Top 5 Under 5 - Beauty

I have had this post planned for absolutely ages. I believe I first saw it on Beauty Birds blog and made a note in my 'blog planner' but never got around to doing it. Well, today I have;

So here are my top 5 beauty products that are under five pounds:

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Translucent RRP £3.99 - Such a great powder at such a great price. Really makes my complexion matte without looking cakey.

Elf Studio Blush £3.50 - I have this in Pink Passion and Mellow Mauve and the pigmentation is perfect, and it blends well and lasts a long time. I love the packaging too.

MUA Lipsticks £1 - I had to include these, the pigmentation is great and they last a decent amount of time. And the best part is that these only cost £1!

Maybelline Color Tattoos RRP £4.99 - I have the three shades shown, Bronze, Taupe and Silver. I love them and they really do last ages. I like to use Bronze all over the lid and then use a lighter colour over the top in the inner corner of my eyes.

Barry M Gelly Polish RRP £3.99 - I just love these, the formula, the price, and the colour range is gorgeous.

What are your top 5 under 5?

Gem x

Makeup Storage Haul

I was in Wilkinsons the other day and spotted these in the stationary isle. They are meant for pens and paper, but I have seen other bloggers use these for makeup storage and loved the design, so had to get them.

They look great on my dressing table and really help to organise my makeup. They are so inexpensive, the pot was £2.50 and the letter rack was £3.50.

Gem x

MUA Undressed Palette Review and Swatches

I was lucky enough to win this palette through a blog giveaway. I was so pleased to win as I really wanted this palette but hadn't got around to buying it yet.

MUA are an amazing make up brand that offer quality products at affordable prices and I must say that they have exceeded themselves with this palette. All the shades, (bar one but we can let them off for that as all the others are amazing) are highly pigmented, easily blended and gorgeous.

I have been using this palette almost everyday since I got it, even using shade 3 to fill in my brows. It is the perfect neutrals palette and you can create a simple neutral day look to a more sultry smoky eye.

The pigmentation as mentioned is amazing and the shadows blend and stay on all day (with primer). If you haven't got it already, what are you waiting for?

I highly recommend this palette and at £4 its the perfect price too.

Gem x

Chit Chat Juicy Lipstick: Poundland Bargain

I am a self confessed bargain addict. If something has a reduced label on it, I am like a moth to the flame. I love rummaging around the beauty section of Poundland and have had many great finds like Revlon nail polishes and Stila dry shampoo. 

I have always been somewhat put off from buying from Poundlands own make-up range, Chit Chat. For a start, the name 'Chit Chat' doest exactly scream hight quality. But the other day I decided bite the bullet to give it a go, its a pound after all. I asked myself If brands like MUA and e.l.f can make good quality products for a cheap price then why cant Poundland? 

I started off gently and bought this liquid highlighter and loved it, so went back and bought some more goodies. 

Today I am reviewing Chit Chat Juicy Lipstick in Damson. It is a lipstick in a packaging that is not dissimilar to the Clinique Chubby Sticks. That's where the similarity in these products end though as the Chubby sticks are a balm and this is a lipstick. 

I was expecting a horribly drying, hardly pigmented, frost finish lipstick that didn't last 10 minutes on my lips. But what I got left me pleasantly surprised. Its is a very pigmented lipstick that glides on effortlessly and isn't at all drying. It looks quite moisturising on the lips, and lasts as long as you would expect a reasonably priced lipstick to last. There is also no frostiness in sight, bonus. 

From the packaging, you would expect a more red colour, but the colour is a gorgeous deep pink.  It looks great for an evening look, but also can be worn in the day as a statement pop of colour. 

Overall I love this lipstick and it is a steal at £1. I definitely recommend you try it out, for a pound you cant really go wrong!

Have you tried any of Poundlands own make-up range?

Gem x

VIVO Baked Blush in Peaches and Cream Review and Swatches

I love my VIVO Baked Bronzer, so when I was in Tesco the other day I had to get myself this blush. I have had my eye on it for a while now. It is a gorgeous peachy pink colour with subtle shimmer and looks lovely in the pan and lovely on the skin. 

It is quite pigmented, but not hugely which I think is about right for a blush. It can be built up to the desired amount so you don't end up looking like a clown. It lasts a good five hours before fading slightly. I wear mine with foundation and a primer, so it may not last as long with out these. 

