revlon

Revlon One Step Dryer And Volumiser & Giveaway


Drying my hair is one of the chores I hate the most. I find hairdryers hard to use as I get frequent wrist pain, and even before this I could never achieve a salon blow-dry at home. A product I've just been sent to try out is the Revlon One Step Dryer And Volumiser (£59.99) which is a 2-in-1 styling tool to give you a great blow-out whilst saving yourself some time. You don't need to use a brush as the oval design provides all-round bristles that brush through your hair as it blows heat out, so it detangles, dries, smooths and adds volume.



It has Ionic Technology to transfer the airflow instantly to your hair to reduce the time it takes to style your hair, and from using it for a few weeks now I can assure you it does. I can reach the most awkward areas of my hair with this and it's really easy to use. The Ionic Technology aims to condition, smooth, add shine, and reduce static and frizz. For me, my hair is less frizzy than using a standard hairdryer but I do need to run my hair over with my ghd's for a more sleek look. My hair tends to cross borders between volume and frizz and sometimes I can't quite tell which is which. The ceramic coating protects the hair from over-styling with even heat distribution that penetrates your hair quickly for enhanced shine and less damage.


There are two heat settings, and a cool shot, pretty much exactly the same as my own hairdryer. Sometimes when you're fresh out of the shower the last thing you want is intense heat on your hair, so the cool shot is a nice added touch. Talking about heat, it has an overheating cut-off so once the thermostat detects it's too hot it will shut off. It's not cordless, but it does have a swivel on the end and it has a 4-year limited guarantee. I've compared it to a Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick for scale, but I promise it's not intimidating for its size.


T&C's
UK entries only. Revlon One Step Dryer and Volumiser giveaway ends 10th December 2017 at 10pm. Must follow @laurahadleyx and @revlonuk and still be following by the time the giveaway ends. To enter, follow @laurahadleyx and @revlonuk on Twitter and retweet the tweet to qualify, quote retweets are not permitted. Winner will be notified via Twitter. The prize will be posted to the winner by Revlon, and there is no guarantee it will arrive before Christmas as it is not a Christmas giveaway. No cash alternative.



Post contains press samples & affiliate links included in this post

Battle Of The Lashes #2: Do Expensive Mascaras Work Better?


I love mascaras, but sometimes the bold claims just don't live up to your expectations. I've previously done another mascara showdown which displayed the pros and cons of mascaras from £3 to £19.50, and now I'm topping it by showing twice the amount ranging from £6.99 up to £25 with surprising results that prove that the price tag isn't everything. I'm showing them all in price order to show you how wide the range is in price difference!


Rimmel Volume Shake £6.99
I've recently reviewed this mascara and said that the bristles could be longer but the shake up gimic impressed me. It comes in the cutest cocktail shaker packaging and formula worked well for me. If the wand itself was improved I'd start using this more often.

L'Oréal False Lash Superstar X Fiber £7.99
This is my joint favourite mascara, with it being a double-ended product with the second part adding small fibers to add length and volume. Whilst I hadn't previously tried a fiber mascara and was dubious about the actual fibers themselves, these haven't ended up in my eyes yet so I'm pretty damn impressed.

Revlon 3D Volume (Discontinued)
I took the photos for this post before I did a quick Google search and realised that this is discontinued. I'm not too sad however, as the bristle didn't give me the '3D Volume' I was expecting.

Revlon Ultimate All In One £9.99
Revlon brought out a year or two ago, a new set of mascaras that were tailored to different areas you wanted to target, and within the range they brought out an 'all in one' version. Although I love Revlon as a brand, I don't like how tiny the wand is. It feels like it takes forever to apply and for volume I use wands with long bristles on to really get the product onto my lashes.

Maxfactor False Lash Effect £10.99
This mascara claims it has up to 50% more bristles for 'never ending volume' and I'm not overly mad at this. It definitely has a ton of bristles but they aren't long enough to add enough volume in my opinion. It doesn't give me a false lash look but the formula lasts all day and looks just as good as when you first applied it.


No7 Lovely Lashes £12.95
This is my 'natural lash' mascara for days when I don't want to wear makeup but still want to have visible lashes. It's the only mascara in a different colour as it's in Brown/Black which looks more natural. It doesn't add a ton of volume which is fine by me as the name suggests a more natural look.

