NIOD Low Viscosity Cleaning Ester | secondblonde

May 21, 2017May 21, 2017Leave a comment

I’ve recently got round to trying this groundbreaking innovation from Deciem. A simple but new way of doing skincare. The lovely and generous Arly of Detail Oriented Beauty sent it to me (well actually she hand delivered it to me while I was working at Liberty Beauty Hall) and sadly we missed each other.

I was waiting for my latest oil cleanser to finish before I opened this. As you can see it’s quite different looking from most cleansers and almost looks like a bottle of white spirit. The smell is quite strange and takes some getting used to. Here’s the description on NIOD’s website:

LVCE is a skin cleaning system that respects dermal barriers and sebum production, cleaning the skin and removing makeup in a single step. LVCE contains no cleansing plant oils, no detergents and no water. It uses isolated sugar and avocado esters to remove dirt and makeup with or without water.

WOW I’m so impressed with the performance of this product…it’s so different to anything I’ve used before. It’s not an oil, it’s not a balm (but acts like them) it’s not a water either but looks like it is. This product removes EVERYTHING leaving my skin fresh and clean yet nourished and not tight, you don’t even feel like you have to apply moisture after. And you only need a few drops! You can apply – massage in and rinse off or you can simply apply to a cotton pad and that’s it! It’s so easy and so effective.

I do really like my cleansing oils/balms and nice smelling products that become rituals – of course I will continue to use such products but this has really blown me away. I really disliked the smell the first few times I used it however, I have got used to it. It now has a well earned prime position on my dressing table.

A huge thank you to Arly for the gift, go check out her blog and social media she knows everything about skincare and is amazing at taking photo’s. Link to her blog above.

Secondblonde x

Bath & Unwind Mayday 10% off first order | secondblonde

April 30, 2017May 1, 2017Leave a comment

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What better way to start your May Bank Holiday with some online retail therapy. Bath & Unwind have so many fabulous luxury beauty brands from body, hair, skincare to makeup. They carry so many of my favourites.

Use a new discount code click here to receive 10% off your first order, just type in discount code MAYDAY at checkout. Plus free delivery over £40.

The only problem you have now is deciding what you are going to treat yourself to.

Secondblonde x

5 Drugstore Must Haves all for a tenner | secondblonde

April 24, 20172 Comments

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I recently popped into Superdrug to pick up some cotton wool and picked up a few beauty budget must have’s. The best part is that all these 5 items came in at just shy of a tenner, what a bargin!

Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Cleansing Water 125ml £1.00 – I use this after my cleansing routine if needed to remove any last traces of make-up. It’s also a great product for a naughty lazy evening cleanse once in a while. Think it’s normally £2 but it was on deal when I got it.

Barry M Speedy Quick Dry Nail Paint – Pit Stop £2.99 – This is a really nice soft grey almost like a nude, a great alternative to beige nudes for summer. There’s nearly always an offer on these like buy any 3 for 2. Barry M is my preferred drugstore nail brand as they have a great colour selection and I find them to last without chipping easily.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick – Asia 77 £4.99 – was on offer so I paid less. I’m a bit of a lipstick snob, daily I wear a bold red matte lip, when buying reds I always opt for brands such as Mac and NARS and recently been introduced to Surratt and Hourglass lip colours.

I fancied a cheap and cheerful soft wearable pink and opted for this one from Rimmel. I’m not a total convert but happy with the results of this lipstick for it’s price point. The colour stays on hours and is very comfortable to wear although smells like haribo sweets! I prefer it when the creamy look wears off and it looks more matte – but that’s just my personal preference.

Cushioned Nail File & Cotton Wool – I can’t remember the price of these, just thought I’d mention them as they make up my five items. The nail file isn’t great so I won’t be buying that again – unfortunately in some cases you do only get what you pay for!

Secondblonde x

3 Beauty Hacks You Need To Know

April 3, 2017April 4, 2017Leave a comment

Highlighting and Strobing I’m not big into make-up. I’m more interested in great skin so this is so helpful to remind me what goes where. I don’t wear a lot of make so I often get confused. I’ve only recently got into the whole highlighter/strobing thing. This diagram is so simple to use, the visual makes it much easier for me to remember what goes where.

