Author: michelleprestige

Delune Bitter Orange & Neroli Facial Mist review

product review

Delune Paris is a London based brand that believes in the power of nature. The founder and creator Luigi Masi believes that skincare should be as organic as possible, and skincare ingredients should be as ethically sourced as possible. These were the driving forces that pushed him to create Delune Paris.

Both of these aforementioned issues in the skincare industry are issues that I feel need to be discussed. In particular the subject of skincare ingredients. Millennials have caused a shift in the way brands market their skincare and talk about ingredients – we are demanding. We want vegan friendly, cruelty free, ethically sourced and natural ingredients. As opposed to harsh chemicals that can accentuate skin conditions, or even cause them.

The more we educate ourselves about what we apply to our skin; the more the industry will be forced to change. That’s why I love innovative new brands like Delune Paris, they produce products that smell natural, feel natural and have natural derivatives. All the while, producing skincare that does not have a derogatory effect on the environment or other humans.

Delune Paris Bitter Neroli and Orange Facial Mist Review

I have been lucky enough to be sent this facial mist from Delune Paris; and I love it.

In my skincare routine I use a facial mist after cleansing to give a boost to skin. To give some gentle hydration that feels refreshing. The Bitter Neroli and Orange facial mist provides just that. Neroli is an antioxidant, providing the skin with a radiance boost. Orange adds Vitamin C to the mist which aids the skin against ageing.

It smells immense. The Orange provides a citrus undertone, whilst the Bitter Neroli smells holistic and healing. A real organic smell that relaxes the skin and the mind.

Hydration is especially important during the summer months. Skin can become lacklustre and dry due to sun exposure, and pollutants in the atmosphere. This facial mist can be carried in your handbag to provide an instant boost whenever it is necessary. I would highly recommend this to skin care enthusiasts everywhere. The brand ethics are enough to convince anyone to purchase – and the products live up to the reputation!

Delune Paris Bitter Neroli and Orange Facial Mist (100 ml) can be purchased online here, for £18. The facial mist comes in an array of various scents; each bottle is fresh and hand made to order.

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Kiko Milano: brand overview & mini haul

make-up hauls, product review

Kiko Milano is a brand that I adore, and the reason why is very simple: great quality for affordable prices. I’ve decided that 2018 for me, is about sacrifice. I’m saving up which in turn means that I am constantly bargain hunting. But what it doesn’t mean is that I’m willing to skimp on quality when it comes to make up or skincare.

On a recent trip to Covent Garden I happened to ‘accidentally on purpose’ fall into their Kiko Milano store. (I only went in for a liquid eyeliner). However I could not resist the alluring charm of their pretty, budget make up. Aside from the three items above I also purchased a Kiko Milano by Isa Arfen Holographic Eyeshadow Palette, (as pictured below). Heres my thoughts so far on the four items I purchased;

1. Fall 2.0 Eyeliner in 04 (grey metallic), £4.40

This metallic liquid eyeliner is great for experimenting with the metallic look within your make up. The brush is thin enough for a precise line, and the range of metallic colours available is grand. Highly recommend for summer nights.

2. Love me lots Lipstick in 05, £4.20

The limited edition love me lots collection is stunning; and this nude lipstick ticks all the boxes. I, personally, live for nude lipsticks. I’m going to be nude for life.

3. Kiko Milano by Isa Arfen Asian Touch Holographic Eyeshadow Palette, £5.90

Another limited edition capsule collection, which was featured in Vogue magazine. It’s eastern inspired beauty, and in this palette that is portrayed by the bow in the middle of the eyeshadow pods, reminiscent of the bow seen on a kimono. I love the style of this collection, it’s simplicity and hyper femininity is lovely. This Eyeshadow Palette is cute and practical. Plus the Holographic element is as pigmented as can be. Brilliant buy.

4. Kiko Milano by Isa Arfen Asian Touch blush in 01, £3.90

For a while now I’ve been a bigger fan of liquid blush in comparison to powder. I love having the freedom to blot it across my face, the experience feels more intimate and personalised. You also have greater control on how pigmented you’d like it to be. Highly recommend!

Missguided Boss Babe & Babe Dreams perfume launch & review

Events & launches, product review

I’ve been writing for The Guild Gazette which is part of an editorial internship I am completing. I won’t lie, it’s a bit strange doing an internship at 25 years old, it almost feels like everybody around you is progressing and leaving you behind – however, sometimes the best things in life simply take time.

I enjoy every minute of it, writing is my passion and it never feels like work. Another aspect which I love is that I get much more scope when writing articles; The Guild Gazette is a beauty trade magazine. So the articles I write are less fluffy than consumer driven articles, they are more in depth, technical and aimed at a professional audience.

