The big announcement!

Now that I have reached triple figures in pageviews, I think its time to progress even further into the world of beauty blogging. That's right. I'm going to set up a YouTube channel in correspondence to my blog! The reason that I've waited to do this for so long is that I've been worried that people won't be interested in what I have to say. But now that my pageviews have reached triple figures, that shows that somewhere, people are reading my blog.

I can't thank you all enough for just reading my blog and helping to boost my self confidence when it comes to my blog. I hope that some of the things I've been writing have been useful to you guys out there. When I've set up the YouTube channel I'll post links either in this blog post or in a separate blog post. 

Thanks for reading. 

Keep smiling beautifuls. 

Ell x 

Eco tools brushes review: Part two

Now that all my Eco tools brushes have arrived, and I have had chance to use them, I think it's time that I do the second half of this blog post. If you have read my previous post about these brushes then you will already have some idea as to how much I love Eco tools products. The final two sets that I have received are the 1227 which is the six piece eye essentials set and the 1206 which is the six piece starter set. Unfortunately, when the 1206 set arrived, the lash/brow grooming tool was broken due to careless transportation. However, I don't tend to use lash/brow groomers. There isn't a particular reason for this, I just don't use them. So the little incident with the broken tool didn't really effect me as much as it would have done if it had been one of the brushes that I frequently use.

The 1206 set contains a concealer brush (this one is larger than the one included in the 1213 set), a blusher brush, an eye shading brush, an angled eyeliner brush, a lash/brow groomer (but this product won't be reviewed due to the transportation error) and a cotton wrap with spaces for the brushes. All the brushes in this set are really soft because of the Taklon bristles, and hold product really well. The blush brush is a really good shape, and covers the apples of the cheeks really easily because of the shape that it has. This brush however, doesn't hold product quite as well as the other brushes do, but if you wear a blush with buildable or low pigmentation then that really isn't that much of an issue. The concealer brush is very much the same as the one in the 1213 set, only a little bigger, with a longer handle. I find that the eye shading brush works better for all over lid application as opposed to shading, as it's shape is better suited for all over application. Also, I find that the angled eyeliner brush works better as an eyebrow brush than an eyeliner brush, as it holds pigment really well and allows you to create a variety of different line thicknesses. The cotton wrap was a little disappointing, the brush holders were all too big for the brushes, so they slide around a little. However. I was able to use this to my advantage. Because they are so big, I can fit the brushes from my 1213 set in with the 1206 brushes. 

The 1227 set contains a large eye brush, an angled crease brush, a petite eye shading brush, a highlighting brush, a smudge brush and another cotton case to store them in. These brushes are genuinely the best eye brushes I've ever used. They are really soft on the eyelids and hold a lot of pigment. The smudge brush is now an essential tool in creating my smokey eye look, which is a look that I wear a lot. The cotton case was far more pleasing than the cotton wrap that the 1206 set came in. The spaces for the brushes are elasticated strips instead of cotton pockets. This holds the brushes in place better, and makes the set look a little more professional. 

I would highly recommend Eco tools brushes to anyone who wants to start purchasing brushes or who wants to replace some of their current brushes. I hope this two part blog post has been of use, or at least a little bit helpful to some of you. Any links to products that have been mentioned will be at the end of this post.

I have an announcement coming up in my next post, so keep an eye out for that. 

Keep smiling beautifuls. 

Ell x

http://www.ecotools.com/6-piece-starter-set

http://www.ecotools.com/6-piece-essential-eye-set

http://www.ecotools.com/

Eco tools brushes review: Part one

As promised yesterday, here is my review on the current Ecotools brushes that I have received so far. I do have two more sets on the way and will post part two of this review shortly after they arrive.

The first brush that I received was the 1202 flat foundation brush. This brush, like the other brushes has super soft Taklon bristles, isn't coarse and doesn't scratch the skin. Also, I've found that the bristles don't come out when you're applying foundation as I have found that some other brushes tend to lose bristles as you're applying. Also, the brush gives a really even finish, and doesn't leave you streaky or show evidence that you've used a brush to apply your foundation.

