Review - W7 Cosmetics Banana Dreams Loose Powder

 W7 - Banana Dreams Loose Powder

Previously, the only banana powder I had heard of was the 'Ben Nye Bella Luxury Powder'. A number of celebrities and celebrity makeup artists raved about it as it can be used as a highlighter, neutralizer and all round translucent powder. It is also praised for being a product that can be used on a number of different skin tones.

Recently however, I discovered the brand 'W7 Cosmetics'. It's a UK based company that have created a number of products including a banana powder which they call "Banana Dreams". Like the Ben Nye product, it is a loose powder with the signature yellow tinge. 

This will hopefully be one of many reviews I do of W7 products. One thing I was stocked to find out was that W7 are cruelty free, check out this blog to see how the company responded to a question on this matter. To go to the W7 Cosmetics website click here.

I was able to snag this product for $8 NZD at a makeup sale, but I did manage to find it on a NZ website for $19 (Please note that I can't make a comment on the services offered from the W7 website as I am yet to purchase from the company directly)

It contains 20g of product and although this doesn't seem like a lot, I've had it for 6 months using it close to/over 100 times and I've barely made a dint in it.

So far I have been pretty impressed with this product. 

I have a really bad 'habit' of rushing while doing my makeup and inevitably messing up my contour. Usually I go a little too dark or extend it a little to far towards my mouth. I quite often don't have time to re-do everything so I usually just end up trying to buff it out or  trying to cover it up. I've found the banana powder great for this. I use a tiny amount, usually just what is left over on the lid, on my Real Techniques 'Multi Task' brush and buff until I correct the error of my ways.

I also use it in conjunction with a shimmering highlighter for an everyday highlight colour that I feel comfortable wearing to work. 

Overall the powder is extremely light and silky and doesn't leave my face looking cakey or dry. I have used this to set concealer under my eyes and haven't experienced any creasing yet! The only downside is that it is a loose powder so it can be a hassle to travel with, but I feel like this is a good trade off when you consider how light and for lack of a better word 'fluffy' the product is.

I haven't tried the Ben Nye product so unfortunately I can't compare the two. 

Conclusion

I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who is looking into a banana powder/setting powder, and I probably will buy it again (hopefully on sale!). Going off the $20 'normal' price tag, I believe that it is value for money. 


( Image photo from W7 Website)

Jeffree Star: Velour Liquid Lipstick Reviews (714, Celebrity Skin & Androgyny)

JEFFREE STAR: VELOUR LIQUID LIPSTICKS

My collection of velour liquid lipsticks from Jeffree Star stands at three.

• 714 (Old version - Discontinued)(right);
• Celebrity Skin (middle); and,
• Androgyny (left).

I was super excited about getting to try these products after watching numerous reviews of them. All are a super smooth liquid formula that goes on like a lipgloss, but dries matte. And when I say matte, I mean matte -  it's incredible!

They are cruelty free and come in a variety shades from bright Tiffany blue to a pitch black.

*DISCLAIMER* Since originally posting this blog entry I have decided to no longer support Jeffree Star or his products. That is my decision. This blog entry will remain as a review of the products only.

714 (Discontinued)

Of the three, I’m not a huge fan of this one. One of the good yet bad thing about these lipsticks is that they can look completely different on different people. The swatches I had seen showed  a creamy, light coral colour (like what it looks like in the above photo), however, when I put it on, I get more of a bright/fluro pink. Now don’t get me wrong, the colour is still nice but it’s just not something I would wear. I also found that since it is lighter than the others, getting a nice even coverage is kinda difficult. Even with two coats and taking my time, I still had a lot of patchiness and streaks.  Also, I found that it makes any imperfections on your lips stand out. The saving grace about these liquid lipsticks however is that you can mix them! So even though this shade isn't my favourtie I'm planning on using the whole product. You can get some really lovely colours by mixing this with Celebrity Skin and Androgyny - add small amounts of 714 until you get the colour and quantity you want.

*Please note a new LE 714 has been announced for the US 2016 Summer - this is not that formula, this is the original formula. The new formula comes in yellow packaging rather than pink.

