With hoards of online shopping comes hoards of beauty and skincare samples. I have a drawer (yes a drawer!) dedicated to samples alone and as I was having a dig through them the other day I realised I really should be testing these samples out, I mean I love the products I buy regularly from my favourite companies surely there must be some new favourites to discover amongst the hundreds of little sachets and tubes?

I've decided to utilise these hundreds of samples and do a post every week called 'Trial-Sized Tuesdays'. The clue is in the name. Every Tuesday I will test out one sample and give my initial thoughts on it. Whilst I know that using a skincare product for only a day is not enough to warrant going out and spending £80 on a moisturiser, I can pretty much tell if it's love at first application with my complicated skin.

So check back with me on Wednesdays where I'll let you know just what I was trialling that previous Tuesday!

Jodie

xoxo

Urban Decay Naked Palette Swatches and Review

This post comes a little late as I received it a little over a week ago, but today I am reviewing my bargain purchase from Cohorted...the Naked palette from Urban Decay.

Now I did a review a couple of months ago on Urban Decay's Naked Basic's palette in which I said shimmer and glitter eye-shadow's are not for me...I have been converted now I have this palette in my possession! I briefly deliberated on whether or not I needed to purchase this palette when I saw the Cohorts go live as like I said I never really wore or liked glitter or shimmer eye-shadow's but I hastily made the decision to purchase it...and at only £23.96 it was a bargain I couldn't resist!

I was very surprised at the size of the Naked palette, as I mentioned I have the Naked Basics palette and it's not even a third of the size of the Naked palette. What I really like is that it comes with a decent sized brush in with the palette saving the hassle of digging round for a brush when you're doing your face in a rush.

This palette has the perfect mixture of bronzed hued matte, shimmer and sparkle shadows in it. As with all of the other Urban Decay shadow's I've tried they are super pigmented, extremely wearable and they last all day. My favorite shades and the ones I've been wearing the most in the last week are the first 4 (Virgin, Sin, Naked and Sidecar).

L-R as shown in palette

Apologies for  the size of the swatches, I don't have much skin not covered in tattoo's! These swatches were just one swipe with my finger in the pan, as you can see they are super pigmented and the colors blend really well with each other. With having to use so little to get great color pay-off I see this as more of an investment than an expenditure.

Jodie

xoxo

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer - SC2

My quest for the perfect concealer has taken me to Secret Camouflage by Laura Mercier. Anyone that reads my blog will know that I live in the back of beyond, so I rely heavily on online reviews and swatches to make my purchases as the nearest department store that sells high-end products is over 50 miles away! After much deliberation I decided to purchase Secret Camouflage in shade SC2...I couldn't have got it any more right!

I didn't purchase this concealer with the intention of using on my dark circles, I bought it solely for imperfections on my face. Secret Camouflage's unique two shade system was designed to match all skin tones, one to match the skins depth of colour and the other to match the skins undertone. I wear MAC's Studio Fix Fluid in shade NC15 and I find the perfect mixture of Secret Camouflage is two parts of the lighter side and one part the more peach one. 

The texture is quite hard and waxy, I scrape a little of each and mix on the back of my hand, allowing the concealer to soften as it warms. This concealer is very highly pigmented so you only need very little to cover any imperfections. Even in this hot weather the concealer has lasted a good 8 hours without the need to reapply. Be more cautious if you have dry skin, the concealer can cling a little to dry patches, a good moisturising will be needed before use.

All-in-all I really can't find any fault with Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage, the pans are of a very generous size which means it will last for ages and I really like the practical packaging with the mirror on the inside. Being able to customise your shade is a huge benefit at this time of the year when we're all tanning and changing up our bases. Huge thumbs up from me!

Jodie

xoxo

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick - Streak

A couple of weeks ago I did a post on Urban Decay's Revolution lipstick in Naked, today I have for you Streak. 

I absolutely love UD's Revolution lipsticks, the range of colours are gorgeous, the texture is creamy and nourishing and the packaging is just beautiful! 

Streak is a gorgeous coral pink, with an ever-so-slight touch of shimmer. It's a really flattering colour for most skin tones, so creamy and wearable you'll not want anything else in your handbag!

I honestly can't find any fault in the Revolution lipsticks. As with Naked I got around 3-4 hours of comfortable wear, lips were left feeling hydrated and colour didn't cling to any dry patches on my lips. Highly pigmented, infused with nourishing lip-loving ingredients and housed in sleek, expensive feeling packaging they truly are gorgeous! 

Jodie

xoxo

Stila Convertible Blush in Petunia

It's been over a week since my last post, I would apologise but my lack of blogging has mostly been due to this gorgeous weather! So today I'm doing a quick review on a gorgeous lip and cheek product from Stila, Convertible Blush in Petunia rrp £16. I'm a huge fan of multi-purpose products at this time of the year, anything that can save space in your bag when you're off to the beach or off to the pub with friends is a big winner for me.  Stila's Convertible blush is described as a cream blusher, I wouldn't say it's quite a cream blush, it leaves a lovely dewy glow on the skin whether that be on lips or cheeks. I like to apply with my finger and gently buff into skin with a buffing brush. Petunia is a very flattering bright pink, although it looks quite bright in the pan it does blend into a gorgeous flush of colour.

I will say that if you favour a more heavy foundation you may find this will not blend so well and can leave your base looking a little blotchy. I have found it looks best when (I'm having a good skin day!) wearing a lighter foundation or tinted moisturiser.

