Update

Update..♥

Hey beauts!

Yes I'm still alive lol. Apologies for the lack of posts this month as I have been really busy. Most of you will know that I am a uni student so I've got exams starting in May. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be taking a break from posting until exams end in June. 

Amitee will be launching a blogazine with a new URL link on May 1st! I've written a few articles for them so be sure to check out the site next month to have a read. Once they've launched, I'll update this post with the URL link.

If you have any requests for me, please leave them in the comment box below and I'll try my best to get them done for you when I start blogging again.

If you have any questions, you can email me at wondersofbeauty@live.co.uk and I'll respond as soon as I can.

Thank you for all your support and hello to my new followers! :)


Update 16/05/12 - The Amitee blogazine has been launched. I've written a few articles including: 
"Undertones - Are you cool, warm or neutral?"
 "Do You Really Know Your Skin Type"
 "Fix Those Splits!"
 "Let's get rid of dark circles, wrinkles and bags" 
"Beauty benefits of lemon". 
Check them out at www.amiteeblogazine.com

♥

Amitee: Pamper Secrets Beauty Box - March

Amitee: Pamper Secrets Beauty Box - March..♥

Hey beauts!
Yes I know I'm late posting this but I wanted to show you what I received in my March Pamper Secrets beauty box. If you're clueless to what this is about, read my post or visit the Amitee website for more information!


The 5 products came in a cute white and purple beautifully packaged box. Once the purple ribbon has been unraveled, there are a few cards before the actual products are revealed. There is a card with a list of all the possible products you could have received and basically just letting you know what the theme of the month is, one with contact information and your invitation cards to give out to friends/family for them to join. 

As this months theme is 'Back to Basics', products in the box were based around this. You do fill out a questionnaire so that you are given a box which is suited to your needs. Most of my hair is natural as I'm growing out my relaxed hair so I selected "transitioning" for my hair type and was given products to suit this. 

Here are the products that were in my box:


KeraCare Natural Textures Leave In Conditioner
Amla and Shikakai moisturize dry frizzy hair while wet and prepare the hair for styling into concise coils and curls.


KeraCare Natural Textures Twist & Define Cream 
For silky shiny twists and twist-outs. Allows you to maximise your twist ability with ease.

To be honest, I'm not sure when I'll be using either of these products, especially the "Twist & Define Cream" because I never actually leave my natural hair out as I've always got extensions in. I guess I could still try out the leave in conditioner maybe?

Betty Hula Rum & Blackcurrant Shea Butter Moisturising Cream 

A firm favourite from Betty Hula, this stylish scent is inspired by the pacific islands and leaves your skin feeling sweet and smooth.

This smells nice in my opinion. As it's a small sample, I'll probably keep it in my bag and use it as a hand cream when I'm on the go. I quite like shea butter so I think this product should be a good moisturising cream.

Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel
 Ultra purifying and perfect for challenged, dull or stressed skin. Skin is left smooth and purified.

This product looks so interesting as it contains Argan Oil, Rice Silk, Rosemary leaf and Moringa peptides! I can't wait to see its results.

Elemis Quiet Mind Relaxing Bath Elixir 

Soothing blend helps to relax you instantly, inhale the aroma of peace & tranquility

I've never really tried anything like this so I guess using this would be a good way of letting me try products I wouldn't usually go for. 

Evelyn Moroccan Magic 

A highly indulgent conditioner that enriches the driest of hair

For some reason, I can't wait to try out this conditioner. With my real hair being in it's natural state I need a conditioner that softens and moisturizes. Hopefully this will do just that! It also smells so familiar but I can't quite put my finger on it. Hmmmm...

What do you think of the March Pamper Secrets Beauty Box? Did anyone subscribe?

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What's New: Nars, Real Techniques, MAC, Organix, etc.

