My Three Favourite Benefit Blushers!

Benefit Blushers are amongst my favourite make up products and I find myself using them constantly and then always re-purchasing when I hit pan to the point where there literally nothing left. Of all the products available, there are three which have become staples within my stash.

Rockateur, Marjorette and Dandelion are all products that I disliked to begin with.  All bought on a whim because they looked and sounded great at a Benefit Counter, but getting them home, I decided I didn't like them.  Oddly, I bought them all at different times and now have since repurchased each one.

Dandelion is often described as being a pink perk me up powder and it is indeed quite pink. That said, it is also really subtle when used and is perfect for my pale skinned tones.  If you want a bit more of a colour then you can build it up really easily.  

The reason I disliked it to start with is because I just didn't think it suited my skin at all, at the time of purchasing I did, to be fair, have a bit of a tan, so it was barely visible.  Now, tan faded and I am fully embracing my milk bottle shade, it actually is really rather pretty.

Marjorette is one of the newer products from Benefit and again, I loved when it at the Benefit Counter when I had a make-over with it. Got it home and instantly disliked it and almost gave it to a good friend of mine before having a change of heart and deciding to give it a second chance.  Marjorette differs from other Benefit blushes as this is in a pot rather than a box an I think I prefer it this way because the boxes become a bit bashed about in my make up bag and quite tatty looking, whereas this one looks near perfect.

Marjorette is a cream blush which has a coral-peach shade to it. It applies much easier than I ever anticipated it would do and has quite a creamy consistency which ensures it blends well and you can have it as light or a bold as you wish. For me, I like the barely there look with this and I think the shade does suit me much more than I gave it credit for. One of the best things about this blush, and it wasn't something I noticed until after reading someone elses review, is the smell! Yes, Marjorette has a scent which to me is quite peachy, not overpoweringly peachy, but once you have noticed it, you know it is there.

The final blush of my trio is Rockateur and possibly my favourite of the three here, not too surprisingly considering it is the UK's no.1 selling blush! Made up of two Rose Gold shimmers and the word Rock clearly emblazoned, this blush is just stunning.

Benefit describe their Rockateur offering as a "rockin' rose gold" and for me that is a good enough description. It is quite a cool toned rose gold and again being really pale, I find it works really well on my skin, even if I do happen to get a bit of colour to my cheeks. Easy to use and easy to apply, you can of course choose to have a much bolder shade by building it up, I personally prefer one or two sweeps across my cheekbones and from there I am happy with the shade and slight shimmer.

All three of these blushers are totally different shades yet I really enjoy using them all, obviously not together!  

The swatch above shows each blush - Marjorette, Rockateur and then Dandelion in turn, as you can see against my pale skin, they work really well and don't leave me looking washed out.

Each are priced at £23.50 and for that, I find they are not only great value for money, but they last for ages and ages, well apart from Rockateur because I use it all the time and this is my second or third one since it was launched.

Do you have a favourite blusher?

This post has also appeared on JustJulie

Brand New Products from Vichy

Vichy is quite a phenomenal brand with products cleverly created for every skin issue you can think of. Last week I was really lucky to be invited along to see some new products in action, have a play with some existing products and ask as many questions as I could possibly think of to the experts, which was simply brilliant.

Most of you will have heard of (and love) the Idealia range. Well those clever people at Vichy have now created Skin Sleep which has been described as being a recovery night gel-balm. Following on from a lot of research, Skin Sleep is the first night product clinically proven to stimulate all the skins deep sleep mechanisms, to ensure that no matter how many hours sleep you have, the skins nightly functions will remain at their optimum. 

Skin Sleep is a Gel like balm which feels quite an odd to the touch at first, but you get used to it. It smells divine and the tub within which it sits has a really funky design making it quite easy to grab hold of. Once applied to cleansed skin, it is quite cooling and almost instantly absorbs itself.  Since using it, I have found that my skin loves this product, it leaves my skin feeling moisturised and hydrated.

Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation is now available in three new shades, giving a total of 8. Shade 05 Porcelain, 65 Coffee and 85 Espresso have been added to the range to try and give more colour options. I was matched with Shade 05 which is the lightest shade and it has an impressive SPF35 and is said to last on the skin for around 16 hours. 

The Dermablend Corrective Fluid Foundation offers a range of camouflage coverage product for irregular skin tone, redness, minor acne scars, enlarged pores, dark circles and pigmentation disorders.  Having been matched to the new shade 05, I was really looking forward to giving it a try.

