The Organic Pharmacy Cellular Protection Sun Cream SPF50

I've been waiting for a sustained amount of sun before posting this, but if I hold off any longer it will be autumn, so here we go.....
I've been on the hunt for a replacement sunscreen since my beloved Everyday SPF15 from  Snowberry was no longer an option as the brand left the UK. Enter a great review from Danny of  Holistic Green  Beauty  for Organic Pharmacy and I had to try it.

The Cellular Protection Sun Cream SPF50 sunscreen (£33.95 for 100ml)  provides UVA and UVB protection with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. An added bonus, depending on your view point, is that it contains no nano particles. From what I have read there is a bit of hoopla over nanoparticles as to whether they are safe and how much they’re absorbed into the skin, at any rate I guess I go for the "when in doubt leave it out" view.
Ingredients:


The texture is quite rich, however I don't find it that moisturising for my dry skin. Its best to apply a little at a time as it doesn't blend in that well and like the majority of sunscreens it does leave a tacky feel, which is not the most workable to apply makeup over. There are however many qualities to this product, I don't get a white residue, it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin and it provides a very high protection, it also contains a lot of skin benefiting ingredients such as antioxidants and hydrating oils.
Had I not tried Snowberry I would have re-bought this as its most definitely one of the better sunscreens out there, however what I loved about Snowberry is that it didn't apply/feel like your traditional sunscreen but instead like a moisturiser. Organic Pharmacy is a very good option, but for me its not a substitute for my Snowberry.

I bought this from theorganicpharmacy.com

Some of my favourite taupe shadows

Taupe seems to be one of those universal colours that most people find flattering and is usually the backbone of creating a polished eye look. Of course there are different nuances of taupes, while to the untrained non makeup addict eye they all look rather similar in the pan, once on there are varying undertones that makes each one that little bit different and therefore warranting a space in ones make up collection.

It was quiet interesting swatching these together as I found that it made the differing tones more visible. I've entitled this post "some" as I don't have enough arm space to swatch all my favourites.
Kjaer Weis wisdom, this is probably one of my most cool toned taupes as it leans more grey, it has a satin finish.

 Le Metier de beaute Le Cirque Kaleidoscope, shade Spectacle. Its a slightly more mauve toned taupe with a satin finish and tiny micro glitter.

Chantecaille Tiger in the Wild palette, another cool toned taupe, the finish is more of a satin and has a really flattering glow about it.

The taupe from the Suqqu Kozuecha #10 palette, this has a golden tone and has a shimmery finish.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Bohemian Waxwing, on me I get a very slight touch of bronze to this shimmery taupe.

MAC satin taupe, slightly deeper taupe, again I find this has a mauve tone and with a shimmery finish.

 Burberry Rosewood #09 beautiful soft taupe with a hint of rose/mauve, has a very gently shimmer and glow finish.

I neglected to include RBR Solstice Halcyon, which is a bit of a fail on my part as I have hit so much pan on that shade I will be ordering another one.

Swatches L-R: Kjaer Weis, LMDB, Suqqu, RBR,MAC,Chantecaille, Burberry
 
My very simple look below is Burberry on the inner lid, RBR on the outer and Kjaer Weis in the crease.

 

So my question is, are there any other taupes you think I need?

Omorovicza correcting pencil

The correcting pencil (£18) is meant to give a "fresh and healthy looking complexion all day long" and help reduce "imperfections, redness and dark circles".

The pencil is very creamy and pigmented and comes with its own sharpener. It applies really smoothly and blends in really well. Though the colour is meant to be a universal shade, I had my doubts initially given how peach it is, however it really does neutralises bluish/purple tones under the eyes and I also found it works well on redness on my face and surprising seems to blend in with my very pale skin.
I use this on any redness around my nose area but predominately under my eyes and on my lower waterline. It lessons the discolouration under the eyes and then I apply my normal concealer (that is more of a skin match) over the top. On the waterline it  looks very natural and brightens up the areas and gets rid of redness and I actually prefer this to my more skin colour waterline pencils.
Pictures below, the first with nothing on, the second with the pencil applied and the third with it blended in.


Swatched L-R: Une skin glow pencil G02,Illamasqua Vow, omorovicza correcting pencil


Ingredients:


**Just a reminder that the 10% discount for the Complexion Perfector BB SPF 20 (my review is here) is valid until the 4th of July 2012, please enter this code at checkout
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The website is http://www.omorovicza.com

(None of my links are ever affiliated and I make no financial gain if you decide to make a purchase)


I bought this from omorovicza.com

Dior Colour Designer: All-In-One Makeup palette

I was overjoyed when my brother returned from a business trip bearing gifts from Heathrow airport dutyfree. He bought me this little gem of a palette (around £45).


It really does contain everything you need for a whole look. The base products are the anticernes concealer in shade Beige Clair/Light Beige and Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Powder make up in shade #032 Sable Rose.

