Cocoa Brown Golden Goddess Shimmering Dry Oil Review

Hi Everyone!
Hope you all are well :)

As a huge fan of Cocoa Brown I was very excited to hear that another new product was being added to their ever expanding range. This product hit the shelves towards the end of 2015 and despite spotting it in Penneys on the day of its release I didn't purchase until a few weeks ago. The reason being was that I basically had a 'derp' moment more about that later on though!

I have only used one other dry oil prior to this one which was the Tan Organic Dry Oil, I have reviewed that here if you are interested in reading a little more about that. The Cocoa Brown one is a completely different type of oil in my opinion. It is jam packed with golden shimmer particles and for that reason I would only wear it on my face and body, unlike the Tan Organic one which I would also use in my hair, in the bath, etc. One doesn't replace the other! 

I've always been curious about the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Gold Shimmer Oil after hearing so many people raving about it. It's a product I never purchased though purely because of its price point so it was nice to see a budget alternative burst onto the market!

Before Christmas I was up in Dublin attending an event and before I got the bus home I decided that I would quickly run into Penneys to pick up some lashes. While I was in there I spotted the Golden Goddess Dry Oil. There were loads of bottles sitting on the shelf and about 90% of them looked like the bottle in the photo above. I was a bit confused and I didn't know if they were testers or if the bottles were only half full but I didn't investigate further as I was pressed for time and ending up leaving without purchasing one. Not long after that I was scrolling through Twitter and I noticed that some people were just as puzzled as I was with the amount of product in the bottle. Cocoa Brown reassured users that you just needed to give the bottle a little shake and it was good to go. Still confused by it all I decided to put the product to the back of my mind and  I thought no more of it. That was until I was watching Marissa's Snapchat and she shed some light on it all. Side note, if you are not following her on Snapchat you need to, her handle is @CarterMarissa. On hearing Marissa's explanation I felt like the biggest eejit to grace the planet, I had never used a product like this before so go easy on me haha!

In a nutshell Marissa explained that the bottle is full to the brim with oil and then half filled with the golden shimmer. It is formulated in this way to allow the shimmer to disperse through the oil, if that makes sense. That's why you need to give the product a good shake before you use it so that the shimmer and oil will combine. Once you do that the product will look something like this!

The Cocoa Brown Golden Goddess Shimmering Dry Oil is designed to give an illuminating glow to the skin. As well as being used to give an all over radiant glow to the skin it can be used to highlight certain areas too. I like to use this product along the tops of my cheek bones, down the centre of my legs and to the décolletage area.

I'm really happy that there is pump because it makes dispensing the product very easy to do and you don't have to worry about accidentally pouring out too much and wasting product. In the above photos I have applied one pump off the dry oil to the back of my hand and then I have smoothened it out slightly so that you can see the effect it gives.

Finally then in this above photo I have spread the oil up my arm to show you the kind of sheen it gives to the skin. A little goes a very long way with this product so keep that in mind. One pump is more than enough to do my whole arm if I want to give an all over shimmery look to the skin. If I want to highlight down the centre of my legs then one pump is sufficient to achieve this effect and for adding a glow to the tops of the cheeks bones I find that half a pea sized amount of product will do the job.

The oil isn't greasy, it dries quickly, it doesn't transfer onto clothing and like the rest of the range it is scented with Cocoa Browns signature tahitian gardenia scent.

I'm very very pale so I like to wear this product when I have fake tan on. My favourite place to apply the oil is to the tops of my cheekbones but I've noticed a couple of things in doing so. If applied straight on top of foundation I've found that the oil caused my foundation to break down and separate but prior to this I loved how the oil looked on the skin and I was determined to make it work. Firstly, I apply foundation to my face avoiding the tops of my cheek bones. Then with whatever product is left on my brush I lightly buff over the tops of the cheeks just so I don't have a stark contrast between where I have applied the foundation and where I haven't. I then pat a small amount of the dry oil onto the cheekbones and that's it. I find that because I have such a light amount of foundation on the area that the oil doesn't cause it to breakdown. Not sure if anyone else has encountered this problem but that is how I make it work for myself!

