Dolce And Gabbana Glow Illuminating Powder Shimmer Review

This is by far one of the best products in Dolce & Gabbana’s cosmetics collection. Encased in the signature gold packaging, the illuminating powder screams luxury. However, it is what’s inside that really impresses. 

Feather light, this powder can be worn on its own or as a top coat for foundation without feeling too heavy or looking too much. 

The shimmer provides a natural, healthy looking glow, however it doesn’t last all day so you will have to keep reapplying. (Luckily it comes with a brush too).

Dolce And Gabbana’s Glow Illuminating Powder Shimmer is available exclusively at Harrods.com for £31.50.

Rating: 6/10 – This is a good product, however it’s more of an added extra rather than an essential beauty buy.

Benefit Magic Ink Liquid Eyeliner Review

As liquid eyeliners go Benefit’s Magic Ink is pretty good. The narrow wand and fine brush make achieving a fine line easy, although precision does take practice if you’re used to sturdier wand tips. The formula does stay on all day give or take a bit of fading and doesn’t dry your eyes out.

However, there is a niggling issue with this beauty product and that is its promise of providing a ‘jet-black’ colour on the packaging. The formula is simply too watery to get a thick, rich black shade with just one coat. Instead you have to apply, wait to dry and reapply the eyeliner to reach a darker shade.

Overall it’s not a terrible product, in fact it’s nowhere near terrible, but there are better liquid eyeliners available that will provide an instant black line within the same price margins.

Benefit’s Magic Ink Liquid Eyeliner is £14.50 and available from Benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Rating: 5/10 – It’s not bad but it’s not great, it’s somewhere in the middle.

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Cream Review

Moroccan Rose Otto is REN’s hero range consisting of a body oil, body cream, body wash, bath oil and body polish. The main ingredient, Moroccan Rose Otto is famed as being one of the most feminine scents around, so it’s no wonder it sells.

Naturally REN’s Moroccan Rose Otto body cream contains the signature ingredient, rose otto oil, which is a natural moisturiser and helps give dry skin a much needed boost of moisture. However, this not the only ingredient in the body cream offering nourishment, rosehip seed oil also helps to nourish and repair skin.

The cream itself is whiter than white in colour and has an incredibly luxurious texture. The pump makes it easy to apply, however you do need a fair amount of cream to cover your body, especially if your skin is dry.

Skin does feel softer and smoother and there is no greasy or oily film left once the product has soaked in.

Not forgetting the famous rose otto smell, which REN have balanced perfectly, so you enjoy the fragrance but at no point does it become overpowering.  

REN’s Moroccan Rose Otto Body Cream is £26 and is available at Renskincare.com.

Rating: 6/10 – This body cream does leave skin feeling noticeably softer and moisturised, however I’m not sure the effects justify the hefty price tag.

Decleor Hydra Radiance Smoothing and Cleansing Mousse Review

Decleor's Hydra-Radiance Smoothing and Cleansing Mousse was recommended to me a while back by a friend who promised I'd see results, so naturally expectations were high.

The product contains all the right ingredients you'd expect in a good cleanser - papaya extract for vitamin A and C, neroli oil to help heal skin and anti-ageing favourite, hyaluronic acid - so far so good.

First things first, this product goes a long way. Just one pump of Decleor’s cleanser will cover your face and neck easily. The formula lathers up into a foam as soon as it touches water, making this the perfect cleanser to use during the shower.

Although this is a foam cleanser, the formula has a distinctive creamy texture, which makes it feel luxurious to use. However, despite targeting all skin types this product does give skin a deep cleanse and strips away all of your natural moisture, so those with sensitive skin might find this cleanser too harsh.

Once rinsed skin feels squeaky clean and won’t leave it looking blotchy, however make sure you have a nourishing moisturiser to hand.

Decleor’s Hydra-Radiance Smoothing and Cleansing Mousse is £25 from Decleor.co.uk

Rating: 6/10 – While it does provide a deep cleanse, this is not a product for everyday use unless you have oily skin. 

If you're looking for a good gel cleanser, check out the Clarins Daily Energising Cleansing Gel. 

Orly Nail Polish Fowl Play Review

As nail polishes go Orly is one of my favourite brands for the simple fact that it doesn’t chip within hours.

