REVIEW: Primark PS...Pro Longwear Mineralized Foundation

I have to admit that I'm somewhat of a bargain hunter *holds hands up* - as much as I adore luxury items, I just love finding items which don't break the bank. And when it comes to beauty and make-up, I love finding affordable products which are equally as effective as their more expensive competitors. 

I got extremely excited when I found out last year that Primark were launching a 'professional' make-up range and couldn't wait to get my hands on it when I saw it for real. I can be dubious about budget make-up because I sometimes worry about the effect it will have on my skin, but having found a few unbeatable and affordable products, I am willing to at least give something a try. 

 

The PS...Pro range is quite vast for only being a small section of a massive high street retailer, but if your local store is anything like mine, you will be lucky to ever find the products in stock, which speaks volumes in itself. Either that, or I'm not the only one who feels passionately about bargain items! To begin with I thought I would try the foundation which retails at only £5. Because of the price I purchased two shades which allows me to mix my own colour depending on how light or dark I require it to be.

 

APPLICATION: I apply this foundation with a damp beauty blender which ensures maximum coverage. By dampening the beauty blender, it becomes impermeable and all the product is transferred straight to your face. If you prefer a lighter coverage I suggest using a foundation buffer brush instead. This foundation is very easy to work with - it is blendable and buildable, however I don't believe you really need to build it up as it is very full coverage. It has a dewy finish which is ideal for anyone with dry/normal skin. Amazingly though, it also works on my oily skin when set with a good mattifying powder! A win-win for everyone. 

 

LONGEVITY: I can get approximately 8 hours out of this product before I have to touch it up. There is a need for me to reapply powder after this time because I am oily, however I don't think it would require this if you have a different skin type. The coverage lasts all day and I've even worn this whilst working out so I can really can attest to just how much this foundation can take!

 

OVERALL VERDICT: I am in LOVE. Honestly, for £5, I cannot recommend this product enough. Full coverage, suits all skin types (with a little extra powdering if you are oily), can withstand workouts, and lasts all day. I cannot urge you enough to try this, it provides serious competition for the likes of MAC Studio Fix, and for only a fraction of the price. I know it sounds too good to be true but it isn't!

If you decide to try it then please let me know!

 

Friday’s Giirl

x

REVIEW: eléni Skincare Facial at Tip to Toe Salon

I was recently kindly invited to a local salon called Tip to Toe to experience one of their eléni facials, and of course, I graciously accepted. Tip to Toe is based in Newtowncrommelin, a tiny village located approximately 8 miles outside Ballymena. Owned by the lovely Julie, the salon is a renovated caravan, which is warm and welcoming and perfectly equipped for the services provided. 

Eléni is a skincare brand which I knew nothing about until Julie educated me on the story of the brand and its products. Created by a South African native who had always suffered from psoriasis, he worked tirelessly to create a solution to his problem which he hadn't found in any other products. He succeeded in doing so, and in turn, developed an incredible understanding of the skin which allowed him to create a range of extremely effective and affordable products. They aim to provide solutions to long term skin health under the motto 'True beauty through celullar well being'. I am always reassured when I feel that someone knows what they are talking about - it's like going to a restaurant and a staff member being able to tell you the ingredients of a dish, how it was prepared, and why they would recommend it. Julie certainly knew what she was talking about and I couldn't wait for her to put her knowledge into practice. 

I briefed Julie on my skin type, which has been somewhat problematic of recent, however on the day of my facial it was looking quite good so we agreed to carry out a routine facial rather than one for problem skin so as not to aggravate it while it was behaving for once! She invited me to pop up on the bed, which I was surprised to find to my delight, was heated - B L I S S! It didn't take me long to unwind under the conditions - dimmed spotlight lighting and soothing music made for the ultimate relaxation. I was so relaxed that I could easily have fallen asleep, but I wanted to be able to share the experience fully with you, so I refrained - all in the name of blogging, eh?!

Julie began the treatment with a double sebum cleanse, followed by an exfoliating deep cleanse. These were so refreshing and despite not touching my skin with my hands, I could sense how clean my face felt already. Next up was an anti-wrinkle mask, and rather than just being left to chill out while it was on, I had my feet massaged - OH. MY. Now that really was putting me to the test of staying awake - amazing! When the mask was removed, it was onto an intensive hydrating massage followed by a reconstruction serum which was also massaged into my skin. Finished with an eye cream and a rich stabilising moisturiser.

 

For me, this facial was a rare opportunity - it isn't very often I have the chance to really indulge in some me-time and this was the perfect excuse. However, I didn't just love it for this reason, but also because my skin looked INCREDIBLE afterwards. I am extremely self-conscious when I have no make-up on and it's something I wish I wasn't because I feel like we should all be comfortable in our own skin. But when I looked in the mirror after my facial, my initial reaction was a massive 'WOW!', I genuinely don't think my skin has EVER looked as good. It was clear, bright and radiant, and Julie and I both commented on how I would be more than happy to flaunt bare skin if it always looked that way.

I asked Julie how often she would recommend that I get such a treatment and she suggested once a month, and by doing so, I should notice big improvements to my skin after three treatments. Obvioucly, it's important to take care of your skin in between times and Julie also sells the eléni products so you can purchase them to maintain a similar daily routine at home. The range is very affordable and if I didn't already own an abundance of skincare which I need to make my way through, I would most definitely have stocked up on some of these amazing products. They smell divine, like a spa, and having seen the results of the facial, I have no doubt that they would be even better with daily use!

 

I have to admit that I'm always concerned about how my skin will look in the days following a treatment as my skin tends to disagree with heavy creams and oils, but I have been told that you should almost expect your skin to react after a facial as it is simply doing its job and drawing out all the impurities. Thus, I expected such a reaction after this treatment but I was pleasantly surprised to find that yes, I did have a couple of pimples the day after but they were small and discrete and were away again the next day - definitely nothing to complain about!

Now, do you want to know the best bit about all of this, on top of the relaxing experience and the amazing results? The price. This facial is only £29. T-W-E-N-T-Y N-I-N-E P-O-U-N-D-S! I genuinely nearly fainted when I heard that. Such value for money, and so inexpensive that you can afford to treat yourself on a monthly basis, I know I will be!

I urge you to give Tip to Toe salon a try for any of your beauty requirements - Julie will welcome you wholeheartedly with a hug and leave you feeling a million dollars. I already can't wait to go back for my next facial!

If you would like to get in touch to book an appointment you can find all the details here. Thanks for reading, and a big thank you to Emma from eléni, and Julie from Tip to Toe for organising this!

Friday’s Giirl

x