L’Oréal Nude Magique Eau de Teint foundation

Attention all lovers of very light make-up!!! The news of this foundation has been doing the rounds recently. Lots of people already swear by L’Oréal~s new Nude Magique Eau de Teint foundation and the company released this video backing up their “lighter than water” claim. The new lighter than water texture foundation promises to be perfectly invisible and invisibly perfect with amazing coverage – the ideal nude that glides on the skin and doesn’t feel like makeup. The new foundation comes in six shades from Porcelain to Golden Sands, costs less than £10 and you can find more information at the L’Oréal website!

Product Review: LOLA Ultra Shine lipstick

I love a strong lipstick – reds and pinks are my staples, day and night, so I was delighted to see the lovely LOLA sent me a delightful shade of bright pink called Show Stopper!

LOLA make-up by Perse was launched in last month and is designed in London, with their products made in Italy. At the moment, they have 307 (!!!) product on their range, with prices from £8 to £26.

They strive to offer a look for everyone, hence the 307 products in their fashion-forward range; they are set to offer the finest tools to help women of all ages. I found it so cute the bag they sent me came with a label that said “Dani is LOLA x”, it really gives the message that the products are for you and to bring the best of you!

This lippy is part of of Ultra Shine line. It glides beautifully, the colour is very saturated and the finish is beautifully shiny. It has a good durability for a shiny lipstick – held a few hours, faded a bit when I drank coffee and came off when eating breakfast, which I find normal for a lippy with this finish and no other products to fix.

The smell is very discreet and very nice, it doesn’t taste of anything.

I really love this colour, it is versatile and will look fabulous on many skin tones – it complimented mine very well and it can be used day or night.

Take a look At LOLA’s brilliant range, including face, eyes, lips, nails and tools, all available now at M&S. They have a base range and also launch two seasonal mini-ranges a twice year, so keep your eyes peeled!

You will soon be able to purchase on the LOLA Makeup website and you can follow them on Twitter @loveLOLAmakeup and on Instagram @lolamakeup.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product Review: Hi Brow kit and Smoothing Wax Pencil by La La (Lash Perfect)

The first time I had my eyebrows filled, I found it really, but really odd. Fast forward a few years, and today, I cannot leave the house without them being filled – it is like something is missing in my face. For that, I really welcomed the Hi Brow 24 hour , to make sure my peepers are framed beautifully by defined brows.

Hi-Brow is made by the same company that brought to us by Lash Perfect Professional Eyelash Extensions, as part of their La La Brows range. The kit comes in a little compact; simple, functional with a very smooth latch and a mirror. Inside you will find a brow powder, a highlighter, a double ended brush and three eyebrow stencils.

Check how it enhances my brow, left is with, right is without!

Now both!

The compact powders are very pigmented; I am using the DARK BROWN and found the colour warm and right for me. Application is good, the brush is quite soft; I am used to harder brushes for eyebrows, but this applied very well, no dropping!

The highlighter is beautiful. It has a pink-ish shimmer to it, reflecting light very well, really bringing that brow bone out and creating a lovely contrast with the filled eyebrow.

Personally, I don’t use the stencils as I like my brow shape, but they are a great guide for those who don’t! They are very easy to use, there are guides for correct alignment and they are quite flexible.

Hi Brow by La La - somanylovelythings

To finish off the look, I applied their the super thick Smoothing Wax Pencil, to fix my eyebrows in place. I quite like that one sweep will cover the whole brow and the wax will set the hairs in place, keeping that sharp look for longer.

Hi Brow by La La - somanylovelythings

The wax is smooth and doesn’t feel too waxy, if you know hat I mean! It last well and you don’t have that feeling of hard brows you get with some gels!

