Wednesday 29 February 2012

Random February Favourites :)

February has been a long but very busy month for me, I feel like I have a lot of random favourites this months so I better crack on with telling you them!

Play - All New People
I hadn't been to the theatre in a while so I was very excited about seeing this. It was written by Zach Braff who also stars in it as a man who wants to commit suicide so goes to Long Beach New Jersey on the off season in Winter when no one is about to do it. It takes places in is friends mansion and only has 4 characters. The play was so funny and very well written and each character had an equal amount of attention. It was the same sort of humour as Garden State and Scrubs. I saw it in Manchester and it is going to be in London for 10 weeks so I would definitely recommend going to see it if you can because it is very good.

Music - Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves of Destiny
I started listening to this band at the end of January and they are fast becoming one of my favourite bands. Beth has such an interesting and beautiful voice, she sounds a lot older than 21! Their debut album came out this month and it is such a good album. 

Gig - Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves of Destiny 
Beth & The Hooves are currently on tour in the UK and I got to see them in Leeds the last week. It was such a fun night, the support acts were great. They even did a little dance competition in which an old man named Kevin won! The whole band were have jokes and answering question shouted out by the crowd. They sounded so good live and I will definitely go see them again next time they're on tour. She even signed my poster afterwards! 

Music - Dot Hacker
 I've been a fan of this band for a long time and their EP finally came out this month! Dot Hacker was made by Josh Klinghoffer who is the current guitarist for Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2009 but their album has been on hold for a while since he joined the peppers. The EP only has 4 songs but they are all so good and am album is due at the end of the year. I have listened to their song 'Eye Opener' on repeat many nights. Also the new song 'Rewire' was already a favourite after the first listen.

App - Temple Run
I'm sure many people have already heard of this game but I finally got it this month and i'm addicted! All you do is run and collect coins, it sounds simple but you are always trying to beat your high score. It's free as well so if you have some time to kill I would definitely get it.

Food - Special K
Breakfast is the hardest meal for me. I'm not a huge cereal fan normally and I don't have much time to spare in the morning. A lot of cereals are full of sugar and high in fat which puts me off but Special K is actually one the the healthy ones. Creamy Berry Crunch is my favourite flavour, it tastes so good! I have it with Soya Milk because I've cut out dairy and I think it tastes nicer than milk anyway. I love adding fresh fruit to it to make it even more fruity!

Magazine - Company
I normally only read music magazines becuase I find beauty ones have too many adverts in and it feels like a waste of money. This is the second issue of Company I have bought I really like it. It's a good handbag size, doesn't have a lot of adverts in and there's some great fashion tips as well as some beauty. At £2 it's really affordable so I will definitely be buying future issues.

So thats my random favourites for this month, even though I've had a lot on it's been a really good month!



Tuesday 28 February 2012

February Beauty Favourites

Another month is over and like last month in February I have been trying to use up products that are nearly empty to clear space. In doing this I have used up 4 mascaras this month! I haven't actually bought many new beauty products because of this but these are some of my favourie products I've been using this month.
At the start of the month my skin was breaking out pretty bad so I really focused on perfecting my skin care routine to help this. I think the products i'm using at the moment are really helping so I will do a Skincare Routine post soon.
Now I've been using the Clarisonic since the middle of January now and I really do think it's help my skin a lot. Mainly when I am breaking out I know that this is getting my skin really clean. I know not everyone can afford this but I would still recomend it. 

I heard good things about this brand so this month I tried two of their products. The Efaclar K is meant to help troubled skin and redness. I use this in the morning under my make-up and I think it definitely helps with reducing oil throughout the day as well as reducing the redness on my face. This stuff is definitely worth the money!

I got this cheap on a trip to York this month at the Designer Outlet. I think it really helps reduce the size of blemishes and get rid of them faster. I use this at night and apply it all over my face on a cotton pad, it can be drying but that doesn't bother me since I have oily skin.
This brushes became available in Boots this month so I had to get some after hearing such great reviews. I use the stippling brush every morning to apply either foundation or to blend BB Cream and it gives such a flawless finish and makes the products last longer. I would really recomend it. I use the Buffing Brush for powder or bronzer and again it gives such a great finish. I love all the Real Techniques Brushes I've tried so far and will be getting some more soon.

