sweep gently onto cheek bones and blend with your fingertips. To create a more intense look, build another layer of colour and blend." After trying this method of application, I must say that this a no-go! The good news is that this product is so highly pigmented that you don't need a lot of it, so the bad news is that you can't just draw it onto your face if you want a subtle hint of colour; if you want a really flushed effect, then go ahead and draw on! I apply the Pop & Glow once I have completed the rest of my makeup, as this gives me a good idea of how much blusher I need to apply to complement the look.

     (Pop & Glow Cream Blush drawn straight onto the hand)

    (Pop & Glow Cream Blush blended in with fingertips)

Instead of applying it straight from the stick, there are two other options for applying this blusher:
1. Using your fingertips
2. Blusher brush
I prefer using my fingertips, as I find the warmth of my fingers on the cheeks helps to apply this product smoothly and allows the highly pigmented formula to be blended in to the strength that is desired. (Saying that, when I first started wearing this product for work, I would go in thinking that I'd blended it in enough..then for one of my lovely colleagues to come over and blend it in a little bit more!)

     (One layer of Pop & Glow Cream Blush on each cheek)

     (Left side - using fingertips; Right side - using blusher brush)

As you can see from this image, even with just one layer of the product, it is that pigmented you do not need a lot of it! I find I get better control with using my fingertips and seem to be able to work it to more of an overall flushed look, whereas using the blusher brush gives more of a subtle flush. I would stop at just the one layer with this colour for an everyday look.

     (Two layers of Pop & Glow Cream Blush on each cheek)

     (Left side - using fingertips; Right side - using blusher brush)

I wouldn't usually go this strong, but it just shows you how a build-up of this product can change the entire look. (However, I have just dyed my hair back to its nice dark state, so I actually think it doesn't look too bad!) As you can see, it dries to a completely matte finish, and even with two layers, it feels so lightweight it isn't weighing me down. And even with my oily/combination skin, the brilliant news is that I get a full day's wear out of this blusher without the colour payoff fading, and even with the matte finish, yes it keeps my shine at bay, but neither does it cling to or highlight any dry patches. I've been using this product for just under two months now, yet you barely tell I've been using it for that long! (Saying that, the same can be said for the rest of my No7 blushers, some I've had for years..oops..). With a price of £9.95 each, the Pop & Glow Cream Blush Sticks are most definitely value for money, and I would recommend this product to anyone, literally anyone! With a choice of colours to suit anyone, an easy application and a long-wearing formula, this product ticks all the boxes when it comes to what to look for in a blusher.

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!