Jourdan Dunn - Burberry Spring Summer 2012 Campaign. New shades for darker skintones

So this photo was recently tweeted by Burberry

for their Spring/ Summer 2012 Campaign.
I vaguely recollect Burberry having a makeup collection and certainly didn't know they did any darker shades.

Oh. According to BelleSugar, they didn't.

Designer Christopher Bailey is a man of his word. Back in 2010, we spoke to the Burberry creative director when Burberry Beauty first launched. At the time, the line had no foundations for women with dark skin tones, but Bailey promised that some were on the way. Now, the makeup line has delivered, with four new foundation and concealer shades for darker skin tones. Both the Luminous Fluid Foundation and Luminous Compact Foundations are now available in Trench No. 10, 11, 12 and 13 and the Sheer Concealer is now available in Amber No. 5, Hazelnut No. 6, Walnut No. 7 and Mahogany No. 8. The shades, part of The Natural Luminosity 2012 Collection, are available at David Jones Bondi Junction, Bourke Street Mall and Chadstone. Great news, no?

 http://www.bellasugar.com.au/Burberry-Beauty-Launches-New-Shades-Foundation-Dark-Skin-Tones-22390314

Will these be available in the UK?
Its funny now all these makeup ranges are just discovering black women exist in the UK.
I still lol at YSL's explanation that the reason touche eclat wasn't available in darker shades for over ten years is because they didn't have "the technology".

(Picture depicting YSL Beauty scientist: Roger, will my mind ever be able to reach the heights that will allow me to make a concealor for anyone darker than tan?)


Well i give them more points than Rimmel who have Solange as a spokesperson yet make no darker shades of foundation or concealor.

Solange wears foundation not from us. K thanx bye


What say you?
If anyone tries it come back and tell me how it goes.

revlon super lustrous lipstick blackberry 640

May this be, my perfect red?

Not this black berry.


This blackberry. Number 640.

A highly pigmented red based lipstick which looks fantastic on dark skin. Seriously if you are olive to dark brown this will most certainly suit you sir. You can wear it sheer or layer it. Its brown base means its very flattering and its like a dark brick red. I went to dinner and then out afterwards and only had to reapply once ( of course i used a lip pencil first). My sister says it reminds her of a constance carroll lip colour she rocked in the 90s and suffice to say i will be keeping this in my bag. Oh and here is my lovely assistant aka big sister wearing it with a brown liner,

and here's a swatch from my arm

It actually looks Darker on then in the photos. Weird. Anyway i picked mine up on a market stall ( Oh the shame!) so I'm not sure if its in stores or online, but a quick Google looks like its readily available on the net and quite cheap. So if you're going for a dark red try this.

Creme of nature Argan oil shampoo and intensive conditioning treatment

Before i delve into my review, just for anyone googling and wanting a quick skim, Yes to the shampoo, No to the conditioner. Lets move onto why. I actually bought the conditioner first, as i was looking for something new. More fool am I. I can't lie my first bad experience was all on me. The instructions SPECIFY that one must use heat when deep conditioner with this product, however i contrary to this used it, just with a plastic cap on my head. It made my hair feel terrible and waxy. ( I was away from my bonnet dryer attachment and just needed to wash my hair FAST) Because that first time was my fault, i decided to follow the instructions the second time round explicitly. This time round was a much better experience. I was under the dryer for fifteen minutes, my hair come out soft and elongated ( if you wear your hair in wash and go's and want more curl elongation this is a good deep conditioner to use before styling) yet it still felt a bit weird. I found it quite water, didn't help with detangling at all and smelt very perfume like. Not in a good way either. Like cheapo pound shop perfume. Nevertheless it did its job fairly well, but i would not be repurchasing. If you don't have access to a form of heat for deep conditioning don't bother.
It also contains Dimethicone.

Maybe it would work better on relaxed hair. I don't know

Lets move onto the shampoo. Now this was a much happier experience. I used it quite by accident as it wasn't purchased by myself and i really like it.  It is sulfate free and left my hair feeling soft and clean. It didn't dry it out at all. I give it 3.5/5


Both retail for just under £4.00




 Shampoo:
Ingredients: Aqua, Trideceth-7, Carboxylic Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Glycol Stearate, Polyquarternium-10, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Quaternium-15, Perfum (Fragrance), Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 14700(Red4), CI19140(Yellow 5).


Intensive Conditioning treatment
Ingredients:
Ingredients: Aqua (Water) (Eau), Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride , Polyquaternium-32, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil) (Huile Minerale), Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Honey (Mel) (Miel), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Panthenol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Lanolin Oil, Phenyl Trimethicone, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Polyquaternium-10, Amodimethicone, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch , Isostearyl Ethylimidazolinium Ethosulfate, Parfum (Fragrance), Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Phenoxyethanol

What i'm using at the moment: dr darren mckeown's AHA Active Radiance Cleanser

This is just an introductory review of Dr Darren McKeown's AHA active radiance cleanser, since i have only been using it  for one week and  i want to be able to give an honest longterm ( 6 weeks minimum) review.
I walked into superdrug and was surprised to see a product containing AHA's in a high street store( i never see them) and to be honest i was eying it up for a good two weeks. It was bizarre though  that all the other products in the line were on offer but not this one. I decided to go online ta-da! and found a "better than half- price" offer online. Its not a cheap product- i think it retails for £12.99  and so i was over the moon.
I have developed acne recently (urgh) and have really tried many things to combat it. I'm not hoping for perfect skin, i just don't want to see a billion spots when i wake up in the morning. I had read about AHA's and acne for a while and in skincare in genral  and was willing to take the chance.