I am told you can use this with fingers or a brush, but as someone who likes my brushes, i've been using my foundation brush to apply and I think it is fabulous. It is lightweight on the skin, it covers redness and conceals dark circles really well and it blends magnificently with little or no effort required. If, like me, you like to look as though there is a minimal amount of coverage on your face, this Dermablend Corrective Fluid might well be something to look into.

Have you tried any Vichy products?

Win Cash with this great giveaway

How would you like the chance to win yourself $300? The giveaway is presented by Shopping Links in honour of FemaleBloggerRT reaching a massive 30,000 members and it is a worldwide giveaway.  FemaleBloggerRT is the original retweet community for bloggers.

I use the FBRT regularly to boost traffic to my daily blog posts and they are also on Instagram too. 

To take part in the giveaway, all you need to do is complete the Rafflecopter widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pixi by Petra - New Beauty

Everyone will have heard of Pixi who are quite famous for their Glow Tonic, a cult product for many and one which is on my wish list as I still haven't tried it. Until a few weeks ago, I had no idea how wide and varied the entire skincare range was and what's more, their Autumn launch, which I am sharing with you today is pretty fantastic.

The two skincare products that I have are the H20 Skindrink (£24.00) and Beauty Sleep Cream (£24.00). The H20 Skindrink I loved from the moment I tried it. Containing Aloe Vera, Green Tea, Rosemary and Glycerin it claims to refresh, cool, stimulate, rejuvenate and help trap moisture into your skin. 

When you use it, the first thing I noticed was how wet it was, odd to say but it is the best way I can think to describe the texture. On a hot summers day, it is an absolute delight to apply especially if it has been stored in the fridge a few hours before you use it and my skin absolutely loves it.

The Beauty Sleep Cream is a soothing and nourishing night treatment, with uses 100% natural mango butter, plus oils of lavender, lemon & bergamot to protect, nourish, and hydrate skin while you sleep.  

This cream is really light-weight on the skin and it sinks in so quickly you don't even know it is there and it is a product I definitely love and want to try, as suggested, with Overnight Glow Serum which also sounds delightful.

The final skincare product I have is the 24K Eye Elixir (£22.00) which is an anti-fatigue peptide serum that massages away puffiness as it smoothes and refreshes the eye area. The formula contains actual gold, to stimulate circulation, peptides to plump fine lines, and raspberry to tone the skin. The metal rollerball gives a fantastic cooling feeling on application, which really does refresh instantly.

As well as skincare, also in the box was three makeup products and this is another first for me because ive never tried the makeup range, which again is quite extensive and looks amazing.

First up we have the Lengthy Fibre Mascara (£16.00) which is filled with really tiny fibres to help thicken and bulk up your lashes.  I really like the wand, it is lightweight to hold and really easy to work between your lashes. It doesn't clump and it doesn't produce spider lashes, I think this is going to be one of those mascaras that I absolutely love and always need to have.

Staying with the eye, we have the Endless Silky Eye Pen (£12.00). The pencil is waterproof, smudge proof and incredibly long-wearing. There are around 14 different shades and they all have a super smooth and silky formula which glides on beautifully. 

Impressively they are all paraben-free, mineral oil-free, preservative-free and hypoallergenic. Slate Grey is a brand new shade to the already large collection, and I love it! If you’re not a fan of black eyeliners, this colour is a fantastic alternative.

Finally within this little bundle of joy is the Endless Matte Lipstick in shade Rose Naturelle (£14.00). I absolutely love this lipstick and have worn it everyday since it came into my being. This shade is described as being a ‘vintage lip tone rose’. The Endless Matte Lipsticks offer a demi-matte finish and they also contain peptides, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins C & E help to create fuller, smoother looking lips. 

I find this really moisturising and hydrating on my lips and it is long lasting. Once applied I get good 4-5 hours wear out of it and for me it is shade perfect. This iwill definitely be a repurchase time and time again, plus there are a few other shades I am looking forward to trying.

Alongside these delights, Pixi also have a lot of other new products that have just been launched such as a Colour Correcting Powder Foundation, Makeup Melting Cleansing Cloths, a Glow Mud Mask and more. You can check them all out here.

Have you ever tried a Pixi product?

Inika Cosmetics - Gift with Purchase During September

Inika Cosmetics is an organic make-up brand which has won over 35 cosmetic awards and is a certified organic, vegan, halal, and cruelty-free brand.
This September, Inika is offering a complimentary Puff Pot Mineral Blusher with any Mineral Powder Foundation purchase.

