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!

Calling all Beauty Bloggers Everywhere!

Hello you beautiful people!

Are you a avid beauty blogger? Would you be interested in swapping reviews and products with other beauty junkies?

Follow my blog and get in touch with me via Twitter or Email if you'd like to get involved! 

@thatgeorgiacoan 

gezzieecoan@gmail.com

I'd love to network with you guys and possibly arrange some swaps of products with international beauty bloggers as well as just chatting to you guys to swap tips and tricks for beauty blogging and makeup/fashion!

Thanks

Georgia 

oxoxo

Mac: Pro-Longwear SPF 10 Foundation Review and Online Experience

For months and months I've been wanting a Mac Foundation. If you know anything about the beauty based world, you'll know that the Mac brand is the holy grail of the makeup industry. You'll also know that a Mac product comes with a hefty price tag, ranging from 14 to 40 pound for a single product. But believe me when I say, a great deal of them are worth every penny. 

I had read some great reviews about the Mac Pro-Longwear Foundation with SPF 10 and after a fair bit of research into which Mac Foundation would best suit my skin type, I finally decided to give the Pro-Longwear ago. At 24 pound it's not a product you could buy in bulk, but it's certainly worth the money in my eyes. I was looking for a foundation that stays all day, especially on my T-Zone as I feel that due to my slightly oily skin, many foundations begin to rub off or even melt off my face by late afternoon. The first day my Mac foundation arrived in the post, I was eager to give it a try and applied it during mid morning. By the time my family got back from work around 6 in the evening, they complimented me on the radiance and flawlessness of my skin! The foundation looked just as fresh and new as it had done the morning in which I had applied it!

I will say this foundation is very matte, which I love but many may not have the same feelings towards foundations of this kind. I find a matte foundation such as Pro-Longwear gives the appearance of flawless skin, which is particularly helpful when trying to cover breakout scars or particularly annoying breakout zones such as the forehead and chin area. I brought my Mac Foundation in the shade NC15 which is perfect for my skin tone as I have yellow undertones and often find it hard to match foundations to my skin. I didn't want the foundation to be too dark as this would make it obvious but pale foundations often gives me the complexion of an anaemic vampire. The shade is just perfect for me though and I feel like it blends effortlessly into my skin tone, creating a natural yet flawless finish. The application of the foundation is really lovely. It's texture is smooth and surprisingly light, which means it doesn't feel like it's being caked on or is blocking your pores. I must add though that my mum also tired this foundation but found it very drying on her skin, so I'd recommend that people with less oily skin or more mature skin (in the politest way possible) try one of Mac's other foundations such as StudioFix or Match master as these are not long wear foundations and will be lighter on dryer skin. 

Now, although I do have a Debenhams that supplies Mac products just an half hour drive away from me, I didn't have the time during the Christmas period to take a visit, yet was still desperate to get my hands on a Mac foundation. Much to my mother's warning that I should not, I decided to buy online, however, as I had not used Mac products beforehand, I did not have a shade to go by. I thought I might guess, but 24 pounds is a lot to pay for a product if it turns up and is WAY to dark or light a shade for your skin, so I decided to search around Mac's sight a little more. To my surprise, I found out that Mac have their own online makeup artists who can advise you on what shade will best suit your complexion. You can drop the artists an email if you are not in a rush, or even chat online (which I highly recommend as the reply is instant and you can talk to your artist for along as you please). My artist was Sarah and she gave me a great tip in order to find out what shade would best suit me. If you clench your fist and look at the veins on the back of your hand you will see they are either blue or green. If your veins are green, it means you are an NC shade, which is for people of a more yellow undertone. If they are blue, you are NW, for those with a pink undertone. This tip as well as the knuckle test (clench your knuckles and white knuckles mean NC, pink mean NW) can really help you when choosing a MAC product as MAC skin products are all built upon this system of undertones, allowing you to buy a foundation that really fits your complexion. However, I was still unsure of which  shade of NC to buy. Most people will be able to guess their shade based upon previous foundation colours and comparing them to the colour samples shown online. But as I said before, my skin can often be unpredictable and I didn't want to buy a foundation too light or even too dark. Sarah gave me an email address in which to send a picture of myself without foundation, so she could recommend a shade she believed would suit my tone. Within a few minutes I had sent a webcam picture through to the email address and had a reply from Sarah telling me that NC15 would be the shade to suit my complexion. 

