Garnier BB Creams - Review with Photos and Swatches

Hi Guys & Dolls!

If you haven't already noticed, I'm totally loving BB Creams at the minute and in continuing in my series testing out the latest and greatest BB Creams, today I'm bringing you the offerings from Garnier.

The 3 Garnier BB Creams I have been trialing out are:

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-In-One B.B. Blemish Balm Cream in Light 50ml

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-In-One B.B. Blemish Balm Cream in Medium 50ml

Garnier BB Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-In-One B.B. Blemish Balm Oil Free Version in Light 40ml

The Garnier offerings are very well priced for B.B Creams - I got mine from http://www.treatyourskin.com/ where they are available a bargainous £6.95 and £7.25.

Plus you can get 10% off your order when you use code "TYSBELLA"

You can view the full range of BB Creams here

Garnier BB Cream in Light:

This BB Cream has a nice, rich, thick consistency. I know that some people have been complaining that they find this too greasy on their skin - however if like me, you have dry skin, I think this just may suit you. The BB Cream is lightly fragranced - it almost smells like a refreshing Green Tea scent. It has an SPF of 15 - not as good as the Asian BB Brands, but SPF15 is better than none at all, so I'm not complaining! On your skin it gives a nice dewy, luminous glow which I love.

Ingredients:

Active: Octinoxate 4%...Purpose: Sunscreen. Inactive: Water, Isononyl Isononanoate, Isohexadecane, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Peg-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Nylon-12, Cyclohexasiloxane, Propylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Stearyl Alcohol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Caprylyl Glycol, Lithum Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Disodium Edta, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Caffeine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate, Citral, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate. [May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides] F.I.L. B47069/7; G790303.

I found this BB Cream to be very moisturising on my skin, keeping it hydrated all day. I gives medium coverage, however you can build this up to a heavier coverage by applying thin layers if desired.

I did find that throughout the day there was some wearing with this BB Cream, and I needed to top up later on in the day. This isn't a huge issue for me, but it may be a concern for you.

Garnier BB Cream in Medium:

This cream is the exact same as the one above, except in a shade darker, so I'm not going to comment any further one this one.

Ingredients:

Active: Octinoxate 4%...Purpose: Sunscreen. Inactive: Water, Isononyl Isononanoate, Isohexadecane, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Peg-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Nylon-12, Cyclohexasiloxane, Propylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Stearyl Alcohol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Caprylyl Glycol, Lithum Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Disodium Edta, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Caffeine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate, Citral, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate. [May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides] F.I.L. B47069/7; G790303.

Garnier BB Cream - Oil Free Version - Light

This formula differs from the other two in the sense that it is designed for Oily / Combination skin, whereas the originals are designed for drier skins.

This comes in a different shaped squeezable tube - it's more elongated and slimmer. It also comes in at just 40ml compared to the original versions which come in at 50ml.

This cream gives a matte effect with no shine.

This cream is also scented with a nice, refreshing fragrance - this dissipates once you rub it into your skin though so you're not left with any lingering scents on your face.

"Our Oil Free BB cream blurs pores and imperfections, evens skin tones and boosts your natural glow. Moisturisers and contains SPF 20 for UV protection."

• Ultra-absorbent perlite + mineral pigments
• Non comedogenic
• Oil-free texture
• Dermatologically tested

The Oil Free version comes with a higher SPF rating of 20 as opposed to just SPF15 on the original versions.

This BB Cream has a much runnier and watery consistency compared to the original formulas. I found that it also dries in quicker on your skin, so you need to be quicker when blending in your BB Cream. You have more play time with the original formulas as they're a lot creamier and richer to work with and don't set as fast.

Coverage again was I'd say, medium with this, but you can build this up with thin layers if you want heavier coverage. 

I found the staying power on this BB Cream to be the best out of the 3 I tried - it did not fade or slip throughout the day. It gave a matte effect and no shininess came through.

Due to the fact I have dry skin, I prefer the original version. However, if you do have oily skin, this may be a good choice for you.

Swatches:

Swatches with other BB Creams for comparison:

I got the Garnier BB Creams from Treat Your Skin

They're priced at a very affordable £6.95 (Oil Free Version) and £7.25 (Regular Version)

You can also use code "TYSBELLA" to get an additional 10% off your order.

You can see my other reviews on BB Creams here;

Skin79 VIP Gold

Skin79 Hot Pink 

Maybelline Dream Fresh

Ginvera Nude Cover

I hope this helps you when choosing your next BB Cream! :)

Perfect Cat-Eye Flicks The Easy Way!

