Friday 30 December 2011

Bare Minerals Away We Glow.. Gift Set

This was one of the beauty related presents I got for christmas this year and I love it! I've not tried lots of Bare Minerals products so this set has given me the chance to try a good range of products.
The first thing I want to say id how beautiful the packaging is, the box is such good quality and I will have to find a use for it since it's too good to throw away!
All the lids and the brushes are in a limited edition red instead of the normal black for christmas which I thought was a really nice touch. So the first thing in the set is an eyecolour in 'Swanky' (smallest pot) and it is a very pigmented loose powder in a white/cream shimmer. I love this and I think it would make a great iner-corner highlight. Next is a multi-tasker highlighter in 'Turn On' which is a lovely shimmery pink colour which can be used on the cheeks, eyes and even lips. This kind of reminds me of Benefits High Beam in a powder. The final pot is a blush in 'Luxury' which is a gorgeous shimmery pink and it really makes your skin glow. 
The two brushes in the set are a blush contour brush and a wet/dry shadow brush, both of these are very soft, easy to use and would be perfect for travel due to them being smaller than the average brush. 
Next is a Prime Time Shadow Primer in 'Dove Gray', this is a great eyelid primer and lasts all day very well, it is a shimmery gray colour which is very easy to build to make a more dramtic look. 

The Flawless Definition Mascara is probably my favourite thing in the set, it has a plastic brush that is tapered to the end making it so easy to get every lash. It makes my lashes look long but still natural. It is so easy to build to have a more dramatic look, i'm already in love with this mascara and will definitely be repurchasing it. 
The Round the Clock Waterproof Eyeliner in 'Midnight' this is a very pigmented matte black eyeliner and lasts all day on the waterline without smudging. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who suffers from watery eyes.
Finally is the Pretty Amazing lipgloss in 'Flair' this is a lovely pale pink colour, it is well pigmented for a gloss and would be great for everyday wear. This doesn't last amazingly on the lips but very few glosses do so I don't mind re-applying because it is a lovely colour on.

I really do love this set and it cost £38.50 which is such a good price since the products added together are worth a lot more. It was in the sale on feelunique.com but has already sold out which doesn't surprise me. I did find it available on beautybay.com for £29.99. No doubt there will also be a few on ebay.

Wednesday 28 December 2011

Random December Favourites :)

This month seems to have gone so fast and I feel like i've been busy all the time!

TV -New Girl
This is a relatively new show staring Zooey Deschanel, it's a comedy and has been getting a lot of buzz in America. I really like it, the characters are great and each balance one another out. Scmidt would have to be my favourite and his character especially has really grown in the last few episodes. The show comes out in January in here in the UK and I would definitely check it out.

Music - She & Him
Following the Zooey Deschanel theme i've been listening to her band She & Him. I've had a lot of essays to write for University and their albums have made it a lot easier, especially Volume 1. It's so easy to listen too and Zooey has such a beautiful voice.

Music - Fleet Foxes
I've been listening to this album pretty much non-stop this month so much so it even made it into my Albums of the Year after only a month of listening. Again this album is very easy to listen to and I listen to it a lot whilst writing essays. There's so much talent in this band and i'm definitely getting their first album after loving this one so much.

Apps - Plants vs Zombies
This game is so addictive! Basically you have to stop the zombies by planting plants! It's really fun I great to play on long journeys. When I first got it I played for an hour without even realising it! It costs £0.69 but is definitely worth the money.

Films - 50/50
I loved this film and i'm glad to here that it has been nominated for some Golden Globes. I'm a big fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt he is one of my favourite actors these days and i'm glad to here him getting some great roles. The film is based on a real story of the writer of the film who got cancer in real life. Seth Rogen sort of plays himself who helps his friend get through the cancer treatment. It's a great film that has a good amount of humour in a serious subject area. Definitely would recommend seeing it.

Drink - Sainsbury's Sparkling Water 

I've been trying to drink a lot more water but it does get a bit boring after a while! This is a great alternative, they have these in a range of flavours and they are good for you. My favourite is Blueberry and Blackcurrant, it's very refreshing and great to have as a healthy drink. 