Part of the Birds of a Feather collection, Fowl Play is a great shade for AW11. While it might look dark in the bottle, on your nails the colour is much lighter. The plum tone is flecked with glitter, which gives the shade a festive feel, making it perfect for the up and coming party season.

Orly Nail Polishes are available from Boots.com from £5 each.

Rating: 10/10 –  A gorgeous shade with a glossy finish. Two coats last for at least four days, what more could you ask for?

Percy And Reed No Oil Oil Review

Hair oil has really taken off in the last two years or so, however most are too strong or too heavy for fine hair. Enter Percy & Reed.

The brains behind one of London’s top hair salon’s, Percy & Reed have just launched their haircare range.

The No Oil Oil for Fine Hair has a watery consistency, which is much lighter and doesn’t weigh hair down, making this hair product perfect for styling.

With naturally conditioning and moisturising violet extract, this hair oil helps to nourish tresses, while pro-vitamin B5 strengthens hair. Unlike some hair oils, this one won’t leave a greasy film. Instead hair feels and looks instantly smoother and glossier.

There is only one downfall of this product and that is its heavy scent, which can be overpowering.

Percy & Reed’s No Oil Oil is £14 and is available from SpaceNK.co.uk. It’s also worth noting that this oil is available for thick hair too for the same price.

Rating: 8/10 – It’s a great product for fine hair, but the perfumed fragrance was too much for me.

Origins Grapefruit Body Buffing Cleanser Review

Exfoliating throughout winter is just as essential as it is during the warmer months, but often gets overlooked.

The beauty of Origins Grapefruit Body Buffing Cleanser is that it’s gentle enough to use as a daily body wash. The buffing grains are much finer, so it’s not as abrasive as some exfoliators and won’t strip your skin completely.

Zesty grapefruit is the key ingredient, which not only gives this product its fresh scent, but also works as a natural exfoliator and helps to loosen dead skin cells.

While this cleanser won’t fix dry, cracked heels, it will help remove dead skin from knees, elbows and under your arms gently and is definitely worth its high price point.

Origins Grapefruit Body Buffing Cleanser is £18 from Origins.co.uk 

Rating: 9/10 – At face value this is an expensive body wash, but it does double up as a cleanser and exfoliator for your body.

DHC Perfect Pro Double Protection Mascara Review

It’s the strap line that makes this mascara so intriguing, “Beauty From Japan”. At once, thoughts of a hi-tech beauty product that will transform lashes into super natural, volumised feelers spring to mind.

In actual fact if you keep reading the mascara promises merely to offer natural looking, defined lashes using cutting-edge technology.

Unfortunately there is nothing revolutionary about this product. Both the wand and the brush feel flimsy, the formula is too watery and although the packaging promises you only need to splash your lashes with warm water to remove the formula, you do need make-up remover.

While DHC’s mascara does coat the lashes with a black colour and separates them, it doesn’t do anything else.

DHC Perfect Pro Double Protection Mascara is £13 and is available from Dhcuk.co.uk

Rating: 2/10 – It does do what it says on the packaging, but the overall quality of this product is lacking somewhat.

New CID Cosmetics i Gel Review

It’s easy to see why New CID Cosmetics Long Wear Gel Eye Liner Trio was a finalist in the Beauty Insiders’ Choice Awards for 2010. Each compact comes with three shades, a brush and a handy mirror.

With a soft texture, the gel liner lends itself well to smudging with your finger, so you can use the liner to frame your eyes and as a full eye shadow. Having tried and tested the Midnight Blue I can testify that the liner last all day, however the colour does fade throughout the day, becoming bluer.

The brush that comes with the i Gel’s cannot be ignored. The sturdy slant allows you to draw a fine, straight line or coat your lids with colour. It’s one of the best brushes I’ve ever used.

New CID Cosmetics i Gel is available from Newidcosmetics.com for £21.50

Rating: 7/10 – The staying power of this gel liner was impressive, but the colour fade was disappointing, however it’s worth buying this product just for the brush. 

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Review

Famous for her tinted moisturiser, Laura Mercier’s other cosmetics are often over looked. However I have a feeling the Caviar Sticks will become a hero product before long.

Launched late this summer, the Caviar Sticks, like the rest of Laura Mercier’s make-up, are high in colour pigment. This means not only do you get a rich colour, but you can also achieve it using very little, making the product last longer.

