Poptarts Beauty

Barry M - Lash Vegas Mascara

Poptartsandsex Sunday, 14 July 2013 3 comments

I'd been wanting to try this mascara for a while and was so happy when I got my hands on it! I'm always buying new mascaras because I genuinely feel like my eyelashes are awfully short and well...I want big luscious lashes without having to stick them on. So I had high hopes for a product that promises ooooomph!

From the Barry M website

New Lash Vegas Mascara features a new spiral shaped brush that has been specifically designed to separate, define and reach the smallest of lashes giving exceptional length and unrivalled definition.

Featuring bristles that work close to the root for ultimate oooomph, this brush promises to give you show-stopping volume!

The mascara comes in a shiny black bottle which looks stylish but is pretty standard for a drug-store mascara. It's also a nice size and you can tell holds a lot of mascara inside. The brush is plastic and like advertised is very spiral-y, for me the brush is just a little too thin - I really like thick mascara brushes because I feel like you can get more mascara from it.

I was a little disappointed to be honest with this. I don't feel like it did much for the length and volume of my lashes, it was however very good at separating them and I found that I had less clumps which is a good thing because I'm one of those girls who puts so much mascara on that it gets all clumpy and annoying and then I have to pick the mascara off.

I really wanted this to be the cure for my small lashes, but alas the search continues! This is still a pretty good mascara, just doesn't do what I wanted it to. Sad face.

3 comments

Footner Exfoliating Socks

Poptartsandsex Saturday, 13 July 2013 8 comments

I got the Footner Exfoliating Socks in my goodie bag from the FABB Manchester event. After a long day of walking I came home and whipped these out, in hopes that they would make my feet feel just a little bit better! After all, it's always nice to treat your feet.

Footner promises that this product will leave you with baby soft feet after just one application. It reduces hard skin and cracked heels, removes any unwanted dead skin from your feet and it boasts that it's easy to use! And I have to say, it definitely does what it promises.

The socks come in a metal wallet which you have to open from the top. Once open and I'm sorry to say this but you are hit with the most awful smell - it really, really smells like nail varnish remover, only stronger. I did not like this at all, and I almost threw the whole thing in the bin, but I'm glad that I didn't.

After getting over the horrendous smell (really though, why couldn't Footner of made it more fragrant?) I took the socks out of the packaging. The socks I found to be a bit strange. Two plastic bags full of foul smelling water/product. They were absolutely SOAKED in this that I got it everywhere, all over my bed and floor, which left my room stinking for the next few nights. I was not a happy bunny. Needless to say I followed the instructions and popped the socks on my feet.

How to Use

Remove any products such as nail polish from your feet prior to use.

1. Using scissors, cut the plastic sock along the indicated line.

2. Slip the plastic Footner Exfoliating Socks over your feet and use the adhesive strap (sticker near the front of the sock) to close the top of the Footner Exfoliating Sock. Slip your own socks over the Footner Exfoliating Socks for a comfortable fit.

3. The Footner Exfoliating Sock should be worn for 60 minutes for the product to work effectively.

4. After 60 minutes remove the socks and wash your feet with warm water to remove the remaining gel.

5. 5 - 10 days after application the hardened and dead skin will begin to peel from your feet. The peeling effect can last roughly 2 weeks. Do not forcefully remove skin when peeling process starts as it may damage your skin.

I followed the instructions and left the bags on my feet for an hour. It took me a while to find a comfortable position where the socks would not fall off my teeny tiny feet, but I managed in the end. Then I washed my feet with warm water to make sure all of the product was off. I noticed my feet felt a lot softer and silkier so was happy with the results. But that isn't were it ends...

A few days later I was in the bath when I noticed (and I'm sorry this is gross) the skin peeling off my feet. And they were peeling a lot (once again, I'm sorry, so gross). I realised this was the product taking full effect on my feet and was very happy to see that it had actually worked. Now my feet are all fresh and lovely. No dead skin or anything!

This is a great product if you take away the awful smell and I do encourage you all to go and grab a packet or two of these to give your feet a much needed treat! You won't regret it!

8 comments

ESPA Pink Hair & Scalp Mud

Poptartsandsex Friday, 12 July 2013 1 comment

I got ESPA's Pink Hair & Scalp Mud free when I ordered from their website a few days ago. It is sample sized and is good for one wash really, although on my hair it only managed to cover half of it!

This is basically a deep conditioner for your hair (and we all know how much I love conditioners!) You apply it to your hair after shampooing, then sit back, relax and let it work it's magic! After a few minutes, wash it off and you will be left with lovely soft and shiny hair. Brilliant.