So that's my random favourites for this month, I hope you enjoyed this post :)




Tuesday 27 December 2011

December Beauty Favourites :)

This month has been so busy with finishing essays at University to get ready for christmas it seems to have gone so fast! Anyways here's some of my favourites in December, i've decided not to include some of my christmas presents because I haven't had enough time to try them out but there will be some posts on those later.
This is a great everyday nuetrals palette, there's a good amount of matte shades as well as some shimmers. I love it and I have been doing a lot of go to everyday looks with it. All the shades are well pigmented which you don't always see in a drugstore product.  
This has been a rediscovered love, it is a great under eye concealer because it covers my dark circles and helps to make me look a lot more awake in the morning which is definitely needed most days! I've had this for a while now and it seems to be lasting a long time. The only problem is that the lid can get a bit messy because it's a brush applicator.
This has been my go to blush for pretty much everyday this month, it's a lovely deep raspberry colour with slight gold shimmers in it which help to give a nice glow to the skin. I love ELF blushes from the studio line and this colour is perfect for winter time. 
FAB Face Cleanser - £13.00 (Sample size shown)
I got this cleanser in this months Glossybox and have been using it everyday since. It's a great nuetral cleanser because it has no harsh chemicals in it, so great for sensitve skin. I've like this so much that have already ordered a full size of it. 
I rely on this most days, if i'm in a rush in the morning i'm always grabbing this! I've tried lots of dry shampoo's and this has to be the best and one of the cheapest. It doesn't leave my roots looking white instead my hair just looks clean and fresh. The Tropical scent is my favourite because it smells just like coconuts.
I use this eveytime time I wash my hair. I put a pump of it through the ends of my hair after washing when it's damp and it really helps to make the colour brighter and my hair look a lot healthier. Such a good product and it lasts a long time becuase you don't need a lot.
This has been my everyday foundation this month, I find it gives a really natural finish. It covers the acne scars I have which is not always this case with some foundation. It also lasts really well throughout the day and doesn't go patchy or look cacky.
I did a review on this the other week which you can see here. I love Lush products and this mask has definitely helped improved my skin and it smells amazing. Win win!
I don't normally like foundation brushes but this one is so different from the others I have tried. There's lots of bristles and they are tappered making it really easy to apply my foundation. It helps to give me a real natural finish. It also washes really well and doesn't shed at all.
NYC Kohl Brow/Eyeliner Pencil in 927 'Taupe' - £1.59
I've mainly been using this for filling in my eyebrows and the colour matches perfectly to give a natural look. It is also a great light brown eyeliner again perect for a natural look. This is also nearly twice the size of a normal eyeliner and is such a good price.

So there's my Beauty Favourites for this month, i've definitely been enjoying having a few days off over christmas it was definitely needed!

Monday 26 December 2011

Witch Anti Blemish Range - Reviewed!

As someone who suffers from breakouts i'm always on the look out for products that will help improve my skin. I came across the Witch Anti Blemish range whilst looking through Superdrug. I've tried most things now so I thought I would do a review.
The first thing I tried was the concealer, it has witch hazel in it and is antibacterial which will help to get rid of blemishes as well as covering them. From what I could see this only comes in one colour, 'Natural' which is a shame because one shade will not be perfect for everyone. I find it a little dark and yellow toned but it blends out to look ok. I'm not a big fan of stick concealers but I find them hard to blend, this is creamy but can look cacky if you apply too much. I do like this product but it's not my favourite. I will use it if I have a bad breakout because it is antibacterial. I would give it a 3/5.
The next product I got was the primer, I always use a primer to help make my make-up stay on longer. Again this product has witch hazel extract. It claims to 'prepare the skin for foundation, allowing for a smooth and even application whilst creating an invisible shield to help protect your skinfrom the make up which can causeor aggravate spots'. I really like this primer, it's a gel consistency which doesn't take long to try and leaves your skin feeling matte. I do think it helps my blemishes not be aggravated and it does help my make-up stay in place longer than without a primer. It's not the best for when you need long wear but if i'm having a bad breakout this really does help. I would give it 4/5.
Next is the Redness Relief Moisturiser, I can have a lot of redness in my skin some days so I was really interested to try this out. It claims to correct redness as well as sooth the skin. The first thing I noticed was the green colour! I've tried products that use green to correct redness before and they have never worked. This has a rather thin consistency making it easy to blend, this doesn't leave my face looking green at all. It makes my skin feel matte which I like since I have oily skin. I do think this helps tone down my redness and definitely leaves it feeling less irratated. I think this product is good and I would give it 4/5.