Tarte Lights Camera Flashes
I bloody love the bones out of Tarte but I really do not like this mascara. The packaging is very unique which I adore, but the mascara itself is lacklustre and makes my eyes water because the spiky bristles poke me in the eye. I've kept this mascara purely for comparison in posts like this.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof £19
I had previously tried the non-waterproof version of this mascara and loved it but even with an eye primer it seemed to end up underneath my eyes and just underneath my brow bone so I thought when it came to getting the full version I may as well try the waterproof version. Definitely the right decision and it is one of my favourites.

Urban Decay Perversion £19
This was the first mascara that I tried that really made me say oh wow. The first time I tried it I used the Subversion Primer too and fell head over heels for the combination. I ran out of the primer and recently rebought the mascara alone and it works almost as well as with the primer. 

Illamasqua Masquara Gain £20
This is another mascara I've reviewed and I genuinely love it. You'll see a pattern of big fluffy wands = nice lashes for me but for a while it overtook other mascaras on my list until it unfortunately ran out. 

Benefit They're Real £20.50
When I first started using They're Real I was over the moon with it as the wand really separates the lashes, but I found that the formula made my lashes feel odd. The formula sticks to the lashes and makes it a bit hard to remove which is great if you need it to last all day. 

Dior Diorshow Blackout Waterproof £25
The most expensive mascara on the list but not my favourite. The wand is pretty big and gets every lash which I love but the length isn't quite how I'd like it because of the stubby wand shape. All in all it's a good mascara but there are others I prefer.

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Need-Right-Now Lipstick Shades for S/S ‘15 | ad

It’s not sundresses or cut-out sandals which have us got us excited for the summer but sultry shades of lipstick. It’s time to bust out the brightest colours of the rainbow with hot shades of pink, purple and peach. Store the kohl eyeliner and vampy blushers away and get radiant. Discover the hottest lipstick shades for S/S ’15:

Raspberry Pie by Revlon



We adore this knockout shade of bright pink. The lip butter formula is super moisturising, like a pigmented lip balm. The consistency is glossy and thick making lips appear voluminous and full of life. Leave the rest of your face natural save for a wand of mascara and a light base of foundation.


Peach Blossom by MAC



This nudey-peach shade comes from MAC’s cremesheen collection- another super hydrating formula perfect for combatting the dryness brought on by heat from the sun. This shade is ideal for a day in the office when you want to feel summery but not overdone. Complement your complexion with a pinky-peach blusher such as Benefit’s Hervana.  Sweep over the apples of your cheeks for a fresh, au naturel look.


Electric Orange by Maybelline



Orange is a colour that divides opinion. Unlike pinks, peaches and purples, orange is unmistakably bold and demands attention. If you dare to apply this lip shade then go matchy-matchy with a similar coloured outfit or make your lips pop by wearing all black.

The honey nectar formula nourishes lips and the appearance is bright and glossy. Some orange shades can be too in your face but this one manages to avoid looking garish. Orange looks great paired against olive skin so invest in a good bronzer to give your face that glowing goddess look.


Lavender by Barry M


Barry M is known for his theatrical make-up shades. Browsing the collection it’s not unusual to spot sun yellow nail polish and neon green eyeliner, so this lilac shade of lipstick hardly a shocker. Ideal for spring, the formula is understated and complements pale skin perfectly. The consistency is silky and the solution is enriched with natural moisturiser for a smooth finish.

Go pastel crazy by painting your nails mint green and teaming the look with a baby pink outfit.


Mazette by Dior



Winter calls for deep shades of red and berry, but come the summer you want to achieve the perfect marriage of red and pink. This shade is the perfect combination of both. Almost watermelon in appearance, the voluptuous formula moisturises and reshapes the lips and the colour is luxuriously rich.


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*This is a sponsored guest post by The Smile Dentist

April Favourites 2014

Hey lovelies! Sorry for the biggggg gaps in posting, I am trying so hard to be a good law student (who am I kidding) and revising for my upcoming exams. I have in total 7 exams from 8-23rd May so for the next three weeks I am afraid there won't be a lot of special posts but after that I promise I am going on a huge blogging spree! I thought I'd make a big deal out of this post and do a Fashion, Beauty and Random April favourites for this post as it has been incredibly busy for me!I also apologise for the hideous parts of my uni bedroom, i.e. marks left by previous students that I can't do much about!


Powder Blue Midi Skirt - £10 - Primark

I have worn this since I bought it, I just left the tag on before taking the picture haha! This is so cute for Spring/Summer and I am desperate to find the perfect white cami to pair with this! I think this really compliments my hair colour, that sounds weird but I feel like sometimes summer clothes make blondes look really washed out i.e. lemon/lime colours, so a bluey-lilac pastel skirt is just amazing.