Overall I'm really happy with the latest addition to the Cocoa Brown range, as usual you are getting great value for your money! The Golden Goddess Oil is available in Penneys and pharmacies nationwide. It retails for €11.95 although I think I paid €9.95 for it in Penneys. It is a little dearer in the independent pharmacies so if you want to save yourself a couple of bob check out Penneys!

Until next time!

Eimear x

Cocoa Brown Instant Tan Bronzing Gel Matte and Shimmer

Hi Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

A couple of months ago I was invited along to Cocoa Browns Passion Persistence Pink Event in the Shelbourne Hotel. I made some new friends at the event and got to catch up with some old ones too. I can safely say that an enjoyable afternoon was had by all. I Snapchatted the majority of the event including Marissa's reveal of the two brand new Cocoa Brown products. If you haven't already heard, these products are as follows:

• Cocoa Brown Instant Tan Bronzing Gel 'Matte'
• Cocoa Brown Instant Tan Bronzing Gel 'Shimmer'

I was extremely excited with the announcement of not one but two instant tans to the Cocoa Brown family, it's exactly what the range needed. I'm a massive fan of the 1 Hour Tan and the Night & Day Tan Mousse, I've reviewed those products already and you can find the posts here and here. While I absolutely adore both of these tans and use them religiously, sometimes I like to have the option of being able to wash my tan off completely the next day. I couldn't wait to put these two to the test. Unfortunately I had to wait until my eczema calmed down to do so but let me tell you it was well worth the wait!

Lets kick things off with the packaging. The packaging really didn't come as a surprise to me its typical of Cocoa Brown, it's pink, fun and girly. You would easily spot a Cocoa Brown product a mile off!

I only fake tan on special occasions as some of you will know, I embrace the pale the rest of the time. However when I do decide to fake tan I like to have quite a dark appearance to my skin. I started out by testing the matte shade of bronzing gel and I must admit even I was a little scared when I squeezed some of the product out of the tube. It is very dark.

The shimmer bronzing gel on the other hand looked to be a lighter shade of brown. Normally I favour a matte appearance to my skin but I was blown away by the gorgeous golden brown colour of the shimmer bronzing gel. 

Now to put the two to the test!

Before - Tan Free Skin

After - 1 Layer of Cocoa Brown Matte Bronzing Gel

Like the rest of the Cocoa Brown range the gels are scented with Cocoa Browns signature Tahitian Gardenia scent so absolutely no need to worry about the biscuit/curry smell that other tans give off.

The first night I wore this tan was to the Irish Blog Awards last month in the Tivoli Theatre. When it comes to important events I stick to my trusty makeup and tanning routine, I never try new products on the day of an event on the off chance disaster strikes. Unfortunately for me that day/night consisted of a series of unfortunate events, one being that I ran out of tan mid way through tanning myself from top to bottom. I had applied the Cocoa Brown Night & Day Tan Mousse to the top half of my body and when I went to squeeze some more out of the can.....nothing. I had ran out. Crisis adverted though when I found the Matte Bronzing Gel in the bottom of my bag. I must have put it in there by accident but I was very thankful that I did!

The tan is definitely splash proof as it passed the test on the night. It was very crowded in the theatre and someone knocked into me accidentally which caused me to drown myself in the lovely Prosecco I had been handed moments before. The tan on the top half of my body ran which was a given as it was an instant tan so I didn't mind too much, nothing some bronzer couldn't fix! My dress had a slit as you can see from the above photo so my legs were mostly covered but it wouldn't have mattered if they hadn't of been. The drink hit my right leg and the tan didn't budge, not one bit. I was extremely surprised!

After - 1 Layer of Cocoa BrownShimmer Bronzing Gel

I found it very hard to do the shimmer bronzing gel justice, in person it gives such a gorgeous sheen to the skin. You really have to get the gel and experience it for yourself, you will not be disappointed! If you click into the photos it enlarges them you'll see the shimmer more clearly that way. In the last two photos in particular, you can see the shimmer particles on my arm but its so much more stunning in person.