I've already done a review on this so won't say too much but this is a great BB Cream and gives such a natural but still flawless finish. It also lasts very well even though I have oily skin.

I've been using this under my eyes all month and I love it! What I really like is that it gets rid of the blue tones I have so well which a lot of concealers don't do. I would definitely recomend it if you can afford the heafty price tag.

I still need to do a review on this because it is such a good product. It reminds my a lot of the NYX Jumbo Pencils but waterproof! The cream colour can be used as a primer and the brown as a liner/shadow and it won't budge all day! Great if you are looking for long wearing make-up.

I got this whilst there is a 2 for £10 offer on in Boots on Revlon lip and nail products. This is a lovely pink shade that will be perfect for spring/summer. It lasts well and isn't trying at all. It's a great everyday shade.

I've been loving this for a while now, this month I've been using it on nights out because it lasts so long so you don't have to worry about topping it up all the time. It also doesn't transfer whilst you drink or eat which is good. I just wish they had more shades to choose from.
Top Revlon 'Pink In The Afternoon' , Bottom Collection 2000 'Cotton Candy'
This is a great affordable blush. It is very pigmented and lasts for a long time on the cheeks. 'Rosey Glow' is a great buildable colour and isn't too harsh for everyday. It is a great if you're looking for a good blush on a budget.

I love this stuff and I think this might be my 4th bottle! It goes really well with lots of perfumes and is not overpowering so I wear it alot during the day. I also love the Strawberry one which I can't wait to start using again in Summer!

So thats my beauty favourites for this month, I hope you liked it. What were some of your favourites this month?
 

Sunday 26 February 2012

Real Techniques Brushes

A few of you may have heard of these brushes already, they have been created by make-up artist Samantha Chapman from Pixiwoo on youtube. I love watching their videos and was excited when she came out with her own brushes. For a while they were only available online but they are now available at Boots in the UK and there is an online store for America.
The Core Collection was the first thing I really wanted. I love my sigma brushes but i'm still on the hunt for some great face brushes. I love how these brushes look and the case they come in can be used as a stand as well as a holder for travel.
The set comes with a Detail Burhs, Pointed Foundation Brush, Buffing Brush and Contour Brush and it retails for £21.99. I think this is a good price for quality brushes. I've used them all and the work very well.
The other brushes I decided to get was the Stippling Brush which retails for £11.99.
This like the other brushes is smaller than a normal face brush (Sigma) but fits in the hand nicely and the bristles are dense making it perfect for buffing in foundation, I use it with my BB Cream also and it works great.
The bristles on all the brushes are so soft and didn't shed at all even on their first use. Another thing I love about the Core Collection set is that there is space for other brushes.
I love these brushes and can't get over how good the quality is. I feel Sam has taken all the good things about other make-up brushes and put them into one! There is also a set of Eye brushes which have purple handles which I might try in the future. I already have my eye on the Shading Brush. For the other brushes available you can check them on the Boots website here.



Friday 24 February 2012

Jewellery Haul, New Look and Forever 21

I love jewellery and since New Look has an offer of buy one get one free on all jewellery I had to pick up a few pieces.
I love turquoise jewellery and this set was only £4.99 and reminds me of some sets I've seen on Asos and in Topshop for a lot more money.

I love the detailing of the small cross and the spike on the black braclet.
I ring as an aztec feel to it and also looks very vintage which I like plus it is turquoise! I think this would look great with a black outfit and some skinny jeans. It was also only £3.99.
I got this set because I think the colours look great together but I can also mix and match with other braclets I already have. The set cost £4.99.
I ring caught my eye because I love the colours in it and it would add a statement to a simple outfit. It cost £4.99.
A great tip to make 'cheap' rings last longer and not tarnish is to paint clear nail varnish on them and this will act as a seal, it will also stop your finger turning green!
Whilst my Mum was in London the other week she got my two pieces of from Forever 21 which I really like. Both of the pieces I think would look great with a black outfit.
The first thing is this set of pearl themed braclets that cost £4.90.
Second is this long necklace that is pearls on a gold chain with gold flowers. I really like it and it would be great to make a simple outfit more interesting. It cost £6.95.
 I would definitely check out New Look for jewellery whilst they have this offer on because they have some great pieces in at the moment.