Celebrity Skin

This was the first of the three lipsticks I received and it made me want to buy more! It's a nude colour that is mostly brown but also has some pink undertones to it. Like 714, this one looks slightly different on me than it does on the swatches I've seen. On me it turns into a darker brown, but I still love it! It's different to what I normally wear, lasts FOREVER, and I get comments on it all of the time!

Androgyny

This one is definitely my favourtie. So cool. It is a deepish plum colour that honestly looks great on everyone. It came out as a limited edition colour over the Christmas Holiday but it sold out so quickly, that they had to re-release it as an all year round product.

All three shades (Androgyny, Celebrity Skin & 714) once left to dry to matte.

The only downside to these is that they are not cheap. At around $35 NZD, they're an investment. Because of this, I'm probably not going to buy any for a while, but I will keep an eye out for any new releases. 

If you're not buying androgyny, I suggest looking at as many swatches as possible, in the hope that you see how the lipstick can look on a range of skin tones/lip colours.

You can check out the full range here: http://jeffreestarcosmetics.com/collections/velour-liquid-lipstick 

*DISCLAIMER* Since originally posting this blog entry I have decided to no longer support Jeffree Star or his products. That is my decision. This blog entry will remain as a review of the products only.

LUSH Rehab Shampoo Review

Today I thought I would share my thoughts on the "Rehab" Shampoo!

Retailing at 100g for $15.50, 250g for $26.90 and 500g for $37.50 (all NZD), the product is a little pricey. Especially if you're like me and you enjoy getting a really good lather goin' on. Luckily however, I have so far found that you don't need a lot of this product to create a lovely amount of bubbles.

I have been using this alongside LUSH conditioners (Veganese and American Cream) and another conditioner that I usually use and it has been working great!

It has an amazingly fresh scent that kind of reminds me of the Woosh shower jelly but with a touch of peppermint. Lots of fruit juice is packed into this product including pineapple, mango and kiwi fruit.

The peppermint has helped to stimulate my scalp, while the seaweed has helped it to become smoother and a lot less frizzy. I haven't seen a huge amount of change in terms of my hair being repaired, but my hair may just be past the point of repair...time will tell.

I have a few more shampoos/shampoo bars to try before I go out an buy more, but the Rehab shampoo will definitely be a strong front runner!

Overall, I have really liked this product and will definitely consider buying again!

LUSH Veganese Conditioner Review

As part of LUSH NZ's awesome Boxing Day/New Years Sale, I got a whole heap of products for half price. A lot of these were hair products, and the first one I tried was the Veganese Hair Conditioner.

This is the first product I have bought from LUSH and been disappointed with.

Usually retailing for $15.90 for 100g, $27.50 for 250g and $37.90 for 500g, it isn't super cheap. However, it has similar pricing to other LUSH hair products.
I enjoyed the lemon smell, and although the product I received appeared to be a little thinner than what is shown on the website, it was easy to apply and wash out.

However, the results aren't really something to brag about. I've tried this product for over a week now and have used a number of different of shampoos (including LUSH branded shampoos) that work well with my hair in combination with it. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work for me. My hair becomes dry and makes brushing/styling my hair almost impossible, and I'm not sure why. My hair has never responded to a wash out product like this before.

Although I am not vegan, I can appreciate LUSH trying to accommodate a wider range of people by creating this product.

After reading a mixture of reviews on this product, if I was considering trying this again, I would only buy the 100g option, or go into a store and ask for a sample or talk to their wonderful staff to see if it is best suited for a certain type of hair.

But due to the results I've received, I will not be re-purchasing this product and using the remaining of the bottle by using it 50/50 with conditioners I know that work for me.

When was the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes?

When was the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes?

If I was answering this question a mere 12 months ago, my answer probably would have been: You have to clean your make up brushes?

...

Oh how time flies. Earlier this year I bought my first brush cleaning products and since then I haven't looked back!

Originally I just bought the e.l.f "Brush Shampoo" which you use on your brushes exactly like you would when shampooing your hair. Wet, massage in product, rinse thoroughly. It really did work wonders! Since I had never cleaned my brushes before, their white ends had turned into what looked like a permanent shade of brown - until this shampoo stripped them of all their nasties!

