Secret Beauty Blog

Bourjois 123 Perfect foundation review

secretbeautyblo — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:00:06 +0000

On paper this foundation sounds fantastic, a combination of clever pigments to disguise dark circles, dull skin and redness all of which I suffer from time to time. Being pale, I’m prone to redness as my skin is quite sensitive and it’s blindingly obvious when I haven’t had a full nights sleep! I was keen to try 123 Perfect after reading rave reviews, especially as I have never really gotten on with a Bourjois foundation before. They’ve always lacked in coverage and with my oily skin I find the Bourjois formulas to slip off after just a few hours. 10 Hour Sleep Effect, Healthy Mix and Bio Detox Organic all failed me despite being rated highly by many bloggers and YouTubers alike.

My first issue with Bourjois foundations are the shades available, whilst I have a neutral skintone and can carry off both pink and yellow toned bases these are neither, and on me they just look orange. I picked up the lightest shade in 123 Perfect, 51 Light Vanilla. I’m a MAC NW15 and on me it was much too dark, which is a shame as there is such a small shade range it would be nice if pale girls were catered for. All Bourjois foundations have the same clean, fresh scent and 123 Perfect is no different. I always apply foundation with my fingers, I find using a brush is too much hassle and I end up rubbing it in with my fingers anyway!

I applied one pump to the back of my hand and began my usual routine of dotting the foundation around my face until covered. I do this at quite a speed, as I’m used to working with matte foundations which have to be blended in quickly as they adhere to the skin. Whilst it initially glides on nicely I did notice it seemed to clump to certain areas of my face, and applied very patchy. As stated my skin is oily and I never have dry patches, yet I found this foundation clinging to certain areas on my face and I couldn’t quite work out why. I hadn’t applied it like that, it just seemed to dry patchy? Another layer evened it out, but this made the fact it wasn’t a perfect match very obvious as it looked even darker on me. One thing I DO like is the feel of it on my face. It’s silky soft and dries to a very matte, almost powder finish and the scent is divine. Coverage is OK (with 2 layers) but I still felt the need to apply a little concealer and finish with my usual setting powder (MAC Blot in Medium). It lasted a full working day which is impressive, and my skin does feel soft to the touch and comfortable but the shade is way off and I was very disappointed in the lack of coverage and the way it applied to patchy.

Taken from Boots.com

”Bourjois 1.2.3. Perfect Foundation gives a flawless even complexion* for 16hrs, thanks to a new generation formula.

3 correcting pigments for zero imperfections:

Yellow pigments: Anti dark circles
Mauve pigments: Anti dull complexion
Green pigments: Anti redness

24hr hydration and anti-shine: cotton flower extract
SPF 10
Medium coverage, yet lets skin breathe
Soft and smooth formula for a second skin finish

*Tested on 31 women during 4 weeks = 97% agreed”

I don’t feel it delivered on any of these claims bar the anti-shine, as the colour was so off and the coverage so poor.

I’m not a fan of negative reviews but it is what it is!

Currently on offer at Boots & Boots.com for £6.99

FREE Illamasqua make up lessons!

secretbeautyblo — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:22:08 +0000

Cult British beauty brand Illamasqua are offering free make up lessons in their flagship Beak Street store, all you have to do is turn up! The ‘Beauty School Drop-In’ is a fab idea, even for those who have their daily routine down to a fine art the artists at Illamasqua will pass on their technique and expertise in these 15 minute masterclasses.

Taken from Illamasqua.com -

”Based within our Flagship Beak Street Store, Illamasqua’s School of Make-up Art, is running a series of 15-minute make-upclasses, completely free of charge with our new Beauty School Drop-in.

We’ve crafted a series of 12 different sessions so you can learn how to master everything from flawless skin to a jaw-dropping smoky eye.

With the first confirmed dates in May and June, and more dates and timetables planned for the rest of 2012, select your chosen session from the school timetable below, or why not stick around and stay for a few in one afternoon.

Beauty School Drop-in is available exclusively at the Illamasqua School of Make-up Art, 20 Beak Street, London, W1F 9RE.”

The next one is on Saturday 2nd June and I will definitely be there!

The 15 minute classes run through the day starting at 1.15 pm, you can attend as many as you want but be warned the store may be busy.