Wednesday 22 February 2012

No 7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream for Normal/Oily Skin - Reviewed!

So this is another BB Cream review in my series today. This one is by No7 and was released at the begining of the year. After hearing good reviews online I thought I would give it a try.
It comes in a white squeeze tube like a moisturiser, although it is in a tube it is still easy to get the right amount of product that you need. It has UV protection and SPF 15 making it a great product to use in the summer. Again like the other BB Creams I have tried this one has the consistency of a normal moisturiser.
The product itself blends into the skin nicely and gives a natural finish whilst evening out my skin tone. I do use the Sigma F50 to blend it in after applying with my fingers to make sure it is even. I really do like the coverage of this product, I still use concealer with it but it looks a lot more natural than wearing foundation but still gives a good coverage. It lasts very well and helps control the oil on my skin through-out the day. I do use a primer with it because I do have oily skin but I could probably get away without using one.
Now unlike most BB Creams this one comes in 2 shades, Fair and Medium (I have fair). It also comes in different skin types, Normal to Oily, Dry to Very Dry and Normal to Dry skin. I really think this helps to appeal to more people rather than just having one type.

This is one of the best BB Creams I have tried and No7 often have £5 off vouchers in Boots so I would wait till that offer comes around to get it because it makes it a lot cheaper. 
No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream retails for £12.95 and is available at Boots.

Tuesday 21 February 2012

Skin 79 Super Plus BB Cream - Reviewed!

So this is going to be one of the reviews in my series on BB Creams. Today the BB Cream I have for you is one of the originals and probably the most famous. It is the Skin 79 Super Plus BB Cream. The one I have is for oily skin which comes in a pink tin. I believe they also do one for normal skin which is in a silver tin.
Firstly I love the packaging, it is so different to other products out there. It is a pump action which I like because it's really easy to get out the amount you need. When it says that it is 'whitening' it means that it gives a glowy look the skin. A great thing about it also it has an SPF 25 which means that you could just where this instead of foundation and sun screen which personally I have found can make my skin feel greasy. This would therefore be a great product to use in summer since it is light on the skin.
Now when watching and reading reviews before I bought it I did hear that it looks grey when you first apply it which it really does. However as you blend it out it gives a natural colour to the skin. I find it does even out my skin tone very well, I do still need to use concealer on blemishes but I find I have to do that even when i'm wearing foundation. This lasts very well on the skin, I find that it lasts all day and I don't feel the need to top up with powder. 
The only downside to this product is that it only comes in one shade, so unless you have fair skin this isn't really going to work for you.

The is probably the best BB Cream I have tried because it makes my skin look so healthy and controls oil very well. The downside is that it isn't available in the UK but you can find it on Ebay for £10.12 with free delivery here.

February Glossybox

I got my Glossybox a few days ago and after seeing some bad reviews I really wasn't expecting much and I was right not to. This is probably the worst box I've had so far and I will tell you why now.
This months box was back to the normal light pink colour and was insipired by fashion week.
This is what the box looked like on the inside..

