Paul and Joe 10th Anniversary Collection...Meow!

I recently received an email from Asos, telling me about the new range of Paul & Joe cosmetics that have been released, to celebrate their 10TH Anniversary. I have seriously never seen anything so cute in all my life! P&J designer Sophie Albou loves cats and has channelled this love into the new Limited Edition Meow cosmetics collection. Prepare for utter cute and adorable pictures...

There are three lipsticks in the range: Miaow (Soft Pink), Sex Kitten (Nude) and Catwalk (Peach). The lipsticks feature an inlaid paw print design to celebrate their 10TH Anniversary. They are enriched with moisturising Orange flower water and Jojoba oil. The packaging is so eye-catching and is sampled from their clothing range. I adore these, it would almost be a shame to use them as they look so cute with all the little paw prints on! These are my favourite products from within the range.

  

Picture 1 courtesy of b-glowing. Picture 2 courtesy of Asos.

There are three eye-shadow palettes in the range: Kitty Cat (Pink and Purple tones), Purr-fect (Green tones) and Siamese Please (Brown tones).

Picture courtesy of chinese-luxury.

Each palette contains an inlaid cat design and the shades come in contrasting shimmer, satin and matte textures. Again the eye-shadow colours contain moisturising Orange flower water and Jojoba oil. The gorgeous packaging designs are again samples from the P&J clothing collection. I received the Siamese Please palette to sample, here are some swatches:

There are three blusher sticks in the range: Catfight (Red), Glamour Puss (Nude/Cream) and Minou (Pink).

  

Picture 1 courtesy of b-glowing. Picture 2 courtesy of Asos.

The design is of a cat in a top hat...beyond cute! Along with the lipsticks, these are also my favourite products from within the range! They glide on to provide a rich, creamy, powder finish. Again, they contain moisturising Orange flower water and Jojoba oil. I think it's fab that a cute cosmetics line contains moisturising ingredients. It just goes to show that the range has been thought about with the user in mind, rather than just thinking that it doesn't matter what's in the lipsticks, the cute factor will make them sell. I received the Minou blusher stick to sample, here is a swatch:

       

There is also a matte pressed powder in the collection. Although I don't use pressed powder I am totally sucked in by the packaging - it's adorable! There is a cute cat print on the front of the compact and then when you open it you can't help but go - aww! Aswell as there being a cat shadow print on the actual powder, the powder puff is in the shape of a paw and has a paw print on it! The pressed powder comes in one colour: Cinnamon (see picture below).

Picture courtesy of b-glowing.

There are also three nail polishes in the range: Kitten Claws (Soft Pink), Manekineko (Hot Pink) and Tigress (Beige). Although they are cute shades, the nail polishes don't draw me in as much as the products with the cat designs. Although I am sure the quality is still top notch. There is moisturising Orange flower water in these and a Pearl calc to protect the nail.

Picture courtesy of b-glowing.

Lastly, there is a Black waterproof gel eye-liner in the collection. It is smudge-proof and contains quick dry oil so the eye-liner sets instantly (perfect!). It also contains film polymers that ensure a long lasting finish. The gel is enriched with moisturising Orange flower water. This also contains White Lily extract. A fine brush also comes with this product, for easy application.

  

Pictures courtesy of Asos.

My mum loves cats and we have three at home. I showed her this collection and she couldn't get over how cute everything is!

The products range from £10-£28 and are available from Asos and Paul & Joe counters.

Can you resist buying anything from this range? Or if you have anything from this range, how hard has it been to use the items when the designs are so cute?!

Much Love,

Gem XxOo

Disclaimer: I received The Siamese Please palette and Minou blusher stick to sample, hence the fact that there are only swatches for those two products. My opinions are and always will be 100% honest. See the disclaimer tab for more information.

MUA Love Heart Range...

Picture courtesy of Imagekind.

Those of you that are fans of MUA (sold at Superdrug and online) will probably know that they have launched a new 'Love Heart' range, consisting of 6 gorgeous pastel colour nail polishes and 5 luscious lip balms that are available throughout February 2012.

What's not to love? A bargain make-up brand, lush pastel shades perfect to prepare for Spring and Love Heart sweets - which were a favourite of mine as a kid and I am still partial to the odd packet even now!

I had the chance to sample a couple of the lip balms, which was nice to be honest as my local Superdrug never seem to be up to date with most of the ranges of make-up - they still only have the original £1 line from MUA!

I got to sample 'Hot Lips' and 'Great Lips' but there are three other colours/shades available in the collection. I adore the Love Heart message names on them, so sweet!

Pictures (apart from the swatches) courtesy of MUA.