Vivo cosmetics are available exclusively in Tesco stores or online at http://www.vivocosmetics.co.uk/ and the Baked Blushes cost £4, which is a bargain if you ask me. 

Have you tried any products from the Vivo range?

Gem x

Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo Collection

When these products were released there was a slight hype surrounding them and I couldn't wait to go out and buy them. I am glad to say that for me, they lived up to that hype.

I have three of these now and I love them all. If you don't  know they are gel/cream eyeshadows which claim to last 24 hours. I have never worn them for that long but I have worn them a good 12 hours and they lasted really well with no creasing or fading.

 I have reviewed On and On bronze in more detail here. Taupe I found to have a slightly thicker consistency which made it a little tougher to apply than On and On Bronze. It is also the only matte of the bunch. Eternal Silver was the same consistency an On and On Bronze and applied like a dream.

They are such good products and a steal at £4.99. I plan on getting the remaining colours for my collection soon.

What do you think of these, did they live up to the hype for you?

Gem x

Bargain Body Lotion: The Beauty Parlour Soften It Up

If you read my blog you will know by now that I love a bargain. I really enjoy browsing Poundland and other discount stores and usually always come out with something. I came across this body lotion in Home Bargains for 99p and couldn't resist.

I like the packaging, although it could be seen as leaning slightly on the tacky side of things. I think that they may have 'taken some inspiration' from Soap and Glory with the design. They have also taken inspiration from Soap and Glory with the scent. It is very similar to the Original Pink scent that Soap and Glory use in most of their products, but not as strong. This is great for me as I do find the Soap and Glory smell to be a bit overpowering at times but maybe not for people who like a strong smelling body lotion. 


The lotion itself is OK, I think the best part about it is the smell and the pump design of the bottle which makes it so easy to use. It doesn't sink into the skin straight away so requires some work in order for it to be absorbed. Once it does though it leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth, just like any good body lotion should. 


Overall, this is a good body lotion with a nice, pleasant smell. It is great for people like me who are on a budget and don't want to spend £10+ on more expensive lotions, and are fans of the Soap and Glory scent. 


Have you found any bargains recently?




My giveaway will be ending in two days time so enter now here!!


Gem x

Staying Fashionable On A Budget: Top 10 Websites (Fashion Vouchers Competition)

Staying fashionable can be very expensive. I don't consider myself to be at all fashionable, but I like to try. I love fashion and keeping up with the latest trends.

Over the years I have tried and tested many ways to save money on fashion. I went from being a poor Uni student straight into being a poor mother with all my money going on my financial drains lovely children.

 So I thought it would be great to share with you my favourite websites which help me stay fashionable on a budget. Perhaps they can help you too because seriously, who doesn't love a bargain?


1. eBay:

I love eBay. Its great for buying clothing and accessories Second hand. I have purchased many second hand dresses from eBay. Its also great that you are protected not only by eBay but by PayPal also, so you can buy with confidence.

eBay is also great for buying new clothing. There are some great sellers on eBay with great fashion shops, some of my personal favourites are:

• GadgetcKing - Sells all sorts of things but on the fashion side, some lovely accessories at great prices including these fairisle printed leggings, £4.99 and this collar necklace (which I have bought myself, its great) £3.69. 
• Funky Diva - Sells on trend fashion pieces for a fraction of the price. The prices are great but the postage cost is £1.99, so this seller is best if you want a few pieces from them as they combine postage. 

eBay is also great for buying craft pieces like rhinestones and studs to customise your clothes. A great way of revamping old clothing. 

2. FashionVouchers.Com:

I never purchase anything off the net before checking for a discount code, and I suggest you do the same. This site is a great one stop shop for discount codes relating to fashion and more. I love the layout of the website, it is so easy to find the code you are looking for and is such an easy site to use.

3. Facebook:

Facebook? I hear you ask. Well, let me explain. There are two ways I use Facebook for saving money on fashion.

• Facebook selling and swapping groups - There are a lot of selling and swapping groups on Facebook, just type 'Selling' or 'Swap' into the search bar and they will pop up. Many are local which is great as you can save on postage buying or swapping locally. 
• Brands Fan Pages - These brand pages frequently have promotional offers and discounts for their Facebook fans. They also offer VIP sale shopping, where you can shop the sale items before anyone else. A good example of a brand that does this is Newlook. You just need to like the page to get these offers. 

