The Black Pearl Blog - UK beauty, fashion and lifestyle blog

DIY spiked pink neon necklace NOIR INSPIRED

Hallo my lovelies!
I haven't done a DIY post in ages, but I found time to make this piece today and I couldn't wait to share it with you.
I got my inspiration from the new NOIR neon collection and I am trying to make more Noir inspired pieces.
The first thing I made is this neon pink necklace with crystal embedded spacers and silver spikes. I love it!

YOU WILL NEED:

VOILA!

SIMPLES! :)

AVALON ORGANICS REVIEW- VITAMIN C SPF 15 LOTION & REVITALISING EYE CREAM

Hi everyone!

Today I am reviewing two Avalon Organics products, I received a couple of weeks ago.

If you are into organic products you are probably familiar with the brand, but if you haven't heard about it here is a link to their website: www.avalonorganics.com

This brand uses organic and natural ingredients, doesn't test on animals and I love their motto:

"PURE BEAUTY THAT HONORS THE BODY AND THE WORLD WE LIVE IN"

I received a moisturiser with SPF 15 and a revitalizing eye cream from the nourishing Vitamin C sun-ageing defence skincare range.

'Avalon Organics antioxidant intensive Vitamin C Skin Care range delivers active protection against aging caused by sun exposure with a synergistic complex of powerful antioxidants. Beyond protection, these organically enriched formulations nourish and hydrate sun-exposed skin for a soft, even complexion and a healthy, youthful glow.'

Vitamin C revitalising Eye Cream*

It's a highly nourishing eye cream for every day use, full of antioxidants, enriched with Cocoa Butter, organic Sweet Almond,Borage and Flax oils with Vitamin C for optimal photo-aging protection plus Lemon Bioflavonoids, organic Green Tea andWhite Tea.

I use it twice a day, by applying small amount underneath the eye area, gently patting - no rubbing! The consistency is very nice and it leaves the delicate skin around the eyes nourished and soft. It seems to make my eyes look less tired and it actually reduces the appearance of my dark circles. You only need the tiniest amount so it should last for quite a long time.

It's recommended for all skin types and available from Avalon Organics website here for $23.95 for 30ml. For UK customers: here for £11.95

Vitamin C Moisture Plus Lotion with SPF 15*

This moisturiser will protect your skin from the damaging effects of UVA/UVB and will help to prevent sun-ageing with it's unique formula containing vitamin C. It is made with Aloe Vera to soothe your skin and Sweet Orange essential oil to please your senses. It really does smell nice and refreshing. The consistency is very thick and creamy and you only need a small amount to cover face and neck. I am obsessed with sun protection and I always use at least SPF 15 before going outside, so this cream became a big part of my daily skincare routine. I apply it onto my face and neck after cleansing and toning in the morning. I wait for my skin to absorb the cream and carry on with my usual makeup routine.

You can get this cream from Avalon Organics website here for $16.95 for 100ml.

For UK customers here for £8.20.

*PR samples

colour block nails- pink & gold - Dior & Barry M

I wasn't sure about this colour combination at first, but I gave it a go and I think the colours look really nice together. I used : Dior Vernis in 221 and Barry M in Bright Pink 279. To create this look you will also need sticky tape. Remember to wait for the first coat to dry completely before applying the tape and second colour. I thought it was going to be very easy, but when I peeled the tape off, the lines were not perfectly straight and the surface looked uneven, but I didn't have time to fix it. I hope it looks better the next time. Here is the final effect :)

Inspired by lovely Hannah from www.blushworks.com and her Valentines NOTD post

FEBRUARY JOLIEBOX (Boudoir Privé) REVIEW

The wait for this beauty box was very very long. Everybody was getting anxious all month about the delivery time, but we finally got it!!! This months box included two extras- a Joliebox drawstring bag (that I immediately started using as my makeup bag) and an eyeshadow brush with a Joliebox logo. I guess we deserved something extra for our extreme patience.

The five products this month were:

1.LAVERA-Basis Sensitive Organic Hand Cream- smells amazing contains shea butter and almond extracts, makes your hands feel really soft. Perfect handbag size.

2.TAAJ-Himalaya Micellar Water-an antioxidant and tonic makeup remover that will revitalise and purify skin- MY FAVOURITE this month- I fell in love with it! I have never used a micellar water before, but I was actually looking for one on the net, so I was extremely happy to receive this product. It is amazing! It removed my waterproof mascara easily and the rest of my makeup came off with one sweep of a cotton wool pad. I am very impressed. I will definitely stop using makeup removers and start using micellar waters. Remember to follow with another cleanser once you are done with removing your makeup.

3.MACADAMIA Deep Repair Masque- this ultra-conditioning hair masque will rebuild damaged hair for improved shine and elasticity. I am looking forward to giving it a go.