Hi Brow by La La - somanylovelythings

The Hi Brow kit , which is available in four colours to suit your complexion (grey, light brown, dark brown and dark charcoal) and the Smoothing Wax Pencil are available from the Lash Perfect website.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Eyeko Black Magic Mascara

Lately, my mascara life turned a bit odd. Old favourites stop doing the trick and I felt everything made my lashes clump. Luckily for me, in the past month I have encountered a few solutions and the Eyeko Black Magic is one that has given me happy lashes. Drama and curl indeed.

Packaging is very nice – a silver squeezy tube and it has a curved hair bristles brush which feels very soft when applying. The liquid is smooth, not too thick and a shiny, well pigmented black.

This is a true bit of magic – it gives good definition (picking up all little lashes), good volume, length and curl – so ticks all the boxes, which is quite hard to find. Plus, it comes with a cute and functional Eyeko branded plectrum which helps application by protecting your lid – you can really get in there without worrying about smudges!

This mascara sits very well and lasts all day, no flaking or smudging . After spin (my ultimate test!) there was very minimal transfer to the close to the crease (the studio has been extremely hot lately but I’ll spare you the details!)!

It applies extremely well on top of dry mascara (for that all important top-up when you are going out after work), but it makes it waaay more difficult to remove!

With (L) and without (R) mascara: length and volume!

Good length and volume – drama in a bottle!

Now, if the Black is a staple for day or night, wait for this: Midnight Blue. Yes, you heard it. The Black Magic mascara comes in a new shade: blue. So beautiful. It really gives your lashes that je ne sais quoi. I was worried it was going to be too out there but is in fact, very wearable . Overall, it has that blue aura, but you only see it is really blue when it catches the light. And it looks stunning!

This is the kind of mascara that will change your lashes in a way that sometimes I catch a little glimpse of them and think – wow – they are fluttery! So I probably don’t need to spell out that I love it!

Eyeko black magic mascara in midnight blue

You can get this fab mascara from the Eyeko website – and also take a peek at their amazing liquid metal liners, which I reviewed a while ago.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Salon System Nail Lux Erase Cuticle Remover

I do my own manicures. Since moving to London, it has been a weekly ritual. This week, for the first time, I cnahged a little bit my routine and used the Salon System Nail Lux Erase Cuticle Remover.

I usually use some normal moisturiser around the cuticles, soak the nails in a bowl or put a small bit of cotton wool on each nail, wet it and leave for a few minutes, before pushing the cuticles and cutting them.

This cream contains AHA’s to gently soften and erase unwanted cuticles from the nail plate, is thick in consistency and has a very light lemony smell. It makes the cuticle grooming process a little shorter. I added to all nails, left it for about three minutes and started pushing. The cuticle came off well, with little need to scrape. The nails felt very oily and moisturised afterwards, which is very nice. I washed my hands, as recommended, before continuing with my manicure.

Overall, a good product; saved me a bit of time and seems to hydrate my nails, cuticles and skin around it – it’s being incorporated into my weekly routine!

You can get this cream and many other products online from various stockists listed on the Salon System website.

Nails of the week: Rainbow gradient

It is no news I love a gradient on my talons, so this week I went a bit further – a four colour rainbow gradient.

The last one I did was a long time ago, and this was due. After seeing a rainbow gradient on some Brazilian nail polish Facebook page, I decided that was going to be the next one.

The technique is the very same I used before: sponging, and I found it a bit more challenging with four colours to make sure all nails had about the same amount of each and that the transition was smooth. But it happened in the end!

I used Colorama’s 40 Graus (red), L’Oréal Banana Pop (yellow), Kiko 385 (blue) and 343 (green), applied a stripe of each to a wet make-up sponge and stamped to previously painted white nails. I went round three times! I then added the magical Electric lane holographic topcoat from Nails Inc and a clear topcoat(Seche VIte) to seal it all.

To be honest, before I did it, I thought it was going to be a bit too much. It turns out I love it and don’t want to take it off. At all. Seven days have gone by and it still looks perfect and I am struggling with the idea of removing it and moving on to the next mani…

Rating:

Product review: Eyeko Liquid Metal Eyeliner

Oh-so-pretty. That really sums up how I feel about these liners. The Eyeko Liquid Metal eyeliners in Black Onyx and Rose Gold and simply gorgeous.

