Talika Lipocils Expert 70 Year Limited Edition

When a product has a 70 Year Limited Edition announcement, the first thing I want to know if 1) have I tried it and 2) If not, why not! If a product has been around for THAT long and we are talking just slightly older than my Gran, then I need to try it.

The product in question is the Talika Lipocils Expert 70 Year Limited Edition (£39) an eyelash growth and pigmentation gel. The story has it that Danielle Roches, a nurse in the Department of Ophthalmology in a Paris hospital during World War II, was helping to heal burn victims when she made a lucky discovery. After formulating a plant-based cataplasm, due to lack of medicines, she discovered the balm had a surprising secondary effect: it stimulated the growth of patients’ eyelashes and eyebrows.   In 1948 she started to market the "eyelash conditioning cream". This legendary product gave birth to Lipocils Expert, a serum that not only helps lashes grow longer but also brings out natural pigmentation and curl.

So, to celebrate Talika's 70-year anniversary, the brand revisits its Lipocils Expert best-seller with a very Parisian limited edition design, illustrated by Florence Balducci.  I am the first to admit that I was drawn to the product for its packaging, it is just stunning and given I am going to Paris in a few weeks time, I am a bit obsessed right now.

Powered by four patented complexes including the exclusive Legendary Botanical Complex (a natural blend of Witch Hazel, Apple, Nettle, Chestnut and St. John’s Wort) and anti-aging Peptide Expert this formula works to lengthen, curl and darken lashes within 28 days, correcting sparseness, brittleness and lack of curl, shine and resilience. The end result being that you should expect longer, stronger and fuller lashes with improved shine and overall health.

The one oddity about this entire product is the brush, it is a sort of mascara wand, brow spoolie come doe foot applicator all in one and its purpose is to coat your lashes using the doe foot applicator and then brush it through with the brush.  It looks weird but honestly, it makes sense when you do use it.  

Designed to be used day and night, on makeup-free eyes. It doesn't irritate or sting, it doesn't have a chemical scent, it doesn't feel heavy or gloopy and of course, if it gives you long luscious lashes, it is worth every penny!

You can find this Anniversary edition right here at SpaceNK for £39.

Have you tried Talika before?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

{Guest Post} Pixi Silky Eye Pens

Today's Guest Post comes from the lovely Karen from A Delicate Rosie Beauty.

I'm no stranger to raccoon eyes. I have slightly oily eyelids which usually results in whatever eyeliner I'm wearing migrating from my lash line to under my eyes within about 30 minutes. For years I had given up on wearing anything other than powder eye liner because every time I tried a pencil co-workers would look at me in horror and beg to know why I as crying. 

However, I found these Pixi Silky Eye Pens last year, and it's been a game changer for me. These don't budge. The colors are gorgeous, and they're fairly inexpensive. The only eye liner I've found that's even better at staying put is Chantecaille's 24 Hour Eye Liner pens, but those are more than double the price of these Pixi eye liners and Pixi offers a wider range of colors. Needless to say I'm a fan. 

Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pens in Bronze Beam and Cafe Gold

from left: Bronze Beam, Cafe Gold

cute green floral design

Swatches from top: Bronze Beam, Cafe Gold

Look at how pretty these colors are! Bronze Beam is a limited edition so it has slightly swankier packaging. It's a shimmering bronze that just adds a subtle pop to your eyes. It's gorgeous. Cafe Gold has more glitter and is an antique gold. I love it. It reminds me of a few higher end Chanel liners I've had in the past....except unlike those it stays in place. These last all day on me without traveling. Thank goodness. 

These each retail for $12. I purchased them at Target, and I've been using them every day since. I use these with Chantecaille's Wild Horses palette for a subtle smoky brown eye, but these could be used with Urban Decay's Naked palette or any brown/bronze eye shadow combination. They're gorgeous, but most importantly they don't melt off of your face.

Eye Bright Make-up Remover from Heaven by Deborah Mitchell

Eye make-up remover is not one of those things I have spent too much time thinking about truth be told, I tend to use whatever I have got to hand.  Then Eye Bright came into my possession and now I know why people rave about eye make-up removers and certain mascaras not being that difficult to remove!

Heaven by Deborah Mitchell Eye Bright Makeup Remover**, the people who brought to you the Bee Venom mask which I reviewed HERE, very kindly sent me this product to try. It arrives in this lovely sleek cylindrical bottle with the brand name and product name both clearly visible.  What I also found useful is the little plastic clip which goes around the pump dispenser to stop any wastefulness of the product you should drop it, press it accidentally and so on.

Once on the cotton wool pad, this product is actually really creamy and similar to a cleanser that I use in texture, colour wise there is a tint of blue/purple to it which I really like.  When using the product, you need such a small amount, one pump from the dispenser on the cotton wool pad removes eye-shadow, eye-liner and They're Real in one foul swoop, no need for rubbing, rubbing a bit more and then finally with a bit of elbow grease removing your make-up, one wipe across and around your eyes and your cotton wool pad will look like this:

You might notice that it takes off a little bit more than your make-up, all the dirt, grime and pollution that clings to your skin, especially in a city like London is also removed.  

You can also use this product as an all-over facial cleanser, something which I am yet to try but I can tell you that as well as removing eye make-up, it does also work exceptionally well at removing all make-up from your face and this is how I am currently using it, more as a pre-cleansing make-up remover

I am told that this make-up remover contains Eyebright, a herb which helps your eyes to look whiter and if you Google it, you can find all kinds of interesting facts about what it does. Eye Bright also helps to regenerate dry skin and can be used both in the morning and in an evening and is suitable for mature and dry skin too.

Have you tried any products from the Heaven Skincare range?

Lily Lolo - my introduction!

I have seen Lily Lolo products on so many blogs but have never branched out and tried them myself, so when the chance to do just that was given to me, I jumped at the chance. They claim that "Whether your skin is dry, oily or anywhere in-between, Lily Lolo makeup will give you a light, flawless and seamless finish without clogging or irritating" which I am interested to check out.

Lily Lolo is a British brand launched by Vikki Khan in 2005. Named after her two sisters Lisa (Lily) and Lorraine (Lolo) though for some reason I keep calling it Lily Lilo, don't ask why!

Lily Lolo have just re-branded their make up range which you can see on their website and in recognition of that I was sent two of their products to try and review.

Natural Lip Gloss in English Rose (£7.99)** - I would describe this as being a dusky pink shade which looks really pink when you first apply it and then as it settled down it becomes quite a pale pink which I really like. It is perfect for wearing on its own or over the top of a pinky/nude lipstick to add a little glossy look. One of my bug bears with some lipglosses is the tacky feel they leave on your lips, this lip gloss doesn't have this *hurrah* it is not sticky at all, it simply glides on. This gloss does also contains Vitamin E and Jojoba oil to nourish and protect.

Mineral Eye Shadow in Miami Taupe (£5.99)** - This is most definitely the shade I would opt for, it is perfect for daytime or nighttime and one of those shades which you can have as a light coverage or build it up so that you can have a much deeper coverage, which to do you simply use it wet and the video I have mentioned below shows you how to do this. It is highly pigmented and as the shade suggests it is Taupe which is described as being a dusky browny grey shade or warm grey.

Now if like me you often struggle to decide how best to apply certain items of make-up, I was pleased to find that there are some really handy tutorials online, one of which you can see HERE. 

Which are your favourite Lily Lolo products?

The range itself is  BUAV approved as well as being free from parabens, synthetic fragrances, dyes, fillers and there is no animal testing.