Both bronzing gels are lightweight and glide onto the skin with ease. You can build up the intensity of the bronzing gels by applying them in layers but one layer is dark enough for me. If you are pale like myself you can also mix the gels with your regular foundation to match your face to your body. You can even contour your skin with the gels or Tontour as Marissa calls it, to see how to tontour you can check out Marissa's post here.

The bronzing gels are fantastic multi use products that will set you back a mere €6.99 for 150ml of product. Honestly, you can't go wrong! Cocoa Brown is available from large retailers such as Penneys, Boots, and Superdrug. The range is also available in pharmacies nationwide. If you are outside of Ireland not to worry, Cocoa Brown is available from sites such as Cloud10Beauty and Feel Unique who ship worldwide :)

Happy Tanning!

Eimear x

Cocoa Brown Chocolate Whip Oil Free Body Moisturiser

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

Its that time of year again and boy did it come around quickly!

I can't believe we are nearly into December and how close it is to *gulp* Christmas.

Along with some festive cheer the winter months also brings cold, damp and dreary weather…..with a bit of snow if we are lucky! *fingers crossed*

I love the winter months, I look forward to this time of year so much!

Not just because my birthday and Christmas are in December but because…..

quite frankly I love the cold!

My body on the other hand, despises it. I suffer terribly form colds and flu's, dry skin the works! I'm sure we can all relate :)

Due to this I always need to take extra care into looking after my skin.

A thick, creamy and most importantly hydrating moisturiser is a must have!

Today I am going to share with you my favourite budget buy moisturiser from the one and only…Cocoa Brown!

As you all know by now I am no stranger to Cocoa Brown products. Over the past year Cocoa Brown has taken the market by storm and is continuing to do so with the steady release of new beauty buys to the range!

1 hour tan

Night and Day Mousse

Tough Stuff 

and most recently 'Chocolate Whip' has joined the Cocoa Brown family!

If you haven't checked out the full range, just click on each of the names and it will take you to an in-depth review on each of the products :)

Before I even get in to talking about the product, lets just take a moment to appreciate the packaging. I'm a stickler for packaging but Marissa's range has always gotten a bit fat tick from me and that remains unchanged!

I love the colour combination, the pink on the white its so girly especially with the added floral design that runs around the tube. 

That is another thing I adore about this product is the fact that it comes in a tube, this makes for easy application and there is no mess!

When I squeezed the product out of the tube I couldn't believe my eyes…

it was brown!

I don't think I have ever come across a brown moisturiser before, it definitely lives up to its name 'Chocolate Whip'. Then the smell hit me next, oh wow.

If you have tried some of the other products from the Cocoa Brown range you will be familiar with the Tahitian Gardenia scent, its also infused with some Cocoa so you get a slight whiff of chocolaty goodness too!

Chocolate Whip is enriched with Vitamin E and Panthenol. The Vitamin E helps to reduce the appearance of stretch marks, age spots and also helps strengthen the skins barrier function. While the panthenol helps to protect against every day environmental damage. The added panthenol means it is suitable for acne prone skin, it will moisturise the skin without clogging pores!

This moisturiser is also oil free, most body lotions on the market contain oil which causes your tan to become patchy and fade unevenly. With Chocolate Whip this is not the case, when applied daily from the day of tanning application it helps to prolong the life of your tan making sure it fades evenly.

As the moisturiser is multipurpose it can be used in two other ways.

1. Before you apply your Cocoa Brown tan, apply chocolate whip to areas such as the hands, elbows and feet to prevent the tan from becoming too dark in those areas. Also apply it to any dry patches you may have to ensure a streak free flawless finish to your tan

2. If you don't fake tan…don't worry! Don't be put off by the colour, this moisturiser isn't tinted in the slightest! This moisturiser can be used on a daily basis to hydrate the skin leaving it silky smooth.

After I applied the moisturiser aside from the smell, the first thing I noticed was how quickly it absorbed into my skin. There was no oily residue left behind so time spent standing in the nip after my shower was kept to an absolute minimum! Thank god says I, its been ferociously cold these last few mornings!