Hi Guys!

Without a doubt, my favourite look is cat eye eyeliner flicks. Some eyeliner and lippy and I'm ready for anything! A cat eye flick at the corner of your eyes really opens them up and draws attention to your eyes. As far as I'm concerned, good eyeliner is the ultimate beauty accessory - you can dress them up or dress them down for a more casual, wearable, everyday look.

I often get asked for tips on how to do the "perfect" eyeliner flick - and all I can say, is practice makes perfect! A nice steady line which graduates outwards can be hard to achieve for a number of reasons though, you may not have the proper tools at hand (I recommend a stiff angled liner if you're starting out) you may have a shaky hand, or you may be long-sighted and find it difficult peering into a mirror with your glasses on trying to get a good, neat line.

Whatever the reasons, make no doubt about it, eyeliner CAN be tricky. Once you've mastered the technique that works for you however, the results speak for themselves.

Today I'm going to be introducing some super handy beauty cheats to give you that cat eye look with next to no effort required!

Flick Tips:

Flick Tips come in two sets - the Classic Set which has your more traditional and straight forward sharp creases and lines, and then there's the Party Set, which as the name suggests contains an array of more dramatic and extravagant eyeliner looks.

"Flick Tips are self adhesive alternatives to freehand eyeliner designs.Just Pick Stick and Go" 

Each set contains 5 pairs of "flicks" to finish off your eyeliner look with. 

You simply apply your eyeliner to your upper lid as you normally would, then you simply choose which flick you would like - select it from the packet, pick it up with a pair of tweezers and because the designs already have adhesive at the pack, you simply place it into position and stick it on! Genius!

You can also re-use your Flick Tips - when finished wearing them, simply take them off gently and carefully place them back onto the backing sheet, which is supplied, for re-use. If you find the adhesive is losing it's tackiness over time, simply dab some eyelash glue (I love DUO adhesive) onto the back, and you're ready to go again!

Each pack costs £8.99 or you can get both for £15 from http://www.flicktips.co.uk

If you struggle to get a nice smooth, straight, crisp line on your upper lid then I have something else which will make eyeliner a piece of cake!

The Flick - Professional Eyeliner Stencil:

The Flick consists of 2 sturdy plastic stencils which you place over your eye to guide you where to place your eyeliner, to give you a perfect finish each time!

You can place the stencil over your eye for a thin, natural look by placing it near the lash line, or if you prefer a more dramatic look, simply re-position the stencil higher on the eyelid to give you a thicker line and a more dramatic sweet of eyeliner.

The beauty about this product is you don't have to be neat when applying your eyeliner, so those with shaky hands needn't worry - any excess eyeliner is simply brushed onto the stencil - when you remove it, you're left with a lovely, clean, sharp line.

The stencil can be a bit tricky to hold dead straight on your eye without leaving any gaps - however once you get the hang of it, it's very simple to use and you're practically guaranteed great results each time. Another thing to note, is that you need to be careful when doing each eye to ensure that you're using the stencils at more or less the same angles and thickness so you get an even look on each eye. There's nothing worse than lopsided eyeliner!

I was dying to try out this stencil to see how it compared to my own free-hand eye lining techniques, so of course, in the purposes of  this review, I just had to try it out for myself as soon as it arrived!

Here's how it turned out:

(Please excuse the unruly brows - I'm currently growing them out before I have my next HD Brows treatment done next week)

I was really pleased with how it turned out! It gave a nice smooth, straight line with an elongated flick. You can adjust the stencil to your own preferences however if you want a thinner line / shorter flick etc...

For those of you who have mastered the art of "The Flick" already, this product probably isn't for you. However if you're just starting out in experimenting with eyeliner or aren't too confident in your eyeliner skills just yet, I think that this would be a great companion piece to use whilst doing your makeup, to ensure you get nice straight lines each and every time.

It's very simple to use and the stencils are re-usable so you should get a LOT of uses out of them, provided you look after them. If they get dirty with built up eyeliner and makeup, no problem, just give them a quick wash in some warm, soapy water and they're as good as new again!

Are you a fan of cat eye eyeliner looks? Got any favourite products you like to use to help you achieve perfect flicks?

NEW Argan+ Moroccan Oil Skincare Range Launched in Boots

Boots have just launched a brand new skincare collection featuring Argan Oil. The range is called Argan+ and it will feature an Argan Oil Elixir, Dry Body Oil, Body Butter, Body Polish and a Sculpting Serum.

