Tuesday 31 July 2012

July Empties!

Another month done which means a new empties post! Each month I think I won't use a lot of products up and then I end up having a box full! I honestly don't know how I do it, I clearly own too many products.
Hair - 
  • Aussie Hi Hold + Hi Shine Hairspray - I randomly got this when Aussie products were on offer and to be honest it didn't really do much. This is meant to be strong hold and for me it really wasn't, because of that I wouldn't buy it again but I do love Aussie as a brand still.
  • L'oreal Kids Sweet Pear Tangle Tamer - This is a bit of a random one, I used to have really knotty hair and this really helped! It smells amazing but doesn't really care for my hair, because of that I wouldn't buy it again but it is a good product.
  • Aussie 3 Minute Miracle for Coloured Hair - This is my favourite hair mask, I had 3 of them all half used up so I finished this last one this month and will definitely be repurchasing again.
Skincare -
  • Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean Cleanser - This is my favourite cleanser to use with my Clarisonic, it is so creamy and smells amazing! I've already repurchased this because I can't be without it. You can read my full review here. 
  • Liz Earle Istant Boost Skin Tonic - I really liked this product, I love using it at night after a face mask or scrub becuase it was so soothing. It smelled lovely too, I would repurchase it if I was looking to treat myself because it isn't the cheapest of products. I reviewed it in my Liz Earle post here. 

Make-Up -
  • Rimmel Match Perfection Illumiating Concealer - I really do like this concealer, it's great for under the eyes and gives a pretty decent amount of coverage. I have repurchased it and did a review here. 
  • 17 Wild Curls Mascara - I really did like this mascara, it ticked all the boxes for me and made my pretty rubbish lashes look great.I would buy it again but for now i'm trying out a few new mascaras. Full review here.
Other - 
  • Clinique Water Therapy Whipped Body Cream - A bit ago my Auntie gave me lots of Clinque samples she didn't want, this being one of them. There was nothing amazing about this, it didn't really smell of anything but did dry quickly. I wouldn't purchase the full size.
  • First Aid Beauty Gentle Body Wash - This body wash was so gentle and nice to use. If you suffer from sensitive skin you should definitely check out this brand. I probably wouldn't buy the full size but I do love the brand. 
  • Dove Invisible Dry deodorant - I really like this product, there's not much to say apart from it does the job! I would and have repurchased it.
  • Sally Hansen Polish Remover - Again another product that did the job, I probably would repurchase this again because it worked really well at removing polish.

So that's this months empties, if you've done this kind of post please leave a link below becuase I love reading them! 

Sunday 29 July 2012

Random July Favourites!

I mentioned in this months beauty favourites how busy I have been this month but I have still found time to fit in a few films and listen to some awesome music so these are my random favourites for this month!

Films -
 I have been waiting for this movie since the credits on The Dark Knight came up and it did not disappoint. I won't say much about the plot but if you are even just a little bit interested in this film go see it because it is awesome.


I'm slowly trying to watch all those films that i've heard great things about but never seen, this being on of them. I really loved this film Kevin Spacey is such a good actor especially in this. It has that famous scene of a girl lying naked on a load of rose petals. Definitely worth checking out if you haven't already. 


TV -
Breaking Bad is back! This is by far the best show on at the moment and only two episodes into Season 5 (the last season!) I can already tell it is going to be just as good and dark as the previous series. Do yourself a favour and watch this show!


Music -
As someone who is a huge The Mars Volta fan I have been checking out every band/project related to them. I came across Zechs Marquise who's line up feature 3 of Omar Rodriguez Lopez' brothers (Omar being the main man behind The Mars Volta) one of these brothers being a member of The Mars Volta himself. They do really cool instrumental music which is definitely worth checking out. 

App -
Last month I got an iphone and so i've been on the hunt for some good apps. I came across Camera+ when looking for something to edit my pictures on my phone. You can do all sorts on this app and for 69p it is definitely worth it.

So there are my random favourites for this month. What music, films or TV shows have you been loving this month?

