Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Impulse - Summer Splash

This is such a fun body spray that comes in the cutest little can and makes me happy just looking at it - and how can you go wrong when it's water resistant too!

Impulse Summer Splash was a popular spray amongst all my friends, in fact, I think it was the body spray last Summer. Yes, last Summer, maybe not right at this point in time, but even though it is not summer, and I am not spending my days hanging out at the beach, there's no harm in pretending, right? Right!

Anyway, with its "juicy blend of summer florals, creamy coconut, pineapple and mango scents" it smells quite delish! Even my Impulse/body spray hating brother could handle it!

It is most definitely a summer, fun spray that is good for chucking in your beach bag.

What it smells like to me: Coconut, mango and strong frangipani flowers
I would wear it to: The beach or a pool party
What kind of person would wear it: Someone who lives in their bikini and spends their life lazing about on the beach
Season and time to wear it: SUMMER, during the day 

I give this body spray 8 out of 10.


Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Lip Smackers Coca Cola Tin of Lipbalms

Childish they may look, but these lipbalms are awesome. Don't believe me? Well, you are just going to have to miss out then, aren't you!

There are six soft drink flavoured lipbalms in this tin, and every one of them is worth buying. Whether you are a Coke fan, a Fanta fan or a plain-Jane Sprite fan (me!) you will love every single one of these lipbalms. Everyone of them smells exactly as you would expect - you can smell the fizz, it's amazing! All of them taste just awesome too, so I found myself almost eating them out the tube (okay, maybe not that far, but God they taste good...*licking lips*).

They are kind of thick in consistency at first, however they glide on really well and give you the perfect feel on your lips - great moisture and coverage. I was a bit concerned that the Coke one was going to tint my lips an unruly shade of brown, however I needn't worry - I didn't find that it did anything to them.

The Fanta lipbalms have a really cute look to them - Birds, plants and fruits! The Coke ones not so much, but it doesn't really matter all that much.

They really do all smell exactly right and feel good. They're worth it.

I would give them 8 out of 10.



Monday, August 29, 2011

Impulse - Very Pink

 Oh how I excited I was when I heard about 'Impulse Very Pink.' "With a blend of floral and fruity scents," it read on the can, it's pink heart swirling about in my eyes, "A dazzling array of floral and fruity scents." My heart beat a little faster and my world became just that little bit more beautiful, I knew it was true love.

Okay, okay, I am aware that I am being a little dramatic, but gosh, if you've read my first Impulse review, you would know that Impulse and I are great mates, and that my favourite smell is fruity with floral notes. It was a match made it heaven - Very Pink was made for ME!

A week passed and my poor can was battered and bruised after having spent a whole week being carted around. Dents of every shape and size cover the can, indicating how much I love it

It's amazing. It's just amazing. It smells wonderful, and I find every excuse to spray some more on. My room smells of the stuff, my clothes smell of the stuff, everywhere I go smells of the stuff, and it's wonderful.

Complaints? Well, yeah. The name. "Very Pink." Yuck. Surely they could have come up with something a little better, something that actually described it for what it is, something like...'The best scent you will ever find,' or 'Candice's favourite,' or 'A perfect mix of flowers and fruit.' Yep, they should totally hire me to pick the names for their sprays. Well, at least you get where I'm coming from - it is a dodgy name!

The can could have looked better too - it's not bad, but I like some of the others better. Still, the can (and name) is worth nothing, it's all about the scent.

What it smells like: Heaven! Citrus fruits, with the best flowers and a slight hint of mixed lollies. Ahhhhhh.....
Where I would wear it: Everywhere! I love it that much! Okay, okay...On a date, to a party, to work, to school...yeah, pretty much everywhere!
Who would wear it: Me! Alright then....someone who has a brilliant taste in smell. That makes no sense, does it...taste in smell...
Season and Time to wear it: Summer and Spring, during the day

I give this 10 out of 10! (No surprises there!)


Sunday, August 28, 2011

Avon - Sundae Sweets, Very Cherry Lipbalm

 This lipbalm, as the name suggests, is very cherry. In the stick it is a rich, royal red colour that looks slightly frightening, considering the packaging suggests that it is a childish lipbalm.

