REVIEW: Rosie for Autograph Cream Eyeshadow Stick

Week 2 is here with a very unpredictable product…
Marks and Spencers - Rosie Huntington Wheatley Makeup Collection.

Now I came across this collection after I died at Charlotte Tilbury… and yes I can compare these products to just them.
They are FANTASTIC and I sure recommend you check out your local M&S for these products.

Rosie has a Cream Eyeshadow stick range with around 4-5 shades. Pretty much your average shades, gold, silver, grey, bronze and so on.
This one I have is a Rose Gold shade.
For some reason they don't have names on the product, maybe it did on the box but thats long gone. So yes this is the Rose Gold/ Soft Pink shade.
I would say the shades are more like shimmer sticks as they gleam beautifully in the light with no excess glitter pigments reflecting, which makes them a lot more easier to wear.

And let me tell you! Green/Hazel eyes you for sure need this shade.
If you scared of pinks but want to start experimenting then start of with this lovely soft pink stick.

Like last week I said they were so easy to apply. You need NO brushes, tools of sharpeners just the sticks and your fingers.
Literally roll them over the eyelid till you are happy with the colour pay off and blend with your fingers to soften any application lines.
They are also great as bases with loose or pressed pigments on top. i actually use this one a lot with a eyeshadow palette from her range called 'You look a million dollars'.
Once this is on, i promise it doesn't budge, so make sure you are blending after you apply - This was one of the sticks that lasted through water!

I also LOVE the rose gold packaging theme she has going on just like Charlotte Tilbury.
Makes you want it all. And its great stuff!
Focussing on the actual product now I would really recommend at least one shade from her range and they do come in so handy for an every day look and apply really easily with no faff.

Keep peeled for next week!
Love Sophie xx

REVIEW: Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow Stick

Hello August,

This month I'm dedicating my blog reviews to 4 very beautiful 'Eyeshadow Sticks'
All from different brands and different shades.

This week I'm starting off with Chanel's Stylo Eyeshadow in '167 Bronze Platine'
First of I want to state that a lot of changes products are special edition so its usually a one time thing with these gold dust products, which I suggest, if you see something, get it while you can.
These eyeshadow sticks are special editions, yes, but they seem to recreate these a lot but bring out different shades throughout the season so I'm sure there are similar ones you can get.

This one was a Winter collection from a few years ago, I brought 2 shades, this Bronze and a Pink.
These sticks are a 'Fresh Effect Eyeshadow' and this may mean nothing to some people but once you use one of these you will understand the name… On application of wearing these they feel cool on the eyes and thats because they are water infused sticks, which comes from the name 'fresh'.
The feeling of this is actually really nice as they feel refreshed on the eyelids and sit lovely on the eyelids as well as working the in with your fingers also looks very sultry.

The obviously apply how they sound… 'sticks' so you don't need any brushes to apply these products either just from the applicator or your fingers. They roll up from the neck of the product by twisting it up as you use. So again, no sharpeners or any tools, which make these so versatile when travelling and applying.

The colour pigment is great, with a real depth of colour chosen and a reflective shimmer that works well for all ages as its not too glittery.
This Bronze Platine shade is a very unusual shade, its more of a cool bronze/gunmental colour which works better with a cool shades eye look or even on its own.
The overall shades are very metallic, not so much glitter or shimmery and have a great reflective angle with the lights.

I also find these sticks amazing as a base colour then to layer on any loose or pressed pigment over the top to add extra colour definition to an eye look.

These Chanel Sticks sure are a must for your makeup bags, so keep your eyes out for any new collections releasing with these sticks, or even try your local Chanel counter and see if they have any left over stock. - I actually got this bronze one when the collection finished.

Love Sophie xx

REVIEW: Neals Yard - White Tea Facial Mist

Its the final week of JULY, which means the last week of Face Mist Reviews
Who's been out out stocked up on their summer face mist so far then?

Well I'm off on my holidays on Monday and at the end of this blog post I will be deciding which of these mists are coming in my beauty luggage.

But for these week I've been testing out the White Tea Facial mist from Neals Yard Remedies - thank you to my personal consultant - Kaye Booth

Neals Yard is a Covent Garden London based brand with their natural and organic products, they believe in enhancing and protecting peoples health and well-being from the root of a seed, forming into their natural plant based ingredients.

