This months ELLE Magazine comes with Free Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

This months magazine offering of 'Elle' is a very exciting one. It comes with a trial sample size of Benefit's new mascara that's not even on the counters until next month!!

Drum roll please.... Introducing...

Benefit's Roller Lash Mascara

It's a follow on to benefit's they're real, and is said to be curling to the point you will not need eyelash curlers!!? And it will also make your eyelashes super lengthened. 

The wand itself is styled on a velcro hair roller, with small rubber hooks that gently grab your lashes and curl them.

Have only just picked this magazine up so will be testing out these claims for myself. 

I'm seriously intrigued about the 'no eyelash curler' one, as I have very straight pointy down lashes that ALWAYS need eyelash curlers... so we shall see!!

My first impression of this mascara is good, the left eye is my lashes with no mascara on, the right eye with just one coat of Benefit's Roller Lash Mascara. So as you can see I am quite impressed.

So quick, grab March's issue of Elle magazine before they literally fly off the shelves! 

Try Roller Lash for yourself before it's on Benefits counters next month. 

Check out the thickness / content of the magazine too!

Take time for you. Take care and look after yourself.

Thanks for popping by luv acesparklestar xoxo

NO7 Shade & Define Eyeshadow Stick 'Cool Mink'

I don't know about you but I nearly always end up stuffing the NO7 voucher you get with any purchase in Boots into my purse and forget it's there until of course it has expired! 

So this time, I actually used mine the day I got it... I headed straight for the NO7 Counter, towards the eyes section as I knew what I wanted.

Their "Stay perfect shade and define" eye-shadow stick.

I knew straight away which colour I wanted, my eye just picked it out.

I swatched it in store and it literally stayed on my hand until I got home and had to use a cleanser to remove, a great sign to start with, so once on this ain't going no where!!

The shade is 'Cool Mink' a lovely everyday pop of colour for the eyes.

Just a quick note: I had to work very hard to remove this swatch!!

The shade is a taupe mixed with a light brown beige, quite cool toned. But what i really liked about it was it didn't have any glittery bits or shimmer like a few of the other shades seemed to have. The sticks are really great for just swiping on the eyelids, no fuss or mess and you're done!

Oh and one more thing, I thought I had broken the end of the pencil but it turns out that there is actually a hidden sharpener tucked away!!

So don't forget about your money off NO7 Boots voucher! 
Can be used for NO7 make-up and skincare. £3 off Make-up and £5 off skincare.
 Valid until 1st February 2015!

Take time for you. Take care and look after yourself.

Thanks for popping by luv acesparklestar xoxo

Nic's Picks Real Techniques Brush Set Review

Nic's Picks Real Techniques

Brush Set

I picked this set up in the sales from Superdrug for the bargain price of £20!!

My first Charlotte Tilbury Haul

Charlotte Tilbury is a new brand of make-up to me that I have been desperate to try for absolutely ages. 

She is a world renowned make-up artist who brought out her own range of make-up products. 

I was lucky to be in selfridges when they were doing their 10% off so here's what I picked up....

Escentric Molecules 'Molecule 01' Perfume

Meet my new signature fragrance...

Escentric Molecules 01

This is such a gentle smelling fragrance that is supposed to smell different on everyone!

I like the idea of having a scent fragrance that is bespoke and unique to you.

This perfume is created from the aroma chemical Iso-E super, a base-note that is frequently used to add allure to perfumes. It is supposed to meld with your own pheromones. Making it very unique to each person wearing this scent and harder for you to smell it on yourself! It's more for others to smell and compliment!

I'm very picky when it comes to fragrance, as over-powering ones tend to give me a headache so I have to be careful when choosing what scent to wear. Sometimes even being around over-bearing scents is enough to set me off.

This one is subtle enough for me... but smells so good on. Almost fades throughout the day but then unexpectedly you get a lovely hint of deliciousness!

Have you tried Escentric Molecules 01, did you like the scent on you?

Take time for you. Take care and look after yourself.

Thanks for popping by luv acesparklestar xoxo

Chanel 'Dedicace' Rouge Coco Lipstick Swatches

CHANEL Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lipstick

Swatches

My little reward to myself for doing my 5km run in November was a trip to Selfridges whilst they were having their 10% off!

I headed for the Chanel counter of-course and chose a gorgeous lipstick from their rouge coco hydrating lip creme colour range.

Rouge Coco Lipstick

Shade: 59 Dedicace

This is such a luxurious and special lipstick, it will always remind me of the achievement i was very proud of training for. But also, it is such a lovely texture to apply, and lasts on the lips. 