As you apply it you find that it does leave colour on your lips. It's not too overpowering, however it is definitely noticeable!

I don't think it is all that moisturising to be honest, and it feels a little bit gritty (I don't know if that is the lipbalm, or just me...). It is kind of waxy in an odd kind of way - let's just put it this way, I've come across wayyy better moisturising lipbalms.

It smells like a strong, chemical, cherry smell, and tastes like flavoured candle wax. It's not my favourite taste, I must say.

Overall it's not amazing, but it's not horrible or anything.

I give it 6 out of 10.

Nivea Lip Care - Sun Protect SPF 30+


This lipbalm was definitely not my favourite. Compared to the other lipbalms from the range (that might I add, I love) this one was dry, difficult to apply, left a white film of my lips and did not feel moisturising at all. Disappointing.

I has this chemical, sunblock kind of smell that really isn't all that appealing. It has a kind of waxy feel on your lips that is really off putting and I ended up not using it. Not good when the purpose of it is to protect you from getting sunburned lips. It also leaves a pale yellow/white film across your lips so you have to use another coloured gloss over the top of it anyway. I just found it quite pointless.

When I did wear it, it really did protect my lips from the sun, and whilst it didn't feel all that moisturising at the time, I must admit my lips were feeling pretty good after a long day at the beach. For someone who does full on outdoor sporting activities, you could be pretty confident it would do a good job protecting you...that is, if you can put up with it feeling waxy.

All up I would give it a 5 out of 10, because it really does protect but it's not much good for anything else.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Impulse - Incense

I hate saying this, but this has got to be the worst Impulse I have ever come across. I hate it. Of course, there would be many people out there that absolutely loved it and couldn't praise it enough, but I was not one of them.
It was so heavy it gave me a headache (okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but I'm hoping you understand how much I hated this one!) and it almost suffocated anyone who came near me.

It claims to have a "heavy blend of spicy amber and vanilla scents," and a heavy blend it did have. I normally don't mind a bit of vanilla, so it must have been the "spicy amber" that was incredibly off putting. I don't normally like incense anyway, so maybe I was never going to like it no matter what they put in there. This was not my scent.

The can is black and red - which is kind of what it smells like. Good colour choice Impulse!

What it smells like to me: Heavy incense, burning dirt, something slightly spicy
Where I would wear it: Somewhere dark and scary
Who would wear it: Someone dark and mysterious who is a little different
Season and time to wear it: Winter at night

I give this product 2 out of 10.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Nivea Lip Care - Pearl and Shine

 This lip balm is an interesting one...
When you apply, it glides on quite smoothly, however it catches in any creases in your lips and builds up. Because of this, you end up with very uneven colour across your lips. The colour is also quite pale, so if too much builds up it just looks like you have white blobs spotted across your lips. If you smush your lips around, eventually it will spread out, however if you're like me, you just expect it to go on nicely in the first place.
The best way to solve this problem is to apply a light lip balm beforehand, so that it fills up the little creases and allows the 'Pearl and Shine' to work its magic properly.

When given the chance, it really is quite magical, and you end up with lovely, shimmery pink lips. On some people the colour can be a little too pale for their liking, however I didn't have a problem with it.

It can seem to be quite drying on your lips at times, so if you are looking for a lip balm for moisture, this wouldn't be your best choice, however I do think it gives some kind of moisture.

I think you would want to treat this one as more of a lipstick (for colour) rather than as a lip balm (for moisture)

I would give it 6/7 out of 10.

Ulta3 Nail polish - Plum Violet and Metal

I was expecting this nail polish to be the worst it could be (it was soooo cheap) so when it glided over my nail, dried in no time and has the perfect shine, I nearly fell off my chair in disbelief.


There are SO many colours to choose from - I bought the 'plum violet' colour because it looked so pretty, and the 'metal' colour because I needed it for a play I was performing in. The Plum Violet definitely went on better, but I think this is because it didn't have sparkles in it like the metal one.

I put 2-3 coats on for both of them, but they could have only had one if you were in a rush. The smell wasn't great, but then again, what nail polish does smell nice?!