It will come as no surprise that Inika use only the highest quality, natural and safe ingredients which are free of petrochemicals, synthetic substances, mineral oils, parabens, ingredients of animal origin and talc to name just a few from an impressive list which you can find here. INIKA uses the finest Australian botanicals and pure minerals to produce makeup that cares for your skin as well as performing brilliantly. INIKA ingredients feed the skin in a soothing manner, whilst being beneficial.

The Mineral Foundation Powder with SPF15 is available in 8 different shades and it works as a foundation, concealer and powder, all in one. INIKA foundations can be built up to offer amazing coverage which is especially great for those of us wanting to hide skin conditions such as acne, scarring, rosacea or pigmentation. As it contains no cheap fillers or harsh chemicals INIKA foundations won’t clog your pores or irritate your skin, making it perfect for anyone with sensitive skin.

I like this foundation powder quite a lot.  It is light on the skin but covers my imperfections, it is multi-use so I can if desired just carry this one powder around with me and it is buildable, so if you prefer a much heavier coverage than I do, then it will work really well.  The pot is also lightweight and you can, if desired, use your own make-up puff pad and store it within the lid.

The Mineral Blusher Puff Pot is available in two shades, Rosy Glow and Pink Punch and is designed to give you a warm, luscious healthy glow. As with the Mineral Foundation there are no nasty fillers, no parabens and no talc. 

This blusher pot comes with its very own puff pad to make the application easy and perfect for on the go, to use all you need to do is turn the pot upside down, tap on the bottom and the blusher appears in the puff pad, how clever!. Not only that, but the lid also houses a super handy mirror and it is really easy to apply and the colour is much more pigmented than I ever thought it would be, so you only need a small amount at any one time.

Inika products are widely available in stores such as Wholefoods, Lloyds Pharmacies, Planet Organic and online.  Together these products have a value of £46.50 so if you are wanting to try something new, cruelty free and get yourself a bargain, look out for this offer throughout the whole of September.

Have you tried Inika Cosmetics before?

Chin Up Mask - The Non Surgical Face Lift!

If there was one thing I could change about my skin it would be the chin.  Mine is horrible, small, fat with the beginning of a double chin.  So eager to get rid of it, I jumped when the opportunity arose to check out a brand new Indiegogo campaign called Chin-Up, a product which launches later this month over on their website chinupmask.com.

Chin-Up claims to be the equivalent of a non-surgical facelift and utilises the latest scientific developments in pressure technology whilst the specially formulated fruit-extract filled face masks are absorbed; lifting up and firming the shape of your face, promoting facial blood circulation, burning up extra fat on the face to remodel a more refined face with effects which last for a few days. The mask uses 4 main ingredients to achieve its results:

• Vitamin E - Protects skin cells from free radicals and protects product formulation or carrier oil from lipid peroxidation. Acts as an antioxidant. Possesses moisturising and protective properties. Offers improved elasticity and smoothness.
• Corum 9235 - Gives a warming sensation when applied to the skin. Stimulates the absorption of serum and promotes the losing of chin-fat
• Q10 Coenzyme - Stimulates cell strengthening and promotes the regeneration of skin. Q10 has strong anti-oxidant effects, giving immediate relief to dry and dehydrated skin. It also has anti-ageing and anti-wrinkle properties.
• Skintronics - Facilitates the fat release and aids in the contouring process. The Skintronics serum converts fat into stabilized fibrous tissue and eases the edema under the cheeks, jaw and chin. It helps boost the density of collagen and cell tension, instantly lifting and firming up to 20%.

The Kit has everything in that you will need to use.  Two Chin Masks, a Slimming Band and a Tape Measure to record your results.  

To use it is quite simply.  Apply the Chin Up mask to your face and neck, it is like a sheet mask but just for your chin and under-chin area and then apply the slimming band and leave for around 30-40 minutes, after which time you should see effects of up to 2cm of fat loss.  Now the slimming band isn't going to be the next fashion accessory and it does nothing for your vanity at all, but it is easy to wear with velcro fastening so you can adjust it for comfort.  Once the sheet mask is applied and the slimming band is on, you feel as though your chin is up by your nose and it is quite hard to talk, eat or drink.  So you really need to use it when you have nothing much else to do and especially not when you have friends coming round.  During those 30 minutes, I felt a slight warmness to my chin, nothing that was too uncomfortable, but it did get warm, so there is something to think about should you use one of these, the feeling was similar to that of a Clay Mask when you use those.

Once those alloted 30 minutes are up, I removed the band and this is my result.

