Le Beauty Girl | UK Beauty Blog — Le Beauty Girl is a UK beauty blog written by Ysis, a self-confessed makeup addict.

Review: Elf Lip Exfoliator (Before & After)

23 May 2013

Elf Lip Exfoliator*, £3.75 – Elf UK website (HERE) Elf US website (HERE)

It’s no secret that I struggle with dry lips; I actually struggle with dry skin in general, so I’m always looking to increase the moisture levels of my skin and decrease flakiness. With my lips being so dry and chapped most of the time, wearing a matte lipstick was pretty impossible until I discovered lip exfoliators, and the latest addition to my collection is this one.

The Elf Lip Exfoliator comes conveniently packaged as a lipstick, so it’s very simple and easy to use. When you apply it to the lips, the scrubbing particles do the job pretty much immediately; I could literally see bits of dry skin coming off my lips. Having said that, it’s very gentle on the lips and it’s infused with Vitamin E, Shea Butter, Avocado, Grape and Jojoba Oils exfoliate, protect and nourish your lips, all in one step.

My main tip to get rid of excess dry skin would be to use soft circular motions when applying to damp lips; don’t rub it in too hard because you don’t want to damage the delicate skin on your lips. Then wipe away the scrub with water or a damp cotton pad and follow with a lip balm. I’ve been using this pretty much every time I apply lipstick; it makes a huge difference on how my lipstick looks and lasts on my lips. Oh and it tastes delicious!

I would highly recommend this if you suffer from dry or chapped lips, especially before applying a bold red lippie. With it being well under a fiver, it won’t break the bank! I’ve tried a similar lip scrub from Lush (review HERE), which is also really good, but slightly more expensive and it makes a bigger mess.

So what do you think of the Elf Lip Exfoliator? Have you tried it before? Have you tried anything similar? Let me know!

Product: Elf Lip Exfoliator
Price: £3.75
Where: Elf UK website (HERE) Elf US website (HERE)

P.S.: Sorry I haven’t blogged very often recently; I’ve been incredibly busy! My wedding is now only 2 months away, so I’m turning into a bit of a bridezilla trying to get everything organised. I’ll film some videos early next week, so feel free to request any videos you’d like to see! Thanks for all your lovely comments and kind words :) If you’d like to keep up to date with what I’m doing when I’m not blogging, follow me on Instagram (@lebeautygirl).

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Cosmopolitan Blog Awards 2013: My Favourite Blogs!

11 May 2013

Click on the image above to nominate me for the Cosmo Blog Awards 2013!

Last year, thanks to all you lovely people who voted, Le Beauty Girl was a finalist in the Best New Beauty Blog category of the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards 2012; this is definitely one of my Top 5 Blog’s Proudest Moments, and I wrote all about the experience HERE :)

Now it’s time again to nominate your favourite blogs for the Cosmo Blog Awards 2013. I would be so happy and honoured if you could take 5 minutes off your busy lives to nominate Le Beauty Girl for the Cosmo Blog Awards 2013 as ‘Best Established Beauty Blog’ – fancy me being an ‘established’ blogger now, huh?! I still remember the feeling of writing my very first blog post back in June 2011 about Tinted Moisturisers vs. Foundations; if you’re up a laugh, click HERE to read my rather cringy first blog post. If you like my videos, you can also nominate my YouTube channel in the category ‘Best Beauty Vlog’.

The nomination process is very easy; wherever you are in the world, you can nominate your favourite UK blogs, as may times as you want, all you need is an email address. Click HERE to go to the Nominations page, type the details of the blog or youtuber you want to nominate, along with a few words why you like them, and you’re done. Easy-peasy!

I thought I would share with you my current favourite blogs, which are the ones I will most certainly be nominating for the Cosmo Blog Awards this year. Maybe this list will give you somewhere to start if you’ve only just started reading blogs, or if you’re looking for some new great blogs to follow.

The Londoner: Rosie is absolutely stunning, and I love reading about her crazy life adventures. She has a such a fun personality and she seems really lovely and down to earth. If you need some motivation to start working out to get that Summer body, have a look at pictures of her and her friends in a bikini – it never fails to get out of the sofa in a flash!

Becky’s Makeup: Becky is the loveliest girl and she puts a lot of hard work into her blog; I always ‘steal’ some blog designing ideas from her, and I absolutely love reading through her ‘Weekend Wishlist’ posts, which is not great for my bank account. I also love the her witty writing style, and the fact that we are quite similar in personality and age, so I can relate to almost everything she writes about.

