Smashbox Photo Finish Blemish Control Primer

Hey there!

It has been a little while since I've written a beauty post so it's been lovely and self indulgent to get back to my make up stash.

Today's review is of the Smashbox Photo Finish Blemish Control Primer.

I bought this months ago, me and M both went to a Smashbox event which was really good fun - we made a few purchases and I've been slowly using them over the last couple of months.

The Blemish Control primer was surprisingly lovely - I've tried a sample size of the original primer previously and it felt like it had a lot of silicone in it which my skin doesn't really like.

However this primer was totally different, it was a white thin product almost like a lotion in texture. It applied really easily and created an even base to put make up on which is perfect.

The primer soaked up the oil on my face and kept my oily t-zone at bay during the day. I can't comment on whether the primer helps to control blemishes - I luckily don't get many spots nowadays (apart from the ones that only medication would help!) but my skin definitely felt pretty good whilst i was using this primer.

I'd say that it barely felt like i had anything on my skin but my make up stayed for a working day whenever i wore it which was great, I think i just needed to re-powder once or twice but that's to be expected.

I think that i would probably repurchase this in future, the primer comes to £28 which is on the expensive side but there are often deals in Boots to get a free gift or extra points which make it worthwhile. I would definitely recommend it if you are struggling to keep your make up on during the day over troublesome skin.

Have you tried the primers from Smashbox? Which one was your fave?

I really want to try the illuminating and hydrating ones!

L xxx

Beauty Rehab

Hello there!

Before moving house I worked my butt off to work my way through any last products that I could get through before packing up. I think I did pretty well but my stash still seemed to overwhelm every other type of stuff I had! Ah well - it was always going to be a large part of my life wasn't it?!

Dove Summer Glow Lotion - This is always my favourite tanning moisturiser, doesn't smell half as bad as some of the others I've tried and is a good colour
Garnier Micellar Water - This was great, I would definitely repurchase as it was a good price too. Took off my mascara easily and didn't leave an oily residue
Label M Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner - this worked great for thickening hair but it did feel dry afterwards, great for a Saturday night but not regular use

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish - Still like this, it melts onto skin and removes make up. It's quite expensive though so will be holding off for a bit
Nip and Fab Glycolic Serum - I really liked this but it took me four different bottles to get one that worked....and a small bottle at that. Maybe I'd repurchase on a deal
Nip and Fab Dragon's Blood Serum - Loved this, this was my second bottle and I'd repurchase again, sinks in great and is a full 50ml
Origins Checks and Balances - Always my fave face wash, need to use my one sparingly until I can buy another!
Nip and Fab Glycolic Face Pads - Expensive for what it is but I do think these helped clear my skin. Possibly I would repurchase on a 3 for 2 deal 

Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo  and 3 Minute Miracle - always my favourite hair products as they are so cheap but work so well with my hair
Nip and Fab Energy Boost Body Wash - wouldn't repurchase, average shower gel for an inflated price
Garnier Ambre Solaire Tanning Mist - Another favourite, the best tanning mist for face and hands for me, so easy to use

Herbal Essences Dry Shampoo - awful dry shampoo, acted more like hair spray, amazing scent though so I was disappointed with this

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - love this, need to repurchase asap!
Lush Yummy Mummy Shower Gel - great smell, lovely product, would repurchase
Good Things Deep Pore Anti Blemish Lotion - Great product for bad skin days and useful as a double cleanse, I'd repurchase when I break out next
Smashbox Photo Finish Blemish Control Primer - can't comment on the blemish factor of this but the primer was great, and NEVER gave me the rolling bits that others do, big fan of the texture of this

Stay Matte Pressed Powder - Best powder for the best price, have 2 as back up!
Algenist Eye Renewal Balm - this was pretty good even for my sensitive eyes, loved the balm texture
Origins Ginzing Moisturiser - loved this, never been disappointed with a Origins product, need to repurchase!
Mac Mascara - this was average, I'd prefer Rimmel for a much cheaper price

Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara - possibly the most disappointing mascara from Rimmel but it's possible that it was due to it drying out and going clumpy
Eve Lom Eye Cream - very thick and luxurious, not in my price range unfortunately!
Kiehls Rosa Arctica Lightweight Cream - this was lovely and indeed lightweight, I'd consider buying
Lush Full of Grace Serum - love this and my skin feels so much more hydrated