All bar one of the brushes returned to a lovely, bright white or near enough to it. The shampoo is also antibacterial.

I've learned that using warm water is best, especially on brushes you use for liquid foundations or concealers as it seems to limit how oily the the product your removing will get and makes the process of scraping out any product much easier. 

I usually use this product once every one - two weeks in conjunction with the daily cleaner.

I happened to find the little mint item called a "brush egg" in a $2 shop one day while I was exploring Christchurch. This design isn't super efficient but it does make the process a little bit easier as the ridges and bumps separate the bristles.

After washing my brushes I usually dry them using a towel then put them on a windowsill or somewhere that gets a lot of sun.

The second cleaning product I bought was the e.l.f "Daily Brush Cleaner". Easy to use, and with a some what pleasant cucumber/melon scent, all you need to do is spray this on your brushes and wipe of any excess products (takes all of 30seconds) and you're good to go! There are not many days that go by where I use my brushes but don't use this product.


I bought both of these products from makeup.co.nz and was drawn to these products for three reasons:
1. The price - $11 each

2. I trust e.l.f. products and appreciate how they are cruelty free

3. Found a huge amount of positive reviews for the product

Just be weary, many websites that sell these products do not note their sizes. The shampoo is 120ml and the daily spray is 60ml.

Overall, when considering the price, results and size of these products, I'm definitely going to continue on buying these products.

LUSH Christmas Collection Review #1 - Holly Go Lightly, Magic Wand, Reindeer Rock, Yog Nog Soap & Santa Baby Lip Tint

LUSH Christmas Collection Review #1

including Holly Go Lightly Bubble Bar, Magic Wand Bubble Bar, Reindeer Rock Soap, Yog Nog Soap and Santa Baby Lip Tint

"It's the most wonderful time of the yeaaaaaaaaaaaar"

Okay, so it's not quite Christmas (25 days away, but who is counting), and there will be no "caroling out in the snow" but LUSH have released the Christmas Collection in New Zealand!

Now, you may be asking why am I so excited about this? Is just more smelly things and they sold them in July. And my answer to that would be, my favourite LUSH items are only available with the Christmas stock and in t-minus 28 days I will no longer be a poor student who can't afford anything nice!

Any way, I've had a look at the collection and decided to write a few reviews, in addition to the blog I did in July (check it out here:), for some of the products I have tried in the past. So here we go!!!

Holly Go Lightly Bubble Bar

A generously sized pudding to wrap yourself up in a comforting Christmas blanket  of Lime Oil, Patchouli Oil and Cinnamon Leaf Oil. Its festive spice fragrance is like bathing in a hot toddy, perfect for getting you in the Christmas spirit. 

First things first: LUSTRE, SO MUCH LUSTRE.
At $12.50 this isn't one of LUSH's cheapest bath products, but it is fair when you consider this baby's size. The only scent I get from this one is the cinnamon. So if you're not a fan, I suggest you skip this one altogether. I also suggest you skip it if you're not a fan of glitter, mostly because this one is absolutely smothered in it! It turns your bath a shimmery lime green colour and also leaves you with a slight shimmer once you leave the bath. I got six baths out of this one (remember how I'm a cheap student?) so it was definitely worth the money in that regard, but due to it's strong scent and the copious amounts of glitter, I probably wont be purchasing this again.

Magic Wand Bubble Bar

Snow fairies of all ages will love this re-usable bubble bar that lasts for up to ten bubble baths. Swish it around in the water for a softening, vanilla scented soak and a mound of candy bubbles. Then pop it on the side for use another time, just like magic! Don’t forget to make a wish.

As stated in the products description, this product is re-usable which means you don't have to either a) chop it up or b) use it all at once. Which is awesome! Also, it smells like snow fairy shower gel (check previous blog), which is another huge bonus! I the past, this bubble bar hasn't come with the layer of lustre on top, so again, you have been warned. The scent and functionality of this bubble bar makes me love it unconditionally, so even with the lustre, I will probably be buying it again this year! Also important to note that the stick the bubble bar is attached to and the point at which it is attached isn't the strongest/most stable! So take caution when swishing this around in your bath.