It is such a unique colour shade, unlike anything I have. I love the casing on these Chanel lipsticks, I feel so grown-up applying it!! 

The shade is gorgeous rosy pink, I can see me wearing this as we edge closer towards Spring!!

It has a creamy finish to it, not drying at all and very comfortable to wear.

Swatched on my lips: 

Such a pretty pink shade!

Take time for you. Take care and look after yourself.

Thanks for popping by luv acesparklestar xoxo

Urban Decay Full Frontal Revolution Lipstick Stash Swatches

I have said before how much I love the revolution lipsticks by urban decay. My review of the ' Turn On' Shade can be found over here: UD Revolution 'Turn on' Lipstick

So when I saw this mini set containing 6 of their shades, thought it would be a great way to experiment with different colours and as an added bonus it also came with a full size lip pencil! Win-win!

L to R

F-Bomb, Illicit, Liar, Gash, Ladyflower, Crush

F-Bomb, Illicit, Liar, Gash, Ladyflower, Crush

Now for the swatches on the lips...

Illicit

Liar

LadyFlower

Gash

F-Bomb

Crush

The lip pencil is their clear shade 'Ozone' 

This can be used with all shades, ensuring that the lipsticks not only stay in place but helps prevent feathering and smudging out of the lip area when applying.

I'm not sure if this set was a limited edition for christmas, but I thought either way it would be nice to share the swatches so if you like the look of any of the colours, you could head over to Urban Decay and pick up the full sized lipsticks.

They really are lovely lipsticks to wear, buttery soft and creamy to apply with the added pow of pigmented shades. Even the nude gives a lovely tone.

I think the clear lip-pencil is such a good idea and I can see me getting lots of use from it!!

Take time for you. Take care and look after yourself.

Thanks for popping by luv acesparklestar xoxo

How I use Lucy Bee Coconut Oil for beauty!

How I use Coconut Oil..

Where to start? ...

I use coconut oil as a cleanser, face mask, hair conditioning mask, body moisturiser and of course to cook with and eat!!

Basically it's a 'do it all' wonder product!!

The one I love to use is Lucy Bee's Extra Virgin Organic Raw Coconut Oil.
As not only is their coconut oil extracted from fresh, mature coconuts ... but out of all the jars I have tried this one smells and tastes the most coco-nutty!! Which I adore!

Is Unrefined - Meaning it is as natural as it can be. 
Cold pressed - This is the extraction method used. 
Extra Virgin - As nature intended. 
Organic - supports the environment. 
Raw - Never heated above 45 degrees Celsius. 
And lastly Fair trade - Helping to improve the lives of others.

Oh and it tastes great too!

To use coconut oil as a facial cleanser / eye make-up remover:

I scoop a 2p size amount. At room temperature coconut oil is a solid, so I hold it in my hands for a few minutes to let it melt. Then I apply to my face, neck and anywhere with make-up on, massaging as I go. I then take a warm flannel and wipe over my face to remove. It is so effective at removing make-up such as foundation, eye-liner and even waterproof mascara.  Doesn't irritate the delicate eye area and is very gentle for sensitive skin.
Alternatively to use as an eye make-up remover you could apply the coconut oil to your eye area, massage in to work loose the mascara, eye-shadow or eye-liner, then wipe away with a damp cotton pad.
To use as a face mask I leave it on for a good half an hour then rinse off. Leaves my skin feeling so soft and smooth.

Hair Conditioning Mask...

One of the down sides of having long hair has to be the tangles and knots!! 
To remedy this I do a coconut oil mask once a week, usually on a Sunday. You would be forgiven for thinking that it would leave your hair greasy, which was my initial worry, however once shampooed out leaves your locks lovely and smooth no grease or frizz in sight.

So here's how I do it....

I get a tablespoon of coconut oil and place into a small bowl (the ramekin bowls are ideal) Then I place this bowl into a bigger bowl filled with hot or warm water. This is just so the coconut oil melts. Then I just start spreading in my hair from roots to tips. I leave it on for half an hour. 
You will notice the coconut oil goes back to being solid at room temperature, on your hair! Don't worry, this will be rinsed out with the warm water when you wash it out of your hair. 
Shampoo and wash your hair how you would normally. Et voila!!

A little bit can also be taken on your hands to smooth through your hair to tame any unwanted frizz or fly-away's.

Body Moisturiser...