Finally is the pressed powder, again like this concealer this only comes in one colours although on the skin it is almost completely transparent. This claims to 'help target spots and breakouts by absorbing excess oils and controlling shine'. I really like this powder, it definitely helps keep my skin from being shiny throughout the day. I'm not sure if it helps my breakouts that well but I do feel less oily when i'm wearing it. I would give this powder a 5/5.

All of the Witch Anti Blemish products have witch hazel extract which helps with clearing up breakouts. They're all fragrance free, oil free and are dermatologically tested. I think this is a good range and seems to one of the only ones that has make-up products that help with blemishes. The whole range is available at Superdrug but I have seen some products in my local Sainsbury's.

Saturday 24 December 2011

NOTD - Deborah Lippmann 'Razzle Dazzle'

I got this is my December Glossybox and i'm in love with it! It's a gorgeous deep plumy pink with lots of pink glitter in it. It took 3 thin coats to get it opaque and that was without another colour underneath it which was a real surprise for me. 
This pictures really doesn't show the amazing amount of glitter. It's perfect for christmas and I featured it in my Christmas Polish Picks.
I also thought I would also mention what base and top coat I use when painting my nails because I think it can really make a difference to the look and staying power or a polish.
 The base coat I use is Collection 2000 2 in 1 Base Coat and Ridge Filler, this really helps stop polishes from staining your nails and help the polish to go on smooth. It's pretty cheap and does the job great! The top coat I use is Sally Hanson Insta-Dry, this really works. It makes any polish shiny and really helps to stop chipping. I think these retail for about £6 but really does work the best.

Thursday 22 December 2011

Christmas Polish Picks!

Since it's nearly christmas I thought it would be nice to show you some nail polishes I would consider wearing over the christmas weekend.
First are the reds, I think red is perfect for this time of year becuase it's such a festive colour. Here are my favourites from left to right:
  • Rimmel Lasting Finish - Double Decker Red
  • Nails Inc - Hampstead Heath
  • OPI - Wocka Wocka! (from the Muppets Collection)
  • Barry M - Raspberry
  • China Glaze - Short and Sassy

Next are purples, purple is my favourite colour so I thought it would be only right to include some. From left to right:

  • Ciate Paint Pots - Wait Until Dark
  • Nails Inc - Victoria
  • W7 - Purple Paradise 

The festive season is the perfect time to wear lots of glitter especially on your nails! Here are some of my favourites from left to right:
  • OPI - Rainbow Connection (from the Muppets Collection)
  • Deborah Lippmann - Razzle Dazzle
  • OPI - Excuse Moi! (from the Muppets Collection)
Finally I have two lovely bronze shades, I think these would look good all year round but I thought I would include them. From left to right:
  • OPI - Warm & Fozzie (from the Muppets Collections)
  • No7 Stay Perfect - Hot to Trot
I love all these colours and I think they would all look great over the christmas period. I hope you enjoyed this post and found it useful when choosing your chirstmas polish.

    Simply Make-up Storage Ideas

    I'm always trying to find new ways to store my make-up since I have a rather small  room so have to make use of the space I have. Here are a couple ideas that I have come up with that I thought I would share.

    Now these are actually a envelope holders I got from WH Smith for £3.99 (I think!) I got this first one back in September and filled it so had to go out and get another one! I love them and my palette fit in really well. I love the purple colour and the pattern in the metal is very pretty. Here's what they look like from the side.
    The next are two pen holders that match the envelope holders, again these where from WH Smiths I believe they cost £2.99 each. I use one to store my Sigma brushes then the other to store everything else (mainly ELF brushes). I think they look lovely and makes it a very easy to find my brushes first thing in the morning when i'm half asleep still!
    These are just some ideas I have come up with, I think looking in Stationary stores are a good idea of you are looking for some cheap storage.

