Pretty Head – UK Make Up Reviews

I am a huge fan of perfumes and believe that no woman is complete without a gorgeous smell! Throughout my 22 years I have tried a lot of different scents and my current favourite is Calvin Klein’s Euphoria. I first became aware of this perfume when I hugged my boyfriend’s aunt Dance and was struck by the smell of the amazing perfume she was wearing. She told me that it was Calvin Klein’s Euphoria and the next day I ran out and bought myself a 30ml bottle of it from Boots for £30. I have seen it going a lot cheaper on Ebay, which is always a good thing especially in a recession! When I opened the box I was amazed by how lovely the bottle was, as you can see in the picture, the bottle has a very modern design, most of which is made out of a silver metal, quite unusual for a perfume bottle, and the rest is a lovely lilac coloured class, through which the eau du parfum is visible.  Apparently the designers intended the bottle to resemble an orchid, the flower that inspired the fragrance; however I can’t really see it myself. The bottle sits really nicely in the hand, I suppose it was designed this way and it is very easy to use. On the base of the bottle CK inform you that the perfume has a 36 month shelf life, which is really quite good although I can’t see anyone being able to keep it and not use it for that long!

Boots state that “Calvin Klein Euphoria is an addictive oriental fragrance that contrasts exotic fruits, seductive florals and a rich, creamy signature. It is inspired by a new found freedom, about living one’s dream.” Personally I can’t smell the fruit in it, but it is definitely a very distinct, deep smell which has lots of different levels to it. At first you get the light, exotic, floral smells coming through, which is lovely, but the set of smells you get once it has been on a bit that are the best bit! It is so hard to describe, but it smells deep, pretty, mysterious and sexy, I urge you to try a tester in Boots or somewhere and I am willing to bet that once you have smelt it you will be in love.

Every time I wear this perfume I get complimented; it would seem that not many people know about Euphoria and I like the fact that I don’t smell like everyone else! This 30ml bottle has lasted about 6 months and I think I will definitely be going to buy another one. One thing I noticed was that unlike other perfumes, this one didn’t irritate my skin in any way. I have quite sensitive skin and perfumes normally bring me up in a little rash when first applied or make me sneeze loads, but this one did none of that. I would therefore recommend this to anyone with allergies or sensitive skin and to anyone wanting to smell gorgeous!

Pros: Smells lovely, great for people with sensitive skin, has a long shelf life

Cons: None!

I always like use a pressed powder over my foundation as in my opinion it not only gives a better look and better coverage, but it also help the foundation to stay on longer, something that is always an issue for women with busy lifestyles. The last time I ran out of it I didn’t have time to go to town and find the one that I normally used, so I had to rely on what my local supermarket, Sainsburys had. The only range of makeup they did was Rimmel and so I had the choice between their regular powder and their Complexion Clarifying Powder which only comes in one shade, so if you don’t have fairly light, white skin then, this product would not be suitable for you. The shade looked like it would match my skin and since I was having an outbreak of spots at the time I decided that I would go for the one that could possibly help make my complexion better. I paid £3.89 for it, but obviously this might be cheaper elsewhere such as Boots or Ebay (see links on page). Price wise this powder is relatively cheap as the equivalent product by brands such a Clinique and Mac cost well over £10. The powder comes in a light green plastic pot with a transparent lid and white writing which suggests that the powder contains natural minerals. Rimmel claim that this powder offers the user a “pure and shine-free finish for up to 5 hours. It clarifies skin thanks to PureSkin TM complex known to minimize skin breakouts. Controls shine and mattifies skin.”

