beauty

Irresistible Me Remy Clip-In Hair Extensions | Review

4 October 2016

Sheffield, UK
Since wearing full and part weaves, I have always worn remy hair. When I was around fourteen years old, I had my very first weave and I was excited; I would literally parade around school and tell people “my hair is basically going look like Beyoncé’s” because I was under the impression everyone’s weaves look as A-star as hers. Obviously, I didn’t rock up to school with £3,000 extensions, but I did fall in love with them. For a long while, I’ve tried multiple stores for extensions, and often switch between sewn-in and clip-in. Sometimes I even switch the two, just so I had add extra layers if needed. I recently received some remy extensions from Irresistible Me and couldn’t wait to try them out. 

I can be quite sceptical of extensions as I’ve had some sent to me before, and didn’t even bother to review them because they were so bad. I’ve also ordered extensions myself in bundles online, and they ended up being really thin, lighter than the colour I always order (1B), or wavy when I prefer to have my hair straight. Little things like this really put me off online stores, and one bad experience can ruin it all for me. Last year I ordered a closure from Ali Express that was lighter than the site suggested, I still wore the lace closure with my extensions, and after I took it out and washed it thoroughly, it got so matted up, I couldn’t even get a comb into it. 
Irresistible Me is a New York-based brand that specialises in 100% natural Remy clip-in hair extensions, hair accessories and hair tools. After receiving their clip-in extensions, I decided to try them with my own extensions to see if I could make them a little thicker and give my hair more body for an event. I already have a full weave, with a lace closer and bundles of hair that’s a mix of 16” and 18”. The great thing about the ordering process is being able to select exactly what you want, which I was impressed with. You can chose the thickness, colour, length & weight before completing your purchase. 
I got the Silky Touch Natural Black extensions (1B)* and decided to clip them in during the day, and see how well they would attach to my hair as I partied the night away. Delivery-wise, they took a while to get to me, but I wasn’t in any rush to receive them. The hair is very silky, and the shine isn’t oily, nor is the texture too oily. Sometimes with extensions, you find the occasional wire within the hair, or a strand that’s bright blonde which looks very out of place, however all of the hair is 1B – luckily. I found the clips easy to attach to my own hair in between the tracks of my sew-in extensions and they felt very secure throughout the evening. One thing I loved is how ‘flowy’ the hair was, it felt real and not like the Barbie doll hair you can buy online. Check out the before and after above!
The clip-ins fit well with my extensions and matched the colour I already have, plus they are lightweight and only really feel heavy once they’re wet. One of the things I really loved, is that I could wear them with a weave, and they added to the body, not the weight. I did notice the extensions lost a little bit of shine after a wash, but they didn’t matte up or become coarse which is a huge bonus. The only downside to the extensions, is that after a while, they do start to wear. This is something I've found to be quite common with certain remy brands, and few YouTubers have also revealed that the hair can shed over a long period of time or can even become overly tangled. Despite this, I definitely think they're worth a try and work for me as I only wear clip-ins on a temporary basis.

Have you ever tried a product from Irresistible Me? What did you think?

W7 Colour Me Buff Eye Colour Palette | Review

21 September 2016

Harewood, UK
I’m crazy about eyeshadows. They’re becoming quite an important factor in my life and I’m embracing the obsession. The number one reason I love to collect shadows is because you can always mix it up, especially with palettes. Eye shadows can be altered to suit any outfit, and create any style. From the sexy smokey eye to a simple nude lip, I love ‘em all!
I have a lot of bright colours with eye shadows, but a nude palette is something I was lacking. I have reviewed both the Maybelline and Collection nude eye shadow palette, and finally decided it’s time to try another W7 review. I already have the W7 In The Nude palette, which I loved, but I have to say I love the Colour Me Buff palette that little bit more. The texture in Colour Me Buff is different to In The Nude, as the shadows are a lot more silkier and apply very smoothly, almost like a cream; whereas In The Nude is dustier.
The first thing I adore about the palette is that the shades are much more like nudes. Although the shades in the In The Nude palette are a little more pinky and are much lighter. I do like the shades, but as my skin tone is quite dark, I’ve found that over time some of them blend together and just look like the same colour. On the contrary, the Colour Me Buff palette has the light shades but they have defined colours that show up well on my eyelids. Sadly, I did initially swatch the shades on my wrist, but they didn’t show up as well as I’d hoped (mainly because this skin on my forearms is a lot lighter than my lids and a very different texture).
I managed to pick up the palette for £4.20 and a huge factor for me is pigment, and luckily the palette delivers. The colours in the palette are true to their shade and Onyx, which is basically black, actually shows up black. I’ve used some palettes before that include black and it just shows up as a dodgy grey. The shadows also stay put for a long time – very important. W7 is an inexpensive brand so I wasn’t expecting a holy grail level of eye shadows but they definitely work for everyday use. I’ve found that I don’t need to ‘top-up’ when wearing them and they stay well for a night out.  
I would totally recommend this palette to anyone who’s looking for a simple set of colours that will work on all skin tones. They stay well, and this could be because of a creamier texture in contrast to other W7 palettes I’ve tried. The twelve shadows are a lot of fun to play around with them, and versatile for different looks - perfect for autumn!
Have you tried any W7 Eye Colour Palettes before? What did you think?