Overall, I am ecstatic with the customer service I received from Mac. They are SO very helpful and I honestly felt like I was given all the information I needed in order to make the right choice. The shade matches my skin perfectly and the online service provided is fast and simple, allowing you to talk to knowledgable and friendly artists just a click away. The product is literally the best foundation I think I've ever brought. I've never had a foundation which matches my skin so perfectly and allows my skin to look flawless whilst still looking effortlessly natural. I will defiantly be purchasing more products from MAC in the near future and feel like my money has been spent well. I would recommend this foundation to anyone and everyone! 

Picture of me with Mac's Pro-Longwear Foundation.

http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/shaded/158/10180/Products/Face/Foundation/Pro-Longwear-SPF-10-Foundation/index.tmpl

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

Perfect Skin Overnight!

You've been looking forward to that Christmas party at work all week. And Sandra's wedding is just round the corner. Not to mention that holiday that you booked for this month with the boyfriend. But the morning of the event, low and behold, you are met with the most hideous creature you have ever layer your pupils upon. No it's not that ugly Chihuahua that the boyfriend got you last Chirstmas and it's certainly not what you had for dinner last night. 

It's the giant cluster of pimples you have developed on your forehead and the massive spot that can only be refereed to as 'Kilimanjaro'  that's sprouted from your nose. Now, I don't know about you, but in previous years this would have sent me running for the bathroom which I would spend a further 5 hours locked in until all events had concluded. But with the tips I have gathered over the last few years, this is no longer the case!

So here I am to share some of the best and fasted ways of ridding yourself of the dreading breakout. First of all, let's get an idea of how sports are formed. All over our skin are small pores or 'sebaceous glands' that secrete oil, keeping our skin lubricated and waterproof. However, sometimes these pores can become infected with the bacteria we come into contact with everyday, from the bacteria on our hands, to the pollution in the air. This in turn causes the pore to become inflamed with the infection, and causes it to fill with the body fluid we all know as pus. The spot itself is caused by the sebaceous gland becoming overactive which results in an overproduction of lubrication and over oily skin. As a teenager, you are more likely to have spots as the by product the sebaceous gland produces 'sebum' (which is what causes the skin to be oily) to a greater level, which causes the blocking of the pores and therefore, the dreaded spot. 

So how can we stop this reaction occurring and prevent the breakouts that cause us to so much stress throughout the year. Well, it's pretty simple. For starters, DON'T STRESS OUT! KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON! Literally, because it's been proven that stress can cause your hormones to go wild which in turn will make your completion a lot less smooth. 

You should also try not to squeeze spots, no matter how tempting it may be. Theres nothing worse then that horribly pussy pimple giving you the eye every time you look in the mirror, taunting you with it's squeezability. But try not to give into temptation. 

Drinking water can also help to clear up your skin in the long run, but of course we are here to understand how to rid yourself of them in a quick and easy way. But still though, try to keep yourself hydrated, Mumma Coan knows best. 

Now we get to the good part. A lot of products that prevent and rid you of bad skin are filled with drying products, do it's best not to use these all the time or if you have to, use a hydrated moisturiser two times a day. The following products will dry up the grease and sebum that gathers within a spot as well as acting as an antiseptic which will prevent inflammation and stop bacteria in it's tracks. 

First of, Sudocrem. 

If your mum was anything like mine then this stuff would have been present throughout your childhood. Typically used for nappy rash or surface wounds, Sudocrem is an antiseptic healing cream which acts as a water resistant base, keeping all the bad things out of the wound as well as soothing and helping to aid the healing process. SO what better product to use against the battle of the spot. I have used Sudocrem for single spots for a while now. After removing all your makeup and cleaning your face so you have no traces of product on your skin, apply a generous amount of Sudocream to the spot. Clip your fringe back whilst you sleep and leave the cream on all night. During your sleep the cream will absorb into the skin. Due to it's antiseptic qualities, the Sudocrem will have removed any bacteria from the spot and soothed it. In the morning you will find your spot is no longer inflamed and has even shrunk, no longer sporting it's pussy head. I find this is one of the best products for beating bad skin. It is listed as helping acne but that will depend on the severity of it.  

