The Beauty Blender was a game changer when it came out a few years ago and for
good reason! I was always hesitant about using a damp sponge to apply
my makeup but this sponge gives the most flawless complexion, I would happily
give up all my brushes for this sponge. Have you ever wondered
how celebrities get that perfect finish ladies? You need to get your hands
on the sponge! I almost always use the sponge damp, once it has been
dampened, it doubles in size. I always apply the product onto my skin then
blend it out with the sponge, I never apply product directly onto the sponge as
the product can soak in and stain the sponge. I religiously blend my foundation
out using this sponge, I apply the foundation with my fingers and blend it with
a brush and then I go over with the Beauty Blender to get the flawless
finish. My favourite product to blend out with this is the Kevin Aucoin Sensual
Skin Enhancer.
So the easiest way to determine whether the Real Technique sponge is a dupe is
by analysing the pros and cons of both.
The Beauty Blender
PROS
- Gives a flawless finish with no streaks
- Elliptical shaped so can reach the hard to get
areas
- Suede texture so super soft
- Latex-free, non-allergenic, odor free
- Can use with multiple products
CONS
So
now onto the highly claimed ‘dupe’, the Real Technique Miracle Sponge. I
absolutely love the Real Technique range, some of their brushes are my
most-used and my favourites in my collection so I was very enthusiastic about
trying this magic sponge. The first difference that I noticed is that once you
have dampened the sponge, it does not get much bigger than the size. It is also
not as light as the Beauty Blender, it feels quite heavy and very dense.
The finish that it gives is not as flawless as The Beauty Blender but for the
price, it gives a similar finish and does a very good job. There are no streaks
or patches left on the skin after using this product. I use this the same way
as The Beauty Blender, mostly with cream/liquid products and also with loose
powders. I find the best way to use these sponges is by stippling and bouncing
on the skin. I found that the sponge does soak up more product than The Beauty
Blender so it is more difficult to clean the sponge, the stains are quite
difficult to vanish. I clean both the sponges with Johnsons Baby Shampoo and
this works very well.
Real Technique Miracle Sponge- Three surface angles including pointed tip for different contours of the face
- Flat surface enables easy blending
- £5.99, bargain!
- Can use with multiples products
- No streaks
- Soft
- Very dense
- Difficult to clean
- Texture feels a little like memory foam
Do you think the RT sponge is a dupe for The Beauty Blender?
I have a long list of products to review, and the Velvetines by Lime Crime
was on the top. I don't think I need to introduce the Lime Crime
Velvetines, they've been selling like hotcakes.. forever out of stock and on
every beauty bloggers lust list. My love affair with the Velvetines started when I
was in LA last year, my amazing beauty buddy, my sister in law Suma took
me to a beauty store called Naimies (make sure to visit if you're in LA).
She introduced me to the Velvetines and at the time, they only had two in
store; Suedeberry and Red Velvet. I tried Suedeberry on and instantly fell in
love with it. I was in the States for over 3 weeks and I wore it every single
day. Majority of the time, I wore it by itself but I did mix it with other
lipsticks some days and it worked very well. My favourite mix was
pairing Suedeberry with Kinda Sexy by MAC, turns into a gorgeous coral colour.
I tried Red Velvet on that day but I had my little sister with me who is
not into beauty, I asked her opinion on the Red Velvet and she said it looked
like my other red lipsticks and she persuaded me out of buying it. It does NOT
look like my other red lipsticks, that was my biggest regret from my holiday.
However, when I came back to the UK, my amazing sister in law sent me both the
Red Velvet and the new Pink Velvet... and I fell in love all over again. So that's my
very long story about how I first experienced the Velvetines, now let's get
onto the actual review!