4. RMK Cleansing Oil- it's a cleansing facial oil with a refreshing scent of mint and Damascus Rose.

5.JANE IREDALE-Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain in Forever Pink- an all-natural multi-purpose stain that adjusts its colour to your mood and temperature. What a cute little lippie! I love it!

NEW IN- GOGO PHILIP NECKLACE AND WALLIS RINGS

Just a quick post to share my new purchases with you :)
I fell in love with this Gogo Philip necklace and it was only £4 on asos.com.
PS.It's still available.
The rings are from Wallis and were £2 each.
I just love sales :)

NOTD- Dior Vernis Nail Polish OR DIVIN 221 + new ring

I reviewed one Dior nail polish a couple of weeks ago and I wasn't very happy with it as it needed three coats and still wasn't opaque. I decided to give Dior another chance and purchased a beautiful creamy gold colour OR DIVIN 221. Guess what happened? I needed 3 coats again! I don't know if it's just my bad luck with the colours I pick or maybe Dior isn't for me... The thing is, that I love the brush so much, it makes the application very easy, and the finish is perfect. But I hate putting three coats on my nails as I am very impatient when it comes to drying time.

I also purchased this beautiful mask ring on ebay and it goes perfectly with the gold Dior nail polish.

AMARYA - THE NATURAL AND ORGANIC BEAUTY BOX

Hi everyone!

I am very excited to share the contents of my first Amarya beauty box* with you. It is a natural and organic subscription box, perfect for those who care about ingredients and the environment.

What is AMARYA BEAUTY BOX?

It's a monthly beauty box with natural and organic products delivered to your door for just £10 a month with no additional p&p charges unlike other beauty boxes. You can either subscribe monthly for £10 a month or pay for a yearly subscription and receive a welcome gift worth £56 + 120 Amarya points=£12. If I had £120 spare I would subscribe right now to get the benefits of the yearly subscription. They also run a referral programme and if you refer a friend, both of you will get a free Amarya box. With other boxes you need to collect points and it's never enough to get a free box.

Every month you will receive one or more full sized products worth at least £20, samples and trial sizes and an exclusive offer for beauty box subscribers. The idea of the box is simple- With so many different Organic and Natural beauty products on the market it can feel daunting to try out different ranges. Amarya’s Beauty Box is a fun and cost effective way to experience a wonderful range of products every month!

The box I received is the December edition. I checked online what was included in previous boxes and I was pleasantly surprised, as every month the contents were amazing and well worth the £10 price tag. Here is what I received in my box:

1.REN gift set- 2 full sized products worth £28. Neroli and Grapefruit duo contains a 200ml reviving body wash and a fresh and richly hydrating body cream (also 200ml) Both products smell amazing and leave your skin perfectly clean, fresh, moisturised and silky smooth. Presented in beautiful packaging would make a lovely gift.

2.Dr. Hauschka cleansing cream- this little cream is great for deep cleansing and an alternative to face scrubs that irritate and damage your skin. You simply mix the Cleansing Cream with water in the palm of your hand and it turns into a smooth paste.

3. Acorelle Eau de Perfum - Rose - organic perfume that smells absolutely amazing!

4. A lovely Amarya canvas bag- I will definitely use it when I am out and about :)

Overlal, I am very impressed with my Amarya box and I would definitely recommend it.

If you are not a subscriber yet, simply go to www.amarya.co.uk and sign up for just £10 a month.

*PR sample

GLOSSYBOX REVIEW- FEBRUARY 2012

This is the first time I received my Glossybox in the original powder pink packaging. Two previous ones were special editions in red and hot pink, so I have a nice little collection now :)

Here is what I received this month:

1.DuWop Venom Gloss- combination of subtle tinted lip gloss with DuWop's Lip Venom- tingly gloss that gives you fuller bee stung lips. AMAZING STUFF!!! This is definitely my favourite from this month's box. I have got naturally big lips and I was in shock how big they were after using this magic lipgloss :) Highly recommended for anybody who wants fuller, sexier lips in a second!

2.Dr Bronner Magic Liquid Soap- a combination of organic extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp oils, together with pure essential oils. The peppermint essential oil tingles the body and clears the mind. Because therapeutically peppermint oil is a mild stimulant it increases vitality and clarity.

I am not sure what I will use it for, probably to clear my airways before bedtime :)

3.Paul Mitchell Superskinny Relaxing Balm-intense hydrating treatment for your hair- very nice smell and consistency, left my hair nice and soft.

4.BM Beauty Pure Mineral Eyeshadow- cruelty free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. very nice earthy colour, used with a primer the colour is very intense and long lasting.

5.Como Shambhala Invigorate Body Lotion- a revitalising blend of essential oils that puts you in a perfectly uplifted mood- It smells absolutely amazing, absorbs quickly leaving skin soft and hydrated.