Expiry Dates I am soo guilty of this one… I’ve got so many old mascara’s and other eye products – they always look like new and I forget just how long I’ve had them! tut tut. Since running a blog/instagram page it’s easier to track how long I’ve had things when I’ve photographed and posted them. I didn’t know about changing your nail file every three months! So today I purchased a new one and threw my old old one away (too embarrassed to tell you how old mine was) next up my mascara’s.

Emergency Cover Up I’m a believer in preventing than covering up, however this clever little colour wheel explains everything going back to basics with primary colours. Now you know where you’ve been going wrong when your skin needs a little help.

Hope you’ve enjoyed these back to basics beauty hacks, I know it’s nothing new (well apart from the expiry dates) however I found them all really helpful and I hope you do too.

Secondblonde x

Malin+Goetz Facial Cleansing Oil | Secondblonde

March 20, 2017March 31, 2017Leave a comment

MALIN+GOETZ was launched in 2004 a family owned and run apothecary in New York and London. I got to know the brand and meet the founders while I worked in beauty at Liberty. The brand is simple to use and focus on sensitive skin.

I’ve been using the Facial Cleansing Oil daily for about 3 weeks and absolutely love it! It’s an all in one cleansing oil including grapeseed, avocado and olive oil blended with lavender and eucalyptus, chamomile and anti-oxidants. This all ensures your skin is hydrated, calm, balanced and protected but above all clean and fresh.

My Experience I use at night time as it’s great to remove all the dirt and grime of the day plus it’s a great make-up remover including stubborn mascara. I do two pumps into my palms and massage into my skin (dry skin) it glides so effortlessly and feels so luxurious making something which seems like a chore become a little pamper session.

I start with my cheeks using the palms of my hands, then move onto my nose, forehead, chin and then my eyes/brows last (as it’s normally the messiest bit) It removes every last bit of my makeup and I use a wet flannel to remove. Once I pat my skin dry it feels and looks clean, soft and hydrated without any residue ready for an active serum and moisturser.

Mine was a gift however, I think it’s worth the price tag due to the quality of the ingredients and results, also not to mention that a very little goes a long way! Take a look here 118ml £30

Secondblonde x

Drugstore Finds Under a Fiver! 3 faves you will always find in my makeup bag.

February 27, 20174 Comments

My make-up stash is a complete mix of luxury brands and drugstore brands. I think of it as I do clothes, you don’t always have to spend a lot to look nice and sometimes there are some highstreet brands that have great results for a fraction of the cost! I do love a few litte luxuries, who doesn’t? although I’m not a brand snob and happy to use or wear any brand as long as I feel/look to my best and happy with it blah blah blah…

Barry M illuminating Strobe Cream – comes in two shades Iced Bronzed or Frosty Pink. I have both and discovered these when they were in my Christmas stocking! They are very subtle and easy to blend but are also buildable for a stronger effect. I prefer using them on my check bones and nose. It’s a bit too glittery for me to use on my cupids bow or chin. Take a look at them here for a very reasonable £4.49 each.

Rimmel Brow This Way – This clever little palette is a wax and a shadow in a small compact size (hate really big brow kits, too bulky in my makeup bag) The brush is the best quality slanted brush I’ve tried in a drugstore kit, it’s also double ended! Plus you get a little brow spoolie! I always get the shade dark brown 003 which is hard to find as it’s constantly out of stock, it also come in two other shades. The colour is a good match and stays on all day. More info here and ONLY £3.99

COLLECTION Lasting Perfection Concealer – Recenty purchased this after the bloggers hype of a great budget dupe for Nars. I’m not a big user of concealer but like to use this in the corners of my eyes near the bridge of my nose to illuminate that area when I’m looking a bit tired. Occasionally I add a little to my eye cream and dab it under my eyes. I’ve got the lightest shade called Fair Shade 1, it actually comes is four shades here and is a steal at £4.19

Secondblonde x

Review | Magnitone London Barefaced! Vibra-Sonic Daily Cleansing Brush

February 5, 2017February 5, 20171 Comment

Facial cleansing brushes seem to get good and bad press. This will be the first I’ve tried so I don’t have a comparison. I guess they are a bit like marmite, you either love them or hate them. One brand that seems to get a lot of attention in the beauty blogging world is MAGN!TONE LONDON will I be a barefaced Vibra-Sonic cleansing convert? Here’s my review of the Limited Edition “Precious Collection” brush in glittery gold.