The Velvetines are very light, wet, highly pigmented liquid lipsticks that set matte. The first three colours that launched are very vibrant; the shade Suedeberry is a vibrant red with strong orange tones. It is a fairly warm yet neon red (yes that's possible), if you are a fan of MAC lady danger then you would really enjoy this shade. I haven't seen any shade like it on the market! Whenever I wear this red, I feel like I'm in the 1950's rocking the Marilyn Monroe lips! Red Velvet is a true classic red, the perfect red for every skin tone.I think every woman needs a red lipstick in her life, and for so long, I used to think every woman needed a MAC 'Ruby Woo' as THE red lipstick but ladies.. put that Ruby Woo down and get your hands on the Lime Crime Red Velvet. The Red Velvet has a slight brown tinged deep red tone to it and I know many bloggers have recommended it for Autumn/Winter season however I think it's just a classic red so it can be all year regardless of the season. Pink Velvet is a very
unique pink in my opinion, it’s a bright yet deep pink.. difficult to explain.
I feel like the pink reflects a vintage girl with a modern twist, I absolutely love this pink!
When you first apply it, it is a very wet product but you have a few minutes to
play with it before it sets matte. I usually apply a little in the middle of my
lips and then use a lip brush to smudge it out evenly over the lips. The
Velvetines are super pigmented so a thin layer goes a very long way. Unlike
other liquid lipsticks, the Velvetines glide over dry patches and do not cling
onto the dry patches. As they are matte liquid lipsticks, they do feel dry on
the lips however it does NOT dry out lips. They last all day on the lips,
through meals and drinks and pretty much through anything, they just do not move. When I go to take it off, I use my Bioderma however I think a oil based makeup remover would be great too. They all have a sweet vanilla
type of scent, but I love sweet scents so it does not bother me. Like most liquid lipsticks, the Velvetines come in a typical gloss wand style tube with a doe foot applicator. I am not usually a fan of doe foot applicators but I feel they work very well with liquid lipsticks. The packaging is pretty and the frosted glass tube makes it easy to see the colour of the product. When it comes to availability for these products, they are such a pain, like I mentioned before, they are ALWAYS sold out. You have to be quick to order when they come in stock. They are not available to buy in store anywhere in the UK as there is no stockist for Lime Crime however there are a few places online; they can be purchased from Cocktail cosmetics .I think these are amazing at only £13.50! I know I'll be crushin' on these all summer long..
LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Thank you so much for reading, hope you enjoyed the review XOXO
The Velvetines are very light, wet, highly pigmented liquid lipsticks that set matte. The first three colours that launched are very vibrant; the shade Suedeberry is a vibrant red with strong orange tones. It is a fairly warm yet neon red (yes that's possible), if you are a fan of MAC lady danger then you would really enjoy this shade. I haven't seen any shade like it on the market! Whenever I wear this red, I feel like I'm in the 1950's rocking the Marilyn Monroe lips! Red Velvet is a true classic red, the perfect red for every skin tone.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Thank you so much for reading, hope you enjoyed the review XOXO
Sooo... who would have ever guessed that my first beauty post/ review would be about Bioderma Sensibio? Well, anyone who knows me should have! I rave about this product like I am a walking advert for it. If there is a hype around a beauty product, I am sad to say that I am definitely one of the first to get lured in and become a sheep. This is one of those products that makes me feel happy about being a sheep, YES, I love the Micellar solution THAT much! When I first heard about the product last year and went searching for it in London, I was extremely disappointed that the UK did not stock it and it could only be bought online at the time. I dislike purchasing beauty products and particularly skin care products online as I prefer testing them on my skin first. I went on a mini break to Paris in May last year and I was so excited about getting my hands on this baby and as Bioderma is a French company, I knew it would be available in Paris. However, as I searched a few French pharmacies, they were not stocking them or it was out of stock. Unfortunately I did not have the time to visit many I was out there for such a short time. Heartbroken and back in London, I decided I was going to order it online and just try it out. I asked one of my friends who is also a blogger, she's known as MangoWhirl, information about where to order it and she very kindly said that she would send me a bottle she had to try out first. I was so happy and from the day I received the package from MangoWhirl, my strong relationship with the Micellar water began. I personally think that every woman should own a bottle of this. Here is why..