This week I attended Missguided’s new perfume launch on behalf of The Guild, along with Marketing & Editorial Executive Pippa Ward and the Editor of the magazine Rebecca Archer. It was an amazing experience all round. The girls are lovely (most of my writing is done remotely so actually being in their presence was a novelty!) and the launch was uplifting.

Missguided is known for being a sassy brand and their first perfume ‘Babe Power’ was the fastest selling perfume of summer 2017; I was wondering how they could possibly outdo this? The entire night was very pink, blurry (perhaps a few too many cocktails) and confident – words that epitomise the brand as a whole.

I know that Missguided actively promote positivity, this can be seen all over their social media and products alike. It can even come across rather cliche at times, they have really latched onto an array of millennial phrases that exert positivity.

However, I was very pleased to notice diversity at the perfume launch. It was at that point I realised this is a brand that sticks to their word. They talk about positivity, but they also substantiate that with action.

In terms of bloggers attending events and launches, I have personally noticed that unfortunately with some brands, you do not get a diverse range of ethnicities who are invited or attend. I’m glad that Missguided are not part of this. It made me have a new found respect for the brand. Diversity within the fashion and beauty industry needs to be celebrated and promoted as much as possible.

The Perfumes

The new perfumes are called ‘Babe Oud’, ‘Babe Dreams’ and ‘Boss Babe’.

Babe Oud – I smelt this briefly at the launch but didn’t get one to take home. It was a strong, musky scent. Perfect for evening wear and suitable for winter.

Boss Babe – This is my favourite of the three scents and has become my daily fragrance. A musky scent that is lighter than Babe Oud, with undertones of vanilla I love the juxtaposed sweetness with heavy musk. A heavier scent that manages to also be light enough for everyday use.

Babe Dreams – The sweetest of the three fragrances. This one is floral and dreamy, as the name suggests.

All the fragrances come in 80ml atomisers and will be available for purchase soon (dates not released yet!). Eek, exciting.

Why I love my BMW more than most people

opinion piece

If you know me personally; or if you follow any of my various social media accounts, you’ll be well aware of my insatiable car obsession. I totally get that to non car people I must look like a weird obsessive girl who is addicted to loud cars. To most people, a car is an A to B form of transport and a heap of metal. But to me, and many other enthusiasts, a car is so much more than that.

Let’s set the scene, you’ve had a stressful day at work. Generally you feel downtrodden, fed up with life so you return home and have a glass of wine to unwind. Fair enough right?

Well for me the drive home would be the relaxation. Here are the main reasons why;

1. It’s a passion

We all have our hobbies and passions. For me cars are just that, I enjoy looking at them, talking about them. Pretty much anything car connected makes me happy. And in life you need to channel whatever it is that makes you happy. My car has the power to turn a bad day into a good one, it’s a form of escapism for enthusiasts.

2. Connected history

Although it sounds so cliche, I feel like the passion for cars is in my blood. My grandad was a car dealer, who got murdered in 1989. My dad trained at Volkswagen in Germany to re build Beetle engines. My dads brother is a mechanic. My mums brother is a mechanic. I practically grew up with my parents jacking up their Golf on our driveway, tools and oil everywhere; swear words aplenty. Subconsciously I think this gave me the push to be interested in cars, and once I learnt to drive I never wanted to stop driving. Ever.

3. Freedom

In our modern capitalist world of working to make a quick buck just to survive. There aren’t many activities that give you a sense of freedom. There is no such thing as freedom in our society. But driving can really give you a huge sense of empowerment and liberty. I cannot describe the feeling of driving my BMW on an open road, roof down, hair blowing in the wind and nothing standing in my way. This is not a new concept. The same concept was explored in the cult film Easy Rider; which focuses on the Biker / Motorcycle scene in America.

4. Loyalty / reliability

My car is never going to argue with me. It doesn’t upset me, anger me or let me down. It’s always there for me, whenever I want to escape my reality (fuel gauge depending) I think this is one of the biggest reasons people fall in love with their cars. The sheer fact that it is so much more loyal than any human you’ll ever encounter.

5. Networking

Through my love of cars I’ve been able to meet some great friends. Car forums and car groups on social media allow like minded people to discuss cars. I’ve formed some amazing friendships through the use of these. We all live in different parts of the country, but our love for cars unites us.

Some people may zone out for this part; but there are also specific reasons why I’m in love with my BMW 125i. So it’s a straight 6, 3 litre configuration and it’s naturally aspirated. I’m a purist when it comes to the N/A versus Turbo debate. Don’t get me wrong I’ve driven some amazing Turbo cars, but in terms of reliability and maintenance naturally aspirated has got to win the vote for me I’m afraid. Plus I get zero Turbo lag.

