Wednesday 30 May 2012

Random May Favourites!

As I said in my Beauty Favourites post I finished my first year of University this much which has meant I've had more time to catch in on TV shows a get back into reading, so these are some of the things i've been loving this month.

Music -

Dot Hacker - Inhibition
 I have been waiting for this album for so long and since I got it I haven't stop listening to it. I already know this will be my favourite album of the year. Josh Klinghoffer's (also guitarist for Red Hot Chili Peppers) vocals are so beautfiul and the whole album has a dreamy sense to it, hence why I have been listening to it so much at night. I'm excited to see some more music from this band. 

Juliette Lewis Terra Incognita 
I love this lady as an actress but especially as a singer. This album was produced by Omar Rodrguez Lopez (The Mars Volta/At The Drive-In) and he also plays on it too and you can definitely here is style coming through. I think the two work really well together. 

Books - 

 Kevin Smith - Tough Shit
I wanted to get back into reading so I thought I would start with this. I'm a huge Kevin Smith fan, from his films and now his podcast which I listen to every week. This is such an easy read and I love that he goes to show that anyone can live their dream if they try.

TV - 
 Girls
Girls is a new show in the US and it is about the lives of 4 friends in New York. I really do like it because they each have their own problems, it's pretty realistic and funny at the same time. Well worth checking out. 
  
How I Met Your Mother 
I've liked this show for a while now but I got a bit behind so i've been catching up and i've fallen back in love with it. I still have all of season 7 to watch which probably won't time me long to get through!

So that's my random for this month, what have yours been? 

Tuesday 29 May 2012

May Beauty Favourites

I love favourites videos and post and I get so excited when it's the end of the month to do mine. May has been a pretty good month, I finished my first year of University which is exciting and I can't really believe it at the same time! Also England has finally been blessed with some sunshine and the legs are out and i'm loving it! Anyways here's my favourites for this month, there's a few new products and some rediscovered.
Haircare -
  • Ausse 3 Minute Miracle Colour Hair Treatment - I've been using a few different hair masks but since my hair has been a little dry i've gone back to this one and it is forever my favourite, it makes my hair feel amazing! 
  •  LUSH Daddy-O Shampoo -  My hair has been so strange recently so I wanted to try some LUSH haircare products, i'm going to do a review on this soon but after one use I fell in love with this stuff, i'm offical a purple shampoo convert!

Skincare - 
  • Caudalie Beauty Elixir - Everyone seems to be in love with this stuff lately and I can see why, it is so refreshing without making the skin feel oilly.
  •  Liz Earle Light Moisturiser - I am in love with Liz Earle skincare at the moment and this is a lovely moisturiser because it is light, non greasy but still very moisturising which is perfect for my oily skin. 
  •  Bio Oil - I've been using this on my acne scars for about a month now and i've definitely noticed a difference already. The scars look a lot smaller and not as red. I definitely would recommend trying this out if you suffer from acne scars becuase it really does work!

Lips - 
  • Burts Bees Lip Shimmers - I'm going to be reviewing this soon but i'm loving them at the moment. They look great on their own but also under lipsticks. 
  •  ELF Mineral Moisturising Lip Tint SPF 8 in Blush - I was relly surprised at how much I love this. It smells minty, feels lovely on and gives a nice amount of colour to the lips. I think this is a great Summertime product. 
  •  Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in shade 16 - This is the first lipstick from the Kate Moss Collection i've tried and I love it. It's a gorgeous pinky coral shade and I will be wearing it a lot this Summer. 
L-R Burts Bees Lip Shimmers in 'Watermelon' Rhubarb, ELF Lip Tint in 'Blush', Kate Moss Lipstick in 'Shade 16'
Eyes - 
  • Stila In The Light Palette - I have been using this pretty much everyday since I got it, this is the perfect nuetral palette. You can read my full review here. 
  •  17 Wild Curls Mascara -I really like this mascara and how it makes my lashes look. You can also build it up to make a dramatic look. A review will be coming very soon! 
Blush - 
  • Collection 2000 Shimmer Shades in Blushilicous - Another product I will be reviewing soon. A lot of people have been loving these recently and I can see why. Each shade looks great on their own and are well pigmented. So you get 4 blushes for such a good price and you can mix them all together! 

