Simply Gorgeous Cosmetics An Exclusive Review!

I love to try new products and brands, so when I was offered the opportunity to be the first person in England to review a new line of American cosmetics I literally jumped at the chance! 

Simply gorgeous is a brand new range of cosmetics hot out of New York! 

I was sent a package of various items to try out and review. 

Blusher

The first thing I tried was their gorgeous blusher! The packaging is wonderful, it is matte gold and high end looking with a mirror and mini brush applicator included for on the go touch ups. 

The colour I was sent was 'medium rose'

I'd describe it as a brick red or burnt coral, with pink and brown undertones. 

The texture of the blush is perfect, not too powdery or chalky. Very finely milled and highly pigmented. I was also pleased to read it was fragrance free and contains anti oxidants, so it's actually good for your skin! 

It comes in a generous 8.6g size too! excellent value for money! 

Mascara

The simply gorgeous mascara is also in matte gold packaging with metallic accents, it really looks the part! The mascara I was sent is in Black. It has a dainty wand perfect for adding volume and curl as you can really get into the base of the lashes with it. 

It is a very rich and creamy formula that doesn't clump and the pigmentation is excellent, so your lashes look black and bold. It doesn't say it's waterproof but I've had no issues with it running in the rainy British springtime climate! Great product. 

Lipstick

I was sent the lipstick in the shade 'red alert' which is funny because I am obesessed with red lipstick! How did they know?

Red alert is a true red, bold, rich and fearless, I adore it! The formula is silky and very moisturising and it has a satin sheen finish. No gloss needed on top of this beauty! I also noticed that this lipstick stained my lips so reapplications were few and far between. Definitely comparable to a NYX lipstick in terms of colour payoff and quality. Truly excellent lipstick!

Eyeshadow 

The powder eyeshadow I was sent was in Irish Creme, a beautiful beige. Very neutral and would suit any skintone and hair colour. 

I am astounded at it's excellent colour payoff for such a light neutral shade! The formulation is smooth and silky, much like the blush. Very finely milled for easy application and it is a dream to blend. These single eyeshadows are a huge 3g size too! That DOUBLE the size of a MAC eyeshadow for a fraction of the price, and I honestly see no difference in terms of quality! 

Cream eyeshadow 

The cream eyeshadow I was sent was in Pink Opal. It is the most beautiful colour and would work perfectly on anybody with brown or green eyes. 

I find the texture a little greasy and it can feel a little sticky on the eyelid, I'd recommend using this with an eyeshadow primer to maximise it's staying power and to set it with a little translucent powder. what a stunning summer colour!! 

Lipgloss 

The simply gorgeous lipgloss is fantastic! From the packaging to the applicator I cannot fault it at all! 

This one is in the shade Attitude and I LOVE it! What a stunning spring and summer shade! It boasts excellent colour payoff, long lasting wear and a shine that could put some high end brands to shame!  My advice? Order yourself one now!!

Nail polish

Simply gorgeous nail polishes are already uber popular on Instagram and after using one I'm really not surprised. I was sent the coral red shade called 'gorgeous' and my oh my it is gorgeous! 

It applys better than many of the high end polishes I own! It just glides on and  the brush applicator does not shed any hairs or clump at all! 

The colour payoff is awesome and it has a two dimensional tone that gives off a light shimmer. It wears well and does not chip easily at all, I really do sing it's praises! 

In summary

Simply Gorgeous cosmetics are a welcome addition to the cosmetics industry, they are high quality, well made, affordable and have super cute packaging! 

For a new makeup brand I think they have hit it out of the park in terms of the quality of their products, I wish them every success in the future! 

Go support them and get yourselves Simply Gorgeous too! 

Estée Lauder DayWear Moisturiser

Estée Lauder Daywear is a facial moisturising cream with SPF 15. 

This award winning moisturiser combines the latest anti aging technology with Classic Estée Lauder skincare to produce  a rich, non greasy skin defending cream! 

The SPF 15 is essential for preventing ageing and sun damage whilst the anti oxidants diminish the first signs of ageing. 

I find this moisturiser a must have for underneath Estée Lauder doublewear foundation, it allows for truly easy and flawless application, keeps the skin looking healthy and hydrated and protects from environmental damage to the skin like pollution and sun damage. 

It has a light scent of cucumber which is beautifully refreshing and is rich enough to last all day long. 

This is to be applied morning and evening and comes two formulations for  normal & combination or dry skin. I found the normal to combination variety perfect for my normal to dry skin. 

This moisturiser would be ideal for ladies in their late twenties and thirties as their first step in anti ageing skincare as this is a great prevention product, and we all know that prevention is better than cure! 

RRP £40 available from Tyrers St. Helens 

Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation

This foundation is a favourite amongst women of all ages making it the best selling Estée Lauder product of all time. 

Double Wear is a liquid foundation that claims to wear flawlessly for 15 hours, keep the complexion looking fresh, feel lightweight and comfortable on the skin and have medium to buildable coverage with a Demi matte finish.