The samples I have received provide a sheer wash of colour without being too much and feel really moisturising on the lips. The same as with most lip balms, if you eat or drink the balm tends to come off, but because the colour is fairly sheer it is easy to just slick some more on, without worrying too much about applying it perfectly (so the colour doesn't end up everywhere) or having to use a lip brush (although I know some people prefer to do this instead of using the fingers).

The nail polishes remind me of the Nails Inc polishes in terms of their shape. They also have Love Heart message names :-).

Picture courtesy of Superdrug PR.

(L-R LOVE U 24/7, U R FAB, I WANT YOU, U ROK, U & I, I <3 U)

All nail polishes and lip balms from the range are £2. Absolute bargain! You know how with some make-up ranges you want to buy the whole range but can't really justify doing it because of the price? Well, with this range you don't have to feel guilty because the whole range is only going to cost you £22!

As I have sampled some of the lip balms and they are 10g each, I can tell that they are going to last a long time! I can imagine the nail polishes will aswell.

Like I said, the range is being sold in Superdrug (I can't see the range on the Superdrug website at the moment, so you may have to pop into your local Superdrug store) and online during February 2012. I am not sure whether they are still going to be available after this time, so if you are lucky enough to have them in your local Superdrug (if you don't want to purchase online), I would recommend going to snap up some or all of the range! Guaranteed to brighten up any make-up bag or collection!

What are your favourite items from the range?

Are you lucky enough to have the range in your local Superdrug?

Much Love,

Gem XxOo

Disclaimer: As stated above, I received two of the lip balms as samples to try out. My opinions are and always will be 100% honest. See disclaimer tab for more information.

Miners Cosmetics...

When I was approached by Miners Cosmetics to become a reviewer of their products, not only was I honoured to be approached by a beauty brand, but also thrilled to be able to try out a brand I had never tried before. Making my reviews and opinions on them fresh.

Having received and sampled some of their beauty products, I have wondered why I haven't seen their products on the high street. Then I found out they are only sold online and in quality pharmacies. There was a time when I never used to buy anything online and I never really have a need to go into specific quality pharmacies. I do think they would do well being sold on the high street in stores like Superdrug and Boots. They are amazing value for money!

Miners Cosmetics are always in the press (I found this out from their website and the one magazine I tend to buy, I don't think they are covered in) and celebrities use their products. You can see some press coverage here. Miners Cosmetics was established in 1937 and they have over 70 years experience in bringing innovative and affordable make-up to the masses. They take inspiration from the leading trends and colours on the catwalk. Miners Cosmetics are constantly evolving and changing to keep up to date with each seasons must have look.

I wanted to carry out this review of the samples I have received so far and share some pictures with you to make you more aware of the brand and their products. Like me, I am sure there are plenty of girls out there that haven't heard of this brand before, or if you have, haven't seen the products on the high street and have wondered where they are being sold.

Here are the first set of samples I received. They are Pearls for Girls lip glosses. The range is made up of six illuminating shades. Each pearlescent shade has a gorgeous, iridescent finish. The lip glosses have pearly artwork surrounding the casing, which is centred entirely on its pearl theme. The glosses have a twist up end, which means the lip gloss release can be controlled and there won't be any waste. They are also ideal for people on the go, as everything is in one, rather than the tube and applicator being separate.

From left to right, top to bottom: Oyster, Pearly Girly, Pearly Kiss, Pink Pearl, Mother of Pearl and Crushed Pearl.

The brush applicator is really soft. Here is an example of what the brush looks like with the lip gloss being released:

 

The lip glosses have a lovely fruity smell. They aren't sticky at all, but soft and moisturising. They feel like a lip balm on the lips. Pearly Girly and Pink Pearl look extremely similar in colour on my pictures. They look different in the tube (they are lip glosses three and four in my very top picture), but come out very similar when applied. My favourites are Pearly Kiss and Crushed Pearl. I love these colours and how they provide a wash of colour to the lips, whilst making the lips so smooth and moisturised. The lip glosses are £3.49 each and can bought here.

Here are the second set of samples I received. They are Define and Line liquid eyeliners. The range is made up of three classic colours; black, brown and blue. The matte black bottle makes these eyeliners look sleek and professional. I love how compact they are and if you had all three they would all fit snugly in your make up bag without taking up a lot of space.

                                  From top to bottom: Blue, Brown and Black.