4. Money Saving Expert: 

This website is a wealth of information for money saving tips on everything from fashion to flights. It has saved me a small fortune over the years and I really recommend you check it out. 

They have a whole section of the website dedicated to Beauty and Fashion, where they list the latest discount codes and sales going on. They often let you know a couple of days before hand if a sale is going to be on so you can be first in line or be on the website ready to get a bargain. 

They also have a great forum where you can discuss voucher codes and sales. Members often post about great fashion bargains they have found. It also has a great section on eBay tips for buyers and sellers to help you get the best price possible.

5. Top Cash Back:

A cash back website where you can earn money back from shopping online. They pay you a certain percentage of the total amount you spend when you click through them to go to the website you are going to buy from.

I bought a dress of AX Paris the other day through top cashback and got 8% cash back and found a voucher code for free delivery. In total I saved about £5!


6. Blogs

Ok, blogs arent necesarily one website but they are great for finding a bargain when it comes to fashion. If there is a sale on, guarenteed a blogger will have blogged a haul post about it!

Blogs are also great for finding a second hand fashion bargain, with many bloggers selling their second hand clothes in blog sales.


7. Chiara Fashion:

A great website which sells fashionable clothes at bargain prices. I find them to be cheaper than boohoo.com, but the clothes and accessories they sell are very similar.

They almost always have a sale on with lots of bargains to be had.

a few of my favourite items at the moment are these Palazzo Pants for £11.99 and this gorgeous body con dress which is in the sale for a bargain £7.95.


8. OMG Fashion:

Another great fashion website with great prices.They also have free delivery on all orders at the moment for even more savings.

a few of my favourite pieces from this website are this cut out top body con dress £9.99 and these nude red soled shoes, very Louboutin-esque.


9. Amazon:

The online shopping Juggernaut, Amazon sell almost everything you can imagine, even clothing and accessories. They have a whole department dedicated to fashion and have over 600,000 pieces for sale.

They have all the big brand names and regularly have sales on. At Christmas time I managed to get a pair of EMU boots for £75 RRP  £195. They are currently selling for £98 still with a considerable amount off the recommended retail price.


10. Girl Meets Dress:

There are some occasions where only a designer dress will do. So what do you do when you cant afford designer prices? Look no further than Girl Meets Dress. Here you can 'borrow' a designer dress for a fixed price. Prices start from £29 for two nights, with the more expensive dresses costing more to rent.

I am in love with this Marc Jacobs dress and would love to wear this on a special night out. I can imagine the compliments you would get and you could pretty much guarantee that nobody else will be in the same dress. This particular dress costs £59 to rent out for 2 nights and is only available in a size 10. Just be careful not to spill your drink. (Although they do offer an insurance service which costs £7 to cover a zip split, minor tears and drink spillages that come out with dry cleaning).


My Top Tips for Fashion Shopping online

• ALWAYS  check for voucher codes before making any online purchase. www.fashionvouchers.com is a great resource when shopping for fashion.
• ALWAYS go check a cash back website to see whether there is any cash back available on your purchases.
• If you have something in particular in mind or have seen something on a particular website, check eBay first. You may find the exact same dress you wanted from Top Shop for a fraction of the price, or you may find something very very similar. 

There are so many ways you can be a money saving fashionista online. I hope this article has been of some help to you, happy shopping.

Gem x

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Benefit High Beam Dupe...From Poundland?

I am so broke at the moment. All my spare money is going on paying bills or saving for out trip to Disneyland Paris in November, so I have hardly been buying any new beauty products. I suppose this is a good thing really as I am rediscovering some old favourites. I have a plenty of things to blog about so that's not a problem either.

I do love a good bargain and I love to have a rummage around the 'beauty section' in Poundland. I have had some great finds in there, including a Lilac Sally Hanson Nail Polish which I love and retails for £6.99 in Boots next door.

 I usually steer clear of the brands I am not familiar with in there including this one. Its called 'Chit Chat'. The name just screams high class and good quality. I think it is aimed at the teenage market, and is a brand that is 'exclusive to Poundland'. I know many products that are in one branch of Poundland wont be in the next, but with this brand I think it is sold in all of them.

