benefit 'It's Potent!' Brightening Eye Cream

Now, I don't know if you guys have noticed this yet, but I'm literally the BIGGEST benefit fan girl ever! The first time I tried a benefit product was 2 years ago when I nabbed my Mum's first buy and I've been addicted ever since. It wasn't until I really got interested in makeup and different products that I really saw what it was that I loved about benefit. 

As you all know, benefit are not the cheapest of makeup producers but they are one of the best. Their products always seems to receive raving reviews and I honestly feel benefit is a product I can trust, hence my decision to put my skin care into their hands. Although I have tried a great deal of benefit's makeup range, I had yet to try their skin care collection. For the last year I had suffered from extremely tried eyes which has in turn gift wrapped me the present of dark under eye circles!! Stubborn little blighters aren't they? I've been trying to rid myself of these ageing features for the last few months with an array of products including under eye caffeine rollers and home made spells to rid me of them. But these sadly left me with nothing but disappointment. So, after reading up about benefit's skin care range, I decided to invest in their 'It's Potent' brighting cream in the hope that it may work a treat. 

I purchased my eye cream from Debenhams for £23.50 but can be purchased online through benefit's own website if you live internationally. 

I've been using 'It's Potent' for about three days now and I can already see a difference. Although my dark circles are still quite visible, my under eyes feel and look a lot smother and more hydrated. My eyes don't feel as tried which is an extra bonus. I use the cream in the mornings, after moisturising and in the evening after removing my makeup. I'm in love with everything this product has to offer. I love the smell of it as well as the way it's packaged. The smell is really fresh and unique and the vintage, faux cord lid really adds this alternative, shabby chic look, looking great in my vintage themed room! 

I personally believe this product is definitely worth the money but many may find the price tag to hefty for something they may not find works for them. Debenhams do sell a benefit six piece skin care set with samples from all of benefit's radiant skincare if you'd like to try their products without investing in one! And it's only 10 pound! 

Overall I really do love this product. It's light yet creamy consistency means it doesn't feel heavy on your delicate under eyes and I just feel like the quality of my skin has improved drastically within only a few days of usage! If your willing to get past the price tag, I'd say it's worth the investment. A good quality eye cream can last you for a good few months! So ban those dark circles and bar those under eye wrinkles with this miracle cream. I promise, you won't be disappointed! I want the moisturiser next! ;) 

Lot's of Love,

G 

oxoxox

Benestar Competition!

I recently entered a Benefit Competition in which you had to record a makeup review or tutorial with Benefit products! I am a massive fan of Benefit so this was a great experience for me and I'm quite proud of the look I created. If you'd like to check out the video, here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/BenefitCosmeticsUK/app_360624010630236


 Let me know what you think of it by dropping me a comment or tweeting me @thatgeorgiacoan 

Thanks Guys!

Hello everyone!

Sorry I have not written any blog entries over the festive season! I have been very busy but will start posting some very soon as I have some new products to tell you guys about!

I hope to speak to you all soon!

Happy New Year! 

oxoxoxoxo

Batiste Dry Shampoo Review

I first tried Batiste Dry Shampoo back five months ago. I was looking for a solution to the second day flat fringe syndrome I seem to suffer with so when I heard there was such a thing as dry shampoo, it felt like all my dreams had come at once. Now, it's not like I was a complete stranger to the idea of dry shampoo as I'd known for many years that talc powder through the hair dried up unwanted grease, but if you've ever tried this method out, you'll know how horribly wrong it can go! 

So to see that I could get the same result with a product that was so much easier to apply and didn't leave me looking like a ghost was just fabulous! The first Batiste I tried out was Proud and True Brit which has a really strong and patriotic smell. For me, Bastiste has really become a lifesaver. As you may have also been told, it is said that washing your hair everyday is never a good thing. It can wash away natural oils and nutrients that your hair needs to stay strong. But on the second day, my hair always seems to lose that shine and volume it has after a wash. My fringe especially as I often touch my fringe during the day which leads to grease! UGH.

Thankfully though, I'm still quite lucky to get away grease-less regarding the rest of my hair. So on the second day, when my fringe has lost it's bounce and it tries to part ways with me, I give it a spray of Batiste just before brushing it through a few times, allowing all the product to really spread throughout the hair and dry up any grease. The product really gives my hair a refresh which is perfect for those days where you may not have time to shower or may have lost the volume of your hair. I find Batiste really brings my hair back to life. I also love the scents and how different they are! 

I'm always excited to purchase another bottle and when I got my hands on the new 'Fruity and Cheeky Cherry' I was not disappointed. As a lover of fruity scents I'm just in love with the smell of this dry shampoo. It's so fresh and juicy and honestly makes me wish I could get a perfume which smelt like it!!

Batiste is just perfect for those bad hair days and I won't lie to you when I say that I have become an absolute fan girl of these dry shampoos! Try them out, you won't be disappointed!

http://www.batistehair.co.uk/products/cherry

£2.99

Conceal it! Concealer Reviews (Benefit+Rimmel+Collection2000)

I'm not to sure about you girlies, but it's feels like I've been searching for the perfect concealer for a life time!

Ever since Maybelline discontinued my favourite concealer ever: The Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector, I have been struggling to find any concealer that amounts to it's fabulous coverage and pleasing application. 

After months of research, here I am to present you with three of the concealers I have been using for the last few months. All these concealers were either personally recommended by shop assistants or friends or have been brought due to strong reviews. 