Annika Nail Polish | Review

24 August 2016

Otley, UK
Since I stopped wearing acrylics, it’s my duty to now hunt down as many nail polishes as I can. So far I’ve been doing pretty well, but I do occasionally struggle with polishes that won’t chip within the first two hours, like most I’ve tried. There are plenty of brands out there that provide luxurious quality varnish… that costs more than a bottle of champagne. Barry M and Rimmel are two of my favourite brands from nail polish, but I recently tried the Annika Nail Polish line* by The Edge Nails it’s not just the name I’m obsessed with.
I’m always open to trying new products, especially from brands I’ve never heard of or bought from. When I received the Annika Nail Polishes I was absolutely thrilled to try them out, and finally get some colour on my bare nails. The line includes 30 different colours, from jet black to bright yellow and I received Bella Ballerina, Pretty Pixie and Beauty Queen.
My first impressions of the colours was that they were brighter than I expected and would look great on my nails as long as the formula is strong enough. It’s really common to find nail varnish that’s a stunning colour, but is almost like water when painted on the nails – major disappointment. I get that quite a lot with glitter nail polishes, and hate applying layers on layers, as I’m impatient and it takes too long to dry. With the first layer of Bella Ballerina, the lightest shade, I was actually quite surprised at how visible it was, despite the colour.
Regarding the formula of the Annika Polishes, it’s thick and light without being too watery. The polish is easy to take off and doesn’t stain my nails which is a big yes in my book. I’ve also found that the varnish dries very quickly and doesn’t pool on my nails. I don’t have the biggest and best nailbeds (hence why they’re not splashed all over this post), so to have a polish that takes well to my nails is a colossal advantage.
Luckily, the colours also dry the same shade when they dry, and most importantly – they don’t chip. Overall, I would say Annika varnishes have a lasting power of 7 to 10 days. I usually apply two layers, because the colour is bright and pigmented enough for just two; plus I often find that whenever I put on more than two solid layers on my nails the varnish struggles to dry and ends up getting smudged no matter how long I wait. I wouldn’t go as far as saying Annika Nail Polishes are chip-proof, but they last long enough for me, as I get bored of the same colour quickly.
If I had to pick a favourite colour, it would be Pretty Pixie, simply because I think I could wear it in almost every season and get away with it. Beauty Queen is definitely more wintery, and Bella Ballerina is certainly more summery – whereas Pretty Pixie is a happy medium for me. Overall, I would totally recommend this nail line to anyone who is looking for an affordable line of colourful polishes that are a great quality and so pretty! Plus, I absolutely love the name ;)

*The three Annika Nail Polishes pictures above were gifted to me by The Edge Nails

Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation | Review

15 August 2016

Leeds, UK
For as long as I’ve been wearing makeup, I’ve struggled to find a good foundation. There have been some that work really well, but are slightly too dark, a little too light or have the wrong tones in. I’ve even mixed foundations to see if that works, but it is way too much effort for an early morning. My skin has also become a lot oilier since suffering from acne, which will also be due to the increase in moisturisers and creams I use on my face. After a while of struggling, I almost stormed into Debenhams in search of a new foundation.

My first stop was MAC, an obvious choice because it seems to be one of the most popular makeup brands in the world. One of the first reasons I didn’t buy from MAC is because the assistants are incredibly rude – they didn’t even help me! I asked for the most mattifying foundation and the young woman showed me some eyeliner. So immediately, I walked off and was kindly greeted by Lizzie at the Estée Lauder booth.
“What’s your most mattifying foundation?” I asked. Well, this was the beginning of something special. After using the foundation finder I received the best-selling Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup foundation, skipping home to try it out. My first impressions are really good, I like how well the product spreads and the medium-to-full coverage it provides. The great thing is, that you can build on each layer of the foundation, to provide full coverage. I used a brush to apply the liquid foundation, and one thing I’ve found is that it doesn’t stick to the fibres of the brush, making the brush easier to wash and the foundation easier to apply.