What's New: Nars, Real Techniques, MAC, Body Shop, Organix and L'Oreal Products..♥

I felt like I hadn't made any purchases in a while so last week I decided to go into town and I guess treat myself to a few things. Uni is very stressful at the moment and like most of us, shopping never fails to make me happy. As always, I thought I'd show you the beauty products that I came back with.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Range 

For some reason, my skin has been acting up a little recently and I had previously gone into The Body Shop with my friend the week before last as she had heard good things about their Tea Tree range; the 'Blemish Fade Night Lotion' in particular. Initially I was going to wait until she had tried it out for a while and then get her feedback on it but I was feeling impatient and decided to head back and purchase them for myself. At the time they were doing a deal along the lines of "Buy 3 skincare items and get £5 off". I can't remember the exact offer to be honest but I ended up going for 'Blackhead Exfoliating Wash', 'Skin Clearing Toner' and of course the 'Blemish Fade Night Lotion'.

Blackhead Exfoliating Wash - £5.50

Skin Clearing Toner - £7.00

Blemish Fade Night Lotion - £8.00 

Organix

At the moment, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration is just not doing it for me so I wanted to try out something else. I love argan oil so I picked up the Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner and also their Coconut Milk Conditioner as Boots were doing a 3 for 2 offer. After purchasing these, I came home to read a lot of negative reviews on these so I have been reluctant to try them out =/ . If you use these, please let me know what you think!

Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo - £1.99

Moroccan Argan Oil Conditioner - £1.99

Coconut Milk Conditioner - £1.99

Nars Casino Bronzer

Okay so if you're like me and you were excited about the good weather we've been having recently, you would agree that it's time to get glowing! I actually ordered this from ASOS whilst they were doing their 25% off discount for students. I had never seen this bronzer in person so I bought this based on images floating on Google hoping that it would be dark enough to show up on my skin tone. Unfortunately not! It doesn't show up how I would like it to but you can see some of the subtle shimmer. I wouldn't advise anyone of my skin tone or darker to go for this shade (which I think is the darkest NARS goes).

Casino Bronzer - £24.00

MAC Sweet As Cocoa Blush

I've wanted this blush for a long time but avoided buying because I thought it was very similar to MAC Format Blush which I own. I still think it is actually but I would say 'Sweet as Cocoa' has more red tones. This blush really complements women of colour and is a great everyday blush or for those who are just starting to wear blush. 

Sweet as Cocoa Blush - £17.50

L'Oreal Super Liner - Black Lacquer

So I've used L'Oreal Super Liner Carbon Gloss, Super Liner Perfect Slim and now I have purchased the Super Liner Black Lacquer. Aimlessly walking around Superdrug as I usually do, I decided to buy the Super Liner in Black Lacquer. No reason in particular, just wanted to try something new! 

Super Liner Black Lacquer - £6.49

Real Techniques

Core Collection

Blush Brush

Stippling Brush

Last but not least, I wanted to show you the Real Techniques brushes that I purchased after so many weeks of deliberation. With them on a 3 for 2 offer, how could I resist?!

I've heard and read nothing but great reviews on these brushes by makeup artist Samantha Chapman from Pixiwoo on YouTube, so I just had to take advantage of the offer that Boots had on. I'm not sure if they've still got their 3 for 2 offer on but if they do, make sure you definitely think about getting these brushes. I paid 30-something pounds for 6 decent quality brushes! I chose to get the Core Collection, Blush Brush and Stippling Brush. They are all very soft, especially the blush brush! There are other brushes/sets to choose from though. If you haven't heard about the Real Techniques brushes make sure you Google or YouTube them!

Core Collection - £21.99

Blush Brush - £9.99

Stippling Brush - £11.99

Do you own any of these products? If so, let me know what you think of them

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Review: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24hr Foundation

Review: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H Foundation..♥

"24h long-wear for endless perfection 
Following 8 years of research, Lancôme unveils its first 24h** wear foundation for lasting perfection. Teint Idole Ultra 24H remains retouch-free, providing a flawless looking, even complexion with a velvety-smooth, shine-free finish. 

24h of divine comfort
In perfect affinity with the skin, Teint Idole Ultra 24h is irresistibly comfortable. Its new, blendable and fresh texture is divine and leaves the complexion feeling smooth, velvety and matte with no powdery effect."