This white tea facial mist is part of there toning regime but can also be applied before and after any skincare or makeup and also refreshing throughout the day. The perfect handbag face mist.
This mist is for all skin types, it will sooth and hydrate all faces at any time of the day.

It contains an antioxidant rich White Tea extract which has the potential of reducing age-wrinkles, detoxifying and natural soothes and calms the skin.
As well as containing Calendula which is known to be an antiseptic and used for first-aid remedies which is great for any irritated, inflamed skin.
A perfect combination to keep skin calm throughout the day at a natural finish which is cooling and refreshing.

The smell of this mist reminds me of Spa (and theres nothing better than this!), its such a relaxing, calming smell, slightly lavender scented which I really loved because it actually calms your mind!

The spray bottle was also a fine mist from the pump which is a good extra to have as the mist goes on a lot more fine where as some mists can be quite harsh when sprayed onto the skin.

I feel that this mist really has awoken my skin, kept moisturised and soothed any areas that got sensitive through the day.
I also love that I have the travel size which is great to throw in my handbag - I have the 'Award Winning Skincare Set' which contains miniatures of their best-sellers and all products are said to Revitalise, Replenish and Recharge the skin.
I can't wait to try the rest of the products and I sure will be trialling them out whilst I'm on holiday so that you can have a full Neal Yard Review in August.
The kit contains -
White Tea Enriching Facial Mask
White Tea Facial Mist
Beauty Sleep Concentrate
Wild Rose Beauty Balm
Also a little sample of the Frankinsence Cleanser.

If you were interested in this kit or any individual product the contact your personal Neals Yard Consultant - Kaye Booth (or order online HERE) - quote 'SDIARIES' and get 10% OFF 💞
Remember then are all Natural and Organic products - which more can we love!!
Care for you skin!

So after the month of facial mists I have decided I will be taking my Caudalie Beauty Elixir with me on my holidays - mainly due to the fact that I think this face mist is one that needs to be used for a longer period of time to see a change within my skin as to be fair this 1 mist covers all areas or skin from hydrating, radiance and soothing which will all be great for my face whilst my skin will be exposed to the sun for 2 weeks.
But i have absolutely LOVED all the face mists from this month and couldn't say a bad word about any.
So my Body Shop mists will now be in my makeup/skincare kit for my clients and my miniature Neals Yard Mist will sure be in my handbag 24/7.

As for AUGUST…
I will be reviewing Eye Crayons every Tuesday.
I have a great variety of brands and colours to trial and review for you all. I can't wait!

Tune back next week
Love Sophie xxx

REVIEW: Vitamin E Hydrating Face Mist

We're on week 3 of Face Mist reviews, which means 3 weeks through July, Wow!
The years flying by. Hopefully your all ready to jet on those summer holidays and what a perfect time to get stocked up on your ideal face mist throughout the heat on holiday.
I sure will be taking mine.

This weeks face mist, is aimed at hydrating the skin.
Vitamin E is recommended for ALL skin types and helps hydrate and add moisture to the skin and also help protect the skin from environmental damage.

Keeping your skin hydrated is such an important elements of your skins cycle on a day to day basis. The desired skin type in a normal, well balanced pH which contains lots of moisture to keep skin supple.
When your skin is dry it causes skin to become tight, dehydrated and attract the ageing process that we all do NOT want.
The same goes for oily skin, if this is your skin type it is more than likely your skin is also dehydrated as it is producing bad oils out of your skin just to keep the skin layers hydrated, but this isn't the hydration we want. You need to purify them bad oils by conditioning your skin with moisture and hydration, not putting drying products on top. It will only make you product more bad oils.
Now do you see why I tell my oily skin clients to use oils!

Well by using the Vitamin E hydrating Mist, this will give your skin the refresh and moisture you skin is screaming for throughout the day also containing its rose water ingredient to soothe.
The mist also includes Wheatgerm Oil which is amazing as this oil contains a rich source of vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium and many more healthy nutrients that your skin is able to benefit from.
Wheatgerm is also great for skin conditions such as dry skin, psoriasis and eczema which will fully soothe and repair the skin.