They don't chip too easily, but as soon as they do the rest of the polish follows pretty quickly.

I was really impressed with these nail polishes (mainly Plum Violet because I don't really like the colour of 'metal' ) so I give it 8 out of 10)
 
One coat, without flash
 
One coat, with flash

 




Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Formula 10.0.6 - Deep Down Detox mud mask

 This was the first mask that I had ever tried, so I don't have anything to compare this product to.

I didn't like the feel of it on my skin for the ten minutes that I had to leave it on, but I don't know whether all masks feel the same or whether it was just this one. It felt heavy on my skin, and once dry it was difficult for me to make any facial expressions that involved me moving my facial muscles (ie. all the facial expressions!)The smell was quite lovely which was lucky, because if it had stank I wouldn't have been able to keep it on my face for that long.

I was glad when I could could wash it all off, and believe it or not my skin really did feel so much smoother. It felt like all the oil and grease had been taken off of my face, and it was now super smooth and supple. My skin was a little red at first, but within five minutes it was back to its normal colour.

It was a little drying so I applied my usual moisturiser to my skin straight after, which left me with the loveliest skin.

I don't think it really did anything long term (like tighten pores or prevent pimples) however it was worth it because of that awesome feeling straight after.

I give this product 8 out of 10.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Maybelline Baby Lips - Anti-Oxidant Berry and Energizing Orange


I cannot praise these lipbalms enough - they are everything they promise to be. These are the most moisturising lipbalms I have come across, and along with Nivea's Guava lipbalm, they are my favourite.
I must mention the packaging - my all time favourite. The contrasting colours are bold and stand out. So good to look at! I would seriously buy the lipbalm so I could look at it (how sad is that!)

There are four of them, and the two that I tried both smelled AMAZING! They glide onto your lips with ease and you can actually feel your lips repairing themselves instantly. (Okay, maybe not, but you can just tell that they're doing your lips some serious good!) They are so moisturising, that you feel like you have the most gorgeous lips in the world after only a day of wearing it.

They don't have any colour, but they give you awesome shine and almost, (almost) act like a lipgloss. Some of my friends disagree with me here, but I found that they stay on my lips remarkably well (sorry friends!).

For those who are worried about sun care, they have an SPF 20 so you are well protected. I am going to use mine all year round though, not just in summer, because my lips get very dry in winter.

They're so creamy and gorgeous, I want them all! I give them 10 out of 10!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Impulse - New York

 Everyone has different tastes when it comes to scent, so I'll give you a rundown on what I love.

I am a huge fan of fruity/floral scents when it comes to perfume/body sprays. I really love the flirty, summery light scents that are fun and exciting. I really don't like the heavy woody, musky, incense type smells - I find they give me headaches. When I look for a body spray/perfume, I want it to be perfect for summer, smell like lollies and be something that reminds me of giggling with my friends down at the beach or at a party. I have always been loyal to Impulse body sprays, and over the years I have built up a pretty good collection. Let's just say that I am a little obsessed with the body sprays, and even though I wouldn't call myself a huge beauty lover, Impulse body sprays are the exception!

With a blend of 'apple, red fruits and jasmine notes' this was a body spray that I fell in love with. Okay, I was a little biased after I saw how brilliant it looked (the can looks like so much fun!) but the smell is truly amazing. I really love this Impulse. The only fault it has is that it doesn't seem to last long (however I am not one of those people who empties half a can each time they use it, so maybe I don't use enough).

To me it smells like: pineapple, citrus fruits, watermelon, apple , mixed lollies
I would wear it: to a summer party or BBQ
What kind of person would wear it: Someone fun loving, casual yet stylish, easy to get along with
Season and time to wear it: Summer during the day

I give this body spray 9 out of 10.

