New in: Formula 10.0.6

Getting together a good, solid skincare routine that uses products I love and that work for me is something I still haven't achieved, despite having been an avid shopper who also has skin for around 21 years.  I know.  On the upside, however - if you haven't already been able to tell - it does mean that I'm constantly trying new products from new brands.  Today I want to talk about a brand called Formula 10.0.6 which I picked up a couple of bits from late last year. 

Finding a good moisturiser is 100% where I have floundered over the years.  I'm a big big fan of the La Roche Posay skincare, especially their moisturisers (see this post and this post), however I find a 40ml bottle of LRP Effaclar Duo+ only lasts me around 3-4 weeks.  And at £15.50 a pop, even though I love it, that is more than my phone bill and therefore ridiculous to be spending every month.  

Interestingly enough however, Formula 10.0.6's 'Seriously Shine Free' moisturiser has a very similar visual effect to LRP's Effaclar Duo+, mattifying the skin perfectly.  It has a clean, fresh smell, slightly woody which is unusual for a moisturiser but actually quite pleasant.  Containing aloe vera and bamboo extract, it's gentle on the face and gives back moisture without a hint of shine or grease owing to its oil-free formula.  I do sometimes find myself having to put on multiple layers in order to feel that I have properly rehydrated my skin (especially after an involuntarily scorching hot shower; ours is rather erratic at the moment).  But considering it comes in at £8.99 for 75ml (I know!), a few extra layers here and there don't trouble me in the slightest.  This is an all-round great value moisturiser for oily, combination and acne-prone skin.

 

 

 The second thing I picked up was the 'Rescue Me! Blemish Care'.  This is a 25ml (also incredibly generous) product designed to clear and help prevent breakouts and blemishes.  Very similar to Soap and Glory's Dr Spot, I use this as a topical treatment for spotty areas after cleansing and toning in the evening.  Containing castor oil and salicylic acid, I find this does a pretty good job at drying out and reducing the swelling of spots (sorry if TMI).  Plus, again, it's only £6.99 for a bottle that will last me probably at least the whole of 2017 if not longer! 

So, Formula 10.0.6, upon first impressions, I'm pretty impressed.  This is a nice, more affordable skincare brand for anyone with oily, blemish-prone skin who is looking for a bit more value for money. 

Has anyone else tried anything from Formula 10.0.6?

Ruby x

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Review: Guerlain Cils d'Enfer Maxi Lash So Volume Mascara

Hello hello!  I am writing from a new room in a new house that I moved into last week and will be living in for the next eleven months while I'm doing my second year back at university.  This is all very well and good, but does means, especially after term starting today, that it will be a bit more of, shall we say, a squeeze to fit in blogging.  In between lectures, reading (I was crazy enough to study English literature despite my snails-pace reading abilities), trying to hold a household together, working, etc. etc. etc., blogging is, very regretfully, probably going to move slightly down on my agenda.  That is not to say though that I will let the stresses of life thwart it completely.  I'm going to aim to do one post a week, but I'm sure there will be weeks where I have more or less going on and you will see posts from me according to that.  Anyway, I feel like I've written my disclaimer paragraph - on with another review!

I bought this Guerlain Cils d'Enfer Mascara in #01 Noir at the Duty Free in Gatwick before our flight out to Dalaman... does anyone else find it absolutely impossible to walk through there without buying anything!?  However, I had been on the lookout for a new mascara, waiting patiently for weeks for my usual favourite mascara brand Lancôme to be on offer in Boots.  Typically, that didn't happen, so I took it as a sign of fate, and decided to be adventurous and try another brand entirely.  

I haven't actually tried much by Guerlain at all, aside from their perfumes, Insolence and My Insolence which have proved to be two of my favourites, and take me right back to when I was thirteen or fourteen and got one from my Grandpa as a birthday present.  I do love the sleek packaging though, and, similarly to the Lancôme range, the product is fragranced very delicately with an intoxicating variety of floral notes.  Slightly odd, for a mascara, but I believe it all helps add to the impression of a rather luxurious product.  The brush comprises of short plastic one-length bristles and is tapered; I find these brushes are best for dramatic looks giving both length and volume to lashes as opposed to more feathery (brush-like!) brushes.  