As someone who isn't a huge fan of liquid eyeliners, I was pleasantly surprised using these to find that they are really easy to use. The smaller applicator/handle gave me more control and my hand wasn't shaking all over the place, as I was closer to my eye and could get right in there. I have tried liquid eyeliners before with a longer applicator/handle and found it really hard to apply the eyeliner, as my hand was so far away from my face, it wasn't as controlled. The brush is also really pointed and defined so it is easy to create the perfect line and/or flick. I did learn not to go straight in there with a lot of product on the brush, because if you don't get the line thin enough it can end up on the top of your eyelid as it takes longer to dry. Start off with a small amount of product on your brush and it dries in seconds, then just build your line up that way. They are also amazingly smudge-proof, so you can rest assured it will stay in place all day, until you want to take it off. My favourite is the blue-I love how it makes the eyes stand out! The brown is lush aswell though, it gives a dark, mysterious look to the eyes. The eyeliners are £2.99 each and can be bought here.

                                     Picture courtesy of Miners Cosmetics PR.

Here are the third lot of samples I received. They include five city inspired colours and make up this years Miners Cosmetics Autumn and Winter nail polish collection. Again, the packaging is really sleek looking and compact, so won't take up much room where ever you choose to keep them. Here are the names behind the colours and the inspiration behind the names (as stated by Miners Cosmetics):

London's Calling - There is nothing dull about this gorgeous mushroom hue. Taking inspiration from the heart of London Town, London's calling is the perfect party shade for the new season.

Fairytale of New York - New York is the worlds most celebrated 'concrete jungle', with an eclectic mix of breath-taking buildings, skyline and stunning parks. This deep emerald shade takes the gorgeous colour from the Cities urban escape - Central Park with the brash, cosmopolitan attitude of the socialites found in Greenwich Village. It's the perfect shade for a heady fashion junkie!

Weekend in Paris - Paris...j'adore Paris, the romance capital of the world! Delicious delights of the Patisserie, breath-taking works at the Louvre and the stylish stores lining the Champs-Elysees - this shade emulates everything Parisian, a fashionable colour for the true romantic.

Plum - this is a new colour that has recently been added to the collection. For some reason it doesn't have a city based name, but is a gorgeous deep plum colour.

I find it easier to apply nail polishes when the bottle has a longer handle/brush. I am not sure of the exact reason for this, I just find it easier to work with. These nail polishes have a long handle/brush, so the application is really easy. I applied just two coats of each to get the above look for all my swatches. They dry in approx a minute and provide such a gorgeous glossy finish. My favourite colour is Fairytale of New York-I love the emerald green colour, it looks stunning on the nails! They are just £2.99 each and can be bought here.

They have plenty more products on the website, such a huge range, I feel it's a shame if people don't know about it. Especially as the prices are so reasonable and the products don't lack in quality at all. I look forward to telling you about more of their products in the future...watch this space!

You can find their website here.

Thanks so much for reading my post-please follow, like and comment :-).

Much Love Gem XxOo

You can find me on YouTube here.

You can find me on Twitter here.

Disclaimer: I am a reviewer for Miners Cosmetics, so the above products were sent to me for review consideration. I do not have to review them, but I chose to, because I love the products and feel the brand needs more awareness. All opinions are my own and 100% honest.

Pictures: All pictures unless otherwise stated are my own. If you wish to use them please credit my name by them-Gemma Tranter.

Topshop Beauty...

As you are all probably aware, Topshop started selling beauty products back in 2010. The products have simple, but effectively sweet and chic packaging, which looks great on any dressing table or in any make-up bag. The cute spots and stripes add a fun element to the make-up, but don't take away the fact that the products are suitable for all ages.

I don't tend to shop online as much as I did last year (before the beauty products were released for sale) and my local Topshop has next to nothing beauty wise in store. I'm lucky if I go to my local Topshop and they have more than a couple of nail polishes, whereas if I go to a Topshop elsewhere, I'm blown away by the choice. So, the only time I really am able to look at the Topshop beauty products (wide range) is if I go to Birmingham or London.

I recently was given the opportunity to test and review some Topshop beauty products and I'm not going to lie-I jumped at the chance. I haven't been able to splash out as much recently, so although I have wanted to buy many items from the Topshop beauty products range, I have had to be a good girl.

Anyway, I have had so much fun trying out different items and some I liked and others not so much. I didn't choose the products myself to review, I was just sent a range so it wasn't biased that I was sure to like every single thing. Some of the items don't seem to be available online anymore for some reason, so I won't be able to provide links for all. Instead, I will put the prices in as I am talking about each item and I will put the Topshop website at the bottom of my post. You might be better off going into a Topshop store though (especially Birmingham and London as they have more of a range-I am not sure about anywhere else, apart from where I live where it is pants lol).

I'm going to start with Lipsticks...

From left to right: On The Town and Ohh La La.