It looks such a rip off of High Beam, but as it was only £1 I thought I would give it a go. I have a mini High Beam which I love but couldn't justify buying the full priced one in my financial predicament.

I will get on with the review and compare both products...

    Top: Benefit Bottom: Chit Chat

Blended out. Left Benefit, Right ChitChat

The outer packaging is very similar, even down to the white lid. They are both the nail polish type packaging and have the little brush attached to the lid. The brush on High Beam is great, keeps its shape and applies the product nicely. 


The brush with the Chit Chat highlighter is useless. It has completely lost its shape and the product applies unevenly because of this. But I can look past this as I usually dot the product on and blend with my fingers, or use my Real Techniques stippling brush to apply it. I have never really come across a 'budget' brand that has great quality packaging anyway. 

When the products are heavily swatched there are some differences in the colour and amount of shimmer. I would say that the Chit Chat highlighter has more white in it and the Benefit more pink. The glitter in both products aren't that detectable in normal light, but under harsher light I can see it. Chit Chat it is slightly chunkier than Benefit, but not at all chunky if you get what I mean. When blended out, they look like the same product. Both are a pinky white colour and give a nice glow to the skin. 


The formulation of both is also slightly different. The Benefit is more of a creamy consistency where the Chit Chat is more watery. The Benefit is slightly easier to blend and get it to go where you want it to go, but the Chit Chat is by no means hard to apply. 


In the name of research, I wore both Highlighters on each cheek bone for a day, and found that they looked the same and lasted for the same amount of time. 


Overall I think that Benefit High Beam has a slight edge over the Chit Chat highlighter in terms of packaging and ease of use. The Chit Chat highlighter is a good product and I found that I ended up with basically the same results. It is definitely worth giving the Chit Chat a try, it is only a pound after all!


Have you bought any beauty products from Poundland? 


Gem x


Don't forget to enter my giveaway, to win an essie polish of your choice, plus other goodies.  ENTER HERE

MUA Lip Boom Review

I love the concept of the new MUA Lip Booms. A lipstick, lipgloss and balm in one to me is such a good idea. The fact that Alexandra Burke has endorsed/designed them doesn't bother me either way. I am not a fan of hers and if it didn't have her on the packaging I still would have got them anyway.

I bought three of these in the colours Cheeky, OMG and OK.COM for £3 each, bargain.

The lipsticks are matte and well pigmented. They have a sweet smell to them which is bordering on sickly and not very pleasant but the smell doesn't last too long and eventually wears away. The gloss on the other end has quite a bit of glitter in it. I was expecting a more shimmery frosty lipgloss, which I think would have worked a little better for me, but luckily the glitter doesn't translate as too chunky onto the lips. If you suffer from dry lips like myself, you need to make sure that your lips are exfoliated and you have applied lip balm or Vaseline before using the matte lipstick as it can cling to the dry patches.

There is also a little pot of lip balm in the end of the lipstick which again is a really good concept but the balm if you can call it that is really unusable. Its sort of rubbery in texture and when you put your finger in it no product comes off it all stays in the pot.

OMG is a lovely coral colour with a matching coral gloss with gold glitter in it. Definitely a statement lip colour that I think would be flattering on pretty much everyone who is brave enough to wear it.

Cheeky is a bubblegum blue toned pink. On me the blue tones show up quite strongly and I think this colour is again a statement lip colour that would look great on a night out. This colour may not be flattering on all but I really like it. The gloss is a matching pink colour with silver glitter in it.

OK.COM looks quite scary and brown but my the lips it comes out a more peachy nude colour and I love it. This is the only colour suitable for a neutral toned down look out of the three Booms I chose. It would also look lovely on a night out when I have a more dramatic smoky eye look. The gloss to me looks the same colour as the one with OMG.

 

Pros: 3-in-1, great pigmentation, can be used together or alone for different looks
Cons: Quite a lot of glitter in the gloss, can cling to dry patches of skin

I really like the concept of the Lip Booms and the colours I have are all lovely and will definitely have a place in my regular makeup routine, especially for nights out I think they would look great.