1- DuWop - Venom Gloss 'Combining subtle tinted lip gloss with DuWop's Lip Venom to create Venom Gloss' Full Size £16.00 for 10.4ml
I've never actually heard of this brand before but this gloss seems nice. The shade I got is called 'Buttercup' and it is very sheer and peach toned. I think it would look nice over a dark lipstick to tone it down or over a nude one, it also tingles when you apply it which doesn't bother me.
2 - Impress Press-on Manicure 'Impress by Broadway Nails is the revolutionary way to apply polish! Simply peel off, press on, and done!' Full Size £17.40 for 150ml.
I like the idea of this and the example on the back is of a deep red colour which I would definitely wear. The pattern I got seems like something a 15 year old would wear and is really not my style so I don't see myself trying this one! This is a shame since it was a full size product.
3 - Paul Motchell Quick Slip 'A clean, lightwieght, conditioning syling product that provides soft, flexible hold, UV protection and reduces dry time.' Full Size £14.25 for 150ml.
This acutally seems like something I might use! The fact that it has UV protection means it would be something good to take on holiday and if it reduces dry time thats a really bonus. When I tried this on my hand it was very smooth and felt very similar to a serum.
4 - BM Beauty Pure Mineral Eyeshadow 'Award Winning pure mineral eyeshadow. Cruelty free and suitable for vegetarains and vegans' Full Size £7.00 for 2g.
I never really use loose shadows like this because they seem far too messy. This one feels and looks very pretty. The colour I got was 'Her Majesty' and it looks very unwearable at first but when swatched it's a light pink with golden shimmers in it. I will definitely try this out fully and this was a generous sample too (1g).
5- Como Shambhala Invigorate Shower Gel 'A revitalising blend of essential oils puts you in a perfect uplifting mood' Full Size £20.00 for 300ml.
Yet another shower gel. I personally would never spend £20 on a shower gel since I don't think it's worth it since you wash it off after all! This does however smell very pleasant, it's minty with a hint of lavendar. I think I might try using this to clean my make-up brushes because I it might do a good job or just save it for when I go away.

So that was this months box, there was a few good things but nothing amazing. I'm seriously considering cancelling my subscription since these past two boxes have been disapointing. However they did put this in the box so I might wait to see what next months box is all about...

Monday 20 February 2012

My Thoughts On BB Creams

After hearing a lot about BB Creams recently I thought I would have to try some. I feel like every brand at the moment is bringing out their own version so I thought I would do a series of posts on the 3 that I've tried and what I think about them.
For those that don't know BB Creams originally started in Germany for laser surgery patients to give a light coverage for laser scars and blemishes as well is being suitable for sensitve skin. In more recent years they have been widely used in Asia to provide a natural looking coverage and has been named 'The Korean Actress Secret'.
BB actually stands for Blemish Balm and some claim to 'blur' any imperfections on the skin whilst still looking natural. Sounds great doesn't it!?
So these are the 3 that I've been trying out.
I will done an individual post on each of these in the following few posts including swatches. I have already done a review on the Garnier BB Cream so I won't be doing another one instead I will just link that post here. Although it has recieved some negative reviews as not being a true BB Cream I still think it's a good product and would class it as a very good tinted moisturiser. 

I hope these reviews will be helpful if you don't know much about BB Creams and want to see what all the hype is about.

Products Mentioned: 

Saturday 18 February 2012

Benefit Erase Paste - Reviewed!

I tried Erase Paste a while ago when I got the Confession of  a Concealaholic Kit in which it had a small sample of it in the shade Medium. Although I really liked the concealer the colour was never perfect for me especially in winter it was a touch too dark. So when I saw it in Fair on Buyapowa I thought I would get it since it was £5 cheaper.
I personally think Benefit have some of the best packaging in Make-Up. Everything is always presented so well. As you can see the concealer came in a box which had inside a Erase Paste Lesson leaflet and a scoop to use with the concealer.
I thought this with a really nice touch if you were a beginner I didn't know how to apply concealer. I personally haven't used the scoop because I feel like you would get too much product out but again it was nice to include it. Also I might need to when I get to the end of the pot.
The concealer itself comes in a purple pot and has a clear lid which I have kept to stop it from drying out. Erase Paste is a very soft cream product and is very easy to blend unlike some cream products. it works even better if you warm it up with your finger but this isn't always needed. It has a salmon/yellow tone to it which means it is really good a covering the blueness that is common under the eye. I personally don't have terrible dark circles but this covers the blue tone I get very well. I have heard that it does cover very dark circles well.
Here's some swatches, on the left is the shade Medium 02 and the right is Light 01. The light shade has less of a salmon tone compared to medium. For a more heavy duty concealer is is definitely not cacky and doesn't crack or crease under my eye during the day. When I get home after wearing this all day it still looks the same as when I applied it in the morning.