Now there are already a lot of Argan / Moroccan Oil products on the market, however where this range differs is that it contains a unique blend of five highly restorative and nourishing oils compromising of: Argan Oil, Baobab, Kukui, Moringa and Sacha Inci, each of which have been hand selected and combined together to form an all natural blend which is the Argan+ range.

I've been using the Argan Precious Oil Elixir from the range and all I can say is, WOW!

Moroccan Argan Oil, known as ‘liquid gold’ due to its amazing transformational

properties, is a prized and expensive ingredient. Used for centuries by the Berber tribe in

Morocco, traditionally to treat dry, irritated skin and now highly valued by skin

specialists for its soothing properties. Rich in omega fatty acids and antioxidants, Argan oil

helps to protect the skin’s oil barrier, shield against free radicals, improve elasticity and

protect against skin ageing.

Argan+ sources its prized Moroccan Argan Oil from Marogania, who support the sustainable development of Morocco through educational projects.

This multi tasking hero product targets skin ageing, stretch marks, uneven skin tone, dry and dehydrated skin, hair and nails. It has been expertly formulated to easily absorb into skin, protecting the skins precious hydration levels, leaving it feeling rejuvenated, moisturised and smooth.  

You only need a tiny amount of the Argan+ Precious Oil Elixir to get the desired effect. With this product, less is more. The directions on the packaging state that is can be used on stretch marks, dry skin areas and even as a facial oil. It also states that it can be added to your regular moisturiser to enhance it's moisturising and hydrating benefits. This means you can give any old moisturiser you have laying about, an extra boost - no need to splash out on a new expensive, moisturiser to get the increased nourishing effects!

It can also be used as a hair oil treatment and can be used on nails and around the cuticle area to nourish and strengthen your nail beds.

I've been using this in a number of ways - after giving my feet a makeover with my Micro Pedi I apply some of the Argan+ Oil to my feet - pop on some cotton socks and the next morning, voila - silky, soft feet!

I've also been adding this to my regular skincare regime by using it as a facial oil, and when I feel my skin is in need of an extra boost, by adding a drop or two to my moisturiser. My skin is looking and feeling great these days, I really think that the Argan+ oil is making a noticeable improvement in the hydration of my face.

My favourite use so far for this however, has been using it as a hair treatment. When I've finished washing my hair and whilst it's still damp, I like to add a few drops to my hair, brush it through then let it dry naturally. The condition of my hair has never felt so silky or soft before, and I have coloured hair, I've noticed a definite improvement in shine and manageability.

My Top Uses for Argan+ Oil:

1. Facial and Body Moisturiser: Massage into your face, neck and anywhere else that needs moisturizer morning and night. Don’t forget your elbows, knees and other areas that tend to get dry.
2. Nails: Massage argan oil into your cuticles, nails, hand and feet next time you give yourself or get a manicure and pedicure. Apply argan oil to your hands and feet and cover with socks and sleep with them…your hands and feet will be soft and hydrated in the morning.
3. Split Ends: Massage argan oil into the ends of your hair to prevent split ends.
4. Scalp Rescue: Keep your scalp moisturized and healthy by rubbing argan oil on it prior to taking a shower, let sit 15-20 minutes.
5. Lips: Use argan oil instead of a lip balm. Use it alone or, for additional moisture and a creamy texture, mix 2 parts beeswax or mango butter with 4 parts argan oil, melt over a double boiler, stir and pour the mixture into your favorite jar.
6. Luminizer: After applying your makeup, take a very small amount of argan oil and spread it in both hands and gently dab your cheekbones to give your complexion an extra healthy, dewy glow.
7. Hair Smoothing Serum: Argan oil is both a finishing and styling product for hair, straight, curly, and everything in between.  Apply a small amount after washing hair and then to tame frizz while styling.
8. Bye Bye Blemishes: Make your own blemish treatment, blending one part argan oil, one part tea tree oil and one part lavender essential oil.
9. Scrub: Make your own sugar scrub: mix sugar, honey and argan oil. Rub gently unto the skin until the sugar dissolves. Rinse well.

You can get the Argan+ Skincare range from Boots nationwide.

The Argan+ Precious Oil Elixir I have been using is well priced at €17.49 for 50ml.

Have you used any Argan oil products before? I'd love to hear of new ways to use Argan Oil, if you know of any, please let me know! :)

NEW Dr. Ceuticals Leg Tone & Shimmer

Hi Guys & Dolls!