Also, 10% Off any School of Make-up Art Courses booked on the day.

Full timetable HERE.

Everyone loves a 3 Day Weekend

secretbeautyblo — Sun, 13 May 2012 17:14:14 +0000

…But maybe not the SAMPAR kind.

I was SO excited to try this product, a full page spread in the EasyJey in-flight magazine promised to leave you looking like a bronzed goddess who has just spent a long weekend shopping and lunching in Dubai… After a full month of constant use I still looked like a pasty pudding who’d spent a long weekend in an air conditioned office. The ethos behind the product is something I’ve never seen before, at least not on British shores. The whimsical blurb on the website is so tempting you can almost taste sunscreen…

”This healthy glow revealer gives the skin a breath of summer air. Its fresh and intensely moisturizing gel stimulates the skin’s natural melanin, pigment necessary for tanning, for naturally sunkissed skin without sun, self-tanners or make-up all year long. Bon voyage!

Its new and empowered formula provides: A 32% increase of melanin levels*, safeguard of 50% of sun resistance capital with SSP (Smart Sun Prevention), and intense 24-hour moisturization.”

So I assume the easier and deeper you tan with sun exposure, the better results you’ll have with this product as it stimulates the melanin, rather than the DHA mix which coats the upper epidermis like traditional self tans. I am quite fair skinned (MAC NW15) and I don’t tan that easily, it takes a good 4-5 days out in the sun and even then I just turn into a pink freckly mess before turning pale again. I had quite high hopes for this product, given that SAMPAR is a high end French skincare brand that is quite a big hit in America, judging by the US beauty boards. Unfortunately this product really didn’t work for me, but I’m guessing that’s because I don’t really tan naturally and therefore I don’t have that much melanin to stimulate?!

The product itself is housed in a sleek pale pink bottle which dispenses the gel through a push-down top, which I really like as I hate to think of all the germs and bacteria that get in screw top creams. The gel itself is like a serum, off white in colour with a slight clinical smell that feels silky smooth on the skin. I applied it morning and night, on a clean face and neck as directed and 1 pump was enough with excess to rub right down into my décolletage. It really did make my skin soft, but I didn’t notice any change in tone, not even a hint of a tan so if you’re pale like me I wouldn’t recommend it but I would like to see how this works on someone who tans easily!

Ingredients -

Cimicifuga racemosa Extract, Native American medicinal root that naturally stimulates the synthesis of cutaneous melanin. Promelanotrope Peptides boost skin melanin synthesis.SSP (Smart Sun Prevention) acts as a shield at the heart of cells to protect DNA, reinforcing the skin’s natural defenses against harmful UV’s and preventing the damaging effects of the sun and photo-aging. Hydrocomplex repairs and reinforces the skin’s hydrolipidic film in order to retain moisturization and maintain elasticity and suppleness. Urban Advance Complex, a SAMPAR exclusive and full- fledged antioxidant shield that neutralizes all skin imbalances due to pollution, steps up the skin’s natural defense systems and, like a cellular shock, reactivates cells’ vital energy.

The website DOES state this, which gives you an indication if you’re pale it probably won’t work:

”Important: 3 Day Weekend is not a self-tanner.
The intensity of natural tan obtained after one week of use depends greatly on your skin phototype and its natural ability to produce melanin.”

To my knowledge SAMPAR 3 Day Weekend* is only available on the SAMPAR website, which is based in Paris, France (although there’s a note on the website which claims the product is temporary unavailable). Priced at €39.00 for 50ml I wouldn’t recommend this product based on my experience, but being so pale I’m not really the target market for a melanin stimulant.

*PR sample

Illamasqua haul!

secretbeautyblo — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:59:09 +0000

I’m back! Sorry for the short hiatus, personal issues sometimes get in the way of blogging but I’m back now and have lots planned

As soon as I heard about the Illamasqua Skin Base foundation I desperately wanted to get my hands on it, it sounded exactly what I was looking for in a foundation and I needed a new eyeliner so that’s how this accidental haul came about.

From L-R

Pressed powder in PP 120 £19.50

Nail varnish in Lament £13.50

Skin Base foundation in SB 06

Cream blusher in Dixie £16.50

Precision Ink in Abyss £17.00

As you can see I’m really into coral at the moment!