Over the past week I have trailed this mist out, before makeup, settting makeup, and throughout the day to refresh my skin.
Of course I have been testing out the past 2 mists over the weeks so the benefits of those will also be working, such as the Vitamin C, grapes and mint.
Although they all do and aim at different areas of this skin, which hydration was lacking from the 2 so this week it was perfect to cover this Vitamin E mist.
I found that my skin wasn't drying out at all, and kept plump and nourished throughout the day and I'm also slightly oily on my tzone sometimes anyway so this mist balanced out my combination skin and kept it hydrated enough to prevent any oils from shining through my makeup.
Overall this would definitely be a beach bag saviour in the hot heat.

The packaging and spray pump is of course the same as the Vitamin C bottle which again I love the gernerous amount of mist that comes out, that really does spread evenly over the face with around just 3 easy pumps.
The smell is pleasant too, with its lovely soft rose scent. None of the Vitamin E range has a strong smell as it's really easy to wear for all skin types.

Well at just £10 you really can't go wrong and I can see this bottle lasting a good 4 months with it being a really generous 100ml.
Theres also so many more products in this range that will work lovely on all skin for any part in your skin routine.

So maybe this mist is the one for you?
If you have any questions or would like a personal suggestion according to your skin type then please leave a comment or drop me a message
www.makeupbysophiedowning.co.uk/contact

Remember, I am a body shop consultant so you sure can get some amazing offers with me that are constantly changing and wowing us with lots of fabulous new products.

Next Tuesday will be the final week - see you then
Sophie xx

REVIEW: Caudalie Beauty Elixir Mist

Caudalie has been a great love of mine for years now! When working at Bennetts Department store this brand caught my eye as soon as I received such fabulous training from Caudalie about all of their products at the time.

The word 'Elixir' drew me straight away, because this screams luxury, beauty and wellness all together!
The Beauty Elixir came from Queen Elizabeth of Hungary as her famous elixir of youth.
Caudalie is known for their 'paraben free' and 100% natural ingredients in all of their products.
They come from France  with their very own Vineyards as their key ingredient is Grapes… this relates to the brands Vinotherapie Spa which are limited in Spain, France, Portugal, Turkey, Canada and New York.

How amazing is it that they come from the root of our favourite thing… WINE.
Why wouldn't we want their products all over our skin.
Not only do their natural sources of grapes come from fresh vineyards, they use plant oils, super foods, and many more NATURAL ingredients only.
They are constantly on the look out for the next 'Green', 'Active' ingredient for their beautiful products.

Grape seeds are the most effective, and powerful antioxidant  in the world.

The Resveratrol from the stalks contain the anti-ageing ingredient which is targeted in all skincare and Vinerife from the grape-vine sap is the natural molecule to fight against dark spots.

Heres such an interesting piece of information…

More about the Elixir Face mist though… I have been using this for the past 7 days, under, over and instead of all makeup.

You can use this before makeup, to set makeup, between foundation and powder for an extra top tip for long wear, and also throughout the day to refresh.

The elixir is claimed to give skin a instant boost of radiance, help pores appear smaller and your complexion become even smoother.

I feel like my skin did all of those things, I mainly avoided makeup throughout last week to see how this would effect my skin and my skin is now looking glowing and feels silky soft.

My pores have never been large but I can say that I didn't see any excess oils start creeping out my pores at any time of the day, which proves it was well tamed throughout.

The mist is ideal for any of those who has dull skin, lacks radiance and a great one for those smokers as the antioxidants have the power to perk up your skin.

I also felt that this mist was a beautiful priming base for any makeup being applied afterwards, as it soaked right into the skin within seconds and didn't feel wet at all.

The feeling of it renewing the surface of your skin is like the feeling after a facial.

We also had hot muggy weather again this weekend and it completely kept my skin hydrated and clean feeling though out the days, which trust me in my studio I can get quite hot and irritated with the heat beaming through the window. So i was loving spritzing my skin after every client.

The bottle of the product to me feels really luxury, I love how it is a glass bottle and the spray bud is very fine which means the release of the pump does really let out a 'mist' instead of an attack of spray! I just wanted to spray this multiple times in every angle just because it felt so gentle.