    Tuesday 20 December 2011

    Collection 2000 Cream Puffs - Reviewed!

    Matte lip creams seem to be everywhere at the moment with many different brand such as NYX bringing out there own version. Collection 2000 have released their own so I picked up a couple to see what they were all about.
    So they come in lip gloss shaped tubes and say that they are moisturising and matte at the same time. There only seems to be 4 colours avialable at the moment and the two colours I have are'Cotton Candy' which is a deep pink colour and 'Powder Puff' which is a browny nude.
    As you can see both of these colours are very wearable, 'Cotton Candy' is great if you are wanting a bit of more dramatic lip. I do find 'Powder Puff' to be a little bit light for me but it is great for putting over the top of darker lipsticks to make them lighter. The formulation of these are really nice as well, they are not drying like some matte lip products and last well throughout the day without giving much transfer. They also wear well and act as a stain on the lip so as they wear off it is not uneven. 

    All in all I think these are a great product and I hope they release a wider range of colours soon. The retail for £2.99 and are available in Boots and Superdrug or any Collection 2000 stockists.






    Monday 19 December 2011

    Albums of The Year

    For me I think 2011 has been a great year for music, so many good albums have come out and I was going to do a Top 5 but I actually have 7 (Awkward number!)These are just my favourites, of course there has been others I have been loving this year.

    7) The Strokes - Angles
    I was really interessted to see what this album would sound like since they hadn't released an album in a while and guess what, it sounds like a Strokes album! I really like it and it's good to see them getting back to their roots again. Some of my favourite songs are 'Gratisfaction' 'Taken For A Fool' and 'Machu Picchu'. I'm excited to see what they do after this one.

    6) Arctic Monkeys - Suck It And See
    I was never the biggest fan of Arctic Monkeys and after listening to this album I realised that it was the fact that some of their songs got so overplayed it annoyed me. This album is great, Alex Turner writes such interesting lyrics, the drums are great lots of guitar, all in all it's a great album and easy to listen to. Favourites tracks, 'Brick By Brick' and 'She's Thunderstorms'

    5) Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
    I was never a huge fan of their last album but this ones great because it feels a lot like their older stuff which I love. Chris Martin writes beautiful lyrics, all members of this band can be heard on each song we I really like. It's a really good album and Coldplay seem to be truely on form again. Favourite tracks, 'Charlie Brown', 'Hurts Like Heaven' and 'Princess of China'.

    4) Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
    Oh I do love this album! It's more of a recent love even though it came out in May i've only just got round to listening to it but it's so good! Robin Pecknold has a beautiful voice that is so relxaing, musically this album is great. There's a lot of talent in this band and I will definitely be checking out some of their other works. Favourite tracks, 'Bedouin Dress', 'Montezuma' and 'Helplessness Blues'.

    3) Fool's Gold - Leave No Trace
    I got into Fool's Gold after hearing they would be supporting Red Hot Chili Peppers when I saw them in the UK. So I bought the album and fell in love. L.A have produced a lot of good bands over the years and this is another great one. For me they have an African feel to their music and a real good mood feeling when you listen. (if that makes sense!) They're a really good live band too with each member being able to play different instruments. Favourite tracks, 'Belmy', 'Tel Aviv' and 'Street Clothes'.

    2) Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
    Anyone who knows me knows I love Foo Fighters and all their albums. After having a break they decided to strip things back and record this album in Dave Grohl's garage and on analoge meaning no computers. I think that really helped this album because you can really see how talented each member is. Dave's lyrics are great as always and the drums on this are incredible, Taylor Hawkins is one of the best modern drummers around. For me this is one of the best rock albums that has come out recently and Foo Fighters are one of maybe even the best live band at the moment. Favourite tracks, 'These Days', 'Arlandria' and 'Bridge Burning'. 