Reindeer Rock

Based on the Scandinavian ancient rock carvings, you will see reindeer galloping across your soap. Packed with dried Lingonberries, which helps to rejuvenate the skin and improve elasticity. Complete with our best-selling Comforter fragrance with Bergamot and Cypress Oil for an uplifting and calming experience, while the Raspberry Crush Sparkle Dust and Snowflake Lustre  will leave you with sparkling skin.
I really love this soap. I would probably go as far as to say this is my favourtie soap. It is just lovely. It smells of the Comforter - a classic LUSH staple - and leaves your skin feeling silky. It's berry-licious (soz). Going off what I remember from my soap from last year, the product may have changed a little bit, but it still has the same benefits. If you're only going to buy one soap this Christmas, pick this one!

Yog Nog Soap
Yog Nog is inspired by the famous Christmas drink, egg nog (vegan version!). We’ve added soya yogurt which gives a lovely creamy texture and is softening for the skin and the scent of Clove Bud Oil and Ylang Ylang Oil is topped off with a generous dusting of Nutmeg and Cocoa Powder.

The soya yogurt base of this decadent skin really leaves your skin feeling nourished. Unfortunately however, the spice and cocoa mix is a scent I can't really live with. I have never been able to bring myself to use this as an all over soap like I do with many of the others. Instead I've used it for my knees and down. It did bring a lot of moisture to my mistreated feet that were being put through trials and tribulations  after wearing a mixture of heels, gumboots, gym shoes and touch boots all summer. If you are a fan of nutmeg and the 'sweet' spices, this soap is for you!

Santa Baby Lip Tint

A Christmassy red lip tint made with cherries and dates for sweet, kissable lips. Made with Fair Trade shea butter and nourishing carrot oil to soften and moisturise, and a cinammon-sweet, cola-flavoured taste of Christmas, Santa will be hurrying down the chimney tonight.

The only taste/scent I get out of this is the cola...And it is lovely! The image on the website makes it look like you are getting a much deeper red than what the actual product looks like. It has quite a pink tone to it in my opinion. I also don't find it overly creamy like another lip tint that I tried of theirs. I don't mind the shade, the taste is great and it stays on forever, what more could you want in a lip tint? My only real problem is that even after using a makeup remover and having a shower, the product is quite often still on my lips... I do not suggest wearing this if you have dry or cracked lips as it not only accentuates your temporary discomfort but staining can remain along lines or cracks for a good wee while. I would definitely recommend looking at this product in a store before purchasing to ensure that it is the right colour for you.


If these products sound like you, or maybe a friend or family member (LUSH do awesome gifts), head over to LUSH New Zealand and have a look around.

N.b. all photos were taken from the LUSH website.

 

LUSH Cosmetics - Halloween - Nightwing Shower Jelly Review

LUSH Cosmetics - Halloween - Nightwing Shower Jelly

This years Halloween collection is super small, however there are a few new additions. One of them being the Nightwing Shower Jelly!

 Like a bat out of Jell-y!!

Fragranced with distilled Lime. This shower jelly is made with

refreshing Fresh Lime Juice, cooling Fresh Aloe Gel from

our Kenyan Slush fund project and Carob Syrup.

This is a super tart lime jelly. At first I thought it would smell similar to the woosh shower jelly that is available all year round. They are very similar however this one has more of a kick! Lathers and cleans likes the other jellies.

Top tip: Jellies are hard to use! They're slippery, flubbery and can quite often cause a mess. So to lessen your chances of losing it down the drain I suggest either freezing it like what is recommended on the pottle or place the amount you want to use in an exfoliating glove or a similar tool. The water will wash through the glove and cleanse the body. Although this may make you lose so of the characteristics of a jelly, if you really love the scent of the product, I'm sure you will manage.

A mini warning: This jelly seems to be have excess liquid in the pottle, so keep this in mind for storage and transport

Overall, I would probably buy this again. It was $8.50, and going off the amount of used so far, it could last a while!