Nails - 
  • Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream - My cuticles have been so dry recently and this has helped so much and it smells so lemony! I just love it and it will last for ages!
So that's my favourites for this month, what have yours been? 

Sunday 27 May 2012

Getting To Know Me TAG

I saw this TAG recently on 'Sparkle In Seuquins' and I really liked it so I thought I would do it myself! I like that it is a mix of skincare and make-up questions so here we go!
Skincare

How many times do you wash your face daily?  
Twice

What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo) 
Oily

What is your current facial wash? 
In the morning I use the Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean and in the eveing I use the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

Do you exfoliate?
Yes, I use my Clarisonic and 2-3 times a week I use the St Ives Blemish Fighting Scrub which is amazing!

What brand do you use? 
I use lots of different ones but mainly Liz Earle and La Roche Posay

What moisturiser do you use? 
In the morning I use the La Roche Posay Efacular K and in the evening Liz Earle's Light Moisturiser

Do you have freckles? 
Some but not loads, they come out in the sun mainly

Do you use eye cream? 
Yes, when I remeber!


Do you or did you have acne prone skin? 

Yes, but it is getting a lot better now
 
Did you ever have to use Proactiv? 
No I haven't but I have thought about trying it

Make-Up

What foundation do you use? 
Bourjous Healthy Mix or the No7 BB Cream
How about concealer? 
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection

Do you know your undertone colour? 
Pink

What do you think of fake eyelashes? 
I personally don't wear them but I think they look great on some people

Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months? 

Yes, I tend to throw them out when they've dried up or smell funny 
 
What brand of mascara do you use?  
Currently i'm using the 17 Wild Curls which I like but Revlon Grow Luscious is a favourite of mine also Mayebelline done some amazing mascaras


Sephora or MAC? 
We don't have a Sephora in the UK but I do love going there but i'll say MAC

Do you have a MAC Pro Card?
No I don't

What makeup tools do you use in make-up application? 
For face mainly Real Techniques Brushes, for eyes I use Sigma or ELF

Do you use makeup base/primer for the eyes? 

Yes lots of different ones, MAC Paint Pots, Benefit Creaseless Creams or the ELF Eyelid Primer

For the face? 
Currently i'm using the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm but I love the No7 Airbrush Away Primer 
 
What is your favorite eyeshadow? 
MAC or Urban Decay, I just discovered Stila eyeshadows and they're great too

Do you use pencil or liquid eye-liner?
I rarely wear liquid liner so pencil

 How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
Not that often these days thankfully!

What do you think of pigment eyeshadows? 
I think they can be really beautiful but a pain to use!

Do you use mineral makeup? 
I haven't really tried mineral make-up, I have a few mineral blushes which I love

What is your favorite lipstick?
Wow this is hard, either MAC Cremecup or Revlon Pink Pout

How about lipgloss? 
I don't really wear lipgloss, Revlon do great lip glosses so do Barry M 


What is your favourite blush to use? 
I wear MAC's Mocha blush a lot but also ELF Candid Coral is beautiful for Summer

Do you buy your makeup on ebay? 
I've bought a few nail polishes, I only buy from trusted sellers though because there's a lot of fakes on Ebay especially MAC

Do you like drugstore makeup? 
Yes, I love it!

Did you ever consider taking makeup classes? 
Not really, I just learnt through watching Youtube

Are you clumsy in putting on makeup? 
Not so much anymore although I do still mess up my mascara sometimes
Name a makeup crime that you hate? 
I hate it when people wear concealer on their lips it just looks wrong! 




Do you like colourful shades of makeup or neutral ones? 
I like both but I wear neutrals a lot more

Which celebrity always has great make up?
I always think Jennifer Aniston has really nice make-up especially the bronzed look she goes for




If you could leave the house using just one make up item what would you use? 
Probably conealer

Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on? 
Yes although I tend not to that often!

Do you think you look good even without any makeup on? 
Yes but I have more confidencce with make-up on especially because it helps to cover some of my old acne scars

In your opinion, what is the best makeup line? 
I think I would say Bourjous, I could do my whole face with their products and I think they do the best foundations for the drugstore

What do you think of Makeup? 
 I love it, when used correctly it can really boost confidence and inhance someones beauty. I do also think that less can definitely be more! 

 So that's the TAG I hope you like it and let me know if you've done this TAG :)

Friday 25 May 2012

What Products Are On My Desk?