Estée Lauder promises the Stay-in-Place Makeup (SPF 10 – bonus!) has the ability to stay flawless for fifteen hours; through heat, humidity and non-stop activity. So far, so good. I’ve used the foundation during a busy work day, with and without powder, and it’s managed to stay in place the entire time. The best thing about Double Wear is that I never have to top up, which means I’m never worrying about creasing or any coming off. It was quite common for previous foundation to come off on clothes, and as I have dark skin, I never wore any white. Times have changed. Now I have Double Wear, I can wear what I want!
The only downside to the foundation is the price, it is £31.00 per bottle, quite steep in my opinion. I’m not much of a spender, so when I have to really splash out on something it’s worth it. I’m on my first bottle, so depending on how long it lasts, I’ll decide if I’d like another. The lid is very simple but doesn’t have any sort of applicator inside, so it’s all down to you. Luckily, not a lot of product stays in the lid (unless you tip the bottle upside down), so I just tip a little only my hand – apparently you’re not supposed to but it works for me.
My rating: LIFE CHANGING
I have to give this product five stars as it’s become my holy grail of makeup products. There are a crazy amount of shades available, and with the foundation finder – it must be impossible not to find the one for you. It’s without a doubt the greatest foundation I’ve ever used, no wonder it’s the best selling in the UK! Despite the opening, I love everything about this foundation, especially the way it dries so perfectly and can be applied even easier. The price is totally worth the product, and it’s Estée Lauder – how can I say no.


Have you tried out this foundation? What did you think?

W7 In The Nude Palette | Review

22 July 2016

Leeds, UK
When it comes to beauty and cosmetics, I love to collect eye shadow palettes.  It’s one of my favourite ways to play around with colours and experiment with techniques while spending little money and time. As much as I like to contour every so often, I can’t always be bothered to do it every day, but a different shade of eyeshadow can brighten an entire look. Since being about 12 years old, I’ve worn eye shadow – bear in mind that was when I wore white eye shadow, or a navy blue shade with absolutely no eyeliner or mascara. I know.
Now that’s I’ve matured (slightly), and have sat through hundreds of make-up tutorials, from cut creases to smoky eye; I like to shop for different palettes and try to collect a wider range of colour. On the boring days, I stick to darker nudes (browns, maybe the occasional black), but I have recently really gotten into pinks on my eyelids, as I think the blend pretty well and can easily become a transition shade.
Shades from left to right: Teddy bear, Wonderland, Cracker, Happy, Lady Luck, Twister, Di Di, Delilah, Magic, It's a dram, Up in smoke & Dawn
I recently bought the W7 In The Nude Eye Shadow Palette from Amazon (only £5!) and was quite surprised at how much I liked it. Usually, when cosmetic products are under £20, there’s a slight worry they may not be of a high quality; but this palette could easily be a high street dupe for the UD Naked 3 palette! I have never owned a Naked palette, simply because the price is too high for me, but I think the selection of colours by W7 are perfect.
One thing I really liked about the palette was the pigment of the eye shadows, it was incredibly strong, and I’ve been using quite a few shades for a while, and have barely made a dent in it. I can use plenty of different brushes and the shadows spread really well and don’t clump up on my eyes. I have found that some eye shadows have a tendency to be too heavy which becomes a struggle when it’s a time to apply liquid eyeliner, or they’re so light and transparent, I have to apply layers upon layers which eyeliner doesn’t respond well to.
Two colours I’ve been loving are Twister and Up in smoke as they work really well together. However, it’s really easy to blend a few colours together and create a girly and looks with the lighter shades, or a darker look with the deeper purples. I sometimes worry that dark colours will make my eyes look to small, but the shimmer in the shadows really helps to bring out the bright in your eyes, and then I can use the lighter colours around my tear duct if needed.

Overall, I really like this palette, I have been pleasantly surprised by W7 (check out my review of their setting spray) and I think, like Sleek, they’re definitely a brand to keep an eye on as their products are constantly improving and staying at an affordable price. My one wish, was that W7 products were available in more stores! 
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