Daisie's

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Vichy Dermablend 'Total Body Corrective Foundation'

Certain brands get the bloggersphere in somewhat of a tiz, and Vichy's Dermablend is no exception. Hailed as a miracle product that covers every imperfection imaginable, it's long been popular with those suffering from skin conditions and pigmentation issues. Although I have none of those things, I was still intrigued to find out what all the fuss was about and put the Total Body Corrective Foundation to the test. Designed to cover everything from scars, tattoos, stretch marks and varicose veins, the body foundation offers high coverage that's buildable and extremely long lasting. Although it's hard wearing, it's quite light to the touch and super easy to apply - ensuring it's easy to get great coverage and build up the base for a fab result. I've been using it on my face and it creates the most uniformed result I've ever experienced, providing the perfect base for makeup.

Although the lightest shade is still actually quite dark, during the warmer months it's still wearable and can create a more healthy glow on porcelain skin. The texture is smooth and velvety to the touch, but it dries quickly to leave a slightly tacky finish that doesn't budge for anything - once it's on and dry, there's no moving it or re-blending. The foundation has a 16 hour hold, as well as being water, sweat and rub resistant allowing for carefree wear throughout the day. When I've been wearing this I've repeatedly had comments on how great my skin looks and how radiant my complexion is; the combination of the coverage (without feeling or looking heavy) with the hint of colour really provides a great result.

I've even tried applying this to my limbs, in the attempt to cover prominent veins and bruises, and it definitely helps to cover them and create a uniform shade. Although I wouldn't have the patience to blend the formula all over, it's great for covering imperfections and discolouration that could cause self confidence issues. For those looking for a potentially life-changing and confidence boosting product, then this could be it. I love the fact it comes in a 100ml tube, ensuring you get great value for money and don't have to worry about running out any time soon; you need such a small amount at a time to build up coverage, that I wouldn't be surpised if it lasted a whole year.

Complementary products within the range also include a fab concealer that covers dark circles without caking (great if you're starting to see little fine lines like me,) and lasts all day - even when your eyes start to water. There's also a foundation compact which provides heavier coverage and leaves a delicate matte finish; however, it can be quite drying and leave skin looking a little tired if you're already feeling a little delicate underneath. Ensuring everything stays in place and skin looks picture perfect, there's even a Setting Powder which can be buffed into skin to keep foundation locked down. The combination provides a great portfolio of products that can really help create a flawless finish - adding a touch of blush and highlighter will leave skin looking practically perfect.

The Vichy Dermablend Total Body Corrective Foundation is available online, priced £29.75 for 100ml. However, it's currently available for £19.83 via Escentual.com - so get in quick!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

LBQ's Top Tips: Do You Really Know How To Wash Your Hair?

There are certain things we just automatically presume we know how to do (such as brushing our teeth, combing our hair and taking a bath,) but have you ever wondered if your age old method is actually the best? Washing and conditioning our hair seems to be the simplest part of our routine and hard to get wrong, but you could be making some mistakes in the shower that have an impact on how your hair feels and looks when it's dried. Lathering up and slapping on a hair mask may keep your locks looking half decent, but refining your routine can really make a difference. So, do you really know how to wash and condition your hair?

Bargain Summer Buy: Malibu SPF30 Tropical Lip Balm Trio

Although we endeavour to protect our noses and shoulders when the sun comes out, one of the bodily parts often forgotten is our lips. Our pouts can become dry and damaged in hot weather, particularly as they take a large hit from the sunshine due to being so prominent on the face. Malibu offer a great range of affordable sunscreen products that smell of sunshine, but also have a range of lip balms that offer both UVA and UVB protection. This trio of lipbalms contains SPF30, as well as being extra resistant to sweat and water - great for when you're playing by the pool, taking a dip in the sea or simply sipping on a cocktail. The best bit though is that I picked up this trio of handy summer accompaniments for only £1.49!