Since I've now offically finished my first year of University which feels pretty crazy i've been at home and trying not to spend money or go shopping! So i've been at home and these are the products I have on my desk and use throughout the day so I thought I would share them with you.
So there is only 5 things I have with me and none of them are make-up items! When I know i'm not going to be going out all day I tend not to wear make-up which I always think is good to give my skin a break.
Carex Hand Gel in Grapefruit and Lime - I always have hand gel with me, i've found since I have acne prone skin I hate my hands feeling dirty and I try not touch my face a lot throughout the day, this definitely helps. I also always use it before I put my make-up on. 

L'Occitane Cocoa Flower Hand Cream - I really like this hand cream because it's not greasy at all. I just re-discovered it the other day and I've been using it so much since, plus it's a really nice size. 
Caudalie Beauty Elixir - This product is so raved about at the moment and I have to say I love it. I was a bit unsure at first since I have oily skin but it doesn't make my skin look oily at all instead it makes my skin and make-up look fresh throughtout the day. 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Blotting Tissues - I love these to use in the middle of the day, I think they are a must have for anyone with oily skin. 
Carmex Lip Balm - I do love this lip balm but I'm really trying to use this up. I always have lip balms on me and I really want to finish this one since I don't think I've ever finished a lip balm which sounds crazy!

So that's the products I use throughout the day. I also thought I would share with you my current favourite candle.
I got it from Sainsbury's and I think it retails for £8 but I think I got mine half price. It smells of coconut which I love but it isn't overpowering and just a nice clean scent. It also has 3 wicks and burns so nice and even. I'm definitely going to get some different scents. 

What products do you use throughout the day? 

Wednesday 23 May 2012

NOTD - Essie Cute As A Button

Essie is slowly becoming one of my favourite nail polish brands and now they are available in Boots I can see me getting a lot more shades even though I have put myself on a nail polish ban since I have so many! Anyway the colour I have for you today is a perfect Spring/Summer shade.
Cute As A Button is a lovely coral toned pink that is nice and vibrant for Summer. It did however apply a little watery and took 3 coats to make it opaque. My experience with Essie so far has been that the pastel and neutral shades are great quality and apply like a dream where as a shade like this isn't as good. However I love the colour so this doesn't really bother me too much.
I've found that this has lasted really well all the nails and has barely chipped in 3 days. I will definitely be picking up some more pastel shades from Essie because I am in love with pastel shades at the moment. I think the next one I will get will be Mint Candy Apple because I have heard great things about it.

As you can see my hands and cuticles have been so dry recently so am going to be using some of my new Burt's Bees products a go and hopefully it will solve the problem!

Have you tried Essie polishes? WIll you be now they're available at Boots?

Monday 21 May 2012

Stila In The Light Palette - Reviewed!

So today I thought I would share with you one of my current favourite products. I've been wanting to try some Stila eyeshadows for a while now and after seeing a few reviews on this palette I thought it would be the perfect thing to try.
The palette comes in the classic cardboard box like most Stila products, it also comes with a small booklet with a range of looks you can do using this palette. I always think these are a nice idea if you struggle to put looks together.
The palette itself comes with 10 neutral shades as well one of Stila well loved smudge stick eyeliners in damsel.
All the shades in the palette are perfect for an everyday look but it also includes some darker shades which would be perfect for a smokey eye. There are 4 mattes shades including a pigmented matte black and 6 shimmery shades.
Left to Right from the top- Bare, Kitten, Bliss Sunset, Sandstorm. Bottom row L-R - Bubbly, Gilded Gold, Luster, Night Sky and Ebony.
I love that this palette includes shades like Kitten which is one of Stila's most popular shades and I love it! Another favourite of mine is Bubbly which is a lovely shimmery gold, I feel like is a much more wearable version of Half Baked by Urban Decay.
As you can see all the shades are well pigmented, even the matte shades which isn't always the case with some palettes. The eyeliner is also very pigmented and is great for smudging on the lash line but it also doesn't move all day.

All in all I think this palette is definitely worth the money. At £25 you are getting some great shadows which are so smooth and easy to use as well as a great eyeliner. Some of the shadows can give a little fall out but this can be avoided when you get used to using them. The only downside for me is the packaging is a bit flimsy, it that is is only made of cardboard. However you just have to be careful how you store and travel with it.