Maybelline - Skyhigh curves waterproof mascara

I don't often use mascara, only really when I go out somewhere a little formal. There are a couple of reasons for this - the first is because I am quite blessed to have nice eyelashes, even without mascara. The second is that I find that it can be a bit too dramatic for everyday wear, and the third, most important reason, is that I am a person who rubs their eyes and within ten minutes usually has a black circle around their eyes, transforming them from beautiful to panda-eyes.
That is why I tried waterproof mascara. It changed my life. Well...it made a huge difference to my panda-eyes. I am so loyal to this product, it is ridiculous. I refuse to try any other mascara because, the way I see it, this mascara is pretty damn perfect.

It goes on without any gluggy lumps, (that is until I accidentally jam the wand in my eye, blink and get it all over my face) and really does seem to elongate and lengthen my lashes. If I apply it closer the the base of my lashes, it makes my eyelashes look thicker and they seem to have more volume (and who doesn't want more volume!)

It really is waterproof - I have walked through a torrential downpour with it on and avoided panda-eyes, cried my little heart out and avoided panda-eyes, and gone swimming for hours with it on and avoided panda-eyes. I think it's pretty safe to say that when I have my buddy here on me, I am safe from all kinds of panda-eyes.

The only problem? I can't ever get it off. It takes days for it to come off - even a shower per day can't stop it from sticking to my lashes. When it does come of it spreads across my eyes and makes me look like I have big bags under my eyes (I have no luck when it comes to the colour black and my eyes!) however once it has migrated to the under side of my eyes, and wet cloth can easily get it off.

I would give this product 9 out of 10.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Hamilton Quadblock for Extreme exposure

Let's get this out of the way first up - this lip balm is purely to protect you from the sun.

I didn't really read the package, and just lathered it all over my lips (without using a mirror). My friend burst into hysterics and I frantically read the package in confusion. Turns out my lips were coated in a thick white layer of sunscreen looking substance. Yep, that is what this lip balm does to your lips.

It states on the package that it is for extreme sun exposure, has an SPF of 30 and is 4 hours water resistant. It is primarily a stick of sunscreen that is lip friendly. It is not for wearing to work or school.

What is good about it then? Well, it is great on skin. I used it on small areas where I usually get burned and areas that were already burned, and the results were pretty good. It's thicker than usual sunscreen so you only really use it on small areas, but you can be sure that it won't come off, even if you spent your time swimming in the seawater for four hours.

It's really good for those who love fishing or hardcore water sports, but for anyone that wants to make their lips look pretty, this is not for them. If I was judging it on attractiveness, it would get a 1 out of 10, but I'll be nice and mark it on its purpose and give it 10 out of 10. My final score? 5 out of 10. Make sure you buy it for the right reason!

Palmolive - Detangler Fashion Girl, Rose Petals

 I have very long hair - in fact, when it's wet I can sit on it! So you can probably guess how much of a problem my hair can be. It is quite thick so whilst it does tangle, it's not too bad, but I still like to have some detangler on hand, especially when I am at the beach.

I wasn't expecting much from this product, but I was really pleased with it. It smells really good (like Rose Petals, hence the name) which is good when I have been at the beach and my hair is all gross and full of salt. The only time I don't like it smelling like that is when I have just washed my hair and it clashes with the smell of my shampoo.
I usually use this before I go to bed, and when I wake up in the morning my hair is smooth and silky and smells gorgeous. I don't even have to reapply it in the morning, I can brush my hair without coming across any tough knots.

The packaging is quite childish, and you would expect a girl of about five to use it, but I can definitely overlook that and focus on what it does for my hair.

I wouldn't recommend spraying it too close to the roots because it can make them a little oily, but I spray is all over the rest of my hair and it does a brilliant job. I give it 8 out of 10.

Mode Nail Polish

This nail polish is incredibly cheap, and whilst it is not the most amazing nail polish I have ever tried, it does what it's supposed to and you can't help but be impressed with it considering its price.

There is a large colour range - some colours are nice, and others are strictly for sports days and dressing up only!

It goes on quite nicely, but you often need more than two coats, depending on the colour. It stays on fairly well, but I would recommend a clear top coat for extra staying power.



I don't think I would rely on this nail polish if I was going somewhere a little bit fancy because it does look a little bit cheaper than the more expensive nail polishes (that's because it is!). I think it's great for wearing on your toenails in summer when you're spending a lot of time at the beach and want a little colour, and aren't really concerned about whether they have a slight chip or not. I give it 6 out of 10.