The packaging is very nice, pencil like, with a “barrel” at the end where you can see the liner’s beautiful colour. Black Onyx is a wet look black with a slight silver shimmer and Rose Gold is what is says on the tin, a bright, metallic gold with a rose hint – to be honest, it was more yellow than I thought!

To start applying, rotate the barrel and soon the fine “hair” fine brush is permeated with colour. The brush is not hard, so a little bit of practice is required if you are not used to applying your liner with a normal eyeliner brush!

Black and gold eyes using eyeko liquid metal eyeliner - somanylovelythings

Be careful though; rotate it ever so slightly not to waste the precious liquid! The texture is very light and quite runny, so to create delicate lines, a little bit will do; the colours are very saturated. I went over the lines a second time after it dried, to exaggerate the effect! It was fairly easy to work with and didn’t irritate my eyes (which are very sensitive!).

eyeko liquid metal eyeliner - rose gold

And boy, they shine. Instead of swatching on my hand, I decided to go all out on a super lined eye and it looked beautiful. It doesn’t dry to quickly but it doesn’t take too long either, so it is important to be careful with transfer to the crease, to the upper lid, to the lower lash line (in this design case!). I barely used anything else on this eye make-up and I am in love with it.

It lasted well and after it dries it won’t move. It was fairly easy to remove with a good eye make-up remover though!

I am now addicted and so glad these beauties came my way!

You can get these stunning eyeliners from the Eyeko website – keep an eye out, as they are launching a collaboration with Alexa Chung soon!

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash mascara

For me, a good mascara is a definition mascara. Yes, I love volume, but I prefer that all of my lashes are separated and coated – and that is why I liked MAC’s Extended Play mascara.

Its brush has tough short bristles, and they pick each individual lash, creating a nice fan effect. If you build up three layers, it will also give you some volume, but this baby’s business is definition. Also, it is a lovely super black, which I favour.

MAC EXTENDED PLAY GIGABLACK MASCARA

However, what I really love about this is the staying power. When they say extended play, they weren’t kidding: it lasts. I don;t like waterproof mascara, it dries my lashes too much. But I used this on the beach and it lasted.

And it doesn’t smudge or flakes. It does comes off with warm water, in flakes, so there is no panda eye mess when washing your face. An eye make-up remover, although always used by me, it barely necessary after washing. For this reason alone, this mascara is well worth its price of £14!

With (L) and without (R) mascara – I enjoyed the definition it gives my lashes

From this angle, I noticed my lashes are not only defined, but also lengthened

Fact: have been put off MAC mascaras for a very long time, and never though anything good of them – and never though I’d buy another one (think the last was about seven years ago!). This product certainly changed my mind.

Rush Blogger Meet at the House of Rush

The House of Rush is a gorgeous flagship Rush hair salon located near Piccadilly circus in London. But this is no ordinary hair salon – it is a locks and beauty haven offering treatments for your mind and body, and of course, great hair services. From the outside, it is unassuming; enter, and you are in for a luxurious treat over two floors.

Through the partnership with the Epson Skin Clinics, they also offer medical treatments including botox, dermal fillers, radio frequency, permanent hair reduction, vein and pigmentation removal, microdermabrasion and peels, amongst others. Varied beauty treatments are available: face and body using Kéraskin, Rodial and Elemis, lashes, massages, waxing, tanning, manicures and pedicures. Hair cuts, colouring, treatments and extensions are also available, as well as male grooming! So much!!!

Downstairs – mani and pedi paradise

Manicures in full swing

Oooh, polishes!

A treatment room

Tranquil…

Blogger receive their oxygen blast

Tresses delight

Botox demo

And bit more

A tiny bit showing, but not for long

Dr Gillian Carver shows how it’s done

Bliss products – and bloggers!

Male hair care

I want it all – Redken, L’Oréal and more…

Shu Uemura

My hair wants Kerastase!