I Covet Thee: Alix’s blog is gorgeous! Her pictures always have this pretty dreamy feel to them and I could happily spend hours perusing through her blog. She’s a bit of a shopaholic like me, so I find her ‘hauls’ really amusing to watch on her YouTube channel; and of course, I always end up with a massive list of ‘Things To Buy’ after looking at her blog.

Beauty Aesthetic: Sami and Lisa’s blog is so pretty and informative; I can always tell if a post was written by Sami or Lisa, just by looking at the style writing, which is great because it gives a more dynamic feel to the blog. I met Sami and Lisa at my very first blog event in London nearly 2 years ago, and we got on really well. Unfortunately we don’t get to see each other a lot, as they live in Scotland and I live in England, but I love reading their blog!

By Celina: Celina lives between Monaco and London – that fact by itself is good enough reason for you to go and check out her blog and drool over her luxurious lifestyle. Her style is impecable, her walk-in closets are to die for, and I’ve spent an unhealthy amount of time swooning over the contents of her wardrobe and her extensive collection of designer handbags and shoes. Oh, and she has the cutest pomeranian dog called Linus; I dare you to go to her blog and spend less than half an hour looking through her beautiful photos!

The Sunday Girl: In my opinion, Adrianne runs the best review-based beauty blog. Her blog is my go-to blog when I’m looking for honest reviews on a particular product, and she never disappoints me. Her pictures are always clear and from all angles, so you can really see the products well. She has a very professional style of writing, whilst still putting plenty of her personality in her blog posts. Her blog is a must-read before buying any beauty products!

Dizzybrunette3: I’ve been following Corrie’s blog for a really long time now, and it’s still one of the first ones I read when I open my Bloglovin feed; she’s gorgeous, her hair is long and luscious, and I love her bubbly personality and fun style of writing. She has an amazing sense of fashion, and everything she wears looks great on her. We have a similar olive skin tone, so I love reading her reviews and getting product recommendations from her!

So there you have my current favourite blogs! I will be nominating all of these lovely ladies at the Cosmo Blog Awards 2013! I hope you’ve found new blogs to read, or if you already read them, let me know on the comments below :)

Fancy nominating Le Beauty Girl to win a Cosmopolitan Blog Award? click HERE

To nominate my blog, choose ‘Best Established Beauty Blog’

To nominate my YouTube Channel, choose ‘Best Beauty Vlog’

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Review: Bourjois Cream Blush (Swatches & Photos)

9 May 2013

Bourjois Cream Blush*, £7.99 | Exclusive to Selfridges (HERE)

In 1868 Bourjois launched the first ever compact powder blush, and the brand itself has been around for 150 years! I think it’s safe to say they’re no amateurs in the business. I was super excited to hear about the launch of their latest cream blushes and I’m pleased to inform they did not disappoint.

This is the Bourjois Cream Blush; it’s the legendary Little Round Pot blush reinvented, featuring a cream-to-powder technology when the product is blended into the skin. They come in 4 wearable shades (#01 Nude Velvet; #02 Healthy Glow; #03 Rose Tender; #04 Sweet Cherry), and the magnetic packaging is really cute and feminine.

The blush is really smooth and easy to blend with fingers or with a stippling blush (my personal favourite). It leaves a beautiful pop of colour on the cheeks, with the most natural and effortless finish; if you have dry skin, this is a good blush to avoid the chalky ‘fake’ finish that powder blushes can leave on the skin.

I have shades #01 Nude Velvet and #03 Rose Tender; ‘Nude Velvet’ is a soft peachy coral shade, and ‘Rose Tender’ is a light rosy pink. My favourite of the two is ‘Nude Velvet’; such a gorgeous wearable shade that looks great on most skin tones. I’m also eyeing ‘Healthy Glow’, which looks like a deeper coral shade – I can’t resist a bit of coral during the warmer months! :)

I wore ‘Nude Velvet’ today and loved how it looked on me; the only downside is that the wear time is a little bit on the short side, but apart from that, I’ve no quibbles with this blush, just love. Happy 150th Birthday, Bourjois!

What do you guys think of the Bourjois Cream Blush? Have you tried any of them? Let me know what’s your favourite shade!

Product: Bourjois Cream Blush
Price: £7.99
Shades: #01 Nude Velvet; #02 Healthy Glow; #03 Rose Tender; #04 Sweet Cherry
Availability: Exclusive to Selfridges (HERE)

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Video: Updated Skincare Routine

9 May 2013

Last October I uploaded a video talking all about my skincare routine (HERE), but since then, a few things have changed and I’ve added a few new products to the mix. I’m much happier with my current skincare routine, especially because it’s considerably shorter than my previous one, which means I have no excuse to skip it when I’m tired – it literally takes me 5 minutes!