My first impressions of these colours were mixed, when I first saw the orange/coral one I absolutely loved it! Mainly because I am really into coral/peach colour make-up at the minute. I have to apply it thinly and sparingly, as if it is too bright it doesn't suit me as much-but I still love the colour! The purple one on the other hand, I was unsure about. When I swatched it on my hand (the morning I received it), I still wasn't sure. It is quite a sheer colour, which I know quite a lot of my subscribers on YouTube like. However, with me I tend to go for block colours (whether bright or subtle) not sheer. I just don't think they suit me as much.

The lipsticks are velvet finish and are designed to smooth, moisturise and nourish lips. They don't dry out the lips and are matte in terms of no sparkle. They do have a shiny finish-so you don't really need to add a shiny lip gloss on top as they look perfect on their own. In my opinion, I feel they are really pigmented. You don't have to be too hasty applying the lipstick, they are full of colour and a quick swipe is really all you need-I didn't need much anyway for full colour lips. The only thing I would say beforehand is make sure you have smooth lips before applying this, because they do accentuate any dry patches you might have, even slight ones. These lipsticks are currently £8 each.

Nail Polishes...

From left to right: Sandy Lane and Dust Storm.

On first impressions, I have to be honest, I wasn't sure about either of these colours. I will tell you why. Sandy Lane just didn't appeal to me colour wise. I have very pale skin and I thought that this would be suited to those with a bit more of a tan than me. Dust storm I wasn't sure about because it was an iridescent colour and quite transparent (it wasn't a block colour). Again, the same as with lipsticks I tend to stick to block colours in nail polishes and have never myself bought a sheer colour as I always thought if you can hardly see the polish on your nails, what's the point?

How wrong was I?! I tried wearing Dust Storm first for the simple fact that it was a purple/pink colour (I love purple). You do need two coats of this, but you do with Sandy Lane aswell, so it doesn't really matter that it is quite a transparent colour-two coats will provide full coverage (well it did for me anyway). I must admit that when applied and dried (which took about 2-3 minutes) I was quite taken back by how beautiful it was. Now, I know you might think that's a bit over the top, but this is coming from someone who doesn't go for these types of polishes. It is such a gorgeous purple iridescent colour with pink sparkle. I will definitely not be so ignorant to polishes like this in the future and I will test them or try them out.

So, if you are like me-give them a chance, you might be surprised, especially with this one! It lasts just over a week without chipping and I must admit I don't always apply a top coat under or over the polish. So if you do, you might get more wear out of it :-). Sandy Lane on the other hand, has all the same features as Dust Storm (drying time, chipping time, two coat coverage), but I just wasn't keen on the colour. I did try it, but it didn't look right and so it didn't stay on my nails that long before I took it off. I might try it when I have a tan or when I fake tan and see what it looks like then. These nail polishes are currently £5 each.

Skin Tint...

I received this in light and I was interested and keen to try it as I am fussy with foundations/tinted moisturisers as I struggle to find ones that suit my skin tone and aren't too heavy. My perfect foundation is Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua-B20, so I like light foundations that still provide coverage and am always looking for foundations/tinted moisturisers to match this. The first thing I noticed about this skin tint was the smell. It smells like Johnson's baby lotion-the pink bottle. Such a lovely smell.

This is what it looks like when first pumped onto my hand...

So already you can see it is darker than my skin tone and this is meant to be the light version :-/.

Rubbing it in...

You can see how dark this is. So putting this on my face (which I did when I first received it), I wasn't too keen to be honest. It took some serious blending in and even when I had finished it still didn't look or feel right-it just obviously isn't meant for me.

This is what it looked like blended all the way in...

  From left to right: hand with skin tint on and hand without the skin tint on.

You can see that the hand with the skin tint on has a little bit more colour to it than the hand without. So you can tell it has been applied. It took some serious blending though. I also found that it is quite heavy and thick for the face. It also doesn't provide much coverage. It's not so much greasy but I knew I had it on, whereas with the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua it doesn't feel like you are wearing anything (I compare it to that because that's what I prefer-so if I can find one similar that's cheaper, that would be fab, but this isn't the one). I feel this would be good for an instant wash off tan, people with the same skin tone as me could get a darker version which would work fab for the body, but I wouldn't recommend it for the face. However, for day to day use, this isn't for me. On the Topshop website there are currently two reviews, both 5 out of 5. So it is clear some people really like it-it just goes to show, don't be put off by this if you do have the same skin tone as me because you may find it works for you :-). This skin tint is currently £10.

Waterproof Mascara...