    1) Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You

    So this is my number one album, why? Because there was a lot of preasure put on them to see what they would be like without John Frusciante in the band who helped write some of their biggest and most successful songs. After hearing it for the first time I knew I shouldn't have worried so much. Josh Klinghoffer has done a great job on this album, yes there is less guitar and less solos but it is still a great album and most of all sounds like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Flea's bass is great on this and there's more piano which I love. Anthony Kiedis always seems to get better with his lyrics and in my opinion these songs are some of his best written songs yet. I'm so excited to see the follow up to this one since they seem to be getting stronger as a band after every show they play and Josh seems to be getting more confident which is great. It's had mixed reviews but for me I love it and i'm glad to see my favourite band back on form. Favourite tracks, 'Monarchy of Roses', 'Meet Me At The Corner', 'Police Station' and 'Look Around'.

    So there are my favourite albums of 2011, it was a great year for music even if you have to dig a little deeper to find good rock albums these days, they are always being made! I'm excited to see what comes out next year with some of my favourites bands like Warpaint and Queens of The Stone Age getting back together to release something next year. Also i'm excited to here that Dot Hacker (Josh Klinghoffer's side project) will finally be releasing their debut album.


    Saturday 17 December 2011

    December Glossybox

    So my Glossybox finally got here yesterday and I love it! This months box was red instead of the normal pink due to it being christmas time, I thought this was a really nice touch. All the products in this months box I excited to try out, so here's what I got.
    1) Cargo Cosmetics Classic Lip Gloss in 'Tokyo' - Full Size £10
    'Cargo's new lip gloss formulation! Perfect shades, great wear and high-shine without being sticky.'
    This is really pigmented and a lovely light pink/coral colour, its not sticky at all and feels really nice and moisturising on the lips which is great for this time of year.

    2) Debrah Lippmann 'Razzle Dazzle' Mini Nail Varnish with Stripped to Go Sachet - Full size £16 Polish, £14 for Pack of 6 removers
    'Party glitter nail colour with a sachet of the most amazing polish remover finger nail mitt.'
    This might be my favourite thing in this months box, i've never tried a Debrah Lippmann polish but have heard good things about them, this colour is gorgeous and full of glitter! The nail polish removers look interesting and i'm interested to see if they remove glitter better than a normal polish remover.

    3) FAB Face Cleanser - Full Size £13.00
    'A mild, nourishing cleanser that's ideal for all skin types. Calms redness and reduces skin reactivity with regular use.'
    I'm still on the look out for a good cleanser to use in the morning so I was happy to see this in my box. I used it this morning and it was very nice nothing special but did leave my skin feeling clean and wasn't drying. It smells just like a plain soap which is alright but then again I don't like cleansers that smell too strong.
    4) Nouveau Lashes Noir Mascara - Full Size £14.99 for 8g
    'Quick drying flake-free formula and dramatic volume from just one application. Excellent staying power.'
    I used this morning and I found that it took a few coats to make it look like I had mascara on, it did seem to lengthen of lashes but I didn't see that much volume. I do like the wand on this mascara since it's slightly bent on the end which did help with getting some smaller lashes. So far nothing amazing but I will keep trying it.
    5) Rituals Foaming Shower Gel - Full Size £6.50 for 200ml
    'This unigue foaming shower gel gently cleanses your skin and leaves it silky soft and smooth.'
    This smells amazing! I already use a foaming shower gel when  shaving my legs so i'm curious to see if this works any better than the one I already use. I love trying out any shower products and this is full size which made me very happy.

    Onto my favourite thing from last months box, it has to be the Monu Skin Perfector, i've been using it everday under my makeup and it really does help to keep my face matte all day and my foundation stay on longer.

    I also really like that they have brought back the 'Beauty Profile' so you can fill in such things as your skin type, hair colour and what kind of products you would like to recieve. I think this is a great idea and should help me stop getting strong old lady perfumes in my box! As I said i'm very happy with this months box and can't wait to try everything.