Huge claims, but does it deliver? 

I'm pleased to tell you that it does! It really exceeded my expectations. As a beauty blogger I try and test a lot of products and many of them I find are over hyped, so it's refreshing to try something that delivers what it claims. 

Below is a photograph of me without any makeup. 

I have a slightly uneven skintone with some redness / dark circles / blemishes. 

Application 

I applied it to freshly cleansed and moisturised skin (Estée Lauder daywear moisturiser) 

I used a damp beauty blender sponge to apply this product because it's my preferred method, although Estée Lauder recommend the use of a foundation brush, my sponge worked perfectly. 

After application my skintone looked more even, the redness had covered and yet still looked natural and like skin! Not caked in makeup.

I went on to apply the rest of my makeup as usual.

My finished makeup look

I wore the makeup from 10am to 10pm to test out it's longevity, I'm pleased to say it held out really well. I didn't touch up at all! 

12 hours later still looking fresh faced!

My foundation stayed in place beautifully. It did not oxidise, cake, wear off or crease  into my fine lines at all. It remained fresh looking and perfect until bedtime!

It was completely comfortable to wear, it did not feel drying at all and it looked utterly flawless. 

This foundation looks like your skin - but better! 

I would recommend this foundation to ladies of any age, as it has a beautiful natural finish, it would be ideal for women with oily skin who find foundation wears off easily or oil seeps through on their T Zone, or for ladies who have a busy schedule and do not have time to regularly touch up with powder. 

Ladies with dry to very dry skin may want to consider trying this foundation with a rich moisturiser like Estée Lauder Daywear to ensure their skin maintains optimal moisture levels. 

What I find most impressive about this foundation is the level of coverage, because for something so lightweight and natural looking it really does cover a multitude of sins! So much so I can get away without concealer when wearing it! 

This product contains an SPF factor 10 and is oil and fragrance free! 

Available in shades to match any skintone! You can have a colour match consultation for FREE at Tyrers, Bridge Street, St. Helens - say I sent you! 

What are you waiting for? 

New Clinique cheek pop blushers

Cliniques newest line of blushers are my must have product for spring and summer 2014! 

From their sleek packaging to their daisy imprint they made my heart skit a beat when I spotted them! So Chique and pretty! 

I chose to review shade 002 Peach Pop because coral is my go to spring & summer shade when it comes to blushers and lipsticks. 

The product has high pigmentation so a little goes a long way, it has a satin finish which adds a healthy sheen to the cheeks without being shimmery or glittery, it doesn't look powdery and it stays on all day! 

The blush comes in several shades but I honestly cannot recommend this peach shade enough for spring and summer 2014, it is bang on trend. 

I haven't worn any of my other blushes all week since I've had this in my possession, it's safe to say I'm obsessed. 

It is fragrance free and allergy tested so it will work in in perfect harmony with your skin, and best of all it us £16.50 which is very reasonable! 

Get your hands on this blush at Tyrers of St Helens! Also available at other Clinique counters! 

Face Primer Wars - High Street & High End

I'm somebody that rarely commits to one product or brand, I like to play the field when it comes to cosmetics and try out anything and everything until I find the holy grail. For me its a hobby, its fun and its rewarding. So here are the primers I have road tested, and what i thought of each.

For high street to high end (Price lowest to highest)


1. NYC Smooth Skin Perfecting Primer - Superdrug £3.49

CLAIMS: to extend the wear of foundation, minimize imperfections and to smooth and moisturise the skin

MY REVIEW: This primer is actually very decent for the price, it is a white cream, it does leave skin feeling smoother and softer and does illuminate the skin due to its slightly shimmery appearance. It has no scent, dries quickly and makes foundation application smoother and easier. For a basic drugstore product I think it is well worth the money. Would I repurchase? Yes. In a heartbeat. 

2.Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer Superdrug £6.99

CLAIMS: 5 in 1. Smooths, Perfects, protects,brightens, mattifies and resurfaces

MY REVIEW: This product is another white cream, it claims big things, and for the most part it delivers. The skin feels amazing after use, it does minimize pores and imperfections, it is slightly illuminating and shimmery so it does brighten and obviously any layer of cream on the skin will protect it to an extent - the resurfacing claim is a little far fetched but it does give you a nicer smoother base to work with, so I'll overlook the big claim. My only issue with this product was that I was allergic to it. That's not the products fault - its just unfortunate. The product itself worked in perfect harmony with my skin - my problem was the scent. It makes my eyes run, makes me sneeze and just generally caused a 'heyfever' type reaction. Would I repurchase it: NO  - but if they released a fragrance free version - then YES. 


3. Salma Hayek Smooth Start Smooth Skin Primer $10 CVS (USA only)

CLAIMS: To diminish the appearance of pores and fine lines and enhance makeup wear

MY REVIEW: WOW! this is a wonder product, I cannot honestly recommend it highly enough! unlike the previous 2 primers I have mentioned, this is a gel like formula, It is almost like vaseline but less greasy. It is a light beige colour. It glides on, feels super soft and hides a multitude of sins. Would I repurchase? YES! by the bucket!