Secondly, I received the 1213 set, which includes a concealer brush, a mineral powder brush, a baby kabuki and an eye shadow shading brush as well as a handy little cosmetic bag to keep them all in. Once again, the bristles on these brushes are very soft, and they pick up the product really well. The mineral powder brush gives even coverage, and doesn't pick up too much product, which doesn't leave your face looking cakey or powdery. The concealer brush works really well with both liquid and more viscous concealers, and gives a satisfying result with both. The baby kabuki works really well as a contour brush I find, and also could be used as a blush or highlighter brush. It picks up a significant amount of product, and gives an even distribution. The shadow shading brush works well in the creases, and blends shadows together really well. I find it also works well to apply the base shadow too.

Overall the brushes are really soft and easy to use.They look really high quality too, and are very earth-friendly, as the brand promotes. I would definitely recommend purchasing these brushes in the future.

Links to the products I have mentioned in this post will be posted at the end of this blog post.

Keep smiling beautifuls.

Ell x

http://www.ecotools.com/flat-foundation-brush
http://www.ecotools.com/5-piece-mineral-set
http://www.ecotools.com/

Apologies for the lack of posts guys

Sorry guys for the lack of posts lately, the truth is I've been waiting for a few sets of Ecotools brushes to arrive for quite a while so that I can do a post on them. The majority of the sets arrived yesterday and today, but I'm still waiting on two more brush sets so that I can do a review on them.

Since I have two of the four sets now I'll do a post on the sets that I have now, tomorrow. These are the Ecotools 1202 which is the foundation brush, and the 1213 set, which contains a mineral powder brush, a baby kabuki brush, a concealer brush, an eye shadow shading brush and a handy cosmetic bag that all four brushes fit into nicely.

Once again, I'm sorry for the lack of blogging I have done. Thank you for everyone who's actually viewed my blog. It really means a lot to me that my blog actually reaches an audience.

If any of you have any requests for blog posts such as a daily makeup routine/product review or perhaps a summer essentials post, please leave a comment for me to read, and I'll do all of the requested posts. Also, if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments too and I'll answer them to the best of my abilities.

Keep smiling beautifuls.

Ell x

Sleek MakeUP overload

If you read my last blog post you'll already know that I've been loving the Sleek MakeUP Ink Pot Gel Liner. Because of my new found love for this product, and my existing love for the Sleek face contour kit, I decided to dabble into a few other Sleek products. The products that I recently purchased were the Sleek Blush in Rose Gold and the Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Vamp. 

First of all, the Sleek Rose Gold Blush is one of the closest dupes I've found for the Nars Orgasm blush. It is quite a buildable product, with the gold flecks making the cheeks appear really healthy. For £4.49, this blush is a real cheap alternative for Nars Orgasm, and offers the same end result. I find that this colour really compliments the colours in my sleek contour kit, and is a great shade for the summer. 

I'd been wanting a dark red/burgundy lipstick for a while when I found Vamp at the Sleek MakeUP counter in Superdrug. One of the many perks of this colour is that it has a slight blue undertone meaning that it doesn't make your teeth appear yellow. It's a really good consistency but it is quite drying for the lips, so before applying this lipstick, make sure that you apply a layer of lip balm to soften and hydrate the lips. It has a matte finish, which is what I've personally been looking for, but if this isn't to your taste, they also do a collection of sheen finish lipsticks. The range of colours that are available in the True Colour collection are all really pretty and are definitely worth paying £4.99 for. The only problem with this product is that, as with every lipstick out there, if you apply too much it appears really cakey and doesn't look very nice. 

Another thing about the Sleek products as a whole is that the packaging looks really professional. There are some drugstore brands that have really shabby, unappealing packaging which leads me to doubt the quality of the product itself. Sleek packaging is looks really high quality, and because it's black, it's a lot easier to keep clean that other products, such as Natural Collection from Boots or Topshop makeup. 