Although at first I didnt like the light mist from the pump as I felt I needed more but as days went on I started to realise that a mist of around 3 sprays was the perfect amount your skin needs as it instantly works its magic.

So it would be really comfortable for anyone with sensitive skin also.

I would also advise this for any skin tone as no matter the texture or finish of the skin, it will work the same on everyone. 

But the smell!!! It is soooo detoxing and refreshing. I wouldn't say it smells like grapes though, I would give it a more herby and lemon with a strong peppermint scent with 100% gives you the feeling of a refresh of cool air on the skin.

You can buy this is multiple sizes, my first bottle was a 30ml, but i loved it that much last time, i brought 100ml this time around. Although i would say a smaller one is better for on the go, which i do wish i hand one in my handbag every now and then.

So overall, it is up on my list and I will be giving out spritz of this on my clients skin for sure.

I also hope this opened up your eyes to Caudalie, as it really is a brand kept on the down low as its only available at certain stores. 

I will love to do more blog reviews on this brand.

To purchase the Elixir Mist or any other Caudalie products be sure to pop into Bennetts Beauty Department on Iron Gate, Derby xx

Do you use Caudalie Products?

Is this Face Mist on your summer list?

Love Sophie x

http://uk.caudalie.com

(Photos used from online)

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REVIEW: Vitamin C Energising Face Mist - The Body Shop

July is here! I wanted to aim this months reviews of Face Mists as I really think they make a huge difference to our skin in the humidity but also how we feel as well.
This summer I've had a growing love for face mists and have brought a few different types that I can now perfectly trial out each week to give you all an insight on what they do and how they work.

Heres to Week One, I have spent the past 7 days spritzing my face morning, night, random times through the day all to reap the benefits of the Body Shop Vitamin C Energising Face Mask.
I have tested this on the skin, before makeup, after makeup and makeup free days.

I would advise you all to read my older blog post on 'Why Vitamin C is good for your skin'
I deeply go into each benefit or how this amazing vitamin works well for our skin on a product and food basis. (Saves me re-writing everything!)

The basics of Vitamin C is this vibrant vitamin is proven have huge benefits to our skin and body, wether being costumed with food and/or through product application - it is high with antioxidants which brighten the skin, boost collagen production, helps with ageing.

The Body Shops Vitamin C range is purely concentrated on the Amazonian Camu Camu Berry, this berry has up to 60 times more power than an orange!!
So we are talking extra vitamin C benefits. I know you may think, ill just eat a ton of oranges but by applying these types of products on the skin we are exposing deeper activation within your skin cells.

The outline of this Vitamin C Face Mist, instantly refreshes the skin.
Focuses to transform Dull, tired and grumpy skin into Bright, radiant, glowing skin.
It also contains Organic Aloe Vera which is great for soothing skin or prevent irritation to flare up.

From Day one of spraying this onto my skin after cleansing the first morning, woke my nasal senses up completely! The smell of this spray is so addictive, it not only refreshed my skin but I, myself had an energising wake up. Imagine a range of senses from zesty, orange, tropical smells like waking up to a refreshing rainforest or berries. I want to spray myself in it just thinking about it.

I instantly felt the energising mist wake up my skin and over the next few days my skin has looked more bright and alive with a perky glow instead of my basic morning tired look. I can physically see the glow my skin has when the light reflects on my face.
I also love how the spray has a even spritz once pumped out which evenly spreads over the face, without leaving my skin wet.
I held the spray around 30cm away from my face up to 2-3 pumps a time, aiming at beach angle.

After a full week of using this Face Mist (minimal 3 times a day) my skin is not only looking radiant and glowing but also feels smooth to touch.

I would HIGHLY recommend this mist to anyone that wants a perk me up radiant summer skin.
Wether your staying in england this summer or jetting off on holidays, this will sure be in my bag!
You all know I love a glowing look in the summer.
Im now flaunting my makeup free face today!

Don't forget, I retail these products online and at my studio and also recieve discount from 30% at this very moment.
So snap up some bargain prices and get this face mist for under £9!! (RRP £12)
Or feel free to contact me for your personal Skincare consultation where i can recommend the perfect products just for you.

Have your tried vitamin C products before?
Or do you use a Face Mist?

Love Sophie x