The Ultimate Drugstore Lip Liner | Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner Review

 After Christmas I swore I wouldn't buy another beauty product until I had used all of the ones I own, three draws worth. But on a recent trip to Boots I really couldn't stop myself and left £30 lighter and my draws a little fuller.

I haven't really every got what lip liner's were for and for a while I just didn't use them. I stumbled upon the idea of lip contouring and because obsessed with learning how to achieve a fuller, plumper pout. The mission was to hunt down some good products, but ever the scrimper I was sure I could find some drugstore dupes for the premium hero's. Two such items are the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner.

What I say: The colours are intense, richly pigmented with a waxy formulation. This texture I find is the best at being long lasting and it grabs hold of what ever lipstick you put on top. The look is very matte and almost has a lipstick quality to it that some pencils really lack. The colours I have are Obsession and East End Snob.

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in Obsession is a dark burgundy red which is the ultimate accessory for a red lip. I outline my lips and blend into my lipstick as it give the illusion of a shadow, meaning my lips look fuller. 

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in East End Snob is a go to pinky nude. It looks pretty on its own applied all over the lips or to define the outline and perfect my lipstick line. 

The nib is small and angled to give a precise application and a smooth edge. I don't have a particularly steady hand so this really helps because the colour is buildable and I can be really careful about where I add the colour. Another thing I love is that this isn't a pencil, so no sharpening! The product twists up ensuring you can use it where ever you are without the mess of the shavings.

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner 

Have you tried these lip liners? Want to hear more about lipstick contouring?

Stay beautiful

xoxo

My Story | Roaccutane Treatment for Acne/Spots Review

I have had this in my draft folder for a couple of months. As I prepare to begin another course of treatment I remembered how little personal experiences there are on the Internet. Many of the reviews that do exist are mainly negative and stories that come up in the press involve pretty awful stories; this is not the case for me, mine is positive. So in support of the many sufferers of acne, here is my story and how Roaccutane changed my life. This is a long post, but all of my experiences are ones I wanted to discuss. 

Acne is something that most people will suffer with at some point in their lives and for most people it clears up. This is usually during the most crucial time of your teenage life; starting to like boys, wearing makeup and going out with friends. It can be crushing for someone's confidence so it is important to educate people into the health reasons behind it. You are not dirty and nor is your skin for a start so do not scrub at it with a harsh face wash, it will just leave you with scars- as I learnt. 

Many of my readers, friends and colleagues have mentioned my skin recently and I wanted to explain why there has been such a dramatic change over the last year. This is not something I am embarrassed about, but I have been nervous to share photos of my skin before and after treatment. I think you have to be a little bit brave to put your naked face out there. Lots of people said they never noticed my skin, but that was because I never left the house without thick foundation and hours of careful application.

I have suffered with acne since my early teens. As many can relate to it causes a lot of problems with confidence and often products you buy over the counter just wont kick it. I tried the usual Freederm, Clearisil and Neutrogena with no improvements and it really affected how I felt as a young woman growing up and learning to love herself.

As a woman who works in the beauty industry I often felt self-conscious about my skin, especially when I was trying to pitch skin care to journalists and make up artists. How can you convince someone that a product works when your own skin looks like it is melting? Now I know that my acne is not as severe as some of the cases I have seen on the internet. But for me it was ruling my life, stopping me going on holiday, swimming or even not wearing make up in front of  a boyfriend; I seriously used to wake up before him to put it on!

Over the last 5 years my GP and I have tried out every treatment on prescription that he could give me but last April, once I reached 25 we finally gave up and decided to call in the big guns. I was referred to the hospital to see a dermatologist and put on the waiting list in Wales. Wait lists can vary. I know that in Wales they are a lot longer than in England and I was on that list for 7 months, so be prepared for the long haul; this is not a quick fix.

During those I kept a skin diary, taking photos on my iPhone every day so that I could demonstrate how bad the flair ups could be when I met the dermatologist. I would recommend this is something you should do if you are thinking of seeing a dermatologist, some days were better for me than others and this way I could show that. 

When I was finally called to the hospital I was so excited, the promise of clear skin was something I had always wished for. If you are going for Roaccutane here is my personal account of what to expect.

Arriving at the clinic on a cold Tuesday morning I was greeted by a lovely nurse who showed me in. I first lay on a couch while the doctor looked at every part of my face, back and neck under a bright light and magnifying glass. It was a little awkward because no one spoke for the entire time this went on. My lovely doctor then decided I was a good candidate for the Roaccutane treatment and that they would be happy to start the course after blood tests and a pregnancy test. We then discussed the downside to the treatment and the risks involved, depression, risk to sun exposure and very dry skin, plus others. They make these sound very scary because the drug you take is so so strong, take this on board and seriously think about it, side effects can be different for each individual and range in strength. 

A note for girls: You can’t get pregnant during or a month after you take the medication as it can seriously damage the baby and cause extreme deformities. They ask you to sign a contract to say you understand this and that if pregnancy does occur the NHS are allowed to take action. (I am not sure what this means). For me the positives of having clear skin outweighed any of the side effects and I was keen to go ahead. I had to do a pregnancy test then some blood test to ensure I was healthy and not already pregnant.