This is what Bioderma have to say about the Micellar water:
''At the cutting edge of innovation, BIODERMA has pioneered micellar solutions. Specially formulated for sensitive, normal to dry skins, the Sensibio H2O micelle solution gently cleanses face and eyes. It removes water-resistant make-up.
The micelles contained in its formula effectively micro-emulsify impurities while maintaining the skin’s balance (soap-free, physiological pH).
Soothing and decongesting active ingredients prevent the feelings of irritation often caused by cleansing.
Sensibio H2O guarantees excellent cutaneous and ocular tolerance (tested under ophthalmological supervision).''
So does it do everything it claims? Ooohh yes it does! The Bioderma Micellar water is a liquid cleanser/makeup remover that is suitable for all skin types. My skin is sensitive and the gentleness of the water-like formula means that this product does NOT irritate it at all. It is used by pouring it onto a cotton pad and wiping over your face to cleanse/ remove makeup. I personally do not recommend this as a cleanser as I really believe in deep cleansing the skin and I do not think this is enough as a cleanser by itself. This is really a effective makeup remover or I guess, it could be a first step cleanser. This product is absolutely incredible at removing makeup, including waterproof makeup. I use a few squirts on a big oval cotton pad (the Boots baby ones) and it literally removes every little bit of makeup. The solution actually feels like wiping your face with water, that is how gentle it is. Like I mentioned, it does not irritate the skin at all so you will not get any red or inflamed skin. There is a little trick for removing eye makeup with this solution, you have to hold the cotton pad over your eyes for a few seconds and then swipe, all the eye makeup will literally wipe off with that one swipe as long as you are using it correctly. I LOVE using this as an eye makeup remover as it means that I am not left over with any oily residue nor any panda eyes. I think I am safe to say, it is the perfect makeup remover. It leaves your skin feeling, fresh, cleansed and happy.
I ordered a couple of the 500ml bottles from escentual.com after testing out the first one and I've been through about 3 bottles in the last year. I use it every single day, even if I am not wearing makeup, I just like to wipe over my face as it leaves my skin refreshed. A 500ml bottle lasts about 6 to 8 weeks as you only need to use a few squirts of it so it is very worth the money. You can pick the 500ml up for £14-£15 in the UK. There is also offers on escentual.com like BOGOF and certain % off so make sure you look out for them. I think it is definitely worth the price anyway. You can now pick it up from a few places in London, I know John Bell and Croyden on Wigmore Street stock it and there is also a little pharmacy near Marble Arch that stock it. Yes, I was extremely happy when I heard it was being stocked in the UK.. extremely, extremely happy.
So I guess that's my first review, this is definitely a holy grail product for me and I can see it being a staple for many years ahead.. I would actually like to see how a competitor brings out something so effective yet so gentle onto the market. Till then, I will be loyal to this water as it's been absolutely amazing to me.
What do you all think of this micellar solution? Are you all in love with it as much as I am? If you're a fellow Londoner, do you know of any other places that it is available? Please share any of your thoughts, I would love to hear them! If you have any further questions, please ask!
Thank you so much for reading. XOXO
This is what Bioderma have to say about the Micellar water:
''At the cutting edge of innovation, BIODERMA has pioneered micellar solutions. Specially formulated for sensitive, normal to dry skins, the Sensibio H2O micelle solution gently cleanses face and eyes. It removes water-resistant make-up.
The micelles contained in its formula effectively micro-emulsify impurities while maintaining the skin’s balance (soap-free, physiological pH).
Soothing and decongesting active ingredients prevent the feelings of irritation often caused by cleansing.
Sensibio H2O guarantees excellent cutaneous and ocular tolerance (tested under ophthalmological supervision).''