Rating: 3.5/5

George @ Asda Eyeshadow Primer Review

While I was shopping in Asda the other day I came across this little gem, George's Eyeshadow Primer for £3.50, and they had an offer where you got a free George Faux Lash Mascara with it. I am a sucker for offers and I had just run out of my ELF eyshadow primer so I thought why not. I will review the mascara separately (its good) so if you are interested keep an eye out for that too. 

The packaging is very simple, something I can look past as it is the product inside that really counts. It comes in a nice hygienic squeezy tube with a nozzle on the end, better than the ELF wand applicator in my opinion.

The primer itself is definitely silicone based and leaves a very smooth base for you to apply your eyeshadow onto. I found that the best way to apply this is to pat the product onto your eyelid, don't rub.

It is beige coloured when you squeeze it out but once blended it is colourless. It leaves a nice silky smooth base which shadows blend onto lovely. I used a light natural colour shadow on both eyelids, one with primer and one with out. At the end of the day I was left with the eyeshadow with primer on it still looking as it did the moment I applied it. No creasing or fading. The eyeshadow with out the primer had creased and faded.

So overall I think that this is a great eyeshadow primer and for the price of £3.50 you get a lot in the tube as you only need a small amount. I would definitely reccomend this if you are looking for an inexpensive, clear eyeshadow primer as it does the job nicely. 

Rating: 5/5

Elf Matte Bronzer Review

I have been using this bronzer for a while now. I was on the look out for a matte bronzer to use as a contour, and ELF were having a sale, so I got this along with a lot of some other things :) .

Now, I like this bronzer, but when something says matte, I don't expect it to contain glitter. And this bronzer does. It is in no way shimmery, its just matte with bits of glitter in it. In the pan it looks like a lot of glitter. Swatched and blended you cant really see the glitter, only in harsh light, Im really confused as to why they put it in.

The colour is sort of a muddy brown, so I need to be very careful and use a small amount so I don't look like I have a dirty face. I just make sure to blend very well once I have applied it. The amount I use is so small I think this bronzer will last me years! It is very pigmented. 

I have pale skin, and I really couldn't use this as an actual bronzer, it would just look ridiculous, though I think on medium to dark skin tones this would work well. I actually don't mind this as I wanted this purely for a contour, and for this it does a decent job. 

The lasting power is good, it lasts a good 4 hours on me when wearing liquid foundation. It doesnt accentuate my pores and is just a nice matte bronzer.

For £1.50 you really cant go wrong, and I would definitely recommend this bronzer if you are on the look out for a matte bronzer to use as a contour and don't want to break the bank.


Its not a HG product for me, I have heard that NYX Taupe blush is good as a contour for paler skin tones, so I think I will be trying that next.

Rating; 3/5

Gemx

George at Asda Super Skinny Jeans, Similar to Kate Middleton!

I found these gorgeous skinny jeans Asda the other day. I have been wanting brightly coloured skinny jeans for a while now and was so glad I spotted these. I loved both colours so tried them on to see which looked best. Lucky I did.

The mint green ones are lovely on the rail, but I am a size 14 in jeans and once on they are very unforgiving and highlighted all the places I didn't want highlighting.

Luckily I had more luck with the coral coloured jeans, they looked lovely and are the perfect skinny Jean. I find some skinny jeans aren't skinny enough on the leg for my liking but these are perfect (well they are called super skinny after all).

I can imagine these lasting me through spring and summer, and I think I will be taking these on holiday too.

At £14 they are very affordable, you may be able to get both colours. I love George at Asda clothes, especially the G21 range, which these are from.

Once I have recovered from conjunctivitis :( I may do an outfit post with these lovelies.

You can buy these in store or online at Asda Direct.

After I had bought these jeans I saw this picture of Kate Middleton in the papers. She is wearing a similar pair of jeans. I have always loved Kate's style and the fact that she is wearing these jeans has made my day!

Gemx

Tesco Nail Bargain

So this is just a quick post to show you my nail polish bargain I picked up while I was in Tesco the other day. They are gorgeous colours, a coral with gold shimmers and a mint blue. The mint blue is more pigmented than the coral which is rather sheer, but I put three coats on and got a lovely result. The best part is that these are only 99p!

Gemx

Bargain Blush: Vivo Cosmetics Blush Duo in Sweet Peach

Vivo have recently launched their cosmetics line into Tesco stores, and I have heard good things about them. They seem to be good quality as well as being affordable. So I decided the next time I was in Tesco I would pick something up from their range. 