My car has the N52 engine, which is deemed as one of the most reliable engines BMW has ever produced. The straight 6 has shaped BMW history, and I can now see why. It sounds great when you put your foot down, it’s balanced, and it’s durable. You have enough power to put down when you want, but you can also drive sensibly and have a total sleeper. I love being able to switch between the two.

I’ve also got a thing for RWD. I love having over 200 bhp, and knowing that when it’s wet I’ve got to have total control and discipline so that the back end doesn’t kick out. I can’t imagine owning a FWD car. Where’s the thrill!?

Considering that the majority of newly built vehicles have turbos as standard. This type of N/A car is going to become very rare in a few years time. I never thought I’d say this, but I have absolutely fallen in love with this car. Every time I drive it I fall in love all over again. So until my bank balance can stretch to an E93 M3 (V8 NA), my baby isn’t going anywhere.

Best of beauty this April – Spring picks

product review

Despite the extremely bi-polar weather that we are currently experiencing, it is officially Spring. Spring is often associated with new, fresh beginnings. This means we often switch up our make up too. Fresh, lighter make up, and a perfect excuse to refresh our product stock. (I’m using the word stock purposely, because I own so many products I could indefinitely open a shop).

Here are my favourite picks of what I’ve been loving this April;

1. Malin + Goetz Cilantro Conditioner, £20 for 236ml

Although this seems rather pricey for a conditioner, this 236ml size would last me years as I have been co-washing my hair recently. However, when I dye my roots every 6-8 weeks consequently I have to wash my hair (annoyingly as it’s so much commitment); and have fallen in love with this conditioner. It smells like a spa treatment, a natural relaxing scent. And it contains absorbent fatty acids, which are brilliant for over processed hair such as mine. It doesn’t weigh my hair down like some conditioners do, but leaves hair feeling revitalised and healthy.

2. Rodial Clear Brazilian Tanning Gel, £35 for 150ml

This is an amazing product for busy individuals wanting a natural looking tan. Again, it’s quite pricey but you can use it sparingly.

The formulation is super lightweight, meaning you can apply the gel like a normal moisturiser and gain a light, even tan.

3. Reb’l Fleur Body Must by Rihanna, reduced to £5 at Boots

Found this complete bargain whilst picking up all my beauty essentials on a recent trip to Boots. I don’t usually buy celebrity perfumes, which is probably not the wisest of choices from an economical point of view. I’ve realised they are usually cheaper than their designer counterparts, and can become some of your favourite scents. This Rihanna body mist smells gorgeous, it’s a girly scent perfect for Spring. Plus the 236ml bottle means that even wasteful individuals like myself won’t have to worry about using it up too quickly.

4. NYX Lid Lingerie Eyeshadow Palette, £9

This is £9 very well spent. Consisting of 6 basic looking colours, this palette has taken me from Winter to Spring effortlessly. With a beautiful combination of natural nude shades and bright colours. You can create an array of looks by experimenting.

(As pictured) You can create natural, pretty looks with the nude shades. You can easily convert these into more dramatic looks by adding in the brights; or alternatively by building the colour up.

How to get more beauty bang for your buck

On another note I wanted to talk about one of my personal goals for Spring, that I think may help everyone. I’ve been really disciplined in saving money this year, and yes that includes spending on beauty products (waaaah *sadface*).

As I’ve mentioned I took a trip to my local Boots last week to stock up on some essentials; and I managed to get all the products in this picture for £25!

I would like to share my tips on how to get the best beauty bang for your buck. Here are my top tips;

1. Special Offers

Of course when shopping everybody keeps their eye out for special offers, but you can be smart with offers. By stocking up on products that you don’t need immediately but in future, you will save yourself some serious money. For example, on my shopping trip I didn’t need two bottles of dry shampoo but seeing as they were half price, I got one for future use.

Building up a useful stock of products helps you not to buy needlessly. I’ve made a pact this year to use a product up fully before buying another similar product.

2. Clearance

Again, always check the reduced items on sale. I picked up this lovely Rihanna body mist for £5, which doubles as a perfume for me. I didn’t need it right now, but I was aware that my current perfume is running out; and £5 is much cheaper than any perfume I would have picked out in Boots. You will save a lot of money buying in advance.

3. Don’t double up

Another important fact to remember about beauty products, is that they do in fact have expiration dates. So we may think having 10 moisturisers in our drawer is a good idea – but actually you only use one at a time, and by the time you come to use the other 9, they may not be fit for purpose. Consumer wastage is a huge part of our capitalist culture, but it needn’t be. We can avoid endlessly throwing away products by sensibly buying what we need. Unless, as stated above it’s a product that you are aware you use everyday, and gets used up fairly quickly.

Ultimately, what we need to do is shop with a clarity. Instead of being blinded by pretty marketing campaigns, think about what you actually need and actually use.