Nail polish in Lament

Illamasqua nail polish is the best EVER! The formula is amazing, the brush is amazing, the lasting power is amazing… Just everything is amazing!

Cream blusher in Dixie

Dixie swatched in natural sunlight

Absolutely love this! I suits my colouring so well, and it has more slip and it slightly sheerer then the other Illamasqua cream blushers I own which makes it a lot more wearable as I don’t have to spend as much time blending and applying.

I’ve had everything a little while now so I’m able to give a short review on everything -

Skin Base foundation -

I have mixed feelings on this, initial application is perfect. It covers well and is a very close match to my natural skin tone but unfortunately it’s just too dewy for my oily skin. Although it applied well it did still feel tacky when I powdered (I always, always powder) and after a few hours I was very shiny. If you don’t know the background on Skin Base it’s basically Illamasqua’s take on the Asian BB creams, which combine skincare properties with make up. I felt it was very moisturising, maybe a bit too much for me but if you have normal/dry skin this is definitely something to try.

Pressed powder -

I’ve been using the Illamasqua powder foundation for a while as a setting powder when I need a heavier coverage and do enjoy using it, it is a bit heavy but as a touch up throughout the day it’s perfect. It didn’t react badly to my skin or break me out and it smells like cake mix! Being as it was too heavy I thought I’ld give the pressed powder a try but unfortunately I really don’t like it. When you first apply it seems to highlight every blemish on my face. It gathers in little clusters and just generally looks unflattering, I’ve never had a powder perform like this before. Not only does it look bad, it provides hardly any coverage and I highly suspect it broke me out.

Precision Ink in Abyss -

LOVE LOVE LOVE. I don’t think I can be without this product now. Being the semi-goth I am I wear Amy Winehouse style cats-eye flicks every day, and it’s the only eye liner I’ve ever used that can hold up through a full working day and a full nights head banging! I wore this to work all day Friday and went out Friday night, and when I woke up Saturday morning my flicks were still perfect! It has the most perfectly shaped fibre tip, and the colour really is a deep, true black. Worth every penny, I will re-purchase this forever.

Nail polish in Lament -

As I mentioned above I’m a HUGE fan of Illamasqua nail polish, it’s lasted on my for a full week before I’ve got bored and changed it but I’m pretty sure it could last a fortnight. The formula is perfect and the shades are so unique it’s quite a challenge to find a dupe. Lament is a very neon coral, and just screams Summer! This also looks lovely on toes, and will be what I will be sporting on holiday

Cream blush in Dixie -

Really loving this, I have Sob and Libido which are very pigmented and can be a bit hard to work with as you literally just need to touch the pad of your finger to get a full cheeks worth of colour. Dixie is a bit more sheer, and thus easier to work with taking just seconds to blend in the mornings. I find it lasts a full working day, but I do need to touch up if I’m going out after and it does make me feel a tad greasy but a quick sweep of powder soon gets rid of that. I really like this teamed with a light tan for a natural Summer flush, and has easily become part of my daily routine.

Have you bought anything from Illamasqua lately?

(psssssstttt! At the moment, Illamasqua have an amazing Summer sale on!)

Beauty maths – lime shower gel

secretbeautyblo — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:11:57 +0000

Next to blusher my most favourite beauty item to purchase is shower/bath products. I LOVE taking a shower with an amazing smelling shower gel or soaking in a bath filled with fragrant bubbles but I hate to think how much money I’m quite literally pouring down the drain. I absolutely LOVE Lush but with a bath bomb costing around £4 on average just for one bath it’s a lot of money to spend, especially when most chemists/supermarkets/pound shops offer big brand bubble baths which you can get at least 10 baths from with change from a pound.

Gone are the days when I used to spend £21 on a shower gel (Clarins, I’m looking at you!) and onto raiding the high street for budget body goodies. I’m a big fan of Soap & Glory, and look forward to discovering more of their new offerings (and collecting my Boots points along the way!) Another brand I absolutely adore is Philosophy, the Amazing Grace fragrance is so soapy and fresh I could wear it all day every day and never tire of it. They also do some of the most amazing shower gels I’ve ever used I £19 a bit too much cash to part with, especially with the speed I seem to get through them!

