Although I have much admired the Joan Collins make-up range when I've seen it in Harrod's I haven't actually got round to trying it so I was very pleased when asked to try this Ten Effects make-up fixer for a review.
Make-up fixing sprays are a strange thing. A good one, used correctly can increase the longevity of your make-up but most of them spritzed directly on top of your make-up won't do much at all. So it's taken me a while to review this one.
Ten Effects claims to; hydrate, firm, refine wrinkles, minimise pores, improve skin tone, add a pH balancing layer to your skin, soften, calm redness, lock-in makeup and cool. That's a lot of claims and some are very vague and hard to judge - you can't actually see your skins pH being balanced for instance. I also think that if you wear any kind of foundation and concealer then
spritzing something over the top of that is not going to have many, if
any, skincare benefits. If I buy something to benefit my skin I want it
to go directly onto my skin, not seep in via my make-up.
However, I have been spritzing this onto my face immediately before applying my foundation and I've found it doesn't make me go red (most things do at the moment), does hydrate, and actually does help my make-up look fresher for longer. One thing I've found it really helps with is when I use a tinted moisturiser that for me is just not fluid enough if I spritz this onto my face first it dramatically improves the way the tinted moisturiser blends into the skin. I wouldn't use my Hourglass Hyaluronic Skin tint without using this first now.
I'm keeping it quite short and sweet this year. And, for the most part, quite reasonably priced too. This is a make-up blog but I've included everything I've seen or tried that I'd want. Pretty simple really.
I'm keeping it quite short and sweet this year. And, for the most part, quite reasonably priced too. This is a make-up blog but I've included everything I've seen or tried that I'd want. Pretty simple really.
Because my skin has been so sensitive since having Jim I tend to only buy stuff that I've been able to try out beforehand so I know if my skin is going to react. I'm happy to spend some money on skincare but not if it's going to make me an angry tomato or, maybe even worse, not do anything at all.
Thank you so much to everyone who has already taken part in the monthly giveaway's to celebrate the blogs 10th birthday. London Make-up Blog (or Little Miss B as it originally was) first posted on 6th December so this month the giveaway contains a whole lot of prizes. Sadly this means it is UK only.
Congratulations Electraleigh you have been picked as the winner of the gorgeous Louise Young Lip Trio and lip brush. Thank you so much to everyone who took part and see you back her on Friday for the December giveaway announcement
As requested by some of you here's me using the Babyliss Big Hair Styler. This is how I taught myself to use it - I may be doing it wrong but it works for me!
This is late! I only just remembered yesterday that it hadn't gone up. I was distracted by my biggest small boy turning 4. FOUR. How did that happen?
And the winner is... Kim Neville! Congratulations - this is a fantastic prize (i'm a little bit jealous). Please email me your address and I'll get them out to you as soon as possible.
I have a lot of make-up samples knocking about the house and it's got to the stage after two children and two house moves in two years that I get a bit hazy on where everything came from. My sample tube of 
This is not only a look I've been wearing a lot recently but I've adapted it so it uses a lot of high street products and those more expensive ones that I know some people struggle to get the most out of. Hope it's useful.
I have never before been fully in love with an electrical product before... except maybe my digital radio. But the time has come and I'm obsessed with the Babyliss Big Hair my mother got me for my birthday. And it's not just me. Everyone keeps telling me my hair looks amazing. Everyone. It did look pretty rubbish before to be fair.
This is a great liner. Long lasting, easy to use and with a lovely matte finish.
I really love this lipstick
I'm really excited because I'm completely passionate about each of the prizes in this month. All three of them would come top in their categories for me: favourite lipstick, favourite gel liner and favourite liner brush. 
I was having a bad week, as you may be able to tell from my general mood. So rather than go to bed I decided to do my face with some of my favourite products. This is the result...
A quick review of one of my favourite things from my kit
A spur of the moment face of the day video filmed because I picked up a new palette!
A bit late this month because I was on holiday and completely forgot to organise anything before I went. Two kid and two dogs will do terrible things to your memory.
A quick review of the jumbo eye pencils from NYX
A quick look at one of my favourite products ever...
Here's another empties video. With one of my most lovely thumbnails yet!
I like being in airports, despite hating to fly. I always have a long list of things I want to look at in Duty Free but this time I got a couple of old favourites and something I haven't ever seen before!
I've been wanting to do something like this for a while, not sure how it's going to work but will just be doing what I've read, favourite books and hoping that you will leave comments on the videos so we can talk books! It will most be on YouTube and my other blog 
A closer look at this months prizes...
I've been using 
So this face of the day features something I do a variation of most days... then I beef it up for the evening and slap on loads of extra products that you don't need to do. If you want to know some less expensive alternatives to a product then leave me a comment and I'll let you know.
I recently had the pleasure of doing a wedding in Greece. It was so much fun to do but at 38C it was hot, even for Greece in July. I needed to pack a basic kit that would have all eventualities covered, would suit the bride and that would travel well. Nothing to heavy, nothing that would leak and most importantly products that if they melted could still be useable. No double-faced palettes this time.