This makes such a lovely smoothing and natural moisturiser. Warm up the coconut oil in your hands and massage where you wish to moisturise. I have found it particularly good for elbows and knees. 

To cook with you just replace your usual oil with coconut oil. Has a very slight taste of coconut but not over-powering. Delicious in stir fry's!

I also like a tea spoon in my tea in the morning, in smoothies and a tablespoon in my porridge.

Now for the science: Promise I'll keep it brief....
Coconut Oil contains Lauric Acid which is anti-fungal anti-viral and anti-microbial. 
Great for treating and preventing skin irritations and acne. 
Rich in proteins which help keep the skin healthy and rejuvenated. Able to get deeper than other moisturisers.

As for eating:
The medium chain fatty acids within coconut oil are easily broken down and therefore contribute to quick and easy energy release. Helps to increase your body's metabolism.

Have you tried this wondrous product?

What to look out for: You want to use RAW unrefined extra virgin coconut oil that has not been hydrogenated, refined or bleached. As this goes through the least processes and is closest to its natural state....

Lucy Bee Coconut oil ticks all these boxes!

It can be found over at lucy bee's amazon store
as well as sainsbury's, booth's supermarkets more info here

Lots more beauty and health related tips, as-well as gorgeous recipes can be found over at Lucy Bee's fabulous website www.lucybee.co.uk/beauty 
or
request a brochure packed full of nifty ways to use this wonderful oil.
The possibilities are endless!!

Take time for you. Take care and look after yourself.

Thanks for popping by luv acesparklestar xoxo


P.S If you have any more ideas of how you use Coconut Oil, I'd love to hear them in the comments!! xx

2014 Beauty Favourites Round-Up

Goodbye to 2014 and hello to 2015!! 

Happy New Year!

I thought I would do a sort of round-up of my beauty and make-up favourites this past year.

If I round up every product I have used this past year we could be here for a while so I thought i'd pick the best of them, particularly the ones I would recommend in each category.

This year has been a busy one for me and full of some great beauty finds.

Lipstick

This year has been a good year for my lips! I have discovered bolder and brighter colours and am not quite so scared to wear them! 

Even if it is just around the house!

Top picks have been (L to R):

MAC's Show Orchid Lipstick: This is a blue-toned bright shocking pink shade. Great for making your teeth appear whiter. Mac's Show Orchid Review Here

MAC's Rebel Lipstick: This looks scarier in the bullet and on is a lovely deep plum berry shade. Mac Rebel

YSL Rouge Volupte silky lipstick in 'Red Muse'

A gorgeous creamy luxurious red shade that is sheer bliss to wear and smells heavenly too! (Can you tell I love the YSL lipsticks!!?) YSL #17 Review 

MAC's Girl about town lipstick: This was another new find for me this year, it is a lovely bright pink and guarantees you will be noticed! Mac's Girl About Town Review

Lip treatment: 

Nuxe rev de miel both stick and pot version, work really well for me on my dry chapped lips and to help prep the lips for my lipstick.

Review here nuxe-reve-de-miel-lip-balm-review

Eyes

Mascara:

I hate to say it but I used to be a bit of a mascara snob, tending to only use higher end brands such as Clinique's feathering and Bare minerals high definition but then i tried Maybelline's Rocket mascara  (waterproof version) and I feel it is so good that for me this is my current and has been for a while 'go to' mascara!

Eye-liner:

2014 saw That benefit eye-liner released. With a whole mixed review to follow. I loved it upon first few uses, found it very easy to use and I was also able to create a cat flick - first time ever it wasn't wonky!! However, not sure if it is because it may have dried up? but I have since  found the formula difficult to work with and have to say have switched to Soap and Glory's Super Cat Fat Liner. Which is basically a fat marker but is really easy at drawing flicks and best of all stays put.

The only two eye-liners for my waterline I have stuck to this past year have been, Urban Decay's Zero and Bare Minerals 'Around the Clock' in Midnight bare-minerals-around-clock-eyeliner review. 

Which I am sad to say is now discontinued, which has led me to be on the hunt for the next eye-liner. 

I am very fussy as I want it to be blacker than black but still stay put and not budge from my water line all day... I know, not asking much am I!! So any suggestions would be greatly received.

Have heard great things about Anastasia Beverly Hills 'covet' Eye-liners but unfortunately cult beauty are sold out. So leave any recommendations in the comments below.