When it comes to any sort of skin regimen i proceed with caution. I have sensitive skin that has recently transformed from dry to oily( i have no idea  why either) blemish prone and being black much more susceptible to scarring. So if something is bad for my skin there is not that much help for it out there once damage has been done.
So here comes the nitty grityy.

I use it only at night, followed by a heavy moisturising cream( when i wake up i use water only- followed by sunscreen)With any AHA product USE SUNSCREEN.
and i follow directions EXPLICITLY- two to three pumps on face for 2-3 minutes. Oh how it stung! The first day it stung, ow! I was a bit frightened but i read that all AHA products do. After the third day my skin was fine and  i dropped down from 3 minutes to 2 just to be safe.

Whilst washing it my face felt so smooth. It was weird, like washing a freshly waxed floor or something! Very smooth i felt like a mannequin

 It felt squeaky clean but not like your face is stripped at all.


The claims of the product are
"AHAs are the secret ingredient to luminous skin. Clinically proven to promote cell turnover, they help restore a glowing, radiant complexion and softer skin. We have added active apple AHA - a complex of glycolic, malic and lactic acids - to natural cleansers and created this daily wash to sweep away dull, old skin cells, remove excess oil - even stubborn make-up – and reveal a glowing complexion. Shea butter and panthenol help lock in moisture and plump skin. Sulphate free, to reduce the chances of irritation "


I'm not using it for luminosity factor or smoothness but to see if it will help my skin, and to be honest i do feel like it has. I know its early early days, but i think my skin looks better (placebo effect?) i've only had a few new spots ( and its that time of the month tmi! when my skin goes haywire) and i do feel like my skin does look better and more radiant.

Anyway it is sulphate free and i will be back tomorrow with a full ingredient list ( left it somewhere) and check back in 6 weeks for a full report.

BYE

shikakai powder. Heaven sent for dry/prone to build up scalps.

I admit i use sulfate shampoos, i have to. In the natural world its a taboo, but they are the only thing that will get my scalp clean. My scalp is so prone to build up its awful. I've tried everything frequent washings to infrequent washing and its the same result. So until it sorts itself out  I'm stuck. ( my scalp goes on swings and roundabouts every couple of years)

 The problem is i often have to shampoo several times, leaving my hair horrendously dry and making styling my hair that much harder.
 Well I've found something that doesn't eradicate my need for  sulfate shampoo, but does lessen it.  Its Shikakai powder. I am aware that i am a billion light years behind the Ayurveda bandwagon but i never thought it would work for me. Oh and i couldn't be bothered.
What the powder does is, it brings to the surface any buildup or debris and then only one round of shampoo is needed. It also makes your hair appear darker and with more sheen.
There are two main brands I've seen readily available in asda and Afro hair shops, its Hesh and Ayuuri. I prefer the Ayuuri because it is more finely milled.

 Now HEED MY WARNING. Follow the instructions on the packets EXPLICITLY. DO NOT, i repeat DO NOT leave the powder on your scalp for the allotted time. Why? Because if it dries you can not get the damn granules out of your hair!!! It'll feel like coffee is in there. Believe me i learnt this the hard way.
Both retail for around £1.99 or cheaper  and depending on how big your head  is and how thick your hair is can last i say 4-6 washes. Don't make too much either i always make that mistake.

Ever felt bad for buying a product because it goes against your principles?

 DR Miracles Daily moisturizing lotion review


I had a problem. I was in a bind. I had only a couple of pounds on me and i needed a moisturiser. Fast. I went to my local Afro hair shop/BSS and that's when the trouble started. I was rooting around, i was tired, i just wanted to pick something up and go. Listlessly wandering the isles i steered my way towards a product range i never go near. Dr Miracles. Why you asked? Because of their (past?/present?) advertisements. That in the words of Run DMC "Go a little something like this"

Google them there are worse. That's right they usually depict natural hair as being "yuck" and then the problem solver being a Dr miracles relaxer!!! Why did no one tell me this before??? Anyway the inference that natural afro hair is disgusting and needs to be fixed put me right off their range. I'm not their desired customer so i just look the other way. Until now.

I was a natural haired traitor. I bought their daily moisturising lotion, and you know whats worse. It was GOOD! Damn, damn, damn. I bought it because it was £2 i needed a quick fix and it was freely available. How can something so bad feel so good????

If you like heavy products this one is for you. Too much can leave hair feeling greasy( i don't mind that) and if you set your hair in styles such as twist outs and braid outs etc, it does give definition. It smells kinda nice too. Its silicone free, but not paraben free

 INGREDIENTS:
Aqua (Water) Deionized, Sorbitol , Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Petrolatum, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Mel (Honey), Simmondsia Chinensis (JoJoba) Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Aloe Barbabadenesis (Aloe Extract), Stearic Acid, Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 60, PEG 25 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Cyclohexasiloxaine, Propylene Glycol, Methylparaben , Propylparaben, Diazodinyl Urea, Fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Citronellol, d-Limonine, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamic Aldehyde, Lanalool.

Would i buy it again? I have principles so I'm on the look out for an alternative.  But if push comes to shove....... ( Never count on me when the revolution comes i don't have the mettle)