While it absorbs into the skin quickly I've noticed this is a slight flaw too if I had to nitpick! As it dries quickly I find myself having to use a good bit more of the moisturiser to cover my entire body, however its not that big of a deal when you consider the price of a tube is only €7.99!

On the whole I'm once again extremely impressed with my Cocoa Brown package, 'Chocolate Whip' is definitely a must have moisturiser in my books!

And at that price….Bargain Hunter Byrne strikes again :)

For more information head over to CocoaBrown.ie

or to the Cocoa Brown Facebook page (here) for some exciting competitions too! 

Talk soon,

Eimear x

Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

This morning I woke up to a quirky pink parcel at my door..yes, PINK! 

Who else could it have been, but Cocoa Brown. 

I shouldn't have expected anything less!

To my delight, inside the beautiful pink package was the latest offering from Marissa Carter..Tough Stuff. Marissa describes this as a 

"No nonsense scrub for rough areas such as knees, elbows and feet."

Needless to say, I was itching to try it out..literally.

Although over the last couple of weeks I have heard lots and lots about this product, I wasn't actually sure how to use it and I was curious about how it worked! Don't fret, the application of this product is fool proof just like the rest of Marissa's range. The back of the packaging is jam packed with Marissa's nifty tips and tricks with regard to making the most of this product. Everything you could ever need to know is posted clearly in pink and white! Delightful :)

Tough Stuff has been cleverly designed to remove old tan from rough areas of your body such as the hands, elbows, knees and ankles with ease. Kiss goodbye to your current exfoliator and make space for Tough Stuff, this 'stuff' is nothing short of amazing. If you thought Cocoa Brown was quick and easy to put on Tough Stuff makes it even quicker and easier to take off, believe it or not!

I have used generic exfoliators for years, I would always be left with fake tan still sitting on the surface of my skin. With the use of Tough Stuff my skin was stripped clean of all fake tan leaving my skin radiantly white and silky smooth. It does exactly what it says on the tin..or packet in this case!

Due to the fact that the exfoliator comes in a sachet, instead of squeezing it out I decided to cut out a section so you could clearly see the product inside.

My jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw the product.. I don't know why I'm surprised like I said I shouldn't have expected anything less from Cocoa Brown. PINK..yes the scrub is bright pink!

Funnily enough the first thing I thought of when I saw the product was Ditto from Pokemon...yes, it looks like a melted version of Ditto from Pokemon!

Apply the gel to the skin using long backwards and forwards sweeping motions, the quicker you sweep the deeper the exfoliation. What I like about this product is that it can be used wet or dry. Meaning if you are using it to gently exfoliate the skin, you can use it more frequently! For a gentle exfoliation use the scrub on wet skin in the shower. It lathers up nicely and is so gentle on the skin, perfect for anyone who has sensitive skin. If you are using this method to exfoliate the skin, the scrub can be used 3 to 4 times a week.

The consistency of the gel makes it suitable for use on dry skin, this is the method I prefer to help remove that stubborn tan. 

I have highly sensitive skin and using the scrub on dry skin suits me down to the ground. The results are simply fantastic!

When I said I was itching to try out this product...I wasn't lying.

As most of you know by now I have highly sensitive skin and I also suffer from eczema. It kills me to admit but yes, I am a scratcher :( 

I will get quite bad eczema in around the crease of my arms, when I am wearing no fake tan I can get away with scratching. With tan..its not so easy.

While I pride Cocoa Brown for coming off layer by layer leaving no patches or scaliness on the skin, when my eczema flairs up I scratch the tan off. It fades off nicely everywhere else except for in the creases of my elbows. As you can see from the pictures above and below, my eczema has calmed down but you can see where I had an outbreak because my pasty white skin is peaking through the tan!

I couldn't wait to get my mitts on Tough Stuff to see if it would resolve my problem. It is quite evident that it does! Just look at that difference!