I'm excited to introduce you all to a brand new range which has just launched in Boots nationwide called Dr. Ceuticals. 

Dr. Ceuticals claim:

"TOP TO TOE BODY TRANSFORMATION

WITHOUT GOING UNDER THE KNIFE"

“Dr on call”! Dr Ceuticals is a NEW high performance body care line created to target all those hard 

to treat problem areas. Formulated with key active ingredients, proven to work and give spectacular 

results within weeks. With a little exercise and a thorough top to toe body care regime, Dr Ceuticals, 

your own personal ‘at home’ Dr, has been carefully formulated to make a measurable difference 

to the most common complaints – loss of firmness, sagging, cellulite and lack of skin tone. Tested 

thoroughly using user trials and clinical analysis this is a breakthrough body care range.

I've been putting off starting a new fitness regime for far too long long, however having learnt more about the Dr. Ceuticals range, I think it may actually have spurned me on to dust off that old gym membership again and test out some of their "body transforming" products in addition to a healthy diet and excercise programme and share my progress and results on this blog.

I've been trying out the Dr. Ceuticals Leg Tone & Shimmer cream and I'm really liking it so far.

"Sexy, glowing and toned skin all in one!

Enhance the look of your skin whilst fighting cellulite and targeting those pesky wobbly bits all at the same time. Dr. Ceuticals Leg Tone & Shimmer was developed to do exactly that! Slim, toned and sexy legs give us the confidence to dare to bare. Our multi-active Leg Tone & Shimmer highlights the skin instantly with a subtle shimmer whilst getting to work on stubborn areas of saggy skin. This light hydrating lotion imparts a healthy glow whilst helping to firm and tone the skin and improve the appearance of cellulite."

The product comes in a very generous 200ml sized squeezable tube. The packaging is very slick and sleek - all white with teal and silver accents. It's almost quite clinical looking - which I guess imparts to the "Dr" part of it's namesake.

Ingredients:
Aqua (Water), PEG-12 Dimethicone, Polysorbate 20, Mica, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum (Fragrance), Ethylhexylglycerin, CorallinaOfficinalis Extract, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenylmethylpropional, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-isomethyl ionone

The shimmer cream inside is a nice thick and rich formula. The first thing I noticed was the lovely fragranced scent  - it's a lovely "expensive" smelling scent, reminiscent of a cologne.  The cream is infused with micro silver sparkles throughout, which gives your skin a beautiful shimmering glow which catches the light to show off the iridescent sparkle. Once the cream has been applied and rubbed in, you are still left with the beautiful scent of the product lingering on your skin.

Swatches:

Instantly: A subtle, sexy shimmer for legs, knees and ankles to add a healthy glow

28 days: Helps firm the skin by up to 39% *Centimetre loss of up to 1.7cm 

Skin Enhancing: Hydrates & brightens dull skin with a powerful Red Algae to stimulate collagen synthesis

The average and mean value was 14.7% tested for 28 days on 17 people, 2 applications a day.^ The average and mean value was 0.3cm tested for 28 days on 17 people, 2 applications a day. *Active ingredient tested at same level but in a different medium.

I've been applying this every morning to clean dry skin after showering and I massage it in gently, in circular motions until the product is fully absorbed. It gives your legs a gorgeous sparkly shimmer - perfect for summer for showing off your pins in! I'm also really looking forward to using this product coming up to the Christmas / New Year party season (Gosh, I can't believe I'm already talking about Xmas!) to give your skin a festive glow.

I cannot yet comment on the firming and toning capabilities of this product yet, as Dr. Ceuticals recommend using this product for 3 months for maximum benefit to see the results, and I haven't been using it that long yet. I'm planning however on trialing this out for the next few weeks and once I hit the 3 month mark coming back to you all with an update as to how I got on.

I'm definitely loving the gorgeous, sparkly sheen it gives my legs however, so I'd buy the product again for that reason alone! 

You can get the Dr. Ceuticals Leg Tone & Shimmer from Boots throughout Ireland for €20.39 for 200mls.

http://www.boots.ie/

Human+Kind - Skincare with a Conscience

Hi Guys!

I've been making a real effort with my skincare routine of late - I always start off with good intentions to double-cleanse daily with a facial oil and a cream cleanser, using a toner afterwards each time, exfoliate 3 times a week, use a serum underneath my moisturiser, use a day time moisturiser, a night time moisturiser, eye cream etc...