Saturday 28 July 2012

July Beauty Favourites

This month has definitely gone by very fast and I feel like i've been so busy! Mainly with planning my holiday to California in the first week of Spetember which is all booked for and paid for now. I've been trying out a few new products which i'm loving and have made it into my favourites this month. 
 Body Care -
  • Roger & Gallet Creme Sublime Bois D'Orange Hand & Nail Cream - I won a French Glossybox last month and this was in it. My hands have been so dry recently and this has saved them, it is so moisturising and isn't greasy. It is the best hand cream I have ever used and smells lovely. It also has SPF 15 in it!
  • St Tropez Everday Gradual Tanner - I have just done a review on how much I love this. It gives such a natural tan and smells amazing. Definitely will be getting the full size with my Boots points.
Skincare - 
  • Re Gen Cream - I mentioned this in my Treating Acne Scars post, I definitely think this has really improved my acne scars and reduced the redness. It is such a good product and not too expensive. (It is available in Home Bargains too where it is even cheaper!)
  • Origins Super Spot Remover - So many people seem to be raving about this at the moment and it really is a good product for using on those new spots that are just red and really painful. I will be doing a full review on this very soon.
  •  Soap & Glory Fab Pore Facial Peel - This has been my face mask of choice this month and I love it so much. I did a full review of it here including a lovely shot of me actually with it on. 

Make-Up -
  • L'oreal Volume Million Lashes for Blue Eyes - This is hands down the best mascara I have ever tried, it just makes my rubbish lashes look amazing. I did a review of it here. 
  •  Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stains - This finally came out in the UK this month and I love them! They look like crayons and start off as a balm and end up as a stain which lasts ages! My favourite shade is Honey becuase it is the perfect everdyay lip colour. 
  •  Benefit Erase Paste - i've talked about how much I love this concealer here and I still love it! It is the perfect under eye concealer and doesn't crease at all.
  •  MAC Bare Study Paint Pot - Another old favourite I think this was even one of my first MAC products. It is the perfect champagne colour and looks great on it's on or with other shadows and lasts all day. 
  •  ELF Eyebrow Kit in Ash - I go through phases with this products but I do really love it. You get a wax which is great for filling in any gaps in your eyebrows and then a powder which softens any harshness and looks very natural. It's a great little product and lasts ages!

So that's my favourites for this month, as I said I am trying out a few new things at the moment so expect reviews on them and maybe they will make their way into next months favourites! 

What have been your favourites for July?

Thursday 26 July 2012

Sample Test - St Tropez Everyday Gradual Tanner

I really enjoy trying samples, it is a great way to check out some more expensive products before decided whether to take the plunge and buy the full size. I love gradual tanner and now that the sun has finally showed it's face it is definitely needed. I got this sample in last months Elle magazine and I was so excited to try it. 
 I love the St Tropez packaging it is so simple with the white bottle and black writing. The shade I got was light/medium there is also a medium/dark shade. St Tropez claim 'This enriched, nourishing body moisturiser cleverly combines serious skin care benefits with a healthy touch of bronze. Infused with soothing aloe vera, this lotion will help give you smoother, skin while building a gradual golden tan, every day.' Sounds good right? 
I'm going to go straight to the point and say this is my favourite gradual tannner I have ever used. Firstly it smells lovely, I can't really describe the scent it is just fresh and slightly floral. It leaves a lovely natural looking tan almost sun kissed! This dries so quick, I would go do my arms first and then on to my chest area and my arms would be dry and i'm able to get dressed straight away. The colour develops nicely over a few hours. This doesn't go patchy after a few days either I find it to be nicely moisturising too. It also doesn't develop a bad fake tan smell either. This is called the Everyday Gradual Tanner, I personally don't use it everday but I do apply it after every shower and it doesn't look too much.

For me this product ticks all the boxes and I can see it being a must have for me over the warmer months. Now obviously this isn't the cheapest gradual tanner but I would definitely say it is worth it and I will definitely be buying the full size which is 200ml, those Boots points do come in handy!