Tough Stuff is like Cillit Bang for your skin....BANG and tan is gone :) 

I used this up my arms to remove the tan, even though it is for the more rough areas of the skin I didn't suffer any irritation. To my surprise it even softened those nasty red bumps I have on the backs of my arms, I cannot believe they are almost gone! My skin is just so soft, its never looked better :)

I am so pleased with this product and I know the 50ml sachet is going to go along way. I only needed the smallest amount yesterday to do both my arms.
At €2.99 this product is an absolute bargain. I can safely say this has now become my holy grail product, I have never used anything that has worked this well!

Another winner by Marissa Carter and the Cocoa Brown team, they really are taking the world by storm!

Thanks for tuning in guys :)
Eimear x

Cocoa Brown Night & Day Tan Mousse

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

Today I have a fake tan review for you all. I really have not been able to get enough of the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan and Marissa's latest edition to the range is no exception! I have reviewed the 1 hour tan on the blog already if you haven't read that you can click here!

This is Marissa Carters second fake tan and just like the first it continues to take the market by storm.
 Marissa strives to improve her product while maintaining all the great pro's such as the absence of an unpleasant fake tan 'biscuit smell' all thanks to the delightful floral scent the Tahitian Gardenia extract ingredient gives off.  
Cocoa Brown remains kind to sensitive skin which is a major plus for me as I suffer from eczema and have never experienced any outbreaks or skin irritation problems with the tan!
Of course the very affordable price remains unchanged at just €7.99 a bottle giving you a very high quality product without the huge price tag!

As you all know I am a sucker for packaging and as you can see for yourselves that the latest offering from Marissa Carter looks as glorious as ever.
Without a shadow of a doubt it is another bottle that I can sit proudly on my vanity area. Marissa has cleverly designed the bottle to depict the transformation of the tan from night to day in an instant.

One of the great factors about the Cocoa Brown Night & Day Tan is that it dries instantly meaning you can literally leave the house almost as quickly as you've put it on! This makes for a great time saver or for those last minute jobs as once its applied all you have to do is pop your clothes on and your good to go.

The tan is at its peak when it has just been applied, when you shower the next day it leaves a light tan similar to one you would get if you left the 1 hour tan on for an hour, and this tan lasts for up to 5 days fading away gradually each day. Neither of the fake tans from the Cocoa Brown range come off in patches so there is no need to fret about the tan becoming streaky after each wash!

With the combination of the mousse formula and the Cocoa Brown mitt you can apply and blend the tan with ease without having to worry about any streaks forming on the skin. The mousse formula also adds to the cost effectiveness of the product as it expands a vast amount when it is sprayed. 

Remember a little goes a long way :) 

Another nice minor pro to add was that the fake tan mitt did not shrink in the wash, I've never experienced this with any other mitt I have purchased. 

I usually have to buy a brand new mitt after a few applications which is quite the pain!

Onto the results!

As you can see from the picture above there is a remarkable difference between the leg using the Cocoa Brown tan and the leg without.

The great thing about this tan is that regardless of your skin tone, the tan will adapt to your skin leaving you with a gorgeous "Cocoa Brown" colour, never orange!

In the picture above I have just applied the Cocoa Brown Night & Day tan.
As you can see I have an even, flawless, bronzed complexion..and I'm ready for my night out :)

In the picture above I have showered the day after applying the Night & Day tan, resulting in a nice healthy glow which lasts up to 5 days. I noted that the tan lasted for a good 4 days after I applied the Night & Day tan, on the fifth day all residue of the tan had faded away.

In the picture above I have no fake tan on whatsoever. This is how I look on a daily basis, typical Irish girl! I have quite pale skin, more so pale than the picture shows. You can see clearly the progression of the tan from the photos above. Despite my very pale complexion, the Cocoa Brown tan leaves my skin with a natural yet deep tan..you would think I've been sunning myself in the Bahamas for the past couple of weeks!

There is over 1,300 pharmacies in Ireland and Cocoa Brown is stocked in over 1,200 of those which is an overwhelming number. Not to worry if your not living in Ireland as the tan is also sold on feelunique.com and they offer free delivery world wide!