4. Don’t be blinded by names

There are also certain products whereby you needn’t buy a known name brand. For example, I needed hay fever tablets. Instead of opting for Piriton allergy tablets which were around the £4 mark. I got an unbranded packet of allergy tablets for 85p, and generally when you cross check the ingredients in both branded and non branded – you find they are scarily similar. Naturally, this won’t be applicable for every product. But where you can, I would advise sticking to non branded as you will save a bundle of cash.

Happy saving!

La Mer: Crème De La Mer Moisturising Cream review

product review

La Mer is one of those luxury brands that I have forever admired from afar. One of the main reasons being that it’s pricey, the skincare range starts from £100+. I have always wondered whether the prices were justified, if you spend £220 on a cream does it make you look 10 years younger? Glow like a unicorn? Or just fit into a certain societal stereotype?

I’m a huge fan of budget skincare and make-up. Who doesn’t want a product that performs as well as a high end one for half the price? It’s just logic. But recently I’ve started to delve deeper, and it’s not always that simple. I started to compare ingredients used within skincare. And you will notice that high end products use the same ingredients as budget ones. Let’s use Vitamin C as an example, two products can contain the Vitamin. However, is there a difference in potency? The way the ingredients are formulated could differentiate? These are the questions we should be asking when buying skincare.

My best advice when purchasing skincare is to research ingredients. If you know what ingredients do for your skin, you are then making more informed choices when choosing skincare. In turn, your skin should reward you.

Crème De La Mer Moisturising Cream, £120 for 30ml – Review

When we read skincare reviews, it’s often important to remember that everyone has a different skin type. What works for one person, doesn’t always work for everyone. Crème De La Mer is a heavy Moisturising cream that is aimed at those with dry skin. It claims to minimise pores, reduce fine lines and give a natural glow.

In terms of ingredients, these aren’t mentioned explicitly on the La Mer website. I found this odd, as high end face creams often boast about their natural ingredients. I did some online searching and I found that the cream does contain some natural products; Seaweed Extract, Eucalyptus Leaf Oil, Mineral Oil & Sesame Seed Oil. All of these ingredients are known for their hydrating properties to skin. But, disappointingly the cream also contains Linalool (for Fragrance), preservatives and Alcohol – all of these ingredients aren’t great for those with sensitive skin, or or allergies (Quora, 2018).

I have only been using the cream for a few days but I do notice a huge difference. I have stubborn dry patches that are often irritated by creams, this one soothes it. As soon as you apply Crème De La Mer, your entire complexion is lit up. It’s like putting on a spotlight in a dark room. I can visually see from the difference in my own skin, why this has become a cult cream for many woman.

It’s very rich in texture and thick. You don’t need a lot of it. Before you apply to your face, you must rub it in your hands to warm the cream. As it becomes translucent you rub onto your skin. This is brilliant for those who want bare faced beauty, and a natural glow.

Worth £120 for 30ml?

I’d say this really comes down to personal preference. In a sense, yes it is worth it. Simply because it is a heavy cream, you only need apply a small amount. It will last you at least 6 months. It performs as it claims. It just comes down to how much you are willing to or can afford to invest in your skin!

Christian Dior Forever Undercover foundation – first impressions

product review

I joined Glamour Beauty Club online a few months ago, and surprisingly, have received two great products in the post since. Last week I was fortunate enough to receive a (rather large) sample of Dior’s newest foundation; the Forever Undercover foundation boasts a 24 hr full coverage. Does it live up to its claims?

The Performance & First Impressions

Firstly, I would like to advise any fellow beauty bloggers to sign up to Glamour Beauty Club. As you will know, unless you have several PR companies consistently fighting to mail you products, (we aren’t all that lucky). It can get very expensive when you keep buying the latest products just to produce blog content. It’s handy being sent free products to test – and gives a helping hand in producing content for both social media and your blog.

I’m not really a full coverage gal if I’m honest. On a daily basis I’ll wear a light Serum foundation for work. However this Dior foundation gives excellent coverage, without the heaviness that often comes with full coverage foundation. It isn’t thick or cloggy (I think I just legit invented a word), it is light on the skin but covers all imperfections. I have rather large, open pores on my right cheek. Probably an after effect of battling acne for the last ten years. And I struggle to cover them, even with a decent primer on before foundation application. The Dior Forever Undercover managed to fill them in and give a flawless finish. (See picture below).

It smells divine when you apply it, and has that luxury feel that you would expect from a £34.00 foundation. I’d be happy to wear this daily, and on a night out. As for the claim of lasting 24 hrs, I’m not nasty enough to leave my foundation on for that long. Although it did last all day without any signs of wear on my face (8 hours or so). Overall, I’d say that the foundation is great, but there are other foundations on par quality wise that are slightly cheaper.

(I know I’ve got a filter on my mush, but this foundation did give a matte, flawless finish💜)