St Tropez Everyday Gradual Tanner retails for £14.39 but is currently £2 off at Boots here.

Tuesday 24 July 2012

How To - Reuse a Candle Jar

I am such a candle lover, I always have them burning no matter what time of year. I thought it would be useful to do a post on how I reuse the jars to make storage containers.
   First you need to remove the old wax from the jar, there are a few ways of doing this but I think the best way cover the bottom of a pan with around 2 inches of boiling water and heat it up. You can do this on a medium heat.
 Place the jar in the water and let the wax heat up, you don't want to fully melt the wax because that will make a big mess. Using a knife you can loosen the wax around the edges. It tends to take 30 seconds to a minutes to do this. 
Remove the jar from the heat you should be able to cut through the centre of the wax and it should pop out easily.
Now to remove to excess wax on the sides. If there isn't a lot of wax left some soap and water should remove it easily. If there's a lot fill the jar with boiling water from the kettle and leave for about a minute. After that the wax should wash away. You can use the knife again to remove any larger bits.
To remove the label on the bottom warm water and a knife should do the job. You can also use some soap to help lift the label.
If there is still some residue or glue from the label some nail polish remover and cotton pads works great. 
Cover the cotton pad with nail polish remover and rub until the glue is removed.
This will help with removing those last little bits of wax. Finally give the jar one last rinse with warm water to remove any nail polish remover. 
Now you're done! It is really easy to and should take around 10 minutes. These jars can make great storage jars. Some ways to use them are brush holders..
Or even as braclet storage! There are so many different things you can use this for even if its just general knick knacks.
I hope this post was helpful and if you try this please let me know in the comments. Do you love candles and do you reuse the jars?





Sunday 22 July 2012

Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer - Reviewed!

I honestly don't know why it has taken me so long to review this product, the fact that this is my second tube of it means I must really like it! As i've said i'm a bit hit and miss when it comes to Rimmel, some products I love some product I hate. I tried the powder from this range and found it to be way too orange! But back to the concealer...
 Rimmel claim that this product is a 'skin tone adapting concealer' it is also a 2 in 1 product that concealers and highlights at the same time. For me I wouldn't personally use this on blemishes because you don't really want to highlight those but it is perfect for under the eye. 
The packaging is nice and simple, it comes in a nude coloured tube with blue writing. It does have a brush applicator which doesn't bother me too much since I use it under the eyes but if I was using it anywhere else I would put the product on my hand and then use my fingers.
Now the colour range for this is pretty poor, there's only 3 shades which means if you're not pale to medium skintone there won't be a shade for you which is such a shame. 
For me the shade Ivory is a pretty great shade for me, I find that it really brightens under my eyes whilst still covering any blue tones or dark circles. It doesn't give full coverage but is great for everday when you don't need full coverage because it feels so light on the skin. If I need a full coverage I find it works great over something like Benefit Erase Paste.


I really like this concealer, it is just a great everday product and it always seems to be in my make-up bag. 


Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer £5.99 retails for and is available here.

Have you tried this concealer? What is your favourite under eye concealer?

Friday 20 July 2012

L'oreal Volume Million Lashes - Reviewed!

I few weeks back I asked on Twitter what mascara was their favourite,  I got a lot of respones and made note of them all but this was the one that came out top. I had actually been wanting to try this mascara for a while but after hearing so many people loved it I knew I had to try it out. 
 Whilst browsing in Boots I noticed there were so many different versions of this mascara, I decided to get the one for Blue Eyes however I've heard it is pretty much exactly the same as the original. L'oreal claim 'Light-up your eyes with Volume Million Lashes Luminizer. For fanned-out, maxed-up lash look in 3 dazzling shades that are designed to boost your eyes according to their colour.' 
As someone who has short, straight lashes I look for a mascara to had volume, a bit of length and hold a curl. I can say that for me this mascara ticks all those boxes. The brush fairly big and is only slightly tappered towards the end. As the picture above shows too much product doesn't come out on the brush which I love because you don't end up putting too much product on the lashes and making a mess!
I find that with one coat you can get a lovely effect and with two you can create some great dramatic lashes, perfect for a night out. I find that the wear time of this product is also really good, it hold a curl pretty much all day and doesn't flake off or transfer under the eye. It also doesn't give any clumps to the lashes.