One coat each (obviously they need more - especially the green
which is the thinnest in consistency)


Clean and Clear - Oil Free Skin Balancing Moisturiser

My skin is not the best - it is oily one day, dry the next, prone to pimples and is just plain frustrating. This moisturiser fixes almost every one of my problems.

It does not matter whether my skin is oily or dry, because it magically fixes both of them. When I have dry skin it seems to absorb right into my skin, making it smooth and moisturised almost instantly. When I have oily skin it seems to take away the oil yet rather than dry my skin out, it keeps it perfectly balanced.

Some moisturisers don't seems to absorb into the skin, however this one is really good. At first it feels a bit heavy, but within a minute or two you can barely feel it, however you can definitely feel the difference that it has made to your skin.

It claims to prevent pimples, however because I use the cleanser and toner with the moisturiser, I'm not sure as to which of them are actually helping prevent my pimples. Let's just say that whichever one that is doing it is doing quite an impressive job.

This moisturiser is good for using whenever you need it, whether that is morning and night with your skin routine, or just any time throughout the day when your skin is feeling a bit dry. I give this product 8 out of 10.

Carmex Click Sticks - Original Flavour

I had heard so many great reviews about this lipbalm, so I was expecting a heck of a lot from it. I was let down.

I really didn't take to this lipbalm. No one had told me that it stings for ages when you apply it, or that it smells truly horrible (the original one does, anyway). It had no colour so I applied it before I went to bed. After application it felt dry and waxy, so I was incredibly surprised when I woke up with very smooth, soft lips, but I'm not sure whether all the stinging was worth it. In fact, the stinging is almost a burn. It's horrible.

I don't understand how people speak so highly of it. The only good thing I can say about it is that it has SPF 15, but that really isn't all that great since most lipbalms do these days. Oh, the clicking noises it made was cool. Yes, the way is clicked has to be my favourite part about this product. I give it a 2 out of 10.

Nivea Lip care - Fruity Shine Strawberry


Fruity Shine Strawberry did come as a bit of a disappointment, considering how much I love the Nivea Lip care range. Why?

Once again I could ramble on about how much I love the packaging because of its size, shape, colours and patterns, but no doubt you would get bored and politely ask me to move on. So I will.

It goes on nicely enough - it glides across your lips and feels all glossy and moisturising, but the colour is just a bit too much. Sure, I expected it to have a red tint to it, but on my lips it just looks like a three year old has been playing around with the dodgy makeup from the 2 dollar shop. It just doesn't look right. You also can't reapply it throughout the day because reapplying enhances the 2 dollar shop look, and you end up with unusually fluorescent, red coloured lips. Once you have applied it once, you have to cross your fingers and hope it stays on all day, because if you have dry lips like me, when you don't reapply you end up with bright red tinted flakes of skin peeling off your lips. Gross.
Saying all this, the smell is great, and I would buy it just to have the scent. It really only is the colour that puts me off - the texture is great.

I wouldn't use it everyday because the red colour is just too bright, but it would be okay if you were going out somewhere special. All up I would give it 7 out of 10.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Hamilton Everday Face Light Moisturising cream

I am not a big fan of foundation on young, beautiful skin - why cover up what is already perfect - so I really loved this tinted moisturising cream. With an SPF of 30+, it meant that I could just wear it by itself and not have to worry about sunscreen or moisturiser.

It is non greasy and has a matt finish. It is absolutely perfect for young, oily/pimple prone skin. It has no fragrances and does not irritate the skin. You can wear it everyday and because it is so lightweight, it feels as though you aren't wearing anything on your face. It is a brilliant alternative to makeup.

The only thing I can complain about, is that it doesn't really have the strongest tint to it, so it may as well not be tinted. For those who want colour with it, it probably won't suit you. When you squeeze the product out of the bottle it looks coloured, but when I rubbed it into my skin it disappeared (which is essentially what I wanted it to do).

I loved this product, and I'm going to stick with it for a long time. I give it 8 out of 10.

