Behind the Blog - Mishelle's Sleepy Time

 For this week's Behind the Blog we are hearing from the lovely Mishelle over at Mishelle's Sleepy Time. I think everyone knows Mishelle, but I found her answers to my questions absolutely fascinating and I learnt a little more about her, so hopefully you can too!

Mishelle's blog, aside from having the greatest banner/header, contains makeup looks, hauls, empties, project pans, reviews and favourites. She also has some of the loveliest NOTDs.

Mishelle told me all about how she came up with her blog name, her favourite books and movies and large scale construction projects!

What is the significance of your blog name?
I fall asleep very easily and in almost any situation. If I am tired and sitting still, I will find a way to nap, whether it be in the car, in the movie theatre or at uni on my desk. My boyfriend would sometimes come home from work to find me asleep on the couch, upon which he would wake me up and ask me if it was "Mishelle's Sleepy Time".

What has been the most surprising thing about blogging?
I found it really bizarre the first time someone told me they actually followed my recommendations and picked up some products I had reviewed. I have had readers say to me they have both loved and hated my recommendations, which always surprises me and keeps me on my toes. I try to make my reviews as accurate as possible, so that my readers know what they're really in for with a product. If people wanted to be lied to they would just watch mascara advertisements all day.

What do you have the most of in your makeup collection?
Shame and regret. No actually it's probably eye shadow. I love eye shadow.

What is your dream career?
I am at university to be a construction manager. So my dream job is to co-ordinate large scale construction projects, like hospitals, stadiums or skyscapers. Although I wouldn't go past being a dolphin trainer if I was ever offered the position.

Do you have any secret hobbies?
Does watching terrible reality television whilst cleaning my house count?

What are your favourite books and movies?
I am currently reading George Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire Series and they are phenomenal. Other than fantasy, I do enjoy a good dystopian novel, such as Brave New World or Nineteen Eighty Four. In terms of films, some of my recent favourites have been The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Django Unchained.

Thank you so much Mishelle, it was awesome getting to know a little bit more about you!

If you would like to nominate a blogger to be featured, please don't hesitate to let me know by emailing me at candiceyoureview@yahoo.com

Why I hate winter and how I am going to survive the next few months

Winter is the worst time of the whole year, no questions asked. I hate it more than I hate seafood. I hate it more than I hate Priceline sales when I have no money. I hate it even more than maths tests first thing on a Monday morning. It is the worst.

I do quite enjoy the occasional whinge though, so I thought I should compile a list of all the reasons winter should not exist.

1. There is nothing cool (pun intended) about having fingers practically frostbitten 90% of the time
2. The sky is meant to be blue, not grey.
3. The cold and darkness of winter is miserable.
4. Taking blog photos of products is impossible when there is no sun.
5. It should never be pitch black by 6pm.
6. Putting on ten kilos from coming out of the shower to having put on my clothes is ridiculous. I hate resembling and overweight eskimo with all the stupid layers of clothing I have to wear to prevent turning into an iceblock.
7. All my winter clothes are not nearly as pretty or as enjoyable to wear as my summer ones.
8. As much as we all love a bit of winter themed makeup, there is only so much you can take before you need to bust out with a bit of bronzer or pastel polish.
9. Getting out of bed on a freezing winter morning for work/school is what I truly reckon hell would be like. Multiply the trauma by 10 if it is a Monday morning.
10. Ice creams and lemonade go into hibernation, replaced by soup and roasts which are not at all adequate compensation.

So, in short, winter sucks. It is horrible and I hate it.

But, I have no option to make a temporary move to the other side of the world so I have to deal with it. Here are some products that I tend to get out upon winter's arrival that help make it that little bit more tolerable!

- Australis Nudist Eyeshadow Palette
- Arbonne Eyeshadow in Smoke
- Face of Australia Liquid Liner in Black
- The Body Shop Strawberry Body Butter
- Savvy by DB Blush in Rose
- Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Smitten
- Revlon Colourstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in Finale
- Maybelline Shinesensational lipgloss in Tempting Toffee

And to complete this incredibly, painfully whiny post - I had SO much trouble photographing these products with the stupid sun going into hiding, in addition to practically freezing my toes off because I was too lazy to put on shoes and socks. The things I do for this blog...

Discount codes galore!

