Diorshow Fusion Mono

The Dior Show Fusion Mono is a gel-mousse texture that gives a mirror shine effect when patted onto the lid, but when applied to the crease and intensified it gives a subtle matte definition. The above colour, 821 Chimere, is a rose gold on the lid but adds a little something extra to the 'No Makeup, Makeup' trend when applied to the crease. It's almost as if a contour powder has been used as a crease shade. There's no fall out and judging by comments on Instagram, it can be used as a highlight too. 

The colour lasts and although described as mirrored, it's too not glittery and transparent, it is multifaceted and buildable. I have used it daily and by looking at the product above, it's hardly noticeable, so it looks as if it will last a long while. 

The product is used in the crease to give subtle definition to the eye.

Having read Jen's post on Dior's spring line, I'm excited to see future products! 

£22.50 for 6.5 grams. 

www.dior.com

Gwen Stefani for Urban Decay – blush, lipstick and lip liners

Having brought you news of the Gwen Stefani for Urban Decay eyeshadow palette back in November (you can read about that here), I am pleased to say that the collection has been expanded and now includes a blush palette and a selection of lipsticks and lip liners.

The blush palette contains six shades of blush/bronzer/highlighter; Cherry, Easy, Angel, Lo-Fi, Hush and OC. Much like the eyeshadow palette the packaging is beautiful and although I haven't tried it, I have been informed that the colours are very versatile and will work well on a variety of skin tones.

Blush palette, £35

The lipsticks come in a fantastic range of colours, although they might not be for everybody as they mostly bold (with the exception of one nude) and mostly in varying shades of red. But hey, this is Gwen – what did you expect?! The lipsticks are in a variety of finishes too; I believe the nude is a sheer shimmer while several of the reds are matte. There are six lip pencils to complement the collection.

Lipstick, £16
Lip pencils, £14

www.urbandecay.co.uk

Have you tried any of these products yet? If so we would love to know what you think!

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner

Maybelline's Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner is something that I always come back to because no matter what else I try, nothing comes close to this eyeliner. 

THE PROS: 

• Price: it's £7.99. Bargain. 

• Colours – I use the black but the product also comes in brown, charcoal and eggplant to help create different looks. 

• Longevity – despite this being in a pot and, therefore, has the potential to dry out, the product lasts for months. I bought my last one in April of last year and have only just opened a new one. 

• Consistency – the liner is oil free and because of the gel consistency it glides across the eyelid, without any pulling, which not only means an even line but helps not to irritate the eye and prevents the aging process by dragging the lid. 

• Long lasting colour – the liner lasts for hours and hours. The packaging states up to 24 hours and, although I haven't worn it for 24 hours, I can imagine that is true. I generally put it on at 7.30am and by 6.00pm, it hasn't moved at all. 

• Pigmentation – the colour is intense but can be used to create a thin line or a super duper wing. It's easily buildable and can create a thick line without looking too much. 

• Safe for sensitive eyes – I find that some products and eye creams can irritate my eyes, especially in the summer months, when my hay fever drives my eyes nuts but this never irritates and the packaging states that it is fine to use for those who wear contact lenses. 

THE CONS:

• Ingredients – it's not awful by any means but it's not something like Dr. Hauschka or something that helps to protect the eye. 

• Drying Out – From the ones that I have thrown away, the product has started to dry out but it lasts so much longer than products like M.A.C Fluid Liner. For the price, it certainly is worth it. 

• Brush – a brush comes with the liner but I don't find that it works very well. It's too chunky. I use a Sigma E11 brush, which costs about £14 and works really nicely with the product. However, any angled or thin liner brush would also work. 

Dior Spring 2016 Collection – Glowing Gardens

The temperature has taken a serious nosedive here in London and, although I am hugely grateful for today's blue skies, there's no denying that I am looking forward to spring. Warmer weather, longer days, bunnies, flowers... you get the picture. Of all the spring 2016 beauty collections that I have seen so far, I think Dior has captured this essence of spring the best.