The real beauty of this product is its simplicity; you can simply roll it across your lid and viola. Whether you want a full lid of colour or just a hint of a tint, this product is a real make-up bag must-have. The colour is flecked with glitter, providing a gorgeous sparkle and the colour actually lasts.

The waxy formula makes it easy to blend with your finger for a sultry smoky eye.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick’s are available from Urbanretreat.co.uk for £20.50

Rating: 10/10 – Having been a Laura Mercier make-up virgin before, after using the Caviar Sticks I am sold completely. This product works as a great liner or a handy cheats guide to achieving a quick and easy smoky effect.

New CID Cosmetics i Gloss Lip Gloss Review

Essex-style white packaging with a built in mirror and bright light to help make applying your gloss on the go is all part of the lure of New CID Cosmetics. The range is designed by make-up artists for make-up artists, which promises expert products for affordable prices.

Gimmicky packaging aside, the product itself is actually pretty good. The ‘Honey Pot’ shade offers a touch of colour with a high shine and shimmer. Impressively the gloss lasts for at least five hours, even surviving the glass of water test, and after two days of constant wear lips feel moisturised. However with this you do have to settle with a sticky consistency.

New CID Cosmetics i-gloss is available in 11 shades from Newidcosmetics.com for £16.

Rating: 8/10 – The product lasts, but it’s sticky consistency makes it tricky wearing your hair down on a windy day.

Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow Review

Burberry’s Sheer Eye Shadows offer some of the best shades around, my favourite for AW11 is ‘Almond’.

Not only is the colour perfect for every day wear and tapping into the coffee tone beauty trend, but it also works as a great base for achieving this season’s subtle take on the smoky eye.

Every Burberry eyeshadow comes complete with a good eyeshadow brush, which makes applying much easier. The texture is creamy at first touch, however it does turn more powdery as you apply, so watch out for overspill under your eye.

You’ll need to apply several layers to achieve the rich shade shown on the palette and unfortunately this product isn’t a stayer, so you will need to reapply.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that although the name mentions ‘sheer’, the finish is more matte.

Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow in ‘Almond’ is available from Harrods.com for £23.

Rating: 6/10 – Mixed reviews on this product, although it doesn’t live up to the hype, the amount of shade available alone is worth perusing the Burberry shopping aisle for.

Caudalie Tinted Moisturiser Review

Although Caudalie’s tinted moisturiser is technically for ‘dark’ skin, don’t be deterred straight away. This is a great product for almost any shade of skin. A small amount goes a long way and leaves skin with a healthy, sun kissed glow. 

The formula is paraben-free and packed full of nourishing ingredients like grape seed, shea butter and olive squalane. The coppery pearlizers give skin the natural illumination, while ylang ylang and rose oil help to soothe and relax skin. 

Feather light yet creamy, this tinted moisturiser feels like a second skin and is a lighter alternative to foundation. Being fragrance-free it won’t clash with the smell of your moisturiser, making this the perfect product to give you a touch of sun throughout winter.

Caudalie Tinted Moisturiser for dark skin is available from Escentual.com for £16.70. It is worth mentioning that this product is also available in lighter shade too. 

Rating: 7/10 – This is a great product, especially if you don’t want to wear a heavy foundation, however finding the right amount to use for your skin tone is trial and error.  

Clarins Daily Energising Cleansing Gel Review

Clarins Daily Energiser range was introduced earlier this year as a skincare collection for young skin to encourage women to start a beauty regime early.

The Daily Energiser Cleansing Gel is the biggest triumph of the successful rang. With Saponaria extract, the gel formula foams up as soon as warm water hits your skin, removing dirt and toxins with the help of Moringa extract.

Use your fingers to massage the gel into your skin for a deep cleanse. Once rinsed with warm water skin feels fresher and cleaner, but not dry or stripped of natural oils.

Clarins cleanser is also perfumed with a delicious scent, which helps wake you up and refresh skin, making it perfect for first thing in the morning.

Clarins Daily Energiser Cleansing Gel is available from Johnlewis.com for £10.50

Rating: 9/10 – Great value for money and the smell is seriously refreshing.