I seem to have been collecting discount codes here there and everywhere so I thought I might share them with you all! I went a little crazy with my picture editing! Just click on each of the pictures and it will take you straight to the website where you can type in the discount code and get shopping!

Behind the Blog - It's Charr

 Behind the Blog is back after a slight mishap last week, featuring Char from It's Charr. I have been reading her blog since I first started blogging!

Char's blog is a collection of beauty, fashion and fitness posts with the occasional tag thrown in the mix. Char's posts about health and fitness often remind me of what I should be doing - she is so motivated!

I talked to Char about her experience with blogging and makeup addiction!

Why did you start blogging?
I started to write about how my parents were going through the adoption process however that didn't work out so I branched out into beauty and fashion and recently added fitness to my addictions!

Why do you enjoy blogging?
I've never really had a 'hobby' so to find blogging so fun and enjoyable has given me a little place of my own to share my likes and feelings.

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?
I really want to go to Bora Bora and stay in on of those huts in the see, it looks so beautiful

What is one beauty related thing you just cannot master?
Eyeliner. I suck at trying to get the perfect straight line! I've given up and never wear it these days!

What do you have the most of in your makeup collection?
My lip product drawer is fit to bursting with gloss, lipstick, lip butters, you name it its in that drawer!

Which type of makeup product do you tend to find yourself collecting the most?
Despite my bursting lip drawer I have a tonne of nail varnish, I have a weakness for pretty colours!

Thanks for being featured this week Char!

If you would like to nominate a blogger to be featured, please don't hesitate to let me know by emailing me at candiceyoureview@yahoo.com.

Updated "How much is your face worth?" TAG

Back on October 26th 2011 I completed this highly enjoyable yet somewhat shocking tag and since the products I use on a regular basis have changed drastically, I thought it would be interesting to see how much the results have changed. I don't use any of the products featured in that last post on a regular basis... except perhaps the BYS blush and the Maybelline Baby Lips. Oh how I have changed!

I know for a fact that I use more products of a significantly more expensive nature, though a lot of them have been given to me either as gifts or to complete reviews on for my blog, so I don't feel too bad for what I believe will end up being a ridiculously expensive face!

I will also admit that I don't use these products everyday (this is more makeup than I would wear on a normal day) but I would wear this if I was going shopping or out for lunch or an occasion like that. Of course, my lip products and eyeshadows are forever changing too because I have so many to play around with.

Face:
Alina Professional Primer - $39
Garnier BB Cream - $15
Maybelline Superstay 24 hour foundation - $22
Catalina Geo Concealer - $40
Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer - $18
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder - $19
Nude by Nature Illuminator - $23
Bourjois Blush - $20

Eyes:
- Inglot Eyeshadow Palette - $31
- Bloom eyeshadow duo - $10
- Urban Decay Ink for eyes eyeliner - $20
- Covergirl Lash blast length waterproof mascara - $18
- Essence Clear Brow Gel - $3.50

Lips:
- Maybelline Baby lips - $4
- Revlon lip butter - $22

Total: $304.50

I am not really surprised at the grand total because makeup in Australia is crazy. Thank goodness all the products that I purchased myself I managed to get on sale!

It is a bit strange to think that I could have made it so much more expensive though, with a $65 dollar blush from Bellapierre, Primer potion from Urban Decay and a $50 foundation from Arbonne, the addition of a bronzer, lipgloss and more expensive lipstick.

Have you ever counted up how much your face is worth? Do you think it would be a bit too much for comfort?

Collective Haul - Real Techniques, Australis, Rimmel London, Mirenesse and more

Over the past month or so I have been purchasing little bits and pieces here and there, mainly due to the amazing sales that have been going on lately! Some of these products have been on my wish list for a long time, others I randomly picked up when I saw crazy discounts on them!

Real Techniques Core Collection and Stippling Brush

I think every beauty blogger would either own or have at least heard of the Real Techniques brushes. When they first came into Priceline I was so close to purchasing them except they were so expensive. After hearing so much about iHerb, I went ahead and purchased some when they were 20% off. I was also able to get another $5 off from a discount code, so all the brushes came to a total of $21! 

I will do a review on both the brushes and my experience with iHerb, but if you are interested in purchasing something off of their website you can use the code JTJ998 to get between $5 to $10 off your first purchase (according to how much you spend). 