For my pale skin these are both too dark but are usable mixed in with a lighter shade, probably best for those around a MAC NC25. As the concealer is just marked anticernes, I'm not sure if its the diorskin nude one or the sculpt, it has a medium coverage and is very creamy. The powder makeup feels very smooth and covers pores well.
The DiorBlush #830 Rose Dragee has a dry texture and is very low on pigment, giving a whisper of cool pink with slight silver micro glitter.
For eyes we have a mini quint, it contains pinks, a plum,a brown and a white (the shades listed are #852,#501,#689,#836,#959).

Though all the shades are high shimmer leaning to frost, they are very pretty and can create a variety of looks.

The lip items are thoughtfully enclosed behind a lid to prevent any other products getting in them.
Shown below with the lid open,

You get a Dior Addict high volume lip plumper #010 Pink (I don't notice a plumping effect though it does feel tingly, what I like about this is that it makes glosses stay on longer) and two Addict Ultra Glosses, #270 and #680 (ones a baby pink and one a pink with a slight fuchsia tone, both contain micro glitter).

The mascara is a mini Extase in black and there is a little drawer that opens underneath the palette which houses a mini crayon eyeliner in Noir #090 (black) and mini crayon eyebrow pencil Sable sand #453 (slightly warm brown), the drawer also contains some little applicators and a sponge.

 Swatches below L-R: Concealer, powder foundation, blush, lip plumper and glosses

Swatches below of the eyeshadows and brow/eye pencils


I think its a well thought out palette with colours that are going to flatter the majority of skin tones, I also think the quality is the same as that of the full sized products. I really do like the convenience of having so many products together, I'm really glad to have this, so thanks very much to my brother.


My brother bought me this from the world duty free store at Terminal 5, Heathrow airport.

Beauty Spotlight: Whats on........

This week the Beauty Spotlight Team takes you into the beauty closet of Jessika, aka polish insomniac, to see what's on her polish station! 

As I work my way through the Pai range...

Pai are probably my most re-bought skincare line. The products suit my sensitive skin and as such they have become fail safe items that I always seem to return to and I always feel confident trying other products from the range.

The Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil (£20) is geared towards all skintypes. The oil is meant to improve skin firmness and elasticity and help improve the appearance of scars, sun damage and fine lines. Its a very concentrated fruit hip oil and the high levels of Trans Retinoic Acid convert to Vitamin A to help the skin heal.

I need about 3/4 drops to cover my face, though it doesn't run down your face like a lot of oils, you can very much feel it to the touch so I don't feel like it completely adsorbs. It makes my skin feel smoother and overtime general redness decreased slightly, however where I find this work best for me is as a cystic healer.  I detest cystic spots; they hurt, feel really itchy, scream at people to stare at them as they protrude from the skin, and for me they take months or years to heal. As someone with acne prone and sensitive skin I should stick with what works, but of course I get tempted by new things and unfortunately sometimes I get break outs and sometimes they are cystic.
Using this oil everyday over a cystic really took down the itchiness and pain, calmed the area and the healing time was the quickest I've ever had. So for me I'll always keep one of these handy for this reason alone. It should be noted that on the packaging they advise not using this oil on acne prone skin, so you may have a different experience than me.


The avocado and Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream (£19) which I reviewed back in 2009 but the formula feels different now,  has a thicker consistency compared to their sensitive or combination day creams.

It applies really smooth and doesn't ball up when you rub it in. Its very hydrating, the skin is left soft with any dry areas gone. However, although I don't feel that it leaves my dry skin greasy, I can really feel this on the skin so  I think its a tad too heavy for me, and though its recommend for dry skin (which I have) I think its one for those with very dry skin. The chamomile Rosehip Sensitive Skin cream  remains my favourite moisturiser from Pai  (I'm on my third bottle of it)


The Rice Plant & Rosemary BioAffinity Toner (£30) contains pure 'living waters' extracted directly from the plant.

This toner is meant to calm, rebalance and decongest combination and sensitive skin.  It doesn't leave my skin really moisturised like the Lotus & Orange Blossom toner, so I tend to use this for the warmer months.I don't get any irritation from this and it does feel calming and refreshing on the skin. Though its not something I necessarily felt I needed, going a few weeks not using it I did notice my skin was more congested and just looked more uneven in tone. I do really like the Pai toners but I still think they are overpriced for the size you get (50ml)


I bought all these from paiskincare.com

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Empreinte and En Vogue

Part of the Summer release from Chanel, Empreinte and En Vogue (£24 each) offer a muted beige/nude lip or a brighter coral pink.

Swatched below (3 swipes each)

Empreinte is a sheer nude beige with subtle golden micro glitter, its very similar to the recently launched shade #71 Style, though it applies less colour and has more of a milky hue about it, of the two I find Style more flattering.


Swatched below Empreinte on the left, Style on the right (both two swipes)


En Vogue is rather deceptive, in the tube it looks like a bright coral, however it applies much more pink (it does contain fine micro glitter), and not nearly so bright.


For those who may have avoided this shade thinking it too warm, you can see the overriding pink tone when compared to warmer hues like Misia and Flirt below.
L-R: Misia, En Vogue, Flirt

 The lip swatch below of all three shades is courtesy of my little boy who I foolishly thought I could have in the same room whilst I quickly took swatches, I really just turned my back for a moment, so that's pretty quick lipstick application!