The limited edition Glowing Gardens collection is exactly how it sounds – a range of products that celebrate that quintessential Dior glow using colours inspired by the flower gardens of Granville.

Below are a selection of my favourite items – I particularly want to get my hands on that beautiful illuminator! I thoroughly recommend checking out the whole collection on Dior's website and, if there's anything you want, get in there quickly before it sells out....

From top to bottom:
• Illuminator – currently sold out
• Nail Polish £19 each
• 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow £43.50
• Dior Blush £32.50
• Rouge Dior Baume £26.50

For UK readers most items are available at www.selfridges.com, for US try Sephora or Saks.
See the full collection at www.dior.com

Nars Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

This product has become my favourite primer. Don't get me wrong, Urban Decay's Primer Potions are great, especially Eden, as it neutralises the colour of the lid. However, this Nars primer keeps eyeliner in place all day and night and quite possibly, the next day!

THE INFO:
'A polymer and mineral-powder blend establishes a firm grip on color ensuring hours and hours of gorgeous wear. Fortified with a special deep-sea extract and an antioxidant rice extract, the Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base dries on contact and keeps the delicate eyelid smooth and prepared for color application.'

THE PROS:

• Prevents creasing, smudging and caking. 

• Prolongs winged eyeliner (ensure that the product is applied to the edge of the eye too).

• Easy application.

• Works with any type of eyeshadow product (cream, powder, shadow stick etc.).

• Dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested (i.e, skin and eye tested). 

• It lasts a long time. I have used it daily since July and I am only now going to need to re-purchase at some point soon. A little goes a long way. 

• £19.50 for 0.28oz, which lasts 5-6 months of daily use. 

• Fragrance free.

• Holds up in hot, humid weather and the rain. 

• You can use half the product from the applicator on one eye lid and half on the other. This is why it lasts for so long.

THE CONS:

• The doe foot applicator means that it often gets makeup on it and can get quite dirty.

• The packaging is prone (especially the lid) to attracting makeup, moisturiser, hand cream and anything else! Be prepared for it to look like you've had the product for years, after a week! 

• Once the product has been applied, you need to blend eye shadows quickly. Otherwise, you end up pulling at the lid because once the primer has dried, the colour is locked on! This isn't really a bad thing, considering that the product is doing what it says. It just means that you need to apply it as you are doing your eyeshadow and not when doing skin prep.
 

Overall, I think it's a very good product and I will continue to purchase it. 

www.narscosmetics.co.uk 

Coconut Oil – is it worth the hype?

Coconut Oil is all over the place, heralded as the best oil for skin, nails, hair and health. Being able to cook with something that you can also use on your hair has always made me cringe but I have to say, I like it and it's doing wonders for my skin and bank balance. When it comes in a 500ml jar, has a sell by date of next Summer,  costs £4.00 and improves the hydration of skin, it's a good find!

THE PROS:

• A little goes a long way. What you see in the picture is enough for the face, neck and to use as a hand cream. 

• It really does hydrate but don't use too much because it will cause spots and nobody wants that. I melt it in between my hands and lightly press it into the skin. 

• It's helped to plump the skin, which is linked to the hydration but wrinkles have appeared finer, especially around the eyes. 

• It absorbs into the skin quickly and doesn't leave skin feeling greasy for hours. 

• It smooths and tames hair. I only use it on the ends but using a small amount. I would imagine that if I got the quantities wrong, I would have greasy limp locks. However, it is better than any other hair oil or serum that I have compared it with, including Moroccan Oil. 

• It can be used as a cleanser and removes makeup. 

• When used in cooking, it's a good source of saturated fat and boosts metabolism. 

THE CONS:

• It needs to be stored away from direct sunlight and that is for good reason. It goes from 100% cold pressed to full on oil, so be careful where you stash it. 

• I can only use this at night, as I find it doesn't hold my makeup in place. 