Australis Lipstick in Boogie Woogie

This is the first Australis lipstick I have ever tried and so far I really like it. I wanted to purchase the shade Honkey Tonk when Kmart was having a sale where the Australis lipsticks were $5 each but could only find Boogie Woogie.

Face of Australia Nail Polishes x6

Another purchase on behalf of Kmart, these polishes were all 75c so it would have been crazy of me to resist!

Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadows

I have actually had these for quite a while now and I wrote a review on them here. Basically, I am not impressed but luckily I bought these half price so it wasn't as bad.

Rimmel London Wake me up Foundation

So many people rave about this and Chemist Warehouse had 50% off all Maybelline, Revlon and Rimmel London products so I just went for it. I think I have a shade slightly too dark for me which is a real pain but I will manage.

Mirenesse Touch on Concealer

I was lucky enough to be given this concealer from a friend. It is very pink toned and therefore I use is as more of a colour corrector under my eyes - it seems to work remarkably well. It is quite the wrong shade for me though, so once using it as a corrector I apply a bit of foundation or skin toned concealer to make it look less crazy!

On a completely unrelated note, I can't stand the weather at the moment. Winter is the most awful season! I am also having trouble getting half decent light for taking photographs, so apologies if all my photos seem all dark and gloomy!

What have you picked up lately in the awesome sales? Do you have any of these products?

B.liv by Cellnique Off With Those Heads Sebum Gel and discount code

*Just before I begin this review, I will let you know that there are some before and after photos of blackheads and my nose, so if you're not into the idea of seeing that then click out! I will say though, the results are pretty impressive...

Blackheads have been my major skin problem since the very beginning of time. Occasionally I get a pimple or two but it is blackheads that seem to be a permanent fixation on my face, and one that I've never been able to do anything about.

I was contacted by a skincare brand I had never heard of called B.liv. B.liv is a brand that focuses on skincare, particularly problems like blackheads, large pores, dryness and acne. They don't test their products on animals

I was asked to provide some information regarding the nature of my skin. This is what I responded with:

"I went to your facebook page where I saw a description of combination skin - In some areas of your face it can feel tight after washing; it can be flaky, look dull or feel rough. And in other areas, typically the T-zone, your skin looks shiny, feel greasy and is prone to pimples and blackheads. This is what I feel my skin is like. I have blackheads, particularly on my nose, though I wouldn't describe my pores as terribly large. My skin isn't sensitive though it goes dry and can flake when the products are too harsh and drying. I get small blemishes from time to time, though never at all like acne. My skin does scar and I do have marks from past blemishes."

I was matched up to three products that would either help get rid of or manage my skin problems or prevent further problems in the future. It sounded amazing but I must admit, so many brands these days claim to have miracle skin products that I really didn't have much faith that they were going to be life changing.

I used the three products for a month and then compared before and after photos, and my goodness am I amazed.

"Off with those heads" is a clear sebum gel that extracts blackheads without having to painfully squeeze them out. Apparently it softens whatever is clogging your pores thus clearing them out. It is made of ingredients that keep oil under control.  It also claims to stop blackheads from ever appearing again once having gotten rid of them the first time! On the packaging it said that it would only take 14 days to work but I found that I needed to use it for a solid month to notice results.

Basically I just applied the smallest amount of gel, probably smaller than a pea size, on my nose morning and night. It felt lovely on the skin, soaked in straight away and caused no problems under my makeup. I thought that perhaps it would result in my makeup fading or sliding off more quickly but there was no noticeable difference whatsoever.

I maintained my usual skincare routine, cleansing at night and applying moisturiser twice daily. Over the four weeks that I trialled the product I didn't notice any real difference but then when I came to write this post and compared the before and after photos I realised how wrong I was. This product is incredible.

As you can see from the photos, the results are very impressive - almost all of my blackheads have been cleared completely. Of course I do still have a couple that won't budge, but the majority of them are completely gone. I will mention that I found the product to certainly soften the blackheads making them easier to extract physically, so I did help the product out with a bit of squeezing here and there.

I stopped using the product once having seen the results and unfortunately, unlike it says on the packaging, you do need to keep using this product otherwise they will come back.

Not only is the product itself simply awesome, but I love the packaging and general style of all the B.liv products. The packaging is classy looking but still fun, the products are practical (I love that they have pumps) and the names of all the products are so creative.

I am actually quite astounded at how well this product really did work for me because rarely do I come across a product that matches what it claims to do!