All in all I definitely think that Sleek MakeUP is one of the best drugstore makeup brands I've used in a while. They offer high quality products all round, and are affordable too. 

Any brands or products that I have mentioned will be linked at the end of this post.

Keep smiling beautifuls. 

Ell x 

http://www.sleekmakeup.com/face/blusher/blush

http://www.sleekmakeup.com/lips/lip-colour/true-colour

http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Brands-A-to-Z/Natural-Collection

http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/category/make-up-431/home

Sleek MakeUP product review: Ink Pot Eyeliner

I've been wanting a gel eyeliner for quite a while, partly because I was fed up of using liquid liner and fancied a change. But also because I'd heard quite a few beauty bloggers and YouTubers rave about how good gel eyeliners are. I came across the Sleek MakeUP Ink Pot eyeliner completely by accident. I was in my local Superdrug, looking to repurchase the Sleek face contour kit (which they didn't have in stock) when I found it. It cost £5.49, which was a few pounds cheaper than most of the other drugstore gel eyeliners that I'd looked at before. So I thought that it was quite a bargain.

The product itself, in my opinion is really good. It is quite easy to apply and dries a nice matte black. I've found that with some liquid liners that I've previously tried, that when they dry they look shiny which isn't the look that I want when applying eyeliner. You don't need to heavily load up the brush either to get a nice even coverage on your lid either, which means that the product will last a lot longer. I'd advise using a primer on your lids before applying this product though, as I've found that if you don't apply primer then as the day goes on, the liner tends to leave a black residue from where you have been blinking. Although I have found that primer is an easy solution to this problem, and by applying primer all over my lids I don't end up with residue/excess product where I don't want it to be.

The brush that comes with the liner is very small, and a little bit of a challenge to work with, so I would suggest if you are planning to convert to gel liner, purchase a flat eyeliner brush or whichever eye liner applicator you feel comfortable using. I would suggest using the flat eyeliner brush (1204) by ecotools. Although the liner brush that comes with the product is quite small, it is workable if you practice a little before applying.

All in all, I can't fault this product. I'm a big fan of Sleek MakeUP, I find that it is really high quality yet affordable, which is what I look for in beauty products. I would definitely recommend purchasing this product and will definitely be repurchasing this when I run out.

I will post the links below for the products that have been mentioned in this post.

Keep smiling Beautifuls

Ell x

http://www.sleekmakeup.com/eyes/liners/ink-pot
http://www.ecotools.com/flat-eyeliner-brush

Product review: Oz Botanics Major Moisture shampoo and conditioner

Like most teenagers, I seem to suffer with really dry, brittle hair prone to breakage. Admittedly this has probably been worsened by the regular application of heat to my hair as well as back combing/teasing. This caused my hair to break and fall out. Because of this I stopped using heat on my hair, and set about looking for products that would encourage my hair to grow healthily and to improve it's condition. After browsing my local Superdrug, Boots (English drug stores) and other cosmetic shops I finally found Oz Botanics. I found this in my local Poundland, and was a little dubious about purchasing it because I wasn't too sure that it would actually help my hair. But for £1 I thought that it was worth a try.

I purchased the Oz Botanics Major Moisture shampoo and conditioner at £1 each and have used them regularly to the point where they are both empty and need re purchasing. After using these products on my hair a few times, I found that my hair looked a lot more shiny and healthy. My hair also felt a lot smoother and some of the broken/frizzy ends felt a lot better than they previously had. Because my hair is quite dry due to heat damage I found that my hair was a lot more manageable and less brittle/prone to breakage. 

Because of the effect that these products have had on my hair, and the overall improvement that I have noticed, I will definitely be repurchasing these again asap. Obviously these products might not work for everyone, and this is just the effect that I have seen/experienced after using them on my hair. I would highly recommend these products to people with dry or damaged hair because the results I experienced were really positive. Also, they were only £1 each, so even if they don't give the desired effect you could still use them as an everyday shampoo/conditioner duo because they're really cheap and you get a lot of usage out of them.

Keep smiling beautifuls 

Ell x