Eyeshadows: 

My faves this year are my mac quad, consisting of Naked Lunch, All That Glitters, Wood-Winked and Satin Taupe. These 4 eye-shadows are forever in my make-up bag and find they all go really well together but equally gorgeous on their own. If you are looking to buy Mac eye-shadows and don't know where to start (the choice can be a bit over-whelming!) then I would say these are great ones to choose.

In depth review here my-ultimate-mac-eye-shadow-quad

The other eye-shadow I have got a lot of use out of is Mac's electric cool eye-shadow in super-watt. A kind of cream/mousse hybrid, It's really simple to use one swipe and you're done. Similar to Maybelline's colour tattoo in 'On and On Bronze'.

 Maybelline colour tattoos review

Face

Foundation

The majority of the time I stick to Bare Minerals Ready Foundation. Its quick and easy and covers what I need it to. However on those special occasions I have since discovered the new YSL fusion foundation and I love it! It is really light on barely feels on your face at all. I hate the feeling of heavy foundation on my face. It is a matte finish which for me is great as I have combination skin. YSL Fusion Ink Foundation Review

The other foundation launch I was so excited for was the bare minerals serum foundation. I don't know if I am just not putting it on right but can't seem to get the hang of it and it doesn't sit smoothly on my face, it goes patchy. Such a shame as I had high hopes!

Extra's

Mac's Soft and Gentle is a gorgeous highlighting blush, so pretty on! Mineralize Skin-Finish Natural in 'Light' is a lovely finishing powder helping to keep everything in place. 

This year I managed to get my hands on Ben Nye's Banana powder which is a great setting powder with a yellow tint, perfect for covering up any redness. If you want to know more my review is Mac Soft & Gentle Review

Maybelline's The Eraser Eye concealer has been great for covering up my under eye baggage! 

Most used brushes & tools:

Eyeko Eyelash Curler

These came free with a magazine a few months ago and are so good and easy to use! 

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, Blush brush and setting brush is great for concealer especially around the eyes. 

Most used eye brush has to be my mac 217, it has definitely been worth the price tag. It washes well and applies eye-shadow effortlessly. Mac 217 review

Last of all a

Honourable mention:

Limited edition releases...

Maleficent Red lipstick by Mac was a must have for me as the film was so good!

Urban Decay's Pulp Fiction Review here: Be cool hunny bunny!

So that's it from me my make-up favourites from 2014. Can't wait for what 2015 will bring!

Take time for you. Take care and look after yourself.

Thanks for popping by luv acesparklestar xoxo

December 2014 Favourites Round-Up

December / Christmas 2014
Favourites Round-Up

First of all, I hope you all had a lovely Christmas holiday and Happy New Year!!
I'm back after a small break taking time out to spend with my family this festive season.

So here's what i've been loving this past month:

After my 5km run (where my sister and I raised over £2000 for Macmillan Cancer Support Charity) I popped to Selfridges when they were doing their 10% off. Made a bee line straight for the Chanel counter.

Thought after my training I deserved a treat to self! I chose a lipstick appropriately named 'Dedicace'

It is a pretty pink shade and a deliciously creamy formula, such a joy to wear!

Books:

For Christmas I got Salli Hughes 'Pretty Honest' Book, so am looking forward to finally getting to read it! I somehow managed to avoid all reviews on blogs and twitter!! Along with Lena dunham's book 'Not that kind of girl' another must read that I am very late for!

I have already started reading Oprah Winfreys' 'What I know for sure' and it is a very interesting and positive read. I love the fact that it has a ribbon book marker and is a handy sized hard back book.

Food been loving the limited blue wrapper edition of Snickers ... which has extra chocolate in. Unfortunately they some how disappeared!! Oop!

Perfume I have been loving is Essential Molecules 0101 and YSL Black Opium both of which santa left me in my stocking! They smell equally delicious. I'm sure that a review won't be far behind!

My lips have been so chapped with the cold weather so I bought the rev de miel lip-balm in stick form so I could apply whilst out and about. 

It is lovely and hydrating, easy to apply and really helps to soothe dry lips. 
The only thing I would say it's not as thick or matte as the pot version but a very good day alternative! 
I now use the pot lip-balm before bed and take the stick in my bag.

Been loving using this hand cream, 'Le Couvent des minimes gardeners hand cream' as my hands have been equally dry and chapped. It was in my 'British Beauty Blogger box 2' and find it lovely and hydrating to use. Not greasy and a blend of 7 magical plants help to heal and protect!

So that is my December round-up. Have you tried any of the products or read the books?

Take time for you. Take care and look after yourself.

Thanks for popping by luv acesparklestar xoxo