Stila Convertible blush on cheeks and lips

I've been wearing this blush almost everyday since buying it, I can see it being my favourite this summer. It's just the right amount of colour to perk up your complexion without looking too 'done' in this hot weather.

Jodie

xoxo

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick - Naked

Now I know Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick's aren't exactly new kids on the block but I had to share a gorgeous shade I picked up earlier this week. 

As I was googling make-up stuff online I happened across some swatches from the Revolution line and fell in love with tow of the shades...one of which I will review now...

Naked is a gorgeous, slightly more brown 'better than lips' shade on me. The colour pay-off is immense with very little applied and has a comfortable creamy texture. The finish is a creamy sheen, not quite gloss but more skinny than your regular lipstick.

Upon first use the lipstick did tug a little at my lips but after a few uses it went on with ease. You really can tell that these lipsticks are infused with nourishing oils such as avocado and jojoba as they leave lips cushion soft, moisturised and plump and they wear like a dream! I did purchase another shade called Streak, I will pop up a little post on that gorgeous shade soon...

Jodie

xoxo

Dr Lewinn's Skin Renewal Overnight Exfoliator

I introduced Dr Lewinn's Overnight Exfoliator rrp £36 into my skincare routine a couple of weeks ago, I wanted to give it a proper trial before I was able to say...that I absolutely love it!

Products that promise a celebrity like glow with little effort always catch my eye and this one does not disappoint! Dr Lewinn's Overnight Exfoliator is a non-abrasive exfoliator designed to improve clarity, tone and the texture of your skin whilst you sleep. 

I cleanse and tone as normal and then apply a liberal amount before applying my night serum...when I wake up my skin is a smooth as a babies bum! This smoothness has probably got something to do with all of the naturally derived ingredients it has in it, extracts of Sugar Cane and Sugar Maple to gently exfoliate skin, Orange and Lemon Fruit extract to resurface and purify, Witch Hazel to clarify and tone and Vitamin A to rejuvenate. Not only does it sound good enough to eat it truly makes skin glow!

With Regular use it's been reported that it can help fade sun spots and pigmentation, effective on ingrown hairs and has even reduced the appearance of acne scars. Oil free, gentle and yet effective it is suitable for all skin types. Not the cheapest exfoliator I own but definitely the easiest and effective!

Jodie xoxo

Makeup Revolution Lipstick In Enchant

After reading so much hype on Makeup Revolution's products on lots of blogs I decided to place a small order last week to get a feel for the products for myself. 

I purchased the Iconic 3 palette (review here) and 3 lipsticks, Vice, Divine and Enchant. The palette is incredible value for money, the eye-shadow's are richly pigmented and last all day and the palette itself is a lot better than I was expecting. 

My favorite out of the 3 lipstick's is Enchant, its a gorgeous lilac toned lipstick with a reasonable longevity for the price of around 2-3 hours. Divine is a peachy-pink matte shade which isn't at all drying and lasts around 3 hours. Vice was not at all what I was expecting, it turned out to be actually quite a sheer orange lipstick, against my natural lip colour it made my lips look blue and spaghetti stained...that one went in the bin.

For only £1 I am still intrigued to try more of the range but I think I will wait until they are stocked in my local Superdrug or Boots to test them first.

Jodie

xo

Urban Decay

Yesterday morning I received my Urban Decay All Nighter rrp £9 setting spray from Cohorted for the bargainous price of £6.52! I really only bought it as I already use MAC's Fix-It Spray and I have been wanting to compare the two for a little while. The packaging is practical and the pump dispenses just the right amount, sometimes I feel that MAC's Fix-it can dispense a bit too much and you can end up looking a little slick in area's...something that after using for a while you can master avoiding.  I used the UD setting spray yesterday morning, the weather was vile outside so it's arrival was perfect timing! The spray feels pretty weightless and doesn't affect your make-up underneath the only thing I will say is that it made my skin feel a little tight, the sensation subsided after a few hours though. I found that the UD didn't give as much of a dewy finish as MAC Fix-It but as much as it pains me to say this as I adore MAC products...it does keep my make-up in place a lot better! All Nighter features temperature control technology which lowers the temperature of your make-up keeping you looking flawless in even hot or humid situations. Suitable for all skin-types, even oily and combination this is the perfect setting spray for summer. Jodie xo

June You Beauty Discovery Box Selection

Another month...another beauty box. I do quite enjoy my You Beauty Discovery boxes, they are not only excellent value for money but they lay on a good selection of products too. Lets take a closer look at my product selections this month...

Transformulas Face Contour Creme rrp £36.95

Anything that promises to lift, sculpt and define the face without going under the knife is always going to grab my attention. Transformulas is the leading British cosmeceutical brand specializing in anti-aging and lifestyle treatment. This face contour creme boasts potent ingredients that instantly alleviate the look of skin and leave you with a more defined silhouette. 75% of users in clinical tests saw a reduction in under-eye bags, lines and wrinkles after just one use! I have a few skincare products going at the moment but I'm really looking forward to trying this one out!

HER 300 Trecento Hair Treatment rrp £30

My dry, frizzy hair will never say no to a thirst-quenching treatment. I'd never actually heard of the brand HER before seeing YBD'S June shortlist but I'm really looking forward to giving this a go this evening. 300 Trecento is a deep conditioning pre-shampoo treatment that you leave on for 300 seconds (5 minutes to you and I) before shampooing and conditioning. 300 Trecento contains natural plant extracts, Shea Butter and Olive penetrating the hair to re-build, strengthen and repair thus reducing frizz and enhancing shine.

The little extras in this month's box were a Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Spa mask and a little heart shaped wash cloth.

Jodie

xo