Abnomaly Petrowhat? Review

Petro...WHAT?

When DECIEM announced the launch of their brand new Abnomaly range of products I was very excited to get my hands on them! I am a big fan of DECIEM and use their skincare on a daily basis (see blog post here). 

Legally Blonde The Musical 2018 Tour Review Sunderland Empire Theatre

Having seen Legally Blonde the Musical on no fewer than four previous occasions - three times in London's West End and once at the Sunderland Empire Theatre in 2011 - I was over the moon when a new tour was announced for 2017-2018 and it was heading back to the Sunderland Empire Theatre. I am a big fan of the show, based on the hit 2001 film starring Reece Witherspoon, and could happily watch it over and over again! The music is infectious and the book is funny and uplifting.

Lilash Purified Eyelash Growth Serum Review

I must confess, when I first heard of Lilash Purified Eyelash Growth Serum I was a little sceptical. After all, how could a simple serum promise to deliver long, curled lashes after just weeks of use? However, being afflicted with short, straight lashes (my struggles are well documented on this blog!) I was also intrigued to see if the claims were actually true so I ordered an initial 3 month supply - LiLash Purified Eyelash Serum 0.10oz/2.0ml (half size) - and crossed my fingers!

Foxtail Coffee Co: When The Coffee Craving Strikes!

Since moving to Orlando last summer I have been on the look out for a great coffee shop to get my daily caffeine fix. I am not too fussy when it comes to coffee shops, I simply ask that  a) it sells great coffee (of course!) and b) it is welcoming and comfortable. It didn't take me long to stumble upon Foxtail Coffee Co in the Winter Park area.

Elf Hydrating Gel Melt Cleanser - Review

I first discovered the magic of the cleansing balm a couple of years ago when Trilogy Makeup Be Gone first came into my life. Trilogy are my all time favourite skincare brand and regular readers will have seen many a post singing their praises. Their cleansing balm has remained a staple in my skincare routine however, in these days of austerity, I have been looking for lower priced alternatives. 

Makeup Revolution Ultra Eye Contour Light and Shade - Kat Von D Dupe?

The Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette is something I've been lusting after for quite some time! I love Kat Von D Beauty as a brand and everything I have tried from them has been great. However something inside of me just couldn't bring myself to spend £37 on an all matte neutral eyeshadow palette. I was so pleased to see Make Up Revolution bring out their own version named the Ultra Eye Contour Light and Shade Palette for only £8! I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

Birthday Lunch At Turtle Bay Newcastle

There are so many great new restaurants in Newcastle Upon Tyne that when we were choosing a place to eat lunch for Mimi's birthday we were struggling to make a decision! I reached out to our Instagram friend and writer of the fantastic New Girl In Toon blog, Chloe, for ideas and she suggested we try Turtle Bay as she had visited and loved it. Say no more! I hopped online and booked at table for that weekend.

Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics Palette - Review

As a HUGE fan of the original Naked Basics Palette, of which I have hit pan in almost every colour, I was so excited to see pictures on Instagram last September of the new, double the size, Naked Ultimate Basics. I immediately put it on my wish list and looked forward to its release. I snapped it up in Sephora while in the USA last October and couldn't wait to crack it open and start using the beautiful, wearable shades.

Morphe 35O Palette Review

After a long wait I have finally gotten my hands on the Morphe 35O Palette! My friend text me saying it was in stock on Cult Beauty so I jumped straight on their website and ordered it so I wouldn't miss out again! I have been interested in this palette for a few years now, long before Morphe was available in the UK, after seeing various YouTubers using it. Last year I had ordered two other Morphe palettes to fill the hole however when they arrived half of the pans had popped out of the palette and were flying all over the place! Needless to say I sent them back for a refund and decided to hold out for the real thing. I was excited to finally have the 35O in my life!

Makeup Revolution Ultra Pro Glow and Ultra Pro HD Palettes

After trying a lot of Makeup Revolution products over the last few years I knew I had to try their new Contour and Highlight palettes. It is well known now that Makeup Revolution create 'inspired by' products for very affordable prices so I was excited to see these palettes. They immediately caught my eye as they look very similar to the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour and Highlight palettes!

GHD Advanced Split End Therapy

We have both been avid fans of GHD straighteners for many years and when my last pair, a very pretty limited edition purple pair, gave up the ghost recently I knew that I wasn't going to settle for anything less. I shopped around and ordered a new pair from Look Fantastic (currently £20  off at £109). They also were offering a free GHD Advanced Split End Therapy treatment with any GHD purchase (RRP £20).

 

I am not new to heat protectant products and usually use the VO5 or Batiste spray versions but I am always interested in anything that promises to solve my split end issues so I was excited to try it. Suggesting that it is 'Suitable for all hair types, you can experience deeply nourished, conditioned and hydrated tresses with a revived radiance and enhanced shine that lasts for up to ten washes' I was sold!

 

GHD Advanced Split End Therapy is a 'lightweight cream activated by the heat of your styling tool to prevent further breakage and repair damaged ends'. Used while your hair is still damp you take a small amount of the product into your hands and massage through the hair down to the ends. Then dry as normal and style with your straighteners.

The cream left my hair feeling really very soft and conditioned. I was a little concerned that it would make my hair feel a bit oily but it just left it feeling hydrated and smooth. As well as leaving my hair seemingly split end free the scent stays with you and you can occasionally catch a whiff as you turn your head! Lovely!

 

Not being someone who spends a lot on haircare I know that I would probably not have gone out and bought this product so its great that I had the opportunity to try it for free. However, now that I have tried it I would most definitely repurchase it!

 

Love Elle x

 

Have you tried the GHD Advanced Split End Therapy or do you have any more suggestions for split end treatments?