One of the first things that struck me with this product was the fact that it did not come with any applicator like the more expensive brands do. However it is a good £10 cheaper than the better known brands so I suppose they had to cut the costs somewhere.  Once I had put my liquid foundation (Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid), I tried to apply this powder with a generic sponge that I had spare from other pressed powders I had had over the years, however I actually found it quite hard to transfer the powder from pot to sponge to skin. I had a lot better luck with a big Kabuki brush that I normally use to apply bronzer; it seemed to put more powder on my skin and gave a less patchy finish. The product provided an extra bit of coverage when used in conjunction with my foundation; however it would not have been good enough to use it by itself, especially on the dark circles under my eyes. The powder stayed on all day and a lot came off when I removed it at bed time, suggesting that this powder has great staying power! Also I noticed that it was really effective at reducing shine, not that I am generally a very shiny person, but it made a noticeable difference. This powder lasted a good 5 months with me using it nearly every day, so it proved to be very good value for money. During the time I was using it my complexion didn’t really change; I never had that many blemishes to begin with, just the odd break out now and then and this didn’t change over the 5 months I used it for.

I would recommend this pressed powder for anyone wanting a natural makeup look, especially those looking for good wedding makeup. It would also be useful for people with shiny skin as it really does give a good matt effect.

Pros: Lasts all day, it is cheap and reduces shine well.

Cons: Only comes in one shade which is a very pale peach colour, does not come with a sponge, does not help give a clear complexion and it would not be enough to cover blemishes on its own.

As you may have read in my other Rimmel Coverstick review, I am a big fan of Rimmel makeup and have been using their Coversticks for as long as I can remember. When I saw that they had bought out a Coverstick that can help keep your complexion clear I was very keen to try it, so I paid £2.99 for one from Superdrug instead of buying their regular concealer that is the same price. Rimmel claims that this concealer “conceals blemishes and helps prevent skin breakouts thanks to PureSkin TM complex”.

This concealer comes in three different shades, Ivory, Natural Beige and Sand, meaning that they do not cater for people with darker skin tones. There weren’t any testers available when I purchased it, but I presumed that I would be the same colour in this as I am in their normal concealer, Sand. This was my first mistake, when I put it on it was very orange and really stood out. The Ivory in the regular concealer is far too light for me, however in this concealer it might have been a better match, although I do not think that my skin tone could be classed as Ivory at all. My skin can often be prone to dryness and even though I had moisturised, trying to put this on my skin was quite rough and it felt really dry and nasty, not moisturising at all like the regular cover stick. It was easier to apply this with a concealer brush, however it still didn’t go on very nicely. The overall coverage it gave to my dark circles and blemishes was ok, not amazing but not bad either, personally I felt the original cover stick gave a better coverage. This coverstick also smelt quite a bit, it wasn’t a particularly unpleasant smell, but a smell that you would attribute to skin care products designed to give a clear complexion.

I would not recommend this coverstick for anyone with dry skin as it really doesn’t go on very easily or look nice; however I can see how it would be good for people with oily skin as it has a drying effect. I didn’t really notice a reduction in blemishes on my skin whilst using it, but as stated before maybe it would work better on people who are prone to oily skin and have blemish problems related to that. I used this concealer every day for a month and still had over half left when I discontinued using it due to not liking the results it gave.

Pros: Lasts a long time, gives ok coverage and could work really well for people with oily skin.

Cons: Does not cater for darker skin tones, doesn’t work well on dry skin and it smells a bit.

I am a big fan of Maybelline mascaras and was first attracted to this mascara as it claimed to offer the false lash effect that I am constantly after but have never totally been able to achieve. I bought this from Superdrug for £6.99; however I have noticed recently that they no longer have it in there or in Boots so Maybelline might have stopped doing it. You can get this mascara quite cheaply on ebay still, I recently paid £2.70 for one which is the cheapest I have ever seen it. The mascara comes stuck to a cardboard backing and covered in plastic, which displays some information, but from an environmental point of view isn’t very good as it doesn’t help to protect or prolong the life of the mascara in any way. Instead of a brush, the applicator is a little comb, which seems to pick up a lot of mascara every time it is put back in.