I haven't stop using this palette since I got it a few weeks ago which shows how much i'm loving it at the moment. The palette is available from Stila's website with free delivery! 

Will you be getting this palette? Do you like Stila eyeshadows?

Saturday 19 May 2012

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm - Reviewed!

I love a good primer, with having oily skin I never wear foundation without one. I've tried and reviewed a good few now and the next one I have to show you is the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm.
It comes in a sleek white bottle with red lettering. They say 'Clarins best-selling radiance booster helps eliminate signs of fatigue in a flash! Instantly moisturises, brightens and tightens facial contours so skin looks rested and relaxed.'

It is a peachy coloured gel consistency in which you only need a pea sized amout of product to cover the whole face and since you get 50ml of product I think this will last a long time. 

I can't say that I noticed my skin looking any brighter but it does feels smoother with using this product and I feel it does look better. Something that I do really like about this is that my foundation applies really nicely when i'm wearing this and I find that it does last long. My skin can still get a little oily during the day but I still haven't found something that makes me oily skin matte all day especially in the Summer. 

I really do like this product it is also really good to wear on it's own as well as under foundation. i think it would work well with most skin types. I actually think this would be a great product to use in Winter to give your skin a nice boost.

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm retails for £28.00 so not the cheapest of products but I still love it! 

Have you tried this? What is your favourite primer?


Thursday 17 May 2012

NOTD: Revlon Colorstay Longwear Polish in 'Buttercup'

When I saw these new Revlon nail polishes in Boots the other day I knew I had to try it. These longwear polishes are meant to 'give a gel like shine and shatterproof colour' sounds good right?
Now I'm going to start off by saying that I never wear the colour yellow. I don't own any yellow clothes or nail polishes. I don't know what it is it just doesn't suit my skintone at all! When I saw this shade I thought I would give it a try since pastels are great for this time of year.
This polish applied nicely not the best because it was a tad on the gluppy side but it only took two coats but it did last really well on the nails, about 3-4 days without a chip. I was pretty darn impressed! It also gives a great shine without having to use a top coat. Now these do retail for £7.99 which seems a bit much for a drugstore brand but I do think it is worth it for the formula plus they have some lovely shades.

Will you be trying out these polishes?

Tuesday 15 May 2012

My Experience with Liz Earle

Many of you will have heard or even tried some of Liz Earle's product I finally took the pludge and tried a few things. I got the April Skincare Essential Range which costs £41 and this is what you get.
Now the first thing I want to say is about the lovely packaging everything came in, I honestly couldn't get over how nice everything looked.
The first product was the famous Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, 100ml with two muslin cloths.
I have already do a review of this when I tried a sample of it, I really do love this product. It is so gentle and removes every bit of make-up and definitely is worth the money and the praise it gets. Also it smells lovely and is full of lots of natural goodies like all Liz Earle products.

The next was the Liz Earle Skin Tonic, 200ml
I use this after the Cleanse and Polish, it is so gentle and suffering and has a lovely rose scent. It makes my skin feel so smooth and super clean! It is so gentle that you can even use it around the eye area.

The last face product is the Liz Earle Skin Repair Light Moisturiser for Combination/Oily Skin ,100ml
What I loved about this deal was that you could choose your moisturiser for your skin type. This is one of the best moisturisers I've tried for oily skin. It dries to a matte finish very fast but feels so moisturising but not greasy at the same time. It smells lovely and even though I use this at night but is also great in the morning under make-up.

Finally there was the free gift which was the Liz Earle Energisig Body Lotion, 150ml
I haven't used this much because I have so many moisturisers to use up but it is a lovely product. It does have a strong scent to it but it sinks in to the skin quickly and leaves the skin very moisturied for a long time. 

They also put it a free sample of the Cleanse and Polish (50ml) and a muslin cloth which will be perfect for when I go on holiday! 



I am so happy with the service at Liz Earle and I think this Skin Care Essential Regime is a great deal if you are looking into trying a few of their products. The May Skin Care Regime is available now and includes a free Eye Bright Soothing Eye Lotion which i've heard good things about. You also get free delivery!

What have you tried for Liz Earle?