So here are the contestants for the BEST CONCEALER ON THE MARKET!

The Nominees are...

Rimmel's Wake Me Up Concealer 

Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection Concealer 

and Benefit's Erase Paste.

The first concealer I purchased was the Benefit's Erase Paste. Unlike the other nominees for the contest, Erase Paste, like most Benefit products comes with a hefty price tag, averaging around 20 pound. I purchased the Erase Paste after a recommendation from a makeup artists in my local Debenhams. The Erase Paste appears pretty much as it says on the tin, in a pasty consistency which can be applied through a small spoon like application or through the fingers. 

For me this was the first sign that my relationship with this concealer was set to hit rock bottom before we'd even reached the honeymoon period. I don't like the idea of concealers being quite thick and cakey as they have a greater probability  of creasing throughout the day. It was also quite greasy which I found off putting. I also did not like the idea of using my fingers to apply the paste straight from the case as this would increase the level of bacteria within my makeup (I would continuously be placing my fingers inside the product itself). 

These issues aside, I decided to give the Erase Paste a chance to prove itself. For a few months I used this concealer and these were the pros and cons I found with the product throughout the time I have been using it. 

Pros 

The product has great coverage. All dark areas were covered and the concealer's brightening effect left my under eyes looking more awake. 

The colour really suited my foundation and my skin, complimenting most shades of my foundation range. (No. 1 Fair)

Cons

The product had a very cakey and thick consistency.

The concealer creased under my eyes throughout the day and was not long lasting due to it's pasty constancy. 

The product was quite greasy. 

Overall, although the product gave great coverage, it had a very thick and creamy consistency, which meant the product creased throughout the day. It also felt thick under my eyes. I don't personally believe the product is worth it's money and there are cheaper and similar products available which can provide the same brighting coverage that this concealer provides. 

I would give this product: 3/5 stars.

The second concealer was Rimmel's Wake Me Up Anti-Fatigue Effect + Radient Glow concealer in 030 Classic Beige. This product has been raved about by many beauty buyers across the nation. So I decided to give it a try myself. The product cost me 5.99 from a local supermarket. I used it for 2 months with my Benefit Hello Flawless foundation yet still found the concealer was quite dark for my under eyes (even though it is one of the lightest out of Rimmel's 4 shades). Your concealer should be at least 2 shades lighter then your foundation. 

I did, however, like the application of this concealer. I love the traditional wand application as I find it easier to apply and it also reduces bacteria within your makeup. The coverage overall was not as great as I expected it to be. My dark circles were still quite visible and I did not feel the product presented much of the promised anti-fatigue effect. The product was also not very long lasting throughout the day which lead to the need to re-apply half way through the day, something I'm very sure most woman do not have time for!

Here I have wrapped up the pros and cons of the product overall. 

Pros

The product is quite light to wear and has an easy, clean wand application. 

The product is not very visible against the skin so can be worn alone.

Cons

The product is not long lasting leading to re-application half way through the day. 

The product does not provide a great deal of coverage.

Overall the product is worth it's money but is not as strong as other similar concealers on the market. It is not long lasting and does not create enough coverage for those with pale skin and therefore more prominent dark circles under the eyes. 

I would give this product: 3 1/2 stars

Our last nominee is Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection concealer from Superdrug. This concealer cost me 4.99, making it the cheapest of our nominees. I have watched and read some shining reviews across the web by makeup enthusiasts (including some of the biggest names in beauty blogging) so felt it was only fair to give this product a try. 

I was unsure of purchasing the product at first due to it's brand. I tend to stick to brands I have used for years or my family have used as I feel they are more trusted and less likely to make my sensitive skin react badly. But I felt I could not miss out on giving this brand a go. I have only been using the product for a few days now but already feel it is an excellent substitute for my beloved Maybelline. It uses a wand application and is extreamly easy to apply. 

The consistently of the product is quite light and I did not feel it was heavy under my eyes. Due to it's long lasting effect which can see it work for 16 hours, it takes a lot to budge this from your under eyes. This means I do not have to reapply the product halfway through my college day, which is fabulous! 

It also gave strong coverage and really hid my dark circles well, making me look wide awake and brightening my eye area. The product also mixed well with my foundation in Fair. It mixes well with a few of my foundation shades which means I will not have to continuously be changing my concealer depending on my foundation. 

Here are a few pros and cons to wrap the product up overall:

Pros 

Light constancy means it does not feel heavy under the eyes or crease. 

Wand makes for clean and easy application.

Strong coverage. 

Cons 

The product dried quickly making it harder to blend with foundation. 

The concealer is hard to remove at the end of the day.

Overall I believe this product was the strongest of the three due to it's long lasting effect yet light consistency which meant no creasing or reapplying throughout the day! I will defiantly be buying this product in the future and other products from the Collection 2000 range. 

I would give this product: 5/5 stars

AND THE WINNER, OF BEST CONCEALER ON THE MARKET IS AWARED TO..........

COLLECTION 2000's LASTING PERFECTION CONCEALER!

So it just goes to show, sometimes the cheapest product is the strongest!

I would defiantly recommend this product to anyone looking for a new concealer. 

If you would like me to post images of me wearing all three of this concealers then please comment me. I would also love to hear any of your suggestions for reviews I should do in the future! 

Thank you very much for reading this and I will post again soon. 

G

oxoxoxo

BUY THEM HERE:

Benefit Erase Paste 

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer 

Collection 2000 Concealer