Alas, somewhere around the 10-14 day mark, I start to slip and get lazy. It can be too much to keep up at times - I mean, who really has the time to go searching for designated day and night moisturisers each and every day when you're in a rush first thing in the morning?

Cue my delight when I discovered  Human+Kind All In One Day and Night Cream which promises 24/7 hydration.

Human+Kind has created their range for women everywhere who are tired of wasting time and money on unnecessary products, Human+Kind is a new ethos in skincare for today’s time pressed woman – simple, superior natural and dependable beauty products that multi-task as much as they do. Fuelled by a mission to challenge the beauty Industry’s conditioning that we need product after product for different areas of our skin and different skin types, Human+Kind creates a pared down approach to skincare developing superior, natural formulations, capable of multi-tasking and benefiting skin types of all ages.

Human+Kind are a wholly Irish company and all of it's products were developed in Ireland and are made in Cork.

Not only that, but Human+Kind creates all natural and highly concentrated formulations combined with scientific advances to create superior formulations that are dependable and work. Armed with scientific evidence that a great number of skin care problems are caused by the products used to prevent them; chemically overloaded creams which cause allergic reactions, over-emollient moisturisers which can clog pores and anti-wrinkle creams that actually induce wrinkles because of skin irritation, Human+Kind formulations are all made using natural healing and restorative ingredients.

The range features just 4 products - no gimmicks offering a plethora of products aimed at different skin types here - just 4 quality formulas using only the best in natural ingredients to provide skincare solutions that really delivers.

The skincare range consists of:

All-in-one Anti-Ageing cream 50ml

All-in-one Body Oil 75ml

All-in-one Family Remedy cream 75ml

All-in-One Day+Night Cream 75ml

I've been trying out the All In One Day + Night Cream and I have to say, I love it!

As you can see the packaging is gorgeous - it's really eye-catching! The product comes in an attractive polygon shaped cardboard box featuring geometric designs and patterns.

Ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tricaprylin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima (Avocado Oil), Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Sucrose Stearate, Stellaria Media (Chickweed) Extract, Althaea Officinalis Leaf/Root (Marshmallow) Extract, Rosa Rubiginosa (Rosehip) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Juniperus communis (Juniper Berry) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Xanthan Gum, Linalool, Limonene.

The product comes a handy, squeezable tube coming in at 75mls.

All Human+Kind products are created exclusively using natural ingredients such as

Jojoba, Onopordum and ‘nature’s Botox’, Achmella, that decrease the likelihood

of experiencing allergic reactions, clogging pores and irritating the skin. Not only is

Human+Kind purely organic, but it’s a single-step skin treatment as well. 

The Day + Night Cream contains:

 Aloe Vera soothes, hydrates and nourishes
• Marshmallow - soothes and calms with active anti-inflammatory properties
• Rosehip Oil – a potent source of vitamin A, its regenerative action reduces wrinkles and signs of premature ageing 
• Centella - heals and treats scars and blemishes

"Light and non-greasy, this cream quite literally quenches thirsty skin, locking in vital moisture and skin nutrients, delivering long lasting complexion protection. Using only nature’s finest ingredients Human+Kind All in One Day and Night Cream has been formulated with a moisture-retaining blend of aloe vera, natural vitamin E and a slew of essential oils including centella, marshmallow, juniper berry and rosehip."

I'm really enjoying using the Day + Night Cream - first of all it's a time and money saver being able to use the one product both mornings and evenings. It's a lovely light and non-greasy formula which feels refreshing on the skin. I can suffer from sensitive skin at times and I'm pleased to say that I did not note any sensitivity or irritation at all whilst using this, in fact it feels lovely and soothing.

I also have dry skin which can result in dry and flaky patches at times - this cream does a great job at keeping my skin nourished, moisturised and hydrated 24/7 - just as the product claims!

I love the fact that this cream is free from parabens and any added chemical nasties. I fear I have put far too many synthetic chemicals on my skin in the past, so it's nice to be able to give it a break and revert to an all natural product to get my complexion back in shape and give it a "detox" of sorts. 

I've been so impressed by the Day + Night Cream that I'm now eager to try out the Body Oil and Family Remedy Cream as well!

The Day+Night cream costs just €23.95 - with FREE worldwide shipping!

You can buy Human+Kind skincare online here - http://www.humanandkind.com

List of stockists here: http://www.humanandkind.com/where-to-buy/

You can also pop over and say hello to them over on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/humanandkind

A little birdie tells me that there will be a fab competition running for the month of September to win a whole years worth of Human+Kind Skincare goodies! So keep your eyes peeled for that!