Last time, the focus was on adding moisture to my skin and anti-ageing products; now, I’ve added another focus – treating hyperpigmentation. Over the past few years, my dark spots have grown a bit, and it’s about time I treat them properly; so I’ve added a few bits to my current skincare routine which was helped a lot with the pigmentation issues.

Let me know what you think of my current skincare routine, and if you have the same skin concerns as me, let me know what you use on your skin! Oh, and give the video a thumbs up if you like it :)

Products mentioned

Eucerin Even Brighter Spot Corrector* (HERE)
Eucerin Even Brighter Day Cream* (HERE)
Atrixo Enriched Moisturising Cream* (HERE)
Carmex Mint Moisturising Lip Balm (HERE)
Johnson’s Fragrance Free Facial Cleansing Wipes (for all skin types) (HERE)
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (HERE)
L’Oreal Skin Perfection 15 Second Miracle Cleansing Oil (HERE)
YSL Forever Youth Liberator Eye Zone Serum* (HERE)
Eucerin Even Brighter Night Cream* (HERE)
Cath Kidston Blossom Hand Cream (HERE)

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The Dream Team: My Current Makeup Base

2 May 2013

I’ve been relying on ‘The Dream Team’ for quite a while now; it suits any day, any occasion, any weather, so it’s pretty foul proof. This is a full makeup base routine, which prepares my skin for any makeup look. I shall introduce you to The Dream Team…

Eucerin Even Brighter Day Cream

SPF 30 and UVA protection
Reduces the appearance of dark spots and uneven skin tones
B-Resorcinol: decreases melanin production
Glycyrrhetinic Acid: stimulates the skin’s own damage repair process
Non-greasy, but thick in consistency
Suitable to all skin types

How I use it: I apply it to clean face, blending all over my face, neck and chest, using circular motions. Then I leave it to dry for 5 to 10 minutes before applying any makeup.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation

No SPF
Light to medium coverage
Natural finish; blends seamlessly into the skin
Gel consistency
Vitamin-rich formula, contains lychee, goji and pomegranate
Instant anti-fatigue effect
Lasts up to 16 hours
Hypoallergenic
Available in 6 shades – 51, 52, 53, 55, 56 and 58 (for reference, I’m shade 53)

How I use it: I dispense one pump onto the back of my hand, and using a flat foundation brush I apply a light layer all over my face, avoiding the hair-line and extremely dry areas of my face. Then I smooth everything over with my fingers, blending the foundation towards my hair-line; I find this to be the best way to tailor the coverage I need in different areas of my face.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

Medium to full coverage
Natural matte finish
Lightweight and creamy
Lasts up to 15 hours
It doesn’t crease throughout the day
Conceals under eye circles and corrects discolorations
Most suitable for oily, combination, normal and dry skin; very dry skin, beware as this might look cakey.
Available in 15 shades: For spots and discolorations (yellow undertones): NC15 NC20, NC30, NC35, NC42, NC45, NC50; For under eye circles (pink undertones): NW15, NW20, NW25, NW30, NW35, NW40, NW45, NW50. (For reference, I’m shade NW20 (under eye circles)

How I use it: I dispense a very small pump on the back of my hand, and using my ring finger I dot the concealer around my under eye area. Then, with my ring finger I lightly dab the product, until it blends seamlessly into the skin.

MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer

Full coverage
Matte finish
Creamy and thick in consistency, feels like a paste on the skin and dries almost instantly
Water resistant
Targeted at concealing blemishes and evening out skin tone.
For reference, I’m shade NC30
This concealer has been discontinued

How I use it: With my index finger I apply a small amount of the concealer wherever I need a bit of extra coverage and on spots, making sure it blends well with my foundation.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder

Low coverage
Matte finish
Natural finish
Suitable for dry skin
Available in 10 shades: Light, Light Plus, Medium, Medium Dark, Medium Deep, Medium Plus, Dark, Dark Deep, Give Me Sun, Sun Power. (For reference, I’m shade Medium/Medium Dark).

How I use it: With a small blending brush, I set the concealer under my eyes. Then with a fluffy powder brush, I lightly set the rest of my makeup concentrating on my cheeks and forehead.

Now you’ve been properly acquainted with my current base. The only item I change sometimes is foundation; because the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation is low to medium coverage, whenever I’m going to an event or any special occasion, I choose a foundation with a higher coverage. Other than that, everything has stayed pretty much the same.

Now it’s your turn to introduce me to your Dream Team! :)

Products mentioned

- Eucerin Even Brighter Day Cream, £22.50 (HERE)

- Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation, £10.99 (HERE)

- MAC Pro Longwear Concealer, £14.50 (HERE)

- MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer (discontinued)

- MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder, £21 (HERE)