I would purchase this without any hesitation because it worked so effectively and was so easy to use, comfortable to wear and simple to slip into my current skincare routine.

It can be purchased from the B.liv website here, for $49. Shipping world wide is free and you receive a sample product for each product that you buy. Admittedly, it is quite an expensive product, especially as you only get 15mL of product, but after 4 weeks of use I am not even close to having used it all up.

For all who are interested, I have a code that you can type in that gives you 30% off products from their website, valid until June 30 2013. That code is BLG30A

I am so impressed with this skincare brand and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to test out some of their products. I give this product 10/10.

Keep an eye out for some more reviews on their products!

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream

My skin can never make up its mind. Some days it wants to be super oily, other days painfully dry, though the majority of the time I would classify it as combination.

Recently I went through a dry patch, and by that I mean flaking, painful to touch, I will never be able to put enough moisturiser on my face kind of dry.

The worst spot was my eyelids, so much so that I was convinced it had to be an allergic reaction to something though that is not possible because I have been using the same products for months.

Anyhow, when my regular moisturiser wasn't at all enough I turned to this little sample tub of the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream in the hopes that it would be better.

Though this is marketed as a 24 hour light moisturising cream, I personally found it to be a lot thicker than other ones I have tried, and certainly a lot more moisturising. When I tried it months ago during a 'combination skin' phase, it made my skin way too greasy and was horrible to work with. Trying it with dry skin was a different story and was exactly what I needed to put back some moisture but also prevent moisture loss further.

I found that this didn't soak into the skin, which in this case was a good thing but certainly not a property I would usually find appealing. It felt thick and heavy and if I ran my hands over my skin it could easily be felt.

If I was to use this consistently for a long time I think it would be too much for my skin and would lead to breakouts. The only people I would recommend this to is those who are struggling with super dry skin, but even then I think there would be more effective moisturisers out there.

I am not going to lie, this isn't cheap. For a 50ml tub it costs you $34, more than I personally would fork out considering there are so many cheap moisturisers around the place these days. However, if my skin was permanently in such a horrible dry state then I think I would buy this as it was all that I could find that helped even in the slightest. It wasn't perfect but it did help.

For the first time in ages I have been able to get some use out of all the sample products that I seem to have building up in my drawer. I give this 6/10.

NOTD - FOA I'll take you to the Candy Shop & Heart of Glass

Before we begin I would just like to let you know that this NOTD cost me $1.50 for both polishes!

FOA have some brilliant polishes, and with the recent launch of the Glitterati polishes I was able to pick some up for a measly 75c! At the time I also purchased a couple of polishes from their pastels range for the same price and noticed that I'll take you to the Candy shop and Heart of glass would be the most perfect match.

I was right, it is the best pairing ever and the combination of the two fix the faults that I consider to be in each polish. By that I mean that I don't like the pearly finish of I'll take you to the Candy shop which is covered up by Heart of glass and I don't like how sheer the glitter polish is, which becomes insignificant when layered over the pastel.

The glitter polish most definitely needs a top coat as the square glitters especially tend to curl at the edges (though only very slightly), enough to catch on things when no final coat is applied. I used two coats of the glitter polish and I like the way that it did cover the first later a little due to the fact that the base wasn't completely clear, but you were still able to see all of the glitters. I would like more heart shaped glitters to be included because I think I was only able to get one onto all ten of my nails!

I was reminded of why I generally don't gravitate towards glitter polishes - they are absolutely awful to remove. I can't stand removing glitter polishes!

Have you tried any of the Glitterati polishes? Which one is your favourite?

Arbonne Sheer Finish Tinted Moisturiser SPF 15 - Fair

I was blessed to be contacted by a representative of Arbonne cosmetics and sent a number of products to review. The Sheer Finish Tinted Moisturiser in the shade Fair was one of them.

In a world where somewhat pretentious BB creams are taking the spotlight, it is nice to see a humble tinted moisturiser that doesn't promise much more than what I wanted it for in the first place - light coverage and a bit of moisture. 

Though it does appear to have it's own array of magical qualities, I like that it doesn't claim to be life changing in any way. 

Arbonne's vitamin-enriched Sheer Finish Tinted Moisturiser SPF 15 restores optimal moisture balance in a long lasting fine moisturiser. Apply a thin layer for a light, natural coverage with a soft focus finish, helping to blur out the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The unique formula ensures the skin is well nourished, supports breathability and enhances sun protection, while also maintaining and restoring optimal moisture balance to the skin. 