I have been seriously impressed with this mascara, it isn't too wet or dry and gives such a great look to the lashes. I would definitely recommend this mascara to anyone! I would say that you don't really need to get the coloured version because it doesn't make much of a difference so when I repurchase this (which i definitely will!) I think I'll get the original version. 


L'oreal Volume Million Lashes retails for £11.29 (the original version is £10.99 ) and is available here. 

Have you tried this mascara?

Wednesday 18 July 2012

NOTD - Revlon Blue Lagoon

I feel like Spring/Summer might actually be my favourite time of the year when it comes to nail polish. I love wearing pastel shades especially on my nails. Revlon are some of my favourite polishes, they have a great colour range and last so well on the nails. 
The colour Blue Lagoon, I got last Summer and for me it’s the perfect pale baby blue shade. It works very well with my pale skin tone without making my hands look dead! It also has a slight shimmer to it which is subtle buy adds a nice dimension to the polish. 
 For me it takes about 2 coats to get it opaque, as I said it lasts very well on the nails even without a top coat. Although this shade is from last year’s collection it is still available this year. I would definitely recommend this shade (and Revlon polishes in general!) as it is the perfect colour to wear in Spring and Summer. If you are not into shimmers in a polish although the ones in this are very fine they also do a shade could Dreamer which seems to be similar but without the shimmer. 

Revlon Nail Polishes are available here and retail for £6.49.

What do you think of Revlon Nail Polishes?

Monday 16 July 2012

Soap and Glory The Fab Pore Facial Peel - Reviewed!

I've been a fan of Soap and Glory's body products for a while now but i've never actually tried many of their facail products. I love their cleanser, Peaches and Cream (review here) so whilst Boots had a 3 for 2 on I picked up a few things including this.
The Fab Pore Facial Peel says 'it is Ideal for greasy, spot prone or problem skin, or for a strategic attack on a misbehaving T-Zone.' That is pretty much the main problems that I have with my skin! The term Facial Peel can be a bit missleading because it isn't actually a peel it is basically a face mask that helps improve your pores.
You can either use it for 5 minutes for a quick clearn or 15 minutes for a deep cleanse. I really like this idea because sometimes you don't always have 15 minutes spare!
The product itself is a white thick cream with small blue beads in it which as you rub into the skin burst. This helps with knowing how much you need to rub or massage the product into the skin.
The mask feels lovely on the skin, at one point I forget I even had it on my skin because it felt so nice. This mask is really easy to wash off too, which can be one of my pet hates when it comes to doing face masks.
Here's a lovely shot of my wearing the mask! I would say that it doesn't completely dry which I like because it doesn't make your face feel tight. I noticed after just using this one my skin feelt amazing and I would even say it looked a little clearer. I haven't noticed a massive difference in the size of my pores but I would say it seems to get all the dirt out of them and I have had no breakouts around my nose which is a big win!

I've been so impressed with Soap & Glory recently and this is another star product from them. I also think you can get a lot of uses out of the pot because you don't need to use a lot of product. I do think I would repurchase this product in the future but next I think I have my eye on the No Clogs Allowed mask which also sounds amazing!





The Fab Pore retails for £8.00 and is available here.

Have you tried this mask? What is your favourite face mask?

Saturday 14 July 2012

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream - Reviewed!

For years I haven't had any problems with dry hands and bad cuticles but the past from months they have been a bit of a mess! I got my Mum a Burts Bees set for Mother's Day and a mini version of this came with it, after using it a few times for myself I knew I had to get the full size for my own. 
 This cuticle cream claims to 'help maintain strong and healthy finger nails'. I can honestly say it does that very well! The product comes in a cute tin which is perfect for having in your handbag or on your bedside table. 
 The product itself is a yellow wax which smells absolutely divine! It is a lovely fresh lemon scent so if you don't like lemons you might not like this however I love it. It does take a few seconds to warm it up with your finger but then I just rub it into my cuticles or any dry parts around my fingers. I don't find it greasy at all and after a minute or so it sinks and my fingers feeling lovely and moisturised. 