I don't have a lot to say about this that I haven't said about most deep conditioning masks. It does what it says on the tin. It's enriched with loads of vitamins and keratin oil so it's super healthy for your hair and your scalp. It's packaged nicely and comes in a little purple box. The bottle is much like a shampoo bottle but of course it's a lot smaller, and it dispenses exactly like a shampoo/conditioner bottle too. The conditioner itself isn't actually pink, it's a light peachy colour. It has a nice smell which lingers on your hair for an hour or two after use, the smell isn't too over-baring but is very floral so if you aren't a fan of floral products then this conditioner probably isn't for you.

The conditioner did condition my hair properly, and it really did leave it feeling soft and shiny but I still wish there was more product in the bottle. It was annoying having to try and spread it evenly when there wasn't enough product to go around.

1 comments

Yesterday's OOTD & Girls Wine Night

Poptartsandsex 10 comments

Vest Top - Motel

High Waisted Shorts - Forever 21

Hahahaa I look ridiculous. Model pose. This is what I wore yesterday to Girls Night! It was such a wonderful night full of drinking wine, sunbathing, gossiping and jumping on a trampoline! And with such good company, how could I ask for anything more?

The photos are of low quality because they were taken on my phone.

10 comments

11 Days To Majorca - Holiday Skin!

Poptartsandsex Wednesday, 10 July 2013 6 comments

Since it's 11 days til my holiday to Majorca, I thought I'd do a little count down on my blog and a few count down/preparation posts! Today's post is about holiday skin and a few ideas of what to take with you on your jollies!

Because most countries that we go on holiday to are super super hot (unless you're staying in England for your holidays, well that's a whole other kettle of fish!) we need to prepare our skin and make sure that we don't damage or neglect caring for it just because we are away. It can be a bit of a pain in the ass packing your suitcase and not knowing what you're going to need and if you're like me, you end up taking far too much and not using any of it! So this time around I've chosen what I'm taking beforehand and made a list of why they are good choices to take!

Nivea Visage, Daily Essentials Tinted Moisturising Day Cream - it does what it says on the tin! This is a good choice for your holidays because it's light and adds not just moisture but a slight colour to your skin. It's better than wearing foundation all day every day and having it slowly melting off your face in the blazing heat. I always use a tinted moisturiser during the day on holiday but another good idea would be to wear a BB or CC cream as they have added protection and will probably last longer when applied.

Garnier Body, Summer Body - you're probably going to need to excessively moisturise your body on holiday because spending all day in the sun can leave your skin seriously dehydrated. This product is good because whilst moisturising it also helps to build a natural tan which is great if you're like me and don't tan at all, ever.

Halo Eye Make-up Remover Pads - pretty simple, wipes just make taking make-up off so much easier and quicker and when you're on holiday you are looking for ease. These are great to have in your hand luggage too for those airport make-up disasters.

Hawaiian Tropic Protective Sun Lotion, Factor 15 - you will most certainly need some sort of sun cream whilst on holiday. Whether you burn or not, it is imperative that you have sun cream available to you at all times. You really need to look after you're skin whilst you're under the sun! SPF 15 is the lowest I would ever use on my body and I'm taking a much higher SPF for my face and ever burning boobs.

Suncase Face Cream For Sensitive Skin, SPF 50 - this is a sun cream for your face (and I will be using it on my chest too ha). The skin on your face is super, super sensitive and needs a higher SPF than the rest of your body to stop it from burning. This cream is great and it uses mostly natural ingredients plus, it makes your skin feel really soft and silky.

Nars Face Firming Foundation - I am taking this with me for night time. At night it will be less hot and if I'm going out on the town, I'll want a better coverage than just tinted moisturiser. Obviously if you are like me, you can take whatever foundation you fancy, I just really like this one!

Nivea Sun Moisturising After Sun - moisturising again! You can't moisturise too much! You really need an after sun for when and if you do get burnt. It will take the sting out of the burn and will make you skin feel super nice. Always get an after sun with added aloe vera gel because it works quicker and is a more natural ingredient.

Halo Deodorant Wipes - for when you get sweaty! These are great for popping in your bag and carrying around with you. If you start to sweat you can just whip them out in the toilets and have a quick clean. Really handy and really good for your skin and body odour!