A lot of you have probably been waiting for my review on the Lancôme Teint Ultra Idole 24H foundation. I know it's been a little while since I showed you the samples that I got from the Lancôme counter. Believe it or not but I am still using my sample! After much deliberation, I did decide to buy it but obviously it hasn't been used yet as I'm waiting for my sample to finish completely. Those who got a sample will know that the sample lasts a long time as you get quite a lot. It's good that Lancôme provides enough product in the sample bottle for you to make a concrete opinion on.  

As you know, when I went to get colour matched, I was given #11 Muscade but my flatmate also gave me #13 Sienne to try out. Just like I thought it would be, #13 Sienne was way too dark. At first, I couldn't help think #11 Muscade was a bit on the orange side and also dark but once I've completed my full face, it's not as noticeable. Because #11 was dark, I did try out #10 Beige Praline but it looked a bit pinky for my skintone. Apparently their odd shades tend to be warm tones and their even shades tend to be cool (I'm not sure how true this is). With me being neutral, obviously it makes it harder to find a shade that's spot on. 

• Oil and transfer free

• Sweat and friction resistant

• Without mask effect

• Suitable for all skin types, even sensitive

• Dermatologically tested

• Non-comedogenic

Coverage

Though the Lancôme website does not state this, the assistant at the Lancôme counter said that this is a full coverage foundation. Personally I would describe the coverage as medium-buildable as you can definitely layer it up to full coverage without looking mask-like. Even though I do feel that this has medium coverage, the foundation is so natural looking and skin-like! It covers imperfections without looking like you're wearing so many layers of foundation and is very comfortable to wear. 

Staying Power

From the name of this foundation, it is obviously meant to last 24hrs. I don't wear foundation for this long so I can't say if it lives up to the claims. The longest I've worn this foundation for to test it out is 18hrs. I don't usually have a problem with foundation sliding off or anything like that and all my foundations tend to last very long on my face. After 18hrs, the foundation was still there though I was shiny around my t-zone and obviously it didn't look freshly applied. 

With this foundation, I get the slightest shine (which really isn't worth noting) after 8hrs and shine becomes a bit more visible after 12hrs. 

Texture
This is a liquid foundation. It is neither too thick or runny. I would say it has a lighter consistency than MAC Matchmaster and definitely Estee Lauder Double Wear. The texture makes the foundation very blend-able and adds to the natural finish that it gives. 

Colour Range
The Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H is available in 18 shades in the UK. I think the shades in America differ to the ones in the UK so make sure you check that out!
The lightest shade in the UK is #005 Beige Ivoire and the darkest is #15 Acajou so there should be a shade to suit everyone. 
The 6 shades for women of colour have SPF 5 whilst the other 12 shades have SPF 15. This is because darker shades can tend to look ashy if the SPF is high. 

Finish
Like I said previously, this foundation has a natural finish that looks and feels like skin! Even though the finish is natural, it still manages to cover imperfections on the face and create a flawless canvas. It can also be worn alone without powder.

Size and Price
As like most foundations, the bottle contains 30ml of product and is priced at £27

Availablity
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H is available to buy from all Lancôme counters; Fenwick, Debenhams, House of Fraser, Boots, etc.

Overall Thoughts
I really do love this foundation! Believe it or not but I haven't touched my Estee Lauder Double Wear since getting a sample of the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H. The fact that this is a medium-full coverage foundation and it feels so light on the skin just makes me love it even more. I remember when I first got my sample, I kept touching my skin because it felt as though I wasn't wearing anything. With a lot of other foundations, you know they are there and that you are wearing makeup. With this foundation, it's easy to forget you've got foundation on. 


One thing that used to bug me about this foundation is that it is fragranced. Initially I hated it because I thought it was very strong but as time went on, I got used to it. It doesn't linger for the whole day but when your makeup is initially applied, you will definitely smell it. If you're not a fan of fragranced foundations then this may not be for you! 


