Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Dupe!

One of the best loved products at the moment seems to be the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick & I must admit, I am a sucker for anything shimmery or anything that doubles up as another product - so this was right up my street!

Although, not many of us can justify spending £32.00 on a specific product, no matter how amazing it is....so along my shopping travels, I have come across a few dupes for you all that you may not be aware of, but you'll probably laugh at my winner.

• In third place is the Seventeen Instant Glow Shimmer Brick - £4.99 - This certainly does give you an instant glow, although it's not very glitzy. But the downfall, there only seems to be two shades.

• In second place is the Revlon Highlighing Pallette - £8.99 - As you can see, this product doesn't have many shades either. It also doesn't seem to be as shimmery, as it doesn't really have the glitter element to it. But it's nice for a healthy looking highlight.

• In first place is George Shimmer Me - £4.50 - This has become one of my staple products & I can not rave enough about how amazing it is & for such a small price too! Although I do tend to use this more as individual eyeshadows as it's quite pigmented & perfect for shimmery/smokey eyes. I have this in the shade Cloud Nine & it's absolutely perfect for make-up beginners - Not only is this easy to apply, blend & work with. The top colour is amazing for highlighting under the brow & the bottom colour is perfect for brushing through the creases & blending into the corner of the eyes for a smokey effect. I've used this on many nights out putting an eyeshadow primer or vaseline underneath it to keep it on all night & it really does last. To say that nightclubs are hot & I've been dancing the night away...I wake up the next morning (bad me, I know!) & it's STILL on! This also comes in a few more other shades, admittedly not many more.... but they're the most similar to Bobbi Brown! 

I know what you're all thinking "George make-up, really?! This won't be any good" because I did too, but I can not praise this enough. I don't know where I'd be without it & although this doesn't come with a mirror...I'd much prefer to pay £4.50 over £32.00 anyday (Sorry Bobbi!)

Have any of you ever used these products or found anymore similar dupes?

 

Secret to silky smooth legs & no cuts!

As women, shaving our legs can be a tedious job - not to mention the irritation, stinging, itchiness, ingrown hairs & the accidental nips we endure along the way.....For someone that has quite sensitive skin, this can be hell. But I've picked up a little method for the closest, silky smooth shave & this is my current care routine.


The three key ingredients you're gonna need:

The right razorblade - Find one that suits you & your skin.
If you have sensitive skin you might want to stick with a razorblade that has a built in moisturing strip. You may also want to choose a razor that has less blades in to minimise the irritation of the skin.
If you have thicker hair you may want to opt for a razor with more blades in for a closer shave.

A good exfoliating scrub - Personally, I am in love with Palmers Cocoa Body Scrub (under £5, highsreet drugstores usually have this on offer a lot). It's made with natural crushed cocoa beans that exfoliate, moisturise and polish the skin. This is quite a rough feeling product, but thats what I like about it - you can definetly feel it working your dead skin cells away. It's definetly the biggest secret to those silky smooth legs & for keeping those nasty cuts at bay!

A moisturiser - My favourite moisturiser at the moment is the Palmers Cocoa Butter Lotion, along with the Nourish & Care Cocoa Butter Lotion - they're more or less the same thing (also under £5). But as a loyal fan of the Cocoa Body Scrub, I just have to moisturise with a lotion containing Cocoa Butter.

The Steps:

Fill a bath and make sure you soak your legs in there for at least ten minutes before to soften the skin & leg hair. To avoid further irritation, don't use hot water! (I usually do this at the end of my baths, when the waters gone a little colder. Also the Body Scrub does make the water go a little murky)

Grab a generous amount of the Cocoa Body Scrub as this stuff doesn't stretch very far. Make sure the whole of your legs are covered & work those cocoa beans right into your skin - This may seem a little harsh & rough at first, but stick with it. This baby is going to give you the best shave, honestly! I usually leave this on my legs for a few minutes more.

You can rinse this off and use a shaving gel if you wish, but I usually leave this on & use it as a shaving gel aswel. I then take my razor & shave away. (Usually you shave in the opposite direction to which the hair is growing, but if your skin is prone to bumps & irritation, shave in the direction of the hair growth. Although you may need to repeat the strokes this way) Don't forget to keep dipping the razor into water to shake off the excess gel/cocoa butter after every stroke you do - we don't want that razor to get clogged up.

Take the time to inspect your legs. Theres nothing worse than getting out & finding a patch of hair when you're about to get dressed & go out!

Put another layer of the Cocoa Body Scrub on to your new soft skin to get extra silky, smooth results. You'll also notice your legs will begin to shine after this & then rinse.

After getting out, grab a towel & pat your legs dry. Do not rub the towel down them as this can cause irritation.

The last step is to apply a generous amount of your favourite moisturiser - This will help to hydrate your legs & restore moisture, it will also keep those legs smooth!

And voila! you're all done & good to go.


Let me know if you decide to use this care routine & the results.

Welcome!

Hello there & welcome to my blog!

If you're looking for secrets, tips & reviews on anything from make-up to books...you've come to the right place!

I decided to name my blog Vanilla & Sparkles as I have quite a pale complexion & I love sparkly things - especially shimmery eyeshadow!

I'm excited to share my honest opinions & be as knowledgeable as I can possibly be on any products I decide to review/write about.

So buckle up & be sure to keep those eyes peeled for fantastic bargains that I've discovered on my venture so far ;)