I think this is a really great product if you suffer from any sort of dryness around your fingers because it really does make a differnce. I've been using this for a few months now and there id barely a dint in it so I think it will definitely last a very long time.

Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream retails for £5.99 and is available here. 

Have you tried this? Do you suffer from dry hands or cuticles?

Thursday 12 July 2012

My Top 3 Ways To Treat Acne Scarring

As someone who has suffered from acne for a good few years I feel like I have tried so many different products to help with it. Although my acne has improved a lot my face has been left with several red scars that make-up doesn't always cover. These are just 3 products I think have definitely helped improve these scars, I am by no means an expert but I thought this post would be useful to do.
 Bio-Oil
Bio-Oil is a well known product for helping with stretch marks but it can also be used on acne scarring. This definitely helps to remove the harsh redness, I would say that this is best not used near active breakouts because it is an oil and it may make them worse. However it is great eslewhere, for me it has really help with some old scar I have on my cheeks. 

Bio-Oil retails for £8.99 and is available here.

Alpha H Liquid Gold
 This is a well raved about product at the moment and I can definitely see why. This is a Glycolic Acid treatment which for me has really helped  with hyperpigmentation from acne scars as well as improving the texture of my skin. I use about 2-3 times a week and after a couple of weeks i've already seen a massive improvement in my skin. It is definitely not the cheapest of products but a great thing about it is it can be used on active breakouts as well and helps to heal them as well as getting rid of old scars. 

Alpha H Liquid Gold retails for £31.50 and is available here. 

Re-Gen Cream
This product works in a similar way to Bio-Oil but is in a cream form instead. I use this as a night time moisturiser and it really does help improving the appearance of scarring. Like the Liquid Gold it can also be used on active breakouts. It is also good for dry skin which can happen around a blemish after using spot treatments. It isn't too greasy either so would work for oily skin too. 

Re-Gen Cream retails for £3.99 or £6.99 and is available here or Home Bargains.

So those are my top 3 treatments that I think have really helped reduce the appearance of my acne scarring and I would recommend all of these products to anyone. I hope this was helpful to those who suffer with acne scarring or blemished skin and I will be doing some more spot cream reviews so keep an eye out for those. 

Another great thing you can do is make your on Manuka Honey face masks, Manuka Honey is great for helping blemished skin. I did a how to post on it here. It is really easy to make and definitely works. 

Have you tried any of these products? What do you use to help with acne scarring?

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Revlon ColorBurst Lipglosses - Reviewed!

Lets start off today's post by saying that me and lipglosses don't get along. I hate how they feel on my lips, I hate it when they're sticky and look too shiny. You maybe thinking why am I reviewing a lipgloss then? Well these are one of the few (and I mean few!) lipglosses that I would say are worth checking out and I enjoy wearing.
I'm a huge fan of Revlon lip products, their lipsticks are some of the best on the highstreet in my opinion. As always with most Revlon products these lipglosses have lovely packaging, nice and simple but still look great. 
They come with a sponge applicator which is a great size for the lips, a ton of product doesn't come out either which means you can easily control how much you apply. 
The two colours I have are Papaya, which is a love bright orange colour and the perfect Summer shade and Peony which is a lovely pink with gold shimmers through it, a lovely everday shade. 
As you can see from the swatches both of these are well pigmented and would look great on their own or over the top of lipsticks or a balm. The best thing about these is that they aren't sticky and feel lovely on the lips! They also wear pretty well for a lipgloss, I can get 1-2 hours out of them. I also think they have just the right amount of shine to them with out look too much.

Revlon ColorBurst Lipglosses retail for £7.99 and are available here.

Have you tried these? Are you a fan of lipglosses?