Lancome Hypnoses Doll Eyes Mascara Review

Having won the title of best mascara in Elle magazine’s beauty awards for 2011, the bar was set high for Lancôme’s Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara and unsurprisingly this product hits the spot, and some.

The unique ‘Fibre Shine’ formula gives lashes a large dose of drama with a seriously volumised and lengthened curve, making this the perfect mascara for an evening out. As the formula is enriched with nylon powders, lashes are given a subtle sheen and you won’t have to worry about reapplying throughout the night either.

However the formula is only half of the story with this product. Lancôme developed a new wand shape for the Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara. The cone-shape nylon brush makes it quick and easy to coat every lash, including the shorter, finer ones. It also separates and enhances the curve to create a wide, doe-eyed look, perfect for channelling AW11’s 60s beauty trend. 

Lancôme Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara is available from Lancome.co.uk for £20.50. 

Rating: 9/10 – If you’re looking for a mascara to transform your eyes this is, with out a doubt, the one for you. The only downfall is it’s only available in one shade. 

For similar reviews see Smashbox's Hyperlash Mascara and YSL's Luxurious Mascara Shocking Volume.

L’Occitane Desert Rose Hand Cream Review

L’Occitane’s Desert Rose Hand Cream is part of the new Shea Butter collection, which launches today. Inspired by the colours and scents of Africa, the Shea Butter collection’s limited edition bold and bright patterned packaging is enough to entice you to buy at first glance. 

The hand cream itself follows L’Occitane’s famous formula with shea butter making up a quarter and providing protection and nourishment for hands within minutes. The thick cream blends into skin surprisingly quickly and a little goes a long way, so you only need about a pea-size amount over both hands. 

Desert Rose is found in Morocco and provides the hand cream with a strong floral scent that soaks into skin and perfumes your hands for hours. 

L’Occitane’s Desert Rose Hand Cream is available online at Loccitane.co.uk and is £7.50/30ml. It is worth noting that L’Occitane purchases the shea butter off women who make it in Burkina Faso for a fair price to support their work and families. 

Rating: 9/10 – It’s a feel good beauty buy with a good cause behind it, although the scent can be a little overpowering.

Philosophy Keep The Peace Moisturiser Review

Thick, creamy and ultra moisturising, Philosophy’s Keep the Peace cream does exactly what it says on the pot. Whether you have sensitive skin or just want to protect skin from the chilly weather, this moisturiser is exactly what you need.

With lavender oil to sooth and date seed oil to nourish, you’ll feel and see the benefits after just one use, especially if you suffer with red, blotchy skin.  

The formula is fragrance-free and has a light, gel-like consistency that blends in quickly leaving skin feeling soft and smooth without any sticky or slimy residue. If your find the cream too heavy to wear every day, but feel your skin needs an added boost of moisture try using it as a night cream. 

Philosophy’s Keep The Peace Moisturiser is £36 and is available from Johnlewis.com 

Rating: 8/10 – the product does what it promises and is ideal for sensitive skin.

Omorovicza Gold Flash Firming Serum Review

Omorovicza is a Hungarian beauty brand specialising in the use of natural minerals to help stimulate collagen and heal micro damage. Using Mineral Cosmetology, a patent-protected mineral delivery system, Omorovicza products allow minerals to reach deeper levels of the skin, leaving it feeling softer and most importantly, younger.

The Gold Flash Firming Serum contains an abundance of goodness, but the three key ingredients are as follows. Gold extract, which helps to strengthen skin and smooth out uneven skin tones. Zinc, because it brightens your complexion and encourages the production of melanin to leave you with a healthy, youthful glow. Lastly, the all important vitamin C, which helps to increase and maintain skin’s elasticity, leaving it tighter and firmer.

Together these ingredients make an unbeatable anti-wrinkle product. The serum itself is quite heavy, so it isn’t suitable for very young skin. However if you’re concerned about ageing and can afford the hefty price tag, it is definitely worth investing in.

Once massaged into skin, you can physically feel the product tightening skin and lines are visibly reduced, even deep ones around the mouth caused by smoking. After just one use skin feels hydrated and seriously nourished.

Gold Flash Firming Serum by Omorovicza is £135 and is available from Liberty.co.uk.

Rating: 10/10 – It is a premium anti-ageing skincare brand, but it is worth every penny.