Above are photos without mascara (the eyebrows + foundation combo is looking scary as ever, you may notice...).  My eyelashes are naturally medium length and thickness, and are medium brown at the base then graduating to lighter ends.  I lightly curled my lashes before applying a coat of Cils d'Enfer, and my results are below.

As you can see from the photos, the product gives a great amount of length and volume, which is great for a more dramatic look, or, for example, if you want to wear simple eye makeup with an emphasis on big lashes.  For me, it does take a bit of getting used to using a new mascara, particularly as the brush is quite bulky and only slightly tapered, making it a little harder to get into the very corners of each eye.  As with all fresh mascaras, often the brush comes out coated in slightly too much product which can then leave residue on the tops of the eyelids.  The way I deal with this is by waiting for it to dry, then taking a cotton bud with a drop of water on it to wipe away any smudges.  

Aside from this small issue, I do love the mascara.  It's instant volumising effect means it's very quick to use, and only really takes one coat (more runs the risk of clumping!), pushing it up, surprisingly to a product I now regard as highly convenient and part of my everyday makeup routine.  It is very long wearing, and copes well with hot weather, as I found out in Turkey - I had almost no problems with it smudging in the heat, yet it is very easy to remove with an oil-based or oil-free eye makeup remover.  

Ultimately, for a product that will halve your mascara application time, looks and smells lovely, and gives great length and volume to my pretty damn average eyelashes, I think the price tag of £23 is  one hundred percent, no regrets, justified.  And that's coming from a student, too.

Ruby x

Unboxing and First Try: Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade

Good morning, world! Today I wanted to get my beauty hat back on as there's a couple of items I've purchased recently which I thought might be quite good to review. I always love reading reviews done by bloggers because they are often written in an informal and impartial style, which I am far more likely to trust even if they are sponsored products.

I have been looking for a new eyebrow product for a little while now. When I first started tending to mine I used to use the Elf Eyebrow Kit which was great to begin with, I then started using an ashy brown shade (I believe it was Omega by MAC) for a little while, but found I couldn't get precise enough using just a shadow. I tried a pencil liner once more after hearing Sammi from The Beauty Crush (google her if you don't know!) talk about the Rimmel London Professional Eyebrow Pencil - and she's right, this is a great product, but in my heart, I knew I really wanted to return to using a cream/gel formula.

So last month I ordered a Dipbrow Pomade in Dark Brown. This is the first item I've purchased from Anastasia Beverly Hills, and one I ordered from Beauty Bay (find the product here) instead of the official website to avoid extortionate postage and packaging from the US. Now, I'm going to be honest, I found this product is not the easiest to use - it requires quite a steady hand and delicate touch as well as a lot of precision as the colour is quite heavy. A few days on, I'm getting the hang of it more, but on my first try my brows did end up a little Hagrid-esque (you'll see what I mean in a minute!). I've taken photos of my eyebrows before and after to try and show how the product can be used.

 

I do like quite a full brow look but even for me, this was a little bit scary. Although I love the formula of the product, it does just kind of glide on, which means you have to be really careful when applying - it does definitely take a few days to get used to! I would also advise using a hard angled brush, for example MAC 263 - I've found this brush to be the best for application.

Another important thing to note, particularly in relation to using a brush like this is that I've found it better to use less product on the top of the brush fibres but more on the sides so it catches in the brows as it is worked in. I use a small amount of the product at a time, working it through by using a light hand to sweep the brush in the direction of hair growth. Once applied, the product is great: matte but very amplifying, and doesn't budge for the whole day - some people have even stated it's waterproof. For me, then, this is what I believe will become my staple brow product. Getting used to the texture and formula does take a little while, but I've noticed even in the past few days each time I'm getting better, my brows are looking more natural, and staying on all day too?! The product is only £15 from Beauty Bay for a big ol' pot of what I can only describe as joy. Make sure you read the description as it gives a breakdown of the different shades available and what hair colours they suit. And let me know your thoughts if you do try it! As always, thanks so much for reading.

Ruby x