    Friday 16 December 2011

    Perfect Stocking Filler - Travalo

    After hearing so many good things about Travalo's on blog and youtube I thought I would get one and see what the hype was about!
    So basically it's a perfume atomiser in which you can put your favourite perfume in it and keep it in your handbag. I think its a really good idea and they are also available in a few different colours.
    All you need to do is take the spray top off your favourite perfume and using the bottom of the Travalo pump it down as many times as you want and you will see it start to fill up. I believe it can take up to 30+ sprays of perfume.
    I think they are such a good idea if for your handbag or if you travel a lot. I know for sure I will be taking this next time I go travelling! It also means that you don't have to take a large expensive bottle of perfume with you which could break or even get lost.
    Travalo's normal retail for around £10 but I got mine off Amazon for £6.75 with free delivery, they have other colours available but they are more expensive but still all under £10. I think these will be a great stocking filler for anyone who wears perfume or travels a lot.

    Wednesday 14 December 2011

    LUSH Cupcake Fresh Face Mask - Reviewed!

    I decided to try this after hearing it was good for acne prone skin and since I love face masks I thought it would be worth a try.
    It comes in the classic LUSH black pot and is full of natural ingredients. You apply it to damp skin and leave it for 5-10 minutes. What I like about this is that it doesn't take forever to dry like some face masks i've tried in the past. 
    It is a dark brown colour and smells just like cakes! It has small grains in it which helps to exfoliate when you wash it off. One of my favourite things about this mask is that it doesn't take ages to take off which was a real surprise to me since it looked like it would! It leaves your skin feeling fresh, clean and very smooth. It also doesn't sting when you try to put on a moisturiser afterwards. I defiinitely found my skin a lot less oily the next day and it also did make some of my blemishes apear small and less red. 

    I really like this face mask, the only donwisde might be since it's a fresh face mask it doesn't last too long. It will last a month and you need to store it in the fridge otherwise it will go runny and not work as well. It costs £5.50 for a 75g pot which is a bit expensive but I think it's worth it since it definitely improved my skin and it smells great too! It's available in all LUSH stores and online here.

    Monday 12 December 2011

    Sleek Pout Polish - Reviewed!

    I've always walked past these when i've been looking in Superdrug but I decided to pick one up a few months ago and now I have two shade and love them so felt the need to do a post on them.
    They come in a nice size pot which is perfect for your handbag, they also have SPF 15 in them so will be perect for summer. The colours I have are 'Peach Perfection' which is a lovely light pink colour and is rather sheer but still gives a nice tint to the lips. The other colour I have is 'Perfect Plum' which is a plum toned red and is well pigmented. I love wearing this colour when I want a blod lip but because its a lip balm and very moisturising. They last very well on the lips and with the darker shades after they've worn off there is still some colour on the lips but isn't patchy.
    I love these are are just as good as the more expensive alternatives by MAC. They retail for £4.30 and I can see them lasting a long time. They have a good colour range and are available at Superdrug and online on Sleek's website here.

    Saturday 10 December 2011

    NOTD - Essie Nice Is Nice

    This is the first Essie polish i've tried and i'm really pleased with it! It's a lovely light lilac colour which will be pefect for spring time. 
    It took 3 thin coats to get it opaque which is normal for a light colour like these. Essie nail polishes normally retail for about £9.95 in the UK but I found this one on Amazon for a bargain £3.99. I would definitely look around for a good deal with these since most time you can always get them cheaper.

    Thursday 8 December 2011

    NYX Soho Glam Collection

    I went shopping in Liverpool on Monday which was nice since I haven't been in a very long time! I saw this set in TK Maxx for a bargain £14.99 and had to have it! I haven't tried a lot of NYX products since they can be hard to get sometime in the UK. 
    I love the sleek black packaging and I think it would look great on any dressing table. You get 52 eyeshadows, 4 face colours, 4 blushers, 2 lip glosses, 1 lip liner pencil and 8 lip colours! This is what it looks like when it's fully opened.
    I think this would be a great set to take travelling because it has a lot of things you might need all in one. There's a great range of neutral colours and some great bright purples and blues to make lots of different looks. The lip colours are fairly pigmented and seem to last long on the lips. The two blushes on the left have slight shimmer in them although this doesn't show up on the skin the other two are matte.
    As you can see the eyeshadows are very pigmented! There's also a black that has slight pink shimmers in it which looks lovely. All in all I really like this set and I think you get a lot for you money. 

    The set retails for £30 which is still a great price but if you can find it cheaper in you're local TK Maxx or on ebay I would definitely recommend getting it!