No7 Eye Make Up Remover - Great when getting the No7 vouchers, very useful product
Una Brennan Superfacialist Oil - really liked this to remove the first layer of make up in a double cleanse, it all seemed to melt off
Garnier Ambre solaire Tanning Mist - see picture above
Dr Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Eye Serum - really like this product and it sinks in lovely, Dr Organic are a great brand
Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate - a great oil, I'd love to try this out full size as the tester only allowed 3 nights worth. I think it would be worth the money

Nip and Fab Dragon's Blood Cleansing Pads - not sure about these, I did like the extra hydration but not sure if they were worth the money
Good Things Manuka Honey Cleanser - another great product from Good Things, they are definitely my go to high street brand and I will be back for more
Batiste Brunette Dry Shampoo - super impressed with this product, SAVES MY LIFE during the week. Batiste is the best!
Toni and Guy Glamour Hairspray - perfect handbag sized spray and works great to hold hair in place



What do you think of my empties this time? I worked so hard! The last few images are taken on my desk on moving day so apologies for the poor quality, everything was so last minute

Have you been using up products recently? What have been your favourites?


L xxx

Beauty Rehab

Morning!

It still feels like a somewhat endless task using up products doesn't it?

Especially if you are one the individuals like myself who seems to have bought nothing in months and still have a ridiculous collection....oops. 

Here's the latest installment of Beauty Rehab - I wonder if I ever will get to the bottom of my stash?

Aussie 3 Min Miracle - If you haven't noticed by now that I'm a complete addict for this stuff then you've been reading the wrong blog. Totally obsessed, my hair loves it. If I don't have 3 in my stash I panic.
Herbal Essences Dry Shampoo in Tapioca - I liked the scents in this range but the product itself feels more like hairspray than dry shampoo which is such a shame
Batiste - still the best, it's unbeatable in my opinion
Wilko Nail Polish Remover - cheap and cheerful, why pay more??



Lancome Foaming Purifying Cleanser - not sure I'd repurchase this but it was great value for money as you needed so little to wash with
Nip and Fab Glycolic Cleanser - really like this, would repurchase but need to be careful with my dehydrated skin. Great value when on offer and smells good!
Dr Organic Coconut Hand Cream - REALLY great hand cream, will repurchase when my next has run out. Sinks in fast, no greasy residue, great price
Good Things Manuka Honey Moisturiser - this was also a good purchase and I'd rebuy this one too, another with a good price and often in 3 for 2 deals in Boots. Manuka Honey is a fab moisturiser!
Aussie 3 Min Miracle - 2 in the same post, clearly I'm addicted!



Dove Beauty Finish Deodorant - not sure what the beauty finish was about but the smell was vile, no repurchasing here
EOS Organic Lip Balm - love love love, whyyyyyyyy are they so expensive in the UK!!
A bit gutted that the nail varnish in the picture have all dried out, Nails Inc Black Taxi and China Glaze Snow Flake were favourites of mine.



St Tropez Body Moisturiser - love this but wouldn't pay full price for it. The moisturiser sinks in really fast and doesn't leave a film on your skin, the best kind of product
Rimmel Wake Me Up - love the glow and always go back to this but the colour just isn't right on my unless it's summer so the colour range is a bit frustrating.
Radical Eye Cream - This was from the Space NK bundle that we both got last October, it wasn't bad I just felt that others were better
Sarah Chapman Skinesis Dynamic Defence - I liked this but the cost puts me off, it was lovely but I feel like others work better for my skin



Balance Me Radiance Face Oil - Quite liked this, would consider buying the full size
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer - wouldn't buy these full size, they feel like they have too much silicone in for me but there are other versions of the primer that are better for me
REN Cleansing Milk - Didn't like this, my skin came out in spots unfortunately!
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturiser - also not a fan of this. Some things just don't work!
Murad Oil Control Mattifier - loved this, perfect for summer and would 100% recommend for those with oily skin

Benefit Coralista - love love love this blush, already panic bought another at Christmas.....JUST in case!
Benefit They're Real Mascara - another love, I can't wait to get another one of these when I've used my stash up
Benefit Roller Lash Mascara - all of their mascaras are great, I'd happily purchase both or either of these!
Benefit That Gal Primer - I'd prefer Porefessional to this but as a travel size product it's been a good tester
Real Techniques Buffing Brush - sadly this one has started to literally fall apart. It's sad as you can't buy this one individually which is quite annoying really!