So does it do everything it claims? Ooohh yes it does! The Bioderma Micellar water is a liquid cleanser/makeup remover that is suitable for all skin types. My skin is sensitive and the gentleness of the water-like formula means that this product does NOT irritate it at all. It is used by pouring it onto a cotton pad and wiping over your face to cleanse/ remove makeup. I personally do not recommend this as a cleanser as I really believe in deep cleansing the skin and I do not think this is enough as a cleanser by itself. This is really a effective makeup remover or I guess, it could be a first step cleanser. This product is absolutely incredible at removing makeup, including waterproof makeup. I use a few squirts on a big oval cotton pad (the Boots baby ones) and it literally removes every little bit of makeup. The solution actually feels like wiping your face with water, that is how gentle it is. Like I mentioned, it does not irritate the skin at all so you will not get any red or inflamed skin. There is a little trick for removing eye makeup with this solution, you have to hold the cotton pad over your eyes for a few seconds and then swipe, all the eye makeup will literally wipe off with that one swipe as long as you are using it correctly. I LOVE using this as an eye makeup remover as it means that I am not left over with any oily residue nor any panda eyes. I think I am safe to say, it is the perfect makeup remover. It leaves your skin feeling, fresh, cleansed and happy.
I ordered a couple of the 500ml bottles from escentual.com after testing out the first one and I've been through about 3 bottles in the last year. I use it every single day, even if I am not wearing makeup, I just like to wipe over my face as it leaves my skin refreshed. A 500ml bottle lasts about 6 to 8 weeks as you only need to use a few squirts of it so it is very worth the money. You can pick the 500ml up for £14-£15 in the UK. There is also offers on escentual.com like BOGOF and certain % off so make sure you look out for them. I think it is definitely worth the price anyway. You can now pick it up from a few places in London, I know John Bell and Croyden on Wigmore Street stock it and there is also a little pharmacy near Marble Arch that stock it. Yes, I was extremely happy when I heard it was being stocked in the UK.. extremely, extremely happy.
So I guess that's my first review, this is definitely a holy grail product for me and I can see it being a staple for many years ahead.. I would actually like to see how a competitor brings out something so effective yet so gentle onto the market. Till then, I will be loyal to this water as it's been absolutely amazing to me.
What do you all think of this micellar solution? Are you all in love with it as much as I am? If you're a fellow Londoner, do you know of any other places that it is available? Please share any of your thoughts, I would love to hear them! If you have any further questions, please ask!
Thank you so much for reading. XOXO
Welcome to innurbeautyxoxo.blogspot.co.uk!
Hi! I'm innurbeautyxoxo, a 26 year old makeup artist living in the UK! I'm bonkers about beauty, a fanatic for food and a lover of London City! I'm currently blessed to be living the bright lights, long nights and city life of the best city in the world.. London City!
Now that you have landed on this page, you will have a VIP pass into all my little beauty secrets, health and fitness tips and my travel experiences. There will be no secrets left between us once I start typing.. I intend on spilling everything I know. From all my favourite lipsticks, to my favourite restaurants and it may even lead onto me adding a little sugar and sharing some of my famous (amongst my family and friends ha!) smoothie recipes!
This blog is being built with a pinch of excitement, lots of faith and tons of love! I hope you will love reading my blog as much as I will love writing it!
InnurBeautyXOXO ♥
Hi! I'm innurbeautyxoxo, a 26 year old makeup artist living in the UK! I'm bonkers about beauty, a fanatic for food and a lover of London City! I'm currently blessed to be living the bright lights, long nights and city life of the best city in the world.. London City!
Now that you have landed on this page, you will have a VIP pass into all my little beauty secrets, health and fitness tips and my travel experiences. There will be no secrets left between us once I start typing.. I intend on spilling everything I know. From all my favourite lipsticks, to my favourite restaurants and it may even lead onto me adding a little sugar and sharing some of my famous (amongst my family and friends ha!) smoothie recipes!
This blog is being built with a pinch of excitement, lots of faith and tons of love! I hope you will love reading my blog as much as I will love writing it!
InnurBeautyXOXO ♥