So, yes, it did work. Thankfully! I lost just under 2cm off of my double chin in just half an hour.  The loss for me was right under my chin and at the side, not so much so it is massively noticeable and I wasn't expecting to remove the mask and find a brand new chin, but I am pleased with what I have seen as a difference.

Was it worth it? For a one off, yes and I would do it again, it would be great to use before a night out as an extra treatment, especially as it gave me a little more confidence and something less to worry about and I am definitely going to use the other mask in a few weeks times.  There has been no price set for when it is released, so it is a case of watching this space.

You can find more about Chin Up by visiting their website, mentioned at the beginning of this review, or via their social media channels such as facebook, twitter, instagram

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Do you think this is something you would want to try?

A dress fit for a Queen

This month has been quite a busy social one for me with weddings and birthdays to be celebrated.  I am one of those people who can't wear the same dress twice, more so when it is an event to be celebrated with a similar group of friends.  Thankfully House of Fraser were on hand to help me out with my little predicament and with these two fabulous dresses from the plus size dresses range.

The Dorothy Perkins Leaf Print Sateen Fit And Flare Dress is shown on the left is currently on sale here for just £20 and it is an absolute bargain.  When wearing it, there is a zip which runs the length of the back, it has a rounded collar, short sleeves and is Fit and Flare designed meaning that it pulls the waist with a ribbon is and is really flattering.  I really love the leaf design which also uses the colours blue and yellow and can, therefore, be accessorised really easily.

The Black and white floral Samya Pleated Botanical Print Dress is again a dress I absolutely adore.  As with the first dress, it is again a fit-and-flare style dress featuring a belted waist and box pleated skirt making it really flattering. It uses a back zip fastener, has a rounded collar and is also sleeveless.  

As a black and white dress, it can be as dressed up as casually worn as you find comfortable.

With both dresses what I found is the sizing was almost spot on.  Having the belted waist meant I could pull them in at the sides where they were both slightly too big and it then lifted the dresses so they didn't just hang.  When I am buying a dress, for me it is all about fitting around the chest area because if it doesn't fit there, then it can really make an outfit look horrendous.

I am not usually a fan of zips on the back of dresses because of the coldness against the skin, but with these two, I didn't notice them throughout either day of wearing them, nor did I feel overly hot and bothered.

My favourite of the two dresses is the first one.  It fits much more snugly, it is fairly bright and cheerful and I loved the detail on the hem, which I feel complimented the dress.

Have you seen any dresses you have really liked of late?

The Amazing New L'Occitane Aromachologie Re-Balancing Range

Surprise packages are always amazing, especially when they smell as good as the new L'Occitane Aromachologie Re-Balancing Range**. As soon as I opened the black jiffy envelope I was blown away by this amazing scent and I dived straight in.

A 100% natural re-balancing scent in a new line of products to awaken the senses, help restore balance and bring well-being to body and mind. The range itself has a total of five products and today I have four of them to share with you.

Rebalancing Exfoliating Shower Gel (£14) contains five purifying essential oils (Cypress, Juniper, Lemon, Thyme, Eucalyptus which as you can imagine is just amazing first thing in a morning when you need a dig in the ribs to wake up, or to invigorate & rebalance as L'Occitane describe it so eloquently. Using olive and lemon particles within the shower gel to delicately eliminates impurities not only leaves the skin soft and smooth but smelling absolutely delightful.

Most people know how much I enjoy a long hot soak in the bath, so when Rebalancing Infusions For Bath (£15), the water was running before I had finished reading the packaging.  Inside the box are five infused sachets which you place in your bath water, or as I do over the tap so the running water soaks the sachet through and then 5 minutes before I get into the water, I leave the sachet to float about in the bath.  Made with citrus fruit peel and revitalizing salts, each sachet provides a rebalancing effect, beneficial for the senses and body and again, the scent is just amazing, it really helps you to relax, de-stress and leaves you feeling so much better.

One item which did intrigue me was the Rebalancing Black Soap (£16) which comes packaged inside this tub and was not at all what I was expecting to find.  It is designed to be used once or twice a week as treatment all over the body and it is described as being an 'olive oil based soappaste' which is enriched with eucalyptus essential oil to clean the skin and removes impurities. The formula refines skin texture and leaves it soft, nourished and silky. Again it smells absolutely incredible and on the skin it literally melts away and is not at all sticky or goey as you might expect it to be.

When I used this for the first time, I had quite a heavy cold and my nose was a nightmare, being packed with Eucalyptus Oil this soap is perfect for helping your breathing and relieving those cold symptoms. 