After all this I began my treatment. Starting off with one Roaccutane tablet a day after a week I was told to up it to two. I had heard that your lips become very dry and can chap and bleed, so before I got to that stage I was applying Clinique Super Balm Lip Treatment every couple of hours. This is a huge tip, because although my lips did dry out they were not as bad as my siblings, who suffered really bad bleeding and cracking. The skin on the face also gets really dry and sometimes it can look like you have sun burn. I recommend putting an intense moisturiser on overnight to really treat the skin while you sleep and use a moisturiser again when you wake up. You also need to avoid over exposure to sunlight and UV rays and the skin burns really badly. Having come back from holiday recently I burnt so badly and it was really painful, so wear SPF!!!

I have now been on the treatment for 6 months and my skin has changed dramatically. I no longer have any raised spots and the redness has almost disappeared. I still have some scarring but I am using a Clarisonic to help with this. The treatment has really impacted my confidence and I can now go out with no make up or just a tinted moisturiser – something I never would have done previously. I even went makeup free in the pool during my hols - for me it's unheard of! 

No editing, natural light only

I will probably need one final course of treatment to hopefully clear the skin and I have been told that there is the possibility of it reoccurring sometime in the future. 

If you have any specific questions regarding this treatment you are welcome to drop me an email and I will do my best to answer from a personal perspective. You can read into Roaccutane and its side effects on the NHS website here. 

Disclaimer: I am in no way a doctor or dermatologist. I am speaking from a personal experience on my own treatment, some people experience different side effects and results. Speak to your doctor for more information. 

Thank you for reading and I hope this is helpful to someone.

Stay beautiful

xoxo

Vita Liberata NKD SKN Tinted Tan Mousse Review

So Christmas is over and we are all feeling a little over stuffed and down in the dumps. The January blues have really set in. I am feeling particularly pale and pastey; the idea of exposing my flesh any time soon fills me with dread! 

I have been a loyal follower of the James Read (read here) tanning religion for a number of years, so when Vita Liberata asked me to try out their new NKD SKN Tinted Tan Mousse* I was keen to give something new a go. NKD SKN is a collection of 5 products aimed to get you glowing this spring without the biscuit smell. The Tinted Tan Mousse comes in 2 shades; Medium and Dark. I have the shade Medium which was perfect for me and my blue toned skin. 

What they say: Glides like velvet over the skin, giving a gorgeous bronze tan that is odourless and fades without patching. Natural extracts will give you super soft skin for a totally flawless finish. Lasts up to 7 days.

 

No tan

1 Layer

2 Layers

What I say: I started with a bath to exfoliate away any dull skin and patted the skin dry. Using the Vita Liberata Mitt I applied the NKD SNK Tinted Tan Mousse onto the orange foamy side and in circular motions buffed the product into my skin.  I love mousse products, they feel light and seem to dry a lot quicker than other liquid tans. The bottle has a pump dispenser so it was easy to control the amount of product on the mitt. It was also handy having some tint to use as a guide and spot any parts I missed.

Now when I first applied the product I was really pleased that there wasn't a smell; it didn't really smell of anything to be honest. As time went on I could smell a tiny bit of a biscuit smell, but it was very faint and almost unnoticeable. I also loved that the tan dried pretty much instantly and I could put my clothes straight on with next to zero transfer. The colour is really natural with only a couple of layers, but this deepened with time and more product could be applied if you fancy a deeper colour.

I also really like that it is organic and contains ingredients like Aloe Vera, Raspberry, Melon and Liquorice; so it is soothing and good for the skin without too many chemical ingredients. If you like a light fake tan with an even streak-free finish then this is the one for you! I am really impressed with this tan and will definitely be repurchasing and be my go to for 2015.

As a special treat, until the 2nd of February 2015 Vita Liberata are offering Pixi Picks readers 45% off their products! I am sure pound's are tight after Christmas so this will help you get your glow on without breaking the bank. So get yourself over there and use the code PIXIPICKS45 and snap up this amazing offer!

Vita Liberata NKD SKN Tinted Tan Mousse, £14.95

What do you think? Fancy giving this a go?

Stay beautiful

xoxo

The Smith & Canova Power Purse

Have you been out and about during the festive season, got to the pub or club and your phone has died? This is basically the story of my life. My iPhone battery has the life span of a turkey on Christmas Day, cooked for hours and devoured in minutes. I can't carry a charger, find a cheeky plug socket in a club and just leave my phone to grab some juice. 

Knowing this my Mum worries about me in London and staying safe. I have been known to stumble out of a club with no phone battery to get an Uber and just fling myself into the first unmarked taxi. Do NOT do this!! So Mumma found one of the coolest gifts for Christmas! 

The Smith & Canova Power Purse! The small leather clutch bag contains a power pack which can charge your mobile for up to 5 hours! The bag has two cables, one for charging the pack with a USB port and the other for charging your phone. It comes with three different interchangeable heads for an iPhone 5, iPhone 4 and even a Samsung; perfect for every busy girl.

There is one zip pouch in the Smith & Canova Power Purse, with a deep pocket that you can keep your phone in and there are also little card slots for the essentials. The leather is so soft and although it contains the power pack the bag is surprisingly light and the pack is tucked into the lining so your can't really see it.

This bag is going to be my essential for 2015 and it comes in so many different colours, got to collect them all! 

Smith & Canova Power Purse, £70

What do you think, amazing or what?!

Stay beautiful

xoxo