The instructions upon opening the box are very easy to follow and clearly labeled on the packaging of what does what. Inside the box you receive:

Magnitone Barefaced Vibra-Sonic Face Brush
Active Clean Brush Head
Wireless USB Charger (clever magnetic charger looks like a pebble)
Splash Proof Travel Bag
12-month Warranty
MyMagnitone Membership Card

It’s 100% waterproof so I can use in the shower which is really convenient. I use it with a wash off cleanser (you can use an oil however it’s then harder to clean the brush after use) You wet the brush, apply your cleanser to your face or brush – I prefer applying to my face. Press the button once for a daily cleanse, press twice for PulseLift toning.

This clever device times 1 minute so you will not use for longer than your skin requires. All you need to do is gently glide the brush over your face with no pressure and let the brush do all the work. The PulseLift is like a mini workout leaving your skin plumped like you’ve had a facial massage. Then rinse dry your face as usual.

My skin feels super clean, looks brighter and a little plumper after using this brush, my pores even look less visible after a few uses. so it does deliver on its promises. Although you can use daily I prefer to use a few times a week. My skin can be sensitive in particular in winter months. This brush is however super soft and not scratchy at all and feels really nice on my skin, you can buy additional brushes they do do a sensitive one too which I may need to invest in.

All in all, I think that this is a nice addition to my cleansing routine and would recommend this brand to anyone considering purchasing a facial cleansing brush.

So the answer is yes! I am a barefaced Vibra-Sonic daily cleansing brush convert.

Secondblonde x

Best 9 Instagram posts of 2016 | Secondblonde

January 1, 2017January 1, 20172 Comments

As 2016 has come to an end here according to you guy’s are my BEST NINE post’s with the most likes. Thank you so much for your continued support. In fact, 39,825 likes across 644 posts…roll on 2017!

Secondblonde x

Happy 6th Birthday to my blog | secondblonde

December 30, 2016Leave a comment

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Happy 6th Birthday to my little beauty blog! It’s been a fantastic year for my blog which continues to grow in hits and followers. I also launched my secondblonde channel on youtube back in April which I hope to grow next year.

My claim to fame of the beauty world this year was being introduced to Caroline Hirons by Gloria (Liberty Beauty) and Caroline giving me a big warm hug.

A huge thank you to my readers for your support, it often feels like it’s just my Mum that reads my post’s until people tell me in “real life” how much they like my blog or strangers approaching me when I worked in Liberty London as they recognised me from my instagram posts! … Here’s to a fabulous 2017!

Secondblonde x

Christmas Beauty Stocking Fillers 2016 | secondblonde

December 19, 20162 Comments

Christmas is just around the corner with only 6 shopping days left to grab those last minute stocking fillers, so here’s just a few of my picks that won’t break the bank…

C.O Bigelow is always a winner – based in NY the oldest apothecary in America, this brand has a no-nonsense approach with quality ingredients who pride themselves on being honest, genuine and trustworthy since 1838. I’ve opted for some of their new skincare, perfect for the man who doesn’t have a skincare routine I have boxed together this Deluxe Facial Moisturizer $28 here and Sugar Crystal Face Polish $32 here or available in-store at Liberty London Beauty Hall.

Cowshed products are plant based luxury products, developed from the original Cowshed Spa at Babington House. The brand has a loyal following, and if you stay at any of the Soho House group’s your bathroom is filled with Cowshed bath & body products. I’ve selected the Cowshed Wreath Cracker which is excellent value and lot’s of fun containing a Cow Slip Hand Cream and a Lippy Cow Lip Balm £10 here

fullsizerender-43 Maybelline – Merry Little Mani the perfect trio of seasonal colours from their Color Show collection including: Downtown Red, Watery Waste and Black Magic. Pick it up at any drugstore, I got this one from boots £7.50 here the colours are all really wearable, I’d opt to paint mine all in the dark red and do one nail in the metal or glitter colour.

Stop The water While Using Me! An eco friendly brand which encourage people to save water, with a range of bathroom products – just remember to STOP THE WATER WHILE USING ME! Perfect gift for those who like natural luxury products and are mindful of our environment, recycling and waste. I’ve selected the fresh All Natural Cucumber Lime Soap (liquid) £20 and All Natural Cucumber Lime Hand Balm £15 here