I think that is a fairly accurate description of the product myself - It is moisturising, has a light natural coverage and gives a bit of sun protection. 

The shade I have, fair, is the lightest of six. I am so impressed that unlike many other brands of tinted moisturisers, there are more than 1-3 shades. There is nothing worse than skin products that don't match your skin tone, and finally a brand has appeared to understand that and has chosen to cater for a wider range of skin tones! Fair is an ideal shade for my skin in winter, but it is almost borderline too light. I think it is brilliant that Arbonne does in fact go to such a light shade because so many pale girls struggle to find products suitable for their skin. I am impressed!

The formula of the product itself is a little strange. It has an interesting scent - nothing offensive just nothing particularly nice either. When you first apply it to the face it has a really thick, tacky kind of texture and requires a considerable amount of rubbing in to effectively distribute it evenly across the face. Then suddenly, unexpectedly, it all seems to disperse out with ease and almost dissolve into the skin. I don't really love the way it does this, but in the end I am able to apply it evenly and well, and it's not too much of a hassle so I can't really complain - it's just a bit weird!

The packaging, as has been the case with all the Arbonne products, is flawless. The gorgeous black tube, flattened out with silver print is so very classy and it looks simply expensive. The Arbonne logo fits well with the feel of the product. 

In terms of the coverage, it's really light. I do believe that it does make a difference in terms of blurring minor imperfections and discolouration but it is by no means an adequate replacement for a foundation, rather a combination of sun protection, moisturiser and the slightest hint of tint (exactly what it promised to be). I found that using heavier concealer with this gave me coverage that I was happy with.

It was hard to judge the lasting power of this tinted moisturiser but I think it is safe to say that it made it through the majority of the day. I have mentioned before that by the end of the day, my makeup is really the least of my concerns so I wouldn't really care if I felt that it had disappeared, but when I go to cleanse my face at the end of the day I can see it washing off. 

I do like this tinted moisturiser and I feel that it does all that it promises to do, but I think if I had the opportunity to change it a little I would amplify the level of coverage it has as well as altering the formulation so that it is easier to blend into the skin. 

It isn't cheap, especially in comparison to other tinted moisturisers, at $50. It can be purchased from their website if you are interested. Arbonne also has a facebook page you can check out here. 

I give this product 7/10.

*Lastly, on a completely unrelated note, I hit pan for the first time in my entire life, with my Maybelline Dream Matte powder, a product that I purchased just over a year ago. How exciting!

Behind the Blog - Sweetaholic Beauty

Can you believe we are already up to the fifth installment of the Behind the Blog series here on YouReview? It's crazy!

Post number five this week belongs to the beautiful Jasmine from Sweetaholic Beauty. I am sure many of you will know her, she is a very influential beauty blogger and is very involved in the beauty community. If you don't know her please check out her blog!

Jasmine has haul posts, subscription box reviews but most of all incredible product reviews from the most amazing range of brands (half of them I only discover from her!).

This week Jasmine spoke about Doctor Who, Japan and winged eyeliner!

Why do you enjoy blogging?

I think my absolutely favourite thing about blogging is interacting! I love reading people's comments, knowing that they've read my content! I love chatting to fellow bloggers via the comments, or on twitter, or even on Facebook! It's been great making friends, meeting up with other bloggers even! In "real life" I don't have a lot of friends who are interested in makeup so it feels so nice to have a group of girls online that I can gush over the latest products with, without feeling judged or ignored! 

What is one piece of advice you could give to a new blogger?

Just one? Don't be afraid to talk to established bloggers! When I first started out, I was a bit scared to talk to established bloggers, as I thought they might be rude, or ignore me altogether. I was pleasantly surprised to find that most bloggers were lovely and easy to talk to, and really helpful if I had any noob questions! I've also made a lot of great friends! Any blogger that is rude or ignores you, just because you aren't established, isn't worth your time. This also really helps to get your name out there and help traffic to your blog. 

What is your signature makeup look?

I'm really boring with my every day makeup, but my signature look is definitely winged eyeliner! I don't go a day without wearing gel or liquid eyeliner and creating the winged look! I have really small eyes (or at least that's how they feel) so I feel like the look really makes my eyes pop, and stops them from looking so small! So I usually go for neutral eye colour with winged eyeliner, and a coral or orange lip!