125g Sudocream will cost you around £2 and will vary in price according to size. I can vouch that this product will last you a very long time though! It also now comes in a handy travel tube which means you can rid yourself of the spots even on your travels! 

http://www.boots.com/en/Sudocrem-Antiseptic-Healing-Cream-125g_1666/

Another great product for beating spots is Tea tree oil. It smells to high heavens but works a treat on the biggest of pimples. It's medical properties include antibacterial and antiseptic qualities. It's shown to be just as effective as benzoyl peroxide (which can only be subcribed through a doctor) and has a greater amount of side effects. The antiseptic qualities of Tea tree mean that it has a very similar effect to Sudocream, healing and extractive bacteria from a wound (or in this case, a spot). Tea Tree oil can be very messy and is also quite overpowering, so if you want a Tea tree treatment that is not so much hassle, use a tea tree cream. Just like any antiseptic cream, Nelson's Tea tree cream is light and quickly absorbed. I have been using it for a year now and find it's perfect in drying up and healing my bad break outs. You can use this product by itself by applying it to a single spot on clean skin just before bed, or could use the technique I often use for my worst breakouts, which is to combine it with Sudocream. Rub a small amount of Tea Tree oil into the spot before placing a small amount of Sudocream on the top, remembering not to rub the Sudocream in as this will act as a resistant protective layer over the spot, keeping other bacteria out of the affected area. 

30g Nelsons's Tea Tree cream will cost you £2.99 from Sainsbury's but will vary from other stores and the size. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nelsons-Tea-Tree-Cream-30g/dp/B000FQVPK8

Now another quick and easy technique is toothpaste. You may have heard a huge spectrum of opinions regarding the use of toothpaste on spots. Some have reportedly said it can make your skin a lot worse, causing your spots to become more inflamed. I, however, have yet to experience this. Although I would not recommend this technique in the long run, for a one of spot it can do the trick if you have no other products at hand. It's best to use a plain white toothpaste which is not high in fluoride and apply a small amount on to a single spot before bed, leaving it to dry. Just like our previous products, toothpastes are used to reduce the level of harmful bacteria in our mouths due to an ingredient called triclosan. Due to toothpaste not being specifically targeted at skin (obviously!) it has been known to cause blockages and irritate the skin which is why I would not recommend using this treatment on a regular basis. I have found that it dries up single spots though and if you have no other products at hand when a spot raises it's ugly head overnight, it is a quick and simple way of drying it out if used overnight. But once again, I will add, this treatment is not scientifically shown to dry up spots SO please don't come back to me complaining if it has not worked for you!! I have found it has worked for me on the odd occasion so please no complaints!

If you are not bothered by a great deal of mess, honey is also a great antiseptic and anti-anti-inflammitry for spots. You can create a face mask with honey, or even apply it directly to the area. Because it is a natural antiseptic, it also does not damage or dry up skin and can leave it feeling a lot smoother within a matter or days. As I said before, this can be a lot messier then the other treatments, but can be a lovely treat on a friday evening snuggled up in front of the telly. 

And last but not least, perfume. Although this should not be used all the time as it can dry the more sensitive skin on our face, perfume is a great and quick way of shrinking down spots. It can be applied in the morning and before bed as it is not as visible as the other treatments. Due to the alcohol within most perfumes, it dries out the spot and acts as an antiseptic! I have found this actually really works for those mornings were Sudacream is too heavy for my skin and I'm in a rush for college. 

You could also invest in a toner/cleanser such as Simple's Pore Minimiser which will keep your skin clean and therefore prevent bacteria building up. 

Try these tips and let me know which one worked best for you! 

Love G 

oxoxo