The final item in this quartet is the Face Mask (£20) and again it is enriched with absorbing vegetal and mineral powders to remove impurities and tighten pores. With the inclusion of Shea Butter, Sunflower Oil, Thyme Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, Eucalyptus Oil and Juniper Fruit Oil, not only does this mask leave your skin feeling as though you have just spent the whole day cleansing your face, it has such a light fragrance that you forget it is on your face, until it is time to wash off after just five minutes. So this mask is perfect for one of those quick, on the go, masks which is easy to apply, it washes off with no effort and it leaves your skin feeling clean, soft and smooth.

This is another fantastic range from L'Occitane and if the smell isn't enough to tempt you in, the black soap and curiosity should do!

Are you a L'Occitane fan?

My Super affordable AW15 Shoe and Boot Wishlist

It's that time of year when Summer has come to an end and all the Autumn/Winter clothes are being put out in store and the sales have started. You only have to look out of your window today to see how utterly horrid the weather is right now.

Now I love Autumn, it is one of my favourite seasons, leaving work to go home just as dusk begins, earlier closing of the curtains and more of an excuse to light candles and be snug.  One thing I do love is looking for chunky knits, leggings and boots with the latter being one of my favourite items to buy. Autumn footwear is so much better than Summer, no manky toes on show for one, and I have so many pairs of shoes and boots that I want to buy.

I like two things about shoes or boots - they need to be wide fit and they must be fairly flat.  I am not a fan of heels and having flat feet find heels a nightmare to spend the day in.  So if my boots or shoes have any sort of heel at all, I keep a pair of flats with me at work or in my bag just in case.

There are quite a few places I like to buy shoes from online - ASOS, Shoetique, New Look and sometimes TK Maxx who are great when it comes to brands and decent sizing.  So Biker Boots, Knee High Boots, Cowboy Boots and Emu Boots usually all in black are what I need and here are the ones I currently have my eye on!

AW15 ShoeBoot Wishlist by beautyqueenuk 

Naturally, I am a tad obsessed with my Emu Boots which I never thought I would like as I hated Ugg Boots, but I do love mine and ideally need to replace them.   When it comes to Knee High Boots, I like rider style boots and one which are of a more military style, so for this Rieker Boots are perfect and they go with all outfits I am likely to wear.

When it comes to shorter boots, I really like laced boots or ankle boots which are a little bit different and both ASOS and New Look have some amazing boots in right now.

I am also a fan of Ballerina style pumps, especially when I am at work as they are much more comfortable and I have some similar to the Adesso shoes which are Leopard print and the Lotus Black ones which are from TK Maxx, both exceptionally comfy and both work well with trousers, jeans, skirts of dresses.

Do you have a Autumn/Winter Shoe Boot wishlist?

*PR Collaboration

Benefit The POREfessional Agent Zero Shine

I am a huge fan of POREfessional License to Blot, so when I was given the chance to try The POREfessional Agent Zero Shine I couldn't wait to try it out. Benefit describe this as being a shine vanishing pro powder, with an invisible finish which helps to shrink the look of pores and minimise shine both which I need on a daily basis, especially the latter.

Now you can't help but love Benefit packaging, no matter what the product is, it is always the box it comes in that draws my attention and yes I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but when it is this pretty how can you not?  The POREfessional Agent Zero Shine is packaged within what I can best describe as a cone shaped tube which houses the powder at one end and a really handy retractable brush at the other end, basically everything you need to use this product is right here, no need to pack extra brushes or tools when putting it in your makeup bag making it perfect for on the go.

The powder can be found held securely so that it doesn't leak and spill everywhere which I really like and to release some all you need to do is simply twist the top to open the vents and you can then tip some of the powder of into the lid. Then you need the brush which is found with another twist. Then simply dip the brush into the powder and apply straight to your face. You can use this product on moisturised skin or over makeup to instantly mattify your complexion as well as being able to touch up over makeup during the day as and when you feel the need. 

I love that the powder is invisible so you don't really need a mirror to apply because it doesn't look streaky or caked on.  One sweep of the powder onto the skin and it does a great job at mattifying that pesky shine. I do find I have to re-apply during the day, especially if I am going somewhere after work, but in doing so, again it is so lightweight no one would ever know, it simply mattifies the shine as it is meant to. I don't have large pores, so I can't really comment on whether or not it does anything for those with this issue. What I am happy with is its mattifying properties.

Have you tried The POREfessional Agent Zero Shine?