Rocky Horror Show UK Tour Review



Photo credit: Rockyhorror.co.uk

Richard O'Brien's 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' has long been a favourite of ours and despite having seen the stage version on tour just 6 months ago we were excited to visit the beautiful Sunderland Empire Theatre and see it again this week. Fans braved the freezing temperatures and turned out in droves, many dressed in the traditional stockings and suspenders, to enjoy the show.

Bourjois Volume Reveal Mascara - Review

My eyelash struggles are well documented on ElleandMimi.com so I will spare you the boring details. Suffice to say, they are pretty short, fair and straight. For the past year I have been getting Nouveau Lashes LVL Lash Lift and tint every 3 months which has certainly helped with the straightness and fairness but unfortunately there is not much of a cure for the shortness! (review of LVL Lash Lift here and 12 month update here)

 

My recent 'holy grail' mascara has been the L'Oreal Lash Lift which does a great job of providing volume and length however I am always on the look out for other options that may work for me.

 

Bourjois are a great drugstore brand however I have never been particularly taken with their mascaras until I saw the Bourjois Volume Reveal Mascara complete with 3 x zoom mirror and 'lash catcher' brush!. I am always the first one to fall for a gimmick and this was no exception!  I picked up the mascara in black (the non waterproof variety) for the offer price of £6.99 - the usual price will be £9.99.

The packaging is quite bulky and triangular in shape but don't let that put you off! The first thing that I noticed was the scent which is quite strong but the wand is what I would consider to be a perfect size. Neither too fat and bristly nor too skinny and plastic. Initially I felt that the brush was quite 'spiky' and a little rough on my eyes and I had reservations as to whether it was going to work for me however, the product built up extremely well with no clumping. It was very easy to build length and volume and I spent a few minutes getting the exact look that I wanted. Once applied I was very happy with the final look. The mascara made my lashes look much longer and thicker than I expected and I was delighted with the finished effect.

I have to be honest and say that I didn't really use the mirror. I tend to apply mascara on a morning using my makeup mirror and never touch it up during the day so although the mirror is perfectly functional, for me, it is a little redundant. If you are someone who likes to reapply mascara during the day then I imagine the mirror to be a handy addition.

 
To summarise I would definitely recommend the Bourjois Volume Reveal Mascara. It built excellent volume and length and was easy to remove at the end of the day with my usual cleansing balm. It hasn't quite taken over as my new 'holy grail' mascara but it's coming in a close second!

Love Elle x

Have you tried the Bourjois Volume Reveal Mascara? What are your thoughts?

September Reading List

When I originally drafted this list of books it was going to be my summer reading list! Alas, here we are at the start of September and I have yet to pick up any of these books. Therefore I have set myself the goal of reading some (if not all) of these books by the end of September! If I fail I will also allow myself the first 2 weeks of October to finish them as I will be on holiday in Orlando with some extra time (and a couple of 9 hour plane journeys!) to get reading!

Milani Everyday Eyes Eyeshadow Palettes - Review

One of the items at the top of my USA Drugstore Wish List in May was the Milani Everyday Eyes Eyeshadow Palette in Earthy Elements. I can't lie, it was the burnt orange shade that attracted me initially. It looked so different from anything I owned and I was looking forward to getting my hands on the little palette to give it a try. I had seen a couple of beauty YouTubers raving about the shadows (in particular Leigh-Ann Says) and that made me even more keen to own it! Believe me, this Milani palette was not easy to get hold of! Back in May Milani was pretty much impossible to get hold of in the UK and during our trip to the USA it seemed that everyone else had the same idea as I did! It was sold out in many drugstores we visited but I eventally managed to find it in CVS.

LVL Enhance Lash Lift from Nouveau Lashes - One Year On

Top left - Before LVL, Top right - After the first LVL

Bottom - Latest LVL results a week after treatment

If you are a regular visitor to ElleandMimi.com you may remember one of our very first and indeed, one of our most popular blog posts! We talked about our first experience of the LVL Enhance Lash Lift treatment from Nouveau Lashes. (click here if you'd like to see our initial review/description of the treatment and before and after pictures)

Becca X Jaclyn Hill Champagne Splits

When Jaclyn Hill announced on Snapchat that, in collaboration with BECCA, she was releasing Champagne Splits - Split Pan Shimmering Skin Perfector/Mineral Blush combo's I was sold! Mimi is a huge fan of the original Champagne Pop (holy grail highligher status for her!) and the more recent BECCA X Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette (review here) therefore I was excited to get my hands on these new BECCA X Jaclyn Hill offerings. I registered on Sephora.com for the release day email notification and on release day I picked out my two favourites. Soon they were winging their way across the Atlantic towards my makeup collection!

Revlon Colorstay 2-in-1 Compact - Review

I have loved the original Revlon Colorstay Foundation since it was first released in the mid-90’s. I clearly remember the TV ads featuring Cindy Crawford demonstrating how the foundation didn’t transfer onto the white shirt of the very smart gentleman she was snuggling with! I was very excited earlier this year when it was released with a pump so imagine my delight when I discovered a brand new take on the Colorstay Foundation - the Colorstay 2-in-1 Compact Makeup and Concealer in my local Boots store! 

Colour Pop Haul

For a long time I had been dying to try some ColourPop lip products but unfortunately they don't deliver to the UK.** Therefore when we were in Orlando recently I took the opportunity to make an order from the brand!

Toyshades Glasses

 

As someone who has to wear glasses it can be difficult wearing the same accessory everyday with every outfit.  Although I also wear contact lenses I don't always feel like putting them in as sometimes my eyes can feel a bit irritated so I find myself reaching for glasses on an everyday basis. After hearing about Toyshades I couldn't wait to order from them and try them out.