See anything in my empties that you've been using up recently?

Just have to keep ploughing through the excessive products and ONE DAY maybe I will get to the bottom!

L xxx

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette

Hey all,

It's been a busy few weeks for me and I am currently on a hen weekend - at this point it is likely I am in a haze of bronzer and hairspray to make sure I'm looking as glamorous as everyone else there!

I've had this palette for a few weeks now and I've been dabbling around with it for work and weekends, I am of course talking about the Smashbox Full Exposure palette:

This palette contains 14 neutral shades, 7 shimmer and 7 matte, from nudes to blacks. It also includes a double ended eyeshadow brush and a mini mascara, and a booklet to tell you how to apply eyeshadow for different eye shapes.

The packaging is alright, I always have a bit of a dislike for cardboard/paper packaging like this. The Naked palette is the same but at least UD learned their lesson and brought out metal casings for the rest. I think most other brands would do well to do the same as however pretty the packaging is it's rubbish if it only lasts a few weeks after purchase! Mine of this has already got a good few dents and the corners are rounding off.

It also disappoints me that the shades aren't named, some people may think it's a petty thing to pick up on but why on earth are Urban Decay so good at what they do? Naming these eyeshadows S or M for shimmer or matte and then assigning them a number seems like a really half assed attempt, why bother at all naming them something so uninspiring!

That said, the colours themselves do make up for it:

I love the layout of the palette, it's lovely and symmetrical for an OCD person like myself. I LOVE that there are seven shades and a matte and shimmer version of both of them, it makes creating eyeshadow looks extremely easy.

There are both warm and cool toned neutrals to balance out the shade range giving you way more options than other palettes.

You can see the warmer toned eyeshadows above, the shimmers are unbelievably shimmery and I mostly can't stop looking at them. The golds will be perfect for the summer nights with a golden tan to match, I can imagine getting a lot of wear from these for some subtle shimmer for nights out.

The cool toned eyeshadows are something that I've been wearing a lot more, both matte and shimmer. The cool mattes are the ones that I've been leaning towards for work and the cool shimmers are great for Saturday nights out. The darkest shimmer that matches the matte black is the sparkliest shadow I think I own, it's beautiful!

As for the brush I can't make up my mind about it. I do like it, it does blend well and the double ends allow you to apply different finishes from either end of the cool/warm spectrum and not worry too much about the colours mixing together. However I do feel sometimes that the eyeshadow doesn't pick up very well from the pan and it just falls off the brush, which normally means that it ends up all over my cheeks instead of my eyelids - not a good look!

I'm afraid my photos of swatches seem to have gone walkabout - courtesy of my laptop getting the blue screen of death and I am currently unable to get hold of anything that's on there eek!

So instead I will direct you to this link, where Fleur de Force of course has some fabulous swatches to show the shades, finishes and colour pay off very easily.

I do have some photos of the look that I normally create from this palette - this is using the cool toned matte shadows:

I then also just apply some of the shimmer shades on top so that I can go straight from day to night with minimal effort. Just add some lighter shimmer to the inner corner of your eye, a medium shimmer to the centre and the darker shimmer to the outer corners and you're good to go!


The Smashbox Full Exposure palette is a worthy contender to the Urban Decay Naked family. It costs similar at £37, comes with a double ended brush, mirror and a freebie (mini mascara compared to UD's mini Primer Potion).
I love the balance of the cool and warm tones, and the shimmer and matte finishes. For me, the cool toned mattes are the best of the bunch and I've been wearing them a lot. All of the shimmers are beautiful, so the only shades that may not get used as much are the warmer toned mattes - I just never seem to reach for them.

I'd say this palette is a great starter kit for those that don't have any other palettes as it gives you the best variety of tones and finishes in one place with mirror and brush for ease.
I do feel that they could have done a bit more with their packaging and shade names though.....

What do you think of the Smashbox Full Exposure palette? Do you have it in your collection?

Will you be snapping it up for summer holidays? What's your thoughts on naming the eyeshadows or leaving them numbered?

L xxx

Smashbox Brow Tech in Dark Brown

Hello there!

If you're a regular reader you will know that a few weeks ago we went to a Smashbox, Bumble and bumble, and Ojon event, at which I obviously spent a little cash...
A substantial dent was made in my bank account and I've been using them ever since.

This is the first of three products, the Brow Tech, in Dark Brown.