I was sent this mascara in Raven which is Black. The brush is an even all round brush, medium sized. I first noticed when taking the wand out of the tube that there was a lot of product on the brush and I had to wipe some off onto the tube before applying because I don't really like clumpy lashes, which is what the wand looked like it would produce with all that product. If you apply mascara with a heavy hand you will more than likely experience getting this on your lids, as the formula of the mascara is quite gloopy. I love love love the colour of this-I know it is just Black but it is deep Black and I love Ultra Black mascara on my lashes, it just makes them look more defined and makes my eyes stand out. After I wiped the excess out on the tube, the application went without any trouble at all. The mascara does last all day without flaking or smudging. The mascara I can say definitely lengthens and thickens the lashes-it really makes your eyes stand out. It looks like you are wearing false lashes, but without the worry of them falling off. I can't really comment on the waterproof feature of the mascara, as I haven't experienced getting my lashes wet whilst wearing this. However, I have to say it does take a while to get off :-/ so this is probably the waterproof feature kicking in :-). This mascara is currently £8.

Gel Liner and Liner Brush...

The gel liner is in Ink (Black) and I was really happy to receive this as I have never used a gel eye-liner. I have always stuck to Kohl pencil liners. I was a little bit unsure about this because I have always stayed away from liquid liners because I don't seem to have the knack when it comes to applying them, so I thought this would be the same. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how easy this was to apply. The liner brush is perfect with this and the gel liner goes on really smoothly, so there is no dragging of the lid. Again, as it is deep black, it really makes the eyes stand out. It doesn't smudge and lasts all day without budging. It doesn't fade throughout the day either, it stays a solid, block colour-it's perfect! I love using this and there is so much product in the tub it is going to last for ages. The gel liner is currently £8 and the liner brush is currently £4.

Kohl Pencil Liner...

I received this in Dragonfly, which is a Metallic Green, although it looks black. It is a really really dark Green. I'm confused about this colour because on the Topshop website pictures, the colour is green, you can tell it is green. However, I have swatched this everywhere, in different lights and it still comes out as the above swatched colour-which looks black :-/. You can surely say that the colour is intense. The pencil is so so soft when applying this liner, which is perfect, there is nothing worse than a hard pencil liner dragging across your lid :-(. It is really easy to apply and tends to stay in place, but I have found that it doesn't stay put as much as the gel liner does. You can blend and smudge this a lot easier-for a smokier eye. It does have a sparkle to it, but it is seriously minor and subtle, so nothing too daring, just pretty :-). I love this as I wear coloured liner pencil on my top lash line all the time-so this is perfect for me. This kohl pencil liner is currently £4.

Semi-Permanent Liner...

I received this in Infinite and this is one super long lasting liner! It is for sure called 'semi-permanent' for a reason, although I would call it pretty much permanent. If you are someone who is always on the go, in a rush, never stops throughout the day and is always worrying about smudging your make-up. This is definitely a product for you. It stays put for ages! Definitely all day and if you weren't to take it off, I wouldn't be uncertain about it lasting days maybe even a week :-/. I was shocked at how smudge-proof this was and I thought the gel liner was good! It does have a subtle shimmer, but nothing that is going to be too much for a day look. You can smudge this before it dries for a smoky look, but you have to be quick lol. It does recommend on the packaging to use an oil based make-up remover to get it off...highly recommended! I love this product though-I'm tempted to get more colours! This is currently £8.

Now onto a product I have bought myself...

Cream to Powder Blush...

Picture courtesy of the Topshop website.

I have mine in Neon Rose (above). It is gorgeous and described as being coral on the website. It doesn't really look like a coral colour in real life-I don't think. It is more of a deep pink. When applied it gives a really rosy glow to the cheeks. It is really easy to apply/blend and a little goes a long way. I have found with this that it can accentuate dry skin a little, if you have it. So I would recommend moisturising especially well if you are going to use this. I do love the blusher though and it lasts for ages which is great! I really want to get the more peachy colours in this type of blush :-). This is currently £6.

I absolutely love Topshop beauty products and although there are some products that aren't for me, there is definitely a huge range to choose from to find the right products :-). Most items that have faults (in my opinion) make up for it in other ways. There is definitely something to suit everyone! Have a look in your local Topshop for their range of beauty products or have a look on the Topshop website here.

Have any of you lovelies tried Topshop beauty products?

What are your favourite products and your not so favourite products?

Thanks so much for reading my post-please follow, like and comment :-).

Much Love Gem XxOo

You can find me on YouTube here.

You can find me on Twitter here.

Disclaimer: I would just like to add that even though I have been sent these products to review (apart from the Neon Rose Blush), I am an honest person and all my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Pictures: All pictures unless otherwise stated are my own. If you wish to use them please credit my name by them-Gemma Tranter.