Sunday 13 May 2012

MAC Hue Lipstick

I think Hue is one of MAC's most popular lipsticks shades and not surprising since it is a perfect nude shade. I finally pick it up the other week when I was at the York Designer Outlet and got it for £9.50! I was so surprised that they had such a popular shade reduced.
Now I was always nervous to try this shade because sometimes nudes can make my lips look dead! This really doesn't, it is a lovely peachy, pink nude making it very flattering on the lips.
Hue is a Glaze finish meaning it is very glossy and moisturising, this does mean it doesn't last as long on the lips as a matte lipstick but it is also one of those shades in which you can apply without a mirror, so very handy to have in your handbag for a day to day basis.
I really love this lipstick because it is so easy to wear and I can definitely see why it is so popular! For me this is the perfect nude and i'm sure it would suit many skintones. I also think this would look great all year round.

MAC Lipsticks retail for £13.50 and are available instore or online. 

Have you tried MAC's Hue, doess it live up to the hype for you?

Friday 11 May 2012

NOTD - Nails Inc Instyle Power Pink

So many of you may already know about this really good deal with this months Instyle Magazine, their are 3 exclusive new Nails Inc shade available for free! Well not exactly free but Nails Inc polishes usually retail for £11 and with Instyle magazine only costing £3.80 I think it's a pretty good deal. I've picked up two of the shades and I love them both.
This shade is called Power Pink and is a lovely pink/purple hybrid. I love this shade and I don't have anything like it in my collection, it is also a pastel shade so it will be perfect for Spring. I love Nails Inc formula, they don't chip and only took 2 coats. Sometimes it can be a bit gluppy when applying but apart from that I love it!
This other shade I got was Bluebell which is a lovely pastel blue shade. The other available shade is a pastel peach. I think this is a great offer and all the shades are lovely.
Will you be picking up this months InStyle magazine?

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Korres Lip Butter in Wild Rose - Reviewed!

I love lip balms, I practically have one in every handbag and every room of the house! After hearing such great things about the Korres ones I knew I had to try them.
The Korres Lip Butter comes in a cute little pot, each different flavour has a different coloured lid this one being bright red. I know some people have complained about pot lip balms not being hygienic but I wash my hands so much that this doesn't bother me.
 As you can see in the pot it is a lovely deep red colour. As it is a lip balm it doesn't come out this colour on the lips but instead it is a lovely rosey red colour which I adore, it gives a lovely just bitten look to the lips. My favourite thing about this has to be how lovely and moisturising it feels. It gives a great shine to the lips and feels so nourising. It last well on the lips for a lip balm too and doesn't feel drying after it has worn off. 
All in all this is definitely one of the best lip balms i've tried in a long time and I can see myself getting some more colours very soon! I think this will be a must have for winter but also a great product to use all year round. 

Korres Lip Butters retail for £6 and are available at Feel Unique and ASOS

Have you tried these? What is your favourite tinted lip balm?
 

Monday 7 May 2012

Topshop Skin Tint in Fair - Reviewed!

Whilst having a look through my make-up collection the other day trying to find some products that I haven't used in a while I came across this. I bought it last year when I was on the hunt for the perfect tinted moisturiser (before I discovered the wonderful BB Creams!) and this has to be the best one I found and trust me I tried a lot!
As with the whole Topshop make-up this has really nice packaging. I love how simple it looks, I love no fuss packaging!
As with most tinted moisturisers there is few colours to choose from, Fair, Medium and Dark. The colour I got was Fair since I am very pale and I think from my experience because it is very blendable you should be able to find a colour that works for you, hopefully!
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Skin Tint comes with a pump which I love, I find products with pumps are so much easier to use than squeezy tubes.
Now I will worn you that this is very yellow toned, I personally don't mind this because I think it helps even out/cancel out the redness in face face. This feels very light on the skin and looks very natural. It blends out very easily. It doesn't cover up problem areas like a foundation would but it definitely evens out your skin tone, I just apply a bit of concealer over the problem areas. I really like this product, I do have to use powder with it because I have oily skin but on it's own it gives a dewy finish. 

If you are looking for a good tinted moisturiser I would recommend this one, it's a great product and lasts so long! I used it pretty much everyday last summer and I still have a lot left.

Topshop Skin Tint retails for £10. For some reason they only have this in Dark on the website but other shade are available in store. 

Have you tried the Topshop Skin Tint?