Nivea Lip Care - Natural Volume Lipgloss

 An SPF of 30, a lovely colour and cheap as can be. I really like Nivea's natural volume lipgloss.

When you hear of plumping glosses, you expect them to burn your lips accompanied by severe swelling and unneccesary pain. Not this gloss. I did not have to go through any kind of pain to get great lips. Win!

The colour is a pretty pinky/peachy colour, but depending on your natural lip colour it can appear differently on different people's lips. The size of the tube is nice and little so you can carry it around fairly easily to touch up during the day. It is slightly sticky, but I didn't find it to be too much of a problem. It wasn't overly plumping, in that I didn't really notice that I had bigger lips, however they certainly looked pretty.

Friends of mine commented on how they loved the smell, however I didn't take to it all that much. Either I got a dodgy one, or they have funny ideas about what smells good.

I did like this gloss, however I feel the reason I would buy it is because of it's colour and shimmer rather than because it makes my lips look bigger. I give this product 7 out of 10, because whilst it is lovely, it doesn't really do what it promises (plumps your lips).

Blistex - Strawberry Lip Balm

I didn't know much about Blistex lip balms, and I stumbled across it through a friend, which I am very glad about.

This lipbalm is great. It has a yummy strawberry smell that makes you just want to eat the whole thing. In fact, when you have it on your lips and you lick them, you realise that not only does it smell amazing, but it tastes great too. The only bad thing about this is that I spent so much time licking my lips that it didn't last long enough for me to see the results of it! I had to control myself to stop from licking my lips!

 It is almost colourless so it is great when you want a natural look. It does have a dry kind of feel to it at first, but I layered it up a bit which made it a little more moisturising (and didn't come off your lips as easily). If I stored it in a place that was a little cold, it got dry and waxy, so I would recommend avoiding making it cold.

It also has a SPF of 16 which is a plus. I would give this lipbalm a 7 out of 10.

Nivea Lip Care - Glamourous gloss Natural

Once again Nivea has produced a great gloss combining smell, texture and price to make one great product.

This gloss has SPF30, is shiny and fruity and is perfect for any special event. You can get it in two colours - pink and natural - but I've only tried the natural. Pink is next on my wish list!

It can be a little sticky and thick, so I just use the smallest amount to balance it out. I wouldn't wear it everyday myself, however that is just because I like to save a little gloss for the special events and use lipbalm on my days off. It is fine to use on a daily basis.

Natural is almost colourless, so it allows you to keep your natural lip colour but enhance it by giving it a shimmery, glossy sheen. It's good for those who are blessed to have lips naturally rich in colour!

The smell is like berry shampoo, it smells pretty good, though I have other lipglosses that smell better.

I do like this gloss quite a lot, so I'll give it 8 out of 10.

Nivea Lip care - Fruity Shine Pink Guava

 I must admit, I am a fan of Nivea Lip Care, but 'Fruity Shine Pink Guava' has got to be my absolute favourite of all.

Everything about it is just perfect - I can't find fault.

The pretty packaging is attractive and a size that isn't too big and isn't too small. It's in a tube (like most of the others) so that you don't have to make a mess sticking your grubby fingers into a greasy little pot. Because of its clever little design (okay, it's not all that clever!), you don't have to worry about it all smushing up when it accidentally gets twisted up in your handbag (like most other lipbalms I have!).

Anyway, enough about the packing I hear you say, let's get to the product itself!

First of all, if you are one of those people that cannot stand horrible smelling lipbalms no matter how good every other aspect of it is, then you are in luck! This lipbalm smells amazing, you just want to eat it! When you apply it to your lips it gives you the most perfect pink hint of colour to your lips, and it allows you to build up how strong you want the colour to be. Just after applying it, it is so smooth and moisturising, but at this point I don't really care because I am still inhaling rapidly just so I can get a whiff of the brilliant smell.
It's not sticky in any way, and it glides across your lips with ease.

As I mentioned before, it's my favourite of all the Nivea Lip care range (you'll be hearing a lot about that!) and so I'm going to have to give 10 out of 10!

What do you think about 'Fruity Shine Pink Guava?'

The colour of the balm
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