Maybelline say “style your way to our hottest lash look, direct from New York City… The bold, open-eyed look! V-Shaped Lash Styler and silky-smooth formula gather and lift lashes for super thick lashes with up to 65% lash lift! V-shaped reservoir holds a lot of product to help build a bolder lash look. Wide teeth gather lashes into thicker groups. Separates lashes as it combs for maximum volume without clumps”.  Well I most certainly did not get a clump free effect; I applied as directed, not letting the mascara dry in between coats and all my eye lashes started to clump together into a nasty mess. I honestly looked like I had 2 spiders on my face instead of a nice fan of fake looking lashes and had to use the brush from another mascara to try and un-clump them. During this process I ended up with mascara all over my eye area, ruining the foundation and powder that I had already put on and meaning that I had to do that again as well as sort my eyelashes out, it was a good job that I wasn’t in a rush. I managed to make them look a bit less spider like (see pic) and from a distance they actually looked ok, but they felt really brittle and waxy. With the comb it was quite hard to coat my bottom lashes and I ended up poking myself in the eye. The mascara stayed on all day and there were no little bits of it flaking off near bed time, which is quite unusual for a mascara. It was quite easy to move with my regular make up remover, but I did think I noticed more eye lashes falling out than usual.

To be honest I really wouldn’t recommend this mascara to anyone as it really didn’t look very good. Instead of being a help I think the comb was a hindrance and I had to use a mascara brush to sort it out anyway. Anyone going for the natural makeup look should avoid this as you most definitely look natural.

Pros: Lasts all day and you get a good amount of mascara for your money.

Cons: Clumps, makes your lashes feel brittle and waxy and the comb makes it hard to reply.

Sexy Mother Pucker lip gloss by Soap and Glory claims to be able to make your lips 10 times bigger by using super fill microfillers that react with the water on your lips. An impressive claim, which unsurprisingly was over exaggerated and didn’t happen!

I bought this lip gloss for £5 from ebay (see links below), which is actually very cheap as I have seen this retailing from £7.99 to £12.99 in various shops. This product comes in a pink, retro, cardboard package that is designed to almost look like a newspaper headline that says “WORLD EXCLUSIVE- Lip size found crucial for sexual attraction”. The gloss itself comes in a plastic tube with a regular sponge applicator; it has quite a nice smell almost like chocolate. The lip gloss goes on easily, however it’s quite sticky and the colour is a bit darker than what I would have considered to be nude. After a few seconds it starts to tingle, this sensation gets stronger for the first few minutes and as I look in the mirror I think I can see my upper lip looking a tiny bit bigger! I didn’t take measurements or anything so this could have been totally psychosomatic, especially as I thought that I could feel something happening. After 5 minutes my lips most definitely didn’t look 10 times bigger than when I had started and to be honest I doubt anyone’s would! Also on a random note, could you imagine if it did actually work how stupid you would end up looking with lips 10 times their normal size?! The lip gloss lasted for a good 2 hours before it needed reapplying, it wasn’t very shiny or very nude, but did give a nice subtle look to the lips. I generally like my lips to look glossy, so in future I would buy this is clear instead of nude, however I am not disappointed with the purchase as I didn’t pay full price. I do wonder whether you might get the same effect with other cheaper lip plumping glosses, especially as the price gets bumped up because it has the ‘Soap and Glory’ name attached to it.

I would recommend this to anyone wanting a natural make up look or for people wanting bridal make up as it enhances your natural lip colour and size without making it look totally unnatural. I wouldn’t recommend you buying your first tube from a shop as it is a lot of money to waste if you don’t like it, ebay is where I have seen it the cheapest – links at the bottom of the page.

Pros: The lip gloss smells nice almost like chocolate, it is easy to apply, seems to increase lip size a bit, it looks nice when it is on the lips and it lasts for a while.

Cons: The gloss is quite expensive, does not live up to its claims of 10 times bigger lips and the shade nude is darker than what most would consider to be nude.