Whilst browsing the Boots website I noticed they are now stocking Philosphy and had a good look around, stumbling across this ‘Luscious lime foaming bath & shower gel’ which sounds good enough to eat!

”Put a refreshing twist on your shower routine with philosophy’s luscious lime foaming bubble bath & shower gel. a little squeeze of lime is just what you need to quench your thirst for revitalization. the high-foaming formula provides a rich, moisturizing lather to gently cleanse and condition skin, leaving it feeling super soft. the zesty scent of luscious lime refreshes your body and your senses for the ultimate pick-me-up.”

Mmmmm! But I was good, and just filled up my basket and then closed the browser (LOL, does anyone else do this?)

Then whilst in Superdrug buying hair dye I took a look at the shower gels and came across the Original Source Lime shower gel, which smells AMAZING and was on offer for just 89p! I only bought it last week and already it’s a good 3/4 used, we have 4 shower gels in the bathroom and everyone seems to be using this so it seems I’m not the only fan. It smells amazing, lathers like a dream and makes me feel clean and fresh. It doesn’t feel particularly moisturising but it doesn’t strip my skin either and for the price I don’t really mind.

So the Philosophy is £14 for 480ml and the Original Source is 89p per 250ml, which would you choose?

The prettiest purple eye shadow….

secretbeautyblo — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:26:06 +0000

… Is only £1!

Whilst shopping in Superdrug for pocket tissues for when hayfever rips my nose apart I found myself browsing the cheap as chips MUA stand. I’ve got a couple of shadows from them and I’m really impressed! The mattes are so-so but the pearl shadows (similar to MAC’s veluxe pearl) is absolutely amazing in terms of pigmentation, lasting power and shade range.

I picked up shade 9, which is this gorgeous shimmering purple.

Swatched with no base, see the gorgeous duo chrome! It really looks stunning in the light, it flashes a gorgeous velvety purple to a lighter almost blue shade. This is easily comparable to a high end shadow, the formulation is buttery soft and blends like a dream.

Worn over NYX white shadow base, and applied with my finger.

I love it! If you have an MUA stand in your local Superdrug these shadows are definitely worth checking out.

£1 from MUA at Superdrug

Carolina Herrera 212 POP!

secretbeautyblo — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:22:22 +0000

I have a somewhat emotional attachment to Carolina Herrera 212 fragrances as the original ‘Ice’ variant was one of the first fragrances I ever purchased, I picked it up in the airport on my very first without-the-parents holiday to Greece at the tender age of 16. I absolutely adored it, the packaging was shocking pink and it smelled like a Summer holiday in a bottle. I was also a big fan of 212 Sexy for nights out, the sleek little round bottles were perfect for popping into your handbag and I used to liberally spritz myself on every toilet break, choking out everyone in the cubicles. All the 212 fragrances have this amazing off-musk scent that’s hard to describe yet very unique, and 212 POP! samples the same notes but with a delicate breeze of citrus making it lighter, and perfect for the warmer months.

Housed in funky, faux-ice cube the packaging screams Summer and the bright pink bottles are perfectly cute and girly. I love how the bottles are small and portable, there’s nothing worse then lugging a huge bottle of perfume around with you! If your familiar with the 212 scent this doesn’t fair too far off from the original with the signature sweet, parma violet musky base notes. Whilst these notes are not as prominent as the original they are the ones that stick around after the more floral citrus notes have long gone. It opens up to a very generic, sweet citrus which although sharp is quite faint but is quickly replaced by the sugary musk. For a Summer fragrance it lasted surprisingly well on me, it’s now 4pm and I spritzed this on before I left around 9. The only downside for me is the price, it’s £36 for 60ml and personally I think it should be around the £20 mark for what it is.

£36 for 60ml

Available from The Perfume Shop

How much is your face worth?

secretbeautyblo — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:02:23 +0000

This is a bit of an old ‘tag’ post but I was looking at my makeup collection recently and wondered just how much I had spent on it all. Now it would be a bit of a task to tally everything up but I could easily put a price on my most used everyday products, so here they are! I didn’t purposely try to pick my most expensive items, these are genuinely what I use every morning for work.