All in all I think this is such a great under eye concealer especially for covering blue tones. I like that you can also use it on blemishes which is great if you only want to use one concealer. I would definitely recommend this product.

Benefit Erase Paste retails for £19.50 and is available here.


Thursday 16 February 2012

How To - Manuka Honey Face Mask

Today's post is going to be about how to make a Manuka Honey Face Mask, it's so easy and quick to do. For those who don't know Manuka Honey is really good for the skin and great for clearing up blemishes and it's natural so beats putting lots of chemicals on your face. 
 All you need is Manuka Hoeny and some Ground Cinnamon. The Manuka Honey needs to have a UMF 10+ otherwise it won't really do anything to the skin. 
In a plastic container I got 3 tablespoons of  Manuka Honey to 1 tablespoon of Cinnamon. This amount will make about 4 face masks and it lasts about a week if you keep it in the fridge. I also added a small amount of water to thin the mixture. You must not heat the honey because it will get rid of all the good properties that help the skin.
Once mixed together you should get a paste like in the picture shown above. If it's still too thick then add some more water. You can also make less if you are only wanting one use.
To apply it I used an old foundation brush. This one is from ELF and cost £1.50 and does the job perfect. I would apply this with my fingers because it can be sticky. It is surprisingly easy to remove, just use some warm water. I leave the mask on for 10-30 minutes.

I've been doing this for a few weeks now and my skin and definitely been improved. It is also very easy to use if you make a batch up.

You can buy Manuka Honey at most health food stores. At Holland and Barretts you can buy 250g for £10.49.




Tuesday 14 February 2012

MAC Eye Kohl Pencil in 'I Get No Kick'

I went on a random trip to York's Designer Outlet the other weekend and I pick a couple of things up from the Cosmetic Company where they have high end brands reduced, mostly products from last season. I decided to only get one thing from MAC since i'm on a budget.
This is actually the first eyeliner I've tried from MAC because I really don't see the point in spending a lot on an eyeliner since there is lots of good and cheaper options out there. The reason why this caught my eye was because I really like using champagne colours on my water-line to cover up any redness and make me look more awake.
The colour itself is a pink-toned champagne colour and is very subtle but definitely brightens my eyes up. It applies really softly and last very well to say that it's not waterproof. Here's a swatch:
I love it so much and have been using it everyday since I got it. I wish there was some durgstore eyeliners in this sort of shade since I don't like wearing white eyeliner because it looks too harsh on me. I don't think this is available anymore but you may be able to find one online somewhere.

I paid £9.25 for mine but retailed for £14.00.

Sunday 12 February 2012

NOTD - Orly 'Ruby'

I got this polish in my January Glossybox and I was so happy to see it since I have never tried an Orly polish before. I had heard good things about this brand so was definitely excited to try it.
The polish is actually a mini sample and the colour is a lovely deep red shade which is a great colour for this time of year. It only took 2 coats to get it opaque and had a lovely gloss too it without a top coat where as some polishes can look a bit dull on their own. I really like this polish and will definitely be checking out some more shades in the future. 

Orly polishes are available on Feel Unique for £8.99 each or you can find your local stockist here.

Friday 10 February 2012

Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner in 'Plum' - Reviewed!

So I got this eyeliner in this months Glossybox and I was exciting to try it since Eyeko have recently re-done all of their products with new packaging and new product and increased the prices to fit into a more high end category.
I liked the box it came in because it is very sleek and simply. The eyeliner itself is long with a metal spiked end. I think this looks good but isn't really needed since this part of the eyeliner doesn't even have product in it. So in fact you are getting less than your average eyeliner. 
The colour itself is a lovely deep plum shade and is very pigmented. You can definitely get a fine line with it which is great. I wore this on my waterline the first day I got it and it lasted fairly well but no longer than other cheap eyeliners I have. 

All in all this is a nice eyeliner but for me I don't think its amything special, there are some great cheaper alternatives available these days. I also think if I was going to spend this much on an eyeliner I would get a MAC one because you get more product and there is a larger colour range.
Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner retail for £9.95 and available here.