The Brow Tech contains three products, two powders in a lighter and darker shade followed by a wax.
They recommend the Angle Brow brush to apply them but I use the detailer brush from Real Techniques and find it gets in the gaps of my brows very well.

The powders in this shade are perfect for me. My brows are almost black in colour naturally, but who on earth wants to fill in their brows with black powder?? I'm also super pale so if I did fill them in with black I'd look quite ridiculous.

Although I say all this, I've struggled to find browns sometimes that are the right shade. I need it to be dark brown and not a grey shade or a redder shade, sometimes they make my brows look gingery and that's even worse!

This powder however is absolutely perfect. I use the lighter shade to fill in my brows, especially the gaps that i have. I know most people have some gaps but I have some that matches my mums! It's definitely a hereditary thing!

That being said, I then use the darker powder to help define the beginning of the brows and underneath to create a clean line:

It can be difficult in the morning before work to create a brow that's defined and filled in properly. I use Rimmel's Brow This Way to brush my brows through and then I use the powders and wax as quickly as I possible can and hope not to make a mess!








I mostly manage to keep them even though sometimes it does smudge. The colour is pretty perfect for me and the brow wax works really well at keeping brows in place all day, even through a stressful day at work.

The Brow Tech trio costs £17.50. I'd say it was a really good price for three separate products in one pot and that means it's great for me for travelling as I only need to take this tiny thing!

Have you tried the Brow Tech from Smashbox? What did you think?
What is your favourite Smashbox product?

I bought two other products at the same time as this so will be reviewing them soon!

L xxx

Smashbox, Ojon and Bumble and Bumble Event

Hey All

Last weekend L and I headed off to our local boots for a Smashbox, Ojon and Bumble and Bumble event. We were both really excited as it's been a while since we've been to a beauty event with each other as circumstances lately mean we have both been mega busy.

We've both tried the Iconic primer from smashbox and drooled over the Full Exposure palette so were excited to go and see more of the products in action.





It started off by showing us the Bumble and Bumble Blow Dry Cream. Neither of us really use many hair products like this so were intrigued to see it. It's fair to say we were all very impressed with the results. A small amount of the cream was rubbed into dry hair (the model in the photos below has curly almost crimped like hair until it was blow dried as you see below!) then the hair was blow dried straight using just hands.



It was so quick and eliminated frizz so well. It seems perfect and we can't wait to try it. They also do three different types we are both eyeing up the repair one.

We've both used the Ojon oil before so it was great to hear more information on it. L can't wait to try the Rare Blend Rejuvenating oil as this is a lighter texture than the original so won't make hair greasy and M can't wait to try the Rare Blend Moisture Therapy to help with dryer ends. We resisted these on the day but will be back to pick them up soon.





Next we were shown Smashbox. It was great to get hands on with the products and try so many. We ended up with such soft hands after trying on the primers. The luminizing primer gave a great glow and will be amazing for summer nights, while we both love the hydrating and light versions which left the skin feeling so soft.

They have such a huge range of primers it can be really overwhelming to see them on the shelf but going through them individually was really helpful to see which does what, especially learning about their Primer Water which sounds like a must have!

The star of the show had to be the Double Exposure palette it has the most amazing colours and the potential to be a great all rounder. It has the nudes you'd want for everyday with some great blues and purples for smokey eyes. A great thing about the double exposure palette is that the shadows can be used wet.

Most of the time I'm dubious about this as when you wet shadows they tend to get that film layer on top you then need to scrape off. With these you can get loads of water on the brush and in the eyeshadow, apply it and then the shadows dry up and are back to  normal. Below shows how amazing the blue looks wet.





The 15 hour wear hydrating foundation is another thing we can't wait to try. We find no matter how much we love a foundation we always think there is better. With Smashbox all the products are tried in a studio on a set for lasting ability. It's a medium buildable coverage that feels great on the skin. This one could be a winner.

The eyebrow kit looked so good, it has a wax and two powders to create the brow that you want, from an ombre brow to changing your look dependent on day or night. This was one thing that L couldn't leave behind!

M is currently on a make up spending ban so had to resist purchases this day. Roll on 20th May!

Luckily we had a few goodies given to us so that we can try out some of the Bumble and Bumble products and Smashbox.

What are your favourite products from Ojon, Bumble and Bumble and Smashbox?

There's definitely a growing wishlist for us!

Love L and M

xxx