Keraskin potions!

Make-up time!

Rodial and Keraskin

Elvive

At the event, we watched a botox demonstration by the capable hands of Dr Gillian Carver, and had all of our questions answered. You’d be surprised how natural looking a botox-treated face can be – no need to be totally overworked and expression-less!

I also had a demonstration of oxygen blast, where 100% oxygen in mist form is applied to your face. It can be done over the make-up without spoiling it, and it is great to help skin retain hydration. I found particularly nice over my eyes, as I suffer from really dry eyes and it helped to alleviate it. It takes 10-15 minutes and costs £20 – a great lunchtime treat!

The manicure queue was long – most ladies left with beautifully painted talons using Essie and OPI polishes! The autumnal berry shades were by far more popular with the ladies, from what I could see.

Everyone was lovely, and I met loads of amazing bloggers including Sophia from Beauty in my mind, Zoe from Face value beauty blog, Rachel from Beauty Queen UK, Olivia from Beauty from the Fjord, Sheen from Golden and Sheen, Lisa from Lisahh-Jayne.com, Becky from Lipgloss and Lashes, Kimberley from Kimberley’s beauty blog, Alice from Tea Party with Alice, Kat from Tales of a Pale Face amongst other lovelies.

It was a fun night and even better, you can get 20% off any beauty services or 50% off microdermabrasion! All you need to do is to quote the code BLOG20 and/or MICRO50 when booking. The discount is valid at House of Rush only, until 31 October 2013. It makes a great autumn treat!!!

Finally, I’d like to thank Rush, Laura from Alison Jameson PR and Becky from Lipgloss and Lashes for the invitation! 🙂

You can check out the House of Rush website for more information on all treatments and to book – remembering there are over 60 Rush salons across London and the South.

You can also follow @RushHairBeauty on Twitter to be in for great information and promotions!

Nails of the week: colourful leopard print

You probably know by now I obsess about things. After loving last week’s leopard print soooooo much, I decided to do another one, of course. I went for a lovely white/gold base and my leopard spots were very colourful!

First, I am going to say how much I love the OPI Ski Slope Sweetie, which I picked up at Olympia Beauty. It is part of OPI’s winter collection and the colour is just amazing – a metallic white base with some colour shifting from a shimmery gold with a tiny little spark of green and red sometimes to a colder white, almost silver. Stunning. Seriously, rarely do I fall in love with a light coloured polish, but this got me. I sense it being used more – it is and amazing base for art: non intrusive but so not boring! It applies alright, there were no bush marks – the OPI brush is great, but this polish is a bit on the thick side.

After applying two coats of SSS and letting it dry for about 15 minutes, I drew the spots with a fine nail brush and normal nail polish – I first did all blue (Kiko 385) spots, then purple (L’Oréal Flashing Lilac), green (L’Oréal Wasabi Hint), yellow (L’Oréal Banana Pop) and pink (L’Oréal Acid Watermelon), making sure they were well distributed and no nail had the exactly same pattern!

After that, I used Barry M’s Nail art pen (seriously, how did I have this at home for soooo long and never used? Love this thing!) to add the irregular black outlines and random flecks to the spots.

I finished it off with a topcoat (Seche Vite) and I am absolutely in love with it. Sooo pretty!!!

Rating:

So Many Lovely Things

A blog about beauty, style, shoes, fashion and lifestyle

Category Archives: Beauty

L’Oréal Nude Magique Eau de Teint foundation

Product Review: LOLA Ultra Shine lipstick

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product Review: Hi Brow kit and Smoothing Wax Pencil by La La (Lash Perfect)

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Eyeko Black Magic Mascara

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Salon System Nail Lux Erase Cuticle Remover

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Nails of the week: Rainbow gradient

Rating:

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Product review: Eyeko Liquid Metal Eyeliner

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash mascara

Rush Blogger Meet at the House of Rush

Nails of the week: colourful leopard print