This range was bought out for Christmas 2008 and cost £3.99 at the time of purchase, they later went on sale for 99p and I am not sure if The Body Shop still do it, however they might be bought back for this Christmas so keep your eyes peeled! The lip balm comes in a white plastic little pot with a dark purple sticker on the front that has Christmassy looking gold stars on. The white sticker on the bottom can be pealed open to reveal a list of ingredients, which is useful for people that are sensitive to certain chemicals. There are no instructions on any of the labels, but lets be honest, most people know how to apply lip balm! The lip balm itself has a very strong, mouth watering smell that’s more like blackcurrants than plums. It is a very dark purple colour and there are visible shimmery bits, that although visible aren’t giant blobs of glitter like you get in makeup for kids! You can use either a lip brush or your finger to apply the product; I opted for my finger as it’s generally easier though maybe a bit messier. The balm when on your finger is a much lighter shade of purple than it is in the pot, and the shimmery bits look even better, so don’t let the dark colour of the balm when in the pot put you off – it doesn’t come out that colour when on your lips! It is very moisturising when on the lips, probably due to the inclusion of organic beeswax and a little bit goes a very long way. The shimmery bits look very nice and subtle; the colour however is relatively dark and so I would only recommend using a tiny bit of this product if you are fair skinned. If you have an olive to dark skin tone I think you could get away with using quite a bit of the lip balm with good results. The lip balm makes your lips look quite glossy, something that I was not expecting from a balm and I could still feel it on my lips for an hour after application. Despite feeling very moisturising, it didn’t really have a big, visible effect on any of the dry and chapped bits on my lips, which is normally what you buy a lip blm for. I don’t think I would have paid full price for this lip balm, however for 99p it isn’t too bad, especially as it contains organic ingredients. I would recommend buying products cheaply off of ebay in case you don’t like them, however seen as this was out for Christmas 2008 I don’t think that you would have much luck finding it on there now.

Pros: It smells nice, is handbag sized and lasts a long time. It feels moisturising, gives a glossy finish and would look really good on olive to dark skin tones.

Cons: It is too dark for pale skin tones unless lightly applied, it isn’t really for people wanting to achieve a natural makeup look, it didnt have a noticable effect on my chapped lips and the smell can get quite sickly after a while.

As you may have gathered from reading most of my other conditioner reviews, I have very dry hair and normally use Pantene Pro V for dry and damaged hair. However I am always open to trying new products, so whilst in ASDA doing the weekly shop I decided that I would try Dove’s Heat Defence Conditioner, which was on special for £1.00 instead of the usual £2.99.

This conditioner, like all the other shampoos and conditioners by Dove, comes in a plastic bottle shaped like a surf board. This one is red, probably chosen to fit with the whole heat defence theme. Dove claims that this “New Heat Defence Therapy System actively protects against heat damage at every step of a woman’s hair routine from washing to styling. The Advanced Protecting Serum contains millions of micro particles that protect and strengthen hair from damage caused by frequent heat styling.” I straighten my hair pretty much every day, sometimes more as it is prone to frizz, so obviously protecting it from heat damage is very important to me. Usually I just use a heat defence spray such as Dove Heat Defence Mist or TRESemme’s heat defence spray, so I thought that my hair would probably benefit from being doubly protected. So after shampooing I put a big blob of the conditioner onto my hand and spread it through my long hair and left it for about 5mins (3mins longer than is necessary apparently, but as my hair can be really dry it needs all the help that it can get). I can normally tell whether a conditioner has worked or not as soon as I rinse it off, if it hasn’t worked my hair feels like straw, however once rinsed my hair felt lovely and smooth. After drying and straightening my hair was still silky smooth and didn’t look as dull as it usually does. Obviously I would have to use this product over a long period of time to be able to assess whether it does actually protect your hair well from the damaging effects of heat styling, but for £1 I am more than happy to add this product, proven results or not, to my hair care regime. However I am pretty sure that this is a promotional price and that soon it will be going back to £2.99. If this were to happen I would be paying a lot of money every week for it as I have to use a lot of conditioner on my long hair and a 200ml bottle would only really last me 4 washes, which isn’t great value for money considering you could get double the amount of conditioner from Pantene.

Pros: Leaves dry hair feeling soft and shiny and it may help to protect hair against the damaging effects of heat styling. At the moment it is only £1 so great value for money.

Cons: Doesn’t last long if you have long hair and you can only really tell if it works when used over a long period of time.