All prices taken from the brands official websites (and escentual.com for the Vichy & Jack Black where I purchased them)

Clarins Skin Illusion foundation – £24.00

Vichy Dermablend foundation (used as concealer) – £15.50

Clinique stay-matte sheer powder (to set base) – £20.00

MAC Blot powder (for touch -ups) – £17.50

Clarins Mosaique bronzer – £26.00

No.7 blusher – £9.00

Clinique Superfine liner for brows – £11.00

Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara – £20.45

Illamasqua Precision Ink liner – £17.00

Jack Black lip balm – £7.25

MAC Creme D’Nude lipstick – £13.50

Which all totals to….

£181.20

Oh wow…. I really didn’t think it would be that much! I’m not a makeup snob or anything, but I do think you should really invest in good basics like foundation and mascara. Having oily skin I do need a good powder and I’ve pretty much tried every drugstore brand going and nothing compares to MAC Blot. Likewise with my foundation, nothing really compares to Clarins Skin Illusion and no mascara has given me lashes like Lancome Hypnose. I could probably cheapen everything else down with a drugstore alternative but makeup is my only vice, and sometimes you’ve just got to treat yourself

How much is your face worth?

What I spent my No.7 vouchers on

secretbeautyblo — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:16:26 +0000

I LOVE when Boots give out the No.7 vouchers! When I used to work for them, combined with staff discount the face wipes and nail polishes were free! I’m always a sucker for a bargain and I can’t help myself but have a nose around the stand when I get given a voucher. Here’s my latest purchases.

As I have a bit of an obsession for blusher at the moment and absolutely LOVE my No.7 powder blushers I thought I would give the Cheek Tint in ‘Peach Silk’ a try. I’ve also been wearing my MAC Creme D’Nude lipstick a lot lately and thought maybe a lip liner would help it last, so I also picked up the Perfect Lips Pencil in ‘Nude’.

First thoughts – I love the blush! The colour is perfect on me, I find some peaches can wash me out and look a bit odd but this is like a peach/bronze so works really well on my skin tone. It has a slipper texture which makes it a dream to blend, but you have to be quick as it soon dries down to a powdery finish. As with most cream blushers (bar MAC CCBs) this lasts half a day on me, and has practically disappeared by lunchtime but with my oily skin I find this happens with most cream formulas.

The lip pencil is super creamy, and I love the fact it’s in a twist up dispenser (I hate sharpening pencils!). I’ve so far worn it with my MAC Creme D’Nude and found it has made it last longer and it makes it look a bit neater. Sometimes with nude lipsticks my naturally pigmented lips show around the edges, but with this pencil I can block them out without adding concealer/powder. It’s smooth and easy to apply, just what I wanted.

No.7 Cheek Tint in Peach Silk on the left – Perfect Lips Pencil in Nude on the right

The Cheek Tint usually retails for £9.00

The Perfect Lips Pencil usually retails for £7.50

All available in-store and at Boots.com

The current vouchers expire on the 19th June!

Nars Dogon (EOTD)

secretbeautyblo — Mon, 30 May 2011 08:11:32 +0000

Released with the Nars Summer 2011 collection Dogon really is the stand out piece. Infamous for unusual shade pairings Nars have really hit the nail on the head with this one. A gorgeous duochrome taupe paired with a deep, sooty black this is one duo I know I will rely heavily on for smoky eyes on a night out.

From in-store swatching I’ve noticed some Nars duo’s can be hit and miss when it comes to pigmentation, and as I mentioned earlier some shade pairings are a little odd but I have no faults with Dogon! The taupe shade is buttery soft and easily buildable, I could wear this as an all over lid colour with a lil touch of liner for day to day. I think the black is the blackest shadow I’ve ever used! I literally pressed the pad of my finger lightly to cover my whole crease, I would purchase this duo for the black alone it’s incredible.

Swatched over NYX eyeshadow base to show the true colours.

In the pan the taupe looks a bit ‘blah’ but on the eye it shimmers and transforms into this amazing pink/green/dusky grey taupe, my picture doesn’t really do it justice it is absolutely beautiful and a must have if you’re a taupe fan.

I used my NYX eyeshadow base as a primer, layered the taupe all over the lid then blended the black into my crease, outer v and lightly along my bottom lashline.

As with all Nars duos you get 4g for £23.50 and it’s available to buy here.