What do you have the most of in your makeup collection?

I definitely have far too many palettes. When I first began my love affair with makeup, I fell in love with the idea of a palette, so I had to buy them all! I preferred eye shadow palettes as they had so many different colours, so now I have about three drawers filled with palettes! It's a little bit crazy! 

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

The place I always wanted to visit growing up was Japan, which I was lucky enough to visit in my high school years. I really want to go back without school, but I think being a beauty blogger, a place I really want to travel to now is the US. Not only do they have some amazing landmarks (not to mention all the "landmarks" we grew up with on TV - like Carrie Bradshaw's apartment door!) as well as some crazy food. But we all know the real reason I'd like to travel there - discount makeup!

Do you have any nerdy characteristics?

I am a giant nerd! Aside from loving all things beauty, I love all things nerdy! My boyfriend and I read comics, watch Doctor Who and collect Lord of the Rings memorabilia  I can't imagine how boring life would have been in high school as one of the "cool" kids as they didn't seem to have any interests at all in comparison to all the nerdy things I obsessed over! Nerd for life! 

Thank you so much Jasmine! Just a quick side note, how great is that last picture of the Glitterati polishes? 

If you would like to nominate a blogger to be featured, please don't hesitate to let me know by emailing me at candiceyoureview@yahoo.com.

Sale - $5 lipsticks!

You may have read my post about 75c FOA nail polishes at Kmart, and now there are even more deals!

For the next three days they are having a sale on Rimmel, Australis and Face of Australia lipsticks and Covergirl lipglosses - with everything $5.

Check out the catalogue on the Kmart website if you are interested. There are also eye products from various brands for $10, foundations and concealers for $10 and the new Revlon Colourstay Ultimate Suede lipsticks for $15.

I believe all these wonderful sales end on Sunday the 12th but I am not 100% sure. I plan on going this weekend, fingers crossed that not all the products have been stolen from the shelves!

Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadows - Copy Right and Glammy Goes To

Dear Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadows,

Always one to jump on the bandwagon at the very last second, I picked you up in Priceline when you were on sale for half price due to the fact that you are soon to be discontinued. Though I appreciated the discount at the time, I appreciate it even more now after having gotten to know you and discover that you really aren't anything at all like your cousin Eye Souffle in Pas Des Copper (the most beautiful cream shadow in the world). In fact, initially I was devastated that you were going to be discontinued  but this was prior to having worn you on my eyelids you see, and I have since changed my mind and consider it to be a blessing to us all.

Do you really think you can rightfully call yourself cream shadows? Really? I don't know if all your siblings are like yourself, but from what you have shown me you are not at all like a cream but rather a solid block of shiny rock. Maybe you are just old and past your use by date, but honestly, I struggled to even get a swatch out of you let alone actually wear you on my eyelids. Not impressed, not impressed.

When I did carve a somewhat dangerous looking lump out and furiously slap it across my eyelids I found that unless I dragged you painfully back and forth, you did not transfer what could be a beautiful pigmented but rather rolled up in a ball and refused to cooperate. I didn't let you win, of course, and forced you to work, but you were resistant and in the end you won, flaking all over the place and dispersing colour unevenly across my eyelids, making me look ridiculous.

I will, however, grant you one thing - you did last all day, in fact after kicking and screaming during application, you finally settled down and rested on my eyelids, only to hang on tight and refuse to come off when required. I must say, I wasn't at all impressed with your inability to cooperate and I certainly shall not be working with you anytime in the near future.

I don't want to sound too bitter, after all you do look quite presentable in your packaging. I like the fact that you come in a lovely little tub with a raised dome shaped lid. I even like the design you display on top and the way in which you change colour according to the shade that you are. Your shade names are alright, nothing special but not too hopeless.

I know that you call yourselves residents of the great land Essence, but I really don't see it. In my experience Essence products, whilst affordable like yourselves, are of a high quality in beautiful shades and textures. You really do not belong and you are a disappointment.

I am willing to grant you the benefit of the doubt and suggest that perhaps you were just the runt of the litter - that your fellow Stay all day long lasting eyeshadows were of a better quality than you and that you are just old and over it, but you really were hopeless.

I give you 3/10.

Yours sincerely,

Critical Beauty Blogger
YouReview