All in all the new Cocoa Brown surpasses its expectations, I could not be more pleased with this tan..its absolutely fanTANstic :)

For more information about the new Cocoa Brown Night & Day tan head over to the Cocoa Brown Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/cocoabrowntan?fref=ts

Have you tried the new Cocoa Brown tan, let me know! 
Thanks for tuning in :)
Eimear x

Cocoa Brown Tan Review

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

 Today I have a fake tan review for you all.
I should probably start out by saying I really am clueless when it comes to tan.
I am not really into fake tan like most girls I know, the only time I wear fake tan is when I am going on a night out. This is purely to avoid looking like a member of the Cullen family, I am as white as a ghost!
I like to see the tan as I am applying it which is why I always opt for instant. 
That along with the fact that I like the option of being able to wash it off the next morning and returning to my Casper like self!
I am in awe of girls who are able to apply fake tan that they cannot see going on, if that were me I'd be a streaky mess so fair play girls!
The first instant tan I ever used was Rimmel Sun Shimmer and 5 years later I still use it when in need of a golden glow, until now.

Cocoa Brown tan, like the instant tan I wear, I can see it as I am applying. 
However the difference with Cocoa Brown is that it lasts up to 5 days.

Recently I went to an Irish Blogger/Vlogger meetup, we tend to do these a couple of times a year and it was great meeting up with the girls again!
During the meetup we had a couple of guest speakers in, one being Marissa Carter creator of Cocoa Brown Tan and owner of Carter Beauty Blackrock.
Marissa to say the least was inspiring.
She is a lady who oozes passion, confidence and ambition. 
Marissa spoke to us about her revolutionary tan that is taking the market by storm. To say I was hanging on her every word was an understatement!
Marissa talked us through each of the ingredients in detail that makes this tan so unique. 
Most of all I was delighted to hear that the tan would suit sensitive skin.
Due to the fact that I suffer from outbreaks of eczema I am weary about using certain products for fear of an out break.
This tan includes accelerating ingredients allowing it to develop after just 1 hour. You will be left with a light tan after 1 hour.
 If you prefer a medium tan you can leave it on for 2 hours before washing it off. Finally if you want a deeper tan you leave it on for 3 hours, 
the tan will not develop any further after the 3 hours.
It really is that straight forward, its fool proof!
The tan also contains Tahitian Gardenia which gives it that floral scent opposed to that biscuit/curry smell that most tans usually give off.
The tan is a mousse formula which dries almost instantly into the skin...no more standing around naked waiting for tan to dry woohoo!
A little goes a long way with this tan, so far I have tanned my full body twice.
This is because the mousse expands largely once pumped onto the mitt.

The tan retails at €7.99 for 150ml and comes in this beautiful pink bottle.
Marissa wanted to not only create a revolutionary tan, she wanted to create a tan that would sit proudly on her customers vanity or dresser among their other beauty products.
Paying close attention to detail when it came to packaging I think she did herself proud with this gorgeous pink bottle!

Now for the results!
What I have done is I have taken before and after pictures with and without flash as I was trying to get the pictures as true to life as possible.
I also decided to leave this tan on for the full 3 hours :)

Before

with flash

without flash

 After

with flash

without flash

The pictures really do not do the tan justice, it was such a gorgeous golden brown...cocoa brown I should say!
As you can see there is a huge difference in the before and after pictures.
I am nicely tanned but not tango'd, success! :)

The tan lasted extremely well and faded off nicely too. 
When I have gone for spray tans I find the tan always comes off in patches or can appear quite scaley after a couple of days. 
With Cocoa Brown this is not the case.

Its safe to say I'll be using this tan from now on its an absolute dream to work with, I am super impressed!
Cocoa Brown is now available in 450 pharmacies nationwide so you will have no problems getting your hands on some.

Overall

Pro's:

• Affordable
• Easy to use 
• No fake tan smell
• Applies flawlessly to the skin with use of a mitt
• Lasts up to 5 days
• Fades off naturally
• Dries quickly into the skin

Con's

None! I cannot praise this tan enough :)

For more information pop over to the Cocoa Brown Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/cocoabrowntan?fref=ts

Thanks for tuning in everyone!
Talk to you soon.
Eimear x