The trio contains the same formula in mango, mint and tropical flavours, all subtly reminiscent of a beach side cocktail. Although they could quite easily be sickly sweet and full to the brim of coconut notes, all three are incredibly inviting and stay true to the flavours by which they're inspired. The formula itself is smooth, soothing and comfortable on the lips, great for applying while on the go or popping in your beach bag. You can't go wrong with a fab lip balm that protects your lips and smells good, especially when they're only 50p each! (Although their usual RRP is around £2.99)

The Malibu lip care trio costs £1.49 and is available via B&M stores and budget beauty shops nationwide. Also available individually.

NEW From Benefit: Four Matchy-Matchy 'Benetint' Lipbalm Hydrators

Benefit's range of delicate lip and cheek stains are some of the most successful product launches of recent times. It all started with the cult red Benetint that I can remember buying as a student and being told it would revolutionise my makeup routine. It did. Ten years later and not only have they expanded the line to include three more lip and cheek stains (the pink-purple Lolli Tint, delicate pink Posie Tint and peachy Cha Cha Tint,) but they've also added a collection of complementary balm tints for lips to ensure every look is effortlessly beautiful.

Their Lip Balm Hydrators are available in four different shades, all containing hydrating ingredients to leave lips looking and feeling super soft. It's often suggested that wearing the same shade on your lips and cheeks can ensure a cohesive and more natural makeup finish (as hues aren't competing with eachother,) so Benefit are simply making the whole process even simpler. Packaged in matching cases to their cheek stain counterparts, all four lip colours provide just a hint of colour for a super natural finish. They're extremely pleasant to use and provide just a hint of sweet scent to the lips; although they're essentially glorified and very expensive lip balms, there's something a little luxurious and aspirational about them. I've no doubt these will fly off the shelves and into some Benefit addict's makeup bag... Even with the £14.50 price tag!

The Benefit Lip Balm Hydrators are available online and in boutiques priced £14.50 each.

Friday, May 30, 2014

NEW & Affordable: Max Factor CC Colour Correct Crayons

Although CC Creams are fast becoming the buzz product of 2014, there's still a lot of confusion surrounding their purpose and application. Put simply, CC creams help to neutralise colours or pigments in our skin that can leave us looking tired, dull, red or sallow. If you've ever looked in the mirror and thought you're looking a bit knackered, it's probably accurate to assume your normal makeup just doesn't look the same once it's applied. The reason is that the base colour of our skin changes, often becoming darker or yellowy in tone, impacting the way our complexion is perceived. CC products help to counteract those tones, providing shades of colour to rebalance and great a much 'healthier' glow. If you like the idea of a colour correction product, but not the thought of applying something over your entire face, then these new Colour Corrector crayons from MaxFactor are a great alternative. Available in five different variants, each providing targeted skincare solutions, they're easy to use and don't require an NVQ in makeup application.

Within the collection is an under eye circle, dark spot, redness and dullness corrector, as well as a highlighting crayon for adding a touch of light to skin. They're chunky, fun and simple to use, as well as enabling targeted and precise application to where you need colour correction most. What I love most about these products is Max Factor have taken an 'industry' secret or complex idea and made it relevant and approachable for every woman - there's nothing scary about these little tools.

1. Under Eye Circles: My favourite of the bunch, this little yellow crayon really does help to conceal and counteract even the darkest of circles. I've been using it almost daily over foundation, touching up with just a little concealer - nobody knows I'm feeling half dead inside!

2. Highlighter: Probably the most disappointing out of the five, as the pay off is really quite limited. If you want to add a minimal touch of very subtle light reflecting pigments, then this could be for you. However, for my needs this just wasn't strong enough.

3. Dark Spot: As I don't suffer from pigmentation issues this was hard for me to use, but the formula is pigmented and provides a delicate shade of pink to lighten dark areas. Great for those wishing to create a natural makeup finish, but still want to counteract dark spots.

4. Redness: It's long been known green pigments can counteract redness, but this crayon brings that story to life in a modern way. The colour is light, rather than a dark colour that proves hard to blend, and works well to counteract redness around the nose and on the cheeks.