I had been on the lookout for a peach blush so when I saw this one I had to get it. Its a lovely peachy-pink colour with the added bonus of having a highlighter included. It is priced at £2.39, but when I took it to the checkout it scanned at £1.19, result. I'm not sure whether these are on sale, as the price tag was £2.39, so it may have been a glitch at the checkout. 

The blush is matte and well pigmented, and it is easy to build up the colour for a more dramatic look. I love the colour of this blush, just the right combination if peach and pink to complement my skin nicely. The highlight is quite subtle with a hint of pink and gold but it is mainly a white colour with a little glitter. I like the fact that you can used the highlight separately or you could mix the two together to create a shimmery blush. The powder blends nicely onto the skin, and gives a lovely peachy glow to my cheeks.

I used about two layers of blush to get this effect on my cheeks. I think it looks nice and subtle. I had to do a half face because my skin is so bad at the moment its awful :(

It lasted pretty well on my cheeks, about 5 hours after which I needed to reapply the blush. I think that for the price the quality of the product makes it well worth it. The only downside is I would have preferred the highlight to be a bit more shimmery, but this is my preference. 

Overall I am so pleased with this product. I love the colour and the way it blends onto my cheeks. I am definitely going to check out the other colours they have in the duo, and am definitely going to try out more products from their range.

Rating: 4.5/5

Gemx

99p Nails: Tesco Nail Polish Bargain!

I spotted these nail polishes while I was shopping in Tesco today. You get 7ml of nail polish for 99p which I think is a bargain.

I apologise for the bad pictures but lighting is terrible.

They had a few colours at my local store, but 'Oyster' caught my eye. It is a gorgeous light nude pink which I think complements my skin tone perfectly. It only takes two coats to get a great opaque colour, and the drying time is quite good too. 

I would definitely reccomend picking up one of these next time you are in Tesco. 

 Gemx

Beautiful Brows: MUA Eyebrow Pencil Review

I had been using a taupe coloured eye shadow to fill in my brows, but I decided to upgrade to a pencil, so when I saw the MUA eyebrow pencil in Superdrug for £1, I had to try it. I chose the colour Blonde as I have naturally light coloured eyebrows with blonde hair, so I think any other colour would have looked too harsh on me. It also comes in the shade Brunette.

Image from MUA website

I love the fact that it comes with a little brush on the end of it, very handy.

The colour is perfect for me, its a light brown slightly bronze colour, but it blends perfectly with my brows and looks as natural as possible.

Its a very soft pencil which is great as it means it is quite hard to be too heavy handed with it. However there is a drawback as it has to be sharpened after every use.

The staying power of this pencil is great, it lasted all day. I highly recommend this pencil for someone who is fair, why spend more money on an eyebrow pencil when you can get an amazing one for £1. 

The only draw back is that it only comes in two shades. Hopefully they will expand the colour options soon because this is a great product.

Rating: 5/5

MUA Makeup Academy Poptastic Palette Review and Swatches

They say: "The Poptastic Palette contains a fusion of vibrant colours for the more daring, with bright blues to a shocking pink amongst the 12 highly-pigmented eye shadow shades. This palette contains shimmer shades with complimentary shades that keep their vibrancy on all skin tones".

The palette comes nicely packaged, it looks quite sleek and professional. It is slightly difficult to open though, if you have long nails you may find it quite hard to open. 

The palette contains 12 vibrant eyeshadows, 7 of them are blues though, so I would have liked a bit more variety of colours in this palette. They are all gorgeous colours and most of them are pigmented and easy to work with. I am dissapointed with the light yellow, it really doesnt show up on my skin at all, even when I use a primer. I would say that with this palette you need to use quite a stiff brush to pick up the colour. I tried using my too faced brushes with it, but that didnt really pick up any colour at all. I swithched to my Japonesque smugder brush and that worked perfectly. 

First row 

Second row

Overall opinion: I really am pleased with this palette, and for £4 its a bargain. its got quite a nice variety of colours and is of a decent quality. 

Rating: 3.5/5 due to the fact that the first and second colours in row 1, and the sixth colour in row two needed a stiff brush in order to be picked up. 

Here's a quick look I did using the darkest blue and the blue above it. 

Gemx