My only problem with this foundation is the undertone range they have for women of colour. For darker skin, they only have warm and cool tones whereas neutral shades are available for lighter skin tones which is a bit annoying. Why not make neutral shades available for everyone? =/


In comparison to my Estee Lauder Double Wear, this foundation looks more natural and feels lighter on the skin but I will say that the Estee Lauder foundation is more resistant to sweat than this one is; in my opinion anyway.


Lancome have done very well in making this foundation suitable for all skin types which means absolutely anyone can use it whether your skin is dry or oily. 
Apparently there is some sort of technology in it that helps combat oil if you have oily skin and also makes the foundation retouch free which I'm sure is a plus for those out there with oily skin. 


Even though I said this foundation is a bit dark, I'm still going to carry on using this shade because once my MAC Mineralize Skin Finish has been applied on top, it looks better (and my neck is also darker than my face and chest so it helps with the transition). This is much easier than having to mix foundations like I did with my Estee Lauder Double Wear. 
Fingers crossed in the near future, Lancome will provide more shades for us darker ladies!


Wearing Lancome Teint Idole Ultra #11 Muscade
 

#11 Muscade Swatch

Did anyone buy the Lancome Teint Ultra 24H Foundation? If so, what are your views?
Or maybe you are planning on trying it out? Let me know!

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FOTD: Mascara On The Bottom!

FOTD: Mascara On The Bottom..♥

Hey beauts!

I took these pictures a couple of days ago but I didn't get around to posting them up! I feel like I don't really show my face on my blog and I haven't done so in a while. Some of you may not even know what I look like lol. But anyway, those who know me will know that I very rarely wear mascara on my bottom lashes because I don't think it really suits me. I guess the day I took this picture, I was in the mood for change. Don't you think it makes me look different?

Oh yeah! I'm also wearing the MAC Devil blush that I got from MAC Pro at IMATS for those of you who want to know how it looks. I will say, make sure you have a very light hand with this blush. If you're not careful you will look clownish!

Face 

Serum: Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate

Moisturiser: Renew Intensive Skin Therapy

Primer: Black Radiance Complexion Perfection Shine Control  

Foundation: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24hr - #11

Powder: Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Dark

Under Eye Concealer: Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer - #12 and Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder

Contour: Sleek Contour Kit - Medium

Blush: MAC Devil (Pro)

Brows

Eyebrows: Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil - Black Brown + NC50 Studio Sculpt Concealer

Eyes

Eyeliner (top): Loreal Super Liner - Carbon Gloss

Eyeliner (bottom): - MAC Technakohl Liner - Graphblack

Mascara: Loreal Voluminous Mascara

Lips

Lip Liner: NYX 840 Rose and NYX 815 Toast

Lipstick: MAC Ever Hip

What type of posts would you like to see? Should I make FOTD posts more frequent?

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Review: Black Radiance Complexion Perfection Shine Control Primer

Review: Black Radiance Complexion Perfection Shine Control Primer..♥

Hey beauts!

I forgot to mention when I received this primer in a package from my aunt in America. I started using this primer I think early February and since then I haven't touched my MAC Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage! As you know from my Back To Basics post on primers (click here if you need a read), there are primers for different needs and skin types. The Black Radiance primer is particularly for shine control whilst helping your make up last longer. If you're one of those people who hate any shine whilst wearing makeup or have oily skin then please give this primer a go.

• Smooths and preps skin

• Keeps makeup looking fresh and natural

• Absorbs oil to minimize shine 

As always, I apply this primer after moisturising. If you're not particularly oily, then you may find that moisturising well helps because it makes your face very matte once applied. Because of this, I wouldn't recommend someone with dry skin to use this as I wouldn't classify it as a resurfacing or smoothing primer but more of a mattifier/oil control. My skin is normal and I find that if I haven't moisturised properly or haven't applied the primer more or less immediately after moisturisng then my face will feel a little on the dry side; not too tight or anything but quite matte if that's how I can describe it. The primer also has the tendency to cling onto dry areas you may have.