When I review Coco shines I always mention their poor lasting ability, this is again true of Empreinte, however En Vogue lasts much longer as it stain the lips a bit so that I have colour pretty much throughout the day.The texture pf Coco Shines is lightweight and quite hydrating and the finish is very glossy/shiny.

I bought these from John Lewis

Beauty Spotlight Roundup 09/06/12

Nail polish and Monthly Beauty Sample Subscription lovers: Pammy Blogs Beauty continues to love her Julep Maven subscription with this month's "Classic with a Twist" box. Check out Pammy's thoughts on the box and her NOTD!

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic reviewed the entire Somme Institute Skin Care Line. She had a favorite product, which one is your favorite? 

Jessika from polish insomiac shows us How To Smooth Bumpy Glitters.

At Everyday Beauty, Zuzu*s Petals finally found her perfect MLLB shade in her beloved Chanel Rouge Coco Shine formula. Come see what's so fetishistic about Fétiche.

The Pink Sith tells you a story. Once upon a time a fair maiden & a gallant Knight created magic and Medicine Mama's Apothecary sells it!

Modesty Brown turns the clock back 12 months to see what she was loving this time last year and feels pangs of guilt for neglecting such beautiful items.

Prime Beauty has a BIG crush on Dick Page, Creative Director for Shiseido, find out why she's smitten and what's in store for summer!

Visionary Beauty shows us some everyday shadow essentials from Burberry.

Living, raw skincare? What's that? Find out in London MakeUp Girl's review of Live Native Skincare.

Perilously Pale finally gave in and ordered the Ellis Faas Spring Gift Set for her first foray into the world of Ellis Faas. Was it worth the wait?

Summer's here, and Shannon from Lipstick Musings has Lancome's new limited-edition Color Design Eye Palette in Desert Sunset . Get it while it's hot!

Paula, from Older Girl Beauty talks to Emmy Award winning makeup artist Kevin James (KJ) Bennett about his new makeup brush collaboration with Royal and Langnickel called "[R]evolution".

Beauty Info Zone has a fabulous tool that you won't believe you don't own. Check out Minerals Mate Mixing Palette to learn about it and WIN one for yourself.

Le Metier De Beaute Classic Flawless Finish Concealer SPF18

Le Metier de Beaute Classic Flawless Finish Concealer (£44) is a compact stick concealer (2.3g). There are 12 shades on offer, which I was quite impressed with, though the numbering of  shades does not go from lightest to darkness so its worth checking instore or from trusted on-line swatches, for your correct shade.


I bought this concealer for under eye use as I expected the creamy texture would break out my very acne prone skin.
It gives medium coverage, it feels extremely creamy and there is no tugging at all on application, it just glides on. However, because of this texture I really need to set this with powder to prevent creasing. The finish is natural and does not look cakey. Unfortunately, even with powder this does not have a long wear time, by mid day I can see a much reduced coverage.
I did try this on my face for review purposes, it did break me out each time, however it really worked well to cancel out redness, imperfections and lesson pore visibility.

I bought shade #01, its a tad too dark and warm, shade #3 might have been a better option as that is meant to be lighter in colour with a neutral undertone.
Swatched below L-R: Estee Lauder Double wear Light 01, Le Metier 01, Chanel Beige Clair
 
For me this performs better as a face concealer (unless you suffer from acne) than as an undereye concealer.
This is a highly regarded concealer however personally I think whilst its good its not exceptional and for me the lack of lasting wear time is an important factor, especially given the high price tag.

 Ingredients below, it has a SPF of 18


I bought this from zuneta.com

An Omorovicza offer for you

Omorovicza have kindly offered my readers a 10% discount on the wonderful Complexion Perfector BB SPF 20 (my review is here) and the Instant Plumping Set.

The code for the Complexion Perfector BB is valid for one month, from today until the 4th of July 2012, please enter this code at checkout
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The Instant Plumping Set contains the Instant Plumping Cream, Queen of Hungary Mist (this is a beautifully refreshing non irritating face mist, I've bought myself one of these) and a deluxe sample size of the Gold Rescue Cream.
The code for the Instant Plumping Set is valid for one week, from today until 11th of June 2012, please enter this code at checkout
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Please note that these codes cannot be used simultaneously. One code can be used only on one order. If you place two orders right after each other however, they will be shipped together (it’s free shipping).

The website is http://www.omorovicza.com

As always none of my links are affiliated and I make no financial gain if you decide to make a purchase.

Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow Midnight Brown No.21 & Pale Barley No.22

When I bought my first Burberry shadows I was very impressed with the quality; overtime and with continued purchases my appreciation of these has risen even more.

The texture really is delightfully smooth, they don't feel dry at all and I don't get fall out. They apply and blend with nothing to fault. They have great pigment and last quite well.

Barley (£22.50) is a shimmered golden wheat shade,


Midnight brown (£22.50) is a shimmered brown without a warm unflattering tone. Though it has noticeable silver particles in the pan, it applies with complete smoothness.


Though these are probably the most shimmered shades I have from Burberry, I don't feel its over the top or ageing. These shades have gone straight to being must haves for me.




Ingredients:


I bought these from johnlewis.com