6 comments

Products I'm Excited To Use : ECO-Tan Accelerator

Poptartsandsex Sunday, 7 July 2013 9 comments

Before I start I want to make sure you understand that this is not a review, and that I haven't yet tested this product properly apart from when I applied it to my skin earlier. This is because alas, we are in England and the sun rarely shines here. If you have my on twitter, you might have seen my little break down over skin care products for when I go on holiday. I was looking for something that would protect my skin and also help me get a tan because I am literally the palest girl in Pale Town. After quite a lot of chatting to various bloggers I decided that I wanted just a tan accelerator. These are expensive and I was looking at brands like Elemis which was retailing at over £30 for a bottle. So I had to do a little more searching.

In the end I found EcoTan! And only at £10. I read positive review after positive review and decided to give it a go. So "add to basket" and three days later it's here!

What is a tan accelerator?

A tan accelerator is a gel/liquid which you apply to your skin 1 or 2 weeks BEFORE you go on holiday or are due for some serious sun. It has a special formula which helps to start the natural tanning processes in your skin when around natural sun or sun-beds. It helps your body to produce more melanin which not only helps you tan quicker and more intensely but also helps prepare your skin for any burning or over-tanning.

So I have 14 days until I go to Majorca, but the weather woman on tv this morning has predicted that it's going to be insanely sunny here in England over the next few days, we are talking 30+ degrees (ahhh I'm so excited), which is why I am starting to apply this gel now.

The gel itself is basically just like a normal moisturising gel. It's not sticky or horrible and it absorbs into the skin really quickly. I have had a few problems with tanning oils in the past where my skin has instantly reacted badly to the product, but I can see none of this so far so it's looking quite promising. It feels like a moisturiser and makes the skin feel lovely after use. There is a slight smell but nothing too over-baring.

The packaging is really nice. It looks like a professional tanning product. The bottle is plain white with the logo and all the major information about the product on it. It also has a nice push pump to dispense the product evenly.

Firs impressions of this product are so far so good! I will obviously write a full review after my holidays and tell you all whether it actually works or not. But fingers crossed! I'm really excited about this product and I cannot wait to hopefully have a nice tan!

What do you think? Have you ever used a tan accelerator before? Did it work?

9 comments

FABB Events Manchester!!

Poptartsandsex Saturday, 6 July 2013 12 comments

I'm going to write this whilst it's all fresh in my mind. I've literally been home about 20 minutes and I know I'm being over keen for writing this so early but I'm so excited about the whole day and need to get my excitement out somehow!

Today I attended the FABB event in Manchester. I got on the train at quarter past 10 this morning to Preston where I met the lovely Laura (www.lisforladybird.com) and we jumped on a train to Manchester! On the way we had a lovely chat with a girl who went to Salford Uni, so it was a great start to the day.

When we got to Manchester we got completely lost. We walked down street after street after street trying to find the venue. I even had GPS on my phone attempting to guide us but to be honest, me and Laura are useless. As we started to get closer to the venue a girl stopped us and asked us if we were going to the blogger event and she showed us where to go! Turns out she was from Tinned Bananas which was one of the brands at the event! We were so lucky to of found her! After a quick cheeky subway we made our way into the venue. We were both so excited, and had absolutely no idea what to expect as it's all kept a secret!

We met up with Ray (www.ohwhoisshe.com) who is one of the event organisers at the front door and we were told to go inside and get ourselves a drink - needless to say I grabbed myself a vodka and lemonade and downed it within 2 minutes of being there. Dutch courage!

It was strange at first, we had absolutely no idea what to do with ourselves. Everyone was pottered around in groups, drinking and chatting, and suddenly both me and Laura became very shy. It was so overwhelming seeing all these girls there that I follow on blogger, I felt a little starstruck to be honest at a few of the guests, but quickly had to get over that!

The venue was amazing, and you could tell that both Ray and Tor (www.thatspeachy.com) had put their hearts and souls into organising the event. There was so many people there, and so many brands to look at! We headed to each table and had a chat with each of the people representing the brands, whilst doing that we got a few AMAZING goodie bags and got to sign up for offers and emails ect. It was absolutely fantastic and everyone we spoke to was so incredibly nice and generous, it really made me feel welcomed! We stuffed our faces with some amazing FABB cakes and I drank and drank and drank.

We also spoke to Steph from Tangerine PR and Halo Wipes, she was so lovely and we all had a good gossip together. It was great meeting someone in the PR business with serious experience and I was in awe at everything she had to say.

At the end of the event a few prizes where given away! I was lucky enough to of won some Balance Me body cream, which was SO SO exciting! And then to top it all off we were given another goodie bag!

All in all, the day was pretty friggin fantastic. I loved every second of it, and it was so nice to see some familiar faces (even if I didn't have the courage to talk to many people.) I really loved it and would definitely go again and urge you all to check out FABB events!