If too much of the primer is used, it becomes harder to blend and also leaves your face a little white (though once your makeup is complete, it will be fine so there's nothing to worry about at all). I'm not sure if this happens because I haven't got really oily skin or not. If you use way more than needed, you will find that it will begin to flake (like most primers usually do when used in excess).

Texture

The primer has a texture of a lotion moisturiser. Not too thick, not too runny and is easily blendable and lightweight.

Packaging

It comes in a squeezable black tube packaging and the primer is released through the nozzle making it easy to control how much product you want. 

Size, Price and Availability 

You get 0.84 fl.oz. / 25ml of product. 

I'm not sure how much my aunt purchased it for in the US but I know they are sold in a lot of drug stores so shouldn't be too expensive.

 Black Radiance is not available to buy in the UK but you can purchase a 3-pack off amazon (link) for £17.97. 

Overall Thoughts

So far, this is the best primer that I have used. My makeup is guaranteed to stay shine-free for a minimum of 8hrs before any sort of shine starts to peep through and it keeps my makeup looking fresh for a long time. I use it on my entire face including my eyelids as my foundation always creases there but since using the primer, there is little to no creasing so I'm assuming it would be great as an eyeshadow primer as well as a face one!

 In comparison to the MAC Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage, it does more for controlling oil than it does creating a smooth base for your makeup to be applied. Though it does still create that smooth canvas, I believe the MAC one does better in doing so. It also doesn't have any light reflecting particles for any sort of glow and it doesn't completely dry transparent, leaving your face a little white but this is not a problem at all once you've put on your foundation. But like I said before, it may not come off white on those with an oilier skin type. 

Since using this primer, I've noticed that my foundation also dries quicker which really isn't a problem at all and I feel like the foundation is set in place.

Luckily my use for primer is not for resurfacing or smoothing my skin but to help make my makeup last longer and prevent any shine whatsoever for a good amount of time which this product definitely does!
 I really believe this product would be great for those with oily skin as the results I've had from it are really good!

The only downfall is that this product is not readily available to buy in stores in the UK so I had to order my backups off amazon!

Do you already own this primer or maybe you're thinking of trying it out?

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NOTD: Illamasqua - Glory

NOTD: Illamasqua - Glory..♥

I shouldn't really call this a NOTD as I've had this nail colour on for like a week now but anyway! Remember at IMATS I purchased a few nail polishes? Well, this is one of the polishes I purchased from the crazy Illamasqua stand. It's called Glory and I would describe it as a metallic silver. I love the shade as it's a silver without glitter as I'm not really a fan of glittery things. 

I achieved this finish with two coats but one coat did the job.

What do you think of the nail colour?

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What's New: MAC Viva Glam Nicki Lipstick

What's New: MAC Viva Glam Nicki Lipstick..♥

Apologies if you've already seen millions of posts and videos about Viva Glam Nicki by MAC but I thought I might as well join in with the hype and I may have some readers who actually haven't come across them yet (which would be surprising). Those who have been following my blog from the start would have seen my post  last year about the release. I was actually excited but was hoping the shade wouldn't be like Pink Friday because in all honesty, I'm not sure if I really liked that shade. 

They finally released Viva Glam Nicki on March 1st but I was sent a pre-order code so I got it late February but it is now available for everyone to buy. 

This shade is quite different to 'Pink Friday' as it isn't much of a blue pink but more a pink with yellow undertones. Once again, I don't think I feel completely comfortable with this colour. It could just be that I'm used to wearing autumn shades but this lipstick is very bright. As soon as you take the lid off the casing, it just looks so bright; almost like a neon pink!

If you're a fan of bright pinks and you're not really fond of pinks with blue undertones, then you'll probably like this lipstick. As for me, I'm not sure if I'll be keeping mine but my mum also bought one (which I've swatched below) and she seems to like it and will be keeping the lipstick.

Finish: Satin

Collection: Limited Edition
Price: £13.50 (100% of the proceeds go to the MAC HIV/AIDS Fund)

What do you think of the shade? Did you purchase it or have any plans to?

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