Gingham Skort - £17.99 - New Look

I have already featured this in my Collective Haul post (here) but it looks super cute! I have had a bit of a gingham obsession lately but this was so worth the money! As it is only the start of May I have been wearing this with black tights, but I'm sure over summer I will dare to bare my legs!




Midi Dress - Topshop

I have featured this dress in my Topshop post from March (here) and it compliments my short little body a lot better than you'd imagine. My boyfriend's mum told me I looked very summery in this and despite a lot of it being black, it did make me feel very summery and floaty! I think this would go perfect with a blazer!



Daisy Street Gingham Leggings - £12.99 from ASOS

Giggle Geek Shoes - £28 - Topshop

Gingham and Pastels seem to be 'my thing' at the moment where I only reach for these trends! The Daisy Street Leggings really compliment my little legs (yes I rolled the ends up because they are too long) and are leggings I believe will last me a very long time, in quality and in style. They are such a transitional piece and I adore them (I actually only received them today, so you can see my enthusiasm for wearing them out!) I have also featured these Giggle Geek shoes before on my Topshop: March buys post and although I am pasty and don't fake tan, they actually make me look a tiny bit tanned, so I am loving these.



Glitter Jellys - £4 - Primark

How on Earth can you go wrong with jelly shoes for £4!! I should have picked up a lot more! I'm usually a size 4.5, so buy a size 5 in shoes, however these are a size 5-6 so I should warn people that they might be a bit small in size if you wish to buy them, so try them on first. I can't wait for it to warm up a bit so I can wear these more, but I am so glad I bought these. It was a bit of a 'do I, don't I' situation, but even if I suddenly decided I didn't like them anymore (which will never happen), then £4 really isn't a waste of money.



Barry M nail polishes £3.99

These have been featured on my Superdrug haul post (here) and I am currently wearing 'Blueberry' and I must say after this being my first Gelly paint (I have 20 odd other Barry M nail polishes) I am pretty impressed. The finish is gorgeous. The Aquarium collection (mine ft these two and the Mermaid, not pictured) has definitely made my April. I love glitter. That is all I have to say on this matter.



Yes everyone knows this is an Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette. Yes people will probably moan I am one of 54587485 people to feature this. But I love it, so who cares. My favourites are 'trick' 'dust' and 'nooner'. They have so many shades of pinky-goldy type eyeshadows which makes for the perfect spring eye look. Very natural in some ways, hence the 'naked' apart from 'blackheart' but they just make my blue eyes stand out in a lovely way!



I seem to have featured near enough everything already but these are my favourites! I have two of the Revlon Colourburst, one matte and one shiny. The plum coloured shimmery balm compliments my paleness so much and looks super pretty. The matte balm is such a beautiful shade and makes me feel so summer.


Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation* in 100 Ivory

If you've seen my Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation post (here) and read my Twitter: @bevelvetlover you will have noticed I didn't get on too well with that foundation. I contacted COTY about it completely drying out my skin and they sent me this foundation as a 'sorry' and they were going to test that foundation to see if there was anything wrong with it. They very kindly sent me this for free, to replace the cost of me buying the Wake Me Up Foundation. It is ten times better in my view. Although it was the same shade I've always bought, this definitely matches my skin tone a lot better and makes me look more glowy (in a non-shiny way). I was doubting the effectiveness of this, as I am usually a Bourjois/Maybelline foundation gal, but this is amazing and I will definitely purchase this once I have ran out of it.



Rimmel Scandal Eyes Rockin' Curves Mascara - Superdrug

I had originally bought the 'Black' mascara from Superdrug in March and loved it, so when Rimmel had their 180th birthday, they had a 3 hour offer for these mascaras to be £1.80 each so I had to pick up another black, and an 'extreme black'. The formula seems quite wet to me, in comparison with other mascaras, but it means you don't get clumpy eyelashes and you can apply several coats without getting spidery lashes either. My eyelashes look incredibly long wearing this, so I have to give it to you Rimmel, you have created my favourite ever mascara. Thank you!



Diet Coke (multipack)

Oh wow, this hasn't half been getting me through my revision! I don't have much to say about this matter, although I do need to cut down otherwise I will develop a Diet Coke addiction... To me, normal coke isn't very sweet and I have always drank Diet, it is nothing to do with any type of 'lifestyle' I just think this one is nicer!



Belvita Breakfast Bars in Cocoa

One part of my mind says, 'Wow Belvita, these are amazing' and the other says 'Why did you make these I want to eat them constantly'. I have to limit myself to one pack a day otherwise I could go through soooo many. This isn't sponsored either, I've just developed a slight obsession. Although Belvita, if you are reading this, feel free to introduce me to other flavours if they are as nice as these!