4. MAC Prep + Prime Skin £20.50 MAC Cosmetics website

CLAIMS: To calm and soothe the skin, blot excess oil and even out skintone. Improve application of foundations.

MY REVIEW: Like the cheaper dugstore primers this is a white cream with a fair amount of shimmer which illuminates the skin. It is very light and non greasy, almost a little too 'watery' for my liking. super soft to touch and definitely good at its blotting claim, so if you have oily skin I would highly recommend this primer. It provides a perfect base to apply foundation on top of.  Exactly what I would expect from MAC. Would I repurchase? NO because I don't have oily skin so its not ideal for me. I would try a different MAC primer more suited to my skin type though.



5. Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer £22.50 Estee Lauder website

Claims: To mattify skin, control oils and shine, even out skintone, minimise pores, calm and smooth

MY REVIEW: Given that MAC & Estee Lauder and one in the same it doesn't surprise me that this primer is similar to the MAC one, only this feels slightly thicker and less watery - therefore BETTER. No noticeable scent, definitely does mattify the skin and smooths to incredible levels, evens out the surface and generally delivers what it claims. Would I repurchase? Maybe, but its a little bit pricey!


6. Benefit The Porefessional £24.50 Benefit website

Claims: Minimize appearance of pores and fine lines, smooth and even out skin, Improve application of foundation.

MY REVIEW: For me, this is the best of the best. I do not think there is a better primer out there, I do not have problem pores or any issues with fine lines yet i LOVE this as a primer. It is somewhere between a gel and a cream and nude beige in colour (VERY similar to Nuance by Salma Hayek) Probably best described as a "balm." It really does smooth, mattify and even out the skin. It has to be felt to be believed. My skin feels like velvet after application. Would I repurchase? Despite its high price tag - YES, A little goes a really long way. 


In summary, I'd  move heaven and earth to get your hands on the NUANCE primer by Salma Hayek because for me it is the closest dupe to the best, which is Benefit's Porefessional :) There really isn't much in these two despite Benefit being $20 (£15) more expensive!

I really hope you found this review useful and I look forward to reading your comments and opinions.

Helen xx

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

Here's a link to my latest video blog, a review and demo of bourjois healthy mix foundation. I absolutely LOVE it!! check it out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAHhTq7rIaM

Eyeshadow bases - Tried & tested

I have been obsessed with eyeshadow bases recently so here are review of the ones I have tried with swatches of them alone and with an eyeshadow on top.

I tried 

Max factor masterpiece in icicle blue and icicle rose £6.99 each at boots

Wet n wild usa cream eyeshadow in pink 99p ebay.com

Dainty doll by Nicola Roberts eyeshadow base in shade 001 £1 poundland

MAC pro longwear paint pot in shade vintage selection £14.50 mac.com 

From wrist: max factor, wet n wild, mac, max factor, dainty doll

 Verdict

The max factor and wet n wild and elf have a similar formula and are very moist, the mac is very creamy and the dainty doll is only very slightly moist, it has an almost clay like texture that dries instantly.

The mac can be applied with fingers or a brush but I prefer fingers as you loose product by using a brush, and its expensive. 

The max factor and elf have inbuilt applicators which are similar to a concealer wand. 

My least favourite is the dainty doll. I find it dry and difficult to blend. The colour payoff is good but that's really the only positive I can find. 

The wet n wild is highly pigmented, cheap and a nice shade, on the downside the formula is a little bit too runny and takes a while to dry. It hasn't got the best staying power but its decent for a cheap option and gives the eyeshadow you choose to apply over it good colour payoff.

The elf is completely sheer so it was pointless swatching it but I've used it a lot and it does help eyeshadows to stay on longer, and the formula is nice. It helps with eyeshadow colour payoff. Cheap and cheerful and does a decent job.

The MAC paintpot offers multi dimensional colour and can be worn alone not just as a base, it goes on as a cream and gives you time to apply eyeshadows on top but once it dries it does not budge. At all. It's so longlasting that I fell asleep in my makeup after a party and when I got up the next morning it was still perfect! The only downside to this product is price because it costs a lot of money but in this case I do think its worth it and I will be buying it in more shades.

The max factor masterpiece really shocked me, it's level pegging with the mac in terms of it could be worn alone the pigmentation is so strong. It has lovely shimmery undertones. It's reasonably priced, very hard wearing and  makes your eyeshadows look 100% brighter. 

Based on this the max factor masterpiece is the eyeshadow base I would recommend. They are available in a range of shades in boots for £6.99 so snap some up! 

Here are the bases with similar coloured eyeshadows layered on top 

How beautiful is the blue? 

The eyeshadow palette I used was the MUA Dusk til Dawn and I used shade 6 for icicle rose max factor, wet n wild and mac, shade 10 for icicle blue max factor and shade 4 for dainty doll.

I hope you found my review helpful 

Take care, love Helen

Www.youtube.com/beautyandhelen