• When using it for cooking, I would recommend decanting or buying a separate jar for the kitchen. It prevents any beauty regime/kitchen cross over. It tastes nice when making something sweet, like banana pancakes (which if you haven't tried and can't eat wheat, I would strongly recommend), as the coconut oil is a nice addition. I find it odd tasting when cooking savoury food. It's great in smoothies though. 

• Raw versions of the oil tend to have better reviews because they haven't been refined using chemical processes that can make the oil taste a bit bland and don't have the same skin care benefits. However, not all refined oils have been chemically distilled, so worth doing some research. 

• To use the product, you need to scrape some of it out. To me, this is always a bit gross because it allows bacteria to go a bit nuts! 

All in all, I really like using it, mainly because its multifaceted. Although I don't tend to use it in cooking, it really makes skincare easier when cleansing, moisturising and taming stray locks with the same product, especially when it has the same effect as products that I have paid a small fortune for! £4.00 is an excellent price! 

Getting ready for 2016 and your favourite YBBF posts...

Happy New Year! The first week of January is well underway and we are starting to look at the year ahead. But first we thought we would take a little look backwards and share the nine most popular YBBF posts to date, from new launches such as the Vice 3 palette and the Preen/Nails Inc. collab, to product reviews from Kiko, Balance Me and more. So if you are new to our blog why not check out some of our most-read posts from the last eighteen months.




1) Champagne, Cupcakes and the Official YBBF Launch Party
2) Urban Decay release Vice 3 palette
3) Personalised Hoola Bronzers by Benefit
4) Bellapierre Coral Cheek and Lip Stain
5) Welcome to Our Beauty Blog!
6) Preen by Thornton Bregazzi Collaborate with Nails Inc.
7) Best Beauty Advent Calendars 2015
8) Balance Me – Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm
9) Kiko Color-Up Long Lasting Eyeshadow

Looking ahead to 2016, we are planning some changes for the blog based on the posts that you have enjoyed most and the things we are excited to share throughout the year. We would love to hear your opinions, so please feel free to get in touch with comments, suggestions and even requests for product reviews. You can email us at info@yourbeautybestfriend.co.uk or get in touch via social media. We are both busy ladies with day jobs, but we would love to spend a bit more time this year getting to know you all and finding out how we can continue to make YBBF as useful and enjoyable as possible.

INSTAGRAM @your_beauty_best_friend
FACEBOOK Yourbeautybestfriend KayandJen
TWITTER @YourBeautyBF

We will be continuing to post every Tuesday and Friday, but you can also get every new post sent directly to your inbox by putting your email address in the 'Follow By Email' box at the top of the page.

We look forward to hearing from you and wish you all a very happy 2016!

xx

New Year's Eve Looks

Happy New Year to everyone! For New Year's Eve and general Christmas party looks I have been using the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette that was launched last month. It is ideal for a bright-eyed look and the colours are extremely blendable with very little fall out. I used the hot pink (Harajuku) and dark navy blue (Danger) shade in the crease, which resuulted in a very wearable look – not at all like a six-year-old playing with blue eyeshadow thank goodness!

This palette contains a really good mix of colours and a variety of neutrals – even those with cool skin tones will find that the colours work for them. It's an everyday palette but the brighter colours make it ideal for when you want to create a look that's a little different.

£40, www.urbandecay.co.uk 

For the look below, I used Verve from the Naked 2 Palette on the lid. Then, with a thick angled brush by Real Techniques Brush Starter Set, I used Danger from the Gwen Stefani palette from the outer corner, along the crease of the eye. I used Harajuku and a fluffy brush to blend the colours, focusing on the outer crease. The angled brush was used again to put Danger underneath the eye, before eyeliner and mascara was applied. It wore well throughout the day and although colours were noticeable, they didn't stand out too much. 

This is after 11 hours of wear and without setting spray. Despite some fading, the colours lasted well and didn't overpower. 

Whilst I was banging out the pinks and blues, Jen looked super swish in a LBD with red nails, champers in hand! 

We hope that you all had a fantastic New Year's Eve too and that 2016 brings more champagne, fun and festivities....with some excellent beauty products thrown in for good measure! Happy New Year!