I did also have Easter Eggs, but it is now May guys, it's not like I kept them.. If you've done any April favourites posts/videos, comment and send me a link so I can have a nose!

Collective Fashion & Beauty Haul - Spring 2014

Happy Easter lovelies!

A some of you may know I've just been to York and I picked up the odd bit, then I came back to my hometown (Liverpool) for a week or so. I've been shopping a few times but thought I'd show you all in a collective haul instead of loads of random posts!

Also I apologise for lack of posts, I have my second year exams coming up in 2 weeks and I am stressing/revising/procrastinating!

Fashion Haul

 
Gingham Skort from New Look £17.99  
This is amazing, and I love it, but I am not loving how short they are. I know they are shorts really, but being a more skirt person it did alarm me how much my pins were on show! For now I'm wearing these with some black tights and my gold sandals which I think is more appealing to the public eye...

Gingham/Check Skater Dress from New Look - reduced to £10
I went for a browse in York's New Look and discovered this on sale! I thought it would be perfect for when I'm having one of 'those days' where I don't know what to wear so I can throw it on and pair it with almost any colour shoes and accessories.

Powder Blue Midi Skirt from Primark £10
I can't wait to pair this with little flat shoes and a white cami!

I also did a little bit of shopping in Primark... I bought the white heart cushion for £3, the powder blue skirt (as above), a navy bag (see below) and a set of floral towels which come in different sizes ranging from £1.50 for flannels (I think) up to £8ish for a normal sized towel.

 Navy Blue Handbag from Primark £12
I've seen other bloggers talk about this as a Zara dupe, but I'm not a huge Zara shopper so I wouldn't know! I love the way this has two zip pockets as well as a middle compartment, and also a strap so you can wear it over your shoulder.

Sunglasses from New Look £4.99
These were the last pair in York! I saw them and fell in love with them. They're slightly bigger than I anticipated but nonetheless look better on me than any other type of glasses in my opinion. I have a sort of heart shape/circle head so these definitely look better than square lenses that make it super obvious I have a weird shaped head!

Gingham Bikini from Kelly Brook at New Look 
Top £16.99 (here)
Bottoms £10.99 (here)
As a person who has trouble buying bikinis and bras I mostly opt for Kelly Brooks Range. I bought a 36DD (by accident I'm supposed to be a 34E) and a size 10 in bottoms. Although the back size is the tiniest bit big on me, the cups fit fine and I'm not scared of them popping out!

I've not owned a red lingerie set before so when this was on sale in New Look for £9 bra and £3 thong I snapped it up!

5 Pairs of Tights from F&F at Tesco £3.50 (bought in store)
As it is still Spring and not Summer, contrary to popular belief from seeing people in beachwear this week, I am still wearing tights with skirts/dresses so I'm not as cold. I have laddered all of my tights lately so it is vital that I bought some 'run resist' tights and I heard Tesco was good for tights!

Beauty Haul

If any of you read my Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation you'll know that I didn't have a good time with it. Rimmel kindly enough sent me the Match Perfect Foundation* to try to see if this was better than the Wake Me Up Foundation. I will be doing a mini review on this soon!

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream £9.99 from Superdrug
I bought this after seeing a lot of great reviews about it and will be doing a review soon! So far so good though!
L'Oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Solution and Superdrug Cotton Wool Pads
I bought these to help fight my facewipe addiction and to try to cleanse my face properly. Mini review coming up soon on this (I should probably just do one big review...)
Barry M Aquarium Collection in Mermaid
When I saw this advertised I just imagined myself as a nail polish and this was the result. Blue and sparkly - amazing. I've also ordered two more from the Aquarium Collection to be delivered soon!

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette £37
I had been lusting after this for soooo long and when I saw on Cohorted it was down to £18.50 for one night I snapped it up instantly. So far I've used it once but my favourites are Trick and Nooner.

Revlon Colourburst Balms
I bought these from Superdrug but can't for the life of me remember how much they were, but aside this flaw I will be doing a mini review soon. I am loving the deep plum colour more at the moment but they are perfect for popping in your handbag!


I hope you've enjoyed reading that long haul! This has been my first collective haul but not my last... I do plan on buying many many more things in the future, I promise.

I'm assuming people will be reading this while chomping on your Easter eggs (I'm jealous, I've had none today, yes you read that right!) so I will envy you but at the same time be glad you have read up until this point without getting incredibly bored, and I thank you for that.

BVL
xxx