5. Dullness: I've never thought of using a blue colour to counteract dullness, but it really works. I loved the YSL lilac CC Cream - this is a great budget alternative. Great applied around the eyes to lift skin and help your complexion appear fresher.

At £9.99 each these are much more affordable than other CC products currently available, as well as breaking the colour and purpose down easily for even the most novice of makeup enthusiasts. Max Factor are definitely having a moment in makeup, bringing us a range of products that really bring to life their once-lost ethos. For once, I can really believe these crayons are the makeup of makeup artists. What do you think of these CC Colour Correct Crayons

The Max Factor CC Colour Correct Crayons are available from Boots priced £9.99 each.

How To: Clean Your Makeup Brushes

If you don't wash your makeup brushes regularly you may want to know what could be happening to your skin, each and every time you use them. Brushes can harbour nasty little bacteria that cause spots and other skin viruses. Keeping your makeup brushes clean is one of the first steps to achieving a flawless face and cutting down on any unnecessary breakouts; your skincare can only do so much if you don't keep those brushes free from nasty bacteria. If you're not sure how to look after your brushes and keep them top notch, here's my quick guide that covers everything you need to know - from a time consuming deep clean to daily spot checking.

Every Week - The Intensive Version
Nothing beats a freshly cleaned makeup brush, especially one that has been lovingly tended to by your own hard work and dedication. I use Baby Shampoo for a solid deep clean as it's so gentle, but you could quite easily use a mixture of three parts washing up liquid and one part olive oil, which is just as effective.

1. Start with your most used, heavily caked makeup brushes and apply a spot of baby shampoo (or another equally gentle and nourishing shampoo.)
2. With a little cold water straight from the tap, start swirling in circular motions in the palm of your hand. This is where you'll start to see all the product leaving the brush and filling up the sink!
3. Keep adding water until there's no product left on the brush. This may require a fair amount of elbow grease, but keep at it. Rinse with some more cold water.
5. Reshape the bristles into their natural shape: they can sometimes get a little manic and you don't want them to dry this way, as it will prevent the brush working effectively.
6. Place brushes on some kitchen roll, tissue or a towel to dry.

There's some controversy over whether to elevate the brushes angling downward or to leave them flat while drying. It is said the glue can start to wear down if the water seeps into the head of the brush, but I've always let my brushes lie flat to dry and they're still going strong! If you feel more comfortable, pop a circular item such as a pen under the kitchen roll, tissue or towel to create a seesaw that you can use to prop your brushes against. The main thing is to bear in mind is simply not to let them dry facing upward and you'll have brushes that will stand the test of time.

Every Week - The Speedy Version
Let's face it, we may not always have the time to spend painstakingly cleaning through 20+ brushes, when there's so much going on in our lives. Don't worry though, as the saviour to our dirty makeup roll nightmares can be found in a pump action bottle! I was lucky enough to pick up a bottle of Beauty So Clean's Conditioning Brush Cleanser for cleaning on the go, but there are plenty of great sprays out there to experiment with. I like this one as not only is it chemical free but it's formulated with natural ingredients that condition natural and synthetic brushes alike, a real bonus for any collection.

1. Apply a few sprays of brush cleanser directly on the brush head, soaking all the bristles equally.
2. Take a sheet of kitchen roll or tissue paper and buff the brush head back and forth, spraying more brush cleanser if necessary, until the brush comes away clean.
3. Leave the brushes for a few minutes to dry completely. There will be no residue, just clean, soft and hygienic bristles!

Every Day
Spot cleaning your makeup brushes is a useful and effective way to cut down on your weekly deep clean and extend the life span of your treasured tools. It's also an essential task for Makeup Artists who need to clean brushes and makeup (yes, that's right, makeup) between clients.

1. Spritz a little brush cleanser on each brush, but don't saturate it like you would with a deep clean.
2. Brush the bristles across some tissue to remove as much product as you can, which will stop any bacteria dead in it's tracks. Simple!

If you implement this routine your brushes will last longer and you should see a visible difference in your makeup application, as well as helping to prevent excess skin irritations and spots. A simple routine that will make a big difference. Happy cleaning!